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How to Create Emotional Consistency as a Leader

Update on Reagan: Thank you to all who have expressed their sympathy on his passing; it has meant a lot to us as we celebrate his life and feel less sadness. There’s a void, but the memories make us smile. As we exit this story, it feeds into the topic of how to create emotional consistency as a leader when faced with challenges.

When we are exhausted from overcoming challenges and dealing with overload, we must find the mental fortitude to keep it going. Even when the team bears bad news, we must behave with emotional consistency to tackle it head on. We must rally the troops and foster their creativity and intellectual horsepower to rise above and become better. It’s not firefighting, which can be negative and draining. Instead, we must create positive energy and help the team climb the mountain. 

Moving from Chaos to Control

I had a client that needed a certification and we had arrived at that final date. We had worked tirelessly to prepare the team, dotting I’s and crossing t’s to unfortunately come up short with one minor finding. It was not a full system breakdown, nor a crisis, but it was an overwhelming event for the client who expected to come out of this with their certificate. It is rare to receive their certification on the first try, but it was clear they were going to be delayed. The team was a bit emotional and I was as well, but I knew the process. I knew that a thorough investigation into the matter, correcting the deviation and setting up the system to error proof in the future was the path forward. While the team was down, I had renewed energy knowing I could take them through the final few steps to certification. Within hours after the auditor parted, we cleared off the table, created a problem statement, a detailed analysis, had a solution in place and understood how to set up their systems for success. We returned a response to the auditor within a few days and 3 weeks later the client received the certification. When all was said and done, the client said to me, they couldn’t have done it without me. They were panicked and needed a guide to see them to the finish line. In these times, we must be that steady hand to listen, ask questions and guide. 

The point of this story: When the team is down, but you can see a path forward, you can energize the team through the challenge for which their pride will shine through. Now I turn to you to provide a framework you can apply to your teams: 

Emotional Consistency as a Leader Framework

It’s so easy to get caught up in the details and firefighting. It’s time to show consistency in how you behave. A few simple tips will enable you to be emotionally consistent for your team: 

  • Breath / slow it down / take a moment before jumping in.
  • Listen and ask clarifying questions – slowing it down
  • Ask for their opinion or how to address and continue to listen
  • With clarity, come forward with clarify the problem and path forward based on the collective input
  • Ask, how can you help with next steps?

 What this has done is slow things down for you and the team. You remain calm because you’re buying some time to think and process. Your team will feel a sense of calm because you’re not reacting as they may in the moment, but instead responding with steadfast confidence on the course of action.

This consistent calm and clarity seeking persona will help your team remain optimistic and excited to do what is needed.

I once had someone say my voice is so calming despite chaos and I now turn to you to find the calm that is  needed for your internal self and what your team needs.

Remember: Slow it down / Listen & clarify / Ask for input/ Ask for solutions/ Clarify the path forward / How can you help.

On a personal note:  a past client said my voice is so calming and how  it helped the team focus on the problem at hand. When you hear feedback like this, you know you’ve mastered the skill of managing optimism and creating excitement. 

Now is the time for you to collect your thoughts and take action. 

To hear more about my story about How to create emotional consistency as a leader, please tune into my podcast that is releasing this Friday 5/5/23. 

Maybe you simply need a support system to apply these new insights. I find leaders simply need a place to talk through the challenges and that’s why I created The Drop In CEO Collective, a forum for C-Suite leader support. To learn more about our next event, you can visit our page and register. 

Would you rather have a quick 1-2-1 to discuss your specific challenge? Could The Drop In CEO be your support system? Direct Message me on LI or contact me via my website and let’s have a conversation. Until then, I wish you much success. 

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How To Be The Leader You Are Meant To Be

So often aspiring C-Suite Leaders think they still have a long hill to climb when all they need to do see themselves at that level. I’ve met so many talented people that should be in the C-Suite, even if they have many of those skills. When I meet one of these individuals I try to put a mirror in front of them so they can see what they cannot see. Here are some ways they can be behave like they’re in the C-Suite and then other will see them as well.

