Tag: Intentional

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365 Coaching Tips: 241st, 242nd and 243rd

August 29th Coaching Tip: It’s Football Season.

It’s the start of football season, with Auburn traveling to play Baylor on Friday night during primetime. Football in America is now a viewing/entertainment “thing” on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday evenings. It’s on high school fields all across America on Friday evenings. The NFL is on Thursday evenings, as well as Sunday afternoon and Sunday and Monday evenings. College now plays some games on Thursdays or Fridays, but most games are on Saturdays.

It’s alot of football. And I’m learning, it’s alot of distracted people who are eating, sitting, and now gambling. One 30-something male friend told me that most of his friends are now addicted to gambling, because of the easy access to bet anytime, on any sport, from the palm of your hand with your mobile device. Be aware that it’s football season; but also be aware of the amount of time, energy, and betting that you may or may not be doing. Be aware.

August 30th Coaching Tip: Support Local Businesses.

With all the shopping options today, I still like to support local businesses. For example, I had some furniture delivered today and it made me smile that it was from an Indiana owned furniture company. If we want our towns and cities to thrive with local businesses, then WE must support them. WE must buy merchandise there and refer others to go there. Yes, most businesses have an online presence and sell merchandise online. However, we can do both: buy online and go into their stores. Support local businesses.

August 31st Coaching Tip: Support Women’s Sports.

Stayed up late tonight to watch our women’s pro basketball team, the Indiana Fever, play the Valkyres in Northern California. The Fever are the hottest ticket in women’s team sports right now; their own phrase is, “every game is a home game” because of the amount of eyes that are currently on the women’s game and that Caitlyn Clark plays for the Fever. And the Bay Area in CA is also supporting their first-year women’s team, as every Valkyres game this season has been a sellout. How about that? Amazing support for these women pro athletes. Makes me smile; keep supporting women’s sports…middle school, high school, college, and pro. They deserve all the eyes on their games!

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365 Coaching Tips: 232nd, 233rd & 234th

August 20th Coaching Tip: Reach Out On Birthdays.

Today is one of my favorite advisor’s birthdays. I wanted him to know that I deeply care about him, so yes, I was that person who wished him a happy birthday at 8am sharp. And he laughed, and came back quickly and stated, “you were the second person to wish me HBD.” I’ll take it, he and I both know that he’s important to me, and I’m equally important to him.

And then, for some reason, I reached out to one of my coaching colleagues to wish her a happy August birthday. Although her birthday isn’t until Aug. 30, she’s my work-sister with an August birthday. Welp, wouldn’t you know, my gut was right. She responded by saying, “thanks for the HBD wishes. Your intuition is amazing. My father passed last night, and so now I’m dealing with that. I know you lost your father a couple years ago.” Oh my, I wasn’t expecting that message back from her, although she had mentioned that her father had been declining quickly the last couple years. I’m just so grateful that the good Lord had me reach out. Just hope that I can be there for her as she grieves the loss of her dad; my dad died in Sept. 2023 unexpectedly. Keep reaching out.

August 21st Coaching Tip: Understand Your Impact On Others.

Today in one of my coaching sessions, the leader was mentioning how excited he was about a new bi-lingual woman that he’s mentoring and aligning to his team. He had some questions about how to align her to his team and I had some questions, too. For example, he has two other young people on his team that he’s also developing. My questions revolved around the “how”: How will you mentor and develop all three of them? How will you communicate how they will be held accountable and compensated? How will you be viewed as fair, maybe not equal, but definitely fair? How will you document what you’re doing with each of them, so that if you have others who want to join your team, you can quickly share with them how you mentor and develop talent?

Don’t underestimate how important it is to communicate the impact on the person you’re developing, as well as to the others. People are naturally impacted by the amount of time you spend with them. Leadership is hard and it’s your responsibility as a leader to be aware of your impact on others.

August 22nd Coaching Tip: Lakeside Birthday Tradition.

Took the day off, again. It’s a priority for me to take off my birthday, and it’s a ritual that I’ve been doing since I started working at Caterpillar in 1986. At my 40th birthday, our family all gathered at a small hotel that was lakeside in Monticello, Indiana. We brought four jet skis, food, and had a blast. At my 50th birthday party, I rented a lovely, large home on Lake Wawasee, Indiana, for a group of friends to come and stay, and then my family also came a few days later. From there, we started a lakeside tradition, and now we celebrate my birthday and a number of other important dates annually.

