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The Three-Part Framework for Commanding Presence in the Workplace

Ten years ago, I didn’t have a clue what it meant to have a “presence.” I’d show up, give my stellar presentations and then there was simply crickets. No questions, no dialog and I would return to my desk and continue the work I was paid to do. 

Everything changed when I started my own business and realized how presence impacts decision making.

Through trial and error I began to receive feedback at networking events about my message and my “presence.” I followed the breadcrumbs and made connections between what people were saying and what I was doing which was incredibly time consuming, but worth it. I often wondered what a playbook for executive presence would look like.

While I don’t have all the answers, I’ve distilled my process into a three part formula:

  • Foundation
  • Physical
  • Messaging

Foundation

You need to have a well defined “pitch” about who you are, what do you do and what problem you solve. We want people to remember you for this and practice it over and over again. Write it down. Now practice delivering it as a:

  • 10 second pitch
  • 30 second pitch
  • 3 minute detailed pitch

This is the way conversations start so people get to know you. You will learn when the 10 second, 30 second or 3 minutes are relevant so that people know you and want to learn more about you.

When it comes to a presentation, you always go to your foundation and as an example:

  • Today we are here to discuss the inefficiencies we see in our operations. It’s important to maximize our assets, leverage our resources and be best in class. Through the expertise of my organization, we approach this challenge and apply analytical rigor to find the best solution. 

Always use those talking points: maximize our assets, leverage our resources and be best in class. Soon you will be known to be “that person” to go to for help in that area. 

Physical

There are a few key traits of physical presence that can help attract the right kind of attention when you walk into a room:

  • Confidence – show up as confident, even if you’re shaking in your shoes! Find something or someone to ground you and show up confidence. 
  • Technical Competence – know your stuff. Non-negotiable. Practice with a colleague or practice in a mirror. 
  • Strong Posture -whether sitting or standing you need to find your superman or super woman posture that makes you feel incredible. 
  • Voice – deliver with conviction, conciseness and confidence. I’ve often seen women or men when delivering content always end their sentence with an up-tilt note. This infuses doubt into the listener’s ear for which I suggest you practice ending sentences on a down note. I have some great resources for you on how to practice this skill
  • Appearance:  I hesitate to mention this because it’s not about a new hairdo or a new wardrobe. It’s about wearing the clothes and accessories that communicate a confident image and aligned to your messaging. It sometimes takes an external perspective to fine tune how you look physically and what people actually see in you. 

Once you have these foundational elements in place, it’s now time to take your information or content and to socialize it for support. Make sure that the content you use to communicate information is in a relatable language, you tell the audience what’s in if for them, you qualify the risk & opportunity in quantifiable terms and you come with your own thoughts and proposals. 

This is the culmination of presence; to be seen, heard and respected. You will soon feel yourself being pulled “to the table” more and more; I can promise you.

So how do we bring this all home for you? Let’s review: 

1)     What do you stand for? What do you want to be known for?

2)     Do you physically in all ways convey the message you want to convey both in your voice, delivery and the image people see when I am present?

3)     Content is king, not just what you present, but how it is received by your audience.

When these are in alignment, your presence is seen and heard and I promise you will stand out and be respected.

If this makes sense, I’m pleased you can put this to action.

If you’re still wondering how to put this to action, I am offering you the C-Suite Academy as my offer to help aspiring c-suite leaders take control of their careers based on my 25+ years of experience of navigating the system and learning what it takes to get into the c-suite.

For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

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Resources

Good Reads

Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice Paperback – April 16, 2019by Dr. Laura Sicola I love Laura’s work and she shared with me many tips to even evolve my communication skills 

Good Advice

“Most of the issues that we are experiencing throughout our lives are based on that dysfunctional disconnection between emotions and feelings.” 

–Dr. Kinga Mnich

Listen and subscribe now:

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The C-Suite Academy: How to Decide if a New Job is Right for You

Several of my students have asked me: “How do I decide if a job or opportunity is right for me?” A few years ago, I struggled with the same issue. I’ve made decisions and later found the job was not right and it quickly came to an end. Later in my career, I was more grounded and made better decisions for which I’m grateful. The process of choosing a new job or approaching any big decision can be heavy with emotion and fear of the future.

You start with the emotional roller coaster.  You wonder if you can fulfill the role? You’re excited to share the prospect with others. And then a little thing starts showing up inside of you. You have a sinking feeling in your gut. You try to rationalize these feelings whether good or bad. They can even bring you tears of joy because it’s everything you’ve ever wanted and you feel like you arrived. But in the end you find yourself festering over the details and sometimes paralyzed to make a decision. Emotions wear off and now you’re left with needing better decision making skills. 

Values, Needs & Purpose Framework: 

When making decisions, I find it easiest to ground myself in the following:

My values â€“ family, rest, service, home cooked meals, community

My needs – financial, health, location, retirement, close to family

My purpose  – greater calling or what feeds your soul

It’s important to use this framework and create your own metrics for decision-making – be it a new role or and everyday challenge.

But how do you weigh your choices against this framework? It would be ideal if the choice or opportunity fit all three – values, needs and purpose. When aligned, it’s a green light all the way.

