Peak Performance Leadership

As leaders, we all face difficult circumstances. How to be a courageous leader is definitely a question which I have struggled with in the past to find the answer for. I can tell you that there is no perfect answer for everyone. We all have to figure it out in our own way. However, we can definitely learn how to be a courageous leader through the experiences of others to enable us to find our path. My guest in this episode went on a journey to answer the question of how we can be a courageous leader. Shelly L. Francis has been the marketing and communications director at the Center for Courage & Renewal since mid-2012. Before coming to the Center, Shelly directed trade marketing and publicity for multi-media publisher Sounds True, Inc. Her career has spanned international program management, web design, corporate communications, trade journals, and software manuals. Shelly wrote The Courage Way: Leading and Living with Integrity (February 2018) on behalf of the Center for Courage & Renewal. How to be a Courageous Leader Topics The motivation behind writing the bookCourage Takes TrustThe Courage to Answer Your CallingThe Courage to Stay or to Leave For the complete show notes, be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/48

This week we are changing things up! I'm going solo again to discuss the month's interviews, the upcoming interviews and just a few random thoughts about leadership I have running through my mind. So I hope you enjoy! For the complete show notes, be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/47

The Millennial Generation is getting a bad rap in the workplace. From being called lazy to self-centered, there is no shortage of criticism of this up and coming generation. However, is the criticism truly justified or is it simply short-sighted on the older generations' part? That is a question which many people struggle to answer within their organization. Incorporating and empowering millennials within organizations must be at the forefront of any leader's priority list as this generation grows to take over the working population.  This brings my guest Lee McEnany Caraher to light. She is the founder and CEO of Double Forte, a national public relations and digital media agency. Lee is also an acclaimed author and speaker and a recognized expert on creating high performing, positive, intergenerational workplaces. Through her work, she shows companies how to embrace the qualities of different generations, and how to recognize the significant benefits of shifting the definition of company loyalty from a long tenure of employment to a lifetime of allegiance regardless of employment status. Leading the Millennial Generation Topics During our interview we discuss the following topics: How she became an expert in the Millennial GenerationWhy is there so much negativity about millennials in the workplace?Mentoring Millennials – dos and don’tsHow leaders leverage Xennials to bridge the gap between Gen Xers and Millennials. For the complete show notes, be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/66

There's no denying that entrepreneurship is on the rise across the entire world. As more people rush to start their own businesses, there is a need for an entrepreneurial leader to learn the lessons from those who are already running their own businesses. Additionally, how we operate businesses in a socially responsible manner is a question which all entrepreneurial leaders need to contemplate at one point or another. My guest in this episode is highly qualified to discuss all of these issues and more. As the Co-Founder of Penji, Johnathan Grzybowski is an entrepreneurial leader who has accumulated a large amount of experience working in large corporations, transferred this experience to his business, and has executed his vision in a socially responsible manner. Entrepreneurial Leader Topics During this episode we discuss the following topics: What life was like working in AppleWhat he learned about company cultureWhat lessons he took from Apple to his companyWhat were some of the challenges he faced on his route to PenjiHow Penji is socially responsible by using intercity students as employees.What leadership style he uses within Penji For the complete show notes, be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/45

As leaders, we are used to planning… well everything! But how often have we found ourselves wishing we had a process mapped out for a particular issue? If happens more times than I can imagine honestly. Mapped processes help us achieve leadership success, the organization’s and/or our personal goals are achieved. But we need structure to achieve the highest potential outcome. That is where my guest in this episode excels. Thor Conklin is an Entrepreneur, Profitability Consultant and host of his daily podcast, Peak Performers Podcast. Thor has a talent for slicing through the noise of everyday distractions and bringing his clients and audiences intellectual commodities like his: “Ultimate Success Map,” a simplistic, easy-to-follow guide for individuals who need to break through to the next level of achievement. Leadership Flight Path to Success Topics During our conversation, we discuss the following topics: What happened to his team in 2001How he managed to reunite team post 9/11How he developed his Ultimate Success MapWhat the Ultimate Success Map isIs there a “most” important part of the mapWhere is the biggest challenged part and what can people do to mitigate it For the complete show notes, be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/44

