Jennifer Selby Long

In 30 plus years, I've been coaching and advising leaders. I have a clear-eyed certainty around this. The majority of leaders are not political animals, if you will. In fact, some situations that seem political on the surface are not as political as they seem, but they're more a matter of... Complete lack of alignment around strategy and not dealing with that.

In 30 plus years, I've been coaching and advising leaders. I have a clear-eyed certainty around this. The majority of leaders are not political animals, if you will. In fact, some situations that seem political on the surface are not as political as they seem, but they're more a matter of... Complete lack of alignment around strategy and not dealing with that.

And some of that stems from people lacking any kind of understanding of how to resolve conflict effectively. Read other people's signals. Adapt to their needs. Read situations. Lead and inspire people to change. These are the more advanced interpersonal skills.

And some of that stems from people lacking any kind of understanding of how to resolve conflict effectively. Read other people's signals. Adapt to their needs. Read situations. Lead and inspire people to change. These are the more advanced interpersonal skills.

And I will say, certainly, if those are lacking at the top, it tends to trickle down as well and feed these power battles and these political dynamics. And does any of that sound familiar or make sense, Vince, from your point of view?

And I will say, certainly, if those are lacking at the top, it tends to trickle down as well and feed these power battles and these political dynamics. And does any of that sound familiar or make sense, Vince, from your point of view?

Yes, both, actually. And it's interesting to build, for most businesses, to build a strong team, to build trust among that team, and to not have people competing against one another, but working together. against the competition, right? Directing their competitiveness there. We have ample evidence that for most businesses, that is the way to build your leadership team, right?

Yes, both, actually. And it's interesting to build, for most businesses, to build a strong team, to build trust among that team, and to not have people competing against one another, but working together. against the competition, right? Directing their competitiveness there. We have ample evidence that for most businesses, that is the way to build your leadership team, right?

And not the way in which you're just looking at each person as a chess piece. And so at times in those situations, you may have someone who is in fact a narcissist, right? That is that thing that is beyond our control. You may have someone who learned that from a prior boss, from their schooling, from their family of origin.

And not the way in which you're just looking at each person as a chess piece. And so at times in those situations, you may have someone who is in fact a narcissist, right? That is that thing that is beyond our control. You may have someone who learned that from a prior boss, from their schooling, from their family of origin.

I still think a lot of leaders out there are running around with what I would consider to be an outdated notion of leadership, that it is somehow about results versus results. teamwork when what we see largely is that the stronger teams get the better results. And so the two are not holding, but in fact, the one enabled the other.

I still think a lot of leaders out there are running around with what I would consider to be an outdated notion of leadership, that it is somehow about results versus results. teamwork when what we see largely is that the stronger teams get the better results. And so the two are not holding, but in fact, the one enabled the other.

And so I can say certainly I've had some clients who were pretty mercenary. When I first started working with them and they became some of the most dedicated and devoted clients in the long run. But I really had to crack them open or crack them over the head, in a manner of speaking, to get them to see this huge, quite naive disconnect that they were making between people and results.

And so I can say certainly I've had some clients who were pretty mercenary. When I first started working with them and they became some of the most dedicated and devoted clients in the long run. But I really had to crack them open or crack them over the head, in a manner of speaking, to get them to see this huge, quite naive disconnect that they were making between people and results.

And so some of those folks have become some of our best clients and some of our highest performers over the years. Now, as far as what someone would want to do in a situation like that, if they're not, they believe that they're not contributing to these power dynamics, but they're just on the receiving end of them is a little bit different.

And so some of those folks have become some of our best clients and some of our highest performers over the years. Now, as far as what someone would want to do in a situation like that, if they're not, they believe that they're not contributing to these power dynamics, but they're just on the receiving end of them is a little bit different.

And that's where I think you do need to take a look at how you want to approach this. What is most important to you? I think there are five things that you really need to look at. And I think you want to do these more or less in sequence. The first one, interestingly, is to stop fighting. And you won't believe this, Vince, but stop venting to not solve problems.

And that's where I think you do need to take a look at how you want to approach this. What is most important to you? I think there are five things that you really need to look at. And I think you want to do these more or less in sequence. The first one, interestingly, is to stop fighting. And you won't believe this, Vince, but stop venting to not solve problems.

And in fact, staying in that mode of venting and complaining about a situation actually feeds the neural networks that don't

And in fact, staying in that mode of venting and complaining about a situation actually feeds the neural networks that don't