Remarkable Leadership Lessons

When Robert Sutton wrote the book, The No "A**hole" Rule, he received over 8,000 emails from people who were or are managed by a toxic boss. Research shows about 65% of bosses are toxic. How can anyone be successful if you work for a toxic boss?Does the toxic boss know they are an "A**hole"?Why do executives and HR tolerate the horrendous impact of toxic bosses on employees, productivity, and the bottom line?Do organizations breed toxic bosses? In this episode, we'll delve into the detrimental impact of toxic bosses on their employees and the organization as a whole. We'll explore six distinct types of toxic bosses, their prevalence, and the harmful effects they exert on their teams.My guess Rob Kalwarowski, says he knows why and what you can do about it. How does he know? Rob was at the top of his game as an MIT graduate Mechanical Engineer, and then he had to work with a toxic boss. What he learned and how he learned to heal and help others heal is something to hear. Listen as we Define 6 types of toxic bosses.Why Executives and Organizations tolerate bad bosses and may be breeding them.3 things you can do if you work for a toxic boss.You can learn more about Rob Kalwarowski at https://www.howtodealboss.com/. Get $50.00 off if you use the code REMARKABLE on his program How to Deal With A**hole Bosses by going to his website. Connect with Rob on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-kalwarowsky/.

Toxic positivity has become a prevalent issue in the workplace, with several studies highlighting its widespread impact.67.8% of respondents in a Science of People survey reported experiencing toxic positivity from someone in the past week. More than 75% of respondents in the same survey admitted that they "sometimes, often, or very often ignore their own emotions in favor of being happy." Source: Science of People survey, 2023But why should an executive or even a manager care?What’s wrong with pumping up people by focusing on what’s working? In a recent Forbes article entitled The Negative Impact of Toxic Positivity In the Workplace, Senior Contributor Jack Kelly defined “toxic positivity as the belief that employees must focus on positive emotions and disavow negative feelings in the workplace. A toxic positivity agenda calls for being enthusiastic and upbeat despite the dire situation. No matter what goes wrong, you are not allowed to show or say anything resembling negativity. No matter how bad the problem is, you must grin and bear it. When management promotes a culture of toxic positivity, it can adversely affect workers. The unrelenting pressure and stress to discount their own experiences and be someone they aren’t can lead to feelings of burnout and letting the team and company down.”Denise Cooper and Pamela Brooks discuss toxic positivity when someone denies or dismisses another person's negative emotions or struggles with an upbeat, “you’ll get over it, or pull yourself together” attitude. During this episode, we’ll explain that toxic positivity can lead to increased impostor syndrome, perfectionism, and overcritical internal judgment about yourself. When it’s widespread in your organization, decisiveness, speed, and critical thinking go down.Listen as Denise and her returning guest discuss:What are the challenges leaders face in managing overwhelmed employees and prioritizing tasks?Three things you can do as a manager to help employees handle burnout, change fatigue, and improve communications.The importance of leaders being vulnerable, providing the right support, and recognizing that individuals are doing their best given their circumstances actually improves business results.Pamela Richards is a returning featured guest on our show. Pam's expertise lies in designing and facilitating workshops and experiences that unlock transformational performance. She's a certified Dare to Lead™ facilitator and Conversational Intelligence™ practitioner, empowering individuals to embrace vulnerability and lead with empathy. Her passion for neuroscience fuels her exploration of the factors contributing to exceptional performance and enhancing our enjoyment of life.Pam's impact extends beyond the corporate world, as she's presented at large-scale conferences such as the Philip 66 International Conference and Baxter Asia Pacific's International Strategic Thinking Workshop in Shanghai. She's also facilitated Dare to Lead™ workshops for smaller groups and has been an integral part of conferences like BADD, the 101 Black Women's Coalition, and ASU's Commission on the Status of Women.When not immersed in the world of leadership development, Pam finds her balance in outdoor pursuits like cycling, hiking, and sailing. She's even picked up a new hobby – golf – alongside her husband.

In today's episode, Denise Cooper and returning guest regular Deborah Snow Walsh delve into the essential role of HR in navigating the shift from change to transformation in organizations. We're talking about turnover. Listen as Deborah talks about the hidden costs and drivers of turnover. I promise it's not what you think and costs you more than you might be aware. Learn why hiring the wrong person creates conflict in your organization.We'll review resumes carefully, develop a list of questions to ask, and be clear about the skills and experience you are looking for.We'll share what most managers unintentionally do that creates a workplace culture where people want to leave and how to create an enjoyable workplace where people want to stay. Deborah Snow Walsh is the Head of Talent for Brown & Brown Insurance Company. Brown & Brown is the fifth largest insurance brokerage in the nation, with over $ 4 billion in equity. Before joining Brown & Brown, Deborah was CEO of Deborah Snow Walsh Executive Search, where she worked with Fortune 100 corporations to find and place talented executives. You can contact Deborah Snow Walsh on LinkedIn. linkedin.com/in/deborah-walsh-875b932

Season 4 is about to launch. Denise Cooper, host of Closing the Gap talks about the personal lessons she's learned while ascending the corporate ladder. They include Be clear on the Goal, Activate and inspire through storytelling and Turning potential into performance. Do you remember when you realized you were a leader? This is the one question you should ask and hear how it shapes your views. Finally, Denise answers a question from a listener and lets you know how you can get your questions answered too.

