A year of anxiety, determination and optimism

FRESH IDEAS

FOR LEADERS

December 2020

Friends,

The holiday season lying ahead of us will be very different as we continue to live the reality of the pandemic. But I hope for you that it will still be an opportunity to reflect on the silver lining and take stock.

This is where I find myself, after the tumultuous year that was 2020. It was certainly a year for mixed emotions – fear over the unknown, anxiety and confusion over what may be ahead, determination to forge ahead, optimism over new directions and opportunities.

While I was confident that leadership coaching could help people now more than ever, I must admit the gloomiest days left me wondering what the future would hold. But, as I’ve mentioned in this space before, my colleagues and I have always found comfort in taking the long view.

TODAY: Free webinar on insights into growing sales

Dec. 17 at 11 a.m. ET/ 12 p.m. AT

Vision Coaching’s Lisa Haydon will introduce you to the foundations of using leadership for growth, a roadmap of how you can expand your leadership and sales capacity.

REGISTER NOW for Pivotal Growth: Accelerating Business Growth Through Sales & Leadership. Registration is at no cost to you but signups will end an hour before the event.

Insights from Vision Coaching

Stay tuned for details of new and insightful webinars and online training hosted by Vision Coaching. In January and February, we’re launching the latest of our sessions designed to help leaders and managers excel in today’s world. The early 2021 sessions include insights on recruitment and retention and how to step up sales growth. Watch your email, LinkedIn or Vision Coaching Events for more details.

A 15-year journey of highs and lows

In 2005, I started the journey from relatively inexperienced entrepreneur to founder of an award-winning leadership coaching firm in Atlantic Canada, along with some incredible colleagues. I am so proud of what we have built together, and feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with so many amazing clients – people who entrusted us to help them in their journey to becoming stronger leaders and to propel their organizations forward.

Coach Marilyn Orr on the early days of Vision

Marilyn Orr remembers the early days, more than 15 years ago now, when she leapt into the unknown with leadership coaching. It was a new and developing field in those days, especially in Atlantic Canada. She was working with Dave Veale at Profiles Global (Atlantic) Inc., supporting human resources processes and teams in businesses.

Find success by discovering strategic time

It is one of the most elusive yet most important activities for any leader today – finding the time for strategic thought and action. Vince Marsh believes more than 90 per cent of executives will admit to being “stuck in the weeds” – overwhelmed and working at a level of detail that prevents them from tackling the big, important strategic issues and problems they know they should be solving if they could only get to them.

How Smart Bosses Manage Workplace Conflict Without Hurting Company Culture shares some key principles for leaders on managing disagreements around the office without alienating or disengaging your people. “Your challenge as a leader,” it says, “is to encourage and reward healthy conflicts, while managing them to productive and innovative results.”

In Building a Better Workplace Starts with Saying Thanks, the authors explore new research showing that encouraging colleagues to express thanks and focus on what they are grateful for can prevent toxic and uncivil behaviour.