How do other people see you?

In a world where there’s more noise than ever before, many of us have lost our ability to communicate with empathy, says Stacey Hanke, executive mentor and author of Influence Elevated: Maximizing Your Connection Monday to Monday. In this conversation with Daniel and Peter, Stacey shares her insights about how leaders can learn–or relearn–how to connect with consistency across platforms and maximize their influence.

“Every conversation is your opportunity to practice something,” says Stacey. Whether it’s improving meetings, asking for feedback, or even watching a recorded meeting to critique their own screen presence, leaders should increase their focus on how others perceive them to maximize their influence on their teams and across their organizations.

Tune in to learn:

• Three practical tips to improve remote meetings
• Two ways for leaders to coach their team members
• One valuable technique that can improve a leader’s influence

Join us for this practical and insightful discussion.

In this episode:

1:40 – Introduction: Stacey Hanke

2:24 – Elevating Your Ability to Influence

10:38 – What Leaders Need to Be Influential Today

16:50 – Practical Tips to Strengthen Influence on Remote Teams

20:34 – Guidance for Coaching Team Members

32:05 – Lightning Round

Stacey Hanke’s Website

Influence Elevated: Maximizing Your Connection Monday to Monday

Stacey Hanke Amazon Author Page

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

• Ask This One Question to Evaluate Your Leadership Skills
• 3 Simple Words to Receive Actionable Feedback from Your Associates
• You Do Need an Ego! But How Much?
• Six Secrets to Your Leadership Growth
• 4 Ways to Encourage a Growth Mindset Culture
• 4 Ways to Prime Your Brain to Receive Feedback
• 10 Tips for Effective Video Meetings
• 5 Characteristics of Leaders Who Show Up With Authority
• 6 Tips for Improving Your Active Listening Skills
• The T

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

“We don't spend a lot of time thinking about how we breathe. We just do it,” says Jamie Flinchbaugh. “But then we find out, whether we're training for sports or meditation or other things, that there's more to learn about breathing. And when we are thoughtful about it, we can do it better, more usefully.”

Solving problems as a leader is similar to breathing, says Flinchbaugh. Leaders take it for granted that they can solve problems in the usual way. They’re often on autopilot, and they forget to think about their roles–and the roles of others around them–in solving problems, which can lead to a “cascade of errors.”

Jamie Flinchbaugh is author of the book People Solve Problems and the host of a podcast by the same name. He acts as a trusted advisor and thought partner for leaders through his firm, JFlinch. Jamie joins Daniel and Peter on this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast to talk about how leaders solve problems, some of the mistakes they can make, and how they can improve.

Tune in to learn:

• The three roles of leaders as they solve problems
• The importance of curiosity and uncomfortable learning in problem-solving
• Why designing for optimal circumstances is a bad strategy for problem-solving

Join us for this practical and insightful discussion.

In this episode:

0:55 – Introduction: Jamie Flinchbaugh

1:44 – What Do Leaders Get Wrong?

6:23 – Leader Role #1: System Architect

17:44 – Leader Role #2: Culture Builder

31:46 – Leader Role #3: Shaper

36:56 – Lightning Round

Jamie Flinchbaugh’s Website

People Solve Problems Podcast

People Solve Problems book on Amazon.com

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

• How to Prioritize Your Work
• The Difference Between Important and Urgent
• The 10 Tenets of Calendar Management
• The Accountability Scale
• Four Keys to Creating Accountability
• 4 Ways to Encourage a Growth Mindset Culture
• You Do Need an Ego! But How Much?

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

“Imagine if Amazon was inefficient,” says Garrett Delph, Founder and CEO of Clarity Ops.

An inefficient Amazon would never reign in the very area that allowed it to disrupt the marketplace–that is, rapid, low-cost product delivery.

Operational inefficiencies are organizational kryptonite, says Delph in this conversation with Daniel and Peter. Garrett Delph is a serial entrepreneur who has founded three businesses, collectively generating over $40 million in revenue. Today, Garrett is an operating partner to business executive leadership in need of transformative solutions that extend business lifetime value, increase company profits, and improve employee well-being.

Tune in to learn:

• How the four types of leaders contribute to operational success
• The most underrated tool to build a lasting business
• What Formula 1, icebergs, and architecture have to do with operational success

With wit, insight, and clear analogies, Garrett shares his own journeys and lessons learned and offers clarity for business leaders caught in operational chaos.

In this episode:

1:35 – Introduction: Garrett Delph

2:40 – Topic: Achieving Operational Success as a Leader

6:40 – The Dangers of Inefficiencies

13:10 – Sea of Chaos?

18:10 – Architecting Order

22:06 – The QuadCore Management Framework

31:26 – Lightning Round

Clarity Ops Website

Garrett Delph LinkedIn

Formula 1: Drive to Survive

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

• Start Training on These 6 Essential Skills for Managers
• The 7 Critical Vital Signs of Organizational Health
• How to Identify and Develop a Core Process
• Taking a SPIN: A Simple Way to Serve Your Customers Better
• 5 Questions to Help With Your Process Flow Analysis
• 6 Ways to Drive Employee Retention

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

“Empathy is not being soft,” says Jevon Wooden, CEO of BrightMind Consulting Group and today’s guest on The Leadership Growth Podcast.

Jevon is a sought-after keynote speaker, coach, and consultant specializing in empathetic leadership. His proven strategies have been featured in major publications like Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Inc. Magazine.

In this episode, Daniel, Peter, and Jevon discuss in detail the role of empathy in leadership–and why, as Jevon says, empathy is key to managing any situation.

Tune in to learn:

• The difference between being empathetic and having empathy
• The role of humility in being an empathetic leader
• How people leaders can better understand technical leaders

Bring empathy to your leadership with Jevon’s insights and tips, and watch engagement and results improve.

In this episode:

1:21 – Introduction: Jevon Wooden

9:22 – Empathy as a Skill

17:40 – Improving Business Results and People Results with Empathy

24:52 – Misusing Empathy?

30:15 – Lightning Round

BrightMind Consulting Group

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

• 4 Ways to Prime Your Brain to Receive Feedback
• Five Behaviors to Help Develop Your Emotional Intelligence
• 6 Ways to Regulate Your Emotions for Leadership Effectiveness
• 10 Questions to Help You Manage Up
• 5 Executive Presence “Superpowers” of Quiet Leaders
• 6 Keys to Working Well With Your Employees

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

When it comes to accountability, the traditional approach has put leaders in charge of holding others accountable. Often this approach translates into a fear-based, command-and-control, “I have the authority, and I’m going to tell you what to do” approach to accountability.

But does this approach work in the modern workplace? (And, we might ask, did it ever work?)

In this episode, Daniel and Peter dive into the myth of accountability–the idea that leaders must hold their people accountable. This myth often leads to micromanaging, conflict, and a kind of “parent-child” approach to leadership.

Daniel and Peter suggest a better path–one that encourages a culture of self-accountability where teams work together in a partnership to deliver results.

Tune in to learn:

• What the CMC model of accountability is–and why it works
• How to encourage self-accountability as a leader
• What to do if your team resists an approach of self-accountability

Plus, some thoughts on Artificial Intelligence, including a big announcement! And remembering leadership lessons on VHS (that’s “Video Home System” for those of you under 40).

In this episode:

1:30 – Insight of the Week: Artificial Intelligence

8:52 – Memory Lane: Leadership Lessons on Video–Before YouTube!

14:20 – Topic: The Myth of Accountability

33:46 – Lightning Round

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

• Ask a Coach: How do I hold others accountable? (Video)
• Leadership Lesson: Employees are Like Turtles
• The Accountability Scale
• Four Keys to Creating Accountability
• 4 Ways to Create Layers of Accountability in a Virtual Environment
• How to Delegate Like a Pro
• Fight, Flight, or Freeze: Our Brains on Feedback
• Matching Managerial Oversight to Employee Competence
• 3 Ways to Avoid Being a Micromanager

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

Are you “all that and a bag of chips”?

We all need an ego. As Peter says, ego serves a function.

