Tools For Every Day Leaders & Managers With Leadership Coach Kris Plachy

Operations managers (or similar) often go into the work field and do great work for a CEO with training in things like operations, business management, and similar. And yet, they lack training in how to lead, how to manage people, and how to make decisions in challenging situations. As CEOs, it’s easy to overlook this integral component. What we think our management team ought to handle might be too narrowly focused or we might think they should intuitively know and effortlessly execute these parts of their job. But they don’t.  That's why in this episode, I explore why CEOs should train up their management team. Bottom line, you can’t do it all. Nor should you. That makes it critical to the building of your business. Without a management team who can lead effectively, your business growth will eventually stall. The solution is to invest in quality leadership training for your top people. It’s an investment both in your business and in yourself. “It doesn’t do any good for you to have all this great leadersh

Straightforward advice on what to do to manage people is invaluable, especially since typical management discussions center around how hard it can be. But there actually are some ways to make managing people easier. The trick is to not over-complicate issues. And the trick to not over-complicating issues is to recognize the ways in which you might be doing just that. In this episode, I share the four reasons managing people is actually easy and simple. I hope as you listen, you gain some practical insights and even learn a bit about yourself, including some thought patterns that aren’t helping. I hope this advice, added to a few intentional tweaks to your approach, will guide you into alleviating your management problems. Now let’s talk managing made simple.  “You have all these truths that you believe about the world that you’ve never really checked. And those truths, while they feel so important to you, they’re not real... They’re your thoughts. They’re not the truth.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn Why

From time to time, we need a reset. We may even need to burn it all down, let it all go and see what remains. But because many of us are healers and providers in one way or another, this can be difficult. As leaders, we consider how things will affect others. We find ourselves continuing things because we don’t want to cause potential harm to others. But this can be an anchor to ourselves. That's why, in consideration of the new year, it may be time to make a new plan. One that might even involve letting some things go. By returning to the pursuit of the new, rather than feeling obligated to what we’ve already built, creativity can flourish again. Are you ready? “The biggest anchor to a creator is the belief that we have to sustain something for others so they stay happy, safe, comfortable, whatever.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn Biggest anchor to creators Pruning the correct stems Just too many things My expectations of myself Loving our roles as leaders Being willing to invest Contact Info and Recomm

We all go through periods of uncertainty about the direction of our business, about decisions, even about ourselves. Second guessing yourself is part of business. It’s part of life. But to build a business that both supports the life you love and can run without you, you must find a way through those times of doubt. And in order to find your way through, you absolutely must invest in yourself.  It is my earnest desire to challenge you into growth, into a new version of yourself and how you show up as a leader. What could be possible if you changed your mind? Questioned your beliefs about yourself and what you can accomplish? Didn’t simply accept that things are “just that way”? Let’s explore this together. “And sometimes the bigger the decision, the stronger the blowback in our own mind… We are in habit to do that. And the only way to not have that be a habit is to keep doing it and choose another way.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn Sources of second guessing Observing yourself Releasing your decision Wh

This question is so interesting to ponder. What do you do when all your dreams come true? And here's another to go with it: Have you had a dream come true but haven’t fully reveled in it? Because we should. It’s important to stop and savor the victories in our lives, to recognize all that went into making that dream a reality. Along with that, it’s healthy to choose how we make our dreams come true. We had such a hustle culture in the past, then we were forced to slow down during the pandemic, and now we are in a place where we get to choose. We choose how we want to show up. We choose how we want to make the next dream come true. Let’s talk about accomplishing dreams and when it’s time for what’s next. “You tell the story of a woman who is capable of making her dreams come true… And you also trust that there are… other playgrounds to find… And you allow yourself to be open to what comes with that.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn Reveling in your dream come true Balancing hustle and passion Sharing the bu

There is tremendous value in each woman but so many of us have felt unseen, suppressed and overlooked. In relation to this, recently the truth struck me that women are half the world but we birth the entire world. Take a moment to ponder that. It is inspiring. As women, we have such amazing worth and we are chosen to bring even more worth into the world. On top of that, we have been kissed with businesses to spread even more good. But one of the biggest hurdles we face is coming into a place where we feel our true worth and operate in it. And from there, the next hurdle is focusing on anyone else who is top-most in our business. But without that focused recognition of value and empowerment, our impact will always remain diminished. And I say, No more! It is time you know and express your worth, Mama! “If that's you… and you feel small and unseen and you feel like you’ve been disempowered… you do not have to feel that way. But you need support… The best gift you can give yourself, and your business, and the p

Guiding women and solving issues is my passion. Tackling things that can appear to be unsolvable but really are not. Being real with thoughts and feelings and issues, and especially as entrepreneurial women in leadership. In this, I have found that I'm not alone. Many women crave true connection that speaks to deeper things in their lives and, particularly, in their businesses. If you’re a leader, and all this resonates with you, you’re in the right place. I want to personally invite you to consider joining one or more of the opportunities I offer. I believe there is so much good for you to do and so much good for you to have, and I would be honored to help you bring those things to life. To help and encourage you to invest in yourself, to step into your power, to embrace the truth that YOU are the asset! “You have days where you really are stepping into your power and your voice. And you feel really good about it. And you have to look at, ‘Okay, what happened on that day?’  And then there are days where you

