Peak Performance Leadership

Leadership is a tricky but essential role; it requires both an intimate understanding of the team and organization and the ability to set and maintain clear expectations. When authorities don’t match responsibilities, it can lead to confusion, tension, and even disaster. Take, for example, the case of one of our audience members, Leticia. She was charged with leading a team but lacked clear authority in certain areas – a situation that could have been avoided if her assigned responsibilities had matched her authority. Instead, she found herself at odds with team members and her supervisor. The result... shouldn't surprise you... disaster. Topics In this solo episode, I discuss the following topics: What responsibilities, authorities, and accountabilities are What happened specifically to Leticia and her story Why it happened What could have happened differently What to do if you're a superior and things are aligned What to do if you're a subordinate and things are aligned For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/250

Bringing together new teams of people can be challenging, especially if it requires managing disparate personalities, diverse backgrounds, and conflicting interests. However, with sustained effort, open communication, and effective problem-solving skills, successful team cohesion is within reach. Leaders need to take the time to get to know their team members individually, invest in building relationships of trust and mutual respect, motivate mild competition where appropriate, set clear goals and expectations, resolve conflict constructively, and use feedback to coach and celebrate success. When leaders put in the work to bring their teams together, the results will be well worth the effort. A registered nurse since 2011, Andrea works in a pediatric critical care unit. Discussing mental health and philosophy has always been her passion and outlet. Andrea wholeheartedly believes emotional intelligence is a valuable, yet under-taught phenomenon. After all, it helped her cope with anxiety, depression and her first burn out at the young age of 21 – two short years after working the floor as a nurse. Unaware of what she was experiencing, Andrea turned to talk therapy for help, where she was taught strategies on how to become aware of her emotions and thus, manage them. She learned how to handle the anxiety that had imprisoned her mind, and gained control over the panic attacks and depression that plagued her. Andrea’s goal is to destigmatize mental health and create a safe space through her podcast so she can help others who are currently going through their own personal struggles. She hopes to encourage self-awareness and self-love, and create an environment where mental health can be spoken about openly and truthfully, without stigma or judgment. Topics During this interview Andrea and I discuss the following topics: The challenges of bringing a new team togetherTactical actions she took to get her team gel togetherHow her team got through conflict with another teamStrategies she used to improve communication within her teamHow having a sense of psychological safety has propelled her team forward For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/249

The job of a combat helicopter pilot isn't just stressful - it's life-or-death. And the leaders of these highly trained forces don't take the stress lightly, but instead double down on their commitment and drive those around them to extraordinary performance. The toughest test for any leader is to stay focused under intense pressure, and yet remain humble. They’re able to lead with great clarity and precision, inspiring teams in the heat of battle. It takes poise, courage, and strength of character to do what they do - each day flying into danger with a team by their side. Brian L. Slade has held command positions in the Army and the Air Force and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, and fourteen combat air medals. He attended Utah State, where he earned a BA and was commissioned as an Army Aviation second lieutenant. He’s also earned an MA in aviation instruction. Brian currently serves as a lieutenant colonel for Air Force Combat Search and Rescue. Topics During this interview Brian and I discuss the following topics: What drew him into forces especially the officer corps How he kept the mindset to stay at the top of performance How he got prepared to operate in combat zone How he took over an already established team and got it to peak performance Why leaders need to commit with courage  How to combat the great resignation  For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/248

In a world roiled by unprecedented change, effective leadership is becoming even more essential. No single approach will provide the ultimate solution to the challenges that change poses. Rather, it will be a confluence of ideas, strategies, and actions that will prove effective in managing and making the most of sweeping change. The world that existed yesterday will be decidedly different from that of tomorrow. It will take a complete and adaptable toolkit to cope effectively with that ongoing cycle of reinvention. Faisal Hoque is an accomplished entrepreneur, senior executive, author, thought leader, public speaker, and advisor to management teams and BODs with more than 25 years of cross-industry success. He is the founder of SHADOKA, NextChapter, and other companies; they focus on enabling sustainable and transformational changes. Throughout his career, he has developed over 20 commercial business and technology platforms and worked with public and private sector giants such as US Department of Defense (DoD), GE, MasterCard, American Express, Northrop Grumman, CACI, PepsiCo, IBM, Home Depot, Netscape, Infosys, French Social Security Services, Gartner, Cambridge Technology Partners, JP Morgan Chase, CSC, and others. What sets Hoque apart is the unique position and perspective he has always maintained, which is grounded in hardcore technology with deep roots in leading-edge management science.  Topics During this interview Faisal and I discuss the following topics: What trends he sees in 2023 How to combat misinformation as a leader What the 4th industrial revolution is and how to take advantage of it How use empathy as a leader in 2023 For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/247

