Podcast 465: Building A Great Business with Ari Weinzweig

This podcast is the second in my series with author Ari Weinzweig the author of “Building A Great Business”.

In my previous interview with Ari we spoke about ” Managing Ourselves” where we discuss everything from visioning to the 12 Tips of More Effective Self-Management.

In this interview Ari weI focus on the 12 Natural Laws of Building A Great Business. One thing that Ari knows for certain is that a strong inspiring and strategically vision leads the way to greatness—especially if you write it down. Ari teaches a great technique for writing your vision. He calls it the “hot pen’ technique. Pick up your pen and just keep writing 15, 20, 30 minutes whatever it takes to articulate your vision in word pictures that you can see and believe your vision manifesting.

He also has a tip that you need to “give your customers a really compelling reason to buy from you”. Now while this seems obvious— when was the last time you had a bad meal at a restaurant and failed to tell anyone, but you said to your spouse we will never recommend or go back to that establishment. It happens all the time, and because the restaurant not only served a subpar meal, but your service was most likely lacking you had no reason to do business with them again. The combination is a disaster in the food service business.

I encourage you to listen to and learn from one of the wisest men in the food service business speak with me about 12 Natural Laws that when applied to both your personal and business life they can transform an organization and the people that work within the organizations.

If you want to learn more about Ari and his trilogy of books please click here, or if you want to learn about his training company Zing Train please click here to get information about the various training programs.

Enjoy this great interview with a wonderfully engaging author, businessman and civic leader Ari Weinzweig.

 

Podcast 464: Managing Ourselves with Ari Weinzweig

I happen to be listening to a podcast that the Robert Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership was hosting , and I heard an interview with author Ari Weinzweig the author of a trilogy of books entitled ” A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to Managing Ourselves”, “Being a Better Leader” and “Building a Great Business” all in the Lapsed Anarchist’s series. I was so taken by Ari’s approach to how he built and ran his organizations that I invited him to be on Inside Personal Growth. In this interview about his book “Managing Ourselves” Ari and I discuss the 12 Tips for more effective self-management, which are truly gems and so important to learn on our path of self discovery and personal growth. Tip one (1)  is “Get to Know Yourself”, now while this seems simple most of us spend a lifetime going deep into our soul seeking to better understand our best attributes and qualities as well as how to improve the ones that frequently get in the way and don’t serve us as becoming better human beings. The second Tip Ari speaks about is “Honoring Your Emotions.” We all know the line “leave your emotions at the door” when you go to work. As Ari states that is utterly impossible—our emotions go with us wherever we go but we can learn to monitor and manage them so they don’t get in the way of what we are trying to accomplish. The entire list of 12 tips are in his book, as well you can go to his website to learn more. I know that you will receive a lifetime of personal and business wisdom from my interviews with Ari. I highly encourage purchasing Ari’s trilogy of books and to  learning more about his organization Zingerman’s by clicking on the link here. He has also created Zing Train a training organization based in Ann Arbor, MI with a mission to help organizations better serve both their customers and employees. To learn more click here to be directed to the Zing Train website, or click here to be directed to the Zingerman’s Facebook page.

Podcast 390: Howard’s Gift- Uncommon Wisdom to Inspire Your Life’s Work with Eric C. Sinoway

Eric SinowayMany of us are privileged enough during our lifetime to have a wonderful mentor.  Howard’s Gift is a book about Eric Sinoway and his amazingly wise mentor and professor at Harvard University Howard Stevenson.  This book is filled with compelling stories and lessons that Eric learned from Howard throughout his years at Harvard and beyond.   Howard was a towering figure at Harvard Business School, and the man who literally defined entrepreneurship and taught thousands of world’s most successful professionals.

Many of the lessons you will take from this book will be quite valuable, and the way that Eric tells the stories are quite inviting and compelling.  One lesson that Howard speaks with Eric about are “inflection points“.  So just what is an inflection point and why is it important?  An inflection point as defined by Andy Grove the founder and former CEO of Intel is an event that fundamentally changes the way we think and act.  Usually, an inflection point isn’t a little change. It is a moment when–by choice or not–we pivot from the path down which we are traveling and head in an entirely new direction.   I would venture to say that almost everyone has inflection points in their lives, and it is the experiences and moments like this that we remember forever and change us– almost always for the better.

