leadership development

Corporate CPR Episode 130: How Leaders Neglecting Strategic Skills Might Be Killing Your Company

/ Jana

On today’s episode we are talking about how leaders neglecting strategic skills might be killing your company.

Rich Horwath, founder and CEO of the Strategic Thinking Institute, helps executive teams enhance their strategic capabilities. He is the bestselling author of eight books, including “STRATEGIC: The Skill to Set Direction, Create Advantage, and Achieve Executive Excellence.” Rich has assisted over a quarter million leaders in developing strategic thinking skills, with his work featured in Fast Company, Forbes, and the Harvard Business Review. He has appeared on major TV networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX.

Key Discussion Points:

  • A consistent definition of strategy is crucial. Without a shared understanding, organizations waste time and resources. Strategy is the intelligent allocation of limited resources through a unique system of activities to achieve goals.
  • Establish clear planning horizons: short-term (quarterly), mid-term (annual), and long-term (three years). Ensure everyone in the organization understands and aligns their efforts with these time frames. Include specific milestones to track progress and adjust strategies as needed.
  • Engage in ongoing strategic thinking to gather insights and adapt plans. Use frameworks like business model innovation to foster creative thinking. Regularly revisit and adjust strategies through quarterly tune-ups. Maintain strong communication and collaboration across all organizational levels to ensure alignment and agility.
  • As Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn, emphasizes, the key to effective time management is carving out time to think strategically rather than constantly reacting. This practice should be non-negotiable, with leaders dedicating at least 90 minutes weekly to high-level business thinking and 60 minutes with their teams to focus on strategic issues, not operational or tactical matters.
  • Strategic thinking sessions must have structure. Leaders should consider three main areas: the external environment (market, customers, competitors), the internal environment (culture, strategy, processes, systems, people), and innovation (emerging customer needs and future value). This structured approach ensures comprehensive analysis and forward-looking strategies that prevent obsolescence.
  • Team meetings should avoid monologues and status updates. Instead, focus on discussing key business challenges and making decisions. Prior to meetings, teams should share two-page action plans and come prepared with critical questions and issues to address. This approach maximizes the productivity and strategic value of team gatherings.

Top Takeaways for the Audience:

The Three A’s:

  1. Acumen: Always seek insights and learnings from every interaction, whether it’s a meeting, email, or casual conversation. Consistently ask, “What’s the insight here?” and make it a habit to record these learnings. This continuous accumulation of knowledge enhances strategic acumen.
  2. Allocation: Effective strategy involves deciding what not to do as much as what to do. Regularly evaluate and cut off activities that do not contribute to strategic goals. This disciplined approach ensures resources and attention are focused on high-impact areas.
  3. Action: Develop and maintain a concise, actionable plan (one to two pages) that guides strategic initiatives. Engage in ongoing, interactive conversations with your team throughout the year to refine and execute this plan, rather than relying solely on annual planning sessions. This fosters agility and responsiveness to changing conditions.

These three A’s—acumen, allocation, and action—provide a practical framework for sustained strategic thinking and effective execution.

How to Connect with Rich:

Website: https://www.strategyskills.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richhorwath/

Corporate CPR Episode 129: How Sticking to an Outdated Leadership Style Might Be Killing Your Company

/ Jana

On today’s episode we are talking about how not adjusting your leadership style for today’s people might be killing your company.

Graham Wilson specializes in helping top business leaders reach their full potential through advanced leadership techniques, simplifying complex concepts with his proven toolkit. His expertise spans leadership, strategy, innovation, change management, and elite team development. Having developed over 85,000 leaders, he is trusted by global organizations for his practical guidance and team-building abilities. With a background in the British Army and commercial experience at Dupont, Graham founded Successfactory over 26 years ago, witnessing firsthand how effective leadership drives extraordinary results.

Key Discussion Points:

  • Leaders must adapt to a rapidly changing world where traditional management can’t provide all the answers.
  • Effective leadership requires balancing clear direction, autonomy, and continuous performance conversations rather than outdated practices like annual appraisals.
  • Building a leadership culture involves setting clear organizational values, aligning behaviors with those values, and fostering trust by avoiding self-interest and inconsistency.
  • Leaders need to transition from traditional practices like annual appraisals and rigid KPIs to more agile and collaborative approaches that reflect the current business environment. Emphasizing cross-functional teams and breaking down silos can enhance organizational effectiveness.
  • It’s crucial to educate and mentor new graduates and employees not just on the immediate job skills but on the broader context of the business environment. Encouraging a mindset of giving before receiving, fostering empathy, and developing a thinking and problem-solving approach can prepare them for leadership roles.
  • Understanding that people are motivated by different factors, including purpose, autonomy, and mastery, is essential. Organizations should focus on creating an employee value proposition that attracts and retains talent by ensuring fair compensation and promoting a purpose-driven culture that aligns with employees’ values.

Top Takeaways for the Audience:

  1. Speed Up by Slowing Down: Take the time to think and reflect before acting. Being efficient and effective requires thoughtful consideration to ensure you’re doing the right things, not just doing things right.
  2. Self-Awareness and Authentic Leadership: To lead others effectively, you must first understand and lead yourself. Delve into your values, beliefs, and strengths. This self-awareness forms the foundation of authentic leadership.
  3. Play to Your Strengths: Focus on environments and roles where your strengths can shine. You can compensate for weaknesses with support from others, but leveraging your strengths leads to greater satisfaction and success. Remember to align your work with what gives you a fulfilling life, continually reassessing and adapting as your circumstances evolve.

How to Connect with Graham:

Website: https://www.grahamwilson.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leadershipwizard/

Corporate CPR Episode 121: How To Take Your Performance To Another Level To Avoid Killing Your Company

/ Jana

On today’s episode we are talking about how to take your performance to another level to avoid killing your company.

Evan Marks experience, formerly Senior Consultant at The ReThink Group, brings resilience and strategic insight. With a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a Division 1 Lacrosse background, Evan coaches diverse clients, including NASCAR pit crews and executives. He champions the belief that “pressure is a privilege.” As a Senior Performance Coach, Evan utilizes cutting-edge techniques rooted in modern psychoanalysis and neuroscience to guide clients to peak performance. Passionate about empowering clients to unlock their potential, he specializes in coaching for elite performers, extending expertise to leadership development beyond finance.

Episode Highlights:

  • You can pick your actions, even if you can’t always pick your emotions. Being aware of this distinction allows you to navigate situations more effectively.
  • Take control of your behavior by understanding your emotional triggers and consciously choosing how to respond. This empowers you to manage situations rather than being controlled by them.
  • Journaling and self-reflection are powerful tools for identifying and understanding your emotions. By verbalizing and acknowledging your feelings, you can build a deeper understanding of yourself and better navigate your emotional landscape.
  • By slowing down and being intentional about how we respond to situations, we can create a different experience and outcome. Whether it’s managing anger or improving work-life balance, intentionality allows us to navigate life’s challenges more effectively.
  • Journaling and verbalizing our emotions are powerful tools for building self-awareness. By acknowledging and expressing how we feel, we can better understand ourselves and our reactions. This self-awareness lays the foundation for personal growth and development.
  • The mantra “you need to slow down before you speed up” encapsulates the idea that intentional effort and habit formation take time. By investing the effort to build new habits and neural pathways, we can ultimately accelerate our progress and achieve greater success in the long run.

Top 3 Takeaways for the Audience:

  1. Positively impact the lives of those around us, whether it’s our loved ones or colleagues.
  2. Action Behind Kindness and Forgiveness: While kindness and forgiveness are crucial, they require action to be effective. Simply acknowledging them isn’t enough; we must actively demonstrate kindness and forgiveness in our actions towards ourselves and others.
  3. Believe in Growth and Set Boundaries: Our beliefs shape our reality, and setting boundaries and assumptions can unlock our limitless potential. Embracing the idea that growth is constant and non-linear allows us to continuously evolve and expand our capabilities.

How to Connect with Evan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-marks-9ab189133/

Website: https://m1performancegroup.com

Corporate CPR Episode 108: How Your Lack of Consciousness May Be Killing Your Company

/ Jana

On today’s episode we are talking about how your lack of consciousness may be killing your company.

Tom Willis believes we are all born with unlimited potential. As a former classroom teacher, he also believes in the power of lifelong learning. These beliefs have shaped his primary goal in life: helping others move beyond their self-limiting beliefs so they can reach their true potential.  
 
Prior to co-founding Phoenix Partners, he had the great honor of serving as the CEO for Cornerstone, a school system in Detroit.  He was fortunate to earn an engineering degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.  

Episode Highlights:

  1. Clarity of Purpose: Helping individuals and teams get clear about their fundamental purpose in life and how it aligns with the purpose of the organization is crucial for fostering meaningful engagement and alignment.
  2. Focus on Impact: It’s essential to shift the focus from simply creating cool technology or products to understanding the real impact and societal benefits of the work being done, such as providing access to transportation services for those in need.
  3. Motivation through Contribution: Human beings are universally motivated by making a difference and being helpful. Understanding and connecting with employees’ personal motivations and values can drive engagement and commitment to shared goals.
  4. Leadership, Management, Coaching: Effective leadership involves a balance of leadership, management, and coaching. Each aspect plays a role in creating a culture of growth and accountability, with leadership and coaching being emphasized more than traditional management.
  5. Conscious Time Management: Being conscious about how time is spent, prioritizing activities that contribute to personal and team growth, and focusing less on mundane tasks or “chores” can lead to significant improvements in organizational effectiveness and results.
  6. Leadership Modeling: Leaders must embody the desired culture through their actions and behaviors, setting the tone for the entire organization.
  7. Feedback Loops: Establish regular feedback mechanisms to gather input on the current culture and identify areas for improvement from employees at all levels.
  8. Training and Development: Invest in training programs that support the development of key cultural competencies, demonstrating a commitment to fostering a positive work environment.

Tom’s Top 3 Takeaways for the Audience:

  1. If you are a CEO or Superintendent, check out our group called The Interchange made up of leaders from across the country who get together about once a month.
  2. Read our book The Great Engagement. Whether you’re a CEO of a large team or CEO of your life this book can help.   
  3. Start asking people around you to help you become more conscious. Ask them questions like “how can I improve as a husband, a teammate, a father? etc.

For Resources Related to This Episode Visit:

https://www.phoenixperform.com/corporatecpr

Why You Should Stop Faking It until You Make It

/ Jana / 2 Comments

Or at least you should stop thinking of it that way. Many people recoil at the premise of faking it until you make it. It seems, well, fake. Inauthentic. I’m here to tell you that it isn’t. It’s semantics. Someone decided they liked the mnemonic device of rhyming and came up with “fake it until you make it.” What it really should say is, “practice until you make it.” That’s all it is, practice. We do this all the time in the arts, sports, etc., so why can’t it extend to the rest of our lives?  Continue reading →