Episode 82 - Omar L. Harris - Be A J.E.D.I. Leader, Not a Boss

Omar L. Harris is back!!! And, we're excited to have him talk about his new book, "Be a J.E.D.I. Leader, Not a Boss." In this episode, we talk about how J.E.D.I. leaders are the right fit for building diverse organizations, representing multi-cultural clients, focusing on strengths and identifying the "brutal truths." Oh yeah, and we'll tell you exactly what J.E.D.I. stands for...

On this week's episode, Hile and I tackle two of the foundational elements of emotional intelligence (EQ): emotional self-awareness and empathy. Countless books and articles have been written about these skills and Hile helped me realize something that I had not thought of...there are really just two sides to the same coin. We explore how leaders high in these skills can manage themselves and others in more effective ways. And, we discuss a handful of tips and tricks to help you build your emotional self-awareness and empathy.

What drives you to work harder and persevere longer? What activities or behaviors drain you and leave you feeling depleted? What is motivation and why might it be important for us to consider as leaders? Hile Rutledge joins me this week to answer these questions and more while sharing some exciting news about his firm's new offering, the DRiV assessment. DRiV is a scientifically validated development tool that enables you to capitalize on individual and collective drivers to help your people become better leaders, stronger team members, and more satisfied, productive employees. In short, it helps you understand the WHY behind the WHAT.

You are a successful sales rep and you've exceeded your quota every month that you've been with your company. In fact, you're the highest ranked rep in the country. What's next for you? Sales management? Not so fast...Peter Oliver author of "Making the Climb - From Salesperson to Salesmanager" joins us this week to talk about the book, his biggest mistake as a new manager, the key question to ask yourself when considering a management position and (my favorite topic recently) the role of humility when leading others. Click here to connect with Peter on LinkedIn to see if he can help your sales team!

This week, Hile and I talk about one of the best CEOs of the last 40 years, Katharine Graham. We use the 2017 movie "The Post" as a backdrop where Graham (played by Meryl Streep) wrestles with the complexities of taking a company public, testing the first amendment and proving she can lead with a Board that initially sees her as incapable. We talk about her growth as a leader, her courage, how her values came into play and how she processed an agonizing decision.

It is probably fair to say that at one point in time or another, we have all contemplated some of the following questions: Who am I? What is my purpose? What do I want to be when I grow up? After years of working with professionals across the globe, Leslie Ehm, stumbled on a number of principles that she believes can help answer these questions. In this week's show, we talk about her new book, "Swagger - Unleash Everything You Are and Become Everything You Want." We talk about how her book is different from most self-help writing, why people feel the need to hide their true selves, why finding your Swagger is NOT arrogant, some of the common Swagger blockers and how finding your truth actually serves the greater good.

In 1986, the film Hoosiers was released and told the story of a small high school in Indiana where the boys basketball team defies the odds with a new coach to make a run at the state title. It's the classic David & Goliath story and it's loosely based on a real high school in the mid-1950s. Hile and I use the movie to talk about how the coach led this small team (it only had 7 players) against state powerhouses, a town that wanted the coach to be fired and a star player who wasn't on the team. We talk about admitting mistakes, resilience, compassion and listening to the team.

Many people suffer from depression on a daily basis. The hard part is learning to live with it. Getting up and getting moving can seem like an insurmountable chore. You know you need to be productive but your brain just won't cooperate. Getting It Done When You're Depressed, offers 50 strategies to break the cycle of inactivity that so often accompanies depression. These strategies are practical and easily applicable for anyone trying to lead a lifetime of productivity, regardless of your mood. Author, speaker and expert, Julie Fast, joins me to talk about her book and why it is so important for people with severe depression.

Hile and I are still interested in being a little more like Ted Lasso - one episode was not enough! In this episode we chat about courage, self-awareness, purpose and psychological safety. We also dig into a couple of our favorite Lasso quotes and the "big idea." (Hint: We both agree on what it is and why it's so important for leaders!) If you haven't watched Ted Lasso on Apple TV+, get to it!

Do you have Zoom fatigue? Are you just tired of meeting, altogether? In this week's episode one of the best facilitators I have ever witnessed joins us to share his secrets to getting rid of the "meeting monsters." Brian Tarallo, Managing Director Lizard Brain Solutions, talks about how online meetings can actually be BETTER than those that are in-person (and I agree!) with just a little bit of effort. Please join us for some useful tips and tools to make your meetings great as we discuss his new book, "Surviving the Horror of Online Meetings - How to facilitate & manage meeting monsters."