Dipesh Jain’s Post

When we were in Door County on vacation in June, we got to hang out with a longtime Perk supporter and partner, Melissa Ripp. 🥰 It was so great to hang out & have a leisurely meal with Mel, who is lucky enough to LIVE in Door County! 🙌 (Sorry...BIG Door County fan over here now.) We tried to talk about non-work topics, but OF COURSE the conversation eventually turned to...leadership. (As it does when you're with Dan & I). 😂 Mel's run her own writing & marketing business for almost six years. 😎 Prior to that, she was the Director of PR & Communications for an technology company. Her leadership journey at that organization was...interesting. 🙃 Within six months of being with that company, she was promoted to a leadership position. 👏 She immediately was given four direct reports. She had NEVER been a leader of people before. 😬 It would be another six months before Mel had any kind of leadership training or development & even then, it was with a group of other managers & leaders. No mentorship. ❌ No 1:1 coaching. ❌ No personalization of the training for her, or any of the other managers that were going through the same training. ❌ As we were sitting at dinner that night, Mel said something that stuck with me: "I still think I have PTSD from that experience. 🙁 I think it's why I struggle with hiring contractors in my own business. I still have this feeling that I'm not a good leader, because I didn't really learn how to be one." I think this happens more than any of us talk about. It also makes me want to do even more for new leaders at The Perk. When emerging leaders don't get the support they need, they don't want to lead...and who can blame them? What kind of support do you think new & emerging leaders need the most? Would love to hear from you, Jay Stokes, Mark Rossi, Saige Diedrich. #NewLeaders #EmergingLeaders #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipSupport

Good morning, all! I'm super excited to share something special with you all. On January 25th, I'll be hosting a LinkedIn Live event about diving deep into the heart of modern leadership challenges. And what I’m planning is a session packed with insights and real talk! We're living in a time when the landscape for distributors is more complex than ever. We're talking generational shifts, communication hurdles, cultural changes – you name it. And at the core of it all? There is a pressing need for leadership that really connects with people and strategies that engage our teams like never before. I'll be exploring Human-Centered Leadership, which is the key to unlocking company-level innovation, attracting top talent, and creating a team environment where everyone can truly thrive. This isn't just about theory; it's about practical, actionable ways to make a real difference. These 60 minutes are tailor-made for supervisors, managers, leaders, and C-suite strategists who are all about driving positive change and building a supportive, productive workplace. If that sounds like you, you're going to love this. 🎉 Let's Start the Year Strong This is our first LinkedIn Live of 2024, and I can't think of a better way to kick off the year. We're going to tackle some tough topics but also share a lot of energy and learning along the way. So, will you join me? Click here to attend: https://lnkd.in/eGVsVZWs

Are you ready to take the next step in your leadership journey?  Blend welcomes you to the membership community where innovation thrives and visionaries come to learn, grow and succeed.   We believe leadership shouldn’t be a solitary journey. Our community connects a diverse network of cross functional executives, industry experts and forward-thinking innovators to unlock the untapped potential that exists through cognitive diversity and breaking traditional silos.   Expand your leadership growth through;  📢 Cognitive Diversity: Collaborate with a network of cognitively diverse enterprise leaders and gain fresh perspectives to drive innovative problem-solving.  🌱 Personal Development: Gain access to Executive mentorship, peer learning and thought-provoking member only content and events for continuous growth, and skill enhancement.   🚀 Accelerated Innovation: We cultivate collaborative conversations, so that you can leverage collective intelligence to go further in your leadership journey.  📖 Executive Learning: Our platform hosts a plethora of learning opportunities to fuel your personal and professional aspirations, from curated executive content to discussions and video Content.  As we expand our launch in 2024, we invite you to explore the endless possibilities that exist within the Blend community.  https://hubs.la/Q02hxwCP0  #Community #DiscoverDifferent #JoinBlend 

The idea of leadership can be draining when it's misused. Too often, we conflate it with management, especially execs and other people at the top of the corporate hierarchy. For me, some of the influential and thoughtful leaders I admire most are lower in the org chart. Many of them don't manage anyone. They're great collaborators who pull people together toward shared goals without relying on having more power or a better job title. Leadership is for everyone, and at my upcoming class, you'll get a chance to look at case studies of practical leadership in action, do activities that help you improve your own collaboration skills, and do some reflecting about what you want your own leadership to look like. Early pricing of $100 off ends April 1st so be sure to register soon! I also still have a few equity tickets available. These are 90% off and are meant for folks who are unemployed, underrepresented, or experiencing another kind of inequity. Hope to see you there!

This Right Here

"We, our L&D, and OD partners need to recognize that the role of leadership is accumulating more and more need for tech awareness and IT needs to accumulate more and more leadership awareness." A quote from a member of one of my leadership coaching forums. She went on to describe how the Business Architecture model that the group discussed in a previous meeting revealed the huge gap between L&D investment in shared understanding of the interrelationships among Talent, Technology, Process, and Culture with respect to organization performance and adaptability. She brought two big questions for breakout discussion. "Do your technology partners understand Leadership (the capability, not the competence) and how their technical solutions enhance or inhibit the culture that would be most productive in your ecosystem?" After report outs that sounded remarkably similar and bleak with several vivid examples, the posed: "What dimension of agency do your organization's leaders lack that would address that situation?" That report took a direction that surprised the group. The #1 issue to work on in the next seven weeks was inclusion. "What actions we will take to expand inclusion in technology decisions that impact our ability to lead as a coalition of leaders and provide our organizations with a high-performing leadership capability. These are the kind of emerging executives that keep me in the game a dozen years after retirement. Thanks, EELF_14.

It's a profound realization when a business understands that its true power lies not in numbers but in its people and how they connect. And that could be today's revelation. How to potentially frame your Goals: - Cultivate a workplace where trust thrives. - Inspire through purpose-driven leadership. - Craft systems that align with our ethos. Here are the Tactics you should implement: - Encourage open-door policies for all. - That doesn't mean just leaving your door open; it means inviting people in to talk with you about challenges they are facing *pro-tip* be the first to share the challenges you are facing, and ask for their feedback - Leadership retreats focusing on purpose. - It doesn't have to be an international trip; it could be giving the office a paid day off and meeting with your leadership team at an off-site location to focus on why your team does what they do and how to leverage their strengths better. - Streamlining processes with humanity in mind. - Talk with your team and learn what works and what doesn't; that doesn't mean they set the rules for how work gets done, but you collaborate to refine and improve the systems they use. Build systems to suit their skills and set OKRs and KPIs in place that support getting the work done and allow them to see how they contribute to the success of their team clearly, then celebrate them and your victories, no matter how small If you need help with any of that, we're here for that conversation!

Day one of your first leadership role - what were you feeling? Excited, a little scared, powerful? Many first time leaders feel unprepared and unsure of what to do. Most organizations--from startup to huge corporations--do a lousy job preparing their first time leaders for the role. "What should I do first? Where do I focus in the first month? How do I know if I'm on track or is this 'normal'?" These and a gazillion other questions are what new leaders face. Many figure them out over time. Just like you did (I hope!). But some don't. The uncertainty and lack of confidence creates a little chaos. There's a cost to chaos. Imagine your leaders on day one have a different experience. Confident. Clear about the role and how to get started. Contributing to the business and learning (even as they make the inevitable mistakes). But they can course-correct. They have a place to go. Instead of chaos, things work. Onboarding for people managers and first time leaders make a huge difference--from day one. #onboarding #leadskill #brand30

’Your voice went up, are you sure you are on board with what you just said?’ A question from my coach last week brought me back to a pivotal moment in my leadership journey. I was in a Leadership Accelerator program. Midway through the program our coach offered me two pieces of feedback : 1) Are you aware your voice trails up making it sound like you are asking the group a question instead of making a statement? 2) Nobody will ever take you seriously as an executive leader if you use a colored pen. I was completely unaware I was raising my voice. With her guidance I went down a path of discovery about what it meant for me, a fairly inexperienced leader with a lot of potential, to own my seat at that table. It remains amongst the most meaningful feedback of my career. It’s also in my ’Top 3 things to address immediately’ when I see others do it. We then talked about executive presence that included references to some watch tradition at Goldman Sachs and it was in this moment I decided if someone was counting me out over the color my pen I was ok with that. Purple pen for life! Every once in awhile I refer back to the material from that program to remind me of the importance of great feedback and that I am in control of which feedback I take action on. What’s your purple pen feedback Story? Fun Fact: My handwriting with purple pen is beautiful cursive. My handwriting with blue/black pen is not legible.

Tis the Season to make New Year's resolutions, and here's a thought for all of us as we step into 2024: How about we collectively commit to upping our game when it comes to leadership skills? Leadership is not just a title—it's a mindset, a skill set, and a commitment to bringing out the best in ourselves and those around us. In 2024, let's recognize that true leadership goes beyond managing tasks, teams and budgets; it's about inspiring and guiding others to achieve their full potential. Why are leadership skills so crucial? Well, they act as the glue that binds teams together, breaking down silos and fostering a collaborative environment. In a rapidly changing world, effective leadership helps us embrace and navigate change, turning challenges into opportunities for growth. Moreover, leadership is the catalyst for innovation. When individuals feel empowered to contribute their unique perspectives, ideas flourish, and creativity thrives. Imagine the impact we could make together if each of us committed to honing our leadership skills in the coming year. Consider the inspiring example of my neighbor's son, an 18-year-old who has been organizing community events since he was 16. He brings people together to paint murals that raise awareness to save the salmon in the creeks of the Puget Sound area. Despite his young age, he exemplifies true leadership by rallying his community for a cause, breaking down barriers, and inspiring positive change. Now, here's where your input becomes invaluable! Throughout the month of January, I'll be sharing posts about leadership and would love your suggestions and insights on various topics. How do you plan to enhance your leadership skills this year? Share your thoughts in the comments and let's learn from each other. And mark your calendars for January 28th, "National Have Fun at Work" Day! How will you make this January more exciting than prior years? Whether it's injecting creativity into your kick-off meetings or planning team-building activities, let's make the first month of 2024 a memorable one. Together, let's make this year a journey of impactful leadership and collective success! #LeadershipResolution #NewYearNewLeadership #LeadershipGoals #HaveFunAtWork"