Closing the Power Gap: How Approachable Leaders Build Stronger Teams with Phillip Wilson

Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work

Welcome to a brand new episode of Voice Activated: Tuning Employee Insights At Work. Our host Sean Fitzpatrick is joined by Phillip Wilson, CEO of LRI Consulting and founder of Approachable Leadership, to explore why approachability is the true foundation of leadership. They dive into the three essential habits of approachable leaders, the transformative “Hero Assumption” mindset, and practical tools to prevent workplace conflict. Discover how closing the power gap between leaders and teams creates stronger relationships, a better culture, and lasting organizational success.

What You’ll Learn:

• How approachability serves as the foundational component of strong leadership
  
• Three essential habits of approachable leaders: openness, understanding, and support
  
• Why the "Hero Assumption" mindset transforms leader-team relationships
  
• How to use the "Stop, Listen, Confirm" technique to demonstrate active listening
  
• How to recognize signs that you may not be as approachable as you think
  
• The connection between approachability and preventing workplace conflicts
  
• Why seeking and accepting feedback is crucial for leadership development
  
• The importance of believing in your team's potential to create positive outcomes
  

Phillip B. Wilson is CEO and General Counsel of LRI Consulting Services, Inc. (LRICS) and Approachable Leadership, organisations dedicated to building extraordinary workplaces that boost engagement and reduce turnover. Author of seven books, including Left of Boom, The Approachability Playbook, and his upcoming The Leader-Shift Playbook (April 2025)—Phil is a sought-after keynote speaker on leadership, employee retention, and labour relations. Featured in outlets such as Fox Business, The New York Times, and Forbes, he also brings expertise as a former congressional expert witness.

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Highlights & YouTube Chapters:

• 00:00 Stop, Listen, Confirm: A Powerful Leadership Tool
• 02:40 What Makes a Leader Truly Approachable?
• 09:31 Three Essential Habits of Approachable Leaders
• 12:36 The Stop-Listen-Confirm Framework for Better Listening
• 17:18 Why Frontline Supervisors Face the Toughest Leadership Challenge
• 20:08 The Hero Assumption: A Revolutionary Leadership Mindset
• 30:51 Preventing Labor Issues Through Better Leadership
• 36:28 Three Signs You're Not as Approachable as You Think
• 39:14 Key Takeaways: Making the Hero Assumption Work

Quotes:

1. "Being approachable means your teammates feel safe and comfortable coming to you if they've got a suggestion, if they've got a concern, they feel comfortable coming to you, their leader."
2. "If you are approachable, you have vastly different outcomes than if they say you're not, and you get a little bit of a pass for the rest of the stuff that leaders are supposed to do."
   
3. "The people who are willing to give you that tough feedback, those are gifts in your life, and how do you get more of those gifts? You have to ask for them."
   

Episode Resources:

• Phillip Wilson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbwilson/
• LRI Consulting Services Website: https://lrionline.com/
• Sean Fitzpatrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-j-fitzpatrick/?originalSubdomain=ca
• TalentMap Website: https://talentmap.com/

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