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janhoistad@drjanhoistad.com

How to Take Your Business to the Next Level

  Forging a bond while working in a highly demanding, toxic environment, Carmen and Inez brought their work friendship and capabilities together to develop their own company 3 years ago. This start-up literally “exploded” into being. Offering the exact same legal services, family, friends and professional colleagues beat a path to their door to work for this woman owned, minority owned new venture. Work poured in and the coffers filled. Why? Because they made a cultural “promise,” based on their authentic values to interact with employees and customers alike from a place of collaboration, mutual communication and responsiveness. Totally unlike their previous toxic environment. And... they delivered. It’s been a thrilling 3 year ride! (Hear outtakes: Massive applause and cheers, awards ceremonies and testimonials, cha-ching and more cha-ching.) New owners like Carmen and Inez come to their business with well-honed professional expertise for which they have been acknowledged as they climbed their career ladders. Strong personalities, they are used to the limelight from their hard won achievements. But…. like all start-ups, these 3 years have also been exhausting. (Hear outtakes: Moans, groans and sighs, subtle sounds of irritation and disgruntlement. All behind closed doors.) No matter how much pre-planning—for any new owners—running The Business-of-the-Business is a whole new set of skills. New owners are juggling demands of employees and customers, crash-coursing their way into new skills from tech to HR, confronting roles and responsibilities, policies and procedures, often colliding headlong into communication and style differences between themselves (difficulties they never [...]

Coaching for Business Partners: 4 Times to Work with a Skilled Business Relationships Coach

Business partnerships have a lasting impact on how and where a business will grow. It takes clarity and communication to make it work. All parties understanding their responsibilities, fulfilling the expectations of the mutually agreed-upon objectives for growing the business. Establishing processes to maximize each other’s strengths, focusing on commonalities in values, and shared visions for business outcomes creates a foundation of trust from which to grow. Business partner and owner coaching lead to successful outcomes. Figuring out how to bring unique individuals together in a successful business partnership is the goal. Because when things are going well, there’s an almost indescribable energy. And when things are going well between you, it carries throughout your organization and all relationships. Together you create better. You communicate better. You work better. You play better. You just do it all better. - Jan Hoistad This article takes a look at coaching for business partners and breaks down 4 times when you need the expertise of an experienced Business Relationships Coach whether you've been in business for a while or just starting a new business. How To Make a Business Partnership Work Business Partner Case Study Focusing For Better Alignment and Successful Outcomes Preventing or Repairing Difficulties in Business Partnerships Summary If you’re looking for guidance on improving your relationships in the business world, you’ll find lots of information on developing sales and management or leadership styles. Some resources focus on aspects such as presence, empathy, confidence, and listening skills. Information on how these [...]

Cultivate Your Leadership Skills for Business Development Success

  In the rapidly changing business landscape, there are key leadership skills that executives and their top people need to cultivate for long-term success. There are many important skills that can be developed at the leadership level. If you study well-known top leaders you’ll find many different qualities and strengths are highlighted. Some say these differences reflect key personality characteristics. Whatever the skills, these leaders are accomplished and laser-focused on two things: They see the big picture, building businesses that have solid foundation, while taking the pulse of the future. They make people want to follow their lead and contribute to that “cause.” That’s quite a combination. Such skills are inherent, inseparable from the person, like intelligence and aspects of personality. Other skills can be developed, such as emotionally intelligent awareness and communication skills. No matter your level of development along the leadership path, top level leaders and executives continue to challenge themselves and grow their skills. For the business this means: Keeping the focus on the “big picture,” delegating the details and management to effective people down the line. That means surrounding themselves with the right people to do every job within the organization. Facing daily and long-term realities and desired objectives, then making clear-eyed, effective decisions. Providing context, communicating not only cultural values and big picture objectives, but having a system of communication to swiftly and efficiently relay rapid changes,“why”those changes are necessary, and expectations. How can a business development consultant and executive coach assist in honing the [...]

