I learn something whenever I teach leadership workshops. That's because I believe there's already abundant wisdom already in the room. It was certainly the case when I led a week-long leadership and coaching program for journalists from around the world. As you can see from the class picture, it was a smart, diverse, fun group.
One of the participants, E.S. Isaac of India, made an impression on everyone. His wisdom and warm smile lifted us all. Isaac has a deep belief in the power of listening.
Isaac inherited that belief from his father, a man who had no formal education, who was illiterate for much of his life, and yet was a formidable teacher. He gently schooled Isaac on the priceless value of listening. Now, your parents and mine may have tried to tell us to listen, but I bet the message was not quite as magical as this. Listen for yourself as Isaac tells the story:
You can read more about Isaac and see a photo of his family in a column I wrote for Poynter.org.
Just click here.
October 2, 2014
"Jill Geisler", "work happy: what great bosses know", Coaching, leadership, listening, management
My book, columns and podcasts have connected me with leaders all across the world. Most recently, I was contacted by Rhian Morgan, writing for the Institute for Leadership and Management in the United Kingdom.
Rhian sent me a great list of questions, dug back into some of my columns, and wrote this combination profile/interview for ILM. It's called:
"Women in Leadership: A Culture of Coaching." We discussed women's skills and values as leaders, the importance of coaching, and the essentials of power and influence.
Here's a link to the story.
September 17, 2014
"Jill Geisler", "work happy: what great bosses know", "work happy", Coaching, ILM, leadership, management, Rhian Morgan
This is a class picture -- one I'm delighted to share. I had the joy of helping lead The Minority Leadership Institute of the American Society of News Editors during the ASNE/APME convention in Chicago. ASNE identified up-and-coming journalists who are currently serving as managers, or whose organizations see them as on the cusp of that important role.
Over the course of two packed days, we covered leadership skills and values, performance management, communication, motivation, collaboration and business issues. It was a privilege to be in their company -- and to help ensure that high-potential people get training early, to help them succeed. Kudos to ASNE for this investment.
September 17, 2014
"Jill Geisler", "work happy: what great bosses know", APME, ASNE, leadership, management, minority
People sometimes tell me they hold back on taking initiative or responsibility beyond their current role, because they don't want to overstep their boundaries. I respect that concern. I also think people can be overly cautious and talk themselves out of acts of leadership.
There's a big difference between taking over, butting in, grabbing power -- and simply stepping up. That's what leaders do. They step up. Carefully. Collaboratively. Considerately. I think there are four ways you can be seen as a leader, no matter what your title.
I lay out those four in a column and podcast just published on Poynter.org. A simple
click on this link will take you right to the column. Hope you enjoy -- and keep leading!
July 29, 2014
"Jill Geisler", "work happy: what great bosses know", leadership, management, poynter
I write this message, knowing it just might offend you -- but it's a risk worth taking. Here goes:
Why talk about biases? Because they are real and we all have them. We're also in denial about them. Research says we think of ourselves as more principled and ethical than we really are. It's human nature.
That's why I wrote a column for Poynter.org that lists six dangerous biases that bedevil managers. I candidly share how a few them affected me and what I learned from them. If you want to build your credibility as a leader, check out
this link for the column and podcast of "Six Dangerous Biases of Bosses."
July 9, 2014
"Jill Geisler", "work happy: what great bosses know", biases, bosses, feedback, journalism, leadership, management
This week, I had the honor of moderating a forum at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Our focus was on the gender gap in journalism. Women are underrepresented in leadership and management roles and have yet to achieve equity in pay.
These issues aren't exclusive to media -- that's for sure. They affect women in most all professions. Using data and research, we examined the barriers that still exist for women and how to knock them down.
If you'd like to read more about the advice from experts,
click on this link for coverage from Poynter.org. Or
check out this take from the National Press Club's website.
The National Press Club will be posting video of the 90-minute program with leaders of The New York Times, NPR, National Geographic, Politico and McClatchy publications as well.
There's lots of work to be done, so leadership genuinely reflects the whole spectrum of our population.
July 2, 2014
"Jill Geisler", "National Press Club", "work happy", leadership, management, women
One of the most vexing issues managers face is how to keep quality high. It's key to their job. It's so important that many supervisors make a big mistake: they devote large amounts of their time to
fixing the work of their employees. When something needs to be better, they roll up their sleeves and re-do the work.
They are "fixers."
I know all about fixers. I was a hard core fixer myself, until I learned how damaging it was to my team and to me.
That's why one of the most valuable -- and appreciated -- things I teach in my workshops is how to be a coach instead of a fixer. Believe me, if I could learn it, so can you.
Why managers fix, and what to do about it, is the subject of my latest column on Poynter.org. Just click on this link to read: "
5 Reasons Managers are Addicted to Fixing -- and How to Recover."
June 12, 2014
"Jill Geisler", "work happy", coach, Coaching, fixer, leadership, management, Poynter.org
One of the participants, E.S. Isaac of India, made an impression on everyone. His wisdom and warm smile lifted us all. Isaac has a deep belief in the power of listening.
Isaac inherited that belief from his father, a man who had no formal education, who was illiterate for much of his life, and yet was a formidable teacher. He gently schooled Isaac on the priceless value of listening. Now, your parents and mine may have tried to tell us to listen, but I bet the message was not quite as magical as this. Listen for yourself as Isaac tells the story:
You can read more about Isaac and see a photo of his family in a column I wrote for Poynter.org. Just click here.
