Management

  • Appreciating Your Value

    I work with many leaders who embrace servant leadership. They lead selflessly, never asking their teams to take on something they wouldn’t do themselves. I like to think this describes my leadership style as well. There’s a common pitfall that comes with this leadership style. Often, leaders fail to recognize their value to the organization,…

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  • The Story of Doug

    I love a good story – don’t we all? Some of my most memorable leaders were incredible storytellers. As a coach, I often draw upon stories from my prior experience when they are relevant to the topic at hand. I’ve told many of my favorites here in this blog. Last week, as I worked with…

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  • Reliability

    One of my most read articles is on a framework for making effective requests. It’s a powerful technique I learned in my ontological coaching, where being more specific and clear with our language can create a culture where everyone is more productive because they can rely on others to manage their commitments proactively. I’ve shared…

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  • Building Teams

    Many organizations do not have the resources to provide robust onboarding for new leaders. I’m amazed at some of the talented leaders I work with who are essentially self-taught, learning management and leadership on the job by watching and learning from others without any formal training. Many teams do nothing formal to build the team…

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  • The Gift of Time

    Have you ever had an experience like this? You have an all-day meeting on your calendar. At the last minute, something comes up, and the meeting gets canceled. You find yourself with a full day available to work on what you choose to work on rather than spending the day in back-to-back meetings. I’ve had…

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  • Management Fundamentals

    I have the opportunity to work with a wide range of leaders, from CEOs to first-time managers. Regardless of the experience level, everyone can benefit from some management fundamentals. Here are some of the patterns I see: I worked with a leader recently looking for alternate perspectives, and I started to pull together relevant blog…

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  • New Manager. Feeling Unsure.

    I opened the calendar invite for a call with a prospective client. In the space where I asked to share anything that could help me prepare for the meeting, they simply wrote: “New manager. Feeling unsure.” As I read these words, Coach Josh knew I would show up curious, ask questions to understand why they…

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  • By Request

    When I coach leaders, we discuss a wide range of topics, such as strengthening relationships, moving from mentoring to coaching, or improving personal productivity. Of all the topics, one stands out as the most prevalent. Nearly every leader I have ever worked with has wanted to improve their ability to delegate effectively. One challenge is…

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  • Authenticity

    When I ask people for characteristics that define a great leader, one that frequently emerges is authenticity. There is beauty and complexity in authenticity. Let’s explore the concept. Exploring Authenticity I invite you to pause for a moment and consider what authenticity means to you. Think of when you’ve shown up as your most authentic…

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  • Beneficial Communication

    There is wisdom in Buddha’s teachings, regardless of your religious or spiritual inclinations. In her book Tea and Cake with Demons: A Buddhist Guide to Feeling Worthy, Adreanna Limbach does an excellent job presenting a modern interpretation of Buddhist teachings. Today, I want to explore one aspect of Buddha’s Eightfold Path, often called Right Speech.…

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