NEW PODCAST: Goal Setting Tips for Leaders in 2015

Happy New Year! Hope that 2015 is off to a great start for you. To help you hit the ground running, I'm excited to share this podcast from my recent appearance on the Gfem Talk Show.

In my lively chat with show host Femi, I shared some tips and insights on how to connect your 2015 goals with your larger WHY and true intentions. We also discussed how best to communicate your vision and true intentions with the important people in your world -- personal and professional -- in an effort to avoid mis-communication and conflict throughout the year.

Tune into the podcast and let me know what you learned. Also, feel free to share what are your 2015 intentions -- comment below or tweet me on Twitter -- so we can keep each other on track!

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What are the Top Qualities of a Senior Leadership Team?

In this NEW video -- one of a series of six videos I've produced on Teamwork & Motivation -- I share the top 6 characteristics I feel are important for senior leaders like you to develop as you lead your companies and teams into the New Year and today's ever-changing marketplace.

Qualities of a Senior Leadership Team

• Which qualities are most relevant to you? 
• Did you learn these traits 'on-the-job' or acquire them in other ways? 
• What was the most challenging characteristic for you to develop? 

Let me know your thoughts and experiences here in the comments or tweet me on Twitter.

Coach Colette is Back in the Classroom -- Online!

As of this week, I'm on the "road" again, training librarians in advocacy, effective communication and leadership. Yet, this time, I don't even have to leave my office! Why? Because I'm facilitating Turning the Page 2.0 online!

You may recall reading about my adventures over the past two-and-half years -- training "rowdy" librarians on the PLA Tour in the US, and global librarians last September in Brussels. Well, TtP 2.0 is the facilitated, online version of that same program; designed to help library staff develop compelling cases for public support while building strategic business partnerships and community alliances.

Over the next six weeks, I'll be leading interactive webinars and small discussion groups to guide participants through the creation of an action plan that will drive their advocacy efforts and make a tangible difference at their libraries.

This online training program is being presented by the Public Library Association six times between 2011-2012, once again with generous support by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation -- working to narrow the digital divide in the US and many developing countries in the world.

I'll plan to share some insights and "A-HA!" moments from the online sessions here on the blog and on Twitter.

On a personal note -- inspired by the generosity of the fabulous librarians I've met across the country, and motivated by the benefits my business has received on behalf of public libraries, I've recently joined the Friends of Carroll Gardens Library as a volunteer!

My first effort is to help create a buzz about our upcoming Love Your Library Day Book Sale & Fundraiser on Saturday, May 14th. Our goal is raise funds to buy new, low shelving for the children's area of the library -- to make it more user-friendly for young readers. It's fun to be involved on the volunteer level, as well. I'll also keep you posted on our efforts -- including how things progress with our Silent Auction!

How are YOU involved with or supporting YOUR public library?

How's Your Want-To? Get Inspired for FREE through Nov. 30

Have you been looking for a little boost these days? Or, searching for insights to keep you motivated as you continue to navigate today's New Normal? Good news -- right now, there's a FREE online Leadership & Influence Summit happening! Originally scheduled to end today, the event has been extended through November 15th.

This online event features brief, inspirational and informative videos from over 30 of the top experts on business and leadership including: Marshall Goldsmith, Michael Gerber, and Keith Ferrazzi. And, they're all "on-demand" so you can watch them on your own time, at your own pace.

I first learned of the program from my good friend, Kevin Carroll (8/31!!!!), who is also part of the Summit. His presentation is about how we can maximize our Human Potential. The great thing about Kevin, though, is that he keeps it real and shares insights from his lessons on the playground and from his grandparents.

I had the wonderful fortune to meet and travel with Kevin during my work on the Turning the Page leadership development training for public librarians. His keynote presentations inspired me every single time I heard them (over 25 times). And, I must admit, that recently I've had to check my "want to"-- that's his grandfather's expression for passion and drive -- as it's been a little worn down. Yes, even the Coach has to do some soul searching every now and then! Kevin reminded me that I am courageous by staying committed to building my business even in the uncertainty of today's New Normal.

Listening to Kevin on the Summit has helped. I also discovered a new potential inspirer, Jon Gordon, whose video is about Positive Leadership. His soup analogy made me recall my grandma's macaroni and cheese -- it wasn't the type of cheese she used that made it so good, it was all the love that was baked in.

When you have the chance, take a look at the videos on the Summit, and let me know what are your favorites! You can share them here, or feel free to tweet me on Twitter (their hashtag is #landisummit).

Narrowing the Global Digital Divide: One Library at a Time

I’ve been a “card-carrying member” of the Brooklyn Public Library for a long time; but my passion and interest in public libraries truly blossomed as I traveled the U.S. the past two years training public librarians and trustees for Turning the Page: Building Your Library Community. I helped these leaders to build and maintain their project and fundraising teams; develop compelling stories that will motivate local residents to raise funds; and effectively advocate on behalf of their libraries with key funders and decision makers.

NOW, I’m excited to announce that I’ve been asked to facilitate the TTP program for a select group of  Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Library grantees. Next week, I will gather in Brussels with grantees from Botswana, Bulgaria, Chile, Lithuania, Latvia, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and Vietnam to lead this training. Attendees will include library directors, advocacy specialists, library association members and supporters, and government representatives.

One of the Foundation’s goals is to narrow the digital divide by “helping public libraries provide free, quality computer and Internet services to everyone who walks through their doors.” It’s truly an honor to be part of this endeavor to help narrow the digital divide – globally! I’m looking forward to learning more about the local needs and brainstorming strategies to ensure public access to the Internet and technology.

Beyond the software and hardware, our focus is on building sustainability – giving librarians and trustees leadership and communication skills to successfully encourage supporters to invest in library services over the long-term. I’ll continue to share updates and “lessons learned” from my journey. Until then, I’ll see you at the Library!

Dealing with Change in the New Normal

As we wind down the summer and gear up for fall, I thought I'd share a mini case on how my team has been helping our public sector clients manage and respond to changes this year -- in the New Normal.

 

CLIENT SITUATION: Here are some challenges faced by our client, a collective of multi-site human service organizations:

• Budget and funding allocation modifications are causing changes in programming, staffing and Center operations
• Centers will need support and oversight from active, capable board leaders who can implement changes successfully
• Centers will need directors who can capitalize on opportunities to collaborate with new partners and seek out new sponsors and financial support

OUR RESPONSE: Here is how we responded to their situation:
 
Center Directors and Board Leaders participated in a 2-day Leadership Training designed and facilitated by InStep consultants that focused on Dealing with Change, Project Planning and Board Governance. The training included visioning exercises, goal setting and action planning. Initial feedback after training indicates that 94% of participants felt very or well prepared to develop a strategic vision and successfully manage changes at their organization (compared to 48% before training). As suggested by one of the training participants: “The training show[ed us] that weaknesses will be[come] strengths after implementing the changes necessary to become a successful agency.”

 

A subset of the training participants also took part in four, 3-hour Group Coaching sessions led by InStep consultants over a 9-week period. These sessions helped participants build upon skills they gained in training, and get timely input on their specific issues and new challenges that surfaced since the training. Upon completion, 77% found the additional coaching to be helpful towards achieving the goals they'd identified at the start of the program. More than half were able to accomplish between 75% and 100% of those goals over the 9-week coaching period.

 

As one group coaching participant remarked: "I have learned to focus on one particular task, as well as seeking assistance from the people around me. I have learned to become more verbal and take the role of the leader - gained confidence as tasks or targets were completed."

For me, personally, I enjoyed watching all the light bulbs go off -- that's how I describe the "A-HA!" moments that happen in group coaching or training sessions. Often, those bright ideas surfaced from peer learning as the participants engaged in dialogue and shared similar experiences. I sometimes witnessed reduced anxiety merely from recognition of "I'm not alone" in certain circumstances.

Was it "perfect"? No transformation ever is -- it's an ongoing process. Will they still experience challenges going forward? Absolutely! Hopefully, they will refer back to techniques for dealing with change from their training or coaching experience (e.g., their ideal vision) to help propel them forward when times get tough.

How are you and your organization dealing with change in the New Normal? How are you keeping all team members informed and aligned with your vision -- even as you may need to flex or adapt to our evolving environment? Post your comments here, or tweet me your thoughts on Twitter.

Maine & NH Library Leaders Get Creative!

Back in NYC after my almost-week in Maine. The Round 2 kickoff of the PLA tour was great! Had a great time meeting librarians and their supporters from Maine & New Hampshire.

In addition to my sessions on Leadership, Creating Compelling Stories and Giving Memorable Presentations, I led a new session on Project Management called Staying on Track. This was a great way to help participants tie the content from their previous sessions together.

Besides upgrading their computer hardware, many participants indicated that libraries in Maine & NH are engaging in capital projects, e.g., renovation, preservation -- and one library will be re-carpeted! This project sparked some cool discussion as participants traded ideas on how to generate project support.

• One person suggested "selling" squares of the new carpet, so that donors could see which part(s) they had contributed to.


• The librarian indicated that carpet squares couldn't be used because of the wood flooring underneath.


• Dialogue continued until another participant suggested creating a quilt to replicate the carpet squares that could be hung on the wall -- this would maintain the visual of donor contributions, but not force them into using carpet squares on the floor!

It's this creativity and willingness of participants to pitch in new ideas that makes the PLA project so rewarding to work on.

And, the ability to travel the country has been fun as well. Here are a few shots from our boat ride to Diamond Cove off Casco Bay.

On the Road Again - the PLA Tour

Happy Friday! I've been spending the week catching up and getting ready for the PLA-Tour! No, it's not a typo (I don't play golf ... yet!) -- the "tour" is the leadership training program for the Public Library Association.


You may recall from the spring that I posted some pics from workshops I led in cool places like Hershey, PA. Well, I'll be on the road again (beginning on Sunday) to help librarians and their trustees enhance their leadership skills to create community partnerships and (ultimately) increase funding for their libraries.


