Lisa Martin International

5 Leadership Lessons I’ve Learned From Leaders I’ve Coached

Lisa Martin, PCC — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 14:00:15 +0000

One of the benefits of having coached thousands of leaders from various industries and positions over the years is that I am constantly exposed to a variety of personalities, experiences and stories.

I learn so much about top leaders – what gets them up in the morning, what keeps them awake at night, and what makes them great at what they do. Every coaching session, every workshop, and every conversation I have with leaders teaches me so much, so I thought I would share with you the top 5 leadership lessons I’ve learned through my work as an executive coach:

Lesson 1: Love people. Truly impactful leaders have a passion for people. They care about others, and genuinely want to see others succeed. They create people-based cultures, and wholeheartedly understand the power of relationships. They are invested in the well-being of those who surround them.

Lesson 2: Show up consistently. The best leaders are those who make commitments – and follow through. They build trust by leading by example, and don’t shy away from tough situations. These leaders are able to build trust and valuable relationships with others, and in turn, they receive the same respect.

Lesson 3: Know what rocks your world. Leaders who are truly passionate about their work see great success. Enthusiasm and drive are infectious qualities. Having a sense of purpose and meaning for your work – knowing what rocks your world, will guide others to strive for that same job satisfaction. Knowing your values, aligning them with the values of your company, and then practicing value-based leadership will garner great results.

Lesson 4: Listen – and listen more. People aren’t motivated by what you want them to do, they are motivated by what they hope to achieve. Great leaders find out what motivates others – and the only way to truly understand what others want is to listen. Without keen listening skills, we lose the ability to connect with others, and having strong relationships is what gets you further in life – especially as a leader.

Lesson 5: See beyond barriers. Expansiveness is a vital ingredient to success as a leader. Having the ability to see things from various perspectives, to not take no for an answer, and to deal with ambiguity – these are all valuable skills that contribute to a leader's appeal.

Coaching others through my Lead + Live Betterturnkey leadership learning solutions has not only led to great results for my clients, but has taught me life skills that make me a better leader and coach. A win-win partnership.

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How Coaching Others Will Make You A Better Leader

Lisa Martin, PCC — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 12:03:46 +0000

Being a great leader isn't just about being really good at your job. It's about ensuring that those who you lead are satisfied, challenged, and successful in their roles. Job satisfaction in the workplace directly impacts the overall success of a company, and happy employees who stay, stem from leaders who invest in their people.

“Leaders grow to be great when they cultivate an environment that encourages others to grow to be great.” -BobMacDonald

Coaching others can be challenging. You have your own tasks to accomplish, and allocating your time to uplifting others can take away from your own agenda. But guiding others to succeed in a way that is not self-serving, will make you a better leader. Here are some ways that coaching others will help you in the long-run:

Ask questions – this will guide others towards success. Asking questions as opposed to telling others how things should be done is a great way to help foster professional growth in others. Creating a framework for self-discovery allows your team to develop new skills somewhat organically, and allows them to feel challenged in their role.

Share knowledge and resources – this will help you to work more efficiently. There is much to gain from sharing your knowledge and expertise with others. Educating your team about your area of expertise will make them feel trusted, eager to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities. Creating and surrounding yourself with a team of experts will result in the ability to work more efficiently, with extra help readily available when needed.

Take the time to acknowledge wins – this will keep your team happy. Being a good leader isn't just about celebrating your own successes, it's about recognizing the efforts and hard work of your team. Making them feel good about their work and giving them the recognition they desire will keep your team happy, and a happy team is a team that thrives.

Leadership isn't just about helping yourself to rise to the top, it's about guiding others towards success as well, and a leader who guides wholeheartedly, is a leader who wins.

Companies who have licensed our Lead + Live Better Leadership Programs have seen great results when it comes to coaching others to become better leaders. Perhaps this is the next step for you?

The post How Coaching Others Will Make You A Better Leader appeared first on Lisa Martin International.

How To Thrive Now That Work-Life Balance Is Dead

Lisa Martin, PCC — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 14:04:39 +0000

I’ll come out and say now, because this post will work better if we’re upfront with each other at the beginning: work-life balance is dead.

I wish I could say it lived a good and full life, but it didn’t. Most of the time it was around, it was a buzzword. Work-life balance was never our friend. It was something we periodically seemed to shriek and holler about and claim we needed but never truly followed through on. The more we sought ‘having it all,’ the more stress we experienced.

