In this blog, we will explore the transformative shift needed in the modern workplace, moving away from a relentless pursuit of productivity at the expense of well-being. We emphasize the detrimental effects of digital fatigue, strategies to avoid burnout, and the compelling reasons for organizations to prioritize employee well-being over traditional productivity metrics. Additionally, practical tips for leaders in fostering a balanced work culture and enhancing remote team well-being are highlighted, underscoring the importance of creating resilient, high-performing teams in today’s dynamic work environment.

In the ever-evolving landscape of remote and hybrid work models, the consequences of a relentless “productivity at all costs” mindset are unmistakably clear. It’s time for a transformative shift—a departure from the relentless pursuit of productivity towards a life-giving leadership ethos that places the well-being of employees at the forefront.

Reminder: Recharging is not a luxury but a requisite for sustained productivity.

The Link Between Well-being and Productivity

The Cost of Digital Fatigue

The conventional wisdom of measuring success solely through productivity has unwittingly given rise to a culture marked by overwork, stress, and burnout. In the pursuit of heightened output, companies may inadvertently compromise the mental and physical health of their workforce.

The advent of remote and hybrid work has only intensified this issue, eroding the boundaries between professional and personal life and fostering an “always-on” mentality. This has led to digital fatigue and burnout, impacting both employee well-being and organizational bottom lines (Gallup).

Navigating Burnout: Strategies for Resilience

Mitigating burnout requires proactive strategies, such as recognizing patterns, adopting preventive measures, and prioritizing rejuvenating downtime.


Burnout is the result of too much energy output and not enough energy self-invested. In other words, it’s burning too much fuel than you’ve put in your tank.

– Melissa Steginus

When navigating burnout, consider these effective approaches:

Ensure Your Downtime is Rejuvenating: If your downtime is spent on something life-giving and engaging, it will give you a much bigger boost of energy than spending it on something more pacifying.

Be Realistic About Your Expectations: Communicate your realistic expectations and ask for help when needed. It is not a weakness to acknowledge your limitations and seek support in specific circumstances.

Notice Patterns and Take Preventive Measures: Identify patterns leading to burnout and take preventive measures. If constant exposure to news overwhelms you, disable notifications from news apps. If maintaining boundaries between work and personal life is a challenge, consider silencing work email during weekends and evenings.

Avoiding burnout is essentially a matter of knowing and listening to your needs. Next time you feel overwhelmed, take time to reflect on how you got there and what might help.

Benefits of prioritizing employee wellbeing

In response to the evolving challenges faced by organizations, there is a growing awareness of the imperative need to prioritize employee well-being. The impact of well-being goes beyond individual feelings; it significantly shapes organizational outcomes. Research consistently highlights the direct correlation between a focus on well-being and overall organizational success (Gallup).

A workforce with thriving well-being experiences fewer sick days, demonstrates higher performance levels, and exhibits lower rates of burnout and turnover. Positive well-being aligns with increased employee engagement, motivation, and overall productivity. Moreover, when employees feel supported and valued, they surpass expectations in their work. Organizations that prioritize employee well-being are more likely to retain top talent and benefit from positive recommendations in recruitment efforts (Gallup).

Leaders must recognize that employee well-being is not an incidental consideration but a fundamental cornerstone for sustained success.


“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you”

– Anne Lamott

Why Prioritize Employee Well-being?

Here are key reasons why prioritizing employee well-being should supersede the traditional emphasis on productivity:

Sustainable Performance: Rather than viewing employees as machines designed to churn out constant productivity, leaders should understand that sustainable performance arises from a balanced and healthy workforce. Employees who feel supported and cared for are more likely to contribute consistently over the long term, maintaining high levels of engagement and creativity.

Resilience in the Face of Challenges: A culture that prioritizes employee well-being fosters resilience. When individuals feel secure in their work environment and supported by their leaders, they are better equipped to navigate challenges. In contrast, a productivity-centric approach may leave employees feeling vulnerable and ill-equipped to cope with setbacks, potentially leading to a downward spiral of burnout.

Enhanced Creativity and Innovation: Well-rested and mentally rejuvenated employees are more likely to bring fresh perspectives to the table. Creativity and innovation often thrive in an atmosphere that values rest, relaxation, and diverse experiences. A workplace culture that supports employee well-being can spark new ideas and unconventional solutions, propelling the organization forward in a dynamic business landscape.

Attracting and Retaining Top Talent: In a world where talented individuals have more choices than ever, organizations that prioritize employee well-being gain a competitive edge. The best and brightest are increasingly seeking employers who value work-life balance, mental health, and a positive workplace culture. By prioritizing well-being, leaders can attract and retain top talent, ensuring a stronger and more resilient team.

Building a Positive Company Culture: Employee well-being is integral to shaping a positive company culture. When leaders prioritize the mental and physical health of their teams, it sends a powerful message about the organization’s values. A positive company culture not only enhances employee satisfaction but also contributes to increased collaboration, communication, and overall team cohesion.

Let’s explore tangible solutions and strategies for leaders. From redefining success metrics to cultivating a culture advocating periodic ‘unplugging,’ a myriad of approaches exists to create a workplace valuing both productivity and well-being. It’s time to pave the way for resilient teams thriving in a harmonious blend of efficiency and vitality.

Ready to transform your team’s well-being and productivity? Explore our Coaching services to empower your employees with the skills and mindset needed for sustained success in the modern work culture.

Leadership Beyond Productivity: Prioritizing Wellbeing

Wellbeing is multifaceted

Prioritizing employee well-being involves a holistic approach encompassing physical health, mental well-being, engagement, job satisfaction, social connectedness, and work-life balance.

In the era of hybrid workstyles, leaders need to adapt their leadership styles to the evolving reality. They bear the responsibility of cultivating a work environment that not only encourages growth and development but, most importantly, prioritizes the well-being of their teams. Burnout in an employee is a clear indicator of a leadership failure, whether it’s a failure to recognize stress signs, an oversight in providing sufficient support, or an insistence on unsustainable workloads.

True leadership transcends titles and managerial tasks; it revolves around creating a nurturing ecosystem where every individual feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. The essence lies in fostering a culture that not only achieves organizational goals but also safeguards the mental and physical health of its members.

Practical Tips for Leaders Boosting Remote Team Well-being:

6 Tips for Work-Life Balance:

1. Clear Boundaries. Encourage team members to establish clear work and personal life boundaries, while discouraging after-hours communication.

2. Flexible Work Hours. Implement schedules based on results, respecting both peak productivity times and personal commitments.

3. Regular Check-Ins. Conduct one-on-one “stay interviews” or check-ins about work progress and well-being, aiming to identify challenges early and provide necessary support.

4. Encourage Breaks and Time Off. Emphasize the importance of regular breaks and encourage team members to take meaningful time off for rejuvenation.

5. Lead by Example. Demonstrate a healthy work-life balance in your own practices and openly communicate personal well-being strategies.

6. Regularly Assess Workload. Ensure that workloads are manageable and realistic, adjusting tasks as needed to prevent overwhelm.

7 Tips for Fostering Team Connection and Support Remotely:

1. Virtual Team-building Activities. Organize online activities that foster team bonding and camaraderie through virtual interactions.

2. Promote Mental Health Resources. Share available mental health resources with the team and actively normalize discussions around mental health.

3. Acknowledge and Celebrate Achievements. Publicly recognize individual and team achievements to boost morale and celebrate success.

4. Promote Physical Well-being. Encourage team members to engage in regular physical activity and provide resources for creating ergonomic workspaces.

5. Survey and Feedback Mechanisms. Implement regular well-being surveys and utilize feedback to enhance well-being initiatives.

6. Provide Training on Digital Well-being. Offer sessions to help team members manage digital fatigue and share effective time management tips.

7. Encourage Peer Support. Promote a culture of peer support within the team and establish buddy systems or support networks.

By incorporating these condensed tips, leaders can effectively prioritize employee well-being in remote teams, fostering resilience and balance in the modern work culture.


“The challenge of remote work is not just about distance; it’s about maintaining connection. Leaders must bridge the virtual gap through effective communication and empathy.”

– Simon Sinek

In the ever-changing landscape of remote and hybrid work, the shift from an exclusive focus on productivity to prioritizing employee well-being emerges as both a compassionate choice and a strategic necessity. Traditional success metrics, centered solely on output, have led to a culture marked by burnout and digital fatigue. Navigating the multifaceted aspects of well-being, leaders must recognize that sustainable performance, resilience, creativity, talent attraction, and positive company culture are all intertwined with the mental and physical health of their teams.

Thanks for joining us as we move towards fostering life-giving leadership environments.

Want to make the change to a more sustainable leadership style? See our Leadership Development Programs Here:

In the echo of a new year, the air is often filled with the resolute declarations of personal and professional transformations – New Year’s resolutions. Yet, despite the initial fervor, these resolutions often fizzle out like short-lived fireworks, leaving us yearning for a more enduring flame.

In this blog, we venture beyond conventional resolutions, exploring the transformative power of behavioural shifts, leadership alignment, and organizational culture. A trifecta that sets the stage for lasting organizational success. 

Join us as we delve into the mechanisms behind genuine behaviour change, spotlight the pivotal role of leaders as change champions, and illuminate the path to fostering a culture that not only acknowledges but fervently embraces continuous improvement. 

We aim to understand how these elements together contribute to lasting organizational success through effective change management, and transcending resolutions – toward sustained, meaningful, and impactful transformation.


“To improve is to change.”

– Winston Churchill

Reflection:

Before we plunge into the heart of the matter, take a moment to reflect on past New Year’s resolutions.

Pausing to engage with this introspective exercise will set the stage to maximize the benefit of the time you’re investing in our brief journey together into the realms of sustainable change.

Rethinking Resolutions

Let’s initiate a revolution of resolutions!

The tradition of New Year’s resolutions, akin to a series of promises to oneself, has become a customary affair. We commit to hitting the gym, reading more, or adopting healthier eating habits, only to witness our determination waning within weeks.

The inherent rigidity of resolutions stands in stark contrast to the fluidity required for sustainable change. Behavioural change is a more nuanced and adaptable process.

Unlike the fleeting brilliance of fireworks, behavioural shifts resemble the slow burn of a bonfire, illuminating the path to lasting transformation. Real behaviour change goes beyond the common approach of setting specific New Year’s resolutions.

While resolutions often emphasize particular goals without addressing underlying habits and systems, effective behaviour change necessitates a more comprehensive strategy.

Where real behavioural change happens

Transforming behaviour is a complex endeavor that transcends simplistic goal-setting; it unfolds as a nuanced psychological dance. Goal-setting is only the starting point in any journey of behavioural change and to create lasting behavioural change, we need to explore the intricate web of cognitive, emotional, social, and environmental factors. 

To grasp the intricacies of change, one must delve into the profound layers of the human mind. At the neurological level, our habits carve deep imprints within our brains, etching themselves into neural pathways. Altering these ingrained patterns entails a rewiring process, challenging the brain’s natural inclination to cling to the familiar.

Real behavioural change requires individuals to shift from a narrow, goal-oriented mindset to embracing systems thinking. 

This involves a dual focus on external and internal aspects of personal development. Externally, it means setting realistic goals aligned with the interconnected elements of a system. Internally, it entails moving beyond isolated accomplishments and understanding the root causes, patterns, and relationships influencing behaviour. 

In essence, behavioural change involves adopting a holistic mindset and planning approach that extends beyond immediate objectives, creating a foundation for meaningful and continuous transformation.

Knowledge can be gained in an instant. Behaviour changes over time.

The key to enduring change lies in intrinsic motivation, a linchpin that aligns with personal values, and vital for sustained transformation. While external pressures may provide a temporary push, relying on internal drive ensures a more enduring commitment.

Tip: Align your behavioural change goals with your core values. Practice reflection to know what really matters to you, creating a powerful intrinsic motivation that fosters enduring commitment and a sense of purpose in your journey.

Developing new habits is a gradual process, with success hinging on a patient, incremental approach. Rushing changes can lead to setbacks, emphasizing the importance of understanding that building new habits takes time and persistence.

Tip: Create Habit Triggers. Associate your new behaviours with existing habits. For example, if you aim to incorporate more reading into your routine, link it to a habit like having a cup of coffee in the morning.

Formally contracting a one-on-one coach helps you find your intrinsic motivation, and sets up the structural commitment to change habits and create the lasting behaviour change you want.

A Leader’s Role in Shaping Behaviour

True leadership transcends mere titles; it embodies influence and inspiration. Recognizing this, effective leaders understand the profound impact of their role in setting the cultural tone within an organization. This involves more than just authority; it’s about role modeling—living out the values and behaviours that leaders aspire to instill in their teams.

Leaders wield a powerful influence in steering positive behavioural change within their teams. Leading by example stands as a cornerstone in a leader’s toolkit.

It is through consistent, lived-out behaviours that leaders establish the standards for their teams.

One crucial aspect of effective leadership is embracing a growth mindset. Rather than a mere buzzword, a growth mindset should permeate the leader’s philosophy and be observable in daily interactions. In doing so, the leader provides tangible examples of the thinking and behaviours that constitute a growth mindset.

A growth mindset encourages the team to see challenges not as insurmountable obstacles, but as opportunities for learning and improvement. This outlook instills resilience in the face of adversity, fostering a team that thrives on overcoming obstacles. However, this mindset demands more than verbal endorsement; it requires leaders to authentically embrace it.

Leaders must be willing to openly admit their mistakes, showcasing vulnerability and humility.

By acknowledging their errors, leaders send a powerful message to the team—that mistakes are not failures but rather stepping stones on the path to success.

Tip: Leaders, actively seek feedback from your team. Constructive feedback provides valuable insights into how your leadership style influences the workplace culture. It won’t always be comfortable, but it will always be valuable.

This transparency creates an environment of trust, a fundamental element for any high-functioning team. In a culture where mistakes are openly discussed, team members feel more comfortable taking risks, knowing that failure is not met with blame but with an opportunity to learn and grow. This openness to learning and improvement is crucial for fostering innovation within the team.

A growth mindset cultivates a culture where team members feel empowered to share their creative and innovative ideas. The leader’s commitment to continuous improvement sets the expectation that everyone in the team is on a collective journey of growth.

In essence, leaders with a growth mindset not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk. Their daily interactions exemplify the mindset they advocate, creating a culture where challenges are embraced, mistakes are acknowledged, and learning is a continuous process. Through consistent modeling of a growth mindset, leaders shape a positive team culture that not only survives challenges but thrives on them, fostering resilience, innovation, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

In shaping behaviour, effective leaders are not just directors but active participants in the intricate dance of change.

Reflection: Think about a leader who has positively influenced your behaviour or mindset. What qualities did they possess that made them effective?

Leaders with strong coaching skills are more effective at instilling sustainable behavioural change. See our Coaching Skills for Leaders (CS4L) program to learn more.

Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement


“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

– Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin’s wisdom finds resonance in the world of organizational development – survival is not solely for the strongest or most intelligent but for those most responsive to change. In our pursuit of building a culture of continuous improvement, envision it as a marathon rather than a sprint – an ongoing journey where change becomes ingrained in our DNA.

Leaders can initiate this cultural transformation by cultivating a mindset that perceives change not as a disruption, but as an opportunity for growth. This involves encouraging open communication channels, where feedback is not only welcomed but actively sought. 

Embracing a learning-oriented approach, leaders should promote a sense of curiosity and experimentation, valuing the lessons learned from both successes and failures.

By emphasizing the significance of adaptability and continuous learning, leaders can create an environment where innovation thrives, and the organization becomes not just a survivor but a trailblazer in an ever-evolving landscape.

Tip: Share success stories, highlighting the behaviours that underpinned them. Leverage success stories within the organization to showcase the positive outcomes of adaptability. Highlighting instances where change led to tangible improvements can inspire others to embrace a similar mindset

Embracing Change for a Lasting Impact


“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.”

– Alan Watts

In the dynamic realm of organizational transformation, cultivating a culture that not only acknowledges that changes will happen but actively embraces change is crucial. This involves challenging existing beliefs and adopting new paradigms in leadership, communication, and collaboration.

One of the significant hurdles in this journey is the presence of psychological barriers to change. Fear of the unknown, loss of control, comfort with the status quo, and loss aversion can hinder individuals from fully embracing change. To overcome these obstacles, it is essential to provide clear communication, involve employees in decision-making, and emphasize the positive outcomes of the transformation.

The goal is to move from fearing or tolerating change to embracing and loving it.

Recognizing and celebrating incremental successes helps build positive momentum, making the overall transformation more palatable. In these environments, employees begin to view change as an opportunity for personal and professional growth, creating a sense of unity among team members.

Success in organizational transformation hinges on encouraging active participation, offering choices, and instilling a sense of agency. This inclusive and collaborative approach ensures a profound and lasting impact. Change is desired, but it’s important to provide individuals with a sense of control and choice in the process. Through self-reflection, individuals can identify their comfort levels with change and address any underlying fears or concerns constructively.

Reflection: How comfortable are you with change? What steps can you take to actively embrace and participate in organizational transformations?

This blog has navigated beyond the customary New Year’s resolutions, focusing on the trifecta of behavioural shifts, leadership alignment, and organizational culture as the catalysts for enduring organizational success. We delved into the complexities of genuine behaviour change, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach that transcends mere goal-setting, encouraging a shift from a narrow, goal-oriented mindset to embracing systems thinking. Leaders emerged as pivotal change agents, wielding influence through lived-out behaviours, particularly by embracing a growth mindset and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The journey towards a lasting impact involves not only acknowledging change but actively embracing it, overcoming psychological barriers, and instilling a sense of unity among team members.

As we move into the new year, let us not be entangled in the transient allure of resolutions but, instead, be drawn towards the enduring glow of behavioural shifts. In a world where the only constant is change, the trifecta serves as a compass, guiding organizations towards sustained, meaningful, and impactful transformations.