As leaders, our role is to make an impact. In one form or another, we need to make an impact to be successful. But what does it mean to be a high-impact leader? That's the question which my guest and I tackle during this episode. Being a high-impact leader is beyond making results at the bottom line, it's about making results in your people - their attitude, development, and thought process. Ultimately, in order for leader to be high-impact leaders they need to develop an organizational culture which allows for everyone to be developed into high-impact leaders.  The guest on this episode, Dr. Jason Brooks, has just the solution and ideology behind this concept. As an executive leadership coach, a podcaster himself, and leadership scholar he lives his life through the framework of: Live. Love. Lead. Leave a Legacy!  How to be a High-Impact Leader Topics During our conversation we discuss the following topics: Where the ideology of being a high-impact leader came fromWhat it mean to be a high impact leaderWhy growing high-impact leaders is important in an organizationHow current leaders develop other leaders into high-impact leader For the complete show notes, be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/43

Transparency is not something which is often discussed in the leadership realm. However, it is crucial to your success as a leader. Transparency allows you to close the "Leadership Gap" and increase the accountability within your organization. But how can you be a transparent leader? In reality, it is not that difficult, as long as your ready to do the work. During this episode, I discuss what transparent leadership, why you should be a transparent leader, and how you can be a transparent leader. These are just a few examples of how I achieve transparency in my leadership. The most important thing is for you to look at these through an overlay of your organization and what is important to it. For the complete show notes, be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/42

Having purpose is something which we all hear about and know of but truly how many of us live our lives with purpose? Further to that, how many of us lead our organizations with purpose? The purpose is what drives us to organizations, groups, and individuals. Finding organizational purpose is a must-do for any leader. You need to understand what your organization is truly set out to achieve. That may seem easy if you're in business - make money - think beyond that. Think deeper and in the end, you will achieve greatness and amazing results.  Alex Agresta has dedicated her life to helping leaders and organizations figure out their purpose. Her background is in communication, executive coaching, and community building. She specializes in leadership development, methodology & framework design, and purpose alignment. Alex has coached for the University of Central Florida, the largest college in the nation, in a variety of their departments including the College of Business Administration, Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and Rosen College of Hospitality Management. She is a 2016 BizVenture Competition winner and 2017 BizVenture Coach for the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Developing your Organizational Purpose Topics During our interview we discuss the following topics:  Her backgroundWhat Purpose Pioneers is and its goalsHow leaders can systemize purpose of their organizationsAn overview of their decision-making process ideologyWhat benefits would leaders gain through using the Purpose- first approachHow Purpose-first approach helps develop delegationWhat has been the greatest success for an organizationThe biggest challenges come across attempting to implement the approachHow they have overcome those challenges For the complete show notes, be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/41

Growing up, I always enjoyed camping and heading into the wilderness. There's something about it which makes people grow and develop their skills. Wilderness leadership is essentially leadership skills which are developed during trying times in the wild. When you are pitted against the elements, there's no doubt that your leadership skills will be put to the test.  My guest in this episode, Shawn Stratton, was once an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) where he took young adults through the backcountry across the world. With this experience, he wrote his book based on the leadership lessons which he took from some of the most difficult situations which he found himself in during his time. Wilderness Leadership Topics During our interview we discuss the following topics: His background and storyHow he got into the NOLS organization.Lessons from the $30,000 blisterLessons from Facing Team Destruction in BajaLessons from Climbing the Largest and Coldest Mountain in the WorldHow he got into the Leadership consulting business. Guest Resources If you are interested in learning more about Shawn and what he has to offer be sure to check out his resources: Shawn’s websiteShawn on FacebookShawn on LinkedInShawn on TwitterShawn on YouTube For the complete show notes, be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/40

Sustainability is a hot topic these days. From sustainable energy sources to sustainable modes of transportation. However, there's a form of sustainability which is appropriate for this site and show - sustainable leadership. Being a sustainable leader is more than a tagline, it's a mindset which a leader needs to employ every single day, in every single decision. Being a sustainable leader takes time, dedication and consistency. This is where my guest for this episode comes into play. From her experience as an Operations Manager for an executive search firm to being an entrepreneur, Maura Sweeney has dedicated herself to helping leaders become more sustainable in their daily operations.  How to Be a Sustainable Leader Topics During our conversation, we cover the following topics: Her backgroundA brief overview of what it means to be a sustainable leaderWhat internal qualities does a leader need to be a sustainable leader?How does influence tie into sustainable leadership.How can a leader establish a mindset for sustainable leadershipHow does the concept of delegation support sustainable leadership For the complete show notes, be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/39