Lathren on Leadership: Recent Episodes
Jim Lathren
Jim Lathren is a retired healthcare administrator and leadership coach with 50 years of experience working to help people be the best leaders they can be. Listen and join the conversation as he shares his experiences and knowledge on how to aspire to his ten traits of extraordinary leadership.
Fear is a fact of a leader's life. For a leader to say "I'm never afraid" either means they don't know or don't care. Or both. Included are some real moments of courage.
My son Andy - technical director and pod'ner - joined me in the studio for this recording session. A very enjoyable Sunday morning.
I have a few additional thoughts on retaining good people. And a request for input on "The Worst Leadership Mistakes".
This episode was created with the generous contribution of thirty listeners. This makes Episode #58 one of the richest in content of all episodes. Leaders are challenged more by keeping good people than by recruiting them.
Leaders don't get points for telling how busy they are. There are no 'badges of honor' for always being out of time, late, double-booked or other indications that there is more on your schedule can is humanly possible. So just don't say it.
This unique leadership conversation is with Bennett Hipp, a 33 year old man who lost 155 pounds. He explains how he lost 'another person' and did not suffer. Leadership is influence, and this story is bound to influence some of our listeners.
How you lead and how you live are inexorably linked. If you are kind or respectful or unselfish in life, it is how you will lead. The question is this: how do you want to be remembered?
Confronting bad behavior and poor performance are leader's biggest challenges. Episode #54 is created to assist leaders in this daunting task.
Leaders who have ambition, drive, determination and tenacity desire to move to the next level of responsibility. To be promoted.
This conversation delves into finding the delicate balance between best and worst, right and wrong, the gray area between black and white.
This episode recognizes the leader's role in the emotional element of work and achieving results. I outline best practices here to tap into the emotional bank account of our work force.
The best way for a leader to address toxic employees is a tough mindset - accepting no excuses.
This episode introduces a rising star to the world. Trust me when I say "extraordinary plus" about this recent Citadel graduate and more recently "Iron Man".
Respect is one of those 'most important, non-negotiable, absolutely, positively must haves' for leaders. Share with others - assess yourself. This trait applies to all occupations, professions and even teenagers. Important!
Episode #47 continues the episode on The Formula for Success. Where are you in your pursuit of success? Do you know your signature strength?
Do you have flaws that need to be fixed?
One of the ten words describing an extraordinary leader is "decisive". This story illustrates the importance of how we make decisions.
The Formula for Success consists of the 'five domains of a professional journey conversation' I have used this framework for over twenty years as a roadmap for this important discussion.
An interesting fact is that 80% of leader failure is due to behavior, not performance.
And guess who is in control of leader behavior.
I share with you a conversation I had with a leader who was challenged
by one of her employees.
I love it that emerging and aspiring leaders listen to Lathren on Leadership. Today's guest is George Lippard, recently retired from Dominion Energy. He had this unrecorded closing thought: "Do your BEST. Do the RIGHT thing. CARE for others. Best....Right....Care." What a great summary of a leader leaving a legacy of extraordinary. Thank you, George, for the visit. A wonderful conversation.
This episode covers how a leader interviews a candidate for a lower level leadership role, or how a leader prepares for an interview for a higher level leadership position.
Do you know weak leadership when you see it? Yes. Do you the cause of the weakness? Possibly. This episode covers five of those causes.
The most under-rated leadership skill is listening. Every leader - in fact every person - can make immediate improvements with a few simple steps.
Listening may be the most under-rated, unappreciated skill. Listening with intensity is the one leadership competency that we can all commit ourselves to today.
Knowing when to react...reply...respond is directly tied to self-awareness. When your 'emotional gauge' is in the red zone, what not to do.
Extraordinary leaders focus on results and relationships. The theme of this conversation is having clear, concise criteria for delivery 'extraordinary service'. Also referred to as FIVE STAR.
I want my listeners to know how much I appreciate their time and attention. And sending me comments and questions. And sharing the link to my podcast to their family and friends.
Included in today's conversation are ten practices for leaders at all levels. A also call it "The Leader's Playbook".
In this episode, I cover the title "The Most Frequently Asked Hard to Answer Question", simulation and "run to the fire". Three unrelated topics.
Extraordinary leaders understand that teams do not just naturally happen. They work hard to get their employees at peak operational performance.
I call this my most important episode yet. Possibly the most important word of "Ten Words That Describe an Extraordinary Leader" . Certainly the most important of the 29 episodes.
As employers of people and providers of services to customers, we seek to build loyalty. We strive to retain good employees and to have customers who return again and again. Extraordinary leaders understand these simple facts and behave in a manner to build loyalty.
In this conversation, I introduce listeners to "situational leadership"....how leaders change their style based on multiple factors.
Courage is the #1 leadership trait. The week of 9/11 is a good time to discuss courage.
A listener asks why it is so difficult to find out why an employee does not get a promotion. And, how do I improve my chances next time?
I was thrust into a complex coaching situation early in my career. I made a couple of bad decisions initially...and was saved by a more experienced leader - the chief nursing officer.
This episode tells the story of an under-performing executive who has more uncontrollable external factors than executable action plans. We tend to be too patient and instead need a greater sense of urgency. Why do we wait too long? One leader shares an experience.
There are so many different, unique, challenging coaching situations. I will cover some here - and more in the next episode. If you have a situation you would like covered, please email me at jimlathren@gmail.com. And.....THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
Recognizing, praising, complimenting, encouraging and uplifting is how leaders inspire. And inspiring is the most important leadership skill.
This episode moves into actual coaching scenarios in order to help the leader to prepare for the sometimes difficult conversation. And, preparation is the key.
Episode #17 is part two of a series on the coaching role and responsibilities of a leader. Feedback is the currency of growth and development.
The leader's highest responsibility is to coach people to their full potential. This is for extraordinary leaders. Ordinary leaders are not up to this important work.
MY best answer to the question "Do I have what it takes to be a leader?" . I dig deep into 'leadership' to answer the question that aspiring leaders ask.
Chuck Beaman shares his wisdom, experiences, and insights about leadership and a career in health care administration. A close-up and personal conversation with a man of faith, family and friends.
A new leader's first 90 days are some of the most important days of the transition. This checklist is to help the leader focus on the best steps and avoid the pitfalls.
I begin Episode #11 by finishing the conversation on "trust". Then I start to answer a listener's question on 'self-knowledge'. We begin to understand the power of feedback. How do I know how I am doing? And how do I help my people know how they re doing?
Leadership involves doing some unpleasant things - like making personnel changes that significantly impact the organization. Hopefully listeners can learn a few things about actions that I have had to take.
Extraordinary leaders cause their team members to be inspired to achieve more. Employees who are motivated drive better results - growth, retention, quality, profits, customer satisfaction.
Episode #8 continues to discuss the behaviors that extraordinary leaders practice to be trustworthy. It is a difficult journey - but done by those who pursue 'extraordinary'. Your questions are welcomed.
I have known Chris Cowan for about twenty years. He is a man of character and competence. Giving listeners a little break (from me) with some insightful thoughts about leadership.
In Episode 5, I announce the winner of "The Best Leadership Question" contest. Then I share with listeners one of the most influential - and trusted - leaders in my professional journey. The conversation on trust includes a discussion on integrity, coach and respect - three of our "TEN WORDS". We are building a foundation in these early episodes for becoming extraordinary.
Trust is the sine qua non of leadership - the ingredient without which there would be no leadership. Leaders earn, grow and retain trust by the way they conduct themselves. There are also behaviors that destroy trust.
The same questions about leadership are asked over and over. Today's session answers those questions...and asks leaders to submit those that are not covered.
The focus of Episode 2 is the leader's role in coaching people to their full potential. This is a leadership word from "The Ten" and must be recognized by great leaders as a responsibility.
The objective of the Lathren on Leadership Podcast is to help leaders grow, improve and succeed.