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“Creating Successful Leaders”

Category Archives: Better Business

January 21, 2026 How to Play to Your Strengths

two business people high fiving at a table with a laptop between them

With retirement from UXL on the horizon, I have been reflecting on various lessons I’ve learned as a manager, a career coach, and a mentor. One of the lessons that came to mind recently is how we each have different strengths, interests, and attributes. This diversity of thinking and being is an incredible asset to the workplace. With the right mix of creatives, “techies,” leaders, organizers, etc., an organization can operate more smoothly and have a greater reach.

This acceptance of variety/diversity in the workplace allows people to really stretch their abilities and be their full selves—to capitalize on their strengths and interests. Furthermore, as an individual contributor, you often have the power to lean into your strengths and deflect or delegate assignments that are not a great fit.

While it may not seem “sporting” to pass a certain task or project to another, it can ultimately be the best option for all parties involved. I think about a time when I was assigned a project that was not a great fit. I waffled for a while, trying to figure out how to approach it, and then it dawned on me: My boss didn’t care who completed this project, he just wanted it done. With this in mind, I decided to approach my colleague Tom, who was much better suited to the project than I was. He was analytical, where I was more creative. He enjoyed spreadsheets and charts, while I tended to get sleepy just looking at them!

In exchange, I picked up one of the projects on Tom’s plate that was better suited to my skillset and interests. We kept our boss in the loop about the switch and, as suspected, he didn’t care which people tackled the projects, as long as they were completed satisfactorily. With our tasks ahead of us, Tom and I worked on our respective projects, kept in touch, and handed off the work when we were done. The results were great, and we were encouraged to collaborate in this way for future projects.

This story brings up several lessons, including the following:

Be honest with yourself. Recognize both your strengths and shortcomings, and have the humility to admit when you’re in over your head (or when you’re simply uninterested in or put off by a project or task).

Recognize others’ strengths. Make an effort to learn about your colleagues, and start building an understanding of their abilities and interests. Talk openly and honestly with them to get a sense of who they are as an individual, and what makes them “tick.”

Frame your ask in a positive way. Just because you’re dreading a certain assignment doesn’t mean it’s an “undesirable” task. Different people are drawn to different types of work. Some people enjoy the rhythm and logic of data entry. Some like contacting/surveying customers. Others revel in all things creative and truly shine when it comes to brainstorming ideas or coming up with imaginative designs. In other words, handing someone an unwanted assign isn’t necessarily a bad thing—it just doesn’t fit with your disposition or abilities.

Offer to reciprocate. Whether immediately or down the road, it’s important to be open to reciprocating the work. Make it clear that you will gladly take on one of your colleague’s unwanted tasks in exchange for them taking on yours.

Results are more important than the path. This is something I’ve learned over and over. It doesn’t really matter how an individual or group winds up at the “end point.” What matters are the results. If achieving those results means shifting project responsibilities, then most people will be open to that shift.

We all have varying strengths, interests, and wheelhouses. Instead of letting an undesirable project eat away at you, consider enlisting help from others or shifting project responsibilities. It doesn’t serve you, your work team, OR the business to struggle and ultimately produce subpar work. In short, play to your strengths.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.

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October 8, 2025 Why to Promote Positive Gossip

woman in teal t-shirt sitting beside woman in suit jacket
Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash

Office gossip can be a problem. If people are constantly belittling or criticizing others behind their backs, that can lead to a toxic and unwelcoming environment. No one wants to feel as if they have to constantly be on guard around their co-workers, lest they become the next subject of the workplace rumor mill. As a leader, your first inclination might be to shut down office gossip entirely. But what if I told you that might not be the best approach?

It’s Tough to Battle Human Nature

Human beings are naturally social creatures, and it’s exceedingly difficult to fully shut down the gossip pipeline. Our tendency to talk about others is part of what makes us human. We like to be kept in the loop, hear the latest news, and be part of the circle that’s “in the know.”

