Lessons in Leadership from CEO’s to the White House

In this set of 7 podcasts, you’ll get valuable leadership advice from the former CEOs of Kellogg’s and Avis. You’ll learn how to finally get people to think outside the box, understand the 8 leader types in the White House and which one you are, get an unconventional marketing idea from Titleist, learn how one of the world’s largest consulting firms solves tough client problems, and learn how to get people to actually follow the rules where you work.

Today’s post is by Paul Smith, thoughtLEADERS principal and bestselling author of Lead With a Story and Sell with a Story.

Here’s an easy way to learn some new leadership skills — in easy-to-digest podcasts you can listen to at your convenience.

These podcasts are based on interviews with hundreds of executives, leaders, authors, and experts at dozens of companies around the world. Each episode brings you an important leadership lesson through a single compelling story.

Don’t tell me to “think outside the box.” Give me a bigger box!
Here’s how. . .

This video illustrates a much better method to get people to think creatively than just telling them to “think outside the box.”

In-Home Research: What a 6am Breakfast in Mexico Taught the CEO of the World’s Largest Cereal Maker

Don’t force your assumptions on your customers. Your products are probably more versatile than you give them credit for. And so are your customers. Find out.

The 8 Types of Leaders in the White House (and Which One Are You?)

Guest: Leadership guru Cash Keahey combined his expertise in the Myers/Briggs and Jungian personality theories to identify 8 leader types in the White House, and how knowing your type can make you a better leader.

Getting Personal at Work: Good Idea or Bad Idea?

Guest: The former CEO of Avis thinks it’s a good idea to share your most personal struggles, thoughts, feelings, and stories at work. Here’s why.

Marketing 101: Lower-Tier Shouldn’t Always Mean Watered-Down

The success of Titleist’s NXT golf ball illustrates that lower-tier products need not be watered-down versions of their more expensive siblings. There’s a better strategy.

The Monthly Challenge: How to Solve Tough Problems and Build Collaborative Teams at the Same Time

A global consultancy’s creative method that simultaneously solves difficult problems and builds more collaborative teams.

What to Do When the Unwritten Rules Rule

Every company has two different sets of rules: the official rules, and the unspoken rules that everyone actually follows. Here’s how to make sure your employees follow the rules you actually want them following.

So there you go… seven great leadership lessons in a few minutes apiece. If you want more stories like these, you can subscribe on iTunes, or click here to sign up for a newsletter delivery to your inbox.  If you’re interested in becoming a better storyteller yourself, check out our Influencing through Storytelling course and our Storytelling for Salespeople course where we can come into your organization and help you build this powerful, critical skill.

Paul Smith is a former director and 20-year veteran of the Procter & Gamble Company, and one of the world’s leading experts on business storytelling. He’s the bestselling author of three books on harnessing the power of storytelling for some of the most important work we do as humans: Lead with a Story, Parenting with a Story, and Sell with a Story. Paul is also the primary architect of a thoughtLEADERS course on Influencing through Storytelling and Storytelling for Salespeople.

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