About Me

My name is Gwyn Teatro and I have long believed that the quality of leadership in an organization determines the willingness of its people to take their best selves with them when they go to work.

People who go to work and go home again feeling under-valued and under-rewarded are likely under-performing.  As such, good leadership is not just a “nice to have”.  It is a business imperative.

Organizations that underestimate the value of their human assets may achieve short term results but will fail to retain depth of knowledge and experience that are critical to sustaining business over time.  People will come, and go, taking the value of their knowledge and their best “game” with them.

The challenge for all leaders is to achieve optimal results through others and that calls for them to set the organizational tone and direction, role-model effective leadership behaviour and motivate others to produce desire results with enthusiasm and pride.  It’s a tall order but there it is.

I come by my views honestly having spent 35 years working in a large organization and having observed (and experienced) many different leaders from a variety of perspectives.  I remember the good ones. And I remember, even more vividly, the bad ones.

I spent the bulk of my career in Human Resources, in tasks that began simply enough, like balancing time sheets and keeping personnel records to ones that called on me to coach executives, plan and facilitate strategic planning sessions and other, more global, pursuits .  I went back to school when I was forty three and, in 1996, earned a Master of  Science degree in Management.  Later, I learned about the value of coaching in the workplace and became a certified coach.

Now, I’m sixty something and  retired, although I’ve always disliked that word because there is more for me to do. And, often I think it is  about making a contribution to the development of healthy workplaces, places where people can, and are willing to, do their best work.  This blog is a start.

47 responses to “About Me

  1. Rita Galea (ex Ripenburg)

    Hi Gwyn, hope all’s going well in your world. Lorna passed on your blog address to me. I was thinking about you the other day – specifically about that lovely trip you made to England. We’re planning something similar. Lorna and I have talked about getting together with you in the fall for lunch or dinner or whatever. I’d love to see you again, Regards, Rita

  2. Gywn,
    I really like your article on coaching. I would like to add it to my blog. Are you interesed in doing a guest blog?
    Steven

    • Gwyn Teatro

      Hi Steven,

      Thanks so much! It would be an honour to have my article featured on your blog.

      I enjoyed exploring your website and am flattered that you consider my post worthy of repetition.

      Many thanks
      Gwyn

  3. Hi Gwen,

    First of let me say I love your blog and the information you provide. As for leadership, I once heard Barry Posner, co-author of the Leadership Challenge, say in a presentation that Leadership is learned and must be practiced every hour of every day. He also said that encouraging the heart is key to leadership. If you don’t get the heart right, nothing else will work.

    Best Regards and keep up the good work.

    Rich

    • Gwyn Teatro

      Hi Rich,

      Thank you so much for your comment! I’m glad you enjoy reading my blog.

      And yes, I agree that while some people seem to have a proclivity for leadership, it really is a learned skill that comes from experience and practice. By the way, I have a copy of Kouzes & Posner’s Leadership Challenge workbook and have recommended it as an excellent tool to groups who study leadership . I particularly like the space it makes for reflection, an activity that so many business folks don’t engage in.

      Thanks again for coming by!

      Gwyn

  4. Thanks for your great article that emphasizes the importance of leadership and valuing the employees!

  5. Gwyn Teatro

    Hi Nancy,

    Thank you for your kind words and for coming by! 🙂

  6. Amanda

    Hi Gwyn,
    I’m the managing editor of a business magazine for retail florists and would love to reprint your post about distraction and leadership (aka the one with the guy on the horse and the Adlai Stevenson quote).
    What’s the best way to reach you?

    • Gwyn Teatro

      Hi Amanda

      Thank you! I have sent you my e-mail address via your e-mail address and perhaps we can communicate more fully there.

      Thanks again!

      Gwyn

  7. Allyn Steele

    Hi, Gwyn!

    I am Stephanie’s partner, Allyn. We met at Stephen and Virginia’s wedding in July. Great to read your blog! Today’s post was especially poignant for me, as I often find myself questioning the validity of rules within the context of, in particular, the mission of an institution that may have especially “moral” statements of purpose (i.e., religiously affiliated institutions of higher education).

