Business Excelerated Articles
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Beyond Conventions: Embracing the Leadership First Approach
Step into a world where leadership norms are challenged, where the very essence of “Servant Leadership” is questioned, and a new dawn— the Leadership First Approach—
Servant Leadership, Sacrifice, and the Fine Line Between
I don’t love the term “Servant Leadership.” And I don’t even love all of concepts of the style. But it has grown great popularity, and
Divergent Perspectives of a Leadership First Approach
“What if the leadership is the root of the problem? This raises important questions. The leader must first fix their own approach before they can
The Paradox of Proactivity: When Leaders Grapple with Too Many Initiators
As a leader or owner, can you imagine what it would be like if you had more employees who took initiative? Does that sound like something you
The Leadership Paradox: Balancing Autonomy and Guidance
In the ever-evolving landscape of leadership development, there lies many thoughts and opinions about leadership styles. In modern business, these styles vary significantly, ranging from
Virtual Beginnings: The Challenge of Young Professionals Starting their Careers in a Remote Setting
The shift we have experienced to remote workforces has created vast opportunities for the organizations that are able to take advantage. It has removed geographical
From Solo to Synergy: Seeking Help that Elevates your Leadership
For some leaders and owners asking for help is a given, it’s not so hard for them. And for many others it can be a
Powerful Tools for Navigating Confrontational Conversations
Let’s talk about having the hard conversations. Confrontation. Conflict. Having the hard conversations is one of the greatest favors you can offer your teams (and yourself). It’s
Unleashing the Power of Execution [Part 2]
In the last newsletter (Part 1) I stated that without action, our goals are dreams and our ambitions are fantasies. That success begins with knowing what we want
Unleashing the Power of Execution [Part 1]
During a conference last week, the keynote speaker (who was eff’ing fabulous) shared from her experiences as an entrepreneur. As a person who has encountered
Unraveling the Micromanagement Dilemma
Yo dude. Micromanagement is macro-harmful. Often I see micromanagement occur for three reasons: difficulty letting go lack of trust in teams good intentions gone wrong So
The Curiosity Advantage: Why Leaders Who Ask Questions Drive Success
I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it super-duper loud. Curiosity is the most underrated leadership attribute. Curiosity drives learning and growth, which are
Strategies for Supporting Underperforming Team Members
“How do I help an employee who won’t help themselves?” Oofta! That’s a doozey. And as a leader or business owner that probably feels familiar
From Thought to Action: the Crucial Difference Between Choices and Decisions
Cognitively (in our minds) there is a difference between making a decision and choosing something. In general, the terms “decision” and “choice” are often used
From Awareness to Action: Navigating Unconscious Biases for Leadership Development
Our biases are a funny thing. What’s funny about them is that they are often opinions that we have about something or someone without consciously
An Argument for a “Leadership First” Approach
As an exciting piece of news, I was recently selected as a contributor to Authority Magazine to write an article and respond to an interview
The Power of a Team that Makes More Errors
The most successful organizations I work with are solution focused. Identifying and resolving issues is the priority. There is not a culture of tolerating when it
The Leadership Model to Help you Grow Faster and Easier
At the end of a presentation last week, someone asked me what type of leadership model I suggest. And my goodness there are so many “kinds” of
Four Decisions to Relieve your Delegation Headaches
Raise your hand if “delegation” feels like a four-letter word (%@&!). Your know that it’s supposed to help, but it mostly feels like it makes things worse.
The ONE Thing you Need to Know to Shape High-performing Teams
I was asked this question the other day: “How do you build and maintain a strong team for your business?” And here was my short
When “More” is NOT Better (and ultimately harmful)
“More is more, babe!” This is what my husband exclaimed one weekend when we were out with friends. And it sounds super silly, but we
Early Warning Signs of Leadership Breakdowns that Plague an Organization
In many organizations, growth can be a great incubator for leadership success. Growth often leads to promotions or shifts in structure that create opportunities to
The Secret Weapon to Productive Performance Feedback
Almost predominantly, my clients ask me questions related to communication within their organization. Communication problems are, after all, responsible for 70% of organizational errors. “Why is communication
A Dive into Context and Virtual Meeting Behavior
Have you ever been on the other side of someone flipping you off from their car and screaming something at you that cannot be very
The Massive Impact of Expectations on Success
The success of most relationships is all about managing expectations. This includes professional and personal relationships. (The same applies for the goals of your organization
Resolving your Sh*t List This Year
This year, what is going to keep you from feeling “thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread” (Bilbo Baggins) The New
The Perils of Having an Indispensable Employee in Your Organization
Have you ever heard of the “bus test”? It is often brought up in discussions with leaders and business owners, as a way to determine
Delegation is Like Bowling
Do you like bowling? I think people either do or they don’t. Honestly, I don’t. And mostly it has to do with an “ick factor” that I have
Leading your Teams to Navigate Change Faster and Easier
Are you a new leader after a recent promotion? Or maybe you have experience being a leader but you are at a new organization or
Cross-generational Workforces: An Advantage, Not a Roadblock
I was having coffee the other morning with a business colleague, and at a point we started talking about how some of his teams struggle
Analyzing Q4: Navigating the Ups and Downs
If someone asked you “How’s business right now?” what would you say? Unfortunately I am hearing a lot of leaders voice concerns regarding revenue right
Top 9 Areas of Breakdown During Changes in Leadership
There’s a whole hooplah of issues that arise when changes occur in leadership. This can be situations such as big overhauls of who is on
Why “Out of the Blue” is Not Real
I was having lunch with a colleague the other day, and she was sharing some difficulties she was experiencing with an employee who recently and
The Subtle Art of Being Candid
There are times when you really just want to speak your mind. When you are frustrated or flabbergasted or surprised (not the good kind). And
An Organizational Planning Tactic that Sets you Apart
Did you know that developing a business strategy, and executing it well, creates a 30% greater chance for growth? That’s pretty significant. There is one
The Dangerous Truth about People-pleasers at Work
Hello there! Getting right to the punch today. People-pleasing will cause major dysfunctions in an organization. At the very least it will cause exhaustion and
How Trust Enhances Team Performance
Question for you. How do you decide whether or not you trust someone? In the workplace, mistrust is like a spreading virus. If team members
Cultivating Constructive Conversations without Shame
How do you hold someone accountable without them feeling reprimanded? This is a very common question I hear from someone in leadership who wants to
“Use Your Words Wisely” is so…Wise
How you say what you say is extremely important. I don’t know of many people who would argue that point. In the workplace it is important in order
When your High-performers Turn ‘Sour’
Things are HAPPENING in your organization. You’re making moves, you’re getting clients, and as a leader you’re even spending time on biz dev. Eff YES!
The “Fingers Crossed” Method and how to Create an Effective Growth Plan
Hope is a powerful thing. It gets us through really tough times and helps us to envision a future that is brighter than our current
Mixed Messages that Inhibit Productivity
Ahem… I have a few questions… How much of your day do you spend putting your work on the backburner to help others? Do you
The Damage of Changing the Rules Too Late
Remember back to when you were a kid and sometimes a friend would change the rules of a game while you were already playing? Usually
The Crux of Communication
The crux of communicating with your team is – Perspective. Everyone comes with their own thoughts, opinions, and knowledge based on life experiences. These experiences shape
Be Long-term Oriented and Near-term Focused
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” – Mike Tyson Been there before? You thought you knew what you were
Becoming an Excelerator for your Organization
The strongest leaders are willing to define and accept reality, and work with it…Do you? When you are a Senior Leader of a company, your
Micromanagement is Macro-harmful
Micromanagement is a true disservice to your business and your customers.
Priorities: Set, Commit, Follow-through
Why do we call the most important thing a “priority?” Why isn’t it called a “right-now-ity?”
When your Leader-ship is at Risk of Sinking
Patching the holes in the hull of your leadership.
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