“Why do you use the word ‘room’ in your company name?”

One of my executive coaching clients asked me that as he was writing out a check to me after his coaching session.  My brief explanation was that the word ‘room’ creates a sense of space where an executive, leader, recent college graduate, or professional can utilize the services I offer to improve their workplace performance and advance their careers while they are working to be a more effective leader.

According to the online Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of ‘room’ is “an extent of space occupied by or sufficient or available for something.”  The example the online dictionary used was “room to run and play.”  In a sense, that’s what happens during a coaching or training session:  clients have a chance to run with ideas and play with the options to enhance their presence and effectiveness.

Our professional—and personal—time is fully scheduled and most of that time is taken up with responsibilities to others.  Finding the time to fulfill what we need or want to do for ourselves is a challenge, an obstacle that can keep someone from getting the assistance they need to level their playing field.  Adding the name ‘room’ to ‘leadership training’ creates a sense of place, an environment where professionals for one hour can express their concerns and generate ideas to resolve them.

Leadership Training Room was launched in the fall of 2000.  Reflecting on the choice of my company’s name, I see that a thread of my decision evolved from my childhood.  Specifically, it was the first few weeks of school when I knew I wanted to be a teacher.  In school, the classroom was a specific area of my daily life that exposed me to learning, to being present, to understanding more and more about history, geography, math, history, etc.  It was a place where I learned even more manners than what my family instilled in me and a chance to make some friends and listen to an autoharp.

In junior high school, I joined Future Teachers of America and periodically presented a short lesson in one of my classes to fellow students.  On the back of the senior class picture, my friend Lionel wrote:  “Go easy on the kids, please, Teacher!”  Lionel forecast the essence of my classroom teaching and leading styles, a tough (but caring) way of presenting information so that a student would be challenged to do their best and be their best.

After earning a master’s degree in early childhood education, I went on to work in public and private elementary schools.  Looking back, I can see that although I received praised from parents and students, I was working on a very small playing field—one that didn’t allow me to be challenged intellectually and to teach in a more challenging, adult space.

To expand my horizons, I made a career transition and began working at a college and then corporations.   In 1982, I was an Administrative Assistant at Brandeis University and took it upon myself to organize “9 to 5 the Brandeis Way,” a panel discussion on workplace issues for campus staff during Women’s History Month.  Although I had been told by a professor to expect only a few people, over 75 staff, students, and faculty showed up.  Other seminars followed on topics such as job sharing.

Adult education felt a natural course for me.  I went on to develop workshops and lectures as well as be invited to present for colleges, associations, churches, and even the U.S. Army.  Each space which I stepped into while I was working to be a leader was a further confirmation of the need for time to learn at any age and to allow me to transfer my knowledge to others.

You might be wondering now, “What about the other parts of the name of your company:  leadership and training?”  That’s a good question, one that is easier to describe.

For over five years on my path of working to be a leader, I was a temporary secretary at the quiet giant of Wall Street, Lazard Frères & Co. (now Lazard Ltd.).  Around the same time I started at Lazard in 1989, my youngest niece was beginning her senior year at a women’s college.  Sitting at the right hands of the gods of Wall Street and observing and experiencing their behavior, I knew that her classroom instructors weren’t giving her the same eye level view of leadership I was getting.  My niece’s education—plus disrespectful and arrogant banker behavior—inspired me to record my experiences so that one day I could share my workplace intelligence and teach those in business how to be better leaders.  (Click here for “A Reader’s Guide to Temping with Tycoons: Lessons from My Leadership Reinvention” and download your copy of the special report.)

I finally left Lazard and became a consultant at a hotel marketing company.  Downsizing became a buzz word in the economy and that is just what happened to me after about 18 months:  I was downsized.  Not wanting to go back to temping, I decided that I would find a job in technology for a level of security.  Before I took a long-term assignment in the Marketing & Communications Department at Merrill Lynch & Co., I presented training programs at Texaco.  One of the classes I was asked to teach was Exchange—later called Outlook—and my audience was made up of employees from the Accounting Department.  The students started arriving, and I noticed that they were subdued; one man, who turned out to be the manager, came in his three-piece suit.  While waiting for the rest of the staff to attend, I became a little anxious because they seemed so stiff.  I needed a way to enliven the group.

“I was sent here because of my credentials,” I stated to the group after introducing myself.  “I have a master’s degree in early childhood education.”  The group roared with laughter, including the manager.  The spell of subdued behavior was broken; my approach helped them know that in the space of learning how to use the new e-mail system, they could play and have some fun.  And they did!

Today, I teach a course in “Organizational Behavior” in the Management Department at the Zicklin School of Business within Baruch College, part of the City University of New York.  My approach to teaching has not changed dramatically over the years.  I’m a tough instructor; but students come away with more knowledge and self-awareness than they imagined gaining in a classroom.  I’m also a caring, creative instructor who uses my own experiences and that of my clients to address how to navigate obstacles in the workplace.  I’m also a cheerful instructor who brings a good sense of humor and a positive attitude to the classroom environment.

Each time I go into my college classroom, I know that I am bringing not just information from the experts quoted in the assigned textbook, Harvard Business Review, or other articles.  I know that I can convey the knowledge I’ve gained from my workplace experiences but also from working with clients through Leadership Training Room, a space that provides a time to run and play.

Many leaders are afraid of feedback.  Why?  That’s an answer that I’ve been looking into recently, an answer that has to do with one’s emotional intelligence and openness to growth.

Today it is routine for customer service representations I speak with on the telephone to ask if I am willing to give feedback on their performance.  For example, this morning I called Hertz to resolve an outstanding issue and after the representative cleared up the matter, she sent me directly to the option where I could evaluate her performance.

Although front line staff members receive feedback continuously, it is those higher up in an organization that are too often afraid of feedback.  For example, I was given an executive coaching assignment to work with a ‘two-strike’ leader a few years ago.  Twice the division manager had gone to the vice president of human resources to have the employee fired.  The third time she went, it was decided to try a coaching approach to change his behavior.

In my role as the leader’s executive coach, my first responsibility was to administer a 360° assessment that would provide feedback from my client’s circle of influence.  In this case, I used a standard 360 tool to gather performance input from the division manager, direct reports and colleagues in other departments with whom my client interacted with on a regular basis.  During other client engagements when I administered a 360, I included people from other companies—as well as family members and friends—in the pool of raters of a client’s performance.

Accepting Feedback Can Be a Challenge

“They’re wrong,” my client said wiping away tears when he saw the ‘blind spots’ others pointed out on the 360° assessment.  He had rated himself significantly more effective in all but two of 18 performance categories and was outraged that his colleagues did not do the same.  He was adamant that he couldn’t accept how others felt about his performance.  It wasn’t until I asked him, “What if they are right?” that he relaxed and began to learn how to improve his performance so that he could save his job.  We spent the next few months working together and with his direct reports, a process that led him to making a good impression on the division manager and successfully managing a major project for the company.

My client got a lesson in emotional intelligence, in learning how to better manage his feelings about situations and interact more professionally and responsibly.  Even though he was in his 50’s, he accepted change and was open to growing in new ways. 

But why the initial resistance?  Why was he afraid of facing the truth of how others perceived and experienced his performance?

“Fear of Feedback” is the title of a video in the Stanford Executive Briefing series.  Speakers Myra K. Strober, labor economist at Stanford University and a human resources consultant, and Jay M. Jackman, psychiatrist and human resources consultant, offer a great understanding of why people fear hearing an evaluation of their performance.  (Their article “Fear of Feedback” appeared in Harvard Business Review, April 2003.)

“People need feedback at work,” Strober emphasized, so that “relationships can be renewed and reworked.”  She also stated that “Lack of feedback is the root cause of conflict.”

