EP 220: How CEOs of Operations Businesses Build Trust That Drives Action

If you’re a CEO of a multi-location, operations-heavy business doing roughly eight figures in revenue, you’ve likely felt this: you have solid managers but they still hesitate, filter information, or wait for you before making a move.

In this episode of Executive Appeal podcast, Alex sits down with Janis Middleton, Chief Inclusion Officer at 22Squared and founder of First, Not Only Network. With years of experience influencing senior leaders and building trust inside complex organizations, Janis breaks down why teams hold back and what leaders do that either builds or quietly erodes trust.

This isn’t theory. It’s what actually happens inside teams when people don’t feel safe to speak up or act.

You’ll learn:

• How to communicate in a way that keeps people engaged instead of defensive
• Why your managers hesitate to act and how to unlock real ownership
• How to create an environment where truth shows up early, not late
• What to do so decisions stop bouncing back to your desk

This episode is for you if:

• You’re still the one everyone waits on before acting
• Problems show up late instead of early
• You feel like you’re carrying too much of the decision load

If you want your team to move faster, take initiative, and stop relying on you for every call—this episode will show you where to start.

Take the free Executive Leadership Diagnostic here:

https://gpsleadership.org/diagnostic/

Listen now and share this with another operator who’s tired of being the bottleneck.