Growth Think Tank (fka "Leaders in the Trenches")

Looking back at your past is a powerful tool in leadership. The bIggest lessons on leadership come when we get radically honest with ourselves. I want to give you a look into my year in review with my goals and milestones. I also share the bIggest lessons on leadership from hundreds of interviews. Please tune in to see my process for starting the new year and looking back at the reality of the previous year. I also make some big announcements about what 2020 will look like.

Your executive leadership team can make your company or break it. Hiring the executive leadership team is the process of finding people with the right experience, values, and fit for your company stage. You want to hire your executive leadership team slowly and develop them with strong leadership. My guest today is Jason Hennessey, Founder of Hennessey Digital. His company was ranked #290 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list.

Persistence is needed more than ever as everything is changing fast. Those people that have persistence will drive the company goals forward. Part of the formula is hiring people that already have a natural dose of persistence inside them. You also have to lead them to increase their confidence too. My guest today is James Heller, Founder of Wrapify. His company was ranked #309 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list.

WOW! Today marks the 500th episode of the show, and I am beaming with pride. I took a journey back at the past episodes and the fantastic guests that have been on the show. Best selling authors, amazing speakers, leaders in the trenches (pun intended), and so many get topics.

Transparent leadership creates trust with your people. When you embrace openness within everything, you have a chance to create a remarkable culture. Employees feel heard and valued. The transparent leader must be courageous. My guest today is Adam LaBarbera, CEO of EETechMedia. His company was ranked #301 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list.

Your job as a leader requires you to have stamina and mental clarity. Your best strategy for increasing your energy and being a healthy leader is to focus on your nutrition. Recently, I started a journey to be a healthy leader for my team, my family, and mostly for myself. My guest today is Angelo Poli, founder of MetPro. They are focused on the science of transformation. We talk about why being a healthy leader is essential.

We all know that when you invest in yourself you get to grow in new ways. However, many people let their fears control them. Warren Buffett has said openly about the need to invest in yourself, "The most important investment you can make is in yourself." Today, I share why you must invest in yourself. I share a story about one of my clients who invested in himself in a time that was tough, but he wanted the payoff.

Our people are the most valuable aspects of our businesses. It more than their hard work and even their output. However, customer first has dominated much of the leadership for many decades. "Employee First" is a model of leadership where people are put ahead of the strategy, technology, profits, and even customers.

What do you do with the excuses your people come up with for why they didn't make a goal? If you tolerate excuses, you will get more of them. This episode is about creating a "no excuses culture." This episode is a proactive strategy to align your company to take ownership of their work. A "no excuses culture" will generate loyalty and creativity when times are challenging.

We have things we do each day that define who we are. Your leadership rituals are just as important as any other rituals you have. This is the holiday season, and our rituals often make us happy. These traditions often allow us to reflect on life and give it to others. When you think about your leadership rituals, you want to select them with care. You also want to be mindful of the rituals that empower you and those that don't.

You want to create an organization that adapts quickly. My guest today is Adam Petrilli, Founder of Web Presence. His company was ranked #208 in the 2019 Inc 5000 list. Discover how to create an organization that adapts quickly.

Have you ever wondered, "why is culture important?" Culture for some companies is an afterthought. I talk to many fast-growth companies, and they know the importance of culture. Today we talk about why is culture important with Johnny Owens, founder of Owens Recovery Science. His company is #136 on the 2019 Inc 5000 list.

When and where you work play a massive role in your happiness. If you are reactive to your work schedule, you will feel like you are always behind. I believe that if you want to be the best leader you can be, you have created a work schedule that serves you. Yes, you have to work to lead your team, but how you work and when you work matters.

The way your people engage and communicate shapes the culture. Culture is also about how they get work done. In a culture of ownership, you have people that are willing to go beyond responsibility. A culture of ownership is where people feel the pride and commitment to work like they are owners -- even if they aren't.

Most leaders that profit and revenues are the most crucial factors for company growth. These same people often have a limited view of what it takes to grow a business. However, putting people over profits has proven to drive growth.