Elevate Your Leadership: Recent Episodes
Robert Pizzini
Welcome to the Elevate Your Leadership podcast with me, your host, Bob Pizzini. This podcast will enable you to immediately advance your ability to lead others, as well as yourself. As a 26 year US Navy Special Operations veteran, and as the owner of a multimillion-dollar business I discuss issues that I know you face daily, because I also face them. We tackle leadership challenges head on. Leadership is a perishable skill… use it or lose it. Lifelong leadership requires lifelong learning and a commitment to health, fitness, and intentional wellness. Join me, along with entrepreneurs, industry executives, academics, public figures, and other highly successful professionals who share their formulas for success with you. We will discuss leadership success, failure, defining moments, and hard lessons learned with guests who are intentional in their approach to leadership.
Rear Admiral Paul Becker is a retired Naval Intelligence Officer with 30 years of experience in the intelligence community. He is the CEO of the Becker T3 Group and a professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. He has received numerous awards for his service, including the National Intelligence Community and Department of Defense's Distinguished Service Medals. Retired Admiral Paul Becker discusses the importance of leadership and introduces his T3 framework: teamwork, tone, and tenacity. He emphasizes the role of leaders in taking risks and establishing relationships to build trust and loyalty within teams. He also highlights the value of lifelong learning and provides examples of leadership from various fields.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Leadership involves taking risks and doing things differently.
Building trust and loyalty through relationships is crucial for effective leadership.
Lifelong learning is essential for leadership development.
Examples of leadership can be found in various fields, including military, business, and entertainment.
QUOTES
"Leadership is a process of getting a group of people to achieve a common goal."
"Trust and loyalty are the byproducts of relationships."
"Leadership is about progress, not perfection."
"Simplicity is the height of sophistication."
"There are leadership examples to motivate and inspire you every day."
About Robert: Robert is a #1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, Award-Winning CEO, and above all, a Leadership Coach by heart. Join Robert and together you will lead with confidence, unify your team, and expand your comfort zone.
Where to find Robert: Website - https://robertpizzini.com/ Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-your-leadership/id1547181480 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqx9fuoZnq0--c1ttdckwLg
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Alan Mack, US Army, Chief Warrant Officer Five -- Retired, a native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, served over 35 years in the US Army before retiring in 2016. His military career included 17 years in Army Special Operations. His awards include the Legion of Merit, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 3 Bronze Stars, 10 Air Medals (one with Valor Device), and a Combat Action Badge. Additionally, he logged more than 6700 flying hours during his tenure. During Operations Desert Shield and Storm, Mack participated as a CH-47D Chinook pilot. He then flew MH-47s while assigned to the 160th SOAR, the Army’s only Special Operations Aviation Regiment. His crew was one of the first into Afghanistan and the first into Mazar-iSharif as part of America’s Response to the attacks on 9/11. His cargo, a 5th Special Forces ‘A’ Team (ODA 595), aka ‘the Horse Soldiers,’ helped topple the Taliban, capture the country’s capital, and reclaim possession of the US Embassy. As a Special Operations Flight Leader participating in special operations worldwide in support of the Global War on Terror, Mack collaborated with Army Rangers, Delta Force, Special Forces, Navy SEALS, assorted Special Operations Units, and Other Government agencies.
In this episode of Elevate Your Leadership, Robert Pizzini is joined by Alan C. Mack, to share his unique experiences and insights from his 35-year military career. He discusses growing up in New Hampshire, his journey to becoming a helicopter pilot, and his deployments to Afghanistan and other parts of the world. He also talks about the challenges and rewards of serving in Army Special Operations and the importance of teamwork and trust in high-stakes situations. Mack shares a touching story about the significance of a wedding ring during a mission and how it influenced his decision to never carry anything valuable while on duty. He also mentions his upcoming book, which will focus on the perspectives of crew chiefs and flight medics in the military.
Learn about all of these and more nuggets of insight in this latest episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast.
ELEVATING WISDOM
WHY ALAN LEFT THE MILITARY “I figured I'm one of the only night stalkers that could write the book because of the way I left, and I'll explain. When you leave a special operations unit, everybody hates you right? Doesn't matter I did 17 years there and if I had just left, you know what guys? I'm gonna give up, I'm gonna retire, everybody hates you, they're mad at you for leaving and I never understood that but it is what it is. But when my wife dies, they know I need a change of venue and they're like “okay” and then the regimen takes care of me. It gets me up there to New York and they've been great.”
WHAT LEADERSHIP MEANS TO ALAN “I call it the Tom Sawyer style of leadership. Okay, you know the story of Tom Sawyer where he's given the job to paint a fence and wash it right? And he ends up pretending that he likes it and he gets all of the neighborhood kids to paint for him. What are you doing? Huh? I'm painting a fence. Can I do it? No and so that was my idea. The Tom Sawyer style of leadership. Get them to do what you want but they think it's their idea” - Alan Mack
Get to know more about Alan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-c-mack-75b9a667/ Website: https://alancmack.com/
About Robert: Robert is a #1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, Award-Winning CEO, and above all, a Leadership Coach by heart. Join Robert and together you will lead with confidence, unify your team, and expand your comfort zone.
Where to find Robert: Website - https://robertpizzini.com/ Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-your-leadership/id1547181480 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqx9fuoZnq0--c1ttdckwLg
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In this episode of The Elevate Your Leadership podcast, former Blue Cross Blue Shield Chief Executive Rod Collins discusses futuristic concepts of leadership that are being employed today by highly successful companies. Applying his concept that no one is in charge, Rod details his process for conducting collective intelligence workshops to advance company initiatives based on the collective intelligence and contributions of everyone on the team. He outlines the four characteristics necessary to leverage collective intelligence. Rod authored Wiki Management: A Revolutionary New Model for a Rapidly Changing and Collaborative World, which highlights the innovative tools and practices used by a new breed of business leaders to sustain extraordinary performance in a world reshaped by digital disruption. His next book, No One is Smarter Than Everyone, will be out next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast, Alexis Gerdes discusses her run for the Virginia Beach school board first as a parent with “skin in the game" as two of her children currently attend Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Alexis shares details of her upbringing including her K-12 schooling within the Virginia Beach Public School System. Alexis talks about her views on leadership in general, and how she will bring leadership to the school board in particular. I enjoyed this discussion and learned a lot about a process that not enough Virginia Beach residents are familiar with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast, Navy veteran and entrepreneur, Allie Stephens, discusses how her work ethic served her in the restaurant industry and the US Navy. Allie put her leadership skills to work when she established her uniquely branded restaurant, Anchor Allie's, in Virginia Beach VA nine years ago, and has since opened a second location. Anchor Allie's is a US military and all-American themed restaurant serving up great food, refreshing cocktails, and delicious cafe drinks, all with a pin up twist. Allie addresses leadership head on in how she leads a team of roughly 40 employees over two locations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Will the dome site project really happen? What is the TIP Fund? In this episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast Linwood Branch discusses life as a representative of Virginia Beach as an appointed member of City Council, up for election next month. Linwood was appointed to council one year ago upon the resignation of James Wood, the 6th district councilman and Vice-Mayor. "You are never as bad, or as good, as people say you are" Linwood said in response to misleading political attacks on him. Linwood sheds light on the Atlantic Avenue project, often referred to as the dome site. Mr. Branch believes that the city of Virginia Beach is a national player, leading the country among cities of similar size. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Ross discusses what a Navy Master Diver is and what a Navy Master Diver does. He shares his experiences leading various military diving operations including the recovery of victims and the removal of bridge debris to restore the commercial waterway following the collapse of the Interstate Highway 35 Bridge into the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ross was inspired to write a book in part because he enjoys bragging about America’s sons and daughters in uniform who he served with during his Navy Career. You can read about the Sailors Master Chief Master Diver Ross Garcia served with and his leadership experiences in his self-published book, “View Through a Faceplate Window, Adventures of a Navy Master Diver.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of The Elevate Your Leadership Podcast, Nanette Miller discusses her career as a US Navy Intelligence Officer, family life in and out of the Navy, and why she believes she can win Virginia Beach's Second District, City Council seat. Bringing people together is one of Nanette's unique skills, and she believes she can bring greater unity to the council. Project management, communication, and coordination are some of the skill sets that Nanette says she will bring to the council. Finally, no discussion is complete until broaches are covered. Visit RobertPizzini.com to listen to all episodes of The Elevate Your Leadership Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of The Elevate Your leadership podcast, Brad McDonald, former Commanding Officer of the USS L. MENDEL RIVERS (SSN686) discusses his seven principles of being a leader. As the Commanding Officer of the USS L. MENDEL RIVERS, he successfully hosted and transported SEALS and their SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDV) on missions around the world. Brad also talks about the trepidation of being a new entrepreneur as a defining moment, and how his book "The Art and Skill of Sales Psychology" came to be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is the second installment of a masterclass on business. In this episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast, Author Marty Strong discusses his second business book titled "Be Visionary, Strategic Leadership in the Age of Optimization." Are KPIs replacing common sense? Does the corporate vision still matter? How do you recognize opportunities in business and in life? Are confident leaders fun to be around? Can leaders be confident and charismatic without appearing arrogant? What is a beer party map? Marty and I discuss all these topics and much more. You will instantly be a better leader after listening to this discussion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast, Senator Jen Kiggans and I discuss her upbringing in Orlando FL to include her first job at Disney World. Jen reveals what led her first to a military career, then to a career in the medical profession, followed by her interest in politics. Jen Kiggans is quite an accomplished woman with big goals including positively impacting the US Economy, National Security, and the overall health of Americans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Retired US Navy Special Operations officer Hung Cao is running for the 10th Congressional District of Virginia. Hung discusses how he developed as a leader and how his leadership is still evolving. Hung shares his viewpoint on education, the border, the US economy including the effect of inflation on military budgeting, and how he will lead as Congressman Hung Cao. Hung's story of immigration to the US as his parents fled Saigon is compelling. This is my second podcast discussion with Hung. Our previous podcast discussion can be found at Hung Cao, US Navy Special Operations (EOD) Captain retired, and congressional candidate - Elevate Your Leadership | Podcast on Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hone your craft of leadership. In this episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast Olivia Wagner and Bob Jordan discuss the four prevalent leadership styles that they identified in the many highly successful leaders they have worked with over the past 13 years. When a company is in chaos or decline, it's time to call a Fixer. Need a creative jolt? Call an Artist. If you are seeking new markets and big growth, hire a Builder. If you have reached complexity and scale, align with a Strategist. There is great value for any leader in this discussion. What is your highest and best use at this point in your career? Olivia and Bob have captured their observations and experiences form the past 13 years and coauthored a great book called Right Leader, Right Time. Take their leadership assessment at Right Leader. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nicole Wipp is an expert in helping business leaders get even better results through personal and performance development. Nicole is passionate about helping individuals and teams break the cycles of pervasive energy problems that keep people, teams, and their businesses stuck, so that they can scale their time and freedom. In this episode Nicole and I discuss the lessons we have learned in starting and operating our businesses. Nicole describes how she is very intentional in the hiring process and how after she puts a concept in motion, others on her team take it to the finish line. Learn more about Nicole at Nicole Wipp - Reducing Complexity For Business Leaders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast Bryan Stephens discusses how his foundation in leadership was developed throughout his 28-year career in the US Army. Vision, motivation, and standards of excellence are the foundation of Bryan's approach to leading. Leading self is equally important as leading the organization. Since taking the helm of the Hampton Roads Chamber, Mr. Stephens has lead the Chamber to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce “5 Star Accreditation”, an achievement only obtained by the top 1 percent of the over 7,200 Chamber’s in the Nation. Mr. Stephens was recognized on the Inside Businesses Top 25 list while also being on the Virginia 500 Power list for economic development. Listen as Bryan discusses the necessity for leaders to be selfless in their approach and core values should have meaning in all we do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Congressional candidate and retired US Navy Captain Hung Cao discusses his journey from Vietnamese refugee to a recently retired 25-year Navy Special Operations Officer. Hung's personal story is compelling. He shares his critical concepts of leadership including the importance of being decisive, being humble, and recognizing that we answer to the people we lead. Hung discusses how wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it, and right is right, even if no one is doing it. I love Hung's reference to Ronald Reagan's observation that you can go to Germany, but you will never be German, you can go to France, but you will never be French, but you can come to America, and you will become an American. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of The Elevate Your Leadership Podcast, Tricia Benn and I discuss various aspects of C-Suite level leadership including outcomes vs checklists, trust, the fun factor, and the fact that everyone on the team is highly useful to an engaged and aware leader. Tricia Benn is the Chief Community Officer of the C-Suite Network and the General Manager of The Hero Club, an invitation-only membership organization for CEOs, founders, and investors. An award-winning business leader and international speaker, Benn shares an inspiring, practical, and actionable message that empowers great leaders to take their businesses to the next level Visit Elevate Your Leadership - Robert Pizzini - Award Winning CEO to learn more about how I can advance your ability to lead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Robert P. Louthan is Founder and CEO of VeteranCrowd, Rewards HOME PAGE - VeteranCrowd (veterancrowdnetwork.com) and Managing Director for Veteran-Owned and Veteran Led Businesses for Charles Towne Holdings. He is a subject matter expert on military veteran led businesses, why they succeed and why they fail. A talented speaker, podcast host, and panelist, Bob blends humor with a lot of life’s little lessons. In this episode Bob shares with us the importance of experience, and how it takes 20 years to gain 20 years of experience. Bob also discusses how leaders should be fluid like a river at times and solid as a rock at times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Global business leader Jeffrey Hayzlett discusses his primary leadership tools of grounded values, ability to listen, and setting a clear direction. Jeffrey discusses his departure from Eastman Kodak where he was the CMO for 18 months with a division of 7,500 people. Listen as Jeffrey discusses his conditions of satisfaction and the three components of trust. This is a powerful discussion full of leadership insights that will serve you well on your leadership journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From Beijing, to Boston, to Barcelona, Steve Lishansky has coached, mentored, and consulted in all aspects of business focusing on leadership. Over the past 29 years Steve has seen the same issues in organizations no matter what country, industry, or the product or service. His solutions to all aspects of running a corporation can be found is his new book Leadership Starts Here. Tune in to this episode to learn about the three levels of decision making, the importance and utility of a clear mission and vision statement, and one of my favorite topic's, culture in the workplace. Learn the difference between a vision and a hallucination. Find out why common sense is not common practice and what you can do about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are you a business owner looking to sell your business. For all business owners the answer should be yes...it's just a matter of when. In this discussion with Michelle, she reveals that 80 percent of businesses that are for sale will not sell. Why? Here is a shocking statistic...70 percent of businesses that are ten years old or older will close or otherwise go our of business. Are you stuck in the tactical and transactional? Michelle shares her 6 Ps to make your business successful while making it appealing to a buyer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If you own a business, listen to every word in this episode. Sue Bingham shares what she learned and implemented over a 30 plus year career. Sue, a former HR executive, is an expert in effectively using culture to form a common language, leading to greater collaboration, and increased ROI. Sue developed a "common sense" approach to leading in the workplace. Who should do the hiring? Do you have to treat all employees the same? 95% of your employees are good people who want to do a good job. It's the 5% that HR manuals are written for as they suck the life out of everyone else. Sue developed processes to make sure the 95% drive the business.. Sue's High Performance Work Place is a must read for all leaders in all industries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Do leaders act? Should leaders take acting lessons? Are you strategically authentic when the situation warrants? What do leaders most often fail to do? In this episode Kerri and I discuss how we led our businesses into and out of the COVID crisis to emerge bigger, better, stronger, and faster. We also discuss the differences and similarities in men and women in leadership positions. Is ladies first still in play...even in the buffet line? How can you remove emotion from difficult or joyous situations. Kerri and I both have high energy so tune in and hang on. To learn more about Kerri visit Communication Skills Consulting Firm | Professional Speaker Coaching (getovation.com) and to advance your leadership or prepare for promotion visit Elevate Your Leadership - Robert Pizzini - Award Winning CEO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jo Baldwin Trott is a multidimensional coach & mentor, publisher of Proper Books, professional speaker, and a patron of Soul Sisters Empowering People. In this episode, Jo and I discuss the constant struggle that comes with being a leader. Which parts of you do you take to work everyday? Are you being your true self in your leadership role? We also discuss the difference between thoughts vs feelings and how as a leader you can manage both. We discuss haters and trollers...if you are successful, you have them. The birds in the background are real, as Jo tuned in from her backyard for the discussion. Visit her website at Jo Baldwin Trott and be sure to visit my site at Elevate Your Leadership - Robert Pizzini - Award Winning CEO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is a master class on leadership. From Marty's concept of volume, velocity, and complexity to leading with an uppercase or lowercase L, Marty shares his experiences and observations on business and leadership. What was the real black swan of COVID-19? What is blank slate leadership? Listen to thought leadership in action as Marty discusses the difference between training, coaching, and mentoring. This fast paced discussion has highly impactful information that you can put to use today. This discussion centers on Marty's book Be Nimble-How the Creative Navy SEAL Mindset Wins in the Battlefield and in Business. Visit his website at Home - The Saga Mindset and be sure to visit my site at Elevate Your Leadership - Robert Pizzini - Award Winning CEO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Leadership is a balance between accountability and appreciation. Men and women communicate differently...and that's ok. Kristal discusses how we can respect these differences and use them to advance the mission of the organization. Mission first, teammates next, self interest after that. We dive deep on servant leadership and how to build bridges. Kristal "the Bossy Girl" Murren brings nearly two decades of proven experience in building leaders, inspiring teams, and training trainers. She has provided leadership development and consulting services across the Mid-Atlantic for clients such as: The Discovery Channel and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs among many others. Visit https://robertpizzini.com to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, I discuss my nine critical traits of leadership. They include: The Student Leader, Flex and Adapt, Recognize Leadership Opportunities, Peak-Trough-Recovery, Metacognition, The Five Why Challenge, The Servant Leader, Leading Outside of Work, and Investing In Your Team. This brief discussion will immediately have a positive impact on your ability to lead. Visit Elevate Your Leadership - Robert Pizzini - Award Winning CEO to learn more about how I can develop and advance your ability to lead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This incredible discussion with Navy SEAL retired Captain Ryan Croley spans all aspects of leadership to include leading in war zones and non-profits. Ryan shares his formula for leadership which includes being a master of your craft, ensuring team alignment, and recognizing the imperfect nature of leadership and success. He also discusses how he is changing lives through The Warrior For Life Fund, a 501c3 that he started with the intent of bringing hockey to the military community to include all ages and abilities, and in particular to those with disabilities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Leadership is a personal endeavor. As such, a solid foundation in your approach to leadership will serve you well. This foundation consists of your personal definition of leadership, preferred leadership styles, preferred power types, and traits that you consider to be critical in daily leadership activity. The combination of these factors is "the art" of leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What does a world class rock drummer know about leadership? Mark Schulman is the current drummer for P!NK, and toured with Cher, Foreigner, Velvet Revolver, Sheryl Crow, Billy Idol, and more. As the son of college professors, Mark tutored English while in college, where he developed his desire to speak and tell stories. Mark is dedicated to be of service to others on and off the stage. Enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mayor Bobby Dyer was sworn in on November 20, 2018, and is the first Veteran to be directly elected as mayor in Virginia Beach history. Mayor Dyer has lead the city of Virginia Beach during very challenging times which include a mass shooting on May 31st 2019. DeWayne Craddock, a disgruntled city employee fatally shot 12 people and wounded four others at a municipal building. The Mayor also lead through potential economic ruin caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this discussion the Mayor (Bobby D as he likes to be called) is quite candid regarding his approach to leadership including the "the alarm clock test" and other pillars of his leadership style. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can reading a book save your life? This episode begins with an unexpected story of how 15 year old Max used the information in his father's book to save his own life. What do swimming and leadership have in common? What does it take to set world records? Jerry Frentsos has set 20 world records in Master's Swimming. In this episode of Elevate Your Leadership, Jerry Frentsos, the author of Intentionally Well, and I discuss the science of good health and wellness. Learn how 1/1400 of a second made the difference in Jerry's record, and how you can gain that 1/1400 of a second to set records in your executive functioning. You cannot fake good health, good habits, or happiness. People are watching you. What does heart rate variability (HRV) have to do with leadership? Jerry and I discuss how leaders increase endurance and perform better with a lower heart rate just like athletes. Learn how poor health habits leads to poor leadership, as well as poor physical, mental, and emotional well being, and what you can do immediately to reverse this trend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Has fog set in on your ability to lead with high energy, clarity, and confidence, every single day? How do you define and execute the science of leadership? For me (and you, if you don't already know it) the science of leadership is physiological and consists of rest, hydration, nutrition, exercise, brain and heart health, and lifelong learning. In this episode I discuss how these six factors impact your ability to lead yourself, others in your organization, and outside of the workplace. Bonus...here is a great video on rest and sleep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Diversity and Inclusion... How do we define Diversity and Inclusion? What is affinity bias and is it wrong? What is unconscious bias and is it wrong? Does diversity simply mean black and brown people as many D&I “experts” contend? What is neutral space and how can we apply it? What are blind spots? Dr. Helen Turnbull and I tackle the topic on Diversity and Inclusion head on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode introduces the EleVate Your Leadership podcast to listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices