Create New Futures | How Leaders Produce Breakthroughs and Transform the World through Conversation

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Julie Noonan is an Executive Coach and Strategic Change Consultant, helping corporate executives lead transformational change. Julie believes in the power of curiosity, empathy and diplomacy. Join Aviv Shahar as he and Julie engage in a rich discussion on key characteristics of the different generations in the workforce today, the importance of putting in energy work, and fundamental components to successful leadership.

00:32 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Julie Noonan, who joins the show to share what makes her feelmost alive and major corporate trends she is noticing in the workplace
04:03 – The Great Bandaid Rip-Off
10:14 – The ‘Three Jobs Mindset’
17:26 – Energy Work, Leadership, and Transparency
25:50 – Framing the four to five generations in the workforce currently
31:13 – Curiosity, Empathy, and Diplomacy
34:44 – Julie shares final key insights from her work
36:44 – One piece of advice Julie would give to her twenty-five year old self, two key learnings Julie values above all others, and final words of wisdom from Julie

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf133

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Sophie Wade is an international speaker, the author of Empathy Works , and is an authority on the future of work. Sophie believes that we are living in a seminal moment - a tipping point in time - where we have the technology and tools to make our lives a lot better. Join Aviv Shahar as he and Sophie expound on empathy as a leadership and workplace practice, the importance of leading with inquiry, and how work is evolving to better fit our lives.

00:32 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Sophie Wade, who joins the show to share what she loves most about her work and the passion she has for changing work and the workplace for the better
04:07 – What ‘empathy’ means to Sophie
06:43 – The central theme of Sophie’s book, Empathy Works
10:17 – Framing empathy as a value, a mindset, and a practice
13:32 – Key challenges facing top executives today
15:48 – Leading with inquiry
21:21 – The various Generations at work
24:02 – Information is power
29:24 – Key formative experiences that shaped Sophie’s passion and critical choices she made to find her authentic voice
38:24 – One piece of advice Sophie would give to her twenty-five year old self and two key learnings Sophie values above all others
40:33 – Final thoughts from Sophie

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf132

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Oscar Trimboli is the author of How to Listen: Discover the Hidden Key to Better Communication . He is the speaker and host of the podcast, Deep Listening, a podcast that is centered on creating practical tips and techniques to improve your daily listening. The world is a noisy place where you fight to be heard every day. Oscar understands this and joins the show to engage in a rich discussion on deep listening, facilitating conversations to get to the ‘essence,’ and the importance of having a listening ritual. Join Aviv Shahar as he and Oscar break down best practices to help you overcome barriers in How to Listen.

00:32 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Oscar Trimboli, who joins the show to share what brings him joy, and the central idea behind his book, How to Listen
03:39 – Four consistent barriers to listening and the cost of not listening well
10:41 – Three microskills that can help progress your listening
15:34 – Making presence as practical as possible\
18:11 – Facilitating conversations to get to the ‘essence’
22:36 – Different levels of listening and the job of a listener
29:05 – The importance of having a ‘listening ritual’
34:35 – What could be possible if everyone practiced deep listening
39:49 – One piece of advice he would give to his twenty-five year old self and two key learnings Oscar values above all others
41:09 – Final thoughts from Oscar

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf131

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Dr. Eric J. Holsapple is a successful developer, author and entrepreneur who has used mindfulness to transform both his life and his business. He’s got a PhD in Economics and has been involved in the real estate industry for forty years. He guides clients on how to operate mindfully while improving business results. Eric is the Founder of Living in the Gap and today, he joins the show to discuss how mindfulness can transform business culture. His new book, Profit with Presence: The Twelve Pillars of Mindful Leadership , helps readers learn that bringing mindfulness to the workplace is an investment that pays out real dividends. Join Aviv and Eric as they engage in a meaningful discussion on Mindful Leading.

