The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk

Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes

This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world have the hustle and grit to deliver. Go to www.InsightGlobal.com/LearningLeader

Stanley McChrystal is a retired four-star general. Stan is the former commander of the nation’s premier military counter-terrorism force, Joint Special Operations Command (also known as JSOC). His command included more than 150,000 troops from 45 allied countries. Since he retired from the Army, Stan has written multiple best-selling books including, Team of Teams, and most recently, On Character.

• The most crucial discipline is to think for yourself. To a sad degree, we’re lazy. People comment on things they haven’t watched or read, but have seen comments by others who align with their political party. They aren’t thinking for themselves (this is why it’s almost impossible to align completely with one political party for me). If you find yourself saying “I just do” or “that’s what I heard,” that’s not thinking.
• Being Obsessed – “I am convinced that few truly great achievements are reached by individuals with an impressive work-life balance, and the price of greatness, in a word, is great. In the end, I’m an advocate for obsession."
• The Ranger Effect – The value of unwavering standards.Created near the end of Vietnam when the Army had lowered its standards. They created 2 units of Rangers to raise the standard. It permeated the entire Army. How does a leader do this in Corporate America? Clearly establish expectations. You cannot have a “say-do” gap. The leader must demonstrate the values on a constant basis. BE what you want. Discipline to hold people accountable.
• “My major takeaway at almost 70 years old is conclusive. I wish I’d thought more, been more contemplative about my convictions, and been more deliberate about the person I sought to be.”
• Stan's mom — she died on New Year’s Day 1971 at age 45. Stan was 16. Had 6 kids. Mary Bright McChrystal. Writes about her in the civil rights chapter.
• “I accept no belief or claim to truth automatically or unconditionally.”
• White Water Rafting – When the subject of America’s involvement in Afghanistan arises, Stan is frequently asked, what he might do differently if given the chance to do it all over again. Answer: “Go white water rafting.”
• In Patient Pursuit of Greatness – In the spring of 2012, Stan was teaching a leadership class at Yale. That’s when he met their football coach, Tony Reno: “Not many things materially affect my trajectory. But this time was different. What was different? Coach Reno.”
• Choosing to Lead – Leadership is not a title or position. It’s a choice.
• “Embrace the suck” – “Why suck a little, when you can suck a lot?”
• Eat one meal a day. It’s built on being undisciplined with food. If you only eat dinner, you can eat a lot for that one meal.
• Self-Discipline - Most important attribute for a leader.
• Wife Annie - Dependent on her. Kind, thoughtful, caring.
• Life/Career Advice: Have the discipline to decide want you want to be. Be intentional. LISTEN: Don’t just talk. Be respectful. Don’t be afraid to fail. Try it, get back up. Try again.

The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk

Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes

This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world have the hustle and grit to deliver.

Go to www.InsightGlobal.com/LearningLeader

Episode #632: Nick Huber is an entrepreneur who owns stakes in 11 companies, including a real estate private equity firm and several agencies. His portfolio of companies employs over 325 people living all over the world. Nick lives with his wife and 3 children in Athens, Georgia. He’s the author of the book, The Sweaty Startup: How to get rich doing boring things.

Notes:

• Sales is the foundation of Every Business. From Nick’s mentor, Dan Cohen: “If you don’t like sales, I suggest you give up now and go get a regular job. You’re wasting your time.”
• “Life as an entrepreneur is sales.” To succeed in this world, you must have the cooperation of other people.
• The attributes of winners:
  • Abundance mindset
  • A sense of urgency
  • Not afraid to stand up and call you out. The story of his VP of Finance, Kevin. He called Nick out on deals he tried to make while Kevin was on vacation.
  • Make good decisions
  • Aren't afraid to get their hands dirty and do the work
• The Four Fundamental Truths of Life
  • 1. You can’t do it alone.
  • 2. You can’t make people do anything.
  • 3. Everyone in this world is selfish.
  • 4. It isn’t about you.
• So how do we use these four fundamental truths of life to get what we want? Sales. We sell ourselves and our ideas. We convince other people that their lives will be better if they trust us, work for us, buy from us, and more.
• Networking. Don’t go to events telling others to help you. Become someone worth knowing.
  • Do something of value that makes others want to come to you…
  • The story about the guy wrangling carts on a cold night at the Walmart in Ithaca, New York
• Nick credits a lot of his success to his parents, Tim and Susan, for raising him around a dinner table of positivity and curiosity. They made him feel as if he could accomplish anything and taught him to see the world through a lens of opportunity.
• Change your mind: Nick has a note taped to his mirror in the bathroom that says, “Change your mind on something today.”
• The most valuable trait of an entrepreneur: A sense of urgency. Most people walk slow, think slow, move slow, and make decisions slow. They lollygag around life. No energy. No excitement.
• Do uncomfortable things. Make the calls. Start a lawn care business if you're a kid.
• Decision making - You have to practice it. It’s a muscle
• Decathlon at Cornell - Brutally hard. 10 events. You never do your best in all of them. You take L’s. Have to respond and go to the next event. Struggle with grace.
• Ego - Need to balance belief with humility.
• There are two types of people in the world. Those who are humble. And those that are about to be humbled.
• “You’re interviewing for your next job every single day.”
• Hiring is like hunting. Always looking.
• Life/Career Advice: "Don’t be a doctor or a lawyer. What game are you playing? What does winning look like? Most people aren’t thoughtful enough about that."