Corey Olynik, Author at 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.”

What If?

Many leaders tell me it will take months, even years, to get someone ready for a key position. Yet they don’t prepare.

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 single-tasking.

Yesterday Once More

Most changes we contemplate and enact aren’t poorly designed. When change goes sideways it’s likely due to poor presentation and communication. We can’t forget that our people love yesterday; yesterday is safe. Tomorrow is scary. Let’s consider forging the link rather than emphasizing it.

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.

What Did I Expect?

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

Whose Fault Is It Anyway?

What happens in your organization when something goes wrong? If you are like most, the first question is often, "Whose fault is it?"

What Do They Whisper?

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

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.

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.

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."

Growing High Performers

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 resourceful mother bird had found a great cache of perfect twigs to build her nest somewhere else!