Partnering Leadership

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli talks with Beth Johnson, Founder and CEO of RP3 Agency. Beth Johnson shares the setback that helped birth RP3 and the organization's many successes over the years. Beth Johnson also shared why she initially became involved in the community and including her involvement in Washington Area Women's Foundation and Leadership Greater Washington. 

 
Some highlights:

-Beth Johnson shared how her mother's resilience played a role in her upbringing. 

- How an unexpected setback led Beth Johnson to found RP3 Agency.

- The importance of relationships in growing RP3.

- Why Beth Johnson chose to get involved in the community.   

- How Beth's authentic leadership and growth mindset have helped her team navigate through the pandemic.

Book Recommendation:

Start with Why by Simon Sinek

Connect with Beth Johnson:

Beth Johnson on LinkedIn

RP3 Agency website

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 Dr. Irene Butter, a professor, peace activist, and holocaust survivor. Irene Butter shares why she decided to break her silence and tell the story of her family's experience through the Holocaust, first by sharing her story on stages and at schools and by eventually publishing her book: Shores Beyond Shores - from Holocaust to Hope, My True Story: A Bergen-Belsen Survivor's story of Hope over Adversity. Irene ends the conversation with a powerful message for all!

Some highlights:

-Irene Butter’s memory of a happy childhood with her family in Berlin, Germany

-What a simple bar of chocolate represented for the Hasenberg family

-Irene Butter on the trauma, fear, and sadness in the Westerbork Camp

-Starvation and death in the Bergen-Belsen Camp 

-Irene Butter on her encounter with Anne Frank

-How Irene Butter and the Hasenberg family managed to leave Bergen-Belsen

-What motivated Irene Butter finally to share her family’s holocaust experience 

-Irene Butter on stories of triumph over trauma

-Irene Butter on why you should never be a bystander

Also mentioned in this episode:

-Werner Hasenberg, Irene Butter's older brother and Holocaust Survivor

-Hanneli Goslar, a close friend of Anne Frank, Holocaust Survivor

-Anne Frank, Annelies Marie Frank was a German-Dutch diarist. She gained fame posthumously with the 1947 publication of The Diary of a Young Girl documenting her life in hiding from 1942 to 1944, during the German occupation of the Netherlands. 

-Elie Wiesel, Author, Philosopher, Humanist and World's leading spokesman on the Holocaust

Book Recommendations:

Shores Beyond Shores: From Holocaust to Hope, My True Story by Irene Butter

Connect with Irene Butter:

Irene Butter Website

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, Danny Vargas, US Air Force veteran, founder of VARCom Solutions, and community leader, shares impactful stories from his life, from growing up on welfare to becoming an award-winning and noted business & community leader. He also shares his mission to represent and give light to the contributions of the American Latino community to the country. Through and through, Danny Vargas’ story is one that is driven by mission and service.

Some Highlights:

-Danny Vargas on how his mother’s perseverance as a first-generation immigrant and single mother impacted him

-His journey from growing up in one of the roughest streets of New York to serving in the US Air Force

-His career after leaving the intelligence community and why he started VARCom Solutions

-On giving back to the community and his mission to illuminate and champion the American Latino community 

-On dreaming big, overcoming fears, and defying limits: Danny Vargas’ advice to young leaders

Mentioned in this episode:

-Frank Wolf, Former United States Representative

-George W. Bush, 43rd U.S. President

-Eva Longoria, American Latina actress

-Emilio Estefan, American Latino musician

-Barack Obama, 44th U.S. President

-Mike Lee, Senator from Utah

-Bernardo Vicente de Gálvez, Spanish General

-George Washington, 1st U.S. President

-Kim Stewart, Chairman at Leadership Fairfax

-Karen Cleveland, President and CEO at Leadership Fairfax

Connect with Danny Vargas:

VARCom Solutions Website

Danny Vargas on LinkedIn

Danny Vargas 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, Mahan Tavakoli shares how leaders can effectively lead through uncertainty. With everything going on in the world, leaders might find it frustrating not knowing or being able to predict what’s ahead. Mahan mentions why the only certainty in the near future is that there will be greater uncertainty and shares five elements to consider when leading in a world of ambiguity. 

Some highlights:

-Navigating and leading in a hyper VUCA world

-How to embrace the discomfort of not knowing

-Importance of focusing on purpose with humility

-Why you should think in probabilities

-Lead from the heart with empathy and vulnerability

-The importance of over-communicating with transparency

Mentioned in this episode:

-Bob Johansen, renowned futurist and author (Listen to Bob Johansen’s podcast episode here)

-Daniel Kahneman, psychologist and author

-Annie Duke, author of Thinking in Bets

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 Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Dax Devlon Ross, non-profit executive, equity consultant, and author of several books, including his latest work, Letters to My White Male Friends. Dax talks about his experiences growing up in Sheppard Park, DC, attending the mostly white Sidwell Friends school, and playing basketball in downtown DC.  Dax speaks candidly about the scourge of racism and its impact on all of us and why he is committed to social justice and bringing about positive change.  

Some highlights:

-The sacrifices of his father so that Dax could pursue his passion

-Dax Devlon Ross shared how learning to operate in different environments has impacted his views on racism.

-Dax Devlon Ross on the stories and reasoning why people say “I don’t see color”

-Dax Devlon Ross on encouraging his white friends to visibly and publicly participate in conversations about race and racism

-On allyship and moving beyond just words in combating systemic racism

Book Recommendations:

Letters to My White Male Friends by Dax Devlon Ross

The Revolution Will Not Be Funded by INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence INCITE!

