Becoming Unassailable

Season 2 Episode 6: How to Bring People Onto Your Team Even When You Didn't Hire Them

Welcome to the Becoming Unassailable podcast! This podcast is all about helping leaders build functional, collaborative, and aligned teams so that your organization becomes unassailable.   My guest for this episode is Singer Buchanan, Executive Director of our Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Contract Compliance for the State of Kentucky. In this episode, Singer gives a masterclass in how to bring new people onto the team, make them feel valued, and engage them into the team. What's more? He explains how to do this even when you don't have control over who gets hired onto your team (the State of Kentucky uses a merit system). What you will learn in this episode: * What factors to look for when hiring new people onto the team. * The key actions to take after hiring new people. * The simple, straightforward, strategy for engaging new people, that anyone can do. * How to bring new people onto the team when you don't have control who gets hired onto the team. * How to recruit and add new people to a volunteer team. * Why remote meetings and work is an opportunity. Links Get your free gift from Mark [https://www.markskenny.com/gift] (free chapters from his book) Book a complimentary strategy call [https://www.markskenny.com/call]with Mark to discuss the best strategies for your team About Singer Singer began his state government career in 1992 with the Public Protection and Regulation Cabinet. From there, he was employed in Finance and Administration office of EEOCC. During his 30+ years of experience, he has worked in four Cabinets and served in many positions, but is best known for his work in the field of equal employment opportunity, diversity and inclusion while at the Personnel Cabinet. Singer is the longest serving EEO Coordinator in the history of Kentucky’s state government. He is the primary training provider for diversity, anti-harassment, EEO and ADA compliance and training.  He is the lead contact to agency EEO and ADA Coordinators and is often asked to speak at conferences and agency training events. He enjoys working with state employees and helping them to navigate state government with his knowledge of the many programs and agencies.   Singer earned his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Toledo and his Master’s in Public Administration from Kentucky State University. He is very involved in the Frankfort community, serving on the Board of Directors for Expree Credit Union.  He and his wife, Sharon, have four grown children, three grandkids and four Maltese.

Season 2 Episode 5: How to Leverage Your Experience at Every Level to Build a Team

Welcome to the Becoming Unassailable podcast! This podcast is all about helping leaders build functional, collaborative, and aligned teams so that your organization becomes unassailable.  Season 2 is dedicated to "Lessons from Leading Teams" from a variety of senior leaders.  My guest for this episode is Krisann Hodges, Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel for the Tennessee Department of Human Services.  What you will learn in this episode: * The role of experience in your ability of leading teams. * The differences of leading teams at different organizational levels. * What your role is as a leader. * Four critically important tips to build a great team. * What is most important when hiring new team members. * How to practically practice good communication as a leader, and why it is so important for the team. Links Get your free gift from Mark [https://www.markskenny.com/gift] (free chapters from his book) Book a complimentary strategy call [https://www.markskenny.com/call]with Mark to discuss the best strategies for your team About Krisann Krisann Hodges has served as the General Counsel for the Tennessee Department of Human Services since 2019.  As General Counsel, she is responsible for directing all legal services for DHS.  Krisann was promoted to Deputy Commissioner in 2022, and she now leads the Appeals and Hearings Division and People Operations Division as well as the Office of General Counsel.  Before joining DHS, Krisann served with the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility (TBPR) for over 10 years. During her tenure at the TBPR, she had the opportunity to serve in multiple roles which progressed from Disciplinary Counsel to Deputy Chief Disciplinary Counsel.  From 1996 to 2007, Krisann worked for the Department of Children’s Services in various roles, including Regional General Counsel in the Mid-Cumberland region. She began her legal career in the 25th Judicial District as an Assistant District Attorney for child support services.  Krisann earned a J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law. Krisann is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association.  She successfully completed several state leadership programs, including LEAD and TGEI.  One of her favorite accomplishments is graduating from the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) trial skills academy, an intensive workshop conducted at Stanford University.  Krisann is a Rule 31 Mediator.  She dedicates her private time to mentor law school students perfect their writing skills.

