The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley

#320: The silver bullet to deal with difficult team members.

In this episode, Ben argues that while there is rarely a true "silver bullet" in leadership, respect comes close when dealing with difficult team members. Respect involves fairness, listening to the other person's perspective, and involving them in decision-making about solutions. He explains that respect must go both ways, and that leaders must also ensure they are respected. When respect is absent, issues often escalate into formal performance management. Ben also encourages leaders to focus on what they can control in emotionally charged situations. Resources mentioned in this episode: * Article: Taking a Coaching Approach with Less Telling and More Asking [https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/self-management/coaching-approach-telling-vs-asking/] * Work with Ben 1 on 1: Leadership coaching. [https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/leadership-coaching/]

#319: How to be "authentic" in your leadership role.

In this episode, Ben unpacks the concept of authentic leadership and simplifies it into practical action. Rather than trying to "bring your whole self to work," he suggests selectively bringing the most useful parts of yourself in a professional context. He introduces the leadership shield exercise, where leaders define four "being" qualities they want to embody at work. Ben also emphasises understanding personal values, developing self-awareness through feedback, and using 360 feedback processes to identify blind spots. Authentic leadership, he argues, builds trust and reduces stress because you are not pretending to be someone else. Resources mentioned in this episode: * Understand your values online course [https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/understand-your-values-online-course/] * Work with Ben 1 on 1 – leadership coaching. [https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/leadership-coaching/]

#318: Tips to survive (and hopefully do well) in a difficult workplace.

Ben discusses how thoughtful leaders can survive and succeed in difficult workplace environments. Drawing on his own experience, he explains why some strong leaders may opt out of senior roles due to toxic cultures, and why that's a loss for organisations. Key strategies include knowing what you are getting from your current role, clarifying your personal values, connecting to a sense of purpose, and building a trusted support network. Ben also shares the example of rugby referee Hollie Davidson and reflects on how difficult environments can filter out capable people. Resources mentioned in this episode: * Understand your values online course [https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/understand-your-values-online-course/] * Work with Ben: Leadership coaching. [https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/leadership-coaching/]

#317: Focus on these factors to motivate your people.

In this episode, Ben explores Herzberg's Motivator Hygiene Theory and explains how leaders can use it to better understand team motivation. This is an older theory, but recently it has been re-examined with further research studies which tend to confirm it is still quite a valid way to think about motivation. Hygiene factors such as salary, a safe workplace, policies and procedures create a baseline for motivation, but do not generate high engagement on their own. Motivators such as interesting work, recognition, appreciation, development opportunities and purpose drive higher levels of intrinsic motivation and discretionary effort. Ben explains the importance of ensuring hygiene factors are in place, while also focusing on individual motivators that managers can influence directly. He also discusses refreshed research that continues to support the two-factor structure in modern workplaces. Resources mentioned in this episode: * Herzberg's Motivator Hygiene (Two-Factor) Theory [https://www.simplypsychology.org/herzbergs-two-factor-theory.html] * Some refreshed research on the two-factor model: Paper 1 [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/397720814_Hygiene_and_Motivation_in_the_Workplace_A_PRISMA_Systematic_Review_of_Herzberg's_Two-Factor_Applications], Paper 2 [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391572032_Herzberg%27s_theory_and_job_satisfaction_A_study_of_industrial_SMEs_in_Morocco], Paper 3 [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5061822&utm_source=chatgpt.com]. * Work with Ben 1 on 1. [https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/leadership-coaching/]

#316: How to motivate yourself to do hard things

Ben shares four ways to convince yourself to do hard things when leadership demands it. He explains how considering consequences, reflecting on identity, treating challenges as learning experiences, and asking what a good leader would do can increase motivation. The episode connects these techniques to motivation theory, including towards and away-from motivation, and encourages leaders to act even when discomfort is present. Resources mentioned in this episode: * Towards and away-from motivation [https://www.andygreenhill.com/?p=128] * Leadership coaching: work with Ben. [https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/leadership-coaching/]