Executive Coaching: How to Train Yourself to Be a Better Leader

Not all of us are natural born leaders, but this doesn't mean that you can never be an effective leader if you were not born with natural leadership skills. As a matter of fact, many of the most successful leaders in the world have taken responsibility for training themselves to be great leaders.

Do these 5 things to train yourself to become a good leader:

1. Keep every promise that you make.

Avoid making promises that you don't think you can keep. The fastest way you can kill your credibility is to breach a promise or commitment. To be a good leader, you need to develop integrity and discipline to fulfill every commitment and promise you make. You should practice it with your colleagues and even with your kids, too.

2. Be properly dressed so you can influence.

You don't have to dress to impress. Instead, you should dress to influence. What it means is that your appearance has to be consistent with your professional and personal brand. Just try to imagine how you want your leader to look. You also want not only yourself to look good, but your company as well.

3. Treat your own employees the way you want them to treat your customers.

It would be hypocritical for you to ask your team to be kind and courteous to clients while you are being rude to your employees. When you are a leader, it doesn't mean you have the right to be mean to the people under you. Good leaders always find a way to support their employees so that they may be successful.

4. Ask for feedback and don't just wait for it.

There are some leaders who are not comfortable with unsolicited feedback. They treat such feedback as criticism, and so they fail to use it as a chance to learn and be better. Good leaders know the importance of feedbacks, and they know how to use them to improve. Instead of waiting for your team to be brave enough to give you feedback, ask for it instead. The best way to ask such information is by asking something like "What do you think I can do to become a better leader?"

5. Demonstrate your commitment to personal growth.

When it comes to growing your business, there are two things you should do - grow your team and grow yourself. When you and your team improve, the quality of work that you all do get better as well. As a result, services are more efficient, and your products are higher quality.

There are several ways to grow your employees. You may give them training, or opportunities to be part of a coaching program. For leaders like you, an executive coaching program will help you develop into a more effective business leader.

Team Building - Tips for Surviving a Micromanaging Boss

It could be very stressful and frustrating to work for a micromanaging boss. And if you want to improve your situation in the workplace, the most important step is to understand why your boss is actually acting that way. Through this knowledge, you will be able to learn how to adjust your own behaviors so that you can enjoy your work once again.

Use the following tips to help improve your life at work under a micromanaging boss:

1. Evaluate yourself.

Before you try to find out what has caused your manager to be over-controlling, do a self-assessment first and figure out if something has changed in your performance or behavior. Have you been successful in meeting your boss's expectations? Are you causing problems or delays in the workplace? It's important to start with yourself because there could be a reason why your boss is treating you the way he or she is.

2. Give it some time.

It isn't uncommon for newly promoted or hired managers to behave in different ways the moment they learn about the expectations from them and how the organization works. Take note also that it takes time to establish rapport and trust, so you have to be more patient with the way your boss is behaving.

3. Try to observe your boss's behavior.

We all act differently under stress, and this could be the reason your boss is acting unreasonably. Pay attention to what triggers your boss's tendency to be controlling. Once you have identified what gets your boss worked up, you will be able to prepare yourself for what may happen.

4. Update your boss regularly.

One of the biggest reasons why managers tend to micromanage is their being clueless about what their team is working on. Try as much as you can to let your boss know everything. By keeping your boss updated on the things that are happening in the office, your boss will start to realize that you can work well and effectively on your own.

5. Make your boss look good.

Micromanagers have insecurities, no doubt about it. Thus, it would help better your relationship with your boss if you can make him or her look good in the organization. Prepare the things your boss needs for a presentation, and constantly make him or her feel that you trust in their judgment.

6. Talk to your boss about it.

It's possible that your boss doesn't know how their behavior is affecting the people around them. You may have an honest talk with your boss just to let him/her know how you feel. By showing your boss that you trust how he or she will accept your opinion, you are allowing both of you to have a more open line of communication, which is an important factor for effective team building.

Business Consulting - Importance of Keeping Communication Lines in the Workplace Open

Every manager recognizes the importance of frequent and open communication in the workplace. In fact, communication is a vital soft skill that each and every member of an organization or company needs to have to ensure the success of a business.

Benefits of Good and Open Communication

As the name implies, communication is a two-way process. In order to maximize productivity and motivation among your employees, it's important that there be open communication lines between managers and staff. Through open communications, these values are promoted:

a. Transparency. When an employee feels confident that they can talk to another employee and to their managers without worrying about reprisal, they are more likely to be participative and proactive in determining potential problems in the organization, as well as finding out solutions to those problems. Employees who are allowed to know about the obstacles the company is facing are very likely to offer great ideas that will help the company to overcome its problems.

b. Conflict resolution. In any organization, conflicts among its members are inevitable. But then again, management has to find a way to resolve those conflicts in a professional and timely manner. With open communication, conflict management and resolution become easier. It allows employees to voice out their opinions, and it becomes easier for managers to resolve such conflicts.

c. Innovation. When employees are given access to information, they are in a better position to deal with any problems or issues they may come across with their colleagues or clients. Such information also helps them to become more efficient in completing their tasks.

