No aspect of executive responsibility is easy as company leaders develop strategies to navigate their companies through the market’s inevitable ebbs and flows. Nevertheless, no aspect of a leader’s role proves more difficult than when a business strategy leads to a necessary reduction in staff. Whether it’s due to business contraction or technological advances making positions irrelevant, an executive leader’s business strategy shouldn’t stop at the moment of a staff reduction. Rather, it should include an understanding of the impact of layoffs and a strategy for the comprehensive care of not only the exiting employee but also the remaining employees, key team members facilitating the process, and the company’s market reputation. When leaders and their HR teams face the difficult of staff reduction decisions, outplacement services provide the best opportunity to help leaders balance careful strategy and comprehensive care for everyone involved. The Value of Outplacement … [Read more...]

Of all the abilities an executive leader must possess, delegation may be the most crucial. Delegation is intrinsically connected to every aspect of executive leadership. Find a leader who delegates effectively, and you’ll likely find a company with high retention of top performers, high engagement, and a healthy work culture. Additionally, you’ll find a leader who’s not stretched too thin and is able to stay focused on company vision, strategy, and execution. Even so, many executive leaders still wrestle with comprehending the importance of delegation and how to effectively implement it on a daily basis. Delegating: an Art and a Science A lot of ink has been spilled to explain what delegation is and its role within companies, and rightfully so. A leader’s ability to delegate reveals both their leadership worldview and the potential trajectory of the company. But what is delegation, really? For many leaders, delegation is nothing more than shifting a responsibility from the … [Read more...]

In 2013, Stanford University released an attention-grabbing survey on executive coaching, stating that “nearly two-thirds of CEOs do not receive outside leadership advice,” but “nearly all want it.”1 Stanford’s study revealed a notable transition in C-Suite sentiments toward executive  coaching. It was seen less as a professional irrelevancy or worst-case scenario reaction and more as a legitimate and desirable opportunity for professional development. Since then, the demand for executive coaching has only grown. Because of the rise in demand, an explosion of coaches and firms has taken place. While it isn’t bad news per se, this increase of coaching opportunities has meant many executives pursuing coaching for the first-time have difficulty identifying the differentiating factors between coaches. As Erika Andersen, author of Growing Great Employees, wrote, “...as with anything that gets popular, there are now many, many people jumping on the coaching bandwagon, hanging out their … [Read more...]

A leader’s ability to build a healthy team makes or breaks an organization’s productivity and profitability. Not only does a healthy, engaged team have a direct correlation to a strong bottom line, but if a leader’s team begins to fray, splinter, and atrophy--initiating and perpetuating a revolving door of transition--the corporate and personal costs to the organization, the leader, and their team members can be exorbitant.1 What is Team Health? Team health is how a leader recognizes and understands whether their people are connected to the company mission and each other in a way that ensures operational success. Seems Obvious, Right? While the positive implications of a healthy team seem obvious to most leaders, what’s required to cultivate and sustain a healthy team may not be. Many leaders feel confident and competent to navigate the ebb and flow of the market, traverse the expectations and desires of shareholders, prepare dynamic keynotes for conferences, etc., but when … [Read more...]

The energy from a leadership conference can feel palpable, leaving many wishing they could “bottle it” and pack it next to their lanyard when they travel home. Leaders return to their teams and offices inspired, rejuvenated, and eager to take on new challenges and execute new ideas, only to be met by the blunt force trauma of Monday morning. After finding 500 emails in their inbox and extinguishing six employee-conflict fires (all before they’ve had their coffee), leaders feel their energy and inspiration evaporate faster than morning dew on a summer day. Before they realize it, status quo has pulled them back in the malaise of old habits. While conferences offer a few days of optimism, new perspectives, and alternate leadership ideas, is it possible for a leader to consistently provide inspiring leadership to their teams long after the conference is over? Everyday Intentionality Consider a professional athlete for a moment. Whether it’s a golfer’s perfect drive or a … [Read more...]

The statistics around employee engagement and retention from the past five years aren’t promising: 51 percent of workers say they’re considering leaving their current jobs. Nearly 40 percent of employees are looking into other employment within the next year. And considering the enormous costs associated with replacing an employee1, it has never been more paramount for executive leaders to evaluate whether they’re an employer of choice. What’s an employer of choice? The simplest definition is an employer whose employees love to come to work and job seekers would love to work for. Employers of choice cultivate work cultures where engagement and alignment are the anticipated outcomes of intentionality, transparency, compensation, and inspiration. What does it take to be employer of choice, and what’s at stake if you aren’t one? More than you think. It’s No Accident Many leaders today would affirm they are an employer of choice though reality says otherwise. Why the … [Read more...]

Take a cursory glance at the business section in any bookstore and you’ll find somewhat of a “big bang” within the realm of leadership: a constantly expanding and changing world. In the past 20 years alone, leaders have had to navigate drastic changes and the subsequent amount of resources just to keep up. Consider some of the macro-level variables executive leaders have had to adapt to The breakneck speed of technology The, literal, worldwide access to employer and employee options The long needed inclusion and appreciation of diversity and safety in the workplace Advances in neuroscience and customer psychology The complexities of the global market What would happen if we looked at leadership’s changes over the past 50 years? Which ones are key to reflect on? Thankfully, that’s how long Promark’s been evaluating the leadership landscape and equipping executive leaders to lead themselves and others effectively. So, we asked PROMARK’s coaches for their … [Read more...]

How would you respond if you were briefed about a treatable illness costing your company hundreds of thousands in additional healthcare expenditures? Would you leverage resources to train your teams on basic sanitary habits to mitigate its spread? Would you develop a research team to find best ways to prevent future outbreaks? As a leader, you’d respond somehow. Did you know this is happening in the American workforce today? And it’s costing nearly $190 billion dollars in work-related costs.1 The illness: burnout What is burnout? Burnout is a psychological state produced by chronic stress that creates legitimate emotional and physiological ramifications, such as the following: cynicism, detachment, ease of irritability or anger uncharacteristic increase in mistakes or work quality influx in tardiness to work or absences physical and emotional exhaustion regular feelings of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment lack of sleep Burnout has also … [Read more...]