Coaching for Leaders

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441: Journey Towards Diversity and Inclusion, with Willie Jackson Nov 18, 2019

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Willie Jackson Willie Jackson is a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant and facilitator with ReadySet, a boutique consulting firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a frequent writer and speaker on the topics of workplace equity, global diversity, and inclusive leadership. Willie founded an online magazine for black men called Abernathy in 2015, growing the publication from initial concept to over 400 articles and thousands of subscribers. He also served as Technical Lead of Seth Godin’s altMBA program. In this conversation, Willie and I discuss getting started on the journey with diversity and inclusion, what leaders can do to be more mindful, and some of the missteps that I’ve made along the way. Key Points Most of us have good intentions — and intentions alone do not ensure we make the impact we want. We don’t rise to the level of our ambition. We sink to the level of our training. You will make mistakes, regardless of how mindful and intentional you are. Bonus Audio The Language of Inclusivity Resources Scene on Radio podcast White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism* by Robin DiAngelo Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-first Century* by Dorothy Roberts The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration* by Isabel Wilkersons Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America* by Ibram Kendi How to Be an Antiracist* by Ibram Kendi Related Episodes How to Handle Workplace Bullying, with Jill Morgenthaler (episode 172) How to Tame Workplace Incivility, with Sharone Bar-David (episode 210) How to Make Inclusion Happen, with Deepa Purushothaman (episode 307) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

440: Leadership in the Midst of Chaos, with Jim Mattis Nov 11, 2019

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Jim Mattis: Call Sign Chaos Jim Mattis served more than four decades as an infantry officer in the United States Marines, rising to the rank of 4-star general. In 2017, he was nearly unanimously confirmed as the 26th Secretary of Defense of the United States, a position he held for almost two years. Today, he is a distinguished fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and the author of the new book with Bing West: Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead*. In this conversation, Jim and I discuss his career in the Marines and the leadership lessons that emerged during combat. Jim shares the mistake he made in soliciting support for his plan to capture Osama Bin Laden in Tora Bora and discusses how he handled disagreements on strategy in Fallujah. Finally, Jim recommends three books and reflects on the greatest threat to America today. Key Points Creating “focused telescopes” outside the normal chain of command were useful in discovering concerns that might not otherwise have become known. Keep key stakeholders in the loop with these three questions: What do I know? Who needs to know? Have I told them? “You cannot order someone to abandon a spiritual burden they’ve been wrestling with.” Even in a war zone, command was only a small portion of the daily tasks. Most of the time was spent coaching. “History teaches that we face nothing new under the sun.” Books will help you take advantage of the accumulated experiences of leaders who came before you. Resources Mentioned Meditations* by Marcus Aurelius Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant* by Ulysses S. Grant and Mark Twain Long Walk to Freedom* by Nelson Mandela Book Notes Download my highlights from Call Sign Chaos in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes The Way to Stop Rescuing People From Their Problems, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 284) Develop Leaders Before You Leave, with David Marquet (episode 405) Influence Through Overlapping Networks, with Sandie Morgan (episode 422) How to Start Seeing Around Corners, with Rita McGrath (episode 430) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

439: Leading Someone Smarter Than You, with Bonni Stachowiak Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions. Listener Questions David asked about how to replace his manager who’s had 20 years of experience. Said wondered what he should do to overcome the fear of leading someone smarter than him. James asked about the best ways to prepare how more opportunities to influence others. Resources Mentioned Leaders Need “User Manuals” – and What I Learned By Writing Mine What If You Had to Write a "User Manual" About Your Leadership Style? Business Model Generation* by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur Related Episodes Seven Principles for Leading People Older Than You, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 59) An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth, with Chris Hadfield (episode 149) Do This for a Productive Week (episode 180) How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192) How to Actually Move Numbers, with Chris McChesney (episode 294) The Path to Start Leading Your Team, with John Piñeiro (episode 349) Develop Leaders Before You Leave, with David Marquet (episode 405) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

438: What to Do With Your Feelings, with Lori Gottlieb Oct 28, 2019

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Lori Gottlieb: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone*. In addition to her clinical practice, she writes The Atlantic’s weekly Dear Therapist advice column and contributes regularly to The New York Times and many other publications. Lori has written hundreds of articles related to psychology and culture, many of which have become viral sensations. She is a sought-after expert in media appearing on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and NPR’s “Fresh Air.” In this conversation, Lori and I explore what to do with our feelings, how make the transition from idiot compassion towards wise compassion, and where a therapist can help. When a therapist is the right resource, Lori teaches us how to gain the most from therapy by stepping into both vulnerability and accountability. Key Points It’s important to make the transition from “idiot compassion” to wise compassion — and to find others who can do that for us. Sometimes people say they want to stop the difficult feelings, but you can’t mute some feelings without muting all of them. We keep secrets from our therapists — and we keep secrets from ourselves. The more we are able to be vulnerable, the more we are able to help ourselves. Insight alone is not valuable without accountability to do better with new insight. What matters most in the success of therapy is the relationship with your therapist, more so than any other factor or credentials. Resources Mentioned Maybe You Should Talk to Someone* by Lori Gottlieb Dear Therapist in The Atlantic Related Episodes How to Tame Your Inner Critic, with Tara Mohr (episode 232) Four Steps to Get Unstuck and Embrace Change, with Susan David (episode 297) The Way to Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

