The Ultimate Leadership Podcast

My guest this week is Holly Culhane, founder, and CEO of Presence Point, a non-profit organization that supports leaders in their journey of becoming shepherds to their people. On today’s podcast: Shepherding: servant leadership in action Shepard leaders genuinely care about their people Key elements of shepherding How to bring shepherding to your company How to be a good servant leader How do we measure our success as servant leaders? Links: Presence Point Shepherding: servant leadership in action Shepherding is a tweak of servant leadership. Servant leadership allows us to take our workforce into consideration. If we want to be successful as leaders, we have to serve our employees more than they serve us. What is the true measurement of leadership success? Good employee engagement, satisfaction, productivity, and how the employees treat the customer. We’ve got to treat our employees like they’re our customers. When you put other people first, you have more success in your own life. Shepherd leaders genuinely care about their people In today’s workforce, 50% of employees are millennials. They are also starting to take leadership roles, along with boomers and Xers. Shepherding emphasizes presence. Presence requires you to be fully engaged, and millennials expect full engagement. We might think that millennials are unengaged, as they are often texting or emailing. In reality, they want engagement and they resonate with people who care for them genuinely and deeply. And that’s what servant leadership represents. A shepherd is the ultimate example of a servant because he lays down his life for his sheep. This changes the whole approach on how people work and accomplish their goals. Pivotal elements for shepherding There are three key elements for shepherding. The first one is provision. Provision is to care of or to furnish or supply the need of another. Leaders should ask themselves: “Are we providing equipment, hardware, software, ergonomically correct chairs, and the information our employees need to do their job well?” The second element is protection, the act of safeguarding. How do we shield our employees from harm? If there is a conflict, we need to step up. Sometimes we even need to protect them from themselves. The third element is presence. Presence is being at hand, even if you are not there physically. Bringing shepherding to your own workforce Every responsibility of a leader falls under one of these three categories. So how do you bring shepherding into your own organization? First, you need to figure out how it applies to you. You can start by looking at how you were led in the past. You should look at the effects of good or bad leadership styles. How to be a good servant leader We need to have the vulnerability of being honest and open enough to say “I blew it, let me fix it”. Just because we’re in a leadership position, it doesn’t mean that we’re free from mistakes or from failure. Many leaders think they shouldn’t be too vulnerable because they would give people too much information and they won’t be respected. A servant leader is willing to say “We need to work on this, I’m struggling here”. The difficulty with servant leadership is not just our pride, it’s also our fear. We have to move from pride and fear to humility and confidence. How do we measure that we are successful as servant leaders? If you want to know whether you are doing a good job as a servant leader, you just need to ask. Do a monthly or quarterly check-in. Ask your employees: Am I giving you what you need? What do you need to be more effective in your role? Do you have all you need to serve the customer?

Impact strategist Avery Blank is our guest this week. She talks about why having a strategy is crucial to your success, and how to create one and progress your career. On today’s podcast: It all starts with your strategy How to become a strategic thinker Make small steps Market yourself for maximum exposure Keep up with the news Links: Avery Blank Before you start, you need to have a strategy Leadership is both an art and a science. You have to be able to understand the science before you can paint the portrait of organizational success. Success doesn’t happen by chance. American comedian Milton Berle once said that if opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. Women are expected to mostly be team players, and not be so much focused on themselves. Being strategic about your career is about having a plan: knowing where you want to go and how to get there. Strategy is a key to success. How do you become a strategic thinker and use it to progress your career? First, you need to think about what you want, and then identify the steps that will lead you to your goal. Second, you need to be aware of what’s going on around you. You may have a goal, but you also need to understand how other things might impact your goal. You need to understand the context in which your goal sits. Third, put yourself in other people’s shoes. Understand what it is that other people want or value. In order to add value, you have to be valuable to someone else. Where should you start developing your strategic plan? You have to take small steps. Sometimes our goals are massive, and we don’t know where to start. Make daily, weekly, monthly sub-goals that continue to move you closer to your ultimate goal. Also, write it down. When you see it, you can pursue it better. Sometimes people are hesitant to put down numbers. Share your goals with others, if it helps you to be more accountable. If you are not intrinsically motivated to achieve your goal, it’s going to be difficult for you to do so. It has to come from you. You have to want it more than anyone else. How do you market yourself for maximum exposure? Your mindset is critical to your future success. You are your best advocate. You have to identify your opportunities. Every great company has a marketing team. You have to think of your career as your business, and you have to be your own marketer. It’s absolutely critical to know what is going on around the world. Our knowledge is only valuable if it’s timely. People are not going to listen to you or pay for your services if what you say or what you provide is outdated. The brands that survive are the ones that keep up with the times. Your career is your business and your brand. You should ask yourself these questions: How does my knowledge apply to what is happening in the world? How is the world impacting my work? Keep up with what’s going on around the world Avery is constantly reading, keeping up with the news, with current trends. It takes discipline to stay updated with what’s going on in the world. Staying current with the news is a career advancement strategy. Some people think it’s wasting time. It’s not. It’s strategic. Keeping up with the news allows you to see opportunities.

