The Leadership Podcast

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Schmitt, as he transitions from special operations leadership to corporate advisor after 30 years of military service. Starting his career as an enlisted soldier at the age of 17, he understands the requirement to recruit great people while investing in their development and taking the time to explain the organization's why. He is excited about the future and the goodness he expects to bring to others in the corporate sector. On this episode, Chris discusses principles of military leadership, his participation in the upcoming Patagonia Crucible, and his plans moving forward to support corporate leaders to build high performing teams. Chris wants this next chapter of his life to be about increasing the capacity of purposeful teams, developing positive leadership and mentoring winners! Listen in to learn the value of trust in enabling your team members' individual growth and joint success. Key Takeaways [3:32] Perseverance and persistence are important virtues to pack in your ruck. [4:12] The experience of starting as an army private gives great perspective as an officer. [8:56] Adaptability and moving forward will not happen without trust. [9:10] Why is trust harder to develop in business than in the military - or is it? [10:32] To be a rockstar organizational leader you have to take a chance and give some of that trust to the people in your organization. [14:20] Provide a vision, and then allow people to just go and do it. [17:38] Always try to do what you can do well, and leverage your core competencies. [19:38] In order to excel in a new field, start by listening so that you can learn and understand the nuances in culture and language within that field. [26:23] From Simon Sinek on leadership: Start with the Why. Being kind is important. Allow people to adapt and change. Quotable Quotes "My purpose is to facilitate others' success, and to work toward continuing to help high performing teams succeed." "No matter how high you are up the chain...there's not a little magic box that gives you all the answers." "Not taking time to sit back and reflect — that's when you make small mistakes and difficulties." "Having genuine concern for people, pushing your purpose and sharing hardship are the things we need to continue to prepare our leaders for." "Being in charge is hard work." Books Mentioned on the Show Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, book by General Stanley McChrystal Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, book by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't, book by Simon Sinek Jerry Kramer's Farewell to Football, book by Jerry Cramer Bio Christopher Schmitt has developed as a strong leader, coach and mentor over the past 30 years of military service. Starting his career as an enlisted soldier at the age of 17, he then applied to West Point U.S. Military Academy. Working his way up through the ranks after graduation from West Point, he learned the importance to build a core team around the organization's values and purpose. Over the past 18 years as an international project officer and change agent as a deployed Special Forces field grade officer, Chris experienced how to motivate high performing teams to accomplish national strategic agendas. With 14 years of service outside of the United States, from the destroyed Olympic City of Sarajevo to the dusty outposts of Timbuktu with trips to Afghanistan, as a Paratrooper, Ranger, and Green Beret, Chris has a rich appreciation for good leadership. He has a passion for interacting with leaders and helping them excel. He has a skill for building teams, mentoring their development and coaching them toward success. Chris has stuffed his rucksack with best practices necessary to motivate gifted individuals to perform as high-functioning organizations. Chris plans to transition his passion for building partner nation special operations teams to mentoring development of Corporate Leaders and their organizations. He can't wait to get started and begin making an impact. Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/christopherschmitt2 Instagram: chris_promegallc Website: http://www.promegallc.com/

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Bruce Temkin, Customer Experience Transformist and Managing Partner of Temkin Group. Bruce is widely viewed as a customer experience visionary, helping large companies define and accelerate their customer experience journeys. He trains leaders the principles of purpose, brand value, employee engagement, and customer connectedness, helping them transform their organizations to provide a superior customer experience. Listen in to learn how to improve your organization with purposeful customer connections. Key Takeaways [3:35] Customer emotion drives loyalty. We've named 2016 as the year of emotion. [5:26] While in a small group, emotional intelligence is important, and in a big organization, it is even more important to convey a sense of purpose. [9:35] How to use immersive exercises in experiential design by thinking of it through the eyes of the customer, such as a grandmother who has never purchased online. [13:31] How people make a majority of decisions based on their intuitive subconscious mind. [18:13] Managing customer needs in concentric action loops with immediate response, corrective action, continuous improvement, and strategic change. [22:12] Why the biggest cause of catastrophe is failure in the feedback loop. [27:12] Is the issue that you don't have enough metrics on a system, or is it that you don't understand what's going on in the first place? [34:10] The customer experience you deliver is a reflection of your culture. Four elements define a customer-centric culture: Purposeful Leadership, Compelling Brand Values, Employee Engagement, and Customer Connectedness. [39:38] As a leader, the question is what do you have to do to align the direction and the perception of all the people who are following you? Resources Mentioned on the Show Thinking Fast and Slow, book by Daniel Kahneman The Power of Habit, book by Charles Duhigg How to Win Friends and Influence People, book by Dale Carnegie Intensify Emotion Bio Bruce Temkin holds a master's degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he concentrated in business strategy and operations. He also holds an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Union College. As an executive officer and co-founder of two Internet start-ups, he led the development of the first purely Internet-based retail brokerage system and led operations in the US, China, Israel, and Japan. He also held management positions at General Electric, Fidelity Investments, and Stratus Computers. Prior to Temkin Group, Bruce spent 12 years with Forrester Research during which time he led the company's financial services, e-business, and customer experience practices. He authored many of Forrester's most popular research reports and was the most-read analyst for 13 consecutive quarters and created Forrester's Customer Experience Index. He is the Chairman Emeritus and co-founder of the Customer Experience Professionals Association. Bruce's research focuses on identifying current and emerging best practices. He has published seminal reports such as The ROI of Customer Experience, The Future of Customer Experience, and The Four Customer Experience Core Competencies. He uses this insight to advise companies on their customer experience journeys, and identifying opportunities for sustainable breakthrough performance. Bruce is the author of the blog Customer Experience Matters®, one of the most popular blogs on customer experience. He regularly posts insights on topics such as customer experience, corporate culture, branding, and leadership.

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Jason McCarthy, Founder and CEO of GORUCK, a company that makes rucksacks (also known as backpacks), and runs rucking events similar to the Special Forces selection process. Jason reveals why and how he started GORUCK, the obstacles he faced along the way, his mission for GORUCK, and his success in building leaders by overcoming adversity as a team. Jason also talks about building better Americans who serve their country and community, explaining the basis of community. He reminds us what freedom means, and how others can fulfill a duty in a variety of ways. Listen in to learn how you can turn adversity into team building within your organization. Key Takeaways [7:38] How the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) or the Q Course forces you to lead. [8:32] There are always opportunities to lead, you have to seize them. There's always room for another great leader to step up. [13:24] It wasn't about the weight people were carrying, it was about the people carrying the weight. [13:41] What's really rewarding, is the impact you can make on people if you serve them. [14:34] GORUCK became this bridge for Jason, that he was building for people that showed up within the class, and yet he needed to be on that same bridge, as well. [18:29] Successful teams have got to be fun and it's got to be about building communities. [21:57] Americans represent one united community. Bake your neighbor a pie sometime, talk to the person next to you on the plane. We need someone to push us toward more service to each other - to build a better America. [25:41] To create a culture of leaders you have to trust the people around you, give them things they can do, and let them figure it out. [33:33] Go find a friend, go for a walk, put a backpack on, and talk to the person next to you. Connect with the people that are around you. Quotable Quotes "To lead is to do. You have to actually do it. You can't learn about it in a book." "To lead is to serve." "People need to like you to spend time with you." "Communication is always the glue." "Taking a walk with a ruck is officially called rucking." Books Mentioned or Referenced on the Show The LITTLEST Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership, book by Jan Rutherford Bio Jason McCarthy Graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia in May 2001, without a set professional goal. Then came 9/11, which became a call-to-arms to him. Jason enlisted in Special Forces and served in Iraq as a Communication Sergeant in the Green Berets. He calls his experience there a leadership laboratory. Jason founded GORUCK in 2008 after his military service, seeing the need for a great civilian bag, and a way to help veterans bridge military and civilian life. This led to the GORUCK Challenge, where a Special Forces guy builds a team out of the participants who show up.

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos interview Scott Page, Chief Executive Officer of Colorado Business Bank and Arizona Business Bank, on his experiences as a CEO, particularly regarding how the CEO position is distinct from all others. Scott covers the importance of preparation through education, accepting mentorship, and developing awareness and presence in the moment. Scott reveals pitfalls of inadequate leadership, and problems with letting an organization drift in unmanaged directions, as well as lessons learned through personal experience. He discusses the need for teams to hire and promote the right people a structure that provides autonomy, and the importance of performance accountability. He also discusses the power of humor in strengthening team relationships. Listen in to learn Scott's tips for transformative leadership in today's challenged and fast-paced global economy. Key Takeaways [4:24] We take our business very seriously, but we don't take ourselves very seriously―I really like people, and I like to have a little bit of fun. [7:29] I'm a huge proponent of teamwork. My senior team members partner up to solve problems and I don't even have to get involved. [9:59] The biggest surprise when I became CEO was the speed of things coming at me. [12:36] Put the right vertical structure and people in place. [20:57] You have to have this mentality of constant improvement. There's no room for people who retire on the job. [22:10] You can have a complex organization, but you have to have a very well-defined value proposition and mission. Then you have to message like crazy and support your messaging with the right activities. [24:14] Slow down to speed up. Adapt. To remain independent as a public company, you must provide superior results. [27:25] Mentor people--send them through programs and schools that prepare them to advance and maximize their talents in the organization. [41:19] Accountability has to start at the very top of an organization. Then it can be driven down into the organization. Books Mentioned or Referenced on the Show The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni Bio Scott Page learned the value of humor while growing up in an immigrant family in a disadvantaged area. Scott has more than 30 years of experience in the Colorado banking community. He has served as Chief Executive Officer of Colorado Business Bank and Arizona Business Bank, since early 2014. Scott joined Colorado Business Bank as market president in 2009. He previously served as Executive Vice President and Director of Community Banking for Vectra Bank Colorado, a unit of Zions Bancorporation, for eight years, and as Senior Vice President and Manager of US Banks Large Commercial Banking at Financial Institutions Group. Scott received his Bachelor Degree and MBA from the University of New Mexico and is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of Banking. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation and serves on the executive advisory board of Regis Graduate School of Business.

We're giving this episode out to the world at large today as an example of future Mastermind episodes. In the future, only those who subscribe to our email list will get access to the mastermind episodes… so please take the time to sign up on our website at – www.theleadershippodcast.com. Our guest, Mike Figliuolo – Managing Director of thoughtLEADERS LLC and Founder at Executive Insight 16 discusses the elusive ROI of leadership training. Key Takeaways [2:20] What's one of the biggest shortcomings you see in leadership development? People have to invest in themselves. [3:00] Is this an OD issue? It's about setting expectations. [6:20] Do most leaders try to grow their organization by growing their people? [7:55] The ROI of leadership training. Effective organizations establish a "standard," and apply it to real-world problems and opportunities. [9:30] Four levels of evaluating training: Reaction, Learning, Behavior and Results. Look for tangible indicators/behaviors. [11:00] Look for specific quantitative measurements – versus "false measurement dynamic." [13:50] What don't people invest? Is there a performance gap? If you were driving home and you had a flat tire, would you get it fixed? Of course! Why would you run with things that are broken? What's the opportunity cost? [15:45] Good options for stretching your people? Are mistakes OK? [21:00] Game theory – guessing if I do this you will do that… and if I do that, you will do this… [22:20] Key question when developing your team: What this a good use of your day? [25:00] Executive Insight 16 – Where Leaders Learn from Leaders [27:30] What to expect from the event in NYC? [32:00] What will be learned from this forum? Quotable Quotes "There is no leadership dilemma. Just reality." "The less power you have the more strategic you need to be." "Create space for yourself mentally to think strategically." Books & Events Mentioned or Referenced on the Show Leadership Development – A Profound Disconnect? The Elegant Pitch: Create a Compelling Recommendation, Build Broad Support, and Get it Approved One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership Lead Inside the Box: How Smart Leaders Guide Their Teams to Exceptional Results The Leadership Podcast - Episode 3 - Mike Figliuolo – A Thought Leader on Thought Leaders Bio Mike Figliuolo is the founder and managing director of thoughtLEADERS, LLC, a professional services firm specializing in leadership development. He is the author of One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership and is a nationally recognized speaker and blogger. Before founding his own company, he was a consultant at McKinsey & Co., and an executive at Capital One and Scotts Miracle-Gro.

Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos, discuss their upcoming expedition – the Crucible in Patagonia, Argentina. They explore the project's conception, purposes, technical and social challenges, and goals. They also describe the participants' unique backgrounds, and how they were selected for being selfless, adventurous, and possessing heroic aspirations to make a difference in the lives of others. The expedition has three goals: Help special operations warriors transition to the business world. Help executives "heard the unheard" as they step back and do a digital detox. Lastly, bring back the recipe for accelerating team development and the growth of leaders. Listen in to discover the plan and the tools they're using to predict the team's dynamic! Key Takeaways [3:20] There are things that happen out in the wilderness, from a leadership and a team perspective, that just take a long time to duplicate in the business world. [15:44] Create an A-Team with people that are selfless, adventurous, and who have heroic aspirations – people who are force multipliers. [20:17] What can we learn from the preparation of the Lewis and Clark Expedition? [23:42] Consider Sir Ernest Shackleton's legendary ad: Men wanted: for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success. [29:43] A lot of companies hit a wall at $10 million. To break through the wall, think differently. [30:29] Don't just incrementally get out of your comfort zone. Get out of your comfort zone in an order of magnitude. [32:18] It's all about focus. [33:00] Accelerate team development: Form, Storm, Norm, and Perform － Bruce Tuckman. [39:51] In the end, we're going to find out that it's really simple, but very difficult. Quotable Quotes "I wasn't climbing those mountains for the view." "You've always got 40% left in the tank you didn't realize you had." "The tough times in an organization are the good times, actually." Books Mentioned or Referenced on the Show The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, by Patrick Lencioni Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West

Thea Polancic is a passionate advocate for the power of business as a force for good in the world. She is the Founder and Chair of the Chicago Chapter of Conscious Capitalism - a movement dedicated to elevating humanity through business, founded by John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market. The Chicago Chapter is the first in North America, and in less than 18 months it has grown to more than 1,100 members. Under her leadership, the Chicago Chapter produces programs for the general public and private events for senior executives who are committed to leading organizations that are both purposeful and unapologetically profit-driven. As a result of her efforts, the international Conscious Capitalism Annual Conference has taken place in Chicago for the past two years. Thea is also the Managing Partner of ClearSpace, LLC, a consulting firm that helps CEOs transform themselves, their teams and organizations to meet the challenges of the future and grow and thrive. Over the past 15 years, Thea has worked closely with many senior leadership teams to grow organizations with a higher purpose, creating value for all stakeholders, developing servant leaders, and having healthy, values-based cultures. Her firm's clients include organizations large and small across the country. She is a mentor to Chicago accelerators TechStars Chicago, Healthbox and The Impact Engine and the Conscious Venture Lab in Maryland. Thea is sought-after speaker on leadership and the future of business. Web - www.Clearspace.net Twitter - @tdpolancic LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/theadurfeepolancic Summary & Ideas for Action In this interview, Thea covers the concept that consciousness and profit are compatible. Older executives may need to examine consciousness; younger executives may need to open their consciousness to embrace profit. Purpose is an intentional combination of consciousness and profit that necessitates a great business model, great leaders, and engaged stakeholders—the suppliers, the customers, the board, shareholders, and owners, and the employees of the organization. The growth is a journey, not an endpoint. The CEO is key to the purpose. Purpose spreads from the CEO down through the organization. If the CEO is not engaged in the purpose, the organization cannot prop it up. If the CEO sustains the purpose, then so may the organization. Key Takeaways [5:46] Will big business save the world? McDonald's is the largest employer of teenagers on the planet. To make a difference for teenagers, you should go talk to McDonald's. [6:58] My personal purpose is in the form of a promise: By the year 2030, business creates a world of beauty, prosperity, and happiness. [8:21] The world is a complex, ambiguous place. In uncertain, complex environments there is a specific kind of leadership that is more effective, which starts with a long-term perspective. [14:15] How do you teach that it's OK to be unapologetically capitalist and profit-driven? [17:27] The need for purpose is on the rise and is moving mainstream quickly. [22:05] This is a journey, not an endpoint. It starts with the CEO's internal work. A CEO who is not the authentic driver of the purpose will undermine it. [29:50] Leaders must match the intellectual valuing of mistakes, failure, and the challenges of the climb with the emotional capacity to be compassionate for themselves and their teammates, and create an environment of emotional safety inside of which risk taking can happen. Quotable Quotes "What we want is that caring and accountability." "Doing business in this way is ultimately one of the few remaining sources of competitive advantage that you're going to have." "Have a stakeholder value creation model, not just a shareholder or owner value creation model." Books Mentioned on the Show Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration Leaders Eat Last Mindset: The New Psychology for Success The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization

Todd is the CEO and Founder of Bunker Labs, a national entrepreneurship organization dedicated to helping military veterans start and grow businesses. Announced in June 2014 at 1871, Chicago's Tech Entrepreneurship Hub, Bunker Labs has grown to locations in several other cities through a chapter affiliate model, with further expansion plans underway. Todd Connor is a former management consultant, U.S. Navy veteran, and has held many leadership roles in the public and private sector. He is a two-time entrepreneur and the founder of Flank 5 Academy. Todd holds a BA from Northwestern University, an MBA from the University of Chicago, previously served as a Senior Administrator at Chicago Public Schools, and is the author of two books on leadership and personal strategy. He is a Commissioner of the Cook County Commission on Human Rights, was honored as a 2015 Crain Chicago Business 40 Under 40, winner of the Chicago Inno 50 on Fire award, and is a 2016 Presidential Leadership Scholar. Web - www.BunkerLabs.org & http://bunkerinabox.org Twitter - @ToddConnor & @TheBunkerLabs Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thebunkerlabs/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddconnor Summary & Ideas for Action Todd Connor of Bunker Labs joins Jan and Jim in a lighthearted and educational conversation about the leadership qualities that turn veterans into entrepreneurs. Military men and women are required to perform at the highest level in demanding dynamic, complex, and uncertain environments. They are often given ambiguous missions and must rely on their training and foresight to know what must be done today, as well as tomorrow. This is the same for small business owners. When starting a small business there is no framework for guaranteed success a leader must execute and then adapt to the outcome. Todd also shares which great leaders he has learned from and what attributes he feels make them great leaders. Key Takeaways [4:47] Todd always wanted to connect with people who were different from him and to give back to the veteran community so he created Bunker Labs. [10:51] Becoming an entrepreneur is about executing, team building and knowing what to do today while looking towards the future. [12:41] Bunker Labs gives veterans leadership challenges and helps develop an adaptive mindset. [14:52] Todd shares his thoughts on leaders with big personalities. [19:32] What are the common attributes of entrepreneurs at Bunker Labs who find success? [23:14] What does Todd know now that he wished he had known when he started Bunker Labs? [28:31] Giving people opportunities to demonstrate success in small ways because that becomes a predictor of the outcome of bigger successes. Quotable Quotes "Veterans are ambitious people. They join the military when they are 18 because they want to be challenged." "The basic fundamentals of working hard are focus, adaptability and finding the right solution for the client." "If you want to get noticed start doing something people can not afford to ignore." Books Mentioned on the Show Mindset by Carol Dweck

Christian Anschuetz inspires the unconventional with a unique mix of strategic vision, adventurous spirit, bold action, and keen sense for calculated risk. He fuses these traits with executive business savvy and bleeding-edge technical knowledge to build high-performance organizations and solutions that enable transformative change. Mr. Anschuetz is an entrepreneur, business executive and veteran of the United States Marine Corps. His diverse background and interests have helped incubate successful companies, propelled him to the executive ranks of two leading firms, and most recently, inspired the launch of the innovative nonprofit startup, Project RELO. Christian currently serves as the CIO of UL (Underwriters Laboratories). He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Michigan, a Bachelor of Science in computer information science from Strayer University and is a graduate of Yale's Executive Leadership Program. Web - www.projectrelo.org LinkedIN - ProjectRELO Twitter - @projectrelo Facebook - www.facebook.com/projectrelo.org Recent article - www.linkedin.com/hp/update/6158834221000507392 Summary & Ideas for Action In this episode, Christian Anschuetz shares his intention-based leadership style, and how his military career influenced his leadership style, and helped him thrive in a corporate career. He also discusses how he aims to change the lives of veterans through his work with Project Relo. He talks about the need for leaders throughout the organization – regardless of title. He also discusses how "followership" is key. He defines effective leadership as one where an environment exists where people work outside their comfort zone, innovate, and work with a "spring in their step." Basically, effective leadership is when people follow willingly. As a leader, Christian creates teams of people who are innovative, support each other through risky situations, and help one another to eliminate the fear of failure. Key Takeaways [3:10] How has Christian's military experience impacted his role as a leader in the traditional corporate environment? [6:33] We need leaders throughout our entire organization. Anybody and everybody can lead and that is how you get high performance teams. [8:18] Christian paints a vision for people of what is expected of them and then follows with the intention behind the goal. [14:18] If you are going to fail, you are going to fail with your team members who will then propel you past the failure. [20:36] How to get past the fear of failure by moving into unsafe zones. [25:20] Project Relo highlights the abilities of veterans and focuses on leadership objectives. [31:33] When people are pushing themselves into unsafe areas and are innovative, that is when Christian knows he's being an effective leader. [39:34] Contact information for Christian and Project Relo. Quotable Quotes "Members of the Marine Corps are known to have a certain level of cockiness. It's because Marines believe they can do anything." "When you manage risk-to-zero, you simultaneously manage opportunity-to-zero." "In human relationships, technology is our enemy and not our friend." Points to Ponder How do you help people be confident, but not arrogant? How do you balance this with humility versus insecurity? Is visioning the role of the leader, or that of the team? Does your team know what extraordinary performance looks like? Is it OK in your environment to make mistakes and sometimes fail because that's where learning and growth take place? How can you stretch people to do more than they thought they could (beyond normal comfort zones)? What metrics do you have in place to know that your leadership is creating the right environment for people to follow you willingly?

For most people, stepping out of their comfort zone requires more risk than they are willing to take. In Scott Kinder's book, The Hill, he points out that the first step in overcoming fear is to identify it as fear, then accept it for what it is and move past it. Scott is a natural born teacher who is determined to assist civilians and businesses in forming high-performance teams. He translates his skills, learned in the U.S. Army Special Forces, to educate and empower business leaders on how to effectively weaponize their communication skills. Key Takeaways: [2:13] Scott's book, The Hill, addresses the methodology of identifying fear, accepting it for what it is and overcoming it. [8:00] The See and Act model is all about selecting, education and empowering your staff and then analyzing, communicating and trusting in the results. [12:16] People need to be willing to adopt the mindset that they will be the force multiplier in their team. [14:50] Business leaders learn to weaponize skills, so they can utilize their non-verbal and kinesthetic communications appropriately. [24:16] Instilling the right lessons in his children is a source of pride for Scott. [26:09] What tools effectively measure leaders? [30:36] Don't quit. Mentioned in This Episode: The Leadership Podcast @westudyleaders on Twitter The Leadership Podcast on Facebook Scott C. Kinder on LinkedIn @scottckinder on Twitter The Hill: Invictus Series Book One: Overcoming Fear and Learning to Embrace an Elite Mindset Leadership BS by Jeffrey Pfeffer