The Leadership Mind

In today’s episode, Massimo is joined by Michael Bungay Stanier, the author of seven books which between them have sold over a million copies. He’s best known for The Coaching Habit, the best-selling coaching book of the century and already recognized as a classic. His new book, How to Begin, helps people be more ambitious for themselves and for the world. Michael was a Rhodes Scholar and plays the ukulele badly. He’s Australian, and lives in Toronto, Canada. Learn more at www.MBS.works. Highlights from today's podcast include: Finding a thrilling, important, and daunting goal - one worthy of your commitment. Understanding what it means to be a great facilitator. Make sure to acknowledge when you are at your best and at your worst. There is always a cost to not pursuing your goal, even if not pursuing it is the most comfortable option. Strive for progress over success. Connect with MBS: MBS.works Twitter and Instagram: @mbs_works  To download my Conscious Communication Workbook to support you in turning toxic conflict into collaborative gold, please visit Massimobackus.com/workbook

In today’s episode, Massimo is joined by Karl Ostroski, a global IT leader with decades of experience delivering technical solutions that solve problems and make life better. While his head is professionally in "The Cloud" focused on software delivery, he's vocationally passionate about developing culturally inclusive leaders and practicing and promoting mindfulness. Highlights from today's podcast include: How we learned mindfulness and experienced silent retreats as an extrovert How he learned to handle conflict based on his enneagram His relationship with surrender and how he has learned to detach from the outcomes of events The advice Karl gives for people who struggle asking for help Connect with Karl: @karlostroski To download my Conscious Communication Workbook to support you in turning toxic conflict into collaborative gold, please visit Massimobackus.com/workbook

In today’s episode, Massimo is joined by Molly Mandelberg, the Founder of Wild Hearts Rise Up, Creator of “Magnetic Influencer Collective” and also the writer and illustrator of "The Wild Hearts Rise Up Oracle Deck". She is the host of both “Tactical Magic” Podcast and “Reveal the Game of Life” Podcast. After spending years mastering content creation and online marketing, Molly finds her bliss in bridging the worlds of heart-centered healing and transformation, with the practical business strategies of leveraging a message into a global movement. She is a certified NLP Coach, an Access Consciousness Bars Facilitator, a Transformational Leadership Coach and a full time Nomad. Highlights from today's podcast include: How to create boundaries in your business in order to give yourself more space in your life Energetic blocks you may have that may be holding you back from our goals How to take your business from where it is to where you want it to be Connect with Molly: wildheartsriseup.com facebook.com/wildheartsriseup instagram.com/wild_one_rising To download my Conscious Communication Workbook to support you in turning toxic conflict into collaborative gold, please visit Massimobackus.com/workbook

In today’s episode, Massimo is joined by Martha Acosta, a sought after speaker, facilitator, and expert in Human and Organizational Learning who helps high-reliability organizations navigate the complexity of human systems in their operations. Martha is a member of the HOP HUB Consortium with other thought leaders in the Human and Organizational Performance movement. Martha also represents Harvard Business Publishing (a subsidiary of Harvard Business School) as Senior Moderator who designs and facilitates leadership development programs based on Harvard scholarship. Before joining Harvard, Martha led the Human Performance Improvement Team for the nuclear facilities at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), where she helped develop a national safety initiative for the Department of Energy and won LANL's Director's Achievement Award. Martha began her career in Silicon Valley helping fast-growing technology companies build the sales and support capacity needed to commercialize their innovative solutions. Later, she led the design and delivery of global leadership programs for a division of News International in the United Kingdom. For 25 years, as a consultant and educator, Martha has helped countless leaders in high-reliability industries to manage volatility, uncertainty and ambiguity for improved safety, strategy-implementation, innovation, learning and problem-solving. Martha writes, speaks and conducts research on the cognitive and emotional aspects of safety and leadership. Martha earned a Doctorate in Human and Organizational Learning from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She earned both a MBA and MA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She studied math, science, philosophy and literature at St. John's College, graduating with a BA from the Annapolis, Maryland campus. She also completed a graduate credential in training systems development from San Francisco State University. As a woman of color, Martha serves her community by working as a Director on non-profit boards. She serves on the Governance Committee of the LANL Foundation, which supports underserved students in Northern New Mexico. She is also a member of the Board of Visitors and Governors of St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe, New Mexico, for which she serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force as well as the Audit, Enrollment and Trustee Committees. She previously sat on the Board of Homewise, a non-profit affordable housing developer and mortgage bank. Martha lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, where she enjoys the arts and the outdoors. Highlights from today's podcast include: How to build capacity to be error-tolerant and respond to failure effectively How leaders can create an environment of physiological safety and the misconceptions that come with it The common knowledge effect and how leaders hide their expertise to feel safe in a group How to change your relationship to your ego Taking an appreciative approach to your dissatisfaction to understand the gap of where you are and where you want to be Connect with Martha: martica.com To download my Conscious Communication Workbook to support you in turning toxic conflict into collaborative gold, please visit Massimobackus.com/workbook

What’s in a name? Well, in Aryeh Sheinbein’s case, it’s a perfect metaphor for  his track record as a wealth architect; his given name derives from the Hebrew  word אריה) aryé), meaning “lion.” He is every bit a lion for those he works with:  passionate, courageous, protective, and willing to fight for the valuable assets  his clients entrust him with and he is on the podcast this week with Massimo. Aryeh’s bread and butter is helping successful business owners and  entrepreneurs invest their money intelligently, allowing their wealth to  accumulate so they can stay focused on what truly matters—their business and  mission. He’s spent his entire career sharpening his operational experience  with investments and valuing businesses, having worked with top private  equity, venture capital, hedge funds, investment managers, and banks, as well  as a wealth of success in the eCommerce and Amazon selling spaces. Aryeh is  particularly skilled in managing large, complex projects and teams—a credit to  his excellent executive leadership skills rooted in finance, business strategy,  marketing, and operations. When he’s not sculpting the financial futures of his clients, Aryeh loves  coaching his kids' sports teams, donating his time to various non-profit  organizations, and enjoying quality time with his four wonderful kids and  amazing wife. He also hosts the iTunes Top 100-ranked Inside the Lions Den  podcast, a show that explores the leadership skills, financial acumen, and  operational improvements required for sustained entrepreneurial and  financial success. Highlights from today's podcast include: How he learned to leverage business and assets through his experience with trading baseball cards Challenges Aryeh sees when people are adopting a new way of doing business Life lessons from the unprecedented times in the world How he has become more passionate with where he wants to go and who he wants to be Connect with Aryeh: IG: @aryehthebusinessman Twitter: @aryehsheinbein Facebook: Aryeh Sheinbein LinkedIn Website: www.solutionadvisory.com To download my Conscious Communication Workbook to support you in turning toxic conflict into collaborative gold, please visit Massimobackus.com/workbook

In today’s episode, Massimo is joined by Ricky Singh, leader of Software AG’s IoT business for the Americas region. Bringing together deep industry knowledge and business acumen, he is focused on developing and executing a winning strategy that aligns customer needs and market trends with the best-in-class Cumulocity IoT platform. Ricky is a results-driven digital business leader with a track record of helping customers solve complex challenges through application of technology and design-driven thinking. He leverages his skills in corporate strategy, business development, and IoT platforms & business models to deliver meaningful outcomes across industries. Prior to joining Software AG, Ricky served as Head of Innovation & Emerging Products at T-Mobile for Business, where he was responsible for the strategy, development, and management of IoT, Private Networks, Edge Computing and other emerging technologies. Before joining T-Mobile, Ricky spent 14+ years consulting leaders at global companies on IoT and mobility while at Accenture and through his own consultancy, which came to bear after several years of owning a business in cellular retail across multiple carriers. Ricky holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Systems Operations Management from George Mason University and an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business & Management. In his free time, you might find Ricky attending concerts in his hometown of Falls Church, Virginia, chatting with guests at his restaurant in downtown Washington DC, cycling around town, or reading a book! Highlights from today's podcast include: How to scale your business to a place where it can run without you being there everyday His experience going from a CEO of a multi-million dollar business to a data analyst that was stocking coffee everyday and how he shifted his mindset around doing something new and being a beginner again Why Ricky doesn’t allow his team to introduce themselves by their title or who they work for The future of technology and IoT Why we need to learn how to lead ourselves first Connect with Ricky: Linkedin Twitter: @thatsmrsingh To download my Conscious Communication Workbook to support you in turning toxic conflict into collaborative gold, please visit Massimobackus.com/workbook

In today’s episode, Massimo is joined by Waleed Bekheet, Founder & CEO at Protagona. Waleed moved to the United States from Egypt to Dallas at 16 and became a tireless learner from his experience. He was a tenacious participant in Massimo’s leadership program a few years ago and joins us today to discuss his journey from landing in Dallas and learning a new language and getting acclimated to a new culture to being the CEO and Founder of his own company. Highlights from today's podcast include: How to align your values to your vision Why slowing down when he realized he was not aligned with the work he was doing catapulted him into figuring out what was next for him The journey to figuring out the depths of where his imposter syndrome came from How he creates a people-first culture in his company Why vulnerability is a key value with both his team and his clients Connect with Waleed: Linkedin Website To download my Conscious Communication Workbook to support you in turning toxic conflict into collaborative gold, please visit Massimobackus.com/workbook

In today’s episode, Massimo is joined by Shawna Schuh. A lifetime adventurer, entertainer, and leadership expert, Shawna is an innovative thought-leader who can help you unpack the pesky problems you encounter when you lead people. With a curious mind, herself, and a Master’s Certificate in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Shawna is exceptionally skilled in the art of uncovering leadership blind spots through coaching, facilitating leadership groups  and catapulting leaders out of the leadership weeds and into leading teams effectively. Having worked with organizations like Nike and Columbia Sportswear to associations such as Fashion Group International and the National Speakers Association. Shawna shares a unique perspective so that the information and ideas she promotes stick and work. With two TEDx talks to her credit, as well as 3 decades of experience, you will be enlightened as well as challenged while shifting from the less stellar things most leaders do to focus only on what the best leaders do. Highlights from today's podcast include: Why asking “why” questions is not the most effective form of communication with leaders and their employees Why affirmations are so hard and what we can do to make them successful for us How to make the shift when you know you are not on the right path Why pets can be our best teachers when it comes to developing leadership skills How Shawna became an executive coach Connect with Shawna: Website LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Shawna's FREE Ebook = 3 Ways to Overcome Your Imposter Feelings and Fears To download my Conscious Communication Workbook to support you in turning toxic conflict into collaborative gold, please visit Massimobackus.com/workbook

In today’s episode, Massimo is joined by Greg Witz. Greg’s sole mission in life is to challenge all of us to be better. MAKING HUMANS BETTER HUMANS has been at the foundation of his leadership training company, Witz Education, for over 30 years. As an entrepreneur, thought leader, author, mentor and father, Greg creatively blends psychology and communication skills with street smarts and a no BS approach. From startups to the White House, bringing entrepreneurs and business leaders to the top of their game is Greg’s passion. His rich understanding of organizational and human development coupled with his own corporate experience allows Greg to effectively and energetically design and deliver tailor-made programs that have transformed thousands of Witz clients’ careers and personal lives. Highlights from today's podcast include: How he got into sales and facilitation and why he hated it when he first got started The struggles he experienced while growing a business and how he handled the hardest years How a turbulent relationship with his father shaped how he leads and acts today The downsides of his relentlessness and how he manages the fire within him Connect with Greg: LinkedIn: Greg Witz  Instagram: @gmwitz  YouTube: Witz Education  www.witzeducation.com To download my Conscious Communication Workbook to support you in turning toxic conflict into collaborative gold, please visit Massimobackus.com/workbook

In today’s episode, Massimo is joined by Mike Buccialia. His career has been in the travel and technology fields, and he has leveraged job opportunities as a catalyst for change and adventure. In order to explore new places and challenges, he has often taken a different path when the opportunity arose. Since 2000, he has been a lifeguard at Disney World; worked as a call center agent in Las Cruces, NM; a Regional Director of South East Asia in Sydney and Singapore; a Sales Executive for a consulting firm; a Sales Leader for Adobe in San Francisco; and currently is the Chief Commercial Officer of a startup remotely based in North Carolina. Highlights from today's podcast include: How he began to rewire his thoughts and overcame the belief that ‘you are who you are’ The revelations Mike experienced through his silent retreat The mind-body connection that Mike learned and carries into his life to this day Learning to get comfortable with the impermanence of life Connect with Mike: Linkedin Twitter The Brain that Changes Itself  The How  Silent Retreat To download my Conscious Communication Workbook to support you in turning toxic conflict into collaborative gold, please visit Massimobackus.com/workbook