rich-baron

Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:26:12 GMT

As a leader, it’s especially important that you find a way to overcome such beliefs

Most people don’t fall short because of a lack of ability.
They fall short because of beliefs they never question.

As a leader, it’s especially important that you find a way to overcome these beliefs.

Many of us struggle with limiting beliefs—and don’t realize it until someone brings them to our attention.

The problem is, they don’t feel like beliefs.
They feel like facts.

Once you notice them, it becomes critical to face them—because limiting beliefs quietly narrow your vision for what your life and career could actually become.

Limiting beliefs make it nearly impossible to pursue something meaningful or “big” without an internal voice saying:
“Hold on… not so fast.”

How many times have we told ourselves these following statements:

I can't do that
I shouldn't apply for that job because I am not good enough
I tried once and it didn't work
I am just not smart enough
I didn't go to a blue-chip school
It's too late to pursue my dreams
Those people are better than me
My boss told me I shouldn't try because I am not good enough
I am not a great leader

If you’re honest, you’ve likely said at least one of these to yourself—recently.

No matter how they’re worded, the message is always the same:
I’m not enough.

Do any of these sound familiar? These sentences come from a fixed mindset—with all the conviction of beliefs that someone may have been holding on to since they were in their youth.

Where Do Limiting Beliefs Start

Many of our limiting beliefs come from experiences that are often laced with shame, embarrassment, or fear. Once we "decide" we are not good at something, we might also decide we are not good at anything related such as sports, art, leading others, the list goes on.

More often than not, this is the case — a huge limiting belief can be formed in a moment, or through several small moments that culminate into a belief you carry throughout adulthood. For example, a high school teacher may have given bad feedback on a writing project and then told them to focus their energy on other subjects.

As an executive coach, I often run into this problem with clients who have at one time or another in their career been put down on a project, or been told their idea was frivolous. In hindsight, it might be easy to brush off such a thing, but if you never take the time to discover and challenge the root of the belief, you’re denying yourself the opportunity to be free of it.

As a leader, you must find a way to overcome such beliefs — an important part of being an effective leader is seeing the unlimited potential in your employees, and how can you do that if you cannot see your own potential?

Changing Perspectives – Getting a Different Point of View

Limiting beliefs persist because we stop questioning them.

Over time, we stop seeing them as beliefs—and start seeing them as identity.

“That’s just how I am.”

When that happens, we lose objectivity. We stop separating who we are from what we believe.

And that’s when the belief starts controlling us.

Stated another way, limiting beliefs begin to define and restrict our resourcefulness.

They limit our creativity, reduce our willingness to act, and even weaken our ability to challenge the beliefs themselves. When we need determination and grit the most, we convince ourselves we don’t have enough of it—keeping us stuck and preventing meaningful change.

Over time, these patterns reinforce inaction. We justify not moving forward rather than confronting the belief directly.

Eventually, we become so conditioned by these beliefs that it becomes difficult to see ourselves any other way—intellectually, emotionally, or even physically.

The result is subtle but powerful: we begin to give control to the belief, rather than maintaining control over it.

The moment a belief becomes identity…
it becomes very difficult to challenge.

First Things First

The first step in overcoming a limiting belief is recognizing it.

You cannot change something you refuse to see.

Most people try to ignore or suppress these thoughts. That doesn’t work. They don’t go away—they just go unchallenged. Once you take the time to recognize and acknowledge that limiting belief, you can begin the journey to overcoming it.

The next step is to look for the root of the limiting belief. For example, let’s imagine the marketing team asks an executive for their input on a new campaign they’re putting together for the company. The executive immediately responds, “Oh, I won’t be able to help. I’m not creative at all.”

However, due to the nature of some of our more inhibiting limiting beliefs, shaking them off is not a one-step process. Some of these negative thoughts are so deeply ingrained, that they feel impossible to overcome. In fact, we might be really resistant to changing this part of our identity.

Some of our limiting beliefs might also be part of our core beliefs.

If your belief is rooted in an anecdotal story that is 20 years old, if it's a barrier to the next step you'd like to take, or if it's something that just seems pretty scary, try to uproot it.

Ask yourself these questions:

Is this belief closer to fact—or closer to fear?
Is it rooted in fear of rejection or failure?
Did I choose this belief—or did someone else assign it to me?
Who would I be without this belief?
What belief could I replace it with instead?

Wrapping Up

The point is simple: none of us are perfect—and all of us have work to do. But growth does not happen until you challenge the beliefs that are holding you back.

Limiting beliefs don’t disappear on their own. They must be replaced.

And when they are…

You begin to see what was possible all along.

My final thought - We falsely believe that we and the limiting belief are the same.”

Lean into that more—that’s elite-level insight.

If you want to learn more about limiting beliefs and how executive coaching can help you, contact me and let's talk.

About the Authors

Rich Baron is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Global Coaching Projects at John Mattone Global (JMG) and a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership® Executive Coach. He partners with C-level leaders and high-potential executives around the world to strengthen trust, elevate culture, and drive sustainable transformation.

Rich leads large-scale coaching and cultural initiatives across multiple regions and industries, and serves as a strategic bridge between executive teams, HR, and global coaching networks. He is also the co-host of the Mainline Executive Coaching ACT podcast, recognized as one of the top executive coaching podcasts globally, where he explores the real-world challenges and opportunities facing today’s leaders.

Through his work, Rich is dedicated to CHANGING THE WORLD One Leader, One Organization at a Time® by helping leaders move beyond performance and build the inner architecture required to become world-class executives.

Beyond Accreditation: What Real Executive Coaching Requires Today

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:01:41 GMT

Elevating Coaching to Measurable Executive Impact

The coaching profession has matured dramatically over the past two decades.

Accreditation bodies — particularly the International Coaching Federation (ICF) — have played a critical role in elevating standards, ethics, and professional credibility worldwide. The rigor, structure, and discipline introduced through credentialing have strengthened the foundation of our industry.

That foundation matters.

But as executive coaching enters its next phase, we must be willing to say something that may feel uncomfortable:

Accreditation is not the same as executive impact.

And in today’s enterprise environment, that distinction matters more than ever.

The Credentialing Conversation

Over the past several years, I have interviewed hundreds of coaches across the globe — many of them ICF-certified at various levels.

What I have consistently found is this:

Many are exceptionally trained in the coaching process.

Many demonstrate strong listening skills, powerful questioning, and ethical discipline.

Many are deeply committed to human development.

Yet many of those I interviewed lack substantial one-on-one executive leadership coaching experience in high-pressure, high-accountability business environments. This is not a criticism of the individuals, but rather an observation about how the industry has developed.

ICF accreditation builds coaching craft.

It does not automatically build executive leadership expertise.

Those are different domains.

Executive leadership coaching at the highest level requires fluency in board governance, investor pressure, succession risk, executive team conflict, enterprise transformation cycles, and culture recalibration. These are not academic case studies. They are lived, high-consequence realities where decisions impact thousands of employees and millions — sometimes billions — in enterprise value.

The gap is not about talent.

It is about exposure.

The Credibility Challenge Facing the Profession

As the coaching industry has grown, it has also encountered a more complex challenge — one that cannot be ignored.

The profession remains largely self-regulated, which has created both opportunity and risk.

On one hand, accessibility has allowed coaching to expand globally. On the other, it has lowered the barrier to entry to a point where virtually anyone can present themselves as a coach — regardless of training, experience, or ethical grounding.

This has led to what some have begun to describe as a “credibility gap.”

Inconsistent training standards, the proliferation of low-quality certification programs, and the rise of transactional coaching platforms have contributed to a dilution of trust across parts of the market.

In some cases, inexperienced practitioners have taken on work far beyond their capability — without the appropriate background or safeguards in place.

The result is not just confusion in the marketplace — It is growing skepticism.

Leaders and organizations are becoming more discerning — not because they question the value of coaching, but because they are seeking assurance that the coach they engage can operate at the level required.

This is not a failure of the profession.

It is a signal—a signal that standards must continue to evolve.

That accreditation must be complemented by real-world experience. And that credibility must be earned through demonstrated impact — not simply declared through credentials.

Organizations like the ICF play a critical role in maintaining ethical standards and professional rigor. When those standards are unclear or inconsistently applied, trust erodes — and trust is the foundation of this profession.

But as the industry expands, responsibility does not sit with governing bodies alone.

It sits with all of us.

As the coaching industry continues to evolve, I’ve also found myself reflecting on my own role in helping elevate and protect the profession. I am currently preparing to sit for the ICF PCC credential — something that, for many years, was not on my radar. However, the longer I am in this profession, and the more I see both its potential and its challenges, the clearer it has become that the responsibility to elevate and protect the profession is more important than ever.

The Enterprise Has Evolved

As Chief Operating Officer of John Mattone Global and Director of Global Coaching Projects, I have the opportunity to work closely with large-scale organizations around the world. In that role, I see firsthand what enterprise clients are looking for when matching coaches with executives, senior leaders, and high-potential talent being developed for those roles.

Prior to 2024 — and even into early 2025 — credentials were among the primary indicators organizations relied on when evaluating coaches. That is now shifting. While accreditation remains important, enterprise clients are placing greater emphasis on real executive experience, contextual business acumen, and measurable leadership impact.

What is clear is this, o rganizations today are not simply looking for reflective space.

They are investing in:

• Behavior change tied directly to performance

• Leadership maturity growth across systems

• Cultural stabilization during volatility

• Strategic alignment at the executive team level

• Measurable return on investment

In large-scale global leadership engagements, coaching now sits inside transformation mandates — not outside them.

It operates alongside succession planning, M&A integration, digital transformation, restructuring, and enterprise-wide culture initiatives. Coaching is no longer a developmental “add-on.” It is embedded inside strategic execution.

In that context, process mastery alone is insufficient.

The coach must understand how leadership decisions ripple through capital markets, employee engagement, stakeholder confidence, and long-term enterprise sustainability.

Reflection remains essential.

But reflection without contextual business grounding increasingly limits impact.

What Real Executive Coaching Requires

Executive coaching today requires integration across multiple dimensions:

1. Deep Business Acumen

Understanding strategy, operational complexity, financial accountability, governance structures, and enterprise systems.

2. Experience with Senior Leadership Dynamics

C-suite relationships are not theoretical exercises. They involve power, ego, political capital, board visibility, and reputational risk. Coaches must know how to navigate these dynamics without destabilizing them.

3. Performance Architecture

Executives are not compensated for insight alone. They are accountable for enterprise results — revenue growth, culture health, succession readiness, innovation capacity, and transformation execution.

Coaching that does not tie directly to measurable leadership behavior shifts and organizational performance will increasingly be sidelined.

4. Systems-Level Thinking

Leadership behavior does not operate in isolation. It shapes culture, influences talent pipelines, and impacts enterprise resilience. Coaches must think beyond the individual and into the system.

5. Coaching Craft and Ethical Discipline

This is where accreditation shines — and why it remains essential. Ethical grounding, presence, listening, and non-directive inquiry are foundational.

But craft alone is insufficient.

Integration is the differentiator.

Honoring ICF — Without Confusing Scope

Let me be clear: ICF is a phenomenal accreditation body.

It has elevated professionalism in our industry. It has created global standards. It has protected the integrity of coaching practice.

I have tremendous respect for the organization and its leadership, including CEO Magda Mook, with whom I’ve had the opportunity to engage on multiple occasions and host as a guest on a podcast I co-host.

But accreditation is a benchmark — not a guarantee of executive leadership impact.

At the same time, when executive-level business acumen is coupled with ICF accreditation, it becomes a powerful combination that is difficult to replicate. The discipline of learning the nuances of coaching, combined with real-world enterprise leadership experience, creates a level of depth, credibility, and impact that is hard to beat.

In medicine, a degree is necessary. Experience in the operating room is transformational.

Executive coaching is no different.

Credentialing establishes competence.

Experience builds credibility.

Integration creates impact.

The Industry Is Not Saturated — It Is Transitioning

There is growing conversation about whether the coaching market is “crowded.”

I see it differently.

The industry is not saturated with too many coaches, i t is transitioning from a credential-driven market to an impact-driven one.

Enterprise buyers are becoming more sophisticated. They are asking more precise — and more demanding — questions:

How does this coaching tie directly to strategic outcomes?
What measurable leadership shifts can we expect?
How does this integrate into broader transformation initiatives?
What real executive experience does the coach bring into the engagement?

Increasingly, organizations are not choosing between accreditation or experience — they are seeking both.

The combination of strong coaching craft, grounded in accreditation, and real-world executive leadership experience is emerging as the new standard.

Those who bring only one dimension will find themselves limited.

Those who integrate both will define the future of the profession.

The coaches who will thrive in the next decade will:

Honor the developmental roots of coaching
Build substantial executive-level experience
Develop proprietary intellectual property and frameworks
Integrate data and measurable outcomes
Operate as strategic enterprise partners — not just reflective practitioners

The future does not belong to the most certified.

It belongs to the most integrated.

At John Mattone Global, we have seen this evolution firsthand — and we recognize both the value of accreditation and the absolute need for real-world enterprise experience.

Our Intelligent Leadership® Coaching Certification is widely recognized as one of the premier executive coaching development programs globally. Founded by John Mattone — consistently ranked as the world’s #1 coaching authority by GlobalGurus.org — the program is ICF-accredited and built on a comprehensive leadership transformation methodology that integrates both the inner and outer dimensions of leadership.

With over 800 certified coaches across more than 55 countries, and a methodology applied within Fortune 500 organizations, the program is designed not just to teach coaching, but to develop coaches who can drive measurable leadership, cultural, and organizational impact.

In addition, our certification pathway offers one of the most comprehensive ICF Continuing Coach Education (CCE) structures globally.

This is not about promotion — it is about illustration.

When coaching craft is combined with real-world executive leadership experience, supported by structured methodology, measurable frameworks, and continuous development, the result is a level of coaching capability that defines the future of the profession.

A Call to Elevate, Not Divide

This is not a dismissal of certification, It is a call to elevate the standard.

Accreditation establishes baseline competence while e xecutive impact requires depth, integration, and lived leadership context.

The coaching profession has done extraordinary work building its foundation.

Now we must build its next layer.

Beyond accreditation.

Toward measurable executive transformation.

About the Author

One Conversation Can Change Your Career

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:20:53 GMT

Opportunity Favors the Bold

Many job seekers spend months submitting applications online.

They refine their résumé.

They tailor their cover letters.

They search job boards every day.

And then they wait.

But the truth about today’s job market is this:

Your next job may not come from an application. It may come from a conversation you almost didn’t start.

A message you almost didn’t send.

A person you almost didn’t reach out to.

A connection you almost didn’t make.

Somewhere right now, there is someone who knows about an opportunity that could change your career.

The only problem is…

You haven’t met them yet.

The Comfort Zone Trap

For many job seekers, the comfort zone looks like this:

• Submitting applications online

• Refreshing job boards

• Waiting for responses

• Hoping the résumé stands out

It feels productive.

It feels safe.

It feels familiar.

But it’s also where many job searches stall.

Why?

Because the modern job market is increasingly built on relationships, referrals, and conversations.

Many opportunities never make it to a job board. They move through professional networks, conversations, and recommendations.

That’s why stepping outside the comfort zone is so critical.

Why Networking Feels So Hard

Networking is uncomfortable for many people.

It can feel awkward to reach out to someone you don’t know.

It can feel like you're bothering someone.

It can feel like you’re asking for a favor.

But the reality is much different.

Most professionals are actually very willing to share their experience, offer advice, and help others learn about their industry.

The key is understanding that networking isn’t about asking for a job.

It’s about starting conversations.

One Conversation

Careers often change in small, unexpected moments.

A conversation with a former colleague.

A short message to someone on LinkedIn.

An introduction from a friend of a friend.

A quick chat at an industry event.

What begins as a simple conversation can lead to:

Insight about an industry
Advice about your career path
An introduction to someone else
A job opportunity you never knew existed

That’s why I’ve always believed in a simple principle:

Opportunity favors the bold.

Those willing to start the conversation, reach out to others, and step beyond their comfort zone are the ones who discover opportunities others never see.

The Role of LinkedIn

Today, one of the easiest places to start these conversations is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is not just a place to upload a résumé. It’s the largest professional networking platform in the world .

It allows job seekers to:

Connect with professionals in their field
Learn about companies and industries
Ask for informational conversations
Discover opportunities before they are posted publicly
Build credibility through their profile and activity

If networking feels uncomfortable, LinkedIn provides a powerful starting point.

Instead of walking into a room full of strangers, you can simply send a thoughtful message.

And that message can start a conversation.

The Bold Step

Every job seeker reaches a moment where they have a choice.

Stay comfortable.

Or step forward.

Send the message.

Reach out to the connection.

Ask the question.

Start the conversation.

Because the truth is simple:

Your next job may be one conversation away.

And that conversation often begins the moment you choose to step outside your comfort zone.

Because in careers—as in life—

Opportunity favors the bold.

About the Author

In addition to his executive leadership work, Rich has served as a job coach for several years, helping hundreds of job seekers successfully navigate career transitions, strengthen their positioning, and advance their careers. His experience working directly with job seekers provides him with a grounded, real-world perspective on today’s evolving job market.

Rich leads large-scale coaching and cultural initiatives across multiple regions and industries and serves as a strategic bridge between executive teams, HR, and global coaching networks. He is also the co-host of the Mainline Executive Coaching ACT podcast, recognized as one of the top executive coaching podcasts globally, where he explores the real-world challenges and opportunities facing today’s leaders.

Why Great Leaders Must Know the System

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:02:17 GMT

Process Fluency Is the Architecture of Durable Leadership

Throughout my career—as a senior operational leader and now as Chief Operating Officer and Director of Global Coaching at John Mattone Global—I have held a conviction that has guided nearly every leadership decision I’ve made:

If you are accountable for results, you are accountable for understanding the system that produces them.

Not at a surface level.

Not through dashboards or delegation alone.

But deeply enough to make principled decisions, recognize excellence, and build an organization capable of sustaining performance beyond any single leader.

This belief was shaped through years of leading complex operations—navigating regulatory environments, serving demanding customers, and building leadership systems designed to scale globally. Over time, one truth became clear: leadership durability is never accidental. It is designed.

SQDIP: A Leadership Decision Framework

Early in my operational career, I learned a disciplined production process called SQDIP (pronounced “SKEW-dip”) that anchored decision-making when urgency, trade-offs, and pressure converged. I made SQDIP part of the fabric of the facility and later applied it as a foundational decision framework in other organizations.

SQDIP is:

Safety
Quality
Distribution
Inventory
Production

This order is intentional—and non-negotiable.

SQDIP was never a slogan. It was a decision framework. When leaders are forced to choose, this sequence reveals whether they are leading with responsibility or reacting to pressure.

Safety: Leadership’s First Obligation - Safety is not a compliance requirement; it is a moral obligation. Leaders who compromise safety—physical or psychological—undermine trust at its foundation. No culture recovers fully from the message that people are expendable in the pursuit of results.

Quality: The Right to Be Trusted - Quality reflects leadership integrity. When quality becomes negotiable, credibility erodes quietly but decisively. Leaders do not lose trust because they demand excellence; they lose it when excellence bends under pressure.

Distribution: Confronting Reality - Distribution forces leaders to face reality beyond internal metrics. Operations exist to serve customers, patients, and stakeholders. Internal efficiency that fails externally is not success—it is misalignment.

Inventory: Discipline Revealed - Inventory exposes leadership foresight. Excess or shortage reveals planning failures long before performance indicators do. Inventory is never neutral; it tells the truth about leadership discipline.

Production Comes Last—By Design - Production matters. But speed without discipline creates fragile systems. Leaders who prioritize production over fundamentals often achieve short-term gains at the expense of trust, resilience, and people.

SQDIP and Short Interval Control: Different Cadences, Different Leadership Work

In many operational environments, leaders rely on Short Interval Control (SIC)—a well-established Lean management methodology designed to monitor production metrics frequently, often hourly or per shift. SIC enables front-line teams to identify issues quickly, analyze root causes, and implement immediate corrective actions. When executed well, it increases efficiency, reduces downtime, and improves quality through rapid, data-driven decisions supported by visual management tools.

SIC plays an important role. It creates operational discipline at the front line.

But SQDIP serves a different leadership purpose.

While SIC operates at a short cadence to manage performance within the day, SQDIP operates at a daily systems level, allowing leaders to understand how the entire operation is functioning as an integrated whole.

SQDIP is not a production control mechanism.

It is a leadership accountability system.

By reviewing Safety, Quality, Distribution, Inventory, and Production daily—and in that order—SQDIP enables senior leaders and individual managers to truly understand their processes, not just their numbers. It forces leaders at every level to learn how their function impacts others, where risk is emerging, and where accountability truly resides.

This daily systems view does three critical things:

It requires managers to know their processes, not manage by exception
It makes leaders acutely aware of what is happening across the facility, not just within their silo
It creates real-world cross-functional teams, because problems are examined through a shared system lens rather than isolated metrics

Over time, SQDIP destroys organizational silos . It replaces functional defensiveness with enterprise ownership. Leaders stop optimizing locally and start leading systemically.

In this way, SIC and SQDIP are not competitors.

They are complementary.

SIC strengthens execution at the front line.

SQDIP strengthens leadership understanding, accountability, and enterprise alignment.

And it is that alignment—far more than any single metric—that creates durable performance and lasting leadership impact.

Knowing the System Does Not Mean Being the Best Operator

One of the most important leadership lessons I learned—and one reinforced repeatedly by experience—is this:

Understanding the system does not require being the best operator within it.

I never believed my role was to out-perform specialists. My responsibility was to understand the system deeply enough to evaluate it honestly, remove obstacles, and recognize exceptional talent.

That conviction led me to learn every major function of the operation—safety systems, quality audits, regulatory standards, production flow, and customer realities. Certifications and technical fluency were never about control; they were about credibility and respect for the work.

That fluency allowed me to:

Speak with clarity rather than noise
Engage confidently with auditors, regulators, and customers
Develop leaders intelligently
Identify exceptional operators
Build teams that consistently outperformed expectations

The results followed—but they were never the objective. They were the byproduct of disciplined understanding and deliberate people decisions . This is a critical legacy leadership lesson: great leaders know they must also be the architects of world-class systems that endure beyond them.

Organizations do not outlast leaders by accident. They do so because leaders intentionally design systems that no longer require them.

From Operations to Global Coaching: The Same Leadership Truth Applies

Today, as COO and Director of Global Coaching at John Mattone Global, this same principle applies—just in a different domain.

John Mattone Global has earned a global reputation as one of the most respected coaching and leadership certification platforms in the world. That reputation is not the result of individual brilliance or personality-driven leadership. It is the result of disciplined systems, standards, and process integrity.

Coaching, like operations, is a system. And systems require sequence.

SQDIP in Leadership Development and Coaching

Safety: Psychological Safety First - In coaching, safety means psychological safety. Leaders must feel safe with the coach, the process, and the work itself. Without safety, coaching becomes performative. With safety, honest development becomes possible.

Quality: Intellectual Property and Delivery Integrity - Quality reflects world-class intellectual property, validated assessments, and disciplined application of the Intelligent Leadership® philosophy. Effective coaching is not improvised; it is delivered with rigor and consistency.

Distribution: Timing and Sequence Matter - Insight must be delivered at the right moment, in the right order. Even the most sophisticated tools fail when rushed or misapplied. Distribution is the difference between insight and impact.

Inventory: Readiness for Development - Inventory represents having the right data—integrated, accurate, and meaningful. This enables the creation of a truly robust Individual Leadership Development Plan, rather than a generic development exercise.

Production: Coaching That Builds Leaders—and Legacy - Only then does production begin: the coaching itself. This is where sustained behavior change occurs, where leaders develop judgment, resilience, and the capacity for lifelong learning.

This is where leadership moves beyond performance and into stewardship.

Why This Matters for CEOs and Senior Leaders

One of the most consistent leadership failures I have observed is the assumption that delegation without understanding equates to empowerment.

It does not!

Simply put, Delegation without understanding is not leadership—it is abdication of responsibility.

Leaders who do not understand their systems leave fragile legacies. Leaders who respect sequence, invest in people, and surround themselves with those who are better than they are build organizations capable of enduring leadership transitions.

Legacy is not intent.

Legacy is a consequence.

It is the culture leaders leave behind, the systems that continue to function, and the people who are prepared to lead without them.

A Final Reflection

If you want to lead well—and leave something that lasts—you must know your business.

Not to control it.

Not to be indispensable.

But to protect the integrity of the people, the process, and the outcomes.

Durable leadership is quiet.

It is disciplined.

And disciplined understanding is the foundation of every legacy worth leaving.

About the Author

Why Leadership Failure Is Not a Character Issue

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:19:04 GMT

Why the Real Breakdown Happens Between Intent and Impact

This may go completely against the grain of much of today’s leadership and coaching dialogue, but the truth is this:

Most leadership failures are not character failures.

They are failures of translation and execution.

For years, leadership development has emphasized values, integrity, authenticity, and purpose—and rightly so. Character matters. Leadership without character is dangerous. But here’s the uncomfortable reality many coaches and organizations quietly experience:

The majority of leaders who struggle are not unethical, unprincipled, or immature.

They are well-intentioned, values-driven, and genuinely committed to doing the right thing.

And yet… results still fall short.

So the question becomes: why?

The Problem with Assuming Leadership Fails at Character

When leadership outcomes disappoint, the default explanation is often some variation of:

“They lack self-awareness.”
“They need to work on empathy.”
“They don’t have the right values.”
“They’re not emotionally intelligent enough.”

Sometimes that’s true. But far more often, it isn’t.

This assumption creates two serious problems:

It misdiagnoses the issue.
It places unnecessary moral weight on what is often a structural or cognitive problem.

Most leaders who fail are not failing because they don’t care.

They are failing because what they care about isn’t showing up clearly, consistently, or effectively in action.

Character Creates Capacity — Not Impact

In the John Mattone Global (JMG) model, we make a critical distinction:

"Character creates capacity. Impact is created through translation and execution."

Character answers questions like:

Can this leader be trusted?
Are they grounded in values?
Do they have the maturity to handle power responsibly?

These are Inner Core questions—and they matter deeply.

But character alone does not answer:

How quickly does this leader make decisions?
How do they process complexity and uncertainty?
How do their values show up under pressure?
How are their decisions experienced by others?
Do their behaviors consistently reinforce their intent?

That’s where leadership actually succeeds or fails.

Where Leadership Really Breaks Down: Translation

Translation is the moment where:

Values become decisions
Intent becomes communication
Maturity becomes behavior
Purpose becomes action

This is where many capable leaders struggle.

A leader may value transparency—but communicate too late.
They may value empowerment—but over-control decisions.
They may value fairness—but avoid necessary conflict.
They may value excellence—but overwhelm the system.

None of these are character flaws.

They are translation failures —breakdowns in how inner intent moves into real-time thinking and decision-making.

Execution Is Where Leadership Becomes Real

Execution is where leadership is felt.

This is where:

Trust is either reinforced or eroded
Culture becomes visible
Strategy becomes lived experience
Leadership becomes real for others

A leader can be mature, thoughtful, and principled—and still:

Send mixed signals
Move at the wrong pace
Be unclear or inconsistent
Undermine trust unintentionally

When this happens, people don’t experience the leader’s values—they experience their behavior.

And behavior, not intent, shapes outcomes.

Why This Reframe Matters for Coaches and Organizations

Reframing leadership failure as a translation and execution issue rather than a character issue does something powerful:

It removes shame from the development process
It avoids moralizing performance challenges
It protects the importance of character
It makes leadership development practical and actionable

Instead of telling leaders:

“You need to be better.”

We can say:

“We need to improve how what matters to you shows up in decisions and behavior.”

That’s a conversation leaders can engage with—and grow from.

The Integrated View: Why JMG Measures the Whole Leader

This is why John Mattone Global does not rely on a single lens.

Inner Core measures who the leader is (character, values, maturity)
Translation explains how the leader thinks, decides, and moves into action
Outer Core reveals how leadership is actually experienced by others

Leadership doesn’t fail because leaders lack character.

It fails because character is not consistently translated into effective execution.

When those three layers align, leadership becomes not just well-intentioned—but impactful.

A Final Thought

Strong leadership is not about choosing between character and behavior. It’s about ensuring that who you are is clearly reflected in how you lead.

And that work—translation and execution—is where leadership development truly lives.

If you’re serious about improving your leadership impact, stop guessing where to focus.

John Mattone Global helps leaders translate who they are into how they lead—where results are actually created.

Reach out to us here: https://johnmattone.com/contact/

About the Author

Break It Before It Breaks You: The Leadership Case for Crisis Readiness

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:21:13 GMT

Great leaders don’t wait for systems to fail. They prepare for it.

Early in my career as a Plant Manager, a mentor gave me advice that ran counter to one of the most common leadership sayings in business:

“If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”

He paused, and added:

“Break it. And learn how to fix it—before it breaks you.”

At the time, it felt uncomfortable. Why would any leader intentionally stress a system that appeared to be working? Years later, across crises large and small, I’ve come to understand that this was some of the best leadership advice I’ve ever received.

This isn’t about recklessness. It’s about responsibility.

The Comfort Trap of ‘Not Broken’

When leaders repeat “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” what they often mean is “don’t disturb stability.” Stability feels safe. Predictable. Efficient. The comfort zone can feel nice, but is dangerously deceptive. Stability is not always what it seems to be—and can be a very dangerous place to operate from..

Most business crises don’t emerge from obviously broken systems. They come from systems that appeared to be working—until conditions changed, pressure increased, or assumptions failed.

By the time something is visibly broken, options are limited, emotions are high, and damage is already underway.

Markets will shift. Supply chains will fracture. Technology will fail. Leaders will leave. Trust will erode. Safety incidents can occur. Natural disasters can disrupt even the most stable operations.

Crises rarely announce themselves in advance — they arrive quietly, then all at once.

And while the form of the crisis may vary, one thing is guaranteed: at some point in your career, you will face a moment that tests not only your business, but your leadership. Handled poorly, slowly, or indecisively, that moment can endanger people, take down an organization, and permanently damage a hard-earned reputation, if not your career entirely.

Crises don’t just expose weak systems. They expose unprepared leaders.

What ‘Break It’ Really Means

Breaking something does not mean sabotaging your business. It means intentionally stress-testing what you rely on most.

It means asking uncomfortable questions before you’re forced to answer them under duress:

What would happen if this system failed tomorrow?
Where are our single points of failure?
What assumptions are we making that may no longer be true?
Who knows how to respond—and who doesn’t?

With full P&L responsibility for my region, we stress-tested the business end-to-end. We planned for disruptions across functions—operations, supply chain, technology, safety, talent, and leadership continuity—not because we wanted them to happen, but because we knew that somewhere, at some point, they would.

We also understood that crises do not stop at the walls of your own organization. Customers experience crises as well—and when they do, leaders are often called upon to respond with additional products, services, capacity, or steady leadership under pressure. Being unprepared doesn’t just put your business at risk; it can fail the very customers who depend on you most.

The same thinking applies to leadership, culture, and enterprise systems.

Contingency Planning Is a Leadership Discipline

Contingency planning is not pessimism. It is leadership maturity.

Strong leaders understand that:

Risk cannot be eliminated, only managed
Hope is not a strategy
Calm is earned before a crisis, not during one

Yet many organizations avoid contingency planning because it surfaces uncomfortable truths—about fragility, dependencies, and leadership readiness.

Ironically, the absence of contingency planning creates the very instability leaders fear.

The Human Side of Crisis

When systems fail, people feel it first. Unprepared organizations don’t just lose revenue—they lose trust. Confusion replaces confidence. Fear replaces focus. Silence replaces leadership.

Leaders who have “broken” their systems in advance—through simulations, scenario planning, and honest dialogue—respond differently. They move with clarity. They communicate decisively. They reassure through action.

People don’t expect leaders to prevent every crisis. They expect them to be ready.

Learning How to Fix It

Breaking systems without learning how to fix them is just chaos. The learning is the point.

Every stress test should answer:

What failed first?
Why did it fail?
How quickly did we detect it?
How clearly did we communicate?
What decisions improved the outcome—and which made it worse?

And there is a powerful truth that comes only from lived experience:

When leaders work through a real crisis—and successfully come out the other side—that exact crisis rarely happens again. Not because the risk disappears, but because leaders now know what to implement, who to call, and how to navigate the pressure. Capability replaces panic.

The opposite is also true.

When a crisis overwhelms an organization—when leaders freeze, deny reality, or simply put their heads down and hope to push through—the consequences can be catastrophic. It is not unheard of for businesses to unravel in a matter of days or weeks due to a lack of planning, loss of hope, or failure to respond decisively.

Over time, disciplined leaders build organizational muscle memory. In a real crisis, they aren’t inventing responses—they’re executing rehearsed ones.

From Operations to Enterprise Leadership

What began for me on the plant floor became a leadership philosophy.

The higher leaders rise, the more complex—and fragile—the systems become. Culture, trust, decision rights, succession, and strategy all require stress-testing.

The question is not whether something will break.

The question is whether leaders will be learning—or reacting—when it does.

Wrapping Up

“If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” may preserve comfort—but it rarely preserves organizations. Great leaders take a different approach. They break what matters—carefully, intentionally, and early. And they learn how to fix it long before it matters most.

The call to action is simple but not easy:

Before the next crisis forces your hand, ask yourself and your leadership team:

What are we assuming will never fail?
What would hurt us most if it did?
And are we truly prepared—or just hoping?

Don’t wait for a crisis to test your leadership. Break it before it breaks you.

About the Author

The Lie Behind Employees Are Our Greatest Asset

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:22:45 GMT

Most leaders say “people are our greatest asset.”

Very few actually lead as if that were true.

And employees know the difference.

It's not uncommon to repeatedly come across the notion that "employees are our greatest asset" within various organizations. From slogans to banners to inspirational quotes, leaders often emphasize the significance of their workforce as "part of a larger team." Unfortunately, this expression is thrown around so frequently that its genuine intent can be called into question.

Recently, I attended a company-wide town hall where the CEO echoed this sentiment. However, the actions taken by the organization both before and after the event painted a different picture, revealing the true motives of senior leadership. If companies truly believed that employees were their greatest asset, the current trend of cutting critical employee programs, such as learning and development, would never be considered unless it was a last resort.

Depreciation and Amortization of Employees

An asset by definition is, " property or objects owned by a company to produce revenue ." Assets in any organization have a depreciation and amortization schedule assigned to calculate asset value over time. Depreciation is the amount of asset value lost over time. Amortization is a method for decreasing an asset cost over time. By this definition, how does that make you feel to be called the "greatest asset" by your employer?

Simply put, assets tend to be a company’s greatest asset and unfortunately, companies like the aforementioned CEO represent, tend to value assets and the bottom line far more than the very people who help the company succeed. It is a backward way of thinking and the comment that employees are the greatest asset can be a particularly telling, disingenuous remark. Instead of assuring employees of their importance and value to the organization, it ends up eroding trust and raising doubts about the credibility of the senior leadership team.

Simply put, when leaders call employees assets, they may not realize they are also implying an expiration date.

Not Just Another Asset

Across industries and decades of data, roughly 75% of business transformations fail, leading to the decline, failure, or even extinction of organizations? One significant factor contributing to this high failure rate is the lack of diligence on the part of CEOs and senior leadership teams in creating a workplace where employees feel valued, developed, trained, engaged, and trusted – instead of being treated as mere assets.

CEOS must acknowledge that their organization's culture encompasses not only the leaders but also the individual contributors. The collective character must encompass the values, thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and behaviors exhibited by all members. Based on this, companies can not look upon anyone in the organization, regardless of title or tenure, as mere assets. In this light, it is clear that the culture of a company is not defined by assets, but by the people who hold considerable sway over the formulation and implementation of its values, vision, mission, purpose, strategy, structure, and roles.

Wrapping Up

Unlocking the full potential of employees and establishing true engagement requires recognizing their individuality – their hopes, dreams, and fears, along with the skills and talents they bring to the table. Rather than treating these individuals as mere assets, it is crucial to perceive them as trusted team members who share the same vision, mission, and purpose. Let's be honest, working within a corporate environment can be either disheartening or empowering, and the latter not only fosters a more fulfilling workplace but also contributes significantly to the success of the business.

Leaders do not lose trust because they make hard decisions.

They lose trust when their language and their behavior tell two very different stories.

About the Author

BACK TO BLOG

Why Annual Reviews Are the Wrong Trigger for Executive Coaching

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:59:46 GMT

And What Global HR Leaders Should Do Instead

As the Chief Operating Officer of John Mattone Global (JMG)—recognized as one of the world’s top executive coaching firms—and Director of Global Coaching Projects, I spend a significant amount of time partnering with senior HR leaders across regions, industries, countries, and cultures.

In these conversations, one recurring theme consistently surfaces:

“Once we complete annual performance reviews, we’ll know who needs executive coaching.”

While understandable, this mindset fundamentally misunderstands both the purpose of executive coaching and the intent of performance reviews. In fact, using annual reviews as the primary trigger for coaching is not only ineffective—it can actively undermine leadership growth, trust, and organizational culture.

