Introduction

Have you ever wondered why some people tend to climb the career ladder effortlessly, while others get stuck a few rungs from the bottom? How do successful people harness power and authority for their purposes, while others seem to be crushed under the weight of others' power and authority? Whether it’s business, government, or nonprofits, some leaders simply do better? Is there an explanation for the success of some and the mediocrity of others? Today’s guest has researched questions like this in his exploration of how successful leaders productively engage power and authority in their environments. In our conversation, he reveals what he’s learned and written about in a new book.

About our Guest

Stephen Barden, Ph.D. had a long and successful career in media, technology, and communications, serving at the CEO or executive board level for much of his career. Later in life, he trained as an executive coach, mediator, and eventually earned a doctorate in leadership education. He has been in private practice since 2001, working across Europe and in the USA.

He is the author of the rigorously researched book, How Leaders do Business with their World, part of the Emerging Conversations in Leadership series by Routledge (2020).

Social Links

https://www.stephenbarden.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbarden/

How Successful Leaders do Business with their World: https://a.co/d/hEp7KMr 

What You’ll Learn

Sound working definitions of key terms like “power” and “success” in the context of organizational leadership and learning

What a navigational stance and compass are in the context of organizational leadership and learning, and how to use both in the real world.

Practical ways for implementing the Navigational Model in key areas like parenting, and developing existing and aspiring leaders.

How to work with power and authority, rather than struggle against it.

Connect with Dr. Mike: 

• Website: https://www.drmikepatterson.com

• Book: https://www.missionfirstpeoplealwaysbook.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichaellpatterson

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealdrmikepatterson/

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmikepatterson

• Buy The Book!: Mission First People Always

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 03:31 Introduction to the guest, Stephen Barden and his book, “How Successful Leaders Do Business With Their World”

• 05:31 Stephen shares the idea for his book all began when he was fired for being a bully 

• 06:24 Stephen embarked on a doctoral research program which interviewed different high level leaders across the world 

• 07:21 The data that was acquired, had a direct correlation to how each leader was raised as a child 

• 09:34 Stephen shares real life stories of people that experience the world and learn how to manage it 

• 13:58 Good leaders work in partnership, not alone at the top

• 15:47 Stephen realized in his research that the most successful leaders had small egos and used people and resources to help make decisions 

• 18:47 Leading a new company does not mean that you bring the same style and techniques that you’ve always used 

• 20:21 Pain and hurt that we experience as children can be carried into how we lead as adults 

• 23:16 Not giving employees a voice in the company actually stops good ideas from coming through

• 24:46 Leaders need to be flexible in their ability to move their entire organization closer to its goals 

• 28:13 Stephen says to do the best possible until that possible is no longer the best 

• 30:22 A healthy leader of a company does not bottleneck ideas from their employees 

• 32:22 Sit in on meetings and talk with people to find out how healthy an organization is 

• 35:27 Stephen’s advice to leaders, is to ask for ideas and for them to critique your ideas 

• 36:40 The best ideas are formed when there is no hierarchy and decisions can be made together