On this episode of The Ultimate Leadership Podcast, speaker and coach Fred Miller shares his nuggets of wisdom on how to deliver the most effective elevator speech to take your business to the next level. On today’s podcast: Elevator speech vs elevator pitch Delivering your elevator speech in a group vs one-on-one Phrases you should use Clarity is not optional Be conversational Practice, practice, practice Links: No Sweat Public Speaking! NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!: How to Craft YOUR Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor, with No Sweat! What is an elevator speech? There is a difference between the elevator speech and the elevator pitch. The elevator pitch is about pitching your product or your service. The elevator speech is giving an infomercial of yourself. The DNA of Fred’s elevator speech is: “Speaking opportunities are leadership, career and business opportunities”. When you discover your why and make that the DNA of your elevator speech, it changes everything. Goals of elevator speeches In a group, the goal of the elevator speech is wanting people to know exactly what you do. Clarity is not optional. For a one-on-one elevator speech, you want to disqualify the people you are interacting with. Not everyone is a prospect for what you do and your time is limited. Go-to phrases that work An elevator speech is a speaking opportunity that can boost your career. If you don’t develop and practice one, you are losing opportunities. An important phrase to use is: “Businesses hire me because…” You shouldn’t say “I work with…, I help them with…” “Because” is an influencer word. If you are not comfortable with the phrase “They hire me”, don’t use it, because it will come across that you are not comfortable. You can say “They become my clients” instead. A friend of Fred who works in real estate uses the phrase “People choose me”. If it’s hard to pronounce, leave it aside If you have a hard to pronounce last name, you should introduce yourself using only your first name. You shouldn’t use buzzwords or acronyms. Clarity is very important. People should have different elevator speeches for different audiences. Practice is the key to perfection You have to deliver your elevator speech in a conversational manner. You have to practice, practice, practice. You should record yourself using audio and video. Then watch it again with the sound off. Check your body language. The second time, just listen to yourself. The third time, watch and listen. The fourth time, have someone next to you.

We are joined by author and coach Denise Dudley who shares her seven communication components to ensure state-of-the-art communication and maximize your success. On today’s podcast: Denise’s seven communication components How important is eye contact? Mastering the art of handshaking Hand movements done right Control your voice tone Avoid using fillers Links: SkillPath Keep an eye on your facial expression Oftentimes people assume that communication will happen naturally. In order to be a really great communicator, we need to study our communication skills. Denise teaches seven communication components. The first one is facial expression. Initial research showed that the first impression occurred in 10-15 seconds after talking to someone. Recent research has discovered another first impression that occurs in under one second. This impression is based on facial expression. When you first look at another individual, the best facial expression to have is a neutral-to-positive open facial expression. How important are eye contact and posture? Denise’s second component is eye contact. We should mostly make eye contact, but we should break it a little bit every once in a while. If we stare at someone and never look away, we tend to come off either as aggressive or attracted to the person. The third component is your posture. We should make sure our posture is straight and erect, shoulders back. Posture will communicate to people whether we are interested or engaged, or even reliable. What about the handshake? In order to make a positive impression with your communication skills, you need to control your handshake. When we are shaking hands with someone, we are offering the person visual, tactile, and auditory information about ourselves. A handshake communicates whether you are assertive, passive or aggressive, or whether you are glad to be there. The just right handshake is firm but gentle. Along with the handshake, you are making direct contact, smiling and saying your name. Use your hands more The fifth component is about your hand movements. You should use your hands to describe and elaborate. If you are nervous and fidgeting with your hands, put them on your side. You shouldn’t touch your face or your hair if you are sitting at a table or in a group. Control your voice tone The sixth component is voice tone. It communicates whether you are feeling powerful or sure of the message you are delivering. If we want to sound powerful and assertive, we should stay in the lower ranges of our voice tone. Women tend to speak a bit higher. They have a widely varying intonational pitch pattern. That means that women like to go up and down the scale. Avoid using fillers The seventh component is loudness. A lot of people are too soft or too loud, and it becomes too distracting to the listener. If we are too soft, people are making an effort to hear us. It is the speaker’s job to look for feedback in the listener to make sure they are loud enough. We should also pay attention to our content and avoid using verbal crutches. These are repetitions of “um…” or “you know”. It’s more powerful to be silent than to use fillers because they take away your credibility or your power. In order to become a great communicator, you have to practice, practice, practice.