This year was no different; we had 19 show up for my birthday party at my brother’s lakeside home in Cicero, IN. We sang karaoke for four hours, ate like kings and queens, and had a yummy, Costco (Italian chocolate six layer) cake with optional scoops of gelato. So, peace out and enjoy your birthday. We sure had a blast all weekend!

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365 Coaching Tips: 223rd, 224th & 225th

August 11th Coaching Tip: Retirements Are Huge Decisions.

It cracks me up when I hear younger people say, “I know what you mean…” when someone is trying to make up their mind about retiring. Actually, I think to myself, “no, you have no clue; zero clue. You’ve never retired. Maybe your parents or grandparents or an older friend has retired, but you haven’t retired.”

When someone is discussing retiring, listen to them and ask questions. Listen to their story of all the ways in which they made their career journey, or help manage a business, or lead their family. Ask questions about what they loved the most, and what were their regrets that others could learn from. In my coaching work, many discussions are about “when will I retire” and “what will I do with my time after I retire”. We openly discuss what are their plans, what are they going toward, and how will they deal with a potential change in their own feeling about their identity. Some are considering working part-time to stay socially engaged as well as leveraging their decades of experience to continue to help and be valuable to others. Retiring is a huge decision.

August 12th Coaching Tip: Ongoing Commitment.

Yes, I completed the National Senior Games on Aug. 2, 2025. However, I now have a renewed and ongoing commitment to my overall wellness, fitness and strength levels. Of course, I took a few days off and on throughout August, but as the Fall and beautiful weather of September and October creep up, it will be time to renew my ongoing commitment to keep my V02max above 36 by doing regular high intensity interval training as well as improving my basketball shooting accuracy. I’ve been inspired by an 80+ year old gymnast; audiences are amazed at how she still does balance beam routines. She said it is simple: she never stopped doing them. She maintained her ongoing commitment for decades.

August 13th Coaching Tip: Be Honest.

Trying to buy a few things on Facebook Marketplace for the remodeled home that we are working on for a final “move in” date of Aug. 29, 2025. One seller on Marketplace was pleasant and professional, and we treated each other with timeliness and respect. I went to see the furniture that she had listed, and it was as she claimed it was: great shape, rarely used. However, another seller was less than honest. She wanted $200 from me to hold the item until I arrived. Hesitantly, I went ahead and zelle’d her “son” the $200. Then she let me know that her partner had already made a commitment to sell the piece of furniture to another person. By then, she was apologizing…but also saying that if I sent the remaining amount, they would agree to sell it to me. At that point, I was done with them. She lacked integrity, and she still has not returned my $200. Scam? Maybe. Dishonest? Absolutely. Be honest.

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365 Coaching Tips: 220th, 221st and 222nd

August 8th Coaching Tip: Hear Their Story.

During one of my coaching sessions recently, my colleague shared with me that he had been in the military and then quickly moved on about his background. I listened and then started asking more questions. That led to him sharing about his upcoming vacation, as he’s heading to Italy and France for his 50th birthday. (That’s what I did for my 50th and 55th birthdays.) We had so much in common, before we knew it, we turned a somewhat random Zoom coaching session into truly having a connection.

Recently, I purchased a home. Honestly, I just wanted to go to the closing, sign the paperwork, get the keys, and get moving on thru my day. But when I walked into the closing, the owner stood up and said, “this was my mom’s home”. He had watery eyes; he was acting as the rep for the family and his mother. He went on to tell me that it’s a great neighborhood for biking and at the end of the street is a great hill for sledding. His parents built the home and are the only family to ever live in it. I told him that we would take great care of it, with a lot of love. Take time to hear other’s stories; it matters and you just never know what you will learn or have in common.

August 9th Coaching Tip: Be Ultra Aware.

Once again in America, a known man with mental health issues was just arrested for killing four people in a Montana bar. Of course he had access to guns, and then killed people with those same guns. Even though that happened in Montana, it hits close to home. Recently as our lake condo, the police officers and fire department showed up in the building next to ours. They were called to investigate a domestic situation that involved a man that is clearly mentally ill…and yet he is a “caretaker for a woman.” Anyway, this mentally ill man walks outside, talks to himself, and wears interesting and very warm clothing even when it’s very hot outside. He’s now been asked to vacate the rental property that he is staying in, due to multiple police reports. Today, we intentionally discussed how to avoid him, not walk by his front door nor getting close to his vehicles. Don’t engage at all. We also shared this message of intentionality and “keeping your head on a pivot” and being more socially aware with our neighbors who were unaware of the seriousness of this situation. Be ultra aware.

