30 - How Can Effective Decision-Making Transform Your Organization?
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
Release Date: 04/07/2025
58 - From Origin Story to Core Focus: Crafting Your Business Identity
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this Lucky 13 Podcast episode, Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser discuss the importance of “core focus” in business and personal development. They explore how a company’s origin story shapes its purpose, passion, and niche, emphasizing the need to revisit and clarify these elements regularly. Through personal anecdotes and practical examples, they highlight how a clear core focus guides decision-making, prevents distractions, and energizes teams. The conversation also touches on the value of discipline in saying no to misaligned opportunities and the role of both founders and employees in...
info_outline
57 - Are You Expanding Your Business or Just Filling Space?
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, hosts Josh Hauser and Mike Lantz share personal holiday traditions before diving into business insights. They discuss Parkinson’s Law, emphasizing how work expands to fill available time, and warn against unnecessary hiring and bureaucratic growth. The conversation highlights the pitfalls of focusing on trivial issues, accumulating organizational “junk,” and prioritizing appearances over substance. The hosts encourage leaders to set tighter deadlines, regularly eliminate inefficiencies, and foster honest self-reflection to build resilient,...
info_outline
56 - Mastering the Art of Employee Evaluation: Balancing Will Sets and Skill Sets for Team Success
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser dive into people management, work-life alignment, and employee evaluation, using the holiday season as a backdrop. They discuss how aligning personal and professional lives brings clarity, then explore evaluating employees through “will sets” (motivation) and “skill sets” (ability). The conversation covers managing low performers, re-engaging disengaged experts, developing high potentials, and coaching top talent. Sports analogies and real-life examples illustrate strategies for feedback, ownership, and recognition....
info_outline
55 - The Challenge of Balancing Leadership and Friendship in Business
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, hosts Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser reconnect, sharing lighthearted banter about local food favorites before diving into a reflective business discussion. They emphasize the importance of honest year-end reviews, hiring the right people, and upholding core company values. The conversation explores balancing accountability and friendship, demanding excellence with compassion, and avoiding fear-based retention. Using personal stories and practical tools, Mike and Josh encourage leaders to foster team alignment, address issues early, and make data-driven...
info_outline
54 - Practical Best Strategies for Rapid Organizational Culture Transformation
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, hosts Josh Hauser and Mike Lantz explore the foundations of effective business leadership, using sports analogies from Indiana University athletics. They discuss building success through consistent effort, the importance of decisive commitment, and rapidly transforming organizational culture. The conversation highlights the need for clear vision, aligning the right people in the right roles, and mastering both leadership and management. Practical strategies like measurable KPIs and 90-day priorities are shared, emphasizing intentional teamwork and...
info_outline
53 - Unlocking AI: Practical Steps for Small and Mid-Sized Businesses to Embrace Technology and Thrive
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this Lucky 13 Podcast episode, hosts Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser interview Jason Beutler, CEO of Robosource. Jason shares his journey from studying computer science and AI to founding Robosource, which helps small and mid-sized businesses integrate AI into daily operations. They discuss Robosource’s Process Coach, a virtual AI assistant that streamlines tasks like sales proposals and sourcing, and emphasize AI as a supportive tool, not a job replacer. The conversation also covers challenges businesses face in adopting AI, the importance of business-driven strategies, and Robosource's...
info_outline
52 - What Can Math Teach Us About Leadership and Organizational Clarity?
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, hosts Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser explore how leadership and organizational clarity can be improved using the math concept of order of operations (PEMDAS). Through relatable analogies and real-world examples, they discuss the importance of clear rules, tools, and disciplines in business, effective communication, and hiring practices. The hosts share personal stories and practical frameworks, emphasizing that consistent standards and cultural fit are key to building strong, aligned teams and achieving business success. Podcast Introduction...
info_outline
51 - The Greatest Leadership Principles for Inspiring Success and Growth
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode, Mike and Josh discuss Indiana University football’s strong season and the excitement around the return of the bison mascot. The conversation then shifts to leadership, drawing on John Maxwell’s “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.” They explore principles like servant leadership, the importance of connection, and the Law of Buy-In, sharing personal stories and practical advice. The episode emphasizes that effective leadership is built on daily growth, genuine relationships, and helping others achieve their dreams, offering actionable insights for both sports fans...
