Does your organization encourage a sense of curiosity? According to a survey in the Harvard Business Review, 83% of leaders say they do, but barely half of their employees would agree.Far from being something that's 'nice to have', encouraging a sense of curiosity in your workplace is going to become increasingly critical, not only to ensure better agility and adaptability in an ever uncertain world, but also because the burgeoning use of AI in organizations will lead to a shift towards more creativity-focused work.Seen from this vantage point, it becomes clear that your ability to promote curiosity in your organization is fast becoming a critical factor to your organization’s long-term success and viability.So how can leaders ensure they are in fact encouraging curiosity in their organization?In this latest instalment in my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share four steps leaders can take that will help them create a culture of inquisitiveness in their organization. By putting these four steps into practice, you will not only help create conditions that ignite the curiosity and imagination of your employees, but you’ll also have the added bonus of fostering deeper, more meaningful relationships with those you lead.https://open.spotify.com/episode/0pKBIxe9bSIsF1tR13s2h4?si=_GdTbSmVRiCFeF0Oa_yiQg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“One of the biggest stumbling blocks for organizations is an unwillingness to be brutally honest about the challenges they face.”There’s no question leadership is becoming a more challenging role than it was 5-10 years ago. The rapid pace of change, the on-going uncertainties, even the very nature of the way we work have made being a leader a more strenuous and stressful job.But another factor that’s making it challenging for people to succeed at leadership is that many people in leadership roles today haven’t asked themselves a critical question before taking on the role – why do you want to be a leader?This question serves as the starting point for my conversation with best-selling author Adam Bryant about what those interested in taking on the leadership reins need to prepared for in this latest episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast.Adam is probably best known for his New York Times column, “The Corner Office”. He’s also the best-selling author of “The Corner Office: Indispensible and Unexpected Lessons from CEOs on How To Lead and Succeed” as well as “Quick and Nimble - Lessons From Leading CEOs on How To Create a Culture of Innovation”.Adam was a guest on my podcast two years ago when we talked about his book “The CEO Test - Master The Challenges That Make or Break All Leaders” and I’m delighted to welcome him back so we can talk about his latest, “The Leap to Leader: How Ambitious Managers Make the Jump to Leadership”.Adam and I had a frank and fascinating conversation about the realities of what it takes to move into a leadership role. But even those in leadership positions will benefit from hearing what Adam has to say.I hope you’ll make some time to give this episode a listen, and do let me know what you think.https://open.spotify.com/episode/2x8e0p2X20HeVwe63t69NB?si=46193fe60a454f71Noteworthy links:Buy Adam’s book “The Leap to Leader” on Amazon*Learn more about Adam’s work - adambryantbooks.comListen to my previous conversation with Adam – Episode #91: Adam Bryant | Mastering Challenges That Make Or Break All Leaders*sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Few issues have captured the attention and focus of leaders over the past few years as the ongoing debate over whether to allow employees to work remotely or demand they return to office (RTO).And because it’s a contentious issue, there’s invariably numerous articles and studies out there which are meant to clarify things, but which honestly probably make the situation more ambiguous than it needs to be.But what’s especially troubling about this growing push by many organizations to overlook employee concerns and issue RTO mandates is that leaders are sending out a message that will negatively impact their leadership for many years to come.That’s why in this latest episode in my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I challenge leaders to rethink what they’re focusing on right now if they are to not only help their employees in today’s uncertain economic environment, but create the conditions to ensure their collective growth and success in the future as well.So I hope you’ll take 10 minutes out of your day to give this episode a listen. Although there's a bit of tough love in what I share, I think it's nonetheless something every leader needs to hear right now.And I'd love to know what you think and especially what suggestions you might have for how leaders can better address the growing demands employees have for organizations to adapt and evolve the way they approach