Bold Leadership podcast

Welcome to BOLD LEADERSHIP. I am your host Dave Evans. As a combat pilot in the United States Air Force, I had the priviledge of commanding 3 squadrons and led over 1000 exceptional people. Over 22 years we learned how to BE BOLD and lead with passion. Our combat team set most if not all records for airborne command and control coverage in the Middle East simltaneously supporting the troop withdrawal in Iraq as well as operations in Afghanistan. Leading a military unit, corporation or little league team all require BOLD LEADERSHIP if you want to win with character. We will provide you and your team with the secrets behind leading winning teams and empowering your team to meet its maximum potential. Please join the BOLD NATION that we are creating and learn how to lead your team to greater heights. Best Regards! Dave

BL 89-28 Days 12/04/2020

BL 88: Leading Through Crisis 03/17/2020

BL 87: Business Innovation with The Tipsy Artist 03/10/2020

BL86 Building the Community with Jennifer Webster 03/03/2020

BL84: Find Your Passion with Alla 02/25/2020

BL84: Jumping into the Fire with Mark Masters 02/18/2020

BL 83: Building a Story Telling Business with Liv 02/11/2020

BL 82: Thriving as an Introvert with Ashley 02/04/2020

BL 81 Quickbooks Made Easy with Courtney Boudet 01/28/2020

BL80: Building Better Leaders with Jon "BigDogg" Rhone 01/21/2020

BL79: Carolyn O'Byrne, Helping Truckers and Changing the World 01/14/2020

BL79: Carolyn O'Byrne, Helping Truckers and Changing the World If you find your niche you can change the world. For 20+ years Carolyn O'Byrne worked with people supporting their physical and emotional health. About 7 years ago she turned her focus toward truck drivers. Her husband is a second-generation truck driver. His dad passed away hundreds of miles from home from a preventable health condition (when her husband was 20). Carolyn doesn't want that to happen to anyone else, unfortunately, it happens very often. Overall as a society, our health is more compromised than ever before. Carolyn works with truck drivers and their families supporting them toward optimal physical and emotional health. Via over the phone coaching, my book, "Gut Instinct," and my online strategies, Driven To Health, Driven To Peace, and Driven To Stop. Value? We think we have crazy schedules, try the life of a truck driver. Their schedules change daily. Sometimes they drive in the day and sometimes at night. There are so many factors that go into a truck driver's job and schedule. Traffic, load cancels, delivery and pick up hours, etc. Not to mention the difficulty to be there for their own health and family. It is very common for a drivers' schedule to drastically change at a moments notice. These avenues bring them to the awareness that it is all about their mindset while educating them on the true path to health. Showing them the power they have to be in control of their circumstances. Her biggest challenge she has to overcome is herself. She stands in her way. Carolyn continuously tries to reevaluate herself to be sure that she am not the issue at hand. Carolyn saw that projects would be moving right along then life would happen and it would seem as if someone threw a wrench into her plan and life came to a screeching halt. It would take forever to get her momentum back up and going. Becoming aware. This is the hardest part. when you are on the inside looking out, you don't see the obstacles. She talks to people about this all of the time concerning their health. Carolyn loves the people she works with. Truck drivers have a very special place in her heart. Carolyn is excited to bring them the products they need to overcome the many obstacles in their life. She has found her niche and is saving lives, keeping us safe and taking bold steps to help grow U.S. trucking companies. /episode/index/show/boldleadershp/id/12732026

BL 78 - Reduce Stress and Build a Better Life with Steve Whitney 01/07/2020

Bold Leadership Season 4 12/10/2019

BL76: Goal Setting for the Holidays 11/26/2019

BL75 - Partner relationships can be challenging if you don’t get things right through a formalized agreement 06/12/2019

BL75 - Partner relationships can be challenging if you don’t get things right through a formalized agreement https://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/badpartnership.htm If you're in a business partnership or a longstanding working relationship that isn't working, ask yourself these questions. Then, if you need to change or end the partnership, follow these five steps. A client, we'll call her Susan, had a business that was struggling financially and operationally. She was totally disgusted because her partner of 10 years was no longer carrying his weight and didn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation. She was so stressed she was seriously considering liquidating the business if things couldn't be changed for the better in a very short time. What to do? Her first commitment had to be to herself. Susan was able to realize that it was up to her to take command of this situation. She was coached to create some measurable goals with timeframes. She decided she wanted to give the business and her partner one last chance. Susan knew she must bring her partner, and eventually her staff, into the picture in order to get their buy-in. She created Job Roles for herself, her partner and each of her staff (Office Manager, Buyer and 2 Salesmen). Because of the longstanding relationship between her and her partner, we agreed it was best if I met with the partner and her to present things up to this point. Preparing for this was anxiety-producing for Susan, but also liberating. NOTE: Using a third party (like a coach or consultant) can offer a different perspective to a known problem. The partner was cordial and listened politely, as had been expected. But, of course, he didn't really GET IT that things had to change. Susan gave it three months under the new plan. Unfortunately, she had to bite the bullet and make the decision to liquidate the business. Fortunately, she was able to see the handwriting on the wall way in advance and gave herself six months to finalize the liquidation. Susan is in the process of purchasing a new business which will be hers alone. She could only do that once she realized she didn't actually need a partner. She had been carrying the business alone for several years anyway. If you're in a business partnership or a longstanding working relationship that isn't working, ask yourself why you got into the relationship to begin with. Many times people just don't feel ready to take on the full responsibility of running a business so they look for anyone who is interested and willing to work with them. Having the wrong partner is the basis of many partner problems. How to find the right partner is, of course, the topic for another article. If you can answer yes to one or more of the following it may be time to take command of your business and make the necessary changes. You're feeling like you're carrying more than your share of the work. Your partner seems to have lost interest in the business. You find more and more to disagree about. There have been changes in your partner's life that are interfering with his ability to function in the business. Your interest in the direction of the business is different from that of your partner. Here are the steps I suggest you take if you're seriously considering making changes to your partnership arrangement. Let’s discuss 5 partnership tips that will remove stress and resolve conflict. Review your Partnership Agreement. Your partnership may exist in the form of a Partnership or a Corporation. Either way, you have a legal entity that binds the two of you. Have your attorney review your documents and tell you exactly where you stand from a legal perspective. This is important so you will know your limitations as you begin to plan. If you have a written agreement about Roles and Responsibilities for each of you, assess whether it is still appropriate or needs to be updated. Decide and document exactly what you want for your business and yourself. Being in a state of dissatisfaction is the spur that will get you to take action. But you don't want to take action until you've thought through exactly what you're trying to achieve. Consider probable and possible outcomes for different scenarios to help you finalize a plan. Create and write a plan to accomplish your goals. The most positive thing you can do is create a plan for yourself and the business as you see it and be prepared to present that to your partner. If dissolving the business is in your plan, be prepared with both the reasons you want to leave...and what you plan to do in the future. You're not just leaving the business; you're going into something else. Schedule a time to "talk business" with your partner. A change of venue from your typical meeting might be helpful. Sitting down over lunch or coffee could be a good place to start. Be prepared for whatever response comes back to you. It can be anywhere from thankful to downright hostile. It will likely require some time for your partner to think through the ramifications of your proposal. Be forewarned; it's very difficult for people to make changes unless not making changes will jeopardize something of value to them. The bottom line is you don't want to back down from what you want. Compromise only if you're still OK with the terms. If your partner is looking for an excuse to blame you for the ills of the business, you may hear about it when you bring up the subject. I know it's tempting, but be careful not to get into a blaming match. The objective is to present what you want for the business and yourself, and your plan to make it happen. Outlining how you see their role in the business is totally appropriate. Then it's up to them to agree or respond with another suitable option. Be willing to walk away. If you cannot come to terms, or if you do and the partner does not keep his agreement, you must be prepared for a change in business status. You may decide to close the doors, sell the business, sell your share to the partner, buy him out or any other option that will allow you to move forward with YOUR plan. I know it's not easy to give up on something you've worked so long and hard to achieve. It's a lot like a marriage that's gone bad. At some point, however, you have to make the decision not to be the victim of circumstances any longer and make your move to position yourself for a better future. Being proactive; thinking through what you want and how you will get it is the first step toward taking command of your business. If you continue to wait for the partner to do something you may wait a very long time. Your frustration will keep building and the business will surely continue to suffer. Is it time to "take command of your business"? /episode/index/show/boldleadershp/id/10134989

