Did you know that Leadership is a competency that you can develop? We define the Leadership competency as, "Organizing and influencing people to believe in a vision while creating a sense of purpose and direction." Who do you know who is highly skilled at Leadership?

With practice, you can grow and develop this skill just like other "hard skills" you might be good at like cooking, public speaking, employee coaching, or playing golf.

How do I grow as a leader: Leadership?

Those with a highly developed skill of Leadership exhibit the following:

• Inspires others with compelling visions.
• Takes risks for the sake of purpose, vision or mission.
• Builds trust and demonstrates integrity with a noticeable congruence between words and actions.
• Demonstrates optimism and positive expectations of others.
• Delegates appropriate levels of responsibility and authority.
• Involves people in decisions that affect them.
• Addresses performance issues promptly, fairly and consistently.
• ...

Did you know that Interpersonal Skills is a competency that you can develop? We define the Interpersonal Skills competency as, "Effectively communicating, building rapport and relating well to all kinds of people." Who do you know who is highly skilled at Interpersonal Skills?

With practice, you can grow and develop this skill just like other "hard skills" you might be good at like cooking, public speaking, employee coaching, or playing golf.

How do I grow as a leader: Interpersonal Skills?

Those with a highly developed skill of Interpersonal Skills exhibit the following:

• Strives for self-awareness in a social setting.
• Demonstrates sincere interest in others.
• Treats all people with respect, courtesy and consideration.
• Respects differences in the attitudes and perspectives of others.
• Listens, observes and strives to gain understanding of others.
• Communicates effectively.
• Shows sensitivity to diversity issues.
• Develops and maintains relationships with many...

Did you know that Influencing Others is a competency that you can develop? We define the Influencing Others competency as, "Personally affecting others’ actions, decisions, opinions or thinking." Who do you know who is highly skilled at Influencing Others?

With practice, you can grow and develop this skill just like other "hard skills" you might be good at like cooking, public speaking, employee coaching, or playing golf.

How do I grow as a leader: Influencing Others?

Those with a highly developed skill of Influencing Others exhibit the following:

• Utilizes the knowledge of others’ needs, wants, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior to promote a concept, product or service.
• Builds trust and credibility before attempting to promote concepts, products or services.
• Understands and utilizes the behaviors of others to personally affect an outcome.
• Uses logic and reason to develop rational arguments that challenge current assumptions.
• Identifies and addresses...

In one of his best books called, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In Business, Patrick Lencioni says,

“Nowhere does the tendency toward artificial harmony show itself more than in mission-driven non-profit organizations. People in those organizations tend to have the misguided idea that they cannot be frustrated or disagreeable with one another. What they’re doing is confusing being nice with being kind.”

If you work at mission-driven non-profit, chances are you know exactly what Mr. Lencioni is referring to.  There can be an undercurrent of intangible artificial harmony that hovers on the surface of interactions but when the layers are pulled back there is often deep hurt, frustration, irritation, and loss in the way the organization functions and people interact.

Sadly, many in leadership unknowingly believe that their cause and mission should be enough to unify, align and grow a healthy team.  And it may...

Did you know that Goal Orientation is a competency that you can develop? We define the Goal Orientation competency as, "Setting, pursuing and attaining goals, regardless of obstacles or circumstances." Who do you know who is highly skilled at Goal Orientation?

With practice, you can grow and develop this skill just like other "hard skills" you might be good at like cooking, public speaking, employee coaching, or playing golf.

How do I grow as a leader: Goal Orientation?

Those with a highly developed skill of Goal Orientation exhibit the following:

• Acts instinctively to achieve objectives without supervision.
• Expends the necessary time and effort to achieve goals.
• Recognizes and acts on opportunities to advance progress to meet goals.
• Establishes and works toward ambitious and challenging goals.
• Develops and implements strategies to meet objectives.
• Measures effectiveness and performance to ensure results are attained.
• Acts with a determination to achieve goals.
...

Did you know that Flexibility is a competency that you can develop? We define the Flexibility competency as, "Readily modifying, responding and adapting to change with minimal resistance." Who do you know who is highly skilled at Flexibility?

With practice, you can grow and develop this skill just like other "hard skills" you might be good at like cooking, public speaking, employee coaching, or playing golf.

How do I grow as a leader: Flexibility?

Those with a highly developed skill of Flexibility exhibit the following:

• Responds promptly to shifts in direction, priorities and schedules.
• Demonstrates agility in accepting new ideas, approaches and/or methods.
• Effective in shifting priorities and tasks.
• Modifies methods or strategies to fit changing circumstances.
• Adapts personal style to work with different people.
• Maintains productivity during transitions.
• Embraces and/or champions a shift in activity.
• Strives to adapt to situational demands.
• Capable of changing...

Did you know that Futuristic Thinking is a competency that you can develop? We define the Futuristic Thinking competency as, "Imagining, envisioning, projecting and/or creating what has not yet been actualized." Who do you know who is highly skilled at Futuristic Thinking?

With practice, you can grow and develop this skill just like other "hard skills" you might be good at like cooking, public speaking, employee coaching, or playing golf.

How do I grow as a leader: Futuristic Thinking?

Those with a highly developed skill of Futuristic Thinking exhibit the following:

• Demonstrates an ability to connect the dots and see the big picture.
• Looks beyond the forces driving the current reality that may have long-term effects.
• Utilizes foresight and intuitive perception as well as factual events to draw inferences.
• Recognizes, supports and/or champions cutting-edge ideas.
• Anticipates future trends or events.
• Envisions possibilities others may not.
• Imagines and/or predicts...

How much do talent development services cost?

This, of course, is always one of the first questions a team leader has when starting the research process for talent development services.  Here at Kutsko Consulting, I'd imagine we receive these questions dozens of times a year, likely within the first couple of conversations.

But we get it.  Price matters (along with many other factors). Setting a yearly budget for talent development is wise and we are glad you asked.  It can certainly dictate what services and growth you're able to achieve in the long run.  You need to be able to develop an initial budget and plan for the ongoing costs, no matter what you decide to do about talent development, employee retention, and people engagement.

As you might imagine, though, the problem with answering this question is the fact that each team we work with has so many unique needs to consider that it can be tough to truly know the price to develop and align a...

Did you know that Employee Development & Coaching is a competency that you can develop? We define the Employee Development & Coaching competency as, "Facilitating, supporting and contributing to the professional growth of others." Who do you know who is highly skilled at Employee Development & Coaching?

With practice, you can grow and develop this skill just like other "hard skills" you might be good at like cooking, public speaking, employee coaching, or playing golf.

How do I grow as a leader: Employee Development & Coaching?

Those with a highly developed skill of Employee Development & Coaching exhibit the following:

• Inspires confidence in others' ability to grow professionally.
• Identifies and facilitates developmental opportunities.
• Encourages initiative and improvement.
• Provides opportunities for enhancement.
• Gives new and challenging work assignments.
• Acknowledges and praises improvements.
• Supports, coaches and mentors the development...

Did you know that Diplomacy is a competency that you can develop? We define the Diplomacy competency as, "Effectively and tactfully handling difficult or sensitive issues." Who do you know who is highly skilled at Diplomacy?

With practice, you can grow and develop this skill just like other "hard skills" you might be good at like cooking, public speaking, employee coaching, or playing golf.

How do I grow as a leader: Diplomacy?

Those with a highly developed skill of Diplomacy exhibit the following:

• Effectively utilizes tact and diplomacy in working with people across hierarchical, functional and/or cultural borders.
• Understands cultural, climate and organizational issues.
• Adapts conduct and communications to "politically correct" standards.
• Effectively leverages networks of influence to enable progress.
• Is sensitive to the needs of special interest groups within organizations.
• Builds relationships and networks with key people of influence.
• Provides advice,...