Be Worth* Following

Imagine creating an organization where your very best talent never wants to leave.

Jason Ells, Senior Vice President at Custom Concrete, has his sights set on making his company just that. He wants his organization to be what he calls a destination employer.

In this discussion, you'll get a chance to hear exactly how Jason and Custom Concrete are pursuing that dream. As you listen, you'll learn how investing in your people and placing value on trust and vulnerability can make your business feel like the home your employees have been searching for.

Employees are so much more than just employees.

Laurie Shakur, VP, Head of HR at Rakuten USA, has 30 years of experience in human resources and believes leaders have to see those on their teams as whole people if they want to create more effective workplaces.

In this episode, she talks about the poor examples of leadership she's witnessed, including a shocking lack of compassion when she needed it the most. The silver lining is Laurie learned from those experiences and now champions creating psychologically safe workplaces. Listen to learn more about developing team members and how that tactic can be just as enticing as other forms of compensation.

While some CEOs might argue they can't afford to spend time coaching people Jim Smith, CEO of Elford, Inc, says what you really can't afford is not to.

In this episode, Jim shares details about Elford's leadership development programs and discusses why he makes it a priority to personally mentor employees. As you listen, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the role leadership coaching plays in a business and be reminded as to why everyone should constantly push themselves to learn.

Resources:

• The Servant by James C. Hunter
• In Search Of Excellence by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr.
• Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras
• The Next Level by Scott Eblin
• Good To Great by Jim Collins
• In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters

Years ago, Shane Jackson, President of Jackson Healthcare, was stumped by the question, "Can you tell us about your culture?" His inability to answer terrified him, leading him on a path of discovery to understand what culture means so he could influence and scale it.

In this episode, Shane breaks down the benefits of being crystal clear about your organization's values. As you listen, you'll learn how making those distinctions will help you lead, recruit, increase profit, and so much more.

When Mark Edwards was brought in as the head basketball coach at Washington University in St. Louis he had the unique opportunity to build a program from scratch, and he chose to go all in on culture.

"Figure out what you want your program to accomplish, identify it in everything that you do, believe that you can do it, trust in the people that you're bringing in to do it, and never give up."

By following his own advice, Coach Edwards was able to lead Washington University to 34 consecutive winning seasons. This is the second of our two-part March Madness miniseries on Be Worth* Following, and in this episode you'll learn what it means to establish the continuity of a program to the point where the culture defines every decision and makes success second nature.

Purdue University's all-time winningest coach Gene Keady never over-complicates his leadership philosophy. He sticks to the basics - be honest, treat people right, and work hard.

This is the first of our two-part March Madness miniseries on Be Worth* Following, and in this episode Coach Keady shares why the work that's done on the court is more than just about a game, it's about life. As you listen, you'll learn what traits inspire others to follow you, whether you're in a boardroom or a locker room.

Resources:

• Defensive Alertness plaque: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OfvHG1mV096_XaDSl8dEhHdc4gZCjBd_/view?usp=sharing

"When we have soul, it elevates the systems and when we elevate the systems, we can elevate the soul."

Benj Miller and Chris White are the Founders of System & Soul, a one-of-a-kind organizational operating framework that gives as much weight to people as it does processes. Their philosophy is that the two concepts feed one another.

In this episode, Benj and Chris share how they discovered the importance of being intentional about the 'soul' of an organization. As you listen, you'll learn how you can reach your full potential by bringing harmony to the inner-workings of your organization.

We've taken huge strides to destigamtize mental health issues as a society, and yet business leaders still feel excessive pressure to pretend they are immune to such problems.

Jason Cochran is a psychologist and the Co-founder of Dulead, a leadership development system. As a mental health professional and a leader in his own right, Jason knows how much your mental health can impact both your own work and the people you're trying to lead.

In this episode, Jason reminds us that the examples set by those in positions of power speak volumes, so prioritizing and being open about mental health has to start at the top. Along the way, you'll learn how to provide your team the support they need to overcome challenges and how it will help you attract, grow, and retain the best talent out there.

Business is a team sport.

Before Steve Dils made the switch to the business world, he had a decade-long career in the NFL. Now Managing Director and Principal at Avison Young, he believes leaders are responsible for their team's wins and losses.

In this episode, Steve discusses how his leadership style is greatly influenced by his athletic career. Listen to hear the lessons he learned from his coaches, including the legendary Bill Walsh. Along the way, you'll learn what it means to be a caretaker of culture and why catering to star team members is a slippery slope.

Investing in your employees is an investment in your company. Kevin Gearheart, the President of Rehab Medical, sees that prioritizing the development of people leads to invaluable returns. By giving his employees the tools they need to succeed, Kevin fosters loyalty to his company and ensures his organization is filled with highly skilled workers. In this episode, you'll hear how providing people the opportunity to flourish ends up growing your business as well. Along the way you'll also learn how putting in that effort goes hand-in-hand with being a preferred employer.