Aim Higher: The podcast with purpose

We often use the word “love” when referring to our favorite sports team. But we don't often hear it used by elite college coaches to describe their coaching style. Tom Ryan, though, isn't your usual coach. He preaches—and practices—a leadership style rooted in truth, trust, and—most of all—love. As a Hall of Fame wrestling coach for OSU, Tom led his team to many victories because of a belief that we do our best work when we suffer for the things we love most deeply. Listen in as we discuss how that philosophy has helped him in the high-stress world of top-tier college athletics, and as he dealt with a devastating personal tragedy.  

As you know, I believe very strongly in the power of motivation, the importance of planning, and the role that a positive attitude plays in our success. So, if you—like so many people—start your Mondays with fear, loathing, and a sigh of resignation, guess what? It's time to cut that out. How you start your week will have a huge impact on how it ends. So, it's time to give Mondays the love they deserve, plan for how you can start your week with positive energy and move forward with intention.  

This week on "Aim Higher,” my panel and I talk about how to be successful during the critical, initial phase of a new job, new department, or new manager. Drew Bordas, Tammi Spayde, and Brian Berry bring up dozens of great pointers on the subject. Not only have they had to be the new person in some high-level roles, but they've managed many people through the process. If you want a crash course in how to land on your feet, make a great first impression, and get moving quickly in a new situation, this is the episode for you. 

I don't know anyone who hasn't thought about “reinventing” themselves. That desire can be pushed on us by an unexpected job loss, or we may want to proactively reach for a new dream. The bad news is that it's hard to reinvent yourself without a plan. The good news is that my guest this week, Richard Bliss, can help you make that plan. Richard has worked in the military, in executive marketing roles, and as an author, speaker, and LinkedIn expert. We discuss how he's reinvented himself—and how he analyzed that process so that he can help others accomplish extraordinary, new things. 

In previous episodes of “Aim Higher,” we discussed how to leave a job well, and how, as a manager, you can deal with someone who doesn't. This week, based on a listener's request (“for a friend...”), we'll tackle the thorny problem of how to recover from a bad exit that you now regret. I share 7 tips that can get you through this difficult moment, using it to grow and rebuild trust. It's always better not to burn bridges. But if you do, don't despair—bridges can be rebuilt.  

We've talked before on “Aim Higher” about the importance of leaving a job with grace and positivity. A move made for the right reasons shouldn't create friction or enmity, even if the change brings challenges. However, as a leader and manager, you will at some point need to deal with staff whose exit behavior is less than exemplary. How do you handle “bad good-byes" without making the situation worse? If you prepare for this eventuality—and I'll give you seven areas to consider—you can turn many of these situations around, earning gratitude from the outgoing employee and better results for your organization. It's not easy, but it can be done.  

It's “mailbag” time again! I love these episodes, as they give us a chance to hear about what's top-of-mind for our listeners. This week, my panel of experts addresses a variety of questions, including how to keep up with the amazing pace of change in technology, managing remote teams, and how to quantify a vague “transformation” project assignment. I'm sure that at least one of these will resonate with you, and I hope you'll give us a listen.  

There are books and articles galore about how to start a new position successfully. What to do in your first days, weeks, and months to establish your expertise and make a great initial impression. Less discussed—but no less important—is how to leave a job successfully. We're somewhat indoctrinated into thinking of departures as failures. Yet we know that sometimes we need to leave one situation to take our next logical steps. My expert panel for this episode—Cathy King, Bart Murphy, and Tammi Spayde—has some great advice on how you can make this uncomfortable situation much more proactive, painless, and productive. Remember: you also only have one chance to make a last impression.

My guest for this episode of “Aim Higher” is research-based thought leader, Ford Saeks. Ford is known for his marketing prowess and for helping businesses grow and succeed. His book, “Superpower: A Superhero's Guide to Leadership, Business and Life” is a must-read if you're looking to make a positive change in any area of your life. Don't worry, though—you don't need to leap tall buildings in a single bound to make dramatic improvements. As Ford says, "A superpower is the ability to expand your critical thinking skills, take action, and produce the results you desire in your life.” I completely agree. And I believe that you can be the superhero of your own story. Listen in for some good ideas on how to get started. 

Previously, we looked at the “death of ambition,” and why so many people seem to be less interested in pushing for high achievement. In this episode, my expert panel and I tackle the topic of ambition from a positive standpoint. What does “good ambition” look like? How can you distinguish it from things like greed or pushiness? How can you help identify and encourage appropriate ambition in your staff? And what can you do when they try to move too far, too fast? It's a fascinating discussion, and my guests have some great advice that will help you harness your ambition more successfully. 

