Partnering Leadership

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Stephanie Linnartz, currently President of Marriott International, Inc., the world's largest hospitality company. Last week, Stephanie Linnartz announced that effective February 24, 2023, she will be leaving Marriott to take on the role of President & CEO of Under Armour.Under Armour founder and Executive Chairman Kevin Plank said Stephanie Linnartz was selected after a 7-month search partly because of her digital skills and success in transforming Marriott’s online presence. While this conversation was recorded earlier this year and before this announcement, there are many leadership lessons and insights shared by  Stephanie Linnartz, shedding more light on her capabilities as a transformational leader.  In the conversation, Stephanie Linnartz shares the role her upbringing played in her seeking a career at Marriott and how she rose through the ranks in the organization. Stephanie also shares the devastating impact of the pandemic alongside losing the organization's beloved CEO, Arne Sorenson, and how the leadership team was able to stay focused on their values through the most challenging days of the pandemic. Stephanie Linnartz also shared Marriott's commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals and examples of what the organization is doing to follow through on the commitments while growing.Some highlights:- Stephanie Linnartz's upbringing and passion for taking care of others- Rising at Marriott International- How Stephanie Linnartz and Marriott's senior team handled the worst of the crisis- Losing a beloved CEO in Arne Sorenson and lessons learned- Stephanie Linnartz on why companies are defined by how they deal with a crisis- Organizational purpose and how to live it- Stephanie Linnartz on the future of work and travel- Marriott and Stephanie's commitment to greater equity and diversity- Stephanie Linnartz on the need for self-renewal and reinvention Mentioned in this episode:- Judy Samuelson, Founder and Executive Director of Aspen Institute Business and Society Program (Listen to Judy’s episode on Partnering Leadership)- Ranjay Gulati, Professor at Harvard Business School (Listen to Ranjay’s episode on Partnering Leadership)Connect with Stephanie Linnartz:Marriott HotelsStephanie Linnartz on LinkedInConnect with Mahan Tavakoli:MahanTavakoli.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/ More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: PartneringLeadership.comConnect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with David McRaney. David McRaney is a science journalist, host of the You Are Not So Smart podcast, and an internationally best-selling author of books, including his latest, How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion. In the conversation, David McRaney shares the origin of his fascination with persuasion and his thoughts on the basis of how we form our beliefs. David McRaney shared examples of psychological factors contributing to the rigidity of our opinions and beliefs. Finally, David McRaney shared the many challenges in changing minds and how minds change.   Some Highlights:-David McRaney on why he became fascinated with the origin of our belief systems-Where do our beliefs come from, and how do we form opinions?-David McRaney on why all reasoning is motivated -Why we modulate our responses and how that impacts teams and organizations-The status game and the role it plays in all aspects of life, including at work-David McRaney on the impact of pluralistic ignorance on groups and organizations-Why we are more worried about disagreeing with "us" than with "them"-David McRaney on the fear of social death and how it impacts team interactions-The reason why some become part of conspiracy theory communities-David McRaney on what leads to the "false flag operation" explanation-Impact of minimal group paradigm on decision making-David McRaney on why are we persuaded by some points of view and not by others-Why and how people change their minds-The one question that can help you become more persuasive-David McRaney on the most crucial question to ask ourselves before seeking to change someone else's mindConnect with David McRaneyDavid McRaney Website David McRaney's You Are Not So Smart podcastDavid McRaney on LinkedInDavid McRaney on TwitterHow Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion on Amazon Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:Mahan Tavakoli WebsiteMahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website:https://www.partneringleadership.com/Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi,  astrophysicist, STEM educator, multi-patented inventor, keynote speaker, and author of A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars. In the conversation, Hakeem  Oluseyi shares his journey of overcoming adversities and becoming a leading astrophysicist of this generation. Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi also talked about his ability to explain astrophysics in a way that engages audiences and the value of exposing more children to science. Finally, Dr. Oluseyi shared some mind-stretching perspectives about the nature of our existence.  Some highlights:-Hakeem Oluseyi on the importance of reading and how it impacted his life-Facing challenges as a young adult and falling in love with the universe and physics-Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi on a quantum life and the role of willpower-Astrophysics and the importance of learning about the stars-Hakeem Oluseyi on the sun, stars, and the future of life on earth  Mentioned: - Art Walker, solar physicist and a pioneer of EUV/XUV optics- Dr. Kervin Evans,  research physical scientist with the USDA Agriculture Research Service  Connect with Hakeem Oluseyi:A Quantum Life on AmazonHakeem Oluseyi on FacebookHakeem Oluseyi on InstagramHakeem Oluseyi on TwitterHakeem Oluseyi on LinkedIn Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:https://mahantavakoli.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/ More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: https://www.partneringleadership.com/Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Stephen M.R. Covey. Stephen M.R. Covey is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of The Speed Of Trust,  former CEO of Covey Leadership Center, and author of Trust And Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others. Stephen shares why many leaders are still operating with a command and control mindset and the need to develop the mindset and capabilities of becoming trusting and inspiring leaders. Stephen M.R. Covey shares stories and frameworks on how we can better understand trust in leadership and how trust and inspire leaders can unleash the potential of their teams and organizations.    Some highlights:-Stephen M.R. Covey on the crucial role that parents play in teaching responsibility, commitment, and initiative and how his father, Stephen Covey, applied trust and inspire principles in his parenting-On why traditional leadership models do not work with the changing world and in the new work environment-Stephen M.R. Covey on the stewardships of leadership-How leaders can lead behavior change in their organizations -Stephen M.R. Covey on the role trust plays in leadership and how leaders can become more trusting -The power of inspiring others and its impact on leadership-What it takes to become a trust inspire leader Mentioned:- Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People- David Marquet (Listen to David Marquet episode on Partnering Leadership)- Frances Frei and Anne Morriss, author of Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader's Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You- Jim Collins, author of Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't  Connect with Stephen M.R. Covey:Trust and InspireTrust and Inspire on AmazonSpeed of Trust The Speed of Trust on AmazonStephen M.R. Covey on FacebookStephen M.R. Covey on TwitterStephen M.R. Covey on LinkedIn  Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:https://mahantavakoli.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/ More information and resources available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: https://www.partneringleadership.com/Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Chuck Robb, Virginia's 64th governor from 1982 to 1986 and U.S. senator from 1989–to 2001. Governor Chuck Robb is also the author of In the Arena: A Memoir of Love War and Politics. In the conversation, Governor Chuck Robb shares his story of joining the Marines, being assigned to the White House, serving in Vietnam, and marrying President Lyndon Baines Johnson's daughter, Linda Bird Johnson. Chuck Robb also talked about his leadership journey in public service as Lieutenant Governor, Governor, and a U.S. Senator representing the Commonwealth of Virginia and being appointed as co-chair of The Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission by President Bush. Finally,  Senator Robb talks about how the best leaders approach leadership and their impact.Some highlights:-Chuck Robb's formative years in the Marines and being in the White House as a military social aid-On being a good leader and how to get the respect of people that you are working with-Chuck Robb recalls meeting, getting engaged, and then marrying President Johnson's daughter Linda -Why Chuck Robb asked to serve in combat in Vietnam-Going back to law school and what drove Chuck Robb to start his career in politics-Why Governor Chuck Robb didn't run for President-Senator Chuck Robb, on his vote against the Defense of Marriage Act-The appointment by President Bush to co-chair the Weapons of Mass Destruction CommissionMentioned:In the Arena: A Memoir of Love, War, and Politics on AmazonSenator Chuck Robb's speech on the Democratic National Convention Day Senator Chuck Robb's (D-VA) speech on the Defense of Marriage Act (September 1996)Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:https://mahantavakoli.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/ More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: https://www.partneringleadership.com/Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Alden Mills, former Navy SEAL platoon commander and Co-Founder and C.E.O. of Perfect Fitness, an Inc 500 Fastest Growing Company. Alden Mills is also the best-selling author of Be Unstoppable: The 8 Essential Actions to Succeed at Anything and Unstoppable Teams: The Four Essential Actions of High-Performance Leadership. In the conversation, Alden Mills discusses his C.A.R.E. framework and the four essential actions of high-performance leadership. Alden Mills also shares specific strategies he uses in coaching leadership teams to higher performance levels.  Connect with Alden MillsAlden Mills Website Alden Mills on LinkedIn Unstoppable Teams on Amazon Be Unstoppable on AmazonConnect with Mahan Tavakoli:Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website:https://www.partneringleadership.com/Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode, Mahan Tavakoli speaks about the leadership lessons we can learn from the woman-led movement for freedom in Iran: Woman Life Freedom, Zan Zendegi, Azadi. Mahan shares why we need to think about power differently in society or organizations. The reasons for a shift away from the old power models based on hierarchies to new power models based on aligned movements. Mahan uses this example to show the need for a change of thinking in organizations with a greater need to align around purpose. Finally, Mahan shares the origins of the Stockdale Paradox and how that relates to the survival and success of all movements and change initiatives.  Mentioned:Baraye by Shervin Hajipour (full version on YouTube with English subtitles) Partnering Leadership conversation with Greg Satell, author of Cascades: How to Create a Movement that Drives Transformational ChangePartnering Leadership conversation with Chip Walker, coauthor of Activate Brand Purpose: How to Harness the Power of Movements to Transform Your CompanyPartnering Leadership conversation with Gia Nardini, coauthor of Together We Rise: How Social Movements SucceedConnect with Mahan Tavakoli:Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website:https://www.partneringleadership.com/Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Amelia Dunlop and Ashley Reichheld. Amelia Dunlop is the Chief Experience Officer for Deloitte Digital and a Principal at Deloitte LLP. Ashley Reichheld is a principal at Deloitte Digital and the creator of the HX TrustID. Together they are the coauthors of the newly released book The Four Factors of Trust: How Organizations Can Earn Lifelong Loyalty. In the conversation, Amelia Dunlop and Ashley Reichheld share why trusted companies outperform their peers by up to 400% by impacting their employees, customers, and partners. In addition, Amelia Dunlop and Ashley Reichheld share why building trust is the greatest opportunity to create a competitive advantage and how leaders can build greater trust. They also talk about the Four Factors of Trust: Humanity, Capability, Transparency, and Reliability and the importance of each in creating better business outcomes by positively impacting human behavior. Finally, Amelia Dunlop and Ashley Reichheld share actionable strategies for leaders to improve trust with their customers, the workforce, and partners.  Connect with Amelia Dunlop and Ashley ReichheldDeloitte Four Factors of Trust Amelia Dunlop on LinkedIn Ashley Reichheld on LinkedIn Four Factors of Trust on Amazon Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website:https://www.partneringleadership.com/Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with David DeWolf. David DeWolf is the Founder, President, and CEO of 3Pillar Global, a digital product development services organization building breakthrough software products that power digital businesses. He is also an Amazon best-selling author of The Product Mindset: Succeed in the Digital Economy by Changing the Way Your Organization Thinks. David DeWolf’s leadership at 3Pillar has been honored by numerous awards, including The Software Report’s Top 50 Tech Services CEOs, SmartCEO Magazine’s Future 50, Washington DC’s 40 Under 40, and Virginia’s Fantastic 50. In this conversation, David DeWolf shares why he decided to start 3Pillar Global and how he has continued to grow as a CEO as the organization has grown. He also shares the principled leadership practices which have helped the organization stay aligned over the years. Finally, David DeWolf talks about the challenges and opportunities as organizations navigate the changing landscape of work and collaboration.Connect with David DeWolfDavid DeWolf WebsiteDavid DeWolf on LinkedIn The Evolving Leader Podcast 3Pillar Global Website Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website:https://www.partneringleadership.com/Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Patrick McGinnis. Patrick coined the term FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and FOBO (Fear of a Better Option) while attending Harvard Business School. Patrick McGinnis is the author of two international bestsellers, including Fear of Missing Out: Practical Decision-Making in a World of Overwhelming Choice, and the host of the hit podcast FOMO Sapiens. In this conversation, Patrick McGinnis discusses why our need to be included can be overwhelming and what we can do to overcome it. He also talks about FOBO (Fear of a Better Option) and its adverse impacts on our mental health and the quality and speed of our decision-making.  Some Highlights:- Patrick McGinnis on what led him to write about “FOMO” and “FOBO” while attending Harvard Business School- How FOMO or the fear of missing out can be beneficial and destructive at the same time- Patrick McGinnis on controlling the negative consequences of the Fear of Missing Out- The common triggers of FOMO and how to manage the triggers- Patrick McGinnis on overcoming FOMO at work - Understanding the impact of the Fear of a Better Option (FOBO) on decision-making- Patrick McGinnis on controlling the desire for optimization that leads to FOBO Also mentioned in this episode:- Carl Jung, psychiatrist, The wounded healer Archetype- Rosa Parks, Civil Rights Leader- Mahatma Gandhi, Leader of Indian Independence MovementBooks Mentioned:- Fear of Missing Out: Practical Decision-Making in a World of Overwhelming Choice by Patrick McGinnis - System Failure by Joe Zieja- Backable: The Surprising Truth Behind what Makes People Take a Chance on You by Carlye Adler and Suneel Gupta- Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age by Bruce Feiler- The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Achor- Flourish by Martin Seligman- Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas by Harley Rustad- The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self by Martha Beck- Entrepreneurial You: Monetize Your Expertise, Create Multiple Income Streams, and Thrive by Dorie Clark- Ask for More: 10 Questions to Negotiate Anything by Alexandra Carter- Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life by Luke Burgis- The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari Connect with Patrick McGinnis:Patrick McGinnis on PodcastPatrick McGinnis WebsitePatrick McGinnis on LinkedInPatrick McGinnis on InstagramPatrick McGinnis on Twitter Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:MahanTavakoli.comMore information and resources available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: PartneringLeadership.comConnect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website