If there’s one truism about life, it’s this: Nobody follows a quitter. Good leaders are persistent to the point of being relentless. Their single-mindedness may drive some people crazy, but it drives even more to follow them. In this One on One podcast, Kris shares his own story of persistence (hint: it has to do with being a fan of a certain team that still hasn’t won a Super Bowl) and talks about how sometimes even when you think you’ve reached a dead end, the next breakthrough is right around the corner. Are you willing to outwork everybody around you, and scratch and claw for solutions instead of falling back on excuses? Then maybe, just maybe, you have what it takes to lead.

What’s leadership about? Persistence. Did we mention that leadership is about persistence?

Would you follow a coach who didn’t think your team could win the championship? How about a general who thought you’d probably lose the war? Confidence is the most important trait in a leader, because people follow passion, period. So as a leader, you need to be 100% confident in what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. In this One on One episode, Kris reveals the secrets of leadership confidence: what it is and what it isn’t, why people gravitate toward confident leaders and avoid wishy-washy ones, and what to do in those moments when your confidence isn’t as high as it could be. Kris also shares why it’s important to strive for respect over likability, and why failure is often confidence’s greatest ally.

Leadership is About Confidence, Not Cockiness

Sometimes the best examples of good leadership come from the most unexpected places. In this one-on-one episode, Kris shares a recent experience with two different Uber drivers who made a huge impact on him on a recent speaking trip. Especially if you work in a highly commoditized industry, what makes you different? How do you stand out? And do you sometimes fall into the trap of asking for validation without trying to earn it first? In work and in life, we have so many chances to make an impact that sometimes we stop seeing the opportunities right in front of us. This episode is a reminder to be creative, not complacent.

Some Uber drivers understand leadership better than most CEOs.

Have you ever been in a meeting where nobody’s paying attention? Where the laptops are open, the phone notifications are pouring in, everyone’s interrupting everyone else, and some people are even answering their texts and emails? Now be honest: Have you ever been that person? Most people who want to be great leaders make the mistake of talking too much and not being fully present. In this One on One episode, Kris talks about the power of listening. Yes, talking about listening is a bit ironic, but the message is important: Listening isn’t just “polite.” It’s absolutely critical to good leadership. If you’re not paying attention, you’re constantly distracted or you’re usually the one doing all the talking, then are you the kind of person that people want to follow?

Kris explores the power of listening and shares his experience in going from a chronic talker to an avid listener. You’ll learn why listening is the key to making better decisions, having more productive meetings and generally being a person people trust, respect and want to follow. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the listening you do can change someone’s life. So please … will you listen to this episode?

You Have To Listen To Lead

What’s keeping you from living up to your true potential as a leader? Hint: It has nothing to do with how talented you are, or even how hard you work. — BTB #27 One on One

Have you ever heard or thought something along the lines of, “S/he has a lot of talent, but they’re not living up to their potential”? Maybe you’ve thought the same thing about yourself. In this One on One episode, Kris talks about the single biggest hurdle that keeps so many people from fully realizing their talents. Find out what it is, what you can do right now to position yourself for greater success, and why a quote about wolves says everything you need to know about life and leadership.

Kris reveals the one thing you can do starting today that will put you in a better position to succeed as a leader.

Strength Of The Pack

When you talk to leaders who are struggling or frustrated, there’s one phrase that crops up often: “You don’t understand.” You don’t understand my industry. You don’t understand how hard it is to get leads. You don’t understand how competitive it is out there. In this One on One episode, Kris talks about the fact that most challenges are the same across all industries and among all human beings. If you find yourself saying “you don’t understand” often (along with its cousin, “if I do that, this is going to happen”), then you might need to take a look in the mirror. Are your challenges really that unique, or are you just afraid to address them?

Kris talks about the three words leaders often use to avoid making difficult decisions or taking decisive actions. Regardless of who you are, where you come from or what industry you work in, speaking these three words often is the telltale sign that you might be avoiding your biggest challenges.

You Don't Understand

Are you hoping that a single secret to success is going to put everything into place for you and change your life? Then you’re probably not thinking about leadership the right way. EideCom and Forever Bride founder Charles Eide talks about what he’s learned about leadership, acknowledging that he still learns something new every day. In this podcast, you’ll hear what Charles and Kris have to say about focus vs. expansion, learning vs. execution, saying yes vs. saying no, skills vs. passion, the heart vs. the mind, accountability vs. blame, and preaching vs. coaching. Bottom line: As someone whose company plans up to 100 massive events a year, Charles still believes in changing the world one event at a time. 

Summary: EideCom and Forever Bride founder Charles Eide talks to Kris about what leadership actually looks like, including the virtues of dreaming big, questioning the status quo, saying no, owning your calendar, constantly learning AND executing, ignoring the haters, and finding people with passion in addition to skills. In the end, leadership isn’t easy. In fact, it can often be painful. But those challenges are nothing compared to the benefits—especially seeing your employees learn and develop right before your eyes.

What’s the secret to success? Charles Eide says it’s not believing in secrets.

Draw a picture in your mind of a great leader. Do you see someone who’s charismatic, extroverted and full of energy? Some leaders fit that description, but a surprising number don’t match the stereotype. On this edition of “Behind the Billboard,” Minnesota Wild president Matt Majka talks about his improbable journey to sports nirvana and what he’s learned about leadership along the way. Key among his insights: Great leaders never put themselves first. Instead, they’re quick to prioritize others’ needs and celebrate others’ achievements. Learn more about Matt’s leadership philosophy, his journey from Rollerblade to promoting the State of Hockey, why he thinks you can learn as much from a bad leader as you can from a good one,  why he sees profitability as an outcome rather than a goal, why you should never use a loss as an excuse, and why his advice to his younger self would be “Have a plan, but be ready for life to happen, too.” 

Kris talks to Minnesota Wild President Matt Majka about his leadership journey to a key position with one of the NHL’s most popular franchises. Like Kris, Matt’s philosophy centers on “making things better”—not just with your team, but within your community. Learn Matt’s insights into leadership and why he thinks the #1 trait among effective leaders is humility, which he calls “servant leadership.” Gain insights into how sports teams separate their “team” functions from their “marketing” functions—and how those groups work together toward success. For hockey fans (especially in Minnesota), learn how Matt’s team created the Wild’s “State of Hockey” mantra by listening to the fans. For marketers, learn Matt’s approach to maximizing the fan experience, managing the insane amount of analytics available, and why you should never start believing that you’re smarter than your customers.

Matt Majka of the Minnesota Wild wants you to be a “servant leader.”

Kris delivers an impassioned message about how we all need to step up in this unprecedented time of need. He talks specifics on the actions that he and KLRE have already taken, including hiring Uber drivers to deliver groceries to people and donating existing ad space to organizations who need it more. Priority #1 is to change the way we treat each other personally, change the way we view our businesses, and use our personal platforms for the greater good. We all need to donate our Time, Talents and Treasures as people and business experts like never before. Success isn’t about money, and it never has been. Having integrity and giving back are what’s important right now. So let’s do this!

SUMMARY: Kris Lindahl delivers his take on how challenging times require everyone to stay together, step up and Be Generous. We’re all in the businesses helping others. Period.

This is about humanity, not business. Now is the time to Be Generous.

Sharing tips, tricks & actionable steps to help you become a better business leader.

The Kris Lindahl Show

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