Tag: Purposeful

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365 Coaching Tips: 61, 62 and 63

March 2nd Coaching Tip: REST.

REST. I learned that acronym from a four-star general who spoke to leaders at Caterpillar over 15 years ago. And here we are 15 years later, and I can easily recall the essence of his message: take time to Read relevant and timely information, ensure you get your Exercise (150 minutes/week), get enough Sleep (7-8 hours), and Take Time To Think.

This general reinforced that the easy decisions are already made at an individual, lower or intermediate level. The decisions that get to you as a high-level leader or business owner are more significant and difficult; it’s imperative that you have time to think clearly about important decisions and all the potential and unintended consequences. REST, because it matters to your results, personally and professionally.

March 3rd Coaching Tip: Draft It Up.

Today was my third coaching conversation with a future leader, and he has big plans for his current team, his succession plan, and the future growth opportunities that actually made him giddy with excitement. He had been talking a lot about it, quickly, and excitedly, but he wasn’t clearly articulating it. In our 2nd conversation, his homework was to draft/sketch what was in his head and put it on “paper”.

I was so proud of him today; prior to our meeting time, he emailed me his draft plan, and it was simple with just 4 pages. He had already used this draft with the local management team; he had talked to his current team, and now ready to share the draft with others, too. As we both spent 70 minutes really digging into it today, we further improved his draft and added a few more details. He also agreed to keep it updated, adding a date on each version so that he can keep track of the progress and plans, and be able to share the history with anyone who may join the team. Draft it up, it will help bring clarity to you … and others.

March 4th Coaching Tip: Time is Money.

Got up early today, drove to Coral Gables, FL to meet a colleague so that we could coach a number of leaders and advisors. We were there, on time, and ready to roll. The admin team had sent out the emails and reminders and ordered a lovely lunch. However, the office manager/leaders had NOT done the appropriate prep, didn’t have enough appointments set up for us, thus, it was an average day of efficiency. Actually, it was below average. For an upcoming two-day trip to New York City with this same admin team, you bet that I will be confirming the appointments on my schedule BEFORE we leave, so that others understand how valuable my time is. My schedule should be filled with high priority clients who want coaching and improvement. My time is valuable, business travel is difficult, and time is money.

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365 Coaching Tips: Here’s 58, 59 and 60

February 27th Coaching Tip: Do Due Diligence.

Today, I met a leader who has the opportunity to buy a business. As I asked him questions, he indicated that it’s a smaller business and about 1.5 hours away. The one employee isn’t very happy and feels overworked and the current owner is ready to check out and be done. As I listened, the leader then pivoted into the true details: what is he buying? what is in the business? what can he eliminate with minimum effort? how old are the assets and clients? how much potential is in the current business? what can he grow quickly to produce a higher gross margin? does he have other team members that can take care of this small business, so that the leader can be free to deal with bigger clients and deals? By the end of the conversation, he had a gameplan. He realized that he needed to drive to visit this small business owner in three days and start digging into what he is potentially buying.

When you’re buying a business, many larger companies take at least 100 days to complete the due diligence, and that’s after signing an LOI (letter of intent). Make sure that you do your due diligence.

February 28th Coaching Tip: Need Ya!

Coached a leader today with a highly talented team of 20 people. This leader had alot going on, like a lot! For example, his wife was on the west coast with her mom because of her mother’s transition to hospice. The leader was now taking care of three kids, and he needed to travel for business to Florida. Then, his middle child was admitted into the ER, so he had to ask his 14-year-old son to take care of their youngest child overnight and also get them both to school on a Friday. I was proud of him, as we figured out a way to get him more help over the next three weeks. He called his mother, and said, “Mom, I need ya!” He then made a plan to talk to key members of his team and his executive assistant to also tell them, “I need ya.” It will be two to three weeks of asking others to help and they will step up. Don’t be afraid to say “Need Ya” when you truly have a lot going on and need help.

March 1st Coaching Tip: Help Out!