This can be especially true for those who are more social and extroverted. Their dynamics with other people are part of their core identity, and it’s important to be part of the office “connective tissue.” Looking at this through an Insights® Discovery lens, these individuals may lead with yellow or red energy. These two personality types are defined by extroversion, overt communication, and relationships with others (often more collaborative for “yellow energy” folks and more hierarchal for “red energy” folks).

For many offices, with their wide array of personalities and tendencies, stopping gossip and chitchat is like trying to dam a roaring river with only a few sticks. Rather than fight human nature, it is a good idea to try a different approach.

Promoting Positive Gossip

Rather than prohibit gossip, full stop, it’s possible to approach gossip differently. If people are going to talk about each other no matter what, why not put a positive spin on it? Encourage the good kind of gossip—the kind that compliments and uplifts others, and praises their actions.

The easiest and most natural way to promote this type of gossip is to model it. When you encounter a team member in the hallway or are having a one-on-one conversation on Zoom, throw in a compliment or two about other teammates:

“It’s a good thing Marissa is so on top of deadlines. That’s really helping us reach our client goals this quarter.”

“Ari is so creative. Did you hear his ideas in the last brainstorming session?”

“Juana is working so hard lately, even though I know she’s juggling work with childcare.”

When you bring up these types of compliments, make sure they naturally fit the flow of the conversation and come across as sincere. Make them part of your everyday discussions, and soon they will become second nature.

The other part of this effort is flipping negative gossip into positive statements. If, for example, someone complains about Juana missing the last deadline, you might say, “That is frustrating. However, I’ve talked with her and I know she’s juggling childcare with work. Because of that, she is working harder than ever lately, which is pretty admirable.” It’s possible to turn an office that engages in negative gossip into one that emphasizes the positive. Take it one conversation at a time, making sure you’re modeling the type of behavior you want your team to embody. After all, the river of gossip may want to keep flowing, but you can direct it into more positive territory, rather than attempting to stop it completely.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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September 10, 2025 When Inviting Disagreement is a Good Thing

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Photo by Headway on Unsplash

Leaders are taught to be confident and in charge. These can be great attributes, and it certainly doesn’t serve to be timid or self-conscious, but it’s possible to take these traits to an extreme. When that happens, the leader can inadvertently shut down others, which can stifle innovation and creativity, as well as decrease morale. 

It may seem strange to welcome disagreement as a leader. After all, who likes to argue? But this is really just another way of saying that discussion, input, and alternative perspectives are welcome. A leader might think they’re being strong and efficient by putting forth a single plan and instructing their team on how to follow it. But in truth, they are closing the door on collaboration. 

When teams collaborate to create a solution or come up with a plan, a few things happen. First, more voices are heard right away, which increases the chance of greater innovation and ingenuity. Additionally, when groups can have open discussions, they’re more likely to troubleshoot and catch potential problems before they even occur. And once a plan is agreed on, the team has more buy-in than they would if they simply had been handed a plan by the team leader. 

  • How can you facilitate discussion and encourage productive disagreement? Open the floor by using statements that welcome collaborative planning. 
  • Our annual budget is due next week. I was ready to make the same suggestions as last year, but I’d like your input on this. What haven’t I considered? 
  • The holiday party is coming up. What would your ideal event look like? 
  • We’re trying to tap into new customer markets. Instead of using the same methods, I’d love to hear your perspectives and ideas on what we could be doing. 

Additionally, if you do decide to state your opinion or perspective, make it clear that you’re open to other options. Use phrases like:

  • I welcome your input
  • What do others think?
  • What haven’t I thought of?
  • Is there any aspect of this that doesn’t make sense?
  • What improvements or alternatives would you suggest?

Then, make sure you are truly listening to suggestions and open to other viewpoints and ideas.

Leadership involves a certain amount of confidence, but that doesn’t mean bulldozing your team with set ideas and rigid agendas. The most effective leaders open the floor for discussion and respect all ideas, even allowing room for disagreement. 

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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