Career Success Partners

Executive Coach's Tip: OVER-DELIVER On Your Promises and Commitments

SATISFYING your clients, your manager, your team mates by getting things done on time and producing good work seems to be an acceptable goal to many.  

TOP PERFORMERS, however, go WAY beyond merely satisfying their constituents .... they consistently WOW them by OVER-DELIVERING on their promises and their commitments.  They clearly DISTINGUISH themselves from "the crowd" by doing MORE ... taking the extra step .... exceeding expectations .... putting "their stamp" on their work product.

Fully embrace the concept of over-delivering, and YOU will step into circle of high performers .... leaving a LASTING, enthusiastic impression of yourself on others .... creating advocates and raving fans.

Make OVER-DELIVERY a habit.  What specifically can you do TODAY to over-deliver on something you've commited to or promised?  Why not DO that -- whatever it is .... today?

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

So, What Is Executive Coaching?

I ran across a recent article on FoxBusiness.com entitled -- "So, What Is Executive Coaching?"  It offers an excellent overview and perspective on Coaching and how it might be of benefit to you.

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Source: FoxBusiness.com

Part of being in the career hot seat is dealing with the ever-so-tenuous transition to management.

Whether right or wrong, most corporate career paths lead to a role in management. However, being prepared for that step up in responsibility can be tough; the move from player to coach is not a natural transition for most people. In fact, it can be slightly traumatizing, particularly when one is elevated to having responsibility over their longtime peers.

Companies are hoping to ease this transition by hiring executive coaches to work with newly-promoted managers. So, this begs the question: What exactly is an executive coach?

Find out more .... Read the full article here from FoxBusiness.com: "So, What Is Executive Coaching?" (click to read the full article).

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Is the "Hot Seat" In Your Future .... or .... Are You In It Now?
Maybe It's Time to Consider an Executive Coach

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Executive Coach's Tip: Always Ask THEM First

If you're an experienced leader or manager, you no doubt receive frequent requests for advice on a range of topics -- HOW to approach a new business opportunity, HOW to solve a customer service issue, HOW to deal with a problem employee, HOW to ..... etc.

Our typical response as a manager/leader is to anwer the question and TELL THEM HOW we would go about handling or dealing with the situation at hand.  

A BETTER approach, however, is to ASK THEM first:  "How would YOU handle this?" .... "What approach would YOU take?" .... "What are some options that YOU would recommend?"

Getting THEM to THINK about the situation and offer a possible solution (or solutions) is a learning opportunity you NEVER want to miss out on.  

• ASK THEM first, then... 
• Listen carefully to their ideas.
• Confirm your understanding of their ideas.
• Ask questions designed to help THEM evaluate, adjust and/or fine tune their ideas.
• Ask THEM to think forward in terms of implementing their ideas to help them think through potential obstacles, issues and risks.
• Ask THEM to loop back to you once they've had time to fully formulate their "HOW" and present their final recommendation(s) to you.

If you get into the HABIT of asking THEM first .... your team members will come to EXPECT that behavior from you, and they'll do a better job of formulating their OWN answers BEFORE coming to you .... OR .... they'll figure it out themselves and come to you with only their most pressing or difficult-to-figure out problems.

But .... what to do about THOSE difficult-to-figure out problems they come to YOU with?  Ask THEM first anyway.

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Executive Coach's Tip: What Are YOU Doing to Get Better?

Great leaders are made and remade -- becoming better and better over time -- constantly staying "in the know" on effective leadership skills, constantly reading and learning new things.

How would you answer the following questions:

• What's the latest leadership skill that you've learned AND applied recently?
• When do you find time to work on YOU?
• When the very next leadership opportunity presents itself, will you be ready for it?
• How many books focused on leadership development have you read this year?  How many did you read last year?
• How many hours a week do you devote to learning new things and developing your skills as a leader or developing your expertise?
• What message are you sending to your team about the importance of professional development and "getting better?"

What habit, routine or plan can you implement -- beginning now ... this week ... this month -- to support your development as a leader and as an expert in your field?

What will you do TODAY about it?

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Executive Coach's Tip: Tell THREE People Today That You Appreciate Them

Although I have gotten better at it over the years, I could still do a MUCH better job of telling others how I appreciate them. Saying "I appreciate you" to someone and then backing it up with telling them WHY can feel a bit uncomfortable .... perhaps because we simply don't PRACTICE it enough (by doing it on a regular basis). 

It DOES, however, FEEL GOOD once you do it .... and it's ALWAYS apparent that it makes the other person feel good.  It's really no different than giving them a gift, and giving feels good doesn't it?

Try this today .... write down the names of THREE PEOPLE you can CALL or who you expect to SEE today .... the goal being to USE YOUR VOICE to tell them that you appreciate them. 

