Engaging Leader: Leadership communication principles with Jesse Lahey

Accountability. Many organizations name it one of their top corporate values. And yet no matter how much they talk about accountability, leaders often feel frustrated by what seems like a low level of personal ownership among their employees. Things don’t get done on time, problems don’t get solved, and issues get ignored rather than proactively […]

Accountability. Many organizations name it one of their top corporate values. And yet no matter how much they talk about accountability, leaders often feel frustrated by what seems like a low level of personal ownership among their employees. Things don’t get done on time, problems don’t get solved, and issues get ignored rather than proactively addressed before they become problems. Sound familiar? If it seems like you can’t trust your team to own projects and results, how can you improve accountability? In this episode, Jonathan Raymond joins us to discuss how emotional transparency is the secret to conducting truly effective accountability conversations. Jonathan Raymond is the author of the book Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For. He is the CEO at Refound, a leadership training company that teaches people how to have human conversations at work. Previously, Jonathan was the CEO of EMyth (the company behind the famous book), where he led the transformation of a global coaching brand. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Podcast episode 145: Rethinking Accountability — How to Use It to Help Your People Unlock Their Strengths * Book: Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For * Website: refound.com* LinkedIn: /jonathanrefound Subscription Links iTunesStitcherRSS Your Feedback If you like our show, please rate us on iTunes. That makes a huge difference in helping more people discover it. We’d love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also provide feedback on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

Did you set any New Year resolutions for yourself this year … or goals for your team? If so, are you still on track, or have you given up? According to U.S. News, about 80% of New Year resolutions fail by the second week of February. Does that mean you shouldn’t set goals to improve your life or your team’s performance? No! It means if you want to be part of the 20% who do succeed, you need to go about it differently. In this episode, I share three strategies you can use, every day, to achieve your goals — propelling you or your team toward the success you want. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Podcast episode 168: Singleness of Purpose* Podcast episode 169: Use a Success List (Instead of a To-do List)* Podcast episode 172: Build One Powerful Habit at a Time* Blog: 3 Apps for Quick NY Resolutions — It’s Not Too Late to Start* App: Productive* Video: The Power of Focus* Worksheet: One Word Action Plan Subscription Links iTunesStitcherRSS Your Feedback If you like our show, please rate us on iTunes. That makes a huge difference in helping more people discover it. We’d love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also provide feedback on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

Did you set any New Year resolutions for yourself this year … or goals for your team? If so, are you still on track, or have you given up? According to U.S. News, about 80% of New Year resolutions fail by the second week of February. Does that mean you shouldn’t set goals to improve […]

With so many things competing for attention, leaders at many organizations struggle to get their people to pay enough attention to important communications — such as for change initiatives. And it’s an even bigger struggle to get them to take the messages/information to heart, remember them, and put them into action. Fortunately, neuroscience has provided […]

With so many things competing for attention, leaders at many organizations struggle to get their people to pay enough attention to important communications — such as for change initiatives. And it’s an even bigger struggle to get them to take the messages/information to heart, remember them, and put them into action. Fortunately, neuroscience has provided clues to plan and execute communications that are more engaging and effective. Jesse’s colleague, communication expert Jamie Barnes, joins him to discuss how to create communications that get the attention of your workforce and make them more likely to retain what they learn and act on it. They discuss the AGES model developed by the NeuroLeadership Institute and provide practical tips for implementing each of its four components: * Attention: Get them to notice and pay enough attention to it. * Generate: Help them generate their own connections to it.* Emotion: Attach a moderate amount of emotion to help them care about it.* Spacing: Prompt them multiple times (and via multiple communication channels) to come back to it and put it into action. Jamie Barnes is a consulting partner with Workforce Communication. With a focus on change management communications, her approach is rooted in proven practices. She has worked in global firms and creative agencies, and she studied behavior change with behavioral scientist BJ Fogg PhD, the neuroscience of learning with the NeuroLeadership Institute, and change management with Prosci. Jamie studied organizational communications at the University of Chicago and has a BA in social science from National Louis University. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Website: NeuroLeadership Institute* Annual conference: NeuroLeadership Summit* Website: WorkforceCommunication.com* Other models and frameworks: WorkforceCommunication.com/tag/model-framework* Company LinkedIn page: Workforce Communication* LinkedIn profile: Jamie Barnes* Podcast episode 183: Using the Fogg Behavior Model to Drive Change | with Jamie Barnes Subscription Links iTunesStitcherRSS Your Feedback If you like our show, please

The relationships between your team members make a big difference — both in terms of business results and each person’s wellbeing. As tempting as it is to rely on virtual communication and collaboration, technology too often contributes to workplace isolation and even loneliness. In today’s technology-driven workplace, particularly if some team members are working remotely, how can you cultivate a sense of community?