What if your opportunity only checks the box on two of the three?  Could you live with it for the short term knowing it satisfies your values, needs or passion in the long term. Then, you might go for it. 

I was once faced with a job offer where my values & needs were checked, but not my purpose. I struggled with it, but then I took the high road and said, it was a means to the end in achieving my purpose. – then I can live with the decision. That role led me to my dream job 2 years later. 

But what if the role fulfills your needs such as financial, health, location, but it would require violating your values of rest, home cooked meals and it did not fulfill your greater purpose. You could take the role and be successful, but chances are it’s not sustainable.

So if you can’t check the box in all three, for the one you cannot, ask yourself how long are you willing to do without and if only a month, then pass on the opportunity. If you can pause for 2 years, then okay as long as you have a plan to do the work to fill your soul.

This work cannot be done quickly. A disciplined leader has to do a few things in order to move through this: 

Pause & reflect â€“ what are you feeling and acknowledge the energy? It’s important because the chemistry between what you’re feeling in your gut, in your heart and your mind are on high alert and you need to acknowledge it. Your body knows when you’re on the precipice of something new. The body needs some time to equilibrate to recognize this is a place of growth and refining your guiding principles for making a decision.

Look at the framework of Values, Needs and Purpose. If you can check the box on 2/3, you’re in a good place as long as you have a plan to fulfill 1/3 down the road.

If you’re only at 1/3, then evaluate how long you can live in that state of imbalance and if less than 6 months, it may not be right and go in a different direction.

Using the Framework to Make a Leadership Decision

Think of your situation. 

Can you apply the approach of what are your values, needs and purpose and use that to help you make a decision on a new role or position?

By following this framework you respect the weight of the decisions you’re making while building new leadership skills for future decisions.

For example, the next time you need to hire a team member you can ask yourself the three important questions regarding value, needs, and purpose. Do they have the same values and needs that the business has? Do they express a greater purpose for which they can grow with the organization?

If this makes sense and this insight can be valuable to you and others, I’d love to have a conversation to help you or the communities you serve. I can share my insights through a webinar or speak in person. I can share with you The CEO’s Compass, my book that has many of these insights for C-Suites and Aspiring C-Suites. I also offer you my C-Suite Academy that is to serve the Aspiring C-Suite who wants to take control of their career and get promoted. I’m here to help you achieve your goals. 

For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

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Resources

Good Reads

This week, I did not have time to read something new. I’m in a place where I’m managing multiple accounts and instead of filling my mind with new insights I decided to give my mind some rest. Sometimes when you rest, more creativity comes through vs. filling it up with new information. Rest is good I keep telling myself and it may be what you need right now for clarity and decision making.

Good Music

NIGHT Part One: Snow – Solo Pianist George Winston – from DECEMBER

George Winston is an artist I discovered many years ago who’s pieces mirror the seasons of the earth, but also parallel seasons of change and decision making. In this piece, it feels like your heart and mind racing which is what you may face with a difficult decision. Discover this artist as it may speak to your soul. 

Good Advice

“Most of the issues that we are experiencing throughout our lives are based on that dysfunctional disconnection between emotions and feelings.” 

–Dr. Kinga Mnich

Listen and subscribe now:

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C-Suite Academy: Winning over difficult people

I remember having a 1-2-1 with my boss and feeling proud of how well I prepared for that meeting. I knew I was going in with concrete topics I wanted to discuss and solutions to each for a good conversation and enrichment. To my surprise, they said they appreciate my ideas, but told me to only focus on the short term projects and not the long term ones that could make a significant impact. I left the meeting deflated and questioned if I was in the right role or was I doing the right job. I thought my boss was a bit harsh and I couldn’t understand it. I wanted to react, but instead I simply responded with compliance to his request and left the meeting unfulfilled.  

Have you ever felt that way after a meeting? Knowing this can be a challenge for many, I wanted to provide you some insight in how to win over difficult people. 

Check your mindset before evolving new skills to manage difficult people.

The first thing we must do is to check in on yourself and your mindset when it comes to who you “perceive” as being difficult. I suggest you think about a particular situation you’ve encountered and these themes about being perceived as difficult:

  • It’s a gap between your standard of behavior and theirs
  • If you were having a bad day, would you want others to judge you in that moment as the way you are all the time and with everyone?
  • Could there be a reason why they behave that way that is embraced culturally? It may simply be not acceptable in the culture you are familiar with

What does it mean to be perceived as difficult?

Let’s also ground ourselves in what it means to be difficult because these are the items that can trigger you to “react” vs. “respond” and control your interaction with that person.

People are perceived as difficult when: 

  • Micromanaging your work
  •  Come across short – you interpret them as being condescending
  •  Publicly humiliate you
  • Chastise you for sending an email or reaching out to a person in the organization
  • Nit picking about insignificant details in a presentation

So now that we’ve qualified the gap you see in the people and the scenarios for which they show up as difficult, what are some tools you can employ to win over difficult people?

