A coaching client wonders what elements need to be present for someone to appear ‘executive.’ Two executive coaches ponder this question and come up with five elements they deem essential.

Categories in the archive to explore:

Developing New Behaviors

Executive Presence

Perception – How You’re Perceived

Six episodes to dive into:

189 - Don’t Take Anything Personally

178 - Executive Presence – Three Pillars

168 - Influence

108 - Shouldering the Burden of Leadership

23 - Speed of Thought

Download the Six Books for Growth here.

Listen to “The Show Must Go On” episode, about a real-life on-stage catastrophe.

Curious about coaching? Reach out to Tom here.

Free transcripts of this and every episode are available here.

More resources are available in our monthly Essential News email. Sign up here.

FOR COACHES:

Michael Lewis’s podcast, “Against the Rules,” devotes its second season (2020) to all different types of coaching.

Join us at the Executive Coaching Special Interest Group. We meet six times a year. Our first meeting in 2025 is Friday, February 14th, 9:00 am Pacific.

2025 Meeting Dates

Fridays, 9:00 – 10:30am Pacific

February 14

April 11

June 13

August 8

September 12

November 14

Sponsored by ICF-LA

Wishing us all compassion and grace in 2025.

From The Look & Sound of Leadership team

A senior leader, upset about having flubbed her reply to ‘Tell us about yourself’ during a high-stakes interview, talks with her coach about how to prepare for what she considers to be an incredibly stupid question.

Categories in the archive to explore:

Communication Skills

Executive Presence

Presentation Skills

Six episodes to dive into:

34 - Keeping Repeated Materials Fresh

77 - The Power of Rehearsal

65 - Sorting & Labeling

180 - Becoming Expert

114 - Gravitas

124 - Personal Branding

For help Sorting & Labeling, download the PDF.

For help finding your three words, use our Needs & Values assessment.

For a new way of thinking about interviewing: Interviewology, The New Science of Interviewing.”

For career guidance, Michele Calderigi, head of Next Career, is a seasoned counselor.

Lois Frankel’s Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office remains a favorite among senior women in the workplace.

Curious about coaching? Reach out to Tom here.

Free transcripts of this and every episode are available here.

More resources are available in our monthly Essential News email. Sign up here.

Safe and sane holidays, everyone!

from The Look & Sound of Leadership team

A chief officer had known for years he was an over talker. His CEO, desperate for improvement, gave him a coach. This episode highlights their first coaching conversation.

Two mindsets from this episode:

1. When you speak, have a destination in mind.

Ask yourself: “What is my point exactly?” and “Why is this something they need to know?”

1. Pay attention to your listeners. Respond to their interests.

Ask yourself: “Does what I’m talking about right now help us get to the destination?” If not, skip it.

It doesn’t matter why you overtalk. Overtalking is limiting. Build your awareness of when you do it.

Learn to ‘hear’ the communications you have.

Who talked how long?

What were the smaller conversations within the larger communication?

More tools to build your self-awareness and communication skills can be found in the Essential Communications bin and in the archive of all 16 years of the show.

Build awareness browsing these categories:

Self-Management

Perception – How You Perceive Yourself

Develop your communication skills in this category:

Communication Skills

Five Episodes to help your skills are:

53 - Answer What’s Asked

65 - Sorting & Labeling

20 - Staying on Track

11 - Sounding Executive

16 - Sounding Well-Spoken

“Think Fast Talk Smart” podcast with Matt Abrahams. Great tools to help you be a better communicator.

Curious about coaching? Reach out to Tom here.

Free transcripts of this and every episode are available here.

More resources are available in our monthly Essential News email. Sign up here.

Coaches!

Download the results of ICF-LA’s pricing survey here.

Be safe, everyone!

The Look & Sound of Leadership team