Fifth Dimensional Leadership

Latest Episodes:

"Right Leader | Right Time" with Bob Jordan and Olivia Wagner Apr 22, 2022

Show notes

Robert ("Bob") Jordan is the CEO of InterimExecs. A company that provides access between the best interim and project executives in the world and company owners seeking brilliant leadership on demand.

Bob has helped launch, grow and ultimately sell several high-growth companies. His first company, Online Access, put him on the Inc 500 list of fastest-growing. He is the author of How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights From the Heart of America and the author of the Nightingale Conant, Audio Production, how they did it. Real-world advice from today's most successful entrepreneurs.

Olivia Wagner is the co-founder of InterimExecs with Bob and directs the organization matching, growing, and troubled companies with their top-tier executive talent around the globe.

Olivia previously built the interim CEO, interim CFO network from a homegrown website to a robust social network with thousands of members. She directed the publication of various eBooks websites and marketing initiatives and edited how they did it—billion-dollar insights from the heart of America.

Bob and Olivia have a new book called Right Leader, Right Time, Discover your Leadership Style for Winning.

In our conversation, Bob and Olivia talk about their four styles of leadership as well as:

How most leaders cause self-inflicted wounds by not having the right people
What the "FABS Leadership Styles" and "Three Principles of FABS Leadership" are
How everyone can be a leader, but not every leader can lead in everything.
That leaders must play by their strengths to avoid damaging their own business.
How self-awareness is one of the most crucial parts of being a leader, but most people fail to tap into it.

Quotes

"When you match the right leadership style with the right organization, you see a lot of successful outcomes." - Olivia Wagner

"Most owners would rather be dead than proven wrong." - Bob Jordan

"Leaders don't hide. They take accountability for their actions" - Olivia Wagner

"Integrity resonates with all of us, but many (leaders) don't act with integrity" - Bob Jordan

"You feel you're in a period of growth expansion, knowing that you're in the exact right role." - Olivia Wagner

"The giant leap that a person in a position of responsibility has to be able to do is to say 'I need help.'" - Olivia Wagner

Robert and Olivia on Social Media

Interim Execs on Social Media

Other Resources

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In/Action: Rethinking the Path to Results with Jinny Uppal Apr 15, 2022

Show notes

Do you find yourself stressed over work and career?

In this fast-paced world of work, we often find ourselves worried about what we should be doing. But the reality is, you don't have to kill yourself on your way to success, and you can achieve more by doing less.

Jinny Uppal is a technology and business strategist and senior leader with a 20+ year career growing and transforming Fortune 500 telecom, eCommerce, and retail businesses. She is currently a Speaker, Investor, Consultant, and Board Advisor to The Anou, iPayNGo.

In her award-winning book, IN/ACTION: Rethinking the Path to Results, Jinny explores the downside of the prevalent cultural bias toward action even when it's unnecessary or counterproductive. She is passionate about helping people achieve their goals without the associated stress and burnout from chasing goals.

In our conversation, Jinny talks about the power of your mind.

The importance of stepping back and letting your mind do the work
What caused "The Great Resignation"
Courage does not equate to "just do it."
How we self-impose stress through habits

Quotes

"Let your mind do its job. You don't have to figure everything out. Don't underestimate the power of your mind." - Jinny Uppal

"I define success as living the life I want on my terms and having a diverse set of intellectual pursuits and interest areas." - Jinny Uppal

"You don't let action drive you. You drive action. You choose action." - Jinny Uppal

"We compromise on sleep because we think there's always tomorrow or the weekend, but before you know it, it's a habit." - Jinny Uppal

"You don't have to kill yourself on your way to being successful." - Jinny Uppal

"We've lost our balance, but awareness of that will help us find our balance." - Jinny Uppal

"The only person who knows how to help you bring your mental wellbeing back is you!" - Jinny Uppal

"Instead of barreling down the action path, don't underestimate the power of stepping back and reflecting. When you do, your own brain will come up with ideas that had you been busy, your mind would not have come up with those ideas." - Jinny Uppal

"People associate courage with overcoming your fears. But it takes more courage to stand in the face of fear and first become acquainted with it so that you are not jarring yourself into action, and it takes courage to take the pause." - Jinny Uppal

"Don't underestimate how much you already know because that will take you to wherever you want to go. Just pause long enough to connect with your own internal wisdom." - Jinny Uppal

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Leading from Within with Analiza Wolf Apr 08, 2022

Show notes

Racism doesn't always start in our environment; sometimes, it starts within ourselves.

Analiza Wolf is Filipina-American, who resented her Asian heritage when she was younger. But only through first-hand experience and empathy was she able to understand where she came from and why she needed to be proud of her parents.

Today, she is a speaker, executive coach, facilitator, and community builder committed to guiding leaders, especially women and people of color, and organizations to their highest potential.

Inspired by her own experiences as a co-founder of an AI tech start-up, CEO of a charter school network, a Captain in the US Air Force, a brand manager for a Fortune 200 company, and a retreat facilitator for leadership teams, Analiza believes in the power of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and helping all people lead at their full potential.

In this episode of the Fifth Dimensional Leadership Podcast, Analiza talks about the importance of self-acceptance, building an authentic network, and what it takes to be a leader and "Boss-Moma".

Things you will learn:

The moment she considered herself a leader
Impact of her ethnicity and culture on her life and career
Biggest lessons learned during her time as a CEO
The power of stories
How motherhood changed her as a leader

Quotes

"Leadership is not all about you. It's about your people and how you leverage their amazing strengths." - Analiza Wolf

"The networking process is about building relationships with authentic connections." - Analiza Wolf

"The work that we need to do is to go beyond words and actually be committed to change; itcan be a technical change but moreso a mindset change." - Analiza Wolf

"It's beautiful for people to authentically live and stop with all the noise of having to be someone else." - Analiza Wolf

"We have more power than we think. We have more choice than we think." - Analiza Wolf

Did you enjoy this episode? Make sure to follow the show so you can get notified of new episodes.

If you have 2 minutes, I'd highly appreciate it if you can leave me an honest review on Apple podcasts!

The Importance of Social Capital and Leadership with Aaron Templer Apr 01, 2022

Show notes

Social media marketing doesn't work.

There is no data that supports the effectiveness of social media marketing and the value that it generates. Marketers are all biased in believing that it does. However, according to Aaron Templar, Brand Strategist and Founder of Three over Four, what really generates value is social capital.

Aaron Templer is an unapologetic polymath. A 25-year marketing leader, a marketing firm owner, professional instructor for the American Marketing Association, occasional speaker and professor, and hobby percussionist. His firm, speaking engagements, teachings, and writings are at the intersection of strategy, creativity, brand, influence, and leadership. Some call him the Gora Dhol Wallah.

In our conversation, Aaron talks about his book, Leading in the Social World, and the difference between social media marketing and social capital.

Things you will learn in this episode:

Why marketers need to be leaders
Leadership through authenticity
What is Social Capital
How the Covid-19 pandemic is similar to the great recession of 2008
Aaron's influences and connection to music

Quotes

"A leader's real work is looking for opportunities for connection and marketing looks for opportunities for conversion." - Aaron Templer

"You can't be credible unless you're present in the situation with a clear sense of who you are." - Aaron Templer

"When you lead in a way that builds people as opposed to using people, that becomes life affirming. It affirms our humanity" - Aaron Templer

"When your identity gets torn away from you, not only are you re-evaluating yourself but re-evaluating others around you." - Aaron Templer

"Leaders let their actions speak for their words. They walk the talk and they do what they say." - Aaron Templer

Resources

A Leader of Character: Army Lt. General Maria Gervais Mar 25, 2022

Show notes

Lieutenant General Maria R. Gervais assumed duties as the TRADOC Deputy Commanding General/Chief of Staff on May 28, 2021. Prior to her assignment, she served in Army Futures Command as the first Cross-Functional Team Director for the Synthetic Training Environment located in Orlando, Florida.

She received her regular Army commission in 1987 as a Distinguished Military Graduate of the Lander College Reserve Officer Training Corps program in Greenwood, South Carolina, and was assigned to the Chemical Branch.

Her professional military education includes Chemical Officer Basic and Advanced Courses; Command and General Staff College; and U.S. Army War College, where she received a Master of Military Strategic Studies. She earned a Master of Arts in Human Resources from Webster University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Lander College. (See full bio here).

In our conversation, LTG Maria talks about the great learnings from her role as a leader as well as tips on how you can empower individuals instead of doing things on your own.

You will also learn:

The journey that led her into joining the Army.
How LTG Gervais creates an environment that allows people to speak their truth.
Reasons for hope regarding the current situation in Ukraine.
Common misconceptions about the Army.

Quotes:

"Focus on what got you to the table, and everything else will take care of itself."

"You're always learning and evolving as a leader."

"Leadership is about caring and getting the mission done"

"Make sure when feedback is received, it never becomes personal. It's about what happens, the process, and what didn't get done but not about the individuals."

Resources

LTG Maria Gervais on Linkedin

LTG Maria Gervais on Twitter

LTG Maria Gervais on Facebook

TRADOC · U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command

For the Good of the Order: Eve Burton, Hearst Media's Chief Legal Officer Mar 18, 2022

Show notes

Eve Burton is the Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Hearst, a leading global diversified media information and services company. Their major interests span cable entertainment, syndication interactive, emerging digital media, and many more. She is a member of Hearst Board of Directors.

Additionally, she's a member of Hearst Venture Committee, which funds digital initiatives and is the co-founder of an overseas HearstLab, which fosters innovation and investment in early-stage businesses led by women. Eve also sits on the board of directors of Intuit and previously was on the board of directors of AOL until it was sold to Verizon.

She's a member of the advisory board of David and Helen Gurley Brown Institute for media innovation at Stanford and Columbia universities and as a trustee of Middlebury College.

In our conversation, Eve talks about the importance of inclusion, building the HearstLab, and fostering innovation and change.

Things you will learn in this episode:

Creating an environment where people could be themselves
The three goals of Hearst\Lab
How to speak the truth to power
The importance of using coaches
Eve's Ten Lessons for Success

Quotes

"You don't just learn from people who mentor you; you also learn from people whom you come across." - Eve Burton

"Empathy is a critical component of successful interaction with people. You're not born to it; You have to learn it." - Eve Burton

"Diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice." - Eve Burton

"No matter what people say, we all want to be included, and we want to be better together."

- Eve Burton

Resources

The Science and Soul of Speaking with Exec. Speaker Coach, Jill Wesley Mar 11, 2022

Show notes

Jill Wesley is the founder of Science + Soul of Speaking. She helps world-class leaders and experts stand out in their industry as the go-to speakers for the biggest virtual and in-person global events. She's a thought partner to some of the top leaders in the country who speak about their work and their thought leadership. Her mission is to help people find common ground and work together to find solutions to the world's biggest challenges.

She has also worked as an executive coach, professional speaker and event producer for over 25 years. She's also head of speaker coaching for TEDx San Francisco, . One of the top TEDx events in the world. Her work has been featured on NPR and USA today. She has a deep commitment to DEI and she has decades of experience coaching and advising cross-cultural business ventures.

In our conversation, Jill talks about her journey to coaching, people's common mistakes about public speaking, and her JEDI principles.

Things you will learn in this episode:

The meaning behind Science + Soul of Speaking
The best speakers are people who continually learn from their audiences.
The top three mistakes that people make when speaking
Using JEDI (justice, equity, diversity & inclusion) principles as a foundation to speaking
Five things you can do to be a better speaker.

Quotes

"Mastery doesn't mean something's perfect. It means it's part of you and that you trust it." - Jill Wesley

"We're going to alienate people in the audience when we're not speaking to lived experiences that people can relate to." - Jill Wesley

Resources

Guest Accounts

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/jillwesley

Company Accounts

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/science-soul-of-speaking
Facebook: Jill Wesley: Science + Soul of Speaking https://facebook.com/JillWesley
Website: https://www.sciencesoulspeaking.com

The First, The Few, The Only: Deepa Purushothaman Mar 04, 2022

Show notes

Deepa Purushothaman is an author, speaker, and co-founder of nFormation.com - a company for women of color by women of color. It provides brave, safe, new space for professional women of color.

Deepa is also a Women and Public Policy Program Leader in Practice at the Harvard Kennedy School. She also has a book The First, The Few, The Only. How Women of Color Redefine Power in Corporate America, which Harper Business published March 2022.

