Seth tells the story of Margot, a newly promoted marketing manager at a consumer packaged food manufacturer.

Margot was asked to lead the marketing effort in launching a new product in a new category. Margot assembled a strong team and started leading them like they were followers, meaning she told them what to do every step of the way. This eventually led to the departure of a key team member and to only mediocre success in the product launch.

Seth talks about the importance of creating leaders, not followers, to help you realize your greatest...

A big challenge for any leader is sorting out the signal from all the noise of problems and potential problems in the organization. Effective leadership in large part stems from being able to prioritize and de-prioritize issues as they arise, so Seth offers a simple “return on effort” framework to help you analyze your situation.

By evaluating the size of the impact and level of effort, you can categorize problems and opportunities into four key categories:

In addition to the framework, Seth shares insights on how to move more work into High...

Seth describes the experiences of Tobias, an engagement lead for a temp agency who had a long running reliable client.

Tobias had built a strong relationship with Erica, the hiring manager of a key client, that enabled him to rapidly place people on her team with minimal friction. Things changed after a merger at Erica’s company, but Tobias didn’t adapt. Instead he complained about what was happening at the client and just shrugged his shoulders as the negative impacts piled on.

In light of this, Seth shares insight into how to embrace accountability in a...

Seth recounts the story of Marquita, an engineer and avid cyclist who came up with a new design for a more efficient bicycle.

Marquita pulled together a team of advisors to help her launch her product and business but was quickly bogged down with additional ideas, being told that she couldn’t launch a business without a full product line. Unfortunately, pursuing the additional suggestions led to her missing the opportunity to launch her initial idea.

Seth provides a different way of approaching this kind of situation through an enabling principle that helps you see th...

Seth relates the experiences of Joaquin, a newly hired director of facilities at the North American headquarters of a global insurance company.

Joaquin quickly settled in and soon started identifying problems in how some of the facility operations were run. He felt that he had seen these problems before and jumped right into solving them. Unfortunately, he did not have a complete understanding and implemented the solutions that did not actually fix anything.

Seth provides an enabling principle to help prevent instant solution gratification and to remind you that time spent understanding a problem is...

Seth tells the story of Carla who was promoted to manager at a marketing services firm and whose first task was to take on a project with a new client.

Carla’s diligence led her to ensure no problem remained unsolved, to the point that she and her team spent too much time focused on smaller inconsequential items, taking time and focus away from larger problems that needed to be addressed.

Seth presents the second core principle of Principle Driven Leadership - that Leaders Resolve Problems - and explains how embracing this is core to bu...

Quite often the success of a vision is far more than just having a good idea. If you are unable to communicate consistently and clearly, even the best ideas can fail.

Seth explores three key concepts to help improve how your communicate your vision:

He closes by reminding us that a vision cannot just sit on a shelf, on a web page, in an email, in a video, in a banner on a wall and that communicating vision is in a...

Seth shares the story of Kailani, a leader in the hospitality industry who lands a post as the executive director overseeing hospitality and operations of a boutique hotel.

Kailani had been carrying thoughts and plans on how she would execute such a role for a long time and eagerly starts applying them, to the point of ignoring the expertise of the team she inherited. She tries to make all the decisions and drive many of the lower level actions herself, resulting in her own burnout, a disgruntled team, and a boutique hotel not living up to its...

Seth shares the story of Alexei, a manager at a mid-sized technology company who was given the responsibility to develop and launch a new software feature that was critical to the company’s future.

Over time it becomes apparent that Alexei was working in a kind of information bubble - neither ensuring that others clearly understood him, nor taking the time to understand others. Because of this, he misses key problems with his plan that jeopardize the project.

In examining this problem, Seth offers an enabling principle to reinforce the notion that leaders own both si...

Seth shares a story about Lucinda, a leader in the research department of a financial services firm who is given the opportunity to develop a new financial product for first time investors.

Lucinda eagerly dives into the role but quickly falls into the busyness trap - confusing a flurry of activity with actual progress. This results in threatening the success of the project as well as her own career.

Seth explores what went wrong and offers an enabling principle to provide guidance to help you focus more on outcomes rather than tasks, and thereby achieve...

Seth shares a fictional scenario to emphasize the importance of crafting a vision by understanding what your vision does.

The scenario is that you have just taken on the CEO position at a struggling toy company and looks at attempts to rally the organization by sharing “inspiring” visions that don’t have enough clarity to actually drive forward motion.Seth follows this with an example vision that provides more clarity on the outcomes the company is trying to reach and why they are trying to reach this.

The contrast in these approaches is used to demons...

Welcome to Season 3 of the Principle Driven Leadership Podcast, where Seth Dobbs shares principles of leadership along with actionable examples to help you become the best leader you can be. In this season, Seth explores dives deeper into the the three core principles of Principle Driven Leadership: Leaders Provide Vision, Leaders Resolve Problems, and Leaders Create More Leaders.

Throughout this season, some episodes will directly explore a core principle, some will go deeper by discussing enabling principles - more granular guidance to succeeding at the core principle, and some will offer practical applications of these concepts.

Leadership is a journey, and one that often requires facing change. In this episode, host Seth Dobbs wraps up the season by sharing a personal story from a challenging training hike, using it to illustrate five key leadership lessons.

First, Seth discusses the inevitability of change, comparing it to how trail conditions can shift unexpectedly, requiring leaders to recognize and adapt to new realities rather than ignoring them.

Second, he emphasizes the importance of reassessing your vision and holding true to your values, even when faced with tempting but misaligned opportunities.

Third, Seth...

In this episode, host Seth Dobbs is joined by Laura Batruch, the show's producer and content contributor, for a special Q&A session. Throughout the season, listeners have been encouraged to submit their questions and feedback, and now Seth and Laura dive into the most pressing topics. They discuss the importance of maintaining vision, navigating difficult conversations, and the challenges of applying leadership principles in real-world scenarios.

Seth shares personal insights, such as his own experiences with losing sight of vision and the strategies he uses to refocus, as well as actionable tips for leading upwards in...

In this episode, Seth invites listeners to reflect on whether they think about the future, and if so, how they think about the future, particularly in the face of change, uncertainty, and the unknown. Seth emphasizes that leadership requires adaptability and challenges leaders to not just stick to their plans but to be flexible and prepared for unforeseen disruptions - because they will occur!

Seth explores four crucial concepts:

...

Organizational alignment and cohesion, especially in the face of adversity, is critical to creating durable results. Drawing from his extensive experience, Seth explores how diverse teams can stay focused and united when challenges arise. Through captivating analogies from the animal kingdom, he contrasts the counterproductive behavior of crabs in a bucket with the highly coordinated and resilient actions of fire ants during floods.

Seth emphasizes the importance of clear vision and alignment in leadership, illustrating how effective organizations rally together like fire ants, working collectively towards a common goal even in tough times. He challenges listeners to...

In this episode, Seth delves into the true essence of being a team player by challenging the conventional notion that being a team player means going along with the majority and not causing disruptions. He shares a compelling story about a leader, Samira, who hesitated to voice her concerns during a project discussion, believing that staying silent was the hallmark of a good team player. This decision led to missed opportunities, highlighting the importance of speaking up and sharing expertise and insights, even if it means challenging the status quo.

Seth emphasizes that effective leadership involves knowing...

The managerial motto, “bring me solutions, not problems,” is popular but has potential pitfalls. In this episode, Seth delves into the story of Jameson, a manager known for his adherence to the “solutions, not problems” rule. When his team faced customer complaints, their initial solutions provided temporary relief but failed to address the root causes. A junior developer, Emily, uncovered deeper issues but was dismissed by Jameson for not presenting solutions. Seth highlights how this approach stifles problem identification and growth within the team. He discusses the importance of creating a trusted environment where team members feel comfortable bringing up issue...

Team preparedness in the face of change is a critical topic. In this episode, Seth delves into this concept, emphasizing the importance of creating leaders, not followers.

Seth shares a compelling story about Kamaria, a VP at a logistics firm and her experiences with a rigid leader whose style stifled adaptability and ultimately led to the business unit's failure. He highlights the core principle that "leaders create more leaders," explaining how empowering those who are closest to the change is the best way to adapt and remain relevant. Seth also reflects on his own leadership journey, illustrating...

The core of this episode revolves around understanding the pitfalls of taking on too much at once. Seth recounts the story of Sienna, an ambitious leader at a large tech firm, who aimed to revolutionize the VR industry with an all-encompassing platform. Despite the team's dedication, their grand vision became their downfall as they struggled with scope creep, increased complexity, and burnout. Seth uses this narrative to illustrate the importance of breaking down massive problems into manageable pieces. By applying lean thinking and focusing on smaller, incremental steps, leaders can avoid paralysis and maintain forward motion. This episode is...

The high value of taking a strategic pause is often overlooked in the fast-paced world of leadership. In this episode, Seth explores this concept, beginning by posing critical questions: Have you ever needed to stop your team to regroup? Have you faced resistance in suggesting a halt to reevaluate? Do you struggle to justify the time spent thinking over doing? Drawing from his extensive experience, Seth emphasizes that effective leadership isn't just about constant action but understanding and achieving desired outcomes.

