Leadership Biz Cafe with Tanveer Naseer

No matter which industry your organization operates it, there’s a pretty high chance that you’re grappling with how to motivate and engage your employees in the daily work they do. This challenge has manifested itself in various ways – from the Great Resignation to more recently the notion of quiet quitting.Regardless of what we choose to call it, the underlying problem is the same – people don’t feel a strong connection to the work they do, and consequently are not as invested as leaders want them to be.But research done before the pandemic has revealed what’s needed – people need to do purpose-led work if they are to genuinely care about the vision or long-term goals of the organization. Invariably, this leads to the question of how can leaders create purpose-led work for all their employees? Well, my guest for this episode of my podcast, “Leadership Biz Cafe” has the answer and it all comes down to the conversations you’re having with your employees.Steve Curtin is an expert on customer service management and leadership. After a 20-year career at Marriott International working in operations, human resources, sales and marketing, Steve launched his own consulting company to help organizations improve their customer service operations.He’s the author of two books, Delight Your Customers: 7 Simple Ways to Raise Your Customer Service from Ordinary to Extraordinary and The Revelation Conversation: Inspire Greater Employee Engagement by Connecting to Purpose, which is the focus of my conversation with Steve.Over the course of this episode, you’ll learn:The common misunderstanding leaders have about purpose at work that impedes their ability to create opportunities for their employees to do meaningful work.Four questions leaders need to ask to help identify what their employee’s work purpose is and how it ties to their everyday responsibilities.What is the Revelation Conversation and how can it help address issues like quiet quitting and the Great Resignation.How leaders can make purpose-led work less fuzzy and more quantifiable to track how it impacts achieving business objectives.If you enjoy this episode, please do take a moment to rate and review my podcast on your favourite streaming platform to help support the podcast.https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tKQpSXrWWEJgMhyIMawBmNoteworthy links:Buy Steve’s book “The Revelation Conversation” on Amazon*Visit Steve’s website: stevecurtin.comWatch my TED talk “Forget Passion - Purpose is the Real Spice of Life”*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.

Without question, being an effective listener is definitely a critical skill for leaders to demonstrate, especially as workplaces continue to become more demographically diverse. And yet, even the best leaders can fail to truly listen and understand what their employees really need from them, especially during times of uncertainty about the future.It's one of the reasons why in so many of my leadership keynotes and workshops I touch on what leaders need to do to become better listeners. And it was following one of those leadership keynotes that I was asked by one of the leaders in attendance about one of my failures as a leader and what I learned from it going forward.The story I shared was so well received and appreciated by the leaders in attendance that I want to share it in this edition of my Leadership Espresso Short series because I think it really helps to show that even when we have the best intentions, we can fail to show up and really hear what those we lead are trying to tell us.So I hope you’ll check it out as I’m sure like many of the leaders in attendance for my keynote you may find some parallels with your leadership as well.https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Jr6bx7C6dlDUdgMTdeh1U?si=NvlaGOeiSjmzBHvYk1L8JgNoteworthy links:Watch my TED talk on the power of purpose.Learn more about my speaking work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If there’s one thing leaders everywhere want to avoid it’s conflict in the workplace. Not only is workplace conflict counterproductive and stressful, but it makes everyone feel uncomfortable. But what if the problem is not with conflict itself, but with how we mismanage conflict? That’s the perspective of conflict expert Marlene Chism, my guest for this episode of “Leadership Biz Cafe”.Marlene is an expert on identifying and stopping workplace drama, and she’s worked with leaders to help them build drama-free workplace cultures that drive growth and long term success. Marlene also happens to be one of the very first guests I had on my podcast over 10 years ago when we talked about her book “Stop Workplace Drama”. This time, I’ve invited Marlene back on my podcast to talk to me about her latest book “From Conflict to Courage: How To Stop Avoiding and Start Leading”*.Over the course of this episode, Marlene and I discuss:What we get wrong about conflict that makes leaders mismanage these situationsThe three distinct elements of conflict capacity and how they can help leaders better manage workplace conflictWhy we need to change the narrative we tell about ourselves if we are to manage conflict more effectivelyThe two types of resistance we should be focusing on to resolve workplace conflictsHow getting out of our comfort zone is key to successfully manage conflictIf you’ve been enjoying my podcast, I’d like to ask you to please take a quick moment to rate our podcast on your preferred podcast platform. And if you can, to also write a short review to help others discover my podcast and also benefit from the leadership insights shared on this show.https://open.spotify.com/episode/48DyGZSDx1CiL4s2bhCv0A?si=043db80422ee424eNoteworthy links:Buy Marlene’s book “From Conflict to Courage” on Amazon*Learn more about Marlene’s work - marlenechism.comListen to my interview with Marlene about her book “Stop Workplace Drama”*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.

