Leadership

Leaders In Harmony: What’s the Quality of Your Sound?

February 1, 2023

Leaders In Harmony: What’s the Quality of Your Sound?

I recently returned from a seven-day vacation cruising the Caribbean with 2200 of my closest friends (well four really). The entire ship was filled with opportunities to listen to smooth jazz music all day long and into the wee hours of the morning. There were multiple performers and musicians, many of whom were regulars on this annual (except for a 3-year COVID break) cruise. And while some guests like me were first timers, many had “frequent flyer” status with 10 to 20 jazz themed cruises under their belts. They knew what to expect and savored every moment of it. (more…)

Whose Tank Have You Filled?

January 4, 2023

Priscilla Archangel

Acknowlegement, Affirmation, Leadership, Motivation, Relationships

Whose Tank Have You Filled?

I recently facilitated an end of year meeting with one of my clients and allocated time for each person to share what they appreciated about every one of their colleagues. We were meeting virtually, and each person was invited to put their thoughts in a group chat, so that the recipient could go back to it later and reread it. As the facilitator, this was about them, not me, so I wasn’t even thinking about asking for their comments about me.

But just before we ended the meeting, someone said, “What about Priscilla?” Then they all began to type in their words of affirmation for me. I must admit that when I read it, I got a little emotional. I didn’t realize the impact that my consulting had on them over the past two years. It also motivated me to dig deeper, continue growing personally and pour into the leaders and organizations that I’m honored to serve. It energized me, tapped into my strengths, and reinforced where I can add value. (more…)

Authentic Leadership: Will the Real You Please Stand Up?

December 14, 2022

Priscilla Archangel

Authenticity, Behavior, Communication, Credibility, Leadership, Priorities, Purpose, Self-Awareness

Authentic Leadership: Will the Real You Please Stand Up?

Does your team know your core values and personality style?

Is your behavior consistent in all your interactions with your colleagues?

Do you sometimes find yourself following a pattern of behaviors that others’ expect from you, instead of creating your own?

Do you experience a level of stress trying to perform to others’ standards? (more…)

Establishing an Environment for Growth

November 2, 2022

Priscilla Archangel

Leadership, Relationships, Team, Team Building, Work Environment

Establishing an Environment for Growth

There’s an old parable about a man who planted seed.

He tossed some of the seed on rocky ground. Little plants peeped out of the ground, but because there wasn’t much soil, they died away without much growth.

He tossed other seed on the ground that was covered with thorns. But the seed couldn’t settle into any dirt because the thorns choked them out.

He then tossed some seed on ground that was hardened because it was a pathway. This seed simply laid on top of the hard ground, which made it easy for the birds to come and feast on.

Finally, the man tossed some seed on good soil that was soft, watered, and full of nutrients needed for growth. The seed sprouted and produced a sun-kissed harvest. Some of it was thirty, sixty and one hundred times greater than what was planted!

The moral of the story? It’s important to establish the right environment for growth. (more…)

Asking Better Questions Leads to Better Answers

October 5, 2022

Priscilla Archangel

Asking the Right Questions, Empowerment, Leadership

Asking Better Questions Leads to Better Answers

Has it ever occurred to you that the quality of the answers you receive is dependent on the quality of the questions you ask? Consider these three conversations.

I talked with a coachee about some career decisions he was facing. After a lengthy discussion of the pros and cons, he asked me point blank, “What should I do?” My response was to ask him a question; “Where is your heart?” He paused then responded with a definitive answer. The right questions culminated in the most important one to help him decide.
I met with a leadership team and asked them a set of questions about their business. Going into the meeting it appeared as if they knew many of the answers. But by the time we finished the meeting, it was clear that they saw value in spending more time discussing and determining their plan of action. Taking the time to dig into the original questions opened the door to underlying issues that needed to be addressed.
I met with a different leadership team regarding a new initiative for their organization. They asked me questions about my experience in their area of interest. I asked them questions to understand why they were undertaking this challenge. It was an interesting and thought-provoking discussion as we both walked away with more questions on our minds. But we recognized that the appropriate timing for asking and answering the next set of questions would come in the future.

(more…)

Where Do You Belong?

September 7, 2022

Priscilla Archangel

Belonging, Inclusion, Leadership, Team, Team Building

Where Do You Belong?

Where did you come from? Who are your people? Who do you look like in your family?

If you can readily answer these questions, congratulations. But for some people, these questions evoke anxiety because they have little to no contact with their family of origin.

Many non-profit organizations around the country take on the herculean and important work of meeting the needs of children in the child welfare system who require interventions to support their well-being. In the past, this frequently meant residential stays in group homes. (more…)

Inspecting the Expected

August 3, 2022

Priscilla Archangel

Capability, Leadership

Inspecting the Expected

I love looking at HGTV shows. It’s interesting to watch the variety of homes people purchase and their excitement to describe how they’ll use the new space. In some cases, they want a “move in ready” place where they don’t have to do a thing. The layout and basic décor should already suit their style. In other cases, they want a blank palette where they can move walls, change the paint and flooring, update the kitchen and bathroom to “make it their own.”

More unsettling though is when their excitement over their new home is interrupted by a friendly inspector with bad news. Close examination uncovers things like termites, asbestos, water or mold damage, cracks in the foundation, roof leakage, faulty electrical wiring, old plumbing…the list goes on. The cost for repairs eats into the homeowner’s savings or impacts their renovation budget. (more…)

Building Meaningful Leadership Relationships

June 1, 2022

Priscilla Archangel

Leadership, Relationships

Building Meaningful Leadership Relationships

“The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask.”
Peter F. Drucker, management consultant

This is a profound quote that made me think of another difference between leaders of the past and leaders of the future.

The leader of the past was a person who had a hierarchical relationship with their team. The leader of the future will be a person who has a warm and meaningful relationship with their team. (more…)

Leading a Remote or Hybrid Team

May 4, 2022

Priscilla Archangel

hybrid work, Leadership, remote work, Team, Team Building, teamwork, values

Leading a Remote or Hybrid Team

It’s no secret that many companies are struggling to find the right balance between remote and hybrid work policies for their knowledge workers. After over two years of forced remote work, announcements and retractions of return-to-office dates, remote local hires who have never stepped foot on site, and remote countrywide hires who will never be expected to work on site, many hope there is light at the end of the tunnel. They just don’t know if it’s sunlight or a train headlight. (more…)

Three Inches of Doubt

March 2, 2022

Priscilla Archangel

Communication, Credibility, Leadership, Relationships

Three Inches of Doubt

A skyscraper in lower Manhattan, New York City is reportedly leaning three inches to the north. The 58 story, 670-foot tower, known as One Seaport is only partially built. And in 2019, the tower’s contractor sued the developer alleging they allowed it to be built on a substandard foundation. The developer in turn alleged that the lawsuit was a distraction based on the contractor’s inability to complete the structure. You can imagine how the accusations are flowing from there. And the misalignment of the structure is compromising the installation of the building’s glass exterior. (more…)

Leaders In Harmony: What’s the Quality of Your Sound?

Whose Tank Have You Filled?

Authentic Leadership: Will the Real You Please Stand Up?

Establishing an Environment for Growth

Asking Better Questions Leads to Better Answers

Where Do You Belong?

Inspecting the Expected

Building Meaningful Leadership Relationships

Leading a Remote or Hybrid Team

Three Inches of Doubt

Leadership Tips