On this episode of The Ultimate Leadership Podcast, career coach and bestselling author Thea Kelley shares her expertise on how to build a proactive strategy prior to your interview to finally get that job. On today’s podcast: Why is interviewing so terrifying? It’s not enough to be qualified for the job Find out what your key selling points are REV selling points How to come across as authentic Don’t recite, be conversational instead Links: Get That Job!: The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Interview Why is interviewing so terrifying? It’s very natural to be nervous about an interview. A lot of it is about fear of the unknown, a lack of control. You don’t know what to expect. You should take control by having a proactive interview strategy. This is where leaders have an advantage because they are used to strategic planning. You won’t get the job just by being qualified The company may be interviewing an average of five candidates, all of whom are qualified. Your task is not just to show that you’re qualified, but to stand out. To make yourself memorable as the best candidate. It’s not a matter of magic, it’s a matter of having a proactive strategy. Most candidates will go to an interview without an overall strategy. Brand yourself Strategy has to be complemented with authenticity. Strategic planning has a lot to do with strengths and weaknesses. You need to make an effort to identify what makes you stand out. What are your key selling points? Start with making a list. You can ask yourself these questions: What do I do better than most? What skills do I have that are hard to find? What’s my most impressive accomplishment in the last 5 years? Is there anything impressive about my career trajectory? What would my clients or managers say it makes me especially valuable? Be REV: Relevant, Exceptional and Verifiable The best key selling points to emphasize in an interview or on a resume need to be REV: Relevant, Exceptional and Verifiable. The first interview question is important. You can answer it with an introduction that focuses on your key selling points. Right off the bat, you’re hitting the interviewers with a few memorable points about you. You should use stories and examples from your work that illustrate your top selling points. People tend to remember what they heard first and what they hear last. So you should end your interview by bringing your key selling points up again. How to come across as authentic Authenticity starts with telling the truth but goes beyond that. You can tell the truth and still come across as not being authentic. One of the things that makes people sound inauthentic during an interview is reciting. It appears that they don’t have faith in their communication abilities enough to say it in a natural way. If you’re reciting something you’ve memorized, you are not as believable. Being conversational is part of being authentic. Painting a picture with stories and examples also makes you more authentic.

One of our most popular interviews last year was with Tom Goodlet. As we look at our goals for 2018, mentorship remains critical to our success as leaders so I wanted to repeat this episode so that we can keep the lessons in mind as we plan for the year ahead.   Mentorship is key to successful professional development and as leaders, we have the responsibility to offer ourselves as mentors to the next generation of business leaders. But what is involved in a mentor-mentee relationship and how do you go about finding a suitable individual to work with? To answer these questions we spoke to Tom Goodlet, co-author of the book MentorU. Learn: * Why is mentorship so important? * Chris’ mentorship story from his time in the military * How do you find a mentor? * Tom’s formula to a CLEAR and successful mentor relationship * How do you develop trust in following the guidance of a mentor? * What is the responsibility of the mentee? * Tom’s book, MentorU Links: * Buy MentorU on Amazon * Connect with Tom on LinkedIn * http://www.mentoru.info There are many factors that go into defining our achievement. You should have a solid skill set and business expertise. One of the key ways you can develop this knowledge and these skills is by making mistakes. As we reflect on these mistakes we grow and know what to avoid in future. Making mistakes is a part of our growth. But another way that we gain the required expertise and grow professionally is by finding a mentor. Usually, there are two big failures in the business world. Firstly; the individuals don’t use and benefit from mentorship. But secondarily, the people that could be mentors aren’t stepping up to take that responsibility. Aligning yourself with a mentor will allow you the opportunity to learn from their knowledge. They can guide you in developing future opportunities in your career and business. So how do you best find a mentor? When you find a mentor, how do you know that they have your best interests in mind? How do you develop the trust in following your mentor’s guidance? In today’s show, we’re going to answer those questions and more. Today’s guest is Tom Goodlet – an Author of ‘MentorU’, Speaker and Associate Minister at Harborside Christian Church. Tom’s expertise is in the religious institutions industry. He is skilled in Theology, Leadership, Event Planning, Discipleship, Pastoral Counseling, Curriculum Development, Mentorship and Volunteer Management. For more information about him and his book MentorU checkout www.mentoru.info. Why is mentorship so important? Mentorship is a dynamic tool that stands above the rest. Tom highlights the 2 main strengths of mentorship: * Mentorship allows you to go deep and grow fast. There are great resources available through conferences, podcasts, blogs etc. but with mentorship, you hone in on the mentee and you can be laser-focused on their growth. It’s an efficient way to learn and grow because the topic is ‘you’. * You get a sense of accountability. You have somebody to discuss mistakes made and learnings that come from business experience, dissect what has happened and learn from it. Being held accountable for your goals and actions keeps you focused on growth and the ability to analyze and reflect on mistakes helps you to learn. Chris’ mentorship story from his time in the military: When I was in the military, I had a Chief Master Sergeant who was complaining about a process. I said ‘Chief, I think we need to try this.’ For dramatic purposes he slams his hands on the t...

