For a long time, there was an unwritten agreement between employers and employees. You showed up. You worked hard. You did your job well. You supported the organization, and in return, you expected the organization to support you. Nobody necessarily handed you a document explaining the arrangement. It was simply understood. Stay with the company. Do good work. Take on more responsibility. In return, there would be opportunity, reasonable security, increasing compensation, and perhaps … [Read more...]
People Are Always Watching What You Do Next
A coaching client recently told me he wanted to improve trust and communication within his organization. The intention was genuine. The challenge was that people were paying less attention to what he said and more attention to what he did. Several employees had tried to connect with him over the course of a few weeks. One wanted five minutes to discuss a customer issue. Another had a quick question about a project. A third wanted clarification on a decision affecting her team. Some received … [Read more...]
Trust Is Built in Small Moments
When most people think about trust, they think about defining moments. A promise kept. A promise broken. A difficult conversation. A crisis. A betrayal. A second chance. Those moments matter. In fact, some of them can change a relationship forever. But defining moments rarely appear out of nowhere. More often, they reveal what has already been built. Early in my career, while serving as a Third Mate aboard a U.S. flag tanker, our ship was scheduled for an inspection by the American Bureau … [Read more...]
Who’s In Your Boat?
Valentine’s week gives us permission to talk about something most leaders quietly avoid. Love. Not the greeting-card version. Not just chocolate and roses. The long-term, show-up-when-it’s-hard version. The kind built on trust. When you spend enough time around water — real water — you learn something quickly: The weather changes. The currents shift. And in those moments, the only thing that matters is who’s in the boat with you. Not who waved from shore. Not who promised … [Read more...]
Are You Trusted?
Here are a few thinking points for you to consider about trust. Do you have one or more people you trust? Write their names down. Leave some space between them. Are you able to remember exactly how that trust developed? Write a few notes next to each person’s name you wrote down. Do you trust each person with the same level of trust? For example: A U.S. Navy Seal trust their fellow Navy Seals with their lives. No hesitation. What level of trust do you have with each person you … [Read more...]
Let’s Settle This Now!
Let’s settle this now! Or at the very least open up the topic for discussion. For people who have worked in a specific industry for three years or more... Or for the folks who have worked for the same or similar organization for a number of years... How do you feel about the coach or advisor you may work with for your career and your life? 1. Do you feel they must have experience, expertise and a good working knowledge of your specific industry and possibly the company you work … [Read more...]