“I need to restructure my business — I’m thinking of eliminating my acquisitions team,” said the CEO of a large professional services firm. Like many of the CEOs whom I coach, he was anxious in this pandemic and had a hard time thinking of any other question other than, “How
As leaders, we all strive for success, constantly seeking the right balance to propel our teams and organizations forward. However, finding that sweet spot between variables can be a challenging task. Have you ever found yourself leaning too far in one direction and facing unintended consequences as a result? It’s
At CO2 Partners, we believe that great leaders ask questions more often than they give answers. Learn how to break out of the mental mold and tap into the 75% of questions you are not asking with our leadership guidance. Unlock your true potential with us. “I need to restructure
With companies of all sizes adapting to a constantly changing economic landscape, it’s more important than ever for CEOs and other stakeholders to understand the pros and cons of chasing revenue vs. earnings when making financial decisions. In this blog post, we’ll explore why income streams depend largely upon whether
We are all a result of our habits. This is most apparent in the world of business. Our habits in the workplace dictate our productivity, employee relations, and ultimately our business success. Everyone goes into the new year with a vision of improvements they want to make to their
How many times a year do you hear a story about a low-performing person who cannot be switched or removed from your department (or from the organization) because the paperwork hasn’t been done? Or because obligatory conversations have yet to take place? Or because what that person has done might
Your emotional IQ is determined by the level of your emotional intelligence. It’s a major factor in your personal and professional perceptions and interactions. Find out just how important it really is!
Your emotional IQ is determined by the level of your emotional intelligence. It’s a major factor in your personal and professional perceptions and interactions. Find out just how important it really is!
Your eye translates signals via rods and cones to the optic nerve. In general, there are far more rods on the periphery of your retina and a much higher concentration of cones in the central fovea. Rods help us detect motion and see in the dark. Cones allow us to
Thinking Fast as an Entrepreneur Entrepreneurial leaders are open-minded, energetic, and always questioning. They ask: How can we do it better? Where should we go from here? What is preventing us from taking action, and how can it be overcome? Couldn’t we do this and that? These questions lead to
In the U.S., we tend to focus heavily on one or the other: deficits or strengths. A child art prodigy may spend her days in the learning center to become an average speller. A standout soccer player may spend so much time playing that sport and traveling to games that
As a teenager, I found myself with 16 others on the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine in a 30-foot pulling boat with 12-foot swells and no tiller or rudder. The seas were getting rougher and the sky was crackling with lightning and thunder. We were scared, wet, and
Pecking Order The term “pecking order” was introduced by Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe in 1921 under the German terms Hackordnung or Hackliste, and brought into English in 1927. Schjelderup-Ebbe studied chickens and how they express dominance via pecking. He found that chickens typically have a pecking order that runs 15 deep. This pecking order allows for a more
Is there a team member you work around? If so, take a minute to list your reasons. Did he betray your trust? What is it that you don’t like about her? Cite specific incidences that caused you to write this person off. Now take a minute to consider the consequences
Progress leadership examines the ways leaders use and diffuse tension to get coworkers to progress from their current position to their goals. David Emerald uses a rubber band as a metaphor to explain the tension created between one’s expected goal and the current position. The gap created is the metaphorical tension from
As an Executive Coach, I work with leaders who are already very successful. They come to me because they want to further succeed and sometimes because they feel overwhelmed. They feel like they’re working too much. Even when they’re not working, they feel like they should be–which takes some of
Cognitive Reflection Test Explained The Cognitive Reflection Test was developed by Shane Frederick, Professor of Marketing at Yale School of Management. Dr. Fredrick makes a strong case for the predictive capacity of this three-question test as it relates to decision making. In particular he suggests that it can be a
Educational Rubrics Educational institutions have long struggled with performance evaluation of employees. They have succeeded, however, with developing some useful rubrics to evaluate the performance of students. Rubrics provide a vertical set of performance criteria against horizontal measures of effectiveness. They tend to work best when the evaluation is complex
Educational Rubrics Educational institutions have long struggled with performance evaluation of employees. They have succeeded, however, with developing some useful rubrics to evaluate the performance of students. Rubrics provide a vertical set of performance criteria against horizontal measures of effectiveness. They tend to work best when the evaluation is complex
50% of leaders believe that they had to ignore life balance to achieve success. In the 19th and early 20th century, the sun never set on the British Empire. Today, the same could be said for many companies. Clients of mine wake up for a call with their boss who
You have your limits. You believe you know what they are, and you likely adhere to them. But what if you are limiting yourself with either your belief system or your biological system? What if you’ve misjudged your limits? Have you tried pushing past your limits recently? Pushing Past Your
Do you ever become disproportionately mad at another person? You may chalk that up to the channeling of a full day of frustrating events, but it may also be because you’re repressing or suppressing a part of yourself.
