Coaching For Leaders

Hassan Osman: Effective Delegation of Authority Hassan is a project management office leader at Cisco, where he leads a team of over 150 project and program managers on delivering complex projects across the world. He’s also served as a management consultant at Ernst & Young (now EY), where he led projects and programs for the largest enterprises. He’s the author of Effective Delegation of Authority: A (Really) Short Book for New Managers About How to Delegate Work Using a Simple Delegation Process. In this episode, Hassan and I discuss the three stages of delegation, the critical importance of planning, and how to leverage delegation as a development opportunity. Also impressive is the ten books Hassan has published while working full-time as a manager at a Fortune 100 company. He teaches others how to do it on his Writer on the Side podcast. Key Points Before you begin the delegation process, decide on the outcomes you need and the right person to get you there. Set expectations for goals, not action

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions. Listener Questions Elizabeth asked about a tricky issue with an underperforming team member she inherited. Gordon wondered what he could do to support resilience during a time of massive change. Leona asked how she might think about the disconnect from what her organization espouses and what she sees in practice. Anthony was curious about when it’s appropriate to ask “why” and when it’s not. Resources Mentioned Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It … and Why the Rest Don’t* by Verne Harnish Scaling Up Growth Tools Analyzing Performance Problems* by Robert F. Mager and Peter Pipe Related Episodes How to Succeed with Leadership

Dave Stachowiak: Coaching for Leaders I am often asked about the tools and technology behind our work. As we’ve updated our systems over the past year, I’ve identified seven tools that may also be helpful for you in creating more margin. Used thoughtfully, tools like these help us automate the things we can automate so we can spend more time doing the things we should never automate. Here are seven that may help: Technology Tools to Create Margin Acuity Scheduling* powers our all our calendars and serves as a 24/7 scheduling assistant. Automated reminders, time zone adjustments, rescheduling, and video meeting integration happen seamlessly. TextExpander* saves us tons of time each day to quickly populate documents, emails, forms, and other repeatable typing so we can respond to others faster and with more accuracy. The link above will provide you a 20% discount. 1Password* helps us create unique and strong password for every account. Plus, there families and teams programs allow us to share passwords with

Ron Williams: Learning to Lead Ron Williams is a veteran business leader, turn-around expert, and advocate for value creation. Today he is chairman and CEO of RW2 Enterprises and also a member of the board of directors for American Express, The Boeing Company, and Johnson & Johnson. Ron is the former chairman and CEO of health insurance giant Aetna. When he joined Aetna in 2001, its loss from continuing operations was $292 million, with earnings per share at a loss of $0.46. In 2011, the year he stepped down as Chairman, Aetna’s full-year operating earnings were $2 billion, with operating earnings per share of $5.17. In this conversation, Ron shares wisdom from his book, Learning to Lead: The Journey to Leading Yourself, Leading Others, and Leading an Organization*. Ron discusses his own leadership journey and how he asked the right questions to inspire a successful turn-around at Aetna. He also shares the reason for avoiding “why” questions and the value that knowledge maps provided at Aetna. Key Points Ro

Jim Harter: It’s the Manager Jim Harter is the Chief Scientist for Workplace at Gallup. He has led more than 1,000 studies of workplace effectiveness, including the largest ongoing meta-analysis of human potential and business unit performance. He is the co-author with Jim Clifton of the new book, It’s the Manager: Gallup Finds That the Quality of Managers and Team Leaders is the Single Biggest Factor in Your Organization’s Long-Term Success*. Key Points Millennials and Generation Z have influenced the changing nature of work. Six key findings from Gallup: People don’t just work for a paycheck — they want a purpose. People are no longer pursuing job satisfaction — they are pursuing development. People don’t want bosses — they want coaches. People don’t want annual reviews — they want ongoing conversations. People don’t want a manager that fixates on their weaknesses. People say, it’s not my job — it’s my life. Resources Mentioned It's the Manager: Gallup Finds the Quality of Managers and Team

Oscar Trimboli: Deep Listening Oscar is a mentor, coach, speaker, and author. He was a director at Microsoft for over a decade and headed up the MS Office division in Australia. Today, he works with leadership teams and their organizations on the importance of clarity to create change, how to embrace the digital economy, and the role values play in the achievement of your purpose. He is the author of Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words*. Key Points Listen beyond the words that are said and try to determine what the speaker is really trying to say. The more senior you are, the more listening you’ll do. Ask the speaker: “Tell me more” or “What else are you thinking?” or “How long have you been thinking about that?” To be a great listener, you have to create a space where you’re available to listen. For every hour you listen, you need to spend another hour in action. Leaders often are not great at hearing all the opinions in the room. Bonus Audio Three tips to becoming a better listener Resourc

