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Build Culture · Develop Your People · Grow Your Business
Are you consistently connected?
On a hill overlooking the ocean in Otsuchi Town in northeastern Japan is a phone booth known as the “Telephone of the Wind”. It is connected to nowhere, but people come to “call” family members lost during the tsunami of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Many visit the phone booth including a mother and…
Are you polite?
If you can’t say something nice then don’t say anything. It’s not what you say it’s how you say it. Once you’ve said it you can’t take it back. You can disagree without being disagreeable and on and on it goes. There are many, many clichés. Many wise words of counsel speaking to the need…
What energy do you create around you?
As I write this, I am on a plane flying to Chicago. The reason I am going there is to do the first phase of a three phase series on leading. This first phase, or pillar as we call it, is about culture and how culture drives results. At the core of that is a…
How are your relationships?
Relationships matter. All relationships matter. While many overuse the term it is a fact that they matter all the time. Most importantly who you are in relationships with and then how you RELATE to them. The primary issue facing relationships today is focus. Focus of time and energy has a direct and lasting impact on…
Are you hesitant to make a change?
This morning I read a quote: “That which we settle for takes up space for what we really want in life.” Pretty powerful, right? When we resist change, it is usually because of fear. Fear and anxiety are ALWAYS created because our minds create a scary story about ‘THE FUTURE’. Contrary to popular opinion, we…
How do you deal with change?
Many have said, “Change is difficult.” Here is something I want everyone to remember: Change is NOT difficult…unless and until we equate change with something dangerous or bad. Once your mind is convinced that it is going to be bad or dangerous, your brain literally triggers an alarm that causes you to repel the thought…
How do you make sense of the senseless?
I waited a long time this month to write this newsletter. I was very ambivalent about what to share with you. Now I am clear. I found myself watching the Today show this morning with shock and sadness as student after student recalled the tragic events on the Virginia Tech campus. Reggie, my business partner,…
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MONDAYS WITH MIKE POST ARCHIVE
How to Address Toxic Behavior in a Defensive Employee
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver addresses a common leadership dilemma: how to confront toxic behavior without triggering defensiveness. Drawing from his personal experience working with defensive individuals, Mike Staver shares the practical techniques he’s found most helpful—while acknowledging that no approach is foolproof. He emphasizes…
How to Use Questions to Diffuse Tension in a Meeting
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver delves into the art of defusing tension during meetings—a critical leadership skill for maintaining a constructive environment and fostering effective collaboration. Responding to a viewer’s question about coaching techniques to ease tense situations, Mike stresses the first essential step: acknowledging the tension in…
How to Set Boundaries Without Guilt
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver addresses a common personal development question: “How do I set boundaries without feeling guilty?” Drawing from his coaching expertise, Mike Staver explains that guilt stems from the belief that you’ve done something wrong, whereas shame comes from believing you are bad. He emphasizes…
How to Help a Coaching Client Identify Their True Priorities
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver answers the question: How do I help someone identify their true priorities? Drawing on his experience as a coach, Mike Staver discusses the foundational steps to guiding individuals, whether personally or within organizations, to recognize and align with what matters most. For personal…
How to Change the Energy of a Resistant Team
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver addresses the challenge of changing the energy within a team that persistently resists their leader’s suggestions. Mike uses a real-world approach, recommending that leaders foster open conversations rather than playing the authority card. He shares the importance of surfacing and addressing the root…
How to Balance Coaching and KPIs
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver addresses the practical challenge: How do leaders balance coaching their direct reports with achieving key performance indicators (KPIs) when time is short? Using the relatable analogy of car dashboards, Mike clarifies that KPIs are simply tools to measure the performance and progress…
How to Encourage More Authentic Feedback in the Workplace
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver tackles the important question: How do you encourage more honest communication? Drawing from his coaching experience, Mike Staver explores why fostering authenticity and openness is critical, yet so often lacking in organizations. He begins by emphasizing that creating a safe environment is the single…
How to Coach the Constantly Overwhelmed
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver tackles the question: “How do I coach somebody who’s always overwhelmed?” Drawing on his experience coaching within organizations, Mike emphasizes that the first and most important step is diagnosis—understanding exactly what is causing the overwhelm. He outlines that overwhelm can stem from too…
How to Help Clients Discover Their Blind Spots
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver tackles the practical question: “What’s a simple way to identify blind spots in a person?” Drawing from his coaching experience, Mike shares a straightforward approach—don’t accuse, but rather invite awareness by gently asking if someone has noticed a particular behavior. For example, he…
Your Obligations as a Coach
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver answers a nuanced question about obligations as a coach when supporting both a direct report and their supervisor—especially if the direct report is unhappy and considering a career change, but hasn’t disclosed this to their boss. Mike clarifies that as a coach,…
When to Consider Coaching
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver answers a common leadership and personal development question: When is the right time to consider coaching, either for yourself or for someone you manage? Mike provides a straightforward guideline: coaching is valuable when the results you’re getting don’t align with your intentions.…
Coaching for Accountability
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver answers the question: How can I coach my team to take more ownership? Drawing on his coaching expertise, Mike explores the foundational elements of fostering true ownership within a team. He emphasizes that the key is to clearly define expected outcomes, then empower…