Leadership Biz Cafe with Tanveer Naseer

Many leaders view disruption as something they have to manage or preferably avoid altogether so they can focus on what they believe is the “real work” of leadership.But in today's increasingly complex and uncertain world, perhaps the real work leaders should be focusing on is rethinking how and why their organizations operate the way they do. That's the argument my guest Terence Mauri makes in this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast.Terence is a world-leading expert on the future of leadership, AI, and disruption, and the founder of the future trends think tank, Hack Future Lab. Terence's writings and insights have appeared in The Economist, Forbes, Inc, BBC, Reuters, and Business Insider.In his latest book, “The Upside of Disruption”, Terence presents his DARE model – a framework that challenges leaders to build adaptive, resilient, and human-centric organizations that due away with the current approach towards a more command-and-control style of leading.Just like his book, my conversation with Terence will disrupt how you think about AI, agility, and failure, and why the most successful organizations in the years ahead will not be those who learn to survive disruption, but who understand how to thrive because of it.Noteworthy links:Buy Terence's book “The Upside of Disruption” on AmazonLearn more about Terence's work: terencemauri.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of my “Leadership Espresso Shot” series, I explore the dynamic between authority and influence, and some important findings from the field of neuroscience that reveal how quickly leaders can lose trust and with it, the ability to successfully drive peak performance in their organization. Considering how easily this can happen, this is an episode you'll want to check out if you want to ensure you're able to bring out the best in those you lead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a world where misinformation spreads at lightning speed, how can leaders protect themselves – and their organizations – from making crucial decisions based on flawed thinking?In this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, I've invited Dr. Alex Edmans to join me to help tackle this timely and critical question facing leaders today.Alex is a Professor of Finance at London Business School. He has a PhD from MIT as a Fulbright Scholar, and was previously a tenured professor at Wharton and an investment banker at Morgan Stanley.Alex has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, testified in the UK Parliament, and given 3 TED talks, including “What to Trust in a Post-Truth World”, which has been viewed over two million times.Alex joins me to talk about his latest book, “May Contain Lies: How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases – And What We Can Do About It”.Over the course of this episode, Alex and I discuss:Why confirmation bias affects everyone (even those who think they're immune)How black-and-white thinking limits our understanding of complex issuesThe crucial differences between statements, facts, data, evidence, and proofPractical strategies to strengthen critical thinking at both individual and organizational levelsThis is both a fascinating and challenging conversation, and one that will help you strengthen your critical thinking skills that you'll need to help your organization navigate this age of misinformation.Noteworthy links:Buy Alex Edman's book “May Contain Lies” on AmazonLearn more about Alex's work: alexedmans.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past couple of months, there have been several high-profile CEOs across different industries whose actions and words demonstrate a firm belief in the command-and-control approach to leadership. That leaders can simply issue declarations of 'how things work around here' without so much as an explanation or giving space for employees to share their concerns. But is this really the most effective and successful way to lead organizations in today's uncertain and increasingly fragmented world? Is this truly the best way for our organization's long-term prosperity? Or is that longevity being cast aside in favour of short term gains and ‘shiny object' wins? In this edition of my “Leadership Espresso Shot” series, I wanted to address this growing perception around what it means to lead because the acceptance of such outdated attitudes around leadership will adversely impact the competitiveness of many organizations who choose this easy path over doing what's necessary to evolve and grow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you caught in the relentless cycle of ‘eat, work, sleep, repeat'?According to my guest for this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, the problem we face with this cycle of busyness is not a lack of time management, but a lack of clarity over what our personal values are and how to live a more intentional life.Peggy Sullivan is a corporate performance expert, researcher, speaker, and founder of SheCAN!, a national women's nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women professionally and personally. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Inc, Bloomberg Businessweek, and numerous other media outlets.I've invited Peggy to join me on my podcast so we can talk about her book “Beyond Busyness: How to Achieve MORE by Doing LESS.”Over the course of our conversation, Peggy shares a simple, but powerful three-step strategy that can help any leader get off the busyness hamster wheel and instead spend their days doing work that aligns with their personal values and aspirations.Noteworthy links:Buy Peggy's book “Beyond Busyness” on AmazonLearn more about Peggy's work: peggysullivanspeaker.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In times of uncertainty, the most important thing leaders need to do is make sure their team's goals are directly tied to their organization's noble purpose. But how do we do that? How do we make sure we connect the ‘what'' of our days to the ‘why' that defines our future? In this edition of my “Leadership Espresso Shot” series, I share three questions leaders should be asking themselves to ensure they're staying on track to achieving their shared purpose, and not drifting off-course towards employee disengagement and dissatisfaction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the face of rapid change and disruption, organizations everywhere find themselves in a race to not only preserve their market share, but discover the next big opportunity that will given them the keys to future growth and innovation.And according to my guest in this episode, that opportunity can be attained when leaders understand how to plan for and implement Big Bets.John Rossman is the former Amazon executive who played a key role in the launching of Amazon Marketplace, and is a sought-after expert on digital transformation, leadership, and business reinvention. I've invited him to join me on my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast to talk about his latest book, “Big Bet Leadership”.In this conversation, John shares an unexpected, but powerful model that will help leaders and their organizations move past the current tide of incrementalism and instead aim for that moonshot that will define their organization – much as Amazon Marketplace has done for Amazon – in the years and decades to come.Noteworthy links:Buy John's book “Big Bet Leadership” on Amazon*Learn more about John's work: johnrossman.comLink to John's free ebook: Rossman's Business Manifesto for Competitive Advantage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your organization's most powerful leadership asset is something you see every day but never really notice? In this Leadership Espresso Shot, I share a personal story that reveals how simple traditions can be the drivers of organizational success.Whether you're leading a small team or a large organization, this episode will change how you think about those simple traditions and the roles they play in helping your employees to achieve their goals.Listen now to learn about three reasons why leaders should celebrate their organization's traditions so they can harness their hidden power to drive success. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What would make a successful and profitable leader, who had a self-described “dictator” style of leadership, embrace love as a business strategy? What compelled this transformation and what lessons can we learn to drive organizational transformation that fuels growth and long-term success?In this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, I welcome president and CEO of Softway, Mohammad Anwar, so we can talk about his Wall Street Journal bestseller “Love as a Business Strategy – Resilience, Belonging & Success”.Through our conversation, Mohammad shares how attending a sporting event made him realize the key to driving organizational success is love, and helped him create a 6-step framework that he used at his company – and is now helping other companies deploy – to transform their toxic workplace cultures into ones where employees succeed and thrive.As Mohammad points, it's critical that we learn the difference between “building a team of all-stars and an all-star team.” Check out this episode to learn why love is a business strategy and how it can help your organization succeed in achieving its goals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join me for this year-end retrospective episode featuring some of the most powerful insights shared by my guests on the Leadership Biz Cafe podcast in 2024.From Robin Sharma's revelations about humility and success, to Marshall Goldsmith's transformative exercise on unlocking our potential, this episode provides valuable guidance and insights that will help you prepare for the challenges ahead:Robin Sharma on the surprising connection between humility and lasting successShaara Roman on culture communication and talent retentionBob Sutton on the ripple effects of leadership actionsScott Mautz on fostering genuine risk-takingShelmina Abji on strategic prioritization for leadersMarshall Goldsmith on breaking through self-imposed limitationsSo listen to this episode to get inspiration and actionable insights to help you elevate your leadership effectiveness in 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you striving for the elusive “work-life balance” and finding it's not quite working?In this episode of Leadership Biz Cafe, I welcome back my friend, and fellow leadership expert (and Canadian) Dan Pontefract to discuss his book, “Work-Life Bloom: How to Nurture a Team That Flourishes“, where he argues work-life balance is a misleading and at times harmful concept.As Dan puts it, work and life aren't opposing forces, but distinct entities that interact and influence one another.Over the course of our conversation, Dan and I discuss:Why the concept of work-life balance is flawed.The four work-life personas of his “Work-Life Bloom” model.The importance of trust, belonging, and feeling valued at work to employees thriving at work.Why agency is crucial to empowering employees.Tune in to learn more about Dan's Work-Life Bloom model with its four different personas that shape our work and life selves, and why we need to let go of trying to find that work-life balance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever thought about your leadership values?Understanding what your values are – of what matters to you and how you want your employees to view your leadership is critical to not only helping your employees understand your motivations, but to creating clarity during times of uncertainty and change.That's why for this Leadership Espresso Shot I want to share a three step process to help you identify what your leadership values are, how to put those leadership values into action, and how to communicate your leadership values to your team and solicit feedback.Tune in to discover how defining your leadership values can empower you to lead with clarity and purpose. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I spoke with GiANT co-founder Jeremie Kubicek about his book “The Communication Code” and the communication framework he developed with his business partner Steve Cochram to help people become more effective communicators.The “Communication Code” framework involves applying five key “code words” – care, celebrate, clarify, collaborate, and critique – that can help transform how we interact with others by helping us shift the focus from what we're trying to say, to what those we lead need to hear from us.What's important for us to understand is that effective communication is about more than just transmitting information – it's about understanding and meeting the expectations the other person has in that moment. As Jeremie pointed out during our conversation, we tend to make assumptions about what other people want, when we should be taking the time to understand their true expectations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the questions I get asked a lot by leaders after one of my keynotes is – how do drive growth and success when you have to work under a controlling boss? How do you get them on board with your initiatives when they only seem to like their ideas or those from their ‘inner circle'?So for this instalment of my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share 3 measures I've shared with leaders who are grappling with how to move initiatives they want to get done while working for a controlling boss.If you're in such a situation, hopefully listening to this episode will help you understand how you can continue to succeed and grow, in spite of whatever obstacles and issues your controlling boss puts in your way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A troublesome and persistent issue facing organizations today is their inability to develop and promote women to leadership positions where they can play a key role in the decision-making process.But as my guest in this episode of my Leadership Biz Cafe podcast points out, this doesn't mean there aren't things women can do to make the case in their organization to promote them into leadership roles.Shelmina Abji is a former IBM vice-president, philanthropist, angel investor, and active gender and racial equality advocate.I invited Shelmina to join me on my show not only to share her inspiring story of growing up in a rural village in Tanzania to being one of the first visible minority women to hold the position of vice-president at IBM, but to talk about her book, “Show Your Worth: 8 Intentional Strategies For Women To Emerge As Leaders At Work."Just as she does in her book, Shelmina shares a powerful, empowering, and honest message for how women – and in particular visible minority women – can address the current obstacles – both within the organizations and themselves – that impede their ability to, as Shelmina puts it, “create higher levels of value at your maximum capacity.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever had a workday where you were so busy that the time flew by, but you didn't really accomplish anything? The sad reality is that you're not alone.One study found that 42% of employees spend half of their workday on busywork.Another study by Visier found 43% of employees spend more than 10 hours a week on “productivity theatre” work – essentially, tasks that make them appear to be busy, but which aren't critical to the organization's long term objectives.So what can leaders do to put a stop to busywork and help employees focus on work that really matters?A good place to start is to get clear about what tasks are critical to your ability to achieve your goals today and in the weeks ahead, and which tasks are as useful as watching paint dry.So for this edition of my “Leadership Espresso Shot” podcast series, I share a simple, but powerful strategy that will help you to not only identify and banish busywork, but develop a laser-like focus on those tasks that will drive value creation and growth for the organization. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I've had the distinct pleasure of speaking to so many incredible and world-renowned experts on my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, and I'm elated to now include Dr. Marshall Goldsmith to that list.Marshall has been recognized as the #1 executive coach in the world, two-time Thinkers50 #1 leadership thinker in the world, not to mention being a New York Times bestselling author whose books have sold over 3 million copies and been translated into 32 languages.All of which is to say that you're in for a real treat with this episode as Marshall brings so much wisdom, insight, and thought-provoking ideas over the course of our conversation about his books, “The Earned Life: Lose Regret, Choose Fulfillment” and “Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts”.In fact, I'd encourage you to be ready to take notes as Marshall not only offers so many revealing ideas on how to reframe how we approach work and our lives, but he even gives a coaching session during our conversation directed to both you the listener and myself to help us do and be better.Without question, this episode will be one of the highlights of my podcast as it's filled with inspiration, laughs, and moments that challenge us to recognize how we can become that better version of who we can be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As team lifespans continue to shorten as a result of both layoffs and employee leaving for opportunities elsewhere, leaders are having to deal with another growing issue in today's evolving workplaces: specifically, how do you ensure team harmony when everything – including the make-up of your teams – is in flux?In this Leadership Espresso Shot, I share three important strategies that leaders can use to foster team harmony through promoting collaboration, trust, and a sense of shared purpose within your team, no matter how often members of your team change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

