Bold Leadership podcast

You have 28 days until 2020 is hindsight.  It's time to start setting the course for next year.   Are you going to improve your life, your family, your relationship, or your business?  If so, it's time to get started today.

We are living challenge times.  It's time to discuss leading through challenges.  This episode focuses on how to lead your family, your business and your community during challenging times.  Take these nuggets and make a difference. Be Bold Dave

Tiffani the Tipsy Artist is changing the way businesses think about team building.  She brings teams together to reinforce their company's Vision and Mission statements through art. We believe her approach will take corporate team building to a different level and improve company culture.  Join us today to talk about art, company culture and business innovation with the Tipsy Artist. Be Bold  Dave

Welcome to the Bold Leadership Podcast where we are continually working to build better business owners. Today's guest, Jennifer Webster, talks to us about growing a unique co-op business while challenging the rules.  She is focused, driven and persistent. If you own a business, you can learn a lot from Jennifer and all that she has done with the Conscious Community Co-op. Be Bold Dave

Alla Driksne is the Founder of Allasyummyfood Find out what happens when you leave your day job and start building something that fits your passion. Over the past 10 years, she has made it her mission to help women and men feel their absolute best by making delicious food. Because everyone’s skills are different, her focus has been on teaching simple, easy recipes + cake classes + masterclasses that are unique to each individual. Alla is a serial learner and loves the challenges of cooking and baking and she invites others to share this journey with her, because as soon as you step outside of your comfort zone, that's where the magic of discovery happens! she believes that everyone can cook with the right teacher and tested recipes.  She always tries and approaches every situation with grace and kindness while expressing gratitude for all the amazing things that are happening in her life. If there is one thing she has learned, it is the power of positivity and when you decide to shift your mindset, anything is possible! Check out her website:  https://www.allasyummyfood.com/   Be Bold! Dave

Mark Masters is a tribal citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and possesses nearly twenty years of industry experience. He holds a BS in Ecology from Oklahoma State University and a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship from the renowned Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. During his eight-year career as a federal wildland fire and all-hazards incident responder, he held a variety of positions including as an aerially delivered firefighter (heli-rappeller). In 2009, he left his position with BIA-NIFC and founded Chloeta with extremely humble beginnings. Chloeta has grown into an international service provider in the areas of emergency management, environmental consulting, security, aviation, and wildland fire management. Chloeta has been named twice to the Inc. 5000 by Inc. Magazine and was also named to the Entrepreneur 360 list by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2018. Today we discuss the leadership that has made his company so successful. Be BOLD Dave

Liv-Runi is a 35, Norwegian, and a mum of two kids aged 1 1/2 and soon 3. She lives with my kids and boyfriend in Moss, about an hour southeast of Oslo (the capital of Norway).  Liv runs her own business with the name Digitale Historier (translated to Digital Stories) where she focuses mainly on content creation and content marketing. The art of storytelling is something that lights her up, and Liv thrives whenever she gets to help small to medium-sized companies with their digital content and storytelling. She has a PR and communications background, alongside being a professional photographer. Liv also has a passion for social media, so the whole content part came very naturally to her. She has been working with content and strategies for social media for 12 years now, but it wasn’t until Liv worked for Oslo airport where my main task was to document and tell the stories of the airport that the storyteller in her emerged. It's time to learn more about building a storytelling business. Be Bold  Dave

Ashley Harwood is a fierce advocate for introvert entrepreneurs. She is passionate about empowering introverts to be as successful as they choose to be, while still enjoying their lives, every day. She is the creator of The Quiet Success Workshop, The Quiet Success Programs, and the founder of The Quiet Success Retreat. Ashley teaches introvert entrepreneurs how their energy affects their bank account. She has taught hundreds of entrepreneurs throughout the country and loves showing business owners alternative ways to grow their businesses. When she is not spreading the Move Over Extroverts word around the world, she loves cooking, doing yoga, and swimming in the ocean. Ashley grew up in Michigan and has been in Massachusetts since 2011. She graduated from Northern Michigan University summa cum laude, with a degree in English, then spent a few years in luxury retail management before getting into real estate in 2013. Since then, Ashley has built a thriving, 6-figure business as a solo real estate agent. Through her own experience as an introverted Realtor, Ashley discovered that much of what worked for others in her office did not work for her. The year she realized she was actually an introvert, her business quadrupled over the previous year, and her life dramatically improved. This is what led her to found Move Over Extroverts in 2019, to shorten the learning curve for other entrepreneurs and help them do business in a way that doesn’t burn them out. Learn more about her program at the links listed below Be BOLD - Dave 1. Ashley's website: https://www.moveoverextroverts.com/ 2. Ashley's Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/402844240281681/ 3. Ashley's Aruba retreat info: https://www.moveoverextroverts.com/retreat    

If you struggle with Quickbooks you are definitely going to want to listen to this podcast.  Courtney is a Quickbooks whisperer and see can help simplify your life. With 22 years of Quickbooks experience, Courtney is passionate about helping small business owners thrive through more strategic bookkeeping. In addition to keeping the books for an electrical contracting company she owns with her husband, Jeb, Courtney oversees accounting and bookkeeping for private clients of varying sizes. Her experience learning under Chief Financial Officers's, Controllers, Certified Public Accountants's, and Enrolled Tax Agents as a business owner and outsourced bookkeeper led her to develop an easy, effective, and low-stress system for setting up and maintaining Quickbooks Online books. Use this link for a course discount https://www.courtneyboudet.com/EXSIN Be Bold Dave

Colonel Jon "BigDogg" Rhone was born into the Air Force and had the privilege of growing up and being influenced by parents and siblings who loved the Air Force. After graduating from the USAF Academy, he was honored to serve and lead Airmen for 24 years. He hopes to continue serving by enthusiastically unlocking others’ full leadership potential. Through his experiences and relationships with young servicemembers, He has learned many yearn for a stronger connection to, and with, senior leaders. BigDogg's now building better leaders through his new entity Rhone Coaching & Consulting Group. He is excited to launch his leadership podcast in February. The intent of the “Leadership Domain Podcast” is to provide a forum for world-class leaders to share their lived experiences and professional insight. Jon hopes this podcast serves as a bridge between leaders regardless of generation labels. While most of the guests and stories are rooted in military service, I believe they are universally applicable to experienced and young leaders in the public and private sectors. You can learn more at his website: https://www.rhoneccg.com/ He is an incredible leader, mentor to many and personal friend. Enjoy this episode. All the best, Dave

Colonel Jon "BigDogg" Rhone was born into the Air Force and had the privilege of growing up and being influenced by parents and siblings who loved the Air Force.  After graduating from the USAF Academy, he was honored to serve and lead Airmen for 24 years. He hopes to continue serving by enthusiastically unlocking others’ full leadership potential. Through his experiences and relationships with young servicemembers, He has learned many yearn for a stronger connection to, and with, senior leaders.  BigDogg's now building better leaders through his new entity Rhone Coaching & Consulting Group.  He is excited to launch his leadership podcast in February. The intent of the “Leadership Domain Podcast” is to provide a forum for world-class leaders to share their lived experiences and professional insight. Jon hopes this podcast serves as a bridge between leaders regardless of generation labels. While most of the guests and stories are rooted in military service, I believe they are universally applicable to experienced and young leaders in the public and private sectors.  You can learn more at his website: https://www.rhoneccg.com/ He is an incredible leader, mentor to many and personal friend.  Enjoy this episode. All the best, Dave

If you find your niche you can change the world.   For 20+ years Carolyn O'Byrne worked with people supporting their physical and emotional health. About 7 years ago she turned her focus toward truck drivers. Her husband is a second-generation truck driver. His dad passed away hundreds of miles from home from a preventable health condition (when her husband was 20). Carolyn doesn't want that to happen to anyone else, unfortunately, it happens very often. Overall as a society, our health is more compromised than ever before. Carolyn works with truck drivers and their families supporting them toward optimal physical and emotional health. Via over the phone coaching, my book, "Gut Instinct," and my online strategies, Driven To Health, Driven To Peace, and Driven To Stop. Value? We think we have crazy schedules, try the life of a truck driver. Their schedules change daily. Sometimes they drive in the day and sometimes at night. There are so many factors that go into a truck driver's job and schedule. Traffic, load cancels, delivery and pick up hours, etc. Not to mention the difficulty to be there for their own health and family. It is very common for a drivers' schedule to drastically change at a moments notice. These avenues bring them to the awareness that it is all about their mindset while educating them on the true path to health. Showing them the power they have to be in control of their circumstances. Her biggest challenge she has to overcome is herself. She stands in her way. Carolyn continuously tries to reevaluate herself to be sure that she am not the issue at hand. Carolyn saw that projects would be moving right along then life would happen and it would seem as if someone threw a wrench into her plan and life came to a screeching halt. It would take forever to get her momentum back up and going. Becoming aware. This is the hardest part. when you are on the inside looking out, you don't see the obstacles. She talks to people about this all of the time concerning their health.  Carolyn loves the people she works with. Truck drivers have a very special place in her heart. Carolyn is excited to bring them the products they need to overcome the many obstacles in their life. She has found her niche and is saving lives, keeping us safe and taking bold steps to help grow U.S. trucking companies.

In this episode, we are kicking off the new year celebrating small business leaders with BOLD goals for 2020. Steven Whitney is an energetic inspirational human being. He loves to get other people excited about becoming healthy, re-wiring their brains or simply to go throw a Frisbee.  He loves music and is very supportive of the Colorado music scene. Steven has a wonderful dog named Memphis. He loves being outdoors and is an adventure freak. If it's tough he does it. Steven loves to laugh and most importantly love to get other people to laugh. Life is to short to not be living in the present and he just wants to help support people to be comfortable and confident in doing that.

We are ready to release season 4 and we are focused on solopreneurs and entrepreneurs.  2020 is almost here and we will be interviewing BOLD business owners, telling their stories and motivating you for the rest of the year.

It's that time of year again.  Work is slowing down and you have time on your hands.  Over the next few weeks, reflect on your performance over the last year then focus on the future.  Define your BHAG!  

https://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/badpartnership.htm If you're in a business partnership or a longstanding working relationship that isn't working, ask yourself these questions. Then, if you need to change or end the partnership, follow these five steps. A client, we'll call her Susan, had a business that was struggling financially and operationally. She was totally disgusted because her partner of 10 years was no longer carrying his weight and didn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation. She was so stressed she was seriously considering liquidating the business if things couldn't be changed for the better in a very short time. What to do? Her first commitment had to be to herself. Susan was able to realize that it was up to her to take command of this situation. She was coached to create some measurable goals with timeframes. She decided she wanted to give the business and her partner one last chance. Susan knew she must bring her partner, and eventually her staff, into the picture in order to get their buy-in. She created Job Roles for herself, her partner and each of her staff (Office Manager, Buyer and 2 Salesmen). Because of the longstanding relationship between her and her partner, we agreed it was best if I met with the partner and her to present things up to this point. Preparing for this was anxiety-producing for Susan, but also liberating. NOTE: Using a third party (like a coach or consultant) can offer a different perspective to a known problem. The partner was cordial and listened politely, as had been expected. But, of course, he didn't really GET IT that things had to change. Susan gave it three months under the new plan. Unfortunately, she had to bite the bullet and make the decision to liquidate the business. Fortunately, she was able to see the handwriting on the wall way in advance and gave herself six months to finalize the liquidation. Susan is in the process of purchasing a new business which will be hers alone. She could only do that once she realized she didn't actually need a partner. She had been carrying the business alone for several years anyway. If you're in a business partnership or a longstanding working relationship that isn't working, ask yourself why you got into the relationship to begin with. Many times people just don't feel ready to take on the full responsibility of running a business so they look for anyone who is interested and willing to work with them. Having the wrong partner is the basis of many partner problems. How to find the right partner is, of course, the topic for another article. If you can answer yes to one or more of the following it may be time to take command of your business and make the necessary changes. You're feeling like you're carrying more than your share of the work. Your partner seems to have lost interest in the business. You find more and more to disagree about. There have been changes in your partner's life that are interfering with his ability to function in the business. Your interest in the direction of the business is different from that of your partner. Here are the steps I suggest you take if you're seriously considering making changes to your partnership arrangement. Let’s discuss 5 partnership tips that will remove stress and resolve conflict. Review your Partnership Agreement. Your partnership may exist in the form of a Partnership or a Corporation. Either way, you have a legal entity that binds the two of you. Have your attorney review your documents and tell you exactly where you stand from a legal perspective. This is important so you will know your limitations as you begin to plan. If you have a written agreement about Roles and Responsibilities for each of you, assess whether it is still appropriate or needs to be updated. Decide and document exactly what you want for your business and yourself. Being in a state of dissatisfaction is the spur that will get you to take action. But you don't want to take action until you've thought through exactly what you're trying to achieve. Consider probable and possible outcomes for different scenarios to help you finalize a plan. Create and write a plan to accomplish your goals. The most positive thing you can do is create a plan for yourself and the business as you see it and be prepared to present that to your partner. If dissolving the business is in your plan, be prepared with both the reasons you want to leave...and what you plan to do in the future. You're not just leaving the business; you're going into something else. Schedule a time to "talk business" with your partner. A change of venue from your typical meeting might be helpful. Sitting down over lunch or coffee could be a good place to start. Be prepared for whatever response comes back to you. It can be anywhere from thankful to downright hostile. It will likely require some time for your partner to think through the ramifications of your proposal. Be forewarned; it's very difficult for people to make changes unless not making changes will jeopardize something of value to them. The bottom line is you don't want to back down from what you want. Compromise only if you're still OK with the terms. If your partner is looking for an excuse to blame you for the ills of the business, you may hear about it when you bring up the subject. I know it's tempting, but be careful not to get into a blaming match. The objective is to present what you want for the business and yourself, and your plan to make it happen. Outlining how you see their role in the business is totally appropriate. Then it's up to them to agree or respond with another suitable option. Be willing to walk away. If you cannot come to terms, or if you do and the partner does not keep his agreement, you must be prepared for a change in business status. You may decide to close the doors, sell the business, sell your share to the partner, buy him out or any other option that will allow you to move forward with YOUR plan. I know it's not easy to give up on something you've worked so long and hard to achieve. It's a lot like a marriage that's gone bad. At some point, however, you have to make the decision not to be the victim of circumstances any longer and make your move to position yourself for a better future. Being proactive; thinking through what you want and how you will get it is the first step toward taking command of your business. If you continue to wait for the partner to do something you may wait a very long time. Your frustration will keep building and the business will surely continue to suffer. Is it time to "take command of your business"?

