“Great leadership starts with great self-leadership” is a mantra that lies at the heart of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast. This is why I am thrilled to share this episode, where I welcome Margaret C. Andrews, a seasoned executive and leadership expert, who shares the intriguing backstory behind her book, Manage Yourself to Lead Others, which was inspired by a pivotal moment when she was told she lacked self-awareness. This experience led her to explore the vital connection between understanding oneself and effective, sustainable leadership.

Listen in as we guide you through an enlightening exercise to reflect on the traits of your best boss, revealing that a remarkable 85% of these qualities fall under the realm of soft skills or emotional intelligence. Margaret and I address a listener's question on self-awareness, offering methods like 360-degree feedback to gain a clearer understanding of one's impact. The episode continues to explore the challenges of addressing self-awareness and providing constructive feedback, using the SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact) model to enhance clarity and constructiveness. Our discussion invites you to reconsider what truly makes a great leader and the critical role of empathy and effective communication in leadership.

Enhancing team dynamics is also a focal point of our conversation, with insights into creating personal user manuals and team charters to foster effective teamwork. Margaret shares strategies for transitioning from a subject matter expert to leading a team, emphasizing the importance of intentional leadership. We explore managing up with a boss who lacks self-awareness, highlighting self-care and mental health as crucial components of professional success. As we conclude, we underscore the importance of self-awareness in how we perceive our intentions versus how others feel our impacts, advocating for a mindful approach to leadership that balances transparency and resilience.

What You’ll Learn

- The power and importance of self-awareness in effective leadership.

- How to enhance emotional intelligence for better team dynamics.

- Leveraging 360-feedback for professional development.

- Techniques for delivering impactful and constructive feedback.

- Ways to align intentions with actions to foster trust within a team.

- Methods to build resilience in personal and professional settings.

Podcast Timestamps

(00:00) – Manage Yourself to Lead Others

(09:48) – Soft Skills Are the Heart of Great Leadership

(16:55) – Navigating Feedback Conversations to Build Self-Awareness

(25:04) – Managing Up

(38:37) – Share Your User Manual

(42:22) – The Power of Team Charters

(47:15) – Vulnerability and Building Resilience

(56:16) – Intentions Versus Impacts

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Self-Awareness, Emotional Intelligence, Team Dynamics, Feedback, Personal Growth, Communication, Resilience, Soft Skills, Mental Health, Vulnerability, Transparency, Leading with Intention, Fostering Collaboration, User Manuals, Team Charters, CEO Success

Is empathy truly a superpower in leadership, or does its endless demand threaten to drain the very leaders we rely on? Join me for this month’s solo episode, as I explore the answer to this important question.

As leaders are constantly called upon to exercise empathy, their reserves can run dry, leading to avoidance of hard conversations and emotional exhaustion. Together, we will confront these challenges, recognizing and normalizing our emotional limits while sharing practical strategies to safeguard our empathy reserves.

This episode invites you to reflect on the multifaceted nature of empathy and its powerful role in both our personal and professional lives. We highlight the importance of maintaining empathy in a sustainable way, ensuring leaders can continue to show up with care and accountability. By prioritizing our own well-being, we also model healthy emotional boundaries for those we lead. Tune in to examine how balancing empathy with strategic foresight and ethical clarity can drive success for individuals and organizations alike.

What You’ll Learn

- Dynamic strategies to conquer empathy fatigue

- Techniques to seamlessly balance emotional labor with strategic thinking

- How to establish robust boundaries

- Ways to achieve lasting emotional resilience

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Empathy, Empathy Fatigue, Strategic Thinking, Ethical Decision-Making, Executive Excellence, Setting Boundaries, Compassion Fatigue, Emotional Labor, Emotional Resilience, Sustainable Empathy, CEO Success

Join us for an enlightening exploration of purpose-driven leadership as we welcome Andrew Lo, President and CEO of Embark, to the Do Good to Lead Well podcast. Discover how Embark is transforming how families plan, save, and invest in their children's education through innovative initiatives like their new gifting program for Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs). This program allows grandparents and others to contribute to a child's education fund during the holidays.

Andrew also shares the intricacies of building a purpose-driven, collaborative environment. Discover how Embark measures success through customer satisfaction and trust, and how reinvesting their earnings into educational initiatives supports young entrepreneurs. Andrew's stories of experimentation, resilience, and mental well-being underscore the importance of nurturing a culture where innovation thrives and collective success is prioritized.

As we explore the transformative journey of fostering a learning culture, Andrew shares strategies for encouraging lifelong learning and innovation within his organization. From participation in international conferences to hackathons, Embark promotes creativity and problem-solving across all levels.

We also address the challenges of maintaining accountability while nurturing a positive organizational culture, emphasizing the importance of empowerment and open communication. With a focus on building resilience and mental well-being, this episode provides valuable insights for leaders navigating the complexities of the modern business landscape, especially in the AI era. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that highlights the human connection at the heart of leadership and innovation.

What You’ll Learn

- The heart of purpose-driven leadership

- The secrets to collaboration

- How to foster a learning culture

- Empowering accountability and growth

- Why you want to lead with consensus when defining organizational success

- Building resilience and mental well-being

- Leadership in the digital and AI era

Podcast Timestamps

(00:00) - Purpose-Driven Leadership in Education

(08:45) – The Qualities of Great Leaders

(17:15) – The Secrets to Effective Collaboration

(25:49) - Empowering Accountability for Organizational Growth

(32:10) - Building Resilience and Mental Well-Being

(38:49) – The Motivational Power of a Truly Shared Definition of Success

(52:27) - Leadership in the AI Era

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Leading with Purpose, Purpose-Driven Leadership, Innovation, Financial Literacy, Social Impact, Collaboration, Customer Satisfaction, Trust, Corporate Scorecard, Young Entrepreneurs, Learning Culture, Lifelong Learning, Hackathons, Curiosity, Accountability, Empowerment, Organizational Growth, Mental Well-Being, Resilience, Fear of Failure, Burnout, Hybrid Work Environments, Strategic Planning, AI Era, Soft Skills, Emotional Intelligence, Human Connection, CEO Success