Path for Growth

Latest Episodes:

Working in an Uncertain World with Mike Valiton Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

Want a clearer picture of what’s working in your business—and what needs attention? Take the free 12 Fundamentals Assessment for a personalized score and your clearest next step: 12fundamentals.com

Uncertainty is not something we can avoid, but there are steps we can take to better prepare ourselves and our businesses for the unknown. In this episode, Mike Valiton shares his insight into leading a business during seasons of uncertainty, as well as preparing for and navigating storms in our personal lives. Mike unpacks the routine that helps him stay grounded no matter what’s going on in the world around him, and he offers advice to leaders on managing finance, communicating honestly with team members, hiring in periods of growth, and much more.

How do you maintain a strong foundation when things around you feel uncertain? (5:23)
What are the routines and habits that help you stay centered? (9:22)
Why is it so important to define success based on the season you’re in? (18:14)
Can you explain how you pay attention to the news without being immersed in it? (21:40)
How do you hold your plans with a loose grip? (24:31)
What should people do now to make sure they’re financially healthy and secure? (34:15)
What advice do you have for leaders at large organizations? (39:59)
How can leaders best communicate with their teams in uncertain times? (46:49)
What does it practically look like for leaders to plan instead of worrying? (56:28)
Where have you seen constraints lead to creativity? (1:06:02)
How can leaders live their testimonies during this time? (1:14:23)

Path for Growth Membership

Path for Growth One-on-One Coaching

Join Path for Growth on Instagram and Facebook

Not sure where to start? Describe what’s happening in your business or team, then explore 400+ practical resources to help you take the next right step: resources.pathforgrowth.com

4 Responsibilities for Leading 300+ Person Teams Jun 28, 2022

Show notes

As businesses grow, the things that once worked well for them will inevitably stop working — especially once an organization grows to 300 people or more. For our 100th episode of the Path for Growth podcast, we talk through the most common mistakes leaders make when they hit the 300-person mark. We also discuss 7 communication rhythms that can help your business navigate growth more smoothly and explain why it’s so important to develop leaders who lead leaders instead of followers.

Reflecting on 100 episodes of Path for Growth (0:27)
Anytime your team hits a multiple of 3 or 10, everything breaks (6:38)
Leaders with 300 or more people tend to make the same 3 mistakes (11:15)
1. They’re still operating the same way they did with 100 people (11:23)
2. They aren’t aware that the change they’re seeing is normal (11:54)
3. They don’t have what it takes to make it to 1,000 (13:10)
Our brains respond differently when we engage with struggle voluntarily (14:34)
Not preparing for the shift leads to burnout, division, disorganization, and waste (16:02)
There are 7 important communication rhythms for large organizations (23:22)
1. One-on-one relationship communication (26:07)
2. One-on-one accountability (28:39)
3. Team unity (30:33)
4. Departmental work-related communication (37:05)
5. Strategic planning (38:20)
6. Strategic accountability (39:32)
7. Development (40:22)
Focus on developing leaders who lead leaders (42:45)

Sargent: On-Track Podcast

Path for Growth Membership

Path for Growth One-on-One Coaching

Join Path for Growth on Instagram and Facebook

Not sure where to start? Describe what’s happening in your business or team, then explore 400+ practical resources to help you take the next right step: resources.pathforgrowth.com

The 10 Commandments of Continuous Improvement with Ron Pereira Jun 21, 2022

Show notes

No matter how strong your business’ processes and systems seem, there is always room for refinement. In this episode, Ron Pereira unpacks the 10 Commandments of Continuous Improvement that can help leaders increase productivity while also caring for their people. Ron has extensive experience in manufacturing, supply chain, and process engineering, and he’s also committed to training other leaders and organizations as a co-founder of Gemba Academy. He explains why lean engineering is so important and shares some valuable real-world examples of how he’s seen companies transformed by these principles.

How can continuous improvement transform a business? (2:15)
Why are you so passionate about processes and systems? (5:05)
How do these concepts help leaders increase both productivity and humanity? (7:20)
Why are lean processes important even if your business is going well? (9:19)
What is the problem that you help customers solve, and what does that look like in a large organization? (17:24)
Can you tell us about the 10 commandments of never-ending improvement? (25:03)
1. Open your mind to change (26:29)
2. Think “yes we can if _” (34:19)
3. Always attack processes, not people (42:37)
4. Seek simple solutions (50:57)
5. If it’s broken, stop and fix it (54:49)
6. Use creativity, not capital (1:03:07)
7. Problems are opportunities in disguise (1:05:56)
8. Fix the root cause (1:11:03)
9. The wisdom of many is better than the knowledge of one (1:13:33)
10. There is no final destination on the improvement journey (1:15:27)

Gemba Academy Website

Connect with Ron Pereira on LinkedIn

Path for Growth Membership

Path for Growth One-on-One Coaching

Join Path for Growth on Instagram and Facebook

Not sure where to start? Describe what’s happening in your business or team, then explore 400+ practical resources to help you take the next right step: resources.pathforgrowth.com

What I've Learned From the Strongest Leaders I Know Jun 14, 2022

Show notes

One of the best ways to grow as a leader is to surround yourself with other great leaders and pay attention to what they’re doing differently. In this episode, we talk through five fundamental lessons I’ve learned from the strongest leaders in my life. We also discuss the importance of taking time to evaluate and reflect in order to get the most out of our experiences.

To get value from an experience, we have to evaluate and reflect (0:47)
Today we’ll talk through 5 lessons about what it means to be an effective leader (3:01)
1. Don’t let your mood dictate your effort (4:39)
2. Be yourself. People can smell a fake from a mile away (7:21)
3. It’s never the wrong time to do the right thing (15:15)
4. Take the risk of truly caring (24:17)
5. Good leaders hold people accountable to the standard of others; great leaders hold people accountable to the standard of their potential (28:11)

Path for Growth Membership

Path for Growth One-on-One Coaching

Join Path for Growth on Instagram and Facebook

Not sure where to start? Describe what’s happening in your business or team, then explore 400+ practical resources to help you take the next right step: resources.pathforgrowth.com

It's Time to Operationalize Your Business Jun 07, 2022

Show notes

Many people assume that starting a business will require them to hustle relentlessly for 3-5 years, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Through operationalization, leaders can delegate and continue to grow without sacrificing quality or increasing their stress levels. In this episode, we walk through the 4 foundational things you need to have in place in order to start operationalizing, as well as the four-step process for operationalization.

Operationalizing helps impact-driven leaders grow without burning out (0:47)
What are the highest return responsibilities of a leader? (6:17)
How do you simultaneously increase productivity and humanity? (7:04)
There are 4 prerequisites you need to have before you start operationalizing (11:01)
1. An aspirational mission (11:31)
2. Immoveable core values (13:27)
3. A compelling, documented vision (14:02)
4. A predictable revenue model (15:25)
Stress will increase at the rate your business grows, unless you operationalize (18:20)
Operationalizing helps you delegate, practice healthy growth, and make a sustainable impact (19:29)
Operationalized processes are measurable, accessible, repeatable, and iterable (22:13)
There are four key elements of operationalizing (23:14)
1. Standardize: Clarify what success looks like (25:18)
2. Document: Outline benchmarks for success and the process to achieve them (30:19)
3. Evaluate: Establish a system for ongoing evaluation (33:57)
4. Improve: Create a culture where the best practice can always be made better (38:40)
Start with one specific area of your business (41:50)

Path for Growth Membership

Path for Growth One-on-One Coaching

Listen to “Building in Public #2: Alex Judd (CEO) and Zack Estes (COO)”

Trainual

Join Path for Growth on Instagram and Facebook

Not sure where to start? Describe what’s happening in your business or team, then explore 400+ practical resources to help you take the next right step: resources.pathforgrowth.com

7 Lessons From the Orthodox Jewish Community May 31, 2022

Show notes

One of the keys to practicing healthy growth is the ability to focus on and prioritize the things that matter most. The Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York exemplifies this, and in this episode, we talk through seven lessons that Alex has learned while working with members of that community. Alex also shares some practical ways that we can all add more community, ritual, and generosity to our daily lives.

When something resonates with people, take time to think about why it’s working (3:28)
There are 7 key lessons we can take away from the Orthodox Jewish Community (6:18)
1. Rest requires discipline (7:27)
2. Generosity can be cultural (13:13)
3. Connection is crucial (17:12)
4. Don’t avoid differences, embrace them (19:40)
5. Humility is a prerequisite for growth (22:52)
6. Community is king (26:08)
7. Ritual is essential (31:10)

Alex’s LinkedIn Post

Path for Growth Membership

Path for Growth One-on-One Coaching

Join Path for Growth on Instagram and Facebook

Not sure where to start? Describe what’s happening in your business or team, then explore 400+ practical resources to help you take the next right step: resources.pathforgrowth.com

How to Begin, Beat Challenges, and Build Culture with Clay Steves May 24, 2022

Show notes

The best leaders aren’t always the people who excel from the start, but rather those who stay committed to always growing. Clay Steves, owner and CEO of Habakkuk Health, is someone who exemplifies this as a leader and communicator. In this episode, Clay describes how he built a successful business without prior leadership experience, including some of the challenges he faced and the steps he took to build a healthier culture. Clay also talks about the importance of rest for leaders and their families, and he discusses the ways he’s worked to ensure that feedback and healthy conflict are welcome at his company.

