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What would you do?
Last night I was at a party of speaker industry people. A speaker who is a paraplegic wheeled up to the four seat table where a friend and I were seated and asked if there was a spot for him. Of course there was. During our lively conversation, the subject of disability came up and…
Are the rules always important?
I was sitting next to a woman on a four and a half hour flight the other day. Turns out she was 80 years old. Not a withering little old lady 80, but rather a smart, well-dressed, very healthy 80. She got on the plane with a very unhappy little 10lb dog in a carryon.…
How do you make decisions?
There are two factors in most decision making. Fact and Gut, when used together, lead to the best decisions. Sometimes they are in conflict, or one seems to be louder than the other. While many people seem to say, “just go with your gut”, others want all decisions to ‘make sense’. Which is better, smarter…
Why should a pharmacy chain’s decision matter to you?
This week CVS Pharmacy made a decision to stop selling all tobacco products in their stores by October 2014. I posted to Facebook that I thought it was a courageous decision for leaders to make. My point was NOT about tobacco. I don’t really care if CVS was doing it for publicity. It was courageous…
Do you make good decisions?
The National Speakers Association decided to change their name and brand to PLATFORM recently. The decision stirred up so much anger that the President of the Association decided to put the change (two years in the making) on hold. Why so much anger, you ask? Three reasons: a perception by the membership that is was…
How smart are you?
Most coaches (executive, athletic, etc.) will tell you that playing up is necessary for real performance improvement. Playing up is how willing you are to spend time around those that are smarter, more talented or further along their development path than you are. Doing that stimulates you to play up to the higher level of…
How do you make difficult decisions?
All of us have times when we are faced with difficult decisions. The reasons for the difficulty are as varied as the decisions each of us faces. Perhaps the difficulty is because it might have financial consequences or maybe someone’s feelings are going to get hurt. Maybe the difficulty is because, regardless of the choice…
Sale or customer – what’s more important?
Seems like an obvious enough question, doesn’t it? My buddy called a Harley Davidson store to find out if they have a leather jacket exactly like the one he has (his has worn out.) The salesperson at the Harley store says, “We don’t have it in stock, but I would be happy to call around…
Are you creating a world-class customer experience?
Please read the headline carefully. Then read it again. When all extraneous issues are stripped away, the customer experience is the single most critical factor in determining your success. In a very real sense, nothing else matters. How that experience is defined is your key to continuing to prosper. I sometimes hesitate to speak of…
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MONDAYS WITH MIKE POST ARCHIVE
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…
How to Build Executive Presence
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver tackles the practical and essential question: how does a new leader build presence and confidence in meetings? Drawing on his coaching expertise, Mike shares clear, actionable advice designed to help leaders close the gap between intention and execution when it comes to executive presence.…
Knowing vs. Doing
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver tackles the frequent objection: “Why do I need coaching when I already know what I need to do?” Mike Staver explains that simply knowing what to do is not enough—action and consistent execution are crucial. He introduces the concept of a “performance gap,”…
How to Conquer Imposter Syndrome
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver addresses a common and personal question: how do you deal with imposter syndrome, whether in yourself or when helping others through it? Drawing on his own experiences and insights as a coach, Mike explores the reality that imposter syndrome is…
How to Build a Coaching Culture
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver tackles a foundational question: what are the first steps to building a long-term coaching culture within an organization? Drawing from his experience as a coach to top executives, Mike emphasizes that creating a strong coaching culture starts with genuine buy-in…
What to do When a Team Member Constantly Plays the Victim
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this week’s episode, Mike Staver addresses a question from a listener frustrated by a team member who is constantly “playing the victim.” Mike acknowledges that without the full context, it’s important to consider whether the person may genuinely have reasons to feel victimized—such as being picked on or lacking…
What to do When Your Top Performer Loses Initiative
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this week’s episode, Mike Staver responds to a viewer concerned about a top performer who has suddenly stopped showing initiative. Mike’s approach as a coach is to diagnose what triggered the change in behavior. He notes that a loss of motivation can often be the culprit—sometimes top achievers lose…
Why You’re Not Getting Results and What to Do About It
” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”> Episode Summary In this week’s episode, Mike answers a question from a viewer who feels like they are doing “all the things” but are not seeing results. Mike directly challenges this premise, stating that if you’re not getting results, you’re simply not doing all the things. He explains that the phrase “I’ve…
How to Clarify Goals Using the SMART Framework
Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, a viewer asks for a good way to clarify someone’s goals. Mike introduces the well-known and effective SMART goals framework. He breaks down each letter of the acronym: Specific, Measurable, Actionable (or Achievable), Relevant, and Time-bound. To illustrate the concept, Mike uses the example…
What to Do When You Lack Confidence in Leading
Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, a viewer asks a fundamental question about leadership: what if I don’t feel confident enough to lead other people? Mike’s answer is both direct and reassuring: confidence comes after the behavior, not before it. He explains that you will never feel confident until you…
How to Challenge Someone Who Shuts Down
Episode Summary In this week’s episode, Mike Staver tackles a viewer question about how to coach a person who shuts down every time they are challenged. Mike advises that the first step is to take a “fearless self-inventory” and evaluate your own challenging style. He explains that being too harsh or direct can…
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