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The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

As Kobe Bryant once said, “There is power in understanding the journey of others to help create your own.” That’s why the Learning Leader Show exists—to understand the journeys of other leaders so that we can better understand our own. This show is full of learnings taught by world-class leaders—personal stories of successes, failures, and lessons learned along the way. Our guests come from diverse backgrounds—CEOs of multi-billion dollar companies, best-selling authors, Navy SEALs, and professional athletes. My role in this endeavor is to talk to the smartest, most creative, always-learning leaders in the world so that we can learn from them as we each create our own journeys.
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Now displaying: 2018
Dec 31, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #291: Andy Rachleff (CEO Wealthfront) - What Do You Uniquely Offer That People Desperately Want?

Andy Rachleff is a co-founder and Executive Chairman of Wealthfront. Rachleff co-founded Benchmark Capital in 1995 and was a general partner until 2004. 

Some notes... (More found on www.LearningLeader.com)

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • Intellectual curiosity -- Pass this along to kids at the dinner table
    • Ask questions
    • "Bright people think other smart people ask questions."
  • The leader creates the culture
  • "People model the behavior of the leader."
  • "To be a great teacher, you have to synthesize something into small statements.  This helps you be a better leader."
  • Magic 8 Ball statements
    • "A's hire A's. B's hire C's."
Dec 24, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#290: Scott Harrison - Redemption, Compassion, & The Transformative Power Within Us All

Scott Harrison is the founder and CEO of charity: water, a non-profit that has mobilized over one million donors around the world to fund over 28,000 water projects in 26 countries that will serve more than 8.2 million people. Harrison has been recognized on Fortune's 40 under 40 list, Forbes' Impact 30 list, and was ranked #10 in Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business. He is currently a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. Scott’s first book, Thirst, was released in October (2018) and immediately hit the New York Times best-seller list.

Dec 17, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #289: Philip McKernan - Relationships Move At The Speed Of Vulnerability

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • Moments where they feel like a fraud, question themselves.  They are more comfortable within those moments
      • This allows them to bounce back quicker
    • They seek and attract things that are outside of their normal comfort zone
    • The Picasso example -- The courage to face the failure and own up to it
  • "Vulnerability is the only way to truly deepen relationships"
    • "When you say, "I don't know," it helps others feel empowered to help"
  • Philip felt worthless at age 14. He felt isolated and alone, a burden to try and fit in.  "That pain had a purpose."
    • How to go from an isolated and alone 14 year old to a keynote speaker who moves people to tears?
  • How to deal with skeptics?
    • "That's okay. But, I would address it now. Couples typically wait five years too long to get counseling.  Do it now."
  • What do you do? "I create environments for people to go deep. I meet them where they're at."
  • The story of starting this business on the side in an Irish pub.
    • "The hardest time of my life was at the beginning, but I didn't allow lack of money to impact what I did."
    • "What are you willing to give up to do what you want?"
    • "I stopped making the journey about me... It was about them."
  • Why Philip will not send his kids to college...
    • "Spend time learning. You need to understand who you are. A classroom is not built on how to get to know who you are."
  • The "Planes, Trains, & Automobiles" test:
    • Kevin Bacon started his career with no lines... But kept working. "Be willing to put in the work. Run for the cab."
  • Is "follow your passion good advice?"
    • "Yes and no.  There is a big difference between excitement and passion.  I believe we all have gifts and so many people use their talents."
    • "For you, sales was a talent, but your gift is connecting with people. To lift them, to help them, to build confidence."
    • "We are all leaders but a lot of people lead from an inauthentic space. It's not what we do, it's how we do it."
  • What is One Last Talk?
    • "If you had 15 minutes left to live to share your message, what would you say? You need to share with the world to free yourself."
    • The process creates freedom.  People want to connect.  This is "team deepening."
  • Why write a book?
    • "Everyone has the capacity to make an impact. I believe all of us carry some demons."
    • "It's like five years of therapy in one book." "The book is by me, but it's not for me.  I will never sign it."
  • "One of the greatest burdens a child can bare is the unlived life of their parents."
Dec 13, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #288: Robert Greene - The Laws Of Human Nature (Part 2)

"I knew at eight years old I wanted to be a writer. It took me 30 years to find the right ideas. Everybody has a primal inclination." - Robert Greene

"If you're not excited about the field you work in, you'll learn half as much." -- Robert Greene

www.LearningLeader.com

Dec 10, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #287: Robert Greene - 5 Strategies For Becoming A Master Persuader (Part 1)

Robert Greene teaches the most important subject of all – understanding people’s drives and motivations, even when they are unconscious of them themselves. Drawing from the ideas and examples of Pericles, Queen Elizabeth I, Martin Luther King Jr, and many others, Greene teaches us how to detach ourselves from our own emotions and master self-control.

www.LearningLeader.com

Dec 3, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

286: Phil Jones - How To Build Your Squad (The WHO In Your Life)

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • Ability to see things through the eyes of others -- empathy
    • Create and articulate a shared vision
    • Create momentum for others
  • Build your squad -- The WHO in your life
    • His mom said, "Be careful, go get a job and be safe."  She is the right person in the wrong place.
    • We all need:
      • Cheerleaders - they put fuel in our tank
      • Role modes - someone's model to follow
      • Mentors - someone to share experiences with
      • Coaches - they ask us questions
      • Trainers - they teach us skills
      • Advisors - overall strategy
      • Aspirational peers - Peers you look up to and want to spend time with
  • "Success leaves clues."
Nov 26, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #285: Scott Gerber - Stop Networking And Start Building Relationships That Matter

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • Those who surround themselves with people smarter than them
    • Empathetic
    • Self-aware -- And an ability to understand others
    • "We are losing connection for connectivity."
  • How to become a super-connector?
    • "Curiosity leads to everything." -- Always be questioning...
    • "Learning is the defining quality of all of it."
  • How to get to the core of person to better understand where they come from and their motivations...
  • "The Road Less Traveled" -- Constantly revise our maps of reality
  • "The Big Short" - "It's what you think you know that's not true that gets you in trouble."
  • How to answer the "What do you do?" question --
    • Scott - "Try to live life purposefully"
    • His nickname -- "The Pandora of Gen-Y networking"
  • "Social Capital is the most important currency that we have. I'm a curator of people."
    • "There is so much power to bringing amazing people together."
  • Why it's bad to ask, "How can I help you?"
    • "Marketers fundamentally f'd up this conversation." -- "It's become too formulaic as the next step.  Instead, you should know how you can help and help.  It's a bad question because it shows your thoughtless and it's part of a script. Don't do that."
  • Be exceptional at making introductions -- Does it provide mutual value?
    • When you become proficient at it, take it a step further... Film a short video to make the intro. Get creative.
  • The gray zones -- Always ask "why?"
  • "Real relationships take real time"
  • How to create remarkable experiences:
    • Get great people in the room -- carefully curate the guest list
    • Build trust
    • Exceptional atmosphere/environment
    • Be very thoughtful about every tiny detail
  • The YEC summit in Eden, Utah
    • Create something remarkable to ensure people and things you bring together click.
    • Humanize people that run the community -- Ex: The execs serve dinner to the guests, find common touch points
    • "Get the intros right! Lift your guests up, brag about them in front of their peers."
  • Being a connector vs being connected -- The tools
  • How to build consistent referrals?
    • Create events where people want to bring a guest who is not a current client but could be.  The event must be exceptional.  Invest heavily in this.
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"
Nov 19, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #284: Michael Lombardi - A Masterclass In Building Teams And Winning Championships

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • A set foundation
    • A standard of excellence in everything they do.  Not rooted in sports, but in everything
    • Understand how to build a culture
  • Why mission statements were useless to Mike and his colleagues
  • The focus on getting 1% better every day... If you do so, the score takes care of itself
  • Demonstrate how to lead... The leader must model that behavior
  • "Managers do things right, leaders do the right thing."
  • Operating framework
    • Have a plan
    • Explain to self
    • Build trust
    • Command of self
  • "Culture is a plant. You must nurture it everyday."
  • Personal accountability is the ultimate sign of strength.  "All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong." - Sophocles
  • Bill Walsh - The value of being his personal driver and learning from him directly during all of those car rides.  That's where Mike learned about leadership... And about Tom Peters
  • Coach Walsh was always reading something that made him think and passed that along to Mike...
  • "If you don't like change, you'll like irrelevancy less."
  • Hiring process:
    • Want people who are coach-able and able to learn the Bill Walsh system
    • "Training is hard. Most managers don't do it."
  • A "5 tool leader"
    • Strategy
    • Tactics
    • Preparation
    • Execution
    • Situational instincts to know which among the first 4 is required and when
  • The myth of coaches working long hours and sleeping in the office
  • Sustainable values vs situational values -- command of the process
  • When Al Davis interviewed people, he would do a deep dive on their background prior to the interview and use their high school mascot as his personal nickname for the candidate. This was Al's subtle way of letting the candidate know that he "knew everything about them so they better be honest."
  • Creative vs divergent -- Take an existing idea and make it better
  • The 7 QB qualifiers and how this relates to a leader in business:
    • A winning way
    • A thick skin
    • Work ethic
    • Football smarts
    • Innate ability
    • Carriage
    • Leadership
  • You must be able to process things at a high rate
  • Learning from mistakes -- The Doug Pederson mistake Mike made...
    • "How often is it the structure, the landscape, vs the player?
  • Jackson Browne - "Never forget the ones you mess up."
  • Life advice -- Jack Nicholson - "Read everything. It's the elixir of life. Understand something from all sides and all points of view. Read it all from the opposition side to get complete understanding on the topic."
  • The most effective leaders have a willingness to receive feedback and implement it.
Nov 12, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #283: Tyler Cowen - The Path To Prosperity In A Disordered World

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • "I admire people who are constantly reading and learning things."
    • Those who have a quiet excellence about them
  • The most effective leaders have a willingness to receive feedback and implement it.
  • Tyler was a world class chess player at age 15 and won the world championship.  He always played against older players, people who were better than him. (Reminds me of James Clear and the Goldilocks Effect)
  • Doing vs. Learning: Tyler admires those who spend more time learning than doing (he takes a counter intuitive approach to this... like most things he thinks!)
    • "I admire people who spend a lot of time thinking, those who read a lot of books, searching..."
  • Tyler describes his book reading process
  • Books - "Start with what you love..."
    • Start with fiction: Shakespeare, others like that.  Tyler is not a fan of most management books.
    • Books he likes: The 5th Discipline, Michael Porter, Maslow, Flow, Daniel Kahneman
    • "Read biographies"
  • What was Tyler like as a kid? "Intense, curious, even tempered, quite happy... Much the same as I am now."
  • There is always new information to learn from travel -- The perspective gained from traveling the world is extremely valuable.  Tyler has traveled to 100's of countries worldwide
    • Have dialog with local people in each place you go.  We discussed my trip to Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia.
    • Learn the personal history of the places you go.  Some great recent trips? Singapore, China, Mexico (learn to speak Spanish)
  • Tyler's day to day actions: Write, blog, lunch with college students, teaches for 3 hours per day. He's 56 years old
  • What is scarce? -- We all should focused on being great at what is scarce
    • Quality land and natural resources
    • Intellectual property, or good ideas about what should be produced
    • Quality labor with unique skills
    • Talent that can execute. Great leadership
  • How to become great at what is scarce?
    • Tyler interviewed the tennis great, Martina Navratilova... Her thoughts: "You need to make a deliberative decision to train. A complete dedication to the craft."
    • You also need someone who will tell you the truth and help you improve. Who are your mentors, am I respecting others? A massive need to train and practice.
  • Why shouldn't we pay kids to do chores?
    • "Don't transact with kids.  It should be part of their normal day.  They shouldn't be paid for it."
  • The shifting gender balance of power - Be conscientious.  "Women are simply better at almost everything."
  • How Stripe publishing is doing things differently...
  • Latest book: Stubborn Attachments - "It's been 20 years in the making. My most philosophical book."
    • "It's about the eternal principles how we should think about things..."
  • The meta explanation for why it seems like our political world is wacky... "Most of history is wacky."
  • Tyler makes a 2020 prediction for the presidential election
  • "Stories are deliberate over-simplifications. Complexity has been drained away from most."
  • How to prepare for a keynote speech?
    • "For the Martina Navratilova interview, I read 40 books about her and tennis and learned everything I could to be prepared."
  • Reading:
    • Read books in clusters based on topics
    • Go to the library and do a physical search
  • "It's about conscientiousness.  Women are simply better than men at almost everything."

    Social Media:

Nov 5, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #282: Seth Godin - You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn To See

"In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is a failure. In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible." 

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • It changes over time
    • Must be willing to fail - "Okay... Will I do things that might not work?"
  • Some of Seth's failures: many teaching mistakes, tried to build philanthropy platform that failed, blog has failed at times
  • How to handle a slump? - "There's no such thing as a long slump."
    • Stephen J. Gould - "The real problem is how you respond to the failure. You can't tell yourself a story that's not true."
    • Have honest self talk -- "This isn't a slump."
  • Stanford MBA - Friends with Chip Conley.  "Everyone there feels like a fraud or an arrogant jerk. I felt like I was drowning. The sessions with Chip changed my life."  Chips "Random Acts of Initiative" were life changing.  Chip taking initiative and not fearing rejection. Remarkable.
  • Empathy - A mentor wants to see you do things that are bold, leap forward because of them.
  • Be a mentor - "Make the world shinier. Bring life to more causes."
  • Economy of words - "I made the decision to write like I talk."
    • "Talking isn't better because you're afraid."
  • The book publishing world and why Seth chose to traditionally publish This Is Marketing
  • What percentage of Seth's success is luck? "98.2%"  The final 1.8% is "relentless persistence."  "The 98.2% is the parent lottery."
  • How to deal with rejection after rejection...
  • "Culture IS strategy. How we treat people. It's hard to do the things we're proud of."
    • "Great ones have better clients."
  • Side hustle advice -- Start it on the side so that you don't have to make money at it right away. You can choose your clients and never just "do it for the money."
    • "Exactly. Great advice."
  • Keys to storytelling - "We have too much stuff."
    • Better understand the story you're telling yourself.
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"Luck for me is 98.2% of it. The other 1.8% is relentless persistence."

Social Media:

Oct 28, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #281: George Raveling - Eight Decades Of Wisdom: From Dr. Martin Luther King To Michael Jordan

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • Growth mindset
    • Immense curiosity
    • High level of self awareness -- "It starts within"
    • Great vision
    • Most important = "they execute"
  • Relationship lessons learned over eight decades - "Be a giver, not a taker. Try to genuinely help people."
    • Develop trust, respect, and care for others -- "It's all about love.  Don't keep score.  Do the right thing, be kind, but don't keep score or trade favors.  That's not how it works."
  • Standing next to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr for the "I Have A Dream" speech
    • Asking Dr. King for the speech after he finished (and getting it... still has it!)
    • Why he won't sell of try to profit from the speech despite it being worth millions
    • The power of "showing up early" and "asking for what you want"
  • Why Coach reads so much -- "The slave owners used to hide money in books because they knew slaves would never look in the books because they couldn't read." -- "If someone can control my mind, they can control my body.  I will not let that happen.  Books are my mistress."
  • Information = knowledge = wisdom = opportunity = growth = success
  • The importance of his upbringing - His dad died when he was 9, his mom was institutionalized when he was 13. He was raised by his grandmother and nuns.
    • "My grandmother taught me to be curious.  She taught me to ask.  She taught me good manners.  She taught me humility. She taught me to help people.  She was the #metoo movement before the #metoo movement"
  • How basketball was the "greatest vehicle for transformation in my life."
    • Earned scholarship to Villanova -- When George was first offered a scholarship, he didn't know what that meant.
    • Going from player to coach and why he was suited to be a great coach
    • Becoming the first African American head coach of the Pac 8 (Pac 12)
  • The mindset of thinking of yourself as an educator/teacher
  • George is a voracious reader and marks up each and every page of the books he likes (I saw first hand and it's amazing)
  • The importance for older people to have 4-5 younger mentors in their life.  Ryan Holiday plays this role for Coach.
  • The importance of self leadership - "You must take care of yourself before trying to lead others"
  • Working at Nike for Phil Knight -- Helping sign Michael Jordan away from Adidas
  • Focus on being a great decision maker and seeking out growth opportunities
  • Why you don't need a title to be an effective leader
  • In order to be promoted, focus on being incredibly great at what you're doing right now
  • The 10 realities of life Coach Raveling values most at age 81
  • Pushing Coach to write a book about living a great life -- Tweet him to do this!
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"
Oct 21, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #280: Danny Iny - Why You Shouldn't Go To College

"The future is here. It's just not evenly distributed." 

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • An attitude of curiosity - interested. "I wonder why that happens?"
    • Sense of things being "figureoutable." They will get it done. Fortitude.
  • Danny and I discuss a partnership -- Working together on building a course
  • Being "catalytically curious"
  • Why start Mirasee?
    • Built after previous failure. "On an emotional level, a startup falling apart is like a really rough breakup."
  • "Mirasee was the rebound business."  It has a value driven ethos.  "At the end of an interaction with you, people should like you more regardless of what happens."
    • "Mira" = To see, wonder
  • Why build online courses?
    • The convenience and practicality. It's "Just In Time" Learning
  • Should graduating high schoolers go to college?
    • "Probably not. There is an expectation that smart kids should go to college. That it's the ticket to the good life.  This used to be true, but it's not anymore. The facts don't back that up."
    • "The future is here. It's just not evenly distributed."
    • "Those non-specific degrees are functionally worthless."
    • "It's not about where we are, it's about where will we be?"
  • What should a smart high school graduate do instead?
    • Find people you respect and trust in the working world.  Offer to work for them for free.  Shadow them. Learn from them.  Figure out if you want to do that full time.
    • This requires people to take initiative and ownership
  • Why I started the podcast? -- "To create my own leadership PhD."
    • "Pace of education is changing."
    • "At the pace of change currently the curriculum being taught will be completely different in 5-10 years."
  • You must have:
    • Literacy
    • Fluency
    • You need a deep understanding of your topic
  • How to know which online courses to take?
    • Think: What am I trying to accomplish?
    • Does the course offer this?
    • What do I need to learn? To know?
    • Does the teacher have a track record of success?
  • A course must have a support mechanism... The teacher must stand behind promises made
  • The "pilot" program
    • Survey audience - data analysis
    • Map out curriculum
    • Adapt on the fly - take insight to create something great
  • Peer to peer feedback system in place
    • We learn more from giving feedback to others
    • Accountability measures
  • Read Leveraged Learning
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"It's not about where we are.  It's about where we will be."

Social Media:

Oct 14, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk. Episode #279: James Clear - How Tiny Changes Can Changes Can Equal Remarkable Results (Atomic Habits)

Show Notes:

  • "It's important to know how everything works together."
    • Ojai, CA - Circle talking about book writing
  • Atomic = Atom, small, tiny.  Habits should be small
  • "Habits are the atoms of our lives"
  • "It's about the collection of habits"
  • "They are small... but put them together... they compound and are powerful."
  • The system is in four stages.  They stages are:
    • The cue - gets attention
    • The craving - in the brain
    • The response - the habit, behavior
    • The result - what happens
  • Feedback loops - The cookie example
  • "My readers and I are peers.  An essential part of the process is to write about it. Try things out.  Everything I've published has been revised many times."
  • The four laws:
    • Make it obvious
    • Make it attractive
    • Make it easy
    • Make it satisfying
  • The Goldilocks rule - Steve Martin
    • People burn out or get bored.  How to stay motivated...
    • Be stretched just beyond your capacity but not too far. "Always stay just on the edge..."  Steve Martin kept expanding his sets by just a few minutes each time until he had a 60 minute set.  He started small with just a few minutes of material.
    • Make sure you "stretch yourself... just a bit... everyday."
    • Be the person who gets the additional task done
  • How to do this all as a parent? -- "Life is in seasons..."
    • "If you want to double your productivity, get 8 hours of sleep."
  • The plateau of latent potential -- A melting ice cube.  A 1 degree change
  • "Habits don't add up, they compound.  It looks like a hockey stick."
  • "Outcome based habits vs identity based habits."
    • Focus on identity based habits.  Be the type of person who wakes up early and works out.
  • The importance of being able to delay gratification
  • Weightlifting - Reinterpret signals.  "Being sore feels good."  Re frame how you think about something like soreness
  • "Happiness is simply the absence of desire."
    • When you observe a cue, but do not desire to change your state, you are content with the current situation
  • "Being curious is better than being smart."
    • Need to be eager to learn and accomplish things
    • "Your actions reveal how badly you want something"
  • "We can only be rational and logical after we have been emotional."
  • System 1 = feelings
  • System 2 = Rational, math problem
    • System 1 always leads the way

"Being curious is better than being smart"

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Oct 7, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #278: Mitch Albom - Tuesdays With Morrie & The Five People You Meet In Heaven

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • Humility
    • They contribute to the world - "Morrie did the bravest thing I've ever seen."
    • Howard Schultz - The last person in line to get a book signed.  After all of his employees
  • "Some of the greatest performers I've ever met are painfully shy: jazz musicians, Barry Sanders, Joe Dumars."
  • Tuesdays With Morrie - "He was my college professor.  I had not talked to him in 16 years.  I saw him on TV talking about having ALS."
    • Morrie - "I'm a teacher. That's what I do."
  • Why was it so popular and shared so much?
    • "Death ends a life but not a relationship"
    • "You can live within the hearts of people you help/touched."
    • "You have to make time for those relationships while you're here."
  • "I write about living.  Death informs everything about how we live."
  • "I try to write about reflecting on life."
  • Why this theme?
    • "I liked listening to stories from my uncle growing up.  His World War 2 stories."
    • "I spent so much of my youth myopically focused on career success.  For many years I thought how far can I get?"
    • "I wanted to explore what makes a better life?"
  • Supporting 47 children in Haiti -- Taking two to college now.
  • "Giving makes me feel like I'm living."
  • "Taking makes me feel like I'm dying."
  • Being part of Sports Reporters on ESPN
    • Writers are critical thinkers and can be good on TV when thinking deeply
  • Core pieces of advice:
    • Be humble
    • Be curious - Ask questions
    • Don't lose self in the field you choose.  Life can be brief.
    • "Find out who you are and what you value, and do that."
  • Advice from a security guard:
    • Read the best books
    • Listen to the best music
    • Observe the best art
    • Surround self with the best people - Osmosis
    • Immerse yourself with what you value

"I wanted to explore what makes a better life?"

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Sep 30, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #277: Tom Goodwin - Life Advice From The #1 Influencer On LinkedIn

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • Confidence + Conviction
    • Ability to make quick decisions with limited amounts of information
    • Faith in their judgement
  • "There is a feeling in the room when a quality leader walks in. A charisma, an energy, a presence."
  • How does one develop charisma?
    • "Introversion is more interesting to me.  Great presenters are introverts.  They are empathetic and think of the audience first."
  • There is "cultural permission" when you're on stage.  The audience is rooting for you to succeed.  Use that energy and positive vibes
  • The importance of a proper introduction
  • Head of Innovation at Zenith.  What does that entail?  "An observer. Reading a lot.  Gain perspective through a lot of global travel. You learn more from countries outside of the U.S. where we have everything that we could want or need."
  • How he became the #1 Influencer on LinkedIn?
    • First, look for the differences in commonality vs causation.  There is a difference
    • "I orchestrate a conversation on LinkedIn.  I facilitate it through my articles.  I don't claim to know everything."
    • "I got quite irritated.  I got fired at my job for being outspoken.  I started sharing my beliefs and it caught on."
    • "Because I wasn't filtered, it hit a nerve with people.  I am not careful with my words."
  • How to gain support for your passion/side hustle while working at a big company
    • "Encouraging this attracts great candidates and helps retain top talent."
    • "Senior management needs to support and encourage it.  If they have envy or are insecure, then it won't work."
  • "Large companies need to understand why they got big.  Those reasons may not be what gets them to the next level.  We need to rethink rigidity."
  • "Life is about creating good problems."
  • "We need to create a culture of progressive criticism."
    • The Apple commercial: "It took 1,000 No's to get to a Yes"
  • "We shouldn't worship busyness.  We should worship output."
  • The reason for writing Digital Darwinism
  • Life/Career Advice:
    • "Don't worry.  Too many people spend their youth thinking their career would take a tidy path. It's not. My career has been quite messy, but it's worked out fine.  Be humble, thoughtful, and empathetic."
    • Develop curiosity - "The UK education fuels curiosity, fuels interest.  That doesn't seem to happen in the States.  We need a breadth of the world. Like James Dyson or Elon Musk."
    • Build a network - "Job postings. That's not how the world works and it won't in the future.  I want sparkly talent that has five other jobs.  Don't be afraid to nurture multiple talents."
    • Have a sense of humor.  It helps ease the mood/tension and makes you more enjoyable to be around.
  • Issue: "We're obsessed with being correct rather than being helpful.  That's not good."
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

Social Media:

Sep 23, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #276: Scott Belsky - How To Find Your Way Through The Hardest Part Of Any Venture

"Management is about people. You have to be at a personal level when you're a manager. It doesn't scale. It's not supposed to."

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • The ability to sustain curiosity - "you need to keep paying attention with a tuned up curiosity."
    • "They say no more often"
  • "Get into the motion of trying things instead of perfecting things."
  • How to compartmentalize?
    • "I build windows of time in my day to not pay attention to anything but the deep work. No email, no social media, no check book sales."
  • On flights, dedicate time to deep work
    • No wifi, this is alone time to do work
    • Odd reward mechanisms: "I only allow myself to listen to certain music when it's time to write.  When I've accomplished deep work for hours, I reward myself with treats. But only after the work is done."
  • Answering the "what do you do" question:
    • "I am obsessed with products."
    • Adobe purchased his company, Behance
    • Seed investor
    • Best selling author
    • "I help creatives create"
  • How to pursue a side hustle when you work at a big company?
    • "Every person needs to be their authentic self"
    • "You have to feed it. The thing that distracts you. The thing you stay up late to keep working on because you love it.  That's where you should continue to give energy."
    • "A labor of love is always worth it."
  • The Messy Middle -- 820 Evernote notes whittled down to the most effective 120 pieces.
  • Making the leap from individual contributor to manager:
    • "Don't depersonalize it when you become a manager.  A team is like a carefully crafted immune system."
    • "Management is about people.  You have to be at a personal level when you're the manager.  It doesn't scale.  It's not supposed to."
    • "Don't do reviews, do regular check ins... How's it going?"
  • "The stories are the culture of your team.  You're the amplifier of the stories."
  • Qualities to look for in a person to hire:
    • "Every conversation with that person should be more interesting than the last one.  They should become continually more interesting."
    • "There is value on analysis & strategy... But equally important is empathy & intuition."
    • Intuition = truthfulness with self.  High level of self awareness. Be willing to seek feedback.  Be truthful with yourself.
  • "A successful creative entity must be comfortable alternating between the two creative phases: Ideation and Execution."
    • Walt Disney mastered this.
    • "Stimulate people to think differently.  Help people suspend disbelief in themselves.  What if we did this 100X better?" - Larry Page
  • The importance of "staying in the early innings" -- "We're just getting started."  This encourages people to keep trying new things.
  • "Hire people for initiative rather than experience."
  • "Anything extraordinary ever achieved comes from ordinary means."
  • Advice for young professionals -- Find these three overlaps:
    • Figure out what you're genuinely interested in.  What do you stay up doing for fun?
    • What skills do you have or could possess through learning?
    • What is the opportunity?
      • "Take the steps to get into that overlap"
      • Don't make short term money decisions.  Find the overlap over the extra $10K in salary
  • Why we all should have a common place journal
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"Get into the motion of trying things instead of perfecting things."

Social Media:

Sep 16, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #275: Joe Navarro - The World's #1 Body Language Expert (FBI Special Agent)

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • They are exceptional observers
    • They understand the needs, wants, desires, fears, and opportunities of themselves and others
    • Strong attention to detail
    • High levels of self and situational awareness
    • "I don't go where the puck is.  I go where it's going to be." - Wayne Gretzky
  • Some leaders can get mired in the mindless day to day actions.  The great ones focus on what's most important.
  • Understanding non-verbals can lead to deep relationships.
  • "One of the reasons we study non-verbals is so we can be empathetic."
  • Moving to The U.S. as an 8 year old refugee from Cuba -- Joe could not speak the language, so it forced him to pay close attention to the non-verbal communication from his teachers and peers.
  • The amazing focus of The Wright Brothers and how that led to their success
  • Why the FBI called Joe when he was graduating from BYU
  • "In the FBI, I was a paid observer.  I detected when something was wrong with the person right in front of me."
  • How do we become what we are capable of?
    • "It starts today.  What are my limitations right now?  Am I observing the things I should be observing?"
    • "People are what's most important.  We have to be better observers."
  • "Education is a continuous process.  I still see myself as a student."
  • "Curious people are usually exceptional."
  • "Communication is both reflexive and fluid."  
  • Do not be cynical or expect people to lie.  Treat everyone with a blank slate. Ask questions.  Listen.  Ask follow up questions...
    • "I never assume to have all the facts.  I want to hear what you have to say before I make a conclusion."
  • "Our job as leaders is to ask questions, not presume we know all the answers."
  • JFK vs Nixon debate:
    • Why did the TV viewers think JFK won while the radio listeners thought Nixon won?
      • JFK was tan, good looking, put makeup on, wore a tailored suit.  Nixon had a cold, suit didn't fit as well, didn't wear makeup, he didn't look as good as JFK.
  • How we dress is important:
    • "Everything is communicating something about us."
  • Winston Churchill -- "He always rehearsed what he planned to say in a meeting."
  • Also think, "How can I say this in the fewest number of words?"
  • Abraham Lincoln spoke for 2 minutes and 26 seconds for the Gettysburg Address.  The speaker before him spoke for 2 hours.  We remember people who can effectively be concise.
    • "Choose each word carefully."
  • How an introvert can succeed at a networking event?
    • "It's a performance.  Lead with curiosity.  Ask questions. Get to know one person at a time."
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"When you ask someone for help, you're giving them the opportunity to feel amazing."

Social Media:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great

Episode 200: Keith Hawk & AJ Hawk -- Showing Up, Doing The Work, Earning Trust, Helping Others, Winning The Super Bowl, Celebrating #200

Episode 234: Jocko Willink -- Why Discipline Equals Freedom

Sep 9, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#274: Heidi Grant - How To Get People To Help You (Reinforcements)

The Learning Leader Show

"It's not about being good.  It's about being better.  Be in a constant state of continuous improvement."

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • "All management is change management"
    • "What's made you successful in the past may not be the case in the future."
    • "How can I learn to be a better leader?'
    • "A constant state of continuous improvement"
    • "You've never arrived."
  • "It' not about being good.  It's about being better."
  • "Focus on getting better, rather than being good."
  • Growth mindset helps you find enjoyment in what you do
  • "Focus on what you will do, not what you won't"
  • Willpower -- Need to be specific.  Get to a level of specificiaty
  • Make steady progress
    • "Have realistic optimism. I will succeed, but it will be hard."
  • How to define success?
    • Intrinsic vs extrinsic goals:
      • A connected-ness to other people
      • Autonomy - Do what feels authentic
      • Being effective - Inherently get satisfaction by "I'm making things by making things happen in the world"
      • "Human beings are wired to to want to feel effective" -- It creates lasting happiness
  • Balance - Fundamental things stand in our way.  "We all have issues with not being great at everything."
  • Why don't we ask others for help when we need it?  The Milgrim subway experiement
  • What does a helper need from you?
    • Must ask and help the helper be successful
  • Why we need to eliminate the phrase "Can I pick your brain?"
    • Just say what you want.  Be direct.
    • Send questions in advance.  Create opportunities for helpers to be effective
  • "When you ask someone for help, you're giving them the opportunity to feel amazing"
  • Reinforcements - Extra personnel sent to increase the strength of an army or similar force --> Something that makes a behavior more likely
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"When you ask someone for help, you're giving them the opportunity to feel amazing."

Social Media:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great

Episode 200: Keith Hawk & AJ Hawk -- Showing Up, Doing The Work, Earning Trust, Helping Others, Winning The Super Bowl, Celebrating #200

Episode 234: Jocko Willink -- Why Discipline Equals Freedom

Sep 2, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #273: Chip Conley - How To Be Wise Beyond Your Years

The Learning Leader Show

"When you're the leader, you're the emotional thermostat for the people you lead."

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • "An operating system unique to them. It defines how they operate no matter what the context is."
    • Understand Maslow's hierarchy of needs
    • A way of thinking about people
  • The importance of being both a practitioner and an author
    • Having a finely tuned sense of your greatest strengths... And hire for the gaps
  • "The capacity for holistic or systems thinking that allows one to get the gist of something by synthesizing a wide variety of information quickly." -- Pattern recognition
  • How to develop self awareness:
    • Having an internal and external antennae
      • External -- "read a room"
      • Internal -- "understand your intuition" --> How to tap into your "gut brain"
      • The ability to be vulnerable is critical
      • Action: Journal, meditate, speak with a coach. Converse in a vulnerable way
  • Why being part of The Learning Leader Circle is so valuable
  • Stanford Business School classmate of Seth Godin
  • "When you're the leader, you're the emotional thermostat for the people you lead."
  • "People get very attached to their identity."
  • Learn to "listen to hunches and take chances."
  • The story about the time Brian Chesky (founder of AirBnB) called him
    • "Instead of trying to prove himself, he was trying to improve himself."
    • We had an "EQ" for "DQ" relationship - Emotional intelligence for Digital intelligence
  • A mentern = Mentor + Intern at the same time.
    • The importance of having a beginners mindset -- "Ask questions. Be catalytically curious."
    • The "modern elder" is as much a student as they are a sage
  • Chip's inquisitiveness became contagious at AirBnB
  • It's important to "intern publicly," and "mentor privately"
  • There is progress to go from hubris to humble
  • Wisdom: "Move out of trying to prove yourself, and instead work on improving yourself."
  • As the leader, always ask: "How can I support you to do the best work here?"
    • Know you boss has your back -- Support
    • Put direct report in a role to create conditions to grow
  • Set learning and development programs
    • The biggest gap at AirBnB was "understanding humans.  There were 28 year olds leading 24 year olds."
  • How to build an alliance with someone who disagrees with you?
    • Find some sort of alignment.  Even the smallest amount is progress.
    • Find the intent...
  • "We're all like plants/flowers. Look at the soil.  If you're a sunflower in the arctic, you have to get out of there."
  • "Make sure you have a boss that has the capacity to get you there."
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"Move out of trying to prove yourself, and instead work on improving yourself."

Social Media:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great

Episode 200: Keith Hawk & AJ Hawk -- Showing Up, Doing The Work, Earning Trust, Helping Others, Winning The Super Bowl, Celebrating #200

Episode 234: Jocko Willink -- Why Discipline Equals Freedom

Aug 26, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #272: Scott Galloway - The Algebra of Happiness

The Learning Leader Show

"Steve Jobs is the most famous deadbeat dad.  We should worship character and kindness." -- Scott Galloway

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • They are demonstrably great at multiple specialty areas
    • They have grit -- a willingness to roll up their sleeves.  And work a lot.
    • They hold people accountable -- "If they don't perform, show them the door. Strategic firing."
    • They have empathy - They understand other people and what they want to achieve
  • Scott explains why he's a builder and a teacher
    • He's an NYU professor.  He also has started and ran three successful businesses at the same time.  This allows him to give practical, real life, advice to his students
  • The best method for learning is teaching -- "It forces you to really know what you believe."
    • "You have to prepare, have themes, support them with research.  You have to bring it."
  • His viral videos -- "I try to behave as if nobody is watching... I need to be real and myself."
    • Why he said, "Mark Zuckerberg is Putin's bitch."
  • "Steve Jobs is the most famous deadbeat Dad.  We should worship character and kindness."
  • The power of saying "exactly what you think."
  • "You're smart to be afraid when you're younger."
  • Scott Galloway's Career Advice:
    • 1) Get certified. Get your degree. College grades make 2X that of those who don’t graduate.
    • 2) Be remarkable (“So good they can’t ignore you”). What two attributes can you bring together that make you unique (the artist who knows how to use excel).
    • 3) Invest in variance - find the 6-8 things that are most important to your firm. Become in expert in a couple of them (Be a great public speaker, great writer)
    • 4) Get to a city (Allen Gannett agrees)
    • 5) Boring is sexy
    • 6) Delay gratification - Power of compound interest. Invest in something that will pay off
    • 7) Demonstrate strength and grit. Exercise everyday. Be stronger
    • 8) Don’t follow your passion - be passionate about being great at something.
    • 9) Ignore the myth of balance. He has balance now because he worked like crazy for 20 years.
    • 10) Build credibility.
  • Advice I received from my Dad when I first became a manager -- "You can't just be an inspiration guy. You need to understand the numbers, the business side, too."
  • The best managers "move their chair next to the person their leading and have a real conversation with them."
  • The myth of balance: "If you want to be a top 1% earner, then you won't have balance.  I don't know anyone who's able to do that who doesn't work their ass off."
    • Did the money bring happiness?  "Yes, but also a divorce.  Money is a means to an end."
  • The Harvard happiness study:
    • "Happiness is love full stop." -- "Love who you are, who you're with... Love WHAT you do and who you do it with."
  • Sweating vs watching:  "You should spend more time sweating than watching other people sweat.  High performers are physically fit.  Work out."
    • "The only youth serum is exercise."
    • "When it gets real, I want to be able to run fast or kill them all.  Working out gives me the confidence to do that."
  • Things vs Experiences:
    • "We overestimate the happiness things will bring us.  We underestimate the happiness experiences bring us."
  • The Four:
    • The hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google.
    • Google = God.  Knows more about you than anything else
    • Facebook = Love
    • Amazon = Consumption
    • Apple = Signals your worth. Sex.
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

Social Media:

 

Aug 19, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #271: Phil Hellmuth - From Poker Brat To #Positivity. 15 Time World Champion

The Learning Leader Show

"Therapy is very helpful.  I want to know what I am doing wrong."

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • They believe they can do great things. That have energy, buzz, and confidence
    • They have drive, intelligence, and the will to get it done
    • Elon Musk, Bill Lee are examples
  • Phil is known for having a legendary ego... He shares why that's not true
  • Why didn't he have friends for many years?
  • His midwest roots and being ridiculed for having an ego
  • Why does he verbally berate people at the poker table?
    • "That is 1% of what happens, but it always gets shown on TV."
  • Most great poker players never tell the bad players they are bad, they just take their money.  Why does Phil tell them how bad they are and how good he is?
    • "It's because of my own insecurity."
  • I asked if he goes to therapy... "Yes, if I can get 2 1/2 hours a week, that is great.  Therapy is very helpful.  I want to know what I'm doing wrong."
  • How Phil felt that he could never live up to his Dad's lofty expectations (get good grades, be good at sports... Phil didn't do either) and how that impacted him
  • "I'm like Draymond Green and John McEnroe... I lose it sometimes"
  • "The poker brat made me famous"
  • His friendship with Daniel Negreanu... And how it's grown over the years
  • How to tell if someone is lying?
    • "It's instinctual. Everyone has physical tells."
    • "Look for thumbs and pinkies together as a power move"
    • "There's always a full story.  I put it all together and rely on my instincts from that story."
  • Your instincts can be developed with a lot of repetition
  • "The art of reading people is lost on the new generation."
  • "Look into their eyes!"
  • #Positivity -- New book focused on being in the right place at the right time
    • Write your goals and tape them on your mirror
    • Write your blessings and tape them on your mirror
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"The art of reading people is lost on the new generation."

Social Media:

 

Aug 12, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #270 - Sam Jones: A Comfortable Life Is Overrated

Sam Jones is an acclaimed photographer and director whose seminal portraits of President Obama, Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Bob Dylan, Kristin Stewart, Robert Downey Jr, Amy Adams, Jack Nicholson, and many others have appeared on the covers of Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Esquire, GQ, Time, Entertainment Weekly and Men’s Journal.

In 2013 he launched Off Camera with Sam Jones on Directv’s Audience Network. Off Camera is an hour long show created out of his passion for long form conversational interviews. 

Show Notes:

  • Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
    • "They did not have a back up plan.  They had a desire to do what they loved even if it wasn't the obvious choice."
  • "A comfortable life is overrated." -- "I've always followed the things that excited me most."
  • "It almost feels like a lie when I'm doing something that doesn't excite me."
  • "I connect with this idea of listening to your gut feeling."
    • For artists, the goal is to make art
  • "No one knows you like you know you.  There is no set path for how things get done."
  • A life well lived = "Did I live up to my full potential?"
  • "I've always been curious about the questions to ask that open people up."
    • Sam started doing an interview show on camera when he was 14 years old
  • "I think my own theories through voicing my thoughts."
    • "Conversations are how I learn things... I've always been very curious."
  • Rose Byrne - "It's good to look back and see where you've come from."
  • The Jeff Daniels interview (one of my personal favorites)
    • As an interviewer, the importance of seeing their body language, how they react, "the look in their eye."
  • The interview preparation process
    • Identify possible themes of the conversation
  • As a communicator and conversationalist -- Think about how to do something better.  A form of scrutiny.  This leads to growth.
  • Two things a guest needs to have
    • Be willing
    • Be able
  • Is the guest open, honest, and self aware?  They need to be...
  • The guest needs to be able to tell a good narrative
  • "If you're going to find something true and authentic, you have to go down a path."
  • Goal = Make best environment for the human being to come out."
    • "I really want to know who this person is."
  • How to define success? "They keep letting us make more."
  • Interviewers Sam looks up to:
    • David Letterman -- He didn't adhere to strict rules.  You shouldn't have to...
    • Terry Gross -- NPR
    • Howard Stern -- Consistently done it well over time
  • Sam's upbringing:
    • "I didn't fit in at school."
    • "I always questioned social norms" -- "Why does this have to be this way?"
  • How to decide where to start an interview?
    • "That's the hardest part." -- "The best conversations are when your open to let it go anywhere."
  • Dream guests? -- Paul McCartney, Cameron Crowe
  • How to create an environment for people to articulate insecurity...
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"I've always questioned social norms.  Why does it have to be this way?"

Social Media:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great

Episode 200: Keith Hawk & AJ Hawk -- Showing Up, Doing The Work, Earning Trust, Helping Others, Winning The Super Bowl, Celebrating #200

Episode 234: Jocko Willink -- Why Discipline Equals Freedom

 

Aug 5, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#269: Charlie Spaniard (UFC Fighter) Interviews Ryan Hawk - My Leadership Framework

Show Notes:

  • The WHO - "The most important question is WHO. Who will be your mentor? Who will be your friends? Who will you help? Who will you spend time with? You don't need to answer what until well after you've answered WHO." -- Jim Collins
  • The importance of cognitive diversity
  • Growth oriented people -- Why I like to be surrounded by those types of people
  • The importance of time and maturity and "life reps" to develop my curiosity.
    • "As you learn more, you realize there is so much more to learn"
  • "Great leaders are willing to push."  -- The impact Ron Ullery and Bob Gregg had on my life
  • How preparation builds confidence -- "The greatest medicine for fear is preparation"
  • Building leadership skill over time
    • "Finding your voice as a leader.  It's time to speak up."
    • There is a part of leading that is the "directing" part
    • Earning respect through your actions before saying a word
  • Playing quarterback is the "most cerebral position in all of sports"
    • The incredible mind recall and brain capacity of Aaron Rodgers
  • Why the Arena Football League helps you anticipate
  • The importance of consistency - "Showing up" everyday
    • Why loving the work is so important when embarking on a difficult challenge
  • Who you marry will play a big role in your future success -- "Marry well"
    • Reading The Five Love Languages
    • Say "thank you" multiple times per day to your spouse
    • Write "thank you" notes every week
  • "How you do anything is how you do everything"
  • The impact of my family upbringing -- Episode to listen to: Keith Hawk & AJ Hawk
    • The responsibility to sustain excellence because of being lucky to have great parents and siblings
    • The importance of "showing up" as a parent
  • The decision to go to Miami University and compete against Ben Roethlisberger to be the starting QB at Miami
    • Why I moved to Oxford the day after I graduated high school
  • "Taking the next step" -- What I learned from Alison Levine
  • Why I started The Learning Leader Show instead of pursuing A PhD at a University
  • Framework: Learn, Experiment/Do, Reflect, Teach.
  • The practice of writing one "thank you" note per day from John Kralik and how it could change your life
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

Social Media:

Jul 29, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #268: Allen Gannett - How To Create "Aha" Moments And Spark Creativity

Allen is the founder and CEO of TrackMaven, a marketing analytics platform that enables creativity.  Marketers use TrackMaven to measure and improve performance across every channel  Some clients are: The NBA, Microsoft, Saks Fifth Avenue, and many more modern marketers.  His book, The Creative Curve, was published in June 2018 from Currency, an imprint of Penguin Random House. It is all about how anyone can learn to have moments of creative genius. 

We are hosting a workshop on developing YOUR personal excellence as a leader.  For details and availability, go to RyanHawk.me 

"Learn how to learn. View the world as being a less fixed place.  Anyone is capable of making it happen."

Show Notes:

  • Sustaining excellence:
    • Surround self with others who are great at what they do.  A very social phenomenon
      • Collaborate with those who support their weaknesses
    • Be aligned with an executive sponsor
    • Live at the creative center -- Move to corporate headquarters if you work for a big company
      • Need to build relationships outside of 9:00-5:00
  • The importance of building generational friends (friends from all age groups)
  • What makes a hit? -- "Familiar but also novel."
  • "As humans we're fearful of unfamiliar.  It's the brains' elegant way of risk and reward."
    • A balance of the novel and the new
  • The truth about Mozart
    • He didn't create his first music until he was 17
    • He had a helicopter Dad. He practiced music for three hours a day from a very early age
    • He became great because of deliberate practice
  • JK Rowling spent five years writing the first Harry Potter
    • She was extremely deliberate in her process.  It wasn't just a light bulb moment on a train.
  • Paul McCartney spent years to write the song, Yesterday
  • How to create "Aha" moments for self? -- Go for a run, drive, take a shower, lay down.  Need to calm the brain.
  • Writing a "descriptive" and "prescriptive" book:
    • Consume a lot about your topic of choice
    • Need to build prior knowledge
    • Not just "what," but "how much"
  • Ben Franklin -- He outlined previously written articles
  • Andrew Ross Sorkin consumed mass amount of literature and worked to "copy" the style in which other greats wrote
  • Confidence building - "Learn how to learn."  View the world as being a less fixed place.  Anyone is capable of making it happen.
  • Creativity is something you can learn.
  • How to get cast of "Wheel Of Fortune"
  • TrackMaven is a marketing analytics platform
  • Making the shift from individual contributor to manager -- A "communicator and coach" to others
  • Mistakes new managers make:
    • Need open lines of communication. "I was conflict averse initially and that's not good."
    • Remember when hiring.  It's hard to fire people. "It's brutal."
    • Not everyone has all the answers.  Get advice from people with different perspectives and incentives
    • "You need to hire slow AND fire slow.  Give people a chance."
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"A great manager must be a great communicator and coach for others."

Jul 22, 2018

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

We are hosting a workshop on developing YOUR personal excellence as a leader.  For details and availability, go to RyanHawk.me 

#267: Louie Anderson - How To Crush It on Stage From One Of The Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of All Time

Show Notes:

  • Louie's approach to stand up comedy -- It appears as if he is just "riffing off the cuff," however it is highly structured and prepared
  • The pain of growing up with an alcoholic dad and how that fueled him as a professional
    • This helps him pull from any of it at anytimeCreating a catalog of material
    • It takes years to develop
    • "I'm in complete control."  That gives Louie the ability to handle a heckler in the crowd or go with a comment and tell an additional joke
  • Going on Johnny Carson or Conan
    • "They don't step on your lines, but they are prepared for where the conversation is going to go."
  • "Just like you, I've worked hard to create freedom with my work."
  •  Sustaining excellence:
    • "Be who you are"
    • Ask yourself, "Does this mean something to you?  If it doesn't mean something to you, why would it mean anything to someone else?"
    • Confidence
  • Nervous before a performance?
    • "It depends on the event and how much importance I put on it." -- Saturday Night Live was a nerve racking experience
  • Advice to keynote speakers?
    • Be prepared
    • Know your message
    • Surprise the audience
    • Piggy back on a great introduction -- Listen to the room prior to your time on stage
  • "I'm always tilling the ground for comedy bits."
  • Storytelling:
    • "Tell them something they don't know.  Humanize the story.  Give a piece of yourself.  Don't lecture."
  • How did he get his start as a comedian?
    • "A dare.  I was a social worker and went up on stage for an open mic night and it went great."
  • "I volunteered to be the emcee for experience."
    • "Don't be afraid of trying new things"
    • The importance of "getting the reps:" "I did seven nights a week, four shows per night.  I was creating who I was."
  • "We don't see all the work that goes into being great on stage.  It takes years and years of work."
    • "You need good friends who will tell you the truth."
  • His mom's best advice: "Be nice to people.  You never know what they're going through."
  • Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
  • Use the "Get To Know You Document"

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