Lead the Team (Top 2% of Podcasts)

Some leaders are predicting the future.You can anticipate disruptions and seize new opportunities with information that’s already available. Your competition has access to it too and the big difference comes down to the decisions you make from it.I host Ajit Sivadasan, Lenovo’s President and Global Head of DTC (2C to 2B) who shares the top 3 macro trends he’s using to create a leadership advantage.He is the founding executive of Lenovo's global online strategy, starting in 2006 across it's b2c and b2b businesses. Over the last 15+ years, Ajit's led a global team that has helped craft and drive Lenovo's global online sales from 5 countries to 35+ countries and lenovo.com's footprint into 90+ countries. During this period, revenue and profits have grown by over 15X and units by over 15X in B2C. He’s also served in leadership roles at Gateway and Deloitte.Lenovo is a $70B, 75,000 employee company that’s built on its success as the world’s largest PC company by further expanding into key growth areas including server, storage, mobile, solutions and services.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajitsivadasanCompany Link: https://www.lenovo.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:Why leaders should use macro trends to guide their decisions.What Ajit learned from Peter Drucker.Why macro trends help you make great hiring decisions. A time that data decision making paid off.A hack to get buy-in on your big idea.When facing adversity created a big opportunity. Three success strategies for every employee.The LinkedIn posting strategy he uses to test his ideas. -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Is your team making your vision a reality? Are they getting there fast enough?It is essential to have a leadership vision, AND you need to create the team to get there. This is where many inspiring visions fail. I host Matt Cooper, CEO of Skillshare, who shares how leaders are tapping into new strategies to leverage the best talent around the world to accelerate their leadership vision and make them a reality.Since joining in November 2016, he’s led the company to significant growth of both sales and subscribers. Skillshare has more than 800,000 paying subscribers today.He brings the perfect balance of operational excellence and an entrepreneurial spirit to his role and has led a number of strategic initiatives surrounding employee experience and compensation including equity grant transparency and a no negotiation salary policy - two policies that have earned him recognition as a top leader. He’s also served as CEO of Visually and held senior leadership roles at Upwork and ScribbleLive. LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/cooperm/Company Link: https://www.skillshare.com/en/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:A big leadership lesson that helps him remain curious and humble.How to tell if your team is giving you honest feedback.A strategy for giving and receiving hard feedback.A time an executive coach helped him.The biggest problem with Glassdoor reviews.The tool every leader can use to build their own “Skunkworks”.What he learned about delegation as executive at Odesk (now Upwork).How every company can innovate (even when you don’t meet in person).Two kinds of leadership and why you need both.How to tell if your team needs remote or in-person leadership training.Matt’s No B.S. policy for Stock Option Grants.Why Skillshare NEVER negotiates salaries.Two leaders that have impacted his career the most.The new “beanie babies” model that can be applied to any business.Resources:The Skillshare No B.S. Guide to Startup Stock Option Grants by Matt Cooper,  equity grant transparency  The Skillshare Why we have a no salary negotiation policy by Michael Karnjanaprakorn no negotiation salary policy The First 90 Days - Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter, Updated and Expanded, Michael D Watkins-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

When you lose perspective, you lose your team. This common mistake decreases morale and increases turnover. The long-term results can be catastrophic.There’s a real art to pushing your team without going too far and many leaders never learn how to strike the balance. Yes, achieving their goals is important, but if they burn out, along with damaged health and a broken family life then you’re not really winning!I host HP President of Federal and Head of US Public Sector, Todd Gustafson, who shares why great leaders keep perspective on life and work, and you should too! He tells the powerful story of how he learned this from his father, and you’ll never forget it.Every leader needs perspective in life and this episode delivers!LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddgustafsonhp/Company Link: https://www.hp.com/us-en/solutions/government-it-solutions.htmlWhat You’ll Discover in this Episode:The Supreme Court Justice he met after a treacherous night of sailing.A big lesson from his first job as a sales person.The single most important event of his childhood.What vital leadership skill he learned from scouting.How you avoid “silo culture”.Why he believes in the value of mentorship.The strategy he relies upon to mentor 8-10 mentees.The leadership advice that Meg Whitman gave him.The “eye opening” mentorship moment from his father. A leader you need to know.Resources:Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Boat-Americans-Berlin-Olympics-ebook/dp/B00AEBETU2 -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Don’t flinch in your big leadership moment. Your crucible moment is when everything you know and everything you are is put to the test. The future of your organization, your team, or even career is uncertain. You can learn to thrive during this tough time and be transformed into something even stronger.I host Steve Colburn, Chief Operating Officer at Assemblers Incorporated, who has 30 years of experience in multi-industry operations. He shares his crucible leadership moment and the strategy he used to thrive.If you’re not familiar with Assemblers Incorporated, they are the largest merchandise assembly company in the US focused on providing commercial and residential product assembly and delivery services to clients. They fill this unique niche because assembled grills, mowers, patio furniture and so on sold better than their non-assembled counterparts.LinkedIn Profile linkedin.com/in/scolburn/Company Link: https://www.assemblersinc.net/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:What makes working at Assemblers Incorporated so special.The crucible leadership moment in his career.The tool every leader should have in their tool kit.How you get helpful feedback from your team in minutes.What you should do after every staff meeting to help your team.Where to look for good mentors.Why you should become a better coach for your employees.The unexpected twist that accelerated his growth.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Your personal tone and demeanor can work against you. Too often leaders focus on perfecting their message but completely miss the attention that is essential for how it’s being delivered and heard.If you’re not focused on how you’re “coming across”, then you’re weakening your message.Worse, this disconnection causes confusion, disengagement, and pessimism throughout the organization.It’s vital that leaders harness the power of optimism to convey a message of possibility and opportunity in the face of adversity to keep their team aligned and driving to their goal.President & CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, Pablo Di Si, shares the power of optimism and why it’s a vital leadership choice we must ALL make every day.Pablo leads all Volkswagen operations in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. He also leads U.S. operations for Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, and VW Credit Inc. and oversees manufacturing, engineering, research and testing, purchasing, and distribution across the U.S.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablo-di-si/Company Link: https://www.vw.com/en.htmlWhat You’ll Discover in this Episode:How becoming a collegiate athlete shaped his leadership approach.His biggest leadership lesson from playing soccer.A strategy he’s using to unify his global team.The inspiring transformation he’s planning for Volkswagen Group of America.The legacy he hopes to leave behind.Why leaders should foster optimism in their team.Essential advice for leaders who want to communicate their ideas to C-Suite. A failure in his career that accelerated his growth.Three success strategies for every employee. What it's like being the first Latin American CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America.Quotes:“Innovation, creativity and optimism are critical for success, and it’s the CEO’s job to nourish and drive these in the teams.” “Fight for Your Ideas”-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Getting frustrated because your team doesn't care?You're finding too many errors in their work, slow response times, and missed deadline with no explanation. I once hired someone with amazing credentials. They were highly recommended by multiple leaders that I still trust today. They nailed the interview and their brilliance and potential were so obvious to me that I knew I needed this person on my team.The nuance was that they worked remotely in a couple time zones away. I quickly started noticed issues ..They ended up getting fired, but it was a long difficult process. Took so much longer than it should have."Caring" is impossible to hire for and it's even harder to fire for. Caring is something you must instill.When your team cares, they go the extra mile and takes care of the details...without you having to ask.If I'd been able to instill "care" who knows how far that person may have risen in the organization?In this episode, you'll discover three strategies to get your employees to care and increase their loyalty and commitment. -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Did you know that the most important leadership skill also happens to be the one that leaders shun the most? It’s unfortunate that so many leaders avoid it because it increases your success in any job, field, or economy. I host CEO, Ryan Northington, of Simplus who shares why leaders must develop this skill and how you can do it quickly.Ryan Northington is CEO of Simplus, the North America and ANZ Salesforce arm of Infosys that’s the leader in quote-to-cash transformation. He's previously served in a leadership capacity at several other companies including Accenture.In this current role he’s focused on growth and balancing working from home with young children while leading a global organization.-----This episode is brought to you by, Simplus.Have you purchased Salesforce, but you want strategic guidance on how to best implement it? Do you need to combine several orgs after an acquisition? Does the sales team need training to use it effectively? Simplus, a leading Salesforce partner, can help you do all that and more. Simplus can solve any problem, fix any issue, and optimize any business using Salesforce. Thousands of happy clients are available upon request. Get ready to simplify your Salesforce journey, and call Simplus today at 833-SIMPLUS, that's 833-s-i-m-p-l-u-s or visit https://simplus.com -----Ryan’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryannorthington/ Simplus Website: https://www.simplus.com/ -----What You’ll Discover in this Episode:How to tell if you’re leadership material.What happened when he was in a burning building.Two powerful strategies to lead a remote workforce.The one trait that he’d like to instill in every employee.How asking one question helps you lead your team.The moment the worst part of his job became his favorite.His two favorite books for leaders.Resources:The Kick Six (Still breaks my heart every time I watch this) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQC15dPArAc Getting to Yes, Roger Fisher and Robert Ury https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Yes-Negotiating-Agreement-Without-ebook/dp/B0051SDM5Q Selling the Wheel, Jeff Cox https://www.amazon.com/Selling-Wheel-Choosing-Company-Customers/dp/0684856018 -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Delivering great results doesn't mean that you’re a great leader, especially if you’re doing too much of the work yourself. So how can you tell?Answering this question is vital for your own leadership development and growth, but it can be a difficult one to consider.I host Sean Burke, COO of Prometric, where he shares one powerful way to tell if you’re a great leader. He leads a team of 2,000 employees and built and sold 7 companies. He uses this one question to evaluate himself and the hundreds of teams he led.Prometric is a leading provider of technology-enabled testing and assessment solutions to many of the world’s most recognized licensing and certification organizations, academic institutions, and government agencies. For over 30 years, they've supported more than 25 million exam hours at their testing locations in more than 180 countries around the world.He also posts stories daily on LinkedIn relating to leadership, sales, and culture. LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanhburke/Company Link: https://www.prometric.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:​How do you know if you hired a great leader?The important difference between a push vs pull leader, and why you need both.The kind of leaders that should never be interviewed.The weakness of job interviews and what you should do instead.How three kinds of turnover can increase or stunt your success.When firing an entire team turned into a huge party and everyone became life-long friends.The Sir Richard Branson mantra that inspires him to write.The App that tracks your thought leadership.How you should deliver bad news.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Your employees can’t follow your leadership if you’re missing this essential ingredient. Your business becomes directionless, loses key talent, and gets overwhelmed by disengagement. And, you can forget ever cracking the “Best to Work For” list.That’s where my interview today with Sam D’Arc, who is COO at Zeigler Automotive Group, comes in.  He shares his personal story of how a compelling leadership vision transformed his career and how you can create and leverage one to accelerate the results of your business.He has over 30 years of service in the automotive industry and become a trusted leader focused on Auto Dealer Operations, creating synergies, competition, and relationships of trust between F&I, Sales, and Service departments.The Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest, privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 78 franchises across 35 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.The organization also owns and operates Zeigler Motorsports, an 85,000-square-foot motorsports dealership and action park, offering 19 different powersports brands.Sam is also host of the Driving Vision Podcast.https://www.linkedin.com/in/samdarc/ https://www.zeigler.com/ https://www.drivingvisionpodcast.com What You’ll Discover in this Episode:What compelled him to make a big career change during the Pandemic.What Sam learned from starting a podcast.Advice for leaders who are looking for vision.How he quickly learned to speak fluent Russian while living in Ukraine.When big leadership visions are used for evil.What JFK said about having a leadership vision.His most memorable moment on his podcast.Debunking myths around work-life balance.What he learned from Michigan State Basketball Coach, Tom Izzo, on his podcast.How you get your team to buy in on customer service.What Tony Robbins said about not having resources vs not being resourceful.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Do you have the right mentor for your career and business? A great mentor can accelerate your success and save you a lot of frustration; yet, most leaders I talk to aren’t really satisfied with the mentors they have in their life. Regardless if you’ve outgrown the mentors you have or you don’t have one at all, you can benefit from my interview with Chairperson of three companies and host of the Thirty Minute Mentors Podcast, Adam Mendler.Adam shares a powerful strategy to find the right mentor and also how you can be a great mentor to others.Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries: Beverly Hills Chairs, the leading seller of refurbished Herman Miller Aeron chairs in the country; Custom Tobacco, a one-of-a-kind e-commerce platform where customers can create fully customized, private-label cigars in real-time; and Veloz Solutions, a technology consulting and software development practice. Adam is also a nationally acclaimed thought leader, writer and speaker on topics including leadership, entrepreneurship and management. Adam is the creator and host of the podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where each week he goes one on one with one of the most successful people in the country on how they got to the top and how listeners can too.Adam’s LinkedIn Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammendler/Thirty Mentor Mentors Podcast - https://www.adammendler.com/thirty-minute-mentors-episodes Beverly Hills Chairs - https://www.beverlyhillschairs.com/ Custom Tobacco - https://www.customtobacco.com/ Veloz Solutions - https://www.veloz-solutions.com/ What You’ll Discover in this Episode:A strategy to always remember the most important things in life.The important role that mentors played in his career and inspiring his podcast.Mentors versus “mini-mentors” and why you need both.The life-changing advice he received from the President of the University of Southern California.What a high school internship taught him about great mentors.What all great mentors have in common.The first step for starting a podcast.His favorite podcast questions.The secret to getting great guests on his show, Thirty Minute Mentors.What we both learned from interviewing Legendary Honeywell CEO, David Cote.A memorable moment from his interview with Tripp Hawkins, the founder of Electronic Arts.Resources:Thirty Minute Mentors Interview on David Cote https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-85-former-honeywell-ceo-david-cote/id1494527866?i=1000532956491 Lead the Team interview with David Cote https://www.benfanning.com/david-cote/ Thirty Minute Mentors interview with Tripp Hawkins https://www.adammendler.com/thirty-minute-mentors-episodes/electronic-arts-founder-trip-hawkins Thirty Minute Mentors interview with Joe Maddon https://www.adammendler.com/thirty-minute-mentors-episodes/joe-maddon -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Your team is unmotivated, disengaged, and burning out. You're noticing them showing up late to meetings and taking more time off...without fully having a plan for their responsibilities while they're out of the office. They are getting distracted by kid's soccer practice, grocery shopping, recruiters...leaders at other companies!It's beginning to damage business results...less proactive/more reactive behavior,  no sense of urgency, and leaving details unfinished. You need a way to rally the troops! The reality is that you can't be everywhere at one time. so you need a simple strategy to rally your troops when you're not there.Rally means to "come together to keep fighting". Who is doing the rallying when you're not there?  The default become Social Media, which is rarely a motivator for what you're trying to get down inside your company.That's like depending on a LinkedIn and Instagram algorithm to motivate your team.Check out this episode today, where you'll discover three simple strategies to rally your troops when you can't be there in person.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Does your team collaborate effectively when you're not there? Sure they probably work together when leading the meeting, but what happens when you're on an extended business trip or vacation. Do you trust that they will pull together in a crisis, swiftly address a customer issue, or reply to a senior level request?When your team works has SYNERGY, it makes them more effective and makes your job easier! In this episode, you’ll discover the greatest team collaboration hack of all time that helps you and your team work better together.I host a dynamic and engaging interview with Keith Fulton, Senior Vice President and CIO of the Account Processing and Fintech division of Fiserv. Prior to that he was Chief Technology Officer at ADP and held senior level positions at MoneyGram International, Tier Technologies, and ChoicePay.Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) is a leading global technology provider serving the financial services industry, driving innovation in payments, processing services, risk and compliance, customer and channel management, and business insights and optimization. They have around 44,000 employees and $17 Billion in sales.He’s also a Finalist for the ORBIE award of CIO of the Year in Georgia,  a graduate of Rice University, and loves being a father to his 11 year old son, and is his biggest fan.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-fulton-5b23251/Company Link: https://www.fiserv.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:A powerful way to get teams to work together.The “swim lane” versus “swimming pool” leadership mindset.The one staff meeting action that guarantees success.How to generate weekly positivity at work.The career advantage of delivering a “steady trickle of pleasant surprises’.How you can measure your team’s intensity.A hack to help you quantify and achieve success.The work-life balance strategy Keith uses to accomplish more at work and spend time with his family.The catastrophic impact of confusing effort with results.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

You're missing out on the most powerful way to communicate your leadership message, and your company is wasting thousands of dollars trying to build its brand and reach your customers. You and your team are putting in the time and effort and could be leveraging THE tool to effectively work smarter, not harder.-----Podcasting isn't just for sports, comedians, star trek fans, and personal development personalities (Joe Rogan/Tim Ferris). In fact I had a conversation literally last week where an executive shared his company generated $500,000 in sales from one podcast they launched! They aren't a tech or media company. They are an old-school legal company.  That's right....  Business podcasts make a profitable impact for both new and old-school companies.Now is THE time for companies to start one. It’s the boom time for business podcasting, and companies are getting enormous results.Podcasting will be a $4 billion industry in two years (PWC). Here are four reasons why your company needs a business podcast now ...1. Your customers, employees,and suppliers are already listening. - Each week, more Americans listen to podcasts than have Netflix accounts.- One-third of the American Population listens to podcasts regularly.- 51% of monthly podcast listeners have a full-time job while 25% have a college degree.2. It's the best way to sell. - Podcast ads are the most recalled type of ad, with 86% of respondents saying they remember seeing or hearing an ad. (Super Listeners 2021 report)- About 62% of listeners consider new products and services from hearing about them through podcast advertising.- And 80% listen to most of a podcast episode without skipping ads. 3. Inspire them where they already are. - 59% of people tune into a podcast while doing something else simultaneously. It's the only media that they can multi-task and consume.- 79% of people in the USA listen to a podcast from their smartphones. THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE IN FRONT OF THEIR COMPUTERS OR EVEN LOOKING AT THEIR PHONE TO ABSORB YOUR MESSAGE.4. Join the "Great Podcast Acceleration" and stake your claim.- Podcast awareness is accelerating,- In 2006 only 20% of the American population was aware of podcasts. Now 16 years later the number has reached to 78%.(Sources: Statista, Edison Research, The podcast host.)-----This is your best sales, marketing, and employee retention investment of the year and at a bare minimum you need a strategy for business podcasting...even if you don't formally launch one right now. You can use this post to kick start the conversation around podcasting inside your company, AND ...We'll walk you through our 5-step Podcast framework and share with you what kind of results you can expect.Just message me directly, and we'll set up a 15-minute conversation.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

What's the most important element of leadership? If you haven't answered this question for yourself it's too easy to get distracted. Leaders are the busiest people on the planet, and it's not realistic to chase every new leadership theory out there.Instead prioritize developing the one that will get you the furthest in your leadership journey and drive your success.You can’t be a great leader if you don’t have perspective. Being able to look at things from different points of view from your employees, customers, and even your competition is the difference between success and failure. Perspective allows you to make the right decisions and inspire others to trust you. I host Nuno Fernandes, President of American Public University System, where he shares his experience living in 9 different countries and how that has helped shape his ability to lead effectively.American Public University System delivers high quality, affordable and workforce relevant higher education to adult learners of all backgrounds through two different institutions: American Public University and American Military University.They rank in the top 10% for return on educational investment compared to 4,500 colleges and universities nationwide, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce report, Ranking 4,500 Colleges by ROI (2022).APUS ranks as them as the best online college for working adults, according to ZDNet (June 2022).Nuno has a range of leadership and business experience in higher ed and beyond, including as President and CEO of Latin America’s largest online program manager (OPM), and one of the top 3 globally in number of managed students, Ilumno.He is motivated by delivering high quality programs and services that will positively impact the lives of students and their communities.He is the 2019 recipient of ACQ5’s “Gamechanger of the Year” Global Award and the winner of the 2018 ICON Award (Impact Category), recognizing the marketing executive with the most impact in the United States.