00:33 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Dr. Eric Holsapple, who joins the show to share his passion for helping others and the importance of mindfulness and focus
04:33 – Three modes of being
06:53 – How Dr. Eric coaches the practices of focus and mindfulness
09:47 – Happiness and ‘Living in the Gap’
13:34 – Mindful Leadership
19:53 – The central idea behind Dr. Eric’s book Profit with Presence
22:15 – The role of purpose in the map of meaning
23:00 – Service, gratitude, and the precision effect
26:23 – How Dr. Eric organizes his priorities
29:04 – One thing Dr. Eric would change about his past experiences and advice he would give to his twenty-five year old self
30:18 – Two key learnings Dr. Eric values above all others
30:49 – Final thoughts from Dr. Eric

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf130

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Ashley Reichheld & Amelia Dunlop are both passionate leaders within Deloitte Digital. Ashley works as a Principal and Customer & Marketing practice leader, while Amelia is the Chief Experience Officer. Their research is codified in the new book, The Four Factors of Trust : How Organizations Can Earn Lifelong Loyalty , where they offer practical guidance to measure and build trust in the relationships that matter most by cultivating humanity, capability, transparency and reliability. Join Aviv Shahar as he engages in a meaningful discussion with Ashley Reichheld & Amelia Dunlop centered on trust, humanity, purpose, and meaning.

00:30 – Aviv introduces today’s guests, Ashley Reichheld & Amelia Dunlop, who reflect on today’s topic: The Four Factors of Trust
02:56 – Key learnings Ashley & Amelia would pass along to the younger generation as they begin to shape their careers
04:49 – What younger workers think about trust and empathy
06:26 – Defining and measuring ‘humanity’ and how it relates to trust
09:42 – What it occurring with Generation Z
13:27 – How leaders can cultivate an environment of trust
16:29 – Why trust is critical across multiple institutions
17:34 – Reclaiming our humanity
19:54 – Ashley & Amelia share early influences on their careers
21:18 – The gender imbalance & sustainability
24:38 – Advice Ashley & Amelia give to young women entering the workforce
30:58 – Ashley & Amelia speculate on the future and necessary systemic changes
33:31 – Purpose, Meaning, and Trust
37:07 – Final thoughts from Ashley & Amelia

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf129

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Today, we’re exploring how the future reveals itself through creative and innovative business leaders. This is a fantastically disruptive and transformative time. Global institutions and many large businesses have lost credibility and are no longer trusted. So, how can difficult social, environmental, and ecological challenges be solved? Join Aviv Shahar as he engages in a meaningful discussion with Court Lorenzini (Founder of Docusign), Grant Canary (CEO of DroneSeed) and Bryce Bennet (CEO & Co-Founder of Solo), three entrepreneurs who have worked on the cutting edge of solving difficult problems.

00:30 – Aviv introduces today’s guests, Court Lorenzini, Grant Canary, & Bryce Bennett, who join the show to expound on today’s topic: Solving Tough Problems
05:45 – The origin story of DroneSeed and Grant’s entrepreneurial journey
14:28 – Bryce shares the inspiration behind Solo and the work they are doing to help people in the Gig Economy
22:06 – A particularly gratifying moment for Bryce and the Solo team
25:01 – Entrepreneurialism, Authoritarianism, and Coalescence
35:19 – Grant reflects back on the moment he realized how important it was to combat climate change
37:18 – Bryce reflects on his passion for making an impact
39:53 – Court’s extraordinary upbringing and his introduction to entrepreneurship and leadership
45:41 – Bryce, Grant & Court share key learnings from their varied experiences
53:17 – Advice Bryce, Grant & Court would give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to make their mark on this world and solve some of our most difficult problems

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf128

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Peter Docker is a keynote speaker, facilitator, and author of the book Leading from the Jumpseat . Through his work, Peter enables leaders to unlock their natural talents. He’s focused on leadership that engenders commitment and human connection, an approach that liberates the collective wisdom of teams to generate extraordinary outcomes. Peter served for twenty-five years as a Royal Air Force senior officer and was a Force Commander during combat flying operations across the globe. Today, Aviv and Peter engage in a rich conversation on commitment, humble confidence and leading from a place of intentionality.

01:18 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Peter Docker, who speaks to what he enjoys most about the work he does in leadership and expounds on the concept of ‘Jumpseat Leadership’
09:55 – Three practices of Jumpseat Leadership
13:23 – Commitment, fear, and love
18:58 – Humble confidence
23:38 – Belonging
26:45 – Why context setting is critical to leadership
31:25 – Top challenges facing leaders in this time of disruptive change
35:55 – What inspired Peter to join the Royal Air Force and lessons he’s brought from the military into the business world
:55 – How Jumpseat Leadership can help our ability to handle crises
47:04 – Peter speaks to how he connected and collaborated with Simon Sinek
48:31 – Advice Peter would give his twenty-five year old self and two learnings he values above all else
51:11 – Final words of wisdom from Peter

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf127

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Faiza Hughell is a go-to market leader, board member, and mentor. She was RingCentral’s Chief Customer Officer and just recently retired from RingCentral after eleven years of an extraordinary ride where her strategic oversight of sales and execution has been a critical driver for RingCentral’s growth from $23M to over $1.5B in annual recurring revenue. Today, Aviv and Faiza engage in a conversation on the power of reframing, operating in an environment of explosive growth, courageous leadership, and self-empowerment.

01:15 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Faiza Hughell
04:44 – Faiza reflects on her career journey and expounds on her proudest accomplishment
07:30 – Faiza’s most difficult challenge to overcome and the most rewarding moment of her career
10:18 – The power of reframing
13:01 – Faiza’s evolution as a leader and what she has learned from other leaders
19:47 – Building world-class teams
23:02 – Operating in an environment of explosive growth
27:05 – What Faiza learned about courageous leadership
30:20 – Mentoring advice Faiza would give to young leaders
33:12 – What the future holds for Faiza
34:46 – Final words of wisdom from Faiza

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf126

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Shaunak Roy is the Founder and CEO of Yellowdig, a community-driven active learning platform with a mission to transform every classroom into an active, social, and experiential learning community. Prior to founding Yellowdig, Shaunak spent a decade advising global companies on technology, strategy, and growth. Today, Aviv and Shaunak share a rich discussion on the state of institutional learning, how Yellowdig is rethinking education, and the critical role that agency, mastery and connectedness play in the learning process.

01:17 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Shaunak Roy who speaks to what brings him joy from the work he does, his passion for learning and the problem that Yellowdig solves
09:04 – Shaunak expounds on the broken educational system and possible solutions to fix it
18:42 – How Yellowdig differentiates itself
26:32 – Agency, Mastery and Connectedness
33:48 – What it looks like when a group of learners and educators truly embrace the full capability of Yellowdig’s platform
39:01 – Yellowdig’s business model, their expected growth, and Shaunak’s five-year vision
42:54 – Shaunak reflects on key insights and learnings from building an organization
45:39 – Advice Shaunak would give his twenty-five-year-old self and two learnings that Shaunak values above all else
47:06 – Final words of wisdom from Shaunak

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf125

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Eddy Badrina is the CEO of Eden Green, a vertical farming company that helps people around the world sustainably grow large amounts of food using less land, water, and energy. Eddy is a purpose-driven leader, focusing on employees, inspirational organizational culture, and the communities he serves. Today, Aviv and Eddy share in an exploration of empathetic leadership, what it means to build a ‘redemptive organization,’ and key learnings and formative moments from Eddy’s journey.

01:40 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Eddy Badrina who shares what he loves about the work he’s currently doing and the problems Eden Green is solving
06:22 – Vertical farming, explained and what Eden Green does
12:07 – Food Insecurity around the globe
17:42 – Other key players in the vertical farming value chain
21:14 – The demand for ‘organic’
22:37 – Eddy’s vertical farming origin story
24:08 – Building a ‘Redemptive Organization’
27:09 – Eddy reflects on key learnings from working at The U.S. Department of State and The White House
31:17 – The formative moment that awakened this sense of empathetic leadership in Eddy
34:21 – Advice Eddy would give his twenty-five year old self and two learnings that Eddy values above all else
35:26 – Final words of wisdom from Eddy

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf124

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John Church is a visionary leader who has had an extraordinary career at General Mills, one of the most admired companies in the world. John is an incredibly insightful Executive because he brings this rare capacity to integrate the four zones of executive leadership: the strategy, the operation, the people, and the numbers. He’s able to go deep and integrate those dimensions to play the holistic game of leadership. Today, Aviv and John explore leading through crisis, vulnerability, accountability, and the shifting paradigm of the global workplace.

01:05 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, John Church who speaks to the joys of retirement and his uncanny ability to remain calm in stressful situations
04:57 – John shares how General Mills successfully navigated the world-changing event of the pandemic
16:50 – Best practices and protocols that enabled John and his team to succeed
19:40 – Managing the human side of leadership during a crisis
23:36 – A shifting paradigm
30:47 – The concept of ‘Possibilities Thinking’
37:12 – John’s career origin story
48:13 – Vulnerability in leadership
54:33 – The key principles that guide John’s mentoring practices
56:58 – Three final inquiries from Aviv
1:00:54 – Final words of wisdom from John

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf123

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Mark Carpenter is a speaker, consultant, serial storyteller and the author of Master Storytelling: How to Turn Your Experiences into Stories that Teach, Lead, and Inspire. Mark’s passion is in helping others achieve more of their potential through perspective and guidance. Today, Aviv and Mark engage in a rich discussion on the power of storytelling and break down the three key elements of any great story. Mark provides advice and best practices for honing your storytelling skills and expounds on the stories we, as a society, must develop to highlight the human condition.

00:57 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Mark Carpenter who shares what he enjoys most about storytelling and the power of connecting through stories
06:05 – Where Mark’s passion for storytelling arose
07:23 – What we don’t understand about stories and the three biggest mistakes people make when telling stories
12:23 – Aviv and Mark engage in an exercise to provide the three major components of a story
17:35 – What an effective story and storyteller looks like
24:39 – Why adults and children listen to stories similarly
27:28 – Why Conflict is key
30:08 – Three steps of crafting and delivering a great story
35:48 – Aviv and Mark speak to the critical stories about the human condition that we must be developing
39:16 – Final words of wisdom from Mark

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf122

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Russell Hudson is a strategist, economist and consultant who is passionate about learning and teaching others with the goal of simplifying the complex. Today, Aviv and Russell reflect on a series of provocative articles Russell recently published on LinkedIn. The articles touch on a variety of topics ranging from work-life balance and identity to The Great Resignation. Russell explores the journey from chasing to embracing by rethinking success and significance and the importance of reclaiming your power.

00:52 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Russell Hudson who shares what brings him energy and joy these days and reflects on what he calls ‘the noise in the silence and the silence in the noise’
07:18 – Key insights from Russell’s research into work-life identity and the current state of The Great Resignation
15:04 – The Great Exhaustion, explained
20:01 – Reclaiming your power to choose and ‘Elizabeth’s story’
27:20 – Russell reflects on his own journey through The Great Exhaustion
35:09 – Russell expounds on the phrase, ‘Here I stand, I can do no other’
38:12 – Transitioning from chasing to embracing
44:21 – Rethinking success and significance
54:48 – Final words of wisdom from Russell and what he hopes to be writing about in the future

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf121

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Ralf Specht is a visionary business leader and creator of the Soul System, a framework that aligns value-creating employee action with broader corporate strategy through shared understanding and shared purpose. He is the author of Building Corporate Soul: Powering Culture & Success with the Soul System and Beyond the Startup: Sparking Operational Innovations for Global Growth. Today, Aviv and Ralf expound on the key question that has been at the forefront of Ralf’s mind for years: How do we build and sustain a human-centric performance culture? Ralf speaks to his driving vision to make soulless companies a thing of the past. Aviv and Ralf explore the value in organizations cultivating a shared purpose and fostering a great corporate culture. If you can walk the talk and make that tangible, incredible results can be unlocked.

00:51 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Ralf Specht who shares his vision
07:37 – Core agreements that shaped the trajectory of Ralf’s company
09:59 – Formative lessons Ralf learned as CEO
12:13 – Building and cultivating a shared purpose
18:43 – The Soul System, explained
25:14 – Fostering a sense of belonging through open conversations and connecting purpose, mission, and vision to the work you do every day
31:54 – How Ralf transitioned from a corporate to a consulting frame of mind
33:48 – Daring to be human again
38:12 – Advice Ralf would give to his younger self and two learnings Ralf values above all others
39:10 – Final words of wisdom from Ralf

