Name: Yermi Kurkus

Title: Co-Founder

Organisation: Yermi Kurkus Group

Yermi Kurkus, co-founder of the YK Group, is a thought leader and business strategic advisor. Yermi works with business owners in High-Ticket Industries who have a legacy-leadership mindset and seek to take their businesses or practices to “excellence” without compromising their integrity. Through various training programs, workshops, and tailored strategic solutions, we work together to grow, gain momentum, and achieve sustainable profits while leaving a memorable impact.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Yermi's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

In every encounter we face, people are asking themselves 4 primary questions. 1. Am I safe? 2. Am I heard/valued? 3. What's in it for me? 4. Am I inspired? As a leader, it is our job to touch upon each of these 4 sections at any given time during our communication and interaction with the people we come in contact with.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

Vision - What does the world look like? Mission - What part do I play in making the world look like that? In practical terms. In your ideal view, what benefit do people have? How is their life supposed to be? What are you doing to provide that benefit to them? How are you getting them to live a better life?

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

By giving them agency. Empowering them to take ownership of tasks that are directly aligned with their core strengths.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

Bob Burg, Jeff West, Kathy Taganel, Grant Muller, Richard Weylman, Jay Deubler, and several others. I was once at a Master Mind where Jay Deubler was one of the mentors and coaches - I spoke about my business and Jay kept pushing and probing me "Yes, but what do you do?" At first, it was a bit frustrating, anything I tried to answer was met with "What do you do?" This question is something we've been asking ourselves ever since. It's a deep and profound question - it forces you to simplify and express how others benefit from what you do.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

Focus on the mission and vision - put on blinders to the rest

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

We reverse engineer our goals. We begin with our 10+ year goal break it down to 3 year goals break it down further to 12 month goals Break it down further to quarterly goals Break it down further into monthly goals, weekly goals, and daily goals.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

Whatever you find yourself procrastinating on - figure out why you are procrastinating - if it's just because you are lazy, then get un-lazy. But if it's because you hate that task - give it to someone else to do. You'll be much happier.