Episode #419: Scott O’Neil – How To Be Where Your Feet Are

The Learning Leader Show

• The 3 things Scott told his daughter Kira at a YPO event…
  • Family family family
  • It will always be ok. Things will go bad and it will be ok
  • Anything, anytime – you can always call text FaceTime no matter what – “I am here for you”
• Scott’s 4-part process to become more present:
  • Find perspective
  • Seek authentic feedback
  • Cultivate reflective strength
  • Love your leadership constitution
• Public failure: Scott started a business with Seth Berger, founder of AND1, basketball shoes. HoopsTV. Raised $14 million from investors… Eventually failed, had to lay off 50 people, including his own brother(!)
• The good old days are today (scene from the office (Ed Helms)  Andy Bernard: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in “the good old days” before you’ve actually left them.”
• Scott got fired from his role as President of Madison Square Garden. He says it was because he was “too busy being right instead of being effective.”
• Scott is a change agent and values performance more than experience
• Watch the Battle at Kruger video (Scott shared this with the team)
• “To do great things, you have to be confident”
• Need to focus on “WMI.” What’s Most Important
• “Work-life balance does not exist. Beware of the mediocre middle.”
  • “Life is about tradeoffs”
• The most effective leaders seek authentic feedback and are able to hear it.
• Ask yourself, “Who have you connected to in the last month?”
• Behaviors of Excellence:
  • Be your authentic self – “Be you. People follow authenticity.”
  • Work unreasonably hard.
  • Intellectually curious – “The world is changing so fast.”
  • Passionate – “Fall in love with it.”
• All executives at the Philadelphia 76ers are challenged to declare who they are at their core in the form of a leadership constitution. Anyone can—and should—create one by answering the following two questions: 1. I declare that I am… and 2. You can count on me to…
• Scott’s leadership constitution:
  • I declare that I am a passionate and authentic leader of leaders who feels a gravitational pull towards talent and character. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I love people and being part of a team. I get energy from helping others and would give the shirt off my back to a stranger and anything, anytime to a friend. I am family first, high integrity, and surprisingly sensitive change agent who is confident, caring, and intellectually curious. This fuels a competitive drive that at times feels like a chip on my shoulder.
  • You can count on me to bring positive energy into my space. Exude urgency and push you, challenge you, nudge you and raise the bar beyond your expectations, and sometimes what you think reasonable. Laugh with you, cry with you, love you even when you won’t laugh, haven’t cried, and don’t feel loved. Root for you today, every day, and always. Share the most personal of thoughts, emotions, stories, highs, and lows because I am okay with it and who I am. Enjoy the rollercoaster of life, whether we are going forward, backwards and upside down. Drive hard to reach the summit and then quickly start on another mountain. Share wins and take hits for losses
• Apply to be part of my Leadership Circle

Resources:

• Read: WELCOME TO MANAGEMENT
• Be part of “Mindful Monday” — Text LEARNERS to 44222
• Read: Nice Bike
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• To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 216: Jim Collins — How To Go From Good To Great

Episode #303:  General Stanley McChrystal – The New Definition Of Leadership

Episode #413: Brook Cupps – Tough, Passionate, Unified, & Thankful