Leadership
Developing Your Leadership Authenticity
Female Firebrands Author Mikaela Kiner once asked me, "Why are you so authentic?" "What does that even mean?" I responded. She rephrased, "How did you get so comfortable being you?" I responded flippantly, "Well, who else would I be?" But deep down, I knew exactly what she meant. I had spent a lot of time pretending not to be myself earlier in life, at…
My Secret Sauce to Masterful Networking
Recently, we hosted brunch, and someone asked how, after living in Austin for only six months, were we able to throw our first annual ‘Naughty or Nice’ holiday party and have 40 curated guests show up. It comes down to masterful networking. I arrived in Austin, with two goals: To become part of the business community and to make friends. Before Austin, we’d…
Who’s Out, What’s Out, Knives Out
Two causes: Hypothermia temperatures last month and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Effect: Nothing better to do than pour a glass of wine, and reflect the shit out of 2022. So I lit enough candles to burn the house down and disavowed the need to meet anyone's expectations over the holidays (or any time, really.) First question: Did I like Knives Out 2?…
3 Insights for Leaders in Today’s Culture
Developing Executive Presence Executive presence is the collection of skills and traits that allows leaders to lead others in order to become successful. It is intuitive and can be difficult to pin down, but you will know it once you see it or feel it. This is a main focus of my executive coaching practice. And what I'm seeing in remote work environments and…
Executive Presence – What are you missing?
I’m noticing a pattern in conversation with some of my coaching clients. They received feedback that they need to increase their executive presence, but the feedback stops there. So, I want to shed light on the mystery of executive presence, because when you break it down, it’s not a mystery at all. People with executive presence stand out. They command attention, project strength, and…
How Do You Know If You Have Executive Presence?
I’m not going to lie; I didn’t hate quarantine. But like many who are coming out of the cocoon and evolving toward our new sense of normalcy, I’m beginning to notice a few things I missed. For example, I recently attended a live event and I loved seeing many leaders I’ve worked with and feeling that raw, live energy – a.k.a. executive presence. People with…
WTF! NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang
As I was listening in the world today to what was and wasn't being said, a few important dots connected. SUPERPOWER: Listening "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been wait ing for. We are the change that we seek." No, Jenson Huang didn't say that. Barack Obama did. That led…
How to Increase Your Charisma
Increasing your charisma and mental speed or "thinking on your feet" plays a big role in how you show up as a leader and demonstrate executive presence. The goal is to be who you are and have that be exactly how you want other leaders to see you. And that takes practice. I help clients practice increasing their thinking speed by having them deliver…
Virtual Networking for Introverts: 4 Ways to Get It Done
Building relationships is key to developing influence and power. And if you are a leader, or aspire to be one, you need both because it’s how leaders achieve success. And for introverts, it’s no different. In my executive coaching practice, one of the issues I’ve noticed that my clients struggle with is networking. It’s even more difficult for my introverted managers and leaders. That’s…
Hosting Virtual Meetings with Introverts
As the leader, one of the key benefits of virtual meetings is the ability to manage who speaks. Why is this important? In a meeting setting, for example, the host may layout the meeting’s goal and objectives and present the related information. Now, for most introverts, they listen to talk. They’ll want to mull through the information before making an input. As such, the…
How Introverts Can Take Advantage of the Benefits of Virtual Meetings
Virtual meetings give introverts a tool to increase influence and build a stronger team. Here is some quick guidance on how to use virtual meetings to your benefit. Participating in virtual meetings Too many introverts use virtual meetings as an opportunity to hide. When you are uncomfortable in situations with large crowds, it’s easier to go unnoticed in a virtual crowd with your mic…
Introverts: Increase Your Executive Presence Using the Amazon Memo
At Amazon, meetings start in silence. For the first 30 minutes, everyone reads what is famously known as the Amazon Memo. The premise is simple: weeks prior to a meeting, the meeting leaders create a narrative memo to plan, prepare, flesh out ideas, and organize their thinking. The Amazon Memo is distributed at the beginning of the meeting and no one speaks until everyone…
Washington Athletic Club Partners with Teri Citterman
For Immediate Release SEATTLE (April 2, 2019) — The Washington Athletic Club (WAC) announces a partnership with Teri Citterman, member of Forbes National Coaches Council and author of From the CEO’s Perspective. This partnership establishes the WAC as the home of Ms. Citterman’s successful CEO forum series and will also include Executive Performance coaching programs held at the WAC, Executive Book Club events, socials…
Applications Now Open for Emerging Executives to Join Exclusive Leadership Forum LL19
https://youtu.be/H-oYlhpii6Y Seattle, WA – Aug 2, 2018 – LeadershipLab19 (LL19), an invitation-only, exclusive peer community for growth-minded emerging executives on the trajectory to be the thought leaders and industry shapers of the future, opened its application process today for the second LL19 cohort launching October 18, 2018. Each cohort is highly-curated. Applicants must be nominated by his or her CEO or be invited to…
CEOs Speak Up As Leaders, As Citizens
From the CEO’s Perspective forum is next Thursday morning, June 7th at the World Trade Center in Seattle. It’s an important conversation because over the last 18 months, we’ve seen more and more CEOs speaking up as leaders and speaking out as a citizens. The issues are highly-charged ranging from immigration, racism, sexual harassment and gun control, and the charge is amplified by the…
3 Ways Leaders Can Increase Empathy
More than a decade ago, as H. James Wilson writes in the Harvard Business Review, Daniel Goleman found that "nearly 90% of the difference between outstanding and average leaders is attributable to emotional factors, not intellectual acumen." And yet, there’s still very little value (by value, I mean investment) placed on developing these skills, most often bucketed as emotional intelligence (EQ). We could go down the…
The Changemakers are Men for Women in the C-Suite
You’ve seen me clench my jaw when I say it: Research says, women will be on parity with men in the c-suite by 2085. That’s 68 years. Who’s got that kind of time! So what needs to happen? It is so unbelievably simple it makes my head hurt. There are male CEOs who think differently. They are working alongside us to show the value…
Leadership Insight: Expedia CPO
Many of you, I'm heads down working on the Leadership Lab no. 19 (LL19), a powerful, invite-only networking and leadership experience for emerging executives, who will be the thought leaders and industry shapers in our future C-Suites. It’s happening this fall, and nominations are open. For more information visit The Leadership Lab no. 19. In doing my research, I’m asking C-suite executives for advice…
Leadership Lab 19: Invite-Only for Rockstar Executives
If CEOs had three wishes, what would they be? Having coached and interviewed hundreds of them, I know one wish would be that the whole executive team see through the CEO’s lens into the inner-workings of the company and how each decision affects the interconnections. This is a common theme echoed throughout my coaching chambers. But having a CEO’s perspective isn’t something taught in…
SEPT 14: Women, Men & Leadership
When I feel a little helpless in the world, I do what I do best, which is to gather the great thinkers and ask hard questions. So that’s what I’m doing on Thursday, September 14th. We are talking about women, men and leadership, and it will be an important discussion for both men and women to attend. Even though research shows companies perform better…
How CEOs Lead Fast, Build Culture on May 2
Company culture isn’t an afterthought. It happens whether leaders choose to design it deliberately, or because they didn’t. Either way, culture is – and it can be directly measured by how much time, energy, communication and resources, a CEO is willing to give it. Someone I think is an amazing culture builder is Raj Singh, CEO of Accolade. I asked him something along the lines…
U is for Unbelievably…Shitty Leadership
Two brands that sit right next to each other at the bottom of the alphabetical order. They’re also both in the business of transporting customers from point A to point B, and… they both have arrogant, tone-deaf, ass biter CEOs who blame others and make excuses when they really should just say “Sorry.” I find this juxtaposition hilarious. Now, I know what you’re…
Up Close & Personal with Sir Richard Branson and Seattle CEOs
“Business is an Adventure” discussion Jonathan Sposato, angel investor and CEO at PicMonkey, Nadia Shouraboura, founder and CEO at Hointer and Richard Branson, CEO, Virgin Atlantic I listened to a “How I Built This” podcast a few days ago, and Sir. Richard Branson was describing his audacity. He said “I didn’t know failure so the idea that someone would say no to me would…
CEOs Give Best Advice On Leading Change
This topic could not have come at a better time given the political environment we are currently enduring. While I know, some people feel optimistic, a good many Americans feel fearful and uncertain about their lives in the US and the future of America. And, while change in companies and organizations is different, in some ways, it evokes some of the same feelings for…
Leadership Insights: SAP CEO
Photo credit to Fast Company's Co.Exist I am absolutely mind-crushing on Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP and author of "Winners Dream: A Journey from Corner Store to Corner Office." I just listened to his interview on Fortune Unfiltered with Aaron Task. I’m looking forward to hearing Steve Singh’s perspective on Bill, having sold his company (Concur) to SAP a few years ago. Steve’s on the…
Uncomplicated Leadership
Brad Smith is an "un-complicator." Every day, he faces the quicksand of complexity that emanates from being the President and Chief Legal Officer of the small country called Microsoft. From championing a Digital Geneva Convention to conveying his personal conviction and Microsoft’s stance on immigration, what I found most startling about Brad is that he deals daily with hard, thorny issues, yet he does…
Leadership Insights from a Delta Air Lines VP
When Delta Air Lines came to town, I was not enthusiastic. Seattle is provincial and extremely protective of our hometown brands. But when I actually met Mike Medeiros, Vice President for this region, he turned out to be a really cool guy, which made it a lot harder to maintain my cool indifference. Delta flew in swiftly to Seattle and invested itself into the…
PSBJ’s 40 Under 40 Highlights and Takeaways
The Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Celebration is one of the few networking events I actually look forward to. This group of business execs and leaders was particularly special - especially because two of the CEOs I coach made the list. Equally impressive were some of the other honorees I met, all of whom are doing great things for Seattle and beyond.…
Hey, CEO! It IS About YOU
Can I get a dollar for every time a CEO tells me “It’s not about me”? It’s annoying and untrue. Frankly, it makes me trust you less. You set the standards and the pace. You set the vision. You set expectations. You motivate and engage your team and their teams. You do the things only a CEO can do. So, explain to me how…
The 8 Seuss-isms of Great Leadership
I can’t remember a time when a Dr. Seuss book wasn’t sitting in the center of my bookshelf, whether I was 8 or…38. I mean, who didn’t receive “Oh the Places You’ll Go” as a graduation gift? The sing-songy words made for a great read when I was a kid; and the nuanced meanings, even more so as an adult. His books are great…
How to use Intimidation as a Leadership Strategy
To be clear, I’m not talking about the full on fear, Trump-like strategy where employees work for a successful leader who wins at all costs. This a someone who feels empowered by bullying, has a volatile personality and most importantly, has an exceedingly delicate ego. I’ve been there, done that. Can you tell? (At least the CEO I worked for was smart but that’s…
Are you a Superboss?
The latest HBR has a great article by Sydney Finkelstein on what makes a boss a Superboss. I can’t tell you how many times this article has landed in my inbox – because it’s a great one! Thank you to all who have forwarded it to me. This article reminds me of a book I read a trillion years ago called, Profiles of Female Genius. If…
Why Successful Leaders Have Decision Anchors
Many of my clients are successful leaders who want to continue that success in a different, more deliberate way. It’s awesome! We work together to define their true purpose and what brings them serious joy. Serious joy is my way of saying – "I help them figure out the very few things that matter most." At the highest level of leadership, a lot matters…
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