Sheeba

Leadership Coach

Sheeba

Sheeba is a catalyst for change.   Her passion is reflected in providing leadership training and coaching to men and women who desire to bridge the gap from simply managing day-to-day to becoming exceptional leaders who architect change, innovation and sustainable excellence.  She meets clients where they are, finding ways to customize engagements to best serve the presenting needs of each leader, team or group so they might grow in their response-AGILITY towards others and within situations they find themselves in every day. Her approach is grounded in deep listening, intuitive challenging, and the ability to see to the heart of an issue. Sheeba is a firm believer that “although our lives are a series of defining moments, it is not the moment that defines us, but how we choose to live in them.”

She brings more than 20 years of experience working with individuals to her coaching and training experience, including a background of more than seven years as a certified K-12 teacher. Sheeba’s clients include Emerging Leaders, Managers, Senior Directors, Vice Presidents and Partners seeking leadership excellence within their role and/or teams.  She supports her clients to cultivate a mindset that would maximize their impact which then has translated into laser focused priorities, increased productivity, collaborative teams, and thus an achievement of their goals.  She has worked with clients across a broad range of industries including education, non-profits, solopreneurs, technology, financial services and the creative arts either through 1-1 personalized coaching or by leadership seminars, workshops and webinars.

She is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and was just recently selected as Top Leadership Trainer of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for her outstanding leadership and commitment to the industry.

Five Simple Steps to Thrive in Your Leadership

Often, we spend many months and even years, feeling stuck in the routines of everyday life. Life can become a blur of expectation as slowly, each day rolls into the next.I have been around enough leaders to know and feel when they are simply surviving day to day in their roles and jobs instead of thriving.

Although it’s easy to slip in to survival mode, it doesn’t have to be that way and my encouragement is that you will take the time to be intentional to create moments where you can thrive in your daily life, rather than choosing to simply survive.

Having this mindset will impact every part of your life. Additionally, it will affect the way you lead yourself and others. We have one life and we try to compartmentalize it, but it doesn’t really work that way. I often say, “How we show up in one place is how we show up in many places.” 

Here are 5 simple steps that you can begin to take today to thrive in your leadership:

As you interact with employees, see every one as unique and gifted, especially the star employees. Your role as a good boss with outstanding leadership qualities is to find the innate gifts within each one of your fellow employees as you interact with them.

Work with your employees to identify their top two gifts and help them bring those gifts to the projects they are currently working on. A sample list of possible innate gifts includes: Creativity, Facilitating, Listening, Intelligence, Intuiting, Writing, Leading, Researching, Teaching, Developing, Strategizing, Motivating, or Evaluating.

Relationships are at the heart of any business or organization; whether they are relationships within your teams or with your customers. Cultivating these relationships takes time and intentionality. In a time where everything is being done at such a fast rate, I believe this is one aspect that will be the differentiator in your business or organization. 

There is a show that I used to watch called, Undercover Boss. In one of its episodes, the CEO of a yogurt company went undercover to see how his businesses were doing across the country. In this particular episode the CEO was so curious as to what made the difference between 2 locations. They both sold the same products, but one store made considerably more profits. What was the difference you might ask? Customer service and the relationships within the employees of that store. When you treat each other well, it also comes through to your customers, as well.

  • Consider how you can grow your relationships within your teams, business and organizations.
  • Who will you take time with to get to know on a deeper level?
  • How will you let your customers know that they are valued?

Leadership tip: Make time get to know each person on your team apart from the regularly scheduled meetings you have with them.

Place boundaries around your time that will support your priorities, wellness and your personal life!

I have heard leaders say at the end of the day, “I feel like I have accomplished nothing today and yet, I was so busy”. I always challenge them to block 2 hours on their calendar that will be focused and without any distractions. Although, they feel it is hard to do in the beginning, they begin to see the value with continued practice.

  • What is on your schedule right now that is no longer a good use of your time?
  • What is something that can be delegated?
  • What should be scheduled that will require focused time?

We all work with the same amount of time every day. However, how we utilize that timecan be the difference between one being productive while the other being busy.

When you honor your time, it will also teach others to honor your time and theirs!

Leadership Tip: Make time to review your calendaring system every quarter to evaluate how your time is being spent.

I know many people don’t like to use the word weaknesses. I have no problem with it because at the end of the day, these are the areas in your leadership that can and will eventually impact the expanse and growth of your influence. This may not happen right away because you are able to “mask” your weaknesses with your abilities and intelligence. However, over time, this will inevitably show up.

Interestingly enough, our strengths when it is overused becomes our weakness. So, when leaders tell me any of the following: “I have a hard time saying, ‘no’.; I always see the big picture.;I have trouble asking for help., etc. “,I can also see what their strengths are.

If you have a hard time saying no, you are probably one that loves to connect with people and want to be liked. If you see the big picture, you are probably one with vision for a company. If you have trouble asking for help, it is probably because you can get things done with a great deal of efficiency and you have no problem working independently.

On the flip side, when leaders have a hard time saying, “no”, they will get overwhelmed and the balls that they are juggling will eventually get dropped. If you see the big picture, understanding the details will be important or you will become impulsive and have false starts. If you have trouble asking for help, you will fail to develop others around you and over time you will become overwhelmed.

Take time to reflect on your weaknesses and make a concerted effort to grow in these areas. Those around you will thank you!!

Leadership Tip: Work with a Leadership Coach to gain more awareness around how you show up every day and how you are being perceived by those around you.

One of the top reasons an employee leaves a company is because they have not been acknowledged. I find this so sad, because there are many things that are outside of our control but acknowledging someone is not. It does not take money. Instead it does take time on your part; time to see who the person is and what they have done. Notice their characteristics and values that have brought about the result that you are seeing and share it with them.

I would encourage you to read The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace written by Dr.Chapman and co-authored by Dr. Paula White. This resource is a valuable tool to help you understand how to encourage people in ways that are meaningful to them as opposed to the way you would like to express or receive appreciation.

  • Who is the one person you will acknowledge this month?
  • How will you acknowledge this person?

Leadership Tip: If you don’t know how a person likes to be acknowledged, simply ask them.

Great leadership doesn’t require a diploma or a degree. It’s not reserved for some elite group of people. Regardless of the position or title you hold, what is required is a shift in your mindset, an understanding of your identity, and a realization that you influence and impact people on a daily basis through the ways you communicate, manage and relate to others. You have the opportunity and choice to thrive in your leadership. The 5 steps mentioned here are just the beginning.

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