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/nuno-a-s-fernandes/Company Link: https://www.apus.edu/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:The biggest leadership lesson from living in nine different countries.Why” follow your passion” is often the wrong leadership advice and what to do instead.What he learned from his grandparents about education.An unexpected twist that led to his growth down the road.Advice for leaders.Resources:https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2016/11/17/why-understanding-other-perspectives-is-a-key-leadership-skill/https://medium.com/swlh/perspective-and-leadership-cd0dce5d50f1http://www.leadership.com.sg/perspective/leadership-perspectives/#.Y0CRO3bMK5c-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Leaders need to think beyond their biases and see the opportunities that can make a huge impact on the organization’s bottom line.Don’t jeopardize the significant benefits that diversity and inclusion can have on your organization! Leaders think it’s just the right thing to do, but it's absolutely crucial in order for businesses to thrive in the diverse world we live and operate in. I host Theresa Torres, CDEIO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where she shares how organizations benefit from being more diverse and inclusive and how to put concrete actions into place.Prior to working at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, she worked as a leader at ADP, Verizon, and Merril Lynch.She loves her work, is inspired by the talent/knowledge of others she gets to work with, and believes success is a unique journey defined by the individual.What You’ll Discover in this Episode:What does a Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at the Federal Reserve do?How you can thrive as a leader even in a “Hunger Games” environment.Why creating a more inclusive cultural drives bottom-line results.A first step to increase inclusion on your team.A strategy to instill positivity in your team.Her top networking strategy.The weight machine that’s made a big difference for her and her family.Resources:https://www.newyorkfed.org/https://www.greatplacetowork.com/resources/blog/why-is-diversity-inclusion-in-the-workplace-importanthttps://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_841085/lang--en/index.htm-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Get this right and your top performers and customers won't leave. The easiest way to establish loyalty with employees and customers is also the most overlooked. Gone are the days of the "all-business leader" who leaves all personal aspects at the door. Leaders make a much bigger impact when they humanize themselves with their teams and put their people first. This drives a culture of mutual respect and strong buy in which inevitably leads to better business outcomes.I host Erik Dietz, COO of Michelin Mobility Intelligence and Roadbotics by Michelin, where he shares his story on how he chooses to lead with a people first approach and where his inspiration comes from.Erik is a small business entrepreneur turned corporate intrapreneur.He is passionate about leveraging Tech for Good, Safer and Equitable mobility and enjoys building international teams with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to leverage collective intelligence.He has a Bachelor’s degree from University of California in Los Angeles and an MBA from the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-dietz/Company Link: https://www.michelinman.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:How leaders can use mentoring to set the team up for success.What Erik does to build trust and respect with this team.Why Michelin is growing into “mobility intelligence”.How mobility intelligence is addressing roadway equity and safety.The worst leadership advice he’s heard.The inspiring vision he uses to motivate his team.His biggest sources of inspiration and how it impacts his leadership.A time he “swung for the fences” and it paid off and a time it didn’t.The personal finance app he uses every day.Resources:https://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/2019/09/how_to_humanize_leadership.htmlhttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-foundations-humanizing-leadership-hugh-macleod-1chttps://www.dukece.com/insights/leadership-isnt-just-strategy-its-being-human/-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

There's one leadership skill that determines how focused and motivated you and your team become. Without it, teams get distracted, off task, and burnout.I host Obed Louissaint, SVP of Transformation and Culture at IBM, where he defines this ledership skill and shares a powerful strategy for how to define success.Obed leads the areas of Leadership, Learning, Diversity & Inclusion and Transformation for IBM. He is responsible for reinventing people systems and culture to enable innovations to the marketplace, ensure IBM clients succeed, and identify new areas for growth.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/obed-louissaint-0530b71/Company Link: www.ibm.comWhat You’ll Discover in this Episode:Why he chose to transition from investment banking into HR.His personal process for defining success and the impact it’s made.Two moments he needed to redefine success.The worst leadership advice he’s heard.The one trait he’d instill in every employee.How you craft the business case for diversity.The moment he decided to take on a newly created role at IBM.Three principles and six words that guide his career.Resources:https://www.washington.edu/doit/chapter-fivehttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolution-the-self/202107/how-do-you-define-successhttps://minutes.co/success-is-subjective-heres-how-to-define-it-for-yourself/Quotes:How to think about new hires, “Culture fit versus culture add”When making a hiring decision, “Are getting smarter, more skilled, more well equipped?”-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Is the vision for your company and team being realized? Isn't that what leadership is all about?Or, have you hit a roadblock getting your vision or your project moving forward? This happens too often when stakeholders aren’t buying in. Leaders must navigate these obstacles and communicate what they are contributing to further the bigger picture of the organization.I host Jonathan Xavier Ozovek, Corporate Mercenary and CTO of Iron Bow Technologies, where he shares his approach on how to align his vision with the goals of the broader organization’s success.He was previously the first Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA), which was the centralized technology agency for the Commonwealth of Virginia and Deputy CIO for the Commonwealth. Jonathan has been recognized for deploying first-in-the-nation IT services as well as achievements in research, development, and innovation with a focus on artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, machine learning, and cyber resilience. He is also author of the upcoming book, The Corporate Mercenary.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/majinjxozovek/Company Link: https://ironbow.com/Jonathan's Website - https://jonathanozovek.com/Learn more about Jonathan's upcoming books: The Corporate Mercenary - https://thecorporatemercenary.com/The Transformational Field Manual - https://transformationfieldmanual.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:The importance of a Corporate Mercenary, and why Jonathan wrote a book about it.The guiding principle he uses to transform organizations.Why achieving financial freedom makes you a better leader.The hierarchy of what companies really want from their employees.The moment in the 1980s that changed the employee-employer relationship.Why helping your team achieve financial freedom helps you retain them.An amazing story of how Jonathan retained a top performer who was about to quit.The “College Football Coach” strategy for employee retention.Resources:http://thecorporatemercenary.com/http://transformationfieldmanual.com/https://propellerconsulting.com/blog/7-tips-to-move-your-project-forward-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Great learners make great leaders! Just like a student, a leader is always asking questions, always gathering data, and using that information to execute action items that impact the bigger picture. No matter what your field or industry is, learning never stops and being a lifelong learner is the key to success.I host Viral Tripathi, Global CIO of Ascendion, where he shares his aha moment when he went from the tech guy to a global business leader.Most recently, Collabera has rebranded their Digital Engineering Solutions business as Ascendion (pronounced as Ascend-ee-ON) for which Viral is the Global CIO and a member of the Executive Committee.He is a passionate technologist with almost 30 years of global experience, having lived and worked in India, Europe, and the US working as an IT industry professional as well as a Management Consultant with a Big 4 company with leadership. He’s held leadership roles at KPMG and The Associated Press.Viral’s strong academic background includes an Executive MBA from the University of Cambridge, degrees in Mathematics, Computer Science, and several IT certifications.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/viraltripathi/Company Link: https://ascendion.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:The key to Viral’s rapid promotion path to Global CIO.Why all leaders must understand their business first.Why “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is terrible leadership advice.What’s wrong with Peter Drucker’s quote, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”.How to make tech “more than just a cost center”.The biggest benefit of pursuing an MBA at 40 years old.Why he wakes up early and meditates every day.Resources:Why Leadership is Not About Having All the Answers, Tim Brown, IDEO CEOhttps://www.ideou.com/blogs/inspiration/why-leadership-is-not-about-having-all-the-answershttps://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2022/05/25/leaders-how-to-respond-when-you-dont-have-all-the-answers/#:~:text=It%20can%20be%20easy%20to,finding%20the%20answers%20they%20need.University of Cambridge, Judge Business School https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/programmes/executive-mba/Peter Drucker Quote in Common Lexiconhttps://www.thecorporategovernanceinstitute.com/insights/lexicon/what-does-culture-eats-strategy-for-breakfast-mean/Quotes:“Instead of a know-it-all, become a learn-it-all."-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Are you knocking your presentations out of the park and getting ahead of the competition? One of the most important skills a leader has is their ability to present. Finding your voice, connecting with your audience, and getting your message across will help you make a strong impression.I host Nicolas Chidiac, Chief Strategy Officer of Razorfish North America, where he shares his insight and techniques on how to prepare for a presentation.Razorfish is one of the premiere integrated marketing agencies born from digital. Their promise is to translate a brand’s purpose into performance across Web3, retail, digital products, commerce and campaigns.He holds an MBA from the London Business School, a Masters from the London School of Economics and an undergraduate from the American University of Beirut and currently guest lectures at NYU.He comes with a global perspective on leadership, originally Lebanese, grew up in Greece, and worked in Beirut, London, Dubai, Chicago and currently in New York..LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaschidiac/Company Link: https://www.razorfish.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:What he learned about different leadership styles moving from the Middle East to the US.The boat ride he took that inspired a big account turnaround.The craft of presenting your work.Why insecurity can help you grow as a leader.Sufi wisdom you can apply to all your meetings.A life lesson from Andre Agassi.The failure that taught him to become a better leader and follower.Resources:Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World that Just Can’t Stop Talking - Susan Cain https://susancain.net/book/quiet/ The Lucifer Effect - How Good People Turn Evil https://www.amazon.com/Lucifer-Effect-Understanding-Good-People/dp/0812974441Your Professional Decline is Coming (Much) Soon Than You Think- Arthur C Brookshttps://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/07/work-peak-professional-decline/590650/ Quotes:"Get good at something and passion will follow.""Educate yourself at a faster pace than change."-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Ideas are the lifeblood of any business, but how often do you get them from your team? Your team likely knows the ins and outs of your business and has helpful ideas, but do they feel comfortable sharing them with you? Leaders should create an atmosphere where everyone feels they can contribute and work together. This results in strong employee buy-in as well as continued innovation.I host Courtney Abraham, Chief Human Resource Officer at Current Lighting, where she shares her techniques on fostering idea sharing within her organization.Current Lighting is a new brand that unites GE Current, a Daintree company, and the C&I Division of Hubbell Lighting Inc. Courtney has 25 years of experience beginning on the revenue producing side of businesses then made a hard right turn into HR with experience at GE, AML RightSource, Adecco Group, and Southeastern Grocers.She’s lived all over the US and had an expat assignment in Zurich, Switzerland.