I remember going on an important job interview decades ago. The person interviewing me asked, “In this company, we like to hire strategic thinkers. How much time per week do you spend on strategic thinking?” I had been on a number of different job interviews by that point in my life. However, this question stunned me. I wasn’t sure exactly what the interviewer was asking. As a result, I wasn’t sure how to answer either.

By the way, I did get a nice job offer from that company. So, I must have answered the question fairly effectively. However, after managing my own company for over 20 years, I now better understand what the interviewer was getting at. Strategic thinking skills are one of the most sought-after skills in the business world.

But what exactly are strategic thinking skills? With how sought after these skills are and how impactful they can be on a business, knowing what they actually are is a pretty important first step to mastering them. In today's episode, find out exactly what they are, why they're desired, and how you can start improving yours.

Show Notes: Strategic Thinking: Make Strategic Thinking Part of Your Team Culture

(https://www.leadersinstitute.com/strategic-thinking-make-strategic-thinking-part-of-your-team-culture/)

Who said that experience is the best teacher? Well, just about everyone who has ever taken a class on a subject and who later struggled to apply the content. In fact, one of the reasons why we attract so many people to our leadership classes is that we understand that people learn by doing.

When a teacher or coach gives us instructions, their words are just theoretical knowledge. However, when we put those words into practice and experience success, the words become very practical. So, this statement is absolutely true that when you consider how the repetition of new experiences builds confidence in a skill.

But there are certain things that experience can't teach you, and a couple pitfalls relying on experience can send you down. Stick around and find out why experience isn't always the best teacher and how you can make it all it's hyped up to be!

Show Notes: Experience is the Best Teacher, But Only If You Do These 3 Things

(https://www.leadersinstitute.com/experience-is-the-best-teacher-really-maybe-not/)

Looking for a way to get a group to solve challenging problems without coming to blows? In this session, I’m going to cover a few effective group problem solving techniques. 

One of the more challenging leadership skills is getting a group to work together on a common problem. However, a group of individuals can be more creative and productive than any one person alone.

Whether it's competing egos butting heads or complete lack of communication, stick around and learn how to deal with them!

Show Notes: The 5-Step Group Problem-Solving Process

(https://www.leadersinstitute.com/group-problem-solving/)

Want to create more a more effective team meeting for your group? Well first, let’s assess where your team meetings are right now.

How would you describe meetings you have attended in the past? Better yet… How would your team describe your team meetings? Over the past 20 years, I have asked that question to over 1,200 audiences. 

In this episode I'm going to tell you exactly what I've learned from those 20 years of improving people's meetings!

Show Notes: How to Run Effective Team Meetings

(https://www.leadersinstitute.com/articles/developing-efficient-meetings/)

 This week, we will focus on Management Skills. Managers have a slightly different skill set than leaders. Once the path is already created, the manager makes the movement along that path more efficient and effective. So the leader creates the plan. Then, the manager implements the plan in the most efficient way possible. 

If you're a leader looking to get into management or just a manager looking to improve yourself, these 5 skills are absolutely necessary to your success. 

Show Notes: 5 Important Management Skills to Make Your Workplace More Efficient

(https://www.leadersinstitute.com/5-important-management-skills-to-make-your-workplace-more-efficient/)

Want a few tips about how to build team spirit when you hear words like “slow down,” recession, and uncertainty? You are not alone.

In this episode, we go over several ways to keep heads up when times look low!

Show Notes: Team Motivation: How to Motivate Your Team Members in Uncertain Times

(https://www.leadersinstitute.com/team-motivation-teams-learn-faster-when-theyre-having-fun/)

Being a great manager does not mean you are a great leader. There is crossover and making yourself better at either will benefit both, but being able to lead a team and manage an operation is totally different. If you are a manager looking to grow your leadership abilities, this episode will tell you exactly what to focus on first!

Show Notes: The Five C’s of Management

(https://www.leadersinstitute.com/five-cs-management/)

For the last few weeks, I've been going through my list of the 25 absolute best Business Books of all time. And today, I finish up the list with a few of my favorite marketing books. Then, finally, I give you the best leadership book of all time. So, if you remember back to the first episode in this series, I told you that How to Win Friends was the book to start with. It is so entertaining and so much fun that if you just read the first chapter, you'll be hooked.

Today, we'll finish with the best book ever written about leadership. So, those two books make good... well... bookends to the series.

In the remaining time on the episode, I'll give you a few books that people told me were fantastic, but as I read them, I realized they were absolute crap. You may have a few of these on your bookshelf. If you do, don't waste your time. They may be entertaining, but if you follow their advice, you'll likely make a lot of costly business mistakes.

Show Notes: The Top 25 Best Books for Leadership of All Time

(https://www.leadersinstitute.com/best-books-for-leadership-training-top-25-leadership-books-of-all-time/)

A couple of weeks ago, I explained how experience is NOT the best teacher. Someone else's experience is really the best teacher. When you can learn form someone else who has already done what you want to do, you shorten your learning curve. You can get to their success level much faster.

That means that you can go even further.

The first week, I gave you my best leadership books. Last week, we focused on how to create a business mindset -- great business leaders thing differently than most of us. We also covered a few management and organization books as well.

This week, I'll give you my favorite books on communication  -- both one-on-one and public speaking. And I'll also give you my favorite books on selling. Even if you are not a salesperson, if you want to be a leader, sooner or later you'll need to get people to follow you. So, whether your selling a product or an idea, these books can help.

Show Notes: The Top 25 Best Books for Leadership of All Time

(https://www.leadersinstitute.com/best-books-for-leadership-training-top-25-leadership-books-of-all-time/)

A couple of weeks ago, I explained how experience is NOT the best teacher. Someone else's experience is really the best teacher. When you can learn form someone else who has already done what you want to do, you shorten your learning curve. You can get to their success level much faster.

That means that you can go even further.

The first week, I gave you my best leadership books. Last week, we focused on how to create a business mindset -- great business leaders thing differently than most of us. We also covered a few management and organization books as well.

This week, I'll give you my favorite books on communication  -- both one-on-one and public speaking. And I'll also give you my favorite books on selling. Even if you are not a salesperson, if you want to be a leader, sooner or later you'll need to get people to follow you. So, whether your selling a product or an idea, these books can help.

Show Notes: The Top 25 Best Books for Leadership of All Time

(https://www.leadersinstitute.com/best-books-for-leadership-training-top-25-leadership-books-of-all-time/)