Authority Optional: Leadership Beyond the Rulebook

Max and Josh, in their second topic at the CFMA, discuss some valuable practices they've discovered and utilized over the years when dealing with situations that require some delicacy. Techniques range from prep to tone, and they cover a few questions from the audience to dive into specifics.

Max and Josh had the privilege of being invited to speak at a CFMA annual conference. In this episode they covered the topic of leading culture as a middle manager, how to deal with possible resistance to creating a great culture, and some methods on making your role easier by crafting an environment people like to work in.

Max and Josh explore this very common phrase in corporate America: Perception is reality. It can be used as a trope, a shield to hide behind for those that can't come up with something better to say. But with a slight twist and perspective and a few valuable added words, it's also a tremendous tool for development and communication.

Max and Josh sit down with an old friend of Max's; Daylin has lived a lot of lives and has found his home in psychology as a family therapist. The three discuss some therapeutic elements of leadership such as attachment styles, what happens when you’re a leader trying to make everyone like you, and how different kinds of questions suit different situations and the value of knowing when to use what.

Max and Josh talk about some of what they learned with Courtney through the series and focus on in what they learned about themselves, answering some prompts to explore some of the details. As an added bonus, Josh opens up about a book they read in their BDC days and the fellas offer it as a challenge to any team that thinks they're already bulletproof.

Max and Josh get to wrap up the Enneagram Series with the final triad, which just happens to the one they both land in. This triad includes the Quiet Specialist, The Loyal Sceptic, and The Enthusiastic Visionary. They dive into some specifics about their main motivation (both Loyal Skeptics), how they are very different versions of the same number, and of course cover the other triads as well.

How an employee enters an organization might be the single most pivotal experience you can have an influence over. Max and Josh discuss their findings on when and how to engage, the importance of timing, and how critically vital it is to a business or team on what to do in this crucial time period of an employee's tenure.

Max and Josh sit down with another teammate from their former team, this one mentioned a handful of times over the last year on the show. Scott has been many things in his lifetime including a regional manager, front man of a band, a wanderer, and will be much more before he's done as he talks about in this episode. They discuss "new rich" and steps we can all take to achieve it.

Max and Josh cover the 4th and final cornerstone of the Team Principles they adhered to in corporate. They share some stories of counterexamples that show what can happen when this principle is not in place as well as some anecdotes about how it impacts their lives still.

Max and Josh cover the third cornerstone of their former team principles: Recognize and Respect the Impact your Behavior has on Others. Wordier than some of the other principles, it's actually pretty straightforward as concepts go and invites us all to be self and socially aware.