It is not uncommon for many of us to set lofty goals and make ambitious New Year's resolutions at the start of every year. However, unfortunately, those resolutions are often doomed from the outset, as our expectations can be too difficult to live up to. Research has demonstrated that only 9% of us are actually successful in keeping their New Year’s resolutions and a staggering 81% quit before the second year even concludes. Shockingly, most people give up on their goals by February, achieving virtually nothing in the process. But it doesn’t have to be this way. If we look beyond our traditional approaches and focus tenaciously on creating a new mindset towards goal setting, then we can defy probability and establish goals that will stay with us all throughout the year. Carla Fowler, MD PhD. founded THAXA out of a passion for performance science, where the fields of strategy, productivity, and psychology intersect. Since its inception in 2013, THAXA’s scientific approach to individualized coaching has attracted a devoted client base of dozens of executives at firms ranging from large technology companies to agile startups to innovative nonprofits. Carla’s coaching methods draw upon the multidisciplinary field of performance science to generate the best ideas surrounding strategy, execution, and mindset to assist leaders in their endeavors. Over the past 10 years, she has distilled the key principles of performance into understandable concepts and a method that helps leaders incorporate these ideas into their day-to-day performance, helping them go faster and improving their results. Outside of her coaching, Carla truly enjoys sharing her key performance principles with audiences while engaging in thought provoking conversations. surrounding her passion for performance science. Topics During this interview Carla and I discuss the following topics: The mindset of goal setting The mindset of breaking big goals down into smaller ones The questions she asks when setting goals for herself and her teams How to run experiment with yourself and/or your team How to learn from your mistakes and failures to move forward in a positive direction Motivation vs discipline and how to keep going For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/246

As a leader, it’s essential to recognize that people don’t leave their work issues at home nor do they leave personal issues at work. Instead, they bring these two lives together in a way some might refer to as “integrated life strategy.” Employees can’t afford to be distracted by personal worries while on the job and employees need comfort of family and friends after a rough day at work. Without the ability to let both work and home life blossom, employees often feel unhappy and unproductive. Gone are the days when people believed that work and life were two distinct identities. The truth is, they’ve become increasingly intertwined in this day and age. In fact, the most successful leaders understand that happy employees are more productive, so it’s important to create environments where workers can be their whole selves. Whether you think of it as “work-life integration” or “work-life balance,” it’s essential to create an ecosystem in which employees thrive both inside and outside of the workplace. This means allowing them to bring their home issues to work (and vice versa) while still getting the job done. It may seem like a difficult balance to strike, but with the right strategies, it’s certainly achievable. Investing in your employees’ well-being will pay dividends for years to come. For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/245

2022 is about to be in our rearview mirror and here is 2023 about to stare at us in our faces... Are you ready? Goal setting is so crucial for success in life and as a leader. Here in this episode I am discussing the framework that we use for goal setting which is a values-based methodology. This pyramid is the basis for how we go about selecting, planning, and achieving our goals. Topics In this episode I discuss the following goal setting topics: Why it's important to set goals How values play a crucial part Why planning is more important than executing How you can have a goal crushing mindset For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/244

Many of you have said that all the world-renown coaches, authors, and speakers are great but sometimes it is hard to relate to them. Their ideas and methods are sound but do they work? You've longed to hear about a real leader, one who is there with you day-in, and day-out. A leader who is not an "expert" but rather a peer to help you understand truly what is achievable. Well today that is exactly who we have. Jonathan Audet spend over 20 years in the Canadian Army as a full-time officer and now serves in the Primary Reserve Force (part time) as a Commanding Officer while working a full-time job with the Canadian Coast Guard. He's a leader through and through and I am lucky enough to call him a friend. Topics During this interview Jonathan and I discuss the following topics: His background as a leaderWhat drove him to become a leader in the militaryWhat works in motivating others in achieving the organization’s aimHow he coaches othersLessons learned from failures as a leaderHow he’s applying his military experience to his civilian lifeThe biggest leadership challenge he’s currently facing Guest Resources Jon has no resources or anything of the kind. But as a member of the Leader Growth Mastermind, even he finds the value in said group.

Patrick Thean is a thought leader in strategic business execution and a successful serial entrepreneur who has started and exited multiple companies. As Founder and CEO of Metasys, Inc., he grew Metasys to a ranking of 151 on the Inc. 500 list. He is best known for helping companies accelerate their growth by focusing on great execution. He is exceptional at getting executive teams and their departments focused, aligned, accountable, and executing as a team to achieve their company objectives. His clients experience breakthroughs using this approach and tools that result in drama-free, accelerated growth. These tools are also part of the curriculum for the Entrepreneur Organization’s world-renowned Entrepreneurs Master’s Program held at MIT, where Patrick served as Program Cochair for seven years. He also chairs a similar program in Malaysia: “Taipan: The Making of Asian Giants.” Currently a Cofounder and CEO of Rhythm Systems (formerly Gazelles Systems), Patrick is the creator of Rhythm Software. Patrick received his Masters of Engineering and Bachelors of Science in electrical engineering from Cornell University. He was named an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for North Carolina in 1996.  Topics During this interview Patrick and I discuss the following topics: How strong Mondays set the week for success How to setup your team achieve peak performance How to prepare yourself for the upcoming week How to establish a culture of the “gift of red” How to establish a “stop doing list” For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website: https://leaddontboss.com/242

Recently I was on a work trip and came across a former subordinate of mine. We have an interesting past which includes, a trial, a challenge, and a reward. However, at this meeting he said something which absolutely rocked me and inspired this recording. Ultimately as leaders what we do matters to those we lead. Sometimes it is hard for us to see it or even feel it but it does matter. So when you make your decisions and think about ways forward. Remember as always. What you do as a leader matters.