resilience as being the key to keeping such mental health issues at bay.But my guest for this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast argues that resilience is not enough and what's needed instead is building our mental strength.Scott Mautz is a former Procter & Gamble senior executive, faculty member at Indiana University's Kelly School of Business for Executive Education, and the author of four books, including his latest “The Mentally Strong Leader: Build the Habits to Productively Regulate Your Emotions, Thoughts, and Behaviors”.(He's also a very good friend of mine who I enjoy spending time talking about leadership and the challenges leaders face leading today's organizations.)As Scott points out during our discussion, mental strength is about your ability to regulate your emotions, thoughts and behaviours so you can successfully overcome whatever challenges you face, and help your team achieve its goals.So how can we build our mental strength? In his book “The Mentally Strong Leader”, Scott describes six habits that are key to building your mental strength and he shares several strategies for each on how you can do this.And as if that wasn't enough, Scott was kind enough to offer listeners a free 60 page ebook that will help them begin the process of developing these habits of a mentally strong leader.This is without question one of my favourite interviews of the year about one of my favourite books I read this year. So give this episode a listen and do yourself a favour and pick up a copy of Scott's latest book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One situation every leader needs to be ready for is when a crisis hits your organization. Unfortunately, most leaders are ill-prepared and lack proper experience to know how to best address a crisis in such a way that allows the organization to pivot while still staying true to their long-term goals.Fortunately, my guest in this episode of Leadership Biz Cafe has developed a pragmatic leadership model that leaders can employ to not only ride out the storm, but come out stronger on the other side.Eric McNulty is the Associate Director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University, and Instructor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He also teaches graduate-level courses on leadership, negotiation, and conflict resolution at Harvard, as well as several executive education programs at MIT and Harvard.Eric joins me in this episode to talk about his latest book “You're It: Crisis, Change, and How to Lead When It Matters Most” and the research-based, leadership framework that can not only help leaders be better prepared for any future crisis, but develop a mindset to transform crisis situations into opportunities to evolve and grow your organization. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you're a sports fan or not, there's no denying there's something special about watching the Olympics. No doubt a big draw is the immediacy of knowing who the winner will be.Instead of months, it only takes a matter of days to discover which athlete will end up rising up to the top to clinch the gold medal.But there's another reason why I enjoy watching the Olympics and that is the real-time examples and reminders of what it takes to succeed.Of what drives us to push ourselves to the fullest of our abilities, knowing that for many there's a slim chance of even landing on the podium.So in celebration of the start of the Paris Summer Olympic Games, I wanted to share this edition of my Leadership Espresso Shot series where I share four leadership lessons inspired by the Olympics that will help you to ignite your team's performance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this latest episode of my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share a simple process that even the busiest leader can apply to tap into the power of reflection to gain a better sense of context and awareness for what needs to be done to drive organizational growth and success. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're feeling like things are getting more negative each day, the sad fact is you're not alone.From our social media feeds to news outlets, we're exposed to unprecedented levels of negativity that are impacting not only our mental health, but fuelling a rising tide of divisiveness that is fracturing our social and political norms.So what can be done about this? How do we replace this growing tide of negativity with a grounded-in-reality positivity that drives success and fuels collective growth?According to my guest in this episode, the key is to take control over how we see the world by focusing on what's going well and where we can have a meaningful impact.Anthony Iannarino is a best-selling author and sales leader with over 20 years' experience selling and leading sales forces in the staffing industry.In this episode, I speak with Anthony about his new book “The Negativity Fast – Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success” and how we can change our mental outlook so we can engender more positivity, gratitude, and a compelling vision for what we can achieve in the months and years ahead.It's a fascinating conversation covering the latest findings from neuroscience and psychology, along with some intriguing advice like the best way to overcome negativity is to become a hydra (yeah, you'll have to listen to this episode to understand what that's all about). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the biggest challenges – and at times, headaches – you'll have as a leader is having to deal with an employee who's under-performing.Of course, it's not just leaders – we've all had experience working on teams where there was one person who wasn't doing their part to help carry the team's load.As employees, it's easy for us to be annoyed and frustrated with these colleagues of ours. But as a leader, it's your responsibility to help struggling employees to improve their performance.But with so many demands and tasks on their plate, how can leaders address the problems one struggling employee creates for their team?In this latest instalment in my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share lessons inspired from work I did to revive a rose plant in my garden that reveal how you can help a struggling employee improve their performance to once again become a valued member of their team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is one of the interviews for my "Leadership Biz Cafe" podcast that I couldn't wait to share - my interview with Stanford professor and all-around great guy, Bob Sutton.Bob is an organizational psychologist, Stanford professor, and best-selling author of “The No Asshole Rule”, “Good Boss, Bad Boss”, and “Scaling Up Excellence”.My conversation with Bob revolved around his latest book, “The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder”, and this simple question - why are some organizations able to effortlessly adapt and transform to meeting changing market conditions, while others seem to be held back by the very processes that are meant to help get things done?Based on 7 years of research, Bob discovered that it all comes down to learning how to be a "friction fixer" who understands the difference between "good friction" and "bad friction".While I was (obviously) expecting Bob to be an incredibly insightful and well-informed guest on organizational culture – I hadn't expected to laugh as much as Bob and I did before, during, and after we went on the air.Listening to this episode, it's hard not to feel an undercurrent of warmth over the course of the episode, which gives this episode a lovely feel-good mood paired alongside fantastic insights and hilarious stories about how leaders can become “friction fixers” to improve the way their organization works.And at the end, Bob shares with me one of the best and kindest compliments I've ever received about my work. If only there was a way to hang an audio clip up on the refrigerator door....In other words, come for the laughs, stay for thought-provoking ideas you'll learn in this engaging conversation. Noteworthy links: Buy Bob's book “The Friction Project” on Amazon*Learn more about Bob's work: https://www.bobsutton.net/Read Tanveer's article mentioned during the episode: "Encouraging Your Employees To Reach For The Moon" https://tanveernaseer.com/encouraging-your-employees-to-reach-for-the-moon/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The arrival of Spring often brings to mind the idea of renewal and new beginnings. And it's not surprising when we see trees waking from their winter slumber to transform their spindly branches into luscious clouds of green foliage. Or when we see spring flowers like tulips emerge from the ground, erupting into this dazzling display of bright yellows, reds, oranges, and whites. But there's another common sight that evokes the arrival of Spring – the Canada geese flying in their distinctive V-formation across the sky. Watching this seasonal migration happen from my backyard brought to mind three important reminders of what leaders should be focusing on to ensure their employees succeed in their collective efforts. And it's these three springtime leadership reminders that serve as the inspiration for this episode of my Leadership Espresso Shot series. As much Spring brings us a sense of hope for what this year might bring, I hope you'll take a moment to listen to this episode to learn what you can do to ensure a successful outcome from your shared efforts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's no question that being an effective communicator is critical to succeeding at leadership. But as my guest in this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast points out, a leader's ability to express the right kind of appreciation to their employees is key to driving employee growth and success. Dr. Paul White is a psychologist, author, and speaker who “makes work relationships work.” His work has been featured in Business Week, CNN, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Fortune, and the New York Times. Along with Dr. Gary Chapman, Paul is the coauthor of the best-selling book, “The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace”, which has sold over 550,000 copies and has been translated into 25 languages. Over the course of this episode, Paul and I talk about how leaders can improve their ability to express appreciation to their employees by exploring some of the following topics: · Understanding why appreciation is different from recognition and why both are needed to inspire and motivate employees.· Exposing the two false assumptions most leaders make about appreciation and what studies have revealed as the key benefits that come from expressing appreciation.· What are the Five Languages of Appreciation and how do they manifest in the workplace. There's even a hilarious moment in my conversation with Paul where we talk about some of the unbelievably ridiculous measures some leaders made to show appreciation to their employees – each of them true stories that employees shared with Paul. Trust me when I say you'll want to hear about them!And as Paul mentioned at the end of this episode, if you email him at yesdrpaul@gmail.com with the subject heading “Leadership Biz Cafe”, he will send you a number of FREE resources that will help you better understand these Five Languages of Appreciation and how you can start communicating them in your workplace. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the common themes around leadership that I'm asked to speak on for a keynote or a corporate training workshop around is how can leaders create conditions that inspire employees to show up and deliver their best. As a point out in these talks, a key ingredient to making such conditions is defining a vision that helps to inspire purpose in your employees and with it, drive success over the long-term. So in this edition of my Leadership Espresso Shot series on my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, I want to share two stories that reveal three critical steps leaders need to take to create a vision that inspires a sense of shared ownership amongst your employees that will strengthen their commitment and drive to overcome whatever stands in their way to achieving these shared goals.

“The real job of leadership is the chance to sincerely, passionately, excellently elevate human lives. And the best businesses are very mission-driven and purpose-centered.” This is just one of many brilliant and thoughtful insights Robin Sharma shares in this latest episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast. I can't tell you how excited I am to share this episode with you. When I started this podcast almost 14 years ago, I never thought I'd be speaking with someone like Robin Sharma about leadership. Robin is one of the top leadership and personal mastery experts in the world. In fact, many of the world's top organizations have sought his advice and guidance, including Nike, FedEx, Microsoft, Unilever, GE, and PwC. Robin is also the author of several #1 international bestsellers, including The 5AM Club, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, and The Leader Who Had No Title. His books have been translated into more than 92 languages and dialects, making him one of the most widely read authors alive. Robin joins me on my podcast to talk about his new book, “The Wealth Money Can't Buy – The 8 Hidden Habits to Live Your Richest Life” and some of the valuable lessons he shares about how we can lead a more fulfilling and rich life, as well as transforming the way we look at and approach our leadership. I was so inspired reading Robin's book that while I was travelling for work, I decided to take on one of the personal challenges Robin encourages readers to embrace to build one of those eight forms of wealth he describes in his book. So what was Robin's challenge I took on? And what did Robin say after I told him what happened to me when I did this challenge? To find out, you'll just have to listen. And trust me, there's so many other reasons I'd encourage you to bookmark this episode to listen to and be inspired for how you can lead and live better. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6gP7I4OpuIl6E384oZv81u?si=89c6899de94a4d04 Noteworthy links: Buy “The Wealth Money Can't Buy” on Amazon.* Learn more about Robin's work – robinsharma.com *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I've spoken with many highly successful people over the course of career and there's one interesting characteristic I've noticed they all share in common. Each of them exudes this quiet confidence about themselves and their abilities. And to repeat, not just confidence, but quiet confidence, meaning they don't try to be the smartest person in the room or the one who gets all the attention. And yet, when they speak, you can sense this sense of assuredness and inner peace about who they are and what they can do. Naturally, most of us would love to be like these successful people – not just because of the level of success they've achieved, but because of that quiet confidence they exemplify. So what's their secret? How did they achieve this quiet confidence? Is it because of their success? Or could it be their sense of confidence gave rise to their success? Well, recently, I delivered a morning keynote followed by an afternoon workshop to almost 1,000 leaders from a healthcare provider in the US and I realized that one of the exercises I shared with these leaders reveals how anyone can develop their own sense of quiet confidence. It comes down to transforming that inner voice in our mind from that noisy, negative self-talk, to one that encourages and challenges us to fulfill our true potential. As this idea wasn't part of the leadership workshop I gave, I decided to develop into something to share in this latest episode of my Leadership Espresso Shot series. More specifically, in this episode, I share four simple steps you can put into practice right now that will help you stop negative self-talk and replace that inner voice with one that these successful leaders have – an inner voice that believes in your ability to succeed and thrive in fulfilling the purpose of why you do what you do. It's a ten minute journey of self-exploration and discovery that I know you'll derive a lot of benefit from.

