The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

Episode Description Why do so many capable people overestimate their effectiveness at work? And what are the hidden behaviors quietly damaging trust, credibility, communication, and career growth? In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Joe Folkman to explore new research from Zenger Folkman on the surprising gap between how individual contributors see themselves… and how their managers actually experience them. Based on a study of more than 15,000 professionals, the conversation uncovers the 8 workplace behaviors people most commonly misjudge — from follow-through and communication to trust and work ethic. Joe explains why self-awareness is one of the greatest competitive advantages in today’s workplace and how blind spots can quietly limit performance and growth. BreAnne and Joe also discuss why organizations need to start development earlier — before someone becomes a formal leader — and how Zenger Folkman’s new development experience, Extraordinary YOU, is designed to help individual contributors build strengths, increase self-awareness, and accelerate growth at every stage of their career. If you’ve ever wondered whether others experience you the way you think they do… this episode is for you. Key Learnings 1. Most people have larger professional blind spots than they realize. Research from more than 15,000 individual contributors revealed major gaps between self-ratings and manager ratings, especially in behaviors tied to trust, communication, follow-through, and influence. 2. Self-awareness is a competitive advantage. The professionals who improve the fastest are not necessarily the most naturally talented — they are the most accurate at seeing their strengths and weaknesses clearly. 3. Small daily behaviors shape your reputation more than you think. Reliability, preparation, responsiveness, and consistency quietly build — or erode — credibility over time. 4. High performers proactively seek feedback instead of waiting for reviews. People who actively ask for specific behavioral feedback are better able to close the gap between intention and impact. 5. Leadership development should start earlier. BreAnne and Joe discuss why organizations often wait too long to develop employees and how Extraordinary You helps individual contributors build self-awareness, strengths, and effectiveness long before they move into formal leadership roles Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.The post Episode 185: Are You Overestimating Your Effectiveness? (And Why It Matters More Than You Think) first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Episode Description In this episode of The 90th Percentile Podcast, BreAnne Okoren and Jack Zenger sit down with leadership expert Michelle Fabian to explore one of the most overlooked—but critical—elements of effective coaching: presence. While many leadership coaching models focus on goal setting, performance gaps, and action plans, this conversation takes a different approach. Michelle shares why great coaching begins with trust, connection, and a deep understanding of the individual—not just the problem. Grounded in Zenger Folkman’s research on strengths-based leadership development and data from over 1 million 360-degree assessments, this episode reveals what truly differentiates leaders who coach effectively. You’ll learn practical coaching techniques to help leaders: Build trust and rapport quickly Listen beyond the surface Ask better, more impactful questions Turn insight into meaningful action Empower others without giving all the answers If you’re a leader, HR professional, coach, or facilitator looking to improve your leadership coaching skills, this episode offers a simple but powerful truth: ???? The best coaching conversations don’t start with answers—they start with presence Key Learnings 1. Great Coaching Skills Start with Trust, Not Tools Many leaders jump straight to goals and solutions. But effective leadership coaching begins with building trust and connection. Without it, even the best coaching techniques fall flat. 2. Presence Is One of the Most Critical Coaching Skills for Leaders Being fully present—listening without distraction or agenda—is what allows leaders to uncover deeper issues like uncertainty, self-doubt, and competing priorities. 3. The Best Coaches Focus on the Person, Not Just the Problem Strong coaching skills require understanding what motivates someone, where they feel confident, and where they feel stuck. This broader perspective leads to more meaningful and lasting development. 4. Effective Coaching Techniques Turn Insight into Action Coaching isn’t about solving everything at once. The most effective leaders help others identify small, actionable next steps that build momentum and confidence over time. 5. Leadership Coaching Is About Asking, Not Telling Zenger Folkman’s research shows that leaders who develop others effectively don’t rely on giving answers. Instead, they ask thoughtful questions that help individuals think more clearly and take ownership of their growth. Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.The post Episode 184: Coaching is Connection First— Why Presence Outperforms Advice first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Episode Description Gossip may seem like a minor workplace habit, but the research tells a very different story. In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne and Joe Folkman explore new data from Zenger Folkman’s 360-degree leadership assessments revealing how destructive comments about others can quietly undermine a leader’s effectiveness. Based on feedback from hundreds of leaders and thousands of raters, the findings show that leaders who engage in negative gossip are perceived as significantly less effective across nearly every leadership competency. Joe explains why leaders fall into the gossip trap, the hidden ways it erodes trust and psychological safety, and how this behavior spreads through organizations. More importantly, the research reveals that when leaders become aware of this pattern and change it, their effectiveness can improve dramatically. For HR, Talent Development, and Learning leaders, this conversation highlights the powerful role feedback and leadership development play in shaping healthy cultures. When leaders commit to speaking about others with integrity—and addressing issues directly rather than through back channels—they build the trust, collaboration, and influence that define truly extraordinary leadership. Key Learnings 1. Leadership gossip is not harmless—it’s a career-limiting behavior.Zenger Folkman’s research shows that leaders who engage in destructive comments about others are viewed as less effective in 29 of 31 leadership behaviors measured in 360-degree feedback assessments. 2. Gossip erodes trust and psychological safety.When leaders criticize others behind their backs, team members become guarded and hesitant to speak openly—damaging collaboration, innovation, and honest communication. 3. The impact extends far beyond the individuals involved.Destructive comments create ripple effects across organizations, contributing to toxic culture, decreased collaboration, wasted energy, and higher turnover among top performers. 4. Small behavior changes can produce dramatic leadership gains.Leaders who improved their behavior around discouraging destructive comments saw their overall leadership effectiveness rise dramatically—from the 29th percentile to the 78th percentile in the study. 5. Awareness and feedback are powerful catalysts for change.360-degree feedback can help leaders recognize behaviors they may not realize they exhibit. When leaders commit to addressing issues directly and sharing praise instead of criticism, they build stronger trust and influence. Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.  The post Episode 183: The Gossip Trap— One Leadership Habit That Quietly Destroys Trust first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Episode Description In a time of tighter budgets and higher scrutiny, leadership development is often one of the first investments leaders feel pressure to justify—or cut. But what if that decision is quietly costing organizations far more than they realize? In this episode, BreAnne Okoren sits down with Orin Salas, Vice President of Sales at Zenger Folkman, to unpack compelling research from Joe Folkman that reframes the ROI conversation entirely. Drawing on data from nearly 1,000 leaders—and insights published in Harvard Business Review—they explore why effective leadership development doesn’t just pay for itself, but actively saves and generates money. Together, they examine how leadership quality drives employee engagement, retention, discretionary effort, and culture—and why poor leadership silently drains value every day it goes unaddressed. Orin brings a candid, real-world perspective from decades in the training and development industry, including roles at Wilson Learning, Hogan, and Deloitte, offering a clear-eyed view of what separates leadership development that works from what doesn’t. If you’ve ever wondered whether leadership development is truly worth the investment, this episode offers a data-backed answer—and a challenge leaders can’t afford to ignore. Key Learnings Leadership development isn’t an expense—it’s a value protector.Organizations are already paying for leadership through turnover, disengagement, burnout, and lost productivity. Investing in leadership simply shifts those costs from reactive to intentional. Great leadership compounds over time.Longitudinal research shows that sustained leadership development creates a “rising tide” effect—where strong leaders develop strong leaders, multiplying impact across the organization. The engagement gap is a profitability gap.Leaders in the top 10% drive engagement levels nearly 50 percentile points higher than bottom-tier leaders—fueling 20–25% gains in profitability through productivity, retention, and customer satisfaction. One poor leader can quietly cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.Employees under ineffective leaders are five times more likely to consider leaving, with replacement costs often reaching 1.5–2x salary. Improving even one leader can fund an entire development program. Every organization has a leadership strategy—whether it’s intentional or not.When leadership development is inconsistent or ignored, pressure and bad habits become the teachers. The question isn’t whether leaders are being developed—it’s who (or what) is doing the developing Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.  