Focus on What Gives You Energy – Donna Epps, Partner at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP

As part of our Texas Women in Business sponsorship on WBAP/KLIF, we asked Donna Epps to share her insights.  Donna is a partner in the Deloitte Forensic practice of Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, the national leader of the Anti-Fraud Consulting group, and Co-Leader of Deloitte’s Governance, Risk and Compliance practice.

When it comes to navigating a complex and dynamic business world, Donna understands the importance of focus and energy.  During her more than 26 years in public accounting and professional services, she has audited public and private companies, and has led examinations of regulatory compliance at the state and federal level for certain communications companies. She has worked with the management of multinational public companies in complex, multiyear restatements of financial statements. She has also provided merger and acquisition-related services, and dispute services, particularly in the areas of purchase price and other accounting-related disputes. Donna also assists clients in corporate investigations, with a focus on SEC and accounting-related matters.

In her current role, Donna focuses on helping companies develop and implement proactive enterprise risk and compliance programs. With a focus on value protection and creation, these programs incorporate strategic, operational, compliance and financial risk.

Donna shared her thoughts on success and the future of women in business. I hope these comments resonate with you as well.

Q. What has contributed to your successful career?

I have been lucky to have several mentors and sponsors throughout my career who have provided guidance and support. Throughout my various roles, these people have greatly contributed to any success I’ve had so far. Don’t underestimate the importance of having the right people in your corner to help you.

Q.  What advice would you give to women who are looking to make their mark in business? 

Women should focus on the things that give them energy and make them want to get to work every day.  Knowing that some of these areas may not play to her strengths, she should build her team to complement her skills and experience.  She should also consider working for organizations that will invest in her development, providing strong training programs throughout her career.  Finally, women need support, in their personal and professional environments, to bring the right balance as needed. This will help them maintain energy over time.

Q. How does the future look for women leaders?

The outlook for women in business is strong, with many current opportunities for women. Keep your focus, find energy every day and seek out firms that are invested in your future.

To learn more about how to give yourself an energy boost, read the chapter in my book Show Up. Step Up. Step Out. entitled How Well Do You Manage Your Energy available on Amazon.

The Balancing Act Between Teaching and Solving

Has this ever happened to you? One of your team members comes to you to talk about how to deal with an issue. But by the end of the conversation, you find that somehow the issue has become yours to solve. In a situation like this, you’re typically faced with balancing the need to solve the problem quickly and using it as an opportunity to build your team member’s capabilities.

When leaders feel significant time pressure or stress, they may intervene in their team’s problems more often than they should. What typically happens to you? When someone approaches you with an issue, how often do you dive right in and take action? How often do you start by asking questions to help the team member resolve the issue himself?

If your inclination is to jump into problem-solving mode, consider asking your team member the following questions first:

• “What’s most important to you about the issue?”

• “What problem are you really trying to solve?”

• “What have you tried already, and what did you learn from that?”

• “What would you like me to do in this situation?”

That last one is especially important: Get to the heart of what someone is truly asking before taking action. Does your team member just need you to listen, does she need your help brainstorming or would she like you to remove an obstacle to her progress? Don’t make assumptions.

Finally, pay attention to who owns implementation of the solution before you have finished the conversation. In some instances, you may want to take over due to the nature of the issue and sensitivity of the situation. However, challenge yourself to consider how you can help the individual be successful in resolving it himself or with the support of others.

This week, notice how you respond when your team approaches you with problems. Pay attention to your patterns and look for ways to guide your team to resolve more on their own. By keeping your priorities and your team’s development front and center, you will accomplish far more in the long run – by building a stronger team and strategically focusing your energy and effort.

Leave Your Fingerprints – Advice from Nancy Loewe, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Kimberly-Clark Corp.

Newberry Executive Solutions is sponsoring the Texas Women in Business segment, airing on WBAP/KLIF radio in Dallas, Texas.  I asked my colleague Nancy Loewe, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Kimberly-Clark Corp., to participate in the radio segment and she readily agreed.

Nancy leads the development and monitoring of the company's strategic plans and processes to enhance the company’s growth initiatives. In 2011, she joined Kimberly-Clark as treasurer from Frito-Lay North America where she served as chief financial officer. Nancy has more than 20 years of experience in global financial roles of increasing responsibility, including holding CFO positions at GE for consumer and industrial, plastics and healthcare before becoming corporate vice president of strategic transactions and cash.