Learn how to do Strategic Planning

If your leadership doesn’t paint a picture of what the future looks like, why not you? I have found once you can see the future, create a vision, identify guiding principles, pillars, detailed plan and needed resources, your confidence builds and you’ve crafted a strong message to communicate. Bounce it off colleagues, enrich it with their feedback and soon you’ll find others migrating to you as a true leader.

Listen and ask more questions

The person that sits quietly and listens to the collective input of the team slows the process down and can gain clarity in the situation. When people are part of the brainstorming or data download, they lose perspective. Slowing your mind down and asking more questions can get more data for you to formulate a response. The combination of listening, asking, reframing and coming forward with perspective is what your team needs and to set them on the right track. It takes discipline to be present and speak last, but the team will follow you or pull you for your perspective over and over again.

Have the courage to blaze a new path

I promise you if you have a crazy idea or a proposal that requires courage to come forth, others will cheer you on because you had courage. You need to be the voice that presents an alternate view and even if it’s met with dissent, you’ve pulled a conversation forward. It could be with your courage, you spawn the conversations that need to be had, but others were afraid to go first. You may be stirring the pot, but people need you to do that; if not you, then who?

While I could enrich this with stories of my own, I wanted to impart these thoughts for you to consider. If they resonate with you, let’s partner on your path to the C-Suite. Let’s talk; a quick 15-30 minute conversation may be all the support you need. If you need more, I offer a twice a month forum called The Drop In Collective; you can network, learn new skills and receive spot coaching on this topic or anything else where your struggling.

If this is you, don’t wait to invest in yourself. Have the courage to elevate yourself; the world is watching.

Be well-Deb

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Self-Doubt, Adaptation, Failure: What to Do When You Miss the Mark

This past weekend, I planned every detail for serving 100 people at a curling tournament and planned every last detail to create an amazing experience.  Everyone said the food & hospitality was great, but I was so hard on myself when I failed twice. My homemade mac n’cheese was a big hit, but I underestimated the amount to make. People came to me looking for more of it for which I smiled and redirected them to the abundant soup, salad and bread. While there was plenty to continue to feed them, I shrugged off that miss only to make another mistake. We ordered sandwiches for Sunday pick up, but when my volunteer confirmed I had ordered it for Saturday instead, I couldn’t believe I made that mistake. We picked up the sandwiches and stored them until Sunday. I soon learned that bread can not withstand salad dressing and tuna fish for 24 hours. I felt so bad, but did anyone really notice? Probably not, but I did and again felt I missed the mark. 

So what does too little mac n’ cheese and soggy bread have to do with business? It is a story about being human and how we are conditioned to respond to such failure.  In business we fail to prepare leaders to manage these setbacks. We focus on the 1% of failure and fail to celebrate the 99% of successes we take for granted each day. I see so many C-Suite leaders of today and tomorrow lacking a framework, I’m compelled now to share some ideas to change your mindset. 

What to do when you miss the mark!

Self Doubt: Acknowledge it! By doing so, it shows you’re growing. Reflect on why you feel this way. Did anyone else doubt you or just you? Was there an experience in the past that you’re projecting now? It’s okay to have these feelings, but the key is in how fast you can move on. What did you learn? Can you take note and apply next time? Self doubt can quickly move you to action.

Adaptation: With this new insight, can you create a system that helps you to adapt to self doubt, identify an action, improve and repeat. Adaptation is your skill to respond to changing conditions and the ability to execute with a new current state. Did you make a mistake in a presentation? Could you have reviewed with others in advance? If yes, can you do this going forward to minimize risk? I know you can! So is it really self doubt any longer?

