Six Actions To Help You Scale As A Leader
Many leaders plateau in their careers due to their inability to scale. Apply these six actions to help you scale as a leader.
Leadership Tools
The Seven Attributes of Inspirational Leadership
Developing Inspirational Leadership can be a complex task. In this article, I discuss seven attributes to help develop this critical skill.
Book Review: Multipliers
Liz Wiseman in her book Multipliers details “How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter” by amplifying people’s capabilities vs. diminishers who drain them.
Employee Engagement: Are You Fully Engaged?
According to a recent study by Gallup, 85% of employees are not engaged or are actively disengaged at work. Why is it so high and what can we do about it? This article provides some tips on how improve engagement levels at work.
The Promotion Waiting Game Article in PDF
Many people have asked me “What do I have to do to get promoted?” I get this question about “The promotion waiting game” mostly from high-performing individuals who are accustomed to receiving frequent and meaningful promotions, but for some reason have stalled out.
How to Create a Compelling Business Case Article in PDF
Many companies are now requiring business cases for internal investments. They have also set policies for minimum ROI and payback periods. I have developed a methodology for creating compelling business cases.
Are You Fully Engaged Article in PDF
According to a recent study by Gallup on employee engagement, 85% of employees are not engaged or are actively disengaged at work. In this article I lay out solutions to answer the question “Are you Fully Engaged?”.
Delivering Effective Presentations Article in PDF
Over the years I have developed a methodology for creating and delivering effective presentations. It has worked for me, and I thought it important to share what I have learned so that other people might benefit from this experience.
Personal Product Management in PDF
Great product management is at the core of a company’s success. We are also a “product,” but most people don’t think of themselves as a “product.” this article, I lay out why managing our brand as a product is important, the steps you should take to maximize your brand’s image and how to avoid “unforced errors”.
The Five Why’s Article in PDF
There is a technique I used to determine the root cause of a problem known in the manufacturing world as the “Five Why’s.” In this article I discuss the premise behind the technique and how to leverage this tool to understand the cause and effect relationship of an underlying problem.
Five Why’s: The Power of Diagnostic Questioning
The “Five Why’s” is a tool that I use a lot when diagnosing the reason something went wrong and getting to the root cause. Once the root cause is known then a remedy can be identified and preventive measures can be put in place.
What and How Article in PDF
Measuring performance for team members is a very hard thing to do. Sometimes, there is misalignment between the What and How behaviors. More weight should be given to how team members achieve their objectives versus focusing solely on what the team members achieved.
What and How: The Two Elements of Performance Management
Measuring performance for team members is a very hard thing to do. Sometimes, there is misalignment between the “What” and “How” behaviors. More weight should be given to how team members achieve their objectives.
Effective One-On-One Meetings Article in PDF
One of the most important leadership qualities is the ability to hold effective one-on-one meetings with a team member. I wrote this article to help leaders maximize their time with their team members and to help team members get what they need from their leaders.
Effective One-on-One Meetings: A Tool to Improve Employee Effectiveness
One of the most important leadership qualities is the ability to hold effective one-on-one meetings with a team member. I have created a worksheet to improve alignment and increase the effectiveness of one-on-one meetings.
Many of us are on the move and don’t always have time to connect and read the content that interests us. For that reason, I create and post PDF versions of the articles that are published on my website. These downloads are available free of charge. I will periodically post new articles. Check back often to keep up to date on this reading material. In addition, I have a few useful forms and worksheets. You can access them here.
Business Cases: How to Create a Compelling Business Case
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Many companies are now requiring business cases for internal investments. They have also set policies for minimum ROI and payback periods. I have been creating and reviewing business cases for many years and I have develop a methodology that has worked for me.
In this article I share a methodology for how to create a compelling business case. I outline the key elements as well as an approach that should be considered when putting together a justification for investment.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Career Change: Five Actions to Help Execute a Successful Transition
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
A common request for coaching services is from individuals considering a career change. Career changes are complex, difficult and full of risks.
In this article, I lay out five actions that help minimize the risk of a career change and provides you with a template to maximize the success of a successful transition.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Career Planning: The Eight Elements of Effective Career Planning
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Career planning is a critical component of our lives. Our life plan, family plan and financial plan depend on a solid career plan.
