The Communicative Leader: Recent Episodes
Dr. OH
On the Communicative Leader, we're making your work life what you want it to be. Do you need years of training or special equipment? Not at all my friends. Simple, yet thoughtful changes in your communication can make great strides in displaying your leadership ability. And why the heck should you care about leadership communication? Well, communication is the yardstick others use to determine whether or not they see you as a leader. Ahhh don't be scared, I got you. We will walk through common organizational obstacles and chat about small, but meaningful communication-rooted changes you can integrate immediately. No more waiting for the workplace to become what you hope it will. Nope. You, my friends, will be empowered and equipped to make those changes. Let's have some fun!
Welcome to another episode of The Communicative Leader! I’m your host, Dr. Leah OH. In a world of digital noise and data-driven decisions, it is easy for leaders to forget that at the end of every email, every strategy deck, and every Slack message is a human being. We often prioritize efficiency over connection, forgetting that people don't follow spreadsheets—they follow people they trust.
Today’s guest has spent over 30 years proving that the most effective way to lead is through the ancient art of storytelling and the simple, often overlooked power of kindness.
Neal Foard is the founder of Storyfire and a former worldwide director of creative learning for Saatchi & Saatchi. He has shaped global campaigns for brands like Toyota, Sony, and Lexus, but today, he is perhaps best known for his stories about everyday humanity that have reached over half a million followers. He teaches leaders that marketing—and leadership—is ultimately about relationship-building and promise-keeping.
In today’s episode, we’re exploring why kindness isn't soft—it's a measurable advantage—and how you can use the tools of a world-class creative director to communicate with more sincerity and impact.
Welcome to another episode of The Communicative Leader! I’m your host, Dr. Leah OH. We often talk about leadership as a high-stakes balancing act—juggling revenue targets, team growth, and strategic pivots. But as we move further into 2026, the most successful leaders are realizing that ambition doesn't have to come at the cost of personal well-being or meaningful relationships. The question is: how do we build systems that scale without burning ourselves, or our families, out in the process?
Today’s guest is a masterclass in navigating that very intersection. Joining us is Kevin Rice, a seasoned entrepreneur and growth specialist who co-founded Hathway and scaled it from a scrappy startup to a $42M digital agency before its acquisition. Kevin has led growth for global consultancies of 5,000 professionals, but he is equally known for his work helping leaders show up for the people who matter most. As the host of the CEOs & ABCs podcast, Kevin teaches high performers how to take the executive skill set—building trust, managing stress, and clear communication—and apply it to their most important leadership role at home.
In today’s episode, we’re diving into the mechanics of leading under pressure, why emotional presence is a survival tool in the boardroom and the living room, and how to use operational thinking to protect your connection with the people you lead and the people you love.
The season review of 'The Communicative Leader' explores the underlying architecture of modern leadership, focusing on themes of radical clarity and execution, negotiation, influence, self-awareness, and the shift from compliance to curiosity. Each theme delves into the essential elements of effective leadership, emphasizing the importance of precision, influence, self-awareness, and curiosity in driving organizational success.
Takeaways
- Precision requires psychological safety, clear requirements, and proactive communication.
- Influence is about aligning credibility with the real-world constraints of the people you lead.
Chapters
- 00:00 Foundational Pillar: Radical Clarity and Execution
- 04:41 Relational Engine: Negotiation, Influence, and Earn Certainty
- 07:27 Internal Mirror: Self-Awareness and the Ego Audit
- 10:15 Ultimate Shift: From Compliance to Curiosity
Welcome to another episode of The Communicative Leader! I’m your host, Dr. Leah OH. We often talk about leadership as a vision-casting exercise, but the reality of leadership is often found in the muck of execution. When a high-stakes project begins to drift—missing deadlines, creeping in scope, or draining budgets—we tend to look for technical failures. But more often than not, a project in trouble is actually a project with a communication breakdown.
Today’s guest is a Project Physician of sorts, specializing in diagnosing and recovering troubled initiatives for everyone from the Fortune 500 to agile start-ups. Joining us is Richard Broo, the founder of True North PMP Consulting. With over 40 years of experience in manufacturing, advanced materials, and technology, Richard is a master of project audit and recovery. He is a certified PMP, Agile, and Scrum expert who helps companies eliminate the bottlenecks of dysfunction to restore predictability and profitability.
In today’s episode, we’re diving into the root causes of project failure, how to communicate expectations that actually stick, and how leaders can use a no-nonsense approach to stop scope creep and reclaim their team's performance.
Welcome to another episode of The Communicative Leader! I’m your host, Dr. Leah OH. We often talk about leadership as a series of directives—managing tasks, hitting metrics, and providing answers. But in our quest for efficiency and oversight, have we accidentally designed curiosity out of our organizations? When did leadership stop nurturing thinkers and start simply managing behavior?
Today’s guest argues that the most effective model for modern leadership isn’t found in a corporate handbook, but in the heart of a great classroom. Joining us is Dr. Katie Trowbridge, the author of Lead Boldly, Think Deeply and the CEO of Curiosity 2 Create. A former marketing executive who pivoted into education, Katie has spent over 25 years helping students—and now executives—move beyond "survival mode" and surface-level wins. Through her CREATE Method™, she bridges the gap between technical leadership and the art of teaching to help teams reclaim their ability to think critically, lead purposefully, and solve problems with courage.
In today’s episode, we’re diving into why curiosity disappears under constant oversight, how to transform managers into mentors, and what leaders can learn from exceptional educators about building high-trust, high-engagement cultures.
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We explore how burnout creates a communication gap and why regulating the nervous system turns scattered messaging into clear, trustworthy leadership. Laura Cardwell shares tools that blend applied neuroscience, human design, and somatics to move from reaction to resonance.
• the cost of misalignment on trust and buy-in
• dopamine loops versus purpose-led motivation
• imposter narratives and self-worth at work
• breath and co-regulation as fast resets
• integrating human design for team synergy
• reframing “soft leadership” with data and outcomes
• building resonant teams for sustainable success
• curiosity as a daily leadership practice
“Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose”
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I've poured all my best work into my newest book, Amplifying Your Leadership Voice: From Silent to Speaking Up. If today's episode resonated with you, I know the book will be a powerful tool. You can preorder it now to be one of the first to get your copy when it is out in December!
Thanks for listening and for being a part of The Communicative Leader community. To get even more exclusive tips—like the ones we talked about today—join us at TheCommunicativeLeader.com.
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We pull back the curtain on the hidden driver of burnout: unexpressed ideas and unspoken boundaries. We map the four fears that keep professionals quiet and share a simple, repeatable path to make your voice a tool for self-care and career growth.
• The danger of silence for influence and well-being
• Four fears that mute contribution and fuel resentment
• Practical mindset shifts to normalize nerves
• Focus on the problem, not the people
• Contribute with strategic questions to guide decisions
• A four-level roadmap from discovering to sustaining your voice
• Everyday leadership across teams and channels
• Communication habits that improve life beyond work
Pre-order your copy of Amplifying Your Leadership Voice From Silent To Speaking Up now. The book ships December 2. I’ll release special episodes that dig into key frameworks—pre-order today so you can follow along.
Support the show
I've poured all my best work into my newest book, Amplifying Your Leadership Voice: From Silent to Speaking Up. If today's episode resonated with you, I know the book will be a powerful tool. You can preorder it now to be one of the first to get your copy when it is out in December!
Thanks for listening and for being a part of The Communicative Leader community. To get even more exclusive tips—like the ones we talked about today—join us at TheCommunicativeLeader.com.
Send us a text
Mobeen Tahir shares practical tools for simplifying language, structuring ideas, and delivering with precision and care.
• bridging the gap between what you want to say and what the audience needs
• the cost of poor delivery on credibility and timing
• simplifying jargon into plain, repeatable language
• using why what how to move from information to action
• designing slides around a single, clear takeaway
• small delivery shifts that change impact
• earning trust by showing care and empowering teams
• practical tips for leaders and employees to improve fast
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose
Support the show
I've poured all my best work into my newest book, Amplifying Your Leadership Voice: From Silent to Speaking Up. If today's episode resonated with you, I know the book will be a powerful tool. You can preorder it now to be one of the first to get your copy when it is out in December!
Thanks for listening and for being a part of The Communicative Leader community. To get even more exclusive tips—like the ones we talked about today—join us at TheCommunicativeLeader.com.
Send us a text
What if two handwritten sentences could do more for engagement than a dozen meetings? We sit down with author and keynote speaker Amy Daughters to unpack the surprising power of pen on paper—how a spontaneous act of compassion turned into 580 letters and a repeatable practice any leader can use to build trust, loyalty, and genuine kinship at work.
Amy walks us through the moment that sparked her writing habit, the two-year exchange that reshaped her view of connection, and the decision to write to every Facebook friend. Along the way, we dig into why tactile notes matter: they signal time and intention, they feel personal without being private, and they create an unmistakable moment of being seen. You’ll hear research-backed insights on why customer loyalty and employee engagement rise when people feel valued, not just satisfied, plus real-world examples of notes displayed like badges of honor in cubicles and kept in bedside drawers for years.
We get practical too. Expect simple, plug-and-play scripts for appreciation, support, and recognition that take under five minutes to write. Learn how to overcome the vulnerability speed bump, set up a low-cost “handwritten hub” with cards and stamps, and enlist your team’s eyes and ears to spot wins you might miss. We also explore how brief notes can bridge deep differences—acknowledging humanity without demanding agreement—and why this small habit can move culture faster than most big initiatives.
If you’re a manager, executive, or team lead looking for a human, scalable way to strengthen relationships, this conversation is your playbook. Subscribe, share with a leader who needs it, and tell us: who’s the first person you’ll write to this week?
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I've poured all my best work into my newest book, Amplifying Your Leadership Voice: From Silent to Speaking Up. If today's episode resonated with you, I know the book will be a powerful tool. You can preorder it now to be one of the first to get your copy when it is out in December!
Thanks for listening and for being a part of The Communicative Leader community. To get even more exclusive tips—like the ones we talked about today—join us at TheCommunicativeLeader.com.
Send us a text
What if the real shortcut to high performance is subtracting the noise, not stacking more on your plate? We close Season 7 by distilling nine conversations with leaders, coaches, and researchers into four practical trends that transform how we work: redefine success, build resilience for nonlinear growth, lead through connection, and lock it in with light, powerful systems.
We start by exposing busyness as an addiction and recentering on high‑value work. You’ll hear why “real power” is the capacity to produce intended constructive outcomes, how to replace heroic control with a clear “company way,” and why modeling imperfection boosts psychological safety and creativity. From there, we chart resilience as a skill, not a trait: dissect problems to root causes, strip out emotional fog, anchor in core values during chaos, and practice acclimatization—getting comfortable with discomfort while you learn.
Connection becomes the decisive edge. Trust compounds when leaders show up truthfully, ask for help, and invest in emotional intelligence. We share coaching practices that reveal blind spots, exercises that break jargon to unlock creativity, and small human moments that drive big engagement gains. Finally, we turn insight into infrastructure: EOS for transparency and right seats, SMART power to rethink leadership, and strategic speed to align vision, systems, and people. Add a 90‑day cadence to step back, recalibrate, and keep purpose at the center.
If you’re ready to trade hustle for purpose, control for connection, and perfection for play, this conversation gives you the tools and frameworks to start today. Listen, share with a colleague who needs it, and subscribe to get the first word on Season 8. Your leadership voice gets stronger from here—leave a review and tell us which trend you’ll apply first.
Support the show
I've poured all my best work into my newest book, Amplifying Your Leadership Voice: From Silent to Speaking Up. If today's episode resonated with you, I know the book will be a powerful tool. You can preorder it now to be one of the first to get your copy when it is out in December!
Thanks for listening and for being a part of The Communicative Leader community. To get even more exclusive tips—like the ones we talked about today—join us at TheCommunicativeLeader.com.
Send us a text
Peggy Sullivan, renowned researcher and author of "Beyond Busyness," shares her journey from being a busyness addict to developing a framework that helps individuals and organizations escape the trap of constant hustle while achieving peak performance.
• Self-described "busyness addict in recovery" whose wake-up call included eating cat food for dinner, a failed marriage, and a stress-related heart attack
• Market research reveals 94% of people are "over the top busy" and don't know how to escape the cycle
• Time poverty is defined as reaching the end of your day feeling your cup isn't full
• The Busy Barometer tool helps identify low-value activities that consume time without providing meaningful returns
• Three-step Busy Busting Framework: subtraction (eliminating low-value activities), mojo making (happiness rituals), and values vibing
• Research shows four core values create fulfillment: energy management, human connection, growth, and authenticity
• Even three-minute "happiness rituals" like cubicle dance parties increased United Healthcare's first-call resolution by 33%
• Setting boundaries around email, meetings, and technology can dramatically improve productivity
• Human connection is vital – one leader saw 26% increase in employee engagement after shifting from transactional to relational leadership
To learn more, visit Peggy Sullivan's website or find her book "Beyond Busyness" on Amazon.
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Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/
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Creativity isn't a magical talent bestowed on a lucky few—it's a skill that can be cultivated through deliberate practice, psychological safety, and effective communication. In this illuminating conversation, creativity expert Melissa Dinwiddie reveals how her unexpected journey from Juilliard-trained dancer to corporate innovation consultant led to transformative insights about unlocking creative potential in organizations.
Drawing from her work with companies like Google, Meta, and Salesforce, Melissa breaks down the often-invisible barriers that prevent teams from innovating: perfectionism, fear of judgment, and what she calls "expertise-induced blindness." She offers practical, playful solutions that any leader or team member can implement immediately, from simple check-in questions that spark curiosity to improv exercises that build psychological safety and collaboration.
The conversation dives deep into Melissa's "Create the Impossible" framework—Play Hard, Make Crap, Learn Fast—revealing how these deceptively simple principles can revolutionize how teams approach challenges. You'll discover why modeling imperfection might be a leader's most powerful tool and how transforming dry data into compelling stories can make information stick.
What makes this episode particularly valuable is Melissa's ability to translate abstract creative concepts into concrete workplace practices. Her "crappy doodles" exercise and time traveler activity demonstrate how playfulness can be strategically deployed to overcome communication barriers and foster innovation. For leaders struggling with teams that have brilliant insights but can't effectively spread them throughout the organization, Melissa's approaches offer a refreshing alternative to standard corporate communication training.
Whether you're a titled leader seeking to build a more innovative culture or an employee looking to flex your creative muscles, this conversation provides both the inspiration and practical tools to transform how you communicate and collaborate. Listen now to discover why creativity might be your most underutilized professional asset—and how to start developing it today.
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Dr. Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau shares her Smart Power method for leadership transformation, challenging traditional power dynamics and empowering leaders to create meaningful impact in chaotic environments. Through her 30-year career studying power in organizations, she reveals how authentic leadership, purposeful collaboration, and systemic thinking can revolutionize organizational culture.
• The difference between old power (force and control) vs real power (creating intended, constructive outcomes)
• How the European Investment Bank's transformation to become a climate bank required new leadership approaches
• The SMART Power Method: Systemic, Merging, Authentic personal, Relational, and Transformational
• Breaking down organizational silos by focusing on shared goals rather than departmental priorities
• Practical strategies for thriving amid chaos: personal practices, purpose connection, perspective, and collaboration
• The critical importance of organizational culture in successful transformation
• Leadership skills for the future: continuous learning, systemic thinking, co-creation, and human connection
• How political science and international relations principles apply to organizational leadership
• The counterintuitive truth that trying to hold onto power makes you less powerful
Ask more questions and truly listen - it builds trust and helps you understand others better. For employees at all levels, get friendly with your emotions by feeling, knowing, and managing them to become more effective and authentic at work.
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Dr. Marjan Modara shares her journey from architectural engineering to becoming a distinguished personal knowledge management facilitator, keynote speaker, and storyteller with over 40 years of experience across government and private sectors.
• Personal knowledge management combines individual learning from various sources with strategic application of that knowledge in different contexts
• Creating safe spaces for knowledge sharing is critical—when people feel comfortable sharing ideas without judgment, innovation multiplies
• Storytelling serves as one of the most effective knowledge capture techniques, making information memorable and accessible
• Transparent communication during organizational change helps employees understand and adapt to new environments
• Warning signs of unhealthy company culture include high turnover, silent meetings, departmental silos, and passive-aggressive communication
• Anonymous surveys and focus groups provide valuable feedback mechanisms to course-correct problematic cultural patterns
• Leaders must cultivate adaptability, diverse skills, and emotional intelligence to thrive in rapidly changing environments
• Continuous learning remains essential regardless of age or career stage
• Employees should identify their passions and effectively communicate their needs while developing emotional intelligence
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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When chaos erupts, the difference between catastrophe and manageable challenge often comes down to preparation. Crisis management expert Stephanie Craig brings a lifetime of experience navigating high-pressure situations to this illuminating conversation about organizational resilience.
Growing up as the daughter of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police hostage negotiator, Stephanie developed an unusual comfort with chaos from an early age. This natural affinity, combined with formative experiences in politics and business, positioned her perfectly to guide organizations through their darkest moments. Now, as president of Kith Consulting, she shares the formula that drives her approach: "clarity plus trust equals strategic speed."
This episode delivers actionable wisdom for leaders at all levels. Stephanie reveals the critical distinction between brand and reputation—"Brand is what you own. Your reputation is what people say about you"—and explains why reputation accounts for approximately 35% of organizational value. She dismantles the dangerous "it won't happen to me" mentality that leaves many organizations vulnerable and provides a blueprint for building a core crisis team that can respond effectively when disaster strikes.
Perhaps most valuable is Stephanie's insight into how values serve as an essential touchstone during crises. Whether responding to data breaches, navigating political tensions, or engaging with social movements, organizations with clear, consistently applied values make better decisions faster. Through compelling examples from Silicon Valley's COVID response to high-profile corporate missteps, she illustrates how preparation transforms potential disasters into manageable challenges.
Don't wait until crisis hits to develop your response strategy. Listen now to build the communication infrastructure, team dynamics, and leadership mindset that will protect your organization when—not if—challenges arise.