Employ a Framework that assumes the person is good and means well

Starting from a place of assuming the person is just like you and has good intentions. Also know there could be external influences on this person that cause them to behave in a way that could be “survival” in the culture they reside. You can go in with this approach that could improve the outcome of a 1-2-1 with them:

  • Gratitude – thank them for their time, guidance, or feedback. Relate it to a recent issue
  • Acknowledge them – sometimes these individuals are seeking attention and being “loud” or imparting their views is a way that speaks to their value or higher needs. They may not be getting acknowledged by their peers or those higher in leadership. 
  • Discuss the Gap between standards or expectations – this could be behavior, culture or ways of working. Be clear to show your view vs. your bosses view and gain consensus on the gap. Ask probing questions about their view on the gap and ways to close them. Again, it could be they don’t have good skills in communicating gap, so it come across as “difficult”

Try this on a colleague before you try this on the person you perceive as difficult. Once you have the confidence, go in strong expecting the best. The good news is you may come to a higher level of understanding about the person and then you no longer see them as difficult. The even better news is if the person continues their behavior, you’ve at least developed a new skill in having a constructive conversation and you responded with control. This skill can be taken to all parts of your career and personal life. 

So what happened to me and the person I perceived as difficult? I practiced this framework and they no longer picked apart my work. I was gracious to their needs and keep them informed of the work I was doing. They continued to communicate their support for the work I was doing and kindly provided feedback in a way that was constructive vs. destructive in the past. Who knows, I may have taught the other person new ways to communicate! 

Sounds easy? Maybe it is easy, but hard to develop the new skills on your own.? My C-Suite Academy contains content like this and so much more that will help you take control of your career. 

For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat.  I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months.

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Resources

Good Reads

The Trusted Way: A Story About Building a Life and Business of Character Paperback – by Patrick Galvin

I recently interviewed Patrick on my podcast and starting from a place of building trust in relationships can be the foundational skill you need to manage difficult people and conversations. 

Good Music

Touch the Sky – Rise Above (Veigar Margeirsson)

When you are feeling frustrated, an uplifting song that pulls you to a higher level is what this song delivers. I’m feeling overwhelmed and grateful for the work I have now in service to clients and when I feel down, this song and artist lifts me up. I’m strong and I have strong people around me to be successful. I want you to be successful and this is my little gift for you. 

Good Advice 

“You may not be able to change the situation, but you can make decisions

on how to control the situation with the fullest of confidence.”

–Deb Coviello

Listen and subscribe now:

Episode 202: “C-Suite Academy: How to Get Your Boss to Trust You”

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C-Suite Academy: How to Build Trust with Your Manager

I’ve often wondered how trust is earned when it comes to job growth and working independently. We welcome the guidance of those who are trusted with our development. We are excited to learn new skills and show what we’ve learned and demonstrate our value. However, at some point we feel like we have met expectations, yet our work continues to be scrutinized. 

About 5 years ago, I was on a project with my manager to reduce the amount of customer complaints we were receiving. We both had great experiences, but each time we would come together, they would comment on my work and I was never fully aligned with their expectations. With each interaction, seeing it as a learning opportunity, I would ask for clarification on what was expected and I’d go away and work on another part of the project. The same thing would repeat itself because there always seemed to be a bit of information I did not have or understand and my work never quite met standard. It was frustrating and my confidence to provide value kept sinking. I didn’t trust myself and I don’t think the manager trusted me to meet their expectations. 

Do you have a framework to have a conversation to discuss the gap you see?

Try this framework: 

  • Gratitude – always thank them in some fashion – opportunity, meeting with you, helping you to evolve
  • Identify the Outcome of the conversation – these sets expectations at the start
  • Discuss the process in question and the strength first
  • Discuss the process and the gap that detracts from the strength
  • Propose a solution to close the gap or
  • Seek feedback on what would close the gap

You take full control of the conversation!

Having realized there was a disconnect in my boss trusting my work, I arranged for a 1-2-1 to discuss. We soon realized there was a knowledge gap in an area that they assumed I had training. Having realized this gap, they immediately stepped back and filled in the information and context I was missing. Once we took the action to close that gap, I was soon delivering the results they expected. After a short while, they stopped having regular meetings with me and asked that I simply keep them informed. What a relief! 

If this lesson was helpful, but need more support to apply these principles, please consider the C-Suite Academy.

For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat.  I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

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Resources

Good Reads

Climbing The Right Mountain: Navigating the Journey to An Inspired Life

By Tony Martingnettiwho I interviewed recently and his episode will air March 18th on The Drop In CEO Podcast. He has pursued work that fills his soul in coaching people like you to do the work you were meant to do. Even if  you can’t switch jobs or rolls right now, do something on the side that fuels you and someday it can be your life’s pursuit. 

Good Music

Metro Exodus – In The House In A Heartbeat

This song is a little different and has a “James Bond” sound to it. It’s wrought with mystery of the unknown and a little unsettling. I often share these songs with you to share with you how I’m feeling. I’ve recently started a new contract role and feeling a little uneasy and also growing. I’m also launching my C-Suite Academy and while I know it will be successful, until my students say it is a success, it doesn’t matter… yet. So this song is for all of those who are moving forward and while it feels dark or the road less traveled, know that you will come through on the other end better and stronger. 

Good Advice

Sometimes my favorite quotes are the ones that come from my solo episodes. When I’m in flow, I never know what will be said! Enjoy!

“We as a community need to realize the pockets of greatness in our ranks and seek to elevate them.” 

-Deb Coviello

Listen and subscribe now:

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The C-Suite Academy: How to Reclaim Your Confidence

I can still see my mentee in front of me saying, “If I could only gain back my confidence, I can get the job done”. Their eyes were sad, their head was heavy and leaning on their hand and their shoulders were rolled forward. I was taken aback by this experience and the rest of our time together was spent finding the keys to gaining back their confidence. 

How many people reading this feel the same way? We as a community need to realize the pockets of greatness in our ranks and seek to elevate them; simply as part of being part of the human race. 

The causes for losing one’s confidence are numerous, but there is a common thread I see and it’s changing. As children we are fearless and climb, jump and run without fear. We tell stories of far off lands and see colors and shapes as far as the mind will take us. Then as we enter society and the systems seek to mold us into an approved form, we lose our creativity and some confidence along the way. For those that survive the conformity standards of society and continue to see bright colors and shapes are sometimes called out for being different. I’m sad to say that we continue to lose talent and shining stars through this process leaving people feeling unfulfilled and moving through life as a transaction. 

While some will appear successful and be praised and elevated for delivering results these rockstars lose their confidence and fall to the wayside unfortunately. This happens time and time again when the leadership, teams or strategy of companies change and with that change comes a lack of confidence. What worked before no longer works and they see their work no longer having the impact of the past. I could go on and on how I’ve seen this pattern repeat. But as I turn this sad state of our society around, I want you to know that you have the power to change the situation.

When Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz was told she always had the power with her ruby slippers to return to Kansas, so do you have the power to change your situation and regain your confidence. And so did my mentee, who after working with them for 6 months, later emerged into their work environment as a rockstar. The unfortunate situation was that leadership wanted to maintain control as they started to be more visible. The environment got toxic and ultimately my mentee took back control, left the organization and is extremely confident in their new pursuits.

Here are a few key actions for reclaiming your confidence:

  • Know your Strength & Passion and why you are valued
  • Acknowledge the limiting beliefs, but release the narratives in your head as they no longer serve you
  • Seek to understand the other people for their Strength & Passion and pay respect to them. 
  • Keep people informed about your work and engage stakeholders for support
  • Learn how to message your ideas vs sharing information; there is a difference
  • Continually seek feedback – it creates positive and actionable conversations
  • Seek out advocates and mentors to help pull you along. Don’t do it alone
  • Pause & Reflect – evaluate the impact of your actions and what you can change

There could be an hour of conversation on each of these topics, but all of these lessons are taught in my C-Suite Academy and more. I’m opening up my academy very soon and I want everyone who attends to know you can gain back your confidence. You can gain the tools you need to take control of your career and get the promotion or goals you deserve. Don’t let confidence stand in the way. When you can get it back, your results will be limitless. 

For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat.  I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

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Resources

Good Reads

Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow  by Tom Rath. It’s a classic, but as I started at my bookcase, I pulled this one to share with you. I remember reading it and taking the test to discover my strengths. It started to make sense to me when I realized I should not focus on what I was not good at. The results would be marginal at best. But leveraging my strengths  would get me a lot farther. As an example, I’ve been told my voice and how I communicate is both calming and influential. So I spend more time writing, speaking and creating to inspire people. Find your strength and when you focus on that and let the world know, you will inspire others. 

Good Music

Fabrizio Paterlini – Colori

I’m watching the sun rise at 7:28 a.m on 2/9 hoping I can get this copy to my editor in enough time to publish it today (thank you Amanda) and I see a beautiful sunrise with pinks and blues peaking through the branches outside my office window. It’s an uplifting piece of waking moments and slowly easing into a beautiful day. Enjoy!

Good Advice

“Make sure that everything that you’re doing on a day-to-day basis really feeds into that larger plan and that larger goal.”

–Eli Menczer

Listen and subscribe now:

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The C-Suite Academy: How to Manage Your Boss

When you think of model employee traits do you imagine someone who is loyal, obedient, and trustworthy? Someone who listens to and follows instructions? So often we’re taught to be obedient and follow the boss’s lead, but there’s an opportunity to get more out of your relationship with your boss. The truth is, they only know what they know from past experiences. It’s on you as an aspiring C-Suite Leader to take accountability for the outcome of the future and to stay on track with your career.

One of my mentees recently shared with me a question that their boss posed to them. It was during their 1-on-1 where they raised the question about applying for a position. Their boss responded:  “Are you sure you’re ready for that?” And with that, my mentee was taken aback and had to react and justify their position. In my opinion, this was an act of deflection vs. having a constructive conversation. I was saddened to hear my mentee had such a poor experience and this article is dedicated to them with the following tips on “How to Manage Your Boss” and get what you need out of a conversation.

