Shannon Waller's Team Success

Are you playing to your strengths—or stuck slogging through steps that drain your energy? This episode explores how organizing and aligning your team’s areas of Unique Ability® can improve productivity and results. Discover practical strategies for visualizing processes, delegating wisely, and creating good handoffs so everyone can do what they do best—and love most—every day. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: When everyone’s doing what they love and are great at, work feels lighter, faster, and way more fun. This is your chance to make sure every person is running with their strengths, not getting bogged down by tasks that drain them. Don’t get stuck doing things you’re merely competent at—aim to spend your best time in your “unique” zone and support your team to do the same. Owning what you’re not good at is not only liberating, it’s the secret to better teamwork and smarter systems in any entrepreneurial business. Try not to fall into “rugged individualism”; asking for help and relying on your team’s strengths isn’t just smart, it’s essential for real progress. Pick one key process in your business and gather the team to map out each step and who’s responsible—simple changes here can lead to huge improvements. Mapping out your team’s process together can uncover simple fixes and spark big ideas about how things could be easier. If something feels complicated, document it visually; the bottlenecks and opportunities become much clearer, especially when you work as a group. Process mapping isn’t just practical; it can actually be a lot of fun, especially if you break out the whiteboard or some sticky notes. Try to bring a playful spirit to documenting and improving your processes—a little laughter and some big post-its can go a long way, and you might be surprised at how much your team enjoys it. Good handoffs are everything: be clear, be kind, and let others shine instead of white-knuckling tasks you don’t enjoy. When you pass the baton to the person who’s excited to run with it, your whole workflow speeds up and everyone’s energy goes up too. When your team’s strengths line up with their tasks, friction disappears and the impact on your clients and business expands. Watch out for the “delegation death grip”—if you’re finding it hard to let go of a task, you might be holding up the flow, even by accident. Avoid “drive-by delegation”—tossing a task at someone without context or support almost always leaves them confused and slows everything down. Tech tools help, but starting with a simple, hands-on process map makes everything smoother and less stressful down the line. Don’t be afraid to shake things up; swapping roles or trying out new tech tools is just good sense when it keeps your team happy and your systems operating smoothly. Training new team members gets easier with clear, visual guides for how things really work in your company. Process mapping isn’t just for solving problems; it’s your secret weapon for onboarding new people and capturing valuable know-how, so it sticks with your company, not just your current team.Resources: Unique Ability® Kolbe A™ Index Your Business Is A Theater Production: Your Back Stage Shouldn’t Show On The Front Stage The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande The Impact Filter™

Is your leadership style accidentally putting your team on the defensive? When people feel threatened, they stop thinking creatively. In this episode, negotiation expert Derek Gaunt shares how Tactical Empathy®—the same approach used by hostage negotiators—can build deep trust and psychological safety, transforming tough conversations into your greatest advantage for alignment, innovation, and growth. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Tactical empathy—the intentional use of emotional intelligence to recognize and articulate another's perspective—is the foundation of every effective negotiation or sensitive leadership conversation. Leaders who default to authority build resentment; team members may comply only at the surface level and secretly resist or seek passive revenge. Trust, instead of authority, generates loyalty, engagement, and team buy-in, empowering members to stretch beyond their comfort zones for a shared mission. Seeking input isn’t just about changing course; it builds “credit” with your team and ensures stronger collaboration and more innovative solutions because people feel known, heard, and included. Any conversation where you “want” or “need” something, even a positive opportunity, makes you a perceived threat because you’re asking someone to leave their status quo and face discomfort. All team members instinctively react to these perceived threats, but if you remove yourself as a threat, team dialogue instantly shifts from defensive to open, innovative, and solution-focused. The C.A.V.I.AA.R.™ mindset (Curiosity, Acceptance, Venting, Identifying, Accusation Audit®, and Remembering) can help you mentally prepare for any difficult conversation, from performance reviews to new growth opportunities. An Accusation Audit—pre-emptively naming likely concerns—can help you reduce resistance and create open dialogue, especially when asking for change or sharing tough news. Labeling and acknowledging emotions (both your own and others’) moves conversations out of reactive mode and into productive solution-finding. Sequencing is key: first, discover perspectives; then, guide with your insights; finally, lead the way to action and accountability. Documenting challenging conversations isn’t just HR best practice—it’s a strategic tool for creating clarity, ensuring accountability, and protecting your company’s culture and momentum. Avoiding tough conversations keeps organizations stuck, while proactively engaging with conflict builds resilience and better results. It’s important to not only know your default conflict personality (assertive, analyst, or accommodator) but to adapt it to connect with different types on your team. True influence aims for a mutually beneficial outcome, unlike manipulation, which is solely self-serving. The highest cost of avoiding a difficult conversation isn’t discomfort—it's the stagnation and misalignment that silently drain your company’s potential. Resources: Ego, Authority, Failure by Derek Gaunt The Black Swan Group Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss What You Need to Know About Tactical Empathy®

