Taking Thought Leadership from Page to Practice | Liz Wiseman | 560

04/04/24 • 20 min

Welcome to the latest episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership featuring our special guest, Liz Wiseman, CEO of the Wiseman Group and renowned author of bestsellers like "Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter" and "Rookie Smarts: Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work." In this captivating conversation, Liz takes us on a journey into the world of thought leadership, sharing invaluable insights gleaned from her multifaceted career. With a blend of humility and expertise, Liz reflects on her organic approach to thought leadership, emphasizing the importance of going where you can make a meaningful impact. Drawing from her experiences managing learning functions at Oracle University and later transitioning to teaching and advising top organizations worldwide, Liz offers a unique perspective on leadership development and the complexities of managing and leading. Throughout the episode, Liz sheds light on the challenges and nuances of being a speaker and thought leader, from the pressure to deliver value despite external factors to the importance of building lasting relationships beyond the keynote stage. She shares practical strategies for creating real change at an organizational level, drawing from her experiences and her commitment to equipping others with the tools they need for success. In addition to reflecting on her journey as an author and thought leader, Liz offers a sneak peek into her latest research project, exploring the formative experiences in people's work lives and the lasting impact of first bosses. With her signature blend of insight and authenticity, Liz leaves listeners inspired to embrace their own journey of thought leadership and drive positive change in their organizations and beyond. Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation! Three Key Takeaways: * Organic Career Growth: Liz Wiseman's journey into thought leadership underscores the importance of embracing opportunities where one can make a meaningful impact, leading to a diverse and rich career path. * Delivering Value as a Thought Leader: Liz shares insights into the challenges and nuances of being a thought leader and speaker, emphasizing the necessity of consistently delivering value and building lasting relationships beyond the keynote stage. * Empathy in Thought Leadership: Liz Wiseman highlights the importance of empathy in thought leadership, emphasizing the need to understand and empathize with the motivations and expectations of those who invite speakers. By making meaningful connections with clients and understanding their needs, thought leaders can deliver impactful presentations and foster long-term relationships.

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Resilience Redefined | Marie-Hélène Pelletier | 559

In this podcast episode, Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier, author of "The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health," shares insights into resilience and its profound impact on work performance and mental well-being. Dr. Pelletier discusses how her background in psychology and executive coaching led her to focus on resilience as a proactive opportunity for influencing outcomes earlier in individuals' lives. She emphasizes that resilience is not merely a personality trait but a skill that can be developed over time, influenced by factors such as emotional intelligence and optimism. By translating academic research into actionable strategies, Dr. Pelletier aims to empower professionals and leaders to enhance their resilience in practical ways that positively impact their work and personal lives. Drawing from her diverse experiences as an academic, clinical practitioner, executive coach, and business consultant, Dr. Pelletier provides valuable insights into navigating the journey of writing and launching her book. She highlights the importance of creating space and energy for intellectual creativity and resilience-building, ultimately aiming to prevent burnout and enhance thought leadership effectiveness. Looking ahead, Dr. Pelletier hopes that her book will not only inspire strategic thinking and action but also foster greater trust and opportunities for executive coaching and speaking engagements. Through her work, she seeks to empower individuals to embrace resilience as a strategic tool for success and well-being in both professional and personal spheres. Three Key Takeaways: * Resilience as a Strategic Focus: Dr. Pelletier emphasizes the proactive nature of resilience, highlighting its potential for influencing outcomes earlier in individuals' lives. By reframing resilience as a skill that can be developed rather than a fixed personality trait, she encourages listeners to invest strategically in its cultivation. * Translating Research into Action: Dr. Pelletier discusses the challenge of translating academic research on resilience into actionable strategies for practitioners and leaders. Drawing from her diverse background, she offers practical insights and approaches to resilience-building that resonate with her audience's experiences and needs. * The Journey of Writing and Launching a Book: Dr. Pelletier shares her personal journey of writing and launching her book, "The Resilience Plan." From creating space and energy for creativity to navigating the demands of publishing, she provides valuable lessons learned and insights into the process of bringing her ideas to fruition.

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Transforming Complex Concepts into Accessible Strategies | Anton Skornyakov| 561

Step into the world of thought leadership with host Bill Sherman on the latest episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership. Joining him is Anton Skornyakov, the Managing Director and co-founder of Agile.Coach, who brings a wealth of knowledge from his diverse background in mathematics, physics, and teaching Scrum methodologies. Anton's journey into the realms of leadership and coaching offers a fascinating exploration of how technical expertise can be translated into accessible language for beginners. Anton's multilingual proficiency – with Russian as his first language, followed by German, and English as his third – adds an interesting layer to his ability to communicate complex ideas in a clear and relatable manner. As he delves into the intricacies of teaching Scrum and workplace transformation, he shares valuable insights on the art of moving from highly technical jargon to language that resonates with beginners. His approach is rooted in active listening and attentiveness to the audience, ensuring that concepts are conveyed effectively and comprehensively. A key aspect of Anton's teaching methodology lies in the use of metaphors drawn from everyday experiences. One of his favorite metaphors involves assembling Ikea shelves, which serves as an analogy for understanding knowledge work. By comparing the process of assembling furniture to the nature of knowledge work – where the majority of time is spent on cognitive tasks rather than physical labor – Anton provides a tangible framework for grasping complex concepts. Through such relatable examples, he emphasizes the importance of managing knowledge work effectively to drive success in various industries. When it comes to identifying his target audience, Anton emphasizes the value of specificity. His insights are tailored for middle management professionals tasked with organizing work for their teams, regardless of the industry they operate in. By distilling his expertise into actionable advice, Anton aims to empower leaders with practical strategies for navigating unpredictable projects and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. His goal is to make his insights accessible and applicable to a wide range of professionals, from software developers to non-profit managers. Anton's journey from training to writing his book reflects his commitment to validating ideas through real-world applications. By testing his material through blog articles and training sessions, he ensures that his insights resonate with his audience and offers tangible value. His upcoming challenge in thought leadership involves generalizing his insights even further, drawing on patterns from physics to provide enlightening "A-ha" moments for managers. As he continues to explore new frontiers in leadership and workplace transformation, Anton Skornyakov's insights promise to inspire and empower leaders across industries. Tune in to this captivating episode for a deep dive into the world of thought leadership and practical strategies for success. Three Key Takeaways: • Effective Communication: Anton Skornyakov's approach to bridging technical language with accessible explanations underscores the importance of active listening and adaptability in communication. By leveraging everyday metaphors, he demonstrates how complex concepts can be made relatable to beginners, fostering understanding and engagement. • Embracing Knowledge Work: Anton highlights the significance of understanding knowledge work in modern-day tasks, where cognitive tasks often outweigh physical labor. Through relatable examples like assembling Ikea shelves, he emphasizes the need for effective management of knowledge work to drive success across various industries. • Audience-Centric Approach: Anton's focus on targeting middle management professionals underscores the value of specificity in thought leadership. By tailoring his insights to meet the needs of this audience segment, he aims to empower leaders with practical strategies for navigating unpredictable projects and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration.