The Leadership Forum

The process of becoming a high performing team is both a science and an art. The science involves understanding the concepts, principles and disciplines involved in building teams. The art, however, is where the challenge lies for the team leader. Explore both the concepts and disciplines with your host, Bernard E. Robinson and learn and discuss 4 fundamental elements that every team and team leader must manage and the 3 disciplines needed to get their team started out right. Also, if time allows, your host will introduce the 5 Essential Ingredients teams need to succeed. As always, questions by you and other listeners are invited to enrich both the understanding and the dialogue.

A valuable source of leadership learning can be had by talking with those who are the leaders of their business or organization. We will have the opportunity to learn about leadership by talking with CEO's and Senior Leaders and asking them to share their perspectives, principles and the practices the use to lead their business. Listeners will gain valuable insights that they can apply to the way they practice the “art of leadership.” Your host, Bernard E. Robinson, and his guest, Ric Edelman, will talk about leadership. Ric Edelman is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Edelman Financial Services. Barron’s ranked Ric the #1 Independent Financial Advisor three times. Ric is also an award-winning author whose books have been on The New York Times Best Sellers List. The Truth About Your Future is Ric’s 9th book. I am delighted Ric Edelman will be my guest and I invite you to join us for a great conversation.

In leadership and in life, performers, of all stripes and in all fields, are seeking ways to enhance their performance. The truth is there are secrets, that are not so secret at all on how to enhance your performance. Techniques and behaviors needed to boost your performance are known and are captured in a book I read recently, by Dr. K. Anders Ericsson, entitled Peak: Secrets From The New Science of Expertise. Dr. Ericsson expands the level of knowledge about performance improvement. His book provides a research based look at strategies for boosting one's expertise. You will want to learn concepts like Mental Representation, Purposeful and Deliberate Practice and others that can help you boost your performance and effectiveness as a leader. Join your host, Bernard E. Robinson, and Dr. Ericsson for a great discussion. I am excited to have you join us to understand the science of expertise and consider the question are leaders born or made? You won't want to miss this show.

What kind of leader are you? What makes leaders different? What is a transactional leader and what is transformational leadership? Your host, Bernard E. Robinson, leads you on the pathway towards becoming and being a transformational leader. In this initial leadership learning series of session, he will provide answers to the questions above and others. You will be able to discuss with him the three kinds of leaders that tend to have a transformational impact on lives of those they lead. This introductory discussion sets the listener up for an exploration, in part 2, of power and influence, the five levels of leadership influence and the behaviors that allow a leader to be seen as an Iconic Leader. In session 2, he expects to move the conversation a little deeper by defining and describing the five typical patterns of leadership behavior. These shows are going to be great leadership learning discussions. You’ll want to bookmark and not miss any of them when they are scheduled.

There is a saying that teaching is a noble profession. Well the truth is that it is not only noble; it is an essential platform for leadership. The reality is that there is no other role in our life that is more important than those who are our teachers. Teachers possess a powerful platform to be leaders and create a model that is needed now more than ever. Join your host and his guest Ms. Monica Green, who is both leader and innovator of the Capitol Village Schools. Her goal is to propel students toward greatness by defying the “one size fits all” traditional model of education. We will hear her story about this bold new educational vision and delve into the concept of the teacher as leader. Please tune in and invite those who you know who are teachers to do the same.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there are currently 21,995,000 Federal and 14,400,000 State Government employees in this country. This reflects a tremendous human resource. It also represents a large cadre of human potential who are looking for and expecting good leadership. The effective leader has an opportunity to make a tremendous positive impact on the lives of more than 35 million people and the public constituents that they serve. Join your host, Bernard E. Robinson, and his guests in discussing the challenges in leading in the government? Questions like, What are the competencies that one needs to be an effective government leader? What is the status of women in government leadership? What makes a great public sector leader? will be discussed as we seek to gain perspectives on leadership in the government that are helpful to those who are managers and leaders in government..

When we think of conflict and conflict resolution one of the things many people think about are ways to avoid it. For the leader, conflict avoidance is not an option. In fact, in today’s work environment, leaders and others need to know how to manage conflict and bring differences to a civil and productive resolution. Disputes and conflict are normal. To be effective in managing conflict, every leader needs to know What conflict is and How to approach and manage it when it comes? We will also discuss the mediation process which is a valuable human resource and conflict management tool in the workplace and in society. it because your ability to influence others and move those who follow you to a more productive place. You’ll want to join your host, Bernard E. Robinson and his guest, Tim Stranges, President of The Timothy Group, for a rich discussion about conflict and its management.

Problems are a part of the life of every organization. In fact, the certainty of problems is as normal as breathing. As the show’s title suggests, leaders who have a record for making good decisions get elevated and those who tend not to can often get demoted or marginalized. Every effective leader, like every great player, must be able to make good decisions. In this show the focus is on providing a frame of reference for approaching the process of problem solving and then making sound decisions. As a leader, you don’t get too many chances to make bad decisions. Consequently, it is incumbent upon you to make good decisions. You will want to join your host, Bernard E. Robinson, to learn some perspectives and techniques for effective decision making.

If leadership is a performing art, and it is, then leader’s need not only know what leadership is, but know how to be really good at it. As a leader is it challenging to be at the top of your game every day because there are challenges that leaders cannot predict or know are coming and that can compromise the leader’s effectiveness and even catapult into a spiral that leads them to operate at a level below their best. Your host, Bernard E. Robinson, will lead a discussion that examines the role and challenges associated with the management of ego and competence. Join him in discussing ways of managing your performance as a leader wishing to play at the top of their game. As Bernard suggests, if you’re going to be in the game and be leader of it, you might as well play at the top of yours. Examine what is the Circle of Competence and the process of defining your own? Tune in to find out the steps involved in being unconsciously competent leader.

One of the most important contributors to a leader’s effectiveness and success is his or her image. While building relationships with followers and operating in ways that engender trust another critical force impacting a leader’s effectiveness is their image. Your host, Bernard E. Robinson, invites you to join him for an insightful discussion of some of the critical forces that help one shape their image. You will find answers to questions like, what is a trust circle and what does yours look like? What is Authentic Leadership? and How do you create an image that works for you and others? We will explore concepts like the Center of Gravity. You'll find out about your Robot? Each of us has one. There are nine attributes that contribute to a [person] leader’s ability to build a stable image. Tune in for an image check up and learn some concepts that help you shape and manage yours.

Diversity and its management remains a key challenge for organizations and its leaders. Whether its race or class, gender or age, the modern day leader must understand and learn to effectively manage and lead the “mixing bowl of others.” Your host Bernard E. Robinson and his guest Dianne Sutton will discuss the challenges leaders face in leading an increasingly diverse workplace culture. In an era when workers are demanding to not be merely recognized, but respected and included, the leaders who leads well and their companies will be the winners in the marketplace. Leaders who have the knowledge and skill to manage diversity will be positioned to build cultures that honor – and leverage – diversity. Today’s show examines the issue of diversity and helps answer questions such as “Does diversity and Inclusion still matter?” “If it does, why?” and “What do leaders need to know and do to effectively lead a diverse group of followers?”

Your host, Bernard E. Robinson, invites you to join him in examining whether politics and leadership are inclusive or merely a contradiction in terms. At a time when the American political environment that in the eyes of many is completely dysfunctional, he and listeners will be invited to engage actively in examining the state of political leadership. The intent is to use this focus as a frame of reference for discussing and learning what ineffective and effective leadership looks like. We will have the opportunity to take away value by examining such things as the difference between management vs. leadership; the meaning of transactional vs. transformation leadership, and costs to be paid when management or leadership is poor? These fundamental areas of knowledge and skill are important in leadership. Rather than cover the waterfront, we will seek to dig in on a narrower agenda to ensure we build value into our listener's leadership learning experience.

Your host, Bernard E. Robinson, invites you to tune into The Leadership Forum - Making an Impact through Effective Leadership. He completes the discussion of the fundamental context for understanding and building quality leadership and guides the conversation beyond last week’s discussion of “The Anatomy of Leadership.” In part two he focuses on “The Anatomy of Relationships” and the Five Characteristics of Principle Centered Character. Listeners will discuss and receive answer to questions such as what are the four things leaders must know and do to build productive relationships? What is Character and Does it Matter? And what is the relationship between the three Big C’s - credibility, competence and character and the Mighty T - trust in leadership. Join us and learn how to enhance your impact as a leader. Tune in and actively participate in the Leadership Forum’s learning community.

Bernard E. Robinson, your host, invites you to tune into his exciting new show The Leadership Forum - Making an Impact through Effective Leadership. You will be engaged in a conversation that will explore The Anatomy of Leadership and be provided a context for understanding and building outstanding leadership. A simplistic, yet powerful illustration will be presented to understand the crucial behavioral dynamics that must exist to be an effective leader. Questions like, what are the three critical attributes that must be present for effective leadership? Listener questions will be integrated to create an interactive conversation about leadership and leadership learning that will be personalized and insightful. You will learn ways to be involved, in an on-going way, in the Forum’s leadership learning community. Bernard looks forward to meeting and talking with you on the radio!