Get to know Clay with rapid-fire questions (2:46)
Why do you take issue with the term “servant leadership?” (6:18)
What motivated you to start Habakkuk Health? (7:55)
What was the tipping point that turned your idea into action? (11:40)
How do you view failure as a business owner? (13:45)
What podcasts, books, and leaders had the biggest impact on your business? (17:56)
How did you develop your vision and commit to growth as a first-time leader? (20:56)
What were the symptoms and the source of your early leadership challenges? (25:06)
Why is a healthy home life vital for leaders? (31:17)
How do you set boundaries to prioritize family rest and Sabbath? (39:49)
How have you learned to stay present? (49:03)
What do you do when you find your mind racing? (51:04)
How can leaders create an environment where feedback is encouraged? (53:42)
Why is it a leader’s job to mine for conflict, and how do you create a culture where people care deeply? (59:47)
What are you most excited about? (1:04:32)
How to connect with Clay (1:06:14)
How can leaders stay excited about their businesses and keep moving forward? (1:06:54)

“Convos with Clay” Podcast

Habakkuk Health Website

“Managing Leadership Anxiety” by Steve Cuss

Path for Growth Membership

Path for Growth One-on-One Coaching

Join Path for Growth on Instagram and Facebook

Not sure where to start? Describe what’s happening in your business or team, then explore 400+ practical resources to help you take the next right step: resources.pathforgrowth.com

A Strategy for Personal Growth May 17, 2022

Show notes

Effective leaders don’t just help others grow, they’re also committed to continual growth in their own lives. In this episode, we unpack five practices that help leaders grow, as well as three principles that explain why personal growth is a vital part of leadership. We also discuss the importance of consistency for growth-minded leaders and provide practical examples of what each practice can look like.

There’s a difference between self-improvement and selfish improvement (1:10)
If you aren’t personally growing, you’re not effectively leading (4:08)
If you want to put your business in order, start by putting yourself in order (9:11)
These five daily practices will help you experience growth (11:27)
1. Identification: Get specific about what successful growth looks like (14:28)
2. Information: Learn the principles and tactics for achieving your goal (19:58)
3. Representation: Find someone who embodies the quality you want to cultivate (22:46)
4. Application: The greatest learning is experiential (29:54)
5. Evaluation: Identify the principles you learned (33:33)
Our job as leaders is to grow stronger so we can serve better (36:44)

Path for Growth Membership

Path for Growth One-on-One Coaching

Join Path for Growth on Instagram and Facebook

Not sure where to start? Describe what’s happening in your business or team, then explore 400+ practical resources to help you take the next right step: resources.pathforgrowth.com

Leaders Simplify the Complex with Jon Collins, Co-Founder of the Bible Project May 10, 2022

Show notes

When running a creative business, it’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day operations and lose the opportunity to spend time creating. While expanding the BibleProject, Jon Collins realized he didn’t want to make this mistake, so he intentionally set out to delegate leadership and operations. In this episode, Jon shares some of the lessons he’s learned while building a successful non-profit platform, including the importance of delegation, how to define your business narrative, and what it’s like to work with a business partner. He also shares insight into the process of crafting and revising effective messages that distill complex information into digestible content.

What were you doing before you started BibleProject? (3:02)
Where did you get the skillset of distilling the complex into the simple? (7:21)
How do you preserve curiosity and humility after doing this job for years? (12:23)
Why is writing an important skill for becoming a better thinker? (15:21)
How do you evaluate the effectiveness of a message? (19:40)
Do you have trouble accepting feedback on something you care deeply about?? (22:34)
How do you balance listening to feedback with trusting your intuition? (25:25)
Why did you decide to create BibleProject with a non-profit model? (28:18)
What made you want to work with Tim, and what have you learned about having a business partner? (29:57)
What was your business narrative, and why was that so important to you? (33:39)
How do you explain your early success with BibleProject? (37:10)
How have you relinquished control of operations so you could focus on the creative? (41:50)
Why is explaining so powerful, and how does that show up in the Bible? (47:24)
How to connect with Jon (52:32)

BibleProject Website

Connect with Jon on Twitter

Path for Growth Membership

Path for Growth One-on-One Coaching

Join Path for Growth on Instagram and Facebook

Not sure where to start? Describe what’s happening in your business or team, then explore 400+ practical resources to help you take the next right step: resources.pathforgrowth.com

On Perfectionism May 03, 2022

Show notes

People often say that perfectionism is unproductive, but it’s also toxic, dangerous, and prideful. In this episode, we explore how perfectionism gets in the way of pursuing excellence and leading well, and we walk through three scenarios where perfectionism often shows up for leaders. We also talk about the importance of vulnerability and explain how you can start to shift your focus from being perfect to being committed.

If you struggle with perfectionism, know that there’s a better path (0:46)
Perfectionism is toxic, dangerous, and prideful (2:59)
If you don’t set a standard, someone else will (8:15)
Perfectionism in decision making: It hurts to sit on a fence (10:51)
When setting your standard, act as though grace is real and you need it (17:15)
Perfectionism in work relationships: Avoid “Superman Syndrome” (19:14)
Admit when you don’t know, aren’t good at something, feel afraid, or need help (25:33)
Vulnerability is not a manipulation tactic or a therapy session (32:42)
Perfectionism in meetings: Let great people do what great people do (35:54)

Path for Growth Membership

Path for Growth One-on-One Coaching

Join Path for Growth on Instagram and Facebook

Not sure where to start? Describe what’s happening in your business or team, then explore 400+ practical resources to help you take the next right step: resources.pathforgrowth.com

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Path for Growth

Related Podcasts

1

2

3

4

5

6