Coaching for Leaders

Andrew C.M. Cooper: The Ethical Imperative

Andrew C.M. Cooper is an executive leader and apologist for compassionate business practices. He led as a history-making first Millennial and Black executive to serve as General Counsel of UPS Airlines, the world’s largest logistics airline with over 20,000 employees. His team was essential to the success of Operation Warp Speed, the United States’ pandemic vaccine relief effort. He's the author of The Ethical Imperative: Leading with Conscience to Shape the Future of Business*.

We all know the power of relationships to help us grow. However, we don’t always seek out some of the non-traditional relationships that might help most. In this conversation, Andrew and I discuss three types of people we often overlook that will help us grow.

Key Points

Many of us invest in organic, traditional relationships. Those are important, but not sufficient in such a dynamic world.

Invest 30% of your time into relationships that will add skills, knowledge, or insights you can’t develop yourself.

Shifters observe well, read between the lines, and help us adapt in uncertain and changing situations.

Connectors will help your expand professional affiliations. Having a connector in your corner can be as helpful as being a connector yourself.

People who first appear as sharks may be benevolent antagonists. Listen for what others around them say to determine who might challenge you in healthy ways.

Resources Mentioned

The Ethical Imperative: Leading with Conscience to Shape the Future of Business* by Andrew C.M. Cooper

Interview Notes

Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).

Related Episodes

How to Strengthen Your Network, with Marissa King (episode 525)

How to Build a Network While Still Doing Everything Else, with Ruth Gotian (episode 591)

How to Recognize Remarkable People, with Guy Kawasaki (episode 671)

Production Credit

Coaching for Leaders is edited by Andrew Kroeger. Production support is provided by Sierra Priest.

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Laura West: Coaching for Leaders Fellow

Laura West is a seasoned leader and researcher with many years experience executing and training others in data analysis and strategy. She's led large teams across several organizations, holds a Ph.D. in linguistics, and is an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy. She was selected as one of our new Coaching for Leaders fellows and has taken on a leadership role in supporting our current Academy members.

What do you do when you get a request from a stakeholder, but don’t have the resources to fulfill it? That’s a reality almost every leader faces. In this conversation, Laura and I discuss both the mindset and tactics that will help you respond well.

Key Points

Rather than an immediate “no,” spend an hour working through some steps to creatively problem solve around the request.

Show your work. When you respond, share who you’ve talked with and what’s already been considered to respond to the request.

Present options by summarizing 2-4 paths forward and your recommendations.

Be the data person. Highlight trends over time that help influence different business decisions and maintain your credibility.

Prioritize. But tell, don’t ask. Take the lead on identifying what’s important on behalf of the stakeholder and begin the work.

Resources Mentioned

Responding to Stakeholder Requests With Limited Resources by Laura West (free membership required)

Related Episodes

The Way to Turn Followers Into Leaders, with David Marquet (episode 241)

How to Start Managing Up, with Tom Henschel (episode 433)

The Way to Influence Executives, with Nancy Duarte (episode 450)

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Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Steven Rogelberg: Glad We Met

Steven Rogelberg is an organizational psychologist, holding the title of Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte for distinguished national, international and interdisciplinary contributions. He is an award-winning teacher and recipient of the Humboldt Award for his research on meetings. He is the author of Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings*.

Many us appreciate the value of 1:1 meetings with employees. For a lot of managers, it’s one of their biggest time commitments. And yet, nobody ever taught us how to do it. In this conversation, Steven and I discuss how to actually structure an effective 1:1.

Key Points

First and foremost, a 1:1 meeting is for the direct report.

A set schedule for 1:1’s with your team reduces bias by ensuring you connect with everyone, consistently.

A loose framework is better than a lock-step agenda. Two approaches help: the manager proposing a core question or listing out topics that the direct report brings.

Avoid status update meetings by articulating the purpose of 1:1’s and dedicating agenda time (or future meetings) to bigger picture topics.

Skip-level 1:1’s are valuable for both employees and senior leaders. Avoid undermining another leader by approaching the meeting with the mindset to support the employee, rather than making decisions.

Resources Mentioned

Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings* by Steven Rogelberg

Interview Notes

Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).

Related Episodes

How to Lead Meetings That Get Results, with Mamie Kanfer Stewart (episode 358)

Moving Towards Meetings of Significance, with Seth Godin (episode 632)

Bringing Your Strengths to a Big Job, with General CQ Brown, Jr. (episode 691)

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Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Susan Salomone tells us how she decided to shift with a new team. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.

Randelle Lenoir tells us how she is building stronger relationships and visibility across her organization. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.

Patrick Peralta shares what he did to get better at accountability. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.

Maurice Ashley: Move by Move

Maurice Ashley is a Chess Grandmaster, an ESPN commentator, a three-time national championship coach, and an author. In 1999 he earned the title of Chess Grandmaster, making him the first Black Grandmaster in the game’s history, and in 2016 he was inducted into the US Chess Hall of Fame. He's the author of Move by Move: Life Lessons on and off the Chessboard*.

There was a time that you could get a degree or a certification and you’ve be set on your learning for awhile. Those days are long gone. With change happening at the speed of thought, we must keep improving. In this conversation, Maurice and I discuss the mindsets and tactics that will help you keep growing.

Key Points

Jazz artists don’t think about each note, but instinctively know how to make beautiful music. The best chess players are like this.

Elite performers constantly look for ways to cultivate the beginner’s mindset.

Chess players who pay attention to the endgame are less likely to get caught up only in the tactics.

The most vulnerable time for a chess player is when they have a big lead.

Poor performers avoid spending time with their mistakes. The best players learn from them through debrief.

Determine in advance where you need to stay hyper-focused.

Temper overconfidence by posing additional in-game challenges for yourself and your team.

Resources Mentioned

Move by Move: Life Lessons on and off the Chessboard* by Maurice Ashley

Interview Notes

Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).

Related Episodes

How to Actually Move Numbers, with Chris McChesney (episode 294)

How to Prevent a Team From Repeating Mistakes, with Robert “Cujo” Teschner (episode 660)

How to Grow From Your Errors, with Amy Edmondson (episode 663)

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Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

Natasha Orslene tells us how zeroing in on authenticity helped. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.

Monica Chartier shares what came out of her focus to become more coach-like. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.

Alice Ferris tells us about putting intentions into action. Applications are open to the Coaching for Leaders Academy through Friday, September 13th. Discover details and apply.