What can you do TODAY to become a better leader?

You don't need another certification, a new training program, a bigger budget, or more hours in the day. Sometimes leadership growth begins by simply changing what you do next.

In this solo episode of The Leadership Toolkit™, Mike Phillips shares three practical leadership actions you can take right now:

🧰 Ask one better question.

🧰 Have one conversation you've been avoiding.

🧰 Intentionally encourage one person.

Mike explores why constantly giving your team the answers can create dependency, why difficult conversations rarely improve through avoidance, and why leaders must stop assuming people know they are appreciated.

You'll also learn the CARE tool, a simple framework for approaching challenging conversations with greater clarity:

Clarify the issue.
Ask for their perspective.
Reset the expectation.
Establish the next step.

Your leadership challenge is simple. Do all three before your head hits the pillow tonight.

You don't need permission. You don't need a budget.

Just start.

Let's grow yourself, and the people around you! 🧰

CONTACT

Mike Phillips

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠mike@TheLeadshipToolkit.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin.com/in/LeadTheTeam⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠@LeadershipTLT⁠

YouTube: ⁠YouTube.com/@MikePhillips

Watch more episodes of the Leadership Toolkit at https://spotify.TheLeadershipToolkit.com

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a 5-star review!

Make sure you share this as a resource with friends and colleagues. Thank you for watching and listening!

* Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this show are solely those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the host, producers, or any affiliated parties. The host and production team make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information discussed by guests on the show. Listener discretion is advised.

*** Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the links listed go to my websites and some are affiliate links that may generate me a sales commission if you make a purchase.

What happens when the roles that have defined you for years begin to change?

In this episode of The Leadership Toolkit, Mike Phillips sits down with Maxwell Leadership Certified Coach, DISC Behavioral Consultant, entrepreneur, and founder of Lead My Life, Cindee Williams, for a powerful conversation about identity, confidence, purpose, and self-leadership.

After building a successful commercial cleaning business from the ground up with her husband, Cindee discovered a challenge many leaders eventually face: Who are you beyond your job title, your accomplishments, or even your role as a parent?

In this episode, Cindee shares how leadership begins with leading yourself first. She introduces her LEAD framework, explains why daily intentional growth matters, and discusses the lessons she learned from her transformational "52 Coffees" challenge, where she met with a different person every week for an entire year.

You'll learn:

• Why self-leadership is the foundation of effective leadership
• How to move from excellence to exceptional impact
• The importance of intentional mornings and daily growth
• How to build meaningful relationships and avoid isolation
• Why confidence grows when you understand who you truly are
• Practical ways to navigate life transitions with purpose and clarity

Whether you're leading a business, managing a team, entering a new season of life, or simply searching for greater significance, this conversation offers actionable leadership lessons you can apply immediately.

🧰 Tools of the Trade: Top Takeaways You Can Use

1️⃣ Lead Yourself First - You cannot effectively lead others if you are not intentionally leading yourself. Leadership begins with personal responsibility and self-awareness.

2️⃣ Advance Daily - Success is rarely about massive breakthroughs. Consistent daily progress creates extraordinary long-term results.

3️⃣ Touch Your Dream Every Day - Keep your goals visible and take action toward them daily. Momentum is built through consistent attention.

4️⃣ Build Your Inner Circle Intentionally - Have mentors ahead of you, peers beside you, and people you're helping develop behind you.

5️⃣ Your Morning Determines Your Momentum - The way you start your day directly impacts your energy, focus, attitude, and leadership effectiveness.

Connect with Cindee Williams:
LeadMyLife.com

Connect with Mike Phillips:
TheLeadershipToolkit.com

Let's grow yourself, and the people around you.

Watch more episodes of the Leadership Toolkit at https://spotify.TheLeadershipToolkit.com

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a 5-star review!

Make sure you share this as a resource with friends and colleagues. Thank you for watching and listening!

* Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this show are solely those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the host, producers, or any affiliated parties. The host and production team make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information discussed by guests on the show. Listener discretion is advised.

*** Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the links listed go to my websites and some are affiliate links that may generate me a sales commission if you make a purchase.

In this episode of The Leadership Toolkit, Mike Phillips sits down with Micah Birkholz, National Director of Sales at Loon Advertising, for a raw and powerful conversation about leadership, reinvention, growth, and the fear that keeps many people stuck.

Micah shares his journey from automotive sales and finance into national leadership roles in marketing and advertising, while opening up about the mindset shifts, failures, hard decisions, and personal growth that shaped his leadership style along the way.

This episode dives deep into:
• Why leaders must embrace change to grow
• The danger of indecision
• How ego limits leadership potential
• Parenting lessons that apply directly to leadership
• Building generational leadership and legacy
• Learning through failure and adversity
• What servant leadership actually looks like
• Why “what you do for a living” is bigger than your job title

Micah also shares insights into modern advertising, OTT streaming, marketing analytics, and how businesses can better connect with customers through authentic messaging and smarter strategy.

If you are a leader, entrepreneur, manager, salesperson, or someone pursuing personal growth, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom and honest perspective.

🧰 Tools of the Trade: Top Takeaways You Can Use

1️⃣ Be open to opportunity, even when it feels uncomfortable
2️⃣ Indecision is often more damaging than making the wrong choice
3️⃣ Great leaders stop saying “no” and start asking “why”
4️⃣ Your team learns more from watching you than listening to you
5️⃣ Leadership begins with serving people well

🎧 The Leadership Toolkit airs live every Wednesday at 12:05 PM MST.

Watch live and subscribe:
YouTube.TheLeadershipToolkit.com

Listen on Spotify:
Spotify.TheLeadershipToolkit.com

If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a 5-star review!

Make sure you share this as a resource with friends and colleagues.

Thank you for watching and listening!

* Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this show are solely those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the host, producers, or any affiliated parties. The host and production team make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information discussed by guests on the show. Listener discretion is advised.

*** Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the links listed go to my websites and some are affiliate links that may generate me a sales commission if you make a purchase.