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What would you do?

By Mike Staver | January 22, 2019

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?

By Mike Staver | January 22, 2019

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?

By Mike Staver | January 22, 2019

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?

By Mike Staver | January 22, 2019

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?

By Mike Staver | January 22, 2019

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?

By Mike Staver | January 22, 2019

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?

By Mike Staver | January 22, 2019

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?

By Mike Staver | January 22, 2019

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?

By Mike Staver | January 22, 2019

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

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MONDAYS WITH MIKE POST ARCHIVE

Supportive vs Directive Coaching

By Mike Staver | August 29, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver explains how leaders can discern when to be supportive and when to be directive in their coaching. He clarifies that directive coaching involves teaching, telling, and guiding, while supportive coaching is more collaborative. The key is to evaluate what the individual is…

Team Members Who Clash With Others

By Mike Staver | August 25, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver addresses how to coach a team member who is clashing with others. He begins by emphasizing the importance of working on relationships and cultural dynamics as much as on work dynamics. Leaders should foster good relationships through socializations and team meetings where…

Employees Missing Deadlines

By Mike Staver | August 18, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver addresses a common management challenge: an employee consistently missing deadlines despite claiming they’re doing their best. Mike suggests starting by re-emphasizing the deadline and ensuring the manager was clear about expectations. He then advises discussing the downstream importance of meeting deadlines and…

Change Management

By Mike Staver | August 11, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver tackles the challenge of coaching individuals who resist change. He debunks the myth that people inherently resist change, asserting instead that people resist change when they don’t perceive a personal benefit. Mike advises painting a clear picture of how the change will…

Working Harder Than Your Team

By Mike Staver | August 1, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver addresses a common concern from managers: feeling like they work harder than their team. He explains that it’s often normal for leaders and owners to work harder due to higher responsibilities for driving strategic results. Mike emphasizes that while working harder might…

How to Stop Procrastinating on Important Work

By Mike Staver | July 28, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver addresses the pervasive issue of procrastinating on important work. He suggests that procrastination often stems from deeper concerns, such as fear of failure or perceived lack of resources. Mike, acting as the viewer’s coach, would first ask what they believe is at…

What to Do When a Capable Employee Underperforms

By Mike Staver | July 21, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver addresses the common problem of an employee who is capable but consistently underperforming. He suggests that this issue often stems from a lack of clarity regarding what high performance truly entails from the employee’s perspective. Mike advises evaluating whether the employee understands…

Coaching Clients Through Tough Decisions

By Mike Staver | July 14, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver addresses the common challenge of clients who freeze when faced with tough decisions. He suggests that this hesitancy often stems from fear of negative outcomes or concerns about impacting others. Mike proposes starting by asking what the client is most concerned might…

How to Hold Someone Accountable Without Micromanaging

By Mike Staver | July 7, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver tackles the common challenge of holding people accountable without resorting to micromanagement. He redefines accountability not as a weapon, but as “a promise kept.” Mike emphasizes that true accountability hinges on clarity of expectation and mutual agreement. He provides clear examples to…

Why Your Feedback Isn’t Landing Right

By Mike Staver | June 30, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver addresses the common excuse for not giving feedback: “it never lands right.” He firmly states that avoiding feedback for this reason is a “terrible idea” and that feedback must be given regardless. Instead of avoidance, Mike advises a diagnostic approach. He prompts…

Emotional Intelligence

By Mike Staver | June 23, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver addresses the question of how to deal with individuals who have low emotional intelligence. He explains that the approach depends on the specific area where their emotional intelligence is lacking. If they exhibit low self-awareness, Mike suggests kindly making them aware of…

Coaching vs. Giving Advice

By Mike Staver | June 16, 2025

   Episode Summary In this episode of Mondays with Mike, Mike Staver clarifies the crucial distinction between coaching and simply giving advice. He explains that great coaching often involves very little advice-giving. Instead, it’s about the intersection of being directional and conversational, with the best coaches asking good questions to help individuals uncover their…

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