WEBVTT

1
00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:07.000
<v Speaker 1>Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of

2
00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:11.119
<v Speaker 1>performance through strong human relations, team building, and goala giving.

3
00:00:11.560 --> 00:00:15.000
<v Speaker 1>This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host

4
00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:16.440
<v Speaker 1>Paul Felloledo.

5
00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:24.800
<v Speaker 2>Hello everyone, and welcome to this seven minute leadership podcast.

6
00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:29.320
<v Speaker 2>It's episode three eighty two. And if you're leading a team,

7
00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:34.520
<v Speaker 2>managing a business, or running an organization, then you already

8
00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:38.000
<v Speaker 2>know that leadership is not a solo sport. We've talked

9
00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:41.600
<v Speaker 2>about that dozens of times on this show, but the

10
00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:47.600
<v Speaker 2>truth is most managers don't intentionally build their own inner circle.

11
00:00:48.200 --> 00:00:53.200
<v Speaker 2>They assume support will just naturally form around them, and

12
00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:58.039
<v Speaker 2>there's the mistake. The strongest leaders are surrounded by specific

13
00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:02.719
<v Speaker 2>people who serve very different roles. So today we're going

14
00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:06.640
<v Speaker 2>to talk about the three people that every leader needs

15
00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:11.280
<v Speaker 2>in their corner. That's the confidant, the truth teller, and

16
00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:15.359
<v Speaker 2>the challenger. Think of these as your leadership pit crew,

17
00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:19.879
<v Speaker 2>each one playing a unique role to keep you sharp, steady,

18
00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:25.560
<v Speaker 2>and moving forward. So let's break them down one by one. First,

19
00:01:25.719 --> 00:01:29.480
<v Speaker 2>is the confidant, the one who hears the real you.

20
00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:34.519
<v Speaker 2>Every leader needs one safe space to be vulnerable. That's

21
00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:38.359
<v Speaker 2>your confidant. This is not your employee. This is someone

22
00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:44.040
<v Speaker 2>you can speak freely with, uncensored, unfiltered. You can say

23
00:01:44.519 --> 00:01:47.120
<v Speaker 2>I don't know what I'm doing, or I'm frustrated with

24
00:01:47.239 --> 00:01:50.680
<v Speaker 2>my team, or even I think I've made a mistake.

25
00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:55.200
<v Speaker 2>Your confidante listens without judgment. They know the weight you

26
00:01:55.319 --> 00:01:59.599
<v Speaker 2>carry and aren't surprised by your honesty. They don't see

27
00:01:59.640 --> 00:02:04.120
<v Speaker 2>your ing as weakness. They see it as a release. Now,

28
00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:08.280
<v Speaker 2>this person might be a spouse, a mentor appear in

29
00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:12.319
<v Speaker 2>another organization, or even a therapist. But the key is

30
00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:15.879
<v Speaker 2>they're not involved in your org chart. They don't have

31
00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:18.439
<v Speaker 2>a dog in the fight. They're just there to help

32
00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:23.680
<v Speaker 2>you process and stay. Human. Managers and leaders without a

33
00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:28.840
<v Speaker 2>confidant eventually burn out. They bottle everything up, pretend they're fine,

34
00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:32.759
<v Speaker 2>and lead from behind a mask. You can't do that

35
00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:36.560
<v Speaker 2>for very long. The pressure will crack you. Having someone

36
00:02:36.599 --> 00:02:40.319
<v Speaker 2>who knows the real you that's not a luxury, that's

37
00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:44.400
<v Speaker 2>a requirement. And the second one is the truth teller,

38
00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:48.439
<v Speaker 2>the one who won't sugarcoat it. This is the person

39
00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:51.800
<v Speaker 2>who tells you what you need to hear, not what

40
00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:56.280
<v Speaker 2>you want to hear. They're usually inside your organization, maybe

41
00:02:56.280 --> 00:02:59.560
<v Speaker 2>one level below you. They're dialed into the culture, aware

42
00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:02.960
<v Speaker 2>of your line spots, and bold enough to speak up.

43
00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:06.560
<v Speaker 2>They'll say things like, you miss the mark in that meeting,

44
00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:11.400
<v Speaker 2>or the team's losing faith in this initiative, or that

45
00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:16.199
<v Speaker 2>joke didn't land. It made people uncomfortable. Most managers and

46
00:03:16.319 --> 00:03:20.840
<v Speaker 2>leaders don't have this person, or worse, they punish them

47
00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:24.280
<v Speaker 2>when they show up. If your team only tells you

48
00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:28.039
<v Speaker 2>good news, then you've created a fear based culture. And

49
00:03:28.120 --> 00:03:32.439
<v Speaker 2>if you shoot the messenger, the messages stop coming. The

50
00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:36.919
<v Speaker 2>truth teller is your early warning system. They help you

51
00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:41.120
<v Speaker 2>course correct before things spiral out of control. They're not

52
00:03:41.159 --> 00:03:44.080
<v Speaker 2>trying to bring you down. They're trying to keep you grounded.

53
00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:49.000
<v Speaker 2>So find that person, protect that person, and when they speak,

54
00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:53.439
<v Speaker 2>make sure you listen to that person. And the third

55
00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:57.479
<v Speaker 2>one is the challenger, the one who pushes your limits.

56
00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:00.639
<v Speaker 2>This is the person who won't let you settle. You

57
00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:04.719
<v Speaker 2>hit a goal, they ask what's next. You get comfortable,

58
00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:08.280
<v Speaker 2>they remind you why you started. You feel like coasting,

59
00:04:08.919 --> 00:04:12.360
<v Speaker 2>They say, not on my watch. They believe in your

60
00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:16.319
<v Speaker 2>potential more than your position. They're not impressed by your title.

61
00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:21.560
<v Speaker 2>They're impressed when you grow. Sometimes the challenger is a coach.

62
00:04:21.959 --> 00:04:26.079
<v Speaker 2>Sometimes it's a peer you respect, and sometimes it's someone

63
00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:29.920
<v Speaker 2>younger than you, someone who reminds you of the fire

64
00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:33.480
<v Speaker 2>you used to have. They keep your edge sharp. And

65
00:04:33.560 --> 00:04:37.399
<v Speaker 2>here's the thing. They make you uncomfortable. That's the point.

66
00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:42.240
<v Speaker 2>They'll challenge your thinking, your routines, and your excuses. You

67
00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:47.319
<v Speaker 2>need that. Comfort never builds great leaders pressure does, and

68
00:04:47.399 --> 00:04:54.839
<v Speaker 2>the challenger applies that pressure with precision. So after hearing

69
00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:58.160
<v Speaker 2>all that, let me ask you this question. Who's your

70
00:04:58.279 --> 00:05:03.959
<v Speaker 2>confident on, who's your truth teller? And who is your challenger?

71
00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:07.480
<v Speaker 2>If you can't name them, it's time that you have

72
00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:11.040
<v Speaker 2>to go out and find them. Leadership isn't about being

73
00:05:11.079 --> 00:05:14.399
<v Speaker 2>the strongest person in the room. It's about knowing who

74
00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:17.000
<v Speaker 2>to lean on, who to listen to, and who won't

75
00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:21.120
<v Speaker 2>let you get lazy. So build your inner circle intentionally.

76
00:05:21.160 --> 00:05:24.360
<v Speaker 2>You don't need a crowd, You just need the right

77
00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:29.600
<v Speaker 2>three people. And if you're already someone's confidant, truthteller or challenger,

78
00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:32.519
<v Speaker 2>then lean into that role. You might be the one

79
00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:37.040
<v Speaker 2>keeping that leader afloat. This has been the seven Minute

80
00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:40.000
<v Speaker 2>Leadership Podcast, and I thank you for listening. For more.

81
00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:44.399
<v Speaker 1>Paul fell of Alito Podcasts visit Paulfellowalito dot com,