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Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12

Ryan Serhant is a real estate broker, CEO, and founder of SERHANT. He's a bestselling author, producer, and star of Bravo's Million Dollar Listing New York and Sell It Like Serhant. He led the #1 ranked (in sales volume) real estate team in New York City in 2019 with just under $1.45 Billion in sales.

Notes:

• His mantra is: "Expansion. Always in all ways."
  • It's about growth.
• Work to find your own brand and mantra -- It must be honest and genuine for you.
• A learning exercise for you to do: A "self-audit." Ask your friends and colleagues, "When I'm not around and you're describing me to others, what do you say?"
  • Find friends who are willing to be honest with you to better understand what you're known for... If you don't like it, work to change it.
  • Ryan Serhant was known as the guy who kept his hands in his pockets and couldn't look you in the eye. He needed to change that.
• "Your perception to others is your reputation and your brand."
• "Fake it til you make it" is not useful...
  • Instead, Ryan sold the TV producers at Bravo the person and the real estate broker he would become...
  • "When Tom Brady got drafted in the 6th round, he told the owner, 'That's the best decision you've ever made.' Tom Brady truly believed that. I believed I would become the best real estate agent in the world."
  • "I didn't show them who I was in the moment, I showed them who I could become."
• Pivotal moment - Ryan went to the top selling agent in his office and said, "Man, how are you doing this, can you teach me?" And the agent said to Ryan, "Na man, I ain't telling you shit." Ryan thought, "Wow. I'm going to have to figure this out on my own. This guy is threatened by me."
• The New York City market - "It's cut throat. I went there for theater school, and stayed because, 'I would rather regret the things I did, than what I thought about doing and didn't do."
• Ryan depends on a routine to be productive. It is:
  • "I wake up at 4:00am. In the gym by 5:00. 6:00 shower. Baby time at 7:00. First meeting at 7:30. I figure I wake up three hours earlier than most people. If you multiple that 3 hours times 365 days, I get on average 30 more days per year than others. I like my odds with 30 extra days."
• Discipline is critical - "Of course I'm tired in the morning, but I get up and do it anyway. People need to do more things that could better their lives. Do the things within your control." It's harder, but worth it.
• How has becoming a dad changed Ryan?
  • "My wife says it's being a male nester. I worked harder and worked more while she was pregnant. I want to be the provider for my family. My daughter has made everything bigger."
  • What about balance? "I have no balance. I'm lucky I found a partner who understands my drive and work ethic."
• What to say to those who don't like him because of the self-promotion?
  • "I'm a real estate broker. I'm a salesman. The difference with me is I don't hide it. Our job is to promote our success so that we can get the next listing."
• Building confidence:
  • "People who spend millions on real estate don't lack confidence. They want a broker who is confident too."
• Big Money Energy:
  • "It's a unique set of qualities that every successful, confident person has..."
  • Code #1: "When you can't change your circumstance, there's one thing you can change. Your energy. I sell a transfer of energy. Of excitement."
• Energy
  • "Develop magnetism so others want to be around you. How? Ask questions, be interested in them, listen to their responses, create friendships instead of clients."
  • "Shift your mindset -- What is your why? What's the wall you're fighting against? -- "I had no money and no connections in NYC. I rode the Subway crying that I couldn't even get a rental listing... That's my why."
• Commonality among excellence real estate brokers:
  • Must be very organized
  • Follow up is critical
  • Disciplined
  • Relentless work ethic
  • Empathetic - The ability to be excited or sad with a client.
• There are 3 types of sales people:
  • Car sales - pushes, thinks short term
  • Tour guide - Just points to stuff, never closes deals
  • Push & Pull - They work to get the deal done

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Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com

Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12

John Chambers served as Cisco’s CEO from 1995-2015 and Executive Chairman from 2015-2017. Cisco went from $70 million to $40 billion in annual revenue during his time.

Notes:

• When John was six years old, he went fishing with his Dad in Elk River, WV. He was told, "Don't get too close to the water, the current is strong and could pull you under."
  • John's curiosity got the best of him. He went too close and slipped, falling into the water. His dad ran towards the current as it was pulling John and yelled, "Just hold on to the fishing pole."
• Fortunately, John survived and was eventually pulled out of the water by his dad. His dad said, "Do you know why I told you to hold on to the fishing pole?
  • "Don't let panic set in. Focus on what you can control. Work your way to calmer waters." It's a great metaphor for life.
• When dealing with stress, hold on to the fishing pole.
• How to deal with fear and uncertainty?
  • "I had two parents that were doctors. They helped me a lot."
  • "They taught me not to waste cycles on things you cannot change. Focus on the future, deal with the world as it is, not as you wish it was."
• This is why John deliberately puts the leaders he leads in stressful situations.
  • "Under stress you learn who people are."
  • "With that said, I only coach leaders that want to be coached." -- If you don't want to be coached, you probably won't work with John Chambers.
• How did he earn the job as CEO of Cisco?
  • "My parents taught me that education is the equalizer in life. I was a professional student. I got three degrees. And was trained very well at IBM, even as an entry level employee."
  • "I decided to leave my job at Wang for the same reason that most people leave their jobs. My manager."
  • "I left prior to even discussing another job with someone else. I didn't feel it was right to be laying people off while looking for another job."
  • "I thought the job offers would roll in. They didn't. I initially had no job offers... And then I reached out to my friends and network and asked for help... I had 22 offers in 90 days. 21 of them from friends of mine. I learned that the golden rule is true. Treat others how you'd like to be treated and it will come back to you when you need it."
  • "How you treat people determines your brand."
• Relationships -- "I'm usually the best prepared for every meeting I'm in. That way, I can move with speed."
  • "The emotional part of relationships comes from my mom. She taught me how to connect with people."
  • "I love building extended family teams. My team at Cisco was my family. We had only 5% turnover while the market rate was 15%.
• How is John different from Jack Welch?
  • "I learned a lot of lessons from Jack. He sent his team from GE to benchmark us at Cisco. They took 22 ideas from us."
  • "Jack was great at quarterly business reviews, but he was very tough on his people."
  • "I tried not to embarrass the people on my team in front of one another. I like to praise in public and criticize in private. That was different from Jack."
• How did they successfully acquire 180 companies?
  • They developed great playbooks and implemented them.
• What John looks for in a company:
  • Do they have an excellent CEO who wants to be coached?
  • Can the company be #1 or #2 in their market?
  • Talk with customers and get a feel for the company from that vantage point
  • What is their culture?
• What John looks for in a leader:
  • A track record of overachieving
  • "I look at their leadership team. Can they build a great team? That speaks volumes about them."
  • Cultural match - "Our values need to match."
  • They understand the industry they're in
• Culture must be owned at the top:
  • "The CEO must own the culture. In every meeting, the CEO should point out an example of how someone is living their values."
• Why are off site leadership retreats so important?
  • "It allows you to develop relationships outside of the office environment. You can build in depth relationships, built on trust."
  • "The off sites helped us learn much more about one another."
  • Gustavo (a leader John works with) saw a grizzly bear. Later he said, "I've never been more scared or more alive."
  • "In the evenings, I ask for each person to give a toast and share a key learning."
    • "I look for teaching moments."
• Sales - A noble profession:
  • "We are all in sales. It's about connecting with people. I was with the King of Jordan and his wife (the Queen) was pregnant, I asked, "So King will you be in the room while your wife gives birth?" This was not something that was typically asked of the King. John did it as a way to connect and offer advice. "You need to be in that room. It's the most amazing moment." This is how John connects with others.
  • Sales is part of everything we do. You get rejected, have to bounce back, and keep going. "I once asked Steph Curry, 'do you think you're going to make every shot? Even if you've missed your last five?' 'Yes, he said.' Sales is like that, you have to believe in yourself to make the next one."
• Advice:
  • Never compromise your values
  • How you handle your setbacks with determine your life
  • Treat people like you want to be treated. Be kind.
  • Focus, but also relax. Don't be so uptight.

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Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12

Ryan Deiss is a best selling author, founder of multiple companies collectively employing hundreds around the globe. He is the founder and CEO of DigitalMarketer.com and Founder and Managing Partner of RivalBrands.com and plattr.com. Ryan is the creator of the “Customer Value Optimization” methodology and have introduced and popularized many of the digital selling strategies. He is also the founder and host of the Traffic & Conversion Summit, the largest digital marketing conversion conference in North America.

Notes:

• Commonalities of excellence:
  • They understand why they've made mistakes - they learn why they've failed.
  • They are purposeful about their decision making
• Appetite for risk:
  • "I have a very low appetite for risk."
  • "I value security."
• Must have qualities in a leader to hire on his team?
  • "I want them to not be like me." Need to have skills that compliment his...
    • Early on he hired people just like him. It was a mistake.
  • Consistency - Must show up.
  • A big heart - People who care about others and their work.
• Why writing is so important as a leader:
  • Like academics being peer reviewed. "It forces you to crystalize your own ideas."
    • "You need to say something new that hasn't been said before. And be willing to be criticized."
• Eugene Schwartz
  • Breakthrough Advertising =  one of the best books ever written on marketing
• The Awareness Levels:
  • Completely Unaware - They don't know they have a problem worth solving
  • Problem Aware - They sense they have a problem, but don't know there's a solution
  • Solution Aware - Know the results they want, but don't know your product provides it
  • Product Aware - Know what you sell, but aren't sure it's right for them
  • Most Aware - Repeat buyers and loyal customers who refer you to their friends
• How to make your leadership training better?
  • Acknowledge their problem is real. Make them feel heard...
  • Sell the soft. Speak into someone's reality.
  • Acknowledge the pain, offer a solution... "Outsourced Leadership Development"
• "Your service is a vehicle to a more desired result."
• Be the "transportation to transformation."
• Scaling beyond a personality driven business:
  • Get off the field, get in the owner's box. Productize yourself.
  • Build an asset.
  • Create ideas that travel - Have your version of 10 commandments on one single piece of paper
• Ryan has his "customer value journey" - The Customer Value Journey is about turning strangers into super-fans.
  • Redirect it into the artifact
  • Say "We" instead of "I"
  • Give it a name - The genius is in the artifact
• The Goal is a book on manufacturing about assembly lines. They identified weakest link and fixed it.
• The value of creating of having a big event like Traffic & Conversion Summit:
  • Create the place for others to go - It helps with branding, earning media, and the gathering spot for great people. It draws others to it.
  • You become the connector. The host of the party.
• Story is the leverage of persuasion:
  • Don't talk about yourself
  • Help others change the story they tell about themselves
• Marketing shouldn't stop at the order - Marketing should own the entirety of the customer journey.
  • Career wise - Get as close to the revenue as possible.
• Advice: Study old, rich, happy people.

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more...

Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com

Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12

Wendy Kopp is CEO and Co-founder of Teach For All, a global network of independent organizations that are developing collective leadership to ensure all children have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. Today, more than 6,000 Teach For America corps members—outstanding recent college graduates and professionals of all academic disciplines—are in the midst of two-year teaching commitments in over 50 urban and rural regions.

Notes:

• Jim Collins called Wendy “my entrepreneur for this decade.” He continued, “Her organization is truly an entrepreneurial creation that is out to utterly transform education. It’s taking an entrepreneurial, let’s-do-something approach to tackling a massive social problem.”
• Goal setting: It’s all about setting a goal that’s at the right intersection of ambitious and feasible.
• The #1 responsibility of a leader is to catalyze a clear and shared vision for the company and secure commitment to and vigorous pursuit of that vision.
• The differentiator is the “first WHO” principle. It’s what she’s learned. What is it that drives system change in education? “Jim thinks it’s the answer in corporate America, I think it is the difference in social change.”
• Wendy grew up in a bubble in Texas. She didn't realize the inequity and disadvantages to children born in different situations.
• At the end of her college years at Princeton, she wrote a 100+ page thesis. She narrowed down to 30 pages... And created a four page plan.
• She mailed her thesis to 30 executives in an effort to spread awareness and raise money
•  Everywhere she went, people said, "This is a great idea but college kids won't do this." Wendy was steadfast in her belief that they would...
• After the first year, Wendy found herself on stage speaking to 500 "Teach For America" teachers...
• The benefit of naivete:
  • "The world needs you before you become jaded by your experience."
•  "We need leaders to channel their energy in marginalized communities."
• What was the key to the first year growth? "It helped writing a plan. I sent 100 letters to potential donors and got rejected or ignored by 98 of them."
• You have to persevere and have conviction for the idea.
• Leadership - An idea that magnetizes people. People were drawn to Wendy's mission and purpose.
• Strategic Framework - What is your core purpose? The core values are what brings people together.
• Create a sense of mission - "You need to enable a diverse group of people. Articulate it and make it possible for others to engage."
  • Recruit people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Diversity is very important.
• Why did Wendy do this instead of take a job that would pay well?
  • "I knew myself well. I knew that whatever I did, I would throw myself at it 24/7. I wanted to have a bigger impact on the world."
• "What keeps me at it? I started gaining the sense of responsibility for so many others."
• How Teach For America helped Washington D.C.
  • "I met with so many civic leaders who said, 'We've tried everything and it won't work.' DC was 2 years behind Harlem from an educational perspective with their public schools." Washington DC was completely transformed by Teach For America and now has one of the better public school districts in America.
• How is she so humble?
  • "I realize we're going to get so much wrong."
  • Must learn from what goes wrong and improve moving forward
• What are some "must-have" leadership qualities?
  • Look at what people have accomplished
  • How have you managed through challenges?
  • People who are passionate about the purpose
  • People who live into the values
  • Optimism
  • Commitment to diversity and inclusiveness
• What's currently exciting?
  • Seeing the leadership effects in others from Pakistan to Peru
  • The power of locally rooted leadership
• Commonalities of leader who sustain excellence:
  • Put impact first... Ahead of career ambitions
  • Solve problems
  • Perseverance
  • Optimism
  • Humility - Constantly learning
  • Act on conviction
• What does Wendy do for fun?
  • Runs and listens to books while running. Which books?
    • Human Kind by Rutger Bregman
    • Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux
• Life advice:
  • "Solve as early as possible."
  • "Do not put off your passion until after you've had a job for a few years."
  • "Don't think you have to start something new." Look for others who are doing it and join them...