TRP 186: Leading Small Teams with David Burkus

In this episode of The Rainmaking Podcast, host Scott Love speaks with Dr. David Burkus, organizational psychologist and author of Best Team Ever, about the fundamentals of leading small teams effectively. Dr. Burkus explains that while leadership in large organizations is often about managing systems and processes, leading a small team requires a deeper focus on culture, communication, and accountability. He highlights that leaders of small teams have a unique advantage: they can directly influence the team’s culture and engagement, shaping an environment of trust, collaboration, and high performance. Key topics include the importance of setting clear expectations and milestones, fostering healthy conflict as a tool for innovation, and the power of team-wide meetings for accountability and alignment. Dr. Burkus shares his three-question team huddle framework—asking team members what they’ve completed, what they’re focused on next, and what’s blocking their progress—to create a structured, transparent approach to performance tracking. He also discusses how leaders can provide constructive feedback, encourage psychological safety, and develop intrinsic motivation by reinforcing the impact of their team’s work. This episode provides practical strategies for professionals looking to enhance their leadership effectiveness and build high-performing teams. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ ---------------------------------------- One of the world’s leading business thinkers, David’s forward-thinking ideas and bestselling books are changing how companies approach leadership, teamwork, and collaboration. A skilled researcher and inspiring communicator, Dr. David Burkus is the best-selling author of five books about business and leadership. His books have won multiple awards and have been translated into dozens of languages. Since 2017, David has been ranked multiple times as one of the world’s top business thought leaders. His insights on leadership and teamwork have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and CBS This Morning. A former business school professor, David now works with leaders from organizations across all industries, including PepsiCo, Fidelity, Adobe, and NASA. David’s keynotes aren’t just entertaining and enlightening, they’re evidence-based and immensely practical—offering leaders at all levels a set of actionable takeaways they can implement immediately. ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ www.theplacementclub.com Links: https://davidburkus.com/ https://davidburkus.com/books/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidburkus/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices