Coaching for Leaders

Scott Young: Ultralearning

Scott’s work is intended to consistently answer this question: what’s the best way to learn? This has led him to take on two year-long experiments in learning: The MIT Challenge, where he attempted to learn MIT’s 4-year computer science curriculum without taking classes, and The Year Without English, where he worked with a friend to learn four languages in one year.

Scott is the author of the new book, Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career*. In this conversation, Scott and I discuss what ultralearners do differently, the importance of transfer in learning, and four key tactics to enhance directness.

Key Points

Transfer is critical for learning, but most formal education programs don’t address it.

“Many ultralearners who have specialized in a smaller subset of fields are masters at transfer; no doubt this is largely due to their depth of knowledge, which makes transfer easier to accomplish.”

The key to ultra learning is to enhance directness.

Four tactics for enhancing directness:

Project-based learning (producing something)

Immersive learning (such as language immersion)

Flight simulator method (like how pilots learn to fly)

Overkill approach (intentional making it harder than a real use scenario)

Book Notes

Download my highlights from Ultralearning in PDF format (free membership required).

Related Episodes

Six Tactics for Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)

How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)

Permission to Be Yourself, with Bar Schwartz (episode 414)

How to Know What You Don’t Know, with Art Markman (episode 437)

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Nancy Duarte: DataStory

Nancy Duarte is a communication expert who has been featured in Fortune, Time Magazine, Forbes, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and many others. Her firm, Duarte, Inc., is the global leader behind some of the most influential visual messages in business and culture.

Nancy has written many best-selling books, including Slide:ology*, Resonate*, and Illuminate*. She is the author of the new book DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story*.

In this conversation, Nancy and I discuss the realities of executive life, how executives are measured, and why you should expect to be grilled when briefing them. With intentional preparation, you’ll be prepared to more successfully influence executives both inside the organization — and with your customers.

Key Points

“The higher their level of authority, the more structured and brief your approach should be.” -Nancy Duarte

Time is an essential asset for executives. Appreciating how much they work to maximize efficiency can help you align better with their world.

Craft a recommendation that’s brief and easily skimmable. Leave time for questions and expect to be grilled.

Executives are measured on money (revenue/profit and costs), market (market share and time to market), and exposure (retention and risk).

Know how executives plan to consume information. Tailor your message and medium to align with these preferences.

Resources Mentioned

DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story* by Nancy Duarte

Duarte DataStory

Book Notes

Download my highlights from DataStory in PDF format (free membership required).

Related Episodes

Success on Presentation Day, with David Sparks (episode 159)

Ignite Change Through Storytelling, with Nancy Duarte and Patti Sanchez (episode 268)

Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel (episode 316)

Get Your Emails Read (Dave’s Journal)

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Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed

Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

Listener Questions

Susan asked for advice on some of the challenges she is facing with an aging workforce.

Nellie wondered if she should report a difficult situation before she moves onto another opportunity.

Thiaga asked how Dave manages to read lot of books and how he remembers the key message from these books.

Robert asked about the best way to position his experience as a faculty member when applying for a role as an administrator.

Resources Mentioned

Digital Reading by Bonni Stachowiak

The First 90 Days* by Michael Watkins

Big Rocks by Steven Covey

Related Episodes

How To Create A Personal Knowledge Management System, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 129)

How to Lead a 100-Year Life, with Lynda Gratton (episode 266)

Five Steps to Hold People Accountable, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 306)

How to Make Your Work More Visible, with John Stepper (episode 397)

Help People Learn Through Powerful Teaching, with Pooja Agarwal (episode 421)

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Neil Pasricha: You Are Awesome

Neil Pasricha helps people live happy lives. He is the New York Times-bestselling author of The Happiness Equation and The Book of Awesome series, which has been published in ten countries, spent over five years on bestseller lists, and sold over a million copies.

He’s a Harvard MBA, one of the most popular TED speakers of all time, and after ten years heading Leadership Development at Walmart he now serves as Director of The Institute for Global Happiness. He is the author of the new book, You Are Awesome: How to Navigate Change, Wrestle with Failure, and Live an Intentional Life.

In this conversation, Neil and I explore the importance of being uncomfortable to drive professional development. We discuss both of our journeys through mediocrity and how those times helped us to serve many more people today.

Key Points

“I know see that my anger stemmed from my deep disappointment in myself.”

“I didn’t see it then and I wouldn’t see it for at least ten years that the P&G failure helped me to get more comfortable with being uncomfortable."

“What we often think of evolution as ‘destroying and replacing’ the past is actually transcending and including.”

Resources Mentioned

You Are Awesome: How to Navigate Change, Wrestle with Failure, and Live an Intentional Life* by Neil Pasricha

Neil’s blog

Book Notes

Download my highlights from You Are Awesome in PDF format (free membership required).

Related Episodes

Essentials of Adult Development, with Mindy Danna (episode 273)

How to Be a Happier Person, with Neil Pasricha (episode 334)

Six Tactics for Extraordinary Performance, with Morten Hansen (episode 337)

Neil Armstrong’s Other Landings (Dave’s Journal)

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Shelley Winner: Restorative Justice

Shelley Winner is a Restorative Justice Activist whose goal is to change the world, reduce crime, and advocate for justice involved people all while helping companies improve productivity and revenues.

She is also a technology specialist, is very active in the restorative justice movement in San Francisco and wants to educate the public about the benefits of hiring the formerly incarcerated. Through her work with Winner’s Circle, she is closing the gap between soon to be released inmates and technology companies by developing and delivering training to inmates and helping technology companies create internships for justice involved individuals.

In this conversation, Shelley shares her story of moving from incarceration to successful employment in the technology industry. We highlight how some organizations are leading in this work and what the research shows about companies that are helping to unlock the formerly incarcerated workforce.

Key Points

“There isn't anyone you couldn't learn to love once you've heard their story.” -Fred Rogers

95% of people incarcerated will be released back to communities. The formerly incarcerated are five times more likely to be unemployed than the general population.

“Within organizations that have hired those with a criminal record, 82% of managers rate the value workers with a criminal record bring to the organization as similar to or greater than that of those without a record.” -Society for Human Resource Management

Be an advocate. Research what other organizations are doing on this. Begin by reading the SHRM report.

Resources Mentioned

Hiring the Formerly Incarcerated is Best for Your Team (Shelley’s TED talk)

Winner’s Circle (Shelley’s organization)

Getting Talent Back to Work by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Out of Prison & Out of Work: Unemployment Among Formerly Incarcerated People by Prison Policy Initiative

Embracing Formerly Incarcerated Workers: Things HR Should Consider by CareerMinds

Facts & Trends by The National Reentry Resource Center

Big Tech's Newest Experiment in Criminal-Justice Reform in The Atlantic

The Last Mile

JPMorgan Chase Joins Second Chance Efforts to Reduce Obstacles to Employment

Related Episodes

Sin by Silence, with Olivia Klaus (episode 103)

Find Courage to Speak When It Matters Most, with Allan McDonald (episode 229)

The Choice for Compassion, with Edith Eger (episode 336)

How to Get Moving, with Scott Harrison (episode 374)

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Jim Kirkpatrick: Four Levels of Training Evaluation

Jim Kirkpatrick is co-owner of Kirkpatrick Partners. He is an expert in training evaluation and the creator of the New World Kirkpatrick Model. He trains and consults for corporate, government, military, and humanitarian organizations around the world.

Jim co-authored three books with his late father, Don Kirkpatrick, who is credited with creating the Kirkpatrick Model. He also has written four books with Wendy Kirkpatrick, including Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Training Evaluation*.

In this conversation, Jim and I explore the details of the New World Kirkpatrick Model. Many leaders miss the critical nature of focus on level 4 (results) and level 3 (behavior). We examine these two levels in detail and show leaders how they can take practical steps to link training with results.

Key Points

Ask yourself this when considering results: “Is this what the organization exists to do, deliver, or contribute to its customers or society, at a high level?”

Level 4 (Results): The degree to which targeted outcomes occur as a result of the training and the support and accountability package.

Level 3 (Behavior): The degree to which participants apply what they learned during training when they are back on the job.

Level 2 (Learning): The degree to which participants acquire the intended knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence and commitment based on their participation in the training.

Level 1 (Reaction): The degree to which participants find the training favorable, engaging and relevant to their jobs.

Resources Mentioned

Kirkpatrick Community: Free Resources

Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation* by Jim and Wendy Kirkpatrick

Bonus Audio

Aligning Training with Business Objectives

Related Episodes

Effective Delegation of Authority, with Hassan Osman (episode 413)

Help People Learn Through Powerful Teaching, with Pooja Agarwal (episode 421)

Tie Leadership Development to Business Results, with Mark Allen (episode 435)

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Mindy Pankoke, Jeff VandenHoek, and Andrew Mugford

On this SaturdayCast, longtime listeners Mindy, Jeff, and Andrew join Dave to discuss how they’ve worked together to support each other in their leadership development. They share the importance of setting expectations in advance, getting external perspective, and celebrating key milestones.

Key Points

Getting people together outside of the organization/industry is helpful for objective perspective.

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” -Jim Rohn

There’s the temptation to think, “What could I possibly offer?” Almost always, each person is able to offer a lot more than they expected.

Say “thank you” when someone offers something, even if you’re not sure it’s useful.

It is important to celebrate significant milestones.

Resources Mentioned

The Coaching Habit* by Michael Bungay Stanier

Related Episodes

These Coaching Questions Get Results, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 237)

How to Create Meaningful Gatherings, with Priya Parker (episode 395)

How to Make Your Work More Visible, with John Stepper (episode 397)

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Lisa Cummings: Lead Through Strengths

Lisa Cummings is the founder and CEO of Lead Through Strengths, a firm that exists to help people find and use their strengths at work. Lisa and her team serve large teams and organizations to help them leverage the results of the CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) assessment. She is also the host of the popular Lead Through Strengths podcast.

In this conversation, Lisa and I discuss the value of bringing continual learning into existing team meetings.

Key Points

Consistency of team learning over time, each if for only a few minutes in each interaction, can make substantial progress.

If possible, begin a meeting with a learning component.

Help connect the dots for people between their natural talents and the work in front of them in the organization.

When you ask people to think of others who they admire, be specific.

Resources Mentioned

CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) assessment

Activity: What Do You Want to Be Remembered For? in PDF format (free membership required).

The Ultimate Guide to Using Your Strengths to Get Hired

Related Episodes

Five Effective Ways to Train the People You Lead (episode 31)

How Teams Use StrengthsFinder Results, with Lisa Cummings (episode 293)

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

One Alternative to Standing Meetings

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Join us for the inaugural Coaching for Leaders Expert Class:

How to Create Team Guidelines

Thursday, December 12th at 1:00 p.m. New York / 10:00 a.m. Los Angeles

Claim Your Free Seat

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed

Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions.

Listener Questions

Robert asked how he could support other leaders in his organization to do better, while also supporting his own career.

Harrison was wondering how he could handle a situation with a difficult client.

Gregory wanted to know how to support team members when they are on-site with a customer and not available to connect.

Chris asked what he could do to get more feedback on what should happen with training and development activities.

Resources Mentioned

How to Stop Worry and Start Living* by Dale Carnegie

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People* by Stephen Covey

Related Episodes

How to Listen When Someone Is Venting, with Mark Goulston (episode 91)

Performance Measurement That Gets Results, with Stacey Barr (episode 419)

Tie Leadership Development to Business Results, with Mark Allen (episode 435)

Keep Your Ideas From Being Stolen (Dave’s Journal)

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Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.