The post Episode 182: Does Leadership Development Actually Pay Off? The ROI Leaders Can’t Ignore first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details In this episode of The 90th Percentile, BreAnne Okoren and Joe Folkman unpack Zenger Folkman’s new Leadership Skills 2026 Report and explore what truly differentiates leaders in an AI-accelerated world. As AI makes information faster and cheaper, one capability is becoming increasingly scarce: human leadership. Drawing on fresh data from tens of thousands of leaders and direct reports—along with insights from trust, feedback, recognition, and decision-making studies—BreAnne and Joe reveal why technology is amplifying both productivity and the cost of weak leadership. Together, they walk through the four leadership priorities shaping 2026: strengths-based development, faster decision-making fueled by trust, employee experiences that unlock discretionary effort, and cultures built on psychological safety and shared influence. You’ll learn why there’s no single “best” leadership style, how trust becomes infrastructure for speed, and why recognition and participation are some of the highest-impact behaviors leaders can master. If you’re navigating change, scaling leadership capability, or wondering how to help your organization thrive alongside AI, this episode offers practical, research-backed guidance you can apply right away. Want the full research, visuals, and practical framework? Download the new Leadership Skills 2026 eBook to explore each chapter in depth and start applying these insights with your leaders today. Key Points There is no universal leadership style—strengths matter more.Extraordinary leaders don’t try to copy a model. They build a few distinctive strengths while eliminating fatal flaws, making personalized development the fastest path to excellence in 2026. Decision-making is becoming a competitive advantage—and trust is the accelerator.Top decision-makers don’t just analyze better; they create clarity, move quickly on low-risk issues, and build trust so decisions can happen closer to the work. Trust isn’t soft—it determines speed.In low-trust environments, progress stalls behind approvals and safeguards. In high-trust cultures, work moves faster because people are empowered to act. Discretionary effort comes from confidence, recognition, and purpose—not pressure.Leaders who focus only on driving results get compliance. Leaders who build confidence, recognize contributions, and connect work to purpose unlock commitment, creativity, and resilience. Psychological safety and shared influence outperform command-and-control.Organizations with greater participation and voice generate better decisions, higher extra effort, and lower intent to quit—proving that expanding influence beats tightening control. Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.The post Episode 181: Highlights from The Leadership Skills Report 2026 first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details Trust in leadership is often framed as a generational issue—older leaders are assumed to be more credible because of experience, while younger leaders are expected to “prove themselves” before earning trust. But Zenger Folkman research challenges these assumptions. In this episode of The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast, BreAnne Okoren sits down with renowned psychometrician Joe Folkman to unpack data from 80,336 leaders and 360-degree trust ratings that reveal a surprising reality: trust does not rise steadily with age. Instead, trust follows a U-shaped pattern across career decades and is most strongly driven by observable leadership behaviors, not generational identity. Together, BreAnne and Joe break down the myths, explain what truly drives trust across generations, and introduce the Trifecta of Trust framework—Relationships, Expertise, and Consistency—highlighting how leaders and teams can intentionally build trust at any stage of their career. Learn more about Zenger Folkman’s Trifecta of Trust Development Experiences for leaders and teams. Key Points Trust is not a generational trait—it’s a behavioral outcome.Age-based assumptions about trust distract from what actually builds credibility: consistent leadership behavior. Trust doesn’t increase steadily with experience.Zenger Folkman’s analysis shows a U-shaped trust curve—high trust early career, declining in mid-career, and rising again later, proving that tenure alone does not create trust. Younger leaders are not “less trustworthy” by default.When trust ratings are analyzed by generation, Gen Z and Millennials score higher on trust than Boomers, challenging common stereotypes in both directions. Three competencies explain trust across every age group.Trust is most strongly predicted by: Relationships (approachability, collaboration, inclusion) Expertise (sound judgment, helpful insight, competence) Consistency (follow-through, reliability, keeping commitments) Collaboration is one of the largest leadership gaps—across all generations.Even though collaboration is ranked as highly important, it consistently ranks much lower in actual effectiveness, meaning it must be intentionally developed, not assumed. Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.The post Episode 180: The Generational Trust Myth—Why Behavior Beats Age Every Time first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details Emotional intelligence has dominated leadership conversations for years—and for good reason. Leaders who listen, empathize, and build strong relationships create healthier, more engaged teams. But what if EQ isn’t the primary capability driving leadership effectiveness? Drawing on a global dataset of 128,000 leaders and 360-degree feedback from over a million raters, they explore what happens when strategic perspective and emotional intelligence are placed head-to-head. This episode reframes a long-standing leadership debate and offers a practical roadmap for leaders and organizations deciding where to focus their development efforts next. If you’re responsible for building leaders who can navigate complexity, inspire confidence, and lead through uncertainty, this conversation may change how you think about leadership capability altogether. Register for our upcoming webinar on this topic. Key Points 1. Strategic Perspective Is a Leadership Multiplier While emotional intelligence remains important, strategic perspective magnifies a leader’s overall effectiveness. Leaders strong in strategy outperform across 14 critical leadership behaviors—far more than leaders who rely primarily on EQ. 2. Strategic Clarity Enhances Communication and Trust Contrary to popular belief, leaders with strong strategic thinking communicate more powerfully and inspire greater commitment. Clear reasoning behind decisions reduces uncertainty and builds trust across teams. 3. EQ Alone Doesn’t Drive Innovation or Change Leaders high in EQ but low in strategic capability outperform in only two areas—integrity and collaboration. Without strategic perspective, leaders struggle to innovate, take risks, and champion meaningful change. 4. Empathy Is Most Effective When Paired with Direction Caring about people isn’t enough. Strategic leaders ground empathy in action by helping teams understand where the organization is headed and how they fit into the future. 5. Strategic Capability Can Be Developed—At Every Level Strategic thinking isn’t reserved for executives. Through coaching, scenario planning, and cross-functional exposure, leaders at all levels can build strategic perspective and dramatically increase their impact. Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.The post Episode 179: Strategic Expertise vs. Emotional Intelligence—Which Drives Leadership Success? first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details Are workplace evaluations truly objective—or do subtle perceptions still shape how we see male and female leaders differently? In this episode, host Bre Okoren sits down with leadership researcher Joe Folkman to unpack one of the largest real-world analyses ever conducted on gender and leadership effectiveness. Drawing from 12,000+ 360-degree evaluations, Joe reveals a surprising paradox: women are rated higher overall than men by colleagues who work directly with them, yet consistently rated lower on the very competencies most associated with executive advancement—like strategic thinking and external perspective. Together, Bre and Joe explore why this “perception gap” persists, how it quietly reinforces the leadership glass ceiling, and what organizations and leaders can do right now to create fairer, more accurate evaluations. With insights spanning global data, behavioral science, and practical organizational solutions, this episode is essential listening for HR leaders, executives, and anyone committed to advancing equity in leadership. Key Points 1. The Data Tells a Different Story Than Stereotypes Real workplace evaluations—not hypothetical scenarios—show that female leaders are rated slightly more effective overall by both male and female colleagues. This contradicts many assumptions about gender bias in leadership performance. 2. A “Perception Gap” Is Blocking Female Advancement Despite high overall effectiveness, women receive lower ratings on strategic thinking, technical expertise, and external influence—competencies disproportionately tied to promotions into senior roles. This subtle gap plays a real role in why fewer women reach the C-suite. 3. Bias Isn’t Just Male vs. Female—It’s Cultural Conditioning Both men and women showed the same rating patterns, revealing that these perceptions come from deeply ingrained narratives about what leadership looks like, not simple in-group or out-group preference. 4. Organizations Can Close the Gap With Small, Intentional Changes Structured promotion rubrics, diverse decision-making committees, and equitable access to strategic assignments dramatically increase fairness. Individual women can also counteract perception gaps by actively building visibility around strategic work and external influence. Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.The post Episode 178: The Hidden Truth About Gender and Leadership Ratings first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details Consider this episode your Strengths-Based Leadership 101. BreAnne and Joe revisit the foundation of Zenger Folkman’s entire leadership philosophy — the data-driven insight that extraordinary leaders are not well-rounded; they’re exceptional in a few distinctive areas that matter most. Drawing from over 100,000 leadership assessments, Joe explains why traditional development programs focused on fixing weaknesses are fundamentally flawed, how strengths-based growth aligns with neuroscience and motivation, and what organizations can do to make leadership development more personal, powerful, and tied to real business outcomes. Whether you’re a leader, coach, or HR professional, this episode reframes how you think about growth and effectiveness. Learn more about Zenger Folkman’s strength-based approach to leadership development. Key Points Fixing weaknesses doesn’t create excellence. Unless a leader has a fatal flaw, focusing development on strengths produces far greater performance gains than trying to eliminate weaknesses. Extraordinary leaders are “spiky,” not well-rounded. Top-performing leaders excel in a few key areas that create outsized impact—they don’t master all 19 competencies. Development accelerates when it aligns with your wiring. Building on existing strengths taps into established neural pathways, making learning faster, more energizing, and more sustainable. Effective growth happens at the intersection of three elements: individual strengths, organizational needs, and personal passion. When those align, development drives measurable business results. Strengths-based development works—and the data proves it. In Zenger Folkman’s studies, 85% of leaders who used this approach showed statistically significant improvement in leadership effectiveness and measurable team outcomes. Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.The post Episode 177: Why Strengths-Based Development Outperforms Traditional Methods first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details In this special episode of The 90th Percentile, we unpack how Jotun—the Norway-based, family-owned paints and coatings company operating in 100+ countries—elevated leadership effectiveness using Zenger Folkman’s Extraordinary Leader program. Partnering with Arcadia Consulting, Jotun moved from a baseline well below industry average to outperforming peers, all by doubling down on a strengths-based approach to leadership. We’re joined by Alistair Skellern (Arcadia) to explore the data, the culture, and the practices behind this multi-year transformation. Learn how building a few profound strengths—not just fixing weaknesses—created measurable gains in performance, engagement, and leader pipeline. You can visit Arcadia Consulting’s website to watch additional interviews  on this Jotun leadership case study: Arcadia Consulting. Key Point Strengths > gap-fixing: Jotun’s biggest gains came from magnifying a few profound strengths per leader—making development feel energizing and personalized rather than remedial. Measure what matters, then retest: A disciplined 360-feedback cadence (with executive participation) built credibility, a shared language, and visible progress over five years. Push insights earlier in careers: Moving The Extraordinary Leader assessment down the leadership pipeline (not just for senior leaders) accelerated readiness and internal mobility. Balance “results” and “relationships”: Interpersonal skills and learning agility were strong; bolder decision-making, initiative, and championing change became the focused next step. Culture raises the bar: As great leadership became more common, tolerance for poor leadership dropped—the “shadow effect”—creating healthy pressure to sustain excellence. Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.The post Episode 176: Jotun Case Study in Extraordinary Leadership first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details What separates the best decision-makers from the rest? In this episode, Joe Folkman shares research on nearly 16,000 leaders to reveal seven key qualities that enable effective decision-making. Discover why information overload slows decisions down, how to balance speed with quality, and the surprising link between decision-making effectiveness and employee engagement. If you’re struggling with analysis paralysis or looking to empower better decisions throughout your organization, this episode offers practical, research-backed insights you can apply immediately. Key Point Decision-making is harder today due to information overload, uncertainty, and stakeholder complexity. Effective decision-makers create highly engaged teams—the best leaders scored 86th percentile in effectiveness and their teams 77th in engagement. The top decision-makers consistently demonstrate seven key behaviors, including anticipating problems, acting quickly, focusing on priorities, balancing risk, and building trust. Trust is the foundation that accelerates decision speed and quality by reducing friction and bureaucracy. Great leaders build decision-making cultures, empowering people at every level to act with clarity, confidence, and alignment. Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.The post Episode 175: 7 Key Leadership Behaviors of the Most Effective Decision Makers first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details In a society that showers attention on those in power, it is valuable to remember that those in the C suite are not the only ones doing the remarkable everyday work that causes organizations to excel.  Much of the excellence comes from the host of people who conscientiously get work done and constantly look for ways to do it better. In this episode, we’re talking about extraordinary performers, why you need them and how to keep them. Key InsightsEpi We collected 24,826 evaluations on 2,055 individual contributors. Using those evaluations, we looked at the “good” performers who were rated at the 30th to the 70th percentile and compared them to the “best” performers (those were rated above 90%). We found that many individual contributors have a tendency to become excellent sandbaggers. They assume their manager will keep piling on work until they reach a point where they can’t accomplish all the work that has been assigned. We found that the best individual contributors were highly effective at achieving objectives that required a high level of cooperation from people in other parts of the organization. It was fascinating that the best individual contributors were highly effective at representing the group to other groups in the organization. For some individual contributors, it is not the lack of feedback that is the problem; it is that they are constantly giving feedback in a negative way, resulting in distrust and anger in the organization. Connect with Jack Zenger LinkedIn Twitter Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman, and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here. Additional Resources Extraordinary Performers: Why You Need Them and Hope To Keep Them– Forbes Article by Jack Zenger The post Episode 56: Extraordinary Performers- Why You Need Them & How to Keep Them appeared first on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details: Coaching conversations are worth planning. They take up valuable time for both parties, so that time should be put to its most efficient use. A good coaching conversation can improve relationships, performance, motivation, and results. In this episode, we discuss a proven framework for coaching conversations to guide leaders effectively through the process. Guest Bio: Kathleen Stinnett brings over 25 years of experience working with individuals and organizations to improve performance and fulfillment, creating sustainable change and results. A popular speaker, author, and facilitator, Kathleen coaches leaders at all levels to understand and improve their personal leadership effectiveness. She co-authored The Extraordinary Coach: How the Best Leaders Help Others Grow and served on the faculty of the Hudson Institute of Coaching for 17 years. Kathleen received her Master Certified Coach (MCC) credential from the International Coach Federation in 2005, a Certificate in Coaching Supervision from Ashridge University in 2014, and a Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology in 2015. She holds her B.S. in business and an M.S. in Occupational Education. Connect with Kathleen: LinkedIn KathleenStinnett.com Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman, and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here. Additional Resources: Bringing Science to the Art of Coaching A whitepaper designed to help every kind of professional coach, the authors offer some useful tips on how to make the most of every coaching session. The Extraordinary Coach: How The Best Leaders Help Others Grow  The Bestselling book that offers worksheets, checklists, sample questions, and the latest research findings to provide a full-immersion course on becoming the kind of coach that brings dramatic change to an organization. Coaching and Feedback  Learn more about Zenger Folkman’s coaching programs and assessments. The post Episode 30: FUEL– A Proven Framework For Coaching appeared first on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details Have you ever tried to change anyone’s behavior at work? It can be extremely frustrating. So often the effort produces an opposite result: rupturing the relationship, diminishing job performance, or causing the person to dig in their heels. Still, some approaches clearly work better than others. We reviewed a dataset of 2,852 direct reports of 559 leaders. The direct reports rated their managers on 49 behaviors and also assessed the leaders on their effectiveness at leading change – specifically, the managers’ ability to influence others to move in the direction the organization wanted to go. In this podcast episode, we discuss seven things you can do to help people change for the better. Subscribe to Joe Folkman’s LinkedIn Newsletter Leadership Psychometrics, to read his latest research. Key