As we reflect on Winston Churchill’s words, “To improve is to change,” let us embrace the dance of change, recognizing that it is not only inevitable but an essential driver of growth and success.


See our Coaching Skills for Leaders program and radically transform your leadership and teams by leveraging one or two fundamental behavioural shifts.

The goal of this program is to empower leaders to integrate coaching techniques into their leadership style, fostering long-term positive changes in their own behaviour and the behaviour of their teams. Unlike programs that may emphasize theoretical leadership concepts, CS4L is designed to provide leaders with practical, applicable coaching skills and the mindset shifts required for the skills to have an impact.

While there is a wealth of leadership knowledge, the real challenge lies in implementing that knowledge effectively. Many individuals may understand leadership concepts in theory but struggle to apply them in real-world situations. CS4L provides participants with skills that go beyond theoretical understanding and lead to tangible, lasting changes in behaviour.

In the realm of leadership, confidence often emerges as the unsung hero behind triumph. Envision a confident leader—someone who inspires trust, makes resolute decisions, and gracefully navigates adversities.

Where does this confidence come from? It doesn’t simply appear out of thin air – rather, it develops through an ongoing process of self-leadership.



“Self-awareness is indispensable in leadership, allowing leaders to harness their competencies for the greatest positive impact on others.”

– Daniel Goleman

In this blog post, we will delve into;

Understanding Self-Leadership

Leaders today face the challenging task of navigating intricate, relationship-driven situations where there’s rarely a clear-cut right answer. A leader’s success or failure often boils down to two critical factors: the strength of relationships and the commitment to continuous learning. Sustaining success hinges on the development of advanced self-leadership skills. 

At its core, self-leadership is the art of guiding oneself through the dynamic landscape of leadership. It encompasses four key pillars: self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, and self-development. Together, these pillars empower individuals to lead with confidence and adaptability. In this article, we’ll explore each of these pillars and provide practical insights to enhance your self-leadership journey.

The 4 Pillars of Self-Leadership

1. Self-awareness – Self-awareness equips leaders with a profound understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, values, and aspirations. This knowledge not only facilitates informed decisions but also instills profound self-assuredness. It’s the initial step toward nurturing self-leadership.

2. Self-regulation – Leaders who can regulate their emotions excel in managing challenging scenarios. They exhibit composure under duress, projecting confidence and cultivating an environment conducive to thriving.

3. Self-motivation – Self-leaders are driven by intrinsic motivation, empowering them to set and achieve goals, even in the face of adversity. This inner drive becomes the bedrock of their confidence.

4. Self-development – Self-leaders perpetually seek opportunities for self-improvement, acquiring new skills and knowledge. This continuous growth cycle not only enhances their competence but also strengthens their self-assurance.

Assessment tools are very useful in discovering more about your strengths and weaknesses as a leader. We use a number of tools with our clients.

Building Confidence through Self-Leadership

Building self-confidence is a crucial aspect of personal development. Self-leadership plays a pivotal role in this journey. It entails taking charge of your thoughts, actions, and emotions, and establishing a robust foundation for self-assurance. The process of setting and accomplishing personal goals acts as a catalyst, reinforcing your belief in your own capabilities.

Leading one’s self is powerful in transforming self-doubt into a mechanism for personal growth. Through self-awareness and self-regulation, you can identify and address your weaknesses, significantly boosting your self-esteem.

Consistent self-leadership empowers you to confront life’s challenges with resilience, grace, and an unwavering sense of self-confidence – even when in the middle of doubt.


“Success in the knowledge economy comes to those who know themselves – their strengths, their values, and how they best perform.”

– Peter Druker

The SOAR model

A Self-Leadership model known as SOAR, developed by Tony Gambill and Scott Carbonara, provides a practical roadmap for enhancing self-awareness, emotional intelligence, mindfulness, social intelligence, and adaptability in complex and high-stakes situations.

It offers a framework for acquiring essential knowledge and tools for self-management, generating insights, and learning from outcomes. The model is divided into four key phases:

Self: Understanding oneself, including strengths, weaknesses, values, and personal needs.

Outlook: Awareness of perception biases, understanding diverse worldviews, and managing negative emotions.

Action: Effective communication and conversations in important situations, including clarity, open-ended questions, and conflict resolution.

Reflection: Evaluating past behaviors, seeking feedback, setting development goals, and continually practicing and learning.

This SOAR Self-Leadership model empowers individuals to critically reflect on their behaviours, identify ways their thoughts or actions may contribute to challenges, and make appropriate changes in their approach. To learn more about the model, see this Forbes article.

Individual Coaching for Confidence

Understanding the pivotal role of self-leadership in nurturing confidence, we now delve into how individual coaching, particularly one-on-one coaching, is a helpful tool for putting you on this path.

Are you ready to step into your full potential as a leader? Confidence is one of the cornerstones of effective leadership, and individual coaching is a sure path to achieving it. Coaching equips you to consistently apply your strengths and values in your decision-making while collaborating with others who are strong where you’re not.

While group coaching and workshops result in growth, individual coaching takes personal growth to a deeper level. A skilled coach provides a secure space for leaders to explore their self-awareness, navigate their emotions, and establish meaningful goals. They offer unbiased insights and perspectives, ensuring leaders remain accountable for their growth.

One-on-one coaching offers a tailored, personalized experience that addresses your specific needs and challenges. It’s your opportunity to work closely with a skilled coach who serves as a trusted guide, helping you master self-leadership and develop unwavering confidence.

Individual coaching offers numerous advantages conducive to self-leadership and confidence development, such as…

In summary, we’ve delved into the intricate interplay between self-leadership, confidence, and individual coaching. Self-leadership serves as the cornerstone for nurturing resilient confidence, empowering leaders to inspire trust, make well-informed decisions, and excel in adversity.

Individual coaching, offering tailored guidance, accountability, and a sharp focus on self-improvement, propels leaders toward achieving self-leadership excellence and bolstering their confidence.

As you embark on your leadership journey, remember that self-leadership and confidence are attainable for everyone, and personal coaching can be the catalyst for unlocking your potential.

Ready to take the first step? Contact us today to schedule a consultation and explore how our individual coaching programs can empower your leadership journey. Join the ranks of confident, self-assured leaders who inspire trust, make sound decisions and thrive in challenging situations.

What Does it Mean To Lead Courageously?

In the dynamic landscape of leadership, the role of a courageous leader goes beyond traditional boundaries. Courageous leadership involves taking bold and decisive actions to inspire and motivate your team, even in the face of uncertainty and difficulty. It requires addressing challenges head-on, transcending personal limits and standing firmly for your convictions.

To cultivate courageous leadership, it’s important to focus on self-awareness, personal growth, and building strong relationships. Embracing vulnerability, learning from failures, and maintaining a positive mindset are also key elements. As leaders embrace vulnerability, self-awareness, and meaningful relationships, they can lead by example, creating a safe and supportive environment where your team feels empowered to take risks and embrace innovation. Courageous leadership is all about fostering a culture of trust, resilience, and fearlessness.

Let’s break down the facets of courageous leadership, exploring its transformative potential and offering practical insights for aspiring leaders:

Making Tough Decisions: The Path of Resolute Leadership

At the core of courageous leadership lies the ability to make tough decisions with unwavering determination. Leaders must harmonize diverse priorities, considering financial objectives, employee well-being, and customer satisfaction. Leading through transformative change, such as restructuring or implementing novel strategies, necessitates a resolute spirit, an understanding of the impact on both individuals and the broader work environment.

Ethical Dilemmas: Ethical dilemmas further amplify the call for courageous leadership, where leaders balance short-term gains against enduring integrity and stakeholder interests with unwavering ethical principles. This journey involves finding an equilibrium between priorities, empathy, transformative vision, and ethical compass, embodying the essence of true leadership underpinned by courage.

Risk Management: Navigating Uncharted Waters

Courageous leaders tackle risk management with a multi-faceted approach that demands strategic insight and unwavering resolve. Identifying and evaluating potential risks requires a comprehensive analysis of market dynamics, financial vulnerabilities, operational intricacies, and external pressures.

Transparent Communication: Courageous leaders recognize that transparent communication and vulnerability are key elements in their risk management strategy. They openly share organizational strengths, weaknesses, and risks, allowing teams to understand the bigger picture and make informed decisions. This transparency extends to identifying potential risks, and ensuring everyone is aware of challenges. Concurrently, leaders embrace vulnerability, acknowledging the inherent uncertainty in risk. This creates an environment where team members can express concerns and insights without fear, fostering collaboration.

Tips for Effective Communication: Mastering the Art of Connection

Effective leadership communication is a cornerstone of courageous leadership. Here are key tips for enhancing communication:

As you read these tips, reflect on your past interactions. How can you apply these strategies to create a more open and effective communication style?

Active Listening: Cultivate trust and openness by genuinely showing interest when team members share their thoughts. This nurtures an environment of open communication.

Clarity and Simplicity: Craft clear, concise messages to eliminate misunderstanding and confusion, avoiding jargon and complexities.

Adaptability: Tailor your communication style to resonate with each individual and situation, acknowledging diverse communication preferences.

Empathy and Understanding: Walk in others’ shoes, understanding their unique perspectives, challenges, and aspirations to facilitate meaningful interactions.

Transparency: Foster trust through honesty, sharing information promptly, and making decisions openly to create a culture of open communication.

Non-verbal Cues: Leverage body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice to enhance message reception and understanding.

Multiple Channels: Utilize diverse communication channels tailored to team members’ preferences for maximum impact.

Having Difficult Conversations: Opportunities for Growth


“It’s a rare person who wants to hear what he doesn’t want to hear.”

– Dick Cavett

Difficult conversations, despite being uncomfortable, serve as opportunities for personal and relational growth. Just as the quote highlights, few willingly embrace unwelcome truths. Yet, it’s within these uncomfortable dialogues that genuine development thrives. Confronting diverse perspectives and practicing active listening, empathy, and effective communication during these discussions expands our horizons. By facing discomfort and acknowledging hard truths, we foster resilience and empathy, leading us to become more open-minded and compassionate individuals.

To navigate these intricate conversations effectively, several key strategies can be employed:

Prepare and Plan: Clearly outline objectives, identify instances, and strategize constructive message delivery before embarking on a difficult conversation.

Choose the Right Time and Place: Select an appropriate setting and timing to ensure a receptive atmosphere for open communication.

Be Empathetic: Immerse yourself in the other person’s perspective to demonstrate understanding and value their emotions and viewpoints.

Use “I” Statements: Frame feedback constructively using “I” statements to foster a non-confrontational atmosphere.

Active Listening: Allow the other party to express themselves without interruption, maintaining eye contact and engaging in genuine interest.

Seek Common Ground: Identify shared goals or areas of agreement to bridge confrontational dynamics into collaborative ones.

Recall a time when you faced a difficult conversation as a leader. How did it impact your growth and the relationship with your team member?

What Happens If Leaders Are Not Courageous?

If leaders lack courage, the organization may face stagnation and missed opportunities. Without the willingness to make tough decisions, the organization’s direction might be left to chance, resulting in confusion and internal conflicts. In risk management, a lack of courage can lead to overlooking critical vulnerabilities or failing to address potential risks adequately. Ineffective communication stemming from fear of transparency can erode trust and hinder collaboration. Moreover, avoiding vulnerability may stifle creativity and hinder the organization’s ability to adapt and thrive in the face of challenges. Overall, the absence of courageous leadership can hinder growth, innovation, and the establishment of a resilient and dynamic organizational culture.

Inspiring Transformation Through Courageous Leadership

As you embark on the journey of cultivating courageous leadership, remember that it’s a transformative path. By stepping beyond comfort zones, nurturing empowerment, and fostering trust and resilience, you’ll inspire those around you to reach new horizons of greatness. Through unwavering determination, effective communication, and navigating difficult conversations, you’ll pave the way for innovation, growth, and lasting impact.

Reflect on your own leadership style. How can you integrate the principles of courageous leadership into your daily interactions? Share your insights and join the conversation on our socials below.

Introduction

In the realm of leadership growth, we find ourselves engaged in a delicate dance between safety and challenge. As leaders, our pursuit of personal and professional development necessitates stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing new opportunities. However, it is equally important to maintain a sense of security and stability as we navigate uncharted territories. The key to unlocking our true potential lies in striking the right balance between safety and challenge. As renowned author and motivational speaker John C. Maxwell wisely stated, “If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.”


“If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.”

John C. Maxwell

The Safety Zone: Comfortable, Yet Limiting

Your comfort zone represents the space where you feel secure and familiar with your surroundings and abilities. It can be likened to a cozy cocoon that shields us from the unknown, offering familiarity, stability, and a sense of control over your environment. While your comfort zone offers stability and safety, remaining in it for too long can hinder your personal growth, limit learning opportunities, and prevent you from reaching your full potential. Avoiding new experiences, ideas, and challenges can lead to complacency and cause you to miss valuable opportunities for leadership development.

The Challenge Zone: Uncomfortable, Yet Empowering

Your growth zone, on the other hand, is the area where you stretch your existing capabilities, take risks, and venture outside of your comfort zone. It is a space where true growth happens. Stepping into the challenge zone can be intimidating, as it requires us to face uncertainties and confront our fears. However, it is within this discomfort that we discover immense potential for growth and self-discovery. By seeking out challenges and stretching our abilities, we cultivate resilience, creativity, and adaptability—essential qualities for exponential leadership growth.

Many people avoid the growing edge because they fear failure or discomfort. They choose to remain in their current state, content with the status quo and avoiding risks. However, it is important to recognize that growth and progress can only be achieved by stepping outside of our comfort zones and embracing the unknown. It is crucial to remember that growth is a gradual process that requires time and effort. Therefore, it is essential to be compassionate towards yourself as you navigate through new challenges. If you find yourself overwhelmed, consider taking small steps outside of your comfort zone and gradually increasing the level of difficulty. This incremental approach allows you to build confidence and resilience, paving the way for more significant achievements.

To embrace your growing edge as a leader, here are some steps you can take

Remember, leadership is a journey, not a destination. Keep working on yourself to become the best leader you can be!

Barriers

Embracing your growing edge as a leader can be challenging. There can be many barriers that prevent you from stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking risks. Some common barriers include fear of failure, lack of self-confidence, resistance to change, and a reluctance to take on new responsibilities. However, it’s important to remember that growth and development often require us to face these challenges head-on. With the right mindset and support, you can overcome these barriers and become the best leader you can be. Would you like some guidance on how to overcome these barriers?

The Vital Balance: Coaching’s Secret Ingredient

In the world of leadership coaching, finding the delicate balance between safety and challenge is paramount. Effective coaching requires and creates an environment that nurtures this balance, providing leaders with the support they need while challenging them to stretch their capabilities. By striking this equilibrium, leaders can experience exponential growth.

Internally, this balance fosters personal growth by expanding leaders’ skills, knowledge, and mindset. It encourages them to seek continuous learning opportunities, embrace change, and develop a growth-oriented mindset. This internal growth translates into enhanced confidence, self-awareness, and the ability to navigate ambiguity and complexity with ease.

Externally, leaders who strike this vital balance become invaluable assets to their organizations. They demonstrate the capacity to tackle challenges with a balanced approach, adapt to new situations, take calculated risks, and learn from failure. Such leaders become catalysts for innovation and progress, creating a culture that embraces growth and attracts top talent.

Albert Einstein, the brilliant physicist and philosopher, once remarked, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” This quote holds profound relevance in the context of leadership growth. It reminds us that within the challenges we face as leaders, there are hidden opportunities for exponential growth. By embracing a balanced approach of safety and challenge, we can unlock these opportunities and propel ourselves to new heights of leadership excellence.


“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

Albert Einstein

Leaders That Have Benefited From Coaching

Oprah Winfrey – renowned talk show host and media mogul has openly talked about the importance of coaching in her life. Engaging with several coaches, she adeptly navigated challenges in her career and personal life. 

Bill Gates – visionary founder of Microsoft, actively pursued coaching throughout his career. Collaborating with several coaches, he enhanced his leadership skills and maintained focus on his goals. 

Eric Schmidt – former CEO of Google, has also been a strong advocate of coaching. With the guidance of multiple coaches, he developed his leadership skills and became a more effective communicator. 

Steve Jobs – late co-founder and CEO of Apple, also recognized the value of coaching. Working with a coach, he transcended his ego barriers and refined his communication skills.

Companies Investing In Leadership Coaching

There are several well-known companies that use coaching to develop their leaders. Here are a few examples: 

Google: with their “G2G” (Googler to Googler) coaching program, Google pairs employees with experienced coaches to address challenges and foster leadership development. 

Microsoft: Offering a comprehensive leadership coaching program, Microsoft provides one-on-one coaching sessions to all employees, facilitated by experienced coaches. 

IBM: IBM’s “Leadership Coaching for Results” program focuses on enhancing leaders’ skills and effectiveness through targeted coaching interventions.

General Electric: General Electric’s “Leadership Development Course” equips leaders with essential competencies in communication, decision-making, and team leadership.

These examples represent only a fraction of the companies utilizing coaching to nurture their leaders. According to recent studies, around 86% of Fortune 500 companies leverage executive coaching as a means of professional growth for their employees. Notable organizations such as Apple, IBM, Google, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, and many more recognize coaching as a valuable tool for improving leadership skills, enhancing communication abilities, and maximizing job performance. In the pursuit of employee development, numerous companies employ coaching in innovative and impactful ways.

Conclusion

On the journey of leadership growth, finding our balance of safety and challenge is essential. As leaders, we must step beyond our comfort zones, embrace challenges, and pursue continuous growth.

Coaching has become an increasingly important tool for companies committed to fostering employee growth and skill development. It’s widely adopted, innovative, and effective in unlocking individuals’ full potential. Through coaching, companies empower their workforce to cultivate new skills, enhance performance, and embrace continuous learning. This strategic investment in coaching demonstrates a progressive approach to employee development, nurturing talent and driving long-term success.

Effective coaching provides the necessary support and guidance to strike this vital balance, enabling exponential development. Remember the words of Albert Einstein and recognize that within difficulties lie tremendous opportunities for growth. By embracing the delicate interplay of safety and challenge, we not only transform ourselves but also inspire and empower those around us. Embark on this transformative path of leadership growth, and watch your exponential potential unfold.

Does a coaching style of leadership replace all other leadership styles/approaches? 

The coaching approach is not only reserved for those who aspire to become a professional in the accompaniment of individuals, groups or teams or for human resources professionals who find that their interventions tend to become even more strategic after specific coaching training, it is also for managers who aspire to understand “The art of one to one: the coaching style” as Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee explain in Primal Leadership.

Primal Leadership (first released in 2001) is still a must read for leaders interested in broadening the range of their effectiveness.  In it, Goleman outlines 6 leadership styles and encourages us to develop our ability to flex into all 6, developing them and knowing when each is appropriate.  Goleman’s  6 Leadership Styles are: Commanding, Visionary,  Democratic, Coaching, Affiliative and Pacesetting. He advises to use Commanding and Pacesetting sparingly and with caution as they both have significant fallout if overused. 

A Coaching Leadership Style/Approach has potential for huge impact on the performance, loyalty and joy of those you lead, with no risk of fallout.  That said, it is not the only one leaders need.  It does not replace the need to for the other 5 styles and once you begin to see the innovation and commitment it unleashes, it is likely to become one of the styles you most commonly draw on. 

Defining a coaching style 

A coaching leadership style is one that recognises the talent in those they lead – it means cultivating a habit of noticing each person’s unique contribution, calling it out in them by acknowledging what you see.   

It also means not settling or simply accepting that you’ve been dealt a ‘bad hand’ with a team you’ve inherited. The number of times I hear managers complaining about the quality of people they’re ‘stuck with’ far outweighs the reality.  9 times out of 10 the people themselves aren’t the issue.  It is often true that people show a lack of engagement, loyalty and don’t go the extra mile – however, it is just as often true that the behaviour is as disappointing to them as it is to you as their manager.  What they need is for you to step up as their leader.  To seek to understand the impact of culture, systems and structures that have called out this “mweh” state they’re in.  To listen for and call out their value and to make the alignment between opportunities inherent in their role with what drives them as people.  A coaching style of leadership equips leaders to call out the best in individuals/teams and to create environments where personal conviction and self-leadership, not command and control, drives personal accountability.  These are the most productive environments.  The places people clamour to come work, the cultures which allow you to have your pick of the best of the best who want to come work with you. 

Our CEO tells the story of how, as a high-achiever herself, she used to gravitate to the ‘top 10% of exciting people’, truly believing that most people weren’t as interesting or exciting to work with.  A few years into her coaching career she realised that her world view had changed completely.  The shift was that she now had the tools and the skill to both see and call out the interesting, exciting parts of people and discovered that the talent she was only able to see in 10% of people previously she now saw in over 60% of people she works with.  The pool of people is the same, the result is completely different. 

Margaret Heffernan’s Ted Talk of “super chickens” tells more on this story. 

A coaching style includes holding people accountable to their actions, producing a high level of accountability.  It requires the courage to have the hard conversations, establishing true agreement around mutual expectations and performance and following through on the established outcomes – even if that means someone needs to leave the company as they’re not living what has been agreed, or they cannot agree to what is required of the job. 

How does a coaching leadership style impact culture and performance? 

Over the past 13 years of my career and in my more recent role as Chief People and Purpose Officer on Virgin’s V Team, I’ve seen how purpose-driven businesses go further, faster and reach greater heights. 

Holly Branson 

As described above, we as leaders need to shift from feeling stuck with a “meh” team to noticing and calling out the best in our team, while bringing new skill and permission to hold people accountable and to part ways when staying together isn’t a fit. 

All people have a desire to be seen, valued, belong and to have impact.  What we want to be valued for and what we want to impact differs.  Developing a coaching leadership style enables you to see/hear people in a way that they feel seen and valued which, in turn, enables you to connect their desire for impact with the opportunities their job offers.  This shifts their motivation from doing what they’re told to do, to doing what they’re internally driven to do.  It also means that you hold them accountable at a higher “core purpose” level, freeing you from micro-managing oversight. 

When a coaching leadership style becomes one of your primary styles you create a culture where your people are inspired to create great ideas, and where your people connect their purpose to something bigger than themselves.  As a leader you realise your purpose is to serve others; continually inspiring your team to become the very best version of themselves, lifting the organization to a higher level of performance. 

Ken Robinson 

The role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it’s to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they’re valued. 

When employees feel valued, they will contribute more and perform better at work. They tend to be more engaged, passionate, and incredibly loyal. 

What are the limits of a coaching leadership style? 

Of Goleman’s 6 leadership styles, the top three across all leadership levels were democratic, coaching and visionary styles.  These three styles are highly positive and create resonance within the organizations with the potential to boost performance.  A wider range of leadership behaviours in upper leadership positions has been shown to be associated with increased leader effectiveness. 

This makes intuitive sense, as coaching focuses on connecting the individual/team with the company vision – if the leader over relies on coaching, the team gets’ confused as it appears the leader has no vision.  Likewise, there are times a command and control leadership is needed – times where lack of an urgent response will have dire consequences or when tough decisions need to be made.  As leader, you may get input, but it is clear that the final decision is yours.   

Some decisions aren’t critical and it will be impossible to get agreement from everyone – those times you may need to lean into a democratic leadership style. 

Once you’ve developed competence in all 6 styles, you may move seamlessly between them, using multiple in a single day or even a single interaction.    

Like all the styles, a coaching leadership style has its limits, and it brings incredible value in most contexts when it is developed as a dominant style. 

Be a great leader and remember to listen with the intention to learn from your team not just supply a response. Use your teams knowledge, advice and wisdom to improve and achieve anything!  

Keith Fisher 

Interesting Study on use and effectiveness of Goleman’s Leadership Styles from the UK’s National Library of Medicine 

What does it take to develop a coaching leadership style? 

Being a leader isn’t easy. It’s easy to bark out orders and dismiss someone if they are not performing, but that’s not really leadership – leaders like that may have been tolerated in the 18 and 19 hundreds, but it never passed as leadership.  It takes the real, hard work of self-leadership to effectively coach, inspire, and motivate your team to perform at their optimum best. That’s the fundamental difference between someone others desire to work with and someone people tolerate because they have a leadership title.  Being a leader is both a privilege and a responsibility.  As John Maxwell says, “you must be willing to pay the price of leadership if you want the perks of leadership”.   

Developing a true coaching leadership style requires more than a change in language, or simply reading a book about it.  It requires courageous self-leadership.  A willingness to let go of old ways of being-and-doing in order to make space for and try out new ways of being-and-doing.   

A coaching style is so counter-intuitive that, as a leader wanting to develop the skills you need to commit to a process over time.  A process that takes you through various stages – a stage of awareness that creates openness – a stage of letting go and being OK with ‘not knowing’ – a stage of trusting and trying out new learning until it becomes integrated behavioural learning – an acceptance that cycling through these stages is your new reality.  

There are a number of good coaching skills programs for leaders out there and we’re particularly proud of the impact of ours.  If you’re reading this because you’re wondering how to instill more of a 21st Century approach to your leadership culture, we invite you to consider our program as one of your options. 

The terms “Executive Coaching” and “Leadership Coaching” are confusedly used in some contexts and often used interchangeably, however they are not the same.

This article speaks to their respective roles, but first, let’s define the terms. 

What is Executive Coaching?

As a general definition, Executive Coaching helps leaders improve their performance and that of their organization as a whole.

In Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart, Mary Beth O’Neill mentions that it is “helping leaders get unstuck from their dilemmas and assisting them to transfer their learning into results for the organization”. 


Executive Coaching includes, but goes beyond Leadership Coaching.

It is less about the acquisition of basic leadership skills, and more about the mastery of leadership.


Executives usually have years of experience that have shaped their leadership skills. Executive Coaching supports leaders in honing their leadership skills, allowing them to be highly effective in the wider range of increasingly complex situations within which they operate.

In a fast-paced business world, where leaders at the top are often alone, the benefits of Executive Coaching go beyond the growth/learning focus and provide a much-needed space with a politically neutral sounding board for executives to think through, devise, and question their strategies and overall management.


The executive coach serves as a thought partner, a sounding board with a systems approach, supporting the leader to take into consideration the whole ecosystem at play.


Executive Coaching implies a high level of complexity where intertwined layers of influence and interdependence meet.  

It lies at the meeting point of Complexity, Reach, as well as Leadership life-cycle stage.

Complexity
The number of implications of each decision.
Eg. Deciding to hold a team pizza party once a month vs choosing to implement a company-wide 4 day work week or expand into a new region.

Reach
The number of people, systems, etc who are affected by decisions.
Eg. A startup with 3-50 employees vs Loblaws, a large University or Municipality.

Leadership life-cycle stage
This is determined by both the extent of leadership experience and training. This relates less to a title, but rather to lived experiences involving various stages and types of leadership.
eg. A first-time CEO of a smaller company with limited leadership training vs A CEO with previous experience at the VP level and extensive leadership training.

Who is Executive Coaching for? 

In summary, Executive Coaching is for executive-level leaders looking to improve their effectiveness in high-impact, complex decision-making environments that require them to build collaborative coalitions, transform systems, and/or will benefit from a politically neutral sounding board to process potentially divisive decisions. 

What is the impact of Executive Coaching? 

Improved performance, confidence, effectiveness, and a systems approach to business.

Greater confidence and stronger leadership when bringing strategies to the executive team
(As a result of a sounding board to safely troubleshoot ideas with someone who is not personally invested in the outcomes.)

Mastery in applying already developed leadership skills in a wider range of more complex contexts.

What is the Executive Coaching Process? 

While the processes for executive coaching will vary, they typically require a minimum of a 12month commitment and often will extend for a number of years, particularly in cases where the sounding board element is of high value.

We share our process as a sample of what to expect in an Executive Coaching engagement: 

What is Leadership Coaching? 

The primary focus of Leadership Coaching is on the development of leadership skills for current and future roles.  Leadership Coaching helps clients in developing their awareness of their strengths and growth areas in a leadership context.


The leader gains insights into their own leadership skills, the consequences of behaviours that impact the team’s performance, and/or communication patterns that can hinder the capacity to achieve goals. 


The leadership coach’s attention is directed to a more behavioural and people-centric approach. Leadership Coaching targets leadership skills and awareness of different growth areas including but not limited to; self-leadership, engaging with others, emotional intelligence, communication, healthy conflict and team dynamics.

They work with the leader to maximise their abilities and lead their teams well in their current leadership context as well as equip them for future roles.

Who is Leadership Coaching for? 

The common belief is that a leader is in a position of authority. However, the rank or role in the organization is irrelevant. Any leader in a formal or informal role can benefit from Leadership Coaching. It is particularly interesting for emerging leaders who can profit from the support of a leadership coach in their development. 

What is the impact of Leadership Coaching? 

Greater confidence, and effectiveness through increased self-awareness and self-leadership. Improved decision-making and relational skills which directly translate into achieving goals personally and through others.

One of our great joys in coaching leaders is watching them shift from what we call “white knuckling” leadership to “life-giving” leadership. A leadership where the leader is comfortable enough in themselves to know both their strengths and limitations and how to integrate leadership principles into their natural style.

Confidence replaces a sense of threat with humble, confident ease, allowing them to surround themselves with those who complement and challenge them – building stronger teams. Insecurity and competition are replaced by joy and collaboration.

What is the Leadership Coaching Process? 

Leadership coaching processes vary less than executive coaching, and most will look very similar to ours, although many don’t involve the leader’s direct leader. We again share our process as an example : 

What is the difference between Executive Coaching and Leadership Coaching? 

These are the main points of difference :

  1. While leaders at all levels of an organisation can benefit from Leadership Coaching and Leadership Coaching is an aspect of Executive Coaching, Executive coaching is aimed at leaders with proven leadership skills whose decisions need to factor in the impact on the whole system where the scale of the system has significant reach and complexity.
  2. Executive Coaching tends to be more comprehensive, with more external inputs (eg interviews, assessments, etc)
  3. The value of the coach as a neutral sounding board is a universal and core component of Executive Coaching while only occasionally part of Leadership Coaching.
  4. Both coaching offerings result in Behavioural Change, however, Executive Coaching requires a longer coaching commitment as executives have typically worked out all the easier behaviour changes and only the more resistant and/or nuanced ones remain – which take longer to effect change.
  5. Executive Coaching tends to be significantly more expensive than Leadership Coaching.

The sketch below is a good illustration as a summary of the core distinction between situations in which you would look for Executive Coaching vs Leadership Coaching: 

Executive Coaching would be best suited to this scenario

Leadership Coaching would be best suited to this scenario

The journey of an ordinary leader who overcame the pressure to do things ‘the right way’ and carved an unlikely path to success.

How does a shy, precocious, introvert end up building a national consulting firm from nothing?  The journey of Advantage Management Consulting starts with Gil Davidson but gathers momentum as other amazing people join along the way.  Most are still with us; some have left to live their extraordinariness elsewhere and we thank them for their part in the journey.   

It’s tempting to read about others success in an effort to duplicate it – a strategy that seldom works because our paths are as unique as we are.  When my Head of Marketing asked me to write this blog my first thought was that no-one would be interested in the story.  I am excited about our milestone, but why would others be interested… then, the more we talked about it, the more excited I became to share my journey – Advantage Management Consulting’s journey. A journey of an ordinary leader who overcame the pressure to do things ‘the right way’ and carved an unlikely path to success. A journey guided by values-based decisions with all the costs, soul-searching, joy, struggles, tenacity, learning, growth and deep gladness that accompanied them. 

My journey is a non-traditional narrative, one that refuses to be defined by expectations by ‘shoulds’ and ‘can’ts’ and my hope is that it frees you from any of your limiting narratives so that you can craft your journey to success – complete with its costs, joys, struggles and successes.  So, if you choose to read further, do so to discover your own journey rather than to duplicate mine. 

Despite knowing better, we often imagine a linear path to business success. If you take away one thing from this blog, I hope it is a new permission to follow whatever non-linear path your success is calling you down. 


A consulting business needs to be in a big city where you have an extensive network.

Assumption 1


A consulting business needs to be in a big city where you have an extensive network.  That would be the logical way to do things, and it certainly would’ve made things easier, but it didn’t fit with the broader context of our life, so I chose a different path. I started my business by moving to a town where I knew no one at all (I.e, I had no network to draw on), and where less than 2% of the businesses are large enough to fit our “ideal client”. Not to mention, I was pregnant, with two toddlers in tow.  This was also my first time leaving the corporate world to strike out on my own in the field of Coaching – which, 20 years ago, was an unknown entity that few leaders understood or could rationally justify investing in. Fortunately, there were enough early adopters to tide me over the lean start-up years while I figured out how things worked outside the safety of a large corporate structure.  As our reputation grew so did our clarity that we’re not in the ‘coaching business’, but rather in the business of ‘equipping leaders and teams’.   

I never wanted to be a ‘kept woman’. Yet, as a mother in my early-30’s starting a business with a clear boundary around being a ‘full-time Mom and part-time business owner’, I had to admit that I was, in fact, such.  My income did not even come close to adding significant value to our bottom line.  My work was, however, of high quality, and added real value for my clients, while also giving me the stimulation and purpose outside the home that I sorely needed. In short, it was highly valuable to me and to the people I served, it just didn’t fit my idealistic view of what a successful trajectory as a young adult should look like.  

Although I was confident that I was making the right values-based choices, I struggled to accept the very real identity cost of those choices. Acknowledging they were my choices to make and continuing to actively pursue them – despite the cost – made it easier and I eventually made my peace with it – but this was a journey all of its own.   

Looking back, I see how fortunate I was to have the luxury of a slow start to my business.  It allowed me lots of focused, energised time with my kids while also providing a leisurely space to gain clarity on the clients, services and structure of the business that is now reaching exponential growth.  We recently became empty-nesters freeing me up to nurture this next stage of the business and transition into being a full-time business owner more smoothly – thanks in large part to the unusual path I took.   

I am grateful for the gift of growth from this struggle, both for myself and, ultimately, for my business. 


There is only one way to be an entrepeneur.

Assumption 2


I’m not an entrepreneur. In my family my brothers were the ones ‘made of entrepreneurial stuff’.  Their entrepreneurial spirit earned them all the attention and grooming from the business relatives and friends. I envied them and their ability to ‘fake it till you make it’ – I just wasn’t wired that way.   

During the ‘slow start’ of the first 10 years of my business I periodically contemplated returning to the corporate world I so loved, questioning if I was cut out for this or if I was trying to be something I’m not.  Three things kept me at it:  

First, I didn’t want to give up the flexibility I allowed myself. I couldn’t see myself finding a corporate job that would allow me to work at the same level I was and still have time for the things I valued, like going on family adventures. 

Secondly, I was beginning to realize that while I may not have the same entrepreneurial wiring as my brothers, it is precisely my wiring that makes me good at what I do. My approach enables me to build long-term, external strategic partnerships with organizations to create lasting impact for the leaders and teams in those organizations.  I came to understand that entrepreneurship has many forms and I was my own version of an entrepreneur.  

Thirdly, Christine Bonney (then a member of our team) was coaching me through an existential crisis one day and reflected to me that “I know many successful business owners and none of them have anything that you don’t” – it was a turning point and the final strand in the logic I needed to believe and commit to building a business beyond myself – in short, I realized I wanted to and could scale the business.   

The next logical step would be to dig down deep and focus on scaling – right?  Once more, it didn’t quite fit with our broader circumstance or stage of life, so instead we chose something different. 


If I am not constantly working myself to the bone

I won’t make it.

Assumption 3


If I take 9 months off my business will die.  Our family has a high value around adventure and exploration.  In 2013-14, we decided to enroll our three kids (then ages 14, 12 and 9) in online schooling and drag them around Europe and South Africa for nine months.  Again, it was a decision based on deeply held values and priorities and I had to own that a potential cost might be the death of my business.  I decided it was worth the risk, and that I was going to mitigate that risk as much as possible.  One of my team members stepped forward to be the face of the company while I was away, and I made a point of introducing her to all our key stakeholders as such.  A month into our trip, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to step away – the business was left without a caretaker. 

The business didn’t die in those nine months; rather, it went on life support. Upon my return it took 6 months to revive. More importantly, it solidified for me that, as soon as the kids were old enough, I wanted to start the process of scaling the business. 


Scaling should always be the focus.

Assumption 4


Scaling is a natural next step. That may be true sometimes, but it isn’t a step one should take without being sure.  The timing and the energy to scale was finally right and in 2015 I threw myself into it.  I was again in unknown territory, and it took 3 years before it finally made any difference to the bottom line.  I had set myself an aggressive financial target to reach by December 2017, otherwise I would regroup and do something different.  By the summer of 2016 when it felt like we were making no progress and I was about to admit defeat. My husband urged me, ‘don’t you dare give up while you’re down’.  By the end of that year the new trajectory had declared itself and, with the exception of the Covid blip of 2020, we’ve stayed above my 2017 target and will have quadrupled it by the end of 2022! 

Scaling is multi-faceted and demanding – it forces us to stray from our area of expertise and requires that we pay equal attention to People, Products/Services and Systems all at the same time.  Although our numbers have been exciting it feels like I’ve been swimming in the deep sea, sometimes in rough waters, without many islands to rest on since the needed focus-shift to include building systems occurred in 2018.  That is the year I finally decided we needed systems and invested in both paying people to help develop the back-end as well as in an office-automation system – none of it very sexy, all of it essential and life-saving (after the life-sapping development stage)! 

I was keenly aware that to build a business that is ‘bigger than me’, I’d better get out of the way.  Sounds simple, but it takes ongoing conscious choices to let others decide the details – details that for years you’ve meticulously held, nurtured and looked after.   

I have a strict policy of only recruiting (or, as I prefer to say, inviting) people I am excited to work with to join our team.  People with courage, compassion and a deep understanding of context. People who are skilled and certified and are compelled by the value of service and impact. People who are exciting to be around.  If you’re going to recruit such people, you’d better make sure that you give them the room to influence how things are done.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning to get out of the way and seeing our business grow as a direct result of some uncomfortable conversations that have increased engagement and fostered a sense of shared creativity amongst us all. 


Leaders aren’t allowed to screw up.

Assumption 5


We model what we teach.  And that includes our flawed humanity.  As a leader I’ve worked hard at building a fantastic team with a healthy, innovative, productive culture.  These are all people I deeply respect, despite times where trust felt thin, or expectations differed enough to threaten relationship.  Each time I was tempted to follow the ‘easy’ path of avoidance, I reminded myself that leadership is not for the faint hearted, that courageous leadership is good leadership.  No team or leader is perfect, and each time we’ve created space for that while still upholding our shared core values. Because of this, we’ve emerged as a stronger team, better equipped to serve our clients.  

We’re a leadership and team development company.  We recruit leaders who are committed to life-long learning, excellence and a heart of servant leadership.  We believe at our very core that how you show up provides as much, if not more learning for our clients than any leadership and team principles we may share. 

When circumstances are chaotic, it is easy to justify ‘lowering our standard’. Because of all the growth and structure-building, I have an endless to-do list to complete which can result in trying to take on too much, leaving me failing those I’m committed to serving. 

I recently found that simply asking “How am I honouring my team and my clients?”, “How am I honouring those I’ve pledged to serve?”, cuts through the excuses and creates the energy and clarity I need to live in integrity.  I think it is largely this company-wide commitment to integrity that has set us apart.

Given the tragically high numbers of 82% – 95% of coaching businesses that fail within the first 2 years, I am particularly proud to be marking 20 years in business, marked by exponential, national growth in the last 5 years. I am grateful for our team that has kept us out of that statistic and on a clear trajectory towards becoming a nationally recognised brand. 

With such a strong team I have been taking a step back from being the face of the company. Advantage Management Consulting has grown into an entity that is beyond me and bigger than any one of its members. We now have regional VPs for the East and West Coast as you will hear more about in the coming weeks.

Thanks to our wonderful team for spreading life-giving leadership wherever you go, you are Advantage Management Consulting

Our current team in chronological order:

  1. Anita (Kelowna, BC)
  2. Bruce (Toronto, ON)
  3. Maja (Kelowna, BC)
  4. Amanda (Calgary, AB)
  5. Sarah (Vernon, BC)
  6. Doug(Port Coquiltam, BC)
  7. Toni (Vancouver, BC)
  8. Hellen(Vancouver, BC)
  9. Sunmbo (Calgary, AB)
  10. Philippe (Montreal, QC,; COO – Partner – Regional VP Eastern Canada
  11. and coming soon Arlene (Mill River, PEI – Regional VP Atlantic Canada) 

1. It Drives Innovation  

Keen learners, those who cultivate a growth mindset within themselves and their broader organizations, are more likely to be early adopters of new technologies, strategies and stay ahead of the curve.


People who expect to learn things that require change and entertain new ideas drive innovation.


The habit of challenging assumptions and thinking critically emerges from this ongoing learning and growth mindset, which are necessary skills in future-proofing any organization. Not only by virtue of these behavioural shifts, but also the kinds of people that these behaviours attract.

One of the hardest parts of innovation is embracing failure as an unavoidable part of learning. In order to successfully implement a culture of innovation there needs to be a culture where failure is an accepted part of the process.  Fear of making mistakes is the number one killer of learning and innovation.


 As leaders, it is your role to model how to fail successfully – taking the lesson and leaving the rest.


Leaders cultivate this capacity by regularly putting themselves in learning positions where they aren’t the expert, where they’re outside their comfort zone and where they have to admit that they don’t have all the answers.

2. It Strengthens your Team  

When leaders value their own learning they are more likely to see the value in it for the rest of their team. Modelling a value around constant learning and growth permeates the work culture, eventually effecting priority shifts in spending and time investments in courses, coaching and other forms of learning for your team which have been proven to increase talent retention.


According to LinkedIn’s 2018 Workforce Learning Report, a whopping 93% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their careers.


Teams that grow together stay together.

Providing opportunities and support for teams to access learning, growth and development in various areas of their role will see retention rates improve, building a stronger company. This is particularly with Millennials, although it applies to those of all ages who value learning.

Building a reputation as an organization that values learning is more important than ever in the midst of the great resignation where holding onto talent is increasingly challenging.

When hiring cutting-edge people, movers and shakers, those driving innovation – they come with a hunger for learning.

Providing an environment that fuels their fire and logistically supports their need for learning is a sure way to attract and retain talent. See this Forbes article for more data supporting how investing in the learning and growth of your team increases the retention of top talent.

3. It Increase Resilience  

Research has shown that people who are constantly learning and stretching themselves are more resilient when responding to change, resolving problems, giving and receiving feedback and staying calm in the face of crisis.


Those who are in the habit of learning and growing may view a change in the industry more like the next challenge or puzzle to figure out rather than the rug being pulled out from under them. 


Adaptability is an increasingly coveted skill in today’s world and developing a pattern of learning inevitably leads to increased adaptability.

How to Implement the Value of Life-long Learning into Your Leadership and Team

Two impactful ways of building a culture of life-long learning include how you behave yourself (modelling) and being intentional about the behaviours you reward in your team.

Look for, and ‘Sunshine’ team member behaviours that create life-long learners.  

Reed Hastings from Netflix talks about shining a light on behaviours you want to encourage – linking the behaviour to the positive impact and publicly ‘Sunshining it’.

Important in cultivating the capacity and desire to learn is having someone with whom you can safely express new ideas without repercussions or judgment.  Modelling life-long learning yourself creates that safety for your team.  This isn’t always easy, and is done best when walking alongside an executive/leadership coach and/or mentor.

The growing ubiquity of coaching as a core investment focus for the development of executives and other leaders is largely because of its effectiveness in building habits of learning – especially behavioural learning.  

Coaching develops the leaders’ comfort in the ‘unknowningness’ of a life-long learner which, in turn, strengthens confidence, resulting in strong, timely decision-making and resilience.  Leaders who learn the ‘secret’ of life-long learning, inevitably pass it on, creating cultures of innovative life-long learners.

Our previous blog was on what it means to be a Coach-Like Leader, and why so many get it wrong.  

This month we look at ways in which organizations can leverage and reap the benefits of their investment into developing Coach-Like Leaders.

There are a number of steps companies can take when thinking of introducing Coaching Skills (or any behavioural shift initiative) that directly impact the success of the initiative and the ‘stickiness’ of behavioural learning.  

In this blog we highlight 7 areas to pay attention to when developing and implementing any behavioural shift initiative.

1. Assessing Organizational Readiness

Behavioural change, at minimum, requires effort and often involves discomfort, even pain.  The greater the shift, the greater the discomfort. 


 Human beings naturally move away from effort (or discomfort/pain) towards ease.  


Adults, in particular, have spent a long time developing behaviours to maximise efficiency – maximising the benefit to effort ratio and, as people, this means that without a compelling reason to shift that behaviour, our default is to ‘protect’ ourselves from any need to change our behaviour.  

This natural tendency is one of the significant blocks to ‘sticky change’ that organizations run into when trying to bring in a new culture or establish new leadership behaviours.  


The result is that we take new learning and look for ways we’re ‘already doing that’, subconsciously proving to ourselves that very little, if any, change in behaviour is needed.


Ask

“How big is the gap between current behaviour/thinking and what we want to create?”

  “What can we do to ease the discomfort and/or increase the appetite for the change, so that it is easier for people to truly engage with the shift?” 

2. Key stakeholders

When planning an initiative for an organizational shift, it is imperative to identify and bring on board the key stakeholders.  

Having a senior level sponsor who not only understands the initiative but believes in its importance plays a huge role in ensuring the success of the initiative.  

This is true because of obvious reasons like budget support. It is also true because key stakeholders are people with influence.

If they don’t see the value in the initiative, they may speak out against it. However, even their silence undermines the ‘compelling reason’ needed to create readiness for change.


It is vital that you get your key stakeholders on board
and excited for this shift.


Ask

“Which key stakeholders does success depends on?”

“What is their understanding of and belief in this value of the shift?”

“What role can they play and how to best engage them?”

3. Budget

Organizational shift requires two types of budgets – Dollars and Time.

Some key stakeholders play an important role in planning for and/or freeing up dollars for the initiative.  

Others may play the equally important role of ensuring that the time participants need for the training is factored into their key priorities and not simply added to the edge of their desk.  

Whether action learning, reading, coaching or classroom time, when training is simply dumped on top of an already heavy workload a mixed message is sent about its value and it is a real barrier for participants to fully engage.

Ask

“What dollar and time budgets do we need to have commitment on before we launch the initiative?”

4. Communication Strategy

Often those planning an initiative have spent so long thinking about the Why, What, When and How of a training (or any other) initiative that it is easy to forget that others haven’t had the same time to process why this is even happening.  

It is not uncommon for participants to hear nothing more than some vague rumours of an initiative/training until they get an email informing them of the date and time they need to be at the training.  


The result can be a (virtual or actual) room full of participants who have little to no idea of why they’re being asked to neglect their (typically already overwhelming) workload to attend the training.  


When this happens, we’re setting the scene for disengagement and frustration – making it hard for participants to be excited about the learning and the behavioural shifts that have the potential to move them to a new level of maximising the benefit:effort ratio.

A communication strategy thinks through what needs to be communicated to whom so that key stakeholders are on board, budgets are appropriately allocated and participants are excited (or at least not sceptical) about how this initiative is going to improve their effectiveness and their lives.

It also includes thinking through which decisions will benefit from broader input and who needs to be heard and/or give input into the design at each stage from inception to implementation and beyond. A good communication strategy maximises the ROI of any initiative.

Ask

“How do we need to communicate this initiative and to whom?”

5. Sourcing Providers

The size of your organization as well as the extent of internal expertise will be determining factors as to whether you look within the walls or beyond them for your training providers.  Other factors include the political sensitivity of the initiative and the capacity of the people with the right expertise to take on the initiative (ie do they have the time?).  

Regardless of whether you look internally or externally, there are a number of things you should expect:

i. They should be paying attention to and asking questions about the Organizational Readiness for the type and scope of behavioural shift you’re looking to create.

ii. Their solutions should be tailored to your needs/vision. It can be problematic if they are a one-size-fits-all solution.

iii. They should be able to clearly articulate back to you your core drivers for the initiative in a way that resonates and makes you even more excited about it.

iv. They should be working with you to determine the Key Stakeholders and the Communication Strategy.

v. They should be willing to work with your budget where possible and give you realistic adjusted outcomes if your budget isn’t going to allow you to get the outcome you’re aiming for.  They should clearly articulate what they are committing to as well as what will be required of the organization and/or Key Stakeholders for success to occur.

vi. They should refuse to do the work if it is evident that the budget and organizational readiness isn’t what is needed to get the outcomes you need.

vii. Their expertise and understanding of how to create behavioural shift should be modelled through their interactions with you during the selection process.


While everyone has different price sensitivity,

remember to make VALUE, and not PRICE, your primary determinant.


Ask

Download our free form to determine if you should be looking internally or externally for the providers of any initiative you’re considering.

6. Implementation Strategy

Once you’ve determined what is needed and have selected your providers (internal or external) it is time to think about how you will implement the training/initiative.  Thinking about implementation overlaps with and includes the Communication Strategy, Key Stakeholder involvement, Budget implications/restrictions and Organizational Readiness.  

It also factors in busy and quiet times, other training loads and any extraneous factors that will affect the readiness and ability of either the whole organization or the particular participants to fully engage.  

It includes balancing expediency and effectiveness (eg. what can we do virtually without compromising effectiveness and where do we need to budget for bringing all the participants together in-person).  

An Implementation Strategy thinks through 3 separate and equally important stages; Before, During and After.  Each stage should be designed into the plan.

Ask

Download our free worksheet to think through the 7 Steps for Introducing Coaching Skills to Your Organization.

“What needs to happen before the official start date?” (What will create readiness?)

“How the initiative will be rolled out?” (format, time-frame, etc?)”What structures/processes need to be in place to anchor, sustain and grow the positive shift after the intervention?” (Things that support ‘sticky change’)

7. ROI – what and how to measure 

ROI, or Return on Investment, is something that is usually measured with facts and figures.  The question usually asked is; “How do we prove a direct correlation between the intervention and either increased profits, decreased costs, improved safety record, etc?”

The thing about measuring the benefit of shifts in human behaviour is that even clearly evident benefit is almost never linear and often very hard to measure directly.  This often results in no measure at all.  We have a few principles on how to measure ROI on behavioural shifts. Behaviour shift initiatives are always launched with an outcome in mind and that outcome can be measured – anecdotally (qualitative data), and with a mix of quantitative and qualitative data.  

The ROI of any behavioural training/initiative is most valid when it takes a long-term view.


Measuring outcomes needs to be over the short, medium and long term  

with expectations that, sustained behaviour shift will continue to have

positive qualitative and quantitative benefits in the long-term.


Examples of Real ROI with Clients

Behavioural Shifts – resulting from team initiatives

Behavioural Shifts – resulting from individual coaching initiatives

Much of the ROI from a coaching culture is non-linear, making it difficult to pinpoint or quantify while still revolutionizing the workplace. Having an emphasis on openness, learning and mutual trust allows people to step into freely into increased:

The honing of these skills is difficult to quantify but it leads to better quick decisions, more collaboration and innovation because there is less fear. More comfort navigating unchartered territories, which as we all know from these past few years is an invaluable skill and the confidence in yourself and your team to take the risks which are necessary to be at the cutting edge of your field.

Some things to keep in mind when trying to assess the ROI of establishing a coaching culture are:

1. The timeline of change

Lasting behavioural time takes practice, ongoing effort and time to establish. One cannot expect an individual to change overnight, let alone a whole company of individuals. It is important to exemplify the patience necessary for a coaching culture to truly take place.

2. Identify incremental changes in behaviour


There is no such thing as a perfect company culture – yes, even one’s with an established coaching culture have their faults.


It is important to identify and celebrate the incremental changes individually and company-wide, you are striving for growth, not perfection.

3. Place emphasis on evaluation from the beginning.

All this being said, ROI is a foundational motivator for establishing a coaching culture. It is important to have clarity on what you are hoping to get out of this process and clear measures by which you will evaluate the success of your training/initiative. This can be co-designed with whichever trained facilitator you have selected, but it must be informed by the company’s specific goals.

Ask

“What is the outcome we’re aiming for?”

“What indicators can we measure in the short term?”

“What are the longer-term periods over which we need to measure the indicators to get a true ROI of the initiative?”

Interested in learning more?


Here are two useful articles that lay out more detail of how to measure behavioural shift:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/advice-and-guidance/2015/03/designing-evaluating-behaviour-change-interventions/documents/00472843-pdf/00472843-pdf/govscot%3Adocument/00472843.pdf

https://finalmile.medium.com/how-to-measure-behaviour-change-f0a23897ca63