Partnering Leadership

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with JJ (Projjal) Ghatak, a seasoned technology executive who has held key roles at companies like Uber and is currently the Co-Founder and CEO of OnLoop, a habit-forming, genAI-powered goals and feedback platform for high functioning teams. Projjal Ghatak shares his unique insights on building mission-driven cultures, fostering collaboration, and leveraging technology to empower managers and drive organizational success.

Drawing from his experiences at Uber during its rapid growth phase, Projjal discusses how the company's decentralized structure and fighting spirit contributed to its success. He also delves into the importance of the founder's role in setting the tone for an organization's culture and attracting the right talent.

As the co-founder of OnLoop, JJ (Projjal) Ghatak is on a mission to "productize" management, making it simple and effective for every manager to bring out the best in their teams. He breaks down the key responsibilities of a manager and shares how OnLoop is using AI and habit-formation science to drive better management practices.

Throughout the conversation, Projjal touches on a range of topics relevant to today's leaders, from the challenges of hybrid work to the importance of self-awareness and continuous learning. 

Actionable Takeaways:

- Discover how Uber's early culture of decentralization and fighting spirit fueled its rapid growth and success

- Learn Projjal's framework for the five key responsibilities of a manager and how to excel at each one

- Explore the science behind habit formation and how it can be leveraged to drive better management practices

- Gain insights on the productivity challenges of hybrid work and strategies for building self-discipline in remote teams

- Hear Projjal's unconventional approach to recruiting, which prioritizes raw talent over years of experience

- Understand the importance of self-awareness for leaders and how to leverage resources for continuous learning and growth

Connect with JJ (Projjal) Ghatak

OnLoop Website

JJ (Projjal) Ghatak LinkedIn 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this engaging episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, host Mahan Tavakoli engages in an insightful conversation with Paul Daugherty, the group chief executive of technology and chief technology officer at Accenture. During the episode, Paul Daugherty emphasizes the criticality of adopting a technology-focused mindset and embracing constant reinvention and agility in the face of evolving technologies. He highlights the importance of organizations becoming learning organizations equipped with empathetic listening capabilities to navigate the era of generative AI effectively. The conversation delves into the significance of responsible AI and data ethics within organizations utilizing AI. Paul Daugherty underscores the need for CEOs to prioritize the implementation of responsible AI, emphasizing its role in shaping the future of business and society. Additionally, the episode touches on the transformative impact of the metaverse on business operations, the integral role of data in AI, and the necessity of rescaling individuals displaced by automation. Finally, Paul Daugherty shares his predictions on the future impact of AI on organizations.

• Discover the untapped potential of AI. Find out why reskilling is crucial for individuals affected by automation.
• Uncover the origins of the digital revolution and the birth of artificial intelligence.
• Gain insights into the transformation of every business into a technology company, and learn why technological prowess is indispensable for successful digital transformation and total enterprise reinvention.
• Explore how AI can support learning within organizations.
• Understand the importance of placing technology at your company's core and adopting a mindset of total enterprise reinvention.
• Dive into the symbiotic relationship between humans and machines and unlock the potential and value that AI offers when they work together.
• Delve into responsible AI, establishing structured policies and tools to ensure ethical and unbiased outcomes while appropriately handling data.
• Discover the transformative impact of generative AI, affecting 40% of working hours across companies.
• Explore the metamorphosis of the metaverse and its profound influence on business operations.
• Embrace the concept of a Technology Quotient (TQ) as an essential addition to IQ and EQ in every company, and recognize the importance of training all employees in various technologies.

Accenture Thought Leadership

Accenture Foresight App 

Accenture Technology Vision 2023 When Atoms Meet Bits 

Connect with Paul Daugherty

Paul Daugherty at Accenture 

Paul Daugherty on LinkedIn

Also Referenced:

Partnering Leadership Conversation with Ajay Agrawal on Prediction Machines & Power and Prediction

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with David Rubenstein, co-founder & co-chairman of Carlyle Group & President of the Economic Club of Washington DC.  In the conversation David Rubenstein shares his journey from working at the White House to starting one of the largest private equity investment firms globally. He also talks about his leadership lessons, philanthropy, Peer-to-Peer interviewing for the Economic Club of Washington DC and Bloomberg TV, and the legacy he plans to leave behind. 

Some highlights:

- David Rubenstein’s childhood and how he became an avid reader

- David’s experience at the White House working for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter

- The story behind David Rubenstein helping co-found the Carlyle Group

- On becoming Carlyle Group’s fundraiser and how David increased its visibility 

- David Rubenstein’s leadership practices and values

- ‘Patriotic Philanthropy’ and David Rubenstein’s signing of the giving pledge

- David Rubenstein on the value of family and the importance of raising successful children

- Why David Rubenstein accepted to become the President of The Economic Club of Washington DC and then decided to change the format. 

- Becoming a Peer-to-Peer interviewer: on self-deprecating humor, being a good listener, and more

- Leadership lessons from David Rubenstein’s book, How to Lead

- On his passion for capturing the ‘American experiment’ and his opinion on America today

- David Rubenstein’s desire for impact as he ‘sprints’ to leave a legacy 

- Why David Rubenstein reads over 100 books a year and encourages others to read more

- On moving forward post-COVID with ongoing transformation and change

Connect with David Rubenstein

David Rubenstein Website

How to Lead by David Rubenstein

The Carlyle Group Website

The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer

The Economic Club of Washington D.C. Website

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this captivating episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Greg Wooldridge, the only person to have led the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy's renowned flight demonstration squadron, three times. With his unparalleled experience and unique insights, Greg Wooldridge shares valuable lessons on leadership, team dynamics, and the pursuit of excellence that is applicable not only in the cockpit but also in the boardroom.

Throughout the conversation, Greg Wooldridge discusses the core elements that make the Blue Angels a high-performing team despite the built-in turnover of members. He reveals how the squadron's culture, founded on humility, gratitude, and trust, is the bedrock of its success. Wooldridge also emphasizes the importance of effective debriefing, which he considers the "secret sauce" of the Blue Angels' continuous improvement.

Greg Wooldridge goes on to share his wisdom on the importance of selecting team members based on character rather than just skill and how to foster a sense of ownership and respect among all team members.

Actionable Takeaways:

• Discover the three essential elements that form the foundation of a high-performance culture and how to cultivate them in your organization.
• Learn the secret behind the Blue Angels' exceptional teamwork and how you can apply it to your own team, regardless of size or industry.
• Hear how embracing vulnerability and transparency during debriefs can lead to breakthrough improvements and stronger trust among team members.
• Understand why selecting team members based on character and humility is just as important, if not more so, than technical skills alone.
• Gain insight into how small acts of respect and appreciation can have a profound impact on team morale and performance.
• Learn how to create a psychologically safe environment where team members feel empowered to speak openly and take ownership of their work.
• Discover the dangers of cockiness in leadership and how to foster a culture of humility and continuous learning instead.

Connect with Greg Wooldridge

Greg Wooldridge LinkedIn

Greg Wooldridge Website

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli interviews Daniel Burrus, a world-renowned futurist, strategist, and author of The Anticipatory Organization: Turn Disruption and Change into Opportunity and Advantage.

In the conversation, Daniel Burrus shares his powerful framework for anticipating the future and shaping strategies accordingly, emphasizing the importance of identifying hard and soft trends to gain certainty in an uncertain world.

Throughout the conversation, Daniel Burrus dives deep into the principles and mindsets that enable leaders to become anticipatory rather than reactionary. He highlights the transformative power of the "both/and" principle, the "ideal use" principle, and the concept of disrupting yourself and your organization before others do. Daniel's expertise and engaging storytelling make this episode a must-listen for anyone looking to create a better future for themselves and their organization.

Key Insights You'll Gain:

• Discover the difference between hard trends and soft trends and how they can help you develop low-risk, high-reward strategies
• Learn how to become anticipatory and proactively identify and solve problems before they occur
• Understand the importance of embracing the "both/and" principle for accurate predictions and innovative thinking
• Explore the "ideal use" principle and how it can help you cut through the hype surrounding new technologies and innovations
• Gain insights into the power of disrupting yourself and your business before others do
• Uncover the potential of AI and how to harness its benefits while protecting against its risks
• Discover why humans are infinitely upgradable and the importance of staying open-minded to learning new things
• Learn how to apply the "both/and" principle to various scenarios, from paper vs. digital to gas vs. electric cars

Connect with Daniel Burrus

The Anticipatory Organization: Turn Disruption and Change into Opportunity and Advantage 

Daniel Burrus Website 

Daniel Burrus LinkedIn 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Brad Zimmerman, a seasoned business consultant and coauthor of The Great Engagement: How CEOs Create Exceptional Cultures. With over thirty years of experience guiding businesses to success, Brad brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insights to the table.

Throughout the conversation, Brad and Mahan delve into the critical importance of employee engagement and how leaders can effectively align individual purpose with organizational goals. They explore the shifting attitudes towards work in our society and the implications for leaders seeking to foster cultures of engagement and fulfillment.

Brad Zimmerman shares powerful examples and anecdotes from his work with clients, illustrating the transformative impact of a purpose-driven culture on employee motivation, retention, and overall organizational performance. He emphasizes the need for leaders to be intentional, conscious, and self-aware in their approach to engaging and empowering their teams.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into the three essential tools of leadership - leading, managing, and coaching - and how mastering these skills can create a supportive and accountable environment where people thrive. 

Actionable Takeaways:

- Discover the three critical elements leaders must focus on to create a culture of engagement and purpose

- Learn how to overcome the invisible barriers that prevent employees from offering honest feedback and challenging ideas

- Hear powerful examples of organizations that have successfully navigated turbulent times by fostering a deep sense of purpose and pride among their teams

- Gain practical strategies for implementing "supportive accountability" and driving results through regular, forward-looking conversations

- Understand the importance of creating a coaching culture and how to model openness to feedback as a leader

- Explore the shifting attitudes towards work-life balance and how leaders can adapt to engage their teams in this new landscape

- Learn the key differences between leading, managing, and coaching and why all three are essential for effective leadership

- Discover how to use mission moments to consistently connect your team's work to a greater purpose

Connect with Brad Zimmerman

Phoenix Performance Partners Webpage  with Additional Resources Including Free Download of Engaged Life Inventory 

The Great Engagement: How CEOs Create Exceptional Cultures 

Brad Zimmerman on LinkedIn 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Professor Ajay Agrawal, the Geoffrey Taber Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. Ajay Agrawal is also the founder of the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), a not-for-profit program for early-stage, science-based companies, and coauthor of two outstanding books on Artificial Intelligence: Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence and Power and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence. In the conversation, Professor Agrawal shared the origin of his passion for studying the intersection of technology and economics and the increasing importance of artificial intelligence for organizations as a decision-making tool that brings down the cost of prediction. Ajay Agrawal then explained why this shift would significantly impact individuals, organizations, and industries as machines enable better predictions while humans focus on the judgment required for decision-making. Finally, Ajay Agrawal shared examples of the transformative impact of the reduction in the cost of prediction and how leaders can help guide their organizations through the significant changes ahead.

Some highlights:

- Three people that helped shape Ajay Agrawal's career path

- Why looking at AI from an economic perspective clarifies its potential to transform organizations and industries

- Ajay Agrawal on the role of predictions in artificial intelligence 

- The importance of human judgment in decision making

- How AI decision-making will redefine roles in the workplace

- The disruptive economics of artificial intelligence 

- How generative AI such as ChatGPT works and what causes mistakes and misstatements

- Ajay Agrawal on the importance of upskilling professionals 

- How organizations can redesign their structures and processes to take into account the new predictive world

- The impact of AI on systems-level change

- How organizations can leverage AI for business success

- Why we're on the brink of a set of transformations that none of us have seen in our lifetimes

- How AI can help create a better future

Connect with Professor Ajay Agrawal:

Ajay Agrawal website 

Ajay Agrawal at Rotman School of Management 

Ajay Agrawal on LinkedIn 

Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence on Amazon 

Power and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence on Amazon 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

This episode of Partnering Leadership features Mahan Tavakoli in an interview on the Uncommodified podcast with host Tim Windsor. They explore AI's impact on leadership in an increasingly fast-changing world.  

Mahan and Tim have an insightful dialogue around evolving leadership approaches for exponential times driven by technological advances like AI. They discuss the pitfalls of certainty and why leaders can no longer rely on having all the answers today to be successful.  

Instead, they examine why perpetual curiosity, learning, and questioning are becoming competitive advantages to drive innovation. From analyzing biases ingrained by education systems to rediscovering childlike wonder, Tim and Mahan offer wisdom for leaders to "unlearn" outdated notions that will hamper future success.  

They also explore why confidence must be balanced with humility. Modeling an appetite for life's uncertainties can inspire the same in teams.

Actionable Takeaways:

• Hear why the world's accelerating pace demands leaders evolve approaches rooted in the past
• Learn how to foster radical curiosity that invites insight over projecting certainty
• Discover leadership behaviors to model that ignite innovative thinking in teams
• Understand the risks leaders face by sticking to hubris versus humility
• Get tactics to encourage curiosity and unlearning within your culture
• Learn why leaders adept at questioning will thrive through greater uncertainty 
• Hear how childlike wonder and imagination can fuel breakthrough leadership
• Get insights on how to apply insights from Brene Brown and Adam Grant for personal growth

Partnering Leadership Conversations Referenced

Leading Through The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence with Professor Ajay Agrawal

Connect with Tim Windsor

Tim Windsor Website 

The Uncommodified Podcast 

Tim Windsor on LinkedIn 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

As the pace of digital change accelerates, how should leaders guide their organizations to stay ahead of disruption? In this episode of Partnering Leadership, author John Rossman makes the case that betting big on transformation is essential, though risky.

Drawing on his experience spearheading Amazon's bold expansions, Rossman argues that the coming era of "hyper-digital" will necessitate even bolder moves than we've seen.

In the conversation, John Rossman lays out a playbook for leading change with the same fearless spirit of innovation embodied by pioneers like Bezos, Musk, and Jobs. His new book, Big Bet Leadership: Your Transformation Playbook for Winning in the Hyper-Digital Era, offers tools and frameworks to drive clarity, speed, and calculated risk-taking in your team. Listen as Rossman shares insider tips on writing focused memos, rapidly testing central assumptions, and clearly communicating to carry stakeholders through uncertainty.

You'll learn tangible systems to define the problems worth attacking and to design minimal viable tests that reveal which bold solutions show the most significant promise. Rossman also prescribes remedies for the cultural obstacles that often sideline transformative thinking. Get actionable methods to investigate multiple futures, facilitate critical debate, and budget in stages rather than over-committing.

In an exponential era where leaders must think big while mitigating existential risk, Rossman delivers the wisdom needed today to build resilient, adaptive organizations ready to lead the future. 

In the episode, you will learn:
- How to frame your boldest ideas as "Big Bets" to spark smarter experiments 
- Ways to accelerate and test transformational initiatives before overcommitting
- How Jeff Bezos's "Day 1" outlook drives fearless innovation
- How writing memos instead of slide decks uncovers flaws and misalignments
- Why Simon Sinek says leaders repeating messages drives progress 
- How to balance dream-big thinking with de-risking core assumptions
- How to run small tests that reveal which big bets deserve doubling down 


Connect with John Rossman
Big Bet Leadership: Your Transformation Playbook for Winning in the Hyper-Digital Era
John Rossman Website
John Rossman LinkedIn
John Rossman Partnering Leadership episode on The Amazon Way 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, host Mahan Tavakoli interviews philosopher, CEO, and bestselling author Brian Johnson on activating your organization's heroic potential. Having spent over half his career as a founder and business leader, Brian shares powerful insights on perseverance and excellence drawn from ancient wisdom and modern science.  

In the conversation, Brian offers key lessons from his newest book, "Arete: Activate Your Heroic Potential," for overcoming adversity and leading teams through hardship. You'll discover Brian's fascinating concept of "anti-fragile confidence" and the rituals enabling leaders to cultivate it.  

Hear how Brian trains his mind and body with world-class dedication - and why peak physical condition enables peak psychological performance when tackling stress. Finally, Brian defines the one "ultimate game" leaders must keep sight of in business and life.  

In this conversation, you will learn:

• Why leaders should see adversity as a creative "wrestling partner" sent to build skills, like an ancient Greek hero
• The moment-by-moment visualizing tactic for closing gaps between your potential and reality 
• How an elite military leader defined the key to emotional resilience (and how to develop more of this quality)
• Why protocols and checklists matter as much personally for CEOs as they do for pilots and surgeons
• The four timeframes for properly assessing progress while avoiding imposter syndrome  
• How one trusted advisor coaches building "anti-fragile confidence" to thrive when problems intensify
• The critical question to ask when overwhelmed: "What's your protocol?" (and how to architect one)
• Why leaders should ask "What now?" rather than "Why me?" when adversity strikes  

Connect with Brian Johnson

Heroic

Brian Johnson
Arete: Activate Your Heroic Potential

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website