Leadership Lifestyle Podcast

First, what on earth is an amygdala?  It’s a small piece of your brain that controls your response to things.  As a leader, that is what really tells your team what kind of leader you are.  In this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we talk about how your amygdala can derail who you really want to be.  When you uncharacteristically respond in a bad way, that’s called an amygdala hijack and that can be damaging.  We’ll give you tangible tips to hijack your amygdala hijacks so you stay in control.

The short answer is yes.  But…….managers are people too.  Most managers do want to help others and do a good job.  In this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, I’ll discuss the 5 biggest frustrations with managers and more importantly, how you can implement small changes this week to really grow your leadership and your team. Check out this article about 4 Things Managers Wish They Knew before starting their role.  https://mbachic.com/2023/03/13/four-lessons-managers-wish-theyd-learned-sooner/ Let’s Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-charest-a08369a4/

How do you show up?  Does it change based on who you’re with?  Maybe it changes with the situation?  They say IQ gets you in the room and EQ keeps you in the room.  Have you thought about your GQ status?  In this episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we talk about all 3 Q’s.  Why they are important and how you can actually hurt you when you don’t know which Q to use or how to use them.

Seems simple enough. Things aren’t going well?  Just change your environment.  The question is, what do you need to actually change? Some changes you need to make are obvious and some are not.  One this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we’ll break down how you can change your environment either through small changes, or big changes.

Those words may be very hard to hear.  No one wants to think they can be replaced.  Maybe, you’ve been at the same company for 20 years or more and it’s never happened to you.  For many of us, it’s a very possible reality.  Even within your job, maybe you’ve been reassigned or didn’t get that promotion you should have.  Or…..maybe you were replaced.  The feelings of anxiety, feelings of, “am I not good enough?” start to creep in.  Maybe it was just a vindictive boss that wanted you out of the way.  For whatever reason you’ve been replaced, there is only one question.  How do you move on? It’s time to examine what truly happened and how you can move past it to become the person you wanted to be.  Stop thinking about being replaced, and start thinking about how you can be renewable.

Moving forward is easier after a win than it is after a loss.  However, the process is still the same.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we’ll share the process for continuously moving forward.  Yes, even after winning or achieving a goal, you can’t just rest on that.  As the great Ben Franklin said, “some people die at 25, but aren’t buried until they are 75.”  It’s not healthy to be stagnant regardless of winning or losing. You need to understand that failure is a part of success.  Not one single person that has accomplished anything hasn’t failed at something.  So don’t make it personal.  Make it a process for consistently moving forward.  It really can be as simple as 2, Two Word Sentences to always propel you forward.

It sounds completely counterintuitive to not correct your team when things go wrong.  This is not about accountability.  This is about what happens every day and all day.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, listen in about what happens when you constantly lead through correction.  More importantly, learn how much more productive your team can be when you focus on the behaviors you actually want, not what you don’t want. We all know that is the way forward in our own lives that when we focus on good behaviors such as eating right and getting enough sleep, we feel better.  So why don’t we do that for the people on our teams?  Too many managers want to control things and micromanage but that never leads to growth.  Take the 30-day challenge of simply focusing your team on the behaviors you want and watch how they gravitate to that, while at the same time, some of the bad behaviors start to disappear on their own.

Probably one of the most disruptive leadership issue teams have, is being led by the wrong level.  Meaning, what level is the leader on compared to the group of people they are leading?  In this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, learn how being at the wrong level hurts the team.  It’s certainly not an intentional thing, but when you don’t see the connection, it really creates a drain of energy for your team. There are 3 main focus levels of leadership: The Execution Level, the Bridge Level, and the Vision Level.  Not knowing where you are at as a leader and then working from the wrong level can hold you back from really achieving your goals.  When you are clear about what level you’re on and then leading that way, well……if the sky is the limit….why are there footprints on the moon!

Don’t you just wish everyone on your team would just do the things they are supposed to do?  I mean, how many times do you have to say it?  Didn’t they understand the “clear” instructions you gave the whole team?  Pretty frustrating, isn’t it?  These are some of the questions we’ll answer on this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast.  You have two different objectives as a leader.  One, the team must work toward a higher, common result.  Second, each member of the team gets there differently. Avoid lazy leadership.  As the US Post Office says, if it fits it ships. That might work for mailing products, but it doesn’t work for leadership.  You can’t just put everyone on your team in the same box.  You also can’t box yourself into a corner with one style of leadership.  We’ll give you an easy way to see how to approach the team with both a team and individual mindset.  It might sound like more work, but it actually becomes much more productive, sooner than you think.

