Fear, uncertainty, and doubts (FUD). We have all experienced these to some extent; we are only human. Brendan P. Keegan joins Kevin to discuss how these impact behavior and leadership. He tells us that humans are born fearless, but external factors and experiences lead to the development of fears over time. Leaders may inadvertently instill fear into their teams, and the language we use is important. For example, start with a question, not a statement. Brendan suggests we become a fearless leader who embraces uncertainty and is willing to take risks. When we fail, we should foster a culture of open communication and learn from our mistakes.

Listen for...

00:00:34 - Introduction to the podcast and guest Brendan Keegan

00:01:23 - Today's episode brought to you by the book "The Long Distance Team"

00:02:21 - Introduction of guest Brendan Keegan, author of "The Third Factor"

00:05:00 - Definition of "FUD" - Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt

00:08:52 - Why write about overcoming FUD as it relates to leadership?

00:13:37 - Becoming a fearless leader - why is this important?

00:18:58 - How to coach leaders to embrace failure as learning

00:21:54 - If you're an innovative leader but your team isn't ready, consider switching teams

00:25:27 - Learn more from failures than successes - do an honest debrief

00:28:10 - This year's company theme is "Endurance" - sustaining excellence long-term

00:29:48 - Biggest leadership lesson - the importance of "IQ" - awareness of yourself and others

00:35:49 - Call to action - what idea will you apply from this episode?

Meet Brendan

• Name: Brendan P. Keegan
• Brendan's Story: Brendan P. Keegan is the author of three books, including his newest, The FUD Factor: Overcoming Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt to Achieve the Impossible. He is chairman, CEO, and president of the board for Merchants Fleet, the fastest-growing fleet technology company in North America. He also has contributed more than 200 articles to Fast Company, Inc. Media, Entrepreneur, Newsweek, Fox Business, and Harvard Business Review. During Keegan’s time at Merchants Fleet, the company has been named a two-time Inc 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Company, Deloitte Best Managed Company, and a Fast Company Top 10 Most Innovative Company.
• https://brendanpkeegan.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanpkeegan
• https://twitter.com/bpkFEARLESS
• https://www.instagram.com/bpkfearless/

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Do you feel productive? How do you measure productivity? Maura Thomas joins Kevin to discuss the pitfalls of constant busyness versus true productivity and the need for leaders to prioritize thinking. She shares that leaders and organizational culture can unintentionally hinder productivity. Leaders often underestimate their influence not only on employees' work lives but also on their personal lives, attitudes, and mental well-being.

Listen for...

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:07 Importance of creating a desirable workplace
• 02:15 Discussion about Maura's journey into productivity
• 06:50 Focus on knowledge work and defining it
• 08:13 Challenges of measuring productivity in knowledge work
• 09:01 Impact of leaders' behaviors on organizational culture
• 10:31 People view leaders differently than they view themselves
• 12:19 Four quadrants of attention management: reactive, focused, daydreaming, flow
• 17:20 Task switching has a cost and disrupts productivity
• 18:45 The difference between being busy and being productive
• 22:07 It's not just about the tools, but how we use them
• 24:41 The volume of communication in organizations is too high
• 26:13 Agreements are needed for communication expectations
• 27:10 Resetting the culture of urgency is important
• 28:27 Importance of efficient remote communication
• 29:15 Tips for effective one-on-one meetings
• 33:11 Impact of after-hours communication on employee stress
• 37:23 Closing

Meet Maura

• Name: Maura Nevel Thomas
• Maura's Story: Maura Nevel Thomas is the author of 6 books, including her latest, Everyone Wants to Work Here: Attract the Best Talent, Energize Your Team, and Be The Leader in Your Market. She is an award-winning international speaker and trainer on individual and corporate productivity and work-life balance, and the most widely-cited authority on attention management. Her proprietary Empowered Productivity™ System has been embraced by the likes of NASA, Google, and Dyson. She is a TEDx Speaker, founder of Regain Your Time, author of six books, and was named a Top Leadership Speaker in Inc. Magazine. Maura is frequently featured in major business outlets including Business Insider, Fast Company, and Washington Post, and she’s also a regular contributor to both Forbes and the Harvard Business Review, with articles there viewed over a million times.
• https://maurathomas.com/

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Listen for...

00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:21 Introduction to the guest, Dan Pontefract
00:05:28:22The myth of work-life balance and the need to demarcate work and life
00:06:58 Defining demarcate and the importance of separating work and life
00:08:03 The connection between work-life bloom and leadership
00:09:00 Employee engagement as a flawed concept
00:09:53 The impact of work on our lives and the importance of seasons
00:10:36 How our lives shape our work and vice versa
00:11:19 Impact of personal situations on work performance
00:12:27 Importance of acknowledging and supporting employees' personal situations
00:13:13 Negative effects of ignoring employees' personal situations
00:13:47 Blooming as a metaphor for work-life integration
00:15:01 Blooming as a positive persona when work and life are going well
00:16:06 Other personas: budding, stunted, and renewal
00:19:20 Introduction to the book "Work Life Bloom"
00:19:42 Six work factors: trust, belonging, value, purpose, strategy, norms
00:21:07 Belonging as a key work factor
00:21:55 Belonging leads to engagement
00:23:02 Three elements of belonging: understanding, representation, and safety
00:23:57 Six life factors: meaning, relationships, well-being, skills, agency, respect
00:25:09 Difference between meaning (work) and purpose (life)
00:26:02 Integrating work purpose and life meaning
00:27:05 Open dialogue between leader and team member
00:28:51 Importance of acknowledging and addressing individual differences
00:29:13 Leaders hesitant to ask questions without answers
00:30:11 Importance of vulnerability and continuous learning for leaders
00:31:17 Shifting focus from engagement to how people feel at work and in life
00:32:14 Having honest conversations about work and life
00:33:05 Importance of empathy and being human as leaders
00:34:24 Dan's hobbies: cycling and spending time with family
00:34:59 Book recommendation: "10X Easier Than 2X" by Dan Sullivan
00:38:42 Closing remarks and gratitude from Kevin.

Meet Dan

• Name: Dan Ponefract 
• Dan's Story: Dan Pontefract is the author of four books: LEAD. CARE. WIN., OPEN TO THINK, THE PURPOSE EFFECT, and FLAT ARMY. His latest book is WORK-LIFE BLOOM. He is a renowned leadership strategist, author, and keynote speaker with over two decades of experience in senior executive roles at companies such as SAP, TELUS, and Business Objects. Since then, he has worked with organizations worldwide, including Salesforce, Amgen, the State of Tennessee, Nestlé, Canada Post, Autodesk, BMO, the Government of Canada, Manulife, Nutrien, and the City of Toronto, among others. Dan is a renowned keynote speaker who has presented at four TED events and has delivered over 600 keynotes. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria's Gustavson School of Business.
• https://www.worklifebloom.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/danpontefract/

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A good leader isn’t afraid of questions. Bob Tiede joins Kevin to discuss the art of questioning, this includes the importance of asking open-ended questions, not putting people in a corner, giving them the time to respond, and the opportunity to say yes. He believes that leaders often hesitate to ask questions because they feel the need to project an image of having all the answers. However, he emphasizes that asking questions not only helps leaders gain valuable insights but also empowers their team members to contribute their ideas and perspectives.

Key Takeaways:

1. Leaders often hesitate to ask questions because they feel the need to have all the answers.
2. Asking open-ended questions can lead to more meaningful conversations and better insights.
3. Good questions give information, but better questions lead to deeper understanding.
4. The art of questioning involves asking the question and then giving the person time to answer.
5. Creating a question culture involves practices like question storming and asking for multiple perspectives.

Listen For...

00:00:00 Introduction to the podcast and guest, Bob Tiede
00:09:39 What keeps leaders from asking questions
00:11:32 Giving answers denies space for others to contribute.
00:13:06 Leaders who project having all the answers come across as unsure.
00:13:47 Asking questions as a leader is more important now.
00:22:09 The art of questioning includes giving people time to answer.
00:25:18 The mindset of a learner is important when questioning.
00:27:32 Creating a question culture through question storming.
00:28:53 Culture and generating questions to solve issues.
00:29:25 Bob's favorite question: "What do you think?"
00:30:04 The power of asking "What else?" multiple times.
00:37:34 Conclusion and invitation to join next week's episode.

Meet Bob

• Name: Bob Tiede 
• Bob's Story: Bob Tiede (pronounced “Tee-Dee”) has been on the staff of Cru (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ) for 52 years – serving 8 years in Cru Campus and then 24 years as the CEO of Josh McDowell Ministry – a Division of Cru. And Now 20 years on the U.S. Leadership Development Team – developing the next generation of leaders for Cru. Bob’s blog LeadingWithQuestions.com is now in its 11th year and followed by leaders in over 200 countries. Bob has written 6 very popular books, including “Great Leaders Ask Question – a Fortune 100 List” and “Now That’s a Great Question” and his newest book is the 3rd Edition of “LEADING WITH QUESTIONS” which has been Amazon’s #1 Best Seller in the category of Business communication! Bob’s mission is to help leaders everywhere multiply their leadership effectiveness X10 by moving from “Let Me Tell You!” to “Let Me Ask You!” Bob has been married to Sherry for 53 years and is the proud Dad of 4 adult children – all married and 8 incredible Grandchildren – all who love to ask their “Papa Bob” questions!
• http://leadingwithquestions.com/books
• http://leadingwithquestions.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadingWithQuestions/ 
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobtiede/
• https://twitter.com/bobtiede

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Review on Apple: https://remarkablepodcast.com/itunes