The CDC today reported a national outbreak of Busyness Syndrome across the United States. Leaders in all walks of life are asked to stay home, stay attuned to familiar needs, play with the kids, and walk the dog. The underlying cause of the disease is said to be lack of
He was brilliant and rich beyond measure, but also moody. He suffered from massive highs and dismal lows. The suffering was so great that King Solomon requested his most trusted minister, Benaiah ben Yehoyada, find a magical ring that would temper his moods–something to make a sad man happy and a
Animation has given us more than great entertainment; it has given us remarkable leadership lessons. In Toy Story we are given a surprising leadership lesson by Slinky Dog. Slinky Dog is the head, feet, and tail end of a dog with the body made of Slinky. Imagine for a moment
In Driven, two eminent Harvard professors, Paul R. Lawrence and Nitin Nohria, identify four core human drives
We experience two forms of energy (anabolic and catabolic) in our work and personal lives. How best can we use those forms of energy to perform?
To be an exceptional leader or follower you must be self-aware and to be self-aware it is essential to understand what are your needs? Discover your needs..
To be an exceptional leader or follower you must be self-aware and to be self-aware it is essential to understand what are your needs? Discover your needs..
Job satisfaction can be increased by adapting the Motivation-Hygiene Theory both personally and organizationally. This explains how you can love and hate your job at the same time.
Building an organization or team often has massive gaps in capability between team member’s performance. Equalizing Team Performance is critical to success
Becoming a Leader: Challenge #10–Get 360° Feedback We have touched on using criticism to the best of your ability and improving your reaction to criticism. Sometimes it’s important to seek out criticism–and not just from the same old sources. If you’re serious about improving your self-awareness and Emotional Intelligence, get
Becoming a Leader: Challenge #8–Encourage Dissent During a period in the late 1990’s, Korean Air had more plane crashes than any other airline in the world. Yet, their pilots (and co-pilots) were impeccably trained. So, why the rash of crashes? Ultimately it was determined that a culture that didn’t honor dissent, but
Becoming a Leader: Challenge #7–Engage Your Audience Words often stand alone. But words are usually more compelling when they’re spoken aloud and accompanied by something that engages the audience visually–whether it be graphs, pictures, or simply hand gestures and physical expressions. The words of Dr. Martin Luther King in his
Becoming a Leader: Challenge #6–Own up to Mistakes Leaders are not expected to not make mistakes. Nobody is. And, yet, mistakes happen. While we can’t completely prevent mistakes from happening, we can learn from them and learn how to limit them. The first step in the learning process is a
Becoming a Leader: Challenge #5–Create Change “Be the change that you want to see in the world.” –Mahatma Gandhi I had a very successful businessman tell me once that the only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. Creating change is not easy, it is not quick,
Becoming a Leader: Challenge #4–Show up and Follow Through “80% of success in life is just showing up.”–Woody Allen We all know that just showing up isn’t enough–and never was. You need to show up and perform once you’re there. I think Thomas Edison’s ratio for success is far more
Becoming a Leader: Challenge #3–Give Others an Opportunity to Shine This is, singularly, the most important concept that I learned during my 15+ years as an active duty Air Force officer. As a newly minted 2nd Lieutenant at my first duty station, I was put in charge of a group
Becoming a Leader: Challenge #3–Give Others an Opportunity to Shine This is, singularly, the most important concept that I learned during my 15+ years as an active duty Air Force officer. As a newly minted 2nd Lieutenant at my first duty station, I was put in charge of a group
Becoming a Leader: Challenge #2–Maintaining confidence during setbacks Don’t confuse setbacks with failures–and, by all means, don’t confuse setbacks with you being a failure. When you have a setback, take a step back. Learn from what went wrong, assess other perspectives, and recommit to yourself. In Seven Habits of Highly
Employee motivation is directly related to the expectations set by their manager. Discover the steps to keep expectations high to deliver great results.
Employee Engagement + Leadership = Business Results Employee Engagement, Leadership, and Business Results are highly correlated–according to Gallup research done by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, authors of First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently. In our last post on this topic (you can read it
Building your personal network is only half the story. Learn the other half of how to keep that network alive.
Accountability Busters If you want employees to get things done, instead of complaining and blaming others, here are three steps to take: 1. Encourage action-taking, not permission-giving. The more people who have to sign off on a decision, the longer that decision will take. And the more likely people up
Dig your well before you’re thirsty. Harvey Mackay coined that phrase in his best-selling book by the same title. He also taught us how to swim with the sharks without getting eaten alive. But that is a lesson for a later blog post. Are you connected to people on LinkedIn?
When do assumptions turn into limiting beliefs? An assumption is something that we take for granted–a foregone conclusion, if you will. Life experience and past knowledge of an outcome lead us to make assumptions. We assume that if “A” happens then “B” will occur; it has to because it has
What are your inner critics saying and why? We all have little voices inside our heads. In general, they want to keep us safe and sound. They don’t want us to be embarrassed, feel rejection, or be uncomfortable. To protect us, however, they operate as inner critics. They tell us
Assess Your Leadership Style At CO2 Partners, we encourage leaders looking for a new position or a new career to listen to their inner voice, know their mindset, rank their core values, and discover their strengths. Then it’s time to and assess and fine tune their leadership style. As executive
JAMSHED BHARUCHA, Professor of Psychology, Provost, Senior Vice President, Tufts University explains how to stretch your mind in education. He used to believe that a paramount purpose of a liberal education was threefold: 1) Stretch your mind, reach beyond your preconceptions; learn to think of things in ways you have
30 Meeting Management Rules That Work We operate under the assumption that everyone’s participation and presence in meetings is important. We want to create a culture and community where time is not wasted, opinions are shared freely and honestly, individuals are treated with respect, risk taking and open-mindedness are valued,
30 Meeting Management Rules That Work We operate under the assumption that everyone’s participation and presence in meetings is important. We want to create a culture and community where time is not wasted, opinions are shared freely and honestly, individuals are treated with respect, risk taking and open-mindedness are valued,
It’s the age of multitasking and efficiency, so leaders try to pair celebrations with meetings and other work-oriented activities. Unfortunately, these celebrations feel halfhearted and an awful lot like work. Instead of improving morale, these half-celebrations can drain or kill it. Draw a line of separation between celebrations and work.
Leaders can wear anything from battle armor to, well, nothing (remember “The Emperor’s New Clothes”?). A recent study indicates that maybe leaders (and their team members) should be wearing more white lab coats. This is called the lab coat effect. Two researchers at the Kellogg School of Management found that
Leaders want to stand out. They want to separate themselves from other leaders, their coworkers, and their predecessors. It’s helpful for leaders to remember, however, the importance of fitting in with the group and the power of social contagion. In order to maintain our social bonds, we mimic others. We
Today’s leadership tip on how to avoid superheating new team members comes from thermodynamics. The old adage “a watched pot never boils” reminds us that time passes slower when you’re waiting. On the other hand, if the fire or stove is hot enough, the water does, in fact, boil, whether
Lots of leaders espouse the value of teamwork, but the quality and quantity of work that teams generate depends a lot on how teams are constructed and evaluated. In 1913, Max Ringelmann discovered that men pulled harder on a rope when they were alone than when they were in the
Leaders don’t always operate democratically, but most will solicit views from team members before making decisions. They may ask for a show of hands or “aye” votes. These votes often come after the group has gotten a sense of the leader’s and/or majority opinion. As a result, dissenters may not
Leaders in all spheres–education, business, politics, sports–feel compelled to address short-term concerns, now more than ever. The pressure to show results quickly is so very strong. If positive results don’t come soon enough, leaders are sent packing and roundly criticized. And yet we also want leaders to be mindful of
Most leaders believe it is better to give than it is to receive, but they may not pay attention to giving and receiving patterns, as well as psychological motivations behind these patterns. Ben Franklin said, “He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you
High-performing leaders who want to go from great to greater often believe that executive coaches will require them to do a lot of heavy lifting. Some worry that in trying to fix their weaknesses, they’ll sap some of their strengths. Executive coaches don’t want you to do heavy lifting. They
In his book, Why Smart Executives Fail, Sydney Finkelstein identified Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Leaders. It may not surprise you to learn that ego is at the root of many of these poor habits. When leaders get too enamored with success, themselves, or their organizations–or all three–they underestimate their
In his book, Why Smart Executives Fail, Sydney Finkelstein identified Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Leaders. It may not surprise you to learn that ego is at the root of many of these poor habits. When leaders get too enamored with success, themselves, or their organizations–or all three–they underestimate their
Meritocracies holds a lot of appeal for CEOs and business leaders. Most believe in giving greater responsibility and position to those who have earned the right based on intelligence, effort, achievements, and education. Is it any wonder that Atlas Shrugged (a story of meritocracy by Ayn Rand) is the single
Executive Coaching clients seek wisdom that is memorable and easy to implement. Sometimes that wisdom is geared toward actions they, as leaders, can and should take; other times it’s toward actions they shouldn’t take. HALT falls in the latter category. I learned it from Dr. Faron Hollinger, a former School
Executive Coaching clients seek wisdom that is memorable and easy to implement. Sometimes that wisdom is geared toward actions they, as leaders, can and should take; other times it’s toward actions they shouldn’t take. HALT falls in the latter category. I learned it from Dr. Faron Hollinger, a former School
Joanna Barsh Director at McKinsey & Co. introduces us to the Center Leadership Model.
When helping clients with strategic plans and business model generation, I encourage them to choose one of three paths. These paths are clearly and effectively outlined by Fred Wiersema and Michael Treacy in The Discipline of Market Leaders: Choose Your Customers, Narrow Your Focus, Dominate Your Market: 1) Operational Excellence
When helping clients with strategic plans and business model generation, I encourage them to choose one of three paths. These paths are clearly and effectively outlined by Fred Wiersema and Michael Treacy in The Discipline of Market Leaders: Choose Your Customers, Narrow Your Focus, Dominate Your Market: 1) Operational Excellence
In cartoons, when a character is faced with a tough decision, an angel appears on one shoulder and a devil on the other. Each gets an ear. In real life, we don’t just hear two voices when faced with a tough decision. We hear many voices. You might have the
Some questions do the work of a bulldozer while others do the work of a fork. If you want to learn the most about someone, quickly, dispense with the forks–the “Who…?” “What…?” “Where…?” and “When…” questions. Instead, learn when to ask “Why…?” Why did you make this decision? Why do
Many years ago, Dana Olson and I went to a very elegant Chinese restaurant in New York. It was an intimate space with a clear view of the kitchen. We could see the shrimp we’d ordered being tossed into the wok. The shrimp must have been alive because they screamed,
According to Steve Jobs, the strength it takes to say “No” and eliminate distractions is so important in how we present ourselves and build our organizations. For ten more insights from the American icon, check out these Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs!
Dr. Glenn Wilson, a psychiatrist at King’s College London University, found the IQ of those trying to respond to messages and fulfill work obligations fell by 10 points. That IQ drop is equivalent to losing a night’s sleep or twice the drop seen by those who just smoked marijuana! If you
“Where observation is concerned, chance favors only the prepared mind” – Louis Pasteur It turns out that the number one Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for a sales organization is Revenue to Face Time. In general, the more time a sales person is in front of clients and prospects, the more that person
When you visit lots of different organizations, as executive coaches do, you observe conversations that seem to be in new, arcane languages. That’s because corporate teams and business partnerships frequently use corporate shorthand. They know each other well and want to communicate efficiently, hence the acronyms and code words. What’s
We’re often acutely aware of the things that we lack: money, courage, curiosity, love, talent, etc. We’re less aware of when enough is, in fact, enough—and the consequences of having too much. Many of us are totally oblivious to our Golden Mean. How many cars do you need to collect,
My daughter and I recently finished a two-month “24” marathon, watching Jack Bauer rescue the world. This led to our conversation while hiking in Colorado State Park about how often terrorist attacks are thwarted without our knowledge–for security reasons or simply to keep the public from being any more stressed out
Many leaders today believe in passing decisions down to the lowest level in the organization–to the people on the front lines, interacting with customers. The intent is noble, but the execution is often flawed. Typically, the problem revolves around not sharing crucial, big-picture information. Leaders may not feel that customer service reps need this
We use to have our financials on the third business day of the following month, but before I left the business we were aiming for the last day of the current month. Today, banks can do it much quicker. If you are waiting more than five business days to get your financial information, you are
We use to have our financials on the third business day of the following month, but before I left the business we were aiming for the last day of the current month. Today, banks can do it much quicker. If you are waiting more than five business days to get your financial information, you are
As a leader, do you get bored repeating yourself over and over again? If so, you might be interested to learn that the best managers will follow-up any verbal conversation up in writing (according to a recent study reviewed in HBR). Some repetition, in other words, helps ensure that coworkers get
Rabbi Hillel asked these questions almost two thousand years ago: If not you, who? If not now, when? If not this much, how much? Today, leaders would do well to ask the same questions. Leaders must be the ones who ask the questions and have the conversations everyone else is