Well, now work-life balance is officially deceased. It’s gone to the great buzzword fields in the sky. And, I am happy that people are finally letting go of an unrealistic, unattainable goal.

Here’s the problem for leaders, though: we still need to find a sense of harmony in today’s world. Business does move faster. You probably feel it yourself … whether you attribute it to Moore’s Law — which somewhat explains the rapid pace of technological expansion — or you attribute it to increasing globalization. (Relate to constantly managing projects that are often across time zones, anyone?) A recent study done by Groupon (yes, Groupon) revealed that over 60% of the North American workforce doesn’t feel there’s enough time in the day to complete all their tasks.

How can harmony be sought, you may be wondering? The big picture answer: align your daily actions with your deepest desires, and know that harmony takes different shapes at different stage of your career and life. It's not about getting more done; it's about getting the right things done. But for now, let’s run through a few actions you can take to find more harmony in your workday.

1. Build a firehouse

This is from Lynn Isabella at UVA’s Darden School of Business. She explains — and you’ve probably experienced — that a lot of work stress and the gradual death of work-life balance comes from having to spend a large portion of your day ‘putting out fires.’ We’ve all been there. It’s toxic, time-consuming, stressful, and in general, just a miserable way to spend 8-10 hours. You need to put out these fires. So, the theory goes, you ‘build a firehouse.' Since you probably won’t actually erect a large red structure in your office, what does this really mean?

It means using strategies like uninterrupted work time, frequent breaks, the 52-17 ratio, and delegation skills to reduce your focus on putting out fires. As a leader, your focus needs to be on strategy, coaching others up (building a bench), communicating big ideas, and longer-term vision around the financials. You can’t be constantly dealing with direct customer complaints or political hand grenades. Sometimes it’s interesting because we’re all a little bit drawn to the drama, but … you absolutely can’t be an effective leader if you need a hose next to your desk from 8am to 6pm.

2. Learn more about your team and your boss

Science has shown us that 55 hours/week is basically a hard ceiling on human productivity at work. Still, 55 is a lot. That’s 11 hours/day — so if you get to your desk at 8am, you’re not leaving until 7pm daily. That can be exhausting. Conversely, there’s reams of evidence that companies shift to five-hour work days (25 hours/week) and increase revenues. What gives?

What gives is people. Everyone is different. Some need the ability to work 75-80 hours/week; heck, some thrive on that. There are other people who could work 30 hours in a week and accomplish about the same amount as that 75-hour person. People are different: different skills, different approaches to problem-solving, different speed of work, different ability to focus, etc.

As such, you need to get to know your team and your boss better. If there are people on your team with young families and they can be productive without being beholden to seat time, let them. If others on the team grouse, go talk to the others. Explain the situation. ‘Dave has two kids under three, and he’s been productive in work-from-home situations. I thought it made a lot of sense.’

As you manage down, you also need to manage up. What does your boss expect from you? Is he/she a seat time person? Could you have a conversation with him/her about adjusted arrangements?

Remember, the end game is achievement of goals, not recording of hours.

3. Practice Mindfulness

This is all the rage in corporate circles these days. Consider it, though. Become more mindful. Trust me it works. Listen to soothing music. Breathe differently. Walk around a new area at lunch. Really listen to others. Get in touch with who you are inside. It’s nearly impossible to lead others successfully until you’re aligned on that front, and learning to live in the present — in all its many forms — can help immensely with this.

I want to get a pulse from my readers about how your work lives are going. I’ve actually put together a quick (it’s 3 questions) survey. I'd love for you to take it. Thanks in advance.

TAKE YOUR SURVEY HERE

Related Posts:

How To Teach (Not Preach) As A Leader

How Coaching Others Will Make You a Better Leader

A Busy Mind is Not Your Friend

How to Reset After Summer

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About Lisa Martin, PCC

I help high achievers – people like you – Lead + Live Better. I support new and seasoned leaders to gain the clarity and confidence to work more effectively – often in less time – and have more impact. And I equip organizations with leadership development programs which cultivate amazing leaders at every level.

The post How To Thrive Now That Work-Life Balance Is Dead appeared first on Lisa Martin International.

Good Busy vs. Bad Busy

Lisa — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 15:05:31 +0000

Are you Stuck in Bad Busy (instead of Good busy)?

Is your energy being sucked dry?

Are you running around, super-busy, but not getting anything done?