The relationships between your team members make a big difference — both in terms of business results and each person’s wellbeing. As tempting as it is to rely on virtual communication and collaboration, technology too often contributes to workplace isolation and even loneliness. In today’s technology-driven workplace, particularly if some team members are working remotely, how can you cultivate a sense of community? This is a big concern for me as a leader of my own team, and I know I’m not alone. I’m a big proponent of using technology for greater efficiency, but I recognize we often miss out on opportunities to build deep, authentic relationships at work. That’s why I’m excited to talk to career and workplace expert Dan Schawbel about his new book, Back to Human: How Great Leaders Create Connection in the Age of Isolation.   Back to Human addresses how 21st century leaders can foster the connections that motivate and support workplace teams. In this episode, Dan joins us for a conversation that includes these topics: * Why electronic communication and virtual collaboration, though vital and useful, contribute to isolation at work * How leaders can decide when and how to use technology to communicate and collaborate * Why workplace loneliness is bad for business * How a more socially connected workforce creates greater fulfillment, productivity, and engagement … while preventing burnout and turnover * How to better engage remote workers * How to create a safe, supportive culture so you teammates can freely share new ideas * How to inspire shared learning Dan Schawbel is a New York Times bestselling author, Partner and Research Director at Future Workplace, and the Founder of both Millennial Branding and WorkplaceTrends.com. Previously, he wrote two career books: Promote Yourself and Me 2.0. His new book Back to Human was selected by The Financial Times as the book of the month. Through his companies, he’s conducted dozens of research studies and worked with major brands including American Express, GE, Microsoft, Virgin, IBM, Coca Cola and Oracle. Dan has interviewed over 2,000 of the world’s most successful people, including Warren Buffett, Anthony Bourdain, Jessica Alba, will.i.am, Michael Bloomberg, Chelsea Handler, Colin Powell, Sheryl Sandberg, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is the host of “5 Questions with Dan Schawbel,” a podcast where he interviews a variety of world-class humans by asking them 5 questions in less than 10 minutes. In addition, he has written countless articles for Forbes, Fortune, TIME, The Economist, Quartz, The World Economic Forum, The Harvard Business Review, The Guardian, and others that have combined generated over 15 million views. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Website: danschawbel.com * Book: Back to Human: How Great Leaders Create Connection in the Age of Isolation * Instagram: /danschawbel * LinkedIn: /danschawbel/ * Twitter:

The home improvement store chain Lowe’s was named #1 among Fast Company’s 2018 Most Innovative Companies, for augmented and virtual reality, as well as #1 for innovation among specialty retailers on Fortune’s 2018 World’s Most Admired Companies. How did a company in a dusty, old-hat industry (hardware stores) suddenly become known as an innovator? As […]

The home improvement store chain Lowe’s was named #1 among Fast Company’s 2018 Most Innovative Companies, for augmented and virtual reality, as well as #1 for innovation among specialty retailers on Fortune’s 2018 World’s Most Admired Companies. How did a company in a dusty, old-hat industry (hardware stores) suddenly become known as an innovator? As founder and executive director of Lowe’s Innovation Labs, the company’s disruptive innovation hub, Kyle Nel was at the forefront of this dramatic business transformation. In this episode, Kyle joins us to share his story and discuss how the next level of storytelling — using unconventional tools like science fiction, graphic novels, applied neuroscience, and archetypes — can help you overcome human behavior barriers as you reinvent your company’s future. He shares tips to help you lead both small and large transformations in areas such as innovation, human resources, marketing, process improvement, business strategy, and more. Kyle Nel is co-author of Leading Transformation: How to Take Charge of Your Company’s Future. He is the CEO and cofounder of Uncommon Partners, a consulting and training firm specializing in business transformation. Under his leadership, Lowe’s Innovation Labs has introduced projects including the Lowe’s Holoroom augmented and virtual reality design experience, the OSHbot autonomous retail service robot, and 3D scanning and printing services at retail. He has also cultivated a network of uncommon partnerships, such as that with Made in Space to send the first commercial 3-D printer to the International Space Station and launched a disruptive technology startup accelerator and incubator in Bangalore, India. Nel was recognized on the 2015 Advertising Age “40 under 40” list. He previously held positions in market research with Lowe’s and with the Walmart Global Insights Group. Nel has appeared on the Today Show and CNBC. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Website: KyleNel.com Website: UncommonPartners.com Book: Leading Transformation: How to Take Charge of Your Company’s Future LinkedIn: /kylenel/ Twitter: @Kyle_Nel Examples of storytelling at Lowe’s (narrative-driven innovation): LowesInnovationLabs.com Article: Lowe’s Much Admired Innovation Chief Leaves To Establish Uncommon Partners Subscription Links iTunes Stitcher

When developing a communication strategy to drive change within an organization, we use various models and frameworks to help ensure we create a strategy that actually works. The Fogg Behavioral Model is a powerful framework for driving change. BJ Fogg is a behavior scientist and the founder of Stanford University’s Behavior Design Lab. Fogg is […]

When developing a communication strategy to drive change within an organization, we use various models and frameworks to help ensure we create a strategy that actually works. The Fogg Behavioral Model is a powerful framework for driving change. BJ Fogg is a behavior scientist and the founder of Stanford University’s Behavior Design Lab. Fogg is one of the biggest influencers of modern user experience (UX) design – for example, he was influential in the success of Pinterest. He focuses on methods for creating habits, showing what causes behavior, and automating behavior change … all of which are helpful for leaders hoping to influence their workforce to take action or adopt a change. At the core of all BJ Fogg’s research is the Fogg Behavioral Model. It’s most simply stated as “Behavior (B) happens when Motivation (M), Ability (A), and a Prompt (P) come together at the same moment.” M: How motivated is your audience to engage with your initiative or take on the target behavior? * A: Ability — how hard is the task you’re asking them to do; how difficult is the behavior? * P: Prompt — what will trigger the action you want? Jamie Barnes is a consulting partner with Workforce Communication. With a focus on change management communications, her approach is rooted in proven practices. She’s worked in global firms and creative agencies; she studied behavior change with behavioral scientist BJ Fogg PhD, the neuroscience of learning with the NeuroLeadership Institute, and change management with Prosci. Jamie studied organizational communications at the University of Chicago and has a BA in social science from National Louis University. Resources Mentioned in This Episode * Website: WorkforceCommunication.com * Other models and frameworks: WorkforceCommunication.com/tag/model-framework * Website: BJ Fogg’s Behavior Model * Website: Tiny Habits method * Company LinkedIn page: Workforce Communication * LinkedIn profile: Jamie Barnes Subscription Links iTunes Stitcher RSS Your Feedback If you like our show, please rate us on iTunes. That makes a huge difference in helping more people discover it. We’d love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also provide feedback on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

A strong, authentic employer brand is key to recruiting, retaining, and fully engaging top talent. The most effective companies build a differentiated employee value proposition (EVP). Many people think of an employer brand only in terms of recruiting new employees, but to be effective, it should be comprehensive and authentic as relates to the overall […]

A strong, authentic employer brand is key to recruiting, retaining, and fully engaging top talent. The most effective companies build a differentiated employee value proposition (EVP). Many people think of an employer brand only in terms of recruiting new employees, but to be effective, it should be comprehensive and authentic as relates to the overall employee experience. It’s helpful to think about four branding components that drive how your organization is perceived within your workforce as well as the talent marketplace: Employee Experience is the overall reality of what it’s like for people all levels to work at your organization. Your EVP and employer brand must reflect this reality, or else it will become quickly obvious to employees and customers that it’s a fake brand. However, to win the war for talent over the long term, your organization needs to strive to build an employee experience that aligns with the EVP and employer brand you aspire to achieve. Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is a clear description of the key reasons why people choose to join your organization, continue working there, give their best effort, and speak well of the company to others. Employer Brand includes the messages, visuals, stories, and packaging that help your organization create emotional connections to reinforce the EVP with current employees, as well as shape its reputation as an employer of choice for targeted and diverse talent. Talent Brand reflects how current and former employees socially represent your organization — as a place to work — with friends, connections, and others in the talent marketplace. You can influence and help shape its talent brand, but it is ultimately controlled by your people. In this episode, Jesse and his colleague Laurie Barnes explain the key components of an employer brand. In addition, they describe their six-step recommended approach for crafting a compelling EVP and creating a powerful employer brand: Plan Audit Craft Test & Refine Build & Implement Monitor & Manage Along with Jesse, Laurie Barnes is a co-founder of Workforce Communication. With more than 30 years in the biz, Laurie is a successful communication executive who is known for out-of-the-box thinking. She has held leadership positions at three large, global consultancies — Willis Towers Watson, Deloitte, and Mercer. In 2010, Laurie formed Maple Tree Lab, a communication boutique. At Workforce Communication, she serves as a talent leader inside the firm and a creative strategist for clients. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Website: workforcecommunication.com LinkedIn: /laurieannbarnes * Example: Trek Bikes CEO interview and recruiting video: engagingleader.com/160-building-high-performing-health-driven-culture-john-burke-ceo-trek-bikes/ Subscription Links iTunes Stitcher RSS Your Feedback If you like our show,

You can’t achieve your potential as a leader or an organization without practicing effective communication. Organizations that communicate effectively with their workforce deliver better results. According to a study by Willis Towers Watson, companies with high effectiveness in communication and change management are 3.5 times more likely to significantly outperform their less effective peers. They: […]