Episode 054: Geoff Colvin – Talent Is Overrated: Humans Are Underrated

Geoff Colvin is an incredibly interesting person.  He truly understands the importance of an intense focus on continuous improvement.  We are extremely fortunate to have Geoff share his knowledge with us, the loyal listeners of The Learning Leader Show.

Geoff Colvin is an Award-winning thinker, broadcaster, speaker and bestselling author of “Talent Is Overrated” and “Humans Are Underrated.” Geoff obtained a degree in economics from Harvard, and received his MBA from NYU.

The thesis of Talent is Overrated is that the greatest achievers succeed through endless “deliberate practice.” Colvin characterizes it as “Hitting an eight-iron 300 times with a goal of leaving the ball within 20 feet of the pin 80 percent of the time, continually observing results and making appropriate adjustments, and doing that for hours every day – that’s deliberate practice.”

Colvin is the brother of singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin.  Shawn is a female most known for her Grammy Winning Single “Sunny Came Home.”

Episode 054: Geoff Colvin – Talent Is Overrated: Humans Are Underrated

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The Learning Leader Show

“Advancing technology has increased employment. It’s improved human lives.”

Some Questions I Ask:

  • What are the common characteristics of high achievers?
  • What are your thoughts on kids “playing up” a level in sports?
  • What are your thoughts on artificial intelligence? Will it take over the world?
  • What are the specific skills needed in order to remain in control of your career?
  • How does your research have an effect on the profession of sales?
  • How do you handle a person who is a “taker” on your team?
  • What does being a learning leader mean to you?

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • The critical components of deliberate practice:
    • Pushes you just beyond your current level of ability
    • You’re always adapting to your current level (getting better)
    • Your deliberate practice can be repeated at a high volume to rewire your brain
    • Continual feedback – Need for a mentor and/or a coach
  • “Playing Up” and the power of playing against great competition
  • The importance of empathy, collaborating, and story telling
  • Artificial Intelligence – iRobot vacuum cleaner and more…
  • The profession of sales and strategy
  • Giving and Taking – How to handle behaviors
  • Shawn Colvin – “Sunny Came Home” (Geoff’s sister has won 3 grammy’s!)
  • The importance of taking a complicated message and making it clear

“It’s not your natural gifts, but your deliberate practice and focus on constant improvement,”

Continue Learning:

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Episode 001: How To Become A Master Connector With Jayson Gaignard From MasterMind Talks

Episode 034: Jimmy Hatch – Shot While Searching For Bowe Bergdahl And Sky Diving With Gabby Giffords

Episode 004: How Todd Wagner (and Mark Cuban) Sold Broadcast.com To Yahoo! For $5.7 Billion

Episode 010: Shane Snow – How To Accelerate Success Using Smart Cuts

Did you enjoy the podcast?

This was a jam packed episode full of great content.  Geoff Colvin is leader who is constantly learning in order to help us all live a better life. Who do you know that needs to hear this?  Send them to The Learning Leader Show!

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

Bio From GeoffColvin.com  

Geoff is an Award-winning thinker, broadcaster, speaker and bestselling author of “Talent Is Overrated” and “Humans Are Underrated.” Longtime editor and columnist for FORTUNE.

Fortune Magazine Senior Editor at Large, CBS Radio daily commentator, Bestselling author.

Colvin obtained a degree in economics from Harvard, and received his MBA from NYU.

The thesis of Talent is Overrated is that the greatest achievers succeed through endless “deliberate practice.” Colvin characterizes it as “Hitting an eight-iron 300 times with a goal of leaving the ball within 20 feet of the pin 80 percent of the time, continually observing results and making appropriate adjustments, and doing that for hours every day – that’s deliberate practice.”

With Karen Gibbs, Colvin was co-anchor of Wall $treet Week with Fortune on PBS for three years, successor of Louis Rukeyser. He has a daily report “On Business” heard on the CBS Radio Network, where he has made more than 8,000 broadcasts.

Colvin is the brother of singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin.  Shawn is a female most known for her Grammy Winning Single “Sunny Came Home.”

As a speaker, Geoff has engaged hundreds of audiences around the world, ranging in size from 10 to 10,000. Au diences especially appreciate his remarkable perspective: He has analyzed companies and business leaders worldwide as they confront the largest issues of our time, and has seen what distinguishes the winners from the losers. Each talk is as fresh as that morning’s headlines, and nobody leaves one of Geoff’s sessions thinking the same way.

He is also a skilled on-stage interviewer whose subjects have included Jack Welch, Henry Kissinger, Richard Branson, the Prince of Wales, Bill Gates, Alan Greenspan, Steve Case, Ted Turner, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and many others. He is the regular lead moderator of the Fortune Global Forum, and he serves as moderator for the International Business Leaders Forum in London.