Let’s talk about failure: I suggest you shift your mindset. Consider you have 100 opportunities of success each day. How do you feel about being 99% successful? You wake up in the morning, take your vitamins, put out the trash, pack your lunch, get the kids to school on time… why do we adopt the narrative of failure? Could we celebrate 99% good and with that 1%, celebrate an opportunity to improve? If nothing else, you build a good story to tell others and get a laugh from our humanity!

Returning back to mac n’ cheese and soggy sandwiches… I now know that curlers are hungry people; really hungry! If I have to feed 80, I now know to prepare for 90. With regard to ordering food a day early; next time I’ll have someone else check my work. Error proofing was not built into my process. I’ve accepted this and despite some soggy sandwiches, I had plenty of soup and other leftovers to keep our curlers happy! 

Now is the time for you to collect your thoughts and take action. 

Don’t let “missing the mark ” be your narrative and dictate your ability to adapt and and improve everyday. You know you’re wildly successful and occasionally you’ll be human in the process.

Are you getting ready to do another presentation, but you fear failure because your last one did not go so well? Did you fail to get that initiative over the finish line, but learned more about stakeholder management? Not sure how to manage through another crisis because the last one you were in did not fare so well?

Maybe you simply need a support system to apply these new insights. I find leaders simply need a place to talk through the challenges and that’s why I created The Drop In CEO Collective, a forum for C-Suite leader support. To learn more about our next event, you can visit our page and register. 

Would you rather have a quick 1-2-1 to discuss your specific challenge? Could The Drop In CEO be your support system? Direct Message me on LI or contact me via my website and let’s have a conversation.

Until then, I wish you much success. 

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How The CEO’s Compass is helping The Drop In CEO

Every 6-12 months I feel off track for which the book, The CEO’s Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track becomes my own self help book. Chapter 1 is titled: It’s Personal – What changed and why are you off track” followed by a quote on the facing page:
 
 “Having Clarity amidst chaos cuts through the noise.” -Deb Coviello.

I was feeling off track, took some time to reflect if I was still committed to my work. I then took some time to declutter my life as it got real messy again. I had so much I wanted to accomplish, but my efforts were diluted and not having the impact I wanted. When I looked at, I found comfort in my chapter on “People: They’re your greatest tool in your tool box” for which I realized I needed help to move my business forward again.

One of the challenges I see in CEO’s is they lack the courage to ask for help until it’s too late and then they wonder why they are in crisis. Fixing the issue becomes so much more expensive than had they moved faster with external support. I see the same challenges in businesses going through Mergers & Acquisitions. They focus on the transaction and lose sight of evolving the leadership team. Businesses spend a lot of money on consulting companies to complete the project, but have they actually created chaos? The leadership teams are not equipped with the tools to sustain the new business model. I often wonder how many companies out there could use Drop In CEO services to bridge the gap between the past and the future state. Any M&A leaders out there, just know I’d love to speak to you to  help navigate the process more smoothly. Just reply to this email as I’d love to pick your brain to help with this challenge. 

So getting back to my story about getting back my story… you will be seeing a lot of changes that evolve Illumination Partners, LLC (my business entity) and The Drop in CEO (my brand) to bring our team closer to my community: C-Suite Leaders of Today, C-Suite Leaders of Tomorrow and Sponsors & Advocates for our work. I’ve called in the calvary to support me through content writing, marketing, video & audio production and even a refresh on our brand images. I’ve set an intention on investing what works and having the courage to ask for A LOT of help! 

I’m grateful I wrote the book, The CEO’s Compass to help C-Suite Leaders of today. It servesso as a gentle reminder for myself to stay on track and make course corrections as needed to enable me to be in service to my community.

Look for a refreshed look to my Get to the point Newsletter in the coming weeks that we hope will increase the value to you and make it a go to resource for you, your teams and the network. 

If you would like to learn more about the book, you can also visit my website  to preview and order your copy. Let me know how I can help you. I’d love to support you. Until then, I wish you much success-Deb
New Date / Times for The Drop In CEO CollectiveI’m so excited about the conversations and value we’re providing attendees of the Collective.

