leadership

Is Time on Your Side?

You’ve finally managed to secure an appointment with someone you look up to as a leader. You’ve watched her TED Talks and read her articles. Getting an actual appointment was a long shot; you’re excited to be able to meet her in person. In fact, you’ve been working on some ideas for a new project that you can’t wait to get her perspective on.

You show up at her place of business, only to find a line of people outside her office, snaking down the hall. This is disconcerting and doesn’t fit with your image of how such a leader would manage her commitments, but, after all, she is a busy person and so important. You take your place in the line. After an hour, you are first in line.

Who Wants to Leap Out of Bed Without an Alarm?

Do you have a fascination with morning routines? I’m always curious about how people use the first hour(s) of their day. Until COVID, I didn’t have a real routine…

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Here are some possibilities:

  • You’ve hit the “snooze” button on your alarm clock three times and now you’ll have to sprint to catch your train.

  • Your first Zoom call is in 20 minutes and if you’re lucky, you’ll just have time to wash your face and arrange your hair. Thank goodness you’re wearing pjs with a collar!

  • You feel a sense of duty to your team, who’s been working on a big project that’s due on Friday and needs your approval to submit the project report.

Encouraging Reluctant Leaders

A reader sent me a question about reluctant leaders. That is, people who have expertise and experience to step up as leaders but who hesitate to do so.

He wrote, “I have two friends I believe should practice leadership but lack the courage or the energy for some reason. They are both in their fifties and at this point their profession needs them to share what they’ve learnt.”

He went on to describe leadership qualities he sees in each of them and some of the challenges in their professions that could use their leadership.

He concluded, “Any advice Deborah? Do you have a blurb in you to share about the reluctant leader?”

Remote Leadership Presence: Dos & Don'ts

Having trouble keeping people engaged and focused during endless video meetings? If so, you’re in good company. That often comes up in coaching sessions these days.

Read on for some “dos” and “don’ts” of remote leadership presence that I’ve gathered during the last year. Chances are, there’s at least one thing you can start doing and one thing you can stop doing. I’ve certainly learned a lot about the subject.

"Life as Coach": How to Grow as a Leader with 3 Simple Practices

I am all for investing in in-depth leadership development. This is one of my main passions in life. In fact, I’d almost rather take a course that helps me grow as a leader than take a vacation.

But there are times when formal leadership development might not be a top priority.

That doesn't mean you have to give up developing. Using a "life as coach" approach, you can still grow by using your day to day experiences as a springboard. Sound intriguing? Read more for simple practices to keep growing even in the most challenging times.

Leadership Potential: Do You Know It When You See It?

As a leader, you only have so much time to spend mentoring others. But it can be difficult to figure out who to invest in.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a reliable way to identify someone with leadership potential? Someone you can invest your time and expertise in with the confidence that he or she will thrive?

Well, obviously there are no guarantees. People’s lives have a way of playing out in their own way. But there are some ways to increase the odds of making a good investment.