Business Leaders

How to Have More Powerful Conversations with Yourself

May 6th, 2011 | By Martha Carnahan | Category: Business Leaders, Core Wisdom

When you are running a business you need a good team. You may be the captain, but your partners, employees, assistants, advisors, and vendors all play critical roles on your ship’s crew. There is another team on board too – your inner team. I’m sure you’ve noticed that sometimes you feel like you are at [...]



Why You are a Terrible Judge of Your own Leadership

Nov 24th, 2010 | By Martha Carnahan | Category: Business Leaders, Leadership Presence

Many managers I talk with feel they are pretty good leaders. That is, until they receive the results of a staff and peer review. Some are shocked that their scores are so low. Others just can’t take in the data – they actually reject the feedback. If you do not possess the skill of empathy [...]



How to Get Your Values Honored at Work

Nov 1st, 2010 | By Martha Carnahan | Category: Business Leaders, Core Wisdom

Do certain things about your workplace rub you the wrong way? Do you go home at night and tell your family and friends that, if you were in charge, you would do things differently? It could be a case of mis-aligned values. If your personal values and your company’s values are at odds, it may [...]



Four Words that Motivate Teams – But Use Them Wisely!

Sep 20th, 2010 | By Martha Carnahan | Category: Business Leaders, Inspired Teams

Each person in your organization, at some level, truly wants to do a great job and be recognized for their contribution. And motivating them can be as simple as a four-word phrase, according to Tom Peters, business management guru and author of the classic book, In Search of Excellence. Take a look at what Mr. [...]



Bringing Yoga Sam to Work

Aug 2nd, 2010 | By Martha Carnahan | Category: Business Leaders, Life-Work Integration

You may not actually punch a time clock, but there is a moment – a little click – that marks the transition from your non-work life to your work life. Maybe for you it’s when the alarm clock goes off in the morning. Click. Or when you hear the traffic report. Click. Or when you [...]



Why Failure is FANTASTIC!

Jul 6th, 2010 | By Martha Carnahan | Category: Business Leaders, Leadership Presence

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”  ~Thomas A. Edison I know you’ve heard this many times, but it bears repeating: Failure = Opportunity to Learn. A device I use to remember this comes from a story I heard many years ago during a coach training class. We had just [...]



We Are All Self-Employed

Jun 24th, 2010 | By Martha Carnahan | Category: Business Leaders, Core Wisdom

Often, new clients come to coaching because they feel trapped in their jobs. Trapped by money, loyalty guilt and quite often, fear of the unknowns of a new job. They hate Monday mornings, resent management decisions and often feel quite stressed out. There is actually a cure for this misery! And you don’t even have [...]



How to Become the Subject of Pleasant Dinner Conversation

Jun 21st, 2010 | By Martha Carnahan | Category: Business Leaders, Inspired Teams

Sorry to break this to you, but your co-workers are talking about you after work with their family members and friends. It’s just one of those facts of life. You know how that conversation goes: “How was your day today, honey?” asks your co-worker’s spouse. To which your co-worker replies, “Oh man, I work with [...]



Work Hearter, Not Smarter

May 28th, 2010 | By Martha Carnahan | Category: Business Leaders, Life-Work Integration

I always bristled at the saying from the 90s, “Work smarter, not harder.” It felt judgmental to me – so you are telling me that I am wrong for working hard? And, in the same breath, you imply that I must get the job done, or else? Let’s add up this mixed message: If I [...]



Getting Grounded without the Teen Angst

May 10th, 2010 | By Martha Carnahan | Category: Business Leaders, Core Wisdom

“You’re grounded!” These words have been uttered by many a parent as punishment for mischief-making teenagers. “Grounding,” in this sense, means you are taking the kid out of the action and putting her on the sidelines for a bit. One mom I know said that grounding doesn’t work as a deterrent for her son because [...]