Leadership

Over 50 BIG Questions! Part 4: Leadership, of course!

This one is by far the favorite category, not surprisingly, of this group of leading coaches who posted questions. Let’s engage in conversation via the comments box below!

Part 4: Leadership

1. The most compelling work is in developing coach-like leaders who keep the money where it belongs so they can make a greater contribution as can everyone below them. How do we enable that in a big way?

2. In a world where business rules are changing, a coach-like mindset inspires innovation. Pixar is a great example. How do we make a business case for this?

3. My client asks, “I am President of the company and I believe strongly in the power of coaching. At the same time, I believe in the power of leading. How do I be a leader/coach?”

4. How to ignite leadership in individuals when the current circumstances of life have them strictly in survival mode?

5. Can people learn to be great leaders?

6. How can we have many leaders for differentiation of client needs and broadening the scope of leadership within our profession?

7. How can we further distinguish the profession of executive coaching and have it be so important in organizations that they can’t operate without it?

8. How does a coach get across to business executives the concept that it’s all about people? It’s not about business.

9. How will coaching help organizations implement ethical and sustainable leadership and growth?

10. How can we help leaders of companies treat their employees as human beings who are entitled to continuous development and support of their well-being which may lead to a business environment of cooperation, personal commitment, and greater creativity, productivity, and profitability?

11. How do I unlearn the learning I had about coaching?

12. How to maintain focus on goals/business in a fragmented world with mutiple social networking activities, friends, family and clients/ prospects with whom we want to maintain/build relationships when it seems to get harder and harder?

13. If, independently of the organization’s existing metrics, a coach were asked to rank the top three qualities that should be developed in a leader, what would these be?

Creativity and Innovation Are Critical for Sales and Leadership

Stop whining about the economy! It’s no excuse! (I’m talking to myself here, not you–unless, of course, it applies!)

We have an opportunity to truly step up and lead and be creative with how we grow our businesses and lead our organizations now more than ever. I was reminded of this by a fabulous piece of internet fluff that was floating around and shows some brilliant creativity around sales, design, and advertising, which I also see having tremendous implications for leaderships. Check out the images below, and think about where in your role as a leader (whether of your career or team or business) you can inspire creativity. What can you innovate to provoke thinking or intrigue? Let those creative juices flow! Meeting client needs and finding creative ways to be of service will impact your sales, too!

1. Advertising billboard for a Bic razor…now THAT’S thinking outside the box! Where can you utilize resources beyond the borders of how you normally think of what’s available to use?

2. Is it art or seating? A statue or furniture? Form or function? YES! Check out the sculpture-turns-to-seating pictures below. Now that’s what I call leveraged design!

3. Square watermelons? Genius! A round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator and sits awkwardly on the shelves. Smart farmers forced their watermelons to grow into a square shape by inserting them into square, tempered glass cases while the fruit is still growing on the vine.

Razor Billboard Sculpture Furniture sculpture / furniture Sculpture/Furniture Square Watermelons Square Watermelon Box