i Lead – The Leadership Connection with Linda Sharkey: Recent Episodes
Linda Sharkey
Everyone aspires to be a terrific leader. They want to run outstanding organizations with great cultures that drive sustainable results. Every leader alive wants to leave a legacy of top performing people and lasting business results. This show is about you. It is your leadership connection to quick and simple methods for raising your own bar. It is all about what you can do to have a positive impact that makes a difference, not only in your life but in the lives of those you lead. We all know from experience that leaders who build talent, care about their people and create healthy organizations are leaders that others want to work with and for. Being that kind of leader takes facts, insight and most of all practice.brbr Our show gives you practical, actionable tips and tools that are fact based and proven to make you a better leader, driving top notch business results.
Join me with Morag Barrett, a leading author, speaker and executive development expert, to discuss the forces that will be shaping the workplaces of tomorrow. Some are on our doorstep today, and some are just whispers that you need to be prepared for. Some elements will surprise you. Morag Barrett and I will be discussing our new book to be published by Wiley in early 2017. You will get an early glimpse!
Trends and fads are changing rapidly as we move to new approaches to work and greater use of data to make workplace decisions related to people. Josh Bersin, CEO of Bersin Associates, a leading think tank on workplace change, will be joining me to discuss the myths that he and his team have been able to debunk through data, research and technology. You will be surprised at some of the points he makes!
Whether you are navigating your way on a new team, expanding your leadership role, or just trying to get heard in a meeting, you are facing the challenges we all run into at work! Cathy Salit is the author of Performance Breakthrough: A Radical Approach to Success at Work, in which she presents her revolutionary approach to learning and growing. She has worked with leading companies like Coke, American Express and others to drive this exciting new approach. Join Cathy and me as we discuss her revolutionary strategies that have proven to be successful.
There is no question that conventional wisdom is being thrown out the window on so many fronts. Brexit and the U.S. elections are just a few examples. Information is ricocheting around the world in internet speed and affecting everyone. That’s why I invited someone who sees it all, like Eric Schurenberg. the editor-in-chief of Inc. Magazine, to be my guest. We will be talking about how the world and the world of work is shifting rapidly and what Eric sees as lasting trends and what to do about them.
What does it mean in practice to be a values-based leader? When faced with real situations, how can you be your best self and create the best teams while also being the best partner with customers, vendors and other stakeholders. Also important is being a best citizen. These are tall orders for anyone. In this show I will be speaking with Harry Kraemer Jr., , the best-selling author of “Becoming the Best: Build a World-Class Organization Through Values-Based Leadership.” We will be talking about self-reflection and Harry will be sharing some of his experiences as CEO and Chairman of Baxter International as well as the compelling stories of how values-based leaders give back to others and society.
This show is a real jewel. I will be interviewing Robert Pasin, the CEO or Chief Wagon Officer of Radio Flyer, the little red wagons we all remember from our youth. We will be discussing the evolution of the company and how it has touched the hearts of so many families and children for more than 80 years. Robert will highlight how the company was formed in 1914 and the leadership lessons he learned from his grandfather that kept the vision of this company alive and even more relevant today. We will also be exploring the culture this organization has that helped it evolve and sustain itself over time. It will be an inspiring discussion with an inspiring CEO that you should not miss.
More and more we are hearing about big data and analytics that can help sharpen the performance of organizations and decisions about people in the organization - arguably the most important part of any company. I have long espoused that we do not use enough measurement around people practices and decisions and that we operate way too much from the gut - hiring and promoting “mini-mes.” br My guest today is the world-wide father of human capital strategic analysis and measurement relative to people. Dr. Jac Fitz-enz is the leading expert on human capital and helped forge the way for better data driven decision making about human capital issues. He is the author of over 13 books, which we will be discussing, along with what he considers to be the five most important things to measure about people at work.
Globalization is here to stay. We all know those who would like to roll back the times when companies and talent did not have to compete in a global arena. However, we all know you can never go back and progress can sometimes be very painful if you don’t prepare. br My guest this week is Clare Novak who was highlighted in the New York Times for her global HR practices and how she worked through the recession. Clare has worked in some remote and tough places in the world and will share her perspective on the implications of globalization on people. She will share her firsthand knowledge and insights as well as what she has learned about unconscious bias. You will hear some surprising things that you did not expect and how to deal with them.
We all struggle with how to leverage social media to our advantage without making it a massive time drain. Today, you must understand how to use social media not only to build your own personal brand but also that of your company as well. This week’s show will be with entrepreneur and social media guru Ken Rochon. He is a noted author with several books, the most notable is “Keep Smiling: Shift Happens.” We will be exploring how you can demystify social media and make it work for you to build your brand and your company’s sales. Ken is a fellow radio show host, so you may want to tune into his show here for ongoing tips.
Today's economy is changing so quickly. The old ways, in many cases, are too linear and slow to capture value and build capacity in organizations. Today with technology, global reach and interconnectedness and a workforce that will largely be made up of millennials -- we need more flexible and adaptable approaches than how we have done things in the past. Organizations need to be more agile - which does not mean move full speed ahead with no guardrails -- but it does mean that we have to adapt principles and systems to this world we live and not the world we used to live in.
Join me with Chris Worley, renowned thinker from The University of Southern California and co-author of “The Agility Factor,” for a lively and thought-provoking discussion on how to build agility.
With different business models re-emerging to capture the market, NV Tyagarajan, CEO of Genpact, is maniacal about his. Tiger as he is known is relentless about Genpact's focus on the customer. He has built a powerhouse company with a dispersed workforce and leadership team in the customers’ markets in order to be able to understand the client’s journey and challenges. Tune in and hear how Tiger and his team have built a culture of customer value.
Leadership is now often seen as a boring “mechanical” activity from second rate development programs – not the inspirational experience that it really is that can make a difference and change lives. br Chris Roebuck has successfully delivered leadership initiatives in major organizations to a high quality level. One is part of a Harvard Case Study. He is a Visiting Professor of Transformational Leadership at the respected Cass Business School in London and knows the key evidence for success. br Please join us as we discuss his unique, inspiring but simple & practical approach to leadership.
Companies have been rethinking their learning models for great impact. Guru Elliott Masie and I will be discussing how leadership learning is transforming the workforce and how technology will be the driving force. He is the author of “Learning Rants, Raves, and Reflections: A Collection of Passionate and Professional Perspectives.” Be sure to join us!
Leading technology companies possess a great deal of data that can have a positive impact on peoples’ lives. Companies like LinkedIn are perfect examples of that - creating the world’s largest database of professionals in which to network. But they can also shed light onto the future of people’s lives to help them better prepare and plan as professionals. Join me with Mike Derezin, VP of Sales Solutions for LinkedIn, to talk about the company’s vision of the future and how it leverages its values and culture to stay relevant.
With everything moving so fast today, long strategy planning cycles no longer make sense. In short, strategy is stuck and many frameworks used today were designed for a different era. My guest this week is Dr. Rita Gunther McGrath, a professor at Columbia School of Business and one of the world’s leading experts on strategy in highly uncertain and volatile environments. Rita’s latest, best-selling book, The End of Competitive Advantage: How to Keep Your Strategy Moving as Fast as Your Business, was recognized by Strategy+Business as the #1 business book of the year. Join us as we discuss how to keep your strategy moving fast.
PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), long known for its thoughtful points of view on the workplace and terrific research, has something provocative to say about what we need in order to succeed in the future. Joining me on this show is Jean Lee, a Principle in PwC's People and Organization practice. We will be talking about the research that she and her team are doing on the future of work and the insight she has about the impact of technology. This will be a real crystal ball discussion about what our future looks like and how you can prepare.
When it comes to work these days, we're expected to do more with less, but is this nose-to-the-grindstone philosophy the best way to run a business? Alarmingly low employee engagement numbers indicate otherwise. So, if pushing everyone harder isn't the path to productivity, what is? br My guest, Shawn Murphy, is the CEO and Founder of Switch & Shift, a boutique consultancy and advisory firm dedicated to developing and advancing positive organizational business and leadership practices. Shawn and I will discuss how to create a positive workplace where everyone loves to come to work. This should be a great and positive discussion!
Even such seemingly illusive companies as Airbnb and Uber have built a remarkable brand presence. My guest this week is Denise Lee Yohn, a best-selling author and frequent guest on CNN and Bloomberg. Denise has worked with the creme de la creme in building brand identity. We will be discussing how you can build intense customer loyalty and she will share her seven secrets to building a powerful brand. Building a brand is serious business. If you and your company are not brand savvy, it can make or break your company even if you are great at what you do.
I am so excited to have world renowned Rugby Coach Sir Clive Woodward on this show. Clive brought the World Cup victory to England in 2003 and Great Britain’s London 2012 Olympic Games. Under Clive's leadership, the England Team broke all records. He is a sought after BBC Sports Commentator and has taken his experiences and applied them to leadership. Clive will tell us how he tracked and showed plays by applying data analytics plus his compelling stories and framework for how he coaches leaders and what he looks for in talent will inspire anyone listening.
The world is quickly changing in ways we never imagined. It seems that every day there is another surprise that tests our existing paradigms. What is shaping leaders, organizations and culture is very different from what it was 50, or even 30, years ago.
My guest, Dr. David Ulrich, is a leading guru in this field. He and I shared a podium in Dubai, and I found his insights as fascinating as always. Dave and I will be discussing the changing world of work, his latest reflections on leadership and culture and what we all need to think about to stay relevant and on top of our games in the 21st century of digital innovation.
The world is getting faster and more complex. According to Davos we are entering the 4th Industrial Revolution that is likely to dramatically disrupt many business and workers. In fact, over 75 percent of CEO's in many industries believe their businesses will be disrupted in the next year or so. These shifts in demographics, economic balance, technology and globalization are creating a perfect storm that only the hardiest will survive. Join me in my discussion with Karam Filfilan, Deputy Editor of Changeboard, regarding what is needed to weather the storm.
Millennials will be entering the workforce at unprecedented rates. As such, much is being written about them - their habits, their wants, their needs and, most importantly, how to motivate and retain them. Many experts claim to know the truth about millennials: they need work to be fun, they need rewards programs to stay motivated, and constant praise no matter what they do. But Bruce shatters some of these beliefs in his new book, Not Everyone Gets a Trophy: How to Manage the Millennials.” His message is this: The millennial generation calls for strong leadership, not weak. Join us in our discussion on millennials, which will be sure to be lively and extremely insightful.
Values are shaping our lives in ways that we never experienced so acutely. With massive changes in demographics and over 2 billion people under the age of 20 who will be, or are, entering the workforce, values become increasingly more important. Additionally, more and more evidence is pointing to the fact that aligning one's organization to positive values creates long term benefits.
Join me in discussing the impact of value driven leadership with Anna Amato and Lee Murphy, both Ph.D. graduates from Benedictine University in Illinois. We will be sharing how values have been used to bring organizations together and help create truly innovative thinking, growth and employee loyalty - all important factors in today’s workplace.
Digital advances and artificial intelligence are taking over the business world. Many businesses will become obsolete in a matter of days. Based on agile thinking and strategy, you and your business could become a “has been” or a “go to” depending on your choices. Join me in a terrific interview with Srini Koushik, chief technology officer for Magellan Health, in what will prove to be a very lively discussion.
Join me for a robust discussion of how coaching used correctly has changed the way leaders learn. My guest Brian Underhill, CEO of CoachSource which is the largest network of global coaches in the world, will share key insights into how to get the most out of coaching and how to leverage it globally. br Dr. Underhill brings years of experience and research in coaching that will no doubt shed light on what we need to do as leaders to develop ourselves and our teams. Teamwork on the part of a leader is often a rarity, but that needs to change for those who want to move fast and make solid choices and decisions. This should prove to be a great discussion.
As we move into the fast paced 21st Century business world, it becomes clear that speed is of the essence. Yet companies can't have speed in decisions and execution if they have a culture that is slow, bureaucratic and lacks trust and honesty. A culture of open communication and collaboration is essential. Having just spent days with Silicon Valley Titans – I realize that culture is foremost on their minds. Transforming your culture for agility and speed is not easy.
In this episode, my guest is John Mattone who will share his research and findings in his new and exciting book Cultural Transformation. This will be a great discussion around whether or not one can create a culture that helps sustain great performance.
The world is changing so fast. Communication now reaches the far ends of the earth to places we were never able to reach before, and in lightning speed. Beliefs and practices are being challenged and tested everywhere. Inequality is transparent in ways it never was before. The losers will wait to see how others respond. The winners will act now to harness the massive shifts going on. During this show we will talk about how the winners need to respond to the seismic sea changes.
Join me with Roland Sullivan, one of the top thought leaders and author of over 25 books including his widely acclaimed book Practicing Organization Development, now in its 20th year and fourth edition. Roland has actionable insight that he will gladly share with us. I’m sure you’ll find our discussion riveting.
We all have values that stem from our beliefs of right and wrong. Much of that is determined from our brain’s “big data” analysis of the messages we receive in the world every single day. The same holds true for organizations. Certain organizations attract people with certain types of values. Sometimes corporate values don't align with the rest of society as in the cases with Volkswagen and GM, where unfortunately integrity breaches appear to be the norm. br Join Dr. Jim Ludema and me as we have a conversation on the power of values at work. Jim is the Director of the Center for Values Driven Leadership at Benedictine University, my alma mater. I really look forward to great insights and a terrific conversation!
Technology is rapidly changing everything. The world has entered an era of radical innovation through technology and the insights and connections it provides. This begs the question, how can you capture this power for yourself and your company? Finding and harnessing your brand's voice is a skill. Using it to connect with your customers, and especially your fans, is an art. Customers buy. Fans buy in.”
Join me with Lee MJ Elias, an outstanding hockey coach, who will tell us how to leverage technology to build our fan bases in a real and authentic way. We will be discussing his work and lessons learned that he covers in his book “Think Like a Fan.”
Most workers today would agree that there is not much joy at work. In fact, employee engagement scores have been at their all-time low over the past 8 years or so according to Gallop and the Conference Board. But how has CEO Richard Sheridan been able to create such joy at Menlo Innovations? Even the delivery man notices the vibe when he comes into their offices and wonders how can I get a job here?
Join me in an interview with Rich Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations and author of Joy, Inc. We will be discussing the secret sauce of Menlo and how he and his team have created such joy at work. It should prove to be an interesting, insightful and sometimes controversial conversation with one of the most humble CEO's I know.
Throughout the year I had some terrific leaders as my guests who discussed leadership, culture and organization development issues and cutting edge practices. I feel much honored to have so many great people willing to share their perspectives.
This show will take a look at many of the issues we talked about and the themes and lessons that emerged that we all need to consider as we enter the New Year. We will discuss the implications for all of us such as the still-lagging women in the workplace, how to crack command-and-control leadership and how to put frameworks in place that provide guidance, build capability and add value to the organization of the future.
Leading change has always been hard and takes incredible focus and leadership fortitude. Many of us find ourselves in the vortex of a perfect storm, and it can be difficult to craft a path forward. But being an incredible leader requires you to face change and turbulence and create a path forward that makes sense and engages the hearts of those you lead.
I am excited to have Walter McFarland, a former Senior Executive at Booz Allen Hamilton and past Chairman of the ASTD Board, on the show. Walt, also an author and great leadership thinker, will share his perspective on how to lead change in turbulence and some key steps that leaders must take for sustainability.
This show will take a look at how the world of work is changing in many ways. I have invited a panel of best-selling authors and leading thinkers to discuss what they see as the future for the work place. The discussion will center on what we all need to prepare for in order to be successful. In particular, what are the signs we all need to pay attention to and what are the strategies that we will need to use to stay ahead of the pack. Join me with Morag Barrett, Jason Jennings and Kory Kogan to discuss work place implications from a leadership, organization and tactical perspective. The insights are sure to be ground breaking.
As we move into the new era of work where so many things have changed such as technology, seismic demographic shifts and globalization, we need new work models. Some of the paradigms of the past are no longer relevant - in fact they may never have been relevant. We believed such things were, however, like ratings and rankings as motivational and leadership tools.
Join me with David Siegel, a leading thinker from Silicon Valley who is helping transform how we need to think about leadership, culture and how we work in the coming century. His ground breaking research, books and programs debunk some of the prevailing myths about work processes and leadership. David will share how leaders need to lead and transform business for true value going forward.
Women and leadership have been a hot topic and will continue as such over the next 10 years. We will see great strides as women become fabulous entrepreneurs, starting great and lasting businesses. It is my prediction that women made some great strides in leadership roles, but not enough in the late 20th Century. We now have great role models that didn’t exist before and a greater dialogue relative to the bias that women have faced in moving forward.
Join me with what will prove to be a great dialogue with Cy Wakeman and Caroline Stockdale in discussing their careers, their work and their research about Reality-Based Leadership - the basis for Cy's most recent book.
We all know that water cooler chatter can sometimes be toxic and when it goes unchecked it can become a culture into a toxic cocktail. Leaders play a direct role in their communications that can keep that toxic cocktail bubbling. Once you are in this vortex it is often tough to turn it around. brbr My guest, Jeanne Malnati, CEO of The Culture Group, specializes in fostering a culture of goodwill and appreciation. Her experience at Malnati's Pizzeria, her family’s famous and nationally recognized business, gave her the insight into what is required to shape leaders and create remarkable cultures. Her story is an inspiration to everyone whether you are a small family owned business or a large one trying to grow globally. Her experience, story and tools will help you understand how to make transformation last.
We still have old line human resource professionals insisting that the way to energize and create great talent is to rack and stack them and get rid of the bottom 10 every year. Well that may have been the way to go in the industrial era but a lot has changed since then. Many companies are realizing that this draconian approach is loaded with bias and the halo effect and over 30 some years has not proven to really improve performance. In fact, in many cases, it has demoralized employees and driven down engagement.
Join me with Janice Semper, a top executive at GE, who is the main architect of the new approach to performance that GE is testing. The results have been fascinating. Janice will share why GE turned in this direction and what they have experienced from the results. It will be truly enlightening and everyone should have a listen.
Leadership is nothing new - in fact it is the one topic most studied and written about in business literature. But what is new today? Relationships, for one, and social connections are becoming increasingly more important. Social leaders (aka Blue Unicorns) in the workplace are having a huge impact. Leadership is about being a social giver and not a social taker, as command and control leaders have been.
Mark Babbitt will be my guest on this show and will share the impact that Blue Unicorns can have and how you can help develop them. Mark was named a Top 100 Leadership Speaker by Inc. and is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review, the Huffington Post and a co-author of “A World Gone Social: How Companies Must Adapt to Survive.” This will prove to be an intriguing discussion with the CEO and Founder of YouTern.
In this series, we are focusing on real life stories regarding the impact culture has on business performance. We now know that, along with leadership, culture is probably the most important factor that can either tank a company or help it grow. Culture can bring your strategies to life or bury them in the landfill. It can be a real competitive advantage in any industry that relies heavily on people - which is just about all of them.
Joining me this week will be Karl Thomas, Senior Director of Hampton Brand Culture and Internal Communications. Karl knows hospitality and knows that without a constructive and healthy people-focused culture his company will not show the hospitality it aspires to have. Karl has over 12 years of experience with brand culture and communications at Hilton Worldwide’s Hampton brand. He tells a wonderful story about Hampton Brand culture and how it was infused into every aspect of hotel operation. This is a show not to be missed!
It's hard to believe that we are coming up on one year for the show. It's been a great year with wonderful guests, great insights and lots of powerful advice from some of the leading experts.
I have received so many positive notes of support for which I am so grateful. And I have received a treasure trove of great questions that I thought I would devote this show to.
The themes that resonate with listeners have been issues such as: exactly how do you go about changing a culture? What advice to you have for teaching others to coach as well as how you create a lasting coaching culture through coaching circles and peer coaching?
Another frequent theme is what should the new approach to performance excellence look like and how exactly do you go about building global leadership capability.
On this show I will be answering these and many other questions with concrete approaches for things that you can do tomorrow.
One of the keys for the new world of work is culture. We now know that culture plays an incredible role in making organizations and the people in them highly productive and engaged. Organization leaders used to cite culture as soft and unimportant. Studies consistently show that culture is really king when it comes to creating great workplaces where people can thrive.
Join me with Dr. Jason Carthen, a former NFL football player for the New England Patriots turned academic, author and speaker. Jason has a unique story of his own personal journey to his purpose and the role of culture in organizations. He consults with Fortune 500 companies on how to achieve great winning cultures and drive clear purpose. This will prove to be a lively, highly insightful and inspirational show.
Global leadership and building a global mindset is an issue that is top of mind for many organizations. Having strong global leaders that can grow your business both at home and off shore keeps many CEO's up at night. Join me with Nazneen Razi, co-author of “Winning with Transglobal Leadership,” as we discuss our award winning research on how you find, develop and retain fabulous global talent.
The workplace is rapidly changing in ways we never anticipated. Technology is galloping. People can sit in one part of the world and view an office at work in another through robots. The workforce is more educated than ever and increasingly global. As a result, how and where work gets done needs to be re-thought. We are trapped in old concepts born out of the industrial era that were created for entirely different conditions. Are these concepts trapping our thinking and our approaches to the new world of work?
Join me with my guest Morag Barrett, renowned author, speaker and expert in cultivating relationships that work, in a lively discussion based upon our experience and research on how to develop a workplace and workforce that is agile and can sprint to the finish line.
Perfecting yourself as a leader is a constant journey. Leadership is a privilege and to be a great leader you need to reflect on who you are, how you can be your best and how you can support those that rely on you for their success in the organization. Marshall Goldsmith is, undoubtedly, one of the greatest influencers and coaches in the world of leadership. I always marvel at the insights Marshall provides that are so simple, clear and actionable but take real courage to do. Join me in this unique dialogue with Marshall where he will be giving us a sneak preview of his new book coming out in May called “Triggers: Creating Behavior that Lasts – Becoming the Person You Want to Be.”
One thing that remains constant in all organizations is that talent is the key ingredient that underscores a company's success. Finding, developing and keeping great talent is both an art and a science. My guest will be Bill Conaty, General Electric’s senior VP for Human Resources from 1993 to 2007 and author of “The Talent Masters: Why Smart Leaders Put People Before Numbers” with Ram Charam. Bill and I will be discussing how you keep at the top of the talent game.
