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Lots of programs and benefits most often don’t lead to a more well employee. However, when employers install a culture of health in the workplace, employees are more than twice as likely to reach their well-being goals than employees who are still subject to a workplace wellness model that formed more than 60 years ago. Richard Safeer, MD, earned his BS in Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University under the tutelage of T. Colin Campbell, author of the China Study, before attending medical school at State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Safeer is the Chief Medical Director of Employee Health and Well-being at Johns Hopkins Medicine, where he leads the Healthy at Hopkins employee health and well-being strategy. He also holds faculty appointments in the School of Medicine and Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to arriving at Hopkins, Dr. Safeer practiced family medicine in Northern Virginia. He was then on faculty at the George Washington University, serving as the Residency Director of Family Medicine in his last year at the institution. He was the Medical Director of an Occupational Health Center in Baltimore and Wellness Director for the Mid-Atlantic region of the parent company, just before starting at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield in Baltimore, Maryland as the Medical Director of Preventive Medicine. He has been credited by some for bringing ‘wellness’ in to the realm of responsibilities of the managed care industry. He also led CareFirst BCBS to be among the first cohort of health plans to be accredited for Wellness by NCQA. He holds faculty appointments in both the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine as well as the School of Public Health. He continues to see patients one day a week in the Pediatric Cardiology department. Dr. Safeer is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Practice, The American College of Lifestyle Medicine and the American College of Preventive Medicine. He served on the board of directors for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. He is on the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst Insight Council. Timestamped Overview [00:07:30] Small things lead to big well-being. [00:09:13] Shared values improve employee engagement and success. [00:14:35] Ideas for leaders to improve well-being.[00:18:49] Put mask on first, emotions impact team. [00:21:01] "Right mindset needed for successful leadership." [00:26:35] Six well-being building blocks for teams. [00:31:01] $80k is comfortable; money loses impact after. [00:32:51] Six steps to success in workplace wellness. [00:37:36] Connect with team through personal bonding activities. [00:43:59] Best boss cares, leads, and markets. For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/264

Burnout has become a pervasive and pressing problem in today's world. With increasing working hours, heightened expectations, and ever-present digital connectivity, people are finding it harder and harder to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Leaders and teams are no exception, as they experience heightened pressure to perform at their best on a consistent basis. Burnout is no longer just an individual issue, but has spread across industries and even whole societies. High levels of burnout can result in lost productivity, declining mental and physical health, and turnover in organizations. It is essential that we create a culture that supports work-life balance and employee well-being to mitigate this problem and enhance the performance of leaders and teams alike. On this episode I discuss burnout prevention in leaders and teams. I starts by highlighting the importance of being proactive rather than reactive and how burnout is prevalent in leaders worldwide. The goal is to provide tangible tips to combat burnout and reduce stress for oneself and the team, all while operating at one's peak to achieve the set goals. Additionally I emphasize the significance of psychological safety, job flexibility, and recognizing individual needs and circumstances to prevent burnout. Key Combatting Burnout Topics Topic: Scott McCarthy emphasizes the importance of being proactive rather than reactive. Being proactive rather than reactive is essential for leaders to excel in their endeavors. Proactive behavior allows leaders to control their activities and remain organized in their daily lives. Topic: Burnout among leaders and teams around the world. Burnout is a prevalent issue that affects leaders and teams worldwide. Burnout is a spectrum that ranges from feeling tired and run-down to being diagnosed with emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion. Topic: Tangible tips to combat burnout and reduce stress for oneself and one's team. Scott McCarthy provides tangible tips for leaders and their teams to combat burnout and reduce stress. Proper communication, active listening, and creating a safe environment for team members are crucial strategies in preventing burnout. Mentioned Episode Listen to The Importance of Psychological Safety | Tim Clark | Episode 128 For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/263

