Become The Leader

Mastering Employee Engagement begins with clear data on where you are, with the ability to compare where you want to be in the future. In this episode, Jody Holland and Meghan Slaughter walk you through how to implement an effective employee engagement survey, visualize the data, and make the results actionable.

Key Topics:

Connect with the hosts:

Jody Holland - LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/thejodyholland

Meghan Slaughter - Linkedin https://linkedin.com/in/meghan-slaughter

Mike Grigsby - LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/in/mikegrigsby

Maleah Grigsby - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maleah-grigsby-ab14ab188/

In this insightful episode, Jody Holland, Mike Grigsby, and Meghan Slaughter explore the nuances of business development, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer stories, emotional triggers, and strategic communication.

They share practical frameworks, book recommendations, and real-world examples to help leaders and entrepreneurs build lasting relationships and grow their businesses.

Key Topics

Guests Include: Jody Holland, Mike Grigsby, & Meghan Slaughter

A Few Sound Bites to Watch For:

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Business Development

01:36 Understanding Business Development vs. Sales

04:50 The Importance of Being Top of Mind

07:08 Structuring Outreach for Success

10:50 The Role of Storytelling in Business Development

13:47 Identifying Pain Points and Desired Outcomes

16:32 The Formula for Effective Business Development

18:32 The Emotional and Logical Aspects of Decision Making

21:14 The Art of the Interrogative

25:27 Creating Stickiness Through Emotional Connection

29:05 The Role of Communication in Business Development

32:28 Adapting Communication Styles for Better Engagement

34:20 Closing Thoughts on Business Development

A Few Resources to Look Into:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejodyholland

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikegrigsby

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanslaughter

In this episode of the Become The Leader podcast, Jody Holland, Mike Grigsby, and Meghan Slaughter explore what causes teams to lose effectiveness and how leaders can rebuild healthy, high-performing cultures. Using Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team as the framework, the conversation breaks down how dysfunction begins with the absence of trust and then cascades into conflict avoidance, weak commitment, low accountability, and poor results.  

The discussion goes beyond theory and into practical leadership reality. The hosts explain why trust is the foundation of team performance, why “artificial harmony” often hides deeper issues, and why many teams fail not because they lack talent, but because they never learn how to deal with conflict in a healthy and productive way. Rather than attacking people, effective teams address behaviors, outcomes, and impact.  The episode also highlights that commitment grows when people feel heard. Leaders who invite input, create safety in decision-making, and allow team members to voice concerns are far more likely to gain real buy-in. That commitment then makes accountability easier, because team members take ownership of both past choices and future results.  

Throughout the conversation, the team uses examples from business, healthcare, public sector operations, and the military to show how dysfunction appears in the real world and how great leaders prevent it. A key takeaway is that strong leadership is not about being overly autocratic or completely hands-off. It is about building enough trust and clarity that people can speak honestly, challenge ideas constructively, and stay aligned around the right outcomes.  

Key Takeaways

In This Episode

Featured Hosts • Jody Holland • Mike Grigsby • Meghan Slaughter 

Recommended Resource

This episode walks you through the styles that work, the styles that don't, and how adapt behaviors to gain leadership traction. Get ready to learn about the power of leadership styles.

The first 90 days are critical for the success of an employee. What happens in their training, their relationship building, and their growth as they get started, will determine the likelihood of them still being employed a year or more later. When it is our goal to set people up for success, we create a systematic approach to building their skills and preparing them to win. In this episode, we give you the formula for new employee success.

What if leadership performance could be decoded the same way elite sports teams analyze talent?

In this episode of Become The Leader, we take a Moneyball approach to leadership by unpacking the behavioral data behind high performance. Instead of guessing why certain leaders win and others struggle, we analyze the measurable patterns that drive results.

Using the Profiles Performance Indicator (PPI) — a scientifically validated behavioral assessment grounded in DiSC theory — we walk through the actual reports of the four podcast hosts:

Jody Holland 

Meghan Slaughter 

Mike Grigsby 

Maleah Grigsby

This is not theory. This is real behavioral data in action.

The PPI measures five core behavioral scales   :

Dominance – How someone drives results and takes control

Influence – How someone persuades and connects with others

Steadiness – How someone creates stability and support

Compliance – How someone prioritizes precision and structure

Motivational Intensity – The engine behind performance

Motivational Intensity is where the conversation gets especially powerful. It predicts:

How intensely someone drives toward goals

How they respond under stress

How they handle pressure to win

Whether they elevate or destabilize under challenge

How strongly their personality shows up in behavior

In short: it reveals the energy behind the execution.

You’ll hear us:

Compare our behavioral patterns live

Discuss how our differences create friction — and strength

Examine how stress amplifies personality tendencies

Identify blind spots that could derail performance

Reveal how self-awareness changes leadership outcomes

We also unpack how the PPI produces four key reports   :

Management Report – Coaching insights for leaders

Individual Report – Self-awareness and development

Summary Graph – Visual behavioral snapshot

Team Analysis – Mapping strengths and collaboration gaps

This episode becomes a masterclass in how to use behavioral data to:

Improve communication

Reduce conflict

Align roles to strengths

Increase accountability

Build high-performing teams

Many teams struggle with:

Strong resumes but weak execution

Communication breakdowns

Misaligned roles

Burnout under pressure

Resistance to change   

The issue often isn’t skill. It’s behavioral misalignment.

When leaders understand how Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Compliance, and Motivational Intensity interact — performance becomes predictable.

And predictable performance wins.

Your behavior patterns shape how you lead under pressure.

Motivational Intensity determines how much force your personality brings into every situation.

Great teams are not built on similarity — they are built on understanding.

Self-awareness is the beginning of strategic leadership.

Data removes guesswork from people development.

Executives who want measurable improvement in performance

HR leaders seeking better hiring and coaching decisions

Managers wanting to tailor their leadership style

Entrepreneurs building performance-driven cultures

Anyone serious about becoming the leader others would follow

AI in Communication: Human Augmentation The panel discussed the appropriate use of AI in communication, emphasizing its potential to enhance efficiency and learning while avoiding replacement of human workers. Meghan and Maleah shared their perspectives on using AI to supplement problem-solving and communication skills, with Meghan advising to use AI as a tool to augment human capabilities rather than rely on it exclusively. Jody highlighted the importance of maintaining human elements in communication and encouraged listeners to share their experiences with AI, expressing concern about AI potentially replacing human roles in the future.

This shows helps listeners understand what to look at and evaluate when facing struggles in business. The conversation centers around when to pivot and when to persist.

Become The Leader Podcast 

In the second half of our conversation on the future of work, we dive deeper into the evolving relationship between technology, leadership, and the employee experience. This episode explores how rapid innovation, shifting generational values, and changing definitions of work are reshaping what it means to lead effectively in the modern workplace.

Generational Differences

Each generation engages with technology in its own way, shaped by the challenges and opportunities of its time. While it’s common for older generations to criticize younger ones, many of these shifts are driven by a desire to improve quality of life and address gaps left by previous generations. Understanding these differences helps leaders bridge perspectives rather than resist them.

Generational Shifts in Work and Purpose 

Younger generations are redefining work, prioritizing psychological safety, purpose, flexibility, and respect over traditional ideas of professional loyalty. Leaders must recognize the difference between simply filling a “job” and empowering people to contribute meaningful “work” that reflects their strengths and values.

Change is Inevitable

Whether we embrace it or resist it, change is constant—especially when it comes to technology. The real question is not if things will change, but how we will respond. Leaders who commit to learning and adaptability will stay ahead, while those who resist risk being left behind.

The roles most impacted by technological advancement will be those centered on repetitive or automatable tasks. The fastest-growing and fastest-declining careers highlight the importance of adaptability and skill development in an evolving economy.

Intellect is Not Just What You Know

True intellect is more than just memorizes facts and figures. It is understanding how to seek out answers, how to leverage technology to your advantage, how to think creatively, and how to remain resilient in uncertainty. AI is not making people lazy. It is leading us to discover new ways of getting work done.

Maintaining the Human Touch

Technology should enhance human effort, not replace it. Every team member brings a unique perspective, insight, and contribution that no machine can replicate. Ultimately, your people will define your culture, your results, and the quality of the workplace experience.

Economic Theory vs. Economic Psychology

Economic theory suggests that people will always do what is in their best interest financially. In reality, human behavior is more closely tied to identity, purpose, and values. Economic psychology reminds us that people often make decisions based on who they believe themselves to be, not just what benefits them financially.

AI is for the Synthesis of Data and Information

While AI excels at processing and synthesizing data, the ability to challenge ideas, think creatively, and spark innovation remains uniquely human. When human creativity is combined with analytical technology, organizations can unlock exponential potential.

The commitment to continuous learning is crucial for business and leadership success. No leader can know everything, but the willingness to stay curious, adaptable, and growth-oriented will determine who thrives in the future of work.

If you missed part 1 last week, make sure you go and check it out.

Become The Leader You Would Follow.

Become The Leader Podcast 

The workforce is changing faster than most leaders are prepared for. In The Future of Work: Part 1, hosts Jody Holland, Maleah Grigsby, Meghan Slaughter, and Mike Grigsby explore the realities shaping today’s workplace—and what those changes demand from leaders moving forward.

Drawing insights from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report and Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace, this episode examines the tension between job growth and job displacement, generational shifts in expectations, rising burnout among managers, and the growing importance of adaptability, curiosity, and leadership clarity.

The Workforce Paradox 

Millions of new jobs are being created—yet millions more are disappearing. The challenge isn’t job availability; it’s whether people have the skills and resilience to adapt.

Why Stability Now Comes from Movement 

Long-term security is no longer tied to a role or title. It comes from learning how to move, reskill, and think differently in a constantly shifting environment.

Generational Shifts in Work and Purpose 

Younger generations are redefining work, prioritizing psychological safety, purpose, and respect over traditional loyalty. Leaders must understand the difference between a “job” and the value someone brings through their “work.”

The Productivity and Burnout Crisis 

Billions are lost to disengagement, while managers face record levels of burnout—largely because most were never trained to lead people effectively.

Why the 40-Hour Workweek Is Fading 

Knowledge work demands a shift from hours worked to outcomes achieved. Autonomy and trust are becoming essential tools for engagement.

Reskilling as a Leadership Imperative 

With nearly 40% of today’s skills becoming obsolete within five years, continuous learning and adaptability are no longer optional.

Curiosity in the Age of AI 

As AI makes answers abundant, the most valuable human skill becomes the ability to ask better questions. Leadership is moving from control to curiosity.

Where AI Will Disrupt First 

The greatest immediate impact of AI may not be domestic roles, but outsourced and transactional work that can be automated at scale.

The future of work is a leadership challenge, not just a technology challenge

Engagement rises when leaders focus on clarity, trust, and outcomes 

Adaptability, curiosity, and human-centered skills are the new competitive advantage

Organizations that ignore generational values will struggle to retain talent

Coming Next: The Future of Work: Part 2, where the conversation turns directly to AI through a leadership lens—and what today’s leaders must do now to stay relevant.

Become The Leader You Would Follow.