The Future Of Work And Leadership With Robert Glazer - TWMJ #1004

26 snips

Oct 5, 2025

Robert Glazer, founder of Acceleration Partners and author of leadership books like The Compass Within, dives deep into values-driven leadership. He discusses how core values shape authentic leadership and decision-making, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness. Glazer argues for the relevance of mentorship in today's tech-driven world and the need for clarity in personal values to reduce polarization. He also explores the intersection of values with AI, suggesting that meaningful human interactions will only grow in importance as technology evolves.

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INSIGHT

Values As Decision Rules

Values are decision-making rubrics that determine behavior beyond slogans or KPIs.
Robert Glazer argues clarity of personal values is a competitive edge in polarized, AI-driven times.

ANECDOTE

Why Write A Parable

Glazer wrote his values book as a parable after his daughter challenged him to write fiction.
He used stories to make core-values material accessible to people with short attention spans.

ADVICE

Make Values Actionable

Articulate your core values in actionable language, not vague words like "integrity."
Turn values into lane markers so you can avoid collisions instead of reacting after they happen.

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Welcome to episode #1004 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation).

What does it really mean to lead with values when so much of modern business seems built on quarterly results and surface-level culture? Robert Glazer has spent his career proving that sustainable performance isn’t just about financial results. It’s about the alignment between who you are and what you stand for. As founder and chairman of Acceleration Partners (a marketing agency), Bob built a company repeatedly recognized as one of the best places to work. Beyond the accolades, he is an author of seven books, including Elevate, Elevate Your Team and his latest, The Compass Within: A Little Story About the Values That Guide Us. In this conversation, Bob explores the central role that core values play in authentic leadership, how formative experiences shape decision-making and why self-awareness is the foundation of both personal and organizational growth. He explains how parables and storytelling can make complex business ideas more memorable, why mentorship still matters in a polarized and tech-driven world and how the rise of AI is intersecting with deeply human questions about meaning, integrity and belief. Bob reminds us that values are not slogans for walls or websites but active forces that define culture, guide behavior and ultimately determine whether leaders and organizations thrive or falter. In an era where data can overwhelm judgment and polarization can fracture trust, his work pushes us to examine whether our actions reflect the values we claim to hold, and how to close that gap. Enjoy the conversation…

Running time: 57:33.
Hello from beautiful Montreal.
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Here is my conversation with Robert Glazer.
The Compass Within: A Little Story About the Values That Guide Us.
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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to Core Values and Leadership. (03:00) - The Power of Parables in Business. (06:01) - Understanding Personal Core Values. (09:06) - The Intersection of Values and Leadership. (11:50) - Authenticity and the Authentic Self. (14:45) - Navigating Values in a Polarized World. (18:00) - The Role of Values in Business Decisions. (20:57) - The Challenge of Aligning Personal and Company Values. (23:50) - Embracing Values in a Complex World. (31:10) - Authenticity in Business Decisions. (33:58) - The Cost of Upholding Values. (35:23) - Core Values and Decision Making. (39:24) - The Evolution of Relationships. (41:31) - Character Development in Storytelling. (44:04) - The Role of Mentorship. (48:12) - AI as a Thought Partner. (53:46) - Cognitive Dissonance and Values.