Create a structure around your 1-on-1’s  

Without a compass you are destined to walk around in circles and the same goes for your meetings.  I provide the following framework that you can adjust to suit your needs, but it establishes an expectation for each conversation:

  1. What does your boss need to be successful 
  2. Have priorities changed? 
  3. Personal Development 
  4. Strategic Planning 
  5. Tactical 
  6. Feedback 

It’s a bit of a political game, but you have to make sure at the end of the day you’re meeting your boss’s needs. In some toxic environments, your willingness to help others and extend yourself will be met with adversity and you want to avoid that. In great cultures, your boss will be pleased to see your support.

Change is inevitable so if you had an agenda going in, be ready to adjust your plan while still keeping track of your priorities.

Personal Development

Always start with personal development, because if you don’t you’ll never get to it. This is where you talk about what you’re doing to improve current performance and discuss what needs to be developed to get to the next level. Should your boss be evasive as was with my mentee “Do you think you’re ready,” this is where you can discuss any gaps and actions to close those gaps. You can ask the requirements of the new position. You can ask what they see as the gaps that need to be closed. You can seek guidance on what resources you can use to close the gap; perhaps even shadow someone who has the skills that are missing. You can always get some action out of this conversation so you take control of your growth.

Strategic Planning

I propose we next discuss the larger projects you are on. There is nothing worse than proceeding too far and learning you were not on track. Check in and confirm you are delivering or where you need barriers removed. One more tip; never say things are “fine,” but give three (3) details that demonstrate things are on track. Your boss does not know everything and if they have to report up on the status of a project, you’ve given them the details they need to assure confidence in you and up the ladder.

Tactical

The tactical conversation is about your daily work and interactions to get results on a short term view. So often bosses want to start the conversation there, but only because we’ve not provided them a framework to structure the conversation. It could be this is where they’re most comfortable because they know no better. Always  be prepared with what is working, barriers you’re facing and also solutions you can propose. Never give a boss an option to jump in and solve the issue, but when you come in with your own thoughts, you give them something to respond to vs. react to a problem. 

Feedback

Last, but not least and you’ll hear me talk about this so often, is ask for feedback periodically using qualifying language as to what to Continue, Start or Change. Posing questions in this way will position you for a positive experience and actionable things you can take away… but that’s another lesson for another day.

As for my mentee who I’ve shared this advice with, I am waiting to see if their situation changes. At the end of the day, they at least have a framework for constructive conversions with their boss as well as others.

As for you, I want to see you succeed and I believe these tips will help you to manage your boss. You are the C-Suite leader of tomorrow and I want to see you take control of your career and get promoted.

For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat.  I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months.

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Resources

Good Reads

Your Mid-Career GPS: Four Steps to Figuring Out What’s Next  by John Neral: I recently interviewed John and his work is so aligned to mine; helping Aspiring C-Suite Leaders get their career back on track and get promoted. John is very heart-centric and aligned with the Drop In CEO brand and I look forward to sharing the interview and promoting his book as well. 

Good Music

Future World Music – Aqua Vitae 

This song is for you if you’re going through some changes, both challenging and potentially very exciting. I often share with you how I’m feeling in my business by the songs I spotlight. I’ve started working with a new client and I’m exhilarated by learning about a new industry. I’m also going through a period of feeling uneasy as I’m building a path to serve my client, but also uneasy as to where I can serve and what is off limits. When I serve clients it’s more than a service, it’s for a  lasting impact by elevating people and solving a greater business issue. For now, I’m only being asked to provide a service for which I’m grateful to serve, but sadly I can’t use the full range of my capability. However, as I share in this article, my job is to be in service to my client and ensure they are successful. During the journey, I hope to leave a lasting impact. 

Good Advice

My solo episode from last week is an extension of this post and this is one of the insights I wish to leave with you.

“If your organization is not already having regular one-on-ones between leaders and their people, you can take personal accountability and initiate the conversation, even if it’s not part of the culture.”

-Deborah Coviello

Listen and subscribe now:

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The C-Suite Academy: How to Make Better Decisions

I was at the hospital with my very sick husband and my boss asked me if I wanted to proceed with my performance review. I said yes and the next 45 minutes were a blur as I received a tongue lashing for what I did not accomplish that year. While they acknowledged where I was target in my performance, I did not hear it because I NEVER and I mean NEVER get a poor review. On top of not knowing what condition my husband would emerge from the hospital, I was shell shocked to say the least.

Out of tough times comes reflection and new insights into personal performance for which I soon discovered I did not have good decision making skills when it came to prioritization. The gift of having a negative review was it short circuited the behavior of trying to do everything and failing in some of my priorities. I later took an online course in prioritization and good decision logic. Alas there is good news and bad news from this situation. My boss never followed up with me on how the training went and mentor me through the process. The good news is I practiced these skills on my own for which I’m grateful to carry this forward to teach aspiring C-suite leaders so they don’t have to struggle like I did.

Actionable tips to make a difference in days, not months.

