Greatness Podcast

In Australia a construction worker commits suicide every two days. In the US, the suicide rate in construction is four times higher than the general population. That's a problem. Teresa Magnus has decided to do something about it, and joined the Greatness Podcast to share information on the wellbeing book and journal she's co-authored with Katheryn Ely that are being piloted with trade workers on two significant construction projects. 

Are you an "asking" leader or a "telling" leader? Edgar and Peter Schein, two of the greatest global thinkers on leadership, recently joined the Greatness podcast to discuss their book, Humble Inquiry, a longtime favorite of mine. The ability of a leader to ask genuine questions, to be authentically curious, is a tremendous skill, especially in cultures where "telling" has become overvalued. The complexity of today's business environment demands that we leverage the knowledge of those around us to develop clarity. This book is a must read and I hope you enjoy this wonderful podcast. Great leaders ask great questions.

The Leader You Want to Be - I love this book and was so grateful that author Amy Jen Su joined the Greatness podcast to share her amazing insights on leadership. In the book, Amy discusses "Leader A" and "Leader B", a realistic discussion of the good and bad days we all have as leaders. When consulting with leaders, I have them describe the "great" leader they aspire to be, and articulate their intentional plan to  grow and develop in a way that allows them to consistently show up as their best selves. As Amy says, it is not about being "superhuman". It's about being present and "maintaining access to our best selves".

Why is it important to talk about privilege at work? That was the topic of the HBR article that prompted me to reach out to Lee Jourdan, retired Chevron executive who was most recently head of Diversity and Inclusion, to discuss the topic on the Greatness podcast. Lee shares his personal journey - as a black man growing up in a white community, as a West Point graduate, and as an energy executive - and how these experiences shaped his thinking on privilege. I especially appreciate Lee's story regarding the privilege men share in male-dominated industries. I think these are critical conversations to have and Lee shares some really great tips for how to start.

Erika Anderson, Culture of Care Manager for AGC Colorado, joined the Greatness podcast to help us understand the five daily themes of Construction Inclusion Week and how to lead conversations with your team throughout the week. The website is literally bursting with resources. 

Note:  Please be aware that this episode contains a brief discussion of a suicide incident.

The remarkable Karen Sherman, President of the Akilah Institute in Rwanda, joined the Greatness Podcast recently to discuss not only her fascinating book, Brick by Brick, but to share highlights from her work around the globe with survivors of war. Karen candidly discusses herself as a "work in progress", and shares the stories of the amazing women she has given voice and empowerment to throughout the world.

What does it mean to treat people in the construction industry with "decency"?

This was one important topic discussed with Alison Mirams, CEO of Roberts Co, during her visit to the Greatness Podcast. Alison is achieving tremendous success in driving innovation in the construction industry in a big way here in Australia, including her well-documented five-day work week experiment. She is growing her own female leaders in the industry, and Alison is a tremendous role model to us all. One great piece of advice from her about driving change - if you know in your heart what you're doing is right, keep doing it. 

Imposter syndrome - most of us experience at some point in our life, and as Greatness podcast guest Tucci Ivowi shares, a certain level of nervousness is good. It adds to our authenticity as leaders and contributes to our ability to show vulnerability. Tucci discusses many practical tips for dealing with imposter syndrome from her recent HBR article on the topic, and I loved connecting with her in Ghana. 

If you are a man wondering how to effectively advocate for women in your organization or industry, this is the podcast for you. Jeffery Tobias Halter, gender strategist and founder of YWomen, has dedicated the past decade to helping organizations create end-to-end strategies for advancing women. Jeffery also runs workshops for men to help them understand how to develop inclusion as a leadership competency. 

I recently posted an HBR article on kindness in the workplace - wow, what a response! One of the authors, Dr. Ovul Sezer, joined the Greatness podcast to expand upon her research on how kindness translates to business performance. Ovul is fascinating. She arrived from Istanbul at Harvard at 18 years old to study math, and also received her PhD from Harvard. Ovul is not only a professor but a stand-up-comic. Her research into how leaders can be mindful of the importance of kindness at work is spot on. Do your interactions at work build people up, or tear them down?