Built to Lead

Expressing gratitude takes many forms like adding a note to a gratefulness jar, saying “thank you,” or sharing ice cream with your team. No matter how you express gratitude, we know that showing gratitude makes a difference in our health, our work environment, and the quality of our relationships and life. 

Today We’re Getting Real About Gratitude 

Our conversation includes tips for expressing gratitude like: 

 

-Express gratitude with specificity and sincerity

-Make sure your body language matches your words 

-Validate negative experiences before reframing them 

 

Plus, we’ll talk through real experiences of leading with gratitude and why it works. 

Joining me in this conversation are two Directors of Leadership Development at Lippert Components -  Jen Snyder and Tim Richards. Listen in, then share your thoughts with us at  https://www.lci1.com/academy,  [email protected], or on LinkedIn at Lippert Academy for Leadership.

A Quick Note Before we Jump In 

If you missed our episode on the Benefits of Gratitude from Thanksgiving of 2019, go back and give it a listen. It’s a great precursor for this conversation.  You can listen here: Thanksgiving EP

It’s not about giving advice. 

It’s not about sharing expertise. 

Empathy isn’t even a feeling for someone, it’s feeling with someone. 

 

Leading in 2020 is happening over distance during a time when the need for empathy couldn’t be higher. Today we’re walking through how we can be empathetic leaders for the teams who need us to understand them now more than ever. 

 

My conversation about leading with empathy today is shared with two Directors of Leadership Development at Lippert Components, Edgar Cabello and Trace Rorie. Join us as we discuss taming the advice monster, the difference between sympathy and empathy, listening without jumping to solutions and understanding emotional intelligence. 

Share Your Empathy Snapshot 

When has a leader shown empathy to you? We want to know how you’ve seen empathetic leadership on display. Share your stories, questions, and comments at 

https://www.lci1.com/academy,  [email protected], or on LinkedIn at Lippert Academy for Leadership.

“It’s not about the heights from which you came. A great story is about the distance traveled. Everyone has traveled a distance to get to where they are.” - Hasani X

 

Stories have power. Power in our personal lives. Power in businesses. Even power in sales. 

 

Hasani X, CEO of Rise of a Leader, a business performance coach/investor, professional speaker and founder of Lead Your Story uses stories to fulfill his mission of building people and businesses. 

 

In this episode, Hasani X and I talk through how leaders can use stories to connect with people, lead people, and help people grow. We’ll also get into why stories matter and how you can write yours. 

Listen to the End to Get Resources on Stories 

At the end of this episode you’ll hear a phone number you can text to get access to some resources we bring up in the episode. Be sure to listen to the end, text the number, and share your thoughts on storytelling with us at

https://www.lci1.com/academy,  [email protected], or on LinkedIn at Lippert Academy for Leadership.

“This is what leadership’s all about. Anyone can do it when it’s 70 degrees and sunny, when the decisions are easy - when it’s black and it’s white, it’s right and it’s wrong. This is the time when people need leadership. When the path is unclear. This is your moment to lead. This is what we get paid for.” - Joe McNamara 

 

This is the time for leaders to show up, but how should leaders continue to navigate the current environment we’re in? Joining us in our discussion on leading in crisis is someone with tried and true experience in leading during extreme circumstances - Joe McNamara. 

 

McNamara is a combat decorated U.S. Marine Corps infantry officer who served on two tours in Afghanistan, spent eight years leading teams in the Marine Corps, and is the founder of IMPACT -- a leadership training and consulting organization that’s composed of combat decorated veterans with extensive experience in developing and leading high-performance teams in times in complex environments. 

Today, he’s sharing tangible tips for crisis leadership with us, so sit down, take notes, and get ready for practical advice you can put into practice today. 

The Crisis is Here - How are You Showing Up for Your Team? 

What we’re going through is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we need good leaders now more than ever. Let us know how you’re showing up for your team at https://www.lci1.com/academy,  [email protected], or on LinkedIn at Lippert Academy for Leadership.

The world is in crisis. Now - arguably as much as in September 2001 - people are anxious, cautious, nervous and more. 

We need good leaders to step up in times like these. 

When the world flips upside down, great leaders have to adjust what “winning” looks like, given the circumstances. It’s great to strive for excellence, but when “perfection” becomes the enemy of “really good” - it might be time to rethink your expectations. 

In this episode, we’re covering 5 tips of crisis leadership that can help guide you and your team with strength in uncertain times. 

Download our slidedeck and take notes as you listen - then send us your thoughts!  

How are you navigating leadership in crisis? 

True crisis moments don’t happen every day, every year, or even every lifetime. We’re learning crisis leadership together. Share your tips, struggles, and lessons learned with us at https://www.lci1.com/academy,  [email protected], or on LinkedIn at Lippert Academy for Leadership.

This episode could extend your life. Seriously. 

 

A 2019 article from NPR identified a study that revealed that people who lack a strong life purpose have an increased risk of dying early. In fact, the study uncovered that having a life purpose is more important for decreasing the risk of death than smoking, drinking, or exercising regularly. 

 

So what’s the secret recipe for crafting a life-giving personal mission statement? Today we’re talking through the core ingredients of that recipe…

 

-Finding Your  Identity

-Identifying What You’re Chasing 

-Stating the Rules (Core Values) by Which You’ll Play 

 

Give the episode a listen, fill out this template, and begin drafting your personal mission statement. 

FREE Personal Mission Statement Worksheet: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1EIKA1f1wXXD_dYpaTHdn90OW5F5zPx3C 

What Inspired Your Personal Mission Statement? 

Did a mentor inspire your personal mission statement? Did you read it in a book? Or did you develop one on your own based on experience in your life. Personal mission statements come from all kinds of places, people, and ideas. Tell us the story behind yours at   https://www.lci1.com/academy,  [email protected], or on LinkedIn at Lippert Academy for Leadership.

What do authentic leaders do? We believe there are 12 execution competencies authentic leaders live out. 

Role Modeling 

Communication

Achieve Clarity and Purpose 

Strategy and Planning 

Goals and Objectives 

Building Teams 

Decision Making 

  Collaboration  

  Delegation 

Correcting and Coaching 

Problem Solving 

Results 

 

Want to know how you’re doing as an authentic leader? Rate yourself for each of these competencies on a scale of 1 to 5. Then, if you’re feeling courageous, ask some people on your team to rate you on these competencies as well. 

 

If you commit to developing the concepts, characteristics, and competencies we’ve discussed in this 3 part series, you will improve as an authentic leader. 

We want Your Perspective on Authentic Leadership  

This may be the finale of our 3 part series on authentic leadership, but becoming an authentic leader takes longer than 3 weeks. If you have questions or ideas about authentic leadership, connect with us at  https://www.lci1.com/academy,  [email protected], or on LinkedIn at Lippert Academy for Leadership.

Think of a leader (current or past) you admire. What character traits did they possess that you admire? Are those traits consistent with those of other leaders you respect? 

While all leaders are unique, there are 12 character traits that set authentic leaders apart. Today we’re walking through each of those 12 character traits of authentic leaders - integrity, patience, self-awareness and many more. In addition, we’ll warn of the counter-characteristics that diminish a leader’s authenticity (lack of composer, distrust, and dishonesty among others). 

This is episode 2 of a 3 part discussion on authentic leadership, so if you didn’t check in with us last week, go back to episode 9 to hear 4 critical concepts of authentic leadership. 

How Are You Growing as an Authentic Leader? 

We couldn’t cover authentic leadership in just one episode - and we don’t want the conversation to stop with the podcast either. Share your reflections on authentic leadership with us at  https://www.lci1.com/academy,  [email protected], or on LinkedIn at Lippert Academy for Leadership.

If you’re a leader, your influence isn’t a nine-to-five job. People are always watching, and you’re always “on” as a result. 

Authenticity requires us to stay true to our values in spite of external surroundings, and while maintaining that kind of consistency in each area of our lives increases our influence, it’s no easy task. 

In the first episode of our three-part discussion on this topic, we’re looking at 4 concepts of authentic leadership. 

 

Identity 

Influence 

Service 

Lifestyle 

 

This episode is just the beginning. Check back in next week as we talk through traits good leaders possess. 

What do you think of when you hear “Authentic Leadership?” 

Send your ideas to https://www.lci1.com/academy,  [email protected], or on LinkedIn at Lippert Academy for Leadership. We hope you stick with us as we continue this miniseries on authentic leadership and have more courageous conversations about work, life, and culture.

Next time you’re in a work meeting, look around the room. Chances are, 6 out of 10 people in the room are lonely. NPR’s recent article “Most Americans Are Lonely, And Our Workplace Culture May Not Be Helping,” states that more than 3 out of 5 Americans are lonely (and loneliness appears to be more common in men) - and work culture is often part of the problem. 

Loneliness contributes to mental health, stress, and sickness, making it a problem for employees and employers alike. So can businesses create a communal culture that only leaves loneliness behind? 

Today we’re discussing ways to identify loneliness in your office environment and how to flip the statistics. 

Share Your Thoughts With the Lippert Academy for Leadership 

Have you been in an office that made you feel alone? What factors played into that? Have you worked alongside leaders who were great at including others? What did they do to make people feel welcome? We want to hear your thoughts on today’s episode. Contact us at https://www.lci1.com/academy, via email at [email protected], or on LinkedIn at Lippert Academy for Leadership.