The Driven Leadership Podcast

In this episode of the Driven Leadership Podcast, hosts Connor Chaffin, Mary Belden-McGrath, and Austin Haydel delve into the world of personality tests and their application in business settings. They discuss various assessments, including DISC and ADVanced Insights, and emphasize the importance of understanding team dynamics to enhance communication and trust. The conversation highlights the pot...

In this episode of the Driven Leadership Podcast, Connor, Mary, Eric and Austin wrap up the conversation regarding the complexities of Impostor Syndrome and how it manifests in individuals, particularly in leadership roles. They discuss the importance of self-awareness, the challenges of asking for help, and the significance of focusing on controllables to overcome feelings of inadequacy. The conv...

In this engaging conversation, Kristina Hernandez, head coach of the Stetson University beach volleyball team, shares her journey and insights on leadership, growth mindset, and overcoming adversity. This discussion with Mary highlights the importance of resilience, the role of trust in coaching, and the necessity of fostering a positive team culture. Kristina emphasizes that success is often born...

In this conversation, Connor, Eric & Mary explore the themes of adversity and the importance of developing a growth mindset. We discuss the differences between fixed and growth mindsets, share personal experiences, and provide practical tools for overcoming challenges. The conversation emphasizes the necessity of awareness, accountability, and the ability to learn from failure as essential com...

In this the first part of this 2 part episode of the Driven Leadership Podcast, the hosts dive into the concept of imposter syndrome, exploring its impact on personal and professional growth. We discuss various types of imposter syndrome, share our personal experiences, and offer strategies for overcoming these feelings. We wanted our conversation to emphasize the importance of mindset, self-aware...

We wanted to take a moment to say thank you for listening and being a part of this journey for us in 2024! We have such an amazing time putting these episodes together and can't wait for what 2025 has in store. We'll you all in the new year!

This week we're diving into the BOLD: Advanced Leadership that we at Driven Leadership offer. We've talked about it so much on the show so we finally explore its origins, the psychological foundations, and the transformative impact it has on participants. Connor, Eric and Mary discuss the importance of emotional engagement, the 1% principle for lasting change, and the necessity of navigating the u...

In this episode of the Driven Leadership Podcast, Austin, Eric and Connor discuss the concept of leading UP within organizations. We explore the challenges faced by middle managers in influencing those above them, the importance of building trust, and the role of vulnerability in leadership. The conversation emphasizes the need for curiosity, solution-mindedness, and effective communication in fos...

In this episode of the Driven Leadership Podcast, Mary, Eric and Connor discuss various leadership challenges based on Reddit stories and submissions. They explore the complexities of holding staff accountable in a family-run business, managing emotional employees, and addressing cognitive dissonance within teams. At the end of it all, these submissions truly emphasize the importance of accountabi...

In this episode, the team talks through what we believe to be the essential elements of cultivating and training leaders within organizations. We explore foundational principles necessary for effective leadership development, the impact of company size on leadership strategies, and the importance of creating a psychologically safe environment for leaders to learn from their failures. Our conversat...

In this conversation, Ralph Kilmann shares his extensive experience in conflict management, discussing the origins of his work, the development of the Thomas-Kilmann Instrument (TKI), and the importance of understanding and managing conflict in organizations. He emphasizes the need for a supportive organizational culture, the role of leadership, and the significance of addressing both external and...

In this episode of the Driven Leadership Podcast, Mary, Connor and Austin explore the concept of 'burning the ships' as a metaphor for commitment and intentionality in leadership and personal growth. We discuss the importance of being fully committed to a vision, the challenges of leadership, and the balance between strategy and commitment. The conversation also delves into personal experiences, t...

This we are joined by Brigham Dickinson, founder of Power Selling Pros! We discuss the importance of becoming a leader worth following. Brigham shares his personal journey of hitting rock bottom and the lessons he learned along the way. This journey led him to discover the need for leaders to turn outward and serve others, recognizing that success comes from serving a purpose bigger than oneself....

In this episode, Austin, Connor and Eric discuss the concept of Zone 2 leadership, which is inspired by Zone 2 cardio training in running. Zone 2 leadership focuses on finding a balance between effort and efficiency in leadership. Connor and Austin share their personal experiences with Zone 2 running and how it relates to their leadership journeys. They explain that Zone 2 leadership involves slow...

In this episode of the Driven Leadership Podcast, we're talking about the often misunderstood topic of conflict in the workplace. We explore the concept of being 'conflict effective' rather than simply resolving conflict, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and understanding different conflict modalities. Today's conversation highlights the significant costs of un...

Today, Eric, Connor and Tony react to submissions from the Leadership subreddit. They explore how leadership and startups can balance a fast-paced environment with building a strong and supportive culture. They also discuss how to develop a vision for a plant and change its culture. Finally, they answer a pretty big question: what is the end game of being a leader and what motivates individuals in...

In this conversation, we talk with long time friend and partner David Roditi, head coach of TCU Tennis. He shares his insights on building a successful team culture, the importance of individual player development along with the strategies he employs to create a player-led environment. He discusses the challenges of recruitment, maintaining engagement among players, and balancing personal and prof...

This week we're introducing Player-Led Teams! Driven Leadership works with university athletic programs across the country to develop this concept of a player led team. We discuss our experience working with university athletics teams and the overall concept of what player-led teams really look like. We'll share how we got involved in the sports industry and the importance of teams being able to s...

This week the Driven Team is back to continue the conversation of a previous episode on engagement. We discuss practical ways to create and sustain engagement in a business. Throughout the episode, we emphasize the importance of developing managers who care about their teams and building strong relationships. We also discuss the role of intrinsic motivation in engagement and the need for genuine c...

Engagement is a key aspect of leadership, but many leaders struggle to understand and measure it. Engagement can be categorized into three groups: engaged, disengaged, and actively disengaged . Engagement is influenced by management, with 70% of engagement determined by the manager's leadership style. Takeaways Engagement is a crucial aspect of leadership, but many leaders struggle to understa...

Today we are joined by Michael Venidis from Ryno Strategic Solutions! This conversation revolves around the importance of goal setting and consistency. Mary and Mike discuss their personal experiences with goal setting and how it has impacted their lives. They emphasize the significance of writing down goals and the power of visualization through techniques like vision boards. The conversation con...

This week's conversation revolves around the topic of ROI on leadership development. Eric, Mary, Austin and Connor discuss the importance of investing in leadership and the potential return on investment. They emphasize the need for training to be immersive, practical, and emotionally impactful in order to produce meaningful results. The conversation also touches on the role of culture in supp...

In this conversation, the team discuss their worst experiences with leadership conversations. They share stories of mishandled conversations and the negative impact they had on relationships and team dynamics. The hosts reflect on the importance of empathy, understanding, and collaboration in these conversations. They also discuss the need for leaders to take responsibility for their actions and t...

In this episode, Connor, Eric, and Mary discuss the origins of Driven Leadership and the challenges they faced in the early years. They share how they came up with the name Driven Leadership and the vision behind it. They also talk about the importance of embracing adversity and how it shaped their mindset and approach to business. The conversation highlights the significance of effective communic...

The conversation revolves around the topic of leadership and what qualifies someone to be a leader in a business or team. The Driven team discuss the common mistakes of promoting high performers to leadership positions without considering their leadership skills. They emphasize the importance of emotional intelligence in leaders and suggest ways to measure it, such as observing how well they conne...