By Ken Trupke
4.7
1313 ratings
The podcast currently has 113 episodes available.
Part of being a leader is setting expectations and assigning responsibilities. But what if a team member doesn’t do what they’re supposed to do, when they’re supposed to do it? That’s a problem leaders seem to be facing more often.
On this edition of The Clarity Advisors Show, host Ken Trupke talks about the importance of holding team members accountable and helps leaders prepare for "What if they don't?"
Timeline
(00:20): Introduction – Defining the problem.
(02:54): Origin of the problem.
(05:16): The contract in the workplace.
(08:34): What if they don’t?
(10:59): Addressing the problem.
(11:52): Consequences of inaction.
(14:30): Conclusion.
Episode Quotes
“There are only two acceptable outcomes once you agree to do something. Do it on time, or tell me before that you're not going to get it done.”
“Accountability, by its very nature, is confrontational because I'm expecting you to do something. And if you don't do it, then we've got a problem.”
“The exchange of value is employer money for employee work. And should the employer stop paying, the employee would not just accept that.”
“Once accountability is out the window for one person, it's very quickly out the window for everybody.”
“If you are not going to address the issue of accountability, it's not going to stop. In fact, it's going to spread.”
Recommended reading and listening
Follow/Connect with Ken Trupke
Getting your team back to work in the office has been a challenge for business leaders since 2020. Over the past few years, today’s guest on The Clarity Advisors Show has successfully navigated the transition of his team back to almost completely on-site work.
Nelson Wilner is Vice President of Kawasaki Engines USA. In this episode, Nelson tells host Ken Trupke how communication, flexibility, and culture were keys to the process.
Timestamps
(00:20): Introduction.
(01:01): About Kawasaki Engines USA.
(00:27): Nelson Wilner’s background.
(02:11): About Nelson’s team at Kawasaki.
(02:45): Update on the transition back to on-site work.
(05:03): Benefits of a team working together in person .
(06:07): Lessons learned during the transition.
(07:38): Handling employees opposed to returning to the office.
(09:28): Importance of culture.
(12:26): Attracting and retaining talent.
(19:05): Flexibility is key.
(23:58): How to connect with Nelson Wilner.
Episode Quotes
“We knew all along we wanted to come back and we needed to come back."
“The best thing that we learned was we had to go with our gut instinct. We knew that the best thing was to be together.”
“We were ahead of the curve and we were right. And our team has really done very, very well by being back together again.”
“We try to make a small company out of a big company.”
“At the company interview, we have to be honest. We have to be transparent. We have to set expectations of what we want. And again, if it's a match, if it's a fit, then that's great. If it's not, it's OK.”
“We have to make good on that promise that when they get here it is as promised and that we're not different in the interviews as we are in real life.”
“Flexibility is really important. I believe that we're at a good place right now that is comfortable for both the employee and the employer.”
Recommended Reading and Listening
Connect with Nelson Wilner
Connect with Ken Trupke
Business success isn’t just about profit and loss. For today’s guest on The Clarity Advisors Show, it’s also about improving his community. Cam Roberts is president of Laser Pavement Solutions and host of the “Stripe It Like It’s Hot” podcast.
In this episode, he shares with host Ken Trupke what he’s learned from coaches and mentors and how that's helped him create a culture and build a team that goes beyond painting lines on pavement.
Timestamps
(00:20): Introduction.
(01:01): About Laser Pavement Solutions.
(05:01): How Laser Pavement Solutions improves its community.
(07:23): Cam Roberts’ background.
(12:40): About Cam’s team.
(15:31): Cam’s realization of the importance of culture.
(19:36): Keys to attracting the right people.
(28:06): Retaining employees.
(32:32): Benefits of having a mentor.
(44:03): About the “Stripe it Like it’s Hot” podcast.
(47:00): How to contact Cam Roberts.
Episode Quotes
“The passion of the company is to improve the community, (like) keeping parking lots and pavements safe, particularly in the winter.”
“We could paint a million parking lots and that would be exciting, but that's not going to serve the bigger mission of why we are doing this.
