Engaging Leader: Leadership communication principles with Jesse Lahey

In the 21st century, those who are changing the world aren’t just leaders; they’re engagers. Managers and leaders try to get others to do what is needed. Engagers create conditions and cultivate a team that is fully energized to achieve the organization’s purpose. Managers and leaders see themselves as the magic. Engagers see the team as the magic. The skills of traditional management (Influence 1.0) include recruitment, alignment, coaching, feedback, recognition, project planning, and problem-solving. The skills of traditional leadership (Influence 2.0) include thinking strategically, making decisions, casting a vision and inspiring excitement about it, setting goals, and designing systems and structures to support the goals. All of that is good stuff. But it essentially boils down to command-and-control, and lots of research shows it no longer drives high performance over the long term. What’s changing the world today is Influence 3.0, or what we call engagership. In a team that is fully engaged in the business, people are both delivering the results that matter most and enjoying the work they do. For a great overview of the “6C” principles of full engagement, be sure to check out episode 002 at the link below. Today in episode 152, Jesse discusses the three key skills of engagers: Frame: Engage the head (attention and attitude) Facilitate: Engage the heart (passion and genius) Focus: Engage the hands (talent and energy) Resources Mentioned in This Episode Engaging Leader 002: 6 Sure-Fire Paths to Employee Engagement Engaging Leader 065: Influence 3.0: Upgrade from Leadership to Impact Engaging Leader 067: 3 drivers of the new “Connected Economy” demanding the shift to Influence 3.0 Engaging Leader 069: 9 Telltale Signs of Influence 3.0 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 love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also email comments to Jesse at jesse@engagingleader.com, subscribe to him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter.

In the 21st century, those who are changing the world aren’t just leaders; they’re engagers. Managers and leaders try to get others to do what is needed. Engagers create conditions and cultivate a team that is fully energized to achieve the organization’s purpose. Managers and leaders see themselves as the magic. Engagers see the team […]

David Burkus is the organizer of the upcoming Work Smarter Summit, an online video-based virtual conference where world-class experts share their proven tactics for getting more done, earning more money, and living a life of purpose and productivity. Based on interviews with those experts, David has compiled a free ebook called Work Smarter, Not Harder, […]

David Burkus is the organizer of the upcoming Work Smarter Summit, an online video-based virtual conference where world-class experts share their proven tactics for getting more done, earning more money, and living a life of purpose and productivity. Based on interviews with those experts, David has compiled a free ebook called Work Smarter, Not Harder, which spotlights over 30 productivity hacks that will do everything from helping you squeeze one hour out of your day, to doing 10 times what you’re doing now in half the time and energy. In this episode, Jesse and David discuss several productivity hacks from the ebook, including: Looking back, looking ahead (provided by Jeff Brown) Blocking out time for deep work 4-5 weeks in advance (provided by Cal Newport) Calendly, ScheduleOnce, and MeetNow Block out some discretionary time every single day (provided by Susan Fowler) Journaling (provided by Whitney Johnson) The two-device rule David Burkus is the best-selling author of The Myths of Creativity and Under New Management. He is an award-winning podcaster and management professor, teaching courses on organizational behavior, innovation, and strategic leadership. And he’s an internationally renowned speaker, having delivered keynote speeches and workshops for Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft and Google, and at in-demand conferences such as SXSW and TEDx events. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Ebook (free): Work Smarter, Not Harder: 30+ Productivity Hacks To Get More And Better Work Done In Less Time Summit (free only in February 2017): Work Smarter Summit Book: Under New Management (click here for a free sample, including the introduction and the entire first chapter of the book) Website and podcast: http://www.davidburkus.com Twitter: @davidburkus Facebook: /drdavidburkus Engaging Leader 134: Under New Management: Upending Business As Usual Engaging Leader 061: The Myths of Creativity: The Truth About How Innovative Leaders Generate Great Ideas Podcast: Read To Lead with Jeff Brown 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 love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below!

Leaders need data for at least two reasons: 1) so they and their team can make better decisions, and 2) to influence their employees, customers, or others to take action. In this episode, we discuss how to achieve both objectives better. We learn how to overcome some pitfalls in how we interpret data, so we can be confident about our ability to make data-driven decisions in a smart way. And discuss tips for communicating data in a compelling but honest way to influence people’s decisions and behaviors. John H. Johnson, PhD is president and CEO of Edgeworth Economics, a professional economist, expert witness, internationally renowned speaker, and author of EVERYDATA: The Misinformation Hidden in the Little Data You Consume Every Day. Dr. Johnson has helped some of the world’s largest companies understand how to interpret data and is known internationally for his ability to explain highly sophisticated concepts in a simple, straightforward manner, helping his audiences become discerning users of data and make better decisions in their professional and personal lives. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Book: EVERYDATA: The Misinformation Hidden in the Little Data You Consume Every Day Website: www.johnhjohnsonphd.com Twitter: @everydata Facebook: /everydata 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 love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also email comments to Jesse at jesse@engagingleader.com, subscribe to him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter.  

