Workplace Bullying: The Silent Killer of Professional Growth

A client of mine recently shared a troubling experience that underscores a pervasive issue in many workplaces: bullying at work. During a team call with board members, she was publicly put down by one of them in front of her peers, direct reports, and other executives. The remarks weren’t about her performance but seemed rooted in a lack of respect for her as she grows into her new executive-level role. The experience left her shaken, embarrassed, and questioning her place at the table. Unfortunately, this scenario is not unique. Workplace bullying—especially when it comes from those in positions of power—can be deeply damaging to both individuals and organizations.

Why We Feel Unsuccessful and How to Change That

Success is a term we often associate with fame, wealth, or accolades. Yet, for many, even when outwardly successful, the feeling of being truly fulfilled remains elusive. Why do so many people feel unsuccessful, despite their accomplishments? And how can we redefine and reclaim a sense of success in our lives and work?

Why the Best Leaders are Great Communicators

When we think about the best leaders we've encountered, a common trait often stands out: they're all great communicators. Whether it's inspiring a team, guiding a company through change, or fostering innovation, effective communication is at the heart of successful leadership. In this article, we'll dive into why great leaders excel at communication and how it boosts productivity and success within an organization.

They broke our trust. Now what?

Determining if someone is truly sorry and trustworthy can be a complex and subjective process, but there are several key factors to consider when trying to assess their sincerity and reliability:

Apology and Acknowledgment: A genuine apology is often the first step. The person should acknowledge their wrongdoing, take responsibility for their actions, and express remorse for the harm they've caused.
Empathy and Understanding: A sincere apology should demonstrate empathy and understanding of how their actions have affected you or others. They should be able to articulate the impact of their behavior on your feelings.

How to disaster-proof your business and your life, part II

In my last post, I shared insights from a group of leaders about how to position ourselves and our businesses for coronavirus and “disaster-proof” our lives moving forward. This post follows along the same theme and highlights the insights of some powerful coaches.

How to Disaster-Proof Your Communication with Lila Smith, communication expert

As Smith sees it, COVID has confronted us with our core values. We have been forced to “check in” with ourselves and reassess our past behaviors as we consider life moving forward. What is it that is most important to us and should be performed and engaged with more in the future? And what have we been doing that hasn’t served us and should be scaled back as we begin to emerge from quarantine?

Plan Regular 1:1 Meetings

To unleash the potential of the people you manage, you must engage and bond with each person individually. There simply is no hack or shortcut for building real connections. That’s why it is critical that, in addition to morning huddles, you need to plan regular one-to-one meeting time (1:1s) with individual team members to check in on a more personal manner.

As a manager, you can use 1:1s to ask your team members about their wellbeing, their experience working with the team, and their career goals, as well as get updates on their progress and any challenges they may be experiencing with current projects, so that you can course correct as needed.

Why principals should “loop” students back in

One of the big questions facing school leaders right now is what things will look like when the new school year begins. No one fully knows whether teachers and students will be able to fully or partially return to their classrooms and, even for those who can enjoy “business as usual,” the atmosphere at school is likely to be filled with uncertainty, unease, and lots of distancing.

While it can be difficult to build and maintain a learning atmosphere under such conditions, it may be even more challenging for teachers to develop the nurturing relationships that are so critical to student development, particularly after having endured so much uncertainty already in the previous half year. To expect teachers to connect with their charges and be able to support them during the formative first weeks may be too tall an order for many and could set students up for an even more challenging year.

How to disaster-proof your business and your life, part II

In my last post, I shared insights from a group of leaders about how to position ourselves and our businesses for coronavirus and “disaster-proof” our lives moving forward. This post follows along the same theme and highlights the insights of some powerful coaches.

How to Disaster-Proof Your Communication with Lila Smith, communication expert

As Smith sees it, COVID has confronted us with our core values. We have been forced to “check in” with ourselves and reassess our past behaviors as we consider life moving forward. What is it that is most important to us and should be performed and engaged with more in the future? And what have we been doing that hasn’t served us and should be scaled back as we begin to emerge from quarantine?

Choose Empathy Over Efficiency

When you speak with clients, customers, or prospects, do you focus more on empathy or efficiency?

Empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Efficiency: the ability to accomplish something with the least waste of time and effort.

When you focus on empathy, you can’t be as efficient.

When you seek efficiency, empathy must be kept to a minimum.

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How to Disaster-Proof Your Communication with Lila Smith, communication expert

How to Disaster-Proof Your Communication with Lila Smith, communication expert