Working Resources for Leadership - Bay Area Executive Coaching

Changing the Minds of Leaders and Followers: 7 Levers to Change a Mind

What must we understand about the brain to better grasp the process of changing others’ minds? And what happens when we try to change our own mind to employ and sustain new behaviors?

A great deal of my executive work is helping leaders think and act differently. There is that old adage of insanity about doing the same thing hoping for another result.

How effective are you at influencing others? Which strategies have worked for you?

Executive Coaching for Behavior Change - Changing People's Behavior

In my executive coaching work with clients we are often working on changing specific behaviors. Clients are wanting to learn a new behavior or to stop doing something that is counterproductive. The behaviors are often part of the Competency Model of the client organization with each competency having specific behaviors delineated.

I was coaching an accountant who wanted to be more optimistic. She wanted to change her story and some hard-wired assumptions.

We incorporated some of the work of Byron Katie. Think of a specific thought you want to change and ask yourself the following four powerful questions. You might find yourself thinking and acting differently.

The Four Questions 
   
    1. Is it true?
    2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true?
    3. How do you react when you think that thought?
    4. Who would you be without the thought?

How hard is it for you to change your  behavior? Do you find changing people's behavior a challenge?

Leadership Bad Behaviors – How to Change the Bad Habits of Leaders

We seem to live in a culture where business etiquette and basic civility is diminishing and rudeness is taking over. Perhaps it is because we are so busy and self-focused that we often are not considerate of others.

I'm continually suggesting to my executive coaching clients when we work on strategies to develop their emotional intelligence and social intelligence to express gratitude by saying "thank you" more often. It actually bring a smile to their faces knowing that in their busy work lives they consciously recognize they are failing to express their basic humanity. Enlightened leaders promise to do  better.

Happy leaders express gratitude and say "thank you". Are you open to breaking any of your leadership bad habits and becoming a happy leader?

Executive Coaching for Leadership Bad Behaviors: Bad Habits That Hold You Back

When there are conflicts in the workplace it is usually because of poor communication or interpersonal communication challenges. Leaders are challenged on a daily basis to interact effectively with others. The most successful leaders are emotionally intelligent agile. They know how to read people and are savvy in their communications.

In my executive coaching practice over the last twenty years,  I have noticed a consistent pattern of bad behaviors displayed by less socially intelligent leaders. These "bad behaviors" can be unlearned and a more effective communication style developed.

The good news is that better interpersonal skills can be learned and emotional intelligence improved.

Bad Bosses as Leaders - Discovering What’s Wrong

It is well documented that people stay engaged at work or not because of their relationship with their boss. Your boss may have great interpersonal skills or drive you out the door to the nearest competitor. Companies and law firms that retain their talent have emotionally intelligent leaders that are respectful of people.

I am the executive coach of a CEO who exemplifies great leadership habits. He recently announced that his strategy was to sell the company in one to three years. He was so respectful in his transparency with his people that motivation is higher than ever and retention is not an issue. I coach other leaders who are so lacking in emotional intelligence that people are disengaged and heading for the door as soon as they can line up another job.

What type of leader are you?

Good Boss vs Bad Boss - Changing Bad Habits of Leaders

A great deal of my executive coaching work with leaders focuses on leveraging strengths. I truly believe that this is the best approach to leadership development.

However, I receive a number of coaching referrals from Human Resources because a company leader needs to stop doing a specific behavior. The executive might be arrogant, disorganized, angry, controlling or any one of an number of behaviors that is disruptive in the workplace. The executive's bad habits can have a deleterious effect on the morale of employees. Employees can become disengaged causing a retention problem for the company.

Are you aware of any bad leadership habits you might need to change?

How to Develop Happy Companies - The Organizational Brain

Most of the senior leadership at one of the companies where I consult always seem overly pessimistic. I am the executive coach of the president who thankfully is much more optimistic.

The company president and I through appreciative inquiry and focusing on strengths have been working on shifting the focus to appreciating what is right in the organization. It's been a lot of hard work, but through recognizing the good things in people and the company the culture and attitudes of people are becoming much more positive. They are finding it easier to attract top talent who want to work for an organization where leaders at all levels are enthusiastic and forward thinking.

Are your leaders happy and creating a happy company where people are fully engaged and love to work?

Creating Happy Companies in Tough Times – Staying Resilient in Hard Times

Many of us in the United States feel that we are in a recession. Gas and food prices are going up and up.

A number of my executive coaching clients are feeling pressure to do more with fewer resources. Everyone seems overloaded with how to handle all of the information and struggling to stay organized.

How resilient are you in hard times?

Creating Happy Work Cultures - Taming the Inner Ape

What exactly is a happy work culture? You hear a lot about leaders establishing the culture of an organization in the early stages of its development.

Over the years as a leadership consultant, I have observed that I can walk into an organization for the first time and in a few minutes get a sense of the culture. You probably experience something similar when you visit a company for the first time. In the sixties we used to call it the “vibes’.

What do people experience when they walk into the place where you work?