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Terry Crist

Partnerships for Productivity

Whether you have just started your first job or you are several years into your career, it’s not too early to pave the way for a leadership role ahead of you.  In fact, if you don’t start thinking about how you can become successful in the future, success may elude you down the road. That’s because there are certain career path essentials that you need to consider and skills you need to acquire to achieve a top position in your industry.Four essential actions will position you now—so that you will be qualified to lead in the future:Develop the right skillsOptimize your performance reviewsCultivate executive presenceAct like a leader.Develop the Right SkillsDeveloping the right skills isn’t easy; you have to figure out what skills you need and how to get them. Here’s how.Review leaders’ skillsets and experience. The only way to ensure you know the qualifications that leaders possess is to study exceptional executives in your industry. Although you can examine top management in your company, it’s also a good idea to broaden your search to include other industry leaders outside your organizations. Consider these questions:What are these leaders good at? What experiences or job postings have lent to their abilities to do their jobs?Is turn around experience necessary to manage a major division? You might notice that your division leader worked on turning around a troubled product line before she was promoted to her current position. But look at other leaders to determine if this is an industry-wide requirement.What education and training do the upper tiers of managers have?Do leaders typically have international experience? What specific department boasts the most leaders in the industry? If it’s a technology firm, maybe the top brass were all engineers. If you’re in the consumer product industry, maybe the marketing department churns out most of the executives.No two successful leaders will have identical backgrounds, but if you can identify patterns and trends, you’ll gain an idea of the skills and experiences you will need to thrive in your industry.Build your skill arsenal. Now that you know the types of skills you need, it’s time to begin to look for opportunities to develop them. Ask for projects that will stretch you professionally. Often, the “king-maker” assignments are company “problems” that most people don’t want to tackle. Will your current position allow you to gain some of the skills you need or has your learning curve plateaued?  If you can’t learn much more where you are, identify assignments in other groups and ask your manager if you can volunteer for them—as long as you complete your other responsibilities. If cross-group project work isn’t possible and you’ve learned as much as you can where you are, you may need to make a change within your company or outside of it.What’s your special power?  Most everyone has at least one skill at their job that they completely rock. Oftentimes, though, they don’t know what that skill is. That’s because when we do self-analysis, we think too big. For example, you may not be amazing analytically or the best salesperson, so you think, “What do I have to offer?”Drill down on little tasks that you’re especially good at performing—maybe even better than anyone else in your group. Is it your ability to engage comfortably with your teammates? Is it your clear understanding of the group head’s requests? Is it your skill at ensuring presentations are free of errors? Is it your creative additions to the scope of a project? Ask yourself, ask your colleagues, and ask your manager what they think you do well. If you’re afraid of sounding too self-serving, ask how they think you handled XYZ, or ask if they could give you feedback on ABC. You’re bound to start hearing the same good things about what you bring to the table. Once you know what that special power is…exploit it! Seek opportunities to assist your manager and colleagues in ways that showcase your talents. It’s a win-win for your company and you.If your goal is CEO, you need to gain line experience. In any company, most of the top managers have gained line experience or have been responsible for a P&L. These professionals are called “line managers” because their jobs are associated with revenue generation. Examples of line positions are easily found in manufacturing, brand management, and sales, to name a few.Alternatively, staff positions are those with clients internal to the company. Examples of staff positions are accounting, legal, and human resources. The path to the top of a staff department can land you at a very senior-level position within your company, such as head of human resources. But typically, there is little mobility outside of these departments.Be sure to assess your goals to discern if you want to be “running” the organization a few years down the road. If so, it’s best to gain line experience.This article covered “Developing the Right Skills,” the first of four essential actions to position yourself to lead in the future. Join me for my webcast, Prepare Now to Lead Later, on February 20, 2015, at 12:00 p.m. EST to review the next three actions: optimize your performance reviews, cultivate executive presence, and act like a leader.

Critical Steps You Need to Follow Now—to Become a Leader in the Future

At the core of self-leadership are where you look, or your attention, and how you see, or your perception.

Self-Leadership Is Critical to Leading Teams

ATD 2015 International Conference Offers Healthcare-Specific Guidance to Talent Challenges

Healthcare Talent Development and Performance: Unique Challenges, Unique Solutions

Imposter phenomenon, also often referred to as imposter syndrome, can surface across every industry and at all levels. It’s the internal belief that we’re not good enough, not adding enough value, not truly qualified for the roles we hold, or that we won’t be able to handle the challenges ahead. This persistent self-doubt can undermine confidence and performance and significantly disrupt productivity, even in the most capable professionals.According to Korn Ferry’s 2024 Workforce Global Insights report, 71 percent of US CEOs report experiencing symptoms of imposter syndrome, a reminder that feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy aren’t limited to early-career professionals. In fact, the report highlights that imposter syndrome tends to grow stronger as individuals rise through the ranks, affecting leaders from supervisors to the C-suite.Coaching is one of the most powerful tools leaders can use to help their teams manage imposter syndrome and unlock higher performance. Coaching has been shown to reduce self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy by up to 40 percent (Journal of Behavioral Science, 2011).Once imposter syndrome is recognized, it’s important to develop an intentional plan to address it. Coaching through imposter syndrome isn’t just helpful; it’s a core leadership skill. When team members doubt their abilities, leaders have an opportunity to shift that narrative through thoughtful, meaningful conversations. The following one-on-one coaching questions are designed to help team members reframe self-doubt, reconnect with their strengths, and move forward with clarity. Organized into four practical stages—Awareness, Intention, Options, and Action—this framework helps guide meaningful reflection and support lasting growth.AwarenessAwareness begins with helping individuals recognize and name what they’re feeling. Imposter syndrome often thrives in silence, with many high performers not realizing their self-doubt has a name. By giving language to the experience, leaders normalize it and create space for growth.Potential Coaching Questions:When do these feelings of self-doubt tend to show up?What types of situations tend to trigger these thoughts for you?What do you typically do when these thoughts show up?How do these thoughts affect your confidence or performance?What would a trusted peer or mentor say about your performance in this area?IntentionIntention is about clarifying how someone wants to think, feel, or show up differently. It shifts focus from self-doubt to possibility, setting a meaningful goal that provides direction and purpose, not just a way to escape discomfort.Potential Coaching Questions:How would you like to feel in this situation instead?What would confidence look like for you here?What’s important to you about showing up differently?What would it mean for you to trust your experience or abilities?What does “success” look like?OptionsThis stage is all about possibility. It invites the person to consider different strategies, perspectives, or support systems that could help them shift their experience or behavior.Exploring options provides flexibility and choice, reminding people that they’re not stuck.Potential Coaching Questions:What have you done in the past that helped you move through doubt?What are some different ways you might approach this challenge?What support do you need?If you had full confidence, what would you do?Action Action focuses on helping the person choose one attainable next step that builds momentum and confidence. Imposter syndrome often leads to overthinking or avoidance, so taking action reinforces a sense of capability, turns insight into movement, and reminds the person that progress is possible.Potential Coaching Questions:What’s one small action you can take this week to build confidence?What will you do to challenge the inner critic the next time it shows up?How will you check in on your progress or growth?Who can support or encourage you as you take this step?How will you celebrate success?Want to learn more about the power of coaching? Join us at the ATD Coaching Conference for our session, “The Power of Practice: Making Coaching a Habit” (coachingconference.td.org/agenda/) on Wednesday, August 20, from 1:30–2 p.m. ET.

Coaching Through Imposter Syndrome: A Four-Step Framework

The future of federal leadership is fraught with uncertainties and shaped by continuing resolutions, limited regulatory power, AI adoption, hybrid workplaces, and waves of retirements and new hires. More than 2.2 million federal employees, the largest workforce in the United States, will experience the ripple effects of these changes in the coming years. Federal leaders must navigate these complexities while continuing to implement policies and achieve mission goals. Current leaders, already overwhelmed, and future leaders, potentially unprepared, must be ready for the impact.Despite the perception that the government is slow to change, upcoming policy and technology disruptions will necessitate an evolution in leadership. Learning and development (L&D) professionals can equip leaders with the strategic mindset and analytical skills needed to anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to a range of future scenarios with confidence.Shifting to the CityscapeThe “view from the balcony” metaphor illustrates the importance of leaders having a broad perspective rather than only focusing on daily operations. However, federal leaders must zoom out even further to view the entire federal landscape, understanding the dependencies and implications at a macro level across multiple agencies. Mid-level and senior leaders must deepen their competence in interpreting policies and regulations as well as understanding how technology and talent developments will affect the federal market landscape and their home agencies. This begins with gaining fluency in how the entire federal government, not just a specific agency, operates.L&D professionals can facilitate this by adopting strategies from the private sector, offering training and tools for market landscape assessments, policy analysis, and human capital readiness assessments. By seeing the bigger picture, leaders can identify knowns within unknowns, providing clarity and certainty to upcoming threats to the current operating environment. For example, they can take tactical steps to hedge against budgetary changes, knowledge loss, and gaps in talent capabilities and bolster workforce and succession planning.Adopting Strategic Foresight Tools are essential for helping leaders think beyond the immediate horizon and consider multiple futures. OPM’s Strategic Foresight Guidebook, particularly the Cone of Plausibility model and Knowledge Grid, can be invaluable. These tools help uncover potential blind spots and mitigate risks, ensuring agility and institutional readiness in any scenario. They can also instill confidence in leaders, fostering a workplace that operates from confidence rather than fear while positively affecting organizational morale and performance.Preparing Leaders for Increased StressAccording to Gallup, workplace stress is on the rise, with managers experiencing more negative impacts than nonmanagers. This trend, compounded with future uncertainties, will likely add strain to federal leaders, who are already overwhelmed. Gallup research suggests that optimism and hope for the future can lead to improved engagement. Managers, who play critical roles in employee engagement and well-being, must instill optimism and hope in their teams despite increased stress.Leaders can achieve this by embracing the T.R.U.E. pillars—transparency, reliability, understanding, and expression—which help them support their teams authentically, even in challenging times. L&D professionals can also emphasize techniques to develop positive habits for stress management and resilience, helping leaders meet the increasing demands of their roles effectively. Addressing this critical need is essential; neglecting it could result in the attrition of a vital workforce segment that drives organizational success.Ultimately, Leaders Need More SupportThe increasingly complex federal environment requires leaders to adapt to a new landscape while achieving mission goals, maintaining personal well-being, and supporting employee engagement. OPM’s Workforce of the Future Playbook acknowledges the upcoming challenges and offers proactive measures to support future leaders. L&D professionals can amplify this support by thinking ahead and serving as guides, equipping leaders with the skills, knowledge, and tools needed to navigate this evolving landscape successfully. By fostering a broad perspective, supporting strategic insights, and promoting resilience, L&D professionals can ensure that federal leaders are prepared to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex environment with confidence and competence.

Evolving Leadership for an Increasingly Complex Federal Environment

With a background combining operations experience in all sectors of the health industry, three decades of leadership coaching and consulting, and innovative research on executive and physician leadership effectiveness, Tracy Duberman founded the Leadership Development Group. TLD Group’s vision is to create a more interconnected and equitable health ecosystem by developing leaders who are collaborative change agents. Duberman is co-author of From Competition to Collaboration: How Leaders Cultivate Partnerships to Drive Value and Transform Health, a nationally recognized speaker, and a sought-after leadership coach. Before founding TLD Group, she was a healthcare practice leader at a boutique executive coaching firm and was a senior consultant with Hay Group (now Korn Ferry). Earlier in her career, Duberman held executive positions in a variety of leading organizations, including Oxford Health Plans, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She earned her PhD in public health policy and management from New York University, her MPH from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester. She serves on the board of the Physician Coaching Institute and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and Harvard McClean’s Institute of Coaching, and a member of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association and the American College of Physician Executives.

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