Live Forward and Give Back: Weekly Coaching Moments for Leaders at All Levels

By Susan J. Cucuzza

These Coaching Moments were created over the first several years in my own business as a leadership coach. I decided to write one every week and share them with leaders around the world, knowing that if my Coaching Moment resonated with just one person, I was touching them through coaching and helping them to become a better leader. This is the whole reason I took the leap into my own businessto help one leader at a time be the best leader that they can be.

At certain times, a Coaching Moment has come from an actual conversation or top issue that one of my clients faced that week. At other times, Coaching Moments arose from situations that I observed throughout the course of my day. All of them are common challenges for leaders at all levels.

Let these Coaching Moments serve as weekly practices for you. Browse the book alphabetically by heading, and find the leadership topic that hits home for you this week. Or pick a Coaching Moment at random. Try practicing one tip per week.

Having this book alone takes you one step forward in your leadership. May these Coaching Moments raise your level of leadership and bring you success and joy, as these have for me to have written them.

As you practice each one, commit to enjoy a great week.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Apr 22, 2013
• ISBN: 9781452570754

Susan J. Cucuzza

Susan Cucuzza is an international executive coach and founder of Live Forward, LLC. She coaches executives around the world on leadership effectiveness. Susan is also a master executive coach through Case Western Reserve University. Susan connects with the arts and nature through singing with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, traveling around the world, and birding. She lives with her husband, Tom, on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio. Susan connects with the arts and nature through singing with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, traveling around the world, and birding. She lives with her husband, Tom, on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio.

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Copyright © 2013 Susan J. Cucuzza.

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ISBN: 978-1-4525-7074-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-7075-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013905138

Balboa Press rev. date: 04/17/2013

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CONTENTS

ACHIEVEMENT AND SUCCESS

ACTION

AUTHENTICITY

BASICS AND FUNDAMENTALS

CHANGE

COACHING

COMMUNICATIONS

COMPASSION

CONFIDENCE

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

COURAGE

CREDIT (GIVING AND SHARING)

CULTURE

CUSTOMER FOCUS

DECISION MAKING

DEVELOPING OTHERS

DIVERSITY

EMPOWERMENT

ENERGY

FAILURE

FAIRNESS

FEEDBACK

FLEXIBILITY

FOCUS

GLOBAL FOCUS

HONESTY

HUMOR

LEARNING

LISTENING

PERFORMANCE

PERSPECTIVE

PLANNING

PROBLEM SOLVING

PROGRESS

RECOGNITION

RELATIONSHIPS

RESPONSIVENESS

ROLE MODELING LEADERSHIP

SELF-AWARENESS

TAKING A STAND

STRENGTHS

SUCCESSION

TALENT MANAGEMENT

TEAMWORK

VALUES

VISIBILITY

VISION

ACHIEVEMENT AND SUCCESS

Celebrate Your Success this Year.

As we reflect on how the year is going, we know how hard we and our teams are working. As we continue to push ourselves into this year and even the next year, let us remember all of the successes and how far we have come. More importantly, let us remember others who have helped us get there. For this week, identify someone who helped you to be successful this year, and reach out and thank them.

Success doesn’t come to you… you go to it. ~ Marva Collins

Celebrate Your Progress.

When working on a long-term goal or completing a major project, it may seem like forever before we reach the end. We spend most of our time looking at how far we still have to go, and we lose sight of how much we have already accomplished. For this week, reflect on a goal you have been working hard at for some time, and celebrate how much progress you have already made.

I look at victory as milestones on a very long highway. ~ Joan Benoit Samuelson

See and Share the Positives.

Many times, we find that our week is consumed with problem solving, responding to crises, and dwelling on what could have gone better. For this week, find an example of what is working well in your organization and share this with others. It will raise energy, recognize the hard work being done, and motivate your team.

There are always flowers for those who want to see them. ~ Henri Matisse

ACTION

Expect Action from Every Team Member.

It is common to set goals with our team members at the beginning of the year. When the goals are set, there will be a few people who take it upon themselves to determine the actions necessary to achieve the goals. There will be others who do not know how to create action plans from those goals. As leaders, it is up to us to help our team members translate goals into actions, and to guide them along the way. For this week, clarify with each team member what specific actions they have set forth that support their goals. Determine what you need to do to help each person drive their actions forward.

Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in. ~ Napoleon Bonaparte

Take Action.

Being action-oriented is a quality in many great leaders. It is not always easy to act quickly, however, as our own leadership style can often get in our way. We may tend to wait until the last minute, over-analyze the details before moving forward (needing to be 100% sure), or be afraid to take a risk. For this week, reflect on what may hold you back from taking action as quickly as you need, and commit to step out of your comfort zone. Being an action-oriented leader will accelerate your effectiveness.

Have a bias toward action - let’s see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away. ~ Indira Gandhi

Move Your Team to Action Even in Uncertainty.

Leaders need to take control of a situation and move it forward, especially in times of crisis, change or uncertainty. They need to bring their team along quickly with them. For this week, assess how well each of your team members demonstrates the ability to embrace change and support difficult decisions, and determine what you need to do to move each person forward into action.

Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm. ~