    All that to say: great work! I hope we can stay in touch.

    Cheers,
    Allyn

    • Gwyn Teatro

      Hi Allyn! So nice to hear from you! Of course I remember! And, I’m so happy you found my blog, especially because you got something from the post. Thanks for your kind words too. And yes, let’s stay in touch! I’d love that 🙂

      Gwyn

  8. Hi Gwyn,

    We’d like to invite you to include your blog on http://www.LeadershipDigital.com. This site collects all the best content about Leadership and Management, organizes it by keywords and other parameters, and then attracts traffic and pushes it off to participating bloggers. Since it only shows links to posts of participating blogs, you retain ownership of your content, and get direct referral traffic (as well as benefits of being associated with a range of other top-notch bloggers in the space). We already have many great bloggers on board (Marshall Goldsmith, Dan McCarthy, Michael Stallard, and dozens of others), and we’d love to have your blog as a featured source also.

    Participation is simple – we ask that you add into your sidebar a small widget that helps promote the site and collects some social signals to identify your best content, and we also ask that you announce your participation once things are set up. This way, more people will be able to find the site, and more people will eventually click through to your blog as a result of that.

    Please let me know if you’d like to be a part of this endeavor (you can withdraw at any time in the future if you wish), and I will set up your blog right away.

    Sincerely,
    Paul

  9. Hi Gwyn,

    Glad you’d like to join the community! Could you please send me an email to pfaguet@gmail.com so I could share the process steps with you (one process step, really)?

    Thanks,
    Paul

  10. Jafar Hassan

    I am a from the Sudan. I found your website so interesting. thank you very much for you good efforts.
    jafar

  11. Hello Gwyn,
    I’m glad I found you through your guest post on @3PlusInt. I appreciate your experience, vision, and style. You have much to share to make the workplace better. We have somewhat similar backgrounds and goals. I’m looking forward to reading your blog!

    • Gwyn Teatro

      Hi Helen, So nice to meet you! I look forward to getting to know you better. Thanks so much for taking the time to connect here. I visited your blog this morning and really like your LEAD acronym for bosses. Listen, Engage, Act, Dare ~ easy to remember and important to enact.

      • Hi Gwyn, Thank you for visiting our site and our view of LEADership 🙂 My daughter, Diana, has been key to leading our entire online strategy. There’s much to learn and share; it’s very exciting.

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  13. Hi Gwyn. Thanks for your leadership/coaching blog. Like your writing style as well. Would you be interested in contributing as a regular blogger for AHS http://ahopefulsign.com

    if so, send me an email. Thanks.

  14. Pingback: A Coaching Dilemma – Results of August Leadership Development Roundtable Challenge — The People Equation

  15. Arthur Clyne

    Hi Gwyn, sorry to leave a comment for this, but I couldn’t find your email address.

    An HR company I work with wanted to know if they could advertise in an old post of yours; it would be pretty unobtrusive

    Email me if you’d be interested or if you want more details.

    Cheers!
    Arthur Clyne

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  17. Hi Gwyn,

    My name is Tammy and I work with Vineet Nayar of HCL to help grow his Employees First, Customers Second philosophy online (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Employees-First-Customers-Second-Conventional/dp/1422139069). A number of your posts and your core positioning touch on some topics that we’re very passionate about (particulary in terms of management and leadership in general) which are central to what we’re all about, and we’d be keen to hear your and your readers’ thoughts on our philosophy.

    We’re currently putting some of the content online for free and we’d like to send you a few copies of the book in case you’re interested in reviewing it or in getting in touch further. If you are interested in receiving a few copies (whether to read, give away to your readers) or to discuss the topic and the book’s core concepts further, please do get back to me with your details.

