The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Kirk Herbstreit played quarterback at Centerville High School. He was a PARADE All-American and the Ohio Player-of-the-Year as a senior (1986) … threw for 1,298 yards and 10 TDs as a senior … also rushed for 576 yards and 16 TDs his final year … career totals of 55 TDs and 4,258 yards in total offense in two years as a starter … led Centerville to a 10-0 record as a junior … all-league in baseball. Currently, Kirk is the lead analyst for ESPN's College GameDay, a TV program covering college football and he is the #1 color analyst on college football games on ESPN and ABC. For his TV work, Kirk has won five Sports Emmy Awards. He is known as one of the best sports broadcasters of all time. Notes: "Coach Gregg was a legend on the field but so much more. He was TOUGH-DEMANDING-at times intimidating. But he taught us about TEAM-HARD WORK-PERSEVERANCE & SACRIFICE. Blessed to have him in my life." "Part of what makes football great is what you learn playing it. Being selfless, learning how to go through adversity as a group, learning about perseverance." When first meeting Coach Gregg, "I was like half scared and half man I want to play for this guy." The Centerville Elks were about execution, work ethic, pride, and excellence. "I thought... Mannnn, how lucky am I to be part of this program." The summer workouts: "The Monday's and Friday's were bad... The Wednesday with the circuits were DREADFUL. I was scared to death." Coach Gregg had established the "decade of dominance" before Kirk was there. "You had an appreciation and you were in awe of him and the program." "We thought, 'Am I going to be good enough to be part of this program?'" "Those workouts broke me down... And then they built us back up." "As a group, we went through torture, but we did it together. It created this unbelievable bond." "Bob Gregg taught me so much about humility, sacrifice, hard work, team team team... The team is so much more important than you. All the fundamental principles that you use in life are what you learned from him." "The person you are today is because of that." "What I learned from him... We beat teams with superior talent with execution and preparation and our work ethic collectively. And our team. It was from all that work we put in June and July." "You can get a leg up on your competition in anything you do in life by just outworking them." "When you feel like you don't matter, the best thing you can you, how you create confidence, is by outworking everyone in the room. Do little things. Do more. Do more." "I thought work ethic was HERE, before I met Bob Gregg, and then they taught me the hard way, that I was capable of working a lot harder." "Coach Gregg reminds me a lot of Nick Saban." They have incredibly high standards and keep their players humble. "You and I are grinders. All of us that played for him are wired the same way. I don't think that's a coincidence. It's because of Coach Gregg." "His personality... I wish more people got to know him. He had a personality that to outsiders seemed gruff. Some thought he was a tyrant. But if you really got to know him, he was not that way. He had a soft heart." "I think we need more than ever, right now, MORE people like Bob Gregg." "He's going to ruffle some feathers, but he's going to do it the right way."

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for earyl access to my upcoming book... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 In 2005, Rebecca Minkoff designed her first handbag, which she dubbed the "Morning After Bag. This iconic bag ignited Rebecca's career as a handbag designer and inspired the brands' expansion into a lifestyle brand in the years to come. Actress Jenna Elfman wore her "I Heart New York" shirt on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Today, Rebecca Minkoff is a global brand with a wide range of apparel, handbags, footwear, jewelry, timepieces, eyewear, and fragrance. When Rebecca was 8 years old, she wanted her mom to buy her a dress. Her mom said, "no, but I'll teach you to sew." From that point, Rebecca was fascinated with the idea of buying things for herself. Rebecca doesn't love the word "mentor." She was forced to learn by doing. She moved at age 18. Became an intern and then a designer. Eventually, she started her own business. When Jenna Elfman wore her I heart NYC shirt on Jay Leno's show, it got her foot in the door. "When Jenna asked if I could make her a handbag, I lied and said I could do it." "I think everyone should get cozy with failure." Self Care: "Work can be self-care, too." She's particularly resistant to the notion that self-care can solve burnout — the feeling of acute exhaustion that has gained more attention recently. "There is no scented candle in the world that will make that feeling go away." Self-reflection cures burnout, she argues, not self-care. "You don't need to ask for permission. Don't seek permission. Just go for it." Rebecca learned from her mom to be genuinely herself. "I learned to be tough, resilient, and fight back from my mom." "Don't get scared to lead with strength." "Trying hard is not good enough. You must get results." Advice for future generations? "There are no shortcuts." "Failure is like a muscle. Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn." "Success is the ability to keep going." "The definition of happiness is overcoming barriers towards your goal."

