In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving environment, having robust Professional Development Plans is not just a nice-to-have – it’s a necessity. It’s critical to equip your team with the skills and competences they need to perform in their current role, and to ready them to play even bigger roles in the organization. And it’s even more critical for you, as the leader to have a Professional Development Plan.
Have you ever wondered if your co-workers could be more than just colleagues? Could they be your friends, or even something more?
A few days ago, I hosted my friend Kay who was visiting Toronto from Jamaica, at the most joyous dinner with her daughter and my family. We have been friends since 1985. We met at work in 1985, and our friendship has remained strong and precious to us both.
Last Thursday morning dawned warm and sunny in Toronto, where I live. With not a cloud in sight, the sky unblemished blue, it was the perfect day to sit outside and write my fortnightly LinkedIn newsletter.
But I was feeling very unsettled as Hurricane Beryl had lashed Jamaica the day before.
“Frankly Marguerite, deadlines give me clarity and focus. I actually love working under pressure.”
Every now and then, I meet a kindred spirit – one, who like me, is energized and thrives on deadlines. Michael, a high-performing C-Suite coaching client, is one such.
In these very divided and contentious times, I often hear people say:
“I don’t agree with everything they stand for, but …”
OR
“I don’t have to agree with everything you say, but …”
OR
“You don’t have to agree with everything I say, but …”
“What do I do if my team asks me a question and I don’t know the answer?” asked my coaching client, eager to learn how to be a more effective leader of her team.
I have heard this many times in my years of experience as a facilitator and coach. It’s rooted in the fear that many leaders feel of being viewed as weak, incompetent and unable to perform.
Recently, a heartfelt and unexpectedly complicated rescue mission unfolded on a busy Toronto sidewalk. Three baby sparrows had fallen from their nest, nestled high in a white pine tree and only one remained alive after being attacked by ants.
“I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow” – Woodrow Wilson
Have you ever thought how fortunate you are to have team members, whose brains you can “borrow”? Are you using those brains effectively?
Delegation involves entrusting tasks to others and empowering them to contribute to the collective goals of the organization. Yet, its significance extends far beyond mere task distribution; it embodies a philosophy of leadership that fosters growth, development, and efficiency within teams.
“You see what I have to deal with”? my coaching client would ask throughout our early coaching sessions. Then followed a cascade of complaints about this or that team member – and I say “team” very lightly, as the people who reported to him hardly functioned as a team. How could they, I wondered, if she was so critical of them, and complained so much.
Jerome is a very busy executive at a leading academic institution. In our second coaching call, I asked him to track how he spent his time over 3 days. Here’s what he found: He spends 3 hours PER DAY on emails!
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