Leading with Impact: How Collaboration and Decisiveness Drive Success

Sep 4, 2024

Guest

John Hennessy

Guest

Tina Seelig

Tina Seelig, a leader in creativity and innovation, joins John Hennessy, a notable figure in technology and education. They discuss the importance of collaboration in effective leadership and how diverse teams can drive success. The duo shares insights on making tough decisions, like evaluating a campus expansion, and knowing when to walk away from projects. They emphasize the balance between daily decision-making and larger projects, illustrating how decisive leadership can create impactful change.

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Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 2min

Navigating Leadership and Decision-Making at an Academic Institution

01:31 • 14min

Revitalizing Campus Facilities Through Community Engagement

15:26 • 3min

Navigating High-Stakes Decisions in Corporate Growth

18:51 • 2min

Navigating Long-Term Decision-Making Through Collaboration

21:01 • 4min

Collaboration and decisiveness shape effective leadership.

Tina Seelig and John Hennessy examine the key leadership qualities of collaboration, analysis, and decisiveness. Their conversation highlights how effective leaders unite diverse teams, perform comprehensive analyses to make informed decisions, and take decisive action when the stakes are high. Drawing on real-world examples and lessons, the episode offers valuable insights for those seeking to strengthen their leadership skills and drive impactful change within their organizations.

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Tina Seelig | LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Host Tina Seelig introduces John Hennessey along with the episode’s focus on collaboration, analysis, and decisiveness.

(00:00:57) Crafting a Team for Collaboration

The importance of team-building, focusing on collaboration and complementary skills.

(00:01:31) Strong Working Partnerships

How a long-time professional partnership developed into a strong and effective working relationship.

(00:03:08) Decision-Making on Stanford’s New York Campus

The tough decision to evaluate and ultimately walk away from a potential campus expansion in New York.

(00:05:55) Knowing When to Walk Away

Insights into the process of pulling the plug on a major project when the risks outweigh the benefits.

(00:09:10) Leadership in Everyday Decision-Making

Balancing daily decision-making while overseeing larger projects within a big organization.

(00:11:22) The Role of Delegation in Leadership

Exploring the importance of delegation and fostering an environment of transparency and trust.

(00:13:39) Incentives in a Decentralized Organization

Levers of influence and how incentives can help guide faculty in a decentralized environment.

(00:14:47) Prioritizing Long-Term Building Projects

Prioritizing and executing large-scale building projects, including considerations for long-term growth.

(00:16:51) Navigating Stanford’s General Use Permit

The negotiations surrounding the university’s general use permit and its implications for future development.

(00:19:08) Big Bets at Alphabet

The decision-making process behind significant business investments.

(00:21:39) Advice for Making Hard Decisions

Improving the ability to make difficult decisions and the value of learning through practice.

(00:24:05) Episode Takeaways

Four key lessons for listeners from this episode.

(00:24:35) Conclusion