Season 2 Episode 4: How to Make Your Team and Organization Elite with Spencer Tenney

Welcome to the Becoming Unassailable podcast! This podcast is all about helping leaders build functional, collaborative, and aligned teams so that your organization becomes unassailable.  Season 2 is dedicated to "Lessons from Leading Teams" from a variety of senior leaders.  My guest for this episode is Spencer Tenney, the President and CEO of the Tenney Group, a merger and acquisition (M&A) advisory firm that has been dedicated to transportation and logistics since 1973.  What you will learn in this episode: * The critical importance of establishing core values in order to attract the right people and clients. * Why you should control what you can control. * The importance of creating weekly measurables that are publicly accountable to everyone. * Tactics to hire for cultural fit and eliminate "unforced errors" in your hiring process. * How to "let go" as a leader. * Weekly tactics to keep your team and organization aligned. * The importance of candid conversations to solve issues in minutes instead of months. * How to provide weekly focus and direction to the team. Key Quotes "When you are very forward, these are what [are values] are, and there are no apologies about it, these are our expectations. Then it's a matter of 'if you resonate with these [values], you probably are going to really enjoy this experience both as an employee and as a client.'” "We are going to be elite at what we are doing as long as we do weekly what has to be done." "Someone can do it as good or better. It doesn’t matter if they approach it differently so long as they do it with excellence." "Things at Tenney Group got a whole lot better [when I focused on what can I get rid of]." "If you are really serious about core values and hold them accountable, everything in conflict with [those values], will ultimately get [naturally] rejected. You are then able to focus on the core work, knowing we are not going to deviate from that standard." Links Learn more about EOS [https://www.eosworldwide.com/] (Entrepreneurial Operating System) Get your free gift from Mark [https://www.markskenny.com/gift] (free chapters from his book) Book a complimentary strategy call [https://www.markskenny.com/call]with Mark to discuss the best strategies for your team About Spencer Spencer Tenney is President and CEO of the Tenney Group, an industry specialized merger and acquisition advisory firm that has been dedicated to transportation and logistics since 1973. Tenney Group’s core business is sell-side representation services for trucking and logistics companies with annual revenues ranging from 20M to 300M. Spencer graduated from The University of Texas and currently serves on the American Trucking Association’s M&A Task Force. He also hosts the industry M&A podcast “In the Hot Seat with the Tenney Group.” On a personal note, Spencer, his wife Lauren, and their three kids reside in Franklin, TN. He enjoys songwriting, fitness, reading presidential biographies, and serving Franktown Open Hearts – a faith-based non-profit dedicated to inspiring and empowering inner-city youth.

Season 02 Episode 03: How to Put Windows in your Silos with Commissioner Carter Lawrence

Welcome to the Becoming Unassailable podcast! This podcast is all about helping leaders build functional, collaborative, and aligned teams.  Season 2 is dedicated to "Lessons from Leading Teams" from a variety of senior leaders.  My guest for this episode is Carter Lawrence. Carter is the commissioner of the Department of Commerce and Insurance in the State of Tennessee government and came on the show to give us a number of very practical insights and tips on how to build a functional, collaborative, and aligned leadership team. What you will learn in this episode: * The importance of putting "windows in your silos." * Tactics and strategies to put "windows in your silos." * The importance of a customer focus. * What it means to have a culture that is collaborative. * A rhythm to onboard new employees into the organization. * How one becomes the State Fire Marshal. Key Quotes "We are really intentional about making sure that your leaders are working well together and that your employees have the opportunity to get to know each other and work together.” "Our employees will likely have the opportunity to show state government getting it right and influence how each customer thinks about the state of Tennessee." "Get people together to ask questions and talk." "When we get our executive team together, we hear one leader talking about a problem they are facing, and then talking through potential solutions together." "You must have relationships to build a collaborative culture." "We intentionally set aside a little bit of our meeting time that is agenda free to build relationships." Links Learn more [https://www.tn.gov/commerce.html] about the Department of Commerce and Insurance Get your free gift from Mark [https://www.markskenny.com/gift] (free chapters from his book) Book a complimentary strategy call [https://www.markskenny.com/call]with Mark to discuss the best strategies for your team About Commissioner Lawrence Carter Lawrence serves as the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and the State Fire Marshal. Before his appointment to Governor Lee’s cabinet, Lawrence served in a variety of roles in the Department, including Chief Deputy Commissioner, Chief Operating Officer, and Assistant Commissioner. He has spearheaded initiatives to lower fees on licensed professionals, increase customer service through better tools for customers, and has advocated for the removal of overly burdensome regulations. As Tennessee’s Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance and State Fire Marshal, Lawrence is responsible for the divisions of insurance, fire prevention, regulatory boards – including twenty-six regulatory entities, TennCare Oversight, Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, Tennessee Police Officer Standards and Training Commission, and the administratively attached Tennessee Emergency Communications Board. In 2020, the department collected approximately $1.25 billion in fees and premium taxes which go to the state’s general fund. On behalf of the Governor’s administration, Commissioner Lawrence has served on several initiatives including: the Tennessee Economic Recovery Group, Law Enforcement Training Advisory Council [https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2021/7/22/gov--lee-convenes-law-enforcement-training-advisory-council.html], and the historic economic development announcement of Ford Motor Company’s Blue Oval City [https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2021/9/27/memphis-regional-megasite-lands--5-6-billion-investment-from-ford-motor-company-and-sk-innovation.html].

Season 02 Episode 02: How to Hire, Empower, and Engage your Team with Kelly Lancaster

Welcome to the Becoming Unassailable podcast! This podcast is all about helping leaders build functional, collaborative, and aligned teams.  Season 2 is dedicated to "Lessons from Leading Teams" from a variety of senior leaders.  In this episode, my guest is Kelly Lancaster. I asked Kelly to join me because he has a plethora of experience leading teams in a variety of settings: state government, hospitals, security, etc. He is loaded with practical insights and experience to offer. What you will learn in this episode: * Kelly’s key strategy to building a successful, cohesive team. * How to actually empower your team. * The simple secret to successfully leading a team remotely. * How to change your interview process in order to hire people that stay and not leave your team after 6 months. Key Quotes "The first step is to look in the mirror yourself.’" "When looking at skillsets, I'm looking at what I want this role to be doing in the next five years. It's like skating to where the puck is going to be, not where it is now." "It's not 'my team' it's 'our team' - we work together." "Embrace change as an opportunity to become better tomorrow than we are today ." "It can be really disruptive if you hire someone that doesn’t fit in with the values ." "It's not how many projects you had in your tenure, but how many leaders have I left behind." Links from the Show Quiet [https://a.co/d/3oLwQnF] the book by Susan Cain Get your free gift from Mark [https://www.markskenny.com/gift] (free chapters from his book) Book a complimentary strategy call [https://www.markskenny.com/call]with Mark to discuss the best strategies for your team About Kelly Kelly Lancaster has spent the bulk of his human resources career convincing executives that their people are indeed their greatest assets and will drive tremendous growth and revenue if they are developed in a culture that fosters pride and accountability.  He believes engaging employees in the right way will create a purposeful and meaningful culture that can truly define a company throughout its lifecycle.  Committing himself to this philosophy has helped Kelly to attain the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), and IPMA-HR Senior Certified Professional (IPMA-SCP), the highest levels of certification in the Human Resources arena.  Prior to coming to the State of Tennessee, Kelly led all the HR initiatives for Maury Regional Medical Center, a Baldrige-recognized hospital system, as the Director of Human Resources.  Before that experience, he spent three years developing a sustainable and scalable culture at Smith & Wesson Security Solutions, a perimeter security company in Franklin, Tennessee, as they navigated through multiple ownership changes.   Kelly also worked five years at Healthways, Inc. managing all the employee relations, EEOC claims, and lawsuits as well as being a change agent for large projects and initiatives.  His experience in creating the HR infrastructure for two startup companies using Six Sigma and Lean techniques has reinforced his philosophy of embracing change by improving an organization through its people. Kelly earned his Bachelor of Science in Communication at Freed-Hardeman University where he developed his own morning radio show personality, Ken Coffee, and served as the Sports Information Director for the school.  He earned his Master of Business Administration at the University of Tennessee which allowed him to understand global business during visits to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Hong Kong, China.  Kelly earned his Doctor of Business Administration degree with Apollos University.  He also serves on the leadership team and as a faculty member for the unive