Coaching Techniques for Employee Development

We’ve all seen how quickly a single moment on social media can spiral. One tone-deaf comment, one AI-generated response that misses the mark, or just a slow internal handoff and suddenly, your brand is trending for all the wrong reasons. When I started building our AI-First Mindset™ transformation program, I knew we couldn’t just focus on opportunity. We also had to prepare leaders for risk and that includes public-facing crises fueled by speed and automation. That’s why I developed a new module focused on building a social media crisis management plan designed for today’s AI-powered workplace. We cover the essentials: • How to build a clear, flexible crisis communication plan • The best crisis management tools to monitor and respond in real time • How to define team roles across marketing, legal, leadership and tech • And how to account for AI-powered systems that can escalate issues if not handled properly In a world where content and backlash move at machine speed, your people need clarity. That starts with a plan that’s actually usable and practiced before the pressure hits. This isn’t about fear. It’s about preparation. AI adoption comes with incredible potential, but it also changes how we manage trust. A good crisis response needs to e part of your broader AI change management strategy. If your team is using AI but hasn’t revisited your crisis plan, now’s the time. Stay tuned for practical guidance on creating crisis plans that perform under pressure. #DigitalCrisisStrategy #CrisisCommunication #CrisisResponse #DigitalCrisis #SocialMediaCrisis

We all have our unique communication style. And this can sometimes be a problem… At my core, I am naturally direct—I prefer getting straight to the point and value concrete solutions. This direct approach was perfectly acceptable in my country, Ukraine. But it was not as well received in England, where I moved at the age of 21. Gradually, I adapted to my new environment. “I think you are wrong” transformed into “with all due respect,” and “Your idea is bad” evolved into “Could we consider other options?”. The experience of working in an international context, with people from all over the world, has taught me that: 1️⃣ There’s no universally “good” or “bad” communication style; what’s effective in one culture might not be in another. 2️⃣ The greatest skill lies in knowing when to pivot between directness and subtlety, especially in multicultural settings. 3️⃣ Adapting your style doesn’t mean sacrificing your core identity; it’s about building bridges across borders. For a deeper dive into cross-cultural communication, I recommend reading “The Culture Map” by Erin Meyer, where she deciphers how culture shapes communication styles. To learn more about my personal journey in this realm, check out my latest speech on the topic at the International Geneva Toastmasters. 👇 #CommunicationSkills #CulturalIntelligence #communication #CrossCulturalCommunication #CulturalAwareness

Leading in the digital age is not just about mastering technology; it’s about mastering change. As someone guiding an organization through rapid shifts, I’ve learned that digital transformation is, at its core, about people. I used to think building digital capabilities meant investing in the latest systems, but I quickly realized that the most critical investment is in developing a culture of adaptability. Digital IQ starts at the top. If I don’t immerse myself in emerging tech, competition and customer trends, how can I expect my team to embrace them? Instead of attempting to overhaul the entire company, I started with digital-ready teams, those eager to experiment, collaborate, and drive results. Their success became proof of concept, showing the rest of the organization what’s possible. Change requires persuasion, not mandates. A digital leader must inspire transformation at every level, ensuring that innovation, agility and collaboration become part of the mindset. Transformation is sustained when people evolve alongside technology. #digitaltransformation #organizationalchange

Land the plane. If you’re in it right now, dealing with a missed goal, a major bug, a failed launch, or an angry keystone customer, this is for you. In a crisis, panic and confusion spread fast. Everyone wants answers. The team needs clarity and direction. Without it, morale drops and execution stalls. This is when great operators step up. They cut through noise, anchor to facts, find leverage, and get to work. Your job is to reduce ambiguity, direct energy, and focus the team. Create tangible progress while others spin. Goal #1: Bring the plane down safely. Here’s how to lead through it. Right now: 1. Identify the root cause. Fast. Don’t start without knowing what broke. Fixing symptoms won’t fix the problem. You don’t have time to be wrong twice. 2. Define success. Then get clear on what’s sufficient. What gets us out of the crisis? What’s the minimum viable outcome that counts as a win? This isn’t the time for nice-to-haves. Don’t confuse triage with polish. 3. Align the team. Confusion kills speed. Be explicit about how we’ll operate: Who decides what. What pace we’ll move at. How we’ll know when we’re done Set the system to direct energy. 4. Get moving. Pull the people closest to the problem. Clarify the root cause. Identify priority one. Then go. Get a quick win on the board. Build momentum. Goal one is to complete priority one. That’s it. 5. Communicate like a quarterback Lead the offense. Make the calls. Own the outcome. Give the team confidence to execute without hesitation. Reduce latency. Get everyone in one thread or room. Set fast check-ins. Cover off-hours. Keep signal ahead of chaos. 6. Shrink the loop. Move to 1-day execution cycles. What did we try? What happened? What’s next? Short loops create momentum. Fast learning is fast winning. 7. Unblock the team (and prep the company to help). You are not a status collector. You are a momentum engine. Clear paths. Push decisions. Put partner teams on alert for support. Crises expose systems. And leaders. Your job is to land the plane. Once it’s down, figure out what failed, what needs to change, and how we move forward. Land the plane. Learn fast. Move forward. That’s how successful operators lead through it.

Cultural awareness isn’t a ‘soft skill’—it’s the difference between a win and a loss in negotiations. I’ve seen top leaders close multimillion-dollar deals and lose them, all because they misunderstood cultural dynamics. I learned this lesson early in my career. Early in my negotiations, I assumed the rules of business were universal. But that assumption cost me time, deals, and valuable relationships. Here’s the thing: Culture impacts everything in a negotiation: - decision-making, - trust-building, and - even timing. Let me give you a few examples from my own experience: 1. Know the "silent signals": In one negotiation with a Japanese client, I learned that silence doesn’t mean disagreement. In fact, it’s a sign of deep thought. It was easy to misread, but recognizing this cultural trait helped me avoid rushing and respect their decision-making pace. 2. Understand authority dynamics: Working with a Middle Eastern team, I found that decisions often come from the top, but they require the approval of key family members or advisors. I adjusted my strategy, engaging with the right people at the right time, which changed the outcome of the deal. 3. Punctuality & respect: I once showed up five minutes early for a meeting with a South American partner. I quickly learned that arriving early was considered aggressive. In that culture, relationships are built on patience. I recalibrated, arriving at the exact time, and it made all the difference. These are the kinds of cultural insights you can only gain through experience. And they can’t be ignored if you want to negotiate at the highest level. When you understand the subtle, but significant, differences in how people from different cultures approach business, you’re no longer reacting to situations. You’re strategizing based on deep cultural awareness. This is what I teach my clients: How to integrate cultural awareness directly into their negotiation tactics to turn every encounter into a successful one. Want to elevate your negotiation strategy? Let’s talk and stop your next deal from falling apart. --------------------------------------- Hi, I’m Scott Harrison and I help executive and leaders master negotiation & communication in high-pressure, high-stakes situations.  - ICF Coach and EQ-i Practitioner - 24 yrs | 19 countries | 150+ clients   - Negotiation | Conflict resolution | Closing deals 📩 DM me or book a discovery call (link in the Featured section)

Empathy isn’t soft it’s a superpower. Used wrong, it burns leaders out. Here’s how to make it sustainable. Empathic orgs see more creativity, helping, resilience and less burnout and attrition. Employees (esp. Millennials/Gen Z) now expect it. Wearing the “empathy helmet” means you feel everyone’s highs and lows. Middle managers fry first. Caring ≠ self-sacrifice. The fix = Sustainable empathy Care without collapsing by stacking: self-compassion → tuned caring → practice. So drop the martyr mindset. • Notice your stress (name it) • Remember it’s human & shared • Talk to yourself like you would a friend • Ask for help model it and your team will too Why does this matter? Unchecked stress dulls perspective and spikes reactivity. When leaders absorb nonstop venting, next-day negativity rises and so does mistreatment. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Move 2: Tune your caring Two empathies: • Emotional empathy = feel their pain • Empathic concern = help relieve it Keep concern high, distress low. “Caring binds; sharing blinds.” How to tune (in the moment) • 60 seconds of breathing before hard talks • Validate without absorbing: “This is hard and it makes sense.” • Boundaries + presence: “I’m here. Let’s focus on next steps.” • Offer concrete help: “Here’s what we’ll try by Friday.” • Also share joy celebrate wins to refuel the tank Move 3: Treat empathy as a skill It’s trainable. Build emotional balance: shift from absorbing pain → generating care. Try brief compassion meditation (“May you be safe, well, at ease.”) and pre-regulate before tough conversations. Mini audit after tough chats Ask yourself: • How much did I feel with vs. care for? • What do they need long-term? • What will I do to help this week? A simple script 1. Validate: “I can see why this stings.” 2. Future: “Success looks like X.” 3. Action: “Let’s do Y by [date]; I’ll support with Z.” Team rituals that sustain you • Start meetings with “What help do you need?” • Normalize asking for support • Micro-celebrate progress weekly • Protect recovery blocks on calendars Self-compassion + tuned concern + practice = sustainable empathy. What’s one habit you’ll try this week to protect your energy and support your team?

𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 ! 💡 Accountability isn’t just a buzzword — it’s where the best companies shine Yet, as many employees know, accountability can go wrong if it feels punitive instead of empowering. When mishandled, it becomes a reprimand… not the supportive strategy it should be to help teams manage workloads and achieve excellence. 🏆 Employees report much higher perceptions of accountability, recognition, and leadership quality compared to control‑group peers. 🤝 In these high‑performing cultures, leaders and colleagues regularly celebrate the small wins hidden in everyday work. This recognition builds trust, reinforces that every contribution matters, and keeps purpose alive. ⚡ The magic formula? High accountability + consistent recognition = stronger performance, deeper engagement, and sustained revenue growth. 🗝️ When communication is clear and quality is non‑negotiable, accountability stops being a one‑off achievement — it becomes the engine for long‑term success, according to a new interesting research published by Culture Amp using data from 174 companies present in Inc. 5000 companies - North America’s fastest‑growing private businesses - in 2024. ☝️ 𝙈𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬: I noticed something interesting while reading the research findings — accountability, despite being such a powerful driver of performance, was barely mentioned. To me, that’s a missed opportunity. Accountability isn’t just about tracking performance or assigning responsibility — when done well, it becomes a cultural anchor. Prioritizing quality works in much the same way. It transforms accountability into a shared pursuit of excellence, shaping habits and fueling continuous improvement. One win naturally sets the stage for the next. When teams have absolute clarity on their responsibilities and feel genuinely supported in meeting them, execution improves dramatically. Over time, this clarity and follow‑through show up in the results — not just in the performance metrics, but in revenue growth and cultural health. My recommendations: 🌟 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: ➡️ Embed accountability into the cultural DNA ➡️ Tie quality goals directly to business outcomes 🌟𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: ➡️ Set crystal‑clear expectations and follow up with equal parts support and feedback. 🌟𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: ➡️  Highlight the company’s culture of accountability and quality to attract like‑minded talent. 🙏Thank you Culture Amp researchers team for sharing these insightful findings: Fresia Jackson Didier Elzinga 🔑 How can organisations make accountability empowering rather than punitive? #AccountabilityInAction #TeamExcellence #CultureOfTrust #LeadershipInPractice

I've taught Indian culture to Chinese professionals, American culture to Korean students, and trained British teachers on how to teach English in China. What tied it all together? Communication beyond comfort zones. In a world that's more connected than ever, cross-cultural communication isn't optional—it's essential. Whether you're leading a global team, coaching diverse clients, or teaching across borders, this one skill can make or break your impact. Here are 4 tips to master it: 1️⃣ Listen Beyond Words: Culture speaks in tone, silence, and gestures. In China, a nod might not mean agreement—it might mean "I'm listening." 2️⃣ Adapt Your Style: Americans value directness. Koreans respect hierarchy. Indians may prioritize context. Shift your language and tone based on audience. 3️⃣ Use Universal Anchors: Stories, emotions, and metaphors are universal. When I used Bollywood examples in Beijing, it built instant bridges. 4️⃣ Stay Curious, Not Critical: Instead of judging what's "right," ask, "Why is this different?" That mindset opens conversations, not conflicts. 🌍 Communication is not just about speaking a language—it’s about honoring the world that comes with it. Want to build your cultural fluency as a speaker or coach? DM me “Global Communicator” and let’s chat! #CrossCulturalCommunication #PublicSpeaking #CommunicationCoach #SpeakWithAmee #GlobalLeadership #CulturalFluency #SoftSkills #LeadershipDevelopment #crossculturaltraining