“Criticism reminds us of uncomfortable times from the past,” the professor continued.  “People hate being criticized or blamed.” 

Both presenters talked about maladaptive behaviors—and how individuals act in respect to internal feelings.  Included in some of these maladaptive behaviors are:

Procrastination, being afraid to do anything about an issue, even if it is very important.

Denial, an unconscious response of being out of touch with what is really going on. 

Brooding, being morbidly preoccupied with issues and not seeing the big picture.

Jealousy, a behavior of feeling more than envy to the point that the behavior can impact performance and judgment.

Self-sabotage, comes from being angry or upset and feeling unable to manifest feelings; former President Bill Clinton was used as an example, but I see this in too many of my clients.

The key to facing feedback and learning to adapt, according to Jackman and Strober, is to create a road map for your journey.  Their suggestions are to recognize emotions and responses more accurately and get support.  Support can be as simple as inviting a couple of people to be involved in your change process to hiring an executive coach to guide you on your journey.

What everyone who is working to be a leader can undertake no matter if have a coach is to do a self-assessment.  That is, ask for performance feedback from one or two interested colleagues in your or another department.  Ask for specific answers to questions such as “You are most effective when you…”  “You can be more effective when you…”  When you get the feedback, remain emotionally neutral.  Accept your ‘blind spots,’ those areas where you think you are especially effective but others see you as not that effective.

Just so you know, I, too, am given feedback at the end of a coaching session or consulting project.  However, if one of my Leadership Training Room clients doesn’t find my coaching or consulting effective, they evaluate me mostly by no longer scheduling appointments with me.

In addition, I get regular feedback on my performance as an adjunct faculty member in the Management Department at the Zicklin School of Business.  At the end of the fall semester, 60 students were invited to fill out of the end-of-the-term evaluations of me and write subjective notes.  Numeric scores on my performance are posted on the Baruch website before the next semester starts and anonymous written comments are sent directly to me—which I find very helpful and informative.

On the day of my student evaluations, class members told me that some professors don’t give out the evaluation forms—which means that professor cannot be rated by students.  I guess it’s not just corporate America where there is fear of feedback.

In today’s tough job market, you need great skills to find a new job in your career—or to be promoted within your existing company.  

Last year’s 5-session program on “Supercharge Your Job Search” sponsored by the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College was so well received that I was invited to present the workshop again this year.

This intensive program is for the general public in the greater New York City area as well as for students and alumni of Baruch College—or any CUNY school.  Specifically, it is targeted to those who are looking to promote their talent by mastering the skills needed for finding that new job, being noticed for advancement where they work, or transitioning to a new career.  Review of resumes, practice managing awkward interview questions, and new strategies to be noticed are included in the series.

 Those job seekers who  attended previously found great value in the program:

• Great!  After a role-playing exercise, I got instant feedback from the class and instructor on my interviewing skills.
• The class gave me the tools that I needed to start my job search.
• Sharing and doing exercises pushed me to realize the importance of networking and maintaining relationships.

 The series of five-sessions will allow each participant to identify their goals, learn effective job search skills through role-plays and interactive exercises, and gain greater confidence to demonstrate a strong workplace presence.  PLUS:  everyone will take the Strong Interest Inventory to identify possible career paths and other assessments to improve self-awareness. 

Along with being an Adjunct Instructor at Zicklin, I’m a trained executive coach who specializes in developing leaders and helping professionals identify and achieve their goals.  I’ve worked with many executives to position themselves for advancement and to develop resumes that help them make a career transition.

 There is a charge of $120 for this program which includes the Strong Interest Inventory and interpretation of other assessments.  Class size is strictly limited.

The program will start on Wednesday, June 16, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and continue each Wednesday evening at the same time through July 14.

Registration closes on Wednesday, June 9^th.

The workshop will be held in the Newman Vertical Campus, Room 9-215, of Baruch College at 24th & Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.

