People don’t need you to be perfect, they need you to be present. —Ron Kitchens

On Today’s Episode:

* Mistakes happen; it’s how you deal with the aftermath that makes or breaks you as a leader.

* Making and admitting mistakes is an essential part of leadership.

* Why do good leaders make mistakes?

* Admitting mistakes makes you a better leader in 4 ways

* The importance of evaluation after mistakes are made

We are all human. We all make mistakes. Carla and I wanted to talk about this topic because, traditionally, mistakes are seen as taboo to talk about. But the process of making mistakes provides so much opportunity for growth. And if you’re not making mistakes, you’re not taking risks, which may mean you’re getting stagnant.

Did you like today’s podcast? Do you have any comments or suggestions? Please, send me a message or tweet me @RonKitchens on Twitter; I always love hearing from you.

Always Forward.

—Ron

Question: Admitting mistakes can be scary. How can you set the right example for your team following a misstep? 

Hiring people is an art, not a science, and resumes can’t tell you whether someone will fit into a company’s culture. —Howard Schultz

On Today’s Episode:

* The importance of hiring for fit for both organization and candidate.

* Does the potential candidate add different insight to your team?

* When considering a new opportunity for yourself, does the company’s culture fit you?

* Use sites like GlassDoor and Quora to find out about a company’s culture.

* Create your own career path and destiny.

The importance of hiring for fit for organizations is obvious, but if you are looking for a new opportunity for yourself, it’s just as crucial to consider your own fit into the potential employer’s culture. After all, you’ll be spending half your waking hours there. Remember, with today’s low unemployment, now is the time to get the job of your dreams.

Do you have any requests for a podcast episode? Send me a message or tweet me @RonKitchens on Twitter; I’m always delighted to hear from you!

Always Forward.

—Ron

Question: When considering a company’s culture, what is the most important thing to you? 

With Thanksgiving and with your leadership, it’s all about the planning. —Ron Kitchens

On Today’s Episode:

* How Thanksgiving dinner can teach us lessons for leadership

* It’s all in the planning

* Get the right people involved

* Stay focused on the end goal

* Be grateful

* Good leaders are appreciative

* People work harder for people they like (and we tend to like people that appreciate us)

These last few weeks of the year tend to be some of the busiest ones at Southwest Michigan First. Thanksgiving is the perfect time for me to reflect on what I’m grateful for, do a little recharging and curate the motivation to finish the year strong. I hope you find some inspiration in today’s light-hearted message and that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Send me a message or tweet me @RonKitchens on Twitter if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.

Always Forward.

—Ron

Question: What are you doing during this upcoming holiday weekend to recharge and set yourself up for an amazing finish to the year?

My most embarrassing moment in life… When I didn’t put my family first. —Ron Kitchens

On Today’s Episode:

* The importance of allowing your team to put family first.

* Maximizing the relationship between corporate and the individual.

* Content people work harder and are more engaged.

* How this concept encourages staff to lead an integrated life.

* Getting to know your team’s family creates a healthy work balance.

Do you have any comments about today’s episode (or have ideas for another one)? Send me a message or tweet me @RonKitchens on Twitter.

Always Forward.

—Ron

Question: Which of today’s tips can you implement to put your family at the top of your priorities?

I get a choice every time I have to open my mouth: that it can be with civility and dignity and grace—or not. —Dana Perino

On Today’s Episode:

Midterm elections are tomorrow, so today’s topic of civility is perfectly timed. You’ll be hearing from Carla Sones and Sarah Mansberger, Southwest Michigan First’s in-house expert on leadership. Together, they share a wealth of knowledge about how to debate in a civil manner. Listen for insight on:

* What a civil conversation is

* Techniques to keep things civil:

* Respecting the opinion of others

* Finding common ground

* Listening to understand, not to reply

* What the downstream effects could be

* Listening to the silence

Most importantly, go vote tomorrow! Michigan listeners, you can use this website to see what will be on your ballot.

Did you like today’s podcast? Do you have an idea for a future episode? Send me a message or tweet me @RonKitchens on Twitter.

Always Forward.

—Ron

Question: How can you ensure civility is promoted in your organization? 

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. —Sally Berger

On Today’s Episode:

Last week I shared the first part of a panel from a First Leaders breakfast that featured Danielle Anderson (Miller Canfield), Kathy Beauregard (WMU), Amy McClain (PNC Financial Services Group) and Anita Mehta (Stryker). Today’s podcast is the second half of this panel about women in leadership. Expect to hear thoughts on:

* Mentors vs. advocates

* Seeking to be of value

* The importance of taking risks

* How to find balance between being a mother and having a career

* Knowing your resources at work

* What recharges their leadership

I hope you enjoyed gleaning wisdom from these extraordinary leaders in our community. If you have any comments or suggestions, send me a message or tweet me @RonKitchens on Twitter.

Always Forward.

—Ron

Question: How can you 

The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me. —Ayn Rand

On Today’s Episode:

I recently had the pleasure to host Danielle Anderson (Miller Canfield), Kathy Beauregard (WMU), Amy McClain (PNC Financial Services Group) and Anita Mehta (Stryker) at a First Leaders breakfast. Today’s podcast is the first part of this incredible panel that focused on women in leadership. Listen in for insight on:

* Which characteristic derails people’s careers.

* The one characteristic that all leaders should possess and who embodies that.

* How the panelists have experienced different treatments between men and women throughout their career.

* The importance of emotional intelligence in leadership.

* Tips for active listening.

Tune in next week for the second half of the panel. If you have any comments or suggestions, send me a message. or tweet me @RonKitchens on Twitter.

Always Forward.

—Ron

Question: How can you ensure that your organization strives for gender equality and allows opportunities for women to be in leadership positions?

Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up. —Oliver Wendell Holmes

On Today’s Episode:

* What collaborative leadership means

* Moving away from knowledge hoarding

* Collaborative leadership needs to be present at all levels

* Collaboration does not equal consensus

Last week, Carla and I talked about micromanaging and how that can hurt an organization. This week, we dive into its opposite: collaborative leadership, which is the ability to engage people outside of your formal control and inspire them to work towards common goals. In order to have good collaboration on your team, you have to do a few things. Firstly, you must be a good collaborator yourself. Secondly, your team has to know they have the authority to make decisions. Lastly, collaborative leadership shouldn’t happen on accident. Make it a point to encourage cross-pollination between teams, and watch the magic unfold.

Feel free to send me a message or tweet me @RonKitchens on Twitter if you have any comments or suggestions for the podcast.

Always Forward.

—Ron

Question: Are you a good collaborator? How can you inspire your team to work toward common goals together? 

Micromanagement is the destroyer of momentum. —Miles Anthony Smith

On Today’s Episode:

* Carla and Ron tackle the topic of micromanaging and how to stop doing it.

* Micromanaging is the top complaint people have about bosses.

* Accountability check-ins vs. micromanaging.

* Tips to stop the hovering and increase productivity.

* How to grow beyond direct supervision.

Nobody likes to be micromanaged. It kills motivation, creativity and job satisfaction. It’s also one of the main causes of high employee turnover. Sometimes, we fall into a trap of micromanaging when we’re growing and not adapting. I had to do some major adapting when Southwest Michigan First grew to a point that didn’t allow me to directly mentor all team members. This article on medium.com talks about growing organizations and the pain points that come with that growth. It has been so insightful for us as we’ve grown. Maybe it proves insightful for you, too.

Do you have thoughts, questions or comments about today’s podcast? Send me a message or tweet me @RonKitchens on Twitter.

Always Forward.

—Ron

Question: Is your organization or team at a point where you need to delegate more responsibility to ensure your team feels empowered? 

The goal is to turn data into information, and information into insight. —Carly Fiorina

On Today’s Episode:

* Carla and Ron talk about using data and analytics to drive business.

* Using data to a point where your business is thriving.

* The importance of relying on analytics, not serendipity.

* How Ron found out early in his career that data can convey a strategic advantage.

* Understanding what exactly the numbers tell you.

It’s important that obtain methods to measure key areas of your business and that you understand the story these numbers tell. At Southwest Michigan First, we track many areas because this helps us map out where to go next. Research allows us to make informed decisions for the future. Without it, we’d be grappling in the dark and sailing without a compass.

If you have any questions about how and why we track data and analytics, send me a message or tweet me @RonKitchens on Twitter.

Always Forward.

—Ron

Question: Are you tracking data for your company? Can you decipher the story the analytics tell and use this information to grow your business?