The Learning Leader Show

Episode 237: AJ Jacobs - The Power of Irrational Confidence (Life As An Experiment)

Episode 236: Brian Scudamore - CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK: How To Scale A Business

Episode 235: Dr. Gay Hendricks - How To Make The Big Leap

The Learning Leader Show

"As the leader, you are responsible for EVERYTHING that happens in your organization."

Show Notes:

• Commonalities of leaders who sustain excellence:
  • Humility
  • Constantly looking to improve
  • Learning
  • Willing and able to take criticism
• Incredible story of a mutiny within the ranks because of a platoon commander's ego
• Way Of The Warrior Kid - The message for children
  • Be humble
  • Don't give up
  • Work hard
• Ramadi -- The epicenter, insurgency in Iraq
  • The confusion/fog of war
• A firefight... Between friendly forces: Who's at fault?
• Jocko took ownership - "As the leader, I'm responsible for everything that happens on that field. It wasn't your fault, it's mine."
• "If you make a mistake, you must own it."
• Owning the mistakes created confidence and trust with Jocko's boss
• How do you handle a bad boss?
  • Make them look good
  • Ask for feedback, advice, ask for their approval, build them up
  • Isn't that manipulation? "Yes..."
• "It's not just what you preach, it's what you tolerate."
• Decentralized command -- Empowering junior leaders to make important decisions. Front line leaders must be empowered. Why? Speed
  • Being empowered as a quarterback to call an audible -- Why this was an optimal way for us to attack a defense and ultimately win games. The coaches needed to trust and empower me to do this
• Are leaders born or made?
• Characteristics of great leaders?
  • They take complex things and simplify them
  • They are articulate
  • They are loud (seems strange, but it's true for military leaders and a quarterback)
• How much can you learn?  You must detach emotion, and be decisive.
• Why wake up at 4:30 am? "It is time for me to own, it's before everyone else is awake"
• Favorite part of work? - Podcasting and working with companies
• How has Jocko created this lifestyle? -- Many years of consistent, sustained work
  • "Discipline Equals Freedom."
• His discipline for many years has helped him create a lifestyle that he loves

"It's not just what you preach. It's what you tolerate."

Social Media:

• Read: Extreme Ownership
• See why over 150,000 people follow Jocko on Twitter: @jockowillink
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

Episode 233: Gretchen Rubin - How To Be Happy

Episode 232: It's Time To Go ALL IN (With Doug Meyer & Greg Meredith)

Episode 231: Michael Bungay Stanier - Say Less, Ask More, & Change The Way You Lead Forever

Episode 230: Dorie Clark - How To Monetize Your Expertise & Create Multiple Income Streams

• Commonalities of leaders who sustain excellence:
  • They do what they say they're going to do -- Have integrity
  • They have a great ability to focus.  They don't get distracted.
  • They have patience
• Principles:
  • Create multiple streams of income -- However, don't try to create them all at once.  Patience. 1 or 2 at a time.
    • A steady progression.  Add 1 or 2 per year.
    • Dorie has 8 income streams.
    • "If you're relying on one paycheck, from one employer,  you may be courting disaster."
• Dorie was laid off on September 10, 2001 -- She received a 4 day severance package... A highly stressful time. "Never be reliant on just one employer"
• "Side hustles make you a better employee, it liberates you." -- "You can speak truth to power"
• Dorie's 8 Streams of Revenue:
  • Consulting
  • Executive Coaching
  • Writing Books
  • Teaching at Duke
  • Keynote Speeches
  • Online Courses
  • Affiliate Marketing
  • Mastermind Groups
• Dorie's online course "Become A Recognized Expert"
  • Create the content
  • Social Proof -- Credibility
  • Strong network -- To be recognize, need to be an expert and have others share the message
• We discussed the goals Dorie set from her first time on the show (2 years ago):
  • Double email list
  • Have a best selling book
  • Get a girlfriend
• The importance of joint ventures
• Why Dorie wants to become an Italian citizen
• "The thing that gives you courage is the market rate" -- "No one is a competitor"
• "When someone asks you your fee, find the number that makes you scared and then add 10%"
• Doing TEDx Switzerland
• How to build online courses:
  • Surveyed audience -- 1,200 responses
  • Pilot course at discounted rate ($500)
  • Final course ($2,000) -- Premium content, premium price
  • Total cost -- $1,200 (had 150 students paid in full)
  • Video module type courses are lower cost and not as much engagement
  • The $2,000 course has regular follow up and conversations with Dorie in addition to the video work.  Interaction with others in a Facebook group chat as well. -- It has 40+ hours of content created for it... And webinars
  • Dorie Clark is a marketing strategy consultant, professional speaker, and frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review. Recognized as a “branding expert” by the Associated Press, Fortune, and Inc. magazine, she is the author of Entrepreneurial You (Harvard Business Review Press,), Reinventing You, and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of 2015 by Inc. magazine and one of the Top 10 Business Books of the Year by Forbes. It was also a Washington Post bestseller.

    Clark, whom the New York Times described as an “expert at self-reinvention and helping others make changes in their lives,” consults and speaks for a diverse range of clients, including Google, the World Bank, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, the Ford Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Yale University.  At age 14, Clark entered Mary Baldwin College’s Program for the Exceptionally Gifted. At 18, she graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Smith College, and two years later received a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School.

Episode 229: Henry Cloud - "Be So Good They Can't Ignore You"

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The Learning Leader Show

"If you're a leader, you will get what you create or what you allow."

Show Notes:

• Henry constantly striving to do more... Why?
  • "I'm a practitioner, need to continue doing the work"
• Advice to "normal" people who have a 9-5 job. Henry was willing to start with very little money, but grew into his passion slowly and kept at it.
• Inflection points -- My football career.  Henry's gradual growth. Critical mass moments -- Henry did leadership coaching and consulting from day 1.
• "You have to love what you do."
• "You have to get moving."
• "My first book Integrity was written based on my teaching for 15 years." 
• Boundaries -- A simple, yet profound concept - A property line: This is you
• "In relationships, people put pressure on us"
• Leaders are "ridiculously in charge"  -- "If you're leading it, you're in charge"
• "If you're a leader, you will get what you create or what you allow"
• 3 Keys to Executive Success (Executive Functions Of The Brain):
  • Attend to most important/what's relevant -- Need to name the priority -- Boundary of Attention
  • No multi-tasking. Your brain CANNOT do this -- Inhibit everything else
  •  Working memory - Must be a flow to it
• Advice for listeners who have a bad boss?
  • Don't fret, we've all been there
  • Create your own culture, do lunch and learns, build what you want within the situation 
• Vision Statement -- Get so good they will say, "What are they doing?" How do we grow? How can we do that?"
  • Perform, develop leaders in your own corner of the world/buisness
• "Be So Good They Can't Ignore You"
• "They work their butt off"

Episode 228: Renee Mauborgne - How To Make Competition Irrelevant (Blue Ocean Strategy)

Renee Mauborgne is the co-author of the global bestseller Blue Ocean Strategy and the just released, indispensable follow-up, BLUE OCEAN SHIFT: Beyond Competing – Proven Steps to Inspire Confidence and Seize New Growth. BLUE OCEAN SHIFT is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, and an International Bestseller. Her book Blue Ocean Strategy has sold over 3.6 million copies and is recognized as one of the most iconic and impactful strategy books ever written. It is being published in a record-breaking 44 languages and is a bestseller across five continents. 

