The Leadership Boost

Influence refers to the ability to have an effect or impact on something or someone. It is the power to shape or change the thoughts, feelings, behaviors, or actions of others.

Career development is about taking an active role in managing and advancing your career, rather than simply letting it unfold passively. Your career development leads to greater job satisfaction, increased earning potential, and a sense of fulfillment and purpose.

Career development for you as a leader is the ongoing process of managing and advancing your career over time. It means taking intentional steps to define your leadership, improve your skills, and increase your confidence and experience.

I'm discussing some parallels between my college rugby coaching, our championship tournament, and your leadership.

Negativity can be detrimental to a team's success and can have many negative impacts.

Dealing with negativity in team members can be challenging, but it's important to address it as it can have a negative impact on team morale and productivity.

Conflict is a natural part of any team dynamic, but when it's not addressed, it can lead to negative consequences. So, how can leaders overcome team conflict and build a strong, high-performing team? Let's dive in.

We've all heard the saying, "There's no 'I' in team," and it's true that teamwork is essential to achieving success. However, sometimes teams get so focused on the end result that they forget to take the time to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of individual team members.

The importance of effective communication in achieving clarity and understanding within a team. 

As a leader, it's your responsibility to build this bridge by fostering a culture of open, honest communication within your team.

What is it all about?

What is my philosophy?

Why leadership?

Why the Leadership Boost?

As a leader, it's your responsibility to anticipate potential risks and prepare your team for potential challenges. 

Anticipating risks and developing contingency plans can help your team be better prepared to handle unexpected situations and maintain their momentum toward their goals.

As a leader, an important role is to help your team build momentum and achieve success. And one of the best ways to do this is … create early wins. Early wins are small, achievable goals that your team can accomplish quickly and easily, and they're essential for setting the stage for long-term success.

Welcome to the Leadership Boost podcast, where we equip leaders with practical strategies to help them build high-performance teams. In today's episode, we'll be continuing our series on Building a High-Performance Team by discussing how a leader must sometimes take on the role of a project manager to guide their team.

Chemistry in a team refers to the intangible but essential connection between team members that leads to effective collaboration, communication, and overall team performance. It is a sense of shared purpose, trust, and mutual respect that creates a positive team dynamic. When there is good chemistry within a team, team members are able to work together seamlessly, bounce ideas off each other, and feel comfortable sharing feedback and constructive criticism. This leads to increased productivity, creativity, and better outcomes for the team as a whole.

As a leader, it's essential to understand that everyone on your team comes with their own set of expectations, both personally and professionally. And it's your job to ensure that these expectations are being met to the best of your abilities.

Skills and talent can be learned and developed but character cannot be taught.

Setting team goals is crucial for achieving success. 

By making them specific, achievable, and measurable, you'll give your team a clear target to work towards and a roadmap for success. 

So set those goals, establish a deadline, and keep track of progress. 

Your team will thank you for it. 

Today, we're talking about the power of taking one action every day to make huge changes in your leadership. It's easy to get caught up in the big picture and forget that it's the small steps that lead to significant progress.

In this episode we discuss:

Why developing an action plan is so important for you if you are stepping into a new role or if your role has changed.

Remember: Making a great impression as a new manager can have a significant impact on the success of the team and the organization as a whole.

Thanks for tuning in and listening to this episode and to this miniseries. I trust you have gained good insights you can take advantage of and take action on.

Until tomorrow,

This is Shaun saying: Over and Out!

#TheLeadershipBoostpodcast

Avoiding office politics as a leader is crucial to your success.

So, what should you do? We will look at the following in today's episode:

• Observe the dynamics of your workplace,
• wait for the right time to address issues,
• and focus on your role and responsibilities.
• Don't get involved in gossip or office politics,
• and always approach issues with a solution-oriented mindset.

Priority changes relationships,

 and time changes priorities,

In this episode of the Leadership Boost podcast, we discuss a critical aspect of succeeding in a new role: getting to know and aligning with the key players in your organization. 

We explore the two types of power players, formal and informal, and why it's crucial to identify both. 

We also provide tips on how to build positive relationships with key players, such as being proactive, a good listener, reliable, and respectful. 