As we return to work after a year-long quarantine, leaders, employees, and HR professionals are finding it's not business as usual. So much was lost for so many. Too many leaders haven't been taught how to deal with grief in the workplace. What boundaries and expectations should we have for how people handle and express grief? What if you're struggling with being with co-workers who are in a depression because they lost someone near and dear to them. We all tend to hold on to grief. It’s awkward and uncomfortable to talk about. We feel like we might be judged especially if we tell other people how much we are hurting because of our losses.Kevin Ringstaff, Founder and CEO of and Grieving@Work, spent my days talking and grief and educating people on supporting friends, family, and co-workers through their grief. Listen in as Kevin, and I offer insights and solutions to help you respond in a supportive way. You can reach Kevin at HTTP://www.grievingatwork.com/

Do you consider yourself a high achiever? Do you manage high achievers? High achievers - those who are always striving for perfection versus excellence - are motivated differently and if you're not aware of their differences you can burn them out. Surprisingly, most people believe they are high achievers because they work hard. However, hard work doesn't always equal a high achievement. Terry McDougall is an Executive and Career Coach and author of Winning the Game of Work: Career Happiness and Success on Your Own Terms. She works with high-achieving business owners and professionals who are "successful but not satisfied" to help them increase the overlap between their professional success and personal happiness. Terry's research indicates high achievers are paying a high price for their "success" in terms of stress, burnout, health, and relationship problems. Learn what you can do to avoid burning up and burning out at work.

The role of CEO (and CHRO) are probably the two loneliest positions in a company. Both roles rarely have someone they can share their concerns with and explore transforming a business or culture without stirring things up. My guest today Dave Molenda is a self-made man who faced a serious downturn in his business. To survive, he had to convince his employees to embrace the business transformation. What he built was a new community both inside and with his customers. In this episode, listen as he shares how he did it and learned from that experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you think you would find if you asked the question "When being considered for a raise, promotion, or love what matters more your credibility or your likability? The answer might surprise you. Mitchell Levy interview 100 CEO's to find out what they would say. In his new book Credibility Nation, he found most people, especially leaders have a credibility problem. One that is at the root cause of us working harder, achieving less, and killing our spirit for fun. Listen in as Mitchell and I talk about our search for what it means to be credible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet the constant demands at work?. 61% of workers are suffering burnout according to Michael Levitte the founder and Chief Burnout Officer of The Breakfast Leadership Network, a San Diego and Toronto-based burnout media firm.Everyone is experiences burnout including you. Leaders, managers, and executives are role models. They set the tone for how employees handle feelings of overwhelm and how to stay focused on what's important. Listen so you can find out what can be done to lower the stress in your workplace so employees can think better, solve more problems, and don't experience extreme burnout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should I be myself at work? When we second guess ourselves trying to show up as others think we should, the effort of holding back, thinking, and rethinking our ideas, work even our presences diminishes us. It not only harms us but deprives others of our most precious gifts... our unique perspective. Brilliance comes from a lifetime of experiences, and they help us solve problems, be creative, and convince others to follow our lead. Listen as Dr. Steve Yacovelli and I discuss what it means for LGBTQ and others to step up and show up at work, what managers and HR executives can do to create an environment that closes the gap on inclusion and belonging.Dr. Steve Yacovelli (a.k.a. “The Gay Leadership Dude") is the Owner & Principal of TopDog Learning Group, LLC, a leadership, change management, and diversity and inclusion consulting firm based in Orlando, Florida, USA but with affiliates (“TopDoggers”) throughout the globe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine telling your team about upgrading your technology. Everyone is excited and the discussion leads you to believe they know about and can use the upgraded system. However, to know better doesn't mean we do better. The Knowing-Doing Gap means a person can talk about something but can't actually do it.  The term was first coined by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert Sutton, in their book called The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge Into Action. This phenomenon is one of the main reasons it is difficult to know you've hired skilled people and for leaders, trainers, and coaches to measure learning in the workplace. Nanci Appleman-Vassil is the CEO of APLS Group. Nanci is an experienced facilitator, consultant, and executive coach focusing on core competencies in both the corporate and non-profit environment. She consults with companies that want to enhance their effectiveness on the individual, team, or organizational level and is known for quickly assessing skill and organizational gaps, as well as building esteemed relationships. Listen as we talk about closing the knowing-doing gap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you live, you will face tough times. Before they happen, you think you'll be able to overcome any adversity, and then it happens. There are hundreds of self-help books telling you how to get back up after falling, but as a leader, how to help your team in simple ways that help. Listen to learn how; as a leader, you can ask one question to refocus your team to deal with and overcome adversity. Listen, if you are faced with a setback that has you stuck to learn what you can do to get moving. Connect with Dr. Carolying Colleen on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyncolleen/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You want to be a remarkable leader. It's a tall order given today we are faced with a divided nation and workforce. Employees have more choices - to work or not. More and more they want a say in the business, the culture, and career choices. Executives and HR professionals are looking for answers on how to maintain a productive workplace in the face of political and social unrest. What if we defined great leadership as one who is a skilled mentor? How would that change your view of a leader? Ian Chisholm, Co-Founder Roy Group, is on a mission to change how we think about and develop leaders. In this podcast, we talk about the biggest mistakes most leaders make and how those mistakes actually reduce their effectiveness. Listen as we share insights on having tough conversations, build stronger commitments to work, and how to redefine leadership for changing times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Miriam Senft, or "Mim," as she's known to all, is a force of nature and is on a mission to change the way most people envision the value of HR. 2020 has taught everyone - management and employees - a company's workplace policies and culture matter. Work enables our lives. It doesn't define it, and 2021 is seeing employees find other options. Mim and I talk offer several proven ideas on how to measure the performance of your benefits, wellness, and engagement efforts. leaders. Mim Senft has over 20 years of corporate experience in project management, benefits design, and wellness program strategy and implementation. She specializes in working with companies to evaluate current programs and resources for gaps and efficacy, take a more strategic approach to integrate them into a cohesive offering for employees, and developing a culturally specific project plan with measurable goals. She is a certified as a Worksite Wellness Specialist through the National Wellness Institute; has her GBA group benefits designation through the International Foundation of Benefit Professionals (IFEBP); her property and casualty insurance certification, Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI), through the Insurance Institute of America; and became a certified yoga instructor in 2006.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thinking about changing careers? Ever wonder how an interviewer decides who a good candidate is? What does it mean when a hiring manager says, "I know it when I see it?" It's estimated that most people will have 4 career changes over their lifetime. Zainab Ali shared her lessons when she decided it was time to pivot from corporate recruiting to award-winning film producer. It's easy to tell someone to get another job, but it is harder to change or pivot away from a successful career. Zainab used her skills, know-how, added persistence, and a few other things to find success, fulfillment, and happiness in the next chapter of her life.This episode offers tips on how to change careers and then stay the course when things get hard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We can't be heard, seen, or be relevant if our voices and presences are too small. Unfortunately, too many women leaders were taught how to amplify their presence, power, and performance at work without being labeled as bossy. Too often, we are waiting to be invited in. Eliza VanCort says, "Claim Your Space, Raise Your Voice." Eliza shares what she's learned as a teacher, actor, and mentor about being an unapologetic Space Claimer. In her new book, A Woman's Guide to Claiming Space. Follow Eliza on her amazing journey to help women learn how to step up, show up and speak up to be heard, powerful and accomplished. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The topic of changing a culture is all over the place. It seems to be on the agenda of every executive, CEO, HR, and DEI professional. It's a $500 Billion industry and we've been talking about a leader's role and impact on culture. So what's missing? How do we help people change and what's does the leadership development industry need to do that will make a measurable impact. Colin D Ellis is the author of Culture Fix: How to Create a Great Place to Work and Culture Hacks: 26 Ideas to Transform The Way You Work. Colin has over 20 years of real-world experience leading, teaching others how to lead change and is sharing his experience with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Working virtually has challenged everyone. What lessons can we all take away from 2020 that will keep us motivated and inspired in virtual spaces? How have recruiting, on-boarding, and running meetings been affected? Nicole Greer shares with us the best practices for motivating your team, engaging people virtually and answers the question "how can we connect and strengthen relationships when we don't meet?"Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-greer-b57945b/ and listen to her on iTunes on her podcast Vibrant Leadership https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vibrant-leadership-podcast/id1544479087?uo=4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So much talk is about getting past the quarantine and embracing the new normal. If you're an executive or manager then you know part of your job is to help your team navigate the effects of disruption all with an eye to keeping productivity as high as possible. In times where disruption from our normal way of doing things is the norm what do you need to do to be successful. Hear the conversation and learn 3 things you can do to lead well, be well and close the gap.As is a subject matter expert and recognized thought leader in the area of workplace relationshipsTony has devoted his adult life to understanding what makes people tick, how to bring out the best in people (including ourselves), and how to pass this information on in simple, yet practical terms. He helps leaders, team members, and people from every background and diversity adopt empowering mindsets and strategies that allow them to adapt, reinvent, and transform the results they produce both personally and professionally. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonychatman/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are three skills every great leader practices regularly. Connecting, Communicating Trust, and Collaborating to Co-Create. The foundation for all of these skills is listening. Cyndi Krupp is leaning to be a master influencer by honing her ability to listen deeply to others, especially those who have different beliefs and life experiences. After 20 years in new product development and Project Management, Cyndi left it all 16 years ago to dive deep into exploration, examination, and teaching Spiritual Truths. She currently has a mailing list of over 20,000 people, and one of her current focuses is on learning how to listen on a profound level. Cyndi can be reached at cyndi@teachersofgod.org." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices