Fresh starts are like magic.
Tabula rasa. A clean sweep.
Those times when we believe in possibilities that we used to scoff at, deny or doubt entirely.

I recently wanted so badly to implement a daily athletic routine. This desire for hygiène du sport was nothing new, and yet, I’ve never managed to implement it and to commit to it in the long term. Since my last unsuccessful attempt I have been thinking (no, dreaming) of starting again.

The fresh start happened four days ago. And for the last four days, I’ve showed up to practice. Yay me!
But the real satisfaction lies in my knowing that this time is the time, the perfect shot. How can I be so sure? 

Here are the 6 reasons why this time I will sustain this momentum in the long run.

1. I told a good friend that I would start my routine the following Monday. This friend, who takes me for my word, quickly replied: “Wow… I admire your decisiveness. I wish I could be like this.”
   Oops. Now I really...

This week a client of mine, a CEO, asked me “Jeanne, would you mind making a phone call to Bianca…?”

- Tell me more. What’s happening? What do you need me for?

- Well, since I hired her two years ago I’ve been waiting for her to deliver, to show me that she deserves the job. Now this is the last call.

- Hum…
Really?

This situation feels familiar to most of us, either from the perspective of the (desperate) manager urging for results, or that of the (also desperate) employee praying for a happy ending in this uncomfortable day-to-day environment.

Here are the 6 points of my answer to the CEO:

1. Historical perspective: First off, reconnect with the origins. Why did you hire her in the first place? What are her assets that led you to believe she was the one?  Focus on these and help her find a way to tap into her strengths and recreate the conditions for her to deliver.
2. Relevant perspective: To set up a successful resolution, YOU have to be...

Who is okay with frustration? My guess is no one.
Who, then, is trying to solve it? Some.
And who is open to changing their ways? A few.
Who is then more fulfilled and more aligned with themselves? The same few.

I’ve combed through my 10-year career and examined the 10 clients with whom I haven’t managed to reach the highest potential outcomes that I expected for them.
Frustration at its height!

Why do most of my clients see extraordinary results, while others see only ordinary results, and in some rare cases, downright low results? 
Indeed, in the same frame time, my expertise, my skills and my method are merely the same from one client to another. My personality also doesn’t change. My beliefs, my motives, my commitment are similar too. So, this is why it is so intriguing and meaningful to dig up this treasure trove of insight.
Should this lead me to believe that these differences in results varies entirely according to on my clients?
No.
First, I don’t...

Twice a month I coach a newcomer CEO who brings concrete goals we work on to strengthen his empowerment.
Last time we worked on a classic issue: time management.

”Jeanne, I am overwhelmed. I just have too much on my plate now. I don’t tell anyone, but I am not as effective as I should be… I am not as available to my teams as I would like. I feel stressed and frustrated about it all.”

We all experience this sooner or later, right?
Bottom-line: We managed to find the possibility of an extra day. A full 7-8 hours.
No, I haven’t told him to work on Saturdays.
To the contrary, in order to find 7-8 hours in a week over your fullest packed agenda, you ought to look closely at what fills in your days and re-allocate your time. There is no secret here, you must deal with the causes, not the symptoms. 

But more important still, we built a new awareness and commitment to enable him to sustain this new time ethic with the following “Time Ethic...