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyabraham/Company Link: https://www.gecurrent.com/--------This episode is brought to you by the good people at Current Lighting.Current Lighting blends LED lighting with digital networks to make commercial buildings and industrial facilities more energy efficient and productive.At Current, inspiration flows both ways. In providing the lighting and controls solutions that help create beautiful, functional and safe environments, they're inspired by the people who live, work and play in those spaces. With the convergence of two iconic leaders (GE Current - a Daintree Company and the C & I Division of Hubbell Lighting) who each bring rich histories and deep talent, Current is uniquely positioned to help customers solve complex challenges and see results. Only Current can provide reliable performance, responsive service, and the uncompromising quality you expect from an industry leader every time, always.Learn about how Current Lighting can help you and your business here.-------What You’ll Discover in this Episode:The benefit of becoming an “Experience Junky”.An important leadership lesson she learned as an expat.The one thing she did that helped her build trust with employees in 26 countries. Her first job as a Chocolatier, that influences her leadership today.The strategy she uses to build trust and make her team comfortable with sharing their BIG ideas.Challenge Culture.A failure in her career that led to her growth.A surprising tool that’s contributed to her success.Why kindness always works in the workplace.Resources:The Challenge Culture Episode on Lead the Team with Dunkin CEO, Nigel Travis - https://www.benfanning.com/nigel-travis/ Quotes:Mantra for your team “Work with Me, Not for Me.”-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Curious leaders are successful leaders. When you're curious, you're constantly learning and growing which helps you become a better leader. You're also more open-minded and creative, which can lead to new and innovative ideas. So if you want to be a successful leader, start by being curious.Many think that being a leader means having all the answers, but that's not true. Leaders need to be curious in order to learn and grow, and if they're not then they'll quickly fall behind.I host Doug Streat, COO of Aledade Care Solutions, where we explore the importance of curiosity in leadership and how it helps you achieve your goals.Aledade is the leading primary care enablement company, and supports independent primary care practices by giving them the tools and technology to deliver higher-quality care and improve patient outcomes. They have nearly 1000 employees and serve 1.7M patients in over 40 states.Aledade is one of the less than 1 percent of private companies to reach a $1 billion valuation.Doug has been with Aledade for over five years. He began his journey with the company as a Product Fellow, and has grown into his current role in the C-Suite.He has an undergraduate degree in psychology and neuroscience and a Masters in Public Health from Yale.LinkedIn Profile http://www.linkedin.com/in/dougstreat/Company Link: https://www.aledade.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:The biggest opportunity and challenge of being a young C-Suite leader.What accelerated his promotion from analyst to COO in 5 years.Why it’s important for executives to become thought leaders.His favorite leadership question.The important lesson he learned from a marathon negotiation.The  most important thing that can result from any negotiation.Advice for how leaders can provide helpful feedback for your boss.A vital tool that helps leaders work well with the team.The “Amazon Approach” to defining success.Resources:Medium Article: Lessons in leadership from a $3B healthcare company https://medium.com/@dougstreat/lessons-in-leadership-from-a-3b-healthcare-company-179a1b78f04c -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Start focusing on the impact you and your team make, not just the amount of hours you work. Leaders oftentimes lose sight of where to focus their attention to take their organization and career to the next level. Take the time to ask yourself what you can do to push boundaries and do bigger things!I host Kelly Scheib, Chief People Officer of Crunchbase, where she shares her strategy for making a difference in her personal life and career plus a great tool to get more done. She's also served as a senior leader at Proterra, Tindall Corporation, and Hubbell Lighting.Crunchbase is the leading provider of private-company prospecting and research solutions. 75 million users—including salespeople, entrepreneurs, investors, and market researchers—use Crunchbase to prospect for new business opportunities.Kelly received her undergraduate and masters degrees from Penn State University, a Mother of 5, and Foster Care Advocate.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-scheib-sphr-shrm-scp-rcc-48a66721/Company Link: https://www.crunchbase.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:Work-life balance advice for every leader.A simple exercise that helps you organize life and work.The productivity technique that fuels her success.How becoming a foster parent impacts her leadership.What every leader should understand about executive coaching.What it means for leaders when employees have “optionality”.Advice for leaders around the shifting balance of power between employer and employee.The missing leadership conversation … “hours worked” versus “value added”.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Why do some teams get results and others struggle? Often it’s focus! Just consider if it's easy to get 10 things done or just one, yet so many leaders split their team’s attention across too many projects.I host David Ross, Chief Strategy Officer at Ascent Global Logistics, who shares a powerful strategy to focus your team and entire business to generate big results.David also serves as Executive Vice President at Roadrunner, serves on the Board of Directors of Global Crossing Airlines, and serves as an Advisor to project44.  Prior to his current roles, Mr. Ross was Managing Director and Group Head of Stifel’s Global Transportation & Logistics.During his 20-year sell-side analyst career, his awards included ranking #1 in stock picking multiple times in the Wall Street Journal's Best on the Street Analysts Survey and in Financial Times/StarMine America’s Top Analysts report. Before joining Stifel in 2005, he worked at Legg Mason, RailWorks, and Deutsche Banc Alex Brown. Mr. Ross received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University. In addition, he serves on the Ubuntu Council for the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) and on the Board of Directors for The Fountainhead Residency and the Humane Society of Greater Miami. ----This episode is brought to you by Ascent LogisticsAscent Global Logistics enhances your business by keeping your global supply chain moving. They do it by moving with precision around the globe. Powered by its proprietary PEAK Technology marketplace and backed its own airline and dedicated truck fleet, Ascent expedites your shipments. Whether you are a Fortune 500 company or a small business, Ascent's logistics experts simplify your most complicated freight challenges. Ascent is your premier logistics partner. Learn how Ascent can solve your supply chain challenges by visiting ascentlogistics.com -----LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-ross-2709b3136/Company Link: https://ascentlogistics.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:How passion for art informs his leadership approach.What he learned about leadership as a #1 stock picker on Wall Street.What really makes a company successful.The one thing that tells you if a company will underperform.His secret to identifying companies that are on the rise… that has nothing to do with a spreadsheet.Why you can benefit from disorder.How volatility can become your “friend”.Two questions to help your team become Anti-Fragile.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

The truth is, being genuine and supportive of your teams is the key to creating a successful business. Leaders tend to think there needs to be a clear separation between work and personal life. They fear blurring this line and being their authentic self will cause them to lose their authority and respect, but it is the complete opposite.I host Dr. Susan Dorfman, CEO and President of CMI Media Group, where she shares her thoughtful approach to running a successful company like a family.CMI Media Group, a WPP company, is a full-service media agency focused on health, wellness, and pharmaceutical marketing.She led her company to one of the highest employee approval ratings of any CEO in the industry and was recognized by Campaign Magazine as a top leader.LinkedIn Profile:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandorfman/ Company Link: https://cmimediagroup.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:What it was like growing up in the Ukraine with her entire family sharing a one bedroom.What it’s like leading a global team when your home country is in a war.A strategy every leader can use to build trust and connection with your team.Why her company has never had a layoff since it was founded in 1986. The blessing and curse of having a photographic memory.Her biggest source of inspiration, and how it’s gotten her through tough times.Resources:https://www.t-three.com/thinking-space/blog/why-treating-people-like-family-is-the-key-to-effective-leadershiphttps://cmimediagroup.com/https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20121120154818-204068115-why-you-should-treat-your-company-like-familyQuotes: “We are family.’“Culture adds, not culture fits.”-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Start helping your team succeed by finding out what they are passionate about. Teams that love what they do will make a much bigger impact within the organization and avoid burnout. Leaders need to engage their teams and help create an environment for them to thrive.Are your teams passionate about their work? Do they wake up feeling excited to come in and do their job? Leaders play a big part in creating an environment where their teams can thrive. The benefits of a satisfied employee results in higher productivity, lower turnover, and increases bottom line profits.I host Nancy Hall, CEO of Matterkind US, where she shares a simple strategy every leader can use to help their teams love their jobs.Matterkind is an IPG agency that uses Ad Tech to deliver data driven, outcome focused programs for brands.Nancy has over 20 years of experience working with best-in-class advertising agencies and brands in digital marketing and technology. She was recently named to PerfomanceIN’s Top 30 Changemakers in Performance Marketing.She also established and built out a new Outcome Based Marketing business at Matterkind as a result of the pandemic.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-hall-ba71251/Company Link: https://matterkind.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:What every leader should know about Ad Tech.How you can identify key talent in unexpected places… like a pizza parlor.The strategy Nancy uses to create a more equitable and diverse workforce.Employee retention strategies.A surprising story of when an employee quit.The one strategy helps your team love their job.How to help your teams find their passion at work. Helping your teams towards a successful and meaningful career path.Why hiring veterans is important.A quick hack to read and retain new information.Project LOVE WORK.How every leader can help their team grow every day.Resources:https://blog.vantagecircle.com/job-satisfaction/https://inside.6q.io/benefits-of-increased-job-satisfaction/-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Can leaders really grow the business in ANY economy? Many say that leaders can't make headway in tough times, but I host CEO Richard Weissman of The Learning Experience, who explains why this isn't true. He shares the powerful strategy he used to accelerate growth during the global pandemic and achieve record growth in an industry that struggled.Richard is also the Chairman and Co-Founder. Since launching the franchise business with his family in 2002, Richard has built the brand into one of the largest childcare and early education franchises in the U.S. with over 300 centers operating nationwide, and hundreds more in development both domestically and internationally.This episode is make possible by The Learning Experience (https://thelearningexperience.com/), the nation’s fastest growing academy of early education franchise, educating and enhancing the lives of more than 36,000 children ages 6 weeks to 6 years old annually. Over the years, Richard has consistently grown The Learning Experience’s operations and system-wide revenue while navigating the company, its franchise owners, and its employees through the Great Recession, the pandemic, and multiple private equity acquisitions. In addition, the brand has garnered countless accolades since its inception and is routinely named one of the top franchises across industries by Entrepreneur magazine and Franchise Business Review. LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-weissman-34b91552/Company Link: https://www.thelearningexperience.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:Why leaders should be able to grow a business in any business cycle.How he worked his way up from janitor to CEO.The two leadership lessons that inspire his leadership.Why leaders must learn to truly “hear” their business.How he can tell if a business is running well (or not) by the sound it makes.  Why it’s important they named the company “THE” Learning Experience.Five questions he asks his leaders to answer every day.The defining moment that inspired him to rethink his relationship with teammates.Why all his employees have his personal cell phone number.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Ever overthink things and hesitate to find your leadership voice? Stop being in the background and start evolving your own unique perspective so that you can become a great leader. Find inspiration from those you admire and successful companies driving the way to the next big thing. Every successful leader has their own distinct style.I host Nelson Freitas, CSO of Omnicom, where he shares his experience of becoming a successful leader by finding the courage to develop his own style and finding inspiration from unique sources.Nelson Freitas is Global Chief Strategy Officer at Omnicom (OPMG). Omnicom Group is a strategic holding company that has the industry’s most diverse portfolio of more than 1,000 companies serving over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries. Nelson has served in leadership roles with BBDO, TBWA, Ogilvy and Wunderman Thompson and worked on brands like Eli Lilly, Ford, Microsoft, P+G, SAP, Google, Citibank, etc. What You’ll Discover in this Episode:The biggest fact makes for great leadership.What Nelson learned about giving and receiving feedback from his first mentor.Why it's vital for every leader to develop their own point of view.Surprising leaders and industries that can inspire and shape your point of view.A failure that accelerated his growth and job promotion.Resources:Nelson's LinkedIn ProfileOmnicomSerena WilliamsTom Ford AmiriDeveloping Your Leadership Point of View, Ken BlanchardThe Sleep Revolution, Arianna HuffingtonQuotes:“Be good. Lead with purpose.“-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

It takes more than money to attract and motivate great employees. It’s vital that leaders communicate a bigger purpose that your team can follow. This keeps your team aligned and focused even in the midst of challenging times.I host Mark Moch, Chief information Officer of American Oncology Network, the fastest growing network of community oncology practices delivering local access to cancer care with over 70 locations. He shares  why leading with a bigger purpose is so important and his two favorite ideas for your team.Mark’s also served as a senior leader at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute as well as Promise Healthcare both based in Florida.Originally from Poland, he says that he and his wife “won the green card lottery and wanted to have an adventure in the USA”.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmoch/Company Link: https://www.aoncology.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:Mark’s inspiring journey from literature teacher in Poland to CIO of a thriving US company.Why teaching prepared him C-Suite.Leading on the cutting edge of where healthcare and technology intersect.Advice of leaders who are balancing a big vision with day–to-day goalsWhat literature teaches leaders about self-reflection.Why your purpose should drive your focus.What Mark learned from his first big leadership win.The importance of having “new collar” workers in your workforce.Resources:Thomas MannHerman HesseFiodor DostoyevskyLeaders Start with Why - Simon SinekDrive - Daniel PinkCode Breakers - Jennifer Doudna, Gene EditingRise of the Data Cloud, Frank SlootmanThe Alchemist - Paulo CoehloLead the Team Podcast episode with IBM CHRO, Nickel LaMoreauxQuotes:"My whole Leadership style is built around my team – 100% believer in servant leadership. Tough but compassionate.My team is the most important in everything I do at work. It is a base everything else comes out of.I am a dreamer and think that technology will solve a lot of healthcare problems in future. We are on the verge of breakthrough and we are all responsible to push it forward."-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

How much does it really cost to lose a good leader? You've worked hard to find and recruit the best talent. Don't let them walk out the door without a fight. The best place to start is with understanding the devastating impact of turnover on your bottom line.------This episode is brought to you by Kane Logistics now part of ID Logistics. They've been a US leader in warehousing, co-packing, and transportation for over 90 years. They cover the globe with over 360 locations across 18 countries, totaling more than 80 million sq. ft. of operated distribution space with more than 28,000 employees. ID Logistics is your trusted partner for warehousing and packaging for food and beverage, CPG, retail, ecommerce, and fulfillment across the US and the globe. More information at kanelogistics.com or id-logistics.com------In this episode, I host Jim Arnold, Chief Financial Officer at ID Logistics US who shares the strategy they used to improve their employee retention up to 70% during the worst turnover periods in US history – The Great Resignation.He has over 30 years of operational and financial leadership with expertise in private start-up, venture backed, private equity owned and public companies, including NCR, AT&T, Cable & Wireless, Americold Logistics, CMA CGM (America) and GXO Logistics. Jim also has his own consulting company, Red Sky Advisors, serving the Logistics, Finance, Tradeshow, and Utility industries.He was recognized as Virginia CFO of the Year Award for Large Private Companies. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Metro Group Maritime.  Jim has a strong educational background with a dual major BS in Finance and Accounting from the Farmer School of Business at Miami University and a MS focused in Finance from The Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School. Jim and his wife Robin live in North Carolina and have five children – two daughters and three sons.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbarnoldCompany Link: https://solutions.id-logistics.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:What “horse flipping” teaches you about leadership, building a team, and investing.Facing the leadership dilemma between being strategic and getting deep into the details.Advice for navigating a high-inflation environment.Why taking “uncommon” positions makes you a focused leader. Why getting a side hustle makes you a better leader.A powerful strategy to build consensus at work.The best strategy to train and retain your team at the same time.The “field-trip” approach to building your team’s business acumen.Applying Parkinson’s law avoiding procrastination.Five ways every leader can grow more quickly.Resources:Jim’s moniker “ACHIEVE” stands for Action, Communication, Honesty, Intensity, Entrepreneurship, Values, and Employees.The Art of Gathering - Priya Parker https://www.amazon.com/Art-Gathering-How-Meet-Matters/dp/1594634920-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Leaders fail when they don’t prioritize customer service. Leaders often believe that customer service is the last step of any process, but it should come first because it can make or break your team and your business. Every leader needs a plan to provide customer service no matter where your team falls in the organization.I host Aneto Okonkwo, CEO of Chatdesk, where he shares a simple strategy every leader can use to increase customer service. Chatdesk is a software and machine learning company in the customer service industry.  They help brands scale their customer support efficiently and drive conversions particularly on social media channels. The mission of the company is to solve customer service and create jobs. Thousands of freelance Chatdesk Experts across the US and around the world use the Chatdesk platform to earn income on demand by providing support for brands that they love.Their typical clients are e-commerce and retail brands like OLAPLEX, Shea Moisture, Thinx, SSENSE and more. Chatdesk helps them provide fast and personalized responses to customer questions to help drive conversions. Clients are able to get up and running in 2-3 days and they typically see 10-15% of customer conversations converting to sales while achieving 90%+ customer satisfaction.Prior to Chatdesk, Aneto worked as a leader at Google working on products like Voice Search and the Google Assistant. Earlier in his career he held roles at McKinsey & Company, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs and Silicon Valley startups. Aneto holds a BS and MA from Stanford University where he was a Mayfield Fellow. What You’ll Discover in this Episode:The one question that helps you determine what business to create.Family dinner-time conversation as a leadership advantage.The incredible story of why Chatdesk was founded.Three strategies to quickly boost your team’s customer service.Rise of the fractional executive.The cornerstones of customer service.The product failure at Google that accelerated his career.Resources:Senna Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOQLeqRcgKc Lead the Team episode, Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli   https://www.benfanning.com/ndidi-okonkwo-nwuneli/TED Talk from Nididi Oknokwo  Nwuneli https://www.ted.com/talks/ndidi_okonkwo_nwuneli_the_future_of_the_food_ecosystem_and_the_power_of_your_plate?language=enAndrew Grove https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Grove The First 90 Days https://www.amazon.com/First-90-Days-Strategies-Expanded/dp/1422188612/ref=asc_df_1422188612/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=266118767273&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17283461354719994378&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010492&hvtargid=pla-404766147599&psc=1 -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Start cultivating curiosity in your team. A team without curiosity is a team that’s vulnerable. A curious mind is essential for learning and growing, so make sure to foster this in your team.I host Jim Weaver, Chief Operating Officer at The Onin Group, who shares three powerful strategies to increase and sustain curiosity in yourself and your team.The Onin Group grew from $10 million in 2001 to a projected $800 million this year, Jim’s role evolved, and the scope of responsibility grew exponentially over the next two decades.   They have a 10+ office staffing group listed as one of Staffing Industry Analysts fastest growing and largest staffing firms.  Since 2001 the company achieved an average annual top line organic growth rate of 25% while increasing gross and net profit margins and remaining debt-free.   A strong corporate culture is the key to Onin’s sustained growth and has earned the company recognition as The Best Staffing Firm to Work For 2021 by Staffing Industry Analyst and by Birmingham and Nashville Business Journals as a perennial Best Place to Work in our home office markets.  Jim’s other career was a professional rock n’ roll drummer with a music degree from Berklee School of Music.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-weaver-36457418/Company Link: https://www.oningroup.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:What it is like living out of a van for three years.What being a rock-band drummer taught him about leadership.Why you should lead with values, not rules.How your team can thrive in “Winter”.The day someone wanted a day off, and how it ended with serving a prison sentence.Three ways to accelerate curiosity in yourself and your team.The “Modern Elder”.What he learned from Ju Jitsu.Why loving your job requires an investment.A tool every leader can benefit from.His two favorite drummers of all time.Resources:Music video from the Onion Group's band, Sour Cream and Onin https://www.facebook.com/rickorcutt/videos/1018213242283438The Making of a Modern Elder, Chip Conley https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Work-Making-Modern-Elder/dp/0525572902/ref=asc_df_0525572902/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312049124368&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2486059935840607713&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010492&hvtargid=pla-526547590749&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=61851652213&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312049124368&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2486059935840607713&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010492&hvtargid=pla-526547590749 Blinkist https://www.blinkist.com/ Tony Williams, Miles Davis drummer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Williams_(drummer) Vinnie Colaiuta, Sting drummer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinnie_Colaiuta -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Many leaders talk about virtual teams and how great they are, but rarely do they share the secret to building a strong one. I host the Chief Strategy Officer of Grey, Ankit Vahi, who shares a key strategy that helped him create a successful virtual team that still gets results. His team never meets in-person yet still delivers big results.He is an ex-cancer researcher turned advertising executive. Over the past decade he has worked across and launched multiple global pharmaceutical products covering everything from diabetes to oncology to COVID vaccines. He also has a Phd in Molecular Biology and a postdoc in Clinical Oncology from Harvard Medical School.