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf120

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Tim Coats is a former Executive at General Mills. After he retired, Tim started publishing a blog entitled, ‘Towards a Life Well Lived,’ where he reflects on the art of increasing joy, meaning and belonging in daily living. Today, Aviv and Tim explore his thoughts and reflections on work, purpose and life’s journey. Tim reflects on what it means to live a life well lived and touches on The Four Principles: Balance, Awareness, Practice and Wisdom. Tim provides his thoughts on authenticity, balancing spirituality and the power of ‘We.’ Finally, Aviv and Tim share their beliefs on the journey of self-discovery. * 01:02 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Tim Coats who shares his background and what brings him energy and joy these days * 03:02 – A closet philosopher and mystic flying under the cover of a corporate executive * 06:08 – Bringing philosophical tendencies to corporate America * 09:14 – The power of ‘We’ * 11:08 – The inquiry that Tim initially set out to answer when he launched his blog * 13:54 – Defining ‘A Life Well Lived’ and the two broad categories of people * 16:27 – The journey of finding meaning * 20:23 – Three of Tim’s contemplative practices * 24:42 – The Four Principles: Balance, Awareness, Practice and Wisdom * 30:26 – Tim speaks to the idea of belonging and the Five Energies of Life * 37:04 – Being accepted for your own authentic self * 41:09 – Be the best, look both ways, help others succeed * 52:05 – The peace that proceeds challenge * 56:16 – The critical phase in every development journey * 1:07:03 – The God Test

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf119

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Yair Assulin is an award-winning author and thinker who writes a weekly analytical column for one of Israel's leading newspapers, Haaretz, and hosts a radio show at the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation covering the fields of culture, business, politics, and society. In recent years, much of his public writing has focused on the development of a new political and business philosophy based on his ideas about "The Century of How," and "The End of the Age of Politics," in order to create a vivid ethos to societies and companies in this broken time of the technological revolution.

Today, Aviv and Yair engage in a meaningful dialogue centered on a major shift that is underway in humanity and consciousness, which Yair describes as living in the subjective story we tell ourselves about our reality and the world around us. Yair suggests that the story we’re telling ourselves is no longer the right story and doesn’t reflect reality. Aviv and Yair touch on this idea and how seminal events such as the Industrial Revolution, the discovery of America and the latest technological advances in our society have impacted our world and, most importantly, our story.

01:05 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Yair Assulin who shares the fundamental shift in mind and heart that he believes needs to occur in our world
08:38 – The impact the Industrial Revolution had on the rise of the ‘Nation State’
12:28 – The Century of the ‘How’ and the Century of the ‘What’
17:41 – The need to create new language and a new story in order to evolve and move forward
23:15 – Characteristics of people who are able to lead by changing consciousness
26:28 – The discovery of America metaphor
31:13 – Yair speculates on the future of the ‘State’ and trends he’s observed over the past few years
36:49 – The fundamental changes to consciousness, space, and time
41:08 – Yair reflects on his own personal journey and shares what he’s learned
47:58 – The fight for freedom and individualism
50:37 – Yair provides his thoughts on totalitarian China
56:40 – The distinction between technological and conceptual enterprise
57:14 – What the spiritual realm means to Yair
1:03:07 – What Yair hopes to be writing about five to ten years into the future
1:06:57 – Are we currently in a Revolutionary Age or a Transformation Age

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf118

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During a recent workshop with an executive team, Aviv brought to focus the premise that the currency of leadership is conversation. This is an unlocking idea that Aviv addresses regularly with his clients. What made this occasion different, however, was the new context that emerged. That idea was that a transformational leader must be a conversation artist. Why is framing the conversation the highest leverage for a leader? Aviv analyzes this inquiry and provides four reasons as well as seven characteristics that make up a true conversation artist.

00:54 – Aviv shares learnings and insights he gleaned about the currency of leadership
02:18 – Aviv analyzes four reasons that the highest leverage for a leader is to frame the conversation
05:29 – The heavy price leaders pay when failing to embrace the mindset of conversation as the currency of leadership
07:09 – Key elements and capabilities that characterize a conversation artist
07:54 – Now it’s your turn, embark on a lifelong journey of becoming a conversation artist

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf117

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Mark Horoszowski is the co-founder and CEO of MovingWorlds, an award-winning social enterprise that helps businesses scale their social impact programs by engaging employees in all sorts of profound opportunities. Mark is an RSA Fellow and is a lecturer on corporate social responsibility at The University of Washington Center for Leadership and Social Responsibility. Today, Aviv and Mark engage in a meaningful conversation on social responsibility, helping others and building a sustainable and equitable future. Mark shares some of the insights he has gleaned about human nature throughout the course of his journey at MovingWorlds. Finally, Mark provides three pieces of sage advice for young people looking to make a difference in the world today.

