The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Episode #273: Chip Conley - How To Be Wise Beyond Your Years

The Learning Leader Show

"When you're the leader, you're the emotional thermostat for the people you lead."

Show Notes:

Commonalities of sustaining excellence:
- "An operating system unique to them. It defines how they operate no matter what the context is."
- Understand Maslow's hierarchy of needs
- A way of thinking about people
The importance of being both a practitioner and an author
- Having a finely tuned sense of your greatest strengths... And hire for the gaps
"The capacity for holistic or systems thinking that allows one to get the gist of something by synthesizing a wide variety of information quickly." -- Pattern recognition
How to develop self awareness:
- Having an internal and external antennae
  - External -- "read a room"
  - Internal -- "understand your intuition" --> How to tap into your "gut brain"
  - The ability to be vulnerable is critical
  - Action: Journal, meditate, speak with a coach. Converse in a vulnerable way
Why being part of The Learning Leader Circle is so valuable
Stanford Business School classmate of Seth Godin
- "Random Acts of Initiative"
"When you're the leader, you're the emotional thermostat for the people you lead."
"People get very attached to their identity."
Learn to "listen to hunches and take chances."
The story about the time Brian Chesky (founder of AirBnB) called him
- "Instead of trying to prove himself, he was trying to improve himself."
- We had an "EQ" for "DQ" relationship - Emotional intelligence for Digital intelligence
A mentern = Mentor + Intern at the same time.
- The importance of having a beginners mindset -- "Ask questions. Be catalytically curious."
- The "modern elder" is as much a student as they are a sage
Chip's inquisitiveness became contagious at AirBnB
It's important to "intern publicly," and "mentor privately"
There is progress to go from hubris to humble
Wisdom: "Move out of trying to prove yourself, and instead work on improving yourself."
As the leader, always ask: "How can I support you to do the best work here?"
- Know you boss has your back -- Support
- Put direct report in a role to create conditions to grow
Set learning and development programs
- The biggest gap at AirBnB was "understanding humans. There were 28 year olds leading 24 year olds."
How to build an alliance with someone who disagrees with you?
- Find some sort of alignment. Even the smallest amount is progress.
- Find the intent...
"We're all like plants/flowers. Look at the soil. If you're a sunflower in the arctic, you have to get out of there."
"Make sure you have a boss that has the capacity to get you there."
Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea
Use the "Get To Know You Document"

"Move out of trying to prove yourself, and instead work on improving yourself."

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More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great

Episode 200: Keith Hawk & AJ Hawk -- Showing Up, Doing The Work, Earning Trust, Helping Others, Winning The Super Bowl, Celebrating #200

Episode 234: Jocko Willink -- Why Discipline Equals Freedom