Just because you can work effectively and efficiently without getting a reward does not mean that your team, department, or organization can, too! This is especially true of the younger generation. Don’t believe for a minute that is exclusive to them, though. If you are asking yourself, “Why can’t they
If you are defensive, there is likely a story or narrative that is preventing you from seeing or thinking clearly. When we get defensive, we tend to lash outward instead of questioning the beliefs that led to our emotional reaction. Don’t try to justify your defensive behavior. Seek to find
You are bombarded by millions of impressions a week. Some of those impressions are bound to land on one of your areas of interests and begin to distract you. It is not just marketers who spend tons of time and money to understand your preferences; friends, family, coworkers, social and
Whenever we act with an eye toward personal and political consequences rather than mission and responsibilities, we are not leading. It’s natural to imagine personal and political fallout and being unfairly blamed, but don’t let it hold undue sway. Focus on achieving the mission and your responsibilities, and you and your organization will
You are wired to believe you’re right. Imagine if you were not wired that way; you would lack the courage and conviction to tie your shoes, let alone take big risks. There is a danger, though, in believing you’re always right. You will miss out on opportunities to advance and
If your threshold for failure is too short or small, you are likely doing yourself and your coworkers a disservice. When you feel tempted to intervene and make corrections or change course entirely, wait. Waiting allows your coworkers to discover failures on their own and take corrective action. Waiting will
Success is often undone by two things: distraction and shortsightedness. When you’re approaching the finish line for a project or deal, don’t get distracted by the competition behind you or start second-guessing decisions you’ve already made. And don’t focus on the finish line. Focus on a place just beyond the
When you think of your business are you acting as the smartest person in the room or are you asking your customers what they need. Watch this video to get some insight into the difference.
Lefty Gomez, who pitched for the Yankees in the 1930s, said, “It’s better to be lucky than good.” Rather than spend time disputing the value of being lucky vs. good, I recommend using your strengths make luck happen. Try these three steps: 1) Decide what you want to be lucky
The one who takes the notes controls the information. When you’re meeting with your boss, colleagues, or customers, take notes. Then, within 24 hours, send your notes to all participants. Ask if these notes accurately reflect the meeting and the actions that need to be taken (and by whom).
The one who takes the notes controls the information. When you’re meeting with your boss, colleagues, or customers, take notes. Then, within 24 hours, send your notes to all participants. Ask if these notes accurately reflect the meeting and the actions that need to be taken (and by whom).
Traction is written for a very specific target market. It’s for entrepreneurial business owners and leadership teams of small to midsize companies who want help and are open-minded, frustrated, willing to be vulnerable, open, real, and authentic. As it pertains to that market, there really isn’t a book written for
Virtually everything we think and do is generated by questions. In fact, all through the day we ask ourselves multiple questions-from “What should I wear?” to “What should I do with my life?” Our self-esteem, relationships, and careers are all profoundly affected by the kinds of questions we ask. Change
Virtually everything we think and do is generated by questions. In fact, all through the day we ask ourselves multiple questions-from “What should I wear?” to “What should I do with my life?” Our self-esteem, relationships, and careers are all profoundly affected by the kinds of questions we ask. Change
Virtually everything we think and do is generated by questions. In fact, all through the day we ask ourselves multiple questions-from “What should I wear?” to “What should I do with my life?” Our self-esteem, relationships, and careers are all profoundly affected by the kinds of questions we ask. Change
Paul Bennett, Chief Creative Officer, IDEO talks about the importance of asking the right questions.
Brain Tracy Explains the power of asking questions to make a sale.
In the town hall meetings about healthcare reform, President Obama is articulate, charismatic, and a virtual repository of answers and information. He’s playing to his strengths—which is the problem. His approval rating has dipped from 69% at the start of his presidency to 51%, largely because he’s playing The Great