But too much ego might translate into steamrolling over others. And too little ego can mean withdrawing and allowing others to steamroll over you.

There’s a good balance between being secure in your own voice without stomping out the voice of others. Good ego management is really intentional humility.

In this episode, Peter and Daniel take a deep dive into ego management–why it’s important, how to bounce back from hits to our egos, and why too little ego can be just as much a problem as too much.

Tune in to learn:

• The “antidote” to ego
• The one thing to keep in mind for ego management
• The value of “safe places” in managing ego

Plus, how feedback has changed–and how it hasn’t–through the decades, and the balance between glory and work.

In this episode:

2:42 – Memory Lane: Feedback Tools Through the Generations

5:58 – Insight of the Week

13:18 – Topic: Ego Management

32:47 – Lightning Round

Resources:

Freakonomics Podcast Episode 592: How to Make the Coolest Show on Broadway

Gallup Q12 Engagement Survey

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

• Lobsters and Egos
• The Lobster and the Ego (Video)
• Big Bear, Little Ego
• You Do Need an Ego! But How Much?
• Leadership: It’s Not About You Anymore

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

“If you don’t find absolute joy in other people’s success, being a leader’s probably not going to float your boat,” says today’s guest, Laurie Labra.

Daniel and Peter welcome Laurie to this episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast for a fun and insightful conversation about leadership in a highly technical environment. Laurie is a vice president at KBR, Inc., leading the company’s Science & Space Human Exploration Division.

Laurie brings great expertise to this conversation about leadership, and she shares some important insights about decision-making, developing new leaders, and communication.

Tune in to learn:

• How to balance the tension between delivering technical excellence and maintaining strong team relationships
• Why the mirror can be your best friend before a tough conversation
• The one test you can never ace

Plus, the value of meeting new people, and how early career lessons can stick with you for the rest of your life.

In this episode:

0:59 – Introduction and Background

4:28 – Leadership Lessons for the Next Generation

10:39 – Achieving Technical Excellence Without Damaging People

15:51 – Decision Making When You Don’t Have All the Info

21:08 – Communication Tips

27:51 – Lessons from Real Life

32:59 – Meeting People

35:29 – Lightning Round

Resources:

Laurie Labra LinkedIn Profile

KBR, Inc.

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

• 4 Steps to Effective Decision Making
• What Cheetahs Can Teach Us About Decision-Making
• 5 Ways Your Decision-Making Impacts Your Leadership Presence
• 6 Traits of Leaders Who Deliver Excellence
• The 5 Phases of Teaming
• The Nine Dimensions of Successful Teaming
• The 10 Rules for Amazingly High Performing Teams
• The 2 Levels in Every Conversation
• 5 Questions to Answer Before Your Next Hard Conversation
• 6 Tips for Improving Your Active Listening Skills
• High-Performing Team Guide

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

What can leaders learn from horseshoe crabs, cottonwood trees, and polar bears?

This episode of The Leadership Growth Podcast takes a fascinating dive into the lessons that leaders and organizations can take from nature. Guest Ron Amodeo, Chief Strategy Officer at UC Davis Health, shares some examples and insights from nature that can inform the way leaders direct their organizations.

Join us for this fresh and unique perspective that takes us out of the stale, gray conference room and into the lively and ever-changing world around us.

Tune in to learn:

• How concepts such as evolution and extinction apply to business
• Why operating with new constraints can help innovation
• How a new environment changes everything

In this episode:

2:49 – Topic: How Nature Informs Strategy

Resources:

Ron Amodeo Bio, UC Davis Health

Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History, by Stephen Jay Gould

Burgess Shale

Square-Cube Law

Great Expectations: The Saturn Cars Story

Stewart Leadership Insights and Resources:

• 4 Strategic Planning Pitfalls to Avoid
• 4 Ways to Focus Your Strategic Action Plan
• Scenario Planning for an Uncertain World
• Leading Through Change: How to Future Proof Your Team
• Prescribed Burns
• Processionary Caterpillars
• The Power of Imagination in Planning
• Leadership Lessons

If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.