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Dr. Randall Stutman is a leadership scientist dedicated to exploring the behaviors and routines of extraordinary leaders. Labeled by Goldman Sachs as the most experienced advisor and executive coach on Wall Street, he has served as a Principal Advisor to more than 2,000 Senior Executives, including 400 CEOs. His work as an advisor and speaker has taken him to the White House, West Point, the Olympics, and the Harvard Business School. Randall is the founder and co-head of the Leadership Practice at CRA. and the Admired Leadership Institute. Notes: The three types of leaders: Result Leaders: People who achieve the company's goals Followers Leaders: People who are loved by their subordinates Admired Leaders: People who both achieve results and are loved by subordinates Admired leaders aren't just admired in the workplace, they're admired by friends, family, neighbors, and basically everyone they interact with... "It applies to everything. Leadership is leadership and it applies to every aspect of your life." A great way to spread positively is through third-party praise. Say something nice about someone to another person and eventually, the positive comment will make its way to the individual mentioned. Excellence: Optimistic Persistent Focused Sound judgment Objective Learning machines Best coaching relationships: Created peer-like quality... You learn from each other The best leaders? It's not about them. It's others focused Leaders put other people up front. They lead from the back. Leadership is making people and solutions better. Anyone can lead anytime they choose. How does a 1:1 Leadership Coaching call go? Catch up personally and professionally Discuss critical episodes in the business Walkthrough situations Set agenda Register - Keep notes, send follow-ups Frequency of conversations with clients: Every three weeks Must be: A sounding board A deep listener Offer feedback Highly prescriptive - Need to make you better Admired leaders are: Someone that produces extraordinary results over time. Followership: People feel differently when engaged with them. They will do anything for them. Admired leaders are rare... Excellence in leadership: Show up in a crisis Admit mistakes Walk the talk Who coaches Randall? Feedback from clients Coaching clinics -- Gets together with other coaches 3rd party praise: Don't be "praise stingy" When you see excellence, tell a third party "There's no 'but' in it." What's something Randall has changed his mind about over time? "I initially thought leaders should be objective and fair. Then I studied Admired Leaders. They play favorites based on performance. They reward high performers.: Life/Career advice: Control what you can control Work hard at getting better "The best people bring passion to what they do."

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Liz Wiseman is the New York Times bestseller author of Multipliers, Rookie Smarts, and most recently Impact Players. She is the CEO of the Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm. Some of her recent clients include Apple, Disney, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Nike, Tesla, and Twitter. Liz has been listed on the Thinkers50 ranking and named one of the top 10 leadership thinkers in the world. Notes: Habits of high impact players: Learn the game Play where they are needed Play with passion Impact players have a good internal locus of control. They believe they have agency in their life. They believe they are in charge of their life. Liz said, "You have a lot more power than you might think you have." Neil deGrasse Tyson said, "what you know is not as important as what you think." If you aspire to have greater influence, start thinking like an impact player…don't just use the playbook. Adopt the impact player mentality as your ethos. Many leaders commented how much they learned thru the process of answering questions. Teaching others can be one of the greatest tools for learning in the world... Seeking feedback and guidance versus seeking validation. Impact players don't need validation. They crave feedback and guidance so they can continually improve. Say less: Play your chips wisely - Before an important meeting, give yourself a budget of poker chips where each chip represents a comment or contribution to the meeting. Be relevant, be evidence-based, be unique and additive, be succinct. Building credibility with leaders and stakeholders: Some credibility killers? Waiting for managers to tell you what to do, ignoring the bigger picture, tell your manager it's not your job. Some credibility builders? Doing things without being asked, anticipating problems, and having a plan. Instead of following your passion… Be useful. Make a name for yourself by running towards the problems and solving them. Make your boss's life easier. Be useful. Work on what's important for the people you work for… "The Diminisher is a Micromanager who jumps in and out. The Multiplier is an Investor who gives others ownership and full accountability." "Multipliers invoke each person's unique intelligence and create an atmosphere of genius—innovation, productive effort, and collective intelligence." "It isn't how much you know that matters. What matters is how much access you have to what other people know. It isn't just how intelligent your team members are; it is how much of that intelligence you can draw out and put to use." "Multipliers aren't "feel-good" managers. They look into people and find capability, and they want to access all of it. They utilize people to their fullest. They see a lot, so they expect a lot." "The highest quality of thinking cannot emerge without learning. Learning can't happen without mistakes." What do Impact Players do? While others do their job, Impact Players figure out the real job to be done. While others wait for direction, Impact Players step up and lead. While others escalate problems, Impact Players move things across the finish line. While others attempt to minimize change, Impact Players are learning and adapting to change. While others add to the load, the Impact Players make heavy demands feel lighter. Some think you become great on the big stage under the bright lights. But the light only reveals the work you did in the dark. —Jeff Bajenaru An overarching idea: I can be of service and solve problems. The slogan from Kaiser Sand & Gravel; "Find a need and fill it."

