Unleashing the Power of Recruiting Essential Workers with Dave MacDonald

In this episode of Training Unleashed, Evan Hackel sits down with Dave MacDonald, a passionate leader who built his business from the ground up to help essential workers find fulfilling employment opportunities. Dave shares his journey of overcoming adversity and his commitment to helping blue-collar workers find dependable, life-changing jobs.

From side hustles to founding Better Together Group, Dave’s story is one of resilience, perseverance, and dedication to making a difference. He shares key insights into the recruitment process for essential workers and how businesses can foster a culture that truly values their workforce. You’ll also hear about Dave’s “WTF Philosophy” (Work Hard, Tell the Truth, Finish the Job) and his approach to integrity in hiring.

Key Topics Discussed:
  • The importance of recruiting qualified, dependable workers
  • How businesses can create a company culture that supports and values essential workers
  • The three “I”s: Integrity, Intensity, and Intentionality
  • The “WTF Philosophy”: Work Hard, Tell the Truth, and Finish the Job
  • The challenges and rewards of hiring blue-collar workers versus executive-level employees
Key Takeaways:
  • The secret to successfully recruiting essential workers and creating a productive workforce
  • How integrity, intensity, and intentionality shape hiring practices
  • The values that drive Dave MacDonald’s leadership and business success
About Our Guest

Dave MacDonald is the Owner and President of Better Together Group, which is the parent company of three staffing agencies. His journey began nearly 30 years ago when he found himself fired and struggling to provide for his family. This adversity ignited his passion for helping essential workers secure meaningful, reliable jobs. Better Together Group is built on the principles of integrity and helping others succeed, with a mission to boost client productivity and ensure job candidates can fulfill their goals. Dave’s proudest achievement is welcoming his children into his company at their request. His focus on people-first leadership continues to drive Better Together’s success.

How to Connect with Guest:


Website: Better Together Group

LinkedIn: Dave Macdonald
Dave’s Podcast: xtoz.org

Stay connected with Training Unleashed beyond the podcast! Join our growing community and be part of the conversation about leadership, training, and personal growth.

2024-11-13T11:57:06-05:00November 13, 2024|

Unleashing the Power of Transparency in Leadership with Todd Davis

In this enlightening episode of the Training Unleashed podcast, host Evan Hackel sits down with Todd Davis, Chief People Officer at FranklinCovey and author of the best-selling book *Get Better: 15 Proven Practices to Build Effective Relationships at Work*. With 40 years of experience in leadership and organizational performance improvement, Todd shares his wealth of knowledge on what it takes to foster effective and lasting change in human behavior within organizations.

Key Discussion Points:

FranklinCovey’s Legacy and Expertise:

  • Todd discusses his 28-year tenure at FranklinCovey and the company’s 40-year history in the leadership space.
  • Emphasizes FranklinCovey’s global reach and their ability to glean leadership insights from top leaders around the world.

Innovations and Research:

  •  Insights into FranklinCovey’s robust innovations team that conducts ongoing research to address pressing organizational challenges.
  • Collaboration with leading thought leaders like Liz Wiseman, author of *Multipliers*, to enhance their course offerings.

Importance of Humility and Partnerships:

  • Todd highlights the importance of partnering with other content creators to bring the best solutions to their clients.
  • Discusses how humility and a willingness to learn from others contribute to FranklinCovey’s success.

Behavior Change and Performance Improvement:

  • Explanation of how FranklinCovey helps organizations achieve results through behavior change.
  • Description of the All Access Pass, which provides clients with comprehensive access to FranklinCovey’s vast array of solutions and resources.

Practical Tips for Leaders:

  • Todd’s top tip for leaders: Be transparent with everyone you interact with, regardless of their position.
  • Emphasis on treating everyone as fellow human beings to foster genuine connections and effective leadership.

Personal Anecdotes and Insights:

Evan shares a personal story about striving for greater transparency and honesty in his own life, underscoring the challenges and benefits of such an approach.

 Notable Quotes:

Todd Davis: “We have this aspirational goal of always trying to model our content… we fall down a lot, but we get back up.”

Evan Hackel: “If you’re gonna be more transparent, you might let some people know. Give them a heads up as to the new you.”

About Our Guest

Todd Davis has over 26 years of experience in training, training development, human resources, executive recruiting, sales, and marketing. He has
been with FranklinCovey for the past 13 years and is the Chief People Officer.Todd is extremely passionate about teaching and living the principles and
concepts contained in FranklinCovey offerings. He believes strongly that to become a true leader you must first “be the change” and he diligently
strives to be a model of what he teaches.

Additional Resources:

FranklinCovey: franklincovey.com

Todd Davis’ Book: Get Better: 15 Proven Practices to Build Effective Relationships at Work 

Liz Wiseman’s Multipliers: Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter 

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Training Unleashed. Stay inspired and keep learning!

Additional Media:

2024-07-31T11:30:06-04:00July 31, 2024|

Unleashing Unlimited Worth: Overcoming Trauma and Achieving Success with Mike Skrypnek

In this episode of Training Unleashed, host Evan Hackel sits down with Mike Skrypnek, a transformational business coach, author, and founder of the Unlimited Worth Project. Mike shares his personal journey of overcoming trauma, the importance of addressing mental health issues even when feeling successful, and how these experiences have shaped his approach to coaching and leadership. The conversation delves into the impact of unresolved trauma on leadership, the significance of addressing mental health proactively, and the services Mike offers through his Unlimited Worth Project.

Key Discussion Points:
Mike’s Journey and Overcoming Trauma:
  • Mike shares his background and how he was shaped by childhood traumas and the need to prove his worth: “I had a great foundation, but I was still missing something.”
  • He discusses the repetitive nature of stressors and how unresolved trauma affects mental health and success: “When I realized that it was gonna deal with me one way or the other if I didn’t deal with it, I really started to wonder, why didn’t I do this sooner.”
  • Mike emphasizes the importance of addressing mental health issues when feeling good, rather than waiting for a crisis.

    “If we can tackle these things when we’re feeling decent, we can enter into a healthy process of improving our mental health.”
The Unlimited Worth Project:
      • Mike introduces the Unlimited Worth Project, which evolved from his previous initiative, Grow Get Give Coaching: “It’s morphed into something I call the Unlimited Worth Project.”
      • The project aims to connect past experiences and current behaviors, helping leaders fill gaps and elevate their performance: “The Unlimited Worth Project is exactly that – connecting the dots between what happened to us and what we’re repeating.”
      • Mike works with male leaders, CEOs, and leadership teams to identify and address these gaps in a straightforward and comfortable manner: “In a plain-spoken way that makes people comfortable and gives them clear and understandable viable pathways to success.”
Services Offered by Mike Skrypnek:
      • Mike offers keynote speaking, workshops, and one-on-one coaching for senior leadership teams and individuals: “I’ll come in and do keynotes, workshops with senior leadership teams, and one-on-one coaching with senior leadership people.”
      • He invests time in discovery conversations, offering a generous 28-minute free consultation to explore potential benefits and ways to work together: “I give of myself. And I’m doing that through this program in particular. 28 minutes of my time to investigate through a discovery conversation.”
      • Interested individuals can reach out to Mike via his website, LinkedIn, or email for more information and to take advantage of his offer: “Go to my website, LinkedIn, or email me at [email protected].”
Unlimited Worth Book:
      • Mike recommends his book “Unlimited Worth” as a must-read, which details his personal journey and the connection between healing and achieving a fulfilling life:
        “It has to be ‘Unlimited Worth’… my most recent book, written and published in 2022.”
      • The book provides insights into becoming whole by addressing and overcoming past trauma: “It describes my journey and the connection I made to what happened to me on one side of healing, and then the other side, the better side, of becoming whole.”

Key Takeaway:

  • Mike’s primary tip for the audience is to recognize that everything is connected: “It’s all connected, and it will be connected until we take action to unconnect or disconnect it.”
  • He encourages leaders to take proactive steps to break these connections and improve their overall well-being and performance: “What happened to us will happen to us continually until we deal with it.”
About Our Guest

Mike Skrypnek is an international bestseller of nine books, a keynote speaker, leadership coach, podcast host, and sought-after business strategist who has shared his insights and wisdom with thousands of passionate purpose-driven industry leaders. Mike is the CEO of Grow GET Give Coaching, Founder of the UNLimited WORTH Project & Chair of the UNLimited WORTH Wellness Society. Mike lives, loves, and adventures with his wife, Sherri, and their two young adult children, Madison, and Coen, in the beautiful Sea-to-Sky corridor of British Columbia, Canada. You can find them skiing, snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, paddling and more in the mountains, on the rivers and ocean just minutes from home, in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

How to Connect with Mike Skrypnek:
Additional Media:

2024-07-10T10:58:04-04:00July 10, 2024|

Unleashing the Power of Training in Marketing: Navigating the Future with AI with Ford Saeks

In today’s rapidly evolving world, where staying ahead of the curve is essential for personal and professional growth, we find ourselves at the intersection of marketing, training, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). In this captivating conversation between seasoned experts Ford Saeks and Evan Hackel, we explore how effective training can elevate marketing efforts, drive organizational success, and navigate the transformative landscape shaped by AI.