You will learn how aligning with the right people can help you gain access to valuable information, resources, and opportunities that can help you succeed, and why it's equally important to avoid aligning with people who are not seen as "winners." 

By the end of this episode, you will have a better understanding of how to navigate your new role effectively and achieve your goals faster by aligning with the key players in your organization.

In this episode of the Leadership Boost podcast, Shaun delves into the importance of understanding organizational culture and values for succeeding in a leadership role. 

Shaun explains that organizational culture is the set of shared values, beliefs, and practices that shape how things get done within an organization. To fit in and succeed as a leader, it is crucial to understand the values and culture of the organization. 

Shaun provides tips on how to observe the environment, take note of how values are expressed, and learn from those who embody these values. 

By aligning your actions with the organization's priorities, you can make informed decisions, build strong relationships, and ultimately succeed as a leader within the organization. 

If you're a leader looking to understand and align with your organization's culture and values, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode, we'll explore the importance of taking time to know and understand each of your team members. This is an essential element of your success in your leadership role.

By meeting with and understanding your team members, you'll be able to delegate tasks more effectively, create a positive and supportive team culture, and ultimately achieve success in your leadership role. 

Tune in to this episode of the Leadership Boost podcast to learn more about understanding your team and becoming a successful leader.

In this episode, we delve into the importance of managing up in any job or industry. 

Our discussion covers the key aspects of building a positive relationship with your manager or leader, understanding their working style and preferences, and aligning your goals and priorities with theirs. 

We also explore the benefits of knowing your manager or leader's definition of success, expectations, and communication patterns, and how this knowledge can help you to anticipate their needs and provide solutions before they even ask for them. 

Additionally, we discuss the importance of tailoring your communication style to better suit your manager or leader's preferences and unique style. 

Tune in to learn more about managing up and how it can help you succeed in your role.

"Strategic planning is worthless - unless there is first a strategic vision." - John Naisbitt.

In this episode of the Leadership Boost podcast, we explore the critical link between employee engagement and successful strategic planning. 

We discuss the various ways in which engaged employees can contribute to the strategic planning process. 

This includes 

• providing valuable feedback and input, 
• working collaboratively, 
• contributing to a team effort, 
• taking ownership and accountability for organizational goals, and 
• promoting innovation and creativity. 

As a leader, it's important to understand the importance of employee engagement and how it can help to ensure that your strategic planning process is comprehensive, collaborative, and effective. 

Tune in to discover the power of employee engagement in strategic planning, and how it can help to drive success and achieve your organizational goals.

Communication in marriage starts with understanding.

Understanding starts with communication.

Communication is necessary for trust, friendship, and intimacy.

Laugh at challenges!

The truth is that confronting challenging issues and discovering answers to them is a crucial step on the path to success.

In this episode of the Leadership Boost podcast, host Shaun discusses the importance of accountability in leadership. 

He defines accountability as taking ownership of actions and decisions, being transparent, and accepting the consequences of one's actions. 

He emphasizes the importance of accountability in creating a culture of trust and respect within a team. 

Shaun shares tips for leaders to be more accountable, including taking ownership of mistakes, setting clear expectations, following through on commitments, encouraging feedback, measuring performance, and being transparent. 

Tune in to learn how accountability breeds response-ability and how it can help leaders achieve their goals while inspiring their team members to be responsible and committed.

Leadership is crucial because it encourages, inspires, and sets an example for others to make the world a better place

In this episode of Leadership Boost, we discuss the importance of building strong stakeholder relationships and provide three practical ways to improve these relationships. As a leader, you need to understand the needs and concerns of your stakeholders, including employees, customers, investors, suppliers, and the community. By actively listening to them, communicating clearly, and being transparent, you can build trust and foster positive relationships that benefit everyone involved. Join us as we explore these three strategies in-depth and provide practical tips to help you become a more effective leader in building quality stakeholder relationships. #The LeadershipBoostpodcast

In this episode of The Leadership Boost, the focus is on creating a more productive work culture in a business. 

The episode presents five actionable steps that leaders can take to achieve this goal, including 

• Leading by example, 
• Effective communication, 
• Recognizing and rewarding success, 
• Encouraging collaboration, 
• Prioritizing work-life balance. 

The episode emphasizes the importance of workplace culture and how it can impact the success or failure of a business. 

Through the steps presented in this episode, leaders can create a workplace that is not only successful but also fulfilling and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Welcome to "Small Steps, Big Impact: Strengthening Your Marriage Daily," where we explore practical ways to strengthen the foundation of your most important relationship - your marriage.

Your marriage relationship is the cornerstone to all other relationships in your life. It influences and affects so many areas of your life, including your children, those around you, and society at large. It's where you and your children learn to relate, and life is all about relationships.

To build a strong marriage, you have to take leadership by initiating. It's important to initiate the characteristics that build, strengthen, and add value to your relationship every day. No one else will do it for you.

In a society that devalues marriage, it's crucial to work harder to value this relationship you've committed to. You must initiate commitment, kindness, respect, and other important qualities that strengthen your relationship.

A strong marriage isn't built when the perfect couple comes together. It's built when you work through your incompatibilities. 

Join us as we share practical tips on how to initiate and strengthen your marriage every day, and pass it on to your children and society at large.

#TheLeadershipBoostpodcast

Welcome to the Leadership Boost podcast, where we explore the nuances of leadership and what it takes to be an effective and inspiring leader.

In today's episode, we delve into the idea that leadership is not just about external aspects such as position, title, or responsibility. Effective leadership requires a deep understanding of oneself and the ability to evolve and challenge one's paradigm of leadership.

As leaders, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day responsibilities of our roles and forget that leadership is not just about what we do, but who we are. Our thoughts, beliefs, and values shape our leadership style, and it's important to cultivate self-awareness and introspection to understand how our inner paradigm is impacting our leadership.

To be effective leaders, we must challenge ourselves to evolve and grow, question our assumptions and beliefs, and be open to new perspectives and ideas. We must be willing to take a step back and reflect on our actions and their impact and adjust our approach accordingly.

In this episode, we'll explore the concept of inner paradigms and how they shape our leadership style. We'll discuss strategies for cultivating self-awareness, introspection, and a willingness to challenge and evolve our inner paradigm of leadership.

Join us as we dive into the idea that leadership is a paradigm, and what it takes to cultivate the mindset and skills necessary to be an effective leader. 

Thanks for tuning in, and I'll see you on the next episode of the Leadership Boost podcast.

As the saying goes, "Excellence is not a single act; it's a habit." 

This quote by Aristotle reminds us that our actions, not just our intentions, define our success.

As leaders, it is our duty to provide an example of excellence. We should develop good habits that motivate and encourage the performance of our teams.

By committing to a daily habit, even a micro habit of improvement, you create a foundation for growth and development.

You start to see progress in small, manageable steps, which can help you build confidence and resilience.

As you improve yourself, you also become a better leader.

A leader who is more concerned with the success of the team than their own personal glory is a leader who will inspire others to do great things.

When a leader is able to put their ego aside and focus on the big picture, they are able to make decisions that benefit everyone.

But when a leader is focused solely on their own success, they become blinded by their ego.

They may make decisions that benefit themselves in the short term, but in the long run, these decisions will hurt the team and the company.

Behavior is closely tied to values, because our values influence our beliefs, attitudes, and actions. 

Our values are the fundamental principles and beliefs that guide our decision-making and behavior, and they can vary from person to person, and from culture to culture. 

For example, if one of your core values is honesty, you are more likely to behave in an honest and truthful way in your interactions with others.

When it comes to team dynamics, it is important to establish a set of shared values that align with the goals and mission of the team. And then clearly communicate what those values look like in behavior. 

Establish values you want, and values you don't want. Behaviors you want, and behavior you don't want.

Welcome to the Leadership Boost podcast, where we help you unlock your leadership potential. I'm your host, Shaun Smit, and today we'll be discussing a topic that's essential to any leader's success:

Your core values.

As a leader, your values are the foundation of your leadership style, and they guide your decision-making in all aspects of your work.

Personal core values are the fundamental beliefs and principles that guide your decision-making and behavior. These values are shaped by your upbringing, culture, experiences, and personal beliefs. Personal core values may include things like honesty, integrity, respect, kindness, and responsibility.