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/avahia/Company Link: https://www.grey.com/en/new-yorkWhat You’ll Discover in this Episode:When he learned to avoid using humor at a business party.Ankit’s interesting career journey from cancer researcher to business executive.Why a career change can give you (and your company) a competitive advantage.Why you must hire for trust first.The strategy he used during the Pandemic to build his entire team virtually without any in person meetings.The art of leading with empathy.A playbook for presenting to the C-Suite.One thing that always strengthens any presentation.The music he uses to fuel his work day.The two biggest rock concerts of his life. Resources:What to Say When You Talk to Yourself, Shad Helmsstetter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055DW3WA/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Dub StopSkrillexKygo-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Most people think that success comes from hard work and dedication, but in reality, it's often about making the right decisions at the right time. A pivot is a change in strategy or direction and it's essential for any business that wants to succeed.I host Greg Friedman, CEO at Peachtree Hotel Group, who shares his strategy for successful leadership pivots and why they're key to your success. They’ve acquired or developed more than $6 Billion of hotel properties, and they currently own and operate 6,850 hotel guest rooms in 63 assets including Marriott, Starwood, Hilton, Hyatt, Choice and InterContinental Hotels Group flags.Greg has more than 23 years of hospitality experience with an emphasis on deal-structuring and financing. He’s also served as a senior leader with Specialty Finance Group and GMAC Commercial Mortgage’s Asset-Backed Lending Division. Greg holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin. He is currently a board member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-friedman-0312192/Company Link: https://peachtreehotelgroup.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:How Greg went from studying biology in college to eventually becoming CEO of Peachtree Hotel Group.Why rising through the finance side of the business gives you a unique leadership perspective.Seven pivots that led to his company’s success.The key to success when making a big leadership pivot.How to leverage culture to support a pivot in your business.The helpful app he uses on every business trip.Resources:Adam Grant https://www.amazon.com/Adam-Grant/e/B00ATUAAWE%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Malcom Gladwell https://www.amazon.com/Malcolm-Gladwell/e/B000APOE98%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Simon Sinek https://www.amazon.com/Simon-Sinek/e/B002CB2SDC -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Most people see failure as a bad thing, but the reality is that it's actually one of the most powerful tools that a leader has. Failure is a part of life, but it's how you react to it that determines your success. You can even use it to your advantage.I host Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Chief Learning Officer, Jeremy Manjorin who shares his personal leadership strategy for turning failure into big wins.Jeremy Manjorin is the Chief Learning Officer at Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Director - Learning Innovation - KPMG Business School. He’s held several other senior leadership positions at KPMG and the US Department of Defense, ADP, and Johnson and Johnson.He’s also Adjunct Professor and Guest Lecturer at Rutgers. He was just awarded his doctoral degree from Boise State University in Educational Technology.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-manjorin-ed-d-34b03b2/Company Link: https://www.newyorkfed.org/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:How his song ended up in the video game, Rock Band.What you can learn about leadership from Spiderman.What’s the role of a Chief Learning Officer at the Federal Reserve.If he could only train leaders on one skill, what would it be?The biggest mistake he sees companies make when it comes to leadership training.The two traits he wishes he could instill in every employee.An essential employee retention strategy.The time he needed to turn a team around.The surprising strategy he used to turn a failure into his biggest win.A tool that contributed to his success.Resources:Radical Candor, Kim Scott https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBT5LQA/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Lead the Team interview with Kim Scott - https://www.benfanning.com/kim-scott/ Dr JP Pawliw-Fry, https://www.jppawliw-fry.com/Quotes:“Assume positive intent.”-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Stop continuously following up with your team. Start getting real commitment to drive execution. When you get commitment from your team upfront, you can spend more time leading and less time nagging. It allows your team to take more ownership of their work and hold each other accountable.I host Amar Singh, Chief Operating Officer of Spartan Financial Partners, who shares the powerful strategy he uses to drive commitment, execution, and accountability.Prior to joining the Spartan team, he held senior leadership positions for Spartan’s parent company, American Credit Acceptance (ACA) with tenure at Smith International, Schlumberger, and CarMax.American Credit Acceptance is a leading national provider of auto finance solutions with double-digit growth each of the last 10 years.He started as a Mechanical Engineer in the Oilfield, got 40 patents for many inventions, went to business school alongside and then took on a variety of leadership roles before joining ACA.Amar holds an MBA from Texas McCombs School of Management (University of Texas at Austin), Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Oklahoma State University, and Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/amardeep-singh-77b9318/Company Link: https://americancreditacceptance.com/dealers/spartan/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:How you learn the skill of building relationships.A fun question to get to know your team.The weekly action he and his team takes that boosts their results.An effective strategy to gain real commitment from your team.Amar’s interesting path from oilfield engineer to COO.How to turn any meeting into a learning opportunity.A step to add value in any job.How to quickly test your idea to know if it will work.Resources:The 5 Whys - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_whys The Four Disciplines of Execution - Covey, McChesney, Huling https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007IKZLJA/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

It's not easy to stay on top of your game. In fact, most teams fall into a complacent trap where they stop trying to improve and stagnate. As a leader, it's important to fight against complacency and always be looking for ways to improve both yourself and your team. I host Leslie Kass, CEO of Lewis Tree Service, one of the largest providers of utility vegetation management services in North America, who shares an essential strategy to stay sharp and fight complacency.They are 100% employee-owned with approximately 4,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada providing a wide range of vegetation management services and expertise including around-the-clock utility line clearing and outage response resources. Leslie has 28 years of experience in the industrial and energy spaces including serving as CEO of Babcock & Wilcox, a publicly- traded 150-year-old power generation and environmental equipment company and Executive Vice President of TC Energy.Leslie has an undergraduate degree in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. She currently serves on the board of Bruce Power nuclear facility (the largest nuclear generation site in the world).Leslie is a U.S. citizen and a permanent resident of Canada and has held Top Secret level security clearances in both countries associated with her work in nuclear energy.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliekassCompany Link: https://lewistree.comWhat You’ll Discover in this Episode:What’s it like having top secret clearance in two countries.How you become a trailblazing leader.What she's learned as the first female engineer in so many of her jobs -- at her first employer, as engineering manager in a large nuclear power plant, and CEO of a 150-year-old industrial company. How you can identify great advocates in your career.A key strategy to fight complacency on your team.The one trait she’d instill in every employee and why.What’s it like leading a company that’s 100% employee owned.A twist in her career that led to her success down the road.How an executive coach was helpful in her career.Two songs every leader needs on their playlist.The helpful tool she uses every day.Resources:Think Again, Adam Grant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08H177WQP/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Patrick Lecioni https://www.amazon.com/Patrick-M.-Lencioni/e/B001ILFMB2%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Ben Rector, Living My Best Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzGbBxfpoGw Survivor, Eye of the Tiger https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4 Quotes:“Your standards are not what you ask for. They are what you accept.”-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Do you have a truth teller in your corner? Someone who tells you the hard truths, even when it's uncomfortable? Leaders benefit from having someone who has your best interests at heart and isn't afraid to speak up when they see something wrong. I host Nickle LaMoreaux, IBM Chief Human Resources Officer, who shares why you need a truth teller and powerful strategy to find one.Nickle leads IBM’s people strategy, skills, employee experience and services, and global HR team supporting more than 250,000 IBMers across 170 countries.In her 20 years at IBM, Nickle has led HR across organizations ranging from services to software to emerging markets – supporting the company’s business growth through leadership development, talent acquisition, performance management, and skill building.As VP of Compensation and Benefits, she led the design and deployment of all compensation and benefits programs globally. She was also responsible for the HR activities associated with mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, and drove the people side of the Red Hat acquisition.Nickle holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University, and a Masters of Business Administration from Duke University.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickle-lamoreaux/Company Link: https://www.ibm.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:The question every leader should use to think about their career.How Nickle passed on a promotion and still grew her career.A time she “got it wrong’ and how it led to her success down the road.Her personal process for self-reflection.What gets her up in the morning.A helpful strategy for maintaining work-life balance,Why you need a “truth teller” in your career and a helpful strategy to find one.The key difference between truth tellers versus a mentor/sponsor.Why understanding WHEN your team work is just as important as where and how.How “New Collar” workers can solve your hiring problem.Resources:Fast Company Article - https://www.fastcompany.com/90705269/i-passed-on-a-big-promotion-and-still-grew-my-career-this-is-what-it-tool -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Many believe that finding talented individuals and putting them together will create an unstoppable team, but that's rarely always the case. It takes a lot more than just hiring good people to build a great team. I host Ronan Dunne, Executive Vice President and strategic advisor to the CEO of Verizon Communications, the leading US telecoms provider. He shares the truth about building a great team and a key strategy to do it the right way. Ronan was formerly the executive vice president and CEO of Verizon Consumer Group, where he helped define a new era of possibilities with the introduction of 5G and was responsible for voice, data, and video products and services to more than 120 million consumers every day. Before coming to Verizon, Ronan was CEO of Telefónica UK (O2), the leading UK wireless operator and one of the UK’s most admired brands. He’s also held senior positions in banking with Banque Nationale de Paris, Exel plc, and Waste Management International plc.Ronan represents Verizon on the board of Yahoo, Inc. and is non-executive chairman of Six Nations Rugby Limited that oversees commercial and marketing operations for men's and women’s international rugby tournaments. He was named Lloyds Bank National Business Awards finalist in 2014 and Ethical Corporation CEO of the year in  2015. In 2016 he was the Sabre Awards EMEA CEO of the Year and in 2019 the American Ireland Fund honored him with their Corporate Leadership Award. He received the 2020 Transformative CEO Award in Leadership by The CEO Forum.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/dunneronanCompany Link: https://www.verizon.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:What Ronan learned about leadership from sports.The most overlooked strategy when building a great team. Why leaders must make the distinction between deliverables versus outcomes.A key to instilling confidence in every leader.The pros and cons of Ready Aim Fire versus Ready Fire Aim.The one question that uncovered a BIG opportunity involving O2 Arena… the world’s most successful live-entertainment arena.Why you must become the “Chief Storyteller”.Two things every leader can do to harness the power of 5G.The 10-million person phone outage that became an opportunity to strengthen customer relationships. Quotes:“If you have attitude and curiosity, almost everything else can be taught.”“As a leader its not what you do, it’s what you make happen.”“Define the question clearly before embarking on the search for an answer.”-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Stop taking a “wait and see” approach as a leader and start provoking the future.I host Deloitte Chief Strategy Officer and author, Steve Goldbach, who explains why leaders tend to act so tentatively in the face of uncertainty and then shares a powerful strategy to help leaders move forward more boldly and courageously.Prior to joining Deloitte, Steve was a Partner at Monitor Group and head of its New York Office and head of strategy at Forbes. He’s a globally recognized strategist, author and thought leader. Steve helps executives and their teams transform their organizations by making challenging and pragmatic strategy choices in the face of uncertainty. He focuses his work on clients and industries undergoing large scale transformation. Steve helps companies combine rigor and creativity to create their own future. Steve has co-authored two bestselling books – Detonate: Why – and how – corporations must blow up best practices (and bring a beginner’s mind) to survive (Wiley, 2018), and Provoke: How leaders shape the future by overcoming fatal human flaws (Wiley, 2021). Thinkers50 has nominated Steve as a finalist for the 2019 Distinguished Achievement Award in Strategy and in 2021 for the Distinguished Leadership Award. Steve holds degrees from Queen’s University at Kingston, where he serves on the Global Advisory Board of its Smith School of Business, and Columbia Business School. He and his wife live in Manhattan with their young daughter.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevengoldbachCompany Link https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en.htmlWHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:What Steve learned going on “public golf course’ tour from coast to coast.Steve’s first book, Detonate, and when you should use it at work.Why leaders should “provoke” the future instead of  “creating” it.A key leadership strategy when people disagree with you at work.The benefits of writing a book as an executive.How to get your company to support your book.Why “humble curiosity’ is a success skill.RESOURCES:Detonate: Why – and how – corporations must blow up best practices (and bring a beginner’s mind) to survive (Wiley, 2018), Geoff Tuff, Steve Goldbachhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BYZ5B1P/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Provoke: How leaders shape the future by overcoming fatal human flaws (Wiley, 2021). Geoff Tuff, Steve Goldbach https://www.amazon.com/Provoke-Leaders-Shape-Future-Overcoming/dp/1119764475-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Leaders, who are successful forever, are _____.  Charasmatic? Intelligent? Motivational for their team?Well, I host Chief Strategy Officer of VMLY&R, Belle Frank, who shares her terrific leadership success secret from over 40 years as a leader with the same company.VMLY&R is a global brand and customer experience agency over 12,000 employees and is part of the public company WPP.She now drives strategy across healthcare clients with a focus on the Pfizer COVID-19 campaign. Belle is known as an expert strategist, committed to understanding people’s real needs.Born and raised in Queens, NY. Belle joined Y&R in the late 70s and has had many different journeys as the firm has morphed and now merged, making her a 40-year veteran of 4 year-old  VMLY&R and a mentor to many.  She is also author of “The Advertising On Ramp: Tips on How to Get Your First Advertising Job". LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/belle-frank-4739292/Company Link: https://www.vmlyr.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:Belle’s three success secrets for working (and staying engaged) and at a company for 40 years.“Boss picking” as a job promotion accelerator.How you can always know if a boss is good.How to turn around a job where you’re not being supported.A strategy that keeps your top-performers from quitting.What she learned writing a book as an executive.Negotiating with your company to support your book.Resources:The Advertising On-Ramp by Belle Frank    https://www.paramountbooks.com/advertising-ramp-belle-frank-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Too many people give up on their dreams of becoming a leader. But is it really ever too late? Start dreaming bigger about what’s possible in your career.I host SiriusXM senior leader, Kimberly K. Wilson, who shares her inspiring story of dropping out of college and then accelerating her career to an inspiring level. She also shares a key strategy anyone can apply to help you get promoted.She’s now an entertainment, sports, and media marketing veteran with over 20 years of experience in driving growth for Fortune 500 companies. She’s spent her career at the forefront of innovation across content distribution and brand marketing.Wilson currently serves as Senior Vice President, Brand and Consumer Marketing for SiriusXM where she oversees brand marketing strategy for its portfolio of audio streaming brands. Prior to joining SiriusXM, Wilson spent 16 years at The Walt Disney Company in various marketing leadership roles. She was responsible for setting strategic direction for driving fan engagement, customer acquisition, retention and revenue for Disney’s content portfolio including ESPN, Disney Channel, FX, Nat Geo, Marvel, Pixar and ABC.In 2003, Wilson served as Director of Marketing for Clear Channel Radio New Orleans (now iHeart Radio). She led the development and execution of all marketing, promotions, and community affairs efforts for seven diverse radio stations from Hip Hop to Gospel, Classic Rock and Country. She began her media career as Distribution Sales Manager for BET Networks/Viacom where she was responsible for increasing distribution of BET’s suite of linear and digital networks.Kimberly received her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Columbia College Chicago and earned a Master’s Degree in Integrated Marketing from Roosevelt University. She is a proud and active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.Her proudest accomplishment includes serving as co-founder and president of the Don D. Wilson Dream a Dream Foundation - an organization created to support and actualize the dreams of young people in the areas of music, sports and entrepreneurship. She is also an active board member of St. Joseph Center whose mission is to help eradicate homelessness in Los Angeles, CA.LinkedIn Profile http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlykwilsonCompany Link: https://www.siriusxm.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:Kim’s inspiring story of going from college dropout to senior leader at Disney and SiriusXM.The movie that accelerated her career.A powerful storytelling strategy she learned at Disney.The essential distinction between competition and comparison.Why patience is the one trait she’d instill in every employee.A simple step for leveraging Twitter as a leadership tool.Leading your team to get short-term results and drive long-term growth.When taking an unpaid internship can really pay off.Resources:The Best Man - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168501/ African American Music Museum https://www.nmaam.org/ Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/ SiriusXM  https://www.siriusxm.com/ - Siriusly Sinatra, Heart and Soul, The Pulse, Alt Nation, Bluegrass Junction, The SpectrumCMO Moves Podcast CMO Moves on Apple PodcastsQuotes:“Be a student of the business you’re in.”-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Why is cold email such a powerful tool for leaders? When done well it connects you with high-level decision makers and attracts top talent to your team. Unfortunately, most leaders never develop this skill while their competition develops it as a competitive advantage to increase revenue and build their team.I host the "King of Cold Email", Alex Berman, who is an expert at getting CEO's and decision makers to respond to your emails. In our interview, you’ll learn a 3-step process to get any target prospect or employee to respond to your email and build a lasting connection.Alex Berman is the founder of x27, Taplio and Leadshark. Berman is a master at lead generation and author of the Cold Email Manifesto, now available on Amazon. He also creates weekly videos to help agency owners grow their businesses and bring in more revenue by teaching them how to optimize B2B sales cycles and put inbound marketing strategies in place.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderberman/Company Link: https://taplio.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:The key Alex discovered to developing fast friendships across the globe.The surprising business lesson he learned living in India for 8 months.How Alex generated $100M in leads by cold email.What is “cold email'' and why it’s so different AND more effective than SPAM.Why using cold email can increase your revenue and attract top talent.Biggest mistake leaders make.3 steps for writing an effective cold email.When to email and when to text.Biggest mistake leaders make on LinkedIn (that keeps them from ever making a sale).How artificial intelligence can make you better on LinkedIn.Alex’s amazing journey from employee to team leader to business owner.Resources:Cold Email Manifesto, Alex Berman and Robert Indries TaplioX27 MarketingQuotes:“Three C’s of an effective cold email: Compliment, Case Study, Call to Action.”-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Stop using time management and start using anti-time management. Instead of getting work done for work’s sake, you can identify meaningful professional and personal goals and leverage powerful systems and processes to accelerate your progress.I hosted, Richie Norton, award-winning author and serial entrepreneur.  An executive coach to CEOs, he is featured in Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, Inc., Entrepreneur, and Huffington Post. Pacific Business News recognized Richie as one of the Top Forty Under 40 “best and brightest young businessmen” in Hawaii. Richie is one of the world’s leading thinkers and Top 100 coaches as honored by MG100. He is the CEO and Co-founder of PROUDUCT—an INC. 5000 company—a global entrepreneurship solution helping businesses go from idea to market with full-service sourcing, product strategy, and end-to-end supply chain. He is the author of several books including Anti-Time Management, The Power of Starting Something Stupid and Résumés Are Dead and What to Do About It. Richie was born and raised in San Diego before moving to Brazil and then Hawaii. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardnorton/ Website: https://richienorton.com/ What You’ll Discover in this Episode:The WORST advice Richie’s heard when it comes to time management.The moment his mindset shifted about time management.Bold predictions about the future of work in the Post-Management Movement.The most valuable leadership skill in the new world of work.An essential strategy you can use to retain your team.Anti-time management and why Richie wrote a book about it.Where Elon Musk is missing an opportunity on employee retention.Is flexibility still a corporate perk?The weirdest thing that’s become normal about work.Time management vs Anti-Time management.Three parts of work-life flexibility, and how to leverage them.The one decision that eliminates a dozen decisions.The Castle-Moat strategy for prioritizing your work and life.Richie’s new term “effectualism” and why you need it.Thought leadership advice for every leader.Resources:Books: Anti-Time Management - https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Time-Management-Reclaim-Revolutionize-Results/dp/0306827069?&linkCode=ll1&tag=stastu-20&linkId=101862363fc0ca29c64d2c487566b212&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl The Power of Starting Something Stupid https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1609070097/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=stastu-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1609070097 Taylorism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_management Parkinson’s Law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law 80/20 Rule https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle Quotes:“How you spend your time is how you show your love.”-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Start developing your sales skills. Selling is one of the most important skills that leaders can develop in themselves and their teams. It’s an opportunity to develop persistence, resilience, and positively impact the top and bottom line.I host Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG Partners, who shares three sales success strategies for every leader.  ZRG Partners is one of the fastest growing mid-sized global executive search firms in the industry. He is a results-driven leader with a broad business background in executive search as well as in industry. As CEO, Larry is responsible for driving overall growth, client engagement and profitability of the firm. A key focus for Larry is engaging and recruiting top talent to join the firm as well as selectively pursuing additional acquisitions that fit the ZRG culture.Prior to joining ZRG in 2002, Larry was a founder of Rockford Industries, a NASDAQ traded commercial lending business that supported the medical device market. While at Rockford, the firm went from a pure start up, to an Inc. 500 recognized growth firm through IPO and ultimate sale to American Express. This experience provided a unique view of growing a business, raising capital and hiring talent, through virtually all business stages. After the sale, Larry was an EVP with American Express for three years.Additionally, Larry also has broad board of director experience. In addition to public company experience as a board member, he has also served on boards in both Private Equity and Venture backed businesses. Larry has also served on the Equipment Finance Industry Foundation board for six years. Currently, Larry is a member of the Kean University Business School Board and leads a non-profit board, Crossroads Job Network, which creates jobs for the community of Paterson, NJ.Larry is a graduate of The California State University at Fullerton Business School.LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-hartmann-723b3a/Company Link: https://www.zrgpartners.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:How a polo shirt provided a dose of motivation.The skill Larry developed in high school that gave him the ultimate head start in his career.Are sales skills more “nature” or “nurture”?Three sales success strategies.The story behind founding his first company… Rockford Industries.What it was like selling his company to American Express.How you create a resilient team.Fostering the entrepreneurial spirit in a big company.The “customer-centric” mindset.A strategy to keep your team encouraged.Biggest mistakes leaders make when retaining employees.What leaders should avoid on social media.How do you decide if you should keep going when you’re getting “No’s.It Is effective to get feedback on your business idea.Using NLP to build rapport.Resources:How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale CarnegieJohn MaxwellQuotes:“People don’t work for companies. People work for people”.When it comes to sales, ” ‘No’ may only mean ‘Not Now’”.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Start having more honest conversations at work.  Leaders need to be honest with themselves and their teams if they want to make any real progress. That means having tough conversations and admitting when they're wrong. It's not easy, but it's worth it in the end.I hosted Jennifer Brant-Gargan, Chief Information Officer of Bacardi, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, producing and marketing internationally recognized spirits and wines such including BACARDÍ rum, GREY GOOSE vodka, DEWAR’S Blended Scotch whisky, PATRÓN tequila, and  BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin.She shares an essential leadership strategy to have an honest conversation with your team that builds trust and connection.Jennifer is an experienced executive with a demonstrated history of innovation and delivery. She is skilled in Business Process, IT Strategy, Data Warehousing, Mentoring, and Management with a Information Science and Technology (BS) from The Pennsylvania State University.She’s also served as a senior leader at Estee Lauder, Viacom, and JP MorganChase.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbrantgarganCompany Link: https://www.bacardi.com/us/en/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:Jennifer's story of dropping out of high school and her rise to the C-Suite.Sage advice for leaders who feel like they don’t have a seat at the table.Why “digital transformation” is really about people first.Sci-Fi recommendations for a dose of inspiration.The one trait she’d instill in every employee.Her interesting perspective on how leaders should consider employee turnover.A twist in Jennifer’s career that led to her growth.A key leadership strategy to have an honest conversation with your team.The first step to manage other people’s perceptions of you.A quick exercise to help you prepare for an honest conversation with a team member.Two success strategies for every leader.Why you should always take the interview, including when you're not interested in leaving.How to decide what podcast to listen to.When leaders should stand at their desk during the day.Resources:Next - https://youtu.be/UTAExnBV0lc Free Guy - https://youtu.be/X2m-08cOAbc The First - https://youtu.be/UFWaKqGmyT0 Star Trek - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek Holodeck - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holodeck Lead the Team Podcast - https://leadtheteam.captivate.fm/listen CEOs You Should Know podcast - https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1248-ceos-you-should-know-78124463/ Ben’s viral Linkedin video on designing your home office.- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/benfanning_upgrade-your-home-office-now-its-not-2020-activity-6942587831156453376-Xy2L?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web -----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Start leading your workplace to become a happier and healthier place to be. Too often employee wellness gets pushed down the list by other priorities, but consider that teams with higher levels of wellness perform better, deliver stronger results, and have higher retention levels. This emphasizes that employee wellness is something all leaders should be considering for themselves and their teams.I hosted Stephane Charbonnier, Chief Human Resources Officer of L’Oréal USA, who shares an essential strategy to lead wellness in the workplace and make everyone feel more productive and positive.Before joining L’Oreal in 2013, Stephane worked more than two decades in key HR leadership positions at global organizations including Towers Watson, PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, American Express and McDonalds in Europe and in the United States. In his current role as CHRO, Stephane is responsible for leading the company’s overall HR strategy in the U.S., including talent acquisition, learning and development, total rewards, HR operations and people analytics. He has built a high-performing team inclusive of centers of excellence and division leads who are all focused on creating the best possible employee experience.”L’Oreal is the largest cosmetic company in the world with $34B in revenue and over 85,000 employees. LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanecharbonnier/Company Link: https://www.loreal.com/en/What You’ll Discover in this Episode: Stephane’s winning strategy that led companies in two different countries to achieve the top 10 best work.Three surprising strategies for work-life balance.Why should you encourage your team to bring their “whole self” to work.Why effective prioritizing is “ruthless” by nature.How to lead wellness in the workplace.The one trait he’d like to instill in every employee, and why it’s important.How to use texting as a leadership skill.A surefire strategy to secure your place in the CEO’s Inner Circle.The insidious cost that’s even bigger than employee turnover.Three success strategies for anyone who wants to get promoted.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

It’s vital that you change your leadership approach as we enter the highest inflation period in decades. Leaders who rely on the old way of doing things can jeopardize their goals and the company bottom line.It may not be easy, but with the right attitude and approach you can thrive in these tough times.I host Hitachi Energy CFO Paulo Micchi, who shares a vital strategy to thrive and lead through bad inflation. He’s also head of Finance and VP for the Grid Integration business in North America. He grew up seeing terrible hyperinflation in Brazil of 20-30% and knows how bad it can get, but he’s channeled his experience into positive lessons for all leaders.He’s also previously held CFO roles with ABB and Siemens and is an economist and Certified Accountant with MBA in Corporate Finance.He’s passionate about continuous improvement, turnarounds and team building.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulo-micchi-021319/Company Link: https://www.hitachienergy.com/us/enWhat You’ll Discover in this Episode:A board game you can play to strengthen and develop your team.Why an international assignment develops your leadership skills, and how to negotiate one.An essential strategy to lead through bad inflation.What he learned when living in Brazil with 20-30% inflation.The one trait he’d like to instill in every employee and why.The catastrophic cost of turnover, and why it’s worse than most leaders realize.The day his entire team quit, and what he learned.How to navigate a toxic work environment.-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Creating a leadership vision isn’t just for the CEO. It’s for you too. Most people think that vision is only for CEOs or upper-level executives, but the truth is that everyone in an organization needs one. It's like a road map that will help you get where you want to go in your career. It also outlines what you want your team to achieve both long-term and short-term. And believe me, you need one if you want to be successful.In my interview with Dan Watts, Chief Operating Officer at Segra, you’ll discover the steps that you need to take in order to achieve your goals.Headquartered in Charlotte NC, Segra is one of the largest fiber infrastructure providers in the U.S. delivering security, cloud, data, voice and connectivity services to commercial enterprise and carrier customers.As COO, Dan leads Segra’s service delivery, network operations, security operations, customer service, outside plant and field operations organizations. Preceding his role as COO, Dan served as Segra’s Vice President of Product and Business Development with oversight for company-wide product strategy and business development.Prior to joining Segra, Dan was President of TSAChoice, an IT managed service provider headquartered in Asheville, NC. He started his telecom career at SLEC/PAETEC/Windstream, where he served in a variety of positions in both operations and sales. Starting as an entry level technician, he now leverages his deep cross-functional experience to lead and scale technology companies in fast paced, high-growth environments. His focus on market strategy, product innovation and operational excellence combined with his passion for business, gives him unique insight into how organizations are shaped into industry leaders.Dan is a veteran of the United States Army, graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and has an MBA from the Haslam School of Business at the University of Tennessee.LinkedIn Profile: http://linkedin.com/in/daniel-watts-340197bCompany Link: https://www.segra.com/What You’ll Discover in this EpisodeWhat you learn from going to Boot Camp when you’re in High School.The pivotal moment in his career that accelerated his job promotion.Why hard work usually isn’t enough to move up.Three steps to create a positive vision for your career.A strategy to build a more inclusive workforce.Why employee turnover can boost profitability.The three kinds of employee turnover, and the kind you want to increase and two you don’t.How to learn from failure and turn it into an opportunity.His three go-to leadership books.A work-out routine for leaders.Quotes:“In your career play chess not checkers”.Resources:Extreme Ownership, Jocko WillinkDichotomy of Leadership, Jocko WillinkAtomic Habits, James ClearNever Split the Difference, Mindset, Carol Dweck-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

Stop always leading with data. Leaders need to share stories too! A great leadership story builds trust, inspires, and creates connection. We all know that stories are a powerful way to communicate and connect with people, but sometimes it's hard to see how we can use them at work. Storytelling can help become better leaders and help us achieve our goals.I hosted Michelle Carnahan, President of Thirty Madison, who shares a powerful storytelling strategy and how it can help you become a better leader and help your achieve your goals.Thirty Madison is the premier healthcare company for people living with chronic conditions. After spending more than 25 years in healthcare and treatment innovation, Michelle joined Thirty Madison because of her commitment to patients and her desire to improve chronic care. Her background in strategy, marketing, and operations at Sanofi and Eli Lilly allowed her to see how having access to the care patients needed changed their lives for the better.LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-carnahan/Company Link: https://thirtymadison.com/What You’ll Discover in this Episode:Why you need more than just data to inspire your team and customers.Three steps to tell an inspiring leadership story.Her personal story of getting into healthcare, and she uses it to motivate her team.How to respond when someone says “you're way too emotional” at work.A strategy to increase team empathy.What she learned about transparency from Brene Brown.The story she used to launch one of the most pharmaceutical line extensions.The competitive advantage when your team brings their “whole selves” to work.4 kinds of life guides that every leader needs.Quotes:“Introduce yourself slowly."-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter