Kevin Lawton What I learned from 100 Podcasts
The New Warehouse Podcast recently hit its 100th episode mark on August 17th just a year and a few months after its debut in March of 2019. If you did not know, I am the host and founder of The New Warehouse. I have had the pleasure of putting together these 100 episodes to help deliver some additional value to those in the logistics, distribution, transportation, and material handling world by having conversations with others from these industries.
When I set out to do The New Warehouse it was because I wanted to learn more about the industry myself and if I could help a few other people along the way that would be great. Not only did I learn more about the industry, but I learned more about life and business as well.
I learned how to structure and hold a conversation so that the other party is engaged. Having an everyday casual discussion is something that we typically do all the time with no prompt or set time to talk. When setting up a podcast there is a set amount of time to talk, there are talking points to be discussed prior and there is an overall subject to center the conversation around. When you are the host, there is also an obligation and responsibility to the audience to bring them information from the guest that you believe they want to hear.
How do we learn from this and bring it to business? First, we look at a set time to talk. Having a set time to talk about something specific allows for everyone to be in the mindset of that conversation. This is incredibly important when you are going to be in a discussion where a decision needs to be made or critical information needs to be extracted to make a decision.
Additionally, everyone needs to come to the conversation knowing what the goal of the conversation is. Reinforcing this by distributing talking points or a meeting agenda helps to keep people from going on tangents. As the host, you need to drive the conversation which means setting up the guest to talk to the points you have in mind and steer them back on track when needed. You also need to recognize when to let someone keep talking.
Through the podcast, I have learned that you should always let someone keep talking. Interjecting too much and interrupting can throw them off their thought process and as you allow them to talk you are silently guiding them to the points you were looking for. By letting them continue and listening intently you are able to build on the conversation further. It also allows them to feel more comfortable as they continue to speak longer and get to talk about what they are interested in. I have been told multiple times that I am incredibly easy to talk to on the podcast but the truth is that I just let them talk without interrupting. This can put many individuals at ease because it may be something they are not used to.
Being able to connect with so many different people in so little time has allowed me to see from multiple viewpoints and has opened my thinking on how I operate on a daily basis. There are a ton of takeaways you can get from listening to so many different experiences and stories. Whether you want to start a podcast or not I recommend connecting and talking to people about what they do regularly. You will be surprised at what you find out.
Coming from an operations background in warehousing, I have also learned that applying some of my skill sets which I had originally thought to only be applicable in that environment to the podcast has proven effective. I have worked to standardize my process and delegate where needed. Much like managing in a warehouse, it has proven to help me focus on the bigger picture and create new opportunities for the podcast. With the help of my interns Eric, Rebecca, and Michelle I could have not made the podcast to what it is today and certainly not at the rate of which I am currently releasing episodes. Building a team and trusting them to do what they are good at has been a great experience and helped me to grow as a leader in my other work arenas as well.
The podcast is my passion and I’m happy to share it with you. Now here’s to 100 more!
If you are interested in finding out more information about The New Warehouse Podcast search for us on your favorite podcast platform or head to TheNewWarehouse.com.