A few simple tips I teach in the C-Suite Academy (CSA) are the following:

  • Write down your core values – by doing this, you establish a goal post for which you make decisions that impact your personal life.
  • Write down why you lead – this gives you clarity why you’ve worked so hard to get to this point and why you want to continue
  • Ask yourself how you lead – this will give you insight if you micromanage and are causing your own stress. 
  • How do you prioritize your work – do you block time to do emails, do you dedicate creative time, if an urgent item comes into your queue, do you have a process to manage it without disruption? I teach the Eisenhower Matrix to help define what is urgent vs. important and it’s been a game changer
  • Do you have a weekly or monthly 1:1 with your boss to manage priorities? If not, start now!
  • Is your boss also a mentor? If not, find that person fast so they can help you with perspective in making decisions while being grounded in your values and why you lead.

I wish I had a leader who would have taught me these things vs. simply giving me a poor review. It is because I was blindsided and had a professional setback that I quickly had to recover and now these insights I can share with you. 

For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply email me or connect with me for a quick chat.  I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

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Resources

Good Reads

Climbing the Right Mountain by Tony Martingnetti

I recently interviewed Tony and can’t wait for his interview to air. His book is an inspiration to help you follow the path you were meant to follow. While moving up in your career you seek to meet all your objectives; but pause and reflect as to what is the work you were meant to do? It may be different. 

Good Music

Music by Kevin Penskin

This song has a slightly sad note along with a playful melody. I often share songs with you that describe the moment I am in. I recently made a slight change to my streams of income in my business to support my goals. I realize it’s a temporary course correction for which it enables me to continue to move forward with my goals; such as the C-Suite Academy. Let me know what inspiration you get from this melody. 

Good Advice

My conversation with Dr. Jason Brooks affirmed my passion to help aspiring C-Suite Leaders. It is my hope and wish through providing you these amazing resources that I can move C-Suite leaders closer to their goals. 

“Leadership is the art of motivating and moving a group of people to

Accomplish a common goal and objective.”

– Dr. Jason Brooks

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Why It’s Time To Take The Doors off the C-Suite

I remember wishing many years ago that I could be a fly on the wall in the C-Suite meetings in order to better understand how and why decisions were made. When I finally got into the C-Suite, I realized that the way executives made decisions required a new level of critical thinking I had to master.

This developmental gap in my leadership training inspired me look for ways executives could be more transparent about the critical skills needed to join the C-Suite, especially for the aspiring C-Suite leaders could step in ready to showcase diverse thinking and innovation for the next generation.

So, why don’t we include the leaders of tomorrow in today’s conversations? Sure, there may be confidential matters that impact the company, but what about the other 75% of the time we spend behind closed doors?

The only thing standing in the way elevating and preparing your leaders is you. 

How will the aspiring C-Suite leaders of tomorrow learn how to present information and make important decisions? Even more importantly, having them with a voice at the table will help us to think differently. Their unique perspective and innocent questions are needed to help shape their future. What prevents us from inviting them to the table? Nothing! The only thing that stands in our way is the conscious decision to invite them. 

And while this piece is speaking to the C-Suite leaders of today, if you’re reading this and are an aspiring C-Suite leader, you can take control of your career now. Ask your boss to see if you can sit in on one of these meetings to observe and learn the process. Explain the value of gaining these insights and how they’ll make you a better leader. Bring those questions back to your 1:1 as part of your career development. By being proactive about your career, rather than wondering how decisions are made, you can learn the process now.  

In an article from Forbes, 14 Smart Ways for Managers to Get to the Next Executive Level , there is a section that mentions being positioned for leadership. While career advancement can be based on merits and politics, being in the right place at the right time with the right advocates can be quite helpful. 

If you google the personal development options for aspiring C-Suites, there is very little except a handful of articles of what to do to get to the C-Suite. All the content and advancement institutes are for the C-Suite executives already occupying that position. The vacuum in providing aspiring C-Suites is immense and I’m here to close that gap because I don’t want to see them struggle as much as I did.

For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply email me or connect with me for a quick chat.  I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

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Resources

Good Reads

The CEO’s Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track by Deborah A. Coviello – I’m suggesting my book this week not out of self promotion, but as a resource that will help you if you’re a C-Suite Leader assess the talent landscape and make changes to better prepare your next level of leadership. I suggest this book to the aspiring C-Suite because I deeply care about you. You can make changes now in the book that will help you to be better prepared for being the leader you were meant to be. 

Good Music

Pianist Marlowe Carruth’s Eternal Light – I often share what is happening in my life by the music that gives me join and this piece is akin to blazing a trail while experiencing joy. I’m starting to hit my stride with my business and creating offers that help the aspiring C-Suite Leader and this song affirms that work. If you need something to get you going on a project, this is a great song. 

Good Advice

“All I want to do is see you successful and struggle less. I want you to live a

fulfilling life for yourself, your family and your community.”

–Deb Coviello

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How to be a Memorable Networker

When you prepare to meet with someone, do you plan for an outcome or are you in the moment? Sometimes having a plan going into a conversation helps to ground you and ensure you get what you need from that interaction. This can avoid frustration for a person who perceives the balance of power may not be in their favor, a plan can be a crutch to get what you want. 

