Scale To Win with Dominic Monkhouse

How do you deal with uncertainty? Do you avoid it at all costs or do you embrace the unknown excitedly?To discuss the upside of uncertainty is husband and wife team, Nathan and Susannah Furr, authors of The Upside of Uncertainty. As the Professor of Strategy and Innovation at INSEAD, and with a PhD from Stanford, Nathan is an expert in innovation and technology strategy. Susannah is an entrepreneur, designer, artist, and contrarian who’s recently started a bio-intensive garden as part of a ‘hope accelerator’ in Normandy, France. On this episode of The Melting Pot, Nathan and Susannah share their experiences of tackling uncertainty, and discuss how you can improve and train your risk tolerance and seek the upside of uncertainty. And in doing so, how we can then impact organisations. Download and listen to learn more. On today’s podcast:The portal to possibility Uncertainty balancesHow do you teach uncertainty?Regret minimisation decision makingDriving innovation inside businesses Links:Books: The Upside of Uncertainty: A Guide to Finding Possibility in the UnknownTwitter: @nathan_furrLinkedIn: Nathan FurrWebsite: The Upside of Uncertainty

Do you want to be a force for change in the world? Of course you do, but how to begin? That's actually the title of Michael Bungay Stanier’s latest book - How To Begin, a book written to help people be ambitious for themselves, for the world, to help them find their Worthy Goal, and start something thrilling, important, and daunting.Best known for writing The Coaching Habit, a best selling coaching book that’s sold over 1.2 million copies world wide, Michael is back on The Melting Pot once more to talk about how you can figure out what that thing is you want to do, and then how you stop procrastinating so you can go and have an impact. Having handed over the reins of Box of Crayons, a learning and development company, Michael has had to find his own worthy goal, and in this episode he shares how he stepped away from Box of Crayons, how to find your purpose, and the key elements of what makes a worthy goal. To hear all this and more, download and listen today.Book recommendations High Conflict - Amanda RipleySuper-Infinite - Katherine RundellOn today’s podcast:How to BeginStepping away from Box of CrayonsFinding your purposeThe key elements of a worthy goalThe Care MatrixLinks:Books - Top Books & Training for Coaches, Mentors, LeadersTwitter – mbs_worksLinkedIn – Michael Bungay StanierWebsite – Michael Bungay Stanier

How do you think about compensation in your organisation? In this episode of The Melting Pot, Verne Harnish, a world-leading expert, speaker, author, and entrepreneur in the field of business growth, shares his recent research into how different organisations tackle compensation. Having founded the Entrepreneurs' Organisation in 1987, Verne’s also the Founder and CEO of Scaling Up, as well as author of Scaling Up, Mastering the Rockefeller Habits, and co-author of The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time, for which Jim Collins wrote the foreword. But it’s his latest book, Scaling Up Compensation, a short read at just over 100 pages, that Verne is discussing here. In this book, he explores over 100 case studies to help you move top and bottom lines by hundreds of percent, just by tweaking your existing comp plan. While the case studies aren’t there for you to copy, let them inspire and guide you in how you can take compensation and make it work for you, so you can attract and retain the best possible talent you can afford, so you can build the best team money can buy for your organisation. This is a fabulous conversation, download and listen now. On today’s podcast:Scaling up compensationHow to afford the A-playersLet compensation set you apartSales commission - yes or no?Promotions and a pay riseLinks:Book - Scaling Up CompensationTwitter – thegrowthguyLinkedIn – Verne HarnishWebsite – scalingup.com

In this incredibly tight labour market where the power well and truly sits in the job seekers’ hands, how can you optimise your LinkedIn profile so that you make yourself (and your company) more attractive to A-players and job seekers? Don’t miss Donna Serdula, author of LinkedIn Profile Optimization for Dummies, and founder of LinkedIn specialist firm LinkedIn-Makeover, on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. What should you do as a company? More specifically, what should you do as individual leaders and hiring managers to try and make it more likely that candidates, prospects, even partners, find you and connect with you on LinkedIn? Donna details how people should be thinking about this. She shares what you as an individual leader, a CEO, should be doing. How often should you post? Should you put hashtags on? If you do, which ones? Should you share content that's already on the LinkedIn platform? Or try to get people to connect to content off the platform?To find out all this and more, download and listen to this episode today. On today’s podcast:How to show up to prospective candidatesSelling the company culture in the description The LinkedIn algorithmHow often to post on LinkedInThe golden hour All about hashtagsLinks:Podcast: Dream Big with Big DreamersTwitter: @donnaserdulaLinkedin: Donna SerdulaWebsite: LinkedIn-Makeover.com

If you’ve grown your organisation and you’re now at the point where you don’t quite remember everyone’s name, and the coffee cups aren’t being stacked in the dishwasher, perhaps it’s time to reassess your company culture. To share how they’ve transitioned their culture as the organisation has grown to just over 150 people in 6 years, is co-founder and CEO of Jahnel Group, Darrin Jahnel. In this episode, Darrin explains why they’ve moved away from an executive team to implementing an extended leadership team, why he’s maniacal about company culture, and why they believe they've cracked the code on hybrid working. He also talks about inclusion, how he’s got people to show up to work being their authentic selves, as well as a fantastic metric for how many culture drivers per employee you need in your business.So, to learn more about how to transition your culture as you grow, download and listen today.On today’s podcast:Great culture starts with having a great teamHow to create a buzzCracking the remote culture codeThe benefits of a buffet culture Overcoming scaling up hurdlesLinks:Twitter: @djahnelLinkedIn: Darrin JahnelWebsite: Jahnel Group

Do you have a problem with the free flow of energy in your organisation? Perhaps you’ve been replacing individuals who aren’t performing only to find that their replacements are also not bringing in the results. Then you need to listen to Michael Cahill, author, trainer, coach and facilitator at MarketMatters. Michael blends a rich and deep knowledge of NLP (neuro linguistic programming), Systemic Coaching and Constellations with his considerable experience of business and investment, to inspire change, growth and transformation within organisations. In this episode, Michael explains systemic coaching, his energy model, and how making decisions with the right energy can make all the difference in your organisation. He also discusses how you build a business, what leadership looks like, how you make decisions, and how you become more strategic.To learn more, download and listen today. Book recommendations ​​Daniel Pink - A Whole New MindJim Collins - Good To GreatJohn Whittington - Systemic Coaching and ConstellationsOn today’s podcast:What is systemic coaching?What the business world can learn from Tiger WoodsHow to make decisionsDifference between leadership and managementGet clear on what you’re good atLinks:Book - An Investor's Guide to Analysing Companies and Valuing SharesTwitter – LinkedIn – Michael CahillWebsite – Market Matters

Leading from the heart is the secret to high performing teams and financial success, says leadership speaker, consultant, change agent for workplace engagement and culture, and author of ‘Lead From The Heart’, Mark C Crowley. Mark has spent 25 years leading teams in the financial services industry to record breaking sales and profitability performance by focussing his leadership on the most authentic driver of human engagement - emotional connection. In this, The Great Resignation, demonstrating to employees that you not only care about them, but value them and trust them, is one of the best ways to retain them. Simple, heart felt reciprocity, Mark found, is what is required for employees to not just excel, but routinely exceed expectations. So, how do you lead from the heart? How do you connect with employees and redefine your employee proposition?In this episode of The Melting Pot, Mark reveals why he advocates for leading from the heart, he shares a few simple ways that leaders can lead from the heart, and explains why, 11 years on, the Second Edition of his book is coming out. Book recommendationsLeonard Mlodinow - EmotionalSwami Yogananda - The Autobiography of a YogiZoe Chance - Influence is Your SuperpowerRobert Cialdini - InfluenceOn today’s podcast:How to lead from the heartThe influence of COVID on managersWhy the Great Resignation is happening The benefits of reciprocityLinks:Book - Lead From The Heart: Transformational Leadership For The 21st CenturyPodcast - PODCASTSTwitter – MarkCCrowleyLinkedIn – Mark C. CrowleyWebsite – Mark C. Crowley

If you’re struggling with your marketing efforts, or you’re concerned that what you’re doing isn’t working, or is a waste of time and money, then don’t miss Oren Greenberg, founder and CEO of Kurve, a digital marketing agency, on this episode of The Melting Pot. Now, Oren may specialise in search marketing, but he splits his time between getting companies to rank in Google, and being a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer with FTSE 250 companies such as Canon, Investec Bank, Lenovo & HomeServe, and supporting a number of the world's fastest scale-ups.So, if you’re looking to hack growth marketing in your business, if you’re wondering where to spend your money - distribution or content, if you’re unsure about Account Based Marketing, if you don’t know where to start with building your marketing tech stack or even your marketing team, download and listen to this episode. On today’s podcast:Being a fractional CMOThe difference between scale ups and corporatesHow to market in the current economyThe benefits of marketing tech stack toolsThe truth about marketing successLinks:Skillshare (free course) - Grow your business through growth hacking experimentsTwitter – @OrengreenLinkedIn – Oren GreenbergWebsite – Kurve

If you struggle to have difficult conversations then you aren’t alone. According to Rasmus Hougaard, founder and CEO of global research, leadership development and consulting firm, Potential Project, only one in 100 of us are naturally wired to be able to give difficult feedback the right way, instinctively. “You really have to step up if you want to lead people and learn how to do the hard things. Because it's the most compassionate and kind thing you can do. Everything else is indecent, period.”Rasmus and the team at Potential Project have spent the last three years undertaking a huge research project to find out just how CEOs and leaders do hard stuff with humanity. In this episode, Rasmus shares why he learned the art of mindfulness in Buddhist monasteries not just as a way of driving employee wellness, but actually driving leadership behaviours. He also explains why, if we care deeply about people, it's on us to be direct and to give them the feedback they need to grow to be the best version of themselves that they can be. To find out more about the four behaviours Rasmus and the team uncovered, to create more trust, psychological safety, and improve performance in your individual employees, your teams, and the culture, download and listen to this episode. Book recommendationsThe Tibetan Book of Living and Dying - Sogyal RinpocheGood to Great - Jim CollinsOn today’s podcast:Why mindfulness is your secret business weaponThe distinction between empathy and compassionWhy women are better leadersThe four behaviours that help do hard things humanely Links:Book: Compassionate LeadershipTwitter: @RasmusTPPLinkedin: Rasmus HougaardWebsite: Compassionate Leadership, Potential Project

How do you get people to bring their authentic selves to work? By building a culture of psychological safety in the workplace, says clinical psychologist, Dr Vikki Barnes. With 10 years working in the NHS delivering psychology services to patients with mental health issues under her belt, and designing and leading the national wellbeing programme across the Virgin Group, Vikki subsequently set up her own business called Positive Wellbeing. With Positive Wellbeing, she tries to bring the science of clinical psychology of positive psychology to those organisations she works with and tries to help them get the best from their people. In this episode, Vikki discusses the Google programme Project Aristotle, how you can build psychological safety in the workplace, how to get people into flow, and how you can get people to be authentic and bring their best selves to work. So, to learn how you can implement positive psychology in your workplace, download and listen to The Melting Pot today. Book recommendationsBrene Brown - Daring GreatlyWild GuidesOn today’s podcast:The positive psychology movementThe business benefit of positive psychologyGetting into a state of flowLearning happy hormonesLinks:Twitter – @DrVikkiBarnesLinkedIn – Dr Vikki BarnesWebsite – Dr Vikki Barnes

How can you help your team to do the best work of their lives? By building a conducive culture that allows them to thrive. Gustavo Razzetti is a sought-after speaker, culture consultant, and author of three books. He realised that most companies don’t lack ideas, resources, or talent, but rather an advantageous culture. And so he created Fearless Culture, a workplace culture consulting firm, to help organisations become purpose-driven, agile, and innovative. He’s also the creator of the Culture Design Canvas, a culture mapping tool used by consultants, coaches, and organisations worldwide.On this episode of The Melting Pot, Gustavo discusses the book he wrote during the pandemic, Remote Not Distant, which takes the concept of deliberately designing a culture and applying it to a new normal hybrid workplace. Because how do you design a culture that helps everyone thrive when not everybody is office based? Download and listen to find out.Book recommendations:Insight: The Power Of Self-Awareness In A Self-Deluded World - Tasha EurichCreativity, Inc - Ed CatmullOn today’s podcast:Determining the work modelWhy you should care about cultureCreating rituals when remote workingThe benefits of feedbackDecentralised decision makingLinks:Book - Remote Not Distant: Design a Company Culture That Will Help You Thrive in a Hybrid WorkplaceTwitter – @gusrazzettiLinkedIn – Gustavo RazzettiWebsite – https://fearlessculture.designCulture Mapping Tool - Culture Design Canvas

Do you aspire for your company to become a Hidden Champion? Hidden champions are what businessman and bestselling author, Hermann Simon, describes as medium-sized, unknown companies with annual revenues under $5 billion that have quietly, under the radar, become world market leaders in their respective industries. Having previously written about hidden champions in his bestselling book, Hidden Champions, Hermann now explores China’s continued impact on the business world since its meteoric rise in the global business and economic sphere in recent years. While the main focus of Hermann’s research is on companies in German-speaking countries, because they comprise 56% of the world’s hidden champions, their success factors can be applied globally to any mid-sized companies as they strive to become global market leaders.“The takeaway is to go really deep, find something you can really be the best in the world, that will drive your profit margin. It will drive a strategic moat around your business. You can be world famous in your niche.”So, whether your company is a “Hidden Champion”, or aspires to be one, don’t miss Hermann on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. On today’s podcast:Hidden ChampionsThe hidden champion cultureChinese hidden championsThe problem with startupsMental globalisationLinks:Book - Hidden Champions in the Chinese CenturyTwitter – @HermannSimonLinkedIn – Hermann SimonWebsite – Hermann Simon