Throughout her career, Nancy has lived in several countries and has focused on developing global talent across Europe, Asia and North America. Her strong finance, general management and strategy experience brings unique perspective to our businesses in developing new strategic priorities as we expand around the world. Clearly, Nancy has a very successful career and should be applauded for her what she has accomplished.

But just like everyone else, Nancy has had to work her way to the top. She shared some insights about her challenges as well as the future of women in business.

Q. Please tell us what you feel has contributed to your successful career?

A.   For me, the keys to success have been hard work, results and sponsorship – in that order.  I took on tough roles no one else wanted and then focused on demonstrating results within them. In some cases that meant going deep in a certain area or subject.  That ultimately led to sponsors, who I didn't even know were sponsors at the time, taking a chance on me.

Q. How did you overcome a particular challenge in your career?

A. As I changed companies, I didn't initially understand that the rules of the game had changed too.   In other words, I needed to figure out how decisions were made and who needed to be involved.  I had to observe how others got things done, and I learned the critical importance of alignment and relationships.

Q. In your opinion, how does the future look for women leaders in business?

A. The future looks fine.  There has been a generational shift in the workplace. Many men leaders may have had a mom or an aunt who worked, or sisters and wives who have careers, or even daughters already in the workplace. This raises the awareness and acceptance of women in business. It's not a coincidence that companies with more female senior leaders have better employee engagement, and companies with Boards with female directors have better financial results. Women bring valuable skills to the workplace.

Q. What advice would you give to women who are looking to make their mark in business?

A. Women I know who have made their mark always leave things better than how they found them. They're not afraid to push the envelope. So I say leave your fingerprints wherever you go. Be known for your unique skill set or the way you get things done.

Nancy offers some excellent words of wisdom. To build on her comments, check out the chapter in my book, Show Up. Step Up. Step Out., entitled Creating the Outcome You Want. It provides strategies that can help high performers with a drive for results to take it one step further.

Develop Your Team While Managing Your Energy

One of my clients recently struggled with a leadership dilemma: Her high performers energized her, while the team members who need more development — and thus more of her time — often left her drained. If her situation rings true for you, here are three ideas to help you guide your team’s growth while managing other priorities as well.  

Notice Your Energy On any team, some people will take more of your time and energy. How does spending time with them affect you? And how does it affect the way you engage with the rest of your team? Based on what you notice from your answers to these questions, proactively plan energizing activities or interactions right after draining situations. Remember that the quality of the activity matters more than the quantity of time you spend doing it, so it can be quick.

Express Gratitude Acknowledge and appreciate what each team member is doing right. We often take for granted that people know what’s working and focus our feedback on what should change, but your team needs to hear what they’re doing well so that they know to keep doing it. Be specific. Just saying “You’re doing a good job” doesn’t provide much useful information. And be prompt. Take a minute to pull your team member aside after a meeting or conference call to review what she did well. I also have clients who carve out a few minutes each week to send emails acknowledging good work. Quick tactics like these will give you energy while maximizing your team members’ strengths.

Cultivate the Right Mindset When working with the team members who require more of your energy, go in with a mindset of acceptance: They are who they are. What’s the best way to engage with them? And do you need to set any boundaries? Of course, you’re focused on helping the team member succeed, but also think about what you need in order to participate in a positive way. For example, I have a client who often lets feedback conversations drag on too long. And that has turned into reluctance to initiate this kind of conversation, even when it is important. By simply setting some time limits for these conversations, he changed his whole energy around these interactions.

This week, identify which of these strategies you will put into play. And remember that small steps can lead to big results.

Give Yourself an Ear Worm!

Have you ever heard a song on the radio in the morning that stuck with you throughout the day? Some call that an ear worm - a catchy piece of music that continually repeats through a person's mind after it is no longer playing1. And according to research, 98% of us experience these pesky occurrences every once in a while. But what if your ear worm worked to your advantage?   My WOW! Women on the Way to Peak PerformanceProgramSM can give you just the messages you need to take your performance and career to the next level. If you’re not ready for the full program, the Lite version includes two high impact modules – “Getting the Right Work Done” and “Building a Network of Advocates” – to help you keep some powerful tools front and center.

“Getting the Right Work Done” focuses on:

* Determining the three most critical areas where you can make the biggest business impact

* Understanding where you are getting side-tracked

* Develop strategies to ensure you are getting the right work done

Listening to this audio module periodically during the year can serve as a checkup or help you refocus on the most important areas for success.

“Building a Network of Advocates” helps you assess and strengthen your current network of colleagues and contacts, to help you get results and advance your career with advocates in your corner.

* How do your attitudes and beliefs impact your ability to network?

* Who should you leverage in your network?

* Strategies to strengthen your network in a way that works for you

* Develop action steps to leverage your contacts to achieve your goals

Designed with busy professionals in mind, you can download and listen to these two 30-minute modules from my website here at your convenience. They come with transcripts and exercises to help you get the most out of the content. Whether you need a boost in the morning to make sure you are showing up the right way, or would like to have a coach available at the press of a button when tackling a difficult challenge, these audio programs will give you a positive ear worm!

1 Wikipedia definition – ear worm

Leadership Lessons from 'Hank'

I recently had the opportunity to attend a private screening of the documentary “Hank: 5 Years from the Brink” at The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.  In the film, former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson talks about the challenges and issues he dealt with during the financial crisis and government bailouts of 2008. President George W. Bush introduced the film and we had an opportunity to hear directly from Secretary Paulson about the experience and what he wanted others to learn from it. Whatever your politic views, “Hank” is a fascinating look at how we make decisions and lead during times of complexity and high stakes. Paulson faced extreme versions of the pressures we all face at times in our careers: deadlines, adversity, harsh criticism, and others questioning our judgment.

His story gives us some lessons on handling challenging times:

Get support. Paulson’s wife was a pillar of support for him. In one memorable scene of the documentary, Hank is paralyzed with fear and truly at a loss for what to do. Completely overwhelmed, he reaches out to his wife to ask her for advice.  In that moment, she says exactly the right inspirational words to propel him forward, out of a place of fear and to a place where he can identify and take that next step. We all need people in our lives who know just what to say when we’re stuck. Who provides that voice of reason, reassurance or comfort for you?

Frame your actions. With each looming crisis, Paulson’s focus on doing the right thing for the country was at the forefront of his decision making. He reinforced this in every communication to congress by framing the options in the context of what was truly at stake. How you frame something can be the difference between garnering support or falling flat.

Surround yourself with the right people. Paulson deliberately brought in others whose expertise supplemented his own skills, knowledge, and experience and engaged them in being part of the solution. He recognized his limitations and leveraged others to fill in the gaps.

Leaders who put this into practice can accomplish amazing things – sustainable high performance, effective crisis management, and unprecedented results.  Invest time to get clear about the types of skills and expertise you need to round out your team’s capabilities.

You can watch “Hank” on Netflix or iTunes, and I encourage you to check it out. The documentary sheds light both on the financial crisis and dealing with personal adversity as we face difficult chapters in our own careers.

Early Morning Habits of Successful People

There is one thing that distinguishes successful people. They get a lot done. And while we all have several balls in the air, these high performers seem to have exceptionally high output. So…how do they do it?

A recent article in Inc. Magazine shared several nuggets that you may find useful. As you might expect, how you start the day can set the tone for how much you accomplish. The most successful people begin by focusing on their top priority, and science gives us more insight into what works about this practice. A well-known psychology professor from Florida State University found that willpower is like a muscle that becomes tired when overused. So, mornings offer a fresh boost to the willpower muscle, enabling successful people to focus on their most critical goals first.

Take a look at the other early morning habits that successful people exhibit, and notice which ones you currently put into practice.

• Wake up early

• Exercise or meditate in the morning

• Work on a personal passion

• Spend quality time with family

• Network with friends and advocates

• Develop plans or strategies

• Catch up on current events

• Make a list of things for which they are grateful

How do you want to set yourself up for success each morning? Do your days currently begin with a mad dash or do you show up with purpose and a specific plan in mind?  This is so critical to success that I have dedicated a module to Getting the Right Work Done in the WOW! Women on the Way to Peak Performance ProgramSM (full and Lite versions).  Listen to the quick 30-minute audio to learn how to focus on the three critical areas where you can make the biggest business impact this year, and how to manage distractions.

To accelerate your results and impact, invest your time intentionally each morning. Consider implementing one or two of these habits I’ve listed and investing in the WOW! ProgramSM audio to make sure you’re applying the right tools for a more successful you.

