In this episode Nathan Anderson, Executive Vice President of Mountain America Credit Union, explains how to show employees what good customer service looks like while constantly reminding leadership groups and employees of the bigger picture. Nathan reminds listeners to look for examples in all industries even those outside of our expertise.

Show Notes:

• How his marketing and sales experience at Black and Decker and Newell Rubbermaid converted to a financial institution [01:27]
• The triple A philosophy: Assess, Advise, Assist moves employees from order takers to proactive educators [03:38]
• Tools to identify the needs of the consumer and the why or your work [06:00]
• Get out of the office and see for yourself what is actually happening [08:24]
• Hire the right people, demonstrate and explain all expectations, provide frequent reminders [11:38]
• Modeled after the Ritz Carlton, daily huddles provide big picture reminders [15:28]

Reed Laws, CEO/President of Your Employment Solutions, talks about how being a leader and building leaders requires good listening skills. Laws says that, along with encouraging collaboration on a team, is necessary in order to build a successful company, build meaningful relationships, and ultimately, have a positive impact in the world.

Show Notes:

• Letting others lead; trusting and collaborating with your team [01:24]
• Isolation in leadership [04:31]
• Get out of your own way [06:06]
• Getting to know others on a human level: an efficient, beneficial practice [08:19]
• Learning from Ted Broman [10:27]
• Advice from Reed Laws: Be yourself and be proud of your accomplishments [11:47]
• Listening: the key to successful communication [14:13]
• What's the purpose? Give back. [18:04]

References:

• CorporateAlliance.net
• Your Employment Solutions & Amigos of Honduras: http://youremploymentsolutions.com/blog/amigos-honduras/

In this episode Reed Laws tells stories from his time as a young leader at Your Employment Solutions, and the lessons he learned about patience and allowing others to take the lead. And how to make important changes with staff and clients that will allow company evolution and growth.

Show Notes:

• How a patient mentor allowed Laws to learn from his mistakes [03:57]
• What mistakes in not following protocols and trusting in the systems resulted in near bankruptcy [06:34]
• Through patient correcting, a mentor helped Laws move forward demonstrate a new way of leading [09:53]
• The need to find the humility to accept that you don't have to be, and wont be the best at everything, not even close to the best [11:37]
• Know your place in the orchestra and in your seat or at the front leading. Don't attempt to do both [15:31]
• A good employee in the wrong position limits potential growth but there are ways to handle that [16:58]
• Treat people fairly and do the right things and you will be paid back; just not necessarily with money [21:30]

Jeff Rust, Co-Founder of Corporate Alliance, talks about the importance of humanizing, genuine events that allow attendees to create and maintain authentic connections and reconnections. Rust discusses the three components of a successful event and lessons learned from Corporate Alliance's 3,500 events.

Show Notes:

• The magic of a valuable, humanizing event [01:53]
• Corporate Alliance has done 3,500 events, and successfully taken people from strangers to friends without a big-name speaker [05:10]
• The structure behind Corporate Alliance and the intentional repetition that lends itself to genuine friendships [06:20]
• Incorporating service to diminish self-interest, but strengthen relationships [09:03]
• From friends to customers [10:51]
• Don't be a slimy sales representative to your friends [13:40]
• Focusing on the people, experience, and content in creating a successful event [14:48]
• Create an opportunity for people to meet each other, feel accepted, and take turns allowing everyone to become vulnerable [16:20]

References:

• CorporateAlliance.net

In this episode Jeff Rust explains the value of investing in relationships and how handwritten thank you cards can play a role in building and strengthening relationships in business and personal life as we strive for greater authenticity. Show Notes:

• Moving from selling a product through a transaction to building enduring relationships [03:00]
• Through vulnerability relationships are forged [03:00]
• Celebrate others victories, and share struggles. The struggles are relatable and provide a place to serve one another [06:35]
• Seek to learn others needs and wants so you can work to better serve them [09:33]
• Practice authenticity by writing simple sincere thank you notes [09:33]
• The tale of 5 boys seeking shortcuts that leads to more work [12:10]
• The excuses for not writing thank you cards and how those show our true priorities [14:13]
• Ideas to schedule relationship building time and ideas on how to use that time [18:48]
• Relationship building isn't new, but doing it in the current technology culture of today is [21:49]
• Advice to self: it's worth getting up, and will pay off [26:37]

Jeff Lyman, Chief Product Officer at Vivint Smart Home, talks about the importance of prioritizing the big picture in business and discusses brand and marketing lessons he learned while working at Nike that have helped shape his work and the future at Vivint.

