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TitreDateDurée
E318 | Lessons from Bad Managers with Ben Arendt15 Oct 202400:41:58

Summary

In this conversation, Dominic Monkhouse and Ben Arendt, author of 'How to Suck Less as a Manager: A Practical Guide to Making Your Team Less Miserable Today', discuss the challenges and nuances of effective management and leadership. They explore the importance of understanding team members, adapting to change, and fostering a culture of trust and autonomy. The discussion also touches on the impact of leadership on employee wellbeing, the significance of company values, and the lessons learned from both good and bad management experiences. Arant advocates for a more empathetic approach to leadership, encouraging managers to connect with their teams and prioritise mental health and engagement.

Takeaways

  • Management is about continuous improvement, not perfection.
  • Understanding your team's personal goals can enhance motivation.
  • Mental wellbeing is crucial for productivity and engagement.
  • Trust and autonomy are key to effective leadership.
  • Company values should be authentic and practiced, not just stated.
  • Not everyone is cut out for management roles.
  • Effective communication can resolve conflicts and improve team dynamics.
  • Leaders should invite skepticism and differing opinions to foster innovation.
  • Self-awareness is essential for effective management.
  • Leadership impacts employee wellbeing significantly.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to Management Insights

(03:11) The Importance of Understanding Your Team

(06:00) Adapting to Change and Mental Wellbeing

(08:52) Trust and Autonomy in Leadership

(12:13) The Role of Values in Company Culture

(15:07) Learning from Bad Management Experiences

(17:48) The Transition from Individual Contributor to Manager

(21:08) The Impact of Leadership on Wellbeing

(23:57) Effective Communication and Conflict Resolution

(27:12) Final Thoughts and Recommendations

About Ben Arendt

Ben is the author of the Amazon best-selling “How To Suck Less as a Manager: A Practical Guide to Making Your Team Less Miserable Today!” and the founder of Depth Charge Consulting.

Ben’s years in the US government, CEB, and Gartner shaped his approach to serving leaders and their organizations. Through these experiences, Ben has supported hundreds of executives around the C-Suite, empowering leaders to achieve their goals, whether double-digit growth, improved employee experiences, or successful transformation.

At Depth Charge, Ben's two main customer groups include: Development-focused executives looking to improve manager quality at their organizations

GTM leaders seeking to improve sales efficacy, messaging, and commercial acumen.

Industry/Sector Expertise: Technology (incl/ SaaS), Energy, Retail, Manufacturing, Government, Education, Healthcare, Insurance, Financial Services, Professional Services, BioTech/Pharma, Nonprofit

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Mind Your F**king Business

E317 | The Power of Owning the Flow of Information with Ted McKenna08 Oct 202400:53:19

Summary

The conversation explores the concept of high-performing sales behaviour and the challenges faced by sales professionals in the current market. It delves into the importance of understanding buyer indecision and the four key behaviours that help overcome it. The conversation also touches on the role of persuasion in sales, the need for sellers to adapt to changing buyer behaviours, and the potential retirement of salespeople who are not effective in their roles. In this conversation, Ted McKenna and Dominic Monkhouse discuss the importance of establishing trust and expertise in the sales process. They emphasise the need for sellers to own the flow of information and demonstrate their knowledge and experience to buyers. They also explore different profiles of business developers, with the activator profile being the most successful. Ted shares his thoughts on success, the most significant risk he's taken, and the worst business advice he's received.

Takeaways

  • High-performing sales behaviour is defined as the top 20% of performers in a company, and it is important to study their behaviour to replicate their success.
  • Buyer indecision is a common challenge in sales, and it is driven by fears such as options overload, analysis paralysis, and fear of failure.
  • Sellers should be cautious about using persuasion techniques when buyers are indecisive, as it can backfire and make the situation worse.
  • To help buyers overcome indecision, sellers should focus on understanding the depth of indecision, making firm recommendations, limiting excessive exploration, and managing risk.
  • The sales profession needs to evolve and keep pace with changing buyer behaviours and preferences.
  • There is still a need for salespeople, as buyers rely on them for guidance, assurance, and personalised recommendations. Establishing trust and expertise is crucial in the sales process.
  • Sellers should own the flow of information and demonstrate their knowledge and experience to buyers.
  • The activator profile is the most successful in business development.
  • Success is measured by doing right by the people you love and finding joy in your work.
  • Trying to be all things to all people is not effective in business.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to High-Performing Sales

(02:53) Defining High Performance in Sales

(06:04) The Role of Salespeople in Modern Buying

(09:05) Understanding Buyer Indecision

(11:48) The Jolt Effect and Overcoming Indecision

(18:00) Key Behaviors of Successful Sellers

(24:11) The Activator Advantage in Sales

(29:56) Professional Services and Selling Dynamics

(36:00) Books and Resources for Sales Professionals

(41:49) Personal Insights and Closing Thoughts

About Ted Mckenna

Ted McKenna is one of the world's leading experts in sales, business development, and customer experience and a co-author of the bestselling book The JOLT Effect: How High Performers Overcome Customer Indecision and the upcoming book The Activator Advantage: What Today's Rainmakers Do Differently (April 2025).

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Mind Your F**king Business

E308 | Shifting from 'Me' to 'We': The Key to Effective Leadership with Kyle McDowell30 Jul 202400:43:46

Summary

🎙️ Get ready for a transformative episode of the Mind Your F**king Business podcast with Dominic Monkhouse! This week, Dominic sits down with leadership guru Kyle McDowell, author of the revolutionary book, 'Begin With We'. Dive deep into their dynamic discussion on overturning traditional corporate hierarchies and embracing a principle-based leadership style that champions collaboration and authenticity.

🌟 From Kyle's own radical shift from conventional management to leading with principles to tackling the pervasive challenges of toxic work cultures, this conversation is packed with insights. They explore the seismic impact of shifting from a 'me' to a 'we' mindset, underscore the importance of genuine connections within the C-suite, and dissect the destructive nature of office gossip.

💡 Plus, don't miss Kyle's breakdown of the 10 cardinal principles of leadership that could redefine your approach to team dynamics and personal accountability. Learn why embracing vulnerability and authenticity isn't just good practice—it's essential for creating a culture of excellence and trust.

🔥 Tune in as they reveal how true leadership means leading by example, owning your mistakes, and stepping up to challenges head-on. This isn't just another leadership discussion; it's a call to fundamentally change how you lead.

Takeaways

  • Leadership principles are essential for creating high-performing teams and organizations.
  • Collaboration is crucial in the C-suite and throughout the organization.
  • There is often a disconnect between leaders' perceptions and the reality of their teams' experiences.
  • Toxic work environments can have a detrimental impact on individuals and the overall success of the organisation.
  • Creating a culture of excellence requires a focus on both internal and external service. Transitioning from a 'me' to a 'we' mindset in leadership is challenging but essential for building genuine connections with team members.
  • Leaders should lead by example and avoid negative conversations about team members in their absence.
  • The 10 principles of leadership outlined in 'Begin With We' include leading by example, taking action, owning mistakes, and embracing challenges.
  • Relatability, authenticity, and vulnerability are key in building trust within teams.
  • Leaders should focus on outcomes rather than activity and be open to challenging and being challenged by team members.
  • Attention to detail is crucial for delivering exceptional experiences and establishing a strong brand.

Chapters

(02:58) The Power of Leadership Principles

(07:46) Collaboration in the C-suite

(13:20) Bridging the Disconnect Between Leaders and Teams

(21:33) Creating a Culture of Excellence

(25:36) The Challenge of Transitioning to a 'We' Mindset

(27:15) The Impact of Gossip and the Importance of Leading by Example

(31:33) Creating a Culture of Vulnerability and Support

(37:11) Focusing on Outcomes and Avoiding Busyness

(38:40) Challenging and Being Challenged for Growth

(39:37) The Power of Attention to Detail

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Mind Your F**king Business

E218 | Why the World is so Full of Rubbish Leaders with Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic25 Oct 202200:47:17

Did you know that the 80:20 principle also works in reverse? Whilst 80% of your output will come from 20% of your people, the same is true of your problems. Meaning 80% of the errors will be caused by 20% of your people. 

But, says Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Organisational Psychologist, currently Chief Innovation Officer at ManpowerGroup, companies spend way more time on development than they do on talent acquisition. 