A recent survey indicated that around one-third of people do not trust their employers. Now, that might mean “in general,” without applying to a specific manager or leader. But it's an extraordinary statistic, nonetheless. As Drew Bordas, one of my panelists this week, puts it, “A lack of trust drags down our ability to get the job done.” He's right! Trust isn't just “a feeling.” A lack of trust hampers creativity, kills honest feedback, discourages respectful dialogue, and can negatively impact commitment and teamwork—an entire suite of qualities that are essential to success. Listen in as my expert guests and I discuss what builds trust, what erodes it, and how you can get it back. 

I've been having conversations about creativity and writing with my next guest for almost ten years. Now you get to listen in as we discuss the topic more fully. Andy Havens is a content marketing expert, an adjunct professor of marketing and advertising at the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD), and the author of, “The Side Ways,” an urban-fantasy trilogy I very much enjoyed reading. We discuss some of the myths surrounding creativity, definitions and descriptions, and how you can be more creative in any endeavor. If you've ever wanted to be more creative or foster it in others, this discussion is a great place to start. 

In our last episode, we talked about the concepts of “quiet quitting,” the “death of ambition,” and how they relate to our post-pandemic working world. In this week's roundtable discussion, my panel of leadership experts and I take it up a level and ask: what can leaders do about quiet quitting? How can you prevent it? How do you recognize the signs? And how do you help restore a team member's enthusiasm and motivation? As always, we share some thoughts about the broader trend, but then get into specific, actionable ideas that you can bring back to your team.

The term “quiet quitting” has been all over the news. It's generally used to describe workers who have decided to do the minimum required at their jobs. No “going the extra mile,” no overtime, no volunteering for stretch assignments. In short: no ambition. What are the causes of this trend? Is it really something new, or are we just re-labelling a phenomenon that once might have been called “retiring in place?” Are there generational or geographic differences within the "quiet quitting" cohort? My panel of business experts and I discuss the trend in this episode of “Aim Higher.” We put it into context, talk about causes, and suggest some ways to move forward. 

Our world is filled with all kinds of distractions. And we carry the source of many around with us—our smartphones—because they are also necessary for work and great productivity tools. But we also know how important it is to put those distractions aside and focus on what's important. As Steven Covey said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” How can we do a better job at that? Join me and my panel of business experts as we talk about how to overcome distraction, find better focus, and even support that value within the teams we lead. 

In this, the second of a two-part panel on leadership coaching, we continue with Tammi Spayde, Drew Bordas and Janet Walls, President of Delta Blvd. In the first half of our discussion, we covered some basics: who should get leadership training, what it can do for you, when you need a coach as opposed to a mentor. Now we get into some more advanced topics, including the idea of getting a coach for your entire leadership team. That can be a very different situation and call for a very different dynamic. In addition, we talk a bit about when—or if—it might be time to move on from one coach to another. It's a great session, and vitally important for anyone who wants to continue improving their leadership skills.   

In this first of a two-part panel on leadership coaching, two of our regular guests—Tammi Spayde and Drew Bordas—join me and Janet Walls, President of Delta Blvd, a leadership consulting and executive coaching company she founded in 2007. Together, we get into the basics of leadership coaching: who it is for, how it can help you your leadership development, the difference between coaching and mentoring, and how to include your manager in the process. Sometimes, as leaders and executives, we forget that learning should never cease. We always have something new to discover, about our industries, business, and ourselves. And a leadership coach can help accelerate those discoveries. Listen in for some great practical advice. 

Patricia Fripp is an expert on how to give better presentations, and she shares some of her secrets with me on “Aim Higher” this week. She just recently co-authored the book “Deliver Unforgettable Presentations,” and it's filled with step-by-step instructions on how to become a world-class public speaker. During our talk, she makes the great point that everyone can benefit from being a better presenter, even if you're just leading a team meeting. How people remember what you say depends as much on your delivery as on the content itself. And Patricia's advice can help you dramatically improve the way you deliver information. 

Today's “Aim Higher” interview is an absolute must-listen. If you haven't heard Inky Johnson's story before, you need to do so now. Coming from a home that, in his words, was “poor in material wealth, but rich in spirit, love, and peace,” he was a rising star in college football, until a life changing injury shattered that path to success. But rather than succumb to despair, Inky went on to finish college, earn a master's degree in Sports Psychology, and become an international speaking sensation. Beyond inspirational, Inky's story—and his philosophy—are truly motivational. As he says, “The one thing we all have in common is adversity, opposition, and challenge. But we can survive, moment by moment, and then capture peace... and share it.” 

We all know the obvious “suck up” type. The obsequious, fawning sycophant who only gives the boss good news, is always complimentary, and who (probably) is disliked by everyone—including the boss. In real life, the distinction between “managing up” and “sucking up” is rarely that black-and-white. How can you be the kind of employee your boss wants and needs without simply slathering on empty praise? Hint: it's all about honest communication. Listen in as my three leadership experts on this week's panel share how they like to be “managed up to,” and how you can improve your relationship with your boss without becoming a shallow flunky. 

We're in a difficult, stressful time in the world. That's why it's a good moment to go back and review Skip's interview with  Amy Blankson, bestselling author of “The Future of Happiness.” One of the first guests on "Aim Higher," Amy teaches us how to achieve more happiness even in the midst of difficulty. She is a co-founder of the Digital Wellness Collective and most recently has shared her thought leadership as a speaker at TEDx and as a regular contributor for Forbes on Women, Technology, and Leadership, and as a featured professor in Oprah's Happiness course.

Skip updates this season one episode with a reminder that self-awareness is key to leadership, to teams, success, and to good relationships. Because this subject is so important, he revisits the conversation he had with leadership experts Tammi Spayde, Drew Bordas, and Elyse Wampler as they discuss practical techniques for improving self-awareness. 

As one of our regular panelists, Drew Bordas, reminds us this week, there is a wide range of “difficult people,” and a wide range for how to get along with them. On the one hand, it's not worth confronting a family member with a slightly irritating habit whom you only see once a year. But if you work closely, every day, with someone whose attitude and habits are challenging? It's better to deal with the situation than put up with behavior that could be damaging both to your well-being and team productivity. Our group of experts dissects a few tricky situations like this and points out some great ways to move forward constructively. If you know any difficult people – or maybe even are one yourself—I suggest you listen in. 

Why do Americans work so hard, so long, and vacation so little? The health, creativity, social, and productivity benefits of time off are well documented. Yet many of us feel guilty for taking a day off here-and-there, to say nothing of a week or two. In this week's episode, my expert guests talk about why we don't take the vacation we need and provide some strategies for how to get better at doing so. 

Nobody really enjoys conflict. But there are times it is unavoidable and even important. As a leader, you won't be able to make positive changes, in many cases, without some conflict. But if you avoid conflict rather than dealing with it as a necessary part of business? You can make it much, much worse. My panel of leadership experts helps get to the root of problematic conflict this week, and we come to some conclusions that will help you turn conflict into contributions. 

How do you define “leadership presence?” How can you tell from meeting someone, working with them, listening to them speak—this person is a great leader? Ask around (as I did) and I think you'll find that there are many different definitions. Which is OK, because there are many kinds of successful leaders. But, as my panel of experts and I discussed, there are some very similar traits that seem to be common among great leaders. Listen in and see how you can apply their ideas to your own leadership journey. 

Is fear always bad? How can we safely approach and examine our fears? Can fear be useful in the workplace? How should leaders deal with fear? These are some of the questions my panel of experts discussed this week. Our conclusion? That, as a leader, you have the power to recognize that fear is often based in reality, but then quickly apply yourself, and your team, to accomplishing something because of it. In short, don't let fear rule your leadership style, but let it inform how you approach changes and challenges.

This week I had the pleasure of talking with John David Mann and Ana Gabriel Mann, MA, co-authors of, “The Go-Giver Marriage: A Little Story About the 5 Secrets to Lasting Love.” It's a lovely, helpful book in two parts. First, a parable about a couple who learn all about the 5 secrets duringone day. Then “the practice,” a guidebook that walks us through how the secrets work and how to practice them in your relationship. We discussed their joint writing process, and how their work together actually illustrates some of the principles in the book. They have a lot of great advice that can help with all your relationships, not just a marriage, and I know you'll enjoy listening in.

It's one of the most stressful parts of work for many people—the interview process. And not just for the new hire! Finding, attracting, interviewing, and bringing on new team members is a crucial and challenging role for good managers and leaders. This week, my expert panel answers questions from our listeners about interview preparation, rehiring staff who've left, the importance of research, and even... what to do when a new employee's parent calls in with questions!

Have you ever had a boss who stresses you out? Do your ideas seem to fall on deaf ears? Or do you feel like you get blamed for things you didn't do? Tune in to this week's episode where we review questions from our listeners. My panel of business and HR experts helps unpack some tricky situations and provides insightful suggestions on how to move forward.  

