Life as Leadership: Where Leaders Gather to Grow Together

Kirby Hasseman is an entrepreneur, marketer and author. He is the owner of Hasseman Marketing, a full-service marketing agency, and Hasseman Properties. He has been named an influencer in the promo world and has just authored his fourth book called The Give First Economy.

Get your FREE copy of Kirby's book, The Give First Economy http://hassemanmarketing.com/givefirstbook (here).

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

- The “give first economy” is about giving up front in order to win long-term because you’ve built up trust with your customers and followers.

- When you do business the right way, your customers become your advocates.

- Give joy. That will set you apart from many online and in life.

- The human brain is wired to perform better when a boost of positivity is given to a person.

- Creating valuable content is important. Become the expert by being the voice in your corner of the market. Answer the questions of your customers in an engaging way. You’re not giving first if you’re creating a commercial for your product.

- Busy is the most overused term/state of mind in our culture.

- If your answer is not a definite “yes,” it might need to be a “no.”

- When you are focused on giving first, you also need to focus on making the time by both stopping some habits/practices/responsibilities and starting other, good habits/practices.

- Fight the negativity of the world. The world has a kindness deficiency. When you buck this trend, you stand out.

- Create a practice of gratitude. This will be fulfilling for you and help you stand out in the “give first economy.”

QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE US TO ACTION

– What is some lesson, saying, or experience that continues to influence your leadership to this day? “Everything is my fault.” It’s easy to blame others, but if you assume ownership, you begin to see where you could have done better. As a leader, you always get credit for the good stuff, so take responsibility for the things that go wrong as well.

- Use three descriptors to finish this sentence: “A leader is…” Visionary, a communicator/listener, and kind.

- What is a question that leaders should be asking either themselves or others? How can I help? If you have the right people on your team, facilitate their success!

- What book would you recommend to leaders? Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek and Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.

- If you could get every listener to start doing something THIS week to help them be a better leader, what would it be? Listen with the idea of treating people how they want to be treated.

- As a general life principle, is it better to ask “why?” or “why not?” Somehow Josh forgot to ask! (This will be updated soon with Kirby’s answer.)

Website:

https://hassemanmarketing.com

Contact:

Find Kirby on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kirbyhasseman (@kirbyhasseman)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekirbyhasseman/ (@thekirbyhasseman)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirbyhasseman (in/kirbyhasseman)

Adam Kingl is a highly respected expert on leadership and culture, fulfilling organizational and personal purpose, and generational paradigms in the workplace. He has worked as the Regional Managing Director for Duke Corporate Education, leading the organization’s business in Europe, and advising clients on issues of adaptability, performance, creativity, and purpose. Before Duke, he was the Executive Director of Thought Leadership and Learning Solutions for London Business School. His new book, Next Generation Leadership: How to Ensure Young Talent Will Thrive with Your Organization just came out at the beginning of February.

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

- If the paradigms for younger people are different than those of today’s older generations (beyond age-related perspectives), the leadership in these organizations will eventually change.

- Social context has significantly shaped each generation’s perspectives.

- The change in employee loyalty is one of the most radical changes.

- Many Millennial paradigms are most similar to some pre-Industrial Revolution generations.

- Millennials are mainly looking for intangible benefits such as personal development opportunities, organizational culture, and work-life balance (as opposed to benefits such as salary, promotion opportunities, etc.).

- Work-life balance can be interpreted as flexibility in work hours/location (Millennials) OR as working fewer hours (older generations).

- Renewing personal and organizational mission is a key priority/mantra for the next generation of leaders.

- Taking a wider, full-stakeholder view is becoming increasingly important.

- There’s nothing wrong with past ways of leadership, but culture has moved on.

- Work-life doesn’t have to be a choice between work-to-live or live-to-work. Work-life can become a life worth living.

QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE US TO ACTION

– What is some lesson, saying, or experience that continues to influence your leadership to this day? “Be a man for others”—the idea of developing as a whole person and thinking about the ethics behind the decisions you make.

- Use three descriptors to finish this sentence: “A leader is…” Authentic, innovative, and a change leader.

