Uncage Yourself

OVERVIEW We're joined in this episode by Elayna Snyder, Founder of Indigo Collectiv. She focuses on helping thought leaders fuel their strategy by being their authentic selves. She delivers a masterclass on harnessing your individuality. Her premise: your knowledge and ideas need an outlet, and that outlet should create an impact. Improve your LinkedIn game: How to Build Your Hidden LinkedIn Funnel™ in 3 Easy Steps (resource from Elayna) Tired of being "stuck" in your tech career? Try the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** TAKEAWAYS Our "authentic self" changes based on the context that we’re in.   There are many roads to a destination, but they differ in timeline and effectiveness You must make decisions that align with who you are on the inside. A well-shaped personal brand helps you scale your ideas, build meaningful relationships, and create the impact you crave. An established personal brand isn’t a prerequisite to contributing and getting to know the community you want to build or contribute to.  LinkedIn is NOT a glorified resume platform or virtual conference; it's a place to be social and create a world of opportunities. *** TIMESTAMPS [6:30] Transcending your credentials [9:09] Client creation [11:25] Applying your “fire” (corporate & side hustle) [13:25] Personal brand: greatest long-term asset [18:00] Shaping your personal brand [19:17] Why & how to harness LinkedIn [21:25] Building your community [24:03] Serving your tribe (& monetizing) [26:55] Your forcing function for growth [28:25] Elayna on the hot seat *** RESOURCES How to Build Your Hidden LinkedIn Funnel™ in 3 Easy Steps (resource from Elayna) Connect w/ Elayna on LinkedIn Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

OVERVIEW We're joined today by Shiv Singh, Founder of Emerge Management Consulting. Shiv is a compelling example of what it means to "look inside" and figure out what you've been put on this planet to do. We hear a lot about "find your why," but Shiv demonstrates how to put the concept into action — even if it requires going against societal norms. Lots to learn here, from both a career and life perspective. Tired of being "stuck" in your tech career? Try the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** TAKEAWAYS "Early life" pressures (e.g., educational success) might be subconsciously driving your career and life choices — to your detriment. An overemphasis on external validation is dangerous; we must balance it with finding success internally. Your "why" is your compass (and your criteria) for making daily micro-decisions that add up to a meaningful, fulfilled life. Diving into entrepreneurship removes the safety net and forces you to gauge what you're truly capable of. Rather than fixating on an exact route to a single career destination, stay nimble and explore multiple paths that feel directionally "right." *** TIMESTAMPS [2:12] Pillars of life [8:12] Associating academic & career success [13:23] Striving for never-ending external validation [17:15] Taking a leap of faith “on myself” [22:20] The forcing function for your growth [26:28] Don’t obsess over goals; one meaningful step at a time [32:44] Joys & hardships of being on your own [34:38] The Pathless Path [37:09] Reconciling your professional & personal selves [41:10] Mental health in management consulting *** RESOURCES Related episode (#17): Self-Reliance Connect w/ Shiv on LinkedIn Check out Shiv's business: Emerge Management Consulting Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

OVERVIEW We're joined today by Ben Dundee, VP and Head of Data Science at Dekeo. Ben delivers sharp advice on how to become influential with data — changing hearts and minds across an organization. Empathy and community are key elements of his personality and success. Lots of lessons in this one!  Tired of being "stuck" in your tech career? Try the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** TAKEAWAYS Don't let your past define your future; learn to say "thank you, next." Product Management is a great space to learn what the business cares about (you gain diverse perspectives). A data leader's role is often to ensure all people (technical and non-technical) believe in the value of the data effort. Don't waste time on data perfection (objective truth) — a simple model that's 80% correct is often the key to success. "Dance with fear" — embrace discomfort; this is how you build a great career and life. *** TIMESTAMPS [2:15] The self-branding journey: Physics PhD to Data Science VP [11:35] Using business knowledge and relationships as leverage to create impact [16:27] The mysticism of data science  [20:35] Skills for the mid-career tech professional [26:53] The worst advice to follow [31:34] Ben's advice to his younger self  *** RESOURCES Related episode (#19): You Don't Need an MBA Connect w/ Ben on LinkedIn Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

OVERVIEW For decades, there's been an assumption that you need an MBA to be a business leader. This creates a challenge for rising digital leaders — those that come from technical backgrounds and feel a desire to be an influential force within the organization. Do they need to sink their time and money into nabbing this credential? Today, Matt argues why an MBA isn't necessary for tech professionals while getting to the essence of what we're really after. Go deeper with the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** TAKEAWAYS We've been lulled into thinking an MBA is a "must do" for reaching the highest realms of business leadership. What people really want with an MBA: Mastery, Badges, Attention. “We’ve reached the post-content age. Content is no longer scarce in education. It’s either free or low-cost, and it's abundant.” Millennials and Gen Zs place significant value on community, which will transform the future of education. EdTech platforms, such as those enabling Cohort-Based Courses, are opening faster and cheaper alternatives to the MBA — with similar benefits.  *** TIMESTAMPS [3:30] Why people really chase an MBA [5:15] Mastery, badges, and attention [6:55] The problem of self-motivation [8:56] Power of new education models *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

OVERVIEW Does technology really make life better? Not necessarily. While digital technology is inevitably at the core of your organization's mission, we must be careful how we adopt it. We can’t look at any piece of technology as a silver bullet. We can’t let ourselves fall in love. Go deeper with the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** TAKEAWAYS Technology trends don't have to be as inevitable as they might appear. “Our inventions are [nothing more than] improved means to an unimproved end.” — Thoreau Culture always pays a price for technology. There are always winners and losers in technological change. Technological change is not additive; it is ecological. *** TIMESTAMPS [2:29] The insanity of silver bullets [3:16] Change happens on the inside [4:44] Neil Postman's 5 ideas on technological change *** RESOURCES "Five Things We Need to Know About Technological Change" by Neil Postman (1998) Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

Explore the transformative teachings of Ralph Waldo Emerson on self-reliance. Discover how trusting yourself and embracing nonconformity can elevate your career in technology. The conversation emphasizes the importance of solitude for self-discovery and the courage to forge your own path. Ultimately, it's about asserting your unique vision in a world that often pushes conformity. Greatness lies in the integrity of your own mind and the freedom to define your success.

OVERVIEW Politics is about more than nasty conversations between two political parties. Humans resolve conflicts and move forward through politics. In this episode, learn why aspiring digital leaders need to have their eyes on this skillset. We discuss how to enter the organizational politics arena and the key skills for elevating your career.   Go deeper with the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** TAKEAWAYS Politics stems from a diversity of competing interests, which must be resolved in some way.  You not taking an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won't take an interest in you. The 4 types of organizational politics: Weeds, Rocks, Highground, Woods. People in tech are perceived as merely serving the organization and not leading it. That’s wrong! We must lean in and engage. We cover 10 ways to start building your political muscle. *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

OVERVIEW Technical skills have known ceilings. In turn, writing is every digital leader's boundless career multiplier. After covering how writing and influence are intertwined, Matt discusses the benefits of cultivating a writing habit and how you can steadily go from bad to good to great. Go deeper with the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** TAKEAWAYS In tech, we obsess about scaled impact. Writing is the key to scaling your personal impact.  In our knowledge economy, your creativity reigns supreme. Your ideas are your biggest potential return on investment. Writing forces you to sharpen your thinking in a way that you can't do through other means. Writing is the most scalable professional networking activity. Strong writing makes you intellectually battle-ready. Neil Strauss on editing: (1) Write for yourself, (2) Revise for the reader, (3) Fine-tune for the critics. Writing keeps you young, fresh, and always relevant.  *** TIMESTAMPS [3:15] Leverage at your fingertips [4:14] Writing sharpens your thinking [6:08] Getting battle-ready [9:02] Don't go to conferences; write and ship [11:17] Writer's block is defeatable *** RESOURCES Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

OVERVIEW We all have a dark side. Repressing it only creates internal pain and limits your potential as a leader. In this episode, we learn how tech leaders can understand their "negative" traits and harness them to become a more dynamic and impactful force in their organization.  Go deeper with the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter. *** TAKEAWAYS We all have a dark side, but great leaders take the time to understand and use it to their advantage. We're taught as children that letting out negative emotions is bad. This repression compounds over time and stunts our growth as adults.  The dark side has its value. Just like the Roman leader Cicero and the entertainer Josephine Baker, we can channel it toward positive outcomes. Become the "integrated human" requires (1) identifying, (2) embracing, (3) exploring, and (4) revealing your dark side. We need to give our subconscious a chance to surface — otherwise, we risk career regret, lost opportunities, and creative suppression. *** TIMESTAMPS [2:12] Our dark side is hardwired [3:30] The great repression (longing for play) [5:01] The impossibility of “golden” leaders [7:26] There’s always a hero & a villain [8:24] 4 steps to harnessing your dark side *** RESOURCES Book mentioned: The Laws of Human Nature (by Robert Greene) Connect w/ Matt on LinkedIn Follow on Twitter @MatthewRDoan   Check the show on YouTube Subscribe to the Wednesday Wisdom newsletter

OVERVIEW We're joined today by Mike McGill, Chief Information Officer at Medical Service Company. He discusses how Stoicism and other self-care approaches have helped him professionally and personally. We also dive into how to view the different phases of your career, plus how the Creator Economy is opening exciting new doors for people of all backgrounds. Please enjoy!  Accelerate your tech career by trying Wednesday Wisdom: https://matthewdoan.com/newsletter/ TAKEAWAYS Stoic philosophy is a pragmatic and "grounding" approach for being a better leader and living a more peaceful existence. A long-term career "north star" is helpful, but make sure you're fluid and adaptive as you go. Rethink resumes and credentials. Today, hiring managers look for one's commitment to craft. Building in public elevates you! Creating space between stimulus and response gives you control over your emotions. Beyond money, status, and fame, a deeper metric for success can center on happiness and peace. TIMESTAMPS [2:32] Mike’s creative mindset and Twitter approach [6:23] Spectrum of “what matters” in a tech career — choosing what you’re optimizing for [14:44] How to think about your evolving “future self” vision [16:39] How the Creator Economy and other forces should influence how you pursue learning and credentials [23:02] The “ownership mindset” required to build the career you desire [25:00] How Stoicism has been a life-changer, at work and home (“I had a Stoicism-shaped hole in me”) [28:22] The types of “modern” philosophy that can help digital leaders [33:29] A preview of Mike’s upcoming book: The IT Leadership Blueprint [39:26] The skills that up-and-coming tech professionals need to fixate on RESOURCES Follow Mike on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mcgillmd921 Connect w/ Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmcgill21/ Mike's site: https://www.michaeldmcgill.com/ Connect w/ Matthew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdoan Follow Matthew on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewRDoan Check the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZeCjHjtq3g7mIuPwvKRrjw Books mentioned: The Obstacle Is the Way, The Daily Stoic