The first stop on the fall PLA Tour is Portland, Maine, where I'll meet and train librarians and trustees from the home state and from New Hampshire. I'm excited to be back involved with the project.

This time, I'll be bringing more Web 2.0 with me as I recently created a profile on Twitter! That way, I can share quick nuggets of learning, ideas, etc. from the workshops. So, you can follow me on Twitter directly or read updates here on the blog (right-hand side). See you on the road! :)

NEW Photos on Facebook

I've uploaded some photos from the first round of Turning the Page leadership development training to my Facebook page. Why did it take so long?

As I mentioned before, 2008 is my year of new technology. Well, my new laptop was delivered this week (early!). And, I've spent time today beginning to organize my files and documents and emails, etc... what fun -- NOT!

But, I am glad to have a newer machine that will enable me to take full advantage of Web 2.0 and social networking -- including the ability to create video podcasts with my new integrated camera! Keep an eye out for those, coming soon!

Finding "Me Time" in Salt Lake City

Greetings from Salt Lake City! I'm here conducting leadership training as part of my exciting new project with the Public Library Association. Over the next several weeks, I'll be helping public librarians and trustees across the country build their confidence and enthusiasm for advocacy to help fuel their efforts to increase local library funding . The event, Turning the Page: Building Your Library Community is a unique leadership development program created by PLA.

My goal is to share with you insights and ideas I gather from participants in my various sessions on enhancing project leadership; creating compelling stories; and making impactful presentations.

Some of you may remember that this isn't my first visit to Salt Lake. Back in February 2006, I visited the area on another business trip. In that post, I talked about how a change in scenery can be motivating. While I haven't had as much time to wander the city, I did feel a sense of calm as I entered the region on the plane -- the view of the mountains really has a calming effect on me.

In a recent enhancing project leadership session, we discussed the characteristics of effective leaders. After we'd developed a very comprehensive list of qualities and traits on the flipchart, one participant raised her hand and said "time for self." When I prompted her to share more, she reminded us all of how important it is for leaders to find time when we're not representing or speaking on behalf of anyone or any organization. It reminded me of our ongoing challenge to "unplug" and relax in our ever-connected world. By nature, librarians are so giving and helpful. I'm glad she was able to give herself permission to create some space for me-time.

I'm excited to share more tidbits and nuggets I gather from the library leaders and their supporters. The energy and participation levels have been great! Next week, I'll be visiting Wichita, Kansas for the first time! Until then, take care and find some me-time this weekend!

Top 5 Skills Gained from Volunteer Work

In preparation for today's teleclass with the Downtown Women's Club on Volunteering & Leadership Development, we created an online survey to learn about your volunteer experiences. So, I thought I'd share some initial results from the survey.

Here are the TOP 5 Career Skills you have developed or acquired by getting involved in your community: {online drumroll, please}

1. Communication (72%)
2. Leadership (69%)
3. Teamwork (59%)
4. Fundraising (47%)
5. Problem solving AND Public Speaking (tie at 44%)

In today's session, we talked about how important it is to be clear about your goals for a volunteer experience -- whether they are purely charitable/philanthropic or include a professional component. Either perspective is OK; just be sure you (and the organization) are clear from the beginning about what you hope to achieve.

When both parties are on the same page, it can be a win-win experience for all. This became obvious to me as I read your comments on the recognition and support you've received from organizations for whom you volunteer, including:

• Introductions to executives/senior leaders
• References for work
• Invitations to networking and special events

All are important for taking your career to the next level. There's still time to tell us about your volunteer experiences. Take our brief survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=263272577354. I look forward to hearing from you!

Refresh, Review and Renew your Career in May!

Spring is finally here -- time to shake off the winter cobwebs and refresh, review and renew! We kicked it off in March with an FUN anniversary party at Mannahatta -- thanks to all who came out to support! We're going to continue with three upcoming Competent Advantage TM seminars.

On Wednesday, May 3, I'll be helping Brooklyn's best and brightest graduating seniors from 14 colleges and universities market themselves to prospective employers. The Brooklyn College to Career Expo at the New York Marriott at Brooklyn Bridge will host 75-100 actively recruiting employers. The Competent Advantage TM seminar, at 9:30 AM in Salon A, will focus on practical strategies to develop a personal marketing pitch and enhance your job search portfolio.

On Wednesday, May 17, the Manhattan Chapter of National Coalition of 100 Black Women is hosting a Competent Advantage TM seminar to educate members and the wider community on career advancement and leadership development. At 6:30 PM, we'll be discussing practical ways to leverage your strengths and succeed in the workplace. The Manhattan Chapter of NCBW is dedicated to advocacy, leadership, and gender equity. This is accomplished through mentorship and a series of conferences, networking and special events. I'm excited to be part of their spring professional development programming!

On Tuesday, May 23, I'll be chatting with women entrepreneurs at the Network Enterprise, hosted at the Grace Institute. From 6-7:00 PM, we'll be talking shop about marketing and expanding small business enterprises. Like me, the Grace Institute believes in building a base for continuous professional and personal growth. I can't wait to meet all of you fabulous entrepreneurs!

How will YOU refresh, review and renew YOUR career this spring?