Leadership Huddle with Geoff Welch

Geoff Welch
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

Leadership Huddle is a resource for developmental leaders who value communicating clearly, helping others smash limiting beliefs, and drawing the best work from themselves and those they lead.  Covering topics related to personal and developmental leadership, self-management,  delegation, and healthy mindsets, Geoff Welch uses each episode to help leaders like you enrich their people and build winning teams.

  1. 3d ago

    Do this before asking your people to work harder

    If my guess is correct, you were probably a kid when you were growing up.If so, there’s a decent chance you did what most kids do and found yourself running UP the DOWN escalator at some point.It seems like such a good idea as a kid, but as an adult I don’t need that kind of wasted effort in my life.And neither do the people you lead.The next time you feel compelled to ask your people to work harder, I want you to consider whether the effort they are already giving is being wasted by systemic losses.Are you asking them to run up a metaphorical escalator that is going down?Are there obstacles like meetings, unclear priorities, interruptions, approval bottlenecks, or poorly designed processes that take their effort and tax it until much of that effort is wasted with no valuable output to show for it?It’s so easy to get tunnel vision about how much effort your people are giving that you fail to examine whether you are honoring that effort by making it as easy as possible for them to translate it into successful outcomes.I get it, they are here to work. It’s their job to put effort into the system.But it’s incredibly demoralizing to see hours of effort wasted in an inefficient system, and then be asked to work harder to get the job done.If you want to get the best effort from your people, make sure they see you removing unnecessary friction anywhere you can. If you can’t make the escalator work for your people, at least make sure it isn’t working against them.TRY THIS: What is one point of frustration your people are experiencing that you could reduce or remove? Remember: the best leaders don’t ignore the frustrations of their people, they get curious about them. They probe and ask questions like “how should it work?” or “what would be better if it worked differently?” or “Is there an experiment we could run to test a different way?”My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets

  2. Jul 26

    My wife's family is absolutely nuts

    My wife’s family is absolutely nuts.But to be fair, so is my family. (Sorry mom)And to be fairer still, in ways that I can’t quite put my finger on, my household is nuts too. Here’s why:Most people inherit traditions and preferences about things from their families. Which is great.But problems arise when we start interacting (or marrying) people who grew up with different traditions and different preferences.It’s a problem because, for many, these traditions and preferences weren’t presented as a favored way of doing things.They were presented as this-is-how-things-are-supposed-to-work. So when I grew up doing this, and someone else prefers that, we don’t always say, “verrrrrrrry interesting.” Sometimes we say, “I’m right and you’re wrong.”At work, your team is made up from people of a variety of backgrounds, traditions, and preferences and it’s a mistake to assume that your shared standards will be obvious and understood by everyone without intentional explanation.So be clear about those shared standards actually are. Take some time to define them for yourself so you can share them with others.Talk about them when they are embraced. Talk about them when they aren’t. Be specific about the things you expect from everyone. And apply them to everyone.Assuming everyone "gets it" is a great way to create interpersonal friction. TRY THIS: What is a shared standard that seems obvious to you, but isn’t always honored by everyone? Maybe some folks don’t understand why it’s a shared standard…or that it even is a shared standard. Bring it up in a meeting to talk about why it matters. If it’s not important enough to define and explain, it might not be important enough to be a shared standard.My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets

  3. Jul 12

    Are you about to mortgage long-term success?

    You’ve seen it happen in front of you, like a train wreck in slow motion, but are you doing it too?Most of us face a choice from time to time. A choice that directly impacts our ability to lead well, but can be blinding in the moment and prevent us from seeing clearly.It’s the choice between being RIGHT and being EFFECTIVE.It’s the choice between a short term win (I told you so!) and long term success (I didn’t win every battle, but I won the war).It’s a choice between compromising our credibility in a moment and being emotionally savvy enough to think beyond the moment.It’s a choice between letting a person or circumstance dictate our actions and choosing the best course of action for ourselves and our people from a wider palette of options.It’s a choice between letting our emotions rule the day and being a thoughtful, measured leader.Great leaders rarely allow what is happening in a single game to derail a successful season. TRY THIS: When you find yourself in a disagreement ask yourself am I about to mortgage long-term success for a short term win?The goal is to move from an emotionally driven response to a thoughtful response. If you can’t assess your next move like an emotionally-detached scientist, you might not be ready to respond.Being effective is a choice.My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets

  4. Jul 12

    Your people are probably starving for this

    If you share food with my dog you will find he has absolutely no chill.Whatever you give him goes in his mouth and down his throat with nary a millisecond in between. It’s like he’s in a race to get as much food as he can get from you, but never takes a second to enjoy what you give him.He doesn’t savor a single bite.And your fast-paced professional world might feel similar.It can seem like there isn’t a moment available to savor the wins achieved by your team, but the best leaders ensure these wins get their moment in the sun.You don’t need a pizza party for every to-do list item that gets crossed off the list, but it’s up to you to be aware of the wins your people are racking up and finding ways to call them out.A quiet high-five and a 15-second verbal acknowledgement of their hard work matters.A two sentence email expressing appreciation for their role in diffusing the tension in that meeting matters.A Slack/Teams reply with celebratory emojis when someone on your team announces the completion of an important element of a project matters.Yes, sometimes the celebration should be a little more over the top. Sometimes the project is big enough to warrant some REAL fanfare, but don’t fail to recognize the dozen other smaller wins just because they don’t warrant a parade.Imagine if baseball players ONLY celebrated when they won the World Series. Playing 162 games without celebrating individual victories along the way would be soul crushing.You might be surprised to find that your people are starved for appreciation and that small, consistent reminders that you are aware of their contributions goes a long way to improving their experience and reducing the likelihood of burnout.TRY THIS: Look for and acknowledge 3 wins this week. DO NOT allow logistical complexities to slow you from acknowledging these wins. Find the simplest path to expressing your appreciation and make it happen.My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets

  5. Jul 5

    Do you want to find what you're looking for?

    If you're looking for a reason to quit, you'll find it. If you are looking for a reason to keep going, you'll find it. If you are looking for a reason to maintain the status quo, you'll find it. If you are looking for a reason to blow the whole thing up and start over, you'll find it. If you are looking for a reason to believe this is as good as it gets, you'll find it. If you are looking for a reason to believe the best is yet to come, you'll find it. If you are looking for a reason to take a risk, you'll find it. If you are looking for a reason to play it safe, you'll find it. If you are looking for a reason to be generous, you'll find it. If you are looking for a reason to be selfish, you'll find it.If you are looking for a reason to be angry, you'll find it.If you are looking for a reason to be happy, you'll find it.The question is not, "will I find what I'm looking for?"The question is, "do I want to find what I'm looking for?"TRY THIS: Make a choice every morning this week to look for something specific. A great place to start is, “Today I will look for examples of __________” It could be “people helping other people” or “a team member going the extra mile” or “decisive action.” The specific target isn’t as important as the practice of setting an intention and then finding that thing all around you. Like it always was.My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets

  6. Jun 28

    Change something TODAY

    If you want things to be different than they are, change something today. The time it takes to span the gap between where you are to where you want to be is predicated on how quickly you change your behavior.Those who are willing to experiment with new habits today will enjoy progress today. Some habits will stick, others will be proven ineffectual, but these experiments will move  them across the chasm. Those who are waiting to figure out the perfect next step may wait weeks, months, or years before anything changes. It can take years to learn to play the drums well. There is no magic shortcut. So if you want to be a drummer today, I hope you started a couple years ago. But if you didn’t start a couple years ago, I hope you start today. TRY THIS: Identify something you want to be different than it is and determine one thing you can do to start changing it. You cannot remain the same and expect things to magically improve. My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets

  7. Jun 21

    Are you an emotional terrorist?

    This isn’t a post about baseball, it’s about leaders who are emotional terrorists.Yankees star right fielder Aaron Judge is one of the least visibly emotional players in the league.Whereas one of his predecessors (and current Yankee broadcaster), Paul O’Neill, used to kick water coolers and yell at umpires when he was frustrated by a substandard performance — a quirk which endeared him to fans — Judge doesn’t get too high or too low.As one of the best players in the league, you could argue that he has fewer reasons to beat up water coolers than most, but when you are the best of the best, your bad days stand out like a sore thumb.Any player, at any time, can be having a bad week, and it’s just how things go in a 162-game season.But when Aaron Judge has a bad week, it’s news.And yet you would have a really hard time determining if he was presently unstoppable  or completely lost based on his demeanor.Turns out, it’s neither ambivalence nor accident.When asked about his lack of intense emotion, he offered that as the captain of the team, if he’s showing his frustration and irritation, it’s more likely to put the rest of the team on edge.It’s a good reminder that emotionally volatile leaders can make it difficult for their teams to be effective.If your people have to wade through your emotions because you can’t modulate your reactions in a healthy way, they have less time, energy, and focus for the work at hand.It’s okay to have emotions. It’s okay to share them with intentionality to connect with your people.But letting your emotions erupt, unchecked, and expecting your people to figure out what to do with them makes it hard for them to do their best work.TRY THIS: Check in with yourself during the week asking, “if my whole team matched my emotions right now, would that help us or hurt us?”The goal is not to homogenize everyone’s emotional state, but to acknowledge that the emotions you project carry a unique weight. My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets

  8. Jun 17

    Embracing pivotal moments with Marilyn Romano

    When Marilyn Romano was building her career, she had no idea how many pivotal moments would shape a life defined by service, community, and helping others succeed.In this conversation, I sat down with Marilyn Romano, Regional Vice President at Alaska Airlines, to talk about the choices that changed her life and the lessons she's learned from decades of leadership in Alaska.Marilyn shared stories about embracing change, navigating unexpected opportunities, and why great organizations are built through culture and relationships rather than titles alone. We talked about the pride she feels in Alaska Airlines' deep connection to the state, how she thinks about pivotal moments, and why she's become increasingly comfortable with not having all the answers.What stood out most was Marilyn's genuine appreciation for people and her belief that leadership often shows up in the moments that aren't listed in the job description.Connect with Marilyn Romano on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilyn-romano-50a9451b6/My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results, without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets

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Leadership Huddle is a resource for developmental leaders who value communicating clearly, helping others smash limiting beliefs, and drawing the best work from themselves and those they lead.  Covering topics related to personal and developmental leadership, self-management,  delegation, and healthy mindsets, Geoff Welch uses each episode to help leaders like you enrich their people and build winning teams.

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