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Jimmy Cannon shares his transformative approach to voice work by merging vocal techniques with anxiety management strategies to help leaders communicate with confidence and authenticity. His Canon Method focuses on three key elements—voice, confidence, and presence—to help individuals overcome communication barriers and develop their authentic leadership voice.
• Exploring how the voice connects to our nervous system through the vagus nerve and diaphragm
• Using elongated vowels and longer phrases to reduce anxiety when speaking
• Practicing proper diaphragmatic breathing to improve vocal control and presence
• Understanding the importance of pausing strategically to create space for impact
• Identifying common vocal pitfalls like monotone delivery and limited pitch range
• Learning to use different vocal registers to match your communication intent
• Expanding beyond your comfort zone through consistent practice in real situations
• Embracing authenticity by aligning your voice with your core values and purpose
• Using your voice as a leadership tool to command attention and respect
If you're interested in working on your voice, confidence, and presence, try incorporating strategic pauses in your communication and explore different tones of voice for different situations. Remember that your voice is an instrument that can accentuate your personality and help you achieve your goals.
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What happens when you strip emotion from complex business challenges? For Chris Davenport, it became the foundation of a reputation so powerful that competitors nicknamed him "The Wolf" and "The Cleaner" before eventually becoming his friends and clients.
Chris takes us on his remarkable journey from college entrepreneur to the visionary leader who drove 3i International to a staggering 1000% revenue growth. The transformation began with a simple laptop gift that sparked his passion for technology during the dot-com boom, leading him to trade college parties for 80-hour work weeks solving technical problems that left others stumped.
His problem-solving methodology is refreshingly straightforward yet profound: break issues down to their most basic elements and remove emotion from the equation. "Most of us are led by our emotions," Chris explains, "and emotional responses elicit emotional responses." This insight became central to his leadership approach as he implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) at 3i, shifting from "Chris's way" to "3i's way" and enabling sustainable growth through structure, accountability, and clear communication.
The conversation doesn't shy away from failures and challenges—from discovering embezzlement to navigating the complexities of finding culturally aligned talent during rapid expansion. Chris's vulnerability extends to his personal growth, sharing his decade-long relationship with a coach/therapist who helps him maintain emotional intelligence and self-awareness as a leader.
Whether you're managing a startup or leading an established organization, Chris's parting wisdom resonates powerfully: "You're not managing a product line or service—you're managing people." His emphasis on quarterly strategic planning, transparent communication, and meeting people where they are emotionally offers a blueprint for leadership that drives both business results and human connection. Ready to transform your approach to problem-solving and leadership? This episode is your master class.
And if you're in the market for some quick takeaways:
- Chris learned problem-solving by working with various businesses.
- Emotional intelligence is crucial for effective leadership.
- Accountability should be approached positively, not negatively.
- Regular communication is key to team success.
- Every problem has a similar structure that can be dissected.
- Sustaining success requires regular strategic meetings.
- Leaders must provide clear direction to their teams.
- Finding the right people for the right roles is essential.
- Open and honest communication benefits both leaders and employees.
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John Gallagher, visionary leader behind Growing Champions coaching and consulting, shares his journey from mechanical engineer to renowned executive coach and discusses how his faith-based, structured approach transforms leaders from mediocrity to excellence.
Takeaways
- Mentorship can significantly shape one's leadership journey.
- Faith can provide a strong foundation for leadership principles.
- The greatest story ever told is about the impact we have on others.
- Overcoming mediocrity requires intentional growth and reflection.
- Lean methodology can be applied to leadership and personal development.
- Balance in life is about integration, not perfection.
- Intentional communication is key to building relationships.
- Discipline is essential for achieving long-term goals.
- Reading is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth.
- Setting aside focused time can lead to significant progress.
Visit GrowingChampions.com and check out John's podcast "The Uncommon Leader" and blog "The Champion's Brew" for more resources on leadership development.
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Mountaineer Jenn Drummond shares her journey from finance executive to world record holder, revealing how a near-fatal car accident transformed her definition of success into one focused on experiences rather than achievements. Her powerful "people over peaks" philosophy guides her approach to leadership, family life, and setting world records.
• Discovered mountaineering after a life-changing car accident redirected her priorities
• Set the world record as first woman to climb all seven second summits
• Chose her team over her summit attempt on K2 after a tragic avalanche
• Developed "Break Proof" resilience strategies applicable to business and personal goals
• Approaches failure as an opportunity that often leads to unexpected positive outcomes
• Uses "acclimatization" as a metaphor for sustainable personal growth
• Transformed her approach to motherhood while pursuing world-class mountaineering
• Created intentional pattern interruptions like "trigger meditation" and "gratitude light"
• Emphasizes the importance of honesty in high-pressure communication
• Believes making challenging pursuits fun dramatically increases endurance
Jenn's book "Break Proof: Seven Strategies to Build Resilience and Achieve Your Life Goals" is available now wherever books are sold.
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In our season 6 finale, we explore the most pivotal themes of leadership communication discussed throughout our conversations with industry experts. Dr. Leah OH synthesizes key insights into six essential pillars that can transform your leadership approach and drive meaningful change in your organization.
• Empathy and active listening form the foundation of effective leadership communication, with Richard Reid and Andres Lares highlighting how understanding others creates genuine connections
• Clarity and intentionality, as demonstrated by Jimi Gibson's "magic script" framework, helps leaders craft messages that inspire action and prevent costly miscommunication
• Ryan Chute's personal journey illustrates how authenticity and vulnerability build trust and foster innovation rather than signaling weakness
• Taylor Crawbill and Aang Lakey emphasize that empowerment and agency create workplaces where employees feel safe to innovate and contribute their best ideas
• Adaptability and flexibility, championed by Bryan May, prepare leaders to navigate unexpected challenges while viewing change as an opportunity for growth
• Sairan Aqrawi's insight that "action breeds confidence" underscores how continuous learning builds both competence and leadership presence
The path to becoming a communicative leader begins with selecting one actionable suggestion from each theme and integrating it into your leadership approach. Whether practicing empathy through active listening, fostering clarity in communication, or committing to lifelong learning, these steps will have lasting positive impacts on your leadership style and organizational success.
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What if the secret to commanding a room isn't what you think? When Richard Reid found himself sharing a tent in Patagonia with a Welsh psychiatrist, he couldn't have imagined how that chance encounter would transform his understanding of human connection and leadership presence.
Richard, an organizational psychologist and body language expert with 20+ years of experience coaching high-profile individuals, dismantles the most persistent myths about charisma. Forget the jazz hands and rehearsed speeches—true charisma begins with managing your internal world, creating bandwidth to genuinely connect with others.
As Richard explains, charisma isn't reserved for extroverts or those born with a commanding presence. It's a skill anyone can develop, shaped by four distinct styles: authoritative, warmth, focused, and visionary. The most effective leaders move fluidly between these styles depending on what each situation demands.
In our digital landscape, connection has become increasingly transactional. Richard offers practical strategies to counter this trend—from slowing conversations down to strategic uses of silence that create space for deeper insights. His approaches to breathing, body language, and intentional transitions between meetings provide immediately applicable tools for enhancing presence both virtually and in person.
Perhaps most surprisingly, Richard reveals how vulnerability enhances rather than diminishes charismatic leadership. By sharing challenges authentically and creating environments where others feel seen and validated, leaders build deeper trust and inspire genuine connection.
Whether you're leading a team or looking to enhance your personal influence, Richard's science-backed techniques offer a refreshing alternative to one-size-fits-all communication advice. From the 4-4-6 breathing method to questioning your autopilot behaviors, these small but powerful shifts can transform your presence and impact on others.
Ready to discover your authentic charismatic edge? Listen now and learn how to create meaningful connections that inspire trust, foster innovation, and elevate your leadership presence.
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Jimi Gibson's journey from pulling rabbits out of hats to leading marketing teams reveals a profound connection between magic performance and leadership communication. In this captivating conversation, the VP of Brand Communication at Thrive Agency unpacks his "Magic Script" framework - a three-part system that transforms ordinary communication into extraordinary leadership moments.
At the heart of Gibson's approach is understanding the neuroscience that makes communication stick. First comes connection (triggering oxytocin), then curiosity (activating dopamine), and finally conversion (releasing serotonin). This framework works whether you're announcing a company initiative, running a client meeting, or delivering a keynote speech.
Gibson reveals how every leadership message falls into one of the "13 fundamental effects" borrowed from magic - from making something appear (production) to making problems disappear (vanishing). He shares eye-opening examples of how shifting your language can dramatically change how information is received. Rather than announcing "We have a process change," skilled leaders might ask "What if one small change could increase our lead flow by 20%?" - immediately reframing the conversation around possibility rather than burden.
The most powerful insight might be Gibson's clarity rule: "If you can't explain your message in one sentence to a 10-year-old, it's too complicated." In a world where employees are bombarded by messages across multiple screens and channels, leaders who communicate with precision and purpose stand out dramatically.
Whether you're leading a team of two or two hundred, this conversation will transform how you structure, deliver and evaluate your communication. Learn to create moments that stick long after the meeting ends. As Gibson explains, "Every leader doesn't just announce what's happening - they script a moment that matters."
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This conversation empowers midlife women, providing them with practical strategies to redefine their careers and embrace new opportunities. We explore vital communication themes, mentorship's role, and overcoming imposter syndrome, focusing on actionable steps to regain confidence.
• Emphasis on effective communication and self-promotion
• Strategies to overcome imposter syndrome
• Insights on embracing career shifts as opportunities
• Importance of mentorship for personal growth
• Networking as a two-way street for success
• Encouragement to redefine success during midlife
Mention Dr. Leah's name for a complimentary 30-minute session with Sairan for personalized advice on scaling your LinkedIn or starting a side project.
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Discover the essentials of workplace justice in this enlightening episode featuring employment law expert Taylor Crabill. Dive deep into the nuances surrounding employee rights, including discrimination, retaliation, and how to champion one's own welfare in a corporate environment. With insights drawn from years of experience, Crabill outlines the common pitfalls employees encounter and stresses the need for effective communication and proactive measures.
Whether you’re facing issues yourself or aspire to improve workplace culture as a leader, this episode provides actionable strategies to navigate the complexities of employment law. Crabill illuminates the process of addressing grievances without fear and empowers listeners by explaining their legal rights. His compelling stories and advice are invaluable for anyone wanting to foster a just work environment.
Tune in to gain insights that can help you advocate effectively for your rights and navigate the legal landscape of your workplace. Let’s make the work environment fairer together! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear this spotlight on workplace justice!
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Leadership today demands a blend of intentional communication and conscious practices. Aang's journey from traditional authoritative roles to conscious leadership highlights the need for adaptability and self-awareness in leaders. We explore how intentional listening, empathy, and environmental awareness play crucial roles in effective leadership.
• Discussion around conscious leadership principles
• The importance of intentional communication and its impact
• Strategies for fostering a supportive organizational culture
• Reflection and adaptability as key leadership skills
• Empowering individuals at all levels to lead and influence
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This episode features Ryan Chute, who shares transformative insights on effective leadership communication, the importance of removing friction in the workplace, and the significance of differentiation in a crowded marketplace. As leaders, embracing a mindset shift from survival to thriving is essential to foster a culture of collaboration and enhance the employee experience.
• Friction in communication as a barrier to growth
• Identifying and addressing blind spots in leadership
• The role of storytelling in differentiation
• Shifting from survival mode to a thriving mindset
• Core values and motivations for effective leadership
• Building trust and gratitude among teams
• Leadership as a collaborative rather than authoritarian endeavor
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This episode dives into the profound intersection of spirituality and business, with Bryan May sharing his journey from personal tragedy to professional triumph. Listeners gain insights into how integrating spiritual principles into leadership can foster authenticity, resilience, and greater success while navigating the complexities of life and work.
• Brian’s background and how it shaped his views
• Defining spirituality in the context of business
• The importance of self-reflection and authenticity in leadership
• Embracing flexibility in business strategies
• Reframing challenges as opportunities for growth
• Practical strategies for integrating spirituality into professional life
• Tips for leaders on fostering loyalty and vision
• Advice for employees on aligning personal and organizational goals
• Emphasizing the need for mentorship and communication
• Encouraging a holistic approach to personal and professional development
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Soft skills, particularly communication, are essential for success in a rapidly evolving workplace. The episode, featuring Andres Lares, the Managing Partner at Shapiro Negotiations Institute, explores the gap between the demand for soft skills and employers' recognition, the challenges in measuring these skills, and strategies for organizations to invest in soft skills training for long-term benefits.
Here are some of the areas we touch on in this episode:
• Understanding the significance of soft skills in leadership
• Exploring the gap between employees' desires for skills and employer priorities
• Challenges in measuring soft skills and effectiveness
• Timeless value of soft skills amid technological advancements
• Practical steps organizations can take for soft skills training
• The critical role leaders play in fostering a culture of communication
• Tips for employees on the importance of networking and communication
Make sure to communicate with intention and lead with purpose!
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For this Best of the Rest, we're trying something new. I came back from a work conference without a voice, so we're using some AI to help us have a conversation about all of the incredible guests we've hosted this season.
Unlock the secrets of leadership that foster psychological safety and genuine connection. Join us as we explore the transformative power of vulnerability and authenticity with the help of experts like Kyle McDowell, Owen Marcus, and life strategist Nancy Ho. By creating environments where team members feel safe to express themselves, leaders can inspire innovation and open dialogue while balancing work-life integration. Discover how your past experiences shape current behaviors and learn to navigate them with intentionality.
We dive deep into the essence of human connection with insights from Adam Weber on whether our actions genuinely add value. Owen Marcus shares his thoughts on empowering teams through effective delegation, while Maria Arpa introduces a revolutionary shift from debate to dialogue. Her embodiment practices remind us that leadership is about presence and aligning actions with values. Together, these insights emphasize the importance of understanding motivations and creating spaces for emotional expression.
As we wrap up, we emphasize the impact of continuous learning and small leadership changes. Through reverse mentoring and conflict resolution strategies, we provide practical tips for breaking down silos and enhancing communication. Consider the ripple effect of small, intentional acts of leadership. Reflect on which principle resonates with you and commit to implementing it in your journey to become the best leader you can be. Join us for a thought-provoking session that challenges and inspires you to grow.
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"Growing up in the slums of London taught me resilience, but it was in the art of compassionate communication that I found my calling," Maria Arpa.
This episode features an enlightening conversation with Maria Arpa, who shares her transformative journey from a tumultuous childhood to becoming a pioneering voice in workplace dynamics. We unravel the profound impact of trauma and why traditional hierarchies often foster a damaging culture of domination. Maria makes a compelling case for compassionate leadership as a timely antidote to rising workplace incivility, urging us to embrace our shared humanity and challenge outdated norms.
Maria and I delve into the essence of compassionate leadership, emphasizing that our personal histories shape our leadership styles. I recount my journey from being a mediator in a harsh environment to understanding the power of proactive compassion and effective communication. Together, we explore how traditional debate-based conversation models can hinder understanding and connection. By fostering genuine human connections and prioritizing self-awareness, leaders can create cycles of support that reduce human suffering and build inclusive environments.
We also explore the transformative power of compassionate dialogue. Rather than approaching conversations as debates to be won, we focus on dialogue as a means to connect meaningfully. Inspired by thought leaders like Carl Rogers and Marshall Rosenberg, we discuss the significance of language and energy in communication. This episode offers practical insights into setting compassionate boundaries and creating environments where accountability and trust flourish. We conclude with the enriching practices of silence, reflection, and intuition, illustrating how these can lead to more authentic leadership and meaningful change, ultimately enhancing the lives of both leaders and their teams.
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In this conversation, Owen discusses the significance of relational and emotional leadership, particularly in the context of men's emotional development. He emphasizes the importance of somatic awareness and authentic connections in leadership roles. Owen shares insights on transforming traditional leadership styles from a commanding approach to one that fosters connection and vulnerability. He provides practical steps for leaders to enhance their communication and connection with others, ultimately leading to a more engaged and productive workplace.
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Ever wondered how to turn your organization into a powerhouse of adaptability and innovation? Discover the secrets as we bring you a captivating conversation with Dennis Stevens, the visionary founder of OrgRite. Dennis takes us through his remarkable journey from technology consulting to pioneering organizational change, sharing his groundbreaking work with IBM and the importance of integrating AI and Agile methodologies. Learn how his expertise in organizational psychology and change management has been a game-changer in leading teams through rapid technological transformations.
Explore the powerful synergy between Agile methodologies and AI, which can revolutionize decision-making and foster a culture of continuous learning. Dennis sheds light on how getting data and insights deeper into the organization enhances adaptability and efficiency. His real-world case study of a successful Agile transformation at a midsize bank serves as a testament to the impact of strong leadership and strategic alignment. Understand how these methodologies, when combined, can empower teams to respond swiftly to market and technology shifts.
Ethical considerations of AI integration are not left untouched. Dennis emphasizes the pivotal role of middle management in ensuring transparency and improved decision-making through AI. Uncover practical tools for understanding team dynamics and the significance of emotional intelligence in leadership. Whether you're a leader aiming to design adaptable organizational systems or an employee looking to build better relationships with management, this episode is packed with insights to help you navigate the complexities of modern organizational life. Tune in for an enriching discussion that promises to equip you with actionable strategies for success.
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We are excited to welcome, Prof. Adam Boddison OBE, CEO of the Association for Project Management to The Communicative Leader.
In this episode, we discuss the definition of large-scale growth and the criteria that differentiate it from traditional organizational growth. Adam emphasizes the importance of scalability, replicability, and sustainability in achieving large-scale growth. They also discuss the allocation of resources, prioritizing efficiency in business as usual, over-resourcing growth areas, and managing workload. Message clarity and effective communication are highlighted, with repetition and storytelling as key techniques. Finally, they touch on leadership styles and the need for leaders to be adaptable and switch between different styles.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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On today's episode of The Communicative Leader, Eric Pfeiffer, a seasoned leadership coach and author join us.
Eric Pfeiffer shares his background in leadership coaching and the challenges he faced in becoming an effective leader. He discusses the need for a leadership operating system that bridges the gap between theory and practice.
We discuss the challenges leaders face in creating a positive culture and addresses the common struggles leaders encounter. We also touch on the role of non-leadership employees in maintaining culture and offers insights on how to support and empower them.
Some other takeaways:
- Learning how to learn is essential for continuous growth and development in leadership. Self-awareness is a fundamental aspect of leadership and can be developed through practical tools and techniques.
- Leadership gravitas is about being a leader worth following, someone who inspires trust, respect, and empowerment.
- Culture is defined by the prevailing attitudes and behaviors of individuals in an organization.
- Leaders can transform culture by changing their own attitudes and behaviors and consistently modeling the desired culture.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Unlock the secrets to successful leadership by rejecting the myth of the solo leader. Today, we explore how the notion of "doing it all" is not just outdated but potentially detrimental. Witness the enlightening journeys of leaders like Jack Welch and Indra Nooyi, whose stories reveal that embracing teamwork leads to transformative success. Contrast this with cautionary tales like Elizabeth Holmes, whose reluctance to collaborate spelled failure. Through my own experiences as a new assistant professor, you'll see how the absence of a support network can lead to overwhelm and inefficiency, reinforcing the critical value of teamwork.
As we shift focus to the undeniable impact of collaborative leadership, discover how leaders who prioritize empowerment can revolutionize workplace culture and outcomes. Dive into research-backed insights that demonstrate how engaged teams outperform competitors and enjoy reduced turnover. Through practical examples like those of John and Sarah, learn why clear communication, effective delegation, and acknowledging team efforts are vital for fostering a motivated and productive environment. With this episode, equip yourself with actionable strategies to harness the power of collaboration and delegation, ensuring not only your success but also that of your team.
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What if your business could unlock unparalleled growth by understanding unspoken communication? Join us for a special episode of The Communicative Leader as we welcome Amit and Dr. Kumar from the Chintan Project.
Amit, who communicates through a laminated card due to his autism, shares his profound insights into human behavior and business leadership. His father, Dr. Kumar, reads Amit's thoughts aloud, adding a unique dynamic to their consulting approach that emphasizes the value of both spoken and unspoken communication.
We explore how the Chintan Project helps businesses thrive by focusing on individual and collective strengths. Hear how they guided a family-owned business through a challenging transition, integrating a new winery venture with existing operations. This episode also dives into topics such as humility, inclusion, and the importance of employee relations, drawing on wisdom from Peter Drucker. Learn how balanced feedback and recognizing the personal dynamics within an organization can foster empowerment and drive success. This is one episode you won't want to miss if you're committed to understanding the deeper layers of effective business leadership.
Some other takeaways:
- Recognize and capitalize on individual strengths in organizations
- Address the unique challenges and needs of employees and customers
- Overcome stigmas and misconceptions surrounding autism in the business world
- Focus on understanding and leveraging the human element in organizations Honoring people in business transitions is crucial for successful integrations
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Kyle McDowell shares his 10 principles for building and sustaining a culture of excellence. Kyle highlights the need for leaders to lead by example and measure themselves by outcomes rather than activity.
We discuss the importance of authenticity and fostering a culture of excellence in the workplace. They emphasize the role of leaders in setting an example and creating an environment where employees can thrive.
Some other takeaways:
- Leaders should challenge each other and embrace challenges grounded in data or experience.
- Leaders should lead by example and measure themselves by outcomes rather than activity.
- Measuring excellence within an organization can be done through employee engagement, attrition rates, and personal and professional goal alignment. Authenticity is key in fostering a culture of excellence in the workplace.
- Leaders play a crucial role in setting an example and creating an environment where employees can thrive.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Today we welcome Bernadette Smith, a thought leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
We discuss the importance of DEI for everyone and the need to engage with influencers and change makers to drive positive change. Bernadette emphasizes the significance of recognizing privilege, embracing mistakes, and creating psychological safety in the workplace. She also explores the role of storytelling in promoting understanding and empathy, as well as the power of humility in leadership communication.
Some additional takeaways:
- DEI is important for everyone and should be approached holistically across all functions of an organization.
- Humility is essential in leadership communication, and leaders should be willing to admit what they don't know.
- Leaders should engage with influencers and change makers to drive positive change and celebrate what's going right in the world.
- Creating psychological safety and embracing mistakes are crucial for fostering inclusion and promoting growth.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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On today's episode of The Communicative Leader, Jeff Baldassari shares his insights on leadership principles and the importance of culture, connection, mentorship, trust, and innovation. He emphasizes the power of culture in achieving organizational success and the need for leaders to connect with people at all levels.
Jeff also discusses the inspiration behind his book and how his perspective has evolved over time. He highlights the significance of mentorship in accelerating professional development and building trust within teams.
Some other takeaways:
- The ability to connect with people is crucial for motivating, managing, influencing, and inspiring them.
- Mentorship accelerates professional development and fosters a bond that contributes to employee retention.
- Trust is built through consistency, honesty, and respect, and it is essential for effective leadership.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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In this conversation, Nancy Ho discusses her journey to becoming a life strategist and executive coach. She emphasizes the importance of finding joy and purpose in life and the need to balance personal and professional fulfillment.
Nancy also debunks myths about work-life balance and instead promotes the idea of work-life integration. She highlights the significance of deep diving into the root causes of issues and shifting mindset and strategies.
Some other takeaways:
- Finding joy and purpose in life is essential for personal fulfillment.
- Work-life balance is a myth, and work-life integration is a more realistic approach.
- Deep diving into the root causes of issues is crucial for personal growth.
- Self-reflection is a key practice for understanding oneself and making positive changes. Self-reflection is crucial for understanding our thoughts and behaviors.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Today we’re doing the Best of Rest for our Season 4 Finale. This has been a really fun and rich season for us – and we even hit our 50th episode this season too!
Join us as we pull out meaningful and effective advice from our guests. We're going to look at 6 major themes from the season:
- Focus on Leadership Development
- Emphasis on Values
- Navigating Change
- Empowerment and Representation
- Personal Growth and Entrepreneurship
- Communication Strategies
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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In this conversation, Sara Buchel, a chemical engineer, shares her experiences and insights as a woman in the STEM field.
She discusses the unique challenges she has faced, including imposter syndrome and the need to assert herself as a young professional. She also highlights the significance of work-life balance and the need for leaders to create a team that values expertise and diverse perspectives.
Sarah encourages aspiring leaders in STEM to go after their goals and surround themselves with a wide range of people with different aspirations.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Dr. Megan Grunert Kowalske is as Associate Professor and the Chairperson of the Department of Chemistry at Western Michigan University.
Megan talks to use about changing norms in her STEM-field, the power of role modeling positive changes, and what she's experienced in terms of gender bias (and how she responded).
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Julie Sturza kicks off our Women in STEM series.
Julie is a pediatric research statistician at the large academic medical center. In this role, she works with physician researchers to design pediatric research studies, conduct and interpret statistical analyses, and assist in the dissemination of research findings through presentations and peer-reviewed publications.
Julie shares her experiences, talks to us about the importance of mentors, work life balance, and gender equality. This is a really thoughtful and honest conversation and one that I think you'll find yourself returning to.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Nikita Kumar is a Podcast Success Manager at Pikkal & Co, where she integrates complex narratives into engaging content.
In this episode of The Communicative Leader, Nikita talks to us about the role of leadership and communication in the podcast industry, but really leaves us with a masterclass in building authentic relationships.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Hi Leaders,
This week Dr. Julien Mirivel and Dr. Alex Lyon join us and share so many incredible tips and challenges related to leadership communication with us.
Julien and Alex are communication scholars and teachers, and they showcase their expertise in their recent book, "Positive Communication For Leaders: Proven Strategies for Inspiring Unity and Effecting Change."
You will leave this episode with specific, manageable behaviors that you can use immediately!
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Pam has been helping individuals and corporations improve their writing for the past 30 years.
Pam reframes writing from just another item on the to-do list to problem solving.
This is so powerful!
When viewed as problem solving, we see the need for expertise, for strategy, and for planning.
Pam also discusses the ROI when written communication is effective, and calls attention to the time and frustration saved when processes are in place.
Connect with Pam: LinkedIn, Pam Hurley; Pam@hurleywrite.com; Cell: 910-233-7670
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Ben Gaskill describes himself as a lifelong salesperson. He talks about his aha moment when he realized that he could become his own boss.
In this episode of The Communicative Leader, Ben shares leadership lessons that he has learned along the way, and those he wish he had learned sooner.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Have you thought about sharing some of your expertise, your ideas, or experiences but just are not sure how to get started?
Deevo Tindall, a Chief Experience Officer and leader in Marketing and Branding, walks us through how to use social media and sites like LinkedIn to amplify our voices in order to share our ideas.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Scott Shank, PhD Candidate at Michigan State University, joins us this week and walks us through some interesting applied leadership communication research. Scott is also a former student, a research collaborator, and a friend!
Scott chats with us about some really interesting, really vivid, and really important applied leadership research.
If your manager is a lion, a coach, or the anti-Midas, what does that make you?
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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From confidence, conviction, and connection to rehearsal, Jacqueline Farrington shares her wealth of communication expertise with us.
Jacqueline also draws from her recent book "The Non-Obvious Guide to Better Presentations: How to Present Like a Pro (Virtually or in Person)" to leave us with some concrete ideas for improving our communication and presentation game.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Dr. David Schreiner is the President and CEO of Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital and the author of a new book, Be the Best Part of Their Day: Supercharging Communication with Values-Driven Leadership.
David draws from his recent book to offer thoughtful leadership advice, but doesn't stop there. He couples the advice with poignant examples helping to really illustrate what a values-driven approach to leading can look like, and more importantly, feel like for your employees.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Pia Wendelbo is the CEO of Scandinavian Change Agents.
She is dynamic and a wealth of expertise. Pia helps coach individuals and organizations on something that is really really hard for many of us – change.Through her person-centered approach, Pia leaves us with really thoughtful actions we can enact right now.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Karen is the CEO of Eber Leadership Group, an organization that works with Fortune 500 companies on how they build their leaders, teams, and culture.
You all know we love to chat about leadership, teams, and culture on The Communicative Leader, but Karen takes us a step further to integrate storytelling.
Want your employees to:
- Connect with and more easily comprehend your messages
- Remember what you said
- Feel safe at work
If you answered yes to any of these, then my friends, this episode is for you!
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Leaders,
Welcome to the season 3 finale of The Communicative Leader.
This was a fun one! Why? I got to revisit the thoughtful insights season 3 guests shared with us.
In reviewing the season 3 episodes, I pulled out ten leadership takeaways and each of our guests speak to at least one of the takeaways.
Our takeaways include:
- Embrace a growth mindset
- Seek feedback and learn from failures
- Cultivate self-awareness
- Foster a learning culture
- Be curious and stay open-minded
- Develop effective communication skills
- Build strong relationships and networks
- Continuously update skills and knowledge
- Adapt to change and embrace innovation
- Lead by example
And who do we hear from in this season recap?
- Steve Marcinuk, Co-Founder and General Manager of Intelligent Relations
- Bob Gaydos, CEO of Pendella
- Brenda Harrington, Executive Coach and Founder of Adaptive Leadership Strategies, LLC
- David Birkam, Graphic Designer at Western Michigan University
- Aneace Haddad, Executive Coach & Advisor to the C-Suite
- Dan Joseph, Author and former Army Combat Engineer
- Dr. Ryan Bisel, Professor of Organizational Communication at the University of Oklahoma
- Ulrike Seminati, Leadership Communication Coach
- Dr. JP Pawliw-Fry, Co-Founder and President of the Institute for Health and Human Potential
- Nick Greif, VP, Go-to-Market Strategy & Communications at InStride
This episode is full of insights and pragmatic tips from world-renowned experts.
We look forward to chatting with you again soon in Season 4.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
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Nick makes the link between continued education and leadership explicit.
We talk about ROI and other traditional tangible outcomes, but we also talk about other benefits of lifelong learning - including more diverse and more capable workplaces.
What else?
Nick chats with us about rethinking the traditional bachelor's degree required approach. Why?
Well, a lot of really intelligent, really motivated folks can bring a lot of good to your organization if we unpack what we assume comes along with an individual who has a degree in hand.
Here are the links to some of the success stories we talk about:
- Ashley (we discuss specifically): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuaKvvj21Wo
- Additional learner success stories: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLenXzvOJi0EkRLPPmRRy3JKskCMgA-zHt
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/
Tough conversations are, well, tough.
That's why we call them that -- tough, challenging, hard, sensitive, etc.
While these types of conversations aren't going away my friends, there are specific, pragmatic steps you can take that will make these more manageable.
Guess what?
Dr. JP Pawliw-Fry does us one better than manageable, he helps us to see how embracing these conversations in an audience-centered way can transform our workplace culture in really positive and transformative ways.
I had a lot of fun chatting with JP, and more importantly, I learned soooooo much from him.
Y'all, I have a PhD in this, write in this area, teach it and I still walked away with so much new knowledge -- this is a powerful conversation, for sure.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/
Ulrike Seminati shines great insight into something all of us struggle with to some extent -- Procrastination.
We might find ourselves dragging our feet for a certain task we don't love, or we might find that procrastination has become our go-to.
Regardless, Ulrike provides some specific advice to help us get out of the mud and into the work.
She also leaves titled leaders with some specific tips for better understanding themselves which can help open the gates for stronger relationships and more effective output.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more leadership tips?
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Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/
Dr. Ryan Bisel has been doing really important and really innovative work related to leadership, business ethics, and employee voice.
What's employee voice?
In short, it is communicating bad news upwards. More specifically, it may be disagreeing with your manager, voicing concerns about policy or practices, or otherwise articulating issues up the chain of command.
What happens when we have a workplace where employee don't feel safe expressing concerns?
We create a culture that is conducive to ethical breaches. Little oversights can morph into larger ones quickly, especially when employees think their concerns are not shared by the majority.
What then?
Silence.
Ryan walks us through the ins and outs of employee voice, how it impacts ethics talk, and the role leaders play in shaping healthy, prosocial work environments.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
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Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/
Dan Joseph, a former Army Combat Engineer, talks to us about some important and heavy aspects of leading.
It is a nice reminder that leading is hard, because it is hard -- not because you are doing it wrong.
Inspired to help others after a soldier in his platoon attempting suicide, Dan wrote a book entitled, "Backpack to Rucksack: Insight into Leadership and Resilience by Military Experts."
Dan draws from his vast experience to leave us with some pragmatic self-care and resilience building tips.
I really enjoyed this conversation, and I think you will too!
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more leadership tips?
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Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/
What do you get when you integrate your experience as a two-time CEO into Executive Coaching? An incredibly rich, thoughtful, and effective perspective.
Aneace Haddad brings so many thoughtful, leadership insights to the this episode!
He talks to us about integrating mindfulness into our leadership, teams, and workplace, but he also stresses the importance of listening and embracing your influence (regardless of title or role).
Aneace also shares some insights from his recent book: The Eagle That Drank Hummingbird Nectar: A Novel About Personal Transformation in Business Leaders.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more leadership tips?
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Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/
David Birkam, a professional creative, shares his experiences and empirical research with us regarding how to successfully navigate virtual ad hoc work teams.
Being appointed to a project team can be challenging in a best case scenario.
But what about when these teams are comprised of individuals from several different work units with likely with no shared history who are then tasked with solving a complex, often emergent problem?
Want to complicate this further?
What about when these teams function fully in a co-located, virtual space?
David shares his insights and leaves us with insights related to building trust, the importance of co-leadership, and the potential of knowledge generation and sharing.
David Birkam is a Graphic Designer at Western Michigan University working in teaching and learning support in addition to a recent communication program graduate.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/
Our guest, Brenda Harrington, is what my daughter calls "a kick-butt girl."
Case in point, check out a quote from her recent book, Access Denied:
"Playing to win requires an understanding of the game, knowing who the star players are and developing and executing a playing strategy."
Brenda is beyond knowledgeable in terms of adaptive leadership and personalized leadership coaching and leaves us with tangible tips to better navigate our teams and our workplaces in an inclusive and persuasive manner.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/
Bob Gaydos, CEO of Pendella, proposes a very compelling idea. And one that I am fully on board with.
Bob suggests rethinking the traditional employee benefits package. In addition to helping offset the cost of medical and dental, Bob argues for earmarking money for annual employee professional development.
Why?
This can help employees enter leadership roles earlier in their careers and ultimately, enhance the culture and likely, the output, of an organization.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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Hey leader! Thanks for listening. For more leadership communication tips, check out https://www.thecommunicativeleader.com/
Hello leaders!
I am excited to kick off Season 3 of The Communicative Leader with a conversation with Steve Marcinuk, Co-Founder and General Manager of Intelligent Relations.
Steve is among the most humble of leaders you will ever meet AND among the most talented of leaders you'll ever meet.
Steve is an advocate for constant learning, asking questions of your team and listening (gasp!) and embracing failure.
Enjoy!
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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We have had so much fun this season --- we’ve had some incredible guests talk to us about best practices for organizational change, to the power of language, importance and impact of psychological safety and self-care and wellness at work.
We’ve also tackled everything from navigating conflict to crafting personal vision statements and overcoming imposter syndrome. In this episode, the season 2 finale, we are going to focus on the best of the rest --- yup, we’re going to wrap up the season by highlighting the most compelling and impactful leadership communication ideas and practices we’ve discussed this season.
We're going to consider our takeaways in three main sections:
-
Employees Need to Feel Safe and Heard
-
The Way We Talk to Ourselves as Others Matters
-
We Lead With or Without a Title
And our communication challenges?
- Best practices for navigating conflict
- Paths to empowerment
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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In our last episode we looked at the research behind self-care, burnout, and wellness at work.
In this episode, we continue our focus on wellness by diving into a conversation with an expert from the mental health field.
I am so excited to welcome Christine Omilion-Sugg, LPC to The Communicative Leader.
As a licensed professional counselor, she gives us concrete tips and practices for our self-care practice and hones in on the importance of titled leaders modeling prosocial, empathetic behaviors. What else? She's also my sister.
Christine earned her Master’s of Clinical Mental Health Degree from Oakland University with a specialization in infant, child, and adolescent therapy. She has provided care at the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan, Great Lakes Psychiatric, and is now serving clients at Petoskey Professional Counselors. Christine focuses on treating symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma and also works as an Accredited supervisor to both graduate and post-graduate students. You can contact Christine at christineomilionsugg@petoskeyprofessionalcounselors.com.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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Self-care is NOT:
■ A new-agey fad
■ Indulgent
■ A luxury
■ Expensive
■ Time intensive
■ Optional
Self-care can be integrated into any schedule and any budget.
Those who engage in self-care tend to be happier, more productive, and more reslient and a whole heck of a lot stressed.
Sounds pretty good to me :)
We talk about self-care, how to engage in it as an individually, how to integrate into your team, and the importance of boundary setting.
What else? We dive into the ways in which we can protect ourselves from burnout.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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Think about your family for a minute. Who is the de facto leader?
That is, who does everyone go to for the plan for the day or the trip?
Who is the joker or class clown of the family? Who is the nurturer?
These same roles playout in the workplace -- sometimes we embody these roles formally – such as the leader – but generally speaking, we ebb and flow between the roles throughout our day and as we interact with others to, well, get our work done.
While some of these roles are productive and helpful to group functioning, others can detract or damage employee wellbeing and group health.
Today we’re going to look at group roles, consider how they impact us individually and our team.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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Today on the Communicative Leader I am so excited to welcome TED speaker, author, and leader in the field of global English Communication Heather Hansen.
Heather’s Ted Talk titled 2 billion voices: how to speak bad English perfectly has over 200,000 views and her recent book, UnMuted is a best seller in Business management and Workplace culture.
Today, Heather chats with us about language, our perceptions of others, and how to listen in a way that encourages others to speak up and share their ideas.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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Conflict is not good or bad. Conflict is neutral.
Conflict can be productive, but if it goes unaddressed or is not navigated tactfully it can also be damaging.
Conflict is a normal part of organizational life.
Today on the Communicative Leader, we dive into best practices for managing conflict, discuss conflict between leader and member and peers, and consider how to better understand our own conflict style.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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Many leaders time the time to really think about and reflect on decision-making. I also think formal leaders spend a lot of time thinking about resources and strategic initiatives and deadlines.
I don't think as many formal leaders set aside time to consider how the way they communicate intersects with leadership and power.
Power can exist without leadership, but leadership cannot exist without power.
On this episode of The Communicative Leader, we're going to consider power as influence and what are "go-to" communication strategies convey to our team.
But we didn't forget about our informal leaders! In this episode, we make specific suggestions for how followers can embrace and step into their position power too.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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Vision statements aren’t just for organizations or workgroups or project groups. Vision statements are for individuals – for those in formal leadership positions and for those who are not.
We can cast vision statements that will help us be where we want to be in five years or vision statements that guide our current project or that we live by.
Today on the Communicative Leader, we’re going to talk about how a thoughtful vision statement can help to get you where you want to be, and help you remain steadfast along the course.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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Hi leaders!
This week’s episode is an extra fun one. Why?
Psychological safety expert, Stephan Wiedner, joins us.
Stephan and his team help develop high-performance leaders, teams, and organizations.
How?
By focusing on psychological safety and good ole interpersonal communication skills.
So what IS psychological safety?
Psychological safety is our belief within our work environment that we can speak up, own a mistake, or express concerns without fear of reprimand or social consequence.
Psychological safety is NOT carved in stone, it's not a commodity to possess, but a process teams should return to repeatedly.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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More and more I have people telling me that they’re less interested in formal leadership roles. The pandemic has shifted priorities for some and for others, the idea of overseeing other adults and the headaches that often come with that doesn’t sound like an appealing one.
My response?
You’re leading with or without a title. You’re leading when you’re mindful of it. You’re leading when you’re not mindful of it.
Our words and our behaviors communicate to others whether we’re consciously thinking of the outcome and impact or not.
Today we will consider what this looks like, why it is important, and provide an on-ramp for our friends who are interested in a formal managerial role in the future.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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The leader-member relationship can get a bad rap.
We've all likely had some managers who were, well, not so great in that role. We might have had a manager (or managers) who were pretty crummy. But I'm also hopeful that you've worked with a manager who helped you to grow and succeed.
Some dismiss the relationship the share with their leader as one of little importance.
Oh my friends, you couldn't be more wrong. This is a pivotal workplace relationship.
Those with high quality relationships with their manager tend to make more money, enjoy more frequent promotions, and find more satisfaction in their work than those who have lower quality leader-member relationships.
Today we're going to consider how this relationship develops, how it is maintained and how it largely shapes the answer to the following question: What is my workplace experience?
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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Imposter syndrome can sneak up on the best of us.
It also sneaks up on most of us from time to time.
A 2019 study found that up to 82% of folks report feeling like a fraud or experience feelings of self-doubt regarding their abilities from time to time.
So...as you likely gathered, imposter syndrome is that pesky feeling that nags us and whispers not-so-nice things in our ears like "you're not good enough," "anyone could have achieved what I have," "they're going to realize that I'm not as smart/insightful/innovative as they thought when they hired me."
Yeah, a real bully.
So what can you do to keep imposter syndrome at bay?
We're going to look at two clear paths today:
- Mentoring
- Empowerment
What's our communication challenge? We're going to set high, but attainable goals. We're going to let our employees know we know they can do it. We're going to let ourselves know, that WE KNOW we can do it.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
In 2020, as many as two-thirds of all employed Americans worked remotely, and now 75% of us prefer working from home at least some of the time.
What does this mean?
It means we need to stretch and flex and adapt our leadership and our communication to fit this brave new world.
So how do we do it? How do we bring that connection and responsiveness and authenticity into the hybrid environment? Well, we look to organizational change leadership experts like Vanessa Hills to shine some light onto the topic.
Vanessa shares her model of virtual dialogic communication with us. Yeah, yeah, yeah...dialogic communication is an academic term, but Vanessa walks us through how it applies to us now.
Whether you work from home, work from the office, or a hybrid of the two, Vanessa's suggestions will help make your work life what you want it to be.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
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Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
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A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
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My friends, we have come to our season 1 finale.
This is very bittersweet, because I've been having so much fun chatting with you each week. But now we're taking time to brainstorm and plan for season 2 (coming in the New Year).
So how are we wrapping up the first season? A greatest hits!
Presumptuous? Heck Yeah. But also a whole lot of leadership communication goodness!
In this episode, we're going to consider 4 distinct focuses:
- Leadership Truths
- The Power of Communication
- Relationships...or Playing Nicely in the Sandbox with Others
- Formal & Informal Leadership: Owning and Developing Your Expertise
And what about our communication tips? What will help you navigate your world with more confidence, credibility, and success?
- Avoiding Powerless Language
- Using I Statements
- Finding Ways to Add to Your Self-Efficacy Bank
Remember, Leaders are individuals who value communication and learn how to do it well.
Until next time, communicate with intention and lead with purpose.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
When we think about public leadership, we are all likely to have different reactions…different thoughts and visuals that come to mind. Some of us may have a warm, positive feelings associated with the term public leadership and others well, it may be a different story all together.
Here’s the thing my friends, public leadership encompasses a whole slew of leadership roles and activities ranging from your local PTO and HOA to the federal government and beyond. This is why this area tends to elicit such varied reactions.
So considering the vast differences in public leadership, how the heck do we tie these roles together? What are some communicative activities that unite them?
Put simply: Influence
Whether you are a member of the local chamber of commerce and you’re trying to gain support for your new dining in the streets initiative or if you’re the president of the US, in order to be successful you need to be able to influence the attitudes and behaviors of your constituents.
- How do we connect with various stakeholder groups?
- How do we effect change?
- How do we sway opinions?
We integrate leadership and persuasive communication with elements of public relations – impression management and credibility for example.
In this episode of The Communicative Leader, we look at the link between leadership, PR, and credible communication.
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P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
In order to remain successful, organizations need to grow and change to meet consumer’s needs. But we also know that many of the most successful organizations such as Zappos, Google, and Disney have incredibly strong cultures. There’s the rub, my friends.
Culture tends to be stable, predictable, prescriptive…It is designed that way in order to effectively speak to new employees, seasoned employees, and senior managers all the same.
So we hear the importance of establishing a strong culture, again something that tends to be fairly fixed, but in the same breath talk about the need to adapt, to flex, to evolve.
Yes, a paradox my friends…how do we grow to meet consumer and market demands all while maintaining our north star, our culture?
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
Peers can really make work a waaaaayyyyyyyy better experience.
From someone we can laugh with when that customer shows us with the worst breath again to someone we can say “hey I know that we went over the instructions like a hundred times, but can you show me again how do to this?”
And that is a lot easier than going to our manager to do so.
Peers can be a bigger source of support, information, and friendship than our manager or other organizational employees.
Research also shows that we tend to be more innovative when engaging with our peers and generate more creative ideas.
But…what about when the relationship we share with our peers or A peer isn’t quite as strong…or is downright contentious?
In this episode of the communicative leader, we are going to important role that our peer relationships play in our workplace experience – from the benefits, the potential challenges, and how to end a peer relationship if the need arises.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
Teams can be hard work.
As we've talked about before, a lot of time teams just don't work - and that is under the best of circumstances.
On this episode of The Communicative Leader, we talk with Karen Cashin and learn about how she leads a team where members rotate on and off -- generally every 6 to 12 months.
Let's make this even messier. Those who join the team are not communication experts or even communication novices, but rather subject matter experts in other areas.
Karen is a unicorn. Well, she's a lovely woman, but she's such a phenomenal, communicative leader, I think of her as a unicorn. Legendary to near mythical status.
We chat about onboarding employees, team culture, investing in members, and the importance of self-care.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
Many of us have grown up on a diet of teams that has led to an almost reverence for them.
But I think it is a whole lot easier to pull up examples of bad team experiences we've had, than the good ones.
Now there's the rub, my friends.
If teams are supposed to be this magical vehicle for innovation and productivity, why do so many offer to work individually when (in theory) a team-based approach would lighten their load?
This episode of The Communicative Leader reviews 6 common mistakes managers make when assembling teams. Of course, we don't leave you there, my friends. We address these mistakes but we also leave with you specific, communication-rooted solutions for sidestepping them.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
Leadership can be pretty easy when we are working with those we have strong interpersonal relationships. We appreciate them as colleagues and we like them as people.
But what happens when we are having trouble connecting with a team member? What happens when we outright don't get along with a peer?
it is difficult to relate to people when we differ in various ways, such as politics, family obligations, work ethics, and other personal differences. This episode offers practical suggestions for communicating and connecting with people we struggle to get along with.
Remember, leadership = communication.
We can use our verbal and non-verbal behaviors to connect across differences while creating a work environment that we're happy to be a part of.
Communication Focus
Strategic language can help you to foster inclusion and establish a shared team identity.
Yeah, all of those literary devices your English prof told you about are legit ;) We'll consider how to integrate these into your toolbox so you can help make your workplace what you want it to be.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
Leaders are Made. Not Born. They Learn to Communicate Well.
Yup, I said. Again.
Among other things, leaders are excellent communicators.
This helps to remind us that leadership is a communication-based skill that can be learned. Remember, my friends, skills can be practiced. They can be honed. They can be mastered.
One path to leadership development we often gloss over is the one from the inside out. In this episode, we will talk about seven steps to enhancing your leadership and learning more about yourself in the process.
Communication Challenge -- Your Leadership Life Story
We're going deep this week my friends! But if we don't take the time to think about where we've been, how the heck can we have an idea of where we're headed?
Take out a sheet of paper.
Draw a horizontal line.
Make note of your successes, your failures, and your pivotal moments.
Do your greatest achievements come after setbacks? Or are you more of a step-by-step kinda person?
This week's episode will likely give you a name for your leadership life story.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
P.S. Check your spam folder...we like to send these out on Mondays :)
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
Hi Leaders,
Yes, you are a leader.
What? You're not in a formal authority position? Not a manager, a director, a supervisor?
Guess what? You're still a leader. You're still in a position of influence -- for yourself and for others.
In this episode of The Communicative Leader, we're going to look at the ins and outs of leadership. What makes one a leader? And of course, what makes one a good leader?
Good leaders create an intentional, supportive environment.
How?
- Use positive strategies to help develop desired behaviors.
- Focus on changing the environment in ways that support positive behavior and discourage negative behavior.
- Recognize that if we want our people to meet certain expectations, we must take deliberate steps to teach them how.
- Have a system for responding immediately and consistently to inappropriate behavior while recognizing the importance of reinforcing positive behavior.
Okay, so is this easier said than done, you ask.
Focus on being respectful, responsible, and safe in your thinking, your planning, and your decision-making. Let respect, responsibility, and safety color your word choices and guide your behaviors.
Challenge!
I want to challenge you to think about this – not just at work, but in your personal life too. Do you stop and recycle that plastic pop bottle you walk by in the parking lot or is that not your responsibility? Are you quick to chastise a child for a poor choice, rather than providing them options or an opportunity to learn from the error? How do you communicate with yourself? Do you respect your wealth of experiences and knowledge and YOUness, or do you disrespect yourself…calling names, or using putdowns?
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkam, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
Leaders. Managers. Same, right?
Nope. Sorry, my friends. These are not synonyms.
Enter two constants: Complexity and Change.
Managers cope with complexity in organizations and leaders cope with change.
Is it really that simple? What has ever been simple when it comes to organizations?
In this episode of The Communicative Leader, we consider the unique and essential functions of both managers and leaders.
But wait! Aren't leaders better?
Nope. Not the case.
If organizations value their successes and wish to remain relevant then they need to hire for and celebrate both leaders and managers.
Looking for more tips?
Join our weekly email list to receive episode recaps, previews, and most importantly, communication-rooted solutions for your everyday workday questions and experiences. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/h91B0v
Have a question for Dr. Leah OH? Is something at work driving you nuts? Have an idea for an episode? Reach out!
We'd love to hear from you! Send us your questions and requests via email or a voice note to TheCommunicativeLeader@gmail.com.
A special thank you to PR Manager, Michael Slowik, and graphic designer, David Birkham, for their contributions to The Communicative Leader.
Miscommunication, misunderstandings, disagreements, and hurt feelings happen. This is just part of life, including organizational life. What is important, however, is that we take the time to do the repair work and ensure that the workplace is one that is healthy and built on a foundation of respect. In this episode of the Communicative Leader, we’re going to look at common issues that hamper internal communication. But we’re not going to stop there, we’re going to give you some small communication tips that will help you to avoid these common stumbling blocks and more importantly, in doing so create a healthy work environment.
Although communication is anything but a one-size-fits-all endeavor, the thoughtful and tailored use of communication can solve or improve just about any work-related issue. From considering how to best onboard and assimilate new employees to create individual relationships with each member, pitch new ideas, and resolve interpersonal conflict, communication is more than a tool. Instead, it shapes the way employees experience and navigate work.
Historically, organizations have spent most of their time and financial and human resources on their communications to external stakeholders. Of course, this makes good sense as they need clients' and the community’s interest and trust to remain in business. However, this view may be a bit short-sighted as it overlooks the importance of communicating with and connecting with employees.
In this episode, we address four common organizational obstacles and leave you with communication-rooted stepping stones to avoid these pitfalls.
As a leadership communication expert, I am so often asked what the best style or approach to leadership is.
This is a really hard question to receive because 1) there is no universal, one-size-fits-all approach, and 2) it shows me how invested everyone is in bettering their leadership abilities.
And what can be the most frustrating but truly only fitting response (but we'll explore why it's also a freeing response): It depends.
It depends on the context, it depends on the audience, and it depends on a lot of factors. There are quite a few perspectives on this, but much of the research points to what are called Contingency Theories. Simply put, leadership communication is contingent upon multiple organizational factors. Some factors that have been identified are the task that’s being completed, the makeup of the workgroup, and even the leader’s personality, because it just wouldn’t make sense for a leader to behave in a way that isn’t authentic to themselves.
As my guest, Dr. Jen Ptacek so aptly points out "I think we’ve all said something in a moment and then went back and thought 'there was definitely a better way to say that' or maybe if I would have said 'this' instead, the conversation could have ended differently, and that’s what we’re getting at here. "
Let's dive into Reading the Room and Why Context Matters.
What is leadership communication and why the heck does it matter to me? You’re probably thinking this right now. I know I would be. I’d be thinking I know what leadership is and I know what communication is soooooo what can you possibly teach me? Well, I’m hoping a whole lot! A focus on leadership communication empowers you to take small, but meaningful steps at making your work life what you want it to be….rather than what it may be or has been. Today on the Communicative Leader we’re going to dive right into the connection between leadership and communication.
In this episode, we're going to focus on three key ideas:
1. The yardstick used to assess your leadership ability is your ability as a communicator
2. Not only is communication the measure used to assess your leadership ability, but it is also the most accessible and powerful tool you have!
3. Finally, employees are very, very savvy in terms of discerning managers’ behavior.
So we’ve been telling you that communication is key to your leadership ability. We’ve talked about the fact that others, including your own manager and your employees, use your communication ability as a barometer for assessing your success as a leader. Certainly, we’ve discussed some communication specifics in terms of specific actions to help make your work life what you want it to be, but today we’re going all in. We’re talking about communication channels, timing, messaging, and responding on the Communicative Leader.
We’ve all been in meetings that should have been emails. And we’re not talking just one or two, right? Ugh, it can be so frustrating when you’ve taken time to get together with a group – virtually or face to face – and realize that the individual leading the meeting is essentially just reading a series of bullet points to you. Nooooo good for anyone.
By taking time to discuss the importance of tailoring your communication and walking through the various elements that go into making decisions for your communication encounters, you’re simultaneously growing your leadership and communication abilities. Bingo, a two-for-one kinda thing. Yes.
Do you want fewer misunderstandings at work? Do you want smoother, more effective conversations with your manager? What about at home? Connect more quickly with an upset child or come to understanding more easily with your partner? This week on the Communicative Leader we tackle how using a communicative view will make your life easier.
What do we typically do when we feel like someone doesn't understand us? We speak more loudly and we restate our point.
Yet unfortunately most of the time, volume and content aren't really the issues. The issue is deeper. The issue is one of understanding.
We'll look at the small, communication-rooted steps you can take that will help you to be more persuasive and likely enhance your workplace (and home) relationships at the same time. Bonus? These take little training and cost nothing, but require some practice and intention.
Also in this week's episode? Say this, not that! Rephrasing common work statements into thoughtful, other-oriented statements. You're totally earning extra boss points here :)
You got this!