Eagles Insight Podcast

Bob Dixon interviews Kashima Garcia, a doctor of strategic leadership and an expert in organizational culture and human capital strategy. Kashima, an Air Force veteran, brings her unique perspective to the discussion on the differences between general leadership and strategic leadership, emphasizing the importance of intentionality and having the right people in the right positions. Bob and Kashima explore how leaders can create a thriving organizational culture by understanding the value of each team member and by fostering transparency, self-awareness, and accountability.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategic leadership involves being intentional about a specific task and ensuring that the strategy has the right people in place to execute it.
• Leaders must be self-aware and ask themselves if they are maximizing the value of their team.
• It's essential to communicate performance standards to employees.
• Organizations should value the potential of all employees.
• It’s essential to recognize talent regardless of demographics and challenge biases within the organization.
• Leaders in an organization must use their platform and position to help others and to clear a path for those who will follow.

Quotes from Kashima Garcia in this episode:

"Managers are not leaders. Managers are managers. But now when it comes to specific, well, actually, managers can be leaders, but it really depends."

"When it comes to assigning the right people to the right roles, it has to do with the aptitude, attitude, and natural skills, because then it won't feel like an excess or extra thing to do."

"The true image of a leader is how they handle adversity."

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Bob Dixon interviews Chris Kolenda, a U.S. Army veteran, strategic leadership consultant, and founder of the Strategic Leaders Academy. Chris shares his insights on how leaders can bridge the gap between their performance and potential by focusing on practical strategies drawn from ancient wisdom, history, and personal experience. This episode explores the critical components of high-performing organizations and offers actionable advice for leaders looking to improve their teams and themselves.

Key Takeaways:

• Supportive criticism focuses on noting the performance, its impact, and how to improve, emphasizing the leader’s support.
• Leaders need to ensure clarity of common goals, create buy-in where team members voluntarily advance those goals, and foster accountability to ensure consistent improvement.
• Feed forward focuses on future action, encouraging a forward-thinking approach to accountability.
• Specificity matters when giving feedback to reinforce specific behaviors.

Chris helps leaders and organizations close the gap between their performance and potential. His clients have grown by over $100m and counting. He also writes life-changing books and bicycle for great causes, like the 1700-mile Fallen Hero Honor Ride. 

Chris is a warrior-diplomat, combining assertiveness, statesmanship, and practical wisdom to help his clients gain dramatic wins. A West Point graduate, internationally renowned combat leader, and retired Army colonel, Chris led an 800-paratrooper task force in eastern Afghanistan, motivating a large insurgent group to stop fighting and switch sides. 

A trusted adviser to three 4-star generals and two Secretaries of Defense, Chris became the first American to have both fought the Taliban as a commander in combat and negotiated successfully with them in peace talks. 

His unique warrior-diplomacy has been featured in the New York Times bestselling books, including The Outpost by Jake Tapper. He’s been featured and interview in the world’s leading newspapers and broadcast channels.

His books include Leadership: The Warrior's Art, and INDIES #1 War & Military book of 2021 Zero-Sum Victory: What We’re Getting Wrong About War.

Quotes from Chris Kolenda this episode:

"Closing the gap between your performance and your potential...is by accumulating using all of the, you know, couple 1000 years of wisdom from ancient Greco Roman philosophy, history, practical experience and studies... in a way that becomes a practical scaffolding, if you will, a practical bridge to help people get from the performance that they currently have to the potential that they you know, that they have.".

"What you have to do accountability wise is focus on the middle because that's where most of your opportunity is and also we have an unlimited amount of tools to shape behavior because that's ultimately that's what accountability is all about shaping behavior that improves future performance.".

"If you want a high performing organization, people need to understand your... mission and vision, your goals, your values and standards. That's your common good. 2nd, they need to, they need to advance that common good voluntarily. So that's buy in. And 3rd is you want to, you want to continuously improve. And that's that's the accountability and you got to have all 3.".

Resources Mentioned:

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Bob Dixon interviews Wes Lehman, founder of CMOQ and Urban Buffalo Marketing. They discuss the critical elements of building a strong brand and effective marketing and sales strategies. Wes shares his unique perspective on how to distill a business down to its core principles, emphasizing the importance of understanding the founder's identity and values. He explains the difference between marketing and sales using a funnel analogy, where marketing is everything outside the funnel and sales are everything inside. Wes also highlights the significance of product-market fit and the need for businesses to adapt to market changes. The conversation touches on the balance between branding and lead generation, the importance of data-backed processes, and the necessity of having a unified approach to marketing and sales. This episode provides practical insights for business owners, CEOs, and executives looking to refine their approach to leadership and achieve peak performance.

Key Takeaways:

• A business is usually built around one to three people, and it's crucial to articulate who they are and what their values are to develop a brand that resonates.
• Going through the process of defining your brand and values acts as a "marketing mirror," reflecting the entire business.
• Marketing is everything outside the sales funnel, while sales is everything inside.
• It is crucial to ensure there is a genuine market for your product or service, and not just relying on a few initial supporters.
• Businesses need to be adaptable to changes in the market.
• Your values lead to your culture, and your branding and processes should reflect them.