If you’re thinking about targeting the US market with your startup or to scale up business, do you have a US expansion plan? Don’t miss Daniel Glazer, an American technology lawyer and strategic business adviser, and founding partner of Wilson Sonsini’s London office on this episode. If you’re confused as to why you would need legal support so early in the process, Daniel explains the difference between hiring a lawyer in the UK and hiring a lawyer in the US, in particular why having lawyers attached to companies is a much more strategic decision in the early life of a US business. But mostly what Daniel talks about in this latest episode of The Melting Pot is US expansion - M&A, moving your HQ to the US, raising money in the US, or wanting to do an IPO on one of the stock exchanges in North America. Honestly, nobody knows more about how to launch into the US as a European technology business than Daniel. So if the US is where you’re heading, download and listen to this episode. Book recommendations Venture Deals - Brad FeldOn today’s podcast:Difference between US and UK approach to legal adviceWhy businesses seek US expansionWhat you need to trade in the US8 primary considerations for companies considering setting up in the USWhen’s the right time to go?Links:Twitter – @DanielCGlazerLinkedIn – Daniel GlazerWebsite – Daniel Glazer | Wilson Sonsini

The fundamental unit of growth in any organisation is the individual. The more you understand about how to respond to your own deep longing to grow, the greater your capacity to grow your people, to grow your organisation, says Whitney Johnson, co-founder of tech-enabled talent development company, Disruption Advisors.Disruption Advisors supports people and organisations through coaching, training, and technology, empowering innovation through disruption. Whitney’s latest book, Smart Growth, explains if you grow your people, you grow your company. In this episode of The Melting Pot, Whitney talks about the S curve model and what it means to you as an individual, how to start one, how to envisage it, how to get up when you might get stuck. And by way of as an example, we use Whitney's personal journey along her own S curve of public speaking. So, if you’re looking to grow your organisation, your team, or individually, download and listen to Whitney today.Book recommendations:Bittersweet - Susan KaneRange - David EpsteinAnti Time Management - Richie NortonOn today’s podcast:The S curveWhat drives motivationThe S curve - the launch point, the sweet spot and masteryMoving beyond masteryGrow your people to grow your companyLinks:Books – Whitney JohnsonTwitter – @johnsonwhitneyLinkedIn – Whitney JohnsonWebsite – www.whitneyjohnson.com

What do you need to do your best work? That is the question David Lancefield strives to find the answer for with his clients in his role as CEO catalyst, strategist and coach. What does that mean? It means David works with CEOs, senior professionals and executives, helping them become more extraordinary, by focusing on strategy, innovation, leadership and culture. In this episode of The Melting Pot, David talks us through how a new leadership team comes together and gets to agree on the way forward, how and why M&A or creating new teams works and doesn't work, as well as sharing how leaders can set priorities, i.e. how do you bring a team together to agree on the few things that the team needs to do? This is a fascinating episode packed full of insights, so grab a pen and paper and listen. Book recommendations:How To Begin - Michael Bungay StanierCreative Construction - Gary PisanoOn today’s podcast:Being a catalyst for CEOsWhy he has an anti-office mentalityLaying the foundations for psychological safetyWhat it takes to do amazing workHow to have better meetingsLinks:Newsletter - Newsletter | David LancefieldTwitter – @DlancefieldLinkedIn – David LancefieldWebsite – David LancefieldLancefield on the Line podcast

How can you change someone’s mind? Don’t miss David McRaney, a science journalist fascinated with brains, minds, and culture, explain all in this podcast. In this episode, David, author of three books, discusses his latest book ‘How Minds Change’. He lifts the lid on how people who believe in flat Earth come to believe in flat Earth; how people who are anti vaxxers come to have that as their belief system; as well as explain the Dunning Kruger effect. Why are these insights relevant to the modern workplace? Because the results of these studies have far reaching implications, including how you hold your management team meetings, your all hands meeting, how you hire, how you might want to hire to avoid bias, as well as overcome the heuristics that are in place that make you make snap decisions on people. This is a fantastic episode, we’re sure you’ll enjoy it as much as we did.On today’s podcast:How to change mindsThe people swap experimentDifference in gender confidenceThe Dunning Kruger effectThe Halo effect at workUnderstanding pluralistic ignoranceLinks:www.youarenotsosmart.comTwitter – @davidmcraneyLinkedIn – David McRaneyWebsite – David McRaney

What does the future of your office look like? Are all of your employees back to work yet? Or do you have a hybrid approach to working? That’s the question today’s guest, Peter Cappelli, Professor of Management at Wharton School, and director of Wharton's Centre for Human Resources, has been researching. Why do we go to offices and what don’t we like about them? In the wake of the pandemic, our thoughts around offices have changed dramatically, with more employees than ever before keen to adopt a hybrid approach to work. But having zero offices and fully remote staff simply doesn’t benefit employers (or employees), yet according to the Financial Times, the UK is one of the last countries where offices have returned to ‘normal’, so what gives?In this latest episode of The Melting Pot, Peter shares his thoughts on AI, the decline in employee training, and why it’s so hard to hire in the current market. On today’s podcast:Will college pay off?The hiring conundrumTraining in the workplaceThe remote working conundrumThe future of the officeLinks:Book - The Future of the OfficeTwitter – @Linked_nameLinkedIn – Peter CappelliWebsite – Peter CappelliFT article - UK ahead of European peers on shift to working from home | Financial Times

Are you struggling to create a simple strategy for your business? Then don’t miss Felix Oberholzer-Gee, faculty member at Harvard Business School in the Strategy Unit, and author of the recent book on strategy: Better, Simpler Strategy, on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. In Felix’s new book, he shows readers how to create value based strategy with their service or product. Not in the sense of making customers or employees happy, but in so much as - creating a product or service that delivers so much value, people are willing to pay more for it.The simple truth of the matter, says Felix, is that business and financial success boils down to imagination. Finding new ways to serve your customers or employees better will always yield better business results. But it’s amazing how many businesses have forgotten this simple strategy in their quest to be successful. So, if you’re overthinking your business strategy, or you think you have no place to think strategically, think again. To find out more, download and listen to this latest episode. Book recommendationsYoungme Moon - Different Madeleine Thien - Do Not Say We Have NothingOn today’s podcast:Strategy is all about value creationApplying strategy to staff retentionYou can be high quality and low costThe discovery of complementsLinks:Book - Better, Simpler Strategy: A Value-Based Guide to Exceptional PerformanceTwitter – @fogathbsLinkedIn – Felix Oberholzer-GeeWebsite – Felix Oberholzer-Gee

If your business is struggling to innovate, or is in fact resisting innovation all together, then don’t miss Anthony Rose, founder and CEO of SeedLegals on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. Who better to learn from about how to incorporate, raise funds and grow your business, than the founder of the startup that one in six of all early-stage startups in the UK are using in their funding rounds. Widely known as “The man behind BBC iPlayer”, Anthony ran the iPlayer and other BBC services from 2007 to 2010, taking the iPlayer from pre-launch to a major success story. In this episode, Anthony talks about the jobs that only the CEO should do, including the CEO’s role in innovation, building company culture, getting to product market fit, and why, when you’ve got product market fit, the most important job of a CEO is to then manage culture. This is a truly insightful episode and a must listen for all leaders of startups looking to grow and build their companies. Book recommendations:The Mom Test - Rob FitzpatrickHistory of Western Philosophy - Bertrand RussellOn today’s podcast:Making lawyers redundantThe CEO’s role in innovationHow to innovateWhy CEOs are responsible for cultureLinks:Twitter – @anthonyroseLinkedIn – Anthony RoseWebsite – SeedLegals

Are you a mid to late ‘nail it’ stage business, trying to scale your company? Then you don’t want to miss Lex Sisney, business coach and author of Organizational Physics, on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. Organizational Physics might be an odd title for a book, but it’s memorable, and it explains the repeatable systems that all organisations have difficulties with. But more importantly, it teaches readers how to overcome their issues by redesigning their organisation’s structure. Rather than thinking in terms of hierarchy, or thinking about your business’ org chart, Lex advises clients to think about things that need to be done in the short term and things that need to be done in the long term. Because there are things that have to be effective, and things that have to be efficient to scale a business. So, if you’re looking for guidance about how to scale your business, or you need a new way to look at your organisational design, then this is a conversation you’ll want to listen to. Book recommendationsMarty Cagan - Inspired Marty Cagan - EmpoweredThe Arbinger Institute - The Outward MindsetShirzad Chamine - Positive IntelligenceOn today’s podcast:Why businesses need organisational physicsUnderstanding corporate life cyclesThe importance of structure in a business How to use org structures Links:Book: Organizational Physics - Lex SisneyWebsite: https://www.OrganizationalPhysics.comLinkedIn: Lex SisneyTwitter: lexsisney

If you’re looking for advice on how to grow and scale your startup or business, then don’t miss Jeff Hoffman, founder of booking.com, award-winning global entrepreneur, proven CEO, worldwide motivational speaker, bestselling author, and Hollywood film producer on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. Jeff has been an entrepreneurial CEO from the second day he joined university. He got kicked out of Yale University because he couldn’t pay the tuition fees and started a business on his second day of school to pay for his college education. You might have heard of his little venture… booking.com (priceline.com in the US). Jeff has recently put pen to paper and written down the seven principles for growing a business in his book, SCALE: Seven Proven Principles to Grow Your Business and Get Your Life Back. In this episode of The Melting Pot, Jeff talks about the importance of mindset, why CEOs need to get out of the way, and what the role of a CEO really is. So grab a pen and paper now, this is a truly insightful podcast, you’ll want to take notes. On today’s podcast:The importance of mindsetWhy CEOs need to get out of the wayHow to recruit great peopleThe CEO’s jobLearn why your customers buy from youLinks:Book: Jeff Hoffman - SCALE: Seven Proven Principles to Grow Your Business and Get Your Life BackTwitter – SpeakerJeffLinkedIn: Jeff HoffmanWebsite: Jeff Hoffman, Global Entrepreneurship Network, TV show - Click-to-Invest series | Going Public®Book recommendations:Paulo Coelho - The AlchemistMitch Albom - Five People You Meet In Heaven

Think your organisation is too small to outsource processes? Think again, says CEO and founder of Smartsourcing, Mike Selfe. If you feel like your team’s time could be better spent elsewhere then don’t miss Mike explaining how Smartsourcing supports small businesses. Founded in 2015, Smartsourcing, a purpose led, business process outsourcing (BPO) organisation based out of Cebu, Philippines, has been growing 100% year on year, with 350 staff now on their books. In this insightful episode, Mike discusses how they handle the challenge that significant growth brings, how they tackle recruitment challenges, and what it takes and what it looks like to be awarded Great Place to Work certification.Finally, he reveals how Smartsourcing has managed business continuity following a natural disaster - just 24 hours after Cebu was devastated by the Typhoon Odette, MIke and a skeleton team were back ‘at work’ the next day. So, if you’re looking for a way to maximise your team’s productivity and efficiency, listen today to find out more about how business process outsourcing (BPO) could help your small businesses. On today’s podcast:Changing lives for good through BPOHandling the recruitment challengeWeathering the stormThe importance of business continuityNo business is too small to outsource Links:LinkedIn – Mike SelfeWebsite – smartsourcing.coCharity - Habitat for Humanity

If you’re in the legal, accounting or professional services sector and you’re looking to harness the intelligence and creativity of your partners and employees through performance management, don’t miss Ray D’Cruz, CEO of Performance Leader, a consulting and software for professional services firms, on The Melting Pot. In this episode, Ray shares why firms should consider moving away from the annual performance review for partners and employees, to a more 360 review, incorporating client feedback and behavioural and project based feedback.He discusses why prioritising leadership is vital in remote or hybrid organisations, why purpose is more important than ever before, and how nudge tools can benefit everyone. So, if you’re wondering how to leverage performance and feedback software in your professional services firm, download and listen today.On today’s podcast:The problem with a traditional performance review The benefit of continual performance managementUsing nudge tech for hybrid working The growing interest in purposeLinks:Pre-order book - Ray D’cruz - The Partner Remuneration HandbookPerformance Leaders podcastTwitter – @PerformanceLDRLinkedIn – Ray D'CruzWebsite – Performance Leader

Do your employees love your business? asks James L Heskett, UPS Foundation Professor Emeritus at Harvard Business School and author of Win from Within. Because if your employees don’t love your company, your customers won’t love it either. In Win from Within, James argues about the importance of building organisational culture for competitive advantage. Having spent 30 years on this journey, his latest book is about busting myths and shattering beliefs around what it takes to build an organisation's culture. Why is your company culture so important? Because, argues James, if you need to attract customers, then you need to have great employees. And to attract great employees, you need to have a great environment that encourages them to come join you and to stay the course. In fact, the most amazingly successful businesses, says James, are those who have at their heart the trifecta of employee engagement, customer engagement, and sales, growth and profit levels for the investor. Does yours? To find out more, download and listen to this episode today. On today’s podcast:The obsession with cultureWin from WithinThe four steps to hire great employeesIt doesn’t take long to change cultureThe problem with the hybrid work modelLinks:Article - Does Remote Work Mix with Organisational Culture?Book - Win from Within: Build Organisational Culture for Competitive AdvantageWebsite – James L. Heskett

If you’ve found that the way your organisation does things isn’t working for you any more, rather than flogging a dead horse, why not try a new way of thinking?In this episode of The Melting Pot, Roger L Martin, author, advisor, speaker, and one of the world’s top business thinkers, shares how he turned Canadian Tennis around, as well how he took the Rotman School of Management and transformed it into Canada’s #1 business school, on a limited budget. Now when company leaders come to him for help, his response is to first break the spell of their current way of thinking. But how can you transform your way of thinking? Download and listen to this insightful episode to find out more. On today’s podcast:Business writing in the academic worldElevating the Canadian Tennis FederationA New Way to ThinkWhy strategy and execution are the same thingWhy he doesn’t believe in OKRs Links:Book: A New Way to Think: Your Guide to Superior Management EffectivenessTwitter: @RogerLMartinLinkedIn: Roger L MartinWebsite: Roger Martin

