The LEADfluencer Podcast

This episode of the LEADfluencer, is a discussion of some potential impacts of the pandemic on organizational behavior and some of the new challenges. The hosts talk about the role of trust, expertise, data-informed decision-making, and adding value to those around us, including how defensive perspectives have resulted in disunity within organizations. The discussion examines the difficulty in predicting behavioral outcomes due to new challenges and how the pandemic might have influenced decision-making. The hosts recognize that the world is a different place and that we must assess decision-making relative to influence, trust, and respect. How do we re-establish community and opportunity given new challenges? As always, actively listening and seeking to understand are needed before jumping to conclusions.

Welcome back to the LEADFluencer Podcast. After a long absence, we are back and discussing the COVID-19, Social Change, and adding value in a time of crisis. In this episode, Dr. Rausch and Dr. Silver discuss many of the challenges currently facing the United States today. We discuss how LEADFluencers can weather the current storm. We discuss aspects of how emotion intersects with people's attitudes and behaviors, particularly given the social challenges related to organizational change, racism/sexism, and the importance of empathy in understanding others' feelings and discontent given the current social tensions. We discuss how personal beliefs intersect with current social unrest. Moreover, the episode discusses the differences between positional power and social influencers. We finally discuss the role of bravery and sticking up for all groups as it impacts us all.

In this episode of the LEADFluencer Podcast, the co-hosts discuss the role of emotion in organizational culture. Dr. Rausch discusses the challenges of studying emotion in organizational culture. We, unfortunately, rely on self-report as well as behavior indicators which can give us insight into others. Nevertheless, measurement has been limited exploring emotion and the role in leadership. Dr. Rausch suggests that we should rely on knowledge and skills and the ability to deliver. The co-hosts propose that diversity is an excellent example of where emotion can both help and hurt an organization. For those wishing to promote diversity, emotion can be motivating to make an organizational change while for others, emotion may influence their prejudice or unwillingness to work with diverse others. They discuss the concept of professionalism and how it is both perceived as an artifact of a time passed while for others, they believe professionalism is essential to the organization. We discuss how outcomes should be the key indicator of performance as long as the behavior does not distract from the organizational goals.

In this episode of the LEADFluencer podcast, the co-hosts discuss the importance of creating a culture growth for your follow colleagues and team. This episode highlights the importance of finding a connection to an organization's vision and how the individual contributes and should be appreciated. Dr. Rausch suggests that LEADFluencers help others see how they individually provide and the role they play in an organization. Further, he also suggests meaning is a method for engagement. Yet, in such large organizations, motivating and individually engaging others can be a challenge. However, the research has shown that different things motivate people in different ways and they are not always motivated by salary. The co-hosts discuss the implied perspective of this research and what it means for you. They offer methods for creating and sustaining meaning both for an organization but for you the individual as well.

In this episode of the LEADFluencer Podcast, Drs. Rausch and Silver discuss measurement, personality, and prediction in finding the LEADFluencers in one's organization. They discuss some of the issues with personality measurement and using it as a means to increase communication within an organization. The hosts discuss how overreliance on these measures can be limiting without the possibility of growth if the institution perceives personality to be a trait-based (more static). Dr. Rausch and Silver suggest that any aspect of behavior including those of a LEADFluencer can be learned and modeled. While some might have a natural acumen for these traits, anyone can be a LEADFluencer. Dr. Silver discusses some of the most popular personality measures used in higher education and human resources paying close attention to state laws related to pre-employment assessment. The co-hosts suggest that while these measures may help facilitate communication, users of the measures should not make attributional or genetic assumptions about personality. The co-hosts suggest that these personality constructs may change based on age and context; therefore, any conclusions drawn should be taken with a grain of salt. The episode concludes by discussing some future directions for episodes.

The co-hosts discuss the need for more LEADFluencers in various types of organizations, particularly in the current culture. Dr. Rausch discusses the importance of finding the inner influencer and seeing the importance that each role plays in an organization's survival. He suggests that LEADFluencers capitalize on their role and become a model of working smart, giving to others, and empowering those around them to succeed. They discuss how ownership and assertiveness can contribute to cultivating modeling behaviors desperately needed in today's world. The co-hosts discuss how corporate-speak can leave common working-class people confused regarding their role, particularly when the organization's vision statement has not been translated the specific roles on the team. Dr. Rausch suggests one method for being a LEADFluencer is finding ways to make those connections and cultivate a culture of growth and advancement for those who contribute.

In this episode of the LEADFluencer podcast, Dr. Rausch and Dr. Silver discuss the need for ground-up leadership within organizations. They discuss the organizational implications of positional power and how leadership is not dictated by title but rather awareness and behavior. The hosts discuss how terms such as leader, manager, and even influencer can be misused in discussing the process and importance of real organizational influence. The hosts suggest a new term to encapsulate the attitudes and behaviors of those in an organization who facilitate change through their role (regardless of positional power) and how LEADFluencers stand out from positional authority as having the greatest impact on people and the organization. The recommendations and discussion are based on experience, theory, and, most importantly, research.

In the initial podcast episode of the LEADfluncer Podcast, Drs. David W. Rausch and Christopher F. Silver discuss what the listeners can expect regarding topics and themes, including how each and every one of us has the potential to influence change in an organization for good or bad. The hosts discuss how to find influencers and the impact each person has on an organization. Many times, these people are completely unaware of their influence. The podcast will discuss theories, research, and cultural trends in higher education and business organizations. Welcome to the listeners.

Welcome to the LeadFluencer Podcast. In this initial episode, Drs. David W. Rausch and Christopher F. Silver introduce themselves and describe their background. Coming from humble beginnings, Dr. Rausch discusses his initial career in the United States Navy, moving into corporate America and Executive Leadership in various size companies. He eventually completed his doctoral work and landed as a professor and administrator at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Dr. Christopher Silver grew up in a farming and former coal mining community in the southeastern Appalachian mountain region of the United States. He studied psychology and religious studies while also serving in Information Technology Management for various businesses. Dr. Silver has also served in the roles of project management, human resources, corporate and adult training, as well as applied research with grants totally over 2 million dollars. Both hosts welcome listeners to the podcast and discuss the process of leadership within any position in an organization and suggest a title does not mean one is a leader.