As a leader, you have the responsibility to identify what the work is and why it matters. Clear process frameworks go a long way in establishing accountability for team members and keeping leaders out of micromanagement.  Responsibility as the first pillar of accountability was the topic of last week's podcast. Click here to listen if you missed it. 

But accountability is a two-way street. The second pillar of accountability is ownership. Team members must own change, roles, responsibilities and tasks within process frameworks. Team members play a vital role for identifying how the work is accomplished while the framework clarified what needs to be done and why it matters. 

Join me on the podcast to understand how ownership strengthens motivation and autonomy among team members.  

Show Notes available at:

https://drmelissasmith.com/ownershippillar/

Accountability is one of the least fun, yet most important things that leaders and teams need to collaborate on. A team without strong communication and accountability will struggle to work through difficulties together.

But what makes up accountability?

There are two very important pillars of accountability. First, the responsibility of the leader to structure the accountability process. Second, is ownership on the part of team members for the change, process, or task.

Both of these pillars are incredibly important. This week I'll be focusing on pillar number one, your responsibility as a leader. Next week I'll focus on pillar two. I hope you'll join me as I help you see the responsibility you have as a leader to create a system and culture of accountability, and as I teach you how to improve that system.

Show notes available at: 

https://drmelissasmith.com/responsibilitypillar/

It’s summer! It’s time to wind down, go on some vacations, and enjoy the beautiful weather. If you’ve listened to the podcast at all, you’ll know that one of my favorite ways to wind down is by reading a good book. 

For this month’s book review, I’m doing things a little different. Because it’s summer, I’m going to take a break from reviewing a business book and instead I have some great summer reads to get you out of the office and into relaxation mode. 

In this week’s episode I have ten excellent books from different genres, all designed to help you lean into summer relaxation. These are books that I have personally read and can highly recommend. They cover a wide range of topics from nonfiction to mystery to spirituality., and are perfect for getting you out of your head and into a great story. Whatever your interests, I’m guessing there’s something on this list for you. 

To go with the podcast, I’ve created a free downloadable resource, Top 10 Summer Reads, that will summarize each of the books discussed in this episode. This is the perfect guide to take with you to the library or bookstore. 

Show notes available at:

https://drmelissasmith.com/2021summerreads/

Most of us agree that trust is vital for the success of any team. On the last episode of the podcast I broke down two of the biggest issues that so many struggle with when it comes to trust. These issues are all or nothing trust, and believing trust is won in big moments and grand gestures. Hopefully after last week's episode you can see how these trust issues get in the way of us being able to build and maintain trust, (P.S. click here if you haven't listened to the episode yet). This week on the podcast I’m going to provide you with specific, actionable ways to cultivate trust at work. And the good news is that these skills are just as effective at home. 

Trust isn't easy, it certainly takes a lot of work, but it's more than just work, it takes an understanding of what trust is made up of. This week I’ll be introducing you to an excellent tool, the BRAVING Trust Inventory, which includes seven keys to building trust over time. These keys aren’t difficult to understand, but they require three things. First, attention or an understanding of the trust-building keys and why they matter. Second, intention to utilize the keys to strengthen the team and outcomes. And third, consistent action and communication using the keys. 

These principles are parts of Brené Brown's Dare to Lead research. This groundbreaking research is what I will be basing this episode of the podcast on. I hope you'll join me as I help you to apply these principles of trust in your love and work.

Show notes and other resources available at:

https://drmelissasmith.com/bravingtrust/

It’s safe to say that trust is one of the most important things. You know intuitively that trust is vital in your relationships, whether at home or work. Despite the near universal agreement that trust is important, you and I so often struggle to build trust at work. Why is that?

Like most things in life, our issues with trust most often come from misunderstandings. Misunderstandings about what trust is, the role it has in our relationships, and how to build it. 

On this episode of the podcast I’m going to dive into two specific mistakes that come up with trust. I’ll help you recognize how these problems may be showing up in your life and discuss why these issues can undermine trust-building. Stay tuned because next week I will be giving you super specific solutions for building trust with your team.

Show notes available at:

https://drmelissasmith.com/trustmistakes/

It’s safe to say that trust is one of the most important things. You know intuitively that trust is vital in your relationships, whether at home or work. Despite the near universal agreement that trust is important, you and I so often struggle to build trust at work. Why is that?

Like most things in life, our issues with trust most often come from misunderstandings. Misunderstandings about what trust is, the role it has in our relationships, and how to build it. 

On this episode of the podcast I’m going to dive into two specific mistakes that come up with trust. I’ll help you recognize how these problems may be showing up in your life and discuss why these issues can undermine trust-building. Stay tuned because next week I will be giving you super specific solutions for building trust with your team.

Show notes available at:

https://drmelissasmith.com/trustmistakes/

It’s time my friend. You’ve assessed where you’re at with your business, looked at your market, and you are ready to scale your business. So now what? 

Deciding to grow in the face of uncertainty is a big decision, and if you’re anything like me, this decision can be long and painful. There are so many unknowns, there are so many risks. But, once you’ve made the decision, it’s time to take action. Where do you start? What do you need to do first? Who do you need to help power growth? 

These questions and more are not yours alone. Because of that, this episode of the podcast is going to help you map out the process of growth. I’ve got a simple, streamlined process to help you assess the next steps in your growth process. 

I hope you’ll join me for this podcast as I help you find solutions that are effective and efficient. But more than that, I hope after this podcast you will feel more confident that you can take the next step to scale growth.

Show notes available at:

www.drmelissasmith.com/scalingmap

It’s time my friend. You’ve assessed where you’re at with your business, looked at your market, and you are ready to scale your business. So now what? 

Deciding to grow in the face of uncertainty is a big decision, and if you’re anything like me, this decision can be long and painful. There are so many unknowns, there are so many risks. But, once you’ve made the decision, it’s time to take action. Where do you start? What do you need to do first? Who do you need to help power growth? 

These questions and more are not yours alone. Because of that, this episode of the podcast is going to help you map out the process of growth. I’ve got a simple, streamlined process to help you assess the next steps in your growth process. 

I hope you’ll join me for this podcast as I help you find solutions that are effective and efficient. But more than that, I hope after this podcast you will feel more confident that you can take the next step to scale growth.

Show notes available at:

www.drmelissasmith.com/scalingmap

Leading a team or business can be so challenging. There are so many details to figure out, factors to consider, and as soon as you find something that works, the landscape changes. Learning the fine line between managing but not micromanaging, of being creative without driving clients and customers away, and thousands of other issues that make up a day in the life of a leader, it’s a lot!

But what if there was a way to make it simpler? What if someone could break down the most important lessons in business down to some simple, bite-sized pages in a book? Well that's what Donald Miller does in his great book, Business Made Simple: 60 Days to Master Leadership, Sales, Marketing, Execution, Management, Personal Productivity, and More. 

Today’s podcast reviews Business Made Simple. This book is all about practical skills and key characteristics to help you lead more effectively. I’ll discuss the some of Miller’s keys to being a Value-Driven Professional, including:

• Communication

...And a whole lot more. I’ll also be sharing with you why some have said that this simple little book is more valuable than a business degree. I hope you'll join me for this fantastic book!

Check out the show notes at:

https://drmelissasmith.com/businessmadesimple/

Leading a team or business can be so challenging. There are so many details to figure out, factors to consider, and as soon as you find something that works, the landscape changes. Learning the fine line between managing but not micromanaging, of being creative without driving clients and customers away, and thousands of other issues that make up a day in the life of a leader, it’s a lot!

But what if there was a way to make it simpler? What if someone could break down the most important lessons in business down to some simple, bite-sized pages in a book? Well that's what Donald Miller does in his great book, Business Made Simple: 60 Days to Master Leadership, Sales, Marketing, Execution, Management, Personal Productivity, and More. 

Today’s podcast reviews Business Made Simple. This book is all about practical skills and key characteristics to help you lead more effectively. I’ll discuss the some of Miller’s keys to being a Value-Driven Professional, including:

• Communication

...And a whole lot more. I’ll also be sharing with you why some have said that this simple little book is more valuable than a business degree. I hope you'll join me for this fantastic book!

Check out the show notes at:

https://drmelissasmith.com/businessmadesimple/