The Craig And Greg Show: Lead With Empathy

June 27, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

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Empathy is an essential trait for leaders, but it’s not innate in any of us. As I joked, “behind ‘mama’ and ‘dada,’ the first word most babies learn is ‘mine.’” The skill of empathy is like a muscle, the more we practice, the stronger it gets. In this episode, Greg and I discuss why empathy is so important for leaders, and give helpful advice on how to remain proficient in your use of empathy.

  • [0:24] Empathy is a powerful leadership skill that underlines so many other leadership skills. 
  • [1:08] Empathy has to be earned.
  • [3:07] What blocks empathy in leaders?
  • [4:02] When you start learning empathy it will feel awkward, but you have to stick with it.
  • [5:06] Empathy ≠ sympathy, but it is caring.
  • [7:07] How do leaders show their empathy to their teammates?
  • [10:10] Here is an example of how to express empathy.
  • [12:22] What lessons can we learn when we misfire on empathy?
  • [14:03] Three things Greg has worked on to enhance empathy.
  • [16:32] Sometimes leaders do for one team member what they cannot do for all.
  • [19:51] Leaders need empathetic eyes, ears, and heart. There is a huge leadership power in this.
  • [21:59] Greg shares an interesting study reported in Forbes.
  • [25:15] One of the most powerful leadership attributes is simply the leader’s availability.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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The Craig And Greg Show: When Sheep Bite

June 13, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

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As you may have heard, I have written a new book! In this episode Greg and I sit down and chat about When Sheep Bite, and discuss how the valuable lessons it provides are critical for leaders of any organization.

  • [0:21] I have a confession to make…
  • [1:43] This book is for both business leaders and church leaders.
  • [3:07] Attacks usually lead to to fight-or-flight, but When Sheep Bite offers a new response.
  • [5:21] It’s healthy to validate our feelings when we’ve been hurt, but then good leaders go deeper.
  • [8:39] Empathy is health, but making excuses is not healthy.
  • [10:37] Watch out for the sneaky bite of flattery.
  • [11:26] Leaders who have been hurt have to guard against harboring that hurt.
  • [13:23] Leaders need to learn how to confront misbehavior correctly.
  • [14:46] In order for sheep to bite, and in order for the shepherd to lead, they have to be close to each other. How do both sheep and shepherds set boundaries?
  • [17:46] We can disagree but we cannot disrespect!
  • [19:49] Bitterness can rob a leader of vitality, so we have to find effective ways to heal.
  • [22:46] Fight-or-flight is natural, but we need to strive for the supernatural response of faithfulness to our calling.
  • [23:40] In many ways WSB points to what a good coach does. Contact Maximize Leadership about how our coaching huddles can help your leadership soar—get in touch with us!

Order a copy of When Sheep Bite here.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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The Craig And Greg Show: Remembering The Details

May 30, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

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Greg and I think that a great way to take your leadership to the next level is by paying attention to people. Keeping an eye out for the small details and remembering them shows people you care, which in turn makes them much more receptive to the leadership you want to pour into their lives. 

  • [0:15] Memorial Day is coming up 
  • [0:54] Great leaders remember the little details about others
  • [3:05] We share how leaders can leverage their retention of the details of others’ lives
  • [6:37] Exceptional leaders give way more than they take
  • [8:21] How do we get out of our own way so we can get to know others better?
  • [10:47] Greg and I both have some personal examples of how we learned to remember the details
  • [14:26] Leaders can lift up those around them by just doing the little things well
  • [16:24] John Maxwell wrote a “people principle” that I unpack 
  • [17:47] Greg learned a lesson from his grandparents about “taking a drive” to observe important people and places
  • [18:58] A powerful quote from John Ash
  • [22:55] Make every day special for others
  • [24:00] Greg and I can help you grow as a leader—get in touch with us!

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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The Craig And Greg Show: Goals Instead Of Gossip

May 9, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

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When you are in a leadership role it is unavoidable that you will occasionally have to talk about people. Perhaps it’s gathering more information or discussing an incident with a fellow leader. However, we have to be very careful that these discussions don’t cross the line into gossip. Gossip is toxic for your organization, and left unchecked can lead to disastrous results. Check out this episode where Greg and I discuss how to make your conversations about goals instead of gossip.

  • [0:31] Leaders have to have lots of conversations on different levels—how do they do this without gossiping about their teammates? 
  • [1:32] Leaders need to have a goal for each of their conversations.
  • [3:39] What holds leaders back from having the productive (but difficult) conversations?
  • [6:02] Leaders need to be careful of the diabolic nature of gossip.
  • [8:58] We need to try to make all of our conversations constructive for us, our teammates, and the entire organization.
  • [11:01] Productive, healthy conversations must become a part of your organization’s culture.
  • [13:09] Do your teammates totally trust that you, as their leader, have their best in mind?
  • [16:51] Leaders need to prioritize transparency at all levels of the organization.
  • [18:36] Leaders can empower their teammates to make healthy changes.
  • [22:33] With the privilege of leadership come responsibility. Greg and I can help you raise your leadership impact through our coaching services.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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The Craig And Greg Show: Thinking About The End

April 25, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

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Have you thought about what you’d like said at your funeral? Stick with me here, this isn’t an episode about contemplating your death. In this episode, Greg and I want to encourage you to begin with the end in mind, and live as the type of leader that you picture yourself being remembered as.

  • [0:15] Hang with us on this one: We’d like you to take a moment to think about your funeral. 
  • [3:15] We could think of our own epitaph like we’re building a house.
  • [4:14] Greg asks me what I would like on my epitaph.
  • [6:00] We aren’t talking about planning our funeral, but about doing lasting and beneficial things with “the dash” between our birth date and our death date.
  • [9:20] There is a leadership caution when we’re thinking about this topic.
  • [10:21] Greg has been thinking about one word that could sum up his life.
  • [13:31] Here’s what we need to live for today.
  • [15:41] I give an example of someone whose character and reputation didn’t align.
  • [18:09] I brag on something special Greg does for others.
  • [20:54] How do leaders get beyond themselves?
  • [24:05] We need to be living our leadership story every single day.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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The Craig And Greg Show: Be Honest With Yourself

April 11, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

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Honesty is a vital part of a successful organization, something that every good leader is well aware of. However, when was the last time you asked the question, “Am I being honest with myself?” In this episode, Greg and I unpack how honest self-reflection is a powerful tool to help improve your leadership.

  • [0:14] A challenging quote to kick off this episode. 
  • [1:14] My breakthrough moment regarding my own self-assessment.
  • [3:37] What’s the difference between who I think I am and who I really am?
  • [6:00] We all operate with certain assumptions about ourselves.
  • [7:37] We share some good and bad experiences with interactions we have observed from other leaders.
  • [10:27] Leaders need to hold themselves to the same standards as the rest of their team.
  • [13:47] Why do leaders hesitate to self-evaluate?
  • [15:19] How do leaders create a safe environment to self-evaluate?
  • [18:45] Greg sends us down a rabbit trail!
  • [19:53] What does leadership integrity look like?
  • [22:17] Leaders need to know what their tendencies are.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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The Craig And Greg Show: Skill And Will

March 28, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

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When every quality is distilled down, the two things a leader is looking for in a teammate are skill and will. Which one should come first, and what happens if you identify a deficiency in yourself or others in one of these areas? Greg and I tackle these questions, and much more, in this episode of The Craig and Greg Show.

  • [0:25] What goes into the hiring decision? We think there are two important categories. 
  • [1:14] What are some key leadership skills?
  • [3:53] Which comes first—skill or the will to use the skill?
  • [4:49] Some skills are innate and some are learned.
  • [6:17] Willpower makes the skills go farther and work more effectively.
  • [8:44] Leaders love to coach those with hustle.
  • [11:03] Is there a trigger for someone’s willpower to kick in?
  • [13:18] Leaders sometimes need to adopt a no-matter-what willpower.
  • [13:59] Top skills that emerging leaders should cultivate.
  • [17:00] Positivity is an attractive quality.
  • [18:21] Leaders can help their teammates learn skills and willpower.
  • [19:52] We need to help people overcome the pull to quit too soon.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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The Craig And Greg Show: Planning Vs. Spontaneity

March 14, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

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Are you a person that likes to meticulously plan every detail, or are you more comfortable planning as you go? In this episode, Greg and I say leaders should strive for both! Join us as we discuss the art and science of balancing planning and spontaneity to hit the golden mean of the two.

