March 18, 2025

Leadership Essentials Revisited

Send us a text

Bonus episode # 87: Where are your 2025 goals right now? If you've stalled or need to recalibrate, you're not alone. Sometimes life shifts dramatically after we set our annual targets, requiring us to adjust without abandoning our aspirations. Remember—adjusting your plan isn't quitting; it's strategic adaptation that keeps you moving forward while acknowledging your current reality.

Leadership excellence forms the heart of this episode, with a deep dive into five critical focus areas that transform good managers into exceptional leaders. Starting with setting the right example, we explore how performing the same work as your team while treating everyone with dignity creates the foundation for leadership credibility. Holding people accountable—perhaps the greatest service you can provide—helps develop future leaders while clearing pathways for team excellence by identifying and removing obstacles that prevent optimal performance. Strategic thinking, the ability to anticipate future developments and prepare accordingly, separates visionary leaders from reactive managers. We also tackle the sometimes challenging reality that your boss's priorities must become your priorities, using tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to balance urgent tasks with important initiatives.

The episode culminates with perhaps the most significant leadership responsibility: elevating others through thoughtful development opportunities. While some team members prefer routine responsibilities, high-potential individuals thrive when challenged with projects that stretch their capabilities without causing burnout. Throughout these leadership principles runs the common thread of self-care—proper sleep, nutrition, exercise, and downtime aren't luxuries but necessities that enable sustained leadership excellence. Technical expertise might be expected, but the true measure of leadership lies in your ability to elevate team performance to unprecedented levels. Ready to transform your leadership approach? Visit financeleaderacademy.com for additional resources to continue your development journey.

Please connect with me on:

1. Instagram: stephen.mclain
2. Twitter: smclainiii
3. Facebook: stephenmclainconsultant
4. LinkedIn: stephenjmclainiii

For more resources, please visit Finance Leader Academy: financeleaderacademy.com.

Support the show

Chapters

00:00 - Goal Check-in for 2025

00:54 - Commitment to Effective Leadership

01:49 - Setting the Right Example

02:30 - Clearing Pathways for Excellence

03:08 - Strategic Thinking for Leaders

03:47 - Committing to Boss's Priorities

04:17 - Elevating Others on Your Team

05:02 - Closing Thoughts

Transcript

WEBVTT

00:00:00.321 --> 00:00:03.047
Hi, this is Stephen McLain of the Finance Leader Podcast.

00:00:03.047 --> 00:00:05.873
This is bonus episode number 87.

00:00:05.873 --> 00:00:07.844
Now let's do another goal check-in.

00:00:07.844 --> 00:00:11.292
Where are you at with your goals for 2025?

00:00:11.292 --> 00:00:13.968
Are you still getting them done or have you stalled?

00:00:13.968 --> 00:00:18.370
It may be time to review your goals for this year to check where you are.

00:00:18.370 --> 00:00:22.731
Also, it may also be time to review everything going on in your life.

00:00:22.731 --> 00:00:29.147
You may have big life changes in the works since the new year started, so you may have to adjust your plan.

00:00:29.147 --> 00:00:31.253
It's okay to adjust a plan.

00:00:31.253 --> 00:00:32.625
It's okay to do something different.

00:00:32.625 --> 00:00:33.929
Just don't quit.

00:00:33.929 --> 00:00:41.828
Adjust your plan to fit what is happening now and ensure your life is filled with the activities that make it interesting.

00:00:41.828 --> 00:00:45.753
Make your daily life as fun and exciting as possible.

00:00:45.753 --> 00:00:46.715
Enjoy yourself.

00:00:46.715 --> 00:00:48.563
Time keeps ticking.

00:00:48.563 --> 00:00:50.707
Don't waste one moment.

00:00:50.707 --> 00:00:54.113
Try to have fun in everything that you do.

00:00:54.840 --> 00:00:58.368
Now on to another great topic that I love, and that's leadership.

00:00:58.368 --> 00:01:05.992
If you know me, you know that I love leaders who commit themselves to the organization and especially to their team members.

00:01:05.992 --> 00:01:10.087
Leaders are those who work to elevate those around them.

00:01:10.087 --> 00:01:20.625
The real leaders commit and invest their time and effort to making what they can control better, better than what they found it, always striving for improvement.

00:01:20.625 --> 00:01:27.905
It is essential as a leader to self-examine yourself and to commit to investing in yourself so you become better.

00:01:27.905 --> 00:01:31.111
You must place self-care as a daily priority.

00:01:31.111 --> 00:01:43.393
If you are not caring for yourself with the basics proper sleep, nutrition, exercise, hydrating, taking some time off and much more then you will be able to lead with enthusiasm and more strength.

00:01:43.393 --> 00:01:44.721
And you will be able to lead with enthusiasm and more strength.

00:01:44.721 --> 00:01:48.909
Now commit to greater leadership with these five focus areas today.

00:01:49.510 --> 00:01:51.194
Number one set the right example.

00:01:51.194 --> 00:01:58.897
The best leaders lead the way by willing to perform the same work as their team and in the same conditions.

00:01:58.897 --> 00:02:00.165
Lead with integrity.

00:02:00.165 --> 00:02:03.280
Always Treat everyone with dignity and respect.

00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:07.344
You will never be wrong if you treat people the way you want to be treated.

00:02:07.344 --> 00:02:11.021
This doesn't mean you don't hold people accountable because you do.

00:02:11.021 --> 00:02:18.225
Holding people accountable is maybe the greatest service you can do for them, because it helps them to succeed even more.

00:02:18.225 --> 00:02:21.212
It will help them elevate their own performance.

00:02:21.212 --> 00:02:27.443
Accountability means you are shaping them up to be a better future leader and high performer.

00:02:28.144 --> 00:02:30.528
Number two clear the pathway for excellence.

00:02:30.528 --> 00:02:35.727
Leaders set priorities and eliminate as many obstacles as possible for their team.

00:02:35.727 --> 00:02:38.801
Do your team members have to work late consistently.

00:02:38.801 --> 00:02:42.872
Then there is a problem with workload priorities and time management.

00:02:42.872 --> 00:02:45.448
Find out why and then take action.

00:02:45.448 --> 00:02:48.106
Do your team members need additional training?

00:02:48.106 --> 00:02:48.949
Then schedule it.

00:02:48.949 --> 00:02:53.031
Find the resources to help them do their jobs even better.

00:02:53.031 --> 00:02:55.908
What is stopping them from achieving excellence?

00:02:55.908 --> 00:03:04.187
Sometimes it's an individual problem, so that requires coaching, but sometimes it's a system issue or an organizational bottleneck.

00:03:04.187 --> 00:03:07.027
So problem solve to find a solution.

00:03:08.330 --> 00:03:10.391
Number three think strategically.

00:03:10.391 --> 00:03:13.054
I always say that the great leaders need to see the future.

00:03:13.054 --> 00:03:16.716
You need to think several steps ahead of where you are right now.

00:03:16.716 --> 00:03:20.459
What is happening that will affect the organization in the future?

00:03:20.459 --> 00:03:22.520
What are the relevant trends?

00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:25.641
Sharpen your ability to anticipate actions.

00:03:25.641 --> 00:03:26.663
Look into the future.

00:03:26.663 --> 00:03:33.508
What moves do you need to make today to prepare your team and organization for what will happen next?

00:03:33.508 --> 00:03:36.816
Think and act strategically in everything you do.

00:03:36.816 --> 00:03:38.400
Start to think bigger.

00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:43.717
Start to see how the entire organization works together to achieve common goals.

00:03:44.659 --> 00:03:47.031
Number four commit to your boss's priorities.

00:03:47.031 --> 00:03:50.837
Your boss's priorities must always become your priorities.

00:03:50.837 --> 00:03:54.444
This is sometimes a hard concept for some to consider.

00:03:54.444 --> 00:03:56.216
We all have a boss.

00:03:56.216 --> 00:04:02.643
We all have to work on organizational goals in addition to what we want our team to accomplish.

00:04:02.643 --> 00:04:10.003
I use the Eisenhower Matrix to help solve urgency and importance for task and project execution.

00:04:10.003 --> 00:04:14.260
Never forget what your own supervisor considers important.

00:04:14.260 --> 00:04:17.497
And finally, number five, elevate others.

00:04:17.838 --> 00:04:24.137
Our greatest responsibility as leaders is to prepare and find developmental opportunities for our team.

00:04:24.137 --> 00:04:27.391
We must dedicate ourselves to making our team better.

00:04:27.391 --> 00:04:32.043
I always recommend that you focus your effort on the ones you want to grow and develop.

00:04:32.043 --> 00:04:46.802
You will always have team members who only want to do their jobs and punch the clock every day, but also ensure you don't overburden your top performers, so be selective to make sure they get the best future potential developing projects.

00:04:46.802 --> 00:04:56.119
Leadership is always about improving and pushing for excellence, while also taking care of your team and don't forget about your own self-care.

00:04:56.119 --> 00:05:02.122
Leadership is the most overlooked skill to develop, but is the most important, in my opinion.

00:05:02.122 --> 00:05:07.882
I expect you to be technical experts, but can you take a team to a higher level of performance?

00:05:07.882 --> 00:05:09.675
Thank you again for listening.

00:05:09.675 --> 00:05:13.867
Please visit financeleaderacademycom to find more resources.

00:05:13.867 --> 00:05:14.571
Thank you.

Leadership Essentials Revisited

Listen On

Recent Episodes