Dealing with Difficult People

Do you have a colleague who never fails to frustrate you? Some of my clients are struggling with this very issue, and I’ve noticed that they do something interesting. Rather than expecting the other person to behave as he always has, my client shows up with hope that today will be different and this person just won’t do the things that get under her skin. I hate to squash that kind of optimism, but in this case the evidence is overwhelming that the behavior will likely be as maddening as it has been.

However, if instead you expect the same behavior, you may be less likely to get “triggered.”  In other words, you may take her actions less personally and be more open to engaging in a different way.

To take yourself out of the predictable cycle of how your interactions unfold, try a new approach with him. Take a look at these three questions to help you do so:

• How much time or energy do you want to invest in changing things?

• What small change can you make to how you engage with him, so that you get a better outcome?

• How much dread and negative self-talk are you holding onto? What do you typically say to yourself? Remember that what you say to yourself can make the situation ten times worse.

Remember that slight tweaks can shift the dynamics, so it may not take a lot to improve the situation. It’s critical to be clear on how you want to show up, regardless of how the other person does.

So, if you’re dealing with a difficult colleague, take a few minutes this week to answer the questions above. You may realize that a small change in how you behave or what you tell yourself, can make a huge difference and take a lot of the angst out of the situation.

Show Up the Right Way When You Get Triggered

One of my executive coaching clients has the perfect storm of business and political challenges converging. Her company is going through dramatic and rapid change, resulting in rampant office politics as people feel uncertain and insecure about the future.  In tough environments like this, emotions can run high and feelings can be hard to control. We have all been there at one point or another.  The next time you find yourself in a situation that triggers you, try these strategies.   Breathe  Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathing is one of the easiest and most effective steps you can take to help you get centered. Inhale to a count of 3, hold for 3 and then exhale for 3. This pace of even, methodical breathing can get you out of fight-or-flight mode. And you can even do this in a meeting, and no one will know.   Check in  Once you calm down, answer these questions: 

• What do you really want or need right now?” Maybe you need to feel validated, respected, or understood.

• What does the other person want or need?

• How do you want to show up in this situation? In other words, what do you want others to consistently understand when they think about your leadership? For example, it could be with professionalism, integrity, and confidence.

It can help to write your responses to these questions or talk through them with someone else, to really crystallize what’s going on.   Defer  Sometimes the emotions of a situation can prevent you from moving into problem-solving mode. If you’re having difficulty re-centering or you keep replaying the scenario in your head, one of your core values may have been threatened.  Once someone is fully triggered, it takes 20 minutes to recover.   If you find yourself in this place, the best action may be no action. Give yourself some space so you can show up in the way that you want. For women, talking to other female friends can also help because doing so releases stress-reducing hormones (according to a groundbreaking study released by UCLA in January 2014).   The next time you feel yourself getting triggered, start by simply breathing.   It’s a small shift, but one that can help manage your emotions during challenging situations.  Remember, small steps can lead to big results.

Getting to the Top

Two momentous promotions recently occurred. Janet Yellen was promoted from Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to the 15th Chairman of the Federal Reserve. And Mary Barra transitioned from Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain at General Motors to Chief Executive Officer of General Motors. Both promotions are a first, and realized after the women had spent 20+ years at their respective organizations. Is there a hidden nugget for you in these two events? Clearly, both women persevered and got results. But having a strong network, in addition to demonstrating results, matters just as much. Research from Catalyst shows that having sponsors, leaders with power and influence who give visibility to your strengths and push to get you opportunities, can make a huge difference.

What are you doing to build a powerful network of advocates?  When was the last time you took a hard look at your network and how you cultivate and leverage key relationships? If this is something you struggle with, you can find easy-to-implement strategies to develop and strengthen your network in my WOW! Women On the Way to Peak Performance Program℠.  Given the importance of this skill set, I have dedicated a complete module to Building a Network of Advocates –  to help you get results for the business and your career (this module is also included in WOW LiteSM).

I have no doubt that Mary and Janet developed strong networks within their companies, their industries and personal lives – and it has served them well. How do you want to put this into play for yourself this year?

3 Leadership Principles from Dr Pepper/Snapple Group

Recently, I had the chance to hear Marty Ellen, chief financial officer of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, speak at a Network of Executive Women event. Ellen shared that he leads by three guiding principles and emphasizes these as a mentor.

