The Dr. John Bedker Leadership Podcast

In this 40th episode of the Dr. John Bedker Leadership Podcast, Dr. Bedker highlights the background and results of the Motion to Vacate the office of the Speaker of the Unites States House of Representatives, Representative Kevin McCarthy.  The Speaker was removed by a vote of a small number of his fellow Republican members.  The leadership deficiencies of  Speaker McCarthy are clear and consistent.  Congressional leadership needs to lead to govern.  Speaker McCarthy did neither.

In this episode, Dr. Bedker shares the many and varied leadership core competencies of women.  Women in leadership do not get the attention it deserves. Women can be and are excellent leaders. Dr. Bedker highlights a real-life example in this episode; the launch of the first American into space. The movie “Hidden Figures” is detailed and the women who made the computations for launch. Women and leadership provide a benchmark for all of us. Cheers, to women and leadership.

In this Labor Day episode, Dr. Bedker highlights current research and the first-ever release on the benefits of labor unions by the Department of the Treasury.  Comments by Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen are given.  The focus is on processes rather than outcomes and to focus on problem-solving rather than problem identification.  A specific encounter over the Labor Day weekend is given to clarify much remains to be done to “do the right thing” by labor leaders and their corporate employers.

 

In this final installment on collectivism, Dr. Bedker addresses the issue of government leaders.  Civil unrest and political unrest are at heightened states not seen before in our turbulent world.  The leadership calling of government leaders could not be more timely or critical.  Dr. Bedker addresses both the USA experience and the international experience.  This episode concludes with 5 axioms for government leaders.

In Part 2 of this series on collectivism, Dr. Bedker speaks about specific examples and specific companies' experiences with collectivism and unions.  The tension between capitalism and democracy is revisited.  A new Harvard Business School case study on Amazon and its unionization genesis is addressed.  This episode provides a snapshot of the current union contract status across American corporations and institutions.  The episode closes with a positive note, a tentative agreement for the workers and company, UPS.

In this episode, Dr. Bedker makes the case for collectivism.  The benefits of a collective workforce, a union, are made and research results are given by leading scholars.  The paradox of labor interests versus corporations' interests is highlighted.  There is a tension between capitalism and democracy.  A collectively organized workforce is good for workers, their families, and society.  This is at odds with the financial interests of stockholders and corporate leadership.  Should the few win or the many prevail?

In this episode, Dr. Bedker addresses an important leadership core competency in our often turbulent world: compassion.  Compassion is described as a “soft skill,” but is really quite an important and challenging skill for leaders to bring to their leadership practice.  Compassion requires bringing empathy with action to those you serve, with authenticity and altruism.  Compassionate leadership research, detailed in this episode, pays significant benefits to leaders, those they serve, and their organizations.

In this 4th of July 2023 episode, Dr. John Bedker addresses the “first freedoms” of the Declaration of Independence.  Specifically, John addresses the first freedom, the freedom of religion.  John showcases the actions of the delegates of the Southern Baptist Convention to remove women as Pastors from Southern Baptist churches.  The case is made that this is a political move and not a moral, ethical, or biblically founded move.  Women have every right to lead, every capability to lead and represent some of our nation's most capable faith leaders.  Removing women from leadership in the Southern Baptist Church is another example of religious institutional leadership failure.

In this episode, Dr. John Bedker showcases the Saudi Wealth Fund takeover of professional golf.  Sportwashing is highlighted as the means for the leader of Saudi Arabia and his associates to “paint lipstick on a pig.”  The numerous civil rights and human rights violations of Saudi Arabia are meant to be placated with the many sports and entertainment investments by the Saudi Personal Investment Fund (PIF). This is sportwashing.  This episode demonstrates a leader doing the wrong thing and others accepting their moral bankruptcy.  This episode is a case of money versus morality and money won. An example of leadership failure.

In this episode on judgment and decision making, two critical leadership core competencies, Dr. John Bedker showcases former Congresswoman Liz Cheney’s removal from leadership in the U.S. Congress and her unsuccessful run for reelection to the congressional seat from Wyoming, as an exemplar of both sound judgment and sound decision making.  Doing the right thing may have consequences, consequences of significance, but those consequences are far nobler than siding with misinformation, disinformation, and lying.  Liz Cheney’s remarks as the commencement speaker at her alma mater, Colorado College are offered.