Two Are Gathered Leadership Podcast

We all have those people in life, those true leaders, who when we have an important decision to make...we will go to them. They are our trusted advisor. They are someone we respect. They are someone we trust.  In many ways, it's hard to imagine going through life without these people. They have so much influence on our achievements. In business, one could argue that being a trusted advisor is a ne...

As a leader...all of the world is a stage. You're the lead player, and more than anyone in your organization, you are in the spotlight...for better and for worse. Unfortunately, for many of us, the worst parts of our personalities can draw the most attention, and often do.   We're having to make difficult decisions under constant pressure, and because of this we can crack, and in the process reall...

There are those times on the high wire when it comes to being a leader, when it feels like you're walking between skyscrapers, and your knees are feeling shaky, and the winds are howling around you. Then, glancing far, far below, you see a crowd...and you can see it in their eyes...they are thinking: "That guy's going to fall!" It's actually a state of mind, a visceral, psychological event that le...

Business leaders are often faced with a challenging decision when it comes to the crossroads of uncertainty: should I hit the brakes, or should I accelerate? We've all been in that situation on the road. We're driving along at a nice, even pace. In the distance, everything is clear, and there is a green light on the traffic signal. Yet, suddenly, the light turns yellow, and we're faced with a deci...

Leaders, have you ever felt this way: Your mind is spinning, your blood pressure is rising, the problems are many, and the solutions are few? The walls are closing in all around you and the heat is clearly on. So what do you need to do? You need to take a break. It may seem completely counter-intuitive and some would say impossible during times like these...but taking a mental break...even when th...

There are many different ways of deconstructing the elements of success in business. Yet perhaps, if you were to best break it down, you could say that success comes from a series of many, many right decisions. So if we believe the premise, that success in being entrepreneur comes from making more significant right decisions, than wrong ones, then the pathway to victory now becomes a discipline of...

There will come these times in the leadership journey when you and your organization hit a briar patch, a thorny place where the tires get stuck in the mud and the battery is not starting. It's not what you planned...it's not what you hoped for...but it's dark outside, it's starting to rain...and your team is looking at you for the solution. What is clear is a response is needed. In this moment, y...

It's difficult to find a leadership book in any bookstore, business library or executive bookshelf on the planet, that doesn't talk about the importance of focus. As a leader, we know all about the necessity for focus. We believe that we need to be focused and most of the time we do a pretty good job at focusing...until... Until...those times...when we really need to focus! Like when chaos is all...

Has the weather turned on you and your business suddenly? Are the waves starting to crash against the sides of your once comfortably traveling ship? Do you now find yourself in uncertain waters? All leaders are born instantly as experts at getting INTO messes. What separates the good from the great is their ability to get OUT of messes. The best leaders may have started their training in ivory tow...

There comes a time in the life of any leader of significance where they will face the toughest of decisions in the most challenging situation. During these times, there is rarely the perfect answer...the most clear choice...but action is required, a decision needs to be made...and everyone is looking at you. Because you...are the leader. In these moments of tremendous stress, and the highest level...

As an entrepreneur, as a leader, loving what you do provides a central core of energy, a shield against all difficulties, and the motivation to take you up the highest mountains. It's what gets you springing out bed on a Monday morning...it's what takes you through the roughest rivers...with a laugh and a shout of victory when you make it through a Category 5 rapid. When your work is a joy...it's...

There comes a time in the journey of every leader when all they have built, all they have hoped for seems to shatter into so many pieces on the ground. Things will break. Experiences will disappoint. The insurmountable odds against you...will sometimes prevail. It's just the way it is. It's the life of an entrepreneur. It's written in every leadership resume. But, there is light in the distance. A...

Life is an adventure. Being a leader is an adventure. Sometimes it's an enjoyable Sunday drive...and at other times it's a wild safari. When things do get a bit crazy...and especially when everything seems to go flat out nuts...the people around you are going to getting worried, nervous...and they might even panic. During these moments when the foreboding clouds are approaching and that twister ap...

