The Look & Sound of Leadership

This month’s coaching conversation wrestles with the obstacles that arise when you try listening to people who think out loud – often at great length! This month’s coaching conversation is wide-ranging. It includes a leader’s story about being buoyed by her team. She and Tom also swap answers to a favorite question of her team’s: “How’re ya coping?” They then explore managing stress through being...

SHOWNOTES: This month’s coaching conversation is with a leader who wants to keep strong connections despite the quarantine. She and Tom explore the barriers that make connecting over video so difficult. Four essentials to attend to on video: Angle Lighting Background Sound From Tom to you: These difficult times can create a lot of fear. An antidote is to be curious. Curiosity is at the very heart...

This month’s coaching conversation explores how to project your personal brand into the workplace. When done well it can seem like a Jedi mind trick – but it’s really just personal branding. Here are the five links Tom mentioned in the episode. Looking good in video conferencing https://medium.com/@bobsacha/a-cinematographers-guide-to-looking-good-in-web-based-video-conferencing-fb6cf651714c   4 W...

This month’s coaching conversation is with a high-performer who was passed over for a promotion. Together, she and Tom identify tools to make sure she doesn’t get passed over again. Core Concepts in this episode: > Aisha chose to NOT be self-promotional. In your organization, a more vocal approach may be effective. > Click out. Think from a higher altitude. Give yourself the promotion. >...

This month’s coaching conversation isn’t so much a conversation as a fencing match. A newly installed president grills Tom about the coaching he’s been delivering at her company for years. There are two different strands you might follow from this episode. One is about coaching. You might listen to these episodes: Coaching Your People Coaching Versus Therapy Readiness in Coaching Another strand yo...

This month’s coaching conversation examines phrases we use that lead us into self-deception. Tom and his client explore why thinking errors so often remain invisible and, once revealed, what other words might be possible substitutions. SHOW NOTES:  Tom mentions two books in this episode:  “How To Raise Your Self-Esteem” by Nathaniel Branden  https://www.amazon.com/Raise-Your-Self-Esteem-Action-Ori...

This month’s coaching conversation wrestles with the eternal struggle to depersonalize the events in our lives that feel so personal. Is it even possible to actualize the adage, “Don’t take it personally?” Tom mentions two books that can help you manage yourself so you don’t take things personally:    The Four Agreements  Six Pillars of Self-Esteem   In the archive, this Tip is in five categories:...

This month’s coaching conversation explores how hard it can be to say ‘no’ sometimes. Together, Tom and his client come up with four strategies for setting better boundaries. This month’s coaching conversation explores how hard it can be to say ‘no’ sometimes. Together, Tom and his client come up with four strategies for setting better boundaries. Tom mentions three books that will help you speak...

This month’s coaching conversation follows an executive’s journey from a bulldozer, rolling over people and their ideas, to a thoughtful seeker of ways to get his ideas heard while also building positive relationships. Related episodes are: Assertion versus Aggression Be Impeccable With Your Word Disagree Agreeably – yes, that was an episode long ago! Don’t Take It Personally The Conflict Conversa...

  This month’s coaching conversation centers on learning how to watch yourself on video. It might be uncomfortable at times, but the benefits are enormous. During the commentary, Tom talks about a checklist for you. It’s here. direct link:  https://essentialcomm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Video-Review-Checklist.pdf Related episodes are Captivate Your Audience Executive Presenting “I Talk Too F...

This month’s coaching conversation wrestles with the obstacles that arise when you try listening to people who think out loud – often at great length! Related episodes are: Sorting & Labeling A Breakdown of Listening Leadership & Listening Short Sounds Confident In the archive, this Tip is tagged in four categories Communication Skills Leadership Relationship Building Social Skills The arc...

This month’s coaching conversation focuses on a leader who finds herself in a storm of heavy seas. To help her find calm, Tom shares a technique from his past. You can grab the PDF that Tom mentions in this episode at: https://essentialcomm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/MindfulnessResources.pdf In the archive, this episode is tagged in four categories: For Women Managing Yourself Personal Growth...