Having travelled to every country in the world, Scott Keller, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, New York Times best selling author of Beyond performance 2.0 and CEO Excellence, was looking for a new challenge. And he found it during lockdown. Along with his fellow authors, he sought to uncover what makes the best CEOs of this century the best. They combined extensive quantitative analysis with in-depth interviews with today’s top CEOs to understand what sets exceptional leaders apart.And they found the best CEOs have to master six core things to become great. Because, and Scott uses the analogy of Ashton Eaton, the greatest decathlete of all time here - no decathlete is the best 100 metre runner in the world or the best Javelin thrower, they have to not suck at anything, while being amazing at everything.In this episode of The Melting Pot, Scott shares the methodology they used to narrow down their list of CEOs from 7,800 to the 67 they interviewed, before discussing the six things they found were the core of every great CEO. On today’s podcast:Why we need to own our goalsHow hard it is being CEOGreat CEOs have humilityThe decathlete analogyThe six core elements of the CEO roleThe link between mindset and CEO excellenceLinks:Book - CEO ExcellenceTwitter – @Linked_nameLinkedIn – Scott KellerWebsite – McKinsey & Company

How can you be the leader you want to be, every day? The answer, says Amy Jen Su, lies in focusing on five key leadership elements - Purpose, Process, People, Presence, and Peace. In this enjoyable conversation, Amy, CEO and leadership coach of 20 years, author of The Leader You Want to Be: Five Essential Principles to Bringing Out Your Best Self - Every Day, and co-founder and Managing Partner of Paravis Partners, a boutique executive coaching and leadership development firm, talks listeners through the five essential principles that she’s identified for bringing out your best self. Because, says Amy, the answer lies within. “My own mission as a coach is how can I help others be who they're meant to be and make the difference they're meant to make without this tremendous sacrifice towards our health, our relationships, [all within the] life that we're living.”So, if you haven’t worked out what your purpose is yet, or if you have, but you’re still figuring out how you can deliver that purpose, don’t miss Amy on this episode of The Melting Pot. On today’s podcast:The challenge around cultureWhat sets high performance organisations apartBeing a lifelong learnerThe five essential principlesDefining your purpose Links:Book: The Leader You Want to Be: Five Essential Principles for Bringing Out Your Best Self--Every DayTwitter – @AmyJenSuLinkedIn – Amy Jen SuWebsite – Paravis Partners, LLC

To stay ahead of the curve, organisations need to innovate. But how do you structure innovation if you run a large corporation? Where do you put the money? Who’s in charge? How do you get sales to not be a blocker? These are the questions (among many) answered by Jim A Euchner in this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. Jim is an expert in how to innovate inside large corporations having been Vice President of Global Innovation at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, where he led the development of new businesses and helped launch five businesses on three continents.So if you’re wondering how your organisation can adopt a Lean Startup approach to innovation, don’t miss this hugely insightful episode with Jim. On today’s podcast:Overcoming resistance to innovationHow Goodyear innovatesThe need for multiple routes to marketTwo critical things people fail to doThe benefits of incubationLinks:Book - Lean Startup In Large Organisations: Overcoming Resistance To InnovationTwitter – @jaeuchnerLinkedIn – James EuchnerWebsite – Lean Startup in Organizations

If you’re thinking of selling your business, or you’re wanting to create value to make your business more attractive to potential acquirers, then don’t miss Robert Belgrave, CEO EMEA for Pax8 and co-founder of Ecologi, on this week’s The Melting Pot. Having founded Wirehive in 2012, with a vision to create the sort of business they themselves wanted to be a part of, Wirehive was subsequently acquired by Pax8 in 2021. So how can you replicate their success and set up your business for a future sale? To make it attractive to potential buyers? In this latest episode, Rob shares how they set Wirehive up to be acquired - the specific decisions they made to enable success, how they chose who they wanted to acquire them, how they triggered the process without a formal advisor to help them, and what (if anything) he might have done differently. If this all sounds like something you’re going through or are about to go through, download and listen today. On today’s podcast:Tackling the climate crisis with EcologiBuilding a business to sellSelling without a brokerChoosing a buyerThe hiring challengeLinks:Twitter – @RobertBelgraveLinkedIn – Robert BelgraveWebsite – https://ecologi.com, Pax8 UK

Are you worried your business hasn’t hit the big time yet? Don’t be, says Morris Miller, former managing director at Rackspace, now the managing partner of Tectonic Ventures. Most of the businesses he’s involved in have become overnight successes, only after being in business for 10 years. Morris is also the CEO of Xenex Disinfection Services, a business he was drawn to because the original founders were mission driven to not just change lives, but save thousands of lives by stopping the spread of pathogens within healthcare facilities. How? Because Xenex makes UV germ-zapping robots that are 22X better at destroying superbugs than the standard hospital cleaning routine of cleaning, mopping, and bleaching alone. So, if you’re concerned that your business isn’t a success yet, don’t miss Morris share the two pillars that contribute to overnight success: listening to customers and the talent density you amass.On today’s podcast:Germ-zapping robots - LightStrike 6Xenon vs manual housekeepingMission driven businesses10 years to become an overnight successHiring the right peopleLinks:Twitter – @Linked_nameLinkedIn – Morris MillerWebsite – Xenex Disinfection Services

How can you maximise sales growth while minimising the workload and stress on both you and your executive teams? This is what Aaron Ross, dad of 10 kids, co-author of From Impossible To Inevitable and author of Predictable Revenue, is currently advising revenue executives about. In this latest episode of The Melting Pot, Aaron shares what’s changed in the world of work since he wrote Predictable Revenue back in 2011. Because the world has moved on a lot since then - what implications are there now for both sales and executives as a result of the pandemic? If you’re finding that your outbound sales are broadening out, and you’re wondering how to create predictable, scalable revenue, then don’t miss the world's foremost expert on outbound sales development chat about what works for him. Because juggling 10 kids, being on numerous SaaS boards and being an author is a serious skill to master. On today’s podcast:Predictable Revenue & From Impossible to InevitableWhy sales need specialist rolesThe increase in outbound noiseRebalancing the workplacePost-pandemic sales recruitmentThe importance of self-careLinks:Book - From Impossible to InevitableTwitter – @motoceoLinkedIn – Aaron RossWebsite – Predictable Revenue

Is your business founded on a clear purpose? Bobby Herrara, author of The Gift of Struggle, founded Populus Group in 2002, a company set up to help organisations manage their non-permanent employees. But what does purpose have to do with HR?Bobby is passionate about helping people understand and overcome their struggle. He’s a firm believer that by aligning yourself and your company around your purpose can have a profound impact on you, the people around you, and the people your organisation touches. What’s interesting about Bobby is that he’s so driven by his purpose, that even though he didn’t share his origin story with his employees for over 10 years, he was so inspirational the business still reached $100 million turnover in those first 10 years. However, after sharing his origin story, they added another $500 million in the next 10 years. That’s the power of purpose right there. So what is Bobby’s origin story? You’ll have to listen to find out. Don’t miss Bobby on this week’s episode also shares the three pillars he’s built his business on, and why his organisation will go out of their way to back the underdog and solve problems for people. On today’s podcast:Discovering his purpose Populus GroupThe bus encounter How to recruit great staffWorking GeniusLinks:Book - The Gift of Struggle: Life-Changing Lessons About Leading HardcoverTwitter – @BobbyHerreraPGLinkedIn – Bobby HerreraWebsite – Bobby Herrera, populusgroup.com/