Coaching Is Not a Remedial Intervention

One of the most persistent myths in organizations is that executive coaching is something leaders receive after they fall short. This frames coaching as a corrective action rather than what it truly is:

A strategic investment in leadership capability, maturity, and long-term impact.

When coaching is tied to annual review outcomes, it sends a subtle but powerful message:

Coaching is for underperformers
Coaching is reactive
Coaching is a consequence

High-performing leaders—often those with the greatest potential and organizational impact—quickly disengage from anything positioned this way.

Annual Reviews Should Never Be a Surprise

I’ll be direct: I have a deep and longstanding professional disdain for how annual performance reviews are still used in most organizations today. They were never meant to be a surprise, a verdict, or a once-a-year trigger for development or coaching. When done well, an annual review should do one thing—and one thing only: summarize a year’s worth of ongoing conversations, real-time feedback, coaching moments, course corrections, and leadership growth. If a leader learns something new about their performance in an annual review, the process has failed. Full stop.

And when that already broken process is compounded by the use of in-house “assessments” administered or interpreted by individuals who are not properly trained or qualified, it becomes not just ineffective—but reckless. Too often, unvalidated tools and misinterpreted data are treated as objective truth and fed directly into performance reviews. That is grossly inept and should never, under any circumstances, influence a leader’s performance narrative, development decisions, or readiness assessment. Assessments demand expertise, context, and ethical application. Without that, they don’t develop leaders—they damage them.

What concerns me even more than the flawed use of annual performance reviews is when they are skipped altogether—treated as an afterthought, rushed through, or weaponized as a last-minute “gotcha” conversation. In those moments, reviews become neither developmental nor meaningful; they become avoidant, performative, or punitive. That abdication of leadership responsibility is just as damaging as a poorly executed review. A performance review should never be optional, rushed, or surprising. It exists for one reason only: to formally summarize a year of consistent dialogue, growth, coaching, and course correction that has already taken place. Anything less is not leadership development—it’s leadership negligence.

And when organizations treat performance reviews this way, they shouldn’t be surprised when leaders disengage from both feedback and coaching.

If an annual performance review reveals that a leader is “behind the mark,” the organization has already failed that leader.

Performance reviews should not be:

A revelation
A diagnosis
A moment of reckoning

Instead, they should be a synthesis—a structured summary of:

Ongoing performance conversations
Real-time feedback
Development discussions
Coaching insights accumulated throughout the year

When leaders hear critical feedback for the first time in an annual review, trust erodes, defensiveness rises, and meaningful growth stops.

Coaching Belongs Inside the Year—Not After It

Executive coaching is most powerful when it is embedded into the leadership lifecycle—not bolted on at year-end.

Forward-thinking HR organizations use coaching to:

Accelerate leadership readiness
Support leaders through complexity, scale, and change
Strengthen self-awareness, judgment, and decision-making
Reinforce leadership behaviors that shape culture

This work happens before performance issues surface—not as a response to them.

A Better Model for Global HR Leaders

The most effective organizations we work with take a fundamentally different approach:

1. Coaching is proactive, aligned to strategy, transitions, and future capability needs

2. Feedback is continuous, not episodic

3. HR partners with leaders throughout the year, not just during review cycles

4. Annual reviews become a recap, not a verdict

In these environments, performance reviews confirm progress already discussed. Coaching is normalized, respected, and sought after—not feared.

The Strategic Question HR Should Be Asking

Instead of asking:

“Who needs coaching based on this year’s review?”

A more powerful question is:

“Which leaders—and future leaders—would benefit from deeper insight, greater leadership maturity, and stronger impact right now?”

That shift changes everything.

Wrapping Up

Executive coaching is not a reaction to underperformance. It is a catalyst for excellence. When HR leaders reposition coaching as an ongoing strategic lever, annual reviews transform from stressful events into meaningful reflections—and leaders feel supported rather than judged.

If your organization is rethinking how coaching, performance management, and leadership development intersect, now is the time to have a different conversation. John Mattone Global partners with organizations worldwide to embed executive coaching as a strategic driver of leadership effectiveness, culture, and long-term success. I invite you to reach out and explore how a proactive coaching model can elevate your leaders—before performance gaps appear.

That is how cultures strengthen. That is how leaders grow. And that is how HR truly leads.

About the Author

Fear and Distrust Gave Way to Humanity

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:35:42 GMT

The Christmas Truce of 1914

The First World War, occurring from 1914 to 1918, brought unprecedented destruction and violence. The impact of the First World War, in particular, forever transformed the nature of war. This conflict witnessed the deliberate targeting of civilians, the widespread use of chemical weapons, and the introduction of mechanized warfare on a large scale. The death toll reached a staggering 22 million people, with some accounts putting the toll closer to 37 million. However, amidst the chaos and brutality of the First World War, a brief and remarkable moment of peace unfolded on Christmas Day in 1914.

It Will Be Over by Christmas

Many of the 60 million soldiers sent to fight in the First World War were told that the war would be over by Christmas—a promise that turned out to be yet another falsehood in a conflict plagued with deception and misinformation. After war was declared in July 1914, it became clear by Christmas of that year that there was no end in sight. The Western Front was dotted with trenches, where millions of soldiers were packed together, enduring freezing conditions. Many of these soldiers were astonishingly close to their enemies, with the British and German trenches sometimes separated by a mere 30 meters.

According to Daniel Coyle in his best-selling book “The Culture Code”, soldiers on both sides, because of proximity to each other, started noticing shared patterns of behavior and routines of cooking, re-supply, and troop rotations. Deepening the connection was the realization that both sides were enduring the same terror and stress of harsh conditions.

On the late hours of Christmas Eve, German troops started opening gifts that they had received from home, including Christmas trees adorned with candles. The soldiers lit their lanterns and placed them along the edges of their trenches, creating a warm and festive atmosphere. As the candles flickered, the sound of carol singing resonated through the air.

A Personal Account

Bruce Bairnsfather, a British machine gunner who would later become a well-known cartoonist, vividly described the scene in his memoirs. Like his fellow infantrymen from the 1st Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Bairnsfather spent Christmas Eve shivering in the muddy trenches, desperately trying to keep warm. Having fought against the Germans for the past few months, he found himself in the Bois de Ploegsteert region of Belgium. In this unforgiving environment, Bairnsfather, cramped in a trench only three feet deep and three feet wide, faced constant sleeplessness and fear. His days and nights were filled with the repetitive cycle of anxiety, surviving on stale biscuits and cigarettes too damp to light.

At about 10 p.m., Bairnsfather noticed a noise. “I listened,” he recalled. The Germans were singing carols, as it was Christmas Eve. The British soldiers in the trenches joined in by singing back. Amid this peaceful moment, a surprising occurrence unfolded. Bairnsfather and his comrades heard a bewildered shouting from the German side, causing them to pause and listen intently. The voice belonged to an enemy soldier who spoke English with a distinct German accent, calling out, "Come over here."

In a remarkable turn of events, the British and French troops, inspired by the Germans, also participated in the Christmas truce. Fear and suspicion were set aside as soldiers began to exchange greetings and well-wishes between the trenches. Offers for a temporary ceasefire were communicated and accepted.

With the dawn of Christmas morning, soldiers cautiously stepped out into no man's land. They greeted one another and engaged in an awe-inspiring display of humanity. Messages and gifts were shared as soldiers from opposing sides momentarily set aside their enmity. In some areas, caps and jackets were repurposed as goalposts, leading to impromptu and joyful football matches. It is even said that the Germans emerged victorious in one of these games with a final score of 3-2.

Another British soldier, named John Ferguson, recalled it this way: “Here we were laughing and chatting to men whom only a few hours before we were trying to kill!”

The temporary cessation of fighting continued in certain areas until the arrival of the New Year, but ultimately, the pause proved to be brief and the peace was short-lived. Although there were several other instances of similar truces during the war, none were as widespread or significant as the Christmas truce of 1914.

Disapproval from Senior Leaders

As expected, certain high-ranking officers on both sides viewed the Christmas Truce with disapproval. They issued orders explicitly forbidding any association with the enemy and warned of potential punishments for those who disobeyed, even execution for cowardice by firing squad for those who attempted to start another truce. However, the soldiers, who were already weary from the war (unaware of the years of continued fighting ahead), chose to take matters into their own hands. They defied the orders and acted independently to establish moments of peace, albeit temporary, amidst the turmoil of war.

In an alternate account, it is reported that a German soldier named Adolf Hitler reprimanded his comrades during the Christmas Truce, expressing his disapproval by stating, "Such a thing should not happen in wartime. Have you no German sense of honor left?" Hitler, who was 25 years old at the time, conveyed his disdain for the temporary ceasefire.

What Can We Learn as Leaders

If enemies on the battle lines can create a culture of safety, respect, and belonging even during war, it suggests that similar conditions can be replicated within organizations. And indeed, there are ways to achieve this.

According to Coyle, organizations that foster a strong sense of belonging can address the following questions to ensure a positive response from employees:

1. Are we connected?

- Encourage open communication and collaboration among team members.

- Foster a sense of unity and shared purpose.

2. Do we share a future?

- Clearly, and often, communicate the organization's vision, mission, and goals.

- Involve employees in decision-making processes to create a sense of ownership and shared commitment.

3. Are we safe?

- Promote a culture of psychological safety where employees completely trust that the organization is a safe place to give 100% while expressing their opinions and taking risks.

- Establish policies and practices that prioritize employee well-being and physical safety.

To ensure a resounding "YES" to these questions, it is crucial to clearly and consistently communicate the organization's vision, mission, and goals. This can be achieved by:

Communicate the purpose: An effective approach to communicate your organization's purpose is by using concise messaging throughout. Avoid using overly complex statements that potential employees may struggle to understand or feel apprehensive about living up to.
Articulating the vision: Communicate the long-term aspirations and purpose of the organization. This overarching vision should inspire and provide a sense of direction for all employees. And that they are a crucial part of achieving the vision.
Define the mission: Clearly define the organization's mission statement, which outlines its core purpose, main activities, and the value it delivers to its stakeholders. Regularly reinforce this mission to remind employees of the organization's primary focus.

My Key Takeaways

The Christmas Truce offers valuable lessons about leadership and culture that can be applied in various contexts. Although this event took place over 100 years ago, the lessons we must learn from those brave soldiers are still relevant today. So here are a few of my thoughts and key takeaways:

1. Leaders Set the Tone: The temporary ceasefire during the Christmas Truce was driven by individual soldiers who took the initiative to establish peace. This highlights the importance of leaders setting the right tone and creating an environment that encourages positive actions and behaviors.

2. Humanize the "Enemy": The soldiers involved in the truce showed empathy and compassion towards their supposed enemies. This serves as a powerful reminder that seeing the humanity in others, even in challenging circumstances, can foster understanding and connection.

3. Facilitate Connection and Communication: The Christmas Truce exemplified the power of connection and communication across divides. Leaders should create opportunities for open dialogue, collaboration, and relationship building, fostering a sense of community and common purpose.

4. Encourage Empathy and Respect: The truce demonstrated the significance of empathy and respect in promoting peaceful interactions. Leaders can cultivate these qualities by emphasizing the importance of understanding different perspectives and treating others with dignity and respect.

5. Boldly Challenge Norms: The soldiers who participated in the truce defied the established orders and norms, highlighting the potential for positive change when individuals challenge the status quo. Leaders should encourage everyone in their organizations to think differently and think big.

Wrapping Up

Even in today's world, the lessons from the Christmas Truce of 1914 remain pertinent. Individuals, regardless of their political beliefs and ideologies, will unite with their families to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who symbolizes peace and salvation. It is a day when we commit ourselves to acts of generosity and spreading kindness to those around us.

Afterward, instead of going back to our organizational trenches and shooting at each other verbally from within our siloed walls, we should stay in the “no man’s land” of compromise and conciliation and continue to find solutions to common problems. Like the soldiers in the Christmas Truce, we should make the spirit of goodwill at Christmas last more than one day.

By consistently prioritizing and nurturing these elements year-round, organizations can create a culture that fosters a strong sense of belonging, ultimately leading to increased engagement, productivity, and overall organizational success.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Thank you for your continued support and I wish you all the best for the coming new year.

About the Author

Why Most Culture Initiatives Fail Before They Begin

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 23:26:28 GMT

The Hidden Reason Culture Initiatives Fail — And What Leaders Must Do Differently

For years, organizations have poured time, energy, and resources into improving culture—launching new values campaigns, rolling out engagement surveys, installing recognition platforms, and hosting leadership retreats. Yet despite these investments, many leaders quietly admit a frustrating truth:

“Our culture isn’t improving fast enough. Something still isn’t working.”

And they’re right—because most culture initiatives overlook the single greatest predictor of cultural success:

Leadership readiness.

Not leadership skills.

Not leadership knowledge.

Not leadership intent.

But leadership readiness to transform culture at the depth required for real change.

This is where the vast majority of organizations stall.

And it’s exactly where most traditional culture tools fall short.

Culture Doesn’t Fail Because People Resist Change—It Fails Because Leaders Aren’t Aligned

When organizations struggle culturally, most executives assume:

employees are disengaged
teams resist change
people lack motivation
communication needs to improve

But the data tells a very different story.

The biggest cultural breakdowns rarely originate at the employee level.

They originate in the misalignment of leadership :

Leaders seeing the culture differently
Leaders overestimating readiness
Leaders unclear on the vision
Leaders inconsistent in communication
Leaders making uneven talent decisions
Leaders not modeling the behaviors they expect from others

This misalignment creates confusion, friction, and hesitation throughout the organization. People feel the gaps long before they can articulate them.

And when leaders aren’t unified, culture cannot— and will not —transform.

Where Culture Initiatives Go Wrong — And What Works Instead

Understanding why culture initiatives fail is the first step.

Understanding what to do differently is what separates organizations that stall from those that transform.

Mistake #1: Failing to Assess Senior Leadership Readiness First

Many organizations jump straight to employee culture surveys and engagement data. This is the equivalent of putting the cart before the horse.

Culture is a top-down function. As the CEO goes, so goes the culture. Without understanding leaders’ willingness, desire, and capacity to lead change, culture initiatives become performative at best—and destructive at worst.

I’ve personally seen organizations gather honest employee feedback, only to do nothing with it because the senior leadership team was not prepared or committed to addressing what real change required. Or most commonly, they have no idea what to do with the information . When leaders ask for input and then ignore it, regardless of the reason, trust doesn’t just stall—it erodes further.

The JMG Solution

JMG starts culture transformation where culture actually begins: with leadership.

The CTRA-40: The Cultural Leadership Readiness Assessment

The CTRA-40 measures: whether leaders recognize the need for transformatio
How aligned they are on strategy and purpose
Whether they possess the courage, maturity, and clarity required
How effectively they communicate
Whether talent systems support cultural goals
How consistently they measure and course-correct

The assessment uncovers something leaders almost never see:

Optimism ≠ Readiness

Intent ≠ Alignment

Confidence ≠ Capability

Mistake #2: Failing to Measure Both Culture and Engagement

Many organizations treat employee engagement and organizational culture as interchangeable. They aren’t.

Engagement measures how people feel about their work.

Culture measures the collective character, values, beliefs, and behaviors shaping how work actually gets done.

It’s entirely possible to have engaged employees operating within a misaligned or unhealthy culture—at least temporarily. Deeper issues like mistrust, fear, or lack of clarity often remain hidden until performance, retention, or execution begins to suffer.

The JMG Solution

JMG separates what most organizations conflate.

The Five Cultures of Culture Assessment (5CCA) measures the true health and strength of the culture

If the CTRA-40 shows leadership readiness, the 5CCA reveals:

how people experience the culture
how they think, feel, and behave
the strength of collaboration and trust
the presence (or absence) of alignment and clarity
whether teams demonstrate accountability and cohesion

Together, these two tools give organizations something they’ve never had before:

A complete, data-driven picture of employee engagement, culture, and the leadership dynamics shaping it.

1. This clarity transforms decision-making.

2. It informs communication.

3. It accelerates alignment.

4. Engagement becomes a downstream outcome—not a proxy

Culture is a leading indicator of engagement and operational success. Measuring it accurately is foundational.

Simply put, it eliminates the guesswork that derails most culture initiatives.

Mistake #3: Conducting In-House Culture Assessments

I cannot stress enough that this is one of the most damaging mistakes organizations make.

When culture is strained or toxic, you can rest assured that the rest of the company knows where the faults are. This being said, when HR sends out a survey asking where the problems lie, do you think that you are going to get truthful answers? Simply put, if you have a toxic or failing culture, senior leadership, including HR, is already viewed as the bad guys. More often than not, there are already trust issues.

In those environments, internal surveys rarely surface the truth. Fear, skepticism, and low trust shape responses long before meaningful insight reaches leadership.

The JMG Solution

JMG assessments are conducted by a JMG Master Certified IL Executive Coach , ensuring:

true anonymity
psychological safety
unfiltered insights
objective interpretation

Without trust, data lies.

Without objectivity, leaders gain false confidence.

Mistake #4: Blaming Employees for a Failing Culture

A failing culture is not caused by frontline teams or individual contributors.

Culture reflects leadership behavior—plain and simple. If you’re looking everywhere except the C-suite to diagnose cultural health, you’re looking in the wrong place.

The JMG Solution

JMG places responsibility for culture where it belongs: with leadership.

The CTRA-40 and 5CCA assessments make leadership alignment, accountability, and behavioral consistency visible.

Employees don’t create culture. They respond to it.

Mistake #5: Treating Culture as a One-Time Initiative

Culture is not a project, it’s a living system.

Organizations that treat culture as something to fix, launch, and move past inevitably regress.

The JMG Solution

JMG embeds measurement, feedback, and course-correction into the transformation process.

Culture is continually measured, reinforced, and refined—led by the CEO and modeled throughout leadership.

Mistake #6: Confusing Perks with Culture

Ping-pong tables, free lunches, and modern offices don’t create trust, alignment, or meaning.

They’re benefits—not culture. Simply said, perks do not care about how your employees feel at work.

People don’t leave organizations because they lack perks. They leave because of how leadership makes them feel.

The JMG Solution

JMG focuses on what actually shapes culture:

leadership behavior
trust and psychological safety
alignment and accountability
clarity of purpose
consistent decision-making

Perks are optional. Leadership is not.

The Path Forward: Cultural Transformation by Design, Not by Hope

Organizations that succeed don’t rely on slogans, retreats, or surface-level engagement work. They take a disciplined approach:

1. Assess leadership readiness (CTRA-40)

2. Assess cultural health (5CCA)

3. Align leaders around a shared reality

4. Transform leadership behavior from the inside out

5. Install systems that reinforce the desired culture

6. Measure, refine, and course-correct continuously

When leaders unite around the truth of where they are—and the courage of where they need to go—culture accelerates. Trust increases. Teams thrive. Execution sharpens.

The outcome? Organizations reach levels of performance they once believed were out of reach.

The Bottom Line

Culture doesn’t change because leaders talk about it; Culture changes because leaders embody it. And they cannot embody what they have not yet taken ownership of.

When leadership alignment deepens, culture strengthens.

When culture strengthens, performance transforms.

And when performance transforms, organizations unlock the results they’ve been chasing for years.

This is the work JMG does.

This is the work that changes everything.

If you want to learn more about how JMG can help you transform your leadership and reignite your organizational culture, reach out to us here:

https://johnmattone.com/contact/

About the Author

The Coaching Industry Is Being Disrupted: Here’s What the Future Really Looks Like

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:47:12 GMT

Why Scalable Systems, Proven IP, and Behavioral Measurement Will Define the Next Era of Leadership Development

The executive coaching industry is undergoing the most significant transformation in its history. What was once a boutique, relationship-driven profession is rapidly evolving into a highly competitive, technology-influenced, and increasingly commoditized marketplace. Between massive growth in the number of coaches, AI-driven disruption, and shifting enterprise expectations, the landscape of leadership development is being reshaped at extraordinary speed.

Yet within this disruption lies an extraordinary opportunity — especially for organizations that have built the systems, intellectual property, and global infrastructure needed to anchor true leadership transformation.

This is where John Mattone Global (JMG) stands apart.

1. A Fragmented Industry Entering a New Phase of Disruption

For decades, executive coaching was defined by personal relationships, individual reputations, and one-on-one development experiences. Today, however, five forces are accelerating fragmentation:

Low barriers to entry . Anyone can call themselves a coach. Certification is optional. AI branding tools make it even easier to enter the market.
Explosion of solo practitioners. Tens of thousands of new coaches appear on LinkedIn each year, often offering similar services at lower prices.
Rise of large coaching platforms . Platforms like BetterUp, Ezra, and CoachHub aggregate thousands of coaches, treating them as interchangeable “profiles,” further eroding differentiation.
Price Compression Is Intensifying. Oversupply drives prices down, with p latforms normalizing $8K–$12K engagements. That means enterprises expect more for the same budget; coaching is becoming “productized.”
Buyers Can’t Tell the Difference. Most coaches promise the same things, such as “transformation,” “neuroscience,” “EI,” “behavioral change,” “accountability." Without proprietary IP, everyone looks the same.

The result is a crowded marketplace where buyers struggle to distinguish real expertise from generic offerings. Even as demand for high-quality coaching remains strong, competition is increasing 3–4× faster than enterprise investment, pushing smaller providers into increasingly challenging territory.

2. Why Traditional Coaching Models Are No Longer Enough

Organizations are no longer satisfied with inspirational conversations or lightly structured coaching engagements. They want:

Leadership systems
Scalable development pathways
Diagnostics and data
KPI-linked growth
Consistency across regions
Cohort learning formats
Digital + human integration
Measurable behavioral improvement

Simply put, the age of “coaching as a stand-alone service” is ending.

Enterprise clients are making a clear shift toward leadership ecosystems designed to shape culture, accelerate performance, and build leadership maturity at scale. And because AI can now replicate basic coaching frameworks and content, any provider lacking proprietary intellectual property or measurable methodology will increasingly struggle to stay relevant.

3. The Market Is Moving Toward Scalable Academies — and JMG Already Built One

In this new era, the firms that will lead — not just survive — are those that have built repeatable, codified, measurable, and scalable leadership systems.

This is precisely why JMG is positioned as one of the global leaders in executive coaching.

At the center of JMG’s advantage is the Intelligent Leadership® system , built on decades of research and validated through global transformation initiatives.

And now, JMG has taken the next step by creating a fully scalable digital ecosystem: ILOA — The Intelligent Leadership Online Academy

The Intelligent Leadership Online Academy (ILOA) is JMG’s answer to the industry’s most pressing challenge:

How do you deliver world-class leadership development to more leaders, more consistently, with measurable impact?

ILOA solves this through a 10-week, structured, digital-first leadership journey that includes:

Weekly 3–4 minute micro-lessons from John Mattone
Action-based assignments that drive behavior change
Virtual coaching support
Accountability systems and gamification
A proprietary ROI tool to measure progress and business impact
A development path accessible to emerging, mid-level, and future leaders

ILOA scales everything that makes IL® powerful — and makes it available to entire organizations. This is exactly what the next generation of leadership development requires.

4. JMG’s Differentiation: What Enterprises Need, Most Firms Lack

In a marketplace where most coaches sound alike, JMG’s differentiation is structural:

✔ Proprietary IP that cannot be replicated

IL® methodology, MLEI, STLI-360®, LeaderWatch®, ILDP®, cultural and maturity models — these are unique to JMG and form a true leadership operating system.

✔ Scalable delivery through ILOA

While many firms still rely on one-to-one coaching alone, JMG delivers leadership transformation at the organizational level.

✔ Measurable impact

JMG provides the data enterprises now expect — behavioral shifts, maturity development, leadership ROI, and culture metrics.

✔ Global coaching network trained in IL®

JMG coaches deliver consistent methodology across regions — a capability very few firms possess.

✔ Cultural transformation readiness

With tools like CTRA-40, 5CCA, and IL® culture frameworks, JMG helps organizations move beyond individual development to enterprise transformation.

In other words:

JMG already operates like the coaching firm of 2028 — while much of the industry is still working like it’s 2015.

5. The Future: Firms With Systems Win, Not Firms With Slogans

As AI continues to change how development is delivered, enterprises will increasingly choose providers that offer:

protected intellectual property
validated diagnostics
measurable outcomes
scalable academies
global delivery consistency
leadership operating systems
cultural transformation capability

This is the world JMG was designed for.

The industry will continue to become more crowded, more price-compressed, and more influenced by technology — but firms with real systems, real science, and real scalability will become the trusted partners of choice.

Conclusion: The Industry Is Transforming — and JMG Is Leading the Way

The executive coaching industry is changing rapidly, but the need for effective leadership has never been greater. Organizations require partners who can develop leaders at scale, measure behavioral change, shift culture, and build the internal architecture needed to achieve their strategic goals.

JMG — through its proprietary IL® framework, global coaching network, diagnostic tools, and the Intelligent Leadership Online Academy (ILOA) — is uniquely positioned to lead the next era of leadership development.

In a world of overwhelming choice, JMG offers something rare:

A system, a science, and a proven path toward meaningful, measurable leadership transformation.

If you want to find out more about John Mattone Global, or learn how we can help your organization and its leaders become the best they can be, reach out to us here:

https://johnmattone.com/contact/

About the Author

Empathetic Leadership in Crisis: Why Mature Leaders Turn Understanding into Action

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 05:23:35 GMT

Why Empathy Is the Leadership Superpower That Transforms Teams and Cultures

In times of crisis, organizational pressure intensifies, fear rises, and uncertainty spreads quickly. Teams instinctively look to their leaders for stability, clarity, and direction. But what they need most is something far more fundamental:

Empathy — and action born from empathy.

Empathy is not softness. It is not sentiment. In the Intelligent Leadership framework, empathy is tied to altruism, emotional honesty, character , and versatility — components of the Inner Core that fuel mature leadership under pressure.

Empathy is strength. Empathy is strategy. Empathy is maturity in motion.

A Brief Introduction to the MLEI

Before exploring empathy through the lens of leadership maturity, it’s important to understand the Mattone Leadership Enneagram Inventory (MLEI). The MLEI is a powerful assessment designed to help leaders measure and strengthen their leadership maturity — the single greatest predictor of leadership effectiveness.

Unlike traditional personality tools, the MLEI uncovers how a leader’s inner-core motivations, strengths, and fears influence their outward behaviors — especially in times of pressure. It identifies a leader’s dominant enneagram type, highlights maturity levels, and reveals patterns that shape communication, decision-making, emotional regulation, and empathy.

Most importantly, the MLEI provides a developmental blueprint. As the guide explains, it is “more than an assessment — it’s a path for transforming leadership potential into lasting impact.”

This makes it an essential foundation for understanding how empathy strengthens leadership in crisis.

1. Empathy Activates the Inner Core — the Source of Leadership Maturity

According to the MLEI Interpretive Guide E-Book, empathy is part of the Helper Trait (Type 2), defined as:

“The functions of empathy and altruism — the potential for other-directedness, thoughtfulness for others, genuine self-sacrifice, generosity, and nurturance.”

In crisis, people’s fears, anxieties, and confusion escalate. Leaders who lack mature empathy tend to:

retreat into self-protection
become rigid or controlling
focus solely on tasks, numbers, or optics
ignore the human signals that determine whether the organization will recover

By contrast, mature empathetic leaders:

listen without defensiveness
tune into both spoken and unspoken emotional cues
understand the “why” behind reactions
respond in ways that calm, support, and empower
take bold action aligned with human needs

This is the foundation of leadership maturity — the ability to translate empathy into decisive, constructive behavior.

2. Empathy Drives Courageous Action — the Most Critical Inner-Core Element in Crisis

The Guide states that courage is the most essential element of character:

“Courage is the willingness of mind necessary to act out of conviction rather than feeling.”

Empathy without courage creates passive, overly accommodating leaders.

Courage without empathy creates harsh, disconnected leaders.

In a crisis, leaders must combine both.

Empathy gives leaders accurate information about the emotional landscape;

courage gives them the conviction to act on that information.

Empathetic action looks like:

acknowledging people’s fears openly
making decisions that prioritize long-term culture over short-term optics
taking ownership, not assigning blame
adapting plans to human realities, not ideal conditions
protecting the team’s psychological safety while advancing the mission

Courage and empathy work together to propel the organization forward — not through pressure, but through trust.

3. Empathy Prevents Learned Helplessness — and Reignites Hope

The MLEI warns leaders about learned helplessness — a mindset where negative references convince people that nothing will improve.

In crisis, teams can easily fall into this trap.

The Guide notes:

“Sometimes leaders’ reservoirs of references are so negatively charged that they begin to believe nothing they do will make things better.”

Empathetic leaders interrupt this downward spiral by:

naming the struggle
normalizing fear
providing perspective
reminding people of past successes
creating small wins that build positively charged references

In other words, empathy becomes the spark that reactivates belief, hope, and forward momentum.

4. Empathy Fuels Versatility — the Most Important Behavioral Predictor of Leadership Success

The Guide states clearly that, " Versatility is the most important of all behavioral tendencies… To be versatile is to observe and empathize.”

Versatile leaders:

read the emotional climate accurately
adjust their communication style to the needs of the moment
flex between empathy and accountability
stay emotionally grounded
seek connection before correction

In a crisis, versatility is essential because people respond differently to stress. Empathy is what allows leaders to adapt — authentically, appropriately, and effectively.

5. Empathy Regulates Emotions and Prevents Immature Reactions

The Intelligent Leadership model highlights a key truth:

“You cannot experience any emotion without first experiencing a thought.”

In crisis, immature leaders allow negative thoughts to dominate:

“I’m a victim.”
“I’m being treated unfairly.”
“No one is listening.”
“I can’t fix this.”

These thoughts generate defensive, reactive, or emotionally driven behaviors. Empathy, however, shifts the mindset. When leaders focus on understanding others, not protecting themselves, their thoughts — and therefore their emotions and behaviors — become more mature.

The results are powerful:

more grounded communication
cooler heads in heated moments
greater patience
reduced conflict
improved decision quality

Empathy stabilizes the inner core — which stabilizes the entire organization.

6. Empathy Builds Loyalty, Connection, and Psychological Safety

The Guide identifies loyalty as a core element of character:

“Loyalty is the very fabric of community… When loyalty is lost, the fabric of relationship unravels.”

Crises test loyalty. People remember how leaders made them feel more than the strategies leaders used.

Empathetic leaders reinforce loyalty by:

being transparent, not withholding
sharing the burden
acknowledging sacrifice
expressing gratitude (another core element)
respecting the emotional experience of their people

This builds psychological safety, the number-one predictor of team performance — especially under pressure.

7. Empathy Creates the Conditions for Recovery and Growth

Crises reveal how strong or fragile a culture truly is.

Empathy ensures that recovery is:

faster (because people trust the leadership direction)
stronger (because people feel valued and understood)
more sustainable (because the culture isn’t damaged in the process)

The Guide reinforces the importance of gratitude:

“Great leaders appreciate their reference reservoirs… Gratitude propels teams to new heights.”

Empathetic leaders express gratitude consistently — and this fuels renewed energy and commitment.

8. Empathetic Leadership Is Not Optional — It Is a Maturity Imperative

Empathy is not a “soft skill.” It is a core requirement for any leader responsible for guiding an organization through uncertainty.

When empathy becomes action:

trust increases
fear decreases
clarity emerges
people re-engage
culture strengthens
innovation returns
performance accelerates

This is what the Intelligent Leadership framework calls the mature cycle — where positive thoughts drive positive emotions, which drive positive actions, which drive breakthrough results.

Wrapping Up

The bottom line is that in a crisis, empathetic leadership is not just a leadership style — it is a lifeline. It stabilizes people, restores confidence, rebuilds culture, accelerates recovery, and ultimately, transforms organizations.

Empathy — when paired with courage, character, and decisive action — is how mature leaders move their teams out of crisis and into strength.

About the Author

The Essence of Leadership Through Grateful Reflection

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:15:34 GMT

Leaders, Be Thankful

This time of Thanksgiving is a perfect moment to reflect on the values that enrich our lives. Leadership—perhaps more than anything else—holds the power to shape our communities, elevate our organizations, and deepen our personal growth. As we enter this season of gratitude, I invite you to join me in celebrating the transformative nature of leadership, acknowledging its impact, and honoring the remarkable leaders who inspire and guide us every day.

This past year, I’ve had the incredible privilege of coaching leaders from around the world, including the United States, Canada, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa, Yemen, Egypt, India, Poland, Italy, Singapore, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom—as well as Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay. Working with these extraordinary individuals has enriched my life in countless ways, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to support their leadership journeys.

I am equally grateful for the expanding reach of our podcast, Mainline Executive Coaching ACT, which continues to reinforce how essential leadership and culture truly are around the globe. This year, the podcast surpassed 1,350 cities across more than 140 countries worldwide. What humbles my co-host and friend, Maikel Bailey, and me most is not the number itself, but what it represents: leaders everywhere—regardless of geography, language, or culture—are actively seeking growth, transformation, and a deeper understanding of the human side of leadership.

I am profoundly thankful that our message is being heard and that the conversations we share are supporting leaders all over the world. And I’m honored that FeedSpot has recognized Mainline Executive Coaching ACT as one of the top executive coaching podcasts in the world, a reflection of how important—and how universal—the topics of leadership and culture have become.

Below are a few meaningful ways leaders can express gratitude and show appreciation to the people who make a difference in their lives and organizations.

Visionaries Who Inspire

Leadership often begins with a clear and compelling vision. We are grateful for the visionary leaders who challenge the status quo, ignite passion, and encourage us to think beyond perceived limits. These trailblazers help us see what’s possible and inspire us to pursue a future that once felt out of reach. Their clarity and courage fuel our motivation to excel and innovate.

Empathetic Guides

Empathy is a hallmark of exceptional leadership. During this season, we’re reminded to appreciate the leaders who genuinely care about the well-being of their people. They create environments defined by collaboration, emotional safety, and open communication. These empathetic guides go the extra mile to understand the needs of their teams, empowering others to grow and thrive both personally and professionally.

Leading by Example

Leaders set the tone for the culture within their teams. When leaders express gratitude—both publicly and privately—they reinforce a culture of appreciation that becomes contagious. This cycle of recognition builds trust, loyalty, and connection. When employees feel appreciated, they know their efforts matter, and that trust creates a workplace where individuals feel supported, valued, and motivated to give their best.

Be Thankful for Your Team

Great leaders understand that they cannot—and should not—be experts in everything. Leadership is not about doing it all; it’s about surrounding yourself with individuals whose unique talents elevate the entire team. When leaders intentionally bring people together who excel in diverse areas, they create a dynamic force capable of solving complex challenges and producing exceptional results. Be thankful for the people who show up every day with skill, passion, and commitment. Their contributions strengthen the collective and bring new perspectives, ideas, and solutions to the table.

Be Thankful You are a Leader

Leadership is a privilege. It offers the opportunity to shape lives, guide growth, and influence the future. That is why embracing servant leadership is essential. Servant leaders prioritize the success and well-being of others—they coach, mentor, and empower. When leaders invest in the development of their people, they cultivate teams that are engaged, capable, and inspired. In doing so, leaders also discover their own success. This reciprocal cycle is something every leader can be truly grateful for.

Wrapping Up

This season reminds us to be thankful—and to make gratitude a daily habit. The simple act of saying “thank you” can mean the world to those who work hard and deserve acknowledgment. When leaders commit to showing appreciation year-round, they infuse their teams with a sense of worth, belonging, and confidence. Leadership, at its core, is not only a privilege but a calling—one that requires humility, intent, and an unwavering dedication to lifting others.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving—a time to reflect on the blessings in our lives—let us extend this spirit of gratitude to our colleagues, clients, partners, mentors, and all who support our professional journeys. As the holiday season unfolds, may we carry this attitude of thankfulness into our leadership, our relationships, and our everyday lives.

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you reading this. I am truly grateful for your support and wish you and your loved ones all the very best.

About the Author

High Performer or High Potential? Why Only One Becomes a World-Class Executive

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:30:53 GMT

How to move beyond metrics and build the inner architecture of a world-class leader

If you’ve spent any time in corporate leadership, you’ve seen this play out:

A top performer crushes their numbers, gets promoted into a bigger role… and then struggles. Badly.

The organization is shocked.

The leader is overwhelmed.

The team is confused.

What went wrong?

Most organizations still operate under a dangerous assumption: If someone is a high performer, they must be high potential. That assumption is wrong. High performance and high potential are not the same thing.

One drives today’s success. The other builds tomorrow’s.

If you’re serious about becoming a world-class executive—not just successful in your current role, but truly transformational—you must understand the difference and be honest about where you are today.

High Performers: The Engine of Today

Let’s be clear: organizations run on high performers.

They are the people who:

Hit targets
Deliver results
Show up prepared
Execute the plan
Carry an enormous amount of operational weight

High performers:

Excel in their current role
Thrive within existing systems and structures
Are reliable, disciplined, and often technically brilliant
Are the first to be tapped when something important “just has to get done”

High performers are essential. But high performance alone does not predict success at the executive level.

Why?

Because what gets you promoted is not always what will help you lead at the next level.

High Potentials: The Architects of Tomorrow

High potentials are a different breed. They may or may not be at the very top of the performance rankings right now—but they consistently show something more important: trajectory.