When productivity spiked during 2020 many thought that this trend would continue once life returned to a sense of normalcy. However, since returning to the office many businesses are seeing lower levels of productivity and profitability from their employees who are no longer have any happiness in their lives. So how do we combat this problem? The first solution we tend to leap towards is higher pay brackets. But after a certain level of income, this simply doesn’t work anymore. We have to look deeper. Once we look past the paycheck we see engagement in work. Highly engaged employees record 23% higher profitability than those with low levels of engagement. Highly engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave their organization and we are all aware that staff turnover not only kills profits, it erodes team cohesion and therefore results. In today’s competitive job market, it’s more important than ever for leaders to focus on employee engagement and retention. CEO’s it’s time to prioritize job satisfaction in the workplace, but the question is, how? By focusing on the 7 human needs of peak performance, we can help create an engaged workforce where employees feel supported and have higher levels of job satisfaction. Internationally award-winning entrepreneur, rule breaker, and Reverse Engineering strategist. Jade supports business owners to have teams that are productive and profitable. At some stage a paycheck was enough to motivate people but in today's market you need to serve the seven human needs of your employees if you want them to be productive and profitable. When you understand these needs you can hack your company culture and elevate your success indicators across all metrics. Timestamped overview for The Power of Happiness [00:04:56] Jade's personal journey to entrepreneurship and advocating for employee happiness. [00:11:17] Founding a business on personal reputation and the importance of organizational bonds. [00:18:08] Building well-being and social connections as foundational elements for peak performance. [00:24:14] Tim Clark's four stages of psychological safety and the importance of connection and wellness. [00:32:25] Motivating personnel through significance and future vision. [00:35:44] Aligning departments towards a common future vision. [00:45:02] Building connection and understanding employee needs through effective communication. [00:49:39] Prioritizing employee well-being through coaching, redesigning work, and meaningful connections. [00:53:39] The importance of understanding and appreciating others with Five Love Languages. For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/262

Welcome to this episode of the podcast, focused on personal and professional growth, leadership, and self-improvement. In this episode, we'll hear from a speaker who shares his experiences playing rugby league and arm wrestling, training in martial arts, and now using his platform to help others improve their vitality. We'll explore topics like the difference between leadership and coaching, the importance of constant change and improvement, and the power of celebrating wins, as well as the importance of personal health and fitness for high performance and success. Join us as we dive into strategies for leadership and personal growth in this episode. In the last ten years David has studied many successful teams and individual athletes, from The All Blacks (Rugby Union), to Rafael Nadal (Tennis), Ronda Rousey (MMA, UFC) and many other successful teams and individuals. They all in their own way, follow a similar structure to the "5 Step System Towards Improved Vitality in the Workplace" that David has come up with to improve workplace relations, morale and profitability of your business. David has personally used this System many times to achieve results outsiders said were never possible. Timestamped Overview [00:04:01] David shares his journey from being a small kid who played rugby league, suffered a career-ending injury, got into arm wrestling, broke his arm, became a gym manager and personal trainer but lost movement in his arm, went into martial arts, had professional cage fights and boxing matches, and now is a speaker sharing his message on improving vitality. [00:11:07] Overcoming tough times builds resilience and uncovers one's true character. Talent alone is not enough for success; hard work and training are essential. [00:14:49] Make time for what's important, or make excuses. [00:16:10] Creating positive habits for improved vitality through routines, napping for peak performance, and utilizing systems and strategies. Quality sleep, utilizing the Pomodoro technique, and being healthy and fit also contribute to improved performance. Solutions-oriented mindset is key to overcoming challenges. [00:22:54] The importance of tapping and evolving in martial arts and business, using examples of companies like McDonald's and failed companies like Nokia and Blockbuster. Failing fast, failing forward, and learning from mistakes is crucial for growth and success. [00:30:57] Celebrate wins and losses, effort and dedication. Reward what you want repeated with public recognition. Building a tight-knit team creates a productive environment. [00:36:38] Process of continuous improvement in coaching and sports teams through recap and analyzing what worked and what didn't work. Emphasis on communication and finding solutions to problems, rather than throwing blame. Similar process can be applied in the workplace. Recap is necessary as no one can play the perfect game, and constantly improving is necessary to stay ahead. [00:43:44] The evolution of technology is rapid and those who cling to the old ways will be overtaken quickly. [00:47:07] Leadership and coaching are different, but both important. The speaker emphasizes humility and not forgetting where you come from. [00:50:37] David Lindsay promotes his speaking tour, courses, and content on LinkedIn and TikTok for personal and professional improvement. Contact him via LinkedIn or email for more information. For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website; https://leaddontboss.com/261

The workplace of the future — the officeverse — will disrupt many of today’s organizational models. The future officeverse will be the anytime/anyplace world of where we will work, when we will work, and how we will work. It will consist of a network of networks, with tools that will shape us in surprising ways over the next decade and beyond. The officeverse will provide a more equitable, accessible, purposeful, climate-positive future for knowledge work. While it will bring many challenges, including new concepts of sharing and managing boundaries, in the officeverse organizations will require flexibility and empowerment rather than command and control.  To prepare for the potential opportunities of the wider officeverse, every office worker, organization and policy maker should imagine how the world of work will look 10 years into the future. Such “futureback” thinking — opposed to present-forward — helps us to work backward from the future and make better decisions in the present. Questions to ask, starting with, “What’s the purpose of your office and officing?” and “What are the desired outcomes you aim to achieve with your office and by your office activities?” prompt answers along a spectrum for each of seven key areas.  Bob Johansen began working with IFTF in 1973 and has worked as a professional futurist for nearly 50 years. The author or co-author of 12 books and a frequent keynote speaker, he recently completed a trilogy of that details the types of leadership that will thrive in the next decade. The New Leadership Literacies focuses on essential practices of leadership, picking up where Leaders Make the Future, its more skills-oriented precursor, left off; in 2020, he published Full-Spectrum Thinking, which focuses on the need for a futureback mindset. For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/260

On this episode of Peak Performance Leadership, I am doing a live Q&A in a Facebook group and answering questions about effective leadership. I tackle the challenge of showing appreciation to remote workers, motivating employees to care about their job, and improving punctuality. In addition, they explore whether discipline is effective in the workplace. I talk about how the three domains of leadership: Leading Yourself, Leading Your Team, and Leading Your Organization, and how excelling in all three can make a leader successful in their role.  For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/259

On this episode of Peak Performance Leadership, we discuss the importance of effective planning practices and leadership strategies to improve productivity within a business or team. We explore how to effectively incorporate AI into processes, address employee concerns and trust, and build relationships among team members in both in-person and virtual settings. Our guest speaker shares the ten core areas of waste that hinder success and introduces his lean strategic planning technique as a simplified approach to planning that can be tailored to any team or company. Tune in for tips on streamlining processes, improving productivity, and seizing opportunities as a leader. All of this with the new hybrid workplace in mind. Crista Grasso is an international lean and agile business consultant to Fortune 50 multi-billion dollar businesses, strategic advisor to 6 - 8 figure small businesses and entrepreneurs, and creator of the Lean Out Method®, 90-Day Lean Out Planner, and the Lean Business Scaling SystemTM. She is also the host of the Lean Out Your Business Podcast where she shares her top strategies to simplify and scale a business. Crista has been helping businesses achieve accelerated and sustainable results and increased profitability for more than two decades. Known as the "Business Optimizer", Crista has the ability to quickly cut through the noise and focus on optimizing the core things that will make the biggest impact to grow and scale a business. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and holds several lean, agile, change management, and program management certifications.  For the complete description be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/258

Naval fighter pilots are known for their unwavering commitment to excellence, exceptional decision-making skills, and expertise. These top performers offer valuable insights that can be applied in the business world. With decades of experience in stressful situations, they have mastered ten key leadership skills: staying calm under pressure, setting expectations, delegating tasks, building trust, giving feedback, evaluating risk, adapting to change, embracing failure, encouraging innovation, and inspiring others. Despite operating in dangerous and uncertain conditions, Naval fighter pilots consistently perform at the highest level, confidently making life-altering decisions with their expertise.  A former “Top Gun” fighter pilot (call sign “Nasty”), Retired Admiral Mike Manazir’s distinguished U.S. Navy career spanned 36 years and included multiple commands: VF-31 ‘Tomcatters’ F-14D squadron, USS Sacramento, USS Nimitz, and Carrier Strike Group Eight in the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. His new and best-selling, “Learn How to Lead to Win,” features 33 powerful stories and leadership lessons based on real life events in the chaotic and risky business of operating off the decks of U.S. aircraft carriers. At its core, the book reflects Manazir’s selfless passion for developing people. Timestamped overview [00:00:46] Call signs used in fighter aviation are for communication brevity to easily identify individuals and aircraft. Call signs typically come from something an individual is known for or a play on their name. The origin of the speaker's call sign is explained in a book. [00:02:54] Speaker discusses the three major themes in their book "Learn How to Lead to Win": having a vision, dealing with failure, and being resilient. They share their own experience of having a vision to join the Naval Academy, failure in their career, and finding a new path. They encourage listeners to have a North Star and keep going towards it, even if the path is not straight or as expected. [00:09:40] Having a clear goal or "North Star" is the key to resilience and success, even when faced with setbacks like injury or failure. It's important to keep pushing forward towards that goal and not give up, even if the timeline or path changes. This mindset helped many people and companies stay afloat and thrive during the COVID pandemic. Ultimately, success is made through perseverance and determination. [00:13:58] Seize opportunities with a clear plan and team perspective. [00:14:51] Leading a high-performing team requires leading from the heart, getting to know team members, valuing their input, and establishing trust through human connection. It's important to not lead with a title and to be willing to fail and learn from it. [00:20:02] Learning from failure is necessary for high performance, but repeating failures can have serious consequences. Hard discussions and debriefs can help prevent repetition of failures. [00:22:30] Communication is key in leadership, regardless of team size and location. Effective communication involves connecting with every team member, enabling dialogue and feedback, and being present in their environment. Leaders must also seek feedback on their communication effectiveness and adjust accordingly. [00:27:46] Effective leadership requires connecting with your team as equals, rather than relying solely on your job title to motivate and inspire them. For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/257

Marc Lesser is a speaker, facilitator, workshop leader, and executive coach. He is known for his engaging, experiential presentations that integrate mindfulness and emotional intelligence practices and training. He is the author of 4 books, including Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen, and CEO of ZBA Associates, an executive development and leadership consulting company. His podcast Zen Bones: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times features cutting-edge interviews, supportive tools for creating more meaningful work, and potent mindfulness practices to develop yourself, influence your organization, and change the world. ​ Marc helped develop the world-renowned Search Inside Yourself (SIY) program within Google – a mindfulness-based emotional intelligence training for leaders which teaches the art of integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and business savvy for creating great corporate cultures and a better world. He founded and was CEO of 3 companies, and has an MBA degree from New York University. Marc was a resident of the San Francisco Zen Center for 10 years, and director of Tassajara, Zen Mountain Center, the first Zen monastery in the western world. He leads Mill Valley Zen, a weekly meditation group. Timestamped overview [00:00:37] Accountability is about aligning values, aspirations, success, leadership, and trust with compassion. [00:04:14] Building great cultures by creating purpose and meaning, utilizing trust, and building character and well-being. [00:08:53] Businesses provide goods/services to serve people, allowing them to live. [00:09:59] "Asking "How are we doing?" to create healthy workplaces and effective, difficult conversations requires self-awareness and a contemplative practice to avoid blame and defense." [00:15:50] Tendency to blame when threatened; reflex to blame without conscious thought; story of accidental email; skillful creating of safe space to remove blame; blame prevents connection and solutions. [00:19:42] Teaching Google engineers self awareness through mindfulness and feedback to control emotions during times of tension. [00:25:18] Ask teammates how to make team/relationship more effective and listen. [00:27:48] Team building through conversation and improv activities. [00:31:57] Listening and self-awareness are essential leadership skills. For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/256

Leadership is not just about commanding people and getting results. It’s also about the subtle nuances of influencing and manipulating one’s followers in order to achieve desired outcomes. The ability to effectively tap into the “psychological strings” of individuals, while at the same time establishing mutual trust and respect, can vastly increase a leader’s capabilities. However, it’s important to note that such strategies must be used carefully as any misuse could lead to fallouts or even backfires. In this article, we will discuss some common methods for influence and manipulation among leaders and explore how their nuances have a significant impact on their success. On this episode of Peak Performance Leadership, we talk about the differences between influence and manipulation, inspired by a discussion in the Leader Growth Mastermind. Topics During this solo episode I touch on the following topics: Discussion on the differences between influence and manipulation Key distinctions between the two, and the impact they can have on others The importance of positive influence and how it can inspire people to be their best selves Examples of negative influence and manipulation, including personal gain and coercive tactics For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/255

Accountability was once a concept associated primarily with punishment and failure. However, today it has become much more than that—it's seen as an essential part of any successful business. When practiced correctly, accountability has the power to create well-motivated teams who are actively engaged in their work and committed to success. It encourages individuals to take responsibility for their actions and practice good communication and collaboration skills. By creating an environment where everyone is held equally accountable, organizations can foster a culture of mutual respect and trust that encourages employees to thrive. "In fact, research suggests that when organisations get accountability wrong: 75% of team members see solving problems as ‘someone else’s job’, 65% don’t see due dates as real commitments, 80% don’t seek and offer feedback often, 82% try but fail to hold others accountable (or avoid it altogether), and 85% are unsure what the organisation is trying to achieve." - Dr. Paige Williams, "Own it" Dr Paige Williams is an author, researcher and PhD in Organizational Behaviour. A trusted advisor and mentor to senior leaders, she uses a potent blend of neuroscience, psychology and her own twenty-plus years of international business leadership experience to help leaders surface uncomfortable truths, see the rules they need to break in order to breakthrough and lead themselves, their teams, and their organizations to thrive. Her latest book is Own It! Honouring and Amplifying Accountability. Topics During this interview Paige and I discuss the following topics: How accountability has gotten so bad in organizations How to have the conversation about positive accountability Why language is so important in accountability How to shift the power dynamic of accountability How to empower your team to hold itself accountable How to run an accountability coaching session For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/254

Gallup recently reported that only 15% of employees in the U.S. are truly engaged in their workplace. Yet nearly 70% of employees say they would work harder if they felt more appreciated. Over 90% of employees surveyed believed their leadership “lacked communication skills to lead.” The gloomy stories behind sobering statistics reveal employees’ disappointment with current leadership approaches. Leaders can do better. DeKoch, with over 40 years of diverse executive leadership experience, which included 20 years leading The Boldt Company, a $1 billion construction services and real estate development company, has developed novel insights into leadership thinking and practice. Clampitt, an endowed, award-winning communication and information science professor at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, has over 40 years of experience in university teaching, ground-breaking research, and business consulting.  Topics During this interview Bob, Phil, and I discuss the following topics: How we got to the point where we are currently in terms of leadership Where they got the inspiration for their book came from How beliefs are important to being a caring leader The values which a caring leader holds Why companies don’t follow their values How middle leaders can follow their company’s values How to communicate effectively as a leader who cares

It's no secret that companies today are struggling to secure top-tier talent. With the current labor shortage, competition for high-caliber candidates is at an all-time high, leaving recruiters looking for new ways to attract and retain the best of the best. However, finding and hiring 5 star candidates isn't as difficult as it may seem. With the right strategy and determination, recruiters can still identify, engage with, and hire outstanding talent — even in a competitive hiring market. By knowing exactly what kind of qualities you're looking for in a candidate and leveraging the right recruitment strategies, you can discover the stars of tomorrow and secure the perfect hire. Heenle Turner is the Vice President of Content and Consulting at the ALL IN Company, and a certified HR Professional passionate about finding creative solutions to help businesses succeed. She has provided consulting services to more than 200 businesses of varying sizes and industries. This extensive experience in sales, customer service, and people management uniquely positions her to collaborate with entrepreneurs when it comes to recruiting, hiring, and retaining 5-Star Employees: committed candidates who share the company’s values and go above and beyond to achieve results. Topics During this interview Heenle and I discuss the following topics: Why hiring vacancies are still a problem within the workplace What a 5 star hiring process looks like Where to go to make sure we are advertising to the right people The makeup of a 5 star candidate The 11 universal qualities of a 5 star Candidate How to properly interview a candidate For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leadddontboss.com/252

