This month, with our fifth in the series of Leader ToC™ Blog Posts, we interview the person I loosely, affectionately and accurately call my “unofficial mentor”, Joe Calloway. Leader ToC™ (Thoughts on Character) is our monthly series engaging leaders around the world on character, leadership and more. Before we get started this month, here is a LINKEDIN post that will catch you up on the series to date.
INTRODUCING JOE CALLOWAY
From his own site, here is some of what I know of Joe. He is …
- Executive In Residence at Belmont University’s Center For Entrepreneurship, which has been named as a national Top 25 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program by the Princeton Review (for five consecutive years). The program was featured by Fortune magazine as one of five schools to consider when studying entrepreneurship.
- Author of seven books on business performance, including Becoming A Category of One, Be The Best At What Matters Most, Magnetic: The Art Of Attracting Business, and the soon to be released Keep It Simple.
- Consultant and advisor to business leaders, owners, and entrepreneurs.
- Real estate investor/developer in projects throughout the mid-south.
- Investor in and advisor to start-up companies which presently include Gilson Boards and EVAmore.co.
Joe has presented at business conferences and events in countries around the world including Italy, Sweden, South Africa, England, Swaziland, Canada, Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. Although Joe has been inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame, he doesn’t do traditional “speeches.” Instead, Joe actively engages people in highly interactive keynotes and workshops that challenge assumptions and create new ways of thinking.
Joe lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife, Annette, and their daughters, Jessica and Cate.
Personally, this I know and have experienced. So, let us …
Engage the Leader ToC™
BARRY LEWIS GREEN
Hi Joe, and thank you for graciously agreeing to share your thoughts through Leader ToC™. To get us started, let me ask this. Though I have long known of your work and we have had opportunities to chat over the last 5 years… for the benefit of those reading here, and myself… what is it that you do?
JOE CALLOWAY
A pleasure Barry. Through books, presentations, workshops, and consulting, I help leaders in high performing companies maximize the potential of their organizations.
BARRY LEWIS GREEN
Joe, I have to say that I love the clarity and certitude of that statement. Succinct and says it. So, who do you best serve?
JOE CALLOWAY
Barry, I serve CEOs, entrepreneurs, owners, and senior level leaders in business, education, government and non-profits.
BARRY LEWIS GREEN
Personally, that validates my own choices; not that I sought validation lol… but it does. I like how you have a broad but clear and focused audience. It shows discernment and integrity. So, in doing so, what are your thoughts on what makes for great leadership?
JOE CALLOWAY
In my experience, great leaders, above all, remind everyone of “who we are” and “what is important here.” By “who we are,” I mean the culture of the organization, the way we have decided to behave with each other and with everyone with whom we interact. Great leaders take the culture of the organization very, very seriously, and are diligent in protecting it. By “what is important here,” I mean the goals of the organization and the strategies and tactics necessary to achieve these goals. A great leader helps his or her people get absolute clarity on what is most important, thus enabling them to focus on what matters most in their actions.
BARRY LEWIS GREEN
I could not agree more, and it is indeed part of the reason I love your work and the books you are producing. It and they speak to this powerfully; and simply. I am hearing simplicity, excellence, responsibility, clarity and accountability in what is needed. So, what is one challenge you feel requires engaging leadership at this time?
JOE CALLOWAY
Thanks Barry. I believe that the great and constant challenge today, more than ever before, is the challenge to continuously improve and innovate. If that seems like a cliche’, well, there’s your challenge. The constancy and speed of changes in the marketplace and the world today demand that we continuously adjust and rethink what we do and how we do it. But most people only give lip service to the “cliche’” of constant improvement. We all say we do it, but few of us do. Leadership must actively engage people in the often uncomfortable process of letting go of what has worked up to this point, in order that we might discover what will work next.
BARRY LEWIS GREEN
Absolutely. In working with my own business students, I say that embracing change is a prerequisite… not putting up with it… embracing it. So, what do you think is the return on investment in facing that challenge?
JOE CALLOWAY
Optimum performance and the realization of potential.
BARRY LEWIS GREEN
Drop. The. Mic. I love it. Joe, I admire the integrity, clarity and confidence of your work. I have since I first encountered you and it. The answers you have provided today have reinforced for me both what I love about the work you are doing and the need for it in the world today and going forward. I want to sincerely thank you for your time.
JOE CALLOWAY
Always, a pleasure Barry.
Leader ToC™ out…
Folks, check out Joe’s work today. You will be glad you did.
Also, note that we are moving. Over the coming months, around the third or final Friday of each month… we will continue to engage and explore with experts and leaders around the globe. We invite you to join us.
Until next month…
Peace, passion and prosperity.
Barry Lewis Green, aka The Unity Guy™
PS
Barry is ultimately a strength coach and educator. His work is about exploring, identifying, practicing and mastering our strengths and building upon them through practical and powerful unity and resourcefulness. That is why Barry is The Unity Guy™. EPIC Engage™ is an extension of The Unity Guy™. The Epic work is all about building strong, united and inspired cultures lead by character… at school, work and community; where everyone matters and contributes everyday.
PPS
Check out this post on starting up… a great read with 8 perspectives on starting up at school, business or community.
PPPS
Today, September 22 2016 is Character Day, and we will be Facebook Living it tonight on AFTER SCHOOL at 7:30 pm EST. We will be exploring 5 strategies for advancing character at school, work and community. Hope you join us on Facebook @ Barry Lewis Green or @ Epic Engage.
PPPPS 🙂
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