This month’s coaching conversation revolves around a former client’s direct report who is caught up in old wiring which is short-circuiting his effectiveness. This episode is tagged in six categories. Something of a record! For Women Management Skills Managing Yourself Perception – How Your Perceive Yourself Personal Growth & Self-Development Self-Talk Here are eight, yes, eight related episod...

This month’s coaching conversation is between Tom Henschel and Mindy Danna who answer questions from our audience. Tom and Mindy have grown up together professionally. He runs Essential Communications where Mindy is a coach. She also works with the cutting-edge global consulting firm Cultivating Leadership. During the episode, Mindy mentions two books:    "Being the Boss" by Linda Hill &...

This months’ coaching conversation is with a leader who genuinely wants open dialogue with his direct reports but finds he may have been unintentionally limiting his conversations. In the archive, this episode is tagged in four categories: Communication Skills Management Skills Relationship Building Social Skills   Six related episodes are: Building Rapport Communicating With Clarity Creating New...

This month’s coaching conversation focuses on a leader striving to become “more visible.” She and Tom imagine raising her presence by giving her a way to speak about herself as an expert without feeling like she’s bragging. A challenging needle to thread! If you want help on this topic, Tom mentioned a resource he strongly recommends “Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It” by P...

  Internal promotions can be mixed blessings. Managing former peers has the potential to upset everyone. This month’s coaching conversation explores ways to handle this live grenade with aplomb. Two books mentioned during the commentary: Difficult Conversions by Stone, Patton & Heen and Crucial Conversation by Patterson, et al. Lots of related episodes mentioned: Relating to the issue of clari...

This month’s coaching conversation explores the three pillars of executive presence. In this episode's commentary, Tom mentions research about Executive Presence conducted by the Center for Talent Innovation. The key findings are available at: https://www.talentinnovation.org/publication.cfm?publication=1340 Three episodes grew directly from ideas in that white paper: Gravitas Emotional Intel...

This month’s coaching conversation is between Tom Henschel and Mindy Danna who answer questions from our audience. Tom and Mindy have grown up together professionally. He runs Essential Communications where Mindy is a coach. She also works with the cutting-edge global consulting firm Cultivating Leadership. Tips related to the questions and answers in this episode are:  A Breakdown of Listening Th...

This month’s coaching conversation explores that insidious feeling of being an impostor. Research tells us that the vast majority us experience this to some degree at one time or another. Here are ways to combat impostor syndrome. The two psychology professors mentioned in the episode were Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes at Georgia State University. The TED Talk is: https://www.youtube.com/wa...

A senior leader wants to give one of his direct reports the experience of leading her own offsite. This month’s coaching conversation is about how a leader can foster an offsite with the power to create change. AN INVITATION: Send us questions for our upcoming Q&A episodes! Send your questions to info@essentialcomm.com In the episode, there are many resources to help you learn to lead activiti...

A coaching client needs to exude more presence. Tom proposes a visualization process and walks another coach through it. In the archive, this episode is tagged in three categories: Developing New Behaviors , Perception - How You Perceive Yourself Personal Growth & Self-Development Five related episodes are: Acting on the Corporate Stage Creating New Behaviors Inhabiting Executive Presence Self...

This month’s coaching conversation focuses on a feedback technique that can help manage bad behavior. The coachee likes the technique so much, he wants to try it on his high performers, too! Related episodes: Discussing Difficult Behaviors Holding People Accountable Managing Disruptive Executives Managing Performance: Up or Out Sorting & Labeling Every episode is available in the archive at: h...

This month’s coaching conversation focuses on developing someone who may be a trauma survivor. A team leader’s compassionate caution may not be in the survivor’s best interest. Related episodes: Dealing with Emotional Responses Intimacy in Business: Setting Boundaries Managing Beyond Bad Behavior Showing Teeth Speaking Your Truth Every episode is available in the archive at: https://essentialcomm....

This month’s coaching conversation features a high-performing client who sometimes wrestles with her fear. Knowing that her fear can diminish her, she seeks a way out. Tom also talks about the new course "Improv for Leaders” taught by improv master Jeremy Rowley. Related epsidoes this month: The Many Parts of You Combating Emotional Hijacks Conquering Fear Negative Self-Talk Self-Limiting Bel...