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Ryan Hawk
Leaders are learners. The best leaders never stop working to make themselves better. The Learning Leader Show Is series of conversations with the world's most thoughtful leaders. Entrepreneurs, CEO's, World-Class Athletes, Coaches, Best-Selling Authors, and much more.
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460: Jane McGonigal - How To See The Future & Be Ready For Anything

460: Jane McGonigal - How To See The Future & Be Ready For Anything

Text HAWK to 66866 for "Mindful Monday" Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Jane McGonigal, PhD is a world-renowned designer of alternate reality games — or, games that are designed to improve real lives and solve real problems. She believes game designers are on a humanitarian mission — and her #1 goal in life is to see a game developer win a Nobel Peace Prize. She is a two-time New York Times bestselling author: Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World and SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully. Her TED talks on how games can make a better world and the game that can give you 10 extra years of life, are among the all-time most popular TED talks, and have more than 15 million views. Jane dedicates this book to her sister Kelly... "who lives six minutes in the future." They are twins. "It's so helpful having her. If she can achieve something (TED Talks, Books), I could do it too." Being able to predict the future is not enough. You have to be bale to pre-feel it. Write down your long term plans. "Talk about a world you want to wake up in." "Any useful idea about the future should sound rediculous initially." "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." How to think like a futurist? In the corporate world... Carve out a role for yourself to fight short-terminism. Fight short term thinking. Play the long game. Create future planning habits in your organization. Dare to daydream. Take ownership - Create moments of joy... Be of service to others. A 30 second practical activity: Imagine 10 years from now... Where are you? What woke you up? Who are you with? The 3 questions to give you a baseline sense of your “future mindset” When you think about the next 10 years, do you think things will mostly stay the same and go on as normal? Or do you expect that most of us will dramatically rethink and reinvent how we do things? When you think about how the world and your life will change over the next 10 years, are you mostly worried or mostly optimistic? How much control or influence do you feel you personally have in determining how the world and your life change over the next 10 years? How to predict the future? Unstick your mind Think The Unthinkable Imagine the Unimaginable Imaginable - How to see the future coming and feel ready for anything– even things that seem impossible today One of the issues that cause depression is it doesn’t allow you to imagine a future. For us as leaders, we need to be able to imagine a positive future for ourselves and our team. Be a spotlight for other people’s good ideas. Bring attention to it. Be known as someone who spreads positive gossip Living in the present. Giannis – "When you focus on the past, that's your ego... And when I focus on the future it's my pride... And I kind of like to focus in the moment, in the present. And that's humility. That's being humble."
01:00:3821/02/2022
459: Josh Peck - Using Humor To Connect, Making The Big Ask, & The Power Of Vulnerability

459: Josh Peck - Using Humor To Connect, Making The Big Ask, & The Power Of Vulnerability

Text Hawk to 66866 for "Mindful Monday" Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Josh Peck is an actor, comedian, author, entrepreneur, and YouTuber. He began his career as a child actor in the late 1990s and early 2000s and had an early role on The Amanda Show from 2000 to 2002. Josh rose to prominence for his role as Josh Nichols alongside Drake Bell's character in the Nickelodeon sitcom Drake & Josh. Josh Peck provided the voice of Eddie in the Ice Age franchise since Ice Age: The Meltdown and voiced Casey Jones in the Nickelodeon animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He also starred with John Stamos in the Fox comedy series Grandfathered. In 2017, Josh started a comedic lifestyle YouTube channel, Shua Vlogs, featuring his wife Paige O'Brien, David Dobrik, and many of the vlogsquad members. His new book is called Happy People Are Annoying. Notes: "Do good things and don't get caught doing them." Be of service to others. It seems when we focus on doing good things, good things seem to happen. When Josh was 8 years old, he felt powerless, insecure, and uncomfortable. He was having a family dinner during the holidays... He decided to commit fully to telling a joke. And he earned his first real laugh from his family. At that moment he said, "I decided what I wanted to do with my life." He became a stand-up comedian and eventually an actor. "Laughing is uncontrollable. It's so honest." How to add humor to your business meetings? "The only thing more compelling than a joke is honest vulnerability. Being willing to call yourself. Be human." That vulnerability will bring people closer to you. The power of listening: It helps you constantly make adjustments. Be open, free in the moment. Humor, acting, or leadership... All of those are acquired skills. You have to have the willingness to be bad at it first to get good at it later. Using a chip on your shoulder as motivation? It can work in the short term but doesn't typically work in the long term. "It was the wrong fuel for my engine." "You gotta ask:" When he was 12 years old, he found himself on set telling jokes to an older man. He was cracking the guy up. He didn't realize that person was the President of Nickelodeon. Josh then asked him to be on one of the hit Nickelodeon shows. He eventually got a call that changed his life. After that call, Josh and his mom moved to Los Angeles where he's worked as an actor ever since. You have to be willing to ask. You have to be willing to face rejection or embarrassment. Aaron Sorkin said you can make the hall of fame in baseball striking out 2 out of 3 times. The same is true in life. One of the first people Josh called when he was launching his podcast was Bob Saget. Bob was one of the more famous people he knew. And he immediately responded and said he would record the following week. There are hundreds of stories like this about him. We all should be more like him. Ryan Holiday advice - Get really honest and tell your story. Your journey can help other people. As a dad, Josh wants to correct the trauma of the past... He never met his dad. "Do good things and don't get caught doing them." Be in service of others.
01:00:1314/02/2022
458: Gary Burnison - The Five Graces Of Life & Leadership (CEO of Korn Ferry)

458: Gary Burnison - The Five Graces Of Life & Leadership (CEO of Korn Ferry)

Read my new book: The Pursuit Of Excellence https://bit.ly/excellencebulk Text Hawk to 66866 for "Mindful Monday" Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Gary Burnison is the CEO of Korn Ferry. Under his leadership, Korn Ferry has been transformed into a global organizational consulting firm with nearly 9,000 colleagues. Burnison is the author of seven leadership and career development books, including a New York Times bestseller. Notes: In his early days as a CEO, a member of Gary's board who was mentoring him, looked him in the eye and said, “I don’t just want you to be successful—I am going to ensure that you are successful.” Gary was moved by words. Looking back now, he sees that moment as a gift of grace. How he built a career from an entry-level worker to the CEO of a 9,000 person company: Humility and hustle drive careers forward To learn, you must be humble and self-aware. Hiring decisions: "I higher for hunger over pedigree." The Five Graces of Leadership: Gratitude―the attitude that elevates our spirits, boosts morale, and lifts our hearts Resilience―the quality that allows us to achieve beyond our wildest dreams Aspiration―the knowledge that we can make tomorrow better than today Courage―the ability to understand and move beyond our fears Empathy―the understanding needed to connect with others from their perspectives The most impactful leaders have four key skills: Adaptability: Being comfortable with unanticipated changes and diverse situations; being able to adjust to constraints and rebound from adversity. Curiosity: Approaching problems in novel ways; seeing patterns and understanding how to synthesize complex information; having the desire to achieve a deep understanding of things. Detail-oriented: Having the ability to systematically carry out tasks as assigned, with an understanding of the procedures and the importance of exactitude. Tolerance of ambiguity: Being comfortable with uncertainty and willing to make decisions and plans in the face of incomplete information “In today’s world, leadership is all about establishing community and connectivity so everyone can be part of something bigger than themselves.” “To have the grace to create this kind of leadership, we need greater self-awareness and genuine connection to others – particularly in this hybrid work environment where connections are increasingly more challenging to come by.” The #1 predictor of a candidate being effective? Learning agility "Humility is key for lifelong learning." Gary wrote a book called, "Lose The Resume, Land The Job." - Target the opportunity you want. Work to earn a warm introduction. A day in the life as the CEO of Korn Ferry: "You suddenly stop being a person and you start being a function." "Leadership is about inspiring others to believe." How he earned the role of CEO: Continuity helped (he was already working at the company) Vision, purpose, "the why," and the 4 or 5 parts of the strategy laid out moving forward When you're going for a VP role: Make sure it is a fit for you You are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you Have purpose and passion for the role Why Gary writes so much: "It's therapeutic for me." He likes to write with others to learn from them and gain clarity. "I like to get their point of view and listen to them." How he's built confidence: It comes from life experiences. When Gary was 11 years old, he lived in the middle of Kansas. The moving vans showed up and took their furniture away. His family went bankrupt. In times of crisis, it's critical for the leader to step up.
01:00:3807/02/2022
457: Ken Blanchard - Creating Magical Moments, Building Trust, & Simple Truths Of Leadership

457: Ken Blanchard - Creating Magical Moments, Building Trust, & Simple Truths Of Leadership

Read my new book, The Pursuit Of Excellence https://bit.ly/excellencehawk Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Text Hawk to 66866 for "Mindful Monday" Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Dr. Ken Blanchard is one of the most influential leadership experts in the world and is respected for his years of groundbreaking work in the fields of leadership and management. He's written 60+ published books... Most notably, The One Minute Manager has sold over 15 million copies.  Notes: T he One Minute Manager: 1 Minute goals – All struggles go back to one simple thing: communication. Set 3 goals for each employee. Write each of them down in 350 words or less. 1 Minute praisings (“catch people doing the right things”) – Do this immediately following good work. Don’t wait (you might forget). Be specific in your praise. 1 Minute reprimands (later changed to 1 Minute re-directs) - Address this immediately after it happens. Be very specific. "Teach people the power of love instead of the love of power." "Life is what happens to you when you're planning on doing something else." What made The One Minute Manager catch on? It was a parable. Those were rare at that time. It was a short book. A quick read. He started his company in 1979. Charles Schwab told him to name the company after himself... Thus, "The Ken Blanchard Companies" was started. It helped that YPO adopted them quickly. "All good performance starts with clear goals." Create magical moments – For his wife, Margie’s 80th birthday party, They rented a big house in Hawaii for a week surrounded by the people they love. How can you create magical moments? Ken has written 65 books... Only 2 of them by himself. He likes to write with others. Profit is the applause you get for creating a great environment for your people. Expectations: You get what you expect. Humility - Be there to serve others. Humility does not mean you think less of yourself. It means you think of yourself less. Connect the dots between individual roles and the goals of the organization. When people see that connection, they get a lot of energy out of work. They feel the importance, dignity, and meaning in their job. Leadership is not something you do to people. It's something you do with people. Vision is knowing who you are, where you're going, and what will guide your journey. "Many people measure their success by wealth, recognition, power, and status. There's nothing wrong with those, but if that's all you're focused on, you're missing the boat...if you focus on significance -using your time and talent to serve others -that's when truly meaningful success can come your way.: If becoming a high-performing organization is the destination, leadership is the engine. Sustained excellence: They realize it's not all about them They have a sense of humor They listen more than they speak Feedback is the breakfast of champions Get to D4 -- The highest level of development: Competent and Committed. Life/Career Advice: Be a lifetime learner Look for good leaders... Ask them to lunch  
01:01:2131/01/2022
456: Daniel Pink - How Looking Backwards Moves Us Forward (The Power Of Regret)

456: Daniel Pink - How Looking Backwards Moves Us Forward (The Power Of Regret)

Read my new book, The Pursuit of Excellence https://bit.ly/excellencehawk Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Text Hawk to 66866 for "Mindful Monday" Daniel H. Pink is the author of seven books, including the forthcoming The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward (Riverhead, 2022).  His other books include the New York Times bestsellers When and A Whole New Mind — as well as the #1 New York Times bestsellers Drive and To Sell is Human. Dan’s books have won multiple awards, have been translated into 42 languages, and have sold millions of copies around the world. Notes: The truth: We regret inactions much more than actions.The lesson: Be bold. Take that chance. In a world full of talkers, be a doer. Have a bias for action. The 3 keys to a productive achiever: empathy/compassion, curiosity, doggedness (consistency). We overvalue intensity and undervalue consistency and doggedness. Continue to show up and do the work. The four core regrets: Foundation regrets - People want stability. (save money, plan for the future) Boldness regrets - "If only I'd taken that chance." People regret not taking the chance. Moral regrets Connection regrets The truth: We deeply regret not asserting ourselves. The lesson: Speak up. Optimizing Regret: Our goal should not be to always minimize regret. Our goal should be to optimize it. By combining the science of anticipated regret with the new deep structure of regret, we can refine our mental model.  “Regret makes me human. Regret makes me better. Regret gives me hope.” This is a great exercise. Instead of a New Year's resolution, choose a single word to guide your 2022. After 2 years of upheaval, it can help you focus on the goals & changes most important to you. Dan's choice? Restore. The Dan Pink family acronym: HAHU - Hustle. Anticipate. Heads up. Big life decisions: Maximizers and satisficers Know when to maximize and when to satisfy. For low stakes decisions (the color of your car), you don't have to maximize Regret is part of the human condition. We all have regrets. Disclose it. Lift the burden. Someone that says they have "No Regrets" is either lying or they are a sociopath. Disclose lessons from your regrets. Ask yourself, "What did I learn from it?" Does everything happen for a reason? The lesson to be learned from it is understanding what we have control over and what we don't. Regret depends on storytelling. And that raises a question: In these stories, are we the creator or the character, the playwright or the performer? The answer is... YES. We are both. We are both the authors and the actors. We can shape the plot but not fully. We can toss aside the script but not always. We live at the intersection of free will and circumstance. "Our everyday lives consist of hundreds of decisions—some of them crucial to our well-being, many of them inconsequential. Understanding the difference can make all the difference. If we know what we truly regret, we know what we truly value. Regret— that maddening, perplexing, and undeniably real emotion—points the way to a life well-lived." Career/Life advice: Doggedness is important. Be a person of action. Be willing to try stuff. "We learn who we are in practice, not in theory." Doing something helps you figure it out.
01:05:2724/01/2022
455: Oliver Burkeman - How To Think About Productivity... Time Management For Mortals (4,000 Weeks)

455: Oliver Burkeman - How To Think About Productivity... Time Management For Mortals (4,000 Weeks)

Read my new book, The Pursuit Of Excellence https://bit.ly/excellencehawk Text Hawk to 66866 for "Mindful Monday" Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Oliver Burkeman is the author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management For Mortals. It's a book that has become an international best-seller.  The final person Oliver thanked in his book? His grandmother: “My dear grandmother Erica Burkeman, whose childhood departure from Nazi Germany I describe in chapter 7, died in 2019 at the age of 96. I don’t know whether she would have read this book, but she would definitely have told everyone she met that I had written it.” The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief. If you live to be 80, you’ll have had about 4,000 weeks. But that’s no reason for despair. Confronting our radical finitude – and how little control we really have – is the key to a fulfilling and meaningfully productive life. When someone close to you dies, Oliver writes, “Such experiences, however wholly unwelcome, often appear to leave those who undergo them in a new and more honest relationship with time. The question is whether we might attain at least a little of that same outlook in the absence of the experience of the agonizing loss.” When stumped by a life choice, choose “enlargement” over happiness. Don’t ask: Will this make me happy?”, but “Will this choice enlarge me or diminish me?” The future will never provide the reassurance you seek from it. (This is why it’s wrong to say we live in especially uncertain times. The future is always uncertain; it’s just that we’re currently very aware of it.) Embrace radical incrementalism - People who work a little bit every day tend to cultivate the patience it takes to get good. Oliver tells the old parable about a vacationing New York businessman who meets a Mexican fisherman… The capacity to tolerate minor discomfort is a superpower. The solution to imposter syndrome is to see that you are one - Everyone is totally “winging it.” The lesson to be drawn isn’t that we’re doomed to chaos. It’s that you – unconfident, self-conscious, all-too-aware-of-your-flaws – potentially have as much to contribute to your field, or the world, as anyone else. The original Latin word for “decide” was decidere which means “to cut off” as in slicing away alternatives. The sooner you welcome uncertainty and not knowing as normal ways of being, the better off you’ll be. People who work a little bit every day tend to cultivate the patience it takes to get good. These people also quit their day’s work when it’s finished: they identify what their chunk of time or task is per day, they do that and only that, and save more for tomorrow. “More often than not, originality lies on the far side of unoriginality.” To illustrate this point, Burkeman uses The Helsinki Bus Station Theory. As the photographer Arno Minkkinen explained, Helsinki bus lines start out traveling the same path but then diverge at different points in the route, spreading out to far and wide locales. When you find your work resembles someone else’s, or you’re on someone else’s bus, traveling someone else’s path, don’t try to go back to the bus station at the very beginning and completely reinvent yourself and start from scratch, keep working and “stay on the bus!” At a certain point, your path will split off into something new. The central challenge of time management isn’t becoming more efficient, but deciding what to neglect. In an accelerating world, patience – letting things take the time they take – is a superpower. In conditions of limitless choice, burning your bridges beats keeping your options open. The need to control events is unhelpful. There is too much uncertainty for that. Is "follow your passion" good advice? Find something you're good at instead. Do things "daily-ish" Harness the power of patience as a force for daily life. Relish the value of consistency. Goal setting: "We are incapable of living goalless lives." With that said, "a plan is just a thought." Excellence: A willingness to accept the truth of their present situation and not wear blinders. They are clear-eyed. Generosity to other people. They have a basic assumption of a non-zero-sum world. Four Thousand Weeks is an entertaining and philosophical but ultimately deeply practical guide to the alternative path of embracing your limits: dropping back down into reality, defying cultural pressures to attempt the impossible, and getting started on what’s gloriously possible instead. It’s about actually getting meaningful things done, here and now, in our work and our lives together – in the clear-eyed understanding that there won’t be time for everything, and that we’ll never eliminate life’s uncertainties.
01:04:1417/01/2022
454: Jim Levine - A Conversation With My Literary Agent (How To Write A Great Proposal)

454: Jim Levine - A Conversation With My Literary Agent (How To Write A Great Proposal)

Read my new book, The Pursuit Of Excellence https://bit.ly/excellencehawk Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Text Hawk to 66866 for "Mindful Monday" Jim Levine has been a literary agent for more than 30 years. Some of his agency’s clients include Ray Dalio, Scott Galloway, Jay Shetty, Gillian Flynn (author of Gone Girl), Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft), Tom Brady, & Giselle Bundchen among others… He also is my book agent and he brokered the deals for my book deals for both Welcome To Management AND The Pursuit of Excellence with McGraw-Hill. Notes: Early in my podcasting career, I asked all authors I recorded who the best book agent was... And many of them said, Jim Levine. "Being an agent is a continuing liberal arts education, it’s an opportunity to engage with experts and thought leaders in a wide variety of fields and help shape their work to reach the broadest possible audience.” Jim has written and published 7 books and over 100 articles for professional magazines… He's won awards for his work as a writer. He's the founding director of The Fatherhood Project – A 20-year long foundation-supported initiative to increase men’s involvement in childrearing in all segments of society. Jim takes us inside the process from book proposal, selling to a publisher, and ultimately getting the book published. "Being an agent is so much more than just selling the book. The relationship is so much more intimate. You have to care." Building a company and a culture of growth... The best book proposals he's read: The Master Algorithm -- Pedro Domingos Welcome To Management Smartcuts by Shane Snow Jim has spent most of his career putting together ideas, people, and money; identifying, nurturing, and marketing talent; and creating projects that make a difference. Jim graduated Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude from Amherst College, winning Woodrow Wilson, Fulbright, and Ford Foundation Fellowships. He holds two advanced degrees in English Literature from UC Berkeley, where he specialized in Shakespeare and modern literary criticism, and a doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he specialized in child development and social policy. Advice: Don’t think about a job, think about skills you have and challenges you could take on… The WHO is really important - Who you work for... Be a perpetual learner Follow your curiosity Have a wide range of interests What Jim looks for when hiring – Pat Lencioni’s humble, hungry, and smart – It’s about helping people solve problems.
49:1310/01/2022
453: Dr. Gary Chapman - The 5 Love Languages, Resolving Conflict, & Building Trust

453: Dr. Gary Chapman - The 5 Love Languages, Resolving Conflict, & Building Trust

Read my new book, The Pursuit Of Excellence https://bit.ly/thepursuitofexcellence Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Text Hawk to 66866 for "Mindful Monday" This episode starts with a short review of 2021 and I share my goals for 2022. Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Gary Chapman, PhD, is the author of the bestselling The 5 Love Languages® series, which has sold more than 20 million worldwide and has been translated into 50 languages. Dr. Chapman travels the world presenting seminars on marriage, family, and relationships, and his radio programs air on more than 400 stations.  Notes: The Five Love Languages: Words of Affirmation - Words of affirmation is about expressing affection through spoken words, praise, or appreciation. When this is someone's primary love language, they enjoy kind words and encouragement.\ Quality Time - For those who identify with quality time as their love language, love and affection are expressed through undivided attention. This means putting down the cell phone, turning off the tablet, making eye contact, and actively listening. Physical Touch - A person with this love language feels loved through physical affection. Acts of Service - For acts of service, a person feels loved and appreciated when someone does nice things for them, such as helping with the dishes, running errands, vacuuming, or putting gas in the car. Receiving Gifts - Gift-giving is symbolic of love and affection for someone with this love language. They treasure not only the gift itself but also the time and effort the gift-giver put into it. My personal Love Language assessment results: Quality Time: 37% Words of Affirmation: 33% Acts of Service: 20% Physical Touch: 10% Receiving Gifts: 0% We all express and receive love differently. Consequently, understanding those differences can make a serious impact on your relationship. According to Dr. Chapman, this exercise is one of the simplest ways to improve your relationships. Here are some ways that understanding love languages can improve your relationship: Promotes selflessness - When you are committed to learning someone else's love language, you are focused on their needs rather than your own. Creates empathy - As someone learns more about how their partner experiences love, they learn to empathize with them. Maintains intimacy - If couples regularly talk about what keeps their love tanks full, this creates more understanding in their relationship. Aids personal growth - When someone is focused on something or someone outside of themselves, it can lead to personal growth. Shares love in meaningful ways - When couples start speaking one another's love language, the things they do for their partners not only become more intentional but also become more meaningful. It’s not a feeling. The “in love” feeling wears off after about 2 years. It’s an attitude to love someone. “I want to do anything I can to enrich your life.” There is a thought process and intention behind it. Keys to being a better listener: Start with the intention to understand THEIR perspective Do not interrupt the other person Wait until they are completely done speaking How to earn back trust? Forgiveness is not a feeling, it's a choice. You have to make the choice to forgive someone. Thank you to Verywellmind.com for help preparing for this conversation
45:3803/01/2022
452: Debbie Millman - Visual Storytelling, Building Your Brand, & Fostering Your Creativity

452: Debbie Millman - Visual Storytelling, Building Your Brand, & Fostering Your Creativity

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more details... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Debbie Millman has been named “one of the most creative people in business” by Fast Company, and “one of the most influential designers working today” by Graphic Design USA, Debbie Millman is also an author, educator, curator, and host of the podcast Design Matters. Notes: Visual Storytelling is the art of using language and images to convey a narrative account of real or imagined events. How to make an effective presentation? You must know it thoroughly. Practice, rehearse. Get to the point where you can let it flow when you're in it. Don't just read what's on the slide. Use at most one sentence. Use images to help reinforce your message "Life is so difficult when you don't know what you're talking about." Ideas are easy... Strategies are hard. You need to understand that a presentation is a performance. Teaching forces you to learn your topic. If you want to learn about something, sign up to teach others about it. “I once read that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I fundamentally disagree with this idea. I think that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of hope.” “A brand is simply a set of beliefs. And if you don't create a set of beliefs around your products or services, well, you stand for nothing - you have no values and no vision.” “Actually - and ironically - people aren't really interested in a new brand form or flavor as much as they are interested in how a brand can change, impact, or improve their lives. They want brands around them that make them feel special and provide some social cache or confidence.” Interviewing is like a game of billiards. Each question should leave you in a position to hit the next shot/ask the next question. Be overprepared so that you can flow in the moment. "You have to listen and really focus on the person." Research everything Courage and confidence - The reps lead to confidence. Confidence leads to courage. Branding --“Branding is a deliberate differentiation.” Brands aspire for consistency. "You can't metabolize regret." -- Go for it. At age 50, Debbie came out... And felt so much freedom from it “Don’t edit your hopes and dreams before you can ever attempt them.”
48:4427/12/2021
451: Rob Fitzpatrick - How To Talk To Your Customers, How To Ask Great Questions, & How To Be Useful (The Mom Test)

451: Rob Fitzpatrick - How To Talk To Your Customers, How To Ask Great Questions, & How To Be Useful (The Mom Test)

Read my new book, The Pursuit Of Excellence: https://bit.ly/excellencehawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Rob Fitzpatrick is an entrepreneur of 14 years and has written three books about his learnings along the way, including the best-selling handbook for doing better Customer Development, The Mom Test: How to talk to customers and figure out if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you. In 2007, he dropped out of grad school to go through YCombinator with his first startup, and has been building products and businesses ever since. Beyond software, he has also kickstarted a physical card game, built an education agency, and more. Notes: The 3 simple rules of the Mom Test: Talk about their life instead of your idea Ask about specifics in the past instead of generics or opinions about the future Talk less and listen more How to run better meetings: Focus on who will be in your meeting and how to maximize the value they receive while there Think about learning outcomes - How will you (as the leader) help them be wiser by going to your meetings
01:10:1120/12/2021
450: Stan Johnson - Living Your Core Values, Building Culture, & Developing Leaders

450: Stan Johnson - Living Your Core Values, Building Culture, & Developing Leaders

Order my new book, The Pursuit Of Excellence https://bit.ly/thepursuitofexcellence Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Stan Johnson was hired as Loyola Marymount University's men's basketball head coach on March 20, 2020. The 2020-21 season saw meteoric growths across the board for LMU men’s basketball. In his first season as head coach, Stan Johnson guided his team through the COVID-19 pandemic and posted a winning record in the WCC for the first time since 2011-12. Notes: “I escaped a war at 10. I come from really the gutter in this business. I don’t come from a tree,” “I was at gunpoint at 10 years old with 15-year-olds holding M16s. We got evacuated on a war jet on a mining strip. We came to this country with three bags. That stuff, I think, has helped shape me for this task that I have.” "That gives you empathy and understanding. It makes you relatable to all people." “Being lazy is disrespectful to the people that believe in you.” Focus on proving your supporters right. The people who love you and root for you. Prove them right... The purpose behind "Coffee With The Coach" during COVID... I wanted to "Win The Wait." Don't just wait it out... Win the wait. Culture is a set of behaviors... How do we want to behave? It's a life thing. It's not just a basketball thing. Stan has weekly "Culture Meetings." Their structure: Academic highlights Habit share Success hotline -- a pre-recorded hotline with a quote/saying Thought of the day What's happening in the world? Culture emphasis of the day Their core values: Selfless - LM Over You. When you're truly selfless, you care about the greater good... It comes back to you Connected - You need great relationships. Relationships over championships. Relentless - Attack everything we do. It's not just basketball. What do you want to be remembered for? Do your daily behaviors align with what you want to be remembered for? Consistency is what transforms average people, companies, and teams into GREATNESS. Anyone can do it now and then. GREATNESS is found in your ability to bring your best every single day. Keep Going. Don’t mistake silence for weakness. Smart people don’t plan big moves out loud. Holding people accountable - Truth helps. It doesn't hurt. The greatest form of love is discipline. Stan is known as one of the best recruiters in the country... What does he focus on? Relatability - "I can relate to people from all different backgrounds." Sincere - "I say how I feel." Relationships with family - Stan recruits all the members of the family. The must-have qualities to be a coach on his staff: Must be really good people (most important) "They gotta be smarter than me. I want them to stretch me, and hold me accountable. They must be smart." Passionate - They need to love it. Questions he asks when interviewing someone to be on his staff: What do you want to be remembered for? What are your expectations? (Mine are high") How do you evaluate yourself? What are your relationships like with people you've worked at before? Do you become friends with them? How he develops his assistant coaches: Give them big tasks to be responsible for... Their mission: "Take people to places they can't take themselves." Your competition isn’t other people. Your competition is your procrastination. Your attitude.Your ego. Your blaming. Your complaining. Your ability to stay in the past. Your bad habits. Your jealousy. Your comparison mindset. Your inability to dream bigger. Compete against that. “Anytime your gonna grow, you’re gonna lose something. You’re losing what you’re hanging onto to keep safe. You’re losing habits that you’re comfortable with, you’re losing familiarity.” Keep Going. You attract what you are, not what you want. If you want great things to happen, then be great with your habits and your daily process of becoming. Keep Going. Rejected to Redirected… Keep putting your butt on the line. Don’t get boxed in. Who knows what you could be? Put yourself out there…
58:5013/12/2021
449: John Amaechi - The Traits Of Effective Leaders, Excellence Is In The Mundane, & Giving Proper Feedback

449: John Amaechi - The Traits Of Effective Leaders, Excellence Is In The Mundane, & Giving Proper Feedback

Order My Book, The Pursuit Of Excellence https://bit.ly/excellencehawk Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 John Amaechi is an organizational psychologist, best-selling author, and CEO of APS Intelligence Ltd. In 2019, John was recognized as one of HR’s most influential thinkers by HR Magazine. John is the first Briton to have a career in the NBA. John is a Chartered Scientist, a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health. He is a Research Fellow at the University of East London and his research interests are effective, inclusive leadership, building high-performing teams and organisational design that maximises productivity and human thriving in readiness for the future world of work. Notes: “Excellence is in the mundane.” The hours and hours of work when no one is watching. Effective feedback - If it’s not developing them, it’s not feedback. And feedback is never cruel. Ask, what can we learn from this? The evidence-based traits he shared about effective leadership “Promises have an enormous impact when kept by giants. And a devastating impact when broken. To keep these promises, unconditionally and persistently, is the duty and honor of being a giant.” "You can't be a part-time man of principle." There is a difference between elite teams and a group of elite individuals. We want to build elite teams. Look at how you reward people -- What gets measured, gets managed. Reward people for being great teammates. People must earn and maintain their job titles. Coaching leaders: Start at the end - What does great look like? Introspection - How well do you know yourself? Pragmatic - Measure real progress Introspective work - view yourself critically, but not cruelly "You need people around you to be truly candid and caring." John and his team take an analytical approach - "I have a geek squad and we analyze data." They use expertise to provide commentary on the data Feedback - It must be timely and effective. Do regular micro-appraisals. What made you think of that? What can we learn from this? If it's not developing them, it's not feedback Feedback is never cruel Mantra: "I promise to reject excuses and embrace discomfort." You can't skip to comfort... The Promises of Giants is the product of a lifetime spent observing and studying effective leadership - from accompanying his mother's visits to her dying patients to competing at the highest levels of professional sport, through two decades of management consulting with multinational corporations. These experiences have shown that everyone has the ability to act decisively to influence the world in a positive way. Everyone is a giant to someone...  
56:1706/12/2021
448: Dr. Benjamin Hardy - How To Go From The Gap To The Gain, Choosing Your Who, & Setting Big Goals

448: Dr. Benjamin Hardy - How To Go From The Gap To The Gain, Choosing Your Who, & Setting Big Goals

Order my new book: The Pursuit Of Excellence https://bit.ly/excellencehawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Benjamin Hardy is an organizational psychologist and the author of Willpower Doesn’t Work and Personality Isn’t Permanent. He also co-authored Who Not How with Dan Sullivan, which sold over 120,000 copies in the first 4 months of publication. Their most recent book is called, The Gap and The Gain. His blogs have been read by over 100 million people and are featured on Harvard Business Review, the New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, CNBC, and many others. For several years, he was the #1 most-read writer on Medium.com. Notes: The broaden and build theory — Dr. Barbara Fredeickson — shows that positive emotions are the starting point of learning, growth, and high performance “Competing against someone else puts you in the gap. Your happiness as a person is dependent on what you measure yourself against.” More specifically you measure your own gains, rather than worrying about other people. When we measure ourselves against that ideal, we're in "the GAP." However, when we measure ourselves against our previous selves, we're in "the GAIN." "This one simple concept is a masterclass on positive psychology, healthy relationships, mental well-being, and high-performance. Everything that psychologists know about how to create a high-functioning and successful person can be achieved using The GAP and the GAIN." Who Not How -- Life is about surrounding yourself with the right WHO’s. Who are the WHO’s in your life to help you achieve what you want? “Surround yourself with people who remind you more of your future than your past. —Dan Sullivan” Commitment creates freedom -- Once the decision is made, then you can focus on the work. I like thinking of it that way and in a way it frees your mind when the decision, the commitment has been made. “Your behavior doesn’t come from your personality. Rather, your personality is shaped by your behavior. When you act a certain way, you then judge yourself based on your actions. Hence, you can quickly alter your identity simply by altering your behavior.” “The belief that you cannot change leads to a victim mentality. If you are determined by nature to be what you are, then there is nothing you can do about your lot in life. Conversely, the belief that you can change leads you to take responsibility for your life. You may have been born with certain constraints, but you can change those constraints, allowing yourself to improve and grow.” “Don’t join an easy crowd; you won’t grow. Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high. —Jim Rohn” “You are never pre-qualified to live your dreams. You qualify yourself by doing the work. By committing—even overcommitting—to what you believe you should do.” “You shape the garden of your mind by planting specific things from your environment, such as the books you read, experiences you have, and people you surround yourself with.” “True learning is a permanent change in cognition and/or behavior. In other words, learning involves a permanent change in how you see and act in the world. The accumulation of information isn’t learning. Lots of people have heads full of information they don’t know what to do with. If you want to learn something quickly, you need to immerse yourself in that thing and immediately implement what you’re learning.” “You need to deepen the quality and intimacy of your relationships with other people. Our culture is being shaped to isolate us more and more from each other. Addiction is becoming an epidemic. When you have deep and meaningful relationships, your chances of unhealthy addiction are far less. The following are four principles for overcoming harmful defaults in your environment.”
01:04:2429/11/2021
447: John McWhorter - Building A Diverse Team, Supporting The Black Community, & What Is Woke Racism?

447: John McWhorter - Building A Diverse Team, Supporting The Black Community, & What Is Woke Racism?

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 John McWhorter teaches linguistics, philosophy, and music history at Columbia University, and writes for various publications on language issues and race issues such as Time, the Wall Street Journal, the Daily Beast, CNN, and the Atlantic. He’s also the author of many books including his most recent New York Times bestseller, Woke Racism - How A New Religion Has Betrayed Black America. Notes: How to change someone's mind? "I try to understand where other people are coming from. I am not surprised by anyone. I think you need to listen to it from their point of view and not assume that anyone is crazy or evil." John recommends pragmatic action against racism involving only three programs: an end to the war on drugs, teaching reading by phonics to children lacking literate households and, promoting the idea that not everyone needs a college education to succeed. “I don’t think of myself as brave. What I really am is a failed lawyer. My issue is if things don’t make sense to me, I just want to try to make sense of it and I want people to understand what I mean.” John believes that affirmative action should be based on class, not on race. What to do if your leadership team is not well represented by people of another race? From John: "Don't hire a token black person. Don't hire someone just because they are black. They need to be qualified for the role." Expansion from Dr. King's statement about judging someone for the content of their character rather than the color of their skin... "I agree with that, but I think you also have to look at class, and if they come from a poor upbringing." John criticized the 2018 book White Fragility following its resurgence in sales during the George Floyd protests beginning in May 2020, arguing that it "openly infantilized Black people" and "simply dehumanized us," and "does not see fit to address why all of this agonizing soul-searching (for residual racism by white people) is necessary to forging change in society." He said, "it's a true horror of a book. The worst book I've read since I was 16." Qualities John looks for in a friend: A wry sense of humor You have to "see beyond level 1" and be smart to have this "They don't have to have the MSNBC take on race" "I want coherence." From Woke Racism: "The people wielding this ideology and watching its influence spread ever more are under the genuine impression that they are forging progress, that reason and morality are in flower. However, society is changing not because of a burgeoning degree of consensus in moral sophistication. What is happening is much cruder. Society is changing not out of consensus, but out of fear." Life advice: Don't get a degree in law unless you want to practice law To the extent you can, follow your passion "Follow your own gut. Go with your own mind. You'll have a much richer adulthood doing this." Linguistics: the scientific study of language and its structure, including the study of morphology, syntax, phonetics, and semantics.
01:00:4422/11/2021
446: Fred Reichheld - Asking The Right Questions, Loving Your Customers, & Living A Meaningful Life

446: Fred Reichheld - Asking The Right Questions, Loving Your Customers, & Living A Meaningful Life

Text LEARNERS to 44222 to read my new book, The Pursuit of Excellence, early. Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 red Reichheld is the creator of the Net Promoter Score system of management. Also known as “NPS.” NPS is used in two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies. Fred has worked at Bain and Company since 1977. He is also the best-selling author of five books, including his most recent, “Winning On Purpose.” Fred graduated with Honors both from Harvard College (B.A., 1974) and Harvard Business School (M.B.A., 1978). Notes: The ultimate question: “How likely are you to recommend this brand to a friend or colleague?” Fred views "Net Promoter Score" as "Net Lives Enriched." “At Bain, we came to realize through our own experience that the frontline team leader sets the tone, models the values, sets the priorities, and balances individual needs with team needs. Given this critical importance, we select leaders with great care and invest heavily in their training and coaching.” The difference between good profits and bad profits. Play the long game. It’s not helpful to earn a profit from someone who had a bad experience. Negotiation - Try to give the other person as much as possible. The story of the Costco CEO sharing the extra profits with others... Think about how you can do this in your negotiations with family, friends, and work colleagues. The Costco leaders always think of how they can put they can love on their customers How can you turn someone from a detractor to a promoter? Pleasantly surprise your customer The Certa Pro Painters example - They train their teams to seek out opportunities for acts of kindness. For example, when they are on a ladder up high painting a wall and notice a light bulb is out, they will put in a new light bulb (for free). They go out of their way to surprise and delight their customers. Richard is a big believer in the golden rule: Treat others as a loved one should be treated. When customers feel loved, they come back, and they tell all of their friends. "You want a workforce that is inspired to treat others as loved ones." "The leader's job is to love their team." Front line leaders -- Make sure you're constantly getting feedback. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - "Everyone can be great because everyone can serve." Earned growth rate - Warby Parker - 90% of their business through referrals Joe Girard - The top-selling car sales professional of all time - "I hope you get a lemon." "What! Why would you want me to get a bad car?" "Because then I get a chance to show off. I will give you the best customer service experience of your life. And after I do that, you'll buy cars from me for the rest of your life. And you'll tell all of your friends and family to do the same." Good profits - Earn from promoters Bad profits - Profits from detractors "You don't deserve profits unless the customer is happy." “Where there is individual accountability, things get done. Measure is another magic word: what gets measured creates accountability. With no standard, reliable metric for customer relationships, employees can’t be held accountable for them and so overlook their importance.” “These companies manage to balance the need for profits with the overarching vision of providing great results for customers and an inspiring mission for employees.” How to sustain excellence? Think of NPS as your moral compass Great leaders create a community by living the golden rule Enrich the lives you're responsible for Life advice: Your WHO - The people you spend your life with are everything Only invest in places where you can bring something of value
01:02:4015/11/2021
445: Gino Wickman - Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur?

445: Gino Wickman - Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur?

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Gino Wickman is the author of the award-winning, best-selling book Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, which has sold over 1 million copies, as well as five other books in the Traction Library that have sold almost 2 million copies. Notes: Keys To Sustaining Excellence: Fanatical about excellence Stamina Endurance to stay with something Drive - a desire to succeed, to win Gino believes that entrepreneurship is nature, not nurture (you are born with it) What's usually missing in someone who thinks they're an entrepreneur, but they're not? The ability to take a big risk. Gino's dad was an entrepreneur. His two brothers are not. Gino set a goal to be a millionaire by the time he was 30.  He achieved that goal... And then went broke two years later. It took more than five years to create Traction. He worked with more than 50 companies testing the ideas. He eventually found patterns and trends. Delegation -- Gino obsesses over delegating at least one task for the last 30 years. This has helped him scale his business. The difference between a visionary and an integrator: Visionary - Wild and crazy entrepreneur Integrator - Run the day-to-day operations. Sometimes called the Chief Operating Officer. How to run better meetings? Use the Gino Wickman Level 10 Meeting format: Segue – Spend 5 minutes sharing one personal best and one professional best from the previous week. No discussion; just an announcement. This helps move your team from working “in the business” to working “on the business”. Review your company scorecard. This is a 5-minute high-level review to make sure your most important five to 15 numbers are on track. The person responsible for the number says whether it is “on track” or “off-track”. If the number is “off”, move that measurement to the Issues List portion of the agenda. Rock review. Take 5 minutes to review your company and individual Rocks to determine if they are “on track” or “off track.” Again, if the rock is “off”, move it to the Issues List portion of the agenda. Customer/Employee headlines. This is a 5-minute opportunity to announce any news, positive or negative, about a customer or employee. If the announcement is an issue, add it to the Issues List portion of the agenda. To-Do List. Review the seven-day action items from the previous meeting, and report whether each task is “done” or “not done.” This should take no more than 5 minutes Issues List. Your leadership team now has 60 minutes to identify, discuss and solve your company’s biggest issues in order of priority. Solving an issue usually requires someone to take action, which becomes a task for the to-do list for review at your next meeting. Conclude. Use your final 5 minutes to bring the meeting to a close, recap the to-do list, and discuss any messages that need to be communicated to the rest of the organization. And rate the meeting on a scale of 1 – 10; this helps your team self-correct. Establish the practice that anyone who rates the meeting below an “8” must explain why, and “because I never give high marks” is not an acceptable reason. Leadership teams should get together in person every 90 days What is EOS? EOS™ is a holistic management system with simple tools that help you do three things we call vision, traction, healthy. Vision from the standpoint of first getting your leaders 100% on the same page with where your organization is going. Traction from the standpoint of helping your leaders to become more disciplined and accountable, executing really well to achieve every part of your vision. Healthy meaning helping your leaders to become a healthy, functional, cohesive leadership team. The six key components to your business that Gino's work helps you improve: Vision. Build your V/TO™ within Traction Tools and keep it easily accessible to everyone in your company. V/TO content is integrated throughout the software so that you always have the right information at the right time. People. Our People Tools™ add-on (currently in Beta) bundles everything you need to manage the key People component of your business—including the Accountability Chart, People Analyzer™, LMA™, and Quarterly Conversation™ tools Data. The Traction Tools Scorecard makes it easy to record and measure your company, departmental and employee numbers. Everything is located in one place, and many metrics can be automatically updated. Personalize the Scorecard according to your viewing preferences. Issues. Manage and IDS™ all of your company and departmental issues in the Issues List. Flexible features make it easy to add and solve your Issues or move them to other meetings. Process. It’s quick and easy to attach your company’s core processes to notes within Issues, To-Dos, or Level 10 Agendas Traction®. With Traction Tools Rocks, you’ll take your company’s vision to street level, and make it real. The Level 10 Meeting™ Agenda will help you keep your Meeting Pulse™ EOS-pure. Life/Career advice: "Let your freak flag fly." -- Be yourself. "It took me until I was 45 years old to learn this. Do it now." "Know thyself. Be thyself." Spend time understanding your strengths and weaknesses.
01:02:3808/11/2021
444: Kirk Herbstreit - Honoring The Life Of Centerville Football Coach Bob Gregg

444: Kirk Herbstreit - Honoring The Life Of Centerville Football Coach Bob Gregg

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Kirk Herbstreit played quarterback at Centerville High School. He was a PARADE All-American and the Ohio Player-of-the-Year as a senior (1986) … threw for 1,298 yards and 10 TDs as a senior … also rushed for 576 yards and 16 TDs his final year … career totals of 55 TDs and 4,258 yards in total offense in two years as a starter … led Centerville to a 10-0 record as a junior … all-league in baseball. Currently, Kirk is the lead analyst for ESPN's College GameDay, a TV program covering college football and he is the #1 color analyst on college football games on ESPN and ABC. For his TV work, Kirk has won five Sports Emmy Awards. He is known as one of the best sports broadcasters of all time. Notes: “Coach Gregg was a legend on the field but so much more. He was TOUGH-DEMANDING-at times intimidating. But he taught us about TEAM-HARD WORK-PERSEVERANCE & SACRIFICE. Blessed to have him in my life." "Part of what makes football great is what you learn playing it. Being selfless, learning how to go through adversity as a group, learning about perseverance." When first meeting Coach Gregg, "I was like half scared and half man I  want to play for this guy." The Centerville Elks were about execution, work ethic, pride, and excellence. "I thought... Mannnn, how lucky am I to be part of this program." The summer workouts: "The Monday's and Friday's were bad... The Wednesday with the circuits were DREADFUL. I was scared to death." Coach Gregg had established the "decade of dominance" before Kirk was there. "You had an appreciation and you were in awe of him and the program." "We thought, 'Am I going to be good enough to be part of this program?'" "Those workouts broke me down... And then they built us back up." "As a group, we went through torture, but we did it together. It created this unbelievable bond." "Bob Gregg taught me so much about humility, sacrifice, hard work, team team team... The team is so much more important than you. All the fundamental principles that you use in life are what you learned from him." "The person you are today is because of that." "What I learned from him... We beat teams with superior talent with execution and preparation and our work ethic collectively. And our team. It was from all that work we put in June and July." "You can get a leg up on your competition in anything you do in life by just outworking them." "When you feel like you don't matter, the best thing you can you, how you create confidence, is by outworking everyone in the room. Do little things. Do more. Do more." "I thought work ethic was HERE, before I met Bob Gregg, and then they taught me the hard way, that I was capable of working a lot harder." "Coach Gregg reminds me a lot of Nick Saban." They have incredibly high standards and keep their players humble. "You and I are grinders. All of us that played for him are wired the same way. I don't think that's a coincidence. It's because of Coach Gregg." "His personality... I wish more people got to know him. He had a personality that to outsiders seemed gruff. Some thought he was a tyrant. But if you really got to know him, he was not that way. He had a soft heart." "I think we need more than ever, right now, MORE people like Bob Gregg." "He's going to ruffle some feathers, but he's going to do it the right way."
39:4003/11/2021
443: Rebecca Minkoff - The New Rules For Unlocking Creativity & Courage

443: Rebecca Minkoff - The New Rules For Unlocking Creativity & Courage

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for earyl access to my upcoming book... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 In 2005, Rebecca Minkoff designed her first handbag, which she dubbed the “Morning After Bag. This iconic bag ignited Rebecca’s career as a handbag designer and inspired the brands’ expansion into a lifestyle brand in the years to come. Actress Jenna Elfman wore her "I Heart New York" shirt on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Today, Rebecca Minkoff is a global brand with a wide range of apparel, handbags, footwear, jewelry, timepieces, eyewear, and fragrance. When Rebecca was 8 years old, she wanted her mom to buy her a dress. Her mom said, "no, but I'll teach you to sew." From that point, Rebecca was fascinated with the idea of buying things for herself. Rebecca doesn't love the word "mentor." She was forced to learn by doing. She moved at age 18. Became an intern and then a designer. Eventually, she started her own business. When Jenna Elfman wore her I heart NYC shirt on Jay Leno's show, it got her foot in the door. "When Jenna asked if I could make her a handbag, I lied and said I could do it." "I think everyone should get cozy with failure." Self Care: “Work can be self-care, too." She’s particularly resistant to the notion that self-care can solve burnout — the feeling of acute exhaustion that has gained more attention recently. “There is no scented candle in the world that will make that feeling go away.” Self-reflection cures burnout, she argues, not self-care. "You don't need to ask for permission. Don't seek permission. Just go for it." Rebecca learned from her mom to be genuinely herself. "I learned to be tough, resilient, and fight back from my mom." "Don't get scared to lead with strength." "Trying hard is not good enough. You must get results." Advice for future generations? "There are no shortcuts." "Failure is like a muscle. Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn." "Success is the ability to keep going." "The definition of happiness is overcoming barriers towards your goal."
01:01:3331/10/2021
442: Randall Stutman - How To Become An Admired Leader

442: Randall Stutman - How To Become An Admired Leader

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Dr. Randall Stutman is a leadership scientist dedicated to exploring the behaviors and routines of extraordinary leaders. Labeled by Goldman Sachs as the most experienced advisor and executive coach on Wall Street, he has served as a Principal Advisor to more than 2,000 Senior Executives, including 400 CEOs. His work as an advisor and speaker has taken him to the White House, West Point, the Olympics, and the Harvard Business School. Randall is the founder and co-head of the Leadership Practice at CRA. and the Admired Leadership Institute. Notes: The three types of leaders: Result Leaders: People who achieve the company’s goals Followers Leaders: People who are loved by their subordinates Admired Leaders: People who both achieve results and are loved by subordinates Admired leaders aren’t just admired in the workplace, they’re admired by friends, family, neighbors, and basically everyone they interact with... “It applies to everything. Leadership is leadership and it applies to every aspect of your life.” A great way to spread positively is through third-party praise. Say something nice about someone to another person and eventually, the positive comment will make its way to the individual mentioned. Excellence: Optimistic Persistent Focused Sound judgment Objective Learning machines Best coaching relationships: Created peer-like quality... You learn from each other The best leaders? It's not about them. It's others focused Leaders put other people up front. They lead from the back. Leadership is making people and solutions better. Anyone can lead anytime they choose. How does a 1:1 Leadership Coaching call go? Catch up personally and professionally Discuss critical episodes in the business Walkthrough situations Set agenda Register - Keep notes, send follow-ups Frequency of conversations with clients: Every three weeks Must be: A sounding board A deep listener Offer feedback Highly prescriptive - Need to make you better Admired leaders are: Someone that produces extraordinary results over time. Followership: People feel differently when engaged with them. They will do anything for them. Admired leaders are rare... Excellence in leadership: Show up in a crisis Admit mistakes Walk the talk Who coaches Randall? Feedback from clients Coaching clinics -- Gets together with other coaches 3rd party praise: Don't be "praise stingy" When you see excellence, tell a third party "There's no 'but' in it." What's something Randall has changed his mind about over time? "I initially thought leaders should be objective and fair. Then I studied Admired Leaders. They play favorites based on performance. They reward high performers.: Life/Career advice: Control what you can control Work hard at getting better "The best people bring passion to what they do."
01:11:3524/10/2021
441: Liz Wiseman - How To Build Credibility, Solve Problems, & Multiply Your Impact

441: Liz Wiseman - How To Build Credibility, Solve Problems, & Multiply Your Impact

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Liz Wiseman is the New York Times bestseller author of Multipliers, Rookie Smarts, and most recently Impact Players. She is the CEO of the Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm. Some of her recent clients include Apple, Disney, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Nike, Tesla, and Twitter. Liz has been listed on the Thinkers50 ranking and named one of the top 10 leadership thinkers in the world. Notes: Habits of high impact players: Learn the game Play where they are needed Play with passion Impact players have a good internal locus of control. They believe they have agency in their life. They believe they are in charge of their life. Liz said, “You have a lot more power than you might think you have.” Neil deGrasse Tyson said, “what you know is not as important as what you think.” If you aspire to have greater influence, start thinking like an impact player…don’t just use the playbook. Adopt the impact player mentality as your ethos. Many leaders commented how much they learned thru the process of answering questions. Teaching others can be one of the greatest tools for learning in the world... Seeking feedback and guidance versus seeking validation. Impact players don’t need validation. They crave feedback and guidance so they can continually improve. Say less: Play your chips wisely - Before an important meeting, give yourself a budget of poker chips where each chip represents a comment or contribution to the meeting. Be relevant, be evidence-based, be unique and additive, be succinct. Building credibility with leaders and stakeholders: Some credibility killers? Waiting for managers to tell you what to do, ignoring the bigger picture, tell your manager it’s not your job. Some credibility builders? Doing things without being asked, anticipating problems, and having a plan. Instead of following your passion… Be useful. Make a name for yourself by running towards the problems and solving them. Make your boss's life easier. Be useful. Work on what’s important for the people you work for… “The Diminisher is a Micromanager who jumps in and out. The Multiplier is an Investor who gives others ownership and full accountability.” “Multipliers invoke each person’s unique intelligence and create an atmosphere of genius—innovation, productive effort, and collective intelligence.” “It isn’t how much you know that matters. What matters is how much access you have to what other people know. It isn’t just how intelligent your team members are; it is how much of that intelligence you can draw out and put to use.” “Multipliers aren’t “feel-good” managers. They look into people and find capability, and they want to access all of it. They utilize people to their fullest. They see a lot, so they expect a lot.” “The highest quality of thinking cannot emerge without learning. Learning can’t happen without mistakes.” What do Impact Players do? While others do their job, Impact Players figure out the real job to be done. While others wait for direction, Impact Players step up and lead. While others escalate problems, Impact Players move things across the finish line. While others attempt to minimize change, Impact Players are learning and adapting to change. While others add to the load, the Impact Players make heavy demands feel lighter. Some think you become great on the big stage under the bright lights. But the light only reveals the work you did in the dark. —Jeff Bajenaru An overarching idea: I can be of service and solve problems. The slogan from Kaiser Sand & Gravel; “Find a need and fill it.”
55:0617/10/2021
440: Robert Greene - The Laws Of Power, Mastery, & Human Nature

