Guiding Leaders Forward: How to Retain Talent and Foster Growth in Any Organization

On this episode of the McCoy Leadership Podcast, I sat down with Dr. Kevin Gazzara, CEO of Magna Leadership Solutions, to explore what it really takes to grow as a leader—no matter your background. We talked about practical strategies for making training actually stick, how to develop teams in both big corporations and scrappy startups, and why everyone can, and should, lead from any position. If you're ready for actionable advice to elevate your impact and foster real organizational growth, don’t miss this episode!

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Download your free episode guide here!

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00:00 From Intel to Leadership Consulting

06:44 ADAM Model: Real-Time Application

08:16 Maximize Seminar Success

12:38 The Timeless Value of Apprenticeship

15:26 Talent vs. Skill in Leadership

17:31 "Intel Manager's Unique Onboarding Approach"

20:37 Mentorship Drives Career Success

26:58 "Importance of One-on-Ones and Retention"

28:31 "ROI of Investing in Employees"

33:31 Big vs. Small Company Opportunities

34:43 "Redeployment and Employee Growth Strategy"

40:08 "Advice for School Administrators"

42:25 Positive Intelligence iPhone App

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Here are my top 3 takeaways:

🔹 Training Alone Isn’t Enough: Dr. Gazzara highlighted that real learning happens when you apply concepts to solve an immediate, real-world problem—not just by sitting through a training. Come to every workshop or seminar with a specific objective in mind and a plan to measure your learning in action.

🔹 Leadership is for Everyone: Regardless of your job title, leadership starts day one. Dr. Gazzera encouraged leaders to empower their teams to ‘wear the leadership hat’ from the beginning, looking for ways to grow and take initiative.

🔹 Invest in People, Not Just Performance: Separating one-on-one meetings into performance and development sessions can be a game-changer. This creates space for employees to discuss personal and professional growth—not just the metrics. It increases engagement, discretionary effort, and retention.

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Want to learn more about McCoy Leadership?  Check out our website, https://www.mccoyleadership.com/ and don't forget to subscribe to receive all the latest podcast episode.

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Links

Kevin's Website

LinkedIn

Kevin's Book, The Leader of Oz

Book Recommendation

Flow