Each week, I teach people different approaches to networking that will make you memorable vs. an elevator pitch.

We bring forward educational content from our podcast or even from the community to teach you skills needed for the C-Suite. 

The spot coaching is also amazing as it’s not just from myself, but the Collective can help you also navigate your challenges. 

I appreciate the feedback about the dates / times and with that we will offer our next Collective on Monday March 20th at 12:00-1:00 and 4:00-5:00 ET to see if this will make it easier for you to invest in your career. 

If you cannot make this session, but know of someone who would benefit, please pass this along so they can register. 

This is complimentary because I care about supporting you and The Drop In CEO Community. 
Click here to get your initiation
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What C-Suite Leaders are missing to get back on track

On the way to work I got a flat tire. Nothing special, it’s happened to all of us! The unfortunate thing was the people who installed it completed a transaction and got paid for putting on a new tire. However, they never drove it around to assure the seal was intact and the vehicle was safe. As a consumer, I want the assurance that I don’t have to worry about the flat tire happening. While driving at high speed, all of a sudden my tire pressure alert came on and showed it dropped from 35 to 20 and ultimately to 6. I was rescued by AAA and got my tire repaired by my tire dealer who said it is possible there was dirt that enabled a leak and a loss of pressure. They added bead seal and assured me after pumping it back up, it was safe.

The problem with this situation is the service provider was seeking a result – install a tire and get paid. For the consumer, I wanted Peace of Mind; knowing my vehicle was safe and the service provider had assured the workmanship was sound and validation the car would work in the end application. A big fail from a consumer perspective.

Yet the same pattern exists for C-Suite leaders; getting the results and claiming success. I propose to you that C-Suite leaders who seek results are in reality in pursuit of Peace of Mind; knowing they can sleep at night and won’t get that late night call.

Peace of Mind is a state of being for which you know you, your team and the consumer is cared for. It’s not a number, but when you do the right things and see the consumer happy, you know you have Peace of Mind.

I felt very dissatisfied after the transaction with the tire repair place and I have my fingers crossed each time I get into my car. However, this story is meant to inspire those leaders who seek results and then realize there was a better way of helping their teams to perform at the highest level based on purpose and elevating individual performance.

I would love to give a copy of my book The CEOs Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track to the tire repair place so they can assure their customers Peace of Mind. If you don’t want to be “That Person” who is only seeking results and truly understands that pursuing Pease of Mind is a better use of their time, consider a copy of the book to help you get there with The CEO’s Compass. 

If you would like to discuss more your situation and how Peace of Mind will get you to a different place because you’re stuck and don’t know how to get back on track, please reach out to me. I can be your compass and guide.

-Deb Coviello

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3 Reality Shifts That Will Change the Trajectory of Your Career

“Deb, do you have a minute?”, “Deb, can I ask you a question?”, “Deb, I’d like to bounce something off of you” are some of the things people are saying to me recently.  When the universe speaks to me, it’s clearly a sign that more of you are having the same challenges. There are important #RealityShifts that I want to share with you based on these recent conversations for which may change the trajectory of your 2023 career goals. Ready to read on?

Before I share the reality shifts you need to make, I want to give you some context of why these stories are the trends I’m seeing in talent as they struggle to break out and be the leaders they were meant to be. While the media & guru’s push the narratives of the “Great Resignation”, “Silent Quitting” or “Work from Anywhere”, are these really the topics we should be speaking about? I believe the root cause of all these Trends is a growing phenomenon called the “Human Awakening”.

We are realizing the energy we’ve invested in a corporate conformist society has taken a toll on who we want to be in pursuit of purposeful work. While we’ve enjoyed the experiences and resources of a traditional corporate pursuit, we are getting very, very, very restless about the work we were meant to do and how do we rediscover the person we once were. At the core of all these recent encounters is a yearning to do something different, but they are stuck for which I want to share some insights.

Start describing yourself as how you change lives & businesses

A new acquaintance of mine wants to elevate their side gig to full time pursuit as they think of retiring. They love both careers, but one is pulling them towards more purposeful work. During our casual brainstorming sessions, they describe what they do in terms of functional title: Coach, Advisor, Consultant. The problem with this, is you put yourself in a box with the thousands of others that label themselves as a title or function.

To stand out from the crowd, I recommend you describe yourself in how you change lives and business. Rather than saying I’m an Executive Leadership Coach, start saying “I help talented leaders rediscover their passion for play and make work fun again”. Wow! That’s certainly different and differentiates you from everyone else.  Think of it as a living Eulogy of what people would say about you when you’re not there.  

Start speaking as if you were in the next role you aspire to

I would be rich if I could monetize every person who shared their story with me about “I’m not this”, I’ve never been in that role, I can’t be that because I don’t have this” …Ugh, please stop saying what you’re not, but start speaking as if you are! Then if there are gaps, you address how you’ll fill in those gaps.

A colleague of mine is in career transition, and they are reflecting on what they’ve done and seeking new opportunities in what they have done in the past. They don’t see themselves as the next level higher such as the president or CEO of a company. They kept focusing on what they are not and not listening to who they are already qualified to be. I jolted them by saying, you’re already acting at the next level, but you don’t realize it. They stopped dead in their tracks and said they never thought of themselves in that way.

When we think about the skills we bring to the table, the title is simply a validation that we have everything we need to be successful. Where there are gaps, we are resourceful in bring in subject matter experts to advise us.

Could you shift your mindset and start thinking about yourself in the next role and the qualities (not qualifications) that are needed? Do you have most of the skills already and can picture yourself in the role? I can tell you that magic starts to happen as your mind shifts to a new persona. You have been the only you have been holding yourself back. Could we stop doing that and start being the person in your next role?

Start bringing who you are outside of work into your work

An old colleague of mine reached out to me who is thinking of a career transition. They know I’ve been through the same process and wanted to have a chat with me and pick my brain. They shared in advance some assets that floored me when it came to describing their history. Far different than a resume or website was the richness of color and their life passions which they brought forward in the copy. They were marketing a human being, rich with stories and pursuits vs. a resume of qualifications. They were interesting and fun and a person I would want to have a drink with and want to learn more about.

So why is it we go to work and check the human at the door? Yes, we’ll talk about our weekends with the kids and their soccer matches over coffee, but after these cordialities, its’ back to the grind. There’s a deeper message in bringing the human into the workplace far more than before. It’s about being authentic in your gifts and imperfections. It’s about discovering what makes you unique & interesting to others. It’s about being the human that comes naturally vs. conforming to a formal structure. I’m not saying you should be crazy, silly & reckless in the workplace, but stop being someone who you’re not!

I have recently started talking about Curling, Podcasting, writing a book, blogging, cooking, having 3 kids in Europe and everything that I’m passionate with anyone and everyone who I meet. I’m far more interesting to others than being “The Drop In CEO”, a coach or business advisor. I’m letting myself be myself, which to some it’s called a “Personal Brand”, but we are unique in that way. When we conform to ways of working like everyone else, we lose ourselves. When we position ourselves as the collective of all our passions & pursuits, we become much more interesting, and doors open. We are no longer that resume that goes in the “No” pile but move into the “Interesting” pile.

The shift is to start being the person who you already are into work, so we no longer have energy shifts into who others expect us to be. People might not like who you are or won’t find you interesting. But then you can determine if this is your tribe or should you be someplace else. It’s a risk worth taking to change the trajectory of your career.

Now let’s talk about you. Do you have questions about the trajectory of your career and don’t know who to talk to? Consider The Drop In CEO Collective where I bring together passionate leaders who want to make a difference, but need support. In the Collective we learn new skills, strategically network with others seeking the same goals and you get spot coaching that is complimentary. Now ask yourself, are you work investing 60 minutes a month into your career? Are you stuck and need someone or a group to bounce ideas around. I’m extending this offer to you and if you’re interested, message me so I can share an invite only link to attend. #askDeb

Are you ready for making a reality shift in your career or will you continue to follow the societal imposed trends? Take control now and let me part of your path forward and creating your 2023 career goals.

Until we meet, be well!

-Deb

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Why Do We Need a Holiday to Show Thanks?

As children, we are taught to say “Please” and “Thank you”, show kindness to those less fortunate, and lift up our hearts to a higher being to show our gratitude for the opportunity to create on this earth. While I enjoy gathering with family, enjoying good food, cheer & laughs, I often wonder why the reminder. Now, I know my history for which our ancestors celebrated the harvest with community. It is simply something we should think about everyday; giving thanks to all who come across our path. The title of this article may be a bit counter to the posts we see on social media and the news, but I look at things differently for which I’m grateful for a moment or two of your time. 

Almost every email or social media post, I thank the person for the information they shared with me or something about the conversation we had. When we lead with gratitude, human nature reciprocates much faster than the alternative. In this fast paced environment, this is one of my super tools to get faster responses. 

I was in a meeting recently for which I was new and the leader spent extra time giving me context for the meeting. I did not want to embarrass  the person as I was fully briefed on the issue. Instead, I thanked them for the context, that I was previously briefed and I wanted to yield to those who came to resolve issues and I would catch up with them later to fill in the blanks. The leader was keenly interested in me for which we scheduled a 1-2-1 right after that meeting. Gratitude resulted in faster human connection.

My schedule constantly fills up with networking opportunities for which I often have to delete meetings that don’t serve me at that time. Recently I canceled a meeting due to other priorities, but I thanked the person for their professional relationship and would maintain them in my referral database. While I may not have an immediate need to connect, I’ve shown gratitude for which we maintain the relationship and may be top of mind in the future.

What came easy as a child to show thanks should come easy everyday; not only as humans we have a duty to connect, but in business it can make things so much easier. Unfortunately or fortunately, showing consistent gratitude sets you apart as a leader for which others will follow.

Now take a moment and reflect on your encounters and evaluate how often you express gratitude to others? Could you add 1-2 more each day to build up this skill? What would the next and the next day look like? Would it get easier? And what might the impact be in terms of relationships?

For me, it is paying dividends as people I’ve met over the last 2 years while we don’t engage constantly periodically reach out to me and say “Deb, do you have a moment?”. 

Let me know showing gratitude has been of value to you; and remember we can celebrate Thanksgiving everyday! 

Be well-Deb

Thank you for reaching the bottom of my article! Can I be of more service to you?

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How to be the leadership voice for those who do not have one

How to be the leadership voice for those who do not have one

While traveling with my son in Germany, we happened upon the Berlin wall for which numerous artists articulated messages such as the one I am sharing now. When I look at this artwork, I see so many voices trying to be heard and those fading off in the distance who no longer have a voice. As I ponder the meaning for me, I am grateful for my ancestors who came to the US from Austria, Czechoslovakia and Russia seeking opportunity for which I realize a better life.

I often wonder if my fierce independence is the culmination of all the DNA from those who took a risk and were driven for success. I also think of those who don’t have the confidence or opportunity to be heard. That is why much of my passion is to help elevate those who have lost their voice.  It’s in my DNA and why I share these thoughts with you. 

Insight: Be the leadership voice for those who do not have one.

Context: Whether you are already a people leader or simply an individual contributor, do you truly see those around you whose voice is not heard? Are there people that are scribbling notes in a meeting, looking down as you pass them or rush off after a meeting hoping no one will ask them a question. Think about those people and ask yourself if they need someone; possibly you to be there to listen to and potentially be their voice to elevate them? 

