About Mikayla Takacs

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So far Mikayla Takacs has created 34 blog entries.

Navigating the Corporate Seas: A Guide to Effective Veteran Management and Situational Leadership

Captain William Toti is author of the new book From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership.

In a recent Training Unleashed podcast, he and our host Evan Hackel discussed proven strategies for hiring, training and motivating employees who have recently transitioned from the military. We are pleased to share some of his observations with you.

Veterans Will Be Your Best Employees . . . If Properly Prepared

Veterans, even though they had excellent training and meaningful experiences in the military, have usually acquired certain behaviors that need to be unlearned before they can excel in business.

Even though the armed forces provide training to help veterans enter civilian life, that training is often given by people who were never in the military, and it often focuses only on making veterans feel good about themselves. That can cause them to have inappropriate confidence as they transition to private industry.

There Is More to this New Mission than Just Making Money

The first assumption that many veterans make when entering business is that their new mission is simply to generate profits for their new company. Yet in most cases, that is not the central purpose of their new employer. Another issue is that giving orders is usually not the best way to lead in business.

Understanding the Military Community Where the Veteran Served

There are different communities in the military. If a veteran served on a submarine, he or she was part of a community where it was expected that people would speak up about problems. (If they didn’t, they risked the lives of all their shipmates.) But in many other military communities, few people were expected to speak up about problems.

“Understading the baseline of where veterans were and rebaselining their outlook is critical,” Captain Toti told Evan. “Everyone in business needs to understand that it is okay to speak up, regardless of where they came from.”

William Toti’s One Tip for Members of the Training Unleashed Community

‘Hire veterans!” Captain Toti says. “They will be your best employees. But if you hire them and throw them into the deep end and expect them to swim, you will be disappointed.”

A Special Offer for Training Unleashed Viewers

Captain Toti would like to offer our viewers a complimentary audiobook of his new book From CO to CEO. To receive your free audiobook, email [email protected].

About Our Guest

Captain William Toti, US Navy (Retired), has more than 40 years of experience in defense. In three years as CEO of Sparton, he was able to restructure and double the company’s value, taking it through the sale of Sparton by Cerberus Capital Management to Elbit Systems of America. Prior to joining Sparton he spent more than a decade running multi-billion-dollar global defense businesses, for both products and services, including as president of the Integrated Maritime Systems sector at L3, as vice president of the defense segment of HP, HPE, and DXC, as president of Cubic Global Defense, and as vice president of Raytheon’s Mission Support Operations. He has served on Boards of Directors of ERAPSCO, JT3, and the Italian defense company Calzoni.

Captain Toti also served for more than 26 years in the U.S. Navy, including tours as commander of Fleet Antisubmarine Warfare Command Norfolk, as commodore of Submarine Squadron 3, and as commanding officer of the nuclear fast attack submarine USS Indianapolis. He served for more than nine years in the Pentagon, including tours as special assistant to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, as Navy representative to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, and as deputy director of the Navy War Plans Cell, Deep Blue. Mr. Toti is the creator/author of the US Navy’s current “Full Spectrum Antisubmarine Warfare” concept of operations.

Captain Toti is an active speaker who addresses companies of all sizes across the U.S. Contact him at [email protected]

2023-11-29T15:40:47-05:00November 29, 2023|

Breaking Through Business Plateaus with Sean M Doyle

Sean M. Doyle, Principal at FitzMartin Inc, stands as a beacon of innovation. With over 25 years of experience and 5,000+ client engagements, Sean has honed a sales-first, scientific approach to drive revenue and create lasting value for B2B companies. As an author, speaker, and advisor, he’s on a mission to redefine how small-business executives perceive marketing, aiming to empower them to sell more effectively to their most profitable customers.

Why Businesses Plateau

Sean breaks down the marketing challenges businesses face as they grow. In the early stages, businesses may rely on basic marketing approaches, but as they surpass 25 FTEs, complexities arise. Communication barriers become prominent, and by the time a business exceeds 50 FTEs, the focus shifts to growth strategies and shaping marketing to inform overall strategy.

Communication and Collaboration

A crucial aspect discussed is the need for effective communication and collaboration between sales, marketing, and executive teams. Sean highlights the importance of the training function as the glue that holds these departments together. Identifying barriers and making concise adjustments in sales and marketing can lead to significant growth.

