Labrador Leadership

Bob kicks off the Coolest Women in the RVA series with a special visit from Suzanne Rosenhammer. They talk leadership and career in the tech world of the RVA.

Matthew Shapiro of 6Wheels Consulting is a leader in the disability community. In this episode he and Bob talk abut his work lobbying from the state legislature to the streets on behalf os the disabled.

Bob talks about the place and importance of critical thinking in the leadership toolbox.

Bob talks about strategies we can take to improve eliminating biases in building and leading our teams.

Bob welcomes Megan Morris to the show! They discuss the concept of humble leadership and how it can trigger behaviors that will improve results for your team.

Bob talks about how leaders of a startup may have a different perspective on what leadership actions are most important.

Bob and Alex talk about a list of the top five companies that are know for leadership development.  GE, no surprise, is at the top of that list.  But there are also important points to consider if you are not in one of these larger corporations, not the least of which is whether or not there are leadership development activities going on there.  Bob contends that one of the most important activities is that of assessment, a data driven review of wheat one's strengths and weaknesses are.  Self awareness is at the top of the list, and that characteristic is at the core of emotional intelligence.

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Bob kicks of the second season of the podcast with a welcome and a tribute to the leadership of Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt who passed away this summer.

Summit was the winningest coach man or woman at the division one level. She took over the team in 1976 at the age of 22. She went on to win eight national titles, appear in 18 Final Fours, and 1,098 games.

More important numbers include the number of ladies that wore the orange as players she coached: 161. Of these, 48 became coaches of their own programs.

Summitt's Take on Leadership

Even though she had the "death ray stare" that intimidated some, she exhibited the traits of a transformational leader. She showed individual consideration for her players in spite of the tough love by realizing the unique value each had. She encouraged intellectual stimulation by asking her players to be innovative and try new things.

She was inspirational and charismatic as she encouraged the Lady Vols to be positive in their attitude and believe in themselves. She also preached commitment and dedication, preparing for what comes next, and goal setting.

It's all about perception -- and if teammates find you the least bit inconsistent, moody, unpredictable, indecisive or emotionally unreliable, then they balk and the whole team is destabilized.

Most young people are all the things I just listed, and [she] was no different. If there is a single ingredient in leadership, it's emotional maturity.

Over the next two seasons, I intentionally did everything I could to break [her] down. Why? Because until she completely surrendered herself and her ego, she wasn't going to become the reliable leader we needed. A willingness to do whatever it is that needs to be done regardless of self-interest is the hallmark of a mature leader.

Notes

Entrepreneur's Leadership Lessons from Pat Summitt

Washington Post's article on Summitt's single ingredient of leadership

Dr. Joyce Russell's column on Leadership Lesson's from Summitt

Pat Summitt's Book Sum It Up

The impact that stress can have on leaders, entrepreneurs, and their teams can be so great that it can let all the air out of the balloon.  A recent survey showed that 40% of all workers say that their job is very stressful, 26% say they are very burned out.  A quarter of people see their job as the number one stressor in their lives.  Has life gotten more stressful?  What can this mean for you in all the critical roles of your life?

Alex admits to having the most stressful job so far in her career, but she has found ways to manage it.

Stress is the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of job do not match the capabilities or the resources or the needs of the worker.

It can lead to poor health and injury.  People blame a lack of balance between work life and personal life.  Boundaries are important to achieving this, as we can't possibly keep monitoring all of our relationships while we are in one place or the other.

You need a support network at home and work. Friends and coworkers.  People who tend to be social could have a bigger support network.  Is this an advantage for extroverts?  Alex suggests that introverts could have deeper relationships.  In either event, they have to be people that are willing to help you.

And you need a relaxed and positive outlook.  Bob mentions this is also physically evident  by whether the corners of your mouth turn up or down.  Type A personalities tend to be more stressed. Bob's list of Type A statements suggest that many of us can be susceptible to this.  Maintaining the positive outlook can be tough for a Type A, as opposed to a Type B personality, or a Hearty Personality.

On the job, the stressors include, log hours, the workload, your bosses management style, your boss not communicating well with you, and a total lack of support.  Environmental conditions can also take a tool, including the ergonomics of the work place.