- What is a question that leaders should be asking either themselves or others? Why should anyone be led by me?

- What book would you recommend to leaders? Why Should Anyone Be Led by You? by Gareth R. Jones and Robert Goffee and The Future of Management by Gary Hamel.

- If you could get every listener to start doing something THIS week to help them be a better leader, what would it be? Ask younger employees fundamental questions about the organization and even invite feedback.

- As a general life principle, is it better to ask “why?” or “why not?” “Why not?” because it engages the creative spirit.

Website:

https://adamkingl.com

Find Adam on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/adam_kingl (@Adam_Kingl)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-kingl-188244/ (in/adam-kingl)

Bill Coletti is a reputation management, crisis communications, and professional development expert who founded a company called Kith to help other organizations in these areas. He is also a keynote speaker, Wall Street Journal Risk and Compliance panelist, and best-selling author of Critical Moments: The New Mindset of Reputation Management. He has more than 25 years of global experience managing high-stakes crises, issues management, and media relations challenges for both Fortune 500 companies and winning global political campaigns.

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

- People are paying more attention than they’ve ever paid before.

- There is strategic, preventable, and external risk. Strategic risk is a purposeful change. Preventable risks should not happen. External risks are outside your control.

- Reputation is not a by-product. It is a strategic asset, and it can be managed with the four-A framework: Awareness, Assessment, Authority, and Action.

- Awareness is a matter of knowing what you stand for and what the issues and concerns of your stakeholders, etc. are.

- Assessment is a matter of asking what others (e.g. customers) think about you.

- Authority occurs when you create reputation management programs that have top leadership input.

- Action comes only after the other three areas have been mastered. This is a matter of marketing the leadership you’re taking in a specific area.

- Showing your marketing leadership helps you maintain a “license to operate” and encourages people to give you the benefit of the doubt.

- As a leader, it is more important to know who will execute a task rather than how it will be executed.

QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE US TO ACTION

– What is some lesson, saying, or experience that continues to influence your leadership to this day? 1. Culture is important—why organizations exist and who they serve. 2. Divorce changed self-perception and growth in faith.

- Use three descriptors to finish this sentence: “A leader is…” Thoughtful, smart, and caring.

- What is a question that leaders should be asking either themselves or others? If we’re sitting here having a conversation in three years, and we’re really happy, what happened?

- What book would you recommend to leaders? Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell.

- If you could get every listener to start doing something THIS week to help them be a better leader, what would it be? In a staff meeting, take 5-15 minutes. Take a headline and ask how you/your team would respond if it had happened to you.

- As a general life principle, is it better to ask “why?” or “why not?” “Why?” because it keeps you always inquisitive.

Website:

https://kith.co/

Find Kith/Bill on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kith_co (@kith_co)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bcoletti (@bcoletti)

Louis Fernandez is a former Army officer who deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division where he learned valuable leadership lessons (particularly related to high stress situations). After leaving the military, he joined a Fortune 100 company and led multiple teams that he oversaw to success. He is the author of Keep on Leading, a book focused on two things this podcast likes, which are learning and taking action. Now he’s looking to share the lessons he has learned to improve the American workplace.

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

- Before you can effectively move a team to action, you have to lead yourself and then understand the individuals inside the team.

- There are a lot of things we don’t have time for, but we could have time for those things if we saw them as valuable enough to prioritize.

- You can be more gracious in your leadership when you practice seeing things from other people’s perspectives.

- Most leadership scenarios are easier to keep in perspective after you’ve gone through some really tough situations.

- Prepare in advance in order to make quick decisions in high-stress situations.

- Even if you don’t feel the stress of a situation as acutely as others, keep the priority of success high.

- Have the right attitude and mental state. See yourself as the servant and figure out what your team needs.

- The best way to avoid saying the wrong thing is to approach every situation the right way.

QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE US TO ACTION

– What is some lesson, saying, or experience that continues to influence your leadership to this day? You cannot fight your fights alone. Having a group of people with whom you share complete trust is absolutely critical to achieve success.

- Use three descriptors to finish this sentence: “A leader is…” Humble, empathetic, and trustworthy.

- What is a question that leaders should be asking either themselves or others? How can I help you?

- What book would you recommend to leaders? Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

- If you could get every listener to start doing something THIS week to help them be a better leader, what would it be? Mindset: Understand that your job is to support other people. Action: Have 1-on-1 meetings with every one of your direct reports (and continue them on a monthly basis).

- As a general life principle, is it better to ask “why?” or “why not?” “Why not?” This helps to force conflict and identify where things can go wrong.

Website:

https://louisjfernandez.com/

Contact:

Find Louis on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/conusbattle (@CONUSbattle)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CONUSbattleDrills/ (@CONUSbattledrills)

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-jonathan-fernandez (in/louis-jonathan-fernandez)

Dave Gordon is an internationally recognized brand, marketing and communications expert. He is an inspirational leader, speaker and author with a mission to help people identify, communicate, and deliver their unique value to build stronger personal, team and corporate brands. Dave’s work has positively impacted teams, organizations and associations in countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. His new book TIP: A Simple Strategy to Inspire High Performance and Lasting Success came out on January 29th.

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

- If you just focus on being/existing where you are, you are not focusing on high performance. When you perform at a higher level, you stand out.

- You can maintain success for a long period of time by consistently performing at a high level.

- If you focus on whom you exist to serve, this gives you an idea of where to focus to either work harder or smarter.

- Take the experience of the customer personally.

- Don’t do better work to get a better “tip” or compensation—do it to take care of the customer, THEN you will see high performance and lasting change.

- To remain driven and internally motivated, know your purpose. The way you can know your purpose is to finish this phrase: “I help people _____.”

- A brand is something you promise to the world. What is your promise to the world?

- If you were only known for one thing, what would that thing be?

- Human behavior is inconsistent. Brand behavior is consistent.

- If you are providing unique value, you become a value brand.

QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE US TO ACTION

– What is some lesson, saying, or experience that continues to influence your leadership to this day? As a player or coach of a team, taking care of the individual players while also taking care of the team as a whole.

- Use three descriptors to finish this sentence: “A leader is…” Aligned, positive, and encouraging.

- What is a question that leaders should be asking either themselves or others? What do people think of me? (Intention is important, but perception matters too.)

- What book would you recommend to leaders? The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon (Dave’s brother!).

- If you could get every listener to start doing something THIS week to help them be a better leader, what would it be? Communicate better—be consistent and clear.

- As a general life principle, is it better to ask “why?” or “why not?” “Why?” If you can get to the “why?” of something, you can get to the answer.

Website:

http://www.davegordon.net

Contact:

Find Dave on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davegordon_9 (@davegordon_9)

Mark Hodgson helps motivated professionals to unlock their inner talents and create the successful and meaningful lives we all crave. He’s been a senior corporate leader in multiple countries and is a leading thinker in transformation and what it takes to thrive in complex times. A natural disruptor, he helps executives, entrepreneurs and business owners to build their personal brand and influence and is an expert in leading change. His first book, Time to Shine explains what we need to DO, BE and BUILD to show up as successful, fulfilled and authentic influencers. His second book, Second Half Hero, launches in 2020.

Take the Influencer Quiz https://markhodgson.com.au/quiz/ (here).

Find Mark's LinkedIn Accelerator Club https://linkedinacceleratorclub.com/ (here).

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

- We live in a VUCA world: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity.

- You need a brand that captures all of who you are: Professional, social, etc. to create authenticity and depth that others can connect with.

- Your brand should include expertise, experience, and essence.

- We live in a world where so many people are credible subject matter experts. You need to focus on being DIFFERENT before being BETTER.

- Develop a content creation habit. Do this with a lightness of touch. Share a simple idea but bring it to life with your own experience.

- Share content in LinkedIn via posts (max 1300 characters).

- You need to have a point of difference from others so that you do not become commoditized.

QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE US TO ACTION

– What is some lesson, saying, or experience that continues to influence your leadership to this day? Never losing sight of building the life you want and never giving up on being the best you can be.

