Leadership Currency with Dr. Doug McKinley

Research has shown that the highest performers, particularly those in leadership, do not live their lives “on all the time.” Rather, they have patterns of playing full out followed by periods of full out disengagement. In every field, the best of the best leaders function this way. In this podcast Dr. McKinley interviews Dr. Dan Meyer, a proven leader of leaders, about his practice of reflection i...

When leaders lack sleep, have poor eating habits, and don’t exercise regularly they are less able to navigate organizational demands effectively. Further, the chances increase that those challenges will bring on unneeded stress. And stress, in turn, can make it more difficult to sleep, eat, and exercise well, and thus the cycle continues. Dr. McKinley invites Ray McElroy, an amazing athlete, on th...

In our fast paced lives, many of us focus so heavily on work and family commitments that we never seem to have time for pure fun. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we stopped playing. When we carve out some down time, we’re more likely to end up in front of the TV or iPad, rather than engage in the fun, rejuvenating play like we did as children. Research is clear that play is not just ess...

Edward De Bono was a Maltese physician and psychologist who said, “There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.” In this podcast Dr. McKinley is joined by artist and author Sam Glenn to discuss the value of creativity in our work and everyday life. Sam articulately...

The challenge of navigating the tough times we continue to experience lies in the hands of leaders as they identify the need to recalibrate their businesses, teams, and even themselves. Even so, the bottom line is that your career, health, and relationships are your responsibility. You cannot wait for the economy or social culture to improve in order to find your best life. In this podcast, Dr. Mc...

Self-preoccupied or self-absorbed individuals usually don’t show much concern for anyone or anything outside their own self-interest. As such, they typically make little effort to understand another’s thoughts and feelings, and if by chance they do they can easily miss the mark because they are so focused on self. Consequently, they generally don’t make the best of friends or coworkers. Dr. McKinl...

Although working beyond the “40 hour work week” may be well regarded and even rewarded, it can often lead to work addiction. Instead of a healthy sense of fulfillment common to those who simply put a lot of effort and dedication into their job or who are deeply committed to their work as a calling or vocation, work addiction is driven by compulsion. People who fall prey to work addiction may also...

In this podcast, Dr. McKinley interviews two people who are intimately familiar with recovery from loss. Louise and Deb are part of a tribe that supports one another through their pain. The initiative is called a Leap of Faith and is sponsored by Operation Support Our Troops America. Because sadness is something we all want to avoid it is often very misunderstood. Leaders need to realize for thems...

Many leaders have outstanding social and communication skills and are problem solvers and risk-takers. If those same skills are used to mask drinking or drug use, it may be impossible to tell they are actually struggling with an addiction. In recovery programs, a typical description used for these types of individuals is a “high-functioning” alcoholic or addict. Many people can hold down a good jo...

The Leadership Currency Podcast today will highlight a theme called Self-Leadership. The next 3 months (summer) Dr. McKinley explores three vital healthy habits that resilient leaders leverage. On today’s podcast Doug will highlight that series and explain why this might be one of your best investments in yourself in a “while”. To give you a sneak peak; In June, Doug talks with experts as well as...

In this podcast Dr. McKinley explains how leaders can overcome the natural tendency toward perfectionism by practicing vulnerability and focusing on others.

Dr. McKinley is joined by guest Brian Zehr. Brian is a proven leader who has spent much of his career addressing and resolving the challenges that leaders navigate. He understands the tension that happens when two seemingly contradictory qualities are required for leaders to fulfill their mission. Listen in to this podcast as we discuss eight common paradoxes that leaders face.

Self-Leadership is all about personal growth and becoming a better leader. Making investments in their business is something leaders routinely do, yet rarely do they invest in themselves. If you are a leader who doesn’t take time for leadership development, maybe it’s time to do so and have faith in the profitability of your capabilities. This podcast will give you proven principles on investing i...

When leaders who are dealing with a challenging situation or problem choose to take the easy way out, they are likely not willing to do the hard stuff or afraid to do the right thing. It takes courage for leaders to push through the difficult circumstances. These courageous leaders are often driven by passion and purpose. For many of us, being courageous doesn’t come easy. Fortunately, courage is...

Some experts say that women represent less than 5% of the CEO positions in the S&P 500 workforce. While the current culture strives to be more inclusive and promote equality, clearly there remains many lingering questions. Dr. McKinley and his guest Lucy Zielinski talk about the ongoing challenge women have in getting and thriving in leadership roles. Lucy was kind, yet candid in sharing her p...

Leadership demands that you collaborate with others, but some of us may take that too far. Leaders who have a tendency to be pleasers are not unlocking their full potential. Constantly making yourself available to others can, at some point, take an emotional toll. Further, you may find that you neglect your own needs because you fear disappointing others when they ask for your help. Join Dr. McKin...

I feel stuck, I am bored, I am not the person I thought I would be. If these thoughts circle your mind or that of someone you care about, you will want to listen into today’s podcast. Our guest today is Caleb Luper. He is the founder of Triple Threat Mentoring, a non-profit organization that is fundamentally built on passion based service. Join Dr. McKinley and Caleb as they discuss how to revital...

This is the second part of the discussion on trust equity with guest Odeyemi (Yemi) Olayiwole. Along with cohost Steven Crooke we explore the variety of ways in which each of us come to an understanding of trust. The key concept being that we all come to trust differently. Knowing that can improve the likelihood that you may actually experience the wonder and power of trust at work.

Today’s podcast is all about how to build trust equity with your coworkers. If you really understand the value of trust you will want to build a reservoir of equity in your leadership trust account. Our guest, Odeyemi (Yemi) Olayiwole, from Nigeria is joining again, this time to talk about cross cultural trust. The conversation with Yemi and cohost Steven Crooke is full of twists and turns as we a...

Let’s face it, if you try to be good at everything you will likely be average at many things. Research suggests that working on your weaknesses, although it is the most commonly pursued path, is not the best investment of your time. In fact leveraging your strengths will yield far greater results than any attempts to improve your weaknesses. Doug is joined today by Dr. Jeff Williamson. Jeff has sp...

We all know that trust is necessary at work and in our personal lives. Yet many leaders struggle to be effective without realizing it may be due to lack of trust amongst their teams. Dr. McKinley is joined by Steven Crooke, his frequent co-host, in a discussion that all leaders need to have. How do we get and keep trust currency at optimal levels, so we can move our organizations forward? Join us...

Leaders are often challenged to uncover the truth of the matter. Given the many ways a person can interpret truth, how do we ever come to an agreed upon common understanding? Webster defines Truth as all the facts about something, rather than things that are imagined or invented. People can be very creative at inventing the truth on the fly. In this podcast, join us for a discussion with a leader...

The art of persuasion is a part of our daily lives as is change. All jobs require you to sell something. It may be an idea, a product, or a process. Today’s guest is Juan Ortiz. Juan learned that anything is possible if he was willing to change. He spent a lot of time going from job to job trying to find what he was good at and eventually found himself building a career by sales. Juan realized tha...

When you're unsure about a decision and don’t have all the information, you can usually rely on your skill set to make the best choice. However, these days people seem to be experiencing so much ambiguity. Leaders need to know how to engage in this uncertain time. In this podcast, co-hosts Doug and Tim dialogue about trusting the compass over the map. Though ambiguity can present many challen...

Navigating workplace relationships may be the single most challenging feat you will face in your career. (This may go for personal relationships as well, Happy Valentine’s Day!) How you engage in this endeavor will likely determine your success or failure and for sure impact your career enjoyment. During this podcast Dr. McKinley shares his personal insights on the process of attaining healthy col...