This week on the Lead to Win Podcast, we visit Lauren Cruz. Lauren graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2006 and spent the following 5 years as a Naval Flight Officer on board the P-3C Orion aircraft, hunting submarines and Somalian pirates (including those who took Captain Phillips captive in 2009), and flying surveillance and reconnaissance missions in the Persian Gulf. She then served for 3.5 years at the White House as a communications officer (alongside Atlas Aultman, another guest of the show). In 2015, Lauren left the Navy and began a career in Financial Crimes Compliance and Fraud Prevention in NYC. She has worked for EY (Ernst & Young), PayPal, and recently accepted a position with Goldman Sachs. Throughout her career, Lauren has enjoyed great success employing what she now knows is called “compassionate leadership”. In short, she makes it a point to be curious about and empathetic toward the individuals she works with. Not only does she find work much more enjoyable this way, but the results she has gotten have been overwhelmingly positive.
Episode Takeaways:
Lauren's Links:
Atlas Aultman's website - https://leaders-kit.com/laurencruz
Lauren's LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-cruz-cams-74819ab4?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
Email - Lauren.cruz.coaching@gmail.com
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
Rob Bier, a seasoned expert in building high-performance organizations, discusses the sources of organizational friction and how they impact team dynamics and productivity. He emphasizes the importance of clear communication, addressing power struggles, and aligning conflicting goals to minimize friction. Rob also highlights the role of leadership in facilitating smoother transitions during periods of change and fostering a culture of transparency. His book, 'Smooth Scaling,' is targeted towards founders and CEOs of growth companies, providing practical insights and rituals to build high-performing organizations.
Episode Takeaways:
Rob's Links:
https://www.robbier.com/
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
In this episode of the Lead to Win podcast, Bo Bergen interviews Dave Nordel, a retired United States Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant. Dave shares his experiences and insights on leadership, veteran transition, and creating impact within organizations. He discusses the importance of self-leadership, seeking out mentors, and learning from mistakes. Dave also talks about his consulting company, Max Fab Consulting, which focuses on veteran transition and creating supportive environments for veterans in the workforce. In this conversation, Dave Nordel discusses the importance of being present as a leader and the impact it has on motivating and leading a team. He emphasizes the need for leaders to be transparent about their aspirations and goals, as well as the importance of consistent and ongoing feedback to sustain motivation. Nordel also highlights the significance of addressing the soft skills and intangible needs of employees.
Episode Takeaways:
Dave's Links:
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
This week on the Lead to Win Podcast, we sit down with Atlas Aultman. Atlas helps proven leaders focus on who they are, who their teams are, and who their mission serves by providing master-courses, books, and keynotes designed to produce faster successes, retain talent, and attract high-value teammates.
Atlas’s military career established him as a highly decorated senior-ranking military leader. He was awarded two Bronze Star medals from leading teams in various combat zones located in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a technology leader, he was recognized as an international “Top 40-under-40” from the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association after being named White House Junior Officer of the year. His official military record holds an additional 21 Air Force, Navy & Marine Corps medals.
Atlas’ TEDx talk in SouthLakeTahoe exposes exactly how elite leaders make huge decisions quickly and continue to win. His books have been featured on FOX, NBC, ABC, Google, and other major news outlets. Atlas has five international best-selling books, and his most recent book became #1 in personal transformation, memoirs, and motivation categories.
Episode Takeaways:
Links:
leadtowin (leaders-kit.com) - Free tools
(8) Atlas (Joshua) Aultman | LinkedIn - Atlas' LinkedIn
https://a.co/d/bRTXkcc - Rule of 3 book on Amazon
Start with WHO - How Elite Leaders Win | Atlas Aultman | TEDxSouthLakeTahoe (youtube.com)
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
On this Bonus Episode of the Lead to Win Podcast, I have the privilege of visiting with someone that I’m very familiar with and have learned a lot from through a very formative time in my life—my former pitching coach—Jason Immekus–better known as “Kus”. Kus is the head throwing trainer and partnership liaison at Premier Pitching Performance. He has 19 years of college baseball coaching experience, working with pitchers, catchers, game planning and college recruiting. He also currently serves as an Associate Scout for the Tampa Bay Rays. During his coaching career he has also made stops coaching summer baseball in the Northwoods and Coastal Plain Leagues. Kus plays a role in player recruitment, player acquisition, and designing throwing programs for players inside of Premier Pitching HQ and remote clients. Kus has coached many players that have signed to play professionally and his goal is to help connect the dots from data to pitching development to in-game success for the players he comes into contact with. Episode Takeaways: •Using past experiences to guide and develop the next generation is crucial in leadership and coaching. •The mental aspect of baseball is essential and can help with the transition to life after the sport. • Coaches need to adapt to new techniques and trends while maintaining the same standards and expectations. • Focusing on the development of the individual and their character is more important than their achievements on the field. Premier Pitching Performance Website: https://premierpitching.com/ *Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
This week on the Lead to Win Podcast, we visit with keynote speaker, author, and former basketball performance coach Alan Stein Jr. At his core, Alan is a performance coach with a passion for helping business leaders change behaviors. He spent 15+ years working with the highest performing basketball players on the planet—including NBA superstars Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Kobe Bryant. Through his customized programs, he transfers his unique expertise to maximize both individual and organizational performance. Alan is a dynamic storyteller who delivers practical, actionable lessons that can be implemented immediately. He teaches proven principles on how to utilize the same approaches in business that elite athletes use to perform at a world-class level.
Episode Takeaways:
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
04:26 Books and Personal Development
07:00 3 Commonalities Among High Performers
12:30 Questions Every Leader Should Ask
16:20 Holding Team Members Accountable
20:41 Aligning Behavior Changes with Organizational Goals
22:21 Defining Winning in Business
23:27 Adapting the Vision
24:33 Including Stakeholders in Decision-Making
26:36 Maintaining a Relevant Vision
31:18 Importance of Communication
33:44 What Winning Looks Like/Trading Me for We
36:38 Aligning Goals with the Vision
40:07 Focusing on the Process
42:08 Leaving a Legacy
Alan's Website: https://alansteinjr.com/
Alan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-stein-jr/
Alan on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/AlanSteinJr?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Alan's Book Retail Link: https://www.amazon.com/Raise-Your-Game-High-Performance-Secrets/dp/1546082859/ref=sr_1_1?crid=H94CP74Y91D0&dchild=1&keywords=alan+stein+raise+your+game&qid=1610712828&sprefix=alan+stein%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1%20
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
This week on the Lead to Win Podcast, we have the privilege of visiting with Army Colonel Damon Wells about his P4 Teambuilding Framework--a system that he has developed over his 28 year military career. Damon is currently on active duty, stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. Over the course of his extensive military career, he has served as Commander at the battery, battalion, and brigade level, and as a staff officer in positions as an instructor as West Point Military Academy, Director of the Commander’s Planning Group, and Director of Multidomain Effects in Kuwait. He has deployed to combat 3 times, twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. During his 28 years of service, he felt the most fulfilled while he solved the most complex problems and invested time to develop junior leaders. Nearing the end of his military career, Damon is following his passion and laying the groundwork for a new career—leadership coaching.
Episode Takeaways:
Summary Leadership Website: https://summaryleadership.com/
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
This week on the Lead to Win Podcast, we visit with Bret Magpiong about how leaders can use failure to add value both personally and for those they lead. Bret has served his entire professional career as both an advisor to entrepreneurs, executives, professional athletes, entertainers, and their respective companies and as a C-Level executive for various wealth advisory firms. Many of the individuals and companies he has advised and served have been recognized on the Forbes 400 and Fortune 500 listings. He has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, the RIA Channel, the Family Wealth Alliance, and Schwab IMPACT.
Brett also wrote a book entitled "The Delta Theorem--an Innovative Framework for being Fully Alive and Truly Wealthy", which launched in May of 2023. The book unearths the role you play in the larger story of life and facilitates your discovery of how you can live at your fullest, highest, and best.
Episode Takeaways:
Brett's Links:
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/BretMagpiong?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
https://www.deltatheorem.com/
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
This week on the Lead to Win Podcast, we visit with Darrin Peppard Ed.D--former school superintendent. Currently working as a leadership coach at Road to Awesome LLC, Darrin helps leaders on their journey to gain clarity, walk in purpose, and find joy in their professional lives. With over 10 years of experience in educational leadership and administration, Darrin has a passion for mentoring, developing, and supporting educators and administrators at all levels.
Darrin is also a professional speaker and the author of Road To Awesome: The Journey of a Leader, a book that shares insights and strategies on how to create a positive culture, build trust, and lead with impact. He has been recognized as the 2015 Jostens National Educator of the Year, the Wyoming Principal of the Year in 2016, and is a member of the Renaissance Hall of Fame 2019.
Takeaways:
Darrin's Links:
Website - Road to Awesome, LLC
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
This week on the Lead to Win Podcast, we sit down with Kurt Hines. Coach Hines is the head football coach at Coronado High School in Coronado, CA. Having coached for over 20 years, he uses his platform to inspire, motivate, and empower not only his players, but everyone he comes in contact with. He is also a motivational speaker, and utilizes his social media platform to impact coaches and people all over the world.
Takeaways:
Coach Kurt Hines' Links:
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/CoachKurtHines
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkurthines/?hl=en
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coachkurthines?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Website: https://www.coachkurthines.com/
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
On this Bonus Episode of the Lead to Win Podcast, we visit with Ben Guttmann about Communicating with Clarity. Ben is a marketing entrepreneur and educator who has helped hundreds of clients, ranging from the NFL to Nobel Laureates, from I Love NY to #1 New York Times best-selling authors. He is a co-founder of Digital Natives Group, which has worked with more than 60 authors. Since 2014, he has taught at Baruch College and has been a full time community leader in New York City--active in Long Island City Partnership, Queens Economic Development Corporation, Queens Community Board and Queens Tech Night.
Ben's Links:
https://www.benguttmann.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benguttmann/
Simply Put: Why Clear Messages Win--And How to Design Them retail link:
https://a.co/d/cxSMdkj
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
This week on the Lead to Win Podcast, we visit with Jon Rennie about the crucial role CONSISTENCY plays within an organization.
Jon S. Rennie is a Business Leader, Author, and Speaker. He is the Co-Founder, President & CEO of Peak Demand Inc., a global manufacturer of products for electric utilities. He served as a Naval Officer on Nuclear Submarines during the Cold War and has been leading industrial business for more than 20 years. Jon is passionate about leadership and employee engagement. His articles and blog posts have been read and shared all over the world. He believes that Leadership can make a significant difference in the performance of any organization. His leadership books, I Have the Watch: Becoming a Leader Worth Following, All in the Same Boat: Lead Your Organization Like a Nuclear Submariner, and You Have the Watch: A Guided Journal to Become a Leader Worth Following are all Amazon Bestsellers.
Takeaways:
Jon's Links:
Website: https://jonsrennie.com/
I Have the Watch: Becoming a Leader Worth Following: https://amzn.to/48CnrX7
Deep Leadership Podcast: https://podfollow.com/deep-leadership/view
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay
This week on the Lead to Win podcast, we visit with Greg Berge–high school principal, basketball coach, author, and owner of GB1 Leadership. Greg has been in education for 29 years and has spent time as a teacher, coach, and school administrator. Currently serving as the high school principal and head boys basketball coach in Lake City, MN, Greg is also the owner of GB1 Leadership and a Licensed Sports Leadership Facilitator through the Janssen Sports Leadership Center. Throughout his career as a coach, Greg’s teams have enjoyed much success–300+ wins, 11 conference championships–including 9 consecutive, 2 section championships, as well as many more accolades during his time as an assistant coach. Over the course of his career, Greg felt called to begin speaking and writing to share what he has learned with others in the hopes of growing the coaching profession and helping coaches build Great Teams and Better Leaders.
Takeaways
Greg Berge's Links:
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/gb1121
Website: https://www.gb1leadership.com/
*Music by Alex Grohl on Pixabay