The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.
John Maxwell
Follow the Leader, the popular song says. But is it always true to follow every leader? Are some better leaders that others? You can be assured that indeed some leaders are in fact better than others.
An INC’s article shared the top 5 signs that a leader is not a fit. Here I share my top 4 favorite.
Narcissistic Tendencies & More
Narcissist tendencies
Look out for themselves only
Treating people like numbers
Too much control
Which stands out to you? Are there other signs you can recognize? Do share, we would love to hear.
New Book! Success comes in many forms. For me it was a delight to partner with Dr Indiana Robinson as she did a deep dive research into women immigrants. I was honored to expound on my initial research of Success Strategies of Caribbean American leaders in the United States.
In this book titled βA Review of Women Immigrants and the Challenges Facedβ, Dr Robinson expanded on deep dive research on immigrants and the path they took.
Together we shared excerpts of the stories of women immigrant leaders and their perspectives on higher education in the United States. Our own stories are included.
On the cover kudos given to female graduates who enthusiastically shared their graduation pictures to emphasize their success and tenacity to strive to overcome challenges to be successful.
Get/Gift a copy of this new book which is now available on Amazon
Thoughts about this new research? Do share. We would love to hear.
Let no one define what Success means to you. Define it for yourself
@Dr. Shelly C
It was a pleasure sharing my background and coaching experience with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) South Florida Chapter Host, Eric Goeres, PCC. Listen to the Podcast recording or read the details below to learn more about my Journey.
My Journey
How did I become, what was your journey to, how did you wind up becoming a coach? What is your background?
I worked with a major global pharmaceutical company for over 14 years in a HR Strategic Leadership role where I held HR responsibility for countries in the Caribbean reporting into USA/Latina region. I coached and advised business managers on managing their people. At the height of my career, having led the project to successfully achieve the employer of choice award, I decided to go in a different direction. The goal was to make a difference in healthcare and the wider community in the USA.
Even though I already had a masters in HR Management, I enrolled full-time in the Masters Health Administration program. On completion, I got my dream role to manage a group of medical practices located throughout South Florida.
I eventually partnered with the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington DC, where I am Chief Judge for its Flagship 30 Under 30 Ignite Caribbean Initiative recognizing the changemaking efforts of outstanding individuals under 30 years old.
As I reflect managers I have worked with kept reaching out to me at major crossroads in their life. Ethics, trust, and confidentiality were always my standard and I guess it followed me. People would reach out to share and talk with me confidentially about their next steps. After noticing the pattern and giving myself to any opportunity that arose, I realized that coaching was something I was passionate about but never considered officially. It was then I decided to take the leap into becoming accredited. Thatβs how my formal accreditation journey began early 2022.
Leadership Coaching
What kind of coaching do you do? And who do you work with?
My focus is on Leadership Coaching. I work with 40+ Mid-Life Corporate Leaders in Transition. This niche was perfect for me as my experience included several global mergers and acquisitions and was formally trained in change management. On top of that my doctoral studies focused on organizational leadership. I later published Journal article titled: The Leadership Challenge: Success Strategies of Immigrant Leaders in the USA. This was also published in books titled Success Strategies as well another titled βYour Career: Ditch it Switchβ, which I now use to help coach leaders in transition.
Coaching Style & Philosophy
What’s your coaching style? How do you coach? What’s your coaching philosophy?
Versatility, depending on the needs of the client.
Special Project
Is there anything specifically you’d like to talk about?
My writing is something that is special. I write to satisfy my curiosity or personal growth and development. It then turns out that others seem to have the same issues as me, so I share, and it inspires. So, I will continue my publishing journey. I also talk a lot about Fear because itβs something that holds us back. My philosophy is to βdo it in spite of your fearβ.
I have partnered with Dr. Indiana Robinson to publish book titled Women Immigrants and the Challenges Faced: Perspectives on Higher Education in the United States.
Growth of coaching in organizations and its link to change management
The Future of Coaching
What do you think the future of coaching looks like?
The market is filled with many who call themselves βcoachesβ but are untrained. I believe with the rise of credentialing; the world of coaching will become attractive to organizations and individuals who are credentialed and stick to ethical standards of the ICF. Accountability will be the gold standard for success.
With the influx of the pandemic changes, I was already coaching individuals for years across borders, but the pandemic made the process official. Individuals liked the flexibility of being able to meet virtually on zoom at times convenient to them.
Never hesitate to go far away, beyond all seas, all frontiers, all countries, all beliefs.
Amin Maalouf
With just a carry-on, I felt led to travel solo to a faraway land. Was it nerve racking? Kinda. I travelled without fear, more intrigued by curiosity while discovering the unknown. Most of all my learnings forced me into a new realm bursting forth with a new sense of unhurried flair.
Here I share a few of learnings:
Learned self-confidence. To be confident in who I am and who I want to be.
I learned to accept differences in cultures
I learned to accept the uniqueness of different lifestyles
I learned to say YES to myself, to what I want and to say No to the desires that others want for me.
I learned to hold firmly to my belief to never give up.
I learned to grow up and out to spread my wings.
I learned to try things that force me out of my comfort zone.
I learned to take rests.
I learned to take risks and not be afraid or most importantly, to take the risk even when I am afraid, despite my fear
I learned that education is critical to success but also to have a life.
I learned to be me.
I learned to not be of afraid to be me – to speak the way I want to speak.
I learned to write to help others through coaching.
I learned to express myself in writing to help others develop and maximize their potential.
I learned to laugh.
I learned to accept life’s simple things.
I learned to love dogs and animals.
I learned to accept help from others despite my independence.
I learned to accept love from others
I learned to accept what success means to me and not what others expectations are for me.
I learned to challenge myself to step out into the unknown.
That was the question asked. Itβs fitting for those who are stuck. Those who have dreams, goals, and aspirations yet like a NestedΒ Β Β Sludge, do nothing to progress towards achieving them.
Why do we hesitate? Why donβt we step out and do what needs to be done? What holds us back?
Here I share some of the responses from individuals to the question posed.
Fear β¦period
Confidence
Not believing in myself
Laziness
Fear of Failure
Fear of the What ifβs
Judgment of others
Not knowing where to start and not having the means
Lack of money
Fear of failure and having possible regrets
Selecting career
People
Being disappointed
Possible rejection
Procrastination
Platform
Capital
Double faced people
Lack of confidence and confused
Discipline
Pain and fear
Losing people who I love
Interacting with people
Daily conflicts with people but they are not stopping me just standingβ¦
Itβs the people we hardly know, and not our closest friends, who will improve our lives most dramactically.
Meg Jay
Stimulating interview with Executive Coach, Founder and CEO of Soft Skills Services, Maxine Barnett. In it she shares successive nuggets on effective networking for new entrepreneurs and professional desiring to build their personal growth.
Strategies For Effective Networking
Here are three strategies:
Be prepared to meet 2-3 persons while attending the event.
Make a connection. Introduce yourself using your elevator speech and be present during your conversation.
Follow-up within 2-3 after the event to remain top of mind with your new strategic connection.
Networking is a soft skill–a people skill needed for business and people purposes. It is useful for purposeful growth. Be intentional about it. View the full conversation here.
What are your thoughts on networking? Do share, we would love to hear.
You know those things you have always wanted to do, you should go do them.
What is it that thing you have always wanted to do? Change job? Start a family? Enroll on that degree? Learn a new skill? Take that vacation?
Life gets hard at times. Chances are with everything happening around us at work, home, school, it can knock us off our feet. The result often is being stuck. Not moving. As in a state of shock, standing still. Below are 7 Things you can do when you are stuck.
Do something! Step out! Complete that application! Try something new!
Plan an escape rather than daydream about different scenarios. Go on a trip to relax and reboot your thoughts.
Switch up your daily activities.
Donβt envy and compare yourself to others.
Do one positive thing for yourself today.
If you want to change your life, Pray. Change yourβ¦
Engage in this stimulating conversation with George Washington University Student, Brianna Bougouneau as she shares her cross-cultural study abroad
Blessed are curious for they shall have adventures.
Lovelle Drachman
Engage in this stimulating conversation with George Washington University Student, Brianna Bougouneau as she shares her cross-cultural study abroad experiences in China, Taiwan, Greece and Europe. In her words, sometimes you have to be bold, patient, and manage your expectations in order to be successful.
Listen in as she explores her challenges and resilience. This video is another in the interview series where I explore Success as emerging leaders define it.
Studied abroad? What did you experience? Do share, we would love to hear.
Writers always produce more than they share with readers. Even bestseller authors have abandoned manuscripts. This article will give you some ideas on what to do with them.
Writers Write
Loved these Writers Write tips for those who write and have manuscripts that just canβt get done. Suzzanne Bennett shares 7 Ideas of what to do with abandoned writings. Here I share my favorite 3.
Create a space. Call it βgraveyard,β βslush pile,β or βbits n bobs
Salvage the Wreck. The βTo Salvageβ file contains revamped manuscripts that you still consider terrible, but where you hope to find a few nuggets of gold.
Revisit your Graveyard in times of need. Whenever you need inspiration, go to your pile of manuscripts, and start reading. You might just find a darling that once was βkilledβ
These were my favorites. Do you have abandoned writers? What can you do with them? Do share. We would love to hear.
I was asked to write about my favorite space to share with a visiting friend. I must confess that my love of nature transcends everything. It provides inspiration and a peace that boosts my writing prowess. That said, as my friend Chrissie comes for a 5-Day-visit, I will steal away to the island that captivates. None other than Captiva Island in Sunny Florida. It is a place I getaway to whenever I need to relax and unwind. When you get to Captiva Island, it feels like you are away from all the worries and cares of the world. Indeed the perfect distraction. The rooms overlook the bay or garden, your choice dependent on your budget.
Once I hosted a group business session at the end of the year to this ideal place. The goal was to reflect about plansβ¦
Dance means different things to different people. Enjoy the peace, quiet, and solitude at sunrise with birds dancing in sync. Thatβs my dance. Whatβs yours?
Success Strategies 