Navigating Leading and Following in Leadership

"Everything that you do deliberately to have a really strong hiring process is not only going to feed to your candidate pipeline, but it's going to make sure that you don't have to do this as often." There can be a lot of excitment when job hunting. Unfortunately, for some people the initial optimism can turn sour when it ends with silence from the employer. This recently happened with Katie's teenage son. After an interview he was told they would follow up with his training date. Several weeks later there has been no communication.  So, why does this happen? From my experience, it's often due to disorganization in communication. With the variety of platforms we now use such as emails, texts, social media, staying on top of messages has become increasingly difficult. The core issue here is the lack of organized and disciplined communication structures within companies. More importantly, I emphasized that maintaining strong follow-through practices can give employers a significant competitive advantage. When businesses stay organized and keep their word, they attract talent and build a positive reputation. On the flip side, failing to follow up leads to a ripple effect of distrust. Not just from the job seeker but also from their network, as Katie pointed out. For companies, it's about getting back to basics. During every touchpoint, outline the next steps and stick to those timelines. In my experience, when you follow up, whether it’s good news or bad news, it shows respect for the candidate's time. It's also appropriate to give them feedback if requested. These simple acts can make a world of difference in how your organization is perceived. For job seekers in situations like Katie’s son, remember: it's not you, it’s them. Keep showing up, being diligent, and following up; you’ll find a place that values your effort. Turn experiences like this into lessons and improve how we communicate, respect, and value time in professional settings. Feel free to reach out if you need guidance on navigating the recruiting maze. Noteable Moments 00:56 Communication Overload Causes Disorganization 05:47 Transparency in Recruitment Process 07:39 Effective Interview Follow-Up Strategy 10:41 Letting Go of Unreciprocated Efforts 15:11 Positive Reputation Boosts Job Referrals 18:29 Reduce Turnover Through Strong Hiring 20:33 Listener Appreciation and Feedback Invitation Connect with Tim and his team: Website: https://bestculturesolutions.ca/ LinkedIn: Best Culture Solutions, Inc Instagram: @best.culture.solutions   Email: [email protected]  

"Of all the things that we do to help people, two that we are most passionate about are helping organizations with hiring people right then training and onboarding them right." Onboarding is crucial, yet so many organizations overlook its importance. Have you ever been thrown into a new job with more questions than answers? In my conversation with Katie, we talk about onboarding disasters that can derail a new employee’s confidence from day one. Read my blog for more about avoiding onboarding mistakes. Notable Moments 01:37 Onboarding transcends paperwork; crucial for employee retention. 05:23 Binder alone isn't effective; real-life experience needed. 08:01 Teach them then allow independence to build confidence and growth. 12:09 Poor onboarding can cause confusion and turnover. 14:03 Reach out and share onboarding experiences with Tim. Connect with Tim and his team: Website: https://bestculturesolutions.ca/ LinkedIn: Best Culture Solutions, Inc Instagram: @best.culture.solutions   Email: [email protected]  

"Companies that provided a good onboarding experience had 82% improved retention." Great onboarding isn’t about one-off actions. It’s a series of well thought out steps that make new employees feel welcome, engaged, and ready to contribute. Read the blog for more from this episode. Noteable Moments 04:12 Good onboarding boosts employee retention. 09:12 Clarify purpose and values by aligning them with daily behaviors. 13:28 Offer guidance on company norms as well as job expectations. 16:32 Ongoing check-ins empower and integrate new hires. 21:08 Irregular hiring processes cause confusion and turnover. 24:52 Overwhelm with information, but make sure to follow up later. 26:39 Reflect on feedback for opportunities to improve onboarding. Connect with Tim and his team: Website: https://bestculturesolutions.ca/ LinkedIn: Best Culture Solutions, Inc Instagram: @best.culture.solutions   Email: [email protected]  