Making Full Use of Open Communication in the Workplace

An open communication plan in a company or organization is just as good as those who implement it. When it comes to developing and maintaining open workplace communication, both managers and workers have to work hand in hand.

For workers, they need to take the initiative to share information with one another, and they should also make an effort to communicate with management on a regular basis to make sure the communication lines are open.

As a manager, you may improve your communication with your employees by promoting an open-door policy as well as by having frequent one-on-one meetings and group meetings with your employees. It is your job as a manager to encourage your employees to not hesitate to open up to you about anything they are going through at work. You have to be approachable and easy to talk with. More importantly, you need to take proper action to address whatever their issues are.

Promoting open communication in the workplace is not the easiest thing to do. Thus, there are business consulting services that you can get to receive the help you might need to make this successful.

Life Coaching - Can a Man Benefit from Dating a Successful Woman?

A lot of men tend to be so intimidated by strong, successful women mainly because most males still believe they are meant to be the head of the household. Until today, a lot of men still feel that there is a competition between them and most women in the workforce. This can lead to a rift in relationships, because for a relationship to be successful, it should be nurturing. Also, Both men and women should encourage each other when it comes to their personal and professional lives.

Instead of getting intimidated, it would be better for men to actually date successful women. Here's why:

1. She is very self-dependent

Women who have successful careers are independent in almost all aspects of their lives. These women understand what it means to work overtime, and the importance of having an alone time. Thus, they don't have problems when their partners have to focus on work or when they have to relax. Successful women also have their careers, money, and friends, which they can all manage well and on their own. 

2. She will help you succeed in life and in your career as well.

Successful women are driven and very eager to move their lives and careers forward, and you can expect them to do the same thing for their men. Career women don't consider their life partners as competitors. Rather, they always wish for the same success as they are having with their husbands or boyfriends. Men can also expect successful women to help them brainstorm for their projects and how to meet their deadlines. 

3. As a couple, you can have more money.

Dual income is often good for relationships. Successful career women care a lot about their jobs, and their income, of course. For a man, this would mean having less worries about family finances. Men can also enjoy a part of their income for travel, fun, and others. At the same time, the ability of a career woman to make money can significantly help in their efforts as a couple to build the life they want to have.

4. She can appreciate even the small things.

Women succeed in their careers because of determination and sheer hard work. They do their best at work every single day, and this can cause them to feel tired and stressed when they come home. Men shouldn't be concerned, though, because this could also mean that she will be able to appreciate the little things more easily. In fact, by offering to do the dishes or setting the dinner table, men can see how happy these things can make her.

Life coaching experts always say that when it comes to keeping a relationship, it is important for both a man and a woman to be successful individually, so that they may easily find satisfaction in their relationship. Men should not consider successful women as a threat, because the truth is that these women can be very helpful in their lives and even careers.

Business Coach Tips on How to Best Handle Work Travel

If traveling is part of your job description, then you are a road warrior. This means that you need to travel frequently for work, and work frequently while traveling. Many workers who are stuck in their office chairs every single day think that being a road warrior is an ideal job. They think that nothing can be more exciting and rewarding than being able to go places and receiving a regular salary at the same time. Ironically, those who already have jobs that involve a lot of traveling, this situation is not always ideal and desirable. As a matter of fact, their job comes with some complications that also have to be dealt with as well.

If your job requires you to travel a lot, you should find the following tips really helpful:

1. Prioritize your tasks (for your trip and self care).

If you're up on a business trip, make sure that you prioritize the tasks that need to be accomplished. Do not forget to include the tasks you will have during your trip, as well as the pending tasks in your office. Determine which are the most important ones so you could accomplish them first.

Prioritizing and delegating tasks will allow you to enjoy your trip after work hours. Traveling can be very stressful, so you should give yourself some time to unwind and enjoy the places you are going to.

2. Hold yourself accountable.

One key to being successful is having accountability. Remember that during your travels, nobody's going to check on you to see if you have done what you should do. Thus, it is vital that you not procrastinate. Find ways to keep yourself on track. Perhaps you could use apps that will remind you of your tasks. It is also recommended that you set deadlines in your calendar so that you will always be up-to-date with the things you have to do.

3. Travel light.

When you go on business trips, you should take with you only the things you need, such as clothes, gadgets, and office materials. Nothing can be worse than traveling with so many bags to carry. Thus, you should decide what are the most important things you need to have while you are traveling.

4. Have a backup plan.

What if your laptop crashed during your presentation? What would you do if you lost your files that you need? It's important that you always have a backup of all the files that you need when you travel. There are many apps and online tools you can use for this, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, which will allow you to access all the files you need wherever you are.

These steps are very simple and easy to follow. Even your business coach will tell you that it is these simple things that will make your business trip successful and enjoyable at the same time.