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How do you know when you’re making the right choice, especially when there isn’t an obvious right answer?

In Episode 4 of ELT All Team Meeting, James Moore and James Songster explore decision-making, personal values, opportunity cost, uncertainty, and the responsibility leaders take for the choices they make.

James explains that a good decision starts by understanding what matters to you. Rather than asking only, “What do I want?”, strong decision-making requires asking whether a choice aligns with your personal values, commitments, priorities, and the person you want to become. Pasted text

The conversation examines why our first instinct often favors immediate pleasure, why virtually every meaningful decision involves a trade-off, and how opportunity cost can help us understand what we are really choosing and what we are giving up.

James also shares a major crossroads from his own career: choosing between the stability and security of being a full-time Walt Disney World Cast Member and creating enough space to pursue his career as a professional magician. Both paths had value, but only one allowed him to honor something he considered non-negotiable about who he was.

They also explore why seeking advice is valuable without being obligated to follow it, why leaders must take responsibility when a decision doesn’t produce the desired result, and why making the best available choice does not guarantee the outcome.

In this episode:

• What makes something a good choice
• How personal values guide decision-making
• Why our first instinct isn’t always our best decision
• Understanding opportunity cost
• How to choose when both options are good
• Making decisions when there is no obvious right answer
• James’ choice between Disney and a career in magic
• How much other people’s opinions should influence you
• When and whom to ask for advice
• Taking responsibility for a bad decision
• Why good decisions don’t guarantee good outcomes
• Course correcting when things don’t go as planned
• The danger of waiting for certainty
• Why not making a choice is still a choice
• How leaders make difficult decisions

Like a pilot continually adjusting course toward a destination, leadership isn’t about making one perfect decision. It’s about knowing where you’re trying to go, making the best choice available with the information you have, learning from the result, and adjusting when necessary.

Before making an important choice, James’ advice is simple: look at your values, understand the opportunity cost, and decide whether you can accept what the choice requires you to give up. Pasted text

Ask. Learn. Lead.

ELT All Team Meeting is a leadership podcast from Emerging Leader Training exploring leadership development, decision-making, communication, customer service, personal growth, values, and the skills that help people become stronger leaders.

Find out more at https://betterleadershipskills.com

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

What is your personal philosophy, and how does it shape how you lead, make decisions, and live your life?

In Episode 3 of ELT All Team Meeting, James Songster and James Moore explore the role personal philosophy, values, self-awareness, and purpose play in leadership and personal growth.

James shares the philosophy that has guided much of his life and career: “Better than it was.” What began as a simple handmade plaque in the home he shared with his wife eventually became a way of evaluating work, relationships, decisions, and progress. The goal wasn’t perfection; it was improvement.

The conversation explores how personal philosophies develop and change over time, including James Moore’s own evolution from “Strive to make the world a better place” to “May wisdom be your guide.” Together, they discuss why a philosophy should feel authentic, why it needs to work consistently rather than only when convenient, and how personal values influence the way a leader makes choices.

They also examine the danger of philosophies that sound positive but lack context, such as “win” or “serve others” and why leaders need to understand what their guiding principles actually mean in practice.

In this episode:

• What a personal philosophy is
• James Songster’s philosophy: “Better than it was”
• How personal philosophy influences leadership
• Why values and actions need to align
• How personal philosophies evolve over time
• Self-awareness and personal growth
• Finding guiding principles that genuinely fit you
• Why improvement doesn’t require perfection
• How leaders make decisions based on what is important
• What happens when an organization conflicts with your values
• Knowing when it may be time to step away
• Why leaders should read, learn, and explore different philosophies
• How to tell whether a philosophy truly works for you

James ultimately returns to the idea that good choices come from understanding what is important, acting accordingly, and trying to leave your work, relationships, and world better than they were before you arrived.

Ask. Learn. Lead.

ELT All Team Meeting is a leadership podcast from Emerging Leader Training exploring leadership development, personal growth, values, communication, decision-making, and the ideas that help people become stronger leaders.

Find out more at https://betterleadershipskills.com

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How do you become a leader, and do you need a title to lead?

In Episode 2 of ELT All Team Meeting, James Moore and James Songster explore what leadership really means, how leadership skills are developed, and why becoming a leader starts long before someone gives you a management title.

James explains the difference between having a leadership position and actually earning the trust of people who choose to follow you. The conversation explores leadership development, self-awareness, personal values, trust, integrity, accountability, and the mistakes new leaders often make.

Drawing from his leadership-development experience and his career at Walt Disney World, James discusses why organizations need leadership at every level and why some of the most influential leaders may never hold a formal leadership title.

In this episode:

• What makes someone a leader
• How to become a leader without a title
• Leadership vs. management
• Why anyone can develop leadership skills
• The importance of self-awareness and personal values
• How leaders earn trust
• Why trust must be earned rather than demanded
• Common mistakes new leaders make
• Taking responsibility when a decision goes wrong
• How to lead when you don't have all the answers
• Developing leadership habits
• Why integrity is essential to good leadership
• The difference between being placed in charge and earning the right to lead

Whether you're an emerging leader, new manager, aspiring leader, team leader, trainer, educator, or professional looking to develop your leadership skills, this episode offers practical ideas for becoming someone others genuinely choose to follow.

Ask. Learn. Lead.

ELT All Team Meeting is a podcast from Emerging Leader Training exploring leadership development, communication, customer service, personal growth, values, and the skills that help people become stronger leaders.

Find out more at https://betterleadershipskills.com

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

What does Disney teach us about leadership, personal development, customer service, and connecting with people?

In Episode 1 of ELT All Team Meeting, James Moore sits down with James Songster, founder of Emerging Leader Training, to explore his journey from performer and magician to Walt Disney World cast member, Disney Institute facilitator, mentor, and leadership educator.

James shares lessons from his 30-year Disney career and explains how performing, teaching, mentoring, and facilitating helped shape his approach to leadership development. The conversation explores why you don't need a management title to be a leader, what magic teaches us about earning trust and connecting with an audience, and how emerging leaders can continue learning and growing throughout their careers.

James also discusses receiving the Disney Legacy Award, his philosophy of being an “untitled leader,” and the experiences that eventually came together to create James Songster's Emerging Leader Training.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Leadership and leadership development
• Becoming a leader without a management title
• Lessons learned from Walt Disney World
• James's experience with Disney Institute
• The Disney Legacy Award
• Emerging leadership and mentorship
• Customer service and connecting with people
• Communication, trust, and audience engagement
• What performing magic teaches about leadership
• Personal and professional development
• Teaching, facilitating, and mentoring others
• The philosophy behind Emerging Leader Training
• Why saying yes to new opportunities can lead to growth

Whether you're a new manager, emerging leader, aspiring leader, teacher, trainer, facilitator, customer service professional, or anyone interested in personal growth, this conversation offers practical ideas about becoming the kind of leader others choose to follow.

Ask. Learn. Lead.

ELT All Team Meeting is a leadership podcast from Emerging Leader Training featuring conversations about leadership development, communication, customer service, personal philosophy, values, professional growth, and lessons learned from Disney and beyond.