Explore every episode of the podcast Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL

In this episode of 'Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL,' Justin McMenamy critiques the modern employee opinion survey by questioning the effectiveness of employing broadbrush survey results and anonymous free text feedback to gauge employee morale. McMenamy points out that such surveys often fall short of their aim due to participation coercion, the psychology of anonymous comments, and leadership's creativity in results interpretation. He argues for the need for face-to-face feedback and open communication as a replacement for the employee opinion survey.  

“The Modern Employee Opinion Survey promotes a culture of secrecy and gossip, which is nothing but a hindrance to teamwork, candor, and rapid movement towards a goal.  I have always believed that information flows fastest along relationship lines. The modern employee opinion survey largely acts as a relationship blocker between leaders and their organizations.”        

In this episode of 'Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL,' Justin McMenamy discusses leadership lessons with Bryce Baker, focusing on distinguishing principle from preference and integrating insights from different domains into your leadership approach. Bryce shares his journey from field sales representative to marketing manager at Precision Planting, emphasizing the importance of sales and marketing synergy along with the pros and cons of tailored marketing. The conversation also delves into the balance between autonomy and centralized control in decision-making, using an NFL quarterback analogy to illustrate the concept of 'loosely coupled' organizations. Additionally, they explore the significance of intelligent failure in fostering a culture that encourages innovation and learning. The conversation wraps up with reflections on the transition from leading individual contributors to leading leaders, highlighting the importance of humility, communication, and continuous learning.

Justin McMenamy, host of Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL, shares his experience as a design engineer in a highly regulated and complacent company within the diesel engine industry. He discusses the aristocratic leadership style that stifled creativity, fostered fear, and led to a toxic workplace environment. Through personal stories and reflections, he details how this environment fostered bitterness among employees and led to significant mental strain, even hospitalizations. McMenamy offers insights on recognizing toxic corporate cultures, the importance of mentorship, and steps he took towards overcoming bitterness, emphasizing the need for proactive self-care and strategic career decisions.

In this episode of 'Grody and UnPrOfEsSiOnAL,' host Justin McMenamy is joined by longtime friend and colleague Benoit Blateyron.  Across the conversation, they discuss international business expansion, adapting strategies to different cultures, the significance of cultural understanding in team dynamics, and experiences working with diverse teams in Europe. The conversation delves into personal anecdotes, such as the impact of cultural practices like 'fika' and 'sauna' in Swedish work culture. The episode culminates in discussions on resilience and human-centric leadership amid challenges like the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The dialogue is peppered with humor and personal stories, making complex leadership and cultural concepts relatable and engaging.

Justin McMenamy, the host of Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL, shares his journey of stepping down from a VP role at Precision Planting, part of a Fortune 500 company. He details his decision to take a season of unpaid leave in search of personal balance, and re-prioritization. McMenamy explains his career path from engineering to leadership, the evolving demands on leaders within growing businesses, and the challenges of balancing organizational growth with personal well-being. He uses the analogy of Generals Eisenhower and Patton to illustrate the need for different leadership styles at different organizational stages. Ultimately, his decision to step down was in search of prioritizing his health, family, and passions in this season.

In this episode of 'Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL' Justin McMenamy interviews Matt Morgan about leadership experiences accumulated across his wide ranging career. They discuss Matt's journey from joining Precision Planting, including a mishap with a security gate, to his hands-on leadership style likened to a submarine captain. Matt emphasizes the importance of leading from within the challenge and being present with the team, even in difficult environments. They also explore Matt's transition to a new industry and his approach to gaining credibility in a new organization. Additionally, Matt shares insights from his time leading in Argentina, including experiencing the importance of balancing action with relationship-building. The conversation also touches on Matt's pastoral leadership experience and the distinct challenges of leading in nonprofit contexts, highlighting the need for humility and adaptability across different environments.

In this episode of 'Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL,' Justin McMenamy continues developing the concept of 'Leadership Lemonade Lessons', first discussed in Episode 4.  Lemonade Lessons involve wringing past leadership blunders in search of constructive lessons. Justin recounts several professional one-on-one experiences, including a frustrating interaction with an engineering manager, survival under the tyranny of the 'desk audit' police, and a tactless comment from a manager during a personal crisis which led directly to the naming of this podcast. These stories highlight the significant impact of leadership behaviors on employees and emphasize the need for empathy and humility in leadership. By reflecting on these experiences, Justin seeks to improve his own leadership skills and inspire others to do the same.

