Partnering Leadership

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Tara Thiagarajan, Founder, and Chief Scientist at Sapien Labs. Tara Thiagarajan shares studies and insights on mental well-being, its key indicators, and how it influences people and communities. Tara Thiagarajan also highlighted the biggest factors contributing to mental well-being and its impact on economic outcomes. Finally, Tara Thiagarajan talked about Sapien Lab’s latest studies on the current state of the world’s psychological well-being, its driving factors, and how it impacts organizations. 

Some highlights:

-Tara Thiagarajan on the impact of growing up with a multicultural background

-On why she pursued a degree in Math and soon found her way to Business School

-How Tara Thiagarajan decided to pursue Neuroscience 

-The purpose behind Sapien Labs

-How cultural elements are correlated with mental well-being 

-The cognitive factors that challenge people 

-Sapien Labs’ report on the mental state of the world

-The components that are associated with higher mental health scores

-Younger generation’s mental well-being

-The importance of mental health in the workplace 

Connect with Tara Thiagarajan:

Sapien Labs Website

Tara Thiagarajan on Twitter

Tara Thiagarajan on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/

More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: 

https://www.partneringleadership.com/

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Susan McPherson, Founder, and CEO of McPherson Strategies, Serial Connector, Communications Expert, and Author of The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships. Susan McPherson shares the power of building authentic relationships and fostering meaningful connections. Susan also talks about the three phases of proactively connecting with people and how to go beyond our bubbles.   Finally, Susan shares what leaders must do to promote greater connection within their teams and organizations.

Some highlights:

-Susan McPherson on working for the late Senator Kennedy

-Why it is essential to build a solid reciprocal relationship

-Susan McPherson on factors that have contributed to a loss of human connection 

-The difference between networking and truly connecting 

-The importance of connecting with people outside of your bubble

-Susan McPherson on why we need to reconnect with people in our network 

-The impact of the pandemic on connections within organizations

-Susan McPherson's on the importance of leadership authenticity 

Mentioned:

Michael Roderick (Listen to Michael Roderick’s episode on Partnering Leadership here)

Rob Cross (Listen to Rob Cross’ episode on Partnering Leadership here)

Connect with Susan McPherson:

McPherson Strategies Website

The Lost Art of Connecting Book Website

The Lost Art of Connecting on Amazon

Susan McPherson on Twitter

Susan McPherson on LinkedIn



Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/

More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: 

https://www.partneringleadership.com/

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Lisa Gable, Former US Ambassador, UN delegate, CEO, and author of Turnaround: How to Change Course When Things Are Going South. In the conversation, Lisa Gable shares how leaders can get their teams and organizations back on track based on her experience as an executive responsible for turnarounds of various organizations. Lisa Gable also shared how turnaround principles can help teams stay aligned with organizational strategy in the face of an ever-changing external environment.   Finally, Lisa Gable shared whether and how leaders who have been with an organization, rather than external hires, can lead turnarounds.

Some highlights:

-How Lisa Gable became part of the Reagan administration at a very young age.

-Lisa Gable's service at the Pentagon 

-Going to work at Intel and having the opportunity to learn about organizational alignment & OKRs from the very best, including Andy Grove

-Problem-solving lessons and how they apply in for-profit companies to government agencies and non-profit organizations 

-Lisa Gable on what it took to bring together disparate to battle obesity

-How leaders can help everyone in their organization and on their teams align toward achieving a common objective

-Lisa Gable's recommendation on how CEOs and Executive Directors can best manage their boards

-How to have greater team collaboration in a hybrid future of work

Mentioned:

Vanessa Bohns (Listen to Vanessa Bohns’ episode on Partnering Leadership here)

Books Mentioned:

High Output Management by Andrew Grove

Connect with Lisa Gable:

Lisa Gable Website

Turnaround: How to Change Course When Things Are Going South on Amazon

Lisa Gable on Facebook

Lisa Gable on Twitter

Lisa Gable on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/

More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: 

https://www.partneringleadership.com/

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli talked with Dr. Timothy Clark, the founder and CEO of LeaderFactor and author of Four Stages of Psychological Safety. Dr. Clark has broken down the different stages to ensure psychological safety in teams.  Dr. Timothy Clark shares how teams can build on the understanding of each stages in order to boost psychological safety in the workplace.

Some highlights:

-Dr. Timothy Clark on why leaders cannot be neutral

-The skills that leaders need to cultivate

-Dr. Timothy Clark on his definition of psychological safety

-The barriers to creating psychological safety in the workplace

-Improving the learning process by disconnecting fear from failure

-Dr. Timothy Clark on how leaders can ensure employee accountability

-How to achieve the highest level of psychological safety by challenging and changing the status quo

Also mentioned in this episode:

Partnering Leadership podcast conversation with Dr. Michelle McQuaid, best-seller author (Listen to Dr. Michelle McQuaid’s episode here)

The Four Stages of Psychological Safety Behavioral Guide

Four Stages of Psychological Safety Book

Connect with Dr. Timothy Clark:

LeaderFactor Official Website

Dr. Timothy Clark on LinkedIn

Dr. Timothy Clark on Twitter

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

MahanTavakoli.com

More information and resources available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: 

PartneringLeadership.com

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Susan Lacz, principal, and chief executive officer of Ridgewells Catering, shared her leadership journey with Mahan Tavakoli. Susan Lacz spoke about how she has managed the obstacles in her life and has built a successful business that needs to continue changing and adapting through disruption. Susan Lacz also shared why she is so committed to giving back to the community through Ridgwell Catering's support and giving her time and energy to many institutions and organizations, including Marymount University and Junior Achievement of Greater Washington.

Some Highlights:

-How Susan Lacz's Polish culture influenced her love of entertaining

-Susan Lacz on overcoming a significant setback early in life

-Rebranding strategies contributing to Ridgewells Catering's continued growth and expansion

-Growth opportunities through Young President's Organization.  

-How Susan Lacz led her team through the most brutal stretch of the pandemic.  

-Susan Lacz embracing an antifragile mindset in leadership and life

-Why mentorship is essential to becoming more impactful leaders

Also mentioned in this episode:

-Linda Rabbit, founder and Chairman of Rand Construction Corporation (Listen to Linda’s episode on Partnering Leadership here)

-Marymount University (Listen to Marymount’s President Dr. Irma Bacerra on Partnering Leadership here)

Connect with Susan Lacz :

Ridgewells Catering

Susan Lacz on Linkedin

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

MahanTavakoli.com

More information and resources available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: 

PartneringLeadership.com

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Susie Wise, founder and former director of the K12 Lab Network at the Stanford d.school. Dr. Susie Wise is a co-creator of Liberatory Design and author of Design for Belonging. Susie Wise shares the crucial role leaders play in creating feelings of inclusion within their organizations. She also shared practices for reducing chances of othering and increasing a sense of belonging in teams and organizations. Finally, Dr. Susie Wise shared perspectives on how managers can redesign their meetings for a greater sense of belonging. 

Some highlights:

-Susie Wise on how we can better understand people and work together towards a common goal

-What it means to be a full member of the community

-Susie Wise on the definition of belonging and how it relates to organizational culture 

-How leaders can design better gatherings and meetings

-How to achieve a greater sense of belonging in the organization

Mentioned:
- Sarah Stein Greenberg, author and  executive director of Stanford D.school  (Listen to Sara's episode on Partnering Leadership)

- John Powell, African, director of the Othering and Belonging Institute and Professor of Law

- Emergent Strategy by Adrian Marie Brown

Connect with Susie Wise:

Design for Belonging Website 

Design for Belonging on Amazon

Susie Wise on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/

More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: 

https://www.partneringleadership.com/

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks about the impact of selfie culture on leadership.  Mahan shares thoughts on selfie leadership, servant leadership, and partnering leaders' fundamental mindset and behaviors.  From storytelling to the pictures on social media, how we think about leadership impacts attitudes and behaviors.  

Some highlights:

-What contributes to selfie leadership

-Servant leadership's role in countering selfie leadership

-The impact of selfie leaders on their team and organization

-The need for a more balanced view and practices of leadership

-How to be a partner leader rather than a selfie leader  

Mentioned:

- Ken Blanchard (Listen to Ken Blanchard’s episode on Partnering Leadership here)

- Joseph Campbell, author of "The Hero's Journey”

- David Fagiano (Listen to David Fagiano’s episode on Partnering Leadership here)

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/

More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: 

https://www.partneringleadership.com/

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Kapil Kane, Director of Innovation at Intel China and co-founder of GrowthX- an award-winning corporate innovation accelerator. Kapil Kane shares lessons from his experience at the intersection of technology and innovation working for Apple and Intel. Kapil Kane also shared lessons learned and how teams and organizations of all sizes can encourage innovation and intrapreneurship.  

 
Some highlights:

-Kapil Kane's start in design and innovation

-The importance of not being afraid of failures

-Organizational leadership and innovation lessons learned first as an intern and then as a design lead at Apple 

-Kapil Kane on why he left Apple to work for Intel and the differences in the two organizations' cultures and practices 

-How Patrick Gelsinger changed the trajectory of Intel and brought the Grovian culture back to the organization, as well as reinstituting OKRs (Objectives & Key Results)

-Kapil Kane on co-founding and running GrowthX in China

-How organizations can encourage greater intrapreneurship and innovation

-Kapil Kane's perspectives on the different leadership and managerial approaches between Chinese and American executives 

Mentioned:

John Rossman (Listen to John Rossman’s episode on Partnering Leadership)

Books Mentioned:

The Lean Enterprise by Trevor Owens and OB Fernandez

Zero to One by Peter Thiel

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

Connect with Kapil Kane:

Kapil Kane on Tedx Talks

Kapil Kane on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/

More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: 

https://www.partneringleadership.com/

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Leidy Klotz, a professor at the University of Virginia appointed in the Schools of Engineering, Architecture, and Business and author of the book Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less. Leidy Klotz shares some of the reasons why we typically look to add rather than consider subtraction when looking to solve problems and improve systems. Leidy Klotz also discusses how subtraction can benefit leaders of organizations and managers of teams. Finally, Leidy Klotz shares how we can ensure that we don't overlook the power of subtraction in our organizations and daily lives.   
 

Some highlights:

-Why Leidy Klotz left professional soccer to pursue his education and become a professor

-Leidy Klotz on finding patterns and how they impact the world

-Why do we typically miss subtraction and look first to addition

-Leidy Klotz on the biological and social contributors to a desire to add 

-How organizations can benefit from the power of subtraction 

-How leaders can use subtraction during the decision-making process

-Leidy Klotz on effectively achieving the organization's purpose through subtraction

Mentioned:

-Annie Paul, author of The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain 

Connect with Leidy Klotz:

Leidy Klotz website

Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less on Amazon

Leidy Klotz on Twitter

Leidy Klotz on LinkedIn


Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/

More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: 

https://www.partneringleadership.com/

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Ron Adner, professor, keynote speaker, advisor, and author of Winning the Right Game: How to Disrupt, Defend, and Deliver in a Changing World and The Wide Lens: What Successful Innovators See That Others Miss. Ron Adner talks about his research on why companies fail and what they can do to advance in an era of ecosystem-based disruption. Professor Ron Adner also shares mindsets and frameworks necessary for leaders to develop new strategies. Finally, Ron Adner shares examples of the success of ecosystem thinking, including the HHS's (Department of Health & Human Services) Operation Warp Speed focused on developing and distributing COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S.  

Some highlights:

-Ron Adner on the true meaning of innovation and how everyone can use innovative thinking

-How leaders can take advantage of the opportunities in the ecosystem

-Leadership's role in the changing nature of strategy and strategic thinking 

-Ron Adner on why we need to change our thinking about competition

-Professor Ron Adner on what it takes to build an ecosystem 

-The importance of winning the right game in business

-How shifting to an alignment mindset can enable organizations to deliver results

-Ron Adner on ecosystem thinking and its impact on the speedy development and rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines

Mentioned:

-Steven Sasson, Inventor of the digital camera  (Listen to Steven Sasson’s episode on Partnering Leadership here)

Connect with Ron Adner: 

Ron Adner Website

The Wide Lens on Amazon 

Winning the Right Game on Amazon 

Ron Adner on Twitter

Ron Adner on LinkedIn


Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahan/

More information and resources are available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: 

https://www.partneringleadership.com/

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website 

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn 

Partnering Leadership Website