Hi Jeff! I love your posts. I'm not a c-level employee in any way, but learn a lot regardless! I was wondering, how often do you have a client that does not follow your suggestions and coaching once you have identified the underlying issue? You often use examples from success stories but I can't help but wonder how many people don't like your suggestions (maybe they are the problem?) and probably either fail or continue with their dysfunction. Not to compare you to Undercover Boss or Bar Rescue - but it's probably not that different and people often don't like to admit they are wrong! (NOTE: I don't ask this to gather your success rate but more from a human nature perspective - you would know first hand the struggle to get people to change their ways, and I bet it is very hard at times!)
That is a great question, Kim. Thank you for asking it.
First of all, I only accept clients with whom I think I can be successful. That is not everyone, by any means. Because of this, I’d say my success rate is higher than normal.
Secondly, I never pretend that I have all the right answers. My goal is less to give direction and more to help people think through what tools and methodologies will work best for them. As somebody said recently about me, my superpower isn’t teach people how to be great leaders as much as believing in them in a way that gives them the strength to lean into the leadership superpowers that are already inside them.
Finally, sometimes clients simply don’t want to do the work. Any improvement requires consistency. Lack of consistency and lack of desire to improve means my efforts won’t help (at least not immediately). Every now and then I get a client like that. But it’s rare.
Thanks for taking the time to respond, Jeff! You have a very modest view on your superpower which I am sure makes people feel very comfortable working with you. I respect that you may choose not to work with clients if you don't think it will be a good synergy - putting your efforts in the places that will be most impactful is surely more beneficial for all parties involved. Thanks again for all the wisdom you've been sharing!
Such an important lesson. Really drives home the fact that company culture DOES make an impact on work product, it's not just a bunch of woo-woo fluff.
Great insight! I've seen this play out live. I actually became a PM because of these experiences. And now I have a track record of building high-functioning teams wherever I go. Currrently, I focus on helping the next generation of employees enter these spaces as the fashion industry (my focus) is flooded with them. I love your content and if you feel moved to discuss onboarding, I'd love to collaborate.
Funny you mention took that Kate, I’ve got an onboarding document I will be sharing with people and am writing a piece about how onboarding mostly sucks with companies these days.
Good insight 😃. Can i translate part of this article into Spanish with links to you and a description of your newsletter?
Si
Many thanks !!!
Hi Jeff! I love your posts. I'm not a c-level employee in any way, but learn a lot regardless! I was wondering, how often do you have a client that does not follow your suggestions and coaching once you have identified the underlying issue? You often use examples from success stories but I can't help but wonder how many people don't like your suggestions (maybe they are the problem?) and probably either fail or continue with their dysfunction. Not to compare you to Undercover Boss or Bar Rescue - but it's probably not that different and people often don't like to admit they are wrong! (NOTE: I don't ask this to gather your success rate but more from a human nature perspective - you would know first hand the struggle to get people to change their ways, and I bet it is very hard at times!)
That is a great question, Kim. Thank you for asking it.
First of all, I only accept clients with whom I think I can be successful. That is not everyone, by any means. Because of this, I’d say my success rate is higher than normal.
Secondly, I never pretend that I have all the right answers. My goal is less to give direction and more to help people think through what tools and methodologies will work best for them. As somebody said recently about me, my superpower isn’t teach people how to be great leaders as much as believing in them in a way that gives them the strength to lean into the leadership superpowers that are already inside them.
Finally, sometimes clients simply don’t want to do the work. Any improvement requires consistency. Lack of consistency and lack of desire to improve means my efforts won’t help (at least not immediately). Every now and then I get a client like that. But it’s rare.
Thanks for taking the time to respond, Jeff! You have a very modest view on your superpower which I am sure makes people feel very comfortable working with you. I respect that you may choose not to work with clients if you don't think it will be a good synergy - putting your efforts in the places that will be most impactful is surely more beneficial for all parties involved. Thanks again for all the wisdom you've been sharing!
Thank you for commenting and challenging me on my perspectives.
Such an important lesson. Really drives home the fact that company culture DOES make an impact on work product, it's not just a bunch of woo-woo fluff.
100%
Maybe 200%
Great insight! I've seen this play out live. I actually became a PM because of these experiences. And now I have a track record of building high-functioning teams wherever I go. Currrently, I focus on helping the next generation of employees enter these spaces as the fashion industry (my focus) is flooded with them. I love your content and if you feel moved to discuss onboarding, I'd love to collaborate.
Funny you mention took that Kate, I’ve got an onboarding document I will be sharing with people and am writing a piece about how onboarding mostly sucks with companies these days.
It does suck. A lot. I've spent years waiting for my leaders to make changes and have been burned a lot so part of what I coach now, and in fact just developed a class on this as well, is how professionals and even schools can take on some of the responsibility. Onboarding is a common theme in my writing, but here's one issue dedicated to the topic: https://open.substack.com/pub/theinternmentor/p/onboarding-used-to-be-a-team-sport?r=52ysq3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false