MSMP 88: Timothy Colson on Trusting Your Team
What Does “MSMP 88: Timothy Colson on Trusting Your Team” Talk About?
In this 40-minute episode of Mads Singers Management Podcast , the hosts explore topics including great culture, situational leadership, treat everyone, timothy shares.
Today’s guest for the Mads Singers Management Podcast, Timothy Colson, has spent many years in leadership, first in a big box retailer for almost a decade, then for a nationwide insurance company. Today he runs his own insurance and financial services firm in New York, about an hour outside Manhattan.Part of why Timothy runs his own firm today is his love of culture and the way that it can shape a team. “We sell commodities. There’s no need to take that so very seriously. I want a team that values creativity, honesty, and having fun.” Timothy noted that when he emphasized those core values, it wasn’t difficult to attract A-players to his team. Timothy noted that great culture happens when people enjoy their work, feel trusted and empowered, and come to work every day feeling like they are part of something. I noted that that goes hand in hand with performance. People who are performing well tend to be happier. Those who are not performing well know they aren’t performing, and are a drag on themselves and the culture. If they can’t get with the program, they have to go (and it’s better for them too!).We also discussed “situational leadership” as a topic that is getting more attention these days. Timothy sees that as assessing what is the most important issue in a given day or week, identifying the right person to deal with it, and then deploying that person to do so. This fosters trust and empowerment in a team, as opposed to micromanagement, which tends to discourage team members.Timothy and I also enjoyed roasting the old and outdated chestnut that, in management, you should always “treat everyone the same.” The reality is that different people need different techniques and approaches. Timothy talked about one particular scenario in which one of his team was performing very well, but not using the methods that had been determined as the “right way” by the higher ups. After spending some time with her, he decided to ask for forgiveness instead of asking for permission from the higher-ups and leaned into the methods she was using to win. He then documented those and passed them up the chain for approval. Rather than insist that there was only one right way to do things, he took a gamble and helped coach his employee.Timothy has a clear passion for the science of leadership and it was a pleasure to get to know him well. Enjoy this episode! Key Learning Points:1. Timothy notes that it only takes one person to poison the culture of an entire company - 4:002. Timothy shares what he thinks a great culture does - 5:153.
What Are the Key Takeaways From “MSMP 88: Timothy Colson on Trusting Your Team”?
Here are some of the key points discussed in this episode:
- The importance of great culture and how it applies in practice
- The importance of situational leadership and how it applies in practice
- The importance of treat everyone and how it applies in practice
- The importance of timothy shares and how it applies in practice
- The importance of todays guest and how it applies in practice
Is “MSMP 88: Timothy Colson on Trusting Your Team” Worth Listening To?
Absolutely. “MSMP 88: Timothy Colson on Trusting Your Team” is a compelling episode that delivers focused, actionable content without wasting your time.
The episode is well-structured and easy to follow. Mads Singers Management Podcast consistently delivers quality content, and this episode is no exception.
Who Should Listen to “MSMP 88: Timothy Colson on Trusting Your Team”?
This episode is ideal for:
- Anyone interested in great culture
- Professionals looking to learn more about situational leadership
- Regular listeners of Mads Singers Management Podcast who want to stay up-to-date
- Anyone looking for practical insights they can apply right away
- People who prefer learning through conversational, interview-style content
Where Can You Listen to Mads Singers Management Podcast ?
You can listen to Mads Singers Management Podcast on all major podcast platforms:
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What Are Listeners Saying About This Episode?
“This episode really opened my eyes to great culture. Mads Singers Management Podcast consistently delivers thoughtful conversations that make you think differently about situational leadership. Highly recommend this one.”
“I've been following great culture for a while now and this episode was one of their best. The discussion around Mads Singers Management Podcast was incredibly insightful and I've already started applying some of the ideas.”
“Finally, a podcast that dives deep into great culture without oversimplifying things. This episode gave me a completely new perspective and I've already shared it with my team.”
Today’s guest for the Mads Singers Management Podcast, Timothy Colson, has spent many years in leadership, first in a big box retailer for almost a decade, then for a nationwide insurance company. Today he runs his own insurance and financial services firm in New York, about an hour outside Manhattan.
Part of why Timothy runs his own firm today is his love of culture and the way that it can shape a team. “We sell commodities. There’s no need to take that so very seriously. I want a team that values creativity, honesty, and having fun.” Timothy noted that when he emphasized those core values, it wasn’t difficult to attract A-players to his team.
Timothy noted that great culture happens when people enjoy their work, feel trusted and empowered, and come to work every day feeling like they are part of something. I noted that that goes hand in hand with performance. People who are performing well tend to be happier. Those who are not performing well know they aren’t performing, and are a drag on themselves and the culture. If they can’t get with the program, they have to go (and it’s better for them too!).
We also discussed “situational leadership” as a topic that is getting more attention these days. Timothy sees that as assessing what is the most important issue in a given day or week, identifying the right person to deal with it, and then deploying that person to do so. This fosters trust and empowerment in a team, as opposed to micromanagement, which tends to discourage team members.
Timothy and I also enjoyed roasting the old and outdated chestnut that, in management, you should always “treat everyone the same.” The reality is that different people need different techniques and approaches. Timothy talked about one particular scenario in which one of his team was performing very well, but not using the methods that had been determined as the “right way” by the higher ups. After spending some time with her, he decided to ask for forgiveness instead of asking for permission from the higher-ups and leaned into the methods she was using to win. He then documented those and passed them up the chain for approval. Rather than insist that there was only one right way to do things, he took a gamble and helped coach his employee.
Timothy has a clear passion for the science of leadership and it was a pleasure to get to know him well. Enjoy this episode!
Key Learning Points:
1. Timothy notes that it only takes one person to poison the culture of an entire company – 4:00
2. Timothy shares what he thinks a great culture does – 5:15
3. Mads reminds us that people who perform tend to be happy – 6:56
4. Timothy gives us his definition of situational leadership – 16:50
5. Mads warns that “treat everyone the same” as an idiom in management is outdated thinking – 19:00
6. Mads stresses the importance of self-knowledge to complement knowledge of your team – 21:32
7. Timothy shares how he found a way to help one of his team members grow in an unconventional way – 27:44
8. Timothy talks about an “aha” moment in regards to micromanagement – 33:03
9. Mads notes the biggest danger of micromanagement – 35:11
Connect with Timothy Colson