Bryan Law on Building Team Trust Working in Consulting

In Chapter 15 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business strategist Bryan Law answers "How Do You Establish Trust When Building Relationships?" Working abroad in Dubai, Law learns the importance of spending time getting to know your clients and your project team personally and professionally before conducting business. He finds it helps to sit down with new team member and share backgrounds and goals. The time spent creates a personal connection that adds to the professional relationship. Law finds spending time taking an interest in his project team members and clients ultimately helps him to better help them develop and achieve work goal success.

Bryan Law is a Principal in the Global Business Strategy Group at Google and a board member at Angola University. Previously, he was a manager at Monitor, management consulting firm. He has worked in consulting roles at Watson Wyatt and Mercer. He earned an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business and a BA from Georgetown University. 

Geoff Hamm on Building Business Relationship Trust

In Chapter 4 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, mobile business executive Geoff Hamm answers "How Do You Establish Trust When Building Relationships?" For Hamm, it starts with finding mutual connections to establish credibility and transparency. To build trusted business relationships over time, Hamm relies on consistency, accountability, and honesty, especially when a situation does not go as planned.

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.

Two Job Skills You Need to Be a Better Executive Leader

In Chapter 13 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, mobile business executive Geoff Hamm answers "What Skills Are You Working on Right Now to Become Better at Your Job?" As an executive team member, Hamm focuses on honing two core job skills, patience and communication, both written and verbal. He benefits from learning from a very transparent founder who exposes him to operational aspects fundamental to running a business.

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.

Louise Langheier on Funding Model Options to Grow a Nonprofit

In Chapter 17 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "How Has Your Approach to Fundraising Evolved as Your Nonprofit Has Grown?" As her nonprofit Peer Health Exchange celebrates its 10th anniversary, Langheier shares the fundamental importance of having a foundation of investor support to provide stability. From that, she looks to new revenue-generating models related to fee-for-service to contribute to the next phase of the organization's growth.

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. 

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 How to Collaborate on Projects More Successfully

In Chapter 9 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "What Have You Found to Be the Key to Creating Successful Project Collaborations?" Sinek notes collaborative success comes from first being clear on goals and how the individual and team will contribute to those goals. Clarity here creates motivation built upon shared values and beliefs teams can use to successfully work together. Sinek notes how self-centered behavior breaks down trust and the ability to form long-term collaborations. Using ad agencies as an example, Sinek shares how breakdowns in transparency and respect impair collaborative potential. 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 How to Fight Loneliness When Working Alone

In Chapter 21 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "How Do You Fight Loneliness When You Spend Large Spans of Time Working Alone?" Sinek recognizes working alone can be difficult and remedies this first by asking someone to be with him while he works. He finds this "babysitter" helps him focus and get things done. When he is alone, he tries to fight stress by staying connected with friends and making it a point to openly share his feelings. 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 Making Emotional Connections With Those You Love

In Chapter 22 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "What Skills Are You Working on Right Now to Get Better at Your Job?" After years building strong communication skills in his work, Sinek turns his attention to improving these same skills in his personal life. From being a better listener to improving emotional engagement, Sinek shares how he is trying to make stronger relationship connections and exercise empathy with those he loves. 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 What It Means to Be a Creative Leader

In Chapter 7 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and educator Lauren Serota answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?" Serota leads by being able to ingest multiple perspectives, synthesize them and create a point of view that unites a team around a common vision. New in her role as assistant creative director, Serota finds teammates seeking her creative leadership at an individual task or tactical level.

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 a Natural Way to Build Trusting Relationships

In Chapter 10 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "How Do You Establish Trust When Building Relationships?" With business and personal relationships, Godiwalla takes a natural path of simply trying to get to know a person through conversations and shared experiences. The personal connection builds a deeper relationship and allows you to naturally be more trusting in them. 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 Empowering Employees Working at Holstee

In Chapter 11 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur and community builder Fabian Pfortmüller answers "How Are You Learning to Better Manage and Motivate Teams?" Pfortmüller gets better feedback on his management skills by asking staff directly for feedback on what they expect from him. By understanding employee expectations, he learns to let go more and hand off responsibilities, stress less, and give employees more ownership of their work. 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.

Fabian Pfortmüller on Honing a Socially Conscious Business Model

In Chapter 15 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur and community builder Fabian Pfortmüller answers "What Are the Challenges of Making a Socially Conscious Business Sustainable?" Pfortmüller notes the tradeoff of making a product that sells versus a sustainable product that sells. He notes short term sacrifices that occur given higher prices for sustainable products, but how this gradually erodes as community trust is built with customers as the product stories are shared and embraced. 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.

Fabian Pfortmüller on Making a Plan to Manage Company Growth

In Chapter 18 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur and community builder Fabian Pfortmüller answers "What Procedures and Processes are You Putting in Place to Manage Company Growth?" At Holstee, Pfortmüller and his leadership team adopt a transparent management style of sharing P&L information with the employee team. Additionally, Holstee holds monthly meetings to engage employees in quarterly strategy planning for the upcoming quarter. Structure is also found in a more rigorous budgeting process that helps the company understand its successes and shortcomings. 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.

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.

Michael Margolis on Building Culture at a Fast Growing Small Business

In Chapter 11 of 17 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Are Your Team Dynamics Changing as Your Company Completes More Creative Projects?" With a company that tripled in size in less than three months, CEO Margolis manages employee growth by investing in an intentional, transparent company culture. This sets clear employee expectations around priorities and values and helps Margolis do his best as a CEO to lead his team, earn their trust and respect, and provide coaching and guidance to help his team better serve its clients. 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 How to Establish Trust When Building Relationships

In Chapter 8 of 15 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, filmmaker Tricia Regan answers "How Do You Establish Trust When Building Relationships?" Regan shares how she creates trustworthiness through her sincere desire to be a force of good in the world. She openly presents herself in this way so others can easily and readily understand her intentions. She notes what working in film has taught her about relationships where trust was both easy and difficult to establish. 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 Setting Career Goals Making Films for a Living

In Chapter 15 of 15 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, filmmaker Tricia Regan answers "What Goes are you Setting as You Look to What Comes Next in Your Film Career?" To continue making films for a living, Regan realizes she needs to set new career goals around taking better care of herself financially, politically, and personally. She notes the emotional toll making her film "Autism: The Musical" took on her and what she learned about the experience. Regan feels taking initiative across these areas will make her less vulnerable when pursuing new creative work to make films. 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. 

Doug Jaeger on Improving Teaching by Sharing Knowledge Online

In Chapter 4 of 14 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and brand marketer Doug Jaeger answers "How Are You Becoming a Better Teacher?" Jaeger finds that the Internet continues to make it easier and easier to share your knowledge and create a virtural mentoring environment with online learners and students. He looks for ways to share his thinking and work to get feedback and give away his knowledge to a larger audience outside the classroom. 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.