In today's work culture, it can often be difficult to maintain a balance between managing the demands of our workload and building close relationships with our team members. While strong teamwork is essential for the overall success of a business or project, personal boundaries need to be established in order to ensure goals are met in a timely and efficient manner. The following quote is from Facebook Group Member Valarie and her question revolving around just this challenge: Knowing your direct reports well without overextending yourself. Patrick Lencioni talks about anonymity leading to job misery and I agree with this. I know my large team fairly well. Recently implemented middle managers as team leads due to there not being enough of me to go around. I want to continue to foster relationships with the new employees so that I will have the same level of relational vibe that I have with most of my team. I am struggling with ways to do this as it takes a lot of time. I know it doesn’t have to; however, I am finding that once I open the door to getting to know them more, they want more and more time with me and so I am wondering about ways to provide better communication and clarity in those earlier meetings as I think I may be unintentionally creating the impression that I am available to them more often than my time allows or that I was initially available and now I’m not as available and that can be confusing and send a message I am not intending to send. For context, I’m in my 4th year of leadership and I have a team of about 20. They all reported directly to me until January so I am wondering if some of this is just the shifting that’s occurring. Thanks in advance!! Question from Valarie So lets dive into how I believe that its best for leaders to tackle this challenge with a number of tactical pieces of advice for her. For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/251

Leadership is a tricky but essential role; it requires both an intimate understanding of the team and organization and the ability to set and maintain clear expectations. When authorities don’t match responsibilities, it can lead to confusion, tension, and even disaster. Take, for example, the case of one of our audience members, Leticia. She was charged with leading a team but lacked clear authority in certain areas – a situation that could have been avoided if her assigned responsibilities had matched her authority. Instead, she found herself at odds with team members and her supervisor. The result... shouldn't surprise you... disaster. Topics In this solo episode, I discuss the following topics: What responsibilities, authorities, and accountabilities are What happened specifically to Leticia and her story Why it happened What could have happened differently What to do if you're a superior and things are aligned What to do if you're a subordinate and things are aligned For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/250

Bringing together new teams of people can be challenging, especially if it requires managing disparate personalities, diverse backgrounds, and conflicting interests. However, with sustained effort, open communication, and effective problem-solving skills, successful team cohesion is within reach. Leaders need to take the time to get to know their team members individually, invest in building relationships of trust and mutual respect, motivate mild competition where appropriate, set clear goals and expectations, resolve conflict constructively, and use feedback to coach and celebrate success. When leaders put in the work to bring their teams together, the results will be well worth the effort. A registered nurse since 2011, Andrea works in a pediatric critical care unit. Discussing mental health and philosophy has always been her passion and outlet. Andrea wholeheartedly believes emotional intelligence is a valuable, yet under-taught phenomenon. After all, it helped her cope with anxiety, depression and her first burn out at the young age of 21 – two short years after working the floor as a nurse. Unaware of what she was experiencing, Andrea turned to talk therapy for help, where she was taught strategies on how to become aware of her emotions and thus, manage them. She learned how to handle the anxiety that had imprisoned her mind, and gained control over the panic attacks and depression that plagued her. Andrea’s goal is to destigmatize mental health and create a safe space through her podcast so she can help others who are currently going through their own personal struggles. She hopes to encourage self-awareness and self-love, and create an environment where mental health can be spoken about openly and truthfully, without stigma or judgment. Topics During this interview Andrea and I discuss the following topics: The challenges of bringing a new team together Tactical actions she took to get her team gel together How her team got through conflict with another team Strategies she used to improve communication within her team How having a sense of psychological safety has propelled her team forward For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/249

The job of a combat helicopter pilot isn't just stressful - it's life-or-death. And the leaders of these highly trained forces don't take the stress lightly, but instead double down on their commitment and drive those around them to extraordinary performance. The toughest test for any leader is to stay focused under intense pressure, and yet remain humble. They’re able to lead with great clarity and precision, inspiring teams in the heat of battle. It takes poise, courage, and strength of character to do what they do - each day flying into danger with a team by their side. Brian L. Slade has held command positions in the Army and the Air Force and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, and fourteen combat air medals. He attended Utah State, where he earned a BA and was commissioned as an Army Aviation second lieutenant. He’s also earned an MA in aviation instruction. Brian currently serves as a lieutenant colonel for Air Force Combat Search and Rescue. Topics During this interview Brian and I discuss the following topics: What drew him into forces especially the officer corps How he kept the mindset to stay at the top of performance How he got prepared to operate in combat zone How he took over an already established team and got it to peak performance Why leaders need to commit with courage  How to combat the great resignation  For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/248

In a world roiled by unprecedented change, effective leadership is becoming even more essential. No single approach will provide the ultimate solution to the challenges that change poses. Rather, it will be a confluence of ideas, strategies, and actions that will prove effective in managing and making the most of sweeping change. The world that existed yesterday will be decidedly different from that of tomorrow. It will take a complete and adaptable toolkit to cope effectively with that ongoing cycle of reinvention. Faisal Hoque is an accomplished entrepreneur, senior executive, author, thought leader, public speaker, and advisor to management teams and BODs with more than 25 years of cross-industry success. He is the founder of SHADOKA, NextChapter, and other companies; they focus on enabling sustainable and transformational changes. Throughout his career, he has developed over 20 commercial business and technology platforms and worked with public and private sector giants such as US Department of Defense (DoD), GE, MasterCard, American Express, Northrop Grumman, CACI, PepsiCo, IBM, Home Depot, Netscape, Infosys, French Social Security Services, Gartner, Cambridge Technology Partners, JP Morgan Chase, CSC, and others. What sets Hoque apart is the unique position and perspective he has always maintained, which is grounded in hardcore technology with deep roots in leading-edge management science.  Topics During this interview Faisal and I discuss the following topics: What trends he sees in 2023 How to combat misinformation as a leader What the 4th industrial revolution is and how to take advantage of it How use empathy as a leader in 2023 For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/247

It is not uncommon for many of us to set lofty goals and make ambitious New Year's resolutions at the start of every year. However, unfortunately, those resolutions are often doomed from the outset, as our expectations can be too difficult to live up to. Research has demonstrated that only 9% of us are actually successful in keeping their New Year’s resolutions and a staggering 81% quit before the second year even concludes. Shockingly, most people give up on their goals by February, achieving virtually nothing in the process. But it doesn’t have to be this way. If we look beyond our traditional approaches and focus tenaciously on creating a new mindset towards goal setting, then we can defy probability and establish goals that will stay with us all throughout the year. Carla Fowler, MD PhD. founded THAXA out of a passion for performance science, where the fields of strategy, productivity, and psychology intersect. Since its inception in 2013, THAXA’s scientific approach to individualized coaching has attracted a devoted client base of dozens of executives at firms ranging from large technology companies to agile startups to innovative nonprofits. Carla’s coaching methods draw upon the multidisciplinary field of performance science to generate the best ideas surrounding strategy, execution, and mindset to assist leaders in their endeavors. Over the past 10 years, she has distilled the key principles of performance into understandable concepts and a method that helps leaders incorporate these ideas into their day-to-day performance, helping them go faster and improving their results. Outside of her coaching, Carla truly enjoys sharing her key performance principles with audiences while engaging in thought provoking conversations. surrounding her passion for performance science. Topics During this interview Carla and I discuss the following topics: The mindset of goal setting The mindset of breaking big goals down into smaller ones The questions she asks when setting goals for herself and her teams How to run experiment with yourself and/or your team How to learn from your mistakes and failures to move forward in a positive direction Motivation vs discipline and how to keep going For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/246

As a leader, it’s essential to recognize that people don’t leave their work issues at home nor do they leave personal issues at work. Instead, they bring these two lives together in a way some might refer to as “integrated life strategy.” Employees can’t afford to be distracted by personal worries while on the job and employees need comfort of family and friends after a rough day at work. Without the ability to let both work and home life blossom, employees often feel unhappy and unproductive. Gone are the days when people believed that work and life were two distinct identities. The truth is, they’ve become increasingly intertwined in this day and age. In fact, the most successful leaders understand that happy employees are more productive, so it’s important to create environments where workers can be their whole selves. Whether you think of it as “work-life integration” or “work-life balance,” it’s essential to create an ecosystem in which employees thrive both inside and outside of the workplace. This means allowing them to bring their home issues to work (and vice versa) while still getting the job done. It may seem like a difficult balance to strike, but with the right strategies, it’s certainly achievable. Investing in your employees’ well-being will pay dividends for years to come. For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/245