Over the past several months, there's been a lot of attention paid to an organization's workplace culture, particularly in terms of the on-going debate over the future of work. But at a time where it feels we're going from one crisis to another, it is important for leaders to consider what kind of workplace culture their promoting in their organization, and whether it will help their employees to adapt and thrive in spite of what crisis looms next over the horizon. That's why I invited Shaara Roman to join me on this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast to discuss her book, “The Conscious Workplace: Fortify Your Culture to Thrive in Any Crisis”. Shaara is a seasoned executive, having held leadership roles in CGI, Fannie Mae, NRECA, and Visa, before founding her own workplace culture consulting firm, The Silverene Group. Her writings and insights on workplace culture have appeared in numerous publications, including like CEOWorld Magazine, SHRM, HR.com, HR Executive, Authority Magazine, and GovExec. Shaara's upbringing also gives her a unique insight into different cultural norms and how to bring people together, growing up in India, Nigeria, UK, and Greece before settling down in the US. Some of the topics Shaara and I discuss in this episode include: The four types of organizational culture found in today's workplaces, and how one of the common ones is more problematic than we might realize. The impact Millennial and Gen Z will have on leadership and the mindset change that's going to be needed to keep organizations agile and responsive to the evolving talent landscape. The blindspot many leaders have about how certain actions of theirs are inadvertently transforming the workplace culture, and often times, not for the better. How a leader's own innate sense of purpose drives an organization's sense of community and belonging. https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IeRwMV60qDnQj1XVY9O9K?si=3Hohqme8QhaQUCnDntlKqQ Noteworthy links: Buy Shaara's book “The Conscious Workplace” on Amazon.* Learn more about Shaara's work - silverenegroup.com *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When it comes to success, much of the focus tends to be on how do we go about being successful. We read books and watch documentaries about the lives of successful people in the hopes that we might better understand what allowed them to succeed in the hopes that we might achieve a similar result from our efforts. But a recent conversation with my daughter revealed something we don't tend to think about when it comes to success and that is what lessons can we learn about ourselves when we succeed? That's why in this edition of my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share a story about how my daughter overcame an obstacle in achieving success in school and the three important lessons we need to make sure we never lose sight of when we achieve success. Not only to ensure that we might succeed again, but because of the powerful insights we gain about the journey we're on and will continue to take. https://open.spotify.com/episode/65z2hB6UCixHNQgOcyHE09?si=b67f1621c11e4f95

