Host Christi Scarrow and Lorrey Arial Bonilla, Executive Director at ECCDC, discuss key lessons in leadership, emphasizing the importance of relationships, networking, and work-life balance. She highlights the need for strong communications with boards, staff, funders, and stakeholders, and the value of seeking external support to avoid isolation. Lorrey stresses the importance of resiliency, time management, and prioritizing tasks to prevent burnout. She also underscores the significance of regular goal-setting meetings and open dialogues to understand staff needs and improve engagement. Finally, she advises on recognizing staff efforts through various forms of appreciation to foster a supportive and motivated team.

Action Items

-Send thank you cards as a form of recognition. -Identify and model a work-life balance -Look for new ways to connect and acknowledge your team members

Outline Early Lessons in Leadership

-Lorrey shares her extensive experience at ECCDC, having been with the organization for 28 years and in her current position for nine years. -Lorrey identifies three key lessons: the importance of relationships, networking, and work-life balance.

The Importance of Relationships

-Lorrey emphasizes the significance of strong relationships with the board, staff, funders, and stakeholders. -She highlights the need for respectful, transparent, and responsive relationships with stakeholders. -Lorrey discusses the importance of networking and seeking support from peers and colleagues in similar roles. -Christi reinforces the value of networking, sharing her own experience of not prioritizing it enough in her corporate role.

Balancing Work and Life

-Lorrey identifies work-life balance as a crucial lesson, emphasizing the need to prioritize and manage time effectively. -She discusses the challenges of avoiding the habit of working late and the importance of modeling a healthy work-life balance for staff. -Christi agrees, noting the tendency for purpose-driven organizations to require long hours, which can lead to burnout. -Lorrey mentions the need to trust staff to manage their own workload and not to fall into the routine of working late regularly.

Staffing Challenges and Solutions

-Lorrey identifies staffing as a significant challenge, focusing on recognizing and leveraging staff strengths and interests. -She discusses the balance between creating independent work environments and providing necessary support and coaching. -Christi acknowledges the common struggle with staffing and asks for Lorrey's insights on when to step in and when to step back. -Lorrey emphasizes the importance of regular goal-setting meetings and open dialog to understand staff needs and provide appropriate support.

Recognition and Support Strategies

-Lorrey highlights the importance of recognizing staff efforts through various means, from quick emails to formal celebrations. -She provides examples of different recognition strategies, including thank-you cards, team gatherings, and raffles for time off. -Christi shares a personal example of receiving a thank-you card from Lorrey, emphasizing the impact of small gestures. -Lorrey advises being kind and patient to oneself, taking baby steps, and viewing challenges as learning opportunities rather than personal setbacks.

Final Thoughts and Advice

-Lorrey encourages managers to look for new ways to connect with staff and recognize their efforts in meaningful ways. -She emphasizes the importance of being open to challenges and learning from them. -Christi thanks Lorrey for her insights and advice, and encourages listeners to find resources on navigating leadership challenges. -The conversation concludes with mutual appreciation and well-wishes.

Useful Links

Host: Christi's Web Page

Guest: ECCDC

Lighthouse NINE Group: Web page

Contributors

Music: All The Fixings by Zachariah Hickman
Editing: tribe74

Yves Dalcourt, Managing Director at Miele in Australia and New Zealand, discusses his leadership experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasizes the importance of personal connection, daily communication, and creating a positive culture. Dalcourt highlights initiatives like the "song of the day" and consistent email updates to maintain morale. He also shares his philosophy of valuing employees as "heartbeats" rather than just head counts. Reflecting on his career, he stresses authenticity, adapting to different generations, and learning from both good and bad leaders.

Action Items

-Continue to build personal connections with employees and foster a strong, collaborative culture. Implement creative, engaging activities to keep the team motivated and connected during challenging times. -Maintain consistent, transparent communication with the entire organization to provide direction and reassurance. -Adapt leadership style to effectively connect with and support the needs of younger, more tech-savvy employees.

Outline

Strategies for Leading During a Pandemic

-Yves explains the two main strategies he and his management team developed: prioritizing the health and safety of employees and ensuring the business could continue. -He emphasizes the importance of personal connection and daily communication with employees for reassurance and to build trust. -He initiated a "song of the day" activity to keep employees engaged and connected.

Building a Culture of Connection

-Yves discusses the importance of personal connection in leadership, using the term "heartbeats" instead of "head counts" to emphasize the human element. -He shares how this focus on personal connection helped create a strong company culture and engagement, even during challenging times. -He highlights the long-term positive impact on the company's culture and engagement, emphasizing the importance of not wasting a crisis.

Lessons Learned from Early Leadership Experiences

-Yves recounts his first job experience, where the CEO failed to acknowledge him, which shaped his commitment to connecting with employees. -He emphasizes the importance of being an authentic leader who values human connection and adapts to different situations and environments. -Yves shares how he learned from both good and bad leaders, taking the best practices and avoiding the negative traits.

Navigating Challenges with Bad Leaders

-Yves recommends understanding the needs and communication preferences to build trust and establish a connection. -He emphasizes the importance of not getting emotionally involved and focusing on the end goal when dealing with difficult bosses. -Yves suggests having a good network outside the workplace to vent and share similar experiences, which can provide support and perspective.

Adapting to Different Generations and New Leaders

-Yves discusses the importance of understanding different perspectives and needs. -He shares how his daughter, who is a millennial, helps him connect with this generation and adapt his leadership style. -Yves emphasizes the need to be relevant and connect with new leaders to shape them for the future of the business.

Final Thoughts on Leadership and Personal Connection

-Yves advises leaders to have fun and not take their roles too seriously, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the journey. -He encourages others to surround themself with great people. -Yves shares his belief that leaders should not feel the need to have all the answers and should be comfortable with not knowing everything. -He concludes by encouraging leaders to focus on the positive and not let stress and challenges overwhelm them, emphasizing the importance of resilience and adaptability.

Useful Links

Host: Christi's Web Page

Guest: Miele

Lighthouse NINE Group: Web page

Contributors

Music: All The Fixings by Zachariah Hickman

Editing: tribe74

Host Christi Scarrow and Guest Ryan Labong (Chief Commercial Officer at Nature’s Path) have a conversation centered around the importance of executing strategy and fostering an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns. Ryan shares how performance culture can negatively impact long term growth and the importance of empathy to counterbalance this. Christi and Ryan discuss the importance of developing high performing teams supported by non-judgemental leaders.

Action Items

-Focus the team on no more than three clear strategic priorities. -Continue holding regular one-on-ones, bi-weekly check-ins, and quarterly milestone reviews -Invest in team-building activities like volunteering together to foster collaboration and camaraderie. -Lead with empathy and compassion for sustainability Outline

Leadership lessons, challenges, and strategies for keeping teams motivated and driven.

-Ryan Labong emphasizes the importance of execution in business, citing a high-performing team as crucial to achieving common goals. -He believes leaders should be situational and adaptable to bring out the best in their team members, fostering collaboration and connectedness. -Ryan discusses challenges in leadership, including maintaining drive and engagement over time. -He shares strategies for keeping things fresh, such as setting ambitious goals and breaking them down into smaller milestones. Leadership, empathy, and finding balance in managing a high-performing team.

-Ryan Labong emphasizes the importance of clear operating models and priorities to drive habits and focus for the team. -He advises newer managers to prioritize and make hard choices to achieve success, even in an ambitious organization. -Ryan emphasizes the importance of empathy and flexibility in leadership, citing the need to understand and support team members' personal challenges. -He advocates for a balance between driving results and building a high-performance team through collective support and rallying around individual needs. Leadership, team building, and overcoming challenges.

-Ryan emphasizes the importance of team building and investing in activities that foster collaboration and camaraderie. -Christi agrees and suggests that team building can be a cost-efficient way to reset the mindset and have fun with the team. -Leaders should foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. -Effective leadership is not a guarantee, but it's fulfilling when teams perform well due to the leader's influence. Useful Links

Host: Christi's Web Page

Guest: Nature's Path Organic

Lighthouse NINE Group: Web page

Contributors

Music: All The Fixings by Zachariah Hickman

Editing: tribe74

Host Christi Scarrow sits down with Pina Melchionna, President and CEO at CITT Canada's Logistics Association, and shares insights on leadership with an emphasis on authenticity and inclusivity. Pina recounts a pivotal moment in her career where asking for clarification led to positive feedback, teaching her the value of vulnerability and authenticity. She highlights the importance of mindful language to avoid exclusion, suggesting leaders use inclusive terms like "you all" instead of "you guys." She also advocates for a coach-like approach to feedback and the need to tailor leadership styles to individual employees' needs and cultural sensitivities.

Action Items

-Be willing to speak up in support of yourself and others. -Be mindful of exclusionary terminology as a leader. -Explore different coaching techniques to provide constructive feedback, such as asking reflective questions. -Reinforce positive behaviors more frequently to balance out corrective feedback. Outline

Early Career Lessons in Leadership

-Pina shares her early career lesson about showing up authentically, especially as a female leader in a male-dominated field. -She recounts a specific incident where she asked for clarification in a boardroom, which led to positive feedback from colleagues. -Pina emphasizes the importance of asking questions and being vulnerable as a leader, which can lead to better understanding and engagement. Inclusive Leadership and Language

-Christi and Pina discuss the challenges of being a minority in a male-dominated room and the importance of inclusive language. -Pina highlights the need for leaders to be mindful of their language to avoid exclusion, even if it means using more inclusive terms like "you all" instead of "you guys." -She shares a personal experience where she provided feedback to a speaker about using inclusive language during a presentation. -Pina stresses the importance of leaders taking responsibility for correcting exclusionary language and being open to feedback themselves. Challenges in People Management

-Pina identifies the difficulty in balancing the role of a coach with the need to address underperformance as a challenge. -She discusses the importance of maintaining a positive intent when providing feedback and the struggle with people not always receiving constructive feedback well. -Pina shares tips for giving feedback, such as starting with positive reinforcement and framing feedback as a way to help the person improve. Situational Coaching and Cultural Sensitivity

-Christi and Pina delve into the concept of situational coaching and tailoring leadership styles to meet individual employee needs. -Pina explains that different employees respond to feedback in different ways, and leaders should adapt their approach accordingly. -She emphasizes the importance of cultural sensitivity and being aware of how different backgrounds and biases can influence communication. -Pina shares examples of how she has adapted her coaching style to better resonate with employees from diverse cultural backgrounds. Final Thoughts and Resources

-Christi thanks Pina for sharing her insights and emphasizes the importance of situational coaching and cultural sensitivity in leadership. -Pina reiterates the importance of recognizing that most people genuinely want to do a good job and the need for change management principles. -Christi provides resources and links for listeners looking for help with people management and leadership challenges. -The conversation concludes with mutual appreciation and a reminder of the ongoing challenges and opportunities in leadership. Useful Links

Host: Christi's Web Page

Guest: CITT Canada

Lighthouse NINE Group: Web page

Contributors

Music: All The Fixings by Zachariah Hickman

Editing: tribe74

Guest Bruce Tunnicliffe of VEI Contracting shares his insights on effective leadership, emphasizing the importance of communication and vision in leading a team. Bruce highlights the importance of task management, delegation, and fostering a positive culture. Host Christi Scarrow added to this by emphasizing the need for open communication and a supportive leadership style in navigating toxic workplace cultures and leading growing companies. Both speakers stressed the significance of a positive culture in achieving a well-functioning team and leader.

Action Items

-Discuss culture more with new hires to ensure they understand expectations around boundaries like the no email after hours policy.

-Work with individual team members to jointly define expectations and accountability, addressing any gray areas caused by evolving roles.

-Continually evaluate team members' strengths and passions to ensure they are optimally positioned.

Outline

Leadership lessons from his early career and the importance of connecting to purpose..

-Bruce Tunnicliffe shares lessons from his 20+ year career, emphasizing the importance of communication and seeing the big picture.

-He how while doing his masters, his supervisor challenged him to think about the purpose in his writing. This has shaped how he leads others.

Leadership, culture, and delegation for high-performing teams.

-Bruce shares his perspective on effective leadership, prioritizing tasks, and delegation.

-He emphasizes the importance of identifying important and urgent tasks, and delegating non-urgent tasks to team members.

-Bruce emphasizes the importance of culture in a high-functioning team, citing open communication, mutual respect, and supportive leadership as key components.

-Christi Scarrow seeks advice on addressing a culture of "what have you done for me lately?" in a high-performing team, with a focus on managing up and creating a more supportive environment.

Workplace culture and leadership challenges in a growing company.

-Bruce shares how to Identify a problematic culture by understanding its impact on workplace morale and productivity.

-He encourages people to communicate concerns respectfully to promote positive change

-Bruce Tunnicliffe shares challenges of doubling in size, new people, and how to set guidelines for respectful working practices.

-Christi Scarrow agrees, highlighting leadership growth and potential new challenges.

Leading and managing a growing team with accountability challenges.

-Bruce Tunnicliffe recognizes the struggle with accountability in a rapidly changing work environment.

-He encourages leaders to “know your people deeply to work with them individually in a growing environment.” and avoid structuring people too much, let them excel in their own way.

Leadership skills and self-awareness.

-Bruce Tunnicliffe advises self-reflection for those struggling in leadership positions, suggesting continual education and learning are important.

-Tunnicliffe believes in leveraging strengths, rather than improving weaknesses, for maximum success as a leader.

Useful Links

Host: Christi's Web Page

Guest: Vertex Environmental Inc.

Lighthouse NINE Group: Website

Contributors

Music: All The Fixings by Zachariah Hickman

Editing: tribe74

Host Christi Scarrow and guest Shelly Anwyll, Vice President, Business Development & Member Experience at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Executive Co-Chair of NextUp Toronto, discuss the importance of active listening, empathy, and proactive communication in leadership. They emphasize the need to recognize and respect the perspectives of others, foster trust, and prioritize stakeholders' priorities. They also share their experiences as new managers, highlighting the challenges of delegating responsibilities and trusting team members. Shelly offers advice on how to overcome these challenges, including reframing one's mindset and recognizing the value of learning from mistakes.

Action Items

-To actively listen, don’t go to into situation with a preconceived notion of the outcome

-Recognize that the priorities of individuals you are trying to influence may be different than the organizational priorities

-Build trust with others to make difficult conversations easier

-Continue enjoying the learning process of developing skills over time rather than rushing progress.

Outline

Active listening and its importance in leadership roles.

-Shelly Anwyll emphasizes the importance of active listening in leadership.

-Active listening is essential for effective collaboration, especially in diverse settings

-Christi Scarrow and Shelly Anwyll discuss prioritizing stakeholders' perspectives in collaboration.

Leadership, conflict resolution, empathy, and trust-building strategies.

-Shelly Anwyll emphasizes proactive communication to manage conflicts, which she is in tune with through visual cues.

-Christi Scarrow and Shelly Anwyll discuss empathy and trust in leadership, with a focus on generational differences and the importance of face-to-face interactions.

-Shelly Anwyll emphasizes the importance of direct feedback and leadership accountability in building empathy and trust, regardless of reporting lines.

-Shelly advises managers to prioritize building trust and comfortable relationships with their team members.

-Shelly suggests empowering team members to make decisions and learn from mistakes to help them develop and evolve as managers.

Leadership challenges and growth.

-Christi Scarrow and Shelly Anwyll discuss the challenges of letting go of control as managers and trusting team members to do their jobs.

-Shelly advises that when managers struggle to delegate to consider the worst that could happen if something goes wrong and to focus on learning from the experience.

-Shelly Anwyll: Leaders often overmanage due to discomfort with messy parts of leadership.

-Shelly Anwyll: Enjoy the journey, don't rush to the finish line, and recognize that experience is part of successful careers.

Useful Links

Host: Christi's Web Page

Guest: NextUp Toronto

Lighthouse NINE Group: Web Page

Contributors

Music: All The Fixings by Zachariah Hickman

Editing: tribe74

Messy Leadership Host Christi Scarrow and guest Nima Fotovat (President and Co-Founder of Riverside Natural Foods) discuss effective leadership styles and approaches, emphasizing the need to balance holding people accountable, while also providing support and engagement. Christi and Nima highlight the distinction between reacting and responding in a leadership role, and share their journey of learning to balance these aspects.

Action Items

-Continue working on self-awareness to recognize instinctual reactions versus considered responses.

-Practice techniques like noticing "early volcano signals" of impending reactions and pausing to breathe before responding.

-Lead by example in personal growth and change to potentially inspire similar curiosity in others.

-When providing feedback, use the SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact) model to deliver messages in a well-received way.

-Focus on the “Why?” to get to the “How?”

Outline

Leadership lessons and managing people with a focus on accountability and finding the right balance.

-Nima shares an important lesson learned early in his career: managing people requires a softer, gentler approach, but also accountability.

-Nima acknowledges that an approach of being forceful and demanding did not lead to improved performance, but rather created frustration and a lack of accountability.

-Nima describes his leadership journey as a pendulum of firmness and softness, striving for balance between accountability and support.

-Nima emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in recognizing and managing the pendulum swing in leadership.

Leadership challenges and self-awareness.

-Nima shares personal struggle with finding balance between being too critical and not providing enough feedback.

-He reflects on his first nature and how it impacts his leadership, recognizing it as a deeply ingrained defense mechanism.

-Nima emphasizes the importance of leading by example in inspiring desire for growth and curiosity.

-Nima believes that seeing the positive and negative consequences of change can motivate individuals to put effort into personal growth.

Leadership, motivation, and emotional intelligence.

-Nima emphasizes personal motivation and shared experiences as keys to inspiring others.

-He acknowledges the struggle to avoid reacting impulsively, seeking to respond thoughtfully instead.

-Nima seeks to cultivate mindfulness and self-awareness to improve decision-making.

Leadership, managing vs influencing, and the importance of understanding why.

-Christi discusses the importance of recognizing and managing one's physical reactions, as they can impact leadership and relationships.

-Nima emphasizes the responsibility of managing people, as their choices can have a trickle-down effect on careers and lives.

-He advises against taking on management responsibilities without proper mentorship and resources.

-Nima emphasizes the importance of aligning on the "Why?" before focusing on the "How?" and "What?"

Useful Links

Host: Christi's Web Page

Guest: Riverside Natural Foods

Contributors

Music: All The Fixings by Zachariah Hickman

Editing: tribe74