Power of Positive Leadership
In an energetic session at Marketplace 2026 on Sunday, Laura Berman Fortgang encouraged attendees to refocus their communication approach in The Power of Positive Leadership: Coaching Skills for Better Performance Results.
“Coaching skills are advanced coaching skills,” she told attendees, explaining that coaching is an investment of time that pays off better in the long term for teams.
She emphasized causing shifts in five areas:
- Mindset
- Listening
- Body/Emotion
- Question
- Dialogue
Berman Fortgang told the audience that when people feel they have ownership of a situation, they are more likely to accept a change. A mindset shift can help people grow answers rather than give them answers.
Attendees were then encouraged to alter their approach to listening, to stop coaching, and avoid trying to jump to a solution. This results in individuals coaching the person instead of the solution.
“When you feel what others feel, you will find guidance to offer them,” Berman Fortgang said.
Attendees then participated in a one-on-one exercise in which they took turns as coach and receiver, discussing a problem situation using the tools Berman Fortgang had illustrated.
She urged the audience members to use the word “you” to inspire a positive response instead of “I”, which can result in a negative response. And acknowledgement is about helping people see themselves.
She then provided an exercise using Wisdom Action Questions, in which the queries all start with “what” to encourage forward motion and a solution.
She closed by expressing that the less frequently you use the word “you” in solution-seeking, you’ll gain more attention from the participant.
