Leadership U

Jim lost his voice this week, so Christina is joined by special co-host Coach James Bonds. Coach Bonds is a husband, father, and grandfather. He is the founder and CEO of WellDrivenLife.com an online environment for people to experience engaging, honest, and unbiased life-changing and motivational content. Using his past experience in senior management positions for companies like Sam's Club, Best Buy, PepBoys, and CompUSA and as a Dealer Partner with Mercedes Benz, BMW & Audi car dealers. Coach Bonds encourages people to adopt a lifestyle that leads to health and wellness in every area of life. 

Today, Jim and Christina discuss continued learning with Dr. Claudine Bentham. Claudine has a Doctorate in higher education and policy studies from the University of Central Florida. She has worked in the field of education for more than 15 years in various capacities, from a reading instructor and middle school teacher to a tenured professor. She now serves as the director of the Teaching and Learning Academy at Valencia College. Her primary functions are helping faculty through the tenure track process by providing courses designed to improve professors' teaching approaches and produce action research projects to deepen student learning.

In the final part of our High Performing Teams series, Rodney Cox comes on the podcast to talk about commitment. In 2001, Rodney founded Ministry Insights International—a ministry dedicated to strengthening relationships in the workplace, in marriages, and in families. Since then, Rodney has become one of the country's leaders in the Strengths Movement. His Leading From Your Strengths™ framework has impacted over one million leaders, teams, and couples worldwide. Rodney is also an in-demand speaker and author of the books, Leading From Your Strengths, Love and Money, and Different By Design. He also hosts the StrongTeams.com Podcast.

Another trait of high-performing teams is healthy relationships. This week Jim & Christina cover the rest of the traits of teams with healthy relationships. Learn more at www.VolunteerU.org

Another trait of high-performing teams is healthy relationships. There is cohesiveness between team members. Today, Jim & Christina discuss a few attributes of teams with healthy relationships. 

Multiple studies have found trust to be a critical quality of high-performing teams. We want to get our team to that level of synergy quickly so they can function at their most efficient. How do we get our team to trust each other?

What is a group-first mentality? There is a focus on the collective instead of the individual. And the team is more interested in getting the job done than looking good themself. Let's investigate how teams move into group-first mentality mode.

We talk a lot about mentorship, encouragement, and resourcing future leaders here at Volunteer U, but today, we want to look at equipping different generations. Longevity and technology have changed the work landscape for those in different age brackets. Jim and Christina talk about how leaders can have successful generational transitions.

While it can be tough to hear criticism of ourselves or our projects, feedback is necessary for growth. There are many reasons why feedback is essential. Today, Jim and Christina discuss four tips for using feedback to your advantage as a leader.

This week we are focusing on supporting a successful virtual team. Nowadays, all leaders are virtual leaders. Good virtual leaders are thoughtful and take good care of their crew regardless of location. Being remote doesn't interrupt their ability to add value and invest back in their people. Jim and Christina offer three simple strategies to be a good virtual leader.

Are you the leader of a virtual team? A virtual team doesn't mean that you operate solely online or remotely. Virtual teams can be hybrids where some work in person and some remotely. You are also a virtual leader if you interact with, communicate with, or inform your group through digital means (phone, email, video, online, etc.). Chances are, if you lead a team, you are now a virtual leader. What does that mean for you? It's time to adapt your leadership strategies. In today's episode, Jim and Christina discuss how to build a successful virtual team. You can read the related blog article on our website at https://volunteeru.org/building-a-successful-virtual-team/

In today's episode, Jim and Christina discuss four tips for leading under times of pressure.

Jim and Christina discuss why it is so important for leaders to ask meaningful questions.

In today's podcast, Jim & Christina discuss how leaders can recalibrate for the new year. They talk about how small changes can lead to finally achieving big results.

In this episode, Jim and Christina discuss why making people feel like they belong to your team and organization is important. And how leaders can help people fit in quickly.

Jim and Christina are back with a new format for the podcast. In this episode, we reintroduce ourselves and talk about leadership fails and successes. Plus, hear our take on the dangers of living in wild Central Florida.

Today Christina is joined by Dr. Stefani Bonilla and Mia Angelakos as they discuss why conflict can be so intimidating to leaders and how we can handle it in a way that is healthy and safe for the team. 

Jack-of-all-trades, Isaiah Mervin joins Christina to chat about managing volunteers and what leaders need to know about the remote workspace. 

From his background working at Disney, to a successful career as a recording artist, pastor, author, and now director of Outreach Groups and Campus Chaplin at University of Mt. Olive, Lester has learned the value of connecting with people.  Today, Lester shares some of his secrets to networking with a purpose. 

In this episode of Leadership U, Betsy Jackson, LMHC talks us through the importance of Self-Care and how leaders can develop a healthy lifestyle that allows them to be at their very best.

Christina and Jim finally convince their Great-Uncle, Bob to come on the show.  Enjoy engaging antidotes from this hard-working store owner and the practical insights and bits of wisdom that spill out as he shares memories from his days in Downtown Chicago. 

In this episode, we chat with Matt Perkins; musician, songwriter, and Pastor at Peoples Church in Fresno, California. Matt shares his incredible story and talks with us about the process of leading through personal loss.    You can connect with Matt on his website thefamilyblend.com where he and his wife Kari inspire people to take the next step after loss, through life and love. 

For this special flagship episode, hosts Jim and Christina interviewed retired Lt. Col. Charles “Chuck” Reif about Servant Leadership. Chuck grew up in Southern California and enlisted in the Military in 1968 right after high-school, just in time for the Vietnam War. After serving overseas, Chuck flew A-4 Skyhawks, became a Nuclear Weapons Delivery Instructor, and then switched to Harrier Jets for 15 years. He retired as a Lt. Col. Commanding Officer in Arizona.