work.https://open.spotify.com/episode/2JU7CzlL1RzSkcpWmfeeTS?si=5d4e7808bd974535Noteworthy link:Listen to Leadership Espresso Shot 29 - Why Leadership Should Be Hard Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve all seen the studies that have shown how a diverse workforce leads to better productivity, increased profits and market share, and greater creativity and innovation.But with so many positive outcomes related to diverse workforces, why are so many organizations failing to attract and retain a diversified workforce – including in the senior leadership ranks? What are we getting wrong and what should we be doing differently?According to my guests on this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, Bertina Ceccarelli and Susanne Tedrick, the key is understanding how to use innovation principles to drive an organization’s DEI efforts.Bertina is the Chief Executive Officer of NPower, one of the most successful non-profits in North America committed to helping young adults and military-connected individuals launch tech careers. And Susanne is the author of "Women of Color in Tech" and a cloud computing technical trainer for Microsoft.Together, they co-authored the book “Innovating For Diversity – Lessons from Top Companies Achieving Business Success through Inclusivity”, which makes the compelling case for why diversity and innovation are not just interconnected, but how innovation can actually help organizations succeed in their DEI initiatives.Of course, to succeed in these efforts, we first have to get a better understanding of what these terms of diversity, equity and inclusion really mean.And I’m grateful to Bertina and Susanne for not only helping to bring clarity to this in our conversation, but for also providing practical advice for how leaders can succeed at creating a more diverse workplace that will not only benefit their organization, but also those their organization serves.No matter what you might think about diversity in today’s workplaces, I want to strongly encourage you to give this episode a listen as I’m sure some of what Bertina and Susanne share in this conversation will surprise you and definitely give you some food for thought.https://open.spotify.com/episode/47U7MrcuCKe7ktRhJplt0y?si=0b6b810c9af84b8dNoteworthy links:Buy Bertina and Susanne’s book “Innovating For Diversity” on Amazon.*Learn more about Bertina’s work - npower.orgLearn more about Susanne’s work - susannetedrick.com*sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It seems like every day there’s another news report about a company’s decision to have their employees return to the office. Of course, if you’ve been following the leadership space for some time, this isn’t too surprising.After all, it was only a few years ago that organizations were limiting smartphone use in in the workplace to company-approved devices, only for their leaders to turn around and offer bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies to attract and retain employees.Of course, the current debate over when and where employees work is not likely to be resolved as quickly as the BYOD debate. Creating conditions that allow your employees to work whenever and wherever they want is not just about giving employees a choice.It also represents a disruption to how we understand the nature of work, not to mention changing many requirements for what will be needed to succeed at leadership in this new world of work.Seen from that vantage point, it’s not surprising to see such resistance from organizations to offering employees flexible work options. Though that doesn’t mean this resistance and desire to ‘go back to the way things were’ is a good thing – both for the present and future.That’s why in this episode of my “Leadership Espresso Shot” series, I share the story of Kodak and what a critical decision made by the organization’s top leadership can teach us about how leaders should be approaching the current debate over the future of work.Trust me when I say it’s a powerful lesson leaders and their organizations can’t afford to ignore … if they want to ensure their continued growth and success.https://open.spotify.com/episode/6PMGlGdt4tqVIOJPbGLhnO?si=faddeb2942bd42f3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Mull, an expert in igniting employee commitment and retention, joins the podcast to discuss three keys to boosting commitment. They delve into the importance of factors like ideal job fit, meaningful tasks, and effective leadership in promoting loyalty. Topics include compensation, workload, flexibility, AI's impact on creativity, and fostering a flexible and engaging work environment.

The podcast discusses the importance of asking questions and how leaders can encourage their employees to do so. It shares four steps for creating an environment where employees feel comfortable asking questions. The podcast also explores the role of questioning and curiosity in leadership, leading to knowledge and unique insights in the workplace.

To offer remote work opportunities or not to offer remote work opportunities? If you look at the articles found in various business outlets these days, it would seem organizations are facing an existential crisis when it comes to how today’s workplaces should operate.At the heart of this debate is an on-going tug-of-war where leaders on the one hand worry about a loss in productivity and organizational culture, while employees on the other hand want the flexibility to decide when and where they do their work.But in our drive to figure out the future of work, are we focusing more on the symptoms rather than the root causes behind such issues as declining productivity, rising levels of loneliness, and diminished opportunities for career growth that are being linked to remote work?Thankfully, I’ve had the chance to speak to an expert – and seasoned remote leader – to help shine a light on what it really takes to make remote work, well, work and overcome those understandable concerns many leaders have.In addition to being a former Googler, Tamara Sanderson is the co-founder of Remote Works, an organizational design and consulting firm with a mission to liberate teams from the nine-to-five and teach them how to do their best work, anytime, anywhere.Along with her co-author, Ali Greene, Tamara has written a fantastic book called “Remote Works: Managing for Freedom, Flexibility, and Focus” that offers a clear blueprint to help leaders not only get better at leading remote teams, but details the systems and processes you need to have in place to help with onboarding new employees and strengthening your organization’s culture.And over the course of our conversation, Tamara shares a brilliant answer to my question about how should we address the loneliness issue in today’s organizations – whether your employees are working fully remote or in some hybrid work arrangement.If you’re struggling with how to adapt and transform your workplace to address the growing demands of employees for greater flexibility around the way they work, I strongly encourage you to make the time to give this episode a listen. It will give you a better handle on what you need to do to solve this issue in your workplace.https://open.spotify.com/episode/3sOY8opSN8yG5xY0Wh6a2z?si=cbfda8caba6d4586Noteworthy links:Buy Tamara Sanderson and Ali Greene’s book “Remote Works” on Amazon.*Learn more about Tamara Sanderson’s work: www.remoteworksbook.com.*sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During periods of economic uncertainty, a common response from leaders is streamlining their operations and focusing on what they deem as being essential to their organization’s ability to ride out the storm.Unfortunately, one thing that often is considered in these moments to be a luxury is taking time off work to go on a vacation. At a time where we’re seeing rising levels of employee stress and burnout, there’s certainly an argument to be made for why leaders need to model for their employees the importance of self-care and taking time away from work to spend with their family.But the truth is there are other reasons why leaders should seriously consider making time to go on vacation this year. In this latest edition in my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share three powerful benefits you get from going on vacation that will make you a better leader.I hope you’ll check it out and that it inspires you to start making plans to block off time in your calendar to take a vacation break from work.https://open.spotify.com/episode/2PNeLXSdP7J8UfQFiZKxQm?si=6d1cb980a70d4fa6 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During times of uncertainty, it’s natural for leaders to want to lean into their ‘best practices’; of sticking to what they know and what got them to where they are today. But is this really the smartest and best approach? Or should leaders instead “lean into risk” by embracing different mindsets and conducting experiments to help gain new information and insights?It’s the latter approach that my guest on this episode of Leadership Biz Cafe advocates for, especially if leaders and their employees are to become better problem solvers and innovators during times of uncertainty.Charles Conn is an investor, environmentalist, and entrepreneur.  He is co-founder of Monograph, a venture firm, the founding CEO of Ticketmaster-Citysearch, and was previously CEO of the Rhodes Trust in Oxford. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Board at Patagonia and sits on The Nature Conservancy European Council.Along with Robert McLean, he co-authored “Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything”. His latest book is “The Imperfectionists: Strategic Mindsets for Uncertain Times”, in which Charles makes the compelling case that there are six distinct, but critical mindsets leaders need to have if they are to become better problem solvers and innovators who embrace periods of uncertainty, while their competition hunkers down to hopefully wait out the storm.It's a fascinating discussion on leadership and uncertain times that not only challenges what many leaders are doing right now, but actually provides some clarity on leaders should be doing to not just how their organization endure periods of uncertainty, but thrive in spite of what’s going on around them.https://open.spotify.com/episode/5A8c5oqKN4Uu3cFbSxRi6J?si=cc67f34a68e74430Noteworthy links:Learn more about Charles at Monograph.Buy his book “The Imperfectionists” on Amazon.**sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.