BL74: Is your company ready for summer vacation 06/05/2019

BL74: Is your company ready for summer vacation The Story Exchange Is Your Business Ready for Summer Vacation Time? Ask These 3 Questions It's that time of year, when sunshine beckons. If you or your employees plan to take time off, now's a good time to assess your vacation policy. May 21, 2019 By It’s vacation time, for you and your employees. (Credit: Lance Asper on Unsplash) In the next several weeks and months, will be taking time off from work for summer vacations. According to a , about 38% of employees with paid vacation days plan to use them all this summer. Other findings: 59% plan to use more than half 5% plan to use less than 25% of their days 6% won’t use any time Now is a good time to determine what will be this summer. Also, given the tight job market, it’s a good time to assess your vacation policy. Here are three questions to ask: 1. Have you planned for a reduced work staff? Determine what will need to be done during the time when you/employees are off. Do what’s possible in advance. For me, this always means working double time for weeks in advance to satisfy the work deadlines that fall during my vacation. If possible, discuss with customers and clients about scheduling work after your/your employees’ vacations. Employees in your company may or may not fall within the survey’s findings mentioned earlier. Make sure you’re covered for any problems that need to be addressed while you are away. This can be done by giving an employee added responsibilities. Also, see that employees can cover for each other when needed. If necessary, hire temporary workers to fill in gaps in your staffing. With , you pay the agency a fee for their services; they remain the employees of the agency. may be helpful too. 2. What’s your vacation policy? How many vacation days do you offer? Federal law does not mandate that you give any paid time off, but you’d be hard-pressed to hire and retain good workers without a paid vacation policy. , 73% of all workers in the private sector have paid vacations. The number of annual paid vacation days workers receive varies with length of service. After one year of service, workers are most likely to have 10 to 14 days of paid vacation (38%). After 10 years of service, workers are most likely to have 15 to 19 days of paid vacation (39%). Those with at least 20 years of service are most likely to have either 20 to 24 days of paid vacation (32%) or more than 24 days of paid vacation (29%). Vacation policies at small companies may differ from those at large corporations. , paid time off (PTO), which includes not only vacation days, but also sick and personal days, was lower at companies with 1-99 employees. For example, after one year, the average number of PTOs at small firms was 9, compared with 12 at larger companies. 3. What do state laws require? As yet, there are no states that require employers to offer paid (or even unpaid) vacation days. But if you offer paid vacation days, there are certain rules governing how they accumulate, whether there can be a use-it-or-lose-it policy, and whether unused days must be paid when employment terminates. For example, , earned vacation time is considered wages and vacation time is earned or vests as labor is performed (e.g., 10 vacation days a year would mean 5 have been earned after 6 months). Here’s a , but it’s smart to check in with your state to make sure the information is current. Barbara Weltman is the founder of which publishes Idea of the Day. She is the author of and other books that inform the small business community of tax, financial, and legal information they should know about. /episode/index/show/boldleadershp/id/10059593

BL73: What reality TV teaches that destroys your ability to lead 05/28/2019

BL73: What reality TV teaches that destroys your ability to lead “Kids watching television tend to accept it as a reflection of reality anyway,” Dr. David Hill, a pediatrician who is program director of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Communications and Media, told Healthline. “Until they’re about 8 years old, it’s very difficult for them to do any significant reality testing. That’s why kids under that age are much more accepting of Santa Claus. Kids already struggle with testing what’s real or not, and then reality television is advertised as being real.” This is a problem, according to Nancy Molitor, PhD, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of clinical psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, because kids often become desensitized to what they are seeing. “There is this appeal to these shows that comes down to making people feel superior to others,” Molitor told Healthline. “You see contestants being laughed at, rejected, voted off, made fun of. And watching these shows makes kids feel superior as well. It’s reinforcing all kinds of negative behavior that we don’t want to see in our kids, including relational aggression.” Today we are going to discuss 2 shows that distort reality and are creating a selfish employee culture What show’s motto is outwit, outlast, outplay? Is this the mentality we want for our employees or leaders? How about this one recently posted on twitter “If you don't have haters, you're not doing something right.” Do you want employees walking in the door of your company thinking this is an appropriate way to behave. Unfortunately what we believe is reality is actually somewhat scripted to drive emotional responses. As leaders we must notice the signs of unhealthy behaviors and actions within our organization. You need team players, focused on team goals to grow exceptional companies. Do not let your company fall into the trap of reality tv. /episode/index/show/boldleadershp/id/9948437

