Coaching for Leaders

• 726: Make Work Better Through Simplicity, with Paul Akers

  Paul Akers: 2 Second Lean Paul Akers is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. Through a series of twists and turns he discovered Lean and the Toyota Production System (TPS) which was instrumental in propelling FastCap as an example of Lean manufacturing and culture, now followed by thousands of companies around the world. He is the author of 2 Second Lean: How to Grow People and Build a Fun Lean Culture at Work & at Home*. We often add more in order to make a system better. The opposite tactic is often more useful: making things simpler. In this conversation, Paul and I explore how to make worker better by starting small. Key Points Your pride will blind you to what you most need to learn. Begin by addressing the things that bug you. Lean is about making things simpler. Instead of batching, consider one-piece flow. This helps you improve as you go. Set the standard at 2 seconds to try something new. Anybody can achieve that. Start in the bathroom. Showing respect in the place everybody visits sets a standard for the rest of the organization. To make something stick, (1) set the expectation, (2) inspect the expectation, (3) reinforce the expectation. Resources Mentioned 2 Second Lean: How to Grow People and Build a Fun Lean Culture at Work & at Home* by Paul Akers Example of 2 second lean in practice Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How To Create Joy At Work, with Richard Sheridan (episode 122) Engaging People Through Change, with Cassandra Worthy (episode 571) How to Change the Way You Think, with Ari Weinzweig (episode 592) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

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• 725: Leading with Humility: Three Shifts that Empower Others, with Joel Pérez

  Joel Pérez: Dear White Leader Joel Pérez is an executive and leadership coach, speaker, and consultant who is passionate about helping leaders and organizations achieve their goals and develop a posture of cultural humility. He has over twenty years of experience in higher education, serving in various key leadership roles. He is the author of Dear White Leader: How to Achieve Organizational Excellence through Cultural Humility*. We could all get a bit better at bringing a dose of humility into our work. Inside organizations, cultural humility starts with how leaders show up each day. In this episode, Joel and I examine three shifts that will help us better empower others. Key Points While humility starts with an individual, it must move beyond them to improve the organization. Maintain high standards while avoiding perfectionism by discussing how mistakes get handled in advance. To prevent a sense of urgency from rushing a bad decision, consider who’s missing from the conversation. Listen, ask curious questions, and say thank you when receiving criticism. Criticism doesn’t need to be addressed in the moment. Consider reflection, other data points, and responding more in a future interaction. Resources Mentioned Dear White Leader: How to Achieve Organizational Excellence through Cultural Humility* by Joel Pérez Dear White Leader website Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes The Starting Point for Inclusive Leadership, with Susan MacKenty Brady (episode 584) How to Use Power Responsibly, with Vanessa Bohns (episode 551) How to Discover What People Want, with Tiziana Casciaro (episode 565) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

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• Help People Move Towards Vision, with Brooks Bradford

  Dave speaks with Brooks Bradford, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how he got intentional about motivating people – and himself – towards an important vision. Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy will close on Friday, March 14, 2025. Visit the Academy page for details and to apply.

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• 724: How to Bring Out the Best in People, with Donna Hicks

  Donna Hicks: Leading with Dignity Donna Hicks is an Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University and the former Deputy Director of the Program on International Conflict Analysis and Resolution (PICAR). She has facilitated dialogues in numerous unofficial diplomatic efforts and was a consultant to the BBC in Northern Ireland, where she co-facilitated a television series, Facing the Truth, with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. She is the author of Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict and Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People*. Everyone wants to be treated in a way that shows they matter. We may differ in status, but we are all equal in dignity. In this episode, Donna and I explore how appreciating dignity can help us bring out the best in people. Key Points Everyone wants to be treated in a way that shows they matter. Dignity is different from respect. Everyone has dignity, but not everyone deserves respect. A major misconception of dignity is that we receive our worth from external sources. We’re at our best when connected to our own dignity, connected to the dignity of others, and connected to the dignity of something bigger. Start with vulnerability and empathy. These open the doors to connecting with your own dignity and the dignity of others. We may differ in status, but we are all equal in dignity. Resources Mentioned Dignity: It’s Essential Role in Resolving Conflict* by Donna Hicks Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People* by Donna Hicks Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes How to Get Way Better at Accepting Feedback, with Sheila Heen (episode 143) Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254) Help People Show Up as Themselves, with Frederic Laloux (episode 580) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

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• Help People Generate Solutions, with Nanette Metzger

  Dave speaks with Nanette Metzger, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how she helped her team start bringing solutions to new problems. Applications to the Coaching for Leaders Academy will close on March 14, 2025. Visit the Academy page for details and to apply.

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