Is This You?
Feeling hobbled by others
More and more you’re feeling yourself hobbled by people who don’t have the same drive, work ethic and commitment to excellence that you do. You’re a top performer; clients and customers rave about you. But your ability to continue to deliver results is starting to be impacted by the lack-luster performance of others. You’re keeping everything afloat – for now – by picking up the slack, reviewing and checking everything, putting in extra hours. But it’s becoming overwhelming, and your frustration is growing. Accountability minefields
You’re confused how you’re so supposed to hold anyone accountable for their performance anymore. If you give someone feedback on where their performance is lacking, next thing they’re either crying in your office and making excuses, or you get told off by your boss or HR for being too harsh. You’re made out to be the evil person just for holding people accountable for performance. It’s maddening. You ask for input. You get crickets.
At a team meeting, you ask for input and ideas, and get half-hearted suggestions at best, silence at worst. You shake your head in disbelief. They said they wanted to have more input, but then when you invite them to contribute, you get crickets. The endless time-suck of “people problems”
You head home, late, exhausted and your patience hanging on by a thread. As usual eighty percent of your day has been tied up with dealing with “people problems”, not actual productive work. It’s like you’re dealing with children – with all their petty bickering, complaints, drama that seems to be never-ending. It’s like you have to be a sergeant-in-chief to keep them in line. Your expertize is disrespected
You’re leading a project meeting to discuss the client’s feedback. You’ve spent hours preparing, you know the client well and you’re clear on what needs to be done. But one of the project team objects, and soon others pile on. You feel your patience slipping away and your irritation rise as you try to hold the course and keep your temper. Entitlement craziness
Sometimes the pain of gritting your teeth is unbearable. The attitude of the younger generation can be that infuriating. If you had dared to do what they do you would have – rightly – been accused of insubordination and fired. But in this topsy-turvey world it seems like you’re the unreasonable and overly demanding one for setting, and maintaining, high standards of excellence.I can probably help.
If one or more of these scenarios resonate with you, I can probably help.
If one or more of these scenarios resonate with you, I can probably help.
My approach works best for leaders in professional services industries
(e.g. financial services, consulting, IT & tech, legal, architecture and engineering,
health-care, education, marketing, non-profit etc.)
- Are dealing with increased scope of responsibility and the complexity of issues they manage.
- Are transitioning from their domain of expertise to another area of the organization.
- Have been hands-on in building their business but need to start transitioning more responsibilities to others.
- Are newly promoted and transitioning from “peer” to “boss”.
My most successful clients tend to have
one or more these attributes and values:
My most successful clients tend to have
one or more these attributes and values:
- They are known for their work ethic, dedication and commitment. They’re willing to do what it takes to get the results they want.
- They excel at solving complex problems using their smarts, expertise, experience and results oriented approach.
- They have a passion for excellence, accuracy and completeness. They often call themselves “proud perfectionists”.
- They are “all-in” kind of people: giving of their all, be that to the organization where they work, the youth they mentor, the school sports teams they coach, or the organizations where they volunteer.
- They believe in being direct. It’s more efficient. Time is too precious to waste being vague.
If any of this sounds like you,
let’s get you some help.
If any of this sounds like you, let’s get you some help.
And let’s start with power – what it is, and how to use yours – so that you are spending less time having to exert yours to manage people problems, rather than focusing on progressing the real mission of the organization.
And if you’re wondering how to lead effectively in this new age of sensitivity, without undergoing a personality transplant, losing your edge, or tolerating poor performance, learn how I work.
organizations of all types, including:
The clients I’ve worked with come from organizations of all types, including: