Earl R. Smith II's Blog, page 55

Leadership Persuasion

For most of today’s leaders, their success largely depends on their ability to persuade people, such as employees, other staff members, and even family members, to get things done. In order to be successful, in today’s tough corporate world, you must be proficient in the art of persuasion. You must convince others to take action on your behalf even when you have no formal authority!

You – a Leader?

Every so often one of my coaching engagements comes to focus on an essential question - one so basic that I have to stop and marvel at its simplicity and clarity. That recently happened. I was in the early stages of working with a CEO who was having problems with his senior management team.

Turnaround Management – Initial Steps

No company plans to fail or to find its way into difficult situations - but it happens all the time. Over the years, I have worked with a range of companies that were facing the need to turn things around. The paths that they traveled to reach such a desperate condition were varied but the best ways out had a lot in common.

Making a Difference

I always take a few minutes at the end of each day to journal. I have found this time is always well spent. First I re-read the entries from the prior week or so - it helps keep things in perspective - to connect with what some Native Americans call the 'long view'.

Five Reasons Why Some Executives Give Up On Coaching

Organizations wishing to improve the abilities - and value - of their rising stars often offer them executive coaching. The use of this type of coaching is now fairly wide spread. Coaching programs are no longer only for executives who are ‘problem leaders’. Executive coaching offers an opportunity to leverage leadership talent as well as resources.

Improve Your Leadership Skills

Good leadership is always part nature and part nurture. Whether you are aware of it or not, you are continually leading yourself and others. The question is “how good are you at it?” The good news is that, with focus and effort, you can improve your leadership skills and get more out of life. Here are some things you might think about in your effort to become a more effective leader:

Effective Board Meeting Practices

The Board of Directors of a company is the oversight and policy making body charged with setting the strategy governing the company. Its principal objective is to preserve and extend shareholder value. The Board of Directors must have timely, accurate information in order to meet this responsibility.

Decisions, Decisions

Many of my coaching engagements are with CEO’s who are dedicated to improving their abilities and growing into their ever changing and expanding roles. One of the areas which we tend to focus on is the decision-making process. Interestingly, it is actually the pre-decision part which gives most of them problems.

A Question of Identity

According to many modernist social theorists, questions of identity center on an ‘authentic knowledge’ of the ‘self’ and of the shelves of others. It was generally accepted that there was a unique core within each person which formed the very foundation of who they ‘were’. According to these theories, most of that foundation was laid down during the early or ‘formative’ years.

Board of Directors – Evolution through Devolution

The years since the 2002 passage of Sarbanes-Oxley have seen a number of positive trends in board structure, management, operation and influence. At the same time, counter trends have highlighted companies which have attempted to maintain the ‘old paradigm’ of business as usual. These attempts have often resulted in conflict between management and the board of directors.