Welcome back to the Look and Sound of Leadership, an ongoing series of executive

coaching tips designed to help you be perceived in the workplace the way you want to

be perceived. I'm Tom Henschel, your executive coach, and today we're talking about

conquering fear. Elizabeth had my full attention.

She and I were in a conference from in Los Angeles.

On speakerphone from Chicago was her boss, Joe.

The purpose of the conversation was for Joe to talk about his goals for Elizabeth's coaching.

He had said exactly what we had expected him to say, and then he'd asked Elizabeth what she wanted out of her coaching.

Having had a lot of these calls, I'd asked Elizabeth the same thing before we had dialed into the call.

She'd been crystal clear.

She wanted the coaching to help her gain credibility

with Joe so she would get more opportunities. Bingo. Simple. But now on speakerphone with Joe, she was talking mush.

A minor theme in her feedback report had been muddied communications.

Well I was getting an up close demonstration of what that meant.

She was speaking English, but she was making no sense.

When she was done and Joe had made a non-committal response, I decided to model directness.

I said, Joe, how would it be for you if one focus of the coaching was how Elizabeth can be ready to take on bigger opportunities?

Without a pause he replied,

That'd be great. I want that too. How can I help make that happen?

I turned to Elizabeth and silent How can I help make that happen?"

I turned to Elizabeth and silently gestured,

Your turn.

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