436: Personal Leadership is a Journey, with Michal Holliday

Oct 19, 2019

Michal Holliday, a 26-year career military officer and colonel in the U.S. Air Force, shares valuable insights on personal leadership. He discusses the evolution of his leadership style, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection and emotional management. Holliday highlights how vivid vision statements can energize organizations and the necessity of immediate feedback for growth. He stresses balancing directive leadership with a coaching approach to foster trust and collaboration, ensuring that when orders are given, they are effectively followed.

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ANECDOTE

Podcast Discovery

Mike Holliday discovered Coaching for Leaders podcast while stationed in Pakistan in 2015-2016.
He started listening during his gym commute and quickly became a regular listener, appreciating the deep dives into leadership topics.

INSIGHT

Drive for Improvement

Despite external success, there's always room for leadership growth.
Continuous self-reflection and improvement are essential, even for experienced leaders.

INSIGHT

Self-Examination

Self-examination is crucial for a meaningful life.
Reflecting on our actions and motivations drives personal growth, echoing Socrates' wisdom.

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Michal Holliday: United States Air Force Mike is a 26-year career military officer and colonel in the United States Air Force. He’s been a commander at the squadron and group level. Today, he is chief of engineering overseeing design and construction across the entire Pacific theatre. He’s also a longtime listener of Coaching for Leaders. In this conversation, Mike and I discuss how his view of leadership has changed over time and how he’s used personal leadership to guide his journey. We highlight how he’s inspired vivid visions in his organization, created team expectations, and embrace a culture of more immediate coaching and feedback. Key Points “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” -Viktor Frankl “The unexamined life is not worth living.” -Socrates Vision statements often end up in a drawer. The vivid vision process taught by Cameron Herold has helped the vision to come alive. Giving coaching and feedback more immediately is essential for learning and cultivating the right culture. “When I see something, I do something.” There is a time and place for order-giving. Spending more time coaching, giving feedback, and listening well helps build trust for orders to be followed when that time comes. Resources Mentioned Man's Search for Meaning* by Viktor Frankl Vivid Vision* by Cameron Herold Radical Candor* by Kim Scott Related Episodes How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192) The Way to Make New Behaviors Stick, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 196) How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport (episode 233) How to Challenge Directly and Care Personally, with Kim Scott (episode 302) The Power of Solitude, with Mike Erwin (episode 308) How to Create a Vivid Vision, with Cameron Herold (episode 345) The Way to Stay Grounded, with Parker Palmer (episode 378) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.