The Foundation of Effective Training

As our discussion unfolds, Ford Saeks, a Hall of Fame speaker and serial entrepreneur with a wealth of experience spanning various industries, emphasizes the foundational importance of training. Drawing from personal experience, he underscores that training is not merely a one-time event but an ongoing process. “Training isn’t something you did. It’s something you do,” he asserts, emphasizing the continuous nature of learning and development.

Aligning Communication for Optimal Results

In the fast-paced world of marketing, effective communication is key. Our guest emphasizes the significance of aligning messaging with market needs and preferences. Whether it’s internal communication with staff or external communication with customers, the message must resonate to elicit the desired response.

The Customer-Centric Approach

Reflecting on a memorable marketing mishap, our guest underscores the importance of viewing business through the lens of the customer. Sharing an anecdote from a presentation to community bankers, he emphasizes the need to deliver on the promised value proposition. “You really need to look at your business model and your communications through the eyes of the customer,” he advises, stressing the importance of understanding and meeting customer expectations.

Embracing the Future with AI

Building upon the foundation laid by effective training, Evan Hackel, in his conversation with Ford Saeks, delves into the profound impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on various aspects of society. Both speakers emphasize the importance of continuous learning in navigating the complexities of today’s world, urging individuals and organizations to embrace AI and understand its potential.

Practical Training for Tangible Results

The discussion further explores the value of practical, actionable insights in training sessions. From keynotes to webinars, the goal is to deliver content that resonates with the audience and leaves a lasting impact. Both speakers stress the significance of effective training delivery, tailored to the needs of the audience. Keeping participants engaged is key to maximizing the impact of training sessions.

Marketing Benefits vs. Features

Finally, the conversation touches upon the importance of marketing benefits over features. This results-driven approach ensures that clients understand the value proposition and are more likely to invest in growth opportunities.

In conclusion, our exploration of training and marketing reveals a symbiotic relationship that fuels business growth, fosters customer engagement, and embraces the transformative potential of AI. By unlocking the power of effective training and embracing emerging technologies, individuals and organizations can navigate the future with confidence, innovation, and growth.

About Our Guest

Ford Saeks is more than a hall of fame keynote speaker, he’s a research-based thought leader. An engine. An expert. An idea man and marketing machine. He helps businesses not by talking at them about success, but by talking them through the steps to get there.

He invites all listeners to stay ahead in today’s rapidly evolving landscape, with a special mention of Ford’s AI training webinar: https://profitrichresults.com/ai-training a must for anyone looking to harness the power of AI.

2024-04-03T10:26:25-04:00April 3, 2024|

The Transformative Power of Coaching in Career Development with Randi Roberts

Welcome to another insightful edition of Training Unleashed! Today’s episode brings us a compelling conversation between our host, Evan Hackle, and the esteemed guest, Randi Roberts, CEO of Randi Roberts Coaching. The focus of this discussion revolves around the world of coaching and its profound impact on individuals, teams, and organizational growth.

Why Coaching Matters

Evan begins the conversation by addressing a significant question: Why do some people undervalue coaching, and why isn’t it a more prominent part of the executive world? Randi expresses her belief that awareness of coaching is on the rise and emphasizes the transformative nature of coaching relationships. As someone deeply passionate about coaching, Randi emphasizes that coaching isn’t about telling people what to do; it’s about guiding them to find their own path forward.

The conversation evolves to highlight the changing landscape of coaching acceptance. Randi notes that once individuals understand the support and possibilities coaching brings, they become more open to it. Coaching, however, isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. While it may not be for everyone, those willing to engage in inner work and move forward find tremendous value in the coaching relationship.

Introducing Coaching Effectively

The discussion touches upon the crucial aspect of introducing coaching effectively within organizations. Randi and Evan share their experiences of coaching within corporate settings, highlighting the positive impact on individual and team performance. The key, they suggest, is framing coaching as an investment in personal and professional growth rather than a corrective measure.

