This episode of Start With A Win features David Burkus, a keynote speaker, organizational psychologist, and one of the world’s leading business thinkers. And his forward-thinking ideas and bestselling books are changing how companies approach innovation, collaboration, and productivity. His most recent work, Leading From Anywhere: The Essential Guide to Managing Remote Teams, has helped leaders learn how to best adapt to the new world of remote work.

Adam and David begin the conversation by reflecting on the events of the last 18 months when COVID-19 sent nearly 50 percent of the American workforce to work from home. David talks about studying organizations that employed alternative workplace practices prior to the pandemic and how he predicts that those practices may now become less of an anomaly and more of the norm. And with that shift, leaders have to start learning now how best to manage remote teams and become intentional about fostering connection, productivity and good communication.

David believes that the extremes of making policy decisions around remote work for the organization as a whole—or having no structure around it at all—could both be disastrous for all involved. Instead, organizations should provide guidance but let decisions be made for what that looks like on a team level.

Adam and David also discuss the importance of company culture and how that spans far beyond pizza parties and team outings. It spans from core values of the organization to guidelines for communications to how you maintain a sense of connection in a remote environment, which takes intentionality. If you’re not intentional about your culture, it falls apart. Organizations that are renowned for their culture have been very intentional about building culture.

They wrap up the conversation by discussing “The Great Resignation” and why so many companies have experienced larger than normal numbers of employees leaving their positions and how best to handle these transitions as leaders.

Episode Links:

https://davidburkus.com

https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Anywhere-Essential-Managing-Remote/dp/0358533279

https://twitter.com/davidburkus?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidburkus/

https://www.ted.com/speakers/david_burkus

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https://www.startwithawin.com/book

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The first step to winning is to make your latest excuse your last one! If you find an excuse, you will never find a way.

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In this episode of Start With A Win, General Martin E. Dempsey joins Adam for a conversation about how effective leadership begins with becoming a good follower. 

General Dempsey was the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and retired in 2015 after 41 years of military service. He now teaches leadership and public policy as a Rubenstein Fellow at Duke University and serves as Chairman of USA Basketball. General Dempsey was named one of TIME magazine's most influential people, is the author of the new book, No Time For Spectators: The Lessons That Mattered Most From West Point To The West Wing.

General Dempsey opens the conversation by talking about his perspective on how best to lead a diverse group of people. He points back to his time in the military when he learned the important responsibility of a leader to always foster a sense of belonging.

Adam asks General Dempsey about his reasons behind writing his newest book, No Time For Spectators. The General shares that in writing a book on leadership, he realized that some of those most important principles he learned about leadership actually originated from his years of being a “follower” in his career.

General Dempsey rounds out the conversation by talking about his current role as a professor at Duke University and his philosophies on teaching the practical application of public policy and giving students an insider’s perspective on the decision-making process of national leaders.

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

https://www.startwithawin.com/book

Episode Links:

Teddy Roosevelt’s speech, "The Man in the Arena”
 https://youtu.be/A311CnTjfos

Connect with General Dempsey:

https://www.generaldempsey.com

https://twitter.com/Martin_Dempsey?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/602694/general-martin-e-dempsey/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

This episode of Start With A Win features former Netflix Chief Talent Officer Patty McCord. During her 14 years with Netflix, Patty was the co-creator of the Netflix Culture Deck. Since it was first published online, the Culture Deck has been viewed more than 15 million times. She is the author of the best-selling book, Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility, published in 2018 and translated into 12 languages. Currently, Patty is a consultant and executive coach for CEOs and their teams to help in defining leadership and company culture. She also speaks to groups and teams around the world.

During their conversation, Adam and Patty dive into all of the change that has come about in the workplace since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Within 48 hours, leaders went from believing that remote work could never work for them to being fully remote companies. And it worked.