Just the opposite of the post above (Need Ya) is the offer to quickly help out. By asking some simple questions or reading an invite/email/text, you can really figure out how to help out quickly. Today we are having a block party, and my neighbors are helping arrange it. While on my walk today, they asked me if we are going; I said yes. Then I came back to our house, re-read the block party invite, and noticed that they were requesting neighbors to bring paper plates, napkins, and silverware an hour early. This made it simple for me: open up the cabinets, see what I have that is still packaged up. I will now bring napkins, paper plates and some plasticware. A popular quote is, “look for the helpers, look who is helping.” Don’t overcomplicate things; ask a question or read something quickly, and you can figure out how to “Help Out”.

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365 Coaching Tips: 55, 56 and 57

February 24th Coaching Tip: Talent Everywhere.

Tonight, I had the difficult challenge of selecting four deserving winners of four scholarships from over 94 applicants. Why so difficult? Because the talent on these scholarship submissions was beyond impressive. There’s talent everywhere, it’s all around us. These were written by the high school seniors, and a recommendation letter was also included from their high school administrators. These kids were 100% student athletes, and shared numerous examples and stories of how they are learning how to: be disciplined, be a good teammate, serve others in the community, keep their grades in good check, win and lose, deal with injuries, deal with coaching changes, and on and on.

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest score, I mostly awarded the applicants with 7, 8, and 9’s. It was difficult to select the 10’s for the four scholarships, but I did it. The lesson that I learned here is that our kids today are juggling a lot and delivering in a very social world. There’s talent everywhere. Question: are you taking the time to witness them in action, mentoring them, and helping them become the adults that they want to become? They are ready!

February 25th Coaching Tip: Hold Yourself Accountable.

During three of my coaching calls today, it was all about helping the leader figure out what he/she could do to hold himself accountable to important goals. After listening and asking some clarifying questions on their priorities, one indicated that he wanted to add $1million in new money from clients by the next time we talk. And before the end of the day wrapped up, he sent me an email indicating he had already done over $150k of that $1m goal. Another picked up on the number three. He needs to develop himself as a better leader, while coaching his two new associates. All three need to develop; he agreed to spend three to five minutes/day with them both. He embraced the ‘rule of three’ to help them develop. The rule of three encourages new colleagues to try to figure out the answers to questions or problems that they are facing, by digging in and being resourceful in three different manners. They must do this BEFORE asking the boss for help. It teaches them to “fish” and be resourceful, instead of interrupting someone else and getting the answer quickly. The third leader that I coached had made great progress since July 2024, and yet he didn’t feel that good about it. We summarized all that he has accomplished, and then he pivoted and was ready to continue to be held accountable through yearend 2025. Hold yourself accountable, whether you have a coach or not. Accountability works.

February 26th Coaching Tip: Leverage Partners.

Today I had to coach myself. With three projects coming up in the next 90 days, I had to take some time to figure out WHO can help me, identify WHAT can they help me with, and WHEN do I need their assistance. We had an effective conference call at 9am, and by 10:15am, we had the plan regarding who’s going to do what by when. I was relieved to have these talented partners to work with.

I’m also remodeling a 95-year-old farmhouse, and boy, am I ever leveraging partners and specialists. At the end of nearly every day, my contractor will either text me with an update, send photos that are self-explanatory, or we facetime. He also does a great job of introducing me to all of his sub-contractors (partners), and my whole goal is to get to know them a bit, create a bond, and get a smile on their face. These men are helping me with electric, plumbing, demolition, roofing, siding, drawings, framing, drywall, leveling floors and walls, etc. You get my point; they are doing it all. I haven’t lifted a hammer yet and am 1,000 miles away keeping this project progressing. Leverage your partners and figure out how to get more done by leveraging their expertise.

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365 Coaching Tips: here’s to 52, 53 and 54

February 21st Coaching Tip: Recovery.

Some days, we just need some time to recover. After having two consecutive nights of less sleep than what I like to get, I decided to “recover” today. My exercise today included just one-mile of fast walking; I took a nap in the late afternoon by the pool and finished the evening with three short strolls before laying it down early. Even with my work today, I took a few less coaching calls, and I didn’t jam in things today due to my focus on my priority: recovery. I was still productive and ate balanced, just made the decision to turn down the dial a bit and recover. Prioritize yourself: you are your most valuable asset. Allow for time to recover. Your overall wellness depends on it.

February 22nd Coaching Tip: Text Real Quick.

If you’re trying to get ahold of someone, give them a quick text and simply ask, “are you free for 10 minutes?” or “is this a good time?” or “when do you have a solid 20-30 minutes? Need to run something by you.” Research indicates that a high percentage of our texts get answered in seven minutes or less. Seven minutes. If you want to connect with someone, give them a text, arrange a time, and then be ready to share your idea/question when you do get that time scheduled. It doesn’t work for everything or everyone, but for many, simply text real quick to get connected.

February 23rd Coaching Tip: Sunday Funday.

Sometimes, one just needs a beach chair and a sunset. And that’s exactly what we did today. We took it easy, enjoyed some “church time” at home, watched and listened to some relaxing geography and animal shows, did our workouts, ate well and prepped some meals for the week. But quiet time and the beauty of southwest coast of FL were calling our names. We threw a couple beach chairs in the car, grabbed a couple sweatshirts and some water, then drove to the beach. Heck, we even squeezed our convertible into a partial parking spot, and it worked. We just sat there for an hour and simply enjoyed all that the good Lord created. It was a wonderful way to end our Sunday Funday.

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365 Coaching Tips: Here’s to 37, 38 and 39

February 6th Coaching Tip: Go See ‘Em.

My coaching work has given me the opportunity to work with a number of people in the Southeast and all across the state of Florida since October 2019. Then six months later, the March 2020 start of COVID happened and changed my business travel for years.

In December 2024, I made the decision to go see ’em. It was time to take all of the Zoom and Web-Ex virtual meetings and bring those interfaces to life and in person. Over the last four weeks, I’ve been traveling to see those that I’ve been coaching, sharing with new colleagues that I’ve never met what we do in our coaching work and how we help others accomplish goals. What a joy it’s been to meet everyone in person, give out some hugs, chat about their lives, and really open up further to get to know them. Go see ’em!

February 7th Coaching Tip: Be Unrivaled.

When two women’s pro basketball players start their own league and name it “Unrivaled”, take notice. Think about this: they started Unrivaled in 2023 and launched this inaugural season in January 2025. Everything is new: new format with a smaller basketball court, shot clock is shorter and results in a fast-paced game, two+ month season, three on three style with only six players on a team, coaches wear all black, all games are played on Friday, Saturday, and Monday evenings in the same venue, the venue is intimate allowing close access to the fans, all games are televised in partnership with TNT/Tru, and the players are the focus!

We went to see a couple games and were so impressed by the fast-paced games, energy, talent, crowd engagement, the drone flying over the players showing unique TV angles, the colorful media and graphics, etc. And what we didn’t see, but the women players feel every day here in Miami, is the warmth of their surroundings, and I don’t mean just the weather. Nutrition, recovery, safety, community of pro athletes, and childcare are all priorities to these women professional athletes, many who have children. Again, the players are the focus. If you have the courage to start something new, then…Be Unrivaled.

February 8th Coaching Tip: Celebrate Others.

For the weekend, we zipped over to Miami to watch some college softball, women’s professional basketball, and have a nice getaway for Valentine’s Day with some wonderful meals. My beloved Indiana University softball team was playing in a tourney in Coral Gables area. We quickly noticed a few new IU players, and wow, are they talented and quick. The senior pitcher also is a strong batter, and she hit a two-run homerun today to crush Iowa State 9-1, ending the game early due to the eight-run rule after the 5th inning. At the game, a former assistant coach sat with me and we were just celebrating the gals, chatting it up about the program, the coaches, the talent, the love of winning, and that laughed about how winning is just plain fun. On a Saturday morning, celebrating others got my mindset in a positive state for the rest of the weekend. Celebrate others.

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365 Coaching Tips: 34th, 35th and 36th Tips

February 3rd Coaching Tip: Utilize Timelines

During an initial consultation this week about hosting a summit for some large international teams, I quickly realized that all the leaders had good ideas for this summit, had determined the right audience, and provided thoughtful content. Now it was time to figure out when this will all happen, and who will do what. I recommended pulling together a timeline. Within a matter of minutes, we all were able to start slotting in the important deliverables so that all the prep could be done timely and it also gave us a bit of flexibility. Here we are in early February planning for this leadership summit in early May, and because we utilized a timeline with the group on this initial consultation, we have a plan for execution that is well understood by all. Key deliverables were identified for mid-February, early March, late March, and so on. Utilize timelines to simplify understanding, set expectations, improve accountability and execution.

