90. Back to the Basics: Leading Through the Storm

Welcome back—and hold onto your pitchforks—because even the whiny farmer is feeling the pressure. With family farm bankruptcies up 55% over last year and no signs of slowing down, it’s a reminder that these are challenging times for leaders across every industry. In this episode, we go back to the basics of leadership. We explore how to stay steady when everything around you is shifting, why burnout and misalignment are hitting record highs, and what the data says about where leaders are falling short. From the Five Dysfunctions of a Team to practical tools for empathetic communication and purposeful connection, we’re equipping you to lead with clarity—even when the skies look stormy.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover innovative solutions for overcoming challenges in accessing behavioral health systems.
• Uncover effective leadership strategies to thrive in challenging times.
• Explore the impact of farm bankruptcies on behavioral health and ways to address it.
• Learn practical techniques for managing workplace stress and avoiding burnout.
• Master the art of effective communication for team leadership.

The key moments in this episode are:
00:00:02 - Introducing the Stepping In It Podcast
00:01:30 - Leading During Challenging Times
00:03:38 - Impact of Challenging Times
00:08:05 - Leadership and Employee Engagement
00:11:43 - Signs of Burnout and Employee Well-being
00:12:09 - The Importance of Taking Time Off
00:13:31 - Challenges of Taking Time Off
00:15:17 - Tools for Managing Challenging Times
00:19:40 - Importance of Regular Communication
00:22:14 - Building Trust and Accountability
00:23:54 - Importance of Leadership and Influence
00:24:41 - The Impact of Increased Training
00:26:30 - The Value of External Support and Feedback
00:27:31 - The Dangers of Group Think and Insulation
00:29:38 - Using Data and Tools for Effective Leadership 

Links: 

• https://resume.io/blog/interesting-leadership-statistics
• https://www.tablegroup.com/topics-and-resources/teamwork-5-dysfunctions/?srsltid=AfmBOopT-omUw8Ug9TModRIQpmtmXGIF5QFXxQDaJS9pdOmSyhorZwqH

Connect with us: 

https://ruralpolicypartners.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/linkedin.com/company/rural-policy-partners/ 

https://www.facebook.com/facebook.com/ruralpolicypartners

https://www.youtube.com/@ruralpolicypartners

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fY6V5sWnsvA