Do you believe shielding your team from tough realities helps them perform at their best? In this episode, Shannon Waller challenges leaders to look beyond good intentions and empower their teams by sharing the whole story. She also explains why trust, transparency, and real challenges, not protection, give entrepreneurial teams the confidence and capability to solve problems and drive growth. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Protecting your team from reality may come from a place of empathy and care, but it limits their growth and independence. Trusting your team means giving them the full picture, even when it’s difficult. Shielding people from challenges sends a message that they can’t handle complexity or bad news. Transparency in leadership invites ownership and responsibility from your team instead of dependence. Facing tough situations together builds team resilience and innovation. Teams deprived of real information struggle to make strategic decisions and align with company goals. True learning, confidence, and capability come from dealing with setbacks directly and adapting. Organizing workflow is different from hiding reality; help your team do great work by managing priorities without hiding challenges. Entrepreneurial leaders excel when they trust their teams to rise to challenges and participate fully in shaping business outcomes. The best leaders share context and invite team input, knowing that creativity and solutions come from everyone, not just the top. Real empowerment comes when your team feels capable, included, and trusted with even the hard truths. Reflect on when you learned the most: was it when someone trusted you with responsibility or when they shielded you from reality? Resources: The Great Game Of Business: The Only Sensible Way To Run A Company by Jack Stack

Have you delegated a key responsibility but still find yourself constantly pulled back into the details? In this episode, Shannon Waller reveals how an underperforming team member keeps you stuck in the weeds, how to spot the red flags, and why making a change is essential for your growth and your company’s momentum. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: The clearest sign you have the wrong “Who” is that they keep you operating in the weeds instead of freeing you up. Your team members should be building capacity for the entire company, not creating bottlenecks that hold back your other A-players. A key signal of a wrong “Who” is a consistent lack of proactive leadership and new ideas in their area of responsibility. You must evaluate if a team member has hit their Ceiling of Complexity™ and can no longer grow with the company’s demands. The fundamental question to ask is, “If I could rehire for this role today, would I choose this person again?” Outgrowing a team member is not a failure but a natural consequence of ambitious entrepreneurial progress. Holding on to the wrong person for too long causes you to lose momentum and ultimately leads to resentment. Growth, not loyalty, should be the top criterion for evolving a team as the business levels up. Your minimum standard for any role should be consistent performance at 80% or above of your defined success criteria. The right “Who” for one stage of your company’s growth may not be the right “Who” for the next level. You deserve a team that operates with the same unique, creative, and ambitious standards you hold for yourself. Courageously making team changes ensures both business and personal freedom for what’s next. Resources: Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy Unique Ability® Multiplication By Subtraction by Shannon Waller

How much does trust matter to your team’s performance? In this episode, Shannon Waller interviews Marissa Frois, CEO of The Entrepreneur’s Source, on how empathy, transparent communication, and a family-first culture create extraordinary results. Discover why leading with trust, openness, and a willingness to “fail forward” is the secret to long-term entrepreneurial growth and innovation. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Building true trust in your team is more important than being well-liked as a leader. True transparency means being open and honest without a hidden agenda. A team without trust becomes defensive, stagnant, and incapable of innovation. The most successful leadership transitions blend the wisdom of the past with a readiness to “fail forward” into the future. Transparent, two-way communication reduces resistance and drives company culture at every level. Giving people a voice makes them more likely to embrace (and champion) change. Empathy, positivity, and active inclusion are powerhouse leadership strengths that multiply team engagement. Family-first values and work flexibility result in high retention, happier teams, and consistently rising results. Encouraging risk-taking and learning from failure leads to greater innovation and accelerates growth. True teamwork levels hierarchy, making Unique Ability® contribution more valuable than job titles. Leadership clarity means setting high standards and addressing issues in conversation, not by multiplying policies. Investing in your team’s well-being and development mirrors the value you create for clients. Empathetic leadership is a strategic strength that builds respect and drives performance, not a weakness.     Resources: The Entrepreneur’s Source Kolbe A™ Index Working Genius CliftonStrengths® PRINT® The 4 C’s Formula by Dan Sullivan The Positive Focus® Transforming Experiences Into Multipliers Unique Ability® Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss Ego, Authority, Failure by Derek Gaunt

