This guest post is by Judd Hoekstra, Blanchard vice president and coauthor of the new book, Crunch Time, just released on Monday. In today’s hypercompetitive world, we all face significant pressure to perform. We want to be our best when it matters most. But something happens when the pressure rises. In too many cases, we get…
“Think about your best boss,” asks coaching expert Madeleine Blanchard. “Your best boss is a person who helped you to deliver phenomenal performance, but they also helped you to really grow and develop yourself.” In a short video interview Blanchard explains that, “Managers who have no idea how to use coaching skills, or use a…
After analyzing four years of check-in data, Gold’s Gym found that February 18 is the date with the steepest drop-off in gym attendance. And it may be the day you are most likely to quit your own New Year’s resolution around fitness. It’s a common experience, explains best-selling business author Ken Blanchard. “Nearly all of…
Dear Madeleine, I lead large teams in the field and partner with a core team at the headquarters of my organization. My boss is at HQ and largely ignores me because all of my projects come in on time and under budget. I have literally been told I am a “dream employee.” The fly in…
Regular communication using coaching skills is essential for bringing out the best in people. A new eBook just published by The Ken Blanchard Companies identifies coaching as the single most important managerial competency that separates highly effective managers from average ones. When leaders coach their people it has significant positive effects on employee development, performance,…
Ask anyone about their best boss and you will get a familiar list: My boss cared about me as a person My boss listened to me and helped me grow My boss was clear about what was expected and gave me feedback—even when it wasn’t pretty My boss was a person I respected and admired…
Dear Madeleine, I am young game designer living in LA. I know I have talent and drive, and I have had some success. But there just doesn’t seem to be any hope for me because it is so clearly who you know, not what you know, that counts. I see peers getting opportunities I should…
In my mind, nothing opens up possibilities for personal and professional growth more than receiving honest observations from a colleague, friend, or family member. However, I realize this sentiment is not widely shared. Ken Blanchard likes to say “Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” But if this is true, why is this meal avoided by…
Trust is a challenge in today’s organizations. Even though trustworthiness is generally recognized as an important managerial attribute, the reality is that leaders are falling short in this area. According to Tolero Solutions, 45 percent of employees say lack of trust in leadership is the biggest issue impacting work performance. Two new research reports just…
In this episode of the Blanchard LeaderChat podcast, we interview Dr. Brené Brown, researcher and author of three #1 New York Times Bestsellers: The Gifts of Imperfection (2010), Daring Greatly (2012), and Rising Strong (2015). Brown and her work have been featured on PBS, NPR, CNN, and at TEDx Houston, where in 2010 she presented…
Coaching to support learning is a process that gives learners a chance, after training, to go back to their jobs and practice using the concepts they just learned. Providing employees with two or three 1-hour coaching sessions creates an actual learning process instead of just a training event. This extra step is important in today’s…
Dear Madeleine, I have been asked to participate in a 360 degree feedback program. My boss and the HR team will see the results—and I think the results are going to be used to make promotion decisions. I have a bad feeling about this. I’m not that worried about someone giving negative feedback, but the…
