Leadership Jam Session

What are some attributes that successful leaders and teams share?

Jon Macaskill is a retired Navy SEAL commander who served in the military for almost 24 years. He joins me to discuss four attributes of successful leaders he has witnessed throughout his career. 

Today, Jon uses his experience and personal stories to help organizations overcome some of their day-to-day challenges. He is also the host of the 'Men Talking Mindfulness Podcast,' where he brings mindfulness and meditation practices to high-performing teams. 

Tune in to learn more about the challenges Jon had to overcome, his advice on team building, and how to recognize a confident leader.

- Why Jon decided to join the Navy (02:27)

- Why military leaders do so well in the corporate world (07:53)

- The challenges of managing in organizations (11:02)

- The traits of high-performing leaders and teams (14:08)

- How to recognize a genuinely confident leader (18:19)

- Dealing with toxic team members (24:02)

- A look into Jon's 'Men Talking Mindfulness' podcast (25:51)

How are the leaders at all levels of management tackling the toughest challenges each day? Learn more at: https://sartoleadershipgroup.com

Can you reduce the amount of time it takes to build trust with your employees?

This is a question that regularly comes up in my workshops. And in this new installment of our ‘Ask Rob’ series, that’s precisely what I’m discussing.

I share a few techniques I use to reduce the timeline of building trust with my employees. I also examine some of the reasons the journey of building trust can be elusive.

So, tune in to learn more about the art of building trust with your employees - the fast way!

Do you have a challenging scenario or some advice you want me to weigh in? 

Just go to https://sartoleadershipgroup.com/leadership-jam-session-podcast/. Click on ‘Ask Rob,’ and you’ll be able to send your request. You’ll hear back directly from me! 

- How to gain your employees’ trust quickly (00:00)

- The one question all employees have (03:11)

- How I approach building trust as a manager (05:04)

- What is the most significant challenge managers face? (09:39)

- The key to reducing the timeline of building trust (14:05)

How are the leaders at all levels of management tackling the toughest challenges each day? Learn more at: https://sartoleadershipgroup.com

As a manager, you'll often find yourself trying to hire for an open position. While this is a standard process, choosing the right applicant can sometimes get tricky.

How do you determine who the person sitting down in front of you truly is?

Moreover, how can you find out whether or not they have or lack self-awareness?

Today's episode will consist of a discussion during one of my workshops called the Coach's Jam Session. We break down the best practices when assessing whether or not somebody has self-awareness in an interview. 

We also discuss why interviewing is all about asking the right questions and picking the right cues. Finally, we'll share some tips on how to create a comfortable environment during interviews.

- How to approach professional interviewers (01:37)

- The importance of creating a comfortable environment (04:06)

- How to leverage your team's input during interviews (12:00)

- The two questions you should always ask (14:51)

How are the leaders at all levels of management tackling the toughest challenges each day? Learn more at: https://sartoleadershipgroup.com

What are the fundamentals of good leadership?

Today's guest is Captain Dave Forman, US Navy Submarine Captain and founder of Wolfpack Leadership.

Dave provides his clients with practical training and the application of proven leadership methods from US submarines.

He has over 20 years of experience at all leadership levels, from line manager to chief executive. Dave leverages his success and experience as a nuclear submarine Captain to accelerate his clients' leadership skills.

In this Leadership Jam Session Podcast episode, Dave shares his most significant leadership victories and challenges.

Tune in to learn why the fundamentals of good leadership apply to both the private and military sectors. We'll also discuss how to keep your team engaged, plus Dave's advice for new leaders.

- Episode intro (00:00)

- How Dave joined the Navy (01:02)

- Dave's biggest challenge as a submarine captain (05:04)

- The importance of employee engagement (08:27)

- Military vs. private sector (11:38)

- Dave's most notable leadership victory (13:41)

- Why mentorship is vital (21:21)

- Dave's advice for new leaders (25:58)

How are the leaders at all levels of management tackling the toughest challenges each day? Learn more at: https://sartoleadershipgroup.com

The matrix environment: When you have employees reporting to you and reporting to other managers on a dotted line.

Getting everyone on the same page with this type of team alignment can get a little confusing. 

Nevertheless, a matrix environment defined by sincerity, humility, and communication can yield impressive results.

So, what are the most significant challenges and benefits of managing employees in this environment?

In today's Leadership Jam Session Podcast episode, I welcome two of my former colleagues, Lisa Wynja and Lindsay Luke, to help us navigate this discussion. 

Each has vast experience dealing with these scenarios, so they'll be sharing their insights and experiences with managing in a matrix environment. 

We'll discuss the importance of building relationships and fostering healthy communication, plus our advice for new managers on successfully dealing with a dotted line relationship.

- Episode intro (00:00)

- Why managing in a matrix environment is so challenging (01:51)

- The importance of humility (03:10)

- Dealing with complex scenarios (06:26)

- How to build trust with other managers (11:25)

- Why successful relationships are based on communication (13:06)

- The advantages of dotted line reporting (16:49)

- Episode recap (18:28)

How are the leaders at all levels of management tackling the toughest challenges each day? Learn more at: https://sartoleadershipgroup.com

How do great leaders approach team management?

Today's guest is Scott Holmes, a good friend who used to work with me at a previous company.

Scott is a great leader and has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He is currently the vice president of the commercial business group at a startup biotech company.

In this week's episode of the Leadership Jam Session Podcast, Scott joins me to talk about his experiences as a leader, why trust is the key to team building, and the importance of giving back to your employees and the community.

We'll also talk about one of the most critical aspects of team management; the little things we do as managers that impact our employees personally.

- Episode intro (00:00)

- Scott's leadership style (01:25)

- The challenges of team-building in the healthcare industry (03:28)

- The problem with favoritism (05:14)

- How to support your employees (06:58)

- The best way to build trust (15:35)

- Why our experiences shape our beliefs (19:05)

- Scott's advice on managing teams (25:12)

How are the leaders at all levels of management tackling the toughest challenges each day? Learn more at: https://sartoleadershipgroup.com

Many of you reach out to me from time to time with a challenging management scenario, where you'd like to get guidance on how to approach that.

Today's episode will feature a new format that we rolled out called ‘Ask Rob’.

Today's question is from Doug, who is from Colorado:

"Hi, Rob. I was recently promoted into a management position about eight months ago,and I often hear you talk about transition and the need to understand that there's a difference between managing a process and becoming a leader. My question to you is, how do you know when you've made that transition? Or at least know that you are a good leader?"

In this episode of the Leadership Jam Session Podcast, I'll address Doug's challenging scenario. I'll talk about why true leaders are the ones that get validation from the teams they lead. I'll also share some of my life experiences that shaped my approach to leadership. 

If you're dealing with a challenging scenario, feel free to reach out to me through my website at https://sartoleadershipgroup.com/leadership-jam-session-podcast/. Click on 'Ask Rob,' and you'll be able to send your scenario to me. 

We care about your privacy, so everything will be held confidential.

- Episode intro (00:00)

- How to get featured in ‘Ask Rob’ (00:36)

- How do you know if you're a good leader? (01:25)

- Why only your people can give you that validation (03:00)

- The signs that you're on the right track (04:10)

- Leadership lessons from my life experiences (05:27)

- Episode recap (09:54)

How are the leaders at all levels of management tackling the toughest challenges each day? Learn more at: https://sartoleadershipgroup.com

Today's episode will focus on a prevalent yet challenging scenario that plagues all of us: How do you deal with an employee who lacks self-awareness? 

As leaders, we've all been there, and I'm confident you've seen this scenario time and time again. 

However, objectively assessing the situation can get tricky. Sometimes, it may even boil down to a difference in communication styles or personal values and not necessarily a lack of self-awareness.

But then, how do you know when you're genuinely dealing with somebody who lacks self-awareness? 

Fortunately, there are some strategies and specific techniques you can apply when dealing with a situation like this.

In this episode of the Leadership Jam Session Podcast, I'm joined by a group of seasoned leaders to discuss how to manage an employee with a low degree of self-awareness effectively. We'll talk about why it's essential to validate your perceptions with other managers and how to have a fruitful coaching discussion with your employee.

- Episode intro (00:00)

- How do you know when an employee isn't self-aware? (01:27)

- Why it can be challenging to have this discussion (02:50)

- Why perspective is crucial (07:41)

- How to have a successful coaching discussion (16:13)

- Why feedback is all about trust (18:56)

- How to increase your employee's engagement (21:39)

- Why timing is vital (27:57)

- Episode recap (31:57)

How are the leaders at all levels of management tackling the toughest challenges each day? Learn more at: https://sartoleadershipgroup.com

Earlier this week we released the first part of our tribute to the 20th anniversary of 9/11, where I shared a bit about my time as an officer in the Fire Department of my hometown, Kenilworth, New Jersey.

I talked about some of the leadership lessons I learned during those years and how I led a firefighters company into New York City on 9/11.

So, today's episode is the second part of our tribute to 9/11. I'm joined by two of the firefighters that were part of that team on 9/11: Bobby Walker, who was the Deputy Chief at the time, and Joe Padula, also a captain who's still active with the department. 

We'll talk about our memories from that day and some of the perspectives of what went on behind the scenes spending time with New York City Firefighters as we moved into the staging area in Staten Island, where we got our assignment. 

Key Takeaways 

- Episode intro (00:00)

- What happened after our team got called (01:25)

- How we joined the NYC Fire Department in Staten Island (04:50)

- Why communication was a significant problem (12:04)

- What happens behind the walls of a firehouse (16:94)

- How we spent the night at the firehouse (21:16)

- Remembering the firefighters we lost that day (27:20)

- Why we’ll never forget (31:20)

How are the leaders at all levels of management tackling the toughest challenges each day? Learn more at: https://sartoleadershipgroup.com

As the Leadership Jam Session Podcast is approaching its 50th episode, I want to thank all of my listeners for investing your time to tune in and listen to my podcast. 

In this episode I share a little bit about my time as an officer in the Fire Department of my hometown, Kenilworth, New Jersey, and some of the valuable lessons on leadership I got to learn during those years.

The fantastic people working in this department were all volunteers, from the firefighters up to the chief. It was a very humbling experience to be there, and the experience deeply impacted me and shaped my entire approach to leadership.

So, this episode of the Leadership Jam Session Podcast, along with the next episode, are dedicated to the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and I hope it also serves as a reminder that we should never forget what happened that day, especially for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. 

- Episode intro (00:00)

- Why working at the fire department was a humbling experience for me (03:12)

- The three basic principles my leadership approach is based on (06:21)

- Why feedback has to go both ways (08:12)

- My experiences on 9/11 (09:45)

- How my team got called to help (17:21)

- Leadership lessons from that day (22:50)

How are the leaders at all levels of management tackling the toughest challenges each day? Learn more at: https://sartoleadershipgroup.com

Check you my YouTube Channel for a video of our interview