Out Of The Comfort Zone

Ever wonder how to walk into a room full of people you don’t know and start a conversation – even if you are an introvert? Have you ever searched for a way to end a conversation? And, how do you follow-up with people you just met? Join us for answers to these questions along with other tips from a networking expert.

If you know you haven’t mastered the art of networking, this interview is for you. We focus on why a network is powerful and then how you can extend your network in practical ways, how to find and nurture valuable connections and how to develop sponsorship.

Most people (98%) have better ideas when they are not at work. How can you create an environment at work where ideas come forward? It’s not just about running a brainstorming session. Instead it’s much more about the culture you create and the way you as a leader grow ideas. The good news is that there are clear tips on what to do and what to avoid doing. Tune in to hear the advice.

The ability to influence is a survival skill in organizations of all sizes. We know it matters but few seem to be very skilled at it. Richard Shell is a true expert on the art of influence and the research that supports best practices. He will be talking about what creates effective influence as well the barriers that get in our way. In addition, we will be talking about how to successfully pitch an idea and how to insure you have genuine commitment.

All of us pack an enormous amount into our daily lives – at work, outside of work, with family, friends, charities, hobbies, exercise and the list goes on. Too many of us have not two but three and four jobs – or what used to be the jobs of multiple people. There is never enough time. So how can you organize yourself, not just manage time but fold time and conquer the world? Listen to Neen James’s, an expert on productivity and performance, advice.

Let’s face it, regardless where you work, inevitably you end up working with, or for, someone whom is just not easy to get along with ... recognizing that what is difficult for one person, may well be relatively easy for someone else. Sometimes the challenge occurs because of a difference in style or personality. Sometimes it’s a difference in values. Regardless the reason, you have to find a way to manage the situation. That is the focus of the show... how to cope with challenging personalities.

In our continuing series on emotional intelligence, we are turning to perhaps one of the most challenging aspects – that is, being able to stay calm in times of chaos, managing your own levels of stress particularly when things are going awry, and more importantly, regulating your own emotions. Dena Michelli, this week’s guest, focuses on developing and deploying top talent. In particular, she sees leadership as managing a series of paradoxes – being vulnerable but not too vulnerable, managing emotions but not being too emotional, handling stress and using stress effectively. Listen to her perspective on how to manage your emotions to get the best from people around you.

My guest, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, an expert on emotional intelligence and personality assessment, has a distinct view on how emotional intelligence contributes to success in the current economy and to your reputation as a leader. Hear his views on whether it is possible to have too much EQ or to over use it as well as his advice on developing EQ.

What does emotional intelligence look like in action – over the course of a career? That’s our focus. Heidi Diamond, as well respected, senior executive who has been in a variety of industries will talk about how using emotional intelligence helped inspire a team through a crisis at Martha Stewart Living, how use used emotion to build the team to drive performance and finally how emotional intelligence allowed her to integrate into a corporate culture that was very different then her typical style.

Continuing in the series on emotional intelligence, we are joined by a leader and a builder of businesses to focus on how emotional intelligence is used to make a difference to team performance. Hear how Janine developed her own emotional intelligence and how it helps her drive performance in her teams.

The first in a series on developing emotional intelligence for the purpose of improving leadership effectiveness, we will be focusing on what emotional intelligence (EQ) means, why it matters and how to improve your own EQ. To lead as a non-expert, EQ becomes more of a critical skill than IQ. We will talk how EQ can be used, how to improve your EQ and discuss a case.

Communicating with direct reports is a special case. Typically this involves communicating about performance and development – which means it ultimately involves coaching, delegating and giving feedback. All three are part of this week’s discussion.

The most admired leaders are admired because of their skill in communicating. What do these leaders do and not do that sets them apart? The answer to that question is what the show is all about. We will be talking about how leaders inspire, how they convey authority and what they do when things go wrong.

How a leader communicates makes all the difference in levels of trust, understanding of the strategy, coaching employees, engaging people. The show is focused on what the best communicators do to prepare, to craft the message and ultimately to deliver it. The tactics are the same regardless whether the audience is one person, ten people or thousands. My guest, Joel Wald, has been training and coaching business leaders to be effective communicators for decades. His advice is will put you on the right track.

Tyler Durham has a perspective on what people want to hear from the leaders in terms of communication. That perspective is based on a survey of 6000 people in 12 countries plus his own experience in working with organizations. The watchword is transparency. We will be talking about what goes wrong in communication (“The Niagra Falls Effect’), what the research says people want, and the core skills leaders need to develop to be more effective communicators particularly around change.

As ‘perhaps the world’s premier management thinker’ according to Tom Peters, Henry Mintzberg, this week’s guest, has clear views on leadership and strategy. We begin with his view of the best organizations as communities of people. Leading then is about building the community – not about being the knight in shining armor with a load of followers. In this context, we turn to what it means to be strategic and then how to better develop managers for this understanding of organizations.

As a highly successful leader and a builder of brands, Kevin Gass has a straightforward perspective of what it takes to be strategic - how to set goals, define strategies and specify tactics that will lead to success. Continuing in our series on “Being Strategic,” we will be discussing Kevin’s model, his experiences and why he thinks companies and leaders fail the strategic test.

People frequently receive feedback on needing to be more strategic but have no clue how to develop that capability. This is the second in a series on becoming more strategic. Peter Wright will share his methodology for identifying the drivers of any business. The 'fingerprint' - or the unique characteristics of one business versus the rest - is critical for understanding the strategy, making smart strategic choices and driving effective change. For business leaders as well as those in supporting functions, this method is invaluable to developing strategic capability.

When people receive feedback about the need to be more strategic, they often ask us as coaches what that means. This is the first in a series on becoming more strategic. Liam Fahey will discuss his perspective on how to develop strategic thinking – including a number of techniques for examining the marketplace and the competitive landscape. These techniques are directly connected to generating growth.

Focusing on progressing your career, Kerrie will share her experiences in holding your own at the table, navigating through conflict, managing different personalities, sustaining your brand and building sponsorship. In addition, Kerrie will talk about how she stepped out of her comfort zone to learn totally new areas and add value to the team and leading the team.