Disrupt Yourself Podcast with Whitney Johnson

Bestselling author Michael Bungay Stanier discusses the impact of coaching mindset on personal growth, self-publishing success of 'The Coaching Habit', importance of curiosity in coaching, overcoming setbacks, and democratizing coaching for growth.

Eduardo Briceno, an expert in learning and growth, discusses navigating change, embracing growth mindset, and transitioning from exploration to seeking challenges in professional development. He emphasizes the importance of experimentation, reflection, and embracing discomfort for personal and professional growth.

Former dean of the Rotman School of Management, Roger L. Martin, discusses how he turned around a failing business school with minimal changes. Topics include unconventional leadership strategies, promoting adult behavior to address conflicts, and innovative fundraising methods for academic institutions.

Ask a thousand people how to make a house a home, and you might get a thousand different answers. Some will say it’s family; others say it’s all in the interior decor – neighborhood pride, or a furry friend, maybe.  Regardless of how you answer the question, you can’t just sit back and wait for it to become a home – everyone agrees that something needs to be done.  Our guest today is an expert on making that transition from house to home. Moving every 18 months or so, Ruth McKeaney raised five kids alongside her husband. Move into a fixer-upper, fix it up with the family’s help, sell it, rinse and repeat. It was only a matter of time until Ruth’s ability to structure her family’s systems came to the attention of book publishers. Hungry for Home is Ruth’s manual on building a home, everything from home restoration to frozen cookie dough.  

Cal Newport, advocate for intentional work, discusses slow productivity vs pseudo-productivity. Talks about the shift from factory mentality to modern work environments, emphasizing quality over quantity. Explores managing workloads, balancing creative pursuits, and embracing a slower, more sustainable approach to work.

Many of us feel comfortable navigating a city. Whether it’s New York or Kyoto, the rules remain mostly the same. Count the amount of blocks you’ve walked, remember that the E train runs express to Manhattan, if you see the Duane Reade, you’ve gone too far. We can get lost, for sure, but there’s a joy in knowing that you have the freedom to get lost. A wrong turn could mean your new favorite Chinese spot, or a new friend. Now think about how you navigate the internet. We don’t explore and get lost as much as we stay within one small neighborhood – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn.  Our guest today is fighting back against this centralization of our virtual city. Chris Dixon has been a partner at Andreessen Horowitz since 2012, most recently in charge of its crypto investing wing. From that birds-eye view, Chris has taken the charge on reimagining how we interact with the internet.  And now he’s out with a new book, Read Write Own, all about the Web3 revolution on our doorstep. So – a lot of buzzwords, and a lot of metaphors. But what does it all mean for you?   

In this episode, we wanted to bring you a redux of a conversation I had back in 2022. As a new mom, Brooke Romney left behind her roots on Capitol Hill to move to a new community, new friend –– a new S Curve.    But instead of making new connections, a normally extroverted person, Brooke found herself withdrawing from the community. Why? Well, she was surrounded by successful people, and Brooke fell into one of the most human traps there is – comparing yourself to others, and feeling she was coming up short.   As the new spring rolls around, this is a perfect episode to remind us to stop comparing. That little voice in our head can convince us that we’re coming up short, and only that little voice – your voice– can convince you that you are worthy, unique –– one of a kind.   

Donald Miller, CEO of StoryBrand, talks about the power of storytelling and how to write a compelling story. He shares insights on coaching, problem-solving strategies, and the influence of intention and storytelling in personal transformation. The discussion also touches on identity shifts, the Enneagram personality type, and the joy of helping others succeed.

“True transformation, begins with a broken heart.” It’s something you’ll hear our guest today say a couple of times, this idea that a real crucible moment begins when something inside you breaks. When a force fundamental to you and your soul says – no more. Jerry Colonna has taken that message and run with it throughout his entire career, from the hallways of venture capital to his current venture in coaching. Today, he’s out with a new book on healing that break, titled Reunion: Leadership, and the Longing to Belong. But how do you harness the power of a broken heart in the first place? How do you turn that into fuel for true transformation?

When’s the last time you felt out of place? I’m sure a lot of us have sat with that feeling, whether that’s professionally or personally. It can hit you just as easily in a boardroom meeting as when you’re out with friends. So now that you feel like an alien that’s crash-landed, what do you do? Our guest today has built his career around finding community for these so-called “black sheep.” Peter Sims is a former corporate investor who became disillusioned with the high-powered world of finance and left to form his own creative firm – appropriately named, Black Sheep. It’s also the name of his new book, out in May, subtitled The Quest To Be Human In An Inhuman Time. What can we take away from Peter’s journey, to help us better navigate those moments when you feel the need to find a new tribe?