Five Ways to be a Better Listener - Thoughts from Kevin

Are you confident in your strategy or just following a plan? In this episode, Kevin is joined by Seth Godin, and they examine the difference between strategy and tactics, the importance of addressing choices, and why leaders should embrace uncertainty to stay relevant. Seth emphasizes that strategy is not just a step-by-step plan but a philosophy of becoming. He shares his insights on systems thinking, how organizations often mistake marketing issues for strategy problems, and why traditional notions of strategic planning may be outdated. Kevin and Seth also discuss the impact of AI on decision-making, strategies for leading amidst uncertainty, and how we can leverage new tools like AI to make our strategies better. Listen For 00:00 Introduction 2:06 Importance of Strategy 2:59 The Craft of Writing a Book 6:41 What Is Strategy? 7:08 Examples of Strategy in Business 9:33 AI and Strategy 12:12 Using AI for Strategic Advantage 14:13 The Network Effect 18:20 Understanding Systems in Strategy 20:16 Role of Uncertainty in Strategy 23:16 Challenges in Defining Strategy 25:25 Encouragement for Leaders 28:02 Seth's Personal Interests 28:53 Book Recommendations by Seth 30:12 Final Takeaways Meet Seth Seth's Story: Seth Godin is an author, entrepreneur, and most of all, a teacher. He is the author of 21 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, Tribes, and What To Do When It's Your Turn (And It's Always Your Turn), and his latest book, This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans. His book, This is Marketing, was an instant bestseller in countries around the world. Though renowned for his writing and speaking, Seth also founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne (acquired by Yahoo!). In 2013, Seth was one of just three professionals inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame. In an astonishing turn of events, in May 2018, he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame as well. He might be the only person in both. https://www.sethgodin.com/ https://seths.blog/ https://seths.blog/category/the-dip/ Book Recommendations This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans (Create a Strategy to Elevate Your Career, Community & Life) by Seth Godin  Naikan: Gratitude, Grace, and the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection by Gregg Krech Bandwidth (An Analog Novel, 1) by Eliot Peper  A Beautiful Constraint: How To Transform Your Limitations Into Advantages, and Why It's Everyone's Business by Adam Morgan and Mark Barden  Like this? Strategic Thinking for Leaders with Rich Horwath Is it Marketing or Leadership? with Seth Godin Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP  

Kevin Eikenberry shares five powerful tips to help you become a better listener. From being more curious to minimizing distractions, these practical insights can enhance your relationships and leadership abilities. Watch, subscribe, and start listening better today! For more on leading remote teams, check out Kevin's book 'The Long Distance Leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/LDL My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I’m here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ BOOK: Check out my latest book, The Long-Distance Teammate: https://longdistanceteammate.com/ ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere’s). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.  

How do you create an amazing place to work? Is it the mac & cheese? Kevin chats with Erin Wade, founder of the wildly successful Homeroom restaurant, which specializes in one thing: mac and cheese. Erin shares the personal journey that led her from being an unhappy corporate lawyer to building a thriving business that values culture, autonomy, and joy. Erin discusses how the idea of a mac and cheese restaurant came to her on a rainy night, craving comfort food after a tough day as a lawyer. She shares her leadership viewpoint of connection, collaboration, and collective success and how focusing on process, systems, and trust empowers employees and creates extraordinary customer experience. This podcast was recorded during Virtual LeaderCon 2024. Listen For 0:00 Introductio 1:24 Welcoming Erin Wade 2:10 Erin’s Background and Introduction 3:43 Becoming "The Mac and Cheese Millionaire" 4:04 From Law to Mac and Cheese 5:17 The Inspiration Behind Homeroom Restaurant 8:06 Lessons from Working in Fine Dining 10:06 Importance of Gaining Practical Experience 12:16 Erin’s Leadership Philosophy 13:10 Connection, Collaboration, and Collective Success 14:39 Erin's Violin Story Fake It Till You Make It 17:12 The Role of Reflection and Self-Listening 19:01 Passion as a Key to Fulfillment and Success 20:08 Importance of Having a Reflective Hobby 22:33 Balancing Work Passion and Life 24:32 Creating Culture and Systems in Business 28:18 Paint by Number vs Coloring Book Leadership Styles 31:11 The Stoking Out Rule for Memorable Customer Experiences 33:50 The “Color Code” System for Managing Harassment 38:10 Power of Inclusive Leadership and Collective Solutions 39:15 Restorative Discipline Making Things Right 42:35 Erin’s Approach to Reading and Staying Informed 43:14 Mac and Cheese Tips and Recommendations 44:48 Mac and Cheese Ice Cream and Other Creative Ideas 47:15 Closing Remarks Meet Erin Erin Wade is the author of The Mac & Cheese Millionaire: Building a Better Business by Thinking Outside the Box. She opened a wildly popular restaurant, Homeroom, which has been covered everywhere from the Cooking Channel to the Wall Street Journal. She authored the bestselling The Mac & Cheese Cookbook, as well as a viral op-ed in the Washington Post that was named one of the publications’ best of the year. Erin's work on business culture has been covered in Forbes and The New York Times, and she was named one of thirty-five “World-Changing Women” by Conscious Company magazine. Erin has a public policy degree from Princeton and a law degree from UC Berkeley. She lives in the Bay Area with her family and an array of surfboards. Book Recommendations The Mac & Cheese Millionaire: Building a Better Business by Thinking Outside the Box by Erin Wade Like this? Winning! with Gary Brackett Creating a Culture of Hospitality with Cameron Mitchell Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group  

