Supporting Effective Teams & Leadership Narratives with Matthew Winklestine

The latest episode of The Future of Teamwork, hosted by HUDDL3 CEO Dane Groeneveld focuses on the intricacies of team dynamics and leadership evolution. Dane speaks with Matthew Winklestine, President of Engaging Perspectives, unearthing insights from the construction industry, human behavior, and project management across departments. Throughout their conversation Matthew stresses the significance of fitting team members with leaders who align and support your career growth. Together, Dane and Matthew also touch on the role of trust as an accelerator while exploring the nuances of creating effective teams and the power of narratives in leadership.

Key Takeaways

• [01:44 - 02:40] Dane introduces Matthew Winklestine, President of Engaging Perspectives and podcast host of Evolving Engineering and Construction Brands
• [02:40 - 06:19] Matthew's background in the construction industry, nuclear industry, moving into large construction projects and learning human behavior. Moves to marketing, and deciding to go into business for himself.
• [06:22 - 07:56] Moving through departments and seeing how teams operate. Teams don't discuss collaborating enough.
• [08:49 - 10:24] Understanding what drives individuals, the complexities of stress, and what drives fit. Discussing mobilization, demobilization, and compensation.
• [10:25 - 15:10] What drives fit? Project manager preferences and reasonable expectations.
• [12:19 - 14:30] Considering tough leadership and rounding out the team to be in the right spots at the right time.
• [15:10 - 17:04] Business development to marketing: executive sponsorship allowed Matthew safety to cultivate and shape. Supportive bosses are critical.
• [17:03 - 17:56] Clearing the way, putting your reputation on the line for someone like this boss did for Mathew.
• [17:57 - 19:13] A call to action for leaders, discussing a commercial with the tagline "Ideas are Ugly" that develops a gremlin into a gorgeous peacock.
• [19:23 - 21:42] Everyone can touch on an idea, developing trust and getting to know someone, and giving an idea time to gain traction.
• [21:40 - 23:34] Shifts and turnaround environments, straying from schedule makes the rest of the project much harder.
• [23:37 - 26:57] A reluctance to go hybrid, taking a problem and reverse engineering it to create step-by-step instructions for the solution, even if it isn't 100%.
• [26:59 - 28:15] "Facilitate on the run" approach to running meetings, human needs novelty and meetings are hard to solve.
• [28:16 - 33:30] What Matthew got from the 3 months per year he was off working in the nuclear industry: the chance to travel and explore. Enabled by a leader who placed trust in Matthew's abilities and competencies.
• [31:29 - 33:30] The right leader for the right season.
• [33:30 - 37:17] A project's season, discussing people's career paths and expected trajectories.
• [37:19 - 40:00] How seasonal approaches allow employees to grow, a freeing approach that people can leverage for exposure and connection.
• [40:02 - 43:48] Great candidates don't make it on the market very often. The importance of recruiting and hiring the right people who attract more business.
• [43:54 - 45:05] Word of mouth vs expensive BDRs, hire the right people and take control of your narrative.
• [45:06 - 47:37] Dane summarizes focal points of conversation with Matthew: Fitting the right team members around a leader, ideas in teams and trust being an accelerator, and the importance of story for a leader.
• [47:40 - 48:22] Find Matthew online and on LinkedIn.