Do you pour time and money into marketing and sales, only to wonder why some efforts work and others don’t? In this episode, entrepreneur and revenue strategist Kyle Mealy reveals The Next Level Revenue Formula, a simple but revolutionary system to track, measure, and scale revenue with confidence. Learn how to plug leaks, optimize spending, and finally know exactly where your next dollar will come from. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: The best entrepreneurial lessons rarely happen in a straight line; every unexpected detour can become an asset when you’re willing to connect the dots and use what you’ve learned. Don’t let a lack of formal sales or marketing training hold you back. Measuring, experimenting, and looking for patterns can reveal what actually works in your business. You can have real confidence about your revenue and cash flow when you measure what matters rather than guessing or hoping for the best. Kyle’s “Revenue Cascade” turns the buyer journey into a series of clear steps (like awareness, interest, and decision) so you can quickly spot where things are working and where they get stuck. Forget about surface-level numbers like website visits; what really counts is how well you’re moving people along each step toward a sale. If your business depends on just one superstar or “rainmaker,” it’s time to build a system everyone can use so you’re no longer vulnerable to a single point of failure. Instead of worrying about how much you’re spending on sales and marketing, use ROASS (Return On All Sales And Marketing Spend) to see if those dollars are actually driving results. Putting data first makes everything easier because you get to diagnose issues with numbers and fix what matters most, instead of relying on gut feelings. Even modest improvements at the close of your sales process can make a huge impact, so celebrate those small tweaks that deliver big results. You’re not alone if sales or marketing feels confusing; bringing everything into one measurable system makes it much simpler and a lot less stressful. Building repeatable business systems means you can finally relax, knowing your success doesn’t rest on just one person’s shoulders. Every entrepreneur becomes their own bottleneck until they systemize revenue generation. The ultimate win: creating a company that manages and multiplies itself, giving you freedom to dream bigger and focus on what excites you next. Resources: The Next Level Revenue Formula: How Basic Math Can Yield Breakthroughs for Your Small Business by Kyle Mealy EOS® The Great Game of Business Unique Ability® Next Level Revenue The Entrepreneur’s Guide To Cash Confidence What Is A Self-Managing Company®? Kolbe A™ Index Entrepreneurial Leap Academy More about Kyle

Do you see fear as a roadblock—or as a catalyst for growth? In this episode, Shannon Waller reframes fear as a powerful tool for entrepreneurs and their teams. Discover how embracing uncertainty sparks innovation, builds resilience, and drives 10x success, and learn why the best leaders don’t avoid fear—they harness it. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Fear isn’t the enemy—it’s your brain’s way of saying, “Hey, this matters.” Fear is built into the entrepreneurial journey and can actually fuel your biggest wins. The fears that make you the most nervous usually hold the key to your next level of growth. Truly great teams know that stepping into the unknown drives learning, experiments, and results. The trick isn’t to avoid fear, but to channel it into action and resilience. Being okay with fear keeps you pushing boundaries and stops you from getting stuck. When you use fear on purpose, it amps up your energy and keeps you alert, especially when things are uncertain. Most breakthroughs happen outside your comfort zone—embrace the butterflies. Fear isn’t always the enemy; sometimes, it’s a sign you’re about to learn something interesting or chase a new opportunity. Looking back, you’ll probably notice it was fear that pushed you into your biggest transformations. Gathering up the nerve to do something new builds real skills and lasting confidence. Pinpointing what you’re actually worried about makes tackling fear way more manageable. Strategic Coach® tools like The Impact Filter™ and The Experience Transformer® help you make sense of fear and turn it into next steps. Leading your team through rough patches by talking openly about their worries gets everyone moving forward together. Creative solutions come from facing fears head-on, not sweeping them under the rug. Don’t let fear hijack your brain—make it work for you, not the other way around. Even when the world feels unpredictable, you’re still in the driver’s seat when it comes to how you show up. Remind your team how many storms they’ve weathered already—they’re way more resilient than they think. Just like muscles grow stronger from resistance, getting through scary stuff makes you tougher and smarter. The entrepreneurs who thrive aren’t fearless, they just know how to handle doubt. Resources:  The Gift Of Fear by Gavin De Becker The Black Swan Group Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss Ego, Authority, Failure by Derek Gaunt The Impact Filter™ Your Life As A Strategy Circle by Dan Sullivan Transforming Experiences Into Multipliers

Is your team operating at full capacity, or have they settled into a comfortable routine? Many teams deliver quality results, but what happens when passion and engagement wane? You might find your talented team members holding back, doing just enough to meet expectations, while their true potential remains untapped. In this episode, Shannon Waller explains the subtle difference between excellent performance and Unique Ability®. Here’s how to ignite that spark of enthusiasm and creativity that elevates your team’s performance, keeping them energized and committed to your vision. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Unique Ability is a superior skill that you’re passionate about. Unique Ability® Teamwork means the right people are in the right seat using their areas of Unique Ability. The differences between 80% Excellent team work and 100% Unique Ability Teamwork are: Unique Ability teams self-manage because they’re intrinsically motivated and engaged in the work and the projects. Excellent teams produce 2x results, while Unique Ability teams produce 10x results. Unique Ability teams collaborate and support each other without competing with each other. Unique Ability teams play full out with a no “defense budget” attitude. Unique Ability teams are always learning and growing, becoming their own internal experts. Unique Ability teams use their past experience as research for improvements in new projects. Unique Ability teams are always alert, curious, responsive, and resourceful. The Experience Transformer® tool takes a completed project as a basis for learning. The tools asks: What worked or is working? Often this breaks down into technology, timing, or teamwork. What didn’t work? Usually this is a process breakdown, misunderstanding, misalignment, or miscommunication. Brainstorm: Knowing what we know now, what would we do differently? What’s the new course of action or strategy? Keep what’s working and fix what isn’t. DONT’s if you want to maximize your team’s engagement: Don’t shut down new ideas. Don’t micromanage. Don’t demoralize the team. Don’t let 80% effort go on without addressing it. “Sometimes you’re failing so slowly, you think you’re winning.” Resources: How To Expand Your Team’s Unique Ability® The 4 Performance Capabilities 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy Transforming Experiences Into Multipliers Kolbe A™ Index EOS®

