Meikles & Dimes

154: Sundays with Tozer Episode 17 | Tozer Tutors College Students

Justin Tozer is a math and science prodigy who grew up on a farm where formal education was all but prohibited. Yet, somehow Tozer would make his way to the world’s most prestigious firms, first in Silicon Valley and later in Los Alamos at the world’s preeminent scientific lab.

Yet no professional accomplishment compares to the countless lives Tozer has saved, changed, and enhanced.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• How Tozer tutored college students
• How Tozer started funding the education of someone he met online
• How Tozer has an amazing knack for recommending books that change peoples lives

 

Follow Me:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

153: Sundays with Tozer Episode 16 | Tozer's Friends Share Stories about Tozer

In this episode we discuss several families in Idaho Falls that Tozer impacted, many of which he impacted profoundly and privately, in ways that I had never heard of until now.

152: Sundays with Tozer Episode 15 | Tozer Teaches about Nuclear Power

In this episode we discuss one of Tozer’s favorite topics: nuclear power. And though we talk about fission, radiation, criticality, positive reactivity, and other topics that many of us aren’t familiar with, Tozer describes everything in plain English, because he’s a master teacher. And the episode is fascinating. I learned more about nuclear in this one hour interview than I’d learned in my whole life.

Connect on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

151: Sundays with Tozer Episode 14 | Tozer's Impact on Ryan Meikle

In this episode, Tozer and I talk with Ryan Meikle, who is general counsel for Brad Hall Associates, one of the nation's largest fuel brokers. Ryan is also my brother, and one of the greatest role models a younger brother could hope for. We discuss how Tozer impacted Ryan in scouting, school, and church, in ways that Ryan will never forget.

Connect on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

150: Pulitzer Prize Winner Charles Duhigg | How To Be a Supercommunicator

Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer prize-winning reporter and the author of The Power of Habit, which spent over three years on New York Times bestseller lists. His second book, Smarter Faster Better, was a bestseller, as is his most recent book Supercommunicators.

A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, Charles has been a frequent contributor to This American Life, NPR, The Colbert Report, PBS’s NewsHour, and Frontline.

Charles currently writes for The New Yorker magazine.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• One of the skills that Charles most wants to teach his kids is how to ask questions, and specifically deep questions that get at peoples’ values, beliefs, or experiences.
• Rather than ask someone, “Where do you practice law?” we can ask, “Did you always want to be an attorney?”
• Nick Epley plays a game with strangers of trying to get people to talk about their hopes and dreams within three questions. He usually gets there in two questions (What do you do? Did you always want to do that?).
• We often hesitate to ask deep questions, when in reality people love to answer deep questions.
• When Charles speaks to large groups, he has people share with their neighbor the last time they cried in front of someone. People predict they’ll hate the activity, but then they do the activity and love it.
• Supercommunicators don’t have superpowers. They’re just a little more thoughtful about communication.
• Supercommunicators ask deep questions, they show people that they want to connect, and they’re aware of the different types of conversations such as practical, emotional or social conversations.

Follow Charles:

Twitter: https://x.com/cduhigg

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesduhigg/

Website: https://www.charlesduhigg.com/

Follow Nate:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

149: SEAL Team Six Navy SEAL Karl “Gus” Gustavson | Leadership, Decision-Making, Communication, & Mental Toughness

Karl “Gus” Gustavson served in the US military as a Navy SEAL and as a member of the elite SEAL Team Six. Back in 2001, Gus was attending college when planes crashed into the World Trade Center. Gus dropped out of college, joined the military, and then served our country for 22 years, completing multiple tours of duty in the Middle East.

And now a quick word about SEAL Team Six. Most information concerning SEAL Team Six is classified. Their activities generally aren’t commented on by the Department of Defense or the White House. But they are the U.S. Military’s primary Tier 1 special mission unit, and are responsible for carrying out the most complex, classified, and dangerous missions, as directed by the President of the United States or the Secretary of Defense.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• Over and over again, Gus saw that his leaders were willing to do everything that they asked their men to do.
• Secretary Mattis taught the SEALs to ask three questions when making a decision: Does this decision make us more efficient? Does it make us more effective? And does it make us a more lethal fighting machine?
• Gus noticed that the best leaders delivered information clearly, concisely, and in a timely manner. “Here’s the info you need to know. Here’s what you’re going to do with it. Now go execute.”
• I was impressed by how Gus controlled his thoughts, whether in combat, on a dive, or even during BUDs. He focused only on the things he could control, in manageable chunks. Sometimes that meant that all he was thinking about was how he could make it through the next hour, or just make it to chow.
• As a member of SEAL Team Six, Gus is the most elite of the elite. And yet the lessons he shared are lessons that we can all apply. Lessons on leadership, decision making, communication, and mental toughness. All simple, yet profound, practical ideas. 

 

Connect on Social Media:

X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

148: Four-Star General of the U.S. Army George W. Casey Jr. | You’re No Better Than Anyone and No One’s Better Than You

General George W. Casey Jr. is a four-star general who served as the 36^th Chief of Staff of the United States Army. Nominated by President George W. Bush, General Casey led what is possibly the world’s largest, and most complex organization--more than one million service members with a $200 billion annual budget. As Chief Executive Officer of the Army, General Casey was a strong advocate for military families, wounded soldiers, and survivors of the fallen, and he also took on the tough issues of suicide and the stigma attached to combat stress.

General Casey served 41-years as an American soldier, following graduation from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• General Casey’s grandpa taught him: You’re no better than anyone. And no one’s better than you. So, treat everyone with respect. But don’t take any guff from anybody.
• General Casey’s father taught him: Never be afraid to try to be the very best.
• Vince Lombardi taught General Casey: Insist on disciplined execution of the highest standards.
• The higher General Casey rose in the hierarchy, the more he realized he needed to influence the people outside his organization rather than just look down inside his own organization.
• The more experienced General Casey got, the more comfortable he got saying, “I don’t know.”
• “Be a man or woman of your word. If you tell someone you're going to do something, you either do it or you tell them why you're not going to do it.”
• There are only two kinds of plans: those that might work and those that won’t work.
• Family is everything.

 

Follow Me:

X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

147: Former BYU President Kevin Worthen | Say “Yes” as Often as Possible

Kevin Worthen was the 13th president of Brigham Young University and is a “BYU guy through and through” as he says. Kevin earned both his bachelor’s and law degree from BYU, graduating summa cum laude. After graduating from law school, Kevin clerked for the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron White, and later spent a year at the University of Chile as a Fullbright Scholar. Kevin also served as Dean of the BYU Law school and as Advancement Vice President of BYU before serving as President. Most recently, Kevin spent a year at Yale Law School as a distinguished visiting professor.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• As Ken Burns said, “Leadership is humility and generosity squared.”
• Leadership is admitting we don’t know everything and then giving credit to others for their success.
• When Kevin played basketball in college, his coaches would use every second of the timeouts to coach the players. But as the years passed, he noticed that coaches started using the timeouts to counsel with the other coaches. There’s power in admitting you don’t see everything and in getting advice from others.
• As the President of BYU, Kevin learned to say “yes” as often as he could, because there are so many times as a leader that you have to say “no.”
• It’s important to be generous and kind when saying “no,” especially because saying “no” typically doesn’t persuade anyone.
• I love two of the quotes Kevin shared: “Anger never persuaded anyone” and “The law of love is undefeated.”

 

Follow Me:

X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

146: IRS Special Agent Richard Littrell | Watch Out For Yourselves & Others

Richard Littrell is a special agent for the IRS. His primary duty is to conduct criminal investigations of individuals who have violated the federal tax code as well as related financial crimes such as fraud, money laundering, elderly financial abuse, illegal drug trafficking, and identity theft.

Shortly after joining the IRS, Richard was a lead investigator on the University of Kansas ticket scandal, in which several KU employees stole an estimated $2-3 million from the athletic department.

Prior to joining the IRS, Richard worked as an auditor at Deloitte. He earned his accounting, business administration and Masters of Accounting degrees all from the University of Kansas.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• As a special agent, Richard has dedicated himself to continuous learning. Criminals launder money through the Internet in countless ways, whether through cryptocurrency or the banking system, and Richard has to stay on top of all of it.
• As an IRS special agent, Richard helps keep the playing field level for all of us by holding criminals accountable for not paying their taxes.
• Richard's advice: "Look out for yourselves. Fraud is rampant. And look out for your friends, neighbors and family as well, to make sure they’re not being victimized."

 

Follow Me:

X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

145: UNC Professor Alison Fragale | Helping Women Navigate Power & Status Dynamics

Alison Fragale is an award-winning professor at the University of North Carolina, where she teaches courses on leadership and negotiation.

Alison has consulted with numerous organizations, including ExxonMobil, Bayer CropScience, and the U.S. Air Force and Navy among others. And her research has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, and The Financial Times. Before entering academia, Alison worked as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company.

Alison earned her PhD in organizational behavior from Stanford and her BA in mathematics and economics from Dartmouth, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• Though Alison didn’t explicitly set out to conduct research to help women, she realized that it was often the women who were sticking around after class asking for help from someone who looked like them.
• Status and power are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct. Status is respect. Power is resource control. So, it's possible to have one and not have the other.
• Women, more so than men, end up in positions of power without the commensurate status. The alternative, status without power, is much easier to navigate. People think of you as warm, giving, and capable. But people who have power without status are often treated poorly, which can lead to instability and exit.
• Alison’s most common recommendation for women who ask for help navigating power and status dynamics is to start sooner advocating for themselves. Otherwise, they may find themselves in situations where people have already concluded that they’re not the valuable person in the room.

 

Follow Alison:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonfragale/

Website: https://alisonfragale.com/about/

Book: https://amzn.to/3XuH6Wj

Follow Me:

X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/