Confidentiality in coaching engagements is a pivotal aspect that Randi emphasizes. Whether coaching is initiated by individuals or companies, setting clear objectives and maintaining confidentiality creates a safe space for clients to explore and grow.

Leadership Team Development: Nurturing High Performance

Transitioning into leadership team development, Randi underscores its essential role in organizational success. With teams constantly evolving, from forming new teams to assimilating new leaders and diagnosing team challenges, the need for ongoing development becomes apparent. Trust is identified as the foundational element, and addressing both strengths and deficits is crucial for fostering high-performance teams.

One Tip for Career Success

As the conversation concludes, Randi offers a valuable tip: If something doesn’t feel right in your career, invest time in inner work to identify the root cause. Ensuring you solve the right problem is crucial for making informed decisions about your career path.

About Our Guest

Randi Roberts shares her journey, having enjoyed two fulfilling careers—one in pharmaceuticals and the current one as a coach for the past five years. As the founder of Randi Roberts Coaching, she specializes in executive coaching, career life coaching, and leadership team development. Interested readers can explore valuable resources on her website and connect via email at [email protected].

2024-01-29T17:35:30-05:00February 14, 2024|

Mastering the Art of Leadership: A Conversation with Chad Brown

Chad is an Associate Partner at Take New Ground and the host of The Naked Leadership Podcast with the founding partners of TNG (Take New Ground). In this episode, Evan takes a deep dive into the world of leadership with our special guest, Chad Brown. With a wealth of experience and insights, Chad is here to share his perspectives on what it takes to be an exceptional leader.

Defining Leadership

At the heart of this episode is Chad’s definition of leadership – an art form that involves inspiring and empowering others. Drawing from his diverse background and extensive leadership roles, Chad sets the stage for a conversation that goes beyond conventional leadership norms. Evan delves into the qualities that make a great leader, exploring authenticity, empathy, and adaptability with Chad. According to Chad, titles and authority don’t define leadership; instead, it’s about influence, service, and creating a culture of collaboration. The discussion serves as a guide for both emerging and experienced leaders, offering insights into what truly matters in leadership.

Navigating Challenges: Lessons from Chad’s Journey:

One of the most engaging parts of the episode is when Chad shares a significant leadership challenge he faced – leading a team through a major organizational change. The transparency, resilience, and adaptability required during this period provided invaluable lessons that every leader can learn from.

Advice for Aspiring Leaders:

For our aspiring leaders, Chad offers practical advice based on his journey. Continuous learning, embracing challenges, and being open to feedback are key components that Chad believes can contribute to a fulfilling and successful leadership journey.

About Our Guest

Chad Brown is a leadership engagement expert. He coaches executives and entrepreneurs in the art and science of leadership for themselves, their teams, and clients to create new, unprecedented results and experience fulfillment in their work. He thrives in extreme environments and finds comfort in difficult conversations. Over the last 5 years, Chad has trained and developed leaders at globally recognized brands like Lulu Lemon, and Ironclad Document Services along with many burgeoning start-ups.

2024-03-21T13:53:32-04:00January 24, 2024|

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|

Coaching to achieve success with Lisa Baker

 

Lisa Baker is the Founder of Ascentim LLC, a coaching practice that guides its clients to live more meaningful and abundant lives, and she is the guest on this episode of the Training Unleashed podcast. Lisa spoke with our host Evan Hackel about her unique approach to achieving success.

Why Lisa Left the World of Fortune 500 Businesses to Start Her Own Firm

She chose to leave corporate life so she could pursue her calling to help others reach their peak levels of success. “Outside that corporate world,” she told Evan, “people have more freedom to say and do things.”

Lisa explains, “I’ve merged my executive leadership experience with my greatest passions – faith, family, and financial freedom – to create my coaching practice, Ascentim. At Ascentim, we guide our clients to live more meaningful and abundant lives through an awakening that uncovers who they really are, what they value, and their purpose – using it all to create the career and life of their dreams.”

Lisa Explains Her G.R.O.W. Approach to Coaching

G.R.O.W. is a process and a methodology Lisa created to help people move from where they are to where they want to be.

The four steps of G.R.O.W. are:

• Gain Insight – This means gathering the information that you need to move ahead toward success. “Many times a person in an organization is struggling to add a new skill or overcome some obstacle, but is blocked and doesn’t know what the blockage is,” Lisa told Evan. “So that person has to strive to understand what is really taking place. What skills do they need? What connections?”

• Realize New Possibilities – Once you have gained insight, you can start to consider what you can do with the information you have gathered. “Where do you want to go?” Lisa asks, “what is now possible for you?”

• Overcome Obstacles – This phase is all about planning. “Life always brings obstacles our way,” Lisa says. “We didn’t expect some of them, but there are other obstacles we can anticipate and plan for. “

• Win – This means winning at life. It’s bigger than just winning in your career. It has to do with your life and your legacy. “Winning is all about defining what success looks like to you,” Lisa says, “and for each of us, that is something different.”

Evan Hackel observed, “Part of the problem is that when people don’t define success, they never feel successful.” Lisa agreed.

Lisa on Helping Younger Employees Grow

“Younger people value the idea of having a pathway for their careers. However, many of them think that path should be very fast, and straight up. So part of managing those people is to expand their understanding of how careers grow.

“It’s not always linear. Sometimes you take some side steps. You might even see it as a step backward . . . and that’s all good.”

How Training Departments Can Support Individual Growth

Lisa says that training departments can incorporate the G.R.O.W. process in their training. “And they can also bring a more holistic approach to training that addresses a broader base of considerations than just their career,” she adds. “One of them is finance.”

A Special Offer

Lisa would like to offer listeners a copy of her new eBook Financial Therapy: Change Your Beliefs and Change Your Life. To get your copy, CLICK HERE and enter the promotional code FREE BOOK at checkout.

About Our Guest

Lisa Baker is the Founder of Ascentim LLC, a coaching practice that guides its clients to live more meaningful and abundant lives. Her greatest passions are faith, family and financial freedom.

Lisa L. Baker has more than two decades of financial experience in Fortune 500 companies and is a Ramsey Certified Master Financial Coach. No stranger to financial hardship, she bounced back from extreme debt and bankruptcy to retire at the age of 54 – DEBT FREE! She shares her wisdom with others who are ready to go from financial bondage to financial freedom.

Lisa earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Saint Louis University. She is a certified Personal and Executive Coach (The CaPP Institute) and a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF). She also holds a certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of South Florida Muma College of Business.

2022-11-28T11:37:51-05:00November 28, 2022|

Scaling your business with Crista Grasso

Our Training Unleashed podcast host Evan Hackel sat down with Crista Grasso, the creator of the Lean Out Method, a simple way to grow a business to scale in the right way, by minimizing waste and maximizing efficiencies, and a known authority on helping global businesses simplify and scale. The two discussed the importance of growing your business to the right scale.

What Do You Need to Focus on As You Scale?

Crista says there are four factors to consider: Strategy, Planning, Systems and Team

One common problem is that when things are not working well, many companies assume they need to add more people. Yet the real problem could be something else: they don’t have the right systems in place.

And if they pause and simplify, many companies find they can stretch their people a bit further and align them with roles that will get more from the business.

Where to Focus as You Scale

If you can focus on your most important goals as a company – where you really want to be and what you really want to achieve – that will help you pinpoint activities where you can reduce your energy and your resources.

Unless you have clarity of vision, everything will seem like an amazing opportunity and you can invest your people, time and effort in the wrong areas. So the first step is to clarify your vision, so you engage in activities that are directionally correct.

On a Bigger Vision of Training

Training plays a critically important role in helping a company grow to scale provided the company asks not only “what are we doing?” but, “why are we doing it?”

Crista’s One Biggest Tip for Members of the Training Unleashed Community

“Have that clarity of vision,” Crista says. “If you know what is directionally correct for your organization, it will help you make the right decisions and help you grow to scale.”

A Special Offer

Crista has written a guide that outlines the top ten ways that people waste time and waste money in their businesses. She invites you to download your free copy HERE.

About Our Guest

Crista Grasso is the go-to strategic planning and systems expert for online businesses when they want to scale. Known as the “Business Optimizer,” Crista has the ability to quickly cut through noise and provide clarity on the core things that will make the biggest impact to scale a business simply and sustainably. She is the founder of the Lean Out Method, creator of the Lean Business Scaling System, and host of the Lean Out Your Business Podcast.

2022-11-11T10:43:52-05:00November 11, 2022|
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