Simon Sinek on Improving Writing Skills by Embracing the Unfamiliar

In Chapter 18 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "How Are You Challenging Yourself to Improve As a Writer?" Sinek shares how he embraces challenge and works to improve his writing by trying new things such as writing fiction. He notes going to unfamiliar places helps him build both competence and confidence as he develops his writing skills. Simon Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. Sinek is the author of two books, "Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Come Together and Others Don't" and "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action". He is a public speaker, an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a Brandeis University graduate.

Lauren Serota on How to Be Confident Without Being Stubborn

In Chapter 12 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and educator Lauren Serota answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" As a creative leader working in design, Serota learns the importance of having a defensible, researched point of view to give her confidence at work. She notes the difference between this kind of confidence and more emotional displays that can be read as arrogance or stubbornness.

Lauren Serota works as an associate creative director at frog design. She is also a teacher at the Austin Center for Design (AC4D). Serota earned a bachelor's degree in industrial design from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). 

Lauren Serota on Turning 30 and Letting Go of Expectations

In Chapter 19 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and educator Lauren Serota answers "What is on Your Mind as You Turn 30 This Year?" Serota looks at turning 30 as an opportunity for reflection and to assess where she has been, where she is, and where she wants to go. She looks at relationships, her work experience, and accomplishments and makes it a point to focus on what she has done versus what others have done.

Lauren Serota works as an associate creative director at frog design. She is also a teacher at the Austin Center for Design (AC4D). Serota earned a bachelor's degree in industrial design from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

Nina Godiwalla on How Job Success Can Isolate and Overwhelm

In Chapter 8 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "How Have Awards and Accolades Validated Your Work and Your Mission?" Godiwalla finds receiving awards, such as being inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame, validate her work and her mission. As a public speaker traveling extensively, she finds it progressively difficult to get to know people well during short trips. Travel-related time constraints limit her ability to connect with the amazing people she meets which leads her to feel frustrated and isolated. Nina Godiwalla is an expert on diversity, leadership and women in the business world. She is CEO of Mindworks, which provides leadership, stress management, and diversity training to companies all over the world. She is also a bestselling author and public speaker. Godiwalla earned an MBA from Wharton, a MA from Dartmouth and a BBA from the University of Texas.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How have awards and accolades validated your work and your mission?

Nina Godiwalla: At this point, I feel like it just helps me realize I’m going in the right direction but it doesn’t necessarily change anything major for me. Now that I’m so clear in what I’m doing, the awards and the accolades are like an extra bonus, like it’s nice, but before I felt like I was almost choosing what I would do based off of awards and accolades to some extent because that would be a great thing to do to get this award or get that, and now I feel I’m more along the lines of I’m so clear on my mission, I’m so clear on the purpose, and what I need to accomplish, fantastic, they’re just not nearly as important to me, I think, now that I’m so clear on my path.

Erik Michielsen: And you’re meeting some other people that are part of those communities, do you feel like you share similar views and there’s more work to do?

Nina Godiwalla: We come from completely different areas, one of that, I mean when I got inducted in the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame, Sandra Day O’Connor, as you know, she was one of the recipients, there are people that are colonels in the military. We all came out of so many different disciplines. Again, it’s like an amazing opportunity to meet fantastic, accomplished people, but definitely coming from very different backgrounds, and I feel like also, at this point, I’m so overwhelmed with—I feel like I’m constantly meeting such amazing people that I don’t even have time to get to know anybody anymore, and so the journey almost feels lonely at times because I’m overwhelmed with amazing people that I can’t follow up with. It’s absurd, it is absurd as it sounds, and I know that’s a choice, I mean don’t get me wrong, you create how busy you are, but there is always the next thing that I’m going to, the next thing I’m leaving for. And I mean I go to events all the time, I’m speaking. People give me their business cards, and I’d say I’ll follow up, and I have such good intentions, I really want to, I write it down, but by the time I get back, I’m already—there’s the next one where I meet 15 other people, and then I go back, the next one, so in a lot of ways, yes, I mean it’s fascinating, it’s amazing, but it’s also just completely overwhelming to be around, just meet all these amazing people all the time. (chuckles)

Erik Michielsen: Yeah, yeah, you wish for all that, sometimes, to come, and you get it, and you’re like I’m feeling more isolated and more lonely than ever.

Nina Godiwalla: Yeah, and I’ve heard that from several people, which I thought was interesting. I wouldn’t have—someone said it to me today, actually, she said— I was saying how, “Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to connect a little bit more with people geographically because several of us travel a lot?” And she said, “Yes. Sometimes it gets lonely,” and I hadn’t thought of it that way, and I was thinking, “That’s exactly what I mean.” I mean it feels lonely somewhere along the lines even though you’re constantly with such amazing people.

