Manager Mojo with Steve Caldwell

Dr. Annie McKee                 Leaders Should Focus on Building Happy Teams  A big portion of life is spent working, so it is incumbent upon each one of us to be sure we are happy doing what we do. Happy people are more productive because their work feeds their soul, not just the pocketbook. However, we’ve all meant unhappy people in the workplace who blame their unhappiness upon the boss or others and whose negativity can easily bring others around them down. Leaders should understand their role in creating a happy team, and it begins with curiosity. Be curious about what motivates each team member. Be curious of what they want to achieve in work. Your curiosity makes team members feel like you care, and from that caring you will develop a happy team who will move mountains. Gain the reputation of being the manager everyone wants to work for. Be happy and make those around you happy, too.   Connect with Dr. McKee on Facebook and Twitter, and visit her website to learn more about her work and newes

Ken Tencer                   Get in the Habit of Seeking Constant Innovation  Today’s business climate doesn’t allow for complacency, unless you are not afraid of being left in your competitor’s dust. Successful business leaders seek continual innovation and ways to improve their product or service. If you are thinking, ‘But we can’t afford to innovate!’, think again. Innovation doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive, it simply needs to be done to remain viable and successful. The driver of innovation begins with the eyes and ears. Are you asking customers what they want? Are you listening for the gaps in delivery and usage? Take time to sit down with valuable clients to ask what they want, and listen for the opportunities they aren’t aware they are expressing. WHY are they using your product/service? HOW could they use it more or differently? Get in the habit of seeking constant innovation and you will be the leader of the pack. Start by listening to these innovative ideas.   Learn more about K

Douglas E. Noll                 The Leader’s #1 Skill – Be a Peacemaker  Have you ever been so angry that having a level-headed conversation simply wasn’t possible? When you are out-of-control with anger, the last thing you want to do is calm down. You want to be heard! As a manager and leader, likely you’ve encountered members of the team who have been equally emotional and you had no resolution but to allow time to pass so they could calm down. The #1 skill for handling that situation is to be a peacemaker, and it is critical to learn the skills of de-escalation that allow you to manage many types of circumstances, highly charged being one of them. Doug Noll left the law profession to pursue the valuable work of peacemaking, and has since taken this skill into prisons, experiencing great success with some of the most difficult life-time inmates. Your circumstances may not be as tense, yet you can achieve the same success by adopting the de-escalate skills he discusses in this podcast.   Learn more

Sydney Finkelstein                 Do You Have the Qualities of a Superboss? Would you like to be considered a ‘superboss,’ the one who has top talent waiting in the wings, who is the sought-after leader to work for and who develops the most successful leaders? With the level of employee engagement so abysmal today, every manager and leader should be asking the question, ‘How can I contribute to a more engaged workforce.’ Superbosses are continually asking that question, probably while they are sitting down having a one-on-one conversation with each member of their team. You don’t have time you say? You MUST, and superbosses make that time a priority. That’s why they are who they are and sought after to work for. There is no secret code to being a superboss, simply understand how the successful bosses are doing it. Stop getting caught up in the grind of meetings and putting out fires and learn how you can become a superboss. Every team desperately needs one.   You can learn more about Sydney Finkels

            Leaders Need Answers for Staying Relevant in the Marketplace  You are a leader and manager of people. It is second nature to be proactive, get things done and accept risk. Now it is time for you to begin doing the same things for the future of your career. Today’s business environment is fast paced and often chaotic, with pressure and stress the result. Rather than allowing yourself to get caught up in the chaos, learn about the things that will help you stay relevant and continue building a successful career. You’ll learn about many of those things in this podcast, such as hanging around five people who challenge you to thrive, how you view your work and developing interpersonal skills. Your work is a major part of your life. Be passionate about yours and find it as a source of great joy. Having a plan for your ongoing, future success will get you on that path.   Download the first chapter of Stretch: How to Future-Proof Yourself for Tomorrow’s Workplace by clicking here.  If you are inter

Robin Fisher Roffer                 Don’t Waste a Good Mistake Do you envy those who are ‘free spirits,’ people seemingly going through life without a care and enjoying it? When you show up courageously and are willing to say ‘yes’ to opportunity, life increases its momentum. It is when we get caught in our own heads, listening to the inner judge that we slow our progress and stifle growth, opportunity and success. Let go of the idea that the outcome of a decision must be in your favor. That type of thinking hampers and constricts everyone. Instead, be willing to make the best choice at the moment and make a decision. Be willing to be wrong, to learn and to move forward. Stop delaying what you know you should do by getting another’s approval. Leading from fear is not the foundation of a successful leader. If you have gotten caught in a rut of fear, lack of decision making and the thought of a mistake, it’s time to break loose and be willing to say “Yes!”. This podcast will open the door to new possibi

Elliot Kay                 Start Falling in Love with Being Strategic It is far too common for leaders to avoid proper planning and not devote enough time to strategic thinking. Tactics consume the focus. When leaders focus strategically they can achieve BIG results. When remaining consumed by tactics, small success is all that can be hoped for. Elliot Kay had a drive and passion to open a business (or two) and offer his services. He had everything ready to go, but no one showed up. He was forced to regroup and look at the business strategically. Now he’s a successful businessman helping others to set aside tactics and start focusing strategically. He realized that being in love with his idea wasn’t enough. Loving strategy is what gets results and provides financial support for the business and families. If you are easily consumed by tactics and focusing your time strategically doesn’t come easily, you’ll want to listen to this podcast.   Learn more about Elliot Kay by visiting his website here.  

Libby Wagner                 Start Cultivating Your Leadership Presence  We tend to be pragmatic and ‘business like’ when we are in business, and especially in leadership. After all, there is a certain expectation of us, right? Maybe that is the problem. What we expect they expect really isn’t what they are expecting at all, yet we don’t know how to uncover what that is. Wow, what a conundrum! Be willing to pause from time to time while you save ‘white space’ between the busyness. Slow down to reflect on your mindset, and practice self-assessment and reflection. Consider the idea, “What do I really want as a leader.” Find the time to reflect, pause and observe your reaction and begin becoming those things you desire. Libby Wagner is a poet, author and speaker who is one of the only former poetry professors who is warmly invited into the boardroom. In this podcast, she shares how leaders who may be searching for their own voice can give thought to their leadership presence and how they are being courag

Seth Kahan                   Successful Change Requires Listening and Storytelling It seems to be hard wired in the human condition to dislike change. Some of us are more welcoming of it than others, and when you are in management you can really feel the push-back from those desperately wanting to avoid it. Why does this happen and is there any way around it? It happens because far too often we as leaders are more interested in presenting the strong case of why it needs to happen, trying to convince that it is for their good, rather than pausing for a moment and just listening. Remember when we used to have true conversations and tried to understand through someone else’s eyes? That just may be a good idea today if you want to execute successful change. While you’re at it, if you can perfect your storytelling abilities, you may have found a strong combo to support the upcoming change initiative. This podcast will provide insights on executing successful change, and you’ll get a bonus discussion about

Sam Walker                 Boring & Dull May be the Secret to Your Championship Team  This isn’t a podcast of sports stories, quotes or analogies. It’s a discussion of how championship sports teams became champions due to the efforts of an ‘unsung hero,’ that individual who (somewhat) quietly goes about their business while at the same time being the barometer of performance that everyone on the team wants to live up to. How do teams become great? It may not be from the obvious traits we tend to think of – the most charismatic leader/coach who is a great motivator and communicator. In fact, it could be just the opposite – that quiet person who is (dare we say) rather dull and boring. In his book The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates the World's Greatest Teams, Sam Walker happened upon the surprising insight that what we thought as obvious simply wasn’t. The greatest teams in sports history were not great because of charisma, motivation or inspirational communication. There was always that ‘