Control Take charge of your own life and how you are showing up. Ellen said that when he delivers a speech, he pays attention to who is sitting in the front row — in other words, who is ready to engage and be seen instead of fading into the woodwork. The other aspect of control is asking for what you want. Don’t assume, for example, that your bosses will know you’re interested in a promotion. Ask for what you want.

Influence What truly makes you influential is the power of relationships, and what makes your relationships thrive is relating to others on a personal level, Ellen says. No matter how far you’ve risen in an organization, remember your journey. You were learning the ropes once, too. Showing humility and respect in how you treat others will increase your influence.

Judgment Ellen got his MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where he learned the concept of “managing your 168.” That’s the number of hours in a week. How will you invest that time based on what matters to you? How you use your 168 will vary at different times in your life, but you must always use careful judgment in how you spend those hours.

His talk gives us some valuable questions to consider: How are you taking charge of your life? How are you showing up in relationships?  Are you “managing your 168” in a way that reflects your priorities? I challenge you to identify one small step to put at least one of these principles into play this week. Remember, small steps can lead to big results.

Working with Millennials…and Everyone Else

Millennials are all around us. These young, enthusiastic Generation-Y professionals are gaining a foothold in the workplace and the world. Born in the early 1980s, these workers have been viewed across a broad spectrum from adaptable and skilled multitaskers to lazy, entitled and unmanageable job hoppers. Media outlets touting “30 under 30” and “The Young Entrepreneurs” are feeding the stereotype. A recent study by Cornerstone OnDemand focused on three generations' views of workplace technology. The State of Workplace Productivity study shared some interesting insights…as well as misconceptions about the working preferences of younger versus older workers.

The Cornerstone study revealed that millennials prefer in-person team work and are pro-gadget, but also may be hitting their tech limit. "Gen-Y workers, whom we have largely pigeonholed as having an insatiable appetite for technology, are expressing both a desire for more human, face-to-face interaction and frustration with information and technology overload," said Jason Corsello of Cornerstone OnDemand, which released its survey in November 2013.

So how do you work with – and for – them? In my book Show Up. Step Up. Step Out., one of the chapters offer four practical strategies on creating a high performing team (among a host of other strategies to boost your effectiveness). Check it out to see if these easy-to-implement tips can help you reach your goals.

Time to Bolster Your New Year’s Resolutions

How are your New Year’s resolutions going so far? If you are starting to falter a little or just need to make sure you’ve set yourself up for success, consider these simple ideas: Make it Meaningful Identify what achieving this resolution would really mean for you. What would be happening? How would you be feeling? How would others respond? Take a few minutes to write the answers to these questions. Then read your responses. When you’re losing steam, re-read them.

Break It Down If you set a big goal for 2014 that now seems overwhelming and unrealistic, think about how you can break it down into smaller chunks. Map out interim deadlines and specific actions to make it more manageable. For example, start with the parts of the goal you want to complete in the first three months of 2014.

Add Accountability Share what achieving this goal would really mean to you and report your progress on it to someone else who will motivate you when you might otherwise give up. Your accountability buddy can help you remember what’s really at stake for you and help you refocus.

Anticipate Obstacles Inevitably, something will pop up that affects your progress on your resolution. Anticipate the potential roadblocks and plan ahead for them. Identify the support you will need when you encounter them. It can be the difference between abandoning your goal or just making a slight course correction. This is one of the most-overlooked strategies, but one of the most important.

Take a few minutes to check in on your resolutions and make any adjustments. Remember that even a big goal is achievable if you set yourself up for success.

Four Practices That Work for Me

As I coach clients, I ask them lots of questions to help them perform at their best. One question we’ve been addressing lately is “What really worked for you in 2013?” Knowing what helps you be effective and leads you to success is critical. Too many times, we go from one thing to the next without pausing to note what works for us. For that reason, I took some time to answer that question myself, and I wanted to share my answers with you.

Make passion a priority One thing that worked for me in 2013 was focusing more on what I’m most passionate about. In my case, that’s giving people access to resources and tools to help them be successful. I’ve learned to focus on what has heart and meaning for me and let that be my guide.

Outsource when you can For the things that aren’t in my areas of passion, I’ve learned to get as much help as possible from other resources. This helps me shift time and attention away from less-critical areas to my priorities.

Get the right help For key areas, it’s vital to have the right team, with the right expertise, in place. This may take some trial-and-error.

Let go I still set the bar pretty high, but I’m learning how to keep the big picture in mind. Not everything will get done perfectly or in the exact way I would have wanted. But that’s OK as long as my main priorities are handled in the way they need to be. There are things that need to be knocked out of the park and things that are just nice to have. And it’s important to know the difference.

This week, I challenge you take time to consider what worked for you in 2013. Even spending just a few minutes on this exercise can be powerful. The more you learn about what works for you, the more you can put it into play.

Revisit Last Year’s Three Questions

It’s that time of year again when I ask you to answer three questions to give you insight about your leadership this year and to inform your goals for next year.

1. What did I learn about my leadership in 2013?

2. What did I learn from other leaders?

3. What do I want to take forward into 2014, or leave behind?

For me, this year tested my capacity and resilience in ways I didn’t expect. I dealt with a big personal loss with my father unexpectedly passing away. But this loss showed me the strength of my support network – how my friends and family can really step up – and my ability to forge ahead. I celebrated my company’s five-year anniversary, leading me to rebrand and rename it to better represent the solutions we bring to our clients and set the stage for the next five years. And I learned from and was inspired by each and every one of the talented leaders I work with at AT&T, PepsiCo, Sysco, TXU Energy, and Marathon Oil, among others. But most of all, I am reminded of the importance of truly being in the moment, as I play baseball with my son or listen wholeheartedly to the person sitting across from me. That is a gift that we can give every day to each and every person we interact with, and something I will definitely take forward into 2014.

Take a few minutes to capture your thoughts about the insight you gained about yourself, who inspired you, and the experiences you never want to have again. Then identify one small step you will take in 2014 to put this knowledge into play and keep it top of mind.

As you bring in the new year, don’t miss the opportunity to reflect about YOUR leadership and what YOU want to do in 2014.

Don’t Let Burnout Steal Your Holiday Joy

While this is a wonderful time of year, it’s also hectic. At work, you’re scrambling to wrap up projects before everyone disappears for the holidays. Meanwhile, you’re planning family get-togethers, shopping and tackling all the other tasks that go with the season. Even if you’re usually on top of things, a busy time like the holidays or a workplace change (such as a restructuring or a new boss) might leave you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed or disengaged — all signs of burnout. Know that you’re not alone. In particular, burnout can surface as an issue for high-performing leaders, which is why I have a full module dedicated to it in my WOW! (Women On the Way to Peak Performance) ProgramSM.

The first step in bouncing back from burnout, or heading it off altogether, is self-assessment. On a scale of 1 (full fledged burnout) to 10 (ease and control), how would you rate yourself? Your answer will guide what you do next.

If you feel in control: Think about what’s helping you do that. What actions or practices are working for you right now? Take note of them, and keep doing them. By simply noticing what works, you can put it more powerfully into play.

If you feel burnout: Identify what’s causing you the most stress right now. What’s taking up most of your energy? This won’t necessarily be the most time-consuming thing on your plate, but rather the one that’s taking the most focus, attention and mental capacity. Now, think of one small step you could take to deal with this stressor – such as asking for help, saying no to something or investing your time differently. As you brainstorm, don’t forget to think about what has worked for you in the past. Look back to the last time you successfully avoided burnout despite the demands. What helped you keep a sense of control then?

This week, self-assess and identify one small step you will take to minimize or avoid burnout. And check out the WOW! Program SM to see if it might be just what you need to get started. Remember, small steps lead to big results. Take action to ensure a less stressful holiday season.

Are You Ready to Be “On Your Way”?

Do you ever feel like you are “this far” from really achieving success in your career? Are you ready to close the gap and take it up a notch in 2014? Then consider investing in your professional development and growth with the WOW! Women On the Way to Peak Performance Program. This self-paced coaching program is designed to fit into your busy schedule and help you lead with more impact to get the results you want. We even have a facilitated version, if you’re looking for content for a leadership development program for women at your company.

