329. Why Your Team Can't Focus | Shawn Vanderhoven, PAUSE Author, Partner at Liz Wiseman's Firm

In Business, "Got five minutes?" is almost never five minutes. And the impact on your team doesn't end when the task does

Shawn Vanderhoven leads the executive development practice at The Wiseman Group and wrote the USA Today bestseller Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World. His research found that there are two types of leaders: those who generate traction, and those who amplify distraction.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The leadership practices that help teams focus in distracting environments
• The five questions to ask before you hand someone work
• The digital wake you leave every time you hit send
• The eight-question quiz that shows how distracting you are to your team
• An exercise to find the hidden issues slowing your team down
• The AI habit that produces more work instead of better work

Topics discussed:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:05) The #1 Thing Holding People Back

(02:18) Traction Leaders vs. Distraction Leaders

(03:31) Tune In Before You Jump In

(09:18) The Origin Story of Pause

(13:23) Your Digital Wake

(15:23) The Distraction Test and Your House Rules

(18:01) Turn Out Your Pockets

(21:11) Pausing Up With a Boss or Client

(24:28) Bias for Action vs. Bias for Impact

(27:49) Using AI for Better Work

(32:58) What a Real Pause Looks Like

(36:04) Two Bosses, Two Outcomes

(41:45) Clearing Emotional Distraction

(43:39) Writing the Book With His Wife

(48:34) Which Practices to Start With

Connect with Shawn Vanderhoven:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnvanderhoven/

https://www.pausebook.co/

About the Guest:

Shawn Vanderhoven is the author of Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World. He’s a Partner at The Wiseman Group, leading their development practice for senior executives and emerging leaders. He works with top brands like Apple, Johnson & Johnson, and Tesla, building strategies to leverage their greatest assets: talent. He lives with his wife, Anne, in Menlo Park, California.

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This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com