TEDx Director Tricia Brouk shares useful tips on how to hone your presentation skills and give a killer TEDx performance. On today’s podcast: Fine-tuning your presentation skills Steps to giving a killer presentation Knowing who you are as a speaker Finding an event where the theme resonates with you Should you use PowerPoint slides during your talk? Links: * Get Tricia’s free ebook: The Art Of The Start thebigtalknyc.com TEDxLincolnSquare event on March 27th, 2018 TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking Getting your story out People want to know how to develop their presentation skills so that they can get to the TEDx stage. When Tricia first started working with speakers they had a lot of amazing ideas to share. She wondered “How can I get these ideas on the stage so that more people can be moved by them”? She takes the idea and helps the presenter get the story out. First steps on the journey to becoming a TEDx speaker You have to be sure that your idea is uniquely yours. You should watch other TED talks and events. Find out if many people have already talked about this. If they have, find a new idea. When you become a TEDx speaker you elevate your credibility immediately. You have to be ready to take responsibility for what will happen once you become a TEDx speaker. How to engage your audience A TEDx event is a theatrical show. The best way to prepare is to work on your script first. Write your script in a way that allows you to turn it into a conversation with the audience. You should really focus on rehearsing. A lot of people think that if they rehearse they will sound like a robot. If you rehearse so that you know the script inside and out, when you get on to the stage you can be free to express your idea. Previews are very important. Do your talk in front of multiple audiences before you take the TEDx stage so that you can have the greatest impact. Knowing who you are as a speaker It’s important to know who you are as a speaker. If you are not funny naturally, don’t do a funny talk. If you are very shy, you’re going to require more practice in front of an audience. Find someone who can help you. They can get to know who you are and then place you in an environment that is comfortable, but also theatrical, o that you can wow your audience. If you are a speaker who works really well from bullet points, don’t memorize the script word for word. If you prefer to memorize the script word for word, make sure you are speaking as a conversation, not reciting from a page. Finding a theme that resonates with you Tricia asks the speakers and the audience to look beyond what they normally see. We should look beyond what is possible and potentially change the world by changing what we see in front of us. If you are going to take a TEDx stage, find an event where the theme resonates with you. You have to be clear on what kind of event you want to be involved in. You have one opportunity to get a TEDx video on YouTube and if it’s not good quality, it’s going to break your heart. When you are searching out TEDx events, find out who the organizer is, what the theme is, and what the production value is. Should you use PowerPoint slides during your talk? Should a speaker use PowerPoint slides?

On this episode of The Ultimate Leadership Podcast, you meet best-selling author and one woman show June Cline who will let you in on her little secret: infusing humor in your workplace will bring in a tremendous return on investment. On today’s podcast: Is there really a place for humor in the workforce? What is your comedic style? How do we interact with people whose comedy style we are not comfortable with? Do you have emotional bank accounts? You have to know what feeds your soul June’s happiness recipe Links: Happiness Recipe: Whippin’ up happiness with wit, wisdom and wonderful food! June presenting at the TEDxCPW Centennial Park Women Comedic style quiz How to have ROI out of LOL June uses the power of laughter in order to boost company morale. She discovered that when we start laughing and lightening up we build better relationships and are able to accomplish more. June helps organizations and leaders to understand that their humor matters. There has to be humor in the workplace, or we will lose our sanity. We have to be able to laugh at the situation and at ourselves in particular. June’s four comedic styles June speaks about four comedic styles. They are like behavioral styles, and there is no right or wrong approach. We all possess all four styles. Depending on the situation we will gravitate our default to one style more than the other. The first style of humor is the crazy one. Crazies are people with a bizarre, out there humor. They are typically very outrageous, and oftentimes their humor is very physical. The crazy comedic style is the most frequently encountered. Understanding that each one of us has his own comedic style How do we interact with people whose comedy style we are not comfortable with? This is the question June is answering through her work. Her mission is to heighten awareness and help people be more understanding towards each other. We all come with our preferred comedic style. We shouldn’t be put off by someone else’s style of humor, instead we should try to understand it. There are times when people are using humor as a weapon and are really coming after you. When that happens, you can call them out and say “That was harsh. Is that how you intended that?” And you can come right back at them with the same intensity of what you think you got from them. But again, it may just be their style. Emotional bank accounts The second comedic style is the caustic one. Etymologically, sarcasm means “to tear the flesh to the bone”. Oftentimes we hide the truth behind sarcasm when we are at work. That can be a very detrimental way to use humor. Sometimes you can be cynical without realizing it. Caustic people tend to be more cynical, insulting, maybe even a bit more hateful. They tease, they taunt. Sometimes they are considered bullies. Finding out about the concept of emotional bank accounts changed June’s life. For every emotional negative hit, it takes 20 positive hits or more to bring that back to equal. The caring and cerebral comedic styles The third comedic style is the caring one. The carings use personal, usually harmless humor. Usually, they are poking fun at themselves. They are very optimistic and are taking responsibility for their humor. The forth one is the cerebral one. The cerebrals are too erudite. June calls cerebral humor English humor. The more you make people think about what you’ve said, they will go down a rabbit hole,

On the last episode for 2017 of The Ultimate Leadership Podcast, we bring you best-selling author and speaker Alan Zimmerman, who will introduce you his six secrets to peak performance. Find out why your attitude towards success matters, how to create your legacy, and how to achieve connective communication. On today’s podcast: The number one secret to success is your attitude Figuring out your purpose How to block out mind blinders Whatever you do, perform with excellence If you give people what they need, they will give you what you need Asking brave questions Links: The Payoff Principle: Discover the 3 Secrets for Getting What You Want Out of Life and Work The number one secret to success is your attitude One of the landmark pieces of research discovered that the number one secret to success is not education or IQ, it’s your attitude. Most people have not yet figured out what happiness is to them. If you don’t know what happiness is to you, you will never find it. If you can’t define success for yourself, you can’t get it. So many people say “I can’t help the way I feel” or “I’ve always been this way”. That is a lie. Attitudes are changeable and controllable. One of Alan’s strategies is to see something positive in every situation. He doesn’t believe that life is totally good or bad, blank or white. Even a rotten situation has something positive in it. It’s time to figure out your purpose Alan’s second secret is purpose. How do you find one? Most people don’t give it much thought. They don’t go beyond thinking about getting a job and paying the mortgage. That’s survival, it’s not a purpose. Purpose is a deeper driving force in life. When you have the purpose figured out, the amount of energy that comes with that is incredible. In order to find your purpose, Alan suggests visualizing a three-legged stool. Each leg asks a question. When you answer all three questions you get to find your purpose. The first question is: What are you good at? The second: What excites you? The third: What difference do you want to make? Blocking mind blinders Alan’s third secret is persistence. Two of his students made a research and found out that 92% of salespeople give up after the fourth no, but 60% of customers say no before they say yes. You should refuse to use mind blinders. Mind blinders are small negative sentences that you tell yourself. When you tell yourself these kinds of things, you almost always fail. If you catch yourself thinking or uttering a mind blinder, talk back to yourself “Stop it, just stop it” to neutralize its effect. Whatever you do, perform with excellence Alan’s forth secret is character. What can a person do to really build their character? For years, we thought that character is old-fashioned and that it doesn’t fit with our society today anymore. The philosophy has been “Do whatever you want as long as you don’t get caught”. Whatever you do, perform with excellence. Do your best, not just enough to get by. Always tell the truth. If you have a blemish on your character, acknowledge it. Accept responsibility for it. Knowing what the other person needs Alan’s fifth secret is communication. Everywhere in the world, people are asking: “How do I get people to do what I want them to do?” Alan uses the cooperation principle. To the degree you give other people what they need, they will give you what you need. You have to give the other person what they need before you get what you need. Most people have that backwards. To achieve connective communication, a person must refrain from killer statements. Most of the time, these statements are used to shut people down.

On this episode of The Ultimate Leadership Podcast, you get to meet the best-selling author and business coach Danny Creed. Danny will teach you his 13 foundational elements that are essential to your success as an entrepreneur. On today’s podcast: Danny Creed’s 13 foundational elements guaranteeing success Becoming a master of self-discipline Priority management Saying no to interruptions Learn the discipline of saying no Links: A Life Best Lived: A Story of Live, Death and Second Chances Danny’s 13 foundational elements When he talks to people, what Danny talks about is from pure street fighting, real-world experience. When it comes to success, Danny teaches 13 foundational elements. Without a solid foundation, your business will fall over. Zig Zigler, one of Danny’s mentors, used to talk about a “foundational recipe” for success that doesn’t change no matter the environment or the business type. First steps: being decisive and working hard Decisiveness is nothing more than deciding if you want to be successful or not. If you’re happy with the way things are, stop whining. If you have a burning desire to become successful, then commit to it. It’s not that we aim high and miss, it’s that we aim low and hit. Danny’s mentors always said that 85% of success happens with 60 hours per week of work or more. You have to work with a vision and a plan. If you are waiting for things to come to you, that is not going to happen. One of Danny’s biggest secrets is that he just outworks everybody else. Mastering self-discipline One of the hardest things leaders have to do is leading themselves. Zig Zigler once said, “If you’re hard on yourself, life will be easy on you.” You have to have the willingness to do whatever it might take. You have to be a master of self-discipline. For Danny, self-discipline is doing what you need to do when you need to do it, whether you want to or not. You do it because you know it’s essential to getting where you want. Prioritizing your life If anybody tries to sell you time management courses, run. It’s an outdated approach. What we need to learn is priority management. We have to clearly understand what has the highest priority and consequences. Then we have to manage the time of getting those things done. We have to set our priorities before we go to bed. Our minds will then work on them all night. When we get up in the morning, we should start with the highest-priority task. We have to ask ourselves “What is the consequence of if I do this or not?” The German philosopher Goethe said, “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” Saying no to interruptions Nowadays because of mobile devices things are moving very fast. Limited by speed, we have to work on priorities. We can’t do everything. People who think that multitasking works should know that it doesn’t. The number 1 most required trait that headhunters are looking for in top candidates is the ability to complete a single task. Checking your phone all the time is an interruption addiction. Single-mindedness is staying focused. You have to focus and get it down. You have to learn the discipline of saying no. You are not saying no to the person, you are saying no to the interruption. Risk-taking your way to success At some point you have to tell yourself  “Enough planning, enough thinking, I have to step out and try it”. People get comfortable and complacent. But that comfort is a detriment to your ultimate success as a leader. Your best opportunities might be lost because you took too long to think about them. Now is the time to hone your skills.

On this episode of The Ultimate Leadership Podcast we learn from leadership expert Liz Wiseman why having the mindset of a rookie is beneficial for any professional, and how to avoid becoming a diminisher leader and disempowering your team. On today’s podcast: Why we tend to be at our best when we know the least Diminisher vs multiplier leadership profiles The mechanics of servant leadership Becoming a diminisher leader while having the best intentions What is the future of leadership going to look like? Why fluid leadership makes sense Links: Multipliers Books Rookie Smarts The mechanics of servant leadership In time, Liz developed a deep understanding of followership. She came to understand what people need from their leaders and what happens when they receive poor leadership. Being a new manager is a huge challenge. Liz understood that the leader’s mindset and talent affects the intelligence and the capability of their team. Sometimes the smartest leaders have a dumbing down effect on their organization. They do all the thinking and heavy lifting for the group, and no one else around them gets to use their own intellect. Multiplier vs diminisher leaders In her book “Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter”, Liz highlights two types of leaders: multipliers and diminishers. Multiplier leaders amplify the intelligence of their team. Diminisher leaders tend to drain the energy and capability from the people around them. In terms of impact, multipliers get virtually all of their team’s capabilities, whereas diminishers get less than half of them. Multipliers have the assumption that people are smart, that they can figure things out on their own. Diminishers tend to have the assumption that no one is going to figure things out without them, that they are the smartest person in the room. In terms of how they manage talent, diminishers tend to be acquirers of resources, whereas multipliers tend to be utilizers of people’s genius. When it comes to the environment they create, diminishers create stress, while multipliers create emotional and intellectual safety. Teams working under a multiplier feel safe to take risks, to think differently, and to make mistakes. Diminishers tend to give directions, they are know-it-alls. Multipliers are challengers, they ask big questions, they invite people into new possibilities. Diminishers tend to be decision-makers, whereas multipliers tend to be debate-makers. Diminishers tend to micromanage, while multipliers tend to be investors who give other people ownership. Becoming a diminisher leader without realizing it When she started her research, Liz thought that diminisher leaders had an ego problem. She saw narcissistical, tyrannical leaders. In time she realized that most of the diminishing that’s happening in organizations, and even in our homes, is coming from really well-intended leaders who don’t have an ego problem. They have an awareness problem. They don’t realize that people can end up diminishing others while holding the best of intentions. Liz saw this in church organizations. The more noble intentions are, the more likely we are to end up diminishing. What is the future of leadership going to look like? A new model of leadership is emerging. Millennials are helping to lead the way. A lot of millennials come to the workplace not aspiring to be leaders. They bring a bit of disdain for leadership that is in some ways extraordinarily helpful. Liz sees the future of leadership going towards a very fluid model. Where there is a tide, a rise and fall movement. In the fluid model of leadership,