The six coaching modules address these leadership challenges:

Misdirected Time & Effort

Limiting Beliefs & Fears

Risk of Burnout

Limited Network of Support

Narrow Sphere of Influence

Tastefully Tooting Your Own Horn

This proven leadership system will help you:

* Focus on what really drives results

* Gain traction on high priority goals

* Boost energy and productivity

* Increase credibility and visibility

* Build a network of powerful advocates

The WOW! Program includes six audio recordings full of rich content and valuable strategies that you can put into play immediately.   The easy-to-use workbook includes over 110 pages of practical exercises and information, and is designed to help you apply the content to your own situation.  We have even included audio transcripts to make it easy for you to reference the information most relevant to you.

As you reflect on your achievements this year – and your goals for 2014 – consider investing in yourself. http://newberrycoaching.com/shop/

How Do You Influence Others?

As leaders, we depend on the ability to influence those around us to garner support, drive organizational changes, and execute on our day-to-day responsibilities. If you’ve been feeling less than influential lately, start by evaluating your approach. The Center for Creative Leadership identifies three tactics for influencing: Head, Heart and Hand.

• Head – a logical appeal focused on organization and individual benefits and typically full of data and facts

• Heart – an emotional appeal linked to something the person cares about such as individual goals and values

• Hand – a cooperative appeal that offers collaboration, consultation, and alliances

First, identify which approach typically influences you.  Then consider which one you typically rely on to influence others.  They are often one in the same. Remember that persuasive leaders can skillfully use all three methods and select the approach most effective for the audience at hand.

By consistently matching your influence style to the individual, you will see people shift from resistance or compliance to true commitment – which can generate results with less effort.

This week, strategically consider what approach will resonate with the next person you want to influence, based on what you know about him or her. This small step can affect whether or not your message is heard or any action is taken on your behalf.

Don’t Forget What Already Works

Over the past few weeks, I’ve traveled all over the country giving presentations on a variety of leadership topics. As people in the audience asked me questions, I noticed how often they assume they must have new ideas to help them move forward – forgetting that they are sitting on a gold mine of strategies that have already served them well.  Unfortunately, we tend to forget our proven tactics once we move beyond the situation in which we put them to use.   To help you mine and apply your past experiences, take ten minutes to answer these three questions with a specific goal or challenge that is top of mind for you right now:

1. How have you handled situations like this in the past? What worked?

2. What have you already been doing that is working? How can you put that into play more powerfully?

3. Who else should you reach out to for support?

  By answering these questions, you’ll discover that the solutions may be closer than you thought – and much simpler than you anticipated.

5 Questions to Get Back on Track

With all of the roles we play — colleagues, leaders, mentors, parents — and a long list of things to be done each day, it’s easy to let our routines take over. In the rush of it all, we may miss the subtle ways we’re undermining our effectiveness and our happiness. Today, I want you take a few minutes for a quick tune-up. These five questions can help.

1. How are you showing up?

Whether you realize it or not, you are always communicating something. Sometimes it can be far from what you intend. During your next meeting, notice what you’re thinking. How are those thoughts affecting the way you’re participating and what messages you’re sending to others? An example: You find yourself thinking that the meeting is a waste of time, and you notice that you’re doodling and watching the clock. You realize you might be sending the message that you are disengaged and self-important.

2. Is your focus on the right work?

Keep in mind that 80 percent of your results come from 20 percent of your effort, so imagine what might be possible if you consistently focus on what matters most. I spend time on this with every client. Identify the three areas where you can have the most impact – what I like to call your “Big 3.” Having this clarity will help you make more deliberate choices about how you invest your time and energy.

3. Are you seeing the opportunities in front of you?

When we’re busy, we can overlook the power of individual moments. Remember that every meeting, phone call or interaction is an opportunity to reinforce your brand, build your credibility or bring a unique perspective. Take a minute to clarify what you want to get out of the interaction before you walk into one of these situations. It can make a big difference in your approach.

4. Do you take time for self-care?

Women often confuse self-care with selfishness. But what we’re really talking about is energy management. Resist the temptation to keep giving and giving without taking time to renew your own energy. As you may know from firsthand experience, it can lead to burnout or resentment pretty quickly.

5. Are you open to help?

For high-performing women who are used to being self-reliant, asking for help can take courage. What prevents you from asking for or accepting help? Maybe you’re a perfectionist, or you don’t want to impose or be viewed as incapable. Remind yourself that allowing others to help is not just about you: You’re giving them the chance to make a difference, develop their skills or get exposure.

This week, I challenge you to focus on one question from this list and identify one action you will take. You may be surprised at what you learn about yourself and how small steps can lead to big results.