In this episode of 'Grody and UnPrOfEsSiOnAL,' Justin McMenamy and Brad Stoller share leadership lessons drawn from their collective experiences in the automotive and agtech industries, particularly at Precision Planting. The discussion spans several key areas including building robust supplier relationships, effective negotiation strategies, and organizational growth. They stress the importance of selecting scalable and trustworthy suppliers, fostering mutual trust, and emphasizing responsiveness. The dialogue also delves into practical strategies for negotiating with suppliers and maintaining quality and efficiency within an organization. Personal anecdotes and real-life examples underscore the necessity of open communication and a collaborative culture, especially during organizational crises like the recent chip shortage. The episode wraps up with insights from influential books that have shaped their approach to leadership and negotiation.

In this episode of ‘Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL', Justin McMenamy sarcastically questions the reliability of early career aptitude tests in determining one's future career choices. Through personal anecdotes, he illustrates how career paths and goals can change over time, often leading to dissatisfaction when clinging to outdated aspirations. McMenamy emphasizes the importance of focusing on who you want to become, rather than specific job titles or positions. He encourages investing in meaningful relationships and personal growth beyond professional roles, noting the transient nature of the corporate value system can lead to destination evaporation. The episode challenges listeners to consider their legacy and personal development as key life goals.

In this episode of Grody & Unprofessional, host Justin McMenamy interviews longtime friend Justin Kauffman. Kauffman shares his career background and passion for early-stage business building. Both Justins reflect on leadership principles, including the effectiveness of strengths-based personal development and the contrast between pyramid and plum tree organizational structures. Additionally, they explore the value of organizational trust, transparency in hiring, and the necessity of clear communication and situational leadership within evolving organizations. The episode underscores the ongoing learning process and the challenge of fostering innovation within traditional corporate frameworks.

In this episode of “Grody & Unprofessional”, Justin McMenamy explores leadership lessons from his 20-year corporate career. Through personal stories, including experiences with a high school baseball coach and within a bureaucratic engineering team, McMenamy highlights the importance of intrinsic motivation and adaptive leadership styles.  He contrasts directive leadership, which often garners minimal effort from employees, with inspirational leadership which often leads to greater team effort and motivation to pursue excellence.  Justin emphasizes that analyzing past leadership failures is crucial for growth. The episode urges leaders to inspire and trust their teams, tailoring motivational techniques to individual team members.

In this episode of "Grody & Unprofessional", Justin McMenamy and guest Caleb Schleder discuss leadership lessons from their careers. They cover the importance of mentorship, the joy of seeing others succeed, and building trust within a team. Schleder shares his journey from focusing on personal achievements to fostering a collaborative environment influenced by mentors that poured into him. The conversation highlights effective leadership tactics, including active listening, timely coaching, and the strategic placement of team members. Personal anecdotes emphasize the value of learning from both positive and negative experiences to become a better leader.

In this episode of 'Grody & Unprofessional,' Justin McMenamy explores the challenges leaders face in receiving honest, candid feedback from their teams, subordinates, peers, and departing employees due to conflicts of interest and modified behavior while observed by peers. McMenamy discusses the value of honing leadership skills before becoming an official leader. He suggests that aspiring leaders are in a unique position to develop their skills by leveraging their lack of authority to receive genuine feedback. Additionally, he recommends current leaders seek feedback outside their work environments, such as in volunteer roles, to improve their leadership abilities. Ultimately, trust, humility, and a long-term commitment to openness can help leaders receive the candid feedback necessary for growth.

In the first episode of 'Grody & Unprofessional', host Justin McMenamy emphasizes the critical need for leaders to actively study and practice leadership as a skill, rather than relying on superficial engagement. He argues that many leaders spend more time on trivial pursuits like fantasy football than on understanding effective leadership strategies. McMenemy introduces the concept of assessing leadership effectiveness through external feedback, using the analogy of a solar system where different groups of people hold varying degrees of opinion about a leader based on relational distance. He shares personal anecdotes about his own leadership style and the importance of collecting honest feedback from team members to improve. The episode highlights the necessity of humility, transparency, and continuous learning to become a better leader.

In Grody & Unprofessional, Justin McMenamy seeks to  share both profitable and painful leadership lessons I have acquired over a twenty-year career as a misfit in corporate America.   

G&U seeks to share leadership stories harvested from both Justin's and others experiences through approachable and candid conversations with the aim of educating and shaping your leadership journey.  

Demand for talented leaders outstrips supply by at least tenfold, G&U is an attempt to improve supply.  I hope you will join as we seek to uncover people, product, and organizational leadership lessons through the musings of a corporate misfit and his friends.