This week I got the chance to sit down with one of my favorite people, Becky Robinson, CEO of Weaving Influence. Her digital marketing agency partners with authors and other thought leaders to grow their influence online. She's also the author of “Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message.” She shares some great advice on how to make sure that your online and offline brands are supporting each other in ways that are true to your values. If you're looking to expand your digital presence, I highly recommend tuning in.  

We can't really escape stress. Even positive life events – weddings, a new job, new kids, travel – often cause “good stress.” But 8-out-of-10 people say that they experience stress regularly at work. That's not the good kind. How can you, as a manager, help your team recognize, analyze, and deal with stress? This week on Aim Higher, my panel of leadership experts provides some excellent advice. They've got some tips on how to deal with your own stress, and how to lower the stress level for the people you manage, too. 

Henry David Thoreau famously said, “Things do not change; we change.” Certainly, there are events and circumstances we can't control. But as leaders, we must embrace the fact that change is not only inevitable—but often desirable. In fact, leadership is almost always about change: we don't “lead” into areas we're already familiar with. In this week's podcast, my panel of experts reviews seven key change management skills I think are important for leaders to understand and master. If you want to do a better job leading and managing teams through tough—and exciting—changes, there's some great ideas for you here.

What makes a smart leader? In this episode of “Aim Higher,” Skip sits down with Mark Miller, Chick-fil-A Vice President of High-Performance Leadership. Mark's brand-new book, “Smart Leadership: Four Simple Choices to Scale Your Impact,” presents research-based “smart choices” that the best leaders make. In this fast-paced discussion, Skip and Mark talk about the “quicksand” that can encompass leaders unless they decide to make the decision to get out. Too many leaders flail around in the quicksand trying, impossibly, to swim in it. And many then fail. Find out what you can do as a leader to get smart, make better decisions, and transform your leadership.

This week, my panel of experts and I discuss how a negative attitude can impact your career, your coworkers--and even your lifespan! It's well known that a consistent, negative attitude can create health problems. That holds true for organizations as well as individuals. What can you do to help “heal” a negative attitude in others or yourself? My guests bring some really great, practical suggestions for why, how, and when you can best achieve the leadership benefits of a more positive outlook.

As Peter Drucker said, “Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.” In this episode of “Aim Higher,” my panel of business experts asks some tough questions for leaders at all stages of their careers. Are you more intentional about budgeting time than money? What would your “credit score” be for how you spend your time? How do you assess whether a future activity (especially a meeting) is a good investment of your time? What tools do you use to evaluate how well you've spent your time in the past? As always, my guests have some great advice on this absolutely critical leadership topic.  

One of my favorite podcasts is Jeff Brown's, “Read to Lead.” He's been doing it for around eight years, and I'm so pleased that he's taken the time to write a book of his own, all about the power of reading and lifelong learning. “Read to Lead: The Simple Habit that Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career” is a wonderful guide to better and more effective reading as part of your leadership discipline. I was excited to ask Jeff about his journey as a reader and how it led to a lifelong passion he's now passionate about sharing. There are some great tips here for all of us.

Along with his panel of business experts, Skip confronts the top challenges waiting for leaders over the next year. While we've all made monumental shifts because of the pandemic, those changes aren't done and neither are the ways we're all reacting to them. Be a better leader by anticipating these challenges and confronting them directly. Because your biggest challenge may be keeping up your enthusiasm for the long haul. 

It's been nearly two years of living and working in a world shaped by COVID-19. And I think we're all beginning to see that some of the ways we've adapted to this environment will linger after the pandemic is in our rearview mirror. But is it all bad? Throughout history, shifts brought on by seismic world events have driven some very important, positive changes. Join my expert panel this week as we consider the ways COVID-19 has shaped current workforce realities, and how leaders will need to adjust in the future.

In this wrap-up panel episode of "Aim Higher," season three regulars Drew and Tammi join Skip to talk about some of their favorite moments from the past year. While they touch on a variety of high points, one theme becomes apparent: the importance of feedback and continuous communication. This, they agree, is vital for leaders to do themselves and emphasize with teams during the pandemic. They also hope you'll provide feedback on what you liked best about the podcast (and what can be improved!) so that when we come back next season, "Aim Higher" can provide even more value for you on your leadership journey.

I'm a huge fan of this week's guest on "Aim Higher," Joann Lublin. Her first book about women business leaders, "Earning It," had insights from 52 women executives, and her latest, just out in 2021, is "Power Moms: How Executive Mothers Navigate Work and Life." I've been reading Joann in the Wall Street Journal for years, as she created its first career advice column, which she wrote until May of 2020. And she shared a Pulitzer Prize at the Journal in 2003 for their work on corporate scandals. I've learned so much from her writing and I know you'll enjoy hearing from her in this episode as much as I did in our conversation. 

On this episode of "Aim Higher," Skip speaks with longtime friend Kary Oberbrunner--author, coach, and speaker who helps people and organizations clarify who they are, why they're here, and where they're going so that they can share their message with the world. Skip and Kary delve into the topic of clarity and why it can be something people seemingly avoid, even while saying they value it so much. Why can clarity be so frightening, especially for leaders? Kary says it's because, "Once you have it, you're dissatisfied with anything less." This isn't a discussion for the faint of heart and it's not an easy topic. Come prepared to do some hard thinking.

In this episode, Skip talks with Scott McKain about his Forbes Top 10 Pick, "ICONIC: How Organizations and Leaders Attain, Sustain and Regain the Ultimate Level of Distinction." Scott is the author of four #1 business bestsellers on Amazon and has delivered over 2000 presentations in 36 countries. Their discussion about moving past distinction -- being top within your industry -- to becoming a true icon that stands out across categories is a must-hear conversation for leaders looking to stretch the boundaries of success.

Patrick Donadio, MBA, is a Certified Speaking Professional and Master Certified Coach who teaches others how to lead more effectively, communicate clearly, present more powerfully, and positively impact the lives of others. In this interview, Skip and Patrick break down some of the lessons from Patrick's book, “Communicating with IMPACT," a process he's developed to help leaders improve interpersonal and organizational communications skills. Listen in to learn how to be more focused and mindful about all your communications and reap some compelling leadership rewards. 

In this episode of "Aim Higher," Skip talks with leadership development experts Karin Hurt and David Dye about their most recent book, "Courageous Cultures." In their first book, "Winning Well," they set the stage with lots of practical advice on creating a business while, as Karin says, "maintaining your soul." Their new book builds on that, helping leaders create a strategic framework to leverage your most important assets: employee knowledge and innovation. Why are your people holding back their best ideas? And what's preventing you from acting on them? Listen as Skip, Karin, and David ask -- and answer -- some tough questions about the benefits of creating courageous conversations with your employees. 

When Skip was diagnosed with COVID-19, his initial thought as CEO was to be transparent about it to his team and employees. That was one thing he'd learned long ago: the importance of honesty in building bridges and maintaining clear communications. But throughout his illness and recovery, Skip also made discoveries about openness, appreciation, and vulnerability. This has been a challenging year for us all. But in the end, as Skip says, it offers us all lessons in shared humanity, because the whole world has been impacted. Listen in for some very personal, yet still practical thoughts on what leaders can take away from this difficult experience. 

In the previous episode of "Aim Higher," Skip and his panel discussed how you can cultivate approachability as a leadership skill. In this follow-up, the group talks about why this is an absolute necessity for successful leaders. Ask yourself: why do you think a good leader needs to be approachable? Employee engagement? Transparency? Sharing ideas? Whatever your reason, Skip says -- and his leadership experts agree -- that it's all about building bridges. Listen in and renew your commitment to building a culture of approachability today.

Skip and his guests often discuss qualities of leadership that you can work on by yourself; organization, planning, delegation... even gratitude can be something you reflect on personally. The thing about approachability, though, is that it's entirely dependent on other people's perceptions. In this episode of "Aim Higher," Skip and his panel of leadership experts discuss ways that you can chip away at habits that might make you unapproachable, and then get proactive about this vital leadership component.

Legendary sports announcer and author Bob Rathbun has been observing successful athletes, coaches, teams, and leaders for decades. In this interview, Bob shares some great tips from his remarkable career on how to do well yourself and inspire others on their journeys. One of the most important things, Bob says, is to start with a dream... but then find someone who can teach you the steps. That way, once you make a decision, you can "be ready for what comes with it."

Most of us say we want to improve our performance, and most employees report that they want more feedback from their managers. But very few of us actually prepare for (or are trained in) how to receive feedback well. In this episode of "Aim Higher" Skip and his panel of leadership experts go over some lessons they've learned in how to be more effective "feedback takers." They also reflect on 7 tips Skip has for getting better at it yourself. Are you ready to get some feedback on your feedback skills?

As a leader or manager, you're going to be called on to give feedback more often than most people. How can you make sure that the critiques, comments, and assessments you provide to your team are helping them improve as much as possible? In this episode of "Aim Higher," Skip and his panel of leadership experts explore this vital skill and dig into some very necessary--and sometimes thorny--issues you'll need to address if you want to create a culture where sound, solid feedback is part of a culture of continuous improvement and excellence.