Today’s piece is a guest post by Gwyn Teatro. Gwyn is a Certified Professional Coach with a Master of Science degree in Management and 15 years experience as a Human Resources Consultant to Executive and Senior Management in the Financial Services Industry. While she may have retired from the corporate world,  she maintains an interest in coaching leaders with the drive to help them achieve results, both for their organizations as well as for themselves.  You can read more of Gwyn’s writings on her blog, “You’re Not the Boss of Me”

Only one man in a thousand is a leader of men — the other nine hundred and ninety nine follow women. – Groucho Marx

I bumped into this quote while surfing the Internet and just kept it for a while feeling that there might be something I needed to say about it. In the end, I guess I just found it amusing in a wry sort of way. And it reminded me of Mary.

Mary was my first HR boss. Before working with her, I was a clerk, an efficient yet uninspiring one.

Mary was looking for a Personnel Assistant at the time and having rifled through the roster of internal candidates that might fit her bill, she chose me.

Initially, I was very flattered until I learned Mary’s selection criteria. It was less than scientific. Specifically, Mary gave me the job because I could type; I was presentable; and I hadn’t ticked anyone off…yet. Click here to continue reading »”Mentorships… and Mary”

Over the last several months, I’ve been writing about what leaders should be providing their team with to help them succeed and grow. Without question, leadership is a selfless role, one that requires an individual to give more than they get in return if they are to be successful in performing this function for their organization.

And yet, if we understand that all interactions in the workplace should be viewed as relationships between people and not simply ‘transactions’, what can leaders expect to receive from those they lead – outside of attaining their shared goal? Reading some of the commentary written last week over how this past Father’s Day was celebrated helped to bring this particular issue into a sharper focus as I think there are some strong parallels between these two groups.

When it comes to discussions about Father’s Day, there’s usually a reference made to how less money is spent celebrating this day as compared to Mother’s Day, or how dads often end up with presents like a striped tie or some other stereotypically tacky present. This year, though, I read a few articles that recommended that ‘homemade gifts’ should also be included as a present that dads would least like to receive for Father’s Day.

Personally, I couldn’t disagree more with this. In fact, for this year’s Father’s Day, I wore the hand-painted T-shirt my kids made for me last year as they took me out to be celebrated and spoiled. As I walked around our city streets, wearing this homemade T-shirt with the words “Best Papa in the Universe” blazoned across the front, I noticed how every time Click here to continue reading »”Learning to Appreciate the Gifts That Come With Leadership”

The following is a guest piece by this month’s guest blogger, Roberta Hill. Roberta “complains” she has too many fingers in too many pies. It seems the older she gets the more interests she discovers.  Lately she has been calling herself a digital nomad.  She writes three blogs, runs an online assessment business and maintains a coaching practice. In her real life, parenting is her recent challenge. She tells me, it is the most worthwhile, time consuming and difficult role she has ever assumed.  You can read more of her insights on leadership and personal development on her blog.

While the focus on leadership is important, it is my opinion that good management is a lost skill in “Corporate America”. This may be a reflection on the well being of our family structure as well. Leadership is an interesting topic and since taking on the role of a parent, I have found that the family is the best microcosm of larger corporate organizations.

I have always considered myself a pretty good manager and by association tend to assume I am a good leader. Don’t misunderstand me; I do recognize the difference. I stepped out of the corporate world years ago and my formal role of managing others ended. Since then, I have been the Chair on a few non-for-profit boards. I have coordinated large projects with consultants. I coach executives on how to be global leaders. Surely I know how to lead! Looking at how well I parent, I often wonder.

In my family, I organize, plan, control and direct.¹ I use my power effectively and I balance coercion, reward, position and even informational influence. Things get done. However, I am not sure I inspire my children. I can motivate then to do what I think needs doing; but not sure I fully engage them. Am I stuck in the sixties? Am I a good manager but not a modern leader?

I am a strong believer that Click here to continue reading »”Do You Manage or Lead? Look to Your Family Role”

Over the next couple of months, I’ll be hosting some of my favourite bloggers who will share their ideas and insights on leadership and business with my readers here on this blog.  To kickstart this monthly guest appearance, I’d like to introduce you to Becky Robinson, who some of you might know as @LeaderTalk on Twitter.  Becky has been writing, promoting, and managing the LeaderTalk blog for Mountain State University since it began in April 2009.  In March 2010, she accepted the position of serving as an adjunct faculty member in Mountain State’s Bachelor of Science Organizational Leadership program.

I have been blogging about leadership for many months now. Part of my job is to promote the leadership degree programs at Mountain State University. Lately, that has become easier for me because as an adjunct faculty member, I have a front row seat to what goes on in our programs. Teaching in one of the programs has given me a clear picture of what we offer and why it works.

Here’s the conclusion I have drawn about leadership.

It’s simple.

I am not saying that leadership is easy. It’s not. Leading yourself and others is a life-long journey that requires commitment, focus, and determination. Above all, it requires you to look beyond yourself and to maintain an outward focus, one of serving others.

Leadership is making a difference wherever you are, every day.

How do you do that? Click here to continue reading »”Making It Simple”