Susan K. Wehrley

As an executive coach, I often hear my clients say how difficult it is to not give advice to the employee who walks in the door anxious and acting as though they do not know what to do. I explain to them:

Fourth quarter is the time of year when companies kick it into high gear to finish off their goals and begin planning for next year. Before you begin setting the direction, without the people who will have to implement it, consider a Japanese practice called, “Hoshin Kanri.”

One of the CEOs I coach was complaining in one of our sessions about not having enough time.

When people ask me what I do, I often answer the question, “I teach people in companies how to play in the sandbox together so they get results.” The response is always laughter and countless stories shared of how people from their workplace are either playing “too nice” in the sandbox and avoiding the accountability needed for performance; or how people are competing with each other in the sandbox for the limited resources and then finally getting frustrated and “kicking up sand” in each other's face. The sandbox analogy seems to give a great word picture for what is not working. What they are missing are examples of what the sandbox looks like when everyone works together to build something great.

The many stories I heard after my mother's recent passing reminded me of how great networking skills not only enhance everyday life and business, but can also leave a legacy behind in the minds and hearts of others.

With the onset of the New Year, we often think about how we can meet our goals. One of the best things you can do for yourself and your employees is to install a wealth consciousness in your culture.

The sole purpose of a business is to grow. This can take on many dimensions – acquisitions, grabbing more market share, or new product or service, just to name a few. Many people get stuck and never grow because they think, “This is how we have always done it!” Or, when they want to grow and make changes, they do not understand the steps needed for a smart calculated risk.

Dopamine – a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and anticipation of reward – creates the motivation and energy needed to obtain results, according to Robert Sapolsky, neuroscientist and primate researcher. When a reward is created, and anticipated, employees work for the reward and a rise of dopamine occurs.

Staying open to optimism is a habit we all can learn, no matter what our position in life.

One of the biggest reasons companies call me for coaching and consulting is due to internal strife. They know it inhibits growth, but oftentimes are too close to the situation to see their way out of the chaos and into the creative opportunity for growth.