Coaching for Leaders

David Nihill: Do You Talk Funny?

David Nihill, author of Do You Talk Funny?: 7 Comedy Habits to Become a Better (and Funnier) Public Speaker*, teaches us how to practically engage our audiences with humor.

Quotes

Humor isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have.

—David Nihill

If there’s embarrassment in there, there’s humor in there. It’s just about whether you’re willing to talk about it.

—David Nihill

The end of laughter is followed by the height of listening.

—Jeffrey Gitomer

Resources

FunnyBiz

Example of rule of 3 with President Barak Obama

GIFS for follow up emails

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Joe Knight: Financial Intelligence

Joe Knight, co-author of Financial Intelligence*, teaches us how to improve our own financial intelligence, so we can influence within organizations more effectively. He is a highly regarded finance and business literacy keynote speaker, trainer, and published author.

Quotes

Those who understand [financial statements] are the vast minority of people who are moving up in the corporate environment.

—Joe Knight

One of the problems with fraud is that you have these companies reporting profit, but it wasn’t real profit, and it was never converting to real cash.

—Joe Knight

Wall street, other investors, and banks have shifted to looking at cashflow as a concrete, tangible number.

—Joe Knight

It’s important never to lose sight of the fact that cash flow almost eliminates the possibility of fraudulent financial reporting.

—Joe Knight

We’re not trying to create high-level financial people; we’re trying to decode [financial statements] for the rest of us.

—Joe Knight

Resources

Business Literacy Institute

The 100 Best Business Books of All Time

HBR Tools: Return on Investment (ROI) by Joe Knight

HBR Tools: EBITDA by Joe Knight

HBR Tools: Business Valuation by Joe Knight

Resources for Business Literacy Institute:

Online Financial Intelligence Training

Financial Concepts Dictionary

Take the Financial Intelligence Assessment

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Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed

Bonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

Question from Tiffany

Last week I got a phone call offering me a great position. I was not looking for a job, and I had no intentions of leaving anytime soon. But after reading the job description, it really seems like a job I would love.

After speaking with them, I learned the position would offer much better pay, benefits, retirement, a year-end bonus, and it's also offering to pay to send me back to college to further my education.

Taking into account just what I would gain career-wise, it's a no-brainer. But when I think of the organization I'm leaving behind and what it stands to lose, my heart breaks. I don't want to disappoint all the people I've worked with by leaving so soon. I don't want people to feel I'm abandoning the mission or my values. That said, I am under no obligation to stay.

My question to you is this: How can I communicate my reasons for leaving without them viewing me as a sell out? Is it wrong that I feel so much guilt for leaving? In a way, I don't think I should have to disclose my reasons, because it's very personal, but on the other hand I wouldn't have this new opportunity without my time there. Any advice or guidance would be so appreciated.

The Empowered Manager* by Peter Block

7 Steps to Take Before You Quit Your Job by Michael Hyatt

Finding the Career That Fits You*

The Ultimate Guide to Using Your Strengths to Get Hired*

Question from Stephen

I have been leading a small nonprofit for about 18 months in my first executive role. One of the (many) areas in which I need to improve is in making time for coaching my core staff, rather than having conversations consistently around ongoing tasks, deadlines, etc. I would like to make time (weekly, monthly, quarterly?) where I sit down with them one on one for a set period of time and we talk about how they want to improve, why, and make a plan together for doing so. Can you recommend some resources where I can get advice on establishing a coaching routine and culture, setting expectations to make it fruitful, how often to set the meetings, etc.?

Asian Efficiency

Do This for a Productive Week (episode 180)

The Weekly Review (Teaching in Higher Ed podcast)

Question from Lauren

I'm a director-level product manager (software) at a large diversified industrial company and I've recently been given an amazing opportunity to build a new vertical business unit with a small team of great folks from across the business. My mentor (and someone who probably had a lot to do with my new opportunity) is a very senior exec and I just found out that he and I are going to meet consultants next week which means I'm going to have a lot of 1:1 time with him. I adore and deeply respect this guy - he's one of those rare leaders who is scary-smart, has accomplished really big things but is also a genuinely nice person. Getting informal time with him is a huge opportunity for me to learn more about the market, the company, and leadership in general. I would love nothing more than to sit there with a notepad and interrogate him, but that's probably not a great idea!