Numerous studies done over the past decade have demonstrated that those who succeed at leadership have not only developed strong technical abilities, but they’ve worked on building their emotional competencies as well.In this latest instalment of my Leadership Espresso Shot series, I share two simple, but powerful steps based on neuroscience and other studies that will help you to build your emotional competencies so you can better understand what your employees need and what would motivate them to deliver their very best.If you haven’t listened to one of these yet, my Leadership Espresso Shots are short, but powerful episodes of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast that provide you with insights to improve the way you lead.And with the world of work in a state of flux right now, this edition offers some practical insights to help you better connect, understand, and lead those under your care as the workplace and the expectations of employees and employers continue to evolve.https://open.spotify.com/episode/4z15M6kzSBhEfzbb0LCVVY?si=QLzGRJePTWK3OrviZR0ZXQ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s hard not to feel as though there’s a growing tide of divisiveness spreading across the world, splitting people into us vs. them camps on a variety of issues. Of course, those divisive issues found in various communities and countries inevitably spill into the workplace. So how can leaders ensure they’re closing the gap between those us and them groups within their workforce?My guest for this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, Laura Kriska, not only has the answer, but she has a proven process for how leaders can succeed at creating a more diverse and inclusive organizational culture. And I even apply one of those lessons in my conversation with Laura to prove leaders can start making these efforts right now.Laura is a leading cross-cultural consultant with more than 30 years of experience working with organizations to help them bridge gaps in diverse workplaces. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies around the world helping leaders and their teams overcome us versus them gaps fostered by differences in nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, or other demographic identifiers.In this episode, I talk with Laura about her book “The Business of WE – the proven three-step process for closing the gap between us and them in your workplace” and how leaders can better succeed in their diversity and inclusion initiatives.Over the course of this episode, some of the topics Laura and I discuss include:What’s behind organizations failing to truly embrace diversity and inclusion in the face of a growing talent shortage.What leads to a gap between our awareness and understanding of the different cultural identifiers found within today’s increasingly diverse workforce.5 important rules leaders need to observe when carrying out any kind of diversity and inclusion assessment in their organization.3 types of action leaders can take to close the us versus them gap in their workplace.The unspoken problem behind hiring for “culture fit” when it comes to diversity and inclusion.How to ensure hybrid work arrangements don’t adversely impact career opportunities for minority groups in your workforce.If you enjoy this episode, I’d appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate and review my podcast on your favourite streaming platform.https://open.spotify.com/episode/5I9WEqDrMNJAFqm1XObsnG?si=A6ZmEIUKT1WQw4jYRIqjbANoteworthy links:Buy “The Business of WE” on Amazon.*Learn more about Laura’s work (and her free online assessment) at laurakriska.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.

Effective communication is a critical cornerstone to succeeding at leadership. And yet, numerous studies have shown that a majority of leaders lack this necessary skill to not only empowering employees, but retaining talent necessary to drive their organization’s growth and long-term prosperity.It’s not surprising then why every month or two we see yet another example of leadership failure where a leader communicates a message that creates outrage, both within and outside their organization.That’s why I wanted to use this latest “Leadership Espresso Shot” on my podcast to provide leaders with the opportunity to consider and reflect on the power of our words, where we can either inspire employees to commit their full potential or extinguish any internal motivation they have to doing more than what’s expected of them.Specifically, I share the examples of two leaders and what you can learn from their communication success – and failure – to help you better understand the power of words and what your employees need from you to truly succeed and thrive under your leadership.https://open.spotify.com/episode/7zL5Iw2wlsrjHzYjMiONsz Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the biggest challenges facing leaders and their organizations today is how to adapt the way they work to a growing demand for more flexible work arrangements by employees. But how do leaders make this shift from leading a team of individuals working under one roof, to working either full time or part of the time remotely? That’s the challenge I’ll be discussing with my guest, Kevin Eikenberry, in this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast.Kevin is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a leadership and learning consulting company. He is the bestselling author of “Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time” and the co-author of “From Bud to Boss: Secrets to a Successful Transition to Remarkable Leadership”.His latest book is “The Long-Distance Teammate: Stay Engaged and Connected While Working Anywhere”, which is what I invited Kevin to join me to speak about in this episode.Over the course of this episode, some of the points Kevin and I discuss are:The 3 factors that are critical to remote work success.The mindset changes needed to become a successful hybrid or remote team member.4 questions that will make it easier to determine what you need to prioritize when working remotely.What leaders need to focus on to ensure they’re communicating effectively.How to be better and giving and receiving feedback in remote settings.As I mentioned at the end of the episode, if you enjoy this episode - or have been enjoying my podcast, I’d like to ask you a favour to rate and review my podcast on your preferred podcast platform.https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ZmCw0hWLOKMGu5HiliNqNNoteworthy links:Buy “The Long-Distance Teammate” on Amazon*.Learn more about Kevin’s work at kevineikenberry.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.