Are you holding on too tightly to tasks that drain your energy or block your team’s growth? In this episode, Shannon Waller reveals the mindset shifts and practical tools that help entrepreneurs confidently delegate, let go of micromanagement, and elevate their teams. Discover how to create a bigger future by freeing yourself—and your business—from the delegation death grip. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Most entrepreneurs, even skilled delegators, have at least one area where they struggle to let go. Micromanagement often stems from a fear that no one else can meet your standards. Shifting from “doer” to “leader” requires letting go of tasks, even if you’re excellent at them. The root of micromanaging is usually a mindset of fear, uncertainty, or lack of confidence in others’ abilities. Recognizing and naming your fears around delegation are the first steps to overcoming them. There are two unhealthy delegation styles: the “death grip” (never letting go) and the “drive-by” (throwing tasks at others without clarity). Both micromanagement and drive-by delegation prevent your team from developing the skills and confidence they need to excel in their roles and drive progress forward. You must have a compelling “why” to motivate yourself to let go of tasks and delegate effectively. The Impact Filter™ is a powerful tool for clarifying your purpose, standards, and desired outcomes when delegating—and setting your team up for success. Telling best- and worst-case stories helps your team understand what great performance looks like—and what to avoid. Success criteria should be specific, measurable, and written down. Delegating “excellent” activities—things you do very well but no longer love—is often the hardest but most necessary step for growth. When you articulate your standards and expectations, you demonstrate trust in your team’s unique skills and empower them to meet (and often, exceed) those standards. Using tools like The Impact Filter transforms delegation from a risky handoff into a confident, collaborative process. Letting go of lower-value tasks frees you to focus on your areas of Unique Ability® and the bigger future you want to create. Regularly revisiting your “why” for delegating helps you avoid slipping back into old habits. When your brain is “on paper,” your team knows exactly how to win—and you can coach, not control, their progress. Resources: Unique Ability The Impact Filter TED Talk: Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Action by Simon Sinek Time Management Strategies For Entrepreneurs (Effective Strategies Only) The 4 Freedoms That Motivate Successful Entrepreneurs The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande Ego, Authority, Failure: Using Emotional Intelligence Like A Hostage Negotiator To Succeed As A Leader by Derek Gaunt The Black Swan Group EOS®

Are you feeling trapped by your role? Are you looking for more freedom? Shannon Waller asks, “What if you shift your perspective and adopt a partnership mindset?” Challenge the traditional hierarchical thinking that stifles collaboration and results. Instead, imagine an environment where you, and everyone around you, are liberated to contribute your Unique Ability® and show up as your most evolved self, regardless of status or title. Discover how this mindset fosters collaborative teamwork, amplifies contributions, and leads to results and growth, letting you to focus on creating immense value. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Ditch the hierarchy. Treat yourself and others as partners, not just bosses or subordinates, for true freedom and results. Role-based thinking hinders teamwork and collaboration. Bring your most evolved version of yourself to work. Instead of your authentic self, show your “front stage” best, even internally. Value people who are different from you; they can do what you can’t. Alignment on core values keeps the focus on collaboration toward shared goals. Put your ego and authority aside. Partnership means implied equality – focusing on contributing resources, skills, and effort toward shared goals, and sharing risks and rewards. The marketplace only cares if you create value; it doesn’t care about your status. Know yourself and your unique contributions. Focus on the situation and the other person, not just yourself, to be a great partner. Don’t be trapped by your role or title, even if it’s CEO. Redesign your job to match your unique contribution for greater impact and happiness. This partnership mindset allows you to work effectively with people at any status level. The goal is to give people freedom to do what they’re best at, play full out, speak up, and contribute fully. Dan Sullivan’s solution when team members struggle is to bring in another “Who” that can do that piece of the work effortlessly. The Strategic Coach® core values, or P.A.G.E., are: positive and collaborative teamwork being alert, curious, responsive, and resourceful focusing on growth and results providing an excellent first-class experience for clients Resources: Cy Wakeman’s books No Ego: How Leaders Can Cut the Cost of Workplace Drama, End Entitlement, and Drive Big Results The Reality-Based Rules of the Workplace: Know What Boosts Your Value, Kills Your Chances, and Will Make You Happier Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama, Restore Sanity to the Workplace, and Turn Excuses into Results Ego, Authority, Failure by Derek Gaunt Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss Who Not How by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy Kolbe CliftonStrengths® PRINT®

Do you praise departing team members—or subtly undermine them? In this episode, Shannon Waller breaks down why the way you talk about departures—good or bad—shapes your team’s trust, your reputation, and even who’ll want to work for you. Learn the hidden costs of venting, Dan Sullivan’s graceful approach, and the “true, kind, necessary” rule for classy goodbyes. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: How you talk about former team members defines your reputation—both inside and outside your company. Venting about someone who left may feel good in the moment, but it’s a trust killer for your current team. If you speak poorly about others after they’re gone, your current team members will begin to wonder what you’re saying about them too. The way you handle goodbyes also tells your current team how you'll handle tough moments with them. Every departure is a chance to demonstrate emotional maturity, even when it's hard. Tough conversations should happen before someone departs. Great leaders turn departures into goodwill ambassadors, not burned bridges. Dan Sullivan’s magic phrase: “People leave for their reasons, not ours.” A-players avoid companies with a reputation for badmouthing former employees. If you can’t say something genuinely positive about a departure, silence is the wiser choice. Resources: The Self-Managing Company by Dan Sullivan Your Business Is A Theater Production: Your Back Stage Shouldn’t Show On The Front Stage Team Success Episode: From Conflict To Courage, with Marlene Chism

Do you ever feel like your team is just going through the motions, missing that spark of connection? Are you noticing behavior that might be quietly undermining your culture? In this episode of Team Success, Shannon Waller dives into a crucial topic that can transform the way you interact with your team to create loyalty and trust. Tune in to learn how to enhance your team’s long-term performance through transformational behavior. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Transactional Behavior: Focuses on what can be obtained from others, treating them as mere tools or cogs in a machine. Transformational Behavior: Prioritizes growth, partnership, and collaboration, treating others as human beings and fostering a sense of togetherness. Examples Of Transactional Behaviors: Ignoring people in passing. Only reaching out when you need something. Skipping “please” and “thank you.” Being all business all the time. Evaluating people only by their outputs. Acting like hierarchy means superiority. Focusing on tasks rather than the purpose. Dropping tasks on others without context. Treating other people’s time as expendable. Being performative or fake. Failing to give feedback. Protecting turf or withholding information. Transformational Practices: Acknowledge and greet people. Show genuine interest in others’ lives and well-being. Use polite language and express gratitude. Bring your whole, most evolved self to work. Recognize efforts and learning, not just results. Treat everyone as a peer and partner. Connect tasks to the larger purpose. Provide context for tasks and decisions. Respect others’ time by being punctual and prepared. Be authentic and own up to mistakes. Offer constructive coaching. Share information freely and foster a culture of abundance. “People are sharp. Teams are well-rounded.” —Donald O. Clifton “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” —Maya Angelou To show up as a great team builder, as a great culture builder, as someone who is building the future of your company, examine these areas of your own behavior and take action immediately. Resources: “Taking Control Of Your Ego With Bestselling Author & Speaker Cy Wakeman,” Team Success Podcast 127 “The Referability Habits Mindset” free PDF download CliftonStrengths® website “The Entrepreneurial Attitude” free PDF download Simon Sinek’s TEDx Talk “Start With Why” The Impact Filter™ download Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Do you ever wish you could predict how a new team member will perform—before they even start? In this episode, Shannon Waller shares why she relies on profiles like Kolbe and PRINT® to build high-trust, high-performance teams. Discover how these tools help you delegate with confidence, eliminate mismatched roles, and leverage each person’s Unique Ability® so your entire team wins. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Profiles eliminate guesswork by revealing how team members naturally strive, think, and contribute. Trust and collaboration deepen when you understand a team member’s innate strengths, motivations, and problem-solving instincts. The Kolbe A™ Index reveals how someone takes action (their striving instincts) and in what situations they’ll resist taking action. CliftonStrengths® highlights top talents so you can assign roles where people will excel effortlessly. Working Genius® identifies which parts of a project energize someone (like inventing or executing) and which drain them. Entrepreneurial teams thrive on adaptability, and profiles create stability by clarifying who does what best. The strongest teams balance different strengths instead of duplicating the same skills. Profiles also prevent pigeonholing by showing the full picture of a person’s capabilities, not just one trait. Hiring based solely on experience is risky—profiles uncover hidden potential that resumes miss. Using an Impact Filter™ helps you define the “why” behind a project so you can align the right people with the right tasks. Overall, investing in profiles delivers measurable ROI—better hires stay longer, perform at higher levels, and require less management because they’re operating in their areas of Unique Ability from day one. Resources: Kolbe A Index Working Genius CliftonStrengths DiSC® Profile PRINT The Impact Filter Unique Ability The Talent Impact Profile™️

Do you hesitate to step into a leadership role, even when you know you have something valuable to contribute? You’re not alone! Many people hold back, think it’s not their job, or believe they lack the authority. But leadership isn’t just for the top of the pyramid. In this episode, Shannon Waller discusses what “situational leadership” is and how you can make a real impact in your organization, no matter your title. Imagine being the go-to person in your area of expertise, confidently guiding your team through uncertainty and change. Listen now for the five mindsets in team members from Liz Wiseman’s book Impact Players that are keys to developing situational leadership. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Strategic Coach® defines leadership as: Providing direction Maximizing opportunities Providing strategies and solutions Everyone has an area of expertise, or Unique Ability®, where we can contribute, create value, and provide leadership. The executive assistant in charge of an entrepreneur’s schedule is in charge of their entrepreneur’s daily activities and can provide leadership on managing time and relationships. Five key points from Impact Players by Liz Wiseman: Do the job that’s needed, not what’s assigned. Step up and take ownership. Adapt and stay flexible. Make work easier for others. Deliver with a finish line mentality Casting Not Hiring’s 4 x 4 Casting Tool™ measures four quadrants of success: Performance: being alert, curious, responsive, and resourceful Results: what is faster, easier, cheaper, or has a bigger impact Being A Hero: four projects to focus on next quarter What Drives You/Others Crazy: behaviors you want to avoid Permission to speak up and make suggestions is not saying, “My way is the right way.” Resources: Unique Ability) PRINT®: Take the PRINT survey). Abundance 360, by Peter Diamandis Superpowered: The Secret That Helps Every Entrepreneur Eliminate the Suck, 10X Their Impact, and Have More Fun in Work and Life by Shannon Waller, Ryan Cassin, and Steven Neuner Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact by Liz Wiseman

Is your business stuck because you’re still acting as the de facto COO? In this episode, Ben Wolf of Wolf’s Edge Integrators reveals the three types of number two leaders—Operational, Conductor, and Executive—and how to choose the right one for your growth stage. Learn why the wrong hire can cost you years (and how the MOA Assessment solves this). Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: A great number two leader drives execution—both core operations and key growth initiatives—while ensuring profitability and team alignment. Entrepreneurs need to shift from being in the business to working on the business by delegating execution to a trusted second-in-command. Without a strong number two, visionary leaders stay trapped in day-to-day operations, limiting their ability to focus on high-impact growth opportunities. There are three types of number two leaders: Operational (systems and processes), Conductor (cross-functional alignment), and Executive (scaling expertise). Hiring the wrong type of number two leader can slow progress and create frustration. Companies evolve through stages—Survival, Owner-Dependent, Incremental Growth, and Scale—each requiring a different leadership approach. Fractional COOs can be a strategic bridge, providing the right expertise without the full-time cost, especially in early growth phases. Corporate-minded leaders often clash with entrepreneurial cultures—look for number twos with both big-company experience and start-up agility. Trust is the foundation for all business growth. Entrepreneurs have to learn to delegate control, while number twos must earn credibility through transparency. The MOA Assessment (Mother of All Assessments) helps entrepreneurs identify their current stage, leadership gaps, and the ideal number two profile. Resources: Wolf’s Edge Integrators EOS® Unique Ability® The 4 Freedoms That Motivate Successful Entrepreneurs VisionSpark More about Ben

