627: Jenny Wood - How To Go After What You Want and Get It (Wild Courage)
Mar 23, 2025
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Join Jenny Wood, a former Google executive and author of "Wild Courage," as she shares her insights on leadership and career development. She emphasizes that making your own luck is key to success and recounts a bold moment at a subway that changed her life. Jenny discusses overcoming fear, the importance of proactive communication, and building impactful relationships. With strategies like the 'dynamic dozen' and 'Monday mini-festo,' she inspires listeners to chase their ambitions and embrace a shameless approach to self-promotion.
Leaders should foster a culture of serendipity and proactively support their team members in achieving their full potential.
Adopting a success-oriented mindset is crucial for individuals to create their own opportunities and act decisively towards their goals.
Embracing 'wild courage' enables individuals to push past fear, take risks, and pursue their aspirations confidently in challenging situations.
Deep dives
Coaching for Success
The significance of leadership is highlighted by the need for leaders to coach and support individuals in unlocking their full potential. Leaders should embrace their roles confidently, making decisive choices and guiding others towards success. This approach not only aids in fostering a productive environment but also emphasizes the proactive role a leader plays in shaping the capabilities of their team members. The goal is to steer individuals toward achievements they may have previously thought unattainable.
Creating Serendipity
The concept of serendipity is explored, emphasizing that it is not merely a matter of chance but rather something that can be actively created. Through intentional actions and a positive mindset, individuals can forge their own luck and cultivate opportunities for growth. A success-oriented mindset is essential, as it encourages individuals to act confidently and seize chances rather than waiting for favorable circumstances. By adopting this proactive approach, leaders and teams can facilitate a culture of innovation and unexpected success.
Embracing Wild Courage
The idea of 'wild courage' is introduced as a mechanism to help individuals overcome fears and take actionable steps toward their goals. Real-life examples, such as personal anecdotes of stepping out of comfort zones, illustrate how embracing risk can lead to positive outcomes. This courage entails pushing past self-doubt and fear of judgment, enabling a mindset shift from hesitation to assertiveness. Cultivating wild courage empowers individuals to pursue their desires and navigate challenges confidently.
Practical Tools for Career Advancement
Several practical strategies for career development are shared, including the importance of maintaining a 'Monday Mini-festo' to track weekly accomplishments and objectives. This technique encourages individuals to communicate their contributions effectively while also keeping their superiors informed. Additionally, the concept of focusing on high-impact projects that align with an individual's strengths is emphasized to enhance visibility and increase the likelihood of promotions. Such actionable steps can create a tangible path toward professional growth and increased responsibility.
The Power of Specificity
The podcast emphasizes the importance of being specific in communication, particularly in professional settings. Detailed expressions of achievements and intentions not only convey clarity but also ensure that contributions are recognized. For instance, using precise examples when discussing successes can enhance credibility and foster deeper connections in business environments. Cultivating this practice leads to greater influence and effectiveness, setting a foundation for meaningful professional relationships.
Serendipity isn’t found. It’s made. Make your own luck. The best leaders create serendipity for their teams. A success mindset precedes success.
From Jenny - In2011, I was single and living in New York City. I spotted an attractive guy across the train from me. I wanted to talk to him, but I was too nervous. Then he got off the train. She met her future husband by chasing after him off a train in NYC. "I was letting life pass me by." She used some wild courage to approach him.
What sits between you and the thing you want is fear. Who are your dynamic dozen? The 12 people you need to meet.
Monday mini-festo. In 15 minutes, write the 2 things you did last week that you're proud of. Write 2 things you're excited about for this upcoming week.
Focus on doing the work that helps the company be better. Solve problems. Read the VP email. Know your stuff.
Get to know your boss's boss. Do it the right way by talking with your boss.
Jenny's career at Google - First 11 years in sales, Go To Market, Operations. Own your Career project. She got 2,000 people to come to her first training. Used all resources within the company to do it.
Use "for example." Don't speak in generalities.
Role, Objective, Impact - ROI
At work, say no to the small. Don’t reply all to the Happy Birthday emails. Don’t do the NAP work. NAP stands for “Not Actually Promotable” Work. Sign up for the projects that help make your company better.
Carlye Kosiak is one of their best hires at Google. She had the courage to stand out. She was specific. Her resume indicated interest in “recipe tasting in pursuit of the perfect oatmeal raisin cookie." Personality popped off the page. She was weird, reckless, nosy, obsessed, brutal. Must be yourself. Don’t just be weird to play a role.
Goal Setting framework - Rock, Chalk, Talk, Walk.
Jenny's goal is to sell 15,000 books by the end of week 1 and hit the NY Times best seller list.
If you sell 12,000 copies in week 1, how will you feel? "You ask such great questions."
Don't play it cool. Play it hot. Don't decide to fit in. Stand out.
Watermark your work. Put your name and picture on the deck. Let people know you made it.
Lady Gaga – A group of students at NYU created a Facebook group called “Stefani Germanotta, you will never be famous." Have the courage to stand behind your work. Lady Gaga wanted to be a big star.
Life and Career Advice - Performance reviews - Focus 75% of your time on your strengths. Say yes to 75% of the things asked of you. Start sentences with "YOU" instead of "I" - Focus on them. Build influence thru empathy.
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