Coaching for Leaders

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 Beth

I have arthritis. It’s not severe, but after a wrist surgery there are things I can’t do. I had a team of 2 or 3 people and after the surgery I could perceive that my colleagues felt that workload was not equal towards the junior consultants and me. After many conflicts with the junior consultants, I decided to quit the job because I didn’t get the support of the office leader, and people in the office perceived I was taking advantage of my health situation.

I have a new job and wouldn’t like that this problem to ever repeat. How can I assume leadership when I have this situation in my hands, how can I learn to delegate work without making people think that I’m over loading them. How can I have a strong position when I have health issues that don’t allow me to do some work?

Question from Allison

I had a question for a friend's situation. She has been a medical assistant for over a decade. The last 3 years she's been acting in a care coordinator capacity (i.e. non-clinical). Would you be able to provide advice for someone whose job title does not reflect the person's experience and capabilities? She is hoping to move into project management, but no one is willing to interview because of her title which implies only clinical experience. She has a graduate degree in healthcare management.

How to Know Your Life Purpose in 5 Minutes by Adam Leipzig

How to Get Value From Associations, with John Corcoran (episode 209)

Question from Andrew

What are your suggestions for how to plan out and use presentation software — or just lay out and plan a presentation in general. In the context of a business presentation, more than “from the stage.”

How to Build a Good Presentation (episode 38)

Practical Storytelling That Isn’t Awkward, with David Hutchens (episode 228)

Piktochart

What we’re doing for our own professional development:

The Power of Habit* by Charles Duhigg

The Automatic Customer* by John Warrillow

Youtility* by Jay Baer

Due app

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Hassan Osman: Influencing Virtual Teams

Key Points

To avoid the bystander effect:

Use direct language

Assign to individuals, not to groups

A lot of small to medium businesses ... tend to already be in the virtual team space without even knowing it.

–Hassan Osman

Anything that’s in writing usually carries a much more authoritative message.

–Hassan Osman

Resources

Influencing Virtual Teams by Hassan Osman

The War of Art* by Steven Pressfield

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Cal Newport: Deep Work

Cal Newport, author of Deep Work*, teaches us the rules for focused success in a distracted world.

Key Points

The Four Rules of Deep Work:

Work Deeply

Embrace Boredom

Quit Social Media

Drain the Shallows

How to get started with Deep Work:

Train your brain to be better at focusing (example: put your phone away after dinner)

Set aside time for deep work (example: set aside five hours a week for deep work)

Make a move in your life that signals to yourself that you take the ability to focus seriously (example: quitting a social media service)

Quotes

A big problem with a lot of these attention-stealing technologies is that we’ve adopted … the “any benefit mindset” for tool adoption.

–Cal Newport

You have to wean [your brain] off its dependence on novel stimuli every time you feel a little bored.

–Cal Newport

I think focus is the new IQ, and that deep work is going to become one of the most valuable skills as our economy gets more competitive and more complex.

–Cal Newport

In almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits.

–Cal Newport

It’s wrong to assume you automatically have the right to work whatever schedule you want.

–Cal Newport

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Tara Mohr: Playing Big

Tara Mohr is an expert on women’s leadership and well-being. She is the author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead*, named a best book of the year by Apple’s iBooks. Tara is the creator and teacher of the global Playing Big leadership program for women, and of the Playing Big Facilitators Training for coaches, therapists, managers, and mentors.

Your worst critic is probably yourself. In this conversation, Tara joins Dave to show you how to tame your inner critic.

Actions to overcome your inner critic

Write down your inner critic’s most commonly voiced lines.

Create a character that suits your inner critic’s voice, and then picture it when you hear the voice.

Look at the voice with compassion, trying to understand what your safety instinct is afraid of.

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Janine Lombardi: J9 Leading Solutions

On this week’s episode, Janine Lombardi provides a framework for how we can all get better results through effective energy use.

Quote

Part of a succession planning strategy is to have the role that you’re grooming people to take be attractive to them … We’re no longer going to see people stepping into leadership roles that are not attractive.

—Janine Lombardi

Ways to fuel mental energy

Create a Gratitude Journal

Relive a positive experience for two minutes a day

Thank someone for something each day.

Ways to fuel physical energy

Get better sleep

Eat healthily

Take breaks often

Resources

Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time by Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy

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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*.

Audio Question from Ian

The Way to Lead After a Workplace Loss, with Andrew Stenhouse (episode 142)

Audio Question from Nigel

Question from Jennifer

My company has two marketing departments. One is customer marketing which is more account focus and supports specific account managers. Account managers love them because they are their right hands. The other marketing department is consumer/brand marketing where I am in. We set corporate programs and brand strategies. I find myself constantly having to remind the sales team that we work for the same company with the same goal in mind. Some of them can be very critical about the new products and programs we developed because they are not tailored made for their specific accounts. Lately, some of them have been complaining about the new product launch timing.