Quotes from Wes Lehman this episode:

"I'm always trying to distill things down to what they are and their first principles, what they are in the most basic level.”

"In branding, 50 percent of the battle is creating something that's great that everyone can agree on, and the other 50 percent is creating something that you are proud to stand behind."

"If there's not a true desire for it, I can't, I can't create desire. Right."

Resources Mentioned:

• Website: https://cmoq.agency/ 
• Social Media: @WesLehman 

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Bob Dixon interviews Jim DeLapp, a retired Army Colonel with extensive leadership experience in both the military and civilian sectors. Jim shares his journey from leading platoons to heading a public works department, offering valuable lessons on adapting leadership styles, fostering team cohesion, and driving organizational success.

Key Takeaways:

• Military leadership principles are valuable, but adjustments are needed for civilian environments.
• Leaders should create a shared sense of mission, vision, and values.
• Leaders need to set challenging goals, provide the necessary resources, and drive their team to achieve them.
• There is a cost to mitigating risk, and good leaders balance risk versus reward.

Quotes from Jim DeLapp this episode:

"But at the end of the day, leadership is still involved in everything we do.”

"You've got to fine-tune your leadership style to the audience and to the group that you're working with. And I think that's a key at every job that I've had and will continue to have with all the clients I have going forward."

"Just do your job and do it really well, whatever that is.”

Resources Mentioned:

• Jim DeLapp: https://jadelapp.com/ 
• Email: [email protected].

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Bob Dixon sits down with David Haines, a retired Army officer and avid mountain biker. David shares his remarkable journey of resilience after being injured in Baghdad, his passion for coaching youth mountain biking, and his commitment to community well-being. Discover how David’s military leadership experience informs his work with young athletes, his insights on transitioning from military to civilian life, and the importance of finding purpose beyond the paycheck.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of resilience in the face of adversity. His ability to recover from injury and find solace in cycling emphasizes the power of mindset, support systems, and finding purpose. 
• Finding purpose-driven work and adapting communication styles are key aspects of successful transitions.
• The universal applicability of military leadership principles, including the importance of clear purpose, taking care of your team, holding people to standards, empowering subordinates, and making decisions at the appropriate level.

David Haines is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel with 30 years of service as both an enlisted Soldier and commissioned officer. Severely wounded in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2006, David completed his military career as the battalion commander for the Fort Knox Warrior Transition Battalion from 2010 to 2012, where he led efforts to provide care and support wounded, injured, and ill servicemembers and their families.

Following his retirement, David continued his work in leadership development, working for Veteran focused nonprofits, serving as a Department of the Army Civilian within the Leader Development Division at The US Army Human Resources Command (HRC); a Project Management Professional (PMP) certified consultant for HRC, Cadet Command, and V Corps with Booz Allen Hamilton; and a leadership development contractor with the United Arab Emirates Land Forces, where he helped design their NCO Career Progression system.

An avid life-long cyclist, his experience as a wounded warrior has enabled him to ride mountain bikes with former President Bush numerous times and be featured in the former President's book, Portraits of Courage.

Today, David channels his passion for leadership, coaching, and community service into his roles as president of a local nonprofit, Greenspace Inc., being a founding board member and coach developer for the Kentucky Interscholastic Cycling League, and head coach of the Hardin-Elizabethtown Stampede, Kentucky's 2024 state champion mountain bike team. He is also establishing Heartland Cycling Development, an organization dedicated to fostering outdoor activity, teamwork, and personal growth for youth and families through cycling.

Quotes from this episode:

“I think an important part of it is getting out there and really, you know, what I lost sense of is I think a connection with purpose. It’s easy to have purpose in the military, right? And, you know, I got out and I was focused on paycheck and getting a good job and, and really didn’t have the connection with purpose that I did in the military.”

“I think every person needs real connection, and, and I think it’s getting harder and harder as we get more technologically connected to do that. So you have to build this ability to put your phone down and get out and get in touch with people, get in touch with the outdoors and get active.”

Resources Mentioned:

• Email: [email protected] 

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Bob Dixon sits down with Charlie Black, a retired Marine Corps infantry and special operations officer, and current CEO of Xundis Global. They discuss the importance of investing in your people, fostering a culture of learning and unlearning, and the power of CRISP thinking in a VUCA world.

Key Takeaways:

• Continuous growth requires adapting to new information and letting go of outdated beliefs.
• Encourage open communication and intellectual critique to improve individual and organizational performance.
• Leaders shape the values, behaviors, and performance of their organizations through the culture they create.

Quotes from this episode:

"Helping another human, even though they might leave your company in the future, is not the end of the world. You're still going to get a return while they're there."

"I acquired some skills during those three years that I've benefited greatly from since then."

"The sky is not falling. There are ways to deal with this VUCA world and be successful."

Resources Mentioned:

• Website: https://www.thinkingcrisp.com/
• Email: [email protected]
• LinkedIn: Charlie Black
• Email: [email protected].

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Bob Dixon sits down with Troy Daland, a retired Air Force Special Operator and the owner of Air Zero Residential Heating and Air Conditioning Company. Troy and Bob discuss how Troy's military background informs his approach to leadership in the private sector. They examine the importance of values, culture, professionalism, and technology in running a successful business.

Key Takeaways:

• Building relationships and understanding what motivates your team is essential for success.
• A strong culture fosters a sense of pride and ownership among employees.
• Utilizing new technologies can enhance efficiency. Business is all about people. It doesn't matter if you're in the construction industry or what we're doing. Home services are all about people.
• You're a professional in this industry. It's important what you do for the community. Not a lot of people can do what you do, especially if you're good at it.
• I want to be an owner, know I can send any of our folks into my mom's house, and know that it's taken care of with professionalism, and customer trust.

Quotes from this episode:

"What you do every single moment matters because your team is always watching. And even when you're not in charge, you're in charge."

"The true excellence, the amazing things that happen in an organization, don't happen from production in the middle of your bell curve. It is those exceptionally gifted people inside your organization that give freely from those talents that create the genius inside of your organization."

"Your job, if you are only ever making decisions about the least worst option, you are doing your job as a leader. Because all the ones that have that have a clear or less gray answer are being done by your team."

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Bob Dixon sits down with Sean Berg, an executive coach and former Green Beret, to discuss the importance of leadership, mindset, and team building. Berg shares anecdotes from his three decades of military service, highlighting the importance of setting a strong example, holding people accountable, and building a culture of excellence. He also discusses the "cost of yes" model, which helps leaders evaluate the trade-offs and resources required to accomplish a task.

Key Takeaways:

• Leaders are always setting an example
• Holding people accountable is crucial for success.
• Leaders need to understand the "cost of yes."

Quotes from this episode:

"What you do every single moment matters because your team is always watching. And even when you're not in charge, you're in charge."

"The true excellence, the amazing things that happen in an organization, don't happen from production in the middle of your bell curve. It is those exceptionally gifted people inside your organization that give freely from those talents that create the genius inside of your organization."

"Your job, if you are only ever making decisions about the least worst option, you are doing your job as a leader. Exactly right, right? Because all the ones that have that have a clear or less gray answer are being done by your team."

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Bob Dixon drawing on his extensive military and business leadership experience, defines leadership blind spots, explains why they are detrimental, and offers strategies for identifying and mitigating them. He emphasizes that while everyone has areas where they lack knowledge or competence, true blind spots arise from choosing not to see, often due to ego, stress, overwork, or an over-reliance on reports and numbers.

Key Takeaways:

• Blind spots in leadership are not about what you can't see, but what you choose not to see.
• Leaders need candid feedback to identify and address their blind spots. 
• Staying connected with all levels of the organization is crucial.
• Building a culture of open and candid discussion is essential for minimizing blind spots. 

Quotes from this episode:

"So what are these blind spots and what does it really mean? Well, unlike your car's blind spots, leadership blind spots aren't really things that you can't see. It's things that you've actually chosen not to see. It's really about choices that you make."

"So how do we deal when our ego is keeping us from being something or seeing something that we should be seeing? Well, first we have to analyze our mistakes...Then we have to get candid feedback. Like, we have to surround ourselves with advisors and peers and coworkers, anybody who will give it to us straight. And then, most importantly, listen to them.”

"Surrounding yourself with candid, trusted advisors and then creating a culture where dissent is valued and encouraged. That's probably the most strategic thing you can do as a leader. Making sure that your blind spots are minimized is critical for your success and the success of your business."

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Bob Nixon sits down with Matt Williams, CEO of Duke City Inspections and a seasoned entrepreneur, to explore the crucial intersection of entrepreneurship and mental health. Matt shares his personal journey, including navigating divorce and a "dark night of the soul," which led him to realize the importance of mental well-being for business leaders. This episode emphasizes the challenges of leadership, the need for self-awareness, and the importance of finding congruence between one's work and personal identity.

Key Takeaways:

• Entrepreneurship and mental health are inextricably linked. Business owners face unique pressures and often struggle in silence.
• Self-awareness is paramount for effective leadership. Understanding personal strengths, weaknesses, and internal struggles is crucial for growth.
• Finding congruence between work and personal identity leads to greater fulfillment and success. When your work aligns with your values and passions, it becomes less of a burden and more of a calling.
• Creating a supportive community is essential for combating the isolation often experienced by leaders. Peer groups offer a safe space to share challenges and receive guidance from others who understand the unique demands of leadership.

Quotes from Matt Williams:

"Once you win the battle in the mind, it starts to really manifest out everywhere else in life."

"If your calling, what you're working on is just incongruent with who you are as a person, you're working ten times harder to get, you know, 1 percent of the results."

"Life is fragile. That can be taken away. And if my business can be taken away, is that really my identity or is that just what I do?"

Connect with Matt Williams on Instagram @the.matthew.williams or on his cell: 505-301-5784

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