Impact: By simply being in tune with the people in your environment, you may see someone that because you asked them what they were thinking, you may awake them to use their voice. You can also hear their stories and elevate their thoughts if you have the access and communication skills to advocate. By being in service to just one person, their unheard or faded voice can be front and center; forever changing the trajectory of that person’s life. 

In real life: Reverting back to my son who is serving in the military, I asked him over dinner if he enjoyed his work and why. He responded that he loves his work because 1) he loves his country, 2) he dislikes bullies and 3) he wants to protect those who cannot protect themselves. As a mother, my heart is filled with joy seeing him mature, values driven and living a purposeful life. As he seeks to help those who cannot help themselves, could you do the same for others? 

Potential Actions:

  • Have coffee with a peer who is silent in your meetings and ask them how they felt and if given the opportunity, what is their opinion or how would they approach the situation. Ask permission if you could call on them at the next meeting and ask them to share their idea. Sometimes they like being called on vs. raising their voice for risk of not being heard and respected.
  • If you are quite and need to be heard, could you float your idea with a colleague? Then when you present your idea, your colleague jumps in and supports you. It’s a great way to build confidence in your own voice
  • Leaders need to set a precedence that they expect to hear everyone’s voice. Even if a person does not have a unique view, they can agree or disagree and present their reasons. You may need to set the expectation that every voice is important and to facilitate that expectation. In the process you build confidence because everyone is expected to contribute to the conversation. 

Challenge: Look back at the image and reflect on what you see and how you feel. I felt inspiration to share how leaders need to be the voice to elevate others. Through your experiences, you may feel a different message coming through to you from the artist. How does it make you feel? I’d love to know! I love the intellectual stimulation due to the interpretive nature and the ability to create new pathways in our brain. (yes, I’m a bit of a geek!) 

Need more help?

  • Send me a note with your situation and let’s talk through how to evolve your approach.
  • Want to connect as part of a collective, consider The Drop In Collective offered on October 24 & October 25th where a team can help you navigate your unique situations with confidence. See below for more details.

… and here are some more resources for you: 

Powerful words for influence is a popular webinar that I’ve given many times. I’m sharing access with you to pick up some additional tips to elevate your influence! 

The Drop In CEO podcast, my blog and my book, The CEO’s Compass can be great resources for you to navigate challenges with confidence

If you just want to connect with me and see how I can support you in a business or personal setback, let’s have a conversation.

Wishing you well and continued success!

-Deb

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Leadership Lessons from Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie was the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War, as named by the Western Allies. Wikipedia During my visit to Europe, I was deeply moved by this location as well as the museum I toured with my son David. While today it is a photo opportunity for tourists, it was a symbol of humanitarian struggles. The museum told us of hero’s who helped those those through this crisis as well as those that never made it across. Hundreds of stories of great leadership inspired me despite immense consequences. 

Insight: Look around your circle and do you see individuals or teams in crisis? Do you become their hero to help them struggle less despite immense effort and potential risk of an undesirable outcome? 

In real life: I was mentoring someone for many, many hours in my professional organization and while the person had gained their confidence and had grown so much, their situation was dire due to a toxic culture. I could have told them to leave the organization, but they never would have discovered that for themselves. I could have walked away from the relationship despite the hours invested, but I chose to ride it out to the end. In the end, they left the organization, regained their personal self worth and are living a life full of joy and purpose.  I did not walk away, because the human element is too important to me and making an impact on one person at a time is critical to leadership. 

Impact: Time is a precious commodity for which we must spend it wisely, but picking situations where we help change the trajectory of an individual or team is a worthy investment. We have one life to live and we are in control of who we help and how we leave our legacy on humanity. 

Potential Actions:

  • Start an informal mentorship program; hone your craft and realize the impact you can make
  • Look for other areas of the business where work is not running as smoothly as yours. Reach out to those leaders and offer your services in helping that team struggle less
  • Celebrate the work of others who teach new skills, help someone who was struggling on a project sacrifices their needs for the needs of others. 

Challenge: Find your Checkpoint Charlie in your organization and develop a strategic proposal that will lessen the pain and move people through the challenge. Whether it is embraced or not, you develop the skill of assessing the big picture and providing a solution to leave your legacy. 

Need more help?

  • Send me a note with your situation and let’s talk through how to evolve your approach.
  • Framework of One: One Team, One Way, One Goal was an article I wrote about immense challenges I was facing and how I took a step back to assess the landscape and come forward with a strategy to move my work from crisis to one that had a lasting impact. 
  • Want to connect as part of a collective, consider The Drop In Collective offered on October 24 & October 25th where a team can help you navigate your unique situations with confidence. See below for more details.
  • The Drop In CEO podcast, my blog and my book, The CEO’s Compass can be great resources for you to navigate challenges with confidence
  • If you just want to connect with me and see how I can support you in a business or personal setback, let’s have a conversation.

Wishing you well and continued success!

-Deb

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Less is Better in Leadership Effectiveness

Less is Better in Leadership Effectiveness

Short and sweet, I’m here to listen and help you navigate challenges with confidence. Whether you’re a C-Suite Leader navigating business challenges or a C-Suite Leader of tomorrow seeking greater impact, I’m here to provide you insights, inspiration and resources.

During this season of reflection I’ve realized that many in my community are highly aware and open to learning new things. Many of you have prioritized time & energy so you can balance career, family & community. That is why I will simply share only my best insight with you so you can consume, reflect and apply what is relevant to your situation.

Insight: Having clarity amidst chaos gives you wisdom to guide your teams through challenges.

Context: Missing an operations objective, an irate customer, loss of business, new opportunities, resource shortages; all can cause teams to go into chaos. While it is easy to be pulled into the situation, you need to find a “pause” button for which you can take in data, listen to the information and from your experience formulate a path forward. When you do this, you give yourself time to process data, formulate a problem statement or summary and when you speak your team will know they’re understood and respected. 

Impact: When you listen more and speak less, your leadership comes through. When you take a moment to respond vs. react, you pull yourself out of the chaos and become the strong voice of reason to pull your team forward. When there is a future crisis, people will either pull you in for your leadership and / or emulate your behavior so others can navigate challenges with confidence.

In real life: I worked with a client that was having challenges and we created a strategy to move beyond the challenge. However, when we slowed things down and tried to get to the root cause of the challenge, a different strategy was revealed for which the challenge was turned into an opportunity. It came from asking questions, organizing their thoughts and finding a new solution that calmed the chaos. Does this sound like something you’ve experienced? 

Potential Actions:

  • Was there a recent crisis that you didn’t handle well for which you can regroup and move forward differently? Convene the players to get back on track
  • Is there a situation for which you’re going into to practice listening more or asking questions of others to give you time to respond with more input from others? Take notes, listen more and look at the words written down to see a theme and reframe what you heard. 
  • Think about your role as a facilitator to ask people to share their perspectives in a constructive manner? Sometimes when there are email chains that go on too long. Convene the interested parties and ask well placed questions to gain clarity and get everyone on the same page to create constructive conversations. 

Need more help?

  • Send me a note with your situation and let’s talk through how to evolve your approach.
  • Want to connect as part of a collective, consider The Drop In Collective offered on October 24 & October 25th where a team can help you navigate your unique situations with confidence. See below for more details.

… and here are some more resources for you: 

A previous client and The Drop In Collective Community asked me about a set of favorite leadership books that have helped me and I would recommend. While I’ve read many, here is a collection published recently that may be a source of inspiration. Coaching Teams and Influence

The Drop In CEO podcast, my blog and my book, The CEO’s Compass can be great resources for you to navigate challenges with confidence

If you just want to connect with me and see how I can support you in a business or personal setback, let’s have a conversation.

Wishing you well and continued success!

-Deb

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