Intentional Leader with Cal Walters

➡️ Get my free weekly newsletter (The Intentional Letter): https://courses.calwalters.me/signup 🧭 Clarify Your Core Values: https://calwalters.me/course In this conversation, Melody Wilding, an expert in managing up, discusses the essential skills and strategies needed to influence your boss and navigate workplace dynamics effectively. She emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, establishing alignment, and taking ownership in your role. The discussion also covers setting boundaries, giving and receiving feedback, and the concept of the triple win, which focuses on finding mutually beneficial solutions for yourself, your boss, and the organization. Melody Wilding is the bestselling author of Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work and the Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge. Melody is a licensed social worker with a master’s degree from Columbia University, professor of human behavior at Hunter College in New York City, and former emotions researcher at Rutgers University. For more than a decade, she’s helped top performers and leadership at the world’s most successful companies — including Google, JP Morgan, and Verizon — to communicate more clearly, prevent burnout, and transform complicated workplace dynamics into powerful alliances that impact the bottom line. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and dozens of other respected publications. She’s a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, and CNBC. ➡️ Connect with Melody: https://melodywilding.com/ 00:00 Mastering the Art of Managing Up 01:23 Understanding the Concept of Managing Up 05:37 Navigating Workplace Dynamics 07:52 The Importance of Emotional Intelligence 11:55 The Power of Effective Conversations 15:35 The Triple Win Concept 20:21 Establishing Alignment with Your Boss 39:57 Taking Ownership in Your Role 49:50 Setting Boundaries for Success 53:35 Giving and Receiving Feedback Effectively Please visit my website to get more information: https://calwalters.me/ 🔔𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬. https://www.youtube.com/@intentionalleader_calwalters/?sub_confirmation=1  

Patrick Lencioni, bestselling author and founder of The Table Group, shares invaluable insights on effective leadership. He emphasizes the need for leaders to serve others and confront their fears. Daily self-reflection is presented as a vital tool for understanding one's motives and shaping leadership styles. The conversation highlights the importance of unity in organizations and the necessity of self-discovery, especially for young leaders. Lencioni also discusses how personal challenges can foster growth and the importance of maintaining joy and purpose as one transitions into retirement.

Geoff Woods, author of The AI-Driven Leader and founder of AI Leadership, shares his insights on leveraging AI for strategic decision-making. He discusses the importance of asking the right questions and using AI as a thought partner rather than just a tool. Geoff illustrates how AI can simulate executive dynamics and enhance leadership effectiveness. He also highlights the lessons from Blockbuster's strategic missteps, emphasizing the need for innovation and adaptability in a technology-driven world.

General Stan McChrystal, a retired four-star general known for commanding U.S. forces in Afghanistan, shares his insights on leadership and character. He reflects on how personal experiences, like his resignation and marriage, shape values. The discussion includes tackling fear in leadership, emphasizing moral courage and discipline. McChrystal advocates for clear communication to counter groupthink. He highlights writing as a tool for refining thoughts and fostering societal dialogue on integrity, urging leaders to embrace their core values.

➡️ Get my Newsletter (Intentional Letter): https://courses.calwalters.me/signup Discover Your Core Values: https://calwalters.me/course Get Will's book: https://noelevatortoeverest.com/ Learn about Corner to Corner: https://cornertocorner.org/ In this conversation, Will Acuff shares his journey of finding joy amidst life's challenges, particularly through his experiences with his family and the transformative 'trauma camp' that helped him shift his perspective. He discusses the importance of self-compassion, the struggles of parenting a child with disabilities, and the pressures of maintaining a facade of having it all together. The dialogue emphasizes the significance of recognizing small sparks of joy and the power of community and support in navigating difficult times. In this conversation, the speakers explore the themes of love, mercy, and personal responsibility within relationships. They discuss the drama triangle concept, emphasizing the importance of shifting from a hero mentality to one of ownership and self-compassion. The dialogue also touches on thriving in tough circumstances, the significance of self-awareness, and practical practices for cultivating joy in daily life. 00:00 Finding Joy in Hardship 02:53 The Journey to Trauma Camp 11:42 Transformative Experiences at Trauma Camp 22:02 The Power of Joy in Difficult Times 24:35 The Context of Love and Mercy 25:08 Understanding the Drama Triangle 29:04 Shifting from Hero to Ownership 30:44 The Impact of Codependency 32:07 Self-Compassion and Ownership 35:31 Thriving in Tough Circumstances 36:40 Exploring Joy and Self-Awareness 42:22 Practical Practices for Daily Joy Please visit my website to get more information: https://calwalters.me/ 🔔𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬. https://www.youtube.com/@intentionalleader_calwalters/?sub_confirmation=1  

Sign up for The Intentional Letter: https://courses.calwalters.me/signup Discover Your Core Values Course: https://courses.calwalters.me/offers/DmXNju9f/checkout The Work-Life Balance Toolbox: https://www.stephenrgraves.com/balance Steve's book, Flourishing (for free!): https://www.stephenrgraves.com/flourish Cornerstone+ Membership: https://www.cornerstoneco.com/ In this episode of the Intentional Leader Podcast, Cal speaks with CEO coach Steve Graves about the intricacies of leadership, coaching, and achieving a balanced life. They explore the importance of holistic coaching, the courage required to make meaningful life choices, and the challenges of work-life balance. Steve shares insights from his experiences coaching top leaders and discusses frameworks for personal development, including the significance of understanding one's capacity threshold and the art of saying no. The conversation emphasizes the need for intentional living and aligning one's life with core values to lead effectively at work and home. 00:00 Leading Well at Work and Home 02:38 The Role of a Coach 07:15 Work-Life Balance Toolbox 08:30 A Tale of Two Funerals 13:16 The Importance of Courage 1 9:33 The Cost of Saying Yes 24:44 Understanding Capacity Threshold 36:51 The Art of Saying No

In this engaging discussion, storytelling expert Katie Quesada, who has coached Fortune 500 companies, shares her insights on the powerful role of storytelling in leadership and personal connections. She explains how stories create emotional bonds and why they resonate with us. Katie outlines the essential components of effective storytelling: context, conflict, and conclusion, while urging leaders to embrace vulnerability. She also explores strategies for engaging storytelling, including frameworks to connect with audiences of all ages and transform narratives into relatable experiences.

Get weekly insights from me: https://courses.calwalters.me/signup Take the Attributes Assessment (make sure you use coupon code INTENTIONALLEADER15 to get 15% off at check out): https://theattributes.com/assessment-tool Get Rich's new book, Masters of Uncertainty: https://www.amazon.com/Masters-Uncertainty-Navy-Stress-Success/dp/B0DMGYW5YH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E4HOYQ84M5H7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ya84ZhsafB6rPwbEySGGDg.98hhrIiRMlraDT4SDOw9Dih-3Y1Z1b772CBQOmMDIBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=masters+of+uncertainty+rich+diviney&qid=1732210579&sprefix=masters+of+uncertainty+rich+diviney%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1 In this conversation, retired Navy SEAL Commander Rich Diviney shares insights on leadership, stress management, and the importance of attributes in high-performance environments. He discusses the significance of humility, the distinction between being a leader and being in charge, and the challenges faced during BUD/S training. Rich emphasizes the critical role of compartmentalization and attributes in determining success, particularly in high-stress situations like those encountered in military training and operations. In this conversation, the speaker delves into the importance of understanding personal attributes and skills, emphasizing the role of self-awareness in effective leadership. They discuss how stress and fear can be harnessed for positive action, the significance of focusing on controllable factors, and the science behind motivation through dopamine. The conversation also explores the impact of identity on behavior, particularly in uncertain situations, and how recognizing and prioritizing identities can shape our responses and actions. 00:00 Navigating Stress as a Leader 03:04 The Essence of Humility in Leadership 06:06 Understanding Leadership Beyond Hierarchy 09:01 The BUD/S Experience and Its Challenges 11:56 Compartmentalization: The Key to Endurance 15:04 Skills vs. Attributes in Leadership 18:03 Insights from SEAL Team 6 Selection 20:47 The Importance of Attributes in Performance 29:10 Understanding Attributes and Skills 35:01 The Role of Self-Awareness in Leadership 38:07 Harnessing Stress and Fear for Action 43:45 Focus on What You Can Control 49:22 The Science of Dopamine and Motivation 52:30 The Power of Identity in Uncertainty

In this engaging discussion, Alison Wood Brooks, an O’Brien Associate Professor at Harvard Business School and an expert on conversation, reveals the secrets to effective communication. She shares personal insights from her life as an identical twin and how it shapes her understanding of interactions. Listeners explore techniques for mastering conversation dynamics, the critical role of preparation, and the importance of specific encouragement in enhancing connections. Her unique 'conversational compass' helps navigate relationships, emphasizing the blend of vulnerability and enjoyment in meaningful dialogue.

In this insightful discussion, Charles Feltman shares his expertise as a consultant and author with over 25 years of experience in fostering trust. He introduces a four-part framework focusing on sincerity, reliability, competence, and care, essential for leaders aiming to build a trusting environment. Feltman emphasizes the importance of clear communication and addressing tough truths to maintain team trust. He also discusses strategies for navigating trust breaches and the necessity of acknowledging personal limits to prevent burnout.