203: Todd Rovak - Emotional Intelligence, Trust, Authenticity, Hiring The Right People

<p>Common themes of leaders who sustain excellence:</p> <ul> <li>They know why they're there</li> <li>"They always have their eye on the why"</li> <li>"They think about success often"</li> <li>They understand their strengths and weaknesses</li> <li>"Surround yourself with people who compliment your strengths/weaknesses"</li> </ul> <ul> <li>How did Todd make a quick ascent to CEO? <ul> <li>There must be an opportunity and then you "must go like hell when that happens"</li> <li>"I love the outcome, I love the impact we have"</li> <li>"When coming up through the company, I always kept an eye on the overall strategy"</li> <li>"Don't focus on getting credit for the project."</li> <li>"Make sure your personal goals and company goals are aligned."</li> </ul> </li> <li>How he does two separate CEO roles? — "Must surround yourself with people you trust" <ul> <li>"A strong WE"</li> </ul> </li> <li>Calendar/Time Management <ul> <li>All meetings are 15 minutes in length — This forces people to get to the point immediately</li> <li>Week unfolds: <ul> <li>Front load all staff meetings by 1:00 Monday. Must be done by Monday afternoon — "What are the goals for the week?"</li> <li>Having a chief of staff is important</li> <li>Todd is an introvert and does not do back to back meetings all day. Needs 30 minutes breaks every 3 meetings to think</li> <li>"You said an important word… And that word is THINK"</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li>"As a manager you are responsible for the success of people." — Management means you have a responsibility for them <ul> <li>Must give feedback. Feedback is a gift. It's generous to give feedback.</li> </ul> </li> <li>"There's nothing easier than sharing credit."</li> <li>"Management is around understanding the differences in people, and getting the best out of them"</li> <li>"Leadership is about painting a vision" <ul> <li>Lead with trust</li> <li>Todd's story of his first client engagement – FAILED… How his boss responded with trust was powerful — "I trust you"</li> </ul> </li> <li>When managing through a crisis… BE: <ul> <li>Clear</li> <li>Calm</li> <li>Credible</li> </ul> </li> <li>How sketch comedy can help you be a better leader <ul> <li>Bring your whole self to your job</li> <li>Build emotional intelligence</li> </ul> </li> <li>Paying employees to take a class that has nothing to do with work (Learn a second language, guitar lessons, etc)</li> <li>Hiring process: <ul> <li>"What are the first 5 things you read everyday?" — "Okay, now tell me the real answer. I want to learn about you, not what you think I want to hear" <ul> <li>"I want to hear them defend or support an argument. It doesn't matter what it's about</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li>Books to read: The Enders Game — Incredible story about getting the best out of people and creating teams</li> <li>To be a Learning Leader? — "A process of building. It's a thing you do." <ul> <li>"Time is a really expensive leader." "Must always evolve and pick up lessons"</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p> </p>