The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

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**The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk**

Leaders are learners. The best leaders never stop working to make themselves better. The Learning Leader Show Is series of conversations with the world’s most thoughtful leaders. Entrepreneurs, CEO’s, World-Class Athletes, Coaches, Best-Selling Authors, and much more.

Latest Episodes:

330: Deconstructing The Art & Science Of Interviewing With Jay Acunzo Sep 25, 2019

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#330: Deconstructing The Art & Science Of Interviewing With Jay Acunzo

Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com

This is a special bonus episode focusing on deconstructing the art and science of interviewing. You will hear learning happening in real time. Jay Acunzo and I go a meta-level to better understand how to better improve our conversation ability, how to be better in an interview. "Interviewing is a skill that enhances your life in a pleasant and unexpected way." This is focused on how you can ask better questions, be more interesting and more interested, and become a better conversationalist.

Notes:

The meta level of deconstructing the process of making the work is rare...
"I experience the most flow when it's quiet, nitty-gritty work. Those minute are profoundly rewarding for me."
What makes a great interview?
An open loop -- Start telling the story, but wait to close the loop until later to build intrigue...
The difference between a narrative style show and an interview getting to know someone:
- A story is three parts - The intent of the story: The "Joseph Campbell Heroes Journey" 1) Status Quo 2) Conflict 3) Resolution
- Bucket of questions:
  - "Tell me about X..."
  - "How did it make you feel?"
  - The analysis and the reflection
Change your mindset: "You're not an interviewer, you're a dance partner."
- "The only thing that matters is that you lead. Everything else is little subtle moves to get people to go to where you want to go."
"It's not a constant march forward. Instead, think of it like a dance. There are some steps back, steps forward, steps to the side — all packaged together in one coherent experience, with lots of zig-zagging and subtle steps inside those boundaries."
Open ended questions: "Tell me about X" gets you story details, while "how did it feel when" gets you key moments of reflection and analysis. Both are crucial.
Clip #1 -- JJ Redick
- He says "great question" — what would make someone interviewed as often as a pro athlete say that?
- How to prep for an interview for someone who is interviewed all the time?
  - Built a basic rapport leading up to the interview -- Discussed sports, restaurants, podcasting, interviewing. Developed a "friend" level of communication
    - Create an environment where the guest wants it to be a great show
- Good follow up questions: Ask for an example... Asking, "How did that make you feel?" "What's your process?" --> Then be a deep, thoughtful listener to ask a follow up.
- Stay on the same level with your dance partner - Don't be a guest "worshiper"
- When following up, there are a few things you can do: 1) Distill 2) Disagree 3) Ask the next question...
- During an interview, the best question you can ask: "How did that make you feel?" It enables them to get in an emotional lane (away from canned responses)
- Testing the levels on the microphone -- Don't waste that opportunity. Engineer the guest, the human -- You need them to feel like we're hanging out and excited about the interview. Make it fun. What to ask instead: "I'm going to check your levels, do you have any pets at home?" "What would be your last meal on earth?" -- It helps people break out of their corporate drone mode. The question is about the person, on a human plane.
- Create a safe space for them to share their truth. "I'm not a journalist, I'm a conversationalist."
Clip #2 -- Adam Savage
- How did he get on the show? Working with a PR firm to book a guest -- A great PR person like Brent Underwood only recommends guests that are a good fit for the show.
- Ask questions that you are genuinely curious about -- I am curious about someone's process and it's always led me to a useful follow up...
- The issue is sometimes a "process" oriented question is the guest can answer with a generality... How to wiggle out of that?
  - Look at the acknowledgement section of their book to get ideas for important people/events in their life to ask about...
- Mental Heuristics: Tell me about, 30,000 feet, go to a specific example... The third question is "Putting them in a box:" -- "
From Jay: Heuristics to tell great AUDIO stories:
- Tell me about...
- How did you feel when (or, how did that feel?)
- Can you give me an example?
- (Superlatives) Best, worst, funniest, scariest, hardest, least certain, favorite, etc...
- (Dig for emotional moments)
Clip #3 -- Brian Koppelman
- How to handle nerves -- Work to get settled in. Get through the initial conversation point...
- Give people a genuine compliment for why you like their work -- Tell people why their work helps you
Hidden Gems:
- Interplay between your intent for the work and your framework for it:
  - "My goal is to engineer an outcome, but I have an intent I don't want to become The Bachelor in Paradise."
    - Have self and situational awareness. We carry with us good intent to serve the audience. Don't let the framework or engineering supersede the original intent.
- The two types of interviews: 1) The person, their story... 2) Their content
  - The best conversations are able to weave both together and smoothly bounce back and forth
  - Learn about the person AND learn about the topic that he has mastered -- Master that dance between both -- I need to give you something that is going to make you better.
Use the "Get To Know You Document"
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea

329: Kindra Hall - How Storytelling Can Influence Audiences & Transform Your Business Sep 22, 2019

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Ep #329: Kindra Hall

Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com

Kindra Hall is President and Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective, a consulting firm focused on the strategic application of storytelling to today's communication challenges. Kindra is one of the most sought after keynote speakers trusted by global brands to deliver presentations that inspire teams and individuals to better communicate the value of their company, their products and their individuality through strategic storytelling. Kindra is a former Director of Marketing and VP of Sales. Her much anticipated book, Stories That Stick, will be published on September 24, 2019.

Notes:

Why is storytelling so important?
- It's how we learn, how we connect
- Your team needs to know you, and like you (stories do that when you tell them well)
- You can learn breadth/depth of a person through a story
A story is NOT:
- A bullet point resume
- A list of information
- Stating the mission statement
- The objective
A story = The small moments when mission is in a specific place and time... When something happens.
The four components of a story:
- Place and time: "a moment"
- Identifiable characters - must see people
- Authentic emotion - Relatable to audience
- Specific details - Draw audience in to the co-creative process
Opening story of her book: In Slovenia at Thanksgiving:
- The power of the sales clerk's ability to tell a story compelled Kindra and her husband to buy
Why did the story work?
- It drew you in with powerful moments and emotion
- It had suspense - "I want to know what's going to happen..."
- People will give you their attention when you're telling a compelling story
- It brought them to places through vivid descriptions
How to better start a meet at work:
- First, realize it's a skill you can develop
- Take a step back, think of the higher level message -- "What's the overall theme?"
  - "When have I seen this in action?" Why was it compelling?
Make a list of nouns: People in life you've had to communicate with (bosses, friends, colleagues)
- Find moments and stories from those people... Understand the characters of the story
Think: "What do I want my audience to think, feel, know, and do at the end of this story?"
Use the "bystander story" - Stories of others that you make yours
- Remember the goal is to create connection
- This becomes your story... Through your eyes
How to handle price conversations?
- Move from dollars and cents to value -- "They need to feel the pain of if they didn't have this thing I'm selling."
- Our decisions are not always based on logic, they are based on ideas
Use the "Get To Know You Document"
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea

328: Joel Peterson - How To Build The Bonds That Make A Business Great Sep 15, 2019

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com

Text LEARNERS to 44222

#328: Joel Peterson -- Joel Peterson is the Chairman of the Board at JetBlue Airways. He has served on more than three dozen boards over the past 45 years. Joel is also the Founding Partner and Chairman of Peterson Partners, a Salt Lake City-based investment management firm with $1 billion under management. Peterson Partners has invested in over 200 companies through 13 funds in four primary asset classes: growth-oriented private equity, venture capital, real estate, and search funds. Since 1992, Joel Peterson has taught courses in real estate, entrepreneurship, and leadership at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University.

Sustaining excellence =
- They are trusted, credible, and dependable -- They "build a high trust organization"
- It doesn't happen naturally. You must be intentional about it
Why is it so hard to build a trusting organization?
- "People are weary. Trust is critical. You must do what you say you are going to do."
"Trust is not being gullible. Trust is a hard edged concept."
It's three parts:
- Character
- Competence
- Authority
How to build a culture of trust?
- Listen -- Capture what your team is saying through 1 on 1 conversations. Understand common values, goals, strategies
- Reframe the dashboard -- What does winning look like? Make sure it is clearly defined. What's the current level of trust in the organization?
How to run an effective meeting:
- Have a purpose, the right people in the room, and follow up assignments.
- Have pre-work. It must be done. Go through each individual member. "Build trust by the process."
How to run a town-hall:
- Listen carefully, repeat it. FOLLOW UP and take action.
How to handle broken trust?
- Fix breaches immediately. "Bad news doesn't get better with age." -- "Don't let grass grown under your feet."
"Trust decreases transaction costs." -- Everything is faster when there is trust.
"You can't do good business with bad people."
Interview process:
- Understand the decision points
- Determine roles/responsibilities as a team
- Check references
- The most important decisions you will make is who you hire and who you fire
There must be a vividly clear picture of what success is:
- Break down the details: Who is the champion? Time frame? Budget? -- Measure all of them to ensure all involved know what success is.
- Do a post-mortem: What went well? What didn't? Why?
Keep your team informed:
- "Err on the side of over-communication."
- "Write a partner letter every two weeks. Keep everyone updated."
- For JetBlue, there is a weekly meeting update -- a "State of the Union" for the 24,000 employees
Create a learning organization -- Foster an environment where there is a love for learning.
Strive for win-win negotiations
- Each is part of a series -- Think long term
- You must be fair in order to do many deals
- Art of the compromise -- Don't be zero sum. You'll build a reputation and nobody will want to work with you.
Embrace respectful conflict -- Create an environment where people can open disagree. This helps people refine their ideas and make them better.
Advice for husbands/dads:
- Be there as a cheerleader, not a policeman
- Be a listener, make sure you understand
- "Love is the most powerful force in the world."
Use the "Get To Know You Document"
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea

327: Marc Roberge - How To Create Fans For Life (O.A.R.) Sep 08, 2019

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#327: Marc Roberge

Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com

Marc Roberge is lead singer and rhythm guitar player for O.A.R. (Of A Revolution). He also is their primary songwriter and has been described by his band-mates as, "Our Leader." He formed the band with his best friend (and drummer) Chris Culos for an 8th grade talent show 23 years ago in Rockville, Maryland. I first saw him play at a college bar called "First Run" on the Miami University campus in Oxford, OH my freshman year (2000). Since then, O.A.R. has gone on to sell out Madison Square Garden. We recorded this episode in Austin, Texas next to the stage at Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater.

Notes:

The importance of persistence and why
Our 20-year history – Watch them playing at First Run in Oxford, OH – The journey from small college bars to selling out Madison Square Garden
Chose Ohio State because they have the most bars in a small area – Earned the Buckeye National Scholarship
"Money was not part of the equation at the beginning. We just needed enough to keep the van gassed up."
The primary reason why you're so happy it goes well is so you get to keep doing it.
Two initial goals: Finish college and build the band. – The band started in 8th grade for a talent show.
"We wanted to get on the road, scrape our knee, and build to sustain. It was never about money; it was about gaining ground. Moving forward, progressing."
The first word to describe Marc from other members of the band: "Leader." – What it means to be a leader of creative people…
The stages of Marc's leadership: 1st Stage: Driven completely by the vision of wanting to make music out wandering the world. "I wanted to make these songs because they made me feel good. I wanted to be out with my friends and empower each other." 2nd Stage: "It becomes our vision." – "You may no longer provide the best leadership, so you need to empower people in your camp to lead. In order to be in the drier seat, you have to know what other people's superpowers are so each one can flourish. 3rd Stage: Chris (the drummer) – He nudged the group forward to a rebirth. Became motivated to get back in the driver seat and now he had amazing co-pilots who had their own creative genius. "Realize the powers of those around you and harness that. That was the afterburners for us. It's built out of mutual respect and admiration for each other." "Being a leader has to show that things aren't always going to go great. You must maintain, be composed, don't flail your arms around. Move forward."
Respectful disagreement: How to decide which song to open with at Madison Square Garden… How to make decisions through disagreement? "I know when I'm wrong, I know when I'm right too. Good ideas… It's a self-filtering system. You have to listen, be open to others. In that moment, it was perfect."
"A part of leadership is knowing when you're wrong and when the other idea is better and move on."
"When one of your heroes is standing next to you and says, "I really like this," that impacts you. "I was wrong and wasn't thinking of the big picture. It was selfish."
How to handle people who don't like your work? Story: Opening for Dave Matthews Band at The Gorge – The entire front row turned their back in protest of the opening act. "I get angry. My new goal was to get them to turn around. It's a lesson: You can either get hurt or say, "I get to play my songs at the Gorge. Eventually they will respect us."
Giving a TED Talk: Authenticity – Being real, true to yourself. "Everything I've created has stemmed from a few nostalgic pin-pointed childhood memories. I've tried to build my whole life to tell those stories of what we can do when we're together." Fans for Life: "We were living a life we've dreamt of."
The resistance of chasing approval of others – "That theme is rooted in unabashedly telling a story about where you come from. Sticking to the same morals we were instilled with since growing up." "I'm not seeking approval because we aren't adjusting music to fit in, we play what makes us feel good."
Chasing your curiosity and obsessions with great rigor – How to create a life to do that? "My dream is we've built something that allows us something time to create. Keep working on live shows to continue to play them. We love them. If you don't play 5 nights a week, it won't be there for you. You have to get the reps.
Sustained excellence: Commonalities: 1) Drive 2) Social – Able to work a room, communicate well with others. 3) Willingness to fail – "If you aren't willing to jump off that edge, you don't deserve to get it."
Song writing process: "Each song has a different method for me." "There are moments when I'm walking down the street in NYC and it comes to me. I'll run to the studio and quickly record it. There are so many different styles, but it all has to come from being inspired."
The creative process: Working with Greg Wattenberg to be a sounding board and offer honest feedback. "We've never changed what we're doing. We've only built upon it and have always focused on our story."
"People get so confused, they want everything, they want a boat, a house, so much. We just want to keep going."
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band. "We want to celebrate the fact of a few buddies being together for that time."
"Tell your story. Don't be afraid to tell your story."
How to not get complacent and conservative after success? For fear of failure? "We take risks every year. We book a year in advance and we book some locations that we know might not work. We maintain pressure at all times." "You have to take calculated risks and create things that may make you a little uncomfortable at first... To move the art form forward."
Gratitude – The importance of John Lampley being added to the band. "John Lampley is magic. He brought joy in the room. His life gratitude, how he looks at opportunity of everything: meals, being alive, we just exercised in the truck and he keeps talking about how good he feels." It's about being grateful for what you have and what you get to do on a daily basis.
Practicing all day long – Love the craft. Loving the process of working on it. "This is what we do, this is how we operate." The mindset of daily improvement. "We feel very lucky to be doing this. You better earn it and keep it." Don't pay attention to what others are doing, Focus on improving your craft.
"What they really like about your group is how it makes them feel?
General life advice: 46:45 – 47:27 (HERO) "Find something that you truly feel connected to… there's energy in this world that will tell you when you're in the right spot. And then work. A lot of people want to be famous, how you going to get there. And then grind." Bring joy to yourself and others is life.
"Be willing to play anywhere. Just keep going." – It's all about getting the reps. "What you love, go love it. You might be broke for a while, but you'll be fulfilled. It will fill you up."
"Everyone carries around a bucket. You can fill it up or empty it."
"Find what you love and chase it down."
Preshow ritual: "What is going through your mind the 90 seconds before you go on stage?" – "We have a group huddle." – "Remember when we were in the basement and we said, one day we're going to do this. Remember how happy we were. We're here. Go be a Rockstar."
The feedback received from fans/listeners – That's the juice that fuels you.
Use the "Get To Know You Document"
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea

326: Jason Zook - Why You Should Own Your Weird Sep 01, 2019

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#326: Jason Zook

TEXT: LEARNERS to 44222

For full shownotes, go to www.LearningLeader.com

Jason Zook is an unconventional entrepreneur. Tired of living a life that felt prescribed to him by society, Jason used his out-of-the-box thinking and ingenuity to create multiple profitable Internet-based businesses. His most-notable business was IWearYourShirt, a company that generated over $1,000,000 by wearing sponsored t-shirts to promote over 1,600 businesses on social media from 2008-2013 before "influencer" was a mainstream term. If that wasn't weird enough, from 2012 and 2013, Jason auctioned off his last name to the highest bidders and made nearly $100,000 doing it. Jason's second book is titled "Own Your Weird." Jason has been featured by The Today Show, CBS Evening News, USA Today, and The New York Times.

Notes:

The importance of reviewing previous work... And why it should embarrass you. That is growth.
- "Don't compare your starting line to someone else's finish line." We all started somewhere. It is a progression.
- It's important to understand context.
Leaders who sustain excellence =
- They test all of their assumptions on a regular basis
  - They don't accept things as they are... Always trying something new
- They are extremely curious
- Have an experimenters mindset
- They are validated internally -- They don't seek the validation externally. They are fulfilled from the inside.
How to create a mindset to not worry about hitting a best-seller list?
- Set a low goal (getting the book published) and a high goal (selling 10K copies). Understand that there is so much out of your control and celebrate hitting the goals that are within your control (writing and publishing the book). You can't control how many people choose to buy it.
- The emails received from fans/listeners are the fuel that keeps you going. The feedback from people you're positively impacting.
Properly define success for yourself:
- You spend a third of your life working. Make it count.
- Figure out a way to be see as excellent, out of the box thinker
Have a mindset of, "How can I make this better?"
Present your plan to your boss/leaders in the company: "Here's my plan, here is how we will do it..."
- Be proactive. Make your boss's life easier. Help them succeed.
Rejection: "When someone says no to you, it doesn't mean you're a bad person. It's not a reflection of who you are as a person."
- Understand that "No" means "not yet" most of the time.
"Choose Adventure"
- Not wanting to live the same life that others have lived
- Example: Moving to a sweet house in Southern California with another couple
Challenge assumptions:
- You don't have to do it the way it's always been done
- Experiment -- Test --> Reflect, analyze. Understand what worked, what didn't, and why?
Working to live, not living to work
- How do you schedule your days?
  - Start with living
- Define what really fills you up --> Prioritize that first. Put it on your calendar first.
Every six months, sit down and prioritize what's important to you.
- Constraints can be a powerful force. Parkinson's Law.
Set your "enough goals." --> "Getting to this number will be enough."
- "There's always more. What about enough?"
- "We don't need to grow our business for growth's sake."
- "$33,000/month is our enough goal." -- "It's clearly defined. It's right for us."
The process of writing a book live -- Jason learned a lot about himself writing while others were watching.
The end of the podcast club: Email us (Ryan@LearningLeader.com) -- When was the last time you truly showed up as yourself?

325: Ron Ullery - Demanding Excellence, Delayed Gratification, Winning Titles Aug 25, 2019

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#325: Ron Ullery

Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com

Be part of "Mindful Monday" - Text LEARNERS to 44222

Coach Ron Ullery began his football coaching career at Centerville High School in 1977. He was the Offensive Coordinator (and play-caller) for my four years as the quarterback for Centerville (1996,1997,1998,1999). He was promoted to Head Coach in 2000. In his 14 years as head coach, he compiled a 107-45 record. Eight of his teams advanced to the Division 1 (big school) postseason. He is currently the Offensive Line coach at Springboro High School. This episode was recorded in front of the Springboro football team, coaches, and administrative staff. He's coached high school football for 43 years.

Notes:

Leaders who sustain excellence =
- Understanding how hard it is to be excellent
- Knowing there are multiple ways to lead (militaristic, fear driven, soft spoken, calm)
- Must be organized -- Have to set a plan to direct people. How are we going to get where we want to go?
- Must have a tremendous work ethic -- Ask the people you're leading to work extremely hard and you must be willing to work even harder
- Have extremely high expectations, unwilling to ever waiver -- They don't lower expectations to feel good
- Must have humility -- Can't be all about you
A great coach can make a player feel invincible:
- A great coach sees another level in you. A level above where you think you can go. And they push you to go there...
- Doing things you never dreamed you could possibly do makes you think it's possible.
- "We are in a era where mediocrity and average is okay."
  - "If you want to, you can lay in bed all day, have your iPad here, your TV with 250 stations, your phone, you can doordash leave your door unlocked... you never have to do anything."
- We need to strive to be elite and excellent
Being grateful for the hard work -- What it leads to...
X & O's are not the most important part of football:
- "Young people will live up to your expectations or down to your expectations almost all the time."
- "It's our job to place the level of those expectations."
- The elite performers hit the level of expectations set and then keep going.
The confidence a coach gives his/her players by exhibiting an incredible work ethic:
- "It has everything to do with making sure I'm prepared. I want to control what I can control. I don't want to be the weak link."
- "To prepare, I need to be in a quiet place. I became a morning guy in college. I was majoring in Math. It was tough."
Delayed gratification -- Voluntary hardship:
- The ability to delay gratification is a super power
- "Instant gratification is what everyone wants now." -- Foresight: People have less foresight now than they used to. They have instant access to everything they want at all times
"If you are unsuccessful, look in the mirror. The competition is not real stiff. If you have some foresight and a strong work ethic, you can do whatever you want. Most people don't have that foresight."
The difference between winning teams and losing teams
- Winning teams: The players were empowered, had ownership. and they (the players) held each other accountable.
- "You can coach them as hard as you want and they will respond as long as they know you care about them."
  - "It's a lot harder when you care."
Why stay as a high school coach?
- "I love the high school atmosphere. I love the age, I love everything about high school. I love the challenge. You take whatever comes in the doors. There's no recruiting. You do the best you can with what you're given. I love everything about these guys."
- "In my 43 years of coaching, I've never felt like I've had a job."
Why offensive line?
- "It was the biggest learning off-season of my career."
- "Offensive linemen is by far the hardest position to succeed at. It's also the most impactful of winning games."
- "They are the least athletic players on the field by far. They do the most important job, yet they are the least athletic."
- "It's a tremendous challenge. And I love challenges. I love seeing them succeed."
How to earn respect:
- Must exhibit leadership, mental toughness, and discipline -- "You can't ask anything of anyone else if you're not willing and already doing it yourself."
- You have to care and it has to show how much you care about people. You have to do more than other people.
Advice to his son Brent Ullery (head coach of Centerville High School):
- "You have to formulate things you believe in. You have to have strong beliefs. Formulate your beliefs not based on what you did when you played, but base them on what you've learned from all of your experiences. Don't let the outside noise influence you."
Framework for continuous improvement and ability adapt:
- "Listen and learn. I'm a better learner today than any year of my life. When I started out coaching I thought I knew everything. Then I realized I knew nothing."
- Learning talks with Coach Gregg every morning -- "I would meet him every morning and we would talk about everything. Some about football, but more about people. He was a master about human nature and motivating young people."
- The main idea with continual learning is "you've never arrived."
- "You've never arrived, you're always becoming."
How to effectively lead peers/friends:
- As a leader, it becomes your responsibility to lift others up and expect more of them -- Sometimes when you have to make difficult choices to prioritize leadership over friendship
- The moment that Kirk Herbstreit became a leader (he was a quarterback at Centerville High School)
It's much easier to follow. But far less fulfilling. You have to make the choice to lead daily.
The sacrifices made to be accountable to teammates -- Doing everything within your power to maximize your ability
Laying the foundation for future generations
Having the willingness to go get what you want -- Don't let anything get in your way
Use the "Get To Know You Document"
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea

324: Charles Fishman - How To Create A Culture Of Learning From Failure Aug 18, 2019

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Full Show Notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com

#324: Charles Fishman

Charles Fishman is the acclaimed author of One Giant Leap, A Curious Mind (with Brian Grazer), The Wal-Mart Effect, and The Big Thirst. He is a three-time winner of the Gerald Loeb Award, the most prestigious prize in business journalism.

Notes:

Leaders who sustain excellence =
- They insist on excellence. "The work needs to be as good as it can be."
- Getting to the moon was the largest project in the history of civilization
- Clarity of the mission - Everyone must know the goal
- Must keep people motivated
- Standards must be clear - And the reasoning behind each action (intentional)
President Kennedy was frustrated with how the U.S. was doing versus the Russians in space. He needed to make a bold statement. When it was made, the administration felt there was a 50/50 shot that it could happen.
- It was important to announce broad goal and the reason behind it
"Take the stairs" - Think of it as a blessing. "I get to do this."
- Not because it is easy, but because it is hard.
- "A master stroke of leadership because it was a stretch goal, but it wasn't insanity." It must be balanced.
There are tapes of JFK talking scientific discovery where it was obvious he had little understanding of it. --> It's important to have people you have confidence in leading areas where you're lacking knowledge.
- "If JFK wasn't assassinated, we may not have gone to the moon. He was starting to get cold feet about the cost."
The space program created a culture of learning from failure:
- "Every single failure had to be investigated, understood, and resolved."
- "No Random Failures" was the motto.
- "Every failure is a gift." -- There were 14,000 recorded failures in testing.
Collaboration -- How to keep so many people aligned? There were 400,000 people from 20,000 companies working on the Apollo missions!
- NASA's management style:
  - Clearly defined roles - What are your solutions to the problems?
  - Gave assignments and qualities that needed to be met
NASA had a culture where they brought everyone together for in person meetings. "Every minute of a mission would be walked through."
- There was transparency and decisions got made.
- Get people together in person and do something important. This built camaraderie among the dispirit teams.
Bill Tindall -- A mission planning genius on space navigation. He was also gracious, self-effacing, and had a great sense of humor.
- Bill respected what others had done, had respect for the mission. He had the confidence to be calm. A different person who used a different manner would have been a disaster working with the leaders at MIT.
- People have to be persuaded to follow you.
Both Gene Kranz and Bill Tindall were unafraid to hear input. They were confident enough to find the right answer (wherever it came from).
We are entering the most exciting time in space travel (Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos)

323: Ian Leslie - The Desire To Know & Why Your Future Depends On It Aug 11, 2019

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk

Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com

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#322: Ian Leslie

Ian Leslie is a London-based journalist and author of critically acclaimed books about human behavior. He is currently writing a new book on "productive disagreement", which will be published in 2020. Ian also created, wrote and performed in the BBC radio comedy Before They Were Famous.

Notes:

Leaders who sustain excellence =
- Have the ability to think about their own thinking -- Step outside and reflect
- Know that you'll say "I don't know" frequently
- Breadth -- A range of interests
- Interested in building knowledge and an awareness that it might not pay off (and being ok with that)
Ian built his life around curiosity -- He was a strategist for ad agencies. He needed to deeply understand his clients. That is a job built on curiosity.
- "I am a curiosity driven writer."
Children are born curious... "People are born with habits/knowledge to survive." And then they stop. There's no evolutionary impulse to keep going.
- It becomes a conscious choice to cognitive resources and time
The two types of curiosity
- Diversive: Hunger for new information. It comes from an information gap. Agatha Christie understands how to create an information gap to keep you turning the page
- Epistemic: Desire to acquire knowledge/build/assimilate into networks in your brain. It requires discipline. It's engendered. It's diversive curiosity grown up.
"There is a rising premium on people with a high need for cognition." NFC (need for cognition) is a scientific measure of intellectual curiosity
"Taking action. Doing... is a form of learning. They are intertwined."
Reflecting on own habits -- use self as a lab experiment... Then talk with others.
Empathically curious -- Being curious about what's inside of other person's head. How they think and feel.
"You're going to be come a better communicator being a better listener."
Atul Gawande -- Ask the unscripted question. Make a human connection.
Have 10% of your brain switched on to "Am I talking too much?"
How to have productive disagreements:
- Don't avoid it
- Have disagreements we both can live with
- "You'll have more productive disagreement if you're curious about the other person."
People who have a higher level of scientific curiosity... They don't rush to judgement. Think, "Oh, I wonder why I think that?"
"Nobody has trained us in how to disagree with each other."
"You have this choice in judgement and curiosity."
Life/Career advice: "Be interested in everything. Go deep in one area."
- Have core people in your life and foster the weak ties.
Everyone is born curious. But only some retain the habits of exploring, learning and discovering as they grow older. Which side of the "curiosity divide" are you on?

322: Julie Zhuo - What To Do When Everyone Looks To You Aug 04, 2019

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#322 with Julie Zhuo

Julie Zhuo is the VP of Product Design for Facebook. She was the first-ever intern for the company. She leads the team responsible for the Facebook App. Julie is known as one of Silicon Valley's top product design executives, she leads the teams behind some of the most popular web and mobile services used by billions of people around the world. Julie writes about technology, great user experiences, and leadership on her popular blog "The Year of the Looking Glass" as well as publications like the New York Times and Fast Company. She is the best-selling author of, The Making Of A Manager.

321: Jay Acunzo - Why You Should Question Best Practices & Act Like An Investigator Jul 28, 2019

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com

#321: Jay Acunzo

Jay Acunzo is the founder of the media company Marketing Showrunners, author of the book Break the Wheel, and the host and producer of more than a dozen docuseries about creativity at work. He's a former digital media strategist at Google, head of content at HubSpot, and Vice President of Content and Community at the VC firm NextView.Jay's work has been cited in courses at Harvard Business School and by writers at the New York Times, the Washington Post, FastCompany, Fortune, Entrepreneur, and more. Salesforce called him "a creativity savant," while the American City Business Journals named him as one of Boston's "50 On Fire."

Show notes:

Leaders who sustain excellence =
- Curiosity gets you the ability to constantly reinvent yourself
  - Ex: A basketball player who works on a new part of his/her game every summer (constantly adding to the game)
- Intrinsic motivation
- Telic type -- Get to level 1, 2, and going...
- "When you're curious you're constantly turning it over and over..."
Be a sensitive skeptic -- Keeping dispirit ideas at the same time
"You have to be open and at the same time question everything."
- Anthony Bourdain -- An inspiration -- Why does that inspire me? What do I bring to the table? Be open to all, but skeptical
Bourdain -- He's able to sit with anybody and pull out emotional moments from what seemed a normal day.
- Parts Unknown is not about geography, but with people and their emotions. "We experience his work with lots of emotion."
Best interviewers:
- 2 types:
  - Conversationalists: Bourdain, Bill Simmons, Conan -- They aren't about the clever question, it's about the environment they create, the trust they build.
  - Questioners: Terry Gross, Kara Swisher - They are genius in the simple questions, and the follow ups...
How do you feel leading up to a big moment?
- A specific anticipatory feeling. Before getting on stage, think, "Wow, I get to do this." Not, I have to do this.
Process to prepare for a speech:
- Wind down before the gig
- Rehearse in the office days before, film it, use it as game tape. Practice, practice, practice.
- Create muscle memory -- "Don't memorize it, memorialize it."
"When I make something, I want to feel something. I have to put in the reps."
Thoughts on "best practices?"
- "The image in my head is, 'that's the way we've always done things.'"
- Must rather find the best approach
How to do this?
- Don't run a faulty equation for your work
- Don't build on lagging indicators
- Don't miss variables... You must know the current context
"Stop acting like an expert, start acting like an investigator."
The 3 Psychological Barriers: Why we aren't making great decisions:
- The Pike Syndrome: A feeling of powerlessness after repeated failure (named for the experiment of conditioning a pike to not eat minnows by hiding those minnows behind glass). Solution: "first-principle"insights about customers
- The Foraging choice: The decision between exploiting your current position or exploring other possibilities (named for the idea that human decisions under high-stress condition often mirror foraging behavior in animals. Solution: "Aspirational anchors" for you and/or your team
- Cultural Fluency: Your behavior when the world unfolds according to the expected norm (a concept honed by a man who ran experiments on his friends and family at a picnic). Solution: "trigger questions" to add cultural disfluency
How to help people develop intuition?
- Intuition is not an instant clarity generator -- "The ability to consider the environment." --> Ask great questions about context.
  - Break into knowable parts
    - You -- People doing work
    - Customers -- Stakeholder -- who the work is for
    - Resources -- to make it happen
Ask useful questions:
- "Set aside the desire to be right for the desire to get it right."
Common mistakes new managers make:
- They "have all the answers." Ask questions, Remove ego.
- Emotion based decisions -- Surround self with the right people to help with deficiencies
Qualities Jay looks for when making hiring decisions:
- Can you do the work?
- Can I understand who you are?
- Skip right to the good stuff -- "What's the best story you've ever written?"
- Want people with an intrinsic desire to create -- Love side projects like his sports blog
Advice:
- Career path is BS -- It's laughable. Your 20's are about exploration... "Try a lot of stuff." Do side projects
Bad advice:
- "The idea that being the best is a real thing. It's ridiculous." Focus on your own body of work, not others.

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