"Many leaders want to be great but often misunderstand the difference between management and leadership." Treating people well isn't rocket science, but it requires intention and genuine care. As Lee put it, leadership is about guiding people to better outcomes through effective teaching and support. Read the blog for more on how to create a magical culture in your business.  Notable Moments 05:08 Misunderstanging Leadership and Management 07:31 Firing someone taught responsibility of leadership 12:18 Support others by prioritizing their needs, benefits. 15:26 Disney fosters belonging through thoughtful management. 18:47 Check-in with team daily; offer help. 22:34 Comfort builds trust; open communication improves performance. 25:09 True leadership isn't dependent on authority 29:30 Importance of identifying leaders with relational skills 33:53 Visit leecockrell.com for resources like book purchases and courses Resources The Cockerell Academy About Lee Cockerell Mainstreet Leader Connect with Tim and his team: Website: https://bestculturesolutions.ca/ LinkedIn: Best Culture Solutions, Inc Instagram: @best.culture.solutions   Email: [email protected]  

"A fractional professional has the experience, knowledge, or subject matter expertise to know how to get you out of that rut and to actually make impact instead of spinning your tires." Fractional work has the potential to transform businesses of all sizes. It is a game-changer, especially for small to mid-sized organizations that need high-level expertise without the full-time commitment. This episode dives into fractional work including information such as: Cost-Effective Expertise Strategic Focus Speed to Impact Fractional work provides an incredible opportunity for companies to scale intelligently and affordably. At Best Culture Solutions, whether you’re seeking fractional HR services or need help finding the right fractional executive in other areas, we’re here to support you. Contact us to explore how fractional work can elevate your organization. Notable Moments 00:41 Lack of people strategy can be costly.  05:58 Fractional CFO manages small business cash flow. 08:02 Fractional CXO professionals accelerate strategic business impact. 10:42 Fractional roles drive quick impactful results due to structure, knowledge, and drive Connect with Tim and his team: Website: https://bestculturesolutions.ca/ LinkedIn: Best Culture Solutions, Inc Instagram: @best.culture.solutions   Email: [email protected]  

"If you hire the right people, they are going to want to be part of your brand. But make no mistake, having your critical actions in place when they get onboarded is vital." Clarity and consistency in your company’s values can transform your organization. When we started implementing critical actions at Best Culture Solutions, we faced some resistance. However, after rolling out our critical actions our team adapted, service quality soared, and customer feedback became overwhelmingly positive. Listen and check out the blog for more on how critical actions helped our team get clarity in their roles and interactions. Connect with Tim and his team: Website: https://bestculturesolutions.ca/ LinkedIn: Best Culture Solutions, Inc Instagram: @best.culture.solutions   Email: [email protected]  

"Suspend an expectation that there's going to be a transaction. You don't know where it's going to go." Networking does not have to feel icky. Unfortunately many people see networking the way Kathi Brewer-Gouthro once did. When she first had to dive into networking,  she felt stuck in a “rigorously unproductive” mindset. Networking always seemed to focus on schmoozing, which felt unnecessary and uncomfortable. When Kathi was faced with a career transition she knew it meant she had to also update her network. That prompted a needed change her approach. Over time she reframed her assumption that networking is just about who you know. It's about genuine connections and a mutual exchange of value. It started to click for Kathi when she picked up a copy of "The 20-Minute Networking Meeting" by Nathan Perez and Marcia Belanger. Before reading that book, she had a handful of awkward, zero-value conversations. After embracing their structured approach, things changed dramatically. Each networking “meeting” had a: Strong first impression Clear overview of my career Genuine discussion points Respectful, timely ending Sincere follow-up within 24 hours Since implementing this structure Kathi has had dozens of successful, enriching conversations. The conversations have not only broadened her horizons, they also made networking feel authentic and purposeful. Networking does not need to make you cringe or feel uncomfortable. Instead of avoiding it, equip yourself with the right tools. Approach conversations with genuine curiosity and value-driven intentions. You may be surprised at how organic and rewarding those connections can become. Looking for help with your own career transition? Reach out to our team at Best Culture Solutions.  Notable Moments 01:02 Networking is essential, not just passive engagement. 05:39 Networking requires active effort and learning. 09:22 Using a 20-minute networking structure for intentional connection. 11:45 Take the time to prepare, stick to schedule, follow up afterward. 14:20 Networking enhances comfort and success in career transitions. 17:58 Your network can provide opportunities and supports career development. 21:33 People value genuine connection and support. Connect with Kathi Kathi on LinkedIn Email Kathi Connect with Tim and his team: Website: https://bestculturesolutions.ca/ LinkedIn: Best Culture Solutions, Inc Instagram: @best.culture.solutions   Email: [email protected] Kathi Brewer-Gouthro  

"You cannot allow the important decision that you're about to make get hijacked by somebody else's agenda." Notable Moments 01:02 Being strategic when choosing references for job applications. 05:29 Use references to verify professional history objectively. 06:40 Subjective questions risk skewed, unobjective performance evaluations. 11:22 Proper interviewing prevents agenda-driven hiring mistakes. 13:56 Assess each hiring step's purpose and effectiveness. For years, I relied heavily on job references to gauge a candidate's potential. It isn't an uncommon practice. Leaders schedule reference calls, then ask for insights into a candidate’s performance, strengths, and weaknesses. You name it, it gets asked. The problem is that this rarely gives insight into the authentic performance of someone. Instead, you end up with subjective opinions, cherry-picked praises, generic answers, hidden agendas, and non-stop bias. Employers end up getting answers that are often anything but the truth. In fact, it took countless mistakes before I understood that traditional reference checks weren’t telling me what I needed to know. It became clear that I needed to make a shift and stop depending on references to validate what I hoped to hear. I shifted to calling references for truth verification and relied more on a robust interviewing process. And guess what? The quality of my hires improved dramatically. We started finding candidates who truly fit our roles and culture. If you’re in a challenging season of hiring, consider evaluating and evolving your process. It may be time to part with old ways and embrace new techniques. Revamping the way you use job references can help you build a stronger team, one honest step at a time! Connect with Tim and his team: Website: https://bestculturesolutions.ca/ LinkedIn: Best Culture Solutions, Inc Instagram: @best.culture.solutions   Email: [email protected]  

"The same time that you're the captain of the ship, you also have to be a good Lieutenant. And that is listening to the command of others that may or may not be on the ship." Leadership journeys are a mix of leading and following. It is incredibly important to be adaptable. Donald Forgione pushed pause on his podcast, Tailgate Talks, to join for a conversation about the true essence of leadership. Early in my leadership career, I thought it was all about being the one to direct and make every decision. As Donald highlights, effective leadership often means knowing when to let others lead.  Read our blog about how to navigate the delicate balance of leading and following. Notable Moments 01:06 Donald Forgione's career journey 04:10 Balance authority with active listening 08:01 Effective leaders rely on frontline communication and trust 10:45 Two-way accountability crucial for effective leadership 13:43 Following orders: Ethical dilemmas versus personal preferences. 18:03 Stand for ethics, not emotional partisan disputes. Connect with Donald Forgione About Donald Forgione Tailgate Talks Podcast [email protected] Connect with Tim and his team: Website: https://bestculturesolutions.ca/ LinkedIn: Best Culture Solutions, Inc Instagram: @best.culture.solutions   Email: [email protected]  

“Psychological safety is paramount to creating a high performing team and getting the most out of your experiences with that team." Notable Moments 01:02 Surveys can reveal blind spots, improve processes, bolster safety. 04:04 Psychological safety builds high-performing, trusting teams. 09:47 Leader's mindset key; feedback aggregated confidentially. 11:22 Gather actionable feedback, ensure transparency, build trust. 15:08 Assess company culture and leadership alignment effectively. When done with intention, leadership surveys can transform your workplace culture. Surveys that are well-developed are rolled out with meaning help organizations gauge their work culture and leadership. Unfortunately, many people have had experiences with surveys that leave them skeptical or fearful there would be retaliation if they were too candid. That doesn’t have to be the case for your company though. Read the blog on our website for how we've found success building culture with leadership surveys.  Connect with Tim and his team: Website: https://bestculturesolutions.ca/ LinkedIn: Best Culture Solutions, Inc Instagram: @best.culture.solutions   Email: [email protected]