Every successful person you know or have learned about, wasn’t.  No one just arrives and never fails or never makes a mistake.  You know what drives most failure?  People’s constant behavior of not starting or giving up.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we ask the question, Why Not You????   Why not?  Really! Once you realize that stages come in stages and growth is a process of eliminating what doesn’t work (it’s not actually that you’re not good enough…..no….it’s not that!) you can move forward and start achieving the things you want.  

Ken Blanchard had it 100% right.  Your leadership isn’t complete until your team doesn’t need you anymore.  When you invest so much in your teams and create new leaders, they won’t need you anymore.  What that really means is you are ready for a higher leadership level, and most importantly, someone or multiple someone’s are also ready for more.  In this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, listen to how your ultimate goal should be to create other leaders. There is no such thing as a winning team with ONE player.  It’s impossible.  Create new leaders: find them, grow them, and give them room to run!  Leadership is not about you….but later….it will be about you. Share this podcast 🙂

That’s a lot of dogs!!!  Well….I’m not talking about real 4-legged dogs.  DOGS stand for Disciplines Of Growth Success.  There are 5 categories you need to not only understand, but focus some of your time in.  You will probably be naturally gifted at some of these Disciplines and others you will not.  However, you will need the Disciplines you are not good at.  You don’t have to be great at all 5, but you have to acknowledge their importance, so you aren’t held back to what you can actually accomplish. The good news is that even if you aren’t good at some of these Disciplines, you can improve your ability in them, making you the most effective version of you.  So, have an open mind and challenge yourself to be better at all 5 DOGS.  This podcast episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, is all about investing in yourself!

You’re dreaming of doing something big.  You’re about to do something big.  Then…..it hits.  Imposter Syndrome.  Who the hell are you to accomplish something?  Are you good enough, talented enough, smart enough….and the list goes on and on.  Well, guess what?  It is actually normal when imposter syndrome hits.  Every successful person you know has had their doubts and challenges.  Many people give up better they break through.  That’s exact what it is, a breakthrough. On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we talk about how normal imposter syndrome is and that, once you realize it’s a process, you can process through it.  If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode, Why Everyone Needs 5 DOGS, go back and listen.  It will reframe your prospective on yourself.  Then, come back to this episode and discover that you can achieve the dreams you want by giving imposter syndrome the thought process it deserves.

Work evaluations are a standard work practice.  After all, how else can you help your team get better without feedback?  The question really is, is the feedback you’re giving current, accurate and effective?  On this week’s episode on the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we break down what’s wrong with the current evaluation system and how you can fix it.  It may sound like a boring topic, but I think we all have a story of receiving a bad evaluation and how that changed our focus of work. If you really want to empower your team forward, break the old cycle of evaluations and make feedback meaningful.  Evaluations shouldn’t be for HR style documentation to “hold people accountable.”  It should be, and can be, a great tool to moving your team forward by acknowledging their daily behaviors and decisions that support the Vision and the Strategy.  Evaluations…..what an amazing tool to move your team forward!

Productivity.  Every business and every leader wants high productivity.  Things have to get done, and they have to get done right now.  You know the feeling, the pressure, the need to produce.  Sometimes, leaders do not realize that there is a hidden productivity killer, and it’s them.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, understand how behaviors influence not only what gets done, but how it gets done.  As I’ve always said, the leader’s attitude is the thermostat for the team’s culture. It’s a hidden killer because you can’t necessarily measure it, but you sure can feel it.  You know when your team is rocking it out and when your team can’t seem to get out of their own way.  Here’s the good news.  Once you realize how you can easily influence your team’s productivity simply based on how you carry yourself.  We give clear, strategic advice to help you get the most out of your team and along the way…..make you a better leader!  

The art of truly being successful with people revolves around the letter Q.  Knowing when and which Q to you need to be can either help you be successful or hurt any progress you could have had.  As they say, IQ gets you in the room and EQ keeps you in the room.  There’s also another Q too many people rely on and that’s GQ.  Yes, just like the magazine, some people think it’s about image or having expensive, shiny things.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we breakdown when the right Q is for you and how focusing on the wrong Q can hurt your credibility and disconnect you from your team. The good news is that knowing your Q and using it at the right time helps you to help your team.  Don’t miss understand, it’s not about being a certain way to look a certain way, it’s about being the right leader at the right moment.