It’s the kind of busy that makes you dread the day ahead, hoping things will change – but they don’t.

Good Busy vs. Bad Busy

There are two kinds of busy…

In bad busy, you spend a lot of time in reactive mode, putting out fires. Or, you spend too much time on work outside your comfort zone (like trying to learn how to use software that a 20-something could figure out in minutes.)

If that sounds like you, I’ve got some news: you’re a four-alarm blaze headed to fast and total burnout.

And then there is good busy.

Good busy is a lovely state of being. You start your day optimistic and energized to tackle what you set out the day before. You end the day feeling rewarded and proud about what you accomplished, the people you spent time with and the extra time you carved out for just you.

And get this – you achieve more.

Your productivity is exponentially higher because you’re not forcing your reluctant mind and body through undesirable tasks. Your mindset is focussed and you are working in areas where you’re highest value can be achieved.

Is this you?

Do you expend energy wisely? Here are 7 questions to ask yourself:

1) Do you have a sense of dread about going to work?

2) Is it common for you to feel frustration or annoyance at work?

3) Do you spend less than 80% of your day doing tasks you genuinely enjoy?

4) At the end of the day, do you shudder at the thought of doing it all again tomorrow?

5) Do you spend more time on other people’s priorities rather than your own?

6) Is your experience of life less fulfilling than you would like it to be?

7) Are you less optimistic about life than you used to be?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, you’re likely in the ‘bad busy’ zone.

I urge you to evaluate how you spend your time to maximize your effectiveness and personal satisfaction.

If you responded ‘No’ to most questions, you understand how to be ‘good busy’.

Your mission is to stay in this zone. As a working woman, it’s easy to slip up by shifting to reactive mode or taking on tasks that are better left for others. Resist those urges and move to good busy.

Moving to Good Busy

To be good busy, you need to become acutely aware of what gives you energy and what depletes it. As an entrepreneur and business coach I need to constantly bring my attention back to what counts.

And here’s a formula that I work from:

Spend at least 80% of your day on activities that give you energy. This requires planning – don’t get caught in a cycle of chasing shiny objects – delegate or outsource the rest. When you focus on what’s important and gives you energy work becomes rewarding, self-doubt dissolves and you build willpower.

When you delegate, everyone will be better for it. The stuff that sucks your energy will be a sweet spot for someone else.

Companies who have licensed our Lead + Live Better Leadership Programs have seen great results when it comes to productivity. Perhaps this is the next step for you?

This post was originally published in 2016 and has been updated.

Here are 3 more of my most popular posts all about how to lead and live better:

3 Stress-Busting Tips From Successful Leaders
Creating A Collaborative Culture
Can Your Colleagues Count On You?

The post Good Busy vs. Bad Busy appeared first on Lisa Martin International.

Why Leader-Led Learning Is More Fab Than Fad

Lisa Martin, PCC — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 13:00:06 +0000

Are you training employees or teaching them to learn?

Leadership trends come and go as fast as books fall off the best-sellers lists.

On the other hand, leader-led learning (also known as leader-led development) is here to stay.

Leader-led learning takes employee development out of the training room and into everyday conversations led by department managers.

Leaders take on the role of recognizing developmental needs of their team members and then help them to cultivate new skills to further their professional development and personal growth.

Leader-led learning is a more flexible, applied approach to achieving department-specific objectives, while building trust and engagement with direct reports.

This shift from more traditional, formal training elevates an organization from being a company that teaches, to a company that learns.

“Winning companies” wrote Noel Tichy in the Harvard Business Review, “[have] moved beyond learning organizations to become teaching organizations…because teaching organizations are more agile, come up with better strategies, and are able to implement them more effectively.”

Are you ready to up your game and build a learning organization?

Here are the 4 reasons why shifting from strictly HR-led learning to adding leader-led learning to your organization will leave a lasting impression:

1) Leader accountability. Leaders are held accountable for discovering and developing the professional skills of their team. They guide learning sessions and take ownership of the content that's covered, making them more accountable for the performance results of their department.

2) Employee engagement. Leader-led learning gives employees the opportunity to work with, not under their managers. It allows them to be part of the company's success, and a great way to build trust, keep the conversation going, and sharpen the skills of the leaders of tomorrow.

3) Boosts the company's bottom line. Increased employee engagement results in employee retention, and the lower costs of coaching leaders to teach, versus training an entire staff, will result in financial gains for the organization.

