Bryan Clayton, CEO of GreenPal, joins Host Christi Scarrow and discusses his journey from realizing his initial leadership failures to understanding the importance of self-improvement and genuine care for employees, emphasizing that leadership is about servitude. He highlights the necessity of investing in company culture and the importance of being authentic and present and shares that it took him seven years to recognize and address this, stressing that leadership is a continuous learning process and advises new leaders to embrace the challenge, seek improvement, and that leadership is a lifelong journey.

Action Items

• -Read books, attend leadership conferences and listen to podcasts on leadership to continuously learn and improve.

• -Be the role model as a leader. Your actions and enthusiasm will help people to connect to your vision.

• -Embrace leadership as an act of servitude. Truly care about your people and help to get to where they want to go in life.

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  Outline

  
  

  Early Leadership Realizations

• -Bryan shares an early career pivotal moment when he realized his leadership was lacking, feeling like a victim and blaming others.

• -He had a wake-up call that his company's issues were a reflection of his own leadership and personality.

• -He emphasizes the importance of self-improvement to improve the business, a process that took him seven years to understand.

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  Developing Leadership Skills

  -Bryan explains that leadership is about servitude and caring for the people working with him.

  -He emphasizes the need to genuinely care about employees' personal lives and how the company fits into their goals.

  -He describes the long-term effort required to build a positive company culture, which took about three years to notice significant improvements.

  
  

  
  

  Signs of a Toxic Culture

  -Bryan suggests that if the founder doesn't want to go to work, it indicates a problem.

  -He advises making hard changes, including letting go of certain customers or employees and rebuilding the business from the inside out.

  -He stresses the importance of enthusiasm and being willing to make tough decisions to turn things around.

  
  

  
  

  Pulse-Checking Employee Morale

  -Bryan recommends internal surveys and customer reviews as valuable feedback sources.

  -He notes that body language and overall attitude in the workplace are also important indicators.

  -He advises talking to employees and customers to understand what needs to change and improve.

  
  

  
  

  Challenges of Modern Leadership

  -Bryan shares his experience starting his second business, GreenPal, and the realization that leadership can't be half-assed.

  -He emphasizes the need to lead by example, be the first in and last out, and take the mission seriously.

  -He highlights that building a high-performance team requires full commitment and effort.

  
  

  
  

  Importance of Connection and People

  -Bryan agrees, stating that success is about everyone getting to the finish line together and feeling good about it.

  -He emphasizes that life becomes unrewarding without the satisfaction of working with and connecting with others.

  -He reiterates the need for leaders to be all-in and committed to their mission.

  
  

  
  

  Advice for Struggling Leaders

  -Bryan acknowledges that leadership is hard and not taught in schools or business programs.

  -He advises recognizing that everyone starts as a bad leader and that it's a continuous journey of improvement.

  -He encourages reading books, listening to podcasts, attending conferences, and embracing the never-ending process of leadership growth.

  
  

  
  

  Final Thoughts and Encouragement

  -Christi summarizes Bryan's advice and emphasizes the importance of humility and continuous learning. He agrees and encourages leaders to start their journey and be open to growth and challenges.

  -He highlights that leadership is a rewarding and satisfying experience when done well.

  
  

  
  

  Useful Links

  Host: Christi's Web Page

  Guest: GreenPal

  Lighthouse NINE Group: Web page

  
  

  Contributors

  Music: All The Fixings by Zachariah Hickman

  Editing: tribe74

Host Christi Scarrow and Lorrey Arial Bonilla, Executive Director at ECCDC, discuss key lessons in leadership, emphasizing the importance of relationships, networking, and work-life balance. She highlights the need for strong communications with boards, staff, funders, and stakeholders, and the value of seeking external support to avoid isolation. Lorrey stresses the importance of resiliency, time management, and prioritizing tasks to prevent burnout. She also underscores the significance of regular goal-setting meetings and open dialogues to understand staff needs and improve engagement. Finally, she advises on recognizing staff efforts through various forms of appreciation to foster a supportive and motivated team.

Action Items

-Send thank you cards as a form of recognition. -Identify and model a work-life balance -Look for new ways to connect and acknowledge your team members

Outline Early Lessons in Leadership

-Lorrey shares her extensive experience at ECCDC, having been with the organization for 28 years and in her current position for nine years. -Lorrey identifies three key lessons: the importance of relationships, networking, and work-life balance.

The Importance of Relationships

-Lorrey emphasizes the significance of strong relationships with the board, staff, funders, and stakeholders. -She highlights the need for respectful, transparent, and responsive relationships with stakeholders. -Lorrey discusses the importance of networking and seeking support from peers and colleagues in similar roles. -Christi reinforces the value of networking, sharing her own experience of not prioritizing it enough in her corporate role.

Balancing Work and Life

-Lorrey identifies work-life balance as a crucial lesson, emphasizing the need to prioritize and manage time effectively. -She discusses the challenges of avoiding the habit of working late and the importance of modeling a healthy work-life balance for staff. -Christi agrees, noting the tendency for purpose-driven organizations to require long hours, which can lead to burnout. -Lorrey mentions the need to trust staff to manage their own workload and not to fall into the routine of working late regularly.

Staffing Challenges and Solutions

-Lorrey identifies staffing as a significant challenge, focusing on recognizing and leveraging staff strengths and interests. -She discusses the balance between creating independent work environments and providing necessary support and coaching. -Christi acknowledges the common struggle with staffing and asks for Lorrey's insights on when to step in and when to step back. -Lorrey emphasizes the importance of regular goal-setting meetings and open dialog to understand staff needs and provide appropriate support.

Recognition and Support Strategies

-Lorrey highlights the importance of recognizing staff efforts through various means, from quick emails to formal celebrations. -She provides examples of different recognition strategies, including thank-you cards, team gatherings, and raffles for time off. -Christi shares a personal example of receiving a thank-you card from Lorrey, emphasizing the impact of small gestures. -Lorrey advises being kind and patient to oneself, taking baby steps, and viewing challenges as learning opportunities rather than personal setbacks.

Final Thoughts and Advice

-Lorrey encourages managers to look for new ways to connect with staff and recognize their efforts in meaningful ways. -She emphasizes the importance of being open to challenges and learning from them. -Christi thanks Lorrey for her insights and advice, and encourages listeners to find resources on navigating leadership challenges. -The conversation concludes with mutual appreciation and well-wishes.

Useful Links

Host: Christi's Web Page

Guest: ECCDC

Lighthouse NINE Group: Web page

Contributors

Music: All The Fixings by Zachariah Hickman
Editing: tribe74