Partnering Leadership

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Lisa Wise, Chief Rooster, Chief Nester and Owner of Nest DC. Lisa Wise shares the origin story behind founding the company and how they bake purpose into everything they do.  Lisa Wise also talks about her commitment to the community and how she was able to keep focused on purpose through the pandemic.  Finally, Lisa Wise talks about her commitment to  serving employees and other stakeholders.    

Some highlights:

- How challenges growing up shaped Lisa Wise and and her make up as  an entrepreneur 

- The founding of Nest with a purpose of giving back to the community

- Lisa Wise's strong belief that doing good business leads to more business

- The importance of aligning the organization's actions 

- Launching Bird Seed with aim of community engagement 

- Lisa Wise's leadership during the pandemic and the importance of consistent communication with team members

- The learnings of stepping in as a chair board at Whitman-Walker Health

- Lisa Wise’s advice on leadership 

Mentioned:

Naseema Shafi, CEO of Whitman Walker Health

Connect with Lisa Wise:

Nest DC Website

Roost DC Website

Flock (n.) Website

Starling DC Website

Birdwatch DC Website

Birdseed Foundation Website

Lisa Wise on Twitter 

Lisa Wise on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

MahanTavakoli.com

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

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 David Marquet. David served as the commander of the US Navy nuclear submarine, USS Santa Fe. When he took over, he changed the command-and-control leadership style and empowered his crew to turn the lowest-performing sub into the best performer in the fleet. David Marquet shared leadership lessons from this experience, which he also wrote in his bestselling book Turn the Ship Around! A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders. 

David Marquet also shared leadership insights from his latest book, Leadership Is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don't. In it, David Marquet highlights how choosing your words can dramatically improve organizational decision-making and execution. 

Some Highlights:

- David Marquet on becoming the commander of the lowest-performing submarine in the US Navy 

- Why it's not the lack of leadership but the wrong kind of leadership that results in poor team performance

- David Marquet on moving beyond the traditional approach to leadership 

- How David Marquet shifted his own and his crew's mindset to transition from permission-based decision making to intent-based decision making

- Why leadership in most organizations still operates using outdated mindsets and approaches

- David Marquet on what all leaders can learn from the communications breakdowns on the El Farro 

- The importance of language in leading organizations to better decision making and execution in the business

Books Mentioned:

- Turn the Ship Around! A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders - L. David Marquet

- Leadership Is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don't - L. David Marquet

Connect with L. David Marquet:

LinkedIn: 

David Marquet

Intent-based Leadership International

Websites: 

https://davidmarquet.com/

https://intentbasedleadership.com/what-is-intent-based-leadership/

YouTube:

Leadership Nudges

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

MahanTavakoli.com

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

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 shares why professionals are spending more time in meetings than ever before and what leaders of organizations and teams can do to combat overscheduling of meetings and meeting overwhelm. Mahan goes through a three-step process that can get you started to a more manageable number of meetings and more productive collaboration.

Some highlights:

- What has contributed to the significant increase in the number of meetings scheduled with the transition to remote and hybrid work

- Why transitioning to meeting free days might not be good enough

- How declaring meeting bankruptcy can help in the transition to more productive meetings

- Why clarity behind the intention of a scheduled meeting matters

- Synchronous vs. asynchronous communication and which works best for meetings and knowledge management

To hear insights on the transition hybrid worklist, Listen to Mahan’s February episode here. 

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

MahanTavakoli.com

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

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 Cynthia Owyoung, the vice-president of inclusion, equity, and belonging at Robinhood. Cynthia is also the Founder of Breaking Glass Forums, which aims to elevate diverse talent and inclusive organizations. In addition, she has established and led diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for over 15 years as an executive at organizations in multiple industries. 

In this conversation, Mahan and Cynthia Owyoung speak about Cynthia's new book, All Are Welcome: How to Build a Real Workplace Culture of Inclusion That Delivers Results. Cynthia Owyoung shares frameworks for making inclusion and belonging a reality in organizations. Cynthia also shares what leaders can do to go beyond just talking about diversity and inclusion and create environments that genuinely value inclusion and develop a sense of belonging for all team members. 

Some Highlights:

• Cynthia Owyoung on the diverse cultures of her upbringing and how it shaped her mission for diversity and inclusion and creating access to opportunities for all
• How our biases and stereotypes impact how we think, interpret, and make assumptions and the effects on our decision-making
• Becoming inclusive leaders and driving change in our organizations 
• The role of the 4Ps: people, place, product, and planet in creating a more inclusive ecosystem for all
• How inclusivity can be measured and managed properly
• How the future of work will impact diversity, equity, and inclusion

Books & Resources Mentioned:

• All Are Welcome: How to Build a Real Workplace Culture of Inclusion that Delivers Results by Cynthia Owyoung
• Uncovering Talent: A New Model of Inclusion by Kenji Yoshino
• Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do by Claude Steele
• Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Book by Anthony Greenwald and Mahzarin Banaji
• The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change by Michelle MiJung Kim
• How to Be an Ally: Actions You Can Take for a Stronger, Happier Workplace by Melinda Briana Epler

Connect with Cynthia Owyoung:

Websites: www.cynthiaowyoung.com/

www.breaking.glass/ (Breaking Glass Forums)

YouTube: Breaking Glass Forums

Twitter: @CindyOwyoung

LinkedIn: Cynthia Owyoung

Facebook: Breaking Glass Forums

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

MahanTavakoli.com

More information and resources are 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 the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with David Gorodetski. David is the co-founder and CEO of Sage Communications. David Gorodetski shares pivotal moments that led to his co-founding of Sage Communications. David also talks about the leadership challenges caused by the pandemic and how the crisis has helped him become a better leader. Finally, David Gorodetski shares why community involvement is essential for him and its role in Sage as the organization continues to bring value to its clients.  

Some highlights:

- David Gorodetski's upbringing in Israel and his grandfather's influence

- How David ended up in New York City and why he stayed

- The founding story of Sage Communications

- Sage's commitment to cause-related marketing

- David Gorodetski on leading in the early days of the pandemic

- Working with a collective vision to elevate Sage

- David on "own your no"

Also mentioned:
Rich Diviney - author of The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance and retired Navy SEAL commander (Listen to Partnering Leadership conversation with Rich Diviney)

Connect with David Gorodetski:

Sage Communications

David Gorodetski on LinkedIn

David Gorodetski on Twitter

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

MahanTavakoli.com

linkedin.com/in/mahan

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 the Partnering Leadership podcast, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Professor Ranjay Gulati. Ranjay Gulati's work bridges strategy, organizational design, and leadership.

In this conversation, Professor Gulati, who until recently chaired Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program, spoke about principles shared in his most recent book, Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies. Ranjay Gulati addressed how organizations can go beyond convenient purpose and meaningless purpose statements to uncover and align with deep purpose. Ranjay Gulati also shared examples of purpose-driven organizations, what gets in the way of achieving purpose, and how leaders can overcome barriers to attaining deep purpose in their organizations.  

Some highlights:

- Ranjay Gulati on what drove him to study organizational purpose 

- The difference between convenient purpose and deep purpose

- The role of practical idealism in attaining deep purpose

- Ranjay Gulati on the difficult decisions and choices leaders need to make when it comes to purpose 

- How organizations can avoid purpose decay

Connect with Ranjay Gulati:

Ranjay Gulati on LinkedIn

Ranjay Gulati on Twitter

Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

MahanTavakoli.com

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

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 Ernie Jarvis. Ernie is a fifth-generation Washingtonian and has established himself as a significant presence in the Greater Washington DC DMV region through his active involvement in the community and commitment to giving back. Ernie Jarvis has been a trailblazer on many fronts, including commercial real estate. In the conversation, Mahan and Ernie talk about how Ernie's heritage and upbringing have impacted his sense of responsibility to give back, involvement in various regional organizations, and perspectives on the future of the return to the office.  

Some highlights:

- Ernie Jarvis on following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Dr. Charles Drew, and his mother, Dr. Charlene Drew Jarvis

- How Ernie Jarvis approaches networking and building relationships

- Ernie talks about the idea behind starting Metropolitan Access

- How Ernie Jarvis advocates for greater diversity in the commercial real estate industry

- The importance of relationships in business

- The impact of the pandemic on commercial real estate

- Ernie Jarvis on the legacy he hopes to leave behind  

Also mentioned:

Mahan’s Partnering Leadership Podcast conversation with Charlene Drew Jarvis

Connect with Ernie Jarvis:

Ernie Jarvis on LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

MahanTavakoli.com
Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

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 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:

MahanTavakoli.com

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

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 Diane Hoskins. Diane Hoskins serves as co-CEO and chair of the board of directors for Gensler. As an MIT-trained architect and an MBA from The Anderson School at UCLA, Diane's career has touched architecture, design, real estate, and business. She has broad responsibility for running the company, which spans over 6,000+ employees across the globe.

Diane Hoskins shared how her upbringing impacted her professional and leadership choices as well as leadership lessons from her career at Gensler and the challenges of leading Gensler through the pandemic. Diane Hoskins also addressed how Gensler focuses on purpose by aligning actions, big and small. Finally, Diane shared insights on rethinking collaborative spaces and the future of work.

Some Highlights:

- Diane Hoskins on choosing MIT and becoming an architect

- Why Diane Hoskins decided to go to business school 

- How business and architecture connect

- Diane Hoskins on leading people to collaborate on a purpose-driven mission

- The impact of the design of workspaces on work performance

- The influences of technology on workplace experience 

- Diane Hoskins on purpose-driven leadership

- Future of work: connecting and bringing people back together through renegotiating and reimagining the work environment 

Also Mentioned:
- Linda Rabbit, Founder and chairman of rand* construction corporation (Listen to Linda’s episode on Partnering Leadership here)

Connect with Diane Hoskins:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianehoskins

Gensler: https://www.gensler.com/people/co-ceos

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

MahanTavakoli.com

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

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 Rob Cross. Rob is the co-founder and chief research scientist at the Connected Commons business consortium. He is also the Edward A. Madden Professor of global leadership at Babson College. Rob Cross has been researching the underlying networks of influential organizations and the collaborative processes of top achievers for more than 20 years. 

Rob Cross shares research and examples on how the most effective organizations and executives approach collaboration. Rob also shares strategies and techniques for overcoming collaboration overload.  

Some highlights:

- Rob Cross on how networks and collaboration have changed over time.

- How to deal with collaboration overload in the workplace. 

- Why a servant leadership approach can lead to greater collaboration overload 

- Rob Cross on how leaders can avoid contributing to the overwhelm caused by unnecessary collaboration in their organizations  

- How to effectively engage with new networks   

Also mentioned:

James Heskett, UPS Foundation Professor of Business Logistics, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School

Connect with Rob Cross:

Rob Cross on robcross.org

Rob Cross on ConnectedCommons

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