Make sure you have clarity on the WHY -- being able to explain the REASON you appreciate them.

Now .... commit to DOING IT today.  Make it a point to reach out to at least one person in the next 10-15 minutes.  You'll make their day .... I guarantee it.

I've got MY THREE written down ... have you?

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Executive Coach's Tip: Surprise a Colleague with an Act of Kindness

Stay alert today for any opportunity to do something NICE, something UNEXPECTED, something KIND for a work colleague.

Take someone to lunch and pick up the tab, surprise someone with their favorite Starbucks drink, write a handwritten thank you note to a team mate who recently helped you out in some way.

Seek out AT LEAST ONE act of kindness you can offer a colleague today.  

Do it because you care, do it because it's who you are, do it to connect with the humanness we all share.  You'll feel good .... they'll feel good .... and you'll very likely start a wave of kindness that spreads without limits.  Be the catalyst for that wave of kindness.

What will you do for someone else today?

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Executive Coach's Tip: Observe the Leaders You Admire

Make it a point to observe the people you respect ... those who really seem to "walk" the leadership talk and inspire others ... those who naturally draw others to them like a magnet ... those who energize and inspire their team mates and followers.

Don’t necessarily mimic or copy all that they do, but identify what it is they do differently or what things really set them apart -- then, ask yourself what you can learn from them?

Write your learning points down; review them; flesh them out.  Now .... from that list, choose one thing you can try or one change you can make -- something that fits your personal style.  TRY putting that one thing or one change into action this week.

Observing, analyzing and piecing together the excellent traits and characteristics of the role model leaders around you, and then adopting that combined set of traits can literally transform your leadership style and effectiveness.

Be an observer of great leaders.  Seek them out.  Learn from them.  Put into ACTION the things you learn.

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Today's 2-MINUTE CHALLENGE: Ask Solution-Focused Questions

Today's Quick 2-Minute Podcast Tip:

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575

What is Your "Why"?

What is your "Why"?

Do you have clarity on WHY you do what you do?  What beliefs, cause or purpose are you driven by?  What COMPELS you to do what you do for a living?

Do your clients and customers know your "why"?  If your why aligns with their beliefs and needs, you'll be drawn to each other as if by magic.  Great companies understand this.  Highly successful people embody this.

My "Why" is driven by my BELIEFS, all of which align completely with my PURPOSE.  Here they are:

• I believe we are ALL capable of accomplishing MUCH more than what we've accomplished so far

• I believe ALL OF US have pent up potential waiting to be released .... and that, when released, will take us to a whole "next level" of performance (and outcomes)

• I believe we ALL get so tied up in the day-to-day "swirl of activity" and demands that we lose sight of the opportunity to FOCUS on those things that could propel us to that next level

• I believe EVERYONE can and should LOVE what they do for a living ... and if what they do is aligned with their purpose and key strengths, love for what they do follows automatically

• I believe balancing and integrating work, professional, personal and family goals is absolutely KEY to success and happiness -- I believe strongly we are ALL capable of doing that

My work, my writing, my speaking and my coaching is all oriented towards and designed to be in alignment with the above beliefs ... my WHY.

What is your WHY?

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Executive Coach's Tip: Problems ... What Problems?

In his book, "Charging the Human Battery," Mac Anderson noted that someone once asked Norman Vincent Peale, "Don't you think life would be better if we had fewer problems?"  Peale said, "I'll be happy to take you to Woodlawn Cemetery, because the only people I know who don't have any problems are dead."  The point is we can't avoid problems, so we might as well expect them and embrace them as opportunities to learn and grow.

Problems are nothing but opportunities in disguise.  Always ask yourself:

• "What is the learning opportunity here?" 
• "What changes do I need to put into place?" 
• "How has working through this problem made me stronger?" -- as a colleague, as a leader, as a manager, as a parent, as a friend, etc.

Action Idea:

Consider right now the things in your life that you currently refer to as "problems."  Write them down .... then challenge yourself to note the learning or growth opportunity with respect to each problem.  In what way will dealing this this particular problem make you a better person -- how will you ultimately benefit?  Allow those "benefits" to bring renewed energy to creatively solving the problem.  Be grateful for the learning opportunity and move on.

Going forward, replace the negative energy that you formerly associated with problems with positive energy.  This simple paradigm shift is transformational to your growth, to your personal development and to your peace of mind.

Other Action Ideas:

1. SHARE this article with a friend  -- sharing is a great way to give to others you care about.
2. TALK ABOUT this article today with a friend or work associate who might be interested in the ideas presented.
3. "Evernote It" -- Save this article to your Evernote account for future reference or for re-reading at a later date.  Click HERE to install Evernote Web Clipper, which lets you save interesting stuff you see on the web directly to your Evernote account.

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com