Leaders need data for at least two reasons: 1) so they and their team can make better decisions, and 2) to influence their employees, customers, or others to take action. In this episode, we discuss how to achieve both objectives better. We learn how to overcome some pitfalls in how we interpret data, so we […]

In 1982, Ari Weinzweig, along with his partner Paul Saginaw, founded Zingerman’s Delicatessen with a $20,000 bank loan. They opened the doors with two employees and a small selection of specialty foods and exceptional sandwiches. Today, Zingerman’s Delicatessen is a nationally renowned food icon, and the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses has grown to 10 businesses with over 750 employees and over $55 million in annual revenue. No two businesses in the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses are alike, but they all share the same vision and guiding principles and deliver “The Zingerman’s Experience” with passion and commitment. Besides being the Co-Founding Partner and actively engaged in some aspect of the day-to-day operations and governance of nearly every business in the Zingerman’s Community, Ari is also a prolific writer. His most recent book is The Power of Beliefs in Business, part 4 in the Zingerman’s Guide to Good Leading Series, which draws on insights from history, psychology, and, of course, nearly 25 years of running Ann Arbor’s most famous food business. In The Power of Beliefs in Business, Ari makes the case that beliefs have a far larger impact on organizations and individuals than might be thought at first. He looks at the beliefs that have driven Zingerman’s and also maps out a way to identify and, if desired, change beliefs, particularly those that prevent an organization from becoming a great one. Ari regularly travels across the country (and world) on behalf of ZingTrain, a organization offering public and private seminars on topics ranging from customer service and leadership to marketing and HR. In this episode, Ari and Jesse discuss how to identify the beliefs that are currently driving you and/or your team (whether good or bad) — and how to implement beliefs that drive the results you want. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Book: The Power of Beliefs in Business Website: www.zingermans.com Website: www.zingtrain.com Twitter: @zingermans Twitter: @zingtrain Facebook: /zingermans Facebook: /zingtrain 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 love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also email comments to Jesse at

In 1982, Ari Weinzweig, along with his partner Paul Saginaw, founded Zingerman’s Delicatessen with a $20,000 bank loan. They opened the doors with two employees and a small selection of specialty foods and exceptional sandwiches. Today, Zingerman’s Delicatessen is a nationally renowned food icon, and the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses has grown to 10 businesses […]

“Employees who report receiving recognition and praise within the last seven days show increased productivity, get higher scores from customers, and have better safety records. They’re just more engaged at work.” – Tom Rath Recently, one of my team members communicated heartfelt gratitude to another team member named Jenny for her consistently outstanding performance. And then she took a big step further and privately told Jenny’s leader (me) how grateful she was for her excellent work and service … which triggered me to reflect on how much I appreciated Jenny too and follow up with my own thank you to her. Back in episode 124, we talked about how practicing gratitude makes you a more effective leader. For example, thankfulness increases your personal stress resistance, as well as the engagement of your employees. In this episode, Jesse provides practical suggestions for how to thank your employees. Three principles to apply regardless of how you express gratitude: Be sincere Be specific (extra credit if you thank them for an accomplishment they’re particularly proud of) Be purposeful Practical ways to thank employees, in order from least effort to most effort: Just say it TBWA Handwritten note (extra credit if you mail it to their home) Token gift like movie tickets, Starbucks gift card, or restaurant gift card Amazon gift card Email or verbal praise to supervisor Public recognition Thank-you video Fun event together Resources Mentioned in This Episode Podcast episode 124: THX! How Practicing Gratitude Makes You a More Effective Leader Blog post: Going Through the Motions, or Truly Thankful? 6 Ways to Cultivate Your Gratitude as a Leader Blog post: 7 Ways Thankfulness Makes You a Stronger Leader HR Magazine article: How Do You Say ‘Thank You’ to Employees? Entrepreneur article: How to Thank Your Employees Like You Mean It in 3 Simple Steps 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 love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also email comments to Jesse at jesse@engagingleader.com, subscribe to him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter.

“Employees who report receiving recognition and praise within the last seven days show increased productivity, get higher scores from customers, and have better safety records. They’re just more engaged at work.” – Tom Rath Recently, one of my team members communicated heartfelt gratitude to another team member named Jenny for her consistently outstanding performance. And […]

Communicating bad news — we all hate to do it, wish we never have to do it again, and yet recognize that there will inevitably be times when we need to do it. Whether it is announcing a reduction in force, a negative change in employee benefits or compensation, a discontinued strategy or product line, or some other disappointment or painful news, these are times that separate the engaging leaders from the mediocre ones. When leaders (or the overall organization) communicate well even in tough times, people realize they can trust them to make appropriate decisions, take responsibility, and do what’s best for the organization as well as the people who make up its workforce. You can’t achieve your potential as a leader without learning and practicing effective communication — it’s a core leadership discipline — and that includes delivering bad news when necessary. Fortunately, the same principles and strategies for communicating good news also apply for bad news. And as with the rest of workforce communication, learning and practicing the principles can help you become a better leader, a more successful businessperson, and maybe even a better person overall. In this episode, Jesse zeroes in on the top eight tips for successfully communicating bad news. Some of these are often skipped, with unfortunate results. Start with empathy and ambivalence Prepare Be timely Be clear and straightforward Explain why and how the decision was made Demonstrate caring Listen Focus on the future Thank you to Freshbooks for sponsoring this episode of Engaging Leader. Freshbooks is offering our listeners a free month of unrestricted use of their online accounting software (no credit card needed). Claim your free month at Freshbooks.com/Leader and enter “Engaging Leader” in the section that asks how you heard about Freshbooks. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Podcast episode 003: 5 Steps to Creating a Communication Plan Podcast episode 116: Two Empathy Tools for Influencing People to Take Action Podcast episode 062: Flexible Thinking: 5 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Better Decisions Blog post: The 5M Framework for Communication Strategy HBR article: How to Deliver Bad News to Your Employees Forbes article: How Great Leaders Deliver Bad News Article from Dennis Ackley: The SECRET of Communicating Bad News to Employees 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....

