Knowing Kenning

Can joining a college a capella group help launch a career in the family business? Yes it can, Eliah Seton, CEO of SoundCloud tells Kenning Associates Partner, Daryl Ogden–and it can provide the foundation for a marriage and family to boot!

Eliah joins us on the pod to discuss his career in music:  One deeply rooted in his personal and family history, and one that was shaped by mentors and mentorship throughout. Eliah explains what he gleaned from his mentors (e.g., where to find energy, how to measure progress) as well what he still gathers from those he mentors (e.g., a new way to use a product, a fresh perspective from another company). 

Eliah and Daryl go on to dig deep into what makes Soundcloud supremely well-poised to exploit the disruptions in the music industry–trends that Eliah had seen first-hand in the making throughout his years at Warner Music.  As one of his mentors told him:  “When you’re on a train, you can walk or run… but what really matters is how fast the train is going.”

In this episode, Kenning Partner Cathy Boeckmann looks back on the enduring value of the streaming series Ted Lasso. She ponders the question, is Ted Lasso still relevant? Her answer is yes, and she suggests that 2024 is a great year for anyone to revisit the show as a support for personal growth. She shares three ways the show could have practical value for career inspiration: for facing challenges around new roles, for enhancing relationships, and for changing your story to make new things possible.

Then, the episode continues with a special bonus – the full first episode of Cathy’s other podcast, Lasso Lessons, which was first released in September 2021. In what follows, Cathy and co-host Mike Merrill break down Ted Lasso S1E1. You will find out why Ted learns everyone's names and even over-praises Nate's sports drink. And you’ll get an analysis of Ted’s "Inclusive Leadership” with a comparison between Ted’s vs. Rebecca’s communications styles. Plus hear how you too can flip the pyramid for organizational success!

Also Mentioned:

Inverting the Pyramid: the book & the organizational principle

The Key to Inclusive Leadership

Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums

Barry Jentz on challenges to sense-making

In this episode, Kenning Partner Daryl Ogden speaks with Helen Chiang, head of Mojang Studios. Daryl and Helen’s relationship goes back many years, to the integration of Mojang, the Swedish creator of Minecraft, into the world of Microsoft’s Xbox. Despite the difficult reality of most acquisitions, they talk about how Helen and her team ensured continued growth and player satisfaction.  

Helen’s long career in gaming, she explains, wasn’t her original plan in college or business school. But once exposed to the business side of gaming, she was drawn into the creative process. Discussing mentorship and sponsorship, Helen describes her own trials with imposter syndrome, and explains how she works with contributors throughout Microsoft to give their career in gaming a boost.

Daryl and Helen also focus on what it means to be a people-first leader, highlighting lessons learned in how to support creative, innovative talent. In a world where remote and hybrid work is becoming the norm, Helen’s experience with working across continents has great salience. She speaks of how diversity of insight is key to Mojang’s success, and how she and her team experimented with working arrangements until they got it right.

Note: This interview was recorded before Mojang released Legends.

C-Level Leader Abby Kearns Shares Insights into Tech Roles that Build Leadership Judgment and What We All Need to Know about Risk

Julie Kantor and Felice Ekelman share advice for leaders who want a productive, happy hybrid workplace

Kenning partner Cathy Boeckmann talks with Julie Kantor, a business psychologist, and Felice Ekelman, an employment attorney, about their new book, Thrive With a Hybrid Workplace: Step-by-Step Guidance from the Experts.

In this conversation, Julie and Felice describe what makes their book unique: a dual focus on both the “institutional” challenges of flexible work, like setting fair and clear policies, and the need to face up to fundamental leadership imperatives like ensuring good communication and fostering connection across a hybrid workforce.

Cathy invites Julie and Felice to share their perspectives on what the best organizations and leaders are doing right, which include:

• Inviting diverse groups of employees to give input on policies, which can be revisited and changed if things aren’t working

Buy the book:

On Amazon

On Barnes & Noble

Reach out:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Kenning Partner Daryl Ogden speaks with Philip Holt, head of Undead Labs, about his experiences running a gaming studio within the Xbox empire.  Philip explains his unusual introduction to the business of gaming, and why he found joining Undead to replace a charismatic founder both challenging and rewarding.  Daryl and Philip explore the deeper meaning of “State of Decay”, and how it might reflect on our own pandemic world.  

They go on to discuss how Philip worked with his team to develop and codify working values for the studio, and the role that DEI concerns played in that effort.  Daryl asks Philip how he has dealt with “The Great Resignation” and the ongoing challenge of attracting and keeping the highly skilled talent needed to create great games.  They explore the value Philip has found in his own coaching, and what it might offer studio leaders more broadly. Philip reveals the 7 books that made up his original leadership book club, and points to where the club will go next.  Finally, Philip and Daryl discuss how being a goalkeeper in his youth shaped the way Philip still sees risk and reward.

Reach out:

Philip Holt

Daryl Ogden

Book Club:

Ego is the Enemy

Endurance

Leadership in Turbulent Times

Lead from the Outside

Conscious Business

Dare to Lead

Creativity, Inc.

Solito

Join Kenning Partners Cathy Boeckmann and Jerry Stauduhar as they speak with Mike Merrill about the challenges facing strategic business communicators today. Despite a wealth of data–or maybe even because it is so plentiful–drawing out the “so what” and generating business insights seems ever more difficult. Experts in technology, the creative arts, or medicine can do great work and gather excellent data, but they can find it challenging to pull it together and present it in a way that helps decision makers take action. And the tools that allow for greater collaboration–like virtual meetings and cloud-based documents–can actually make things worse.

Find out how Cathy, Jerry, and their Kenning colleagues have addressed these challenges using tried and true methods as well as innovative new ways of meeting today’s needs. From investing in communications skills to building a culture that rewards judgment over raw information, see how Kenning has helped clients to make shared meaning.

Contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Continuing our series with Assistant Coach Ron Adams of the Golden State Warriors, Kenning Partner Daryl Ogden talks with Ron about coaching across the generations.  A collegiate and professional coach for over 50 years, Ron has seen a lot of changes, but as he tells Daryl, he’s had to adapt himself in order to “stay in the game.”

How has practice changed over the course of Ron’s career, and what does it have to do with disruptions in education?  How can music serve as a bridge between generations and how is basketball like jazz?  What role can generation markers–Boomers, X, Y, Z–play in helping you understand younger players and employees, and why are individual connections more important?  Ron and Daryl discuss these issues and more, and then Daryl and Mike Merrill apply Ron’s lessons to challenges you may face in working across generations in your own business context.

“The Guru of NBA Defense” is how Raptors coach Nick Nurse recently referred to Ron Adams, assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors whose time with the franchise has included 3 NBA championships.  Ron has coached not only Steph Curry and Kevin Garnett, but David Robinson, Ray Allen, and James Harden. In this wide-reaching conversation, Ron discusses with Kenning Partner Daryl Ogden how he builds rapport with players, especially superstars.

Are superstars just regular people, or should they be given extra privileges?  How does Ron span the chasm of his years of experience and rural upbringing to speak with today’s young stars?  Why was being left-handed a good way to build camaraderie with James Harden?  How can you develop relationships with your stars while telling them the truth?  What is the role of authenticity in leadership, and how can you build an inclusive culture, one founded on joy?

Join Ron and Daryl as they discuss this and more, and hear how Daryl and Mike Merrill apply Ron’s NBA wisdom to common business challenges.  

Contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

Conventionally, we think of feedback as something we get from our immediate supervisor. But Kenning Partner Laurie Burkland Waller explains to Mike Merrill how we can use 360° feedback to broaden our perspective and ultimately provide us a competitive advantage. Laurie describes how Kenning uses both standard tools as well as custom interviews to gather feedback not only from senior leadership but peers and direct reports as well to provide a more comprehensive view of a leader’s performance.  

Determining strengths and opportunities is key, but Laurie notes that a well-conducted review can uncover issues that might derail a leader–for example, an overuse of a strength in a particular situation where it is not warranted. Laurie goes on to explain the importance of pursuing a developmental plan based on what has been learned in the process, and how ongoing coaching can not only help a leader experiment with new ways of working, but find ways to make change stick as well.

Contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

Mentioned in the pod:

Korn Ferry 360° Assessment

The Leadership Circle

Culture Amp