In this episode of The Prestigious Initiative, I sit down with Kevin G. Armstrong, a TEDx speaker, business coach, and author of The Miracle Manager. Kevin brings decades of experience advising business leaders and shares groundbreaking insights on leadership, accountability, and management. We dive into why we need to stop sending "ducks to eagle school," how purpose outweighs position when it comes to performance, and the critical difference between leaders and managers. Kevin also unpacks his proven strategies for creating a culture of accountability in any organization and reveals how to get your business working for you—rather than the other way around. If you're a business owner, executive, or simply looking to optimize your leadership skills, this episode is packed with actionable advice you can start applying today.
The Mana Coach Mindset: How Purpose, Accountability, and Strategic Leadership Drive Success
In a world where leadership often focuses on immediate results and productivity, Kevin Armstrong, business leader, TEDx speaker, and author of Miracle Manager, challenges us to rethink what makes a truly effective manager. In a recent conversation on The Prestigious Initiative, Kevin shared invaluable insights on why purpose matters more than position, how to foster a culture of accountability, and what it means to embody the “Mana Coach” mindset in leadership. Below, we explore Kevin’s unique approach to leadership and how business owners can apply these principles to cultivate thriving teams and organizations.
Understanding the Mana Coach Mindset
Kevin Armstrong’s journey began with a successful career in sales, which eventually led to a leadership role overseeing numerous branches. Despite his expertise in sales, he faced challenges as a manager. This personal experience, along with observing leaders in sports and business, led him to develop the concept of the “Mana Coach.” This type of leader is not necessarily the top performer but rather someone with empathy, organizational skills, and the courage to have difficult conversations.
Kevin explained, “Managing and coaching are synonymous in that it’s about getting things done efficiently and effectively through others.” Just as a coach in sports guides the team without stepping onto the field, a great manager empowers their team rather than trying to do everything themselves.
Takeaway: Leadership is not about individual performance but about enabling others to perform at their best. For any business owner, embracing the Mana Coach mindset means putting ego aside and focusing on building a cohesive, self-sufficient team.
Why High Performers Don’t Always Make the Best Managers
In our society, there’s a tendency to promote top performers to management roles, assuming that their expertise will naturally translate into great leadership. Kevin challenges this idea, citing the example of sports legends like Wayne Gretzky, who struggled as a coach despite his athletic prowess. As Kevin said, “The top performers don’t necessarily know how to coach others. They’re often better suited in roles where they can focus on their craft rather than managing people.”
Kevin emphasized the importance of “casting” people correctly within an organization. He uses the term “casting” to describe aligning employees with roles that fit their strengths and natural talents. Rather than promoting the best engineer or salesperson to a management role, Kevin suggests finding individuals with a passion for helping others grow—people who can connect, organize, and lead without needing the spotlight.
Actionable Insight: As a business owner, consider whether your top performer is genuinely suited for a managerial role. Sometimes, providing more recognition or financial incentives in their current position may be more beneficial than shifting them to management, where their skills may not be as effective.
Creating a Culture of Accountability
Kevin stressed that accountability is the cornerstone of any successful team. For him, it starts at the top. He shared, “If the leadership team isn’t accountable, nobody else in the organization will be.” He encourages leaders to model the accountability they want to see in their teams, setting clear expectations and following through.
One method Kevin recommends is setting up a 90-day review system, where leaders grade each other based on their accomplishments and commitments. This process ensures that everyone is aligned with the company’s goals and maintains a consistent level of performance.
Practical Step: Introduce regular reviews or check-ins within your leadership team to foster mutual accountability. These sessions provide an opportunity to reassess goals, address challenges, and ensure that leaders are staying on track.
The Power of Purpose: Leading Beyond Position
For Kevin, purpose is a defining quality of successful leaders. He shared a memorable story of a bus driver who transformed a routine ride into a personal experience for every passenger, turning what could have been an ordinary job into a purposeful experience. This story underlines Kevin’s belief that purpose is what separates effective leaders from those simply going through the motions. As he put it, “You can either be a bus driver or the bus driver. The difference is purpose.”
Kevin’s advice for finding purpose is refreshingly simple: “Just go do something.” He encourages people to try new things, lean into their strengths, and let their natural talents reveal their purpose. For business owners, this translates to fostering an environment where employees can discover what drives them, rather than confining them to rigid roles.
Takeaway: As a leader, focus on your purpose and help your team find theirs. Encourage employees to pursue projects that align with their strengths and allow them to take ownership of their roles. Purpose-driven work leads to greater satisfaction and ultimately benefits the organization as a whole.
Communication: The Foundation of Leadership
One of Kevin’s strongest beliefs is the importance of direct, face-to-face communication. In an era dominated by digital communication, he cautions against handling critical feedback over email or text, explaining that tone and intent often get lost. Instead, he advocates for “the one bounce-back rule”: if a client or team member doesn’t understand an email response, pick up the phone or meet face-to-face.
Kevin’s approach is especially valuable in situations involving constructive criticism. By having tough conversations in person, leaders can ensure that their message is understood and avoid the misunderstandings that can occur in written communication.
Actionable Insight: Encourage in-person or voice communication for all critical feedback. This approach helps prevent miscommunication and allows for a clearer, more constructive conversation. Implement a rule in your organization that limits email for complex or sensitive topics, ensuring clarity and fostering stronger relationships.
From Accountability to Integrity: The Key Traits of a Mana Coach
Kevin introduced the idea that true integrity involves consistency between what we think, say, and do. For leaders, this means modeling the values and behaviors they expect from their teams. He recalled a personal story where he challenged the board of directors for allowing a behavior that contradicted their company’s policies, emphasizing that integrity is about “doing what you say you’re going to do.”
He explained, “If you’re in a position of management or leadership, my question to you is, what conversation have you been avoiding?” Leaders often avoid tough conversations, hoping the situation will resolve itself. However, Kevin argues that addressing issues directly, with kindness and respect, is essential for building a culture of integrity and accountability.
Practical Step: Reflect on any unresolved issues or conversations you’ve been avoiding. Consider addressing these directly, using a constructive approach that emphasizes the well-being of your team and organization. By confronting these issues, you set a precedent for accountability and integrity within your team.
Embracing Failure as a Pathway to Success
Failure, as Kevin sees it, is not just a part of the journey; it’s essential to growth. He challenges the notion that formal education discourages failure, noting that many successful entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates found success outside traditional pathways. “You need to thrive on failure,” Kevin asserted, emphasizing that each setback provides a learning opportunity and brings us closer to our goals.
For business owners, this means creating a safe environment where team members can take risks, learn from mistakes, and grow. Failure should be seen as a stepping stone to success rather than something to be feared.
Takeaway: Encourage a culture that embraces failure as part of growth. This mindset allows your team to innovate, take risks, and learn, ultimately leading to stronger, more resilient performance.
Purpose Over Position: Shaping the Future of Business Leadership
Kevin Armstrong’s insights remind us that true leadership is not about holding a title or managing every detail. Instead, it’s about aligning with a greater purpose, fostering accountability, and empowering others to succeed. By embodying the Mana Coach mindset, business owners can step back from daily operations, trust their team to manage the details, and focus on strategic growth.
Closing Thoughts: For any business owner, taking on the role of a Mana Coach means rethinking what it means to lead. Prioritize purpose over position, emphasize accountability, and create a culture that embraces growth—even if it involves failure. By adopting this approach, you can build a business that not only achieves success but also empowers its people to thrive.
Ready to Transform Your Business?
If you’re ready to build a business that works for you rather than the other way around, consider following Kevin Armstrong’s advice: focus on purpose, embrace accountability, and let go of the need to control every detail. Connect with our team or subscribe to The Prestigious Initiative for more insights on creating a balanced, successful business.
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