Energy Spring Leadership

  • Home
  • About You
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Contact

Leading with Intention (or How to Bend Reality to Your Will)

January 21, 2016 By Deb Busser Leave a Comment

Untitled design

“I keep having vivid dreams of success. Then it’s time to sleep.”
—Conor McGregor

Can you feel the energy of this amazing year? We are not yet through January, and everywhere I go, friends and clients alike tell me that 2016 is ‘the year’ for them—the big one. And I confess I feel that way, too. Different types of work that I had envisioned in a very particular way, some time ago, are now showing up with remarkable precision.

A colleague tells me that she had very clear criteria for the type of firm she someday wanted to join several years ago, and without any (conscious) effort on her part, an offer has landed in her lap that ticks all of the boxes—perfectly. Coincidence? Maybe. But I think we are more powerful creators than we give ourselves credit for.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Leading with Gratitude (or How To Be a Better Leader and a Happier Person)

December 5, 2015 By Deb Busser 1 Comment

Gratitude rock

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
—William Arthur Ward

One of the most important things a leader can do is express gratitude to the people around them, including direct reports, colleagues, board members, customers, and vendors. As the holidays approach, don’t miss the opportunity to recognize the many people who contribute to your individual success and the success of your organization. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Leading Beyond Your Comfort Zone (and Exploring New Territory)

October 29, 2015 By Deb Busser Leave a Comment

Untitled design (2)

Everything I’ve done in the last year, I’ve never done before”

Rachel Tipograh
CEO and founder MikMakTV

Greatness doesn’t come from comfort zones. We all know this intuitively, and yet…

Thinking back on many of my coaching conversations over the last month—with executives from different backgrounds and different countries—I encouraged them to examine their default way of thinking (or behaving). They needed to stretch out of their comfort zones, to find new lenses with which to view issues they wanted to change or influence.

The book What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith, explores executives’ over-reliance on their comfort zones, and the need for agility in responding to complex and ever-evolving business challenges.

Many of the attributes that have contributed to a leader’s success in the past are exactly the things that are going to prevent them from making the contribution that is needed now. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Leading with Authenticity (or Being Successful While Being Yourself)

September 24, 2015 By Deb Busser Leave a Comment

 

null (5)

 

 

“Truth is a point of view, but authenticity can’t be faked.” 

–Peter Guber

 

 

‘Authenticity’ is everywhere. Since the publication of Bill George’s book on Authentic Leadership in 2003, there has been a mountain of print and media on the subject. It is a topic that comes up frequently in my interactions with senior leaders as well. How can I be authentic and get promoted to the top seat? How can I be authentic with people I find personally challenging (the board, for example)? Isn’t a bit of caution warranted?

I define ‘authenticity’ as being self-aware or ‘awake’ enough to be honest about who you are, with a willingness to share this with others and, perhaps more importantly, with yourself. People who are authentic often display a sense of self-acceptance, trust, and groundedness.

Authentic leaders own their ‘stuff’, and have clarity not only on the things they like about themselves and/or do well, but also on the things they wish were different or are trying to change.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Leading When You Are Away From the Office

August 3, 2015 By Deb Busser 4 Comments

Untitled design (1)

“The breaks you take from work pay you back manifold when you return because you come back with a fresher mind and newer thinking. Some of your best ideas come when you’re on vacation.”

–Gautam Singhania


Summertime! Here in New England, along with our glee about warmer weather and longer days, we are also excited about realizing our daydreams of long, lazy weekends and carefree beach and lake vacations that got us  through one of our nastier winters.

Unfortunately, just underneath the excitement, there is anxiety about what will happen at work while people are away. The biggest concerns seem to be centered on falling behind, not being able to trust staff to get things done, and creating the perception that you are not as committed as you ‘should’ be.

Luckily, there is data to put your mind at ease on all fronts. And actually, that is what vacation is for – putting your mind at ease! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Leadership, Uncategorized Tagged With: vacation

Leading When Your Buttons Are Pushed

June 8, 2015 By Deb Busser 1 Comment

button“Anybody can become angry – that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way – that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.”

–Aristotle

One of the joys of being in the world is the interactions we have with other people. We form deep relationships, we learn and grow, we find people with whom we resonate on a deep level. We feel seen, understood, and validated.

Other times we don’t. We have parallel conversations that we find incredibly frustrating. We communicate in the ways that have always worked for us, and yet somehow, certain people don’t hear us. When we are not particularly invested in the relationship, this can be okay. Other times it can feel alienating and isolating. And at certain times, with certain people, it can push all of our buttons.

I was speaking with the CEO of a well-funded tech company recently about the challenges she is facing in this quickly growing business. The biggest issues and obstacles for the firm are not around market penetration, innovation, or talent management. The biggest concern for this CEO is her relationship with the board that appointed her.

How did this happen? She gets triggered.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Leading with Vulnerability

May 6, 2015 By Deb Busser 1 Comment

Hillary at conferencelupita

The hardest thing about being a leader is demonstrating or showing vulnerability… When the leader demonstrates vulnerability and sensibility and brings people together, the team wins.”

—Howard Schultz

At a conference a few months ago, I was able to hear and experience  a number of successful and dynamic speakers, including former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o, entrepreneur Tory Burch, author Gail Sheehy, former Cosmopolitan editor Kate White, and more.

On the trip in, I was thinking about a recent engagement where I partnered with a high performing, three-time biotech CEO who had brought his flourishing company public two years earlier. Despite his successes, this CEO wanted to make even more of an impact. Our work together centered on his becoming a more inspiring and charismatic leader.

In their book, Compelling People: The Hidden Qualities that Make Us Influential, authors John Neffinger and Matt Kohut delve into two qualities that make a leader influential: strength – the root of respect, and warmth – the root of affection.

Strength is your capacity to make things happen with skills and willingness, while warmth is the sense that you share the same feelings, interests, and view of the world as the person you’re speaking to.”

The most influential – and inspiring – leaders have mastered the balance.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Leadership, Uncategorized

Leading When You “Don’t Have Your Act Together”

April 7, 2015 By Deb Busser 6 Comments

Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.”

—Richard Branson


Oops Blog Post CroppedIt was a cold winter day in Boston. I was crossing the snow-covered business school campus, anticipating my first in-person session with a group of international executives.

As I entered the room, I received a panicked text message: “A rough, unformatted, trial email just went out to your top contacts.”

Deep breath… What now?

I reassured my office manager that it would be okay–while I wondered if it would be–then mentally, I put it down. I committed to being present to the waiting exec. ed. participants, and made sure that everyone in the room had the incredible experience that I knew was possible that evening.

After the session, we re-grouped. I was disappointed that the email introduction had not gone as planned, but I knew immediately that the experience would be perfect to share in a blog post. Though we all want to be perceived as ‘looking good’ and ‘having our acts together’, occasionally we make mistakes.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Leadership

Leading from Our Bodies

February 12, 2015 By Deb Busser Leave a Comment

There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy.”

— Friedrich Nietzsche

people-dancing

I was fortunate to be in London this summer with 100 coaches from around the world. If you ever want to be in room that just buzzes with potential and possibility, a roomful of powerful coaches uniquely committed to transforming reality as we know it, is the place to be.

In this master class with my coach, Rich Litvin and Steve Chandler, Steve drew a picture of the ladder of consciousness.  At the bottom of the ladder you had states of being like worry, depression, reactivity, defensiveness. At the top were states like optimism, receptivity, safety, connection – generally the places most people would say they would prefer to hang out in.

And what was the quickest way up the ladder?  They jokingly said it was LSD – laughter, singing and dancing.  As the music started, the group immediately began to move. Many of us could not dance without singing. And by the time the song was over, we spontaneously broke into applause and laughter.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Leadership

Leading with Our Voice

January 18, 2015 By Deb Busser Leave a Comment

When we own our Voice, we own our power.”

– Arthur Samuel Joseph

leading-with-our-voice

You may be surprised that one of my first posts is about ‘voice’.  I used to assume that the ‘people at the top’ were willing to take bold stances and had mastered speaking their truth.  And yet, that is often not the case.

I recently worked with a Partner at a global investment management firm.  Marc had been asked to lead a major change management effort that would bring departments from across the firm into one centralized function.  He was well known for his relentless drive for results, no-nonsense street smarts, and razor sharp wit.  He was funny, full of energy, and definitely not a wallflower!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Leadership

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

Receive new posts in your inbox

Subscribe and be the first to know about new articles and resources from Energy Spring Leadership.

Recent Posts

  • Leading with New Eyes April 27, 2018
  • Leading From Your Power Center February 14, 2018
  • Leading Without Feedback: How Even Good Leaders Stop the Flow April 3, 2017
  • Leading Your Own Career Part III: Intentionally Growing and Evolving October 13, 2016
  • Leading in the Space Between September 22, 2016

Our clients say…

Your questions bring me to a place I hadn't expected but is where I wanted to end up. You've been exactly the right coach for me.

-  Ad Agency founder and former banking CMO

Read more client stories

Contact Us

Phone: (978) 790-3909
Email: hello@energyspringleadership.com

Serving clients in the greater Boston area and around the globe.

Publications

Business Insider
  • Here’s how to find a good mentor
ASTD.org
  • The Evolving Workplace: New (and Re-Emerging Trends)
  • Delivering Effective Performance Feedback
Training Magazine
  • Evolutionary Leadership: How to recognize and nurture it to avoid extinction

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2021 Energy Spring Leadership · All rights reserved · Website design by Danielle Baird