440: Robert Greene - The Laws Of Power, Mastery, & Human Nature

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Robert Greene has written 7 international best-selling books focused on strategy, power, and seduction, including The 48 Laws of Power, Mastery, The Laws of Human Nature, and most recently, The Daily Laws. Notes: What matters is not education or money, but your persistence and the intensity of your desire to learn; that failures, mistakes, and conflicts are often the best education of all; and how true creativity and mastery emerge from all this. Adapt your inclinations. Avoid having rigid goals and dreams. Change is the law. Find inspiration from your heroes. Are there people whose work affects you in a powerful way? Analyze this and use them as models. Trust the process. Time is the essential ingredient of mastery. Use it to your advantage. What The mentor needs - Find a master to apprentice under, but instead of thinking about how much they can give you, think about how you can help them with their work. Learn by Doing -- The brain is designed to learn through constant repetition and active, hands-on involvement. Through such practice and persistence, any skill can be mastered. Master your emotional responses - displaying anger and emotion are signs of weakness; you cannot control yourself, so how can you control anything? Always Say Less Than Necessary. When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Avoid the false alliance -- Cultivate real allies. No one can get far in life without allies. The trick is to recognize the difference between false allies and real ones. A false alliance is created out of an immediate emotional need. A real alliance is formed out of mutual self-interest, each side supplying what the other cannot get alone. Despise the Free lunch - Learn to pay and to pay well. -- I find that the best clients don’t haggle on price, they pay immediately and they are easy to work with. The clients who want to fight about every last dollar always end up being the most difficult to work with. “There is no cutting corners with excellence. It is often wise to pay full price.” Judge people on their behavior, not on their words - What you want is a picture of a person’s character over time. Restrain from the natural tendency to judge right away, and let the passage of time reveal more about who people are. Don’t mistake extra conviction for truth - When people try to explain their ideas with so much exaggerated energy, or defend themselves with an intent level of denial, that is precisely when you should raise your antennae. Determine the strength of people’s character - In gauging strength or weakness, look at how people handle stressful moments and responsibility. Look at their patterns: what have they actually completed or accomplished? Be a source of pleasure - No one wants to hear about your problems and troubles. An energetic presence is more charming than lethargy. Being lighthearted and fun is always more charming than being serious and critical. Leave people with a feeling - Keep your eyes on the aftermath of any encounter. Think more of the feeling you leave people with -- a feeling that might translate into a desire to see more of you. Transform yourself into a deep listener - It will provide you the most invaluable lessons about human psychology. The secret to this: finding other people endlessly fascinating. Do Not let success intoxicate you - after any kind of success, analyze the components. See the element of luck that is inevitably there, as well as the role that other people, including mentors, played in your good fortune. Increase your reaction time - the longer you can resist reacting, the more mental space you have for actual reflection, and the stronger your mind will become. Alive time or dead time - Never waste a minute. Make today your own -- whether you’re stuck in traffic, sick in bed, or working long hours. You are renting just about everything in your life. The only thing you own is your time. Make the most of it.
01:20:3510/10/2021
439: General Stanley McChrystal -  A New Way To Understand Risk & Master The Unknown

439: General Stanley McChrystal - A New Way To Understand Risk & Master The Unknown

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 General Stanley McChrystal retired in July 2010 as a four-star general in the U.S. Army. His last assignment was as the commander of the International Security Assistance Force and as the commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He had previously served as the director of the Joint Staff and as the commander of the Joint Special Operations Command. The author of My Share of the Task, Team of Teams, and Leaders, he is currently a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and the co-founder of the McChrystal Group, a leadership consulting firm. Notes: Stan's mentor for his military career and still to this day: an Army officer with a thick southern accent, Major John Vines. His advice: “If there are 3 people responsible for feeding the dog, the dog is going to starve.” Stan graduated from West Point 31 years after his father did. Major General George Smith Patton (General George Patton’s son) handed him his diploma. Stan wondered at that moment, what kind of leader you wanted to be. And he came up with, “a good one.” Now the more fundamental question is “What do good leaders do?” Instead of just being a good leader, Stan desires to be an effective leader. Effective leaders: Tactically competent Are morally good Respected They create an environment where others want to follow They shape how people think and behave People that others want to follow Have high standards Risk: in reality, risk is neither mathematical nor finite. Its impact depends to a great extent on how we perceive, process, and respond. A healthy risk immune system successfully executes 4 imperatives: Detect, Assess, Respond, and Learn "Risk comes at you from out of the blue, from every angle, when least convenient. There is a cost in becoming overly focused on risk and another at ignoring them. And the sweet spot between the two extremes moves with the circumstances around you.” “I chose a soldier’s life for many reasons, one of which was the desire to perceive myself as a courageous risk taker. I liked the idea of taking risks that others would not.” Threat x Vulnerability = Risk Risk is an eternal challenge. But trying to anticipate or predict every possible risk is a fool’s errand. The key is to understand how we need to think about risk, and to then respond appropriately. Rather than living in dread of things we often can’t anticipate, duck, or dodge – we must remember these five key insights. Look Inward: The greatest risk to us is us. It's Up to Us: We have a risk immune system Be holistic: It's the system. Make it work Balance: The muscles you exercise will be strong: those you ignore will be vulnerabilities Risk is always with us, and it's our responsibility to make our teams ready for it When taking command of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, Stan, along with the leaders of the unit, established The foundational skills - They called them the big 4: Physical conditioning Marksmanship Medical Skills Small Unit Drills But even before mastering basic skills, grounding both individuals and organizations with answers to the most basic questions that relate to the narrative is essential: What are our values? What exactly do we do? And why do we do it? What is expected of each of us? What went wrong with our response to COVID-19? 50 states operated separately instead of a united response "We weren't unified" "Our leaders did not communicate effectively." "You have to act before the population sees the requirement for it." Have a front-line obsession - Stan was known for going on the front lines with his soldiers. As leaders, we should do the same with our teams. Be on the front lines to: See how it's done with your own eyes, not just reports They need to see you go. They'll appreciate it It helps create your self-identity The new hybrid model of in-office and at-home working... Be intentional Use technology Understand what you're not doing Don't get lazy How to deal with imposter syndrome? Ask, "What do I know?" "What's my responsibility?" "You have to fight that crisis of confidence." Excellence = Be less flexible on your basic values Be flexible with how a problem gets solved
59:2103/10/2021
438: Jay Williams - How To Reinvent Yourself (Life Is Not An Accident)

438: Jay Williams - How To Reinvent Yourself (Life Is Not An Accident)

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Jay Williams is known as one of the greatest college basketball players of all time. At Duke, Jay won the Naismith College Player of the Year award, won the 2001 National Championship, and had his #22 retired. He was the second overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2002 NBA draft. Now Jay works as a basketball analyst for ESPN, hosts a radio show, and is actively involved as an investor in the business world. Notes: Jay starts by describing the terrifying night when he wrecked his motorcycle which led to the end of his playing career… Coach K flew a private plane to be with Jay in the hospital right after his motorcycle accident. He gave him a rosary and said, "you're going to give that back to me when you play again." Jay learned a valuable leadership lesson in that moment. Great leaders create hope. They give people something to strive for. "He gave me a reference point to look forward to." Communication: As a leader, you need to initiate a conversation with each person you're leading. You can't just lead one generic way. You need to get to know each person for who they are. Ask questions about them. Get to know them. Jay's mom said, "Life isn't interpreted by headlines." There is context to things. Jay learned from his mom to have a drive for knowledge and education. Legacy: "Impact is what I want my life to be." Coach K: "I was coached by one of the great minds at coaching life. He's a life leader." "I chose Duke because I wanted to be a king among kings." When Jay got drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he asked to have Michael Jordan's locker. It had not been used by anyone until that moment. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown." Preparation process - It never turns off. Always working on preparing for his work. Jay Bilas called all the prep the parachute. You don’t want to need it, but you know it’s there in case you get stuck. While at Duke, Jay decorated his body with tattoos, quotations, and symbols that meant far more later on. On his right leg, he inked the Chinese symbol for sacrifice; on his right arm, two hands clasped together, praying, next to the words “To err is human. To forgive is divine.” He also added this, from Gandhi: “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” Jay graduated in 3 years: He majored in sociology, graduated early, and turned professional after his junior season. For his final thesis paper, he studied athletes who left college early, their backgrounds, why they failed or succeeded. Kobe - "A relentless pursuit to be the best." "Don't F with me, I'm in killer mode." "He crystalized those fruits that translate to things off the court too." Career advice: Appreciate your position while planning your promotion. Be excellent at your current role while also thinking about what could be next
01:02:0126/09/2021
437: Ryan Holiday - Fortune Favors The Brave (Courage Is Calling)

437: Ryan Holiday - Fortune Favors The Brave (Courage Is Calling)

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Ryan Holiday is the best-selling author of more than 10 books including The Obstacle Is The Way, Ego Is The Enemy, and most recently, Courage Is Calling. He’s sold millions of copies and his work impacts leaders all over the world. Notes: A philosophy of offense. General James Mattis was once asked by a tv reporter, “what keeps you up at night?” And he said, “I keep people up at night.” Captured his philosophy of offense (a bias for action… People who make it happen) Preparation makes you brave. —- the Army life handbook that was handed out to millions of soldiers in the Second World War. All about preparation. As Epictetus says the goal when we experience adversity is to be able to say, “this is what I’ve trained for, for this is my discipline.” Never question another man’s courage. “It’s very easy to judge. It’s very hard to know.” Waste not a second questioning another man’s courage. Put that scrutiny solely on your own. Be strong and of good courage. We hear in the book of Joshua. William Faulkner said  “be scared. You can’t help that. But don’t be afraid.” You can’t spend all day in deliberation — the story of a Spartan king who was marching across Greece. As he entered each new country, he sent envoys to ask whether he should be prepared to treat them as friends or enemies. Most of the nations decided quickly and chose friendship. But one king wanted to think about his options. So he thought and thought and thought until it was chosen for him. “Let him consider it then,” the frustrated Spartan General said as he fixed his jaw. “Which we March on.” Even if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. You are voting to let them decide. The power of poise — in the year 175, Marcus Aurelius was betrayed by his general Avidius Cassius in an attempted coup. He could have been scared. He could have been furious. He could have exploded. But this would not happen. He said, “the nearer a man is to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength.” Ernest Shackleton — Arctic expedition got stuck in the ice. His motto —fortitudine vincimus — By endurance we conquer The courage to care — General Mattis said “cynicism is cowardice, it takes courage to care.” Only the brave believe, especially when everyone else is full of doubt. the story of Theodore Roosevelt the biographer Herman Hagedorn wrote “is the story of a small boy who read about great men and decided he wanted to be like them.” Ryan shared a personal story about his experience working for American Apparel and his relationship with founder/CEO, Dov Charney. He was asked to do something immoral and he declined... But, he didn't stop Dov from doing it. "It doesn't age well to just be scared in the moment. All that's left is what you didn't do." When you earn some power or develop a platform, how will you use it? When Lyndon Johnson became President, he said, "What the hell is the presidency for if not to do big things?" Consistency -- How does Ryan produce so much work (publishing lots of books) on a consistent basis? You have to show up every day. Tackle the smallest component part of the project for that day. Do what's in front of you. Why does Ryan work out every day? "I like to think, 'who's in charge?' I'm in charge." Excellence = All leaders are readers Curiosity is a must Desire for knowledge Self-discipline An element of service - it's not just about you How does Ryan define success? Autonomy. "The power of my own life, who I spend time with, and what I'm doing. I don't want to be a slave to the system."
01:00:5919/09/2021
436: John Bacon - Changing The Culture, Building Trust, & Letting Them Lead

436: John Bacon - Changing The Culture, Building Trust, & Letting Them Lead

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 John Bacon has written twelve books on sports, business, health, and history, the last seven all National Bestsellers. His latest book is "LET THEM LEAD: Unexpected Lessons in Leadership from America's Worst High School Hockey Team."  Notes: Be Patient with Results, Not Behavior - Accept where you are to get where you want to go. Be present so you can own your attention and energy. Be patient and you’ll get there faster. Embrace vulnerability to develop genuine strength and confidence. Build deep community over efficiency and optimization. Move your body to ground your mind Reduce Your Rules, but Make Them Stick - Make your rules few, clear, and connected to your larger mission. They have to be within everyone’s control to follow every day. When your people start enforcing the rules themselves, the culture has changed. To make it special to be on your team, make it hard to be on your team. The people who apply to the Navy SEALS and the Peace Corps are attracted to the difficulty. They know not everyone can make it, and that’s what makes it special You can't motivate people you don't know - Leadership doesn’t require rousing speeches; it requires that you get to know your people.  The more power you give, the more you get -Select leaders for their ability to lead, not their ability to do the job they used to have. Leaders must know their jobs, know how to do their jobs, know everyone else’s jobs, and help them all do their jobs better! This is how you create “layers of leadership,” which benefits everyone, and keeps you from burning out. All credit goes to your people - If you give away the credit and accept the blame, you’ll be rewarded with loyalty. If your team succeeds, you will always get more credit than you need. “The reward of a job well done is to have done it.” John's two initial goals when he took over the worst team in the state: Be the hardest working team in the state Win a state title On day 1, he set high standards -- Previously, they were 0-22-3 "Make no small plans, they lack the power to stir people's souls." John Bacon's two rules: Work hard Support your teammates "Behaviors you can always control, performance and outcomes you can't." Life advice: Focus on yourself first Work hard and support your teammates
50:1712/09/2021
435: Johnny C. Taylor Jr - A Leader's Guide To Work In An Age Of Upheavel

435: Johnny C. Taylor Jr - A Leader's Guide To Work In An Age Of Upheavel

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, is President and Chief Executive Officer of SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management. With over 300,000 members in 165 countries, SHRM is the largest HR professional association in the world, impacting the lives of 115 million workers every day. Notes: "Crisis come and go, but our chance to demonstrate leadership skills is constant. In times such as these, Johnny abides by three key principles: Culture comes first Data is your greatest friends Be "extra" Mistakes made by Chief Human Resource Officers: RULES: CHROs who fail emphasize rules over solutions. ROLES: CHROs who fail develop an instinctual approach to solidifying their role, necessitating constant validation RELATIONSHIPS: CHROs who fail prioritize relationships (when hiring) above results or data. RIGHTEOUSNESS: CHROs who fail need to be right at all times without accounting for other perspectives “Culture is the cure amid chaos” -- At SHRM, they’ve defined themselves by their guiding principles: Bold Purpose Excellence & Accountability Flexibility & Agility Smart & Curious Collaborative Openness How Johnny earned the CEO role? He's had a wide range of jobs: Lawyer, a business leader in 'for-profit,' business leader in non-profit, understands being responsible for his own Profit and Loss of a business Since Johnny was seven years old, he knew he wanted to be a lawyer Why leaders need to become excellent writers and speakers: Inspiring employees has become table stakes to be an excellent leader How to work on this? READ. Johnny regularly reads with his 11-year-old daughter to help her work on this. "Grammar matters. Typos matter. We judge people on those things." Hiring: What does Johnny look for in a candidate to hire: Technical competencies - They have to know how to do the job Cultural alignment - We do not hire brilliant jerks Curiosity is key: "Tell me something you've been thinking about that would surprise me..." Self-awareness: Tell me about situations where you've been wrong or failed... Their motivation: "Why do you work? What has changed most over the years? "Culture is everything now. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are getting better." How can leaders create a healthy culture that acknowledges and prevents racism, sexism, and bias? "We have to talk about it." Acknowledge it Commonalities of people who sustained excellence: Curiosity - receptive to change Fiercely competitive - They want to win Exist for a bigger purpose The RESET - The opinion and perspective of Human Resources is changing... "They can't be the department of NO anymore." "The job of the HR professional is to help their leaders get a good return on their hiring investment." Life/Career Advice: Become really good at something. Become an expert Build relationships Build empathy - "When I was a young 'hot-shot' attorney, I would run through people." You need to build empathy for others."  
51:5805/09/2021
434: Brad Stulberg - The New Science Of Peak Performance

434: Brad Stulberg - The New Science Of Peak Performance

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Brad Stulberg is the author of Peak Performance, The Passion Paradox, and The Practice of Groundedness. He coaches executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, and athletes. He is also co-creator of The Growth Equation, an online platform dedicated to defining and attaining a more fulfilling and sustainable kind of success. Notes: Build deep community over efficiency and optimization. It takes more time. It has a physical connection and a sense of belonging. Don’t move so fast that you don’t see people. Keys to great leadership -- Look at the boundaries and create space for work to unfold. Don’t be the helicopter parent or the micromanager. Don’t neglect them, but ensure they have the space to grow and blossom. Move your body to ground your mind - It’s so important to have a physical practice. Make it part of your work. It needs to be in order to support your mental health. The Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA championship. Their MVP leader, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points and helped his team win. But he may have earned even more fans when he was asked during a press conference how he keeps his mind right. His three-part answer, in his own words: “Focusing on the past is ego. Focusing on the future is pride. Focusing on the present is humility.” The six principles of groundedness:  Accept where you are to get where you want to go Be present so you can own your attention and energy Be patient and you’ll get there faster Embrace vulnerability to develop genuine strength and confidence Build deep community over efficiency and optimization Move your body to ground your mind Trying to be "balanced" does not work. When you care deeply about something it draws you in. That's the point. You don't need to force some kind of proportionate allocation of your life. Aim for the self-awareness to PRIORITIZE and CHOOSE how you spend your time and energy. Wherever you are, the goal post is always 10 yards down the field. If you develop a mindset, "If I just do this, or just accomplish that, THEN I'll arrive," you're in for trouble. There is no arriving. The human brain didn't evolve for it. Enjoy the process. Be where you are. Everyone wants to be SUCCESSFUL. But few people take the time and energy to define the success they want. As a result, they spend most, if not all, of their lives chasing what society superimposes on them as success. Define your values. Craft a life around them. THAT is success. Stress + Rest = Growth. Too much of the former not enough of the latter you get injury, illness, burnout. Too much of the latter, not enough of the former you get complacency, stagnation. This equation is universal. It holds true for individual and organizational growth. "Wouldn't this be rad?" The process of striving for ambitious goals is what brings fulfillment. The process is how you live your life. "Your addiction to growth might be making you miserable." The human condition is oriented towards more. Advice on building a business: Think less about building the business and more about building the life you want to live. Brad limits himself to 15 clients and they only meet on Monday and Friday. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday are days for creativity, reading, research. Brad optimizes for autonomy and freedom. For the over-worked, over-scheduled VP: Find 2 hours a week for deep work. That's a start. Challenge the culture, test assumptions. Think of your schedule as a moral document Sustain excellence: Wise patience... Step back sometimes When making a big decision, adopt the lens of a wise observer, what would your wiser self tell you to do?  Stimulus + your response = outcome When you feel restless to do something, use that as an alarm. Force yourself to take three deep breaths. What will you regret less? No raising voices... Your language shapes how you think and act... The Good Enough Mother: Not helicopter Not each and every need Doesn't neglect Gives a safe space to grow and blossom For the insecure leader... Approach them with curiosity Musicians have intense periods of focused practice. People have breakthroughs when they have been on a sabbatical... Embrace vulnerability to develop genuine strength and confidence with others... "The way to build trust is by being vulnerable." Don't be performative. It must be real. Build deep community over efficiency and optimization It takes more time to meet in person. Brad's tattoo sleeve: Mountains sit through it all. Trees = grounded, the roots support it. We need to tend to our own roots.
01:06:1429/08/2021
433: Sahil Bloom - The Qualities Of A Great Coach, Investing In Leaders, & Being Positive Sum

433: Sahil Bloom - The Qualities Of A Great Coach, Investing In Leaders, & Being Positive Sum

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Sahil Bloom is a writer who attempts to demystify the world. He's an investor, advisor, and creator. As a pitcher at the University of Stanford, he once gave up a grand slam on ESPN in 2012 and he's still waiting for it to land. Sahil is an angel investor in 25+ startups across the technology landscape. In this capacity, he works directly with entrepreneurs and founders to identify and execute against core value creation initiatives to build scalable, sustainable value for all stakeholders. Notes: Writing makes you better at everything you do. Writing is the best way to expose gaps in your thinking. When you write, you think better. The makeup of a great coach - Never too big to do the small things. They push you beyond what you think you’re capable of. Everyone should take a moment and say thank you to someone who has done this for them. Learning Circles -- Develop a circle of people to collectively learn with. Push your thinking. I do this with my Learning Leader Circles and it’s some of the most rewarding work I do. Why the cheeky Twitter bio? ("Once gave up a home run on ESPN that hasn't landed yet"). "People take themselves too seriously." The difference between big public failures and private ones: "I think private failures can shape you more." Freshman year at Stanford was a grind... "I thought I was hot shit." "Are you willing to spring when the distance is unknown?" It's all about how you bounce back from failures. "You need to be able to take constructive feedback. You can't crumble." Sahil asks, "What do I want to instill in my child?" Let them fail... It's the greatest experience. Angel Investing - An individual who provides money to start-ups. The "must-have" qualities in a person for Sahil to invest in them: Resilience and Grit. "You're going to get knocked around. They are willing to die before they'll fail." "I'm driven by relationships over data points. I like to ask: Tell me about a time you got your ass kicked..." Sahil invests because he learns so much through the process of it. The intellectual returns make it worth it. "Writing is the best way to expose gaps in your thinking. It makes you better at everything you do." Be a teacher: "I'm learning alongside you." Great storytelling... "It is a built skill." Disney, Pixar... It's a foundational skill. They infuse personality in writing. The three biggest keys to storytelling: Elicit an emotional response Novelty - That "Oh wow!" moment Punchy & Concise - "I didn't have time to write a short letter so I wrote a long one instead." Viral tweet threads - It started in May 2020 for Sahil. He went from a few followers to hundreds of thousands... Be "Positive Sum." The world is positive sum. A rising tide lifts all boats. You should genuinely root for others to succeed. The makeup of a great coach: In the trenches with the team - never too big to do the small things Willing to challenge you and call you out. They help you get better They push your thinking Coach John Beverly (Sahil's high school baseball coach) He was first to suggest that Stanford could be a reality for Sahil ("He was nuts") He had very high expectations He believed in Sahil more than Sahil believed in himself He changed the trajectory of people Cognitive bias - High expectations lead to higher performance You need to vocalize your appreciation for those who have pushed your thinking and expected a lot from you The power of learning circles: There is push & pull with others Helps you develop circles of friends to collectively learn with and push your thinking
59:0922/08/2021
432: Sukhinder Singh Cassidy - How To Take Risks & Thrive (Even When You Fail)

432: Sukhinder Singh Cassidy - How To Take Risks & Thrive (Even When You Fail)

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www. LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Sukhinder Singh Cassidy is a leading digital CEO and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of leadership experience founding, scaling, and advising companies including Google, Amazon, StubHub, Yodlee, and more. Most recently, Sukhinder served as the leader of StubHub, the premier global consumer ticketing marketplace for live entertainment, which she and her team sold for $4 billion in February 2020. Earlier in her career, Sukhinder built Google’s business throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America. Notes: “Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.” - Samuel Johnson “We think when we do nothing there is no cost.” That’s not true. There’s a cost to standing still. Proximity to opportunity benefits us even more than planning. Sukhinder moved to Silicon Valley in 1997. She rode the tailwind of the Internet and being at the epicenter of it all. Prioritize the WHO before the WHAT. As a leader, watch what you validate with your words and actions. Reward the behavior that you want. If you want to promote taking risks, then reward the people who do that. “You get what you create and what you allow.” At one point, Sukhinder went to her boss at Google (who worked with Eric Schmidt) and said, “I’m pregnant, I want to keep running international at Google. I need for you to pay for me and my nanny to travel the world business-class. And they said yes.” BIG ASK.  She did the calculus and realized it was a reasonable ask. And they said yes. Career path - "My career is not linear, it's cyclical. It has ups and downs. I've made 13 different meaningful choices along the way." The myth that there is a linear relationship between risk and reward. Not all choices have an equal amount of upside and downside... Sukhinder sas been on the board of Urban Outfitters with Scott Galloway: Should you move to a big city? Should you move to your company's headquarters? Being at the center of the action matters... It helps if you can understand the pulse of HQ How to become a smart risk taker? What are our goals, passions, and values? What are we great at? Look for headwinds and tailwinds - (Join a growing company that has momentum) With that said, Sukhinder went to StubHub and there were significant challenges Over-prioritize the WHO over the WHAT Why did Sukhinder take the StubHub leadership role? It was a calculated risk She missed running a company of scale They needed entrepreneurial and executive energy How do you create an environment for people to take risks? You want people who are "truth-tellers, truth seekers, and authors" Make it safe to take risks -- Reward that behavior. Watch what you validate by your words and actions. Understand the magnitude and the weight of your words. People are always watching how the leader responds, who they commend, what they say... How to go for a job that you aren't qualified for? "The next level of learning is going for something you don't know..." To be a CEO, you need depth AND breadth. You need to expand your skillset. This is the path to accelerated learning. How do you know when you should leave a job? "I like 3-5 year sprints. Are you having fun? Are you making an impact? If you aren't having fun or making an impact, you'll want to leave." Think about: "Who am I doing this with? Are our values aligned?" Why did Sukhinder want to be a CEO? "A little bit of ego" "I was built to lead" "I enjoy being on the hook" People who sustain excellence: They surround themselves with other great people. They don't let their ego get in the way. They don't feel threatened by great people. Career/Life Advice: "We tend to assume that everything is zero-sum. It's not. Choice is a multiplier of opportunity and we get to control it. Make a choice and get in motion."
59:5015/08/2021
431: Melissa Urban - Overcoming Addiction & Creating A Life-Changing Business (CEO of Whole30)

431: Melissa Urban - Overcoming Addiction & Creating A Life-Changing Business (CEO of Whole30)

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12      https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Melissa Urban is the co-founder and CEO of Whole30, and a six-time New York Times bestselling author. She is is a prominent keynote speaker on social media and branding, health trends, and entrepreneurship. Notes: “I’ll Go First” -- As Leaders, it’s on us to do the hard thing first. Be vulnerable first. Trust first. That mindset will serve us well “I decided to look for evidence that I was already a healthy person with healthy habits.” and that helped form her identity. Whole30 -- The Whole30 is not a diet, a weight-loss plan or quick fix – it’s designed to “change your life,” the founders say, by eliminating cravings, rebalancing hormones, curing digestive issues, improving medical conditions, and boosting energy and immune function. "You can think of the Whole30 like pushing the reset button with your health, habits, and relationship with food." “For 30 days, you’ll eliminate the foods that scientific literature and our clinical experience have shown to be commonly problematic in one of four areas — cravings and habits, blood sugar regulation and hormones, digestion, and immune system, and inflammation “The food you eat either makes you more healthy or less healthy. Those are your options.” “You cannot “out-exercise” poor food choices and the resulting hormonal disruption.” The diet culture has been beaten into our heads and can make us feel disempowered This helps you take back the power. It's not a diet. Not a quick fix. It helps you figure out what works for you. Melissa always buys herself flowers... Take care of yourself first. Must-Have leadership qualities in someone Melissa hires: "I hire for talent, not skill." Entrepreneurial spirit -- "I want them to take ownership." Ambitious - "They need to want to grow and learn." Sharing pictures on social media that are not airbrushed or edited: "It is me existing in my body. It's not courageous to exist in your body. I shouldn't be seen as brave for posting those pictures." Grey Rock - This is how you respond to a narcissist or complainer... Don't react to them pushing buttons. They are trying to get you to react. Don't give them that gift. Boundaries are essential life skills - We learn about these in times of crisis. "Clear is kind." Example: "When my parents attempt to parent my child, I have to sometimes tell them that that's my job and they need to stop. That's setting a boundary." How to be a great CEO? "I have figured a lot out as I go. It helps to have mentors. I've hired a lot of talented people." It's about surrounding yourself with excellent talent and trusting them to do the job. How to have high self-awareness A lot of therapy Self-experimentation Committed to working on empathy Life/Career Advice: It's easy to tell someone to follow their passion, but that's not always good advice "Whatever job you do, overdeliver. Do it well." Be known as someone who goes the extra mile. Be kind. Go first. Be vulnerable. Get it done.        
57:0408/08/2021
430: Matthew Dicks - Change Your Life Through The Power Of Storytelling

430: Matthew Dicks - Change Your Life Through The Power Of Storytelling

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Matthew Dicks is a Bestselling author, a professional storyteller, and a teacher. He is a 52-time Moth StorySLAM winner & a 7-time GrandSLAM champion. He’s recognized as one of the greatest storytellers in the world. Notes: Every great story is about a five-second moment of our life. The purpose of every great story is to bring a singular moment of transformation and realization to the greatest clarity possible. "Let me tell you about my vacation to Europe" is not the beginning of a story, despite what many seem to believe. This is merely an attempt to review the itinerary of your previous vacation But if someone said, "While I was in Europe, I met a taxi driver who changed the way I think about my parents forever," that is potentially a great story. “People are not attracted to people who do easy things. They are attracted to people who do hard things. It’s hard to be vulnerable. That takes courage. And that’s why we are drawn to it.” Being vulnerable opens people up. The beginning and end of a story: Beginning - Promise that what I'm going to say is worth your time End - The fulfillment of that process How to put a great story together? Start at the end... The five-second moment. "What are you aiming at?" You have to know that to craft the beginning. Use a thesis statement -- "I used to be... and I realized..." Jurassic Park is not a movie about dinosaurs. It's about love. How to open a story: Try to start your story with forward movement whenever possible. DON'T start by setting expectations (“This is hilarious, “you need to hear this,” “you’re not going to believe this.”) Requirements of a personal story: Change - your story must reflect change over time. It can’t simply be a series of remarkable events. Stories that fail to reflect change over time are known as anecdotes. Your story only -  not that of others The dinner table test - Be human Homework for life — 5 minutes at the end of each day. “If I had to tell a story from today — a 5-minute story onstage about something that took place over the course of this day. What would it be? Homework for life slows time down... Humor -- It keeps your audience’s attention. “The goal is not to tell a funny story. The goal is to tell a story that moves an audience emotionally.” “A written story is like a lake. Readers can step in and out of the water at their leisure, and the water always remains the same. An oral story is like a river. It is a constantly flowing torrent of words.” -- “To keep your listener from stepping out of your river of words to make meaning, simplification is essential. Starting as close to the end as possible helps to make this happen.” During a talk at a school in Brazil, Matt was asked why he shares so much of himself? (Writing novels, stories, teaching, blog posts, podcasts). And he thought for a while and then said, “I think I’m trying to get the attention of a mother who never paid me any attention and is now dead and a father who left me as a boy and never came home.” Your first job as a speaker (at home, on stage, or at work) is to be entertaining... Advice: When you graduate college, it's the end of your assessed learning. What do you want to study next? It will be on you to track. It won't be assessed by others... What do you want to learn next?
01:12:2401/08/2021
429: Tim Grover - The Language Of Motivation, Confidence, & Winning (MJ & Kobe's Personal Trainer)

429: Tim Grover - The Language Of Motivation, Confidence, & Winning (MJ & Kobe's Personal Trainer)

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Tim Grover is the CEO of ATTACK Athletics, Inc., founded in 1989. World-renowned for his legendary work with elite champions including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and hundreds of other NFL, MLB, NBA, and Olympic athletes. He is the preeminent authority on the science and art of mental and physical dominance and achieving excellence. He's also the bestselling author of W1NNING & RELENTLESS. Notes:  Cleaners have the ability to achieve the end result over and over. Cleaners know who they are, they know the difference between criticism and feedback, they take control of their story. They know that there is always more to do. The Language of Winning & Motivation - ‘In the language of winning, there is no talk of motivation. “Motivation is entry-level, the temporary rush you get from eating too much frosting. Motivation is for those who haven’t decided whether to commit to their goals, or how much time, effort, and life they’re willing to invest to achieve them.” The Dark Side turns your anger into controlled rage. High performers know how to control and use their dark side to be in control. It's not evit. It's what's unique to you. The vocabulary test  Tim gives his -- “Describe winning in one word.” Some of the answers he receives: Glorious, Euphoric, Success, Domination, Achievement. Not bad. The answers he receives from champions:  Uncivilized. Hard. Nasty. Unpolished. Dirty. Rough. From Kobe? Everything. "WINNING isn’t heartless, but you’ll use your heart less." Your mind must be stronger than your feelings. "Your feelings keep you in bed." “You can’t buy a map to the top. If you could, everyone would be up there. They’re not. The steps to Winning are infinite, and constantly shifting.” “Winning requires you to learn, question what you learned, and then learn more.” How to push through when you feel bad? "You have to capture little wins. The joy of the wins cannot be attained if you only work when you feel like it." "You have to crave the end result so bad that the work is irrelevant." Do Hard Things - Doing hard things creates trust in oneself. Doing the hard work others aren't willing to do builds confidence. The phrase "fake it til you make it" - "I hate that phrase. It's so easy to do this on social media and you end up not even knowing who you are. Those people are too worried about how others perceive them." His favorite Kobe story - "He's so coachable." He was always asking questions and listening to learn more. "And he always held himself accountable." "Confidence is the ultimate drug. And winning is the dealer." "The greats always bet on themselves." High performers always seem to be the ones reaching out for a coach... Always trying to get better. The average performers don't think they need a coach. Winning makes you different. And different scares people. Michael Jordan started lifting weights on game days and people thought he was nuts. Knowing what to think versus knowing how to think -- You need to be able to have confidence, challenge other people's thoughts and preconceptions. Don't copy others. Learn and create your own point of view. Your own ideas based on what you've learned. "You can have sight (copy others), but no vision. You need to have a vision." Winning is a test with no correct answers. "Winning is not a marathon. It's a sprint with no finish line." You don't have the luxury of time. Most people manage time. Don't manage time, manage focus. Career/Life advice: Do everything to figure out what you want to do. No job is beneath you. There is no shortcut.
58:2825/07/2021
428: James Clear - Asking Better Questions, Taking Action, & Doing A+ Work

428: James Clear - Asking Better Questions, Taking Action, & Doing A+ Work

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 James Clear is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Atomic Habits, which has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide. His writing is focused on how we can create better habits, make better decisions, and live better lives. Notes: “My primary hope is that people find what I write to be useful. As long as someone is able to implement the ideas I share to get the results they want, then I feel like I’ve done my part to make the world a slightly better place.” "Working on a problem reduces the fear of it.  It’s hard to fear a problem when you are making progress on it—even if progress is imperfect and slow." Action relieves anxiety. We often avoid taking action because we think "I need to learn more," but the best way to learn is often by taking action. Lack of confidence kills more dreams than lack of ability. Talent matters—especially at elite levels—but people talk themselves out of giving their best effort long before talent becomes the limiting factor. You're capable of more than you know. Don't be your own bottleneck. What looks like talent is often careful preparation. What looks like skill is often persistent revision. You need volume before intensity. The bad days are more important than the good days. You need to maintain consistency. Preparation for a lawyer: Most cases are won long before you enter a courtroom. You must be willing to prepare. Question James asks to those who are pitching him a TV show or movie for Atomic Habits: What causes a similar show to succeed? ("I don't think people are serious enough about succeeding.") "Having a plan almost always serves you even if it doesn't go according to plan." A+ work - Good enough is ok for most things. For creators, doing A+ work is crucial. Be “selectively ignorant.” Ignore topics that drain your attention. Unfollow people that drain your energy. Abandon projects that drain your time. Do not keep up with it all. The more selectively ignorant you become, the more broadly knowledgeable you can be. At multiple points this year, the top 3 read books on Amazon were: 1) A Promised Land by President Barack Obama 2) Atomic Habits by James Clear, and 3) Becoming by Former first lady, Michelle Obama... I asked James, what is it like to see your work amongst the world's most powerful people? "It's been a wild few years!" The best marketing strategy? Excellent work Read Scott Young's article, Do The Real Thing There are 3 primary drivers of results in life: Your luck (randomness). Your strategy (choices). Your actions (habits). Only 2 of the 3 are under your control. But if you master those 2, you can improve the odds that luck will work for you rather than against you. A Chilean saying: "Criticizing a musician is easy, but it is more difficult when you have a guitar in your hand." -- Don't criticize someone else unless you're willing to do the work. Be known as a champion for great ideas versus someone who is against something. "The more comfortable I am with myself, the less I feel a need to win arguments with other people." Peer pressure applies when you don't know who you are. Fame - "I have no interest in being famous. I want to be known by brand, not by face." What he learned from a cab driver in Singapore about fame: "They have the name and not the life. We have the life and not the name." The Cardinal Rule of Behavior Change: What gets rewarded, gets repeated. What gets punished, gets avoided. Don’t reward behavior you don’t want to see repeated. The easy way is often the hard way. Shortcuts, one-sided deals, and selfish behavior create debts. You only look like a winner until the bill comes due. Short-term actions become long-term frustrations. In hindsight, the hard way only seems slow in the moment. "The target audience is always the same: myself. I like Morgan Housel's line, "Writing for yourself is fun, and it shows. Writing for others is work, and it shows." Life/Career Advice: Questions are better than advice... Ask these questions: What am I optimizing for? Can my current habits carry me to my desired future? What am I really trying to achieve? What do I really want? Go fast - "Don't rush, but don't wait."
01:10:4918/07/2021
427 - Jay Clouse - Creativity, Community, & Commitment

427 - Jay Clouse - Creativity, Community, & Commitment

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12    https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Jay Clouse leads Community Experience for Smart Passive Income. He joined Smart Passive Income in December 2020 after SPI acquired his private community and virtual accelerator, Unreal Collective. You will notice it sounds different from all of my other episodes. Notes: Commitment: “You don’t need to be uniquely talented or creative to make a living as a creator. But you need to be committed." "A creator makes an asset for the purpose of being consumed and creating value for both the consumer and the creator.” -- Leaders need to be creators -- They create/build culture. They need to be effective communicators, writers, they need to create a vision and inspire people… The WHY: “I created Creative Elements to bridge the gap between art and business by talking to high-profile creators about the nitty-gritty of building their creative career.” Community - “A group of people with commonality – shared interests, values, or beliefs.” -- Community traces back to the late 14th century, with both French and Latin roots. “Community” was used to describe “a number of people associated together by the fact of residence in the same locality” as well as “the common people." Sales -- "Sales is a scorecard for storytelling." Culture - “Culture is the sum of behaviors you tolerate and reward over time.” Patience & Commitment - “The effort of earning an independent income, regardless of path, takes a lot of patience and commitment. Those words aren’t sexy and they aren’t fast. But they are reliable.” In 2019, Jay produced a feature-length documentary called Test City, USA about the growing startup ecosystem in Columbus, Ohio. A+ work - A Power law. The #2 result gets half as much as the #1 result. When creating something, shoot for A+ quality work. The test: When someone sees it, they can't help but comment on it, share it, and tell their friends. You want to start a podcast? Why are you doing this? What's the format? How can you market it? Audio needs to sound great The Juice = feedback from listeners that your show has helped them. Authenticity - You need to feel aligned and comfortable with your voice on air. Wabi-sabi is the view or thought of finding beauty in every aspect of imperfection in nature. It is about the aesthetic of things in existence, that are “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete” Life/Career advice: It takes time to forge your own path Get in touch with what you want Trial and error - view it as a series of experiments Get your WHO right
01:01:2611/07/2021
426: McKeel Hagerty - Life & Leadership Without Boundaries

426: McKeel Hagerty - Life & Leadership Without Boundaries

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 McKeel Hagerty is the CEO of Hagerty. Hagerty is an American automotive lifestyle and membership company and the world’s largest provider of specialty insurance for classic vehicles. He is the former Chair of Young President's Organization (YPO). YPO is a global leadership community of extraordinary chief executives — more than 30,000 members from 142 countries. McKeel is also a Co-Founder and General Partner at Grand Rapids, Michigan-based venture capital firm Grand Ventures. Notes: Arete is a concept in ancient Greek thought that, in its most basic sense, refers to "excellence" of any kind. This meaning was related to the idea of the fulfillment of purpose or function, the act of living up to one’s full potential.  In his early twenties, Mckeel planned to be a Russian Orthodox priest. He earned his master’s degree in theology from Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary in Yonkers, New York. Why McKeel tracks everything: "I noticed that people who accomplished a lot kept track of their life." He tracks: sleep, exercise, diet, goals, and more Think, "What am I trying to do?" "We are in the golden age of habit formation." "The best leaders are constantly looking for better ways to do things." "Intrinsic motivation is imperative for happiness." "I'm inspired by what I see in others." -- The spirit of the craftsman In 1999, Hagerty had 35 employees... They now have 1,600. The lightning bolt moment - McKeel went to a YPO branding conference at Nike. And learned about how Nike viewed branding. "Nike is the spirit of the sport." -- Think more like a club than a company. McKeel created a membership organization and media brand as part of his business. Leadership "Must-Haves" Growth mindset - you are not a finished product "I don't believe in work-life balance. You get life." Curiosity in the interview process They need to understand what they will need to learn along the way The power of YPO: 30,000 members It's operational leaders doing work with people It's a wholistic view of life The Learning Leader Show is tightly in line with YPO In 2016, McKeel was elected Chairman Keys to a great YPO group: Holistic leaders (business, personal, family) Egos checked at the door Vulnerability and generosity are the keys to breakthrough leaders McKeel has interviewed some of the world's most notable leaders (Hillary Clinton, Sheikh Mohamed of Dubai, Paul Kagame, Prime Minister Lee of Singapore) His writing practice: General Eisenhower would sit alone and write out his thoughts... Ask yourself, "What's the narrative here?" Write summaries of what you learn from books, podcasts, videos, articles...
01:05:3204/07/2021
425: Jon Gordon - How To Be A Great Teammate (Row The Boat)

425: Jon Gordon - How To Be A Great Teammate (Row The Boat)

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Jon Gordon is the author of 23 books including 10 best sellers. His books include the timeless classic The Energy Bus which has sold over 2 million copies, The Carpenter which was a top 5 business book of the year, Training Camp, The Power of Positive Leadership, The Power of a Positive Team, The Coffee Bean, Stay Positive, and The Garden. How to be a great teammate: Put the team first "We not me" Superstars make the people around them better Get tactical (be a great teammate): Look for opportunities for the betterment of the team Work hard, build a foundation of trust, communicate well, connect with each team member, CARE about them Encourage means to "put courage into them." "Leadership is a transfer of belief." Use 'positive discontent." "Love tough instead of tough love." "Trust is the currency of leadership." Change Management (learned from Dabo Sweeney) Know what the culture stands for Know what you value Set standards (non-negotiables) Create your vision and purpose -- WHY are you doing it? Get buy-in Optimism and belief are vital Must develop relationships "People follow the leader first and the vision second." Ask: "Are they connected and committed?" A great leader wants their team members to get promoted Culture is not static. It's dynamic. It must be built every day. "It's not one thing. It's everything." Jon wrote The Energy Bus in three weeks. And it changed the trajectory of his life. Don't be carrots or eggs... Be coffee beans. Be able to "transform the environment." 10 Life Rules of Row The Boat: #2: Trained behavior creates boring habits, boring habits create elite instincts. #3 You win with people, not just players--- people who make their life about others. #5 The hardest part about being the standard is that you are the standard all the time.
57:2727/06/2021
424: Bert Bean & Sam Kaufman - Rebuilding A Culture, Taking Risks, & The Next Step...

424: Bert Bean & Sam Kaufman - Rebuilding A Culture, Taking Risks, & The Next Step...

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Notes: Bert Bean is the CEO of Insight Global. Insight Global is a 3.3 Billion Dollar staffing company that focuses on living its shared values and empowering people. started with Insight Global in 2005 as a Recruiter and has since worked his way up within the company, exemplifying Insight Global’s “promote from within” culture. Bert was announced as Insight Global’s CEO on January 13, 2018. According to Comparably, Insight Global and its executive team (led by Bert and Sam) have been rated as an A+ by their employees. Sam Kaufman is the Chief Revenue Officer of Insight Global. Sam began his career at Insight Global as an Entry Level Recruiter in 2004, and he has earned many promotions throughout his career. Sam’s mission day in and day out is to improve and grow as a leader in sales so that he can help his people develop personally and professionally. Notes: Don't Bury The Lede -- The purpose of this episode is to announce that we (Insight Global + The Learning Leader) are formally working together. Insight Global will be the presenting sponsor of all episodes moving forward and I will work with the leaders at Insight Global. Changing the culture -- In 2017, employee turnover was 40%. Bert took over as CEO in January 2018. The current turnover is 14%. Fortune Magazine ranked Insight Global as one of the best workplaces for both millennials and women. 70% of leadership promotions in 2019 were for women The impact of episode #242 with Daniel Coyle "A leader at a Private Equity conference told me to listen to your episode with Dan Coyle. I did and it changed the trajectory of our company." Why Bert is a great CEO (according to Sam): "Bert gives everything to his people. He wakes up at 4:00 am every day to handwrite notes to people. He cares so much about developing people." Why Sam is a great leader (according to Bert): "Sam is super driven. Extremely hard worker... And cares about his people. He's also willing to take a risk and bet on himself." Insight Global has a "promote from within" culture. "We are the ultimate growth mindset business." "We must invest in training and developing our people." I will be helping with Insight Global University, Leadership Academy, and providing feedback for leaders within the business. Bert -- "I love aligning with grinders." The "Bert voicemail" -- "When I see something I want, I love being a bad negotiator and just telling them." "I believe in first WHO, then what. That's why I want to work with you." "We want you to remain independent and out in the market giving speeches and learning from leaders outside of Insight Global. We value you having fresh eyes to help us." The Utah Offsite retreat: Rented a big house with 28 leaders and rebuilt the value system and the culture "We all got in a big circle and shared our lowest moment and highest moment. There were a lot of tears... And we came together in the moment." Legendary leader -- "Kirby was dying from cancer. He couldn't walk. The cancer was eating his bones and he flew out there to be with us. He means everything to us. He is the ultimate example of grit." Kirby died a few months after that off-site meeting. Leadership "must-haves" Sam - Three things. You have to care - You won't follow someone who doesn't care about you. High character - Must earn the respect of your peers. Do the right thing all of the time. You're there to serve - "Don't think of leadership as power. Think of it as a burden. A massive responsibility." Bert - "You can't be a bullshit leader. Must be authentic. Not a phony. People see through that. You must take care of and develop people in your charge." The Insight Global shared values: Everyone matters We Take Care of Each Other Leadership is Here to Serve High Character and Hard Work Always Know Where You Stand Purpose - “Our purpose is to develop our people personally, professionally, and financially; so they can be the light to the world around them.” - Bert Bean
01:11:4420/06/2021
423: Julia Galef - Why Some People See Things Clearly & Others Don't

423: Julia Galef - Why Some People See Things Clearly & Others Don't

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Julia Galef is co-founder of the Center for Applied Rationality. She is the author of The Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don't. Notes: What is the scout mindset? “The motivation to see things as they are, not as you wish them to be.” The Scout Mindset allows you to recognize when you were wrong, to seek out your blind spots, to test your assumptions and change course. It’s what prompts you to honestly ask yourself questions like “Was I at fault in that argument?” or “Is this risk really worth it?” As the physicist Richard Feynman said: “The first rule is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool.” The three prongs: Realize that trust isn't in conflict with your other goals Learn tools that make it easier to see clearly Appreciate the emotional rewards of scout mindset She closes her TED talk with this quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupery: "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." "The biggest bottleneck is not knowledge. It's motivation. You need to cultivate the motivation to see things clearly." “Julia Galef is an intellectual leader of the rationalist community, and in The Scout Mindset you will find an engaging, clearly written distillation of her very important accumulated wisdom on these topics.” -- Tyler Cowen We should assume that we are wrong. We need to build the skill to change our mind. "Our goal should be to be less wrong over time." How do you work on this? The key principle is the way you think about being wrong. "Don't accept the premise that being wrong means you screwed up." Jeff Bezos left his job on Wall Street to start Amazon and acknowledged the uncertainty. He estimated that his idea had about a 30% chance to work. The Scout versus Soldier mindset: A lot of times, humans are in a soldier mindset - "Belief was strong, unshakeable, opposed argument. A soldier is having to defend." Scout mindset - survey and see what's true. Form an accurate map. Practical application: Be cognizant how you seek out and respond to criticism. Don't ask leading questions. Recognize the tendency to describe the conflict accurately. Also... Not all arguments are worth having. Show signals of good faith. Distinguish between two kinds of confidence: Social - Poised, charismatic, relaxed body language, be worth listening to Epistemic - How much certainty that you have in your views Persuade while still expressing uncertainty: "I think there's a 70% chance this won't work." Lyndon Johnson - Need to understand why someone wouldn't agree with you... We are all the sum of our experiences... Approach people, places, and things with curiosity Life/Career advice: You're creating a brand - Be conscious of the type of people you're attracting. Work to attract those that make you a better version of yourself. Make the choice to attract people who like intellectual honesty like Vitalik Buterin (founder of Ethereum)
58:2513/06/2021
422: Dr. Ron Friedman - How To Reverse Engineer Excellence

422: Dr. Ron Friedman - How To Reverse Engineer Excellence

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Dr. Ron Friedman is an award-winning psychologist who has served on the faculty of the University of Rochester and has consulted for political leaders, nonprofits, and many of the world’s most recognized brands. His first book, The Best Place to Work, was selected as an Inc. Magazine Best Business Book of the Year. His most recent book is called, Decoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Succes. Notes:   When Michael Dell was 16 years old, his parents bought him an Apple Computer. And they were horrified by what he did next... He took it apart to learn how to build it. He was curious. Excellent performers don't passively observe. They take action. When you encounter an awesome memo or speech, try to identify why it was remarkable... And then see how you can implement what you've learned to do the same. Nature vs. Nurture? "It's both." The stories we've been told are wrong: That it takes talent + practice. That's only part of the story. It's thinking in formulas and becoming a collector. "Identify what works and turn it into a template for yourself." A presidential speechwriter like Jon Favreau (President Obama's speechwriter) would study the greatest presidential speeches in history as he wrote... Reverse outlining - Take a finished product and reduce it to small paragraphs. Read the transcript and identify the emotion. There are six main narratives for main characters... The analysis comes after collection. Identify what's extraordinary... And then create a template. Create metrics and rate your work. "Measurement begets improvement." This requires a mindset of curiosity (like Michael Dell) Think in "blueprints." How does this work? How do I recreate it? President Obama initially was not a good politician... He observed pastors at churches. He started using repetition and pausing for effect to improve his ability to give compelling speeches. How are Chipotle and Starbucks similar? "They think in blueprints." The creators of Chipotle knew that people love burritos, but there wasn't a fast way to get great ones. They created a blueprint. The leaders at Starbucks modeled their buildings after Italian coffee bars. It's "pattern-thinking." Tom Petty didn't watch Bruce Springsteen because he felt they were too similar. He didn't want to outright copy him. Ron reads fiction to help him become a better storyteller and use cliffhangers in his non-fiction writing. Visualization - Why does it not work? "It can give you temporary satisfaction and lead to you not working as hard for the goal. You feel as if you already achieved it." "Visualize the process instead of the outcome." The UCLA Study: Visualize the process Practice in the past - Be reflective, use a journal, look back at previous entries Deliberate practice - It needs to be hard and you need feedback from an expert. Practice in different locations. Novelty is important. This allows you to be more present in the moment... Sign up for improv classes Find a hobby that has an overlap with what you do (if you're a manager, join toastmasters to become a better public speaker) Tinder algorithms - They predict who you'll find attractive. It looks for commonalities... The takeaway? Start a collection intake engine. Curate what that contains and what you exclude. Ritz Carlton obsesses over metrics. They understand that what gets measured gets managed. They optimize for their net promoter score (NPS). The links that are drivers to outcomes... For Ron, he needs to do cardio to get into creative mode. To do great cardio, he needs great sleep. To get great sleep, he needs regular massages. It's a chain of events to get the optimal outcome. Figure out what that is for you. How to give a great Ted Talk? Ron reverse engineered the most watched talk... Here is what he found: Ken Robinson used one fact He had lots of anecdotes There were LOTS of jokes (and they were funny) The storytelling drives the whole talk Taking risks -- Ron learned this from his grandmother and dedicates his work to her. He was born in Israel and moved to New York when he was 7. His grandmother would go door to door selling the services of her husband (he was a dentist). "The more risks we take, the more likely we are to succeed." Life/Career advice: Take more risks Optimize for your relationships... And your spouse is the most important relationship Apply to be part of my Leadership Circle
57:1006/06/2021
421: Sebastian Junger - Defining Freedom, Building Tribes, & Leading A Team

421: Sebastian Junger - Defining Freedom, Building Tribes, & Leading A Team

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Sebastian Junger is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of THE PERFECT STORM, FIRE, A DEATH IN BELMONT, WAR, TRIBE, and FREEDOM. As an award-winning journalist, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair, and a special correspondent at ABC News, he has covered major international news stories around the world and has received both a National Magazine Award and a Peabody Award. Junger is also a documentary filmmaker whose debut film "Restrepo", a feature-length documentary (co-directed with Tim Hetherington), was nominated for an Academy Award and won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. Notes: Human beings need three basic things in order to be content: they need to feel competent at what they do; they need to feel authentic in their lives, and they need to feel connected to others. Definition of Freedom: “We walked 400 miles, and most nights we were the only people who knew where we were. There are many definitions of freedom, but surely that’s one of them.” Running a company versus LEADING a company -- “You can run a company or lead a company. If you want to lead a company, you have to make sure that when things take a downturn, as the leader you’ll be the first to experience the downside. Before jobs get cut, you’ll take a pay cut, you will suffer with the people you lead.” One great example of this is Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya. All employees are part owners of the company. He comes from a family of Nomadic Sheep farmers from the Turkish mountains. He learned a collective approach to life and work where he grew up. “When people are actively engaged in a cause their lives have more purpose... with a resulting improvement in mental health." How becoming a dad (at age 55) changed his life: "they are the point of life." Sebastian's dad was a refugee from two wars... War has had a significant impact on his life. As Sebastian grew up, he decided he wanted to be a journalist and cover wars. He went to the Civil war in Bosnia. Guts - "Most scary things are more frightening before you go. I have a formidable capacity for denial." People want to feel like they have agency. They're more scared when they feel that they don't have it. Front line vs backline soldiers - The backline soldiers are scared because they feel like they don't have as much agency as the front line (even though the front line is more dangerous). Uncertainty is scary. To help with fear, go in front of your mirror and make the "fear grimace" face... When Sebastian was competing in track events for the 1500m race, he would yawn in the faces of his opponents to intimidate them Freedom - We aren't subject to the whims of the largest male in a group anymore... You remain free by being mobile He organized his new book, Freedom, in three parts: Run -- Fight -- Think Sebastian went on a walking trip and called it, "The Last Patrol." - They walked on a railroad from Washington DC to Philadelphia and then Pittsburgh "Met America from inside-out" What did he think about at night when he went to sleep outside during "The Last Patrol?" "Always thought safety first." "The most meaningful experiences happen when I'm physically dirty and security wasn't guaranteed." How to help your children push their edges? "We traveled to Liberia with our daughter." "The core value children value is closeness. We sleep on a mattress on the floor with our daughters. They want to be close." Collaboration/Working together -- Football and the military. The football locker room is a beautiful place. It’s democratic. People join from diverse backgrounds. And create a common goal. A theme of collaboration. A “we can’t win games without each other.” And when it comes together it’s a magical feeling.  There must be a core commitment to the group. "Being ego-driven is an emotional burden." Commonalities of leaders who sustain excellence: Principle driven - In politics, democracy should be #1 Sacrifice own interest for the group Life/Career Advice -- FAIL. If you’re only doing things you know you can do then you’re never near your limits. In order to grow, you have to push those limits. And sometimes that means you’ll fail. That’s ok.
01:04:2530/05/2021
420: Sean Covey - Disciplined Execution, 7 Habits, & Decision Making Tools

420: Sean Covey - Disciplined Execution, 7 Habits, & Decision Making Tools

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Sean Covey is President of FranklinCovey Education. He is a New York Times best-selling author and has written several books, including The 6 Most Important Decisions You’ll Ever Make, The 7 Habits of Happy Kids, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, which has been translated into 20 languages and sold over 4 million copies worldwide. Sean's dad is Stephen R. Covey, the author of one of the most sold books of all time (more than 30 million copies), The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Notes: Sean played Quarterback at BYU -- Led the team to two bowl games and twice selected as ESPN’s Most Valuable Player of the Game. What he learned from his time as a QB: How to prepare How to "do hard things" - "Your zone of comfort expands because the hard things aren't as hard anymore." Importance of a system - Rigorous practice, filming of the practice, reviewing of the work. Daily. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People came out in 1989... It had a tepid release and then exploded. It changed the lives of the Covey family. Sean said his dad Stephen (the author of The 7 Habits) was "very genuine... A better husband and dad than a writer. H was very congruent. He had the power of principles. There was no hypocrisy." How do you handle yourself when talking to a person who has a powerful position? "Treat the garbage collector and the CEO with an equal amount of respect." 4 Disciplines of Execution: Focusing On The Wildly Important Goals (WIG) - Exceptional execution starts with narrowing the focus— clearly identifying what must be done, or nothing else you achieve really matters much.  -- Example: JFK has one of the best examples ever: "Send a man to the moon and return him home safely by the end of the decade." It was one goal. There was a starting line and a finish line. Act on Lead Measures – Golden rule of execution: Identify lead measures. Twenty percent of activities produce eighty percent of results. The highest predictors of goal achievement are the 80/20 activities that are identified and codified into individual actions and tracked fanatically. Lag Measures are the end goal. Keep A Compelling Scoreboard -People and teams play differently when they are keeping score, and the right kind of scoreboards motivate the players to win. Create A Cadence of Accountability -Each team engages in a simple weekly process that highlights successes, analyzes failures, and course-corrects as necessary, creating the ultimate performance-management system. Goal setting - There are two kinds of strategies: Deliberate strategies Emergent strategies - "Be ready for waves that might hit you... And knock you in a better position." With goal setting, remember the phrase "No Involvement, No Commitment." Involve your team to set their own goals. Don't set the goals for them. Advice to parents with teenagers: Have a purpose as a family Set values Write a mission statement Have 1:1 time with kids Career/Life advice: Have a plan... But be flexible Live according to your principles, values, and mission statement Create a credo of your own
59:1123/05/2021
419: Scott O'Neil - How To Be Where Your Feet Are

419: Scott O'Neil - How To Be Where Your Feet Are

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 The 3 things Scott told his daughter Kiraat a YPO event... Family, Family, Family It will always be ok. Things will go bad. It will be ok. Anything, anytime - "you can always call, text, FaceTime, no matter what. I am here for you." Scott's 4-part process to become more present: Find perspective Seek authentic feedback Cultivate reflective strength Love your leadership constitution Public failure: Scott started a business with Seth Berger, founder of AND1, basketball shoes. HoopsTV. Raised $14 million from investors… Eventually failed, had to lay off 50 people, including his own brother(!) The good old days are today (scene from the office (Ed Helms)  Andy Bernard: “I wish there was a way to know you're in "the good old days" before you've actually left them.” Scott got fired from his role as President of Madison Square Garden. He says it was because he was "too busy being right instead of being effective." Scott is a change agent and values performance more than experience Watch the Battle at Kruger video (Scott shared this with the team) "To do great things, you have to be confident" Need to focus on "WMI." What's Most Important "Work-life balance does not exist. Beware of the mediocre middle." "Life is about tradeoffs" The most effective leaders seek authentic feedback and are able to hear it. Ask yourself, "Who have you connected to in the last month?" Behaviors of Excellence: Be your authentic self - "Be you. People follow authenticity." Work unreasonably hard. Intellectually curious - "The world is changing so fast." Passionate - "Fall in love with it." All executives at the Philadelphia 76ers are challenged to declare who they are at their core in the form of a leadership constitution. Anyone can—and should—create one by answering the following two questions: 1. I declare that I am... and 2. You can count on me to... Scott's leadership constitution: I declare that I am a passionate and authentic leader of leaders who feels a gravitational pull towards talent and character. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I love people and being part of a team. I get energy from helping others and would give the shirt off my back to a stranger and anything, anytime to a friend. I am family first, high integrity, and surprisingly sensitive change agent who is confident, caring, and intellectually curious. This fuels a competitive drive that at times feels like a chip on my shoulder. You can count on me to bring positive energy into my space. Exude urgency and push you, challenge you, nudge you and raise the bar beyond your expectations, and sometimes what you think reasonable. Laugh with you, cry with you, love you even when you won’t laugh, haven’t cried, and don’t feel loved. Root for you today, every day, and always. Share the most personal of thoughts, emotions, stories, highs, and lows because I am okay with it and who I am. Enjoy the rollercoaster of life, whether we are going forward, backwards and upside down. Drive hard to reach the summit and then quickly start on another mountain. Share wins and take hits for losses
01:01:5016/05/2021
418: Mark Scharenbroich - How To Tell Stories That Move People (Nice Bike)

418: Mark Scharenbroich - How To Tell Stories That Move People (Nice Bike)

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Mark Scharenbroich is an Emmy award winner, best-selling author, and hall of fame keynote speaker. He is known for his authentic delivery, his talent for delivering unique stories, and his comedic timing. He's the author of Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections on The Road of Life. Notes: Nice Bike. It’s not a technique, it’s a genuine interest in others and the willingness to acknowledge the talents and accomplishments of everyone. The three parts to story-telling: Stories need to be unpredictable, they need to have a hook, and they have to have a cast of characters. While in college at St Cloud State, Mark toured high schools and colleges with a comedy troupe called Mom’s Apple Pie which helped him develop his comedic timing and ability to improv. While on a trip to Washington DC with his dad, Mark witnessed his dad walking up to a couple of Vietnam veterans and saying, "Thank ya fellas. Welcome home." The moment was unforgettable to Mark as he witnessed what it meant to be grateful for others and to connect with them. The "dark chocolate" that Mark's daughter gave to a struggling stranger at the airport. "We don't have to fix all the problems, but acknowledge others, see them, and try to connect with them." The CEO of Cargill said it's not a secret what leaders need to do: State where we're going State how we're going to get there Show that you have your team's back Show that you care about your team as people Leaders must always be in the trenches and learning... And work to create memorable experiences for the people they are leading How to give a great toast at a wedding or eulogy at a funeral? Remember it's not about you, it's about the bride and groom Be story-driven The power of three - "She's about faith, family, and friends" and then tell a short story about each of the three What Mark learned from a "meat raffle" You have to buy a ticket for a shot to win You must be present to win The same is true for leadership. You have to be engaged and take the chance to do it. You must be present with your team. Be a "day-maker." Instead of just being a barber or a stylist, work to make your client's day by giving them an amazing haircut. BWCA - Leave the area better than you found it... A great rule for life. Core values - "When your core values are clear, decisions are easier." Comparison - Compare yourself to your previous self. Be grateful for what you have. Someone else will always have more crayons. Focus on your crayons. Advice to those who think they aren't creative. You are... You have to find the stories. Focus on four columns People you've had experiences with Experiences you've had Lessons learned Application to the lives of others Roberta Jordan: "It's more important to be interested than interesting." Life advice -- "Leave a tip for the staff who cleans your hotel room."  
01:03:4609/05/2021
417: Hubert Joly - How To Unleash Human Magic & Achieve Improbable Results

417: Hubert Joly - How To Unleash Human Magic & Achieve Improbable Results

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Hubert Joly is a senior lecturer at the Harvard Business School and the former Chairman and CEO of Best Buy.He is the author of the upcoming book “The Heart of Business – Leadership Principles for the Next Era of Capitalism.” Notes: In May 2012. Jim Citrin, the leader of the CEO practice at Spencer Stuart, the global executive search company, asked Hubert, “Would you be interested in being the next CEO of Best Buy?  Issues at Best Buy were all self-inflicted. Hubert realized there was an opportunity to fix it... Hubert's "5 Be's" of leadership are purpose, values, clarity, authenticity, and service. "My purpose in life is to make a positive difference on people around me." - Hubert Joly "If you cannot go outside, go inside. Leadership starts from within." Work to be the best version of yourself Ask your people, "What is your dream?" -- "My job as a leader is to help you achieve your dreams." "We're the captains of our lives." "Profit should be an outcome, not a goal." The 3 imperatives in sequential order: Great people Great customers Make money Remember that 98% of questions that are either/or should be AND's... Key Philosophy: Pursue a noble purpose Put people at the center Embrace all stakeholders Leaders must create the environment to unleash the magic What Hubert learned at McKinsey: The emphasis in the early years was on solving problems. In 2012, when Hubert joined Best Buy, he hired an executive coach. Why? "100% of the top 100 tennis players have a coach." We all need a coach. "It sends a powerful message when the CEO has a coach." It shows that he understands he needs help. We all do. Must-Have leadership qualities: Knowing people... Who are they? What drives them? How do they want to be remembered? "Tell me about your soul" -- Accept imperfections of self and others How to turn around a business by putting people first and reducing headcount as a last resort. How to unleash “human magic” for outcomes that defy logic. This includes an actionable commitment to diversity and inclusion, such as the “reverse” mentor program that pairs Best Buy executives with employees who help broaden their understanding of differences and issues they face. How to become a purposeful leader focused on creating an environment in which others can flourish and perform at their best, and who inspires by showing vulnerability and embracing their and your humanity. How to place a noble purpose as the cornerstone of a company’s strategy and concretely embrace and align all stakeholders around that purpose. For Best Buy, that purpose is enriching people’s lives through technology. And it allowed them to form genuine partnerships with the world’s foremost companies, including unlikely allies like Amazon, to the benefit of all. Jeff Bezos, founder, and CEO of Amazon: “Best Buy’s turnaround under Hubert Joly’s leadership was remarkable—a case study that should and will be taught in business schools around the world. Bold and thoughtful—he has a lot to teach.
01:03:1702/05/2021
416: Greg McKeown - How To Make It Easier To Do What Matters Most

416: Greg McKeown - How To Make It Easier To Do What Matters Most

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Greg McKeown wrote the New York Times best-seller, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.  As well as frequently being the #1 Time Management book on Amazon, this book challenges core assumptions about achievement to get to the essence of what really drives success. His latest book is titled, Effortless: Make It Easier To Do What Matters Most. Notes: Essentialism was about doing the right things; Effortless is about doing them in the right way... The best free throw shooter ever is not Michael Jordan or Steph Curry… It’s Elena Delle Donne. 93.4%. “If you keep it simple, less can go wrong.” The word NOW comes from the Latin phrase, novus homo, which means “a new man” or “man newly ennobled.” The spirit of this is clear: each new moment is a chance to start over. A chance to make a new choice.” “Whatever has happened to you in life. Whatever hardship. Whatever pain. They pale in comparison to the power you have to choose what to do now.” The question to ask yourself: "What's something essential that you're under investing in?" The second question is: How can you make that effortless? Life changes the day you discover residual results How to make it effortless? Create a routine so you don't have to think about it. The competition to the South Pole -- The difference between Amundsen versus Scott Amundsen -- 15 miles per day, no matter what. The "15 mile march." Scott -- Push to exhaustion every day. Amundsen and four others arrived at the pole on December 14, 1911. Five weeks ahead of a British party led by Robert Falcon Scott as part of the Terra Nova Expedition. Scott and his four companions died on the return journey. Amundsen made it to the South Pole and back to base camp without suffering a death in the party. Consistency day in and day out help Amundsen "achieve the goal without particular effort." Effortless is about simplification. Ask, "what if it could be easy?" Ask: "Is there an effortless way to do this? Highland High School Rugby - Won 19 national championships: Systems were put in place Consistent systems are the key How to deal with the guilt when we don't work as hard? Give your best to what you're doing, but have an open mind to finding a better way to do something This book for Greg grew out of agony... His daughter was living an ideal life... And then had health issues that completely changed their family. They had two possible paths to help her: The harder, heavier path of 24/7 always on work... OR Easier path of being grateful. Sharing optimism, and live in the state to help re-wire the brain. "Be grateful for every thing possible." They chose the latter and Eve got better... How they chose to respond was everything...
01:06:0125/04/2021
415: Suneel Gupta - How To Get People To Take A Chance On You

415: Suneel Gupta - How To Get People To Take A Chance On You

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Suneel Gupta is on faculty at Harvard University. He's the author of Backable - The Surprising Truth Behind What Makes People Take A Chance On You Notes: Let’s start with the obvious -- when lots of people are applying for the same spot, you have to find a way to stand out. You can’t just check a box, you have to leave an impression.  (But backable people “go beyond Google” and dig for insights that other people interviewing for the job may not find. They talk to customers, they attend shareholder meetings, they test-drive the product. (But backable people “go beyond Google” and dig for insights that other people interviewing for the job may not find. They talk to customers, they attend shareholder meetings, they test-drive the product. ) Suneel comes from a family of highly backable people—including his mother, Damyanti Hingorani, the first woman engineer for Ford Motor Company, and his brother Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN. Reid Hoffman recruited Suneel to Mozilla... Name someone early in your life who backed you. Call them and say 'thank you.' Hire "high ceiling" leaders: Suneel was a speechwriter in 2004. He was backstage at the Democratic National Convention. There was a State Senator from Illinois. Suneel watched him speak from behind the curtain. "He created an electric wave of energy when he spoke." It was President Barack Obama. After that, Suneel became obsessed with following the work of the State Senator. He studied President Obama's history and learned that he went from a dry speaker to inspiring through preparation and practice. He worked on his skill to communicate and got better. The "It" quality -- People get a job because others want to take a chance on them. They're backable. Specifics to make this happen: Play exhibition matches -- Prepare, practice, rehearse They develop a level of mastery so that they don't have to think when it's time to perform. Their preparation allows them to flow Ella Fitzgerald performed in Berlin... She forgot the lyrics and improvised the words for the next half of the song. She rehearsed a lot. That allowed her to perform even when she forgot the words. Confidence comes from believing something will go wrong and that you've practiced enough to be able to handle it. "Build your recovery muscle." Surround yourself with great people - Early adopters need to feel part of the build.  Steer Into Objections. Anticipate three key objections to your idea. When pitching, don’t avoid those objections; steer into them. Don’t Pitch Prematurely. Instead of sharing an idea before it’s ready, nurture it until you’re ready. It’s not charisma that convinces people, it’s conviction. Don’t Overshare. Share what it could be, not how it has to be. Share just enough to get the essence of your idea across, then open up the conversation. Build Your Backable Circle. Don’t rely on just one person to help you with your pitch. Surround yourself with a trusted group of people who bring different perspectives. Humans are not risk takers - We do whatever we can to avoid a loss. You need to neutralize that fear. "Don't just talk about why it's new, but why it's inevitable." "Backable people convince themselves first. It's not charisma that convinces people, it's conviction." "Most new ideas are killed inside hallways. We share too early. Before they're ready. Nurture your ideas behind the scenes. They need an incubation time. Write it out. Draw..." Quiet time is so important to hone ideas. It's critical to the creative process "Ken Robinson was not that charismatic, but you believed everything he was saying." He believed it first. He had conviction. Storytelling - "You need to cast a central character." "Re-write the book for on person as the reader... 'I'm writing this book for my daughter to read.'" "Don't talk about the market, talk about one person." Life advice: "Figure out what makes you come alive. I left Groupon and created a list of ideas."
01:04:3318/04/2021
414: Erin Meyer - How To Build A High Performance Culture (No Rules Rules)

414: Erin Meyer - How To Build A High Performance Culture (No Rules Rules)

Text LEARNERS to 44222 to learn more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Erin Meyer is a professor at INSEAD, one of the leading international business schools. Erin conducted an in-depth study with Reed Hastings, Co-Founder and CEO of Netflix, investigating the underlying principles necessary for building a corporate culture that is inventive, fast, and flexible. The results of that research were published in their book No Rules Rules. In 2019, Erin was listed by the Thinkers50, for the second time, as one of the fifty most impactful business writers in the world and in 2018 she was selected by HR magazine as one of the top 30 most influential HR thinkers of the year.  Notes: “Corporate culture can be a mushy marshland of vague language and incomplete, ambiguous definitions. What’s worse, company values — as articulated — rarely match the way people behave in reality.” The Netflix culture deck. 127 slides originally intended for internal use but one that Reed Hastings (CEO) shared online in 2009. Sheryl Sandberg called it “the most important document ever to come out of Silicon Valley.” Erin said "I loved the deck for its honesty. And loathed it for its content.” "If you want your culture to come alive, you need to avoid speaking in absolutes." Instead, use either or… Security or High Performance? Candor or Comfort? Why did the Netflix culture deck go viral? "This is a company that tells the truth. It said what it believed. That is rare." On May 31, 2015 you got a cold email from Reed Hastings (CEO of Netflix)… Reed told her that he read her book, The Culture Map, loved it, and was having his leadership team at Netflix read it. Erin's biggest surprise during her time researching Netflix and writing with Reed? "That management paradigms are hangovers from the industrial era. Previously, the #1 goal was error elimination. That isn't the #1 goal at Netflix. It's innovation." Reed Hastings had a company before Netflix called Pure Software. He put in a lot of rules and processes. He realized that "if you dummy proof the system only dummies want to work there." Too many processes can kill flexibility and innovation. This is "applicable to any environment where innovation is more important than error prevention." "Most rules are put in place to deal with low performers." "Instead, create an environment with 'talent density.' Only high performers..." Performance is Contagious: Professor Will Felps, of the University of New South Wales in Australia, conducted a study demonstrating contagious behavior in the work environment. He created several teams of 4 college students and asked each to complete a management task in 45 minutes. The teams who did the best work would receive a financial reward of $100. (Bezos: "People are pretty good at learning high standards simply through exposure," writes Bezos. "High standards are contagious. Bring a new person onto a high standards team, and they'll quickly adapt. The opposite is also true) The two different types of jobs: Operational - Ice cream scoopers Creative - Rely on your brain Pay Top of Market for talent - Matt Thunell (Manager of Original Content) said about Netflix, “We live in a walled-garden of excellence, where everyone is a high performer. You go into these meetings and it’s like the talent and brain power in the room could generate the office electricity. People are challenging one another, building up arguments. That’s why we get so much done at such incredible speed here. It’s because of the crazy high talent density.” With that said, Netflix doesn’t believe in “Pay-Per-Performance” bonuses. When you first began to collaborate with Reed to write this book, Erin asked him how he would find the time to collaborate. He said, “Oh, I can give this pretty much whatever time you think it will need.” That surprised Erin... In Reed's mind, the leaders should create a system so that they don't have to be busy, packed with back to back to back meetings... Candor -- Giving and receiving feedback Top performers regularly help other top performers get better by giving feedback At Netflix, they do live 360 feedback dinners -- Go around the table giving feedback for each person. The 4 A method of feedback: Aim to assist Actionable - It must be clear what could be done Receive the feedback with gratitude Accept it or decline it... It's not always right. Be grateful for it regardless Sustain Excellence: Humility Curiosity to Learn - Never stop learning, never feel like you've mastered it Life/Career Advice: Get the talent right Create Candor Eat the cake -- Remove rules and processes If you create an open vacation policy (meaning that vacation days are not tracked), it is imperative that the senior leaders lead from the front and go on a lot of vacations. The rest of the team will follow... If you never go on vacation, then your team will feel like they have to do the same.
01:06:1611/04/2021
413: Brook Cupps - Living Your Values: Tough, Passionate, Unified, & Thankful

413: Brook Cupps - Living Your Values: Tough, Passionate, Unified, & Thankful

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Brook Cupps is a leadership teacher and the coach of the Centerville High School basketball team. In 2021, he led his team to the first state championship in school history. He is best known as a leader who truly lives his core values. They are: Tough, Passionate, Unified, & Thankful. Notes: Brook's personal mantras: Wolf - Wolves travel in packs. They are not good by themselves. They need the pack. BC needs people around him. Loves teams. "Wolves are more badass than lions or tigers. You don't see a wolf in a circus." Chop Wood - "I've never viewed myself as talented, but I'm willing to work. We say chop chop. When things are going well, get to work. When things are bad, get to work. The connection is always back to work." The Man In The Arena - "I had to develop this over time. The critics used to bother me and I would listen to them. It affected my confidence. I learned that the most important opinions are the people in the arena with me." Brene Brown - “A lot of cheap seats in the arena are filled with people who never venture onto the floor. They just hurl mean-spirited criticisms and put-downs from a safe distance. The problem is, when we stop caring what people think and stop feeling hurt by cruelty, we lose our ability to connect. But when we’re defined by what people think, we lose the courage to be vulnerable. Therefore, we need to be selective about the feedback we let into our lives. For me, if you’re not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.” Purpose - "My purpose is to inspire others to strive for excellence over success." Self awareness leads to self confidence - Know who you are. Be comfortable with who you are. "You can't be tough alone. You need others." Foxhole Friends - It takes time to build foxhole friend relationships. "With my foxhole friends, I can be completely open. They tell me the truth. They have the freedom to criticize me." Coach Z -- Dave Zeller. “He never won a District. He’s the best coach I’ve ever been around. A state championship isn’t success. It’s the impact you have on the kids because nobody’s going to tell me that those guys that won state championships are better coaches than Z was.” Core Values: Values become real when you define the behaviors that exemplify the value... Tough - Positive body language leads you to be fight ready Passionate - Choosing extra work leads you to steal inches Unified - Speaking and acting with urgency leads you to not flinching in big moments Thankful - Showing love for one another through touches (help someone off the floor, give them a five after they make a mistake) Unified --  You must speak and act with urgency. "If you choose to remain silent when someone has done something wrong, then that is selfish." Choosing the easier path of not saying anything is selfish. The selfless act is having the guts to speak up when it's needed. Patch Adams - "Indifference is the greatest disease of all." You need to stand for something or you stand for nothing... "Your behaviors are the crux to your values." Do your behaviors match the values you claim to be yours? Gabe Cupps (Brook's son) entered the conversation for a few minutes... Gabe sent a text to each player on the team before tournament games that simply said, "We're gonna win." Where does that confidence come from? "It's the work put in leading up to the big moments." Gabe originally tried out for the North Coast Blue Chips AAU team... The same team that Bronny James (LeBron James Jr) played on... During a break in the action, he asked Bronny to play 1 on 1... "I didn't know how good I was. I wanted to see." Gabe earned their respect and made the team... Later LeBron noticed Brook's coaching ability when he was helping out at practice and determined he was the best coach to lead the team moving forward. LeBron's superpower as a leader is "gassing up his guys." He has the ability to create more belief in others through his belief in them. A critical leadership action where LeBron excels... What did Brook and Gabe say to each other during their long embrace after winning the state championship? "I just told him how much I loved him." Goal setting process -- Brook does not set results oriented goals. He sets process oriented goals. They had no goals to win their conference, or regionals, or the state championship (they won all of those this year). Their goal for this season was: Attack every opportunity with purpose Process based versus Results based? In the world of coaching basketball, there is a clear scoreboard. You have a record. If you lose too many games, you get fired. How does Brook manage that? "If I have a group of guys that are tough, passionate, unified, and thankful... And they attack every opportunity with purpose, we'll probably be pretty good and win a lot. The results usually take care of themselves." Honoring those who have come before you: "Drink the water, but remember who dug the well." Will you take a charge? This is what he looks for in a teammate. Someone who looks for opportunities to sacrifice for the team. There is a physical sacrifice. "It's gonna hurt. It's an unselfish act to take a charge." "To be all in, you need to take charges." High Standards - There was a moment in a game earlier in the season when Centerville was winning 60-24 in the third quarter. Brook's team started playing a little sloppy. Turned the ball over a few times. It was uncharacteristic of their usual play. Brook called a time out and yelled at his team. It was obvious they were going to win (by a lot), but that moment showed me that Brook holds his team to higher standards and won’t allow them to lower even when the opponent isn’t posing a challenge... "You get what you accept. That's my standard. If I ignore that, then I'm not living to my values, and that's not ok with me." Creating your values -- "I think as the leader, they need to be your values." "If you go to work for someone else, you need to be bought into their values. If you're not, then you probably shouldn't work there." When interviewing for a job to work for a leader, ask them: "What are your values and how do you live them? I noticed after big wins that Brook doesn't join in the pictures with his players... Why? "That's their moment. It's about them. I love watching them enjoy those moments." Common traits of foxhole friends: "They may not communicate them the same way I do, but we have a shared appreciation for our values." “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” -- Teddy Roosevelt
01:15:5904/04/2021
412: Kevin Sharer (Former CEO of Amgen) - What Operational Excellence Looks Like

412: Kevin Sharer (Former CEO of Amgen) - What Operational Excellence Looks Like

Text LEARNERS to 44222... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Kevin Sharer has a distinguished career as a successful CEO and Board Member. He is currently a senior lecturer at Harvard University Business School and continues to mentor a select number of senior executives. Either as a Chairman, independent director, or mentor, Sharer has been a part of more than 20 successful CEO-successor transitions. Kevin led Amgen for 20 years, first as President and then as CEO for 12 years. Under Sharer’s leadership, the company achieved annual revenue of $16 billion with operations in 55 countries.  Notes: "What Operational Excellence Looks Like" Must know the details Must have a listening system to know where problems brew The leaders have a clear agreement with the team on what success is A cadence of clear communication The leader must embody the behavior... They are the model Must have real empathy for people and care about them The leader needs to assess when things go wrong so that they don't make the same mistake twice... Kevin spent 110 days underwater in a submarine... When he left the Navy, he knew he wanted to be a manager. He joined a program at AT&T to become one... He had an ambition to rise high in an organization Kevin's dad - A military aviator. His hero and role model. his dad cared a lot about leadership... How did Kevin earn the CEO role at Amgen? Spent 8 years as the President of the company. And "made it pretty obvious" to hire him for the CEO role He consistently delivered results and formed a strong partnership with the CEO How to sustain what's special about a company as it grows? The book Built to Last by Jim Collins was very helpful.... How to create and live your values? They are not defined by what's written down, it's the behavior of the people. And that starts at the top... Understand what your real values are. If you don't believe in the values, you shouldn't work there... You "have to have social data to know that the values are real." Ask others in the organization: "Are the values you experience consistent with the values stated by the company?" How he got hired as the President at Amgen? "I first decided that I wanted to be a General Manager and not a functional specialists." Kevin pursued that through General Electric and got great experience...They hired him in part because of his broad range of experience. It was a multi-step interview process. Kevin interviewed with 20 people at the company before getting the offer... Listening ability: Kevin went from bad to great... "On the way up in my career, I had the view that I was so fast, so smart... It was working. I thought I was being helpful by telling others what I thought, but I was cutting off the full picture." Kevin had an eye opening moment when he asked the CEO of IBM to talk about leadership with his team... "I learned to listen for comprehension. Listen to understand first." "You need to listen to the entire eco-system." Big idea: Pick 10 CEOs who didn't make it: "Seven of them weren't situationally aware." What are some "must-have" hiring qualities? A record of good knowledge Great communication skill Comfort in their own skin Curious - they must ask questions Answer the question, "what are your goals?" Answer the question, "what have you learned from failure?" "If five people were asked about you, what would they say?" Their accomplishments speak for themselves. They don't have to overly sell themselves They need to "clearly want the job." A good sense of humor Hiring trap: "There is a bias for us to hire people like us. It's overwhelming. We're wired to think, "other is dangerous." We must be aware of that."
57:3028/03/2021
411: Ryan Petersen (CEO of Flexport) - How To Build A High Velocity Team

411: Ryan Petersen (CEO of Flexport) - How To Build A High Velocity Team

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Ryan Petersen is the CEO and Founder of Flexport. Prior to starting Flexport to fix the user experience in global trade, Ryan was co-founder and CEO of ImportGenius.com, a data-as-a-service business for global shipping. Flexport hit a $3.2 Billion valuation after $1 billion investment led by SoftBank. Notes: Excellence = Curiosity - "It's a more fun way to live." Learners Appreciative Have fun "It doesn't have to be boring." The importance of writing as a leader: "I write a lot of essays. Some are published. Some aren't." Communication: "It's a huge part of the job of a leader." For investor updates... "It's good practice." Try to use humor, learn something new, don't be boring, get people "pumped up" Raising money from investors: "It's like your love life. You have to earn it. There are no shortcuts. You need to have a business that doesn't need them." "We built a track record over the 15 years prior to raising money." Masayoshi Son is the CEO of Softbank. He is a Japanese billionaire technology entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. Ryan met with him and earned a $1 Billion investment... Making Flexport worth $3.2 Billion. Flexport became the fastest growing company in Silicon Valley. Ryan wrote an essay about raising a lot of money so that they could ride out a "100 year storm." How was he able to raise so much? "Don't do an auction. I said, 'I'm only talking to you.' Create a win-win. See the world through their eyes." Masa had written a 300 year vision. Ryan said, "The audacity to have a 300 year vision, it just resonated with me." "One of our core values is to play the long game." Flexport enables all parties to move large product around the world. It was born out of Ryan discovering the pain of shipping. There is a lack of technology with freight forwarders. There was no culture of customer satisfaction. There was high friction - "We counted 984 steps to get a product shipped." Paul Graham, one of the greatest investors of all time and founder of Y-Combinator said this about Ryan Petersen: Ryan is what I call an armor-piercing shell: a founder who keeps going through obstacles that would make other people give up. But he's not just determined. He sees things other people don't see. The freight business is both huge and very backward, and yet who of all the thousands of people starting startups noticed? Ryan Petersen." By 2016, Flexport was serving 700 clients across 64 countries. Tech Crunch described it as the unsexiest trillion-dollar startup. Flexport has grown to 1,800 employees across 14 offices and 6 warehouses, and 10,000 clients. His goal: "Drive velocity: You need speed in the right direction. Velocity is the key to success. That's culture ultimately." The two forms of bureaucracy: Too many rules, order No rules, no process, chaos Need to find the balance between the two "Transparency helps get people aligned." Doing an open Slack Q&A with all employees -- Helps with transparency. What Ryan looks for when hiring a leader? And why Ryan admires Parker Conrad from Zenefits: He's "hungry, curious, has a chip on his shoulder, determined, ambitious, and solves complex problems." The profession of sales: It's "one of the most misunderstood professions. It's part of all jobs. You have to persuade, create value." "Sales is about creating value for others. Create win-wins. So much is repeat games. Almost nothing is a one time transaction." Obsession with company culture: "When I reach out to top execs, they always take the call if I'm asking about culture." The secret to the tech industry: Everyone is willing to share tools, mindset, and lessons learned with one another. It's "normal to pick up the phone and ask." How did becoming a dad change him? "It's exhausting. Babies are fragile." Generalists vs. Specialists? The world needs more generalists. "Generalists are under-valued. Leaders need to be well-rounded and cross over into multiple disciplines." Has has Ryan learned to speak 6 languages? Read books, make flash cards, read the newspaper, hire a tutor... "You have to experience pain to learn. You have to like the pain." Life/Career Advice: Get out of student debt Read books. Your life will be different in 5 years based on the books you read. "Most people don't read books." Success compounds - Add up a lot of little wins
01:10:5521/03/2021