So, what can you do about that? Well, don’t miss Tomas on this episode of The Melting Pot explaining how technology is revolutionising the recruitment role, why assessing candidates is a costly mistake, the difference between genders in terms of curiosity, why the world is so full of rubbish leaders, and how we can bring about change in leadership. 

This is a fascinating episode, truly insightful. Download to listen. 

Book recommendations


On today’s podcast:

  • The problem with testing candidates 
  • It’s hard to know if you hired the right person
  • Why is the world full of rubbish male leaders?
  • How to bring about change in leadership
  • The definition of leadership competence

Links:


E217 | Rowing the Atlantic with The Entrepreneurs’ Adviser, Guy Rigby18 Oct 202200:40:40

Are you looking for your next big adventure? How does rowing across the Atlantic sound? Think you’re not fit enough? Too old? Think again. 

Guy Rigby, chair of the Entrepreneurial Services Group at Smith & Williamson, and founder of advisory and mentoring business, The Entrepreneurs’ Adviser, holds the world record for the oldest, fastest man to row across the Atlantic (aged 68), and he’s looking for crews to do the same for 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027.   

But before we get into that, in this episode of The Melting Pot, we find out why a man in his late 60s would want to row the Atlantic, and more importantly, how on earth did he pull it off? 

  

Want to learn more? Of course you do! Download and listen today.

On today’s podcast:

  • UnLtd - the charity
  • Rowing across the Atlantic Ocean
  • The daily rowing routine 
  • Training for the row
  • The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge

Links:


E216 | Uncertainty: The Portal to Possibility with Nathan and Susannah Furr11 Oct 202200:55:14

How do you deal with uncertainty? Do you avoid it at all costs or do you embrace the unknown excitedly?

To discuss the upside of uncertainty is husband and wife team, Nathan and Susannah Furr, authors of The Upside of Uncertainty. 

As the Professor of Strategy and Innovation at INSEAD, and with a PhD from Stanford, Nathan is an expert in innovation and technology strategy. Susannah is an entrepreneur, designer, artist, and contrarian who’s recently started a bio-intensive garden as part of a ‘hope accelerator’ in Normandy, France. 

On this episode of The Melting Pot, Nathan and Susannah share their experiences of tackling uncertainty, and discuss how you can improve and train your risk tolerance and seek the upside of uncertainty. And in doing so, how we can then impact organisations. 

Download and listen to learn more. 

On today’s podcast:

  • The portal to possibility 
  • Uncertainty balances
  • How do you teach uncertainty?
  • Regret minimisation decision making
  • Driving innovation inside businesses 

Links:


E215 | From Coaching Habit to How to Begin with Michael Bungay Stanier04 Oct 202200:47:41

Do you want to be a force for change in the world? Of course you do, but how to begin? That's actually the title of Michael Bungay Stanier’s latest book - How To Begin, a book written to help people be ambitious for themselves, for the world, to help them find their Worthy Goal, and start something thrilling, important, and daunting.

Best known for writing The Coaching Habit, a best selling coaching book that’s sold over 1.2 million copies world wide, Michael is back on The Melting Pot once more to talk about how you can figure out what that thing is you want to do, and then how you stop procrastinating so you can go and have an impact. 

Having handed over the reins of Box of Crayons, a learning and development company, Michael has had to find his own worthy goal, and in this episode he shares how he stepped away from Box of Crayons, how to find your purpose, and the key elements of what makes a worthy goal. 

To hear all this and more, download and listen today.

Book recommendations 

High Conflict - Amanda Ripley

Super-Infinite - Katherine Rundell

On today’s podcast:

  • How to Begin
  • Stepping away from Box of Crayons
  • Finding your purpose
  • The key elements of a worthy goal
  • The Care Matrix

Links:


E214 | How to Think Differently About Compensation with Verne Harnish27 Sep 202200:47:39

How do you think about compensation in your organisation? In this episode of The Melting Pot, Verne Harnish, a world-leading expert, speaker, author, and entrepreneur in the field of business growth, shares his recent research into how different organisations tackle compensation.  

Having founded the Entrepreneurs' Organisation in 1987, Verne’s also the Founder and CEO of Scaling Up, as well as author of Scaling Up, Mastering the Rockefeller Habits, and co-author of The Greatest Business Decisions of All Time, for which Jim Collins wrote the foreword. 

But it’s his latest book, Scaling Up Compensation, a short read at just over 100 pages, that Verne is discussing here. In this book, he explores over 100 case studies to help you move top and bottom lines by hundreds of percent, just by tweaking your existing comp plan. 

While the case studies aren’t there for you to copy, let them inspire and guide you in how you can take compensation and make it work for you, so you can attract and retain the best possible talent you can afford, so you can build the best team money can buy for your organisation. 

This is a fabulous conversation, download and listen now. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Scaling up compensation
  • How to afford the A-players
  • Let compensation set you apart
  • Sales commission - yes or no?
  • Promotions and a pay rise

Links:


E213 | How to Attract & Capture the Attention of A-Players on LinkedIn with Donna Serdula20 Sep 202200:42:12

In this incredibly tight labour market where the power well and truly sits in the job seekers’ hands, how can you optimise your LinkedIn profile so that you make yourself (and your company) more attractive to A-players and job seekers? 

Don’t miss Donna Serdula, author of LinkedIn Profile Optimization for Dummies, and founder of LinkedIn specialist firm LinkedIn-Makeover, on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. 

What should you do as a company? More specifically, what should you do as individual leaders and hiring managers to try and make it more likely that candidates, prospects, even partners, find you and connect with you on LinkedIn? 

Donna details how people should be thinking about this. She shares what you as an individual leader, a CEO, should be doing. How often should you post? Should you put hashtags on? If you do, which ones? Should you share content that's already on the LinkedIn platform? Or try to get people to connect to content off the platform?

To find out all this and more, download and listen to this episode today. 

On today’s podcast:

  • How to show up to prospective candidates
  • Selling the company culture in the description 
  • The LinkedIn algorithm
  • How often to post on LinkedIn
  • The golden hour 
  • All about hashtags

Links:


E212 | How to Transition your Culture as you Scale your Organisation with Darrin Jahnel13 Sep 202200:51:42

If you’ve grown your organisation and you’re now at the point where you don’t quite remember everyone’s name, and the coffee cups aren’t being stacked in the dishwasher, perhaps it’s time to reassess your company culture. 

To share how they’ve transitioned their culture as the organisation has grown to just over 150 people in 6 years, is co-founder and CEO of Jahnel Group, Darrin Jahnel. 

In this episode, Darrin explains why they’ve moved away from an executive team to implementing an extended leadership team, why he’s maniacal about company culture, and why they believe they've cracked the code on hybrid working. He also talks about inclusion, how he’s got people to show up to work being their authentic selves, as well as a fantastic metric for how many culture drivers per employee you need in your business.

So, to learn more about how to transition your culture as you grow, download and listen today.

On today’s podcast:

  • Great culture starts with having a great team
  • How to create a buzz
  • Cracking the remote culture code
  • The benefits of a buffet culture 
  • Overcoming scaling up hurdles

Links:


E211 | Why Your Organisation Needs Systemic Change, Not Individual Change with Michael Cahill06 Sep 202200:55:15

Do you have a problem with the free flow of energy in your organisation? Perhaps you’ve been replacing individuals who aren’t performing only to find that their replacements are also not bringing in the results. Then you need to listen to Michael Cahill, author, trainer, coach and facilitator at MarketMatters. 

Michael blends a rich and deep knowledge of NLP (neuro linguistic programming), Systemic Coaching and Constellations with his considerable experience of business and investment, to inspire change, growth and transformation within organisations. 

In this episode, Michael explains systemic coaching, his energy model, and how making decisions with the right energy can make all the difference in your organisation. He also discusses how you build a business, what leadership looks like, how you make decisions, and how you become more strategic.

To learn more, download and listen today. 

Book recommendations 

On today’s podcast:

  • What is systemic coaching?
  • What the business world can learn from Tiger Woods
  • How to make decisions
  • Difference between leadership and management
  • Get clear on what you’re good at

Links:


E210 | Why Leading from the Heart is Better for Business with Mark C Crowley30 Aug 202200:52:12

Leading from the heart is the secret to high performing teams and financial success, says leadership speaker, consultant, change agent for workplace engagement and culture, and author of ‘Lead From The Heart’, Mark C Crowley. 

