Episode 202: Jenny Blake - Pivot - What Do You Do When Your Back Is Against The Wall?

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The Learning Leader Show

"What do you do when your back is against the wall?"

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
  • Great listeners -- Not just doing
  • Getting the right people in the right seats on the bus
  • Design thinking -- Empathy interviews
• Common problem with CEO's? -- They surround themselves with people who only agree with them and fear disagreeing with them
  • Requires listening and a culture shift
• Why Jenny left Google
• Taking a leave of absence to write a book -- The impact that had on Jenny
• FONT - "Fear Of Not Trying"
• The process of uprooting her life and moving to NYC
• What do you do when your back is up against the wall?
  • Think of a basketball player -- "It's not a 180... it's a pivot."
• "High Net Growth Individuals" -- People always looking to improve, grow, learn...
• Advice to others -- Don't worry too much on a formal business plan or thinking too far in advance.  You can't predict it.
• 4 Stage Pivot Method:
  • Plant - Strengths
  • Scan - People, Skills, Projects, Target
  • Pilot - Test. Like a pilot episode of a TV show -- 3 E's - Enjoy, Expert, Expand
  • Launch
• Taking measured risks -- Great originals take measured risks (don't have to "burn the boats")
• Mentors -- "Friend-tors"
  • Don't ask a mentor, "How can I help you?" -- Come up with a list of ideas for them and give them away. Proactively help without them asking
• "You can navigate uncertainty. We're always doing this."
• Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
• "Befriend your fear. It's trying to help you based on old scripts."
• What % of your job do you dislike?
• The importance of mediation -- Headspace App
• Gamification -- Daily To Do List

"What does success look like a year from now?"

Continue Learning:

• Follow Jenny on Twitter: @jenny_blake
• Read: Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

You may also like these episodes:

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

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - 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

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Jenny Blake on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" 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 201: Peter Mallouk - #1 Financial Advisor In America: Tony Robbins Business Partner

The Learning Leader Show

"I was not the greatest student, but I loved learning." - Peter Mallouk on why he earned 4 undergrad degrees, an MBA, a JD, and a CFP

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
  • Realize there is a recipe: Like baking a cake
  • Bring incremental value
  • Energy
  • Discipline to do it over and over and over
• Why start his business?  Was uncomfortable just doing Estate planning and working with unethical people
• Key to success
  • Great early hires helped propel Creative Planning
• Time management tips
  • Focuses on doing what he enjoys most - Spending time with clients and employees, not pointless meetings
• "My #1 job is to be the best option for our clients as an advisor.  I spend 99% of my time with clients and employees."
• "I loathe meetings and seminars"
• Key to all of the awards?
  • "Money follows value" -- In 2008/2009, people started looking for another financial advisor
• "We are very good at taking someone good and help make them great"
• Interview process:
  • They receive over 100 job applications per week
  • Resume screen all
  • Pick the 5 best and do a phone screen
  • Bring the best of those 100 (1 person typically) for an in person interview
  • Meet with 6 different people
  • Within the first 30 days, it still feels like an interview "We throw the ball and they better catch it, it's hard."
  • Qualities needed:
    • Education
    • Ability to be detail oriented
    • Great communicator
    • Must be task oriented ("We can't make them be this, they need to have it")
    • Make sure they can meet the clients needs
• How the Tony Robbins relationship started -- Peter informed Tony that he didn't fully understand what he was talking about (in regards to money)
• "Tony got pissed off and wrote Money: Master The Game..."
• What to look for in a business?
  • "Find something that is idiot proof because at some point an idiot will be running the company"
• The keys to look for in a financial advisor
  • Independent - Gets paid the same on every investment no matter what
• What response has Peter received from other financial advisors?
  • "It has been negative.  I'm okay if they don't like me.  I'm competing against them, I don't expect us to all get along."

Continue Learning:

• Follow Peter on Twitter: @PeterMallouk 
• Read: Unshakeable - Your Financial Freedom Playbook 
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

You may also like these episodes:

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

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - 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

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Peter Mallouk on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" 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 200: AJ Hawk & Keith Hawk - Showing Up, Doing The Work, Earning Trust, Helping Others, Winning The Super Bowl, Celebrating #200

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"I've always been obsessed with being accountable to the people around me.  I have to be there for them."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Common themes of great coaches/leaders:
  • A vividly clear picture of what success looks like
  • Mission/Vision -- Habits built
  • Give coaching feedback
  • Look to help them "My success can only follow the success of others"
  • Show up -- Be there
  • (AJ) They are authentic
  • Clearly communicate -- Jim Tressel was great at this, never had to yell
• Bad bosses/coaches:
  • When they don't know what to do, they just yell
  • They lose the principle that their job is to help people
  • They only focus on numbers and not their people
• Being retired
  • "It doesn't mean what it used to"
  • "I now have the freedom to work on only what I want to..."
  • "I like not being on someone else's schedule"
• Key to quickly earning respect from peers?
  • "Be seen, not heard."
  • "Be accountable to your peers/teammates. Always show up, be consistent."
• Must find a way to do the important "people" things and not just get caught up in the day to day tasks
• What do you miss?
  • All of the people used to see daily
• Micro-Coaching
  • The act of coaching others on the small details that lead to sustained excellence. The importance of doing this on a regular basis. Make it a habit
• Thoughts as a parent
  • "My job to take you to the door, but it's up to you to go through it and thrive."
  • "You need to compete as much as possible... That creates adversity, which is healthy for a kid."
  • (AJ) "I almost feel like we have to create adversity... We don't want our kids to be spoiled."
• (To AJ) How will you handle it when your daughter Googles you and sees that you signed a 36 million dollar contract?
• Creating appreciation for your kids -- Making them earn what they get
  • Recommend your kids spend time around those are who less fortunate so they know how lucky they are
• What do you hope others say about you?
  • (Keith) - "That I helped them."  "My success can only follow the success of others."  "That I was full of integrity, honest, trustworthy."
  • (AJ) - "Accountable to others, that I was a guy who made other people feel good.  That they never had to question me and whether I would be where I was supposed to be.  That I showed up."
• When people say "Man, it must be sad that AJ is done with football!" -- Not the case at all.  So grateful that it happened.
  • "Don't cry because it's over.  Smile because it happened."

"Always be there.  Show up. Don't delegate important tasks, be there.  Don't say no if you can say yes.  You have to earn trust."

Continue Learning:

• Follow AJ on Twitter: @OfficialAJHawk
• Read: Get Real Selling by Keith Hawk
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

You may also like these episodes:

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

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - 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

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing AJ Hawk and Keith Hawk on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" 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 199: John Kralik - The Power of Gratitude (A Simple Act of Gratitude)

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Until you are grateful for what you have, you won't get what you want."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
  • Being grateful for what you have will lead to continued excellence
• How his second divorce impacted him: "The second time around, it's your fault"
• The power of writing thank you notes -- Learned from his grandfather
• "Until you are grateful for what you have, you won't get what you want."
• Writing one thank you note per day for one year
• "When you're negative, you're angry."
• His thank you note to his son prompted his son to take him out to lunch... What happened next? Life changing
• "He took out an envelope and paid me back $4,000 that he owed me." - 
• Writing all of your employees thank you notes: Why you should do this but most don't
• "Instead of being mad about my bad clients, I started thanking my good ones." -- The impact this had on John's business was immense
• "It turns out the one thing I had to be grateful for was my 8 year old daughter." -- "She loved this awful little apartment we lived in"
• "There are so many things to be grateful for"
• "When things don't go well, stay positive, stay grateful... Good things WILL happen"
• How to shift a negative mindset? -- Use a pen, write it out. Write thank you notes.  Use gratitude journals.  Trying to find out the person's address without asking them is part of the fun and the surprise.
• John has written over 1,100 thank you notes since starting this process
• Focus on the people supporting you everyday.  Say thank you
• How to write a great thank you note? -- John describes:
  • 4 Sentences
  • Always start with "thank you"
  • Recognize the gift (or whatever they've done that's created your gratitude)
  • Write one true sentence -- Why you're grateful
  • Tell that person what they mean to you
• Listen as John reads a thank you note he wrote to his daughter (you might cry).

Continue Learning:

• Read: A Simple Act of Gratitude 
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

You may also like these episodes:

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

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - 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

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing John Kralik on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by Rhone.  Use the code "Hawk" 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 198: Ian Robertson - The Winner Effect AND How Stress Can Make You Better

Subscribe on iTunes  or Stitcher Radio

The Learning Leader Show

"Success breeds success.  The mere act of winning makes it more likely you'll win again."

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:
  • Ability to set goals -- Not too big but not too easy
  • Self belief -- Self Confidence
• Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic motivation
• There will always be someone better than you.  The focus should be on improving your own self
• Why Elon Musk and Steve Jobs transcend the norms
  • "A lot of people suffered in Steve Jobs desire to build those products"
  • Steve and Elon are anomalies, not the norm
• "To be #1 in the industry is NOT a good goal"
• What happens to lottery winners a year later? -- "Ashes in your mouth"
• How the brain is complex
• What it means to be a bad dad -- Pablo Picasso
• "Success conveys power... Power changes your brain.  It creates narcissism"
• Bad Dad's "hide the ladder."  They get up the tree, then do not show others how they got there.
  • "Keep a ladder down for others"
  • "They must see that it's not God Like... That they can do it"
• Study: Kids -- Those who believe they can do better and influence their IQ, do better in school.
  • With fixed mindset, failure hurts the ego
• How can stress make you stronger?
  • Tiger Woods example -- Being nervous before a competition is a good thing (with the right mindset)
• If you have a big presentation and you say to yourself, "I'm nervous." You'll do worse than if you say "I'm really excited."
• Adopting a challenge mindset, visualizing the reward
  • "Create a challenge mindset"
• If you're nervous, don't say "I feel calm." That's not true and your brain knows it.  Instead, say "I'm excited."  Use that energy for good.
• Using the Joe Buck "So What" method -- It can help with irrational fear of disapproval
• Can too much happiness be bad for you? -- Yes, over protecting our children can be bad.  They need to experience adversity.
• "Leaders by definition have to have a vision."

"Success conveys power... Power changes your brain."

Continue Learning:

• Follow Ian on Twitter: @ihrobertson
• Read: The Winner Effect
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

You may also like these episodes:

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

Episode 071: Nate Boyer - 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

Did you enjoy the podcast?

If you enjoyed hearing Ian Robertson on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

The Learning Leader Show is supported by FreshBooks: FreshBooks is offering a 30 day, unrestricted free trial to my listeners. To claim it, just go to FreshBooks.com/Learning and enter LEARNING LEADER in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.