Adversity is inescapable. We have an inner drive for comfort, and when we encounter something unpleasant or uncomfortable, our initial reaction is to reject it. We don’t want to deal with things we don’t like, so we try to push them away from us. But what if the unpleasant is actually an opportunity? What if adversity is a gift? How could this be? We turn to Marcus Aurelius Anderson, who conquered his worst nightmare. By overcoming what he thought was an unsurmountable obstacle, he has come to realize how much potential lies in the human spirit. His greatest adversity turned out to be a gift with lifelong value. On today’s podcast: How Marcus overcame paralysis from the neck down The insights the experience gave him How hard work must be combined with the right mindset to achieve success Links: http://www.marcusaureliusanderson.com/ Marcus’ book, The Gift of Adversity It began with the military. Not long after his uncle, a Vietnam veteran, passed away, Marcus wanted to honour his memory and service to his country. So he decided to join the military; specifically, in the infantry. His professional background and skillset gave him, effectively, whatever choice of role in the military he wanted. But he wanted to be the best soldier he could be, and get into the midst of protecting his country. So he joined the infantry. A childhood nightmare made manifest. One day after training, he felt some numbness in his extremities. He explained it away to himself as a natural consequence of the physical stress of military exercises. But the next day, he woke up and realized he was paralyzed from the neck down. He tried to get out of bed and he could only move his head a little. As a child, he had nightmares of not being able to move his body. This was his worst fear, and it was happening to him, now. Luckily, military personnel were near his quarters and were able to get him immediate medical attention. A terrible prognosis. After being rushed to hospital and examined, a disc rupture was discovered in his neck. Marcus was prepared for surgery. He flatlined twice during the operation, but made it out. Unfortunately, the doctor told him he would never be able to walk again. This plunged him into a deep depression. He thought about committing suicide, but couldn’t actualize it because of the paralysis. He raged at everyone he came across during his early recovery. But mostly, he was furious at himself for what he felt was wasted time on tasks with no meaning to him. “There’s got to be something here for me to learn.” Marcus decided to try to just go with his new reality, to try to find something positive in what had happened to him. To see if, maybe, there was a silver lining to all this. About a week later, after he changed his mindset, he started feeling movement in his fingers and his toes. He used that remarkable progress as a cornerstone, onto which he could build up the rest of his recovery. It took three months before anything moved, and almost an entire year before he could walk with the aid of a walker. Eventually he was discharged from long-term care, and still needed occupational therapy to maintain his progress. But he had done the impossible. He was walking when the experts said it was impossible. He had lived through and overcame his greatest nightmare. Sharing his story to motivate others and to close the dark chapter. Marcus wrote his book, “The Gift of Adversity” because he hoped that others suffering from major setbacks could take benefit from it. Even if only one person took any comfort or motivation from the book,

Businesses are increasingly getting into video as a medium to market themselves and their brands. Platforms like Facebook Live, YouTube, and Instagram allow you to broadcast live video streams to connect directly with your audience and create your own TV show. But the questions are, “how do you make professional looking videos?”, “should I use freelancers or do everything myself?”, and “what tools do I need to get it done?”. It’s time to bring back our resident video expert, Sheryl Plouffe, who loves questions about taking what you’re already doing and incorporating video. On today’s podcast: Simplified editing and workflow tips for authentic branding The pros and cons of editing yourself The pros and cons of outsourcing video editing Sheryl’s app recommendations Links: Sheryl’s Facebook Group (Personal Brand Breakthrough): Video Shop Video Leap Camtasia Studio Fuse Simplified editing and workflow tips for authentic branding Sheryl dispels myths about the complexities and time constraints of video editing. You can shoot and edit video on-the-go with your smartphone or tablet. This can be an incredibly effective use of time, enabling you to record, edit and share your content from anywhere. For example, Sheryl edits video content on her phone during with her son’s hockey practice! The pros and cons of editing video yourself The pros: It’s faster – once you get used to the workflow and the process of editing becomes automatic, it gets really fast. Whereas with outsourcing, the turnaround time can be much longer. It’s affordable – this is the bootstrapped option You have complete control of the branding – you can, of course, instruct a freelancer or employee how you want your message to be communicated, but that’s much simpler when you are completely hands-on with the process. The cons: The learning curve – you need to spend a little time getting up to speed on the processes It can take a little more time when you’re starting out A tip for simplifying the editing process is to write and practice your script so that you record your 2-3 minute video in one take. This means you have much less editing to do. The pros and cons of outsourcing video production The pros: If you’re not tech savvy, it can be a better use of your time to outsource The cons: You have to find the right person to work with who understands your brand and how you want to communicate yourself Turnaround times are longer – editors have other clients, so your work can take up to a week to produce Costs – you obviously have to consider the budget for content creation Sheryl encourages us to consider what kind of content we are creating. If we are making long-form, sales page content that is highly scripted, you may want to outsource the editing to ensure you get it looking professional. But for in-the-moment, authentic 2-3 minute videos you are making on a daily or weekly basis, it can be better to do it yourself for all the reasons mentioned above. Sheryl’s app recommendations Sheryl suggests a couple of apps that can make editing video yourself simple. Video Shop for iPhone and iPad Video Leap – for green screen technology right on your phone

