Corey Olynik – Healthy Leaders

Author

Corey Olynik

About the Author

A sought-after professional facilitator and mentor since the 90’s, Corey works with difference-makers* in a number of different fields: entrepreneurs, political figures, not-for-profit leaders. “Most find themselves trapped ‘in their organization’ and unable to work ‘on their organization.’ Helping people make that transition (that leap!) is my passion.” Corey is a former broadcast executive, political strategist, pastor and corporate ladder-climber. He is an author, speaker and mentor/coach for business, non-profit and faith community leaders. Author of The Mentor’s Mentor, he also co-founded (with Wayne Stewart) Executive Directions, an innovative capacity-building program for high potential leaders in the non-profit sector. His next big project – The Tomorrow Institute – is being designed to encourage leaders to become thought leaders in their industry and their community. He has been publishing a weekly leadership question for over ten years that appears in in-boxes worldwide every Monday morning prompting difference-makers to look at life and leadership with fresh eyes. And his column “Time Out with the Coach” appeared monthly in Calgary Inc. magazine. Raised in Moose Jaw and educated in Saskatchewan and Kentucky, (plus some Executive Education at the Harvard Kennedy School), Corey is President of the Board of Directors at the ALEX Community Health Centre, an active Rotarian, a member of First Alliance Church, CAPS (Canadian Association of Professional Speakers) and Mensa. Corey uncovers excuses and demands progress. As he says: “I love being in the room when someone’s lights go on.”

Loosen the Ropes

Boss: "I wish my people would take more initiative, be more creative, get outside the box." Employee: "I wish my boss would turn me loose, untie my hands, let me show what I can do."

Driving Change by Appreciating Resistance

Leaders see it all the time ‒ employees responding poorly to change initiatives. Maybe a new approach is required ‒ one that acknowledges the resisting forces and, in understanding them, reduces their sway.

Unnecessary Help

I still laugh at when my dad built a birdhouse and put it up in his back yard. Thoughtfully, he stuffed the cute little structure with twigs to help the birds with their nest-building. Watching one day he saw a bird go inside the birdhouse and come out with a twig in her mouth, take it to a tree and return, only to get another twig. That [...]

Hidden Insight

We've all seen this in our meetings. Some people will begin speaking and keep talking until something valuable comes out of their mouth; they engage their minds with their mouths open.

Strategic Vacation Initiative

Consider using your vacation for strategic purposes in your organization. Carefully think about who will do which pieces of your job while you are away.

Know Your Impact

None of us can forget that we aren’t just the list of tasks we do, we are the collective difference we make for those we serve.

What Did I Expect?

What do you hope to be different five years from now; how will you plan it into being?

What Do They Whisper?

I wonder what descriptive words your people use for you. Do their words match your intentions?

To Pause or Not to Pause

The challenge is to create time without having your team feel like you hit the “pause” button. For many, “pause” creates inertia that's tough to break.

Do What I Ask. Huh?

"If only my people would just do what I ask!" I've heard too many leaders utter those words and then, in their frustration, implement solutions that don't seem to make things better. Maybe leaders can sharpen their approach with a simple shift in the question they ask themselves.

Growing High Performers

Great mentors share how they think rather than teaching people about what they do.

Waiting … Waiting

Every once in a while I see leaders hesitating to act for no apparent reason. Probing, I've found a number of leaders seem to be waiting for permission. What keeps them paralyzed is that those expected to grant permission don’t even know their permission is hoped for.

Authentically Counterproductive

We hear so much about being an “authentic” leader. I believe fully in authenticity. You must lead from who you are; at the same time, authenticity does not give you permission to be a jerk. The most productive leader leads from strengths and dials back those tendencies to react poorly. This week’s question: When might [...]

What If?

What if a key person were immediately and permanently unavailable? What would you do? It’s not a “who’s going to cover for” situation but “who’s going to take over?” Many leaders tell me it will take months, even years, to get someone ready for a key position. Yet they don’t prepare. Then when something happens […]

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

"What's the excuse this time?" So often our team embarks on a new initiative and partway in, we can already hear people beginning to frame excuses as to why it won't (and eventually doesn't) work. What if we got them all into the open beforehand?

Single Tasking

Smartphones are indispensable for today’s leader, yet smartphones get us off track as well. On the plus side, multitasking is phenomenally enabled by those handhelds. However, focusing on one thing for an extended period, without electronic interruption, significantly impacts our results. Leaders must learn to balance multi-tasking and [...]

Skip What They Skip

The late, great Elmore Leonard (Get Shorty) was once asked why so many people like his novels. He answered, “I leave out the parts readers skip.” Wow. Don’t you wish more business speakers took that advice? Can you?

Let It Go

Most leaders I talk with are working too hard; they never shut it down. No wonder they run out of ideas.

Harmony Through Discord

Many leaders believe that good organizational culture means the absence of discord among their people. Their focus is on agreeing and getting along. But productivity remains elusive.

Let’s Get Some Ideas … Now!

Leaders tell me they wish their people had more ideas ‒ creative and innovative suggestions that will improve the organization. Maybe we don't know how to ask.