For further assistance and registration contact Linda Moore at (646) 312-3620 or Linda.Moore@baruch.cuny.edu.

It’s a great opportunity.  Hope you can attend!

Have you heard of a “Stay Interview”?  Unlike an “Exit Interview” which is given when you leave a company, a stay interview is conducted when an employee is continuing in an organization.  The purpose of a stay interview is to find out what will keep the employee happy within the company, identify what sort of motivation she needs, inquire about a specific training or development program the employee wants, and hear any concerns or grievances the employee voices.

If you are scheduled for a stay interview and want to be clear on what you need to remain at the company, try using the “Mojo” process that Marshall Goldsmith describes in his book, Mojo: How to Get it, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It.

If you’re thinking that mojo is a folk belief in the supernatural powers of a voodoo charm, you’re right.  It’s used in other contexts to describe alignment of one’s energy so good things can happen.  Ever hear a recording of American blues musician Muddy Waters singing “Got My Mojo Working”?  Listen and you’ll understand mojo.

Goldsmith, one of the top ranking executive coaches in the world, has brought Mojo into the business world: “Mojo is that positive spirit toward what we are doing now that starts from the inside and radiates to the outside.”

Below are his four vital ingredients that combined will bring you clarity and great Mojo.

1. IDENTITY
“Who do you think you are?”  The key to answering the question is to be honest and truthful about how you perceive yourself.  This is not about what others think of you; it is about your self-assessment.  Don’t back away from owning and sharing your self-appraisal.

2. ACHIEVEMENT
“What have you done lately….that have meaning and impact?”  A good question, isn’t it?  With many of my coaching clients, I suggest they write a monthly report and e-mail it to their supervisor regularly.  Although the supervisor may never acknowledge or mention it, you will be aware of your accomplishments—and ready for your annual performance review.

Goldsmith looks at achievements from two perspectives:  “What we bring to the tasks?” and “What the task gives to us?”  Think about your answers and dig deep to find your truths about the give and take of what you do.  “Until we can honestly put a value on what we’ve accomplished lately, we may not be able to create or regain our Mojo,” are words the coach uses with a CEO or her reports.

3. REPUTATION
“Your reputation is a scorecard kept by others,” Goldsmith writes in yet one more best-selling business book (to see more go to http://marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com).  What he says is true, especially in a world where online networking, communication, and evaluation websites (such as www.RateMyProfessors.com) offers ways to influence an individual’s reputation.  Questions you can ask yourself about your reputation include, “Who do other people think you are?  What do other people think you’ve done lately?”  (Visit www.ReputationDefender.com if you want help to monitor and manage your reputation.)

4. ACCEPTANCE
“What can you change and what is beyond your control?”  Another good question, isn’t it?  I’ve written about acceptance before as too many of my clients perseverate about what they can’t change and don’t invest their valuable time in what they can change.  “When Mojo fades, the initial cause is often failure to accept what is—and get on with life.”

Feeling any Mojo from answering the above questions?  Are you feeling a positive spirit toward what you are doing that starts inside and is radiating out so that others can experience your best self?

 Want to know your Mojo score?  Go to www.mojothebook.com to download a guide to Mojo and the Mojo scorecard.  Using these tools can improve your self-awareness.  The process can also help you set priorities and gain clarity when you are called in for a stay interview—or decide that it is really your exit interview.

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There:  How Successful People Become Even More Successful! written by Marshall Goldsmith with Mark Reiter (Hyperion, 2007, 256 pgs.) contains practical wisdom from one of the world’s premier executive coaches and author on executive performance.

Since I just read Goldsmith and Reiter’s newest book:  Mojo:  How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It  (Hyperion, 2009, 205 pages) and realized that before I write my review of that one, I wanted to post this entry. 