11 Ways to Cope with Transitions & Change You Don’t Choose

  A Perspective on These Times Life is not going back to "the ways it was." It's never going to be the same. It's a hard truth and as much as you may wish to return to the former, more comfortable ways, everything is shifting. And the shifting continues. Today, the demand is to be flexible and resilient as you navigate through these shifts--toward what will eventually become our "new normal." Because these shifts are both internal and external, because these shifts are massive, global, and happening at such great speed, it's important that you ground and care for yourself. You have things you want to accomplish, experiences you want to experience, and contributions you want to make in this lifetime. So there's "bigger work" to do--to steady yourself, to connect you to yourself and others, to help you stay open to possibilities often unexpected. And unexpected options and change can feel terribly disruptive. Right now you and others you know may be resisting, balking, or fighting the change--trying to push through and control the "final" outcomes, Often behaving impulsively. Others may respond by "giving up" on their dreams. Often retreating in a way that is depression, addiction, or other escapism. What's important to know is that "You Can Do This Work" is demanded of all of us. That's right. We're all still in this together. It wasn't just the pandemic we were all in together, Going through these shifts requires all of us. Coaching support can help you through [...]

Considering Career Coaching? 3 Ways Career Coaching Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

Depending on the environment or field you work in, the concept of having a coach, engaging in coaching, career coaching, even executive coaching or leadership coaching, may be considered as familiar as breathing air. For some of you, it may be a new concept you're hearing more about and considering. You're curious. You wonder if it might be helpful to you. Addressing this question in a global way, every few years Erickson International pairs with The International Coaching Federation to study the question of coaching effectiveness and gathers data on what clients say they have achieved through the coaching relationship and how it's changed their lives. This article is going to explore 3 ways Career Coaching can help you achieve your goals in business. A Look at How Coaching Helped Others How the Perception of Career Coaching Has Changed How Coaching is Really a Partnership in Your Success Aligning Coaching with Your Goals Before we get started, it's important to understand there are two different types of coaching. Skills Based Coaching: Most everyone is exposed to fitness coaching, health or nutrition coaching, or weight-loss coaching. Nowadays there are experts in every field ready to share their expertise to help you achieve those goals. Getting help with your resume, elevator speech, confidence, presence, or networking skills may fall into this category. These types of coaching are more specifically focused on developing a skill or outcome (lose weight, develop a good presentation deck, speak more confidently in front of a group, and [...]

Coaching Helps to Evaluate the Next Stage of Your Career

  These past few years have catapulted some personal and professional lives forward. Yours may have been one of them. Especially if you were in the right industry at the right time. Or if you were lean, mean, and agile. Maybe you took the time to explore or add on a new skill that's paying off now, post-pandemic. You may even have have been one of the fortunates if your position was indispensable to the company. You'd have been a lucky one—staying on securely in the midst of other's cutbacks. Working from home (WFH) may have been seamless for you and your employer or your business. It was comfortable for many. Unless they shared a small space with mates and kids schooling on zoom. Pets roaming in and out. Yet many professionals and families settled in and are now weighing the consequences of employers reinstating back to the office or hybrid schedules. This shuffle is disrupting what may have become comfortable. Or you may be part of The Great Resignation 2021 an example of which is a record 4.4 million Americans who quit their jobs in September 2021. The trend continued through 2022 with another record 4.2 million voluntarily resigned in November 2022—millions more than anything ever seen before. With a backdrop of market slump and recession talk going on all that year.  This chart of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights a continuing trend.   With fewer workers across many industries, the trend toward negotiating a high wage and [...]

How Career Coaching Continues to Change Lives

There are many Benefits of Career Coaching—for your work path as well as for your personal life satisfaction. As we move into 2024, people continue to embrace greater sense of autonomy and choice. They want a lifestyle that includes work, but is not limited to work. They want a career path that includes flexibility, personal growth and wellness right up there with income.   The past few years have created a list of factors making many workers ready, wanting and maybe now able to reach for something different. More desirable? More flexible? If you fall in the ranks of professionals considering a change,  needing greater challenge, even "looking," maybe these are some things you’re questioning: At this stage of your career are you ready for the next level of leadership, challenge, or responsibility but aren’t sure of the steps to achieve this? Is relocation part of your company development plan and you‘d like to know if it’s right for you? Have you been passed over one too many times and you’re having difficulty communicating or seeing eye-to-eye with your boss? Have you considered taking your chances and just quitting or starting your own business, but assessing the risks and rewards is complicated? You want more family and personal time. In this new economy, does it still conflict with getting ahead?   Every four years since 2007 the International Coach Federation has collected data on a global scale to assess the impacts and benefits of coaching—for both coaches and [...]

