The Sync Leadership Lab

No matter what type of team you are leading, shared purpose is key to success. Tune in as Matthew Adam taps into both is psychotherapy and organizational development background to talk about the impact it makes and how to infuse shared purpose into your team and organization.Matthew Adam is an Executive & Leadership Coach as well as an Organizational Development consultant based in the UK with clients globally.

AI may be the biggest tech revolution ever, but it is not the first. Take a listen to Ed Cohen and Josh Craver break down past Tech Revolutions to learn valuable lessons from the past, and then dive into how you can dive deeper into AI no matter where you are on your AI journey and how organization can successfully implement AI into their business and culture.Ed and Josh are taking their incredible global experiences running organizations to lead the discussions on how people and organizations can best implement AI. They cut through the hype to have some real discussion on how AI should be implemented, and how it shouldn't."With AI, all of the sudden the curtain came back and it wasn't here's what's coming. It is all here. Get on the bus, or you're gonna miss the bus."" What we always see regardless of the technology is needing to factor in how humans manage change... if you intentionally create a culture that is both factoring in the, the human side of things and the technology sides of things, you can be really powerful." "The most important thing that companies need to do is to stop and ask themselves what is the problem that we're trying to solve?"" Take yourself on what I call an information safari. You know, get out there and go on Safari looking for what all these tools are. "

Join me for a discussion with one of my absolute favorite people and favorite leaders out there.Dr. Sree Koka has impacted tens of thousands through his Ted Talk, FLIP and SHIFT sessions, his academic work, his practice, and so much more. He is here to share those experiences with you to talk about how important human centric leadership is in this age of automation, including tangible examples for organizations and individual leaders to follow.To learn more about Dr. Sree Koka and the Sweet Spot Leadership Program:https://thesweetspotleader.com/Some highlights:" So the Platinum Rule actually says, Do unto others as they would have you do unto them.  So whereas the golden rule is really about sympathy, the platinum rule is about empathy." "Organizations are defined by six things, and it's what they choose to cherish, celebrate, encourage, accept, tolerate, and then punish." "...we wanted to take care of them. And I use the word we, not they, and that's a big thing about leadership, right? When you think of leadership as they, it's a problem. When you think of leadership as we, that's a good sign.""Your obligation, your mission really, is to create an environment where your team can be the best it can be. " "The ultimate level of services is when you serve others when it might actually not be in your personal best interest."

March is Women's History Month, so I had a chat with 3 amazing female leaders to talk about leaders they admire, how they have overcome challenges in their career, and advice they have for all leaders, especially women.Take a listen to Pam Bonnett, Mamta Valderama, and Katy Peterson share amazing experiences and advice.Pam"Make sure that you are stretching yourself outside your comfort zone and know that the skills you have will carry you through."Mamta "Be really confident about the value you are providing, your time, your effort, your focus, your background, and your skills that you're bringing to the table.   Too many women leave things on the table and it's because we didn't ask."Katy"You can have it all. It just might not always be at the exact same time."

Damon Baker has built a wildly successful career and business around Lean principles and is a highly respected thought leader in this space, so how does that convert to Lean Leadership?We walk through various aspects of what makes a Lean Leader, exploring which elements are leading with head and which are with heart - and agree that both are required to be a true Lean Leader.Tune in for this engaging conversation.Top quotes:" Why are you, not the company  - Why are you wanting  to embark on this lean transformation journey and how will it affect you personally?"On learning Lean Leadership:"He recognized in his leadership style that one of his duties as a leader was to set a high expectation for people.  Because left to your own devices, most individuals will not have that ambition to set a high expectation for themselves. So we have to rely on each other. to really raise the bar on each other.... He would equip you with the tools and the, the, the knowledge and the way of breaking down the problem. But he would never solve the problem for you."On his Purpose:"What do I get juice out of   it's seeing people  go through the transformation that I went through  and empowering them  with the tools, the knowledge and the confidence to  improve their performance, their team's performance, their business performance, and they come to you with like,  I didn't think it was possible, but now I feel like I know what to do. Like it's a twinkle in their eye. Like there's, they're smiling as they're telling you this story.  And in my job, I get to repeat that like literally thousands of times a year."Take the Challenge:" I'm all about action, tell people to pull out a pen and write down on a piece of paper one thing that..." (tune in to take the challenge)Timeline:3:31 What is Lean Leadership6:38 Standing in the circle - Taking ownership13:35 Digging deeper, problem solving, and prioritization with your team22:38 Being personally invested in the Lean journey26:00 Leading with purpose/ Leading with head and heart37:50 Keys to success with Lean Leadership43:26 The roles of vision and collaboration46:47 Lean Leadership metrics57:19 Managing detractors and laggards 65:00 Leadership Corner72:30 Take the Challenge

Data shows that a large majority of people experience Imposter Syndrome in their career, so what is it and how do we overcome it?I sat down with Lindsay Zubek to break it down, discuss how it shows up, and specific ways to overcome it. If you face Imposter Syndrome or feel people on your team might, this is a great episode to understand how to work through it to have you best and authentic self show up when needed.Top quotes:"Imposter syndrome is when  individuals who are actually achieving, they're actually accomplishing, but they don't recognize that those achievements are due to themselves. They attribute those to luck, to others, to circumstance, to situation.""Imposter syndrome and low confidence is so prevalent 60 or 70 to 85 percent of people feel it at some point in their career, odds are someone who you're leading on your team is struggling with it, if not you"On overcoming:" I had a folder called good things. And I started to put when someone sent me a nice email, or when someone gave a compliment, I had a folder that I would review if I was having a moment that, I wasn't feeling great, I'd review that, and it's helpful.""Think of the story that you're telling yourself, separate fact from emotion and going through that process. can actually be super helpful in moving past the feeling"Favorite Quote (from Jess Sims)" You're a masterpiece, but a work in progress at the same damn time"

Suken welcome's in a special guest host, his teenage daughter. They explore key leadership lessons which happen to be relevant for both teenagers as well as leaders in the workplace. Whether you are a leader continuing to hone your skills, or looking to help your teenage child work on theirs, take a listen for some simple, yet impactful leadership lessons. We discuss the importance of servant leadership, authenticity, and humble confidence. We also get into how "failure" can be hard, but how we can turn those experiences around to our greatest wins.

This is Year 3 of setting a focus word of the year. Take a listen of how setting a focus can be so impactful and how I am using this as a guiding light to accomplish what I want this year around my 2025 word: Purpose

A must do year end activity is to reflect on the year that has passed, and set intentions for the year ahead. Take just 20-30 minutes for yourself to sit down and really think about your successes of the past year to celebrate your wins and growth. Then set goals for 2025 which are meaningful to you and put yourself on the path to achieving them. Take a listen and be guided through the exercise and ready to take on the new year! Need additional support setting or achieving your goals? Reach out to me today - I am here to help your goals become realities.

Leading in today's world hinges on how we manage our relationships, so come take a listen to how Gina Restani breaks down 5 ways to stand out, and drive results while you are at it. Gina dives into these 5 simple steps: 1 - Listen 2 - Ask Powerful Questions 3 - Creating Generative Conflict 4 - Building a culture of Appreciation 5 - Build the Relational Foundation

Millennials and Gen Z are starting to make up a majority of the workplace, and they bring with them plenty of stereotypes and amazing gifts. Take a listen to learn about major events that shape this generation, how they show up in the workplace, and how to manage them for collective success! Lauren Foster is a leader in this space as an HR Leader, somebody who manages a number of people in these generations, and also helps lead the effort on the annual Global Deloitte research about them. Show Notes: Millennials (ages ~28-43 today) Major Life Events: 2008 financial crisis 9/11 Social Media Looking for in workplace: Flexibility Purpose or meaning Work-life balance Gen Z (ages ~12-27 today) Major Life Events/ Drivers: COVID/Lockdowns Distrust of information Climate crisis and social responsibility Looking for in workplace: Flexibility and fluidity Space to manage mental health How to build strong relationships: Build trust Establish joint boundaries Challenge them…in a supportive way Give them developmental opportunities Communicate purpose of company and project The Deloitte Global 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey

As mid-life and mid-career professionals, we have a lot on our plate both personally and professionally. How can we manage it all and still keep our head on straight? I talk with Matt Davis about how he approaches life, stress, anxiety and more as he manages a genetic disposition to severe mental health challenges. As somebody who has lost a loved one to mental health, deals with it regularly himself, and is also a caretaker of somebody dealing with it, he shares his own experiences and many good ideas and suggestions on how others can work on it themselves. Note: neither Matt or I are medical professionals. We both feel passionately about this topic and hope this can help support you through your mental health journey. Top Quotes: "Some people may question: Hey, do I really have anxiety or do I really have these things that we try to quantify? And my response would be, it doesn't matter. All of us have really negative feelings that we have to overcome each day. We're all doing our best and there are ways to overcome that." "If you really examine any time that you're feeling an overwhelming amount of anxiety or stress, or even depression, there's typically some sort of expectation hanging out there. Scientists can call this inner locus of control where. We have the ability to choose our life, to choose the things we do." "When I get into that anxious state, I really have to cut off the future for just a little bit. I call it the today is the greatest day I've ever known, where I have to really focus on the day that I'm in, the hour that I'm in." 5 areas of balance (SPARK): spiritual, physical, academic, relationships, character "The biggest thing is if you're struggling out there in any way that. If you just keep giving the effort, I promise things will get better, like, just keep fighting for it. Keep searching for the help that you need and things do change." "I'm not going to be limited by mental health, even though I have severe bouts with it, I'm going to go and live a life and go full steam ahead. And it may be painful sometimes, but it's something that we can all do. We all have that ability. "

Do you have a team member that might be neurodivergent (ADHD, Autism, other)? Or do you have people on your team who just think and work differently than you do? This episode is for you! Join me for a discussion focused on Neurodivergence, but relevant for trying to better understand and support people who are just wired differently than you are. Marjorie has spent her life experiencing neurodivergence, and has spent years researching the topic and supporting people related to challenges and gifts around it. If you struggle working with certain team members or just want to continue to improve your leadership skills, this episode will provide you a window into neurodivergence and tangible steps to help them thrive! Top Quotes: "The things that are hard for other people are often easy for more neurodivergent brains. If it's in their strengths area and the things that are easy for other people are often very difficult, the simple mundane stuff. "One thing you can do as a leader is topave the pathway and create a brave and safe space where you help create a culture help create a culture where it's okay to function in different ways and that when someone is struggling that you get curious with them" "Trust people when they ask for support, when they ask for accommodations, even if it to you seems like, how on earth can this be difficult? Because for a lot of folks with neurodivergence, that's exactly what it is. What, to you, is like a no brainer is like climbing Mount Everest to them." "Which parts of this do you think are easy for you and where do you anticipate yourself struggling and how can we support you? What kind of support do you need in order to do that well or to make that a little easier?" "ADHDers or a lot of neurodivergent folks, they can do incredible peak performance. They can outperform other people when they're really lit up about something. But that is not a state that is perpetually sustainable. So make use of it when it shows up and give a little breathing room when it's not there" Marjorie Schreurs https://soulsticecoaching.com/ hello@soulsticecoaching.com

Are you neurodivergent and trying to navigate the workplace? Well, this episode is for you. Marjorie Scheurs brings her incredible experience as somebody with ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, and Giftedness along with many hours of research into the topic to dive into: -What is neurodivergence -What are the challenges and why -How neurodivergent people can thrive in spaces designed for neurotypical people -What are tangible actions you can take to create a better environment for yourself Marjorie emphasizes understanding one's own neurotype, using frameworks like PINCH (Passion, Interest, Novelty, Challenge, Hurry-Up), and making small adjustments to thrive personally and professionally Top Quotes: "There's tractors and there's SUVs and there's Ferraris. They all shine in a different environment. And if you put the Ferrari in the field where the tractor is, it's going to go, I'm a broken tractor. Why can't I do this? And vice versa, if you put the tractor on the racetrack, it's not going to do very well. But if you put them in the right environment, in the right job, in the right role, they're going to excel and shine." "The first step of the process is getting to know your own neurotype, getting to know where are my struggles and where are my strengths and how can I support my struggles and how can I lean into my strengths." "Develop a 'work with me' document...we can't expect anyone else to figure out our neurotype for us because we are the only ones living inside of our own heads." "So many women go undiagnosed because their love for predictability doesn't show up as riding trains on a circle, it shows up as organizing their stuffed animals or their shoes in a line." Types of adjustments: "Can you send me the agenda for the meeting ahead of time, so I have time to prepare myself?" Marjorie Schreurs https://soulsticecoaching.com/ hello@soulsticecoaching.com

