Partnering Leadership

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Eduardo Briceño, author of The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action. In the discussion, Eduardo dives into the transformative power of a growth mindset and how we can apply it to unlock our potential. He shares how a crippling physical injury early in his career led him to Carol Dweck's pioneering work on a growth mindset. This proved life-changing for Eduardo, setting him on a path to teaching individuals, teams, and organizations how to break free of chronic stagnation. In the conversation, Eduardo Briceno explains the performance paradox, where focusing solely on performing without learning leads to poor results. He offers strategies for leaders to get their teams to embrace a growth mindset. 

Some of the Growth Mindset Takeaways That Will Get You Thinking:

• Why integrating micro-learning into daily work trumps sporadic learning sessions. 
• Learn how to distinguish positive stretch mistakes from dangerous high-stakes ones.  
• How leaders can model a growth mindset openly to influence their teams. 
• The role a culture alignment and tweaking existing systems plays in helping teams adopt a growth mindset.
• The type of accountability that matters for both learning and performing. 

Connect with Eduardo Briceño

Eduardo Briceno Website 

Eduardo Briceno LinkedIn 

The Performance Paradox: Turning the Power of Mindset into Action on Amazon 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

John Livesay, The Pitch Whisperer and author of best-selling books, including Better Selling Through Storytelling and The Sale is In the Tale, joins Mahan Tavakoli on the Partnering Leadership podcast to share his insights on storytelling for leaders. In the conversation, John Livesay shares practical techniques to craft compelling stories that motivate teams, win business, and drive change.  Additionally, John provides memorable examples and easy-to-apply storytelling frameworks, including the 3Cs model and four-part story structure.

Storytelling Takeaways from This Episode:

- Telling your origin story and values-in-action stories to establish trust 

- Structuring pitches around client-focused stories, not just facts

- Using analogies and vulnerability to smoothly guide teams through change

- Capturing relatable stories from your team to build connection and brand loyalty

- Applying the "5-5-5" model to reframe challenges and build resilience rapidly

- Practicing consistently to hone your skills as a persuasive communicator

Connect with John Livesay

 John Livesay Website

John Livesay on LinkedIn

The Sale is In the Tale on Amazon 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this Partnering Leadership episode, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Amri B. Johnson, inclusion strategist and author of Reconstructing Inclusion: Making DEI Accessible, Actionable, and Sustainable. In the conversation, Amri Johnson emphasizes the need for a more inclusive view of diversity that goes beyond marginalized groups and includes everyone. Amri also explores the concept of meritocracy and how it should be approached in organizations, highlighting the importance of recognizing potential and providing development opportunities. Additionally, Amri Johnson addresses the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in DEI, emphasizing the need for transparency and mindful use of AI systems to ensure they enhance humanity rather than compromise it. Finally, Amri Johnson emphasizes the importance of creating accessible and equitable DEI practices that allow all individuals to thrive. 

In this episode:

• Understand the importance of taking an honest and introspective approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work.
• Explore the concept of diversity as a mixture of similar and different attributes and the importance of managing tension and complexity within organizations.
• Challenge the traditional view of diversity as solely benefiting marginalized groups and embrace a more inclusive perspective.
• Reconstruct the notion of inclusion by creating conditions for everyone to thrive and making DEI accessible to all.
• Recognize the need to move beyond isolated interventions and events in DEI work and focus on long-term strategies and actions.
• Embrace systems thinking in DEI efforts and understand the interdependencies and interconnections within organizations.
• Acknowledge that everyone has a role to play in DEI, from top leadership to individuals at all levels of the organization.
• Understand the potential harm of a narrow focus on meritocracy and the importance of inclusion and development in recognizing and nurturing talent.
• Consider the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on DEI and the need for transparency, accountability, and mitigation of biases in AI systems.
• Reflect on the potential of AI to enhance humanity when used mindfully and with a focus on positive outcomes.
• Recognize the differences in how DEI is approached in Europe compared to the United States, with a greater emphasis on race in the US and a broader focus on diversity in Europe.
• Embrace a multi-dimensional approach to DEI that goes beyond single identities and encompasses the richness and complexity of human diversity.
• Reflect on the importance of ongoing learning, experimentation, and collaboration in DEI work.
• Be motivated to take action and contribute to creating more inclusive and equitable organizations and societies.