5 Ways to Improve Feedback So You Energize and Retain Your Valuable Business Team Members

A Growth Mindset approach to feedback will grow your team. Focus employees on how their contributions meet desired outcomes. It brings purpose to their work and energizes everyone to share creativity, be more efficient. Change occurs more quickly with clearly stated expectations and mentoring from you as a leader.   The media often presents a contradictory picture of young people, focusing on their almost constant need for praise and feedback. While the desire for a little praise and feedback is true of all generations and some personalities, too much praise—without problem-solving encouragement—has been found to be detrimental for individual growth from early childhood on. It can affect personal and professional growth. A few years back, the concern about over-praising and feedback was focused on Millennials. In my experience coaching professionals at all stages, it is more common among that generation. For those who are older, I notice a maturing of this need as they are guided to develop their talents. However there are others who rely on their out-going personal style and exhibit a people-pleasing drive. Everyone in the work world has experienced this aspect of the millennial charm. They’re the first to describe themselves as energetic can-doers — fast, smart, eager, and exuding self-confidence. They’re often great in an interview and show up to take on many tasks. Plus, they’re usually fun to be around. For this group and any generation, Professor of Psychology and researcher at Stanford, Dr. Carol Dweck, explores how doling out praise and [...]

How a Dominant Decision-Maker May Dominate the Direction of Your Business

There are 4 Business Partnering Styles that can have an impact on you and your business.  This article focuses on The Dominant—Non-Dominant Relationship Style. At the end of this article you'll find articles on the impacts of Business Partnerships With Undefined Roles, Unilateral Decision-Makers, and finally, the highly successful Big Picture Partner approach. One Primary Decision-Maker A key feature of the Dominant—Non-Dominant relationship dynamic, is that one person is in charge and ultimately makes the final decisions. Typically this is a one-owner or business leader situation, where full responsibility falls on the shoulders of that individual. When carried into a business partnership, the Dominant—Non-Dominant dynamic may be a clearly stated agreement. In this case, it is an agreed-upon mindset or perspective from which all discussions are had, goals are set, decisions are made, action is laid out, and accountability is followed—achieving the end results, and the expectations of the dominant person. Without such clarity, confusion may ensue. Domineering When the “who’s in charge” question is apparent, theoretically differences, disagreement, or conflict would not arise nor be addressed. It would be clear that the dominant individual’s preferences take the lead. If we focus on power and productivity in day-to-day relating within a Dominant—Non-Dominant dynamic, it will be experienced as more autocratic when it is demanding or domineering in nature. Such leaders are referred to as dominating, bossy, or dictatorial. Sharing of ideas and information feels unwelcome or stilted. Respect is absent, trust is not built, nor is it possible under these [...]

How to Keep the Personal out of Professional Communication

Let’s be honest, communication could be portrayed by many as one of the most important factors of relationships — both business and personal. I’m here to tell you that even though communication has been around for thousands of years, it has yet to find perfection. Let me narrow down the field of vision a bit, specifically, communication in the workplace. I’m a Millennial. I value communication. One form of communication that is very important to me and is a huge part of my value system is the idea of feedback. I’ve always received feedback: teachers, parents, coaches, friends, other family members, strangers on the street, social media acquaintances, and so on. I thrive on feedback. I want to know how I’m doing all the time. It’s how I attribute success. "When I hear I’m doing a good job from others, I truly believe it myself."   Communication mishaps happen all the time, especially in the workplace. Even if you have the best boss and coworkers in the world, there’s bound to be some communication confusion at one point in time. Here are some things to keep in mind for effective communication: Ask questions. One magical thing about human beings is that each person has their own mind and their own thoughts. It’s okay to ask for clarification. One common mishap occurs when there’s confusion with the messages. Not everyone is a skilled communicator. It’s important to clearly understand the message being conveyed. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for failure from [...]

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