Category Archives: Thrive at Work
April 27, 2016 The New Leadership Imperative (on Bill George and Authenticity)
The last time I heard Bill George speak, he said something I’ll never forget:
“It’s the last three feet—The distance between you and the customer. Unless you’re a good person, you cannot be a great leader. The longest journey I’ve ever known is the path between my heart and my head.”
If you ever get the chance to hear Bill George speak, I highly recommend it. He is an inspirational and dynamic speaker with a clear message: In order to be a great leader, you need to be authentic.
Bill George is the former CEO of Medtronic and a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, where he has teaches leadership. His book, Discover Your True North, is all about becoming an authentic leader by following your own internal compass.
Why is authenticity a crucial part of great leadership?
Because authenticity leads to trust and trust should be the foundation of any organization. If the leadership is trustworthy and transparent, then employees will feel comfortable and secure in the company. If not, employees will constantly feel on-edge or left in the dark.
Authentic leaders keep open doors and open lines of communication because they have nothing to hide. They make others feel at-ease because they do not have hidden agendas or motives.
And, authentic leadership does something else: It helps the leader. If you, as a leader, do your best to be transparent, candid, and true to yourself, you’ll walk through every day with a clear conscience, knowing that you are trying to be the best version of yourself. Your interactions will become more natural and you’ll find that others will open up to you easily.
In my book, The Ten Minute Leadership Challenge, I discuss authenticity at length, including strategies to become a more authentic leader. But I want to hear from you. What do you do to put your genuine self forward? What challenges do you face in becoming the authentic leader you’d like to be? Leave me a comment or contact me with a personal message.
Start embracing authentic leadership today!
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: become an authentic leader, benefits of authenticity, Bill George authenticity, career coach Margaret Smith, genuine leadership, open communication in leadership, the authentic leader, transparent leadership, UXL career coaching
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Leadership, Personal Branding, Thrive at Work
March 30, 2016 Hope is Powerful
What are your deepest hopes? Where do you ideally see yourself in your career and personal life? What’s holding you back?
Hopes can be big and ambitious–you may hope to change your career, make a difference in the world, or overcome a fundamental personality challenge (such as low self-confidence). Or, hopes can be modest. Perhaps you simply hope to appreciate others more fully or use your creativity more often.
No matter how lofty or humble your hopes may be, they are POWERFUL and WORTH PURSING.
Recognize that your hopes are important and take the time to reflect and consider them. Make a list of your hopes (no matter how small!) and figure out which ones are most urgent–the ones you’d like to pursue first.
Keep in mind: hopes are only the beginning. They are the catalysts that spur you to act. Use them to light your fire!
How can you turn hopes into reality? One of the ways to hold yourself accountable for pursuing your hopes is to share them. Meet with a trusted confidant and tell her about your hopes and what you’d like to achieve. Let her know that you’re serious about bringing your hopes to life and that you’d like her help as an accountability partner. Check in regularly.
Need help articulating your hopes? Or, do you need guidance with developing a plan to achieve your hopes and goals? Feel free to contact me today and let’s get started!
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: career coach Margaret Smith, goal setting, hope is powerful, hopes as a catalyst, Minneapolis career coach, overcome fear with hope, turn hopes and dreams into reality, twin cities, use your hopes
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Goals, Thrive at Work
March 23, 2016 The Worst 4-Letter Word
It’s the thing that holds you back. It stifles growth, discourages you from trying new things, and forces you to stay in a rut, even when you know things should change. It’s the worst 4-letter word of all: FEAR.
Fear is a debilitating force. It pulls you out of the present and into the unknown territory of the future. Don’t waste your time worrying about what might happen. Instead, focus on the present. Look internally and ask yourself some tough questions:
- How is fear limiting my hopes and dreams? What would I like to accomplish, but am afraid to attempt?
- Why am I afraid? What’s holding me back from speaking up, making a change, or attempting something new?
- How can I minimize fear and shift my focus to determination and action?
Acknowledging your fear is the first step to taming it. Confront your obstacles and have confidence that you can and will overcome them.
How can you brush aside your fear and start taking action?
Start small. Do one thing that scares you today–whether that’s talking to a stranger in the grocery line, presenting an idea to a co-worker or boss, or enrolling in a class at your local gym, library, or community center.
Then, as your confidence grows, grow your ambitions. Make an action plan and start mapping out how you’ll follow-through with your goals. Remember to set deadlines for yourself and find an accountability partner (click here for more on effective goal-setting).
REMEMBER: You owe it to yourself to face your fears and work at overcoming them. If you don’t, you’ll never stretch yourself or try new things. You’ll forever wonder, “What if…” Don’t let fear lay claim on your life! Start confronting it today.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: advice from a career coach, career coach Margaret Smith, confront fear, fear is a 4 letter word, live your dreams, make an action plan, Minneapolis career coach, overcome fear
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Thrive at Work
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