“I realized very quickly when I started hiring that I have to train these people very quickly. I don't have the luxury of being in Los Angeles where there are people with this experience.”
“Our core goal is to retain 75 percent of our full-time employees into the winter, and we have consistently been above that.”
“I've probably made some poor decisions and kept people longer than they should have because I'd rather be the person that gives too many chances than not enough when it comes to our people.”
“Culture is not one thing, it's not something you just do. It's something that has to get built indefinitely, brick by brick by brick.”
“I don't think there's an issue at all with people not wanting to work. I think there's a really big issue with companies that have not correctly explained or cast the vision and installed a purpose into why you should work with us.”
“If you're waiting to recruit (until) the moment you need somebody, who do you think is going to show up at your door? Desperate people. The great talent that you really, really want, are generally not looking for a job.”
“The reason why we grew so fast is not because I'm smart. It's because I'm ruthlessly committed to figuring something out.”
Recommended Reading, Viewing and Listening
Connect with Cam Roberts
Connect with Ken Trupke
In another “Ask Me Anything” episode of The Clarity Advisors Show, host Ken Trupke answers a listener’s question about core values, explaining what they are, how to define them, and then how to use them with your team.
Send Ken an email if you have a question you’d like answered or a topic you’d like to see covered in an upcoming show.
Timeline
(00:20): Introduction.
(01:09): Defining the core purpose vs. the core values.
(04:00): Getting started.
(04:03): The “blank sheet” approach.
(05:32): The “head start” approach.
(07:28): Five tips for defining your core values
(07:38): No. 1 – Be short and clear.
(08:55): No. 2 – Be memorable.
(10:25): No. 3 – Be real.
(14:58): No. 4 – Be unique.
(17:30): No. 5 – Be actionable.
(19:05): Review.
Episode Quotes
“Our core purpose – or our mission as some people call it – defines the 'what' and the 'who'. That’s what you do and who you serve.”
“The Core Values that define 'how' you work. They're the characteristics that when combined, uniquely define your team at its best.”
“Your core values are for your team. They're not for your customers.”
“'People like us do things like this.' That’s a way of describing culture.”
“While you can share values with another company, the combination of values shouldn't describe a lot of other companies.”
Recommended reading and listening
Follow/Connect with Ken Trupke
In today’s fast-moving business environment, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with emails pouring in, your task list growing, and time slipping away. Today’s guest on The Clarity Advisors Show is a productivity and workload management expert with a system for getting all of that under control.
Leslie Shreve is the founder and CEO of Productive Day and the creator of “Taskology,” the science of getting things done. In this episode, Leslie tells Ken Trupke how she helps professionals and their teams manage their workloads, make more progress, and enjoy more stress-free time at home.
Timestamps
(00:20): Introduction.
(01:09): About Productive Day.
(02:06): How Taskology fits with Productive Day.
(03:45): Leslie’s background.
(06:34): The importance of task management.
(08:02): Escaping "email jail".
(11:01): More keys to getting organized.
(13:15): The truth about Asana and other project management tools.
(19:01): How leaders can help their teams be more productive.
(23:21): The challenges of remote work.
(26:09): Keys to avoiding distractions.
(28:48): Where AI fits in with all of this.
(30:50): Leslie’s recommended reading and listening.
(32:33): How to connect with Leslie.
Episode Quotes
“People are so fragmented in how they're getting their work done. How they're working isn't working.”
“The name of the game is really task management.”
“There are more than 10 different sources of tasks in your workday. Email is just the most annoying."
"If you don't have a method for managing tasks – for gathering them, planning them, prioritizing them and getting them done – you are never going to be able to tackle email.”
“Leaders can help their teams first by helping themselves.”
“It's almost unfair to expect your people to hit deadlines and goals without giving them the tools or the wherewithal to do it.”
“The project management software is not going to be the solution. What matters is the methodology for the technology.”
“Nothing in this world happens without making good decisions, and that's one of the best skills that people can have.”
Recommended Reading and Listening
Connect with Leslie Shreve
Connect with Ken Trupke
As we come to the end of summer, it’s time to reset the team and the expectations for the rest of the year.
On this episode of The Clarity Advisors Show, host Ken Trupke offers a five-step plan to energize your team and set yourself up for a strong finish.
Timeline
(00:20): Introducing the five steps.
(00:56): Step 1: Define goals for the rest of year.
(01:39): Step 2: Revisit metrics and reset goals.
(02:56): Step 3: Call team together.
(04:53): Step 4: Restart the daily huddle.
(05:31): Step 5: Review the metrics daily and weekly.
(06:11): Wrap up.
Episode Quotes
“Pick two or three big things that we want to accomplish in the next few months and be clear about what those are, what we're trying to accomplish, and what success would look like.”
“The hard things that people tend to not want to do are outbound calls and sales meetings. So that's what I want to measure.”
“We can't wait 2, 3, 4 days or a week before we address issues.”
“If you expect people to achieve the goals and do things, then you've got to pay attention – not as a gotcha but to let people know you’re paying attention and that these really are important.”
Recommended reading and listening
Follow/Connect with Ken Trupke
If you want to be successful, you must remember to work on your business – not just work in your business. And working on your business includes systematizing things so you can deliver consistent value to your customers.
Today’s guest, Adi Klevit, the CEO and founder of the Business Success Consulting Group, and the host of the Systems Simplified podcast, specializes in helping clients create the systems to run their business.
On this episode of The Clarity Advisors Show, Adi explains to host Ken Trupke how she helps fast-growing companies achieve consistency and efficiency by documenting their processes and procedures.
Timestamps
(00:20): Introduction.
(01:13): What makes Business Success Consulting Group unique.
(01:39): Business Success Consulting Group’s typical client.
(02:03): Adi Klevit’s background.
(03:04): How systematizing businesses and documenting processes helps a business.
(06:20): Why people are reluctant to systematize and document processes.
(09:22): Tools used in the process.
(14:39): Typical time frame.
(17:20): Achieving accountability.
(21:45): Adi’s recommended reading and listening.
(23:50): Connecting with Adi Klevit.
Episode Quotes
Systematizing and documenting by itself would not really help. You also have to implement.
“We are experts at asking questions and extracting information so then we can create not only the procedures, but also best practices and the reason why behind it so that knowledge is not lost.”
“It starts from the top...from a buy-in from the CEO...deciding that this is the culture we're going to embrace, that we are going to actually use that documentation, and there is accountability.”
“One of the key steps is to make sure that everyone in your company actually read those processes and procedures, because if they didn't, how are you going to get everybody on the same page?”
“I love to hear inspiring stories of entrepreneurs that have made it, that keeps me going, listening to their struggles, listening to the ups and downs, but listening to their tenacity, their courage, the pushing forward."
Recommended Listening
Connect with Adi Klevit
Connect with Ken Trupke
If you’re looking for a short list of principles for business success, there may be no better book than “The Go-Giver,” which has sold well over a million copies and been translated into 30 languages.
On this episode of The Clarity Advisors Show, host Ken Trupke talks with the co-author of the book, Bob Burg, about following his Five Laws of Stratospheric Success to build relationships, communicate value, and accelerate business growth.
Timestamps
(00:21): Introduction.
(01:04): Why the Go-Giver series has been so successful.
(04:43): Introducing the five laws of the go-giver.
(05:01): The Law of Value.
(05:55): The Law of Compensation.
(06:15): The Law of Influence.
(07:02): The Law of Authenticity.
(07:39): The Law of Receptivity.
(08:24): Being entrepreneurial without being an entrepreneur.
(09:50): Clearing the hurdle of being self-focused.
(12:59): How to come across as genuinely authentic.
(16:00): Attracting and retaining the best people.
(19:40): Advice for leaders today.
(22:37): Connecting with Bob Burg.
Episode Quotes
“People are going to do business with you because ultimately, they believe they'll be better off by doing so.
“Go-Givers tend to sell at the higher end of the price level because Go-Givers sell on high value, not low price."
"When you sell on low price, you're a commodity. When you sell on high value, you are a resource.”