Kevin Eikenberry dives into the crucial difference between hearing and truly listening. While hearing might seem like enough, effective listening goes beyond just capturing words—it involves active engagement, body language, and genuine attention. Kevin shares personal insights and practical tips to help you improve your listening skills, enhance your relationships, and lead more effectively. If you're ready to deepen your understanding of listening, make sure to watch this video and subscribe for more leadership insights! Learn more about The Long-Distance Leader book here: https://kevineikenberry.com/LDL  My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I’m here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ BOOK: Check out my latest book, The Long-Distance Teammate: https://longdistanceteammate.com/ ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere’s). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.   Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group  

We have some exciting news to share with our podcast listeners! The second edition of The Long-Distance Leader is now available as an audiobook. Perfect for leaders managing remote teams, this edition provides valuable insights to boost your confidence and effectiveness in leading from afar. Why Listen to "The Long-Distance Leader"? If you lead a remote or hybrid team, this audiobook offers practical advice and strategies to help you overcome common challenges in distance leadership. Tune in to hear Kevin explain why this audio format is ideal for busy leaders like you who are constantly on the go. Get Your Copy Don’t miss the opportunity to improve your remote leadership skills. Get The Long-Distance Leader on Audible and start transforming the way you lead from a distance. Find the audiobook here: longdistanceworklife.com/audible

What can modern leaders learn from the ancient Viking spirit to drive success and collective progress? Kevin sits down with Anders Indset, and they explore the interplay between Norway’s collective culture and the rise of world-class individual performers. Anders shares his insights into the "Viking Code," a life philosophy centered around progress, leadership, and team play, all while embracing microambitions—small, consistent goals that foster personal and collective growth. Listen For 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Guest Introduction: Anders Indset 03:30 The Viking Code: Origins 06:00 Defining Success 09:30 Micro Ambitions for Progress 12:00 The Viking Code Philosophy 15:00 Overcoming Cultural Norms 20:00 Role of Play in High Performance 25:00 Personal Fun and Enjoyment 28:00 Reading and Learning 30:00 Final Thoughts and Call to Action Meet Anders Anders' Story: Anders Indset is the author of, The Viking Code: The Art and Science of Norwegian Success. He is known as “The Business Philosopher”—is a Norwegian-born writer, deep-tech investor, and former elite athlete. He is a fifth-time Spiegel best-selling author, author of six international books, and has been recognized by Thinkers50 as one of the influential thinkers in the fields of technology and leadership in the years to come. He is a trusted sparring partner and advisor for global leaders and top executives, and founder of Njordis Group, Global Institute of Leadership & Technology (GILT), and the Quantum Economy Alliance. Book Recommendations The Viking Code: The Art and Science of Norwegian Success by Anders Indset  The Generous Leader: 7 Ways to Give of Yourself for Everyone’s Gain by Joe Davis  The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Tell Your Family History, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More by Bruce Feiler  Like this? Leadership Resilience with Ama Marston Love Your Imposter with Rita Clifton Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP   Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes   

Did you know that great listening requires more than just your ears? In this episode of Remarkable TV, Kevin Eikenberry explains how listening is a full-body experience that helps you stay engaged, understand better, and be more present. Discover the key benefits of multi-sensory listening and why it's essential for effective communication, especially if you're leading a remote or hybrid team. Get your copy of 'The Long Distance Leader' for more insights: https://kevineikenberry.com/LDL  My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I’m here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ BOOK: Check out my latest book, The Long-Distance Teammate: https://longdistanceteammate.com/ ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere’s). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.  

How can leaders ensure that their organizations not only survive but thrive in a changing world? Kevin sits down with Willie Pietersen about the importance of self-leadership, strategic direction, and interpersonal skills, framing them as the three essential domains of effective leadership. Willie explains that true leadership begins with self-awareness and is really about service to others. They also discuss the value of asking the right questions. Kevin and Willie also about how many priorities are too many. Drawing on research, Willie argues that leaders should limit themselves to three or four key priorities to maintain focus and effectiveness. Listen For 00:00 Introduction 02:18 Guest Introduction: Willie Pietersen 02:40 Willie Pietersen’s New Book 03:08 Willie’s Transition to Teaching 03:38 Willie’s Passion for Learning 04:06 Kodak Insolvency and Career Transition 04:56 Teaching at Columbia University 05:07 Overcoming Teaching Challenges 05:31 Writing Journey and Book Process 06:13 Strategy and Leadership 06:36 Blog Inspirations for the Book 07:14 Leadership Insights from South Africa 08:14 Lifelong Leadership Learning 08:38 Leadership Philosophy: Self, Strategy, and Interpersonal 10:14 The Role of Questions in Leadership 11:07 Socratic Approach to Learning 12:38 People and Strategy in Leadership 14:00 Leadership Priorities: Setting the Right Number 16:00 Example from the American Revolution 18:30 Creating Effective Priorities 21:07 Final Reflections on Leadership 23:00 Closing Thoughts Meet Willie Willie's Story: Willie Pietersen is the author of, Leadership--The Inside Story: Time-Tested Prescriptions for Those Who Seek To Lead. He was raised in South Africa and received a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University. After practicing law, he embarked on an international business career. Over twenty years, he served as the CEO of multibillion-dollar businesses such as Lever Brothers Foods Division, Seagram USA, Tropicana and Sterling Winthrop’s Consumer Health Group. In 1998, Pietersen was named Professor of the Practice of Management at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. He specializes in strategy and the leadership of change. He has served as an advisor to many organizations in both the commercial and not-for-profit fields. https://williepietersen.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/willie-pietersen-286b149/ Book Recommendations Leadership--The Inside Story: Time-Tested Prescriptions for Those Who Seek To Lead by Willie Pietersen  Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari  Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman  Like this? Leading the Dollar General Way with Cal Turner, Jr. The Power of Embracing Life's Difficult Journeys with Payam Zamani The Journey of Leadership with Hans-Werner Kaas Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group  

Why don’t we listen as well as we should? Distractions, lack of interest, and even our habits can prevent us from being effective listeners. In this episode of Remarkable TV, Kevin Eikenberry shares six common reasons why we fail to listen—and what we can do about it. Whether you’re leading a team remotely, in a hybrid environment, or in person, improving your listening skills can significantly boost your leadership effectiveness. Get your copy of The Long-Distance Leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/LDL My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I’m here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ BOOK: Check out my latest book, The Long-Distance Teammate: https://longdistanceteammate.com/ ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere’s). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.  

How can leaders evolve from simply managing tasks to inspiring their teams? Hans-Werner Kaas suggests it takes more than technical expertise. He joins Kevin to discuss what it means to lead from the inside out, understanding yourself first to effectively lead others. He highlights the importance of human-centric leadership, emphasizing the need for self-awareness, humility, and resilience. Hans-Werner talks about the transition from the "imperial CEO" of the past to today's leaders, who must be more versatile, empathetic, and collaborative. He also shares advice on how to get honest feedback from your team. Listen For 00:08 Introduction and Overview 01:26 Kevin Introduces Hans-Werner Kaas 02:30 Hans-Werner’s Career Journey 03:32 From Engineering to Leadership Consulting 05:26 Opening McKinsey’s Detroit Office 06:04 Insights on Leadership and Inspirational Leadership 07:53 Introduction to ‘The Journey of Leadership’ Book 09:08 The Fall of the Imperial CEO 12:04 Human-Centric Leadership 12:52 Leading from the Inside Out 16:04 Self-Assessment and Feedback for Leaders 19:24 Importance of Humility in Leadership 21:01 Versatility and Leadership Flexibility 24:51 Applying Leadership Traits in Organizations 25:21 The Role of Boldness and Empowerment 26:24 Fearless Learning with Navy SEAL Insights 29:56 Lessons for Non-CEOs 32:21 Hans-Werner’s Personal Interests and Hobbies 34:52 Books and Reading Recommendations 37:06 Closing Remarks and How to Learn More 38:57 Kevin’s Final Thoughts: Taking Action Book Recommendations The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out by Dana Maor, Hans-Werner Kaas, Kurt Strovink, Ramesh Srinivasan  Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia MD with Bill Gifford Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America by Heather Cox Richardson  Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present by Fareed Zakaria Like this? Essentials for Leadership Impact with Chuck Wachendorfer and Doug Lennick How Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others with Stephen MR Covey The Five Talents That Really Matter with Barry Conchie & Sarah Dalton Join Our Community If you want to view our live podcast episodes, hear about new releases, or chat with others who enjoy this podcast join one of our communities below. Join the Facebook Group Join the LinkedIn Group   Leave a Review If you liked this conversation, we’d be thrilled if you’d let others know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Here’s a quick guide for posting a review. Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes    Podcast Better! Sign up with Libsyn and get up to 2 months free! Use promo code: RLP