Seth shares a compelling story about Jillian, a leader in a MedTech startup, who encountered the...

It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of losing focus on the actual problem you’re trying to solve in favor of a specific solution. Drawing from his extensive experience, Seth emphasizes the importance of recognizing when one's commitment to a solution can obscure the real issue at hand. He shares the compelling story of Anissa, a Senior Manager in a consumer packaged goods firm, who becomes fixated on launching a new healthy snack product to revive her declining portfolio. Despite mounting evidence suggesting a shift in consumer preferences, Anissa's determination to make her solution work lead...

Navigating difficult conversations is an important leadership skill and is often necessary to resolve conflict. In this episode, Seth delves into the challenging world of difficult conversations. Drawing from his extensive experience as an executive leader, Seth explores what makes these conversations so daunting and offers practical strategies for navigating them effectively. He identifies fear, lack of trust, insecurity, and bad prior experiences as common obstacles that prevent meaningful dialogue.

Seth outlines five concepts to help leaders handle difficult conversations better:

1. Avoid opinions

2. Refrain from guessing others' thoughts or feelings

3. Focus...

Conflict plays a crucial role in effective leadership. In this episode, Seth explores whether you and your team are embracing conflict too eagerly or avoiding it altogether. He explains how understanding the relationship between healthy conflict and trust can transform your leadership approach.

Drawing from his extensive experience as an executive leader and coach, Seth illustrates the principles of managing conflict through real-world examples. Listeners are introduced to three types of leaders: Xavier, who avoids conflict to the detriment of team innovation; Yolanda, who thrives on confrontation but exhausts her team; and Zola, who skillfully navigates conflict...

In this episode, Seth delves into the importance of fostering collective effort within teams and organizations. Drawing upon his extensive leadership experience, Seth shares valuable insights into the detrimental effects of losing sight of a shared vision in favor of individual or team aspirations. Through a poignant narrative, Seth recounts the story of Emilia, a leader in a dynamic online marketplace, who initially envisioned revolutionizing her industry through innovation and customer satisfaction.

However, as the company grew and Emilia delegated metrics for individual teams, the organization began to lose its sense of direction. Individual performance metrics overshadowed...

In this episode, Seth delves into the critical importance of maintaining standards within a team or organization. Drawing from his extensive experience as an executive leader, Seth emphasizes the essential role of leadership skills in helping you better influence others to effectively create durable results. Through a compelling narrative, Seth illustrates leadership pitfalls by recounting the story of an aftermarket auto parts manufacturer. Under the visionary leadership of Aaron, the company flourished, embodying a culture of excellence and innovation. However, after Aaron's retirement, the arrival of Mitchell marked a turbulent era characterized by a lack of clarity and direction.<...

In this episode, Seth delves into the intricacies of crafting and refining leadership principles. He begins by emphasizing the importance of principles in providing clarity and guidance for yourself and others, and distinguishes principles from mere values by their actionable nature. Seth illustrates the process of crafting principles through examples like "Doing Less Lets You Achieve More" and "A Bias to Outcomes > Bias to Action", highlighting the need for clarity and a “this over that” format. He further explores the iterative process of applying and shaping principles, drawing from personal experiences to demonstrate the value of refinement for enhanced effe...

The episode begins with an exploration of what draws individuals to leadership roles, their clarity about their identity as leaders, and the challenges they face in prioritizing tasks for themselves and their teams. Seth Dobbs emphasizes the significance of personal motivation in shaping one's path and approach to leadership.

Using the example of a leader named Marcy, the episode illustrates the consequences of lacking a clear leadership vision. Marcy’s story underscores the importance of aligning personal vision with organizational goals to avoid inefficiency and frustration within teams. The episode emphasizes the necessity for leaders to have a...

Seth Dobbs discusses the common misconceptions about leadership, particularly the idea that being a leader is superior to being a manager. He emphasizes the importance of balancing leadership and management skills for success.
He shares a Japanese saying: "Vision without action is a daydream, action without vision is a nightmare." He further demonstrates this saying by sharing two stories.

Story 1: Carlo:
- Seth narrates the story of Carlo, a charismatic but ineffective leader at an ad agency.
- Carlo excels in rhetoric but struggles to translate vision into action, lacks clear direction, and avoids...

Welcome to the Principle Driven Leadership Podcast, where Seth Dobbs shares principles of leadership along with actionable examples to help you become the best leader you can be. In this season, Seth explores why we lead and the importance of leadership in our ever-changing environments. He discusses the core definition of leadership and introduces the three fundamental principles: providing vision, resolving problems, and creating more leaders. Join Seth as he delves into the importance of adaptability, problem-solving, and nurturing future leaders in the face of constant change.

In this season’s final, and most personal episode, I explore the concept of leadership as a transformative journey by drawing parallels between leadership and my love for hiking in the Colorado mountains. I’ll describe the challenges and preparations involved in ascending 14ers (mountain peaks over 14,000 feet) such as the lack of oxygen, the absence of tree cover above the treeline, and the physical and mental endurance required. These challenges are metaphorically connected to leadership hurdles. 

There are six key leadership lessons from my journey: 
1. Acknowledging individuality in the journey
2. Overcoming difficulties for growth...

Are you caught in a loop of unfulfilled empowerment? If you find yourself struggling to propel your team forward, despite assertions of empowerment, it's time to recalibrate your approach. In this episode, I delve into the heart of empowerment, shedding light on its often-misunderstood core. 
Autonomy is the muscle that drives progress, the freedom to craft and steer the vision, fostering innovation and ownership within your team. Yet, autonomy alone is like a ship adrift without a compass. Here, Alignment steps in as the connective tissue, guiding the autonomous endeavors toward a shared vision. The fusion of autonomy a...

Today's episode revolves around the crucial aspect of embracing mistakes and understanding that growth often stems from them. 

In the episode, I explore two contrasting leadership styles, featuring Kai, a solid yet error-resistant leader, and Tessa, an innovative leader who empowers her team to learn from mistakes. Tessa's team thrived due to her supportive approach to mistakes, resulting in a creative and aspiring workforce. Leaders who embrace errors create space for growth and unlock the true potential of their teams. 

The principle, “We’ll Get Things Wrong Before We Get Things Right” aligns with the core ide...

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the need to be involved in every decision? Or doubted your team's ability to perform without your constant guidance? In this episode, I dive deep into the concept of creating autonomy within your team and the transformative impact it can have on your leadership journey.

Through a compelling story of a VP named Eli and the challenges he faced, I explore the drawbacks of being a hands-on manager and the demotivating effects it can have on your team's growth. The key insight lies in creating autonomy, which means coaching your team...

In this episode I challenge the traditional approaches to leadership as I dive into the age-old question: is it better to ask for permission or forgiveness?

Discover why both paths can lead to demotivation and hinder lasting success. Join me as I explore the stories of Boss 1, the permission-based leader, and Boss 2, the forgiveness-driven leader. But don't worry, I won't stop there. I’ll unveil a game-changing principle: seeking alignment. Learn how aligning on outcomes and empowering your team can unleash their leadership potential and drive remarkable results. 

Consider this:
Do you really require per...

How comfortable do you feel taking time off?
How well does your team make decisions in your absence? 

In this episode, I discuss the importance of creating more leaders within organizations to ensure its long-term sustainability. I share a story about Evelyn, a leader who struggled to delegate and empower her team, resulting in high stress levels, low team motivation, and an inability to take time off. The core principle highlighted is that leaders create more leaders, which fosters a learning organization and encourages the development of leadership skills in team members. The example emphasizes the n...

If a perceived problem isn’t preventing you from reaching your vision, is it really a problem?

Being able to recognize what is and isn’t a problem  enables you to filter out the noise and focus energy where it really matters. Without this focus you will find your team or organization spinning their wheels with endless distractions or worse, ignoring things that actually need attention.

The three concepts to effective problem identification are:

1. Understand what a problem isn’t
2. Be clear on what actually constitutes a problem
3. Frame your problem stateme...

It’s impossible to have all the answers for anything you might encounter, yet many leaders feel they need to do just that. Assuming you as the leader have to provide all the answers is limiting - it hinders your growth and it suppresses input and expertise from the people you lead.

The enabling principle Getting to Right is More Important Than Being Right provides guidance on how to navigate this challenge. Instead of centering yourself and your ego, this principle guides us to center discussions around the outcomes we need to reach. In doing so, you sh...

Conflict typically takes place when debating solutions but is often rooted in solving different problems. This is one of the most subtle barriers to problem solving because we get so caught up in the solutions themselves that we don’t check if we’re aligned on the actual problem.

By design, we should lead teams with people that bring different perspectives as diversity of thought helps drive innovation. However, if you can’t resolve the different points of view and converge on a solution, you’ll burn time and energy in an endless swirl.

The enabling...

One of the most insidious forces in an organization is the slow erosion of principles and values. 

It typically starts small and subtly and there’s usually a “good reason” to make exceptions “just this one time”. But over time this creates new norms regardless of what values you have posted on the office walls. 

The enabling principle of Course Correct Early is a leadership drive to hold true to your vision, your principles, and your values. It’s not that exceptions can’t be made, but rather understanding the precedent your team is creating. 

This princi...