The Leadership Podcast
Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos, experts on leadership development
Categories: Business
Listen to the last episode:
Eric Kapitulik, founder and CEO of the Program Leadership, highlights the dual roles of being an effective team member and leader across various teams. Stressing the importance of excelling in both, he notes that while organizational values differ, establishing clear values is crucial. He points out that effective communication and developing a culture of accountability are key to success. Eric emphasizes that maintaining long-term success, regardless of external factors, requires a steadfast commitment to promoting a culture of accountability individually and within teams. As the conclusion of the podcast, Eric relays a moving and powerful story from his experience as a young leader. Key Takeaways: [03:13] Eric reflects on the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and shares the varying levels of resilience observed in people and organizations. He acknowledges the importance of teaching resilience, but emphasizes the deficiency in its practical development. Eric stresses the need for intentional stress inoculation, pushing oneself beyond the comfort zone, both physically and mentally. [5:51] He shares his own distinction between labeling experiences as "challenging" instead of using the word "hard." Eric also shares that the only truly "hard" experience in his life is someone’s death, but with other challenges, viewing them as opportunities for growth and improvement rather than genuine hardship. He acknowledges the universal nature of facing challenges and highlights the importance of embracing them as chances to grow and get better. [8:10] Eric mentions that, while he is the program's founder, he attributes its success to the collaborative efforts of the team. He recognizes that with effective communication and leadership skills, the program evolved and now collaborates with 160 athletic teams annually. [12:14] He acknowledges the challenges of creating stable plans, as circumstances tend to change every six months, in discussing long-term planning. Despite having financial goals for the program, he emphasizes the importance of standards over goals. While goals focus on performance, standards revolve around behavior. The uniqueness of the program lies in the need to embody their advice authentically. Rather than solely concentrating on goals, he explains the significance of daily behavior in achieving success; when standards are consistently upheld, desired outcomes naturally follow. [14:48] Eric explains the systemic nature of goal-setting within organizations, driven by the benefits of achievement and consequences of failure. Leaders are encouraged to identify and communicate their organizational values, which become the foundation of the company's culture. Daily standards, aligned with these values, are considered crucial for reinforcing the desired culture. He then highlights the challenge of claiming a culture, such as discipline, without consistent daily adherence to established standards. Eric gives focus on the significance of organizations being true to their stated values, implementing standards that support them, and fostering a culture of accountability for sustained success. [17:44] He mentions the importance of reinforcing positive behavior in addition to holding individuals accountable for not meeting standards. Eric advocates for fostering courage in everyday situations, such as addressing bullying or having children take responsibility for their actions. He also shares the need for consistent debriefs within organizations to assess what's going well, what needs improvement, and promote a continuous improvement mindset. [24:30] Eric emphasizes the importance of both individual and team roles in achieving success. He explains the dual responsibilities of being a great teammate and leader on various teams, and there is a need to excel in both roles. However, he acknowledges that values may differ across organizations but also stresses the importance of having clear values. He shares the key factors for success, which are effective communication and fostering a culture of accountability. Long-term success, regardless of external factors, requires a non-negotiable commitment to a culture of accountability at both the personal and team levels. [27:44] As he reflects on his past mistakes, Eric acknowledges the profound impact of a specific realization—being the man one would want their daughter to marry. This shift in perspective becomes a pivotal point for Eric, and addresses the need to overcome the impulse to prove oneself right, and there must be value of open discussions and being receptive to improvement. Although the journey towards improvement must be embraced, he still encourages a mindset of continuous growth and learning. [35:21] Eric reflects on one of his experiences in his military days, he reinforces the importance of demonstrating courage in the face of fear. Eric urges leaders to embrace moments that make them nervous, emphasizing the value of making choices aligned with one's principles to avoid living with regret. He draws parallels to personal growth and change, and the transformative power of courage in leadership. [37:18] Closing Quote: Remember, no person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave. - Calvin Coolidge Quotable Quotes: "We need to be deliberate about stress inoculation, both as individuals and as a team.” “We must expose ourselves to uncomfortable situations, holistically, to expand our comfort zones and enhance our resilience.” "Everything we do on a day-to-day basis is challenging." "The only hard thing for us is death, but the rest are challenges." "If you can't effectively communicate, you can't lead.” "Standards are behavior-based; goals are performance-based." "Goals reinforce what we want to achieve, while standards reinforce how we are expected to behave while achieving them." "There are benefits for achieving goals, and there's systemically consequences if we don't." "As leaders, find out your value system as an organization." "Things always change, so you need to look at everything to make the best decision." "The keys to success include figuring out values, establishing standards that reinforce those values, and fostering a culture of accountability around them." This is the book mentioned in our discussion with Eric: Resources Mentioned: The Leadership Podcast | Sponsored by | Rafti Advisors. LLC | Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | Eric Kapitulik LinkedIn | The Program Website | Eric Kapitulik Twitter | The Program Twitter | The Program Instagram |
Previous episodes
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428 - TLP405: Stress Inoculation With Eric Kapitulik Wed, 17 Apr 2024 - 0h
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427 - TLP404: You’re the Leader. Now What? With Dr. Richard Winters Wed, 10 Apr 2024 - 0h
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426 - TLP403: Grit and Grace with Amberly Lago Wed, 03 Apr 2024 - 0h
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425 - TLP402: The Mindful Person Who Connected Jim and Jan with Mark Rangell Wed, 27 Mar 2024 - 0h
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424 - TLP401: Weaponize Your Curiosity with Dr. Preston Cline Wed, 20 Mar 2024 - 0h
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423 - TLP400: Showcasing Contributions versus Blatant Self-Promotion with Karen Tiber Leland Wed, 13 Mar 2024 - 0h
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422 - TLP399: Lead Don’t Manage with Mark Williams Wed, 06 Mar 2024 - 0h
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421 - TLP398: 15 Keys to Driving Employee Engagement with Stan Phelps Wed, 28 Feb 2024 - 0h
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420 - TLP397: How to Control Your Attention with Nir Eyal Wed, 21 Feb 2024 - 0h
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419 - TLP396: The Action Fallacy with Martin Gutmann Wed, 14 Feb 2024 - 0h
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418 - TLP395: AI Won't Take Your Job, but AI-Savvy Marketers Will with Chris Johnson Wed, 07 Feb 2024 - 0h
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417 - TLP394: Calmness and Charisma with Dr. Benjamin Ritter Wed, 31 Jan 2024 - 0h
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416 - TLP393: Transitioning from Expert to Leader with Ed Batista Wed, 24 Jan 2024 - 0h
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415 - TLP392: The Distracted Leader with Jim and Jan Wed, 17 Jan 2024 - 0h
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414 - TLP391: Bet On Yourself with Lon Stroschein Wed, 10 Jan 2024 - 0h
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413 - TLP390: Leadership Lessons from the CIA with Marc Polymeropoulos Wed, 03 Jan 2024 - 0h
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412 - TLP389: Worry is a Misuse of Imagination with Harris III Wed, 27 Dec 2023 - 0h
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411 - TLP388: FOCUS with Jim and Jan Wed, 20 Dec 2023 - 0h
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410 - TLP387: Networking is the beginning. Connecting is the journey. Giving is the goal. Wed, 13 Dec 2023 - 0h
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409 - TLP386: Mergers and Acquisitions For Dummies with Bill Snow Wed, 06 Dec 2023 - 0h
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408 - TLP385: Be Authentic, Boost Connections, and Make Bold Bets on Yourself with Selena Rezvani Wed, 29 Nov 2023 - 0h
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407 - TLP384: Innovation, Climate Change, and Social Issues Like Ageism and Gender Equality with Mark Mellett Wed, 22 Nov 2023 - 0h
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406 - TLP383: The Surprising Science Behind How Gestures Shape Our Thoughts with Susan Goldin-Meadow Wed, 15 Nov 2023 - 0h
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405 - TLP382: The Power of Conscious Connection with Talia Fox Wed, 08 Nov 2023 - 0h
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404 - TLPMM010: Clarity: Embracing Ancient Wisdom in the Modern World with Jim Vaselopulos (Part 2) Wed, 01 Nov 2023 - 0h
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403 - TLP381: Unemployable: How I Hired Myself with Alysia Silberg Wed, 25 Oct 2023 - 0h
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402 - TLPMM009: Clarity: Business Wisdom to Work Less and Achieve More with Jim Vaselopulos Wed, 18 Oct 2023 - 0h
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401 - TLP380: Mastering the Basics: Simple Lessons for Achieving Success with Dean Karrel Wed, 11 Oct 2023 - 0h
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400 - TLP379: Liberal Arts and Critical Thinking with Jeffrey Scheuer Wed, 04 Oct 2023 - 0h
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399 - TLP378: Leading with Questions with Bob Tiede Wed, 27 Sep 2023 - 0h
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398 - TLP377: Why People Lie with Michael Reddington Wed, 20 Sep 2023 - 0h
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397 - TLP376: The Key to an Uncommon Company with John Harrington & Dave Pickhardt Wed, 13 Sep 2023 - 0h
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396 - TLP375: Strategies to Counter Negativity with Catherine Sanderson Wed, 06 Sep 2023 - 0h
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395 - TLP374: A Defining Day with Don Bentley Wed, 30 Aug 2023 - 0h
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394 - TLP373: Unlocking Hidden Talents with Mohammed Qahtani Wed, 23 Aug 2023 - 0h
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393 - TLP372: One of the Best Business Books Ever with Robert Cialdini, Ph.D. Wed, 16 Aug 2023 - 0h
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392 - TLP371: Being a Connector with Megan Thatford Wed, 09 Aug 2023 - 0h
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391 - TLP370: Doorway of Possibilities with Solomon R.C. Ali Wed, 02 Aug 2023 - 0h
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390 - TLP369: Escaping the Busyness Trap with Jim and Jan Wed, 26 Jul 2023 - 0h
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389 - TLP368: The Most Misunderstood Profession with Glenn Poulos Wed, 19 Jul 2023 - 0h
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388 - TLP367: Deliberate Discomfort with Nate Boyer Wed, 12 Jul 2023 - 0h
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387 - TLP366: Flying in the Face of Fear with Kim Campbell Wed, 05 Jul 2023 - 0h
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386 - TLP365: Don’t Be Boring with Alan Shortt Wed, 28 Jun 2023 - 0h
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385 - TLP364: Accountability Beyond Numbers with Mark A. Mears Wed, 21 Jun 2023 - 0h
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384 - TLP363: It's About Giving, Not Getting with Dan Horwich Wed, 14 Jun 2023 - 0h
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383 - TLP362: Courageous Conversations with Jim and Jan Wed, 07 Jun 2023 - 0h
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382 - TLP361: View from Above with Astronaut Terry Virts Wed, 31 May 2023 - 0h
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381 - TLP360: Reputation is Perception - Character is Essence with Aidan Higgins Wed, 24 May 2023 - 0h
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380 - TLP359: Language as a Window into the Mind with Valerie Fridland Wed, 17 May 2023 - 0h
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379 - TLP358: People-First Culture & Learning with Sean Conley Wed, 10 May 2023 - 0h