I am enjoying the olympics. It is inspiring to watch others reach for greatness. I always find the stories of those who are giving their life to pursue an audacious goal so encouraging. My own desire to reach for greatness is always increased during Olympic season.
The Champion
This week, we witnessed a remarkable story in the world of Snow Boarding. America’s Shaun White successfully defended his crown as the reigning Gold Medalist. The fact that he is a double Gold Medal winner, in and of itself, is a significant accomplishment, but Shaun showed us the difference between a winner and a champion. Continue reading » »
While I was pursuing my MBA, I was assigned to give a 30 minute presentation on my business. I remember feeling an internal conflict brewing as I prepared my remarks. I was just becoming aware of how annoyed I feel when I am defined by what I do. I wanted people to know who I am, and it frustrated me to think that my identity was so firmly connected with what I did for a living. This assignment would only add to that definition so I decided to break the mold.
Instead of sharing the normal statistics of our company, i.e., number of employees, gross and net revenues, years in business and our plan to achieve global domination in our marketplace, I decided to relate the defining moments of my professional life and how they molded and shaped my career. I wanted my cohorts to see me as a person, so I shared the highs and lows that contributed to my successes and failures.
MBA classrooms are not known for their warm and fuzzy experiences. They are generally associated with hard facts, controlled emotions and crisp conversations. My presentation was shaping up to be an emotionally intelligent, but soft skilled approach. I felt exposed and vulnerable as I began my talk. Despite my hesitation, I shared my story, hoping it would some how resonate with my classmates. Continue reading » »
When I was growing up, my mother was often asked to speak at major events in our local community. She was known for her creative presentations. She always wrote a poem or a song to accompany the theme of the event. She was always prepared, regardless of the size of the audience or the significance of the event. .
Few people ever knew how much time she invested in preparing for those events. Many, just thought she was naturally talented, but she was always rehearsing and refining her skill. I will never forget her intense desire to prepare. It was something she did all day long. She rehearsed in the kitchen while she was preparing the family meals. She rehearsed while she was caring for our home. We even heard her in the bathroom polishing her routine. It was non-stop, and we usually knew it as well as she did by the time she gave the actual presentation. Continue reading » »
Executive coaching is considered by many organizations to be one of the most essential components of an effective leadership development strategy. Since its emergence onto the corporate agenda, it has grown into a robust billion-dollar industry and continues to experience dynamic growth and popularity.
When companies develop their strategies for using coaching, it is sometimes viewed as just another tool like training, but in reality, an organization’s investment in coaching services on behalf of the leader is symbolic of its commitment to the leader’s development and value to the organization.
Initially, The model for using coaching was much like renting a power tool from the hardware store. It wasn’t something the average HR director had hanging on the garage wall. Continue reading » »
