Meikles & Dimes

224: Admiral James Stavridis | Underappreciated Leadership Lessons

Admiral James Stavridis is a 4-Star Navy Admiral who served as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. Following his military career, he served as Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Currently he serves as Partner and Vice Chairman of The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms. He also serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Rockefeller Foundation.

In this episode we discuss the following:

To be a great leader, you have to be in shape. Leaders need energy and health, and sleep is a weapon. If you’re not rested, you’re not ready for battle.

Admiral Stavridis was Captain of a destroyer that failed inspection, it was his peers that had his back and saved him that day. Invest in our peer relationships because they will be honest with us and be unafraid to reach out.

Great leaders are great readers. To be a reader is to lead a thousand lives. Every book is a simulator, whether we’re learning resilience from The Old Man and the Sea or leadership from the Godfather. Since conducting this interview, I have been reading The Admiral’s Bookshelf, and I love learning the lessons he learned from his top 25 books. And because of this conversation I created my own bookshelf of the 25 books that have most influenced me. I’ve pasted these in the show notes and on my website.  

The Admiral’s final lesson is timeless. Be humble. 

And inspired by The Admiral's Bookshelf, I created my own bookshelf.

Nate Meikle’s Bookshelf

1. The Book of Mormon & Bible
   • Taught me about Jesus Christ, love, repentance, forgiveness, and endurance
2. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
   • Reminds me to avoid the superficial
3. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
   • Motivated me to become a professor
4. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
   • The first book to get me excited about personal finance, one of the most important, underappreciated topics IMO.
5. A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt
   • Motivates me to be honest in all things
6. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
   • Improved my communication skills dramatically
7. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
   • Warns me of the dangers of infidelity
8. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
   • Motivates me to live a life of integrity
9. My Personal Best by John Wooden
   • Taught me about servant leadership and to treat friendship like a fine art
10. The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb
    • Made me realize the importance of long tail events
11. Jim Trelease Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
    • Motivated me to teach my daughter to read at age 2, read tens of thousands of books to her (and our subsequent 3 children), and ultimately write my own book (Little Miss) about how to inspire children to love reading
12. Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath
    • Taught me the importance of storytelling and how to tell great stories
13. The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield
    • Taught me about Buddhism, and the three causes of human suffering (Grasping, Aversion, Delusion)
14. A Guide to the Good Life by William Irvine
    • Taught me about Stoic Philosophy and the value of negative visualization and wanting the things we have
15. The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
    • Taught me to not coddle my children and the dangers of cognitive distortions (and the value of cognitive behavioral therapy)
16. The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweill (published in 2005)
    • Made me realize that AI is likely the most important invention ever, and persuaded me that Artificial General Intelligence will arrive during my lifetime
17. Poor Charlie’s Almanack, by Charlie Munger
    • The greatest collection of wisdom I’ve ever come across related to investing (specifically) and decision making (generally)
18. Thinking In Bets by Annie Duke
    • Taught me about the dangers of resulting / outcome bias (judging a decision by the outcome rather than the process)
19. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
    • Taught me the importance of seeing a negotiation from the other person’s point of view, and constantly showing them that you understand their position (by labeling, mirroring, and using an accusations audit)
20. Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson
    • Taught me about elite ambition, determination, and focus
21. Endurance by Alfred Lansing
    • Taught me about unflinching leadership
22. Good Energy by Casey Means
    • Persuaded me to eliminate processed foods and exercise 5-6 days per week
23. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
    • Reminds me how capable children are
24. Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
    • Inspires me to be courageous
25. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
    • Reminds me to try to laugh every day, in every class, in every conversation

223: Dartmouth Professor Scott Anthony | Every Innovation Has Heroes

Scott D. Anthony is a clinical professor at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business where he researches and teaches about disruption. Scott previously spent more than 20 years at Innosight, a consultancy founded by Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen, serving as Innosight’s elected managing partner. Scott has lived in the UK and Singapore, held board roles at public and private companies, given keynote addresses on six continents, and worked with CEOs at numerous global organizations. Thinkers50 named Scott one of the world’s most influential and innovative thinkers. And Scott recently published his 9^th book, called Epic Disruptions.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• Scott’s key insight that every innovation has heroes, plural. While Julia Child is one of the most well-known chefs, her first cookbook had two additional coauthors.
• Even Scott’s book has multiple heroes, as it was his publisher that suggested the topic.
• Scott’s insight on the shadow of innovation. Questioning the status quo and innovating can create winners and losers.
• Scott’s advice that if we want to get better at innovation, we need to find ways to get to intersections. Attend trade shows in different industries, read magazines from different fields, and meet with people from all over the world. 

222: Harvard Leadership Instructor Margaret Andrews | To Lead Others, We Need To Manage Ourselves

Margaret Andrews teaches a variety of leadership courses and professional and executive programs at Harvard University and is the founder of the MYLO Center, a leadership development firm. Her MYLO course (Manage Yourself to Lead Others) has had a wait list every time it’s been taught for over a decade and has become the most popular professional development program at Harvard. And Margaret has now turned her course into a book titled: Manage Yourself to Lead Others.

Margaret earned her undergraduate degree from Cal Berkeley and her graduate degree from MIT.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• When Margaret’s boss told her that she wasn’t self-aware, she made a change. She learned more about herself and others—and since then, she has been teaching leaders to do the same.
• Margaret helps leaders by asking questions such as: “Who’s thinking has influenced your life?” “What are your core values?” and “What type of leader would you like to become?” Answering these questions helps leaders see where they’re at and where they want to go. And then it takes thoughtfulness and intentionality to become the leaders they want to be.
• We have to understand and manage ourselves if we want to understand and lead others.

221: The Best Leaders Lead From the Heart | Mark C. Crowley

Mark C. Crowley is a bestselling author and leadership expert. With twenty-five years in the competitive financial services industry, he rose to national roles, earning Leader of the Year for his heart-centered approach. His book Lead from the Heart, challenges conventional management practices that undermine employee success. In Mark’s latest book, The Power of Employee Well-Being, he emphasizes that thriving teams drive organizational success. Mark’s Lead From the Heart Podcast is ranked in the top 2 percent globally, reaching 175+ countries. Mark is also a sought-after speaker, Fast Company contributor, and organizational culture consultant shaping modern workplaces.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• I love Mark’s message, that the best leaders lead from the heart. They care about people, they support people, they trust people, and they have their best interest at heart.
• I thought Mark made a really interesting point that we admire coaches who show that they love their players. But the conventional business leaders shy away from this type of heart-led leadership.
• When we think about the best leaders we know, the ones who we’ll run through a brick wall for, they’re the ones who truly love us. The best leaders lead from the heart.

220: Think About Tradeoffs | Notre Dame Professor Adam Wowak

Adam Wowak is a Professor of Management & Organization in the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame where he teaches strategic management to MBA and Ph.D. students.

Adam's research focuses on strategic leadership and corporate governance. His work has appeared in top-tier academic journals, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Journal, and Organization Science. His research has also been profiled in media outlets such as The Atlantic, Financial Times, Forbes, NBC News, New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among others.

Adam received both his bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. from Penn State University.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• When Adam graduated college, he had a prestigious job as an investment banker. It paid well. It was intellectually challenging. He liked the people he was working with. But he wasn’t excited to work every day. He didn’t have autonomy. And he didn’t have creative outlets. So he thought about the tradeoffs he was making by staying. He then considered the  tradeoffs he would make by leaving. By thinking about tradeoffs, Adam gained clarity on what mattered most to him. He ultimately chose to leave banking and found his way to academia, which has its own set of tradeoffs, but ones that Adam is happier with.
• As Adam tells his students, there are three types of careers people can have. One they love. One they hate. And one they’re okay with, in the murky middle. And it’s this third kind of career that people need to watch out for so that they don’t drift, and wake up 20 years later realizing they should have thought more carefully about the tradeoffs they were making.
• Remember to think about the tradeoffs we’re making, both when we stick with the status quo and when we decide to change. 

 

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219: Imagine Our Prized Cup Is Already Broken | Brad Johnson on Entrepreneurship and Dealing with Setbacks

Brad Johnson is the Co-founder of Triad Partners, an organization that helps financial advisors grow their businesses. Before co-founding Triad, Brad spent 13 years at Advisors Excel as a VP of Advisor Development, coaching top financial advisors who managed over $1.5 billion in assets. Brad is also the host of the podcast, Do Business. Do Life, where he interviews thought leaders and helps financial advisors integrate their work and personal lives. Raised on a farm in Kansas, Brad’s personal interests include CrossFit, bass fishing, collecting red wine, and supporting children's charities.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• I love the Stoic lesson Brad shared about the prized cup. If we expect our prized cup to never break, we’ll be devastated when it does. But if we’ve already been through the mental exercise of the cup breaking, it can be much easier to stay calm and confident when our prized cups do break.
• Being an entrepreneur is constantly dealing with broken, prized cups.
• I loved hearing how Brad tries to apply Jocko’s advice for dealing with setbacks by responding with a simple “Good.”
• Brad’s emphasis on seeking out mindset coaching stood out. The best athletes get the most coaching. So it makes sense that we too need regular feedback and mindset coaching to reach our potential.
• By jumping into the trench himself, Brad is giving himself more opportunities to deal with broken cups. And I love his advice for how we can deal with the broken cups in our lives.