BL 72 - Why Social Media is Destroying Your Company Culture 05/21/2019

BL 72 - Why Social Media is Destroying Your Company Culture Inc. Magazine sat down with Chamath Palihapitiya a former VP of user growth . Have you ever created something that you thought would help people, only to discover that it would harm them afterward? In an unexpected turn of events, the former Facebook executive spoke with the Stanford Graduate School of Business about his feelings of guilt and regret of helping found a company that has been fundamentally detrimental to the way people interact today. Palihapitiya first began at the social media company in 2007, At the time, Palihapitiya recounted that few really considered the negative effects of a platform like Facebook. But as Facebook's popularity grew, it the negative consequences of constant, excessive social networking became clearer. And the problem became much bigger than Facebook as merely an online platform -- it changed the way people interact on a day-to-day basis and restructured an entire existing social structure, something few people could have foreseen after the advent of texting. "It literally is a point now where I think we have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works. That is truly where we are," he said. "The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops that we have created are destroying how society works: no civil discourse, no cooperation, misinformation, mistruth. And it's not an American problem. This is not about Russian ads. This is a global problem." Over the next 2 episodes, we are going to discuss the impact of social media and reality tv on your company. Are social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat killing communication? Are companies losing productivity because their employees are always connected? How do business leaders grow a positive culture in a social media focused world? We are responsible for our actions. It seems to me that civility is dying in exchange for likes, retweets, and followers. The crazier it is the better. /episode/index/show/boldleadershp/id/9867281

BL71 The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team 05/14/2019

BL70 Why Your Boss Doesn't Listen to You 05/07/2019

BL 69: Sales leaders who can’t adapt to their potential clients will never sell anything 04/29/2019

Bold Leadership Episode 68 - Understanding your personality improves your ability to lead 04/23/2019

BL67 Servant Leadership with Heady Coleman 11/05/2018

BL66 You Are Replaceable 10/30/2018

BL66 You Are Replaceable Once you think that you are irreplaceable its time to hang up the cleats and move on to retirement. Arrogant leaders divide organizations, destroy sustainable growth and are a detriment to the overall mission of any organization. The reality is that everyone is replaceable. Unfortunately, many leaders believe something different. Once you realize that you are only a temporary caretaker for the organization the sooner you can start having a truly positive impact on your team. Today, we are going to discuss some hard truths about leaders and how to really serve your team. Truth #1: The mission did not stop when I retired from the Air Force. Not only did it not stop, it didn’t even slow down. The great leaders that stepped in to fill my position did an exceptional job. If you are doing your job as a servant leader then you are grooming your replacement. All of my number 2s became number 1s and many continued on too much higher leadership levels in the overall organization. I hope that my leadership provided them some tools that they still use today. Your first tip: Always be grooming your replacement. Be a mentor and enjoy their success. Truth #2: We are never as good as we think we are. Times change, personalities change and the organizational goals change. We work with many older leaders who “throw shade” on the millennials that work for them. I hate to break it too you, but we were the “millennials” at one point. Those pain in the butt young people who always thought our leaders were crazy. In reality, our leadership or lack thereof creates the problem. Their ideas aren’t wrong, they are just different. The reason they are different is that times change, culture changes and priorities change. Tip number 2: Challenge your younger teammates to fail. Let them try new ideas and be there to catch them when they fall. A leader’s job is not to squash innovation, it is to encourage it, guide the team and challenge old ideas. None of us are as smart as we think we are! Truth #3: You only deserve a styrofoam cup. If you have not watched Simon Sinek's youtube video discussing leadership you need to watch it. The link will be in the show notes. When you are a CEO, Senior Military Leader or even a Head Football Coach. You get certain perks. I can remember the first time I walked into a room filled with my teammates as a commander. Everyone snapped to attention. People fell over themselves to make sure I was taken care of...Some leaders think that they deserve this response...they do not. The respect is for the position and when you move on it stops. I will never forget walking off of the stage when I relinquished command. I quietly reached for my wife’s hand and left the building. We then headed to Chili’s for a quiet lunch. My son looked at me and smiled. We all knew what had just happened. No fanfare, no parade, I once again became just another officer serving our great nation. I happily grabbed my styrofoam cup and got back to work. Tip #3 Remember you only deserve a styrofoam cup don’t get so caught up in your position that you ever think you are better than your team. You are not. Being a great leader means you always put your people first. Just because you are in charge you are not funnier, you are not smarter and you are certainly no better than anyone on your team. Your team laughs at your jokes because of your position. You get certain perks because of your position. It has little to do with you. Your job is to always serve your team and put the team first. Arrogance breeds contempt. Many leaders have learned this the hard way. CEOs accused of insider trading, college coaches busted for recruiting violations and misuse of funds permeate organizations run by arrogant entitled leaders. All of these leaders got caught up in the moment and forget their sole purpose, to serve those they lead. You can’t live by the adage do as I say, not as I do. Your actions speak much louder than your words. Remember the first time you accidentally cussed in front of your child. You hoped those innocent ears did not hear the words you uttered, but they did. At the most inappropriate moment, your mini-me used the word in perfect context. Your face turned bright red with embarrassment. Some of you owned it, others of you loudly rebuked your child. Your team will always follow your actions whether they are good or bad. You show me an organization performing at the highest level. I will show you a servant leader focused on the team. On the other hand, you show me an organization that is failing. I will show you an authoritarian leader that rules by fear and continually violates the same standards they are trying to uphold. Here is the link to Simon's Discussion: Be Bold Dave /episode/index/show/boldleadershp/id/7347629

BL 65: The Millennial Challenge 10/09/2018

BL64: Do You Have Growth Potential 07/17/2018

BL63: Building Value on the 4th; Financial Performance 07/03/2018

BL63: Building Value on the 4th; Financial Performance To all of you true blue red-blooded Americans out there and more importantly happy Fourth of July to those men and women sacrificing their time to defend our great nation overseas for all you and your family thank you for your service and thank you for your sacrifices have a happy and safe 4th of July. Today we are discussing Financial Performance. But first, let’s talk about valuations. If you have a business and you want to sell it you will go through a valuation process. A typical valuation process for financial types is the dreaded discounted cash flow...it is not your friend. An accountant will look at your history and discount you value for each year you have been in business. It looks like this. Now your forecasting 10 years at $1M per year, yet you are only worth $5M to potential buyers. Our process helps you change that number and get the money you deserve for your great company. Today we are going to focus on 3 areas to improve your financial performance: Increase your Revenue Increase your Profit Margin Formalize you BOOKKEEPING You must do #3...end of discussion. You can increase your revenue a number of ways, but the easiest way is to sell more of your stuff to different people. Same stuff in a different market. Too many businesses get focused on building and selling different stuff, but this kills your profit margin because you become too specialized and every product is different. Let me explain. If you want to increase your profit margin, you find ways to simplify and reduce costs. Your process needs to be teachable and easily repeatable for your employees. Your product must be valuable to your customers. If you offer too many specialized products your manufacturing costs go up exponentially. You can also increase revenue by packing products and services which make them more valuable to your consumers. Find ways to differentiate your offering. By differentiating yourself you create a monopoly for your business, make your company more competitive and more valuable to future buyers. Improve your financial performance by GETTING A BOOKKEEPER, increasing your revenue and increasing your profit margin. Again, happy 4th of July, stay safe! Be Bold Dave /episode/index/show/boldleadershp/id/6772476

BL62: Building a Valuable Business 06/28/2018

BL 61: Do you have a BHAG? 04/10/2018

BL 61: Do you have a BHAG? Do you have a BHAG? If not, you should. I know that we all love to talk about SMART GOALS Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Time bound They are the rage, but you can never do anything BOLD with just SMART goals. John F Kennedy set a goal to put a man on the moon...this is not a SMART Goal ELON Musk set a goal to build a resuable rocket...at the time...not a SMART Goal Elon Musk went so far as to fire over 400 employees who could not or would not meet the his expectation for development and production. He is focused on the impossible and he continues to surprise the world. These Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) push you to innovate. It pushes you to make BOLD decisions and forces you to set and maintain extremely high standards. I mean just think of all of the great things that have been developed because of the space race in the 60’s or all the innovation that has been driven by Elon Musk. If you want to do great things, I mean spectacular things you have to dream big. Most leaders inherently limit themselves with SMART goals. There is certainly a place for SMART goals, but don’t limit yourself. So how do you set ridiculous, amazing BHAGs Imagine the impossible...dream big Surround yourself with people who believe anything is possible Go to the whiteboard and start dreaming Once you have your BHAG, leverage SMART goals to set a path to reach your dream. It's just that easy. Now if you don’t develop the path and periodically update you will never reach your goal. So be persistent. I worked with a team to develop the 1st underground Compressed Natural Gas Storage System. Everyone told us it could not be done. Too many regulations, Too much red tape, everyone else who tried failed. Well we didn’t. We set the Big Hairy Audacious Goal and got to work. We did not listen to the naysayers. I can’t was not in our vocabulary. We found a way to yes. We developed a timeline and got to work. Now, I am not going to lie and say it was easy. It wasn’t. We made mistakes along the way and had to find innovative solutions to solve the challenges. Here is what I know in my heart. If I can do this, then I know you can too. Never limit yourself, never let naysayers drag you down and never quit. Be Bold! Dave /episode/index/show/boldleadershp/id/6461322

BL 60: So You Like Your Coach 04/03/2018

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