August 10th Coaching Tip: Witness the Sturgeon Moon.

For the last two evenings here in August, we have intentionally taken sunset cruises to witness the full Sturgeon Moon rise above the horizon and the tree line to the East. Word has it that this full moon in August was named by the Indians, as the Sturgeon fish were aplenty this time of the year. The Sturgeon Moon is a bit bigger and brighter, starting out as orange-ish and then rising to a more crystal color. We took time both evenings to enjoy this daily yet miraculous event, ooo-ing and ahhh-ing over its beauty. As the moon raised up, it’s light bounced off the lake and was truly beautiful. Photos don’t do it justice; but we took time to witness it not once but twice. Take time to embrace and witness all that God has to offer. Witness the Sturgeon Moon.

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365 Coaching Tips: 217th, 218th & 219th

August 5th Coaching Tip: Take Care of Your Mind.

As we returned from the intensity and competition of the National Senior Games in Des Moines, I prioritized recovery this week. I took it really easy yesterday; only took a couple strolls and got a few shots up in the LA Fitness gym nearby. This evening, I went to bed earlier than I normally do…even though I wanted to stay up and watch a key WNBA game that started at 10pm E. My mind is still on a bit of a high and buzzing with joy and excitement from my results at NSG; my blood pressure last week was un-usually high (130’s-150’s/97). I checked my BP multiple times this week, and it’s right back down to my normal levels of 107/68.

To prioritize my mind today, I really got organized this week (returning from vacation is always filled with a slew of emails and follow up). I prioritized what emails MUST be followed up quickly; I flagged them with a “red” flag. For medium and lower priority emails and calls, I requested connecting with them the weeks of Aug. 11 or Aug. 18, and even proposed the week of Aug. 25 or after Labor Day. A number requested, “after Labor Day works great for me, too.” And for me personally, I scheduled a massage and pedicure for this week, before we head to the lake this weekend for some downtime. Prioritize your mind; clear thinking will help you make sound decisions.

August 6th Coaching Tip: Take Care of Your Body.

As mentioned above, it was very important for me to get a massage early this week. And I splurged. Instead of getting my normal 50-minute massage, I got a 90-minute massage. Very glad that I prioritized this, as I have less soreness now and no injuries from last week at the NSG. While I was competing last week at the NSG, I made it a priority to eat and hydrate very well, drink zero alcohol, and get plenty of sleep (approx. 8 hours/night). I also had access to an indoor pool that had a surprisingly cool water temperature, so after each competition, I got in it and just walked around and swam slowly to help cool down my body a bit. We also brought a foam roller, and I used that to help roll out my hamstrings and calves. Take care of your body; you’ve only got ONE! (Note: we were in Des Moines for the NSG in three different venues for six days. I’m pleased to report that I did not see one injury while I was there. That’s a remarkable statement, since all athletes were 50-101 years old).

August 7th Coaching Tip: Take Care of Your Feet.

Our feet take the pressure of every single step we take; there’s nothing like our feet. When we lose our feet or our ability to walk, it can be quite depressing and debilitating. I’ve witnessed colleagues, friends, and a couple of my family ignore their feet/toes/ankles until it was “too late”. Now they have to wear unique shoes or special inserts or compression socks every single day. It was a priority for me to get a pedicure today and talk to the nail tech about a couple small areas on my toes that were tender. She really listened, inspected, and then helped those two areas, along with making my toes look pretty in Hoosier red nail polish. As I have moved from 50 to now over 60 years old, I’m learning a lot about how my body and feet like certain footwear. Don’t laugh, but I must have about ten pair of Nike Pegasus jogging shoes and Oofos sandals and slides. My feet like them, and my feet don’t hurt. Why change it up if it is working. Take care of your feet.

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365 Coaching Tips: 208th, 209th and 210th

July 27th Coaching Tip: Make It Work.

We are on our way from Indiana to Des Moines, Iowa, for the 2025 National Senior Games. As we prepared our trip, we really didn’t want to drive 7-8 hours in one day. To make it all work, I reached out to some of my gal pals in Illinois and we gathered for a homemade two-hour dinner at Molly’s home. Little did two of us know that one of our gal pals had some serious info to share with us. She shared some gut-wrenching news, we listened, and that’s what we do as friends: we got thru it all together tonight. We four have been thru the rigors of life these last two decades together of being friends. We’ve lost husbands, homes, and jobs; helped our kids beat addictions and making poor decisions, rebuilt our brands and legacies, finished half marathons, etc.

We made it work today for this quick but important homemade dinner and meaningful conversation; please, make it work. Squeeze in these types of important visits. My partner and I stayed overnight and slept on their couches in their basement. The other two gals said, “wait, wait, tonight was so much fun. We want to do a sleep over soon.” I know you’re all very busy, but make it work.

July 28th Coaching Tip: Heat Dome Dangers.

When there’s a heat dome, hydrate. Whatever amount that you are drinking, keep drinking. This heat dome is scary stuff and it is hitting millions of Americans as we head in to the last week of July. We were driving on the interstate for over 3.5 hours today, and we kept the speed closer to 72mph. Why? To help keep the tires just a lil bit less hot (so that they don’t split or shred) and to keep a very close eye on the road surface itself. We heard that in Peoria, IL, a section of the interstate had “bubbled up” and had created a very unsafe bump on the highway. Imagine hitting that bump doing 85 mph! That could potentially wreck-up your car, then you’re alongside the road in the hot sun with a heat index of 100-110. Another tip is to grab a gallon of water and put it in your car. You just never know when you may need a drink or need to drench your head on days like these. Be aware and be proactive when heat dome dangers are present.

July 29th Coaching Tip: Six Seconds Faster.

My first event today at my first-ever National Senior Games here in Des Moines, Iowa, was the 400m run. My previous times in the 400m at the Indiana Senior Games were 1:47 (June 2024) and 1:43 (June 2025). Today, my goal was to run 1:40; I even dreamed about it. As I lined up today, I got dry mouthed/thirsty and nervous but kept my legs moving. Once the gun went off, the anxiety quickly disappeared as I stood in my starting lane two. My pace was spot on; I finished my first 100m before my count of 18 (which is approx. 25 seconds), so I knew I was off to a good start in this 400m race. Plus, I had already passed someone in the first turn. Then, the second 100m was just fine, and I appreciated the strangers cheering for me along the backstretch. In the third turn, I quit counting and focused on two things: the gal in front of me in lane four and on my running form. I set my eye site on her and got back up “on my tip toes” and started chasing her down as we came down the final stretch. I happily finished third in my heat, with a 1 minute 37.51 second time. I was thrilled to beat my goal of 1:40, and very happy that I finished six seconds faster that I ran at the Indiana Games on June 8, 2025.

How did I do this? Prayer and also practicing differently. The last six weeks, I have been running one-minute sprints, that are a jog for the first 30 seconds, then faster and faster the remaining 30 seconds. I would do this for two minutes, too. Lastly, I worked on my form and improving it. I’m so excited that I went six seconds faster! (Note: showing up, staying in shape, allowing your body to rest, eliminating injuries is a big part of participating. Of the 31 registered runners in the 400m, 18 showed up. I finished 12th!)

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365 Coaching Tips: 202nd, 203rd & 204th

July 21st Coaching Tip: Keep Doing It.

During one of my team coaching conversations today, I noticed a common thread that all five team members were mentioning: we are having crucial conversations and it’s working! So, I simply said, after listening to all of their examples for more than 20 minutes, to “keep doing it.”

They had a crucial conversation with a teammate who was way behind on work, and explained how it was impacting clients negatively and which was also leading to questions about his current and future role on the team. They had another key convo about processes that needed to be adhered to, and now they are adhering to their processes better. They even discussed compensation and how to get their thoughts and examples in writing.

Crucial conversations are worth it, if done with proper prep, calm delivery, and transparent thought. Leaders should not shy from having intentional and purposeful convos; these should definitely help the team meet goals, address problems, and help the entire team jump over barriers. Keep doing it, if it’s working.

July 22nd Coaching Tip: Ask For Help.

As co-guardians of my uncle, my mother and I have to stay on the same page with all things pertaining my uncle. It’s our responsibility to do that for his overall well being and financial affairs. We are getting some items more organized and reducing unnecessary clutter, but one small $800 issue has now drug on for the third month. We both were told that we needed to send in a notarized letter with our signature. I don’t have a lot of time to handle items like this during the workday, but when you need something notarized, I asked my lawyer’s assistant and she was very willing to help…and did it. We got it notarized efficiently. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

July 23rd Coaching Tip: Get Your Confidence Back.