On the other hand, being present to simply experience the natural flow of a conversation is also quite powerful. Simply enjoying conversation that volleys back and forth is a great way of connecting with someone and enjoying the time learning about another person. Both of these approaches are good. 

As you ponder your approach to networking or conducting business, I have a few tips:

Don’t lecture!

After sharing how we were introduced, a little chit chat about the weather and where we live in the United States, I asked “so tell me more about yourself.” I wish I had never asked that question. The person proceeded to do a whiteboard presentation non-stop for the next 15 minutes sharing their unique thought leadership. It was very interesting, but when they stopped they asked “do you have any questions?” 

I was at a crossroads between acknowledging their amazing perspective and reacting to them that I felt lectured. I was so frustrated because they knew nothing about me and what information might be relatable to me personally or my business. It was one-sided and I was put off. However, I took the high road and shared my thoughts and simply asked the question, did they want to learn more about me? I must have caught them off guard and then they realized they had lectured me and back-tracked and asked to learn more about me. 

The rest of the time together was me trying to fill in a bit more about who I was and by the end of 30 minutes we had not built a meaningful relationship; simply an exchange of each other’s resume. The only memory of the person I had was talking points and little else.

Don’t let this be you! A conversation is about creating connection and we can only do that by volleying questions back and forth until we find deeper points of conversation. The specifics of what is exchanged is not important. If you want to remember the technical expertise of a person, you can ask for links to their website, social media or copies of their content for later reference. 

Do you know of people that are like this that you must interface with and you never seem to get across your points or evolve the relationships? What can you do to break the cycle and create a more meaningful exchange?

If networking is still a challenge for you, I offer a few suggestions:

  • Always have some small agenda to know what you need to keep it on track – introduction, points of common interest, learn about them, and ensure you have time to share what you do. 
  • Learn the art of interrupting. It could be as subtle as saying “I know what you mean” or “I agree with that statement.” Talking over them or finishing a sentence is an easy way to wake up the other person that they’ve been talking to for too long. They soon realize they’ve been talking too long and instantly yield to you and your point.
  • Wait until they’re done. Acknowledge them for their information. Share that they’ve used up the time and would be interested in a follow up conversation. They will soon recognize the error of not giving enough time to you to speak. They will often apologize and very quickly agree to giving you equal time and schedule the follow up. If they were not interested in the relationship they may say they’re open to a follow up meeting, but they’ll soon forget. They show their hand that they were not interested in being memorable. 

Ask more questions

Conversation should be approximately 50/50 in sharing of information and asking questions of the other person. The more you ask questions, the more the person appreciates you finding them interesting. You have touched on an emotional center and you are creating strong chemistry. Another important technique is to respond to the person about what you liked about what they said and the impact. You may share a quick story about yourself and how it aligns to your situation. Then ask another question to show deep interest.

The pitfall of this approach is it is a balance. There are some people that constantly ask you questions about yourself and after speaking or answering their questions, you’re exhausted and don’t know anything about the other person. Learn the art form of sharing your stories, but then ask them a question to turn the conversation around. Remember this is about seeking connection and you need to understand the other person’s stories, their values and points of similarity and differences. If the person has a hidden agenda, they’ll keep asking you questions. If they’re sincere about the relationship, they’ll start sharing their stories. 

Remember, it’s about the bond of connecting with the person that is important. We might forget some details, but I do encourage you to take notes for future reference if you continue to build the relationship. They will appreciate you remembering finer points of their personal life. You become “that guy” or “that gal” that people will say, “you got to meet this person because of something they remember you by. 

If you are an aspiring C-Suite Leader who wants to take control of their career, but still finds interactions challenging, I’d love to speak with you. This message is also for the leader of an organization who’s team has not mastered these skills; I can help. 

Simply email me or connect with me for a quick chat.  I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

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Resources

Good Reads

The book of Storytelling by Michael Davis  Professional speaking is in my wheelhouse and I’m forever refining my craft to connect with people. Michael Davis has been on my podcast and I on his. He has amazing resources including this book that will help you be a more effective speaker and connect with your audience. 

Good Music

Juniper by Philip Daniel it’s another light piece that inspires me to think of positive experiences, exchanges with individuals and the possibility of creating value for others. Simply enjoy and think about the feelings it evokes in you. 

Good Advice

“Speaking is serving. It’s not about me. I’m the messenger. The most important

thing is the message.”

–Lisa Evans

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Three Things CEOs Do to Make Their Year Successful

As I looked around the table at the amazing talent I had assembled for learning about the North America Quality Group, I realized I had a BIG problem. They were all respected subject matter experts, but they lacked leadership and influence skills. Normally I would have to play block & tackle to drive initiatives where my team lacked those skills. Instead I took personal accountability to elevate their leadership skills for a greater impact. 

Does this sound familiar? Have you been fortunate enough to have an amazing talent pool, but felt depleted because so often you would have to make up for short-comings in their skills? Do they have challenges handling conflict so you have to step in? Do they know their “stuff,” but can’t drive change with consensus? Do they focus on simply transactional work and can’t create a strategy to drive long term change? These are some of the most common pitfalls I see in a team of experts for which you and I as leaders must fill in the gaps. There’s an easier way in 2022 to achieve your goals with less effort.