In this article, I share eight elements you should consider when planning for you career. These eight elements consider elements that are important to effective career planning.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Delegation Part I: The Five Benefits of Effective Delegation
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
According to a Time Magazine article, only 28% of companies provide the tools and training to new managers on how to delegate effectively. Some managers avoid delegation fearing that their team’s performance may not live up to their standards. Learning how to delegate effectively is a key component of scaling and advancing in the organization. In this article, I lay out five benefits of effective delegation.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Delegation Part II: Effective Delegation in Three Simple Steps
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
In Part 1 on this topic, I outlined “The Five Benefits of Effective Delegation.” Learning to delegate effectively brings forth long-lasting benefits. Effective delegation is a process. First, we must identify what we want to delegate, then who to delegate it to, and finally how to delegate it properly. In this article, I describe this process and provide the tools needed to delegate effectively.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Delivering Effective Presentations
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Over the years I have developed a methodology for creating and delivering effective presentations. It has worked for me, and I thought it important to share what I have learned so that other people might benefit from this experience.
In this article, I lay out the importance of a storyline, how the presentation should flow, the content you might include, a segment I call the “Three C’s”, slide design principles and some tips on how to deliver the presentation.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Development Action Plans
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Professional development is a process that begins with creating a career plan, identifying gaps and then crafting actions to close those gaps. This process can be most effective by leveraging proven methods and tactics designed to deliver predictable results.
In this article, I detail three methods to help you create effective and sustainable developmental actions. These methods are based on research and are proven learning methods used by coaches and educators globally.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Employee Engagement: Are You Fully Engaged?
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
According to a recent study by Gallup on employee engagement, 85% of employees are not engaged or are actively disengaged at work.
In this article I lay out why I think this number is true, what leads people to be engaged/disengaged, what leaders can do to make sure that their team members are engaged and what we can do as individuals to become more engaged in our work. I also state personal examples of times when i was fully engaged, what led to that and how it felt to be fully engaged in my task.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Executive Presence: Elevate Your Brand with These Six Behaviors
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Many corporate learning and development organizations focus on developing executive presence for their up-and-coming leaders. Some of these leaders lack this critical trait. Recent surveys found that nearly 90 percent of high-level executives believe that developing executive presence helps people get ahead. Throughout my career I have found this to be true. Individuals that exhibit executive presence have a significantly higher promotion rate.
In this article I outline some behaviors you can adopt if you wish to exhibit executive presence. I organized these into a simple framework using the word L-E-A-D-E-R. Download the article and find out what this is all about.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Feedback: How to Recieve, Process and Use It
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Obtaining feedback from our manager and the people we work closely with is desired and in some cases dreaded. We desire feedback to gauge our performance and to seek acceptance for the work we have done. We also fear criticism and shame during the process. These are normal human reactions. That said, feedback is a very important part of our work, and it should be received, processed and used properly.
In this article I outline some things you should consider when receiving feedback. I also discuss a couple of books that might be useful when processing feedback.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Five Why’s: The Power of Diagnostic Questioning
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
There is a technique I used to determine the root cause of a problem known in the manufacturing world as the “Five Why’s.” This useful diagnostic method originated at the Toyota Motor Corporation when car manufacturing was undergoing a significant evolution and quality became a top priority for automakers. Other companies developed similar techniques for similar reasons, but they referred to them by other names.
In this article I discuss the premise behind the technique and how to leverage this tool to understand the cause and effect relationship of an underlying problem. I think this technique is a valuable tool that can be used in almost any business function.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Holding Effective One-on-One Meetings: A Tool to Improve Employee Effectiveness
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
One of the most important leadership qualities is the ability to hold effective one-on-one meetings with a team member. It is critical that the manager and the team member are aligned on the business priorities and the relative weight of those priorities.
I wrote this article to help leaders maximize their time with their team members and to help team members get what they need from their leaders. Often important topics are overlooked during one-one-one meetings and providing some structure not only maximizes valuable time but it also helps cover topics that are important to both individuals.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Influencing: A Practical Guide to Achieving Win-Win Outcomes
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
We spend most of our lives influencing others. As children we attempt to convince our parents to buy us toys, as teenagers we attempt to convince them to let us stay out late, as young adults we try to romantically persuade those we are attracted to, and we use our influencing skills in the workplace to sell ourselves and our ideas. We rarely spend time learning how to effectively influence others. As a result, our influencing skills are not as effective as they could be.
In this article I share a practical way to influence others. I outline seven steps you can take to improve your influencing outcome.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Inspirational Leadership: The Seven Attributes of Inspirational Leadership
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Developing inspirational leadership skills will increase your effectiveness as a leader, increase the output of each team member and it will create a high-performing organization as a result. In this article, I lay out seven attributes of inspirational leaders. Adopting these attributes will have you on your way to being an inspirational leader.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Layoffs: How to Avoid Those Dreaded Events
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
“There are going to be layoffs!” How many times have you heard this phrase at the company you work for? There are many reasons why companies elect to go through this painful process. Regardless the reason, these words cause fear that spreads like wildfire throughout the organization. The fear is real. The question is “How to survive those dreaded events?”
