
Chris Fuller is an author and the President and CEO of Influence Leadership Inc, an organization focused on serving businesses through the development and growth of their people. He is a keynote speaker and has facilitated many strategic sessions for large companies. This experience has given him valuable, best-practice insights. Tom Fox welcomes him to this week’s show as they discuss ideas and strategies to help you around leadership.
Mid-Level Management & Cultural Change
Chris wants to help leaders achieve their dreams, while also creating a great work environment for their employees. The day-to-day reality of leadership is a challenge, and new mid-level managers get burned out when they are promoted without proper preparation. “I have a strong focus on the first-time leaders, to prepare them so that they’re set up for success, not set up for struggle,” Chris says. Embedding this as a culture within an organization will have to involve senior leadership. “We start with the mid-level, we make sure that we equip and empower the new leaders, but then from an organizational effectiveness standpoint, we really want to impact cultural change at the senior leader level.”
Being Intentional & The Inspired Leadership Pathway
Becoming an inspired leader means being intentional and purposeful. Chris gives an anecdote of going to see Hamilton, and he expresses that the kind of dedication put into the play is the kind of dedication we need to apply to the workplace. “If we take that to our daily lives, if we take that to our professional lives, how much inspiration and how much achievement can we start with? We can’t have inspired results without intending to get there and being on purpose not on accident.” It’s part and parcel of Chris’ inspired leadership pathway which is about embodying a serving others mindset. Tom asks Chris to explain further. “It’s about being passionate and purposeful in what you do,” he responds. “It’s also about integrating operations with people and also being real and authentic in your relationships, while “executing with excellence.” The combination of cultural and fundamental execution is what will lead an organization to success.
“And”, Not “Or”
Chris’s style of leadership takes into account the “and” of everything: results and relationships; people and production. He utilizes both aspects and encourages leaders to do the same. “I’ve got to infuse that adventure and that sense of reality, the gritty reality of leading in the trenches with this infused adventure set to make it…. I’m going to equip and empower you but in the middle of it we’re gonna have a blast.” People learn better through stories and when they’re having fun, Chris expresses. Culture is critical to a company’s development and ethical values, it needs to be emphasized from the top down. “A leader’s behavior can tell the rest of the organization under them or those that witness them, that the cultural statements are simply a poster on the wall.”
The Race Method & Celebrating People
Tom asks Chris to explain the Race Method. Chris states that it’s one of the methods that came out of studying the Iditarod. The race methodology says: are you ready to run the race that is going to be mapped out for you, and what are those action steps that you need to do if your team isn’t race-ready? You need to have action, or else the team is never going to be able to fulfill what you want them to fulfill. We have to teach them to do what we need them to execute. “We need checkpoints – evaluate the progress made and we can involve it. So ready, act, checkpoint, and evolve.” When employees do something right, we need to celebrate them, Chris adds. “When you celebrate and catch people doing something right, they want to do more of it and others want to be celebrated as well.” Make your values and culture clear, tie those literal behaviors together, and when they are activated in your employees, celebrate that to the fullest.
Resources
Chris Fuller | LinkedIn, Twitter
InfluenceLeadership.com

In this episode we talk with Atle Skjekkeland, CEO at Infotechtion, about information protection and governance; the challenges and priorities that companies are facing as they work remotely and from around the world; and the models for reducing operational risks, increasing cost savings and using information to identify opportunities for the future.
Voices of Data Protection is a show about the latest processes and solutions to help you manage your data, keep it safe, and stay compliant. We talk with industry experts, leaders, and program managers from Microsoft to learn how digital transformation is accelerating the need for compliance, how organizations are navigating this new landscape, and learn best-in-class practices and solutions to get your organization started and bring compliance to the next level. Transcripts are available for all episodes. For more infomration, visit: https://aka.ms/voicesofdataprotection
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With the removal of the work / life compartmentalization the world of covid can affect our productivity quite a lot.
From finding workspace at home, raising children, internet bandwidth issues, and dealing with life in general, adaptability is key.
Today we’re joined by Dawn Vogel who will share tips with us on how to handle this added stress of working at home.
Listen in at: http://www.jasonmefford.com/jammingwithjason/
Where does Internal Audit report? How does this affect your independence and how can you use this to be able to lead an effective internal audit group?
Getting a seat at the table is built upon what value you bring to the organization as well as what perceived future value you will bring as well.
Professional relationships are going to be one way that we can raise awareness to the value that we provide, and these relationships may go beyond our direct report.
In today’s episode we meet again with Hal Garyn to discuss how to develop professional relationships to help further your career.
Listen in at: http://www.jasonmefford.com/jammingwithjason/
In today’s episode we speak with Mike Joyce. We learn about volunteer opportunities that can gain you useful knowledge in your audit career, along with interdepartmental symbiosis that can allow for a much smoother audit process.
If you still want even more. Then you will definitely want to tune in to hear Mike’s advice to newer auditors, or his pointers for auditors that are aspiring to become CAEs.
Mike Joyce is the Chief Auditor and Compliance Officer with Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association in Chicago. He also served as the Chairman of the Board for the Institute of Internal Auditors.
Listen in at: http://www.jasonmefford.com/jammingwithjason/
Do You Have Career Insurance?
You already understand the benefits of having health insurance when those unexpected situations come along, but do you have career insurance??
When that inevitable career “stroke” or “heart attack” comes along you don’t want to be left holding the bag on your career, do you?
In this #jammingwithjason episode I’m sharing what you need to create your own career insurance. You are already managing #risk so why not manage your #careerrisk
For a Chief Audit Executive, belonging to the CAE Forum is one way of adding some career insurance for those tough challenges every CAE eventually experiences, and it’s much more affordable than health insurance.
You can keep doing what you are doing, or you can join a consistent confidential community of like-minded CAEs that comes with executive coaching. Which will have the best impact on your career? The choice is up to you.
If now is the right time for you, whatever you do check out: https://jasonmefford.mykajabi.com/caeforum and schedule a call, but don’t just take my word for it, see the benefits others have experienced by being a part of the CAE Forum on the website.
Listen in at: http://www.jasonmefford.com/jammingwithjason/
The key to getting every day started off right is having a good morning routine. If you are showing up for work already exhausted before the day even starts, perhaps it’s time to think about incorporating a positive morning routine to get you through the day feeling relaxed and confident. In this episode we share our morning routines and give you some practical advice for how you can develop and practice your own morning routine that’ll make you a champion.
If you are a Chief Audit Executive, you are going to want to tune in for this one!
Today we are joined with Hal Garyn to discuss Executive Presence, what it is, how important it is, and how YOU can increase your executive presence.
If you are ready for an executive development program to help you increase your executive presence, consider joining the CAE Forum where you have access to confidential advisors, and a consistent community of like-minded peers.
https://jasonmefford.mykajabi.com/caeforum
To download the paper Hal wrote on Executive Presence for Chief Audit Executive, visit: https://jasonmefford.mykajabi.com/caeb-paper-03
Listen in at: http://www.jasonmefford.com/jammingwithjason/
In today’s episode, we have George Graves who is here to share with us the things that he has learned and witnessed in the auditing field over the course of his 40 year career.
From the “magazine image of auditing” to best practices in internal audit functions this episode is JAM packed with tons of information that all auditors can learn from!
Listen in at: http://www.jasonmefford.com/jammingwithjason/