With six marathons and 13 half marathons to his credit, Maxwell Leadership CEO Mark Cole has earned the right to compare leadership to a running event—no, not a distance competition, but relay racing. “We’ve all seen relays where the race is won or lost in the transition,” said Mark. “That is why there’s a transition zone that allows the runner who is handing off the baton to align with the runner receiving it.”
If the two runners are out of sync during the hand-off, notes Mark, they will slow the team down regardless of how fast the individual runners may be. High-performing corporate teams function the same way, and it is the leader’s job to ensure the individuals are “humming” in harmony so that when it comes to pivot, everybody is working at the same pace.
Mark has more than 25 years of leadership and team development experience, which uniquely qualifies him to have an integral role in the John C. Maxwell legacy. One of the initiatives under Mark’s leadership has been the Thought Leader Platform of speakers and authors–including this author–who are the future ambassadors of the Maxwell method of leadership and professional development.
Mark believes in “visible leadership,” which he defines as a leader’s presence for his or her team. “How well are you communicating presence with your team?” asked Mark, who uses video to communicate weekly with his team despite his busy travel schedule. “From a leadership perspective, you’re not trying to be the most popular, even though we seem to have assigned the word leader to those who get lots of “likes” on social media.”
In the podcast, Mark shares his discovery that even the most widely respected communicators often achieve limited impact with those they coach and gives you three tools to create a lasting impression.
You will learn:
- 3:00 Why success is won or lost in transition.
- 8:00 Why popularity is not the same as leadership.
- 12:00 How to create a leadership “dashboard” to measure progress.
- 25:00 How to increase employee engagement.
- 35:00 How to make your meetings or “huddles” more efficient.
Resources:
- Follow Mark Cole on Twitter and Instagram.
- Learn more about Maxwell Leadership’s Thought Leaders.
- Listen to Maxwell Leadership Podcast hosted by Mark Cole.
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Greg Brenneman
“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”
John C. Maxwell
“I am a subscriber because you are one of the greatest teachers, one of the best storytellers I have ever met, and I know you will maximize the people you have on the podcast. I’m telling everyone because when you find gold you point everyone to it.”
Simon Sinek
“Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”
Beth Brooke
“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”
Rick Hendrick
“We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”
Bill George
“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”
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