She served on President Barack Obama’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for the President’s two terms. She is also a Fellow of the World Economic Forum. Renee is ranked in the top 3 management gurus in the world in the Thinkers50 listing of the World’s Top Management Gurus. She is the highest placed woman ever on Thinkers50. 

"If you're going to look at other people, you're going to look like other people."

Show Notes:

• Common Themes of Leaders who Sustain Excellence:
  • Not focused on competing with others
    • They create their own space, independent point of view
  • Always interested in learning. Focused on pieces of information
    • Insatiable curiosity, high level learner, a note taker
  • Enormous propensity for hard work
    • Smart people don't look for short cuts
  • Willing to reinvent self if needed
• How to not compare yourself to others?
  • "Focus on  delivering a leap in value -- they will come to you."
  • "I don't look at social media. I look at how creative people are."
  • "We are all far more creative than we think we are"
  • "If you're going to look at other people, you're going to look like other people"
• Blue Ocean Strategy - What is it?
  • Most companies focus on existing conditions, red oceans, bloody, with sharks
  • Blue ocean companies/people "don't focus on competing, they focus on creating"
• How can this help someone with a side hustle? Or someone who wants to create a side hustle?
  • Don't go into red oceans - don't do what everyone else does - Create your own distinctive space
    • "It's not about market competing, it's about market creating"
• When people talk about startups, they think "disrupt" -- Renee prefers "non disruptive creation"
  • Tony Robbins didn't disrupt anything. He created a new market (life coaching). He helped create a $2B market
  • The idea of David killing Goliath is romantic but it doesn't typically work that way
• New industry recently created -- Viagra, Sesame Street, Coaching to get into MBA school, YouTube stylist, Bumble
• Growth model
  • Solve a new problem (ie. Cyber Security)
  • Redefine the problem the industry focuses on -- Cirque du Soleil -- "Circus and theatre"
  • AirBnB
• Expand the opportunity scope
  • "Are there patterns that allow them to be linked"
  • "Creation is not a black box"
• Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos look to deliver overwhelming value, they do not compete

"It's not about market competing. It's about market creating."

Social Media:

• Read: Blue Ocean Strategy
• Read: Blue Ocean Shift
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

Episode 227: Jeff Goins - How To Be A Thriving Artist (Real Artists Don't Starve)

Jeff Goins is a writer, keynote speaker, and award-winning blogger with a reputation for challenging the status quo. He is the best-selling author of five books, including Real Artists Don't Starve, and The Art of Work, which landed on the best­ seller lists of USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, and the Washington Post. His website Goinswriter.com is visited by millions of people every year. Jeff was previously on The Learning Leader Show Episode #028

The Learning Leader Show

What does it take to stand out? "Show UP, Do the Work, and most importantly: FOLLOW UP. Nobody does this."

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence. Common Themes of Leaders who Sustain Excellence:
  • Passion - A fire to pursue their "why"
  • Discipline - Daily habits, routines, rituals to be best every day
    • Coach K -- Sit down and analyze after every single game to improve
  • Great Learners - Hungry learner. How to do it better?
• Real Artists don't starve
• Starving artist vs. Thriving artist
• The myth of the starving artist
• Why Michelangelo was a thriving (rich) artist
• "Do you really have to starve to be an artist?" -- No
• You aren't born an artist (or a Leader) -- It's a result of the choices you make. The human brain is malleable. A person can learn and master a craft.
• "Leaders are made. Artists are made."
• The story of John Grisham -- A lawyer who wrote novels on the side.
  • He wrote one page a day for years... And then he had a novel
• You can gradually re-create yourself
• Wake up a little earlier every day and do the work. Make it a habit
  • Change happens slowly
• The way we talk about it is not actually the way we do it.
• We do not need to take a giant risk. When we look at the facts, we can take measured risks
• 2 Resources at The University of Wisconsin -- A study of 5,000 entrepreneurs
  • The Two Types
    • Burn The Boats -- 33% more likely to fail
    • Side Hustlers -- People who didn't initially go "All In" statistically were more likely to succeed
    • It took Jeff two years to quit his job. He built one year of runway
• The rule of apprenticeship -- Ryan Holiday - Be an Anteambulo. Clear the path for others
• A "master piece" came from the time of Michaelangelo
• What it takes to stand out -- Show up, do the work, FOLLOW UP (nobody does this), show what you've learned, help others
• Jeff has lunch every Wednesday with a mentee -- Rarely do they follow up. Do this.
  • "The best thing you can do is take notes, and follow up. Put it into action."
• Jeff was/is mentored by Michael Hyatt -- He followed up constantly
• How do you do X? "It's easy to talk about stuff, it's hard to do it."
• "If you're teachable, it puts you in a class of people that sits apart."
• Do not work for free -- The rule of value
  • Charging brings dignity to the work
  • "Working for free is often not the opportunity we think it is"

"Leaders are made. Artists are made." -- "You aren't born an artists."

Social Media:

• Read: Real Artists Don't Starve
• Follow Jeff on Twitter: @JeffGoins
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

Episode 226: Steve Wojciechowski - How To Win Every Day

Steve Wojciechowski is the head basketball coach at Marquette University. He has has enjoyed a wealth of success in collegiate basketball as both a player and a coach. Wojo has established his “Win Every Day” philosophy as the foundation for the Marquette program. Wojciechowski also served as court coach and scout for the USA Basketball Men's National Team. He helped lead on-court duties as well as game preparation from 2006-12, including the program's gold-medal performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. The Olympic teams included NBA greats such as Marquette alumnus Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

As a player, Wojciechowski ("Wojo") was named the top defensive player in the country his senior year, a two-time All-ACC choice and honorable mention Associated Press All-America. He appeared in 128 career games for the Blue Devils and earned 88 starting assignments.

The Learning Leader Show

"My greatest edge was that I didn't think I had an edge."

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence. Common Themes of Leaders who Sustain Excellence:
  • Passion - A fire to pursue their "why"
  • Discipline - Daily habits, routines, rituals to be best every day
    • Coach K -- Sit down and analyze after every single game to improve
  • Great Learners - Hungry learner. How to do it better?
• WIN Everyday - daily process to pursue excellence in every way. Basketball is a vehicle for that (for Steve)
• Develop trust - "Not always done quickly, but definitely done intentionally. Must be consistent, you must do what you say you will do"
• Wojo's Dad's hard hat -- It's hanging up at his house as a reminder of what hard work looks like
  • "The first great team I was on was the Wojciechowski team. My dad was a longshoreman. Did hard work and hard labor."
• Going to Jesse Itzler and Sara Blakely's retreat. A 90 yard hill, 40% grade... An endurance race
  • Growth - Getting outside of your comfort zone
• "As a long time listener of your show, I marvel at your guests"
• "My greatest edge was that I didn't think I had an edge"
• Why it was important to be teamed with Russians and other international players who didn't speak English at a high school all star camp
• Coach Krzyzewski (Coach K)'s reason for excellence:
  • Ability to build relationships with players as people
    • Incredible communication skills
    • Intentionally taking time to build relationships
  • Preparation - Disciplined preparation
    • Habits, routines
    • "His preparation on a daily basis is championship level"
• How has Coach K showed Level 5 leadership to help his assistant coaches be great when they earn their own head coaching job?
  • "He allows coaches to take ownership - He pushed them and allowed them to have a voice. On the job learning"
• Culture
  • Start with your value system: What do you believe in? How do you build it?
• Wojo's Stated Values:
  • Pursuing excellence - WIN every day
  • Being Selfless
  • Being Accountable - "Do what you say you're going to do"
  • Being Relentlessly competitive
  • Discipline - Do what need to do at the time it needs to be done
• How is it coaching millennials?
  • There is a lot of noise. Continuous feedback loop. Need to be constantly engaged. But kids still want the same things... They want to grow, want discipline, be part of something special... Something bigger than them
  • How to communicate with young people?
    • Social media: Must use it, need to be there
    • Spend most time face to face with them
• Typical day?
  • Be intentional about how allocate time
  • Plan ahead -- Must cover what's most important. Must prioritize
  • Control own energy - Track sleep and work out daily
  • Set weekly goals (write them down) for face to face interactions, time to learn/read/podcast listening, time with family/friends. Carry a book to help keep track
    • "Sometimes I fail, sometimes I crush it"
• Read The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
• Read Legacy
• Learning Leader - I was first turned on to the show because of the title.
  • Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant - "Their ability to learn was what I was impressed with most about them. LeBron remembered everything you said."

"How"Their ability to learn was what I was impressed with most. LeBron remembered everything you said." -- Wojo discussing his time coaching Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant

Episode 225: Dan Heath - The Power Of Defining Moments

Dan Heath is a Senior Fellow at Duke University’s CASE center, which supports social entrepreneurs. At CASE, he founded the Change Academy, a program designed to boost the impact of social sector leaders.

Dan is the co-author, along with his brother Chip, of three New York Times bestsellers: Decisive, Switch, and Made to Stick. Amazon.com’s editors named Switch one of the Best Nonfiction Books of the Year, and it spent 47 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list. Made to Stick was named the Best Business Book of the Year and spent 24 months on the BusinessWeek bestseller list. Their books have been translated into over 30 languages.

Previously, Dan worked as a researcher and case writer for Harvard Business School. In 1997, Dan co-founded an innovative publishing company called Thinkwell, which continues to produce a radically reinvented line of college textbooks.

Dan has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from the Plan II Honors Program from the University of Texas at Austin. One proud geeky moment for Dan was his victory in the 2005 New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest, beating out 13,000 other entrants. He lives in Durham, NC.

What have you failed at this week?" "There's no such thing as a good mentor who doesn't push you."

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence. Common Themes of Leaders who Sustain Excellence:
  • Decision making - The ability to make a string of good decisions
    • Avoid traps
    • Narrow framing -- Cannot just think of 1 option
• Decisions are often made because of political reasons, persuasive people, or PowerPoint... They should be made through experiments instead
• The process of writing with his brother Chip Heath
  • 10 year age gap (54-44)
  • They are different people. The work is the glue for their relationship
  • Chip is a professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • The life changing effect of their book Switch. They hit the jackpot --> Time magazine, The Today Show
• What is it that allows change to happen?
  • Our brains are wired with two independent systems:
    • Rational
    • Emotional
      • What makes change difficult is when those 2 disagree... The same forces are at place within organizations. The heart of Switch -- The emotional side is stronger than the rational side. We must get that in order to change.
• How do we make an experience better? -- We must take the reins to make a moment better
  • The John Deere new hire experience -- You leave your first day thinking "Wow, I belong here." They intentionally take care of their people.
  • Transition moments are so important. We need to pay attention to them and be aware. --> Graduation, weddings, retirement, first day at a new job, etc
    • "Cultures pay attention to big moments"
• Sara Blakely story growing up... The question her Dad asked her and her siblings at the dinner table -- "What have you failed at this week?"
  • We need to get comfortable with trying new things... And failing sometimes. It builds resilience, GRIT
• David Scott Yaeger 2 part formula for mentors and mentees
  • High Standards + Assurance -- "I have high expectations for you... And I know you can do it."
  • "There's no such thing as a good mentor who doesn't push you." -- STRETCH
• The powerful story of Eugene O'Kelly and how he chose to live his life when he found out he had 3 months left to live
  • "I experienced more Perfect moments and Perfect days in two weeks than I had in the last 5 years or than I probably would have in the next 5 years had my life continued without the diagnosis."
  • Look at your own calendar, do you see perfect days ahead? Could you create 30 perfect days? What would it take to motivate you to create a Perfect Moment?

"How Look at your own calendar, do you see perfect days ahead? Could you create 30 perfect days? What would it take to motivate you to create a Perfect Moment?"

Social Media:

• Read: Switch
• Read: The Power Of Moments
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

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 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Callaway Golf. We have partnered to give away The #1 selling Driver in 2017.  The Callaway GBB Epic Driver.  This club is valued at $499 and we are giving one away to a loyal listener of the show.  To enter the drawing: Tweet (or post on Instagram) a favorite leadership quote from an episode of The Learning Leader Show and tag/@ me on Twitter or Instagram.

Mike McDerment is the co-founder and CEO of FreshBooks, the world’s #1 cloud accounting software for self-employed professionals. Built in 2003 after he accidentally saved over an invoice, Mike spent 3.5 years growing FreshBooks from his parents’ basement. Since then, over 10 million people have used FreshBooks to save time billing, and collect billions of dollars.

The Learning Leader Show

"We give trust to earn trust. Lead with trust. That's the world I want to live in."

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence. Common Themes of Leaders who Sustain Excellence:
  • Been through something hard
  • Strong morals - set of values, make upstanding decisions, believe in people, don't compromise
  • Creative
  • Surround self with great people
  • Strong desire to grow
  • Default Trust to "ON"
• First Principles -- Distill things down to underlying system: The act of taking a problem and breaking it down
• Building FreshBooks -- "I didn't know anything about anything."
• The #1 place to work -- have won awards for their culture
• What do you do? "We are in the business of saving people time."
• Moving to his parents basement to start the business... Running lean
• Culture takes deliberate thought
  • Must have people who are diverse but share your values
  • Need guidelines/rule sets
• The 9 Values:
  • Passion - Love your craft
  • Ownership
  • Results
  • Change - Bring learning and growth
  • Honesty
  • Fun - Deliberately make it fun
  • Empathy
  • Strive - Stretch
  • Trust
  • Secrecy - Open inside, but nothing leaves from inside
• Values/Culture used in 2 ways
  • Publicly recognize people living the values
  • Swiftly eliminate people who don't embody those values - Listen, hear, be open. Recognize that cultures need to be hacked, evolve, change.
• Inner office dating? Why is that promoted? What does it mean?
• Everyone spends the first month in customer service. All build that foundation -- Why they prolong onboarding and how that leads to long term success
• Make decisions today to win in 3-5 years
• Decided to re-platform even though the rule is to "never re-write or re-platform"
• "How do you minimize risk, but maximize impact?"
• "Something that no one had ever done before. Create a new company in secret."
• Lead with trust: "We give trust to earn trust. Lead with trust. That's the world I want to live in."
• Imposter Syndrome and FEAR. Embracing it
• "Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable" -- It's the path to growth. Nobody has all of the answers
• Advice to 20 year old -- He was lost, not doing well. Realize that everyone else is too. Nobody knows what they are doing even if it looks like they do."
• Read -- E Myth (Michael Gerber), Idea Virus (Seth Godin), Execution (Ram Charan)
• Learning Leader -- Per Mike, "That's me." The challenge & personal growth.

"How do you minimize risk and maximize impact?"

Social Media:

• Read: Execution - Ram Charan
• Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeMcDerment
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

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 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show

223: Kim Malone Scott - Using Radical Candor To Be A Great Boss

"It is important for leaders to be learners, not tellers."

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence. Common Themes of Leaders who Sustain Excellence:
  • They care about their people as humans, they care personally
  • They are honest, not worried about being liked all the time, they are willing to challenge directly
• Can you be both liked and respected?
  • Yes, but you shouldn't strive to be popular
• Jony Ive and Steve Jobs story -- Steve told them the team their work was of poor quality. Jony said, "Why were you so harsh Steve?" Steve asked, "Why didn't you tell them the work was bad? It's your job to do that." Jony replied, "I didn't want them to be upset or distraught." Steve said, "You are vain. You just want to be liked."
• The biggest mistake new bosses make is trying to be liked by everyone and NOT being direct.
• Your employees should never have to say, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" -- A great boss gives directly feedback in a timely manner
• A great boss creates an environment where everyone can tell the truth (up, down, and sideways in an organization)
• Understand the framework
• How to created this culture?
  • Start by asking for feedback. You can't give feedback if you're not willing to take it.
  • Go to question: "What could I be doing to make it better for you?"
  • Use a "Start, Stop, Continue" exercise
• Create a "Speak Truth To Power" environment
• Embrace the discomfort
• "Listen with the intent to understand... Not just waiting to talk."
• Must reward the candor -- When you receive good feedback, you must implement it. You must fix the problem.
• Google/Sheryl Sandberg story
  • Sheryl's feedback: "You said "um" a lot during that presentation, would you like a speech coach?" -- "No, I'm fine, thanks." -- "Kim, when you say "um" every third word, it makes you sound stupid."
    • Sheryl knew she need to be very direct with Kim and they built a relationship of trust and care. That's the only way she was able to get through to Kim and help her
• Hiring is the most important decision you will make as a leader
  • "If you're not dying to work with that person, don't hire them"
  • Steve Jobs - "It's better to have a hole than an asshole"
  • Dick Costolo - "You can't just hire great people and get out of their way. You must invest time in helping them, develop them even more."
• Jony Ive - "New ideas are fragile. You must create space to talk about them."
• "Your job as the boss isn't to be the decider, it's to make sure everyone knows who the decider is."
• The Wright Brothers -- Watching birds for hours --> Learning how to build wings for human airplane flight
• Dick Costolo -- Build in 2 hours of "think time" per day in your calendar
• Career advice:
  • "Quit talk of building a great resume, build a great life"
  • Find people to have career talks with... Recount your life story with them. Zero in on changes you've made. Think "What motivates you about work?" Understand what drives you, what matters, why? -- Think about your dreams... Make sure your dreams and values are in alignment. Create a plan
• "It is important for leaders to be learners, not tellers."

"When you say "Um" every third word, it makes you sound stupid." -- Sheryl Sandberg's direct feedback to Kim after a presentation to Larry & Sergei

Social Media:

• Read: Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity
• Follow Kim on Twitter: @kimballscott
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

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 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Callaway Golf. We have partnered to give away The #1 selling Driver in 2017.  The Callaway GBB Epic Driver.  This club is valued at $499 and we are giving one away to a loyal listener of the show.  To enter the drawing: Tweet (or post on Instagram) a favorite leadership quote from an episode of The Learning Leader Show and tag/@ me on Twitter or Instagram.

Jon Acuff is back for a second time on The Learning Leader Show!

JON ACUFF is the author of five books, including the New York Times Bestseller Do Over. For nineteen years he’s helped companies like the Home Depot, Bose, Staples, and AutoTrader.com tell their stories. He’s a well-known public speaker, and his blogs have been read by millions of fans. His most recent book is: Finish - Give Yourself The Gift of Done.

If you'd like to listen to the first conversation Jon and I had on January 27, 2016, CLICK HERE.

Episode 222: Jon Acuff

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

Want to write a book? "What question are you willing to spend two years answering?"

Show Notes:

• Why Jon dedicated this new book to his parents and their belief in him as a writer
  • His Dad was a pastor, a communicator. Have to learn how to shape ideas and be a speaker
• What took so long for Jon to believe he was a writer?
  • "I'm a writer. When you do it enough, it becomes possible. I've written six books."
• Why this book?
  • "People say, I like your book Start, but I never finish, how do I finish?"
• Like Jim Collins, Jon says, "What is a question I'm willing to spend two years answering?"
• 91% of Americans want to write a book and less than 1% of them do it
• "I want this thing to be part of my life... This has multiple applications."
• James Clear says it's the friction at the start... Lacing up the shoes and beginning the run.
  • Jon reply "Is it harder to buy a treadmill or use the treadmill?"
• This is built on research. 900 participants. It is a data driven book
• How to mix in humor... Why to study stand up comedians?
  • "I've watched 100 stand up comedians for every 1 business leader"
• "If you want to enjoy the internet more, you must know it's not about you. It never is." -- People are thinking about themselves (Tracy McGrady & JR Smith)
• Goal Setting:
  • Cut them in half, make the goals smaller
  • Test principles -- Look to be 5%-10% better
  • "Before I set a goal, I make sure it is the right size"
  • How this relates to setting sales goals/quotas in a big company
    • Need a culture of honesty and realistic goals in order to thrive, grow, and survive
  • "A goal is a promise to yourself"
• "Make it fun if you want it done"
  • Satisfaction goes up
  • Performance goes up
• How to get something done?
  • Reward
  • Fear
  • Which one do you better respond to? You need to know. How about the people that work for you? You need to know
• How Jon will read 156 books this year
• What is the story you want to tell your kids? 
• Are you proud of what you do everyday?
• "The old rules don't apply anymore... The faucet of freelance money can turn on."
• Why do some have "the fear of success?"
  • Fear of money
  • Fear of high expectations
  • Self sabotage
  • Fear of "what's next?"

Episode 221: Phil Jones - What To Say To Influence And Impact Others (Magic Words)

Phil’s passion to “Teach The World To Sell”, now sees him traveling the globe speaking to a breadth of audiences, from small business owners to workforces and mass organizations, spreading his message and sharing his highly credited teachings. To date he’s spoken in 56 different countries across five continents and with his growing popularity, he’s expected to add many more to his roster.

Episode 221: Phil Jones - What To Say To Influence And Impact Others (Magic Words)

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"I Learned That Success Leaves Clues."

