#001 - Introducing YOU to a new podcast for new leaders who often report feeling underprepared and overwhelmed. You'll learn valuable tips and insights about leading by serving others from your host, Dr. Charles Boyer and guests, to help you be a BETTER leader.
#001 - Introducing YOU to a new podcast for new leaders who often report feeling underprepared and overwhelmed. You'll learn valuable tips and insights about leading by serving others from your host, Dr. Charles Boyer and guests, to help you be a BETTER leader.
Hello there! I’m so glad you’re here! Welcome to Keys for New Leaders, our first episode of this new podcast. This is your host, Dr. Charles Boyer, but my friends call me Charlie, and that’s YOU, my friend. This podcast is especially for YOU. Maybe you’re a NEW leader, a NEWER leader, or an experienced leader in a NEW position. My guess is that you’re feeling a bit underprepared and maybe a little overwhelmed with all of it right now. Sound familiar? Relax – it goes with the territory, and you are definitely in the right place. So, pull up a chair, and let’s talk.
And while you’re at it, take a minute to click on the SUBSCRIBE button so you don’t miss any of the sessions we are planning for you each week. I’ll host some shows myself, and invite other experienced leaders in to talk with us from time to time. I know you’ll get a lot from what they have to say to YOU.
And by the way, if you stick around, I’ve got some challenging questions for you and a SPECIAL KEY at the end of this episode.
Just to make sure, I want to tell you that this podcast series is about YOU, the leader, the one who leads. It’s not about LeaderSHIP, the position of being a leader. Do you hear a difference there? GOOD. Here’s to YOU, my friend. As Teddy Roosevelt said, the credit belongs to YOU, the one in the arena, the one doing the job. And YOU are who this podcast is FOR.
Now, let me give you just a little of the back story that led up to this podcast. I spent many years in leadership positions in universities, civic and professional associations, and I have the leaders’ lumps to prove it! I didn’t have any formal training in leadership. I learned the hard way -- by jumping in and DOING it. I sure made my share of mistakes, but I had some excellent mentors, great colleagues, and terrific experiences along the way.
Fast forward to a church my wife and I joined after moving to a new neighborhood. They had a bit of trouble getting people to serve in volunteer leadership positions. No wonder – there was no preparation, no guidance, no support. I began to find similar things in other churches and civic organizations.
What do you think I discovered? No confident, well-prepared leaders. So I developed a pilot program -- I called it TEAM 412 – to prepare people to serve as leaders. And guess what -- it worked!
So here we are at this podcast. You’re probably wondering “What’s in it for ME?” at this point. Glad you asked. Hang on to your hat, because here we go!
K 4 N L is designed with YOU in mind – giving you some practical tips, suggestions, helpful hints, and insights – that are important to help YOU become a BETTER leader. Why BETTER? Well, that’s easy. If you’re a GOOD leader, a GREAT leader, you can ALWAYS be BETTER! And you’ll get plenty of KEYS to help you be a BETTER leader.
Please help me learn more about YOU and what KEYS you need most. Here’s a question for you: What’s your #1 challenge as a New Leader? (repeat). Or, if you are an experienced leader, What WAS your #1 challenge when you were a new leader? Write down whatever best describes your #1 Challenge – a word, a phrase, a short description and email it to me at:
charlieb@keys4newleaders.com (repeat)
I really do want to hear from you. It will help me focus on what you need most. I won’t crowd your inbox with a lot of stuff, but I WILL answer your email.
Now, let’s think about what a KEY really is. Keys open things – doors, cabinets, files – you get the idea. But those KEYS don’t work by themselves. YOU have to do something with those KEYS to make things happen. KEYS won’t work if YOU don’t. YOU are going to get lots of KEYS during this series of episodes, but remember that these KEYS are only tools for YOU to USE. I said a negative statement earlier: KEYS won’t work if YOU don’t. Let’s turn that around and give it some positive energy: The KEYS work, if YOU do! I don’t know of any quick fixes or shortcuts – you have to practice using these keys to make them work for you!
By the way, take a good look at the K 4 N L logo. Do you see any faces hidden in the design? Look closely toward the bottom of each key. Can you see the profiles of two faces? Maybe they’re having a conversation – one is speaking and the other is listening. We’ll talk much more about that in a later episode.
Throughout all these episodes, we will focus on what it takes to be a SERVANT LEADER, the one who leads by serving others. A SERVANT LEADER cares about others and their well-being, and leads with and through the talents of others. A SERVANT LEADER consistently demonstrates confidence, credibility, respect, empathy, humility, and more. We’re going to talk about these and other characteristics in the podcasts to follow.
Some years ago, I enjoyed the Lil Abner comic strip by Al Capp. The comic strip was later made into a Broadway Musical, so the cartoon characters came alive on the stage. One of the most outrageous characters was General Bullmoose, a tyrannical and self-important caricature of the Big Business Leader who ran roughshod over everyone who dared get in his way. (Come to think of it, I used to work for a guy like that. But that’s another story!) General Bulmoose is the 180 degree opposite of the concept of a SERVANT LEADER, one who leads by serving others, one who leads by good example, one who leads by encouraging and supporting the efforts of others. Servant leaders don’t overpower – they EMPOWER. Servant Leaders are the models for today’s leaders.
Coming episodes will give you some KEYS about Values, Teamwork, Humor, Goals, Actions, Accountability, and much more, all through the lens of Servant Leader. SUBSCRIBE NOW so you won’t miss getting the announcement when each new episode is posted.
Now for those three questions I promised you. Toward the end of each episode, I’ll ask you THREE questions that are designed to coach you and hopefully will challenge you a little about the topic. It’s not a test, and nobody will see your answers but YOU. Write down the questions and answer them as you wish. These questions are for YOU, and they are designed to help you focus on SOLUTIONS, rather than on the PROBLEM. I hope you will find them helpful. Here they are:
1. Think of a leader you know and regard highly. What three qualities and characteristics come to mind right away as you think of that person?
2. What do you think others would list as your top three strengths as a leader?
3. Which one of those top three strengths will best help you be a BETTER leader?
Keep your answers in a personal notebook, and we’ll take a look at them later on. Have they changed? Have YOU changed? Won’t it be interesting to find out?
Now, what about that SPECIAL KEY I promised if you stayed until the end of the episode? Here goes! Some people use a lot of sports metaphors as examples – you know, take the ball and run with it, go for the goal, and so on. Well, I use a lot of musical imagery, so here’s that SPECIAL KEY: B NATURAL. When I was a boy, my piano teacher wrote in my autograph book: Don’t B sharp, don’t B flat, always B Natural. That’s not the easiest key to play in, but it’s most important.
Just be yourself. Nobody else can be YOU, and you will be at your best if you don’t try to be anybody else or someone you are not. Dr. Seuss said “…there is nobody else that is you-er than you…” Just… B NATURAL.
Next time, we’ll talk about FIVE KEYS, five must-haves that every leader needs.
Well, that’s it for this first episode. This is just a short introduction to the series. People tend to avoid what they’re hit with, so I’ll plan to keep each episode reasonably short – 15 to 20 minutes -- so you don’t fall asleep or get lost in the middle somewhere. I’d rather have you wanting more than getting turned off by too much at once. Thank YOU for joining me today. I’ve really enjoyed our time together, and look forward to meeting you again in the next episode. CHEERS! Here’s to YOU! Take care, my friend, and stay safe and well.
~ ~ ~
SCRIPT DATE____11/30/20____ RECORDED DATE___12/08/20____