Connect with Amri Johnson

Inclusion Wins Website 

Amri Johnson on LinkedIn 

Reconstructing Inclusion: Making DEI Accessible, Actionable, and Sustainable on Amazon 

Mentioned in this episode:

Partnering Leadership conversation with Howard Ross 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Peter Scott, Futurist & Founder of Next Wave Institute and author of Artificial Intelligence and You: What AI Means for Your Life, Your Work, and Your World. In the conversation, Peter Scott shares his insights on the impact of AI on our lives and organizations, emphasizing the need for leaders to understand and navigate this technological disruption. He challenges leaders to reflect on their reactions to AI and encourages them to use AI to enhance their humanity rather than replace it.

Throughout the conversation, Peter Scott highlights the importance of ethics in AI and the potential for bias in AI systems. He urges leaders to be mindful of the biases that can be perpetuated by AI and emphasizes the need for responsible use of the technology. Peter also discusses the role of policymakers in guiding the development and regulation of AI, acknowledging the challenges they face in keeping up with the fast pace of technological advancements.

In this episode:

• Discover how AI is holding a mirror up to humanity, reflecting our strengths and weaknesses as leaders and organizations.
• Uncover the potential of AI to enhance human creativity, challenging traditional notions of what it means to be creative.
• Explore the ethical implications of AI and the importance of addressing bias in AI systems.
• Understand the impact of AI on different industries and sectors and how specific roles may be more prone to automation.
• Learn how AI can help organizations focus on their core purpose and delegate tasks they don't enjoy or excel at.
• Recognize the need for policymakers to navigate the fast-paced world of AI and strike a balance between regulation and innovation.
• Gain insights from experts in the field of AI ethics and understand the role they play in guiding businesses toward responsible AI use.
• Embrace becoming a conscious futurist, actively shaping the future rather than being passive observers.
• Reflect on the societal implications of AI, including its impact on jobs, mental health, and social media.
• Consider the role of AI in decision-making processes, such as strategic decision-making by CEOs, and the need for human judgment and empathy.

Connect with Peter Scott

Website 

LinkedIn 

TEDx talk on Empathetic AI: Unlocking Trust Between Humans and Machines 

TEDx talk on How to Save Us from Being Left Behind by AI 

AI & You Podcast 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Paul Smith, business storytelling coach and bestselling author of Lead with A Story, Sell with A Story, and The 10 Stories. In this episode, Paul Smith shares how leaders can use storytelling as a powerful business tool. Paul Smith also shared specific stories leaders need to tell to improve the clarity of their communications and motivate their teams.  

Some highlights:

-Paul Smith on why many leaders are not good at telling stories

-Defining a story and what makes a good story

-Paul Smith on clarity of communication objectives

-Understanding the process of compelling storytelling

-What leaders can do to influence their organization through storytelling

-Paul Smith on the importance of storytelling skills

-How you can turn a good story into a great one

Connect with Paul Smith:

Lead With A Story Website

Lead With A Story on Amazon

The 10 Stories on Amazon

Sell With A Story on Amazon

Paul Smith on Facebook

Paul Smith on Instagram

Paul Smith on YouTube

Paul Smith on Twitter

Paul Smith on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Will Bachman, host of the Unleashed Podcast, interviews Mahan Tavakoli. Will Bachman is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Umbrex, a global community for top-tier management consultants. During the interview, Mahan Tavakoli discusses his work with CEOs and leadership teams, providing insightful examples of his strategies for fostering team collaboration and alignment to execute organizational strategy effectively. Listeners will gain valuable insights into Mahan Tavakoli's journey as a leadership coach and consultant, from his early days as a trainer and salesperson at Dale Carnegie to his role as the chief strategy officer. Mahan also discusses a personal decision that led him to focus his initial consulting and coaching work on the Greater Washington, D.C. DMV region.

Additionally, he shares tips on how leaders can become more effective storytellers and lessons he has learned from the most successful CEOs he has worked with and interviewed for his podcast. Drawing from his experiences, Mahan highlights patterns and behaviors observed among successful leaders. Whether you want to enhance your content strategy, improve your storytelling skills, or gain insights from successful CEOs, this episode is packed with valuable lessons. 