High potentials:

Think beyond their job description
Learn fast and seek challenge, not comfort
Demonstrate emotional maturity under pressure
Influence people, even without formal authority
Operate from purpose, not ego or title
Are willing to confront reality, including their own blind spots
Don’t just deliver results; they elevate the performance and thinking of others

High potentials don’t just play the game well. They see the whole field—and they’re already thinking about how to change it. If high performers are the engine, high potentials are the architects.

World-class executives are almost always found in that second group.

Why High Performers Often Struggle at the Executive Level

Promoting a high performer into an executive role without assessing their potential is like asking your best driver to suddenly design the car. It’s not a character flaw. It’s a misalignment.

Here’s where many high performers stumble when they leap into bigger leadership roles:

1. They rely on “doing” instead of “leading.”

They’re used to winning by outworking everyone else. At the executive level, you can’t win by doing more. You win by thinking better and leading better.

2. They struggle to let go.

Delegation feels risky. Control feels safer. But executives must build systems and leaders, not proof that they can still do everyone else’s job.

3. They think in tasks, not ecosystems.

High performers can own a project. High potentials can understand how that project fits into strategy, culture, and long-term value.

4. They lack developed emotional maturity.

When stakes get higher, so do emotions. Executives live in conflict, ambiguity, and pressure. Without emotional agility, even the smartest high performer can become reactive, defensive, or fear-driven.

5. They haven’t shifted from “Me” to “We.”

High performers often compete. High potential executives learn to multiply. They understand that their true legacy is not in what they accomplish, but in what they enable others to accomplish.

You cannot outrun a lack of leadership maturity. Eventually, it will show up in how you respond to pressure, conflict, and change.

What Actually Signals High Potential?

So what should we be looking for—either in ourselves or in our people—if we want to identify and develop true high potential?

From an executive coaching and Intelligent Leadership lens, high potential is less about current output and more about inner architecture:

1. Character & Integrity

Do you do the right thing when nobody’s watching?
Do people trust you—not just respect your performance?

2. Courage

Are you willing to make hard decisions?
Will you challenge broken systems, even if they benefit you?

3. Vulnerability & Self-Awareness

Can you own your mistakes?
Do you seek feedback, or avoid it?

4. Learning Agility

How fast do you adapt?
Do you grow from experience, or repeat the same patterns?

5. Strategic Thinking

Can you see beyond your function?
Do you connect dots across the organization?

6. Emotional Intelligence

Do you understand your impact on others?
Can you manage your emotions under stress?

7. Culture Stewardship

Do you strengthen trust, collaboration, and accountability?
Are people better—clearer, braver, more focused—after interacting with you?

These traits may not show up on a performance dashboard. But they are exactly what predicts whether a leader can grow into a world-class executive.

From High Performer to High Potential: The Shift

The good news?

Being “just” a high performer is not a life sentence. If you’re willing to do the inner work, you can absolutely evolve into a true high-potential leader.

Here’s where that journey begins:

1. Shift from Execution to Influence

Stop trying to prove your value by doing more.

Ask instead:

Who am I developing?
Who performs better because I’m here?
Where am I empowering instead of controlling?

Executives are judged less by the tasks they complete and more by the capacity they create.

2. Understand Your Inner Landscape

High potential requires emotional maturity.

What triggers you?
How do you respond to conflict?
What stories from your past still shape how you lead today?
Where does fear show up—fear of failure, criticism, loss of control?

If you don’t understand yourself, your leadership is built on guesswork.

3. Think Two Levels Up

Stop asking only: “How do I win in my role?”

Start asking: “What does my boss need? What does the organization need?”

High potential leaders:

Understand strategy, not just tasks
Anticipate impact, not just activities
See how decisions affect people, culture, and long-term value

4. Embrace Courage and Vulnerability Together

Courage without vulnerability can become arrogance.

Vulnerability without courage can turn into indecision.

You need both.

That means:

Having hard conversations you’ve been avoiding
Owning where you’re not as strong as you thought
Admitting where you need help—and then actually asking for it

5. Become a Culture Leader, Not a Bystander

Culture is not HR’s job.

It is created, reinforced, or destroyed in every leadership interaction.

High potential leaders:

Set expectations clearly
Hold people accountable with dignity
Protect psychological safety while demanding performance
Model the behaviors they say they value

If you are not actively shaping culture, you are passively allowing it—which is a leadership decision in itself.

6. Get a Coach, Not Just a Mentor

Mentors can tell you what worked for them. Coaches help you understand what will work for you.

A strong executive coach helps you:

See your blind spots
Challenge your assumptions
Build new habits aligned with your values and aspirations
Accelerate your growth from high performer to high potential—and then to world-class executive

How JMG Executive Coaching Helps You Become a High-Potential Leader

Becoming a high-potential leader doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentional work on the inside of your leadership—your character, courage, mindset, and behaviors—not just on your performance metrics.

That’s where John Mattone Global (JMG) executive coaching comes in. At JMG, we don’t just coach you to “do more” or “perform better.”

We help you reshape the inner architecture that drives how you think, decide, and lead.

1. We Start With the Truth, Not the Title

Through powerful assessments (including MLEI, CPI-260, iOPT, STLI-360 and others), we give you a clear, honest picture of your strengths, derailers, and blind spots. No spin. No corporate gloss. Just the insight you must have if you’re serious about growing from high performer to high potential.

2. We Focus on the 7 Pillars of Intelligent Leadership

JMG’s Intelligent Leadership framework goes far beyond generic “leadership tips.” We help you develop the core pillars that define high-potential executives:

Character & Integrity – Being the leader people trust.
Courage – Making bold, principled decisions under pressure.
Vulnerability & Humility – Owning your gaps and learning from them.
Capability & Capacity – Expanding what you can take on without burning out.
Strategic Thinking – Seeing beyond the moment and beyond your function.
Passion & Purpose – Leading from something deeper than ego or title.
Thoughts–Emotions–Actions Alignment – Responding vs. reacting.

We’re not just interested in what you do as a leader—we’re interested in who you’re becoming.

3. We Build a Personal Leadership Roadmap (Not a Generic Plan)

High-potential leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. Through an Individual Leadership Development Path (ILDP), we co-create a roadmap that is:

Specific to your role and aspirations
Grounded in your assessment data and real feedback
Focused on a few critical behaviors that will move the needle
Measurable and accountable over time

This isn’t a motivational talk. It’s a structured journey.

4. We Hold You Accountable to Your Future Self

High performers are great at holding themselves accountable to tasks. High potentials learn to hold themselves accountable to who they want to become.

In JMG coaching, we:

Challenge excuses and old stories that keep you stuck
Track your commitments and behavior changes over time
Push you to have the hard conversations you’ve been avoiding
Help you show up consistently as the leader you say you want to be

We don’t just remind you of your goals—we help you honor them.

5. We Align Your Growth With Culture and Legacy

World-class executives don’t just chase results; they shape culture and legacy.

JMG coaching helps you:

Understand the culture you’re creating—intentionally or not
Build trust, psychological safety, and accountability on your team
Lead change in a way that is both bold and human
Connect your leadership to something larger than quarterly targets

Because at the end of the day, high potential isn’t just about where you can go in your career.

It’s about who you are becoming and what you leave behind in the people and organizations you touch.

The Hard Question: Which One Are You… Really?

This is where it gets uncomfortable, but powerful.

Ask yourself:

Do people follow me because they have to, or because they want to?
Do I spend most of my time doing, or thinking and leading?
Do I take responsibility for my growth—or blame the system, my boss, or the organization?
Do I want the next title, or do I want to create real impact?
Am I building other leaders, or just building my own reputation?

If your answers reveal that you’re more high performer than high potential right now, that’s not a failure.

That’s awareness. And awareness is the starting point for transformation.

Final Thought: The Choice Is Yours

High performers make organizations successful. High potentials make organizations sustainable. World-class executives do both—but they don’t get there by accident.

You will not “perform” your way into sustainable executive leadership. You must grow your way into it.

So the real question is no longer, “Am I performing at a high level?”

The real question is:

“Am I becoming the kind of leader who can shape the future—of my team, my organization, and my own legacy?”

That’s the difference between a high performer and a high potential, a nd that difference is exactly where your next chapter as a world-class executive begins.

If you’re ready to explore what that journey could look like with JMG executive coaching, let’s talk.

About the Author

AI Can Simulate Leadership — But It Can’t Shape It

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 20:09:31 GMT

You Can Automate Systems — But You Can’t Automate Self-Awareness.

AI is rewriting the rules of business, productivity, and communication — but there’s one area it will never own: executive coaching. True leadership growth doesn’t come from algorithms; it comes from awareness, reflection, and human connection. This article explores why coaching is irreplaceable in the age of AI and how it will define the next era of leadership.

The Rise of AI — and the Temptation to Automate Everything

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly becoming woven into every corner of organizational strategy. It indexes information at lightning speed, produces analytics once thought impossible, screens candidates for “fit,” and generates conversations that feel increasingly human. For businesses under pressure to move faster, scale globally, and operate more efficiently, AI feels like the perfect solution. And in many areas — it is.

AI is transforming operations, productivity, forecasting, customer support, and access to knowledge. It is redefining how work gets done and who is able to do it. But as organizations accelerate automation, a risky mindset is emerging:

If AI can do it faster… AI must do it better.

This assumption may hold true for systems and processes — but not for people. Leadership development cannot be rushed, outsourced, or automated. You cannot produce a great leader the same way you produce a dashboard. Developing a leader isn’t about data — it’s about depth.

It requires self-awareness, emotional maturity, and the willingness to confront uncomfortable truths.

AI can help leaders gather insight, but it cannot help them internalize it.

AI can present options, but it cannot strengthen inner readiness.

AI can simulate empathy, but it cannot feel connection.

The journey to authentic leadership is human by design — reflective, relational, and personal. No machine, no matter how advanced, can replicate the inner transformation required to lead others with courage and purpose.

Data Can Inform — But It Can’t Transform

AI excels at collecting information. It can track behaviors, score competencies, and benchmark leaders against models of success. It can reveal patterns that humans might miss — and often in seconds. Leaders are increasingly receiving dashboards filled with insights about who they are and how they operate. But information alone does not create transformation.

Leadership assessments and AI-driven summaries are snapshots, not stories. They tell us what is happening, but not why. They highlight outcomes, but not identity. They lack the emotional and experiential context that defines a leader’s journey:

What fears drive their decisions?
What insecurities shape their communication style?
What values anchor them during high-stakes moments?
What deeper purpose fuels their ambition and behavior?

That’s the work of human development — and the work of coaching.

Executive coaching transforms data into self-awareness — and self-awareness into sustainable behavioral change.

It gives leaders a rare, non-judgmental space to pause, reflect, and explore the deeper drivers behind their decisions. In that space, they confront blind spots, realign intentions, and make conscious choices about the kind of leader they want to become.

An algorithm can reveal a weakness. A coach helps you turn it into strength.
Data can highlight what’s missing. A coach helps you understand why it matters.
AI can identify patterns. A coach helps you change behaviors.
Technology can show you where you stand. A coach helps you see who you can become.

The most important breakthroughs in leadership don’t come from knowing a metric — they come from changing a mindset. And transformation like that only happens through human connection, not automation.

Leadership Is Not a Formula

AI thrives on pattern recognition — identifying what has worked before and predicting what might work again. But leadership isn’t a pattern. Leadership is a paradox.

The most effective leaders embody qualities that appear to contradict each other:

Confident enough to decide — humble enough to listen
Compassionate toward people — courageous in accountability
Consistent in values — adaptive in execution
Strategic in thought — empathetic in communication

These tensions don’t resolve into a simple formula. They must be navigated with wisdom, not algorithms. That’s where executive coaching becomes indispensable. A coach doesn’t simply assess a leader’s performance. They reveal what is beneath performance — the beliefs, fears, motivations, and habits that drive behavior. They help leaders reconcile the paradoxes of influence — not by choosing one side or the other, but by elevating their capacity to do both. Because leadership is not defined by effectiveness alone. It’s defined by impact — how a leader makes people feel, think, trust, and follow. And impact is a profoundly human experience. Relationships are built through vulnerability, lived experience, and emotional presence — things AI can analyze or imitate, but not genuinely feel. Machines can provide data. Only humans can offer meaning. Leadership isn’t an equation to solve. It’s a relationship to build — and a responsibility to grow into.

The Human Edge: Empathy, Intuition, and Accountability

What sets executive coaching apart from technology isn’t information — it’s interpretation and connection. AI can process data. But coaches understand people.

A skilled coach brings emotional intelligence and intuition — the ability to:

Hear the hesitation behind a confident statement
Notice defensiveness masked as certainty
Recognize when a leader is operating from fear rather than purpose
Sense the moment when silence is saying more than words

These insights come from presence, not programming.

Coaches ask the kinds of questions that no algorithm could generate. Not because the questions are complex — but because they are personal:

“What are you afraid will happen if you let others lead?”

“What story are you still living that no longer serves you?”

“What would courage look like for you in this moment?”

Through these conversations, coaches help leaders articulate what they truly want — and confront what’s holding them back.

And then comes the part AI can never replicate: human accountability. AI may remind you of commitments. A coach helps you honor them. Coaches don’t enforce deadlines. They inspire discipline — not the fear-based kind, but the kind rooted in identity and values. They hold a mirror up to behavior while also holding belief in your potential — compassion and challenge in equal measure. Accountability doesn’t last because a rule is enforced; it lasts because someone believes in who you can become.

AI can improve performance.

A coach improves the person performing — and that is where transformation truly happens.

Coaching in the Age of AI: Partnership, Not Competition

The rise of AI has created a false narrative: that technology and human capability are at odds. But the organizations that will thrive in the future won’t choose one or the other — they will unlock the power of both.

AI brings extraordinary advantages to leadership development:

Faster access to insights
Real-time performance trends
Predictive talent analytics
Automated workflows that save leaders hours each week

But data doesn’t drive change. People do!

AI can reveal where growth is needed. Coaching helps leaders step into that growth — confidently and consistently. AI is the dashboard. Coaching is the driver. When combined, the two create a leadership development engine that is both intelligent and transformational:

AI Provides Coaching Delivers

Information Self-awareness

Patterns Purpose

Forecasts Focus

Insights Integration

Measurement Meaning

Reminders Responsibility

In this partnership, AI serves as the tool, not the teacher. It assists — but it cannot advance character, integrity, courage, or wisdom.

The role of the executive coach doesn’t diminish with AI — it becomes more essential. Leaders must now navigate a complex intersection of:

Ethical decision-making
Human impact of automation
Increasing uncertainty and speed
Cross-cultural collaboration
Mental and emotional resilience

AI can enhance execution, b ut it cannot elevate emotional maturity — the critical trait that determines whether leaders use power to serve or self-protect. As AI advances, the need for deeply human leadership grows stronger: empathetic, courageous, self-aware, and committed to bringing out the best in others. Technology may change the world, b ut people will always be the ones who shape its future.

A Message to Leaders: Don’t Outsource Your Growth

If you’re a leader seeking development, AI can offer information — but not transformation. It can provide answers — but not awaken anything in you. It can show you the gap — but it can’t help you cross it.

AI will tell you what you already did. A coach helps you discover who you can become.

You can automate a task.

You cannot automate courage.

You cannot automate humility.

You cannot automate character.

Those things are earned through challenge, reflection, and the willingness to change. Leadership is not shaped by convenience. It’s shaped by conversations that make you uncomfortable, decisions that test your values, and moments that stretch your capacity to serve others.

Your leadership journey is uniquely human — formed by your experiences, the obstacles that strengthened you, and the relationships that defined you. AI has no access to that story. It does not know what it took for you to get here — and what it will take for you to rise to the next level.

A coach helps you navigate that human terrain — the internal landscape where doubt, ego, purpose, and passion collide. Not by giving you the answers, but by helping you confront the questions that truly matter:

What drives you?
Who do you want to become?
Who are you here to serve?
What will your leadership legacy be?

The leaders who stand out in the age of AI will not be the ones who learn faster — but the ones who grow deeper.

Don’t outsource your development.

Don’t delegate your becoming.

Your leadership — and the lives you impact — are far too important. The future needs human leaders, and your transformation starts with the decision to grow.

The Future Belongs to Human-Centered Leadership

AI will undoubtedly continue to reshape work — redefining jobs, accelerating decision-making, and changing how organizations operate at every level. Automation will handle more tasks, and data will guide more choices. But the essence of leadership has never been about tasks or data points. It has always been — and will always be — about people.

Great leadership isn’t measured by efficiency or processing speed; i t’s measured by influence, inspiration, trust, and impact. Leaders must help humans navigate uncertainty, embrace change, solve conflict, and find meaning in their work. AI can support the what and how — but only human leadership can define the why. This is exactly where executive coaching shines.

Coaching develops the inner architecture of a leader — character, courage, emotional intelligence, and the integrity needed to steward others through change. It ensures leaders don’t just adopt new technologies, but wield them responsibly, ethically, and inclusively.

As automation expands, human skills become premium, not disposable:

Empathy — understanding what people need
Wisdom — using judgment that data alone can’t provide
Connection — building trust that unlocks performance
Purpose — aligning vision with values
Resilience — inspiring hope in moments of disruption

These are the qualities that drive belonging, creativity, and performance — and they are uniquely human.

Artificial Intelligence may be the power that transforms business. But human leadership will remain the power that transforms people.

The organizations that win in the next era will be those that invest in developing leaders who can lead both technology and humanity — with awareness, authenticity, and heart. Because when everything else becomes automated, being deeply human becomes the ultimate competitive advantage.

About the Author

Rich Baron is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Global Coaching Projects at John Mattone Global (JMG), where he also serves as a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach. With more than 30 years of experience in cultural transformation, operational leadership, and executive development, Rich has a proven track record of helping leaders at every level — from emerging talents to seasoned CEOs — unlock their potential and build high-performance cultures.

Rich is also the co-host of Mainline Executive Coaching ACT, recognized by FeedSpot as one of the top executive coaching podcasts worldwide. The show’s recognition is based on global rankings across web traffic, social media influence, and audience engagement, reflecting its growing impact on leaders and organizations around the world.

Hiring Is Broken — Leadership Coaching Is the Missing Link

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 02:34:59 GMT

How Leadership Coaching Turns Talent into Transformation

The Global Hiring Disconnect

In today’s interconnected world, companies can recruit from virtually anywhere. Technology has dissolved borders, and organizations boast about being “global talent magnets.” Yet, despite this unprecedented reach, the hiring process across industries and geographies remains deeply flawed.

Recruiters and hiring managers often lean too heavily on resumes, credentials, and automated screening systems. The result? Great leaders are filtered out because they don’t fit a pre-set template, while others get hired for what looks good on paper rather than what creates sustainable impact.

Too often, hiring decisions prioritize speed over substance and optics over authenticity. Companies fill roles quickly to meet quarterly targets, not to build long-term leadership pipelines. What’s missing is a deeper understanding of who a candidate really is — not just what they’ve done.

Culture Fit Has Become Culture Filter

For years, organizations have used the idea of “culture fit” as a benchmark for hiring — a way to ensure new leaders align with the company’s values and ways of working. But somewhere along the way, culture fit shifted from alignment to elimination.

Instead of inviting diversity of thought, culture fit often becomes a culture filter — screening out leaders who think differently, challenge norms, or bring new perspectives that could disrupt the familiar. This unintentional bias leads organizations to select leaders who simply “blend in,” reinforcing existing patterns and protecting comfort at the expense of growth.

When businesses repeatedly hire the same leadership profile — the same background, same behaviors, same personality — they create cultural stagnation. Innovation slows. Blind spots deepen. Progress plateaus. Meanwhile, the rapidly changing world outside demands new thinking and adaptive leadership more than ever.

True cultural alignment isn’t about finding people who are easy to manage or agreeable to the status quo — it’s about finding leaders who can elevate the culture, not preserve it.

Leaders who:

Ask bold questions
Bring diverse insights and experience
Challenge outdated beliefs
Strengthen inclusion, trust, and collaboration
Expand the organization’s capacity to win in new markets

Culture should be dynamic, not static. A strategic, future-focused culture doesn’t filter differences — it leverages them.

When hiring shifts from “who fits us?” to “who grows us?” — that’s when culture becomes a competitive advantage.

Leadership Readiness Is Rarely Measured

Traditional hiring models focus on what a leader has done, not who they are. Job descriptions and interviews emphasize competencies, credentials, and past achievements — all important, yet insufficient. What often gets overlooked are the deeper human capacities that determine whether a leader can thrive in ambiguity, inspire others, and drive transformation.

True leadership effectiveness relies on attributes that rarely show up on a résumé or in a structured interview:

Emotional intelligence — how they connect, influence, and build trust
Resilience under pressure — how they respond when things go wrong
Learning agility — whether they grow with the role or become overwhelmed by it
Leadership maturity — the capacity to balance confidence with humility
Courage and integrity — making the right decisions, not just the easy ones

These capabilities fuel sustainable success — yet they remain largely invisible in the hiring process.

The result? Organizations fill roles quickly but not always wisely. When leaders fail to adapt, perform, or align with culture, the organization pays the price. Research shows that replacing an unsuccessful executive can cost three to five times their annual salary — and that’s just the financial impact.

The greater ripple effects include:

Loss of trust among employees and stakeholders
High-performing team members disengaging or leaving
Momentum stall on critical initiatives
Confusion and instability in the culture

This isn’t a hiring problem — it’s a leadership readiness gap.

Executive coaching bridges that gap. It helps organizations look beyond today’s résumé to evaluate the capacity for future leadership — ensuring the leaders they select aren’t just equipped to take the job, but to elevate it.

How Executive Coaching Can Transform Hiring

Executive leadership coaching offers a corrective lens to this broken system — not by replacing hiring processes, but by elevating them. While most organizations treat leadership as a list of credentials or past achievements, coaching goes deeper. It uncovers potential — the capacity to lead with character, resilience, and emotional intelligence in the face of real-world challenges.

Coaching brings the whole leader into view:

Their strengths and blind spots
Their motivators and derailers
How they build trust and influence
What drives their decisions and behavior
How they align with the culture they’re stepping into

Instead of hiring based on a résumé or a first impression, organizations gain a clearer understanding of how a leader will perform, connect, and transform their environment over time.

This shift replaces guesswork with insight.

It replaces hiring for the job with hiring for the future.

It creates leaders who are not only competent but culturally catalytic.

Executive coaching doesn’t just help select leaders — it develops them. It accelerates integration, strengthens culture, and ensures leaders don’t just enter a role, but elevate it. When coaching becomes part of the hiring equation, organizations don’t just fill positions. They build leadership capacity — and that’s where lasting success truly begins.

Leadership Assessment as Insight, Not Gatekeeping

In many organizations, leadership assessments are treated as binary tools — instruments that “pass” or “fail” candidates rather than reveal their depth, drivers, and development potential. This mindset turns valuable diagnostic tools into gatekeeping mechanisms that can block great talent instead of illuminating it.

A deeper problem lies in how these assessments are being interpreted. Many HR teams rely on internal staff who may not be certified or formally trained to interpret widely used hiring assessments such as DISC®, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®), Hogan Assessments, CliftonStrengths® , and similar behavioral or personality inventories. Without the right expertise, these tools are often misapplied or oversimplified — reduced to color labels, preference types, or quick-fit categories that seem helpful on the surface but lack the depth needed for high-stakes selection decisions.

This creates a false sense of confidence in the results. Leaders may be screened out because they don’t match a preferred profile, while others are advanced based on traits that look appealing in theory but don’t translate to real-world leadership effectiveness.

Worse, misinterpretation can introduce bias, unintended exclusion, and costly mis-hires — all while giving organizations the illusion of objectivity.

Assessments are powerful only when paired with trained interpretation, leadership context, and professional debriefs that explore:

Why a leader behaves the way they do
How they respond under stress or change
What motivates their decisions
Where their blind spots or derailers exist
How they will influence culture and performance

It’s particularly important when using powerful leadership assessments such as the Mattone Leadership Enneagram Inventory (MLEI) — instruments designed to reveal core leadership drivers, emotional composition, and patterns that impact performance from the inside out.

When used correctly, these tools don’t categorize leaders — they unlock insights that drive better hiring and smarter development.

Executive coaches ensure assessments don’t become gatekeepers to opportunity, but gateways to growth — for both the leader and the organization.

From Hiring to High Performance

Hiring a leader shouldn’t be the finish line — it should be the launchpad for lasting success. Executive coaching ensures that organizations don’t simply bring leaders into a role, but set them up to amplify performance, trust, and culture from day one.

Coaching supports leaders in navigating the nuances of global cultural intelligence — not just understanding new environments, but learning how to influence, communicate, and build trust across diverse teams and markets. A leader who excels in New York may struggle in São Paulo or Singapore if they don’t understand the underlying cultural dynamics. Coaching equips them to adapt without compromising authenticity — turning cultural differences into strategic strengths.

The impact is especially powerful during the first 90 days, when alignment, credibility, and relationships are either accelerated or jeopardized. Instead of a traditional orientation, coaching creates an integration and acceleration plan that helps leaders connect their vision to the organization’s strategic priorities and people faster — and with greater confidence.

Beyond the individual level, coaching enables leadership teams to move from reactive hiring to proactive talent strategy. It helps organizations build a pipeline of future-ready leaders — expanding leadership capacity ahead of demand rather than scrambling to fill gaps when they arise.

In this way, executive coaching does more than enhance hiring outcomes. It elevates the entire leadership ecosystem — transforming new hires into cultural catalysts and ensuring every leadership decision builds capability for tomorrow, not just coverage for today.

A Message to Leaders Seeking Development

If you’re a leader looking to advance your career, the flaws in the hiring process can feel discouraging — but they don’t have to define your path. The key is shifting focus from getting hired to becoming undeniable.

Executive coaching helps you do exactly that. It sharpens self-awareness, strengthens emotional intelligence, and aligns your leadership identity with your purpose. More importantly, it helps you understand how others experience you — and how to authentically communicate your value in any context or culture.

Through assessments, reflective dialogue, and targeted development plans, you begin to lead from your core, not your credentials. You learn how to show up not just as a qualified candidate, but as a transformational leader — someone who can elevate people, performance, and culture wherever you go.

A New Paradigm: Hiring for Leadership Potential

The future of global hiring depends on more than algorithms or credentials. It depends on the ability to recognize and develop human potential. Executive coaching brings the science of leadership and the art of transformation together — ensuring organizations don’t just hire leaders, but grow them.

In a world where every company claims to be talent-driven, the differentiator isn’t how you hire — it’s how you develop who you hire.

About the Author

Quit Hitting the Pause Button on Your Leadership Development

Fri, 23 May 2025 15:30:44 GMT

Are You Ready to Face the Challenges of the Future

If the years since the pandemic are any indication of what we can expect in this ever-changing business world, leadership needs to be stronger than ever. With rapid changes in business worldwide, the leadership skills we need are changing. Strong, versatile leaders are needed to face the challenges we will inevitably see - leaders who can adapt, strategize, and motivate their teams through complex situations. However, studies show that organizations and leaders alike are far from prepared to combat these challenges.

What Do The Studies Show

According to the Bersin by Deloitte report High-Impact Leadership Development , organizations with stronger “leadership maturity” are 11 times more likely to have a high number of leaders who can build talent for competitive advantage. And they’re 7 times more likely to have a high number of leaders who can inspire people to follow them. Unfortunately, the report also found that capable leadership talent is very rare. Only 60% of leaders in organizations show commercial acumen and business judgment; 48% are seen as driving change and innovation; and only 44% build talent for competitive advantage.

Regarding rare leadership talent, in a study conducted by Kaiser Leadership Solutions , using a 360-degree instrument called the Leadership Versatility Index, they assessed over 24,000 senior managers from a variety of industries around the world. The results showed that less than 10% of the leaders in this study had the versatility and timing to be effective leaders. That means that more than 21,000 of the leaders studied do not have the versatility and timing to be truly effective in reading and responding to change with a wide repertoire of complementary skills and behaviors.

Despite the studies that show that leadership skills and development are lacking, there has been a disturbing trend in organizations cutting L&D budgets and individual leaders putting the brakes on their own development. Or worse yet, ignoring the importance of leadership development altogether.

A Short-Sighted Approach

This lack of investment in leadership development is a short-sighted approach that ultimately hurts both the individual leaders and the organization. Effective leadership is crucial for the success of any organization, as leaders set the tone for the rest of the team and drive the company toward its goals.

Additionally, in today's rapidly changing business landscape, it is more important than ever for leaders to be adaptable, agile, and able to navigate uncertainty and change. Investing in leadership development is key to ensuring that leaders have the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in this environment. Organizations must prioritize leadership development and allocate the necessary resources to support the growth and success of their leaders. By investing in leadership development, organizations can create a culture of continuous learning and improvement, drive innovation and growth, and ultimately, achieve sustainable success in the long run.

Without ongoing development and training, leaders can stagnate in their skills and become less effective in their roles. This can lead to decreased employee engagement, lower productivity, and ultimately, a negative impact on the bottom line.

Hitting the Pause Button

Simply put, businesses and leaders are falling behind in preparing for the upcoming business challenges they will certainly face. This fact was shown in another leadership development survey of almost 18,000 human resource professionals and business leaders from around the world. The findings showed that 83% believe it is critical to the success of their organizations to develop leaders at all levels. Despite this, less than 5% of businesses have integrated leadership development at all levels. According to the Global Leadership Forecast 2021, “fewer than half of leaders feel they are effective in leadership skills that will be most critical for future success. This means that strong, versatile leaders are not being developed and prepared for future business challenges.

As an executive coach, the most disturbing trend that I have seen in organizations, and individual leaders alike, is pumping the brakes on leadership development. Many of the excuses I have heard are that the L&D budget was cut, or we plan on revisiting leadership training next year, or my personal favorites, we are too busy to focus on that right now. With all the issues in poor employee retention, lack of leadership pipelines, poor talent selection, toxic bosses, and failing organizational culture (which is a direct result of poor leadership), it is no wonder you don't have the time. More than likely your time is now being spent chasing the tiger by the tail, putting out fires, and trying to keep your head above water.

So, a quick question, do you think your excuses will help solve the problems? Or perhaps employing the age-old wisdom that if we just ignore it, it will go away.

The trend of cutting L&D budgets has been a concern of employees globally. In February 2023, we featured an episode on our podcast, Mainline Executive Coaching ACT, entitled, "Dear Employees, Your Budget Has Been Cut." It has been downloaded and listened to in over 90 countries and 1000 cities worldwide, and is still one of our top downloaded episodes with continued daily downloads to this date. This goes to show that this is not just a concern for organizations in the United States, but globally as well.

Quite frankly, this is an urgent situation that needs to change.

Versatility Will Be The Key

The need for leadership development is greater than ever. Over the past three years, business dynamics have shifted so dramatically, that the moment to maximize the benefits of strong and equipped leaders is now. Versatility in leadership skills is the master capability for leading in a VUCA world — that is, one characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.

Versatility is, "the ability to read and respond to change with a wide repertoire of complementary skills and behaviors." For instance, some circumstances call for leaders to take charge, force difficult issues, and make tough decisions, while others require leaders to enable, support, and include people. Similarly, organizations sometimes need leaders to focus on their future strategic direction and at other times to focus on day-to-day operations and execution.

Versatile leaders can seamlessly move between opposing behaviors. They can step up and make a call just as easily as they can bring people together to make group decisions. They can read the room and adjust their behavior accordingly, from asking questions and listening with an open mind to driving the team to achieve success. They can also envision change in big-picture terms and focus on the tactical details of implementing change. Versatile leaders can read the business, from playing out the chessboard five moves ahead to making the next move swiftly and with precision.

Focusing on the Future

It is time to stop pausing or ignoring leadership development altogether, or worse, simply putting someone in a leadership role because they are strong individual contributors in their jobs. The ripple effects of poor leadership have resulted in skyrocketing turnover rates, poor customer retention, disengaged employees, and high costs associated with replacing the employees who left. To be successful and competitive in the future, developing versatile, strong leaders is imperative. Organizations that value leadership development with a focus on building a strong leadership pipeline full of well-trained, versatile leaders will inevitably see greater innovation, stronger financial performance, highly engaged employees, and strong employee retention.

Going forward, organizations and individuals alike need to engage or reengage in leadership development. However, do not make the mistake of bringing back leadership training that the company invested in 10 years ago. Or worse yet, relying on someone in the organization who participated in those programs in the past to take on the task of leadership development today. The days of marathon seminars focused on a particular leadership skill are in the past. Quite frankly, they did not work then, and certainly will not work now.

A Training Evolution

Leadership training has evolved, and executive coaching is the sturdy bridge that connects individual leadership effectiveness with outstanding organizational performance . It can help organizations attract and retain exceptional leaders and help executive teams to improve their performance.

In addition, online coaching platforms that feature ongoing, bite-sized, dynamic, and hybrid training sessions with accompanying implementation tools coupled with one-on-one coaching have proved to be very effective. Intelligent Leadership Online Academy (ILOA) which was created during the pandemic by the world's top executive coach, John Mattone is one such platform that is trusted and respected by the top executives and technologists at some of the world's top companies.

Wrapping Up

Today's leaders need more proficiency than ever before. No one knows what our disruptive world will throw at leaders next. However, if the past three years are any indication of what lies ahead, organizations and individuals must be prepared to face those challenges. Those organizations with strong, versatile leaders who possess a wide and balanced repertoire of complementary competencies, skills, and behaviors, combined with the wisdom to know which one to use in a given situation, are likely to be most effective at leading their people, teams, and organizations through the turbulence. And we know that this meta-competency — versatility — can be learned, coached, and developed.

Reach out to me here to find out more about executive coaching, and ILOA.

Or schedule time with me here for a discussion on how your future and the future of your organization can look.

About the Author

Rich Baron serves as the Chief Operating Officer and Director of the Global Coaching Project at John Mattone Global, where he also holds the title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach. With over 30 years of rich experience in cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive roles, and coaching leaders at every level—from emerging talents to seasoned CEOs—Rich has a demonstrated track record of success.

Rich co-hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast that is recognized by Feedspot as the leading Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. The podcast's acclaim is based on an evaluation of numerous factors, including web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness.

Too Far, Too Fast, Too Soon

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 23:51:41 GMT

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Since the official recognition of Mount Everest as the world's tallest peak, it has become a significant fascination for mountaineers. For many decades, there has been ongoing debate regarding the possibility of successfully reaching its summit. The earliest documented evidence of a climber considering the feasibility of scaling Everest dates back to 1885. It wasn't until 1924 that the first real attempt at the summit was made on the 29,032-foot tall mountain that mountaineers around the globe realized that it might be possible to stand at the top of the world. There were several attempts after this time but it wasn't until 1953 when Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary finally stood on the summit that the world realized that Everest had finally been conquered.

I had the privilege in my early twenties to meet Dick Bass who was the founder and owner of Snowbird Ski Resort in Utah, and the oldest person, at that time, to reach the summit of Mount Everest at age 55. I was in awe to be talking with not only the owner of one of my favorite ski resorts but someone who had stood where only the bravest and most skilled climbers in the world could lay claim.

Fast forward to recent years and Mount Everest has been transformed into a tourist destination, where long queues at the summit surpass even those at Disneyworld. With sufficient funds to hire a guide and a moderate level of climbing experience, anyone can now aspire to reach an altitude comparable to that of a cruising 747 Jumbo Jet. The ability to be recognized as one of the elite climbers in the world has been reduced to the limit of your patience to stand in long lines and the depths of your wallet.

However, do not be fooled by the lure of adventure that Mt. Everest holds, it is not for the faint of heart or the unprepared.

The Death Zone

Tragically, the number of fatalities in the pursuit of conquering the world's highest peak has surpassed 300, with the remains of over 200 climbers still resting on the mountain. Each of these individuals was once driven by a strong desire to stand atop the world. Climbers understand a fundamental rule: reaching the summit is merely the initial half of the journey, and true congratulations are only warranted upon safely returning to base camp. However, the harsh reality is that the majority of deaths occur during the descent after the climbers have successfully reached the summit. This sobering fact underscores the immense challenges and risks involved in this perilous endeavor.

Why is this the case?

The climbers have a strong desire to reach the highest point on Earth and they devote a significant amount of money and time to their endeavor. They spend up to two months on the mountain, moving between camps and adjusting to the high altitude. However, the time frame for climbing is limited, so time management becomes crucial. Once they reach the death zone, which is above 8,000 meters (26,000 ft), they cannot stay for long due to the harsh conditions. When they are only a few hours away from reaching the summit, many push themselves beyond their physical and mental limits to achieve their goal of standing at the top, even if it's just for a brief moment. Unfortunately, this is where many climbers encounter serious problems.

Once the climbers find themselves deep within the death zone, their ability to concentrate on safely descending becomes increasingly difficult. The lack of oxygen impairs their balance and cognitive function, while frostbite can lead to a loss of coordination. This makes it challenging to distinguish between altitude sickness, cold-related injuries, and sheer exhaustion. Unfortunately, any of these conditions can leave a climber stranded, resulting in death from exposure. In these situations, not only is the individual at risk, but their team is also put in danger. Given the extreme nature of climbing at such altitudes, climbers may be forced to make the heart-wrenching decision to leave a fellow climber behind. This is a decision that professional climbers understand and are prepared to make, even though it comes with great emotional turmoil. The presence of long queues at the summit has intensified the very real possibility of never making it out of the death zone.

