February 12, 2025 • 11 mins
Leading in a way that meets the demands for fast results at the same time as you develop those around you is not easy.
In this episode, host Teri Schmidt kicks off the new season in which she will be diving into the paradoxes of strong leadership and how to balance achieving results with genuinely caring for your team. From dealing with a stifling workload and disconnection to mastering delegation and difficult conversations, this season will deliver with insights that dig deeper than your average leadership tips.
Join us for a journey to becoming the successful leader you set out to be—one who serves with strength and empathy.
Looking for a community of leaders where you can tackle real challenges, share wins, and grow together—without office politics getting in the way? Join Leadership Thought Partners, a coach-led, group-directed space launching in July—early bird pricing ends May 31, 2025 at strongleadersserve.com/ltp!
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/
Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching
Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Microphone (Wireless Micro (00:51):
back to another season of Strong
Leader Serve.
I am so excited to be back withyou.
I had a nice break frompodcasting, But I was really
excited to get back with you andtalk about how you can be that
leader that you set out to bewhen you originally got into
people leadership.
(01:12):
That compassionate leader thatnot only got results for the
team and for the business, butalso helped other people grow.
So I'm so excited to jump intothis season and do just that.
If you don't know me, I'm TerrySchmitt, Executive and
Leadership Coach at StrongLeaders Serve, where we partner
with compassionate, drivenleaders just like you.
(01:33):
Leaders who not only want todeliver results, like I said,
but also care about the humansthat they work with.
The reason that I do this isbecause I know that is an
incredibly fine line to walk
Microphone (Wireless Microph (01:46):
To deal with all the pressures
around you that are telling you,go faster, go faster, go faster.
We need the results, but yet todo it in a way that shows that
you care about and want to buildup those that you are working
with and those that you areleading.
So that's why this season in
particular, we're really goingto hone in on what some of the
(02:07):
most common challenges are thatI hear from my clients.
And we're going to start withthe top two.
The top two that I've beenhearing recently are number one,
stifling workload.
And number two, a sense ofdisconnection, whether that be
with people or whether that bedisconnection from the mission.
(02:28):
How has that been going for you?
Do those two challenges rise tothe top of your list too, in
terms of obstacles thatsometimes get in the way of you
leading from the way that youwant to?
If that's the case, the upcomingepisodes will be extremely
helpful for you.
I'm so excited to dig into them.
We are going to start withtalking to An expert in
(02:51):
neuroscience, Ursula Pottinger,about how our brain actually
makes it more difficult for usto make positive changes in
ourselves.
So for those of you who set outthis year with great plans for
making some changes that youreally felt would help you to
lead your team more effectively,and you just feel a sense of
(03:13):
struggle in terms of followingthrough on those, this is the
conversation for you.
We're also going to talk abouthow you can delegate more
effectively.
And no, this is not going to beyour cookie cutter conversation
around finding your zone ofgenius and making sure that you
are going through all your tasksand figuring out which ones you
really have to do and which onesyou have to delegate.
(03:36):
But we're going to dig in a lotdeeper than that.
As you know, I always like toget under the surface and not
just give you tips that youcould hear pretty much anywhere
on LinkedIn or on any leadershippodcast, but really dig into
what makes some of those tipsmaybe difficult to follow at
times.
So we'll be digging intodelegation and how through some
(03:57):
self examination, you can dothat more effectively with your
team.
So that that can help with yourstifling workload in those
conversations We will of coursebe talking about what it
actually means to serve as aleader That's a topic that we've
hit on before But we'll bedigging deeper and we'll be
talking again about how servingdoes not mean Rescuing your team
(04:19):
and how that goes together withdelegation So through those
conversations you should be setup to Take some of the workload
off yourself, but also empowerand strengthen your team.
We'll also be talking about howto act as a detective to
discover your team's uniquestrengths and motivators.
This can make all of thedifference, particularly when
you are looking about how todelegate effectively in a way
(04:42):
that does help those you lead touse their talents and to grow as
people.
If Urs Koenig talked about beinga strong leader means Developing
a bench strength of leadersbehind you.
And this tactic of being adetective with your teams not
only helps to motivate the teamto get the work done and get the
(05:04):
results that you want toachieve, but also grow that
leadership bench strength behindyou.
Lastly, in terms of how to dealeffectively or how to approach
that stifling workload that getsin your way of being the leader
that you want to be, We'll betalking about resisting that
urge to take those small, easyactions when you should be
thinking strategically.
(05:25):
It can be so tempting, I know,to just get in there and just
keep going.
Instead of taking a step backand thinking about what you and
the team are doing.
But it can make all thedifference if you take that time
to really direct yourself anddirect your team.
And we'll be talking about someexamples of clients that have
been able to do that and thedifference that it has made in
(05:47):
their lives.
And finally, one that hits closeto home for me.
We'll be talking how to knowwhen it's time to say no, and to
do it without feeling like youdon't value or trust the person
you're saying no to.
That can be a big struggle forme.
Sometimes I don't want to say noor I don't want to speak up
against something because Idon't want people to think that
(06:07):
I don't trust them or that Idon't respect their strengths
and respect their opinions.
But we'll talk about what itmeans to get past that anxiety
and to speak up when you need tospeak up.
And this often happens, I know,a lot with managing up.
Talking to your leader when youdon't think the organization or
(06:29):
the team is headed in thedirection that it should be
headed.
So we'll be focusing in onmanaging up and how to
effectively manage thatrelationship and even the
relationship with your peers andhow to have the courage to be
authentic to who you are so thatthe team and your department and
your organization can be headedin a positive direction.
(06:50):
Then on to the topic ofdisconnection, that other
challenge that I would say istaking the number one or number
two place in the lives of manyof my clients who are feeling a
little bit stuck in being ableto lead the way that they want
to.
We'll talk about how to dealwith who maybe don't share your
level of commitment to bothleading compassionately and
(07:13):
delivering results.
I'll also share a conversationthat I had with INSEAD professor
Henrik Bressman.
We discussed how to buildconnection in our world of fuzzy
team boundaries.
I know a lot of organizationsare becoming more flat and teams
aren't necessarily hierarchicalas they were before.
(07:33):
And you may be.
I'm wondering how you can createa sense of belonging in this
reality where there may be a lotof dotted line reporting.
If that's you and you'restruggling with that, this
conversation will really be abenefit to you.
We'll also talk about courage indifficult conversations.
I know how uncomfortable thosecan be.
(07:55):
And like I talked about before,particularly for me, I often
don't want to bring up somethingthat I think is wrong because I
worry that other people willthink that I don't trust them.
But we'll talk about how to getpast that and how to get past
some of the other challengeswith difficult conversations and
approach them with empathy andeffectiveness.
(08:16):
I'll share a conversation thatDr.
Debra Ankova from MIT and I hadwhere we discussed one of the
top four leadership skills inher model, relating, and how
leaders can balance inquiry andadvocacy when managing up,
across, and down.
And lastly, of course, we willtouch on connecting with remote
(08:37):
and hybrid employees.
I know this one hits home formany of you, whether you're
managing a hybrid workforce or acompletely remote one, keeping
that connection strong can feellike an uphill battle, but it is
possible and it is a workingmodel that can be so powerful
for many reasons.
So we'll touch on that as well.
So I just wanted to jump ontoday to give you a little bit
(08:59):
of information about what'scoming up next for this season
as always, if there is achallenge that you are dealing
with that you want to hear metalk about or you have a guest
that you'd really like to hearme speak to, please reach out
and let me know.
Input from listeners is one ofmy favorite things to hear
because it helps me to make surethat this podcast is as of much
(09:22):
value as possible for you.
Microphone (Wireless Microp (09:24):
And if you haven't already
subscribed, please do so to makesure that you don't miss an
episode.
Microphone (Wireless Micr (09:29):
Thank you for being here and I can't
wait to continue to partner withyou on this journey As you
discover how to navigate andsucceed in our current
workplaces as a compassionatedriven leader.
back to another season of Strong
Leader Serve.
I am so excited to be back withyou.
I had a nice break frompodcasting, But I was really
excited to get back with you andtalk about how you can be that
leader that you set out to bewhen you originally got into
people leadership.
(01:12):
That compassionate leader thatnot only got results for the
team and for the business, butalso helped other people grow.
So I'm so excited to jump intothis season and do just that.
If you don't know me, I'm TerrySchmitt, Executive and
Leadership Coach at StrongLeaders Serve, where we partner
with compassionate, drivenleaders just like you.
(01:33):
Leaders who not only want todeliver results, like I said,
but also care about the humansthat they work with.
The reason that I do this isbecause I know that is an
incredibly fine line to walk
Microphone (Wireless Microph (01:46):
To deal with all the pressures
around you that are telling you,go faster, go faster, go faster.
We need the results, but yet todo it in a way that shows that
you care about and want to buildup those that you are working
with and those that you areleading.
So that's why this season in
particular, we're really goingto hone in on what some of the
(02:07):
most common challenges are thatI hear from my clients.
And we're going to start withthe top two.
The top two that I've beenhearing recently are number one,
stifling workload.
And number two, a sense ofdisconnection, whether that be
with people or whether that bedisconnection from the mission.
(02:28):
How has that been going for you?
Do those two challenges rise tothe top of your list too, in
terms of obstacles thatsometimes get in the way of you
leading from the way that youwant to?
If that's the case, the upcomingepisodes will be extremely
helpful for you.
I'm so excited to dig into them.
We are going to start withtalking to An expert in
(02:51):
neuroscience, Ursula Pottinger,about how our brain actually
makes it more difficult for usto make positive changes in
ourselves.
So for those of you who set outthis year with great plans for
making some changes that youreally felt would help you to
lead your team more effectively,and you just feel a sense of
(03:13):
struggle in terms of followingthrough on those, this is the
conversation for you.
We're also going to talk abouthow you can delegate more
effectively.
And no, this is not going to beyour cookie cutter conversation
around finding your zone ofgenius and making sure that you
are going through all your tasksand figuring out which ones you
really have to do and which onesyou have to delegate.
(03:36):
But we're going to dig in a lotdeeper than that.
As you know, I always like toget under the surface and not
just give you tips that youcould hear pretty much anywhere
on LinkedIn or on any leadershippodcast, but really dig into
what makes some of those tipsmaybe difficult to follow at
times.
So we'll be digging intodelegation and how through some
(03:57):
self examination, you can dothat more effectively with your
team.
So that that can help with yourstifling workload in those
conversations We will of coursebe talking about what it
actually means to serve as aleader That's a topic that we've
hit on before But we'll bedigging deeper and we'll be
talking again about how servingdoes not mean Rescuing your team
(04:19):
and how that goes together withdelegation So through those
conversations you should be setup to Take some of the workload
off yourself, but also empowerand strengthen your team.
We'll also be talking about howto act as a detective to
discover your team's uniquestrengths and motivators.
This can make all of thedifference, particularly when
you are looking about how todelegate effectively in a way
(04:42):
that does help those you lead touse their talents and to grow as
people.
If Urs Koenig talked about beinga strong leader means Developing
a bench strength of leadersbehind you.
And this tactic of being adetective with your teams not
only helps to motivate the teamto get the work done and get the
(05:04):
results that you want toachieve, but also grow that
leadership bench strength behindyou.
Lastly, in terms of how to dealeffectively or how to approach
that stifling workload that getsin your way of being the leader
that you want to be, We'll betalking about resisting that
urge to take those small, easyactions when you should be
thinking strategically.
(05:25):
It can be so tempting, I know,to just get in there and just
keep going.
Instead of taking a step backand thinking about what you and
the team are doing.
But it can make all thedifference if you take that time
to really direct yourself anddirect your team.
And we'll be talking about someexamples of clients that have
been able to do that and thedifference that it has made in
(05:47):
their lives.
And finally, one that hits closeto home for me.
We'll be talking how to knowwhen it's time to say no, and to
do it without feeling like youdon't value or trust the person
you're saying no to.
That can be a big struggle forme.
Sometimes I don't want to say noor I don't want to speak up
against something because Idon't want people to think that
(06:07):
I don't trust them or that Idon't respect their strengths
and respect their opinions.
But we'll talk about what itmeans to get past that anxiety
and to speak up when you need tospeak up.
And this often happens, I know,a lot with managing up.
Talking to your leader when youdon't think the organization or
(06:29):
the team is headed in thedirection that it should be
headed.
So we'll be focusing in onmanaging up and how to
effectively manage thatrelationship and even the
relationship with your peers andhow to have the courage to be
authentic to who you are so thatthe team and your department and
your organization can be headedin a positive direction.
(06:50):
Then on to the topic ofdisconnection, that other
challenge that I would say istaking the number one or number
two place in the lives of manyof my clients who are feeling a
little bit stuck in being ableto lead the way that they want
to.
We'll talk about how to dealwith who maybe don't share your
level of commitment to bothleading compassionately and
(07:13):
delivering results.
I'll also share a conversationthat I had with INSEAD professor
Henrik Bressman.
We discussed how to buildconnection in our world of fuzzy
team boundaries.
I know a lot of organizationsare becoming more flat and teams
aren't necessarily hierarchicalas they were before.
(07:33):
And you may be.
I'm wondering how you can createa sense of belonging in this
reality where there may be a lotof dotted line reporting.
If that's you and you'restruggling with that, this
conversation will really be abenefit to you.
We'll also talk about courage indifficult conversations.
I know how uncomfortable thosecan be.
(07:55):
And like I talked about before,particularly for me, I often
don't want to bring up somethingthat I think is wrong because I
worry that other people willthink that I don't trust them.
But we'll talk about how to getpast that and how to get past
some of the other challengeswith difficult conversations and
approach them with empathy andeffectiveness.
(08:16):
I'll share a conversation thatDr.
Debra Ankova from MIT and I hadwhere we discussed one of the
top four leadership skills inher model, relating, and how
leaders can balance inquiry andadvocacy when managing up,
across, and down.
And lastly, of course, we willtouch on connecting with remote
(08:37):
and hybrid employees.
I know this one hits home formany of you, whether you're
managing a hybrid workforce or acompletely remote one, keeping
that connection strong can feellike an uphill battle, but it is
possible and it is a workingmodel that can be so powerful
for many reasons.
So we'll touch on that as well.
So I just wanted to jump ontoday to give you a little bit
(08:59):
of information about what'scoming up next for this season
as always, if there is achallenge that you are dealing
with that you want to hear metalk about or you have a guest
that you'd really like to hearme speak to, please reach out
and let me know.
Input from listeners is one ofmy favorite things to hear
because it helps me to make surethat this podcast is as of much
(09:22):
value as possible for you.
Microphone (Wireless Microp (09:24):
And if you haven't already
subscribed, please do so to makesure that you don't miss an
episode.
Microphone (Wireless Micr (09:29):
Thank you for being here and I can't
wait to continue to partner withyou on this journey As you
discover how to navigate andsucceed in our current
workplaces as a compassionatedriven leader.
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