Leveraging Operations in Leadership

Tonya D. Harrison
  • 5.0 (4)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Leveraging Operations in Leadership is the podcast for values-driven leaders and business owners who are building small, growing teams. Hosted by Tonya D. Harrison, Founder of Cignal Partners and creator of the LeadOpx™ Framework, each episode explores how to lead with purpose and operate with precision — blending leadership development, team performance, and operational excellence into actionable insights. Whether you’re a business owner scaling your first team or a leader refining how your team operates, you’ll learn how to: Strengthen your leadership systems and decision-makingImprove team communication, accountability, and performanceBuild sustainable operations that reflect your values and support your vision Because great leadership starts with values — but it’s sustained through systems. Join us on this journey to elevate your leadership game and achieve outstanding results with your team.

  1. 1D AGO

    Stop, Start, Continue: A Leadership Reset Using the Core Pillars

    Send us a text Most leaders start the new year by setting goals. Strong leaders start by deciding what needs to stop. In this episode, I break down how I use the Stop, Start, Continue method as a leadership reset, not a reflection exercise, and how pairing it with defined Core Leadership Pillars creates clarity, focus, and real capacity before annual planning begins. This is a framework I’ve used year after year in my own leadership and with business owners and team leaders who want sustainable growth without burnout. Ready to close the gap between goals and results? For a clear and consistent way to lead your business, download the free GAP Guide. Grab the download 👉🏾 https://go.cignalpartners.com/gap If this episode helped you: If this episode resonated, share it with a leader who needs it or leave a review to help more leaders find these conversations.

    23 min

  2. 12/24/2025

    Leadership Unfiltered: Stop Pushing Through Ask Better Questions Instead

    Send us a text In this Leadership Unfiltered episode, I’m talking about the power of asking better questions and why pushing through is not a leadership strategy. I’ve learned over years of leadership experience: the questions we ask determine whether we adapt to pressure or redesign what’s creating it. In this episode, I explore how survival questions keep leaders stuck in overwhelm and how reframing helps create clarity, capacity, and leadership that lasts. I also share why this matters even more for small business owners, especially when data shows that 72 percent of small business owners report feeling stressed about their business at least once a month. This conversation is for leaders who are tired of carrying everything and ready to lead in a way that protects their health, focus, and long-term capacity. Ready to close the gap between goals and results? For a clear and consistent way to lead your business, download the free GAP Guide. Grab the download 👉🏾 https://go.cignalpartners.com/gap If this episode helped you: If this episode resonated, share it with a leader who needs it or leave a review to help more leaders find these conversations.

    11 min

  3. 12/17/2025

    How Teams Build Capacity Without Hiring: Simpler Systems, Smarter Workflows

    Send us a text This is Part 2 of a two-part series on building capacity without hiring more people. In this episode, I shift the focus from leadership to team execution, breaking down how small teams increase their capacity by simplifying processes, clarifying ownership, and effectively utilizing automation and AI.  If your team is working hard but still feels stretched, overwhelmed, or stuck fixing the same issues over and over, this episode will help you identify where capacity is being lost and how to fix it through smarter systems.  The Leadership Shift helps leaders build capacity, simplify systems, and prepare their department or business for onboarding new team members. Learn more ➡️ https://go.cignalpartners.com/leadershipshift Ready to close the gap between goals and results? For a clear and consistent way to lead your business, download the free GAP Guide. Grab the download 👉🏾 https://go.cignalpartners.com/gap If this episode helped you: If this episode resonated, share it with a leader who needs it or leave a review to help more leaders find these conversations.

    18 min

  4. 12/10/2025

    Before You Hire: Leadership Shifts That Actually Create Capacity

    Send us a text This is Part 1 of a two-part series on building capacity without increasing headcount. In this episode, Tonya Harrison breaks down the leadership shifts that help small teams operate with more clarity and ease — before you think about hiring. If you're feeling stretched thin, overwhelmed by decisions, or unsure why your team can’t keep up, this episode shows you where capacity is really lost and how to rebuild it through stronger leadership systems. Ready to close the gap between goals and results? For a clear and consistent way to lead your business, download the free GAP Guide. Grab the download 👉🏾 https://go.cignalpartners.com/gap If this episode helped you: If this episode resonated, share it with a leader who needs it or leave a review to help more leaders find these conversations.

    26 min

  5. 12/03/2025

    The Hidden Costs Of Working Without Systems

    Send us a text Most small teams don’t fail because they lack passion — they fail because they’re trying to run a business on memory, hustle, and winging it. In this episode, we uncover the real cost of operating without systems and the operational pain points that drain small teams every single day. If you lead a small business or manage a small team, this conversation gives you the clarity and tools to stop the chaos, protect your team’s energy, and rebuild your business foundation with structure and confidence. Ready to close the gap between goals and results? For a clear and consistent way to lead your business, download the free GAP Guide. Grab the download 👉🏾 https://go.cignalpartners.com/gap If this episode helped you: If this episode resonated, share it with a leader who needs it or leave a review to help more leaders find these conversations.

    15 min

  6. 11/26/2025

    Plan With Purpose: What High-Performing Small Teams Do Differently

    Send us a text Plan With Purpose — What High-Performing Small Teams Do Differently Here’s a hard truth: fewer than half of new small-business teams are still operating five years in. And one of the clearest reasons why? They didn’t plan with purpose. They rolled the dice rather than building structure. If you’re leading a small team, this is a reality check — survival comes from closing the gap between planning and execution. In today’s episode, we’re digging into what separates teams that consistently deliver from the ones that stay stuck in overwhelm. Spoiler: it’s not talent. It’s not passion. It’s not “trying harder.” It’s planning with purpose — and actually executing the plan. High-performing small teams move differently. They know their priorities. They align their people. They use data to lead. And they operate from structure, not stress. This episode walks you through exactly what that looks like and how to build it into your leadership rhythm. If You Enjoyed This Episode Share the episode with another small-team leaderLeave a rating and reviewFollow the show for more weekly insights on leadership and operationsReady to close the gap between goals and results? For a clear and consistent way to lead your business, download the free GAP Guide. Grab the download 👉🏾 https://go.cignalpartners.com/gap If this episode helped you: If this episode resonated, share it with a leader who needs it or leave a review to help more leaders find these conversations.

    16 min

  7. 11/11/2025

    Small Team, Big Impact: Why Less Can Lead to More

    Send us a text In this episode of Leveraging Operations in Leadership, I’m talking about one of my favorite topics: the power of small teams. I’ve worked with organizations of every size, and I’ve seen that small teams, when led intentionally, often outperform larger ones. Why? Because they operate with clarity, culture, and focus — the real drivers of high performance. You’ll learn how to build agility through structure, hire for values instead of just skills, and protect your team’s focus so performance thrives without burnout. If you’ve ever believed your team was too small to make a big impact, this episode will shift your perspective and help you see that small isn’t a setback — it’s your strategic advantage. Ready to close the gap between goals and results? For a clear and consistent way to lead your business, download the free GAP Guide. Grab the download 👉🏾 https://go.cignalpartners.com/gap If this episode helped you: If this episode resonated, share it with a leader who needs it or leave a review to help more leaders find these conversations.

    18 min

  8. 11/04/2025

    Managing Underperformance Without Burnout: Leadership Systems That Help Small Teams Thrive

    Send us a text Leading a small team can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also test your patience and capacity when performance starts to slip. I’ve been there. As a leader, it’s easy to slip into frustration or burnout when you feel like you’ve communicated what’s expected and things still aren’t getting done. In this episode of the Leveraging Operations in Leadership Podcast, I’m sharing how to manage underperformance without losing momentum—or your sanity. I’ll walk you through my R.I.S.E. Framework, a practical system I’ve used with small teams and business leaders to help them reframe performance challenges and rebuild consistency. Here’s something to think about: according to Gallup, only 47% of employees strongly agree they know what’s expected of them at work. That means more than half of your team may be operating without true clarity—and that’s not a performance problem, it’s a leadership opportunity. If you’re a small-business owner, healthcare leader, or manager of a growing team, this episode will help you strengthen your leadership systems, set clear expectations, and build a team that performs without constant oversight or exhaustion. 🎧 Tune in to learn how to manage underperformance with clarity, compassion, and consistency so your small team can truly thrive. Ready to close the gap between goals and results? For a clear and consistent way to lead your business, download the free GAP Guide. Grab the download 👉🏾 https://go.cignalpartners.com/gap If this episode helped you: If this episode resonated, share it with a leader who needs it or leave a review to help more leaders find these conversations.

    20 min
See All (55)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Leveraging Operations in Leadership is the podcast for values-driven leaders and business owners who are building small, growing teams. Hosted by Tonya D. Harrison, Founder of Cignal Partners and creator of the LeadOpx™ Framework, each episode explores how to lead with purpose and operate with precision — blending leadership development, team performance, and operational excellence into actionable insights. Whether you’re a business owner scaling your first team or a leader refining how your team operates, you’ll learn how to: Strengthen your leadership systems and decision-makingImprove team communication, accountability, and performanceBuild sustainable operations that reflect your values and support your vision Because great leadership starts with values — but it’s sustained through systems. Join us on this journey to elevate your leadership game and achieve outstanding results with your team.

Information