February 4th Coaching Tip: Culture Wins.

During my couple decades working at Caterpillar, we had a phrase that was repeated frequently in meetings: “Culture eats strategy for lunch.” For those who don’t quite understand what this phrase means, let me explain an example that I witnessed this week in the styles of two different leaders. One leader showed up early, welcomed me to his office, really spent time asking me about how I was, my hotel, my flight, my partner, etc. He was prepared for the all-day meeting, paced it well, asked a lot of questions and listened to the answers, ordered healthy food, shared the stage and speaking assignments with many on his team; he was thoughtful and steady with his comments.

Contrast that to the other leader. He was not as organized, cut off some of his employees while they were speaking in mid-sentence, condescending to some team members, asked the same question multiple times, made some inappropriate comments about people and politics, etc. This 2nd leader gave us the feeling of frequently being in an erratic state, while the first leader was pleasant and calm, and had surrounded himself with highly skilled talent who exemplified calm and intelligence. Culture wins.

February 5th Coaching Tip: Quick Updates.

I’ve been traveling to multiple locations for the last four weeks. Haven’t had a chance to debrief my boss with a 30-45 minute update. Guess what? It works for us and it is quite simple: quick texts, one paragraph emails, and a quick phone call immediately after a conference call/webex that maybe ends early. Don’t overcomplicate things. If a one-to-three-minute brief, in-person convo can update someone, or a quick text, or a simple email, or a succinct phone call, then do it. Remember, be specific, results oriented, and if there is an ask, state it. Quick updates work. If you don’t believe me, talk to a pilot during an emergency landing. Pilots are brief, calm, and exact with their communication in short statements with their co-pilot, the air traffic controllers, the passengers, etc. Quick updates.

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365 Coaching Tips: Here’s to 25, 26 and 27

January 25th Coaching Tip: Leadership Matters.

In many of my coaching sessions lately, leaders are frustrated with employees and teammates who leave their teams. Some of these leaders also claim that there’s no talent out there to replace them. As we dig into what happened and what potentially drove the teammate to depart the team, rarely does the leader indicate that it was himself/herself. It’s usually something like the teammate left for more money, they had a baby, they are relocating, they, they, they, etc.

It’s my responsibility, as a coach, to ask compelling questions. For example, “what did you learn from this? what do you own in this? how were you developing this teammate? how are you attracting new talent to be ready for when teammates exit? “

Leadership is hard, Leadership really matters to those who follow you. I’d encourage you to ask the questions: How are you investing in yourself, especially if you lead others? What are you reading, and then implementing? Who is a leader that is mentoring you or could mentor you? Are you a good boss, and how do you know that you’re a good boss? Are you easy to follow? Do you truly connect with your teammates? Do you micromanage or do you coach, develop and empower?” Leadership matters, and if you master it, teammates will stay and be loyal.

January 26th Coaching Tip: Fundamentals Matter.

Today I watched a college basketball team come back, score 5 points in the last 23 seconds, and win a game on the road in a loud environment. I also watched a team lose the game, who gave up 5 points in the last 23 seconds. This losing team had a lack of clarity on clock management, who should be fouled and when, who should be completely guarded and definitely not be left open to get the ball, who to throw the ball to, how to score with less than 5 seconds in the game and down by 1 point.

Whether it is basketball or going to a networking event or driving a car, execute on the fundamentals. Networking event: set a goal of meeting new people, ask questions and truly listen, and remind yourself that it is not about how much food you can eat at the event nor is it about the free drinks. Driving a car: drive defensively, stay to the right if you’re going slower, look left then right and then left again before proceeding thru a stop sign or green light. Fundamentals matter. By not looking left to see oncoming traffic before proceeding into an intersection can potentially kill you. Contrast that with taking 1-2 seconds and clearly knowing that no one is coming at you.

January 27th Coaching Tip: Stay Sharp.

Today, the stock market was impacted by one announcement in the artificial intelligence (AI) space. According to news reports, one company lost over $600 billion in value in one day. By the next day, $200 billion had already been reinvested back into this company. With these types of swings, some may say to just ignore it, keep your head in the sand, etc. However, I recommend that you stay somewhat aware, stay sharp on what’s happening around you and what’s impacting the business world. Why? As we age, it’s common for me to hear our seniors say, “I’m a dinosaur. I’m not very techy.” Dinosaurs died and are gone. Tech is here and not going away. Stay relevant, embrace what is happening in the world around you. That doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything but be aware and stay sharp. In your kitchen, dull knives need sharpened from time to time…or they just stay dull and go unused. Keep ’em sharp!

