In this episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata revisits his interview with Malcolm Palmer on making Making Your Business Less Dependent On You. Andy and Malcolm discuss the challenges of business ownership, Stress management, and the importance of strong professional Relationships. Andy shares his personal journey of learning to cope with stress, highlighting the need to recognise both conscious and unconscious stress signals.

Andy also emphasises the importance of vulnerable leadership, sharing experiences that led to him writing his book “Just Ask.” He stresses the need for balance between work and personal life, incorporating hobbies and healthy activities into his schedule as part of his job. 

Complacency is a major enemy of productivity, and the key to overcoming it is to build habits and find strategic ways of working. Andy also mentions the importance of strategic thinking, taking time to work on big projects, and being mindful. Andy and Malcolm also explore the concept of “catastrophising”—anticipating” potential disasters to proactively avoid them—and the importance of letting go of negative relationships to improve focus and productivity. Andy concludes with insights into transitioning the business from being time-based to product-based and his plans for an app, The Relationship Matrix, which he is piloting.

Key Takeaways:

1. Recognise and Manage Stress: Business owners often hide stress, but it’s essential to understand both conscious and unconscious stress signals. 
2. Vulnerable Leadership: Be open and share with your team, but strategically and when it’s appropriate, trust builds strong relationships. Authenticity and transparency make you relatable.
3. Balance is Key: It’s vital to schedule in personal time, hobbies and health. By treating wellness as part of your job, you make it non-negotiable.
4. Combat Complacency: Be wary of complacency and create habits that help your business grow. Build in processes to allow time for the important but not urgent tasks.
5. Strategic Time Management: Prioritise deep work and focus on important tasks rather than the easy wins first. 
6. Relationships Matter: Build strong, positive professional relationships with the right people and let go of negative relationships to improve productivity. Be ready to move on from relationships that aren’t strong.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube

Connect with Malcom Palmer: Website |LinkedIn |

The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring

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Andy Lopata Author, Podcast Host and Speaker on Professional Relationships Strategy

Andy Lopata is a specialist speaker on professional relationships, mentoring, networking, and social media strategy. He is a firm believer that professional relationships underpin our success in business, our roles, and our careers. The right relationships with the right people can lead to new business opportunities, investment, collaborative working, innovation, and career progress. We just need to be comfortable approaching those relationships strategically, without making people feel ‘networked’ by us.

Andy has worked in the field of networking and professional relationships for 25 years, working with global giants such as Paypal, GSK, AstraZeneca, Wella, HSBC, Wembley Stadium, the BBC, and the Prime Minister’s Office of the UAE, among many others during that time. He has also worked with leading universities including NYU, Duke University, and Oxford University’s Said Business School.

A regular blogger for Psychology Today, Andy has been quoted in The Sunday Times, The Financial Times, and The Guardian, as well as many other national and regional newspapers and magazines worldwide. He has written or co-authored six books on networking and professional relationships, with his sixth book, "The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring," being published in Spring 2024. He is also the host of The Connected Leadership Podcast and has interviewed globally recognized names in business, academia, sports, and entertainment for the show.

Andy has been inducted into the PSAE Hall of Fame – the Professional Speaking Association Award of Excellence, which was held by only 21 other speakers at the time it was presented. He is a Fellow and a former President of the Fellows’ Community of the Professional Speaking Association (PSA), a Fellow of the Learning and Performance Institute (LPI), and a Member of the Association of Business Mentors and the Meetings Industry Association.