There is no more significant need of great leaders in the world, than when there is a crisis. When everything around you has shifted, when all of the rules have suddenly changed, when the right decisions, the right actions are needed...and needed quickly...excellence in leadership is required. And when it comes to your business...that leader is you. Join Michael and Jim as they share the wisdom ea...

"Do I have what it takes to start a business?" Let's be honest. If you're working for someone else...and you're a leader, someone who enjoys designing a vision, building a team, and pursuing a goal, then you've already asked yourself this question. You've wondered, "Why am I grinding away so hard at building something for someone else? For making someone else more wealthy?" Yes...friends, at some...

Today's markets are so competitive, that for you to succeed in business, you can't swim in the waters of mediocrity. You've got to be exceptional. And even being exceptional will only get you so far. It will help you launch a company, and to have a good run at selling products or services. But, if you want to build something to last, something with long-term impact, it needs to rise to an even hig...

Being an entrepreneur is a wonderfully wild journey...full of winding roads, deep shadowy valleys and glorious peaks. It really is a Dickensian novel...in that it's "the best of times...and it's the worst of times." When it comes to worst of times..pretty high on that list are those moments when you have to share some bad news. Yet, doing it correctly, can make all of the difference in your role a...

Successful leaders need to be effective communicators. This requires specific skill at using the language of leadership. Not all entrepreneurs launch their businesses with sharp communication skills. In fact, few ever do. The good news is the ability to communicate with power and precision is an acquired skill set. It can be learned. It can be developed day by day if you make it a priority, as you...

Every leader knows the role of perseverance in running a business. They understand the importance of overcoming obstacles on the pathway to success. Yet, few leaders every really consider what they'll do when success finally arrives. Surprisingly, this is one of the greatest causes of depression for entrepreneurs and goal setters. They finally reach their destination and they are overcome with one...

Sometimes an entrepreneur can experience seasons of defeat. These are moments when you're too deep in the valleys to even catch a glimpse of the peaks. Depression runs rampant among business owners and much of it is caused by the fatigue of stress and disappointment. It's understandable in these times to find yourself in a place where your emotional embers are down to a dull glow.  But, don't desp...

Getting overwhelmed. Getting over our heads. This is a very common issue with entrepreneurs and one that needs to be avoided. It's one thing to be swimming in deep waters. It's another thing to be drowning. Fortunately, in business, when you're in those deep waters, there are different types of lifesavers and life rafts that can assist you when you're too short on time and too long on responsibili...

The heartbreak. The seemingly insurmountable challenges. Even failure. These are all part of the entrepreneurial journey. Yet, there are those times. Those sweet, sweet moments when a plan comes together. When your team beats all odds. You overcome. And, above the clouds, with an unbelievable view below of all you've accomplished, it is all suddenly and powerfully worth the struggle. Join Michael...

Most entrepreneurs struggle from the "Lone Ranger Syndrome" in that they try to carry all of their company's challenges on their own shoulders. Yet, it doesn't take too long for most business owners to realize this is a recipe for burnout and poor leadership performance.  Still, you can get yourself in big trouble if you share your troubles with the wrong people. So what do you do? Well...you list...

One of the most important leadership capabilities an entrepreneur can have is knowing the right times to make changes in their organizations. Too often, we act too quickly or too slowly. Skilled, experienced leaders are instinctively strong when it comes knowing exactly when to pull the trigger on decisions large and small.  Join Michael and Jim as they share insights into developing this critical...

There is so much that can go wrong in owning a business, and too often it all goes wrong at the same time. Sometimes, all you can do is laugh. And, this is not a bad thing. That is, if you are using the strategic leadership skill of having a sense of humor. So often, the entrepreneurial stress can get overwhelming and if you don't face your challenges with some humility and levity, then they will...