Monday Morning Business Coach, Author at Carpenter Smith Consulting, LLC

Independent

July 4, 2016

indəˈpendənt, adjective 1. free from outside control; not depending on another's authority. synonyms: freethinking, free, individualistic; 2. not depending on another for livelihood or subsistence. synonyms: self-sufficient, self-supporting, self-reliant, standing on one's own two feet Most of us have the privilege of being independent and therefore able to take action on our own behalf. Today, we would like to encourage you to celebrate your independence and to take action on your own behalf in the area of your life where…

I’m A Mess!

June 27, 2016

Monday Morning Business Coach

In the last couple of weeks, we’ve had a number of brilliant leaders start our meetings by saying some version of “I’m a mess!” They then go on to describe a range of experiences—both professional and personal—that they can’t resolve easily. They recount a range of pain points from long-held challenges in a family business, to a change in direction from the Board of Directors, to a shift in the market, to a diagnosis of a frightening illness, to the…

What to Do with Those Negative Neils & Nellies!

June 20, 2016

Monday Morning Business Coach

One of the things many of our clients struggle with is how to get the most out of the negative people in their lives. Those people who are quick to see what’s wrong, or to resist a new idea, or who focus on all the potential “disastrous” consequences of a decision. Almost all of us have one or two in our lives and they can make moving an initiative forward challenging, unless you have the ability to tap into the…

Suffering from Change Fatigue?

June 13, 2016

Monday Morning Business Coach

As the world moves faster and faster, there are demands on each of us to match the pace. Yet, as humans, we count on a level of predictability and stability to move forward effectively. In fact, our brains count on being able to kick into habit to manage the demands of all that’s coming at us. When it gets to be too much, we get fatigued by all the change—hence the term Change Fatigue. Organizational change fatigue can become a…

Change 2 Words to Change Your Impact!

June 6, 2016

Monday Morning Business Coach

How many times have you said, I feel like… to describe your experience? If you’re like most of us, probably quite a few. When you say "I feel like," you’re actually not talking about feelings at all, but instead you’re talking about what you think. If you replace the words, I feel like with I think you’re more accurately describing what’s happening, and as a result, you’re experienced as more credible. Here are some examples: I feel like you’re mad at…

Resilience

May 31, 2016

Career Tips, Monday Morning Business Coach

Of all the traits that make up a good leader, resilience is probably one of the most important. re·sil·ience /rəˈzilyəns/ noun the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. Resilience is something that you learn and develop over the course of your lifetime—it’s not something we can do innately. Resilience means that you can manage your fear, disappointments, and negative inner voice to come back to a…

End of the Beginning

May 23, 2016

Monday Morning Business Coach

Change is hard. We all know that it’s inevitable, but most of us like the sense of safety and control that comes with a reasonable amount of sameness. Remember when we were hunters and gatherers? Predictability often meant a greater chance of survival, so change unnerves us—whether unplanned or planned. And, it often comes as a surprise to people that positive change can be as hard for us to embrace as a challenging change. As we move toward a positive…

Growth Matters—for Everyone

May 16, 2016

Monday Morning Business Coach

Last week we talked about the Gallup poll that showed that 93% of the people surveyed have left their organization to find job growth opportunities elsewhere. We talked about being aware of the need to grow your teams and nurture your leadership pipeline to create ongoing success in your company. This week we’d like to get you thinking about what this same statistic means for you in your personal life and relationships. If this poll is even partially correct, it…

The Top Reason People Quit

May 9, 2016

Monday Morning Business Coach

Did you know that a recent Gallup poll found that 93% of the people they surveyed have left their organization to find job growth opportunities elsewhere? Did they really have no opportunities where they were previously employed? Of course not. But it’s likely that no one had a career path discussion with them. So, in the absence of coaching and development, people go elsewhere. One of the most important activities an organization must do to secure their future is developing…

Courage

May 2, 2016

Monday Morning Business Coach

We have been struck lately by how many people in our world are doing incredibly courageous things in their lives. Courage is: Stepping outside your comfort zone to do something new Challenging the status quo Facing another day with a chronic illness Owning a mistake and cleaning up the fallout Acknowledging the toxic nature of your job and deciding to move on Realizing that your relationship isn’t working for you Going for a promotion at work Starting your own business…