The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 Full show notes found at www.LearningLeader.com Episode #360: Kirk Herbstreit - How To Prepare Like The Best Broadcaster In The Business Notes: "Because of what you have to do to be part of that program... You do things you didn't think you would ever fathom you could get through. It develops you as a person." -- Kirk on what it's like to play football at Centerville High School. "Nothing has impacted me more than the time and what I learned from Bob Gregg and Ron Ullery. It's with me every single day. That's why we take so much pride in it. Because of the impact it has on our entire life." Learning resilience and how to persevere, and how to prepare for big moments. Kirk's preparation process: There's nobody more prepared than Kirk each week. "It's the only thing I know. It's not an option for me to not be prepared." "Nobody knew who I was back in 1996 when I first started. Instead of hiding from that, I said 'I'm going to be the hardest working analyst in sports. That became my calling card. I had to earn people's respect. The only way I knew how to do that was through my work ethic and preparation. It's the only way I know how." The importance of relationships - "I've never in 25 years burned a coach. I never will. They are a lifeline for me. It's one thing to read an article. For you to really get information, you have to go directly to the sources... The coaches." "I feel I'm the most prepared person covering the sport every week when I do Gameday and when I go into the booth Saturday night." "If I'm awake I'm either with my kids or I'm preparing for the games." Building relationships with powerful people... How? "Trust. That's the most important thing. In my job, you sometimes have to be critical. What I've always said to myself is, if this person was sitting next to me, he might disagree, but he's not going to be offended." "I'll call them the next week to make sure they understood what I said. I go out of my way to promote people." Sustaining Excellence -- "I look at it like... I don't do this for money, I don't do this for fame, I do this for love, for passion. There's nothing that makes me more happy than watching football. I love it. It never gets old, I'm constantly trying to improve, to get better. I feel like here I am 25 years into this business and I'm just scratching the surface..." "You gotta keep working, you gotta keep learning." "It's such a fun challenge to broadcast games now with how much has changed..." Working with a partner (for him it is Chris Fowler)... The keys to working well with a partner: Developing a relationship with that person - Make sure you go to dinners, do things away from work. Get to know that person. Become friends. Then earn your stripe through your preparation and your work. Working with a broadcasting team - It takes amazing, constant, communication. Keys to great quarterback play and how that translate to being a great leader in the business world: The ability to process a lot of information and make sense of it quickly (Joe Burrow is the best he's seen) Accuracy - Throw the ball where you want it to go Make great decisions Mental toughness Being the type of person that others want to follow... How to do that? Play-making ability is a must - people are drawn to you because they believe in you You can do it differently, but "it's very hard to think of successful quarterbacks that aren't well liked by all members of the team." People are drawn to them.  -- Cannot be selfish. The quarterback gets a lot of attention. Need to deflect that and talk about the linemen, the defense, your teammates. Would Kirk take the Monday Night Football broadcasting job? "I've talked with my agent about it. That's in play. It's being talked about. It would have to be in addition. I'll never leave college." "I love watching the NFL... Watching guys that I've covered. The college game is leaking more and more into the NFL. The prep would be pretty extreme, but I could do it." Life advice: "I was raised to be an unselfish person. I've never felt like I was more important than anyone else. I'll never put myself above anybody in any regard." -- Be the hardest working person, have an awareness about you to help others, never think you're more important than others."

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com Episode #359: Pat Lencioni This was recorded with hundreds of fans/friends on Zoom on April 2, 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Notes: Three actions for leaders in a perilous time: be exceedingly human. By that, I mean that you should demonstrate your concern for the very real fears and anxieties that your people are experiencing, not only professionally and economically, but socially and personally. Even though you don’t have definitive answers to all of their questions, don’t let that keep you from listening to them and empathizing with their fears. And, contrary to conventional wisdom, you should not be hesitant to share your own concerns with your people. They want to know that they can relate to you and that they are not alone in their concerns. be persistent. This is not a time to hold back. Send people updates and regular communication, even if there is not a lot of new information and the message is largely personal. No one will look back at this time and say, “my manager was so annoying with all the encouraging emails checking in on me.” When people are isolated, over-communication is more important than ever. be creative. Try new things. Call semi-regular video-conference meetings that allow employees to not only talk about work, but to share their experiences dealing with this situation. Have them share movies and games and other tools that they are finding to be helpful with their families and invite them to tell stories about what is going on in their worlds. Crises provide an opportunity for people to come to know one another and establish bonds that will endure long after the crisis is over. This is not a time to be efficient. It’s a time to be present with people.  Once they get that new sense of trust, then you can move on. Every company/family needs to be intentional about their thematic goal/rallying cry. Cohesiveness and innovation are the themes for The Table Group What we do during this time is going to be what people remember.  This is the window of opportunity. People would rather be criticized than ignored. The opposite of love is not hate. It's indifference. Pat is looking for that sense of “peace” that no matter what happens, we will be okay. (He tells a story about an NYC priest the night before he died “I”m not afraid.") When you help others, your fears go down. Idle time and worry is what makes fear rise. Advice for parenting teenagers right now -- "It's a time for grace, not discipline." How to establish a safe environment? Empower people to take risks.  When they stumble, it's okay. Failure = learning moment 2 biggest red flags of a bad teammate - what are the symptoms/ hardest things to overcome? Insecurity and selfishness Good teammates? "They take ownership of their mistakes and work to correct them." Must take ownership of it to improve. The Ideal Team Player -- Humble, Hungry, Smart. Download for free: “The three questions to ask your family" on Pat's website The Table Group Does Love have a place in leadership?  You need to love your players even if you don’t like them. You have to do what is in their best interest. Pat's next book? "The Heroic Manager" The Five Dysfunctions Of A Team: Absence of trust - unwilling to be vulnerable within the group Fear of conflict - seeking artificial harmony over constructive passionate debate Lack of commitment - feigning buy-in for group decisions creates ambiguity throughout the organization Avoidance of accountability - ducking the responsibility to call peers on counterproductive behavior which sets low standards Inattention to results - focusing on personal success, status and ego before team success

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 Full notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com Episode #358: Stephen Covey - The One Thing That Changes Everything (Trust) Notes: Sustaining excellence = They get results in a way that inspires trust. If you cut costs for profits, you won't earn trust long term. You won't win long term. "You must think... There always is a next time." Build a culture of character and competence.  Those are the components of trust. Taking shortcuts, cutting corners will get your short term results, but you will not sustain it. "Beware of the shortcuts." Make expectations clear. Hitting the number is a commitment. For the mid-level manager: The middle is the key leverage point. You always need to be building trust and delivering results.  Leaders go first. "Be trustworthy. Be trusting." Give trust to others, lead with trust. If you have a bad boss? "Create an island of excellence in a sea of mediocrity." "If we think the problem is everyone else, we disempower ourselves." --> Look in the mirror: 'Here's what I can do..." Self trust. It starts inside of you. Neuroscience on trust - When there is low trust on a tea, it saps the energy and joy. It's not fun. High trust = energizing. How can I be that type of leader? For the person that doesn't trust anyone else, they are really saying, "I don't trust myself." They know they lie. How to build trust with yourself? Learn to make and keep commitments with yourself and others. "Make, keep, repeat. Make, keep, repeat." "Trust is doing what you say you're going to do." "Saying it builds hope. Doing it builds trust." Trust = Character + Competence. Admiral McRaven - "If you wan to change the world, start with making your bed." "Private victories precede public victories." Warren Buffett does deals based on trust. Trust impacts speed and cost.  "Trust decrease transaction costs." --> When you don't have trust, there is a tax on that. When trust goes time, costs go up. When trust goes up, costs go down. Focus on your credibility. Your character and your competence. Build your reputation. Start with your behavior. Behave in a way to garner trust. Distrusts is exhausting. It's not sustainable in relationships. How to handle a non-trusting boss? "You can't change the conditions or change them. If you must stay, focus on YOUR credibility. The starting place is on increasing your credibility, it will create more clout, courage, and permission in your organization.  Always start with yourself." The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People #1 - Be proactive. You're responsible. "You're not a program. You're a programmer." Between the stimulus and response, there is a space. I choose my response and take responsibility." What's it like having Covey as his last name - "The power is in the principles." #5 - Seek first to understand, then to be understood. A doctor diagnoses before they prescribe. It builds trust when the other person feels understood. #7 - Sharpen the saw - Getting better.  "The Learning Leader has never arrived..." His Dad's ethos: To Live To Love To Learn To Leave a Legacy Here is WHY joining a Learning Leader Circle is a good idea...

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 For full notes go to www.LearningLeader.com Episode #357: General Stanley McChrystal - Leadership In Uncertain Times “As we lead through this time of crisis, leaders are more important than ever: 1) Communicate relentlessly 2) Match your internal operating pace with that of your external environment 3) Continue to reiterate what ‘winning’ looks like to your organization.” Foreword from his book Team of Teams, legendary author Walter Isaacson wrote: “Whether in business or in war, the ability to react quickly and adapt is critical, and it’s becoming even more so as technology and disruptive forces increase the pace of change. That requires new ways to communicate and work together. In today’s world, creativity is a collaborative endeavor. Innovation is a team effort.” Stockdale Paradox - (named for Admiral James Stockdale - the highest ranking POW of the Vietnam War who described how leaders survive terrible ordeals) "You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end — which you can never afford to lose — with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.” From page 104 in my book, Welcome To Management -- General McChrystal extended a gracious invitation for me to tour the hallowed grounds at the Battle of Gettysburg alongside the students he teaches in his leadership class at Yale. We learned a lot about the history of the battle over the course of two days with General McChrystal and some of his friends as tour guides. However, one teaching point that I specifically remembered was this, “The real lesson is . . . it’s not tactics, not strategy; it’s always about the people.” Uncertainty -- What’s most scary for people.  While you can’t predict the future, you can be that sense of calm, cool, composed (QB in the huddle in tense moments).  General at war. The quarterback at Yale (where Stan teaches) said, "When you throw an interception, don't say 'My bad.' The guys know it's your bad. Say, 'here's what we're going to do next.'" Recent events:  “These observations remind us of our early months fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq: We struggled to keep up with the pace of events, needed to unlearn conventional management rules and had to learn to lead in a totally new way.” From James Clear - “The most useful form of patience is persistence. Patience implies waiting for things to improve on their own. Persistence implies keeping your head down and continuing to work when things take longer than you expect.” "You have to navigate from where you are, not where you wish you were." From Stan -- The German Army had a say, "feel the cloth." They were referencing when the men were walking so close to one another they could literally feel the cloth on the person next to them. Right now, we don't have that luxury with our co-workers, and it's a challenge. But what we do have and what we need to utilize are communication platforms to stay connected to our teammates. This is our new normal and it's our time to be a leader and help our team get the job done. Communicate -- Losing these in person interactions in a remote-work environment means leaders need to start communicating with more regularity and breadth to their organization. Set Realistic Goals - This is not business as usual, but you can still succeed. Your role as a leader is to be brutally honest about what is achievable in the coming weeks and months as this disruption continues to ripple across the economy. Be Patient - Many of your employees, especially the younger ones, have not experienced turmoil like this in their careers. Be patient, but start communicating now. It is your responsibility as a leader to be a source of calm and steady for them. (from CNN) Questions from members of my Leadership Circle:  Nicci Bosco --What values can we hold in our mind/should we be thinking about/allowing to guide our own actions with when speaking to a group/leading a group/etc in uncertain times? What can we do to re-fill our own reservoir when we notice we're depleted? If we don't know the answer to something, but still want to provide guidance and a response, what are some options? Tom Carvelli -- If you had to sum up your leadership principles into a single unified concept, what would that be?  What does your your daily fitness routine look like in times like these when resources and activities are curtailed? Matt Spitz -- In a world that is incredibly uncertain is there anything in his life that never changes?  Matt Mullins -- In times of adversity and uncertainty how do leaders ensure that their people are prepared and confident to thrive and maintain character through those moments?  How does one develop the ability to maintain composure in stressful situations? How? Stan's daily routine - It always starts with a workout in the early morning hours. "Always start the day lifting. Do a lot of Abs. Work on your core." That discipline creates consistency and that creates confidence. Stan weighs exactly the same today as he did when he was 17! He's only eaten one meal per day for 40 years. If you have to fire someone (or lay them off) -- "Explain it, be honest, do it with grace." Roosevelt during Pearl Harbor - "We are going to do whatever it takes to prevail. It's an unthinkable time, but we will get through it." "You exist for the team... To give them what they need." People are watching what you (the leader) is doing at every moment. How do you respond to good news? Bad news? What is you facial expression on that video conference call? The "Say-Do" gap. As a leader there should not be a gap between what you say and what you do. You must LIVE your values. Building a committed team -- Top CIA agent said to Stan when they were overseas... "I don't know what the Ranger way is, but I will commit to YOU as a person." A two-thousand-year-old Stoic phrase (from Ryan Holiday's Daily Stoic): What is up to us, what is not up to us? And what is up to us? Our emotions. Our judgments. Our creativity. Our attitude. Our perspective. Our desires. Our decisions. Our determination. Here is WHY joining a Learning Leader Circle is a good idea...

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 for details Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com 356: Stewart Friedman - How To Parent With Purpose & Fuel Your Career Notes: Sustaining excellence = "they take seriously the idea that it's not just about work. It's about life." --> Know what you care about... "It takes courage to look inside yourself." Ask yourself, "What am I here to do?"  For Stew, "I'm here to help people grow as leaders and make an impact on the world." What Stew learned from his time as a cab driver: Patience... Everyone is unique. You see how people treat others.  "It created a love of geography." There is a lot of perspective to be gained from working in the service industry. Stew was hired to run the leadership development program at Ford It was important to connect with everyone around him "Be respectful of all people you interact." Humbled -- "I realized I knew nothing when I went to Ford." "I get up there and devise what the next 10 years will look like... And talked about myself the whole time. A key leader pulled me aside and said, 'What the F are you doing?'" Be WHOLE - It's about you as a whole person both at work and at home. "Firms that fully embrace the needs and interests of the whole person will win today's competition for the best talent." "Leading is about mobilizing people toward valued goals." Learn how to talk with others and show them that you truly value you... LISTEN "Ryan, you're one of the most important people to me in my life..." What does the team need from the leader? values, vision, an understanding of the stakeholders The leadership leap: You must care about people Understand the specific priorities Ask, "What am I missing?" Total Leadership: Projection - "If you had control, what would you be doing?" "What's distinctive about you?" Get clarity on what you care about right now Identify the most important people in your life Be innovative -- Constantly experimenting Create 4 way wins: Business Family Community Personal Take initiative - "What's a win for your company? Your boss?" "At the individual level, you need to examine what you truly value, share this with key stakeholders in various life domains both to get feedback and support, and then to experiment with new ways of doing things so that - over the arc of a life - you can achieve harmony and have more of what it is that you uniquely want out of life." Work life integration is a more useful term than work life balance. "Balance is the wrong metaphor." The four elements, where do you devote your attention? Do an assessment - Take 100 points... Divy up how important each of the following are based on your actions: Work Home Community Self Do you find yourself saying, "I'm not paying enough attention to the things that matter to me." "It's like a jazz quartet. Four people paying attention to each other, improvise, respond, make something beautiful over time." "The only failure is the failure to learn from conscious and deliberate efforts to make things better, even if those attempts fall short of the mark." Writing Parents Who Lead -  Crafting a collective vision. "What does our life look like?" The question to ask: "How do you be you?" "The courageous ones are able to bring that question forward..."

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com The Learning Leader Academy: http://bit.ly/thelearningleaderacademy Episode #355: Ramit Sethi - How To Live A Rich Life Notes: Ramit's book buying rule - If you are even thinking about buying the book, don't deliberate, just buy it.  You could invest $17 and it could change your life.  Even one idea makes it worth it. Excellence - "Consistently do the work." Put it on the calendar Seek out people who are successful and then ask them for advice In motion - Refuse to be stuck or paralyzed -- Take action "Show me your spending and your calendar and I'll show you your priorities." What are the 3-4 most important things in your life? Does your spending and your calendar reflect that? Ramit starting learning how money worked while he was in college at Stanford... "The basic, boring truth. Consistency..." Starting your blog can be your experimental laboratory What is the future of online courses? Online learning will continue to grow -- "Great leaders are always learning." You should join The Learning Leader Academy The trajectory of hiring as you're growing a business: Part time assistant --> Researcher --> Full time What do you look for when choosing who to add to your team? Excellent at the task of doing the work Curious - They ask great questions Likable - They are someone you want to spend time with Start your business on the side: It's practical... Going from zero to 1 is very hard: Start this part while you have a job and don't need the money from your new endeavor The psychology of pricing:  There is a profound difference in customers who get it for free vs. those who pay for it You need to create "skin in the game."  People value it more if they have a financial stake in it. "In business, you're not looking for the most people, you're looking for the right people." "If you're a cheapskate, you'll attract cheapskates." The power of mentors: They can be massively helpful, but you need to do the work to be a valuable mentee.  Show up to your meetings prepared and with a purpose.  Don't wander through life. Atul Gawande - A coach in the operating room -- EVERYONE needs a coach. Automate your finances - It's the crown jewel.  Set up your system so you don't need to think about it after it's created. Create auto saving behaviors "People are so busy asking $3 questions instead of $30K questions." "How do I use my money to live a rich life?" "What does rich mean to you?"

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 For full show notes, go to www.LearningLeader.com Episode #354: WELCOME TO MANAGEMENT Book Launch Party With Doug Meyer This is the recording from the conversation I had with Co-Founder/President of Brixey & Meyer, Doug Meyer, in front of many of our friends, clients, and colleagues at the Dayton office of Brixey & Meyer. In WELCOME TO MANAGEMENT, I provide practical, actionable advice to help new managers build and lead committed teams in the face of daunting, unanticipated challenges. He presents a three-part framework outlining best practices distilled from interviews with more than 350 of the most forward-thinking leaders in the world, as well as his own professional experience transitioning from individual producer to new leader. Through compelling stories and data-backed case studies, the book helps high performers make the leap from individual contributor to manager with greater ease, grace, courage, and effectiveness. Notes: The book writing process: How long did it take to write? What was the proposal writing process like? What led you to sell the book rights to McGraw-Hill? Curiosity? Always natural or a learned skill? -- For me, this was something I learned to do... As I learned more, I realized there was so much more to learn. The Cycle of Learning -- Operating Framework Consume/Learn - The intake engine (read, listen to podcasts, speak with mentors) Test - Experiment with what's been learned (You can't just be a learner, you have to be a doer) - "We learn who we are in practice, not in theory." Reflect - Analyze results, make adjustments Teach - Reinforce learning through sharing with others Mentors vs. coaches. Interesting comparison and need throughout life. We discussed the difference and importance of each... “Build the skills to do the job, not to get the job.” -- The act of putting your high potential employees in position to actually do the job, not just prepare for an interview. Developing self-awareness -- It's important to regularly hold a mirror up to ourselves and surround self with people who will be brutally honest and caring of you and your development. WELCOME TO MANAGEMENT  will teach you Where the real work of leadership begins The greatest medicine for fear and how to put it into practice Why you need an “Operating Framework” and how to create one The 3 key elements to creating a performance culture The opportunity that many managers miss after they achieve success The seven keys to earning respect The quickest way to build trust is through vulnerability Managing a team you inherit -- The instant you sign for the job, those are YOUR players.  Don't use terms like 'they' or 'them.'  It is US and WE. The difference between leadership, management, coaching Leadership: The act of leading is about providing purpose, direction, aligning expectations, and inspiring the team. Management: Figuring out how to work within the current constraints of the system you are in... It is the administration and stewardship of resources. Coaching: The two types of coaching: Coaching for performance - The 'right now' actions... Behaviors. Coaching for development - Longer term Dustyn Kim is a fantastic model for humility, vulnerability, and intelligence -- That's what she's the type of leader that I committed to doing everything I could to help her be successful. Nobody is 'self-made.'  We are are built from communities of people who care about us, help us, and show love and support.

The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 For full show notes go to www.LearningLeader.com Episode #353: Jeni Britton Bauer - How To Create A 'Craveable' Reason To Return Jeni Britton Bauer is an American ice cream maker and entrepreneur. Jeni opened her first ice cream shop, Scream, in 1996, then founded Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002. Her first cookbook, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller and won a coveted James Beard Award in 2012. Jeni is a 2017 Henry Crown Fellow and has been recognized by Fast Company as "one of the most creative companies in the world." Notes: Leaders who sustain excellence = "The main thing is you show up every day.  You show up and lead by example. You have to be IN IT daily." That develops trusts.  Trusts leads to it the rest... Jeni is a subject matter expert on the topics that matter to her: ice cream, leadership, curiosity, creativity... "It’s not a genius idea then lots of funding, then success.  It’s really more subtle than that. Blazing a slow path through a tangled jungle, learning as you go over many years.  It takes time." "I find my discipline when I find my passion.  And that passion starts with curiosity. And finding the place of what I want to do is needed in the world." How to know what your passion is? "There's a cross road of what you want to explore and what other people want." -- "That's entrepreneurial thinking.  It's about community and creativity." "We don't know what's possible... You've got to be out exploring and be open to new ideas." Create time for yourself and your team to follow your curiosity... Entrepreneurship is about a 2 way communication with customers.  One pint of ice cream tested positive for listeria but there was never an outbreak. -- They recalled 6 months worth of ice cream, destroying 535,000 pounds (or 265 tons) of ice cream, costing the company more than $2.5 million!  It almost put them out of business. “You want to say you've got talent, hustle, and guts. You want to tell that to the world, but you don't really know until you prove it." "If we create a community, everything falls into place.  Put your values front and center and merge with the community.  When the community sees your business as vital, they will help you when times are tough." “There’s nothing more important whether in the financial industry or ice cream, than trust.” "Create a craveable reason to return" - Why would a customer come back to you? Why would someone follow you? What are you doing as a leader that makes someone want to follow you?

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com Episode #352: Patrick Lencioni - The Five Key Actions Of Excellent Leaders Notes: Leaders who sustain excellence = Humility - They don't feel they are more important than others, but they realize that their words and actions carry more weight. "Leadership is a privilege... It's about serving others. A lot of leaders lead because they think it looks cool." "Leadership has to be about what you can give, not what you can get." Exploring the two leadership motives: Reward-centered leadership: the belief that being a leader is the reward for hard work, and therefore, that the experience of being a leader should be pleasant and enjoyable, avoiding anything mundane, unpleasant or uncomfortable. Responsibility-centered leadership: the belief that being a leader is a responsibility, and therefore that the experience of leading should be difficult and challenging (though certainly not without elements of personal gratification). One of the questions to ask yourself: “How do you see your job in terms of verbs?” — what do you do to really help the business? The leader must be a constant, incessant reminder of the company’s purpose, strategy, values, & priorities.  You’re not only the CEO, you’re the CRO.” Chief Reminding Officer The actions of great leaders: Running great meetings Managing the executive team Managing the executives as individuals Having difficult conversations with people Constantly communicating and repeating key messages to employees "The CEO should have the most painful job in the company." For the mid-level manager -- "Am I waking up with the right rationale to do this job?" Love is a verb: Time Affection Discipline "Leadership is not a noun, it's a verb." Running great meetings: "Meetings are the central activity of leadership.  Bad leaders have other people run their meetings." Good meetings have debate and conflict.  People are able to be passionate without consequence.  The leader prioritizes what will be talked about. CEO's are responsible to build teams.  Your job is to build teams based on trust When receiving a message from a cynical leader who says "You don't understand."  Our response? "No, we're not going to be that way.  The ones who do the hard work change the world." Micro-managing vs. Accountability: "There is an abdication of management.  You should know what your team is doing." Parenting: "The great news about being a parent is it's humbling." The leader must be the chief reminding officer: "Constant, incessant, reminder of the company's purpose, strategy, values, and priorities. You must over-communicate." Marriage advice: "Be completely humble, vulnerable, especially in front of the kids.  Engage in healthy conflict.  When people can't argue, that's a problem."

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk Text LEARNERS to 44222 Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com  Episode #351: John Maxwell - The Laws Of Leadership (Follow Them & People Will Follow You) John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, coach, and author who has sold over 20 million books. A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week best-selling author, Maxwell has written three books which have each sold more than one million copies: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. Notes: "Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better." - Pat Riley The difference between 'best' and 'better' "Whatever is best for now... Tomorrow has got to get better. I always look at 'best' for a moment." "If you're not growing today, I have to talk about yesterday. I don't want to talk about yesterday." The great leaders: Listen Learn Lead The importance of listening and asking questions: "I began to ask questions, invite people to sit down and talk."  Shared learning and growing together... What John learned from Angela Ahrendts: "I aim to always give 60 and take 40.  Always give more than you take." "Add more value to people than you take." Working with your team: "I put an idea in front of my team and say, 'make it better,' and they always do." Proactive: "If you're not proactive, you're reactive.  I've never met a great leader who wasn't proactive." "Be unforgettable.  Always be the first person to help." Action Attraction "The moment I move, I attract all resources because I'm moving." "I never draw people to me when I sit still." "Action shows intention" Keynote speaking preparation: "When I'm in the green room preparing, I'm thinking about the people in the audience. I begin to envision the people leaning in, taking notes, engaged.  It helps me." The content you have will alone will not cut it -- "Connecting the content to the people carries the day. I want them to say, 'oh my gosh, he's talking to me.'" "The response of the people charges me up." Layered learning: Is your fence facing out or facing in?  Are you growing?  Or shrinking? Building a company?  "I wasn't trying to build a company.  It started in a garage.  Each company was created just to help solve problems for people. --> Find a need, start a company, find a need, start a company." There are now over 30,000 John Maxwell coaches "I've always had the ability to take a problem and develop a resource for it." "I can smell an opportunity... And I can see it in people.  I've always been quick to spot this." How to develop this skill? --> "You must seize the opportunities. Act quickly." Adaptability - "A person that lacks flexibility will mist a lot of opportunities." Peter Drucker did not make long range plans.  He focused on seizing the moment. John's long range plan: "What I want for people is for them to do well and I want to help them do that." Life advice: Value people Continually grow Live very intentionally