Catching Fire: How Teams Win

In this insightful conversation, host Mohamed Hanbal sits down with Rosemary Joshy, Head of Global Software Strategy Innovation and Business Improvement at Continental. Together, they delve into key themes such as the importance of self-awareness among leaders, fostering trust within remote teams, and the power of communication and collaboration for innovation. Join us as we explore Rosemary's experiences in building trust, navigating challenges, and driving success through effective leadership strategies. Get ready to be inspired and learn valuable insights on how teams can not only thrive but also ignite change in the professional world.

In this episode of "Catching Fire: How Teams Win," host Mohamed Hanbal introduces a powerful tool for enhancing team performance. He shares three questions that have proven to bring clarity and motivation to team members, ultimately boosting their performance. Mohamed explains the psychological barriers that often prevent action, decision-making, and crucial discussions, and demonstrates how asking these questions can break through these barriers. Listeners will gain valuable insights into leveraging these questions to foster growth and strengthen relationships within their teams. Join us as we delve into the transformative impact of asking three simple yet profound questions.

In this special episode of Catching Fire: How Teams Win, we delve into the challenging topic of handling a bad boss. Host Mohamed Hanbal sheds light on the realities of dealing with a difficult supervisor and offers practical advice for employees caught in this predicament. Mohamed discusses the importance of understanding the root of the problem, approaching the situation with maturity, and taking proactive steps to address the issue. Listeners will gain valuable insights on how to navigate a strained relationship with a boss and take control of their career trajectory. So, whether you're struggling with a bad boss or simply seeking strategies for future career challenges, stay tuned for this enlightening episode.

In this episode of Catching Fire: How Teams Win, host Mohamed Hanbal delves into the topic of nostalgia and how our brains have a tendency to view the past through rose-colored glasses. He discusses the cognitive biases that trick us into thinking that the past was better than the present, citing insights from brain science and psychology. Hanbal explores three scientific reasons why we often perceive the past as more positive, shedding light on the influence of self-image, abstract thinking, and relativity in shaping our memories. By unraveling the illusion of nostalgia, listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how our perceptions of the past can impact our emotional states and decision-making processes.

In this episode of Catching Fire: How Teams Win, we will delve into the challenge of giving effective feedback in the workplace. Drawing parallels between parenting and managerial roles, we will highlight the difficulties managers face in consistently providing feedback to their team members. We will discuss the limitations of traditional feedback methods such as 360-degree feedback and emphasizes the importance of timely and constructive feedback for employee growth. We will also explore psychological barriers that hinder managers from providing feedback and offer insights into the complexities of changing human behavior. From asking revealing questions to avoiding general feedback and the pitfalls of relying solely on training, we will provide a comprehensive guide to effective feedback strategies for managers. Tune in to gain valuable perspectives on giving impactful feedback that fosters personal and professional growth within your team.

In this episode, we delve into the crucial topic of mental and emotional well-being in the workplace. We emphasize the impact of worrying about the future on our health, relationships, and work performance. I will share two transformative concepts aimed at helping listeners live more ''in the moment''. Through powerful examples, we will explore the idea of invincibility and the transient nature of problems, urging you to prioritize your present moments and cherish the nonmaterialistic aspects of life. Join us as we uncover how to stop worrying and start living.

In this episode, we explore the concept of red flags and how ignoring them can lead to regret in both business and personal relationships. I will share a story of a business owner struggling with his partner's behavior and delves into the common mistake of ignoring warning signs. Through candid examples, i will highlight the importance of addressing red flags as soon as they appear, whether in business partnerships, personal relationships, or within the corporate world. I encourage you to recognize and take action on red flags to avoid future disappointments and losses. Tune in to learn how to spot and address red flags in order to set yourself up for success.

In this episode, i will share with you two compelling stories that underscore the essential role of influence and empathy in effective team leadership. Through a thought-provoking exercise and a gripping TV series plot, we will delve into the importance of truly understanding team members and their motivations. I will show you why it is critical for leaders to invest in building trust and building genuine connections with team members, and we will challenge leaders to prioritize relationship-building despite time constraints. Join us as we explore the power of empathy and the keys to impactful influence within teams.

Stop 10 people on the street and ask them the golden question ‘’what are the characteristics of a great leader?’’ You will be surprised that everyone knows the right answer. You will hear instantaneous answers such as integrity, honesty, fairness, team player, and so on. You will hear answers that can fill books. Now let me ask you ‘’if almost everyone knows how a good leader should act, and on top of that, all this educational content is available online and offline, then why do we have horrible managers? Or why do managers who know by heart the traits of great leaders act in contrast to what they know?’’ In this episode, we will speak about why a lot of managers behave in a toxic way even though they know the characteristics and traits of great leaders, and we will speak about the solution. And the solution is divided into two parts. Part 1 is about correcting the wrong beliefs, and part 2 is about the action plan.

In this new episode of the ''leadership uncensored with Mohamed & Jim'' series, we discuss the importance of using power to bring about positive changes in teams and organizations. We examine the obstacles that prevent leaders from stepping up and using their influence effectively. From the fear of change, to the inertia of sticking with what's comfortable, we delve into the reasons why leaders often fall short. But it's not all criticism and analysis. We also explore practical steps leaders can take to overcome these challenges and become the strong, impactful leaders their teams need. From pushing back on outdated goals to advocating for diversity and inclusiveness, we uncover how leaders can use their power to make a meaningful difference.

In this Episode, we will try to answer a simple question '’If we have the technology, manpower, budget, and people with great knowledge and experience in a lot of big multinational corporations, then why is the performance of our employees going down? Why do they look so disengaged? And why should we always fight in the last few days of the fiscal year to achieve the company's financial goals?’’ Do you want to know the reasons for this? Then tune in and listen to this episode as we will mention one big reason followed by 9 sub-reasons.