In this episode of the Sync Leadership Lab podcast, host Suken Jain dives into the critical topic of servant leadership with guest Dan Albom. They explore various aspects of what servant leadership means, why it has been misunderstood, and how it can be effectively applied in today's workplace. Dan, a seasoned leader with extensive experience, shares his insights on empowering teams, building trust, and driving accountability through servant leadership. They also discuss practical steps for introducing servant leadership in corporate culture and highlight the special importance it has for new generations like Gen Z. Don't miss this deep and insightful conversation on leading with empathy and purpose. 00:00 Introduction to Sync Leadership Lab 00:46 Diving into Servant Leadership 00:58 Introducing Dan Albom 02:10 Understanding Servant Leadership 02:57 Challenges and Misconceptions 04:11 Servant Leadership in Practice 10:03 Generational Perspectives on Leadership 13:53 Implementing Servant Leadership 21:13 Creating a Culture of Servant Leadership 26:34 Dan Albom's Insights and Resources 29:29 Lightning Round: Leadership Tips 34:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Trust and connection are the cornerstone to building a high performing team in today's world, and vulnerability is at the center of that. Take a listen to a former Marine and construction worker talk about his journey with vulnerability and how that is the foundation of the work he does today. "People will follow great leaders to the ends of the earth. They'll follow a title only to a certain extent." "What do you need more of, and what do you need less of from me as a leader?" "Give people room to try things. support them, but also hold them accountable. That's what creates that trust." "If you're a little bit uncomfortable thinking about this, you're already doing good work because that means you're starting to build awareness."

Kicking off Season 2 with a quick discussion around belonging. I share some of my experience seeking belonging, taking steps to create belonging in a way I could control it, and then creating belonging for my team. It is one of my proudest professional accomplishments so I wanted to take a few minutes to share it with you. I'm excited to kick off this next season of The Sync Leadership Lab and welcome your feedback, topics, and any other engagement at suken@synergysyncsolutions.com or via LinkedIn.

Han was a high performing marketer and produced incredible results in the work she did, but after nearly 2 decades of doing so, she decided to stop doing what she "should" be doing and pursue a career she was passionate about. Take a listen to how she went from an immigrant with not much more than a box of crayons, to a Berkeley graduate and successful corporate career, to pursuing her passion of art. With many revelations and bold decisions along they way, she is now building an art business while doing the work she loves. "You get to a point where all the external accolades and monetary gain doesn't make up for what you're compromising with your own sense of happiness and fulfillment." "We're just so used to living in a state of brokenness that we don't realize things need to be fixed" "When the call for fulfillment and passion and the things that you've been avoiding and neglecting for so long becomes louder than the desire for comfort, then I knew that's when I had to really make a change" "Be resilient and tenacious with your dreams...because no one's going to pursue them for you."

Create genuine trust and loyalty to drive the ultimate results for your team! Take a listen to Katy Peterson break down how to effectively do so in this Part 2 of the discussion. We cover very tactical ways to compassionately drive both short and long term results in this fun discussion. You can easily implement many of them today! "Everybody has a birthday. Put it into your calendar, send an email, call them, send them a card. it's one of those little things that really help in making those personal connections" "If you have to deliver a tough message, you can't control what you say. You can, however, control how you communicate that information"  "You're actually doing a disservice to the employees when we're unable to share with them constructive feedback." "You want to know what motivates somebody, watch them get excited. You want to know what really gets to people, watch them get upset.  Then you know what their motivators are and their demotivators are, and both are super important. And now you know, what to do to support your team"

Sometimes the corporate drive for results seems in conflict with compassionate leadership. Come take a listen to Katy Peterson talk about how to drive results and accountability through compassionate leadership, including the most impactful compassionate leadership moment she experienced and how it help her win 'Manager of the Year.' Note: this is part 1 of a 2 part episode. Some of my favorite quote: "There's a distinct difference between process and style. As a leader, I have to hit a number. It's my job. It's my job to get my team to hit that number. There is a process that I must follow to get them to that number. However, how I choose to train my team, the approach that I choose to take, That's my style." "When you open that door and an employee finally trusts you enough to step through that door and share that piece with you again, that return is significantly" "I don't have all the answers, so therefore you don't have all the answers, and that's okay. However, together, , this diversity in thought and approach, we're going to win, and we're going to find a way to win."

Burnout is all too prevalent in the workplace these days, so what are you doing to manage it for yourself and your team? Take a listen to a special Mental Health Awareness Month episode as I talk to Lindsey Coit about the L-I-T Process: 1 - LISTEN: Why do you think there's a burnout issue? What is the canary in the coal mine? 2 - IDENTIFY: Identify the root cause(s). 3 - TEST: Choose 2-3 solutions to experiment with If you may be experiencing burnout or trying to prevent/manage burnout for your team, this could be the most important 40 minutes of your week! Resources: The Burnout Breakthrough: https://www.capitalhconsultants.com/the-burnout-breakthrough 7 root causes of burnout* Workload (most common, typically perceived as being the only cause) Choice & control: Autonomy over how/when of work Community: Positive team dynamics, camaraderie, low toxicity Recognition: Social, monetary, intrinsic rewards Fairness: Perception of fairness: workload, pay, transparency Values: Alignment of values between individuals and organization Personal Resilience: The ability to manage stress, emotionally regulate in difficult situations *Adapted from Christina Maslach's Burnout Inventory: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911781/

Change is inevitable in life and in the corporate world, now more than ever, so what are you doing to lead through change? Join me as I sit down with Rob Versaw to discuss ideas and tactics to lead through change including the stages of the change curve and how to progress through frustration and the other phases, the role of a manager through change, and how to get buy in from a team. "The manager's role is really this two way communication back and forth to the executive team" "If you don't do the listing and explaining the why talent is going to real quickly be become a problem in your company." "That's where that's where magic happens. That's where people can go from stuck to really engage and a lot of times those people that get stuck end up being the people that lead out of it"

He built his career to became a successful leader, unfortunately at the expense of his health and family. Come take a listen to the revelations Suneel had and the changes he made to flip prioritizing work to prioritizing family, while still growing his career. "You're working hard, but ultimately, what are you working for?" "I was putting work as number one and putting everything else below that. After trying all of this, I realized that I have to flip it." "I'm now seeing a big change in my interaction with my family and my kids"

Join me for a chat with a great leader and friend, Scott Ryan, as we discuss what it means and what it takes to truly lead people. Listen to how respect, curiosity, and authenticity play such a key role in leading teams and some of the lessons learned along the way on how to do so. "As a leader, you've got to realize that the, broad impact you have on your team beyond the workplace. That's really critical." "If you don't understand your team's goals and their why. you can't truly help them achieve what they're trying to achieve. As a leader, that's your job."

Join me as I have an amazing chat with one of my mentors, Georgette Belair. We talk about mindset and tactics to utilize when being a newer manager. We dive into discussion around the difficult transition from individual contributor to leader, the value of mentorship, what is professional empathy, how to overcome being the youngest or only woman at the leadership table, and so much more. "I don't expect everyone to come where I am as a leader to be where I am in my headspace or my approach. I go where they are." "You have to understand that as a leader, you don't have to be smarter than the people you lead." "You're a leader if your team grows, you are not a leader if your team does"

I went from 2 promotions in 6 months, to burn out, to transformation, to living and working with intent, to completely changing my career and finding more fulfillment in life. The mid-life and mid-career perspective shift is real. If you are at all feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or that your balance in life might be a little off, listen to my journey which I hope will help motivate you to take steps needed to make adjustments to find fulfillment, and hopefully also find a couple nuggets of inspiration to help you make some of those adjustments.