Of all the things you contribute to your team, to your company, you have to get things done.  You must Execute!  Leaders can make the mistake of thinking Execution is the ONLY thing.  I know I’m saying two different things.  Yes, you must execute but it can’t be at all costs.  In other words, you really have to dig into what behaviors create execution.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we talk about how to focus execution behaviors so each day you’re doing what you should to win and not hoping at the end of the week or end of the quarter the numbers just work out.

Reverse Imposter Syndrome?  Am I making fun of the Imposter Syndrome people would normally have?  No, but it is real.  Some people are almost embarrassed that they are succeeding more than others. They try to hide it.  Flaunting it will make most people want to avoid you, but you shouldn’t hide the fact that you’re successful.  On the week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we’ll show you how to acknowledge your success but still lead with empathy and invest in others. When you have an important position, don’t downplay it.  People know better.  Also, don’t use it as your only identity and expect people to serve you.  Use your success to influence more people and show them the way.

First, what on earth is an amygdala?  It’s a small piece of your brain that controls your response to things.  As a leader, that is what really tells your team what kind of leader you are.  In this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we talk about how your amygdala can derail who you really want to be.  When you uncharacteristically respond in a bad way, that’s called an amygdala hijack and that can be damaging.  We’ll give you tangible tips to hijack your amygdala hijacks so you stay in control.

When most people think of work life balance, they key in on the word balance.  It simply cannot be and exact balance.  Maybe someday you’ll get to an income level that doesn’t require you to work so much.  That is very rare compared to most people.  Many people will tell you that your job or profession shouldn’t be your identity anymore.  That, there is more to who you are.  They are right about that.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, I’ll tell you it’s just fine to identify with your work.  No, employers do not “own” you, but whatever team you play for, you just play hard!  Be a value to the operation. When you “clock out”, be a value to you.  It’s never going to be a balance of time, but you can ensure you still take care of you personally.  I’ll give you an easy way of understanding the difference so you can be a value to your team but also be present in the life you live.

Regardless of the work force environment, nothing will be more important than getting and keeping the people for your team.  As a leader, your job to build the team.  As I’ve always said, leadership is not about you but later, it will be about you.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we’ll give you easy ways to focus your energy on how to build AND keep your team!

If you didn’t have enough to think about, let me give you one more thing.  What it means to be a leader today is very different from what it used to be.  The bad news is most companies wait way too long to help their actual managers.  The good news is the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast has some great tips to focus on the leadership behaviors that will build trust with your team and propel your leadership skills forward.

One of the most challenging things a leader will do is take over a new team.  Sure, you might think that you are taking charge and they are there to serve you.  Actually, it’s the other way around.  You must serve them.  You must guide them.  The building of trust is on you not them.  All too often new leaders lose a lot of human capital and a lot of time by started the wrong way with their new team.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, we’ll show you how to start with your new team the right way and put your objectives into to hyperdrive because you immediately put your new team at ease by showing them, you’re there to help them win!

Inevitably, not everyone will perform well on your team.  Or maybe, they will make such a bad decision, you can’t just “coach” them out of it.  You will need to fire them.  Have you done all you can do with them?  Can you let someone go with empathy?  They may wind up being your next Customer.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, learn how to let people go the right way.  Most importantly, discover if you, as the Leader, have done what you should.  You’ve set the Culture Table, you’ve protected the team Culture boundaries, you lead with purposeful accountability.  Just like evaluations, letting someone go should never be a surprise!

As the saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank.  You get frustrated in your career and other places seem so much better.  The fact is all jobs will have things you won’t like.  You need to look a little deeper into you.  Just changing your mindset changes how you perform, regardless of your job role.  When you can get to the right type of work for you and the right mindset?????  Well….jackpot!  One this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, learn how to break through the career frustration wall.

Why can’t everyone on your team just behave? Why can’t they just do the right thing or treat everyone else the right way?  This is the biggest frustrations of most leaders.  When dealing with behavior issues, it’s so time consuming.  You can’t focus on the things you want when you’re dealing with bad behaviors.  What happens when you don’t deal with bad behaviors?  Who is really in charge if you allow in to continue?  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, learn how to deal with bad behaviors so you can move on and focus on what wins.

When you become a Leader, there is one distinct difference that you’ll notice about your energy.  Being physically tired is easier to deal with compared to being mentally tired.  Everything about your leadership will revolve around your ability to stay mentally strong.  The problem is, every challenge will be competing for your mental capacity.  On this week’s episode of the Leadership Lifestyle Podcast, learn how you can maintain good mental health so you can perform at the mental level that propels your team forward.