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ELT All Team Meeting: Daily Summaries Delivered
by James Songster & James Moore
Leadership isn’t just about having a title. It’s about how you think, the choices you make, how you connect with people, and how you show up for others.Join James Songster for the ELT All Team Meeting, a podcast from Emerging Leader Training exploring practical lessons in leadership, customer service, personal philosophy, communication, decision-making, values, and much more. Drawing from decades of experience training and developing Cast Members at Walt Disney World, along with his experience as a professional magician, speaker, teacher, and leader, James shares stories, lessons, and practical ideas for becoming a better leader and creating meaningful connections with others.Whether you’re an emerging leader, new manager, team leader, educator, customer service professional, or simply someone looking to grow, ELT All Team Meeting will challenge you to Ask, Learn, and Lead</str
Latest Episodes
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- Yesterday30 min
The 5 Keys to Connecting With Anybody
Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!How do you create a genuine connection with another person, whether they’re a customer, coworker, student, team member, or someone you’ve just met?In Episode 6 of ELT All Team Meeting, James Moore and James Songster explore five simple behaviors that can dramatically improve the way we communicate, lead, serve, and build relationships.James explains that connection begins with how people feel when they interact with us. Drawing from his experiences at Walt Disney World, customer service, leadership development, and performing, he shares a five-part framework for making people feel seen, valued, heard, and included.The five keys are:1. Look at me. Make eye contact and acknowledge that the other person is present.2. Smile at me. A smile communicates warmth, openness, and approachability before a word is ever spoken.3. Listen to me. Don’t listen only to respond. Listen long enough to understand what the person is really asking, feeling, or needing.4. Thank me. Expressing genuine gratitude helps people know that their time, effort, trust, and contribution mattered.5. Include me. People don’t only want things done for them or at them. They want opportunities to participate, contribute, and have a voice.In this episode:The importance of first impressionsWhy emotional connection mattersBuilding trust with customers and teamsEye contact and body languageWhy smiling changes communicationListening to understand instead of listening to respondAsking better follow-up questionsMaking people feel heardThe power of gratitudeWhy inclusion strengthens relationshipsHow leaders can involve their teams in decisionsBuilding stronger customer experiencesCreating meaningful connections with almost anyoneWhy consistency matters more than doing these things occasionallyJames also challenges leaders to think about the last person they interacted with and ask: Did I really see them? Did I smile? Did I listen? Did I thank them? Did I include them?Connection doesn’t require a complicated formula. It begins with caring about the relationship you have been entrusted with.Look. Smile. Listen. Thank. Include.Ask. Learn. Lead.ELT All Team Meeting is a leadership podcast from Emerging Leader Training exploring leadership development, communication, customer service, personal growth, relationships, and the skills that help people become stronger leaders.
- 1 weeks ago32 min
Customer Service Is Leadership: How Great Leaders Serve Their Teams
Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!What does customer service have to do with leadership? More than you might think.In Episode 5 of ELT All Team Meeting, James Moore and James Songster explore why customer service isn’t just a department or job responsibility; it’s a leadership mindset.James argues that everyone has a customer because everyone serves someone. A customer can be the person purchasing a product, the person receiving your help, a student, a parent, a colleague, or, for a leader, the members of the team choosing to follow your lead.The conversation explores the difference between simply completing transactions and building genuine relationships. Great customer service begins when the question shifts from “What can I get from this person?” to “How can I help this person succeed?”For leaders, that means recognizing team members as internal customers. If leaders want their employees to provide outstanding service externally, they first need to model that same service internally through listening, trust, support, communication, and respect.In this episode:What customer service really meansWhy everyone has a customerCustomer service as a mindset rather than a departmentMoving from transactions to relationshipsWhy helping others creates long-term valueHow customer service connects directly to leadershipWhy a leader’s team is also their customerServing employees so they can better serve othersHow leaders build trust through listeningMaking people feel heard and valuedThe importance of first impressionsBuilding a personal leadership brandThe know, like, and trust relationshipInternal customer service and company cultureHow leadership behavior flows downstream to the customerWhy people remember how a leader made them feelDrawing on experiences from Walt Disney World, leadership development, customer service training, and real-world organizations, James explains why leaders cannot expect their teams to create exceptional customer experiences if those same team members are not receiving a strong experience from their leaders.Ultimately, leadership and customer service share the same responsibility: take care of the people who have chosen to engage with you.Ask. Learn. Lead.ELT All Team Meeting is a leadership podcast from Emerging Leader Training exploring leadership development, customer service, communication, personal growth, values, and the skills that help people become stronger leaders.
- 2 weeks ago33 min
Making Good Choices: How Leaders Make Better Decisions
Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!How do you know when you’re making the right choice, especially when there isn’t an obvious right answer?In Episode 4 of ELT All Team Meeting, James Moore and James Songster explore decision-making, personal values, opportunity cost, uncertainty, and the responsibility leaders take for the choices they make.James explains that a good decision starts by understanding what matters to you. Rather than asking only, “What do I want?”, strong decision-making requires asking whether a choice aligns with your personal values, commitments, priorities, and the person you want to become. Pasted textThe conversation examines why our first instinct often favors immediate pleasure, why virtually every meaningful decision involves a trade-off, and how opportunity cost can help us understand what we are really choosing and what we are giving up.James also shares a major crossroads from his own career: choosing between the stability and security of being a full-time Walt Disney World Cast Member and creating enough space to pursue his career as a professional magician. Both paths had value, but only one allowed him to honor something he considered non-negotiable about who he was.They also explore why seeking advice is valuable without being obligated to follow it, why leaders must take responsibility when a decision doesn’t produce the desired result, and why making the best available choice does not guarantee the outcome.In this episode:What makes something a good choiceHow personal values guide decision-makingWhy our first instinct isn’t always our best decisionUnderstanding opportunity costHow to choose when both options are goodMaking decisions when there is no obvious right answerJames’ choice between Disney and a career in magicHow much other people’s opinions should influence youWhen and whom to ask for adviceTaking responsibility for a bad decisionWhy good decisions don’t guarantee good outcomesCourse correcting when things don’t go as plannedThe danger of waiting for certaintyWhy not making a choice is still a choiceHow leaders make difficult decisionsLike a pilot continually adjusting course toward a destination, leadership isn’t about making one perfect decision. It’s about knowing where you’re trying to go, making the best choice available with the information you have, learning from the result, and adjusting when necessary.Before making an important choice, James’ advice is simple: look at your values, understand the opportunity cost, and decide whether you can accept what the choice requires you to give up. Pasted textAsk. Learn. Lead.ELT All Team Meeting is a leadership podcast from Emerging Leader Training exploring leadership development, decision-making, communication, customer service, personal growth, values, and the skills that help people become stronger leaders.Find out more at https://betterleadershipskills.com
- 3 weeks ago29 min
Personal Philosophy: How Your Values Shape the Way You Lead
Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!What is your personal philosophy, and how does it shape how you lead, make decisions, and live your life?In Episode 3 of ELT All Team Meeting, James Songster and James Moore explore the role personal philosophy, values, self-awareness, and purpose play in leadership and personal growth.James shares the philosophy that has guided much of his life and career: “Better than it was.” What began as a simple handmade plaque in the home he shared with his wife eventually became a way of evaluating work, relationships, decisions, and progress. The goal wasn’t perfection; it was improvement.The conversation explores how personal philosophies develop and change over time, including James Moore’s own evolution from “Strive to make the world a better place” to “May wisdom be your guide.” Together, they discuss why a philosophy should feel authentic, why it needs to work consistently rather than only when convenient, and how personal values influence the way a leader makes choices.They also examine the danger of philosophies that sound positive but lack context, such as “win” or “serve others” and why leaders need to understand what their guiding principles actually mean in practice.In this episode:What a personal philosophy isJames Songster’s philosophy: “Better than it was”How personal philosophy influences leadershipWhy values and actions need to alignHow personal philosophies evolve over timeSelf-awareness and personal growthFinding guiding principles that genuinely fit youWhy improvement doesn’t require perfectionHow leaders make decisions based on what is importantWhat happens when an organization conflicts with your valuesKnowing when it may be time to step awayWhy leaders should read, learn, and explore different philosophiesHow to tell whether a philosophy truly works for youJames ultimately returns to the idea that good choices come from understanding what is important, acting accordingly, and trying to leave your work, relationships, and world better than they were before you arrived.Ask. Learn. Lead.ELT All Team Meeting is a leadership podcast from Emerging Leader Training exploring leadership development, personal growth, values, communication, decision-making, and the ideas that help people become stronger leaders.Find out more at https://betterleadershipskills.com
