Ubuntu: I Am Because We Are - The Secret to Teamwork

Ubuntu is a South African philosophy which means humanity. It is translated as I am because we are or humanity towards others. In other words, a person is a person through other people. Ubuntu became the unifying motto of the 2008 NBA Championship team, the Boston Celtics.

Doc Rivers was the coach and he often reminded his team, ‘When you play free, you can’t be beat.’ His philosophy was true teamwork - each individual plays for the other members of the team.

Before the 2008 season, Rivers brought his top three players - Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen - on a surprise field trip. He arranged for a private Duck Tour (amphibious vehicle) through the championship celebration parade route that he envisioned his team participating in! Now, THAT’S having clear, positive vision for the organization.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said the following about ubuntu: “A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, based from a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.“

Related Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_philosophy

The 14 Leadership Traits of the U.S. Marines in the Mnemonic: JJ DID TIE BUCKLE

Recruits for the U.S. Marines must memorize the following mnemonic that defines the corps’s 14 essential leadership traits: JJ DID TIE BUCKLE.

Leadership Traits of the U.S. Marines:

Justice

Judgment

Dependability

Initiative

Decisiveness

Tact

Integrity

Endurance

Bearing

Unselfishness

Courage

Knowledge

Loyalty

Enthusiasm

How many of these 14 leadership traits do you have?

Ep 52 - Overcoming Obstacles and Becoming Stronger with Nicole Brown, Professional Speaker and Life Coach

Nicole Brown shares her inspirational story of overcoming many difficult obstacles. She is an Air Force veteran, life coach, speaker, Mom, kickboxer, and occasional stand-up comic! You'll get a lot of helpful tips on goalsetting and changing your mindset so you can achieve more!

Ep 39 - Providing Service Through Leadership: An Interview with Matt Rosenthal, Technology & Business Strategist, CEO of Mindcore

Matt Rosenthal is a technology and business strategist as well as the President/CEO of Mindcore, the leading IT solutions provider in New Jersey. Mindcore offers a broad portfolio of IT services and solutions tailored to help businesses take back control of their technology, streamline their business, and outperform their competition. Matt describes his commitment to providing customers with IT services and shares invaluable insights from a proven track record of business turnarounds and consulting.

Related link:
www.mind-core.com

Ep 38 - Leadership Under Pressure: An Interview with Scott McCarthy, Senior Army Officer and Leadership Coach

Scott McCarthy is a speaker and coach for his company, Moving Forward Leadership. In today’s episode, he shares amazing stories of leadership from his 20+ years of serving in the Canadian Army.

Related link:
www.movingforwardleadership.com

Ep 36 - Cracking the Leadership Code: An Interview with Alain Hunkins, Speaker and Leadership Expert

Alain Hunkins has a gift for translating complex concepts from psychology, neuroscience and organizational behavior into simple, practical tools that can be applied on the job. You’ll want to listen to this episode multiple times. Alain gives us plenty of rich leadership skills to add to our own business and brand.

Related link:

Here are links for shownotes:

www.alainhunkins.com

www.crackingtheleadershipcode.com

www.linkedin.com/in/alainhunkins

https://www.ted.com/talks/alain_hunkins_the_basic_truth_most_leaders_neglect  

https://www.alainhunkins.com/30-day-leadership-challenge

We learn how to lead from the generation that preceded us

Leadership challenge: the more power we feel, the less empathy we have

4:40 People do more for leaders that care about them

5:20 You can’t have a relationship with others until you have one with yourself

Exercise: clarify your values

People are notoriously bad at self-awareness

“Shakespeare said that art is a mirror held up to nature” - Shakespeare

11:00 Leaders should apply the skills learned through the arts

Executive Technique Consulting

Creatives must learn to translate their strengths into a language they understand in corporate culture.
Examples: increase quality, increase profitability, improve employee engagement, decrease rework, bottom line

Learn about your audience so you can engage with them in a way that makes sense to them

Translate your value into a language that your customer and client already understands!

3 pillars: content, network, social proof

Book: Influence - Robert Chialdini

Jeff Bezos story: leaving an empty chair in key meetings for the customer

Customer avator - your ideal customer

Book: Cracking the Leadership Code: Three Secrets to Building Strong Leaders

Leadership is made up of skills and they can be taught

Leadership is a performing art

20:00 Work life balance approach

We need renewal

Make breaks habitual

Book: Tiny Habits - BJ Fogg

Cultivate gratitude

When you feel grateful, you can’t feel lack

Ep 35 - Building Top-Level Leadership: An Interview with Ken Banta, Founder of Vanguard Group for Leadership

Learn the trends of leadership development from Ken Banta. He shares twenty years of experience facilitating executives to align with their purpose and transform their companies. He outlines the full range of skills needed by today's leaders - including situational leadership, humility, reflection, and the ability to catalyze change for the organization. Ken is able to explain complex subjects related to corporate leadership in a way that we can understand. You'll glean many useful concepts to expand the tools in your tool belt, regardless of the level of leadership in your position. 

Related link:
www.thevanguardgroupforleadership.com

Podcast Notes:

Leaders must change their behavior before their team’s behavior will change

Importance of a leader’s why

JFK story about top to bottom purpose in an organization

You can hang a lot of great concepts on purpose including values and behaviors

10:30 CEO’s have very few people they can talk to and this is why consultants are so key

The best leaders have humility

12:40 Situational leadership

Today’s leaders need multiple leadership styles

Book: A Short History of London - Simon Jenkins

Community Solutions

The White Institute

Parallel Exit

Ep 31 - Leadership Skills You Need to Grow Your Company : An Interview with Henry Ma, CEO of Ricoma

Henry Ma gives us invaluable tips for running a successful business. He guides us though content marketing, customer service, and the essential productivity apps/technology that keep his organizations streamlined and efficient. Learn why you need to create a growth strategy and have a long-term vision for your business so you'll continue to thrive in our unpredictable world. This host believes Henry's many actionable takeaways will help your bottom line.  

Related link:
www.ricoma.com

Ep 29 - Fill Your Cup: An Interview with Erin Engelke, Executive Director for Calm Waters

Today's episode features Erin Engelke, Executive Director, of the Non-profit Calm Waters. She shares her unique perspectives on work life balance, productivity, purpose-driven leadership, and the biggest obstacle preventing us from living our purpose. Erin gives us actionable steps that will have a profound effect on you and those you care about. 

Related links:
www.calmwaters.org

www.beautyinthebusyness.com

Ep 28 - What is Your Everest? An Interview with Sara Safari, Mountain Climber and Advocate for Women’s Empowerment

Sara Safari is amazing! She is an author, speaker, mountain climber, college professor, electrical engineer, and advocate for women's empowerment. In this episode, you'll hear her inspiring story as we touch upon perseverance, empowering girls and women, goalsetting, thinking big, having a vision for your life, and leading a purposeful life by helping others achieve their potential. The sky's the limit in this episode. Visit her web sites: www.sarasafari.com and www.climbyoureverest.org.

Podcast Notes:

Empower Nepali Girls Foundation

Landmark Forum

“Perfect Impossible”

You must become as big as your goal

Reconnect with your why when you face adversity

Write a why letter to yourself

Practice overcoming willpower

Goalsetting approach: divide your goal into 1,000 steps and take just one

Take the same approach in every area of your life

It’s not the goal itself that is important. It’s who you meet and what you become in the process of achieving the goal that is everything.