161: Why EQ Matters More than IQ for Leaders

What does it look like when the CEO of a publicly traded company treats people as the company’s #1 asset? Phil Gallagher does just that. He’s an extraordinary leader whose motto is, “When people feel good, they do good.”

Phil is the CEO of Avnet, a publicly traded company with annual sales north of 20 billion dollars and more than 14,000 employees worldwide and ship to 140 countries. They’re #167 on Fortune 500.

You’ll discover:

The value of self-awareness in a leader’s growth
How Phil developed his own EQ
Why asking for feedback and receiving it well is a critical skill for every leader
Some of the little things Phil does to strengthen relationships
The difference in leaders who head Avnet’s highest-performing locations vs. the lowest-performing locations

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Connect with Phil through Avnet

Avnet’s Website

Avnet.com

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How to Do the 6 Things That Matter Most When Helping Someone Improve a Skill

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142: Managing Difficult Conversations at Work

Think back to a time when you were anxious about addressing an issue with someone at work. How long did you put it off? My guest Roberta Matuson has written a powerful book to help you prepare for and have those challenging conversations. In her interview, we discussed the important, practical guidance she provides in her latest book, Can We Talk? Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work. We took a deep dive into the topics of confidence, clarity of preparation, compassion, and curiosity. You are sure to pick up tips that you can use next time you need to have one of those difficult discussions.

Roberta is president of Matuson Consulting. For more than 25 years, she’s been helping organizations like General Motors and Microsoft achieve dramatic growth through the maximization of talent. And that’s why she’s known worldwide as The Talent Maximizer. She’s the author of six commercially published books and an executive coach who leads her clients to reduce the time and stress often associated with speaking up to a boss, coworker or direct report.

You’ll discover:

The impact that the Great Resignation has had on open, honest communications
How to plan for the worst and expect the best
The kinds of conversations people avoid having with each other…and why
Questions you can ask yourself to gain clarity about the purpose and desired outcomes for a conversation
Why empathy and compassion are key elements in building trust in work relationships

Watch the episode:

Connect with Roberta

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Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills

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Peer Coaching Made Simple

124: WD-40’s Remarkable Tribe Culture

Imagine if there were a company that could consistently achieve an employee engagement score of 93 or 94? You don’t have to imagine it. That’s a reality at WD-40 Company. My guest Garry Ridge describes the elements he and his tribe have put in place and practice daily. You’ll be inspired by his passion and commitment to create a learning and empowering culture where every single person in the company thrives.

Garry is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WD-40 Company. He now speaks and coaches with other CEOs to help them build positive cultures in their own organizations.

Garry is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego where he teaches the principles and practices of corporate culture in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership program. In 2009 he co-authored Helping People Win at Work: A Business Philosophy called ‘Don’t Mark My Paper, Help Me Get an A with Ken Blanchard. In 2020 he wrote TRIBE CULTURE: How It Shaped WD-40 Company and in 2021 The UNEXPECTED LEARNING MOMENT.