admin - Lisa D. Foster, Leadership Coaching & Training

How to Build Trust at Work: Five Everyday Actions

September 22, 2025

Trust or mistrust is a choice that every leader has to make: build trust at work to unlock performance or sow distrust and shut it down. Key Takeaways Most organizations fall in the middle between high trust and low trust cultures. In these organizations, managers can vary widely in how much they trust others. Employees are sensitive to even the smallest hints of mistrust. To build trust at work, trust must be a consistent and fundamental part of your leadership…

A mother duck leading ducklings in a line, symbolizing influence at work through guidance and respect.

Influence at Work: 4 Proven Ways to Build Trust and Respect

September 19, 2025

Team Alignment & 1:1s

Everyone wants influence at work, whether it’s with their boss, their team, or colleagues across the organization. The question is: what’s the best way to earn it? Influence is a subtle art. Sometimes even when you have the best advice, pushing too hard can backfire. In this post, I’ll explain what influence really is, how it works, and why it so often goes wrong. What Influence Is Influence at work is about advocating for an idea—not issuing a command. Many…

Validation in Leadership: The Most Important Way to Help People Grow at Work

September 17, 2025

Empathy in Leadership, Trust at Work

Validation in leadership is an often overlooked skill that builds trust and performance. Key Takeaways Validation at work is one of the deepest human needs—and one of the most overlooked leadership skills. Nothing motivates people more than feeling seen, heard, and valued. When managers learn to validate their team members’ feelings and experiences, they unlock hidden potential for trust, learning, and motivation. Validation isn’t just “being nice.” It’s a powerful, practical tool for leading people. Used well, it can transform…

The GOOD Model of Conversation: How to Coach Instead of Command

September 15, 2025

Team Alignment & 1:1s, Trust at Work

If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking, “Why am I doing all the thinking?” the GOOD model of conversation is for you. It’s a four-step coaching approach—Goals, Options, Obstacles, Do—that turns managers into coaches. When someone asks for advice, it’s tempting to tell them what to do. However, telling people what they should do is micromanaging and judgmental. Instead, the GOOD model offers an easy way to take a coaching approach, using questions to guide them forward. Why…

How to Appear More Confident and Speak with Authority

September 12, 2025

Confidence at Work

Nearly all of my clients want to appear more confident and speak with authority. Some want to look more confident; others want to feel more confident. These goals aren’t the same—but both are achievable. Key Takeaways Leadership Presence vs. Real Confidence: Why Appearance Isn’t Enough “Leadership presence” is a catchall term for behaviors leaders commonly exhibit. However, real confidence is more than a set of behaviors that you exhibit. It’s about being able to respond authentically in the moment, without…

12 Best Leadership Books (That Actually Changed How I Lead)

September 10, 2025

Find a coach, Trust at Work

Today I’m sharing my list of the best leadership books that changed how I think and what I do as a leader. This is a personal, field-tested list—books with stories and tools I still use. Below are my picks for the best leadership books that actually changed how I lead. How I chose these best leadership books First, I looked for great reads and practical ideas you can apply right away. Next, I prioritized memorable stories that illustrate impact. Finally,…