Author Archives: Denise Federer

Fearless Leadership in Times of Crisis

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Denise Federer

The COVID-19 crisis has upended the entire globe in a way that none of us have every experienced. And while many business leaders are rightfully worried about everything from cash flow to employee health, the most important thing they can do in these times is to become fearless leaders. As the world seemingly shut down in a matter of hours in early March, uncertainty reigned supreme—and still does. That’s why leaders have an opportunity (and a responsibility) to fill the vacuum and help their … Read More >

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How to Exit the Family Business — Without Exiting the Family

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Denise Federer

The “family” dynamic in a family business has the potential to make a company great and undermine it at the same time. Even when things seem like they are going well, complex, underlying issues between family members can eventually lead to someone deciding to split from the business. If you’ve read the tabloids or have been near the internet in the past few months, you’ve likely heard a famous example of this—Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are in the midst of leaving the most … Read More >

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Are You Unconsciously Undermining Your Employees?

Posted on January 29, 2020 by Denise Federer

I’ve seen this story a million times—an otherwise well-meaning leader hinders the progress—or even causes the failures—of an employee, without realizing what they are doing. Eventually, the issues come to a head and the result is finger-pointing and confusion. Leaders undermine their employees every day. Most just don’t know that they’re doing it. It’s a passive form of sabotage, but the result is the same. Undermining your employees is rarely a conscious act. Rather, it is caused by inaction. The three “U’s”, as I … Read More >

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Creating Harmony in a Conflicted Leadership Team

Posted on December 12, 2019 by Denise Federer

It’s been said that leadership is lonely, but in reality, leaders are more often than not part of a leadership team that must function like a well-oiled machine. And like a machine, if any single part malfunctions, the domino effect takes everything down. Conflict within leadership teams can happen for a variety of reasons, but it is often the result of personality clashes. In my years of working as an executive coach and psychologist, I have had many requests from clients to intervene and … Read More >

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Critical Thinkers Are Critical to Your Success

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Denise Federer

Critical thinking—and critical thinkers—are the key to moving a business forward. And whether it’s a family-owned business looking for the next generation of leaders or a public company looking to outpace the competition, finding and developing the critical thinkers within your organization is critical to success. Most CEOs and other leaders already have this trait—it’s part of what got them to where they are. Critical thinkers, however, aren’t always easy to find. According to the 2016 Workforce-Skills Preparedness Report by PayScale, critical thinking was … Read More >

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