info_outline
50 - Why "But" is the Enemy of Effective Communication in Leadership
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode, recorded on September 11th, Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser (“Chef Hauser”) engage in an unscripted conversation about business leadership, personal growth, and mindset. Josh shares memorable analogies—like “left cheek, right cheek” and “what wood won’t light”—to illustrate the importance of referrals, clarity, and focusing on high performers. The hosts discuss raising organizational standards, the value of self-awareness, and fostering team alignment. Blending humor and practical advice, they encourage leaders to obsess over excellence, nurture talent, and...
info_outline
49 - Building a Resilient Workforce: Strategies for Managing Employee Turnover Effectively
Lucky 13 - All Things People AND Profit
In this episode of the Lucky 13 Podcast, hosts Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser dive into the challenges of employee turnover in today’s tight job market. They distinguish between natural and preventable turnover, discuss the impact of hiring practices and leadership, and offer practical strategies for reducing regrettable attrition. The conversation also highlights the value of peer coaching “trios” for business owners. With candid anecdotes and actionable advice, Mike and Josh emphasize the importance of aligning the right people with the right roles to drive business success and employee...
info_outlineIn the first episode of Season 2 of the "Lucky 13 Podcast," hosts Mike Lantz and Josh Hauser discuss decision-making strategies within organizations. They emphasize the importance of core values and focus, sharing insights from books they've read. The episode introduces frameworks like RACI to clarify roles and responsibilities and a quadrant system to categorize decisions based on urgency and importance. They stress the need for leaders to empower their teams, delegate effectively, and create a culture of accountability. Personal reflections on decision-making in both professional and personal contexts round out the episode, offering listeners practical advice for effective leadership.
Introduction to the Episode (00:00:08)
Hosts Mike and Josh introduce the inaugural episode of Season 2 and discuss the significance of St. Patrick's Day.
Personal Updates (00:01:07)
Mike shares his experience with illness and Josh updates on his family, including plans for Easter.
Summer Plans (00:02:11)
Mike talks about his family's upcoming summer vacation plans in Gatlinburg and the excitement around it.
Latest Book Discussion (00:02:55)
Mike introduces "The Rhythm of Life" by Matthew Kelly, emphasizing its focus on personal growth and purpose.
Decision-Making Framework (00:04:03)
Josh discusses his rereading of "Think Again" by Craig Groeschel, focusing on pre-made decision frameworks.
Core Values and Focus (00:05:11)
Josh explains the importance of core values and focus in decision-making processes.
Personal Purpose Reflection (00:06:49)
Mike shares a personal story about discovering his purpose and how it influences his decisions.
Core Focus Explanation (00:06:11)
Josh defines core focus and its role in guiding daily actions and decisions.
Integrating Decision-Making (00:10:13)
The hosts discuss the role of an integrator in decision-making within organizations.
Decision-Making Matrix Introduction (00:11:24)
Josh introduces a matrix for making decisions based on urgency and importance.
Low Stakes, Low Urgency Decisions (00:12:39)
Josh explains how team members should handle low stakes and low urgency decisions independently.
High Stakes, Low Urgency Decisions (00:13:15)
Josh discusses how to approach high stakes but low urgency decisions with proposed plans.
Encouraging Team Members (00:14:21)
Mike highlights the importance of encouraging team members to share their decision-making thoughts.
Curiosity in Leadership (00:15:03)
Josh emphasizes the value of leaders asking questions to guide team members in their decision-making.
Summary of Decision-Making Framework (00:16:06)
The hosts summarize the decision-making framework, outlining how to handle various urgency and importance levels.
RACI Document Explanation (00:16:35)
Introduction to the RACI document and its components for decision-making clarity.
Leadership Roles in Decision-Making (00:17:14)
Discussion on leaders' roles in consulting and informing versus being responsible for decisions.
Urgency and Significance in Decisions (00:17:35)
Importance of identifying urgency and significance in decision-making processes.
Common Decision-Making Mistakes (00:18:44)
Leaders often struggle with delegation and tracking decision-making time effectively.
Bubbling Up Decisions (00:19:53)
The necessity of making timely decisions to avoid financial losses in businesses.
Action Plans Post-Decision (00:21:15)
Emphasizing the need for clear action plans and accountability after decisions are made.
Decision-Making Frameworks (00:22:03)
Overview of using urgency and stakes to categorize decision-making approaches.
Identifying Leadership Gaps (00:22:54)
Encouragement to assess decision-making patterns to identify leadership deficiencies.
Teaching Decision-Making to Children (00:23:07)
Reflection on the importance of teaching effective decision-making skills to kids.