Leveraging Leadership

Emily Sander talks with Adam Maddock and Marcus East about their careers and roles at T Mobile, highlighting Adam's background as a Marine and his role as Chief of Staff and Marcus's position as Chief Digital Officer. They discuss the importance of trust, integrity, and the strategic impact of the Chief of Staff role. The episode also covers their new venture, Venture Forge, which aims t...

Emily Sander explains the cause and effect relationship between the four Balanced Scorecard perspectives: financial, customer, internal process, and learning and development. She shares examples like employee training programs leading to streamlined internal SOPs, which enhance customer experience and increase market share. She also talks about creating a visual strategy map to keep track of strat...

Joey Lye, Olympic bronze medalist and TEDx speaker, shares how she achieved a 1.000 batting average at the Tokyo Olympics through mindset and preparation. She also discusses managing pressure using mindfulness techniques and the importance of aligning personal and organizational values. Chief of Staff Eric talks about the benefits of recruiting individuals with team sports experience and shares a...

Emily breaks down how to use the balanced scorecard to operationalize strategy, focusing on its four key perspectives: financial, customer, internal process, and learning and development. She discusses how financial metrics like cash flow are lagging indicators and the importance of customer perception using metrics such as net promoter scores. Emily also explains the role of leading indicators in...

Tim Moore talks about the evolving role of a startup CEO, noting the need to step back and let others, like a Chief of Staff, handle daily operations. Natalie Piekarski shares her experience transitioning from executive assistant to Chief of Staff, planning major events, and managing board meeting preparations. They also discuss Vū’s shift from service-focused to product and software provider, inc...

Emily Sander talks about using the Balanced Scorecard to improve business strategy. She explains how it can help align teams, balance financial and non-financial elements, and focus on both short-term and long-term goals. Emily also previews upcoming discussions on financial, customer, internal process, and learning and development perspectives. Links Mentioned: Clarity Call with Emily Free Resour...

Bethany, Chief Actuary and Chief Analytics Officer at Johns Hopkins, discusses her struggle with delegating tasks and the value of having Natalie as her Chief of Staff. She highlights the importance of diverse skill sets, storytelling in leadership, and the emotional support needed to handle the loneliness at the top. The conversation reveals how honest feedback and strong communication have trans...

Emily shares a simple but powerful communication tip: ask yourself what you want your audience to feel, think, and do. She gives examples for board meetings, all hands meetings, and hiring key people. Keep it simple and specific, like getting feedback, approving budgets, or signing an offer. Links Mentioned: Clarity Call with Emily Free Resources: Strategic Planning Checklist   Chief of Staff Skil...

Emily Sander talks with Dr. Wayne Pernell, a bestselling author and President of Dynamic Leader, Inc., about his book "Choosing Your Power" and the themes of empowerment and personal values. Dr. Pernell discusses the shift from career success to achieving personal significance, and shares practical advice for identifying and nurturing what one truly treasures. They also cover the idea of...

Emily explains how to turn vague ideas into clear proposals with tangible outcomes, using examples like investing $40,000 in executive coaching for key team members and a $20,000 offsite to boost sales team morale. She offers advice on reducing scope if needed and aligning requests with overall company goals or risk mitigation. Chiefs of Staff are encouraged to be prepared with specifics to stream...

Emily chats with Tara Halliday about achieving effortless confidence by eliminating conditional worth and threat perception. Tara explains how her Inner Success Program helps people, including Chief of Staff Emily, overcome imposter syndrome, providing real-life examples and a three-step approach. They discuss Tara's book, "Outsmart Imposter Syndrome," and how accepting oneself redu...

Emily shares a story about her coaching client who struggled with his fast-paced, detail-averse boss. She explains how they adapted by using short, bullet-point emails, formulating yes/no questions, and using Google Notes for quick information recall. These adjustments helped improve the boss-client communication despite different styles. Links Mentioned: Clarity Call with Emily Free Resources: St...

Emily Sander talks with Urs Koenig about his book, "Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human." They discuss his experiences, including how tough feedback can piss people off but still foster growth. Urs shares leadership tips like "eyes on, hands off," referencing US Women’s Soccer Team Captain Carla Overbeck's style, and a new twist on feedback called "f...

Emily Sander discusses the importance of understanding if your team members are in thinking or feeling mode. She provides practical examples, like asking, “How do you feel about launching this product?” to balance overly analytical thinking or “What else comes up when you think about protecting your team?” to address emotional defensiveness. Emily also shares tips on using deep breaths to help cal...

Libby Cole shares insights about the Enneagram, focusing on motivation and vulnerability. For example, Eights are determined and goal-oriented but often misunderstood due to their direct nature. She describes characteristics of other types like Nines, who avoid conflict, and how the Enneagram helps in personal growth. Libby offers workshops and coaching on communication and conflict management thr...

Emily introduces a feedback framework that starts and ends with recognizing an individual's virtues, illustrated by examples like Matt, an employee who needs to address his outbursts in meetings. She offers techniques for highlighting strengths, even by discussing virtues with others, and explains how the framework applies to managing up, such as a Chief of Staff prompting a principal to prov...

Eric Williams talks about balancing life while being a dad to a four-month-old and working multiple roles, including Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer. He shares tips on creating systems to run a business smoothly, avoiding burnout, and maintaining sustainable growth. Eric also highlights the importance of flexibility and systematizing business processes for effective delegation. Links Me...

Emily discusses the various titles that can encompass the role of Chief of Staff, such as VP of Strategic Initiatives or Head of Business Operations. She shares examples, including a VP of Special Projects effectively serving as a Chief of Staff. Emily also offers insights on how to handle political sensitivities and the benefits of role flexibility in job titles. Links Mentioned: Clarity Call wit...

In this episode of "Leveraging Leadership," Lenka Pincot, Chief of Staff at PMI, discusses her role in leading the office of the CEO and overseeing five enterprise teams, including transformation management. She emphasizes the need for structure, rigorous prioritization, and agility, explaining how her team handles day-to-day tasks while she focuses on strategic decisions. Lenka also hig...

This episode explains why the definition of Chief of Staff is all over the place due to the role's relative newness in business. Examples from around the world illustrate how the role varies: in Singapore, it's little known; in Mexico, it's often confused with HR; and in Germany, it has military connotations. Emily suggests the role will become more structured and better understood...

Greg Williams, Chief of Staff at Western Computer, talks about helping companies, like those supplying Walmart, navigate supply chain challenges during COVID-19. He sheds light on the importance of ERP systems for growing businesses and offers advice on vendor selection and tech modernization. Greg also discusses trends in bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. and how private equity firms work w...

Emily explains three key ways to use a Chief of Staff effectively. First, principals need to identify their needs, like lifting out of daily tasks for fundraising or strategic focus. Second, teams may need help in areas like marketing expertise or mediating executive conflicts. Third, companies should consider both immediate needs and long-term goals, identifying gaps or game-changing talents the...

Larissa Licha, a former tattoo artist turned tech leader, shares her journey from Google Ads customer support to Chief of Staff roles with various tech executives. She explains how she founded Joyn to help Chiefs of Staff manage overwhelming work tools, integrating systems like Slack and Notion into one central place. Larissa also discusses the importance of building trust and clear roles within t...

If you're considering bringing on a Chief of Staff or just need someone to explain the basics, this episode lays the groundwork and levels-set the foundation for future discussions on the role. A Chief of Staff works closely with the CEO, helping with company strategy, gap-filling key roles, and ensuring executive team cohesion. They can set up effective meeting structures, help onboard new e...

Emily talks with Dela Quist about increasing email marketing engagement by varying subject lines and sending more frequent emails. Emily shares a story about a persistent salesperson to highlight the importance of staying top of mind. They also discuss Dela's extensive background in the industry and his views on open rates and effective email strategies. Links Mentioned: Connect with Dela Qui...