With the onslaught of technology, the pace of change, increasing diversity and global reach, the rules from the past are not sufficient. Workplaces, processes, systems and old beliefs need to be adapted to the new reality.
Join me with author and visionary Mark Crowley to discuss his research, what enlightened companies are doing and some of Google 's new insights and approaches. Mark’s book, “Lead from the Heart: Transformational Leadership For The 21st Century,” is being taught at the Northern Arizona University’s School of Entrepreneurship, San Diego State University and Embry Riddle University.
Today's economy is changing so quickly. The old ways, in many cases, are too linear and slow to capture value and build capacity in organizations. Today with technology, global reach and interconnectedness and a workforce that will largely be made up of millennials -- we need more flexible and adaptable approaches than how we have done things in the past. Organizations need to be more agile - which does not mean move full speed ahead with no guardrails -- but it does mean that we have to adapt principles and systems to this world we live and not the world we used to live in.
Join me with Chris Worley, renowned thinker from The University of Southern California and co-author of “The Agility Factor,” for a lively and thought-provoking discussion on how to build agility.
Every day we face cursing demands - barrages of texts, emails and interruptions and the ever increasing pressures of our jobs. It can be overwhelming and exhausting. How can we as leaders keep up and make good decisions and accomplish what matters most?
My guest this week, Kory Kogon, co-author of “The Five Choices - The Path to Extraordinary Productivity” will talk about the latest neuroscience and decades of experience and research from Franklin Covey that will help us get a grip on our lives and be more productive. Not only will you learn tips to be more productive as an individual and with your team but also how to invest your valuable time to drive greater personal satisfaction. Her insights are ground breaking.
No doubt, leadership is the hallmark of all great companies, but some lose their leadership way while others manage to maintain great leaders and sustain their business presence for decades. My guest this week is Bill Hawkins who has seen all levels of leadership both from inside some of the world’s best companies and also as an expert on leadership. The Economist named Bill as one of the most credible executive advisers for the new business era.
Bill and I will be talking about what it will take to lead in this next century. We will break some of the organization sacred cows that simply don't work anymore and offer tips for what you need to do to continue to be relevant and agile. Bill knows how to develop leaders!
Millennials are one of the fastest growing populations in the world. The statistics vary, but in the next 3 to 5 years Millennials will make up the bulk of those hired into the workforce. Jared Kleinert is the personification of the Millennials! We will hear about his just-published book destined to be a bestseller called 2 Billion Under 20.
Jared's focus is helping 20 year-olds and under find passion and work together to solve the world’s most pressing issues. We will talk about what you need to think about and do in order to market to, hire and retain Millennials and the importance of empowerment and community building. Jared is a sought after speaker and has shared the stage with world greats including Pitbull! Be sure to tune in for what promises to be a lively and informative discussion with a true entrepreneur.
Margaret Keane – redux! If you heard our first segment with Margaret, you’ll definitely want to tune in to this one. Margaret Keane, CEO of Synchrony Financial, an online bank that offers a wide range of credit products through national and regional retailers and merchants, will discuss how she truly created innovation in her company.
Many companies discuss innovation and have it in their tag lines, but few are able of capturing the innovative spirit and practices that define the Synchrony culture. Margaret will provide the secret sauce of what she did to truly capture innovation for her customers - which is simple, focused and really makes a difference in how clients can grow with Synchrony and how people can improve their lives. Her insights into innovation and engagement are invaluable.
With different business models re-emerging to capture the market, NV Tyagarajan, CEO of Genpact, is maniacal about his. Tiger as he is known is relentless about Genpact's focus on the customer. He has built a powerhouse company with a dispersed workforce and leadership team in the customers’ markets in order to be able to understand the client’s journey and challenges. Tune in and hear how Tiger and his team have built a culture of customer value.
My guest this week is Margaret Keane, CEO of Synchrony Financial, one of the largest private label credit companies in the USA and Canada. Synchrony is an on line credit organization which leverages technology to innovate. Margaret brought the company public in 2014 and Synchrony Financial was the 3rd largest IPO that year.
Margaret has a deep perspective on women in leadership and she was named American Banker's Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance 8 years in a row. She will talk about her career, how she took a bold step to reset it, and how she built a powerhouse organization using clear purpose and values that permeate the company’s DNA. Margaret’s perspective on the workforce of the future and how she built her company around the trends of collaboration and diversity make this a must listen to show.
In this show, I’ll be interviewing Liz Murphy, the CEO of CampusWorks. CampusWorks is a highly successful and innovative virtual company, and Liz is its bold female leader. We’ll be discussing several topics including why women make great CEO's, the current situation of women in leadership and what Liz learned and did to promote her career. We will also discuss the challenges and benefits of a virtual organization and how this model is gaining great traction in the world today. Subjects like how you manage performance and how you build collaboration and connectivity in the virtual world will be tackled with some great and interesting ideas that you can apply now. Liz is loaded with insights that every leader must hear and that crack some of the myths about working virtually.
A lot of research has been done on great companies and, in many cases, they have ultimately failed or fallen out of grace. On this show I will be interviewing leadership guru and researcher Jason Jennings on what makes companies great. His best-selling book “It's Not the Big That Eat the Small - It’s the Fast That Eat the Slow” was seminal leadership work. Jason has authored numerous best sellers and interviewed and researched over 200,000 companies. He knows the secret sauce for success. This should be a lively interview to include in our CEO series.
The conversations leaders often don't have are around purpose. What is the difference you are trying to make in the world? I find that really great leaders have a deep and inspiring purpose that guides them in what they do every day and how they lead their organizations. It’s usually very personal and compelling. It’s what brings them joy in their work.