Insights We found that some behaviors were less helpful in changing others. We found two that had little to no impact, thereby providing useful guidance on what not to do. They were being nice and nagging. Don’t just solve problems; recognize them. Change initiatives work best when everyone’s sight is fixed on the same goal. Leaders who excel at driving change will challenge even the rules that seem carved in stone. To help people change, you need to clear away the competing priorities and shine a spotlight on this one change effort. Leaders who do this well have a daily focus on the change effort, track its progress carefully, and encourage others. Connect with Joe Folkman LinkedIn Twitter Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here. The post Episode 57: 7 Things Leaders Do To Help People Change appeared first on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Details: There are many things competing for your attention every minute of the day. Human attention is the ultimate scarce resource. One of the characteristics that organizations value most in a leader is the ability to consistently produce good results—in short, leaders are valued in large part for how productive they are. What gets in the way of greater productivity? In this episode, we are dissecting the disease of distraction and some ways to cure it. Connect with Jack Zenger: LinkedIn Twitter Webinar Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman, and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here. Additional Resources: 3 Ways To Cure The Disease of Distractions, How To Get Focused– Article by Jack Zenger How To Get Focused– Article Zenger Folkman’s Leadership eBooks– Enjoy our complimentary eBooks filled with groundbreaking research, compelling interviews, and practical solutions to everyday leadership issues.   The post Episode 28: Controlling the Disease of Distractions appeared first on ZENGER FOLKMAN.

Life for a manager inside an organization has an unrelenting pace, with very few occasions where there is uninterrupted time. As a result, relationship building and development opportunities may fall by the wayside or become superficial due to the enormity of managerial time constraints. In today’s pandemic world, there is a somewhat different issue.  While there … Continued

Life for a manager inside an organization has an unrelenting pace, with very few occasions where there is uninterrupted time. As a result, relationship building and development opportunities may fall by the wayside or become superficial due to the enormity of managerial time constraints. In today’s pandemic world, there is a somewhat different issue.  While there … Continued

Productivity improvement lies at the heart of our ability to maintain a high standard of living.  The most effective organizations are those whose productivity gains exceed their competitors. In the episode, Jack Zenger shares solutions from his article, “The Productivity Improvement Steering Wheel: 7 Powerful Steps Every Leader Can Take.” Connect with Jack Zenger on Twitter, LinkedIn, … Continued

In the workplace, decisions can be a building block of a successful career, or they can be the reason for failure. Some people try to escape the possibility of failure by avoiding making difficult decisions, but that is not helpful either. Today we are discussing the art of becoming a decisive leader. Click HERE for … Continued

Zenger Folkman, a leadership development and assessment company, has something very unique; we have a golden database filled with 1.5 million assessments of global leaders. We also have access to world-renowned leadership experts Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman.  Subscribe now, and we’ll help you get your overall leadership effectiveness up to the 90thpercentile.

360-degree feedback assessments have been around a long time, and the shift in focusing 360s around strengths instead of weaknesses provides some very compelling reasons for them to stay. In this episode, BreAnne Okoren and Joe Folkman give a brief history of 360s and the research that made it evolve through the years. Take our … Continued

At the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic, there was unity and energy, but now we are starting to hit the wall of exhaustion. This week we are sharing a study from over 100,000 global leaders and looking for the characteristics of those who were the most persistent and determined. What can these leaders teach us … Continued

Young leaders are being promoted to mid and senior-level positions quite often. But do they have the necessary skills and training to be great leaders? In this episode, we will discuss an article Jack Zenger wrote for Harvard Business Review titled, “We Wait Too Long to Train Our Leaders.” Connect with Jack Zenger Twitter, LinkedIn, … Continued

Every leader has their own definition of trust and what it takes to build or maintain it. We looked at 400,000 leadership assessments to see the relationship trust had when combined with leadership competencies. When you calculate the impact of adding a high level of trust to each of the competencies, the average increase in engagement … Continued