All Episodes

July 12, 2025 37 mins

Ever wonder why your team won’t follow your lead, no matter how clear the path seems? In the premiere episode of Why Won’t They Do What I Tell Them to Do?, host John Yankanich sits down with Ken King, Chief Compliance Officer and co-founder of Serva Health, to explore the challenges of leadership, entrepreneurship, and driving change. Ken shares his journey from corporate CEO to founding a patient-first company, revealing hard-earned lessons from navigating crises like 9/11 and a factory shutdown. The duo dives into radical candor—a game-changing approach to building trust and accountability—and discusses Serva Health’s mission to prioritize compassion over profits. Packed with insights on empowering teams and overcoming resistance, this episode is a must-listen for leaders ready to inspire action. Tune in now to discover how to lead with heart and get results!

 

Key Takeaways:   Radical Candor Builds Trust and Accountability John introduces radical candor as a leadership philosophy that combines high levels of care with unfiltered honesty. By genuinely caring for your team while providing clear, constructive feedback, leaders can foster trust, which is the foundation for accountability. Ken’s quick adoption of this concept shows how it can transform team dynamics, encouraging employees to align with a shared vision.

Listening is a Leader’s Superpower Ken emphasizes that effective leadership often means closing your mouth and opening your ears. By actively listening to employees, leaders can uncover blind spots, discover innovative ideas (like Dimitri’s game-changing product), and build a culture where team members feel valued and empowered to contribute.

Delegate, Don’t Abdicate The distinction between delegation and abdication is critical. Delegation involves entrusting employees with ownership of tasks while providing guidance and support. Abdication, however, is handing off responsibilities without follow-up, which can lead to failure. Leaders must balance empowerment with oversight, especially for high-stakes tasks.

Humility Drives Continuous Learning Ken highlights arrogance as a barrier to progress. Leaders who remain open to learning, even from their own team, stay ahead in a competitive landscape. Continuous learning keeps businesses innovative and adaptable, as seen in Ken’s willingness to embrace John’s advice on business development.

A Patient-First Mission Sets You Apart Serva Health’s commitment to prioritizing patients over profits—by hiring nurses to handle patient interactions—demonstrates how a purpose-driven mission can differentiate a company. This approach not only builds trust with clients but also inspires employees to align with a meaningful cause.

Chapter Markers:   00:00 - 01:33: Introduction and Technical Setup John and Ken discuss initial technical adjustments, ensuring a smooth recording session, and set the stage for the conversation. 01:33 - 04:01: Ken’s Entrepreneurial Journey Ken shares how he and his wife founded Serva Health, moving away from private equity constraints to build a company with greater decision-making freedom. 04:01 - 09:02: Lessons from Crisis Leadership Ken recounts a challenging period managing a factory shutdown, 9/11, and an employee’s tragic loss, highlighting resilience and the importance of staying calm under pressure. 09:02 - 13:23: Overcoming Team Resistance Ken discusses Serva Health’s struggle to shift from word-of-mouth success to structured business development, with John introducing strategies like relationship selling. 13:23 - 20:19: The Power of Radical Candor John introduces radical candor as a tool for building trust and accountability, while Ken reflects on the importance of high-engagement leadership and listening to employees. 20:19 - 27:49: Empowering Teams Through Engagement The conversation explores how management by walking around and listening fosters empowerment, with Ken sharing insights on nurtur

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.