Tag Archive - Coaching

4 Naïve Assumptions Of New Leaders

I Was Naive

I couldn’t wait to be promoted.  I knew all the things I wanted to accomplish.  I was also looking forward to the perks of leadership.  In the Army we used to say, “Rank Has It’s Privileges (RHIP).”

But, years later, I realized that these sentiments were naive.  They seem real to someone who has not held a position of leadership.  But, once I earned that promotion, I learned that my assumptions were far from reality.

With every new class I teach, comes new leaders with the same assumptions.

This is a repost from April 2012.

Continue Reading…

Execution? I’m for it!

I'm For Execution!

“What do you think of your team’s execution?” Coach John McKay was asked.  “I’m for it!”  McKay replied.  The expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished that season winless and McKay captured the hearts of coaches everywhere with that comment.

Whether it is in sports or in business, leaders often spend endless hours preparing strategies to insure success, only to see those plans fail due to poor execution.  Whose fault is it?  Is it the players’ fault?  Is it the leaders’ fault? Continue Reading…

Performance Reviews Vs. Performance Reveals

Performance Review or Reveal?

A lot of people do not like performance reviews.  Many times it is the anticipation of bad news that can cause anxiety in the individual.  The fear of the unknown can overwhelm people.

That’s the problem.  Nothing that is discussed in a performance review should be unknown.

That is why they are called performance reviews – NOT performance reveals! Continue Reading…

A Great Masseuse Is Like A Great Leader

A Leadership Analogy

I took a week long vacation recently in Puerto Rico.  I got a massage while I was there.  As I was lying on the table during my session, I realized the therapist was really not doing a good job.

I longed for the person who I use close to home.  She does a great job.  She knows my problem areas and gets after them.  The guy who was working on me in Puerto Rico was just not cutting it.

The guy in Puerto Rico worked like an average manager.  My favorite masseuse at home works like a great leader. Continue Reading…

My Un-Resume: I Took It Personally

My Un-Resume

When everything began to unravel for Pete, I knew I was going to have fire him.  I took it personally.  Like most leaders, I rarely lose sleep over the technical issues of my job.  It is the people who give me insomnia.  In this case it was Pete.

I hired Pete.  He had all the promise in the world.  But, he turned out to be a bad hire.  He lied to me.  He didn’t work hard and he pulled the wool over my eyes for longer than I wanted to admit. Continue Reading…

Coaching – Encouragement Versus Praise

Applaud Results

When someone does something well, a good coach jumps on the opportunity to praise them.  Praise is a great motivator.  But misplaced praise can demotivate.

Making people feel good about themselves in a vacuum doesn’t work.  In my past, I fell into the habit of always praising people.  It hurt their performance and our relationship.  Continue Reading…

My Un-Resume: Arrogance with Good Intentions

My Un-Resume

“You are one of my projects.  I want to help you and teach you some of the things I’ve learned the hard way.”  Mitchel took a drink of his beer, looked at me, nodded and thanked me.

I had just transferred to a new geography. Mitchel and I were peers.  The only difference was I had been in leadership in our company for 5 years and Mitchel had recently been promoted.  I knew he and I would work well together and become fast friends.

I was right…and wrong. Continue Reading…

Two Problems With Team Standards

How High Is The Hoop?

“I met the standards.  What is the problem?”  There are likely two problems here.  Problem #1 is the attitude.  Problem #2 is the standards themselves.

I have either caused or witnessed both of these problems. Some people believe the first problem is with the follower and the second problem is with the leader. This is a fallacy. Continue Reading…

What Happened To The Person I Hired?

The Slide To Mediocrity

It had been 12 months since I hired Tracy.  During the interview process she wowed me with her passion and drive to succeed.  I wasn’t just moderately hopeful for her.  I thought she would be doing my job some day!

But 12 months later, that person was nowhere to be found.  Tracy turned out to be very average – average work ethic, average skills, and average results.  She did her job and that was about it.  I rarely saw the passion and drive that made me hire her.  Continue Reading…

My Un-Resume: I Didn’t Make Him Better

My Un-Resume

“Is Anthony better because you were there?”  My dad, General Jim Anderson, always has a way at cutting to the chase.  That day was no different.

I was telling him about a coaching session I had just finished with Anthony, one of my direct reports.  I felt satisfied as I walked away from Anthony.

I prepared the night before, prayed for wisdom that morning, and delivered my message right before lunch.  I kept my cool when he reacted negatively.  I had won that battle.   But, Anthony never got better.  I had lost the war.

Continue Reading…

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