leadership podcast
Always lead with integrity.
Never lead alone.
This is the podcast for leaders and those who should be leading. It’s a powerful gathering of people of influence in the areas of business, community and faith.
LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE ON
In the pursuit of a grand vision, a noble dream, leaders will always have to face obstacles along the trail to success. Perhaps none greater is having to work with difficult people.
You can’t be a leader if you’re alone on an island. To get where you need to go, you’re going to have work with other people.
This means you’re going to be dealing with teams, with partners, with business associates, with superiors, with employees, with vendors and with clients.
One thing is absolutely for certain…these people are not ALL going to be easy to work with.
Join Michael and Jim as they reveal strategies for working with difficult people.
Leaders are wild horses by nature. We want to roam the open ranges. Any talk about rules or exercising restraint are conversations we don’t really enjoy having.
But, we’re going to have that important conversation today anyway.
In photography, you use polarizing filters to cut down the glare. Much in the same way, professional leaders must also master the process of using filters.
It’s because not everyone around us has the same level of passion and vision. Not everyone around us has as much at stake.
So, without our leadership filters, we can come in too hot, be misunderstood and cause irreversible damage.
Join Michael and Jim as they share a unique and powerful take on this critical leadership skill.
My boss is a jerk. These are words that most of us have uttered at least a few times throughout our lifetime.
Maybe not out loud. Perhaps just whispered under our breath.
And, possibly for the most retrained and upright among us, we’ve never audibly said those words…but certainly they floated around in our mind.
The problem now is, as leaders, that we’re the boss…which would make us the jerk.
Yet, are we really a jerk? Or are we being falsely accused as we simply do our job as a strong leader?
Join Michael and Jim as they explore this topic in great detail, sharing insights that might drastically change the way you act and are perceived as a leader.
Somebody has to be the adult around here. So why does it always have to be you? Because you’re the leader.
It’s true. As a leader, you don’t get to jump in the puddles, fling yourself off of the swing set and make stuff out of Playdoh like your employees get to do.
You have to be serious. You have to be the responsible one. You have to always pick up the tab.
It can be a great burden. Yet, it can also be a true blessing.
Join Michael and Jim in this fun episode that highlights the frustrations and joys of being a leader.
There exists a species of followers that flat out aren’t good at following. And, they aren’t good at following because they aren’t the least bit interested in following you.
They have their own plans, their own initiatives and their own motivations. And, the last thing they have time for…is following you.
Why? Because they are cats. They are fellow leaders. They are free spirits with clear minds of their own.
These cats are independent, and are mostly interested in doing exactly what THEY want to do. Rarely, does that include participating in your vision, mission or even short-term goals.
But…you’ve got to lead them none-the-less. So what you do?
Join Michael and Jim in this purr-fectly enjoyable and important episode as they explain how to master the art of herding cats.
No one wants to follow a weak leader…or even a strong leader who is experiencing an off day.
And, if you’re a weak leader, or in a moment of weakness, you will take your entire team down with you.
But, on any given day, in any particular moment, how do you know if you’re being a strong or a weak leader?
What if there was an analysis tool out there where you could get plugged into it and it would output a detailed report?
Actually there is a rapid test. And, it doesn’t require any special technology or equipment.
Join Michael and Jim as they share a simple question that instantly reveals the strength of a leader.
Being an entrepreneur or founder of an organization isn’t easy. It’s long hours, high expectations and typically slow-to-arrive awards.
Obstacles are constantly appearing out of nowhere, and the storms of life seem to camp out on your doorstep.
Yet, consistently, probably the most prevalent issue for organizational leaders is this: Fixing The Money Problem.
You’re running out money, and quickly. This puts a leader in a point of desperation that holds the real risk of compromising your integrity, and destroying your circle of family and friends.
What do you do? For the answer, join Michael and Jim in this critically important episode.
The mature entrepreneur knows the tremendous value in being prepared, having your team ready and staying ahead of the schedule.
And, being able to deliver what you promised on time and beyond expectations.
Yet…there are those times…
When things don’t quite work out that way. Sometimes they don’t work out that way at all.
In fact, on occasion, you or someone on your team drops the ball…big time. Now, there is potential pie on your face, and your plan is flapping in the wind. There is only one thing left for you to do.
You’re going to have to wing it.
Join Michael and Jim as they share details about one of the least often discussed, yet very important leadership skills.
With politics…you only need 51% of your constituents to like you, and the rest, “Who cares?”
Yet, in the business world, it’s pretty difficult leading an organization when you’ve got only a slim majority of support. You’ve got to hope you’re garnishing more votes than 51% or it’s going to be a tough haul.
The challenge is; however, as a leader, sometimes you’ve got to make decisions that have much less support than that. On occasion, you’re the only one who sees things a certain way.
And, if it’s the right decision, you’ve got to make it anyway. This can make you quite unpopular.
Join Michael and Jim as they discuss strategies during these stressful leadership moments to be able to win the unpopularity contest.
In this, the 100th episode of the Two Are Gathered Leadership Podcast, a topic is covered that is worthy of such a significant milestone in the journey.
It is something that is seldom discussed in leadership training, books or podcasts,
Yet, it’s perhaps the most important.
It’s the heavy, heavy burden of leadership. The serious and grave responsibilities that few people talk about in regards to leadership roles.
And, in addition to being a heavy burden, it’s also the tremendous opportunity of leadership. How leaders respond in this area will ultimately separate the good ones from the great ones.
Join Michael and Jim in this century mark special edition of the podcast.