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Strategies for Business Leaders
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All Posts
- book ·
It Will All Work
Whatever training or education that you decide upon. Sales training. Management training. Customer service training. For the most part, it will all work. The question…

- Sarah Levitt·
- November 3, 2019 11:07 pm·
- C-Suite ·
Optimum Leadership Performance is Not an Accident
It’s a marathon that requires speed, yes, but also, stamina. Who are the people that charge you? How can you be sure to get time…

- Sarah Levitt·
- October 29, 2019 11:55 pm·
What’s the Work that Lights You on Fire?
Do that, and you’ll likely be successful. And have fun. You’ll work harder, but it won’t feel like a grind. You’ll stretch, but your focus…

- Sarah Levitt·
- October 28, 2019 12:33 am·
When the Economy’s Good and Your Retention Isn’t
Look to leadership. It’s one of the most significant levers, if not the most significant, for retaining top talent. Because when people have options, they’ll…

- Sarah Levitt·
- October 23, 2019 8:22 am·
Don’t Promote Your Star Player
At least not because they’re great at the game. As it turns out, star players often make poor coaches. Because the skill sets are so…

- Sarah Levitt·
- October 21, 2019 12:03 am·
Cracking the Code of Accountability: 5 Steps that Don’t Require Being in the Weeds, Playing Mom or Dad, or Feeling Like an Overlord
I was talking with a client about how to get more from their team, specifically more action and effort toward driving sales and meeting goals. …

- Sarah Levitt·
- October 16, 2019 11:01 am·
- C-Suite ·
How Can I Help?
Is one of the most powerful questions to diffuse a tense interaction. But our tone and intention must align with our words to be effective.…

- Sarah Levitt·
- October 11, 2019 10:44 pm·
- book ·
The Best Time of Day to Make a Decision
Doesn’t exist, really. Because if you’re like my clients, you have important decisions to make at all hours of the day (and sometimes night), and…

- Sarah Levitt·
- October 8, 2019 3:17 pm·
It’s Not on the Paper
We just finished the new ventures launch at UNC’s Kenan Flagler B-School this weekend. It’s an intense, fast-paced program for EMBA students who fly in…

- Sarah Levitt·
- October 6, 2019 5:09 pm·
The Virtue of Being a Chameleon
Not in your ethics or values. Those stay fixed. But in your ability to move with comfort and confidence across a broad range of audiences…

- Sarah Levitt·
- October 2, 2019 9:21 pm·
- book ·
Raising the Barre
About two months ago, I started taking barre classes. It is not an exaggeration to say that up until very recently (as in, last week),…

- Sarah Levitt·
- September 30, 2019 12:43 am·
Your Weakest Link
Is likely your 2nd in command, your #2. For three reasons. You don’t have one and therefore are doing too much that takes you away…

- Sarah Levitt·
- September 23, 2019 1:29 pm·
- book ·
It’s Not Enough to Say What’s Wrong
You’ve also got to describe the alternate behavior that you want. Otherwise, you’re leaving someone with feedback that they can’t do a whole lot with.…

- Sarah Levitt·
- September 20, 2019 12:36 pm·
Technical Knowledge is the Greens Fee
That’s what gets you onto the course. And later, noticed. But leadership – of self and others – is what elevates you. For more on…

- Sarah Levitt·
- September 18, 2019 11:27 pm·
- book ·
Fear is a Fuel Line
One of the recurring themes that I heard when I was interviewing leaders for The Making Magnificence Project® was that they were afraid. Of failing,…

- Sarah Levitt·
- September 12, 2019 1:10 am·
More Than a Quarter Left
What if you went out of the gate this month with your mindset from January, looking forward to what was possible, viewing the months ahead…

- Sarah Levitt·
- September 4, 2019 2:40 pm·
- book ·
Your Front Line is Your Bottom Line
In DC last week for client work, I arrive at my hotel to discover that the requests I’ve made in advance regarding my room are…

- Sarah Levitt·
- August 28, 2019 10:48 pm·
- C-Suite ·
The Right Question
Isn’t about why something is happening. The better question, if not the right question, is: What am I Going to Make of It? …

- Sarah Levitt·
- August 20, 2019 11:42 pm·
- book ·
People or Process?
Both. Processes aren’t flawless, ever, and you need great people with the discretion and authority to make the right decisions when processes need to be…

- Sarah Levitt·
- August 15, 2019 10:30 pm·
Readiness
Is not the same as being prepared. Or knowing what lies ahead. It is not the absence of fear. Rather, it is simply the place…

- Sarah Levitt·
- July 31, 2019 10:13 pm·
Trusted Advisor or Executive Coach?
If you’re a CEO or division president, you likely need a sounding board, confidante, and devil’s advocate. The phrase “lonely at the top” might describe…

- Sarah Levitt·
- July 24, 2019 10:59 pm·
- book ·
The Most Influential Type of Influence
After landing in Ithaca last week, I was greeted by my best friend who invited me to go straight to dinner. And in that moment,…

- Sarah Levitt·
- July 10, 2019 11:02 pm·
Preparing for Promotion
Strategic prioritization is one of the key domains that I address with coaching clients, particularly if they’re moving into elevated leadership roles. A few questions:…

- Sarah Levitt·
- June 26, 2019 11:05 pm·
- book ·
You Can Do Without a Great EA
But it’s not a great idea. One of the first things that I look at when working with a leader who’s been elevated into a…

- Sarah Levitt·
- June 19, 2019 10:49 pm·