• Discover the secrets to promoting content in a noisy world and reaching different audiences.
• Gain valuable knowledge from Mahan's experience as the chief strategy officer at Dale Carnegie Training.
• Learn effective storytelling techniques from recommended books and resources.
• Get tips on promoting a podcast and leveraging the platform's audience for maximum impact.
• Gain insights from interviews with CEOs and authors, including their unique perspectives on leadership.

Connect with Will Bachman

Umbrex 

Unleashed Podcast 

Will Bachman on LinkedIn 

Referenced

Partnering Leadership Conversation with Mark Schaefer on the Power of Community

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Mark Schaefer, a renowned bestselling author of popular marketing books. The conversation focuses on Mark Schaefer's latest book, Belonging to the Brand: Why Community is the Last Great Marketing Strategy.

During the discussion, Mark Schaefer shares valuable insights on personal branding, courageous leadership, and the power of humility. Emphasizing the significance of community in marketing, he explores how organizations can successfully build and nurture thriving communities. Mark also discusses the shift from traditional advertising to social media and how creating a sense of community among audiences leads to stronger emotional connections.

The conversation includes compelling examples of companies effectively engaging their customers through community-building initiatives. Mahan and Mark explore the psychological bonds within a community and how these connections translate to heightened brand loyalty.

• Discover the leadership insights of the legendary Peter Drucker and how his ability to distill complexity can transform your approach to management.
• Uncover the power of community in marketing and how it can drive revenue, heal, and create a sense of purpose.
• Learn from real-life examples of big and small companies that have successfully built communities and generated massive success.
• Explore the challenges of leading a community while maintaining alignment and discover the breakthrough ideas and innovation that can arise from a thriving community.
• Understand how the pandemic has highlighted the importance of community in marketing and how it can serve as a powerful healing force in society.
• Gain insights into the importance of purpose in building a community and how involving customers or fans can create a better world together.
• Learn how to build a personal brand in the digital age, leveraging the power of the internet to attract a supportive audience.
• Understand the importance of community and purpose in building thriving communities and how they can engage loyal customers and build on each other.
• Gain insights into building a community and personal brand, focusing on trust and collaboration.
• Explore the power of creating meaningful moments and connections within a community and how it can lead to stronger emotional relationships with your audience.
• Uncover the overlooked value of community in brand marketing and the power of user-generated content and brand advocacy.

Connect with Mark Schaefer

Mark Schaefer Website 

Mark Schaefer on LinkedIn 

Belonging to the Brand: Why Community Is the Last Great Marketing Strategy on Amazon

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Eric Lamarre, a senior partner at McKinsey & Company and co-author of the book Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI. Eric Lamarre shares his fascinating journey from engineering and oceanography to becoming an expert in data, analytics, and AI as a consultant for McKinsey. He discusses the importance of digital transformations in organizations and the pitfalls many companies face in achieving their desired results.

Throughout the episode, Eric Lamarre emphasizes the crucial role of alignment in AI and digital transformation. He highlights the need for organizations to align control functions and operational procedures to manage risk and capture value effectively. Using examples from the airline and banking industries, Eric Lamarre illustrates how failure to align these aspects can hinder the success of technological implementation in support of organizational strategy.

Eric Lamarre emphasizes the importance of collaboration and coordination among teams, such as supply chain, sales, HR, finance, and risk management, to successfully implement the transformation.  Eric Lamarre then delves into the importance of business problem-solving, building and transforming IT organizations, rethinking digital strategy, and the significance of people transformation in digital transformation. Finally, Eric Lamarre provides valuable insights and practical advice for leaders on how to get started on their digital and AI transformation. 

Some Highlights:

- Why unlocking the potential of AI and digital transformation requires alignment across all aspects of the organization, making it the ultimate corporate team sport.

- Understanding the root causes of digital transformation failures and what leaders need to do to achieve their transformation goals.  

- How starting with the problem and then finding the right technology solution can support successful digital transformation.

- Why building a solid bench of talent within the organization is essential for successful digital transformation. 

- The most common reasons for the failure of digital transformation initiatives. 

- Why people transformation is a critical component of digital transformation and how to do it right. 

- How to embed technology in the organization's strategy and culture rather than treat it as a special project. 

- The importance of effective organizational structure and mindset to digital transformation.

- The value of visiting and studying companies outside of your industry.

- Why collaboration and accountability are key in digital and AI transformation. 

Connect with Eric Lamarre

Eric Lamarre at McKinsey & Company 

Eric Lamarre on LinkedIn 

Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI on McKinsey.com

Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI on Amazon 

Additional Partnering Leadership Conversations Referenced:

CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest with Carolyn Dewar, Senior Partner McKinsey & Company

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Seth Early, CEO & Founder at Earley Information Science and Award Winning Author of The AI-Powered Enterprise. In the discussion, Seth Earley, an expert in knowledge strategy and artificial intelligence, emphasizes the crucial role of understanding processes and use cases in successfully integrating AI tools within organizations. Seth Earley goes on to highlight why there is a need for organizations to build libraries of use cases and stresses that AI alone cannot solve complex business problems. Then Seth Earley shares why, despite AI advancements, organizing and sharing information effectively through information architecture is still essential, increasing the significance of data models and accurate data for optimal algorithm performance. Finally, Seth Earley discusses the potential dangers of generative AI, such as the proliferation of misinformation and deep fakes. However, he also highlights the productivity-enhancing potential of generative models when used in conjunction with human expertise. 

Some Highlights:

- Discover the power of understanding processes and use cases in implementing AI tools. Learn how building libraries of use cases can impact and influence organizational processes. 

- Uncover the crucial role of information architecture (IA) in the age of AI. Despite advances in AI, IA is still necessary for organizing and sharing information effectively. 

- Understand the importance of having good enough data for AI applications. Learn how to evaluate data and determine what is valuable for solving problems and providing insights. 

- Explore the impact of generative AI on humans and society. Discover the potential dangers of misinformation, deep fakes, and the productivity benefits of automating specific tasks. 

- Understand the role of automation and human expertise in copywriting and AI. When using automated tools, discover the importance of asking the right questions and providing enough detail. 

- Learn why AI is not the ultimate solution for knowledge management but rather a tool in the toolkit to enhance human effectiveness. 

- Discover the significance of knowledge graphs and ontologies in organizing and managing organizational data. Learn how they can improve data quality, ownership, and usage. 

- Learn the importance of understanding the customer journey and digital body language to make informed decisions. Discover how organizing information through ontologies and knowledge graphs can create seamless experiences. 

- Explore the potential of AI in transforming organizations and the need to measure outcomes and communicate insights effectively. 

- Discover the potential consequences of not involving the business side early enough in AI initiatives. Learn the importance of a real business case and relevant data collection for successful AI projects. 

Connect with Seth Earley

Earley Information Science 

Seth Earley on LinkedIn 

The AI-Powered Enterprise: Harness the Power of Ontologies to Make Your Business Smarter, Faster, and More Profitable on Amazon 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In today's episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan speaks with Whitney Johnson. Whitney is the CEO of Disruption Advisors, a tech-enabled talent development company. She also co-founded Disruptive Innovation Fund with Clayton Christensen,  is the host of the Disrupt Yourself podcast, and is the author of the book Smart Growth: How To Grow Your People To Grow Your Company. Whitney Johnson talked about the S-curve of personal, leadership, and organizational growth. Whitney also discussed creating a corporate culture that encourages continuous learning and development and leaders pursuing new S-curves of growth.

Highlights:

-      Why disruption is about more than products and services

-      The three phases of the S-curve of growth

-      Whitney Johnson on the neuroscience behind the S-curve

-      How leaders can encourage growth in their organizations

-      How to use S-curve as a recruiting and retention tool

-      Whitney Johnson on the CEO mindset needed for growth

-      How to deal with underperforming team members

-      The importance of shadow values and how to use them in guiding your growth

Mentioned:

-      Clayton Christensen, Harvard Business School professor, author, and co-founded Disruptive Innovation Fund

-      Everette Rogers, originated the diffusion of innovations theory

-      Juan Carlos Mendez-Garcia, co-author of Throw Your Life A Curve

-      Patrick Pichette, former CFO of Google

-      Sumeet Shetty, Development Manager at SAP

-      Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen

-      Disrupt Yourself by Whitney Johnson

-      Dare, Deam, Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare To Dream by Whitney Johnson

-      Build an A-Team by Whitney Johnson

-      The Burnout Epidemic by Jennifer Moss

-      How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen

Connect with Whitney Johnson:

Smart Growth Book Website

Disrupt Yourself Podcast

Whitney Johnson Website

Whitney Johnson Twitter

Whitney Johnson Instagram

Whitney Johnson LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website