Becoming Your Best | The Principles of Highly Successful Leaders

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Episode 235 - The First Person You Must Lead is You!

Season 1, Ep. 235

Leadership is a journey and such a driving force in life! It is both tangible and intangible, and where it really makes a difference is in crisis. It makes a difference between a good and a great family, a good and a great community, or a good and a great company, because it takes a great deal of self-discipline to be a leader, to be on time, and to choose the harder right over the easier wrong.

The perfect place to learn these values is in the army, and oftentimes, the people that have served in the US Military, in high positions, have become excellent leadership examples to follow.

In today’s episode, Becky and I discuss the qualities and the values a highly successful leader must have, the reasons why everything starts with yourself, and the importance of knowing when to step up and admitting when it’s time to step down. We also dive deep into her experience in the Military and how it was for her, not only to be a woman in a men’s world, but also thrive in there and lead thousands of soldiers in combat.

Becky Halstead is a retired Brigadier General who founded her own consultancy company - STEADFAST Leadership - after 27 years of service in the United States Army, and one year as the Executive Director for Leader Development with Praevius Group.

She has been honored to be selected to attend West Point in 1977 - entering with the second class of women and being the first kid from her hometown to graduate from West Point. She's blessed to be the first female graduate of West Point to be promoted to General Officer and she served and commanded in combat, as the first female Commanding General at the strategic level of leadership in Iraq - leading 20,000 soldiers, 5,000 civilians from 2005 to 2006 - a first for our Army and our Nation.

Becky has also written the leadership book, “The First Person You Must Lead Is You”, so listen to Episode 235 of Becoming Your Best, to learn some strategies she used in the military and how can those translate in the civilian world so that we can all become our best at leading teams.

Questions I ask:

Could you, please, tell us about your background, including any turning points that have had a significant impact on you? (03:00)
What was it like to be the first woman graduate who became a general? (10:59)
How did you deal with the setbacks you encountered in your journey? (12:45)
How did your book come to be? (17:20)
What is the value of both practical and tactical leadership, in being able to get results? (21:26)

In this episode, you will learn:

How Becky’s high school coach influenced her decision to go to West Point. (05:19)
The importance of not quitting when it gets tough. (07:35)
How the death of Becky’s coach has helped her later in life, during her military career. (09:11)
What the acronym STEADFAST stands for and the reason Becky decided to make it her leadership model. (19:26)
One of the most important qualities a leader should possess. (22:36)
The difference between practical and tactical leadership. (23:45)

Connect with Becky:

Becoming Your Best Resources:

More Episodes

View all

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Episode 381 - Your Mindful Choice Is Your Ego Working For or Against You with Christie Garcia

Ep. 381

Our ego is made of our mindset, beliefs, and unconscious habits. That means 99% of our decisions are driven by our ego, which is not necessarily bad if we think our ego is both our weaknesses and strengths. In a way, we owe our success to our ego; it pushed us through challenging times and helped us reach the top.Yet CEOs, team leaders, and managers need other people to meet them at the top, and that’s where the ego gets in the way.In this episode, Christie Garcia, President of Mindful Choice Coaching, teaches us how to become better leaders by understanding the ego's influence in our decision-making process. In over 12 years in business, Mindful Choice Coaching helped many individuals reach their leadership potential, from companies like Airbnb, Twitter, Oakley Inc, and DemandForce, to name a few.Throughout our conversation, Christie talks about the 30ft fall that changed her life and the question she had to answer three times to realize "she wasn't okay". We learn about the three types of ego and how they operate, how to prevent our ego from running our company, how to develop a healthy, balanced, and optimal ego, and so much more.Tune in to Episode 381 of Becoming Your Best and learn how mindful choices can produce real change in your leadership abilities.Some Questions I Ask: Please tell us about your background and how you got into what you're doing today (2:50) How do we develop a healthy, balanced, optimal ego? (14:10)In This Episode, You Will Learn: Christie talks about the 30ft fall that changed her life (6:00) Are you really "doing okay"? (8:20) The three types of ego (12:20) How ego sabotages our happiness (17:10) The communication component of ego management (21:10)Connect with Christie: Website LinkedInBecoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.com Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Episode 380 - Married Happily Ever After with Dr. Frieda Birnbaum