The Story Exchange Is Your Business Ready for Summer Vacation Time? Ask These 3 Questions It's that time of year, when sunshine beckons. If you or your employees plan to take time off, now's a good time to assess your vacation policy. May 21, 2019 By Barbara Weltman It’s vacation time, for you and your employees. (Credit: Lance Asper on Unsplash) In the next several weeks and months, employees will be taking time off from work for summer vacations. According to a survey by Bankrate.com, about 38% of employees with paid vacation days plan to use them all this summer. Other findings: 59% plan to use more than half 5% plan to use less than 25% of their days 6% won’t use any time Now is a good time to determine what your company’s needs will be this summer. Also, given the tight job market, it’s a good time to assess your vacation policy. Here are three questions to ask: 1. Have you planned for a reduced work staff? Determine what will need to be done during the time when you/employees are off. Do what’s possible in advance. For me, this always means working double time for weeks in advance to satisfy the work deadlines that fall during my vacation. If possible, discuss with customers and clients about scheduling work after your/your employees’ vacations. Employees in your company may or may not fall within the survey’s findings mentioned earlier. Make sure you’re covered for any problems that need to be addressed while you are away. This can be done by giving an employee added responsibilities. Also, see that employees can cover for each other when needed. If necessary, hire temporary workers to fill in gaps in your staffing. With temporary workers, you pay the agency a fee for their services; they remain the employees of the agency. Summer interns may be helpful too. 2. What’s your vacation policy? How many vacation days do you offer? Federal law does not mandate that you give any paid time off, but you’d be hard-pressed to hire and retain good workers without a paid vacation policy. According to the BLS, 73% of all workers in the private sector have paid vacations. The number of annual paid vacation days workers receive varies with length of service. After one year of service, workers are most likely to have 10 to 14 days of paid vacation (38%). After 10 years of service, workers are most likely to have 15 to 19 days of paid vacation (39%). Those with at least 20 years of service are most likely to have either 20 to 24 days of paid vacation (32%) or more than 24 days of paid vacation (29%). Vacation policies at small companies may differ from those at large corporations. According to Zenefits,  paid time off (PTO), which includes not only vacation days, but also sick and personal days, was lower at companies with 1-99 employees. For example, after one year, the average number of PTOs at small firms was 9, compared with 12 at larger companies. 3. What do state laws require? As yet, there are no states that require employers to offer paid (or even unpaid) vacation days. But if you offer paid vacation days, there are certain rules governing how they accumulate, whether there can be a use-it-or-lose-it policy, and whether unused days must be paid when employment terminates. For example, in California, earned vacation time is considered wages and vacation time is earned or vests as labor is performed (e.g., 10 vacation days a year would mean 5 have been earned after 6 months). Here’s a chart listing vacation pay state laws, but it’s smart to check in with your state to make sure the information is current. Barbara Weltman is the founder of Big Ideas for Small Business, Inc., which publishes Idea of the Day. She is the author of J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes 2019 and other books that inform the small business community of tax, financial, and legal information they should know about.

“Kids watching television tend to accept it as a reflection of reality anyway,” Dr. David Hill, a pediatrician who is program director of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Communications and Media, told Healthline. “Until they’re about 8 years old, it’s very difficult for them to do any significant reality testing. That’s why kids under that age are much more accepting of Santa Claus. Kids already struggle with testing what’s real or not, and then reality television is advertised as being real.” This is a problem, according to Nancy Molitor, PhD, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of clinical psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, because kids often become desensitized to what they are seeing. “There is this appeal to these shows that comes down to making people feel superior to others,” Molitor told Healthline. “You see contestants being laughed at, rejected, voted off, made fun of. And watching these shows makes kids feel superior as well. It’s reinforcing all kinds of negative behavior that we don’t want to see in our kids, including relational aggression.” Today we are going to discuss 2 shows that distort reality and are creating a selfish  employee culture What show’s motto is outwit, outlast, outplay? Is this the mentality we want for our employees or leaders? How about this one recently posted on twitter “If you don't have haters, you're not doing something right.” Do you want employees walking in the door of your company thinking this is an appropriate way to behave.   Unfortunately what we believe is reality is actually somewhat scripted to drive emotional responses.   As leaders we must notice the signs of unhealthy behaviors and actions within our organization. You need team players, focused on team goals to grow exceptional companies.  Do not let your company fall into the trap of reality tv.

Inc. Magazine sat down with Chamath Palihapitiya a former VP of user growth at Facebook. Have you ever created something that you thought would help people, only to discover that it would harm them afterward? In an unexpected turn of events, the former Facebook executive spoke with the Stanford Graduate School of Business about his feelings of guilt and regret of helping found a company that has been fundamentally detrimental to the way people interact today. Palihapitiya first began at the social media company in 2007, three years after its founding by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. At the time, Palihapitiya recounted that few really considered the negative effects of a platform like Facebook. But as Facebook's popularity grew, it the negative consequences of constant, excessive social networking became clearer. And the problem became much bigger than Facebook as merely an online platform -- it changed the way people interact on a day-to-day basis and restructured an entire existing social structure, something few people could have foreseen after the advent of texting.   "It literally is a point now where I think we have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works. That is truly where we are," he said. "The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops that we have created are destroying how society works: no civil discourse, no cooperation, misinformation, mistruth. And it's not an American problem. This is not about Russian ads. This is a global problem."   Over the next 2 episodes, we are going to discuss the impact of social media and reality tv on your company.   Are social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat killing communication? Are companies losing productivity because their employees are always connected? How do business leaders grow a positive culture in a social media focused world? We are responsible for our actions.  It seems to me that civility is dying in exchange for likes, retweets, and followers.  The crazier it is the better.

Trust is the foundation of any great team.  If you want to build a successful team you must create an environment of trust.  You must be vulnerable and willing to listen and you must eliminate behaviors that force a lack of trust in the organization. If you don’t trust your teammates or your leadership you are destined to fail.   Today we are going to discuss the five behaviors of a cohesive team and give you some tips on how to build a stronger organization. The five behaviors of a cohesive team include: Trust, Conflict, Commitment, Accountability and Results How does trust or a lack of trust impact an organization? Is conflict within an organization a good thing? Is the team committed to the goals for a company and why does this matter? Do you hold yourself and teammates accountable and what is the impact Do your results align with your goals and what are you doing to ensure that this happens.

Do you feel like nobody you work with every listens to you?  We see it all of the time. Great ideas stifled because someone is afraid to offer their ideas to the team.  Company cultures managed by Dominant leaders inhibit the free flow of communication. Don’t be held back because you are afraid to speak.   Today we are going to discuss how to work with Dominant leaders and be heard. How can you improve the culture in your organization? How do you deal with a dominant leader? What challenges and impact have you seen with communication in organizations? Can you improve the culture in your organization by understanding the different personalities that you work with?

Great salesmen are great communicators.  Every good salesperson must be able to quickly assess the environment, understand their client's tendencies and adapt their personality in order for the client to listen. If you don’t know how to effectively communicate you are never going to be a great leader. Today we are going to look at the sales process and how your ability to communicate in another person’s type will improve sales and build lasting relationships. Why is it so important to be a great communicator to sell? Office memorabilia Clutter in the office or lack thereof Questions the client asks How the client represents themselves What signs help you understand your potential client’s personality type How do you build a long term client relationship What is your experience and how have these tools impacted your ability to close the deal.

Communication is the key to effective leadership.  Do you understand your personality tendencies and how they affect your interaction with others?  As I was once told you must know yourself to be yourself. More importantly, you must know how you are perceived by others and how they receive information to communicate effectively. If you don’t know how to effectively communicate you are never going to be a great leader.   Over the next 4 episodes, we are going to help you understand your personality tendencies, how they impact your culture, your sales team, and your leadership.  In the final episode in this series, we are going to provide you with the Five Behaviors of a cohesive team. There are multiple personality assessments you can utilize to understand your tendencies, but we have found that DiSC is the easiest to leverage with your team, customers and suppliers. What is DiSC D - Dominance I - Influence S - Steadiness C - Conscientiousness Are they Fast and Outgoing or are they Deliberate and Reserved? Are they Details and Results or are they People and Process focused? How can you quickly identify another person’s personality tendencies How do personality tendencies impact relationships How do different personalities respond to one another Why does any of this matter

Today we have the privilege of discussing leadership with Gregory “Heady” Coleman. Heady is extremely passionate about seeing people going further better in their personal and professional lives. In that, he loves growing communities that leads to wins for everyone. Over the last 13 years, He has managed to serve the Oklahoma City Metro area in several capacities while playing an intricate role in the awesome town he lives in Guthrie, Oklahoma; however, He is most proud of the relationships he has built with the great folks in Guthrie and the Oklahoma City Metro. Heady currently serves as Pastor at NORTHCHURCH Guthrie, where he focuses on his passion of helping people and growing a better community. He is happily married to the beautiful Bernadette Coleman. Heady and Bernadette have 3 dynamic children that they get the opportunity to raise in their favorite town Guthrie, Oklahoma. Heady discusses his #gowin philosophy and the importance of understanding everyone's story Be Bold Dave

