Video Interviews — Capture Your Flag

Discernment

Two Key Things to Look For Before Joining a Startup

In Chapter 12 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, mobile business executive Geoff Hamm answers "How Did Working at Your First Startup Inform What You Looked For at Your Second Startup?" When looking for a new startup job, Hamm first looks at the founders' story and experience. He learns a hard lesson about inexperience working with first-time founders and chooses a founding team with previous startup experience when he joins his next startup. Additionally, he learns to understand what to look for in an advisory board and the importance of board involvement in the company.

Geoff Hamm is a business development executive and VP Strategic Alliances at mobile marketing platform start-up Applovin in San Francisco, CA. Previous to Applovin, Hamm held senior sales management positions at Tapjoy, Scribd, Electronic Arts, Yahoo!, Orbitz, IAC and Excite where he built deep relationships with advertisers and brands. Hamm graduated from the University of Illinois.

Preston Smith on When to Be a Hands-Off Team Leader

In Chapter 15 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "When Are You At Your Best?" As a CEO, Smith learns when not to be a hands-on leader and focus his energy on empowering employee teams in a hands-off way. He finds he can be at his best by putting people in a position to succeed and learning when to insert himself and provide support.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Preston Smith on Leading and Motivating Executive Teams

In Chapter 17 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "How Are You Learning to Better Manage and Motivate Teams?" Smith shares how he now is learning to lead an executive team after leading more junior staff as a grade school principal. Smith finds leading executive team members means making sure to honor their respective strengths and experience, asking the right questions on the right topics, and knowing when to be  hands-off as a CEO.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

A Question to Ask Your Child Each Day After School

In Chapter 19 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "How is Your Parenting Approach Evolving as Your Children Grow From Infants into Toddlers?" With a 3-year old and a 5-year old both now in school, Smith learns ways to engage his kids after the school day. Getting advice from a cohort member from his Aspen Institute Pahara fellowship, Smith asks not "What did you learn today?" but rather "What questions did you ask in school?"

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Louise Langheier on Assessing Job Candidate Fit Hiring New Employees

In Chapter 18 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "How Have You Learned to Better Assess Fit When Hiring New Employees?" Langheier shares how her organization continues to recognize the importance of assessing job candidate fit across both job skills and motivation to do the job. She notes this "skills and will" duality helps her company screen for candidates who can contribute to the organization and who the organization can best support in their professional development.

Louise Davis Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange, a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. Louise was selected as a member of the 2011 class of Aspen Entrepreneurial Education Fellows, and was named an Ashoka Fellow in 2012. She graduated from Yale University. 

Mark Graham on Assessing Fit Interviewing Job Candidates

In Chapter 12 of 15 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, media executive Mark Graham answers "How Do You Assess Fit When Interviewing People for a Job?" As a hiring manager who regularly interviews job candidates for writing and digital media jobs, Graham looks not only for talent but also for alignment of interests and skills to the brand's audience expectations. He makes sure to set clear expectations on what he is seeking from a job candidate and in the job description. Graham finds peer and ex-colleague feedback useful to assess fit and speaks to references as well.

Mark Graham is currently a managing editor at MTV Networks. Previously Graham worked in editing and writing roles at New York Magazine and Gawker Media. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English. 

Simon Sinek on Why to Live a More Generous and Sincere Life

In Chapter 1 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "How Are Your Aspirations Changing As Your Experience Grows?" Sinek notes how early in his career his aspirations were about personal achievements and goals. With experience, Sinek shifts his focus to helping others grow and learn. He details why generosity and sincerity have been central elements in the transition and provides examples of why others should consider embracing them.  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.

Transcript

Erik Michielsen: How are your aspirations changing as your experience grows?

Simon Sinek: Earlier in my career, my aspirations had to do with me. What can I achieve? What can I do? How much money can I make? That kind of thing. My aspirations have really changed into what can I do for other? How can I help people around me grow, and learn, and do more, and achieve more? And so, my aspirations have a lot less to do with me these days, which not unsurprisingly has been the greatest asset in my own career. It is not unusual to expect that when you give to others that others look after you. The reason to give to others is not so that they will look after you, it is an unintended by-product. There has to be sincerity in the giving, otherwise, it’s not sincere, is it? I mean taking someone out there for a round of golf because you wanna win their business is not sincerely wanting to build the relationship, and it’s just a protracted transaction. The only reason you’re taking them for golf or dinner is because you want something from them. It’s not actually relationship building. Relationship building is I’m taking you out for dinner because I actually wanna get to know you, and whether we do business or not together is irrelevant, that it has to be sincere.

Erik Michielsen: And how has that shown itself, in the actions that you’ve taken, the projects that you’ve taken on?

Simon Sinek: Well, two ways, I would say. The first way is when I have a meeting. I don’t come into a meeting wanting something from the person in the meeting. I will answer every question. We’ll have every discussion. I’m happy to give my ideas away. Someone told me a long time ago that people who are protective of their idea only have one idea. Well, I have a lot of other ideas. And not to mention the fact that when you’re an idea generator, and somebody’s not an idea generator, and they wanna steal your ideas, they have value in you because (chuckles) you can generate ideas. They see value in you. So I tend to not want anything from anybody when I come into a meeting. And it never occurred to me that I was doing that until somebody said, “Why are you so generous in your meetings?” And I was like, “I’m just answering all your questions.” And never would say, “Well, it’s gonna cost you,” or “Well, we’ll have to do a consulting engagement,” or hold anything back with the hope of. That’s one big thing. The other big thing is who I choose to work with. I wanna work with people who have similar values as I do, and so I’ve become more discerning as to who I work with, that people are devoted to other people. Those are the people I wanna work with. And people would sort of scoff at me and say, “Oh well, yeah, you can afford to do that now.” I’ve been doing this my whole life. When I was living paycheck to paycheck, I still did this, which hurt, but, for me, it was worth it, because “Do I wanna make money working with somebody I don’t wanna work with?”, which is then taking time away from finding somebody who I do wanna work with, and so it might have taken longer for me to sort of get the financial stability that I needed, but I certainly don’t regret it.

Erik Michielsen: I distinctly remember you talking about this back in 2003 with some of those old clients from your old company—.

Simon Sinek: Yeah. It was so hard, and I had a business partner back then who used to get very mad at me, like, “Why are we turning away business? We need the business.” And it’s because our values didn’t align. There’s an old Zen Buddhist saying which I love, which is, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” And so, when somebody treats you like dirt or like browbeats you to get a contract? Well, guess what’s gonna be like once you have the contract. So I pay great attention to sort of the courtship, and if the courtship is stressful, I don’t want any part of it, because that’s what the relationship will be like. It’s an indicator of what you’re gonna expect and it always is. Nobody ever says, “Well, I’m just like this now, and then I’ll be nice.” Like, “I’m only abusive while we’re dating, but once we get married, don’t worry, it’s gonna go away.” It doesn’t work that way.

Simon Sinek on Learning How Not to Manage People

In Chapter 12 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "What Did You Learn in Your First Job After College That is Still Relevant Today?" Sinek shares how he learned not to manage people while working at his first job after college. He works for a boss who focuses on the negative and chooses to point out team member weaknesses and not strengths. Sinek finds the experience demotivating and over time learns that the opposite approach - treating people with respect, showing empathy, focusing on strengths, and pairing people with complementary skills - is a better way to manage teams. 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.

Simon Sinek on Creating Space in Your Life to Do Your Best Work

In Chapter 16 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "What Do You Find Are the Keys to Managing a Busy Schedule and Getting Things Done?" At this point in his career, Sinek has developed his strengths and knows how to give responsibility for things that are not core strengths to others he trusts. He notes this is something you learn to do and why it is important that Gen Y and Millennials first invest time doing many things so they may then find their strengths and create value in their work. 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.

Idan Cohen on Hiring Product Developers Based on Cultural Fit

In Chapter 7 of 13 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, technology entrepreneur Idan Cohen answers "How Have You Learned to Better Assess Fit When Hiring New Employees?" Cohen shares how first you need to understand if candidate is technically competent to do the work. Second and more importantly, Cohen assesses cultural fit and whether or not the candidate will connect with the family feeling in the office.

Idan Cohen is a technology entrepreneur and product management leader at Samsung Electronics. He co-founded Boxee, which was acquired by Samsung in early 2013. 

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: How have you learned to better assess fit when hiring new employees?

Idan Cohen: I used to do a lot of the sourcing of new people. So after you kind of figure out that technically, professionally they are the right people for you, which is actually hard and not-- you know, you're not always able-- a lot of people that look good on paper and look good in interviews and extensive interviews-- it doesn't guarantee how they're going to be professionally. But because of that, I think that the most important thing is actually having a good fit culturally, fostering that company culture and creating this family feeling where everyone is really connected.

And it's not always that everyone is connected to everyone, but even-- like, there's just overlapping groups inside of the company. And you really want to find people that can not just find their place but find their place within the group.

And I think that affects also productivity. When someone is extremely connected to the group, he is much more connected to the product, he is much more connected to the vision, and he enjoys his job better, and he performs better. When it's someone that's very much an individual, it can be a much harder job to do-- or it's just-- it's more of a struggle on everyone's side.

Lauren Serota on Building Creative Direction Communication Skills

In Chapter 9 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and educator Lauren Serota answers "How Are You Learning to Communicate More Effectively?" Serota finds more exposure to the world and to people helps her understand how to communicate differently to different people. In her job role, she is responsible for giving creative direction to designers. She notes how designer personalities differ and how she finds it helpful tailoring feedback - conceptual to tactical - when working with them. She notes how she carries this awareness into her work presenting in meetings and facilitating in classrooms.

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 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 Blending Life Passions and Career Goals

In Chapter 21 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and educator Lauren Serota answers "How Are Your Personal Experiences Shaping Your Professional Aspirations?" Serota shares how work and life experiences integrate together into how she lives her life. She notes how life outside work - from exercise and cycling to personal relationships to traveling - inform life inside work and vice versa. As a creative leader, she looks to always learn and figure out the right homeostasis between her work and life that keeps her simultaneously happy and challenged.

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 Smarter Ways to Give Advice When Asked for Help

In Chapter 16 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "How Have You Learned to Give Better Advice When People Ask You for Help?" Godiwalla shares how she is getting better about handling advice requests. She learns she can be more effective making introductions by playing a translator role to facilitate connections. This complements sitting down for an advice conversation and getting a longer view perspective of questions being asked. 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.

Nina Godiwalla on How Storytelling Can Elevate Employee Training

In Chapter 17 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "How Are You Becoming a Better Teacher?" As an instructor teaching executive training and employee training, Godiwalla learns to balance informational sharing with storytelling. Storytelling helps Godiwalla build emotional connections in her corporate training and, from teaching in the classroom to speaking at events, helps make her entertain and create impact. 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 Rethinking Career Ambition As You Grow Older

In Chapter 5 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur and community builder Fabian Pfortmüller answers "How Are Your Aspirations Changing As Your Experience Grows?" Pfortmüller finds life in his 30s teaches him life is more a marathon than a sprint. As a self-described ambitious person, he finds ambition can be dangerous if you do not maintain some work-life balance. He creates more with doing less and, surrounded by ambitious peers, finds what is right for others is not always right for him. Rethinking career ambition helps Pfortmüller better balance professional and personal goals, including family and relationships. 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.

Michael Margolis on How to Find the Right Project at the Right Time

In Chapter 8 of 17 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Do You Filter and Find the Right Project at the Right Time?" Running a fast growing storytelling business communication business, Margolis looks for client stories his team can believe in and invest in to tell a bigger story. This then requires Margolis and team to select companies who are willing and open partners in the transformational storytelling process. 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 Assessing Fit in Final Round Job Interviews

In Chapter 15 of 17 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Do You Assess Fit When Interviewing Prospective Employees?" Margolis first asks whether he would like to spend time around the candidate. Secondly, he looks for curiosity, namely through the questions job candidates ask in the interview. He then looks for heart and how this translates into culture fit. Lastly, he looks to job skill competency, knowing his team has already covered much of this in earlier round interviews. 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.