SPRING LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Ron Thomas

Last fall, I featured an inspiring series here on my blog called, "Fall Back to Reading Series." Nearly 30 leadership, marketing, and customer experience experts participated and shared their favorite books and their thoughts about the importance of reading.

Joseph Lalonde, one participant, wrote a book entitled, REEL LEADERSHIP, which focuses on nontraditional ways to think about leadership. After I read the book, the seeds for this "Spring Leadership Series" were planted. Today, I’d like to introduce Ron Thomas, and following a brief introduction, Ron shares some nontraditional ways to think about leadership!

Ron Thomas is a distinguished global leader and strategist acclaimed for his contributions to human resources and organizational strategy. As the Managing Director of Strategy Focused Group, he leverages his expertise across offices in Dubai and Singapore. His career has seen him excel as CEO of Great Place to Work-Gulf, CHRO of Al Raha Group, and VP of HR at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Recognized by CIPD as a top HR thinker in the Middle East, Ron holds awards for Global HR Excellence and is celebrated among Asia's 50 Most Talented Global HR Leaders. His voice resonates powerfully, meriting a place in the Power 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership.

QUESTION: Which film showcases leadership in a memorable way?
RON THOMAS: My choice would be THE GODFATHER (three-film series) because it covers so many key business principles:

(1) Strategic Thinking: Don Corleone is a master strategist. He uses calculated moves, like brokering peace between rival families, to strengthen his position and expand his territory. In business, we should be consistently analyzing markets, anticipating competitors, and planning long-term growth.

(2) Delegation and Trust: The Don surrounds himself with capable capos like Clemenza and Tessio, empowering them to handle specific tasks with autonomy. Translate this to building a well-organized team, assigning roles strategically, and fostering trust through empowerment.

(3) Adaptability and Change Management: The Corleones navigate changing political landscapes and adopt new ventures like gambling to stay ahead. Leaders should be able to adapt to market shifts, technological advancements, and evolving customer needs.

(4) Loyalty and Respect: The Corleones thrive on the unwavering loyalty of their soldiers. In business, cultivating trust and loyalty among employees and partners builds a strong foundation and fosters commitment.

(5) Building Alliances: Forming strategic partnerships with influential players opens new doors and strengthens influence. The Don's dealings with political figures and other families illustrate this principle.

(6) Understanding People: The Don possesses exceptional people skills. He reads emotions, anticipates needs, and builds rapport with diverse individuals. This translates to effective communication, empathy-driven leadership, and the ability to motivate and inspire.

SHARE THIS: In business, cultivating trust and loyalty among employees and partners builds a strong foundation and fosters commitment. ~@ronald_thomas #SpringLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Which work of fiction showcases leadership in a memorable way?
RON THOMAS: My favorite book is ALWAYS START WITH WHY by Simon Sinek. I think the significant misstep in change or persuasion is we do not give a strong WHY. Develop a WHY STATEMENT IS AT THE TOP of any change. The leadership team should ensure this statement aligns from the top of the org chart to the bottom.

QUESTION: Which product, or product line, stands out as a symbol of leadership?
RON THOMAS: My choice would be APPLE. What other brand can announce a new product (we are coming up on the 16th model of the iPhone!), and there is already speculation that no other product has that amount of gravitas. Apple leads the Mobile Category.

QUESTION: Lastly, since I’m a marketing professional, I would be remiss not to ask this question: Which brand do you consider the best embodiment of an industry leader, and why?
RON THOMAS: My other choice would be RIMOWA, a luxury luggage brand. There is almost a cult following. (I own four pieces.) The quality of the product, the warranty, the stores, the customer service experience. For all these reasons, Rimowa is my choice.

Did these questions open your eyes to thinking about leadership in nontraditional ways? That was the hope. My gratitude to Ron for appearing on my blog, and for sharing his leadership insights.

Image Credits: Debbie Laskey, iStockphoto, Amazon, and Classroom Clipart.

Note: According to Wikipedia, "The Godfather is a crime novel by American author Mario Puzo. Originally published in 1969 by G. P. Putnam's Sons, the novel details the story of a fictional Mafia family in New York City (and Long Island), headed by Vito Corleone, the Godfather. The novel covers the years 1945 to 1955 and includes the back story of Vito Corleone from early childhood to adulthood. The first in a series of novels, The Godfather is noteworthy for introducing Italian words like consigliere, caporegime, Cosa Nostra, and omertà to an English-speaking audience. It inspired a 1972 film of the same name. Two film sequels, including new contributions by Puzo himself, were made in 1974 and 1990."

Interesting links pertaining to this Q&A:
The Godfather Trilogy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Godfather_(film_series)

The Godfather Named Best Business Film:
https://realbusiness.co.uk/the-godfather-named-best-business-film

What You Can Learn about Business from a Dozen Lines in The Godfather:
https://25iq.com/2016/12/24/what-you-can-learn-about-business-from-a-dozen-lines-in-the-godfather/

Rimowa:
https://www.rimowa.com/us/en/all-luggage/

Connect with Ron at these links:
Website: www.strategyfocusedgroup.com
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ronald_thomas

Check out Ron's previous appearances here on my blog:

How Will Your Team Decide If You’re a Good Leader? (January 2021)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2021/01/how-will-your-team-decide-if-youre-good.html

Lead and Then Get Out of the Way (February 2015)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2015/02/lead-and-then-get-out-of-way.html

Tactics for Welcoming New Employees, Increasing Productivity and Developing Effective Leaders (April 2011)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2011/04/tactics-for-welcoming-new-employees.html

Celebrating #NationalUnicornDay with Caroline Stokes

Do you know what today is? Celebrated each year on April 9th, National Unicorn Day celebrates the mythical horse-like creature with a single, pointed horn growing from the center of its forehead.

According to National Day Calendar, "Unicorns have been a popular mythical creature since Ancient Greek times...Many now see them as a symbol of love, purity, enchantment, and magic. They also continue to find their way into fantasy novels alongside other mythical creatures."

Over the last 15 years, thanks to social media, I have had the privilege of meeting inspiring marketing, branding, customer experience, leadership, and social media experts. One of these experts is Caroline Stokes, a leadership expert based in Vancouver, Canada. Due to the alignment between the title of Caroline's book and today's holiday, she is an excellent choice to appear on my blog today. Highlights from our conversation about leadership follow a brief introduction.

But first, here's a quick description of Caroline's book, ELEPHANTS BEFORE UNICORNS: "Learn how to identify your elephants, the obstacles getting in the way of your success, before focusing on your unicorns, the key employees who will help move your business forward."

Caroline Stokes is an executive coach who helps leaders to stay a step ahead in an uncertain future. She helps leaders understand how their team or organization needs to adapt to remain creative and competitive across business innovation, talent attraction, retention, and growth to meet evolving employee, customer and stakeholder expectations.

Caroline spent more than 20 years working for corporations, such as, PlayStation, Virgin, and Nokia in Europe and Australia, and went on to run two public relations agencies in England and Canada. Since 2008, Caroline has led global executive search and talent development strategies for Real Networks, Autodesk, Microsoft, Amazon, Electronic Arts, and Disney; and spurred on by her international experiences, in 2014, she launched FORWARD with a vision to create a constantly-evolving human capital solutions company with an ethical and humanist foundation. She is regularly called upon to share her expertise in the Harvard Business Review, Newsweek, Fast Company and more.

QUESTION: My favorite quote from your book ELEPHANTS BEFORE UNICORNS was, "I define people leaders as anyone who manages people in any capacity. If you have even one direct report, you're a people leader!...Whether or not you realize it, you have a tremendous impact on the direction and success of your organization." What are three take-aways you hope all readers will have upon reading your book?

CAROLINE STOKES: Three takeaways I hope readers will learn:

(1) That leaders are not born, they're made.

(2) To create an environment where people can trust each other, which enables everyone to do the work they signed up for in the first place. You've got to constantly work on the frameworks in the book or work with a coach to get there. It's not a one and done box-ticking situation. Like a diet or an exercise regimen, put the program in place and stick to it, evolve with it, stretch yourself. See all the growth in your mind, with your team, and with the results.

(3) Always work on your EQ. It's not easy to be wrong. It's not easy to make mistakes. What we do with EQ is by having awareness that we have done what we have done and to adjust. It's a life-long journey, and the book helps. (Note: Emotional intelligence (or EQ) is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict.)

SHARE THIS: I define people leaders as anyone who manages people in any capacity. ~@ocarolinestokes #NationalUnicornDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: How can members of the C-Suite and HR teams learn the importance of "Employer Branding?"

CAROLINE STOKES: I wrote ELEPHANTS BEFORE UNICORNS primarily for the C-Suite to wake up and see that their organizations were not  operating according to their mission statements - that future employees and customers had bought into. Since the book was published in 2019, we are acutely aware of many organizations that continue to say that their employer brand is one thing, but the exit interviews and Glassdoor reviews say another. 

Culture takes time to adapt. Start now with the human first methodologies and start to see the needle shift on employer brand sentiment, which comes from an engaged workforce and lower rates of attrition.

QUESTION: What three things should be part of every organization's onboarding process?

CAROLINE STOKES: Here are three:

Goal #1: The first 100-days coaching program that every hiring manager uses with new hires, which includes goals, vision, what good looks like on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Then do all of that again at the 100-days mark because economic, societal, environmental, and personnel factors will have changed, which means that the goals will have shifted.

Goal #2: OKRs relate to everyone. (Note: Generally attributed to Andy Grove, who introduced the approach to Intel in the 1970's, OBJECTIVES AND KEY RESULTS, or OKRs, is a goal-setting framework used by individuals, teams, and organizations to define measurable goals and track their outcomes.)

Goal #3: Agreement that 1:1s should happen every week to focus on growth to reach Goal #1.

QUESTION: What's your favorite interview question, and why?

CAROLINE STOKES: I don't have a favourite interview question, as it comes off as a trap. The person being interviewed instinctively knows deep inside that it's planted to see how they will behave. I wrote for HBR that interviewing is a two-way street. The power dynamics are all wrong in an interview, and it's unattractive. (Link to article at end of Q&A.) 

I prefer an environment where the hiring manager and the hiring team huddle in realistic environments - like a 1:1 - to discuss the challenges, opportunities, areas for development, goals, and how to get through them collectively to innovate and problem-solve.

QUESTION: A well-known quote is, "People don't quit companies, they quit managers." What are some actions that employees can take, and what are some actions that leaders/managers/ supervisors/bosses can take to reverse this from happening?

CAROLINE STOKES: Everyone needs to do the self-work and the team-work. Expecting offsites or individual training isn't enough. The collective need to get together, people need leadership coaches, team coaches, strategic workshops. 

Marriage is hard where it requires constant communication, clarification, and calibration to reach goals. It comes to the power dynamic again - without collaboration, insight, everyone going down the road as a collective, people quit and people fire those people that go off track. It's a cycle that can shift at the blink of an eye with some economic disturbance or power imbalance. Nurture it, or expect some style of professional divorce.

QUESTION: Despite the findings detailed in an article published by Harvard Business Review entitled, "Research: Women Score Higher Than Men in Most Leadership Skills," the percentage of women in senior leadership roles is declining. (Link to article at end of Q&A.) How can we change this?

CAROLINE STOKES: We all know why. This is the elephant in the room. I outline it in an interview with a CEO for an article published in Business in Vancouver (link at end of Q&A), where even men knew how important women were, yet patriarchal models weren't evolving fast enough to bring in diversity of thought and processes to achieve the results many people were looking for. Systems require assessment and BRAVE leaders to change the status quo.

QUESTION: If you could dine with five leaders from history or modern corporate America, who would you choose, and why?

CAROLINE STOKES: Here are my five: Robin Williams (leader in comedy), Barack Obama (leader of the people), Elon Musk (leader of moonshot ideas), Oprah Winfey (leader of empowerment), and Nicolas Thompson (leader of The Atlantic). Imagine the enthralling, enthusiastic, and boundary-less energy they would bring and the deep pockets of reality they would share!

My gratitude to Caroline for appearing on my blog and sharing her inspiring thoughts about leadership and the employee experience!

Image Credit: Meritt Thomas via WordSwag.

Connect with Caroline at these links:

Website: https://www.theforward.co

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ocarolinestokes

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/ocarolinestokes

Blog: https://www.theforward.co/blog

Book: https://www.theforward.co/elephants-before-unicorns

TEDx: Why an emotionally intelligent company impacts growth: 

https://youtu.be/cPmoC506_cM?si=KfXLIB3FQA40lulW

Here are the links to referenced articles from this Q&A:

National Unicorn Day

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-unicorn-day-april-9

How to Tactfully Disagree in a Job Interview

https://hbr.org/2019/11/how-to-tactfully-disagree-in-a-job-interview

Opinion: Why Boards and C-Suite Leaders Must Cultivate a Sustainability Culture

https://www.biv.com/news/commentary/opinion-why-boards-c-suite-leaders-must-cultivate-a-sustainability-culture-8383445

Research: Women Score Higher Than Men in Most Leadership Skills

https://hbr.org/2019/06/research-women-score-higher-than-men-in-most-leadership-skills

Inspiration for final question: Debbie's Amazing Dinner Party of 15

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/06/my-amazing-dinner-party-of-15.html

SPRING LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring David Burkus

Last fall, I featured an inspiring series here on my blog called, "Fall Back to Reading Series." Nearly 30 leadership, marketing, and customer experience experts participated and shared their favorite books and their thoughts about the importance of reading.

Joseph Lalonde, one participant, wrote a book entitled, REEL LEADERSHIP, which focuses on nontraditional ways to think about leadership. After I read the book, the seeds for this "Spring Leadership Series" were planted. Today, I’d like to introduce David Burkus, and following a brief introduction, David shares some nontraditional ways to think about leadership.

Dr. David Burkus is an organizational psychologist, keynote speaker, and bestselling author of five books on leadership and teamwork. His forward-thinking ideas and books are changing how companies approach leadership, teamwork, and collaboration; and his insights on leadership and teamwork have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and CBS This Morning.

QUESTION: Which TV show or TV series showcases leadership in a memorable way? This could be due to a specific character and their actions, a series of events, the plot of one or several episodes, or a specific time reflected in history.
DAVID BURKUS: I really enjoyed (at least the first season) of Keifer Sutherland’s character in DESIGNATED SURVIVOR. Sutherland plays a man who becomes US President due to a massive terror attack and does not want the mantel of leadership but responds to the call with grace, humility, and also a powerful vision for unifying a divided country.

QUESTION: Which film showcases leadership in a memorable way?
DAVID BURKUS: It’s an incredibly violent film, but I’m still a sucker for Mel Gibson’s BRAVEHEART. William Wallace does not just join a rebellion but casts a vision of what a free Scotland looks like that inspires the entire country. And he does so by joining the fight and leading from the fight, in the middle of the battle.

QUESTION: Which work of fiction showcases leadership in a memorable way?
DAVID BURKUS: I honestly don’t read enough fiction (that isn’t turned into a movie or TV series) to say something original here.

QUESTION: Which product, or product line, stands out as a symbol of leadership?
DAVID BURKUS: I’ve always been fascinated with little green army men. It’s not the military thing (although I remember as a boy setting up massive “battles” with dozens of figurines on either side.) But it’s the way in which they never sold individual ones. You had to buy an entire team. And I think there’s a leadership lesson there. If leadership is lonely, you’re doing it wrong. It takes a team to make a dent in the universe.

SHARE THIS: If leadership is lonely, you’re doing it wrong. It takes a team to make a dent in the universe. ~@DavidBurkus #SpringLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Lastly, which brand is the best embodiment of an industry leader, and why?
DAVID BURKUS: Péla Case. The folks at Péla recognized that the constant upgrading of new phones was creating a massive amount of plastic waste. So, they worked to invent a cellular phone case that could bio-degrade if composted in order to be waste-free. Not satisfied with that, the same founders went on to create the world’s easiest-to-use home composter to eliminate even more waste.

Did these questions open your eyes to thinking about leadership in nontraditional ways? That was the hope. My gratitude to David for appearing on my blog, and for sharing his leadership insights.


Image Credits: Debbie Laskey, iStockphoto, Amazon, and Classroom Clipart.

Connect with David at these links:
Website: https://davidburkus.com
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/davidburkus
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidburkus/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidburkus
Subscription to free weekly newsletter: https://davidburkus.com/all-resources/

Check out posts on this blog featuring David's books:

8 Business Books for Your Winter and Early 2024 Reading List (December 2023)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/12/8-business-books-for-your-winter-and.html

Summer Reading Recap: Business and Fiction (August 2018)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2018/08/summer-reading-recap-business-and.html

Marketing News of the Week: Personal Branding, Brand Partnerships, and More

During the past week (okay, couple of weeks), there were news stories that reflected personal branding, brand partnerships, product pricing, and more.

PRINCESS OF WALES & ROYAL FAMILY

On March 29, 2024, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, put an end to the speculation about her disappearance from public life since abdominal surgery in mid-January. Despite cruel commentary in mainstream media publications in the UK and on social media, Catherine explained that she had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer and that she and Prince William wanted time to discuss the news with their three young children.

This announcement was significant in several ways: 

First, it brought having a cancer diagnosis to the forefront for the second person in the British Royal Family - King Charles III announced that he was undergoing cancer treatment back in February. 

Second, the statement by Catherine put an end to all types of conspiracy theories including infidelity, plastic surgery, a coma, body doubles, and even a secretly dead king. However, some say that the media circus can be attributed to the Royal Family due to their lack of transparency. According to Yahoo Entertainment, "The Monarchy should have known what would happen in an information vacuum, but chose to let the rumors run wild regardless."

Third, following the video statement by Catherine, several UK newspapers ran apologies on their front pages. How often is this done, if ever?

Fourth, Catherine spoke herself. Her statement was not released by either Kensington Palace or other "official" spokesperson. The fact that the viewing public was able to see her looking as well as can be expected was important for her personal brand and for the Royal Family.

Fifth, with Catherine and King Charles III sidelined from their public duties, and with Prince William taking time off to care for his wife and family, the person now most visible is Queen Camilla. According to Professor Arianne Chernock of Boston University, "Queen Elizabeth recognized that the Monarchy is never just about the Monarch, it's about the family on the throne. Now is Camilla's moment."

The personal brands of all key members of the Royal Family are quickly evolving. Will the Monarchy survive?

MCDONALD'S AND KRISPY KREME

Beginning later in 2024, Krispy Kreme announced that its doughnuts will be available at McDonald's restaurants. Will you order a Big Mac, French fries, and a Krispy Kreme doughnut? Is this a good brand partnership?

DOLLAR TREE AND PRICING

Dollar Tree announced that its stores will increase the maximum price of items to $7. Will the store change its name to Seven Dollar Store? Not likely, since it could then be confused with Seven-Eleven!

COSTCO AND FOOD COURT

Costco announced that it will only sell its food court items, including hot dogs, pizza, soft drinks, and more, to members only. Will this lead to more members? Time will tell.

GAMBLING SCANDAL SURROUNDING SHOHEI OHTANI

Major league baseball team the Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent Shohei Ohtani during the off-season for an insanely large amount of money, $700 million to be exact. While Ohtani was scandal-free for his six years with the Angels, a major scandal has erupted involving his translator and friend, who allegedly bet on sports teams and used millions of dollars of Ohtani's money to pay off his debts. We are just in the beginning phase of this story, but how tarnished Ohtani's personal brand will be - and if his new Dodgers fans will embrace him - are fodder for future chapters.

TITANIC MOVIE PROP

At a recent auction by Heritage Auctions of movie props, the wood panel from the 1997 movie TITANIC that saved Rose, but controversially, not Jack - was the most sought-after item - and sold for $718,750 (bidding had started at $60,000).

According to a press release from Heritage Auctions, "The Hero Floating Wood Panel played an iconic role in the 1997 blockbuster. As the Titanic sinks, stranding passengers in the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Kate Winslet's character Rose manages to lie afloat on the piece of a door while Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack clings to the edge, eventually succumbing to hypothermia. The biggest scene, really, the climactic scene if you will."

SOLAR ECLIPSE

And lastly, are you ready for the total solar eclipse, when the moon will cross directly in front of the daytime sun, on April 8th? If yes, have you purchased your proper eye protection to watch the solar eclipse? NASA estimates that 99 percent of people living in the United States will be able to see a partial or total eclipse. Precisely what kind of eclipse you will see will depend on your location and time zone. According to NASA, the next solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States will be on August 23rd, 2044. So you may want to purchase those protective eye goggles!

What other recent marketing buzz caught your attention? There's always something happening that impacts marketing, so tune in to #DebbieLaskeysBlog for the scoop!

Image Credits: McDonald's and Dollar Tree.

SPRING LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Anthony Gaenzle

 

Last fall, I featured an inspiring series here on my blog called, "Fall Back to Reading Series." Nearly 30 leadership, marketing, and customer experience experts participated and shared their favorite books and their thoughts about the importance of reading.

Joseph Lalonde, one participant, wrote a book entitled, REEL LEADERSHIP, which focuses on nontraditional ways to think about leadership. After I read the book, the seeds for this "Spring Leadership Series" were planted. Today, I’d like to introduce Anthony Gaenzle, and following a brief introduction, Anthony shares some nontraditional ways to think about leadership!

Anthony Gaenzle works as a personal brand consultant for executives, business owners, and others through Gaenzle Marketing as CEO and Founder. He is a two-time published author and digital marketing influencer. He has helped brands both large and small grow and thrive across multiple industries through strategic marketing campaigns and leveraging a powerful network of influencers.

QUESTION: Which TV show or TV series showcases leadership in a memorable way? This could be due to a specific character and their actions, a series of events, the plot of one or several episodes, or a specific time reflected in history.
ANTHONY GAENZLE: I appreciate the role that Tom Selleck plays in BLUE BLOODS. It shows the complexities of managing a major leadership role with public backlash, organizational issues, and all that, while also balancing complex family issues. Finding that balance is so important as a leader.

QUESTION: Which film showcases leadership in a memorable way?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: I’m a big fan of the Marvel films, although as of late, they have not been delivering quite as well. I think the SPIDER-MAN films are a great example of leadership. Peter Parker, at the end of No Way Home, makes the decision to have everyone who has ever known him, including his girlfriend MJ and his best friend Ned, forget who he is, so that the world can be saved. This selflessness is an excellent quality for a leader to possess.

QUESTION: Which work of fiction showcases leadership in a memorable way?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: I’m currently reading a book called The Chosen Twelve. I like to mix up fiction with educational, so I’m reading that and Good to Great again at the same time. The Chosen Twelve is a fun sci-fi story that has the world run by machines and AI while the human race was virtually wiped away. The machines are teaching the remaining 22 humans (organics as they call them) to build a society. Ultimately, only 12 will go to the planet they’re expected to re-populate, and it’s interesting to see the different leadership styles as they all come closer to the reality that only 12 of them will move on and the rest will stay behind. Some falter, others band together, and one becomes a true leader, bringing everyone together in the most dire of times.

QUESTION: Which product, or product line, stands out as a symbol of leadership?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: Richard Branson, to me, is an inspiring leader. He allows his team to make mistakes and learn from them. He seems to bring in the right people and then lets them do their jobs. This is hugely important. We hire smart people because they are experts in their space. As leaders, we need to realize our strengths and weaknesses and hire people who build up and make up for our weaknesses, and then trust them to do amazing work.

SHARE THIS: As leaders, we need to realize our strengths and weaknesses and hire people who build up and make up for our weaknesses, and then trust them to do amazing work. ~@AnthonyGaenzle #SpringLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Lastly, which brand is the best embodiment of an industry leader, and why?
ANTHONY GAENZLE: Tesla is impressive to me. While the leadership is controversial at times, ultimately, the fact that the brand spends virtually $0 on advertising and still sees over $60 billion in revenue is something to marvel at. The personal brand of its leader, the placement of Tesla stores in malls – all so amazing as well as the exclusivity of the brand.

Did these questions open your eyes to thinking about leadership in nontraditional ways? That was the hope. My gratitude to Anthony for appearing on my blog and for sharing his leadership insights.


Image Credits: Debbie Laskey, iStockphoto, Amazon, and Classroom Clipart.

Connect with Anthony at these links:

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Anthony-Gaenzle/e/B096WJ3DZ6/
Website: https://eicreative.online
Twitter/X: https://www.x.com/elev8tinspire
Twitter/X: https://www.x.com/AnthonyGaenzle
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonygaenzle/

Check out Anthony’s previous appearance here on my blog:

The Importance of Branding (May 2022)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/05/the-importance-of-branding.html

SPRING LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Joseph Lalonde

Last fall, I featured an inspiring series here on my blog called, "Fall Back to Reading Series." Nearly 30 leadership, marketing, and customer experience experts participated and shared their favorite books and their thoughts about the importance of reading.

Joseph Lalonde, one participant and leadership expert, wrote a book entitled, REEL LEADERSHIP, which focuses on nontraditional ways to think about leadership. After I read the book, the seeds for this "Spring Leadership Series" were planted. Today, Joseph kicks off the series, following a brief introduction, and I hope you enjoy thinking about leadership in nontraditional ways!

Joseph Lalonde is experienced in all aspects of IT, leadership, project/sales, and design with a history of working with small businesses and individuals. He is also an award-winning leadership blogger ranked in the top 40 leadership blogs in the world. His book Reel Leadership showcases the intersection of leadership and entertainment.

QUESTION: Which TV show or TV series showcases leadership in a memorable way? This could be due to a specific character and their actions, a series of events, the plot of one or several episodes, or a specific time reflected in history.
JOSEPH LALONDE: The first TV show/series that came to mind is THE SHIELD. It stars Michael Chiklis as Detective Vic Mackey. He leads an anti-gang task force for the fictional Farmington police department in California. Mackey starts off as someone who wants to do good, be a family man, and more. However, he takes small and big actions that detour him from the man he wants to be into a ruthless and brutal detective. The Shield shows us how someone who wants to be a great leader can slowly move themselves over the edge into corruption.

QUESTION: Which film showcases leadership in a memorable way?
JOSEPH LALONDE: I believe almost any movie can showcase leadership. Movies are stories, and stories are memorable. Let me share one example from the recent film WONKA, the prequel to Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. It tells the story of Willy Wonka before we meet him in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. In one scene, Wonka had promised to give Noodle, an indentured servant much like him, a lifetime supply of chocolate for her help. Noodle helped him, and he passed her a basket full of his delectable chocolates. When she asked him what he was doing, he said that he made a promise and meant to keep his promise. This exemplifies the fact that leaders have to be people who keep their word, despite the cost.

SHARE THIS: Leaders have to be people who keep their word, despite the cost. ~@JosephLalonde #SpringLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Which work of fiction showcases leadership in a memorable way?
JOSEPH LALONDE: When I think of a great piece of fiction with leadership lessons strewn throughout it, I have to go to LORD OF THE RINGS by JRR Tolkien. I think of the character Gandalf. He's a wise wizard who starts Frodo on his adventure. Throughout the book series, Gandalf weaves his story in and through Frodo's. He doesn't stay for long, but he leaves a lasting impact. What does this mean for leaders? We don't have to be a constant, overbearing presence on the people we lead. We can touch base, share our wisdom, and encourage our people. Be that kind of leader.

QUESTION: Which product, or product line, stands out as a symbol of leadership?
JOSEPH LALONDE: Here are two: BARBIE really redefined what a woman was capable of and gave girls of all ages something to aspire to, and GI JOE did something similar for boys and inspired them through the leadership of the characters and taught about career paths in the military and beyond.

QUESTION: Lastly, which brand is the best embodiment of an industry leader, and why?
JOSEPH LALONDE: To be frank, I'm hesitant to answer this question. Not because there aren't industry leaders out there, but because industry leaders change so rapidly that the brand I see as an industry leader today may not be around tomorrow. One brand that comes to mind though is Weaving Influence. They're an industry leader in the book promotion world. Becky Robinson and her team have carved out a corner in this niche industry, and they're the first organization that I think of when I think of promoting a book or idea. Their integrity is beyond reproach, they deal with amazing authors, and they give people a voice.

Did these questions open your eyes to thinking about leadership in nontraditional ways? That was the hope. My gratitude to Joseph for planting the seed for this leadership series, for appearing on my blog, and for sharing his leadership insights.


Image Credits: Debbie Laskey, iStockphoto, Amazon, and Classroom Clipart.

Here's a post on Joseph's blog about WONKA:
https://www.jmlalonde.com/quotes-and-leadership-lessons-from-wonka/

Here's a post on Joseph's blog about BARBENHEIMER:
https://www.jmlalonde.com/quotes-and-leadership-lessons-from-barbie-barbenheimer-1/

Connect with Joseph at these links:
Website: www.jmlalonde.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephlalonde
Twitter/X: @josephlalonde
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmlalonde

Check out Joseph’s previous appearances here on my blog:

8 Business Books for Your Winter and Early 2024 Reading List
Featuring REEL LEADERSHIP (12/2023)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/12/8-business-books-for-your-winter-and.html

FALL BACK TO READING SERIES – Featuring Joseph Lalonde (12/2023)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2023/12/fall-back-to-reading-series-featuring_01893009969.html

Introducing the #SpringLeadershipSeries on #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Last fall, I featured an inspiring series here on my blog called, "Fall Back to Reading Series." Nearly 30 leadership, marketing, and customer experience experts participated and shared their favorite books and their thoughts about the importance of reading.

Joseph Lalonde, one participant and leadership expert, wrote a book entitled, REEL LEADERSHIP, which focuses on nontraditional ways to think about leadership. After I read the book, the seeds for this "Spring Leadership Series" were planted. During the next three months, 15 marketing and leadership experts will answer the following five questions here on my blog.

This exciting #SpringLeadershipSeries begins next Monday, March 25, and continues every Monday during April and May - and then every Monday and Friday during June - ending with my highlights post on June 20.

So, to introduce the series and with much gratitude to Joseph, my answers follow below. I hope you enjoy thinking about leadership in nontraditional ways!

QUESTION: Which TV show or TV series showcases leadership in a memorable way? This could be due to a specific character and their actions, a series of events, the plot of one or several episodes, or a specific time reflected in history.
DEBBIE LASKEY: My choice is Law & Order: SVU because Mariska Hargitay's lead character Olivia Benson has been part of my TV-viewing life for the past 24 years. She has been a police officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain through her many years with the NYPD. She has climbed the corporate ladder and has broken some shards of the glass ceiling in a male-dominated industry (law enforcement) in the largest city in the country - and not only survived but became a captain of a challenging department (sex crimes). She has been kidnapped and gone undercover in prison. Bottom line: she is an inspiration.

In episode six during the first season, Benson corrected a lawyer when she said, "It's Detective, Not Miss." According to CBR, "Benson is right to call out the gender-discriminatory wording that the lawyer uses since male detectives aren't referred to as mister. Plus, becoming a detective is quite an accomplishment for any officer; hence, they always prefer to be addressed by their correct titles."

From a leadership perspective, Benson leads by capitalizing on the strengths of her team. She always asks for feedback, and she always reminds her team to think about their stakeholders, the victims. There is no doubt that she is a leader to admire, so who wouldn't want her as their boss?

However, I must also mention another wonderful TV show that elevated a talented female protagonist while simultaneously showcasing superlative writing and acting. The show was THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, which ran from 2017 to 2023 on Amazon Prime Video. The timeframe for the show was the 1950's and 1960's, and as a result, viewers saw how a New York housewife made the jump into stand-up comedy - despite all the gender bias and other challenges she encountered. Actress Rachel Brosnahan was excellent in her portrayl of Midge Maisel, and actor Tony Shalhoub convinced viewers that he left MONK when he became Midge Maisel's father in the show.

According to Collider.com, "In an exciting turn of events for the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, declared that April 14, 2023, would mark The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Day due to the show's success story and its positive portrayal of the Big Apple. Throughout its run, the series employed over 37,000 actors and craftspeople including: 344 dancers, 580 musicians, 981 dayplayers, and 35,619 background actors. Mrs. Maisel has also used the city as its set, filming in over 366 locations throughout the five boroughs, primarily in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Over its seven-year run, it played a role in boosting the economy, supporting local businesses and showcasing how beautiful and cinematic the city truly is."

Mayor Adams explained, "I love The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel because it showcases the beautiful streets of New York City, features a strong female lead character, and is the perfect example of how our city’s film and TV industry creates jobs, and generates economic activity for local businesses."

QUESTION: Which film showcases leadership in a memorable way?
DEBBIE LASKEY: My choice is "12 Angry Men," a film from 1957 that I first saw during a film appreciation class in high school. Years later, I saw a play in Los Angeles starring Richard Thomas (of The Walton's fame) in the title role.

The film showcases how one voice can change an entire room of other voices and opinions, in this case, a room of 11 jurors versus one juror. Henry Fonda was the sole juror who wanted to consider all evidence before finding an 18-year-old guilty. In the jury room, the jurors voted again and again, as Fonda's character convinced the jurors one by one to consider more and more evidence.

This film was an excellent example of how leadership can be quiet, unassuming, and effective. Fonda's character was a leader even though he was not the jury foreman. But he definitely made a difference in the life of the 18-year-old on trial.

An interesting side note from Wikipedia: "Speaking at a screening of the film during the 2010 Fordham University Law School Film Festival, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor stated that seeing "12 Angry Men" while she was in college influenced her decision to pursue a career in law."

However, when I think of movies and leadership, I have to include 9 to 5, starring three superstars, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton. The film's theme song has become immediately recognizable, thanks to Parton's long nails. But the sad part is that most women have encountered a boss like Mr. Hart in the movie, a male chauvinist pig who thinks all women employees - no matter their education or role - should simply make coffee and wear short skirts. Despite the film's shenanigans, women got the last laugh at the end.

QUESTION: Which work of fiction showcases leadership in a memorable way?
DEBBIE LASKEY: My choice is John Grisham's 2023 novel, "The Exchange, After The Firm." The creator of his own genre of legal thrillers has returned to the novel that made his name famous (not withstanding the feature film starring Tom Cruise back in 1993) with a story set 15 years after "The Firm" ended. Members of the legal profession, watchers of legal dramas on television, and readers of Grisham's novels all understand (too well) the caste system that exists in the legal profession,  or as Grisham calls  it "Big Law." Power trickles down, so named partners in law firms are the top dogs with decision-making power. In large law firms, executive committees or management committees often have the final say on major decisions affecting their firms.

Without giving away all the twists and turns in this particular story, Mitch McDeere's firm's management committee has a life-altering decision to make. But spoiler alert, the desired decision is not made. Both Mitch and the senior partner presented all the reasons why the desired decision should be made, but some people stayed away from the office so that they would not be forced to vote. (Sound like a stalement in the U.S. Congress?) This type of stalemate was bad. Even worse, a lawyer's life was on the line.

While most leaders would never encounter this type of scenario, they do find themselves making hard decisions on a daily basis. I would hope that they realize that their decisions make an impact on their employees, who are real people, rather than just a number on paper.

QUESTION: Which product, or product line, stands out as a symbol of leadership?
DEBBIE LASKEY: Without a doubt, my choice is Mattel's iconic Barbie doll, introduced in 1959. According to Mattel, "Barbie recognizes all female role models. The 'Barbie Inspiring Women Series' pays tribute to the incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules, and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before."

While some may think Barbie is just a doll, I beg to differ. She has evolved both in style and shape over the years, so much so that people don't notice or talk about her hourglass figure anymore. Instead, there are Barbie dolls who represent a myriad of professions and situations. In fact, since 2019, the Barbie line has expanded to include Barbie dolls with a wheelchair, prosthetic limbs, hearing aids, vitiligo, and more. In 2023, Mattel launched a Barbie with Down syndrome and worked closely with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to ensure that the doll's aesthetics, clothing, accessories, and packaging were accurate.

Also, she was the star of last year's blockbuster film, and people flocked to movie theaters, many people more than once, all wearing the color pink.

There is a reason that the Barbie doll tagline is "A doll can help change the world. You can be anything."

QUESTION: Lastly, which brand is the best embodiment of an industry leader, and why?
DEBBIE LASKEY: My choice is Starbucks, because Howard Schultz saw a popular coffee drinking industry in Europe and brought it to America. The coffee cafe industry re-energized the coffee industry, new products were introduced (for example, Pumpkin Spice Latte celebrated its 20th birthday in 2023), and other coffee cafes sprung up to offer competition for Starbucks.

According to MBAKNOL.com, "Is it possible to convince ordinary Americans who routinely open 3-pound value cans of coffee, shovel the grounds into a paper filter, push a button, and go about their business to suddenly change their ways? Will this eventually evolve into a $1400 per year habit of a latte each day? The answer to these questions, according to Starbucks, is 'absolutely!'"

Did these questions open your eyes to think about leadership in nontraditional ways? That was the hope.
 

Image Credits: Debbie Laskey, iStockphoto, Amazon, and Classroom Clipart.