Michael Olsen on Improving Management Consultant Job Skills

In Chapter 13 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "What Skills Are You Working on Right Now to Become Better at Your Job?" As an Accenture management consultant, Olsen focuses on improving effective communication skills and creating repeatable processes to perform work tasks.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

Rachel Lehmann-Haupt on How Motherhood Changes You

In Chapter 3 of 17 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and small business owner Rachel Lehmann-Haupt answers "How Has Becoming a Mother Put Your Life in a New Perspective?" Lehmann-Haupt shares how becoming a mother has motivated her to reorganize her life and has made her more ambitious in her career. Motherhood pushes Lehmann-Haupt to be more responsible and shift life focus from herself to her child.

Rachel Lehmann-Haupt is a writer, editor and multimedia content strategist. She is the owner of StoryMade, a storytelling studio that creates new media content solutions for businesses. Previously, she was a founding editor and multimedia producer at TED Books, designing TED Talk content for tablet computers. She is the author of "In Her Own Sweet Time", published in 2009. Lehmann-Haupt earned a BA from Kenyon College and a Masters in Journalism from UC-Berkeley. 

How to Create Space for Weekly Reflection

In Chapter 6 of 17 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and small business owner Rachel Lehmann-Haupt answers "What Role Has Reflection Played in Shaping Your Personal Growth?" Lehmann-Haupt shares how she creates space in her week to reflect across all aspects of her life. She finds it helpful to block out time for reflection and to create weekly rituals, such as reflective dinner party conversations with friends, to learn from experience and find ways to improve herself in all aspects of her life.

Rachel Lehmann-Haupt is a writer, editor and multimedia content strategist. She is the owner of StoryMade, a storytelling studio that creates new media content solutions for businesses. Previously, she was a founding editor and multimedia producer at TED Books, designing TED Talk content for tablet computers. She is the author of "In Her Own Sweet Time", published in 2009. Lehmann-Haupt earned a BA from Kenyon College and a Masters in Journalism from UC-Berkeley. 

Managing Your Time to Live More Meaningfully

In Chapter 12 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, product management executive Ramsey Pryor answers "How Are Your Aspirations Changing As Your Experience Grows?" As he gets older, gains career experience and raises a family, Pryor finds he does not want to do anything that is at the expense of what matters most to him, namely his family, his work, and his health. If those begin to suffer, then he pushes himself to take a step back and revisit whether his actions are out of alignment with his priorities.

Ramsey Pryor is a product management executive at IBM focused on cloud-based collaboration and security software products. Previously he was VP Product Marketing at Outblaze, acquired by IBM. Pryor earned an MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain and a BA in Economics and Spanish from Northwestern University.  

A Simple Rule to Live a More Fulfilling Life

In Chapter 21 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, education technology entrepreneur Adam Geller answers "How Are Your Aspirations Changing As Your Experience Grows?" As he gains experience as an entrepreneur, Geller finds that work alone will not allow him to live a fulfilling life. He pushes himself to set aside more time outside of work to feel more fulfilled. From cycling to yoga to healthy eating, Geller pursues things that add joy to his life. He finds that happiness outside of work makes work more enjoyable and sustainable as well.

Adam Geller is founder and CEO of Edthena, a video platform enabling online teacher coaching, peer review, and group learning. He is a recent Education Ventures fellow at the Kauffman Foundation and the founder of Teach For Us, a network connecting Teach for America corps members and alumni. He earned a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a MA from the University of Missouri-Saint Louis.

Geoff Hamm on What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder

In Chapter 1 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, mobile business executive Geoff Hamm answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?" Hamm shares that managing his time as husband, father, and employee is getting harder with two children under four years old and two working parents. As he turns 40, Hamm reflects on his 17 years working in digital media and how he has grown more comfortable and confident in his skills.

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 Being Present for Your Kids When Traveling for Work

In Chapter 20 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "What Does It Mean for You to Be Engaged in Your Children's Education?" As CEO of a growing company, Smith is challenged by time-consuming work commitments, from traveling to meetings to doing an executive MBA, as he works to be a present parent at home to his two young kids. He learns to make sure he has touch points with his kids when traveling and have some kind of presence at school events such as games or dances even if he is not there physically. To ensure he has time at home, he blocks out Friday nights and Monday nights for family time.

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 Doing What You Love With Those You Love

In Chapter 1 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "When Are You At Your Best?" Langheier finds she achieves her best when she is doing something she loves around those she loves or admires. Finding this place allows Langheier to give more and also get the most out of the experience. She notes family influences and experiences that informed her perspective.

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.

Louise Langheier on Setting Time Horizon Goals in a CEO Job

In Chapter 16 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "As CEO, How Do You Decide What Time Horizon to Focus on in Your Work?" Langheier shares how much of her strategic planning goals are dependent on the phase of impact the company is in at the time. She also notes how she is proactively trying to delegate shorter term planning to team members while she looks at possibilities associated with longer term time horizons. She does this by creating an entrepreneurial organizational culture that rewards being creative and taking responsibility.

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. 

Lauren Serota on Getting Organized at Work

In Chapter 14 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and educator Lauren Serota answers "What Do You Find are the Keys to Managing a Busy Schedule and Getting Things Done?" Serota shares how she uses an array of tools and approaches to organize her life and stay as productive as possible. She replaces voice memos with Evernote to record her thoughts and makes post-it do to lists and checklists to stay on top of tasks. She organizes email by separating read and unread and works through the unread emails first.

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 Finding New Ways to Get Better at Your Job

In Chapter 14 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "What Skills Are You Working on Right Now to Get Better at Your Job?" As a small business owner, Godiwalla realizes she can choose where she spends her time. She also realizes that in order to do what she enjoys doing most she also has to address how work she does not enjoy doing gets done. Figuring out whether to buckle down and handle that work or to hire staff to do that work is a challenges she is trying to address as a leader. 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.

Yoav Gonen on Staying Productive Managing a Busy Schedule

In Chapter 15 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City reporter Yoav Gonen answers "What Do You Find Are the Keys to Managing a Busy Schedule and Getting Things Done?" Gonen shares how he has learned to make lists and focus on incremental progress achieving three to-do list items each day. As days and weeks pass, he is able to work through challenges large and small and feel more in control of his life. 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 Getting Paid to Do What You Love

In Chapter 17 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City reporter Yoav Gonen answers "How Are Your Personal Experiences Shaping Your Professional Aspirations?" Gonen shares how difficult if not impossible it is to separate work and life. In a newspaper beat reporting job covering education, being on call means that work issues occur regularly outside business hours. He finds satisfaction in that he loves his work and that his work feeds his passion for exploring and visiting all aspects of the city where he lives. 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 Living Better by Deciding What Matters Most to You

In Chapter 13 of 17 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Are Your Aspirations Changing as Your Experience Grows?" Margolis shares Lao Tzu wisdom on adding to your life by taking away or subtracting things. Margolis adopts this philosophy in his own life as he learns to say no, to set boundaries, to managing information technology streams and battle the oft competing priorities of serving others while taking care of your self. He shares what it is like to go through a process of finding what matters to you in life and how he is working his way through it. 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.

Richard Moross on How to Be a More Approachable Company Leader

In Chapter 8 of 14 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, Moo.com CEO Richard Moross answers "What Does It Mean to Perform Under Pressure in the Work That You Do?" Moross notes how he faces a daily pressure of feeling like he needs to be everywhere at once. This is compounded by the business growing both in headcount as well as geographically. He realizes these facts mean he no longer can engage with employees as frequently as in the past and works to make sure he makes himself available and approachable to compensate. 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 Managing and Motivating Creative Project Teams

In Chapter 13 of 14 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and brand marketer Doug Jaeger answers "How Are You Learning to Better Manage and Motivate Teams?" Jaeger finds how he works best in spurts and builds his management style around this on and off approach. He makes sure to check in with his team when taking breaks from his own work and make sure there are no obstacles in their way. He favors this more casual approach over planning regular meetings. 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 Why to Make Time in Your Schedule to Mentor Students

In Chapter 15 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council Candidate Ken Biberaj answers "Why Do You Make Time in Your Schedule to Mentor College Students?" Biberaj shares what he has learned being a mentor to first-generation college students at New York Needs You. For him, the rewards of making time for mentoring come down to helping students compete for and get great internships and jobs.

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. 

Slava Rubin on How a 5 to 5 Policy Improves CEO Productivity

In Chapter 6 of 15 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, Indiegogo CEO Slava Rubin answers "As a CEO, How Do You Decide What Time Horizon to Focus on in Your Work?" Rubin shares how growing from 15 to 60 employees has changed his and his co-founders' job responsibilities. He manages his commitments and priorities by using a "5 to 5" policy of working on things that can get answered in 5 minutes or that relate to 5-year company goals. Slava Rubin is CEO and co-founder of Indiegogo, the world's largest crowdfunding platform. Indiegogo empowers anyone, anywhere, anytime to raise funds for any idea—creative, cause-related or entrepreneurial. Prior to Indiegogo, Rubin worked as a management consultant. He earned his BSE degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: As a CEO, how do you decide what time horizon to focus on in your work?

Slava Rubin: I think that’s a great question ‘cause it’s probably one of the things that I’ve really evolved in my work. When it was just Eric, Danae, and I, as the three founders, we were constantly just be working on everything all the time, collaborating, whether it’s something that need to be done in the next 5 seconds, or whether that needed to be done in the next week, or whether that needed to be done in the next 3 months, we all work to collaborate mainly on it. I think as we’ve slowly grown, and now that we’re harboring around 60, and we’re really looking to establish the foundation to potentially grow and to even be a bigger company when I talk to you next year, I think I’ve learned—Well, I’ve spoken to the team that my new policy is I work on 5 to 5, and they work on everything in between, and what that means is I work on things that need to be answered in the next 5 minutes or things that we’re working on to figure out in the next 5 years, and everything in between is what my management team should be working on with their team to figure out, because if I as CEO is too much involved in the between, it means I’m stepping on their toes and not empowering them to do the work, right? And if I’m forcing them to work on the things on 5 years without knowing what it is for me, then they’re not working towards a vision, and, similarly, sometimes things need to be escalated appropriately in the next 5 minutes. So that’s usually how I’m working on things.

Erik Michielsen: How does that compare and contrast, say with what Danae and Eric are doing?

Slava Rubin: Yeah, so we all have different roles. Eric, you know, built the site and moved over to be head of insights, and then Danae was the heart of the company and now is really focused on thought leadership and people-recruiting culture, so we all have our distinctive roles and it’s working out really well.