The Initiative Advantage

The Initiative Advantage

Author: Bill January 3, 2024 Duration: 8:27
How did you do that?
I've been asked repeatedly by colleagues and execs.
Across all the other mental models and skills - initiative is critical.


Hosted by Bill, 40% Better-Engineering Leadership is a conversation for those who build and guide technical teams. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a practical dialogue focused on the tangible mechanics of morale, motivation, and output. Each episode features a single expert in employee engagement, and together we dissect the specific strategies that lead to measurable leaps in performance. You'll hear detailed explorations into what actually moves the needle for engineers and their managers, translating research and experience into actionable leadership techniques. The goal is straightforward: to provide the insights that can help your team operate at a significantly higher level of effectiveness and satisfaction. Tune in for a focused, deep-dive podcast that cuts through the noise of generic management advice, offering concrete ideas you can apply directly to the unique challenges of engineering leadership.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 109

40% Better - Engineering Leadership
Podcast Episodes
WorkPositive with Dr. Joey - Episode 39 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:34
Dr. Joey Faucette transforms companies from a negative “Kevin Culture” to a positive work culture that increases productivity and profits.He is the culture architect of the Work Positive framework, certified Executive Co…
BarbedWire - Episode 38 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:23
Eighteen months ago barbed wire terrified me.Last weekend, I ran another 100+ feet.What happened in the last year??
HR, Leadership, and Avoiding Traps - Episode 37 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:31
Lisa-Maree Blumenfeld, has 20+ years of HR experience.We had a wide ranging conversation around HR, people at work, and avoiding pitfalls. Prior to starting Retain, Lisa was the VP of People at Expa, where she led a cent…
Devil is in the Details - Episode 36 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:18
Effective leadership isn't a philosophy - it's a stack of behaviors driven by tiny details. Overlooking these details is why we have so many disengaged and low performing employees. Details matter when you want a high pe…
Pillars of Team Leadership - Emotional Resilience - Episode 35 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:41
When people ask me "how do you do that?", the answer is often "by overcoming emotional friction". At the core, that's what Emotional Resilience is - overcoming emotional friction. Often team leads are stopped from doing…
Business Leverage - Episode 34 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:26
Leverage - using somethign to the maximum advantage One of my early mentors taught me the importance of Individual Contributors for company revenue, product development, and client happiness.And how team leads had the mo…
Asking Better Questions - Episode 33 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:39
Ask more questions. Ask different questions. You can learn a lot from and about your team by asking questions - and getting them what they want.
Professor Rao on Soft Leadership - Episode 32 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:31
Professor Rao and I had a wide ranging chat about leadership, emotional intelligence, and employee engagement. Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professormsrao Substack: https://professormsra…
Removing Friction - Episode 31 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:02
Most employees are disengaged, frustrated, and low performing at work.When we meet a happy and high performing employee - what are the behaviors of their team lead that makes this happen?First up is finding and removing…