Corporate Competitor Podcast

Ep. 128: Football, track, and baseball shaped Paul who was named to Glassdoor's list of Top CEOs determined by employee approval ratings. Listeners will learn how KPMG uses DEI principles and practices in its strategic planning, especially with talent acquisition. "Worrying is not a productive way to bring about change," he noted. "The leader's role is to be the calm in the middle of adversity." Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions so you can grow your influence in 2023. Special thanks to Nico Finol and Haley Rose for making this episode possible.

Reflection episode: After more than 100 conversations with leaders from companies like Amazon, Netflix, Disney, and Google, I've learned that sports not only taught our guests great lessons that translate to business, but it is a common denominator that makes them more relatable. For our last episode of 2022, I invited Maxwell Leadership Executive Vice President Chris Goede to our reflection episode to talk about his favorite episodes and specifically the formulas shared. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode is "Formulas For Success" which includes six formulas and one reflection question. Click here to download the bonus resource. If these lessons resonated with you, connect with me and my team at maxwellleadership.com/don and together we can next-level your company culture! Special thanks to Brett Rutherford and Lauren Hafner for making this episode possible.

Ep. 126: College football shaped this executive in his 40th year with Avnet. Phil leads more than 15,000 employees across 140 countiries. Phil doesn't believe in quick fixes and argues that integrity, the first among core values, has to be developed in the way we behave in the here and now—and over time. "There's an old saying," says Phil, "that people build trust penny by penny and spend it like a buck. You have to prioritize standing by your word." Download our BONUS RESOURCE which includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions for you to complete throughout Phil's teaching. YOU WILL LEARN: 9:00 Why substituting the word "we" in place of "I" immediately builds trust. 11:30 The steps to a successful merger or acquisition. 15:30 How to prioritize your tasks in alignment with your values. 16:30 Why you need to walk into the office with good news, and run in with bad news. Special thanks to Samuel Manley and Francisco Nunez for making this episode possible.

Ep. 125: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro shaped the way this Fortune 500 CEO leads Insight Enterprises, a $9.4 billion solutions integrator. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode is "How to Bring your Company Values to Life" which includes four reflection questions so you can create powerful, positive change in your organization. You Will Learn 8:00 The need for "players" to be able to play in more than one position. 11:00 How to define and reinforce your company values. 13:00 One way you can recognize your teammates for living out company values. 20:00 How to align each team member's personal goals with the team's goals. 23:00 Why there is no "one size fits all" approach to motivating your team. Special thanks to Samuel Manley and Jacob Poverman for making this episode possible.

Ep. 124: We're back for part 2 with the leader behind the phrase "Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen." Download our free BONUS RESOURCE for reflection questions that will empower your team and listen for lessons in: 5:30 The difference between mission and vision 7:00 How to hire for purpose, not function. 8:00 How to frame a common objective in a way that unifies people. 9:00 Horst Schulze's definition of a team. 12:00 What you gain by "selecting" people to work with you rather than "hiring" them. 13:30 The one thing that must be in every employee orientation. If these lessons resonated with you, connect with Don and his team at maxwellleadership.com/don and together we can next-level your company culture! Special thanks to Haley Rose and Samantha Clark for making this episode possible.

Ep. 123: Become the best in a world of compromise in the first of our two-part series with longtime COO and President of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Download our free BONUS RESOURCE for reflection questions that will empower your team and listen for lessons in: 7:00 How to next-level your organization's purpose statement. 10:30 The difference between management and leadership. 13:45 Three things every customer expects. 15:00 The fastest way to develop customer loyalty. 18:00 The non-negotiables that form the backbone of Ritz-Carlton's culture. If these lessons resonated with you, connect with Don and his team at maxwellleadership.com/don and together we can next-level your company culture! Special thanks to Haley Rose and Samantha Clark for making this episode possible.

Ep. 122: People admire perfection from a distance, but they can't relate to it. Most leaders believe that sharing their failures, shortcomings, and faults will make them less followable, and less respected. But author and motivational speaker Ryan Leak believes the opposite is true. Connection, not perfection, is the goal. Our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode is "How to Start Meaningful Conversations" which includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions so you can create powerful, positive change in your organization. Click here to download the bonus resource. And if you are interested in Ryan's new book, Leveling Up: 12 Questions to Elevate Your Personal and Professional Development, order here. Special thanks to Haley Rose and Brett Rutherford for making this episode possible.

Ep. 121: The NFL's top female executive was a competitive gymnast who grew up on a farm in Western Kentucky. Renie oversees the League's sponsorships, new business, and media sales for their NFL Network. You have probably seen NFL players using Microsoft Surface tablets on the sideline—that is a visual example of one of Renie's many roles on display. Download our BONUS RESOURCE for this episode which includes fill-in-the-blank notes for you to complete throughout Renie's teaching. You will learn how to treat your career as a series of stages, each one of which calls for re-evaluating what you're willing to sacrifice at that time in your life. Plus, you will learn what "fake it 'till you make it" really means! Special thanks to Julia Monkarsh and Haley Rose for making this episode possible.

Ep. 120: UNC Tennis and being classmates with Michael Jordan shaped Pam, who leads in the third largest electric utility company in the United States. She learned about preparedness not on the frontline of storm recovery but on the backline of countless tennis courts, where her father coached her to see how sports could teach you important lessons. Our BONUS resource for this episode is "How to lead through disaster" which includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions so you can create powerful, positive change in your organization. Click here to download the bonus resource. Special thanks to Samantha Clark and Francisco Nunez for making this episode possible.

Ep. 119: Former U.S. Bank CEO who currently serves on the board of Mastercard, Mayo Clinic, Dow Chemical, and Wells Fargo says sports taught him that win or lose, you tend to have more fun when you are in the game. So, instead of setting a goal to play a certain position, he always did whatever he could to be a utility player, in sports and business. "I've always believed that putting your hand up to do something demonstrates curiosity," he said. "And then, if you do it well, it demonstrates competency." As Richard made himself more valuable, the job titles also fell into place. All aspiring business leaders would do well to take to heart Davis' mantra to "set a direction, never a goal." Our FREE BONUS RESOURCE for this episode includes fill-in-the-blank notes and reflection questions so you can create powerful, positive change in your organization. Click here to download the bonus resource. Special thanks to Lauren Hafner and Brett Rutherford for making this episode possible.