How To Succeed at Empowering Leaders Through Personal Aspirations with Phil Putnam

What if aligning personal passions with professional goals could revolutionize performance in your organization? This episode offers a roadmap to uncovering how "Desired Based Leadership" can transform your team's motivation and productivity. We welcome Phil Putnam, author and thought leader, as he shares insights drawn from his formative experiences with communication and relationship-building. Discover the untapped potential of integrating personal aspirations into workplace culture, and learn strategies to create a harmonious environment where both employees and companies thrive.

Our discussion navigates through the often-overlooked gap between company-imposed objectives and individual motivation, shedding light on generational shifts in leadership perspectives. We explore the challenges of motivating teams, especially within remote work settings, where maintaining engagement is crucial. Phil emphasizes the importance of understanding what employees truly value, shifting away from outdated management styles to foster genuine satisfaction and productivity. The conversation touches on practical approaches to overcoming organizational resistance to change, particularly in leadership and sales environments.

We also tackle the financial aspects of employee retention, presenting compelling arguments for investing in genuine leadership development over the costly cycle of replacing talent. Highlighting the essential mindset and behaviors for effective leadership, we delve into the significance of aligning roles with personal aspirations. Phil shares innovative approaches to incorporating differing perspectives in decision-making, turning potential resistance into a wellspring of creative solutions. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance leadership practices and sustain motivation within their organization.

(00:00) Driving Top Performance Through Desired Leadership
(05:46) Motivating Performance Through Personal Goals
(11:15) Overcoming Leadership Resistance
(18:22) Employee Replacement Cost and Leadership Development
(31:18) Leadership Mindsets and Behaviors for Success
(44:17) Discovering Employee Motivations for Success
(55:23) Future Podcast Announcement

(00:00) Driving Top Performance Through Desired Leadership

This chapter features a conversation with Phil Putnam, author of "Desired Based Leadership," where we explore his unique approach to driving top performance by aligning personal desires with workplace goals. Phil shares his early experiences learning about communication and relationship-building from his mother, which influenced his leadership style. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and prioritizing the personal aspirations of team members to foster motivation and performance. Rather than focusing solely on the company’s success, Phil argues that leaders should support employees in achieving their personal life goals through their work. This approach not only enhances motivation but also reduces friction, creating a win-win scenario for both the employee and the organization. We also touch on why this method is not more widely adopted, despite its evident benefits.

(05:46) Motivating Performance Through Personal Goals

This chapter explores the disconnect between company-imposed goals and personal motivation, emphasizing the importance of aligning personal aspirations with professional objectives to drive employee engagement. We discuss how many organizations fail to make this connection, often due to generational differences in leadership, where older generations value loyalty to a company over individual desires. This misalignment can hinder employee motivation, especially in a remote work environment where interactions are more transactional. By highlighting the need for a shift in perspective, we address how understanding and incorporating personal goals into company culture can enhance productivity and satisfaction. Additionally, we touch on how remote work might influence this dynamic by potentially reducing the human element in daily interactions.

(11:15) Overcoming Leadership Resistance

This chapter explores the challenges and resistance faced by organizations when attempting to implement change, particularly in leadership and sales environments. We examine the complex dynamics between senior leadership and their responsibilities, acknowledging the pressures they face while emphasizing the need for servant leadership. We also discuss the problematic cycle of leadership hazing and how it perpetuates ineffective practices. Furthermore, we address the financial misconceptions about prioritizing employee satisfaction and the importance of patience and trust in managing human resources. The conversation highlights the unique difficulties of sales leadership, such as time constraints and the reliance on short-term results, and considers the role of revenue enablement in supporting sustainable success.

(18:22) Employee Replacement Cost and Leadership Development

This chapter explores the financial implications of employee attrition and retention strategies. We break down the staggering costs of replacing individual contributors, highlighting that replacing a $150,000 employee can cost up to $225,000. In contrast, providing a 10% raise to retain high performers costs significantly less, making it a financially sound strategy. We also address the common practice of promoting top-performing salespeople into leadership roles without considering their interest or aptitude for management. This has become an entrenched habit, influenced by a historical lack of focus on developing genuine leadership skills and the pressures of sales leadership roles. Finally, we discuss the tendency of sales leaders to revert to their comfort zones, focusing on processes and strategies when under pressure, rather than investing in their people as key business assets.

(31:18) Leadership Mindsets and Behaviors for Success

This chapter explores the essential components of success, emphasizing the importance of mindset, behavior, and technique. We examine how a leader's understanding of their team's motivations can drive performance, stressing that individuals are often more motivated by personal goals than company success. The conversation highlights a significant gap in hiring practices, noting that companies often fail to assess whether a role aligns with a candidate's personal aspirations. This oversight can lead to suboptimal performance. Additionally, we discuss the parallels between sales techniques and effective hiring, suggesting that sales leaders, with their skills in discovery and value-based selling, are well-equipped to enhance hiring processes by focusing on the candidate's goals and motivations.

(44:17) Discovering Employee Motivations for Success

This chapter explores the dynamics of embracing differing perspectives in a business environment to foster innovation and improvement. We begin with an anecdote about the value of integrating a 'mismatcher' into decision-making processes, highlighting how leveraging opposing viewpoints can enhance the quality of new ideas and initiatives. This approach transforms potential resistance into a valuable asset. Additionally, we discuss the critical importance of distinguishing between obstruction and constructive disruption, ensuring that differing opinions serve to improve rather than hinder progress. We also emphasize the necessity of understanding employees' personal goals and aligning them with organizational objectives to unlock their highest performance. This involves discovering what employees truly desire and assessing whether the company can meet those needs, thereby creating a mutually beneficial relationship. The chapter concludes with insights into maintaining ongoing alignment with employees' evolving goals to sustain their engagement and motivation over time.

(55:23) Future Podcast Announcement

This chapter encourages listeners to check out our upcoming podcast on various streaming platforms and concludes with a positive note of "good selling." It highlights that the How to Succeed podcast is a property of Sandler Systems LLC and emphasizes the legal protection of the content under U.S. copyright laws. For those interested in learning more about Sandler services, we recommend consulting with a local Sandler trainer or visiting our website for additional information.