In 2019, a highly experienced climber from Utah finally fulfilled his 40-year ambition of reaching the summit of Mt. Everest. This individual, much like Dick Bass before him, had previously conquered numerous other towering peaks around the world. Upon reaching the summit, he contacted his wife to share the exciting news. Tragically, moments later, he suffered a heart attack and collapsed. Despite the efforts of his guides to bring him down the mountain, the long queues of approximately 300 climbers still striving to reach the summit hindered their progress. Regrettably, his guides were compelled to leave him behind as his final resting spot lies just off the trail near the top of the summit.

This incident serves as a poignant reminder that even individuals with extensive experience and a strong support system can encounter unforeseen challenges. It is a stark example of how devastating the consequences can be, especially for those who are ill-prepared, lack adequate support, or choose to disregard their readiness and attempt to reach the summit hastily and prematurely. It underscores the importance of thorough preparation, recognizing one's limitations, and respecting the risks involved to ensure safety during such arduous undertakings.

Applying this to Leadership

How does this relate to leadership? When we neglect to invest time and effort in developing and refining our skills, planning, preparing for the future, and executing tasks, the consequences can be severe. As an executive coach, I often observe the same pattern among individuals who attempt to expedite their leadership aspirations at an unreasonable pace. In today's society, there is a prevalent desire for instant job satisfaction, a rapid path to achieving prestigious titles, wealth, and the corner office. We have been deceived into believing that attaining a high-ranking position automatically grants us recognition, power (although it should be noted as presumed), and the accompanying benefits that we erroneously associate with it.

This cycle often leads individuals to be oblivious to the reality of their situation. Consequently, they experience burnout, stress, underperformance, high turnover rates within their team, and ultimately, a mediocre career. Nonetheless, this could have been prevented by dedicating time to honing leadership skills, being patient with the learning process, and properly planning for the future. By doing so, leaders can ensure long-term effectiveness in their careers.

Promoting too early

Organizations can unintentionally contribute to the failure of emerging leaders by prematurely promoting individuals who excel in individual contributor roles into leadership positions. It is essential to thoroughly prepare someone before placing them in a leadership role to avoid potential difficulties. If there are indications that a person may not yet be ready for leadership, there are ways to address these concerns. These include offering educational opportunities, providing mentors, and giving them access to additional resources. It is also crucial to have strategies in place to minimize any negative impacts and ensure the success of both current and future leaders.

It is crucial to recognize that not everyone possesses the necessary qualities for a leadership position. Employing effective programs like the Intelligent Leadership Online Academy (ILOA) can help identify employees with the potential and ambition to become leaders. Simply assuming that someone who excels in their current role will automatically excel as a leader is irresponsible and lacks foresight.

How to ensure readiness for leadership roles

Many aspiring leaders, and organizations alike, often wonder how to properly prepare for the challenges they will face in leadership positions. Here are some ways to effectively prepare for the challenges that leaders will surely face:

Work with an Executive Coach. Executive Coaches are necessary because leaders are necessary.
Continually focus on learning and personal development of leadership talents. Developing strong communication and interpersonal skills are examples of crucial skills needed for effective leadership.
Actively engage in leadership training programs, workshops, and seminars that focus on the areas where you need the most development.
Improve your knowledge base by reading books and articles on leadership topics.
Actively seek mentorship from seasoned leaders.
Join professional networking groups that can provide valuable insights and connections with experienced leaders.
Maintain a positive attitude, learn from mistakes, be open to feedback, and step outside of your comfort zone.

By actively working on self-improvement and taking proactive steps to develop necessary skills, aspiring leaders can set themselves up for success in any leadership position.

Wrapping up

Leaders, much like individuals climbing Mount Everest, can sometimes be caught off guard by the demands of their role until they are fully immersed in it. The responsibilities and pressures placed on leaders are immense, often expecting immediate performance. These are skills that are not always taught in educational or professional settings, and they require a personalized approach that an executive coach can provide. Failing to prepare for the expectations of leadership can be a major reason why many individuals struggle in such positions, similar to climbers who face disappointment after getting close to the summit.

I hope this discussion has underscored the importance of readiness for a leadership role. In addition, organizations must recognize the need for investment in their leaders to fully unlock their potential and set them up for success in their careers. I hold exceptional, disciplined leaders in high regard, much like those courageous adventurers who were well-prepared and understood the risks associated with reaching the pinnacle of the world.

About the Author

The Essence of Worth and Values in Life and Leadership

Thu, 02 May 2024 19:32:33 GMT

Self-worth is a journey, not a destination

In a world where materialism and superficiality seem to reign supreme, it can be easy to lose sight of what truly matters – our worth and values. Our worth is not determined by the size of our bank accounts, the title on the door of our office, or the number of possessions we own. It is about the intrinsic value we hold as human beings, the qualities that make us unique and special.

Values, on the other hand, are the principles and beliefs that guide our actions and decisions. They are the moral compass that directs us toward what is important and meaningful in our lives. Our values reflect what we hold dear, what we stand for, and what we are willing to fight for.

In a society that often measures success in terms of external achievements, it is important to remember that these outward markers of success do not define our worth and values. True worth comes from within – from our character, integrity, and ability to empathize with others. It is about being kind, compassionate, and respectful towards us and others. These values and attributes are a critical component of leadership and the ability to effectively lead others.

Titles and Worth

How often do we find ourselves thinking that if we just had that title, or the big office, or the accouterments that come with a big paycheck? People may see that we’ve arrived in the world and with that recognition our self-worth would increase. Sounds a bit hollow, doesn’t it?

In the competitive world of the workplace, many individuals find themselves constantly chasing after titles and promotions to advance their careers. While this drive and ambition can be a positive motivator, it is important to consider the potential drawbacks of this mindset. While this drive and ambition can be a positive motivator, it is important to consider the potential drawbacks of this mindset.

Chasing after titles can often lead to a never-ending cycle of dissatisfaction and unfulfillment. No matter how many promotions or accolades one may receive, there will always be another title to chase after. This can create a sense of constant striving and discontent, as individuals may never feel truly satisfied with their accomplishments. This can truly be damaging to our feelings of worth. In addition, we may start to chip away at our values as the chase for how others see us becomes more important than the values that truly make us who we are, our inner core.

Additionally, placing too much emphasis on titles and promotions can detract from the actual work being done. When individuals are solely focused on advancing their careers, they may lose sight of the bigger picture and forget about the importance of not only teamwork and collaboration but also personal well-being. It is crucial to remember that success in the workplace is not solely defined by one's title or position but by the impact one makes and the relationships we build with not only their colleagues but everyone in our circle of influence including our family and friends. How can you truly achieve this when our opinion of our self-worth is tied directly to who we are at work?

Ultimately, while it is important to be ambitious and strive for success in the workplace, it is equally important to maintain a healthy perspective and remember that titles are not the sole measure of one's worth or success. By focusing on personal growth, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and valuing collaboration and teamwork, individuals can build a fulfilling and successful career that goes beyond just chasing after titles.

Developing Core Purpose Statements and Self-Worth

Ultimately, your actions, behaviors, and successes are tied to your inner core and what you value. Take the time to identify your values and worth and consider how you can bring value to the world. Determine who you want to positively impact. The exercise of reflecting, writing, and, most importantly, believing in and living your CPS can greatly contribute to your self-worth, values, and success in both business and life. It is one of the most powerful exercises we can undertake to facilitate our personal growth and achievements.

A CPS is the essence of living a life that is unique to you, highly personal, and Integral to your existence. It serves as a lens through which you:

• View the world around you.

• Set goals and take action.

• Make choices based on your values, beliefs, and perceptions.

• Make decisions through a process of analysis and elimination.

• Measure satisfaction, which holds greater importance than mere "success."

A CPS is an empowering, living document that helps us to live a meaningful life and is a reflection of our innermost being, born out of a profound connection with our inner core. It is a manifestation of our talents and strengths, showcasing our distinct ability to make a valuable contribution to the world. This purposeful existence caters to our fundamental human needs and embraces the physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of our being. It acknowledges and integrates all the important roles we play in life, be it personal, familial, professional, or societal. Most importantly, living a meaningful life is not about impressing others but about inspiring ourselves on a deeper level, reminding us of our true essence and worth.

Why Is Worth Important

In a world that is constantly changing and evolving, it is important to hold on to our worth and values as anchors that keep us grounded. They provide us with a sense of stability and direction in a rapidly shifting world.

It is essential to take the time to reflect on our worth and values, to understand what truly matters to us and what we stand for. By clarifying our values and aligning our actions with them, we can live a more purposeful and authentic life. This may involve making difficult choices or standing up for what we believe in, even in the face of adversity.

Our values serve as a roadmap for living a fulfilling and meaningful life. They help us prioritize what is truly important and make decisions that align with our core beliefs. When we live in alignment with our values, we experience a sense of authenticity and fulfillment that cannot be achieved through external validation alone.

Wrapping Up

Ultimately, our worth and values are what shape our character and define who we are as individuals. They are the foundation upon which we build our lives and make our mark on the world. By honoring our worth and staying true to our values, we can lead lives that are rich in meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.

So, take the time to reflect on your worth and values. What matters most to you? What do you stand for? By living in alignment with your worth and values, you can create a life that is truly worth living.

Reach out to me here if you want to discuss how executive coaching can help you improve as a leader.

About the Author

Perfectionism is Imperfect

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 01:13:01 GMT

For surface shine, 80% might be more than enough. After that, the tweaking is for us, not those we seek to serve.
– Seth Godin

Have you ever sat for hours, tweaking a piece of work? When it’s almost done you need to fix “just one more thing”? That one more thing becomes several more things until the finished product doesn’t even resemble what our initial intentions were. Not only does it become something we may not recognize, but how much wasted time was used in a futile attempt to get it just right?

How about perfectionism as a leader? Your team’s work is never right until you give the final approval and then you must tweak their work to your satisfaction. If this sounds like you, you are not alone. There are perfectionist leaders in just about every workplace imaginable.

Two Types of Perfectionist Leaders

In my experience, there are two types of perfectionist leaders. The first type is the mature and prominent perfectionist. These perfectionists make excellent leaders due to their strong ethical principles and sense of right and wrong. They are trustworthy, reliable, and unwilling to take shortcuts, earning the trust of both employees and customers. These perfectionists are fair and objective decision-makers, treating all individuals equally and making decisions based on merit rather than personal relationships. They are also compassionate and understanding of human imperfections, striving for high-quality standards while acknowledging that perfection is unattainable. They prioritize delivering a product on time with a high-quality rating rather than delaying perfection indefinitely.

Mature perfectionist leaders understand that 80% to 90% of a goal is realistic and achievable. They do not set unrealistic or unattainable goals for themselves or their teams. Instead, they focus on setting goals that are challenging yet realistic, knowing that they are more likely to succeed and maintain motivation and momentum when the goal is within reach. By setting realistic goals, healthy leaders can foster a positive and productive work environment, build trust and confidence within their team, and ultimately drive successful outcomes.

The second type of perfectionist cannot see the big picture because they are too focused on making sure every tiny detail is flawless. This often leads to them getting bogged down in the minutiae and losing sight of the overall goal or objective. Instead of seeing the forest for the trees, they are fixated on each tree and may struggle to see how they all fit together. This narrow focus can hinder their ability to make strategic decisions or see alternative solutions, ultimately limiting their effectiveness in achieving success on a larger scale.

Immature perfectionist leaders can create problems because they tend to focus on minor details and expect everything to be perfect, which can lead to micromanagement, lack of delegation, and decreased team morale. They may also struggle with taking risks and making decisions quickly, which can hinder progress and innovation. Additionally, their high standards can be unattainable and lead to unrealistic expectations for themselves and their team members. This can create a stressful work environment and ultimately hinder productivity and success.

No process or person is perfect, and striving for perfection can be unhealthy and unrealistic. It's more important to focus on personal growth and self-acceptance rather than striving for an unattainable ideal or situation.

Case in Point

Bacillus Stearothermophilus is a rod-shaped, non-pathogenic, thermophilic, aerobic, spore-forming bacterium. It is a common inhabitant of soil, hot springs, desert sand, Arctic waters, ocean sediments, food, and compost. It can be found just about anywhere. Bacillus Stearothermophilus is extremely hard to kill, so hard to kill in fact that it is the target organism for the sterilization of medical devices. During my 20-plus-year career in medical devices, Bacillus Stearothermophilus was the target organism used to validate our sterilization process.

All our products were sterilized in a dynamic-air-removal steam sterilizer. Dynamic-air-removal sterilization cycles can be either a pre-vacuum cycle, in which case air is actively removed by a series of pressure and vacuum phases before admission of steam, or by steam-flush-pressure pulsing (SFPP) in which case a series of steam flushes and pulses of pressure. To validate that the sterilization process works, we use a system called a decimal reduction time, or a D-value.

A D-value is what it takes to kill 90% of the present Bacillus Stearothermophilus under specified conditions (time, sterilant, exposure temperature, relative humidity, pressure, package density, etc.). One D-value equals 20 seconds at 275° F, at 60 PSI, with a humidity ≥ 97%, which will kill 90% of the present Bacillus Stearothermophilus. To obtain sterilization, we would hold the product in the sterilization cycle for 4 minutes, or 12 D-Values. So, what do the results look like? The following shows the amount of all present Bacillus Stearothermophilus killed after each D-value.

• 90% of all present Bacillus Stearothermophilus has been killed...

• 99%

• 99.9%

• 99.99%

• 99.999%

• 99.9999%

• 99.99999%

• 99.999999%

• 99.9999999%

• 99.99999999%

• 99.999999999%

• 99.9999999999%

This equals 99 and 10 billionth percent sterile (99.000000001%), 100% is not possible.

We could go on for as many D-values as we want but will never obtain 100 % complete sterilization. So, does this mean that the product is not sterile, or safe to use? Remember that Bacillus Stearothermophilus is non-pathogenic, and if that organism is dead, so is everything else. So, the answer is yes, it is sterile and safe to use. Or perhaps did you just see that it was not 100% and triggered a nerve?

Learning to be the Mature Perfectionist Leader

1. It is important to learn to relax and not be so intense in your pursuit of continuous improvement, as this intensity may intimidate others. Understand that everything won't fall apart if you don't address every issue immediately. Strive for excellence rather than perfection and take time to appreciate your achievements by slowing down.

2. It is important to be open to listening to the perspectives of others. Your coworkers may offer valuable insights that you may not have considered. By actively listening to others, you can increase your chances of success and make progress toward achieving your goals.

3. Take the time to be patient and listen to others, as what may be clear to you may not be as obvious to them. Demonstrating patience can help you earn respect from others while reacting with frustration or anger can result in resentment and contempt.

4. Acknowledge that there are different perspectives and approaches. It is common to feel frustrated when others do not conform to your expectations. It is important to understand that your idea of the correct way may vary from others. Both parties can be correct, as there are often multiple acceptable methods to achieve the same outcome.

5. Keep in mind that nobody is perfect, and that includes you. Instead of being overly critical of others, try to be more understanding and acknowledge your faults and imperfections.

6. Stop aiming for perfection. Your

extremely high standards frustrate people and make it difficult for you to meet deadlines. Instead, learn to be satisfied with doing your best. You don't have to be flawless to be a great leader.

Wrapping Up

The problem with perfectionism is the unrealistic quest for standards, not only for ourselves but for others as well. This quest leads to feelings of dissatisfaction, anxiety, and stress. Perfectionists often struggle to accept mistakes or imperfections, which can negatively impact their relationships, work performance, and overall well-being. Additionally, the constant pursuit of perfection can prevent them from taking risks, trying new things, and ultimately experiencing personal growth and fulfillment. Perfectionists need to learn how to embrace imperfection, practice self-compassion, and prioritize their mental and emotional health. Trust me, your teams will thank you for it!

Do you want to find out if perfectionism is one of your strengths or gaps, reach out to me here.

About the Author

Company Perks Are Not the Same as Company Culture

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 21:52:43 GMT

Perks don't care if your employees are engaged or not

When you think of great company culture, y ou might envision state-of-the-art campuses with on-premises gyms, ping-pong tables and free catered lunches with a gourmet coffee bar. If this is how you envision good organizational culture, you wouldn't be alone. All these things are nice to have, but do these perks make a strong company culture? The simple answer is no.

The business world has conflated "perks and benefits" with "good company culture," with the assumption that perks are culture. While perks make for a nice bonus, they don’t matter if your employees hate how they feel at work.

Laying the Foundation

While amenities and perks can contribute to a positive work environment, a strong company culture goes beyond these superficial benefits. A truly strong company culture is built on values, beliefs, and behaviors that drive collaboration, innovation, and employee satisfaction. In short, good culture starts with a strong foundation. It is about fostering a sense of belonging, trust, and shared purpose among employees.

Some key components of a strong company culture include:

1. Clear values and mission: A strong company culture is rooted in a clearly defined set of values and a compelling mission that employees can rally behind. This helps to create a sense of purpose and direction for everyone in the organization.

2. Employee engagement: A strong company culture prioritizes employee engagement and feedback. It creates opportunities for employees to voice their opinions, contribute ideas, and participate in decision-making processes.

3. Transparent communication: Open and honest communication is essential for a strong company culture. Transparent communication helps to build trust, foster collaboration, and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

4. Continuous learning and development: A strong company culture values ongoing learning and development. It provides opportunities for employees to grow and develop their skills, and encourages a culture of continuous improvement.

5. Diversity and inclusion: A strong company culture celebrates diversity and fosters an inclusive environment where employees from all backgrounds feel valued and respected.

Ultimately, a strong company culture is about creating a positive work environment where employees feel engaged, motivated, and supported. Culture is truly about the mindsets that are ingrained in the organization. It’s about how employees treat each other, the level of trust and communication within the company, and the overall sense of belonging and purpose. Company culture is what ultimately drives employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity.

Some companies have a reputation for offering over-the-top perks in a bid to stand out from the competition and attract talent. While a game room for your employees or nap pods throughout the office may attract attention, employees are looking for perks that really matter to them and reflect their values. Listening to your employees can help your organization determine what they truly want from you.

Perks Done Right

Perks can help culture, and it's worth investing in the key perks that matter to employees, such as their health and the ability to be themselves at work. Wellbeing at work is about optimizing both mental and physical health, making your employees feel well-rounded and refreshed.

One such company that has truly excelled in the use of perks for the wellbeing of their employees is UFirst Credit Union in Salt Lake City, Utah. A colleague of mine, Dr. Mike Smith, and I had the recent privilege of working with CEO, Jack Buttars, and his executive team. All of whom have been with UFirst CU for several years. Each of them recounted how in their early years with the organization, they did not know from day to day if they would still have a job. One of the team even kept a cardboard box in their office so they could pack up their belongings in a hurry. The culture was toxic, the leadership was toxic, and there was a level of uncertainty and fear about their futures.

Because of their individual experience with the early years with this organization, they have collectively dedicated a significant amount of time to ensure the culture is one that is free from the concerns and fears that they personally experienced. After meeting with several of the employees, I can attest that the culture is one of engaged, dedicated people. As we toured the corporate office with Jack, each employee was greeted by name, and in turn, Jack was greeted with genuine enthusiasm as well. Not with the fear, or anxiety that I have witnessed in other organizations, but one of genuine respect and appreciation.

Now let’s talk about the perks and amenities at UFirst CU. I have toured several companies and very few have the perks, benefits, and amenities that UFirst has invested in. Each of the areas that we were shown had been developed and created around the wellbeing of their employees. Workspaces, break areas, healthy snack and food options, places to gather, the list goes on. UFirst CU is truly an example of a culture first organization where the perks have been put in place for their employees, not in lieu of culture, but a part of it designed for the well-being of the employees.

So, what types of perks can be beneficial to an already well-established culture. The following is a short list of perks and benefits that can truly sustain employee wellbeing:

1. Celebrating achievements: Recognizing and celebrating individual and team accomplishments, milestones, and successes can boost morale and create a culture of appreciation and recognition. Acknowledging employees' hard work and accomplishments can boost morale and motivation. This can be through verbal praise, awards, or even simple gestures like a thank you note.

2. Flexible work arrangements: Offering flexibility in work hours or remote work options can help employees manage their work-life balance better, leading to increased satisfaction and morale.

3. Professional development opportunities: Providing employees with opportunities for learning and growth can make them feel valued and invested in their careers, boosting morale. This can include training programs, seminars, workshops, or even educational reimbursements.

4. Wellness programs: Implementing wellness initiatives like fitness classes, mental health resources, or healthy snacks in the office can improve employees' overall well-being and morale.

5. Team building activities: Organizing team-building events can strengthen relationships among coworkers, improve communication, and create a more positive work environment.

6. Incentives and bonuses: Offering performance-based bonuses or incentives can motivate employees to work harder and achieve their goals, ultimately boosting morale.

7. Supportive management: Having supportive and approachable managers who listen to and appreciate their employees can make a significant impact on morale. Open communication and a positive working relationship between managers and their team members can create a more positive work culture.

8. Opportunities for advancement: Providing clear paths for career progression and growth within the organization can motivate employees to work towards their goals and increase morale.

9. Work-life balance initiatives: Offering benefits such as paid time off, parental leave, or flexible scheduling can help employees manage their personal and professional lives, leading to higher morale.

10. Employee appreciation events: Hosting events or activities to show appreciation for employees, such as a company picnic, holiday party, or a team outing, can boost morale and strengthen the sense of belonging within the organization.

To truly build a positive company culture, leaders must focus on fostering open communication, providing opportunities for growth and development, recognizing great talent, celebrating achievements, and creating a supportive and empathetic work environment. These elements are essential for creating a culture where employees feel valued, respected, and motivated to do their best work.

Wrapping Up

While perks and benefits can enhance the employee experience, they are not the foundation of a strong company culture. To create a positive and thriving work environment, organizations must prioritize building a culture that is based on trust, respect, and genuine care for their employees.

By focusing on creating a positive company culture, organizations can cultivate a sense of community, loyalty, and engagement among employees. This, in turn, can lead to higher employee retention rates, increased productivity, improved teamwork, and ultimately, greater business success.

So, while perks and benefits are nice to have, they are not the key to building a truly great company culture. However, if the culture is toxic, and the engagement level of the employees is non-existent, the senior team can take turns at the ping-pong table while sipping on the gourmet coffee before deciding who gets to turn the lights off. Think about it!

Are you interested in great organizational culture? Reach out to me here .

About the Author

Turning Rejection into a New Beginning

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 22:03:36 GMT

Learn to Embrace Rejection as a Powerful Teacher

In addition to being an Executive Coach, I have had the opportunity to work as a volunteer job coach for the past four years in a professional job networking group. This has truly been one of the greatest blessings in my life to work with so many wonderful people.

Above all, my goal as a volunteer job coach is to empower individuals to regain control over their career trajectory and instill a sense of hope for a better future. I believe that everyone deserves to find fulfilling work, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve others during their time of need. However, one of the issues I see time and again is the fear of rejection.

When job seekers have spent a significant amount of time in their careers or with a specific organization, the fear of rejection can be particularly paralyzing. These individuals may have built up a strong sense of identity and competence within their current role, and the thought of being rejected for a new position can be extremely daunting.

One reason for this fear is the potential for a blow to their self-esteem. After investing years of their lives into a specific career path or organization, being rejected can make them question their abilities and worth. They may fear that a rejection could impact their professional relationships and damage their reputation. The fear of judgment from peers and colleagues can be particularly crippling. It can be a significant barrier to taking the risk of applying for new positions.

Moreover, long-term job seekers may also worry about how their experience and qualifications will be perceived by employers. They may fear that potential employers will view their long tenure in a specific role or company as a negative, implying limited adaptability or a lack of ambition. This fear can be a significant barrier to taking the risk of applying for new positions, seeking new opportunities, or even pursuing growth in a future position or organization.

Frankly, rejection is a universal experience, but what if I told you that beyond that fear lies the key to a bold and courageous life?

Reframing Rejection

As job seekers navigate through the turbulent waters of the job search, they will encounter obstacles and setbacks. Rejection is one of those obstacles that you will inevitably encounter. However, by knowing that rejection is just a temporary visitor. You remind yourself that every failure is an opportunity for learning for improvement.

Rejection can teach us valuable lessons about ourselves and our goals. It pushes us to evaluate our actions, beliefs, and approaches, helping us learn from our shortcomings and make necessary adjustments. It encourages us to reflect on what we truly want and what aligns with our values. Through this process, we can gain clarity, resilience, and determination to pursue our dreams.

Rejection can also catalyze personal growth. It invites us to step out of our comfort zone and face our fears. When we confront rejection head-on, we build resilience and develop a stronger sense of self. Each rejection becomes a steppingstone that brings us closer to our goals, as we learn to handle setbacks and push past our own limiting beliefs.

By reframing rejection, we can see it as an opportunity for growth and self-improvement. Instead of viewing it as a negative judgment of our worth, we can recognize that it simply means that a particular path or person may not be the right fit for us at that moment. This perspective allows us to free ourselves from the fear of rejection's grip and move forward with confidence and resilience.

Additionally, reframing rejection allows us to detach our self-worth from external validation. Instead of seeking approval from others, we focus on cultivating self-acceptance and self-belief. We understand that our worth is not dependent on the opinions or acceptance of others. This shift in perspective empowers us to embrace our authentic selves and pursue what truly fulfills us, regardless of external judgments.

Beyond Rejection

Rejection is a common part of the job search process, but it can be disheartening and challenging to navigate. If there are 250 applicants for a position, 249 will be rejected. However, it's important not to let rejection discourage you from pursuing your career goals. Instead, view it as an opportunity for growth and learning.

Beyond the fear of rejection lies a world full of untapped potential. Each rejection you overcome brings you closer to the person you aspire to be. You meet new people, explore new ideas, and discover hidden talents within yourself. It is in the face of fear that you uncover your true capabilities.

Let’s look at some of the tools you can use to rid yourself of the fear of rejection and find that untapped potential.

1. Practice Self-Empathy - I am not talking about feeling sorry for yourself, self-empathy is not the same as self-compassion. Self-compassion involves treating yourself with the same kindness, concern, and support you’d show to a good friend. Self-empathy simply requires you to notice and recognize what is happening in you. Take the time to feel the emotions that arise, whether they are anger, sadness, or pain. Know that it is okay to experience these emotions and know they will not last forever, and then take action to recognize rejection for what it is and move on (a special thank you to my niece, Brittney, for reminding me that taking the time to grieve and reflect is necessary to clear the air and move forward).

2. Shift Your Mindset - One of the first steps in conquering the fear of rejection is to shift your mindset. Instead of seeing rejection as a personal failure or a reflection of our worth, we can view it as a life lesson in success. Every rejection is simply a redirection towards something better suited for us.

3. Push Beyond Your Comfort Zone - Life truly begins at the end of our comfort zones. For many, this is difficult and frightening to comprehend. However, when you take a deep breath and leap into the unknown, leaving behind the safety of what you once knew, the ground disappears beneath you, and a newfound freedom envelops your spirit. The fear of rejection may still linger, but now it is intertwined with hope and the possibility of growth. As you continue to push beyond your comfort zone, you begin to see the world from a different perspective. The once intimidating aspect of your job search now becomes less daunting, and the fear of rejection starts to lose its power to intimidate.

4. Fight Rejection with Resilience - Another powerful tool in overcoming the fear of rejection is resilience. Rejection and failure are inevitable in life, no matter how talented or likable we may be. By developing resilience, we bounce back from rejection stronger and more determined than ever before. We embrace failure as a crucial part of the journey and view each rejection as an opportunity to grow. With each rejection, you become more resilient and better equipped to face the next hurdle. You learn to refine your approach, to adapt and adjust. You realize that failure is not an indication of your worth or abilities but rather a crucial step towards a stronger version of yourself.

5. Cultivate Self-Confidence and Self-Worth - By recognizing and valuing our unique strengths and abilities, we build a solid foundation of self-assurance. Do not become stagnant during your job search but rather continuously challenge yourself to learn and grow. This can be through acquiring new skills, seeking new knowledge, or pushing yourself to take on new and exciting opportunities. The more you invest in your personal growth, the stronger your self-confidence and self-worth will become. This inner strength allows us to weather the storms of rejection, knowing that we can achieve greatness.

6. Perseverance and Grit - I emphasize the importance of perseverance and resilience (grit) in the face of any challenge in our lives. The job search can be a long and arduous journey, and individuals need to maintain their motivation and continue putting in the effort. Provide yourself with strategies to stay organized, track progress, and don’t forget to celebrate small victories along the way to keep the momentum going. Set realistic goals and challenge yourself every day to be better than you were yesterday. Most importantly, do not ever give up on yourself as this may be the most important learning experience in your life. Embrace the time you have to improve.

7. Inventory Your Unique Skills and Talents - I help those I work with in their job search to recognize their unique skills, strengths, and accomplishments, and teach them how to effectively communicate these qualities to potential employers. I challenge them to take a personal inventory of their unique skills and talents by writing them down using pen and paper, not on a computer or tablet. skills and talents truly This is not a resume, but rather a brain dump that allows you to take a deep look at how valuable you are. By highlighting your unique achievements, skills, and talents, rejection then becomes viewed as a temporary setback rather than a personal failure.

8. Surround Yourself with a Support Group - It is essential to surround ourselves with a supportive network of friends, family, and mentors. These individuals can provide comfort, guidance, and encouragement when we face rejection. Their belief in us can help us push through our fears and continue pursuing our dreams. There are few times in life that you will feel as much stress as during a job search. Being surrounded by those who truly care for you and want to see you succeed can truly dampen the impact of rejection. Most importantly, if you feel that you are struggling more than you feel you are capable of, your support group can be there to help you see the light of day.

Wrapping Up

So, dear reader, embrace the fear of rejection. See it as a catalyst for growth and transformation. Take that leap off the metaphorical cliff and dive into the unknown. Beyond fear lies a world full of possibilities, waiting to be explored by those courageous enough to embrace rejection as a part of the journey towards the next best version of yourself.

Let us dive into the unknown, hand in hand, supporting each other as we explore the empowering journey beyond fear. Together, we will rise above the stormy sea, embracing rejection as a catalyst for growth and becoming the architects of our destinies. Life truly begins when we can face our fears, accept that rejection is part of life, and realize that it is through rejection that we grow, learn, and ultimately live a more fulfilling and authentic life.

Reach out to me and let's talk about your job search.

This blog is dedicated to all of the job seekers that I have been honored to be part of their lives. I have been blessed by each of you and have learned so many powerful life lessons. Thank you!

About the Author

Rich Baron holds the esteemed title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Together with his coaching partner, Maikel Bailey, Rich hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by Feedspot in 2023, and again in 2024 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 60 countries and 550 cities across the globe.

Are Leaders the Real Heroes

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 16:53:57 GMT

A hero may lead, but only if they inspire others to follow

“A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.

As I think back, there are so many people that I have looked up to throughout my life. Many of them I considered a personal hero. When I think of a hero, I think of someone brave, strong, hardworking, trustworthy, and unselfish. Someone who can protect you and make life better. Everyone has someone they look up to and want to be just like one day and everyone has different opinions and who a true hero is.

The fascination with heroes can be attributed to several factors. First and foremost, heroes embody qualities and virtues that we admire and aspire to have ourselves. They are usually courageous, and selfless, and possess exceptional skills or abilities. Their actions inspire us and give us hope that we too can make a difference in the world.

Additionally, stories about heroes often serve as a form of escapism. They transport us to worlds where good triumphs over evil, where justice is served, and where ordinary individuals can rise above their limitations to achieve greatness. Heroes accomplish well-defined feats of courage in the arena of life. They disarm droves of enemy combatants singlehandedly. They rescue hostages against all odds, and they volunteer for seemingly impossible missions. In a world filled with challenges and uncertainties, these stories provide a sense of comfort and reassurance.

So, can leaders and heroes be the same? The simple answer is no. The reason for this is that Heroes and Leaders are distinct entities, and it is crucial to recognize this distinction while considering the most effective ways of leading our organizations. The main difference is consistency and the fact that heroes do not have to influence others. A leader, on the other hand, is expected to bring out the best in his followers. The leader must set an example and he must gain trust. A leader must be consistent, assimilating these qualities into his character.

Let’s look at some of the differences between Leaders and heroes:

1. Leaders are responsible for creating and implementing a clear vision and direction for the organization. They set goals, develop strategies, and make decisions based on the big picture.

Heroes, on the other hand, are often focused on individual achievements and solving immediate problems. They may excel in their specific tasks and receive recognition for their accomplishments, but they may lack the ability to lead others and provide long-term solutions.

2. Leaders need to inspire and motivate their team members, fostering collaboration and building a strong sense of unity. They must be able to communicate effectively, delegate tasks, and provide guidance to ensure that everyone is working towards common goals.

Heroes may have individual charisma and the ability to garner attention, but they may not possess the necessary skills to inspire and guide others. They may not prioritize the development of their team members or invest time and effort into building relationships and trust.

3. Leaders are also responsible for managing the resources and processes of the organization. They are accountable for the overall performance and success of the team or organization. They need to be able to adapt to changes, overcome obstacles, and make tough decisions when necessary.

Heroes fulfill essential roles. They excel at problem-solving, accomplishing remarkable feats, and inspiring captivating narratives. Heroes may excel in solving specific problems or achieving short-term goals, but they may lack the ability to manage the bigger picture. Their presence is desired and admired, and they are elevated to a position of adulation.

4. Both heroes and leaders show courage. They are willing to go above and beyond the call of duty. They sacrifice themselves for the greater good and complete seemingly impossible tasks. The main difference is consistency and the fact that heroes do not have to influence others.

A leader, on the other hand, is expected to bring out the best in his followers. The leader must set an example and they have to gain trust. A leader must be consistent, assimilating these qualities into his character.

5. A hero reacts to events on a tactical level. The leader acts strategically.

It is not accurate to categorize leaders as heroes. While leaders possess certain qualities and skills that make them effective in guiding and inspiring others, they are still human and have their limitations. Heroes typically possess extraordinary powers or abilities that are not found in regular individuals. Additionally, leaders may encounter challenges, make mistakes, and face criticism, which contrasts with the idea of heroes always succeeding and being invulnerable.

A Leader Makes Things Happen

Leaders may have well-defined deeds on their records as well, but their value does not lie in heroics. An intelligent leader sees the big picture. They strategize, plan, and execute. Great leaders may inspire heroism in their followers, and when that happens, they see it as a positive development.

Over the years I have come to realize that those people that I truly admired in my life was not due to heroics, but authentic leadership. Not just in the organizational sense, but those types of leaders who were true servant leaders in all aspects of their lives.

Here is a list of those qualities that I feel make leaders greater than heroes:

• Long-term impact: While heroes may have immediate and impactful actions, their influence tends to be short-lived. On the other hand, leaders focus on creating sustainable change by implementing long-term strategies and solutions. They prioritize the overall growth and development of their teams and organizations.

• Versatility: Heroes often possess exceptional skills or abilities that make them great in specific circumstances or crises. However, leaders are adaptable and can effectively navigate different situations and challenges. They can make strategic decisions, inspire and motivate their teams, and provide guidance in various areas.

• Collaboration and teamwork: Leaders understand the importance of collaboration and team synergy. They promote cooperation, communication, and coordination among team members, which leads to more effective outcomes. Heroes, on the other hand, often rely on their abilities and can sometimes overshadow or overlook the contributions of others.

• Empowerment: Leaders focus on empowering others by delegating responsibilities, fostering skill development, and encouraging growth. They create a supportive environment where individuals can reach their full potential, contributing to the overall success of the team or organization. Heroes, in contrast, tend to be more individualistic in their approach.

• Ethical decision-making: Leaders prioritize ethical decision-making by considering the impact of their actions on all stakeholders involved. They consider the values and principles that guide their decisions, ensuring fairness, transparency, and integrity. Heroes, while often acting with good intentions, may sometimes prioritize immediate results over ethical considerations.

• Sustainability: Leaders think not only about short-term wins but also about the long-term sustainability of their organizations. They focus on building a strong foundation, cultivating a positive culture, and aligning their actions with the organization's mission and values. Heroes may achieve remarkable feats at the moment, but their actions may not always contribute to sustainable growth and success.

A great leader is constantly inspiring those around them. Leadership is about defining “the mission” and empowering others to help complete it. Earning respect and wielding influence are the specific tasks of the leader. A leader must be a constant source of long-term inspiration for their followers.

Wrapping Up

Acts of heroism are often impulsive and as such do not take a measure of true character. Sports heroes, celebrities, as well as business heroes, have proven countless times that heroism is difficult to sustain over time. However, unlike heroics, leadership can be learned, developed, improved, and sustained over time. Leadership training helps leaders discover their strengths and weaknesses, influence others through specific techniques, and earn the respect of those they lead.

Through leadership training, leaders gain the ability to develop plans to overcome their weaknesses. They become capable of seeing the “big picture” and acting or reacting to events on a strategic level. Overall, well-trained leaders bring stability, vision, collaboration, and sustainable change to their teams and organizations. While heroes may shine in specific situations, it is the consistent leadership approach that brings long-term success and growth.

About the Author

Rich Baron holds the esteemed title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich co-hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by FeedSpot in 2023, and again in 2024 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 60 countries and 550 cities across the globe.

Are We Washing The Gray Out Of Our Organizations?

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 06:59:54 GMT

Like It or Not, Age Discrimination Is Alive and Well

I am in a unique position. As both an executive coach, as well as a job coach, I have been able to see this issue from both sides. The problem that I am referring to is age discrimination of older workers. And when I say older workers, I mean anyone over 40 years of age, which is when age discrimination starts to raise its ugly head.

Despite legal protections in place, age discrimination remains a prevalent issue in the workplace, particularly for older workers. As both an executive coach and a job coach, I have witnessed numerous instances where highly experienced and qualified individuals are overlooked or undervalued simply because of their age.

In 1967, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) was created to protect people from discrimination and harassment in the workplace. While this was a very positive step toward protecting workers’ rights, age discrimination and harassment still occur in every industry and sector today.

In a survey conducted by AARP, two out of three workers aged 45 and older said they had seen or experienced age discrimination at work. AARP also found that there are significant differences between the genders when it comes to age discrimination. In the same age group as the previous survey, 72% of women said they think people face age discrimination at work while only 57% of men agreed.

Flawed Perceptions

Some of the remarks that I have heard either firsthand, or from my clients can come from flawed perceptions, age bias, or complete ignorance of the value that older workers bring to the workforce. Here are some examples:

They do not have the same energy as younger workers.
They will not be comfortable working for a younger boss.
Their past salary was too large; therefore, they will not be happy with what we offer.
They are too set in their ways and will not have the flexibility to work with a younger team.
Their skills are behind the times.
They are not familiar with current technology.
They will have more health issues and miss more time than younger workers.

These stereotypes, however, are often not based on actual evidence and fail to acknowledge the wealth of experience and wisdom older workers can bring to an organization. Research has shown that older workers tend to have lower rates of absenteeism, greater productivity, and a stronger work ethic compared to their younger counterparts.

Furthermore, age discrimination not only affects individuals financially and emotionally, but it also has broader societal implications. In a time of increasing longevity, organizations must make the most of the diverse skills and perspectives of all age groups. By dismissing older workers, businesses miss out on a significant talent pool and deprive themselves of valuable insights and expertise.

Too Old to Play in the Sandbox

The tech industry has been experiencing tremendous growth in recent years, and my home state of Utah has become a significant player in this sector. As a job coach, my role is to assist individuals in their career development and help them navigate the job market effectively. The majority of the job seekers I work with seek roles in software development, data analysis, cybersecurity, web design, and other technology-related fields. With the presence of prominent tech companies and startups in Utah, including Adobe, Qualtrics, and Pluralsight, there is a wide variety of positions available. That is if you are 35 or younger. According to Smart Insights , here are the current average ages of those employees that make up these tech industry giants:

AOL - 27
Meta (Facebook) - 28
LinkedIn - 29
Salesforce - 29
Google - 30
Apple - 31
Amazon - 31
Yahoo - 31
eBay - 32
Adobe - 33
Microsoft - 33
Dell - 36
IBM - 38
Oracle - 39
HP - 39

The tech industries are not the only areas where younger employees are hired over older employees. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the following median ages for a selection of industries:

Hospitality - 31
Wholesale & Retail - 39
Construction - 42
Professional & Business Services - 42
Education - 43
Financial - 44
Manufacturing - 44
Transportation & Utilities - 45

Based on these findings, it truly appears that we are indeed washing the gray out of our businesses.

Leadership and the Age Factor

According to a survey conducted by groups such as Deloitte, HBR, Kaiser Leadership Solutions, and Gallup, the global state of leadership is in serious trouble. These studies show that as many as 75% of all global leaders are failing, and some studies show that less than 10% of leaders have the versatility and timing to be effective in any type of organizational crisis. As an executive coach working with several organizations both locally and globally, I can attest to the fact that there is a serious issue in organizations where leadership development has become an afterthought instead of a critical priority.

In a column for the Harvard Business Review Blog Network, Jack Zenger unveiled a startling and troubling fact: We wait too long to train leaders. Citing research from his consulting agency, he revealed that in their database of some 17,000 worldwide leaders participating in their training programs, the average age for first-time leadership training was 42. More than half were between 36 and 49. Less than 10 percent were under 30, and less than 5 percent were under 27.

The results also pointed to another disturbing fact: the average age of supervisors in those firms was 33. The typical individual in those companies became a supervisor around age 30 and remained in the role for nine years. The result? Most of these individuals are not getting any leadership training at all as supervisors. They have been operating organizations untrained, on average, for over a decade.

Based on these surveys, coupled with the average ages in today's organizations, is it any wonder that stress, burnout, toxic leadership, substandard culture, and turnover in leadership roles are higher than it has ever been?

The Case for More Gray in the Workplace

One of the main reasons employers practice age discrimination is the assumption that older workers are less productive and less adaptable to new technologies. However, studies have shown that older workers bring a wealth of experience, expertise, and stability to the workplace. They often have a strong work ethic, and excellent problem-solving skills, and are more likely to stay with an organization long-term.

Moreover, older workers tend to have lower turnover rates, reducing recruitment and training costs for employers. They also have a lower likelihood of engaging in risky behavior or making impulsive decisions, contributing to a more stable and reliable work environment.

Another unfounded assumption is that older workers are not as capable of learning new skills or keeping up with advancements in technology. In reality, many older workers have a strong desire to learn and adapt. They may have a proven track record of successfully acclimating to new technologies and processes throughout their careers.

Furthermore, older workers often have a more extensive professional network and are skilled at building relationships with clients and customers. They bring valuable insights from their years of experience, which can lead to better decision-making and problem-solving. As leaders, older workers have had the experience of dealing with crises in the workplace. This experience is invaluable and can help younger leaders face those issues with much more confidence.

Combating Age Discrimination

There are several ways that organizations can resolve the issues with age discrimination. Here are a few examples.

Establish a Policy: Employers should clearly define acts of age discrimination and create instructions on how company leaders should address instances. Make sure all employees are aware of this policy.
Rethink Your Interview Processes: There are certain questions that should be avoided during interviews with potential employees. Asking a candidate their age, when they plan to marry or if they want children, or when they hope to retire should not be part of your interview questions.
Review Existing Policies & Procedures: Indirect age discrimination can also occur in the workplace. It is beneficial to examine any areas where there are biases, such as in recruitment practices, sick leave policies, or training processes.
Enforce Non-Discriminatory Practices - For employers, layoffs can bring concerns about the proper and legal ways to let employees go. In many instances, eliminating an entire department can avoid any appearance of age discrimination, but this is not always the best-case scenario. In any situation, it is imperative to hire an employment law attorney to ensure that your company complies with the law.

For older workers looking for new employment, polishing your interview skills and resumes must become critical priorities in your job search. Here are a few examples of what you may need to work on:

Meet Expectations for Professionalism and Reliability: Emphasize how colleagues, clients, and management have depended on you throughout your career. Share specifics on how you contributed to critical projects including quantifiable results. Ensure you have gaps in your resume covered with legitimate reasons you can explain during an interview.
Address the Skills Gaps: Keeping updated on current technology and trends is imperative at any age, get the needed education and certifications to show you are ready for today's challenges. Be ready to show specific examples of how you used your skills and talents to address gaps and solve problems. Talk specifically about the soft skills that come with leadership.
Counter Negative Perceptions: Be able to walk through 30-60-90 day plans. Demonstrate flexibility and commitment with specific examples. Talk about working with inter-generational teams. Don't assume that just because the recruiter of interviewer is younger, that they will automatically reject you.
Polish your Interview Techniques: Avoid the overconfidence effect as if it were the plague! Practice your interviewing skills as often as possible and ask for an honest critique of your skills. Don't just tell them you are capable because you have several years of experience, show tangible results.

Wrapping Up

The absolute truth, and one that none of us can avoid is that we will all age with time. Nothing we do will stop the aging process, or the need to work and financially take care of ourselves and our families. The oldest millennials are now in their early forties. However, there is a silver lining (pun intended) to all of this.

Older workers make up the largest growing sector of the workforce and by the end of the decade, there will be 150 million more workers over the age of 55. Japan is already at the vanguard of this with almost 40% of the workforce over age 55. Europe and the U.S. are not far behind, with anywhere from 25 to 30% of the workforce being in their mid-fifties. It will come as no surprise that companies who invest in recruiting, retaining, reskilling, and respecting the strengths of this group will set themselves up for success as the demographics of the workforce continue to shift. And for those "gray hairs" that are reading this, keeping current on skills, technology, business trends, and leadership skills will carry you long into the future.

About the Author

The Stockdale Paradox and Leadership

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 18:35:39 GMT

Having Unwavering Faith in How You Will Make It in the End

So often, we find the greatest truths and wisdom through a paradox. When we encounter a paradox, it challenges our conventional thinking and forces us to question our assumptions. It highlights the complexity and multifaceted nature of reality, presenting us with a contradiction that cannot be easily resolved. The beauty of paradoxes lies in their ability to provoke deep reflection and expand our understanding. They push us beyond the limitations of binary thinking and encourage us to explore the nuances and contradictions that exist in the world.

Paradoxes often reveal deeper truths that are not immediately apparent. They compel us to reevaluate our beliefs and consider alternative perspectives. By grappling with the tension and ambiguity inherent in paradoxes, we gain insight into the complexities of life and gain a more comprehensive understanding of reality. Furthermore, paradoxes teach us the importance of embracing uncertainty and embracing contradictions. Instead of seeking neat and tidy solutions, paradoxes remind us that the world is full of complexity and paradoxical situations. They encourage us to embrace ambiguity and embrace the idea that multiple truths can coexist.

In this way, paradoxes challenge our preconceived notions and invite us to broaden our perspectives. They push us to think critically, question assumptions, and seek out new ways of understanding the world. Through experience and contemplation, we can begin to unravel the mysteries of paradoxes.

The Stockdale Paradox

The Stockdale Paradox is one such concept that was first put forward in Jim Collin’s book, "Good to Great." Admiral James Stockdale's experiences as a prisoner of war in Vietnam are a testament to his resilience, courage, and unwavering commitment to his fellow prisoners.

Admiral Stockdale was shot down on September 9, 1965, during a mission over North Vietnam. After ejecting from his plane, he landed in a small village where he was captured, severely beaten, and taken as a prisoner of war. These events marked the beginning of his seven and a half years of captivity in the infamous Hỏa Lò Prison, often referred to as the "Hanoi Hilton."

Despite enduring immense physical and psychological torture, Stockdale remained steadfast in upholding a code of conduct and organizing resistance among the prisoners. His actions, such as creating a system to govern torture, secret communications, and behavior, demonstrated his leadership and dedication to maintaining a sense of order and camaraderie in a harrowing environment. The torture and injuries he suffered during his captivity, including the deliberate breaking of his leg, highlight the extent of the physical and emotional pain endured by him and his fellow prisoners.

Stockdale's determination to resist propaganda and protect his fellow prisoners led him to intentionally disfigure himself and endure self-inflicted harm. His willingness to sacrifice physically rather than compromise his integrity showcases his indomitable spirit and commitment to his principles.

Through it all, Stockdale's resilience and exemplary leadership served as a beacon of hope for his comrades. His ability to balance optimism with the stark realities of their situation, as encapsulated in the Stockdale Paradox, undoubtedly played a crucial role in their survival and eventual release.

When Stockdale was asked which prisoners didn't make it out of Vietnam, he replied:

Oh, that's easy, the optimists. Oh, they were the ones who said, 'We're going to be out by Christmas.' And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they'd say, 'We're going to be out by Easter.' And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart. This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.

This is the Stockdale Paradox.

Applying the Stockdale Paradox to Ourselves

While positive visualization and mindset shifts do play a crucial role in achieving success and happiness, they are not the sole determinants. The belief that simply changing our mindset will magically bring us everything we desire can be misleading. It is important to recognize that success and accomplishment require action, effort, and a combination of various factors such as skills, knowledge, opportunities, and grit. Merely visualizing a goal or having a positive mindset is not enough without taking concrete steps toward its realization.

The proliferation of "business gurus" and motivational speakers offering quick fixes and shortcuts can give a false sense of security. While their talks and advice may provide initial inspiration, ultimately a sustainable path to success comes from a combination of self-belief, hard work, adaptability, perseverance, and a willingness to learn from both successes and failures. It is essential to strike a balance between acknowledging the challenges and maintaining the motivation and resilience needed to keep pursuing one's goals.

The paradox lies in being aware of the potential obstacles and setbacks while maintaining hope and working towards one's goals. It's about acknowledging the reality of the situation while also staying optimistic and focused on the possibilities for positive outcomes. By embracing the paradox, individuals can channel their determination and persistence to overcome obstacles and work towards their dreams. It involves accepting the possibility of failure without letting it discourage or paralyze them. For this reason, it is crucial to identify personal aspirations and set realistic goals, rather than chasing someone else's vision of success.

Applying the Stockdale Paradox to Business and Leadership

Indeed, a balance between optimism and a realistic assessment of the current situation is crucial in business leadership and management. The Stockdale Paradox, emphasizes the importance of maintaining faith in ultimate success while simultaneously confronting the harsh realities faced. By acknowledging and addressing challenges head-on, leaders can devise effective strategies and plans to overcome obstacles. Ignoring or downplaying the difficulties can lead to naivety and poor decision-making. On the other hand, being overly pessimistic can breed negativity and hinder progress.

Wrapping Up

Stockdale’s story is extreme; however, he said that his time as a POW was the defining moment of his life. Being held as a POW for over seven years, under the circumstances of his imprisonment, is horrendous. We can dwell on why he was taken prisoner, or if his treatment was fair or not. Life is not always fair, not for any of us. Dwelling on the "reasons" things happen is less important than how you deal with each situation as it arises.

By framing obstacles within the context of your ultimate goals, you can maintain perspective and determine the best course of action. Rather than getting caught up in the perceived injustices or challenges, channeling your energy into finding solutions and staying focused on your ultimate goal is crucial. Maintaining faith and belief in your ability to prevail can provide the resilience and determination needed to push through difficult times and overcome obstacles. This faith acts as an anchor, helping you stay motivated and committed even when the path may seem uncertain or difficult.

Acknowledging that life is not always fair and focusing on how you handle each situation while maintaining faith and belief in your ultimate success can help you navigate challenges and overcome obstacles on your path to achieving your goals. We must always remember that setbacks and challenges are a natural part of any journey toward success. The ability to adapt, learn, and persevere in the face of adversity is what separates those who achieve their goals from those who do not.

About the Author

Rich Baron serves as the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Global Coaching Projects at John Mattone Global, where he also holds the title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach. With over 30 years of rich experience in cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive roles, and coaching leaders at every level—from emerging talents to seasoned CEOs—Rich has a demonstrated track record of success.

Rich co-hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast that is recognized by FeedSpot as the leading Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. The podcast's acclaim is based on an evaluation of numerous factors, including web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. It boasts an impressive following in more than 80 countries and over 830 cities globally.

The Importance of a Core Purpose Statement

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 19:42:55 GMT

Your Core Purpose is the essence of living a life that is unique to you

Are you in possession of a Core Purpose Statement (CPS)? If you don’t perceive yourself as a brand, similar to a company brand, you are making a significant, personal mistake. One valuable lesson I have learned and seek to share with the executives and organizations I collaborate with is the importance of pursuing less with discipline to attain more. Unfortunately, our reality is far from a world of less; it is a world of more! Our bosses, families, and everyone else demand more from us. We reside in a VUCA world, encompassing volatility, uncertainty, chaos, and ambiguity. The prevalence of the VUCA world is not expected to diminish any time soon. If anything, it is likely to intensify in the coming years.

To successfully navigate the VUCA world and embrace the concept of the "Disciplined Pursuit of Less that Gives Us More," it is crucial to have a Core Purpose Statement (CPS) and live by it. Take inspiration from Stephen Covey's book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which emphasizes the power of our inner core and how it shapes our lives. Begin with the End in Mind, as Covey suggests. Spend significant time reflecting on your core purpose, vision, and the kind of person and leader you aspire to be. This introspection allows you to connect with your inner core and refine your values, beliefs, and gifts—the elements that ignite your passion.

What is a Core Purpose Statement

Ultimately, your actions, behaviors, and successes are tied to your inner core and what you value. Take the time to identify your values and consider how you can bring value to the world. Determine who you want to positively impact. The exercise of reflecting, writing, and, most importantly, believing in and living your CPS can greatly contribute to your success in both business and life. It is one of the most powerful exercises we can undertake to facilitate our personal growth and achievements.

A CPS is the essence of l iving a life that is u nique to you, h ighly personal, and Integral to your existence. I t serves as a lens through which you:

View the world around you
Set goals and take actions
Make choices based on your values, beliefs, and perceptions
Make decisions through a process of analysis and elimination
Measure satisfaction, which holds greater importance than mere "success"

Core Purpose and Success

As an executive coach, I adhere to the principle that "Prescription before diagnosis is Malpractice." This reinforces the importance of conducting various assessments to understand a client's unique needs before establishing their Individual Leadership Development Plan (ILDP). These assessments provide essential insights and serve as a foundation for the coaching process.

Additionally, having clients develop a CPS is a crucial step in their ILDP. This statement serves as a guiding light, aligning their values, beliefs, and aspirations with their leadership development journey. By developing a core purpose statement, clients can gain clarity about their direction, make meaningful choices, and stay focused on their growth and development.

For leaders aiming to develop their ILDP, or embark on any personal development journey, the absence of a CPS can render their approach to merely a mental exercise. However, leaders who first engage in CPS work approach their ILDP as a manifestation of their heart, mind, and soul. A CPS infuses their development journey with a profound and meaningful purpose.

With a CPS in place, leaders view their ILDP as an opportunity to authentically live out their core purpose. It adds depth and richness to their growth and development, ensuring their actions align with their deepest values and aspirations. Therefore, including the development of a CPS as an essential element during the diagnosis phase becomes crucial for leaders seeking success in their leadership journey.

Some Examples of Core Purpose Statements

Denise Morrison, CEO of Campbell Soup Company

"To serve as a leader, live a balanced life, and apply ethical principles to make a significant difference"

Joel Manby, CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment

"I define personal success as being consistent to my own personal mission statement: to love God and love others"

Sir Richard Branson, founder of The Virgin Group

"To have fun in [my] journey through life and learn from [my] mistakes"

Mahatma Gandhi

"For myself, I want to develop self-knowledge, self-love, and self-allowing. I want to use my healing talents to keep hope alive and express my vision courageously in word and action. In my family, I want to build healthy, loving relationships in which we let each other become our best selves. At work, I want to establish a fault-free, self-perpetuating, learning environment. In the world, I want to nurture the development of all life forms, in harmony with the laws of nature. To act in a manner that brings out the best in me and those important to me especially when it

might be most justifiable to act otherwise"

Wrapping Up

To be an effective leader, it is crucial to consistently prioritize the aspects that hold the greatest significance for us. This entails having a Personal Core Purpose Statement (CPS) that serves as a guiding beacon emanating from our innermost being. The CPS serves as a living testament to our values, character, beliefs, thoughts, and emotions. By anchoring ourselves to this powerful document, we gain clarity and direction in our leadership journey. It becomes a compass that ensures our actions align with our authentic selves, enabling us to lead with integrity and purpose.

Along with my personal Vision and Mission statements, I have posted my CPS on my website:

"To share my journey through life with those people that I love.

To continue to develop my roles as a husband, father, brother, son, friend, coach, and servant leader.

As a servant leader, I will always walk alongside those I serve, just as others have walked with me on my journey."

My final question to you is, have you taken the time to develop your own Core Purpose Statement? If not, I would love the opportunity to help you get started on your own CPS. Reach out to me here to set up a time to talk. The ball is in your court and time is not slowing for any of us. I look forward to talking with you soon. Until then, all the best!

About the Author

The Importance of Keeping Our Priorities Straight

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 23:56:25 GMT

Defining What Is Truly Important

The past week has been an absolute whirlwind for me, with work taking up most of my focus and leaving little room for anything else, including family. However, life has a way of reminding us where our true priorities lie, and this week brought a wake-up call that I won't soon forget.

Saturday Night

It all started with my daughter's excitement for the Sadie Hawkins dance at her high school. She had meticulously planned her costume alongside her boyfriend, opting for a Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley theme. They had searched tirelessly for the perfect outfits and couldn't wait to enjoy the dance. Since my daughter would be driving, she requested to borrow my wife's new car, a request which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. We snapped a few pictures and sent them off, as they were planning to grab dinner at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City, approximately 35 miles away, before heading to the dance.

As my wife and I started our grocery shopping, an unexpected phone call changed the course of the evening. It was our daughter, her voice trembling with distress. Amidst inconsolable sobs, she revealed the devastating news of a car accident she had just been involved in. The vehicle was a wreck, leaving me desperate to know if everyone was unharmed. Regrettably, her response conveyed a different reality. Nearly paralyzed by worry, she divulged her location and the recent arrival of the police at the scene. Without a moment's hesitation, we abandoned our shopping cart and headed towards Salt Lake City, consumed by anxiety.

As we approached Salt Lake City, the sight of the congestion ahead only heightened our apprehension. Flashing lights from the emergency vehicles illuminated the street, hinting at the gravity of the situation awaiting us. At that moment, nothing else mattered but reaching our daughter's side. Finally arriving at the accident site, relief washed over me as I saw my daughter and her friends standing alongside law enforcement officials. The wrecked car demonstrated the severity of the collision, with deployed airbags serving as a testament to the impact. Fortunately, the injuries proved less severe than initially feared, restricted to superficial burns on my daughter's hands and knees from the airbags. Fortunately, no one else was injured during the incident. The car had done its job of protecting the occupants. Other couples were accompanying them in separate vehicles, providing them with additional space. This fortunate turn of events meant that my daughter and her friends were able to proceed with their plans for the rest of the evening.

A Course Correction

After that fateful night, I have been doing a lot of soul-searching and contemplating my recent path. It saddened me to realize how my work had recently engulfed me, leaving little room for what truly holds significance in my life. Engrossed in this self-examination, I have begun jotting down the aspects that truly matter to me, and the revelations have been nothing short of eye-opening. It dawned on me that amidst the chaos, I may have overlooked numerous precious moments, and it took a terrifying incident such as my daughter's accident to jolt me back onto the right path. And as an executive coach working with others to improve their lives, I realized that I needed to get back on track myself.

Confusing what is Important for what is Urgent

Many times, we find ourselves consumed by the tasks and responsibilities that demand our attention daily. We believe that these urgent matters require immediate action, leaving no room for delay. However, have you ever stopped to consider the consequences of this constant rush? We may have successfully managed to address urgent matters, but upon reflection, we realize this happened without conscious planning. It simply unfolded before our eyes. At the close of the day, we often found ourselves prioritizing certain things over what truly mattered.

Have you ever had that feeling, that something wasn't quite right, but you couldn't quite put your finger on it? Well, here's the revelation: we have unknowingly allowed those perceived urgent matters to take control of our time, overshadowing and overpowering everything else in our lives.

Prioritizing The Important Things

So how do we ensure that we make time for those things in our lives that are the most important? Here are some tips:

Organize your day - Start your day right by setting priorities for the day ahead. Create a list encompassing vital elements like spending quality time with family, pursuing hobbies, maintaining fitness, or simply giving yourself a breather. For maximum effectiveness, I recommend jotting it down on paper instead of a digital platform. Surprisingly, a study involving university students and recent graduates has shown that writing on physical paper boosts brain activity, resulting in enhanced productivity. By efficiently organizing your day, you can seize control over your life.

Free up time - Discover the art of delegating tasks and reclaim your valuable time by engaging in non-work related activities. One effective approach is to lean on your colleagues for support, whether it be by assigning them more responsibilities or even considering the assistance of a virtual assistant. Another option is to advocate for the introduction of an intern or additional colleague to help alleviate your workload. Embracing delegation not only allows you to prioritize your time, but it also encourages better communication and acceptance in the workplace

Look beyond your job title - It's time to shift our perspective on our careers. Instead of solely identifying ourselves based on company names or job titles, let's focus on the skills we possess that can be applied in various contexts. While it's natural to closely associate our identities with our careers, this mindset can leave us vulnerable to difficult transitions such as burnout, layoffs, or retirement. These situations often lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and despair as we struggle to redefine ourselves without our previous job roles. As a job coach for a professional network group, I have the privilege of assisting individuals who are currently unemployed. What I frequently observe is that many of them find it challenging to determine what truly matters in their lives. This struggle becomes especially evident among those individuals who failed to establish clear priorities before experiencing job loss.

Learn how to say no - Amid our hectic schedules and endless obligations, it is not uncommon for us to keep piling on more tasks. Unfortunately, this tendency not only takes away precious time from what truly matters, but it also sends a signal to those around us that they are less significant than our overwhelming to-do list. However, refusing to give in to this overwhelming pressure by mastering the art of saying "no" can lead us to say "yes" to the truly important aspects of our lives.

Wrapping Up

By reclaiming some personal time and diversifying our activities and relationships, we can cultivate a more balanced and resilient identity that aligns with our true values. It's essential to broaden the scope of our accomplishments and interests beyond the confines of our professional lives. Investing in personal growth, exploring new hobbies, forming meaningful connections, and engaging in activities outside of work can contribute to a more fulfilling existence. This broader perspective allows us to thrive even in the face of career changes, empowering us to adapt and find purpose beyond traditional professional roles. After all, how many job titles have you seen carved into someone's headstone?

This week, I have intentionally slowed down. I have put aside those things that I felt were urgent and must be done regardless. I have found that I have been much more productive getting back to my routine of planning my daily activities.

I had a profound realization that shook me to my core - the realization that our loved ones can be taken away from us in an instant. It served as a powerful reminder that life is fragile and unpredictable. No matter how successful our careers may be, nothing can compare to the value of the relationships we have and our well-being. This realization has inspired me to make a conscious effort moving forward to prioritize the things that truly matter in life.

Schedule some time with me here.

About the Author

Don't Make These Cultural Transformation Mistakes

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 22:42:37 GMT

Your Culture Determines the Future Success of the Company

The word “culture” is one that I see and hear all the time concerning the workplace and with good reason. Every company, big or small, new or established has a culture. Some of those companies will strive to create an environment where the actions and values endure beyond any one person or group of people. Some are even successful. Global studies show that only 25% of organizations that are considered “market leaders”, transform from

a position of strength to sustain their position of strength, while 75% of “market leaders” currently are not engaged in positive and preemptive transformation efforts —which almost guarantees a n eventual failure.

So why do so many organizations fail to transform their culture into a successful, vibrant representation of the collective character, values, thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and behaviors of your leaders and individual contributors? In so many instances it is due to organizations making mistakes in their transformation efforts. Here are some of the worst mistakes companies can make in transforming their culture.

Failing to Measure both Corporate Culture and Employee Engagement

Employee engagement and company culture are related, but they aren’t the same thing. Unfortunately, many organizations lump engagement and company culture together and prevent themselves from deriving the full benefit of understanding and optimizing each. Companies that lack a strong, vibrant culture may still have employees who like and are engaged in their work. Bigger issues like distrust or misalignment of goals can simmer underneath an engaged workforce (though they’re unlikely to remain engaged with work for long). On the other hand, organizations with energetic, inspiring cultures can’t help but have engaged employees. Culture is a strong predictor of engagement and is the foundation of operational success. That’s why defining your organization’s path to the future must involve evaluating both corporate culture and employee engagement.

Conducting In-House Assessments and Surveys

I can not stress enough how big a mistake this is. Culture is a top-down function and as the CEO goes, so will the company culture. So when there are problems with the culture, or the culture is toxic, you can rest assured that the rest of the company knows where the faults are. This being said, when HR sends out a survey asking where the problems lie, do you think that you are going to get truthful answers? Simply put, if you have a toxic or failing culture, senior leadership, including HR, are already viewed as the bad guys. More often than not, there are already trust issues.

Leave the assessments and surveys to a third party that can guarantee anonymity with the employees to truly determine the health and vibrancy of the culture.

Failing to Determine the Readiness of the Senior Leadership Team

All too often, organizations jump right to culture surveys directed toward the employees of the organization. This is akin to putting the cart before the horse. As I mentioned before, culture is a top-down function beginning with the CEO. Therefore, the changes that must be made to transform the organizational culture must begin at the top. Only through a candid assessment of leaders’ willingness, desire, and capacity to initiate and sustain meaningful change can you begin to identify the pathway to a shared vision and catalyze the resolve to effectively lead cultural transformation. This must take place before any additional assessments of the organization are administered.

I have personally seen disastrous results in organizations that first, attempted to do their own culture surveys, and second, the CEO and senior leadership team were not prepared, or committed to addressing the concerns required to transform the culture. So, they did nothing with the results of the survey. When you give your employees a voice, and you ignore or deny what they tell you, you have done nothing but further erode the trust that is already in question.

Blaming the Employees for a Failing Culture

Again, it is important to note that culture is a top-down function. Therefore, the C-Level team must accept responsibility for creating, sustaining, and the continuous transformation efforts of the organization's culture. A failing and toxic culture is not because of the shipping team, or the R&D team, or the manufacturing team, or any of the employees themselves. If you are using a survey tool to determine where the problem lies outside of the C-Suite, you are looking in the wrong place. If you want to know the health and vibrancy of a culture, look no further than the CEO and senior leadership team.

Failing to Continually Measure and Improve the Culture

This mistake is all too common. Some companies have the wrong idea of culture as being a checklist item that you can change, tick off, and forget. Cultural transformation is a continuing process that must be kept alive by the entire organization directed specifically by the CEO. You must measure, measure, and measure again and course correct each time as needed. Building your culture is not a one-and-done deal, it must be a living part of each person in the company and an integral part of the vision.

Mistaking Perks for Culture

Your company might envision state-of-the-art campuses with on-premise gyms, ping-pong tables, and free catered lunches. If this is how you envision a good organizational culture, you wouldn't be alone. All of these things are nice to have, but do these perks make a strong company culture? The simple answer is, no.

The business world has conflated "perks and benefits" with "good company culture," with the assumption that one leads to the other. However, in reality, the connection between perks and culture doesn’t exist. While perks make for a nice bonus, they don’t matter if your employees hate how they feel at work.

How We Can Help You

Before you can make a cultural course correction, you’ve got to clearly see where you are in relation to where you want to go. As in medicine, prescription before diagnosis is malpractice. This is the same for both individual executive coaching as well as cultural transformation.

The first step is to determine the readiness of the senior leadership of the company. The Cultural Transformation Readiness Assessment (CTRA-40) is a world-class measurement tool designed by John Mattone, the world's foremost authority on Intelligent Leadership and cultural transformation. It is designed to align your leadership around the cultural transformation initiative. Uncover both the potential and the possible challenges lurking in your leadership team. The CTRA-40 focuses on specific areas that must be addressed before any cultural transformation takes place. The CTRA-40 provides and in-depth look at the following areas:

○ The Imperative to Transform

○ Leadership Readiness

○ Commitment to Creating a Compelling Future

○ Change the Mindsets of your Leadership Team

○ “Talent Levers:” Stakeholder Strengths (and obstacles)

○ Accountability Quotient: Willingness to Measure & Course Correct

The purpose of the CTRA-40 is to determine leaders’ readiness and commitment to transform their organization’s culture in support of both operational and altruistic goals. This is a critical first step in the process of measuring organizational culture.

Next, The Five Cultures of Culture Assessment (5CCA), also designed by John Mattone, takes a deep look into the five key attitudes or “states” that make up your corporate culture. The 5CCA focuses on the following areas that are critical to transforming organizational culture:

○The Capability Culture - CAN DO

○The Commitment Culture - WILL DO

○The Connectedness Culture - MUST DO

○The Individual Performance Culture

○The Team Performance Culture

Taking inventory of these five cultures is the first step towards harnessing the true productivity potential of your organization. Once you quantify the collective character of your organization as expressed in the values, thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and behaviors of your leaders and individual contributors, you’ll be perfectly positioned to leverage that new understanding and create the culture that will drive the future success of the organization.

Wrapping Up

Let's face it, the past few years have permanently altered the way we look at organizational culture and business, and C-suite leaders across the spectrum of industries are now at a crossroads. It is now abundantly clear that corporate culture can make or break companies. Cultural transformation requires an intentional change at the institutional level. However, the question arises, do CEOs and senior leaders understand what it takes to transform their cultures? If you question where to start, now is the time to reach out for guidance. Time will pass for you and your organizations regardless of what you're doing for your culture. The real question is how much time can you afford.

Reach out here to find out how to avoid these mistakes and transform your culture to drive the future success of your business.

About the Author

Effective Leadership in a Crisis

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 19:00:31 GMT

Being Prepared for Crisis is an Essential Leadership Skill

We tend to assume that leadership takes place under stable circumstances. Many of our theories of leadership conceptualize leadership under these “normal” and stable conditions. However, there is likely no situation where leadership is more important than during a time of crisis. It is a guarantee that at some point in a leader's career, they will be faced with some type of crisis. How you handle that crisis and move your team through those trying times is what separates the pros from the amateurs.

During times of crisis, effective leadership becomes even more critical as it requires the ability to make tough decisions, communicate clearly and decisively, and inspire confidence in others. This may involve thinking outside the box, taking risks, and being open to new ideas and perspectives.

Leaders who are prepared to face potential crises possess qualities such as resilience, courage, the ability to think strategically under pressure, and emotional intelligence. They can navigate through difficult situations with grace and composure, never losing sight of the bigger picture. They can make tough decisions, even in the face of adversity, and communicate them effectively to their team.

A Short List of Issues

Although this list is not exhaustive, these are just a few of the potential crises a leader can face during their career.

1. Financial crisis : This could be a recession, market crash, or unexpected financial loss that impacts the company's bottom line.

2. Public relations crisis : This could be a scandal, negative press coverage, or social media backlash that damages the company's reputation and brand image.

3. Leadership crisis : This could be a situation where key leaders in the organization are found to be unethical, incompetent, or engaging in misconduct that jeopardizes the company's success.

4. Legal crisis : This could be a lawsuit, regulatory investigation, or compliance issue that could result in significant financial losses or damage to the company's reputation.

5. Natural disaster crisis : This could be a hurricane, earthquake, or other natural disaster that disrupts operations and puts employees, customers, and stakeholders at risk.

6. Cybersecurity crisis : This could be a data breach, hacking incident, or ransomware attack that compromises sensitive information and damages the company's credibility with customers and partners.

7. Health crisis : This could be a global pandemic, epidemic, or public health emergency that disrupts operations, impacts employee morale, and threatens the safety and well-being of the workforce.

8. Supply chain crisis : This could be a disruption in the supply chain due to geopolitical events, trade wars, or logistical challenges that could lead to product shortages, increased costs, and customer dissatisfaction.

9. Employee crisis : This could be a labor strike, employee misconduct, or internal conflict that impacts team morale, productivity, and the company's ability to retain top talent.

10. Environmental crisis : This could be a pollution incident, natural resource depletion, or climate change event that puts the company at risk of legal action, negative publicity, and damage to the environment.

Be Prepared

To put it mildly, waiting for the crisis to show up is not the time to find out you are not ready. Failure to act accordingly can result in serious issues for your employees, the company, the community, and yourself. Effective crisis management skills and the ability to lead with integrity, transparency, and agility are essential for leaders to navigate and overcome these challenges.

The real concern here is how many leaders are not aware that they are not prepared to successfully weather the storm.

Crises present ambiguous and changing stimuli that require normative power, collaboration, and asking the right questions to help organizations come together to make sense of and navigate the unknown—all of which are functions of leadership. It is critical to note that it is impossible to plan and prepare for every possible crisis. Meaning, planning, and preparation for all foreseeable crises should be prioritized. However, unforeseen crises are inevitable and will require individual and collective leadership capacity to adapt and respond accordingly.

There will be times when you are faced with challenges that can be overwhelming if you are not prepared. During these unforeseen crises, more experienced leaders see situations in more structured terms, rely on well-rehearsed strategies, and move more quickly to action. Leaders must be able to remain calm and composed, even when faced with uncertainty and chaos. They need to be able to assess the situation quickly, gather relevant information, and make informed decisions promptly.

Effective communication skills are also key during a crisis. Leaders must be transparent, honest, and consistent in their messaging to build trust and credibility with their team. Keeping everyone informed and updated on the situation can help alleviate anxiety and uncertainty.

Go Ahead and Break Things

Some of the best advice I have ever been given was that if something is not broken, break it and learn how to fix it. This is not in the literal sense, but rather having a plan in place, and knowing how to implement that plan in the event a crisis does arise.

By intentionally breaking something that is currently stable, you are forcing yourself to think critically about how to repair and improve it. This mindset of continuous improvement and being prepared for any situation is crucial for success in any organization or leadership role. It encourages proactive thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to adapt to unexpected challenges.

Furthermore, by intentionally breaking something, you are also testing your own resilience and ability to handle difficult situations. This type of preparation builds confidence and allows you to approach future challenges with a calm and collected mindset that will substantially shorten the time to react, mitigate any losses, and increase the potential for a successful outcome.

Overall, this advice has shaped my approach to leadership and problem-solving, and I believe it is a valuable lesson that everyone should take to heart. It emphasizes the importance of being proactive, prepared, and adaptable in the face of adversity.

Coaching Can Help To Prepare

Not all leaders will be tasked with navigating through a major crisis, but all leaders will face some type of crisis during their careers. It is a crucial aspect of leadership that leaders are familiar with the different types of crises so that they can be attuned to the early warning signs and recognize a crisis when it does arise.

Executive coaching helps leaders further develop their skills and abilities so that they can continue to lead with confidence and conviction during a crisis. Through coaching, they can gain new perspectives, enhance their problem-solving skills, and learn how to effectively manage their emotions in high-pressure situations.

Ultimately, tough leaders can inspire and motivate their teams to achieve great things, even in the face of challenges. They are respected by their employees and peers alike and can create a positive and productive work environment. Executive coaching helps to cultivate and strengthen these qualities in leaders, enabling them to lead with toughness and grace.

Wrapping Up

Finally, a crisis can also be an opportunity for growth and learning. Effective leaders use crises as a chance to reflect on their leadership style, identify areas for improvement, and develop new skills to better prepare for future challenges. Effective leadership during a crisis requires a combination of emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, communication skills, and the ability to remain calm under pressure. By demonstrating strong leadership capabilities during difficult times, a leader can inspire confidence, resilience, and unity within their team to navigate through the crisis successfully.

If you feel that your leadership skills are inadequate to face the future challenges that are coming, reach out to me here to discuss how I can help prepare you to face times of crisis.

You can read the testimonials of those leaders who worked with us to gain the confidence and mindsets to successfully lead their teams.

About the Author

Being Tough in Hard Times

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 01:35:10 GMT

Do you have the mindset to be a tough leader?

CEOs, the rest of the C-suite, HR, and middle management have their work cut out for them in the future. If the pandemic, Great Resignation, and the economy have taught us anything, it should be that the disruption in corporate America remains as present as ever. A myriad of issues continues to circulate, presenting a rogue’s gallery of challenges for every company and organization. The “New Normal,” a mantra we hoped would be transitory in nature, is now a permanent enshrinement. The challenges of the past four years have never left and in many cases, have compounded in nature. You can adjust accordingly, provided leadership is willing to take actionable steps. After all, 75% of all companies that fail can be traced directly to poor, unprepared leadership.

The business challenges we now face have strained some businesses past the breaking point. It has subjected leaders to unprecedented pressure and pushed some into survival mode. Headwinds of accelerating disruption and an ever-faster-changing business landscape challenge leaders and businesses alike. However, difficult situations can bring out the best in some leaders. It can also bring out the worst. Tough times separate those leaders who have the skills and talents necessary to bring their organizations through hard times. It will also highlight the lack of leadership skills and painfully pull back the curtain on the imposters.

While many of us might think of ‘tough leaders’ as those bosses who worked us to the bone, avoided personal relationships, or maybe threatened our existence within the organization, executive coaching views "toughness" differently. This is because the truly "tough" leaders aren’t those who berate employees or manage through fear. Instead, they’re the leaders who truly face the toughest leadership challenges head-on while keeping their employees engaged and focused on the vision and overall success of the organization.

Here are some tips that could help your organization, and leaders stay tough and on track in the coming years.

Culture is the Key

So, let's start by stating the most important fact about organizational culture, "Your company culture starts from the top. It starts with the CEO first and foremost. You can't fake a company culture if the CEO doesn't live by the core values of the organization." That includes being able to lead through tough times without cracking.

Senior leadership, especially the CEO, must internalize the most important effect their leadership has on the culture of their organizations. They are the stewards of the organizational culture, whether they like it or not. If the CEO is not prepared for tough times, neither will the organization be.

It seems like everyone we talk to will say something about the culture of their organizations. In most instances, the comments are positive. However, if this were true, why is then that 75% of business transformations flat-out fail, resulting in an organization’s decline, failure, or eventual extinction? A big reason for their failure? CEOs and senior leadership teams were not as tough as they needed to be in order to pivot their organizations during challenging times.

Tough Leaders Needed

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.”- Bob Marley

When the going gets tough, the tough get going – they say. But how can leaders stay tough when all circumstances seem to turn against them? After all, tough times can challenge our concept of who we are personally. It can make us doubt our own choices and challenge our confidence as leaders. However, this is what separates tough leaders from their not-so-tough counterparts. Tough-minded leaders have confidence in themselves and a strong sense of objectivity. They know that tough times are inevitable, and they have prepared themselves, and their organizations in advance for when those situations emerge. Being prepared both personally, and as a leader of your organization will alleviate the fear and uncertainty that hard times create. And if you think as a leader you will spared from tough times, think again.

Leadership coaching understands that troubling times always carry opportunities. Leadership coaching can help leaders develop mindsets that allow them to remain flexible, tough, and effective during troubling times. Spotting opportunity amid adversity is a leadership ability that can help leaders prevail in the face of disruption.

Avoid the Comfort Zone

Ah, the dreaded comfort zone. The comfort zone is a real and critical danger for leaders and businesses alike. A comfort zone is a place of safety, certainty, and predictability. We all love it. Nature has programmed us to appreciate the facilities of the comfort zone and value them, often above everything else. And the confirmation bias that an oversized corporate ego can create may facilitate a tendency to get stuck in it.

Whatever lies outside our comfort zones entails danger, uncertainty, and risk. When we venture into this area, we become vulnerable. But leadership vulnerability is far from being a bad thing. It is an opportunity for intelligent leaders to lead by example and inspire others. Leaders who embrace their vulnerability will be able to retain their humanity and humility during disruption and will not find it difficult to stay tough in troubling times. Some attributes of leaders who can successfully face tough times are as follows:

• Any time a tough leader realizes they’re in a comfort zone, they force themselves out.

• They understand that change is necessary.

• They understand new perceptions are necessary.

• They understand that "comfort" is just another way of saying "stagnancy."

Executive coaching understands that leaders who want to retain their toughness in troubling times must force themselves to leave their comfort zones. It takes courage to leave certainty and safety behind, but it also takes humility and a clear head to lead organizations through troubling times.

Always be Transparent

Tough leaders need to occasionally have tough conversations. And, while some news might be difficult to deliver, the best leaders approach these conversations swiftly, straightforwardly, and with an underlying sense of kindness and empathy. However, times of crisis may tempt the not-so-tough leaders to give up some transparency and focus on “just getting things done.” The problem here is that a lack of personal clarity due to fear of the unknown can mean doing what seems familiar, and not the right path forward. More specifically, some leaders may shy away from clearly communicating unpopular strategies and plans because they have never been transparent before.

People always appreciate clarity amid strife. Transparency and honesty always translate to trust and caring. Transparency allows people to know what’s on their leader’s mind. And caring lets them know what’s in the leader’s heart. During times of crisis, honesty and transparency are not luxuries to sideline or sacrifice on the altar of practicality.

“Honesty doesn’t always pay, but dishonesty always costs.” – Michael Josephson.

Appreciation is Priceless

Tough leaders also know that they will never make it alone. Being a champion of appreciation might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about tough leadership. However, great leaders understand that appreciation is one of the most important things a leader can do. Becoming vulnerable to someone else’s greatness, and your own gratitude to have them on your team will speak volumes about your abilities as a leader to guide them through the challenges that are certain to come your way. After all, those people you choose to surround yourself with will follow you through tough times and become your greatest ally if they know that they are a valuable, appreciated part of the team. Never forget to give credit where credit is due.

Wrapping Up

Let's face it, being in a leadership position is not for the faint of heart. There will be times when you are faced with challenges that can be overwhelming if you are not prepared to square up your shoulders and face these situations head-on. The frightening truth is that surveys and reports show that 75% of all global leaders are not prepared for the business challenges of the future. Even more concerning is how many of those leaders are not aware that they are not prepared to successfully weather the storm.

If you feel that your leadership skills are inadequate to face the future challenges that are coming, reach out to me here to have a discussion on how I can help prepare you to become a tough leader.

You can read the testimonials of those leaders who worked with us to gain the confidence and mindsets to successfully lead their teams during tough times.

About the Author

Can Your Leadership Skills Stand the Test of Time

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 22:16:35 GMT

Great Leadership Skills are Time Tested and True

Think of someone you know who is a great leader. Someone that you admire and can see yourself following. Someone whose leadership skills and abilities changed the outcome of great companies, battles, countries, and in some cases, millions of their followers. Once you think of those leaders, think about the qualities they possess that make them capable and qualified to lead organizations, or even countries through difficult times.

One of these great leaders that I admire is Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. His teachings and ideas have held strong for more than 150 years. He was an uncharacteristic leader for his time, perhaps even more so for our time, yet his leadership principles and teachings are as relevant today as they were then.

Today, many will tell you that the concept of leadership has changed. Yes, the business world has changed, requiring leaders to learn new skill sets continually. However, the basic principles of great leadership have not changed and remain time-tested and true. If you think back to the question that was asked regarding those great leaders that you admire, I can tell you without hesitation that they all had one thing in common - they all had a solid foundation of leadership skills that could stand the test of time.

Building a Leadership Foundation

No leader wants to be a flash in the pan or ask themselves, “What if?” That question alone rings with regret. One that may have come from years of neglecting your leadership development, making the excuse that there was not enough time, or realizing after years of struggle that your leadership abilities were not on par with your personal view of yourself. Even worse is watching great leadership talent leave your company because you did not take the time to develop them as a result of similar excuses.

If any of these reasons ring true for you, you must change your mindset! The fact is that it is never too late for leadership development. I have coached several leaders from those who are just starting their careers, to seasoned CEOs in their 60s. Each of them understands that developing and continually improving those time-tested leadership skills is the foundation that every leader must build for themselves. So let's take a closer look at some of those skills that truly great leaders possess.

They Never Stop Learning - Great leaders continuously hone their skills, and learning new methods to lead is a critical component of time-tested leadership.
They are Great Communicators - You can have the greatest idea, or corporate vision in the world, but if you can’t communicate that vision to your teams, how can you expect them to be effectively engaged? If you can not communicate, or fail to do so altogether, your influence and impact will be greatly diminished.
They Surround Themselves With Talented People – We are all better leaders when we have talented people on our team than when we do not.
They Produce When It Matters Most – They understand the purpose, vision, and mission of the organization and can consistently produce results that will have a positive impact on the entire organization.
They are Versatile and Well-Timed - Great leaders are versatile and have developed multiple leadership styles. Every situation is different and knowing when, and how to use these skills is a critical component of effective leadership. One size does not fit all!
They Continually Meet Expectations – If you continually miss expectations, you will not last as a leader. This includes personal expectations as well as those that require great teamwork.
They Align with Organizations that can Stand the Test of Time – There are so many organizations that fail to use the talent and energy of those people in their organizations. The proof of this lies in the fact that 75% of organizations flat-out fail to transform in time of need. The reason is simple - poor leadership. Who you align with speaks volumes about yourself.
They are Patient Leaders – There is an epidemic in our world today with leaders who fire people or end projects simply out of boredom or impatience. These leaders continually harm long-term progress and short-circuit their organization’s growth. Our ability to lead patiently requires us to manage the situations in which we find ourselves. Great leaders take the time to truly understand the situation and establish the facts.
They Have Great Relational Skills – To last as a leader, people must enjoy being around you. They'll want to follow you and emulate your leadership skills. It is contagious to want to be around great leaders. This does not mean that you spend your time inspiring and supporting silos or those special manager cliques.
They Operate Within A Team Concept – Leaders are only as good as the people that surround them. These are the people who recognize the importance of great teams and can effectively engage those teams to drive the success of the organization.
They Value Preparation – Preparation is always embedded in hard work. Leading is not for the faint of heart, or those struggling with imposter syndrome. Leadership requires hard work, focus, dedication, and years of experience to succeed. Preparing for the future through continuous personal development is key.
They are Humble – Prideful, arrogant, narcissistic leaders will not stand the test of time. Enough said here.
They are Persistent – Lasting leaders simply show up day after day, year after year. They encourage and motivate those around them to do the same. Legacy is built this way and there are no shortcuts. Never has been and never will be.
They are Vulnerable - Deciding to be vulnerable is perhaps the most difficult thing a leader can do. Disrupting your life to make a change is hard. However, nothing comes from nothing. It takes effort to accept the challenge to do better, be better, and have better outcomes.
They Inspire Confidence in Others – What is the one thing that all leaders want, and must inspire in those around them? Confidence.
They Improve One Day at a Time – Great leaders truly understand the concept of the 1% rule. That is, 1% better than we were yesterday. However, it is just as easy to start that backward slide by not focusing on our goals, and developing lasting processes to get us there.
They Value Character and Integrity - These values come from your inner core. They are the true elements of who you are as a person and leader. Your inner core values impact everything that you are, and everything you do as a leader.

Wrapping Up

Leadership is not a static concept, but rather a continuous journey of growth and development. By focusing on developing the important traits mentioned above, such as self-awareness, empathy, communication, and integrity, you can become a more effective and inspiring leader.

The same applies to coaching as in medicine - prescription before diagnosis is malpractice. Knowing where you start is key to effective personal development. Executive coaching can provide valuable insights and guidance to help you identify areas for improvement and create a plan for personal growth. By investing in your development, you will not only enhance your leadership abilities but also positively impact those around you. Take the first step today and start building the foundation for a legacy of leadership that will endure for years to come.

Reach out to me here for a complimentary coaching session. Let's start this journey together!

About the Author

Toxic Bosses, The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 05:08:56 GMT

One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch

All of us at one time or another have experienced a toxic boss. You may even be one of them without knowing it. Toxic bosses are far more common than you think. Gallup’s 2022 State of the Global Workplace report found that only 33% of employees in the U.S. and Canada feel engaged in their work, a feeling that good bosses foster. That means that 2 in 3 employees are potentially dealing with a toxic boss.

One thing is for certain, toxic bosses have a unique capacity to give. These gifts certainly are not what we had hoped we would see in our career, or written down on our wish list for the type of company we wanted to work for. Nonetheless, the gifts we receive from toxic bosses will be remembered long after that toxic boss has moved on.

Toxic Gifts

As the saying goes, one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch. The same goes for toxic bosses. Left unchecked, their toxic legacy can become the gift that keeps on giving. You might be asking yourself, exactly what kind of gift can an organization get from a toxic boss? Here is a short list of some of those toxic gifts:

Employee burnout - Nothing says toxic bosses like low morale, poor productivity, poor attendance, and the list goes on. Who's going to give 100% for a toxic boss? Nobody!
Micromanagement - Nothing builds employee engagement more than a boss who is creeping over your shoulder all day.
Silos - how many times have we all seen toxic departmental leaders in organizations with a department-first, company-second mindset.
High Turnover - People don't leave good jobs or good companies, they leave toxic bosses. in 2021 alone, 48 million people left their jobs during the Great Resignation with as many as 50 million the following year. A recent MIT Sloan Management Review study determined that the leading cause for the Great Resignation was actually a toxic workplace culture, which is the result of toxic leadership.
Increased Conflict - Toxic bosses often create a culture of conflict within the organization. This can manifest in interpersonal conflicts between coworkers, as well as between employees and management.
Damage to Reputation - Toxic bosses can tarnish the organization's reputation both internally and externally. Employees may speak negatively about their experiences working for the organization, and word can spread to potential job candidates and clients.
Poor Customer Retention - Customers want someone on the other end of the phone who can solve their problems. Someone they trust, someone they've known for a while. When there's a lot of turnover in a company and it is someone new each time they call, those customers lose faith in that organization.
Toxic Leadership Legacy - When you leave leadership training to these toxic bosses, and allow them to mentor the organization's emerging leaders, what do you think the outcome is going to be? This is perhaps the most toxic gift of all.
Toxic Organizational Culture - Organizational culture is a top-down function starting with the CEO. The formula for toxic culture is simple: When you have toxic leaders, you will have a toxic culture.

Wrapping Up

Ignoring toxic behavior in leadership can lead to a lack of accountability and a breakdown of trust within the organization. This can result in poor decision-making, communication breakdowns, and ultimately hinder the organization's ability to achieve its goals. Toxic bosses can also undermine employee morale and motivation, leading to increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, and high turnover rates.

To prevent these negative consequences, organizations must prioritize addressing toxic behavior in leadership and creating a culture of respect, transparency, and accountability. By doing so, organizations can cultivate a positive work environment where employees feel valued, empowered, and motivated to contribute to the organization's success.

None of these gifts that we get from toxic bosses will ever result in organizational success. The odds are stacked against companies that continue to allow toxic bosses to remain unchecked.

Let me know if you have ever worked with a toxic boss, or if your culture is suffering due to toxic bosses by reaching out to me here .

Or check out my video on this very subject here.

About the Author

Rich Baron is the Director of Culture Transformation and Training as well as a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by Feedspot in 2023 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 70 countries 650 cities across the globe.

Are Your Leadership Traits Inspiring Loyalty

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 03:24:21 GMT

People simply want to feel heard and understood.

Leaders don’t always realize it, but the way they interact with their employees can often make or break their team’s work experience. One study showed that 57% of employees quit their jobs because of their bosses, with an additional 32% seriously considering a job change to get away from an unruly manager. The data also shows that employees are more productive when they have positive, fair relationships with their bosses — so even if that 32% can’t be bothered to put in the effort to find another job, you can bet they aren’t giving it their all during the workweek — and likely, that reality stems from an uninspiring leader who lacks the leadership traits to bring their employees along for the journey.

Though your leaders are likely paying close attention to the results you produce, your employees are paying attention to something else entirely — the way you treat them and make them feel. There are certain leadership traits that can inspire loyalty amongst your team members simply because it makes them feel as though they are trusted and valued members of the team.

The following are some examples of how various leadership traits can inspire loyalty in not only your employees, but for those other people in your lives.

Empathy

Though it may be easy to forget, nobody starts their career in a top leadership position. At one point, we were all just starting out, eager to prove ourselves and climb up the corporate ladder. Think back to when you were beginning your career, or perhaps a few years into a job you were excited about. How did you feel when you went to work? How much of that stemmed from having a good leader? Or perhaps from a leader that was not so good.

Leaders have a great deal of control over the way their employees feel from day to day. You can be the reason they excel with the company or the reason they are giving their two weeks’ notice. A great way to ensure you stay in touch with your employees is by practicing the leadership trait of empathy — put yourself in their shoes and act accordingly.

If you have a stressed-out account lead who happens to be working on the company’s three most difficult accounts, take the time to talk with them about it, see how they are feeling, and come up with an arrangement that will make their lives easier. If you’ve heard repeated grumbling from your team about an office policy that has become a hassle, hear them out, empathize with their feelings, and come up with a solution. More often than not, people simply want to feel heard and understood. Listen, empathize, and take that listening a step further by solving your employees’ problems.

Honesty

There is little that can do more damage to your reputation as a leader than dishonesty. Earning your employees’ trust is a hard-fought battle as it is — destroying that trust with a lie or by taking credit where it isn’t deserved can set you on a path with little hope for return.

Employees often ask difficult questions, and while it may be easy to brush them off or tell a white lie at the moment to save face, being honest will gain you far more respect, and you may be surprised to find that your employees have come armed with solutions for the problems they’ve brought to your attention.

Honesty as a leadership trait goes beyond answering tough questions with candor—it means admitting when you’ve made a mistake, too. Though it’s never easy to do, admitting to a mistake and demonstrating honesty and accountability will build your reputation as an honest leader and help your employees realize they can be honest with you when they’ve made mistakes of their own.

Ask yourself these tough questions, "Do my employees trust me," and, "Do I trust my employees." The default setting in most organizations is a lack of trust. However, making the decision to be vulnerable, and truly answering those questions, is a secret weapon that the senior leadership team has that can be used to heighten the trust in their organizations.

Open Communication

Your employees know more about what goes on at your organization than you may ever realize. You get to decide how they receive difficult or confusing messages: directly from you, or from water cooler conversations. Beyond the bigger conversations, effective communication can greatly impact productivity — the clearer you are about your expectations and goals for the organization or your individual team, the more likely your employees are to rise to the occasion.

Positive Mindsets

Positivity doesn’t always refer to simply smiling and looking cheerful, positivity is more about one’s overall perspective on life and their tendency to focus on all that is good in life.

A great definition of a positive mindset comes from Kendra Cherry at Very Well Mind:

"Positive thinking actually means approaching life’s challenges with a positive outlook. It does not necessarily mean avoiding or ignoring the bad things; instead, it involves making the most of the potentially bad situations, trying to see the best in other people, and viewing yourself and your abilities in a positive light.”

Having a positive mindset means making positive thinking a habit, continually searching for the best not only in ourselves but those around us. In addition, having a positive mindset is often associated with the key to our success. Great leaders truly understand this and are continually aware of their own "behavioral footprint" and understand how that impacts those around them. When we are in touch with our own behavioral footprint, we have a much better chance of making it a positive one. Our own positive mindset and behaviors can lift people up, make work more efficient, or solve problems. The greatest leaders are those who understand how much their actions, great or small, actually affect those around them.

A Willingness to Coach

Using your knowledge to help your employees learn and grow within their roles and the organization is one of the most surefire ways to inspire loyalty amongst your team members. If a great opportunity arises it isn’t particularly difficult to leave a leader that doesn’t invest any time or energy into their people, but it is much more difficult to leave someone who puts genuine effort into helping their employees learn and grow. Use the expertise you have earned throughout your career to help those you work with, whether it relates to time management, navigating organizational relationships, or working on complex clients or projects.

The Vulnerability Challenge

If you find yourself needing to improve on these traits, Executive coaching is the sturdy bridge that connects individual leadership effectiveness with outstanding organizational perfor mance. However, it takes vulnerability. Making the decision to be vulnerable is difficult and actually, disrupting your life to make changes is even harder. So often as a coach, I hear the excuse that opening up will show my weaknesses, or I do not have the time for this. I agree, that it is not easy; however, vulnerability is a necessary component of growth.

Always remember that t he decision to be vulnerable does not mean you are a weak leader. It takes a great deal of courage in choosing to be vulnerable. The vulnerability decision is the key to unlocking the potential to become a great leader. It will open doors to opportunities that were never thought possible for both yourself and your organization. Truly great leaders are fully aware of their strengths and gaps and as a result, are humble in their approach to leading.

Where Do You Want To Be

And finally, take note that nothing comes from nothing, it takes effort to accept the challenge to do better, be better, and have better outcomes. And for those who feel they do not have time, remember that time does not care if you are engaged in growing yourself or not. Time will pass you by regardless. The difference is that you must know where you personally want to be in 6 months or a year from now. You can be right where you are at now, or on a journey to personal development and leadership growth. The choice is yours.

If you want to find out how executive coaching can help you improve your leadership traits, Reach out to me here.

About the Author

Rich Baron is the Director of Culture Transformation and Training and a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by Feedspot in 2023 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on evaluating numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 70 countries and 600 cities across the globe.

The Buck Stops With You

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 03:11:33 GMT

Corporate Culture will Make or Break Companies

Let's face it, the past few years have permanently altered the way we look at organizational culture. The first hint of trouble began back in April of 2021, when a record-setting four million Americans turned in their notice—kicking off what would eventually become known as the “Great Resignation.” As it turns out, April was no fluke, as each month thereafter saw an additional three to four million employees up and quit. The final tally for 2021 was over 48 million in all, an astounding statistic. We saw businesses and organizations of all shapes and sizes frantically looking for a way to slam the brakes on the rising tide of departures.

With this backdrop as a precursor to 2022 and 2023, it has become clear that corporate culture has the capacity to make or break companies. The pandemic appears to have permanently altered the landscape of employers and employees. And the rapid transformation that began over the past few years now requires an intentional change at the institutional level. Business and C-suite leaders across the spectrum of industries are now at a crossroads. However, the question arises, do CEOs and senior leaders truly understand what organizational culture is?

A Revealing Study

Organizational culture is a top-down function, meaning that culture starts with the CEO. In a recent global study completed by Deloitte Human Capital Research, 7,000 CEOs in over 150 countries were asked about the importance of organizational culture. The results were quite revealing as 86% of the CEOs surveyed indicated that corporate culture was very important in driving operating success. However, only 28% thought they understood their culture well while even fewer (19%) believed that they had the right culture in place to support operating goals. Based on these results, i s it any wonder that 75% of business transformations flat-out fail, resulting in an organization’s decline, failure, or eventual extinction?

A big reason for their failure? CEOs and senior leadership teams are not as diligent as they need to be in creating and transforming their culture in support of their operating goals. In fact, the biggest reason for their failure? A lack of leadership. CEOs of companies often underestimate the importance of their own role as leaders in establishing a strong internal culture. Worse yet, they also underestimate the importance of building and sustaining the kind of culture that supports the very operating imperatives of their own business models.

Only 25% of organizations who are considered “market leaders”, transform from a position of strength to sustain their position of strength, while 75% of “market leaders” currently are not engaged in positive and pre-emptive transformation efforts—which almost guarantees their eventual failure.

So What is Culture?

Your organization’s culture represents the collective character, values, thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and behaviors of your leaders and individual contributors. Your organization’s culture is a product of such factors as its’ history and how your leaders and individual contributors ascribe meaning and value to it as well as leadership style (legacy and current) which is then reflected in the creation and implementation of your organization’s values, vision, mission, purpose, strategy, structure, and roles. This then leads us to a new question, Is employee engagement and culture the same thing?

Is Employee Engagement and Culture the Same Thing?

Employee engagement and company culture are related, but they aren’t the same thing. Unfortunately, many organizations lump engagement and company culture together and prevent themselves from deriving the full benefit of understanding and optimizing each. Companies that lack a strong, vibrant culture may still have employees who like and are engaged in their work. Bigger issues like distrust or misalignment of goals can simmer underneath an engaged workforce (though they’re unlikely to remain engaged with work for long). On the other hand, organizations with energetic, inspiring cultures can’t help but have engaged employees. In fact, culture is a strong predictor of engagement and is the foundation of operational success. That’s why defining your organization’s path to the future must involve evaluation of both corporate culture and employee engagement.

Organizational Culture is Critical for the Future

Organizational culture is critical for the future of business. That being said, below are a few things CEOs and executive leaders would do well to consider for their own workforce.

The Buck Stops With You - Culture and operating success can be traced back to one source—the CEO. The kind of company you hope to create isn’t up for debate. It’s now a necessity. The C-Level team must accept responsibility for creating the organization’s compelling future “blueprint” and “architecture”.
Only Vulnerability Brings About Change - You can’t bring about positive and transformative change until you can recognize and admit where your efforts to build corporate culture have fallen short internally.
You Need a Vision. Now! - It’s up to you to create a compelling vision for your employees to buy into. And your vision requires both a blueprint and sound architecture to execute. A gourmet coffee bar, leather couches in the breakroom, Ted Talk style lunches, and allowing employees to leave two hours earlier on Fridays are not a vision. They're perks.
Results Won’t Come Overnight - To affect real change, your cultural blueprint must define a path to transform mindsets. Then you can begin transforming behaviors. Only then will you begin to see and take notice of the intended results.
Identify and Lock In Your Talent - To succeed in building an enviable culture, you’ll need to identify new talent from within. A strong corporate culture requires advocacy and buy-in from a new generation of up-and-coming leaders.
You Can’t Set It and Forget It - The corporate world's view on culture standards is what got us to this point. Getting out of this mess requires a transformative effort that continuously measures progress against benchmark goals. And course-correction will play a new and lasting role in shaping company culture from here on out.
Accurately Assess Your Culture - As In medicine, In the world of corporate reinvention and renewal, prescription before diagnosis Is malpractice. Before you can make a cultural course correction, you’ve got to clearly see where you are in relation to where you want to go. Only through a candid assessment of leaders’ willingness, desire, and capacity to initiate and sustain meaningful change can you begin to identify the pathway to a shared vision and catalyze the resolve to effectively lead cultural transformation.

Changing Mindsets is the Key

Results transform when culture transforms. Culture transforms when behavior transforms. Behavior transforms when mindsets transform.

Your organization’s future operating success is tied to the “health and vibrancy” and overall “maturity” of your culture. Regardless of your unique transformation challenge (e.g., the need to be more innovative, collaborative, global, more responsive, more efficient, execute better, become more customer-focused, or even integrate or merge with another organization, etc.), your culture and how strong and vibrant it is, will determine if you succeed or fail. However, all of this requires a changed mindset focused on your culture. Plain and simple, new mindsets equal new results.

Take some time and reach out to me to discuss how I can help you transform your culture.

https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/contact

Download the brochure here:

https://irp.cdn-website.com/90ac94b2/files/uploaded/Mainline%20Culture%20Brochure_3.pdf

About the Author

Rich Baron is a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global, with over 25 years of experience in cultural transformation, operational and executive leadership positions, and coaching emerging leaders to CEOs.

Balancing Power and Authority: An Essential Leadership Skill

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 04:35:52 GMT

“You don’t lead by hitting people over the head – that’s assault, not leadership.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Power and authority are often used interchangeably, but there are significant differences between the two. Power refers to the ability to influence others and make them do something they may not necessarily want to do. It can be derived from a position of authority, expertise, or personal qualities such as charisma or persuasive skills. Power can be a coercive force, where leaders use fear or punishment to gain compliance, or it can be an empowering force, where leaders inspire and motivate others toward a common goal.

Authority, on the other hand, refers to the legitimate right to exercise power in a formal or official capacity. It is typically bestowed upon leaders through their positions within an organization or society. Authority comes from the recognition and acceptance of one's role and responsibilities, and it carries with it a sense of legitimacy and respect. Unlike power, authority is often derived from a set of rules, laws, or traditional practices that define the scope of a leader's jurisdiction.

Intelligent leaders understand the delicate balance between power and authority and how they both contribute to effective leadership. They recognize that relying solely on power without the rightful authority can lead to resentment and resistance from followers. On the other hand, leaders who have authority but don't effectively use their power may struggle to influence and guide others toward achieving organizational goals. They understand that power can be a valuable tool when used responsibly and ethically, but it should be tempered with the understanding that it is not the only source of influence.

Intelligent leaders also appreciate the dynamic relationship between power and authority. They understand that authority alone is not sufficient to drive change and lead effectively. They recognize that power can help them overcome obstacles, navigate conflicts, and achieve results. However, they also understand the risks associated with abusing power and the potential negative consequences it can have on their relationships with followers and the overall organizational climate.

Moreover, intelligent leaders recognize that power and authority are not fixed or static. They understand that power can be earned or lost based on their actions and behavior. Likewise, authority can be eroded if it is not exercised responsibly or if it is perceived as illegitimate. Intelligent leaders continuously strive to build and maintain their power and authority by demonstrating competence, integrity, and fairness in their decision-making and actions.

Though seemingly antithetic, power and authority are symbiotic.

Power-based Leadership

Power is the ability to coerce others to do the leader’s will, often against their own will, or better judgment. Leaders who resort to this type of approach can exercise power on account of their perceived or real might.

“ It is better to be feared than loved,” said Niccolo Machiavelli. Although, he also added: “If you cannot be both.”

The problem with leadership based on the wielding of power and fear is that it alienates followers. The leader soon finds him/herself without anyone to lead.

That said, power does have its place in intelligent leadership. Sometimes, using power is the right thing to do. One would presumably not hesitate to use power to pull a child from the path of oncoming traffic. Likewise, an intelligent leader will not hesitate to fire an employee whose behavior justifies such a harsh measure.

Formal and Informal Authority

To some degree, power and authority are symbiotic in the context of intelligent leadership. One draws from the other and vice-versa. While power is straightforward, authority is quite a bit more intricate and subtle.

True authority influences people. It makes them want to do as their leader wishes.

Formal authority is the type of authority that leaders automatically receive as a direct consequence of their title/position. As such, one does not have to earn formal authority.

Formal authority lends itself well to a leadership style that relies on power. It also has its limitations, often undermined by the informal relationships that exist within every organization.

Informal authority is the authority a leader earns through building relationships, credibility, trust, and rapport. A leader with strong informal authority is a good listener and has a high level of emotional intelligence.

Such a leader can influence reports as well as senior executives if needed. This type of leader has mastered the power/authority dynamic.

The Attributes of Authority

The intelligent exercising of authority and power requires a few essential leadership skills.

True authority inspires through courage instead of compelling through fear.

Decisiveness is the ability to “make things happen”. Leaders often face tough decisions that bear no dithering.
Persuasiveness is one of the leadership skills that allow leaders to cooperate and collaborate with others. Abusers of power usually lack this skill.
Reliability . An influential leader needs to do as he/she says he/she will. A lack of reliability often translates as a lack of sincerity or worse: cluelessness.
Courage is an attribute one would assume is impossible to develop. Leadership training has long cracked the code of courage, however. Its key resides in strong convictions, honesty, and alignment with organizational goals and culture.
Inspiration. True authority is inspirational. A leader possessing this type of authority will make employees feel like they are part of something greater. Such employees see themselves as builders of cathedrals, even if they shovel gravel at the construction site.

Wrapping Up

Intelligent leaders comprehend the distinctions between power and authority and the interplay between the two. They recognize that power and authority are essential channels for exercising leadership but understand that they must be used judiciously and in a way that aligns with ethical principles. By navigating the complexities of power and authority, intelligent leaders can create a positive and influential leadership style that fosters trust, collaboration, and success. Leadership training is about teaching leaders how to balance power and authority. Mastering this balancing act is an essential leadership skill indeed.

About the Author

Rich Baron holds the esteemed title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich co-hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by FeedSpot in 2023, and again in 2024 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 60 countries and 550 cities across the globe.

Reach out to me here to schedule a time to talk further about your future as a leader.

Source

https://executiveleadersactilec.com/balancing-power-and-authority-an-essential-leadership-skill/

A Mindset of Duty

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 03:49:01 GMT

True leaders are driven by a sense of service to a greater community – a sense of duty to something more significant than themselves.

Island Park, Idaho, is genuinely one of my favorite places to be. I have spent countless days with my family camping, sightseeing, fishing, hiking, driving into Yellowstone, or floating down one of the many rivers in the area. During all my visits to Island Park, I have never missed an opportunity to visit one of nature's true wonders, the Upper Mesa Falls.

Upper Mesa Falls is truly a breathtaking natural wonder. The Upper Falls is a thunderous curtain of water as tall as a 10-story building that pours over remnants of an ancient volcanic super-eruption that spewed ash over much of the current US. The falls were inaccessible to most until early in the 1990s when a walkway was built complete with viewing areas extending over the falls. The area holds a particularly close place in my heart for a couple of reasons. The first was that the mayor of Island Park, who was a close friend of mine, married my wife and me on the platform immediately over the precipice of the falls. The second, and equally dear to my heart was that the entire walkway and platforms were the brainchild of my father, who designed the area for the US Forest Service, where he was an employee for over 30 years.

My father was an Architect and Engineer and loved his work in the outdoors. His work at Upper Mesa Falls won him 11 national design awards. Primarily due to the accessibility afforded to handicapped visitors who wanted to view this amazing site. This was his life's work, to make the outdoors accessible to those who otherwise would not have access to such natural wonders. He designed several places like this throughout the country that are visited by tens of thousands of people yearly. In fact, each time we were at the falls, we could find him talking to people and explaining how the walkways and platforms were built. He truly loved to see everyone enjoying what was once only accessible by the few willing to hike down the steep hillside. Because of my father, I have been blessed with a true love of the outdoors and have done what I could to pass that love along to my children.

A Mindset of Duty

So why do I tell you this account of my father in relation to having a mindset of duty? My father retired from a high-level position in the forest service. However, unless you knew him, or worked with him personally, his title was never mentioned, or leveraged. People knew my father as a gifted architect and engineer who had a deep desire to provide access to everyone so they could enjoy the outdoors as much as he did. Throughout my life, he constantly would tell me that a job is only to put a roof over your head and food on your table. It was what you did at your job that provided service for others that was truly important. He exemplified this same example in his personal life as many who knew him as someone who provided service to others in many capacities.

Law 35 of the 50 Laws of Intelligent Leadership states that “True leaders are driven by a sense of service to a greater community – a sense of duty to something more significant than themselves."

I viewed my father as a great leader, but he was not the only great leader I can thank in my life. I have been very fortunate in being mentored and coached by many people who I view as truly great leaders. Each of them showed me that being a great leader means being a servant leader. These leaders are dedicated to much more than their title or personal position.

Committing to a Larger Whole

The best leaders are deeply committed to a larger whole. This could be their family, their organization, their country, their community, the list could go on. This mindset of duty is very different from believing that you are owed something and that you are entitled to certain privileges or advantages simply because of your education, position, title, your alma mater, or your actions. Those beliefs will inevitably lead you to act in ways that will (perhaps unintentionally) undermine the success of your team members, and any project that you are a part of. True leaders are not entitled but instead are driven by a sense of something more significant than themselves.

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

I recently had to say goodbye to a very dear friend whom I had known for several years. He escaped the war in Bosnia with his family and rebuilt his life here in the United States. I came to know him as a truly great servant leader and because of the hardships he endured, he understood the value of making others’ lives easier. At his funeral, there were so many from various ethnicities, backgrounds, and religions that came to honor his legacy as a truly kind human being. I was always awed by his capacity to serve others unselfishly. He was one of those people who left an indelible impression on the people who surrounded him. Both in the workplace and in life.

Wrapping Up

In the end, it is our legacy of servant leadership that we pass on to those we have mentored and influenced as leaders. It is not the mindset of entitlement that people will remember us for. If you can embrace this duty mindset, then you will embody the kind of broader perspective that leaders need to guide the evolution of not only themselves but any organization they are part of.

Personally, I now have the honor of working with leaders who are at various stages in their lives. From young emerging leaders to seasoned CEOs. All of them are working hard to transform themselves to become better leaders not only personally, but for their organizations as well. Personally, I have some great mentors in the coaching business that I learn from daily. It is truly a rewarding line of work.

Reach out to me for a time to talk about leaving a legacy of duty in your life and organization. Schedule some time with me to talk here .

About the Author

About the Author

5 Characteristics of the Emotionally Intelligent Leader

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:37:25 GMT

Emotional intelligence gives you far better insights into everything in life.

"There is no separation of mind and emotions; emotions, thinking, and learning are all linked.” – Eric Jensen.

Emotional intelligence can be defined as the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. It involves being aware of and empathetic towards the emotions of others and using this understanding to navigate social interactions and build positive relationships.

While emotional intelligence is often seen as a soft skill, it is essential for effective leadership. Leaders who possess emotional intelligence can create a positive and supportive work environment, build trust and rapport with their team members, and effectively manage conflicts and difficult situations. They are also skilled at motivating and inspiring their team, as they understand the impact of emotions on performance.

Emotionally intelligent leaders can adjust their behavior and communication style based on the emotional responses they want to elicit from others. They can read the emotions of their team members, clients, and stakeholders, and tailor their approach accordingly. This enables them to connect on a deeper level and build stronger relationships.

The ability to manipulate the emotional filter is not about being manipulative or dishonest. It is about understanding how different emotions elicit different responses and using this knowledge to drive positive outcomes. Emotionally intelligent leaders can navigate difficult conversations, provide constructive feedback, and influence others in a way that encourages growth and collaboration.

Quantifying and measuring emotional intelligence can be challenging, as it is inherently subjective and context-dependent. However, there are various assessments and tools available that can help individuals and organizations gain insights into their emotional intelligence. These assessments typically measure different aspects of emotional intelligence, such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills.

What are some of the hallmarks of emotionally intelligent leaders?

Self-Awareness

Self-aware leaders know themselves, know how they react to certain emotional stimuli, and they can control their reactions. With its roots in self-knowledge, self-awareness allows leaders to account for the weight their emotions and thoughts carry in their decision-making.

Self-aware people are also better at gauging the reactions of other people to certain stimuli. Thus, they can control the reactions of others to some degree adopting a proactive approach to dealing with various situations.

Self-Management

In the same way, self-awareness traces its roots to self-knowledge, self-regulation stems from self-awareness. A leader who is capable of weighing the impact of his/her actions is much more likely to attempt to manage this impact, at the very least.

A leader capable of self-management can control and redirect various moods and emotions. In addition to self-control, self-management also covers:

The ability to adhere to standards of integrity and honesty
Taking responsibility for one’s deeds and performance
Adapting to change effectively
Growing comfortable with learning new things and being open to new ideas

Motivation

One of the reasons why emotional intelligence is a focal point of leadership development is that it is the main source of motivation. Motivation is the drive/emotional state that helps people to attain certain goals. It too is a multi-component variable, consisting of:

Achievement drive
The alignment of one’s goals and values with those of the organization
Eagerness to exploit opportunities
Resilience and persistence
Motivation prompts leaders to take a proactive approach to various challenges.

Empathy

Empathy is the ability to place oneself in the shoes of others and is the key to superior situational awareness. An essential component of emotional intelligence, empathy allows leaders to understand the concerns and developmental needs of employees/peers. By tapping into the emotional states of others, empathetic leaders can adapt their emotional reactions and decision-making to their environment.

Communication and Social Skills

Leadership development focuses on communication and social skills for a good reason. It is the “secret ingredient” of emotional intelligence, the piece that meshes everything together into a whole that works.

Some of the key components of social skills are:

Ability to induce favorable outcomes through persuasion
Listening and communicating clearly
Inspiring teams through example and guidance
Cooperating effectively with others
Building group synergy and working toward shared goals

Wrapping Up

Leadership coaching can develop all of the mentioned skills/emotional intelligence components. In the context of effective leadership coaching, emotional intelligence is far more than a “soft skill.” It is one of the cornerstones of intelligent leadership and the environment that nurtures excellence.

In conclusion, emotional intelligence is a critical leadership competency that goes beyond being a soft skill. It allows leaders to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others, leading to more effective communication, better relationships, and improved results. While it may be difficult to quantify and define, leaders need to develop and cultivate their emotional intelligence to succeed in today's complex and dynamic business environment.

Let me know if you would like to talk further about Emotional Intelligence:

https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/contact

About the Author

Rich Baron holds the esteemed title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich co-hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by FeedSpot in 2023, and again in 2024 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 60 countries and 550 cities across the globe.

Silo Kings and Silo Queens

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 02:38:28 GMT

What is an Organizational Silo

What is an organizational silo and how common are they? The fact is that silos are more common than you think. Organizational silos happen in business whenever the company is separated by department, specialization, or location and fails to align the vision, mission, and purpose of the organization as a collaborative effort leaving the various departments to direct themselves. Let's talk about five types of silos found in business today.

The Executive Silo - Unfortunately for many organizations, the closer to the top you get, the farther away you are from solving problems and the people in the organization. This in turn starts to create that executive hubris that creates blinders and barriers. More formality, entitlement, reports, meetings, and less feel for the workforce will give birth to executive silos.

The Departmental Silo - in working with organizations, I have come to see departmental silos created in two separate ways. The first is when there has been very little direction and communication over the years as to the vision, mission, and purpose of the organization. The departments then begin to work towards what they interpret are the company goals with no collaboration or communication with other groups. In this case, they develop their own processes, reports, tribal knowledge, and satellite culture. The second way a departmental silo is developed comes from those people on the executive team that are determined to run their own kingdoms the way they see fit. Hence, we see the birth of the silo king and silo queen. They believe that departmental loyalty to themselves is key to their success. Therefore, very little to no effort in collaboration with other groups is encouraged.

The Location Silos - This type of silo comes from organizations with multiple locations. In many instances, these locations are working on the same types of products using the same type of processes with little communication on best practices or collaboration with other locations.

The Intellectual Silos - These types of silos exist where there are various departments in organizations that specialize in a specific area such as quality, engineering, sales, R&D, etc. Generally speaking, these are the employees who are well-educated, have a specific direction, and do not feel the need to collaborate or share information with other groups.

I Hold the Keys Silo - There is also a silo that exists within each of these groups that can be detrimental to any organization. This occurs when some of the key employees in these groups have specific information on processes, products, customers, regulations, etc., and purposefully do not document or share the information and instead, keep this information secret, or to themselves. It is a shallow attempt at self-preservation with the mindset that if I have certain information the company will not get rid of me. Therefore, my career is safe as long as I hold the keys.

So how do silos form and how can an organization break the barriers? The following are some tips on what to look for and how to deal with the silo mentality.

How Silos Form

No cross-functional team projects
Lack of meetings or activities that promote interaction between departments
No top-down-driven organizational culture (As the CEO goes, so does the organizational culture)
Competing for resources in the organization
Poor knowledge management practices or lack of an internal knowledge base
No direction promoting collaboration
Organizational communication barriers
Incentivizing individual departments
No focus on the vision, mission, or purpose of the organization

How to Break Down the Silos

Create cross-functional teams that promote collaboration and accountability
Utilize knowledge base software for a centralized location for information
Promote activities that include all the employees
Communicate and post the vision, mission, and purpose of the company and align the organizational goals with these statements
Assign projects to multiple departments which require people to collaborate and work together
Ensure communication flows throughout the entire organization
Provide opportunities for employees throughout the organization
Encourage employee engagement at all levels
Assess your culture with ILEC’s proprietary Organizational Cultural Assessments

It is the role and responsibility of leaders to recognize when silos have formed and break them down. By introducing some of the above measures you can move towards a better culture, one with less politics, less frustrations, greater teamwork and collaboration.

About the Author

Rich Baron is a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global, with over 25 years of experience in operational and executive leadership positions.

The Dreaded Title Monger

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 01:08:24 GMT

Leadership Is Not About a Title or a Designation

Climbing the corporate ladder is an exciting adventure, to say the least. However, for many, it is simply the pursuit of the title. Quite frankly, it has become very trendy to call yourself a leader, and most who are in this position have no idea what it truly means to be a leader. It has become a personal prize that tells everyone that you have finally made it. The corner office, the money, the prestige, and all the perks that come with it. But once you've been given that title, your function is no longer widgets or data points on your sales record—it's people. You are no longer an individual contributor but are part of the bigger picture where you have added responsibility and accountability. For many, this is a hard transition to make, and assuming that your title alone makes you a leader is a big mistake.

A Title Does Not Guarantee Leadership

O ne of my favorite quotes is from Margaret Thatcher: “Being a leader is like being a lady. If you have to remind people you are, you aren’t.”

There is often the misconception that by being given a title we have automatically become leaders capable of guiding others to success. So often organizations make the same mistake by tapping people for management roles not because of their leadership potential, but because they've excelled as individual contributors. Statistics show that only 5% of all global organizations are providing the necessary skill development to their employees to become leaders. That means that 95% of the organizations out there are not providing adequate leadership development at all levels.

So if you want to be a leader, begin by asking yourself these questions, “Why do you want to lead? What difference do you want to make?” "Are you prepared to shoulder the responsibility?" Many of you reading this will not necessarily have any compelling reasons other than the pursuit of the title. The true desire to lead should be born out of a desire to contribute rather than simply achieve. Leadership done right benefits both the leader and the greater good: followers, the organization, and/or the community. Know why you want to lead because, without compelling reasons, you probably won’t be able to pay the cost of developing your leadership abilities and maintain your commitment in the face of challenges.

One of the most important lessons you must learn as a leader is that the decisions you make in the context of leading others impact much more than you realize. Those decisions affect the people you work directly with, customers you might be serving, and other stakeholders in your organization, and inevitably can impact entire careers, yours included. This is something that you must take into account when accepting a position that requires leading others.

A Title Does Not Change Who You Are

Author Robin S. Sharma once said, “Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It's about impact, influence, and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire your team-mates and customers”.

As an executive coach, one of the things that I stress is that leadership development can change who you are as a person. If done properly, and the work is done, you will have a much greater sense of your personal strengths and weaknesses, learn when you are derailing, and when to act accordingly based on your abilities. However, on the flip side, a title doesn't change who you are in the slightest. It doesn't make you more aware of your abilities, a faster decision maker, or more capable of understanding those who you lead, the list can go on. In fact, most people will have no idea what your job title is unless you tell them. However, people will recognize you for your leadership abilities and remember how you impacted their lives. After all, leadership is about people, not the corner office.

The bottom line is that coaching, personal development, showing up, and putting in the work to develop leadership skills can set you on the path to becoming a leader. Titles should confirm leadership but they can never bestow it.

Want to know more, reach out to me and let's talk about your future as a leader.

About the Author

Rich Baron is a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global, with over 25 years of experience in operational and executive leadership positions.

Dear Senior Leadership: Quit Enabling Toxic Bosses!

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 02:30:45 GMT

Toxic Bosses Suck

Toxic bosses suck! There, I said it. What is even worse is working for a toxic boss. And whoever said that they just could not wait to get into work to hang out with one…NOBODY EVER! So, who are these toxic bosses and why do we have to put up with their childish behavior? In this blog we will take a look at what exactly is a toxic boss, and why organizations continue to put up with these rotten managers.

What is a Toxic Boss

A toxic boss is a manager who demoralizes and damages the people underneath them. Their repeated, disruptive behavior drives employees to become disengaged, diminishes their sense of belonging, and takes away their autonomy and sense of purpose—all of which are vital for thriving at work.

Gallup’s 2022 State of the Global Workplace report found that only 33% of employees in the U.S. and Canada feel engaged in their work, a feeling that good bosses foster. Many employees reported experiencing negative emotions during the workday, including worry (41%), stress (50%), sadness (22%), and anger (18%)—a recipe for burnout.

The report also identified five sources that lead to burnout: unfair treatment at work, an unmanageable workload, unclear communication from managers, lack of manager support, and unreasonable time pressure. And “those five causes have one thing in common: your boss,” the report summarizes. “Get a bad one and you are almost guaranteed to hate your job.”

One of many descriptions of the effect that toxic bosses have on subordinates is by Roy Lubit in his article The Tyranny of Toxic Managers: An Emotional Intelligence Approach to Dealing with Difficult Personalities.

This was published in Ivey Business Journal in 2004. Nothing has changed since it was published!

In his article, Lubit asserts that toxic managers ‘can complicate your work, drain your energy, compromise your sanity, derail your projects and destroy your career.’ And he adds: ‘Toxic managers divert people’s energy from the real work of the organization, destroy morale, impair retention, and interfere with cooperation and information sharing.’

Why Do Organizations Tolerate Toxic Bosses

There are several reasons why it seems that organizations tolerate toxic bosses. Here are some of the few excuses for keeping toxic bosses in place.

Friends in High Places - Some managers are protected by their hierarchy. They have ‘friends in high places’, so can do nothing wrong. This is especially useful for toxic managers, as it means they can keep their positions and continue with their normal toxic behavior, without risk or blame. Those protected by their bosses are rarely fired. Many of these bosses are deaf to negative information about the managers they protect, even from peers or Human Resources. There needs to be extreme toxicity, and the start of a consensus in management around the protecting boss before they listen to the criticism. But even then, it may take a long time before they act.

Senior Leaders Claim to Not Know - Sometimes management claims they don’t know they have toxic managers in their organization, or even in their team. Toxic bosses know that they are toxic; therefore, have developed an ability to hide their toxicity from the hierarchy above them. This can be especially problematic because colleagues at your boss’ level or above might not see how they’re treating their subordinates or get an unbiased view of what’s happening day-to-day. And for the subordinates, having a boss who’s chummy with higher-ups can feel isolating and make it more intimidating to raise concerns about their toxic behavior.

Managing Upwards - Another way toxic managers can stay in the organization is to become experts at managing their bosses: managing upwards. They give their boss what they want when they want it, and in the manner they want it. These managers can use this expertise and the resulting special relationship with their boss to hide their toxicity.

Toxic Company Culture – When organizational culture is toxic, there is only one place to look: The CEO. Company culture is a top-down function, and the culture of the organization follows the CEO. This means that the CEO is a toxic boss themselves, they blame everyone and everything for the downfall of the organization, or even worse, they are simply not paying attention. In many cases, this type of organizational behavior becomes a breeding ground for toxic bosses at all levels.

They are Not Toxic Enough - And finally, there is the excuse that they are not toxic enough to take action. Their performance results are average or a little below, so there is no reason to intervene. They are not good enough to promote or bad enough to fire, so management leaves them in place. Perhaps despite what their subordinates are reporting.

What Do These Excuses Say About the Senior Leadership Team

The bottom line is that if senior management doesn’t know they have toxic bosses in their organization, shame on them! Senior leadership should know, it is their job to know, and furthermore, it is their job to rid the organization of toxic bosses. Every organization should have a process in place to detect managers who are a virus to the organization and the employees.

Based on the previously mentioned report done in 2004, nothing has changed, and whatever anyone recommends, nothing will for the reasons given. That is unless the organization takes a serious look at itself and quits enabling these toxic bosses. Until this happens, senior leadership and HR in these organizations remain nothing more than a bunch of flying monkeys circling the castle in support of these narcissistic, toxic bosses.

Want to know more, reach out to me and let's talk about solutions for changing the course of your organization.

About the Author

Rich Baron is a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global, with over 25 years of experience in operational and executive leadership positions.

How to Weather the Winds of Change Through Executive Coaching

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 18:25:05 GMT

Are you prepared to weather the storm

Winds of change are blowing all through today’s business world, including through the executive suite. In other words, there’s no choice but to face change—not that there ever really was. The difference is that today’s business changes are likelier to be felt at the executive level, which means that leaders must be prepared to be strong right out of the starting gate and main tain strength and agility. It’s not easy. Moreover, teams have to work better, and they have to do so under greater pressure. Emerging leaders must be identified and worked with earlier on to prepare them for the challenges that come with leadership positions today. At the same time, leaders themselves want not only job satisfaction but also work‐life balance. Keeping all the plates spinning is demanding, and effective executive coaching is the key to making it all work.

The Case for Executive Coaching

According to a study released by the Stanford University/Miles Group, 95% of CEO’s are receptive to coaching but less than 33% actually receive it. More often than not, this is due to the stigma that is still attached to coaching by old-school boards and CEO’s. Within this old-school thought of leadership it is sometimes wrongly considered as “remedial” in nature rather than “performance enhancing.”

However, this view is changing for the positive. The new school of thought is that coaching in business is increasingly expected for CEOs, top executives, and other critical leadership positions. In fact, executive coaching is now a multi‐billion‐dollar industry, and growing.

Executive coaching is the sturdy bridge that connects individual leadership effectiveness with outstanding organizational performance. It can help organizations attract and retain exceptional leaders and help executive teams improve their performance. ��

Coaching isn’t about teaching someone how to do their job— it’s assumed the client already knows that. It’s about making a leader’s inherent strengths stronger, and about recognizing where there’s opportunity for improvement and setting about making those improvements. It’s about helping them to “dis cover the self (they) do not know.”

Executive coaching often provides critical support to senior leaders who are responsible for making the right decisions and achieving the proper outcomes. When the road of organizational change is bumpy, executive coaching provides the shock absorbers that make a safer, more enjoyable ride with fewer breakdowns. Coaching has come to be seen for what it is: A decisive, powerful advantage in the leadership development process, especially when performance goals are on the line.

So ask yourself the simple question, "Are you ready to weather the winds of change?"

Watch the Video Here:

https://youtu.be/U6b8MukUsJ4

About the Author

Rich Baron is a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach with over 25 years of experience in operational and executive leadership positions.

The 4Ps to Success

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 00:20:52 GMT

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail

Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, once said that by “failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”. It has become a common adage, but it is a statement that could not be truer: the importance of taking the time to build skills and abilities truly cannot be overstated.

I am a musician. Since I was a young boy, my mother instilled in me a love of music. Starting with Piano lessons at eight years old, Guitar lessons at age nine, and vocal lessons at age 10. I was also very active in sports such as Baseball and Skiing from an early age; however, music has always been my true love.

One of the primary lessons I learned early on was that the more you practice, with absolute focus and patience, the better you are prepared when the time comes to perform. Practice, Patience, Preparation, and Performance are my Four P's of Success

Some of the things I have achieved throughout my life by using this formula:

• Competed in both amateur and professional freestyle ski events

• Worked as a studio musician in Nashville, Tennessee.

• Toured the United States and Canada and played music in front of crowds of 10,000 or more.

• Have played music live with several well-known artists.

• Have owned a successful recording studio for over 20 years.

Later, I found a love for business and leadership. Using my formula, I have had a very successful career in operational and executive roles, which has led me to become a Master Certified Executive Coach.

So why do I give you this list of things that I have achieved? It is my strong belief that there is nothing that cannot be achieved if you prepare for it adequately. Whether it is an exam, a musical performance, a sports competition, or leadership, success can be achieved using sound principles of practice, patience, preparation, and performance. Utilizing this formula allows you to relax, thrive, and be confident, allowing you to be your best, with the knowledge that you are going to succeed.

Leadership and the Four P's

How does this all apply to leadership? So often in today's world, we seek instant job gratification, a fast track to the job or title we want, status, wealth, and the list goes on. But what happens when we fail to take the time and patience to hone our skills, plan ahead, and then perform?

Let's take a look at Mt. Everest as an example. There are over 300 people that have died trying to climb the world's highest peak with over 200 bodies still on the mountain. Each one of these 300 climbers was once a highly motivated individual with a goal of standing at the top. However, climbers have a simple rule. Climbing to the summit is only half the journey, and congratulations on a successful ascent can only be given when you return to base camp. The tragic truth is that most deaths occur on the way down, after reaching the summit. Why is this the case?

The reason is very simple. On the way to the summit, the climber has a big goal to reach the top of the world. They spend a lot of money and time, spending up to 1.5-2 months on the mountain, climbing between camps, and acclimatizing. However, the window for the climbing season is short and time is critical. And so, when the push to the summit remains only a couple of hours away, many go beyond their capabilities and spend the last of their strength and skillset to achieve the goal of standing on the top for just a few moments.

However, here is where the real problems start.

The climbers then find themselves in the death zone lacking the ability to focus their concentration on a safe descent. The consequence of impaired balance and cognitive function due to a lack of oxygen, or perhaps a loss of coordination from frostbite makes it much harder to distinguish between the various forms of altitude illness, cold-related injuries, and straightforward exhaustion, all of which leave them stranded to die of exposure. All of this puts their teams at risk as well and due to the extreme nature of the climbing at those altitudes, they are forced to leave their teammates behind to ensure their survival.

Wrapping Up

I often see the same thing in those people who try to push their goals in leadership too far, too fast. Getting that title, the corner office, the recognition, presumed power (notice how I mention presumed), and everything they think comes with it. All of this can then result in the individuals not being able to see the true nature of the position they may be facing. This is when we see burnout, stress, poor performance, high turnover in their team members, and ultimately, a lackluster career. All of this could have been avoided by taking the time to practice their leadership skills, having patience in developing their abilities, planning for the future while utilizing their leadership styles and maps, and then being able to perform long-term.

About the Author

Rich Baron holds the esteemed title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich co-hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by FeedSpot in 2023, and again in 2024 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 60 countries and 550 cities across the globe.

The Importance of Getting to Know Your Employees

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 04:36:41 GMT

Getting to know your employees can be a recipe for success

Knowing your employees or team members is one of the most important aspects of being a leader. To be a leader, you need people to follow you. Knowing your team members and showing a real appreciation for them and their personalities, wants, needs, and work styles will build a sense of trust and community within your organization. Although your leaders are likely paying close attention to the results you produce, your employees are paying attention to something else entirely — the way you treat them, and the way you make them feel as individuals. Getting to know your employees plays a crucial role in motivating them to deliver their very best.

Leaders don’t always realize it, but the way they interact with their employees can often make or break their team’s work experience. One study showed that 57% of employees quit their jobs because of their bosses, with an additional 32% seriously considering a job change to get away from an unruly manager. Data also shows that employees are more productive when they have positive, fair relationships with their bosses — so even if that 32% can’t be bothered to put in the effort to find another job, you can bet they aren’t giving it their all during the workweek — and likely, that reality stems from an uninspiring leader who lacks the leadership traits to bring their employees along for the journey.

Certain leadership traits can inspire loyalty amongst your team members simply because it makes them feel as though they are trusted and valued members of the team. Here are a few suggestions that can help you and your team get to know one another better.

Empathy

Think back to when you were beginning your career, or perhaps a few years into a job you were excited about. How did you feel when you went to work? Did you feel as though your organization truly valued who you are? How much of that stemmed from having a good leader that took the time to get to know you? Or perhaps a not-so-good leader that only knew you for your name, and numbers you represented on a spreadsheet.

Time

With only so many hours in the day, how much time should you spend getting to know your team members? Consider the 80/20 rule. Spending 20% of your time getting to know your employees can build relationships that pay off in the long run and have a ripple effect for you, your employees, and your team as a whole. When time is precious, you’ll start to see every encounter as an opportunity. Getting to know your employees helps you manage them in a much more effective way. You can learn their strengths and their passions, and when those two factors combine, your team will feel a real purpose and become much more efficient.

In my personal opinion, leaders who “Don’t have time” to get to know their employees are really just using that as an excuse. If leaders are ignoring something as important as getting to know their employees, for this reason, they are simply prioritizing something else instead.

Open Communication

Open communication allows you to decide how employees receive difficult or confusing messages: directly from you, or from water cooler conversations. Getting to know your employees also allows for more open, honest communication between everyone involved. And beyond the bigger conversations, effective communication can have a large impact on productivity — the clearer you are about your expectations and goals for the organization or your individual team, the more likely your employees are to rise to the occasion. Once you have built this foundation with your team members, you’ll be able to continue open and honest communication and create a work environment where everyone feels supported and that they have something important to offer.

Trust

The most important thing to take away from getting to know your employees comes down to one word – trust. Taking the time to know what is important to your team member shows them that you value them as more than just a worker but also as an individual. By getting to know your employees on a personal level, they will feel like they are valued not just for what they do, but who they are.

Honesty

There is little that can do more damage to your reputation as a leader than dishonesty. Getting to know your employees and earning their trust is a hard-fought battle as it is — destroying that trust with a lie or by taking credit where it isn’t deserved can set you on a path with little hope for return.

Employees often ask difficult questions, and while it may be easy to brush them off or tell a white lie in the moment to save face, being honest will gain you far more respect, and you may be surprised to find that your employees have come armed with solutions for the problems they’ve brought to your attention.

Getting to know your employees, and allowing them to get to know you allows you to go beyond answering tough questions with candor—it allows you to admit when you’ve made a mistake as well. Though it’s never easy to do, admitting to a mistake and demonstrating honesty and accountability will build your reputation as an honest leader and help your employees realize they can be honest with you when they’ve made mistakes of their own.

Coaching and Development

Using your knowledge to help your employees learn and grow within their roles in the organization is one of the most surefire ways to inspire loyalty amongst your team members. Failing to get to know and develop your employees will make it particularly easy for them to leave if an opportunity arises. It is particularly easy to leave a leader that doesn’t invest any time or energy into their people, but it is much more difficult to leave someone who puts genuine effort into getting to know their employees and is truly dedicated to their personal growth. Use the expertise you have earned throughout your career to help those you work with, whether it relates to time management, navigating inter-organizational relationships, or working on complex clients or projects.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that employees feel engaged and valued when their leaders connect with them on a personal level. They feel like coming to work daily, facing challenges, being more productive, and striving hard to take their organization to the top. However, if there seems to be a block between you and other leaders and the team members, you may want to ask yourself how well you know your employees. When it comes down to it, a successful, effective team and organizational culture is much more than simply names and job titles.

About the Author

Rich Baron is a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach with over 25 years of experience in operational and executive leadership positions.

How Toxic Cultures Can Destroy the Individuality of Their Employees

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 18:29:23 GMT

Neglecting your culture can allow toxic elements to fester

A strong company culture can set clear expectations and values for employees, creating a sense of purpose, and meaning in their work. When employees feel aligned with the company's mission and values, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their tasks. This leads to increased productivity and performance, as employees are willing to go above and beyond to achieve the company's goals.

Both Sides of Culture

A positive company culture can significantly impact employee happiness and satisfaction. When employees feel supported, respected, and appreciated within the workplace, they are more likely to enjoy coming to work every day. This can result in higher levels of job satisfaction and a greater sense of fulfillment in their roles.

Additionally, a healthy company culture can contribute to lower levels of absenteeism. Employees who feel valued and supported are less likely to take unnecessary PTO or find excuses to avoid work. They are more likely to prioritize their work commitments and show up consistently, knowing that their contributions are recognized and valued.

On the contrary, neglecting company culture can have detrimental effects on employees. A toxic culture, where negative behaviors are tolerated and rewarded, can lead to high levels of stress, unhappiness, and burnout among employees. This can not only impact their overall well-being but also harm their mental and physical health.

Furthermore, a toxic culture can undermine performance and engagement. When employees feel demoralized or unsupported, their motivation and commitment wane. They may become disengaged, lacking the drive and enthusiasm to excel in their roles. This can result in decreased productivity, missed deadlines, and ultimately, poor performance.

A toxic culture can drive away talented employees. When a company fosters a negative environment, skilled and high-performing individuals may seek opportunities elsewhere. This can lead to higher employee turnover, which not only disrupts workflow but also incurs significant costs for recruitment and training. This can have a ripple effect on the overall reputation of the company. Employees who are unhappy and dissatisfied may speak negatively about their experiences, both internally and externally. This can damage the organization's reputation, making it harder to attract and retain top talent and potentially leading to a loss of business opportunities.

A Startling Statistic

According to research from Deloitte, only 12 percent of employees think their employers are “excellent” when it comes to driving the right company culture. Because culture is a top-down function and must begin with the CEO, this is indicative of poor, or struggling leadership. Based on this research, that would indicate that 88 percent of organizations need to take a serious look at why their company culture is struggling.

There are several factors in a toxic culture that can have a negative impact on the overall well-being of the employees. However, in this blog, I will address six toxic elements that can have a profound impact on individual employees as well as the overall company culture.

1. Bullying, Harassment, and Incivility

Bullying isn’t just a schoolyard problem. Unfortunately, playing unfairly in the sandbox has followed many into adulthood. Bullying can impact employee well-being, turnover, productivity, and organizational reputation. It comes in many forms, including unfair criticism, stealing credit for work, sarcastic or rude comments, sexual harassment, and outright threats.

Bullying can also come in a more subtle form that, though harder to detect, can be just as detrimental as more overt forms: incivility. Incivility often manifests as condescension, refusal to give credit for collaborative work, and ignoring employees’ input. In short, the toxic boss syndrome.

Surveys show that 75 percent of employees have encountered bullying in their careers, this is clearly no matter to be taken lightly and is a serious symptom of toxic culture as well as toxic bosses. If ignored, bullying behaviors will be seen as acceptable for any emerging leadership in the organization. They’ll become normalized and ingrained in the company culture. Many companies unfortunately turn a blind eye to this issue. However, companies must take a hard line on bullying and incivility. It can never be allowed to become acceptable. Let your employees know they can come to you to discuss inappropriate conduct and be certain you will take action when necessary.

2. Reluctance to Change

Businesses need to be forward-thinking and adaptable. They need to remain up to date with performance management trends to keep their employees engaged, and they need to tweak their workplace processes when the times require it. Tradition is never a good reason to keep doing things as they’ve always been. In fact, 75% of business transformations flat-out fail, resulting in an organization’s decline, failure, or eventual extinction. A big reason for their failure? CEOs and senior leadership teams were not as diligent as they needed to be in creating and transforming their culture in support of their vision and employee well-being. In fact, the biggest reason for their failure? A lack of leadership.

3. Accepting Feedback from Employees

All employees should be encouraged to give feedback on their roles and their work. What processes are difficult to work within the office? How can you adapt things to help improve employee performance? Could you possibly introduce flexible work arrangements or update technology to streamline business?

The best way to do this is through a comprehensive cultural assessment that first determines the senior leadership’s dedication to change, and secondly, allows for the entire organization to provide confidential feedback. This should never be done in-house, but through a qualified organization that can provide accurate accounting and feedback without any organizational prejudice.

Being willing to change will show your employees that you prioritize innovation and efficiency, while a reluctance to adapt will show existing and prospective employees that your business isn’t likely to thrive in the future.

4. Poor Communication

Communication is important to the success of any business. It is extremely important in fostering a world-class company culture. For this reason, businesses worldwide are trading in their annual appraisals for more continuous, regular feedback discussions.

Regular communication encourages employees to be more comfortable and confident in speaking their minds and sharing their concerns without fear of reprisal or termination. Managers should make time for regular, monthly check-ins. These monthly one-on-one discussions prove to employees you are invested in their development and eager to help them succeed. During these performance discussions, cover progress in terms of objectives, concerns, ambitions, and training. Improved communication will improve your company culture and boost employee morale in the long term.

5. A Lack of Transparency

The frequency of communication isn’t enough. Communication must be authentic, transparent, and relevant to the current situation. If managers aren’t open with their employees, employees won’t be eager to engage in meaningful dialogue and will hide issues from their company. To be transparent, communication must flow top-down, bottom-up, and side-to-side in a timely manner. Having parts of the organization hear about important news days, or weeks later, only fuels distrust in the leadership.

The senior leadership team should be discussing company values, goals, directions, and major organizational changes with everyone in the organization. There is no reason to keep important information from your employees, particularly when that information concerns them. Everyone should be viewed as part of a well-functioning team, and improved transparency will solidify this feeling of togetherness.

6. Numbers Based Employee Performance Ratings

Performance ratings are still common, although their popularity has seriously dwindled in recent times. That’s partly because ratings can often be detrimental to employee motivation and performance. And in truth, they are rarely effective in improving performance simply because the person giving the appraisal may not be entirely qualified to assess the employee’s strengths and gaps in a way that truly reflects their past or even future performance. In addition, merit increases based on the score can be viewed as unfair or even favoritism of other employees. In truth, rather than incentivizing employees to improve, a numbers-based method of appraisal can be extremely demoralizing. A focus on employee performance ratings can also create an unhealthy amount of competition in your workforce, which discourages knowledge-sharing and collaboration.

Wrapping Up

A well-developed company culture has the power to positively impact employee productivity, happiness, and absenteeism. Conversely, neglecting culture can allow toxic elements to thrive, leading to negative consequences for employee well-being, performance, and engagement. Organizations must prioritize and nurture a positive and supportive culture to create an environment where employees can thrive and contribute to the company's success.

About the Author

How Empathy and Emotional Intelligence Can Make You a Great Leader

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 17:49:10 GMT

Empathy lets us be the leader we want to be

In today’s workplace, combative demeanors and polarized opinions are more amplified than ever. The numbers on anxiety, stress, burnout, and overall unhappiness are increasing and the instability of our ever-changing world is taxing us all. From union and non-union organized strikes to the latest numbers factored into the ‘Great Resignation’, companies are increasingly facing challenges to retain and placate workers. Organizations with no leadership roadmap for dealing with these problems are under attack. But two important qualities present in the best leadership styles can go a long way in fortifying your human capital.

Emotional Intelligence and Leadership

Those in leadership roles in the workplace are often finding themselves caught in a slew of precarious situations. Not only are they navigating the shifting demands that balance health and safety protocols, but they’re constantly challenged in dealing with the mental and emotional state of their employees as well. The factor of emotional intelligence, defined as the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions, has become more important than ever. Is emotional intelligence an important quality for a leader to possess? The answer is a resounding yes, backed by careful research of the relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership potential. In fact, the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report ranks emotional intelligence among the top-10 leadership strategies.

Strong leaders know how to muster emotions to effectively impact the performance of colleagues in much the same way a coach who gives a good locker room speech at halftime can completely turn a game around. Conversely, a leader with a notable sense of defeat or mental exhaustion will certainly slough their sentiment onto their colleagues. Some leaders naturally possess more emotional intelligence from within. Others need to nurture this skill, of which the evidence is clear that it can be developed through practice.

Empathy in the Office

For exceptional executive leaders, empathy is a situational requirement. Imagine a staff member coming to you with a deeply personal concern. If your first instinct is to comfort and connect with them because their situation sparked an emotional response, that’s empathy. Ideally, empathetic leaders experience a desire to find the root of their concern and analyze it. You want to understand, comprehend, and ultimately fix the problem. An emotional response occurs, accompanied by a cerebral, analytical desire for resolution. Psychologists refer to this reaction as emotional intelligence, and some experts even suggest that it’s every bit as valuable as having a high IQ.

With your plate as a leader is often already overflowing, achieving these qualities may seem like an attempt to hit a moving target. But make no mistake, the practice of perfecting empathy and emotional intelligence should never be mistaken for indulging childish workplace antics. With practice, guidance, and direction, executive leaders can maintain a healthy level of emotional intelligence without getting tossed around in the waves of common workplace dramatics. A qualified and experienced leadership coach that can equip you with the tools necessary to distinguish between the two with ease. As you learn to equip yourself with intangible qualities such as emotional intelligence and empathy, be reminded that your own mental and emotional health comes first. Make yourself a priority. Build a stable system of support and practice healthy methods of decompression.

The Importance of Failure as a Leader

Wed, 31 May 2023 22:44:29 GMT

Don’t let yourself become paralyzed by fear of failure

I love this graphic that represents an archer taking aim at a target. Archery is one of my passions and has been for over 40 years now. I can not begin to tell you how many arrows I have destroyed, or lost over the years because I missed the target. However, each time I missed, I learned valuable lessons on how to correct my shooting skills, which equates to being more successful in hitting the bullseye. Now, although I still miss the target, it is not nearly as often.

Many people shy away from failure or even talking about it. In fact, more adults fear failure than spiders, ghosts, or being home alone. But fearing failure — especially failure at work — means avoiding risk, and risk often leads to the greatest rewards.

Why We Must Embrace Failure

If you fear failure at work as a leader, you are likely cutting yourself off from a plethora of possibilities for incredible success. Perhaps you aren’t giving an employee a chance to prove themselves in a new area, or you aren’t pursuing a client that seems out of reach. You might find yourself focused on the potential repercussions of failure. Instead of dwelling on potential negative outcomes, you should reframe your mindset and ask yourself a different question: What if I succeed?

Fear of failure is one of the biggest reasons why people never venture outside of their comfort zone, try new ways of thinking, never encourage those members of their team to push a little harder, and never try to think big.

One of the keys to overcoming the fear of failure is providing a safe place for all of your employees to be able to give 100% effort in a culture where experimentation and failure are encouraged. This could lead to new levels of success in your organization. For example, w hat if you secure a new contract that everyone at your company thought was out of reach? What if you give an employee a chance who knocks the project out of the park? By taking the risk and being okay with failure at work, your success reaches new heights.

Finally

It is critical to remember that you only have these opportunities to reach new heights if you don’t let yourself become paralyzed by fear of failure at work. This requires you as a leader to embrace failure and encourage the same in others. However, If you only focus on what you are good at — areas where you know you will find success — you will be considered reliable, but you will also plateau and lose valuable growth opportunities.

Failure, and the willingness to deal with it, are key to finding a path to success, even when you are leading a team. It’s important to teach your team not to fear failure, as well, or else they may get stuck in a pattern of moderate success without ever reaching the great heights they are capable of.

About the Author

There’s No Greater Investment Than Human Capital

Wed, 17 May 2023 20:57:10 GMT

You Need To Get The Human Capital Part Right

Corporate America thrives on competitiveness, one of the key attributes of a capitalist system. The phrase “building a better mousetrap” refers to the public and private sector’s relentless pursuit of providing consumers with a more desirable choice in a particular product or service than the competition. Producing goods and services faster, cheaper, and with higher quality takes a concerted effort, typically dependent on a significant investment contributed to the operational budgets of planning, production, and research and development (R&D).

As noted in positive balance sheets and market share data, the concerted effort to produce the best option for goods and services can, and does, pay off for companies every day. Yet how many of these same organizations can honestly boast of a similar strategic investment in human capital? Just because investing in personnel is often measured in the abstract doesn’t mean the economic value isn’t readily present. In fact, along with a majority of experts, we maintain that there’s no greater investment than human capital.

What It Is

Qualities associated with investing in human capital include technical/workplace training, leadership development programs, continuing education, and desirable health and wellness benefits. While the outcome is often measured according to individuals, the value is collective—proven to impact both the productivity and profitability of a company.

They Said It

You don’t have too look far to hear some of the brightest business minds speak to the value of investing in human capital. Finance guru Dave Bookbinder states, “The value of a business is a function of how well the financial capital and intellectual capital are managed by human capital. You’d better get the human capital part right.” And noted industrial-organizational expert Rob Silzer adds, “Financial Resources may be the lifeblood of a company, but human resources are the brains.”

Why Now?

The post-pandemic landscape of industry and commerce has left no organization untouched. Alarming trends such as the “Great Resignation” are indicative of Corporate America’s increasing brain drain. Companies are awakening to an abrupt shift in the employee vs. employer dynamic and confronting the reality of a widely disaffected workforce. The sheer number of workers who report feeling undervalued, unappreciated, and overburdened is proof positive that Corporate America’s investment in human capital remains woefully inadequate.

A right-sized strategic investment in human capital is not only beneficial to employees, but organizations as a whole. The kind of business leadership coaching provided by Intelligent Leadership Executive Coaching can shore up three critical weaknesses seen in today’s organizations:

Vulnerability – unforeseen circumstances due to rapid shifts in business models

Corporate Culture – many companies state it, but far fewer can claim it

Succession – as experienced leaders age out, the untrained move up

To truly engage employees and get their best, you need to see them, literally, as people. This is where the true skills and talents are that will propel your business to further heights of success. People have hopes, dreams, fears, and a whole range of other emotions. Let’s face it, corporations can be a pretty miserable place, or it can be a tremendously empowering place. The latter is far more enjoyable, but more importantly, it’s far better for business.

Recognizing and Overcoming a Toxic Workplace

Wed, 17 May 2023 02:18:53 GMT

The Need for Cultural Transformation Never Ends

Did you know a toxic corporate culture is 10.4 times more powerful than compensation in predicting a company’s attrition rate? Executive leaders are concerned with employee turnover and are admittedly losing their most talented workers. While many assume that salary and compensation are the leading cause of quitting, a recent survey conducted by MIT Sloan Management Review and Glassdoor reveals some shocking truths about the factors that cause employees to leave. In another recent survey conducted by the same group, 1.4 million employee reviews were analyzed and then broken out into the top 10 reasons that matter most to employees when it comes to corporate culture:

Employees must feel respected . In fact, respect for employees is 17.9 times more powerful a predictor of an organizational culture score than the typical topic. Treating employees with dignity, consideration, courtesy and valuing their individual perspectives.
Supportive Leaders. Employees must believe that you have their backs.
Living Core Values. Are the leader’s actions consistent with the organization’s core values?
Toxic Managers. Managers that continually create a negative work environment.
Unethical Behavior. This is an issue for both leaders and employees that lack integrity and act in unethical manners.
Benefits. Employees’ assessment of the benefits provided by the employer.
Perks. Employees’ assessment of the workplace amenities.
Learning and Development . The opportunities provided by the organization for formal and informal learning. This includes advanced leadership development such as executive coaching.
Job Security. Fear of losing your job to such things as layoffs, offshoring, and automation.
Reorganizations. Mergers, acquisitions, and reorganizations were viewed negatively 97% of the time by employees.

Recognizing Culture Breakers

In addition to these ten reasons, other culture breakers such as subversive communications can be a culture breaker as it undermines trust and transparency within the organization. When employees engage in gossip, rumors, and backstabbing, it creates a toxic and negative work environment that hampers collaboration and productivity.

Unhealthy competition can also disrupt the culture of an organization. While healthy competition can drive individuals to excel and achieve their best, an excessively competitive atmosphere can breed a cutthroat mentality where individuals prioritize personal success over teamwork and cooperation. This undermines the sense of unity and collaboration that a strong organizational culture promotes.

Employee favoritism is another detrimental culture breaker. When leaders show preferential treatment to certain employees, it creates a perception of unfairness and can lead to feelings of demotivation, resentment, and a lack of trust. This can negatively impact overall morale and employee happiness, hindering the development of a positive and inclusive culture.

CEOs Must Step Up

CEOs and their leadership teams need to recognize their crucial role in fostering a people-focused culture. By setting a positive example, clearly communicating expectations, and empowering employees, leaders can create an environment that inspires and motivates individuals to perform at their best. Building an effective organizational culture requires a commitment to values such as transparency, open communication, fairness, and inclusivity, all of which should be championed and exemplified by the leadership team.

Leaders must actively promote and reinforce these cultural values through their actions, decisions, and communication. They should ensure that everyone in the organization understands and embraces the desired cultural norms and behaviors. This can be achieved through regular team meetings, training sessions, and by providing resources and support to employees to enable them to embody the desired culture.

Leaders should also be mindful of the impact of their decisions and actions on the culture. They should avoid any actions that may be perceived as favoritism or create an unhealthy competitive environment. Instead, they should foster an environment that values collaboration, open dialogue, and continuous improvement. This can be done by recognizing and rewarding teamwork, providing opportunities for professional development and growth, and encouraging innovation and knowledge sharing.

Assessing the Right Parts of Culture

When assessing and transforming company culture , you must commit to the 5 C’s of Culture which are:

Capability Culture (“Can Do”) – leaders must instill values, character, and beliefs that exude a “can do” spirit among employees, showing them what it takes to succeed.
Commitment Culture (“Will Do”) – leaders must develop a unique culture that motivates and inspires others, instilling the belief that each employee has the power to take risks and add value.
Connectedness Culture (“Must Do”) – using both cooperation and consensus-building elements, leaders must foster a culture based on teamwork and collaboration, allowing employees to execute at a high level.
Individual Performance Culture – leaders must foster an environment that is transparent, open, and equitable – where honest feedback is not only welcome but encourages continual improvement; this step demonstrates your willingness to “walk the walk.”
Team Performance Culture – leaders must create equitable cultures, where every employee’s contribution adds to the collective success of the organization; conflict may arise, but your team will work hard to find a win/win situation.

The need for cultural transformation never ends. In fact, 75% of all organizations flat out fail resulting in eventual decline, failure, or extinction due to the inability to pivot and change in today’s business world. One of the primary reasons for this is the CEOs and their senior leadership teams who were not as diligent as they should have been in developing and transforming their organizational culture.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, subversive communications, unhealthy competition, and employee favoritism can all have a major impact on company culture. Building an effective organizational culture requires leaders to recognize the importance of their role in crafting and nurturing a people-focused culture that inspires and motivates employees. By actively promoting and reinforcing the desired cultural values, leaders can create an environment where individuals thrive, resulting in increased productivity and long-term success for the organization.

About the Author

Rich Baron holds the esteemed title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich co-hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by FeedSpot in 2023, and again in 2024 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 60 countries and 550 cities across the globe.

Avoiding Employee Burnout

Thu, 11 May 2023 01:29:45 GMT

The last few years have been incredibly stressful for many. On top of dealing with a global pandemic, we have also dealt with inflation, supply chain issues, the great resignation, the list goes on. During this time many of us continued to work — some from home with distractions or stressors we aren’t used to dealing with, or with smaller teams tackling work that usually took more minds to accomplish. That mix of stress and change both at the office and outside of it continues to be the perfect recipe for employee burnout.

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and or/physical exhaustion caused by excessive and ongoing stress. As leaders, it’s important to recognize that our team members may be experiencing employee burnout at higher rates than ever before — and just how draining that can be. Work-related stress doesn’t just disappear when you head home for the day.

According to Forbes, and Harvard Business Review, employee burnout can, and does result in the following issues:

23% more likely to visit the emergency room
13% lower confidence in performance.
63% more likely to take sick days.
50% less likely to discuss performance issues with their managers.
2 out of 3 employees experience burnout.
Employee burnout costs and estimated $125 to $190B annually in health care spending in the US.

Stress-Related Substance Abuse

The National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence reports that "One of the variables that ignite substance misuse is stress related to work. Stress is real. Exhaustion and burnout can happen. And perhaps, for some individuals, turning to alcohol or drugs seems like an immediate remedy.

This highlights the prevalence and impact of substance abuse because of employee burnout, particularly at higher levels of the organization. It shows that this issue is recognized and studied by various organizations and experts. The high number of search results for executive-level substance abuse suggests that this is a significant problem that needs to be addressed. If you google the term, “executive-level substance abuse,” you will get more than 44 million results.

Substance abuse not only affects an individual's health and well-being but also has negative consequences for the organization. It can lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and even legal issues such as theft or injury. Moreover, the loss of life due to substance abuse is a tragic outcome that should not be ignored.

Recognizing and addressing stress and burnout in the workplace is crucial to prevent substance abuse. Employers should prioritize creating a healthy work environment, promoting work-life balance, and providing resources and support for employees to manage stress effectively. This can include offering mental health resources, encouraging open communication about work-related issues, and implementing policies that prioritize employee well-being.

Substance abuse because of employee burnout is a serious issue that can have significant consequences for both individuals and organizations. Employers need to take proactive steps to address and prevent burnout, creating a work environment that supports employee well-being and helps to reduce stress-related substance misuse.

Leaders Must Recognize the Symptoms

Luckily, there are ways to avoid employee burnout before it can zap your team of energy and motivation, which in turn can result in poor organizational success. It can seep into personal lives, affecting overall well-being and productivity. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of burnout is crucial to address it and support our team members effectively.

The best way to avoid employee burnout is to recognize the early symptoms before it completely sets in. Everyone might express feeling burnout a little bit differently, but the main early symptoms are often the same:

Some common signs of burnout include:

1. Physical and emotional exhaustion: Feeling drained, tired, and lacking energy even after a good night's sleep. Emotional exhaustion can manifest as feeling detached, cynical, or apathetic towards work and personal relationships.

2. Decreased performance and productivity: Burnout can cause a decline in job performance, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Tasks that used to be manageable may become overwhelming and take longer to complete.

3. Increased cynicism and negativity: Burnout can lead to a negative outlook on work and life in general. Team members may become cynical, pessimistic, and resentful towards their job, colleagues, or the organization.

4. Lack of motivation and engagement: Burnout can result in a loss of interest and enthusiasm for work. Employees may feel disengaged, unmotivated, and disconnected from their tasks and responsibilities.

5. Physical symptoms: Chronic stress can manifest in physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, stomach issues, and difficulty sleeping. These physical manifestations can further exacerbate burnout and impact overall well-being.

Preventing and Addressing Burnout

If you’re lucky, you are at your current job for more than a paycheck — you’re there because you enjoy what you are doing and find a sense of purpose in your work. Hopefully, you’ve cultivated a team that feels similar.

As leaders, it's important to create a supportive and empathetic work environment to prevent and address burnout. Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Foster open communication: Encourage team members to share their challenges, concerns, and workload. Create a safe space for them to express their emotions and provide them with opportunities to ask for help or support.

2. Set realistic expectations: Ensure that workloads are manageable and deadlines are reasonable. Avoid excessive pressure and encourage a healthy work-life balance.

3. Promote self-care: Educate employees on the importance of self-care and provide resources for mental and physical well-being. Encourage regular breaks, exercise, and vacations to recharge.

4. Encourage autonomy and flexibility: Offer flexibility in work hours and remote work options if feasible. This allows employees to better manage their personal and professional responsibilities.

5. Recognize and appreciate achievements: Celebrate successes and acknowledge the hard work of your team members. Regularly provide positive feedback and recognition to boost morale and motivation.

6. Provide opportunities for growth and development: Support career development and offer opportunities for learning and growth. This helps employees stay engaged and motivated in their work.

7. Lead by example: As a leader, prioritize your well-being and manage your stress. Show vulnerability and share strategies that have helped you manage burnout.

By recognizing and addressing employee burnout, leaders can create a healthier and more productive work environment, ultimately benefiting both individuals and the organization as a whole.

Supporting Work-Life Balance

As many of us have switched to remote work in the last year, the lines around work-life balance have been blurred. Your employees may feel that since they work from home, they must be “on” all of the time, but that’s one of the quickest paths to burnout.

Here are a few suggestions for supporting work-life balance and helping employees combat burnout:

1. Set clear boundaries: Establish clear expectations regarding work hours and availability. Encourage your employees to disconnect and take time for themselves outside of work hours. Lead by example and avoid sending work-related emails or messages during non-working hours.

2. Encourage breaks and time off: Encourage your team members to take regular breaks throughout the day to recharge. Encourage them to use their vacation days and take time off when needed. Promote a culture that values rest and relaxation.

3. Offer flexibility: Remote work can provide flexibility in terms of when and where work gets done. Allow your employees to adapt their schedules to accommodate personal needs, such as attending to family obligations or pursuing hobbies. This flexibility can help them achieve a better work-life balance.

4. Foster open communication: Create a safe and supportive environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their workload, stress levels, and any challenges they may be facing. Regular check-ins and one-on-one meetings can provide an opportunity to address any concerns and provide support.

5. Provide resources for well-being: Offer resources and support for employee well-being, such as access to mental health resources, stress management programs, or wellness initiatives. Provide information on self-care strategies and techniques for managing burnout.

6. Recognize and appreciate your employees: Regularly acknowledge and appreciate the hard work and contributions of your team members. Recognizing their efforts can boost morale and motivation, while also showing that their well-being is important to you.

7. Encourage self-care and hobbies: Emphasize the importance of self-care and encourage employees to prioritize activities that bring them joy and relaxation outside of work. Support their interests and provide opportunities for team-building activities that align with personal hobbies.

By prioritizing work-life balance and supporting your employees' well-being, you can help prevent burnout and foster a healthy and productive work environment.

Wrapping Up

Finally, accepting help from friends, family, and employee assistance programs, as well as seeking support from psychologists, can greatly improve one's ability to manage work stress. By taking advantage of available resources and guidance, individuals can develop healthier coping mechanisms and prevent the negative effects of stress on their mental and emotional well-being. Taking proactive measures to address and manage work stress is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and overall quality of life.

About the Author

Rich Baron holds the esteemed title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich co-hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by FeedSpot in 2023, and again in 2024 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 60 countries and 550 cities across the globe.

Building a Lasting Legacy through Affiliation

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 03:43:45 GMT

Lead the way you want to be remembered

The legacy of Baron Woolen Mills in Brigham City, Utah, began in the 1870s when my Great-Great Grandfather, James Baron Sr., established the mill. When he passed away, my Great-Grandfather, Thomas Baron, inherited the mill at the young age of 18. Recognizing the importance of collaboration and expertise, Thomas understood that he couldn't forge a lasting legacy alone.

With a small team of dedicated employees and a forward-thinking vision, they set out to create a renowned brand. Baron Woolen Mills soon became a leading producer of high-quality wool blankets on a global scale. Their products were sought after for their exceptional craftsmanship and warmth.

Although the mill was eventually sold in 1988, the appeal of Baron Woolen Mills blankets remains strong. These blankets are highly coveted, often commanding several hundred dollars in the market. However, finding one can be challenging, as the owners of these cherished pieces are reluctant to part with them.

The story of Baron Woolen Mills is not just about a successful business but also a testament to the perseverance, dedication, and collaborative efforts of a family and their employees. Today, the legacy lives on through the lasting reputation of their exceptional woolen blankets.

What is Affiliation?

In a business context, affiliation refers to the strong connection and identification that individuals or organizations have with a particular company or brand. It goes beyond just a surface-level association and involves a deeper level of commitment and loyalty.

When employees have a strong affiliation with their organization, they are more likely to be motivated, engaged, and dedicated to achieving the company's goals and objectives. They feel a sense of belonging and are willing to go above and beyond their normal duties to contribute to the success of the organization.

On the other hand, a casual and distant relationship with employees often results in lower morale, decreased productivity, and higher turnover rates. Without a strong affiliation, employees may feel disconnected from the company's mission and values, leading to a lack of commitment and a higher likelihood of seeking opportunities elsewhere.

Building and maintaining a closer professional relationship with employees involves factors such as mutual respect, understanding, and compassion. This means treating employees as individuals with unique needs and aspirations, valuing their input, providing support and mentorship, and promoting open and honest communication. It also includes recognizing and appreciating their contributions, fostering a positive work environment, and promoting a sense of teamwork and collaboration.

By cultivating a strong affiliation with their employees, employers can create a harmonious and productive work environment, where employees feel valued, motivated, and empowered to contribute to the company's success. This deeper level of connection can lead to greater job satisfaction, improved performance, and increased loyalty.

Moreover, when employees have a strong affiliation with their organization, they become brand ambassadors who are more likely to promote the company's products or services to others. They take pride in being associated with the company and are more willing to advocate for its success.

The Flip Side of Affiliation

This scenario highlights the negative consequences of a growing gap between senior leadership and employees within an organization. The initial success of the company may have led to complacency and a lack of focus on maintaining a positive work culture.

The decreasing employee satisfaction, as evidenced by negative reviews and high turnover, indicates a breakdown in communication, trust, and engagement. The dismissive responses from senior management to these negative reviews only further alienated the employees and created an atmosphere of hostility.

As senior management removed themselves from the daily operations and people within the organization, they lost touch with the challenges and concerns faced by the employees. This lack of affiliation and understanding eroded the sense of belonging and loyalty among employees, leading to decreased motivation and productivity.

The financial decline of the organization can be attributed to the deteriorating work environment. The negative reviews and increased turnover likely impacted customer satisfaction and consequently led to a decline in revenue. Additionally, without a motivated and engaged workforce, the organization may have faced difficulties in delivering quality products or services.

To reverse this decline, it is essential for senior management to recognize and address the issues that have created the gap between them and the employees. This may involve implementing initiatives such as transparent communication channels, regular employee feedback mechanisms, and fostering a culture of collaboration and inclusiveness.

Rebuilding trust and rebuilding relationships with employees is crucial. Senior management should actively engage with employees, listen to their concerns, and take steps to address them. This may involve creating opportunities for open dialogue, instituting regular team-building activities, and fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment.

It is also important for senior management to reassess their leadership style and ensure they are actively involved in the organization's day-to-day operations. By being visible, accessible, and approachable, leaders can regain the trust of employees and demonstrate their commitment to the organization's success.

Investing in professional development and training programs can help bridge the gap between senior management and employees. By providing opportunities for employees to develop their skills and grow within the organization, senior management can show their commitment to nurturing a talented workforce.

Ultimately, turning around this organization will require a concerted effort from senior management to rebuild relationships, improve communication, and prioritize the well-being and satisfaction of their employees. By focusing on these areas, they can create a positive work culture that will not only improve employee morale but also contribute to the organization's long-term success.

Wrapping Up

Affiliation in the context of business refers to the creation of deep bonds and a strong connection between individuals or organizations. you will be forgettable to your employees if you do not put an effort into forming strong bonds. Your legacy as a leader is much more than what you perceive it to be — truly, it lives and dies by what your employees perceive it to be, as they are the ones who will be sharing and discussing it.

Building a closer professional relationship based on mutual respect, understanding, and compassion can lead to a more engaged and dedicated workforce. It is through this affiliation that companies can foster a positive work environment and achieve long-term success.

Ask yourself a simple question, do you spend enough time with your employees to have a legacy as a leader? Or will you begin to fade from employees’ minds the moment you retire or leave the organization? The bonds you now have with your employees will in time, build or break your legacy.

About the Author

Rich Baron holds the esteemed title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich co-hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by FeedSpot in 2023, and again in 2024 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 60 countries and 550 cities across the globe.

What Are You Doing About Your Personal Leadership Development

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 00:59:23 GMT

An executive coach can help you start down the right path

The year was 1998. I was relatively new in the medical device industry, although I had been in management in other companies for about 5 years at that point. I was introduced to a book written by William Conway called, “The Quality Secret: The Right Way to Manage.” The book talks specifically about the “New System,” which is based on the teachings for Dr. Edward Deming. Dr Deming developed the fourteen points for the Transformation of Management, which is entirely about leading people, rather than simply managing the process.

One quote in the book stated that the biggest waste in any organization is people’s time, energy, and talents. Since I was involved with lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and six sigma at the time, the concept of removing waste in the system was very real to me. However, I had never until that moment considered that the biggest waste was centered around people. This was a life changing moment for me in terms of real leadership. This book became a go to source for me and showed me changes I needed to make in the way people are treated so they could reach their full potential, and enthusiastically support the new system of continuous improvement.

Changes in my Views of Leadership Development

My view towards leadership was completely changed. I started to read everything I could about leadership development and tried to implement those changes in not only my professional life, but my personal life as well. The concept of executive coaching was really starting to flourish during the nineties but was not something I considered due to the cost, and the idea that it was for senior executives only. I was never a fan of the weeklong seminars that seemed focused on specific topics, cost a lot of money, and lost all luster after the following week simply because there was never any individual focus. So, my focus became my own personal development, and following the example of those around me that I admired and respected as great leaders of people.

Successes Finally Realized

As time went on and I rose through corporate ranks, the personal development goals I had set around leadership, and developing those people around me, started paying off. Some of the achievements we obtained as a team are as follows:

100% customer retention from 2006 – 2019.
Averaged less than 15 customer complaints annually resulting in a 5.67 Sigma.
Turnover less than 10%.
Voted the “Greenest Business in Utah,” by Rocky Mountain Power and Utah Business Magazine multiple years including the first time the award was given.
Provided reusable surgical products for more than 80% of every OR and Labor and Delivery procedure throughout the Intermountain West.
Several of the team members have now gone on to leadership positions at various levels and organizations.

I can honestly say that if I would have had the ability to hire a coach back in the nineties, my career could have been exponentially better. However, I can stand before you now and tell you that had I not read the book I mentioned, and started down my own path of leadership development, my career, as well as those people that I influenced, would have been much worse and potentially void of any of the successes we enjoyed as a high-functioning team. Do those successes come fast? The answer is no. However, one thing is for certain and that is if you do not work on your own personal development, you are going to struggle, hit barriers, and eventually fail. An executive coach can help you start down the right path to developing the great leader inside you.

About the Author

Rich Baron is a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach with over 25 years of operational management and executive-level leadership experience. Along with his coaching partner, Maikel Bailey, they bring over 50 years of executive coaching and leadership experience to the table. Their podcast, Mainline Executive Coaching ACT , has followers in over 40 countries and 270 cities worldwide.

The Go It Alone Approach

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 00:11:01 GMT

The Go It Alone Approach

Jaques Barzun, who was a French social commentator and American historian once stated that “In order to understand the heart and soul of America, you need to learn Baseball.” I am truly an avid fan of Baseball and have been fortunate to see two of my sons move on to play at the college level. Both are pitchers that worked countless hours with coaches to get them the skills they needed to make it to the next level. I am truly very proud of my sons: however, this article is not about them, but rather about the odds of making it on our own without help from a coach.

What is the road to the MLB like in Baseball? Currently, there are 946 players in the MLB. But what are the odds of making it from High School to the MLB? Here are some surprising statistics:

Less than three in 50, or about 5.6 percent, of high school senior interscholastic baseball players, will go on to play men’s baseball at an NCAA member institution.
Less than eleven in 100, or about 10.5 percent, of NCAA senior male baseball players will get drafted by a Major League Baseball (MLB) team (there are 1,500 athletes in the draft each year).
Approximately one in 200 or approximately 0.5 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic baseball will eventually be drafted by an MLB team.

So, let’s take a closer look at the numbers:

High School Baseball Athletes – 455,300
High School Senior Athletes – 130,100
NCAA Athletes – 25,700
NCAA Senior Athletes – 5,700
NCAA Athletes Drafted – 600
High School to NCAA – 5.6%
NCAA to Professional – 10.5%
High School to Professional – .5%
High School to Professional without a coach – 0%

(http://media.hometeamsonline.com/photos/baseball/UPSTATESTORM/Probability_Of_Playing_Professionally.pdf)

I would argue that the players at the MLB level are not the best of the best because they were born to that calling. But rather they reached that level because at some point, a coach saw their potential and helped them turn that into a higher level of performance.

How Does Baseball Compare to Leadership

You are probably asking yourself how this compares to leadership in today’s world. Well, let’s look at a different set of numbers:

154 million workers in the US alone in 2021
7 million in senior leadership positions
Approximately 200,000 CEOs in the US
Percentage of US employees in senior leadership positions – 4.5%

I realize that not everybody wants to play at the MLB level, or obtain an executive role, let alone a management position. But for those that do aspire to improve their leadership ability, a coach is in many ways the best path to obtaining those required skills. However, I often hear the comment, “no thanks, I am good,” or, “I am already in an executive position.” I truly respect their thoughts towards executive coaching. However, just like in baseball, a coach can help you see your potential, capitalize on your strengths, identify your gaps, and turn that into future performance. Hiring an executive coach can be life changing for anyone from emerging leaders to executives of all types. A coach can be an independent sounding board to pressure test ideas, brainstorm, and prepare for crucial conversations. A coach can provide feedback to help find blind spots to work on. A coach can also help a client set a self-development plan and keep them accountable for following it. For those seeking to continue climbing up the ladder, it can provide a valuable competitive edge over executives who insist on a “go it alone” approach.

About the Author

Rich Baron holds the esteemed title of Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich co-hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by FeedSpot in 2023, and again in 2024 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 60 countries and 550 cities across the globe.

Lonliness in Leadership

rbaron@intelligentleadershipec.com (Rich Baron) — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 04:01:16 GMT

Being a Leader does not mean you must be Lonely

We often hear the phrase; it is lonely at the top. No doubt being in a leadership position can become a lonely place. Harvard Business Review reported that half of all CEOs report that loneliness is indeed a problem and at times, has hurt their overall performance. Today, if you google, “loneliness in leadership,” you will get more than 12 million results. We are not alone in our assumptions that there is an issue with feeling alone at the top. The feelings of loneliness appear as we climb higher up the ladder in our careers.

Leaders are at unique risk for loneliness. Having to make the decisions that come from being in a senior leadership position can make one feel as if they are indeed alone at times. The added challenges of leading an organization can compound these feelings of loneliness and those who understand this unique burden, are all too often consumed with their leadership journey to offer substantial perspective.

These feelings of loneliness can cross over into our personal and family lives making it difficult to compartmentalize the office from our homes. In addition, loneliness if left unchecked, can create higher levels of stress which can impede sleep, affect our ability to think rationally, and augment depression and anxiety.

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines lonely as the following:

• Being without company.

• Cut off from others.

• Not frequented by human beings.

• Sad from being alone.

• Producing a feeling of desolation or bleakness.

It takes a lot of grit, courage, and determination to be a leader and ascend the corporate ladder. However, based on the definition of being lonely, and the accounts of so many who have experienced this problem, it raises a simple question - who in their right mind would ever want to be in a senior leadership position? The simple fact is that loneliness in leadership does not have to be the norm. So, what can be done to help alleviate this problem?

Build Meaningful Relationships in your Organization

Great leaders in any organization are committed to building meaningful relationships and commit to being more connected every day with the people they work with. These same leaders have a mindset that they are part of a bigger picture regardless of the title that is on the outside of the office door. Make a conscious effort every day to be altruistic and surround yourself with people you trust and can be connected with.

Be Present

One of the traits of great leadership is being in tune with how our actions impact those around us. So often we hang up the “Do Not Disturb” sign simply by not being present and in touch with the people around us. It can be through a lack of interaction or working behind closed doors. Either way, it will push those you need the most in your organization away. Being aware of your corporate footprint and how your actions impact those around us will go a long way in alleviating the feelings of being alone. Simply put, leaders do not have the luxury of not being aware of their interconnectedness.

Be Transparent

Being transparent in the workplace means that there is effective, open communication throughout the organization. A transparent and accountable leader is someone that employees look up to. These leaders gain employee loyalty and trust and create a culture of inclusion, engagement, and open collaboration. The benefits of transparent leadership are plenty, including eliminating loneliness.

Avoid the Overconfidence Effect

Often as a leader’s power grows, real or perceived, they tend to become overconfident in their abilities. This is called the “Overconfidence Effect.” This is one of the most precarious traps to fall into as a leader. This false sense of confidence can lead to ineffective listening, assumptions, misunderstandings, and psychological blind spots. It results in employees feeling that there is a lack of transparency which erodes their trust in you as a leader.

It is a proven statistic that overconfidence in leadership results in pushing those away that you need the most in running your organization. This in turn results in those feelings of loneliness when tough decisions need to be made and there is no one to turn to.

The Vulnerability Decision

Great leaders surround themselves with experts in their fields and readily seek advice, counsel, and open collaboration. These same leaders realize that they may not the smartest, wisest person at the table. The decision to be vulnerable does not mean you are a weak leader. It takes a great deal of courage in choosing to be vulnerable. The vulnerability decision is the key to unlocking the potential to become a great leader, and once again, ending the loneliness factor. Being a vulnerable, humble leader will open doors to opportunities never thought possible for yourself and your organization.

In Conclusion

The notion that loneliness in leadership comes with the territory must be changed. Being vulnerable, humble, a good example, and transparent will increase the power of your organization and decrease the potential of loneliness in leadership. Law #42 of the 50 laws of intelligent leadership states that “Management is not a matter of controlling people or processes to accomplish a goal. Leadership is about influencing, motivating, and enabling people.” However, if you are from the demand-and-control school of management, you are in for a rude awakening when it comes to finding those people who are willing to stand by your side through those tough times. In short, plan on being lonely.

The Overconfidence Effect

rbaron@intelligentleadershipec.com (Rich Baron) — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 03:47:27 GMT

Failure to Listen can be Catasrophic

Utah is arguably one of the premier destinations for those who love the outdoors. Being born and raised in Utah, I am no stranger to outdoor activities. My family shares that same love of the outdoors and we take advantage of every opportunity we get to go camping, hiking, skiing, fishing, or exploring new outdoor destinations. This is an example of how overconfidence can lead to potentially tragic outcomes.

During one family vacation to St. George, Utah, we decided to hike the Hidden Canyon Trail in Zions National Park. We set out early in the morning to beat the heat of the day since it was July and temperatures in Southern Utah can easily top 100 degrees during the summer months. The group consisted of my family as well as several of our cousins and in-laws.

After the shuttle dropped us all off at the trailhead, we began our hike up the Hidden Canyon Trail, which is a little over 3 miles to reach the hidden canyon high above the valley floor. I had a handheld video camera and was excited to film the entire hike. The trail begins relatively easily on a series of paved switchbacks but eventually turns into dirt trails and steps cut out of the sandstone. Near the top is a steep, narrow trail along a sheer vertical cliff that is no more than a few feet wide. This part of the trail is not for the faint of heart and requires strict focus. There is a chain bolted into the wall to hold onto as the other side of the trail is a sheer one-thousand-foot drop straight down to the valley floor. I had filmed the trek up and was excited to film this part as well.

This part of the trail continues for several hundred feet along the cliff wall and then makes a turn to the left. At this corner, the drop to the valley below is the highest, and holding onto the chain is necessary to safely make it past this point. I was the first in our group and was slowed down on the corner due to a group ahead of us that was moving along this part of the trail very slowly. As I looked around and was filming the view, my wife kept asking me to put the camera down and keep hold of the chain. Since I was holding the chain with one hand, I felt completely safe and assured her that I was completely within my ability and safety. After a few minutes, the group ahead moved on and my group was able to move ahead to the safety of the flat, narrow hidden canyon.

After exploring the canyon, we rested in the shade for a while before heading back down the narrow trail and on to the bottom of the canyon. Once we started down, I took up the rear of the group this time thinking that it would be a great opportunity to film them going down the steep trail holding onto the chains. I thought my plan was brilliant and the footage I was going to get would be spectacular. As we started down the trail, again my wife kept asking me to please put down the camera and focus on the trail. I was feeling quite confident and again told her I would be fine. As we got near the point where the trail goes around the same corner where we were held up on our ascent, I paused to let the group get ahead of me. I wanted to get an awesome shot of the whole group descending from this point. Once again, I heard my wife plead with me to put the camera down and focus on the trail. Again, I brushed off her pleading as I was confident that I could make it down the chained part of the trail while filming.

A Hard Lesson Learned

As I got to the corner, I leaned out slightly, still holding onto the chain but could not quite get the whole family in the frame. I let go of the chain to step out from the wall to get a better shot. I saw the entire group ahead of me and congratulated myself on getting such a great shot. As I panned the camera down towards the valley directly below me, I saw my foot in the viewfinder and the front of my foot was literally off the trail with over one thousand feet of air between me and the valley floor. I muttered some words of panic, quickly moved back toward the wall, and grabbed the chain. Nobody in the group ahead of me had seen what had just happened. I caught my breath, steadied myself, put the camera away, and continued down the trail holding tight to the chain.

That evening back at our condo, we sat poolside enjoying the summer evening with our family. However, I was not engaged as usual as I was bothered by the events of the day and was deep in thought. My wife asked why I was so quiet. I told her what had happened and showed her the video clip from the hike and apologized for not listening to her advice.

After watching the clip again, I realized had I stepped even one inch closer, I would have lost my balance and fallen into the valley below. Not one of my family would have known I was gone until it was too late. I did not sleep that night as I kept reliving that moment as I lay in bed. I was ashamed of myself for being so foolish and overly confident. My example to others in my group was far from exemplary. My overconfidence in my ability resulted in ignoring the pleadings from my wife to focus on the trail and keep hold of the chain. Results of my overconfidence almost ended in a tragic, unnecessary outcome.

The Pitfalls of Overconfidence

So how does this story relate to leadership? Often as a leader’s power grows, real or perceived, they tend to become overconfident in their abilities. This is called the “Overconfidence Effect.” This is one of the most precarious traps to fall into as a leader. This false sense of confidence can lead to ineffective listening, assumptions, misunderstandings, and psychological blind spots. Law number 49 of the 50 Laws of Intelligent Leadership states that “Psychological blind spots may soothe the ego, but they are detrimental in the long term.”

It is a proven statistic that overconfidence in leadership results in the decline and destruction of individual careers as well as organizations. However, this does not have to be the case. The first step to effective intelligent leadership is learning to be vulnerable. This requires the willingness to open up to those around you, admit your mistakes and take advice from others.

The Vulnerability Decision

Great leaders surround themselves with experts in their fields and readily seek advice, counsel, and open collaboration. The decision to be vulnerable does not mean you are a weak leader. It takes a great deal of courage in choosing to be vulnerable. The vulnerability decision is the key to unlocking the potential to become a great leader. It will open doors to opportunities that were never thought possible for both yourself and your organization.

Truly great leaders are fully aware of their strengths and gaps and as a result, are humble in their approach to leading. This is a direct result of the vulnerability decision as well as a conscious decision to avoid the pitfalls of the overconfidence effect. Humble leaders realize that they are not the smartest, wisest person at the table. They also realize that they do not need to be as they seek advice and actively listen to everyone in the organization from entry-level employees to c-suite executives. This inclusion is what makes organizations strong, successful, and resilient. After all, leaders who fail to listen and ignore the advice of those around them will eventually find themselves not being listened to. Take it from someone whose ineffective listening and overconfidence almost ended up steering him off the cliff.

If you want to find out more about Intelligent Leadership and how deciding to be vulnerable can help you on your leadership journey, go to my Calendly link and book a complimentary coaching session with me .

About the Author

rich-baron

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