Ep. 380

Most of us misunderstood the "and they lived happily ever after" phrase; it doesn't mean they never argued or had different thoughts on the same matter. It means they grew together, supported each other, and made the other person's happiness their own.Today, I'm joined by the inspiring Dr. Frieda Birnbaum, a National Media Psychologist and Personality, fellow podcaster Host of The Dr. Frieda Show, sought-after International Speaker, and Author of "Life Begins at 60: A New View on Motherhood, Marriage, and Reinventing Ourselves."We had a fantastic conversation about what makes couples stay together, the foundations of a happy marriage (not perfect), and how emotional prenups can prevent marriages from ending. Dr. Frieda also shared details of her background, what inspired her to focus on couples' happiness, what makes an effective emotional prenup, and the importance of creating personal space in a relationship.Tune in to Episode 380 and discover the foundations of a happily ever after marriage.Some Questions I Ask: Please tell us about your background and the things that have happened that helped you get to where you are today? (3:20) What is an emotional prenup? (6:40)In This Episode, You Will Learn: An encounter in a supermarket that changed Dr. Frieda's life (4:20) The criteria we look at before marrying someone (7:50) How to create a meaningful emotional prenup (11:40) The importance of learning to listen (14:10) Why we should praise personal space within a relationship (19:00) The difference between mutual understanding of happiness and forcing the other to see and think like us (23:40)Resources: The Doctor Frieda Show podcast Book: Dr. Frieda Birnbaum - Life Begins at 60: A New View on Motherhood, Marriage, and Reinventing OurselvesConnect with Dr. Frieda: Website LinkedIn Twitter FacebookBecoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best Library Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Episode 379 - What Everyone Needs to Know to REHAB THEIR BRAIN with Dr. John Hatch

Ep. 379

Our brain's priority is keeping us alive whenever our health is threatened. Even if it costs us gut issues, anxiety, or any disorder, it doesn't matter; it considers the job done as long as it keeps us alive. Yet, after the threat is over, the brain doesn't go back to default; it gets stuck in survival mode. Because it worked.Today's episode is a true game-changer because Dr. John Hatch joins us to talk about brain rehab, a subject that is not mentioned enough and has the potential to literally change lives. Dr. Hatch is a Neuroplastician, Functional Neurologist, Speaker, and Author of "The Basis of Brain Rehab" and "Brain Rehab and The Patient Experience."He is also the Founder of the Brain Rehab Clinic, where he uses receptor-based therapies to stimulate the brain and restore a healthy balance by creating new pathways to learn new skills. We had a fantastic conversation about brain rehab's massive potential, Dr. Hatch's process at the Brain Rehab Clinic, and practical tools to evaluate our brain's overall health and enhance its good shape. We also learn about Dr. Hatch's background, why he started working with brain rehab, how it can help deal with autoimmune diseases, and much more.Tune in to Episode 379 and learn more about the incredible potential of brain rehab.Some Questions I Ask: Can you walk us through the nutshell version of your work and why this significantly impacts the brain? (11:50) What is physically happening in the brain of someone practicing brain rehab? (25:30)In This Episode, You Will Learn: A bit about Dr. Hatch's passion for rehabbing brains (3:10) Dr. Hatch’s experiences treating his first patient (6:00) Why brain rehab is crucial to keep our brains healthy (8:40) The 3 fundamental gold standard brain exercises (21:40) The importance of challenging yourself to keep your brain healthy (23:10) Brain rehab and autoimmune diseases (31:50)Connect with Dr. Hatch: Website LinkedIn Instagram YouTubeDr. John Hatch's booksBecoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful LeadersBook: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Episode 378 - 3 Ways to Create Employalty and Commitment with Joe Mull

Ep. 378

What makes an employee want to stay in an organization for a long time? There are roughly 10 million open positions in the US, yet if we give every unemployed American one of those jobs today, we'd still have 5 million unfilled jobs tomorrow.There is no staffing shortage; there is a great jobs shortage. - Joe Mull.In this episode, Joe Mull visits us to share his captivating views on leadership, employment, motivation in the workspace, retention, and his latest book, "Employalty: How To Ignite Commitment And Keep Top Talent In The New Age Of Work." Joe is a renowned Keynote Speaker, the BossBetter Leadership Academy's Founder, the Boss Better Now podcast Host, and the author of three books.Throughout our conversation, we learn about Joe's background and the origin of his passion for being in front of people, what is "employalty", the term he coined, and the 3 ways to create employalty and commitment in the workspace. Joe also talks about stopping treating people as a commodity, how to tie up employees' growth with the company's growth, the excellent job shortage, and more.Tune in to Episode 378 and learn tips for becoming a better boss and creating an ideal work atmosphere.Some Questions I Ask:Tell us about your latest book. Why did you write it? Describe the title. And how can it help us? (5:50)How do we make the shift to stop being transactional with our employees? (10:30)In This Episode, You Will Learn:A bit about Joe's background and his passion for leadership (4:10)What "employalty" is and where does it come from (6:00)What makes people feel they have a great job (12:10)How to tie up employees' growth with the company's growth (17:00)The thing that took baby boomers decades to learn and new generations already know (21:10)Resources:Book: Joe Mull - Employalty: How to Ignite Commitment and Keep Top Talent in the New Age of WorkJoe Mull booksBoss Better Now podcastConnect with Joe:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramYouTubeBecoming Your Best Resources:Becoming Your Best WebsiteBook: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful LeadersBook: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Episode 377 - Your Company Is Your Castle with Sandeep Chennakeshu

Ep. 377

When a company is in trouble, i.e., not generating cash, it can't invest in products, sales, and marketing, it can't hire or reward talented employees, and it bleeds cash. The domino effect continues as customers stop trusting the brand, and investors refuse to lend them money. Our guest, Sandeep Chennakeshu, has a formula to "fix" broken companies in three steps: figure out how to become profitable again, set a distraction-free strategy, and ensure the entire team is engaged.In this episode, the Author, Business Transformation Veteran, and Technologist, Sandeep Chennakeshu, joins us to talk about culture, crisis management, leadership, and senior management. In his over two decades of experience in the corporate world, he was a C-level executive of Ericsson Mobile and Sony Ericsson, Ericsson Mobile Platforms, AMD, Freescale, and Blackberry Technology Solutions. He is currently the COO at Uhnder Inc., a pioneer in digital-imaging radar, and is on the advisory board of several startups.Sandeep recently published "Your Company Is Your Castle", an inspiring piece of art for leaders, with proven methods for building resilient businesses. Throughout our conversation, Sandeep shared brilliant insights on leadership and management and how to put broken companies back on track and prevent them from missing their path to success. We also talk about why many companies fail after 10 years and what's the key to bringing transformation into a business.In addition, Sandeep explains how to keep a company and their employees focused and engaged, shares advice for new and experienced CEOs, and more.Tune in and learn how to fortify your company.In This Episode, You Will Learn:Significant turning points that have impacted Sandeep’s life (3:50)What companies and castles have in common (6:50)Why many companies fail after 10 years (8:40)Three steps to building a successful company (11:20)How to keep your company focused (14:40)The best way to keep your teams engaged (17:10)Advice for new and experienced CEOs (22:50)Resources:Book: Sandeep Chennakeshu - Your Company Is Your Castle: Proven Methods for Building a Resilient BusinessConnect with Sandeep:WebsiteLinkedInBecoming Your Best Resources:Becoming Your Best WebsiteBecoming Your Best University WebsiteBecoming Your Best LibraryBook: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful LeadersFacebook Group – Conquer Anxiety

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Episode 376 - How to Make Your Crazy Work for You. From Trauma to Self-Acceptance and Love with Dr. Grant Brenner

Ep. 376

Practicing self-care actively and being compassionate, resilient, or kind to yourself doesn't mean you are soft or weak. Besides, part of treating yourself well is being firm and holding yourself accountable.We all have a massive potential for positive change; we just need to find (or build) the right conditions for it.This week, I'm joined by Dr. Grant Brenner, a board-certified physician-psychiatrist, an entrepreneur, teacher, speaker, and co-author of several books: "Irrelationship: How We Use Dysfunctional Relationships to Hide from Intimacy," "Relationship Sanity: Creating and Maintaining Healthy Relationships," and the most recent, "Making Your Crazy Work For You: From Trauma and Isolation to Self-Acceptance and Love."Throughout our conversation, Dr. Grant talks about his upbringing and how growing up in a very intellectual environment enticed him to enjoy learning and constantly pursue self-development. He kindly shared tools he uses to motivate self-help readers and self-development seekers, like the GRAFTS assessment or the 40-20-40 model.Additionally, he explains how to nurture and cultivate healthy, resilient responses, how leaders can spot their professional blind spots, how to give and ask for feedback safely, and much more.Tune in and learn more about how to make your crazy work for you.Some Questions I Ask:Please, tell us about your background and the turning points in your life that led to where you are today (4:01)How do you use the GRAFTS assessment? (10:35)In This Episode, You Will Learn:What the GRAFTS assessment is (7:10)About Dr. Grant's books. A hybrid of self-help books and self-help workbooks (11:11)How we can use our trauma for good (16:12)Give yourself room to reflect. Become your best buddy (21:09)How to detect (and learn from) our professional blind spots as leaders (23:54)What does practicing deep self-care look like (31:19)Resources:Book: Mark Borg, Grant Brenner -Making Your Crazy Work for You: From Trauma and Isolation to Self-Acceptance and LoveConnect with Dr. Grant:WebsiteInstagramTwitterFacebookBecoming Your Best Resources:Becoming Your Best WebsiteBecoming Your Best LibraryBook: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful LeadersBook: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Episode 375 - Forward: Leading Your Team Through Change with Dr. Elizabeth Moran

Ep. 375

Although there are plenty of resources for leaders to improve their leadership skills, with brilliant books and articles with on-point observations about the struggles of leading high-achieving teams, sometimes we need more specific answers. That's the idea our guest, Dr. Elizabeth Moran, had in mind when she wrote: "Forward: Leading Your Team Through Change."Dr. Elizabeth Moran is a Consultant and Executive Coach with decades of experience as VP and Talent Specialist in global companies like Lehman Brothers, Bloomberg, and ADP. She is an ICF Professional Certified Coach and holds a master's and doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology.In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Moran visits us to share some golden nuggets from her latest book, talk about her career before making the leap of faith and working full-time as a coach and mentor, and discuss the levels of empathy every leader should have.Throughout our conversation, Dr. Elizabeth explains the five simplified neuroscience concepts that every change leader should know, the four most common reasons why every leader hesitates to communicate change, and shares her advice on handling tough decisions and avoiding the fear of losing control.Tune in to Episode 375 and learn practical ways of communicating better, developing consistent leadership, and becoming better leaders through change.Some Questions I Ask: Could you tell us about yourself, your background, and any turning points in your life that significantly impacted you? (3:03) Can you walk us through the five simplified neuroscience concepts every leader should know? (9:10)In This Episode, You Will Learn: Getting a doctorate as a detour (4:03) Writing a book as a playbook for leaders (7:47) How to avoid uncertainty when communicating (9:35)What are the analytic and the empathetic networks (15:01)Dr. Elizabeth’s experiences leading through change (21:28)Four of the most common reasons why leaders hesitate to communicate with their teams (22:11)Resources: Book: Dr. Elizabeth Moran - Forward: Leading Your Team Through ChangeConnect with Dr. Elizabeth: Website LinkedInBecoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety

Monday, April 10, 2023

Episode 374 - GAIN without Pain: The Happiness Handbook with Dr. Greg Hammer, M.D.

Ep. 374

"Happiness lives in the present moment."Think about a time when you felt fulfilled, joyful, and happy. There was no time to be worried about paying your mortgage or something you regret you didn't say in your last argument, and that is because you were there, living the moment; you were present.In today's episode, I'm joined by Dr. Greg Hammer, a pediatric intensive care physician and anesthesiologist, professor at Stanford University Medical Center, and best-selling author of "GAIN without pain."Throughout our conversation, Dr. Greg shares the story of how he fell in love with critical care medicine and why he went through the pediatric medicine path. We also discuss happiness, how to be consistent in pursuing it, the teamwork between thoughts and feelings needed to achieve it, and the elements that impede happiness.Additionally, Dr. Greg explains how to use the GAIN method to rewire our brains, the attitude we must adopt facing adversity, how the environment can affect our happiness levels, and more.Tune in to Episode 374 and discover how to get into the path to happiness that lies right in front of all of us.Some Questions I Ask: Please, tell us about your background and the turning points that significantly impacted your life (3:21) How can we use GAIN to rewire our brains? (20:13)In This Episode, You Will Learn: The moment Dr. Greg had to choose between the very micro and the very macro aspects of life (4:57) We all want happiness. How can neuroplasticity help us get there? (8:01) Happiness lives in the present moment (10:59) How to use the GAIN method to achieve happiness (14:39) What's the environment's influence over our happiness (23:05) Dr. Greg shares advice to enjoy good nights of sleep (26:29)Resources: Book - Dr. Greg Hammer - GAIN Without Pain: The Happiness Handbook for Health Care ProfessionalsConnect with Dr. Greg: LinkedIn FacebookBecoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best WebsiteBecoming Your Best University WebsiteBecoming Your Best LibraryEmail: support@becomingyourbest.comBook: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful LeadersBook: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your PerformanceFacebook Group – Conquer Anxiety

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Episode 373 - Rise Up and Take Your Position with Drexwell Seymour

Ep. 373

Comparing ourselves with others is one of the greatest disservices we can do to our personal and professional development. We should concentrate our efforts on something other than fitting into what society dictates as being successful.This week, I'm joined by Drexwell Seymour, a Certified Public Accountant, Managing Partner at HLB TCI, Business Owner, Columnist, YouTuber, Host of Financially Speaking, a weekly radio show, and intrinsic motivator, devoted writer, and author of the international best-seller, "Rise Up and Take Your Position".Throughout our conversation, Drexwell shares his experiences of struggling with an inferiority complex almost his entire life, how it was for him to grow up on the small island of Turks and Caicos in a low-income family, and the moment he embraced his purpose in life.We also explore why people struggle with inferiority complexes, people's most significant obstacles, and how to defeat the fear of failure. Drexwell also talks about his book, why he decided to write it, and much more.Tune in to Episode 373 and learn more about Drexwell and his fantastic story of resilience, self-development, and success.Some Questions I Ask: From your point of view, from your experience, why do people suffer from an inferiority complex? (5:36) How can people discover their purpose? (10:13)In This Episode, You Will Learn: A bit about Drexwell's backstory (3:07) About Drexwell's desire and decision to go to college (12:31) Why people are so afraid of failure (14:36) Drexwell's decision to document and share his story (17:28) Stick to your goals, do what you believe in (19:45)Resources: Book: Drexwell Seymour - Rise Up and Take Your Position: Don't give up. Find your Gift and Cultivate it Drexwell's websiteConnect with Drexwell: LinkedIn YouTube Becoming Your Best Resources: Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best University Website Becoming Your Best Library Email: support@becomingyourbest.comBook: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful LeadersBook: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your PerformanceFacebook Group – Conquer Anxiety