The definition of the term “coaching” matters because it’s the substance of the engagement. Inherent in the definition is an understanding of the desired outcome, and a notion of why an executive coach is the right partner to get you there.

At Wolf & Heron, we think of coaching the same way The International Coaching Federation (ICF) does. The ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.

ArticleKara DavidsonOctober 21, 2024influence, coach, coaching, define coach, one-on-one coach, one-on-one, coaching definition, definition of a coachComment

Where You Should Tell a Story in your Presentation

Presenters want to include stories in their presentation, but have no idea where the stories should go or what they should be about. Here are a few moments in your presentation where leveraging a story is particularly effective.

ArticleStephanie JuddSeptember 30, 2024influence, stories, presentations, storytelling, messaging, key messagesComment

How to Give Constructive Feedback

Giving constructive feedback is tough. Once a manager has mustered up the willingness to prepare for and deliver feedback, it requires attention, time and curiosity to work through. For many managers, these difficult conversations cause additional mental load because they are accompanied by fear and anxiety.

ArticleKara DavidsonSeptember 9, 2024influence, feedback, feedback conversations, difficult, difficult feedback, tough conversationsComment

The W&H Way to Craft an Influential Story

Crafting an influential story is tough. Where do you start? What do you do along the way? How do you know if and when you’re ready to share your story? We thought it would be fun to try to lay out our process from beginning to end. During our Influential Storytelling program, we take participants through the entire process of crafting an influential story, but it’s something else to see it laid out on a page. Let’s see if we can do it!

ArticleKara DavidsonAugust 19, 2024influential storytelling, story, storytelling, influenceComment

Make People Feel Seen, Heard and Understood - Part 1: Common Mistakes

Making people feel seen, heard, and understood is one of the most fundamental and important skills of a coach. In our work over the past decade, we’ve come to believe that it’s also one of the most important, yet underdeveloped, skills of a leader.

ArticleKara DavidsonFebruary 27, 2023coaching, leadership, manager, engagement, influenceComment

How to Navigate Power Dynamics

TOOL

Being influential is a challenge for many leaders, but particularly when in a team, organization or even just leading a meeting where you’re not the most experienced or lack formal power.

If you’re worried about your ability to influence within a group, there’s a lot you can do to understand the power dynamics and increase the likelihood you’ll feel and show up as powerful and influential.

Tool: Influence Conversation Reflection

TOOL

This Google Docs reflection document includes prompts and questions designed to help you prepare for a conversation when you want to influence someone.

ResourcesKara DavidsonOctober 20, 2022power, influence, leadershipComment

Tool: Map Your Power

TOOL

This Google Sheets template will help you map your power on a specific issue. You’ll identify the relevant people and then evaluate their power, support and the quality of your relationship with them to understand your champions and detractors.

ResourcesKara DavidsonOctober 18, 2022power, influence, leadership, map your powerComment

5 Common Questions About Telling Influential Stories

In the 5+ years that we’ve been operating as Wolf & Heron, we’ve had the privilege of delivering our Influential Storytelling program to 1000s of folks and provided one-on-one story coaching to hundreds of professionals. In our experience, there are several questions that have been posed to us with regularity about storytelling and influence, so we thought we’d take some time to share our perspective publicly.

ArticleStephanie JuddMarch 7, 2022storytelling, influenceComment

Influence Diagnostic

TOOL

A self-evaluative diagnostic to evaluate your personal level of influence, on both the power and pathway dimensions. Identify your strengths and opportunities to establish a baseline understanding of your influence and set goals for the future.

ResourcesStephanie JuddMay 15, 2021influenceComment