Leading From the Ground Up: Recent Episodes
Aperture Advising
Discussions on proactive leadership processes and mentorship tactics to help you amplify your impact.
A survey completed but the International Journal of Sciences found that 50% of companies surveyed said that "employee teamwork helped them attain their operational goals". The other 505% indicated that they were still struggling with operational goals and developing an environment where teamwork could affect this. Here are the 9 ways to create a strong team:
- Establish Company Culture
- Define Roles & Responsibilities
- Ensure that Everyone Feels Respected
- Stay as Organized as You Can
- Encourage Your Team Members
- Communicate
- Be Open to Giving & Receiving Feedback
- Celebrate Peoples Wins
- Value You Teams Diversity
If you have questions about this episode or would like a topic covered in a future episode, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Sometimes we get in the habit of just coming to work and expecting our teams to produce and function as a cohesive unit but that takes effort on your part to make the team function that way and to ensure your teams culture is one of cohesion.
This podcast gives some reasons why team building is not just a buzz word or something you should do once a year.
If you have questions concerning this episode or would like a question or topic covered in a future episode, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
On todays podcast we are unpacking the 5 components of leading change successfully and how leadership should affect this in a positive way.
- Culture
- Communication
- Compassion
- Conviction
- Courage
If you have questions about this podcast or would like a question feature in a future podcast please email me at John@ApertureAdvising.com
Change is constant and always around us but we can learn to navigate it a little better by following these 8 things:
- Shift how you Think
- Spend your time Wisely
- Ask yourself, "Are you Stuck"?
- Break large changes into Small ones
- Step out of your comfort Zone
- Recognize your own Power
- View change as an Opportunity
- Be Authentic with how you approach Change
If you have a specific question about this episode or would like to have a topic covered, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
They 7 traits will move you towards connecting with and creating an effective team that works not only for themselves but for their fellow coworkers:
- Intentional
- Purposeful
- Curiosity & Openness
- Commitment
- Embracing Risks
- Adaptability
- Acceptance
If you have questions about the episode or would like to have a question covered in a specific episode please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Sometimes we find ourselves caught at the crossroads of time management and task management. If we stay on the task management road we tend to find that we are constantly reacting to tasks or emergencies and we never manage to get organized enough to focus on our priorities. Here are four strategies that will help you stay focused on priorities:
- Focus on Priorities
- Get Organized
- Delegate
- Foster a Culture of Accountability
If you have question about this episode or would like specific topic covered, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
The Longer you hold a leadership position you will realize that making sense of everything that surrounds you become necessary to make life easier. Here are 4 skills to help keep things organized:
- Planning
- Scheduling
- Collaborating
- Setting Goals
If you have questions about this episode or would like a topic covered in a future episode please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Time blocking can provide some much needed structure and clarity to your day when you are struggling to stay organized and on task. The episode talks about,
- What is Time Blocking
- What do you put in these blocks
- Schedule during Peak Production Periods
- Schedule like items or Complimenting tasks on the same day
If you have questions about this episode or would like something specific covered in a future episode, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
There will be time in your career where you will start to or have to delegate things that need to be accomplished to you teams members. Here are 7 tips to help you with that process.
- Focus on Activities you do best
- Provide clear and concise instructions
- Balance delegation and micromanaging
- Assign Tasks to the right person
- Set bi-weekly meeting to discuss projects
- Model the behavior you want to see
- Asses team member skills
If you have question about this episode or would like a topic covered in an episode please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Setting expectations is one of the most important things you can o as a leader. The second most important thing is show your employees what the expectation looks like.
- Make them clear for yourself
- Decide where you need to set expectations
- Understand why
- Meet with Employees to discuss the new expectations
- Write your expectations down
- Gain Agreement and Commitment
If you have questions about this episode or would like a specific topic covered in an episode, email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
From time to time you will have conflict arise between employees or colleagues and you will need skills to be able to resole these issues.
- Listening to All Sides
- Identify Patterns behind the Conflict
- Find what Triggers Conflict
- Talk it Out
- Set Boundaries
If you have questions about this episode or would like a specific topic covered in an episode, email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
If your relationship with your employees is not at the level is needs to be then this is the episode you need to listen to. Here we talk about 10 things you can do to build a strong foundation of trust with employees and strengthen the relationship:
- Recognize it's hard work
- Be honest and supportive
- Sometime, Just be quiet
- Be Transparent
- Be Consistent
- Model the Behavior you seek
- Build in Accountability
- Extend Empathy to others
- Ask for Feedback & Tack action on suggestions
- Demonstrate Appreciation
If you have questions about this episode or have a specific question you want covered in a future episode, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
As new leaders, we often struggle to build trust and credibility with our teams. In this episode we talk about the 3 knowledge areas a leader needs to be proficient in, in order to build that credibility and trust:
- Technical Knowledge
- Operational Knowledge
- Political Knowledge
If you have question concerning this episode or have a specific topic you want covered in an episode, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
As leaders, we start to focus more on our employees and that is good because it is main function of our role, but the other aspect of this is how we are ensuring that we as leaders are developing ourselves and growing. Below is the continuous cycle leaders should always find themselves in to continue moving forward, growing as individuals and avoiding burn-out.
- Realize your Purpose
- Make Pivotal Decisions
- Grow through Experimentation & Learning
- Work through Challenges
If you have a question concerning this episode or if you like a specific question covered in an episode, Email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Sometimes the way you keep good employee comes down to the way that you develop strategies to keep them engage and help them grow.
Here are 8 strategies to help you do just that:
- Adopt a bottom-up approach
- Two-way Communications
- Encourage Community Participation
- Recognize Good work Early
- Invest in Personal Growth
- Hire Competent Managers
- Create a sense of Purpose
- Create an Employee Development Plan
If you have questions about this episode or would like a specific topic covered in an episode, email me at John@Apertureadvising.org
Developed by a college student in the late 80's who was having trouble focusing on his school work, this simple technique can give you the time and focus to get important tasks complete and have a much more productive day, week or year.
If you have questions about this episode or would like a specific topic covered in a future episode, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Time management is a skill that everyone needs but not everyone is good at it. Here a few tips you can use to improve your time management skills:
- Prioritize your tasks
- Plan and organize the work you have scheduled
- Productivity
- Positivity
If you have questions about this episode or would like a specific topic covered in a future episode, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Mentors can be a helpful way to propel your career in an upward motion and push you farther and faster than you thought possible. Here are the 7 reason how they can help you expand your current knowledge and network:
- Kickstart Your Professional Development
- Help you Clarify & Set SMART Goals
- They hold you Accountable
- They help you Develop Leadership Skills
- Raise you Problem-Solving Abilities
- Expand your Network
- They offer Guidance
If you have questions about this episode or have a specific question you would like covered in an episode, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
There are several acronyms out there referencing working structure but one of my favorite is T.E.A.M. (Together Everyone Achieves More). This episode is about how to foster that in your company culture. When done right, employees will enjoy coming to work and have buy-in with you Vision and Mission:
- Encourage Open Communications
- Develop Shared Goals & Objectives
- Foster Respectful Interactions
- Acknowledge & Reward Contributions
- Leverage Technology
If you have questions about this episode or would like a specific topic covered, email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Imposter syndrome is very real and once you start to feel like you don't belong in the position you are in because you don't know certain things, it can creep up. It's good to recognize that this is what is happening to you but here are 5 tips you can use to get yourself out of those feelings.
- Trust your team and ask them for honest feedback
- Admit you don't have all the answers and it okay
- Recognize all the hardworking you have done to get there
- Look for advice from other leaders and mentors
- Keep an eye out for burn-out
If you have questions about this episode or want a specific topic covered in and episode, email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
There many leadership skills that can be learned with the right motivation, Self-Discipline is one of those skills. This episode
lists 7 habits you can adopt so self-discipline can become second nature to you. The 7 Skills are:
- Time Management
- Focus
- Interaction
- Positive Attitude
- Persistence
- Responsibility
- Consistency
If you have questions about this episode or want to a specific topic cover, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
As leaders you tend to realize very quickly that simply issuing orders and having employee's go get things done is not a reality. In this episode we talk about 6 essential soft skills that will serve you well if you invest the time to develop each one:
- Communication
- Empathy
- Delegation
- Flexibility
- Teamwork
- Problem solving
If you have specific questions about this episode or you have a topic you would like to have discussed on the podcast, email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
If you are anything like me, you tend to dream up big ideas only to eventually dial them back to make things more reasonable. Sometimes the reason we dial them back is because with did follow a process to flush out the idea in it entirety. The episode will provide 6 exercise to help with that: Start with Reflection Ditch Perfectionism Thin about other Perspectives Use Mind-Mapping as a Tool Ask Yourself Tough Questions Stay Focused on your PurposeIf you have question about this episode or would like to have a specific topic covered, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
A large percentage of employees spend more time with co-workers than they do with their families. Since this could have a huge impact on stress levels, here are 5 tips to help create a positive workplace culture.
- Create a Safe & Inclusive Environment
- Set Clear Goals
- Trust your Employees
- Encourage Collaboration & Open Communication
- Establish an Employee Recognition Program
If you have any questions about this episode or would like to have topic covered, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
A recurring story for leaders is they come into the office first thing Monday morning and know that they have important tasks that are pressing for the week. The moment they turn on their computer they get hit with a couple hundred emails that came in late Friday evening and the realize that some new meetings got put on their calendar as well. It's easy to lose focus on the important task for the week but start things out with and organized plan can help draw you back to focus when things get hectic. In this episode I talk about the Eisenhower Matrix:
- What it is and why using it will benefit you
- What it looks like
- Important/Urgent Tasks - You Do with Deadlines
- Important/Not-Urgent Tasks - You Do without Deadlines
- Not Important/Urgent Tasks - Delegated tasks
- Not Important/Not Urgent Tasks - Time Wasters
If you have questions concerning this episode or would like a specific question covered in a future episode, email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Here is a link to what an Eisenhower Matrix looks like and some templates. https://www.smartsheet.com/content/eisenhower-matrix-templates
Employee development I s important to organizations regardless of whether or not they realize it. This episode breaks down 6 reasons why is important and how it can help your organization grow. The below 6 reasons are simple but are often missed by organizations that focus on things other more than they do employees.
- Employees want to grow
- Retention Benefits
- Helps Develop their full potential
- Employees stay when you Invest in them
- Employees in training courses are more productive
- Companies are more productive and profitable
If you have questions concerning this episode or would like a specific topic covered, email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Sometimes we don't think that small decisions or lack of a decision can shape our future in big ways. If we take the time to realize if we are intentional about how we navigate our lives, we can drive some very positive change in a direction we want and desire. Starting with these three things
- Having Integrity
- Setting Smart, Stretch Goals
- Deciding to Grow Everyday.
We can take some giant leaps in the direction of the change we want. If you have questions about this episode or would like a specific topic covered, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
This episode is about something that may be lacking in some leadership development programs. Lack of practical application is a big reason some programs are less than successful. Below is a list of those things that are covered in the episode:
- Coaching
- Accountability
- Change Management
- Influencing and Negotiation
- Communication
- Goals & Milestones
If you have any questions concerning this episode or have questions you want covered in a future episode, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com.
This episode I talk about what life long learning is and how it can benefit you professionally as well as personally. If you have questions about this episode or would like to see something specific covered in an episode please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com. Please share this episode with 2-3 of your friends if you believe they can benefit from the information talked about. Thank you!
How to you improve workplace relationships when they are poor or you are new to a position? In this episode I talk about 8 ways you can improve or start healthy relationships:
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Know your Strengths & Weaknesses
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Schedule Time to Develop Relationships
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Ask Question & Listen
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Offer Assistance
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Ask for Help
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Show Appreciation for each Employee's Role
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Keep your Commitments
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Be Present in the Workplace.
If you have questions concerning this podcast or another or you would like something else covered please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
This episode is a run through of the 6 things you can do to build effective teams:
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Define Your Purpose
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Clarify The Team
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Determine The Goals
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Set Clear Expectations
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Monitor & Review
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Celebrate & Reward
All of these points are very effective in building the teams you need in your business to free you up so you can work on your business instead of in it! If you have questions please email them to John@Apertureadvising.com.
As leaders, business owners we will have challenges and adversities and it is good to have an outline or a plan to follow when it happens. When we do have challenges, the last thing we want to do is get lost in indecision or to get stuck because we can't see a way around the problem. This episode will give you an easy framework to follow when these things occur. If you have questions about this episode or would like to see something specific covered, please feel free to email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
After Action Reviews are used in the military to evaluate training and missions. They have usefulness in business as well considering they are very helpful in easily spelling out what you want to happen, determining what steps were successful and which ones need a little more time to flush out. You can use them for many different scenarios but be aware that this is not an exercise in finding fault but evaluating wins and areas of improvement. If you have question about this or any episode please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Being self aware creates and environment in your organization that allows for ideas to flow and communications can be at the forefront because employees feel secure and safe. In this episode we unpack ways that self awareness benefits you as the leader and creates an open, trusting environment for employees. If you have question, feel free to email me at John@Apertureadvisng.com
Building trust with your team as leader is essential to many things from product and retention of employees. In this episode I talk about three things that can help you build trust with your team and to maintain it. If you have any question about this episode or if you would like a specific topic covered please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
The ability to mange and understand your own emotions as well as recognize and influence the emotions of those around you. Emotional intelligence plays a ig role in leadership and understanding how our employees interact on a daily basis. Understanding that we are responsible for creating a safe environment for our employees to be creative and to be open with us when they need to. If you have specific questions please email me at John@apertureadvising.com
Four key points to make you transition into a your first or new leadership position. The key here is to me mindful of the 1. the companies culture which takes time for you to figure out, 2. your departments culture which could be a variation of the company culture. 3. listen to you team and get to know there role within the company and 4. network and develop relationships with other leaders within the organization. If you have specific questions or would like to have something specific covered on a podcast please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com.
A great thing you can to as a leader is to empower your employees to excel beyond where they thought they could. This all starts with a few steps that crucial for new employees and that is 1. Train employees well from the beginning, 2. Set clear expectations and be transparent, and 3. Allow employees to take ownership of goals and have some buy-in. This creates an environment where the employee feels essential and connected to the company and every outcome whether that is good or bad. Teamwork is the key to any organization and you want all the parts of the team functioning to its fullest potential. These three steps are essential to the growth of the organization and the employee. If you have any questions or you would like to have something specific talked about in a future podcast, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Servant leadership styles is a popular on for some organizations looking to institute a more empathetic leadership style. The leader in this styles focuses more on others and how they can help others to realize their potential as well as how they can help the community as a whole. Some leaders can take this style to an extreme and get this completely wrong but if you follow some easy steps and remember the key to this is empathy and listening to others then you will be well on your way to becoming a servant leader. Just remember that "it's not about you, it's about those you serve"! If you have specific questions you want answered please email them to John@apertureadvising.com and if you know someone who would benefit from this podcast please share it with them.
The 5th in this leadership series is participative! It is based on the idea that making the team participate in the workload and decision making as a whole will produce a more cohesive team and make the organization more accountable to produce more quality work, products and employees. This just one of the styles that focuses on building teams and individuals up and setting a high participative expectation for the entire organization. If you have any questions about this style or anything else please do not hesitate to email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
The 4th in this leadership series is transactional. As stated in the podcast, it is based on a reward and punishment system and based on a well put together and planned structure system on exactly how to do things. Where this structured system may seem like something you may not be a path you want to go down, it can be highly effective in the right environment. If you have any questions about this leadership style or just a general leadership question, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
This leadership style refers to the ability to make and sustain major changes in an organization. Transformational leaders are often called change agents and are comfortable with change and trying new things when it will benefit the organization. People will often run from change but change is sometimes exactly what an organization needs to move things forward when a new vision has been adopted. If you have any questions about this leadership style or leadership in general, please email me at John@apertureadvising.com and I will be glad to answer your questions.
This is the second in our series in leadership styles (Authoritative). If you have a passion to mentor employees, this leadership style may fit you. This styles seeks to mentor employees and encourage them to follow them to a clear and guided path to the future of the organization. Unlike Delegative, this style is more hands on and places an emphasis on communicating and interacting with employees as often as possible so they understand they are supported and have a clear picture of the vision the organization has. If you have question about this episode or leadership in general, please feel free to email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
Finding your leadership style is essential to determining how you interact with employees, peers and customers. Finding which style fits your personality best is a start in growing as a leader. The first in this series is Delegate leadership. This doesn't mean you just delegate everything and as the leader, you have nothing left to do. You will find that this type of leadership style is completely the opposite and requires some work up front before you can put this type of leadership style into practice. If you have any question please email them to John@Apertureadvising.com
A follow-up to last weeks New Leader Orientation with some helpful resources and a couple of mentions to help you on your way to come a better leader. If you have any question that you like answer or just need some assistance email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
When new employees start at a company, they a put through a new employee orientation to welcome them to the company's policies and procedures as well as some job specific training. For new leaders, this may not be the case! You are hired into a position because you excelled in your role as a team member or you were hired from outside the company into the role. This most of the time can leave a new leader in a position of confusion and doubt. This episode is about that specific scenario. If you have questions specific to this topic please email them to John@Apertureadvising.com
This episode is about planning and achieving goals. How having a strategy and planning your next steps are crucial to achieving the success that you are looking for. If you have questions about this episode or would like a simple guide to use for planning out your week or if there are specific topics you would like me to talk about, please email me at John@Apertureadvising.com
A discuss on how strategic planning gives direction to not only the company but all its leaders and employees. An organization without a clear strategic plan will find it hard to move forward, grow or innovate. They will also find it hard to recruit and retain talented employees eager to innovate and stay as the company grows. Here is also the link to "the $25,000 idea"! https://www.nightingale.com/articles/the-25000-idea/
If you have questions that you would like to ask please email them to John@Apertureadvising.com
Leading isn't just about accomplishing one task after another. To become a leader and not just someone that manages tasks and people, you have to realize and remember you are leading and fostering growth in people who have lives outside of work. When interacting and communicating with people you must take into account that they have an outside life, dreams, aspirations, and a desire to belong to something bigger than themselves. Emotionally agile leaders see and welcome the whole person on their teams, they see that they have people who are skilled and can accomplish tasks without them hovering over like a helicopter. Recognize that your team members are there because they are good at what they do and take time to learn things about them outside of the work environment. Building a relationship and trust will go a long way in building a high energy team and will allow you to retain your talented team members longer.
Feel free to leave a comment and if you're interested in receiving tips and freebees by email that make your job as a leader easier go to www.apertureadvising.com
How to be authentic when leading others. Employees are looking for leaders to be authentic, truthful, and empathetic to life outside of work and that appreciate the work they do daily. Learning to understand and read your employees will go along way towards creating a culture that is respectful and people will rave about it to their friends and family. Please visit out website at www.apertureadvising.com/blog
An overview of mentorship and how to set up a program In your organization. www.Apertureadvising.com/blog
How and why you should consider and create your own Leadership Development Plan. You you are looking for show notes or a specific part I talked about something in any episode, please visit our website at www.apertureadvising.com/blog
A dive into why communication is important, how we go about doing it and steps we can take to improve your already awesome communication skills. If you would like a free download on Keys to Developing Continuous Communication in you Organization then click or copy and paste on the link below.
www.ApertureAdvising.com
An explanation of how and why leadership development programs are important to organizations and employees.
Examples of interconnected teams, how they function, how it benefits your business, the employee and how to create a highly effective team by making them interconnected.
This episode focuses on leadership's effect on organizational culture. Things leaders can do to affect culture and how to correct it when it is negative.
How supporting the growth and development of employee can benefit the organization in many ways and develop highly effective employees.
What an open door policy is, what it can do to create a stronger team, open communications and develop a culture of equality.
This episode is an introduction to me your host and a brief description of the leadership topics that will be covered in future episode.