  • [0:25] Most leaders haven’t thought through the balance between planning and spontaneity. 
  • [1:46] This balance is usually more art than science.
  • [3:27] For some people, planning and spontaneity can be like trying to mix oil and water.
  • [5:43] Leaders need to work on flexibility in every situation.
  • [6:36] We need to know the temperament of our teammates so that we can keep everyone appropriately engaged.
  • [9:13] Regardless of whether you tend more toward planning or being spontaneous, you can supplement the others who are opposite of you.
  • [11:32] We can use the diversity on our teams to do amazing things for everyone.
  • [13:00] Debriefing with our teams after a spontaneous event can help prepare everyone for the next opportunity.
  • [13:45] Leaders need to learn how to read their teammates and the setting.
  • [16:08] Leaders need to earn trust with our teammates. One huge component in earning trusting is openness to input.
  • [18:05] Do we know what our teammates think of our leadership style? Are we willing to address this and make changes?
  • [22:00] Some important leadership takeaways.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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The Craig And Greg Show: The Power Of A Coach

February 22, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

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Do you need to have a coach? If you answered “yes” then you’re already on the right track! If you said “no,” Greg and I would like to challenge you a little. Join us as they discuss how coaching isn’t just about correcting mistakes, it’s also about maximizing your existing skills to the highest level possible. 

  • [0:52] Does everyone need a coach?
  • [2:10] Having a coach doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.
  • [3:48] There’s great fulfillment in helping someone reach greater success.
  • [5:13] Proactive coaching versus reactive coaching.
  • [7:19] A good coach won’t micro-manage, they will train you, and then “put you in” to play the game on your own.
  • [8:24] Coaches can deliver a 10,000-foot view to highlight your greatest areas of strength.
  • [10:14]] An outside coach approaches your situation with a fresh perspective.
  • [11:12] Greg discusses Michael Jordan’s best skill.
  • [12:38] Coaching isn’t about highlighting your negatives, it’s about maximizing your strengths.
  • [13:13] If a particular area makes you defensive you really need to be examining it further.
  • [13:55] Maximize can help coach you! Please reach out to us at Maximize Leadership.
  • [14:55] Greg discusses a psychology experiment.
  • [15:42] Not being coachable is a huge impediment for leaders.
  • [18:30] Good competition pushes everyone around you to be better.
  • [19:21] Greg shares advice from Rich Devos.
  • [21:45] Good coaching is proactive and reactive.
  • [23:13] A quote from Tom Landry on the job of a coach.
  • [24:17] Greg discusses the investments that were made in his life in his book Sage Advice.
  • [26:24] We don’t have all the answers, but we can help steer you in the right direction.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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The Craig And Greg Show: Reflect Excellence

February 8, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

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As leaders, we are called to set the example for our organization. As Greg and I discuss in this episode, the quickest way to make a positive change in your organization is to exhibit the traits you want to see. Do that with consistency, and your team will begin to reflect those traits back to you.

  • [0:00] Welcome to our new studio!
  • [1:06] The way a leader leads influences the way the team follows.
  • [3:03] A leaders team will reflect the attitude they exhibit.
  • [5:53] Leaders need to constantly be interacting with their team to “check the pulse.”
  • [7:13] Recognizing innovation in your team is a compliment to your leadership.
  • [9:10] If there’s a trait we want our team to embody we must exhibit it first.
  • [10:20] If you don’t recognize potential in teammates you will always hire low-potential individuals.
  • [13:04] Consistency is important to how a leader reflects values.
  • [15:13] Leadership vs Bossing
  • [17:10] Jesus set an example for us of servant leadership.
  • [18:26] At some point your team will test you to see if what you’re saying is real.
  • [20:10] I share some wisdom from my cousin’s book.
  • [21:11] Greg issues a challenge to leaders.
  • [22:06] If you’re going through a difficult time, a coach can help you navigate. We would love to help you!

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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