Mark has spent 25 years leading teams in the financial services industry to record breaking sales and profitability performance by focussing his leadership on the most authentic driver of human engagement - emotional connection. 

In this, The Great Resignation, demonstrating to employees that you not only care about them, but value them and trust them, is one of the best ways to retain them. Simple, heart felt reciprocity, Mark found, is what is required for employees to not just excel, but routinely exceed expectations. 

So, how do you lead from the heart? How do you connect with employees and redefine your employee proposition?

In this episode of The Melting Pot, Mark reveals why he advocates for leading from the heart, he shares a few simple ways that leaders can lead from the heart, and explains why, 11 years on, the Second Edition of his book is coming out. 

Book recommendations

Leonard Mlodinow - Emotional

Swami Yogananda - The Autobiography of a Yogi

Zoe Chance - Influence is Your Superpower

Robert Cialdini - Influence

On today’s podcast:

  • How to lead from the heart
  • The influence of COVID on managers
  • Why the Great Resignation is happening 
  • The benefits of reciprocity

Links:


E209 | How to Hack Growth Marketing with Kurve Founder & CEO, Oren Greenberg23 Aug 202200:51:10

If you’re struggling with your marketing efforts, or you’re concerned that what you’re doing isn’t working, or is a waste of time and money, then don’t miss Oren Greenberg, founder and CEO of Kurve, a digital marketing agency, on this episode of The Melting Pot. 

Now, Oren may specialise in search marketing, but he splits his time between getting companies to rank in Google, and being a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer with FTSE 250 companies such as Canon, Investec Bank, Lenovo & HomeServe, and supporting a number of the world's fastest scale-ups.

So, if you’re looking to hack growth marketing in your business, if you’re wondering where to spend your money - distribution or content, if you’re unsure about Account Based Marketing, if you don’t know where to start with building your marketing tech stack or even your marketing team, download and listen to this episode. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Being a fractional CMO
  • The difference between scale ups and corporates
  • How to market in the current economy
  • The benefits of marketing tech stack tools
  • The truth about marketing success

Links:


E307 | Managers are accidental, right? with John DiJulius22 Jul 202400:59:20

Dominic Monkhouse explores the importance of intentional leadership and creating a strong company culture with John DiJulius from The DiJulius Group

A recent survey of 4,500 UK workers by the Chartered Management Institute found that 82% of those in management positions are 'accidental managers', and have little training or qualifications. The problem is that to be an effective leader you need to develop a whole new set of skills and competencies. John and Dominic highlight the need for formal training for managers and the lack of training in areas such as difficult conversations and interviewing. Their conversation also delves into the concept of purpose in the workplace and the changing attitudes towards hustle culture. The recruitment process is discussed, emphasising creating a unique and engaging experience for candidates. The importance of knowing employees' aspirations and helping them achieve their goals is also emphasised. In this conversation, John DiJulius and Dominic Monkhouse discuss the importance of encouraging and believing in others to help them reach their full potential. They also talk about the power of positive thinking, the impact of personal experiences on leadership, and the value of creating a remarkable customer experience. John shares his personal journey of overcoming challenges and how he has used his experiences to inspire and motivate others. They also touch on the concept of making price irrelevant and the importance of treating customers and employees based on their individual needs.

Keywords

leadership, company culture, formal training, difficult conversations, interviewing, purpose, hustle culture, recruitment process, employee aspirations, encouragement, belief, potential, positive thinking, leadership, customer experience, personal journey, challenges, price irrelevant, individual needs

Takeaways

  • Leaders should be intentional and create a strong company culture.
  • Managers should receive formal training, especially in areas like difficult conversations and interviewing.
  • The concept of purpose in the workplace is important for all generations.
  • The recruitment process should be unique and engaging to attract top talent.
  • Knowing employees' aspirations and helping them achieve their goals is crucial for employee retention. Encouraging and believing in others can help them achieve more than they ever thought possible.
  • Positive thinking and a strong belief in oneself can overcome challenges and lead to success.
  • Creating a remarkable customer experience is essential for business growth and customer loyalty.
  • Treating customers and employees based on their individual needs is more effective than treating them how you would like to be treated.
  • Making price irrelevant by focusing on the value and experience you provide can lead to loyal customers and increased sales.

Chapters

(00:00) Creating an Intentional Company Culture

(09:38) The Importance of Formal Training for Managers

(13:16) Redefining Purpose in the Workplace

(23:43) Supporting Employee Aspirations for Long-Term Retention

(31:13) Unlocking Potential: The Power of Encouragement and Belief

(36:45) Overcoming Personal Obstacles: A Journey of Resilience

(43:28) Creating Remarkable Customer Experiences for Business Growth

(49:08) Making Price Irrelevant: The Value of Customer Experience

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Mind Your F**king Business

E208 | How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way with Rasmus Hougaard16 Aug 202200:46:55

If you struggle to have difficult conversations then you aren’t alone. According to Rasmus Hougaard, founder and CEO of global research, leadership development and consulting firm, Potential Project, only one in 100 of us are naturally wired to be able to give difficult feedback the right way, instinctively. 

“You really have to step up if you want to lead people and learn how to do the hard things. Because it's the most compassionate and kind thing you can do. Everything else is indecent, period.”

Rasmus and the team at Potential Project have spent the last three years undertaking a huge research project to find out just how CEOs and leaders do hard stuff with humanity. 

In this episode, Rasmus shares why he learned the art of mindfulness in Buddhist monasteries not just as a way of driving employee wellness, but actually driving leadership behaviours. He also explains why, if we care deeply about people, it's on us to be direct and to give them the feedback they need to grow to be the best version of themselves that they can be. 

To find out more about the four behaviours Rasmus and the team uncovered, to create more trust, psychological safety, and improve performance in your individual employees, your teams, and the culture, download and listen to this episode. 

Book recommendations

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying - Sogyal Rinpoche

Good to Great - Jim Collins

On today’s podcast:

  • Why mindfulness is your secret business weapon
  • The distinction between empathy and compassion
  • Why women are better leaders
  • The four behaviours that help do hard things humanely 

Links:


E207 | Why Positive Psychology is for Everyone with Dr Vikki Barnes09 Aug 202200:44:45

How do you get people to bring their authentic selves to work? By building a culture of psychological safety in the workplace, says clinical psychologist, Dr Vikki Barnes. 

With 10 years working in the NHS delivering psychology services to patients with mental health issues under her belt, and designing and leading the national wellbeing programme across the Virgin Group, Vikki subsequently set up her own business called Positive Wellbeing. 

With Positive Wellbeing, she tries to bring the science of clinical psychology of positive psychology to those organisations she works with and tries to help them get the best from their people. 

In this episode, Vikki discusses the Google programme Project Aristotle, how you can build psychological safety in the workplace, how to get people into flow, and how you can get people to be authentic and bring their best selves to work. 

So, to learn how you can implement positive psychology in your workplace, download and listen to The Melting Pot today. 

Book recommendations

Brene Brown - Daring Greatly

Wild Guides

On today’s podcast:

  • The positive psychology movement
  • The business benefit of positive psychology
  • Getting into a state of flow
  • Learning happy hormones

Links:


E206 | How to Design a Conducive Culture for the Modern Workplace with Gustavo Razzetti02 Aug 202200:48:45

How can you help your team to do the best work of their lives? By building a conducive culture that allows them to thrive. 

Gustavo Razzetti is a sought-after speaker, culture consultant, and author of three books. He realised that most companies don’t lack ideas, resources, or talent, but rather an advantageous culture. 

And so he created Fearless Culture, a workplace culture consulting firm, to help organisations become purpose-driven, agile, and innovative. He’s also the creator of the Culture Design Canvas, a culture mapping tool used by consultants, coaches, and organisations worldwide.

On this episode of The Melting Pot, Gustavo discusses the book he wrote during the pandemic, Remote Not Distant, which takes the concept of deliberately designing a culture and applying it to a new normal hybrid workplace. 

Because how do you design a culture that helps everyone thrive when not everybody is office based? Download and listen to find out.

Book recommendations:

Insight: The Power Of Self-Awareness In A Self-Deluded World - Tasha Eurich

Creativity, Inc - Ed Catmull

On today’s podcast:

  • Determining the work model
  • Why you should care about culture
  • Creating rituals when remote working
  • The benefits of feedback
  • Decentralised decision making

Links:


E205 | How to Become a Hidden Champion with Hermann Simon26 Jul 202200:54:13

Do you aspire for your company to become a Hidden Champion? 

Hidden champions are what businessman and bestselling author, Hermann Simon, describes as medium-sized, unknown companies with annual revenues under $5 billion that have quietly, under the radar, become world market leaders in their respective industries. 

Having previously written about hidden champions in his bestselling book, Hidden Champions, Hermann now explores China’s continued impact on the business world since its meteoric rise in the global business and economic sphere in recent years. 

While the main focus of Hermann’s research is on companies in German-speaking countries, because they comprise 56% of the world’s hidden champions, their success factors can be applied globally to any mid-sized companies as they strive to become global market leaders.

“The takeaway is to go really deep, find something you can really be the best in the world, that will drive your profit margin. It will drive a strategic moat around your business. You can be world famous in your niche.”

So, whether your company is a “Hidden Champion”, or aspires to be one, don’t miss Hermann on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Hidden Champions
  • The hidden champion culture
  • Chinese hidden champions
  • The problem with startups
  • Mental globalisation

Links:


E204 | How to Launch into the US as a European Tech Business with Daniel Glazer19 Jul 202200:44:25

If you’re thinking about targeting the US market with your startup or to scale up business, do you have a US expansion plan? Don’t miss Daniel Glazer, an American technology lawyer and strategic business adviser, and founding partner of Wilson Sonsini’s London office on this episode. 

If you’re confused as to why you would need legal support so early in the process, Daniel explains the difference between hiring a lawyer in the UK and hiring a lawyer in the US, in particular why having lawyers attached to companies is a much more strategic decision in the early life of a US business. 

But mostly what Daniel talks about in this latest episode of The Melting Pot is US expansion - M&A, moving your HQ to the US, raising money in the US, or wanting to do an IPO on one of the stock exchanges in North America. 

Honestly, nobody knows more about how to launch into the US as a European technology business than Daniel. So if the US is where you’re heading, download and listen to this episode. 

Book recommendations 

Venture Deals - Brad Feld

On today’s podcast:

  • Difference between US and UK approach to legal advice
  • Why businesses seek US expansion
  • What you need to trade in the US
  • 8 primary considerations for companies considering setting up in the US
  • When’s the right time to go?

Links:


E203 | Smart Growth Leadership and Personal Disruption with Whitney Johnson12 Jul 202200:45:01

The fundamental unit of growth in any organisation is the individual. 

The more you understand about how to respond to your own deep longing to grow, the greater your capacity to grow your people, to grow your organisation, says Whitney Johnson, co-founder of tech-enabled talent development company, Disruption Advisors.

Disruption Advisors supports people and organisations through coaching, training, and technology, empowering innovation through disruption. Whitney’s latest book, Smart Growth, explains if you grow your people, you grow your company. 

In this episode of The Melting Pot, Whitney talks about the S curve model and what it means to you as an individual, how to start one, how to envisage it, how to get up when you might get stuck. 

And by way of as an example, we use Whitney's personal journey along her own S curve of public speaking. So, if you’re looking to grow your organisation, your team, or individually, download and listen to Whitney today.

Book recommendations:

Bittersweet - Susan Kane

Range - David Epstein

Anti Time Management - Richie Norton

On today’s podcast:

  • The S curve
  • What drives motivation
  • The S curve - the launch point, the sweet spot and mastery
  • Moving beyond mastery
  • Grow your people to grow your company

Links:


E202 | What Do You Need to Do Your Best Work? with David Lancefield05 Jul 202200:54:20

What do you need to do your best work? That is the question David Lancefield strives to find the answer for with his clients in his role as CEO catalyst, strategist and coach. 

What does that mean? It means David works with CEOs, senior professionals and executives, helping them become more extraordinary, by focusing on strategy, innovation, leadership and culture. 

In this episode of The Melting Pot, David talks us through how a new leadership team comes together and gets to agree on the way forward, how and why M&A or creating new teams works and doesn't work, as well as sharing how leaders can set priorities, i.e. how do you bring a team together to agree on the few things that the team needs to do? 

This is a fascinating episode packed full of insights, so grab a pen and paper and listen. 

Book recommendations:


On today’s podcast:

  • Being a catalyst for CEOs
  • Why he has an anti-office mentality
  • Laying the foundations for psychological safety
  • What it takes to do amazing work
  • How to have better meetings

Links:


E201 | How to Change Brains, Minds and Culture with David McRaney28 Jun 202201:00:24

How can you change someone’s mind? Don’t miss David McRaney, a science journalist fascinated with brains, minds, and culture, explain all in this podcast. 

In this episode, David, author of three books, discusses his latest book ‘How Minds Change’. He lifts the lid on how people who believe in flat Earth come to believe in flat Earth; how people who are anti vaxxers come to have that as their belief system; as well as explain the Dunning Kruger effect. 

Why are these insights relevant to the modern workplace? 

Because the results of these studies have far reaching implications, including how you hold your management team meetings, your all hands meeting, how you hire, how you might want to hire to avoid bias, as well as overcome the heuristics that are in place that make you make snap decisions on people. 

This is a fantastic episode, we’re sure you’ll enjoy it as much as we did.

On today’s podcast:

  • How to change minds
  • The people swap experiment
  • Difference in gender confidence
  • The Dunning Kruger effect
  • The Halo effect at work
  • Understanding pluralistic ignorance

Links:


E200 | The Impact of Hybrid Work on Employees and Employers with Peter Cappelli21 Jun 202200:46:13

What does the future of your office look like? Are all of your employees back to work yet? Or do you have a hybrid approach to working? 

That’s the question today’s guest, Peter Cappelli, Professor of Management at Wharton School, and director of Wharton's Centre for Human Resources, has been researching. 

Why do we go to offices and what don’t we like about them? In the wake of the pandemic, our thoughts around offices have changed dramatically, with more employees than ever before keen to adopt a hybrid approach to work. 

But having zero offices and fully remote staff simply doesn’t benefit employers (or employees), yet according to the Financial Times, the UK is one of the last countries where offices have returned to ‘normal’, so what gives?

In this latest episode of The Melting Pot, Peter shares his thoughts on AI, the decline in employee training, and why it’s so hard to hire in the current market. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Will college pay off?
  • The hiring conundrum
  • Training in the workplace
  • The remote working conundrum
  • The future of the office

Links:


E199 | How to Create Value Based Strategy with Felix Oberholzer-Gee14 Jun 202200:50:06

Are you struggling to create a simple strategy for your business? Then don’t miss Felix Oberholzer-Gee, faculty member at Harvard Business School in the Strategy Unit, and author of the recent book on strategy: Better, Simpler Strategy, on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. 

In Felix’s new book, he shows readers how to create value based strategy with their service or product. Not in the sense of making customers or employees happy, but in so much as - creating a product or service that delivers so much value, people are willing to pay more for it.

The simple truth of the matter, says Felix, is that business and financial success boils down to imagination. Finding new ways to serve your customers or employees better will always yield better business results. But it’s amazing how many businesses have forgotten this simple strategy in their quest to be successful. 

So, if you’re overthinking your business strategy, or you think you have no place to think strategically, think again. 

To find out more, download and listen to this latest episode. 

Book recommendations

On today’s podcast:

  • Strategy is all about value creation
  • Applying strategy to staff retention
  • You can be high quality and low cost
  • The discovery of complements

Links:


E306 | The Impact of AI on Innovation & Value Creation and the Importance of Regulation with Alex Osterwalder16 Jul 202400:48:15

Summary

The conversation explores three main topics: business model resilience, AI, and environmental sustainability. The accessibility and democratisation of AI tools have made a significant impact on innovation and value creation. AI has the potential to propose better value propositions and even replace human managers. The integration of AI tools in consulting processes has resulted in faster results and improved efficiency. However, the development of better value propositions through the integration of different data sources is still a work in progress. In this conversation, Alex and Dominic discuss the potential of AI in innovation and business processes. They explore the idea of using AI to automate customer interviews and the impact it can have on the speed and efficiency of innovation. They also touch on the importance of environmental sustainability and the need for new business models that harmonize profit and impact. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the challenges and opportunities of AI and the importance of regulation.

Keywords

business model resilience, AI, environmental sustainability, accessibility, democratisation, innovation, value creation, value propositions, AI tools, consulting processes, data sources, AI, innovation, business processes, customer interviews, speed, efficiency, environmental sustainability, business models, profit, impact, regulation

Takeaways

  • The accessibility and democratization of AI tools have revolutionized innovation and value creation.
  • AI has the potential to propose better value propositions and even replace human managers.
  • The integration of AI tools in consulting processes has resulted in faster results and improved efficiency.
  • The development of better value propositions through the integration of different data sources is still a work in progress. AI can greatly speed up the innovation process by automating tasks like customer interviews.
  • Businesses need to embrace environmental sustainability and find new business models that harmonise profit and impact.
  • Financial sustainability and resilient revenue models are crucial for the success of a business.
  • Experimentation with pricing and revenue streams is essential for business growth.
  • The rapid pace of change in AI presents both challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators.
  • Regulation is necessary to ensure the responsible and ethical use of AI.

Chapters

(02:22) The Impact of AI on Innovation and Value Creation

(05:10) The Potential of AI in Proposing Value Propositions

(10:42) Challenges in Developing Better Value Propositions with AI

(30:30) Harmonising Profit and Impact: The Future of Business Models

(37:27) Financial Sustainability and Resilient Revenue Models

(42:28) Experimentation with Pricing and Revenue Streams

(44:19) The Challenges and Opportunities of AI

About Alex Osterwalder

Alex Osterwalder is ranked in the top 10 on the Thinkers50 list of management thinkers worldwide. He is passionate about simplifying the complex challenges that today's leaders face. Along with Yves Pigneur, he invented the Business Model Canvas and other practical tools, which are now used by millions of practitioners around the globe.

Strategyzer, the company Alex co-founded, provides technology-enabled innovation services to leading organisations, including Colgate-Palmolive, MasterCard and Merck.

Alex spends most of his time advising leaders on how to scale their innovation efforts and get results. They already have the assets but lack the organisational design and innovation culture.

His books include Business Model GenerationValue Proposition DesignTesting Business...

E198 | The Jobs Only the CEO Should Do, with Anthony Rose07 Jun 202200:56:01

If your business is struggling to innovate, or is in fact resisting innovation all together, then don’t miss Anthony Rose, founder and CEO of SeedLegals on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. 

Who better to learn from about how to incorporate, raise funds and grow your business, than the founder of the startup that one in six of all early-stage startups in the UK are using in their funding rounds. 

Widely known as “The man behind BBC iPlayer”, Anthony ran the iPlayer and other BBC services from 2007 to 2010, taking the iPlayer from pre-launch to a major success story. 

In this episode, Anthony talks about the jobs that only the CEO should do, including the CEO’s role in innovation, building company culture, getting to product market fit, and why, when you’ve got product market fit, the most important job of a CEO is to then manage culture. 

This is a truly insightful episode and a must listen for all leaders of startups looking to grow and build their companies. 

Book recommendations:

The Mom Test - Rob Fitzpatrick

History of Western Philosophy - Bertrand Russell

On today’s podcast:

  • Making lawyers redundant
  • The CEO’s role in innovation
  • How to innovate
  • Why CEOs are responsible for culture

Links:


E197 | Why Redesigning your Business Structure will Help you Scale with Lex Sisney31 May 202200:49:48

Are you a mid to late ‘nail it’ stage business, trying to scale your company? Then you don’t want to miss Lex Sisney, business coach and author of Organizational Physics, on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. 

Organizational Physics might be an odd title for a book, but it’s memorable, and it explains the repeatable systems that all organisations have difficulties with. But more importantly, it teaches readers how to overcome their issues by redesigning their organisation’s structure. 

Rather than thinking in terms of hierarchy, or thinking about your business’ org chart, Lex advises clients to think about things that need to be done in the short term and things that need to be done in the long term. Because there are things that have to be effective, and things that have to be efficient to scale a business. 

So, if you’re looking for guidance about how to scale your business, or you need a new way to look at your organisational design, then this is a conversation you’ll want to listen to. 

Book recommendations


On today’s podcast:

  • Why businesses need organisational physics
  • Understanding corporate life cycles
  • The importance of structure in a business 
  • How to use org structures 

Links:


E196 | How to Scale your Business with booking.com Founder, Jeff Hoffman24 May 202200:50:09

If you’re looking for advice on how to grow and scale your startup or business, then don’t miss Jeff Hoffman, founder of booking.com, award-winning global entrepreneur, proven CEO, worldwide motivational speaker, bestselling author, and Hollywood film producer on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. 

Jeff has been an entrepreneurial CEO from the second day he joined university. He got kicked out of Yale University because he couldn’t pay the tuition fees and started a business on his second day of school to pay for his college education. 

You might have heard of his little venture… booking.com (priceline.com in the US). 

Jeff has recently put pen to paper and written down the seven principles for growing a business in his book, SCALE: Seven Proven Principles to Grow Your Business and Get Your Life Back. 

In this episode of The Melting Pot, Jeff talks about the importance of mindset, why CEOs need to get out of the way, and what the role of a CEO really is. So grab a pen and paper now, this is a truly insightful podcast, you’ll want to take notes. 

On today’s podcast:

  • The importance of mindset
  • Why CEOs need to get out of the way
  • How to recruit great people
  • The CEO’s job
  • Learn why your customers buy from you

Links:


Book recommendations:


E195 | The Importance of Business Continuity with Smartsourcing CEO & founder, Mike Selfe17 May 202200:34:05

Think your organisation is too small to outsource processes? Think again, says CEO and founder of Smartsourcing, Mike Selfe. If you feel like your team’s time could be better spent elsewhere then don’t miss Mike explaining how Smartsourcing supports small businesses. 

Founded in 2015, Smartsourcing, a purpose led, business process outsourcing (BPO) organisation based out of Cebu, Philippines, has been growing 100% year on year, with 350 staff now on their books. 

In this insightful episode, Mike discusses how they handle the challenge that significant growth brings, how they tackle recruitment challenges, and what it takes and what it looks like to be awarded Great Place to Work certification.

Finally, he reveals how Smartsourcing has managed business continuity following a natural disaster - just 24 hours after Cebu was devastated by the Typhoon Odette, MIke and a skeleton team were back ‘at work’ the next day.  

So, if you’re looking for a way to maximise your team’s productivity and efficiency, listen today to find out more about how business process outsourcing (BPO) could help your small businesses. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Changing lives for good through BPO
  • Handling the recruitment challenge
  • Weathering the storm
  • The importance of business continuity
  • No business is too small to outsource 

Links:


E194 | The Evolution of the Professional Services Sector with Ray D’Cruz10 May 202200:37:11

If you’re in the legal, accounting or professional services sector and you’re looking to harness the intelligence and creativity of your partners and employees through performance management, don’t miss Ray D’Cruz, CEO of Performance Leader, a consulting and software for professional services firms, on The Melting Pot. 

In this episode, Ray shares why firms should consider moving away from the annual performance review for partners and employees, to a more 360 review, incorporating client feedback and behavioural and project based feedback.

He discusses why prioritising leadership is vital in remote or hybrid organisations, why purpose is more important than ever before, and how nudge tools can benefit everyone. 

So, if you’re wondering how to leverage performance and feedback software in your professional services firm, download and listen today.

On today’s podcast:

  • The problem with a traditional performance review 
  • The benefit of continual performance management
  • Using nudge tech for hybrid working 
  • The growing interest in purpose

Links:


E193 | What it Takes to Build an Organisation’s Culture with James L Heskett03 May 202200:51:12

Do your employees love your business? asks James L Heskett, UPS Foundation Professor Emeritus at Harvard Business School and author of Win from Within. Because if your employees don’t love your company, your customers won’t love it either. 

In Win from Within, James argues about the importance of building organisational culture for competitive advantage. Having spent 30 years on this journey, his latest book is about busting myths and shattering beliefs around what it takes to build an organisation's culture. 

Why is your company culture so important? Because, argues James, if you need to attract customers, then you need to have great employees. And to attract great employees, you need to have a great environment that encourages them to come join you and to stay the course. 

In fact, the most amazingly successful businesses, says James, are those who have at their heart the trifecta of employee engagement, customer engagement, and sales, growth and profit levels for the investor. 

Does yours? 

To find out more, download and listen to this episode today. 

On today’s podcast:

  • The obsession with culture
  • Win from Within
  • The four steps to hire great employees
  • It doesn’t take long to change culture
  • The problem with the hybrid work model

Links:


E192 | How to Try a New Way of Thinking with Roger Martin26 Apr 202200:52:31

If you’ve found that the way your organisation does things isn’t working for you any more, rather than flogging a dead horse, why not try a new way of thinking?

In this episode of The Melting Pot, Roger L Martin, author, advisor, speaker, and one of the world’s top business thinkers, shares how he turned Canadian Tennis around, as well how he took the Rotman School of Management and transformed it into Canada’s #1 business school, on a limited budget. 

Now when company leaders come to him for help, his response is to first break the spell of their current way of thinking. But how can you transform your way of thinking? 

Download and listen to this insightful episode to find out more. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Business writing in the academic world
  • Elevating the Canadian Tennis Federation
  • A New Way to Think
  • Why strategy and execution are the same thing
  • Why he doesn’t believe in OKRs 

Links:


E191 | What it Takes to Become a Great CEO with Scott Keller19 Apr 202200:51:27

Having travelled to every country in the world, Scott Keller, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, New York Times best selling author of Beyond performance 2.0 and CEO Excellence, was looking for a new challenge. And he found it during lockdown. 

Along with his fellow authors, he sought to uncover what makes the best CEOs of this century the best. They combined extensive quantitative analysis with in-depth interviews with today’s top CEOs to understand what sets exceptional leaders apart.

And they found the best CEOs have to master six core things to become great. Because, and Scott uses the analogy of Ashton Eaton, the greatest decathlete of all time here - no decathlete is the best 100 metre runner in the world or the best Javelin thrower, they have to not suck at anything, while being amazing at everything.

In this episode of The Melting Pot, Scott shares the methodology they used to narrow down their list of CEOs from 7,800 to the 67 they interviewed, before discussing the six things they found were the core of every great CEO. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Why we need to own our goals
  • How hard it is being CEO
  • Great CEOs have humility
  • The decathlete analogy
  • The six core elements of the CEO role
  • The link between mindset and CEO excellence

Links:


E190 | The Five Principles to Bring Out Your Best Self with CEO & Leadership Coach, Amy Jen Su12 Apr 202200:45:18

How can you be the leader you want to be, every day? The answer, says Amy Jen Su, lies in focusing on five key leadership elements - Purpose, Process, People, Presence, and Peace. 

In this enjoyable conversation, Amy, CEO and leadership coach of 20 years, author of The Leader You Want to Be: Five Essential Principles to Bringing Out Your Best Self - Every Day, and co-founder and Managing Partner of Paravis Partners, a boutique executive coaching and leadership development firm, talks listeners through the five essential principles that she’s identified for bringing out your best self. 

Because, says Amy, the answer lies within. 

“My own mission as a coach is how can I help others be who they're meant to be and make the difference they're meant to make without this tremendous sacrifice towards our health, our relationships, [all within the] life that we're living.”

So, if you haven’t worked out what your purpose is yet, or if you have, but you’re still figuring out how you can deliver that purpose, don’t miss Amy on this episode of The Melting Pot. 

On today’s podcast:

  • The challenge around culture
  • What sets high performance organisations apart
  • Being a lifelong learner
  • The five essential principles
  • Defining your purpose 

Links:


E189 | How to Innovate Inside Large Corporations with Jim A Euchner05 Apr 202200:50:32

To stay ahead of the curve, organisations need to innovate. But how do you structure innovation if you run a large corporation? Where do you put the money? Who’s in charge? How do you get sales to not be a blocker? 

These are the questions (among many) answered by Jim A Euchner in this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. 

Jim is an expert in how to innovate inside large corporations having been Vice President of Global Innovation at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, where he led the development of new businesses and helped launch five businesses on three continents.

So if you’re wondering how your organisation can adopt a Lean Startup approach to innovation, don’t miss this hugely insightful episode with Jim. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Overcoming resistance to innovation
  • How Goodyear innovates
  • The need for multiple routes to market
  • Two critical things people fail to do
  • The benefits of incubation

Links:


E305 | The Power of Purpose and Action Taking Control of Your Own Life with Ken Rusk09 Jul 202400:41:41

Summary

Ken Rusk, the blue-collar entrepreneur, shares his insights on achieving success and living your best life. He emphasises the importance of having a clear purpose and maximising every opportunity. Ken believes that anyone can be an entrepreneur or an intrapreneur as long as they have a clear vision and take action. He also discusses the significance of creating a culture that supports individual goals and fosters entrepreneurial thinking. Ken encourages people to be specific and actionable in their goals, and he shares his method of using visual representations to create a brochure for their ideal life. Ken Rusk discusses the importance of visualising and manifesting one's goals, the value of collaboration and support in achieving success, and the benefits of financial literacy and trade skills. He also shares insights on creating a positive work culture and the impact of giving back to the community. Ken emphasises the need for individuals to take control of their own lives and make responsible choices. He encourages young people to consider trade careers and challenges the societal pressure to pursue traditional college education. Ken's new book, 'Cool Boss,' focuses on creating a positive work environment and attracting entrepreneurial thinkers.

Keywords

blue-collar entrepreneur, purpose, maximising opportunities, vision, action, culture, entrepreneurial thinking, goals, specific, actionable, visual representations, visualisation, manifestation, collaboration, support, financial literacy, trade skills, work culture, giving back, self-reliance, responsible choices, trade careers, college education, positive work environment, entrepreneurial thinkers

Takeaways

  • Having a clear purpose and maximizing opportunities are key to achieving success and living your best life.
  • Anyone can be an entrepreneur or an intrapreneur as long as they have a clear vision and take action.
  • Creating a culture that supports individual goals and fosters entrepreneurial thinking is crucial for business success.
  • Being specific and actionable in your goals is essential for making progress and achieving desired outcomes.
  • Using visual representations can help create a clear vision and motivate individuals to work towards their ideal life. Visualize and manifest your goals to bring them into your life.
  • Collaboration and support from peers can help in achieving success.
  • Financial literacy and starting early with saving can lead to a secure retirement.
  • Consider trade careers as they offer high demand and good earning potential.
  • Create a positive work culture by recognizing and valuing employees.
  • Giving back to the community can bring personal fulfillment and success.
  • Take control of your own life and make responsible choices.
  • Challenge the societal pressure to pursue traditional college education.
  • Create a work environment that attracts entrepreneurial thinkers.
  • Ken's new book, 'Cool Boss,' focuses on creating a positive work culture.

Sound Bites

  • "Sometimes it doesn't necessarily matter what you do for a living, as much as it does what you do with what you do for a living."
  • "I think a blue collar entrepreneur is someone that possesses probably nine or 10 characteristics, which we all have, but they're just driven by where they want to go in their life."
  • "Surround yourself with entrepreneurial thinking, and your company will take off way further than you can take it yourself."
  • "If I know my favourite colour, my favourite car, my favourite house, my favourite sport, my favourite hobby, my favourite spiritual moment, my favourite vacation, why am I not putting that out into the universe?"
  • "You can't build a puzzle without the box. The box is the vision, the picture, the end, the goal,...
E188 | How to Set Up your Business to be Acquired with Robert Belgrave29 Mar 202200:40:25

If you’re thinking of selling your business, or you’re wanting to create value to make your business more attractive to potential acquirers, then don’t miss Robert Belgrave, CEO EMEA for Pax8 and co-founder of Ecologi, on this week’s The Melting Pot. 

Having founded Wirehive in 2012, with a vision to create the sort of business they themselves wanted to be a part of, Wirehive was subsequently acquired by Pax8 in 2021. 

So how can you replicate their success and set up your business for a future sale? To make it attractive to potential buyers? 

In this latest episode, Rob shares how they set Wirehive up to be acquired - the specific decisions they made to enable success, how they chose who they wanted to acquire them, how they triggered the process without a formal advisor to help them, and what (if anything) he might have done differently. 

If this all sounds like something you’re going through or are about to go through, download and listen today. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Tackling the climate crisis with Ecologi
  • Building a business to sell
  • Selling without a broker
  • Choosing a buyer
  • The hiring challenge

Links:


E187 | How a Germ-Zapping Robot Company Became a 10 Year Overnight Success with Morris Miller22 Mar 202200:43:52

Are you worried your business hasn’t hit the big time yet? Don’t be, says Morris Miller, former managing director at Rackspace, now the managing partner of Tectonic Ventures. Most of the businesses he’s involved in have become overnight successes, only after being in business for 10 years. 

Morris is also the CEO of Xenex Disinfection Services, a business he was drawn to because the original founders were mission driven to not just change lives, but save thousands of lives by stopping the spread of pathogens within healthcare facilities. 

How? Because Xenex makes UV germ-zapping robots that are 22X better at destroying  superbugs  than the standard hospital cleaning routine of cleaning, mopping, and bleaching alone. 

So, if you’re concerned that your business isn’t a success yet, don’t miss Morris share the two pillars that contribute to overnight success: listening to customers and the talent density you amass.

On today’s podcast:

  • Germ-zapping robots - LightStrike 6
  • Xenon vs manual housekeeping
  • Mission driven businesses
  • 10 years to become an overnight success
  • Hiring the right people

Links:


E186 | How to Maximise Sales Growth in a Post-Pandemic World with Aaron Ross15 Mar 202200:46:36

How can you maximise sales growth while minimising the workload and stress on both you and your executive teams? 

This is what Aaron Ross, dad of 10 kids, co-author of From Impossible To Inevitable and author of Predictable Revenue, is currently advising revenue executives about. 

In this latest episode of The Melting Pot, Aaron shares what’s changed in the world of work since he wrote Predictable Revenue back in 2011. Because the world has moved on a lot since then - what implications are there now for both sales and executives as a result of the pandemic? 

If you’re finding that your outbound sales are broadening out, and you’re wondering how to create predictable, scalable revenue, then don’t miss the world's foremost expert on outbound sales development chat about what works for him. 

Because juggling 10 kids, being on numerous SaaS boards and being an author is a serious skill to master. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Predictable Revenue & From Impossible to Inevitable
  • Why sales need specialist roles
  • The increase in outbound noise
  • Rebalancing the workplace
  • Post-pandemic sales recruitment
  • The importance of self-care

Links:


E185 | How purpose can help you understand and overcome your struggle with Bobby Herrera10 Mar 202200:52:09

Is your business founded on a clear purpose? Bobby Herrara, author of The Gift of Struggle, founded Populus Group in 2002, a company set up to help organisations manage their non-permanent employees. But what does purpose have to do with HR?

Bobby is passionate about helping people understand and overcome their struggle. He’s a firm believer that by aligning yourself and your company around your purpose can have a profound impact on you, the people around you, and the people your organisation touches. 

What’s interesting about Bobby is that he’s so driven by his purpose, that even though he didn’t share his origin story with his employees for over 10 years, he was so inspirational the business still reached $100 million turnover in those first 10 years. However, after sharing his origin story, they added another $500 million in the next 10 years. 

That’s the power of purpose right there. 

So what is Bobby’s origin story? You’ll have to listen to find out. 

Don’t miss Bobby on this week’s episode also shares the three pillars he’s built his business on, and why his organisation will go out of their way to back the underdog and solve problems for people. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Discovering his purpose 
  • Populus Group
  • The bus encounter 
  • How to recruit great staff
  • Working Genius

Links:


E184 | How to Create a Culture of Accountability with Mark Green01 Mar 202200:53:04

If you’re the CEO and you think people should get to meetings on time, yet you don’t, that’s never going to create a culture of accountability.

Luckily for you, on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot, we have the author of the book Creating a Culture of Accountability, business and leadership coach and speaker, Mark Green. 

“The reason I wrote the book is because I have yet to observe an organisation of any size and scope, anywhere on the planet in any industry, who one way or another didn't have a significant struggle with accountability.”

If you’re thinking - well we don’t have an accountability problem, be truthful: do things always get accomplished by your team? Without drama? On a regular basis? 

Exactly. 

If you want to learn how to make people in your organisation more accountable, don’t miss Mark explain his definition of accountability. He also shares the exercise he gets his clients to undertake about how to identify what they’re accountable for. And he explains the three elements of accountability. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Creating a culture of accountability
  • Don’t equate accountable with contribution
  • Three elements to accountability
  • Role accountability
  • Process accountability
  • Leading by example

Links:


E183 | How to Plan for and Execute Blitzscaling with Chris Yeh22 Feb 202200:56:05

Why do some organisations grow really quickly? How do they reach the scale that they do? If you’re looking for the secret sauce to make your company grow exponentially, then don’t miss Chris Yeh on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. 

Chris is a venture capitalist with Blitzscaling Ventures, educator at the Blitzscaling Academy, and co-author with LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, of bestselling books Alliance and Blitzscaling (among others).

In this latest episode, Chris explains why companies and employees lie to each other, why we all need to be having more grown up conversations, and why he wrote Blitzscaling. 

He also discusses the algorithm his VC firm has built to score companies as they come to market looking for money, and shares his thoughts on the most interesting businesses to come to market in recent years (and the ones to avoid). 

Download and listen today. 

On today’s podcast:

  • The lies employees and companies tell each other
  • What Blitzscaling is
  • Successful companies and ones to be wary of
  • What makes a business attractive to investors
  • The meaning of life in 60 seconds

Links:


E182 | Growing Your Organisation through a Digital Transformation with Paul Leinwand & Matt Mani17 Feb 202200:43:09

Is your organisation looking for a new growth strategy? Are you about to undergo a digital transformation? Perhaps you already have but you’re not sure what the next step for you is. 

In this episode of The Melting Pot, Paul Leinwand and Matt Mani, both of PwC and Strategy&, discuss the book they’ve written, Beyond Digital, the result of their research into companies that have successfully undergone a digital transformation. 

But just what is a digital transformation? What does one look like? What does it entail? And what did these companies have to do to achieve it? What changes did they have to make in their leadership team? In their business? How did they plan for and execute on their digital transformation plan? 

Don’t miss Paul and Matt share all of this and more, using examples from the Japanese construction firm Komatsu and Starbucks. This is a fantastic conversation, we’re sure you’ll enjoy it as much as we did.

On today’s podcast:

  • Beyond Digital
  • The definition of a transformation
  • Learning from companies that have digitally transformed
  • The social contract with your people

Links:


E181 | How to Deliver Outstanding Customer Service with Jeff Toister08 Feb 202200:46:58

What do your customers say about you? What sort of customer experience do you deliver? Today’s guest, Jeff Toister, has quite literally written the book (well, four books) on service culture, and he’s here to discuss his latest book - The Service Culture Handbook. 

Jeff has trained over 1 million people in customer service. He has the number one training course on LinkedIn Learning, and he makes a living from being a public speaker and author on this very topic. 

So just how do you guarantee customer experience? What can you do to set your business apart from the competition? 

Don’t miss this fantastic conversation, and listen to the very end where Jeff shares a fantastic exercise for leaders to try - something they can do today to make a difference to the customer service in their organisation. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Do employees need to love the products?
  • What customer experience are you trying to create?
  • What guarantee customer experience looks like
  • How to make a difference tomorrow

Links:


E180 | Scaling Up Your business with The Scale Up Leader Author, Stuart Ross01 Feb 202200:38:20

Are you scaling up to exit your business or are you focused on scaling up to build a more sustainable business? Either way, don’t miss Stuart Ross, author of The Scale Up Leader on this week’s episode of The Melting Pot. 

Stuart is a business coach who started life as a buyer for Burton Arcadia group. From there he moved to Boots where he led a number of innovations such as launching their first website (and they were so cheap they wouldn’t pay for the .com, only the .co.uk, and then subsequently spent a small fortune a few years later acquiring the .com, but that’s another story.) 

He also launched the meal deal - something almost everyone on the highstreet has now, and he worked on the Boots Advantage Card.