Change is a must. In fact, the true value and essence of leadership is to draw visions and to drive consistent change. But based on my experience, this rarely happens. Or if it happens, it happens not in the best way inside companies. And this is for a lot of reasons. So, in relation to the story that I shared with you above, I want to share with you seven mistakes that leaders make that destroy change initiatives inside companies before they even start.

In this Episode, we will speak about the power of clarity and its impact on your life and your career as a leader. We will also speak about 3 things that you can start doing immediately to gain more clarity. And clarity here means to know exactly the happy ending or the final picture and what you want to achieve. And when Clarity is there, most of the time it brings with it a burning desire and determination to succeed. And this is what a lot of people are missing. On the other hand, this is also why a ‘’lack of clarity’’ is sometimes tricky. Because in a lot of cases, what seems like laziness or procrastination is sometimes a lack of clarity, but we do not understand that it is a lack of clarity. And when people lack the clarity and direction needed to move forward, they freeze. And this is why ‘’Clarity’’ is the foundation of top performance. And as a rule, if you want to be a top performer in your field, you need clarity. If you want to become a better leader, you need clarity. And if you want to become happier in life, you need clarity. So tune-in to listen to this episode.

In this Episode, we will speak about the findings of a brilliant research project conducted by two researchers, Teresa Amabile and Steve Kramer, where they collaborated with different companies in different industries and recruited 238 people in 26 project teams in 7 companies in 3 industries. They told these 238 people that they would email everyone on the team a diary form DAILY that included several questions about the day. Most of these questions were about their perceptions, emotions, and motivations during the day. And that this process will last for around 4 months. After 4 months, Teresa and Steve could gather 12000 individual diary reports or feedback. We will discuss their findings, and we will also discuss how as leaders we can use these findings to create a checklist that helps us in driving organizational growth and increasing our influence as leaders inside the organization.

In this Episode, we will talk about a specific psychological bias called the ''Positive Illusion'' and how it can negatively impact leadership and any change initiatives in the workplace. We will also speak about ways to reduce its impact on leadership.

Welcome to a new episode of ‘’Catching Fire: how teams win’’, and episode number 4 in the new series ‘’Leadership uncensored with Mohamed & Jim’’. In this episode, Mohamed & Jim discuss the first things new managers should do. The episode covers the importance of relationships and expanding influence within an organization, the unrealistic expectations placed on managers, team building tactics, and the importance of building trust with team members. Additionally, the episode features a segment on the influence game and the importance of physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing to achieving career goals. Another segment covers the importance of not just checking boxes but addressing root causes of issues, and the final segment covers the Goal Crazy 90 Day Planner and the importance of removing roadblocks for teams to gain their trust and confidence. Tune in for expert advice on effective leadership and team management.

Welcome to a new episode of ‘’Catching Fire: how teams win’’, and episode number 3 in the new series ‘’Leadership uncensored with Mohamed & Jim’’. If you are leading a team, then most probably this team will contain a mix of people from different generations and backgrounds. And because the generations are different, their needs will be different and the way to deal with each one of them should be different. In summary, there is nothing called ''one size fits all''. So today in this episode we will speak about how to deal with the characters and the needs of different generations at work.

Welcome to a new episode of ‘’catching fire: how teams win’’, and episode number 2 in the new series ‘’Leadership uncensored with Mohamed & Jim’’. Today we will speak about a very important topic that causes pain to both employees and managers, which is ‘’Goals setting’’ and especially during the performance review meetings. Here are some of the topics that we will talk about: -Why do employees hate goal setting? -Did we-Mohamed and Jim-meet our goals this year or not? -How most of the managers conduct the review meetings vs what should happen. -How to conduct a truly effective goal-setting and performance review meeting? -When you fail to meet goals, is it on the Leader or the Team? -Tips to set up your team for success.

This episode is different, because it is the start of a new series under the catching fire brand, and it is called ‘’Leadership uncensored with Mohamed & Jim’’. And if you remember Jim, he was a guest in one of the previous episodes. He lives in the USA, and he is a Project Consultant; Mentor, and Former Global Manager in the Procurement Department at Honeywell International Inc. This new series will be released once per month, and as it is clear from the name, there will be no guests or at least that’s our plan till now, because Jim and I will be presenting it together. It will be a free discussion between me and Jim about leadership and team performance topics and newest trends. We will share our thoughts and opinions as well as practical advice about some of the most challenging problems that leaders face nowadays. We will also share real life stories that happened and still happen inside corporations. And we will start this new series by speaking about a very hot and trending topic, which is ‘’quiet quitting’’. We will discuss the following points: -What is quiet quitting? -What leads to quiet quitting? -Quiet Quitting trends & is it mainly about younger employees? -How any organization can reduce quiet quitting? -What are employees telling their leader when 'Quiet Quitting' ? -Is Quiet Quitting good for your team?!

In this Episode, we interviewed Alex Bormuth, Global Business Segment Director at Molex Germany. We asked him 5 important questions:Questions: 1- One of your 2021 goals was to improve your personal relationship with your team members and some other people in your life. What was the reason or the backstory behind this goal? And what are the strategies that you followed to reach this goal? 2-As a director, you have a global remote team. How do you make sure that your team is engaged? Are there any specific rituals or routines that you follow? 3-What do you usually do if you discovered that the performance of one of your team members Is low? Or that it was high but suddenly dropped? 4- What if you have a top performer, but his or her behavior is toxic. What are you going to do? 5- Companies nowadays do a lot of restructuring and optimization. They optimize processes, merge teams together and so on. When merging teams together, what is the first thing that a leader needs to focus on?