I’ve seen many leaders of teams struggle with this issue. However, if you are reading this and you’re an aspiring C-suite leader who simply needs some tools for elevating your capability, you’ve also come to the right place. I’m here to help you as well. 

Build a strategy for accountability

First things first; do you have a strategy for 2022 goals? These can be personal or for your organization. If not, have you ever built a strategy? In my last corporate role, I had to duct tape my strategy, taking the corporate strategy and modifying it to my role and my deliverables. I later realized my team also did not have the skills to build a strategy and a roadmap to drive change within their function. It became apparent to me that the framework did not exist and I created it in my book The CEO’s Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track. 

Once you’ve built the strategy, you need an accountability tool to keep yourself on target each day, week and month until you’ve achieved the goals. I created this accountability tool for myself and it served as the foundation for helping my team do the same for their deliverables. In my book, we further discuss restructuring the monthly one-to-one meetings to focus on essential skills needed to achieve the goals and then on the strategic deliverables. The monthly one-to-one’s served as team accountability to ensure they had everything they needed to be successful. 

A leader needs personal accountability to allocate some time each day to advance the strategy. I find when I work with leaders to provide the framework they need, it makes the process quite easy and you get a higher success rate in achieving your personal and team goals. 

The book The CEO’s Compass has links to resources pages for all of the tools and templates you need to build a strategy and for personal accountability. If you need me to walk through this with you, let’s book a short call so I can support you. 

Have the courage to ask for help

Let’s assume that building a strategy and having monthly accountability sessions with your team makes sense, but you realize developing their essential skills needs more work than you have capacity. What do you do now? You may reach out to HR for resources or google a workshop that you think can help, but in the end, these resources only deliver awareness, but rarely achieve noticeable results. Developing essential skills takes teaching and mentoring for sustainability. You know this in your gut, but still feel helpless to know what to do next. And while you’re mulling this capacity & capability issue, you’ve gotten 50 more emails and the phone is starting to ring. You put this task aside only to realize it’s going to come back and bite you. 

I knew this challenge when I was leading an organization and I had to develop those skills while also doing my job as the Director of Quality. From this experience, I developed the C-Suite Leadership Academy designed for the leaders of tomorrow that is ready for deployment and in partnership with your needs. We offer group training and individual coaching to build the unique capability for each individual. I extend this offer to you because I know the challenges you have ahead of you and I simply don’t want to see you struggle anymore. I want you to move from saying “How do I have time for this” to “I’m grateful I’ve found a partner that can help guide me.” 

The only thing standing in the way of making a decision is something as simple as courage. It is having the courage to simply ask for help to build the capability you need on your team. If this makes sense, but you’d like to learn more about applying it to your situation, you can email me or simply grab a few minutes on my calendar. 

Make value vs. cost-based decisions

I’d like you to take out a piece of paper and pen and go through a quick exercise to estimate your time spent in mitigating issues. These are issues that you had to jump in and “fix” something because your team did not have the essential skills. It’s a quick formula, but it may make decision making easier based on value vs. simply cost: 

Value = # Hours / Month resolving issues X your $ Hourly compensation

For Example, if you spend 5 hours per month resolving an issue and your hourly rate is $75 per hour, the formula would look like this:

5 hours X 75 per hour = 4,500

Value  = $4,500

What if you invested that same amount of your value into developing your people. Sure, you still need to coach them, but you gain back the time you need to work on strategic work. Remember you are accountable for the strategic work and through your leadership and courage, you can leverage resources to round out the capability of your team. 

Now, let me be transparent with you. I WISH I had the external resources to have helped me to develop the essential skills of my team. It was a lot of work to coach the skills they needed for higher impact.  Because I did the hard work to see what was needed and I now have clarity and an offer to help build that capability for you. If you see the same gap on your team, I’d love to help you. 

Simply email me or connect with me for a quick chat. 

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Resources

Good Reads

“The Inside of my Eyeballs” by Deborah A. Coviello – a little bit of humor, but seriously, these past weeks I focused on sleep… a lot of sleep! While many take this time to rest and catch up on reading, I took the position to empty my brain and simply “being” vs. “doing”. By doing so, I was able to create my goals and strategy for 2022. Now that it’s running, I can make time to read again and share my best with you. 

Good Music

“Blizzard” by Thomas Bergersen – this week the temperatures are changing and winter is finally arriving where I live in Cincinnati Ohio. While people make preparations for “the worst” when a Blizzard comes through, I see it as an opportunity to hunker down and reflect on it’s beauty and powerful force. The beautiful snow represents new beginnings and a clean slate. The immense impact of nature can be yours as well. Is 2022 your year to make a major impact? 

Good Advice

“If you want to be unleashed and you want to be unstoppable, you need to clear out your subconscious mind with anything that’s holding you up.”

-Mike “C-Roc” Ciorrocco

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P.S. Do you have insights to share with CEOs? I’m currently accepting applications for my weekly live show on LinkedIn. You can apply here.

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