By Bruce A. Thomas, Pear Coach While many who enter into management and leadership roles want to be genuinely liked by the workers they supervise, seeking popularity for its own sake can be a dead-end path. Many have tried to lead while seeking popularity only to find that, indeed, they are loved but not respected. Becoming a more likable boss does not mean you have to sacrifice respect. However, being a likable boss and a respected boss does mean you have to learn to be more effective. This 10-part blog series will help you take the first steps on what will be a continuous journey towar ..read more

By Christie Athanasiadou, Business Development Manager & Growth Lead at Pear Coaches There are more than 200 definitions of leadership and the roles of a leader in the literature, but for most people a leader is someone in a group or an organization, responsible for coordinating and inspiring the other group members. Success comes from constructive leadership and charismatic style. A leader’s personal attributes may indicate cues about the particular style that each leader adopts in an organization. Leadership effectiveness is partially predicted by the leadership style which, in tur ..read more

By Suzanne Blake (PCC), Senior Pear Coach Confidence is our greatest personal resource. If we possess confidence, we know we can tackle any situation that comes our way and go after the goals and resolution we seek to achieve. Without it, we are stuck in stress and worry. Without confidence, any situation has the potential to be a threat or a problem and we forget that we can find a solution. It’s challenging to approach any resolution or task when you question your ability and stress constantly. If you fear you will not be able to handle a task or social situation, you may actually sabo ..read more

By Suzanne Blake (PCC), Senior Pear Coach Many of us are pulled in too many directions so we may avoid or dread our to-do list. To help you get on top of the list, and not have it manage you, here are some “work smarter, not harder” tips below to make both your personal and professional life easier and more organized — based on what your particular struggles are. 1–3–5 List If you always plan on doing too much, use the 1–3–5 list to limit yourself to a more realistic amount. List 1 big task, 3 medium tasks and 5 small tasks to tackle. Take Advantage of High Energy Times If you ..read more

By Fiorenza Rossini, Pear Coach Global Virtual Teams are teams that are both culturally diverse and globally dispersed. In other words, Global Virtual Teams are multicultural teams whose members are in different locations around the world and who connect through electronic communications technologies (such as email and videoconferencing), rather than face-to-face. Over the last decade, many companies turned to working as Global Virtual Teams in an attempt to use the best available talent while being under budget pressure. With recent travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Glob ..read more

By Suzanne Blake (PCC), Senior Pear Coach Note from the Author Dear Reader, In our uncertain and ever-changing world, we may feel somewhat helpless and feel out of control in many areas. While this may be true, our feelings are often dramatized by the fight or flight part of the brain, the Amygdala, which perceives threats and is programmed to react to emergencies. Even though there are no tigers or dangerous jungles to wade through, this part of our brain tells us that we are in an emergency and has us pumping adrenaline and cortisol as well as being positioned to react immediately ..read more

By Debra Lamfers (CPCC, PCC), Pear Coach When I meet with clients, they often use “recognition” and “appreciation” interchangeably when sharing how they’re praising their team. But there’s a difference between these two leadership skills and it’s important to know how to use each to motivate your direct reports. Here are 3 streps to consider: 1) Understand the key differences between appreciation and recognition. Appreciation Is non-judgmental, focused on the person, and appreciates them for who they are. Builds respect and loyalty within an organization. Is about the long-ter ..read more

By Debra Lamfers (CPCC, PCC), Pear Coach As a leader and manager, chances are you’ve probably considered your personal brand. Awesome, just know discovering an authentic personal brand that resonates requires some serious internal sleuthing. It’s tempting to focus solely on accomplishments, talents, and skills. But truly effective business leaders know that our creative right brain, intuition, and being aware of what truly brings us alive are the ingredients that create an authentic personal brand. You could be the highly effective leader who’s also a trapeze artist, poet, soccer co ..read more

By Kyle Gillette, Pear Coach Is it possible for you to do work that matters? If so, are you doing work that matters? Before we can look at whether we can do, or are doing work that matters, we need to define it. Work that matters is work that fits your values. It’s work that is an extension of you. It’s work done with a purpose from your perspective. It’s work that is natural to your “wiring” and most of the time, fits you well. What makes this so important to us? Is it part of who we are that we want to do work that matters, work that contributes beyond ourselve ..read more

By Suzanne Blake (PCC), Senior Pear Coach Our society is now operating at breakneck speed — ever changing and adding mounting pressures by the day. As we’re adjusting to WFH routines, our personal and professional responsibilities have both mounted and become easily blurred. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and sometimes stuck by all that needs to be completed. As leaders, we face increasing demands and less time and support to allow us to sensibly prioritize our needs and those of others. In these times of chaos, our emotions are heightened and our tendency to jump into “fight or flight” mo ..read more