Inside the Room Where It Happens: How Leadership Teams Operate at Their Best

What makes great leadership teams tick? 

Few people understand the answer to that better than CJ DuBe’, an Expert EOS implementer and experienced Kolbe Certified™ Consultant. 

In this conversation, she and Amy Bruske bring us into the room where it happens, by exploring the work CJ does in leadership team sessions. They discuss the importance of understanding team member strengths, building intentional cultures, and enhancing leadership team dynamics to optimize performance. They delve into real-world examples of how different Kolbe strengths affect teamwork and problem-solving, emphasizing the importance of open, honest, and vulnerable communication. In addition, CJ shares personal insights from her career, highlighting the need for leaders to advocate for themselves and their teams, and the value of understanding individual strengths in fostering a successful team environment. She also recounts the importance Kolbe played in setting her son up for success, and she and Amy break down the many benefits that come from understanding your instinctive strengths at an early age. 

Host: Amy Bruske (3583) 

Guest-at-a-Glance  

💡 Name: CJ DuBe’ (4483) 

💡What she does: CJ is a renowned speaker, best-selling author, and Expert EOS Implementer®. She is also the former Global Community Leader at EOS Worldwide®. 

💡Company: EOS Worldwide 

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn 

Takeaways 

• 82% of leaders feel their biggest stress is people. 
• Building an intentional culture is crucial for success. 
• Genuine care and concern does not mean avoiding tough conversations. 
• A weak link on your team affects the culture. 
• Open, honest, and vulnerable leadership is key to team success. 
• Kolbe helps identify root issues in teams and improve dynamics. 
• A leadership team is only as good as their middle management. 
• The dream team is made up of diverse strengths and perspectives. 

Key Quotes from CJ 

" Ultimately we're thinking about how do you build an intentional culture and what does that look like to build an intentional culture? And the reality is, Kolbe is part of that.” 

“ Most people say things honestly, but are you willing to be vulnerable?” 

“ All of the good research around emotional intelligence shows that teams that have a level of trust thrive. And that is why Kolbe is one of our trust builders.” 

“When I finally did my Kolbe, the light bulb went off for me.” 

“ That is the biggest gift that we can give our kids, is being able to understand, no, you have these strengths. When you're in a position to work against them, it's not gonna feel real natural and it's gonna be a little bit of a struggle.” 

Chapters 

01:27 CJ's Background and Expertise 

02:49 The Importance of the People Component in EOS 

03:33 Building an Intentional Culture 

06:55 Challenges in Leadership Teams 

08:08 The Role of Kolbe in Team Dynamics 

16:00 Balancing Team Strengths and Weaknesses 

16:10 Leadership and Middle Management 

21:43 Navigating Human Instincts in Business 

23:46 The Visionary-Integrator Dynamic 

28:20 Personal Insights and Career Journey 

38:33 Effective Team Communication 

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Find the freedom to be yourself by taking the Kolbe A™ Index or The Student Aptitude Quiz for the youth in your life.