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 Hentrel, your executive coach, and today we're

talking about creating devoted followers. Claire sensed that her team wasn't firing on all cylinders.

Individually they were strong, she only hired the highest of high performers, but somehow

they weren't pulling together the way she wanted them to.

With a small snort, she said,

For as much as I'm paying them, you'd think they'd be able to do this team thing a little better.

The feedback I gathered about her was middling.

People weren't inflamed and angry with her, but they weren't ignited and inspired by her either. Like her team, the feedback

was just okay, certainly not great. During our early sessions, I noticed Claire had what appeared to be an unconscious repeated behavior.

In the midst of talking about something, she'd mutter disapprovingly to herself about other people.

She'd say words like, you'd think he'd know better, or they

didn't have to do that, or what does she expect from me? While these little assides were quick and quiet, they were perfectly audible, and they

always seemed to disparage others.

One day as we were discussing a new direction for the coaching, she muttered,

I thought I'd be farther along by now.

When we finished what we were discussing, I asked,

how are you feeling about your progress in the coaching, Claire?

Well, fine, she said, sounding surprised that I'd asked. Why?

Well, a minute ago, you said you thought you'd be farther along by now.

Quickly, as if she had spoken these words before,

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