In this article I outline some things you can do to avoid being part of the next reduction in force.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Mind Your Gaps: A Practical Guide to Help Identify Your Gaps
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Career planning is the first step in a long process to realize your life plan. Once you have completed your career plan, you can begin to identify your gaps. Start by understanding the requirements for the next couple of jobs along your career plan path. You will also need a method to assess your readiness for each job. The delta between the job requirements and your readiness are the gaps you need to close to make progress on your career. In this article, I share the tools you can use to determine your gaps and an approach to identifying the three categories of gaps you should consider as you plan your career.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Personal Product Management: How to Effectively Manage Your Personal Brand
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Great product management is at the core of a company’s success. As a company, if you create good products and take good care of them then you have a higher likelihood of success.We are also a “product,” but most people don’t think of themselves as a “product.” We go through our daily work routines without “managing” our image and brand. We rarely stop to think of how we should manage our personal “product” and what needs to be done to make it better and more valuable.
In this article, I lay out why managing our brand as a product is important, the steps you should take to maximize your brand’s image and how to avoid “unforced errors”.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Presentation Fear: Seven Actions to Increase Your Confidence
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
I know very few people that get excited about presenting. In a recent Prezi survey, 20% of respondents said they would do anything to avoid giving a presentation, including pretending to be sick. Presenting in front of an audience, especially superiors, is one of the most important things we do in our careers. Presentation fear is real. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with it.
In this article, I lay out a few things you can do to reduce the fear of presenting in front of other people.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
The Promotion Waiting Game: What to do While Waiting for the Big Moment
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Many people have asked me “What do I have to do to get promoted?” I get this question about “The promotion waiting game” mostly from high-performing individuals who are accustomed to receiving frequent and meaningful promotions, but for some reason have stalled out.
In this article I share my thoughts on what to do while waiting for a promotion to materialize and also what to do in the event a promotion does not happen.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Retirement: 7 Actions to Help Achieve Your Retirement Goal
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
A survey conducted by GOBankingRates.com revealed that 26% of respondents expect to work past their 60s. According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), “Nearly half of families have no retirement account savings at all.”
In this article I share the seven actions I took which helped me retire ready and early. Having a solid retirement plan and executing it faithfully will improve your odds of being ready.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Self-Awareness: The Key to Professional Growth
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
During my three decades as a corporate executive and professional coach, I have realized that the most important skill for professional development and growth is honest and objective self-awareness. Understanding our strengths, development opportunities, blind spots and leadership derailers is essential to achieving our career goals and objectives.
In this article I share my experience coming to terms with my self-awareness and the steps I took to gain better insights on who I am and how I am viewed by others. Identifying my career derailers helped me regain my trajectory and achieve my professional goals and objectives.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Self-Promotion: How To Effectively Promote Yourself
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Promoting yourself is paramount to your long-term career success. If you think of yourself as a product and the company as your customer, then promoting yourself is your marketing plan. The purpose of marketing a product is to highlight the product’s benefits, to distinguish it from the competition, and to help create value in the eyes of the customer. Successfully promoting yourself achieves the same result. It creates the narrative for your brand, provides you the recognition for past accomplishments, allows you to communicate your career ambitions, and it sets you up for consideration for future roles and opportunities.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Time Management: Seven Actions to Help Regain Control of Your Day
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Globalization, advances in technology and an increase in connectivity have extended our workday and encroached on our personal lives. In addition, many corporations are adopting remote workforce strategies, eliminating the physical demarcation between our home and work. We need to develop good time management skills if we want to get our work done, thrive in the workplace and enjoy quality time with our family and friends.
In this article I share seven actions that I use to maintain control of my day. These actions will provide you with some immediate actions you can take to improve your effectiveness in the workplace and provide you more time to spend with family and friends.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
What and How: The Two Elements of Performance Management
Author: Terry B. Kahler, T. Kahler Coaching, LLC
Measuring performance for team members is a very hard thing to do. Sometimes, there is misalignment between the What and How behaviors. More weight should be given to how team members achieve their objectives versus focusing solely on what the team members achieved.
In this article, I point out how engagement, participation, leadership qualities, attitude, interactions with others, and time management should be considered when evaluating team member performance.
You can download this article for free by clicking here.
Please drop me a note below or send me a message via the Contact Me page if you have any questions about this content.
Have a great day!
