"I Never Asked to Be a Manager!"

The Challenge:
Martina never asked to be a manager. Her technical skills made her star performer, which put her on her boss’s “leadership potential radar,” and last year she was promoted to manage a team of four. Martina was less enthused. She could think of a lot of things she would rather do than deal with “people problems” all day long (like have a root canal, for instance.)

And people problems she received! John and Paul seem to engage in a never-ending personality conflict about petty issues, Mary’s performance was inconsistent at best, and Rawal seemed to spend more time and energy catching people doing things wrong in other departments than doing his work. All Martina wanted to do was to lock her office door and focus on her research.

After six stressful months, Martina’s manager suggested that she hire a coach to gain an objective perspective and strategies for becoming effective in her new role as a manager.

The Solution:
“I just want to tell them to grow up! Why can’t they just do their jobs?” Martina asked her J.Ferm coach. “I spend all my time trying to resolve John and Paul’s issues, getting Mary to come in on time, and listening to Rawal obsessing about others.” Martina’s coach (one of J.Ferm’s no frills, no fluff leaders) calmly said: “Stop getting involved and start managing.” After some reflection, and more detailed analysis of the situation, Martina realized that she was trying to resolve John’s and Paul’s relationship without asking them to take ownership and accountability of the issues, she recognized that she needed to tighten up her standards and expectations with Mary around her tardiness and lack of performance, and zap Rawal’s complaining and ask him to refocus his energies on his own work.

The Results:
After some practicing and fine-tuning, Martina has become an objective manager. She recognizes that the management part of her job is to set standards and expectations for her department and to hold the team accountable. It is also to encourage others to be independent problem-solvers, team players, and effective communicators. She offered her team access to training courses to build their skills and confidence and today, her team works like a well-oiled machine. John and Paul, while not best buddies, respect each others’ differences, Mary’s performance is consistent, and Rawal has become an effective producer. Today, Martina sees managing as more akin to daily flossing, rather than an ordeal on par with major dental surgery.

If you would like to learn more about the techniques Martina used in her organization, click here

Ship Shape in Rough Waters

The Challenge:
Rob had known for a long time that he needed to make some tough decisions about his staff. He kept postponing the changes hoping it would get better with time. After an eye-opening call from his most important client, Ron learned that “hope” isn’t an action plan.

Rob was stunned by what he heard. Julia, his best client was outraged and had had enough. She was tired of the negative attitude from his staff, the constant re-scheduling of appointments, and the lack of client service she had come to expect while working with Rob’s firm for several years. Rob was shocked by her feedback and asked if there was any way he could turn the situation around and keep her as a client. She said: “Yes, fire 80% of your staff, and I may consider coming back.”

It was time to act and Rob called J.Ferm for help.

The Work:
Together with his J.Ferm consultant, Rob made a list of the changes he needed to make to get his firm back on track. After reflecting on the list, he realized that the common denominator in his people-problems was Rob. On the plus side, Rob was a participatory boss who had given his staff quite a bit of leeway. He empowered them to make decisions and to solve problems creatively. On the negative side, he had given up far too much control, had become too friendly with the staff, and was saying yes to things he didn’t agree with just to keep them happy. Essentially, his staff had “taken over the ship,” and it was heading into a perfect storm unless Rob acted right away.

First, Rob was tasked with creating a new vision statement for the firm. He needed a crystal clear statement that would leave no questions about where the firm was going. His consultant encouraged him to keep it simple and concise so he could repeat it to his staff, new hires, clients, and prospects. Second, Rob began outlining the standards and expectations to which he would hold himself current, and new employees accountable. After three revisions, Rob had three non-negotiable standards that, if executed, would retain and grow his client base. It would also produce a fun and positive working environment. Third, Ron set up a meeting with his staff to have some tough conversations.

Let’s just say the meeting wasn’t exactly smooth sailing! All but two staff members were outraged, threatened to walk out, and were generally unhappy about the changes. Luckily Ron had role-played the worst case scenario with his consultant and didn’t waver. He calmly asked those who were onboard to stay and those who weren’t to leave. By the end of the day 60% of his staff walked out, 30% stayed, and Ron made the decision to fire another 10%. It left a skeleton crew and for those who stayed, it was a tough next few months. Ron worked more than he had since he started the business, his wife parked the kids with grandma and manned the phones, and they made several tough financial decisions to get the firm back on track. Despite these difficult choices, Ron never looked back. He reminded himself and his team of the vision and didn’t let anything get in his way.

The Results:
Today, Ron’s firm is ship shape and ready to weather any storm. Not only did Julia, his biggest client return, she also referred him several new clients. The staff members who stayed and worked through the tough times were rewarded financially and took on additional leadership roles to ensure that the firm sustains the positive momentum. Best of all, the loose cannons are gone.

Ron feels like a changed man. He has re-gained his self-confidence, energy, and determination and has learned some important lessons. Now he knows that it is OK to be a manager and make tough choices. He also realizes that as the leader of the firm, he sometimes needs to make unpopular decisions to keep the firm on course. Now he won’t wait for client feedback to move him into action. Instead he moves into action a little each day to correct, re-adjust, and re-shape his team and his business.

Confronting the "Brutal Facts" Allows Firm to Grow Strategically

The Challenge:
As the Managing Partner of a fast growing professional services firm, Carol wanted to take her firm from "good to great." The annual retreat was coming up and this year she knew she needed external help to confront the firm's most pressing matters. Specifically, the firm had experienced significant recent growth in revenue and new staff with little infrastructure to manage the growth and there was no succession plan to replace current partners and train the next generation of leaders

Carol felt stuck and decided to ask J.Ferm for help. She knew she needed a strategic plan that outlined action step for tackling the "brutal facts" and thought that an executive retreat would help generate the energy and enthusiasm she needed from her other partners.

The Work:
Together with her J.Ferm consultant, Carol began outlining the goals and expectations of a strategic plan. As she did, the J.Ferm consultant asked key questions to help Carol gain clarity about the plan: How did Carol perceive that the strategic plan would help the firm address the brutal facts? What resources was she willing to assign and allocate to take the firm from good to great? What was the level of commitment from the other six partners of the firm in executing a strategic plan? Did she, and the firm, recognize that the retreat would serve as a brainstorming session and wouldn't provide a short term "rah, rah fix" to these challenges? After much deliberation and consideration, Carol and the J.Ferm consultant agreed to move forward and designed a strategic plan and a retreat that proved instrumental in the firm's overall success.

The first step in the process was to include the other partners in the planning process. Each partner completed a series of assessments so that J.Ferm could generate an organizational overview of strengths and areas for development for the partner team. This overview was later used during the executive retreat to identify the specific strengths each partner offered to the team. It also helped the team to design action steps for allocating resources more effectively.

The second step included a pre-retreat workshop learning the concepts from the popular business book "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. Carol, an avid reader knew of the phrases: "confronting the brutal facts," "leading with your 'hedgehog'," and "first who then what," but for most of the partners, these concepts were unfamiliar. Reading the book literally brought everyone on the same page and allowed the partners to communicate using the same language during the retreat.

The third step was the retreat. All partners and senior administrative staff attended the retreat to dig deeper into the brutal facts, brainstorm solutions, and map out the initial action steps to the strategic plan. This three-day process got everyone involved and committed to the plan.

The fourth step was the post-retreat workshop. All participants in the retreat agreed to take part in the post-retreat to ensure that the "flywheel" kept moving and commitments were carried out. The J.Ferm consultant had warned Carol about not falling into the all-to-common pitfall of retreats: Inaction upon returning to the day-to-day activities.

The Results:
Today, Carol's firm has a strategic plan that allows them to grow with the pace of business. They now have a formal coaching and mentoring program that connects new employees with more experienced individuals to increase their learning and retention. The firm also has a screening and hiring process that is consistent with the firm's hedgehog concept (a combination of what the firm is passionate about, best at, and what drives their economic engine) to ensure that they hire the right people. Finally, the firm has a 5-year succession plan and a career-pathing program that ensures the firm's sustainability. Today, Carol and her partners rely on their strategic plan to keep the right people "on the bus" in all the right seats and keeps the bus going in the right direction.

Asking the Right Questions to Get the Right Results

The Challenge:
Joel, an HR Director of a medium-sized organization had a bad experience with a 360 degree assessment process and was reluctant to re-introduce assessments to his organization. The initial 360 process created confusion among participants and was poorly administered and delivered by the vendor. When approached by his new boss to interview a potential new assessment vendor, Joel was hesitant. He believed in the benefits of assessments (when implemented and executed well), but was unsure of what to ask the vendor to get the results he was looking for. He contacted J.Ferm to provide consulting expertise in successfully selecting, implementing, and sustaining an assessment process at his organization.

The Work:
One benefit resulting from the disastrous 360 process was that Joel knew what he didn't want. Together with his J.Ferm consultant, he began formulating a "Top 3 Assessment Tool Must Have" list. Joel was crystal clear about a few things: (1.) The assessments had to be diverse with broad applications. He didn't want tools that were overly specific and he didn't want "one size fits all" tools. (2.) The assessment tools had to show a proven and sustained track record including recently updated validity and reliability studies. (3.) He wanted assessment tools that were easy to both administer and complete online.

Once he had clearly articulated the standards for the tools themselves, he outlined the "Top 3 Assessment Vendor Must Have" list. His top three were: (1.) The vendor had to show sincere interest in and commitment to learning what was important to Joel's organization. He could not afford another assessment vendor mistake after the 360 debacle. (2.) The vendor had to be responsive, actively engaged, and willing to go through the assessment process step-by-step with Joel and his team to ensure that it was launched successfully. (3.) The vendor had to offer continuous training and support to staff and employees.

Armed with his two lists, Joel began interviewing vendors. Some possessed one or two items, some had three or four. Joel didn't give up until he found a vendor who had all six.

The Results:
Today, Joel's organization has successfully implemented an "assessment culture" and they use assessments for almost every initiative. Some include screening and hiring, leadership and management development, executive coaching, team design and development, and conflict resolution. The assessments are producing both measurable and intangible results and the organization is thriving. Joel is thrilled with his carefully selected vendor and realized that not all vendors are the same or offer the same products and services. More importantly, he realized that he needed to be crystal clear about what would work for his organization before he looked for vendors who would be able to match his needs.

Creative Thinking Takes Company to New Heights

The Challenge:
Grace, a senior consultant in a highly specialized consulting firm, struggled with the thought that she didn't quite fit in. Her performance record was outstanding and she was considered an expert in her field, but she often felt like the "odd woman out." The way she naturally thought about challenges and solving problems seemed very much out of the box and she often felt like an outsider among her peer group.

After taking a series of behavior and values assessments, Grace recognized that she truly was different! One of her driving motivators, Aesthetic, is not often found among consultants in her analytical and problem-solving focused work. The Aesthetic value is focused on creative and subjective experiences and is more common among creative professions such as artists, performers, musicians, actors, and other "right-brained" knowledge workers. The information truly hit home with Grace. She finally felt like she knew what was wrong with her, or rather RIGHT with her. It was as if the assessment put into words what she had been experiencing.

The Work:
With this insight, Grace asked HR if she could work with a coach to explore how her creative thinking could be further explored in order to tap into her motivation and contribute more effectively to the company's bottom line. HR enthusiastically supported Grace's initiative and together with her new coach, Grace began to explore opportunities that required and encouraged her unique right-brained approach.

First, Grace was asked by her coach to identify key stakeholders within the consulting firm who would be supportive of her new direction and who had expertise in exploring different types of opportunities. Second, her coach gave Grace a variety of resources to learn more about how successful companies use a right-brained approach to build their businesses including magazines and books like Inc., Fast Company, A Whole New Mind, and Good to Great. Finally, Grace was asked to "turn up" her right-brain thinking and turn the left side down a bit to stop trying to fit in and instead allow herself to be different in order to provide additional value to clients and the company.

The Results:
Once Grace recognized that her difference was unique and profitable, she began to communicate differently with peers and shared how her unique talents were integral to the problem-solving process. She began to promote her difference to clients to create a unique value proposition and she began appreciating her talents, which resulted in increased energy and motivation. Grace is confident that as she hones her skills and talents, she will be able to expand her consulting practice and explore a mostly untapped market with right-brained clients. She is thankful that her company and HR department were supportive and encouraged her to use her strengths and skills in a new direction. Now, the company benefits and Grace no longer feels like an outsider. She is determined to show her company that their decision to think outside the box was the right one.

Becoming a Leader in Client AND Employee Service

The Challenge:
George reflected on the successful law firm he helped to build. Under his leadership the firm had grown to include four offices, 150 employees, and an opportunity to add another 30 attorneys this year. Finding people was easy. The real challenge for George was retaining top performers and managing the evolving corporate culture. When he contacted J.Ferm, he knew he needed more than a quick fix to manage the growth.

During the initial meeting, George shared more insight into the pressing challenges he was facing. “We are growing fast and have established a reputation in the marketplace for producing high quality work. Our attorneys are talented, smart, and good at building external relationships, but I am hearing complaints from clients about their interactions with administrative staff. There also seems to be a morale issue among the staff and I recently received two resignation letters from top attorneys. They told me they received 'too-good-to-turn-away' offers from our competitors, but I don’t buy it. I think there is something deeper going on, but I don’t know what it is or how to fix it.”

The Work:
After gaining a better understanding of George’s perceived challenges, the J.Ferm consultant asked to meet with ten of George’s key players for an informational interview. The team consisted of attorneys, administrators, and firm leaders. They were asked a series of questions about their perceptions of the challenges George had identified. After the information was gathered, the consultant met with George who was eager to discuss the data. The key players agreed that there is a problem. They said they are finding it a challenge to keep top talent because the corporate culture that was presented to them in the hiring process did not match the reality at the firm.

Some of the common pains included administrative personnel with poor attitudes, limited skills to do their jobs, poor time management skills, and unprofessional behaviors. Others included the lack of a consistent screening, hiring and interviewing system to weed out attorneys who wouldn't fit the corporate culture, no training in how to manage administrative staff effectively, and no clear path for advancing within the organization.

The Results:
George realized that he had identified some serious issues and began working with the consultant to align resources, people, and talent to combat the challenge before it was too late. He authorized a new screening and hiring process for all new employees with benchmarks for excellence in each job. This gave HR the tools they were missing for screening, interviewing and hiring people who best met the clearly articulated standards of the organization.

The result has been increased retention of top producing attorneys and administrative staff, a significant decrease in hiring costs, and a more cohesive team environment. George and his partners and stakeholders worked with their consultant to develop a succession plan so that talented attorneys who were looking to take on more leadership had a clear path to the top and knew exactly what they needed to develop to get there. This has resulted in a more collegial atmosphere, a sense of direction for George, and a powerful team environment for building the business.

At the request of the Operations Manager (now the Managing Director), all administrative staff report directly to the Operations Manager, who now has clear standards and expectations for performance for all positions from the receptionist to George's assistant. These clear standards are communicated to temp agencies as well, which has resulted in longer tenure, less turnover, and reduced re-training time.

George also allocated resources for training and development of his managers and leaders, client service training for administrative staff, and an annual retreat for all staff and attorneys. Today, when the marketing department is posting philosophy and values statements in the firm's promotional materials, George can sit back and know that what is marketed to potential hires truly matches the actual experience at the firm.


Moving From Powerful to Authentic Leader

The Challenge:
Stuck on a plane, with no access to his BlackBerry or computer, Ernie had a few rare moments of uninterrupted time to reflect on his recent accomplishments. As the new CEO of a major corporation, he had produced significant financial results, built an effective team, and positioned the corporation as a leader in its industry in record time. By everyone’s standards, he was a tremendous leader and a successful individual. Yet, Ernie knew instinctively that there were pieces of his leadership persona missing. He often felt like he was just playing the role of the leader others expected of him. He longed to feel “real” and authentic, leading from a place of strength and personal power. After sharing his thoughts and feelings with his wife, she recommended that he contact an executive coach specializing in leadership development.

When Ernie called J.Ferm, he said: “I am ready to take my leadership skills to the next level. I know I am a good leader because I work hard at being one. But I don’t want to work so hard at it or struggle to fill the leadership role anymore. I want to 'live' my leadership convictions and make sure my professional and personal lives are congruent. How do I do that?”

The Work:
As you can imagine, there was no one easy answer to Ernie’s question and the work ahead, seemed daunting. Together with his coach, Ernie began articulating how he saw himself as a leader currently. His list included the following statements:

“Working 70 hour a week but encouraging others to enjoy work-life balance.”

“Flying by the seat of my pants (though I appear to be in control).”

“Hoping and praying that others will step up to the plate and follow my lead (most often they do, but I spend significant time worrying about them not doing so).”

To determine the gap between where Ernie was and where he wanted to be, the coach asked him to describe his ideal leadership style. Ernie listed the following descriptors:

“A well-balanced life spending time with individuals (personal and professional contacts) who energize and inspire me.”

“Oozing a calm and grounded vibe that attracts other authentic individuals.”

“An internal power-source to tap into when making difficult people decisions.”

Ernie and his coach then mapped out a targeted plan to address each particular gap and designed measurable action steps for accomplishing these shifts. For example, Ernie wanted to move from "working 70 hours per week while encouraging others to balance their lives" to "a well-balanced life spending time with individuals who energize and inspire me."

Ernie began by focusing on one goal and making small changes. He announced to his closest team that he would leave the office at 2pm on Fridays between Memorial Day and Labor Day for leadership development. He empowered his team to enjoy a similar flex schedule as long as at least one administrative person and one manager was in the office between 2pm-6pm on those same Fridays. Between 2pm and 4pm each Friday, Ernie met with his mentor to focus on personal and professional development and between 4pm-5pm, he met with his coach.

He also limited his email and BlackBerry availability to three hours per day and began taking charge of his meeting schedule. His assistant became an invaluable gatekeeper and effective time manager.

The Result:
People around Ernie began to recognize changes immediately. His Vice Presidents noticed that he was less tense and more focused in meetings. They also noted that he smiled more often and seemed to enjoy his job again. His former email and BlackBerry “obsession” seemed to have disappeared and his team stated that the new designated email and phone times helped them stay focused and more productive. Before, they tended to abandon their work to respond to the all too frequent email messages that Ernie sent out.

A year after starting the “Authentic Leader” process, Ernie has made significant strides in reaching his ideal leadership style. He learned that making major shifts in thinking and acting requires a commitment to move from where you are to where you want to be.

Clear Expectations Yield Clear Results

The Challenge:
Jack, a senior leader at a major consulting firm, was struggling to get his work done. A few months ago he had been promoted from individual contributor to team leader and was now responsible for 10 direct reports. He was excited to have a team to work with, but instead of closing deals and meeting with key accounts, he was spending valuable time proofreading proposals and correcting simple mistakes.

When he came to J.Ferm he was frustrated and confused. He just couldn't figure out why his direct reports were handing in sub-par work and seemed to ignore basic professional standards. “I keep correcting their mistakes and indicating the changes needed in red ink. They can’t possibly be missing the corrections, yet I keep seeing the same mistakes over and over again. These are smart people with advanced degrees. I know they would catch these mistakes if they just paid attention. Am I the only person who cares about basic grammar and spelling? Are my standards too high?

The Work:
After listening to Jack’s story, his coach assured him that this problem was not as uncommon as he may have thought. She encouraged Jack to write down a list of the five most common mistakes that appeared on proposals to determine if his standards were in fact too high or if there was another reason for the challenge. Jack’s completed list included:

1. Client name spelled incorrectly
2. Inconsistent titles and salutations
3. Sentences ending in a preposition
4. The company name abbreviated
5. More than four spelling mistakes per proposal.

After reviewing the list together, Jack and his coach sorted the short list into “lazy mistakes” and “English/standard mistakes” and decided that the problem wasn't that he was asking too much of his direct reports but rather, they simply were not prioritizing the basics. Jack’s coach asked him to identify the definitive statement of standards and expectations – the list of common errors that would no longer be accepted. Jack put the new standards into checklist form:

Five Must Check Before Handing any Proposal to the Boss

Client name is spelled correctly (company name and contact person’s first and last name)

The title of the person matches the salutation (Mr. Jones…Dear John…)

No sentences end in a preposition (if am not sure, I have asked at least two people to proofread the document for this particular purpose and I understand how to correct this type of mistake in the future)

I have not abbreviated our company name in the proposal (unless specifically indicated)

I have used the computer spell check on this document, personally proofread it, and have asked at least two people to do the same. I am confident that there are less than three spelling/grammar mistakes in this proposal.

The Result:
The next day Jack shared the list with his team and nervous giggles filled the room. Jack stated that he was tired of correcting lazy mistakes and expected more from his team. He asked the team to review the five simple steps on the checklist prior to handing in any proposal in the future. If any of the steps were left out, he would hand back the proposal without corrections for the team to resolve. He shared that we would gladly make recommendations and changes related to client information, structural flows, or content, but the days of babysitting were over.

A few weeks later, Jack reported that he was spending significantly less time proofing proposals and more time coaching his team to reach higher goals. He received feedback from a few team members that they appreciated his clear and direct standards and expectations. Jack always assumed his direct reports knew what his standards and expectations were. Now he knows for sure!

Delegating With Style: The Answer to Creating More Hours in the Day

The Challenge:

Anne was overwhelmed. On her desk were piles of documents she needed to review, a to-do list with no end in sight, and an important meeting with her Board of Directors for which she had not yet prepared.

Anne often felt like she was one step behind and recently received feedback from the chairman of the board that his team perceived her as unfocused and frazzled. Anne realized that it wouldn't take long until her behaviors and actions would have serious negative consequences and she contacted J.Ferm for help.

The Work:

We first asked Anne to write down all the things she had to do within the next month without thinking about the appropriate order. Her completed list included 48 tasks! When we reviewed the list together, Anne recognized that her job responsibilities far exceeded her original job description. She was taking on more and more responsibility without asking for additional help. This insight became increasingly important as we continued.

Next, we asked Anne to review her list of the 48 activities and organize them by priority codes (1=today, 2=within the week, 3=within the month, and 4=within the quarter or ongoing). After reflection, Anne shared that she didn't really spend any time thinking about the priorities in advance. She just came in to work and began tackling her to-do list, often interrupted by additional urgent tasks that needed to be added to the list.

After prioritizing the activities, we began looking at what she could delegate and to whom. Anne's immediate team included one assistant working 20 hours and an intern who came 10 hours per week. We started by analyzing each person's strengths and weaknesses to delegate the most appropriate task to the best suited person. We also looked at what their motivators and drives were so that we could assign tasks that evoked their interests.

Next, the tasks were clearly articulated using the S.M.A.R.T. acronym (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timed). Each task had a "delegated on" and an "accomplish by" date. Anne shared that she often communicated an "accomplish by" date, but didn't schedule a check-in date for measuring the progress along the way which resulted in incomplete tasks and unsatisfying results.

When Anne finally reviewed the process for delegating effectively, she realized that she hadn't been spending the necessary time planning and organizing her work and she delegated tasks that were not specific enough for her staff to carry out effectively. In addition, she was putting too much on her plate and hadn't followed up with the Board about hiring an Assistant Director and approving her use of independent contractors to help with the workload.

The Results:

Once Anne re-organized her to-do list and delegated the appropriate tasks, she enjoyed a few moments of feeling in control. Knowing the feeling wouldn't last very long if she went back to her old habits, Anne set up an appointment with the Board to present her new strategic plan for the year. In it, she clearly outlined the day-to-day accountabilities of her job, the job description for a future Assistant Director, and specific ways each board member could help her reach her goals. She also asked to hire three independent contractors for when the workload became too intense.

Today, the Board of Directors perceive Anne as a proactive thinker with a plan for the future. Her team includes one assistant director, an office assistant, three volunteers who report to the AD, a marketing consultant, a web content expert, and an executive coach.

Taking the "Pain" out of Managing

The Challenge:

Phil, a senior partner at a mid-size law firm approached J.Ferm with a performance challenge. He felt that his employees were not meeting his expectations and he was concerned because he couldn't see a successor among his team.

J.Ferm's initial task was to conduct a thorough "root cause" analysis of Phil's team and organization. J.Ferm then set up an appointment with Phil to share the real reasons his team was under-performing. First, most employees were unclear about what Phil's expectations were and, consequently, a great deal of time and energy was spent producing information and results that Phil didn't need or want. Second, Phil's leadership and communication style was ineffective. Employees unanimously said that he over-delegated and under-instructed, resulting in confusion and frustration. Finally, Phil's team saw no reason to go "above and beyond" for the company since they felt that company did little to support them in their professional development. According to the team, several requests for technical training and leadership development were declined because "they cost money and produce little ROI to the company."

The Work:

The findings hit Phil hard. "What do they mean they don't know what is expected of them! I tell them all the time! Exceptional client service and meticulously follow up is what our company prides itself on. And to address the professional development requests, that is not true. All I said to them was that they needed to show me how the company would benefit. I never heard from them again. They tell me they want to take on leadership roles, but they never show any leadership initiative!"

It appeared that Phil had a "perception problem" on his hands. He thought that his expectations were clear and that he was providing opportunities for growth. His employees felt that his expectations were unclear and that he was unsupportive of their initiatives to grow as leaders. Phil wanted to fix the problem and asked J.Ferm to "work its magic."

As Phil now knows, there is very little magic that goes into building effective teams and organizations. The answer is an effective and straight-forward management system. The only thing missing from Phil's skill set were a few tools that enabled him to maximize communication effectiveness.

Phil learned how to articulate his standards for performance in writing. Today, his employees are rewarded for exceeding standards and expectations. He also learned how to deliver and get his message heard. He now checks for understanding, asks for delivery times for tasks, and clarifies agreements. Phil also clearly identified what skills, attitudes, and behaviors he expects from employees who wish to step into leadership roles.

The Results:

Phil recently contacted J.Ferm to share that he had identified a future partner. He said: "I can't believe I didn't see it until now. Jane has worked for me for 5 years and I never considered her a future partner until now. She is effective, delivers consistently, and our clients love her. I realized that when you have an effective management system in place, it will do the managing for you. Now, I spend more time developing my leaders and working on delegating effectively to meet my vision."

"It's Not About Them. It's About YOU!"

The Challenge:

Sara started the conversation by saying "I was just fired, but I don't know why. I was meeting the numbers, getting the job done, and people were impressed with my results." After a few coaching sessions, Sara began addressing the brutal facts that brought her career to a halt. She was a top performer with an "if-you-don't-get-out-of-my-way-I'll-run-you-over" attitude. She thought of herself as competitive, but others saw her cut-throat. She had convinced herself that results mattered and personal relationships didn't. She was wrong and she decided to start the painful process of getting honest, rediscovering her strengths, and addressing her "shadow behaviors."

The Work:

We began by listing Sara's strengths. She filled up a sheet of paper and identified the following as her top five strengths: Assertive, Results-focused, Initiator, Logical, and Competitive. We agreed that these are exceptional skills and strengths for someone in her field of consulting. Next, I asked Sara to write down what would happen if she took each strength to an extreme or over-extended it. Her list now reflected the following: Assertive=Bitchy, Results-focused=Cut throat, Initiator=Domineering, Logical=Unconcerned with emotions, and Competitive=Win-lose. After reviewing the sheet, Sara realized that she had lost control of her strengths and had let them turn into what we call "shadow behaviors." These behaviors are the flip side of our strengths and often cast a shadow or generate a negative perception.

The Results:

After a few months of working together, Sara made tremendous progress and began embracing her shadow behaviors. She learned that since these "shadows" are directly tied to strengths, they never quite go away. So she focused on communicating more effectively about them instead. She also discovered that by accepting and embracing her "shadows", they become less powerful. Today, she is a top performing consultant recognized for her self-awareness and is appreciated for her strengths. Last time we spoke she said that a colleague gave her a great compliment when he said "Sara, you drive me crazy when you get into result-producing mode, but I respect your approach and communication style. I feel comfortable calling you on it when you begin to over-focus on results."

"Executive Coaching: "Sounds Great, What Is It?"

After meeting Ed at several leadership networking events, he approached me one day and said "I know you are an Executive Coach, but what does that really mean? If we worked together, what would we do? How would I know I got my money's worth?"

Ed's questions are common for someone who is interested in coaching. It is an intangible service with non-guaranteed results that requires a significant financial and time investment. Most executives and individuals want to know what they will be paying for. Since the answers to his questions required a different setting, I asked to meet with Ed later that week to learn more about what peaked his interest in coaching, what he wanted to accomplish, and if coaching was the right venue to get him there.

When we met, he told me he had met one of our clients named Dan and was impressed with the results Dan had accomplished in a short time and Ed wanted to know how he could do the same. I answered: "That depends on what you want to accomplish. Each person is different and wants different outcomes. Let's talk about some of yours." I began by asking Ed a series of question including "What would you like more of? What would you like less of? What is your biggest challenge right now? If we coached together, what would be the first thing we would work on? When will you know that you are getting the results you are looking for?" We spent almost an hour talking about where Ed was and where he wanted to be, what his BIG personal and business goals were, and how coaching may help him get there. As our meeting came to an end, Ed asked if it was OK to think over what we discussed and to let me know in a few days if he was ready to get started. I told him that I ask all clients to process the initial meeting and to decide if they are committed in a few days. To get the kind of results that Dan experienced and Ed was interested in, requires a serious commitment. Coaching is not an answer for every organizational and/or personal challenge.

A few days later, Ed called and left a message. He said, "I'm ready. Let's go!"

A Healthy Company, A Healthy President

The Challenge:

Michael, a serial entrepreneur and President of a successful business, decided he had had enough! He came to J.Ferm hoping to regain focus and direction for himself and his business. It was the end of the year and Michael did not want to continue putting out fires on a daily basis. He wanted to get back to being the guy who dreamed up big visions and engaged in high-risk successful business ventures. When his coach asked him where to start, he said: "I need to be better organized, more focused, and manage my time better." With that in mind, they began the work.

The Work:

Unexpectedly, Michael's coach asked for permission to set those goals aside for a while. Surprised and intrigued, Michael agreed. Through the first part of the year, Michael and his coach worked on other related issues. For example, Michael realized that he was trapped in the role of playing the "big brother" to his junior staff. He wanted desperately to help them succeed, but did so at his own (and the company's) expense. When he reviewed his financials he realized that the staff was taking advantage of his generosity and were charging personal expenses to the company. These revelations really got to Michael. He wasn't as upset with them as he was with himself. He recognized that he wasn't caring for himself or his business and acted immediately to make the necessary changes.

He worked with his coach to set new and clear boundaries for the staff and met with them to clarify expectations. In addition, he began delegating responsibility and asking staff members to hold themselves accountable. With his free time, he began setting aside time for long-term planning and entrepreneurial thinking.

The Results:

As a result of Michael's hard work and dedication, his business is booming. He replaced some employees with top producers who are responsible and accountable. He spends more time at the gym and is thinking up new plans and visions for his company. He recognized that he did not need more time, but needed to use the time he had more effectively. Prior to coaching, he was doing other people's jobs and was hesitant to hold his employees accountable. He is focused and determined to build a "healthy" company and to lead that company to new heights. As for being more organized, Michael finally realized that being truly "organized"isn't his natural style, and the successful solution was to hire an exceptional assistant who keeps him on track.

"Just Say No (But Offer Alternatives)!"

The Challenge:

Rose, a single mother of three, top producer in her industry, and Vice President of a high-profiled company, came to J.Ferm hoping to find answers to a "nagging"question. "Should she find a new job that challenged her talents, or stay at her current company even though she was convinced that she had reached the top as far as promotions were concerned?" She had given her notice once before, but was swayed by the President to stay and given a significant salary increase. She was torn between loyalty to the company and her commitment to her personal and professional development.

The Work:

During the intake call with her coach, she shared all the reasons she felt she had to leave the company, including: an absence of promotional opportunities, demanding work and travel schedule, and an overwhelming work load. Her coach asked her for permission to set the "outcome" of the coaching relationship aside and instead search for the answers to her discontent.

As the coach "dug a little deeper" by asking pointed questions, Rose recognized that her reasons for leaving were not the real issue. Through her excavation work, she realized that she was afraid to say no to her demanding boss, had a need to be a "Superwoman" and do it all by herself, and had extended her boundaries to the point where she had become aphetic and phlegmatic. It was a challenge for Rose to accept responsibility for her inadvertent transformation and she worked hard with her coach to get re-focused and re-energized.

She began by asking her manager for a new job description indicating what her responsibilities were and how she would be measured on her ability to meet or exceed the expectations. Rose also asked permission to say no to her manager and others if she felt that the additional work prevented her from being productive and effective.

The Results:

Rose is still employed at the same company, but has created a new role for herself that taps into her strengths and interests. She is comfortable saying no and offering alternatives if she is not able to assist others. Her energy and determination are back and the company is benefiting greatly from her results. She is spending more time with her children and is looking forward to spearheading a new product launch this year.

"You're Hired (Again)!"

The Challenge:

Collin, a senior Executive at a Fortune 500 company, approached J.Ferm after he was told by his manager that he needed to become more of a "people person." His manager, Jane, told him that she was happy with the results he produced, but the feedback in a recent 360 degree survey indicated that those around Collin did not like working with him. The anonymous feedback in the survey indicated that at least two people left the firm because they found Collin abrasive and de-motivating. Jane mentioned that she would have to let Collin go if he didn't change or act on this issue immediately. She encouraged him to seek out an executive coach.

The Work:

This feedback knocked Collin for a loop. "How could they say such things? Wasn't he an honest, straight forward, direct communicator? Wasn't he a mentor to several high performers at the firm? After all, he was responsible for producing results not making people feel good, right?" Even though Collin's natural instinct was to fight back and deny the feedback, he decided to contact an executive coach to gain some insight.

He worked with his coach to confront the real answers to these questions. He had to go deep into his "authentic self" to discover the truth. It demanded a willingness to "confront the brutal facts" and it proved to be painful and challenging. Through the process Collin discovered that, what used to be strengths had become weaknesses. His natural ability to be clear and concise was coming off as blunt and rude. He recognized that he had been hiding behind the results to avoid developing his"people skills."He re-connected with his desire to help others produce results and designed a process that lets him consistently check in with his employees' personal and professional goals.

The Results:

Today, Collins is recognized within the firm as a manager who produces results THROUGH people. His latest 360 degree feedback assessment indicated that he is viewed as a leader and an excellent communicator. He is now looking forward to his 6 month 360 degree assessment review!

A "Not So Natural" Transition

The Challenge:

Maria was a highly regarded top producer in her industry. She had consistently exceeded expectations and stopped at nothing to get the job done. She may have "stepped on a few toes" along the way, but did what she felt was necessary to get results. Her boss was tremendously impressed with her success and promoted her to manager.

Shortly after the promotion, she began having difficulty meeting and exceeding her goals. Her staff came up with excuses for non-performance and she experienced constant turn-over. Maria tried setting higher expectations and demanded increased performance , but to no avail.

The Work:

It was at this time that Maria contacted J.Ferm for help. After a few hard looks in the proverbial mirror, Maria saw a person she didn't like. She had been so focused on results that she had become a "bull in a China shop," destroying whatever was in her way. People didn't like her, she had a reputation of being unreasonable and overly-demanding, and her staff did not respect her.

Together with her coach she worked on developing empathy, communicating clearly without being curt or blunt, and connecting with her own views of work. She asked herself "Does it have to be so hard? Can I combine work, fun, and results? What do I need to change to get the results I want?"

The Results:

Now Maria is coaching and leading a high-performing team and is consistently exceeding her department's goals. She has been praised for her willingness to confront her leadership style and for taking the initiative to change. Maria now realizes that being a solo-performer is very different from coaching and leading a team and it requires an entirely new set of skills.

"Wherever You Go, There You Are."

The Challenge:

Curtis was facing a transition at work and knew that it was time to make a significant change. When he contacted J.Ferm, he was considering quitting his job and taking a 3-month sabbatical to travel around the world. He thought that would be the answer to his problems.

The Work:

During his first coaching call, the coach asked if he was willing to consider an alternate solution to leaving his job. The coach requested that he set aside his preconceived solution to the problem and give himself a few months to figure out what may be causing the impulse to leave his job in the first place. With some hesitation, Curtis agreed to consider the possibility of an alternate solution.

After three months of hard work and honest self-assessment, Curtis realized that he had been "running away" from both opportunities and challenges, anytime they forced him to make a big decision. Based on this revelation, Curtis made significant changes to the way he thought and acted regarding decision-making. He became aware of smaller steps he could take earlier in the process that calmed his fears and allowed him to prepare for a larger decision at a slower pace.

The Results:

Did he stay or leave? It is not for us to share, but Curtis did make this comment: "Coach, I realize now that wherever you go, there you are. Thank you for challenging me to think differently to get a different result."

Boundaries That Encourage "Win-Win" Relationships

The Challenge:

Kevin was used to working over 80 hours a week as a high-profile PR executive. He enjoyed a life of luxury, including fancy dinners, fabulous perks, and an impressive income. Yet what he really wanted was to spend more time at home with his family.

The Work:

Together with his coach, Kevin started reviewing HOW he was spending time at work. He discovered that he wasn't setting boundaries with clients and co-workers which impacted his effectiveness. He also recognized that he had become a"YES-man" who volunteered to take on more responsibility than he had time for, which in turn resulted in a sense of being overwhelmed and frustrated.

Kevin knew that he wanted to spend less time at work and more time with his family and decided to take one step at a time. He began by asking specific questions about time and resources in order to create more time in his schedule. For example, when clients asked him to be at a certain meeting, Kevin asked how important it was that he was there in person. Could he be on a conference call instead? Were the dates and times flexible to the client? Could he combine visiting clients who were in close proximity to travel more effectively?

The Results:

What Kevin soon realized was that most of his clients were perfectly happy hearing him on a conference line instead of seeing him in person. They were often flexible about the date and time he visited, and were happy to accommodate his schedule when possible. Today, Kevin is working no more than 60 hours a week and travels no more than 2 days a week. Setting boundaries and asking questions helped Kevin spend more time with his family and become more effective and fulfilled at work.

Maximizing Strengths to Produce Bottom-line Results

The Challenge:

Jenny, a senior investment banker, realized that her lack of passion at work was eating away at her energy level. Not surprisingly, this contributed to her chronically bad mood. She loved working directly with clients and knew her ability to connect with them emotionally made her successful as a banker. Lately, however, the company had moved to a more process-focused, bottom-lined approach and she felt like she didn't have enough time to serve her clients like she used to. She felt bogged down by the amount of paperwork needed to keep up with the company's expectations and her manager kept requesting updates and financial reports.

The Work:

Jenny and her coach started by reviewing her Personal Interests, Attitudes, and Values Report (PIAV) report which listed her driving values in order of importance. She discovered that her two driving values were Utilitarian (wanting a return on investment of time and resources) and Social (the desire to help others grow and develop). Her situational values were Individualistic (the desire to be a leader) and Theoretical (a quest for knowledge). When Jenny discovered what values energized her, she felt like a door had opened up! She recognized that, if she aligned her daily tasks with what drives her, she would rekindle the passion for work again. Jenny realized that she needed to take specific steps and moved into action.

The Results:

She met with her manager to share the news. She communicated clearly about what she was passionate about at work and what she wanted to focus on to produce results. She asked her manager for administrative support and a "break" from the weekly reports until she was up to speed. The response surprised her! Her manager even offered to do the reports for her since she didn't realize it was weighing Jenny down. She was more excited about Jenny growing her book of business and increasing the results for the company, than having the reports done! Today, Jenny is outperforming her competition and enjoys her work immensely.

Recharging the Batteries

The Challenge:

Alicia, Jane, and Martin have been running the family business together for over 20 years. This year, they felt stuck and unmotivated to articulate the new strategic direction for the company and knew they needed help.

The Work:

They contacted J.Ferm to get a deeper connection to their business and to each other. The coach began assessing their individual strengths and areas for development and asked each person to design a "Future File" containing a detailed description of what the company would look like five years down the road.

The Results:

This exercise helped the team visualize a future beyond traditional ways of thinking and it allowed them to think creatively again. Each team member left the strategic coaching day with one new goal to move the organization from "good" to "great."

Success Stories Disclaimer

The names of individuals in the "Success Stories" are not names of actual clients. Each story has been modified to protect the confidentiality of our clients and are shared as "composite" stories of clients we work with.