Brett M. Cooper and Evans Kerrigan on "Solving the People Problem"

Co-founders of the firm Integris Performance Advisors

Show notes: https://www.leanblog.org/398

My guest for Episode #398 of the Lean Blog Interviews podcast are Brett M. Cooper and Evans Kerrigan, both co-founders of the firm Integris Performance Advisors. Brett is the President and Evans is the CEO.

They are co-authors of a book with a provocative title: Solving the People Problem: Essential Skills You Need to Lead and Succeed in Today's Workplace.

When I first heard about the book, I challenged them a bit on the title — is this really a “people problem” or a “systemic problem”? We have a really good conversation about all of that today and they ask a question that resonated with me: “The problem begins with you?” meaning that leaders have to go first…

You can learn more via the book's website or Amazon.

In the episode, we talk about the DISC-EQ model of emotional intelligence and you can take a free personal assessment via their website, use code LEANBLOG.

They also answer questions including:

• Why do you say “leadership is a relationship?”
• What are the “essential skills” that leaders need, at a high level?
• What's “the right kind of disagreement” in a workplace?

The podcast is sponsored by Stiles Associates, now in their 30th year of business. They are the go-to Lean recruiting firm serving the manufacturing, private equity and healthcare industries. Learn more.