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni Stachowiak is Dave’s life partner and best friend, business professor, past executive leader, and the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast. Listener Questions Brad asked about supporting a team member who’s being taken advantage of by someone else in the organization. Mark is wondering about how to help an existing team move on to being a high-performing team. Ashish asked about how to determine more in the interviewing process. Craig wanted perspective on how to be more visible. Resources Mentioned The Empowered Manager* by Peter Block Essentialism* by Greg Mckeown Related Episodes How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block The Path to Start Leading Your Team, with John Piñeiro Develop Leaders Before You Leave, with David Marquet How to Work With an Executive Recruiter, with Becky deSouza Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Becky deSouza: Conexus Talent Acquisition Solutions Becky is a partner with Conexus Talent Acquisition Solutions and has dedicated her career of 20+ years to developing effective solutions for Talent Development and Recruiting. Becky spent 11 years running DreamWorks Animation’s Corporate Recruiting team. Today she leads the human resources recruiting practice with Conexus. Key Points Recruiting firms can be regional, industry-specific, or functional. Look to your network for leads, but be careful when networking with your colleagues. Work to fully engage with your recruiter. Be honest with your recruiter, even if you aren’t totally ready to commit. Always keep your LinkedIn profile updated since it can serve as a type of resume. Make sure your web and social presence is consistent with the expectations of your desired job. Check your privacy settings on social media. Resources Mentioned Becky deSouza on LinkedIn Related Episodes How to Figure Out Your Career, with Scott Anthony Barlow

David Marquet: Turn the Ship Around! David Marquet is the former commander of the U.S.S. Santa Fe, a nuclear-powered attack submarine. Under David’s command, the ship had an impressive turnaround, achieving the highest retention and operational standings in the Navy. David is the author of the bestseller Turn the Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders, a book USA Today called one of the 12 best business books of all time. Key Points Accomplishment is the production, leadership is building production capacity in your team. Understanding the purpose of the organization is the key to unlocking empowerment. You’ll suffer the consequences of your behavior if you couple the behavior with the outcome. Resources Mentioned Turn the Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders* by David Marquet The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People* by Stephen R. Covey Book Notes Download my highlights from Turn the Ship Around! in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episod

Amy Edmondson: The Fearless Organization Amy Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School. She has been recognized by the Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers for many years and was honored with their Talent Award in 2017. Amy is the author of several, highly regarded books on teaming and psychological safety, including her newest book, The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth*. Key Points Psychological safety varies a lot even inside of an organization. More effective teams may appear to make more mistakes, but it’s likely those teams are just more comfortable reporting mistakes. Instead of calling it an error, call it an accident. And rather than calling it an investigation, call it a study. It’s fine to say, “I don’t know” when appropriate because it signals to others that it is okay to admit when they don’t know something. If somebody shares a problem, say thank yo

Gretchen Rubin: Outer Order, Inner Calm Gretchen Rubin explores happiness and good habits and is the author of several books, including the block-buster New York Times bestsellers, Better Than Before*, The Happiness Project*, Happier at Home*, and The Four Tendencies*. She is the author also of the new book Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness*. Key Points When people have control over their stuff, they feel more in control of their lives. If you need a physical reset, do 10 jumping jacks. Your physical needs will override your emotional needs. Resources Mentioned Internal Time* by Till Roenneberg Book Notes Download my highlights from Outer Order, Inner Calm in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, with Daniel Pink How to Reclaim Conversation, with Cal Newport Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions. Listener Questions Peter asked about how to support a team member going through a difficult situation. Mike wondered what strategies he could use to avoid being a micro-manager. Roger asked about advice on next steps after an executive role didn’t work out. Ali asked for input on assessments for executive presence. Thomas wanted input on how to better design surveys. Resources Mentioned Hope for the Flowers* by Trina Paulus Double Loop Learning The Look & Sound of Leadership podcast by Tom Henschel Related Episodes How to Delegate Work Effectively The Way to Lead After a Workplace Loss, with Andrew Stenhouse Get ROI From

Sheila Miller-Nelson: Midian Sheila Miller-Nelson is owner of Midian Consulting. She’s dedicated to helping people learn how to truly connect to create better relationships and enhance leadership. She’s a former trainer with Dale Carnegie and her experience in communication and leadership coaching spans more than 25 years. Key Points We will often learn a lesson but because it seems trivial, we don’t remember it for the next time. The way you practice determines how you perform. Write down what you want to be known for and then share that with others. The ability to humble yourself and admit when you’ve missed the mark will give you compassion for others when they fail. Resources Mentioned Midian Consulting Related Episodes How to Become a Champion, with Jeff Spencer Leverage StrengthsFinder for Your Team, with Lisa Cummings The Truth and Lies of Performance Management, with Michael Bungay Stanier Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interv

Cal Newport: Digital Minimalism Cal Newport is a computer science professor at Georgetown University who studies the theory of distributed systems. In addition to his academic work, he writes about the intersection of technology and culture. He’s the author of six books including Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World and Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World. Key Points The human brain is very sophisticated in how it navigates social dynamics using voice and visual cues. Digital interactions bypass the brain’s ability to see these cues. Social media interactions might make you think you’re being social, but you can still lonely because your brain doesn’t count these interactions the same as person-to-person interactions. Digital interactions are not bad, but they can crowd out more important real-world interactions. Make sure tech is serving the things that are important in your life, rather than just using it as an escape from your life. Small steps tend