“All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust.
“Giving and receiving are not opposite concepts, despite what so much of the world would have us believe.”
“We're all more concerned with ourselves than we are with other people. What we've got to understand is so are they.
“We've always got to remember that the consumer is buying for their reasons, not our reasons.”
“Authenticity is simply acting congruently with your values.”
“How far can you push a rope? Not very – at least not very fast or very effectively. That’s why great influencers, great leaders, don't push. They pull.”
“The ability to earn and maintain trust is going to be your single biggest advantage.”
“There are two elements of [trust]. One is character and the other is competence. And if it's something significant that people are making a decision about, they've got to see you as having both.”
Recommended Reading and Listening
Connect with Bob Burg
Connect with Ken Trupke
As leaders, we're always looking to innovate and find new and better ways to serve our customers.
On this episode of The Clarity Advisors Show, host Ken Trupke discusses The Curse of the Good Idea: how jumping from "good idea" to "good idea" prevents you from finishing what you're already working on.
He explains why we can do anything, but not everything, and offers tips for being intentional about filling up your plate, so your good ideas turn into results.
Timeline
(00:20): Explaining the curse of the good idea.
(01:20): Why a good idea isn’t always a good thing.
(03:03): The buffet analogy.
(06:50): Focus on ROI.
(08:54): Prioritize.
(10:15): Summary.
Episode Quotes
“We want to innovate, we want to improve, and we want to grow. But we only have so much time, money, and energy. No matter how much you have, all three are still limited.”
“You can do anything, but you can't do everything.”
“Measure both the impact and the effort of projects."
Recommended reading and listening
Follow/Connect with Ken Trupke
Creating a culture where people want to come to work starts with a leader with a vision and a heart for people. Today’s guest, Mandi Brower, is the Chief Operating Officer of Quality Car Wash, a business that spans multiple car washes and some Tim Horton's coffee shops.
On this episode of The Clarity Advisors Show, Mandi shares with host Ken Trupke how she fosters a culture where people on her team feel supported and can learn skills that help them in their careers.
Timestamps
(00:59): About Quality Car Wash.
(01:22): What makes Quality Car Wash and Tim Hortons unique.
(02:41): Mandi’s career path.
(04:42): About Mandi’s team.
(05:44): What Mandi’s done right with her team.
(08:28): Winning multiple best and brightest places to work awards.
(09:50): Importance of communication.
(11:13): Creating a culture of success.
(14:20): Mistakes made along the way.
(16:12): Why it’s important to delegate.
(17:08): Attracting talent.
(21:07): Retaining talent.
(22:46): Heart-centered leadership.
(24:47): Advice to young leaders.
(26:33): Recommended reading and listening.
(28:30): Connecting with Mandi.
Episode Quotes
“Everything is really about the people, the people that we hire, the people that we serve, the guests that come in, and the community.”
“College is great, but I'd rather have someone that has already worked for us for six, seven years come into a new role than someone who's brand new out of college so we can continue to grow our people that way as well.”
“The way we treat our team is the way they're going to treat our guests.”
“There's a cost to turnover. It's expensive to have people leave and to retrain and to get them on benefits and to do all the termination of benefits. There’s a dollar amount that goes with that.”
“I don't want to work at the register. I can't keep up with those kids these days and all the buttons, so I need to make sure I’ve got the best team there and I want them working there. So, we're going to treat them great.”
“Even if someone is doing it 90 percent of the way you would do it, they're actually getting it done because you are not getting it done.”
“We've really found that we've been able to save some great people or some great relationships because just moving them to a different site, to work for a different structure, a different leader with different traits has really been really great as well.”
“Heart-centered leadership just really is about focusing on the people, really focusing on their feelings, really focusing on them as people and not as numbers, not as a transaction, not as a shift, not as just someone on the schedule, but really focusing as them as a person and how we can help them walk this journey through life.”
Recommended Listening
Connect with Mandi Brower
Connect with Ken Trupke
The podcast currently has 113 episodes available.
31,886 Listeners
57,969 Listeners