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Robert Greene has written 7 international best-selling books focused on strategy, power, and seduction, including The 48 Laws of Power, Mastery, The Laws of Human Nature, and most recently, The Daily Laws. Notes: What matters is not education or money, but your persistence and the intensity of your desire to learn; that failures, mistakes, and conflicts are often the best education of all; and how true creativity and mastery emerge from all this. Adapt your inclinations. Avoid having rigid goals and dreams. Change is the law. Find inspiration from your heroes. Are there people whose work affects you in a powerful way? Analyze this and use them as models. Trust the process. Time is the essential ingredient of mastery. Use it to your advantage. What The mentor needs - Find a master to apprentice under, but instead of thinking about how much they can give you, think about how you can help them with their work. Learn by Doing -- The brain is designed to learn through constant repetition and active, hands-on involvement. Through such practice and persistence, any skill can be mastered. Master your emotional responses - displaying anger and emotion are signs of weakness; you cannot control yourself, so how can you control anything? Always Say Less Than Necessary. When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Avoid the false alliance -- Cultivate real allies. No one can get far in life without allies. The trick is to recognize the difference between false allies and real ones. A false alliance is created out of an immediate emotional need. A real alliance is formed out of mutual self-interest, each side supplying what the other cannot get alone. Despise the Free lunch - Learn to pay and to pay well. -- I find that the best clients don't haggle on price, they pay immediately and they are easy to work with. The clients who want to fight about every last dollar always end up being the most difficult to work with. "There is no cutting corners with excellence. It is often wise to pay full price." Judge people on their behavior, not on their words - What you want is a picture of a person's character over time. Restrain from the natural tendency to judge right away, and let the passage of time reveal more about who people are. Don't mistake extra conviction for truth - When people try to explain their ideas with so much exaggerated energy, or defend themselves with an intent level of denial, that is precisely when you should raise your antennae. Determine the strength of people's character - In gauging strength or weakness, look at how people handle stressful moments and responsibility. Look at their patterns: what have they actually completed or accomplished? Be a source of pleasure - No one wants to hear about your problems and troubles. An energetic presence is more charming than lethargy. Being lighthearted and fun is always more charming than being serious and critical. Leave people with a feeling - Keep your eyes on the aftermath of any encounter. Think more of the feeling you leave people with -- a feeling that might translate into a desire to see more of you. Transform yourself into a deep listener - It will provide you the most invaluable lessons about human psychology. The secret to this: finding other people endlessly fascinating. Do Not let success intoxicate you - after any kind of success, analyze the components. See the element of luck that is inevitably there, as well as the role that other people, including mentors, played in your good fortune. Increase your reaction time - the longer you can resist reacting, the more mental space you have for actual reflection, and the stronger your mind will become. Alive time or dead time - Never waste a minute. Make today your own -- whether you're stuck in traffic, sick in bed, or working long hours. You are renting just about everything in your life. The only thing you own is your time. Make the most of it.

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 General Stanley McChrystal retired in July 2010 as a four-star general in the U.S. Army. His last assignment was as the commander of the International Security Assistance Force and as the commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He had previously served as the director of the Joint Staff and as the commander of the Joint Special Operations Command. The author of My Share of the Task, Team of Teams, and Leaders, he is currently a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and the co-founder of the McChrystal Group, a leadership consulting firm. Notes: Stan's mentor for his military career and still to this day: an Army officer with a thick southern accent, Major John Vines. His advice: "If there are 3 people responsible for feeding the dog, the dog is going to starve." Stan graduated from West Point 31 years after his father did. Major General George Smith Patton (General George Patton's son) handed him his diploma. Stan wondered at that moment, what kind of leader you wanted to be. And he came up with, "a good one." Now the more fundamental question is "What do good leaders do?" Instead of just being a good leader, Stan desires to be an effective leader. Effective leaders: Tactically competent Are morally good Respected They create an environment where others want to follow They shape how people think and behave People that others want to follow Have high standards Risk: in reality, risk is neither mathematical nor finite. Its impact depends to a great extent on how we perceive, process, and respond. A healthy risk immune system successfully executes 4 imperatives: Detect, Assess, Respond, and Learn "Risk comes at you from out of the blue, from every angle, when least convenient. There is a cost in becoming overly focused on risk and another at ignoring them. And the sweet spot between the two extremes moves with the circumstances around you." "I chose a soldier's life for many reasons, one of which was the desire to perceive myself as a courageous risk taker. I liked the idea of taking risks that others would not." Threat x Vulnerability = Risk Risk is an eternal challenge. But trying to anticipate or predict every possible risk is a fool's errand. The key is to understand how we need to think about risk, and to then respond appropriately. Rather than living in dread of things we often can't anticipate, duck, or dodge – we must remember these five key insights. Look Inward: The greatest risk to us is us. It's Up to Us: We have a risk immune system Be holistic: It's the system. Make it work Balance: The muscles you exercise will be strong: those you ignore will be vulnerabilities Risk is always with us, and it's our responsibility to make our teams ready for it When taking command of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, Stan, along with the leaders of the unit, established The foundational skills - They called them the big 4: Physical conditioning Marksmanship Medical Skills Small Unit Drills But even before mastering basic skills, grounding both individuals and organizations with answers to the most basic questions that relate to the narrative is essential: What are our values? What exactly do we do? And why do we do it? What is expected of each of us? What went wrong with our response to COVID-19? 50 states operated separately instead of a united response "We weren't unified" "Our leaders did not communicate effectively." "You have to act before the population sees the requirement for it." Have a front-line obsession - Stan was known for going on the front lines with his soldiers. As leaders, we should do the same with our teams. Be on the front lines to: See how it's done with your own eyes, not just reports They need to see you go. They'll appreciate it It helps create your self-identity The new hybrid model of in-office and at-home working... Be intentional Use technology Understand what you're not doing Don't get lazy How to deal with imposter syndrome? Ask, "What do I know?" "What's my responsibility?" "You have to fight that crisis of confidence." Excellence = Be less flexible on your basic values Be flexible with how a problem gets solved

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Jay Williams is known as one of the greatest college basketball players of all time. At Duke, Jay won the Naismith College Player of the Year award, won the 2001 National Championship, and had his #22 retired. He was the second overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2002 NBA draft. Now Jay works as a basketball analyst for ESPN, hosts a radio show, and is actively involved as an investor in the business world. Notes: Jay starts by describing the terrifying night when he wrecked his motorcycle which led to the end of his playing career… Coach K flew a private plane to be with Jay in the hospital right after his motorcycle accident. He gave him a rosary and said, "you're going to give that back to me when you play again." Jay learned a valuable leadership lesson in that moment. Great leaders create hope. They give people something to strive for. "He gave me a reference point to look forward to." Communication: As a leader, you need to initiate a conversation with each person you're leading. You can't just lead one generic way. You need to get to know each person for who they are. Ask questions about them. Get to know them. Jay's mom said, "Life isn't interpreted by headlines." There is context to things. Jay learned from his mom to have a drive for knowledge and education. Legacy: "Impact is what I want my life to be." Coach K: "I was coached by one of the great minds at coaching life. He's a life leader." "I chose Duke because I wanted to be a king among kings." When Jay got drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he asked to have Michael Jordan's locker. It had not been used by anyone until that moment. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown." Preparation process - It never turns off. Always working on preparing for his work. Jay Bilas called all the prep the parachute. You don't want to need it, but you know it's there in case you get stuck. While at Duke, Jay decorated his body with tattoos, quotations, and symbols that meant far more later on. On his right leg, he inked the Chinese symbol for sacrifice; on his right arm, two hands clasped together, praying, next to the words "To err is human. To forgive is divine." He also added this, from Gandhi: "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." Jay graduated in 3 years: He majored in sociology, graduated early, and turned professional after his junior season. For his final thesis paper, he studied athletes who left college early, their backgrounds, why they failed or succeeded. Kobe - "A relentless pursuit to be the best." "Don't F with me, I'm in killer mode." "He crystalized those fruits that translate to things off the court too." Career advice: Appreciate your position while planning your promotion. Be excellent at your current role while also thinking about what could be next

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Ryan Holiday is the best-selling author of more than 10 books including The Obstacle Is The Way, Ego Is The Enemy, and most recently, Courage Is Calling. He's sold millions of copies and his work impacts leaders all over the world. Notes: A philosophy of offense. General James Mattis was once asked by a tv reporter, "what keeps you up at night?" And he said, "I keep people up at night." Captured his philosophy of offense (a bias for action… People who make it happen) Preparation makes you brave. —- the Army life handbook that was handed out to millions of soldiers in the Second World War. All about preparation. As Epictetus says the goal when we experience adversity is to be able to say, "this is what I've trained for, for this is my discipline." Never question another man's courage. "It's very easy to judge. It's very hard to know." Waste not a second questioning another man's courage. Put that scrutiny solely on your own. Be strong and of good courage. We hear in the book of Joshua. William Faulkner said "be scared. You can't help that. But don't be afraid." You can't spend all day in deliberation — the story of a Spartan king who was marching across Greece. As he entered each new country, he sent envoys to ask whether he should be prepared to treat them as friends or enemies. Most of the nations decided quickly and chose friendship. But one king wanted to think about his options. So he thought and thought and thought until it was chosen for him. "Let him consider it then," the frustrated Spartan General said as he fixed his jaw. "Which we March on." Even if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. You are voting to let them decide. The power of poise — in the year 175, Marcus Aurelius was betrayed by his general Avidius Cassius in an attempted coup. He could have been scared. He could have been furious. He could have exploded. But this would not happen. He said, "the nearer a man is to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength." Ernest Shackleton — Arctic expedition got stuck in the ice. His motto —fortitudine vincimus — By endurance we conquer The courage to care — General Mattis said "cynicism is cowardice, it takes courage to care." Only the brave believe, especially when everyone else is full of doubt. the story of Theodore Roosevelt the biographer Herman Hagedorn wrote "is the story of a small boy who read about great men and decided he wanted to be like them." Ryan shared a personal story about his experience working for American Apparel and his relationship with founder/CEO, Dov Charney. He was asked to do something immoral and he declined... But, he didn't stop Dov from doing it. "It doesn't age well to just be scared in the moment. All that's left is what you didn't do." When you earn some power or develop a platform, how will you use it? When Lyndon Johnson became President, he said, "What the hell is the presidency for if not to do big things?" Consistency -- How does Ryan produce so much work (publishing lots of books) on a consistent basis? You have to show up every day. Tackle the smallest component part of the project for that day. Do what's in front of you. Why does Ryan work out every day? "I like to think, 'who's in charge?' I'm in charge." Excellence = All leaders are readers Curiosity is a must Desire for knowledge Self-discipline An element of service - it's not just about you How does Ryan define success? Autonomy. "The power of my own life, who I spend time with, and what I'm doing. I don't want to be a slave to the system."

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 John Bacon has written twelve books on sports, business, health, and history, the last seven all National Bestsellers. His latest book is "LET THEM LEAD: Unexpected Lessons in Leadership from America's Worst High School Hockey Team." Notes: Be Patient with Results, Not Behavior - Accept where you are to get where you want to go. Be present so you can own your attention and energy. Be patient and you'll get there faster. Embrace vulnerability to develop genuine strength and confidence. Build deep community over efficiency and optimization. Move your body to ground your mind Reduce Your Rules, but Make Them Stick - Make your rules few, clear, and connected to your larger mission. They have to be within everyone's control to follow every day. When your people start enforcing the rules themselves, the culture has changed. To make it special to be on your team, make it hard to be on your team. The people who apply to the Navy SEALS and the Peace Corps are attracted to the difficulty. They know not everyone can make it, and that's what makes it special You can't motivate people you don't know - Leadership doesn't require rousing speeches; it requires that you get to know your people. The more power you give, the more you get -Select leaders for their ability to lead, not their ability to do the job they used to have. Leaders must know their jobs, know how to do their jobs, know everyone else's jobs, and help them all do their jobs better! This is how you create "layers of leadership," which benefits everyone, and keeps you from burning out. All credit goes to your people - If you give away the credit and accept the blame, you'll be rewarded with loyalty. If your team succeeds, you will always get more credit than you need. "The reward of a job well done is to have done it." John's two initial goals when he took over the worst team in the state: Be the hardest working team in the state Win a state title On day 1, he set high standards -- Previously, they were 0-22-3 "Make no small plans, they lack the power to stir people's souls." John Bacon's two rules: Work hard Support your teammates "Behaviors you can always control, performance and outcomes you can't." Life advice: Focus on yourself first Work hard and support your teammates

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12 https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, is President and Chief Executive Officer of SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management. With over 300,000 members in 165 countries, SHRM is the largest HR professional association in the world, impacting the lives of 115 million workers every day. Notes: "Crisis come and go, but our chance to demonstrate leadership skills is constant. In times such as these, Johnny abides by three key principles: Culture comes first Data is your greatest friends Be "extra" Mistakes made by Chief Human Resource Officers: RULES: CHROs who fail emphasize rules over solutions. ROLES: CHROs who fail develop an instinctual approach to solidifying their role, necessitating constant validation RELATIONSHIPS: CHROs who fail prioritize relationships (when hiring) above results or data. RIGHTEOUSNESS: CHROs who fail need to be right at all times without accounting for other perspectives "Culture is the cure amid chaos" -- At SHRM, they've defined themselves by their guiding principles: Bold Purpose Excellence & Accountability Flexibility & Agility Smart & Curious Collaborative Openness How Johnny earned the CEO role? He's had a wide range of jobs: Lawyer, a business leader in 'for-profit,' business leader in non-profit, understands being responsible for his own Profit and Loss of a business Since Johnny was seven years old, he knew he wanted to be a lawyer Why leaders need to become excellent writers and speakers: Inspiring employees has become table stakes to be an excellent leader How to work on this? READ. Johnny regularly reads with his 11-year-old daughter to help her work on this. "Grammar matters. Typos matter. We judge people on those things." Hiring: What does Johnny look for in a candidate to hire: Technical competencies - They have to know how to do the job Cultural alignment - We do not hire brilliant jerks Curiosity is key: "Tell me something you've been thinking about that would surprise me..." Self-awareness: Tell me about situations where you've been wrong or failed... Their motivation: "Why do you work? What has changed most over the years? "Culture is everything now. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are getting better." How can leaders create a healthy culture that acknowledges and prevents racism, sexism, and bias? "We have to talk about it." Acknowledge it Commonalities of people who sustained excellence: Curiosity - receptive to change Fiercely competitive - They want to win Exist for a bigger purpose The RESET - The opinion and perspective of Human Resources is changing... "They can't be the department of NO anymore." "The job of the HR professional is to help their leaders get a good return on their hiring investment." Life/Career Advice: Become really good at something. Become an expert Build relationships Build empathy - "When I was a young 'hot-shot' attorney, I would run through people." You need to build empathy for others."