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 the generous executive. Sarah saw her new situation as good news, bad news.

The good news was that Janet, her boss, had given a green light to a project

Sarah had conceived of and proposed.

The green light was a clear demonstration of Janet's

confidence in Sarah. Good news. The bad news was that Janet told Sarah to co-lead the project with Will.

I've worked with him before, she told me during a coaching session.

He's great when it comes to ideas, but man he sucks at execution. I end up sweeping up after him and I'm tired of it.

Besides, she said, pointing angrily, it's my project. If anything, he should be sweeping up after me.

You make it sound like a competition I said as if one person has to be in front of the

other. She didn't like the way that sounded. She thought for a while

then said, I wonder whether I would have felt the same way if it had been

someone besides Will. She thought some more and said, you know, I think I would have been fine if it

were Anne or Stephen. I really think this is about will. Well if you feel

competitive with will and he's going to be your co-lead how are you

going to deal with that I asked. She laughed and said very carefully. A little

over a month later she was angry about Will all over again.

He talks with people about the scope of the project, she said, and then he dumps the information

on me like any follow-up is my responsibility.

It's like he's assigning work to me."

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