Tag Archive for: intentional leadership

Elevating Business by Leveraging Your Team

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Hi, and a warm welcome to The Human Side of Business Podcast. I’m your host Ange MacCabe. I’m pleased to introduce you to Jodie Cook, whom is an entrepreneur and writer.

Jodie started her business, a social media agency, in 2011 at the age of 22 and it was acquired in 2021. Along the way she wrote books and articles about the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, including as a Forbes contributor, to help others with their careers. She was included on Forbes 30 under 30 list of 2017 and, after selling her agency, and published Ten Year Career, which helps readers reimagine business, design their life and fast track their freedom

In this episode Jodie and I examine mindset and how it translates to elevating business and teams.

Leveraging Your Teams Skills

Jodie Cook: So many business owners are very good at doing the doing because they come up with the idea and then they’re like, right, okay, let’s get to work, and then they do it. And a lot of the time, they don’t always do what they should do. They do what they could do. And because they’re very capable people, what they could do is just everything. So you end up doing everything. And then I was creating this limiting belief that it had to be me, because it wouldn’t be right if anyone else were doing it. And what I was doing there was confusing different with wrong, right? They were doing it differently. They weren’t doing it wrong. And so I had to move past that and be like, no, it’s okay. If I want to grow this company, I will have to bring other people in and take on board what they think, their ideas, and what they want to do. And it will take a different direction, but that’s okay because that’s necessary to live the life you want.

Dispelling Limiting Beliefs

Jodie Cook: So, getting over the limiting belief as well. 80% of the task is realizing that you have it, and then you test it. You go, what would happen if I decided to believe something else? Or what would happen if I decided to push this a little and see what happens? They will be wrong versus different ones.

It was like, I’m going to see what they do, and I’m not going to be the person who steps like swoops in to take control or tries to tell them to do something different. And from a leadership perspective, I turned from being a manager to a coach. So when I talked to my team, rather than being instructional, you did this, you did that, it would be, what do you think? Well, what do you think would happen if that happened? Well, what should your next step be?

Well, you’ve done this before. What happened last time? And it was a shift in how I spoke to my team and thought of myself as on a level with everyone. And we were all on the same side, on the same level, working towards the same goal. Rather than me as this boss who had these people working for me, I completely switched that and even changed that language.

So I never use the term employee; I don’t like it. I would always use team member or colleague or partner or associate.

How to Set Objectives and Achieve Goals as a Leader

Jodie Cook: everyone has their success system, which is different for us all. But when you have figured out what it is in one area, you can apply it to other areas in precisely the same way, and it will magically work because it’s your unique system. First, it’s setting the intention. It’s like, okay, what do I want to dWhich is either sell my agency, systemize my agency, write this book, or get this score in a competition, and then after that, it’s, who’s done this before? Or what did someone else do to get this? And in systemizing my business, I read the email because I figured that Michael Gerber had taught people he’s done it himself, and that would be a method that I could learn as well. And then, in selling my business, it was asking other people who sold their agency to tell me what they did. So there’s a kind of education piece, but the education piece can’t be just asking a friend who’s never done it has to be asking someone who has done this before and who knows who’s willing.

Yeah. After that, it’s figuring out what I need to do, and then it’s breaking down what I need to do into probably first monthly things, then weekly things, then daily things, and then putting them in my calendar, as in, like, you are going to do this every single day. When I wrote my book, I was speaking to other authors. It was creating a plan for the book and getting the concept.

But then the actual writing of it was 90 minutes at 07:00 a.m. Every single day for three months. And just having it on a wall chart in front of me where I ticked off each day when I’d done it because that’s just part of the successive system that my brain quite likes.

Facing Difficult Situations Head On

Jodie Cook: When the pandemic hit, I remember thinking, oh my God, because we lost about 25% of our client base in one week. We had clients in hospitality, travel, and events, and they were having a much worse time than us, but it knocked on to us. I remember thinking, “oh my God”, I’ve never known anything like this before. But because I have the training through powerlifting and whatever else, I could take a step back and go, “so this is my first pandemic. What are we going to do here?” and view the problem with distance. So it’s like anything difficult that happens, if you can take away the emotion, you can get into action and analyze it, and then you’ll figure out a much better response to it.

For more leadership insights check out my blog: 3 Ways to Develop an Intentional Approach to Leadership

Link to full podcast episode

Building a Learning Culture Within Organizations

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Hi, and a warm welcome to The Human Side of Business Podcast. I’m your host Ange MacCabe. I am pleased to introduce you to Ellen Bailey, VP of Diversity and Culture at Harvard Business Publishing.

In this episode, Ellen dives into the strategies behind establishing a learning culture within leadership and organizations and provides insight into how HBP champions this mindset change for their culture and people.

What Is a Learning Organization?

Ellen Bailey: Organizations, including our own, need to shift how we think about a learning organization. Let’s shift from having a checklist to having guidelines; let’s shift to being more transparent with our employees, so they know the thoughts behind our decision-making process and strategic goals. So that enables them to make smart decisions, and it allows them to take risks and innovate and change how we work and think beyond the moment in a way that supports our goals and strategy.

Building Trust Into Workplace Culture

Ellen Bailey: There’s a little bit of learning and development that goes into enabling an organization to be a trusting organization because you have to change some processes to allow people to do that. It’s not just about folks’ good intent. And we can do training and development and learning to help with behaviours, but you also have to have the processes in the mechanisms that support that.

Leaders Don’t Have to Have All The Answers

Ellen Bailey: We fear that if we don’t have the answers, people will question our ability. We are not comfortable with demonstrating authenticity and vulnerability due to that. And so, back to the Fearless Organization article. I will quote Amy Edmondson one more time when she says that in situations we haven’t faced before, it is simply not possible to have all the answers. And so that’s what I continue to express to our team. So we continue to grow and innovate and go and go beyond where we have been. So what got us here will not get us there. And so as we continue to try to advance the thought leadership to impact the world globally, to improve the practice of management, then we aren’t going to have all those answers. And so we need to demonstrate that vulnerability internally, especially with our teams.

Leaders Should Facilitate Individual and Team Elevation

Ellen Bailey: We all have opportunities to facilitate someone’s best, especially as leaders. And so, how do we do that so they can continue to excel? I find so many gaps in that because leaders often feel they need all the answers. We have leaders that are afraid people will run past them, and it’s like, no, no, everybody wins when you facilitate your team best, and you can identify with them on a human level to help them be most productive. It’s fun and awesome to see people you work with continue to excel and do great things.

For more leadership insights check out my blog: 3 Ways to Develop an Intentional Approach to Leadership

Link to full podcast episode

Creating a Healthy and Consistent Company Culture

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Hi, and a warm welcome to The Human Side of Business Podcast. I’m your host Ange MacCabe. I have the pleasure of introducing you to Gabriel Cowan, Chief Executive Officer at Audio Design Desk.

Audio Design Desk, won 2022 NAB Product of the Year, CES Innovator and Fast Company’s “Next Big Thing In Tech” with its AI-assisted software suite that reinvents the process of creating audio for video. Used on Netflix, HBOMax, Amazon Prime, and others, ADD gives creatives the ability to perform sound design, sound effects, and music in real-time, turning hours of tedious work into minutes of immersive fun.

In this episode Gabriel and I dive into workplace culture and discuss the strategies behind maintaining a consistent and healthy work environment.

Developing Workplace Culture

Gabriel Cowan: So I think in terms of creating a positive culture, there will always be conflict, there will always be issues. If you can remove the assumptions, remove the gossip, the minute that you start hearing people chattering and go and step into whatever the issue is and leader through curiosity – my experience is that there’s a real reason for whatever the issue is, and the person on the other side of that issue is struggling with it, and they need resources. These are the three resources we have. We have time, money and creativity. And we don’t have any more time or any more money. So we have to get creative about solving this problem. And that’s where this trust can really help.

Open Communication in Leadership

Gabriel Cowan: I think what has been positive about our culture, even though it’s on Zoom, is just keeping really open with everybody. So in these morning meetings, I really share exactly what’s going on with a fundraising thing or with a business thing, or with our business, the good and the bad. But to have people share in the challenges as well as the opportunity really does create that environment where we’ve all experienced challenges. And somebody like, literally, sometimes an intern will have a voice in one of the challenges that I’m presenting in the morning, and that’ll be the spark of an idea that solves that challenge. Not to mention that just having a community to commiserate with makes you feel better.

Utilizing Employee Skill Sets

Gabriel Cowan: You’re always going to get 200% out of somebody when they’re doing something that they like. And so as much as I possibly, I find out where people are, what they like to do, and then try to lead them towards that. My partner in this business is a guy named Ryan Francesconi, he said a job is three things: It’s how much you learn, how much you make, and how much shit you take. That’s it. Ryan is a programmer, he could be making, like, ridiculous money. He’s like, I’m not making as much, but I take zero shit and I’m learning a ton. And it is true that not taking crap, that’s a huge pressure valve that can be released. So we try to lead with empathy and we try to make sure that they’re all learning.

Defining Expectations

Ange MacCabe: Right, so my definition of good performance from a consulting perspective is that people are industrious, they can have high levels of autonomy. There’s candor and transparency, and they’re huge problem solvers. And in the consulting world, problem solving is not as commonsensical as one would think it would be. So one of my jobs in creating Intuity Performance was to really kind of check my own expectations at the door, and I guess figure out what’s my 75%, versus me having the expectation that a consultant is going to be able to step in and meet my expectations out of the gate without me saying anything? So I guess my question has multiple parts in the sense of how are people showing up in your organization if they’re not meeting your expectations?

If you’re interested in learning more from our Spotlight Leaders check out Laura Meyer’s Leadership Spotlight on: Leading with Intention.

Make sure to follow/subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! New episodes of The Human Side of Business Podcast air bi-weekly on Mondays at 1 pm ET.

Leadership Spotlight: Leading with Intention

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Hi, and a warm welcome to The Human Side of Business Podcast. I’m your host Ange MacCabe. I have the pleasure of introducing you to Laura Meyer, the founder of Envision Horizons.

Laura has helped over 150 brands build successful Amazon businesses through her agency and consultancy work. In addition to working with consumer product companies, Laura has a passion for supporting female-founded and mission-driven companies.

In this episode Laura and I dive into intentional leadership and discuss the strategies behind leading with intention.

Communication Is a Two-way Street

Laura Meyer: There absolutely needs to be a two way street of communication. And there’s no question that my company has grown and improved in what we call, leveling up because of the feedback coming from the team. And I always tell new team members on their first day or their first week, don’t be intimidated by me, raise your hand. This is not an organization where we’re going to get upset or yell or do anything. If you have an idea, like, I want to hear the ideas because the reality is I don’t want to have to come up with all the ideas. It’s a lot of work to try and think everything, so perspectives from all levels of an organization are so important to have.

The Big Thing About Intentional Leadership

Laura Meyer: The big thing with intentional leadership and also just growing a business overall, it has to be a part of your company’s goals or initiatives to be good leaders and to put an emphasis on your team. If it’s not a primary focus, then you’re not going to be good at it, plain and simple. It doesn’t just come second nature to all of the leaders within your team. So you also need to think through, okay, how can I give the directors and managers within my organization autonomy in the kind of the subcultures that they want to produce while also having a consistency across the organization? And like everything, it takes work.

The strategies behind Intentional Leadership

Ange MacCabe: When it comes to intentional leadership, it’s really getting strategic about how you’re approaching things, both from the tactical side of things, so creating consistency, but also the human side of things to create continued momentum and create engagement as well.

Leadership EI-Q

Laura Meyer: I also think being a leader, you need to be self aware, knowing what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, and what you don’t like doing. I will be very honest, I love people, I’m an extrovert, but I don’t necessarily love managing people and training people. Like, I’m a salesperson at heart. I love driving new business. I love developing new programs. That is what I’m good at and that is what I love to do. So, looking forward to next year, that’s really where I’m designing our org chart and our accountability chart to accommodate. Because I do have a team member who’s wonderful at onboarding and training and making team members feel comfortable.

If you’re interested in learning more from our Spotlight Leaders check out Dustin DeVries’s Leadership Spotlight on: Facilitating Empowered Teams.

Make sure to follow/subscribe so you don’t miss and episode! New episodes of The Human Side of Business Podcast air bi-weekly on Mondays at 1 pm ET.

Can Workplace Culture Evolve Through Leadership?

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I’ve interviewed over 80 CEOs in the past 12 months, and often we get on the topic of company culture. I get excited each time. When we ask CEOs to define culture, the range of responses varies with every company, AND many leaders are not aware of what culture means to them specifically.

Some responses include:

  • Teams create culture as a company grows.
  • Culture changes based on values, beliefs and assumptions of the organization’s values, ideas, and assumptions.
  • Culture is built around the goals and objectives of the organization.

The odd time, we get a candid answer – “I don’t know- but we need to figure it out!”

Culture Defined

So what is culture, and why does it matter in the workplace?

Workplace culture is not tangible. The term is thrown around all the time, but it’s not something that you can point to and say, “That’s culture.” Yet, it holds immense value because it is essential to tie together every aspect of your business.

Workplace culture is the beliefs, behaviors, and values shared by employees within an organization. Whether good or bad, working in an organizational culture can significantly affect how people grow professionally and personally.

Based on my experience, I have learned three essential things that contribute to culture shaping which companies can apply to get desired results.

  • Self-awareness allows you to see others more clearly by understanding how beliefs, behaviors, and values shape performance.
  • Curiosity – what drives and motivates the human side of teams
  • Judgment – Ensuring there is enough information to see people without bias.

Here’s what we know about culture:

  • We go after what’s easy – changing company artifacts, behaviors, and metrics is more straightforward.
  • Writing can easily change company artifacts, behaviors, and metrics.
  • Influencing changes in behaviors and metrics can be easily agreed upon by teams.
  • Beliefs, values (our real ones, not those on an internal billboard), and assumptions are much harder to change.

Blind Spots

Organizations can write down and discuss their intentions, but here’s where the realism comes into play. If our beliefs, values, and assumptions aren’t aligned, we do not have an effective organizational culture – despite the matched RRSP and monthly gift cards.

Culture touches on everything – mountains of data tell us that organizational culture hits on performance, decision-making, atmosphere, team approach, structures and even how we communicate.

Regardless of the debate, culture is from the top-down and the bottom up. The profound thing that screams out to me is that culture isn’t as intentional as it should be. I haven’t done the research, but it certainly leans into self-awareness and EI-Q.

It’s something that is moving and growing daily. That demands our attention, especially now in this hybrid working world with new and undiscovered pressures.

We are human first – To answer the questions around “Can culture change with leadership?”. In short, YES! By becoming self-aware and tapping into the human side of organizations, leaders can capitalize on the human (soft) skills that drive performance, decision-making, atmosphere, team approach, and communication in order to drive performance and foster an intentional and effective workplace culture.

3 Ways to Develop an Intentional Approach to Leadership

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What is Intentional Leadership?

Good leaders care about the people they lead. They make sure their teams are clear on goals and objectives and that they are empowered and aligned with the organization’s overall direction.

Intentional leadership is effective in the workplace because it empowers teams with the knowledge and tools they need to meet objectives. When everybody is confident in their role and understands their contribution’s impact on the big picture, it sets leaders and teams up for success.

Why is Intentional Leadership important?

Lack of intention in leadership can cause harm to teams and affect confidence and motivation. Without clear direction, teams can become confused and frustrated, which can negatively impact organizational outcomes.

3 Ways to Develop an Intentional Approach to Leadership + Bonus Leadership Self-awareness Checklist(s)

1. Prioritize Personal-development

We’ve all heard the saying: “Leaders are made, not born.” But what does that mean?

Leadership is a skill, not a talent. It’s one thing to have a natural ability to lead, but empowering yourself through continued learning helps leaders guide and inspire others to show up too.

What does it take to be an effective leader? First and foremost, you must be committed to your own personal development. A leader who knows that there is always more to learn and improve upon will be able to help others grow as well.

Personal-development Checklist:

  • Do you know your leadership style?
  • Do you understand the different leadership styles and how they can be adopted for different scenarios?
  • Are you communicating clearly and effectively
  • Are you a self-aware leader?

2. Build Trust

Leading with intention requires leaders to help their teams discover the answers for themselves. Sometimes as a leader, it’s essential to get out of the way – this may seem hard at first!

You might be worried about losing control over what happens next, but this is where leading with intention comes in: Instead of telling your team what to do, ask them what they think is the best course of action. Encourage them to come up with their own solutions. Don’t make decisions for them—instead, guide them to figure it out independently.

It takes practice to let go of your ideas and suggestions. But when it works, it’s beautiful. Teams feel empowered, which motivates and builds trust because they can see their contributions are valued.

Fostering Trust Checklist:

  • Acknowledging your shortcomings (I’m human too)
  • Having your team’s back
  • Proving space for your team to be heard
  • Being proactive vs. reactive
  • Leaving ego at the door when communicating/collaborating
  • Leading with empathy over judgment

3. Engage and Show Interest

Good leaders know the value of taking an interest in their teams.

Team connection is about more than status reports and delegation. Taking an interest in your team members individually helps you understand their talents, motivations, and goals and can build respect between you and them. Respect is a huge motivator for both parties and can be huge for productivity!

This is especially true for employees who are not just seeking a salary but also fulfillment and job satisfaction.

Fostering Engagement Checklist:

  • Understanding the needs of your team
  • Asking questions/staying curious
  • Carving out time for routine check-in’s with team members
  • Identify/acknowledging your team members working styles
    • Who likes to work fast and requires communication that is direct?
    • Who is more methodical and needs time to understand and plan before starting a task.

On the surface intentional leadership seems simple: It’s creating a plan and effectively communicating it to a team of people to execute. However from the leadership lens intentional leadership is much more nuanced than that. It’s actually a layering of hard and soft skills that require training and development, and well…the intention to do so.

Are you interested in developing your skills to become an intentional/human-centric leader? Check out our Whole Person Leadership Cohort info page to learn more.