EP. 68 Learning To Listen

Mark Richards, former Army Aviation Commander, Iraq & Afghanistan War Leader and Leadership & Development Pro, shares lessons learned from a life spent in the service of others.  Mark has used much of what he has learned in the military and has applied it to helping Fortune 100 companies create the best Leadership & Development programs, to extract the best from their people.  Mark believes that Leaders who spend time creating a "Commander's Intent" are less likely to create cultures of disengagement and rock chasing.  A good Commander’s Intent articulates what success should look like without being a tyrant on how a Team accomplishes the task at hand.  Mark shares that spending time clearly articulating the purpose, key tasks and end-state can help a Team accomplish difficult objectives in the most creative ways.  In this episode we also cover the power of listening and how many of us never learn this skill.  We are taught to speak, read and present but not to actively listen.  Leaders Listen.  Mark dives into his personal journey with mental health and the simple ways Leaders can help engage their Team’s wellness while executing the mission.  First step is to recognize that you are working with people who are not always going to have a perfect day before coming to work.  Simply acknowledging that, humanizes work and allows you to really understand where your people are.  Incorporating "human and personal" check ins creates genuine conversations and trust with your Team.   Everyone will deal with their mental wellness differently, but your job as a Leader is to give space for your Team to be seen and heard.

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