The Look & Sound of Leadership

This podcast episode explores the challenges of workplace politics and provides advice on building professional relationships. It emphasizes the importance of political savvy and assertive advocacy. The speaker expresses gratitude, discusses an upcoming trip to Japan, and shares positive work experiences. The chapter also discusses coaching, team dynamics, and a situation where a team member's actions cause turmoil.

Explore tools for team consensus building, including expressing gratitude, fostering open communication, and utilizing gradients of agreement. Learn techniques for facilitating productive discussions and creating a high-performing team with strong bonds.

A co-founder seeks help to save the business and friendship. They introduce The Conflict Resolution Wheel. Understanding elements of conflict resolution, using the 'State Your Intention' tool, and resolving conflict through stating intentions are discussed.

A senior leader, having risen through the ranks, ends her coaching engagement by comparing notes with her coach about the skills that have helped her most. This episode identified seven essential leadership skills:Conquer catastrophic thinking;Use fewer words;Value relationships as highly as results;Don’t take anything personally;Commitment to Development;Reflection;Speak for Yourself.Resources to develop those last three:Commitment to DevelopmentThe Executive Executive – an episode with a different list of essential skillsFour Factors Executives Need to be Successful – another list of essential skills thenschel@essentialcomm.com – my email address if you want help thinking about your own developmentThe Ability to ReflectMindfulness ResourcesBuilding Self-AwarenessSpeak for YourselfThe Four Agreements – Agreement #1: “Be Impeccable with Your Word”Episodes to build assertion:Showing TeethThe Voice of AuthorityAssertion v Aggression This month’s episode lives in our podcast library in these three categories:Executive PresenceLeadershipSelf-TalkFive episodes to help you with different skills are:Building Empathy“Don’t Take Anything Personally”The Executive ExecutivePersonal ConnectionsShort Sounds ConfidentOur monthly email has links to more resources. You can sign up here.All our infographics are available to you for free in the Essential Tools bin.Let us know how we can support you.Until next month, be well!From Tom and everyone at The Look & Sound of Leadership, thanks!

At the end of her rope, a leader asks her coach for help managing a direct report who, she says, is the most defensive person she’s ever met. This episode was packed with tools. We’ve put them into an easy-to-understand infographic. Download it for free here. Kim Scott, the best-selling author of the electric book Radical Candor, wrote a short, friendly guide with tools for handling defensive employees. Find it here.Harvard Business Review’s Amy Gallo talked with Dave Stachowiak on this episode of the Coaching for Leaders podcast. As with every episode of Dave’s, this is indispensable. To work on “deserving” dive into The Four Agreements.  To dig deeper into tools for taming defensiveness, search our podcast library in these three categories:Communication SkillsManagement Skills Relationship BuildingFive specific episodes on this topic you could listen to are:7 Steps to Stop Emotional HijacksBe Impeccable with Your Word Handling Defensive BehaviorsManaging Bad BehaviorManaging Disruptive ExecutivesSign up to get our monthly email with links to resources that support each episode.Calling all COACHES! Come join our Executive Coaching special interest group (SIG) sponsored by the Los Angeles Chapter of ICF. Check out our SIG and all the others here.    Or shoot me an email with your questions. I’m at tom@essentialcomm.com.All our free infographics are in the Essential Tools bin.Your reviews supporting the show help us continue as an ad-free podcast. Let us know how we can support you.Until next month, be well!Thanks from Tom and everyone at The Look & Sound of Leadership.

During her first C-suite years, a leader burned a lot of bridges. Her boss, who’d traveled a similar path, gets her a coach and sets only one goal: repair relations through emotional intelligence.Lots and lots of tools and resources this month:Free downloads:The Feeling Words GridEQ ModelBooks and papers to sharpen your skills“Executive Presence: The Missing Link between Merit and Success” “The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success”“Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well”“Executive Presence” from Center for Talent InnovationThis episode is tagged in three categories in the Podcast Library:Executive PresenceManaging YourselfPersonal Growth & Self-DevelopmentFive episodes to help you command a room:109 Building Emotional Intelligence 146 Building Empathy155 The Human Element69 Leadership & Self-Deception17 Speaking for Yourself Please help yourself to any (or all!) of our free infographics in the Essential Tools bin.Our deepest gratitude to those who post reviews. Thank you!!! Let us know how we can support you.Until next month, be well!Tom and The Look & Sound of Leadership team. 

A highly effective leader finds herself in the middle of a terrible mess, not of her own making. When her coach marvels at her ability to stay calm amidst the chaos, she shares a lesson she learned from her dad.In addition to the tools discussed during this episode, Tom also talks about:“Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High.”Conversations with Coaches – Episode #184Executive Coaching Special Interest GroupThe Feeling Word GridThis episode is tagged in three categories in the Podcast Library:Managing YourselfPerception – How You Perceive YourselfSelf-TalkFive episodes to help you manage during difficult times:109 - Building Emotional Intelligence52 - Coaching versus Therapy152 - Combating Emotional Hijacks75 - “Don’t Take Anything Personally”171 - Taming the Wild ChildAll our free infographics are in the Essential Tools bin.Your reviews supporting the show help us continue as an ad-free podcast. Let us know how we can support you.Until next month, be well!Tom and The Look & Sound of Leadership team. 

Wanting to command rooms with her voice, a team leader turned to her coach for exercises. She learned the secrets of “RVP.”In this episode, five practices to help you develop a voice that will command a room are discussed:Vocal varietyExpect resistanceRhythmVolumePitchThis episode has multiple tips and tools for each of those five development areas.The Zootopia clip that gets so much attention is here:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHKwnUa3txoThis episode is tagged in three categories in the Podcast Library:Communication SkillsExecutive PresencePresentation SkillsFive episodes to help you command a room:186 Video Feedback & Executive Presence120 Captivate Your Audience77 The Power of Rehearsal64 I  Talk Too Fast!34 Keeping Repeated Material FreshAll our free infographics are in the Essential Tools bin.Thanks for supporting us with your reviews. Let us know how we can support you.Until next month, be well!Tom and The Look & Sound of Leadership team. 

In conversation with her coach, an executive explores whether leaders and managers use language differently in order to be effective in their roles.There are lots of ideas in this episode. To help you sort the tools and put them into practice, we’ve created an infographic for you to download. It’s in the Essential Tools bin along with all the others. Help yourself!This episode is tagged in three categories in the Podcast Library:LeadershipManagement SkillsPerception – How You’re PerceivedFive related episodes you might listen to are: 139Engagement & Performance138Managing Disruptive Executives140 Showing Teeth148Taming Meetings156The Voice of AuthorityMuch gratitude to the folks who post reviews. We appreciate your support and all your kind words.Let us know how we can support your growth and development. Be in touch with us here. Until next month, be well!Tom and The Look & Sound of Leadership team. 

An executive, in conversation with her coach, wonders if leaders and managers are different. And whether it matters.This episode has lots of ideas flying around. To help you sort the tools and put them into practice, we’ve created an infographic for you to download. It’s in the Essential Tools bin along with all the others. Help yourself! This episode is tagged in three categories in the Podcast Library:LeadershipManagement SkillsRelationship BuildingFive related episodes you might listen to are: 139Dynamic One-on-Ones138How Teams Fight179 Managing Former Peers148Taming Meetings156The Voice of AuthorityWe are so grateful to those of you post reviews. It only takes you a minute or two, but it makes a world of difference for us. Our purpose is to support your growth and development. Let us know how we can help. Be in touch with us here. Until next month, be well!Tom and The Look & Sound of Leadership team.