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I NOW MANAGE MY PEERS As difficult as it is to be successful in a new leadership role, things quickly get complicated when you are asked to manage those who were previously your peers or superiors. A whole new set of problems enter the manager-employee equation in these situations. Training is rarely provided to help navigate the unique and trying challenges that will no doubt encountered. ​ Your direct reports likely fall into one of three categories: Advocates, Detractors, or Fence-sitters. All of which need to be identified and appropriately engaged and managed if you are to succeed. ​ It is relatively easy to work with Advocates. They are your supporters and want to see you do well. They err on giving you the benefit of the doubt and look for the positive in everything you do. They are likely your most manageable group. Detractors include those who think that they should be the leader. They question whether you possess the necessary maturity, skills, and experience to lead the group. They actively seek confirmatory evidence to support their opinions. What's more, they are quick to tell others about your mistakes, missteps, and shortcomings. They may resist or work against you, overtly or covertly. They are tough to manage and difficult to convert to Advocates. You may struggle with whether it is worth the effort to keep them around. The Fence-sitters are often cautious or disengaged and take a wait and see approach. They do not give you the benefit of the doubt, nor do they actively work against you. Some never move from this non-committed fence-sitter state, but most gradually transition into either the Advocate or Detractor role. You are well aware that you should spend time strengthing your relationship with the fence-sitters to convert them to Advocates. But this is easier said than done. Being the boss is a very lonely place, and placing professional boundaries on the relationships with those who were your peers or superiors is extremely difficult. This loneliness is particularly challenging when you have assumed significant management responsibility for the first time. Who do you turn to for advice? Who do you trust and count on? Why have your relationships deteriorated? These are questions that you may struggle to answer. Our Executive Coaches work with you to craft realistic, actionable leadership plans. As independent and objective advisors, our Executive Coaches will help you engage and motivate employees en route to developing a high-performing team. And, perhaps more importantly, help you make the right decisions regarding how best to handle those who can't or won't get with the program. Schedule An Introductory Call "Training is rarely provided to help navigate the unique and trying challenges encountered when you are promoted to manage your peers"

I JUST LANDED NEW JOB BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN So you got the job and "What do I do now?" is the question foremost on your mind. At first, you ask it in jest, but after a few days on the job when pressures of the new role become ever more apparent, finding a satisfactory answer to this question is not as easy as it sounds. ​ Reality sets in, and you must act quickly and decisively. You don't want to appear unsure about what to do, and you can't reach out to others for help. Your peers in your last position don't understand nor appreciate the expectations and pressures associated with your new role. Your spouse, partner, and friends, though supportive and understanding, can't provide objective advice on how to proceed. So what do you do? Most people draft a plan based on what has worked for them in the past. This a good starting point but often insufficient to ensure success in your new and more complex role. You need to engage an objective, experienced, capable partner to assess the situation and partner with you to develop your 30, 60, and 90-day action plans. ​ We provide executive coaching and consulting support to ensure you realize your goals. Schedule An Introductory Call

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TEAM COACHING Building High-Performing Teams While Executive success is heavily dependent upon the ability to build, empower, and support high-performing teams, many leaders struggle with team dysfunction and the resulting low productivity. ​ Teams often falter because the desired team norms and behaviors are not adequately articulated, modeled, and rewarded. One or more of the essential building blocks of cohesive high performing teams, which include trust and respect, communication, constructive conflict, commitment, accountability, is absent. ​ ​Team members sometimes struggle to navigate successfully the predictable Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and ultimately, the Adjourning stages of team development. They often encounter issues at each development stage that benefit from focused coaching and support en-route to becoming a high-performing team member. Don't let your team falter - engage an experienced Team Coach today. Schedule An Introductory Call Team Development Behavioral Norms Productive Conflict Accountability Employee Engagement Conflict Management Performance Management Schedule An Introductory Call

I JUST GOT A LOUSY WORK ASSIGNMENT Even the most engaged and industrious employees resent the assignment of tedious and monotonous tasks. Who can blame them? Often the situation is unavoidable, but troubling questions still abound. Why was I selected to do this? Did I do something wrong? Am I being punished? How do I get this task reassigned? We have all been there and know how it feels - lousy! ​ Learning how to assess and respond to these dreadful assignments constructively is critical to long-term career success. Easier said than done! The emotions involved are often difficult to isolate, understand, and process. Putting the pieces together to see the whole picture takes time and effort. Guided exploration of relevant situational, interpersonal, and personal factors rapidly yields significant insight and delivers actionable cognitive and behavioral adaptations. Contact us to hear about effective strategies for assessing, adapting to, and learning from these lousy assignments. Schedule An Introductory Call

PROCESS CHALLENGES Ill-defined business processes cause tremendous frustration and inefficiency in companies of all sizes. Employees feel trapped and have little choice but to "keep their heads down" and work within the existing process constraints - often at great personal expense. Managers usually report having a gut feeling that something is wrong, but rarely can quantify the problem. Typically they have neither the time nor the expertise to analyze, streamline the broken processes and are prone to "throwing bodies " at the problem. Adding headcount to muscle through a broken process may be a reasonable short term fix, but is rarely a viable long term solution. A more thoughtful approach is usually required. ​ What managers need more than anything else is an objective, critical assessment of the targeted processes and a proven approach for systematically addressing the underlying bottlenecks, errors, and rework. Managers are better off engaging experts to lead their team in transforming and standardizing the targeted processes than trying to drive process improvements with internal resources which are likely inexperienced, resistant and already over-allocated. Listed below are high-level descriptions of the kinds of issues reported by some of our clients. Do any of these sound familiar? Schedule An Introductory Call We still rely on inefficient paper-based processes. It is hard to believe that many companies still rely heavily on paper to manage core business processes. Usually, there are so-called "perfectly good reasons for doing so," but few are legitimate. The wasted effort in these organizations borders on criminal. Even basic Excel-based tracking solutions can seem like light years ahead of existing paper-based processes. Learn More... Employees rely on tribal knowledge to get the job done In some companies, particularly within their support functions, standardized processes do not exist. Employees rely heavily on tribal knowledge to get the work done, and employees have their own way of doing things. Best practices are ignored, and waste, error, and rework abound. performance metrics are absent. and these functions can be very difficult to manage. Learn More... I spend all my time fixing someone else's errors Few people enjoy fixing their own mistakes, and almost no one enjoys checking and correcting the work of others. But alas, error and rework rates in many business functions are often very high. Employees resist standardized processes citing that they are professionals and need latitude to get the job done. In such cases, the introduction of best practices and objective performance metrics can help managers turn things around. Learn More... We don't even follow our own SOPs New managers are often dismayed to hear that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are inadequate or, in some cases, nonexistent. Both situations are bad but not nearly as troubling as when employees ignore published SOPs. In such cases, particularly in highly regulated environments, it is only a matter of time before "things go pear-shaped." Learn More... Lean and Six Sigma methodologies can be successfully applied to diagnose and address even the most complicated process challenges. The trick is knowing how and when to leverage the various tools and techniques most effectively. A traditional, full-blown Six Sigma deployment is NOT required to realize significant benefits. Let one of our Transformation Advisors guide you in leverage disciplined process improvement strategies and techniques that will work within your specific organization. Schedule An Introductory Call

PURPOSE CHALLENGES Lack of vision, poor strategy and a weak culture are the hallmarks of organizations struggling with purpose challenges. Managers typically report alignment, accountability, and employee engagement as critical issues. Employees often cite poor leadership, ambiguous goals, and the inexplicable changing of priorities as significant concerns. Both perspectives are correct, to some degree. Regardless of role, the"constant spinning of wheels" is a frequent refrain across the enterprise. When employees don't know where they are going, confusion, frustration, and disillusionment predominate. ​ Executives engage Transformation Associates to help sort things out. We objectively assess the challenges reported and craft a tailored roadmap outlining the specific actions required to course correct. Ultimately, we navigate the multitude of "organizational realities" en route to creating a clear, unambiguous, and meaningful path forward for all. ​ Which of the following observations resonate most with you and your situation? Schedule and an introductory call with a Transformation Advisor to learn more. Schedule An Introductory Call Hallmarks of Organizations With Purpose Issues Lack Of Vision Companies lacking vision are akin to rudderless ships set adrift and at the mercy of the seas and the tides. While sometimes incorrectly viewed as a "nice-to-have," a compelling vision is critical to engaging, energizing, and focusing the efforts of managers and employees alike. Experienced executives recognize the importance of and take ownership for the development and communication of an aspirational vision that clearly and concisely describes the company's long term goals and values to employees, customers and investors. ​ Learn More... Poor Strategy The absence of a clear strategy for achieving organizational goals is a recipe for disaster. A good strategic plan enables an organization to focus its limited resources on the things most likely to achieve both short and long-term goals. While never perfect, these calculated bets should clearly outline organizational priorities and allow functional leaders to define their respective operational plans. ​ ​ Learn More... Weak Culture Executives who ignore culture do so at their peril and are doomed to experience long-term, negative consequences. Underlying beliefs, values, and behavioral norms are critical elements of an organization's culture. Strong cultures determine why and how things are done. C ultures evolve slowly over time and are highly resistant to change. Successful organizations ensure executives nurture and proactively shape organizational culture. Learn More... Employee Perspective On Purpose Issues Poor Leadership Executives without both good managerial and leadership skills are doomed to the organizational scrap heap. Employees look to those in positions of authority to set goals and provide clear direction. Employees intuitively understand that traditional managers strive to keep things under control and eliminate surprises and that leaders seek to drive change and realize a better tomorrow. Today's executives need to do both and bring employees along with them if they are to excel and achieve organizational goals. ​ ​ Learn More... Ambiguous Goals The absence of clear, realistic and attainable performance goals diffuses efforts and demotivates employees. Employees want clear, realistic and attainable goals. Moreover, contrary to popular opinion, measuring performance against objective and clearly defined goals is welcomed by most employees - particularly high performers. The trick is measuring both actionable leading indicators and outcomes. Good leaders give employees clear goals, the latitude to execute and the tools to gauge their performance. Learn More... Changing Priorities Frequent changing of direction without adequate explanation is a surefire indicator of managerial inexperience. The constant changing of priorities is often cited as necessary by management as they throw around the phrases such as "we need to be nimble and responsive to customers." However, in reality, more often than not, this is due to poor planning and a lack of managerial maturity. Employees want experienced leaders in positions of authority who are empowered to set the direction and priorities for their teams - not vacillate like leaves in the wind. Learn More... Manager Perspective On Purpose Issues Poor Governance Organizations lacking governance and control practices inevitably learn their importance the hard way. Strong governance practices enable effective organizational decision-making, allocation of resources and operational execution. By ensuring transparency, prioritization, and alignment with strategic business priorities, organizations maximize their probability of success. Governance should not be confused with ineffective bureaucracy; rather it must be viewed as a strong business enabler. ​ Learn More... Lack of Engagement Disengaged employees are destructive and can drag down the overall performance of teams. While it is frequently challenging, and often frustrating, managers must continuously motivate and engage employees at all levels - their success and the success of the organization depend on it. However, there are times when managers should cut their losses and release disengaged or destructive employees before things spiral out of control. The wisdom to know when and how to cut losses is what separates an average manager from a great leader. Learn More... Lack of Alignment Employees are largely rational beings and tend to act in a manner that serves their best interests when given a choice. Most successful organizations clearly articulate their values, behavioral norms and performance expectations. In addition, they ensure both functional and cross-functional strategies, objectives and priorities are aligned. All of which are reinforced by carefully designed rewards a recognition systems that ensure individual goals are not pursued at the expense of overarching organizational goals. Learn More... Each organization has its unique strengths and weaknesses - no two are identical. Canned solutions to addressing Purpose related challenges are doomed to failure. We work closely with clients to create a tailored approach that leverages their specific strengths and addresses particular issues and challenges. Are you ready to start your transformation journey? Schedule An Introductory Call

EXECUTIVE COACHING Realizing Career Aspirations We guide executives in navigating personal, professional, and organizational realities en-route to realizing their career aspirations. ​ Our Executive Coaches are typically engaged when business leaders face significant career setbacks, many of which directly challenge their sense of purpose, confidence, and self-esteem. ​ Perhaps the most frequently cited triggers of this self-doubt and uncertainty are the loss of a job, being overlooked for a long-anticipated promotion, and business failure. Paradoxically, starting a new position, securing the long-sought-after promotion, and achieving tremendous business success are also common triggers. Engagements begin with open discussions about skills, successes, challenges, and goals. We explore organizational and other contextual factors to understand the obstacles encountered. Various assessment instruments including the Hogan, Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i 2.0), Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), The Leadership Preferences Inventory (LPI), DiSC Profiles (Workplace, Management, Work Of Leaders), Locus of Control, and 360 Degree Feedback instruments are completed to hone in on strengths and challenges. When appropriate, managers, peers, direct reports, and customers are also interviewed. Ultimately, salient feedback themes, insights gained through the assessments, guided introspection, and extensive dialog are distilled, documented, and analyzed. We work closely with you to craft an Executive Development Plan outlining robust cognitive and behavioral strategies to maximize your overall effectiveness and realize career goals. That's the easy part! Executing the Executive Development Plan is far more complicated and requires discipline and perseverance. We provide the ongoing one-on-one coaching support and guidance necessary to do so. Motivated leaders who accept and act upon the objective and constructive guidance provided achieve significant gains in a short period. Are you ready to start your executive coaching engagement? Schedule An Introductory Call Frequently Cited Triggers Of Self Doubt And Uncertainty I Just Lost My Job, Now What... "I can't believe it, after Twenty-five years with the company, I now need to bid on my own job. I am not sure what to do or where to begin" Read More... Low Emotional Intelligence "If I hear I have low EQ one more time, my head is going to explode. I know it is important, but I am not convinced I can change - I need guidance in translating the theory into action that will be recognizable to my peers and executives alike" Poor People Skills "I always thought that my technical skills were what distinguished me from my peers. I was not prepared for the seismic shift when moving into an executive role. Now my leadership and soft skills are more important than my technical skills. I need help in developing my emotional intelligence and related soft skills if I am to be successful in my new role." Restructuring Underway "Another organizational restructuring is underway, and it is unclear how or whether I fit in. For the first time, I realize that I need to make the massive changes in my approach and attitude if I am to keep my job. I can't mess this up." Read More... Passed Over Again! "I have been passed over for promotion again, and I need to understand why. The feedback from my boss has been direct, harsh and in most cases accurate. I have significant professional gaps to address - I don't know where to begin." Read More... No Work Life Balance "Something has to give! I have been completely swallowed up by my job! While fun, exciting and engaging it is incredibly demanding. I can't continue to work 70 hrs a-week. I will be dead or divorced by the end of the year if I do not restore some balance in my life. Where do I sign up." In A Dead-end Job "I hate my job and can't stand going to work each day. Sure it pays the bills, but I need more! I think it is time to move on? I can't make the same mistake again - I need to make the right career move. I need to find a job that offers purpose and meaning. It is no longer just about the money." I Need A Career Change "I thought that getting the long-awaited promotion would finally put me in the role I was born to have. This could not be further from the truth. Rather, the promotion simply highlighted the need for a career change! I hope it is not too late for me to start the career I always wanted." Failed Business Venture "I put my heart and soul into my start-up business and lost everything! My self-confidence shot and at an all-time low. I know I need some help to get back in the saddle, but I am reluctant to ask for help - it is not in my nature." Not Executive Material "After 10 years in management, our CEO told me that I don't have what it takes to be an executive within the company. Apparently, my leadership and people skills are lacking. I wasn't even allowed to apply for the job! Something has to change - I need to do something about my reported deficiencies. My command-and-control style is not valued. I need to adapt!" I Don't Like Who I Have Become "I used to be the life of the party now I am viewed as a curmudgeonly, stick-in-the-mud. My job has taken over and I need to restore some balance. I cannot continue to be defined by my job. I need to get my life back on track." TESTIMONIALS "I was in a dark and lonely place when I first met Dr. Gillard. His guidance and support helped me become more centered, focused, and get my career back on track. I will be forever grateful." Senior Executive, Fortune 100 Pharmaceutical Company - ​ "Dr. Gillard helped me understand and address significant blind spots that had a significant negative effect on my career. The guidance and support were invaluable" Senior Executive, Biotech Company Schedule An Introductory Call