In this episode we talked with author Dave Gordon and discussed the top 10 most important things that a leader needs to do to create a high-performance culture that doesn’t burn people out.
Dave has travelled a very unorthodox path to being a sought after expert on the topics of personal branding and leadership.
He went to John Hopkins University with the intention of becoming a doctor, but ended up falling in love with writing and communication, and became an actor. For 10 years he lived the life of what we will call the “average actor,” doing just well enough to stay in business while sometimes needing to tend bar to make ends meet.
Interestingly, the skills he learned over 10 years living and working as an actor proved to be invaluable when he decided to enter the business world and help organizations with branding and marketing.
He currently serves as the Chief Marketing Officer at Gallagher-Basset, runs the marketing and communications firm Gordon Creative, and is the award winning author of TIP: A Simple Strategy to Inspire High Performance and Lasting Success.
Join us as we hear the real-life story of how John created a WOW experience with his alternate persona, “Joey Big.” Hear why John believes that company culture begins with authenticity. Learn why embracing conflict and crisis are key components to creating a sustainable business culture.
Here is a link to Dave’s website:
Dave’s Website
Here is a link to Dave’s book:
TIP: A Simple Strategy to Inspire High Performance and Lasting Success
Here is a link if you want to Connect With Dave on LinkedIn:
Dave’s Linkedin Profile
Dave’s Top 10
1. Be authentic and accountable
“When you are building a culture, it’s got to be about your authenticity as a leader.” – Dave Gordon
2. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
“I’ve seen cultures fail because of a lack of communication. Cultures thrive because organizations get communication right.” – Dave Gordon
3. Make commitments, not decisions
“Decisions are based on ‘it feels good, do it,’ while commitments are things you will do no matter what.” – Dave Gordon
4. Stand for Something
“We are more likely to follow people who are like us, who have the same values as us.” – Dave Gordon
5. No Bad Days
“Being a leader is like having a spotlight on you. So the words you use, the way you treat people, everything you do, someone is watching and learning from you. If you want to create a positive culture you need to emote positivity yourself.” – Dave Gordon
6. Inspire Others to Stand Out
When you team is inspired to stand out, you will have a team who is highly motivated and actively looking for ways to improve on a regular basis.
7. Embrace Conflict and Crisis
“I come from a writing background, and I’ve found that storytelling is a key skill for any leader to have. If you think about any good story, there is a conflict to overcome, that’s where the story really is.” – Dave Gordon
8. Create a Culture of Consistency
“If you create a culture of consistency, you establish what the actions are you need to take to be successful.” – Dave Gordon
9. Create Signature Stories of WOW
Giving clients or employees a WOW experience is what creates long-lasting relationships and sets the standard that going above and beyond is a core value of your organization.
10. Take It Personally
We often forget that organizations are made up of people. Because of this, we have to take things personally. The decisions we make as an organization affect people in direct and indirect ways and we should keep that in mind when making decisions.