Stuart launched his consulting coaching business High Growth in 2012, and today he works with a range of clients across the UK and the US. He also features frequently in the news, talking about what it takes to build a scale up business. Scaling up is something he’s so passionate about, he’s written a book about it. Which is precisely what he discusses in this episode. 

So if you’re wanting to grow and scale up your business, download and listen today. 

On today’s podcast:

  • High Growth & The Scale Up Leader
  • A company can’t outperform the leadership
  • Developing the right habits
  • Who do you want to be?
  • Learn to let go

Links:


E179 | Why Referrals are Essential for Business Growth and Reputation with NPS creator, Fred Reichheld25 Jan 202200:44:46

How loyal are your customers and employees? How likely are they to refer your organisation to their colleagues and friends? 

This is the basis of the Net Promoter System, a way of measuring customer retention devised by Fred Reichheld in the 1990s. Because Fred realised that if you increase customer retention, your profits will grow. 

Fred assumed that having discovered this and told people about it that all businesses would instantly put customers first. That what he’d come up with was a one and done thing. He hadn’t realised how hard it would be to change mindset. 

So Fred invented the Net Promoter Score so that businesses could measure this thing that drives retention. And he found that it all boils down to one simple question - would you recommend X company to a friend or colleague?

It’s that simple. Yet here we are, some 20+ years later still arguing about NPS. 

So Fred’s written another book called - Winning On Purpose, The Unbeatable Strategy Of Loving Customers (link below), and it’s a more accountancy based metric i.e. earned revenue or earned growth rate. 

This is a truly fantastic conversation with Fred, we enjoyed it immensely, we’re sure you will too. 

On today’s podcast:

  • The Earned Growth Rate
  • Net Promoter System 
  • Likelihood to recommend
  • Be humble to keep customers
  • Why referrals are earned growth

Links:


Website: 

https://www.netpromotersystem.com/books/winning-on-purpose

E304 | Deescalating Conflicts: The Power of Effective Communication with David Dye & Karin Hurt02 Jul 202400:46:50

Summary

One of Dominic's favourite recordings yet! The conversation with Karin Hurt and David Dye explores the topic of workplace conflict and the importance of having productive conversations. They discuss the fear and discomfort associated with conflict, the need for connection, clarity, curiosity, and commitment in resolving conflicts, and the power of using specific phrases to initiate and navigate these conversations. The conversation emphasises the positive aspects of conflict and the potential for growth and innovation that can result from addressing conflicts effectively. In this conversation, David Dye and Karin Hurt discuss the importance of de-escalating conflicts in the workplace and providing strategies for effective communication. They emphasise the power of phrases like 'tell me more' and 'I'm curious' to break the cycle of conflict and create a safe space for dialogue. They also highlight the significance of acknowledging emotions and using check-ins for understanding to ensure that everyone feels heard. The conversation explores the benefits of teams that handle conflict well, such as fostering innovation and creating a united front. David and Karin share personal anecdotes and recommend books like 'Tribes' by Seth Godin and '4000 Weeks' by Oliver Burkeman.

Keywords

workplace conflict, productive conversations, connection, clarity, curiosity, commitment, phrases, conflict resolution, workplace communication, deescalating conflicts, effective dialogue, acknowledging emotions, understanding, team dynamics, innovation, collaboration, leadership

Takeaways

  • Conflict is not inherently negative; it is a difference of perspective that can lead to innovation and problem-solving.
  • Having productive conversations about conflicts requires connection, clarity, curiosity, and commitment.
  • Initiating conversations about conflicts can be uncomfortable, but it is necessary for growth and improvement.
  • Using powerful phrases, such as 'Tell me more' and 'What would a successful outcome do for you?', can facilitate productive conversations about conflicts.
  • Conflict resolution requires understanding and addressing all parties' underlying needs and motivations. Use phrases like 'tell me more' and 'I'm curious' to deescalate conflicts and create a safe space for dialogue.
  • Acknowledge emotions and use check-ins for understanding to ensure that everyone feels heard.
  • Teams that handle conflict well foster innovation and have a united front.
  • Effective communication and collaboration are essential for successful conflict resolution.
  • Recommended books: 'Tribes' by Seth Godin and '4000 Weeks' by Oliver Burkeman.

Chapters

(02:59) The Need for Productive Conflict Conversations

(09:04) Connection and Clarity in Conflict Resolution

(13:38) Curiosity and Commitment in Addressing Conflict

(16:24) Using Powerful Phrases to Navigate Conflict Conversations

(24:04) Deescalating Conflicts: The Power of Effective Communication

(27:27) Creating a Safe Space for Dialogue: Strategies for Conflict Resolution

(29:29) The Benefits of Teams that Handle Conflict Well

(31:47) Innovation and Collaboration: The Role of Conflict in Driving Change

(36:37) War Stories: Examples of Conflict Resolution

(42:18) The Importance of Psychological Safety and Challenging the Status Quo

(46:38) Unpopular Opinions and Worst Business Advice

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Mind Your F**king Business

E178 | Why Being Purpose Led Can Change the World with The Conduit Co-Founder, Paul van Zyl18 Jan 202200:38:30

If you’ve ever wondered how to be more purpose led in both business and your personal life, don’t miss this incredible episode of The Melting Pot with The Conduit co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Paul van Zyl. 

Paul isn’t just trying to build a purpose led business, he’s trying to change the world. Having grown up in apartheid South Africa, Paul trained as a human rights lawyer and went on to serve as the Executive Secretary of South Africa’s post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 

We talk about his entrepreneurial journey to date; an incredible adventure that has taken him on a purpose led voyage of discovery, which has ultimately led him to co-found The Conduit Club in London. The Conduit is not just another private member's club. The Conduit Club is a purpose led club where its members come together to change the world. 

Paul also shares how even in a hospitality business like The Conduit Club, purpose can lead to amazing staff connectivity, where his chefs don't just cook food, they're on a mission to help The Conduit in its mission to change the world. 

This is a great conversation with Paul. We really enjoyed it. We’re sure you will too.

On today’s podcast:

  • Learning from the Truth Commission
  • Gathering changemakers
  • Why entrepreneurs need central insight
  • The value of proximity 
  • The Conduit restaurant and its purpose

Links:


E177 | Buying and Selling Companies with Arrowpoint Advisory MD, Daniel Domberger11 Jan 202200:32:38

If you’re an entrepreneur thinking of selling your business and want to maximize the return on your life’s work, or you’re going through the process of exiting currently, then don’t miss this latest episode of The Melting Pot with Arrowpoint Advisory MD, Daniel Domberger. 

Most of the work that Daniel and his team at Arrowpoint Advisory - a division of the investment bank, Rothschild and Co. Daniel and his colleagues typically help entrepreneurs, owners, managers, corporates and investors with M&A, more specifically buying and selling companies or raising investment for them.

But what does that look like if you’re an entrepreneur? How do you set your business up to exit? How do you choose an advisor and what should you look for in an advisory firm? Should you do your own due diligence early? And what are some of the pitfalls along the way? 

To find out the answers to all these questions and more, download and listen now. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Get in shape to sell
  • When to bring an advisor in
  • Leave M&A to the experts
  • What due diligence to do
  • One thing to do tomorrow

Links:


E176 | How to do Better Business Faster with Artesian:DueDil CEO, Andrew Yates04 Jan 202200:42:31

Fintech company Artesian:DueDil  - a London/Reading based business helps B2B customers do better business faster with a focus on using data science and curated business information to help find the right customers, onboard them faster and keep them for a lifetime.

BT uses it and sees a 48% ROI. You could too. 

In this latest episode of The Melting Pot, CEO and founder of recently merged Artesian:DueDil, Andrew Yates, talks about how you can take data from banking and financial services and put it to work for you.

More specifically, he delves into what you can do if you’re not in that sector: how do you take the data and use it to define your target audience? How do you use data to make progress in your go-to market? How do you use data to successfully onboard clients, keep them, and then work out which of them have best upsell potential?

This is a fascinating conversation about data, fast growing businesses and how to use data in your organisation, whether you’re a customer of Artesian:DueDil or not. 

On today’s podcast:

  • Why the Artesian:DueDil merger
  • Using data to find the right customer
  • Artesian:DueDil ideal client
  • How to make the most of the data
  • Onboarding customers and keeping them for life

Links:


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