Posted on

484: The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams with David Burkus

by

This week’s guest is making a repeat appearance (or should I say, “three-peat” appearance?). It’s been a while since his last visit, but I can say it is definitely worth the wait.

david burkus

His name is David Burkus. We previously chatted with David about his books Friend of a Friend and Under New Management.

His new book is called Best Team Ever! The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams.

Talent, David says, doesn’t make the team—the team makes the talent. But why are some teams more motivated, innovative, and successful than others? Why do some groups of talented people fall short against lesser teams? And how do you go about building a high-performing team?

David understands that to build the best team, you must first shape the habits and practices that bring out the best in each member. Best Team Ever reveals what some of the world’s most effective teams do, and shows you how you can do the same.

Banish the frustration of having a team of talented people who can’t perform optimally. Discover how to develop a clear, concise understanding of how your team’s culture affects its performance. Follow this simple, practical blueprint to cultivate a Best Team Ever environment and set your team on a path to success.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about David and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

Join in on our chat below

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Continue Reading »
Posted on

483: The Illusion of Choice with Richard Shotton

by

My guest this week is making his first—and hopefully not his last—visit to the Read to Lead Podcast, and on the eve of the show’s 10th birthday, no less.

richard shotton

His name is Richard Shotton. He’s written a followup to his amazingly well-received The Choice Factory. It’s called The Illusion of Choice: 16 1/2 psychological biases that influence what we buy.

I devoured this book in a single day. It’s just over 190 pages with short, to-the-point chapters. Each one lays out plainly a psychological bias, shares what recent studies have shown about it (some of which are Shotton’s own), and then proceeds to show you, step-by-step, several ways you might consider applying what you’ve learned to your business.

It doesn’t get much more practical than that.

Richard draws on academic research, previous ad campaigns, and (as mentioned) his own original field studies to create a fascinating and highly practical guide that focuses on the point where marketing meets the mind of the customer.

You’ll learn to take advantage of the peak end rule, the power of precision, the wisdom of wit – and much, much more.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Richard and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

Join in on our chat below

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Continue Reading »
Posted on

482: How Leaders Can Move Teams From Isolated to All In with Steven Van Cohen

by

I was in a crunch for time the week I sat down with today’s guest and needed to get through his book (a seven- to eight-hour read) in a single day. What to do?

steven van cohen

I had a physical copy of the book in hand, but needed to get through it quickly. I decided to use one of my favorite speed reading tricks. I purchased the audiobook version. Then, following along in the physical book, I cranked up the audiobook to 2X speed. Instead of nearly eight hours, I was through the book in less than four!

Now, to be clear, you can do this with audiobooks (and podcasts) all day long if you like. But with books, unless you’re following along in either the ebook or have a physical copy, don’t expect to retain much of the book’s content later, let alone comprehend any of it.

Who is this guest and book? His name is Steven Van Cohen. His new book, co-written with Ryan Jenkins, is called Connectable: How Leaders Can Move Teams From Isolated to All, and connect we did.

I found Steven to be quite personable. He’s extremely good at what he does, as he’s been doing it for nearly two decades. Here’s a bit about what the book dives into:

The book covers how tackling the issue of worker loneliness head-on can transform an isolated workforce into one that’s happier, more engaged, and more productive.

Steven and his co-author, Ryan Jenkins, distill their methodology, showing you what’s causing today’s loneliness, the role inclusion plays in solving it, and how you can decrease loneliness and increase belonging, engagement, and performance with employees at every level―including yourself. 

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Steven and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

Join in on our chat below

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Continue Reading »
Posted on

481: How to See What Others Don’t with Constance Dierickx, PhD

by

This week’s guest—someone who I once referred to as “a hoot”—makes her second appearance on the show, her first in nearly six years.

constance dierickx

Her name is Dr. Constance Dierickx. We last heard from her way back in Episode #190 to talk about her book High Stakes Leadership.

This time she’s here to discuss her brand new book, Meta-Leadership: How to See What Others Don’t and Make Great Decisions.

All top leaders make mistakes, she says, simply because they are human. In fact, the more senior and successful they are, the more susceptible they are to making errors due to over-confidence and perhaps, hubris. But, as Constance demonstrates, this doesn’t have to be your fate.

In her new book, she draws on a vast body of research from psychology and business to show how great leaders can improve their judgment for stronger, more profitable results. Incorporating leading-edge data and research on the science of thinking, emotional regulation, and behavior, Meta Leadership offers fascinating stories, incisive insights, and useful takeaways for better leadership and better outcomes.

Whether you are at the start of your leadership journey or have held a senior leadership role for years, Meta-Leadership will arm you with knowledge and insights to achieve the highest results from yourself and your team.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Constance and her work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

Join in on our chat below

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Continue Reading »
Posted on

480: The Case for Good Jobs with Zeynep Ton

by

Two years ago, my 81-year-old mother, fell in love with Turkish culture. Credit Turkish men. Suffice to say, there’s not a Turkish movie or soap opera she hasn’t seen at least twice. She’s even teaching herself the language.

zeynep ton

This means, of course, that possibly for the first time ever, she’ll be excited to give one of my episodes a listen because Turkey is from where my guest today originally hails.

Her name is Zeynep Ton (Zeynep, according to my mother, is a popular girl’s name in Turkey. It’s even the name of a leading character on one of her “shows.”).

And Zeynep’s new book, released just a few weeks ago, is called The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay & Meaning to Everyone’s Work.

From healthcare facilities to call centers, fulfillment centers to factories, and restaurants to retail stores, companies are struggling to find or keep workers, Zeynep says, because the jobs they offer are low-paying, stressful, and provide little chance for growth and success.

Workers want good jobs, and many leaders want to provide them.

But they don’t think they can offer higher pay and more motivating work without hurting the bottom line. Most business leaders want to win with customers, but their companies are hobbled by a host of service and operational problems largely driven by high employee turnover—turnover that’s partly driven by low pay.

With expertise drawn from spending time on the front lines with workers and their managers, Zeynep knows what’s keeping most companies mired in mediocrity and how implementing a good jobs system makes them more competitive, more resilient, and more likely to attract and retain loyal customers and dedicated employees.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Zeynep and her work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

Join in on our chat below

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Continue Reading »