Once you think that you are irreplaceable its time to hang up the cleats and move on to retirement.   Arrogant leaders divide organizations, destroy sustainable growth and are a detriment to the overall mission of any organization.  The reality is that everyone is replaceable. Unfortunately, many leaders believe something different. Once you realize that you are only a temporary caretaker for the organization the sooner you can start having a truly positive impact on your team.  Today, we are going to discuss some hard truths about leaders and how to really serve your team.   Truth #1:  The mission did not stop when I retired from the Air Force.  Not only did it not stop, it didn’t even slow down. The great leaders that stepped in to fill my position did an exceptional job.  If you are doing your job as a servant leader then you are grooming your replacement. All of my number 2s became number 1s and many continued on too much higher leadership levels in the overall organization.  I hope that my leadership provided them some tools that they still use today. Your first tip: Always be grooming your replacement. Be a mentor and enjoy their success.   Truth #2:  We are never as good as we think we are.  Times change, personalities change and the organizational goals change.  We work with many older leaders who “throw shade” on the millennials that work for them.  I hate to break it too you, but we were the “millennials” at one point. Those pain in the butt young people who always thought our leaders were crazy.  In reality, our leadership or lack thereof creates the problem. Their ideas aren’t wrong, they are just different. The reason they are different is that times change, culture changes and priorities change.  Tip number 2: Challenge your younger teammates to fail. Let them try new ideas and be there to catch them when they fall. A leader’s job is not to squash innovation, it is to encourage it, guide the team and challenge old ideas.  None of us are as smart as we think we are!   Truth #3: You only deserve a styrofoam cup.  If you have not watched Simon Sinek's youtube video discussing leadership you need to watch it.  The link will be in the show notes. When you are a CEO, Senior Military Leader or even a Head Football Coach.  You get certain perks. I can remember the first time I walked into a room filled with my teammates as a commander.  Everyone snapped to attention. People fell over themselves to make sure I was taken care of...Some leaders think that they deserve this response...they do not.  The respect is for the position and when you move on it stops. I will never forget walking off of the stage when I relinquished command. I quietly reached for my wife’s hand and left the building.  We then headed to Chili’s for a quiet lunch. My son looked at me and smiled. We all knew what had just happened. No fanfare, no parade, I once again became just another officer serving our great nation.  I happily grabbed my styrofoam cup and got back to work. Tip #3 Remember you only deserve a styrofoam cup don’t get so caught up in your position that you ever think you are better than your team. You are not.   Being a great leader means you always put your people first.  Just because you are in charge you are not funnier, you are not smarter and you are certainly no better than anyone on your team.  Your team laughs at your jokes because of your position. You get certain perks because of your position. It has little to do with you.  Your job is to always serve your team and put the team first.   Arrogance breeds contempt.  Many leaders have learned this the hard way.  CEOs accused of insider trading, college coaches busted for recruiting violations and misuse of funds permeate organizations run by arrogant entitled leaders. All of these leaders got caught up in the moment and forget their sole purpose, to serve those they lead.  You can’t live by the adage do as I say, not as I do. Your actions speak much louder than your words. Remember the first time you accidentally cussed in front of your child. You hoped those innocent ears did not hear the words you uttered, but they did. At the most inappropriate moment, your mini-me used the word in perfect context.  Your face turned bright red with embarrassment. Some of you owned it, others of you loudly rebuked your child. Your team will always follow your actions whether they are good or bad.   You show me an organization performing at the highest level.  I will show you a servant leader focused on the team. On the other hand, you show me an organization that is failing.  I will show you an authoritarian leader that rules by fear and continually violates the same standards they are trying to uphold. Here is the link to Simon's Discussion:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNf1pKRhay8 Be Bold Dave

Welcome to Bold Leadership.  Today we are going to discuss all of the nonsense surrounding our younger generation.  Are they really any different than you were at their age?  Are they good for your company? It's important to understand that we created the problem.  We pushed them and helped them like no other generation of parents.  Parents protected their children from failure.  But not all is lost.  You must understand what they bring to the team.  Their thirst for mentorship and the biggest benefit you get from younger employees. Embrace the generation we created and BE BOLD!

In today's episode we discuss tips to improve your growth potential and have some great advice from John Warrillow founder of Value Builder.

To all of you true blue red-blooded Americans out there and more importantly happy Fourth of July to those men and women sacrificing their time to defend our great nation overseas for all you and your family thank you for your service and thank you for your sacrifices have a happy and safe 4th of July.   Today we are discussing Financial Performance. But first, let’s talk about valuations.  If you have a business and you want to sell it you will go through a valuation process. A typical valuation process for financial types is the dreaded discounted cash flow...it is not your friend.  An accountant will look at your history and discount you value for each year you have been in business. It looks like this.       Now your forecasting 10 years at $1M per year, yet you are only worth $5M to potential buyers.  Our process helps you change that number and get the money you deserve for your great company.   Today we are going to focus on 3 areas to improve your financial performance: Increase your Revenue Increase your Profit Margin Formalize you BOOKKEEPING You must do #3...end of discussion.     You can increase your revenue a number of ways, but the easiest way is to sell more of your stuff to different people.  Same stuff in a different market. Too many businesses get focused on building and selling different stuff, but this kills your profit margin because you become too specialized and every product is different.   Let me explain.  If you want to increase your profit margin, you find ways to simplify and reduce costs.  Your process needs to be teachable and easily repeatable for your employees. Your product must be valuable to your customers.  If you offer too many specialized products your manufacturing costs go up exponentially.   You can also increase revenue by packing products and services which make them more valuable to your consumers.  Find ways to differentiate your offering. By differentiating yourself you create a monopoly for your business, make your company more competitive and more valuable to future buyers.   Improve your financial performance by GETTING A BOOKKEEPER, increasing your revenue and increasing your profit margin.   Again, happy 4th of July, stay safe!   Be Bold Dave

We are back for the new season I have been in the vault, we've been in training getting certified on other things to help you grow your business. We are now value builder certified. If you want to build a business, grow the value, have a great exit and make lots of money Value Builder is your ticket to success. So, in the next few episodes were going to discuss Value Builder in-depth. We're going to provide a webinar here shortly for you to download and learn more about how to create recurring Revenue but let's start by talking about what the heck is Value Builder. The system developed in math and data now the geek in me loves math and I love data. If you're not making decisions based on data then you are going to fail. Most of the mergers and Acquisitions that we've worked with people have this huge number. There's a value based on discounted cash flow and then there's a value based on Blue Sky. It's hard to quantify your blue sky to others. Value Builder helps owners quantify the gap between cash flow and blue sky. In today’s episode, we will discuss the eight drivers and provide a general overview of the Value Builder System. BE BOLD Dave

Do you have a BHAG?  If not, you should. I know that we all love to talk about SMART GOALS Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Time bound They are the rage, but you can never do anything BOLD with just SMART goals.   John F Kennedy set a goal to put a man on the moon...this is not a SMART Goal ELON Musk set a goal to build a resuable rocket...at the time...not a SMART Goal Elon Musk went so far as to fire over 400 employees who could not or would not meet the his expectation for development and production. He is focused on the impossible and he continues to surprise the world. These Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) push you to innovate.  It pushes you to make BOLD decisions and forces you to set and maintain extremely high standards.  I mean just think of all of the great things that have been developed because of the space race in the 60’s or all the innovation that has been driven by Elon Musk.   If you want to do great things, I mean spectacular things you have to dream big.  Most leaders inherently limit themselves with SMART goals. There is certainly a place for SMART goals, but don’t limit yourself. So how do you set ridiculous, amazing BHAGs Imagine the impossible...dream big Surround yourself with people who believe anything is possible Go to the whiteboard and start dreaming Once you have your BHAG, leverage SMART goals to set a path to reach your dream.  It's just that easy. Now if you don’t develop the path and periodically update you will never reach your goal.  So be persistent. I worked with a team to develop the 1st underground Compressed Natural Gas Storage System.  Everyone told us it could not be done. Too many regulations, Too much red tape, everyone else who tried failed.  Well we didn’t. We set the Big Hairy Audacious Goal and got to work. We did not listen to the naysayers. I can’t was not in our vocabulary.  We found a way to yes. We developed a timeline and got to work. Now, I am not going to lie and say it was easy. It wasn’t. We made mistakes along the way and had to find innovative solutions to solve the challenges.   Here is what I know in my heart.  If I can do this, then I know you can too.  Never limit yourself, never let naysayers drag you down and never quit. Be Bold! Dave

