In this recap of Productive Joy, Dr. Christie talks about the new schedule for the show, with one amazing, more in depth guest episode on Tuesdays and a recap and deeper dive on Fridays. Today she recaps her discussion with Dr. Ben Johnson and Bobby Dodd about their book, Intentional Influence. 

The book focuses on building connections within teams to enhance leadership and organizational culture. They introduce a framework that categorizes people into leaders, influencers, and others. Dr. Christie emphasizes the importance of intentionality in influence and encourages listeners to reflect on their connections and influence within their organizations.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction to Productive Joy Recap

00:05 New Episode Schedule

00:40 This Week's Guests: Dr. Ben Johnson and Bobby Dodd

00:54 The Concept of Intentional Influence

01:38 Connecting People for Better Leadership

01:51 Framework for Intentional Influence

02:19 The Importance of Systems in Leadership

02:34 Book Recommendation: Intentional Influence

02:46 Application Beyond Education

03:03 Challenge to Improve and Reflect

03:32 Understanding Influence vs. Control

04:17 Intentionality in Influence

04:41 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

#leadershipdevelopment

#intentionalleadership

#productivejoy

#workplaceculture

#personalgrowth

#professionaldevelopment

#leadershipmindset

#humancenteredleadership

#meaningfulwork

#sustainableperformance

A Deeper Dive:

This week, we welcomed two exceptional leaders, Dr. Ben Johnson and Bobby Dodd, who together authored the influential book, "Intentional Influence." Their work revolves around building meaningful connections and relationships to lead effectively. A core message is the importance of connecting people to foster teamwork and enhance job satisfaction. Did you know that people are 90% more likely to stay in their jobs if they like their boss and have a friend at work?

We are often at risk of losing valuable team members because we fail to connect them with one another. Consider your workspace: are your team members truly connected? Can they rely on one another? Dr. Johnson and Bobby Dodd propose a framework of intentional influence to build a thriving work culture. They categorize individuals as squares, triangles, and circles—each shape representing a different influence level within an organization.

Intentional influence is about leveraging connections to drive culture change. The systems these leaders have developed are noteworthy for their repeatability and wide applicability, far beyond the education sector. Applying these principles across various organizations can significantly impact how we lead.

This episode challenges us to reassess how we connect with others and influence our circumstances. Our ability to control is limited, yet our influence can stretch far and wide. It’s crucial to focus on this sphere of influence—how we feel, react, and the impact our decisions have on us.

Intentionality is transformative, turning thoughts into actions and eventually, results. It's about making decisions by design rather than by default.

As we navigate through the episodes of Productive Joy, remember the ultimate goal: to instill more joy in your space. Whether it's adjusting to our new schedule of episodes or deciding to be more intentional with your influence, the takeaways are up to you. Act now, make those thoughts actionable, and turn fun into productive outcomes.

Be sure to tune in for insightful conversations every Tuesday and enriching recaps every Friday. Remember, productive joy is an ongoing journey—embrace it! Let's continue to explore ways to create a more connected and joyful work environment by being intentional leaders.

Whether you're part of a big organization or a small team, let's commit to embracing our influence and connections with others. Together, let's transform our workspaces into hubs of innovation and happiness.