Episode 144: Tools to Transform Leadership in Business, Partnership, and Life with Krister Ungerböck

Today’s guest is Krister Ungerböck, former CEO of a global tech company, leadership language expert, in-demand keynote speaker, and author of the hit bestseller, 22 Talk SHIFTs. His insights have appeared in numerous national and international publications, including NPR, Forbes, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Prior to exiting corporate life at age 42, Krister was CEO of one of the largest family-owned software companies in the world. 

He led the transformation of the struggling family-owned technology business, which was valued at less than $1 million, and grew it 3,000 percent into a global market leader valued at over $100 million. In the process, the company earned five consecutive St. Louis Post Dispatch Top Workplace awards, his team achieved remarkable employee engagement levels of over 99 percent, becoming dominant players in their market niche, and Krister was awarded the St. Louis Business Journal 40 Under 40 award.

Known for his practical, unconventional communication insights on leadership, emotional intelligence, and employee engagement, Krister has a wealth of knowledge to share in today’s episode. His insights reveal not only how to become a better boss or employee, but also how to be a better family member, spouse, and friend. Tuning in, you’ll learn more about his new book, 22 Talk SHIFTs, which is already changing the tone of communication and business between leaders and their teams, and he shares his personal journey and some crucial pieces of advice to transform leadership in your business, your partnerships, and your life!

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• Learn how Krister’s journey to writing this book started when he exited his family business.
• Krister describes the nature of the emotional conflict he had with his father.
• The pattern of conflict that tends to present itself in many family business dynamics.
• How his relationship with his father led him to write 22 Talk SHIFTs.
• Hear about what Krister calls business gaslighting.
• Why disregarding what the experts say isn’t necessarily the key to success.
• Krister shares his turning point with his father, which started when he read his book to him.
• Find out why he believes that he inherited the seeds of conflict from his mother and father.
• Why Krister credits his book and some of the tools within it for his reconciliation with his father.
• The importance of surrounding yourself with peers who are also entrepreneurs.
• Why Krister says he had to grow his family business with one hand tied behind his back.
• Discover how 22 Talk SHIFTs is different to other books on communication.
• The value of having a universal language about leadership in the context of both businesses and personal relationships.
• How writing the book changed the way Krister leads and communicates.
• Thinking about how you can change versus convincing others to change.
• One crucial piece of talk shift advice: how to use a scale of one to 10 in conversations.

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