So you like your coach, Honestly I loved all of my coaches in life, but I didn’t really like them.  They pushed me. They challenged me and they made me better. Is your current coach doing the same? I am Dave Evans, a business consultant and coach.  I have been privileged to lead thousands of people into combat operations and helped small business owners define their path to success. If I ever stop learning and embracing change, please find a nice pasture to send me to.  People that don’t continue to learn and adapt to their changing environment will never see true success in life.  You are either growing or dying and I want to live!  Technology changes every two years.  Processes are never perfect. The world economy is more connected than ever.  You have access to more knowledge now than ever before: Podcasts, Youtube, Google and the list goes on  How do you spend your time. Today we are going to quickly discuss three challenges every business owner faces and offer solutions to find the right coach to guide you along the way. Systems and Processes Organizational Chart Roles & Responsibilities Hiring quality employees Evaluation Criteria Personality Assessment - DISC is our favorite Sales Assessment - SPQ Gold Work life balance - your circle of trust Finding the right coach is finding a person that pushes you to be better.  They push you to failure and force you to broaden your perspective. You need to have a coach who has experienced failure and pushes you to your limit.   Be Bold Dave

Today we have the privilege of sitting down with an incredible leader, mentor, and coach. George Glover is quickly becoming the go-to coach for leaders in Oklahoma. He and his team at Vistage are helping leaders solve tremendous challenges with their organizations. George believes that everyone knows the solutions to their most difficult challenges and he strives to help leaders find solutions. He has served as a CFO and CEO and some of the largest manufacturing companies in the world. Today he shares his views on leaders and offers some incredible tips on how to grow your company, face challenges and find ways to success. Be Bold Dave

We all know that the cost of a bad hire is expensive. Career builder states that these costs can exceed $50,000. None of us can afford that. Fast Company recently released an article interviewing the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh. It's a fast read and the link is below. https://www.fastcompany.com/3028628/infographic-how-much-a-bad-hire-will-actually-cost-you So how do small companies afford a hiring process that enables success? It's simple to develop a hiring combine much like the NFL. You need two things: a personality assessment and a test to discover whether or not the salespeople you hire have the tools needed to be a great salesperson. Check out this episode to learn more! Be Bold Dave

Its times like these when we need to work together to solve challenges. We need to act locally to solve problems nationally. Today we discuss the importance of doing something. We challenge you to stop acting like pigeons and dropping your problems without solutions on your favorite social media site to garner support for your opinion. Work with leaders locally and finds ways that work in your community to protect your children and families. I have to admit, I came off of the top rope on some folks recently on social media and I shouldn't have. Hey, most of us have made that mistake. But after listening to one of my college classmates on MSNBC, Chief Paul Cairney, I was reminded of the importance of finding solutions. Paul defines what a Bold Leader is. He is open to ideas and solutions. Instead of finding ways he can't solve a problem he found a solution that works for his community. I recommend that we all follow Paul's lead and make our communities safe again. Stop being weak and Start being Bold Be Bold Dave

Today we have the pleasure of interviewing Greg Dowty. A former marine and now a scientist, his company's goal is to change the way we handle tough mental challenges. A passion... We represent a new force in the behavioral sciences that reverses the flow of information. Until recently, clinicians have been in a trickle-down economy when it comes to applying research in their practice. Our goal is to create a torrent of activity that directly feeds the efforts of those on the front line. Our system is built on utilizing data from all available sources. Our plan is to give back in the form of outcomes and in AI solutions. We are here to make a significant impact. Meets new science... Neurology and the advent of increasingly advanced imaging technology is the great equalizer that enables our work through design and, eventually, as a source of data. The neurosciences have already made an impact in mental health treatment through verifying the effectiveness of activities historically neglected by research such as meditation, yoga, and mindfulness training. Beneficial practices have gained serious traction in both research and practice. We will initially advance through the collection of data from those who have the most exposure to the behavior and situations that impact their life. And, in this context, the educated, trained, licensed and experienced clinicians that work with them. And busts a paradigm. Imagine the information that we will all have when we collect this targeted data from tens of thousands of clinicians over the next 2,4,10+ years. Now imagine that the data collected represents every known environmental impact and its influence on cognitive/affective processing throughout the progression of a specific behavior. Finally, what if the program were to loop the analytics back into the system and... learn... to become more efficient... more predictive. The benefit would be staggering and it would change the way we understand and respond to behavior. Check out his work at: https://thelipidbrain.com/ Be Bold Dave

Negative feedback may be the most important feedback you ever receive as a leader so long as there is a proposed solution. In this episode, we discuss This is Why Your Boss Deserves Your Negative Feedback by Jane Claire Hervey. The article is shared below. This Is Why Your Boss Deserves Your Negative Feedback Jane Claire Hervey, WOMEN@FORBES I romanticize my work. I love to solve problems. I want to be the change I wish to see in the world. (I'm also a millennial—what can I say?) So, when I started my first full-time job at a digital marketing firm, I had high expectations. I was ready to learn, maximize my role and help the company drive revenue. When I noticed a problem within our operations, I pointed it out. If I thought there were areas in which we could improve, I spoke up. If I had a good idea, I gave it. But, more often than not, this feedback was met with silence and inaction, and over time I began to contribute less and less. When I left the company after three years, the CEO was surprised. "I didn't see this coming," he said. That stumped me. I had been vocal about my needs, pointed out gaps in our infrastructure and nothing had ever changed. Wouldn't my exit be expected? It turns out I'm not the only one with this experience. According to Claire Lew, the CEO of Know Your Company, this phenomenon is common—and it's the reason she's got a job today. Before Lew started Know Your Company, a software tool that helps business owners collect and utilize feedback, Lew also hated her job. She couldn’t give feedback to her boss, and the problem frustrated her so much that she quit to find a fix. She launched a consulting agency to help CEOs build better work cultures, and surprisingly one of her first clients, Basecamp, happened to be working on a software prototype for feedback. Together, they launched Know Your Company as a product in 2013, and Lew became the project's CEO in 2014. Since, Know Your Company has served more than 15,000 people in 25 countries. A couple of weeks ago, I caught Lew's talk on building feedback loops at the Culturati Summit in Austin, Texas and I immediately had a million questions: How do we build work cultures within our economy that better prioritize women and healthy lifestyles? How can we empower employees to give negative feedback? What can we do better—as bosses, as leaders, as employees—to turn problems into solutions? In this interview, Lew and I thankfully get to some potential answers. Jane Claire Hervey: Who are you and what do you do? Claire Lew: I’m the CEO of Know Your Company, a software tool that helps leaders create more open, honest environments by getting ongoing employee feedback. We also founded an online leadership community called The Watercooler, with 500+ managers and executives from all over the world. Hervey: There’s a lot of pressure on women and people of color to advocate for themselves and negotiate harder to claim their seat at the table. The mindset behind Know Your Company implies that dismantling the power dynamic that may hold certain employees back is on the CEO/leadership team. What do you have to say to the former? What may be misleading about that way of thinking? Lew: Asking women and minorities to advocate and negotiate for their seat at the table is like saying that people who get mugged on the street should take self-defense classes or carry a gun on them. It’s placing the burden of the problem on the victim, instead of addressing the underlying root cause of the problem. The problem is the work environment and culture—not the lack of action on the part of women and minorities. On top of that, the fact is that negotiating compensation is empirically disadvantageous to women and minorities. So negotiating for equal pay, let alone a seat at the table, has a ton of deeply entrenched hurdles around it. Hervey: How can start-ups, small businesses and lean creative companies better prioritize and utilize their team’s expertise? Aside from language, how can we actively create cultures that are diverse, inclusive and, most importantly, thriving? Lew: To actively foster thriving cultures that are diverse and inclusive, I recommend looking at four buckets of things you can do different. No. 1: Attract your applicants differently. You can edit your job description to be more inclusive. The language used in job descriptions can heavily bias who applies. [For example,] Buffer experienced this firsthand, and you can also learn the exact words that often discourage female applicants. No. 2: Elect your candidates differently. Clearly articulate attributes for each role and “culture fit” in advance. When you set the criteria ahead of time and define culture fit per your company’s core values, you can avoid unconscious bias. [Here's how companies like Facebook tackle that.] You can also consider having a rubric to evaluate candidates to make sure unconscious bias doesn’t creep in. No. 3: Develop your new employees differently. This includes having a clear policy on negotiation. Negotiating compensation is empirically disadvantageous to women and minorities. Perhaps consider getting rid of negotiation in the offer process entirely, as Reddit has done. You’ll also want to monitor for bias in performance and promotion processes. Research shows women tend to get promoted based on performance, while men are promoted based on potential. No. 4: Retain your employees differently. Survey your employees. Giving your employees a safe place to speak up about how they feel about their environment is key. This way you’ll learn what’s working and what’s not, be it hiring practices, mentorship programs, employee benefits, etc. Also, consider drafting a code of conduct to establish what you view as acceptable behaviors. Even consider how environmental cues like naming all the conference rooms after men can influence the tone of your environment. You can also offer benefits that are attractive to all employees. Support underrepresented employees’ needs and actively ask your employees for input on this. For example, Google started offering transgender benefits starting in 2011, after creating a workgroup to access the company’s benefits. Hervey: At Know Your Company, you encourage leadership to be vulnerable about their struggles, which is somewhat emotional. In small company settings, how can you proceed with this vulnerability about the company’s obstacles without scaring employees or threatening their trust in the company’s growth? Lew: Great question. When choosing to be vulnerable about serious company obstacles, you’ll want to first provide as much context as possible. For example, if your firm just lost its biggest client, provide context as to what percentage of the business this was and how the other accounts you have will cover for it, etc. Without this context, it’s easy for employees’ imaginations to (naturally) run wild. The other thing you’ll want to do when being vulnerable about a dramatic company challenge is to share a path forward. For example, if your company sales underperformed this quarter, be clear about a plan of action ahead to improve business development going forward. This maintains your employees’ trust that you’re doing everything you can to have their backs in a tough situation. Hervey: With limited resources as an entrepreneur or small business, how can you reasonably manage expectations when gathering company feedback? Could you specifically expand upon your concept of “closing the loop” from this perspective? Lew: When gathering company feedback, there’s definitely going to be a time–or many times–when you can’t implement a piece of feedback. Or, when you simply don’t want to. Someone made a ridiculous suggestion about a company benefit. Or, someone has a great idea but one that financially isn’t feasible right now. What do you do? If you receive a piece of feedback that isn’t practical or doesn’t align with the company’s direction, tell your employees that. Explain why you’re not doing something. Expose your decision-making process. Explaining why you’re not doing something—or what I like to call “closing the loop”—is one of the most effective ways to cultivate an open, honest work environment. If you don’t, employees will wonder, “What ever happened to that idea I suggested?” They’ll assume that you’re not open to receiving new ideas, and they’ll hesitate to bring up feedback the next time around. Hervey: Any advice for companies building their operations? Where might they actionably start in incorporating feedback loops? Lew: As a company that aspires to foster a culture of feedback, it’s more than just doing one-on-ones and employee surveys and calling it a day. To have your team truly embrace feedback in their day-to-day operations, you’ll want to consider these three things: personal accountability, consistency and richness. Personal accountability: When it comes to feedback (and leadership in general), you’ve got to walk the walk. You can’t ask others to be open to feedback if you’re not open to feedback yourself. Model the behavior you want your employees to exhibit. If you want employees to admit their weaknesses and be forthcoming about their mistakes, you have to start with doing so yourself, first. Consistency: Holding all-company meetings and/or one-on-one meetings are great to initiate the feedback loop. But the power of them lies in how consistent they are. Do you hold those all-company meetings or one-on-ones regularly? Or just here and there, whenever you remember them? If it’s the latter, you’re sending the message: “Your feedback is not important.” Consistency of your feedback loops is what determines whether or not you’re building a culture of feedback–or if it’s a facade. Richness: You can’t assume that one channel of feedback is going to work for everyone. So the more avenues to provide for people to give feedback and weigh in, the better. Some people might prefer town hall meetings, while others prefer electronic employee surveys. The richness of how you communicate–the varying formats and mediums–allows you to reach everyone. One way is not the only way to foster honesty and transparency within your company. Hervey: When balancing the personal and professional in the workplace, especially in small companies, do you have any tips for founders that need to give really honest feedback on performance? Lew: If you need to give honest feedback on performance, and you’re worried about negatively affecting someone’s morale, there are four things to keep in mind. No. 1: Come from a place of care. You’re giving feedback because you care. You deeply care about this person’s personal and career growth. You deeply care about the project’s success. Communicate these things. For example, you could say something like: “I’m saying this because I believe in you and I want you to succeed…” No. 2: Come from a place of observation. Focus on the actions and the situation of what happened—what you observed—and not the personal attributes or characteristics of the person. For example, if you think a coworker wrote a sloppy email to the client, instead of saying: “I think you’re careless”… you could say, “I noticed that in the email you wrote, there were a few mistakes that were made.” No. 3: Come from a place of fallibility. Your feedback is not infallible. Don’t forget that your feedback is only an interpretation of what you observed, and your own perspective of how things can improve going forward. Be willing to admit this. For example, you could say, ““Is there any information that you think I might be missing?” No. 4: Come from a place of curiosity. When you give feedback, it should feel like a conversation. No one likes being talked at. To do this, simply ask after sharing your feedback: “What do you think?” Hervey: Can you describe a favorite feedback moment with your own team at Know Your Company? Lew: They happen all the time! Just the other day, I had an idea for marketing that our CTO gave me feedback on. Even though marketing is technically “my domain,” our CTO had some excellent thoughts on my idea. I easily could’ve been defensive toward him or dismissed his feedback–but I listened, and we ended up going with what he suggested. Acknowledging that I might have a bias toward my own idea helped me listen to feedback and make a more informed decision. Hervey: What’s your ideal working environment—both mentally and physically? Lew: Peaceful. Anywhere with little to no sound, and an uninterrupted period of time. Hervey: Any professional self-care routines that you could recommend? Lew: Giving yourself uninterrupted periods of time to get stuff done is my biggest saving grace. Also, sleep. You can’t do your best work without a good night’s sleep. Hervey: What do you wish for the future of work culture? Lew: I hope our future of work culture can be more open and honest–that employees and leaders alike don’t fear talking to each other, speaking the truth and what’s on their mind. I believe when we can all go to work in an environment where you feel free to be open and honest, we’re all happier. Interested in Hervey's work? Follow along on Instagram or check out her Texas-based nonprofit, #bossbabesatx. Check out more of Jane's work Women@forbes Be Bold Dave

We summarize Bill Zip's article in our latest episode...Do Metrics Matter.  I have included his article below.   I’ve never met a business leader who’d actually say, “Oh no, metrics don’t matter to me.” Have you? I didn’t think so. So why ask the question, “Do your metrics matter?” Because I’ve found the way most business leaders operate is like they’re practical atheists when it comes to metrics. I know, I know that’s an odd phrase. A practical atheist is someone who believes in God, but lives like they don’t. So a practical metric atheist is someone who believes in metrics, but leads like they don’t. Are you that kind of leader? Here are four questions to ask yourself to find out if your metrics really matter. Question One: Are your metrics few in number? The first indication that your metrics don’t really matter is that you have too many of them. Way, way too many of them. That’s the nature of the age in which we live, we have lots of data. Big data, little data, and all kinds of data in between. Drowning in data, we never take the time to find out what the data means and count the things that really count. Take for example sales, the field in which I have the greatest business expertise. You can measure close ratio, number of calls per client to close, net new appointments, forecasting accuracy, time in the funnel, velocity of execution by sales stage, average deal size, weighted deal size, proposals under consideration, probability of proposals under consideration, and performance against goal by week, month, quarter, and year. You get the idea, right? Most salespeople, when confronted with a barrage of data like this, ignore it all. That’s true of other people as well. A wall of numbers never get read, except by the most brave mathematical souls (not you and me). And that’s too bad, because some of these metrics are essential to success. A head of sales who wants to make her metrics to matter will select the three or four critical ones to focus on like a laser, letting the inconsequential ones go. I refer to this as the vital signs approach to metrics. Our vitals signs track the three or four things that are key to good health, like pulse at resting, blood pressure, body mass index. If any of those numbers are off, you take a deeper dive with your doctor. So too with sales. If sales are off, you take a deeper dive with your manager (known in the sales world as a strategic account review), but week by week you watch your vital signs. In other words, the very first—and foundational—way to have your metrics matter is by identifying the vital few that make the biggest impact. Question Two: Are your metrics predictive of performance? So then, which metrics make the biggest impact? The ones that predict performance, not just report it. Let me explain. If you’re driving a car, which would you rather be looking at, what’s ahead in the windshield or what’s in the rear view mirror? The windshield, of course, because that’s where you’re going. The rear view mirror only tells you were you’ve been. Metrics that matter, then, are windshield metrics, leading indicators, not rear view mirror metrics, lagging indicators. While lagging indicators tell you some things, it’s too late for you to do anything about those things because they’re in the past. Leading indicators allow you to steer the course of your company into the future. As important as windshield metrics are, it’s far easier to focus on rear view mirror metrics. Mostly because they involve less thinking. The data’s easily accessible and fairly easy to interpret. But the key to high performance is being able to shape the direction of the marketplace, not just react to it. In other words, think! If you want your metrics to matter, use your brain to find the ones that focus on the future and actually predict performance. Question Three: Are your metrics tracked consistently? The third question to ask yourself to find out if your metrics matter is whether or not you keep track of them on a consistent basis. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with a client company helping them define their key metrics, only to check in with them a mere few weeks later and they can’t remember what their metrics are, let alone measure progress against them. What waste. This has happened to me so much that I’ve started warning my clients that I’m going to check on these things every week until I’m satisfied that tracking their key metrics has become automatic. So track, track, track, track, track, track, track. Yes, I just used the same word seven times in a row. Get the point? Now do it. That’s the beauty of the vital signs approach I outlined earlier. When you identify three or four numbers that are your company’s true vital signs, calculating them is quick and easy, like pulse at resting and blood pressure. In this regard I’ve discovered that fancy dashboards and slick apps don’t work. Keep it simple, because, in this exceedingly complex world, simple is also powerful. Pretend you’re Apple and call it metric minimalism, that’s a much cooler word than simple anyway. Question Four: Are your metrics celebrated publicly? And finally, if you want your metrics to really matter. If you want to supercharge them, energize them, put them on steroids or (insert your metaphor here), celebrate their success. Sadly, most managers use their metrics to catch people doing things wrong. They use them like a club to beat people with or a stick to poke them with. This punitive approach to performance doesn’t achieve excellence. It just pisses people off and alienates them. The most powerful way to use your metrics is to catch people doing things right. Whenever someone meets or exceeds one of your numbers, celebrate. Tell their story to everyone. Recognize them in front of their peers. Praise them publicly. Make these people the heroes of your company and the most amazing thing will happen. The DNA of that success will begin to duplicate itself throughout the organization, because other people, too, will want to get into that action. Yes, I know you believe that metrics matter. You wouldn’t be in business if you. didn’t. Numbers don’t lie, right? But numbers can be ignored, forgotten, or rendered irrelevant if we lead in a way that acts like they don’t exist. Pick the few metrics that really make a difference, ensure they’re predictive of performance, track them consistently, and celebrate them publicly. Making your metrics matter is essential to building a high performance culture, and that’s exactly what I help my clients do. Whether it’s a keynote address that resets the clock for your company or executive coaching for your leadership team, give me a call and let’s explore how together we can create a culture that drive numbers.     Check out more from Bill at http://billzipponbusiness.com   Be Bold Dave

Are leaders trained or developed?  Today we will answer this question with some help from an article written by Matt Myatt.  The short answer is this...leaders are developed.  It is a continual process that requires a plan.  A 3-hour training session does not really build great leaders.    Its a lifetime of education.  Below are 20 differences between training and development from Matt Myatt. The following 20 items point out some of the main differences between training and development: Training blends to a norm – Development occurs beyond the norm. Training focuses on technique/content/curriculum – Development focuses on people. Training tests patience – Development tests courage. Training focuses on the present – Development focuses on the future. Training adheres to standards – Development focuses on maximizing potential. Training is transactional – Development is transformational. Training focuses on maintenance – Development focuses on growth. Training focuses on the role – Development focuses on the person. Training indoctrinates – Development educates. Training maintains status quo – Development catalyzes innovation. Training stifles culture – Development enriches culture. Training encourages compliance – Development emphasizes performance. Training focuses on efficiency – Development focuses on effectiveness. Training focuses on problems  - Development focuses on solutions. Training focuses on reporting lines – Development expands influence. Training places people in a box – Development frees them from the box. Training is mechanical – Development is intellectual. Training focuses on the knowns – Development explores the unknowns. Training places people in a comfort zone – Development moves people beyond their comfort zones. Training is finite – Development is infinite. BE BOLD and Develop Great Leaders

Our nation is struggling to find leaders who can negotiate like adults and find a way to yes. Today we discuss the challenges our nation faces with the recent the government shutdown. Leaders continually draw battle lines based on party affiliations with no conscious to do what is right for our nation. Great leaders find a way to yes. It's time that we reflect on our own leadership style. We must shift from selfish to selfless leaders. I challenge all of our listeners to forward this podcast to your friends and family. We must hold all leaders accountable and remember it is not about our party affiliation it's about the nation as a whole. Every good business owner knows you can't stay in business long when you elect to pay yourself and not your employs. Be Bold Dave

In this episode, we have the privilege of discussing leadership with Christoph Szakowski. He serves as a managing partner for Logcon East. To say he understands the challenges associated with leadership is an understatement. He has lived through some challenging times and his views on leadership will make us all better leaders. Tune in and broaden your leadership perspective. Its time we start growing our relationships across the globe. Be Bold Dave

Today we have the privilege of discussing leadership with one of the founders of High Five Media, Earle Haggard.  High Five Media is the hip place to go in OKC if you need help with Digital Marketing.  This is no surprise if you know Earle.  He is an amazing father, husband and all around good guy.  Today Earle is going to discuss leadership at High Five Media, challenges, fears and successes.   We hope you enjoy his insight into entrepreneurial leadership as much as we did. As Earle says in the interview, "If you believe you can or you can't, you're right!"...Henry Ford Be Bold Dave

Over the past few weeks we have learned of events that have disappointed and discouraged many of us. Thanks to one young woman's brave #metoo hashtag we are working together to solve problems and promote a sense of equal values. As you grow as a leader sometimes your values get challenged and in some instances you will be tempted to make incredibly poor choices. Realize that there is real value in your values. It is the core of who you are. Remain humble and approachable, don't ever mistake your position in the world as a right to take advantage of others. This behavior impacts both the team and your overall mission. Reaching your ultimate goals means that you resist immediate gratification in turn for greater success and satisfaction down the road. As you step into the New Year focus on your goals ahead. We wish you great success in 2018. Have value in your values BE Bold Dave

Happy Early New Year to everyone. It is time to celebrate all of your wonderful accomplishments for 2017. Take a look back and enjoy what you have done. In this episode Phil and I discuss the importance of looking at where you have been and enjoy your success as you head into the new year. Happy 2018 All the Best BE BOLD Dave

We live in a world where many leaders do not walk the talk. In this episode Phil and Dave discuss the importance of doing what you say and the impact to the team when you don't. We know that people respond better to leaders who know they are not perfect. Life and challenges change everyday and no one has all of the answers. Leaders must demonstrate performance. When you admit to your team that you don't have all of the answers your team will find solutions. This applies specifically to every phase of your business. How many times have you had a contractor who said they could do something that epically fail. We all make mistakes and we must be willing to admit our mistakes and embrace our team. Be a better leader and start walking the talk. BE BOLD Dave

Ethics drive everything we do in work and life.  What is your work ethic, business ethic and family ethic? Do you value a dollar more than doing what's right? It seems that this is more true today than ever.  Are we creating a society of workers that are not being held accountable to a strong work ethic?  If so, this is a huge challenge for tomorrows business owners.  Phil discusses lesson learned on the farm bailing hay and mending fences.  Time proves that if you give people a hard challenge they will find an easier way to do it.  Why aren't we challenging our team and cheering them on to success or failure. Are you putting yourself out there? Do you know who you are and your values?  Are you willing to stand up for your values?  If you have the truth and what's right on your side you will always be ok.  Be a better leader, hold to your values, encourage your team to do there job day in and day out.   Remember that haters are going to hate.  We need to stop giving attention to the noise and start holding people accountable. This episode is eye opening and provides a path we all need to start following today. Be Bold Dave

December can be an especially nerve-wracking month at work, not only because the year is ending but because the winter holiday season can create extra stress and unpleasantness -- even between co-workers. Some people celebrate holidays at this time of year, some people don't and everybody has their own feelings and expectations about the end-of-year period. Some people are excited about it, and others aren't. During December people can easily stumble over appropriate seasonal greetings, sentiments and terminology. There is constant risk of awkwardness around socializing, gift-giving and even cubicle decoration. Here are ten new "rules" to follow during the holiday season, to preserve harmony (and sanity) on your team! 1. Please don't shove your kids' fundraising candy sales down your co-workers' throats. Your colleagues may adore you and your children but they may already know where every penny of their holiday budget is going. If you want to promote your kid's fundraising cookie sale, put up a poster in the break room. Don't sell people at their desks. No one should have to fend off sales pitches at work. 2. Please don't try to drag anyone to your holiday service, pageant or concert. Everybody is overbooked in December. Do not put anyone in the awkward social position of having to make up a conflict to save them from your holiday service, pageant or concert. If you make people aware of your outside-of-work performances and gatherings and they want to go, they will let you know. 3. Don't force your employees to go to the company holiday party if they don't want to. If you have a party during work hours, give your employees the opportunity to go home early or get some shopping done instead of sticking around for merriment if they're not into it. If the party is after work hours, ditto. 4. Don't get drunk at your company's holiday party. This one is obvious but people still do it. 5. Don't make your employees participate in Secret Santa activities if that's not their cup of tea. Nobody should be forced into any "fun" workplace activity, because the minute they are forced to participate it's not fun anymore. I love a cookie exchange as much as the next person but I want to be invited to join in -- not compelled to. 6. Don't give your boss a holiday gift. It's nice of you to think of doing that but it puts your boss in an awkward position. Get a sweet potted plant for the office, instead! 7. Respect the fact that not everybody gets into the holiday spirit, or wants to. Some people have a tough time around the holidays. It is fun to be merry and festive at work but it's even more important to be sensitive to everyone around you. 8. Remember to thank your co-workers, vendors and customers for their support over the past year. It's amazing how a tiny word of thanks can brighten someone's day. 9. Give everybody the benefit of the doubt in December. We are all carrying a heavy load. The end of the year can be chaotic and stressful even for happy-go-lucky people. Don't assume that someone used the wrong holiday greeting to offend you -- that's highly unlikely. Think the best of everyone. That's the only way to stay cool and calm yourself when things get hectic! 10. Finally, be good to yourself. It is easy to over-commit, overextend yourself and criticize yourself as the year comes to a close. Take a moment and remember all the good things you accomplished, learned, experienced and discovered in 2017. You are a superstar, whether you admit it or not -- celebrate your awesomeness for a minute, before you dive into 2018! Liz Ryan is CEO/founder of Human Workplace and author of Reinvention Roadmap. Follow her on Twitter and read Forbes columns. Liz's book Reinvention Roadmap is here.

Can you will yourself to success? The answer is simple and it is yes. It is your choice. As a leader are you driving positive outcomes in your organization? Is your attitude impacting performance. Visualization and positive thinking are two of the most important aspects driving success. Do you have a vision board and if not, why not? Visualizing success will help you find success. Your vision board is your greatest asset, it gives you a reminder everyday of your goals and keeps you on track. It serves as a motivator to continue to find ways to success. It will help pull you out of the funk and find ways to yes. Positive thinking helps you find meaningful solutions. If you force yourself to find what's good in life you will find what's good. On the same note if you force yourself to see what's bad in life you will find what's bad. Is you cup half empty or half full. You focus this week is to help your team take a positive approach to challenging situations find the good in life and stop focusing on the negative Be Bold Dave

Your attitude is by far the most important driver for your business. It impacts everything you do. Many times when an organization is failing just look to the leader and their attitude. It is typically the number one driver for success or challenges. Today we are going to discuss the impact attitude has on leadership and the team. We will answer the following questions and ensure that you have the tools to keep you attitude in check - What is the negative impact that a bad attitude has on business? - In most businesses that are struggling what is the single biggest challenge they face? - Do you recall any instances where you saw a business with a poor culture? How was the leader driving the culture? - Why do you think that most leaders, coaches and trainers don’t focus on fixing the attitude first? We know that its 90% attitude and 10% effort. The right attitude will carry you through the toughest of times. Be Bold Dave

Today’s Topic: All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten, by Robert Fulghum   Most of what I really need To know about how to live And what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top Of the graduate school mountain, But there in the sandpile at Sunday school. These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life - Learn some and think some And draw and paint and sing and dance And play and work everyday some. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, Watch out for traffic, Hold hands and stick together. Be aware of wonder.   Enough said, work on being a better person and treat others the way you would like to be treated.   BE BOLD Dave

Mentorship is the foundation for leadership development and growth unfortunately many leaders focus to much on the bottom line and not enough on development. They promote their friends and cronies without much consideration for capability and little concern for development. Many small businesses struggle because the owner is focused on running the day to day operations and does not act as an owner. They do not delegate because of their love for the business and with not development plan in place they continually struggle to get off of the treadmill. This behavior inhibits growth. It ultimately leads to failure and typically they end up losing their best employees to other organizations. Those who have had great success can surely remember their most influential mentor. I had many as did Phil, but the bottom line is that we both found individuals with whom we could relate and respected tremendously. I am asked all of the time how do you find a great mentor? The answer is simple find someone who is extremely successful, whom you respect and ask them for mentorship. Yes they may say no, but don't give up keep searching. You will find the right fit and your growth will be exponential. If you have "made it" you owe it to the nation to pay it forward. Find some young man or woman and offer to be their mentor. Challenge them, let them fail and teach them how to learn. It will be the most rewarding experience of your life. Here is our challenge to you... In the next 30 days find one person and take the time to mentor them. Be Bold Dave

Bold Leaders build bridges. Unfortunately it seems as if today's leaders have forgotten this one simple fact. We have lined up, picked sides and left no room for compromise. This episode covers the importance of building bridges, finding ways to yes and growing your network to be known as an American vs. an American't. It is easy to always say no, but your biggest successes will come when you find a way to say yes. Become a bridge builder and lead your organization to greatness. Be Bold Dave