Patty believes the pandemic has also transformed the way leaders should view work, enabling them to pay closer attention to final results and the work that’s being done rather than solely on effort and productivity. It’s shown them that their employees can do the stuff that needs to get done without having to be watched, and it’s instilled a greater sense of accountability into their teams.

Adam and Patty also talk about the importance of note forgetting the lessons we’ve learned in this season. As the world begins to return to a sense of normalcy, Patty warns that we will lose it all unless we pay attention and ask ourselves the questions: What have we learned here, and what is working?

Episode Links:

https://pattymccord.com

https://twitter.com/pattymccord1

https://www.amazon.com/Powerful-Leaders-Culture-Freedom-Responsibility/dp/1939714095

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

https://www.startwithawin.com/book

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https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

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Leave us a voicemail:

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Adam answers the question many of us ask ourselves: Why do some people get everything done that they want to? It’s because people who are effective in what they do go into each situation with the mindset that they are going to find a way instead of finding an excuse. So, Adam’s challenge to you: Make the situation important to you, and find a way.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos 

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In this special episode of Start With A Win, there is a lot to celebrate! Adam and Producer Mark return to the brand new recording studio on the 12th floor of the RE/MAX World Headquarters in Denver, Colorado. And, with the new digs comes a fresh look and feel for the SWAW podcast along with a new website. Be sure to check it out!

Adam and Mark also chat about the long-anticipated release of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success. Adam shares that one of the biggest things he’s learned as a new author is the importance of carrying around a Sharpie at all times. You never know when you may need to sign an autograph, right?

They take a walk down memory lane as they review listener submissions about their favorite SWAW episodes. And last but certainly not least, Mark announces the winner of the free signed copy of Adam’s book. (See? We told you, Sharpies are important!)

Pre-order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298

Episode Links:

The Influence of Transparent Leadership with Gary Vaynerchuk

Audio: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-influence-of-transparent-leadership/id1438598347?i=1000488542270

Video: 

https://youtu.be/UwdPUNkwXoA

How To Set Yourself Up For Success in 2021 with Jon Cheplak

Audio: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-set-yourself-up-for-success-in-2021-with-jon-cheplak/id1438598347?i=1000504496469

Video:

https://youtu.be/uOl8xF3w634

Investing in Long-Term Success with Maggie Contos

Audio: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/investing-in-long-term-success-with-maggie-contos/id1438598347?i=1000513387984

Video: 

https://youtu.be/dlFO0-LV6FY

Interview With Geoff McLennan

Audio:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/interview-with-geoff-mclennan/id1438598347?i=1000431347098

Get Social Smart with Katie Lance

Audio:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-social-smart-with-katie-lance/id1438598347?i=1000501821442

Video:

https://youtu.be/D_ndYIGSJeo

Befriending the Inner Beast to Overcome Fear and Create Success

Audio:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/befriending-the-inner-beast-to-overcome-fear-and/id1438598347?i=1000535406692

Video:

https://youtu.be/kk60tfDf7Fo

Sharpies: https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-30001-Permanent-Markers-Point/dp/B00006IFHD/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=sharpies&qid=1634077688&sr=8-2&th=1

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam and SWAW producer Mark pick up the conversation about Adam's first book, Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success. Adam discusses the final chapters—chapters eight, nine, and ten. He discusses the role of the ego and how it has the potential to destroy humility. Adam elaborates the ego as the manifestation of insecurity, creating an emotional response triggered to protect vulnerabilities. Good leaders maintain emotional control by recognizing and acknowledging their egos and maintain transparency with themselves. Controlling your ego enables you to be vulnerable and accept others' mistakes, harnessing your abilities for positive attributes like confidence and decision-making. 

Adam discusses three keys to accountability and growth—mentors, coaches, and masterminds. Find a mentor who will challenge your thoughts and inspire you to take action with newfound perspectives. A mentor is someone willing to share time and wisdom in exchange for your attention and deliberate action to be the best version of yourself. A coach is someone who will unlock your potential and help you attain your goals and other pursuits. Ask yourself—are you coachable? What do you hope to accomplish with new insights? Mastermind groups provide peer accountability (challenging you and pushing you to be vulnerable) and establish the power of association—you are the average of the five people you accompany most. 

Adam emphasizes the importance of celebrating your wins, no matter how big or small. When leaders celebrate the wins of their team members, they instill hope, give appreciation, and provide recognition. Celebrating wins creates opportunities to surpass goals, build motivation, and exceed the maximum thought process in all endeavors. Uphold a transparent dynamic of analyzing, communicating, and celebrating wins to lead your team to maximize their potential and produce consistent results. 

Pre-order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298

Connect with Adam:

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Leave us a voicemail:

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How do you end your days daily? Instead of going home and turning on the TV first thing after working all day, begin writing what you’re grateful for on a piece of paper. This habit will take away your desire to watch TV and align you to be happy for the rest of the evening. When you are proactively grateful, you will gain more energy. You will also become motivated in the mornings as your first thoughts will focus on your gratitude. 

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/ 

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In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam introduces President and Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective, Kindra Hall. Steller Collective is a consulting firm “focused on the strategic application of storytelling to today’s communication challenges.” Kindra’s interest in storytelling sparked at a young age during a family vacation road trip after listening to a storytelling tape by the National Storytelling Festival. She reflects how this experience unified her family, despite different age gaps and interests. Since then, she transformed her passion for storytelling into a career. 

Kindra explains how storytelling is co-creative, differentiating it from other forms of communication. This co-creative process enables people to create their own versions of relatability, creating a shared experience with the interpersonal connection. She elaborates how this applies in business—people say yes to the story of the products or services rather than its features. Kindra’s book, Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business, provides insights into why storytelling is an effective business strategy, including a framework for creating compelling stories. 

Kindra addresses the #1 common mistake for storytelling in business—people try to convey big concepts, resulting in vague stories. This approach prevents opportunities to connect with others emotionally. Instead of persuasive language, Kindra suggests focusing on one moment. This moment should address a person’s hopes, struggles, or fears, producing a story that reveals a solution people can resonate with and understand. Paying attention to your audience is key. Consider what you want your audience to think, feel, know, or act after engaging with your story. Having clarity of the objective and understanding your audience will guide you into the story you should tell. 

Links:

Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business

https://www.storiesthatstick.com/

Connect with Kindra:

https://www.kindrahall.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kindrahall/

https://twitter.com/kindramhall

https://www.instagram.com/kindrahall/

https://www.stellercollective.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam and SWAW producer Mark pick up the conversation about Adam's first book, Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success. Adam covers takeaways from chapters five, six, and seven. He explains how success takes time and does not occur overnight. Adam elaborates the core differences between managers and leaders—managers tell people how to do things, leaders provide direction and inspiration. Good leaders work to make other people great leaders rather than devote entirely to self-improvement. 

Adam breaks down the concept of accountability—witnessing without judgment. Accountability is the first step of understanding but is often mistaken for the beginning of condemnation. Accountability enables people to evaluate processes and goals and adjust as needed. Adam addresses fear and overwhelm, revealing a leadership spin-off from the VUCA concept (traditionally an acronym signifying volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity)—vision, understanding, clarity, and action. This concept focuses on creating a plan to overcome overwhelm, accomplished with a concrete action plan. Otherwise, overwhelming feelings will spiral if not addressed and resolved. 

Leading is about creating teams with a shared vision and direction. Adam emphasizes the importance of presence and passion for people and your work. Implementing this mindset enables better relationships with your employees and customers. Lack of communication is often the leading cause of issues within teams and businesses. Adam recommends connecting with your team and customers at least twice a week face-to-face, if possible, to maintain relationships. Two communication takeaways:

1. Ask yourself: If you are your customer, would you choose you? 
2. Don’t center all communication about your business or selling. 

Pre-order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430