Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks

“What would it be like if you were only known for the worst decision that you've made for the rest of your life?” I’m excited for you to hear this episode because I think it will challenge you as it did me. My guest is Catherine Hoke. “Cat” is a former venture capitalist who is using training in entrepreneurship to solve a very serious social problem, high recidivism rates in the US prison system. And to that end, founded two successful nonprofits; the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) and Defy Ventures. In 14 years over five thousand incarcerated people have graduated from these two programs and earning Baylor University MBA certificates and the programs have resulted in industry leading low recidivism rates of less than seven percent. Fast company named “Cat” one of the hundred most creative people in business. Forbes named her 40 women to watch over 40. She was also one of the first recipients of the MakeTechHuman Agents of Change award given to global influencers who are shaping how technology is expanding human possibility She has a new best selling book (published by Seth Godin BTW)  called A Second Chance: For You, For Me, And For The Rest Of Us, about the struggles and triumphs of her journey and on her graduates journey, telling the stories of America's most unforgivable people redeeming their lives. This was an emotional interview - for me - in many levels.  I was personally challenged by her vulnerability, as you will hear, she is incredibly brave. I was also humbled by her commitment to her mission as she did the interview despite very difficult circumstances. So many times I’ve been waylaid by something or some event and there goes the day. Not Cat. We all make stupid decision and mistakes that, on a continuum range from the benign bad to the life changing horrible. Cat will challenge you to ‘step to the line,’ forgive yourself and others then move forward in making a difference. ...and I challenge you to listen to what she has to say Enjoy!  

What does the 2007 -2008 financial crisis, the Fukushima nuclear accident, Three Mile Island, and Deepwater Horizon all have in common? The small things. Or rather, lots of tightly coupled small things that are overlooked, ignored or covered up. Accidents waiting to happen. In Deep Survival, Lawrence Gonzalez, writes about the fact that accidents don’t just happen, they are assembled carefully, piece by piece. And if just one single piece is missing, the accident simply doesn’t happen. Risk is unavoidable but accidents aren't.   Our world is filled with countless near-misses and close calls, and the truth is, most of the time we never even know how close we came to this or that accident or disaster. This is even truer at the organizational/institutional levels, where risk and complexity combine with organizational culture to increase both the likelihood and the impact of catastrophic failure. My guest on this podcast is Chris Clearfield. Chris brings a novel approach to the study of the challenges posed by risk and complexity. He’s a science geek and reformed derivatives trader, but more recently he’s the founder of System Logic, an independent research and consulting firm dedicated to understanding risk and its interaction with organizational factors. He’s also the co-author, with András Tilcsik, of Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail, and What We Can do About it, which is the topic of our show today. This isn't a conversation just about system failures and why they happen; it's also about what we can do about those failures, about how we can better prepare for, and even prevent many such accidents and failures from happening. “The same kind of culture and decision making that led to the financial crisis also led to BP" - Chris Clearfield  Complex systems generate risk (and fail) in ways that are fundamentally different from the kinds of risks and failures our species evolved to deal with over millions of years, and that the new risk landscape we face requires a new approach to risk management, and really, an entirely new organizational culture. Chris was very insightful during the conversation, as he discussed the emergent properties of many system-wide failures. Many of these disasters were emergent in those systems in the same way as the 2009 financial crisis was “of the system and not an anomaly.” “What would have to be in place for something really bad to happen?" Checklists and Pre-mortems After talking with Chris, I find myself thinking much more in terms of checklists and “pre-mortems” and the like. It’s like we spend most of our lives driving along a twisty mountain highway at night, totally clueless about just how close to the edge of the 500-foot cliff we really came around that last turn. I’m reflecting more and more on what would have to be in place for something bad to go wrong, say driving your car or in managing online bank accounts. What would have to be in place for something really bad to happen and then kind of going back and mentally reverse-engineering and mitigating those things, those pieces, one by one. I hope you find my conversation with Chris as interesting as I did.   Some of the other subjects we discuss include: Why systems fail and how some of these companies handled or weathered different crises much better than others; Tight coupling—where connections come together in a way that’s very hard to stop The most prevalent cognitive biases associated with meltdowns  Black Swan events—and how to find the feathers that predict such events Pre-established criteria in decision making The value of dissent Power cues—including a fascinating example Chris gives of a study they did with physicians’ around body language with patients; The S.P.I.E.S Tool, that goes hand in hand with the Annie Duke episode if you're curious and want to listen to that regarding Thinking in Bets. In other words, we talked about a ton of really interesting and useful subjects, and hopefully, I've “salted” this intro enough to make you thirsty for the whole episode.

This episode is about where you spend the majority of your life - your work: why you do it, how you do it, changing where you do it and how companies should measure it. On this podcast I talk with Fred Kaufman. Fred is the former vice president of executive development at Linkedin and current leadership advisor at Google. He is also the author of seven books including conscious business, authentic communication, and for our discussion, his findings in his latest book, the Meaning Revolution. Fred addresses both sides of the issues facing employees and employers and describes how to create not only a productive work environment but a meaningful one. 70% of American workers say they’re stuck in a job in which they are completely disengaged and 30 percent of that group actively hate their jobs.   Fred says there is a better way... "Autonomy I put fairly low in the hierarchy. For me, the most important one is to have a purpose that you're really behind, that makes you proud, that you feel is a noble thing to pursue." Talking with Fred felt like a meeting with a spiritual advisor that I climbed a mountaintop to see. But make no mistake, this is a business discussion but it “felt” different. What he said resonated with me.  Fred gave me perspective expanding ideas and challenged my cynicism. I think you'll find that it will change how you look at work and your long-term career goals.  On this show we discuss... How to really use LinkedIn Building identity capital The motivation problem in the workplace Why employees are disengaged  Incentives and unintended consequences The economic value of workplace happiness How to size up a company's a true culture - very helpful if you're in the job market as we usually we get blinded by the financials or benefits What it means to work for a mission And more... If you're interested in creating a more meaningful work experience, listen up.   

Does motivation - or the lack of motivation - have to stop us from achieving our goals? On this podcast, I talk with Jeff Haden. Jeff runs Blackbird Media, is a top a LinkedIn Influencer--making him a part of an exclusive, invitation-only, global collective of 500+ of the world’s foremost thinkers, leaders, and innovators--a contributing editor to Inc., and the author of his latest book, The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win.   When it comes to motivation, we are going to address two broad bucket applications: you have a desirable goal / task you want to achieve OR you have an undesirable goal / task you need (have to) to achieve. It doesn’t matter which bucket your goal falls into, the truth is, whether we want to do something or not, many of us have a hard time starting, or, once we start, a harder time completing it. Many of you set new year’s resolutions that you haven't even attempted to reach. Why? According to Jeff, the reason has to do with how we prioritize a goal. Most of us keep our eyes firmly fixed on the “prize”: the sixty pounds to lose, the 26 miles of a marathon, the 50,000 word novel we’ll have finished writing. We become fixated on the dream of what we'll earn at the end of the climb, and compare each day’s results to that big payoff. Annie Duke, in her book "Thinking In Bets" has a name for this: Outcome Junkie. Redefining Success Jeff advocates for process orientation and redefining achievement to be more inclusive, so that even if you don't reach the end goal, that process, if you’ve work it, will have still benefited you by providing takeaways you didn’t have when you began. You will meet people you would have never met. You'll make connections that you'd never would have made. You might find some other interests that you never knew you would have. Jeff has not only met with great people who have achieved their dreams, such as tennis star Venus Williams, but has spent untold hours applying his motivational principles to himself. What did he learn? A goal isn’t worth a hill of beans if it doesn’t inform one’s process. “...started me thinking ok, if that's how successful people do it, how do you create a process for basically anyone to follow to achieve anything that they would like to achieve?” - Jeff Haden While many people ascribe to the “dream it, believe it, do it,” goal achievement philosophy, Jeff opts instead for creating cycles of motivation fulfillment. Priming the pump In our conversation Jeff goes into detail on how an emphasis on action brings about a result, which in turn breeds motivation for more action and thus more results. He goes into detail to show how strategic, action-based planning can help someone struggling to achieve results in both areas described above: those who have tasks they want to complete and tasks they don’t want to be doing, but need to get done nonetheless. Jeff also gives some great tips on how to find a dream or goal if you’re drawing up blank when asked the question, “What would you do if you could do anything?” Jeff emphasizes that his motivation techniques can help anyone, no matter what their starting place might be. Having spoken to numerous high achievers like Richard Branson, he realizes that they are all merely humans like us, who used planned motivational strategies to push themselves far. Therefore, Jeff asserts, we can do the same. Oh and by the way, Jeff gives some super good advice on how to reinvent yourself. Want to break into an industry you have no experience in? Listen to Jeff's backstory, he walks me through how he did it.  So, tired of starting and then giving up for lack of motivation? Ready to get those new year's resolutions back on track? Click on the podcast above to access Jeff’s tips for beating procrastination and other motivation sappers, so that you can finally cross items off your to-do list. Enjoy!  

"We’ve all had that experience of expressing something with certainty…and someone says “wanna bet?” and immediately it brings to the fore the fact that whenever you declare something you believe to be true, or a prediction, that there’s risk in that – Annie Duke All decisions have tradeoffs, risk vs. reward. We have to make choices that have costs yet, many factors involved in making those choices are often hidden. So how do you make good decisions in the face of uncertainty? These are challenges inherent in the game of poker, and in poker, as in life, there is a difference between good decisions and good outcomes. On this podcast, my guest is Annie Duke. For two decades she was one of the top poker players in the world. She holds a World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet and the 2004 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions and the National Heads-Up Poker Championship in 2010. Before becoming a professional poker player, Annie was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to study cognitive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. She now spends her time writing, consulting and speaking on topics such as decision fitness and embracing uncertainty. In her new book, "Thinking In Bets" Annie reveals lessons cultivated by combining her academic studies in cognitive psychology with real-life decision-making experience at the poker table, which is the topic of this podcast. This conversation is indeed about better decision-making, but that encompasses a great deal. It's also about equanimity, how to be objective in the face of bad outcomes - while developing skill to influence better outcomes. This is also how resilience is developed, using outcomes good or bad, as a feedback loop.  You also become more resilient when you are able to unhook your happiness solely from a result.  I think that the outcome anchors us so heavily that we can't see that there's lots of other stuff by which we can determine whether a decision was good - Annie Duke There's been a lot written about the benefits of shifting to a process orientation but Annie tells you how to actually do that. I had a great time talking with Annie and you will really enjoy this episode. Don't let the length fool you, there is no lull. Here's some of what we talk about on this show.  How she went from academia to poker  Her introduction to decision strategy Some great betting stories (Ira the Whale) The worst call in history? Cognitive bias / why we make bad decisions Defining failure Time travel thought experiments What being wrong / right really means Probabilities and predictions How to use betting to make better decisions in life Whether it's career, business or relationships our lives are the sum total of our decisions to this point. I would listen to this podcast and reflect on whether you've made good decisions or whether you've just been very lucky so far - and then learn how to make better ones.  Enjoy! For show notes and resources visit larryweeks.com/podcasts    

This is a podcast about training how you want to exist in the world. Your training how to do this everyday. If you're existing in a consistently negative state  - angry, fearful, stressful - that's the habit you're unconsciously training. There is a better way.  My guest is Jeff Warren. Jeff is an author and meditation teacher and referred to as the meditation MacGyver. He's the author of "The Head Trip, Adventures On the Wheel of Consciousness", the founder of the Consciousness Explorers Club and recent collaborator on the book "Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics" In 2004 ABC News Anchor Dan Harris had a panic attack on live TV and that experience eventually led Dan to meditation. He then wrote a - now best selling - book about it called "10% Happier" and the fidgety skeptics follow-up, subtitled "A 10% Happier, How-To Guide"  which explores why most people don't meditate or can't stick with it once they start.  Jeff's research for the book was a cross country tour with Dan - on a bus - with Jeff being the meditation teacher. They visited 18 states in 11 days meeting with a mix of people from line cooks to police officers, members of Congress, neuroscientists, military cadets and celebrities to better understand the obstacles people have to meditation. Jeff offered up best practices and life hacks designed to help people learn meditation. Hence why I have Jeff him on the podcast. Personally, meditation has been absolutely helpful to me, WHEN I do it but it's been a struggle. Occasionally I can string together 10 or so days in a row (woowho!) but then I just drop it and it's hard to get back into. So, Jeff agreed to talk with me about it and about the book. Thank God.  If you've ever said “I’d love to meditate but I can’t because __"  You need to listen to this podcast.   Jeff describes himself as the anti-Buddha. He says he was meditations hardest test case. Ah, the perfect person to talk to about what meditation can and cannot do.  So I did just that. Enjoy! Episode and show notes - larryweeks.com/podcasts

Rory Sutherland, a prominent figure in advertising and co-founder of Ogilvy Change, dives into the fascinating world of behavioral economics. He discusses how subtle shifts in perception can dramatically alter consumer choices. The conversation reveals the power of branding, the importance of experimenting with marketing strategies, and how our self-presentation influences perception. Rory also reflects on the ethical implications of advertising practices and the challenges posed by clickbait, offering a witty take on navigating the complexities of modern marketing.

"The important thing is never stop questioning" - Albert Einstein  What's possible, medically, mentally and physically, is the topic of this podcast. And the power of persistence.  What would you do if your child was diagnosed with a debilitating autoimmune disease and every treatment protocol was not working? The medications prescribed are not only ineffective but come with even worse negative physical side effects.  What do you do?  For many, they accept their fate and live with it. Solution seeking stops and who would blame them? Hope deferred "makes the heart sick" and hope dashed leads to disillusion.   For Susannah Meadows, a combination of desperation and circumstance pushed her to persist until she could find a solution. "If you have exhausted the answers that traditional medicine has. That's not the end of the world" - Susannah Meadows  Her 3 yr old son Shepherd, was diagnosed with debilitating juvenile idiopathic arthritis which is Sheperd's case caused near crippling joint pain, swelling and stiffness. Her journey for a cure took her into areas some might consider fringe or certainly outside of conventional medicine. But Susanna is a former senior writer for Newsweek. She covered stories ranging from the 2004 presidential campaign to 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina and she's a frequent contributor to The New York Times She is not one to believe anything unsubstantiated. Her new book is called the Other Side of Impossible. It's about ordinary people who faced daunting medical challenges and yet refused to give up.  They turned desperation into determination. Suzanne not only chronicled her journey but also the stories of others who've faced severe medical challenges and the steps they took to overcome them. Her journey took her into areas some might consider fringe or certainly outside of conventional medicine. And what she learned is the topic of our discussions. Medicine, food and illness. Learned helplessness and disease. The latest research into the mind potential to heal the body. Alternative therapies for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ADHD, multiple sclerosis and others. The impact of anxiety and fear on the body's autoimmune response Maybe more importantly Susan share what she learned about the power of personal agency. Your capacity, your faith in your ability to handle a situation. These are stories of courage.   You may be healthy, you may not have challenges of disease. But you have challenges none the less.  You may have run into dead ends and failed attempts of a different sort.  Keep trying. Take heart.    

My guest on this episode is Marisa Peer. Marisa is a best selling author, motivational speaker and a pioneering therapist in the UK. Marissa was named best British therapist by Men's Health magazine and is featured in Tatler guide to Britain's 250 best doctors. Over the last 25 years Marissa has spent time with an extensive client list that includes rock stars, actors, royalty, professional and Olympic athletes, CEO's, and a variety of media personalities. Marisa has developed her own unique approach to therapy called RTP (Rapid Transformational Therapy) which is frequently referred to in various publications as life changing. RTT peaked my interest when some therapist I know not only used her approach with their clients to good success but also went through the process themselves telling me their experience has been phenomenal. That is, they've made change in their lives that they weren't able prior to with other coaching or therapy methods. I also wanted to talk to Marisa about RTT since anything that connotes rapid or quick is appealing to me because, you know, if I can hack something or find a shortcut, obviously I'm lazy. So anything that can speed up the process of dealing with something or improving something in your life has me curious.  "Were beginning to be taught now in schools to succeed at business and you've got to have these great communication skills. You want to have a long marriage, you better have these great communication skills, but no one teaches you that, you know what - you better communicate with yourself" - Marisa Peer Our conversation coalesces around self talk or rather unconscious self communication. We talk to ourselves all the time with automatic thoughts were just not aware of them, and I would say depending, on the day, the majority of these thoughts can be negative and cause friction between you and the goals you're trying to achieve. These can be contrary thoughts like "this is going to be too hard" and your mind presents a challenge to you. It may be ready to do the thing but you have to convince it, so to speak, by either doing the thing and pushing through resistance or by dialoguing with it. "We do get into this really depressive language without even meaning to and we think sometimes it's funny, but but the mind doesn't understand anything. It believes it's all real." - Marisa Peer This podcast will not only educate you a bit on RTT but it will make you reflect on what you've been telling yourself and help you change self talk that's not serving you.  Enjoy!  

“The problem of disrespectful, demeaning, and downright mean-spirited behavior is worse than ever” - Robert SuttonI'm sure everybody listening to this podcast has dealt with or is currently dealing with, a jerk, and this is most likely some work situation as you can't always choose who you work with and often due to the power position - it's a boss. But it could be someone you have to live with or interact with family friend friend of a friend whatever. If you have anyone in your life like that who is driving you crazy I will listen to this podcast and take notes because it's gold. My guest in this podcast is Robert Sutton, Professor of Management Science and Engineering and Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford and a New York Times and Wall St journal best selling author.Robert studies organizational change, leadership, innovation, and workplace dynamics and As it relates to our conversation today, Robert's new book was just released, The Asshole Survival Guide: How to Deal With People Who Treat You Like Dirt Since the first book "No Asshole Rule", which probably put assholes on the map, became a bestseller, Robert said he was constantly asked about strategies to deal with assholes. Hence, the book. On the podcast Robert offers up some interesting research and psychological theory explaining a asshole behavior and it's detrimental impact on people but more importantly he offers some really good tactics to manage them.Here is some of what you'll learn from the podcast.  1) The difference between sporadic asshole and true asshole Context vs personality.2) Why you don't have to be an asshole to succeed The Steve Jobs fallacy 3) How to make sure you don't contribute to the pool The "Arse" test and feedback. 4) Creating a survival plan based on goalsif you're deal with somebody who's leaving you feeling demeaned and de-energized and disrespected that you've got to figure out what your survival plan is.5) Physical and emotional strategies and techniques When to leave and when to stay.  The "clinician" reframe.  Temporal distancing. 6) Forgiveness as a strategy  First, do no more harm to yourself. 7) Teaching others how to treat you. This is an important topic and it's life changing stuff in my opinion. There are people dreading getting up in the morning to head to work some go home from work crying. Some will get a work email tonight that will rob them of sleep. Life is too short.  Learn the skills needed to manage the assholes in your life.