Moving Forward Leadership: Inspire | Mentor | Lead

Mindset is everything. It's a common expression which can be heard in fitness gyms, sports teams, and even sales teams. But mindset is crucial for everyone. To be a leader, you have to have the mindset that you are a leader. You are worthy of leading, you have a vision which will take your organization into the future, and that you are capable of doing it. So in order to achieve this, I went looking no further than a former US Navy SEAL to find out how we can be more mindful as leaders. Mark spent 20 years as a Navy SEAL officer, retiring as a Commander in 2011. He then founded and leads several highly successful enterprises including SEALFIT (Physical and mental training), Unbeatable Mind, LLC (Executive Mastery Development), NavySEALs.com and USCrossFit. Mark Divine is an expert in human performance as it is displayed in mental toughness, leadership and physical readiness. His work is based on an integral warrior-leader model that he developed and tested on over a thousand special operations candidates wor

It's one of the most important things which leaders and organizations must achieve yet it is one of the most difficult things to achieve. To have fully engaged employees takes more than finding the right employees with the right attitude to have engagement. This must start from the top, as a leader you need to be driving the organizational culture so that employee engagement is at the forefront of all people in the organization. With a background in HR and Digital and Social Media, Jo Dodds works with business owners and leaders to improve their personal productivity and, as a result, their wellbeing, as well as helping them to improve employee engagement in their organizations. Enabling Employee Engagement Topics During our conversation, Jo and I discuss the following topics: What does it truly mean to have employee engagementHow employers and leaders can get their employees engagedThe four enablers of employee engagement Guest Resources If you are interested in learning more about Jo and what she has

You are either growing or dying. That's a principle in business as old as supply and demand. However, there are the right ways to manage growth and the wrong ways to manage it. As a leader, you need to ensure that you set the right conditions so that your organization does not fail due to its success. That is where my guest for this episode comes into effect.  Jake Baadsgaard is a business owner, entrepreneur, and speaker. Jake founded Disruptive Advertising, a PPC and CRO management agency that has helped hundreds of companies realize unprecedented growth and profitability from the online advertising. In the four years since its founding, Disruptive Advertising has grown from two employees working in Jake's basement to a flourishing agency with more than 100 employees and a run rate of over $12 million- putting it at #145 on the 2017 Inc 500 list!  Managing Explosive Growth Topics During this episode, Jake and I cover the following topics: How he created Disruptive AdvertisingWhat led to the company’s qu

It's the second time I do a monthly recap episode! During this episode, I recap the previous episodes released in June, talk about those upcoming in July, and talk about what's on my mind in a leadership context. Enjoy!  Moving Forward Leadership Resources Keep on top of Moving Forward Leadership with all the resources which I have established for you: POWER Goals Program - If you are ready to stop complaining and start achieving those goals which you have been trying to achieve for some time now. Then stop chasing your dreams and start achieving them through my very own POWER Goals program. Learn about picking the right goals, figuring out how to achieve them, getting on track with achieving them and most importantly how to get back on track when you fail... because you will. Learn more here! Moving Forward Leadership Resources - Check out the Moving Forward Leadership Resources section where I list every single resource mentioned on the show. As well, there are books which I have read written or read pe

The average new podcast doesn't last more than a few months of even deep into double-digits before the host no longer provides new content. For the Moving Forward Leadership to hit 50 episodes over the span of 1.5 years has been a testament to you the listeners out there! It's for you that I record these shows weekly and provide you with the best content possible. I thank you for the support that you have given Moving Forward Leadership thus far and I am humbled by the thousands of you who are listening to this show weekly.  This episode I wanted to do something different, something big and I believe we delivered on just that! I didn't bring on one guest but three guests this time! In fact, I brought back three guests!  Leadership Panel Topics This episode I wanted to do something different, something big and I believe we delivered on just that! I didn’t bring on one guest but three guests this time! In fact, I brought back three guests! How to Lead Professional Growth with Keisha A. Rivers – Episode 31Le