Overcoming Marketing Fears

The conversation shifts to Evan’s book and the fears executives often have about marketing. Sean provides valuable insights into hiring for marketing roles and suggests that fear often stems from a lack of comfort and expertise. He introduces a framework and a set of questions that executives can use to navigate the hiring process.

About Our Guest

Sean M. Doyle is a leading consultancy focused on sales marketing and management, sales and marketing technology services, and revenue operations for B2B companies. Sean and his team at FitzMartin are focused on long term value creation through a sales-first, scientific approach to driving revenue.

Explore a world of inspiration and expertise at Sean Doyle’s online hubs. Visit Sean for insightful musings on marketing  and beyond and dive into the realm of  the science and art of growing revenue. 

2023-11-22T11:00:33-05:00November 22, 2023|

Creating Inclusive Workplaces: A Conversation with Sejal Thakkar

Sejal Thakkar is on a mission to educate and empower people to create a world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. In this episode of “Training Unleashed,” host Evan Hackel engaged in a compelling conversation with Sejal, delving into the critical aspects of equity, diversity, and employee civility in the workplace.

The Hard Way v. The Easy Way?

The discussion kicks off with the question of whether companies prefer the hard way or the easy way when it comes to training and coaching leaders. Thakkar emphasizes the importance of being proactive in providing leaders with the necessary tools to prevent issues, rather than taking shortcuts that might lead to negative consequences later.

Bystander Training: Empowering the Silent Observers

Thakkar passionately advocated for bystander intervention training, shedding light on the pivotal role of bystanders in creating safe environments. By encouraging respectful and professional intervention, organizations can alleviate the burden placed on marginalized individuals and contribute to the establishment of psychological safety.

The HAT Technique

Thakkar introduces the HAT technique—an acronym for Hold Off, Ask Why, and Take Action—as a framework for mitigating unconscious biases. This technique encourages individuals to question immediate reactions, explore the reasons behind biases, and take actions that promote inclusivity.

Golden Rule? No, The Platinum Rule!

The episode concludes with a valuable tip from Sajel: adopting the platinum rule—treating others how they want to be treated. By understanding and respecting individual differences, organizations can enhance creativity, innovation, and overall workplace dynamics.

About Our Guest

Sejal is a former employment law attorney, a 2X TEDx speaker, and the Founder and Chief Civility Officer at TrainXtra, where she helps leaders create positive, safe, and respectful workplaces through customized training and coaching. She is responsible for cultivating a people-first culture at Nobody Studios.

She invites all organizations to explore TrainXtra‘s workshops and resources. Whether in-person or virtual, TrainXtra offers a diverse range of workshops covering topics such as unconscious bias, microaggressions, and fostering diversity and inclusion.

2023-11-17T17:26:25-05:00November 17, 2023|

Leading with Encouragement: A Path to a Positive Workplace Culture With John Robertson

John Robertson is the Founder and President of FORTLOG Services. John built his services with a focus on an encouragement-based approach, resolving root causes as opposed to treating crisis and transition in the workplace symptomatically, as is often the practice. In this episode of Training Unleashed, host Evan Hackle and guest John Robertson discuss how wellness is more than not being sick.

Quit playing whack-a-mole

A common practice in most workplaces is to treat a crisis when it arises. This is all done symptomatically. John’s approach centers on analyzing and confronting the root causes of problems. He underscores the significance of leaders’ roles in not just reacting to issues but comprehending why they arise in the first place. Instead of jumping up and whacking the “mole”, you need to stop talk about what the cause is.

Instead of playing the game, unplug the machine.

The Power of Encouragement

The conversation takes an authentic turn as the significance of genuine encouragement is explored. John emphasizes that effective encouragement requires leaders to be authentic and transparent in their interactions. He also highlights the challenge of time in a fast-paced work environment, where patience and encouragement may be undervalued.

Encouragement creates a culture where individuals can learn from mistakes and grow, without fear of punitive reactions.

About Our Guest

John’s been a trusted thinking partner with 30+years of assisting individuals and organizations in managing all forms of crisis/change. He leverages a values-anchored ethos as a leadership development specialist, helping organizations and individuals to define the new norm and thrive.

2023-11-17T15:48:19-05:00September 27, 2023|
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