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

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:

"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."
"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."
"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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