Howard advocates business planning for your life’s work.  In other words  develop and image of where you want to be and this place is not defined by our title, pay or stature.  As human beings we are complicated souls seeing meaning and purpose in our lives, but when you look at the individuals that have made a difference on our planet they have done so by having a vision of creating something much greater than just making money.  They have a mission to change our culture and society with their inventions; Apple, Facebook, GE, Toyota, Tesla, Google and the list goes on.

If you are driven to make our world a better place to live by whatever means, then you owe it to yourself to read “Howard’s Gift“.  This book is filled with great stories and lesson learned by Eric Sinoway the author by his mentor and wise confidant Howard Stevenson.

Enjoy this wonderful interview with Eric and for more information about the book please click here or watch short video on juggling priorities on YouTube by clicking here.

 

Podcast 389: Practice Perfect-42 Rules for Getting Better at Getting Better with Erica Woolway

Erica WoolwayIn my interview with co-author Erika Woolway we discuss her new book entitled ” Practice Perfect-43 Rules for Getting Better at Getting Better“.  We have all heard the old adage “practice makes perfect”, and Erika and her other co-authors Doug Lemov and Katie Yezzi have studied and observed some of the best in the educational fields, authors, lawyers and surgeons in ascertaining  what makes people pros in their respective fields.

The “how to” rules are outlined in “Practice Perfect”, such as the counterintuitive rule that says: don’t concentrate on your weakness, practice what you are good at.   The authors state that effective practice requires a systematic attentiveness to participants rate of success.  “You haven’t taught it until they’ve learned it.” Coach Wooden like to say, and the best teachers test to see how much student have learned–a process called “checking for understanding”–every few seconds. They realize that lack of understanding builds on itself and get harder to fix the longer you wait, so they are always asking themselves, “Are students getting it?”

The authors borrow a term that is utilized in Dan and Chip Heath’s book entitled “Switch” and this concept is called Bright Spots.  This concept refers to the often overlooked and under-leveraged power of  what works.  It’s easy, they note to bewail what’s wrong rather than see the power of what’s right.  The authors utilize this term to remind us that in a practice setting, immense value can be realized by focusing on things participants are already good at– and making them even better.

If you are interested in learning all of the rules of getting better I encourage you to click here to be directed to the author website, or click here to watch to a wonderful Youtube video with author Doug Lemov, Erica Woolway and Katie Yezzi discussing the rules.

Enjoy this wonderful interview with co-author Erica Woolway.

Podcast 388: We First-How Brands & Consumers Use Social Media To Build A Better World by Simon Mainwaring

 

Simon MainwaringIt is not often that I come across a book and author that has life transforming ideas, and ideas that I believe will have a positive impact on our world.

I recently interviewed author Simon Mainwaring about his new book entitled “We First-How Brands & Consumers Use Social Media to Build A Better World.”  His  book is not only a must read for anyone in business, but for anyone who is part of the socially responsible movement and wants to impact the world for the better.

Simon really believes that we need to transform the engine of capitalism  because our current structure is not performing in ways that benefit the whole. As the title of the book eludes, we need to move to a “We First” instead of a ” Me First” mindset.   He points out that the book is not about doing away with capitalism, is is about recognizing the advantages of capitalism as a generator of progress and prosperity, but at the same time acknowledging the mounting criticisms–if left unchecked, a capitalist system will run off it own rails.  Many noted economists, thought leaders, and social visionaries around the world are all recognizing that capitalism has become dysfunctional.  It has lost is way as an effective, self-regulating, and sustainable economic system. It has devolved into a single-minded pursuit of profit and wealth for a small elite at the expense of the overall society.”

We First points out that the unresolved tension between self-interest and selfishness is no a philosophical debate.  It is at the root of corporate and individual economic behavior, shaping how brands and consumers participate in capitalism on a daily basis. It affects the choices we make about our use of natural resources, or habits of consumption, our views of investment and profit, our attitudes toward both poverty and ethical business conduct, and the political debates that ultimately determine what type of society we want to live in.

If you are interested in reshaping your personal beliefs, and join a movement that will have a positive impact on how we consume good and services then I highly recommend that you read and study Simon’s new book “We First“.  He also has an amazing course which is both available on the Internet, and there is an upcoming live event in the Los Angeles area in March of 2013.

If you are interested in  Simon’s course offering please click here to be directed to a landing page with more information about the event.  I will be taking the course and attending the live event, you will not want to miss this opportunity.    If you purchase admission to the on-line course you are entitled to attend the live event in Los Angeles in March of 2013, and you are eligible to bring a non-profit of your choice at absolutely no cost.

You can also watch a very cool presentation that Simon did at TED Talks by clicking this link.

 

I hope you enjoy this great interview with a man that is going to change our world, through influencing our choices, consumption and behaviors.

Podcast 387: Leapfrogging-Harness the Power of Surprise for Business Breakthroughs with Soren Kaplan

Soren KaplanIs the element of surprise something that we can all use to create breakthrough in our businesses?  Author Soren Kaplan in his new book entitled “Leapforgging” believes that surprise is the power that can help businesses jump start their creativity and embrace ways to reinvent themselves.  Kaplan states ” Instead of fighting against uncertainty we should use it to break down limiting mindsets and barriers to change the game.”  We can find both opportunity in both good and bad surprises. Soren encourages leaders to embrace counter-intuitive ideas, manage paradoxes and even welcome failure.  This is what he refers to as the key to “Leapfrogging“–creating or doing something radically new or different that produces a significant leap forward.  I always appreciated the Albert Einstein quote ” The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result“.

Soren’s new book “Leapfrogging” can certainly assist anyone in finding new ways of looking at and transforming their ideas and thoughts into breakthroughs both personally and professionally.  His book helps the reader overcome existing mindsets by introducing whole new possibilities–and consequently new assumptions–into the mix. Soren states that breakthroughs share three common characteristics: 1) They challenge fundamental assumptions about existing products, services, business models or organizations. 2) Breakthroughs transform existing ways of doing business by rewriting rules or revolutionizing current practices. 3) They apply resources in entirely new ways, whether people, knowledge, relationships or technology.

Soren’s new book is a great resource for anyone who feels stuck. He has provided great stories along with strategic questions after each chapter to challenge your mindset, and help you learn how to “Leapfrog” into new breakthroughs. If you would like to learn more about Soren Kaplan you can click here to be directed to his website, or you can watch a great Ted-X video presentation by clicking here.

Enjoy this great interview with author Soren Kaplan.

Podcast 386: Awakened Leadership with Alan Shelton

Alan SheltonI recently had the opportunity of interviewing author Alan Shelton who’s new book entitled “Awakened Leadership-Beyond Self Mastery” it is a great read.  The book has lots of Alan’s personal life story, but weaved into the content are life lessons that we can all learn and benefit from if we apply in our life.

Alan comments in the preface of the book about being in a “seekers hole”, a term that I personally can appreciate and relate to from time to time.  I don’t know a soul on this planet that is not seeking, and at times we all get frustrated and dissatisfied with the journey.  In essence we forget that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, vs. human beings having a spiritual experience–big difference.  The key to enjoying our journey is as all times to remember who we are, and why we are here-easier said than done right?.

Alan points out that we are not the center of the Universe, even though at times we think we are.  Yes, our ego’s do take control and we think that we are it!!  Alan reminds us that a life awakened is beyond self-mastery, the belief that we author and control our own reality.  He points out that to become a more effective leader we need to understand what it is like to express our authentic self.  In essence,  not to put on false pretenses or allow our ego to attempt to control or have a negative impact on our relationships.

“Awakened Leadership” is about leadership, and what it takes to become a compassionate and effective leader.  Alan cites author Joseph Jaworski the author of “Syncronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership” by saying ” Institutions of all sorts are facing profound change today, with complexity increasing at a speed and intensity we’ve never experienced before.  Jaworski came to realize that traditional analytical leadership approaches are inadequate for dealing creatively with the complexity.  To effectively face these challenges, leaders need to access the Source from which truly profound innovations flows.

If you would like to learn more about accessing the Source, and what is necessary to become a leader in our business world today, then Alan’s new book “Awakened Leadership” is a must read.  If you would like to learn  more about Alan Shelton please click here to be directed to his website, or you can watch a great book trailer by clicking here.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful interview with Alan Shelton.

 

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