4) Learning opportunity for leaders. Leaders can sharpen their skills, and by engaging face-to-face with their employees on a regular basis, leaders will learn new skills along the way.

Learning is more impactful when the teachings come from the personal stories and real-life experiences of leaders. It builds trust between leaders and their team members, and catapults business results when implemented regularly, and effectively.

Not all leaders are natural-born teachers.

I believe, with the right tools, training and coaching people can have productive conversations that build better relationships and results in the workplace. That's why our licensable, turnkey Lead + Live Better Leadership Programs comes with Teacher's Manuals. They guide leaders on how to ‘teach' the program's leadership skills and tackle real business challenges — all via real-time learning and face-to-face conversations.

Ready to up your game with professional coaching? Why not start today?

The post Why Leader-Led Learning Is More Fab Than Fad appeared first on Lisa Martin International.

Episode 18: How To Practice Self-Love

Lisa Martin, PCC — Wed, 07 Aug 2019 06:59:30 +0000

What is self-love, and why is it important? What gets in the way of women practicing it? How can you increase your self-love quotient?

On this episode of the podcast, I sit down with the co-founder and CEO of SPARK Creations & Company, Inc., Lorie Corcuera, to discuss the importance of self-love, creating meaningful workplaces and her upcoming book titled, Love First.

Highlights of Today’s Episode:

02:32 Love: Lorie’s #1 core value
03:27 What is self-love?
04:00 Every day, choose love over fear
04:20 Social media success with #chooselove and #lovefirst
05:01 Power of “love” in the workplace
07:02 Speaking about love; shift from resistance to openness
08:04 Reframe “L” word in corporate world to be successful in the workplace
09:21 Self-love links to self-worth
12:18 Build Your Core: First stage of Flourish Success Path
12:50 Hitting rock bottom; surround yourself with love and start watching “Oprah!”
15:00 Every day, practice loving yourself; do things that fill up your “love cup”
17:06 Be full of yourself; say “no” and set boundaries to become stronger
21:11 Lorie’s Book: Love First – The Rest will Follow
23:55 Flourishing: Feeling good about who you are

Links and Resources in Today’s Episode:

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Episode 17: Women, Love, Money and Power

Lisa Martin, PCC — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 06:59:55 +0000

Financial education is not the key to female empowerment. What is? Closing the gap between what you know and what you do. It’s about your ability to confidently have a tough financial conversation with others. Women are equal to or superior to men when making financial decisions. So, they need to become comfortable with economic power.

In today's episode, my guest is Tracy Theemes, co-founder of the Sophia Wealth Academy, certified Financial Planner, and International Alliance for Women – World of Difference award winner. Also, Tracy is the author of, The Financially Empowered Woman, which helps women enhance their financial literacy and build their wealth.

Highlights of Today’s Episode:

02:33 Sophia Wealth Academy: Financial education for women to take over the world
04:45 Gap between knowing and root of doing
07:25 Build your wealth to support your dreams (Stage 5 of Flourish Success Path)
08:43 Jargon and Acronyms: What to say to speak the financial language
11:47 Overcoming sense of shame around money
13:23 Crisis of Meaning: How to handle wealth first
15:42 Communication Protocol: “I’m just wondering…would you be willing…”
22:07 How to start an economic discussion
23:09 Context of practice is support
23:58 Women’s relationship to money and romance
26:35 Setting a framework for the future on a first date
29:30 Flourishing: Clarity to confusion to contributions

Links and Resources in Today’s Episode:

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To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help me to tailor the content to specific areas and topics you want to hear more of.

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Episode 16: How Women Rise

Lisa Martin, PCC — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 06:59:45 +0000

Do you shy away from pointing out your accomplishments at work? Expect others to acknowledge and value your contributions? Suffer from a disease to please? Do you always have to be perfect? Behaviors and traits that serve you well at the start of your career may create problems later on. They could prevent you from climbing the corporate ladder or landing your dream leadership role.

In this episode, Lisa Martin’s interviews guest Sally Helgesen, author, speaker, and leadership coach. Sally helps women leaders recognize, articulate, and act on their greatest strengths. She is the co-author of, How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job, which describes specific habits that get in the way for women and powerful practices to help them reach their full potential.

