There can be many similarities between the business world and the sports world, especially when it comes to the concept of “teams”.  What does being part of a team really mean?  How is it different from being a part of an “effective group of people”?  How do you manage individual performance versus team performance?  And are there disadvantages to people being in a team? The father and son duo of Tony and Alan Jackson are joined by another family member — Tony’s other son Brian, who is the...

We’ve all had those “Trash Days”… days where things are not going as you’d planned, things are not working as they should, and you could find it tough to be the good leader you need to be.  Tony and Alan talk about strategies for not just getting through, but also making the best of those “trash days” and how to make sure you can come back to your job the next day refreshed and ready for new challenges. Tony Jackson is a leadership development consultant and coach, helping organizations turn...

Tony and Alan Jackson are back after a hiatus to record a new episode of “Leadership GPS”!  In this episode, the Jackson boys discuss how to shape a corporate “culture” through modeling and communication.  How do you communicate to employees the culture of the organization you are striving for, and then help them adapt their own work towards that culture?  And what does this all have to do with “Orange is the New Black”?  Listen to this episode of “Leadership GPS” to find out!   Tony...

In light of the Yahoo CEO's decision to stop all remote employee working arrangements, Alan poses the question to Tony:  "If you were a mid-level leader at Yahoo, what would you do if you had to communicate that decision your employees… but you ultimately didn't agree with it?"  How do you communicate organization decisions — that you don't agree with — to your employees and still be an honest leader?  Alan and Tony talk through this idea, with some potentially controversial...

Tony and Alan Jackson discuss the concept of "likeability" when it comes to those in leadership positions.  Some people say that for a leader to be effective, they must also be liked by their employees.  Others may argue that being liked should not impact the strength of a leader, since sometimes being a leader is doing things that employees may not "like".  Where do the Jackson Boys fall on this issue?  And, for those leaders that wish to be "liked" by their employees, what are some things...

We all have meetings.  Meetings with clients, meetings with staff, meetings with teams… as much as we say we don't care for them, we end up using them daily.  As someone in a leadership position, how can we make effective use of those meetings?  What should we be doing to make meetings work, and what should we avoid at all costs?  Alan asks the questions, while Tony has the answers... It's a meetings "do's and don'ts" episode of Leadership GPS! Tony Jackson is a leadership development...

Tony and Alan Jackson are visited by members of the Hickory Young Professionals to talk about the definition of leadership, challenges, obstacles, and communication.  This discussion takes place shortly after Alan and Tony presented to their group at a lunch meeting; in return, three members of HYP joined in on this podcast recording.  The discussion is interesting as it features a variety of professionals at different stages of their career development and of different age groups. The...

We are surrounded by a variety of leadership assessment tools - self-assessments, 360-style evaluations, personality tests - all designed to help you understand your leadership style and identify areas for potential improvement.  But are these assessments all they are cracked up to be, and if so, when and how should they be used effectively?  And what type of leadership assessment should be used in different situations?  Father-and-son duo Tony and Alan Jackson discuss the world of leadership...

As a follow up to last months episode on “Constructive Feedback”, Alan and Tony now address the “nuts and bolts” of giving feedback properly. No one really likes to give feedback – especially if it’s poor. Where should you conduct your meeting? What makes the employee feel comfortable? Things like employee feedback have the potential to de-rail you, but listen in as this father – son duo pass along some pointers and more on how to “lead well.”

Your father-son duo, Tony and Alan Jackson, join us on our newest installment of Leadership GPS to discuss the importance of constructive feedback. We’re talking about getting rid of the more familiar term, criticism, and discussing why feedback is the essential component in building strong leaders who are invested in the success of their employees and peers. Abandoning the “sandwich approach” of complimenting, criticizing and complimenting again, Leadership GPS discusses how a...

On this episode of Leadership GPS, join your favorite father-son team as Alan and Tony Jackson discuss the dark side of leadership. Is the dark side always a bad side? Does the light side always prevail? Find out just what the Jackson combo is talking about when this duo discusses different styles of leadership, models of leadership and general concepts for those in leadership positions or those who may find themselves leading others. Running time: 47 minutes Tony Jackson is a leadership...

When you are working for an organization in a mid-level leadership / management role, do you know what your own "leaders" expect from you? Do organization CEOs, Presidents, VPs, etc. have different expectations for their own leaders that you may not be aware of? How do you make sure you are helping push the organization forward in a positive direction? Alan and Tony Jackson, both with The Jackson Group (www.thejacksongroup.com) discuss these expectations and how you can make sure you are...

We hear the words "employee satisfaction" used a lot to describe how employees feel about their workplace and the organization where they work.  However, does satisfaction always equal "engagement"?  Is there a difference, and which one has more impact on the success of an organization?  Alan and Tony Jackson, both with The Jackson Group (www.thejacksongroup.com) discuss the differences between these two terms and how those in leadership positions can help manage both. Running time: 54...

Whether it be a letter or an e-mail, leaders have to be effective in their written communications just as in any other forms of communication. But how important is the written word in the leadership realm, and what should those leaders not as effective in writing do to improve? Alan and Tony Jackson discuss written communications in this month's episode of Leadership GPS.

Alan and Tony welcome you back to the second episode of "Leadership GPS"! This month, the Jackson boys talk about how, despite the fact that anyone can do leader-like things, to become a good leader some people have to learn and do things that are very unnatural for them. Case in point: public speaking, presentations, and being the public face for an organization. Alan and Tony discuss the challenges a natural introvert can face when acting as a leader and provide examples of well-known...

Alan and Tony Jackson start the show off, on its first episode, with a little personal background, thoughts on how leadership has evolved over the years, and their hopes for future episodes.