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence:
  • Dogged determination
  • Curiosity - Continue to demand improvement from self
  • Detach self of the outcome - be of service to your customer. Celebrate quietly in the background when the client wins
• How he learned to hustle:
  • Came from a home without much money... Learned to sell his mom's sandwiches at lunch. Then started a business going door to door offering to wash cars for money
  • He grew to make more money than his teachers when he was 15
    • "How much money are you making sire?" -- Phil would say to teachers when they criticized him for missing class
  • By 18, he was named the youngest sales manager in fashion retailer Debenhams, history
• Day to Day
  • Phil delivers 100 keynote presentations a year
  • "Respect is something that is to be earned"
• Ridiculous goal -- "Get my book in front of one million people"
• Using Magic words
  • "I'm not sure if it's for you, but..."
• "Magic words are words that speak right to the subconscious of our brain"
• If you change 1 or 2 words, it can change everything. You must learn, train, and prepare... Write a script
  • "You still cry at movies... But the actor is reading a script. It's not real. You need to learn to read scripts."
• Magic Word/Phrase
  • "You wouldn't happen to know..." -- Create a path of least resistance for a referral
• How has Phil learned what he teaches?
  • "120,000 negotiations. Messing up. Being brave enough to say what works and what doesn't."
• Magic Word/Phrase
  • "How open minded are you?" -- When you're trying to internally sell a new idea, this works. Everyone wants to see themselves as open minded. This phrase primes the brain to be more open minded to a new idea. It helps people opt in to your idea.
• How to open a keynote speech?
  • Ask questions of the audience...
    • "Change one word to change everything" (Listen for more in depth story. This was a really good part. Around the 26:30 mark)
• "Questions start conversations, conversations lead to relationships, relationships lead to opportunities."
• Methods for prospecting:
  • You don't need to knock on every door
  • A great story on what you would do if you lost a child at a department store (again... must listen)
  • "Go look for who you really want." You must identify those people
  • Define who they are...
  • "You wouldn't happen to know?"
• How he runs/manages his business and prospects
  • Franchises, MLMs, Healthcare space
  • Referrals, gifts, emails, calls
  • Utilizing Robert Cialdini's method for reciprocity... "They end up thanking ME!"
  • 3rd party credibility and permission
• Magic Word/Phrase:
  • "Just one more thing..." -- TV detectives in the 80's and 90's
  • This helps both upsells AND downsells (sometimes you won't get the huge deal initially... Must work your way in to build the relationship starting small)
• Magic Word/Phrase:
  • "Most People..." -- "This helps you tell people what to do without telling them what to do."
  • People love to be led. Example: Yelp reviews
  • When people are stuck being indecisive... "Look, what most people do..."
• Learning Leader = Leaders are always learning. "You've never arrived. You're always becoming."
  • Good, Better, or Best: What do you want?
    • You want to be better... Always striving to improve

"Questions start conversations. Conversations lead to relationships. Relationships lead to opportunities."

Social Media:

• Read: Exactly What To Say
• Follow Phil on Twitter: @philmjonesuk
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

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 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Callaway Golf. We have partnered to give away The #1 selling Driver in 2017.  The Callaway GBB Epic Driver.  This club is valued at $499 and we are giving one away to a loyal listener of the show.  To enter the drawing: Tweet (or post on Instagram) a favorite leadership quote from an episode of The Learning Leader Show and tag/@ me on Twitter or Instagram.

The Learning Leader Show

Episode 220: Robert Greene - The Laws Of Power & Mastery

Robert Greene is an American author and speaker known for his books on strategy, power and seduction. He has written five international bestsellers: The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law and Mastery. In addition to having a strong following within the business world and a deep following in Washington, DC, Greene’s books are hailed by everyone from war historians to the biggest musicians in the industry (including Jay-Z and 50 Cent).

"Do Not Speak Unless You Can Improve Upon The Silence."

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence:
  • Self Mastery
  • Self Control -- "We are emotional animals, governed by emotions. It can get you in trouble."
  • Self Discipline
  • Flexibility -- Ability to adapt
• Why Napoleon was successful? He had a front line obsession
• Writing a book with 50 Cent
  • "Never let your guard down"
• Law 4 - Always say less than necessary. "Do not speak unless you can improve upon the silence."
  • Learn the power of being quiet
  • If you're upset about an email, do not respond emotionally. Wait 24 hours and then respond with a level head
• Law 9 - Win Through Your Actions, Never Through Argument. "Demonstrate, do not explicate."
  • Commit to action. Words are devalued
  • "Show them. Don't talk."
• Law 10 - Infection: Avoid The Unhappy and Unlucky
  • You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with
  • "We absorb the energy of other people."
  • Look to "level up" your peer group at all time"
• How to deal with a person in a power position who you do not like or respect?
  • Do not let them see you upset. Do not show them emotion (when they try to rile you up)
• Did President Trump read The 48 Laws of Power? He appears to have used some of the laws to help get elected:
  • Law 6 - Court attention at all cost
  • Law 17 - Keep others in suspended terror. Cultivate an air of unpredictability
  • Law 27 - Play on people's need to believe to create a cult like following
• Very common in business for an "aggressive, loud yeller" to push people around and somehow get promoted... But once they have to actually lead and manage people, they fail miserably
• Rappers, movie stars, athletes quoting (even tattooing) The 48 Laws. How has that impacted you? Great satisfaction, but even more from "regular" people who email him and said his work helped them start a business or quit a bad job.
• "Sometimes you don't know what you're intended to do. It pays to have an open mind." -- Robert didn't write The 48 Laws of Power until he was 38 years old
• "The human brain does not learn unless it is excited"
• Cesar Rodriguez -- "Trust The Process" -- You must get reps, reps, reps in order to achieve any level of excellence
  • Think long term and put in the necessary work to be great
• Advice: "You were born with a purpose. Tap into what makes you different and unique. There is tremendous pressure to fit in. You will have success if you dig deep, be adventurous, try things out. Respect your unique-ness, something great will happen."

"The Human Brain Does Not Learn Unless It Is Excited."

Social Media:

• Read: The 48 Laws Of Power
• Read: Mastery
• Follow Robert on Twitter: @RobertGreene
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

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 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

219: Eric Barker - Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong

Eric Barker is a thought leader in the field of success. His humorous, practical blog, "Barking Up the Wrong Tree", presents science-based answers and expert insight on how to be awesome at life. Over 300,000 people subscribe to his weekly newsletter and his content is syndicated by Time Magazine, The Week, and Business Insider. He has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic Monthly, and the Financial Times. Eric is also a sought-after speaker and interview subject, and has been invited to speak at MIT, Yale, West Point, the University of Pennsylvania, NPR affiliates, and on morning television.

To Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: www.RyanHawk.net

www.LearningLeader.com 

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence:
  • Consistent habits and routines
  • Experiment
  • Evolve
  • Learn/Grow
  • Create a feedback loop
• Steve Martin -- "Being great isn't hard. Being consistent is." -- (Note: Watch the Steve Martin MasterClass) -- Meta principal for how people do things
  • "Hit the ball every time. It's hard."
• Eric started the blog in 2009 -- He read abstracts, academic research
  • He wanted to focus on things that were applicable to being awesome at life
• "The future is already here, it's just not evenly distributed."
• How he went from unemployed --> MBA in 2009 --> Screenwriter in Hollywood for Disney, Fox --> Successful blog/book
• Advice to people who have a side hustle: "It's a hard road. Give 1 hour per day to it. If you really want to do it, there will be trade offs. You have to measure how you will spend your time and what's important to you."
• Book writing vs Blog writing -- Book = 5 days per week working on. Blog = 2 days per week.
• How can we find work life balance? -- "It did not previously exist for me."
  • How to say NO like Warren Buffett
• Networking -- Who you know is very important... However there is a tradeoff and extroverts waste time "at the water cooler"
• Nice guys, Givers... There is a tight rope between confidence and delusion
  • There is a problem: "Nobody likes narcissism and hubris, but some confident people have those qualities."
• When is it a good idea to quit?
  • "It's unrealistic to never quit. We quit things all the time. Show GRIT on the things that are important to you."
• Make little bets -- Read Little Bets by Peter Sims
• Learning Leader = Humility

"People love having choices... But people hate making choices."

Social Media:

• Read: Barking Up The Wrong Tree
• Follow Eric on Twitter: @bakadesuyo
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

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 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode #218: David Hornik - Why Givers Win

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence:
  • Great story-tellers -- Every message is better told as a story
  • Great sales people
• Why generous people win in the long run -- David is naturally generous
• He answers every email
• VC's invest in people more than investing in a product
• The story of Danny Shader and their daughters' soccer team
  • The many conversations which led to working together after Danny initially turned David down because he thought he was "too nice" -- Why he was wrong
• The aspect of the job that David doesn't like -- Narcissistic people - "You don't have to be that way"
• "In the long run, doing the things you like, with the people you like, will be better"
• What percentage of your job do you love? -- "North of 80% of it. I've been doing this for 17 years. You have to do it with people you enjoy. If not, it's terrible."
• Do you have a boss? -- "Not really"
• How to handle a bad loss? -- "We lost $35m at one point. A lot of sleepless nights. It was very hard. This business is not all about succeeding."
• Why doesn't David use hard end dates on his term sheets like all other VC's? "Investing is a big decision."
• How to differentiate from other VC's?
  • Money is all the same, does not differentiate
  • "It's about help, guidance. I tell them to speak with every person I've ever worked with. Ask them what they think."
  • "I genuinely care about people I work with"
• "The Lobby" -- David's annual conference -- "The best values from conferences are the relationships with other attendees."
  • Do work outside at a table in Hawaii -- It promotes better work
  • Best advice for hosting and event?  "Maniacally curate the guest list. It has to be full of givers. If takers are there, it won't work."
  • Start the conference with a fun game
  • Do NOT gather in conference rooms (Hence the name "The Lobby") - The best conversations happen during the breaks in the lobby
  • Goal is to break even on the event. The budget is more than $1m -- Get sponsors, the guests all pay
• "The goal in life is to have a good time... To have a good life. What's the point otherwise?"
• "My goal is to surround myself with great people and enjoy my life. See what's out there if you don't like what you're doing."
• Making a lot of money... Impact? "If I make more, I can give more away."

217: JJ Redick - "You've Never Arrived. You're Always Becoming."

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

JJ Redick is an iconic and legendary basketball player from Duke University. He is their all time leading scorer.  JJ was the 11th overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft (Orlando Magic).  He's going in to his 12th NBA season.  He recently signed a 1 year, $23 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.  He graduated from Duke with a major in history and a minor in cultural anthropology. He is an extremely thoughtful leader and someone I loved talking to...

The Learning Leader Show

"There was never any sense that I was done accomplishing things. You've never arrived. You're always becoming."

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence:
  • Passion for what they do
    • Coach K has this at Duke, Steve Ballmer has this with Microsoft as well
  • They master the small stuff -- Read The Carrot Seed
    • Being in the weeds everyday
    • Diligence to be in the weeds
  • Adaptability
    • Coach K doesn't have a system. He adapts to his current players. It changes every year. Same is true for Bill Belichick and Greg Popovich
    • "How do I maximize this team's personnel?"
    • "Each year you have to adapt"
• The power of receiving a daily devotional 
• "There was never any sense that I was done accomplishing things."
• The importance of coaches, parents, and friends to never let JJ feel entitled. They would call him out if needed
  • 2nd half of the ACC championship when he was acting like a brat. Chris Collins called him out
• How do we develop GRIT in our children if we're able to provide anything they could ever want?
  • "The biggest thing I learned from my Dad was he went to work everyday. Then he came home and would work on the house, the yard, and work more. He showed me how to work."
  • Live under your means
  • "Stuff doesn't matter, we care more about having great experiences as a family"
• Falling Upward -  "to reach the second half of your journey, you need to fail" -- It's necessary
• Working in an imperfect environment -- "Mastering mechanics in an imperfect environment"
  • "You can't master it unless you've done it over and over and over"
    • "It's very rare that anyone works in a perfect environment" -- You must be able to adapt
• Mindset going in to free agency? "Wanted stability. Had 15 minutes to decide on the 76ers offer."
• Being an "over thinker."  "Addicted to information" -- How does that impact him as a shooter?
  • "I am addicted to information. I am a deep dive person."
• How to handle a slump? --"You have to enjoy the mundane. I love going in the gym and shooting over and over." (Angela Duckworth -- GRIT)
• Goal setting process -- Each year, write down a list of what you want to accomplish
  • Some examples: Win an NBA championship, get a sleeve (arm) tattoo, have a son, go on a great European vacation.
    • Setting life goals every year -- "How do we include other people on this journey?"
    • A "Words of Wisdom" file on his phone
• Life after basketball
  • General Manager in front office or creating a media company to tell interesting stories. Building something. Anthony Bourdain is the blueprint. He uses food to tell interesting stories
  • OR the idea of completely reinventing himself. "That idea is both terrifying and exciting at the same time."
  • "The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” 
• Building relationships and networks in a variety of places
• Working with and learning from LeBron James and Maverick Carter

"The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” 

Social Media:

• Read: The Carrot Seed 
• See why over 280,000 people follow JJ on Twitter: @JJRedick 
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

More Learning:

Episode 073: Jay Bilas - World Class ESPN Basketball Broadcaster, Toughness, Fixing The NCAA

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

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Callaway Golf. We have partnered to give away The #1 selling Driver in 2017.  The Callaway GBB Epic Driver.  This club is valued at $499 and we are giving one away to a loyal listener of the show.  To enter the drawing: Tweet (or post on Instagram) a favorite leadership quote from an episode of The Learning Leader Show and tag/@ me on Twitter or Instagram.

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

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence:
  • Never go to a meeting without writing down 5 questions prior to the meeting
  • Always follow up the meeting with at least a page of notes -- Share those with your mentor
• What made you say yes to The Learning Leader Show after 2 1/2 years?
  • It requires intense focus to prepare
  • This is a teaching moment
  • Only say yes if it's going to be impactful. The team determined this show was the right place to do that
• Always ask yourself -- "How can I make myself useful to the world?"
  • This was advice originally given to him by Peter Drucker
• A great teacher can change your life in 30 seconds -- Peter Drucker did that for Jim
• "I am constitutionally unemployable" -- Why Jim feels this about himself
• His curiosity has led to the success and most importantly... Great questions like:
  • How to turn something into an enduring great company?
  • How someone or a company can go from Good To Great?
• Jim most admired Peter Drucker when he was 35 years old...
  • The story of their first meeting and how Peter was the curious one... Kept peppering Jim with questions to start the conversation (much like Jim did to me to start this conversation)
  • "The ultimate zen master with bamboo stick"
• Drucker - "It seems to me that you spend a lot of time worrying if you will survive. You probably will survive. You seem to focus a lot on the question, "how to be successful?" That is the wrong question. The right question is "How to be useful?"
• What would it have cost Jim to not publish Good To Great after he finished the manuscript? -- More than $100m.  He had to get it out in the world.  He felt it was his responsibility to do so...
• Another great mentor said to Jim... "When seeking an entrepreneurial path... Cut off all other options and GO."
• "Everything is driven by by questions"
• Can a good company become a great company? How?
• Level 5 Leader
  • Starts with confronting the brutal facts
  • Personal humility and professional will
  • Not what, but who -- Get the right people on the bus
• Does not happen in one fell swoop or a leap. It happens over time. Flywheel -- Create momentum
• Understand the hedgehog concept -- An expert in one thing... Knows it very well
  • 3 Parts of the Hedgehog concept
    • Deeply passionate about it
    • Encoded for it... You're really good at it. An expert
    • Economically, you can make money from it
• Level 5 Leaders:
  • What cause do I serve?
  • Humility to serve... It's not about them
  • Willful -- Able to make difficult decisions
• For the best Level 5 Leaders... How do they sustain it?
  • It's easier for them because they understand their personal hedgehog -- It helps them remain renewed after many years
• "Measured Risk" vs. "Burn The Boats"
  • Fire Bullets... Then Cannon Balls
    • For Jim, this was his first two books + his time as a professor at Stanford before he decided to leave to start his own company
• You must navigate your path.  It doesn't mean you take unfounded risk... Fire bullets first, then cannonballs
  • "If you never fire a cannonball, you'll never make it.
• "BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)
  • How to write a good one?
  • Take calibrated, calculated risk --
  • Have things to keep you alive even if everything goes wrong
    • Productive Paranoia
• Validation - What are points of success you can look to?
  • Jim's wife Joann committing to winning an Ironman race... She was a consultant at the time.  She was also a runner. She tried biking and was very good at it.  Eventually she practiced, took measured risks, and won the Ironman race
• "If you were a trial attorney and had to win the case, what evidence would you use?"
• The Flywheel principle and putting it to use for Jeff Bezos and the Amazon team -- How could they build momentum? After Jim met with Jeff Bezos and his leadership team in 2001, Amazon executives were elated; according to several members of the team at the time, they felt that, after five years, they finally understood their own business.Most important for young leaders -- Jim's advice
• "FIRST WHO, THEN WHAT?"
  • Who do you want to mentor you? Who do you want to mentor?
  • Who do you want to be your friends? Who do you want to work with? Who do you want to spend time with?
  • The most important question is WHO
  • You don't need to answer WHAT until you answer WHO

"The most important question is WHO. First WHO, then WHAT. 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."

Social Media:

• Read: Good To Great
• Read: Great By Choice
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• More Learning:

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

  Episode 071: NateBoyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

  Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

  Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

  Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

  The Learning Leader Show is supported by Callaway Golf. We have partnered to give away The #1 selling Driver in 2017.  The Callaway GBB Epic Driver.  This club is valued at $499 and we are giving one away to a loyal listener of the show.  To enter the drawing: Tweet (or post on Instagram) a favorite leadership quote from an episode of The Learning Leader Show and tag/@ me on Twitter or Instagram.

  To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

Jim Collins is a student and teacher of leadership and what makes great companies tick. Having invested a quarter century of research into the topic, he has authored or co-authored six books that have sold in total more than ten million copies worldwide. They include: GOOD TO GREAT, the #1 bestseller, which examines why some companies and leaders make the leap to superior results, along with its companion work GOOD TO GREAT AND THE SOCIAL SECTORS; the enduring classic BUILT TO LAST, which explores how some leaders build companies that remain visionary for generations; HOW THE MIGHTY FALL, which delves into how once-great companies can self-destruct; and most recently, GREAT BY CHOICE, which is about thriving in chaos – why some do, and others don’t – and the leadership behaviors needed in a world beset by turbulence, disruption, uncertainty, and dramatic change.

Episode 215: Chris Fussell -- How To Build A Team of Teams (One Mission)

Chris Fussell is a Partner at the McChrystal Group Leadership Institute. He is the author of One Mission: How Leaders Build a Team of Teams, and a co-author of the New York Times bestseller Team of Teams, the first book in the series. He was commissioned as a Naval Officer in 1997 and spent the next 15 years on U.S. Navy SEAL Teams around the globe. He then served as Aide-de-Camp to Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal during McChrystal’s final year commanding a Joint Special Operations Task Force fighting Al Qaeda around the globe.

Since leaving active duty in 2012, Fussell has also served as a Senior Fellow for National Security at New America, sits on the Board of Directors for the Navy SEAL Foundation, is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and teaches at Yale University’s Jackson Institute.

Episode 215: Chris Fussell -- How To Build A Team of Teams (One Mission)

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Remember, your position has little formal authority but massive reach. For many of the organizations we interact with, their entire opinion of our organization will be shaped off the tone of your emails, the courtesy you give their staff, and the respect you show for their Mission." -- General Stanley McChrystal speaking to Chris Fussell immediately following him becoming his Aide-De-Camp

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence:
  • A constant intellectual curiosity
• The interview process to become General McChrystal's Aide-De-Camp
  • A unique window to get that exposure
  • McChrystal trusted that if Chris wasn't qualified, then he wouldn't have been nominated
  • Career goals --> Family situation (could it handle Chris working 24/7 for a year? --> What would Chris enjoy about it?
  • What sealed Chris earning the job?  Chris being incredibly curious about wanting to fully understand how the organization runs at a high level.  General McChrystal loved that about Chris
• "It was one of the hardest years of my career"
  • It was intense but the exposure was phenomenal
• "If we've hit a point for 24 hours where we aren't questioning something, or there is no friction, then something is wrong"
• How to handle issues at UBER?
  • "The issue is putting too much on to 1 person. It's not about 1 heroic leader. There needs to be a cultural shift.  They need to create a leadership culture."
• Operating Rhythm -- John Heisman 1899: The hurry up offense.  Just because you have a 40 second play clock, doesn't mean you have to use all of it.
  • Chris and team were on a 24 hour operating rhythm.  They re-synchronized every 24 hours.  Had to have a flexible approach to handle the enemy.
    • A sense of shaped consciousness
• Chris Zook
  • An aversion to bureaucracy
  • Front line obsession
• Transparency of communication model
  • Senior leaders remain in close contact with issues on the ground without having to put out all of the fires
    • Hybrid model layered into it --> Interconnected model
• McChrystal's advice to Chris when he first got the job: "Remember, your position has little formal authority but massive reach. For many of the organizations we interact with, their entire opinion of our organization will be shaped off the tone of your emails, the courtesy you give their staff, and the respect you show for their Mission."
• Chris's career advice:
  • Don't think about money/industry -- Think what matters most to you? Lifestyle -- Coaching little league or being a high level CEO?  Where do you want to be in 5 years? Where do you want to live? Do you want to raise a family? Important to map all of that out and build a profession around those goals.
  • Chris also teaches at Yale and does this exercise
    • Write a letter to yourself -- What type of leader do you want to be in 5 years? Map out your goals

"It's a cultural shift. A development of a leadership culture is needed." -- Chris Fussell discussing the changes he would make at UBER

Social Media:

• Follow Chris on Twitter: @FussellChris
• Read: One Mission: How Leaders Build A Team Of Teams
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

More Learning:

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

Episode 071: NateBoyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Callaway Golf. We have partnered to give away The #1 selling Driver in 2017.  The Callaway GBB Epic Driver.  This club is valued at $499 and we are giving one away to a loyal listener of the show.  To enter the drawing: Tweet (or post on Instagram) a favorite leadership quote from an episode of The Learning Leader Show and tag/@ me on Twitter or Instagram.

Episode 214: Jason Calacanis - How To Turn $100,000 Into $100,000,000 (Angel Investing)

Jason Calacanis is a technology entrepreneur and an angel investor. The founder of a series of conferences that bring entrepreneurs together with potentials investors, he was a scout for top-tier Silicon Valley venture capital firm Sequoia Capital and frequently appears in the media. He is the author of a new book, Angel: How To Invest In Technology Startups - Timeless Advice From An Angel Investor Who Turned $100,000 into $100,000,000.

Episode 214: Jason Calacanis - How To Turn $100,000 Into $100,000,000 (Angel Investing)

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"I don't need to know if your product will succeed.  I need to know if you will succeed."

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence/Key Traits in the greatest Founders
  • Craftsmanship -- Making something, having attention to detail, understanding the why
  • Passion
  • Intentionality
  • Thoughtful - Do they know why they do what they do
• As an investor, you need to ask short questions
  • "Small Mouth, Big Ears" -- LISTEN. Let the founder talk
• Are they a missionary or a mercenary? Need to know
  • Why are they doing this?
  • They need to understand that it is really hard
• Self awareness is a must -- Jason knows that he is a compulsive gambler. He has a risk taking approach. He likes having an edge.
  • But he also has "tilt control." He knows when to lay down a big hand (poker speak for when you have a big hand but still know it's not enough)
  • You need to know who you are and what you enjoy
• "I love being the guy cutting a check for a founder that nobody else believes in"
  • "I win about once in every 40 investments. I was a poor kid from Brooklyn and now I'm extremely wealthy"
• "I found a casino called Silicon Valley"
• "There are a lot of really dumb people who are fabulously wealthy in Silicon Valley"
• "Investing in this market is like being dealt the Ace of Spades"
• Winning big poker hands against Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth
• Jason covered Travis Kalanick while he was at Scour
• When Travis showed him Uber, Jason immediately said, "Can I invest?"
• Were some of the qualities that led to Travis and Uber's success also what led to the problems?
  • He has a fighter mentality. That's why he's been so successful. It's a fair question to ask if that's what has led to these problems as well...
  • Sometimes you have to take a step back and analyze what's happening
  • Getting from A to B, you need to fight.  Going from B to C, you need empathy
• How do you get paid as an Angel Investor?
  • Go public -- IPO
  • Secondary Shares -- Company buys back shares from early investors (this happened for Jason with Facebook)
  • Company is bought -- WhatsApp, Oculus, Instagram -- Get cash/stock
• Investing practices
  • How much of your bankroll do you put in play?
  • Build a network -- Technology is the future
• Ways that everyone can invest
  • Syndicates
  • Angel List
  • Seed Invest

Social Media:

• See why over 286,000 people follow Jason on Twitter: @Jason
• Read: Angel - How To Invest In Technology Startups - Timeless Advice From An Angel Investor Who Turned $100,000 Into $100,000,000
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

More Learning:

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

Episode 071: NateBoyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Leader" for 15% off.  Rhone... premium activewear engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man.  Rhone builds clothing around 3 main tenants: Cutting-edge Performance, Premium Comfort, and Simplistic Style.

Episode 213: Ryan Holiday - How To Make Work That Lasts (Perennial Seller)

This is Round 3 with best-selling author, entrepreneur, and renowned marketing strategist, Ryan Holiday. If you'd like to listen to our first conversation, go HERE.  If you'd like to check out the second one, go HERE. Brian Koppelman (screenwriter & director: Rounders, Ocean’s Thirteen and Billions) once said, “I don’t have many rules in life, but one I never break is: If Ryan Holiday writes a book, I read it as soon as I can get my hands on it.” I agree.  And I love every opportunity I have to speak with and learn from Ryan Holiday. I'm thankful that he sent me an advanced copy of his newest book, Perennial Seller. And if you care about making work that lasts, I urge you to read it.

Episode 213: Ryan Holiday - How To Make Work That Lasts (Perennial Seller)

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Give, Give, Give, Give... Build Karmic Debt."

Show Notes:

• Sustained Excellence = Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick embracing Obstacle Is The Way and Ego Is The Enemy
• How to build something that is "timeless"
  • When you build your home, are you thinking about how it will look in 10 years
  • When you cut your hair or wear an outfit, do you think about how it will look years later in pictures?
• Why write Perennial Seller?
  • It's important not to dive in until you have a path
  • Always think, "How do I make this last?"
  • "Literary greatness is 10 years or more"
  • "I have to follow my own advice"
• Platform
  • How Kevin Hart built his platform (and email list) every night while on stage
  • People need to think about how they are building their platform long before they launch
  • Kevin Kelly -- 1,000 true fans
  • Who are you launching to?
  • "Kevin Hart was knocked on his ass. He would go to cities where he didn't have fans to build up his platform and email list. This was before he was famous."
  • "People want to have a platform, but they don't want to build a platform."
    • You must build it through giving
    • Ryan Holiday built his email list to 81,000 by recommending books.  He recommended 1,000 books before he asked anyone to buy one of his.
• "Give, Give, Give, Give... Build Karmic Debt." -- The world is not zero sum
• The success of Eric Barker and his book Barking Up The Wrong Tree. He built his email list up to 300,000 people by blogging/writing regularly for years. He gave for free, provided value. His book sold many and became a best seller because he built his platform.
• Jeff Bezos -- "Focus on the things that do not change." - Zoom in on something timeless.
• "It starts by wanting to create a classic." -- Robert Greene
• How do we avoid falling for the seduction of short term notability to focus on long term success?
  • The "Lindy Effect" -- Nasim Taleb
• The Obstacle Is The Way sold 3,000 books the first week, then steadily sold more. Now it sells about 1,000 a week.
• "What are you making and who are you making it for?"
• "Marketing is not separate, it's part of the puzzle."
• Ryan discusses still receiving "hate" for Trust Me I'm Lying
• Idea --> Execution. Casey Neistat "I don't want to hear about your best idea. The idea is the easy part."
• Writing Routines -- Why Ryan started studying the routines of other great writers
  • "You have to have a routine. You must treat this creative profession like a profession"
  • Being very descriptive with the work
• Why being in great physical shape is "part of the job"
  • You should do some form of strenuous exercise every single day
  • Seinfeld -- Chain method. Put an X on the calendar every day for exercise
  • Discipline: Doing it even when you don't feel good. You have to get up and do it

"People want to have a platform, but they don't want to build it."

Social Media:

• See why over 190,000 people follow Ryan on Twitter: @RyanHoliday
• Read: Perennial Seller
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

More Learning:

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

Episode 071: NateBoyer - Green Beret, Texas Football, The NFL

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Leader" for 15% off.  Rhone... premium activewear engineered with principle, performance and progress for the modern man.  Rhone builds clothing around 3 main tenants: Cutting-edge Performance, Premium Comfort, and Simplistic Style.