Can you offer any advice on good ways to utilize conversations with 2- and 3-level-up executives? I don't want to annoy him, and I don't want to ask questions whose answers he isn't in a position to share, but I feel like it would be ludicrous to waste the opportunity on casual conversation.

Question from Sarah

I am a department manager for Walmart and going to school for business. Would retail be good on a resume? I have a lot of fun and the experience is very challenging.

I have most troubles with the elderly and plan on reading the millennial manager book from you podcast.

Seven Principles for Leading People Older Than You, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 59)

Managing the Millennials* by Chip Espinoza

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Joel Comm: Twitter Power 3.0

Joel Comm shares strategies from his book, Twitter Power 3.0: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time*, to help us discover how to use Twitter to support leadership development.

Quotes

The crazy, mundane tweets actually turn out to be one of the areas that more people connect with because we can relate to the silly things … it provides real human connection.

—Joel Comm

When we talk about search, people immediately go to Google … but Twitter is actually one of the greatest search engines on the web.

—Joel Comm

Authenticity is the key word; people are tired of being marketed to.

—Joel Comm

The question shouldn’t be, “How do I use Twitter to market?” The question should be, “How do I reach into this audience … and bring value to them?”

—Joel Comm

Twitter is the watercooler of our time.

—Joel Comm

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David Marquet: Turn the Ship Around!

David Marquet, author of Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders*, is the former captain of the USS Santa Fe. Under his leadership, the Santa Fe moved from being the worst performing ship in the Navy to the best. David teaches us what his officers and him did to make this happen -- and how to turn followers into leaders.

Quotes

Good leaders give good orders, but great leaders don’t give any orders because they’ve built a team that doesn’t need to be told what to do.

—David Marquet

Too many times leaders think the problem is “out there,” but the real problem is in their own head.

—David Marquet

You only need to do one thing to engage employees: give them decision-making authority.

—David Marquet

By treating people like leaders, you build more leaders.

—David Marquet

The concept is act your way into new thinking, not think your way into new actions.

—David Marquet

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Andy Kaufman: People and Projects podcast

Andy Kaufman is the host of the People and Projects podcast and an expert on project management. He joins me in this conversation to explore how to influence a large number of stakeholders.

Quotes

If we’re honest here, there are some stakeholders that we don’t even want to involve … Even for the difficult people, we have to find a way to involve them. It helps manage their expectations, and it helps manage our expectations.

—Andy Kaufman

Hope is not a good strategy. Hope is a wonderful thing for mankind, but it’s a terrible thing for projects.

—Andy Kaufman

If I don’t sufficiently think through who I’m impacting, or who could impact us, I’m not going to manage their expectations.

—Andy Kaufman

I mistake keeping someone informed for keeping them satisfied.

—Andy Kaufman

Listen to the other person’s story so well that you can say it as well as them.

—Donny Ebenstein

Resources

Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader* by Herminia Ibarra

I Hear You: Repair Communication Breakdowns, Negotiate Successfully, and Build Consensus...in Three Simple Steps* by Donny Ebenstein

Essentials of Project Management by Andy Kaufman (use coupon code coachingforleaders-50)

Advanced Project Management by Andy Kaufman (use coupon code coachingforleaders-50)

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Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed

Bonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

Question from Daniel

I have been facing a hard/stressing moment with a specific guy from my team and it's not been an easy situation to handle.

The rest of the team are always complaining about this guy, they don’t trust on the guy opinions. I asked the team to try to have some informal conversations (on the lunch for example), and I also tried to give some advice to the guy, but the situation still the same, and sometimes I fell it is getting worse.