437: How to Know What You Don’t Know, with Art Markman Oct 21, 2019

Show notes

Art Markman: Bring Your Brain to Work Art Markman is the Annabel Irion Worsham Centennial Professor Centennial Professor of Psychology and Marketing at the University of Texas at Austin. He is also the Founding Director of the Program in the Human Dimensions of Organizations, which brings the humanities and the social behavioral sciences to people in business. Along with Bob Duke, Art hosts the radio show Two Guys on Your Head for KUT Radio in Austin, also available as a podcast. He’s the author of many books, most recently: Bring Your Brain to Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well, and Advance Your Career*. In this conversation, Art and I explore the science behind what we know and how we can both better recognize what we don’t know and increase our knowledge in that area. Research shows that others are one of our best sources of knowledge and we discuss how to make intentional connections through mentoring to accomplish this. Key Points Metacognition is the awareness of one’s own knowledge. The Dunning-Kruger explains how sometimes feels like we know more about something than we actually do. The success of expert generalists demonstrates the value of leveraging connections with others in the organization and industry. The most powerful source of knowledge is the people around you. Traditional mentoring programs aren’t ideal since they are inorganic. Seek these five kinds of people when building a team that can mentor you: coach, superstar, connector, librarian, and teammate. Resources Mentioned Bring Your Brain to Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well, and Advance Your Career* by Art Markman Book Notes Download my highlights from Bring Your Brain to Work in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Find a Mentor (episode 105) How to Grow Your Professional Network, with Tom Henschel (episode 279) What You Gain By Sponsoring People, with Julia Taylor Kennedy (episode 398) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

436: Personal Leadership is a Journey, with Michal Holliday Oct 19, 2019

Show notes

Michal Holliday: United States Air Force Mike is a 26-year career military officer and colonel in the United States Air Force. He’s been a commander at the squadron and group level. Today, he is chief of engineering overseeing design and construction across the entire Pacific theatre. He’s also a longtime listener of Coaching for Leaders. In this conversation, Mike and I discuss how his view of leadership has changed over time and how he’s used personal leadership to guide his journey. We highlight how he’s inspired vivid visions in his organization, created team expectations, and embrace a culture of more immediate coaching and feedback. Key Points “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” -Viktor Frankl “The unexamined life is not worth living.” -Socrates Vision statements often end up in a drawer. The vivid vision process taught by Cameron Herold has helped the vision to come alive. Giving coaching and feedback more immediately is essential for learning and cultivating the right culture. “When I see something, I do something.” There is a time and place for order-giving. Spending more time coaching, giving feedback, and listening well helps build trust for orders to be followed when that time comes. Resources Mentioned Man's Search for Meaning* by Viktor Frankl Vivid Vision* by Cameron Herold Radical Candor* by Kim Scott Related Episodes How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke (episode 192) The Way to Make New Behaviors Stick, with Marshall Goldsmith (episode 196) How to Make Deep Work Happen, with Cal Newport (episode 233) How to Challenge Directly and Care Personally, with Kim Scott (episode 302) The Power of Solitude, with Mike Erwin (episode 308) How to Create a Vivid Vision, with Cameron Herold (episode 345) The Way to Stay Grounded, with Parker Palmer (episode 378) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

435: Tie Leadership Development to Business Results, with Mark Allen Oct 14, 2019

Show notes

Mark Allen: Pepperdine University Mark Allen is an educator, speaker, consultant, and author who specializes in talent management, corporate universities, and human resources. He is the author of Aha Moments in Talent Management*, The Next Generation of Corporate Universities*, and The Corporate University Handbook*. Mark is a professor at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management, where he also serves as Academic Director of the Master of Science in Human Resources program. He is also a senior faculty member of the Human Capital Institute. In this conversation, Mark and I explore the changing demographics of the workforce and why it matters for talent acquisition and leadership development today. Mark shares the key strategies he uses with clients to ensure that leadership development ties directly to organizational results. Key Points 10,000 baby boomers a day are turning 73 and will continue to do so for the next 18 years. The competition for talent will become even more intense than it is today. Research shows that 60-90% of all learnings from development programs are never used on the job. Leadership development programs should not be designed to create better leadership. Leadership is not a business outcome - it's a means to an end. Begin with the end in mind. What’s the business result your leadership development program aims to achieve? Get alignment there before you start building or hire someone to build it. Use the 70-20-10 rule to develop people. 70% of time doing experiential learning, 20% of time in coaching and mentoring, and 10% classroom instruction. Resources Mentioned The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People* by Stephen Covey Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels* by Donald Kirkpatrick and James Kirkpatrick Mark’s consulting work Related Episodes The Best Way to Do On-the-Job Training (episode 32) How to Use Strategy and Evaluation in Training, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 33) How to Hire a Trainer or Training Company, with Aaron Kent (episode 35) Three Strategies To Build Talent In Your Organization, with Mark Allen (episode 155) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

434: When Your Boss Has Checked Out, with Bonni Stachowiak Oct 07, 2019

Show notes

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions. Listener Questions Jules asks about how transparent she should be with her boss on her long-term career aspirations. Megan is wondering what she can do when reporting to a leader who seems to have checked out. Mason facilitated a strategy meeting with his team is asks for our advice on how he might improve. Julie’s organization is changing and she is seeking input on the best path forward to determine if her current team can go the distance. Resources Mentioned 11 Ways to Facilitate Great Conversations How to Better Control Your Time by Designing Your Ideal Week by Michael Hyatt Audio Course: How to Create Your Personal Vision Drive* by Daniel Pink The Empowered Manager* by Peter Block Analyzing Performance Problems* by Robert F. Mager and Peter Pipe Gallup’s StrengthsFinder instrument Related Episodes How Teams Use StrengthsFinder Results, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293) How to Deal with Opponents and Adversaries, with Peter Block (episode 328) How to Lead an Offsite, with Tom Henschel (episode 377) Align Your Calendar to What Matters, with Nir Eyal (episode 431) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

433: How to Start Managing Up, with Tom Henschel Sep 30, 2019

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Tom Henschel: The Look & Sound of Leadership Tom Henschel of Essential Communications grooms senior leaders and executive teams. An internationally recognized expert in the field of workplace communications and self-presentation, he has helped thousands of leaders achieve excellence through his work as an executive coach and his top-rated podcast, The Look & Sound of Leadership. Recently, I’ve received a number of questions about “managing up” and “coaching up.” In this conversation, Tom and I discuss the art and practice of managing up, how it is different than coaching up, and where to focus your mindset and time for the best results to influence effectively. Key Points Managing up happens when you want to influence how you’re perceived by your manager. Coaching up happens when you want to create change in the relationship with your manager. A useful phrase to start with when speaking truth to power: “I think differently about that…” Set aside the emotion when addressing a business issue and lead with data and evidence. “Appeal to the nobler motives.” -Dale Carnegie Come to the table with solutions — or at least a first step. Most people know this rule, but far fewer do it consistently. Ask yourself: how is my boss being measured for success? A cardinal rule when managing up: take more off your boss’s plate that you add to it. Bonus Audio How is your boss being measured? Resources Mentioned How to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie Managing Your Boss by John Gabarro and John Kotter Related Episodes How to Handle a Boss Who’s a Jerk, with Tom Henschel (episode 164) Managing Up (The Look & Sound of Leadership) Managing Your Boss (The Look & Sound of Leadership) Upward Feedback (The Look & Sound of Leadership) Green Lights Always Change (Dave’s Journal) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

432: How to Work With a Board, with Denice Hinden Sep 23, 2019

Show notes

Denice Hinden: Managance Consulting & Coaching Denice is the president of Managance Consulting & Coaching, a firm that helps transform organizations with provocative strategic planning and coaches leaders and leadership teams. She was lead researcher and co-designer of Executive Transition Management (ETM), a now widely used methodology for effectively supporting nonprofits through leadership transitions. Denice is the author of The Nonprofit Organizational Culture Guide: Revealing the Hidden Truths that Impact Performance* and Taking Leadership to the Next Level: A Year of Stimulating Essays to Discover More Joy in Leading & Inspiring Others* has a tremendous amount of experience helping leaders and boards find alignment and succeed. In this conversation, Denice and I discuss the purpose of a board and how leaders can build relationships with board members. We explore the importance of transparency, how to keep initiatives moving forward, and the practice of regularly providing context. Key Points Six purposes of a board: (1) set policy and direction, (2) monitor operations for compliance and mission, (3) represent the organization, (4) serve as strategy partners, (5) keep records for the organization, and (6) develop current and future leaders. Leaders who lean into full transparency with their boards will build relationships that weather difficult times. Be cautious of making assumptions about what board members want to know. When meeting one on one, communicate what has happened in conversations with other board members to help keep things moving forward. Connecting board members to context regularly will help them find movement, especially when the board is in a volunteer capacity. Resources Mentioned The Nonprofit Organizational Culture Guide: Revealing the Hidden Truths that Impact Performance* by Denice Hinden Taking Leadership to the Next Level: A Year of Stimulating Essays to Discover More Joy in Leading & Inspiring Others* by Denice Hinden Related Episodes How to Increase Your Conversational Intelligence, with Judith Glaser (episode 271) Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316) How to Find Confidence in Conflict, with Kwame Christian (episode 380) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

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