Highlights of Today’s Episode:
● 04:55 12 Habits/Behaviors to Break in the Workplace
● 05:42 Top 3 Most Common Habits
● 06:54 Successful Career Built on 3 Legs: Expertise, Visibility, and Connections (EVC)
● 09:00 Why women want to be invisible
● 10:25 That wasn’t meant as a compliment.
● 12:03 Don’t get trapped by your expertise and nowhere to go
● 13:29 Perfectionism can be a career killer
● 17:10 My name is Lisa, and I ama Marshall Goldsmith groupie
● 17:30 Leverage relationships; ask for help, but don’t over-invest
● 24:10 4 steps to get comfortable with what makes you uncomfortable

Links and Resources in Today’s Episode:

● Sally Helgesen
● Sally Helgesen on LinkedIn
● How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job
● Premier Women's Leadership Expert Sally Helgesen Teaches Women How To Rise
● The Female Advantage by Sally Helgesen
● What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
● Stakeholder Centered Coaching: Maximizing Your Impact as a Coach
● Among Wall Street analysts, men benefit more from their networks than women
● Frances Hesselbein
● Lisa Martin
● Flourish Success Path

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below
Share this show on Facebook or LinkedIn

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help me to tailor the content to specific areas and topics you want to hear more of.

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Episode 15: How To Build Intentional Relationships

Lisa Martin, PCC — Wed, 08 May 2019 06:59:49 +0000

Do you ever feel sleazy, dirty, or inauthentic when trying to connect with people you don’t know, just to build your network? Why not focus on those you know, rather than those you don’t. What are the do’s and don’ts of successful networking?

Today, my guest is David Burkus, author of Friend of a Friend. He describes the art and science of networking and shares secrets that will help you to grow your network. After all, research shows that your network determines your net worth. Not all relationships are built equally, so choose your friends wisely.

Listen to the Full Episode:

Highlights of Today’s Episode:

01:53 Origin and meaning of “Friend of a Friend”

03:35 Difference Between Building a Friendship and a Friendship in a Network

05:30 Social Capital: Value of a Network and Building Intentional Relationships

06:57 Intentional vs. Organic Actions; Proximity vs. Frequency

09:20 Short List, Long List

10:51 Bonding and Bridging

14:45 Networking Feels Like Work; Identify Strengths and Weaknesses

16:45 Forget Coffee, Try Batching

17:10 How often do you check in with your connections?

18:40 Cultivating a High-Performing Network (Less Contact, More Sanity)

20:07 Five Stages of Flourishing

21:21 Three Degrees of Influence

23:18 What Flourishing Means to David

Links and Resources in Today’s Episode:

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We put out a new episode every other Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe via iTunes and Spotify so you don't miss them.

To share your thoughts:

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To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help me to tailor the content to specific areas and topics you want to hear more of.

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Episode 14: How To Get Sh*t Done

Lisa Martin, PCC — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 06:59:35 +0000

How has patriarchal productivity hurt women? As a modern female leader, do you feel overwhelmed and over-scheduled? Do you think you have to be perfect? The key in leveraging your productivity is learning to slow down and focus.

Today, my guest is Erin Falconer, author of How to Get Sh*t Done: Why Women Need to Stop Doing Everything so They Can Achieve Anything. Also, she’s the editor-in-chief and co-owner of Pick the Brain, one of the fastest growing and most trusted self-improvement Websites.

Listen to the Full Episode:

Highlights of Today’s Episode:

02:40 Female Condition: Doing until you hit a brick wall and unable to move on
04:14 Workspace Situation: Still not equal and fear stopping or someone swoops in
05:04 Own your own power and stop second-guessing yourself
05:53 Patriarchal Model of Productivity – Get the job, fit in
06:54 Internet and digital era becoming great equalizer for women
08:11 Be the master of your own destiny
08:33 Role that perfectionism plays; need to control something that’s uncontrollable
11:58 Big Downfall: We’re saving time to get more work done
14:30 Don’t be a martyr: Do you want to be right or happy?
14:45 Five stages of Flourish Success Path
15:36 Simple steps to take stock and let go
19:44 Building up resentment in the absence of feeling
20:55 Feeling shitty has nothing to do with success
22:34 Fear of finding out who you are
25:29 Focusing on what and who is most important to you to be more productive
35:15 What we think we know about productivity is wrong

Links and Resources in Today’s Episode:

Subscribe Below:

We put out a new episode every other Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe via iTunes and Spotify so you don't miss them.

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below
Share this show on Facebook or LinkedIn

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help me to tailor the content to specific areas and topics you want to hear more of.

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