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365 Coaching Tips: Day 22, 23 and 24

January 22nd Coaching Tip: Be Seen.

As I was watching a leader closely today, as her team and workers were returning after a three-day weekend, I noticed how she intentionally walked thru the office area and said hello, stopped and truly talked to her colleagues. Further impressive was that they actually stood up and talked to her, shared what they did during their long weekend; smiles and laughs were present. Whether you’re a leader or a colleague, ask people about themselves and their lives. They appreciate being “seen” and sharing their story, especially to authentic leaders who truly listen and then remember the details. As I watched the leader step away, a couple people said, “thank you for talking to us…it shows us that you care.” Everyone wants to be seen.

January 23rd Coaching Tip: Be Heard.

Received an urgent Skype message today, i.e. “we need to get some time with you today to discuss an important situation.” This team is one who came to me 6 months ago and really shared their WHY and WHAT they want to accomplish. Thus, when they needed time today, we squeezed it in from 4-430pm on a Zoom. Indeed, it was important; they want to promote one of their colleagues and they wanted to practice running-through the new role and gain clarity for her (and them). After 25 minutes of listening to them and asking questions, they had the role clarified, were smiling, and a bit relieved as we wrapped up the call. If someone needs time with you, consider it a gift. They need someone to be “present”, and the best gift that you can give them is your “presence.” Let me them be heard, to help increase their confidence.

January 24th Coaching Tip: Be Efficient.

As a week winds down, it’s a common tendency to have the mindset of “let’s push it to early next week.” In my coaching work, I actually find that I can get a lot done before 10am on Friday mornings and also between 2-5pm. For example, I was able to squeeze in three, quick, efficient coaching sessions today. In a matter of 15-33 minutes, I was able to help all three situations today, instead of pushing them into the following week.

Everyone is busy. Who has ever approached you in the last few years and said, “hey…I just don’t have enough to do”? Like, let’s get real, no one. In being efficient today, I found that telling all three of them, “yes, I had a few minutes”, we immediately became efficient with our time. They truly felt both being seen and heard, and realized I was ready to potentially help them thru their coaching situation. The greatest gift you can give to someone is your time, i.e. being present. And then when you can help them work thru a situation or two, and they can sleep better over the weekend, you have truly added value. Be efficient, and others will likely mirror your behavior, and be efficient, too.

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365 Coaching Tips: on to 19, 20 and 21

January 19th Coaching Tip: Friends Matter. We’ve all heard that phrase, “Sunday Funday!” Today, we rolled out of bed, didn’t even take showers, and started whipping up some gluten free pancake mix, baked some bacon, prepped all of the omelet ingredients, and set out the dishes for a scheduled brunch with our best friends. They rolled in with similar looks of not showering and sporting bad hairdo’s, and yet pulled together a beautifully displayed, colorful platter of fresh fruit. They also brought an old-school orange squeezer to make some orange juice for mimosas.  We had this brunch planned for a week, as temperatures were plummeting and we decided to stay inside instead of going to see a college basketball game.  Glad that we stayed committed to our bond of having a homemade brunch.  Brunch was plentiful and scrumptious, the food and friends caught up, the warmth of the fire was soothing, as it had been a few weeks since we all had been together. 

Recent research is indicating that people are spending more time alone; more time on social media than ever before; depression and anxiety are both on the rise; and mental illness is now commonly discussed.  My recipe for a lot of these trends is to have something to look forward to and do it with people that you love and care about.  Planning a simple lil Sunday brunch while wearing zero makeup and having bad hair, allowed us to naturally connect, cook, and share. Plan things with your friends.  Friends and their impact on your overall wellness matter.

January 20th Coaching Tip: Leverage Experts. In tackling a huge remodel of a 95-year-old home, I realized that I needed experts.  The ceilings were bowing, the floors were not flat, the stairs were unsafe, the house was chopped up; we are adding a garage, as well as all new windows, siding and doors.  I needed help! Enter in a general contractor, an interior designer, and an architect.  In working together, they listened to me and what I want in this farmhouse remodel, and then I listened to them, hearing their ideas. I’m pleased to report that we are really bringing this project together nicely.  With the architect’s quick eye, he gave the GC some ideas on how to improve the bowed ceilings and the uneven floors.  Within a couple weeks, his recommendations are done already.  The interior designer is pushing us all on functionality as well as the latest fashions while having the right flow.  I’m grateful for smart and articulate people, who can work collaboratively and express their ideas. Embrace others and improve results by leveraging everyone’s input and expertise.   

January 21st Coaching Tip: Keep On-Track.  In my coaching work, many of my colleagues/coachees set goals…and then they don’t track results frequently enough.  As they get in to March and move thru May, they are already telling themselves if they can or cannot make their yearend numbers.  For the teams that I coach who set a goal to accomplish their results by summer or no later than Labor Day, they typically do it. How? They track their results daily, and definitely weekly and then monthly. For example, one of the teams that I coach sets their goals to be hit by July 4th, so that they can celebrate, enjoy the 2nd half of the year working on their business and prepping their pipeline and processes for the following year.

It’s common knowledge that many people annually give up on their new year’s resolutions between January 18-27, so now is the time to keep focused and stay on track. Develop yourself a daily or weekly scorecard, and you will be amazed what you can accomplish. Keep on-track!

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365 Coaching Tips: the 13th, 14th and 15th Days

January 13th Coaching Tip: Family Talks. In our coaching work, we help our colleagues and coachees as they prep for crucial conversations. In Kerry Patterson’s book, “Crucial Conversations,” most crucial conversations don’t even happen, and then when they do, they don’t go well. Therefore, we as coaches help our colleagues practice these important convos. Today, a husband and wife indicated that they want to bring on at least one of their two sons into their business. They both were thinking this, but they had nothing in writing, nor anything that either of them could confidently replicate with clarity. The husband and wife soon realized that they weren’t even on the same page about their sons. The mother wanted the son(s) to be “hungry”, and the father wanted to be more “helpful” to his son(s). Because of this contrast, I encouraged them both to get on the same page, literally draft it up, prep for the conversations with each son, and then have a family talk with both sons, so that both sons heard a clear message about their parent’s intent. Then, if either son wants to enter the business in the future and they want to discuss the opportunity further, the four of them would potentially have a more solid foundation. Remember, have those crucial family talks.

January 14th Coaching Tip: Plan Ahead. Whether its travel for work or vacation downtime, or getting groceries for a Sunday brunch planned with friends, or an early morning Uber ride to the airport, plan ahead. This week I’ll be in a number of hotels, crossing multiple state lines, and in unfamiliar places with unfamiliar work colleagues. Thus, I planned ahead by truly looking at the map, understanding drive times and locations, and knowing when I need to be where. Thinking about my personal routines, I even bought my cold brew the night before, got up this morning and was rollin’ with my favorite coffee while reading my devotionals. This allowed me to get ready and arrive to an unfamiliar office 20 minutes in advance (instead of rushing into a coffee shop and then being dissatisfied with my morning java). Knowing that I could walk to this office in just 2-3 minutes from the hotel that I picked (so that I wouldn’t even have to get in the car and drive/commute), I was able to stick to my normal morning routine, and the workday started as normalized as I possibly could have done. Folks, plan ahead to help reduce stress and you’ll be surprised how much it increases your efficiency.

January 15th Coaching Tip: Stop Burnout. My word for 2025 is REDUCE. Being true to that word, I have been starting to say “no” to certain things and starting to say “yes” to myself. Today, I coached two teams who were “burned out, bored, (not thriving).” After listening to what was going on, they shared that they have a) too many clients, b) many of those clients don’t pay them, c) they are simple clients and d) could be served by someone else more effectively and happily. Gently, we all looked at one another after I had them repeat what they said, “we have too many clients who consume our time and don’t pay us (much).” In my coaching work, we remind our coachees that it is YOUR business. You make the decisions. You select your clients. You can say “yes,” and you can also say “no”. My recommendation is for you to clearly identify WHO you want to serve and then stick to it. Serve clients that make you smile, that you truly want to help, that take your advice/pay for your expertise, and you both grow from helping each other. Say YES to the right clients, and that will help reduce burnout.