On today’s podcast, we’re joined by the world’s leading futurist on global trends and innovations, and author of The Anticipatory Organization: Turn disruption and change into opportunity and advantage, Daniel Burrus. Daniel will be sharing his extensive knowledge to help you understand how trends can be predicted, and how to utilize these trends to develop your business. On today’s podcast: What is the Anticipatory Organization model? The biggest missing competency of any organization Understanding the different types of trends How do you identify the next trend? Learning to embrace disruption Links: Daniel’s Website Daniel’s Facebook Page Daniel’s Twitter Daniel’s LinkedIn Page What is The Anticipatory Organization Model? The Anticipatory Organization Model provides a framework for identifying certainties in the market and for leaping ahead of your competition with much lower risk. Developed by today’s guest Daniel Burrus, it is used by some of the largest companies in the world and has seen outstanding results.  The biggest missing competency of any organization Many organizations believe that agility is the most important competency for an organization to possess. Daniel believes that reacting to problems and digital disruptions, no matter how agile you or your organization are, is no longer good enough. The world is moving at a technology driven pace which is exponential in its rate. So organizations need a way to identify the direction in which technology is moving. By using the methodology that Daniel teaches in his book, organizations can see disruptions before they disrupt. This foresight allows you to identify the problems that you or your customer are going to have before they happen, and pre-solve them. What’s more, it gives you the ability to see game-changing opportunities upon which you can base your own innovations with low risk. Understanding the different types of trends Most of us don’t spend much time looking at trends, and when we do the difficulty is identifying which ones will happen. Daniel believes there are only really two types of trend and that once you understand their characteristics you’ll be better placed to predict which will happen. * Hard Trends. Hard trends are based on future facts. They provide you with certainty in a seemingly uncertain world, and a business strategy based on certainty is low risk. * Soft Trends. Soft trends are based on an assumption. Often business leaders believe that assumption is a fact and treat it as such. As a result, soft trends carry higher risk. How do you identify the next trend? Predicting everything is not realistic so organizations need to be agile and able to react fast to the unseen. The new competency that Daniel has identified is how much you can see and pre-act on before the future event. With the pace of change ever increasing it’s better to get ahead of it than to languish behind it. Daniel teaches that it’s easier than you might think to identify trends. Particularly in the case of hard trends which tend to fall within very clear identifiable categories. * Demographics. As an example, in the US  there are 78 million baby boomers and it’s a hard trend that they’re going to get older. With this hard trend comes the opportunity to identify the problems this will cause and pre-solve them, creating business opportunities in the process. These baby boomers will get older, when they do what will their needs be and how can you solve them before the problems arise.

On today’s podcast, we’re joined by Jen Roberts. The President and Founder of Difference Consulting, the resident expert in the field of employee engagement and motivating employees. Jen says things are rapidly changing in the workplace and leadership in organizations has to respond and adapt to attract and retain multi-generational talent. Within today’s podcast, we look at the way employees needs have changed and how leaders can create open communication environments for their teams to reach their highest potential.   On today’s podcast: Organisational Landscape of 2018 Millennials in the Workplace The Ideal Working Environment to Drive Engagement Outdated Common Business Practices New Business Practices Leaders Can Embrace Within the Organisation Engaging and Retaining Top Talent in a Multi-Generational Workforce Links: Jen’s website: http://differenceconsulting.com Creating a coaching culture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFUBhe9A2lI Forbes Coaches Council: https://forbescoachescouncil.com/ Organisational Landscape of 2018 We are entering a critical time where good talent within an organization is essential, as we are impending a global talent shortage, particularly in industries where there is highly skilled labor such as Cyber Security and Engineering. There is going to be a challenge amongst leaders in organizations if they are not willing to adapt to attract and retain talent. There’s going to be a lot going on in the next 5-10 years when technology is changing at neck-breaking speed. Plus there will be challenges that come with a multi-generational workforce. Millennials in the Workplace Millennial talent is the largest demographic in the workforce, comprising for 75% of the workplace by 2030. Organizations need to be leveraging their talent and making sure they are prepared to go into leadership positions. Although there is a pre-conception that millennials are lazy, they are actually willing to work hard. But they also want to work smarter with by leveraging technology. The Ideal Working Environment to Drive Engagement Millennials, in particular, are looking for meaningful work, where they are making a valuable contribution to the success of the organization. Jen says a much more flexible working environment with a humane work environment will help retain talent and encourage people to reach their full potential. Management also needs to be much more hands-on with transparent communication, giving their employees real autonomy to go and do their best at work. Outdated Common Business Practices As opposed to the hierarchical command and control approach, people are now looking for open and continuous communication where you can flow between ‘levels’. Annual performance reviews are going out of date, as successful leaders create a dialogue between the individuals working in their teams to help them adapt and make changes there in the moment and celebrate successes they are achieving as well. Jen says we are entering a time where working is going to become much more results-based rather than fixed and ridged. New Business Practices Leaders Can Embrace Within the Organization Setting a strategic vision for the organization allows your employees the autonomy to actually accomplish their work in a way that suits them and get the results you’re looking for. Leaders can focus on fostering continuous feedback and really creating that environment for open communication, through engagement surveys, mobile apps, team meetings and implementing development programmes. Engaging and Retaining Top Talent in a Multi-Generational Workforce