    Best,
    Tammy

  18. Hi Gwyn, a friend just sent me your blog on Are you Caring or Are you a Care Taker, I loved it. Your blog, also fabulous and definite alignment with my philosphies on business and personal vision development. It would be great to connect with you in person, if you could get in touch with me that would be super.
    Best, Lynn

  19. Hi Gwyn! My name is David and I am a student right now, studying for my MBA and I happened to find your blog because I needed a good image to use on a comment I am responding to regarding casual communication in the workplace! What a fun site you have here! I just wanted to touch bases with you and tell you I admire your work here and I hope that you will pick this back up and continue posting.

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  21. ODONGO OSCAR

    Gwyn Teatro thank you for coaching Blog and leadership skills for one semester I have been reading your Blog it is helping me a lot in my fundamental of leadership and management course at Uganda christian institute for professional development,Lira ,UGANDA .PLEASE if possible I would like to see you paying a visit in Uganda because those skills of leadership is lacking .continue giving and coaching me ,send for me your E-mail address and your contact so that we discuss more.
    thanks.

    • Gwyn Teatro

      Odongo ~ Thank you for your kind words. It is very gratifying for me to know that my writing is helping you in your studies. It makes the writing of my blog very worthwhile. Thank you for that and for your interest and enthusiasm.

  22. ODONGO OSCAR

    hi Gwyn you are the great philosopher in this dynamic and dimensional world .I like it .management and leadership coaching as DOUGLAS MCGREGOR use it in the theory XY STYLE OF MANAGEMENT HELPFUL to us doing social work and social administration not for the purpose of passing exams only but to use them when we get out of school to the work place and in the community because we belong to the community and we are going to work with the community with the skills and knowledge attained through reading your blog i welcome you to pay a visit in our country Uganda ,northern Uganda the war torn areas oyam districk.iceme

    • Gwyn Teatro

      Odongo ~ Yes, understanding Theories X and Y certainly helps us to recognize the leadership beliefs of those around us. For me, Theory X has long outlived its usefulness, if indeed it was ever really useful except for those who seek power for themselves and doubt the potential of those around them.

  23. The Rainmaker Group, Inc. is looking to feature one of your posts on our new Monday guest blog feature. If you are interested please send me an email, and I will provide you with more information.

  24. you and I sound like we have a ton in common. I currently work in a large organization, much of my time was in HR, but I am now blogging from my new perspective of leading out in the field. I have just signed up as a subscriber.

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  26. Ruthann Panipinto

    Why on earth are you retired?! We need more bosses like you teaching others how to be bosses. The quality of work life out there right now stinks for so many! Wish I had you for a supervisor. 🙂

    • Gwyn Teatro

      Ruthann ~ Thank you for your kind words. although I’m retired, I use this forum to help provoke thought about what great workplaces look like. Perhaps the next great supervisor out there is you. I don’t know your work circumstances but if you believe it, I’m betting you can do it.:)

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  30. Hi Gwyn,

    My name’s Adam and I’m writing on behalf of Huddle Recruit.

    We recently discovered your excellent website, You’re Not the Boss of Me, and have featured it in our post ‘20 Insightful Leadership and Management Sites’, which you can read here:

    http://huddlerecruit.com/resources/20-leadership-management-sites-203

    We have used an image from your website, I hope you don’t mind.

    If you would like us to make any changes or remove your review, please let us know and we can amend immediately.

    I hope you enjoy your review, let us know what you think!

    All the best,

    Adam Gunderson


    Huddle Recruit Online Team

    For:
    Andreas Voniatis
    Tel: 0844 264 2964
    Mob: 07980 688913

    Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

  31. Gywn, beautiful piece of … reality!!! I noticed that this string of replies goes back 5 years now. A test of its priceless value. I cracked a laugh a couple of times, like where you say: ” I remember the good ones (bosses). And I remember, even more vividly, the bad ones.” LOL!! Oh, my… so real. Love it. Just found it posted on LinkedIn today, so it is floating around.
    Regards,
    Jorge

    • Gwyn Teatro

      Thanks for your kind words Jorge. I think it would be much better if we could remember the good bosses first but being human, unless we discipline ourselves otherwise, it is not always the case. 🙂

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