Sher Coaching

04/08/2026

I am very happy to have been a guest on the Podcast, "WFH with Two Guys" and hosts Dennis Jackson and Benny Carreon. It was a lively conversation with Dennis and Benny asking thoughtful questions and each of us providing insights on what it means to be a trusted and great leader. Please check it out...

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

03/10/2026

Just finished four days of babysitting our one-year-old grandson with my wife. Whew. It was exhausting and fantastic. It gave me an even greater appreciation for what working parents manage every day, especially mothers who often still carry most of the responsibility, even in homes where both parents are highly involved.

And it made me think about leadership.

Do we really consider what is happening in people’s lives when we assign work, set expectations, or give feedback?

This is not about lowering standards.

It is about understanding that when leaders make thoughtful accommodations, they often make it easier for employees to succeed without sacrificing results.

Supporting people well is not separate from performance. It often helps create it.

💬 How much should a leader take personal circumstances into account when managing performance?

03/04/2026

We came to the South looking for warmer weather.
Instead, what stood out most had nothing to do with temperature.
It was the people.

Our travels have taken us to Savannah after stops in Atlanta, Nashville, Hilton Head, and Bluffton, and everywhere we have gone, one thing has been consistent.

Southern hospitality is real.

People hold doors. They smile. They ask where you are visiting from. Conversations happen easily. There is a sense of kindness that makes the whole experience better.

It made me stop and think about leadership.

Work does not have to be driven by pressure, fear, or constant oversight. Leaders do not need to raise their voice, belittle people, or question every move to get results.

When leaders take the time to understand where someone is coming from, what challenges they are facing, and how they can be supported, people respond differently.

They engage more. They contribute more. They grow.

It is often said that people do not leave companies. They leave supervisors.

Leadership with understanding and kindness does not weaken performance. It strengthens it. And when leaders work with their people instead of against them, everyone tends to win.

Moments like this are a reminder that understanding people and building strong teams are at the heart of great leadership.

Have you ever worked for a leader whose kindness helped you perform at your best?

02/24/2026

Sometimes things do not go as planned. That doesn't mean they are all bad.

We came to Atlanta looking for warmth and ended up with temperatures in the 30s for two straight days. We also didn't escape the effects of the snowstorm back home.

Two of my kids were visiting for my grandson’s first birthday, and their flights home were cancelled. They spent two days trying to find a new one.

There was stress. There was uncertainty. And yes, there was anxiety, especially for my daughter who had to be away from her young child longer than expected.

But there was also a silver lining.

More unexpected family time. More shared moments. And thanks to technology, we were still able to stay connected to work when needed.

It was a good reminder that you can only control what you can control.

Resilience matters. For families and for work.

Things may not go as planned, but how we respond often makes all the difference.

When was the last time an unexpected change turned into something positive and/or meaningful for you?

02/17/2026

I was listening to a storyteller on “The Moth”** and it really hit me. The person was talking about the deep sense of loss she had with the death of her husband and the gratitude that came along with that… strange, right?

It took her a while for her to get there, and she never completely filled the hole left with the loss of her soul mate, but her “acceptance” came with the realization that we can’t fully experience and appreciate the joys and successes we find in our lives without experiencing loss or failure.

The more she examined her grief, the more she reflected on the great life she had with her partner. It didn’t take away the sense of loss, but it did remind her how fortunate she was to have her partner in her life.

For me, it was a great reminder that there is meaning and growth that can occur with loss or failure if we can accept the pain and grow from the experience. This is true both personally and professionally.

I know this is an oversimplification of the very complicated emotions associated with loss or failure. But, if we can try to balance the pain of it with the joy and growth of the experiences we have, then it can lead us to a good, if not better, place.

What are your thoughts on loss and/or failure?

**“The Moth” is a program dedicated to the art of true, first-person storytelling, delivered live on stage without notes. Stories are often 5–10 minutes long, focusing on a specific theme, and require a narrative arc with a personal transformation. Performances are intimate, engaging, and spoken rather than read, fostering a raw connection between the teller and the audience.

02/16/2026

The cold temperatures and snow are getting old so we're driving down south in search of warm weather. I also need to balance family time with work time and that's going to require prioritization, discipline, and being in the moment.

Highlights I look forward to:

- Spending time with my wife as we visit some great southern cities

- Celebrating my grandson's 1st birthday with my son and daughter-in-law

- Seeing the excitement in my 3 1/2 year olds face as he tells us about his first flight with his mom, my daughter, to meet us in Atlanta

- Being a guest on two different podcasts

- Coaching my clients as they prepare for job interviews

- Helping my Executive Coaching clients achieve their professional goals

- Continuing to develop my speaking practice

And just enjoying life!

Working remotely has its benefits...It's going to be a great month!

02/13/2026

I'm very excited about the reviews I've received for my book and I'm happy that so many have found it helpful. I'm also pleased to announce that besides Amazon and Barnes & Noble, it is also available in digital form here.. https://draft2digital.com/book/4099578

In What's TRUST Got to Do with It?, leadership coach and career strategist Ken Sher introduces the TRUST Success Model®—a practical, human-centered framework built on Transparency, Results, Understanding, Simplicity, and Teams. Drawing from over 25 years at Johnson & Johnson and decades of execut...

02/12/2026

What is success?
A sales leader requires 30 calls a day from every rep. No exceptions. He enforces it strictly, regardless of performance. The team hits its numbers. Call targets are met. Revenue goals are met. But...
..morale is almost nonexistent due to the constant pushes from the manager.

Most of the results actually come from two senior reps who would likely succeed under any system.

The rest of the team reports their 30 calls, but engagement is low and the team is not happy.

So the questions are:

If results are strong but morale is low, would you call that success?

Does a team's "happiness" matter if the ultimate goal is being delivered?

02/05/2026

❄️ Ooh baby, it’s cold outside. When things get tough, it’s tempting to pull back. Handle it ourselves. Keep our heads down. But isolation shrinks perspective. I see this with leaders all the time. Under pressure,
..they assume they need to have the answers instead of inviting others into the conversation.

That’s usually when trust starts to erode.

The strongest leaders I work with don’t go it alone. They look outward. They ask. They listen.

And something powerful happens. New ideas surface. People feel valued.

Teams become more engaged, innovative, and committed.

That’s how trust is built and why results become sustainable.

It’s a theme I explore often in my leadership keynotes and executive coaching work.

💬 What helps you stay connected when the pressure is on?

02/03/2026

🌍 Turn on the news.
Add business pressure, difficult bosses, and a weak job market.
Then layer in everything happening in our personal lives. It is a lot.

Everyone is carrying something, and it shows up at work whether we acknowledge it or not.

We have plenty of familiar sayings meant to help:

“This too shall pass.”

“Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond.”

“It is not whether you get knocked down, it is whether you get back up.”

They sound good. But leadership happens in the space between the quote and the reality.

Strong leaders do not ignore pressure. They recognize it, respond to it, and help others navigate it without burning out.

💬 As a leader, how do you create space for people to deal with stress while still keeping expectations clear?

💬 And personally, what actually helps you get through the day when the pressure is high?

01/30/2026

MY KIDS WORE ME OUT… and they aren’t even my kids! I did not expect a snowstorm to change how I think about work and leadership.

Last weekend, my daughter was supposed to travel for a work kickoff, so my wife and I were called in to help with our two grandkids (they're 1 and 3). All flights were canceled, and we ended up snowed in together for nearly five days.

I love my grandkids. Being a grandfather is one of the greatest joys of my life. But I was EXHAUSTED. Constant needs. Many meltdowns. Close quarters. Very little time to recharge.

On the drive home, It reminded me of something. This was five days. But this is the daily reality for many working parents, especially working mothers.

They want to show up, contribute, and do great work. But doing that while running on empty can feel almost impossible. It was a powerful reminder that behind every employee is a full human life we do not always see.

As a working parent or a leader, have you experienced this? If so, how do you deal with it day to day?