If you’re the CEO and you think people should get to meetings on time, yet you don’t, that’s never going to create a culture of accountability.Luckily for you, on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot, we have the author of the book Creating a Culture of Accountability, business and leadership coach and speaker, Mark Green. “The reason I wrote the book is because I have yet to observe an organisation of any size and scope, anywhere on the planet in any industry, who one way or another didn't have a significant struggle with accountability.”If you’re thinking - well we don’t have an accountability problem, be truthful: do things always get accomplished by your team? Without drama? On a regular basis? Exactly. If you want to learn how to make people in your organisation more accountable, don’t miss Mark explain his definition of accountability. He also shares the exercise he gets his clients to undertake about how to identify what they’re accountable for. And he explains the three elements of accountability. On today’s podcast:Creating a culture of accountabilityDon’t equate accountable with contributionThree elements to accountabilityRole accountabilityProcess accountabilityLeading by exampleLinks:Book - Creating a Culture of AccountabilityTwitter – @MarkEGreenLinkedIn – Mark GreenWebsite – Mark Green

Why do some organisations grow really quickly? How do they reach the scale that they do? If you’re looking for the secret sauce to make your company grow exponentially, then don’t miss Chris Yeh on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. Chris is a venture capitalist with Blitzscaling Ventures, educator at the Blitzscaling Academy, and co-author with LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, of bestselling books Alliance and Blitzscaling (among others).In this latest episode, Chris explains why companies and employees lie to each other, why we all need to be having more grown up conversations, and why he wrote Blitzscaling. He also discusses the algorithm his VC firm has built to score companies as they come to market looking for money, and shares his thoughts on the most interesting businesses to come to market in recent years (and the ones to avoid). Download and listen today. On today’s podcast:The lies employees and companies tell each otherWhat Blitzscaling isSuccessful companies and ones to be wary ofWhat makes a business attractive to investorsThe meaning of life in 60 secondsLinks:Book (Blitzscaling): BlitzscalingPodcast: The Chris Yeh PodcastTwitter – @chrisyehLinkedIn – Chris YehWebsite – Chris Yeh

Is your organisation looking for a new growth strategy? Are you about to undergo a digital transformation? Perhaps you already have but you’re not sure what the next step for you is. In this episode of The Melting Pot, Paul Leinwand and Matt Mani, both of PwC and Strategy&, discuss the book they’ve written, Beyond Digital, the result of their research into companies that have successfully undergone a digital transformation. But just what is a digital transformation? What does one look like? What does it entail? And what did these companies have to do to achieve it? What changes did they have to make in their leadership team? In their business? How did they plan for and execute on their digital transformation plan? Don’t miss Paul and Matt share all of this and more, using examples from the Japanese construction firm Komatsu and Starbucks. This is a fantastic conversation, we’re sure you’ll enjoy it as much as we did.On today’s podcast:Beyond DigitalThe definition of a transformationLearning from companies that have digitally transformedThe social contract with your peopleLinks:Beyond Digital | Strategy& + PwChttps://store.hbr.org/product/beyond-digital-how-great-leaders-transform-their-organizations-and-shape-the-future/10527?sku=10527E-KND-ENGTwitter – @paulleinwand, @MMahadevLinkedIn – Paul Leinwand & Matt ManiWebsite – Beyond Digital | Strategy& + PwC

What do your customers say about you? What sort of customer experience do you deliver? Today’s guest, Jeff Toister, has quite literally written the book (well, four books) on service culture, and he’s here to discuss his latest book - The Service Culture Handbook. Jeff has trained over 1 million people in customer service. He has the number one training course on LinkedIn Learning, and he makes a living from being a public speaker and author on this very topic. So just how do you guarantee customer experience? What can you do to set your business apart from the competition? Don’t miss this fantastic conversation, and listen to the very end where Jeff shares a fantastic exercise for leaders to try - something they can do today to make a difference to the customer service in their organisation. On today’s podcast:Do employees need to love the products?What customer experience are you trying to create?What guarantee customer experience looks likeHow to make a difference tomorrowLinks:Book: The Service Culture Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Employees Obsessed with Customer ServiceTwitter – @toisterLinkedIn: Jeff ToisterWebsite: Toister Performance Solutions

Are you scaling up to exit your business or are you focused on scaling up to build a more sustainable business? Either way, don’t miss Stuart Ross, author of The Scale Up Leader on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. Stuart is a business coach who started life as a buyer for Burton Arcadia group. From there he moved to Boots where he led a number of innovations such as launching their first website (and they were so cheap they wouldn’t pay for the .com, only the .co.uk, and then subsequently spent a small fortune a few years later acquiring the .com, but that’s another story.) He also launched the meal deal - something almost everyone on the highstreet has now, and he worked on the Boots Advantage Card.Stuart launched his consulting coaching business High Growth in 2012, and today he works with a range of clients across the UK and the US. He also features frequently in the news, talking about what it takes to build a scale up business. Scaling up is something he’s so passionate about, he’s written a book about it. Which is precisely what he discusses in this episode. So if you’re wanting to grow and scale up your business, download and listen today. On today’s podcast:High Growth & The Scale Up LeaderA company can’t outperform the leadershipDeveloping the right habitsWho do you want to be?Learn to let goLinks:Stuart Ross, High GrowthTwitter – @high_growthLinkedIn – Stuart RossWebsite – High Growth

How loyal are your customers and employees? How likely are they to refer your organisation to their colleagues and friends? This is the basis of the Net Promoter System, a way of measuring customer retention devised by Fred Reichheld in the 1990s. Because Fred realised that if you increase customer retention, your profits will grow. Fred assumed that having discovered this and told people about it that all businesses would instantly put customers first. That what he’d come up with was a one and done thing. He hadn’t realised how hard it would be to change mindset. So Fred invented the Net Promoter Score so that businesses could measure this thing that drives retention. And he found that it all boils down to one simple question - would you recommend X company to a friend or colleague?It’s that simple. Yet here we are, some 20+ years later still arguing about NPS. So Fred’s written another book called - Winning On Purpose, The Unbeatable Strategy Of Loving Customers (link below), and it’s a more accountancy based metric i.e. earned revenue or earned growth rate. This is a truly fantastic conversation with Fred, we enjoyed it immensely, we’re sure you will too. On today’s podcast:The Earned Growth RateNet Promoter System Likelihood to recommendBe humble to keep customersWhy referrals are earned growthLinks:Fred ReichheldArticle: The One Number You Need to GrowTwitter – @FredReichheldLinkedIn – Fred ReichheldWebsite: https://www.netpromotersystem.com/books/winning-on-purpose