When it comes to diversity in today's workplaces, understandably much of the focus is on systemic challenges members of various marginalized groups have to deal with. But as my guest in this episode of my Leadership Biz Cafe podcast points out, that doesn't mean there aren't measures Black professionals can take at the individual level so they can succeed and thrive in today's corporate environment. Carice Anderson is a seasoned corporate leader and executive, having worked at numerous organizations including Deloitte, Korn Ferry, McKinsey & Company, Aon-Hewitt, and has worked with top companies like Google, Bloomberg, JP Morgan Chase and Bain & Company.  I've invited Carice to join me on my podcast to talk about her book “Intelligence Isn't Enough: A Black Professional's Guide to Thriving in the Workplace” so that Black and non-Black leaders can learn from her insights about how Black employees can be empowered to succeed and thrive as members of their team.  Over the course of my conversation with Carice, we spoke about: What is the Black Tax and how it impacts the productivity and perception of Black and non-Black employees. An examination of the “three major corporate muscle groups” Black professionals need to flex and develop to succeed in the corporate world. The mindset shift Black professionals need to make to have a healthier relationship with failure. How Black professionals tend to prioritize degrees over work relationships and why they need to change their focus to get ahead in the corporate world. The advantages of looking for sponsors and not just mentors to help elevate your career. Why we need to think of “difficult conversations” as “courageous conversations” and how to be more effective in having them.  https://open.spotify.com/episode/3lvQR0oSdyqoknhVVmENwn?si=7515197b09c9430a Noteworthy links: Buy Carice's book “Intelligence Isn't Enough” on Amazon.* Learn more about Carice's work - cariceanderson.com *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

How many of us would be happy knowing the high point of our career was that we were good at just getting through the day? Unfortunately, that's the reality leaders need to recognize as the focus of today's leadership becomes less and less about achieving long-term goals and more about just putting out fires and ‘getting things done'. While this certainly makes us look good from a day-to-day perspective, it also leaves us with little to point to as a true accomplishment and reflection of who we were and what we did as a leader. No doubt this is why biographies and stories of successful leaders continue to capture our curiosity and imagination. After all, their leadership example is what we all aspire to be like – in our own way, of course. But how we can be our own version of an exceptional leader when all we focus on are things that while urgent, are not important to achieving something lasting and meaningful? Something that changes things for the better, or at least opens the door for others to affect that kind of change In this edition of my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I describe that one thing exceptional leaders never forget has to be at the forefront of everything they say and do. It's something that each and every one of us can make a part of our leadership focus, provided that we're willing to make the effort of not letting the demands of our day-to-day dictate where we put that long-term focus. The lens through which we need to keep looking out through if we are to achieve something remarkable, something great. So I hope you'll take a short break from dealing with your day-to-day work tasks to listen to this episode, and gain inspiration for how you can be your own version of that exceptional leader your employees and team need you to be. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3LjMifKjHtCioCfGJYkF8Y?si=yq0jIge7QgWqjamSyGWU0g

What do Uber, Apple, Netflix, and AirBnB share in common in terms of the successes they've achieved? According to my guest in this episode of my Leadership Biz Cafe podcast, what these and other successful companies share in common is that they're all experience disruptors. And he has a framework based on studies in consumer behaviour, behavioural psychology, and marketing analytics that can help any organization become their own version of an experience disruptor. Allen Adamson is an expert in branding, experience creation, and innovation strategy. Over the course of his career, he's worked as a marketing executive at Unilever, held senior management positions at iconic advertising firms, including Ogilvy & Mather and DMB&B, and has worked companies like Accenture, GE, FedEx, HBO, Marriott, MetLife, P&G, Sony, and Verizon. He's authored four books, and it's his latest one, “Seeing the How: Achieving Market Advantage by Transforming the Stuff We Do, Not the Stuff We Buy”, that I wanted to talk with Allen about. Over the course of this episode, Allen and I discuss: What is experience innovation and moving past our assumptions of what our customers want. Why a singular focus is the critical key to creating a successful consumer experience. How to use our company's strengths to meet the unique expectations of our customer base. What kind of partnerships with other companies you should consider to strengthen the consumer experience you can offer. Why getting closer to your customer is less about proximity and more about bringing more empathy to your consumer experience. https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ryxfwjkVDRq8Fq9zL1DKx?si=0fae083670014287 Noteworthy links: Buy Allen's book “Seeing The How” on Amazon.* Learn more about Allen's work - allenadamson.com *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The last few weeks of the year are an ideal time for self-reflection and review as on the one hand, there's an understandable eagerness to plan and map out goals for the upcoming year. But at the same time, it's a perfect moment to take note of both the successes earned and lessons gained over the past 12 months. It's in the vein of the latter that I wanted to look back at the numerous conversations I had with my guests on my Leadership Biz Cafe podcast to select my favourite guest moments and insights from 2023. To be sure, this wasn't an easy task as I've had the privilege of speaking with some insightful and knowledgeable experts over these past 12 months. Combing the perspectives of looking back and looking ahead, here are my favourite highlights from some of the conversations I had on my podcast in 2023: John Baldoni - Why great leaders take care of their employees by creating community and why grace is the how to making that happen. Adam Bryant - Why your ability to offer feedback and give recognition is key to your ability to make the leap to leader and why so many of us struggle with this form of communication. Tamara Sanderson – How leaders can address concerns over loneliness when offering remote work options, and what the shifting dynamics of relationships at work tell us about the future of work. Bertina Ceccarelli and Susanne Tedrick – What leaders should be doing to retain a diverse workforce during today's uncertain economic conditions to ensure they can attract key talent needed to grow the organization when the economy roars back to life. James Burstall – How creativity can help leaders be better prepared for the next crisis by treating it as an opportunity for growth and not just a time to hunker down. Erika Andersen – What leaders need to do to make their organization more agile and responsive following a major change. If you're looking for some inspiration and guidance on how to be better prepared to address the challenges your organization will face in 2024, I want to encourage you to listen to this year-end retrospective episode, and to check out upcoming episodes of my podcast that we'll be releasing in 2024. My thanks to John, Adam, Tamara, Bertina, Susanne, James, and Erika for these insightful moments shared in this last episode of my podcast for 2023. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6FhqaHj6iZO8xYxIlXjFO3?si=6c09551d551b4397 Episode links: John Baldoni | Leading Through Change And Crisis With Grace Adam Bryant | How Managers Can Make The Jump To Leadership Tamara Sanderson | How Leaders Make Remote Work A Success Bertina Ceccarelli & Susanne Tedrick | Innovating For Diversity James Burstall | How Leaders Can Prepare For The Next Major Crisis Erika Andersen | Addressing Change From The Inside Out Noteworthy links: Buy James' book “The Flexible Method” on Amazon* Buy John Baldoni's book “Grace Under Pressure” on Amazon*. Buy Adam Bryant's book “The Leap to Leader” on Amazon* Buy Tamara Sanderson and Ali Greene's book “Remote Works” on Amazon.* Buy Bertina Ceccarelli and Susanne Tedrick's book “Innovating For Diversity” on Amazon.* Buy Erika's book “Change From The Inside Out” on Amazon.* *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If I were to ask your employees if your organization is ready to navigate the next global crisis, what would they say? As much as we'd like to think we're prepared for whatever crisis comes our way, the pandemic and subsequent global supply chain crises clearly proved many organizations are vastly under-prepared to handle any kind of global crisis, let alone internal ones that risk upending our well-laid plans. So what can leaders do? How can you ensure your organization will fare better when the next storm arrives at your doorstep? In this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, I spoke with a leader who not only successfully navigated his company through two major crises, but who's developed a practical guide any leader can put into practice right now to help them prepare for the next crisis. James Burstall is the CEO of Argonon, a major international TV production company based in London, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Liverpool, and Glasgow. His company has produced a number of popular shows, including House Hunters International, Hidden Potential, Lost Treasures of Egypt, Attenborough and the Mammoth Grave, and The Masked Singer UK. James has worked as an executive producer and producer-director for broadcasters all over the world, and has been featured in the Financial Times, Guardian, Variety, Deadline and Daily Telegraph to name a few. I've invited James to join me on my podcast to talk about his book, “The Flexible Method: Prepare To Prosper In The Next Global Crisis”, which offers a practical guide for leaders based on James' own experience, as well as the crisis management experience of several other successful leaders, on how to prepare for the next crisis that will inevitably arise. Over the course of our conversation, James and I spoke about: The importance of calm and purposeful leadership and how to accomplish this during a crisis In times of crisis, what and how leaders should be communicating to their team How organizations can become more adaptable to external change while still holding true to their values How to use a crisis as an opportunity to tap into the collective creativity of your employees If you want to make sure your organization is truly prepared for that next global crisis waiting just around the corner, make some in your day to listen and learn how this successful leader helped his organization to not just survive, but thrive under the pressures and fallout of two major global crises. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0RgZscRvdA1nZnpfwxd2E3?si=c436ab7361d3460c Noteworthy links: Buy James' book “The Flexible Method” on Amazon* Learn more about James' work – Argonon *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Have you ever had the experience dealing with after-sales support where you not only get the runaround, but you spend days just trying to get someone on the phone to acknowledge your problem? That's the situation my wife and I had to content with when we contacted a major retailer about an issue with our newly purchased recliner sofa. While on the surface, this would seem like a problem with customer support, the truth is this experience reveals a far more problematic issue that every leader should be making a concerted effort to avoid. That's why for this edition in my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I wanted to use this experience to illustrate four questions leaders should be asking themselves to evaluate whether their actions are setting up their employees to succeed … or whether it's only serving to create silos within their organization. As many of us begin to look ahead to what we want to achieve in 2024, this is the ideal moment to reflect on what you can improve on to better support and empower your employees. Reflecting on these four questions is a great place to begin that process. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3sW5PjEKfOPbUcfZBUsb9F?si=0d84d94a36a04cd7