 

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218: How Vivek Viswanathan Worked His Way to the White House

Vivek Viswanathan is one of the brightest, kindest, most thoughtful individuals I have ever known. A son of immigrant parents, Vivek excelled in school attending Harvard, Cambridge, and Stanford. He then excelled in business, working for McKinsey (kind of) and Kleiner Perkins. Then Vivek excelled in politics working for Governor Brown, Governor Newsom, Hilary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and eventually serving as Special Assistant to the President of the United States. In this episode we walk through Vivek’s career progression as well as some of the lessons he learned along the way. We also discuss the following:

• While I was intrigued by so many things in this interview, starting with how high-school Vivek preferred policy camp to sports camp, I was especially intrigued by Vivek’s perspective on living an integrated life: combining our values and passions, and then spending time with people who reflect those values.
• Vivek is a master at building and maintaining relationships, and then constantly striving to learn all he can from others.
• While Vivek's professional achievements are remarkable, I’m most impressed by his commitment to doing good in the world.
• As Vivek reminded us, to achieve anything worthwhile in life, we have to work really hard, all the while accepting the uncontrollable.

 

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217: The Best Leaders Are Tough & Kind | Cincinnati Business School Dean Marianne Lewis on Leadership Paradoxes

Marianne Lewis is dean of the University of Cincinnati College of Business, and she previously served as dean of Bayes Business School at City, University of London. Marianne researches organizational paradoxes, including the tensions surrounding leadership and innovation. She has been recognized among the world’s most-cited researchers in her field, having won numerous academic awards, and her work also appears in media outlets, such as Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Newsweek. Her latest book, Both/And Thinking is published by Harvard Business School Press.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• I love Marianne’s insight that the best leaders are not tough or kind, but rather both.  Toughness and kindness are not opposite ends of a spectrum but rather two sides of the same coin. And any leader who pushes too hard on one, while ignoring the other, will not reach their potential.
• And I thought it was especially interesting to hear about the creative geniuses who also appreciated tension and paradoxes: motion vs rest, particle vs wave, harmony vs discord, light vs. dark, life vs death. The magic is in the tension.
• When it comes to leadership the best leaders are both tough and kind.

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216: NIL Attorney Darren Heitner | Continually Challenge Yourself to Be a Student

Darren Heitner is a nationally recognized attorney who specializes in sports and entertainment law. And most recently Darren has become one of the nation’s experts on NIL (name, image, and likeness). His client list is a who’s who of professional sports, including athletes and coaches such as Terrell Owens, Johnny Manziel, Randy Moss, Tyreek Hill, Manny Ramirez, Draymond Green, and Rick Pitino, to name just a few.

Darren earned both his BA and JD from the University of Florida, where he was also a Valedictorian. 

In this episode we discuss the following:

• Darren’s goal to remember why he’s doing it: to help his clients. And one way he does that is by continually challenging himself to be a student. When NFTs exploded onto the scene, Darren learned all he could and became an NFT expert. As NIL transactions ramped up, so did Darren, becoming one of the go-to attorneys for everything related to NIL. Rather than fear new technologies, Darren gets excited by them and then learns all he can about them.

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215: “The More Elite the Player, The More Coaching They Get” | Martin Dubin on Leadership and Self-Awareness

Martin Dubin is a clinical psychologist, serial entrepreneur, business coach, and adviser to C-suite executives and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. Marty is also the author of the book Blindspotting: How To See What’s Holding You Back as a Leader.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• It’s interesting to hear Marty describe how leaders’ weaknesses are often just the flip side of their strengths. The leader who works hard, and sends emails at 2 am, might be unintentionally modeling a standard that isn’t possible for others to achieve. I also loved Marty’s advice for leaders to prioritize the things that only they can do. And lastly, I was especially intrigued by Marty’s point that the most elite performers get the most coaching.

 

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