My guests for Episode #512 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast are two of three co-authors of the upcoming book “Leading Excellence: 5 Hats of the Adaptive Leader” - Brad Jeavons and Stephen Dargan.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Stephen Dargan

A diverse and inclusive, customer-centric, driven transformational leader with 20+ years of leadership experience spanning Australia and Europe. Stephen is a Shingo Institute Alumni, Shingo Facilitator and Examiner. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

Brad Jeavons

Brad Jeavons is a senior leadership coach focused on helping improve themselves and their organisations to create a better future economically, socially and environmentally for future generations. He is host of the Enterprise Excellence Podcast and Community and author of the book Agile Sales: Delivering Customer Journeys of Value and Delight. Brad was a guest back in episode 416, June 2021.

In this episode, Brade and Steve share insights into the key concepts of adaptive leadership, including the importance of understanding individual team members, cultivating psychological safety, and the five essential leadership hats: Inspire, Train, Support, Coach, and Direct. Brad and Stephen also discuss real-life applications, the significance of leadership shadow, and the critical role of serving the growth of others to drive organizational excellence.

Questions, Notes, and Highlights:

• What are some factors contributing to low employee engagement?



• Can you elaborate on the concept of the leadership shadow and its impact?



• What behaviors help cultivate psychological safety and engagement?



• What does it mean to be a leader who serves, and why is it important?



• How can leaders develop the ability to be adaptive or situational?



• What are the five hats referenced in the subtitle of your book?



• Why is controlling emotions crucial for leaders, and how can they improve this skill?

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