Your brakes are not working! You frantically do everything you can to slow the car down and manage to reduce your speed, but you still bump into the car in front of you.

I’m a big fan of Stephen Covey’s assertion that building trust is essential to leadership. I bring this concept into executive team offsites as well as one-on-one coaching as a vital goal for leaders. Bottom line: if your team doesn’t trust you, they won’t follow you.

I’ve worked with many executives and business teams for which that need to be right is the root cause of so many of their challenges. Unpacking those issues can be a difficult process, with much stumbling over ego blocks.

How often do you make mistakes at work? They can range from small ones with little consequence, such as wearing socks that do not match or forgetting a colleague’s name, to major blunders that can result in the loss of business, time, reputation, or even employment.

Be honest with yourself; how much have you learned by talking? But listening well and generously is easier said than done. It takes more than just hearing what another person is saying.

As a leader, people will follow you whether you choose to be intentional about being an example or not. For instance, you can talk about how important it is for your team to collaborate, but unless you are regularly collaborating with them, the practice will have difficulty taking root.

We have developed a culture in which effort is considered a success, not only in parenting but in the corporate world. I do believe that this was born out of a genuine desire to be more positive, supportive, and encouraging than previous generations were thought to be. But have we taken it too far?

“People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” This is a favorite quote from Teddy Roosevelt, one which embodies everything I believe about coaching. Executive leadership coaches…