Show Notes:

• Recognizing and acknowledging career-limiting "tumors" [02:08]
• Being too busy to be effective [04:14]
• Without WiFi: Disciplined, focusing thinking & productivity mid-flight [06:54]
• The anxiety of disconnecting in a digital world [07:38]
• The advantages of avoiding your to-do list snooze button [09:41]
• Less talk, more rock: focusing on the bigger problems & limiting less important distractions [11:21]
• Being a Steward of the Brand, Brand Management [13:50]
• Creating the business culture, dedication you want to the brand begins with hiring [18:10]
• At Vivint, home is the epicenter of human life [19:15]
• Getting to people's soul in the interview process [22:37]
• Selecting people, employees with owner-thinking versus renter-thinking [25:26]
• Advice Jeff Lyman would give himself if he could go back 15 years? Everyone has a fastball. [26:25]

References:

• Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
• Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
• The Light Phone

In this episode Jeff Lyman revisits his experience working with LeBron James and the success and lessons from a decade at Nike. Lyman shares how to work with and overcome weaknesses instead of ignoring their existence.

Show Notes:

• Creating peace of mind and saved time for homeowners with greater connectivity [00:10]
• How putting LeBron James literally on a throne taught Lyman to listen to the consumer [05:54]
• After years of LeBron James acting as a silent figure, creating a new ad series using LeBron's skills and attributes that connected with consumers [07:43]
• How insight and DIG sessions can resolve challenges across the board [14:04]
• Do not predict the needs of consumers, ask them and be open to learn [16:15]
• Encourage team members to play devil's advocate in search of alternative ideas [20:!4]
• Do not pretend you don't have tumors, instead embrace them and get over them [22:12]

Troy Gregory, President at Hunt Electric, talks about how his path from trade electrician to president was paved thanks to mentorship and a genuine dedication to the company's mission statement. Gregory shares his advice for others looking to grow a $100 million / year company with the best people and the best customers.

Show Notes:

• Putting plans in place for company success years in advance [01:29]
• Company Founder, Richard Hunt's roadmap for the future, how his transition still allowed the company to grow [05:07]
• Proper mentorship [09:16]
• Lessons learned through the ranks: Customer First [12:52]
• "Knowing what the needs are for these clients and understanding the value of removing the headaches from 'em, and giving solutions to their issues, and being able to manage their budgets and their schedules and how important those different things are to them -- it puts you in a position to be able to support those sales teams and making sure that they're guided in the right direction." [13:58]
• Long-term Customer Relationships [16:53]
• Creating a Customer-Centric Culture [18:26]
• Why Hunt Electric is committed to performance [21:59]
• Getting and retaining the best people is about growth and opportunity [24:42]

References:

• HuntElectric.com

In this episode Troy Gregory shares his experience in running a company with diverse divisions while completing 360 projects in one year with 73% growth. Gregory advises all to be more patient and take time to learn from experience and the experience of others.

Show Notes:

• Despite a variety of projects and divisions communication can be used to maintain aligned vision and focus on the customer [00:52]
• Creating accountability chains can prevent fractures and breakdowns [03:33]
• Check your ego and roll up your sleeves [05:10]
• Focus on the customer helps eliminate egos and strength unity in the common goal [07:14]
• The power of recognizing the good work and strengths of employees despite the effort [10:56]
• Seeking continual self development and challenges to grow, learn and think outside the box [16:05]
• Final words of advice: be patient, take opportunities to learn, and let things grow without becoming complacent [29:05]

References:

• Carnegie, Dale, 1888-1955. How To Win Friends and Influence People. New York :Simon & Schuster, 2009. Print.

Eric Child, CEO of Spark Innovation, talks about efforts to build a community of consumer product professionals in Utah. Child discusses the need for innovation in modern business, as it applies to entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, alike.

Show Notes:

A brief discussion on latest venture, Product PowerUp [00:47]

Why innovation is so important in business, from inventors to the corporate world [03:35]

Entrepreneurship vs. Intrapreneurship [10:33]

Things take about 10 times more effort, time, & money than you think [13:13]

Giving new, young employees the freedom and responsibility to operate [18:37]

Overseeing responsibilities with "training wheels" [25:45]

Gaining clarity through C4 relationships [27:02]

References:

• SparkInnovation.net
• FiberFix
• Product PowerUp
• Kickstarter
• The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen
• Creating the First Usable Mouse – ideo.com
• Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley and David Kelley
• The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone