Peak Performance Leadership

Leadership is not just about commanding people and getting results. It’s also about the subtle nuances of influencing and manipulating one’s followers in order to achieve desired outcomes. The ability to effectively tap into the “psychological strings” of individuals, while at the same time establishing mutual trust and respect, can vastly increase a leader’s capabilities. However, it’s important to note that such strategies must be used carefully as any misuse could lead to fallouts or even backfires. In this article, we will discuss some common methods for influence and manipulation among leaders and explore how their nuances have a significant impact on their success. On this episode of Peak Performance Leadership, we talk about the differences between influence and manipulation, inspired by a discussion in the Leader Growth Mastermind. Topics During this solo episode I touch on the following topics: Discussion on the differences between influence and manipulation Key distinctions between the two, and the impact they can have on others The importance of positive influence and how it can inspire people to be their best selves Examples of negative influence and manipulation, including personal gain and coercive tactics For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/255

Accountability was once a concept associated primarily with punishment and failure. However, today it has become much more than that—it's seen as an essential part of any successful business. When practiced correctly, accountability has the power to create well-motivated teams who are actively engaged in their work and committed to success. It encourages individuals to take responsibility for their actions and practice good communication and collaboration skills. By creating an environment where everyone is held equally accountable, organizations can foster a culture of mutual respect and trust that encourages employees to thrive. "In fact, research suggests that when organisations get accountability wrong: 75% of team members see solving problems as ‘someone else’s job’,65% don’t see due dates as real commitments,80% don’t seek and offer feedback often,82% try but fail to hold others accountable (or avoid it altogether), and85% are unsure what the organisation is trying to achieve." - Dr. Paige Williams, "Own it" Dr Paige Williams is an author, researcher and PhD in Organizational Behaviour. A trusted advisor and mentor to senior leaders, she uses a potent blend of neuroscience, psychology and her own twenty-plus years of international business leadership experience to help leaders surface uncomfortable truths, see the rules they need to break in order to breakthrough and lead themselves, their teams, and their organizations to thrive. Her latest book is Own It! Honouring and Amplifying Accountability. Topics During this interview Paige and I discuss the following topics: How accountability has gotten so bad in organizations How to have the conversation about positive accountability Why language is so important in accountability How to shift the power dynamic of accountability How to empower your team to hold itself accountable How to run an accountability coaching session For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/254

Gallup recently reported that only 15% of employees in the U.S. are truly engaged in their workplace. Yet nearly 70% of employees say they would work harder if they felt more appreciated. Over 90% of employees surveyed believed their leadership “lacked communication skills to lead.” The gloomy stories behind sobering statistics reveal employees’ disappointment with current leadership approaches. Leaders can do better. DeKoch, with over 40 years of diverse executive leadership experience, which included 20 years leading The Boldt Company, a $1 billion construction services and real estate development company, has developed novel insights into leadership thinking and practice. Clampitt, an endowed, award-winning communication and information science professor at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, has over 40 years of experience in university teaching, ground-breaking research, and business consulting.  Topics During this interview Bob, Phil, and I discuss the following topics: How we got to the point where we are currently in terms of leadership Where they got the inspiration for their book came from How beliefs are important to being a caring leader The values which a caring leader holds Why companies don’t follow their values How middle leaders can follow their company’s values How to communicate effectively as a leader who cares

It's no secret that companies today are struggling to secure top-tier talent. With the current labor shortage, competition for high-caliber candidates is at an all-time high, leaving recruiters looking for new ways to attract and retain the best of the best. However, finding and hiring 5 star candidates isn't as difficult as it may seem. With the right strategy and determination, recruiters can still identify, engage with, and hire outstanding talent — even in a competitive hiring market. By knowing exactly what kind of qualities you're looking for in a candidate and leveraging the right recruitment strategies, you can discover the stars of tomorrow and secure the perfect hire. Heenle Turner is the Vice President of Content and Consulting at the ALL IN Company, and a certified HR Professional passionate about finding creative solutions to help businesses succeed. She has provided consulting services to more than 200 businesses of varying sizes and industries. This extensive experience in sales, customer service, and people management uniquely positions her to collaborate with entrepreneurs when it comes to recruiting, hiring, and retaining 5-Star Employees: committed candidates who share the company’s values and go above and beyond to achieve results. Topics During this interview Heenle and I discuss the following topics: Why hiring vacancies are still a problem within the workplaceWhat a 5 star hiring process looks likeWhere to go to make sure we are advertising to the right peopleThe makeup of a 5 star candidateThe 11 universal qualities of a 5 star CandidateHow to properly interview a candidate For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leadddontboss.com/252

In today's work culture, it can often be difficult to maintain a balance between managing the demands of our workload and building close relationships with our team members. While strong teamwork is essential for the overall success of a business or project, personal boundaries need to be established in order to ensure goals are met in a timely and efficient manner. The following quote is from Facebook Group Member Valarie and her question revolving around just this challenge: Knowing your direct reports well without overextending yourself. Patrick Lencioni talks about anonymity leading to job misery and I agree with this. I know my large team fairly well. Recently implemented middle managers as team leads due to there not being enough of me to go around. I want to continue to foster relationships with the new employees so that I will have the same level of relational vibe that I have with most of my team. I am struggling with ways to do this as it takes a lot of time. I know it doesn’t have to; however, I am finding that once I open the door to getting to know them more, they want more and more time with me and so I am wondering about ways to provide better communication and clarity in those earlier meetings as I think I may be unintentionally creating the impression that I am available to them more often than my time allows or that I was initially available and now I’m not as available and that can be confusing and send a message I am not intending to send. For context, I’m in my 4th year of leadership and I have a team of about 20. They all reported directly to me until January so I am wondering if some of this is just the shifting that’s occurring. Thanks in advance!! Question from Valarie So lets dive into how I believe that its best for leaders to tackle this challenge with a number of tactical pieces of advice for her. For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/251

Leadership is a tricky but essential role; it requires both an intimate understanding of the team and organization and the ability to set and maintain clear expectations. When authorities don’t match responsibilities, it can lead to confusion, tension, and even disaster. Take, for example, the case of one of our audience members, Leticia. She was charged with leading a team but lacked clear authority in certain areas – a situation that could have been avoided if her assigned responsibilities had matched her authority. Instead, she found herself at odds with team members and her supervisor. The result... shouldn't surprise you... disaster. Topics In this solo episode, I discuss the following topics: What responsibilities, authorities, and accountabilities are What happened specifically to Leticia and her story Why it happened What could have happened differently What to do if you're a superior and things are aligned What to do if you're a subordinate and things are aligned For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/250

Bringing together new teams of people can be challenging, especially if it requires managing disparate personalities, diverse backgrounds, and conflicting interests. However, with sustained effort, open communication, and effective problem-solving skills, successful team cohesion is within reach. Leaders need to take the time to get to know their team members individually, invest in building relationships of trust and mutual respect, motivate mild competition where appropriate, set clear goals and expectations, resolve conflict constructively, and use feedback to coach and celebrate success. When leaders put in the work to bring their teams together, the results will be well worth the effort. A registered nurse since 2011, Andrea works in a pediatric critical care unit. Discussing mental health and philosophy has always been her passion and outlet. Andrea wholeheartedly believes emotional intelligence is a valuable, yet under-taught phenomenon. After all, it helped her cope with anxiety, depression and her first burn out at the young age of 21 – two short years after working the floor as a nurse. Unaware of what she was experiencing, Andrea turned to talk therapy for help, where she was taught strategies on how to become aware of her emotions and thus, manage them. She learned how to handle the anxiety that had imprisoned her mind, and gained control over the panic attacks and depression that plagued her. Andrea’s goal is to destigmatize mental health and create a safe space through her podcast so she can help others who are currently going through their own personal struggles. She hopes to encourage self-awareness and self-love, and create an environment where mental health can be spoken about openly and truthfully, without stigma or judgment. Topics During this interview Andrea and I discuss the following topics: The challenges of bringing a new team togetherTactical actions she took to get her team gel togetherHow her team got through conflict with another teamStrategies she used to improve communication within her teamHow having a sense of psychological safety has propelled her team forward For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/249

The job of a combat helicopter pilot isn't just stressful - it's life-or-death. And the leaders of these highly trained forces don't take the stress lightly, but instead double down on their commitment and drive those around them to extraordinary performance. The toughest test for any leader is to stay focused under intense pressure, and yet remain humble. They’re able to lead with great clarity and precision, inspiring teams in the heat of battle. It takes poise, courage, and strength of character to do what they do - each day flying into danger with a team by their side. Brian L. Slade has held command positions in the Army and the Air Force and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, and fourteen combat air medals. He attended Utah State, where he earned a BA and was commissioned as an Army Aviation second lieutenant. He’s also earned an MA in aviation instruction. Brian currently serves as a lieutenant colonel for Air Force Combat Search and Rescue. Topics During this interview Brian and I discuss the following topics: What drew him into forces especially the officer corps How he kept the mindset to stay at the top of performance How he got prepared to operate in combat zone How he took over an already established team and got it to peak performance Why leaders need to commit with courage  How to combat the great resignation  For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/248

In a world roiled by unprecedented change, effective leadership is becoming even more essential. No single approach will provide the ultimate solution to the challenges that change poses. Rather, it will be a confluence of ideas, strategies, and actions that will prove effective in managing and making the most of sweeping change. The world that existed yesterday will be decidedly different from that of tomorrow. It will take a complete and adaptable toolkit to cope effectively with that ongoing cycle of reinvention. Faisal Hoque is an accomplished entrepreneur, senior executive, author, thought leader, public speaker, and advisor to management teams and BODs with more than 25 years of cross-industry success. He is the founder of SHADOKA, NextChapter, and other companies; they focus on enabling sustainable and transformational changes. Throughout his career, he has developed over 20 commercial business and technology platforms and worked with public and private sector giants such as US Department of Defense (DoD), GE, MasterCard, American Express, Northrop Grumman, CACI, PepsiCo, IBM, Home Depot, Netscape, Infosys, French Social Security Services, Gartner, Cambridge Technology Partners, JP Morgan Chase, CSC, and others. What sets Hoque apart is the unique position and perspective he has always maintained, which is grounded in hardcore technology with deep roots in leading-edge management science.  Topics During this interview Faisal and I discuss the following topics: What trends he sees in 2023 How to combat misinformation as a leader What the 4th industrial revolution is and how to take advantage of it How use empathy as a leader in 2023 For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/247

It is not uncommon for many of us to set lofty goals and make ambitious New Year's resolutions at the start of every year. However, unfortunately, those resolutions are often doomed from the outset, as our expectations can be too difficult to live up to. Research has demonstrated that only 9% of us are actually successful in keeping their New Year’s resolutions and a staggering 81% quit before the second year even concludes. Shockingly, most people give up on their goals by February, achieving virtually nothing in the process. But it doesn’t have to be this way. If we look beyond our traditional approaches and focus tenaciously on creating a new mindset towards goal setting, then we can defy probability and establish goals that will stay with us all throughout the year. Carla Fowler, MD PhD. founded THAXA out of a passion for performance science, where the fields of strategy, productivity, and psychology intersect. Since its inception in 2013, THAXA’s scientific approach to individualized coaching has attracted a devoted client base of dozens of executives at firms ranging from large technology companies to agile startups to innovative nonprofits. Carla’s coaching methods draw upon the multidisciplinary field of performance science to generate the best ideas surrounding strategy, execution, and mindset to assist leaders in their endeavors. Over the past 10 years, she has distilled the key principles of performance into understandable concepts and a method that helps leaders incorporate these ideas into their day-to-day performance, helping them go faster and improving their results. Outside of her coaching, Carla truly enjoys sharing her key performance principles with audiences while engaging in thought provoking conversations. surrounding her passion for performance science. Topics During this interview Carla and I discuss the following topics: The mindset of goal setting The mindset of breaking big goals down into smaller ones The questions she asks when setting goals for herself and her teams How to run experiment with yourself and/or your team How to learn from your mistakes and failures to move forward in a positive direction Motivation vs discipline and how to keep going For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/246