- Oct 8, 202629 min
How to Become a Leader: Leadership Skills, Trust & Integrity
Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.How do you become a leader, and do you need a title to lead?In Episode 2 of ELT All Team Meeting, James Moore and James Songster explore what leadership really means, how leadership skills are developed, and why becoming a leader starts long before someone gives you a management title.James explains the difference between having a leadership position and actually earning the trust of people who choose to follow you. The conversation explores leadership development, self-awareness, personal values, trust, integrity, accountability, and the mistakes new leaders often make.Drawing from his leadership-development experience and his career at Walt Disney World, James discusses why organizations need leadership at every level and why some of the most influential leaders may never hold a formal leadership title.In this episode:What makes someone a leaderHow to become a leader without a titleLeadership vs. managementWhy anyone can develop leadership skillsThe importance of self-awareness and personal valuesHow leaders earn trustWhy trust must be earned rather than demandedCommon mistakes new leaders makeTaking responsibility when a decision goes wrongHow to lead when you don't have all the answersDeveloping leadership habitsWhy integrity is essential to good leadershipThe difference between being placed in charge and earning the right to leadWhether you're an emerging leader, new manager, aspiring leader, team leader, trainer, educator, or professional looking to develop your leadership skills, this episode offers practical ideas for becoming someone others genuinely choose to follow.Ask. Learn. Lead.ELT All Team Meeting is a podcast from Emerging Leader Training exploring leadership development, communication, customer service, personal growth, values, and the skills that help people become stronger leaders.Find out more at https://betterleadershipskills.com
- Oct 1, 202631 min
Disney Leadership, Magic & Becoming a Leader | Who Is James Songster?
Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.What does Disney teach us about leadership, personal development, customer service, and connecting with people?In Episode 1 of ELT All Team Meeting, James Moore sits down with James Songster, founder of Emerging Leader Training, to explore his journey from performer and magician to Walt Disney World cast member, Disney Institute facilitator, mentor, and leadership educator.James shares lessons from his 30-year Disney career and explains how performing, teaching, mentoring, and facilitating helped shape his approach to leadership development. The conversation explores why you don't need a management title to be a leader, what magic teaches us about earning trust and connecting with an audience, and how emerging leaders can continue learning and growing throughout their careers.James also discusses receiving the Disney Legacy Award, his philosophy of being an “untitled leader,” and the experiences that eventually came together to create James Songster's Emerging Leader Training.In this episode, you'll hear about:Leadership and leadership developmentBecoming a leader without a management titleLessons learned from Walt Disney WorldJames's experience with Disney InstituteThe Disney Legacy AwardEmerging leadership and mentorshipCustomer service and connecting with peopleCommunication, trust, and audience engagementWhat performing magic teaches about leadershipPersonal and professional developmentTeaching, facilitating, and mentoring othersThe philosophy behind Emerging Leader TrainingWhy saying yes to new opportunities can lead to growthWhether you're a new manager, emerging leader, aspiring leader, teacher, trainer, facilitator, customer service professional, or anyone interested in personal growth, this conversation offers practical ideas about becoming the kind of leader others choose to follow.Ask. Learn. Lead.ELT All Team Meeting is a leadership podcast from Emerging Leader Training featuring conversations about leadership development, communication, customer service, personal philosophy, values, professional growth, and lessons learned from Disney and beyond.
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About ELT All Team Meeting
Leadership isn’t just about having a title. It’s about how you think, the choices you make, how you connect with people, and how you show up for others.Join James Songster for the ELT All Team Meeting, a podcast from Emerging Leader Training exploring practical lessons in leadership, customer service, personal philosophy, communication, decision-making, values, and much more. Drawing from decades of experience training and developing Cast Members at Walt Disney World, along with his experience as a professional magician, speaker, teacher, and leader, James shares stories, lessons, and practical ideas for becoming a better leader and creating meaningful connections with others.Whether you’re an emerging leader, new manager, team leader, educator, customer service professional, or simply someone looking to grow, ELT All Team Meeting will challenge you to Ask, Learn, and Lead</str
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