When we want to coach people entering the workforce, we look for research on Gen Z. When we want to coach experienced leaders or those planning for retirement, we look for research on Baby Boomers. Generational cohorts are a compelling way to think about different life and professional stages at a particular point in time. […]
I think it’s fair to say, that in relative terms, people management is having a moment. Heck, even Silicon Valley is taking notice. It’s quite common to hear the phrase, “war for talent” inside of today’s organizations. An offshoot of this “war” is that once an organization feels they have hired a talented person, their […]
Working in the consulting industry myself, at first I found it a little ironic that it was so challenging to write this post. Flipping the switch from client calls and content development to writing was daunting, and I kept putting it off. Then I realized it was fairly emblematic of the challenges of life in […]
Power stances. Lucky socks. Pep talks in the bathroom mirror. Most of us probably have a few little tricks we try to boost how confident we feel, especially in a moment where it feels critical. (As a musical theater aficionado, humming a few bars of The Sound of Music’s “I Have Confidence” is a personal […]
There’s no denying that, in ways both personal and professional, we are more globally connected than ever. In fact, the flow of information internationally has increased more than 250% since 2001, according to the 2018 DHL Global Connectedness Index. Many of us also hold stereotypes about different countries. Some common stereotypes are accurate but at […]
Compassion is empathy in action. And as an avid news reader and social media user, I’m struck on a daily basis by the fear that we are living in a world where compassion can be conspicuously absent. At the highest levels of leadership – at least from what we see in the headlines – compassion […]
In April, I traveled to Dublin, Ireland and celebrated my third time presenting at a European Mentoring and Coaching Council conference. EMCC exists to develop and promote mentoring, coaching and supervision at a global level, so don’t let the name mislead you. The conference is a global gathering of coaches and mentors looking to learn […]
The conversation about gender and its impact in the workplace began before women even entered the workforce in significant numbers. Today – whether in fiction, in journalism, in self-help books, or in the speeches politicians and pundits – the conversation about gender dynamics in the workplace continues to expand and evolve. The pay gap, gender […]
If we were to believe most TV shows and movies, we would think that to be successful in higher education, one needs a high degree of arrogance, self-importance, and even a tendency to isolate oneself. However, our findings on the behaviors associated with effectiveness in higher education leaders paint a very different picture. The more […]
As a lifelong “people pleaser,” I can attest that there is a paralysis that comes with trying to please everyone all of the time. Saying yes to one person may mean saying no to another. Being the life of the party may be charming to one person, while it makes another person feel invisible. It’s […]
We’ve all heard some version of the Peter Principle: that in a hierarchical organization, every employee will rise to the level of their respective incompetence. It assumes that employees possessing the skills need to excel in a given position will be promoted to the next “rung” on the corporate ladder, which will require different skills; […]