The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Latest Episodes:

270 - Sam Jones - A Comfortable Life Is Overrated Aug 12, 2018

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The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #270 - Sam Jones: A Comfortable Life Is Overrated

Sam Jones is an acclaimed photographer and director whose seminal portraits of President Obama, Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Bob Dylan, Kristin Stewart, Robert Downey Jr, Amy Adams, Jack Nicholson, and many others have appeared on the covers of Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Esquire, GQ, Time, Entertainment Weekly and Men's Journal.

In 2013 he launched Off Camera with Sam Jones on Directv's Audience Network. Off Camera is an hour long show created out of his passion for long form conversational interviews.

Show Notes:

Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
- "They did not have a back up plan. They had a desire to do what they loved even if it wasn't the obvious choice."
"A comfortable life is overrated." -- "I've always followed the things that excited me most."
"It almost feels like a lie when I'm doing something that doesn't excite me."
"I connect with this idea of listening to your gut feeling."
- For artists, the goal is to make art
"No one knows you like you know you. There is no set path for how things get done."
A life well lived = "Did I live up to my full potential?"
"I've always been curious about the questions to ask that open people up."
- Sam started doing an interview show on camera when he was 14 years old
"I think my own theories through voicing my thoughts."
- "Conversations are how I learn things... I've always been very curious."
Rose Byrne - "It's good to look back and see where you've come from."
The Jeff Daniels interview (one of my personal favorites)
- As an interviewer, the importance of seeing their body language, how they react, "the look in their eye."
The interview preparation process
- Identify possible themes of the conversation
As a communicator and conversationalist -- Think about how to do something better. A form of scrutiny. This leads to growth.
Two things a guest needs to have
- Be willing
- Be able
Is the guest open, honest, and self aware? They need to be...
The guest needs to be able to tell a good narrative
"If you're going to find something true and authentic, you have to go down a path."
Goal = Make best environment for the human being to come out."
- "I really want to know who this person is."
How to define success? "They keep letting us make more."
Interviewers Sam looks up to:
- David Letterman -- He didn't adhere to strict rules. You shouldn't have to...
- Terry Gross -- NPR
- Howard Stern -- Consistently done it well over time
Sam's upbringing:
- "I didn't fit in at school."
- "I always questioned social norms" -- "Why does this have to be this way?"
How to decide where to start an interview?
- "That's the hardest part." -- "The best conversations are when your open to let it go anywhere."
Dream guests? -- Paul McCartney, Cameron Crowe
How to create an environment for people to articulate insecurity...
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"I've always questioned social norms. Why does it have to be this way?"

Social Media:

Follow Sam on Twitter: @samjones
Watch Off Camera With Sam Jones
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

More Learning:

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

Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great

Episode 200: Keith Hawk & AJ Hawk -- Showing Up, Doing The Work, Earning Trust, Helping Others, Winning The Super Bowl, Celebrating #200

Episode 234: Jocko Willink -- Why Discipline Equals Freedom

269: Charlie Spaniard (UFC Fighter) Interviews Ryan Hawk - My Leadership Framework Aug 05, 2018

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#269: Charlie Spaniard (UFC Fighter) Interviews Ryan Hawk - My Leadership Framework

Show Notes:

The WHO - "The most important question is WHO. Who will be your mentor? Who will be your friends? Who will you help? Who will you spend time with? You don't need to answer what until well after you've answered WHO." -- Jim Collins
The importance of cognitive diversity
Growth oriented people -- Why I like to be surrounded by those types of people
The importance of time and maturity and "life reps" to develop my curiosity.
- "As you learn more, you realize there is so much more to learn"
"Great leaders are willing to push." -- The impact Ron Ullery and Bob Gregg had on my life
How preparation builds confidence -- "The greatest medicine for fear is preparation"
- Learning how to prepare for big moments
- How to use productive paranoia as fuel
Building leadership skill over time
- "Finding your voice as a leader. It's time to speak up."
- There is a part of leading that is the "directing" part
- Earning respect through your actions before saying a word
Playing quarterback is the "most cerebral position in all of sports"
- The incredible mind recall and brain capacity of Aaron Rodgers
Why the Arena Football League helps you anticipate
The importance of consistency - "Showing up" everyday
- Why loving the work is so important when embarking on a difficult challenge
Who you marry will play a big role in your future success -- "Marry well"
- Reading The Five Love Languages
- Say "thank you" multiple times per day to your spouse
- Write "thank you" notes every week
"How you do anything is how you do everything"
The impact of my family upbringing -- Episode to listen to: Keith Hawk & AJ Hawk
- The responsibility to sustain excellence because of being lucky to have great parents and siblings
- The importance of "showing up" as a parent
The decision to go to Miami University and compete against Ben Roethlisberger to be the starting QB at Miami
- Why I moved to Oxford the day after I graduated high school
"Taking the next step" -- What I learned from Alison Levine
Why I started The Learning Leader Show instead of pursuing A PhD at a University
Framework: Learn, Experiment/Do, Reflect, Teach.
The practice of writing one "thank you" note per day from John Kralik and how it could change your life
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
Use the "Get To Know You Document"

Social Media:

Follow Charlie on Twitter: @charliespaniard
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

268: Allen Gannett - How To Create "Aha" Moments And Spark Creativity Jul 29, 2018

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The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #268: Allen Gannett - How To Create "Aha" Moments And Spark Creativity

Allen is the founder and CEO of TrackMaven, a marketing analytics platform that enables creativity. Marketers use TrackMaven to measure and improve performance across every channel Some clients are: The NBA, Microsoft, Saks Fifth Avenue, and many more modern marketers. His book, The Creative Curve, was published in June 2018 from Currency, an imprint of Penguin Random House. It is all about how anyone can learn to have moments of creative genius.

We are hosting a workshop on developing YOUR personal excellence as a leader. For details and availability, go to RyanHawk.me

"Learn how to learn. View the world as being a less fixed place. Anyone is capable of making it happen."

Show Notes:

Sustaining excellence:
- Surround self with others who are great at what they do. A very social phenomenon
  - Collaborate with those who support their weaknesses
- Be aligned with an executive sponsor
- Live at the creative center -- Move to corporate headquarters if you work for a big company
  - Need to build relationships outside of 9:00-5:00
The importance of building generational friends (friends from all age groups)
What makes a hit? -- "Familiar but also novel."
"As humans we're fearful of unfamiliar. It's the brains' elegant way of risk and reward."
- A balance of the novel and the new
The truth about Mozart
- He didn't create his first music until he was 17
- He had a helicopter Dad. He practiced music for three hours a day from a very early age
- He became great because of deliberate practice
JK Rowling spent five years writing the first Harry Potter
- She was extremely deliberate in her process. It wasn't just a light bulb moment on a train.
Paul McCartney spent years to write the song, Yesterday
How to create "Aha" moments for self? -- Go for a run, drive, take a shower, lay down. Need to calm the brain.
Writing a "descriptive" and "prescriptive" book:
- Consume a lot about your topic of choice
- Need to build prior knowledge
- Not just "what," but "how much"
Ben Franklin -- He outlined previously written articles
Andrew Ross Sorkin consumed mass amount of literature and worked to "copy" the style in which other greats wrote
Confidence building - "Learn how to learn." View the world as being a less fixed place. Anyone is capable of making it happen.
Creativity is something you can learn.
How to get cast of "Wheel Of Fortune"
TrackMaven is a marketing analytics platform
Making the shift from individual contributor to manager -- A "communicator and coach" to others
Mistakes new managers make:
- Need open lines of communication. "I was conflict averse initially and that's not good."
- Remember when hiring. It's hard to fire people. "It's brutal."
- Not everyone has all the answers. Get advice from people with different perspectives and incentives
- "You need to hire slow AND fire slow. Give people a chance."
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"A great manager must be a great communicator and coach for others."

267: Louie Anderson - How To Crush It on Stage From One Of The Greatest Stand-Up Comedians Of All Time Jul 22, 2018

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

We are hosting a workshop on developing YOUR personal excellence as a leader. For details and availability, go to RyanHawk.me

#267: Louie Anderson - How To Crush It on Stage From One Of The Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of All Time

Show Notes:

Louie's approach to stand up comedy -- It appears as if he is just "riffing off the cuff," however it is highly structured and prepared
The pain of growing up with an alcoholic dad and how that fueled him as a professional
- This helps him pull from any of it at anytimeCreating a catalog of material
- It takes years to develop
- "I'm in complete control." That gives Louie the ability to handle a heckler in the crowd or go with a comment and tell an additional joke
Going on Johnny Carson or Conan
- "They don't step on your lines, but they are prepared for where the conversation is going to go."
"Just like you, I've worked hard to create freedom with my work."
Sustaining excellence:
- "Be who you are"
- Ask yourself, "Does this mean something to you? If it doesn't mean something to you, why would it mean anything to someone else?"
- Confidence
Nervous before a performance?
- "It depends on the event and how much importance I put on it." -- Saturday Night Live was a nerve racking experience
Advice to keynote speakers?
- Be prepared
- Know your message
- Surprise the audience
- Piggy back on a great introduction -- Listen to the room prior to your time on stage
"I'm always tilling the ground for comedy bits."
Storytelling:
- "Tell them something they don't know. Humanize the story. Give a piece of yourself. Don't lecture."
How did he get his start as a comedian?
- "A dare. I was a social worker and went up on stage for an open mic night and it went great."
"I volunteered to be the emcee for experience."
- "Don't be afraid of trying new things"
- The importance of "getting the reps:" "I did seven nights a week, four shows per night. I was creating who I was."
"We don't see all the work that goes into being great on stage. It takes years and years of work."
- "You need good friends who will tell you the truth."
His mom's best advice: "Be nice to people. You never know what they're going through."
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
Use the "Get To Know You Document"

Social Media:

Follow Louie on Twitter: @LouieAnderson
Read: Hey Mom
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

266: Ryan Caldbeck - CircleUp CEO: How To Build The Frameworks Of Your Life & Career Jul 15, 2018

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #266: Ryan Caldbeck - CircleUp CEO: How To Build The Frameworks Of Your Life & Career

We are hosting a workshop on developing YOUR personal excellence as a leader. For details and availability, go to RyanHawk.me

The Learning Leader Show

"What we look for in a person: Horsepower, Integrity, Work Ethic, Teamwork, Pride."

Show Notes:

Sustaining excellence:
- Persistence - regardless of skill, willing to run through unlimited doors with no light at the end of the tunnel. It can be soul crushing
- Identified focus passion - an understanding of the passion that is identifiable.
- Drive - A motor. Really good at email and/or communication. Can't take too long. "Have a motor." Always moving
- Values - "I don't say that lightly." You can't sustain excellence without values. "A framework to understand you."
Isn't it hard to know what your passion is? "Yes. I got scared about the treadmill that I saw others get on." However, people don't think they can leave the corporate job that pays well. But you can. Begin by thinking about the framework to make it happen.
"Silicon Valley is a hard town to talk about challenges."
What it's like to lead 60 employees
What mistakes were made in the hiring process?
- "We took too long to make frameworks."
- "Frameworks show others what to do."
What traits/values do you look for in hiring?
- "The airport test doesn't make sense to me. I don't have to want to spend a day around them in the airport."
- "We have crystallized what we look for in a person."
  - Horsepower - intelligence over experience
  - Integrity - don't talk negatively about others
  - Work ethic - must be willing to work hard
  - Teamwork - need to work well with others
  - Pride - Care
How to gauge work ethic in a job interview?
- "It starts with everyone knowing we are looking for that."
Advice for the individual contributor making the leap to manager...
- "Figure out framework for your specific role. Get clarity on what each person's role is."
- "Learn how to develop empathy for what your team goes through. Sit with them without micromanaging them."
- "Make sure you have a resource (person) to talk to about being a manager. Hire a coach. Get a peer group outside of your company."
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
Ryan has a coach and a group of 12 CEO's that he meets with regularly
Building culture:
- Focus on your mission
  - "To help entrepreneurs thrive by giving them the capital and resources they need."
Their Values:
- Do it right
- Be brave
- Be a solution
Constantly reinforce the vision
Most useful advice:
- Winston Churchill - "Never give up."
- "Do what you're passionate about"
How to have balance at home?
- Two kids and his wife is a senior leader at her company
- Mediation after the kids go to bed
- Online working from 8:30-10:00
- Spend time with spouse only
Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"If you don't keep growing, you will become irrelevant."

Social Media:

Read Ryan's tweet storms: @ryan_caldbeck
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

More Learning:

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

Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 234: Jocko Willink -- Why Discipline Equals Freedom

265: Clay Mathile - Self Made Billionaire Shares His Keys To Success Jul 08, 2018

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #265: Clay Mathile - Self Made Billionaire Shares His Keys To Success

Former CEO and owner of The Iams Company, Clay is the founder and Chairman of the Board of Aileron. He believes strongly in free enterprise and has a high respect for business owners who risk their capital to employ others. Clay attributes professional management as one of the key reasons he was able to grow Iams to a $1 billion organization. In 1999, the Mathile family sold Iams to international conglomerate Procter & Gamble for the sum of $2.3 billion.

The Learning Leader Show

"I bought the business with borrowed money. I was scared to death. I didn't know how to run a business. I had to learn." -- Clay Mathile describes his feelings after buying Iams

Show Notes:

Sustaining excellence:
- Vision of what they want to do and where they want to go
- A good idea of how to get there
- Committed to their vision and idea
- Clay's 4 things he wanted
  - Own his own business
  - Have that business be something that was excellent and stood for something
  - To help entrepreneurs grow
  - To use technology learned to help develop food for indigenous people
Was hired at Iams in 1970 as the 7th employee
- It took five years to figure out the problems and five more years to fix it
- Convinced Paul Iams to sell Iams to him in 1975 (half) and the rest in 1981
- Borrowed money to buy it
- Why Clay? "Paul had seen me work and seen me make an impact on the business. I spent a lot of time on the sales and marketing strategy."
  - Focused on the breeders and vets. The people who influence the actual user. Clay was ahead of his time.
Went to President's Course in 1982 at American Management Association
- "I'm scared to death, I don't know how to run a business. I needed to learn."
- The key was hiring a President and super charging their growth
- What went in the decision to sell the company?
  - Sat down with his family to decide what each child wanted to do - "They all wanted to chase their own dreams, their own passions. They didn't want to own Iams."
- The CEO of Procter & Gamble called...
  - Clay takes us inside the room to negotiate the deal: "We told them what our number was... And they exceeded it. It ended up with $2.3 billion."
Starting the family office in anticipation of the sale of his business -- To build a new organization for the future.
Aileron started as the center for entrepreneur organizations in 1994
Aileron - "We give lift and guidance to the business owner."
"How can I possibly repay you?" -- Clay said to his mentors. They said, "Don't pay me... Just pass it on to others."
"People are looking for immediate help for a problem they are having right now. And we've designed this place to help them solve those problems."
Been married for 55 years, have raised a successful family... How?
- "When I was home, I was home. I was present. I wasn't playing golf or out with the boys."
- Keys: "Trust... You have to like the person too. Like hanging out with them."
Why everyone should have a board?
- "They see things that you don't see. A strategic overview. It's something you can't do yourself."
- "After you've been in business for 10 years, 75% of all problems are because of you."
Having a "Personal Board of Advisors"
- "I recommend all senior executives have mentors. All you have to do is ask. I've never had anyone turn me down when I've asked them."
- "Build trust and mutual respect."
Culture
- "I built it so I could work in it."
- "I had strange things in my management style. I was promoting empowerment before it was popular."
- "Most people do the right things for the right reasons if you put them in the right environment."
- "The value of the individual is so important. Treat them with respect. They feel important and special. I saw every single employee at least once per year all over the world."
- "People are inherently good."
Bad leaders = "Big egos, not trusting of others, insecure people."
"When you push people outside of their comfort zone, you can't beat on them when they fail. You have to let them make mistakes."
Individual contributor to manager jump... Advice:
- "You have to accept the fact that management is a profession as anything else is a profession."
- "Just because you're the best sales person doesn't mean you'll be the best sales person."
"As a manager, you're job is to develop others."
"You need to manage spontaneity, responsiveness. Don't react, be proactive."
A good example of a proactive leader is a fire chief: They analyze the situation prior to making decisions. Manage in crisis
"In 1984, we built Iams University to help people learn..."
Most passionate about? "Teaching people, focus on the dreams of the people. Read the book Dream Manager. That's what we're all about."
Example of a typical day: "I do about anything I want to do."
One dream for Aileron -- "It will survive forever."
Learning Leader = You have to be a continuous learner
How much of his success is luck?
- "60% luck. Be in the right place at the right time."
"Your listeners need to think about passing it on. To help others."
Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"We give lift and guidance to the business owner."

Social Media:

Read: Run Your Business, Don't Let It Run You
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

More Learning:

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

Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 234: Jocko Willink -- Why Discipline Equals Freedom

264: Liv Boeree - The Three Life Lessons From The Poker Table Jul 01, 2018

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #264: Liv Boeree - The Three Life Lessons From The Poker Table

Liv Boeree is a poker player, television presenter and speaker. She is a World Series of Poker and 2010 European Poker Tour champion, and is the only female player in history to hold both titles. Born in Kent, Boeree studied at Ashford School before going on to earn a First Class Honours degree in Physics with Astrophysics at the University of Manchester. Livis a three time winner of the Global Poker Index European Female Player of the year and currently sits at #5 on the female all-time live poker winnings list.

We are hosting a workshop on developing YOUR personal excellence as a leader. For details and availability, go to RyanHawk.me

The Learning Leader Show

"Our instincts are built off our life experiences."

Show Notes:

Sustaining excellence:
- Humility to continue question themselves
- Growth mindset
- Confidence
- Curiosity to try new things
"My hyper competitive mindset propelled me to do well in school... Even though I wasn't as naturally smart as others. I had to work at it."
There are two people that exist in the world: Those who are humble and those who are about to be humbled.
Why poker?
- "I wanted to be a musician and a rock star, but I wasn't good enough. Poker was even better. I'm able to play a great game and travel the world."
The mental framework of Poker: The foundation:
- Rational decision making
- Communication skill
- Read LessWrong.com
How does poker thinking apply to life?
- "Our instincts are built off our life experiences" -- The Jesse Itzler model for decision making (trust your gut) vs the analytical approach... They are more similar than you think
How can you tell when someone is bluffing? (lying)
- "It's rare that people have physical tells"
- Most of the time it's based on the math and your knowledge of how that person has played in the past (you see what they have played)
How poker relates to the interview process... How can you spot when someone isn't telling the truth in a job interview?
- "Ask them to re-tell their career story... But this time do it backwards" --- It's hard to do this unless you are telling the truth
- Look for baseline behaviors when you meet someone and they don't feel like they are in the "interview process" yet
  - Walking in from their car, checking in, going to happy hour, dinner
- Thoughtfulness -- Are they willing to admit a mistake
Three life lessons from the poker table:
- Quantifying - Increase granularity in thinking. Willingness to work in uncertainty. What action will achieve the best response?
- Intuition can be great with lots of data, but it's not magic
- Don't let a run of good luck make you think you're good
  - But how can you know the difference? -- Find a great set of peers who will tell you the truth
Advice to an amateur player in the World Series main event of poker
- Recognize the other players at the table. Who is great? Who isn't? Watch closely when you are not in the hands to see the showdown value and gain information. Balance your play based on who is in the hand with you
Read WaitButWhy.com from Tim Urban
"There is no other leader than The Learning Leader."
Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"If you don't keep growing, you will become irrelevant."

Social Media:

See why over 130,00 people follow Liv on Twitter: @Liv_Boeree
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

263: Charlie McMahan - How To Build A Tribe From 50 To 5,000 Jun 24, 2018

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #263: Charlie McMahan - How To Build A Tribe From 50 To 5,000

Charlie McMahan has been the Lead Pastor of SouthBrook Church since 1992. He is driven by a deep concern for those who may feel like they don't belong in a church and a sincere hope that anyone who struggles with faith can end up with a life that looks like the life of Jesus. He is focused on developing future leaders and spends many hours a week mentoring others (including me!).

Charlie has led SouthBrook from a small church that originally met in an elementary school to now hosting more than 5,000 members per weekend. He has a deep understanding for how to build a loyal tribe of people.

The Learning Leader Show

"The Process: Teaser, Tension, Truth, Take Home, Together."

Show Notes:

Sustaining excellence:
- Integrated people - They aren't chasing a bunch of different things
- Consolidated on the self mission
- Focused - Not distracted
Family
- Charlie's dad was gone 25 days a month (he later found out he was in the CIA)
- The reason he turns down big opportunities is because he doesn't want to travel and wants to be with his family
- Levels of communication with kids
  - Don't spend money on stuff, spend money on experiences -- Their place is Hilton Head
Process for Charlie's performances (his speeches/sermons)
- The word entertainment means "To hold people's attention"
The Process:
- Teaser - Something that grabs you
- Tension - The inductive part of speaking that you have to do today. So the listeners know "this is important." If you don't do this, people will leave
- Truth
- Take Home - The practical "do"
- Together - "Isn't this the kind of person we want to be?"
Most preachers were trained to be deductive... You can't do that now. You need to help them draw their own conclusions.
Finding a way to weave stories and science together
The Medici Effect - The renaissance happened because seemingly disconnected entities were connected.
"I'm always figuring out how disconnected entities connect"
"The upside of stress"
- "Emotions are like waves. You can't choose which ones come, but you can choose which to ride."
- Choose to embrace stress, it can have a positive impact on you
Create a habit of how you look at life:
- How long did it take you to put this message together? "30 hours and a lifetime."
The intersection of the reality of the struggles with Charlie's kids and applying it to the lives of the people you serve
What is it like to be the children of someone as successful as Charlie?
- "Our kids had so much pressure on them. We didn't appreciate how much it was."
  - "The Famous Father Syndrome" - Kids choose to differentiate from their parents because they can't win that game
- Advice give to parents:
  - "When you walk in the room, the temperature will go up for them. Kids need stress to grow."
  - "The stress free life is the dying life"
  - "When we walked in the room, the temperature went way up for my kids. The same heat that drove me, burned them." --> "Most parenting things you learn 5 minutes too late"
  - PLAY - Personality type, Learning style, Ability level, Yes factor -- "You don't have to cave under the pressure. It doesn't have to destroy you"
Growing a church from 50 people to 5,000 per weekend. How?
- Has to be a commitment to excellence that is YOU -- Has to be in ALL areas of your life. "Excellence is a habit."
  - "Excellence is expressing my worth... Ennobling others because I care. Perfectionism is trying to earn my worth by being perfect... And that is dangerous." Be careful to not think, "I have to be perfect or I"m not worth anything."
  - "Maturity is way underrated"
  - "Excellence comes out of peace. In excellence the process is as much of importance as the product."
  - "I don't have grammatical errors on the manuscript that nobody else ever sees."
  - "Excellence is the right people doing the right things for the right reasons."
  - "The right motivations are not so compulsive."
  - "The constant burden of leadership is the constant interception of entropy."
    - "There is constant gravitational pull to become like everyone else."
  - "Our church is for someone who doesn't like church." Why? "Because I didn't like church."
  - How do you handle the immense value of YOU as the leader? And the success moving forward without you?
    - "We're constantly in process of finding the next leader." "When you've been some place a long time, you become in the way."
      - Level 5 leader helps a place be better after they are gone
How to build a tribe?
- Max DuPree - What are your unique tribal speaks?
  - The 5 S's of SouthBrook:
    - Solitude, Scripture, Service, Support, Significant Events
- "A Tribe is where story and strategy meet."
What is it like the minute before you go on stage?
- "I used to panic. It took me 10 years to get over the "what am I doing!?"
- "Leading is so presumptuous."
- "I've never stepped behind a microphone where I didn't believe that I could save people's lives. I truly believe every word I'm saying."
- "I can't wait to share this."
- "I didn't think about public speaking until I had to give a three minute speech my junior year in college. Something happened at that speech. People leaned in."
- "Hitting the 10,000 hour mark has helped me. It's easier to prepare. I'm a huge believer in putting in the time."

Charlie writes 3,500 words per week. Then put on the iPad and have it while on stage... "I memorize that by Friday."
"I'm a master at self condemnation."
Why be so critical of yourself?
- "It can be a safety mechanism. If we self criticize, we won't get as much criticism. And it does connect with people."
Developing future leaders
- "The test of leadership is the ability to reproduce yourself in others... The good parts of yourself that should be reproduced."
- "The path from direction to delegation"
- "If I don't succeed in succession, then I will have failed."
- "You can't be a farmer, you have to be a rancher who raises up other farmers."
Ron Howard and Sam Jones -- Why Wall Street leaders hire former athletes?
- "We like to hire athletes because they lose so much. They are forced to respond to failure."
"I lose every day. I'm not good at having an accurate understanding of myself. I need people around me."
"I was a world class (basketball) shooter. I shot 96% from the free throw line."
Charlie was national player of the year.
"Grit is the only talent. Those tough moments are the character builders."
Charlie's biggest challenge today? -- "Figuring out a way to build a succession plan and not leave too soon. I live in that tension everyday."
"When I watch myself speak, I don't think it's very good."
The importance of hobbies
How does it take a toll on your when you can't please everybody?
- "Leadership is the art of disappointing people at a rate they can handle. You cannot sustain trying to please everyone. "
The importance of continued growth and having an apprentice
- PB&J
  - Have to have people ahead of you, stretch you, challenge you
  - Need people alongside you, your peers, in it together, consolidate over shared stories
  - We grow most when we have people to teach. To pour in to...
"Writing makes a person exact. If it's hazy in the podium, it will be foggy in the chair."
"If you can't listen, you can't lead."
"There is no other leader than The Learning Leader."
Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"If you don't keep growing, you will become irrelevant."

Social Media:

Follow Charlie on Twitter: @CharlieBMcMahan
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community
To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

More Learning:

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

Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great

Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions

Episode 234: Jocko Willink -- Why Discipline Equals Freedom

262: Keith Yamashita - The Keys To Great Execution (Oprah, Starbucks, Steve Jobs) Jun 17, 2018

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#262: Keith Yamashita - The Keys To Great Execution (Oprah, Starbucks, Steve Jobs)

Keith Yamashita has led SYPartners for the past two decades, a practice that collaborates with CEOs and their leadership teams to build great companies and organizations. He's worked with leaders at Apple, eBay, IBM, General Electric, Johnson & Johnson, Facebook, Nike, Starbucks, and Target Corporation, among others. SYPartners has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and Fortune for its unique, human-centered approach, applied to both business and social challenges. Earlier in Keith's career, he was the chief writer for Steve Jobs.

The Learning Leader Show

Action Step - "Build a daily contemplative practice to create mind-fitness."

Show Notes:

Sustaining excellence:
- The ability to envision a future that doesn't currently exist -- Make it a reality
- Optimistic
- Creative
- A diverse background
- Authentic communicator
- Daring and bold
People Keith has worked with who have sustained excellence:
- Oprah Winfrey - magnetic personality, she can envision the future we want. She constantly re imagines herself. She has a strong creative core. She has a sense of deep creativity.
- Howard Schultz - He's always restless, reinvents regularly. He's earned 9,000% return on investors money
How do you respond when Oprah calls you for help?
- "We are always on the outer edge of incompetence. We take on projects that we don't know the answer to. And then figure it out. We respond to those calls with deep humility."
Why choose Keith and SYPartners?
- "If a leader wants to try something new... We help them experiment."
Starbucks:
- Closed 8,000 stores for racial bias training.
- Keith and team helped them build new habits
SYPartners origin story:
- "Our goal has never been to be famous, our goal is to be impactful"
- 25 years ago with "three partners and $912 in my checking account"
- Started as a communications firm --> Strategy --> Innovation --> Culture --> Transformation
- There are 200 employees now
- "We fight for greatness. We help leaders choose a more daring path"
- "Everything is set with intentions" --> "Set your intentions and be very open to the universe"
How do you respond to skeptics?
- "When I started I had $912 in my checking account. I had to borrow money for rent."
- Only you know what's inside of you. "Your skepticism needs to be inward, not outward."
- "If greatness is your choice, it's not made in big leaps, it's made in daily focus."
  - "Micro actions add up"
How to make the leap from individual contributor to manager?
- Leadfully.com has been helpful
What was it like working for Steve Jobs?
- "I showed up with writing samples. He said they were awful. He was testing me to see if I believed in my work. It was the worst interview of my life... However, I got the job."
- "He's the toughest boss I ever had. But I learned more from him than anyone I've worked for."
- Steve was gifted in seeing what people were capable of and he was willing to push. He knew how to motivate you to your capacity
- The danger in mimicking Steve's behavior? "People try to mimic the behavior, but they don't have his intentions." Mimicking the behavior without the intentions is a recipe for disaster.
Execution and implementation:
- Mind-fitness - Creativity in moments that matter. Be connected to others in a calm way. Ideas are just ideas. "You can train your mind to be present in this moment." Don't judge others. "Build a daily contemplative process."
- Build a daily creative practice - Read, write, take notes, be awake, alive, aware. Get a folder, cut out articles, pictures. Create inspiration. Recall past events.
- Understand what moment you're in - What's happening? Develop keen awareness to the moments
Why books are the greatest investment ever (my thoughts)
Use the "Get To Know You Document"

261: Darryl Strawberry - MLB Superstar: World Series, Home Runs, & Substance Abuse Jun 10, 2018

Show notes

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

#261: Darryl Strawberry - MLB Superstar: World Series, Home Runs, & Substance Abuse

Darryl Strawberry helped lead the New York Mets to a World Series championship and the New York Yankees to three World Series championships. He was also suspended three times by Major League Baseball for substance abuse. He was a nine time all star and he hit 335 home runs during his illustrious career.

He is an ordained minister, speaker, and author. He is taking his message to the masses with his new book, Don't Give Up On Me -- Shedding Light on Addiction.

The Learning Leader Show

"My Dad beat the crap out of me. He told me I would never amount to anything. I believed him." -- Darryl Strawberry

Show Notes:

Sustaining excellence:
- A calming presence... Confidence in what you know
- Time spent learning to lead
- Davey Johnson and Joe Torre -- A measured, confident approach to understanding each individual and how they needed to be managed
Best teammates?
- Gary Carter
- Keith Hernandez
- Lead by example type people... Those who are consistently doing the work every single day
- They understand how to prepare and do not get distracted from the work
Darryl struggled to be consistent because of his wondering focus
How to bounce out of a slump?
- "When you're 2 for 30, how do you get yourself out of a jam? Go to the batting cage and do the work."
What was the key to winning the World Series in 1986?
- "A complete team effort. We were a WHOLE team. Complete. Every guy did their part."
Why did Darryl use drugs?
- "An emptiness. I've never been well on the inside. Pain led me to greatness, but was also the cause for drug use."
- "My dad beat the crap out of me. He told me I would never be anything and I believed him."
Why are so many world class athletes insecure?
- "They are yearning for love and do not always get it. I never had a good Dad. I had to learn lessons on my own. Nobody taught me."
Advice to young people who do not have a Dad?
- "Listen to your mom. I wish I would have. Take her direction. Allow mentors to help you. Allow people to power into your life. It was hard for me to trust people."
Being a dad to successful athletes -- (His sons are professional basketball players and his daughters are scholarship volleyball players)
- "I did not coach them, but I encourage them continually work to get better. I didn't push them to play baseball."
The Doc and Darryl 30 For 30
- "I love Doc. We are still good friends. We've been through a lot."
Why write Don't Give Up On Me?
- "There are so many problems in the world. Addiction is everywhere. I want to help people. I was great, but broken at the same time."
A defining moment?
- His wife said, "If you're ever going to get well, you have to take that uniform off." Had to stop identifying as a baseball player
"You must take responsibility for your actions"
"You need people in your inner circle who will be honest with you and tell you no."
Day to day work: Pastor, travel, bring hope to those who are struggling"
Would you ever work in baseball again?
- "No... Unless Derek Jeter called and asked me to help his team."
Toughest pitcher ever faced?
- Nolan Ryan
Why were you a great hitter?
- Preparation... On deck circle. Always getting ready
- "Focus on hitting line drives to the opposite field. That's how you know you're on it" -- Keith Hernandez was very helpful
"It's about people. I should have been dead, had cancer twice, chased women, drug issues. I have urgency everyday."