Confessions of a Reformed Control Freak Podcast (c)

I've made my fair share of mistakes at one time or another in my 40-plus years of managing and leading others. Trust me - we are not born knowing how to manage and lead, but we can learn how. Listen to my latest Confessions of a Reformed Control Freak Podcast for my blueprint for emerging leaders.

Managers and leaders need to learn to manage their own time and their team's time so they have time to do the things that only a manager or leader should do. They will burn themselves out if they continue doing their own job and everyone else's. If you are doing someone else's job, you'll never have enough time to do your own. You need to learn to delegate some of your responsibili...

I was your typical A-type personality. And you can figure out what some people thought the A meant. I was a control freak. It was my way - or no way. I made sure that everyone knew who was in charge. When I said jump the only thing people were able to ask is how "How high?" Times are changing. The question you need to answer now is will the management style that got here be the same mana...

Not everyone wants to lead, but everyone gets to decide who they want to follow. Think of a leader that you admire. What is it about their leadership style that resonates with you? If you had to describe it what words come to mind. Words like honesty, patience, mind-fullness, integrity, empathy or trustworthy. People like to work and interact with people they like. How likeable are you? Perhaps it...

There are only two things that are in your control. You control your effort and your attitude 100% of the time. Only you get to decide how much effort you put into accomplishing your goals and how you choose to react when things don't go according to your plans. You control the narrative. You need to learn to let go of everything else. In this podcast I leave you with one final thought from Ch...

Have you ever asked yourself where common sense comes from? Are we born with it? If we aren't born with it, how do we get it? Why do some people seem to have more of it than others? If something makes perfect sense to you, shouldn't make perfect sense to everyone else? Common sense is defined as sound prudent judgement based on a simple perception of the situation or facts. Common sense su...

Would it surprise you to learn that the fastest-growing segment of today's workforce is not Millenials or Gen. Z - it's Boomers? According to Gallop, that demographic is growing at 10,000 people per day. Stop letting your most experienced employees walk out the door, or worse, getting hired by your competition. Why not encourage them to stay, if only in a part-time capacity, instead of ushering th...

Have you ever wondered why you do what you do, why you do it the way you do it, and why you might not fit into someone else's puzzle? We become who we are at a very young age which heavily influences how we communicate with others, build collaborative teams, resolve conflicts, and manage others and like to be managed. I believe you are who you are. Start embracing your unique talents by visiting m...

But we've always done it this way. How many times have you heard someone say that famous line.? You've probably heard it so many times you've lost count. Just because you've always done it that way doesn't necessarily mean you should keep doing it that way. The business environment is constantly changing. Technology changes. Management changes. Team's change. Leadership changes. Ownership changes...

Who will accomplish more and go farther in today's team environment - the lone wolf or the pack? Chances are you stand a better chance of hunting down your prey if you stay with the pack. Using that same analogy makes you more likely to get better results and go farther if you stay with the team. Teams don't need a lone wolf - they need team players. They need players who work well with others but...

Think it, act it, and you'll eventually accomplish your goals through patience, hard work, persistence, and implementing the right plan. The secret to your success in 2024 is between your ears because just dreaming about it isn't good enough. You have to do something about it. You have to go out and physically apply yourself. Listen to my latest podcast on how to accomplish all your 2024 goals.

Change is often inevitable when changes are made under new management, mergers, hostile takeovers, or acquisitions. Change can be disruptive. Some people adapt well to change - some tolerate it - while others dislike it and try to ignore it or hide their heads in the sand. Announcing that changes will occur is the easy part; it makes your organization look bold and forward-thinking. However, imple...

Generative AI systems have been in the news lately, so I thought I'd have some fun with them to come up with a list of invaluable management or leadership traits because I believe managing and leading others effectively is a learned behavior. If you aspire to take on a manager or leader role in your organization, this podcast is for you.

Are you comfortable being where you're at in your life or career - or do you want more? If you're comfortable and don't aspire to take on more or do more, don't. There is nothing wrong with that. But if you aren't satisfied and still want more out of your life or career, then you need to change because nothing changes unless you do. Nothing changes until you're uncomfortable being comfortable. If...

Your advertising and traditional marketing campaigns based on the Four P's - Product, Price, Promotion, and Place - are no longer considered a strategic advantage. Some businesses refer to their customers as guests or clients and add non-traditional product lines in an attempt to maintain or grow market share. However, the only advantage you have left to separate yourself from your competition is...

You can't rub the stripes off the tiger or the dots off the leopard no matter how hard you try. You are who you are. However, your authentic leadership style might not be effective in some situations. A strength overused can become a weakness. One style of managing and leading others does not fit all. The key to working with others is to communicate and interact with them the way they like. You do...

Shit happens - it's called life. You have a choice to make. You can either step in it or step over it. You pick. You can let it ruin your day and torpedo your plans or learn the lessons it's trying to teach you and begin again. This time a little wiser and a little more informed. I choose to see the positives in everything that happens to me because I believe everything that happens to me is a lea...

We all face the same dilemma: too much to do and not enough hours in the day to do them. How you spend your time is the limiting factor, not the things you need to get done. How you manage your time is how you manage your life. Do you need to learn to say no? Listen to my podcast to find out how.

Have you ever wondered why you do what you do and why you do it the way you do it? We become who we are at a very young age. We get accustomed to acting a certain way, communicating and interacting with others a certain way that eventually becomes us. An individuals personality remains relatively stable throughout their lifetime. You are who you are - embrace it. Understanding your behavior and ho...

You've just been promoted into a leadership role in your organization. Your management group believes you have the credentials to take on this position. Making that transition from worker to manager or leader can be complex. It requires a different set of skills. It's no longer about what you know - it's about your ability to teach someone else. It's no longer just about you - it's about everyone...

Managing and leading others is not about you - it's about the people you are leading. By understanding our different personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, we can all become more effective in working with and interacting with others. Different is just different - and different is ok. I use a DISC behavioral assessment tool developed by Dr. William Marston because it's easy to administer, and yo...

It will be your fault if you have trouble attracting and retaining talent. Management has a big challenge ahead. You are entering a new era of leadership. According to Gallup, the latest generation to enter the workforce - Generation Z - will make up 27% of the available talent pool by 2025. They are like no other generation that has come before them. Listen to today's podcast to discover what man...

According to Wikipedia, a project manager is a trained professional responsible for the planning, procurement, and execution of a project with a defined scope and a defined start and completion date. If you think of yourself in the same context - you are a project manager because you are in charge of all aspects of managing your life. In this episode of my Confessions of a Reformed Control Freak P...

Having teams work together is challenging at the best of times. You can't expect to throw a bunch of people together, call them a team, and have them perform like one without carefully setting team goals and priorities and how team members are selected and trained. Listen to this podcast episode and discover what managers can do so their team doesn't suck.

Working with and being managed or supervised by someone with a different way of communicating and interacting with others. You need to keep one thing in mind - you aren't going to change your Boss. The key is to work with them the way they like. Listen to my podcast for a few tips on how to work with your boss and live to talk about it.