Rising Tide Leadership Podcast Dr. MO

Episode 63: Building Your Winning Team
 
Point 1: Assembling the Right Mix of Talent
 
It's not about finding the best individuals; it's about finding the right individuals to work effectively together to achieve a common goal.
 
QUESTION: Where are you called to be a leader?
 
Leaders need to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their team members and align them with these roles. 
 
BOOK: Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath 
Once you know your top five strengths, you can start to lead from those strengths. 
Know the strengths of your team. 
 
Point 2: Fostering Collaboration and Synergy
 
A winning team isn't just a group of talented individuals; it's a group of talented individuals who work seamlessly together. 
 
Create opportunities for team members to get to know each other on a personal level 
put team in scenarios where they work together
 
If they can work together on the small things, they will support one another and achieve objectives
 
Leaders should encourage open communication and provide a safe space for team members to express their concerns. 
 
Mediate conflicts early and effectively.
Don’t make it too easy for your team. Butterfly/Cocoon - the struggle that makes it able to live.

Learn to love the process.
Facilitate good interactions and communication.
 
Point 3: Empowering and Developing Your Team
 
A winning team not only achieves its current goals but also grows and evolves over time. 
Trust them to make decisions and take ownership of their work.
 
Leaders have to develop their people into a team they can trust by delegating responsibilities and providing autonomy.  
offer guidance and support when needed
provide opportunities to develop the necessary skills and knowledge 
 
When your team members feel valued and supported, they're more likely to give their best. 
 
Delegation
You need to know what to give away and what to keep
 
MO’s Final Thoughts: 
 
Take time to build your team. Give yourself the grace. Don't worry about setbacks. Embrace the struggle. Try new things. You’ll be better for it. 

Amazon Book Link:
Strengthsfinder 2.0, Tom Rath - https://amzn.to/3Sn7uNm 
 
Special Thanks To:
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Work it out by LiQWYD https://soundcloud.com/liqwyd 
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Episode 62: Nurturing Innovative Leaders
 

Leaders Empower Creative Mindsets

 
QUESTION: Are you helping your people take calculated risks to be creative? 
 
The best leaders promote innovation by creating an environment of psychological safety.
 
How to foster growth mindsets:
Create learning opportunities (books, seminars, etc.)
Continuous skill development 
Support personal projects
 
When you focus on empowering creative thinking in your people, it will ultimately lead to increased engagement and a sense of ownership among employees.
 

Leaders Focus on Collective Success

 
QUESTION: What does success look like for your team? What are the deliverables? 
 
BOOK: “Dare to Serve”, Cheryl Bachelder
 
By fostering cross-departmental interactions and encouraging participation in problem-solving, leaders allow individuals with diverse skills and perspectives to unite towards a common goal. 
 
Two Techniques:
Diverse Problem-Solving Approaches: Encourage teams to approach problems from different angles. Asking, “What’s the angle you would take?”
Transparent Resource Allocation: Ensure resources are allocated fairly across departments. 
 

Leaders Cultivate Purposeful Empathy

 
Leaders who value empathy inspire their team members, leading to a sense of belonging and commitment to the organization's innovation journey.
 
BOOK: “Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time”, by Howard Schultz 
 
Once you get people on your side, believing in the same goal, you are going to create an unstoppable team.
 
QUESTION: How do you treat your people? 
 
Value your employees not by what they can produce, but by how you know their strengths connect with the rest of the people on your team. 
Be empathetic and learn about your people. Get to know them as more than just people on your team.
 
MO’s FINAL THOUGHT:
 
Share your own experiences, challenges, and success stories related to nurturing innovative leaders. Do this with the men and women that you trust. Connect with someone today and ask them how you are doing when it comes to nurturing innovation.
 
Amazon Book Link:
“Dare to Serve”, by Cheryl Bachelder - https://a.co/d/5cMSsDp 
“Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time”, by Howard Schultz - https://a.co/d/2zIAwoC 
 
“Good to Great”, by Jim Collins - https://a.co/d/8xrV4KA 
 
Special Thanks To:
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Work it out by LiQWYD https://soundcloud.com/liqwyd 
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 
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Episode 61: Leaders Sacrifice More
 
Personal Time and Energy Investment 
 
QUESTION: What kind of time and energy do you give to your team? 
 
Sacrificing personal time for work-related tasks is a hallmark of effective leadership.
 
QUESTION: Are you the one who gets it done? Are you willing to go the extra mile? 
 
When everybody else goes home, leaders stay to pick up the pieces and make things happen.
 
Decision-Making and Accountability 
 
Leaders demonstrate accountability by taking ownership of both successes and failures.
Accountability requires leaders to sacrifice their ego for the benefit of the team's growth.
True leaders understand that responsibility is a core of what they do in their role. They recognize they can't simply pass the buck to someone else. Instead, they step up and take ownership of their decisions, whether they're big or small.
True leaders say, “I want the buck to stop with me”.
The best leaders don’t whine and don’t complain—they get things done. 
 
Development of Team Members 
 
This investment drives individual growth and contributes to the overall success of the team.
Find the right people first. 
 
QUESTION: Is your company finding the right people? 
 
If you take the time to find the right person, you will actually be doing less work than if you were to just fill the spot.
Burnout shouldn’t happen. Make a change!
Talk to the decision makers.
You have to have trust in your leaders because those who you lead need to have trust in you. 
Get under a leader who knows how to pick the right people. 
Actively promote the career advancement of the people on your team. 
 
MO’s Final Thoughts:
Leadership is a journey that demands continuous commitment and sacrifice. The higher you go, the more you have to sacrifice. As leaders, we set the tone for the entire team. Our willingness to sacrifice paves the way for others to be a stronger, more cohesive, and successful group.
 
Amazon Book Links:
“Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink - https://amzn.to/3ke0tSA
“Good to Great” by Jim Collins - https://amzn.to/3lXHuvQ
Special thanks to:
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Work it out by LiQWYD https://soundcloud.com/liqwyd 
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 
Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/l_work-it-out
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Episode 60 - Thriving in Leadership in the Workplace
 

Build trust within your team. 

 
Trust starts by getting to know each team member on an individual level. 
Take the time to understand their strengths, challenges, and personal aspirations. 
Show genuine interest in their lives outside of work. 
 

Open and Transparent Communication:

Be accessible and approachable to your team members. 
Encourage them to share without fear of judgment. 
Actively listen to their perspectives 
 

Emphasize Personal Connections:

Take the time to understand their strengths, challenges, and aspirations. 
Show genuine interest in their lives 
 

Create new opportunities for team members.

It's essential to encourage professional growth and development within your team.
Identify their unique skills and passions, and then find ways to align those with their roles or responsibilities.
 
BOOK: “Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future” by Dorie Clark 
 
You need to build your brand. 
You need to help your people build their brands. 
 
This will build trust because they know that you want the very best for them. 
 
ACTION POINTS:
Ask each of your team members what they want from their time at the company, and what they want from you as a leader. 
If another opportunity comes along for one of the team members, you need to be the first one to tell them that they need to go for it. 
 
The best leaders are trying to work their people out of the job. 
 
When team members feel that their growth is supported, they become more engaged and motivated to contribute their best work.

Help others use personal strengths for team success.

 
It is crucial to create a culture where knowledge-sharing and collaboration are encouraged. 
 
BOOK: “They Call Me Coach” by John Wooden. 
"The star of the team is the team. 'We' supercedes 'me'.” 
 
Your job is to do your very best and help your team do the same.  
 
MO’s Final Thoughts: 
I'd like to leave our listeners with one final thought: leadership is not about a title; it's about how you inspire and empower those around you.

Amazon Book Links:
“Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future” by Dorie Clark- https://amzn.to/3OfWkIr 
 
“They Call Me Coach” by John Wooden. -https://amzn.to/3OyDUmL 
 
Special thanks to:
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Episode 59: Leaders Know Their Weaknesses
 
Point 1: Self-Awareness and Growth
 
Leaders who possess self-awareness:
have a deep understanding of their strengths and weaknesses
play to their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses
 
QUESTION: Are you aware of the stuff that you don't know? 
 
BOOK: 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell
“You don't know what you don't know.” 
 
If you don't ask people what you are doing wrong, then you might start believing your own press. 
 
Surround yourself with people you can ask, “What is it that I don't know that I don't know about myself?” 
 
BOOK: Emotional Intelligence 2.0, Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves 
Learn how to be self-aware
Become socially aware
 
Point 2: Building Strong Teams
 
A leader who understands their own limitations:
can assemble a team with diverse skill sets that complement their weaknesses
promotes collaboration, innovation, and better decision-making within the team
 
When we figure out what we're good at and then know our weaknesses, then we can humbly ask others to collaborate with us & unlock a new level of leadership.
 
Point 3: Adaptability and Learning
 
By acknowledging their weaknesses, leaders create opportunities for growth, enabling them to adapt to changing circumstances.
 
How can leaders start to identify their weaknesses? 
Seeking feedback from peers, mentors, and team members 
Self-reflection 
Assessments
Regular performance evaluations 
Open communication and constructive criticism

FINAL THOUGHTS
 
Embrace your weaknesses as opportunities for growth. By recognizing and addressing them, leaders can unlock their full potential and create impactful change in their organizations and communities.
 
Amazon Book Links:
“21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”, John Maxwell - https://amzn.to/3xIAHsA
“Emotional Intelligence 2.0”, Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves - https://amzn.to/43sWHFd 
 
Special thanks to:
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Work it out by LiQWYD https://soundcloud.com/liqwyd 
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 
Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/l_work-it-out
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Episode 58: Leaders Always Ask Questions
 
Being in relationships with people is all about having great conversations. 
 
Asking Good Questions Fosters a Culture of Learning and Collaboration
 
Collective efforts are greater than any individual's contribution. 
Creates a profound sense of camaraderie, trust, and unity among the team members.
Actively listening to others' perspectives, valuing their contributions, and working together can foster a culture of respect and collaboration 
 
QUESTION: Does your team ask good questions?
 
Too many leaders do not ask the right questions and fail to get others involved.
 
Great leaders encourage their team members to:
Think critically
Explore new ideas
Share their perspectives 
 
By asking good questions, leaders empower their team members, build trust, and create a collaborative atmosphere that drives growth and success.
 
Asking Good Questions Fosters a Deeper Understanding of Challenges and Opportunities
 
All great success stories have a team of people that get the job done. 
 
QUESTION 1: What are the core values that define your company, and how do you live up to them? What is the one thing that matters? 
 
QUESTION 2: What are our customers' needs, and how can we surpass expectations?
 
Asking good questions:
allows leaders to better understand the challenges and opportunities they face
uncovers hidden issues, identifies potential risks, and discovers untapped opportunities
 
It’s not just important to know what you do, you also need to know what you don’t do. 
 
Leaders gather relevant information to:
challenge assumptions
explore alternative viewpoints
enable more informed decisions
develop comprehensive strategies
navigate complex situations 
 
Ultimately, by asking good questions, leaders enhance their ability to anticipate and address challenges effectively while capitalizing on emerging opportunities. 
 
Pick up the rock and ask:
What am I doing right? 
What am I not doing right? 
 
Asking Good Questions Fosters Team Development and Empowerment
Asking and Listening:
Creates an environment where employees feel valued, empowered, and motivated 
Taps into the collective potential of the workforce and drives positive change 
Helps team members develop critical thinking skills, increase their self-awareness, and identify areas for improvement
Allows leaders to offer constructive feedback and guidance and nurture professional development 
MO’S FINAL THOUGHTS
 
By actively listening, we demonstrate respect for diverse perspectives and ideas, fostering a culture of inclusivity and collaboration. Listening allows us to tap into the collective wisdom of our team, unlocking innovative solutions and enhancing decision-making. We cultivate trust, boost engagement, and empower. Embrace the power of listening.
 
Special thanks to:
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Work it out by LiQWYD https://soundcloud.com/liqwyd 
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 
Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/l_work-it-out
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/erSmdVocHO0
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