Infinite Loops
Dr. Pippa Malmgren — Why Leadership Has Gone Wrong (EP.167)
Episode guests
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Leadership needs a shift towards empowering and inspiring individuals rather than ego-driven control.
- True leadership goes beyond short-term goals, focusing on world-building and creating a supportive environment.
- Leaders must recognize their limitations, seek fresh perspectives, and cultivate balance, curiosity, and humor to navigate uncertainties.
Deep dives
The Problem with Leadership Today
The podcast episode discusses the failures of leadership in various sectors and explores the dominance of ego-driven leadership. It questions why society rewards individuals with big egos and a push for total control rather than those who prioritize bringing out the best in people and embracing bottom-up approaches. The episode emphasizes the need for a shift in leadership focus, highlighting the importance of understanding the limitations of leaders and the temporary nature of their positions.
The Differences Between Management and Leadership
The podcast delves into the differences between management and leadership. It argues that while management often focuses on optimizing for quarterly performance and getting the numbers right, true leadership involves world-building, creating a space where people can be empowered and inspired. The episode highlights the need for leaders to think beyond short-term objectives and instead focus on nurturing a compelling vision and building a supportive environment that allows individuals to thrive.
Overcoming Challenges in Leadership
The podcast delves into the challenges faced by leaders, such as the difficulty of leaving the stage and transitioning power, as well as the danger of surrounding oneself with an echo chamber of trusted insiders. It also discusses the importance of recognizing the limitations of one's knowledge and seeking fresh perspectives and information. The episode emphasizes the need for leaders to cultivate balance, unselfishness, curiosity, and humor, and to develop resilience and preparedness to navigate the complexities and uncertainties of the modern world.
The Power of Stories and Belief Systems
The podcast explores the importance of stories in shaping our perceptions and beliefs. It argues that stories are more powerful than numbers in influencing our thoughts and actions. The speaker emphasizes the need to reintegrate stories and numbers, challenging the dominance of quantification in our society. The limitations of scientism, which deifies science and dismisses non-quantifiable aspects of reality, are discussed. The podcast highlights the role of belief systems in shaping our understanding of the world and how breaking and recreating these systems can lead to progress.
Geopolitics and the Possibility of World War III
The podcast discusses the current geopolitical landscape and potential conflicts between superpowers. It highlights the war in Ukraine as a symptom of a larger problem and the presence of underreported military buildup in the Pacific. The speaker argues that we are already in World War III, although much of the conflict occurs through unconventional means such as space, subsea internet cables, and cyber attacks. However, the podcast also emphasizes the possibility of a resolution and the need to prepare for peace. The importance of rebuilding relationships with countries like Russia and China is highlighted to maintain stability and avoid future conflicts.
Dr. Pippa Malmgren is an economist, founder, keynote speaker & award-winning author. She served President George W. Bush as Special Assistant to the President and on the National Economic Council. She was responsible for financial market issues during the Enron crisis, and was responsible for assessing terrorism risks to the economy after 9/11. She has also advised the US Cabinet. Dr. Pippa’s most recent book, the Infinite Leader, won the International Press Award for the Best Book on Leadership for 2021. Dr. Pippa joins the show to discuss why leadership has gone wrong, what she thinks of the recent UFO news, why we’re already in World War III, and a whole lot more! Important Links:
Show Notes:
- Why leadership has gone wrong
- Worldbuilding & the difference between management and leadership
- Why leaders always stay too long
- Balancing trust vs truth
- Confidence vs competence
- Balance, surfing & Taoism
- Numbers, stories & UFOs
- Reality belief systems: "It's not only stranger than we think, it's stranger than we can think.”
- How psychedelics impact how we understand reality
- What Pippa would include in her leadership academy
- Bailouts, inflation & CBDCs
- We are already in World War III
- Creating a hug movement
- MUCH more!
Books Mentioned:
- The Infinite Leader: Balancing the Demands of Modern Business Leadership; by Chris Lewis & Dr. Pippa Malmgren
- The Leadership Lab: Understanding Leadership in the 21st Century; by Chris Lewis & Dr. Pippa Malmgren
- Signals: How Everyday Signs Can Help Us Navigate the World's Turbulent Economy; by Dr. Pippa Malmgren
- Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life; by Rory Sutherland
- Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders; by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic
- Tao Te Ching; by Lao Tzu
- The Rig Veda
- Prometheus Rising; by Robert Anton Wilson
- Wholeness and the Implicate Order; by David Bohm
- Orthodoxy; by G. K. Chesterton
mgren is an economist, founder, keynote speaker & award-winning author. She served President George W. Bush as Special Assistant to the President and on the National Economic Council. She was responsible for financial market issues during the Enron crisis, and was responsible for assessing terrorism risks to the economy after 9/11. She has also advised the US Cabinet. Dr. Pippa’s most recent book, the Infinite Leader, won the International Press Award for the Best Book on Leadership for 2021. Dr. Pippa joins the show to discuss why leadership has gone wrong, what she thinks of the recent UFO news, why we’re already in World War III, and a whole lot more! Important Links:
Show Notes:
- Why leadership has gone wrong
- Worldbuilding & the difference between management and leadership
- Why leaders always stay too long
- Balancing trust vs truth
- Confidence vs competence
- Balance, surfing & Taoism
- Numbers, stories & UFOs
- Reality belief systems: "It's not only stranger than we think, it's stranger than we can think.”
- How psychedelics impact how we understand reality
- What Pippa would include in her leadership academy
- Bailouts, inflation & CBDCs
- We are already in World War III
- Creating a hug movement
- MUCH more!
Books Mentioned:
- The Infinite Leader: Balancing the Demands of Modern Business Leadership; by Chris Lewis & Dr. Pippa Malmgren
- The Leadership Lab: Understanding Leadership in the 21st Century; by Chris Lewis & Dr. Pippa Malmgren
- Signals: How Everyday Signs Can Help Us Navigate the World's Turbulent Economy; by Dr. Pippa Malmgren
- Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life; by Rory Sutherland
- Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders; by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic
- Tao Te Ching; by Lao Tzu
- The Rig Veda
- Prometheus Rising; by Robert Anton Wilson
- Wholeness and the Implicate Order; by David Bohm
- Orthodoxy; by G. K. Chesterton
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