On the other hand, as a team leader, you will also need to establish values that are specific to your team's culture and goals. These values should be aligned with your personal core values, but they may be more focused on the needs and goals of the team. For example, a team leader might establish values like collaboration, innovation, accountability, or excellence. These values will help create a strong team culture, clarify expectations, and guide decision-making.

It's important for a team leader to be aware of both their personal core values and the values they establish for their team.

As leaders, we know how important it is to prioritize relationships, especially at home.

I mean, think about it. We spend so much time at work, dealing with deadlines, meetings, and all that jazz. But at the end of the day, the people we come home to matter. Our loved ones – our spouses, our children, our parents – are the ones who truly know us and love us, flaws and all.

"Strategy is about making choices and trade-offs; it's about deliberately choosing to be different." - Michael Porter

This quote emphasizes the importance of strategic decision-making. Strategic decision-making involves the need to make deliberate choices in order to differentiate yourself from your competitors. As a strategic leader, you must be willing to make tough choices and trade-offs in order to achieve your goals and stand out from the crowd. By doing so, you can create a unique and valuable position for your organization that sets it apart from others in your industry.

But what does it mean to be a strategic leader? 

What exactly does success mean in your new role? It can vary for everyone, which is why we're going to delve into three areas of insight to help you understand what success means in your new job.

Being clear about what success looks like in a particular circumstance can help you accomplish your objectives more successfully and with greater satisfaction. You can maximize your time and resources and maintain your focus on what matters most.

Today, I want to talk about a topic that may resonate with a lot of you. It’s something that I’ve struggled with for most of my life and I have come to terms with:

being an introvert.

I confess I’m an introvert.

Did you know that it's estimated that introverts make up around 30-50% of the world's population?

"Quiet people have the loudest minds." - Stephen Hawking

And for the longest time, I thought that being an introvert was a weakness. I thought it meant I wasn’t cut out for leadership. That I wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure. That I didn’t have what it takes.

But over time, I’ve come to realize that being an introvert is not a weakness. It’s a strength.

Learn the Art of Effective Communication and Transform Your Leadership Style Today!

As a leader, effective communication is essential to your success. 

It's how you inspire and motivate your team, how you convey your vision and goals, and how you build trust and rapport with those around you. 

Without strong communication skills, it's challenging to establish your leadership presence and earn the respect and trust of your team.

We've all had managers throughout our careers, and chances are, we've had both good and bad experiences. While it's easy to focus on the negative, it's essential to reflect on both your best and worst managers to learn from their experiences and grow as a leader.

A successful marriage can provide us with the emotional support, stability, and confidence that we need in our personal and professional lives. It can also serve as a great example for our family and friends and help us create a positive impact on our community.

"Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill

Being laid off can be a devastating blow to anyone's career and identity.

But even in the midst of the shock, sadness, and uncertainty that accompany a layoff, there is an opportunity for growth, reflection, and renewed purpose.

In this episode, we explore the importance of shifting your perception, why it can be difficult, and how to do it effectively.

In this episode, we are exploring the right and wrong perceptions of a leader, what perception is, and how it affects your relationships with your team. We'll also discuss how your perception can connect or disconnect you from your team, how it affects your behavior and habits, and how it affects your attitude as a leader.

Leadership is a skill that is essential for success in today's fast-paced business world. 

The importance of developing and refining these skills is crucial for any leader to achieve high-performance results, employee engagement, increased influence, and ROI. However, the global leadership crisis due to incompetent leaders has become a major concern for businesses worldwide. Therefore, it is vital for leaders to consistently develop their leadership skills to maintain a competitive edge and address the current leadership crisis.

John C. Maxwell once said, "Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another." As leaders, it's our responsibility to develop the skills necessary to lead effectively and influence those around us.

Our antidote to burnout is not necessarily less work ...

A strong marriage requires two people who choose to love each other.

As a leader, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of your personal values and beliefs. Your values serve as the foundation for your decision-making and guide your actions, both in and outside of the workplace. When you know your values, you have a better understanding of what motivates you, what you stand for, and what you're willing to compromise on.