On this episode of the McCoy Leadership Podcast, I sat down with Eden Lovejoy, creator of the innovative Virtual GM Matrix. Eden shared her journey from small-town Alaska to transforming how businesses operate, emphasizing that today’s leadership is all about engaging with your team—not micromanaging. We explored why old-school management styles no longer work, how to create true accountability, and why articulating your mission and values is critical for small business success. Interested in building a more empowered team and scaling your business sustainably? This episode is packed with actionable insights you won’t want to miss!

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00:00 Finding Focus in Small Business

05:47 Micromanagement's Persistence Across Generations

09:47 Evolving Business Ownership Mindsets

11:14 Pandemic's Impact on Workplace Accountability

15:34 Startups: Early Growth Challenges

18:11 "Building Accountability with Values"

24:53 "Authority for Accountability"

26:53 Evaluating Business Metric Effectiveness

30:51 "Small Business Challenges and Team Engagement"

32:57 Workplace Policy Avoidance and Solutions

36:12 Advice for School Administrators

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Top 3 takeaways:

🔹 Modern Leadership Is About Working With, Not On, Your Team Eden emphasized that people want to be worked with—not managed or micromanaged. Engaging today’s workforce (especially Millennials and Gen Z) means co-creating solutions and empowering them to contribute their strengths.

🔹 Your Mission, Vision, and Values Aren’t Just Wall Art She drove home the need for business owners (even solo founders) to articulate their why. Clearly communicating your mission and values, then actually living by them, is crucial for aligning your team and building accountability.

🔹 Accountability = Clear Results + Delegated Authority It’s not about creating new rules every week. Eden suggests writing clear role definitions that focus on outcomes, then ensuring staff have the true authority needed to deliver. This shift from task-based management to results-based leadership increases ownership and reduces turnover.

If you’re a small business owner wrestling with team engagement, micromanagement, or scaling your leadership impact, give this episode a listen. Eden also shares more resources at https://yourbusinesslifestyle.com/ and on her LinkedIn.

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Links

Eden's Website

https://yourbusinesslifestyle.com/

LinkedIn

Eden's Book

https://a.co/d/2WenmwR

Eden's Book Recommendation

https://a.co/d/9UG9371