The Holidays are Fuel for Burned-Out Leaders Executives are reeling from the pressure cooker conditions created by the pandemic. The great resignation is real. In a state of burnout, many executives feel disillusioned and confused.  But burning out and building yourself back up is a normal part of the cycle of perpetual renewal, according to The Hudson...Read More

Leaders have been particularly stressed in the last year and half. They are dealing with burnout, pushback and upheaval. More than ever, organizations see the value in providing leaders with the one-on-one support they need to perform at their best under crushing conditions, and are planning to expand executive coaching beyond the highest ranks. As a result,...Read More

Marie Curie discovered radium. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. And, Herbert Freudenberger realized and related to the world that humans experience burnout. According to Freudenberger, who was a psychoanalyst, there are three types of exhaustion/burnout: Emotional exhaustion – Fatigue from caring too much, for too long. De-personalization – Depletion of empathy, caring and compassion… Decreased sense...Read More

I had a client whose boss told him he wanted him to think more strategically. He was engrossed in the grindstone of managing the risk department, not giving much thought to what was next for the future of risk management. His remedy was to hide away for a couple of days and to re-emerge with a...Read More

Learning how to delegate is nothing short of an existential-crisis for some leaders. Upon being pressed to delegate more, leaders’ minds can flood with fear-fueled questions: What if they do it wrong and embarrass me? Conversely, what if they do it better than me? As leaders, we worry an employee’s failure will reflect poorly on...Read More

Like professional athletes and actors use visualization to improve their performance, senior executives can also benefit from visualization to sharpen their leadership skills. To be clear, visualization is not to be confused with manifestation. I’m not talking about the ability to make your dreams come true by envisioning them. Visualization is the act of rehearsing...Read More

Executive coaching can be a life-changing experience for leaders. It’s an opportunity to advance to the next level of leadership and to improve the quality of your life. That is, if leaders can let go of resistance to change and come prepared to grow. To make the most of your coaching experience, your mindset matters....Read More

As an executive coach, I can honestly say I have never seen my clients so scattered. Social distancing is melting the boundaries between home and work. Zipping from one Zoom call to the next while simultaneously tending to family has subsumed that much needed quiet time executives used to have on the train. It’s no...Read More

IQ gets you a leadership position, but emotional intelligence (EQ) helps to ensure you keep it, as I recently explained in the introduction of the T principle. According to a MHS study, EQ is three times more likely than IQ to predict career success. Yet, most executives new to leadership are thrashing about in the deep-end of...Read More

As a successful executive, you knew exactly what you needed to do to get where you are today. You acquired degrees, mastered the needed skills and accumulated the relevant experiences. Hard skills often come easy to executives and carry them far. But, at some point, IQ alone is not enough to ascend to leadership. Emotional...Read More