Nina Godiwalla on Turning One Act of Courage Into a Life of Confidence

In Chapter 15 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" Godiwalla sees confidence as everything. She builds confidence by taking risks and having the courage to ask for something. This starts by her choosing to write her book "Suits: A Woman on Wall Street" and continues by following through on that first step both with the both and the public speaking that comes with it. Nina Godiwalla is an expert on diversity, leadership and women in the business world. She is CEO of Mindworks, which provides leadership, stress management, and diversity training to companies all over the world. She is also a bestselling author and public speaker. Godiwalla earned an MBA from Wharton, a MA from Dartmouth and a BBA from the University of Texas.

Fabian Pfortmüller on Validating Your Company Mission and Values

In Chapter 8 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur and community builder Fabian Pfortmüller answers "What Experiences in the Past Year Have Most Influenced the Direction of Your Company?" Pfortmüller shares how validation moments have helped him and his co-founders find clarity and confidence in their mission and purpose. At Holstee, outside feedback on "mindful living" shapes company direction while at Sandbox Network insight on trust and family values validate the cultural development occurring as the organization grows. Fabian Pfortmüller is co-founder of Holstee, a socially conscious online marketplace, and Sandbox Network, a global community for young entrepreneurial people. Pfortmüller graduated from Columbia University.

Yoav Gonen on Finding Better Ways to Reflect on Your Life and Work

In Chapter 4 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City reporter Yoav Gonen answers "What Role Has Reflection Played in Shaping Your Personal Growth?" Over the years, Gonen has taken multiple approaches to facilitate reflection. In his twenties, Gonen found therapy a useful tool for reflection. In recent years he has kept a daily journal of his thoughts that allows him to revisit what he was thinking and how he reacted. Now many years into a reporting career, Gonen looks for ways to step back and take time to think about his life and his work. Yoav Gonen is a reporter and City Hall Bureau Chief for the New York Post daily newspaper. Previously he spent nearly six years covering the education beat for the New York Post. Gonen earned a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Journalism from New York University.

Yoav Gonen on Gaining Confidence Working in Newspaper Reporting

In Chapter 9 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City reporter Yoav Gonen answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" When he joined the New York Post, Gonen identified what he did not know and invested time and effort to establish a list of sources and gain knowledge of the education beat. This reduced the number of surprises he encountered at work and allowed him to worry less about what the competition was doing and focus more on his own work. Yoav Gonen is a reporter and City Hall Bureau Chief for the New York Post daily newspaper. Previously he spent nearly six years covering the education beat for the New York Post. Gonen earned a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Journalism from New York University.

Newspaper Reporter Yoav Gonen on Building Communication Job Skills

In Chapter 10 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City reporter Yoav Gonen answers "How Are You Learning to Communicate More Effectively?" Gonen finds effective communication comes with comfort sharing your feelings. As he builds relationships in the office, he improves communication by getting more comfortable sharing his feelings about a story. Outside the office, Gonen learns the importance of getting potential sources comfortable talking to you before asking difficult questions. He also learns how to maintain open communication channels by gathering story evidence before asking sources to confirm or deny the story. Yoav Gonen is a reporter and City Hall Bureau Chief for the New York Post daily newspaper. Previously he spent nearly six years covering the education beat for the New York Post. Gonen earned a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Journalism from New York University.

Yoav Gonen on Performing Under Pressure Meeting Story Deadlines

In Chapter 14 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City reporter Yoav Gonen answers "What Does It Mean to Perform Under Pressure in the Work That You Do?" Gone shares how deadline writing culture and the pressures it creates is a given in newspaper reporting. He finds the multiple daily deadline pressures more motivating than stressful. He shares another job pressure of newspaper journalism: staying ahead of the peer competition on your beat. Peer competition also creates pressure though. With experience Gonen thinks about it less as stress and more of a given in the nature of his work. Yoav Gonen is a reporter and City Hall Bureau Chief for the New York Post daily newspaper. Previously he spent nearly six years covering the education beat for the New York Post. Gonen earned a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Journalism from New York University.

Michael Margolis on How Personal Priorities Change With Age

In Chapter 5 of 17 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Are Your Personal Priorities Changing as You Get Older?" As he gets older, Margolis learns to be more mindful of his health and manage his time so he can sustain a consistent energy level. Individually and professionally, he feels he has less to prove to others and inside the office he embraces the role of CEO in setting intentional organizational culture and mentoring employees to help them grow professionally. Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative. He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University.