I am struggling with the situation because I want to support them as much as I can, but I cannot give them everything they want all the time. I read the below. Do you have any additional suggestions/actions I can take?

I want to join them on sales calls to experience 1st hand what they are experiencing. I created a marketing pitch that I believe the buyers will like to hear and the sales team may not be able to articulate. I want to add value to the call. I thought they will be excited. I was wrong. None of them seems to like the idea. I really don't know what to do about it at this point.

Ending the War Between Sales and Marketing by Philip Kotler, Neil Rackham, and Suj Krishnaswamy

5 Ways to Stop Teams From Fighting

Question from Steve

The book Flow which I read about two months ago was a great read, Mihaly describes the book as the first one written on the topic of flow specifically tailored for a wider audience as opposed to scholars of flow. I found it tough reading at times but having been introduced to the concept prior to reading the book, flow itself is an unmistakable feeling to experience and something that I get a lot of through writing which would deeply shock my high school English teachers today. I've often wondered if there is a lack of flow within business and job roles which leads to inefficiency and problems with micromanagement being one of these and then the constant disruption of phone, email, personal devices etc, what do you think?

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World* by Cal Newport

Question from Hanan

I am Hanan, from Saudi Arabia. I've been listening to your episodes and very curios to see more from you in future.

I really appreciate the efforts and amazing thoughts and resources that you deliver. I admire you, and I have learned a lot from these episodes. So thank you very much.

I have a question. I've grown in a place where men and women are separated in almost all life aspects (like family gathering, schooling, university, and sometimes work). But, there has been considerable change in the country towards allowing women to work where she wants, this is at the policy level.

At the practice level, I think we "women", still need a lot of skills and qualities to be able to work in environment dominated by men. And even a lot more of leadership skills to be able to lead or acting as successful leaders in such environments.

So, do you have any advice or resources that could help handle cultural issues? Note, due to the separation, misunderstanding is very common between men and women in everywhere.

International Higher Education in the 21st Century (Teaching in Higher Ed)

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom* by Don Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills

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Allan McDonald: Truth, Lies, and O-Rings

Allan J. McDonald retired as vice president and technical director for advanced technology programs at ATK Thiokol Propulsion in 2001. He was the director of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Project at the time of the Challenger accident and, later, vice president of engineering for space operations during the redesign and requalification of the solid rocket motors. Al passed away in 2021, several years after this episode first aired.

Al was the one person who officially refused to sign off on Challenger's launch on January 28, 1986. His concerns for the launch conditions were ultimately overridden by his boss. He would eventually testify to the Rogers Commission which had major implications for their findings. Later in life, he spoke to audiences all over the world on ethics and decision-making. He's the author with James Hansen of Truth, Lies, and O-Rings: Inside the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster*.

In this conversation, Al shared the details of the conversation between NASA and Morton Thiokol the evening prior to the launch. He also detailed what happened after the accident and his extraordinary decision to interrupt NASA's testimony to the Rogers Commission. He also shared a key message on why it still matters, all these years later.

Key Points

As director of the solid rocket motor project, Al McDonald refused to sign off on the launch, concerned that launch weather conditions were unsafe.

Despite almost perfectly predicting the accident, Al himself was initially unconvinced that the solid rocket motors were the cause, believing the shuttle would have exploded on the pad had that been the case.

When it appeared that NASA officials weren't being fully transparent about the events leading up to the accident, Al interrupted their testimony to the Rogers Commission, a move he fully expected would end his career.

Al was effectively demoted after his testimony. Congress ultimately intervened with a law that would have ended his organization's government contract, unless they reinstated his prior position. It's the only time the United States Congress has passed a law aimed at benefitting a single individual.

It's your responsibility as a professional to have an opinion and to speak up. Don’t assume that other people will always do their job.

Resources Mentioned

Remembering Allan McDonald: He Refused To Approve Challenger Launch, Exposed Cover-Up by NPR

Major Malfunction: Revisiting Challenger by The New York Times

Related Episodes

How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block (episode 328)

The Way to Make Better Decisions, with Annie Duke (episode 499)

The Way Out of Major Conflict, with Amanda Ripley (episode 529)

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David Hutchens: Circle of the 9 Muses

If you’ve found telling stories awkward in leadership, David Hutchens shows us how to leverage practical storytelling for results.

Quotes

The most important part of the work [of storytelling] is all the stuff that happens after a story is told. When you tell a story, that’s not the end of a conversation, it’s the beginning.

—David Hutchens

Instead of me saying, “Hey, this story is important,” I always ask the audience why it’s important, and let them make a case for it. And they always do.

—David Hutchens

When a group starts having meaning-making conversations together, they’re surprised at the feeling of connection that it creates.

—David Hutchens

You can stumble and stutter your way through the story, but if it’s the right story, and if it’s connected to the work that matters to us, then it can be transformational.

—David Hutchens

Resources Mentioned

GO Team program*

Leadership Story Deck* by David Hutchens

Circle of the 9 Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers* by David Hutchens

David’s email: [email protected]

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Chip Espinoza: Millennials Who Manage

Chip Espinoza shares wisdom from his new book, Millennials Who Manage: How to Overcome Workplace Perceptions. Chip is the Co-author of Millennials@Work: The 7 Skills Every Twenty-Something Needs to Overcome Roadblocks and Achieve Greatness At Work and Managing the Millennials: Discover the Core Competencies for Managing Today’s Workforce. He is also Academic Director of the Organizational Psychology program at Concordia University Irvine.

Quotes

The major challenge [millennials] have in getting to the next level is their lack of patience.

—Chip Espinoza

It’s not the people that are against us that are going to hold us back from achieving what we want; it’s the people who love us the most.

—Chip Espinoza

The number one challenge of moving from a peer worker to being a boss is a redefinition of a relationship with their peers. The second greatest challenge is the fear of disappointing the person who promoted them.

—Chip Espinoza

Resources

Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman

Google’s Quest to Build a Better Boss by Adam Bryant

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Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed

Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

Question from Maurice

Are there any resources out there on energy and leadership? With that I don't mean the energy which seeps out you as you struggle through the day, but rather the energy which you project in any given situation.

I volunteered at a dog shelter for a year. During that year I devoured any and all episode of 'The Dog Whisperer'. I discovered that being aware of one's energy before entering a scene had impact. In this case on dogs, their reaction to me and their attitude in general. I strongly believe this awareness of one's energetical state impacts humans as well.

So, in February of this year I became a dad. Being aware of how sensitive small children are, I tried to be conscious of my energy around him as well. It worked! Usually in the way, that he tends to fall asleep in my arms. I've found a way to create a pool of calm energy around me. Some might call it: centered, or grounded.

I'm confident that the purposeful use of our inner energy has a deep impact on our environment. This sub conscious communication fascinates me hugely. Do you, or does Bonni, know of any resources on this topic?

Question from Lisa

Thank you for the coaching for leader's podcasts, they helped me to get my first manager role which I will start in January 2016! I have a question which I hope you might be able to assist with. The team leader (who I will be reporting to) was speaking at our team Christmas party about how the work we do just isn't really a worthwhile job, and while you are on your deathbed you aren't going to be thinking about it (for background, we deal with legal claims against a government agency). The fact that he holds that view isn't great, but I think sharing it with your team is plain wrong! I want team members to know that they do important work which is worth being passionate about. How do you recommend dealing with this attitude in the most professional way?

Question from Ian

Six months ago I started a new position and have implemented a fair number of changes to the team to improve performance, metrics, and customer services. Most initiatives have been well received, we are definitively making progress and everyone is now seeing the benefits. To capitalize on the credibility that this has afforded me, I have begun the next phase of revitalizing the department by conducting monthly goals/coaching sessions with each individual. The point here is to keep them on task with their professional goals, encourage them to develop personal goals, and to continually work with them on time management, team building, and to continually refine their "Why" (a topic I was very interested in on episode 223).

As part of this process I want to provide them with some good reading, podcasts, or other resources for honing these skills, but I have been coming up short. There are no shortage of leadership/management books and podcasts but I am looking specifically for resources that are geared towards promoting personal and professional development for staff. My normal go-to's for staff reading have been, Raving Fans and Gung Ho by Ken Blanchard, but I was looking for more resources to offer my team for professional development.

Resources

Real Magic* by Wayne Dyer

The Power of Intention* by Wayne Dyer

Power vs. Force* by David Hawkins

Flow* by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

What Search Dogs Teach About Engagement, with Jan Frazee (episode 25)

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

Start With Why* by Simon Sinek

7 Habits of Highly Effective People* by Stephen Covey

Getting Things Done* by David Allen

Five Dysfunctions of a Team* by Patrick Lencioni

Dale Carnegie

Udemy

A Productive Conversation by Mike Vardy

Career Tools by Michael Auzenne and Mark Horstman

How To Create a Personal Knowledge Management System, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 129)

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