Great leaders view conflict as a positive. They value the art of passionately debating, challenging each person’s perspectives and assumptions, and wrestling with all the angles of a difficult situation. 

Great leaders don’t view conflict as personal, it doesn’t involve judging one another’s ideas and it doesn’t leave a lingering resentment of others, or negative energy. 

How about you? How do you view conflict at work?

Having good communication habits doesn’t mean we never experience conflict, or become angry; it means having the tools, inner resources, and self-assured energy to navigate tough situations skillfully when they arise. 

This post, and the script for delivering constructive feedback within it, is here to help you show up with increased confidence, trust, ease, and wisdom during your next difficult employee feedback session.

If you’re looking to show up to work with increased confidence, trust, ease, and wisdom during your next challenging conversation, try these 4 practices for shifting your team dynamic and communicating better at the office: Be Mindful Of Your Judgments And Interpretations, Increase Your Capacity For Discomfort, Cultivate The Quality Of Your Presence, and Remember Your Values. 

This post is here to offer you some conscious and intentional communications training to help build your EQ muscles. Try this exercise to help you prepare for and lean into your next difficult conversation with a goal of mutual understanding and connection.

When confronted by a difficult conversation, frustrating email, or challenging personality at work how do you respond? Are you calm, present, and regulated, or do you tend to lose control and rule with an iron fist?

If the switch from reacting emotionally to staying present and balanced is harder for you, you aren’t alone. Don’t be discouraged if you need some help working through your default programming, it’s likely had a hold of you since childhood.

Do you invite your team to challenge the way things have always been done at your organization?

Great leaders don’t get locked into the “that’s the way things are done around here” syndrome. Instead, they give their employees the autonomy to solve their own problems, freeing up space to do their own big work, while also empowering their team to grow and develop into the most impactful version of themselves.

Does this look like professional success to you?

Working 12+ hour days, chasing the next deal, putting out fires and constantly feeling exhausted, thinking of your family when you’re at the office, and the office when you’re with your family. You sleep poorly, your workouts and stamina are becoming a distant memory, and you can’t remember the last time you actually flirted with your significant other? 

Then why are so many of us working and living this way? And what do you do to change it?

How do we fix the not fixing?

While quickly providing solutions to employees’ problems can be tempting, given your pressing deadlines and long list of important tasks, consider the value-building approach of asking them the right questions, which include benefits like helping them develop their problem-solving abilities, creativity, and resourcefulness.

Try a 5-minute self check-in exercise to build self-awareness.

If you find yourself struggling to inspire and motivate your employees, and keep them feeling supported so that they can do their best work, I’ll tell you what I tell my clients—it’s not your fault, it’s human nature.

Your work is no longer about believing you have to have all the answers, all the time, and telling others what to do, instead it becomes seeking input from the team around you and empowering them to get the job done.

Have you ever wondered how I made the shift from Wall Street to Operations, to Executive Coaching? Last week I sat down with Dr. Chad Prevost and Dr. Shelley Prevost from The Big Self Podcast and Big Self School to talk about my journey from Leadership roles in finance and healthcare to coaching today’s leaders how to have more impact and less stress at the office and at home.

Finding yourself stuck in a cycle of triggered reactions to stressors at the office? Looking to eliminate the stress, overwhelm and expectations on your relationships? Follow these easy prompts to begin a journaling and self-reflection practice, resulting in more impactful, sustainable results in the boardroom and at home.

Stressed, Yelling, and Overwhelmed? Struggling to consciously choose how you want to respond? Want to push performance boundaries, show up as your best, and maintain the necessary focus and resilience to achieve your goals, I’ll tell you what I tell my clients--it all begins with a deep breath.

What kind of boss do you want to be? We've all had that boss that makes you excited to be on the team. You work harder for them. You finish your work and leave for the day feeling energized and having accomplished more, just having been in their presence. Don’t you want to be that boss? It starts with listening to understand and leaning in with compassion. I'll show you how.

There is a lot of talk about “company culture” these days. It's the buzz term du jour, but what does Company Culture actually mean? And how do you foster a healthy one amongst your team and your company as a whole. Find out how to become the leader you know you can be and create a thriving company culture by following these steps.

Being able to stay calm, open-minded, and quickly adapt to shifting circumstances in this wild new world, is and will continue to be a competitive advantage in the workplace. Great leaders are able to navigate the changing winds of their teams' emotions and chart the course ahead. Learn to set the tone of your organization, while managing your team's big personalities and strong emotions.

Don't dwell on feelings of overwhelm, letting them knock you off course! Dealing with the overwhelm effectively is less about managing time and tasks, and more about managing our thoughts and emotions. Learn to handle your teams complicated feelings, thoughts, and emotions.

Statistics show two-thirds of employees in the U.S. are completely disengaged or neutral about their work. This means that asking great questions, and listening even better, is more important than ever. Great leaders draw out the best thinking and performance from their employees. It’s about being present—tuning into yourself and those around you, and holding space for your team—and allowing the smartest people in the room to speak up, and genuinely listening, rather than dominating the conversation, and shutting down those around you.

“I got laid-off in December and just want to find more purpose in life.”

“I don’t want to take the wrong next step.”

These are the emails in my inbox, week after week, from guys just like you.

If you’re experiencing a career transition and struggling to gain clarity, find purpose, or know where you want to go, you’re not alone. You’re going to be ok…

“How can I be a better leader and motivate my team during COVID?” Is the number one question in my inbox at the moment.

From those just getting their seat at the table, to the ones having led their teams for decades, they all find themselves in this new unfamiliar territory.

I’ll tell you what I tell them…

Like attracts like, and we each attract and create our world. By focusing not on what was, only what can be, and eventually, what is, we can create the world we choose.

Guess what? Whatever we direct our attention to will expand. The result of a focus on scarcity is a life of fear, stress, and anxiety. Make the decision to change our mindset, and walk the path of abundance, great things start happening.