Adaptive Leadership, by Marty Linsky and Ronald Heifetz

Emergent Strategy by Adrian Marie Brown 

Connect with Dax Devlon Ross:

Dax Devlon Ross Official Website

Dax Devlon Ross on Twitter

Dax Devlon Ross on LinkedIn

Dax Devlon Ross on Instagram

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 Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Alain Hunkins, keynote speaker, facilitator, coach, and author of the best-selling book Cracking the Leadership Code: Three Secrets to Building Strong Leaders. Alain Hunkins shared principles and practices of effective leadership and the power of connection, communication, and collaboration.

Some highlights:

-Alain Hunkins on the value of connection to leadership 

-The power of empathy in leading people

-The value of actively soliciting feedback 

-How to lead better with a facilitative mindset

-Alain Hunkins on why leaders tend to get stuck in a command and control mindset

-Alain Hunkins on how listening contributes to effective communication

-Alain Hunkins on improving team performance 

Also mentioned in this episode:

-Steve Jobs, Co-founder, former Chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc.

-Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors

-Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft

-Brene Brown, professor, and author

Book Recommendations:

Cracking the Leadership Code by Alain Hunkins

The Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes and Barry Posner

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

Connect with Alain Hunkins:

Alain Hunkins Official Website

Alain Hunkins on LinkedIn

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 Partnering Leadership, Monsignor John Enzler, President and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, shares impactful stories from his childhood, his journey becoming a priest, and leadership lessons he’s learned through leading many charitable initiatives. Father John also explains the power of “yes” and the importance of collaborating with organizations of different faiths to fulfill a shared purpose.

Some highlights:

-Monsignor John Enzler’s childhood and how his parents impacted his life

-Why Fr. John Enzler decided to become a priest

-On becoming Monsignor and why Fr. John Enzler prefers not to use his title

-Fr. John Enzler’s leadership in charities and the many lives he’s helped through them

-On welcoming Pope Francis to Catholic Charities in 2015

-Why Fr. John Enzler believes learning to say “yes” defines his mission as a priest

Mentioned in this episode:

-Stephen F. Riley, executive director of the Potomac Community Resources

-John Carr, founder and co-director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University

-David Brooks, political and cultural commentator & writer for The New York Times

-Michael Gerson, former White House director of speechwriting

-John Veihmeyer, former global chairman of KPMG ( Listen to John Veihmeyer’s Partnering Leadership Podcast Episode here)

Connect with Fr. John Enzler:

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington Website

Fr. John Enzler on LinkedIn

Fr. John Enzler 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, Dr. Natalie Nixon, creativity strategist, global keynote speaker, and author of the award-winning book The Creativity Leap, shares why it is essential to unleash creativity for ourselves and in leading our teams and organizations. 

Some highlights:

-Dr. Natalie Nixon’s childhood and how her family inspired her to explore her creativity

-Dr. Natalie Nixon on pursuing what you love

-The role observation plays in creativity 

-The case of curiosity: why it is essential and how it is being drummed out by the school system

-How to create a more creative work environment

-Dr. Natalie Nixon breaks down the 2 elements of creativity: Wonder and Rigor

-Why intuition is essential for decision-making

-Why Dr. Natalie Nixon believes Jazz is the future of work

Mentioned in this episode:

-Warren Berger, author of A More Beautiful Question and The Book of Beautiful Questions

-Michael Forman, Chairman & CEO of FS Investments

-Biplab Sarkar, CEO of Vectorworks

-Frank Barrett, professor and jazz musician

-Miles Davis, influential figure in the history of Jazz

-Art Blakey, Jazz drummer

-Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism

-Twyla Tharp, author of The Creative Habit

-Kursat Ozenc, author of Rituals for Work

-Erica Keswin, author of Rituals Roadmap

-The Decision Book by Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschappeler

Connect with Dr. Natalie Nixon:

Download Chapter 1 of The Creativity Leap

The Creativity Leap on Amazon

Download The WonderRigor™️ Tip Sheet

Figure 8 Thinking Website

Dr. Natalie Nixon 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, Doyle Mitchell, President and CEO of Industrial Bank, shares memories from his childhood and how Industrial Bank, the largest and oldest minority-owned commercial bank in the Greater Washington DC DMV region, came to be. He also shares the struggles he’s faced as a black business owner and his hopes for black-owned businesses.

Some highlights:

-Doyle Mitchell’s childhood and how his parents impacted his life

-The story behind Industrial Bank: a legacy built over 3 generations as a black-owned bank

-The important lesson Doyle Mitchell’s father taught him about work ethic

-Doyle Mitchell’s experience leading the bank through the pandemic

-The importance of black-owned businesses to the entire community

Book Recommendation:

Our Black Year by Maggie Anderson and Ted Gregory

Connect with Doyle Mitchell:

Industrial Bank Website

Doyle Mitchell 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 Dr. Catherine Rymsha, a lecturer, Tedx Speaker, and author of the book The Leadership Decision: Decide to lead today. Dr. Rymsha shares how our choices and decisions define our leadership and help develop our leadership brand.

Some highlights:

-Dr. Catherine Rymsha on initiative and action as the foundation of leadership

-Qualities of great leadership

-Dr. Catherine Rymsha on how leaders can be strong and show vulnerability

-Importance of feedback to outstanding leadership

-How leaders can become better at listening 

Also mentioned in this episode:

-Harvard Implicit Association Test

Book Recommendations:
-The Leadership Challenge

Book by Barry Posner and James Kouzes

-The Leadership Decision: Decide to Lead Today

Book by Dr. Catherine Rymsha

Connect with Dr. Catherine Rymsha:

The Leadership Decision Official Website

Dr. Catherin Rymsha on LinkedIn

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