Michael Margolis on How to Be Confident by Being Yourself

In Chapter 10 of 17 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" Margolis finds he is confident not because of what he knows but because he knows himself. This knowledge gives him a sense of security and creates a natural authority for him to be present, witness others, and get energy from being himself. Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative. He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University.

Tricia Regan on Why Confidence is Everything When You Make Films

In Chapter 7 of 15 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, filmmaker Tricia Regan answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" To Regan, confidence is everything in her work as a filmmaker.  Confidence helps her lead other people, make decisions and move projects forward toward completion. Tricia Regan is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker known for writing, directing and producing documentary films, including the Emmy-winning "Autism: The Musical". She also has worked extensively in non-fiction television for A&E, ABC, FOX, Lifetime, MTV Networks and NBC. Regan earned a bachelors from Binghamton University and masters from New York University. 

Tricia Regan on How Personal Priorities Change With Age

In Chapter 14 of 15 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, filmmaker Tricia Regan answers "How Are Your Personal Priorities Changing as You Get Older?" As her carer matures, Regan finds herself thinking more about retirement and economic security. This pushes her to think about life changes that she will face in the next 10 or 20 years and how to manage her career to better prepare for them. She learns to be more assertive asking to be paid what she is worth when interviewing for new jobs and projects. Tricia Regan is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker known for writing, directing and producing documentary films, including the Emmy-winning "Autism: The Musical". She also has worked extensively in non-fiction television for A&E, ABC, FOX, Lifetime, MTV Networks and NBC. Regan earned a bachelors from Binghamton University and masters from New York University. 

Richard Moross on When to Buy a Company and Enter a New Market

In Chapter 6 of 14 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, Moo.com CEO Richard Moross answers "What Experiences in the Past Year Have Most Influenced the Direction of Your Company?" Leading a growing business, Moross shares how acquiring flavors.me helped accelerate his company's expansion beyond physical products into digital products. The company acquisition leads to Moross hiring a chief product officer to translate the company investment into a committed digital product team. He notes how the digital market-entry strategy was shaped by internal discussions and why it is important to long-term company growth. Richard Moross is founder and CEO of award-winning online print business Moo.com. He is a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member at Ladbrokes PLC. Before Moo.com, Moross was a strategist at design firm Imagination. He graduated from the University of Sussex.

Doug Jaeger on Why Selling Your Work Starts With Selling Yourself

In Chapter 6 of 14 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and brand marketer Doug Jaeger answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" As a professional, Jaeger shares why having confidence can make or break your ability to sell work. He shares an experience from working in advertising and doing a professional photography look book shoot for a fashion brand. Skilled at photography, he finds indecisiveness working on a set with models leads to not being successful completing the project. He compares this to how having confidence in his branding and marketing work has allowed him to Doug Jaeger is co-founder and creative director at JaegerSloan Inc. where he focuses on brand and experimental marketing for clients such as Squarespace, Samsung and PwC. He is an adjunct professor at New York's School of Visual Arts (SVA) and co-curator of JnrlStr. He graduated from Syracuse University.

Doug Jaeger on Turning One Project into a Multiyear Client Relationship

In Chapter 8 of 14 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and brand marketer Doug Jaeger answers "What Experiences This Past Year Have Most Influenced the Direction of Your Company?" Jaeger shares how having a client shift from a three-month project commitment to a multiyear commitment has affected his business. It creates a sense of validation in the creative work he and his team is doing and gives him confidence to invest more in business infrastructure and systems to manage small business growth. Doug Jaeger is co-founder and creative director at JaegerSloan Inc. where he focuses on brand and experimental marketing for clients such as Squarespace, Samsung and PwC. He is an adjunct professor at New York's School of Visual Arts (SVA) and co-curator of JnrlStr. He graduated from Syracuse University.

Ken Biberaj on What It Means to Be a Confident Candidate for Office

In Chapter 10 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council Candidate Ken Biberaj answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" As an underdog candidate campaigning for office for the first time, Biberaj shares his need to balance initiative and persistence with respect, humility and modesty.

Ken Biberaj is currently a 2013 Democratic Candidate for City Council in New York City. He is also a public relations executive for the Russian Tea Room restaurant at One Fifty Fifty Seven Corporation, a family business focused on real estate development, investment sales and retail leasing. Previously Biberaj was Florida Research Director for the Kerry-Edwards for President Campaign. Biberaj holds a JD from New York Law School, a Masters in Public Policy (MPP) from Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, and a BA in Political Science from American University.