If you’re in a management position, the number one thing you can do for your career right now is to hone your leadership skills. In these tough economic times, companies need leaders. They need people who can motivate others, keep them focused, and get results – despite the distractions and turmoil in our world. 

People who can do that will be the ones left standing. They’ll be the ones who outlast downsizing and come out on top in reorganizations. They’ll be the ones who thrive.

In this video I’ll talk more about this, and share some tips on what you can do to build your leadership capacity.

Lead your way to the next level

If you’re not where you want to be in your career right now, I invite you to take a minute to think about whether you’re showing up as the best leader you could be:

  • Do you project confident executive presence most of the time in your work?
  • Are you managing your team successfully, so that people are motivated, engaged and focused and getting results?
  • When you make decisions, are you thinking about them strategically?  Looking at them from multiple angles, and connecting the dots across the organization?
  • Have you figured out how to navigate your way through the politics in your organization to get things done?

Or do you drag yourself out of bed every morning. Show up at your desk and plow through whatever comes your way, completely stressed out by the sheer quantity of it all? Do you rush from meeting to meeting, feeling frazzled and overwhelmed, trying to juggle it all. Do you struggle with how to manage certain team members? Worry that you’re not doing enough to support your top performers? Struggle to get poor performers to do what you need them to do?  End up taking on their work and feeling even more overwhelmed?

Here’s the thing. If you haven’t figured out how to step into your leadership yet – how to be confident and strategic and manage your team effectively and get things done– you’re not alone. Most managers don’t know how to do these things. That’s why so many companies are such a mess to work for right now. And why nearly 3 million people quit their jobs here in the U.S. in July, despite being in the middle of a pandemic.

Look, if your leadership isn’t where it could be, it’s not your fault. You just haven’t been coached on how to do it.

Most companies aren’t investing in leadership development these days. Those that do will typically ship people off to some kind of workshop for a few days. You pick up some good ideas, have a few insights. But back at work, things are more complicated than in the classroom. You’re left to figure it out for yourself. And after a few months, you’ll have forgotten most of what you learned.

So you’re left to learn on the job. Chances are most of the managers you’ve worked for have been less than stellar. No role models there. Sure you can see what not to do. But you’re still left to figure out what to do instead on your own. Even if you’re lucky enough to work for a great manager, they still may not know how to coach you. Coaching and doing are two different things.

Leadership is the number one thing that’s going to keep your career moving forward. In these tough economic times, being able to lead and motivate your team to produce results – despite the pandemic, and all of the challenges and distractions it’s bringing — is critical. Being able to be strategic, looking ahead and making good decisions makes a big difference.  Projecting confidence in the face of so much uncertainty matters.  People who can do these things are the ones whose jobs will be recession-proof. Who will not only survive these crazy times, but thrive in them.

That’s why now is the perfect time for you to invest in building your leadership skills.

Here’s what you want to look for:

  • A coach with experience in the corporate world. Someone who understands the dynamics at play and can help you navigate them.
  • Someone who makes a commitment to your success, who will focus your coaching sessions on moving you toward your goals.
  • A coach that incorporates world class leadership development concepts into the program. That way you’ll have the theory, frameworks and tools you need – in addition to the coaching support that will be critical as you apply them in the real world.

You’re probably not taking a big vacation this year anyway – why not spend that money on something that will pay off for the rest of your career?  You can work with a great coach for about what it costs to take a family of 4 to Disney or Paris or Hawaii for a week. But instead of a weeks’ worth of memories you get months of hands-on training, coaching and support to not only recession-proof your career but to take it to the next level.

If this is appealing to you, let’s talk.  We’ll get on the phone for about 45 minutes and see where you’re feeling stuck in your career right now and where you want to go. If I can help you get from a to b, we’ll talk about what that would look like. Or if what I do isn’t a fit for what you need, I’ll let you know that too and point you to other resources.  Either way, let’s get on the phone.  Life is too short to continue to feel overwhelmed and stuck and at risk when there is so much out there for you.

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