People and Projects Podcast: Project Management Podcast

PPP 443 | Finding Mentors and Hidden Leadership Lessons, with Scott Millson

Jan 4, 2025

Scott Millson, author of "Frequency of Excellence," dives into the significance of lifelong learning and mentorship. He shares how ADHD is his superpower, enhancing his ability to focus and thrive. Millson highlights the difference between excellence and perfection, noting that excellence motivates while perfection can be stifling. He discusses the idea of inattentional blindness and how mentors can profoundly shape our lives. With practical advice on public speaking and family values, he emphasizes that every challenge can be a chance for growth.

Ask episode

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 2min

Transforming Challenges into Superpowers: A Personal Journey

01:37 • 3min

Tuning In: The Power of Attention and Mentorship

04:52 • 27min

Leadership Lessons in Parenting and Family Values

31:28 • 4min

Exploring Leadership and Mentorship Opportunities

35:19 • 5min

The Impact of Mentorship and Continuous Learning

40:13 • 2min

Summary

In this conversation, Andy welcomes Scott Millson, author of Frequency of Excellence: Tuning in to Everyday Lessons of Life and Leadership. Scott and Andy discuss the importance of lifelong learning and mentorship, the difference between excellence and perfection, and practical strategies for overcoming challenges, such as public speaking anxiety. Scott shares his personal leadership lessons, including the notion of inattentional blindness and the power of a growth mindset. He emphasizes the value of recognizing learning opportunities in daily life and how mentors can shape our professional and personal growth.

Sound Bites

"At any moment of any day, excellence is out there. You just have to be tuned into the right frequency in order to see it."
"When things seem to be falling apart, they may be falling into place."
"How you do anything is how you do everything."
"Excellence and perfection are diametrically opposed. Excellence inspires and motivates, while perfection sucks the life out of you."
"I’ve never formally asked anyone to be my mentor. Instead, I watched, learned, and surrounded myself with excellent people."
"Speak with a purpose. When you speak, there’s a currency to your words—treat them as valuable."
"ADD isn’t a disorder—it’s my superpower. My ability to hyperfocus lets me outwork anyone."
"Above all else, choose family."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
01:54 Start Of Interview
02:02 How ADHD Is Scott's Superpower
04:53 Inattentional Blindness And Key Lessons
10:00 The Concept Of Frequencies
12:40 About Mentorship
15:53 Overcoming The Fear Of Public Speaking
20:22 Excellence Vs. Perfection
22:11 Pursuit Of Excellence
23:24 Handling Stress And Pressure
24:00 A Personal Story Of Resilience
28:24 Et Loqueris Ad, And Why It Matters
31:47 Parenting And Leadership
35:32 End Of Interview
35:58 Andy Comments After The Interview
40:06 Outtakes

Learn More

You can learn more about Scott and his book at ScottMillson.com/author.

For more learning on this topic, check out:

Episode 410 with Ryan Hawk about his book on excellence. It's a good read!
Episode 418 with my friend Randy Fox about pursuing excellence.

Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

Talent Triangle: Power Skills

Topics: Leadership, Mentorship, Excellence, Public Speaking, Personal Development, ADHD, Learning, Lessons, Growth Mindset, Project Management, Perfectionism, Stress Management, Communication, Parenting

The following music was used for this episode:

Music: Tranceverse by Sascha End License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Funny by Frank Schroeter License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license