Crisis training isn’t optional. It’s CPR for your reputation. Yesterday, I ran a half-day, issues & crisis-focused media interview workshop for my long-time client, Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin. I will die on the hill that every organization with public-facing operations needs to run updated media trainings, crisis simulations, and playbook reviews 3–4 times per year. Why? Because it’s no different than office/school fire drills or renewing your CPR cert. You don’t do them because you expect the worst tomorrow; you do them because lives, livelihoods, and millions of dollars are at stake if you don’t keep your response muscles fresh. Pay a little now. Or pay much more later. Here are the core elements of my crisis trainings, updated with feedback from 30+ fellow trainers, journalists, and comms pros: 1. Safe Space & Energy – Ice breakers and laughter lower the stakes so trainees can fail fast and learn. 2. News Value & Archetypes – Journalists hunt for conflict, hypocrisy, humor, contradiction (“man bites dog”), rags-to-riches, romance gone bad, David vs. Goliath. And they’ll cast you as hero, villain, or something in between. Know both before you walk in. 3. Prep Your Headlines – Pick 2–3 key points you must convey. Even if your interview is 30 minutes, it may be condensed into one 10-second soundbite or a single sentence. If you said it, it’s fair game — context or not. 4. Modes Matter – Decide: are you educating with nuance, or delivering tight soundbites? The worst interviews are when you mismatch. 5. Foundations – Bridging, blocking, flagging, hooking. And always have a call to action ready. 6. Don’t Repeat Negatives – If asked “why is your company failing at X,” never restate “we’re not failing.” That soundbite will haunt you. Reframe and redirect. 7. The Big Crisis Questions – What happened? Who’s to blame? What are you doing to make it right? Train for these — they’ll come every time. 8. Nonverbals – Solid colors. Hands visible. Lean in. Silence beats nervous rambling. 9. Mock Interviews ON CAMERA – Not an iPhone selfie. Real lights, mic, hostile rapid-fire Qs. Run two full reps per person. 10. Respectful Feedback – Watching yourself is awkward. In a trust-based room, it’s priceless. 11. On the Record ≠ Optional – Yes, there’s on background, off record, and Chatham House rules. But unless there’s rare mutual consent, assume everything is on the record. Mic is always on. 12. Refreshers – Media training is never “one and done.” Quarterly reps keep you sharp. 👉 That’s my list. What’s yours? What’s the one drill, exercise, or tactic you swear by to make crisis simulations stick? And if your team hasn’t dusted off its crisis plan in a hot second — or you’ve never pressure-tested your spokespeople under fire — it might be worth a quick convo with someone who’s been in the room (I’m always happy to chat). Because crisis comms isn’t theory. It’s muscle memory. And muscle memory only works if you keep training.

The decisions I make as a product manager have long ranging impact -- on the success of my product, on the success of my team, and on the priorities that other teams work on Therefore, it is critical to make the best decisions possible One of the things that I actively do (and you should too) to make good decisions is avoid cognitive biases. Here are 10 biases you should know about • What they are • How they impact decisions • How you can product managers avoid/leverage them 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗞𝗘𝗔 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 • People place higher value on products they've contributed to building • Leads to high-retention design and pricing strategies • PMs, involve users to co-create the product to enhance their value perception 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 • Occurs when experts assume that others have same level of knowledge as them • Leads to bad communication • PMs, give tools to audience to understand the topic well 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 (𝗙𝗔𝗘): • Attributing others' actions to their character while attributing our actions to external factors • Leads to misunderstandings and misjudgments of others' contributions and decisions • PMs, consider all factors when evaluating others' actions 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: • Doing/believing something because many others are doing it • Leads to following popular opinions without critical evaluation • PMs, base decisions on objective analysis, not on popular opinions    𝗗𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝗞𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: • Less competent individuals overestimate their abilities • Leads to misplaced confidence in one's abilities • PMs, always know your strengths and weaknesses 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: • People wrongly assume their memories are an accurate reflection of the past • Leads to decisions based on inaccurate recollections • PMs, focus on documenting the past, and base decisions on evidence, not memories 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰: • People rely on easily available information rather than seeking all relevant data • Leads to decisions based on easily available, but incomplete/biased information • PMs, seek out diverse and holistic information 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀: • To seek or interpret information only to confirm existing beliefs • Leads to ignoring contradictory and alternative evidence • PMs, actively seek diverse and contradictory evidence 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗸 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗰𝘆: • Occurs when we keep investing in something based on investment already made • Leads to poor resource allocation resources and bas decisions • PMs, evaluate decisions based on current and future potential, rather than past investments 𝗛𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 ("I knew it all along" effect) • People feel that past events were more predictable than they actually were • Leads to overconfidence in predicting outcomes • PMs, make decisions based on objective analysis and not based on your power to predict -- Which biases have clouded your decisions?