In one of my coaching sessions today with two highly accomplished leaders of a team, I let them vent for more than an hour. It went something like this: “Now what do I do? I’ve tried everything. It’s just not working. I’m losing hope. My confidence is waning. Our colleagues are taking advantage of us. And I’m really good at what I do, I just want to be able to go do it.” By the 90th minute, I was ready to wrap up the call and I asked for next steps. Believe it or not, they had none. So together, we worked on next steps. We identified three for them to do; I agreed to sleep on it, and bring in two other colleagues that can give me insights on when they worked with these two leaders in the past.

When your confidence is low, reach up and ask for help. As my mother would say, “if you’re in a hole, quit digging. Put the shovel aside and use it as a ladder to get up and out of the hole.” Proud of these two leaders asking for my help and knowing that they needed help for themselves, and it should also help their entire team. The team is feeling overwhelmed, not saying much in team meetings, and not showing up consistently. It’s going to take some one-on-one conversations and a gathering of multiple inputs, but our goal will be to help them get their confidence back. If your confidence is dropping, change things up and ask for help.

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365 Coaching Tips: 196th, 197th & 198th

July 15th Coaching Tip: Safety First.

Although I wasn’t feeling well on Sunday (a couple days ago), I took the time to really go thru my life and evaluate where I could easily improve some things that might improve my personal safety as I head into August (and turn 61 years old). The first thing I noticed was that my tires on my Tesla had not been rotated for more than 22,000 miles. As the daughter of my father (who owned a tire and battery shop when he was in his 20’s-30’s), this was unacceptable risk. Get the tires rotated, this week. I quickly opened my Tesla app, scheduled an appointment and a technician came to the house and efficiently rotated the tires and checked the tire pressure…all while I was at work. Safety improved and it was easy for me.

I also was noticing that my Apple watch battery was running out of charge between 5-7pm, which is not a good time, as I’m out usually running errands, on a walk, or working out. Laying in bed on Sunday, I ordered a new watch and arranged to trade-in my old watch. The Apple watch is up and running, and the battery is lasting much longer. Trade in’s are in process.

My auto insurance is coming due in mid-August, so I transferred the money to get that paid on time, so there will be no lapse. I don’t want to be in a car wreck, nor do I want to hurt anyone if I cause a car accident. I do however want to ensure that I’m covered, as well as others.

In the last month, we switched our internet provider to save money and get faster speeds. In doing do, I needed to update a few things in the home with the new network. All things are now connected, which includes my ability to lock/unlock my front door, check the CO level, and temperature of the home. Take time to ensure safety is first in your life.

July 16th Coaching Tip: Leadership Styles.

A couple of my coaching conversations today were about leaders who knew that they needed help in how to develop others. I was so pleased they reached out to me for coaching and advice. As we learned more about these leaders, this leadership role was new territory for them. We discussed how they might clarify and role model their preferred leadership style, i.e. what type of leader do they want to be. I asked them some questions: do they want to be a “work hard, play hard” leader, a family-first leader, a results-oriented leader, a magnet for talent leader, a laissez faire type leader, a collaborative leader, etc. As we worked thru these coaching calls, it was clear to them that before they develop others, they needed to work on themselves and role model what they wanted and expected in others. Leadership styles can influence the type of people that might be attracted to your team; it can also drive some people away. It was an important first step in many coaching sessions ahead for them.

July 17th Coaching Tip: Adjustments Are Necessary.

My mother has stated this numerous times: “getting old ain’t for wimps.” She has also stated to young couples: “don’t get old.” Her wisdom is spot on. As my partner and I are aging, we are very in tune with our bodies/exercise/wellness/nutrition/sleep/health. For example, over a year ago I realized that I could simplify my life, improve my health, get the calcium that I need for my osteoporosis if I made my own coffee at home in my trusted 12-cup brew machine, and then add ice and some Fairlife chocolate milk to it. Why the adjustment after five years from what I was drinking every morning (Califia almond milk latte cold brew)? First, Califia was difficult to find consistently in the grocery stores where we live and visit frequently. Second, it contained too much sugar for my liking. Third, it is bottled in plastic. And, fourth, it was approx. $5/bottle. This small adjustment had a multiplying positive effect: less costly, less sugar, easy to make, and readily available (with the Fairlife chocolate milk). My partner today announced a change/adjustment to her morning coffee routine, due to a noticeable change in her body when it is very humid. Due to a leaky valve, she is now going to reduce her caffeine and sugar intake, and make her own decaf coffee, add some of my regular coffee and chocolate milk. This too should help her with her heart health, much like my adjustment should help with my osteoporosis. Stay in tune with your body and make necessary and intentional adjustments for your ongoing wellness.