It is really consuming a lot of energy from my side on trying to fix the situation, and I have been feeling quite depressed with all of it...

Mentioned:

Love is the Killer App* by Tim Sanders

Question from Wendy

You are so wonderful. I have been listening to your podcast for about 2 years now. It has helped me to grow and become a better leader. One thing that I struggle with as a leader is that push back when I try to encourage someone to learn something new especially the employees that feel like they just don’t have the time. I sense that at times the group that I lead will be a little afraid of any change. I also wonder sometimes if I may be pushing too much change too fast.

Question from Anthony

I also run a newly established monthly alumni meeting. Part of my role is securing speakers to discuss topics business leaders face day-to-day. Since we don't have a budget to compensate the speaker what we can give in exchange is access to our cohort members. Unfortunately, I have NO experience in such a role. Any guidance or possible suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Question from Sariah

I am exploring the prospect of becoming a Leadership Coach. Currently I work as the head of a division in a large company. I have always had an interest in teaching and coaching. While I have never taught (consistently) in a classroom as part of a school or organization, I have done a bit of training at work with my Marketing team. More specifically, I find that as I am getting older, I pride myself on working with others in particular the younger persons at the office. I have been listening to all of the back issues of your podcast and have been learning so much and as a result I think this area may be for me. I am not sure where to start thus the inquiry with you.

Mentioned:

How to Improve Your Coaching Skills, with Tom Henschel (episode 190)

These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)

Question from Tom

I was wondering if you can recommend a source; book, website, blog, etc...for changing organizational culture. I work for a major university which is great, but being part of a bureaucracy has it problems. I would like to find a way to change the culture to a positive one. Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.

Mentioned:

Organizational Culture and Leadership* by Edgar Schein

Transitions* by William Bridges

Managing Transitions* by William Bridges

The Way of Transition* by William Bridges

The Fifth Discipline* by Peter Senge

Leading Change* by John Kotter

Our Iceberg is Melting* by John Kotter

Reframing Organizations* by Lee Bolman Terrence Deal

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Adam Grant: Originals

Adam Grant, author of Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World*, helps us examine what the research says on how people create something new -- and how we can use those lessons in our own careers.

Procrastination is a vice for productivity, a virtue for creativity.

—Adam Grant

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Michael Bungay Stanier: The Coaching Habit

Michael is the bestselling author of The Coaching Habit*. In this episode, he teaches us the key coaching questions to help others improve.

Quotes

I think there are as many definitions for coaching as there are people selling coaching.

—Michael Bungay Stanier

Slow down on the advice giving, and stay curious just a little bit longer.

—Michael Bungay Stanier

That’s part of the nature of a system; as soon you start changing stuff, it starts pushing back.

—Michael Bungay Stanier

Your organization is a system, and the very nature of a system is to love its own system.

—Michael Bungay Stanier

You want people to become lazy coaches … lazy because you want the other person to be doing the work. When they’re doing the work, they’re actually unlocking their own potential … you’re helping them to learn, rather than teaching them.

—Michael Bungay Stanier

We’re all okay with saying no to the stuff we don’t really want to do, but do we have the courage and discipline to say no to the stuff we do want to do?

—Michael Bungay Stanier

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Sydney Finkelstein: Superbosses

Sydney Finkelstein, author of Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent*, shows us how leaders can elevate their view of talent to benefit an entire organization -- and industry.

Quotes

A superboss is a boss who helps other people accomplish more than they ever thought possible.

—Sydney Finkelstein

When you help other people get better on your team … the payoff to you is exponential, because you’re now surrounded by superstars.

—Sydney Finkelstein

Superbosses will regularly create a job for a person when they didn’t even have the job open in the first place … wherever they go, they’re on the lookout for great talent.

—Sydney Finkelstein

Superbosses are not afraid of making a bad hire.

—Sydney Finkelstein

Superbosses are always looking for talent that is the absolute best, and and they know they need to look in places that the average person isn’t.

—Sydney Finkelstein

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