Partnering Leadership

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi,  astrophysicist, STEM educator, multi-patented inventor, keynote speaker, and author of A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars. In the conversation, Hakeem  Oluseyi shares his journey of overcoming adversities and becoming a leading astrophysicist of this generation. Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi also talked about his ability to explain astrophysics in a way that engages audiences and the value of exposing more children to science. Finally, Dr. Oluseyi shared some mind-stretching perspectives about the nature of our existence. 

Some highlights:

-Hakeem Oluseyi on the importance of reading and how it impacted his life

-Facing challenges as a young adult and falling in love with the universe and physics

-Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi on a quantum life and the role of willpower

-Astrophysics and the importance of learning about the stars

-Hakeem Oluseyi on the sun, stars, and the future of life on earth 

Mentioned: 

- Art Walker, solar physicist and a pioneer of EUV/XUV optics

- Dr. Kervin Evans,  research physical scientist with the USDA Agriculture Research Service

Connect with Hakeem Oluseyi:

A Quantum Life on Amazon

Hakeem Oluseyi on Facebook

Hakeem Oluseyi on Instagram

Hakeem Oluseyi on Twitter

Hakeem Oluseyi 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 Stephen M.R. Covey. Stephen M.R. Covey is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of The Speed Of Trust,  former CEO of Covey Leadership Center, and author of Trust And Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others. Stephen shares why many leaders are still operating with a command and control mindset and the need to develop the mindset and capabilities of becoming trusting and inspiring leaders. Stephen M.R. Covey shares stories and frameworks on how we can better understand trust in leadership and how trust and inspire leaders can unleash the potential of their teams and organizations.   

Some highlights:

-Stephen M.R. Covey on the crucial role that parents play in teaching responsibility, commitment, and initiative and how his father, Stephen Covey, applied trust and inspire principles in his parenting

-On why traditional leadership models do not work with the changing world and in the new work environment

-Stephen M.R. Covey on the stewardships of leadership

-How leaders can lead behavior change in their organizations 

-Stephen M.R. Covey on the role trust plays in leadership and how leaders can become more trusting 

-The power of inspiring others and its impact on leadership

-What it takes to become a trust inspire leader

Mentioned:

- Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

- David Marquet (Listen to David Marquet episode on Partnering Leadership)

- Frances Frei and Anne Morriss, author of Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader's Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You

- Jim Collins, author of Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't 

Connect with Stephen M.R. Covey:

Trust and Inspire

Trust and Inspire on Amazon

Speed of Trust 

The Speed of Trust on Amazon

Stephen M.R. Covey on Facebook

Stephen M.R. Covey on Twitter

Stephen M.R. Covey on LinkedIn

 
 Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

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

More information and resources 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 Chuck Robb, Virginia's 64th governor from 1982 to 1986 and U.S. senator from 1989–to 2001. Governor Chuck Robb is also the author of In the Arena: A Memoir of Love War and Politics. In the conversation, Governor Chuck Robb shares his story of joining the Marines, being assigned to the White House, serving in Vietnam, and marrying President Lyndon Baines Johnson's daughter, Linda Bird Johnson. Chuck Robb also talked about his leadership journey in public service as Lieutenant Governor, Governor, and a U.S. Senator representing the Commonwealth of Virginia and being appointed as co-chair of The Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission by President Bush. Finally,  Senator Robb talks about how the best leaders approach leadership and their impact.

Some highlights:

-Chuck Robb's formative years in the Marines and being in the White House as a military social aid

-On being a good leader and how to get the respect of people that you are working with

-Chuck Robb recalls meeting, getting engaged, and then marrying President Johnson's daughter Linda 

-Why Chuck Robb asked to serve in combat in Vietnam

-Going back to law school and what drove Chuck Robb to start his career in politics

-Why Governor Chuck Robb didn't run for President

-Senator Chuck Robb, on his vote against the Defense of Marriage Act

-The appointment by President Bush to co-chair the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission

Mentioned:

In the Arena: A Memoir of Love, War, and Politics on Amazon

Senator Chuck Robb's speech on the Democratic National Convention Day 

Senator Chuck Robb's (D-VA) speech on the Defense of Marriage Act (September 1996)

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 Ralf Specht, author of Building Corporate Soul: Powering Culture & Success with the Soul System. After two decades with McCann Erickson, Ralf Specht became a founding partner of Spark44, an innovative, industry-first joint venture with Jaguar Land Rover. Under his leadership as CEO, Spark44 grew to a 1,200 people business in 18 countries. In the conversation, Ralf Specht shares how organizations can create an environment where people do their best by developing their company soul.

Some highlights:

-Ralf Specht on corporate soul and its origins

-The difference between organizational culture and soul

-How leaders can plan for corporate soul

-Ralf Specht on It's not up to the CEO to decide whether the organization has a soul

-Be clear about how you incentivize people, which behaviors you reward and those you don't, and ensure your incentives and measures align with your stated values

-Ralf Specht on Adobe's Little Red Box of Innovation

-The importance of modeling to corporate soul

-Ralf Specht on the origin of the Soul Index 

Connect with Ralf Specht:

https://ralfspecht.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralf-specht-b21b8529/

https://twitter.com/ralf_specht

Building Corporate Soul on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/yc83k7dz

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 a critical leadership thinking skill that can be developed by asking ourselves a powerful question. Mahan shares why the complexity of the world requires us to rethink our approach and why asking better questions leads to better answers. Finally, Mahan talks about the power of this question for teams and team decision-making, as well as enabling leaders to demonstrate genuine humility, maturity, and confidence.  

Some highlights:

-Asking better questions leads us to better answers

-The cognitive biases (heuristics) that get in the way

-Applying the learning to our leadership

-Enabling better team decision making

Mentioned:

- Azeem Azhar, author of The Exponential Age (Listen to Azeem’s episode on Partnering Leadership here)

- Ed Hess, author of Hyper-Learning: How to Adapt to the Speed of Change (Listen to Ed Hess episode on Partnering Leadership here)

- Eduardo Briceño, co-founder of Mindset Works (Ted Talk on Growth Mindset)

- Mark Bidwell, founder of OutsideLens and host of OutsideVoices podcast

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

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

More information and resources 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 Carolyn Dewar. Carolyn is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, McKinsey's Global Practice Leader for CEO & Board Excellence, and co-author of the book CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest. In the conversation, Carolyn Dewar shared how the authors identified the world's highest-performing CEOs using empirical data and determined the six mindsets that set the best apart. The six mindsets are Corporate Strategy (focus on beating the odds), Organizational Alignment (manage performance and health), Team and Processes (put dynamics ahead of mechanics), Board Engagement (help directors help the business), External Stakeholders (center on the long-term "why?"), and Personal Working Norms (do what only you can do). Carolyn Dewar also went over some of the critical practices of CEO excellence and what organizational leaders need to consider as they plan for the future of work. 

Some highlights:

-The essential role of CEOs in the organization and how the CEO's role has changed over the years

-Carolyn Dewar on why purpose and core values matter 

-How top-performing CEOs approach their roles differently

-Carolyn Dewar on what being bold means for a CEO

-Why leaders should prioritize high functioning teams over individual performance 

-Carolyn Dewar on building trust and strong relationships in senior teams

-The role of ongoing growth, development, and coaching for CEOs

-How the pandemic has shifted our expectations from CEOs

Connect with Carolyn Dewar:

McKinsey & Company Website

CEO Excellence on Amazon

McKinsey & Company on Twitter

Carolyn Dewar on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

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

More information and resources 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 Phil de Picciotto. Phil is the founder and president of Octagon and has been at the forefront of the sports, music, and entertainment industry for more than 35 years. In this conversation, Phil de Picciotto shared what led to his initial commitment to social justice, eventually pursuing his law degree and helping found Octagon. Phil de Picciotto also talked about how Octagon signed Moses Malone and Steffi Graf and the organization's choices in staying focused on impact by transitioning women's tennis from sponsorship by the Virginia Slims cigarette brand. Finally, Phil de Picciotto shared the reasons for Octagon going global and how the organization continues to stay ahead in a competitive field.  

Some highlights:

-Why attending Amherst ended up being a great choice for Phil de Picciotto

-The impact of Phil de Picciotto's South Africa experience

-Why Phil de Picciotto decided to start a sports agency

-How Phil de Picciotto led the removal of tobacco sponsorship from professional tennis

-The importance of an organization's purpose and how to navigate it to the optimal benefit of everyone

-Octagon's Blue Ocean Strategy in going global 

-How Phil de Picciotto has continued to use his influence to  make a difference 

-How organizational leaders can align team members with organizational values and priorities 

Mentioned:

-Ranjay Gulati (Listen to Ranjay Gulati's episode on Partnering Leadership here)

Connect with Phil de Piccioto:

Octagon Website

Octagon on Facebook

Octagon on Twitter

Phil de Piccioto on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

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

More information and resources 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 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:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

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

More information and resources 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 Jim Detert, John L. Colley Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and author of Choosing Courage: The Everyday Guide to Being Brave at Work. In this conversation, Jim Detert shares how we can become more courageous by developing our courage capabilities. Jim Detert also shares how leaders can nurture a psychologically safe organizational culture, enabling and encouraging more courageous interactions and decisions at work.  

Some highlights:

-Why attributing courage just to historical figures can be counterproductive 

-The importance of being more courageous and how to develop our courage muscle

-Jim Detert on the benefits of courage at work

-How leaders can create a psychologically safe environment that encourages team members to speak up and contribute their best at work

Mentioned:

-Amy Edmondson, Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School and author of Fearless Organization and Creating Psychological Safety

-Vanessa Bohns (Listen to Partnering Leadership conversation with Vanessa Bohns)

-Gary Bolles (Listen to Partnering Leadership conversation with Gary Bolles)

-Difficult Conversations by Bruce Patton, Douglas Stone, and Sheila Heen

-Radical Candor by Kim Scott

-Giving Voice to Values by Mary C. Gentile 

-The Silent Language Of Leaders by Carol Goldman

Connect with Jim Detert:

Jim Detert Website

Choosing Courage on Amazon

Jim Detert on Facebook

Jim Detert on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

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

More information and resources 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 Brian Ahearn, keynote speaker, trainer, coach, consultant, and author of  Influence People: Powerful Everyday Opportunities to Persuade that are Lasting and Ethical, and The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness. Brian Ahearn goes through the principles of influence, reciprocity, consistency, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity. He also shares examples of applying the principles at work and in organizational leadership. 

Some highlights:

-Brian Ahearn on the science and ethics behind the influence principles

-How leaders can apply the principles in leading teams and organizations 

-The role the principles can play in deepening team relationships 

-Brian Ahearn on how leaders can overcome unity challenges in a hybrid work environment

-The principles leaders can apply during times of uncertainty and how to motivate action

-How to use questions to encourage engagement among team members

-What leaders must do to establish a new culture in their organizations

Mentioned:

- Robert Cialdini, author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, and president of Influence at Work

- Trond Undheim (Listen to the Partnering Leadership conversation with Trond Undheim)

- Azeem Azhar (Listen to the Partnering Leadership conversation with Azeem Azhar)

Connect with Brian Ahearn:

Influence PEOPLE Website

Influence PEOPLE on Amazon

The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness on Amazon

Brian Ahearn on Facebook

Brian Ahearn on Twitter

Brian Ahearn on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

https://mahantavakoli.com/

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

More information and resources 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