The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk
Business:Management
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk
#310: David Epstein
Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com
David Epstein is the author of the forthcoming Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World , and of the top 10 New York Times bestseller The Sports Gene. David has master’s degrees in environmental science and journalism, and is reasonably sure he’s the only person to have co-authored a paper in the journal of Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research while a writer at Sports Illustrated. David has given talks about performance science and the uses (and misuses) of data on five continents; his TED Talk has been viewed 7 million times, and was shared by Bill Gates.
Notes:
Leaders who sustain excellence = Voracious learners Voracious readers They attack obstacles Extremely interested in people and about themselves The Sports Gene Having great reflexes is a trained skill -- Pro baseball players cannot hit a pro softball pitcher because they have not trained their reflexes to understand the arm angle (Albert Puhols could not hit Jenny Finch even though she throws slower than the average MLB pitcher) "Chunking" is what world class athletes or chess-masters do. They pick up on cues from the person's body (or the board) and that helps them make quicker decisions -- Ex: A baseball player understands/learns the cues of a pitcher and what pitch is coming and at what velocity Sports is a "kind learning environment." It is more black and white than the business world. In order to translate this to the business world, try to create a kinder learning environment. Need as much information available as possible. Create an environment where feedback is happening on a regular basis The business world is not as kind of a learning environment The "annual review" is a horrible way to run a business. Feedback should be happening on a regular basis... Daily. Bill Campbell would go to the meetings of the leaders he coached and gave immediate feedback. Create a feedback loop for yourself from mentors/people you trust "Everyone needs a coach" -- David regularly takes writing courses to stay sharp and learn David's writing process: The first year = Read 10 scientific papers per day. He reads a TON Advantage David has created = An expansive search function Have a "master thought list" -- Storyboard, shift scenes around He did film editing as a form of cross training for writing a book and becoming a great storyteller 29 of 32 NFL first round draft picks in the 2017 draft played multiple sports. Cross training is critical for long term success David debated Malcolm Gladwell on stage in front of a huge audience and changed Malcolm's mind. Watch here. Athletes that delay specialization excel more than those that specializes (golf is the only exception to the rule) The most effective leaders are constantly updating their mental models It should be celebrated when someone changes their mind because better evidence has surfaced Darwin changed his mind Lincoln changed his mind A 'deliberate amateur' = Someone who loves an activity. "I don't do research, I do search." It's a constant experimentation to learn In a LinkedIn study, the results of a review of all profiles of people who made it to the C-Suite = Went to a Top 5 Business School "The single most important factor is they worked in different functions within a company." They were generalists. The people who make the most impact with number of patents filed work across classes. They are wide ranging generalists. Sales is a great entry point for any business -- Learning marketing and sales will benefit you in every job you will ever have "Take your skills and apply them to a problem where those skills aren't being used." People underestimate how much the world will change -- Must be able to adapt and learn "We learn who we are in practice, not in theory." -- Take action. Do the work. Work to accumulate experiences Try something, go all in on the thing you are doing in that moment. 100% focus. Invest everything you have in it. Then reflect on it -- "We learn in moments of reflection." "When you're 23, don't worry about getting ahead, get information about yourself. Focus on learning." Use the "Get To Know You Document" Why joining The Learning Leader Circle is a good idea577: Jeff Wetzler - Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs In Leadership and Life (ASK)
576: Scott Belsky - Adding Texture to Time, Feeling Unrushed, Pushing Yourself Physically, Narrating the Journey, Becoming an Excellent Writer, and Why You Should Never Outsource Your Story
575: The Score That Matters - Growing Excellence In Yourself and Those You Lead
574: Guy Kawasaki - Leadership Lessons From Steve Jobs, Learning How To Sell, Becoming a Chief Evangelist, and The 'Think Different' Philosophy
573: Brent Underwood (Owner of Cerro Gordo) - Finding Your Purpose, Long Term Thinking, Seeking Awe, Making Your Mark, & Living In A Ghost Town
572: Mike Beckham (CEO of Simple Modern) - Taking Initiative, Giving Generously, Living Your Values, The Best & Worst Parts of Being a CEO, & Being In Pursuit of Priceless Things
571: Jim Keyes - Legendary CEO of 7-Eleven & Blockbuster Shares How To Get Promoted, Turn a Business Around, Learn From Failure, & Why Education Is Freedom
570: Amy Morin - Fix What's Broken, Develop Healthier Patterns, and Grow Stronger Together (13 Things Mentally Strong Couples Don't Do)
569: Rob Henderson - Luxury Beliefs, Foster Care, Social Class, Self-Discipline, Ivy League Universities, External vs. Internal Achievement, & Lessons Learned The Hard Way
568: Tony Robbins - Learning From Mentors, Building Confidence, Becoming More Valuable, and Coaching The World's Most Impactful Leaders
567: William Ury - Negotiating The World's Toughest Disputes, Getting To Yes, Hiking Mountains With Jim Collins, And Thriving In An Age of Conflict
566: Jim Dethmer - Conscious Leadership, Radical Responsibility, Energy Audits, Being Fully Present, and Doing What Most Makes You Feel Alive
565: Noah Kagan - The Art of Asking For What You Want, Launching a Business, Handling Rejection, Working For Mark Zuckerberg, and Not Living a 'What-If' Life
564: Ariel Helwani - The Howard Cosell of MMA, Conducting World-Class Interviews, Feuds With Dana White, Leaving ESPN, & Dealing With Social Anxiety
563: Dr. Mike Massimino - A NASA Astronaut's Guide To Achieving The Impossible, Building Excellent Teams, Tweeting From Space, and Earning Your Dream Job
562: Nikki Glaser - Life as a Comedian, The Creative Process, Learning From Seinfeld, How To Respond When You Bomb on Stage, Roasting Robert DeNiro, & Telling The Truth
561: Bob Sutton - How Smart Leaders Make The Right Things Easier and The Wrong Things Harder (The Friction Project)
560: Dr. Barry Posner - Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Encourage Others to Act (The Leadership Challenge)
559: Marshall Goldsmith - The Power of Executive Coaching, How To Give & Receive Feedback, & Attributes of The Best Leaders (What Got You Here Won't Get You There)
558: Introducing Our New Book, "The Score That Matters," (With Brook Cupps)
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