With the explosive growth of AI and other emergent technologies, it's not surprising to see many organizations focusing on digital business transformation. Unfortunately, many leaders are making a critical mistake in their strategy, something I discuss and explore with my guest Kamales Lardi in this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast. Kamales is an award-winning digital transformation expert and the CEO and founder of Lardi & Partner, a global digital and business transformation firm. Kamales is a Teaching Fellow at Durham University Business School and she served as the first Chair of the Forbes Business Council of Women Executives. Kamales is also the author of the best-selling book, “The Human Side Of Digital Business Transformation”. I've invited Kamales to join me on the show to talk about what leaders need to do to successfully drive digital transformation in their organization, starting with a better understanding of what digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation really mean. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YiSRbRw9MO52WCxho7POt?si=9617020b52174b98 Noteworthy links: Buy Kamales' book “The Human Side of Digital Business Transformation” on Amazon* Check out Kamales' Digital Transformation School resource: dbxschool.com Learn more about Kamales' work: kamaleslardi.com Listen to my interview with IMD Director Michael Wade – Successfully Navigating Change In A Digital World *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Does your organization encourage a sense of curiosity? According to a survey in the Harvard Business Review, 83% of leaders say they do, but barely half of their employees would agree. Far from being something that's 'nice to have', encouraging a sense of curiosity in your workplace is going to become increasingly critical, not only to ensure better agility and adaptability in an ever uncertain world, but also because the burgeoning use of AI in organizations will lead to a shift towards more creativity-focused work. Seen from this vantage point, it becomes clear that your ability to promote curiosity in your organization is fast becoming a critical factor to your organization's long-term success and viability. So how can leaders ensure they are in fact encouraging curiosity in their organization? In this latest instalment in my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share four steps leaders can take that will help them create a culture of inquisitiveness in their organization. By putting these four steps into practice, you will not only help create conditions that ignite the curiosity and imagination of your employees, but you'll also have the added bonus of fostering deeper, more meaningful relationships with those you lead.

“One of the biggest stumbling blocks for organizations is an unwillingness to be brutally honest about the challenges they face.” There's no question leadership is becoming a more challenging role than it was 5-10 years ago. The rapid pace of change, the on-going uncertainties, even the very nature of the way we work have made being a leader a more strenuous and stressful job. But another factor that's making it challenging for people to succeed at leadership is that many people in leadership roles today haven't asked themselves a critical question before taking on the role – why do you want to be a leader? This question serves as the starting point for my conversation with best-selling author Adam Bryant about what those interested in taking on the leadership reins need to prepared for in this latest episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast. Adam is probably best known for his New York Times column, “The Corner Office”. He's also the best-selling author of “The Corner Office: Indispensible and Unexpected Lessons from CEOs on How To Lead and Succeed” as well as “Quick and Nimble - Lessons From Leading CEOs on How To Create a Culture of Innovation”. Adam was a guest on my podcast two years ago when we talked about his book “The CEO Test - Master The Challenges That Make or Break All Leaders” and I'm delighted to welcome him back so we can talk about his latest, “The Leap to Leader: How Ambitious Managers Make the Jump to Leadership”. Adam and I had a frank and fascinating conversation about the realities of what it takes to move into a leadership role. But even those in leadership positions will benefit from hearing what Adam has to say. I hope you'll make some time to give this episode a listen, and do let me know what you think. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2x8e0p2X20HeVwe63t69NB?si=46193fe60a454f71 Noteworthy links: Buy Adam's book “The Leap to Leader” on Amazon* Learn more about Adam's work - adambryantbooks.com Listen to my previous conversation with Adam – Episode #91: Adam Bryant | Mastering Challenges That Make Or Break All Leaders *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Few issues have captured the attention and focus of leaders over the past few years as the ongoing debate over whether to allow employees to work remotely or demand they return to office (RTO). And because it's a contentious issue, there's invariably numerous articles and studies out there which are meant to clarify things, but which honestly probably make the situation more ambiguous than it needs to be. But what's especially troubling about this growing push by many organizations to overlook employee concerns and issue RTO mandates is that leaders are sending out a message that will negatively impact their leadership for many years to come. That's why in this latest episode in my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I challenge leaders to rethink what they're focusing on right now if they are to not only help their employees in today's uncertain economic environment, but create the conditions to ensure their collective growth and success in the future as well. So I hope you'll take 10 minutes out of your day to give this episode a listen. Although there's a bit of tough love in what I share, I think it's nonetheless something every leader needs to hear right now. And I'd love to know what you think and especially what suggestions you might have for how leaders can better address the growing demands employees have for organizations to adapt and evolve the way they approach work. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2JU7CzlL1RzSkcpWmfeeTS?si=5d4e7808bd974535 Noteworthy link: Listen to Leadership Espresso Shot 29 - Why Leadership Should Be Hard

We've all seen the studies that have shown how a diverse workforce leads to better productivity, increased profits and market share, and greater creativity and innovation. But with so many positive outcomes related to diverse workforces, why are so many organizations failing to attract and retain a diversified workforce – including in the senior leadership ranks? What are we getting wrong and what should we be doing differently? According to my guests on this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, Bertina Ceccarelli and Susanne Tedrick, the key is understanding how to use innovation principles to drive an organization's DEI efforts. Bertina is the Chief Executive Officer of NPower, one of the most successful non-profits in North America committed to helping young adults and military-connected individuals launch tech careers. And Susanne is the author of Women of Color in Tech and a cloud computing technical trainer for a Fortune 500 technology company. Together, they co-authored the book “Innovating For Diversity – Lessons from Top Companies Achieving Business Success through Inclusivity”, which makes the compelling case for why diversity and innovation are not just interconnected, but how innovation can actually help organizations succeed in their DEI initiatives. Of course, to succeed in these efforts, we first have to get a better understanding of what these terms of diversity, equity and inclusion really mean. And I'm grateful to Bertina and Susanne for not only helping to bring clarity to this in our conversation, but for also providing practical advice for how leaders can succeed at creating a more diverse workplace that will not only benefit their organization, but also those their organization serves. No matter what you might think about diversity in today's workplaces, I want to strongly encourage you to give this episode a listen as I'm sure some of what Bertina and Susanne share in this conversation will surprise you and definitely give you some food for thought. Noteworthy links: Buy Bertina and Susanne's book “Innovating For Diversity” on Amazon.* Learn more about Bertina's work - npower.org Learn more about Susanne's work - susannetedrick.com *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

It seems like every day there's another news report about a company's decision to have their employees return to the office. Of course, if you've been following the leadership space for some time, this isn't too surprising. After all, it was only a few years ago that organizations were limiting smartphone use in in the workplace to company-approved devices, only for their leaders to turn around and offer bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies to attract and retain employees. Of course, the current debate over when and where employees work is not likely to be resolved as quickly as the BYOD debate. Creating conditions that allow your employees to work whenever and wherever they want is not just about giving employees a choice. It also represents a disruption to how we understand the nature of work, not to mention changing many requirements for what will be needed to succeed at leadership in this new world of work. Seen from that vantage point, it's not surprising to see such resistance from organizations to offering employees flexible work options. Though that doesn't mean this resistance and desire to ‘go back to the way things were' is a good thing – both for the present and future. That's why in this episode of my “Leadership Espresso Shot” series, I share the story of Kodak and what a critical decision made by the organization's top leadership can teach us about how leaders should be approaching the current debate over the future of work. Trust me when I say it's a powerful lesson leaders and their organizations can't afford to ignore … if they want to ensure their continued growth and success. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6PMGlGdt4tqVIOJPbGLhnO?si=faddeb2942bd42f3

If there's one challenge leaders everywhere share in common right now it's how to ignite employee commitment. From the Great Resignation to quiet quitting, organizations have been grappling with how to motivate and retain employees who are critical to their long-term success and growth. Fortunately, my guest in this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast has discovered that there are three important keys that will ignite employee commitment and retention, three keys that every leader and every organization has the ability to employ … provided they're willing to accept some realities about the new world of work. Joe Mull is a respected authority on what organizations need to do to drive commitment in the workplace. He's written three books on this subject, including his latest “Employalty: How To Ignite Commitment and Keep Top Talent in the New Age of Work”, where he describes those three keys to igniting employee commitment. And as I told Joe during our conversation, one of them resonated strongly with me as it's a common theme in many of my keynotes and workshops. So what are these three keys and how do leaders go about employing them? Well to find that out, you'll have to listen to this episode. And I can tell you, some of them will definitely challenge many people's thinking around issues like compensation and employee workload. But when you hear what Joe has to say about these topics, I know you'll come to the same conclusion I did from reading his book that only those organizations that choose to embrace these changes will be the ones who succeed and thrive in the years ahead, while the laggards become this decade's version of Blockbuster and Kodak. After giving this episode a listen, let me know which key resonated the most with you, and which one challenged you the most in terms of what you need to do to drive employee commitment and strengthen retention. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5q49VBdhE7ul5FPEMShbf1?si=529b7ef619ea4f0d Noteworthy links: Buy Joe Mull's book “Employalty” on Amazon.* Learn more about Joe Mull's work – joemull.com *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This might come as a surprise, but one of my favourite things about delivering a leadership keynote is the Q&A session I have afterwards. I love this part not only because it allows me to hear what key insights or ideas have taken hold with my audience, but also because sometimes the questions I get asked spur on new ideas I want to expand on and explore. For example, my TED talk “Forget Passion - Purpose is the Real Spice of Life” was inspired by a question I was asked after one of my keynotes where one of the attendees wanted to learn more about my own leadership journey and what inspired me to take that particular path. Recently, I delivered another in-person keynote and during the Q&A session I was asked yet another one of those thought-provoking questions whose answer was something I wanted to expand on and share. The question was from a leader who'd been working on becoming more comfortable with asking questions and after hearing my keynote he had a question he wanted to ask me. His question – “How do I encourage my employees to get better at asking questions, too?” It's such a great question that, just like my TED talk, I wanted to share the ideas it gave rise to with those who weren't present to hear my answer to this leader's question. And so, in this edition of my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share four simple steps any leader can implement towards creating an environment where employees feel psychologically safe to ask any question that's on their mind. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2hg6lmgAQaPEz2eP3IOkug?si=70e380f4c5504d08

To offer remote work opportunities or not to offer remote work opportunities? If you look at the articles found in various business outlets these days, it would seem organizations are facing an existential crisis when it comes to how today's workplaces should operate. At the heart of this debate is an on-going tug-of-war where leaders on the one hand worry about a loss in productivity and organizational culture, while employees on the other hand want the flexibility to decide when and where they do their work. But in our drive to figure out the future of work, are we focusing more on the symptoms rather than the root causes behind such issues as declining productivity, rising levels of loneliness, and diminished opportunities for career growth that are being linked to remote work? Thankfully, I've had the chance to speak to an expert – and seasoned remote leader – to help shine a light on what it really takes to make remote work, well, work and overcome those understandable concerns many leaders have. In addition to being a former Googler, Tamara Sanderson is the co-founder of Remote Works, an organizational design and consulting firm with a mission to liberate teams from the nine-to-five and teach them how to do their best work, anytime, anywhere. Along with her co-author, Ali Greene, Tamara has written a fantastic book called “Remote Works: Managing for Freedom, Flexibility, and Focus” that offers a clear blueprint to help leaders not only get better at leading remote teams, but details the systems and processes you need to have in place to help with onboarding new employees and strengthening your organization's culture. And over the course of our conversation, Tamara shares a brilliant answer to my question about how should we address the loneliness issue in today's organizations – whether your employees are working fully remote or in some hybrid work arrangement. If you're struggling with how to adapt and transform your workplace to address the growing demands of employees for greater flexibility around the way they work, I strongly encourage you to make the time to give this episode a listen. It will give you a better handle on what you need to do to solve this issue in your workplace. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3sOY8opSN8yG5xY0Wh6a2z?si=cbfda8caba6d4586 Noteworthy links: Buy Tamara Sanderson and Ali Greene's book “Remote Works” on Amazon.* Learn more about Tamara Sanderson's work: www.remoteworksbook.com. *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

During periods of economic uncertainty, a common response from leaders is streamlining their operations and focusing on what they deem as being essential to their organization's ability to ride out the storm. Unfortunately, one thing that often is considered in these moments to be a luxury is taking time off work to go on a vacation. At a time where we're seeing rising levels of employee stress and burnout, there's certainly an argument to be made for why leaders need to model for their employees the importance of self-care and taking time away from work to spend with their family. But the truth is there are other reasons why leaders should seriously consider making time to go on vacation this year. In this latest edition in my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share three powerful benefits you get from going on vacation that will make you a better leader. I hope you'll check it out and that it inspires you to start making plans to block off time in your calendar to take a vacation break from work. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2PNeLXSdP7J8UfQFiZKxQm?si=6d1cb980a70d4fa6

During times of uncertainty, it's natural for leaders to want to lean into their ‘best practices'; of sticking to what they know and what got them to where they are today. But is this really the smartest and best approach? Or should leaders instead “lean into risk” by embracing different mindsets and conducting experiments to help gain new information and insights? It's the latter approach that my guest on this episode of Leadership Biz Cafe advocates for, especially if leaders and their employees are to become better problem solvers and innovators during times of uncertainty. Charles Conn is an investor, environmentalist, and entrepreneur.  He is co-founder of Monograph, a venture firm, the founding CEO of Ticketmaster-Citysearch, and was previously CEO of the Rhodes Trust in Oxford. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Board at Patagonia and sits on The Nature Conservancy European Council. Along with Robert McLean, he co-authored “Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything”. His latest book is “The Imperfectionists: Strategic Mindsets for Uncertain Times”, in which Charles makes the compelling case that there are six distinct, but critical mindsets leaders need to have if they are to become better problem solvers and innovators who embrace periods of uncertainty, while their competition hunkers down to hopefully wait out the storm. It's a fascinating discussion on leadership and uncertain times that not only challenges what many leaders are doing right now, but actually provides some clarity on leaders should be doing to not just how their organization endure periods of uncertainty, but thrive in spite of what's going on around them. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5A8c5oqKN4Uu3cFbSxRi6J?si=cc67f34a68e74430 Noteworthy links: Learn more about Charles at Monograph. Buy his book “The Imperfectionists” on Amazon.* *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Over the past several weeks, I've had the pleasure of delivering keynotes to several audiences on a wide range of issues leaders are grappling with today – from how to better navigate the current turbulent waters of change, to how leaders can create impact in a fast evolving and transforming workplace. While the insights and advice I shared varied, what I enjoyed immensely – in addition to being on stage in front of a live audience – was the depth and breadth of conversations I had with the leaders in attendance around what I shared and in particular, with these new insights in mind, where do we go next. It was during one of these conversations with these many leaders that I was asked an intriguing question – which naturally lead to a fascinating discussion – about how leaders go about inspiring their employees to not just deliver on stated targets, but to go beyond them. At a time of rising employee stress and declining trust for those in charge, how do leaders inspire others to do more than just survive the day, but to thrive in spite of what's going on around our organization and at times, within in? In this latest instalment of my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share two important and powerful truths about leadership and inspiration. And I'm confident once you become aware of them, it will not only change your understanding of what it means to inspire others through your leadership, but of our collective capacity to do so. As I spoke about in a previous episode of Leadership Espresso Shot, leadership is hard and it's meant to be. But I hope this episode will give you the drive and yes, inspiration to recognize what your employees require from you to not just succeed, but thrive under your care. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2bMqUSVUBKZuvHFoQUCiVq?si=f62c38e44dfa4c7a

If there's one certainty in leadership these days it's that you better be comfortable leading through unending change. Key to your ability to succeed under such conditions is making sure you take care of your employees and also yourself, while also helping their organization prepare for the future. And according to my guest for this episode of the “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, John Baldoni, you have to do all of this with a firm sense of grace. John is a globally recognized executive coach, speaker, and author of 16 books that have been translated into ten languages.  He's been recognized by Thinkers 360 and Global Gurus as one of the world's top thought leaders on coaching. And he's written more than 800 leadership columns for a variety of online publications including Forbes, Harvard Business Review and Inc.com. John and I have been mutual fans of each other's work, but we've never had the chance to sit down and speak about leadership and the current challenges leaders face. That's why when he released his latest book, “Grace Under Pressure – Leading Through Change and Crisis”, I knew this would be a perfect opportunity for us to meet up and talk about a subject we both care deeply about. And I can definitely say the conversation was worth the wait. I hope you'll check it out and let me know what you think of some of the ideas John and I talked about in terms of what leaders should be doing to help their organizations not just succeed today, but be prepared for whatever's to come in the future. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6VSJkeiUhl35yMlHkZCXwS?si=9dccab1d51824419 Noteworthy links: Buy John's book “Grace Under Pressure” on Amazon*. Learn more about John's work on his website. *sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.