Communicating bad news — we all hate to do it, wish we never have to do it again, and yet recognize that there will inevitably be times when we need to do it. Whether it is announcing a reduction in force, a negative change in employee benefits or compensation, a discontinued strategy or product line, […]

Culture eats strategy for breakfast. -Peter Drucker Many leaders and aspiring leaders think their skills and strategies are what create impact, and that perks and parties are what create culture. But in reality a much larger part is created by the leader’s energy in every moment of truth. When you kick off a meeting or […]

Culture eats strategy for breakfast. -Peter Drucker Many leaders and aspiring leaders think their skills and strategies are what create impact, and that perks and parties are what create culture. But in reality a much larger part is created by the leader’s energy in every moment of truth. When you kick off a meeting or a conference call, when a problem occurs, when you’re asking the team to come up with a breakthrough in a short period of time … it’s moments like those when your energy shapes the culture of your organization. If your energy is consistently and authentically optimized for the moment, you will create the impact and culture you’re hoping for. I recently read a book that does a great job providing an overall framework for creating an organizational culture that thrives, starting with how the leader cultivates his or her own energetic presence. And I realized the author of that book would be a great guest for a show on how to optimize your energy and culture in those moments of truth. Anese Cavanaugh is the author of Contagious Culture: Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization That Thrives. She provides workshops, training, and coaching, and has worked with companies like IDEO, Zingerman’s, Cooper, Joie de Vivre, Fitbit, Nike, and others to strengthen team health, maximize leadership impact, and optimize company culture. In addition to appearing in publications like Harvard Business Review, The Huffington Post, CEO.com, and the NY Times, Anese writes regularly for Inc.com in her column “Showing Up.” In this episode, Anese and Jesse discuss: The Leadership Trifecta — Impact, Self-Care, and People; The three components of the Intentional Energetic Presence (IEP) Method; and Three steps to reboot your presence in 30 seconds as you head into your next “moment of truth.” Thank you to Freshbooks for sponsoring this episode of Engaging Leader. Freshbooks is offering our listeners a free month of unrestricted use of their online accounting software (no credit card needed). Claim your free month at Freshbooks.com/Leader and enter “Engaging Leader” in the section that asks how you heard about Freshbooks. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Book: Contagious Culture: Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization That Thrives Website: www.anesecavanaugh.com IEP Resources (including the Virtual Presence Guide): iep.io Column: Inc.com Twitter: @anesecavanaugh LinkedIn: /anesecavanaugh IEP Live Event: next session is Oct. 25-26 in Sacramento 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 love to know your thoughts about this episode.

Leaders everywhere talk about accountability, but nobody is defining what it really means — and more importantly, breaking it down into a set of skills that people could learn and apply. Accountability is about helping people unlock their strengths. In this podcast, Jonathan and Jesse discuss how you can have far more powerful conversations with the people on your team, blending professional and personal growth in a way where everybody wins. We also talk about how you can engage those same individuals and get things moving in the right direction. The discussion includes the five-step Accountability Dial: The Mention The Invitation The Conversation The Boundary The Limit As a leader, you’re focused on making a positive impact on the world and your customers. The way to get people to be engaged is to be more engaged with them. Personal and professional growth are one in the same. That’s the assertion behind Jonathan Raymond’s new book, Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For. According to Jonathan, company cultures that will thrive in the future are the ones led by individuals who see fostering the personal growth of their team as their primary mission. He invites us to reexamine our assumptions about the role of leaders and how culture and personal growth actually happen. Jonathan Raymond is the author of the new book Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For. Jonathan is the former CEO and Chief Brand Officer of EMyth (the company behind the famous book), where he led the transformation of a global coaching brand. He is principal of Refound, a company that provides training and mentoring for owners, executives, and managers. Thank you to Freshbooks for sponsoring this episode of Engaging Leader. Freshbooks is offering our listeners a free month of unrestricted use of their online accounting software (no credit card needed). Claim your free month at Freshbooks.com/Leader and enter “Engaging Leader” in the section that asks how you heard about Freshbooks. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Book: Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For Website: refound.com Twitter: @jonathanraymond LinkedIn: /jonathanrefound 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 love to know your thoughts about this episode. Please submit your comments below! You can also email comments to Jesse at jesse@engagingleader.com, subscribe to him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter.