Podcast appearances and mentions of jan rutherford

In this episode of Start With a Win, host Adam Contos dives into the depths of leadership with Jan Rutherford, a former Green Beret turned executive coach and entrepreneur. Together, they explore the profound parallels between leading in the wilderness and leading in the boardroom, uncovering the traits that define exceptional leaders. With vivid stories from battlefields and boardrooms alike, Jan shares insights on resilience, decision-making under pressure, and the delicate balance between self-reliance and team accountability. If you've ever faced overwhelm or wondered how to lead with clarity and purpose in the face of adversity, this episode is a must-listen. Don't miss the chance to discover the secrets to building unshakable teams and unlocking your full leadership potential.Jan Rutherford is an executive coach, keynote speaker and a former Green Beret. He is the founder of Self-Reliant Leadership® where he leads Crucible® wilderness expeditions with executives and veterans. He's the co-host of The Leadership Podcast, has online courses on LinkedIn, Skillsoft, and Udemy, and is the author of “The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership.” His next book, “Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader: How Grit and Disciplined Duty Forge Indomitable Teams,” will be out in the Summer of 2024. ⚡️FREE RESOURCE:

In this episode, Women Leadership in the New Year, Jan Rutherford, founder of Crucible Expeditions and co-host of The Leadership Podcast, shares insights from his experiences leading leadership expeditions with veterans and executives, including a powerful reflection on an all-women's expedition. Jan explores how self-awareness, personal responsibility, and team dynamics play out differently across genders and the unique strengths women bring to leadership roles. This conversation dives into the challenges and opportunities women leaders face in shaping organizational culture, driving meaningful change, and stepping confidently into leadership in the year ahead.

Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford discuss what makes a great leadership book including the value of storytelling in making concepts relatable for the audience. They also discuss the importance of evidence-based concepts, and the significance of lasting and practical advice that transcends time. The best leadership books aren't necessarily leadership books. “The books that help you most are those which make you think the most. The hardest way of learning is that of easy reading. But a great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep braided with truth and beauty. ” —  Pablo Neruda      Key Takeaways [02:06] Jim and Jan discuss what makes a great leadership book, preferring evidence-based works over parables. Jim values data-driven insights, while Jan appreciates storytelling for its lasting impact, noting that different styles resonate with different readers. [06:18] They both share that a great leadership book should offer practical, timeless advice, with a preference for shorter, more digestible formats. [12:49] Jim and Jan discuss how to write impactful leadership books. They said Jennifer Garvey Berger found success by simplifying her content and making it more engaging. They emphasize the importance of practical advice, real-world applications, and effective storytelling. They also appreciate niche topics that offer fresh insights, like Valerie Friedland's work on linguistics.  [17:13] They both highlight the need to balance employee and employer perspectives in leadership. They emphasize that effective leadership involves not just setting direction and pace but also considering the tone and impact on people. [21:34] Jan highlights the value of being open to changing one's views and learning from diverse sources. He also concludes with a story about historian Stephen Ambrose advising a young aspiring historian to gain real-world experience. [23:56] They discuss the value of curiosity in leadership and suggest that a good leadership book should inspire curiosity in its readers. They reflect on their own experiences with writing and invite listeners to share their favorite books and ideas for future topics.  [27:17] Closing quote: Remember, “The books that help you most are those which make you think the most. The hardest way of learning is that of easy reading. But a great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep braided with truth and beauty. ” —  Pablo Neruda    Quotable Quotes "A useful outcome of any leadership book is does it make you more curious? And if it does, to some degree, mission accomplished." “The best leadership books aren't necessarily leadership books."​ "If you're talking about leadership, you better be facing your own hypocrisy because nobody's got it all figured out ever." “Those leaders constantly test themselves and reframe their life story.” "Different things speak to different people."​ “A new way to communicate an idea is always interesting in a leadership book but it also needs to last." “The books that help you most are those which make you think the most. The hardest way of learning is that of easy reading. But a great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep braided with truth and beauty. ” —  Pablo Neruda    Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | Sponsored by | Rafti Advisors. LLC | Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | Jan Rutherford's Linked In | Jan Rutherford's Twitter | Jim Vaselopulos Linked In | Jim Vaselopulos Twitter |

Timestamps:10:04 What's enough as a leader?23:14 How to ask for help as a self-reliant leader27:06 2 things to do to gain people's support30:10 Tips for managing up36:11 A hard question to ask yourself39:45 Kim's secret to answering the “pick your brain” requests43:55 Creating criteria to make decisions If you loved this episode you should check out this episode Leadership Tips With Brandon Smith If you enjoyed today's episode, please:1.) Sign up for notes at copymyhomework.com for a full list of resources, links and recommendations listed on today's episode.2.) Post a screenshot of the episode & tag me on LinkedIn or Instagram @kimkaupe so we can talk about your favorite parts!3.) Leave a positive review (shameless, but someone's gotta say it right?!)4.) Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app. Connect with Kim over on the socials!Instagram + TikTok:@kimkaupeLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimkaupe

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, host Mahan Tavakoli engages in a dynamic conversation with Jan Rutherford, a seasoned leadership expert and author of Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader: How Grit and Disciplined Duty Forge Indomitable Teams. With a rich background that includes serving as a Green Beret, leading Crucible expeditions, and coaching executives, Jan brings a unique perspective on leadership that combines military rigor with a deep understanding of human behavior.Jan shares compelling stories from his own journey, from his humble beginnings and his time with the Green Berets to the profound lessons he learned about leadership in the wilderness and the boardroom. Throughout the discussion, Jan emphasizes the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and authenticity in leading teams, drawing on real-world experiences and thoughtful reflections. He offers a fresh take on what it means to lead in today's fast-paced, ever-evolving world.Listeners will gain insight into Jan's philosophy on leadership, which challenges conventional wisdom and encourages leaders to rethink their approach. He explores critical questions like: What truly makes a leader? How can you build a team that is not only high-performing but also resilient and adaptable? And, why is it more important to select the right people over the best people?Jan's practical advice and unique approach, rooted in his own experiences and supported by his book, provide actionable strategies for CEOs and senior executives. Actionable Takeaways:Discover the Real Difference Between Rank and Influence: Hear Jan's take on why true leadership is not about titles but about how effectively you can inspire and mobilize others.Learn the Power of Perseverance in Leadership: Jan shares a compelling story about how persistence and not quitting in the face of adversity can define your success.Understand the Concept of ‘Slowing Down to Speed Up: Find out why Jan believes that leaders must take time to reflect and prioritize to create sustainable success in a fast-moving world.Explore How to Involve Your Team for Maximum Commitment: Jan discusses how giving up control and allowing your team to participate in decision-making can foster loyalty and engagement.Find Out Why Selecting the Right People is More Important than the Best People: Get insights into how aligning team members with your organization's values can drive transformation and growth.Hear How to Define Your Organization's Values Through Observable Behaviors: Jan explains the practical steps for making your core values meaningful and actionable within your team.Learn Why Personalized Leadership is Critical Today: Jan dives into the importance of tailoring leadership approaches to individual team members while maintaining fairness and consistency.Gain Insight into Building a Culture of Trust and Authenticity: Discover how creating an environment where people feel safe to be vulnerable can lead to stronger team dynamics and performance.Connect with Jan RutherfordJan Rutherford Website Jan Rutherford LinkedIn Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader: How GritConnect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

Jan Rutherford, founder of Self Reliant Leadership®, takes a deep dive into the themes of self-reliance and leadership resilience. He shares insights from his collaboration with Jacquie Jordan, a co-author on his book “Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader: How Grit and Disciplined Duty Forge Indomitable Teams”. Jan explores the foundational principles of Self-Reliant Leadership: leading oneself, leading others, and leading the organization, stressing the continuous adaptation and refinement of these interrelated skills.  Jan shares personal insights from his background in Special Forces and leading wilderness expeditions, emphasizing the importance of solitude and reflection for effective leadership.  Jan highlights practical strategies for fostering resilience and adaptability in leaders, emphasizing the need for clear expectations, accountability, and effective communication within teams.  Jan reflects on his journey as a leader, acknowledging the challenges and transformations he's experienced. He emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and facing one's own hypocrisy in leadership, a concept inspired by one of his mentors.      Key Takeaways [03:36] Jan Rutherford, founder of Self Reliant Leadership, discusses the importance of self-reliance in leadership. Inspired by the book "My Side of the Mountain" as a child, Jan learned the value of self-sufficiency. A challenging experience during special forces training further solidified his belief. Leaders, according to Jan, need to be well-rounded individuals taking care of themselves mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This self-reliance allows them to make tough decisions and lead effectively even in difficult situations. However, Jan also emphasizes the importance of relying on others for help when needed. [07:26] Self-reliance is a core concept for Jan's leadership philosophy. It translates into three pillars: leading self (taking responsibility), leading others (setting expectations), and leading the organization (alignment and focus). Jan emphasizes the importance of constantly reflecting and adapting these principles. He uses an analogy of climbing a summit - preparation, teamwork, and a clear vision are all crucial for success. Jan also shared a story from a past expedition where nervousness manifested as humor. [12:31] Jan also talks about what leaders can do to foster greater resilience and adaptability in themselves.  [14:32] Jan talks about effective leadership communication. Leaders should set clear expectations and solicit feedback to improve performance. Negotiation is key to gaining commitment from employees. Leaders should also understand the importance of balancing tasks with building relationships with their teams. [20:55] Jan discusses the challenges of personalized leadership. Leaders need to tailor their approach to individual employees while still maintaining fairness. Effective leaders should spend more time developing individual relationships with their team members. [22:22] Jan discusses how to handle HR policies that restrict personalized leadership approaches. The leader is advised to push back on HR and use their power to implement what they believe is best for their team. [24:35] Jan discusses the importance of self-awareness in leadership. He also talks about the challenges of modern leadership and the importance of helping people find purpose and meaning in their work.Jan also shares how having a co-author of his book, Jackie Jordan, brought a valuable outsider's perspective to the project.  [35:40] Say nothing which is not true, nothing which is not kind, nothing which is not useful, and nothing which is not necessary. - W. S. Darley   Quotable Quotes “You gotta get up on the hill. You know, we are not paid to be busy. We got to get some alone time and reflect and figure things out.” “If you're not squared away, if you're not self reliant, you can't lead. Because when it's your turn to lead, you've got to exhibit discipline, and you've got to sacrifice, and you know, you got to muster everything.” “Slow down to speed up.” “We get so caught up in our head trash that sometimes like, oh my gosh, this is the end of the world. Is it really the end of the world? No, it's not.” “Don't ask people for feedback. Ask them for advice and suggestions.” “The biggest challenge is the need to personalize leadership approaches yet be perceived as fair.” “We are not high and mighty. We are flawed. You know, we are works in progress. We are facing our own hypocrisy.” “There's a big difference between good tired and bad tired. And I think our obligation as leaders, coaches, whatever we do, is to send people home at night good tired, not bad tired.”   Here are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | Sponsored by | Rafti Advisors. LLC | Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | Jan Rutherford LinkedIn | X (Twitter) YouTube |  

Becoming A Self-Reliant Leader with Author Jan RutherfordPeter sits down with Jan Rutherford, a former Green Beret turned executive coach and author, to discuss his new book "Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader: How Grit and Discipline Forge Indomitable Teams."Rutherford shares his unique journey from military service to the corporate world, emphasizing how his experiences shaped his leadership philosophy. He introduces the concept of "crucible expeditions," intense outdoor leadership experiences that form the backbone of his leadership development approach.Key topics include:- The importance of being "squared away" as a leader- How vulnerability can be a leadership superpower- The critical balance between results and relationships in leadership- The role of intentionality in setting direction, pace, and tone for teamsRutherford offers valuable insights on creating self-reliant leaders who can build and inspire high-performing teams, drawing parallels between wilderness expeditions and corporate leadership challenges. Whether you're a seasoned executive or an aspiring leader, this episode provides actionable wisdom to enhance your leadership skills and create more resilient, effective teams.Don't miss this compelling conversation on leadership, personal growth, and the power of facing your own crucibles.Want to learn more about becoming a self-reliant leader?Visit the website: https://selfreliantleadership.comConnect with Jan Rutherford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janrutherford/Buy the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/c8kzXDT

Leadership lessons are crucial for cultivating grit and character to become an effective leader. This pressing question is at the heart of the latest episode of Fordify LIVE! The Business Growth Show, where Ford is joined by Jan Rutherford, a former Green Beret turned business consultant, who shares his journey and valuable insights into leadership. In this episode, Ford and Jan delve into the essence of effective leadership and the importance of character traits such as courage and grit. Jan's experiences, both as a Green Beret and a successful business consultant, provide a unique perspective on why character still matters in today's fast-paced business environment. He emphasizes that the willingness to have tough conversations is what distinguishes effective leaders from those mired in mediocrity. Ford and Jan explore the challenges executives face in prioritizing and balancing new responsibilities, highlighting that internal grit is essential for overcoming these hurdles. Jan discusses how developing grit can help leaders build trust, navigate tough times, and achieve extraordinary results. He shares his belief that grit involves sacrifice, determination, and discipline, but it also requires the ability to seek and embrace solitude. This reflection enables leaders to step back, slow down, and view problems from a calm, strategic perspective. Ford and Jan also discuss the concept of being 'squared away' as a leader, emphasizing the need for leaders to be mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared. Jan explains that self-reliant leaders understand their impact on others and regulate their emotions to respond in ways that benefit the team rather than satisfy their egos. This ability fosters trust and commitment within the team, leading to greater ownership and accountability among team members. Jan shares practical advice and real-world examples, as he underscores the importance of self-awareness and the need for leaders to develop strong, trusted relationships within their organizations. This, he argues, is crucial for creating a culture of communication and alignment where everyone understands what success looks like. Ford offers his insights into leadership, addressing common pitfalls and emphasizing the importance of situational leadership. His practical approach complements Jan's focus on character and grit, covering both the strategic and personal dimensions of effective leadership. Jan and Ford emphasize the importance of setting clear expectations and understanding the consequences of actions. Jan points out that many leaders neglect developing their team members, focusing instead on status meetings. Thus, resulting in a lack of accountability and performance issues. Effective leaders, on the other hand, dedicate time to one-on-one interactions, asking questions that encourage self-discovery and align individual efforts with organizational goals. Jan offers sage advice for leaders, emphasizing the need for continuous self-reflection and personal development. He shares a simple yet powerful journaling exercise that can help leaders track their progress, identify patterns, and maintain focus on their priorities. Ford echoes these sentiments, encouraging listeners to take actionable steps to improve their leadership capabilities. Watch the full episode on YouTube. Join Fordify LIVE! every Wednesday at 11AM Central on your favorite social platforms and catch The Business Growth Show Podcast every Thursday for a weekly dose of business growth wisdom. Don't miss out on these engaging discussions that can transform your approach to leadership and business growth. About Jan Rutherford Jan Rutherford, a distinguished business consultant and former Green Beret, brings a wealth of experience from both military and corporate environments. He believes that character, especially courage, is crucial for effective leadership. Jan emphasizes that internal grit, which can be developed by anyone, helps leaders build trust, navigate challenges, and achieve extraordinary results. Jan advocates for solitude to reflect and address problems strategically, enabling leaders to become 'squared away' physically, mentally, and emotionally. Self-reliant leaders understand their impact, regulate their emotions, and foster trust within their teams. This leads to greater ownership, accountability, and alignment with organizational goals, eliminating silos and politics. His Self-Reliant Leadership® philosophy focuses on cultivating grit, fostering accountability, and balancing discipline with innovation to unlock the potential of individuals and teams. Learn more about Jan and get his new book at SelfReliantLeadership.com About Ford Saeks Ford Saeks, a Business Growth Accelerator with over 20 years of experience, has redefined the formula for success, generating over a billion dollars in sales worldwide for companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500s. As the President and CEO of Prime Concepts Group, Inc., Ford specializes in helping businesses attract loyal and repeat customers, expand brand awareness, and ignite innovation. A tenacious and innovative powerhouse, Ford has founded over ten companies, authored five books, been awarded three U.S. patents, and received numerous industry awards. Ford's expertise extends to AI prompt engineering, where he is renowned for training AI to craft compelling content that drives engagement and results. He recently showcased this expertise at the prestigious “Unleash AI for Business Summit,” discussing how ChatGPT is revolutionizing operations, marketing and sales, and the customer experience. Learn more about Ford Saeks at ProfitRichResults.com and watch his TV Show at Fordify.tv.

On this Live Greatly podcast episode, Kristel Bauer sits down with the author of Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader, Jan Rutherford.  As a former Green Beret and successful business executive Jan shares insights into building resilience and finding meaning and success in work and life.  Kristel and Jan discuss leadership and lots more! Key Takeaways From This Episode A look into Jan's book, Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader: HOW GRIT AND DISCIPLINED DUTY FORGE INDOMITABLE TEAMS Tips to become more self-relient Insights to build resilience How to find more meaning in your work Tips to develop a mindset for success About Jan Rutherford: Jan Rutherford is a former Green Beret and a successful business executive who knows the value of overcoming challenges to strengthen inner resilience and lead more effectively. His grit was built in part when he entered the military as one of the youngest (17) and littlest recruits, weighing only 114 pounds. Jan went on to become a Special Forces soldier, and earned the Army's distinguished Green Beret. He spent three years serving as a medic, three years as an A-Team executive leader, and three years as a military intelligence officer. Jan has more than 25 years of business experience and has held key executive roles in business development, marketing, sales, training, product management, and as a CEO. An award-winning keynote speaker, Jan was recognized as one of The Top 100 Leadership Speakers for 2018 by Inc. He was also selected as a TEDx speaker for his inspiring talk, Suffer Everything – Dare Everything: Why Difficulties Matter. In addition, Jan is the author of The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership. The book details the cornerstone principles that form the foundation of his consulting firm, Self-Reliant Leadership®. Proceeds benefit veteran organizations. Founded by Jan in 2011, Self-Reliant Leadership® focuses on helping leaders and teams develop self-reliance to create powerful results through executive coaching, speaking, workshops, and wilderness expeditions. Jan has an upcoming book Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader HOW GRIT AND DISCIPLINED DUTY FORGE INDOMITABLE TEAMS, being published August 20, 2024. Jan is a LinkedIn Learning author, and co-host of The Leadership Podcast.  Connect with Jan Website: https://selfreliantleadership.com/  Get Jan's Book: Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader HOW GRIT AND DISCIPLINED DUTY FORGE INDOMITABLE TEAMS LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janrutherford/  About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness expert, popular keynote and TEDx speaker, and the host of top-rated podcast, “Live Greatly,” a show frequently ranked in the top 1% for self-improvement. Kristel is an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant with clinical experience in Integrative Psychiatry, giving her a unique perspective into optimizing mental well-being and attaining a mindset for more happiness and success in the workplace and beyond. Kristel decided to leave clinical practice in 2019 when she founded her wellness platform “Live Greatly” to share her message around well-being and success on a larger scale.  With a mission to support companies and individuals on their journeys for more happiness, success, and well-being, Kristel taps into her unique background in healthcare, business, and media, to provide invaluable insights into high power habits, leadership development, mental well-being, peak performance, resilience, sales, success, wellness at work, and a modern approach to work/life balance. Kristel is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes. A popular speaker on a variety of topics, Kristel has presented to groups at APMP, Bank of America, Commercial Metals Company, General Mills, Northwestern University, Mazda, Santander Bank and many more. She has been featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine, Authority Magazine & Podcast Magazine, has contributed to CEOWORLD Magazine & Real Leaders Magazine, and has appeared on ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago, Fox 4's WDAF-TV's Great Day KC and Ticker News. Kristel lives in the Chicago area with her husband and their 2 children.  She can be booked for speaking engagements worldwide. To Book Kristel as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co  Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co  LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Click HERE to check out Kristel's corporate wellness and leadership blog Click HERE to check out Kristel's Travel and Wellness Blog Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions.  Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations.  They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.  Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests.  Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content.  Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.

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Are you ready to elevate your life and career through the power of negotiation? Join us in celebrating the official launch of Negotiate Anything Premium! This isn't just an upgrade—it's a transformation. Dive into a treasure trove of bonus content, enjoy ad-free listening, and access a comprehensive resource for mastering negotiation. What's in it for you? Exclusive Advice: Gain insights from top negotiation experts. Community Support: Connect with a like-minded community focused on growth. Personal & Professional Growth: Unlock strategies to enhance every aspect of your life. You deserve to negotiate more of the best things in life, and now you can! Don't wait—be the first in line to experience this game-changing resource.

Listen in as Jan Rutherford shares leadership insights from his new book, Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader. What does grit have to do with leadership? Leaders must be willing to give up control. https://buildcs.net https://selfreliantleadership.com Amazon.com: Becoming a Self-Reliant Leader: How Grit and Disciplined Duty Forge Indomitable Teams eBook : Rutherford, Jan, Jordan, Jacquie, McChrystal, Stanley A.: Kindle Store

Mark Rangell, Chief Operating Officer at Ryte and a digital health and technology strategy consultant, shared the story of his friendship with Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselapolus. He highlights the role of curiosity in fostering connections, leading to friendships, business partnerships, and joint investments. Mark discusses the aspects of growing a business, emphasizing the importance of a diverse team with shared values and the use of specific tools and processes. He describes a scaling approach that focuses on principles and responsibilities, enabling team members to understand their roles and align with the company's goals. Mark believes that successful scaling involves particular techniques, a unified team, and the right motivations for individuals. Reflecting on his career's various "acts," including figuring things out, leading turnarounds, and working with a healthcare AI firm, Mark underscores the importance of storytelling over writing books. He advises a mindful approach to stress management, focusing on happiness and controlling what one can.     Key Takeaways:   [02:54] Mark shares that he recently joined Allegiance Stadium's guest experience team, taking on the role out of a mix of community service and curiosity about the Raiders organization. Despite only working a few games, he now knows every tunnel in the stadium and enjoys full access on game days, including the Super Bowl. Describing the role as a form of leadership, he appreciates troubleshooting and engaging with people from diverse backgrounds.    [05:45] He narrated how he met Jan Rutherford, who was once, a client during his time at Geneva Pharmaceuticals in Colorado. They quickly evolved into a personal friendship that was strengthened over family outings and casual get-togethers. Their connection extended to Chicago, where Mark and Jim, meanwhile, both in the technology sector, formed a small, trusted group through the Chicago Technology Association. This group provided a safe space for leaders in small to mid-sized companies.   [11:06] Mark explains that effective networking should be genuine and rooted in an authentic appreciation for others. He stresses the importance of curiosity in understanding individuals, leading to friendships, business collaborations, and shared investments. Mark also mentions that successful networking is rooted in caring for people, genuine interest, and effective listening, stating that success and sales naturally follow authentic connections.   [17:12] He shares about scaling a business, emphasizing the importance of diverse individuals aligned by mission, vision, and values. He highlights the significance of tools and processes, citing a scaling mechanism adopted over 20 years ago with a "bill of rights" and corresponding obligations. This approach empowers individuals to question and understand their roles within the organization, ensuring alignment with overarching goals. Mark believes that successful scaling involves techniques, a cohesive team, and the right motivations for individuals.   [19:55] Mark explains that adapting to change is crucial for effective leadership. He highlights the need to adjust communication styles based on evolving trends, emphasizing the importance of techniques that stand the test of time. Drawing parallels with sports analytics in football, he stresses that sticking to outdated methods can lead to defeat, underlining the necessity of adaptation in various contexts.   [21:27] He reflects on his journey, realizing the entrance of what they term "act six" at the age of 60, breaking down their career into different phases. The first phase, or "act one," was the formative years he spent at IBM and in other roles, focusing on figuring things out and climbing the product management ladder. The second phase involved a turnaround situation where he, along with a group, addressed financial mismanagement.    [26:12] In acts three, four, and five of Mark's career, he faced both successes and challenges, including being a first-time CEO and establishing a successful consulting firm. Act six, the current phase, emerged unexpectedly through networking. Motivated by the potential impact of AI in healthcare, he joined a healthcare AI firm. He emphasizes his motivation for joining, driven by a desire to contribute to the AI industrial revolution and improve healthcare outcomes. From a leadership standpoint, Mark emphasizes the importance of diversity, curiosity, and collaboration within the team.   [31:57] Mark acknowledges that facing challenges, discomfort, and even clinical depression has been part of his journey, often triggered by business-related factors. He then explains the inevitability of encountering uncomfortable situations and advises adapting to them rather than seeking them out. Mark also reflects on his experiences, stressing the importance of finding points of difference, pursuing happiness, and surrounding oneself with people who bring joy. He defines success as one's happiness and moral compass, emphasizing that financial success follows hard work and luck.    [35:38] He mentions that he values storytelling over writing books and encourages a conscious approach to managing life stress. Mark emphasizes controlling variables within one's control, letting go of stress in uncontrollable situations, and focusing on happiness for oneself and others. Reflecting on past challenges, he urges a perspective shift, advising not to sweat the small stuff and to navigate challenges resiliently. He then expresses optimism in the next generation's ability to make positive changes and leave a better world.   [39:22] Closing Quote: Remember, if you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary. -Anthony Robbins   Quotable Quotes: “Networking should come naturally to you.”   “Networking has to be genuine, and you have to genuinely appreciate people.”   “If you authentically care about people and engage in meaningful activities, success, sales, and other achievements naturally follow.”   “The key is to genuinely like and care about people, actively listen, and show interest in their perspectives.”   “Scaling a business involves bringing together individuals with diverse qualities.”   “In scaling a business, connect individuals authentically through a shared mission, vision, and values.”   “Successful scaling requires effective techniques, a robust team, and individuals with the right motivations.”   "There will be times in your life when you face challenges."   "You must be prepared to respond to inevitable and uncomfortable situations.”   “Success is defined by your happiness.”   "Financial success will follow if you work hard, catch a few breaks, and are fortunate.”   “If your guiding principle is happiness, and you're sincerely a kind person willing to dedicate some time to assist others, even if there's no immediate transactional benefit, then you're on the right path.”   “You will encounter challenges, which will build the resilience needed to navigate through them.”   “People learn from stories.”   “Control variables within your control.”   “If you can do it and find joy in the journey, we'll ultimately reach a better place.”   Resources Mentioned: The Leadership Podcast | Sponsored by | Rafti Advisors. LLC | Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | Mark Rangell LinkedIn | Execullence Website | Ryte.ai LinkedIn |  

Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company: https://www.americannegotiationinstitute.com/services/workshops/ In this episode, Jan Rutherford, Founder of Self Reliant Leadership and Co-host of The Leadership Podcast, discusses these principals and ideas: you are not paid to be busy, stop doing your old job, and do what only you can do. **What We'll Cover:** - Jan Rutherford's insights on limiting daily meetings for productivity and time for big-picture tasks. - The significance of creating boundaries, aligning team expectations, and committing to strategic decisions in leadership. - Reciprocal vulnerability and its role in fostering relationships that enhance business success and negotiation outcomes. **What Listeners Will Learn:** - How to strategically negotiate workload boundaries to maximize daily productivity and long-term effectiveness. - Tactics for leaders to prioritize their professional development and delegate tasks to enhance team performance. - Effective negotiation skills for creating an environment of psychological safety and alignment within teams. Self Reliant Leadership https://selfreliantleadership.com/ The Leadership Podcast https://theleadershippodcast.com/category/podcast/ Follow Jan on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/janrutherford/ Contact ANI Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company: https://www.americannegotiationinstitute.com/services/workshops/ Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwamechristian/ The Ultimate Negotiation Guide: https://www.americannegotiationinstitute.com/guides/ultimate-negotiation-guide/ Click here to buy your copy of How To Have Difficult Conversations About Race!: https://www.amazon.com/Have-Difficult-Conversations-About-Race/dp/1637741308/ref=pd_%5B%E2%80%A6%5Df0bc9774-7975-448b-bde1-094cab455adb&pd_rd_i=1637741308&psc=1 Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Confidence-Conflict-Negotiate-Anything/dp/0578413736/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PSW69L6ABTK&keywords=finding+confidence+in+conflict&qid=1667317257&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjQyIiwicXNhIjoiMC4xNCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMjMifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=finding+confidence+in+conflic%2Caps%2C69&sr=8-1

Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company: https://www.americannegotiationinstitute.com/services/workshops/ In this episode, Jan Rutherford, Founder of Self Reliant Leadership and Co-host of The Leadership Podcast, discusses these principals and ideas: you are not paid to be busy, stop doing your old job, and do what only you can do. **What We'll Cover:** - Jan Rutherford's insights on limiting daily meetings for productivity and time for big-picture tasks. - The significance of creating boundaries, aligning team expectations, and committing to strategic decisions in leadership. - Reciprocal vulnerability and its role in fostering relationships that enhance business success and negotiation outcomes. **What Listeners Will Learn:** - How to strategically negotiate workload boundaries to maximize daily productivity and long-term effectiveness. - Tactics for leaders to prioritize their professional development and delegate tasks to enhance team performance. - Effective negotiation skills for creating an environment of psychological safety and alignment within teams. Self Reliant Leadership https://selfreliantleadership.com/ The Leadership Podcast https://theleadershippodcast.com/category/podcast/ Follow Jan on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/janrutherford/ Contact ANI Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company: https://www.americannegotiationinstitute.com/services/workshops/ Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwamechristian/ The Ultimate Negotiation Guide: https://www.americannegotiationinstitute.com/guides/ultimate-negotiation-guide/ Click here to buy your copy of How To Have Difficult Conversations About Race!: https://www.amazon.com/Have-Difficult-Conversations-About-Race/dp/1637741308/ref=pd_%5B%E2%80%A6%5Df0bc9774-7975-448b-bde1-094cab455adb&pd_rd_i=1637741308&psc=1 Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Confidence-Conflict-Negotiate-Anything/dp/0578413736/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PSW69L6ABTK&keywords=finding+confidence+in+conflict&qid=1667317257&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjQyIiwicXNhIjoiMC4xNCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMjMifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=finding+confidence+in+conflic%2Caps%2C69&sr=8-1

Welcome to Game Changers with Jeff Newkirk, where we speak with people who have done something to make this world a better place. It's simple: inspire, educate, and let's go change this world! On today's episode, Jeff welcomes guest Jan Rutherford. Jan is an Executive Coach, a keynote speaker with numerous online courses, a former Green Beret, and the founder of Self Reliant Leadership, in which he leads wilderness expeditions with executives and veterans. Jan is also a podcast host and author of The Littlest Green Beret. His next book, Becoming A Self-Reliant Leader, will be released in summer 2024. To begin, Jan shares that his journey as a business owner began after he read the book Perfect Business by Michael LeBoeuf. At age 19, Jan was the medical instructor for the thousands of students going through the Green Beret course. Over the entire course of his career, he has maintained the goal of helping other people learn. As soon as he entered the corporate world, he knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur. Jan shares that to be a good leader, you must prioritize taking care of others above yourself. Then, he shares his principles which guide his leadership process and business ownership. The core pillars of Self-Reliant Leadership include leading oneself, leading others, and leading the organization. He looks for 3 key things when finding people to get involved: selflessness, heroic aspirations, and willingness to take risks and be adventurous. The first thing he tends to ask clients is to identify what they want in life. The most common challenges he finds leaders facing today are managing their time and their effectiveness with people. Another challenge leaders face is how to personalize leadership, yet show fairness to the entire team. Because every person has different needs, personalities, and circumstances, it is impossible to treat everyone the same. Thus, it's important to take the time to understand what each person's motivations are and be sensitive to them. Jan identifies the most critical attributes of successful leaders. He believes that the best companies are great at selecting the right people for their company and investing time into their success. Reflecting on the course of his career, Jan identified critical moments that have shaped him into the person he is today. Working with great bosses had a major influence on his outlook. Similarly, working with bad bosses also led to a handful of useful learning experiences. He stresses the importance of always being willing to learn and have the maturity to understand that we are not always going to be right. In closing, he urges listeners to keep a journal to keep track of the day-to-day, learning experience, gratitude, and priorities. A good life is not something that is in the future, and we should figure out how to live a good life today. Learn more about Jeff Newkirk. Do you have any game-changers in your life? Be sure to let me know so we can celebrate their story and contribution to our world. Go to https://gamechangerswithjeff.com to enter your name to be on the podcast

As a leader the balance between being liked and being respected is blurred? Do I get down in the trenches with my team (so they will like me) or do I forge a path for us solo (potentially alienating others). In this conversation with former green beret Jan Rutherford we discussed the importance of trust, communication, and creating a culture of accountability within a team. Jan highlighted the significance of self-awareness, adaptability, and taking calculated risks as a leader. Hint: It means forgoing your eager to be well liked with taking the harder road of leading solo for your team. This discussion is full of actionable tips for becoming a more effective leader and helping your team thrive. Take a listen and let me know what you think! Notes:10:18 Setting your ego aside as a leader12:40 Three ways to become a better leader20:00 Are you addicted to being busy?29:40 What do you need to focus your energy on as a leader?31:50 Speed roundIf you loved this episode you should check out this episode Building Resilience With Gemma Leigh RobertsIf you enjoyed today's episode, please:1.) Sign up for notes at copymyhomework.com for a full list of resources, links and recommendations listed on today's episode.2.) Post a screenshot of the episode & tag me on LinkedIn or Instagram @kimkaupe so we can talk about your favorite parts!3.) Leave a positive review (shameless, but someone's gotta say it right?!)4.) Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app. Connect with Kim over on the socials!Instagram + TikTok: @kimkaupeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimkaupe

ChatGPT is the artificial intelligence talk of the town, and Jan and Jim have experimented with it for a few months and share the questions they asked it, and the responses ChatGPT provided. They discuss how ChatGPT can be a game-changer for leaders to spend more time doing what they do best - develop relationships and exercise judgment. Listen in for how AI can be a new tool in your toolbox, and its potential as a leadership enhancer.  https://bit.ly/TLP-348   Key Takeaways   [1:38] Jan and Jim give a big shoutout to their friend Greg Hinc of County Cork, Ireland. He wrote that he started listening to The Leadership Podcast at about Episode 150, then he went back and listened to them all. He comments on their social media posts. He's talked a lot about how much he's learned and gained from it, which means a lot to Jan and Jim. There's a little gift coming to Greg. [2:34] If you have listened to every episode like Greg, then Jan and Jim would love to hear from you, as well. [4:07] Jim's friend, Jim Mirochnik of Halock Security Labs, introduced him three months ago to ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot. After five minutes of interaction, Jim was as excited as when he first learned of the world wide web in 1992. Jim asked ChatGPT a variety of questions and he got back usually well-written answers. [5:33] To test ChatGPT on a task a human probably couldn't do quickly, Jim asked it, “Write a Java computer program that will take the input of two people's names and an adjective describing their relationship and create a poem written in Iambic Pentameter.” Within seconds, it wrote a Java program that was pretty close to being exactly what Jim had asked for. [6:17] Jim clarified his question and ChatGPT gave him a better result. Then Jim asked it to write the program in Python and it instantly supplied the Python code on half a sheet. It gave a more concise answer than a human coder might have given and it was good code. [7:01] Jim and Jan share some questions he asked and the answers from ChatGPT from about three months ago. [7:14] Q. Write a 500-word essay on leadership. The answer came in about 35 seconds and it was amazing. Then Jim asked, “How many words is that essay?” It said 532. Jim asked why it went over. It said leadership is a complex topic and hard to explain. [7:54] This morning Jim asked it the same question: Write a 500-word essay on leadership. ChatGPT has gotten a lot busier, with more users. The response today took six minutes. It was very well written again and similar to the first response but it was much more concise at 372 words. ChatGPT is having a deep impact on university students and the way they study. It is a fantastically useful and powerful tool. [8:53] Jan hears people afraid that ChatGPT will take their job. He recently demoed ChatGPT to a CEO. When the CEO asked, Why are there silos developing in my organization? It gave these answers: Lack of communication/collaboration, competition for resources, different goals and priorities, silos created by structure, or resistance to change. That gave Jan and his client five things to explore together. [10:56] If you only had pliers before, now you have a vice grip. What sticks out for Jan is that he has to ask it very good questions and then, exercise his judgment and decide what to look at. [11:27] What Jan did with his CEO client was look at different goals and priorities. They have a retreat planned where each attendee will bring a list of five important priorities and will make sure everyone is clear on roles and responsibilities and where there is overlap. Jan — not ChatGPT — will facilitate the discussion. Jan sees it as an awesome tool. [12:03] Some people get better and quicker responses than others when searching on Google because they know how to ask questions the right way for good search results. That skill is super important with ChatGPT. You get better by practicing and using it. [12:45] There are some things that it can do quickly that might take weeks for a human to do. Jim asked, What are the top five themes articulated in The Leadership Podcast? [13:41] ChatGPT answered, “As an AI language model, I don't have personal opinions but I can provide you with an overview of some of the most commonly discussed themes on The Leadership Podcast, based on the content available on their website and podcast. Here are five possible themes: Leadership …, personal development, team dynamics, innovation and disruption, business and industry insights.” [14:27] ChatGPT took about a minute to make that analysis. It had indexed and searched the entire site for The Leadership Podcast, so it knows about it. Jim had asked it the same question two months ago before it was able to search websites. Now it can. Its functionality is increasing at a geometric pace. [15:16] ChatGPT is a fun, powerful tool, and its answers are exceptionally well done. Another question was, Can you measure leadership? It came up with a similar answer to a discussion with guest Sarah Wirth - The Leadership Podcast Episode 351. [16:28] Jan asked ChatGPT When I interview Jim Vaselopulos from Rafti Advisors for my podcast, what should I ask him? ChatGPT responded, “As a business strategist and leaders consultant, Jim is able to provide valuable insights on various topics related to business management leadership. Here are some questions to ask during the interview. …” [16:51] “ … How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted business strategies in leadership and how can organizations adapt to these changes?”, “Can you share a memorable experience from your career that taught you an important lesson about leadership?”, “What inspired you to become a strategist and leadership consultant?” [17:22] “Can you share a particularly successful project you had with a client and what made it successful?” These are good generic questions. They provide a good starting point. Jim cites Atomic Habits, by James Clear. If you want to run, start by putting your shoes on. Then you generally follow through. ChatGPT is a tool to help you jumpstart a report or analysis. It can help you get moving. [18:53] Jan is working with an organization with five good values that has not articulated its values into observable behaviors. One of the values is accountability. Jan asked ChatGPT, What three observable behaviors would you assign to the value of accountability? ChatGPT's response was, “Honesty and transparency, reliability and follow through, adaptability and continuous improvement.” [19:26] Under “continuous improvement,” ChatGPT added, “They take feedback constructively, they recognize mistakes or failures can be opportunities for growth and learning, they're willing to adjust their approach …” Jan asked if you, the listeners, know what the values mean in your organization? Don't follow a robot blindly, but ChatGPT gives a great starting point for a discussion on values. [20:25] Jan says, oftentimes, those [company] values are ambiguous, the culture is by default, and the values and standards cannot be upheld because there's no agreement on what they mean. There's no common vocabulary. That's something every organization could do today. Look at your values and agree on behaviors to associate with them. Can we be more clear on what we want our folks to do? [21:12] Three years ago, Jim and Jan were asked to go out to the Air University in Montgomery, Alabama. They gave a speech summarizing The Leadership Podcast and the guests they had interviewed and the overarching theme they could find. One of the themes that still continues since then was curiosity. The most successful leaders had the trait of being curious. ChatGPT didn't come up with that! [21:59] The Leadership Podcast is about curiosity. Learning to use a tool like ChatGPT is about being curious. What are you curious about? [22:28] Jan asked When I interview Jan Rutherford from Self-reliant Leadership for my podcast, what should I ask him? ChatGPT responded “Can you tell us a bit about your background, how you became interested in self-reliant leadership?” and “What are the key traits and characteristics of self-reliant leaders?” It didn't ask a single COVID-19 question, ask about stories or mention entrepreneurs. [23:06] ChatGPT had picked up on those topics on Jim's website, not on Jan's. There were relevant questions for each Jan and Jim from their websites. [23:18] Another question for Jan was “Are there any common misconceptions or misunderstandings about self-reliant leadership that you would like to clear up?” That's a good question. During this episode, Jan and Jim were curious, tested their assumptions, and learned something! [23:40] Curiosity is such an important theme. ChatGPT is a vehicle to supercharge your curiosity and enlighten yourself in ways that you couldn't without reading books that you may not have time to read. [24:27] Simon Sinek was a guest on the show and they asked him, “Where does personal responsibility and a sense of real duty to each other start to play a role, especially now (during the pandemic)?” So Jan asked ChatGPT that question. [24:42] ChatGPT had interesting answers, ending with “To foster a sense of personal responsibility and a duty to each other, it's important to prioritize empathy, compassion, and kindness. We can start by listening to and understanding the needs and concerns of others, being willing to make personal sacrifices for the greater good, and taking action to support our communities in meaningful ways.” [25:09] Jan plays Simon's answer: “Trust is a two-way street. Just think of any relationship: friendship, marriage, or anything. Trust is always two ways. In a business context, where there's formal hierarchy, it is the leader's responsibility to create the environment in which trust can exist.” [25:41] (Simon continues) “To build a circle of safety and create an environment in which people feel safe to raise their hand and say, ‘I made a mistake,' or ‘I need help,' or ‘I don't understand,' without any fear of humiliation or retribution. Without any fear that they'll be on some shortlist by the end of the year. However, it's everyone's responsibility to step into that circle of safety.” [25:59] (Simon continues) “Compare it to a personal relationship. It's very important for at least one person in the relationship to start to create an environment in which the other person feels safe to express themselves or be themselves. But it's still the responsibility of the other person to take that risk to express themselves or be themselves.” [26:16] (Simon concludes) “It's the same in business. It's all fine and good for us to create the environment but people have to take the risk and say, ‘Hey boss, I need help,' or ‘I made a mistake,' and to realize that there's no humiliation or blowback if you do that. In fact, you get his support.” [26:36] The ChatGPT is not about to replace Simon Sinek. He's wonderful to listen to, he's articulate. He hit on a lot of the same themes that were in ChatGPT's answer. Jan finds that interesting. We know this AI today is going to be exponentially better. In less than a year, it may use a voice and cadence to come close to Simon Sinek. Leaders and business people now have another tool in their toolbox. [27:39] We're still going to need to build relationships; we're still going to need to be able to exercise judgment. If curiosity is a value in your organization, what does that mean? Are we teaching people to ask better questions and to listen better? Or are we saying go to Toastmasters to learn to be a great speaker and articulate? The emphasis has been on using our mouths instead of our ears! [28:10] To do a school term paper, you come up with an outline and then flesh it out. In practical business, people don't start with an outline. Powerpoint is the closest thing to an outline for presentations. Make one good point instead of five average points. Two good points and seven bad ones ruin a presentation. ChatGPT can help you sharpen your point and get at it. [29:38] What are the keys to having difficult conversations? ChatGPT answered with seven bullet points taking up three-quarters of a page. Jim lists the bullet points: “Prepare, choose, listen actively, be clear and direct, focus on the issue, offer solutions and options, and follow up.” The supporting information is spot-on. It doesn't have too many extra words or fluff statements. [30:23] What are the most common mistakes people make when delegating? “Not delegating at all, over-delegating, poor communication, micro-managing, lack of follow-up, not providing sufficient resources, and taking credit.” You have to recognize the efforts and achievements of the person you delegated to. [31:27] For as scary as this new technology can be, we need to adopt it, embrace it, and understand that it's going to affect all of us in some way, shape, or form. Whether you realize it or not, your employees are using it! Jim shares a client story about it. [32:14] Jan just had a conversation about trust. He cites past guest Margaret Heffernan: Social capital is what happens between people; that relationship. You want to work with people you like, people you respect, and people you trust. Trust takes time and everybody's busy. [33:28] Jan refers to Lisa McLeod, a sales thought leader, who says “If you can't understand how you're making people's lives better, you can't sell anything.” It would be so sad to go to work, with whatever tools you use, and not think at the end, “How am I making people's lives better?” See the interview here: https://selfreliantleadership.com/blog/2021/05/06/lisa-mcleod-on-selling-with-noble-purpose/.  [34:10] Jim asked a young salesman what his value proposition was. The salesman listed the product features but Jim wanted to know how the salesman was making his customer's life better. Jim tells a friend's story about the pressure-washing cheerleader who lifted his low spirit with kindness and joy. [36:55] Past guest Barry Schwartz told about cancer-ward janitors who weren't there to clean messes but to provide a better experience for patients. That floor had the best cancer-survival rates because of the janitors who brought them kindness and preserved their dignity. [37:39] Jan recalls how past guest Christophe Morin of SalesBrain uses props. As a prop, Jan holds up an insulated mug his wife got him for Valentine's Day. Jan asks ChatGPT How does a coffee mug that stays warm improve someone's life? “A mug that stays warm can be a convenient addition to a person's daily routine. They can take their time enjoying their drink without having to worry about it getting cold.” [38:53] ChatGPT also says that drinking a hot beverage has been linked to various health benefits, such as improving digestion, boosting metabolism, and reducing the risk of certain diseases. “With a mug that stays warm, one can ensure they're consuming their hot beverage at the optimal temperature to reap these benefits.” Our business is selling something. Do we understand how it improves someone's life? [39:20] Is ChatGPT a menace? It might be. Is it something that can improve our life? Jan thinks it will be able to speed up things. It will get us to a point where creating an outline or coming up with some ideas, we'll let somebody else do that and we'll focus on the things that only we can do; exercise judgment, cut and paste, modify, edit, or think, and step back. It will help us get better at asking questions. [40:11] What Jan hopes ChatGPT does is allow us to spend more time with each other and improve the relationships we have between people, not on a computer all the time. [40:54] Jim asked ChatGPT to write the Darley ad, and it did! Jim reads the ad. [41:37] Microsoft is incorporating ChatGPT into Bing. [41:51] Jan and Jim would love to hear your feedback on this episode and on ChatGPT. How are you using it? This is a game-changer. Comment on LinkedIn or on Facebook or comment on the episode page. Jan and Jim will respond. [42:28] Closing quote: Remember, “Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.” — Arthur Schopenhauer   Quotable Quotes from ChatGPT “As an AI language model, I don't have personal opinions but I can provide you with an overview of some of the most commonly discussed themes on The Leadership Podcast, based on the content available on their website and podcast. Here are five possible themes: Leadership … , personal development, team dynamics, innovation and disruption, business and industry insights.” “As a business strategist and leaders consultant, Jim is able to provide valuable insights on various topics related to business management leadership. Here are some questions to ask during the interview.” “To foster a sense of personal responsibility and a duty to each other, it's important to prioritize empathy, compassion, and kindness. We can start by listening to and understanding the needs and concerns of others, being willing to make personal sacrifices for the greater good, and taking action to support our communities in meaningful ways.” “[Before a difficult conversation], prepare, choose, listen actively, be clear and direct, focus on the issue, offer solutions and options, and follow up..” “[Mistakes when delegating are] not delegating at all, over-delegating, poor communication, micro-managing, lack of follow-up, not providing sufficient resources, and taking credit.” Resources Mentioned Theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by: Darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC ChatGPT Jim Mirochnik Halock Security Labs Skynet Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear Air University, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama Sara Wirth Simon Sinek Toastmasters Margaret Heffernan Lisa McLeod Barry Schwartz Christophe Morin SalesBrain Microsoft

Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos, the hosts of The Leadership Podcast, explore core values based on the six cardinal virtues. Follow the discussion in this important episode to be reminded how the cardinal virtues apply in life and at work, and how you and your organization can move forward by going back to the fundamentals of leadership. https://bit.ly/TLP-333   Key Takeaways [1:25] Jan and Jim have both received a lot of very positive texts about Episode 332, featuring Richie Norton, who talked about the brevity of life. Jan sees that people are planning frantically for next year. [3:05] Leaders are making sure they don't get caught up in emotions but look at the facts. Jim refers to past guest Alan Beaulieu and ITR Economics. The slowdown we're feeling is a slowdown in the rate of growth, not a recession. Slowing from 25% growth to 9% growth feels like the airbags just came on. Don't overreact. [5:20] The numbers come from our words, deeds, and our ability to work through other people. Leaders get people to do things willingly that they would not do otherwise. How we lead depends on our values. Ask what is the most important thing, the second-most important, the third-most important, and so forth. We need to prioritize what we value and translate those values into behaviors we can observe. [6:47] If we say we value integrity, what is the observable behavior that comes from that value? Is hitting the number that top priority, or are people a priority? [7:42] It doesn't matter what you say, it matters what you do. Your culture is a product of your daily decisions and how you treat people. [8:53] Jim recalls an experience from his first college internship at Glenview Tool Company. The owner, Mike Sciortino told him that a security device can't prevent all theft but it can help keep honest people honest. Jim says, as leaders, let's help people do the right thing. Let's encourage them. [11:04] Jan shares a recent airline experience where “the system” wouldn't allow the airline to fix a problem. The system should be for people! [11:40] Jan explains the six cardinal virtues: Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence. Wisdom is built upon curiosity. We have to reward curiosity if we want people to be able to identify problems. Daily, use the statement, “That's a great question!” Reward questions! It's important to catch people doing right. [17:15] Take the focus of questions away from yourself and put it on the other person. Instead of saying, “I don't understand this, can you explain it to me?” say, “That's fascinating. Help me understand why you're going about it that way.” [18:12] Courage gets a lot of talk these days. The best business translation of courage is honesty. Sometimes we say authentic. Jan coached a client who had been honest to their boss, but their boss just got quiet, as though wounded. If we want the truth, we need to hear it. Jim cites Choosing Courage, by Jim Detert. Courage is related to timing. Sometimes, wait for the right moment instead of blurting it out. [21:45] Jan's client recently told him that part of being courageous is not being complicit. Don't keep quiet about stuff. [22:39] Employees always have three choices about their workplace: Suck it up and deal with a toxic culture, try to change it, or leave. What do you stand for? What are you willing to compromise on, or not? It's not like there's much greener grass in different places, but there is different grass in all the organizations. You don't have to be complicit in a toxic culture or abusive leadership. [24:40] Humanity is simple kindness or the Golden Rule. This can be hard because there's a lot of competition. There's tunnel vision. Some niceties go by the wayside. But research shows that human kindness works. Humans respond best to positive reinforcement. Humanity is a decision that doesn't depend on anyone else. Just be kind, even if people are mean to you. It's doing the right thing. [28:01] Jan tells of going from being a sergeant to being an officer. He was told, “You don't have to speak like the soldiers; you can be above that.” It's a matter of respect. If you try to fit in by speaking the cool lingo, it is inauthentic. [28:58] Justice is fairness. Organizations are asking people to be fair to one another. But, in personalized leadership, you can't treat everybody the same, because of their individuality and the work function they have. People want one-on-one time with their leader. In all that, we have to be sure we're being perceived as being fair. Encourage others in the organization to be fair and equitable. [33:19] Temperance is self-discipline. Without self-discipline and sacrifice, we can't tackle big goals. John Wooden taught players how to put on socks and shoes so they wouldn't get blisters. In business, we are missing so many fundamentals, such as starting and ending meetings on time and being predictable. [35:00] Jim says discipline is respect. Showing up to meetings on time is respectful of everybody's time. Discipline with personal and business goals is respect for how important those goals are. If you don't have self-discipline, you probably don't have self-respect. Discipline thrives when you have respect. If you don't have self-respect, discipline falters. [36:29] Transcendence is spirituality. In work, Jan sees it as being gracious and operating with gratitude. Jim reminds us that in the grand scheme of things, our role is small. How do you relate to the universe and other people and creatures? Barry Schwartz, in Practical Wisdom, told of janitors in a cancer care unit operating with graciousness because the patients were in great need and having a hard time. [38:19] The transcendent behavior of the janitors improved the condition of the patients, who were at their most humiliating moments. The janitors were looking at the bigger picture than cleaning up a mess. In high-performing organizations, people operate with that level of transcendence. People who win the Medal of Honor are operating with transcendence, also known as Mission, Vision, and Values. [39:20] Companies are not started for the sake of creating a great culture. A company starts because there is a market need, and they think they can help people. More people get involved and then they think about having a good company, which means having a good culture. People are tribal. The cardinal virtues are the rules to get along with our tribe and be of service to other humans in other tribes. [40:50] Things feel out of hand because we've gotten so far from the fundamentals. As you look at planning, go back and say, “Are we making this too complicated?” [42:24] Closing quote: Remember, “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” — Maya Angelou   Quotable Quotes “As [Richie Norton] reminded us, ‘Life is short' isn't a cliché, it's true. and ‘Don't defer your dreams.' Boy, that show resonated!” — Jan “We had some sectors that were growing at 25% and now they're only going to grow at 9%, so it feels like the airbags just came on because we're slowing down from 25 to 9. … The slowdown is huge but it's still a rate of growth. … Let's not overreact.” — Jim “[As a leader,] you're basically saying, ‘Let's change the trajectory, let's improve performance, let's do something different that you wouldn't have done if I didn't intercede.'” — Jan “Your culture isn't what you want it to be. Your culture is a product of the decisions you make on a daily basis. … Do [you] respect people? Do [you] listen to them when they have a concern?” — Jim “If people aren't asking questions around you, you might be the emperor without clothes.” — Jim “There is a way to ask a question so that it will never be perceived as stupid. … [Instead of ‘I don't understand this,' say], ‘That's really fascinating. What made you think to do it that way?' or ‘Help me understand why you're going about it that way.'” — Jim “We see what's going on in big tech right now; it's all fear. It's awful. People are afraid to speak up.” — Jan “It's not like there's much greener grass in different places, but there is different grass in all the organizations. They're different. There might be a place where the values line up better with what you're all about. You don't have to be complicit in a toxic culture.” — Jan “Humanity is a decision that doesn't depend on anyone else. If you're going to be kind, just be kind, even if people are mean to you.” — Jim “As leaders, we've got to encourage others in the organization to be fair and equitable.” — Jan “We know this: Without a certain amount of self-discipline and sacrifice, you can't tackle big goals and defer short-term pleasures. It's really hard. And any organization has really long-term goals.” — Jan “No company that I know of was started to create a great culture. … Every company starts because there's a market need and they think they can help other human beings. And then they get more people involved. And then they say, … ``We should have a good company!” — Jan “We are tribal. To me, these cardinal virtues are the rules for us to behave in a certain way to get along with our tribe and to deliver services, offerings, and products to other humans in other tribes. That's what we're doing.” — Jan “Everything feels like it's out of hand because we've gotten so far from the fundamentals.” — Jan   Resources Mentioned Theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by: Darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC Interact with Jan and Jim on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Richie Norton Alan Beaulieu ITR Economics Choosing Courage: The Everyday Guide to Being Brave at Work, by Jim Detert Jim Detert Kim Cameron The Positive Coaching Alliance Jim Thompson All I Really Need to Know, I learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things, by Robert Fulghum Discipline is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control, by Ryan Holiday John Wooden Kareem Abdul-Jabaar Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing, by Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Sharpe Medal of Honor The Marshmallow Test

Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos, the hosts of The Leadership Podcast, explore core values based on the six cardinal virtues. Follow the discussion in this important episode to be reminded how the cardinal virtues apply in life and at work, and how you and your organization can move forward by going back to the fundamentals of leadership. https://bit.ly/TLP-333   Key Takeaways [1:25] Jan and Jim have both received a lot of very positive texts about Episode 332, featuring Richie Norton, who talked about the brevity of life. Jan sees that people are planning frantically for next year. [3:05] Leaders are making sure they don't get caught up in emotions but look at the facts. Jim refers to past guest Alan Beaulieu and ITR Economics. The slowdown we're feeling is a slowdown in the rate of growth, not a recession. Slowing from 25% growth to 9% growth feels like the airbags just came on. Don't overreact. [5:20] The numbers come from our words, deeds, and our ability to work through other people. Leaders get people to do things willingly that they would not do otherwise. How we lead depends on our values. Ask what is the most important thing, the second-most important, the third-most important, and so forth. We need to prioritize what we value and translate those values into behaviors we can observe. [6:47] If we say we value integrity, what is the observable behavior that comes from that value? Is hitting the number that top priority, or are people a priority? [7:42] It doesn't matter what you say, it matters what you do. Your culture is a product of your daily decisions and how you treat people. [8:53] Jim recalls an experience from his first college internship at Glenview Tool Company. The owner, Mike Sciortino told him that a security device can't prevent all theft but it can help keep honest people honest. Jim says, as leaders, let's help people do the right thing. Let's encourage them. [11:04] Jan shares a recent airline experience where “the system” wouldn't allow the airline to fix a problem. The system should be for people! [11:40] Jan explains the six cardinal virtues: Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence. Wisdom is built upon curiosity. We have to reward curiosity if we want people to be able to identify problems. Daily, use the statement, “That's a great question!” Reward questions! It's important to catch people doing right. [17:15] Take the focus of questions away from yourself and put it on the other person. Instead of saying, “I don't understand this, can you explain it to me?” say, “That's fascinating. Help me understand why you're going about it that way.” [18:12] Courage gets a lot of talk these days. The best business translation of courage is honesty. Sometimes we say authentic. Jan coached a client who had been honest to their boss, but their boss just got quiet, as though wounded. If we want the truth, we need to hear it. Jim cites Choosing Courage, by Jim Detert. Courage is related to timing. Sometimes, wait for the right moment instead of blurting it out. [21:45] Jan's client recently told him that part of being courageous is not being complicit. Don't keep quiet about stuff. [22:39] Employees always have three choices about their workplace: Suck it up and deal with a toxic culture, try to change it, or leave. What do you stand for? What are you willing to compromise on, or not? It's not like there's much greener grass in different places, but there is different grass in all the organizations. You don't have to be complicit in a toxic culture or abusive leadership. [24:40] Humanity is simple kindness or the Golden Rule. This can be hard because there's a lot of competition. There's tunnel vision. Some niceties go by the wayside. But research shows that human kindness works. Humans respond best to positive reinforcement. Humanity is a decision that doesn't depend on anyone else. Just be kind, even if people are mean to you. It's doing the right thing. [28:01] Jan tells of going from being a sergeant to being an officer. He was told, “You don't have to speak like the soldiers; you can be above that.” It's a matter of respect. If you try to fit in by speaking the cool lingo, it is inauthentic. [28:58] Justice is fairness. Organizations are asking people to be fair to one another. But, in personalized leadership, you can't treat everybody the same, because of their individuality and the work function they have. People want one-on-one time with their leader. In all that, we have to be sure we're being perceived as being fair. Encourage others in the organization to be fair and equitable. [33:19] Temperance is self-discipline. Without self-discipline and sacrifice, we can't tackle big goals. John Wooden taught players how to put on socks and shoes so they wouldn't get blisters. In business, we are missing so many fundamentals, such as starting and ending meetings on time and being predictable. [35:00] Jim says discipline is respect. Showing up to meetings on time is respectful for everybody's time. Discipline with personal and business goals is respect for how important those goals are. If you don't have self-discipline, you probably don't have self-respect. Discipline thrives when you have respect. If you don't have self-respect, discipline falters. [36:29] Transcendence is spirituality. In work, Jan sees it as being gracious and operating with gratitude. Jim reminds us that in the grand scheme of things, our role is small. How do you relate to the universe and other people and creatures? Barry Schwartz, in Practical Wisdom, told of janitors in a cancer care unit operating with graciousness because the patients were in great need and having a hard time. [38:19] The transcendent behavior of the janitors improved the condition of the patients, who were at their most humiliating moments. The janitors were looking at the bigger picture than cleaning up a mess. In high-performing organizations, people operate with that level of transcendence. People who win the Medal of Honor are operating with transcendence, also known as Mission, Vision, and Values. [39:20] Companies are not started for the sake of creating a great culture. A company starts because there is a market need, and they think they can help people. More people get involved and then they think about having a good company, which means having a good culture. People are tribal. The cardinal virtues are the rules to get along with our tribe and be of service to other humans in other tribes. [40:50] Things feel out of hand because we've gotten so far from the fundamentals. As you look at planning, go back and say, “Are we making this too complicated?” [42:24] Closing quote: Remember, “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” — Maya Angelou   Quotable Quotes “As [Richie Norton] reminded us, ‘Life is short' isn't a cliché, it's true. and ‘Don't defer your dreams.' Boy, that show resonated!” — Jan “We had some sectors that were growing at 25% and now they're only going to grow at 9%, so it feels like the airbags just came on because we're slowing down from 25 to 9. … The slowdown is huge but it's still a rate of growth. … Let's not overreact.” — Jim “[As a leader,] you're basically saying, ‘Let's change the trajectory, let's improve performance, let's do something different that you wouldn't have done if I didn't intercede.'” — Jan “Your culture isn't what you want it to be. Your culture is a product of the decisions you make on a daily basis. … Do [you] respect people? Do [you] listen to them when they have a concern?” — Jim “If people aren't asking questions around you, you might be the emperor without clothes.” — Jim “There is a way to ask a question so that it will never be perceived as stupid. … [Instead of ‘I don't understand this,' say], ‘That's really fascinating. What made you think to do it that way?' or ‘Help me understand why you're going about it that way.'” — Jim “We see what's going on in big tech right now; it's all fear. It's awful. People are afraid to speak up.” — Jan “It's not like there's much greener grass in different places, but there is different grass in all the organizations. They're different. There might be a place where the values line up better with what you're all about. You don't have to be complicit in a toxic culture.” — Jan “Humanity is a decision that doesn't depend on anyone else. If you're going to be kind, just be kind, if people are mean to you.” — Jim “As leaders, we've got to encourage others in the organization to be fair and equitable.” — Jan “We know this: Without a certain amount of self-discipline and sacrifice, you can't tackle big goals and defer short-term pleasures. It's really hard. And any organization has really long-term goals.” — Jan “No company that I know of was started to create a great culture. … Every company starts because there's a market need and they think they can help other human beings. And then they get more people involved. And then they say, … ``We should have a good company!” — Jan “We are tribal. To me, these cardinal virtues are the rules for us to behave in a certain way to get along with our tribe and to deliver services, offerings, and products to other humans in other tribes. That's what we're doing.” — Jan “Everything feels like it's out of hand because we've gotten so far from the fundamentals.” — Jan   Resources Mentioned Theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by: Darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC Interact with Jan and Jim on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Richie Norton Alan Beaulieu ITR Economics Mike Sciortino Choosing Courage: The Everyday Guide to Being Brave at Work, by Jim Detert Jim Detert Kim Cameron The Positive Coaching Alliance Jim Thompson All I Really Need to Know, I learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things, by Robert Fulghum Discipline is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control, by Ryan Holiday John Wooden Kareem Abdul-Jabaar Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing, by Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Sharpe Medal of Honor The Marshmallow Test

In this episode, Jan Rutherford, Founder of Self Reliant Leadership and Co-host of The Leadership Podcast, discusses these principals and ideas: you are not paid to be busy, stop doing your old job, and do what only you can do. Request a Custom Workshop For Your Company Get Free Access to Over 15 Negotiation Guides Self Reliant Leadership The Leadership Podcast Follow Jan on LinkedIn Follow Kwame on LinkedIn If you've been a listener of the show and you've gotten a lot out of our programming, you can click here to Support Negotiate Anything. Kwame Christian with Jan Rutherford

In this episode, Jan Rutherford, Founder of Self Reliant Leadership and Co-host of The Leadership Podcast, discusses these principals and ideas: you are not paid to be busy, stop doing your old job, and do what only you can do. Request a Custom Workshop For Your Company Get Free Access to Over 15 Negotiation Guides Self Reliant Leadership The Leadership Podcast Follow Jan on LinkedIn Follow Kwame on LinkedIn If you've been a listener of the show and you've gotten a lot out of our programming, you can click here to Support Negotiate Anything. Kwame Christian with Jan Rutherford

This was originally a LinkedIn Live recorded on October 6th, 2021 In our first Leveraging Thought Leadership Live session, we invited two amazing guests to speak with us about challenges and the grit it takes to overcome them.    Jan Rutherford is a former Green Beret, and the founder of Self-Reliant Leadership. He's also the author of The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership.   Shanon Huffman-Polson is one of the first female Apache helicopter pilots, and also the founder of The Grit Institute and author of The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience, and Leadership in the Most Male Dominated Organization in the World. Together, these two brilliant leaders, vets, and authors, discuss with us the importance of laying down a strategic plan early in your thought leadership journey. We discuss how they found ways to convey their leadership experience in methods that help others learn from it, and developing avatars to help reach the audience who needs you the most. The conversation covers the need to iterate in order to stay on top of your game, and how to listen to the market in order to keep your business growing with today's needs. Jan and Shannon share why they chose to become authors, and their reasons for wanting to write a book about their personal experience. Both created books that focused on making their personal stories a delivery mechanism for inspiration, insight, and ideas that others can use to improve their lives. If you missed this episode when it was live, this is the perfect opportunity to get caught up.   Three Key Takeaways: * Understand your thought leadership's deeper purpose, identify the people you want it to serve, and reach out to them early in your career. * The market will tell you what it values — which might be different than what you want! Be open and willing to listen, and change course toward success. * It can be easy to create thought leadership based on our experiences, but it shouldn't be about you. Make sure you are giving your audience something they can use.

Imagine being in the middle of nowhere on a large ice cap in Patagonia with twelve people you don't even know. You're in 18 °F weather, surrounded by ice that can break at any moment, and your group hasn't seen any other humans in days. You feel crazy to want to be here, yet it's worth it because this quest just might change your life. Plus you'll have a great story to tell someday... My guest on the Storytelling School Podcast today leads expeditions exactly like the one I just described above. Jan Rutherford is a former Green Beret, speaker, leadership expert, and coach who runs Crucible wilderness expeditions for executives and veterans around the world. So why did he start running his expeditions? What common traits has he noticed in great leaders, and what does grit mean to him? Those are just some of the discussion points we get into today. We also explore the lack of a focus on feeling in the corporate world and how that impacts business long-term, as well as tools to help you be more humble and confident as a leader. In the process, you'll get Jan's expertise and hear stories showcasing how to fully step into leadership by creating a new story through overcoming challenges and strengthening your self-resiliency. While you might not be stuck on the third largest ice cap in the world right now, listening to this episode might just change your life too. What you will learn in this episode: Why slowing down actually accelerates your success How to handle your vulnerability and fear in leadership roles Where story comes into play when balancing confidence vs humility Who is Jan? Jan Rutherford is a successful executive coach and keynote speaker. As someone who values overcoming challenges to increase inner resiliency and effective leadership, he built his grit as one of the youngest and smallest military recruits at a mere 114 pounds at 17 years old. He became a Special Forces soldier, then earned the distinction of becoming a Green Beret. While in the military, he served three years as a medic, then an A-Team executive leader, then finally a military intelligence officer. During his more than 25 years of business experience, Jan has held key executive roles in sales, marketing, training, business development, product management, and as a CEO. In 2011, he founded Self-Reliant Leadership® where he focuses on assisting leaders and teams to create powerful results through developing self-reliance. His clients have taken part in his workshops and Crucible® wilderness expeditions. Currently, Jan also teaches leadership in the United States and in Ireland as a senior instructor at the Colorado Denver University's Business School. In addition, he co-hosts a podcast, The Leadership Podcast, and has authored the book The Littlest Green Beret. Links and Resources: Self-Reliant Leadership The Leadership Podcast The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership by Jan R. Rutherford, Jr. Suffer Everything - Dare Everything: Why Difficulties Matter | Jan Rutherford | TEDxYoungstown @janrutherford on LinkedIn Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook

In this episode, Jan Rutherford, Founder of Self Reliant Leadership and Co-host of The Leadership Podcast, discusses these principals and ideas: you are not paid to be busy, stop doing your old job, and do what only you can do. Request a Custom Workshop For Your Company Get Free Access to Over 15 Negotiation Guides Self Reliant Leadership The Leadership Podcast Follow Jan on LinkedIn Follow Kwame on LinkedIn Kwame Christian with Jan Rutherford

In this episode, Jan Rutherford, Founder of Self Reliant Leadership and Co-host of The Leadership Podcast, discusses these principals and ideas: you are not paid to be busy, stop doing your old job, and do what only you can do.Request a Custom Workshop For Your CompanyGet Free Access to Over 15 Negotiation GuidesSelf Reliant LeadershipThe Leadership PodcastFollow Jan on LinkedInFollow Kwame on LinkedInIf you've been a listener of the show and you've gotten a lot out of our programming, you can click here to Support Negotiate Anything.Kwame Christian with Jan Rutherford Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/negotiate-anything. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jan Rutherford – Self-Reliant Leadership - Jan Rutherford is an elite level leadership consultant. Jan is joined by hosts Pete A Turner and Tom Coyle. Jan and the fellas discuss leadership and the value of employees. Jan notes that 95% of companies will spend less if any time measuring leadership interaction with it's employees.  Jan references the , which provides perspective for leaders. Get more about Jan's work at The basic advice from Jan is: be interested, read more, and work to ensure that your crew understands what's expected, what's next and that they're valued.   -  Haiku People are the thing Leaders must invest more time Do you measure that? Similar episodes:   -   -   -  Join us in supporting Save the Brave as we battle PTSD.  ​ ​ ​ Executive Producer/Host: Pete A Turner     Producer: Damjan Gjorgjiev     The Break It Down Show is your favorite best, new podcast, featuring 5 episodes a week with great interviews highlighting world-class guests from a wide array of shows

Jan Rutherford, author of "The Littlest Green Beret" and proprietor of Self Reliant Leadership tells us how he went from being a little swamp rat in the Florida Everglades to becoming a medic in the Green Berets despite being 5'4" and light as a feather, then on to an executive coach and published author, taking special forces men and women and CEOs into the backcountry in search of a crucible, deep challenge, and clarity.

Jan Rutherford is a former Green Beret medic, founder of Self-Reliant Leadership, wilderness expedition leader, and author of the book, The Littlest Green Beret.Jan's expertise in grit and resilience come from the business world, the military and academia; but his philosophy is from a confluence of Sparta's discipline, Socrates' self-awareness, Aristotle's courage, Emerson's self-reliance, and Thoreau's reflective seclusion.His coaching and speaking work also includes leading expeditions with executives and military veterans, and sharing leadership insights from those experiences.This series is produced by The Human Impact Studio of TA Group Holdings, a veteran-owned firm, in partnership with NuWest Healthcare which is staffing hundreds of travel nurses for the coronavirus response across the nation. The series is dedicated to our brave nurses and healthcare workers.

Jan Rutherford is a successful business consultant, and a former Green Beret. He’s seen firsthand why character still matters––because it separates effective leaders from those who are mired in mediocrity.Developing grit is the secret ingredient that helps you and your team build trust, overcome tough times, and achieve the extraordinary.Speaking, Executive Coaching, Online Courses and Crucible Expeditions.Jan and his team give you the tools to develop true self-reliance, expand your leadership capabilities, cultivate grit and amplify action…Learn more about Jan and his services at SelfReliantLeadership.comLearn more about Jim and THE SENSEI LEADER MOVEMENT at TheSenseiLeader.com

Jan Rutherford is a successful business consultant, and a former Green Beret. He’s seen firsthand why character still matters––because it separates effective leaders from those who are mired in mediocrity.Developing grit is the secret ingredient that helps you and your team build trust, overcome tough times, and achieve the extraordinary.Speaking, Executive Coaching, Online Courses and Crucible Expeditions.Jan and his team give you the tools to develop true self-reliance, expand your leadership capabilities, cultivate grit and amplify action…Learn more about Jan and his services at SelfReliantLeadership.comLearn more about Jim and THE SENSEI LEADER MOVEMENT at TheSenseiLeader.com

I ask people their reasons for polluting activities like flying, take-out, taking taxis or ride shares where public transit serves. They consistently tell me that they love these things. They love visiting family, seeing remote places, etc.If you feel similarly, you're about to face some tough love. These motivations came to mind while listening to Thomas Kolditz on a podcast I listen to and that has featured me. He is one of today's premier leaders and leadership educators. A few words about him:Tom Kolditz is the founding Director of the Ann and John Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University–the most comprehensive, evidence-based, university-wide leader development program in the world. The Doerr Institute was recognized in 2019 as the top university leader development program by the Association of Leadership Educators. Prior to Rice, he taught as a Professor in the Practice of Leadership and Management and Director of the Leadership Development Program at the Yale School of Management.A retired Brigadier General, Tom led the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at West Point for 12 years.I heard him on The Leadership Podcast, hosted by Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos (who interviewed my in 2017 “What An Ivy League Degree Can’t Teach You.”).I recommend only listening if you're prepared for some straight, sobering talk on what those motivations mean.I also include a quote from that conversation about our sorry state of leadership education, which I relate to our sorrier state of environmental action education.The Leadership Podcast with Jan Rutherford and Jim VaselopulosThe Thomas Kolditz episode I quotedThomas Kolditz's pageMy episode, What An Ivy League Degree Can’t Teach You See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jan Rutherford is the Founder of Self-Reliant Leadership, a company focused on helping companies face the challenges of today's blended, matrixed, and virtual teams.    Questions discussed:   1) What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others? 2) I heard you’re getting ready to lead The Crucible - what is that? 3) If you had only one piece of advice to provide to leaders and their teams, what would that be?   Contact info:   website: http://selfreliantleadership.com email: jan@selfreliantleadership.com   ExitCoachRadio.com - Great Advice from Great Advisors! Listen to Daily interviews and tell your Business Owner friends!

The best podcasts from week #28 talked about mindset and challenges: Gary Vaynerchuk on Mindset: https://apple.co/2LZ9z23 How I Built This with Wendy Kopp: https://apple.co/2XJiueX Beyond the Uniform with Jan Rutherford: https://apple.co/2NRIyA0 The TED Interview with Tim Ferriss: https://apple.co/2Y17s40 Anonymous Feedback: bit.ly/MagnaVitaFeedback

Why Listen This is my second interview with Jan, and if you haven’t had a chance to listen to Episode #240, be sure to check that out. In this interview, we talk about crucible experiences - what they are, why they are so valuable, and steps you can take to introduce them into your everyday life. We talk about why you may want to write a book even if you don’t think you would like to write a book. We talk about self-publishing vs. publishing, costs associated with writing a book, and tactical advice on how to make it a success. We talk about entrepreneurship, life, and a whole lot more. About Jan Jan Rutherford is the Founder of Self Reliant Leadership, an executive and military veteran program for leaders who are Selfless, Adventurous, and possess Heroic Aspirations. He entered the US Army at age 17 (weighing 114 pounds), and spent six years in Special Forces as a medic and “A” team executive officer, and three years as a military intelligence officer. In addition to having over 25 years of business and healthcare experience, he is the co-host of The Leadership Podcast, and the author of “The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership” where half the proceeds go to the Special Operations Warrior and Green Beret Foundations. *

Resilience is a hallmark of great leaders today. In the turbulent times that we live in, leaders must be able to lead through change. They must have self-reliance to deal with chaos, make sense out of confusion, and create clarity of purpose for the path forward. This show will help you learn the keys to create a powerful future for yourself. We will be discussing how to overcome challenges by strengthening resilience. Our guests, Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos, are leading experts in developing powerful leaders around the world and are co-hosts of The Leadership Podcast. Join us for this what will be a powerful discussion to sharpen your leadership skills! Jan Rutherford has over 25 years of business experience and has held executive roles in business development, marketing, sales, training, product management, and as a CEO. In 2011, Jan founded Self-Reliant Leadership, LLC – a leadership development firm focused on helping leaders and teams develop self-reliance to grow their business through advising, facilitating, coaching, and wilderness expeditions. Jim Vaselopulos is a C-level business advisor with a proven record as a leader, strategist, rainmaker and new business development expert. Jim has been a consultant to many companies across nearly every industry.  As the founder of Rafti Advisors, Inc., Jim helps early stage companies get off on the right foot, growth stage companies push through plateaus and mature companies with strategic shifts and complex challenges.

Of all the challenges and problems we see in the work world how can we address those through being more effective leading self, leading others, and leading the organization. Jan Rutherford, founder of Self Reliant Leadership and author of "The Littlest Green Beret" guides us through his experience of teaching in the military at age 19 to running his own company taking top level executives and veterans though expeditions to foster the exchange of new ideas!

In small business and sales there is often a shortage of good, qualified leaders. And it’s important in a business or on a sales team that everyone be leading in something in some way. On this episode of the Sales Chalk Talk Show, you’re in for a treat. Former Green Beret, business leader, adventure guide, author and speaker, Jan Rutherford, shares information that will make YOU a better leader and each member of your team better leaders as well, if Jan’s ideas and strategies are implemented! What you’ll hear on this show: • What constitutes good leadership • How Jan’s leadership adventures in the US and Ireland can help you build your leadership skills • How self-reliance and leadership are connected • What happens when you’re leading and people won’t follow • And MUCH more Join my talented co-hosts, Murphy Alafoginis and Jim Hamlin and me as we learn more about effective leadership from Jan and have some laughs along the way as well! Jan’s website is http://selfreliantleadership.com. You can order his book, “The Littlest Green Beret” at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iBooks!

Music Has No Gender is a new 37 minute documentary produced, written and recorded by Eastside Radio’s Mick Paddon from Thursday Drive. Its starting point is that while music doesn’t have a gender, musicians do. Sandy Evans, who has been described as a national treasure and awarded an Order of Australia for her contributions to […]

This is a recording of the opening seminar for the second season of the Scottish Review of Books Emerging Critics Programme, held at the National Library of Scotland in April 2018. Jan Rutherford chaired the event, which features contributions from Alan Taylor, Rosemary Goring, Alan Bett, and Laura Waddell. The programme is supported by Creative Scotland and the recording was made by the National Library of Scotland with full permission of all involved.

What life lessons can be gleaned from leadership expert, Jan Rutherford, who was the littlest man in the Special Forces? When it comes to leadership, does size matter? How do you overcome physical, emotional, and mental challenges to become a self-reliant leader? When should you quit? Is there a downside to diversity? How do civilian and military experts think differently? What's a PONER? Jan provides a curious peek into the world of Special Forces and tackles curious questions that many civilians feel uncomfortable asking.

In this episode, Kevin discusses self-reliant leadership with guest, Jan Rutherford. Jan has over 25 years of business experience and has held executive roles in business development, marketing, sales, training, product management, and as a CEO. Jan entered the U.S. Army at age 17 (weighing 114 pounds), where he spent six years in Special Forces as a medic and “A” team executive officer, and three years as a military intelligence officer. In 2011, Jan founded Self-Reliant Leadership, LLC –a leadership development firm focused on helping leaders and teams develop self-reliance to create powerful results through executive workshops, custom programs, coaching, and wilderness expeditions. As a professional speaker, Jan presents the self-reliant leadership principles contained in his book The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership. Half the proceeds of Jan's book are distributed to the Green Beret and Special Operations Warrior Foundations. Resources: * http://selfreliantleadership.com/ – Website * @JanRutherford – Jan on Twitter * http://theleadershippodcast.com/ – Listen to The Leadership Podcast * Buy his book, The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership Sponsored by: * LEADx.org – subscribe to become 1% better every single day Subscribe on iTunes to join our Ambassadors Club: Please click here to subscribe on iTunes, and leave a quick rating. Nothing matters more for bringing the podcast to the attention of others. After you subscribe and leave a review, send an email to info at leadx dot org to let us know, and we'll invite you into the private LEADx Ambassadors Group on Facebook. Group members are eligible for ridiculously good prizes each month, have special access to me and LEADx guests, discounts on live events, and of course it's a great forum for peer-learning and support. Share: And, by all means, if you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons below. — What is LEADx and The LEADx Show with Kevin Kruse? Imagine if you could have the world's best executive coaches and leadership mentors whispering into your ear every morning on your way to work. Every weekday, there will be a new episode of The LEADx Leadership Show with an interview from a different thought leadership or business expert. Many of these guests are thought leaders, famous authors or high-profile CEOs from innovative startup companies. Others are creatives, artists, entrepreneurs or corporate career leaders. They have all achieved extreme success and they are willing to share practical advice on how to advance your career and develop your leadership and management skills by offering daily career tips on time management, productivity, marketing, personal branding, communication, sales, leadership, team building, talent management and other personal development and career development topics. There will be a new episode waiting for you every day just in time for your morning commute, morning treadmill session or whatever else it is you do to start your day. LEADx isn't just the name of this new podcast, it's the name of a digital media and online learning company that is re-imagining professional development for millennials and career driven professionals looking to break into manager roles or excel in current leadership and management roles.

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Tommy Spaulding - the author of “Heart-Led Leader.” The conversation explores themes on being humble, authentic, and honorable vis-a-vis grit, edge, and tenacity. Tommy wrote about Return On Relationship (ROR), and says that with authentic relationships, you get lifelong customers. When you have a genuine interest in others, they will ask you, “What do you do? How can I help you?” Tommy believes the greatest leaders are the ones that connect the head to the heart. Listen in to learn more about leading with your head and heart..   Key Takeaways [1:59] Tommy’s career started at Up With People. In the course of that job he met Ken Blanchard, who changed his life. Tommy followed his footsteps to become a thought leader, speaker, and author. Tommy sees his success as being based on ‘heart.’ He categorizes thought leaders as either arrogant about success or humble about their path to learning. [4:39] Tommy says within minutes of entering an event he can tell if the CEO is respected and loved. You can choose to work every day on being humble, authentic, and honorable. It’s Not Just Who You Know is about ‘net giving,’ not networking. Net giving is where your heart should be when you meet people. Don’t sell yourself, but learn about others, and how you can serve them and give to them. [12:03] Leadership books must deliver bottom line results. Tommy wrote about Return On Relationship (ROR) to steer people toward relationship building. Authentic relationships become lifelong customers. Tommy reveals the ‘magical’ key to monetizing relationships. Without this key, the relationship will fail. When you have a genuine interest in others, they will ask you, “What do you do? How can I help you?” [18:16] As Tommy met leaders, he observed the ones that people particularly loved. He started taking notes, and listing leaders that he felt were servant leaders, and interviewed them. The greatest leaders are the ones that connect the head to the heart. People want to follow them. [20:31] Tommy defines a great leader as one people choose to follow, because they love and are loved. Tommy uses the example of Roger Eaton, the global President of KFC. He is not just respected, but is loved by his people. Tommy talks on love in the workplace. Millennials will not follow you, unless they know that you are creating a place of goodness. [27:38] Tommy wants a Maserati, but he won’t leave Lexus, because of service manager Kelly Kennedy. Kelly provides incredible customer service, and hugs Tommy every time he sees him. Any leader would want customers to feel about their staff the way Tommy considers Kelly. [36:54] In building authentic relationships with people, the goal is not get on their Christmas card list. The goal is to be invited to their Christmas (or Chanukah) dinner. Make a list of the top 20 important people in your life, and ask what kind of relationship you have. Ask, how would you love and serve them more? It can transform your life. It takes time. Tommy discusses authentic philanthropy.     Books Mentioned in This Episode The One Minute Manager, by Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D. and Spencer Johnson M.D. Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Leadership, by Ken Blanchard, Patricia Zigarmi, and Drea Zigarmi The Heart-Led Leader: How Living and Leading From the Heart Will Change Your Organization and Your Life, by Tommy Spaulding It's Not Just Who You Know: Transform Your Life (and Your Organization) by Turning Colleagues and Contacts into Lasting, Genuine Relationships, by Tommy Spaulding, Foreword by Ken Blanchard   Bio Tommy Spaulding is the Founder & President of Spaulding Companies, a leadership development, speaking, training, and executive coaching firm based in Denver, Colorado. A world-renowned speaker on leadership, Spaulding has spoken to hundreds of organizations, associations, educational institutions, and corporations around the globe. His first book, It’s Not Just Who You Know: Transform Your Life and Your Organization by Turning Colleagues and Contacts into Lasting, Genuine Relationships, published by Penguin Random House in 2010, quickly climbed to the top of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today national bestseller lists. His new book, The Heart-Led Leader, published by Penguin Random House in October, 2015 is a New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal national bestseller and was also listed on Inc.com’s Top 100 Business Books of 2015. Spaulding rose to become the youngest President & CEO of the world-renowned leadership organization, Up with People. In 2000, Tommy founded Leader’s Challenge, which grew to become the largest high school civic and leadership program in the state of Colorado. He is the Founder & President of the Global Youth Leadership Academy as well as the National Leadership Academy, a leading national non-profit high school leadership development organization. Previously, Spaulding was the Business Partner Sales Manager at IBM/Lotus Development and a member of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program. He received a BA in Political Science from East Carolina University (1992); an MBA from Bond University in Australia (1998), where he was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar; and an MA in Nonprofit Management from Regis University (2005). In 2006, Spaulding was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award by East Carolina University (ECU) and in 2007, Spaulding received an Honorary PhD in Humanities from the Art Institute of Colorado. In September, 2012 Spaulding was named by Meetings & Conventions Magazine as one of the 100 MOST FAVORITE SPEAKERS in the nation.   Tommy resides in the Denver metro area with his wife and children. Website: TommySpaulding.com Website: NationalLeadershipAcademy.org Website: GlobalYouthLeadershipAcademy.com Facebook: Tommy Spaulding Twitter: @TommySpaulding LinkedIn: Tommy Spaulding

Summary & Ideas for Action Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Liz Ryan - the CEO and founder of Human Workplace. According to Liz, the mistrust of employees is baked into organizations. Liz says,  “It’s toxic, it’s sick, and it’s bad for profitability, for shareholders, for employee health, and the planet.”  Liz advocates that leaders need to “be human,” and to make every workplace a human workplace. Trust your people. Liz considers infrastructure, control mechanisms, and performance appraisals, to be disgusting. She says It’s a bad message: “You are not a fully fledged, adult, independent, creative, vibrant, amazing person, when you’re at work.” Listen in to learn more about humanizing our workplaces.   Key Takeaways [1:51] Liz waited tables while in school. She dropped out, moved to Chicago, and found she was too young to wait tables in Illinois. She became an office worker, and later moved into HR, with no experience. HR workshops and seminars taught her the laws, but she felt that HR practices did not create a great working environment, or take really good care of employees and applicants. [3:38] In her first HR job, Liz’s efforts to improve the workplace and hire great people accompanied a growth in annual sales from $1 million to $200 million. Her second HR job was with a tech startup. While she was there, the company grew from $15 million in annual sales, into a $3 billion company. [6:21] Liz objects to the theory of HR’s and leaders’ roles being to guard against bad things that could potentially happen, rather than to hire people who are unlikely to do bad things. The mistrust of employees is baked into organizations. It’s toxic, it’s sick, and it’s bad for profitability, for shareholders,  for employee health, and the planet. Liz calls this entrenched system Godzilla. [9:54] Be human. Make every workplace a human workplace. Trust your people. Liz considers infrastructure, control mechanisms, and performance appraisals, to be disgusting. It’s a bad message: “You are not a fully fledged, adult, independent, creative, vibrant, amazing person, when you’re at work.” [10:58] The transactional nature of employment can obscure the real rewards beyond the check. If employees are paid fairly decently, they appreciate different motivations, such as intellectual growth and creative challenges. People need to connect to their own power source, whatever that is. Work can be art. See Liza’s article on rewarding employees for free. She wrote it in response to multiple requests. [14:30] Liz sees a paranoia, that when we let employees work from home they’re going to be watching daytime soaps and eating bonbons. In 2017, we are using an 1850s employment model of a factory with supervisors watching from a catwalk, as in a prison — it is hierarchical, bureaucratic “terror.” [17:35] The fix is to embrace your power. You can choose another job. You can speak up, or hold your tongue, because you choose to, not out of fear. Whether you are entry-level, or in the C-suite, you have the power to create a human workplace around you. That is adulthood. You are the CEO of your own life. [19:39] Liz says you must understand your path, and get that vision of what your life is supposed to be. For her, focusing on what you want, and where you are going, is not about sacrifice, but about choice and determination. Really listen to your gut and your heart, and follow them. Take a step every single day. Come out of your comfort zone. [21:50] Liz tells how she found her voice. She was shot down for using calligraphy on internal mail. She got no answers for questions about the roles of men and women at work. She asked questions in her HR role that had no handbook answers. She felt so strongly about things, that she just started speaking out. The job is to be a human, not a bureaucrat. Liz did HR from the heart, organically, and in the moment. [32:27] The story of Kitty Genovese’s murder, where 37 witnesses didn’t act, is compared to the workplace, where we have “permission” not to act, when it’s not our job. Workplace hierarchy gives us permission to mistreat people. Instead, take permission to treat people humanely. Run your career as a business. Do not tolerate things in your business that should not be tolerated. Do not abdicate control. [37:07] Liz asserts that somebody restricting your words and acts, because they pay you, is out of bounds. If you say something, it’s personal, and it will have a personal impact on someone. If you fear to say something important to you, say it anyway. It will work out better for you, even if you lose your job. [41:51] Liz tells a couple of frameshift stories involving young people, to illustrate a point. Generation Y employees are not impressed by authority and tradition, but want opportunities to work to their strengths. Not every employee has every strength, but the strengths they have can be great.     Books Mentioned in This Episode "Ten Ways to Reward Your Employees — For Free," by Liz Ryan Reinvention Roadmap: Break the Rules to Get the Job You Want and Career You Deserve, by Liz Ryan Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert B. Cialdini   Liz Ryan’s LinkedIn Bio I was a Fortune 500 Human Resources SVP for eons. I've launched HR departments for several successful startups. While I was building HR functions from the ground up, I first questioned and then rewrote the practices for HR, recruiting and leadership in organizations. My vision for a workplace focused on people became the Human Workplace in 2012. Human Workplace is a publishing, coaching and consulting firm whose mission is to reinvent work for people. Our teaching and speaking, writing and artwork coalesce to turn conventional leadership, employee communication, recruitment and HR on its ear. The future of work is human, and Human Workplace employers use our curriculum, tools, coaching and private consultation to re-launch their cultures in the 21st century mode, to meet the challenges of the new-millennium workplace. I started writing about the workplace in 1997, with a column for the Chicago Sun-Times. Now you can find my stories and artwork here on LinkedIn, on Forbes, TIME, Business Week, Kiplinger's Finance, Yahoo!, Inc., Huffington Post, Denver Post, Harvard Business Review and other publications. We launched Human Workplace to teach the practices that I've been speaking and writing about for years. Human Workplace is a global movement to humanize work, with millions of numbers around the world. I live in Boulder, Colorado. My husband and I have five angelic bratty kids.I sing opera and draw the images you see in our columns, eBooks and lessons. Website: HumanWorkplace.com Facebook: Human Workplace Twitter: @humanworkplace LinkedIn: Liz Ryan

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Chris Paton (2 weeks before he had a brain tumor removed - see notes below which are published with Chris’s permission). Chris is the founder and Managing Director of Quirk Solutions, a company that specializes in delivering Business Wargaming to many organizations. Chris was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Marines and an advisor to the Cabinet and National Security Council on Afghan strategy, and he leverages the wargaming he learned as a tool to pressure test and evaluate business plans before committing resources into action. Listen in to learn more about how you can lead stress testing in your organization to strengthen your plans and execution.   Emails we received from Chris - this is one tough hombre - and hope this inspires you as much as did us...   Feb 7 - Date show was recorded   Feb 24 - date of Chris’s surgery - his comments below right after surgery:   Hi Jan & Jim. All done. Feeling a bit rubbish and just recovering from anaesthetic now, but thanks to your kind thoughts and prayers have come out the other side of surgery ok.   Won't know more re how cancerous/benign it is for 2-3 weeks but already feeling up for the fight.   Whatever it is; It picked on the wrong dude.....   You know me; not about to let this get in the way of what I want to do.   Really hope I smash the ball out of the park for you.   Looking forward to hearing what you come up with as a title. Will cheer up a few days in hospital!   Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I'm out of immediate danger and now turning my energy back against my opponent!   March 9 As it happens, we had some amazing news this morning. The results of the biopsy are back and not only did they get all of the tumour out, but it seems it was totally benign and there's no risk of cancer at all.   Big smiles this side of the pond!   God bless,   Key Takeaways [3:21] In the Royal Marines, Chris co-authored an article on planning in fluid situations. That led to talks and consulting, and he realized he had something important to contribute to the corporate world. He left the military to create a business planning consultancy. At each point of a client strategy, Chris would pressure test it to find gaps and weaknesses. He would also pressure test the options he delivered. [6:24] Chris started to have clients create more of the strategy, with more self-reliance; more responsibility for their own planning. Chris ‘blew on the embers,’ with pressure tests, to add the real value to the planning process. [7:56] Military people go into business, aware that the consequences of getting something wrong are so catastrophic, that they don’t want to engage with it. Because of that, they spend a lot of time preparing to get it right for the actual action. Corporations sometimes just give it a whirl, to see what happens. Military will not do that, because the cost of failure is too great. [11:05] Chris runs sessions three ways. The first is a pure pressure test. The second is to train the people to run their own tests. The third is to train the trainer, to do it independently. The pressure test is oriented around a Blue idea team and a Red critical team. The Red are the people who will be affected by the plan. Blue runs the ideas like game plays against Red team. An umpire facilitates the wargame. [17:38] Matthew Syed, in Black Box Thinking, suggests an evolutionary process of trying and testing, failing, trying, and testing. Chris combines that with technical expertise, to start with a good initial plan. All affected parties are needed. Executives arguing against executives will not find all problems. [19:54] One cause of organizational blind spots is always recruiting people to be a good fit. Over time they end up recruiting very similar people, who see things the same way. Another blind spot is wilful blindness, from fear of the awful consequence of failure. Chris insists organizations draw from their own experiences in solving these challenges, for buy-in, using him as a safety net. [24:50] Representatives of every affected group are in the room, and the facilitator urges them to use their voice to discuss all aspects of the plan. It’s about giving people a platform to critique the plans positively, and be a critical friend: “I get where you’re trying to go, but if we did it slightly differently, we’d probably have more success.” [26:17] A leader who is too controlling causes paralysis by fear among employees. By giving people permission to fail, leaders reduce the instances of failure. A leader can humbly say, “I don’t have all the answers; you’re going to have to help me. I will make the decision, but I need you to provide me with the expertise to help me make the right decision, at the right time, and in the right place.” [30:44] Chris hires people who want to contribute and make a difference. To deliver the workshops they must be ex-military, but Chris also requires three years of challenging commercial experience before he will hire them. They need to have engagement, warmth and openness. They are connected, and engaged, and Chris rewards them. [34:55] Chris has a story from his early business days that still makes his toes curl. One of the corporate Blue team members gaver a great presentation of his segment, but when challenged, was unable to defend it, because he didn’t have a good grasp of it. The Red team was recruited to generate ideas, and Chris learned that he needed to pre-qualify all the presenters for competence before pressure testing. [39:50] Chris, 40 when he started, had no previous business experience, but had a mortgage and teenage children. He relies on his wife and family to sustain him in his entrepreneurial journey. Chris also asked clients for testimonial support, which they supplied freely. That was invigorating for him. Chris also finds strength volunteering at CHICKS, a week-long outdoor experience for disadvantaged children.   Books Mentioned in This Episode Black Box Thinking: Why Most People Never Learn from Their Mistakes--But Some Do, by Matthew Syed The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, by Stephen R. Covey "How the UK's Royal Marines Plan in the Face of Uncertainty," by Arnoud Franken, Chris Paton, and Simon Rogers   Bio In his former career, Chris was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Marines and advisor to the Cabinet and National Security Council on the Afghan strategy. He was responsible for the design of the drawdown of the UK presence in Afghanistan. He saw active service in a wide range of places including Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Georgia and Afghanistan. In 2010, Chris co-authored a HBR article on planning in fluid situations. This then led to his leaving the military to create Quirk Solutions Ltd. Chris has worked with BUPA, Heineken, Standard Life Investments, Shell and a wide range of SME businesses. He uses his leadership, strategy and planning experience to give organisations increased coherency, direction and efficiency. Chris is also one of the UK’s premier exponents of Business Wargaming; stress testing plans to identify risks and opportunities. Bi-lingual in French and with a Masters Degree in International Liaison and Communication, Chris also provides French-speaking performance consultancy to clients. Chris Paton is an extraordinary polymath. His exceptional intellect and leadership skill set is faultless and is combined, in his new career, with an empathy to deliver, which at once inspires as much as it educates. Chris is an avid rugby man, as well as many outdoor sports, trying to surf, and expending vast amounts of futile effort trying to make his garden look presentable. Website: QuirkSolutions.org Twitter: @quirkwargaming LinkedIn: Quirk Solutions Ltd Blog: ChrisPatonWargame.wordpress.com/  

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Becki Saltzman. Becki is a curiosity expert and an applied-curiosity trainer and consultant. In this interview, Jim, Jan and Becki discuss the nature of curiosity training vis-a-vis your curiosity muscle. Becki points out that asking additional questions is better than getting quick answers to obvious questions. Leaders can encourage innovation by fostering a culture of curiosity in their organization. Listen in to learn more about how peak curiosity can clarify your  vision and guide decisions.   Key Takeaways [4:03] Becki notes that you can control whether you are interested, more than whether you are interesting. If you are not interested in people, you don’t know about them, so you don’t know what will make you interesting to them. Curiosity can lead you to find uncommon commonalities with them. [4:50] Becki was raised by auctioneers, and attended hundreds of auctions, where she found a variety of people and objects to stimulate her curiosity. In graduate school she realized that curiosity was relegated to an ingredient in the greater studies of innovation and creativity. She chose to study it in its own right. [7:14] Becki tells leaders that curiosity is a muscle, to be exercised before judgment, criticism, fear, and complacency. Because it is a tool, peak curiosity is to be used in some, but not all, situations. [11:55] Becki talks about managing familiarity and heightening curiosity in a business setting, and also in a personal setting. When her son was hospitalized, instead of just accepting a nurse’s statement about a test, Becki engaged her curiosity to ask a critical question that made a big difference. [15:25] Becki distinguishes the difference between  free-range, basic curiosity vs. applied curiosity. Applied curiosity training concentrates on using curiosity as a tool in three areas: busting cognitive biases and brain bugs, creative problem-solving and innovation, and sales and influence. [17:26] George Loewenstein identified the information gap between what you want to know, and what you do know. Becki found gaps between what you do know and what you need to know, and between what you want to know and what you need to know. Thinking, before you whip out a cell phone to search, is enough to keep the curiosity gap alive. Easy information can make us think we know enough. [29:39] Elevating curiosity ahead of criticism, judgment, fear, and complacency is often enough to question why you make the decisions you make. Elevating curiosity makes your judgment more accurate. [31:59] Becki starts curiosity training by identifying your curiosity archetype, or how you default to using curiosity. Each archetype has its own set of cognitive biases, fueled by assumptions. Once your biases are identified, you can evaluate whether to use them or not, in making decisions. Familiarity and expectations are the basis of assumptions. [34:15] The minimum viable question in sales should be meaningful, unexpected, and not infused with any judgment. The reply is how you get your best information about the client or prospect. Becki’s MVQ is, “What did your childhood smell like?” [39:26] Becki employs Richard Feynman’s learning technique of taking something very familiar, and manipulating your sense of familiarity about it, to bring yourself to peak curiosity.   Books Mentioned in This Episode Living Curiously: How to Use Curiosity to Be Remarkable and Do Good Stuff, by Becki Saltzman Arousing the Buy Curious: Real Estate Pillow Talk for Patrons and Professionals, by Becki Saltzman "The Psychology of Curiosity: A Review and Reinterpretation," by George Loewenstein The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization, by Peter M. Senge Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman, by James Gleick. How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie   Bio Becki Saltzman holds a masters degree in behavioral science from Washington University in St. Louis, and has spent the last two decades studying curiosity and the role it plays in innovation & creativity, problem solving and decision-making, sales, and adventure. She is the author of Living Curiously: How to Use Curiosity to Be Remarkable and Do Good Stuff, and Arousing the Buy Curious: Real Estate Pillow Talk for Patrons and Professionals. She is a trainer & consultant, professional speaker, and ex-real estate broker and fashion buyer. Becki is the founder of the Living Curiously Lifestyle and creator of Applied-Curiosity, Peak Curiosity, and the Living Curiously Method — frameworks and teaching programs for using curiosity to accomplish remarkable things in work, adventure, and life. She is the spawn of master persuader auctioneers and breeder of boys. When she’s not traveling to speak about curiosity, Becki lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband. She loves great travel adventures, crowded dance floors, and brown drinks. Website: BeckiSaltzman.com Google: Join the Tribe of the Curious Facebook: Becki Saltzman Twitter: @BeckiSaltzman LinkedIn: Becki Saltzman

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Steffan Tubbs. Steffan is best known in Colorado as the co-host of Colorado’s Morning News on KOA NewsRadio in Denver. Overall, Steffan has more than 26 years of news experience and is a four-time winner of the Edward R. Murrow award for national reporting.  In this interview, Jim, Jan and Steffan discuss whether some people are born to be leaders, and then assume leadership responsibilities; or some are thrown into circumstances where leadership is demanded and step up to the occasion.   Also discussed is why some seek leadership positions with no motivation for personal gain.  When Steffan covers people who complain and blame their circumstances, he challenges them that a single individual can still make a difference.   Listen in to learn more about how passion for a cause can inspire others to achieve heroic aspirations..   Key Takeaways [3:39] Steffan first embedded in Iraq in March 2006, to report to his audience firsthand on conditions. He saw our men and women carrying out orders, and also going beyond to fulfil humanitarian missions. [6:16] At home, an email informed Steffan that a new friend had lost his life to an IED, in the same Humvee they had shared less than a month earlier. Steffan vowed that his mission would be to remember our troops — men and women — and their sacrifices. This has led to incredible experiences. [10:34] Filming ACRONYM, Steffan had many opportunities to talk and travel with WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan veterans, who spoke to him about wanting to protect our country, the Constitution, and our democracy, but suffered terribly doing so. This day, more than 20 veterans will take their lives, and 75 more will attempt it. Steffan spreads awareness of this tragedy. [12:39] Steffan’s life changed on April 19, 1995, when the AP ticker reported an explosion in Oklahoma City, at the Murrah Federal Building. Steffan arrived within six hours, and was on site for a week. That was his first tragedy coverage of many. In the aftermath of tragedy, he saw ordinary people become leaders, as they evacuated buildings and saved people’s lives. [17:53] Some people are born to be leaders, and find leadership positions. Some are thrown into circumstances where leadership is demanded, and step up to the occasion. Some seek leadership position with no motivation for personal gain. Some people do not seek to lead. [21:04] When Steffan covers people who complain and blame their circumstances, he challenges them. A person can still make a difference, living in this, the greatest country on earth. [22:51] WWII veteran Joe LaNier grew up in segregated rural Mississippi, grandson of a slave, and became a Navy Seabee. He always looked at life’s positives After interviewing with Steffan, he became the subject of Steffan’s first book and documentary film, Life, Liberty & Resilience. Taking on the dual project “just about killed” Steffan, but he and Joe had great experiences working together. [29:29] Steffan tells of his early life, and the resilience of his divorced mother, as she provided for him as well as she could. Steffan knows both poverty and comfort. He rejects keeping the hand you were dealt. He creates opportunities, makes things happen, and believes others can, too. Resiliency helps in any hard circumstance. Steffan is an eternal optimist, in part through the examples of people he meets. [34:00] You can learn optimism by paying attention around you. There’s always someone who is in a worse situation than you. If you see them coping, and being resilient, take a lesson from it. [37:40] Steffan tells why he likes to create documentary films. His company trademark is Documentary Films That MatterTM. Everybody has a story, and most people have a compelling story. Steffan’s curiosity drives him to discover, explore, and share these stories in documentary form.  Books Mentioned in This Episode Life, Liberty & Resilience: A Man’s War on Three Fronts, by Steffan Tubbs Adversity Quotient: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities, by Paul G. Stoltz Bio Steffan has funneled his passion for fair, honest reporting into Mountain Time Media and making Documentary Films That Matter.™ His first 3 films, Life, Liberty & Resilience, Droughtland, and ACRONYM: The Cross-Generational Battle With PTSD, all have been critically acclaimed and created amazing engagement opportunities, including a private screening on Capitol Hill for the House Veteran Affairs Committee.  In addition to his radio experience, Steffan has spent more than six years as a national correspondent with ABC News based in Los Angeles, and nearly two years as a reporter/anchor for Fox5/WNYW-TV in New York City before moving back to Denver in 2005. Steffan hosted Studio 12 on Colorado Public Television for eight years. He has covered the Oklahoma City bombing and subsequent trials, Columbine, 9/11 recovery from Ground Zero, the Virginia Tech and Aurora Theater shootings and every type of natural disaster – from fires to hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, drought, and tornadoes. His sports coverage has included Super Bowls, World Series, NBA, and Stanley Cup Finals. Steffan is a frequent contributor to the Fox News Channel and ABC News. He is a proud supporter of our military and was twice embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq (2006 & 2010.) In both 2010 and 2012, he assisted WWII veterans back to the island of Iwo Jima. He ends his show daily by reminding us to Remember Our Troops. In 2012, Steffan published his first book Life, Liberty & Resilience – the story of a segregated WWII Iwo Jima veteran who grew up in rural Mississippi. His first film of the same title was released in 2013. In 2014, Steffan’s second film Droughtland was released to critical acclaim. His latest film, ACRONYM: The Cross-Generational Battle With PTSD has garnered overwhelming support in Colorado and Nationally. Google: ACRONYM  PTSD Website: MountainTM.com Facebook: Mountain Time Media Facebook: ACRONYM: The Cross-Generational Battle With PTSD Twitter: @MtnTimeMedia Twitter: @Acronym_ptsd Twitter: @KOATubbs Twitter: @TubbsKOA (This links to a specific Tweet on the Official U.S. Navy page)  

Heroic Aspirations & Team Commitment – A Profound Disconnect? Summary & Ideas for Action On this Mastermind episode, co-hosts Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford discuss the inside scoop on The Leadership Podcast.  Jim and Jan cover the questions that have been asked when they’ve shown the Patagonia Crucible documentary in four cities so far.  They segue into themes The Leadership Podcast guests have discussed  most often, and they conclude the episode with two important announcements.   Listen in for what Jim and Jan have learned as they continue to study leaders!   Key Takeaways [2:30] Jan and Jim took the Patagonia documentary to Denver, Portland, Seattle and Chicago. Self-Reliant Leadership studies the qualities of elite military units to understand the recipe for accelerated team development in all environments - from Patagonia to the boardroom.  In October 2016, a team of Special Operations veterans and business executives completed a 54-mile circumnavigation of Cerro Torre and Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia, Argentina.  During the six-day expedition, the team tested audacity, adaptability, and compassion to determine if team development can be accelerated.  The team found that selflessness, positivity, and curiosity were the key ingredients to a team with an absolute commitment to achieve at an elite level. These conclusions created a "recipe" to develop your own elite teams that gel quickly, gracefully handle changing business conditions, achieve challenging goals, and perform with absolute commitment. [3:12] “What did you forget to take?” Special Ops guys knew somebody would have what they didn’t. Executives packed every possible item. Everyone shared. [5:59] “How do you translate that to business?” Daily, you have problems. Somebody on your team has already solved that problem. Ask. You’re as strong as the team. Always have instant messaging on, so if someone has a question, you’re there. To be part of the team, you have to be available. [7:52] “How did you select participants?” Participants were selected who were: selfless, adventurous, and had heroic aspirations. Those criteria were constantly reinforced:  “You have been selected because you are selfless, adventurous, and have heroic aspirations.” People realized it’s all about everyone else. [8:44] Participants were expected to read the bios of the others going; to answer, “What do you hope to get out of this trip?” and to set up one-on-one calls to know their teammates. He set expectations of camaraderie, selflessness, vulnerability, sharing, and learning. [11:27] “If someone’s hurting, shouldn’t they acknowledge it honestly to the team?” Recognize something bad happened. Respect burdens without dwelling on them; let each overcome their adversity. Be inspired by the good coming out of it. Be self-aware, both internally, and of how you affect others, and self-regulate. Ask yourself, ‘What emotions do I want to show, that are best-suited for the team?’ [17:38] ‘Slowing down to speed up,’ is critical on the crucibles and in business. “I don’t have time to develop my team,” is not a strategy. Point of no return (PONR) goals are really big and really hard, and the team has no choice but to gel, bond, and take care of each other. Executives need a team that has each other’s back, with shared accountability and selflessness. Set ‘stretch’ goals. [23:27] Planning for Patagonia involved team decisions. Things were discussed, not dictated. One discussion was on heavy snowshoes. They finally agreed to bring them. In hindsight, they needed them. Leadership has to be patient, and let the team all come to the same conclusion. [26:16] “What was different when you were roped in, and how does that relate to the business world?” Walking on the glacier and keeping everyone at the same pace, with the right spacing and tension, physically forced you to understand the interdependencies of your team. You are all tied together. [29:45] Themes from guests: (1) Vulnerability shows authenticity, earns credibility, and builds confidence. (2) Humor. Be self-deprecating. Allow a culture of fun, not at others’ expense. (3) Deal with conflict. Provide consequences. Uphold standards and culture. Turn negative energy into positive. [41:02] General McChrystal said: “Most organizations today were designed for an environment that no longer exists.” Gary Hamel wrote that the system is not creating the environment where most of the people can do the right thing most of the time, with minimal supervision. Executives must transition to lead the full organization. Self-reliant leadership has three pillars: self, others, and organization. [42:36] Announcements: (1) Jim has joined Jan as a partner in Self-Reliant Leadership, with plans, vision, and P.O.N.R.’s. (2) Jim announces The Leadership Podcast Academy, at WeStudyLeaders.com. Sign up there for the featured course, Fundamentals for Self-Reliant Leaders. The first 10 to sign up using the code, launchparty, will get a 50% discount for the course.     Books Mentioned on the Show Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert P. Cialdini The Experience Economy, by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore The Future of Management, by Gary Hamel The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership, by Jan Rutherford With Schwarzkopf: Life Lessons of The Bear by Gus Lee   Bios:  http://theleadershippodcast.com/our-team/   Website: SelfReliantLeadership.com Website: TheLeadershipPodcast.com Website: WeStudyLeaders.com Twitter: @WeStudyLeaders Facebook: We Study Leaders   Like us on Facebook, Twitter, Stitcher, SoundCloud, and iTunes!  

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Greg Adams and Blake Miles. Greg was a Special Forces officer, and is now the Co-founder and CEO of Stabilitas, a real-time threat intelligence and communication platform for security professionals working at global organizations. Blake was a Special Forces soldier, and currently is working as the Director of Support for Stabilitas. Greg and his team help safeguard companies and secures travelers with location specific safety information and a lifeline to help, all through their smartphones.   Listen in to learn more about how these former Special Forces operators bring military-strength intelligence to corporate security.   Key Takeaways [4:24] The Stabilitas team mission is to keep stakeholders safe, communicating risks arising from world conditions. [13:32] Greg had had a learning experience in Afghanistan, where his fundamental assumptions were challenged. Greg said you have to be curious, informed, and confident in your decisions, and always open to new information. [19:27] Greg’s top value is to surround himself with quality people, like Blake. It’s a combination of taking care of the customer, and building a team of people that care about each other. [21:53] Greg deployed to Afghanistan during the financial crisis. The war wasn’t resonating with people who were losing their homes. This event made him want to study the big picture, through empirical economics, which helped him to find data to test big assumptions. Applying this to Stabilitas, they use machine learning to process open source risk data, map it, and dynamically deliver intelligence to a smartphone. [23:39] In the commercial security space, they’re at a confluence of markets between intelligence and geopolitical risk, and communicating that intelligence to security staff, giving them civilian equivalents of military tools. [27:30] Stabilitas is exploring social media. The goal is to demonstrate they’re doing something new, and social media is a new approach to reach security firms.  [33:56] Bringing people with different backgrounds onto the team, means Greg had to find similar and  trustworthy people with great autonomy and specialized skills. [38:59] Blake recommends Jan’s Crucible cross-pollination of military and executive styles.      Bios Greg Adams is passionate about geopolitical risks, empirical research, data analytics, technology, building a team, and getting out in the Pacific Northwest. When he’s not building a great product with the Stabilitas team, or running around in the mountains, you can find him at Stabilitas.io. Greg has an undergraduate degree in physics from West Point, and studied economics and business at Harvard.   Website: Stabilitas.io Email: Greg@Stabilitas.io LinkedIn: Greg Adams Twitter: @Greg_ii   After serving in Special Forces, Blake Miles spent time as a recruiter for the Army National Guard before separating from the military in 2011. While working toward his bachelor’s degree, he began his role as Director of Communications for the Green Beret Foundation, and also began writing for the website, SOFREP. Blake earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne.   Twitter: @BMiles84 Facebook: BMiles84 LinkedIn: Blake Miles

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Lana Holmes. Lana served as a proof-of-concept CEO for 6 companies, and an investor/advisor to over 30 technical startups in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the founder of four companies, she has deep expertise in the complete entrepreneurial journey. Sensing the marketplace needed more than business expertise, Lana invested in her personal practice with an eight-year journey in earth wisdom and oral indigenous traditions. Listen in to learn more about how to be inquisitive, find passion, and navigate your journey so as to pass down wisdom for generations to come.   Key Takeaways [3:21] Lana’s early career was an executive path, starting at Xerox, where she learned to ask questions. She was also one of the first employees at WebLogic as Director of Operations.  [6:56] Looking for passion in her life, Lana went on a year-long walkabout, spending time in nature. She found teachers who were students of indigenous oral traditions, and she asked to study with them.  [11:39] Lana discusses the hero’s journey. She cites Brian Johnson, who is launching Hero Training 101, after a life of leadership and being a hero in his own right.  [14:42] Jim notes consistent similarities shared by the various leader-focused guests on the podcast: asking questions, telling stories, being curious, concern for legacy, listening. Jan cites a TED Radio Hour podcast on “The Hero’s Journey,” and the crucibles heroes experience. Lana talks about timeless earth wisdom.  [17:32] Earth wisdom provided Lana with the essential elements for navigation. Her organizational development work has been influenced by earth wisdom teachings, and medicine wheels, in relationship with nature. She takes clients into nature, diving deep with them to make a quantum leap toward understanding their life’s purpose. [19:29] Lana notes that Crucibles impact people by the power of the earth. She provides people with tools, or custom questions, built on the energies of a medicine wheel, to navigate their lives. [26:02] Lana urges aligning business with our values.  Disruption creates superstorm systems, that are complicated and challenging to fix. [29:54] Jim considers cycles to be critical. Ancient wisdom teaches balance, and give and take.  [35:45] Leadership is one of the highest forms of service. We must first come into right relationship with ourselves, in order to be extraordinary leaders. Service begins at self-care. Lana asks questions to reveal the brilliance that is already within people [39:32] The first step is listening to our own voice, which requires asking ourselves the right questions, and listening deeply to what’s moving within us, and then having dialog with people, about those questions and findings.     Bio Drawing upon the combined resources of a 28+ year executive career in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lana Holmes served as a proof of concept CEO for 6 companies and is or has been an investor or advisor to over 30 technical startups in the San Francisco Bay Area.  As a founder of four companies (2 consultancies, 1 service, 1 product), she has a deep expertise in the complete entrepreneurial journey.  More specifically, a refined knowing of the inner and outer structures needed for successful implementation in the current market place.  Sensing that the marketplace needed more than business expertise, Lana invested in her personal practice with an eight-year journey in earth wisdom and oral indigenous traditions.  Lana has developed skills uniquely suited for the opportunities and challenges of our current world community and serves as an advisor and guide to high impact individuals and couples.  Always listening and connected to a deep conviction that the feminine voice holds healing and wholeness for what is needed to restore balance and order among all humans, Lana accepted the role of Vice Chair and Chair of the Nominating Committee on the World Pulse Board  and continues to invest her energies toward all that serves and sustains life.   LinkedIn: Lana Holmes Instagram: LanarenHolmes Website: LanaHolmes.com Email: Lana@LanaHolmes.com

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Josh Spodek, an Adjunct Professor at NYU, leadership coach, workshop leader for Columbia Business School, columnist for Inc., founder of Spodek Academy, and author of Leadership Step by Step (launching February 2017). Josh talks about how academic teachings failed to prepare him for entrepreneurship, and how learning a theory is insufficient without practicing it.  They discuss the critical need for emotional intelligence, and psychological safety, and how they can be developed, and the techniques Josh uses to strengthen them.  Listen in to learn more about leadership practices, releasing passion, changing beliefs, and nurturing teams.   Key Takeaways [2:59] Josh is concerned that academic education is emotionally and socially passive. At Ivy League schools, Josh learned was intellectually challenged, but he was not taught socially and emotionally. Josh had trouble working with others when he founded his first company. His leadership was ineffective during the recession, and investors forced him out as CEO. [10:34] Reading books, and learning theory, but not learning how to practice the theory, you might as well read about weights, but not actually lifting weights. Josh wanted a place to teach leadership. For Spodek Academy, Josh researched fields that show leadership, to learn from their techniques. He created exercises, tested and refined them, to teach sensitivity to others’ emotions. [18:32] Joshua cites exercises by Marshall Goldsmith, such as “FeedForward,” and “No, But, However,” that taught him so much about listening and empathy. Small changes in behavior change your worldview. Josh organized Goldsmith’s exercises, and others, into a progression of learning, with each exercise being more challenging, and all tied together. [19:58] One exercise is to write down your inner monolog, the voice inside your head — not what you’re thinking about, but the actual words. A later exercise is to speak your inner monolog. That’s scary, because people hear it. It turns out to be authentic, and people respond genuinely. Further exercises are to write your mental model (what creates the inner monolog), and models of others. [25:12] We’ve all been hurt. When part of your identity is mocked, you can’t get rid of it, but you can hide it. We don’t get hurt by casual acquaintances, but by people close to us. We learn to close off our vulnerabilities. Leaders who learn to get people to get past vulnerability to share their passion can get them to engage in their work, for purposes about which they are passionate. [26:50] Jim talks about psychological safety, determined by Google’s Project Aristotle to be the number one key performance driver of high performing teams. With psychological safety, it is easier to have discussions in touch with your inner monolog. Josh says Laszlo Bock’s research at Google revealed the need for our educational system to educate to emotional intelligence. [29:47] Josh teaches adopting a challenging belief, in Unit 2 of Leadership Step by Step. Unit 1 is Understand Yourself. Unit 2 is Lead Yourself. A leader needs to know that beliefs affect how people view the world. Two people, looking at one thing, see two things. To change motivation, change belief. Joshua describes changing the “dandelion belief,” to the “burning building belief.” [33:36] If you can look at a difficult problem from a different perspective, and solve it that way, you have an additional way to solve problems, or more intelligence. Helping someone change a belief is simpler than convincing them of something. The progression in the book is, understand your belief, adopt a challenging belief, understand other’s belief, and help them adopt a belief. [37:48] Visiting North Korea taught Josh about himself. Seeing pictures of Kim Jong Il everywhere, and tuning them out, made him wonder what he tunes out here in the U.S. It hit him, that advertising and brands are what he tunes out. We incorporate into our reality things that are actually aspects of our external culture. Sometimes it takes an outsider perspective to see it. [40:48] Josh teaches entrepreneurs, when they find an industry where everybody has the same fixed beliefs, it is a huge opportunity, especially when the beliefs do not match the interests of the market. The more fixed the belief, the more the opportunity. Google is an example. Before Google were simple site aggregators, like Alta Vista. Google tried to sell “search” for $1 million. No takers!   Books Mentioned in This Episode Leadership Step by Step: Become the Person Others Follow, by Joshua Spodek (Available February 16, 2017) Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman Marshall Goldsmith author page on Amazon The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization, by Peter M. Senge NYT Magazine, "What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team," article by Charles Duhigg Work Rules! Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead, by Laszlo Bock   Bio Joshua Spodek is an Adjunct Professor at NYU, leadership coach and workshop leader for Columbia Business School, columnist for Inc., founder of Spodek Academy, and author of Leadership Step by Step (launching February 2017). He has led seminars in leadership, entrepreneurship, creativity, and sales at Harvard, Princeton, MIT, INSEAD (Singapore), the New York Academy of Science, and in private corporations. He holds five Ivy League degrees, including a PhD in Astrophysics and an MBA, and studied under a Nobel Prize winner.  He helped build an X-ray observational satellite for the European Space Agency and NASA, co-founded and led as CEO or COO several ventures, and holds six patents. He earned praise as “Best and Brightest” (Esquire Magazine’s Genius Issue), “Astrophysicist turned new media whiz” (NBC), and “Rocket Scientist” (ABC News and Forbes) and has been quoted and profiled by ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, Fox, NY1, CNN, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, Newsweek, Forbes, Esquire, The Guardian, Nikkei Shimbun, Taipei Times, Salon, and more. He’s an award-winning artist, marathoner, world-class Ultimate Frisbee competitor, fitness fanatic, and world traveler.  He lives in Greenwich Village and blogs daily.   Website: SpodekAcademy.com  Twitter: @Spodek Website: JoshuaSpodek.com Facebook: Spodek Academy LinkedIn: Joshua Spodek  

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Mary Kelly, CEO at Productive Leaders.  They speak with Mary about the challenges of leadership in industry, and what happens when a leader tries too hard to be liked. They also discuss how employees perceive leaders differently than leaders perceive themselves. They discuss accountability, fairness, consistency, and mentoring. They end with a discussion on motivation, happiness, and contributors to depression. Listen in to learn more about steps leaders can take today to build trust and accountability in their organization.   Key Takeaways [3:23] Productive leadership is hard, with competing demands from above and below. In the military, everyone wants to lead; to be productive. In many cases in business, we take the enjoyment out of being a leader. We’ve made it difficult to be a leader. If leaders make mistakes, they get fired. Some ineffective leaders put themselves first, and lack compassion. [6:34] Simon Sinek did a video on Millennials, whose parents wanted to be liked instead of being respected. Jim says, being respected is hugely important. If you care about people, they will like and respect you. Mary says, they like you, until you make a decision that is not in their best self-interests, and then they don’t like you — but, if you made a fair decision, they will still respect you. [8:38] For Peter Stark and Mary Kelly’s recent book, Why Leaders Fail, they studied over 100K employee surveys from over 10 years, used that data, and crafted a survey for the employee’s bosses. They received 1,000 survey responses. The responses exposed a large disconnect between the bosses’ thoughts and the employees’ perceptions of what was happening. [9:28] The book observes seven common leadership failures: (1) lacking vision and clear goals, (2) sabotaging trust, (3) self-interest, (4) unfairness and inconsistency, (5) not understanding how to build a team, (6) wanting to be liked instead of respected, and (7) turning confidence into arrogance. This last failure stirs the most emotion. [15:55] Hold people accountable for their actions, for what they do, as well as for what they don’t do. Encourage them to take initiative, even if it means risk. The right risks are acceptable. Make sure people are doing their job. Don’t just go to your go-to person and let others skate. Assign jobs consistent with people’s job responsibilities, and then hold them accountable. [20:12] Jan talks about succession planning throughout the organization. People want to know what their path is, and that there is a concerted effort to develop their skills for their future aspirations. Mary sees some who come into an organization for a specific job, want to do it well, and not to be promoted. Leaders will recognize where individuals can do their best work. [24:23] Big companies in many ways have outsourced the risk-taking to startups; and if they’re successful, then they absorb them, destroying the startup culture. Big companies just aren’t good at taking risks. Risk is the path to growth. [26:36] Jan quotes Dan Pink and Frederick Herzberg about motivators. Mary says attracting top talent is critical for every organization. The happy medium between Herzberg and Pink is that people are individuals. Everyone needs different motivators. Most people leave jobs because of their boss or coworker. They knew what the job and salary were when they walked in the door. [31:30] Mary believes in strength-based jobs. Don’t “work on” weaknesses. Develop existing strengths. Student report cards with five A’s, but consistent D’s in Economics, give awesome clarity. It means their strength is not in Economics, but in the A subjects. They should not try to be economists. Employees with a project that they love, and have passion for, lead themselves. [40:16] Mary did a study on happiness vs. the need to feel valued. The age group with the highest suicide rate is people over 85, because they feel as though nobody cares, and they’re not valued. The next group is 45 to 65. They also feel they’re not valued. Being valued, needed, and feeling as though you are contributing, is the most important support we have for mental health.   Books Mentioned in This Episode Why Leaders Fail: And the 7 Prescriptions for Success, by Peter B. Stark and Mary C. Kelly Master Your World: 10 Dog-Inspired Leadership Lessons to Improve Productivity, Profits and Communication, by Mary C. Kelly Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel H. Pink The Motivation to Work, by Frederick Herzberg, Bernard Mausner, and Barbara Bloch Snyderman   Bio Raised in Texas, Mary Kelly is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and spent over 20 years on active duty in intelligence and logistics. She retired from the Navy as a commander, has a Master’s degrees in history and economics, and a PhD in economics. With over 20 years combined experience at the Naval Academy, Hawaii Pacific University, and the Air Force Academy, she taught economics, finance, history and management. She has experience in business development, human resources, finance and organizational leadership. Mary has a track record of success as a leadership expert and executive coach. Mary’s sister and brothers were also in the military. Mary is the author of 11 books. She was once the Chief of Police, she makes her own wine, and she’s never played a video game.   Through her work in college teaching and in the military, Mary discovered the need to make the principles of leadership and communication available to all types of businesses. Her book, Master Your World, became a bestseller and launched her career as an author and speaker. After publishing additional books on leadership, productivity, communication, business growth, and organization, Mary desired to make leadership fun and fulfilling. Mary views conferences and events as a partnership, and she works to eliminate worry and uncertainty for her meeting professionals. Mary knows leaders today are developing talent, managing change, building teams, communicating across multiple platforms, and worried about profitability. Mary helps leaders and managers save time, reduce conflict, decrease absenteeism, resolve challenges, gain clarity, and make decisions that boost morale and productivity. “Great leadership can be learned.”   Website: ProductiveLeaders.com Website: 7PrescriptionsForSuccess.com for a free chapter (the Trust chapter) of the book, and a free 36-question leadership assessment to use with your team. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrMaryKelly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/DrMaryKelly Twitter: https://twitter.com/marykellyspeaks Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maryaloha/ Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MaryKelly

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview John Brumer, Jason Ginos, and Micah Niebauer, founders of Southern Pines Brewing. The three entrepreneurs first met while serving in the 3rd Special Forces Group. John enlisted right into the Special Forces qualification course. Jason went to Millikin University, and was a psychological operations specialist before heading into the 3rd Group. Micah attended Wheaton College in the ROTC Program, and went to the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, joined the 82nd Airborne, and then joined the 3rd Special Forces Group. These men served with distinction, with multiple active-duty tours. John, or Juan Peligro, as the Patagonia crew referred to him, has been a GORUCK Cadre since 2014. Jason and his wife, Aleah, have been married nine years, and have three young children, Tanner, Luke, and Charlotte. Micah and his wife, Patricia have been married for 10 years, and have three young children, Eva, Claudia, and Wyatt. Micah is the CEO, Jason is the CFO, and John is the COO of Southern Pines Brewing, in Southern Pines, North Carolina, where they all reside. Jan and Jim speak with John, Jason, and Micah about how disciplines learned through their Special Forces service helped them unite in a business partnership, and how they chose to advance a home-brewing passion they shared into a viable business. They also discuss how identifying with a community, and participating in community programs lends purpose to the enterprise. They discuss the company's mission and values individually, and how these statements of purpose keep them going despite inevitable challenges. There is also a segment about John’s participation in the Crucible in Patagonia, and how he is applying the lessons into the business on a daily basis. Listen in to learn more about turning a shared passion into a dynamic business partnership.   Key Takeaways [2:00] John, Jason, and Micah all served in the 3rd Special Forces Group, an airborne unit of the Green Berets. Their common bond, and strong teamwork, allowed them to enter head first into the entrepreneurial world as the Co-Founders of Southern Pines Brewing. [4:27] As the Co-Founders developed the slogan and mission statement for Southern Pines Brewing, they focused on the community aspect of craft brewing, with the art, history and tradition behind it. They visited many craft breweries to find inspiration for starting Southern Pines Brewing. They adopted some ideas they saw, and suggestions they received. [6:08] Southern Pines Brewing makes a huge impact on the local community. They participate in Boys and Girls clubs, and the Walter Moss Foundation, and retirement homes. They take their military community sense of belonging with them. Everybody understands beer. [7:33] Southern PInes Values: The customer is the focus of everything we do. We provide the highest quality products for our customers. We are a professional organization, demonstrating this in everything we do. We are constantly learning and growing. We are good citizens in the community. Fear will not drive decision-making. We are aggressive. Nothing is impossible. [8:58] Jason explains that their ambition to venture into brewing led them to be aggressive. First, they needed aggressive growth. In the second year they needed growth and financial efficiency. They will aggressively reach for their full effective production capacity, and eliminate choke points. In 2017, they will grow, but aggressively pay down debt and become a better business. [11:23] Micah talks about overcoming fear, by being proactive in their decisions. Their military experience leads them to take measured risks daily, not for their lives, but for their livelihood. [15:18] John speaks on how nothing is impossible became one of their values. He recalls a race car course in Special Ops. The lesson he learned was to look where you’re going. Don’t worry about all of the things that could possibly happen. Worry about the outcomes that you’re trying to accomplish. John speaks of his support from his partners to turn a hobby into a viable business. [21:33] Jason recommends, The Intelligent Investor, by Benjamin Graham, and the Berkshire Hathaway books. He also recommends Teddy Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena” speech. Micah recommends two books, Built to Sell, by John Warrillow, and Scaling Up, by Verne Harnish. John recommends, Tribe, by Sebastian Junger, and Nassim Taleb’s, The Black Swan. [28:53] Micah notes John’s interactions with executives on the Crucible opened opportunities. Jason comments how John was so alive when he got back from being in beautiful landscapes with awesome leaders. The team problem-solving was impactful. John says the biggest thing was the day-to-day training through personal interaction with executives and veterans. [35:20] The partners finally have the time to look forward five to ten years. What are the best tools to get there? It’s another world from three Army guys making beer in a garage. There are opportunities and responsibilities not available before. [37:46] John speaks on how difficult it was to get financing. Jason says eight banks rejected them. The local PNC branch backed them, just when they were ready to go to Plan B. Micah adds they are so successful together because they are equally yoked to the success of the business. No one is going home. The business has to succeed. They are past the point of no-return.   Books Mentioned in This Episode The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing, by Benjamin Graham “Citizenship in a Republic (The Man in the Arena),” by Theodore Roosevelt Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You, by John Warrillow Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't, by Verne Harnish Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, by Sebastian Junger The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb   Bios MICAH NIEBAUER, Co-founder & CEO Micah Niebauer is originally from Superior, Wisconsin. He attended college at Wheaton College, IL, majored in Political Science, and was a member of the ROTC program. Upon graduation in 2003, he worked at both the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce prior to beginning service in the U.S. Army as an Infantry Officer in the 82d Airborne Division. He later joined Special Forces and served in 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). Micah completed multiple tours in support of the Global War on Terror before resigning his commission in June of 2013. He is currently the CEO and co-founder of Southern Pines Brewing Company. Micah completed the Siebel Institute of Technology’s Concise Course in Brewing Technology as well as the Essential Quality Control Course at White Labs, San Diego. Micah and his wife Patricia have been married for 10 years and have three children, Eva (7), and Claudia (3), and Wyatt (1). Patricia works as an attorney at Robins, May, and Rich in Pinehurst, and they reside in Southern Pines.   JOHN BRUMER, Co-founder & COO John Brumer is originally from Houston, Texas. He enlisted in the Army after high school and joined Special Forces through the 18X-ray program. John served as a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant in 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), completing multiple overseas tours. John was later chosen to serve as an instructor in the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne). John turned down a promotion in early 2013 and separated from the Army in June of 2014. He is currently the COO and co-founder of Southern Pines Brewing Company. John completed the Siebel Institute of Technology’s Concise Course in Brewing Technology as well as the Essential Quality Control Course at White Labs, San Diego. He has been a GoRuck Cadre since 2014. John resides in Southern Pines.   JASON GINOS, Co-founder and CFO Jason Ginos is originally from Hillsboro, Illinois. Jason completed two years of college at Millikin University, IL, before enlisting in the Army as a Psychological Operations Specialist in 2003. Jason later joined Special Forces and was assigned as a Special Forces Engineer Sergeant to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). Jason completed numerous overseas tours in support of the Global War on Terror. He was later selected to serve as a Small Unit Tactics Instructor in the Special Warfare Center and School. After completing 10 years of service, Jason separated from the Army in June of 2014. He is currently the CFO and co-founder of Southern Pines Brewing Company. Jason and his wife Aleah have been married for 9 years and have three children, Tanner (6), Luke (3), and Charlotte (6 mo). Aleah serves as a First Sergeant in Military Information Support Operations on Fort Bragg, and they reside in Southern Pines.   Website: southernpinesbrewing.com

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Justin Gold, the Founder of Justin’s Natural Foods Company, which produces organic and natural nut butters and peanut butter cups. From their humble beginnings at local farmers’ markets to launching a national brand, Justin’s is now one of the country’s fastest growing natural foods companies. Justin’s has received numerous local and national accolades and ranked in the top 15 on the Inc. 500 and 5,000 Fastest Growing Companies List, in the Food and Beverage category, two years in a row. Jan and Jim speak with Justin about innovation in sustainable food and reduced packaging, and  how entrepreneurial and academic mentors guided Justin in his business start.  They also discuss how taking an innovative risk led to becoming an industry thought leader, and how Juston worked out a plan with an acquiring organization that allows him to continue his innovative ways. Listen in to learn more about how leadership and sustainability can support profitability.   Key Takeaways [5:24] In a Twitter exchange with musician John Mayer, Justin accepted the challenge to produce the world’s first Chocolate Almond Butter with Cookie Dough. John put a photo of it on Instagram, and wrote, “Thanks Justin. You've ruined me for all other of life's awaiting pleasures.” [9:27] Justin believes in walking the talk. If we’re going to support sustainable food ingredients, and reducing the packaging on our products, then we should be really mindful of the origin and disposal of everything we use, not only in the company, but in our lives. Their products are actually making a difference to people, with healthier food, and less packaging. [11:02] Justin challenges his team consistently to question the way it’s always been done in the past. People in companies fall into a rhythm, and keep sustaining this rhythm, because it’s easy. We lose track of how we got into this rhythm in the first place. Whether in packaging, product, or consumer engagement, keep looking for better ways to work. Always question everything. [12:59] Justin didn’t hit his home run until he moved out of the form factor of jars. After years of really not succeeding with jars, they had the idea of the squeeze pack, and it was a category disruptor for nut butters. Then they tried the peanut butter cup, which led to the snack pack. If he hadn’t started with jars, he would not have gotten to the squeeze pack and beyond. [14:50] Tips to get momentum: get validation from someone you admire; have the attitude that anything’s possible. When you’re positive and you’re excited, that energy is infectious, and it will draw the right people to help you. Positivity attracts positive people. [18:37] Justin did not foresee being a thought leader. He sought out early as much help as he could from other entrepreneurs, and they were all open to help him. He made note of that, and realized his obligation and purpose to pay it forward. Knowledge gained can really help a young company. Justin gets inspired by opportunities to share knowledge that did not come easily. [21:48] Justin got help from the U of C Leeds School to write a business plan. Looking back at his first plan, Justin laughs, because he had no idea what he was talking about, but it was important to get it on paper and declare to the world, this is what I want to do. After a professor’s critique, he rewrote it, and it was spot on. He was able to execute it successfully. [26:01] Justin’s first hire was a roommate, but his biggest step to success was hiring Lance Gentry, who became a business mentor and hero. Lance raised investments, saw them through the 2008 downturn with expertise, and landed them Whole Foods and Starbucks national orders. Lance passed away suddenly, and Justin necessarily carried on to become a leader. [32:54] Justin talks about Hormel. Finances, commodity supply, and manufacturing capacity, required partnering with a big company to provide top quality at the quantities needed, without creating conditions for a food recall. Hormel and Justin inspired each other with their visions of the future of food, so they came to a deal. Justin’s goal is to impact change at a larger scale. [43:23] Justin loves the Whole Planet Foundation’s Microloan a Month program. It gives beginning entrepreneurs the ability to start a company, which gives people jobs, a sense of importance, and the opportunity to earn money to buy their own food, while building a local economy. Justin’s also sends products to relieve conditions after natural disasters.   Quotable Quotes “If we’re going to support a healthy lifestyle, then we should be engaged in a healthy lifestyle.” “When they see me doing it and they see the other leaders ... do it, it gives them permission and a sense of motivation.” “A lot of times, with technology, or with science, there are new ways to engage consumers or to solve an end-use problem.” “What I do know, is, if you don’t start with your idea, then it ends right now.” “Your mission as a business evolves as you grow and become more successful and more powerful.” “Positivity attracts positive people.”   Bio Justin Gold is a passionate entrepreneur, who encourages others to follow their passions, and never stop asking questions along the way. In 2013, Justin was recognized as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Mountain Desert Region. He lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife and children, finding his work/life balance by enjoying an active lifestyle there as an avid trail runner, mountain biker, skier, and backpacker. Justin is a founding member of the Whole Planet Foundation’s Microloan a Month program that supports microfinancing institutions across the globe. Justin is passionate about pollinators, sustainable sourcing, mindful packaging, and children’s education. Website: Justins.com

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Jim Palmer, a marketing and business-building expert, and in-demand coach. The author of five books, Jim is best known internationally as The Newsletter Guru, and creator of No Hassle Newsletters, the ultimate done-for-you newsletter marketing program used by hundreds of clients in nine countries. Jan and Jim talk with Jim Palmer about how he became a business leadership thought leader, and what that means to him; how he grew up with a worker servant mentality, and how he applies it today; some of the principles Jim teaches in Decide and his other books; and what his four pillars are for business success. To end of the interview, Jim and Jan ask for and receive some coaching of their own! Listen in to learn more about getting past your fears, serving without monetary reward, and achieving growth by building on the four pillars.   Key Takeaways [3:27] If you put enough good information out there, with a servant attitude, giving value and helping people without expecting return, you get a reputation as a servant thought leader. [6:17] When Jim became an entrepreneur he remembered Sam Walton’s words about the customer’s power to fire everybody by deciding to spend somewhere else. In online marketing in 2006, everything was ‘free.’ If you are really giving, people gravitate toward you. Jim has a free download, “Serve First, How to Unlock a Life of Abundance and Purpose.” No email is needed. [10:32] Jim talks about his book, Decide. High achievers, when presented with a challenge or an opportunity, quickly assess the pros and cons, and then make a decision, yes or no, and act. They never go to ‘Squishyville,’ because business and life happen too quickly. [20:38] Jim’s four pillars of success are Knowledge, Environment, Mindset, and Habits, similar to the growth mindset sought for in special operators. In any field, there are the ordinary, and the high achievers. Very few qualify for the elite. You have to do things that others will not do. [22:45] Environment is space you create. To write, Jim picks the time, sits at his desk, and puts away all distractions. The only thing he wants to do is type what’s in his head. He can write for two or three hours. You have to be able to control the environment, in order to produce the result. [24:03] Mindset is much more important than perfecting your skill or talent. Some very top copywriters get 10 times what a normal copywriter gets. They don’t write 10 times better. Habits are self-evident. Rich people have big libraries, and poor people have big TVs. Have habits in place to make your priorities happen, and create and protect the environment to do it. [26:55] Knowledge for highly successful people means to own who they are; their strengths and limitations. They hire and delegate. To help his business, Jim joined a Mastermind. The leader asked, “What makes you think you’re entitled to the same level of success as these peers ... but you’re not willing to do the same things that they’re doing to grow their business?” [30:23] The idea of a multi-day live event petrified Jim for a few reasons: picking the right date; renting space with food and beverage and a number of guest rooms guaranteed; and fear of disappointing attendees by forgetting how to present. He kicked his fears to the curb, and found out he’s pretty good at it, with five sold out. That’s when he began to accelerate significantly. [31:38] Dan Kennedy is the person most influential on Jim’s development. Dan is a blue-collar guy who built a multi-million dollar business, because he understands people, he understands marketing, and he’s not afraid of hard work. He does something everyday that will bear fruit down the road. Jim learned much about writing from reading Dan Kennedy’s books. [33:40] Jim gave coaching for The Leadership Podcast, which stands in its own unique space. He likes the back-and-forth. His greatest advice to Jim and Jan is to avoid adhering to a strict format and schedule of questions, but to have a lot of conversation starters, and to follow up on answers of interest. Get people to tell stories. Always focus on the listener, not the downloads.    Quotable Quotes “I shot my first video in 2009, I had three watchers. I was one of them. My wife and my Mom, I think, were the other two.” “‘It’s no wonder he’s successful. Look at how much stuff he does.’ There’s a real nugget in there, if you think about it.” “We volunteer for three or four different local charities, which are near and dear to our heart.” “If you’re going to expect a big reward, you have to be willing to step up and risk.”  “I really think this year is going to be a banner year.”  “Rich people have big libraries, and poor people have big TVs.”   Books Mentioned on the Show Sam Walton: Made In America, by Sam Walton and John Huey Decide: The Ultimate Success Trigger, by Jim Palmer Stop Waiting For It to Get Easier: Create Your Dream Business Now, by Jim Palmer No B.S. Guide to Direct Response Social Media Marketing: The Ultimate No Holds Barred Guide to Producing Measurable Monetizable Results with Social Media Marketing, by Dan S. Kennedy and Kim Walsh-Phillips   Bio Jim Palmer grew up in a small town in Massachusetts, learning to work, serve, and help people. Jim is the Founder of Dream Business Academy and Dream Business Coaching and Mastermind Program. He hosts Dream Business TV, the weekly web TV show watched by thousands of entrepreneurs and business owners. He’s also hosts Stick Like Glue Radio, a weekly podcast based on his unique brand of smart marketing and business-building strategies. Jim has been advising business owners for well over 20 years, and has been doing his weekly business videos for six years.    Website:      DreamBizAcademy to learn about the upcoming event, February 8-10 in Orlando. Website:      GetJimPalmer.com Website:      GetJimPalmer.com/ServeFirst for a free download on the servant mentality. Website:      DecideForSuccessBook.com for a free copy of the book, for only $6.95 S&H.  

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview John Coyle, Founder and CEO of The Art of Really Living. John is one of the world’s leading experts in innovation and design thinking. John is an SVP and Professor of Innovation, and a thought leader in the field of horology — the study of how we as humans process time. His mission is to innovate the human experience, and he has been applying "design thinking" to Fortune 500 companies, careers, and leadership challenges for more than 20 years. Jan and Jim talk with John about his Olympic journey, his pursuit to maximize the ratio of experience to time, how design thinking helped him find the right questions to ask, how to achieve Flow, and when to de-stress to recover. Listen in to learn more about the path to Flow, the pursuit of excellence, and how to apply it with your team.   Key Takeaways [3:39] John spent all of his time as an athlete cramming more distance into the same time. In that pursuit, he won an Olympic silver medal. Small increments of time matter greatly, and can change a life. His experience of the passage of time in the working world (slow in meetings, and fast with friends), led him to study chronoception. He now works to manipulate cognitive time. [7:51] John called every expert he could find on neuroscience and the psychology of time, until he spoke with Dr. Philip Zimbardo at Stanford, who told him everybody experiences the acceleration of time as they age, but nobody has done research on how to unwind it. [8:24] John used design thinking — a style of creative problem-solving through asking the right questions — to try to discover how to get more experienced time in our years. It is possible, as our brains don’t process time linearly. John helps people reframe their relationship with time. [17:40] One of the hallmarks of the Flow state is that the brain actually stops measuring time. Most people report this simultaneously as going really fast, and slowing down completely. Your brain is processing really fast, resulting in the ability to thin-slice and rewind moments with exquisite detail. Steven Kotler says extreme sports and meditation both lead to Flow. [20:28] If you want to slow down time on your vacations, design fear and suffering into them. We are wired for stories. We remember stories much better than data. Stories have a plot, which develops through a crisis. [22:44] Helping your team members move outside their comfort zones, to find their native strengths, and having them design their roles to do more of that, fundamentally changes their relationship with risk and reward. They will risk more when they excel in what they do. [25:10] Mike Weldon was John’s coach from age 11 to 25. He taught John, “Race your strengths; design around and train your weaknesses, but don’t make them your centerpoint.” He designed his Olympic training on Mike Weldon’s teaching, and won the silver-medal. [28:56] John says, ask the right questions in development and leadership. Instead of asking how to fix your weaknesses, ask how to design for your strengths. Don’t ask how to have more years in your life, ask how to have more life in your years. Instead of asking how to maintain a work-life balance, ask how to perform better under increasing stress, and how to recover. [37:41] Reduce stress when needed, by refocusing on your strengths, and applying these three destressors: low-grade aerobics, social intimacy, and physical contact with your partner or a pet. [42:20] Regarding having worked with particular individuals who very publicly fell from grace, John says innovation works by ignoring the rules and the status quo while generating ideas. In order to make a good solution, you then need to apply an ethics filter to the idea. Some people skip that step, and they hurt themselves and others.   Quotable Quotes “The value of an increment of time is not related to its duration.” “I just started becoming obsessed with … how we experience time … the technical term is chronoception.” “Cognitively speaking, how can we experience more time, in the same amount of linear time?” “They can reframe their relationship with time, and actually slow, stop, and reverse the perceived acceleration of time.” “You can get to the Flow state so many ways, but it is one of the penultimate outcomes of the human condition.”   Books Mentioned on the Show 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management:  The Productivity Habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students, and 239 Entrepreneurs, by Kevin Kruse Neuromarketing: Is There a 'Buy Button' in the Brain? Selling to the Old Brain for Instant Success, by Christophe Morin Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, by General Stanley McChrystal (Upcoming Book) Counter-Clockwise: Unwinding Cognitive Time, by John Coyle Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Thinking Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance, by Steven Kotler The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, By Nassim Nicholas Taleb Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway   Bio John Coyle has an MBA from Northwestern University, and is a graduate of Stanford University's "d.school" where his academic advisor was David Kelley, the founder of IDEO and Steve Jobs' right hand man. John is an NBC sports analyst, two-time TEDx presenter, author, and sought-after keynote speaker. He won an Olympic silver medal in speedskating, an achievement he attributes directly to his design thinking background. As a speaker and author, his talent is weaving facts, examples and intellectual principles into engaging stories which bring his topics to life and really make you think. They are inspiring, practical, and actionable.   Website: JohnKCoyle.com Website: JohnKCoyle.com/Manifesto Website: TheArtofReallyLiving.com  

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Jim Thompson, Founder and CEO of the Positive Coaching Alliance. Jim is focused on how to get the best from people, especially young athletes, through the teachable moments. Jim started PCA, a national nonprofit organization, in 1998 to transform the culture of youth sports into a Development Zone™ with the goal to develop Better Athletes, Better People. Jan and Jim talk with Jim Thompson about his background with youth, ways that coaching youth sports can build children into better adults, how positivity turns a mistake into an opportunity to improve effort, and what triple-impact competitors can contribute to your organization. Listen in to learn how sports coaching, and leadership development, both depend on positive attention and natural consequences.   Key Takeaways [4:16] It took PCA about 15 years to boil their mission statement down to four words: “Better Athletes, Better People.” Their model of the double-goal coach is winning on the scoreboard, and using sports to teach life lessons. [5:14] Youth athletes, to have a great experience, need to feel connected to their coach and teammates, need to believe that they can improve their performance, and need to know they are part of an organization that does things the right way, that they can feel proud of. [7:19] Jim tells of his journey, starting as a teacher’s aide for emotionally disturbed, behavior problem kids in St. Paul, MN, under the mentorship of great educators. Very troubled kids were taught with a relentlessly positive approach, every good action receiving positive reinforcement. [9:21] Jim found out while coaching his son’s teams, that a relentlessly positive approach with the kids caused them to perform really well. They had more fun, they were more aggressive; and even other parents wanted their children to be on his teams for the next year. [13:29] Jim shares the Sara Tucholsky and Mallory Holtman softball story, when Sara, who had hit a homerun, but injured her knee at first base, was carried around the bases by opposing players Mallory and a teammate. You will have your own Mallory moments, when you can elevate the game. [16:49] PCA takes insights from academia and great coaches, and turns them into tools that anyone can use. One of their powerful tools is the mistake ritual. When a player makes a mistake, everyone calls out: Don’t worry about it, we’ll get the next one, brush it off! That helps the player focus back on the game, and drop the negative self-talk. [30:30] Difficult conversations are needed. You want to be a noticer of effort and improvement, but you want the very best performer on the job. Making mistakes is part of the game, A lack of effort to improve is when you want to have that difficult conversation. Even that conversation can be done in a positive way that will build people up. [33:41] PCA training includes a session where the trainer says, name your first teacher in school. About 50% can remember their name. Then the trainer asks, what’s the name of the first coach you ever had? Almost everyone remembers. [36:24] The number one lesson from sports psychology: Focus on what you can control, and ignore what you can’t control. This takes mindfulness. Focus on the process. Be positive. [41:00] Help every player to identify their best self, and make a commitment to be their best self. The triple-impact competitor works hard to make themselves better, the people around them better, and the game better. Coaches help the players to become better persons.     Books Mentioned on the Show Positive Coaching: Building Character and Self-esteem Through Sports, by Jim Thompson The Double-Goal Coach: Positive Coaching Tools for Honoring the Game and Developing Winners in Sports and Life, by Jim Thompson Shooting in the Dark: Tales of Coaching and Leadership, by Jim Thompson Elevating Your Game: Becoming a Triple-Impact Competitor, by Jim Thompson Developing Better Athletes, Better People: A Leader's Guide to Transforming High School and Youth Sports into a Development Zone, by Jim Thompson Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life, by Martin P.E. Seligman, Ph.D. Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3 to 1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life, by Barbara Fredrickson Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel H. Pink Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive: Outsell, Outmanage, Outmotivate, and Outnegotiate Your Competition, by Harvey B. MacKay   Bio An Ashoka fellow, Jim Thompson and PCA received the inaugural ETHOS Award from the Institute for Sports Law and Ethics (ISLE) in 2013 and he is now on the ISLE Board. He is on Stanford's Continuing Studies Program faculty where he teaches courses in coaching, leadership, and sport & spiritually. He and his wife, Sandra Hietala, are founding board members of Recovery Café San José, a healing community for individuals with mental illness and drug abuse issues. Positive Coaching Association (PCA) is a thriving nation-wide organization with 14 chapters, and an expansion plan to reach 20 million youth athletes by 2020. PCA’s vision has attracted the support and involvement of many elite coaches, athletes, academics, and business leaders in this country. Jim has written nine books on youth sports, including, Positive Coaching, The Double-Goal Coach, Shooting in the Dark, Elevating Your Game, and Developing Better Athletes, Better People.   Website: PositiveCoach.org Website: Development Zone Resource Center  

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Scott Friedman. Scott is an internationally sought-after professional speaker and author. As a motivational humorist, Scott inspires and entertains with fun-filled interactive and content-rich programs. Scott’s main area of expertise is employee innovation, customer experience, and using humor and celebration as a strategic tool. In addition to being Chief Celebration Officer at Scott Friedman & Associates, Scott has written many books on celebration, humor, audience engagement, and creating happier and healthier workplaces. Jan and Jim talk with Scott about how good humor, good communication, and good leadership align; some traits that are shared by successful CEOs; the power of stories to build connections; the power of celebration to build employee engagement; and the power of gratitude to inspire philanthropy. Listen in to learn how leadership, celebration, and engagement work together with good humor to result in consistently successful outcomes.   Key Takeaways [3:53] Three characteristics really stand out in becoming a great communicator: First is authenticity, second is vulnerability, and the third is a sense of humility. [8:40] Scott quotes Terry Paulson, who said, “When someone blushes with embarrassment, when someone carries away an ache, when something sacred is made to appear common, when profanity is required to make it funny, when a child is brought to tears, or, when everyone can’t join in the humor, it’s inappropriate.” [11:03] Jim Collins studied companies, and found 11 that sustained greatness for at least 15 years. Their CEOs had two traits in common: a professional will to succeed, and a sense of humility and a self-effacing style. [14:30] Stories and humor transcend cultures. They are tools for connecting with authenticity, vulnerability, and humility, in a global community. Great leaders are good storytellers. [15:18] In your story, make others see their own stories. Make your story about them, as well as about you. But don’t tell too much of the story — less is more. [19:01] Scott Bemis used to ask in interviews, “If you come here to work at the Denver Business Journal, can we make an agreement that this will be the best job you’ve ever had?” [25:20] Celebration leads to engagement. Engagement leads to higher productivity and performance. Treat people right, and they will engage. [27:39] Richard Branson said, first he takes care of his employees, then he takes care of his customers, and then he takes care of his shareholders. In that order, everybody is taken care of. [31:01] Consider starting a meeting by saying, let’s celebrate for a short moment — what are we doing that works? Bring up the best of the best. [38:55] The Together We Can Change The World Foundation reminds us we are members of the lucky gene club. We have a lot of great things just by how and where we were brought up.     Quotable Quotes “Good humor, to accomplish well, is as difficult as good leadership.” “The best leaders truly care about their people, and they set them up to win.” “The reason celebration fails in most companies today, is because it becomes institutionalized.” “Gratitude is the fastest way to happiness.” “The life you change will be your own. ― Together We Can Change the World Foundation”     Books Mentioned on the Show Happily Ever Laughter: How to Engage Any Audience, by Scott Friedman Making Humor Work: Take Your Job Seriously and Yourself Lightly, by Terry Paulson Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't, by Jim Collins Celebrate: Lessons Learned from the World’s Most Admired Organizations, by Scott Friedman A Celebration a Day: 365 Ways to a Happier Healthier Workplace, by Scott Friedman (to be released in December in the U.S.) Stop Screaming at the Microwave: How to Connect Your Disconnected Life, by Mary LoVerde Hamlet, by William Shakespeare     Bio Scott Friedman, CSP, travels more than 250 days a year for his fun, which is a humorous approach to workplace motivation and innovation through speaking engagements. For three decades, Scott Friedman has combined his improvisational comedy experience, and the art of storytelling, to help his clients achieve their objectives. A certified speaking professional, and trusted member of the speaking community, Scott continues to have a strong presence, both domestically and globally. Scott is a former president of the National Speakers Association, and was the 2013 recipient of their distinguished Cavett Award. Active in many philanthropic projects, Scott is committed to helping people lead more fulfilled lives. Friedman’s speaking career is impressive, but his foundation, Together We Can Change the World, might be his legacy. "At this stage of my life, I get the most satisfaction from the volun-tours with global speakers to Southeast Asia to build schools and homes, awareness, self-esteem and hope for the future," he explains.   Website: TWCCTW.org Facebook: TWCCTW

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Rob “Waldo” Waldman, professional wingman and leadership expert. Waldo is his call sign from his days as a fighter pilot. The Wingman, as Waldo is known, is a professional leadership speaker, and author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-seller, Never Fly Solo. He teaches organizations how to build trusting, revenue-producing relationships with their employees, partners, and customers, while sharing his experiences as a combat-decorated F-16 fighter pilot and successful businessman. Jan and Jim talk with Waldo about what it means to have a wingman, to be a wingman, to build the trusting, mutually beneficial relationships wingmen share, and what role a wingman plays in the business world. Listen in to learn how to nurture trust in your organization, and how your core values are central to that trust.   Key Takeaways [3:25] The term wingman came from the person at the pilot’s 9 (or 3) o’clock position, who could see the pilot’s 6 o’clock, and keep them from being shot down. It’s about mutual support, calling out the threat, and having the trust necessary to take action. [6:04] From a networking perspective, we’re seeing a lot of that ‘pay it forward,’ honorable behavior, as networking becomes more mainstream. [6:36] Part of the Code of Honor at the Air Force Academy is, “We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does.” [7:31] ‘Wingwork’ is thinking about who you’re going to help; about what questions to ask to help this person who may be struggling; and about who you know, who could also help. [8:00] Being a wingman takes time and effort. We’ve got to build a relationship, and establish trust, by honoring the relationship with mutual support, by nurturing and appreciating — not just picking each other’s brains to extract value from them. [13:27] Sometimes it’s important to manufacture pressure in business — business may not seem like a life-or-death situation, but it is the life or death of a sale, a quota, a company, your family’s support, and your dream. [19:57] When you’re truly afraid of death or loss, that brings out doubt, which destroys a warrior spirit. Turn that doubt into confidence and courage. That’s what peak performers do. On the opposite side of fear is growth. [24:44] When you focus on serving someone, and being present for them, you leap past your fear into productive action. [28:28] It all begins with you as a leader. Look at yourself in the mirror and consider your goals and core values. Tap into your core, and hire for it. Create an environment where it’s safe to tactfully call out problems. [34:21] The biggest challenge in business today is people are afraid to go to each other for help. They’re afraid to show vulnerability — a lot of times, because their leaders are demanding instead of commanding.   Quotable Quotes "You can’t see your most vulnerable position in combat, which is behind you." “Trust takes time. It starts with core values, mutual respect, integrity — and it takes effort. ” “You need to be experiencing it under the gun — that’s where the learning happens.” “Passion trumps fear. Your passion’s got to be greater than the fear.” ‘There’s no greater impact that you can have on folks who are needing you, than your time.”     Books Mentioned on the Show Never Fly Solo: Lead with Courage, Build Trusting Partnerships, and Reach New Heights in Business, by Robert "Waldo" Waldman   Bio Waldo is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, and holds an MBA with a focus on organizational behavior. He is an inductee into the Professional Speaker Hall of Fame, and has many more credentials. He founded The Wingman Foundation to build funds and awareness for soldiers, veterans, airmen and their families. Waldo believes that the key to building a culture of trust lies with your wingmen — the men and women in your life who help you overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and achieve success. In your business and life, you should never fly solo. Website: YourWIngman.com Email: Info@YourWingman.com

On this Mastermind episode, co-hosts Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford talk about their Crucible expedition in Patagonia. Self-Reliant Leadership has been running Crucible expeditions for a few years now with the primary goal of assisting Special Operations veterans with their transition to the business world. With a recent international expedition, Jim & Jan expanded their goal to include figuring out the recipe for accelerating team development. Based on their work, they know most teams struggle with some degree of dysfunction, and their aim was to prove the hypothesis that a team can gel extremely quickly if the right "recipe" is applied. So what do you get when you mix Special Operations veterans and executives in Patagonia? Listen in to get the back story, and discover the recipe for accelerating team development!   Key Takeaways [2:12] Jan gives a quick overview on their most recent Self-reliant Crucible — a venture to digitally detox executives and help Special Operations veterans transition to the business world. [4:25] Jim talks about the first meeting dinner. People are people, In a few hours they were building camaraderie, and the fun started. [5:37] Humor is a way to test boundaries. It has limits, and people are always probing them. It lowers barriers and brings in commonality. We share the same sense of humor. [8:52] You’ve got to be very careful about the use of humor in the workplace, and you’ve got to be honorable. But if you never cut loose, there’s a level of trust you never reach. [9:30] Curiosity manifest is an important trait on the trek. [12:54] Team consensus through bad weather and physical distress. Individual self-reliance supporting the team effort. [18:28] Jan was struck by the 100% commitment to each other and to what they needed to accomplish. He realized that business teams often settle on goals that are not big enough, and they never get to that degree of commitment. [20:30] The application in business is not just the size of the goal, but how well people understand the commitment of any goal.  [23:58] On the second day, as Jim was leading, someone asked if they should take some of the load out of Jim’s pack, and someone answered, no, let him do this — he’s got to do it on his own. [31:20] How the military and business leadership skills worked together. [36:00] Jim shares a favorite experience. On the day he was in charge, climbing with crampons, Jim was slowing down. One of the guys, Clay, stood with him and recited the Ranger Creed. That poured so much energy into him — just what he needed to hear at that exact moment. [39:59] Your comfort zone is comfortable, but nothing magic happens there. As Bill George said, “The thing that defines leaders, is that they’re constantly testing themselves and reframing their life story.”   Quotable Quotes “Not only are [Special Operations veterans] great warriors, but they’re also great diplomats, and they have all the skills necessary from a business acumen perspective."   “We might be able to figure out the recipe … Can we simplify ways that leaders can be more effective; teams can come together more rapidly? And I actually think we figured that out.”   “Humor … brings in commonality. Someone’s going to laugh about the same Will Ferrell quote that I laugh about.”   “Mentally, I’m ‘Green.’ Mentally, whatever is hurting, I’m going to suck it up and get through it, because the team’s depending on it.”   ‘“Everyone knew the playbook, so they could play any position.”   Books Mentioned on the Show Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't, by Simon Sinek   Bios Jan Rutherford brings his training as a former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier with over 25 years of business experience. His purpose is developing self-reliant leaders and teams. He is founder of Self-Reliant Leadership, LLC, as well as speaker, author, coach, workshop facilitator, and strategist. Jan teaches organizations to grow through the development of their people. Jim Vaselopulos brings his years of C-level executive experience as a rainmaker, entrepreneur, new business development expert, and board member. He has turned around underperforming organizations and has been a consultant to various organizations. Jim has an Engineering degree from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Marquette University.   Website: TheLeadershipPodcast.com Twitter: @WeStudyLeaders Facebook: We Study Leaders Like us on Facebook, Twitter, Stitcher, SoundCloud,and iTunes!

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Paul Spiegelman, Chief Culture Officer of Stericycle, a NASDAQ listed global services organization, with more than 25 thousand employees. Jan and Jim talk with Paul about his journey from starting a small company, exiting, and taking on a C-suite role. They also discuss The Small Giants community, Paul’s three books, and the reality that the problem is not change, but a lack of transparency. Listen in to learn how culture is truly about leader engagement throughout the organization.   Key Takeaways [4:27] If you create an environment in which people love the work and feel cared for personally; if you help them achieve their personal vision, as well as the company vision, they perform better. [7:48] What was the intention of founding the Small Giants community? [10:06] Paul and his brothers started their business based on their Dad’s saying, “Always be nice; treat people with respect; and don’t burn bridges.” [10:55] ‘Command and Control’ leaders need to acquire new skills for a collaborative culture. [15:02] Leadership balance is a promise to provide an environment in which leaders care as much about employees and their personal growth, as leaders expect employees to care about the organization and its growth. Responsibility and accountability is required on both sides. [18:52] Respect and trust at the highest level can cascade to the rest of the organization, which takes time. [29:03] Change becomes problematic when there is no transparency, when employee buy-in is not sought. Leaders lose trust when they don’t communicate the ‘why.’ [30:06] People adjust willingly, as long as you keep them in the loop with what’s going on. [37:26] Paul recommends reading business books, and seeking mentors to learn and grow. And, as a leader, mentor other people, and master the art of storytelling. [45:02] Paul’s message is to lead with your heart, and allow people to be themselves.  Culture then becomes the driving force of the success.   Quotable Quotes "When the kids knew that you cared about them, they performed better, and they took feedback better." “We sold, not what we did as a business, but who we are -- who we were, as a company.” “I became passionate about this idea of people being the driver for business success.” “We all want to grow our businesses, but they wanted to grow with purpose. They wanted to lead with values.” “You not only have to perform, but you also have to have the engagement and respect of your team.”     Books Mentioned on the Show Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great, Instead of Big, by Bo Burlingham Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't, by Jim Collins Why Is Everyone Smiling?: The Secret Behind Passion, Productivity, and Profit, by Paul Spiegelman Smile Guide: Employee Perspectives on Culture, Loyalty and Profit, by Paul Spiegelman Patients Come Second: Leading Change by Changing the Way You Lead, by Britt Berrett, ‎Paul Spiegelman   Bio Paul Spiegelman is the founder of BerylHealth, the Beryl Institute, and the Small Giants community. Paul is a New York Times bestselling author, and has been honored with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. Paul is a sought-after speaker, and author on leadership, employee engagement, entrepreneurship, corporate culture, and customer relationships. He makes frequent radio and TV appearances, his views have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, and Inc. Magazine, and he’s currently a columnist for Forbes.com. Paul’s passion is to make culture into a core competency of an organization, not just an accident of leadership.   Website: SmallGiants.com

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Michael Simpson, Co-Founder and CEO of Pairin. Michael's passion for helping people reach their potential was fueled by his own rise from poverty to international recognition as a market strategist. The son of educators, he went on to become a corporate intrapreneur, and then a three-time entrepreneur. He co-founded Pairin after a decade as a certified coach and six years in Russia, coaching many at-risk young adults to successful careers. He is an avid cyclist; fly fisherman; and award winning chocolatier. Jan and Jim talk with Michael about personal loss and growth, the proper and improper use of assessment surveys, the roadblocks to expression that block some personalities behind “masks,” and realizing the full potential of workers, and teams through assessment and great coaching. Listen in to learn how assessment surveys can reveal the inherent potential of the people in your organization.   Key Takeaways [3:03] After the loss of a baby, Michael and his wife took a nine-month sabbatical. Michael studied chocolate, and became an award-winning chocolatier, an enterprise he will continue in retirement. [5:40] Jan and Jim discuss the Patagonia Crucible, and how Pairin provided participant profiles, predictive analysis and predictive coaching, to ensure an experience as positive as possible. [8:57] The Crucible team profiles: the former military personnel have incredibly high performance and a very high ability to defer; the executives have high performance, and a very low deference. [11:39] In December, Business Insider included Pairin in “The 50 Coolest New Companies in America to Work.” Their website blew up with hits. They Googled ‘Pairin,’ to find out why! [13:31] All people have intrinsic value, but most people never realize what that is. That's also true of employers. They don't know the value of the people that they have. [20:06] The assessment survey is to identify what makes people successful. Pairin charges by the target, and for access to the system; you can survey as many people as you want. [21:40] The best teams Michael has been on, coached, or seen, have a diversity of thought, but a predictability of behavior. [29:45] If team skills were taught in schools, where children are put in teams from the age of four, there would be no need for executive, leader, or team coaching. [31:59] Michael's mentors were a friend who led him to quit drugs, and an uncle who included him in his family; gave him books, and coached him by questions, without Michael being aware of the mentoring until years later, when he found he was echoing his uncle, in mentoring others. [37:06] Michael read only non-fiction during his professional development, but then discovered fiction, where he learned to be absorbed in the story. He came to an epiphany on unrealized potential, during the last chapter of Wind, Sand and Stars, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.   Quotable Quotes "We reveal that intrinsic value in a person, and we help them aspire, and attain their goals." "Every single person was created with desire to be deeply known, that is in constant conflict with this fear of being exposed." “A successful team has healthy conflict.” “Our greatest strengths are also our greatest challenges.” “I learned a long time ago, not to 'should' on myself, and not to 'should' on other people.”   Click Here to get access to our Points to Ponder - notes to help you and your team get more out of each episode.   Books Mentioned on the Show The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni Wind, Sand and Stars, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry   Bio Michael learned to uncover hidden gems in people and products, working closely with CEOs and executives in startup to multi-billion-dollar corporations. The son of educators, he went on to become a corporate intrapreneur, and then a three-time entrepreneur. As the CEO of Pairin, he works to make education more relevant for students and their future employers through the development of attitudes, motivations and behavioral proficiencies. At Pairin, he works to bridge the opportunity gap for future generations by enabling educators and employers to predict and develop behavioral performance. In this role he's had the privilege of partnering with organizations like the U.S. Department of Labor, The Center for Data Science and Public Policy, many post-secondary institutions and many workforce readiness programs. He's deeply involved in the regular analysis of soft skills data from more than 100,000 entrepreneurs, veterans, students, and businesspeople. Michael has contributed to books on Knowledge Management (KM), Identity and Networking, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). His background in strategy and marketing for all identity, security and management products while at Novell, Inc. contributes to Pairin’s unwavering commitment to digital personal privacy.   Twitter: @PairinCEO Facebook: PairinInc Website: Pairin.com  

On this Mastermind episode, part 1, co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal, former commander of the nation's premier military counterterrorism force. General McChrystal (Ret.) is best known for developing and implementing a comprehensive counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan, and for creating a cohesive counterterrorism organization that revolutionized the interagency operating culture. Founder and Managing Partner of McChrystal Group, an elite leadership advisory team, and New York Times best-selling author, General McChrystal (Ret.) shares his insights into learning to lead, sharing power while maintaining ultimate responsibility, the necessity of adapting to external change, and growing from mistakes. Listen in to discover what it takes to create an adaptable team of teams in today’s demanding environment.   Key Takeaways [6:16] No plan survives contact with the enemy. Plan, prepare, and then adapt the plan to fit. [8:07] Entering unknown territory means learning lessons (almost failing), and then turning back and finding a better path. Seeking too much data can delay decisions and cost the opportunity. [8:50] Create an environment that says, action is essential — in fact, action is demanded. Failure is not sought, but failure goes with the business. [11:05] Leading is when you’re tired at the end of the day, when it’s frightening, when you have to make those very hard decisions, and you subordinate what you’d like to do to what you know you ought to do. [23:02] If you want people to like you, there is first a business-like, respectful way in which you treat people, and then you show people you like them. [26:15] General McChrystal (Ret.) explains the role of competition — It's about the big organization winning, it's about everyone’s success, not just one team. Competition is a human trait, but it's got to be competition more against a standard than against each other, or you get dysfunction. [31:30] Changes have to be done close to the point of action by people who understand the big picture. This means preparing and empowering front-line staff. [32:55] Jim cites Team of Teams as a must-read for leadership and personal development. [36:32] General McChrystal (Ret.) explains he allowed an informal authority within his command organization to make group-to-group trades of low-availability, high-value resources without clearing it through him, the Commanding General. [40:11] It's important for leaders to be effective communicators. They first have to understand what they're doing in the short-term and in the long-term, and they've got to communicate that to people inside and outside the organization. [44:41] Leaders have to think of themselves as leaders, and carry responsibility for others and responsibility for tasks, and to accept those responsibilities which will include some failures.   Quotable Quotes “There are a lot of misperceptions about the Special Operations community from the outside, as there are about business from inside the military. They are a cut of average Americans ... bound together by a common purpose and a trust, which gives them strength.” "As Heraclitus said, you’re never going to step in the same river twice — and that river is flowing faster than ever!" “If I told you, you can’t go home until we win, what would you do differently from what we’re doing now?” “I said, Hey, if you want me to slow this command down, if you want us to do less, I can have perfect knowledge. … But I don’t think that’s what you want.” “What is my role, and what is my contribution? I try to define myself by living by a certain set of values. … And I try to engage with people so I am a trusted comrade.” On personal self-discipline and sacrifice:  “Subordinate what you’d like to do to what you know you ought to do.”   Books Mentioned on the Show Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, by General Stanley McChrystal My Share of the Task: A Memoir, by General Stanley McChrystal What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: A Round Table Comic: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, by Marshall Goldsmith Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value, by Bill George   Bio General Stanley A. McChrystal (Ret.) served in the U.S. Army for 34 years and founded the McChrystal Group in 2011 — an elite advisory team that improves the performance of organizations and develops the men and women who lead them. Drawing from shared experiences gained while transforming the U.S. counterterrorism effort from a siloed, hierarchical apparatus into a high-performing team, McChrystal Group partners with businesses to build a resilient and adaptable team of teams that can win in today's dynamic environment. He is the author of Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, and My Share of the Task, both New York Times best sellers. A passionate advocate for national service and veterans' issues, General McChrystal is Board Chair at Service Year Alliance, and in this capacity he advocates for a future in which a year of full-time service — a service year — is a common expectation, and opportunity for all young Americans.   Website: Mcchrystalgroup.com Twitter: @mcchrystalgroup FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/McChrystalGroup/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1763610?

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Kevin Kruse, a keynote speaker, leadership expert, entrepreneur, NYT bestselling author of six books, and host of the very popular Extreme Productivity podcast. Kevin is one of the most read leadership columnists on Forbes. As a keynote speaker and performance coach, Kevin has worked with fortune 500 CEOs, start-up founders, the United States Marine Corps, and nonprofit leaders. Jan and Jim talk with Kevin about his mentors, his development, his mission to provide life-changing hope and knowledge so that other people can fulfill their potential, and his methods of success. Listen in to learn how to transform your focus from chasing money to providing effective service.   Key Takeaways [6:39] You have to get through a bunch of noes to get to a yes. [8:40] Most people aren't even able or willing to make the extra commitment to follow up and establish a meaningful connection. [9:19] Which famous billionaire lives by a to-do list, and said he just didn’t have the time to learn to use a calendar? [14:15] Kevin tells of his transition from chasing and achieving monetary goals that disappointed, to choosing and accomplishing purposeful objectives that fulfilled. [18:04] The simple secret Ken Blanchard shared with Kevin that changed his life. [18:48] How every day, Kevin wants to make sure he’s providing life-changing hope and knowledge, so that other people can fulfill their potential. [23:20] Kevin praises his mentors — from a seventh grade teacher to a CEO who carefully and effectively mentored him. [28:03] Kevin usually encounters leaders at the top of the organization that have always had and continue to have a lot of flaws — they just play to their strengths. [30:44] Why slowing down and doing less will make you more effective. [35:15] Whatever the metric is, be clear on that standard and don't waver. But at the same time, don’t be rude, mean, inconsiderate or authoritarian in your workplace style.   Books Mentioned on the Show 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management: The Productivity Habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students, and 239 Entrepreneurs, by Kevin Kruse Employee Engagement 2.0: How to Motivate Your Team for High Performance (A Real-World Guide for Busy Managers), by Kevin Kruse Why is Everyone Smiling? The Secret Behind Passion, Productivity, and Profit, by Paul Spiegelman What Got You Here Won't Get You There: A Round Table Comic: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, book by Marshall Goldsmith Slow Down to Speed Up: How to manage your time and rebalance your life, by Lothar J. Seiwert and Anne McGee-Cooper The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich, by Timothy Ferriss TouchPoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments, by Doug Conant and Mette Norgaard   Bio Kevin Kruse is a keynote speaker, leadership expert, entrepreneur, podcast host dispensing nuggets of pure wisdom, and NYT bestselling author of six books, including 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management, and Employee Engagement 2.0. Over the last 20 years, he has started and co-founded several multi-million dollar companies, which have won awards from the Inc. 500, as well as Employee Engagement being the Number 4 Best Place to Work in PA.   Website: Productivity-podcast.com Website: Kevinkruse.com

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Shawn Trisler, Senior Principal Operations Analyst at General Dynamics Information Technologies. Shawn retired from the Navy after 27 years, and was commissioned as an Operations Limited Duty Officer.  Shawn now works on ballistic air and missile defense, keeping our Navy safe. In this engaging and fun conversation, Shawn and Jan share jabs on “Army versus Navy,” and reminisces with Jim on stories of his growth from Enlisted Sailor to Navy Mustang. Shawn speaks about his service, cherished traditions, earning trust, and principles of leadership and success. Listen in to learn what it takes to rise to the top in any worthwhile endeavor in life.   Key Takeaways [5:25] Shawn shares his journey to becoming a Navy Mustang, a tradition with a proud heritage. [9:15] Shawn recalls that 30 years ago in the wardroom, 45 out of 50 officers were Academy graduates. Today, the majority have an enlisted background. [13:34] Mustang leadership brings to a company the ability to communicate across multiple levels of staff and leadership, technical knowledge, empathy with team employees, understanding of the goal, and buy-in. [24:35] Shawn suggests leaders should know the value of employees and their capabilities, and should hold them to the same standard as themselves. [26:03] Jim mentions the book Extreme Ownership, which explains the importance of managing up the chain of command as well as managing down. [28:06] You have to be able to serve all types of bosses. If you disagree with them, when the time is right, approach them with honest valid concerns and insight for a better way. [31:35] Jim encourages all leaders to check out ProjectRelo.org for information on a program teaming skilled veterans with businesses. [36:29] A fight in a bar carries consequences on the ship, but pledging to do better, and living up to the pledge, also carries weight. [38:40] Mentors leave a lasting impression on you for the rest of your life.     Books Mentioned on the Show Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin   Bio Shawn Trisler joined the Navy as an Enlisted Sailor, and applied himself to rise to the top by doing his best at all times. Shawn was field commissioned as an Operations Limited Duty Officer after a commendation for outstanding performance. Shawn has a rare Tactical Action Officer qualification. He retired from the Navy after 27 years of active service. Shawn now works on ballistic air and missile defense at General Dynamics, keeping our Navy safe. In addition to his work at General Dynamics, he participates in missions for Project RELO, helping veterans find placement with fitting corporations.   Website: Projectrelo.org

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Jacqueline Molnar, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer at Western Union. Jacqueline has 20 years of experience as an attorney and compliance officer, focusing on AML/CFT (Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism), sanctions, anti-bribery/corruption, consumer protection, fraud, and litigation defense. Her discussion with Jan and Jim unpacks Jacqueline’s tools of leadership and lessons she has learned along the way. Jacqueline values the diversity and ability of her worldwide team, pushing them to play to their strengths, with camaraderie and fun, always following the company mission. Listen in to learn principles of fearless leadership, backed up with a balance of confidence and humility.   Key Takeaways [3:23] Jacqueline found the last Crucible expedition in Moab, Utah to be personally transformational — she now makes it a point to get buy-in from her leadership team for big decisions. [5:15] The purpose of the Crucible is to find out how you show up as a leader, completely out of your comfort zone. The adverse environment brings out your core character. [10:32] How to recognize and model for everyone that you don't know what to do in every circumstance, that you're vulnerable, and you're learning. [15:20] Jacqueline suggests giving a strength evaluation to company leaders to figure out what they do best, and then letting them go toward their strengths. [17:29] How Jacqueline leads her team and advocates for them so that they can do what they need to do. [19:19] Why having a diverse staff, especially in an international corporation, is natural and crucial. [20:58] It's important to look at your organization and see where you have gaps in your diversity — Are you recruiting for people who think differently? [31:07] In order to lead you need to have a crystal-clear vision of where you're headed, and communicate that very simply and very often, and then be completely, utterly, fearless and relentless about getting there. [40:01] Why workplace camaraderie is critical and that playfulness is also a key leadership attribute.     Books Mentioned on the Show The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership, book by Jan Rutherford   Bio Jacqueline Molnar, SVP and Chief Compliance Officer at Western Union in Denver, has spent 20 years as an attorney and compliance officer. She has led large international teams and represented numerous Fortune 500 companies in complex legal and regulatory matters across the globe. Jacqueline has been an executive at major banks, served as general counsel for others, and has practiced law in Silicon Valley, in California. Jacqueline received her Doctor of Jurisprudence and her Bachelor of Education from the University of Hawaii and is a lecturer teaching AML Compliance Law at the William S. Richardson School of Law in Honolulu. Jacqueline clerked for the Honorable Harold Fong at the Federal District Court for the District of Hawaii and for the Honorable Chief Justice Ronald T.Y. Moon, Hawaii State Supreme Court. She is licensed to practice law in Hawaii and California. Prior to attending law school, Jacqueline received her PDP teaching credentials from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, and served as a school teacher and principal in Canada and as a scuba diving teacher in Honolulu, Hawaii.   LinkedIn: Jacqueline Molnar

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Dr. Christophe Morin, CEO and Chief Pain Officer at SalesBrain. With over 30 years of experience in marketing and business development, Christophe is passionate about understanding and predicting consumer behavior using neuroscience. He is an expert on the effect of advertising on the brains of adolescents and young adults. Christophe discusses with Jan and Jim the prime role of emotion in individual motivation, how neuromarketing draws upon the science of neurological testing, and the six factors you can stress to create emotion that works for your product. Listen in to learn principles of ethical neuromarketing, and steps you can take to become more effective in persuasion for the greater good.   Key Takeaways [6:11] Neuroscience data doesn’t rely on what customers say, but on the ability to read their nervous system and brain blood flow. Most of this information is not consciously available. [10:01] Dr. Morin explains how the System One brain system communicates with the System Two brain system and how that relates to advertising. [12:55] Find out about the up-and-coming field called neuroleadership. [16:17] How can neuromarketing improve the world? [20:55] What are the six ways to create the bottom-up effect? [35:22] The Neuromarketing Science and Business Association created a code of ethics, now used widely by the neuromarketing industry. [37:17] How neuromarketing is somewhat a natural progression of marketing. [43:55] People who are willing to show up, look at themselves, work, rehearse, and practice, are those who ultimately can acquire and perfect skills they may not have had when they began. [45:58] We’re scratching the surface of this big question: What is the ultimate effect of media on us?     Books Mentioned on the Show Thinking, Fast and Slow, book by Daniel Kahneman Selling to the Old Brain: How New Discoveries In Brain Research Empower You To Influence Any Audience, Anytime, book by Patrick Renvoise and Christophe Morin The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, book by Barry Schwartz   Bio Dr. Christophe Morin, CEO and Chief Pain Officer of SalesBrain, has over 30 years of marketing and business development experience. Before joining SalesBrain, Christophe was Chief Marketing Officer for rStar Networks, a public company that developed the largest private network ever deployed in U.S. schools. Previously, he was VP of Marketing and Corporate Training for Grocery Outlet Inc, the largest grocery remarketer in the world. Christophe has received multiple prestigious speaking awards from Vistage International and Great Mind Research Awards from the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF). Christophe holds a BA in Marketing, an MBA from Bowling Green State University, an MA and a PhD in Media Psychology from Fielding Graduate University. He is an adjunct faculty member of Fielding Graduate University where he teaches a Masters/PhD course he created called “The Psychology of Neuromarketing”. He is also a board member of the Neuromarketing Science and Business Association (NMSBA)   Website: www.salesbrain.com

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Colleen Abdoulah, former Chair and CEO of WOW! Colleen, who was the only female CEO at a top-ten cable operating company, is widely respected for her passionate focus on customer experience and company culture. In this episode, Colleen motivates young professionals to lead passionately with purpose, by first learning the history, then seeking and engaging existing organizations. Colleen maintains that everyone has gifts and passions, and when directed meaningfully, these strengths will help guide leaders to success. She encourages leaders to reflect each day by asking, “How did I show up? Was I an influence for positive or negative?” She discourages passive-aggressive behaviors, and promotes accountability and learning to confront differences with courtesy. Listen in to learn the value of individual accountability, the best use of the inherent gifts all people have, and why methods matter along the way to your goals.   Key Takeaways [5:33] Colleen gained awareness as a teenager that women across the world have had to fight for rights. In her 20’s, she was pulled to work for social justice and compassion towards the marginalized, especially women and children, and she continues those efforts today. [8:01] Colleen’s advice to young professionals looking to help a cause is first to get some context, find out the history and background, and do their homework. She says some young women today don't even know what a suffragette was. [11:46] Colleen recalls being counseled that if we make a difference in one life, then what we’re doing matters. [15:16] Ask yourself, “where can I contribute and be fed in the process?” Finding an enriching purpose makes the difference between a passion and an obligation. [17:15] When looking for a mentor, find people in your communities who have similar values to you, get their attention, share who you are. Your mentor's role is to listen, probe, draw out, and help guide and instruct you, not to advise you what to do. [20:38] There's diversity of lifestyle and ethnicity, but also diversity of mind. Many organizations make the mistake of finding people who think alike, because it's easier. Getting diversity right comes down to one basic thing — do I value it? [25:54] Regardless of our background, we all work with the basis that we're human beings who want to know, “Do I belong? Do I have something to contribute? And “A”m I valued and respected?” [31:03] How you love, how you interact, how you navigate through your career and your exchanges with others, differentiates you as a person.   Books Mentioned on the Show How to Win Friends and Influence People, book by Dale Carnegie   Bio Colleen Abdoulah, who was the only female CEO at a top-ten cable operating company, is widely respected for her passionate focus on customer experience and company culture. Currently the Chair of the Board at WOW!, Colleen guided Internet, cable and phone as CEO for 12 years. In those years, WOW! quadrupled the customer base, with revenues of over $1.2B, and earned multiple awards from J.D. Power and Associates, Consumer Reports, and PC Magazine Reader's' Choice. WOW! was named in the National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in 2012 and 2013. Before joining WOW!, Colleen worked at TCI as Assistant COO and EVP of Cable Operations. She serves on the boards of the American Cable Association and C-SPAN, and is a past Vice President of the Executive Board of Women in Cable and Telecommunications, and past Chairperson for the WICT Foundation. She is past Chair of the Board for the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center, serves on the boards for The Women's College of the University of Denver, the Colorado Chapter of the International Women's Forum, and World Pulse. Colleen is a keynote speaker on customer experience and company culture, and gender-balanced management and leadership, delivering her messages and stories with humor. Colleen has a degree in Public Relations and Marketing from Mount Royal College in Calgary, and an MBA from the University of Denver. LinkedIn: Colleen Abdoulah Website: http://www.worldpulse.com

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Schmitt, as he transitions from special operations leadership to corporate advisor after 30 years of military service. Starting his career as an enlisted soldier at the age of 17, he understands the requirement to recruit great people while investing in their development and taking the time to explain the organization's why. He is excited about the future and the goodness he expects to bring to others in the corporate sector. On this episode, Chris discusses principles of military leadership, his participation in the upcoming Patagonia Crucible, and his plans moving forward to support corporate leaders to build high performing teams. Chris wants this next chapter of his life to be about increasing the capacity of purposeful teams, developing positive leadership and mentoring winners! Listen in to learn the value of trust in enabling your team members’ individual growth and joint success.   Key Takeaways [3:32] Perseverance and persistence are important virtues to pack in your ruck. [4:12] The experience of starting as an army private gives great perspective as an officer. [8:56] Adaptability and moving forward will not happen without trust. [9:10] Why is trust harder to develop in business than in the military - or is it? [10:32] To be a rockstar organizational leader you have to take a chance and give some of that trust to the people in your organization. [14:20] Provide a vision, and then allow people to just go and do it. [17:38] Always try to do what you can do well, and leverage your core competencies. [19:38] In order to excel in a new field, start by listening so that you can learn and understand the nuances in culture and language within that field. [26:23] From Simon Sinek on leadership: Start with the Why. Being kind is important. Allow people to adapt and change.   Quotable Quotes “My purpose is to facilitate others’ success, and to work toward continuing to help high performing teams succeed.” “No matter how high you are up the chain...there’s not a little magic box that gives you all the answers.” “Not taking time to sit back and reflect — that’s when you make small mistakes and difficulties.” “Having genuine concern for people, pushing your purpose and sharing hardship are the things we need to continue to prepare our leaders for.” “Being in charge is hard work.”   Books Mentioned on the Show Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, book by General Stanley McChrystal Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, book by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t, book by Simon Sinek Jerry Kramer's Farewell to Football, book by Jerry Cramer   Bio Christopher Schmitt has developed as a strong leader, coach and mentor over the past 30 years of military service. Starting his career as an enlisted soldier at the age of 17, he then applied to West Point U.S. Military Academy. Working his way up through the ranks after graduation from West Point, he learned the importance to build a core team around the organization's values and purpose. Over the past 18 years as an international project officer and change agent as a deployed Special Forces field grade officer, Chris experienced how to motivate high performing teams to accomplish national strategic agendas. With 14 years of service outside of the United States, from the destroyed Olympic City of Sarajevo to the dusty outposts of Timbuktu with trips to Afghanistan, as a Paratrooper, Ranger, and Green Beret, Chris has a rich appreciation for good leadership. He has a passion for interacting with leaders and helping them excel. He has a skill for building teams, mentoring their development and coaching them toward success. Chris has stuffed his rucksack with best practices necessary to motivate gifted individuals to perform as high-functioning organizations. Chris plans to transition his passion for building partner nation special operations teams to mentoring development of Corporate Leaders and their organizations. He can’t wait to get started and begin making an impact.   Linkedin:  https://ca.linkedin.com/in/christopherschmitt2 Instagram:  chris_promegallc Website:   http://www.promegallc.com/

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Bruce Temkin, Customer Experience Transformist and Managing Partner of Temkin Group. Bruce is widely viewed as a customer experience visionary, helping large companies define and accelerate their customer experience journeys. He trains leaders the principles of purpose, brand value, employee engagement, and customer connectedness, helping them transform their organizations to provide a superior customer experience. Listen in to learn how to improve your organization with purposeful customer connections.   Key Takeaways [3:35] Customer emotion drives loyalty. We’ve named 2016 as the year of emotion. [5:26] While in a small group, emotional intelligence is important, and in a big organization, it is even more important to convey a sense of purpose. [9:35] How to use immersive exercises in experiential design by thinking of it through the eyes of the customer, such as a grandmother who has never purchased online. [13:31] How people make a majority of decisions based on their intuitive subconscious mind. [18:13] Managing customer needs in concentric action loops with immediate response, corrective action, continuous improvement, and strategic change. [22:12] Why the biggest cause of catastrophe is failure in the feedback loop. [27:12] Is the issue that you don’t have enough metrics on a system, or is it that you don’t understand what’s going on in the first place? [34:10] The customer experience you deliver is a reflection of your culture. Four elements define a customer-centric culture: Purposeful Leadership, Compelling Brand Values, Employee Engagement, and Customer Connectedness. [39:38] As a leader, the question is what do you have to do to align the direction and the perception of all the people who are following you?   Resources Mentioned on the Show Thinking Fast and Slow, book by Daniel Kahneman The Power of Habit, book by Charles Duhigg How to Win Friends and Influence People, book by Dale Carnegie Intensify Emotion   Bio Bruce Temkin holds a master’s degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he concentrated in business strategy and operations. He also holds an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Union College. As an executive officer and co-founder of two Internet start-ups, he led the development of the first purely Internet-based retail brokerage system and led operations in the US, China, Israel, and Japan. He also held management positions at General Electric, Fidelity Investments, and Stratus Computers. Prior to Temkin Group, Bruce spent 12 years with Forrester Research during which time he led the company’s financial services, e-business, and customer experience practices. He authored many of Forrester’s most popular research reports and was the most-read analyst for 13 consecutive quarters and created Forrester’s Customer Experience Index. He is the Chairman Emeritus and co-founder of the Customer Experience Professionals Association. Bruce’s research focuses on identifying current and emerging best practices. He has published seminal reports such as The ROI of Customer Experience, The Future of Customer Experience, and The Four Customer Experience Core Competencies. He uses this insight to advise companies on their customer experience journeys,  and identifying opportunities for sustainable breakthrough performance. Bruce is the author of the blog Customer Experience Matters®, one of the most popular blogs on customer experience. He regularly posts insights on topics such as customer experience, corporate culture, branding, and leadership.

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Jason McCarthy, Founder and CEO of GORUCK, a company that makes rucksacks (also known as backpacks), and runs rucking events similar to the Special Forces selection process. Jason reveals why and how he started GORUCK, the obstacles he faced along the way, his mission for GORUCK, and his success in building leaders by overcoming adversity as a team. Jason also talks about building better Americans who serve their country and community, explaining the basis of community. He reminds us what freedom means, and how others can fulfill a duty in a variety of ways. Listen in to learn how you can turn adversity into team building within your organization.   Key Takeaways [7:38] How the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) or the Q Course forces you to lead. [8:32] There are always opportunities to lead, you have to seize them. There’s always room for another great leader to step up. [13:24] It wasn’t about the weight people were carrying, it was about the people carrying the weight. [13:41] What’s really rewarding, is the impact you can make on people if you serve them. [14:34] GORUCK became this bridge for Jason, that he was building for people that showed up within the class, and yet he needed to be on that same bridge, as well. [18:29] Successful teams have got to be fun and it’s got to be about building communities. [21:57] Americans represent one united community. Bake your neighbor a pie sometime, talk to the person next to you on the plane. We need someone to push us toward more service to each other - to build a better America. [25:41] To create a culture of leaders you have to trust the people around you, give them things they can do, and let them figure it out. [33:33] Go find a friend, go for a walk, put a backpack on, and talk to the person next to you. Connect with the people that are around you.   Quotable Quotes “To lead is to do. You have to actually do it. You can’t learn about it in a book.” "To lead is to serve." “People need to like you to spend time with you.” "Communication is always the glue." “Taking a walk with a ruck is officially called rucking.”   Books Mentioned or Referenced on the Show The LITTLEST Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership, book by Jan Rutherford   Bio Jason McCarthy Graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia in May 2001, without a set professional goal. Then came 9/11, which became a call-to-arms to him. Jason enlisted in Special Forces and served in Iraq as a Communication Sergeant in the Green Berets. He calls his experience there a leadership laboratory. Jason founded GORUCK in 2008 after his military service, seeing the need for a great civilian bag, and a way to help veterans bridge military and civilian life. This led to the GORUCK Challenge, where a Special Forces guy builds a team out of the participants who show up.

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Scott Page, Chief Executive Officer of Colorado Business Bank and Arizona Business Bank, on his experiences as a CEO, particularly regarding how the CEO position is distinct from all others. Scott covers the importance of preparation through education, accepting mentorship, and developing awareness and presence in the moment. Scott reveals pitfalls of inadequate leadership, and problems with letting an organization drift in unmanaged directions, as well as lessons learned through personal experience. He discusses the need for teams to hire and promote the right people a structure that provides autonomy, and the importance of performance accountability.  He also discusses the power of humor in strengthening team relationships. Listen in to learn Scott’s tips for transformative leadership in today’s challenged and fast-paced global economy.   Key Takeaways [4:24] We take our business very seriously, but we don’t take ourselves very seriously―I really like people, and I like to have a little bit of fun. [7:29] I’m a huge proponent of teamwork. My senior team members partner up to solve problems and I don’t even have to get involved. [9:59] The biggest surprise when I became CEO was the speed of things coming at me. [12:36] Put the right vertical structure and people in place. [20:57] You have to have this mentality of constant improvement. There’s no room for people who retire on the job. [22:10] You can have a complex organization, but you have to have a very well-defined value proposition and mission. Then you have to message like crazy and support your messaging with the right activities. [24:14] Slow down to speed up. Adapt. To remain independent as a public company, you must provide superior results. [27:25] Mentor people--send them through programs and schools that prepare them to advance and maximize their talents in the organization. [41:19] Accountability has to start at the very top of an organization. Then it can be driven down into the organization.   Books Mentioned or Referenced on the Show The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni   Bio Scott Page learned the value of humor while growing up in an immigrant family in a disadvantaged area. Scott has more than 30 years of experience in the Colorado banking community. He has served as Chief Executive Officer of Colorado Business Bank and Arizona Business Bank, since early 2014. Scott joined Colorado Business Bank as market president in 2009. He previously served as Executive Vice President and Director of Community Banking for Vectra Bank Colorado, a unit of Zions Bancorporation, for eight years, and as Senior Vice President and Manager of US Banks Large Commercial Banking at Financial Institutions Group. Scott received his Bachelor Degree and MBA from the University of New Mexico and is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of Banking. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation and serves on the executive advisory board of Regis Graduate School of Business.

A former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier and successful business executive, Jan knows the value of overcoming challenges to strengthen your resilience to lead more effectively. Jan uses the power of story to provide an overview of self-reliant leadership principles to be a more courageous, humble, and disciplined leader. Jan helps leaders become more self reliant through a confluence of Sparta’s discipline, Socrates’ self-awareness, Aristotle’s courage, Emerson’s self-reliance, and Thoreau’s reflective seclusion. Questions Answered:  1) Tell me about your expeditions? 2) What does adversity have to do with growing leaders?  3) How does solitude inform a leader?  Contact Info:  Website: http://selfreliantleadership.com Email: jan@selfreliantleadership.com Bonus Material:  The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership is available on Amazon  Visit ExitCoachRadio.com for Audio, Videos, Books and Interactive Tools to Grow Your Business Value, Protect Your Family and Prepare for your Future Transition. New! Get our iPhone app at the App Store  - search for Exit Coach Radio. Grow your business value by up to 71% - take a free assessment at www.BizGrowth123.com 

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos, discuss their upcoming expedition – the Crucible in Patagonia, Argentina.  They explore the project’s conception, purposes, technical and social challenges, and goals. They also describe the participants’ unique backgrounds, and how they were selected for being selfless, adventurous, and possessing heroic aspirations to make a difference in the lives of others. The expedition has three goals:  Help special operations warriors transition to the business world.  Help executives “heard the unheard” as they step back and do a digital detox.  Lastly, bring back the recipe for accelerating team development and the growth of leaders.  Listen in to discover the plan and the tools they’re using to predict the team’s dynamic!   Key Takeaways [3:20] There are things that happen out in the wilderness, from a leadership and a team perspective, that just take a long time to duplicate in the business world. [15:44] Create an A-Team with people that are selfless, adventurous, and who have heroic aspirations – people who are force multipliers. [20:17] What can we learn from the preparation of the Lewis and Clark Expedition? [23:42] Consider Sir Ernest Shackleton's legendary ad: Men wanted: for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success. [29:43] A lot of companies hit a wall at $10 million. To break through the wall, think differently. [30:29] Don’t just incrementally get out of your comfort zone. Get out of your comfort zone in an order of magnitude. [32:18] It’s all about focus. [33:00] Accelerate team development: Form, Storm, Norm, and Perform － Bruce Tuckman. [39:51] In the end, we’re going to find out that it’s really simple, but very difficult.   Quotable Quotes “I wasn’t climbing those mountains for the view.” “You’ve always got 40% left in the tank you didn’t realize you had.” “The tough times in an organization are the good times, actually.”   Books Mentioned or Referenced on the Show The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West

On this 6th episode of the Leadership Podcast, your hosts Jim Vaselopulos and Jan Rutherford will be sharing the how, what and why behind this enterprise. Jim and Jan both ardently believe that a person’s family is their most important legacy. These C-Level executives have very different backgrounds but similar aspirations. They joined forces to accomplish their goal of creating a place for young professionals to build character through mentorship and a habitat for companies to find inspiration from proven and effective leaders. Through this medium, they have the unique opportunity to study the minds and practices of leaders who excel at what they do.    Key Takeaways: [1:37] Get to know your podcast hosts Jim and Jan, on a professional and personal level. [8:15] What drives Jim to help young professionals learn to be leaders? [13:50] The non-traditional ways Jan teaches executives to purge during a Digital Detox. [17:42] Upcoming episodes will include the #1 doctor in the world, authors, business leaders, and those who embody a growth mindset. [22:42] Moving forward with the intention of getting in the heads of those who have done great things. [27:49] How is leader effectiveness measured?    Sponsors: Class Act Leadership Training The Littlest Green Beret Book   Mentioned in This Episode: The Leadership Podcast @westudyleaders on Twitter The Leadership Podcast on Facebook PSC Group Rafti Advisors Self-Reliant Leadership LLC