What is the Monday Morning Business Coach?
For over 12 years and running, every Monday morning we’ve sent out an email containing an executive coaching “nugget”—a simple, practical tip or strategy for you to easily take action on to start off your work week.
We use the situations of our clients (anonymously, of course) as well as what we’re pondering or reading about to write a short post. We keep it short because we know your life is busy and you need the “quick tips” to solve your problems, help you focus, and move you forward. We’re not claiming we can solve every issue, but we aim to give you the knowledge and wisdom to help you find your own power and create the future you want. You can view past posts below.
Good morning, Living in Portland, Oregon, means that we’re within 30 miles of “the path of totality” – the path where one can see the total eclipse of the sun later this morning. In our office, we’ve had lots of discussions about whether it’s really necessary to seek out a viewing spot that will be in the path of totality; we wonder, “how much better could 100% be than 99%?” Well, after doing some reading, the difference between…
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Last week in Two Powerful Tools from One Powerful Leader, we described how visionary leader Kathy Broadwater utilized virtual departments to get work done at the Maryland Port Authority. This week, we’re sharing her approach to solidifying those virtual departments by creating a specific charter or compact to ensure that everyone is clear about the goals and deliverables, how the work will be done and who will do it, and to formalize the commitment to being a part of this…
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On June 14, 2017, Linda had the privilege of presenting to the American Association of Port Authorities on Promoting and Celebrating Internal Communications – or what we describe as creating cultures of leadership and engagement. For the presentation, Linda was on a panel with Kathy Broadwater, a Principal at EcoLogix Group, Inc., in Parkton, Maryland. Kathy had spent 16 years as the Deputy Executive Director at the Maryland Port Administration and shared two tools she found powerfully effective in…
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In last week’s post, we talked about what it means to step in as a leader while not “doing it all.” This week we’d like to follow that up with some tips on how you can start to set healthy boundaries. We all know that we should have healthy boundaries, but for many of us we think we’re being mean or lazy when we set limits that take care of our own needs. Having healthy boundaries isn’t about being mean.…
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Last week we talked about our definition of leadership and some ways that different people brought that definition to life in a wide range of settings. It was great to hear from so many of you that these examples helped you see some ways to bring stronger leadership into your world. At the same time, a number of you said that you found the idea of being a leader a burden. Barb summed up her concerns this way: …
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As some of you know, at Carpenter Smith Consulting we define leadership in this way: Leadership is the willingness to influence your world and be influenced by your world, regardless of role or title. We’ve brought this definition to leaders of large organizations, leaders in school, leaders in communities, and leaders in life… and based on their positive feedback, we’re more dedicated to this definition than ever. This definition represents a powerful shift in your behavior and supports…
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Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action. ~ Peter Drucker One of the key behaviors of successful people—in life and in work—is the ability to self reflect. Often when we ask the question, “As you reflect on this experience, what have you learned?” we find that people don’t really know what we mean when we ask them to reflect on their experiences. Their response makes a lot of sense…
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As surprising as it is, we’re once again heading in to summer. In the Pacific NW, it’s actually been warm and dry. Summer!!! And, while many of us associate summer with summer vacation, not many people really take a break to refuel. We’re here to remind you… if you’re going to create a life you love, where you’re successful, connected, and satisfied, then you need to refuel. So, what do we mean by refuel? The simple online definition is…
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These are challenging times for our country and our planet. Daily we’re reminded of the differences that exist in the world, and to feel safer we seek out our allies. Seeking comfort from people who are aligned with you is a very human thing to do; yet it can further polarize our families, workplaces, and worlds. Unfortunately, polarization breaks down connections and communities. It’s not bad for us to have differences; it’s bad to start to believe those differences automatically…
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If you want to know your past, look into your present conditions. If you want to know your future, look into your present actions. ~ Buddhist Saying We love this quote! It’s a powerful reminder that if you want to create a future that’s different from your present, you have to start by changing what you’re doing presently—in your day-to-day life. Many of our executive coaching clients seek us out because their present situations are no longer tenable.…
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