If you’ve ever wondered how to be more purpose led in both business and your personal life, don’t miss this incredible episode of The Melting Pot with The Conduit co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Paul van Zyl. Paul isn’t just trying to build a purpose led business, he’s trying to change the world. Having grown up in apartheid South Africa, Paul trained as a human rights lawyer and went on to serve as the Executive Secretary of South Africa’s post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We talk about his entrepreneurial journey to date; an incredible adventure that has taken him on a purpose led voyage of discovery, which has ultimately led him to co-found The Conduit Club in London. The Conduit is not just another private member's club. The Conduit Club is a purpose led club where its members come together to change the world. Paul also shares how even in a hospitality business like The Conduit Club, purpose can lead to amazing staff connectivity, where his chefs don't just cook food, they're on a mission to help The Conduit in its mission to change the world. This is a great conversation with Paul. We really enjoyed it. We’re sure you will too.On today’s podcast:Learning from the Truth CommissionGathering changemakersWhy entrepreneurs need central insightThe value of proximity The Conduit restaurant and its purposeLinks:Twitter – @Paul_VanZylLinkedIn – Paul van ZylWebsite – The Conduit

If you’re an entrepreneur thinking of selling your business and want to maximize the return on your life’s work, or you’re going through the process of exiting currently, then don’t miss this latest episode of The Melting Pot with Arrowpoint Advisory MD, Daniel Domberger. Most of the work that Daniel and his team at Arrowpoint Advisory - a division of the investment bank, Rothschild and Co. Daniel and his colleagues typically help entrepreneurs, owners, managers, corporates and investors with M&A, more specifically buying and selling companies or raising investment for them.But what does that look like if you’re an entrepreneur? How do you set your business up to exit? How do you choose an advisor and what should you look for in an advisory firm? Should you do your own due diligence early? And what are some of the pitfalls along the way? To find out the answers to all these questions and more, download and listen now. On today’s podcast:Get in shape to sellWhen to bring an advisor inLeave M&A to the expertsWhat due diligence to doOne thing to do tomorrowLinks:Livingstone talk - Daniel Domberger, LivingstoneLinkedIn – Daniel DombergerWebsite – Daniel Domberger | Arrowpoint Advisory

Fintech company Artesian:DueDil - a London/Reading based business helps B2B customers do better business faster with a focus on using data science and curated business information to help find the right customers, onboard them faster and keep them for a lifetime.BT uses it and sees a 48% ROI. You could too. In this latest episode of The Melting Pot, CEO and founder of recently merged Artesian:DueDil, Andrew Yates, talks about how you can take data from banking and financial services and put it to work for you.More specifically, he delves into what you can do if you’re not in that sector: how do you take the data and use it to define your target audience? How do you use data to make progress in your go-to market? How do you use data to successfully onboard clients, keep them, and then work out which of them have best upsell potential?This is a fascinating conversation about data, fast growing businesses and how to use data in your organisation, whether you’re a customer of Artesian:DueDil or not. On today’s podcast:Why the Artesian:DueDil mergerUsing data to find the right customerArtesian:DueDil ideal clientHow to make the most of the dataOnboarding customers and keeping them for lifeLinks:Twitter – @apgyatesLinkedIn – Andrew YatesWebsite – Artesian + DueDil merge

What’s your business aim? To achieve growth? To create a winning corporate culture? Deb Gabor, keynote speaker and bestselling author is on a mission to inspire 1 million brands to create irrational loyalty. Yes, that’s also the name of her latest book, Irrational Loyalty, but the premise behind it should strike a chord with anyone who owns a business - not least because the subtitle is - Building a Brand That Thrives In Turbulent Times. And times don’t get much more turbulent than the ones we are currently living through. The irrepressible Deb was born to brand and excels at her craft. With Dell as one of her core customers, Deb knows her stuff and is compelled to share her ‘grow or die’ mindset with other entrepreneurially spirited leaders. At the heart of this episode is the need for businesses to understand their core customer as a person, and (in Deb’s own words), understanding what your customer needs to do to get laid and if you can achieve that, you’ll get their irrational loyalty and growth for your business.“Irrational loyalty is that condition where people are so indelibly bonded to a brand that they feel like they were cheating on it if they were to choose a competitor or an alternative… I'm in the business of creating those conditions, which can sustain brands for the long term, make them grow profitably, rapidly, and in a highly focused way.”On today’s podcast:Irrational loyaltyThe four things the biggest brands in the world do Creating the ideal customer profileA niche is the sexiest thing about businessThe branding misconceptions holding businesses backCreate core values to benefit your business and your clientsLinks:Branding Is Sex: Get Your Customers Laid and Sell the Hell Out of AnythingIrrational Loyalty: Building a Brand That Thrives in Turbulent Times

The British Army is renowned for its outstanding leadership, and command and control. But what do they know about psychological safety? These are just a few of the many topics that come up in the conversation with Lieutenant Colonel Langley Sharp MBE, who heads up the Centre for Army Leadership. This is a unit that has, over the last five years, codified what leadership means in the British Army, and how to develop leaders within the Army. What are some of the principles of leadership in the Army? What is the difference between being a peacetime leader and a wartime leader? And what does training for adversity look like? From how you train people to make the right decisions to how the army has codified its leadership, this is a fantastic conversation with a first class leader. And if you think it’s not relevant to the world of business, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Langley has also written a fantastic book called The Habit Of Excellence, where he says: “Leadership, good leadership, effective leadership, that social relationship, that interpersonal relationship has to be nurtured every single day 24/7/365 to enable you to deliver effectively under pressure.”This is a really insightful conversation with Langley, we really enjoyed it. We’re sure you will too.On today’s podcast:The Habit of ExcellenceThe importance of leadership for military campaignsLeadership is contextualHow to make quick decisionsMission command and psychological safetyLinks:Twitter – @SO1LeadershipLinkedIn – Langley SharpBook – The Habit of Excellence: Why British Army Leadership WorksWebsite - Centre for Army Leadership

This episode of The Melting Pot is actually a recorded webinar we held called ‘There’s a hole in your Bucket’ with Watertight marketing methodology creator, Bryony Thomas. Bryony cut her teeth as Divisional Director of Marketing for Experian before leaving to found her own company in 2008. She took everything she’d learned from doing business development i.e. getting on the phone and doing sales, and joined it up to create the concept called Watertight. The idea behind Watertight is that there’s no point filling your bucket unless you plug the holes first, otherwise your money will simply run out of the bottom. In this fabulous episode, Bryony walks us through some elements of her programme and in particular she asks, how would you steal your neighbour’s cat? Intrigued? Download and listen to find out how you can apply the Watertight marketing methodology to your own business. On today’s podcast:What is world-class marketing performance?The four foundations of healthy, and sustainable, sales flowFirst Flow Foundation – The Right WorkSecond Flow Foundation – Balanced RoutineThird Flow Foundation – Baseline RhythmFourth Flow Foundation – Maintain MomentumYour Marketing Flow ScoreLinks:Book: Watertight MarketingTwitter: @bryonythomasLinkedIn: Bryony ThomasWebsite: www.watertightmarketing.com

