Brilliance: Leadership Learning

Learning is critical to growth, and there are always things we wish we learned earlier in life. Hear the 10 things Eric Dirst, President of Online Services at DeVry Education Group, wishes he knew earlier in his career.

Crotonville's resident Mindfulness expert, Debbie Jeremiah, joins us to discuss exactly what mindfulness is, its benefits, and why organizations should care (along with things both individuals and organizations can do to practice mindfulness.

Referenced Links:

- American Institute of Stress: https://www.stress.org/

- 2017 Global Stress Summit (Online for FREE April 24 - May 1, 2017): http://ebrain.heidihanna.com/p/globalstresssummit

From advancements in technology to new generations entering the workforce, the way we lead and the way organizations enable leadership is evolving. Listen to our conversation with one of GE's recent leadership program graduates as we discuss GE's approach to recruiting future leaders, the millennial experience, and exploring the broader concept of a "multipotential" workforce.

Positivity is a powerful tool. From practicing gratitude to the power of believing in oneself, even small acts of positivity can have a big impact. Laura Schmidt knew this power of the subconscious mind and started her company "Notes to Self" by creating wearable items stamped with positive affirmations. Listen to her story about the road trip that inspired her to create her first product - socks - and the impact that she's seen positive affirmations have on others.

If you're a sports fan you've likely seen many examples of how team leadership works (or doesn't) in real time. Erick Anderson, a former NFL linebacker who started his career at the University of Michigan, shares how athletes often influence without power, the role of confidence and believing in oneself, and how effective leaders help their teams through modeling and "surrounding leaders with leaders". Authenticity emerges as a theme throughout the discussion, and - of course - we asked about the Michigan and Ohio State rivalry.

Ram Castillo, an award winning Design Director, Blogger, top ranking Podcaster, Speaker, CreativeLive.com Instructor and Author joins us to discuss his growth journey from Graphic Designer to everything you see here, and how anyone can apply design thinking to their everyday lives. From the importance of goal setting, thinking in terms of minimums to help you take action, and dissecting how all ideas start with a thought, this episode is packed with information and inspiration.

You can learn more about Ram via his site, http://giantthinkers.com/, including the latest episodes from his podcast (also titled Giant Thinkers) and information on his 2 books. Connect with Ram via Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat(@TheGiantThinker).

Alex Dimitrief, GE's Sr. VP & General Counsel, discusses the importance of teams, constructive conflict, and one of his biggest early leadership mistakes during his visit to Crotonville as Leader in Residence.

Are you passionate about what you do? Meet Nicole Buergers, a burnout B2B internet marketer turned entrepreneur who found happiness through beekeeping after a long (and interesting) professional development journey. Listen as she talks about the value of staying open to new experiences and what others who are looking for a change can do to help fulfill their passions. Visit Nicole's website at www.bee2beehoney.com

Harry Elsinga, Senior HRM of GE Oil & Gas, spent some time on the Crotonville campus as Leader in Residence and shared his thoughts on the value of ongoing learning, scaling your skills up, digital impacts in the HR space, and how the scope of leadership and what it means to means to be a leader is expanding.

After taking up kickboxing classes and shopping around for boxing gloves, we discovered Society Nine - a premium women's boxing gear and sportswear startup founded by Lynn Le. Pleasantly surprised and inspired by the company's ethos (not to mention their awesome gloves), we asked Lynn to join us and discuss her startup journey, what she's learned along the way, the strength of women leaders in sport and life, and the importance of simply respecting the journey. Visit their website - www.societynine.com - follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; and subscribe to the Society Nine podcast on iTunes.