We all have them... blind spots. No matter how hard you try they will always be there. So it's important for leaders to develop the skills to not only identify their own blind spots but their team's blind spots as well. This is where this episode's guest comes into play.  Jason Treu (Troy) is an executive coach who works with executives, entrepreneurs and rising stars to maximize their leadership potential and performance. He also helps them build and execute their career blueprint. He's the best-selling author of Social Wealth, a how-to-guide on building extraordinary business relationships, which has sold more than 45,000 copies. He was a featured speaker at TEDxWilmington 2017, where he debuted his breakthrough team building game Cards Against Mundanity. Finally, he hosts the podcast show, Executive Breakthroughs, bringing game-changing CEOs, entrepreneurs, and experts that share their breakthroughs and breakdowns. Topics Covered His background and how he got into executive coachingHow leaders can ident

As leaders, we all face difficult circumstances. How to be a courageous leader is definitely a question which I have struggled with in the past to find the answer for. I can tell you that there is no perfect answer for everyone. We all have to figure it out in our own way. However, we can definitely learn how to be a courageous leader through the experiences of others to enable us to find our path. My guest in this episode went on a journey to answer the question of how we can be a courageous leader. Shelly L. Francis has been the marketing and communications director at the Center for Courage & Renewal since mid-2012. Before coming to the Center, Shelly directed trade marketing and publicity for multi-media publisher Sounds True, Inc. Her career has spanned international program management, web design, corporate communications, trade journals, and software manuals. Shelly wrote The Courage Way: Leading and Living with Integrity (February 2018) on behalf of the Center for Courage & Renewal. How to b

This week we are changing things up! I'm going solo again to discuss the month's interviews, the upcoming interviews and just a few random thoughts about leadership I have running through my mind. So I hope you enjoy! Moving Forward Leadership Resources Keep on top of Moving Forward Leadership with all the resources which I have established for you: POWER Goals Program - If you are ready to stop complaining and start achieving those goals which you have been trying to achieve for some time now. Then stop chasing your dreams and start achieving them through my very own POWER Goals program. Learn about picking the right goals, figuring out how to achieve them, getting on track with achieving them and most importantly how to get back on track when you fail... because you will. Learn more here! Moving Forward Leadership Resources - Check out the Moving Forward Leadership Resources section where I list every single resource mentioned on the show. As well, there are books which I have read written or read perso

The Millennial Generation is getting a bad rap in the workplace. From being called lazy to self-centered, there is no shortage of criticism of this up and coming generation. However, is the criticism truly justified or is it simply short-sighted on the older generations' part? That is a question which many people struggle to answer within their organization. Incorporating and empowering millennials within organizations must be at the forefront of any leader's priority list as this generation grows to take over the working population.  This brings my guest Lee McEnany Caraher to light. She is the founder and CEO of Double Forte, a national public relations and digital media agency. Lee is also an acclaimed author and speaker and a recognized expert on creating high performing, positive, intergenerational workplaces. Through her work, she shows companies how to embrace the qualities of different generations, and how to recognize the significant benefits of shifting the definition of company loyalty from a long

There's no denying that entrepreneurship is on the rise across the entire world. As more people rush to start their own businesses, there is a need for an entrepreneurial leader to learn the lessons from those who are already running their own businesses. Additionally, how we operate businesses in a socially responsible manner is a question which all entrepreneurial leaders need to contemplate at one point or another. My guest in this episode is highly qualified to discuss all of these issues and more. As the Co-Founder of Penji, Johnathan Grzybowski is an entrepreneurial leader who has accumulated a large amount of experience working in large corporations, transferred this experience to his business, and has executed his vision in a socially responsible manner. Entrepreneurial Leader Topics During this episode we discuss the following topics: What life was like working in AppleWhat he learned about company cultureWhat lessons he took from Apple to his companyWhat were some of the challenges he faced on h

As leaders, we are used to planning… well everything! But how often have we found ourselves wishing we had a process mapped out for a particular issue? If happens more times than I can imagine honestly. Mapped processes help us achieve leadership success, the organization’s and/or our personal goals are achieved. But we need structure to achieve the highest potential outcome. That is where my guest in this episode excels. Thor Conklin is an Entrepreneur, Profitability Consultant and host of his daily podcast, Peak Performers Podcast. Thor has a talent for slicing through the noise of everyday distractions and bringing his clients and audiences intellectual commodities like his: “Ultimate Success Map,” a simplistic, easy-to-follow guide for individuals who need to break through to the next level of achievement. Leadership Flight Path to Success Topics During our conversation, we discuss the following topics: What happened to his team in 2001How he managed to reunite team post 9/11How he developed his Ultim

As leaders, our role is to make an impact. In one form or another, we need to make an impact to be successful. But what does it mean to be a high-impact leader? That's the question which my guest and I tackle during this episode. Being a high-impact leader is beyond making results at the bottom line, it's about making results in your people - their attitude, development, and thought process. Ultimately, in order for leader to be high-impact leaders they need to develop an organizational culture which allows for everyone to be developed into high-impact leaders.  The guest on this episode, Dr. Jason Brooks, has just the solution and ideology behind this concept. As an executive leadership coach, a podcaster himself, and leadership scholar he lives his life through the framework of: Live. Love. Lead. Leave a Legacy!  How to be a High-Impact Leader Topics During our conversation we discuss the following topics: Where the ideology of being a high-impact leader came fromWhat it mean to be a high impact leaderW

Transparency is not something which is often discussed in the leadership realm. However, it is crucial to your success as a leader. Transparency allows you to close the "Leadership Gap" and increase the accountability within your organization. But how can you be a transparent leader? In reality, it is not that difficult, as long as your ready to do the work. During this episode, I discuss what transparent leadership, why you should be a transparent leader, and how you can be a transparent leader. These are just a few examples of how I achieve transparency in my leadership. The most important thing is for you to look at these through an overlay of your organization and what is important to it. Moving Forward Leadership Resources Keep on top of Moving Forward Leadership with all the resources which I have established for you: POWER Goals Program - If you are ready to stop complaining and start achieving those goals which you have been trying to achieve for some time now. Then stop chasing your dreams and st

Having purpose is something which we all hear about and know of but truly how many of us live our lives with purpose? Further to that, how many of us lead our organizations with purpose? The purpose is what drives us to organizations, groups, and individuals. Finding organizational purpose is a must-do for any leader. You need to understand what your organization is truly set out to achieve. That may seem easy if you're in business - make money - think beyond that. Think deeper and in the end, you will achieve greatness and amazing results.  Alex Agresta has dedicated her life to helping leaders and organizations figure out their purpose. Her background is in communication, executive coaching, and community building. She specializes in leadership development, methodology & framework design, and purpose alignment. Alex has coached for the University of Central Florida, the largest college in the nation, in a variety of their departments including the College of Business Administration, Center for Entrepre

Growing up, I always enjoyed camping and heading into the wilderness. There's something about it which makes people grow and develop their skills. Wilderness leadership is essentially leadership skills which are developed during trying times in the wild. When you are pitted against the elements, there's no doubt that your leadership skills will be put to the test.  My guest in this episode, Shawn Stratton, was once an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) where he took young adults through the backcountry across the world. With this experience, he wrote his book based on the leadership lessons which he took from some of the most difficult situations which he found himself in during his time. Wilderness Leadership Topics During our interview we discuss the following topics: His background and storyHow he got into the NOLS organization.Lessons from the $30,000 blisterLessons from Facing Team Destruction in BajaLessons from Climbing the Largest and Coldest Mountain in the WorldHow he g

Sustainability is a hot topic these days. From sustainable energy sources to sustainable modes of transportation. However, there's a form of sustainability which is appropriate for this site and show - sustainable leadership. Being a sustainable leader is more than a tagline, it's a mindset which a leader needs to employ every single day, in every single decision. Being a sustainable leader takes time, dedication and consistency. This is where my guest for this episode comes into play. From her experience as an Operations Manager for an executive search firm to being an entrepreneur, Maura Sweeney has dedicated herself to helping leaders become more sustainable in their daily operations.  How to Be a Sustainable Leader Topics During our conversation, we cover the following topics: Her backgroundA brief overview of what it means to be a sustainable leaderWhat internal qualities does a leader need to be a sustainable leader?How does influence tie into sustainable leadership.How can a leader establish a mind

Employees/people are the cornerstones of any organization regardless of the size and function. Without our people, we are simply not leaders. However, it seems that too many leaders do not simply care enough to worry about their employees' welfare nor care enough to build relations with them. Employee welfare and relation building must be at the forefront of any leaders mind. That brings me to my guest in this episode, Adam Brown. Adam - or Brownie as I affectionally refer to him as - is one of my closest friends, former Canadian Army Armour Officer, Afghanistan veteran, and now an entrepreneur. Adam has his employees' welfare and relations with them always in his mind, and he's very passionate on the topic. The Importance of Employee Welfare and Relations Topics During the episode we discuss the following topics: His story and backgroundThe key leadership lessons he learned while in the militaryHow leaders can know their peopleHow leaders can promote their people’s welfareHis key lessons learned What bus

Leadership comes in many forms for many different people and masculine leadership is no different. The Order of Man website and podcast is geared obviously towards building better men and Masculine Leadership. However, that is not to say there are no lessons to be learned for all. Ultimately, the core lessons which are presented by Order of Man are applicable to everyone when properly reflected upon. As we move onto the next edition of the Military Veteran Entrepreneur month, my guest is Ryan Michler. He is the host and founder or Order of Man and the interview revolves around his journey in creating the order. Developing Your Masculine Leadership Topics During this episode we discuss the following topics: His background and storyExplanation of the motto of Protect | Provide | PresideChallenges of launching Order of Man and how he overcame themWhat the future has in store for Order of ManHis new book SovereigntyWhen he realized that became a leader of menHas there ever been a time when he has felt that it

Entrepreneurship is currently a hot topic. Wherever you look it seems like everyone is becoming an entrepreneur and starting their own business. An interesting niche of this booming trend is the rise of the military entrepreneur. In general terms, military members are not the best-paid members of society; however, they are some of the most resourceful people on the planet. With training to overcome the largest obstacles with little to no resources, it is no surprise that many serving members turn to entrepreneurship prior to and after leaving the service. That all turns to my guest on the Moving Forward Leadership Podcast, Andrew O'Brien. A former US Army soldier turned CEO turn Military Entrepreneur. In fact, his belief that soldiers make the best entrepreneurs he decided to leave his company as CEO and create the Vetpreneur Tribe - an organization with the sole purpose of helping Military Entrepreneurs. Birth of the Military Entrepreneur Tribe Topics During our discussion we cover the following topics:

In 2018, I celebrated my 35th birthday and of those 35 years, I have been exercising leadership for over 20 of them. During my time, I have learned a large number of leadership lessons and decided to do a podcast episode solely dedicated to these lessons. The lessons have definitely not come easy though. I have made mistakes, I have stumbled, and I have even failed as a leader. But the main difference between being a leader and acting like one is learning from those mistakes. My father taught me that lessons and to this day it is the most important leadership lesson that I have learned. Frankly, it is even beyond this list which I complied. So below you will find them but listen to my explanation of them  My 35 Leadership lessons from 35 years of life Don’t judge by ageThe top doesn’t have to be lonelyAccountability leads to increased moraleMake professional development a priorityDelegation is a super toolGet away from your deskTrust immediatelyDream bigThe status quo is never an optionEmbrace changeLove y