Is your entrepreneur overflowing with ideas but feeling frustrated that no one is listening? This episode reveals how you can step up as a vital sounding board, transforming those fleeting thoughts into actionable plans. Entrepreneurial team expert Shannon Waller explains how enhancing your listening skills makes you an invaluable asset to your entrepreneur. While you get to collaborate creatively with your entrepreneur, you’ll also usher in new solutions that drive growth for your company. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Be A Great Sounding Board Volunteer to listen: When your entrepreneur shares an idea, express interest in scheduling time to learn more about it. Capture ideas: Keep a running list of your entrepreneur’s ideas in something that you can access from your phone, like Trello or Asana, anytime a new idea comes up. Before the discussion, make a note about what intrigued you about the idea or what questions you immediately have. Be present: Clear your mind and focus on the conversation. If you’re distracted, your entrepreneur will sense it and share less. Listen generously: Use phrases like, “Tell me more” to invite deeper discussion. Lean in physically to show engagement. Create a safe space: Make it comfortable for the entrepreneur to express their thoughts, even if they lead to a “bad idea.” Capture the summary of main points: This is easy to do with Strategic Coach® tools, but even typing out the key points discussed afterwards takes the idea from the “make it up” stage closer to “make it real.” Characteristics Of A Great Listener Enthusiastic and curious: Show genuine interest in the ideas being shared. Translates back: Reflect back what you hear using phrases such as, “It seems like … ” or “It sounds like … ” Great interviewing skills: Ask questions about what intrigues you and what the context is—what the problem is that this idea solves. Or, repeat the last three words to confirm that you’re listening and encourage further expansion. Add your viewpoint: Adding your own thoughts shows you’re listening and thinking about what is said. Tools For Effective Conversations Use Strategic Coach tools: Tools such as The Strategy Circle and Impact Filter can help guide discussions. The Strategy Circle®: Identify goals, obstacles, and strategies. The Impact Filter™: Discuss the purpose, importance, ideal outcome, and success criteria. Certainty/Uncertainty Focus: Explore what is known and unknown about the idea to get more clarity about who should be doing what. Approach With The Right Mindset Be curious, not ego-driven: Focus on the entrepreneur’s ideas rather than seeking personal recognition. Use your strengths: No matter your strengths, lean in to them to balance your entrepreneur’s strengths. Enjoy the process: Embrace the creative act of ideation with your entrepreneur. Be open: Keep an open mind to new ideas, but also be willing to let them go if they turn out to be not worth pursuing. Final Thoughts Transformational impact: Your role as a sounding board can lead to significant breakthroughs for the entrepreneur and the team. Recognize your skills: You may already possess these listening skills. Acknowledge and enhance them for greater impact. Make it real: Your engagement can help flesh out creative ideas by taking them out of the headspace and into the action space. Resources: Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss, CEO and founder of The Black Swan Group The Strategy Circle: Your Life As A Strategy Circle by Dan Sullivan The Impact Filter Strategic Coach Ambition Series quarterly books What is the Collaborative Way®? CliftonStrengths® Tools for capturing ideas on the go: Trello, Asana Inside Strategic Coach podcast with Dan Sullivan and Shannon Waller questions@strategiccoach.com

Are your team leaders still growing, or have they become too comfortable? In this episode, Shannon Waller discusses why leaders need to be led and how entrepreneurs can create environments where their leadership teams continue to grow, adapt, and welcome feedback. Learn how to avoid the trap of entropy and cultivate a team that embraces change and collaboration. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Entrepreneurs get their feedback from the marketplace, but your internal leaders may not get the same level of direct input, requiring intentional direction from you. Great entrepreneurial leaders embrace The 4 C's Formula®—Commitment, Courage, Capability, and Confidence—and continually repeat the cycle of growth. It's the responsibility of those in leadership positions to ensure their team leaders are continually growing, stretching, and expanding their areas of Unique Ability®. Without guardrails and feedback, even the best leaders can go off course, which makes structured communication and open dialogue key. While corporations tend to have established growth paths and feedback mechanisms, entrepreneurial companies often demand team members take a more proactive, self-directed approach. Entropy, or the gradual decline into disorder, can take over if there's no conscious effort to maintain uniqueness and encourage growth in your organization. Resisting change is a warning sign of stagnation. Encourage your team to challenge the phrase, “We've always done it this way.” Prioritize leading people over simply managing them; let technology handle inputs while you focus on providing direction and leadership to your team. Create psychological safety for your leaders by encouraging open and honest communication so they feel comfortable sharing feedback and voicing concerns. It’s also important that your leaders receive feedback not only from you, but also from their teams, so you can build a broader culture of trust. If you want to cultivate Unique Ability® Teamwork, you have to put effort and energy into making it happen—encourage collaboration and welcome new ideas and input regardless of job descriptions. Resources: Unique Ability® The 4 C’s Formula by Dan Sullivan The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design by Richard Dawkins EOS®

Do you get the impression there are people on your team trying hard to prove themselves? In this podcast episode, teamwork specialist Shannon Waller discusses the critical importance of self-awareness and the freedom to be oneself within a team environment. Understanding your strengths and embracing your true self is not just for personal benefit; it serves as a strategic advantage for entrepreneurial teams. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: The Problem With Proving Oneself The idea of proving oneself seems positive, showing hard work and ambition, but it can often lead to focusing narrowly on self-evaluation instead of collaboration. The self-focus can lead to “head trash” where people measure themselves against the ideal and end up in “The Gap,” where they’re constantly frustrated that they aren’t further ahead than where they are. The Value Of Self-Awareness Knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses is essential for effective teamwork. This self-awareness allows greater appreciation for others’ complementary strengths, which can be combined to more efficiently complete collective goals. Knowing your own weaknesses helps you stay away from committing to roles on projects you’re not best suited for, thereby preventing bottlenecks. When people know what their strengths are, they’re free to be more creative within those areas. Growing Great Leadership In Dan Sullivan’s newest Ambition Series book, Growing Great Leadership, he explains how being a great leader includes demonstrating your own growth using The 4 C’s Formula®. The 4 C’s Formula: Commitment to a scary new project means having to experience courage to try something new with many unknowns in order to gain new capabilities that give you greater confidence to tackle the next big commitment, renewing the cycle. For a company to expand, each person, each team, and each capability needs to be constantly getting better through 4 C’s growth. Profiles To Help You Know Yourself Kolbe: How you take action. PRINT®: Your motivations. CliftonStrengths®: Your strengths and non-strengths. DISC: Your personality and behavioral style. Working Genius®: Where you thrive on team projects. Growth Over Perfectionism Perfectionists won’t try something unless they know they can nail it the first time. Entrepreneurial companies need growth-minded people who are willing to take risks, try, and learn from both success and failure. Strategic Advantage “Success is the freedom to be yourself.” —Kathy Kolbe People who have the freedom to be themselves are open-minded, curious about other people, trustworthy, collaborative, productive, creative, and successful. When people don’t have to focus inwardly, trying to prove themselves, they’re free to be more strategic and focused on the best end results. Resources: The Gap And The Gain by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy Growing Great Leadership by Dan Sullivan (coming soon) The 4 C’s Formula by Dan Sullivan Kolbe (Kolbe.com) PRINT CliftonStrengths DISC: Personality Insights Working Genius Unique Ability®

Do you understand the transformative power of hiring the right number two leader? In this episode, Shannon Waller and Alec Broadfoot discuss the essential qualities of an effective second-in-command and the critical role of a structured interview process in identifying top talent. Learn how assessments and strategic questioning can improve your hiring strategy and drive lasting success. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Understanding the role of a number two leader is crucial for entrepreneurial success. Hiring the right second-in-command can significantly improve your business operations. Most entrepreneurs face people problems, not process problems. A number two leader should oversee daily operations, freeing up visionaries to focus on their areas of Unique Ability®. The right number two leader will thrive on the challenges that visionaries find tedious. Letting go of certain responsibilities can lead to increased joy and energy for visionary leaders, ultimately driving profit. The Talent Impact Profile™ (TIP) is a valuable tool for identifying the right characteristics in a number two leader. Building a strong partnership with your number two can transform both your business and personal life. A structured interview process is essential for identifying the right number two leader. Common mistakes in interviewing include relying solely on “gut” feelings instead of data-driven insights and ignoring cultural fit. Candidates need to align with your company’s values. The best time to fire a poor performer is during the interview process. The average interview predicts success about 14% of the time, but using an assessment tool can raise your success rate to upwards of 52%. Once they’re hired, it’s crucial to provide the new leader with ongoing support and clear expectations to ensure they can thrive in their role. Characteristics of a successful second-in-command: Strategic thinking: The ability to think critically and plan effectively. Planning and organization skills: A knack for creating and implementing processes. People orientation: A focus on developing and nurturing team members. Coaching ability: Enjoyment in holding others accountable and managing performance. Strong communication skills: The capacity to convey information clearly and effectively. Right fit: Compatibility with your company culture and values.   Resources: Vision Spark Hiring Your Right #2 Leader by Alec Broadfoot Delegate Solutions How The Best Get Better® by Dan Sullivan Unique Ability® Talent Impact Profile™ Kolbe A™ Index The Team Success Handbook by Shannon Waller

Are you looking to upgrade your teamwork? Do you realize that you have really high standards? Today, Shannon Waller talks about building partners within entrepreneurial teams. What does it mean to have team partners rather than employees or staff, and how do you build the ultimate dream team in your business? If you’re tired of micromanaging, find out how Shannon achieves crazy fast results with team members who act as partners. Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: Shannon has realized she only wants to work with partners, not employees, not staff. One example of a three-way partnership is the Teamwork Triad, which consist of three people who have a Unique Ability® in separate but equal areas of “make it up” (creative vision), “make it real” (execution), and “make it recur” (sustainability). Great partnerships are built around each person being honest about their strengths and areas of Unique Ability. Unique Ability is made up of those activities at which you are capable and confident, but also most love to do. Do you know what you’re uniquely exceptional at that you should be doing all the time? Do you know what you should not be doing? Having Imposter Syndrome simply means you’re growing and still somewhere in the first three scary stages of The 4 C’s Formula®—commitment, courage, or capability—and not yet at the last stage, confidence. To be a great partner, you can’t be shy and humble about the things you’re really good at. You can’t be a partner when you’re doing what you’re incompetent or merely competent at. You also can’t be a partner when you’re doing what you’re excellent at but have no passion for. When partners work together in Unique Ability® Teamwork, everyone is committed and energized by what they’re doing. How can you tell when you have the right partners working together? You get the highest quality results at crazy fast speeds. Being a partner means stepping outside of your preconceived ideas about your role to share the best of yourself: your heart, brain, and will. Resources: Kolbe Unique Ability The Team Success Handbook by Shannon Waller The 4 C’s Formula by Dan Sullivan