As women, we like to collaborate. It’s part of our makeup. However, it’s essential to know how to collaborate as an entrepreneurial leader because not all collaboration is beneficial. So in this next installment of the Leadership is Feminine Formula, we’re talking about the pluses and minuses of collaboration. When we first start a business, most of us start out as solopreneurs. It isn’t until later that we add a team and add elements of collaboration. And as we work through this new jungle of business growth, it can be way too easy to tumble into the pitfalls. One pitfall is believing that you need others to direct your business. Another is avoiding discomfort. Another is developing an environment where everything has to pass through your hands or approval first. All of these can hinder the growth you desire and deserve. But positive, beneficial collaboration is achievable. Let’s talk about it. “We collaborate out of scarcity. We collaborate out of believing our ideas aren’t good enough… No. It’s still your

As women, we have enormous potential to lead. It’s inherent in who we are. But we tend to dismiss a lot of our feminine attributes as not being effective enough or strong enough. And this simply is not true. That's why, for this podcast episode, my team and I want to share with you the recording from the first day of our live, free Leadership is Feminine Formula week. It was so powerful and we hope it emboldens you to no longer lead with just your masculine traits. Our desire for you is to compel you to be who you want to be – who you are designed to be – by putting to use all of your wonderful, valuable and dynamic feminine assets to lead and to lead well. “When you think about yourself as a leader, how do you compare to what you believe leadership looks like? .... Do you align? And if not, where’s the gap?” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn  Learned leadership Feminine assets How you think about yourself The superpower of feeling things Holding boundaries The tendency to use masculine energy Contact Info

How does your self-worth relate to accountability? As women, we often relate our responsibility in needing to hold people accountable to how we view ourselves. The negative associations of accountability have grown to the point where setting boundaries seems nearly impossible. It’s gotten so bad that some female business owners have considered just ending their businesses altogether. They’re struggling with a nearly overwhelming number of issues: people not following through, not showing up, not keeping their commitments. But is the issue of accountability really a direct reflection of us as female entrepreneurs? No, it isn’t. The core actually comes down to how we view our own worthiness. And there are people that want to work, want to do a good job, want to be part of something amazing. They exist. You just need to find them. And you need to reframe your beliefs to embrace that you – and your business – are both worthy and worth it. “The reason that we allow people to not fully meet the expectations that w

Why is holding people accountable so difficult as a female business owner? How did simply holding people accountable become associated with being bitchy? Why do not only others tend to think that but we, as women, can even think that about ourselves? It’s not right! In this episode, I tackle the problem of holding people accountable. It seems that in today’s age, this can be harder than ever before. But it shouldn’t be. All you’re actually doing is expecting people to do what they agreed to do. It’s not unreasonable. I’ve found that the most important and impactful form of accountability is holding ourselves accountable. What do I mean by that? Let’s talk about how to hold people accountable, without anger and while showing one of the highest forms of love. “Women, over time, learn to not hold themselves to account when other people disregard, disrespect, do not follow through on – or just ignore – a grievance.  Because they don’t want to be thought of as aggressive or bitchy… They get left out of the tribe.

Finding the right people to work, especially in the last couple of years, has become very tangled. People have started new businesses, closed businesses, changed jobs, juggled an ever-changing job landscape… and so on. While experts in fields have become more scarce, many entrepreneurs have had businesses explode before they are even ready. And thus, they need help but it has been rather chaotic. The frustration of finding enough good people has become very real. Business owners are finding what they’re seeking for their business is no longer matching what those who are skilled want. So does that mean it’s not going to work? Is it time to hang it up? Or is it time to approach and frame things differently? “First of all, our clarity in how we design roles is critical… I need people who can think about what to do and they can actually do it... I have to hire strategists that also produce.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn Where have all the experts gone? Segmented help People who actually know how to execute

Is CEO a noun or a verb? You may have never contemplated that question but the differences it implies are significant. What do you think of, what comes up for you internally, when you hear the word CEO? Do you have a visual in your mind of a particular person? A functional role? A personae? A specific vibe? As we continue on our path of new and of change this season, I want to challenge your brain and your default thinking. CEO is an acronym that has, for decades, been a very masculine term and title. And, as such, has been difficult for some women to embrace. But what if we viewed “CEO” not as a noun, but rather a verb? What if it is about actions you’re taking to put your magic out into the world, to allow that magic of a business you’ve been kissed with to grow and expand?  “Whatever you choose to call yourself, my goal is always that it instills a little discomfort. And it invites you to a new level of gravitas, a new level of presence, and a bigger, bolder – but also authentic – voice in leadership.” –

Can you be a successful entrepreneur but not a visionary? And vice versa, can you be a successful visionary but not really an entrepreneur? Perhaps before you can answer those questions, you must first decide: Are you an entrepreneur, a visionary, or both? And, most importantly, how does leadership fit into it all? As we continue this brand new season (Season 5) of Leadership Is Feminine, I invite you to ponder these questions with me. Often, as business owners, there are questions we don’t think to ask ourselves but find if we did, we’d learn so much and find immense magic in the answers. To that end, I want to explore the difference between a visionary leader and an operational entrepreneur. Is being an entrepreneur simply the operational expression of the visionary? What is the value of being a visionary? Let’s dive in. “When you’re a real visionary, when you really, really do see things other people don’t see, and you believe in the possibility of what you see that doesn’t exist yet, you have the potenti

Why do I say yes when I really want to say no? Why do women, more often than men, gravitate toward people pleasing? I found myself asking these questions and thus pondering: What do I think I’m accomplishing when I’m so agreeable? What am I actually accomplishing? To take it a step further, I pondered the reverse: What am I actually accomplishing when I’m being more controlling? As we start Season 5 of Leadership Is Feminine, I want to focus on a time of change and some decompression from the pressures we’ve all been under. One definite source of pressure as leaders is people pleasing, as is the opposite, which I term people depleting. This is when people are demanding and controlling, so they themselves can be the one pleased. An interesting fact is that we can find ourselves on either side, depending on the issue and circumstances. But no matter what side we’re on, we can help mitigate the resulting pressure when we better understand people pleasing and controlling as leaders. “You’re saying yes… not to pl

There’s a current phenomenon called “quiet quitting”. As business owners, we need to be aware of trends like this because they can potentially affect us. In particular, this approach to life is being promoted by Gen Zs but anyone could jump onboard with it.  So what exactly is “quiet quitting” and how can small businesses prepare for its possible impact? In this episode, I explore generational differences, the quiet quitting movement, post-pandemic mental health, clear expectations, having regard for others, and more. How does this all tie together and what might it mean for you and your growing business, lovely CEO? Let’s talk about it. “We do have the least prepared workforce… I do not say that to be disparaging. I say that because that is true... There is more responsibility now than ever on employers to help people learn what it means to work. And also to work with balance.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn  Generational differences The quiet quitting movement Post-pandemic mental health Honesty, clear

If you’re juggling the questions of “When should I hire?” or “Who should I hire?” – let me help guide you. The answers to those questions are completely tied to the answer to a question that should come first. That is, “What phase of growth is your business in?”    This episode idea sprouted from help I’ve been giving to many regarding hiring and two recent Live Coaching with Kris episodes. As we navigate what I call the “Messy Middle” in building an entrepreneurial business, we need help but getting the right kind of help, at the right time, is absolutely crucial. If you hire the incorrect people during the a phase, you can actually lose touch and control of your own business. Please don’t let that happen. Let’s talk about who to hire in the messy middle of your entrepreneur journey. “Learn how to manage. Anybody could work for you then. It’s fine. If you learn how to manage. But otherwise, you set yourself up where you don’t have control of so much of your business.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn  Phas

As your business grows, you’re going to need help. You can’t build your queendom all alone. But what position should you hire first for your growing business? Should you hire someone to match your work and share the load? Should you hire an assistant to perform numerous tasks? Should you hire someone to complete just specific projects? Is there a way to know what the best choice is? For this episode of Live Coaching with Kris, I tackle this inevitable growth question. My guest listener has grown her business to the point where she needs help but isn’t sure which position to fill first. She feels she doesn’t have enough revenue to hire more than one person but desperately needs help in more than one area. Together, we discuss the pros and cons of each type of hire, discuss the process of narrowing down hiring options, and ultimately, look at potential solutions in a whole different light.    “It does pay off… You’ve got to think about this as an investment… And you might have to kiss a few frogs. That’s part

“You should do this.” “You should do that!” “Hey, have you considered…” When you’re building a business, so many voices and ideas constantly come at you. You can become lost in all the possibilities and your business becomes your life. Maybe it’s time to build your businesses a little differently… Especially if you realize you’ve built your life around your business, rather than your business around your life.  But what if you intentionally built your business to nurture the life you want? How would you go about it? To begin, you need to quiet the noise all around you, to anchor to internal wisdom, and then act from there. Let’s talk about what it might look like to build a business that supports your life.  “We get so immersed in the business that we end up building a life around the business. We’ve accommodated the business by compromising our lives.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn  Noise of life Internal anchors Growth from the reaction phase Choose the life you want Ask the questions, make the changes

The cost of doing business seems to be rising by the day. Inflation is hitting small businesses pretty hard. The current economy and labor market are so different than even just a couple years ago. And when you’ve got a team, wages, in particular, are a big consideration in your budget. Because of these unique changes, I hope to help you have a bit of a brain shift in this episode. As leaders, we have Two Buckets to recognize: Beliefs and thoughts (including the opinions of others) versus Facts. The impact of all the information constantly coming at us can make opinions appear as facts. This can dramatically affect how we look at, and what we feel about, everything going on in our businesses. It can especially affect our opinion about hiring and paying wages. So let me give you a bit of tough love and let’s talk about all this. “Or you just decide, ‘You know what? I signed up to be a business owner. The economy’s a little wackadoodle right now. I’m gonna figure out my plan. And I’m gonna execute the hell out