She spent more than twenty years at Deloitte and was the first Indian American woman and one of the youngest people to make partner in the company's history. Deepa was a National Managing Partner of Inclusion at Deloitte and the US Managing Partner of WIN (Women's Initiative), Deloitte's renowned program to recruit, retain, and advance women.

Deepa experienced being an outcast at an early age as she was only one of three colored girls in a class of 500 students. And even after she got into the right schools and the right jobs, she never felt like she fit in. This is what prompted her to write her book.

In our conversation, Deepa talks about her journey to success, how she overworked until work is not working for her anymore, and how nFormation helps other people of color.

In this episode, you will learn:

Deepa's unique, albeit unhealthy, superpowers
How her illness changed her life
How Corporate America was not made by women or designed for women and is not a meritocracy
Knowing when it's time to leave your job
Acknowledging and healing the trauma that women have endured in the workplace
How women of color should use their superpowers, especially in this moment

Quotes:

"Great leader helps people that work on their team find their power" - Deepa Purushothaman.

"If you continue to conform and do what you're told, eventually, you will be unhappy and feel powerless" - Deepa Purushothaman.

"Not every culture is going to work for you" - Deepa Purushothaman.

Resources:

Deepa Purushothaman Website

The First, The Few, The Only. How Women of Color Redefine Power in Corporate America, Deepa Purushothaman

nFormation, for The First, The Few and The Onlys

TED Talk - 4 Ways To Redefine Power At Work To Include Women Of Color

Rha Goddess and Deepa Purushothaman

Preserving the Legacy: Johnson Publishing Company CEO, Linda Johnson Rice - Part 2 Feb 25, 2022

Show notes

Linda Johnson Rice is a former magazine owner who was born of John and Eunice Johnson. Linda's father in 1942, founded Johnson Publishing Company, which published Ebony and Jet magazines. And as a result, was the largest black-owned magazine publisher in the United States. In 1982, Johnson became the first African-American to appear on the Forbes 400.

Linda wanted to be an integral part of her father's and mother's business. She began training in the fashion department at age seven, and took notes during business meetings and reviewing her parents' incoming and outgoing mail.

Linda attended the University of Southern California and graduated with a BA in journalism from the Annenberg School for Communication. She received an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management in 1987. Immediately after graduation, Linda became President and COO of Johnson Publishing until her promotion to CEO in 2002, becoming the first African-American female among the 100 largest black-owned companies in the United States.

In this second part of our conversation, Linda relives those dark days where she had to prepare the business for bankruptcy, and how a nurturing family and a loyal circle of friends helped her get through tough times.

We also talked about:

How Ebony Fashion Fair and Fashion Fair Cosmetics evolved out of Ebony the magazine.
Selling the magazine business in hopes of saving the cosmetics business.
Hiring people with more relevant skills, but arguably too late to save the businesses.

Overcoming self-doubt and the feeling of failure
The making of Empire of Ebony, a major documentary directed by Lisa Cortez and Oscar recipient African-American Director Roger Ross Williams
The possibility of making a docu-series about Eunice Johnson, Linda Johnson's mother with major companies in the industry.
How Linda is creating her own legacy while preserving her parents' legacy

Quotes:

"Consciousness is self-awareness without being self-absorbed"

"You find out who your real friends are when things are dark and stormy. It's the people that hand you an umbrella to keep you dry who are the real friends that you can really rely on."

Preserving the Legacy: Johnson Publishing Company CEO, Linda Johnson Rice - Part 1 Feb 18, 2022

Show notes

In our conversation, Linda passionately talks about what's it like growing up in a huge publishing company, and the legacy of Ebony and Jet.

We also talked about:

The purpose of Johnson's Publishing Company
The Leadership style of her parents
How she stays grounded even with a wealthy background
The importance of self-care as a leader
The difficulty of letting people go inside the company

Quotes:

"You gotta make time for yourself. Whatever your passion is, whatever you enjoy. But at least at the end of the day, you can say you did something for yourself." - Linda Johnson Rice - Linda Johnson-RIce

"You can't keep looking backward, that's not helpful. You put that in its proper places and you gotta keep moving forward." - Linda Johnson-RIce

"It's best to make decisions for yourself rather than having someone else make them for you." - Linda Johnson-RIce