Dan O’Connor: Life Unscripted Dan O’Connor is a multi-faceted actor, improviser, writer, and director. He is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of the critically acclaimed Impro Theatre. Dan is the author, with Jeff Katzman, of Life Unscripted: Using Improv Principles to Get Unstuck, Boost Confidence, and Transform Your Life*. Key Points When we meet someone for the first time, there is a narrative that happens between us. “If you’re interested, you’re interesting.” Oftentimes, people in meetings aren’t engaged in the conversation and are only waiting for the other person to stop talking. If you make the effort to really listen to your customers, you’ll be able to engage in customized sales because you’ll truly understand what their needs are. Resources Mentioned Life Unscripted: Using Improv Principles to Get Unstuck, Boost Confidence, and Transform Your Life* by Jeff Katzman and Dan O’Connor Dan O’Connor Impro Theatre Book Notes Download my highlights from Dan’s book in PDF format

Julia Taylor Kennedy: Center for Talent Innovation Julia is Executive Vice President and Director of Publications at the Center for Talent Innovation. She has co-authored Disabilities and Inclusion, Mission Critical: Unlocking the Value of Veterans in the Workforce, and The Power of the Purse: Engaging Women for Healthy Outcomes, on women and health. CTI recently released a new report, titled, The Sponsor Dividend. Key Points A sponsor actively advocates for the career of their protege. If you’re looking for a sponsor, be very clear on where you want to go in your career. Sponsors want to be sure they can trust the protege to deliver on the opportunities the sponsor presents. Sponsors do better when they have a protege who has complementary skills to their own. Resources Mentioned The Sponsor Dividend: Key Findings Related Episodes How to Help the Underdog Thrive, with Terry Lipovski How to Make Inclusion Happen, with Deepa Purushothaman How to Connect Personal Growth to Business Outcomes

John Stepper: Working Out Loud John developed Working Out Loud, a practice that helps people be more effective, access more opportunities, and feel happier at work. Over several years, a small movement has formed based on his self-published book*, TEDx talk, and a peer support method that’s spread to over 40 countries and companies like Bosch, Daimler, BMW, and Siemens. Key Points Behavior change is about small steps, peer support, celebration along the way, and continual feedback. Changes start with only one tiny step. Do that until it gets easy, then take the next step. Peer support is a major part of habit change. Peer support gives you structure, shared accountability, and emotional support. Resources Mentioned Start a Working Out Loud Circle Martha Beck Drive* by Daniel Pink Everybody Matters* by Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia Book Notes Download my highlights from Working Out Loud in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Be a Non-Conformist, with Adam Grant T

Jill Schlesinger: Jill on Money Jill Schlesinger is the Emmy-nominated Business Analyst for CBS News, the host of the Jill on Money podcast and of the nationally syndicated radio show, Jill on Money, which won the 2018 Gracie Award for Best National Talk Show. She has been recognized as a Top 10 LinkedIn Influencer and a Top 10 LinkedIn Voice. She’s the author of The Dumb Things Smart People Do with Their Money: Thirteen Ways to Right Your Financial Wrongs*. Key Points Not all financial professionals are looking out for you. Make sure they are held to the fiduciary standard at all times. Before seeing a financial professional, make sure you’ve already paid off consumer debt, you’ve built an emergency reserve fund, and you’re maximizing your retirement fund contributions. Prioritize your own retirement savings before setting aside money for your children’s tuition. Make sure the cost of a degree is worth the expected income. Resources Mentioned The Dumb Things Smart People Do with Their Money: Thi

Priya Parker: The Art of Gathering Priya Parker is a facilitator, strategic advisor, and founder of Thrive Labs, at which she helps activists, elected officials, corporate executives, educators, and philanthropists create transformative gatherings. She is the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters*. Key Points What creates meaning in a gathering is conversation, not the functional details of the event. We’re often not totally clear on the purpose of our gatherings. We don’t need to gather more often, but we need to do a better job when we do gather. Resources Mentioned The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters* by Priya Parker The Modern Manager podcast Book Notes Download my highlights from The Art of Gathering in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee How to Plan Meetings That Get Results, with Mamie Kanfer Stewart The Path of Hu

Kevin McCurdy Kevin McCurdy is the Chief Operating Officer of Auto-Chlor System and a longtime listener of the show. Key Points Think about the impact you’re having on people and if it’s really the impact you want to have. Don’t always show up with your own solution, come with the intention to learn and discover the best solution together. Truly listen to people instead of just thinking about what you want to say to back to them. Resources Mentioned The Look and Sound of Leadership The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier* Related Episodes Three Steps To Soliciting Feedback with Tom Henschel How to Manage Your Inner Critic The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech A Useful Mindset for New Leaders Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.