If you’re a leader and you don’t have a coach, then you’re missing a trick. Ian Windle is group chairman at Vistage, a global peer board organisation. He's also a TEDx speaker, executive coach, team builder, author, podcast host. In this latest episode of The Melting Pot, Ian talks about his obsession with leadership, developing leaders, and having a growth mindset. He discusses building high performing teams, what being in a peer organisation like Vistage or YPO, or EO is like, and the value you get from being a part of it. He also shares what you can learn from being a member, and what you can take back into your own organisation, and how to solve problems, either in a peer organisation or with coaching. He also talks about building trust, why leaders need to show vulnerability, and how to create and cultivate a growth mindset. Finally, Ian has some questions that you as a leader should be asking of your executive team as we end 2021, about to enter 2022, as well as some great book recommendations. To hear all this and more, download and listen to the episode now. This is a fantastic chat, we’re sure you'll enjoy it too.On today’s podcast:The personal growth businessLeaders lose more oftenHow do you spend your time?Why you need a coachWhy peer groups workLinks:Book - The Leadership Map: The gritty guide to strategy that works and people who carePodcast - The Gritty Leaders ClubTwitter – @ianlivechangeLinkedIn – Ian WindleWebsite - Ian Windle, vistage.co.uk/

If you worry about being irreplaceable in your business, then don’t miss Ari Meisel, the productivity coach entrepreneur, founder of Less Doing, and author of The Replaceable Founder, who’s helped thousands of clients achieve the art of less doing - less work, more results, more happiness. At 23, Ari thought he knew it all. He wasn’t open to criticism, he wasn’t open to feedback. Ari was working really hard, 18 hours a day, believing that was the path to fulfilment. He was working in construction, working in property development, was $3 million in debt, and then his world came to a shuddering halt. Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, Ari found himself in the position where he could only work an hour a day. He couldn’t rely on his old work habits any more. He had to come up with a new system to keep him moving forward. And he did. To find out how he teaches coaches, entrepreneurs and CEOs around the world how to do less and live more, and to become replaceable in their organisations, don’t miss this latest episode. This is a fantastic conversation, we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. On today’s podcast:The Replaceable FounderThe unfortunate culture issueHow to find motivationWork life integrationThe secret of innovationLinks:Twitter – @arimeiselLinkedIn – Ari MeiselWebsite – Ari Meisel, https://lessdoing.com/Book - On Productivity - Ari MeiselBook - The Replaceable Founder - Ari Meisel

If you want to improve the managers in your business, says Michael Bungay Stanier, do more coaching. You might think coaching equals being soft, but you couldn’t be further from the truth. “When I'm asked to talk about my philosophy of coaching I've got two words, and the words are Fierce Love.”Michael wrote the book on coaching, literally. The Coaching Habit is the biggest book on coaching this century. He is the go-to guy for anything coaching related - his 7 questions format has revolutionised coaching, and while we don’t necessarily talk about those today, they do feature. In this enlightening episode all about coaching, Michael, who’s also founder of Box of Crayons - a learning and development company helping organisations shift from advice-driven to curiosity-led, talks about his latest book - The Advice Trap. This conversation is full of fantastic insights from Michael on how to be a better coach, how to be a better leader, and how to encourage coaching inside your organisation. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did. On today’s podcast:The Coaching HabitThe need for social contracting when hiring a coachThe principles of coachingWhy ‘and what else?’ is the most powerful question to askThe power of staying curious a little bit longerThe advice trap

If you want to be better at leading a team. If you want to know how to lead a good decision making process. Or how to engage and inspire people to bring their full self to work. If you want to improve the culture in your business, then don’t miss Amy Edmondson on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. Amy hasn’t just written the book on psychological safety in the workplace, Fearless Organization, she’s a global expert in organisational development. She’s taught the topic to countless Harvard MBA students for the last 25 years, in her role as Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School.But why did Amy write the book and how did that Google project lead to one of the most globally revered books about the importance of psychological safety in the workplace? And why does Amy consider Pixar to be the poster child for psychological safety?Download and listen to find out what it takes for an organisation to build great leaders and psychological safety. And learn how you can develop and roleplay psychological safety while developing as a leader. This is a really fantastic conversation, we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. On today’s podcast:Amy and Google’s Project AristotleWhat is psychological safety?The 3 elements required to build psychological safetyWhy responding positively is so hardThe industrial age issue that persists todayLinks:TED Talk - Amy C. Edmondson Book - The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth Book - Extreme Teaming: Lessons in Complex, Cross-Sector Leadership Twitter – @AmyCEdmondsonLinkedIn – Amy EdmondsonWebsite – Amy C. Edmondson - Faculty & Research

Do you understand cash flow? As in, do you really understand your cash flow, or are you just saying yes because you know you ought to?Alan Miltz, co-founder of Cash Flow Story and co-author of Scaling Up has made it his life mission to help business owners not just understand cash flow, but to use it to avoid growing broke. Alan’s idea, The Power of One, is that if you incrementally changed your business by 1% or 1 day changes, how long would it take you to achieve your desired financial results? The Power of One, says Alan, is the code of your company. Why 1? Because everything Alan has developed one common theme - to make the complex simple. He wants business leaders and their teams to learn to love the numbers. “Revenue is vanity, Profit is Sanity and Cash is king.”Why might you listen to Alan? Because he’s the chartered accountant who co-wrote Vern Harnish’s book - Scaling Up Rockefeller Habits 2.0. In today’s episode Alan explains why you need a cash flow ladder for your products or customers. You need to know what the working capital and cash implications are of each dollar of revenue to that customer cohort or for that product. He also discusses the levers that the leadership team should be able to pull to improve cash flow. To find out more, check out the links to www.cashflowstory.com where Alan’s software resides. On today’s podcast:Cash flow storyThe 7 leversCash flow ladderThe power of oneLinks:https://cashflowstory41746.ac-page.com/cfs-1-post-talkBook - Scaling UpTwitter – @AlanMiltzLinkedIn – Alan MiltzWebsite – Alan Miltz, cashflowstory.com

If you’re looking for some inspiration to help you find your Super North Star, let Floyd Woodrow DCM MBE be your guide. Floyd is Managing Director and founder of Chrysalis Worldwide, a world-leading values-based organisation and owner of Quantum group. But as you may have guessed from his post-nominal letters he hasn’t always been a businessman. Floyd spent his formative years first in the Parachute Regiment before joining the Special Air Service at the age of 22, where he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his work in Iraq and an MBE for his work in Afghanistan. While he was serving, Floyd realised the importance of continual learning and wanted to continue down this path of pursuing excellence when he left the military. And that’s precisely what he’s done. He’s also written several books including Learning to Learn, and more recently, The Warrior, The Strategist and You in which he outlines the “Compass for Life model for leadership and life”.In today’s episode Floyd discusses the idea of having a Super North Star and how a compass provides the framework you need to achieve balance and point toward your Super North Star. He also talks about the importance of mindset, and he succinctly sums up, in 30 seconds, what it takes to be an amazing salesperson. This is a fantastic conversation with Floyd, we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. On today’s podcast:Finding Your Super North StarThe four cardinalsSumming up selling in 30 secondsLearning through hostage negotiationLinks:Podcast - Floyd's leadership journeyBook - The Warrior, The Strategist And You: How To Find Your Purpose And Realise Your PotentialBook - Elite!: The Secret To Exceptional Leadership And PerformanceTwitter – @floydwoodrowLinkedIn – Floyd WoodrowWebsite – Floyd Woodrow