- Use three descriptors to finish this sentence: “A leader is…” Courageous, curious, and tenacious.

- What is a question that leaders should be asking either themselves or others? What work do I need to do on myself so I’m positioned to show up at my best?

- What book would you recommend to leaders? The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

- If you could get every listener to start doing something THIS week to help them be a better leader, what would it be? Start saying “no” more often. It’s one of the keys to fighting the overwhelm that many of us experience.

- As a general life principle, is it better to ask “why?” or “why not?” “Why not?” It is about a possibility mindset. So many people and organizations try to move forward by extending the past, but we need to have a preference for abundance rather than scarcity.

Website:

https://markhodgson.com.au/

Contact:

Find Mark on social media:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markianhodgson/ (in/MarkIanHodgson)

Rhea Wong has worked in the nonprofit sector for over fifteen years, twelve of them as an executive director. During her tenure as Executive Director of Breakthrough New York, she oversaw significant growth in the number of students served, in the staff, the budget and replication to three sites. She has become a leader in the New York educational community and is a frequent educational commentator in the media. She has been recognized with the SmartCEO Brava Award in 2015 and NY Nonprofit Media’s 40 under 40 in 2017. She is also the host of Nonprofit Lowdown, a podcast dedicated to the business of nonprofits.

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

- You have great resources around you, whether it’s people, skills, etc. Identify these and take advantage of them instead of ignoring them.

- Be on the bleeding edge of what is happening—put yourself in a posture of doing things you’ve never done before.

- Leadership is not only explicit but also implicit. When you are the leader of an organization, everyone is looking at you and taking cues from you how to act, think, and feel.

- Be aware that people may make meaning out of your actions, even if that meaning was not your intention.

- There tends to be a point at which leaders’ (particularly founders’) strengths become weaknesses. Be aware of this and make sure that you get out of your organization’s way when necessary.

- Do a good job of differentiating between expenses and investments. Both cost money, but the low-cost item/service is not always the best.

- Take some time to let your staff know that you appreciate them. All organizations get work done through people and relationships.

QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE US TO ACTION

– What is some lesson, saying, or experience that continues to influence your leadership to this day? It’s better to ask forgiveness than permission!

- Use three descriptors to finish this sentence: “A leader is…” Curious, bold, and compassionate.

- What is a question that leaders should be asking either themselves or others? How can I put myself in a posture of being on the “bleeding edge” and do things that I have never done before?

- What book would you recommend to leaders? Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott (bonuses: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and Atomic Habits by James Clear).

- If you could get every listener to start doing something THIS week to help them be a better leader, what would it be? Make explicit the things you want to do by writing them down and speaking them into existence. Also, stop trying to solve other peoples’ problems and instead ask them what they intend to do about them.

- As a general life principle, is it better to ask “why?” or “why not?” “Why not?” It is a much more interesting question. It pushes people and helps people imagine a world that does not yet exist.

Website:

http://www.rheawong.com

Contact:

Find Rhea on social media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rheawongconsulting/ (@RheaWongConsulting)

Rhea's Nonprofit Lowdown recommendations:

Interview with https://open.spotify.com/episode/7C6jwcpYoFdiXfKc5qemf5 (Susan Scott)

Interview with https://open.spotify.com/episode/50nI7VNQ2bNUTp0kCjBAjj (Kara Logan Berlin)

Interview with https://open.spotify.com/episode/3OR8cUnPrRB2jvxK5ldrvm (Dianne Morales)

Paul Stretton-Stephens is a mindset coach as well as a teacher, futurist, author, and speaker. He is a proud veteran and has for many years coached multiple sports and activities. He has travelled extensively and has lived abroad for some years, and he doesn’t let his visual impairment stifle his activities. He is happily married and lives in Devon, UK where he adores living by the sea.

Follow the rowing team Paul is coaching on https://www.instagram.com/oarsomefoursome/ (Instagram) and track their location https://www.taliskerwhiskyatlanticchallenge.com/2019-race-tracking/ (here).

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

- Deal with the key, elemental questions related to your goals before pursuing them wholeheartedly.

- When working on personal goals, identify whether 1) they’re intelligent goals for you, 2) whether they’re congruent with your beliefs, and 3) whether they’re success-based.

- When possible, work on new ideas on yourself before introducing them to others.

- Write down your goals and identify what your life will look like after you’ve achieved them.

- Involve others in your goals.

QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE US TO ACTION

– What is some lesson, saying, or experience that continues to influence your leadership to this day? Learning from lessons from a leader who wasn’t prepared for their leadership role.

- Use three descriptors to finish this sentence: “A leader is…” The figurehead of the organization; the ultimate decision-maker; and the person who is not afraid to effect change, collaborate, and cooperate.

- What is a question that leaders should be asking either themselves or others? What am I asking that I’m not asking.

- What book would you recommend to leaders? The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi.

- If you could get every listener to start doing something THIS week to help them be a better leader, what would it be? Become a super deep listener.

- As a general life principle, is it better to ask “why?” or “why not?” “Why not?” “Why?” is not asking enough. “Why not?” is pre-supposing there is something else out there.

Website:

https://coachpaul.expert/

Contact:

Find Paul on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoachPaulSS (@CoachPaulSS)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachPaulSS (@CoachPaulSS)

Aviv Shahar is founder and president of Aviv Consulting, a strategic innovation consultancy. He is also the author of the book Create New Futures: How Leaders Produce Breakthroughs and Transform the World Through Conversation and hosts the Creating New Futures podcast. He has spent time as a fighter pilot for the Israeli Air Force, where he learned lessons he still uses today. Now, Fortune 500 companies hire him to help their senior teams create purpose-inspired futures and innovative strategies that drive growth.

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

- To create new futures, we have to determine the future(s) we want and work backward to achieve it. In other words, solve to the future state. When you do, you will address the current challenges and opportunities.

- New, breakthrough ideas cannot come when people are stuck in old thinking patterns.

- As a leader, you have three jobs: 1) Doing the work you were hired to do. 2) Transforming the work to do it more efficiently. 3) Transforming yourself. This allows you to do the first two better.

- The key to transforming your work and transforming yourself is an insatiable curiosity.

- Ask yourself, “How am I making the work experience the most fulfilling for others?”

- Either be mission critical or create overwhelming value. These are the two ways to make yourself a vital component in or for an organization.

- An un-debriefed action is a wasted action. A debriefed action that leads to new breakthroughs is the greatest satisfaction and reward in being able to serve customers.

- Commit every day to debriefing your experience and distill some key ideas, practices, and opportunities that will enable you to perform at a higher level tomorrow.

QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE US TO ACTION

- What is some lesson, saying, or experience that continues to influence your leadership to this day? The “Wow multiplier phenomenon”—go above and beyond people expectations. Only outstanding work will be appreciated as excellent. If you do “Wow work,” you will be rewarded disproportionately.

- Use three descriptors to finish this sentence: “A leader is…” A convener of possibilities, a catalyst of new conversations, and a connector of data points that shape new tomorrows.

- What is a question that leaders should be asking either themselves or others? What possible futures do I imagine (for yourself, others)? And what specifically excites and energizes me about these futures?

- What book would you recommend to leaders? (A movie) The Two Popes.

- If you could get every listener to start doing something THIS week to help them be a better leader, what would it be? You must invest in your growth. Build a practice of reflection into your work. Carve out 10-20 minutes each morning to be reflective and determine what you need to do that day. Bring a clear and purposeful intent to each day.

- As a general life principle, is it better to ask “why?” or “why not?” Ask “why?” if you need a new insight. Ask “why not?” if you want to release new, momentous action.

Website:

https://www.avivconsulting.com/

Find Aviv on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/avivshahar (@AvivShahar)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avivconsulting (@AvivConsulting)

Ben Baker has been helping his customers across North America communicate effectively for more than a quarter century. His believes that if your employees do not understand and live your mission, vision and values, your customers will never believe in them. He is the author of Powerful Personal Brands, facilitator of the How to Retain Employees Through Leadership workshop and course and host of the YourLIVINGBrand.live Show.