  Lisa Earle McLeod                 Stop Creating Happy & Excited Employees, Said No CEO E-V-E-R  Your job is not just about making money. If it’s the only thing, you’re doing the wrong thing. When finances are the primary driver of an organization everyone suffers, because over the long term the best you will achieve is mediocrity. Once you translate your organization’s focus into its noble purpose, employees begin to find an excitement and drive in what they are doing. It is simple to provide good customer service, but it’s not easy to figure out how to treat your customers in amazing ways that keep them loyal, dedicated and coming back. Finding your noble purpose provides employees the impetus to care about the impact they are having on customers. They want to stand out. They want to be remarkable. On the other hand, you could always have cross-selling as an integral part of your strategy, when in fact understanding the needs of your customers should have the result of cross selling. Understand th

Jennifer Rock & Michael Voss               Is Your Workplace Like B.S., Incorporated?  Have you ever felt like you worked at B.S., Incorporated? No, not that B.S., but Business Services, Inc! Often our workplaces can seem like a soap opera or Peyton Place, yet the truth is that life is a soap opera and we humans do a good job of making it so. That’s why writing a fictionalized non-fiction book – or was it a true story with names to protect the guilty – is fun to write and fun to read. Jennifer Rock and Michael Voss have several decades of corporate experience between them, and the situations and experiences they faced were often nothing short of a soap opera. So, these two public relations people decided they must do what only P.R. people can do, write a book! If you work in a real-life Peyton Place, you must read about Business Solutions, Inc. and compare stories. Because nothing is more funny than real life! And you might learn a few lessons along the way.   To learn more about Jennifer Rock and Mi

Robbie Kellman Baxter                 Treat Employees as Members, Not Transactions  Are people accepting employment at your company to add an impressive 18-24 months of experience to their resume? If that pattern is the norm, are you wanting to find serious people who view the opportunity offered as a career stop? People want to have friends at work, a sense of belonging, be held in high regard and have a chance to achieve their full potential. You can help them do those things. What if you were candid up front and told them what you promise for their challenge and fulfillment, what you expect them to promise and what will happen if it becomes time to part ways? Make promises that encourage team members to increase their loyalty and desire a relationship with your organization. It’s not difficult to make people feel wanted and as though they belong. When you are willing to live up to your side of the bargain and fulfill their desires, that is when they are willing to commit, work hard and go the extra

Nitin Chhoda                 How to Manage and Lead Remote Workers Successfully Is your business managing remote workers successfully? While there are pluses and minuses to using virtual employees, there is a way to do it successfully and to build a multi-million-dollar organization at the same time. Nitin Chhoda came to the United States penniless and worked hard to scratch out a living delivering pizza. Until he could afford an apartment with five other guys, he slept in his car. He didn’t have appropriate winter clothing for harsh winters. Yet he was a hustler, got an education and became a physical therapist. He now owns and runs several multi-million dollar companies with over 30 remote employees worldwide. This isn’t the story of an immigrant who achieved success, although Nitin did. This is the background of how an ingenious and hardworking individual used the resources available to him, applied his knowledge of what makes people and businesses successful and used that as a framework for the su

Joshua Spodek                 Leadership Requires Getting in the Trenches and Doing, Not Just Learning Great leaders have developed their ability to connect with others by learning about and understanding what motivates each individual. They recognize that we each bring a different view of the world to work because of varied life experiences. As you are leading a team, how are you connecting to what interests each team member? Are you clear about what motivates each one to do and be their best? When leaders connect with people and their motivations they are tapping into the reasons why those individuals want to excel. Help them to find the joy they desire and the success they are working toward by connecting to what they are motivated by. Successful leaders help team members uncover a sense of ownership to the team, not simply give them reasons to be compliant. This podcast will explain why leaders need to get in the trenches and actively lead others. Understanding leadership principles in the classro

Linda Khadem & Dr. Riaz Khadem               Any Sized Organization Can be Out of Alignment. Is Yours?  Does your company have a well-crafted mission and purpose, a clear vision and a strategy to turn that into action? Mission statements shouldn’t be plaques on a wall, but living, breathing commitments that are executed through everyday action. Employees should have well-defined responsibilities, be aware of their contribution, aligned with their actions, and accountable relative to that mission, purpose and vision. Today it is common for too much noise from excessive meetings and emails, lack of accountability and unfocused people going in different directions. Business unit silos find people focused on their tasks without giving thought to the broader picture of the total organization. Have you observed people being apathetic and without focus? Your business may be out of alignment. If you are struggling getting everyone on the same page, this podcast offers actionable steps to begin the process of a

  Jon Gordon                 Positive Leaders Love Team Members and Hold Them Accountable Do you know what the #1 predictor of success is? Over talent, title, wealth or appearance, grit will get you to a successful finish line nearly every time. The positive leader has grit because positive leadership is serious, hard work that requires a daily, focused determination. No Pollyanna, unicorns or rainbows here. Positive leaders have more success than negative leaders, and negativity will guarantee the lack of it. Leaders and teams who lose their ‘Super Bowl,’ the ‘big one,’ don’t wallow in their loss, but they look forward to future victories. And while those future victories are sweet, the positive leader doesn’t consider them the ultimate victory. They also take that positivity to other areas of their life and focus on being great spouses, parents, siblings and friends. Do you consider yourself a positive individual, or are you allowing negativity to get the upper hand? Don’t beat yourself up over neg

Scott Wintrip                   How Long is Your Hiring Process Taking? Stop the Madness! Stop holding a parade of four to eight interviews before hiring new employees. It is an unnecessary expense and can be accomplished successfully with as few as two. The hiring search process reached an historical high in 2016 when 26.6 work days (that’s longer than one month!) were taken to fill job vacancies. That’s a problem for leaders. Most likely you have an inefficient process that is driven by the fear of making wrong choices. What will you learn in the eighth interview that you couldn’t know by the second? Hiring is a lot like dating, and when you understand what personal relationships are working or not working in your life, you will begin to recognize a pattern with hiring. Scott Wintrip talked with Steve about the current practices and pitfalls businesses are following when it comes to hiring. It doesn’t need to be as difficult as you are making it, and this podcast will provide numerous immediately a

Alan Weiss               Stop Searching for Others’ Permission to Live Your Life  Are you achieving your goals or the goals someone else has for your life? Even if you think they are your goals, are you sure? Every day, insidiously, our power and control can be eroded if we let it. Often, we are allowing forces beyond our control, and even beyond our consciousness, affect how we make choices and decisions. How many times have you pushed yourself exercising because of being with others in exercise class? Have you ever stayed seated on an airplane because the seatbelt light was on, and you needed to use the bathroom? Then you see someone else heading to the restroom and you use that as permission to get up? We are allowing others to determine what we do in life, and we don’t realize it. Start living your life consciously and deliberately. This conversation Steve had with Alan Weiss, co-author with Marshall Goldsmith of Lifestorming – Creating Meaning and Achievement in Your Career and Life will begin to

  Managing from a Position of Darkness? Know Your Numbers…. You are leading from a position of darkness if you aren’t intimately familiar with your numbers. It is critical to have this knowledge when you are in management leading teams and the business. The numbers can be boring, scary or exciting. Let’s make them exciting using the data that’s critical to the success of your business and present them in ways that are attractive and meaningful. When data makes a huge difference, it can change the course of an organization. Asking questions differently and asking different questions can be a good place to start. Get ideas for looking at your data in meaningful ways by listening to the conversation Steve had with the authors of The Big Book of Dashboards. If you value data and what it can indicate, you may never be looking at numbers and an Excel spreadsheet the same way again.   Learn more about Steve Wexler and Andy Cotgreave by clicking these links - The Big Book of Dashboards - Visualizing Your Dat