Shannon Waller's Team Success

How do team members grow in entrepreneurial organizations where there’s no obvious “ladder”? In this episode, Shannon talks to teamwork efficiency expert Nick Sonnenberg about his newest breakthrough, “Dynamic Role Optimization,” which gives entrepreneurs a system for divvying up and swapping activities within their businesses. He explains how you can apply this system, starting with just a simple spreadsheet, and outlines five work levels that show you whom to hire, how to keep them, and how to reward them. Teams using this system report being happier than they were six or 12 months ago because they’re doing more intellectually stimulating work that gives them more joy. Meanwhile, the team is producing better-quality work that’s better suited to their pay grade. Free download: The “Five Work Levels” document that Nick spent thousands of dollars developing for his company.

“I’m great, you’re not.” Sound familiar? Forty-eight percent of American institutions are founded on this principle, which encourages team members to focus on their own strengths (and others’ weaknesses) in order to get ahead. It’s individualistic, it’s hierarchical, and it’s completely counterproductive. But entrepreneurial organizations are different. Based on the idea that “we’re all great,” they give everyone the opportunity to contribute their strengths and talents and support those of others, creating exponential results in the process. In this episode of the Team Success podcast, Shannon Waller explores the difference between these two structures, known as hierarchies and triads, what they look like in practice, and how they’ll benefit you, your company, and your bottom line.

Labor shortages, burnt out employees, unprecedented turnover—we’ve all heard the news. The pandemic has changed a lot about the way people work and what they expect from their employers, and that means companies need to step up their game if they want to attract amazing team members … and keep the ones they’ve got. In this episode of the Team Success podcast, Shannon Waller interviews Charlie Bassett, CEO of luxury grocery chain Bassett’s Market, about his proven best practices for hiring new team members and celebrating current ones. Charlie shares the 10 hiring tips he recommends to every entrepreneur looking to bring in and keep amazing talent, plus how they helped him continue to grow his business through the uncertainty of the pandemic.

Do you often find yourself checking up on your team members to ensure things are on track—or worse, remembering to check up on them at 3 a.m., or in the shower, or while driving to work? It’s a common trap entrepreneurs fall into and a big waste of mental and emotional energy. It’s also completely avoidable. In this episode of the Team Success podcast, Shannon Waller walks us through two of the most draining entrepreneurial pitfalls—black holes and open files—and explains how these two issues undermine your energy (and your confidence in your team). Plus, she shares a simple solution for eliminating them both for good.

Have you ever wondered how to be a great “Who” in the spirit of WhoNotHow™? Many of us find it easier to recognize what we need help with than what we have to contribute, but learning how to best show up for others is a skill everyone can learn. In this episode of the Team Success podcast, Shannon Waller outlines what it looks like to shift your mindset from seeking status to celebrating collaboration, and all the ways this will benefit you, your team, and your company’s overall productivity. She also shares three questions you should be asking yourself before deciding to jump in on a project to ensure you’re not only being useful but having a good time along the way.

Most of us can remember having some version of “The Talk” with our parents—and how uncomfortable it was for everyone involved. But studies show parents feel more comfortable talking about sex and drugs with their kids than money… and best-selling author and financial expert Chad Willardson is out to change that. In this episode of the Team Success Podcast, Shannon and Chad sit down to discuss his latest book, Smart Not Spoiled, where he not only outlines 7 key money skills your kids need to have in order to be financially independent, but also strategies for taking the emotion and stress out of the conversation. If you’d like to help your kids learn how to spend money wisely AND earn it in ways that they enjoy, keep listening!

Team members come and go all the time (whether by choice or otherwise). That’s the reality of business. But that doesn’t make it any less difficult for the team members left behind. When you don’t have a graceful exit strategy in place, progress can easily grind to a halt as people struggle to process their leftover emotions. In this episode of the Team Success podcast, Shannon Waller outlines a simple yet effective strategy for graciously taking care of your team when someone leaves. She also shares how doing so can not only help you retain your current team members, but attract more right-fit people in the future.

In this episode of the Team Success podcast, Shannon Waller sits down with Impact with Influence founder and celebrated author Geeta Nadkarni, who’s developed a proven (and wildly successful) formula for helping coaches become experts in their field and attract more high paying clients than they can handle. She talks about her latest book, How to Live Your Vision: Manifest Your Dream Reality in Less Than 15 Minutes a Day, and shares the daily practice that has improved her mindset, teamwork, and overall entrepreneurial success, along with plenty of other practical tips for realizing your truest, most ambitious entrepreneurial visions.

It’s hardly a secret that most entrepreneurs carry a lot on their shoulders … but that doesn’t mean it’s a prerequisite for the job. In this episode of the Team Success podcast, Shannon Waller explores the very common (and totally avoidable) issue of entrepreneurial burnout. She shares common reasons why you feel obligated to say yes to everything, why it’s so detrimental to not only your efficacy in the workplace but your overall well-being, and effective strategies for saying no more often—and with grace.

Change is inevitable, and never has that fact been more relevant than today. Teams and individuals no longer have a choice about whether to adapt and change, because the alternative is getting left behind. That means the number one skill entrepreneurs need if they want to support their teams and continue growing their business is adaptability. Fortunately, that skill can be developed and strengthened, and Ross Thornley, the co-founder of a company that transforms the way people and organizations adapt to change by measuring and improving their AQ (Adaptability Quotient), wants to help. In this episode of the Team Success podcast, he and Shannon break down exactly what adaptability means, how you can improve and strengthen yours, and why it’s so important in business today.