The 5 Must-Listen Episodes of 2024: Your Holiday Leadership Cheat Sheet

As the year winds down and you (hopefully!) carve out some well-deserved downtime, it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect, recharge, and invest in your leadership journey. To help you kick-start 2025 as the No Bullsh!t Leader you strive to be, Em and I have curated the five must-listen podcast episodes from 2024. These episodes are jam-packed with insights, tools, and strategies to elevate your leadership game.

So, grab a coffee, find a quiet moment, and let’s dive in.

5. Episode 318: 5 Reasons Why Your Strategy is Failing and What to Do About It

Is your strategy stuck in the planning phase or failing to deliver the results you need? In this episode, I break down why even the best-laid strategies often fall apart and what you can do to fix it. From aligning strategy, structure, and people to targeting real value in your work program, you’ll get five actionable tips to ensure your strategy delivers the outcomes your team needs.

You can’t execute what isn’t aligned. Learn how to bridge the gap between strategy and execution.

Listen to the episode here

4. Episode 315: How to Find and Keep Rare Talent That Drives 800% More Value

We all know that high performers are game-changers, but how do you attract, nurture, and keep them? This episode unpacks a recent McKinsey study, which found that your top performers are up to 800% more productive than your average performers. From creative remuneration strategies to crafting roles that amplify strengths, I share five practical tips to get the most from your best people, while keeping them engaged and loyal.

If you’re not investing in your superstars, you’re leaving massive value on the table.

Listen to the episode here

3. Episode 299: Setting a Higher Standard: Everyone benefits

What happens when you set the bar higher for yourself and your team? This episode outlines how raising standards has a profound impact, not just on your high performers, but on your entire team culture. From a Houston supermarket visit in the early 1990s, to the most recent findings on the impacts of falling educational standards in the US, I explore how higher expectations drive better results in every area you influence.

Setting higher standards is about more than team performance. It’s about creating a culture of excellence that lifts every individual.

Listen to the episode here

2. Episode 283: Trusting Your Team

Trust is foundational to leadership, but blind trust is a high-risk strategy. In this episode, we explore the balance of trust and accountability through the lens of “Trust but verify.” I share four practical indicators to ensure you’re giving trust without stepping into micromanagement, especially in hybrid or remote teams. If you’ve ever struggled with building trust or managing outcomes, this episode is for you.

It's important to give your people 100% trust, right up front. But it's up to them to respect that trust by delivering results. The best leaders trust their people implicitly, while maintaining uncompromising standards.

Listen to the episode here

1. Episode 289: Improving Your Promotion Prospects

Want to get noticed and climb the leadership ladder? In this episode, I identify the 10 key ingredients of promotability, in clear, concrete terms.

Even though you might be aware of your performance gaps, you may not be aware of your unappreciated strengths. I introduce this concept for the first time, to help you gain razor-sharp clarity on how to position yourself for your next big leadership opportunity.

This episode comes with a PDF downloadable worksheet, which I believe is one of the most valuable free resources I’ve ever created, so don’t miss it!

If you want to move up in your organization, you have to focus on what your bosses value the most, and work on the gaps that matter.

Listen to the episode here

Don’t let the holidays slip by without gaining the insights you need to hit the ground running in 2025. These episodes represent the very best of the No Bullsh!t Leadership Podcast this year, and they’ll give you the edge you need to lead with confidence and impact in the new year.

Here’s to kicking off 2025 stronger than ever!