Are you working your ‘S’ off?
This post is part of our Weekly Tips series.
This post is part of our Weekly Tips series.
Chip Grizzard(@chipgrizzard) is the CEO of Grizzard Communications Group, a nonprofit marketing and fundraising agency. Chip is the fourth-generation member of the Grizzard family to work at the 91-year-old company. Discover Chip’s candid replies to questions about what it really takes to be a Trusted Advisor and how to create a company that leads with trust, every day.
I am a certified executive coach who is passionate about sociology, psychology, and anthropology.
This is how I accumulated more than 9,500 hours of individual coaching with 675 leaders, including 365 Canadians, 263 Europeans and 47 Africans. As a result, I have had the fantastic opportunity to work with most of the major consulting firms across the world—in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. And since 2022, I have brought my experiences to bear for The Get Real Project’s extraordinary clients.
Also, I travel the world by bonding with the humans around me. Travelling is not a job but a mission for me—for work and fun. In the process, I love taking pictures and videos of what I see and live. Exploration is my main driver. Join me!
A few years ago, I held the position of strategic advisor for a major international firm. My job was to advise the Managing Partner and the Executive Committee regarding market positioning and internal governance management. I had been working with this team for over 6 years, and we had many wins together. The strategy was working very well.
And then … the composition of the Executive Committee changed. Confident in the work accomplished with the previous Executive Committee, I was sure that our work together would naturally continue. After all, we were only in the preliminary phase of the plan and the previous phases had been so very positive. Did I mention I was confident?
The news came suddenly, without warning: The strategic mandate was stopped. Overnight, I went from Strategic Advisor to someone whose calls were no longer returned.
I soon realized that my “S” (Self-orientation in the trust equation) was my downfall. I was so focused on feeling good about myself and my estimation of my strategic value that I missed the red flags—and there were some.
I was disappointed to have lost a strategic mandate, but above all, I lost work that I personally love to do.
My lesson learned: never let my “S” get in the way of seeing a situation clearly. Beware when I sense my ego is in the lead. Focus always on the client, because they are who you really work for and who really matter.
I specialize in coaching participants on specific ways to apply what they have learned to real-world situations, with a particular focus on trust-based business development/selling.
I am also a professional coach and speaker, on trust-related topics such as strategic thinking, mobilizing clients and colleagues/employees, conflict resolution, the dynamics of influence, dealing with conflict and developing business with trust.
The Connector
I am proud of authoring three books:
“Stephane Deslauriers was great! He was enthusiastic and engaging. His insights were helpful and he kept us on track”—VP, Global IT Consulting Firm
“A huge thank you for your foresight, your sincerity, your frankness and your direct style”—Managing Partner from a Big Four Firm | Paris, France
“My business started not 17 years ago but two years ago when I met you and you coached me. Thank you for propelling my business to the next level. I owe you.”—Managing Partner, Global Law Firm | Montreal, Canada
Determined and passionate. I NEVER give up on my dreams, and people both fascinate and motivate me.
Authenticity is key for me. I love real people, with all their strengths, weakness, talents, and quirks. Open-minded people who are open to life.
Exploring the world, see a new country/city/community. I am like a sailor who leaves to explore then returns to port to find my family, my lovely wife Jacynthe, my children and my grandchildren—all of whom provide me the greatest joy in life.
Video creation, pictures, photos. I love to play with images, music and sound.
Manipulators—the one who put their own profit before the collective. People who judge others. Those who are not open to other “glasses,” seeing things only through their own prism.
Hmmmm so many — I am an epicurean. So, pleasure, food, life!
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”—Antoine de Saint Exupéry
Music is always around me. I work, travel, sleep, live with a soundtrack. Every mood had this own.
A trip around the world for several years with only a backpack as luggage.
This post is part of our Monthly-ish Tips series.
Today’s tip is my first “post reboot” tip. While deciding what to write about it occurred to me that there’s value for us all to consider how a good reboot is especially beneficial to anyone doing the rewarding—and sometimes tiring—work of a service-oriented role. (Consultants and more, you know who you are.)