Over the past several months, I’ve given a number of keynotes focusing on how leaders can drive employee performance. Given the current talent shortage impacting every industry, it’s not surprising that organizations want to learn how to best empower their employees, both from a retention perspective, but also no doubt in hopes it might also help attract the employees they need to keep things going.But while it’s natural for us to want to understand how we can encourage employees to commit their best efforts to an organization’s vision, it’s also important for leaders to apply the same kind of reflection and review on themselves. Of what you’re doing to challenge yourself to improve, as opposed to simply focusing on getting things done and attempting to get things ‘back to normal.’That’s why in this latest Leadership Espresso Shot edition on my podcast ”Leadership Biz Cafe”, I share four questions every leader should be asking themselves to ensure you are doing what’s necessary to empower your employees to not only succeed, but bring their best efforts to the work they do.These questions are a simple, but powerful way for you to assess how you show up as a leader. So I hope you’ll take 10 minutes to give this a listen to help you improve your leadership craft.https://open.spotify.com/episode/7lFTT2d6Cd3TIr6TC5yveH?si=6qc84mYwRNKmbrfI7WMGIg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the joys I get from my podcast “Leadership Biz Cafe” is that it provides me with the opportunity to speak with leadership experts and thought leaders I admire and respect. And that’s certainly the case in this very special episode of my podcast where I sit down for my first roundtable discussion with none other than Tom Peters and Jim Kouzes! Over the course of our conversation, Tom, Jim, and I discuss a number of issues that are top of mind for many leaders today, from the ongoing debate over whether to embrace hybrid work opportunities or push a Return To Work (RTO) approach, to why leading with empathy is becoming more and more critical to a leader’s ability to succeed in today’s world. What I love about this conversation with Tom and Jim is not only how illuminating the conversation was about the future of work and with it, the way leaders will be expected to lead, but it’s also a lot of fun. Jim, Tom, and I shared a lot of laughs recording this episode - both on the air and off air. To quote Tom at the end of our conversation, "it was pure, raw, unmitigated fun." So I strongly suggest you do yourself a favour and sit back and be ready to be engaged with a thoughtful, inspiring, humorous, and unexpectedly heartfelt conversation with these two giants in the leadership space. And if you enjoy this episode, please do rate and review my podcast where ever you listen to podcasts so I can continue to bring you these kinds of amazing conversations on how to improve the way you lead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this latest edition of my “Leadership Espresso Shot” series on my leadership podcast, “Leadership Biz Cafe”, I wanted to share a simple, but powerful communication tool I shared as part of a leadership keynote I gave two weeks ago.Based on the feedback I got from some of the leaders in attendance for my talk, this leadership guidance I shared really left an impact, not only because of how easily it can be employed by any leader, but for how it helps to illustrate what and how leaders should be communicating to those under their care.At a time when there’s so much uncertainty and doubt, this Leadership Espresso Shot will help you discover how you can improve clarity and drive employee performance despite what’s going on around or within your organization.As I mentioned at the end of the episode, if you enjoyed this episode or if you’re enjoying my podcast, please do me a favour and rate and review my podcast to help support our show.https://open.spotify.com/episode/2uGa5pVRwqGZ4VyJcNNC7a?si=b24fc524a2cd4966 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.