Memo to Leaders
This extract from Susan Scott’s Book Fierce leadership tickled me. It’s frank, it’s funny and it’s real—a 10 point memo to today’s leaders. The only piece if advice not made explicit is this; get a coach. A confidential thinking partner to help you navigate the complexity of 21st century leadership. We all deserve some straight-talk on the challenges that leadership demands of us. […]
I work with only a select number of clients at any time. If you think we are a good fit, please email me on motivcoach@gmail.com
Can any One Word describe the Power of Exercising the Mind?
I’ve recently been inspired by this question asked of me by a colleague, “What is the one word that best describes the outcome of coaching and development for you?”. Dozens of words come to mind! In my inspiration, I posed the same question to other coaching colleagues. It seems they too were challenged to select just one word for the array of benefits that arise as a result of the coaching process. Still searching for my one word, my truth, I grabbed a copy of Mark Forstater’s book ’The living Wisdom of Socrates’, and found myself deep in the musings of one of the world’s most celebrated philosophers (dare I call him a Coach?) for over 2300 years. […]
I work with only a select number of clients at any time. If you think we are a good fit, please email me on motivcoach@gmail.com
The Fine Line between Arrogance and Confidence
At large component of my work includes working with senior executives to develop stronger Personal Branding. Executive presence is a vital ingredient in a leaders ability to influence internal and external stakeholders. In exploring the personal branding elements, we invariably have a number of key conversations about behavioral values. Questions that often emerge are how we display “Asserting” vs “Aggression” and the fine line between “Arrogance” and “Confidence”. I’m intrigued by these subtle distinctions. […]
I work with only a select number of clients at any time. If you think we are a good fit, please email me on motivcoach@gmail.com
Success Scales for Celebrating even small steps
The human psyche tends to recall first that which we ‘do not do’ before celebrating all that we ‘do do’. Here is a simple, slick and effective tool to invite those whom your coach, and yourself, to celebrate each small step we take toward our success goals. Emerging from the solution-focused disciplines of coaching and change, the so-called Scales Tools provide an elegant tool for tracking even small steps. Here is a (simplified) example; […]
I work with only a select number of clients at any time. If you think we are a good fit, please email me on motivcoach@gmail.com
Living in the Spirit of Coaching
I am presently in negotiations to join into a collaboration arrangement with an international team of associate coaches. Before I am offered the green light, my potential partners want the heads-up on my coaching philosophy. They want to be sure that my philosophy aligns with that of the coaching group and with that of their high-profile clientele. Being a philosopher by nature and a prolific collector of ideas, I am not short of philosophies to share. (see some of them under the About Michelle button on my website at www.motivcoach.com). In my research-rich-style, I love to explore the philosophies of other coaches whom I truly admire. Amongst others, I want to share with you this wonderful insert from Ian McDermott & Wendy Jago’s book The Coaching Bible. Chapter 15, called Living the spirit of Coaching, begins with this beautiful quote from Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Adventure; […]
I work with only a select number of clients at any time. If you think we are a good fit, please email me on motivcoach@gmail.com
The Creative Art of Leadership
I was once married to a writer. It was not said explicitly but it was regularly inferred—he was the creative one—the artist—and I, as a pursuer of business, was the facts-figures-hard-core thinker. I knew it then and I am certain of it now—business is a creative pursuit. All businesses are dynamic, moving, growing (or shrinking), in a constant change of flux dependent on market conditions, resources, capital and the like. We, as leaders are the artists, the creators of the responses our businesses make and take in order to succeed. Our canvas is the marketplace, our palette is our people and our creativity is our own intellect. […]
I work with only a select number of clients at any time. If you think we are a good fit, please email me on motivcoach@gmail.com
When are you Mature Enough to be a Leader?
Through a recent Executive Coaching intervention, I’ve been introduced to a group of pissed-off individuals who, much to their frustration, have had their application for a career promotion declined. The organization feels that they ‘not [...]
From Learning to Accomplishment: 7 steps
When we’re wanting to change aspects of our personality or learn a new skill or new way of being, the task can seem daunting. Here is a lovely concept of consecutive modes of practice— an elegant 7 step process describing the evolution from learning to accomplishment. The idea is B.K.S. Iyengar’s—Master Yoga Teacher. Although Mr Iyengar designed the 7 steps to define our journey of mastery in yoga postures, it aptly relates to all learning processes; […]
I work with only a select number of clients at any time. If you think we are a good fit, please email me on motivcoach@gmail.com
Discussing the Undiscussables
“Will you share your concern at the next EXCO meeting?”, I ask my client. He looks horrified, “No. This is a taboo subject around here and being the one to raise it again will leave me at risk and unpopular”. But how will you learn from it, I ask? My client is experiencing what many people experience in many organizations— a significant barrier to team learning; the existence of topics that are “undiscussables”. In exploring a process to assist my client and his team to ‘come clean’ with one another, I turned to The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook (Senge, Ross, Smith, Roberts and Kleiner). If you or your team are in a similar situation, this exercise can help (and I highly recommend an external facilitator); […]
I work with only a select number of clients at any time. If you think we are a good fit, please email me on motivcoach@gmail.com
The Authentic leadership Paradox Wheel
I am currently in coaching relationships with a number of leaders who need to make a shift from operational leadership to strategic leadership. This requires some paradigms shifts, to move from the place of working “in” the business, to working “on” the business. It’s a real challenge to take a hands-off approach when you are so familiar with a hands-on approach. I like to offer my clients different leadership perspectives that might help them to articulate and start to practice their leadership in a new way. One of the tools that has has been helpful in this process is The Authentic Leadership Paradox Wheel. […]
I work with only a select number of clients at any time. If you think we are a good fit, please email me on motivcoach@gmail.com
I work with only a select number of clients at any time. If you think we are a good fit, please email me on motivcoach@gmail.com