Knowing Kenning

Trust is a Core Leadership Skill

Why leaders need to build trust, and how to do it When teams have a strong foundation of trust, the work just feels easier. Even when there's a lot going on -- changing technologies, pressing business imperatives, strategic uncertainty -- team members who feel a high degree of trust with each other can work through their challenges more successfully. But trust is a nebulous thing. What specifically can a leader do to increase trust when it seems to be lacking? In this episode of the Knowing Kenning podcast, Partners Annie Howell and Jennifer Lachance share a powerful framework: the trust equation. They walk through four elements that build trust, and they bring them to life with illuminating case studies drawn from their own coaching work. In doing so, they describe small shifts that any leader can make to show up in a way that enhances stability, clarifies priorities, makes people feel seen and understood, and brings multiple perspectives into the room. If you suspect trust might be slipping on your team, they offer a call to action to make changes in small but important ways.   Reach out to Jen and Annie at https://www.kenningassociates.com/ [https://www.kenningassociates.com]

Beware Your Strengths!

We all have unique strengths that we bring to our work. And we rightly celebrate all the ways that our strengths support and improve our performance. At the same time, it’s also possible to overuse a strength in ways that lead to unintended, less than ideal results. In this episode of the Knowing Kenning podcast, Partner Annie Howell interviews Partner Jennifer Lachance about how, at times, we all need to “Beware our Strengths”. Jennifer offers a wealth of examples of how strong leaders she has coached have come to realize that their strengths are on “overdrive”. She shares a step-by-step process that anyone can follow to name their strengths, build greater awareness of how these strengths show up, and take small steps to purposefully and productively dial back how they bring their strengths to bear.  To reach the hosts: https://www.kenningassociates.com/jennifer-lachance/ [https://www.kenningassociates.com/jennifer-lachance/] https://www.kenningassociates.com/annie-howell/ [https://www.kenningassociates.com/annie-howell/]

Beyond the Agenda: The 5 Ps of Meeting Mastery

What’s the secret to running great meetings? Stellar content and a modicum of charisma?   According to Kenning Partner Laurie Burkland Waller, that’s not enough. Experience with hundreds of leaders has shown her that great meetings are actually the product of carefully considered preparation.    An experienced executive coach and leadership development expert who helps senior leaders show up with impact when it matters most, Laurie has developed a practical preparation framework called “The 5 Ps of Meeting Mastery.” This checklist highlights the importance of carefully planning for: 1. Purpose 2. Process 3. People 4. Pivot 5. Presence.    Join Laurie as she demonstrates the value of each element with scientific research and provides real world examples of their successful application.   References * Harvard Business Review (2017), “Stop the Meeting Madness.” * Fortune (2023), “The Art of the Effective Meeting.” * Harvard Business Review (2022), “The Science of Communicating with Impact.” * Forbes (2023), “Mastering Difficult Conversations.” * Harvard Business Review (2024), “The New Rules of Executive Presence.” To reach Laurie:  https://www.kenningassociates.com/laurie-burkland-waller/ [https://www.kenningassociates.com/laurie-burkland-waller/]

The Power of Storytelling for Leaders with Ramya Mahalingam

Everyone tells stories. It's a natural part of our everyday lives. But should you tell stories at work? And if so, how can you do so skillfully? In this episode of the Knowing Kenning podcast, Partner Cathy Boeckmann [https://www.kenningassociates.com/cathy-boeckmann/] speaks with Ramya Mahalingam [https://www.kenningassociates.com/ramya-mahalingam/], Expert Practitioner, about the power storytelling.  Ramya explains how telling a story is one of the most powerful ways to make the information you share memorable. She gives her take on why anyone who is trying to grow as a leader should also sharpen their skills for telling stories. And Ramya offers five practical tips for how to make stories effective: 1. Identify a micro story 2. Build a world 3. Focus on the people 4. Work in an exterior-interior frame 5. Find the emotion and show, don't tell

Eliah Seton of SoundCloud

Can joining a college a capella group help launch a career in the family business? Yes it can, Eliah Seton, CEO of SoundCloud [https://soundcloud.com/] tells Kenning Associates Partner, Daryl Ogden–and it can provide the foundation for a marriage and family to boot!   Eliah joins us on the pod to discuss his career in music:  One deeply rooted in his personal and family history, and one that was shaped by mentors and mentorship throughout. Eliah explains what he gleaned from his mentors (e.g., where to find energy, how to measure progress) as well what he still gathers from those he mentors (e.g., a new way to use a product, a fresh perspective from another company).    Eliah and Daryl go on to dig deep into what makes Soundcloud supremely well-poised to exploit the disruptions in the music industry–trends that Eliah had seen first-hand in the making throughout his years at Warner Music.  As one of his mentors told him:  “When you’re on a train, you can walk or run… but what really matters is how fast the train is going.”