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365 Coaching Tips: 193rd, 194th & 195th

July 12th Coaching Tip: Keep An Eye On Trends.

Someone today asked me how to start an LLC. My very quick response was to leverage AI. Why did I respond that way? Because the last time I started an LLC was years ago, with an professional expertise of an attorney, and he just took care of it. I also watched the CEO of a large corporation today talk freely and confidently about how he expects his company’s employees to learn and leverage AI. He wasted no time in saying that replacing their Microsoft Outlook system with Microsoft’s new 365 system that has AI embedded will cost more. He is expecting to have employees leverage it to help improve productivity and the client experience. (And I’m expecting it to ultimately replace employees who do NOT learn it and do NOT leverage). I may be wrong; I may be right. I’m making the commitment to keep on eye on trends and stay aware of AI’s developments and embrace it to be more productive personally and professionally.

July 13 Coaching Tip: Assists Indicate Alot.

The Indiana Fever women’s basketball team played the Atlanta team today and crushed them. What did they do so differently? They set a team record in assists; assists are when a player passes the ball to another, and that person scores. The unselfish and fast pace of play was exciting, and the Fever dominated the game, winning by 19 points and scoring over 100. The Fever also had only 8 turnovers. So there were lots of assists, few turnovers, all meaning the players were really looking for each other and making great decisions.

In life, assists indicate a lot, too. When someone is willing to help you look good, that’s positive. When a colleague is willing to pass the praise and give another person the credit, that’s an unselfish human. Assists indicate a lot and they feel good when you assist others.

July 14 Coaching Tip: Productivity Gains.

Today I was prepping for a virtual event that was available nationally for our colleagues. About 30 minutes prior to the start of the event, I double checked a few things: did our guest speakers have the invite? No. Did our speakers ever receive the final deck of visuals to support our conversation? No. As we were approaching one minute to go, our producer finally got one of the speakers dialed in to the event.

This all could have been avoided if the production invite was smoother and included the speakers and the visuals, instead of just completing the task of setting up the invite. In your line of work, always be on the lookout for ways to improve and identify productivity gains.

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365 Coaching Tips: 181st, 182nd and 183rd

June 30th Coaching Tip: Midyear 5R’s.

With it being June 30th, now’s the time to ask yourself and your team some questions. How much time did you take today or will you take (soon) to your reflect on your progress of what you wanted to accomplish in 2025? Who helped you accomplish key priorities? Who have you thanked? Who have you coached and further developed? What goals and priorities came up a bit short during these first six monthly of the year? And what might you continue to excel with during the 2H2025?

Now’s the time to review the first six months of the year by embracing five R words: Reflect. Recognize. Reward. Restart. Recommit.

July 1st Coaching Tip: Be Your Own Advocate.

As a 60-year-old with osteoporosis, I must advocate for myself. What does that mean? My primary care physician nor my endocrinologist did not call me to 1) schedule my annual blood test, 2) schedule an in-office appointment, and 3) schedule my annual infusion. I called them multiple times. My two previous annual injections were done in mid-May 2023 and June 21, 2024, so it’s time…right now. But first, the doc wants to see me and have my blood test results. And I want another bone density test, since it’s been three years (July 2022), to see if the two annual injections actually helped, stabilized or had no impact on my bone density. Advocate for yourself; if you don’t, who will be your wellness advocate? Have the courage to do it yourself.

July 2nd Coaching Tip: Stuff Happens. How do you respond?

How do you respond when “stuff” happens? Today, as I inspected the work on a project, I noticed three things: two were easy decisions, but the third could have been close to catastrophic. Calmly handling all three with good listening skills, I asked more questions to gain agreement on next steps. That allowed us to get all three situations taken care with no drama. The potentially catastrophic issue was actually done by a third party; I slept on it and then felt like they needed to know about it. Drafted an email and sent it to the third party. They responded professionally, didn’t “own it”, but they do now know that something happened. Bottom line, remember that stuff happens. How you respond is crucial; people may judge you during those moments and choose later to be a bit cautious with you. Respond calmly, get buy in, and have a plan.