195. Yvette Kanouff - The Endless Possibilities of AI, Allyship and Authenticity

“How do we help others, especially those that don't have a good opportunity? But, you know, they don't have life on a silver platter. So how do we make silver platters for people?”

“You never wanna go to the president and talk about yourself. You wanna go to the president and you wanna talk about the team and what the team did…”

“A coach talks to you, a mentor talks with you, and a sponsor talks about you.”

Chapters:

• 00:00  Innovation and Inclusivity: A Journey with Yvette Kanouff
• 03:00  The Impact of AI and Endless Possibilities in Technology
• 08:54  The Power of Genuine Connections and Generosity
• 25:26  The Art of Leadership and Management
• 32:18  Navigating Mentorship and Self-Advocacy
• 41:09  Embracing Authentic Leadership

Episode Summary:

Yvette Kanouff, an Emmy award-winning technology pioneer and partner at JC2 Ventures, shares insights on technology, innovation, inclusivity, and generosity. She discusses her background, the impact of AI, the importance of networking, and the concept of return on generosity. Yvette emphasizes the value of genuine connections, the power of innovation, and the role of generosity in creating opportunities for others. The conversation covers a range of topics related to leadership, management, mentorship, and self-advocacy. It emphasizes the importance of results and followership in promotions, the value of team-first leadership, and the significance of being true to oneself. It also delves into the role of coaching, mentoring, and sponsorship, as well as the art of having difficult conversations with honesty and kindness.

R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:

• Yvette Kanouff's journey from Germany to the US and her passion for innovation and inclusivity.
• The impact of AI on technology and the endless possibilities for innovation and improvement.
• The importance of genuine connections, generosity, and networking in creating opportunities for others.
• The concept of return on generosity and the value of empathetic and generous leadership in the workplace. Results and followership are key factors in promotions.
• Team-first leadership and focusing on the success of the team are essential for effective management.
• Being true to oneself and embracing one's unique leadership style is crucial for success.
• The roles of coaching, mentoring, and sponsorship are valuable in personal and professional development.
• Having difficult conversations with honesty and kindness is an important skill in leadership and management.

Guest Bio:

Yvette Kanouff is an Emmy award winning technology pioneer and Partner at JC2 Ventures, a venture firm founded by Cisco Chairman Emeritus and Silicon Valley legend, John Chambers. Yvette headed the $7B service provider business at Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in IT, networking, and cybersecurity solutions. She has held CTO and President roles at various companies and has focused on leading technology innovation and invention. Yvette has pioneered technologies instrumental in creating video streaming, app stores, MPEG standards, encoding standards, CDNs, and the DVD.

Yvette has received numerous industry awards including a 2020 Lifetime Achievement Emmy for her contributions to television engineering and technology, the National Cable and Television Association’s Vanguard Award for Leadership in Science and Technology, being named an Industry Pioneer, an Emmy for her work in Video on Demand with SeaChange, being named an Industry Wonder Woman, Top Techie, and Woman in Technology; she has been named one of the 11 most influential women in the Television industry, and has consistently been ranked as one of the top 100 industry executives.

Yvette began her career in digital signal processing and has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mathematics from UCF. Yvette is a 2011 recipient of the UCF Distinguished Alumni Award and supports UCF students through the Yvette Kanouff Industrial Mathematics Scholarship, in addition to supporting the University and College of Sciences, where she serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board. Yvette holds several patents and is on various corporate and industry boards. She is a long-standing leader in industry organizations, foundations, and standards bodies, and she has chaired several industry award boards including the Cable Pioneers and IEEE Ibuka medal award committee.

Resources:

• Cisco's Yvette Kanouff: Massive Transformation for Service Providers
• Yvette Kanouff Shares Insights on Video on Demand

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How diverse is your network? 
N.D.I. Network Diversity Index

What is your Generosity Style? 
Generosity Quiz

Credits:

Yvette Kanouff, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 196, with special guest Daisy Auger-Dominguez.