Suhail Bin Tarraf is CEO of Tanfeeth the first large scale business partnership in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The tag line for the organization is Getting it done and making it better. Suhail will discuss leadership from the top in the GCC and what is important to him and his organization.
Here's the good news – you can find out how your personal brain works! You can learn your strengths and gain insight into how you motivate and lead teams by taking a brain capacities assessment.
The other exciting news is that there are exercises that are simple, quick and easy to do to strengthen your brain’s capacity. Tony Pottle, Chief Development Officer and faculty member of the Academy of Brain Based Leadership, will be joining me to discuss how the brain capacity works, how you assess your own capacity and how you develop certain functions of the brain. We will also be discussing the coaching implications for the future and what we, as leaders, need to do to innovate and build teams.
Stress is a function of life. According to researchers some stress is actually helpful but some can also be harmful. Being resilient in the face of adversity is an important leadership trait. Leaders who can rebound and maintain positive outlooks are proven to be more successful. But what do we know about the brain that may cause stress and keep us from the rebound?
Join us as Dr. Catherine Hambley, a faculty member of the Academy of Brain Based Leadership, discusses resilience, stress and the brain, and how coaching can, in fact, help a leader change in a lasting way.
Much is being said about bias as we realize more and more that the human brain is wired in some ways to categorize people. According to a New York Times editorial by Nicholas Kristof, Scholars suggest that in evolutionary times we became hard wired to make instantaneous judgements about whether someone was in our group or not. In some cases this was a matter of life or death.
This show will feature Dr. Dan Radecki, a leading neuroscientist who built the first ever Neuroscience Leadership curriculum. We will discuss the role that the brain plays in non-conscious bias and what we can do about it in a world where we need more understanding and connection - not distance.
What we are learning about the brain and how it functions is only scratching the surface, but neuroscience is shedding considerable light on how we behave and how we lead.
Join me this month as we focus on some of the key neuroscience and leadership insights from the leading experts in the world. For this first show in the series, I will be speaking with Phil Dixon, the CEO of the Academy of Brain Based Leadership. Phil and I will be exploring the next evolution of neuroscience from the original SCARF model to the more contemporary model of SAFETY and its implications for workplace leadership.
What is your noble purpose? Do you even have one and have you even thought of your purpose! These are essential questions that great leaders need to be able to answer and yet many can't in clear and simple language.
This show will focus on Noble Purpose coined by Lisa Earle McLeod. Lisa is widely recognized for shaping this powerful concept that she learned through her sales leadership experiences. She is a best-selling author, and TED speaker and will share how you create your own personal noble purpose for yourself and for the organizations you lead.
Leading change has always been hard and takes incredible focus and leadership fortitude. Many of us find ourselves in the vortex of a perfect storm, and it can be difficult to craft a path forward. But being an incredible leader requires you to face change and turbulence and create a path forward that makes sense and engages the hearts of those you lead.
I am excited to have Walter McFarland, a former Senior Executive at Booz Allen Hamilton and past Chairman of the ASTD Board, on the show. Walt, also an author and great leadership thinker, will share his perspective on how to lead change in turbulence and some key steps that leaders must take for sustainability.
As we become more diverse, global and transparent it is clear that being emotionally sensitive to others is a critical skill. In fact, some of the conflicts that we have witnessed over the last several months likely stem from lack of understanding and emotional connection with those we are called to interact with. Many personal conflicts could be minimized or avoided if more EQ was used.
In our research for Transglobal Leadership, we discovered that having a high degree of EQ is directly linked to leadership success. I have asked Bob Anderson, a leading expert in the area of emotional intelligence, to join me to discuss this important attribute for all leaders. Our discussion will help you sharpen your EQ saw.
Jim Kouzes – best-selling author and go to guru on all things leadership will be my guest on this show. Jim's works are on every serious leader’s book shelf. His models are clear, simple and effective in ensuring you are a credible leader that engages your followers and unleashes the potential of your people.
Studies today indicate that leadership, especially global leadership, is in very high demand, but very scarce in reality. At Jim's core is his desire to serve others. This service focus comes through in all the award winning works and programs he leads.
It is an honor to have Jim join my show. I have used his research and books in just about every leadership program I do. Being a credible leader is everything!
In the global arena many are learning the hard way that relationships are everything. Being able to connect with people in authentic ways to build alliances and relationships creates trust. Trust is cherished, but often scarce, in the workplace and beyond. Work is the toughest team sport any of us will play, says my guest Morag Barrett. The core of work is a culture of trust based upon relationships.
Join me and Morag, an internationally renowned speaker and author who has years of experience developing global leaders, as we discuss the critical questions that underpin powerful relationships. The quality of your relationships makes all the difference.
You'll often here me say that leadership is not a level or role it is a privilege that needs to be taken with great care and character. As leaders get more successful they can often lose sight of their impending failures. As your guest, John Mattone says, “Failure almost always precedes success.”
Why is that you might ask. Hubris is often found in leaders as they gain power and success and it can blind you to your own personal core and character. The world is littered with failed leadership. Join me with John Mattone, bestselling author, coach and speaker to learn how to stay on top of your leadership game and maintain your commitment to your personal guiding principles.
We often are trapped by old beliefs for old business models, but the business of the future is changing and changing fast.
What 20th century practices are holding us back from building extraordinary organizations with innovative talent? This show will focus on what you need to do as a leader to elevate the performance of your talent and break the chains that bind you to old unproven practices.
My guests, Ron Baker and Ed Kless, will discuss the tools and techniques to break the old habits. They are the founders of VeraSage Institue a renowned think tank that revolutionizes knowledge professional organizations. They have won numerous awards and recognition for their exemplary work. Listen to what they have to say about leadership.
CEO's and C-Suite leaders have a wide view of how an organization functions and the issues and pressures that are faced. Many don't often share their insights or even some of their fears and challenges. This show will be about the view from the top.
Louis Carter, CEO of the Best Practices Institute, will share his perspective of building a business from scratch, leading a worldwide enterprise and the researched trends that he sees leaders will be facing in the future. Lou's insights about the changing demographics of the workforce, the impact of the millennials and increased globalization are just a few of the challenges to be discussed. Lou has an open perspective on some of the fears that all CEO's have. Our discussion will be broad and lively.
Perfecting yourself as a leader is a constant journey. Leadership is a privilege and to be a great leader you need to reflect on who you are, how you can be your best and how you can support those that rely on you for their success in the organization.
Marshall Goldsmith is, undoubtedly, one of the greatest influencers and coaches in the world of leadership. I always marvel at the insights Marshall provides that are so simple, clear and actionable but take real courage to do. Join me in this unique dialogue with Marshall where he will be giving us a sneak preview of his new book coming out in May called “Triggers: Creating Behavior that Lasts – Becoming the Person You Want to Be.”
We all think we listen and understand the messages that are sent our way. We hear the beginning of a statement and our mind does two things – we assume we know what the person is going to say and we tune out to them as our minds work on a response or a rebuttal before the person is finished talking.
Listening is one of the most taught leadership skills, yet still one of the biggest complaints employees have about some bosses.
Joining my show is Alexandra Barton Taketa, co-author of “What You Don't Know about Listening (Could Fill a Book),” who along with her co-author has cracked the code to being the listener we all aspire to be. She offers a simple and clear method that is proven to work and have real impact! So listen-up!
Much research has been done on organization culture and what leaders do to create the cultures their organizations live in. Often seeing the reality of the culture is illusive, however, if your culture is not aligned with your strategy or stated values it will quietly keep you from making progress, and you don't even know it.
My guest Dr. Robert Cooke, CEO of Human Synergistics and renowned researcher and author of the Organization Culture Inventory will be with me to discuss how to assess culture so you can take action. We will also explore the role of culture in the global context in our book Winning with Transglobal Leadership which we co-authored with Nazneen Razi and Peter Barge. Learn the impact that culture, if positive, can have on your personal success.
As Peter Drucker, the leading management guru, once said, The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask. Telling people what to do who are knowledge workers and have more information about the project than you do simply won't work. You need to learn how to ask, listen, learn and then coach.
Chris Coffey renowned leadership coach, educator and speaker will be joining me to discuss his new book and his coaching practice. He will impart the tools and techniques that leaders need for the now and the future. Framing the right questions and then truly understanding and listening to the answers is key before you take action. Join us and learn how to frame powerful and meaningful questions.
Leadership and organizations that focus on developing great leaders have been proven to have better business results and cultures of high performance. Leadership is truly the force multiplier of any organization. But having great leaders and being a great leader does not come without a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Being a leader is a privilege. Leadership is about helping others connect the dots and master their own destiny.
Jan Rutherford, a proven leader, educator and author of The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership, will be joining me for a lively discussion of what it takes to lead and how you can become the master of your own destiny and achieve great things with others.
Networking has long been encouraged and used as a tool to build powerful alliances with others who may be invaluable business contacts. However, networking without purpose and follow-up falls short in this busy and complex world. Social media and having a presence is essential, but having these elements without clear purpose and leveraging them for ROI can be a real time drain. As a leader you need a systematic approach that builds your brand.
My guest on this show is David Nour, speaker, consultant and author of his latest book Relationship Economics. We'll be talking about how you can turn your networks into potent relationships that are lasting and mutually beneficial.
Leadership is about you - how you behave, what you reward, how you build teams, who you promote and what your vision is, not only for yourself but your organization as well. These actions speak volumes about you as a leader and what you value. They are all signals of who you are and what others can expect from you.
In today’s competitive talent environment, these actions can and will determine if someone will follow you, be engaged and energized or seek greener pastures elsewhere.
Join me with Linton Bergsen, author of the game changing book, Purposeful Vision: See Your Vision, Know Your Purpose. Our discussion will lead you to your own reality and purposeful vision.
The business world is changing in many complex ways. The tools of communication and cross boundary networking change daily. Therefore the value proposition between employee and employer expectations must change to reflect this new reality. How you leverage this new reality to retain top talent is key. Employees want to know they will gain skills to advance their career goals. Employers want to ensure value and reasonable retention.
This show with Chris Yeh, co-author of the New York Times bestseller The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age, will teach you how to build trust and mutual employee/employer value in this modern world.
Smashing the glass ceiling once and for all is closer than we think. We have been making strides on this subject for years. But the stars seem to be aligned as we move into the complex, global, fast paced world of the 21st Century. We are being forced in many ways to change our paradigms on how we think of leadership and management. Inclusion is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have.
Davos highlighted that the war for talent is still very much top of mind for all organizations. Being able to attract and retain talent, no matter what they look like, where they hail from and how they do things is key to success today and tomorrow. Now we have to make certain we embrace the differences.
Dr. Randall White, co-author of Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Can Women Reach the Top of America's Largest Corporations? will be joining me on this show to explore the research on women in the global context. He will be sharing facts, trends and what they mean for all of us in the future.
As the workplace evolves in the 21st Century much is written about the wants and needs of the Millennials. By 2020, 70% of the workforce will be Millennials. There are 10,000 boomers retiring every day. It is predicted that Millennials will change jobs at least 20 times in their work life and they will turn over 4 times faster than everyone else. But are they really so different from everyone else?
The pressure to attract and retain diverse talent will be even greater in the years to come. My guest, James O. Rodgers, is an expert in creating inclusive cultures and environments in organizations so that they stay relevant. He is author of Managing Differently: Getting 100% from 100% of Your People 100% of the Time. Join me for an interesting dialogue of what leaders need to do to stay relevant in this changing landscape.
Shattering the glass ceiling is not easy. It’s termed glass because many times you can't see it. You know it though when you come up against it like a hidden iceberg. My last show with Sally Helgesen explored the evolution of women's progress in leadership and some specific things women can do to advance their leadership.
This next show will feature Becky Blalock, a woman who did indeed shatter the glass ceiling. Becky is the Managing Partner at Advisory Capital, a sought-after speaker and author. Becky and I will be discussing what she experienced and what she did to make it to the top and stay there. She has written a terrific book titled DARE - Straight Talk on Confidence, Courage, and Career for Women in Charge that contains some powerful insights and actions that we’ll be discussing.
Additionally, Toni Cusumano, of PricewaterhouseCoopers, will also be on this show. She will be providing insight into the latest trends and research.
Much has been written about the glass ceiling over the last 30 years and much progress has been made. There are more women CEO's then before. Women are slowly making it onto board seats and into C-Suite positions. We have seen an incredible rise of women with the so called STEM degrees (science, technology, engineering and math). Yet the inequities still exist.
As reported recently in the Wall Street Journal and other periodicals, women's salaries have not kept up with their male counterparts. Also, a recent longitudinal study by Harvard that tracked women with STEM degrees found that women have not made the strides that their male colleagues have and in fact have dropped out of the contest. The question is what is really going on here.
Join me with my guest Sally Helgesen to discuss these issues. Sally is a leading author and speaker on women and leadership and will be sharing her experience and insights about these trends and, most importantly, what we can do about them.
Leaders always underestimate the degree to which they need to communicate vision, direction and change initiatives. We know from neuroscience that messages are forgotten in 24 hours. Messages get washed out in the hubbub of the day to day work. However, leadership communication is a critical tool to be leveraged for leaders and most don't use it to its fullest. Leaders are always in the spotlight and being scrutinized for messages and meanings of what they think is important. They are always under a magnifying glass. brbr During this show I will be discussing these issues with Jay Conger a world class expert on leadership. Jay is a leadership guru from Claremont McKenna College who speaks with and trains leaders all over the world. We’ll be discussing how to think about leadership communication to make the messages meaningful and impactful. Finally, we will give you concrete things you can do to ensure what you say is memorable, meaningful and matters to those you lead.
The world is becoming more interconnected. Companies are expanding into new markets at an unprecedented rate. Companies used to be multinational having a footprint in numerous offshore locations while maintaining strong home country identity. Now many companies have expanded to global locations often in 100+ sites. Often overnight they are acquired by another company and become global with little or no preparation for the change that this will require.
The transglobal nature of work requires a different type of leader. They are what we call Transglobal Leaders who work effectively in any location in the world and have a global mindset in their DNA. These leaders know that command and control and fear based leaders tolerated in the past won't cut it now and will drag a company down. brbr This show provides the facts on how to be a transglobal leader. Joining me is Maya HuChan an expert in global leadership. Together we will explore what it takes to be successful in this new world order.
The work world is faster paced than ever before. Things that took months to transpire now only take minutes, and customers and employees make judgments in nanoseconds that can often not be changed without a lot of work. This environment is not likely to change but only get more intense. How should leaders respond to ensure continued success? This is no longer about being flexible and adaptable but about being agile.
Toni Cusumano is a Principal and leader in PwC's Global Human Capital practice. She currently serves as the Technology Industry Human Capital & Strategic Change Leader. Toni has nearly 20 years of experience helping global businesses achieve their business strategies through organization and people. She is passionate about co-creating innovative solutions that help solve the stickiest people and HR issues.
Toni and I will discuss what it means to be agile and review the research of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on corporate agility.
Neuroscience is exploding everywhere we turn. It has caused us to be able to definitively validate how the brain works and reacts. It turns out that some of the tried and true leadership theories are actually more fact than theory, because they are supported by brain research. We will explore some of the findings of neuroscience and debunk some of the practices that we hold dear - like performance management. My guest, Phil Dixon, will share his fact based model of neuroscience and human behavior and we will discuss his ground breaking brain based leadership assessment. The assessment gives you insight into your leadership style from your brain perspective. We will also share exercises that you can do to increase certain aspects of how your brain works to make you a more successful leader.
We all have experienced toxic bosses in the workplace. A funny thing is the thought that toxic bosses breed other toxic leaders and before you know it a hostile work environment has evolved. Once you have a toxic environment it is hard to turn it around. My guests, Laura Crawshaw author of Taming the Abrasive Boss and Lynda Prendergast, will be sharing their unique approach to turning an abrasive boss around. Leaders don't start out to be abrasive but somehow they get there for a variety of reasons. Laura will share her survey to help you assess yourself or your situation and offer practical tips and tools to avoid the pitfalls of toxic leadership.
Have you ever wondered what makes great companies great? The two biggest factors that define success in any enterprise are leaders who truly lead, and a culture that drives innovation, outstanding performance and engagement. brbr This show features aspiring leaders, current leaders and seasoned leaders with focused, quick insights, practices and tips that you can implement immediately from some of the most talented leadership experts in the world. brbr Our first show will layout the hallmarks of great leaders and great cultures in plain language with real time stories and examples. We’ll hear from the Executive Producer, Robert Ciolino, regarding why this show was so important to Voice America to produce. We’ll discuss exciting upcoming programs, and you’ll be able to email questions about a particular situation and we will get you a response! iLead will give you everything you need to know about leadership in a focused, practical and - most importantly - actionable way.