 Goldsmith’s methods for changing behavior are straightforward.  For instance, one of the 360 assessments he uses consists of gathering feedback on an executive’s behavior from meaningful colleagues and constituencies.  The client is asked to listen carefully to how others experience his behavior, formulate ways to improve interactions, give thanks for the feedback, apologize where needed, and practice feed-forward.

There are other parts of his book that I will highlight in future posts, but I want to focuse on the group exercise in feed-forward that Goldsmith conducted at a meeting I attended of the New York City Chapter of the International Coach Foundation.  I also used this exercise during one of the management classes I teach at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College.  In both cases, I found the exercise to be a worthwhile endeavor.

Here’s how the feed-forward process works.

1.  Identify one behavior you want to change in your life.  The behavior change should bring about a positive difference in your life.

2.  Describe the behavior you want to change in a one-on-one dialogue with someone:  a spouse, child, best friend, or coworker—or in the case of the ICF-NYC meeting, a perfect stranger would do.

3.  Ask that person for two suggestions for the future that might help you achieve a positive change in your selected behavior.

4.  Listen attentively to the suggestions.  Take notes if you like.  Your only ground rule:  You are not allowed to judge, rate, or critique the suggestions in any way.  And you are not even to say anything positive such as, “That’s a good idea.”  The only response you’re permitted is, “Thank you.” 

You can then repeat the process with someone else—until you have a good sample of ideas to improve your behavior.

One book that I found very helpful—especially for those at the beginning of your careers—was one written by Goldsmith—and other well-known executives.  The book is Learning Journeys: Top Management Experts Share Hard-Earned Lessons on Becoming Great Mentors and Leaders by Marshall Goldsmith (Davies-Black Publishing, 2000).  Read a chapter at a time, do the exercises, and reflect on how you can be a better leader.

If you practice feed-forward, let me know how effective it was  by sending an e-mail to Leigh@ltr-nyc.com

A leader’s position carries with it responsibility to inspire followers and use power wisely.  It also includes teaching others to jump barriers and give up their silo thinking in order to explore new possibilities.

A few years ago when I was at a friend’s apartment, I noticed that her dog, a big German Shepard that stood maybe 24” high, was confined to the living room by a piece of wood placed at each doorway.  The barrier was only 18” inches high – a height the dog could have walked or jumped over with ease.

I knew this because my dog Emelie, a mix of Border collie and Samoyed raised exploring beaches and mountain paths, easily jumped the piece of wood.  In fact, she roamed all over the house, jumping or knocking down the barrier if it got in her way.  The other dog, who only got out to a small yard three times a day, looked at Emelie, whined, and after a couple of times testing her freedom and being disciplined for doing so, was too afraid to venture forth into risking another jump.

An executive coaching client recently commented to me that she values my creative input because her staff can’t see or won’t speak up about the ‘possibilities’ of a situation.  She is a ‘roamer’ but her staff uses what I call ‘silo thinking’ – confining their perspective to a narrow column of influence.   A silo is a structure used to store materials, in this picture it is grain on a farm.

Grain silos on a farm

Silo thinking in followers means that instead of looking out to the horizon, employees see the walls of the job description, the risks of speaking up, and the fear of going out of their comfort zones to explore unknown territory.  They’ll share ideas with peers but won’t speak up at meetings or with their managers.

The influence of their corporate climate, consequences of making a mistake in front of others, and their own ‘mental training’ are just some reasons for their ‘silo’ thinking.  It could be age – never being asked before for creative ideas – or conditioning over the years by being told what to do, how to do it, and when to do it instead of being empowered to individualize their work.  Or the fact that people don’t want to expand for fear of the repercussions of what new activities they might be asked to participant in or that they would have to move out of their usual role to take on leadership themselves of an initiative.

My client consistently strives to inspire, model creative thinking, and provide opportunities for staff input.  She is persistent in efforts to overcome her staff’s ‘silo thinking’ and resistance to jump barriers.  However, with each subtle shift in behavior from individuals, my client gains confidence to continue her efforts to engage her staff in barrier jumping behavior.