00:57 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Mark Horoszowski who shares his background in corporate social responsibility and what he enjoys most about his work
04:10 – Mark reflects on the type of learner he is
06:12 – What catalyzed Mark’s journey to MovingWorlds
14:18 – The most important lessons Mark learned during his year of travel
16:55 – The mission of MovingWorlds
22:19 – Building a sustainable and equitable economy and the role of social businesses
36:05 – Mark provides some examples of the work he and his team do at MovingWorlds
40:06 – Challenges that Mark had to overcome and what he learned from them
47:22 – The importance of the belief systems of people who get involved in systems change
53:44 – Deep insights Mark has gleaned about human nature
57:59 – What it means to Mark to be an RSA Fellow
1:01:31 – Advice Mark would give to younger people looking to make a difference in this ever-changing world

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf116

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Steven Morris is a Brand and Culture Advisor and Speaker and the author of The Beautiful Business. He partners with business leaders to mine, articulate and activate the unique belief systems to create organizational integrity, connected cultures and evolved brands. Today, Aviv and Steven embark on a rich exploration on purpose, and the creativity of people. Steven speaks to the inspiration that guided and continues to guide his work. They dissect Steven’s long held mantra, ‘There is nothing more powerful than a united group of souls ignited in a common cause with love at the core.’ Finally, Aviv and Steven expound on the examination of life and reflect on Mary Oliver’s query, ‘What is it you intend to do with this one wild and precious life?’

00:59 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Steven Morris who shares the inspiration behind his signature mantra, ‘There is nothing more powerful than a united group of souls ignited in a common cause with love at the core’
08:43 – Steven defines the business he is currently in
11:23 – Reframing ‘businesspeople’ as creatives
15:28 – Steven talks about his book, The Beautiful Business
18:26 – A sense of agency and Steven’s purpose journey
27:57 – Discovering purpose and how Steven’s purpose exploration impacted how he approaches business
34:52 – A critical lesson in entrepreneurship
43:16 – An identity unravelling
47:43 – Steven opens up about insights from his own personal discovery process
52:41 – The continual examination of life
58:51 – The Great Resignation
1:04:15 – The globalization of our society
1:07:07 – Questions Steven hopes business leaders start to ask after reading his book
1:15:41 – Parting words of wisdom from Steven

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf115

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Colin Hunter is the Chief Executive Officer of Potential Squared, an organization whose purpose is to create a global playground that disrupts the way people collaborate and lead. They teach organizations how to build a workplace culture that is less like a classroom and is more like a playground, a place filled with opportunities to take risks and test boundaries. Colin is the author of Be More Wrong: How Failure Makes You an Outstanding Leader, which uncovers the habits and practices of the Hero’s Journey together with design thinking and the blended skills of coaching and mentoring.

In this episode, Colin and Aviv engage in a rich discussion of finding your purpose, stretching for growth, and having fun along the way. Colin breaks down the Three ‘C’s from his book and explains the Hero’s Journey. Aviv and Colin also touch on the concept of building deep layers of self-insight and the personal journey that can follow. Finally, Colin speaks to the importance of discovering the playground that surrounds your purpose and allows you to have fun in your life.

01:00 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Colin Hunter who shares his background, speaks to what he enjoys most about his work and explains why he considers himself a ‘work-in-progress’
08:39 – Colin talks about the phenomenon of ‘Squirrelling’
09:46 – The Hero’s Journey
12:59 – The Three ‘C’s: Core practices from Colin’s book
15:54 – Building deeper layers of self-insight
20:06 – The Heathrow Airport example
22:02 – Colin opens up about a breakdown he experienced when he was thirty
29:20 – The important role mentors have played in Colin’s personal and professional development
31:42 – Why we must create a playground atmosphere at work
38:06 – Colin recalls a situation where he was compelled to exercise courage
41:07 – How Colin defines a tough conversation
44:12 – Advice Colin would give to his twenty-five-year-old self
45:26 – The two insights Colin values above all else
46:30 – Final words of wisdom from Colin

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf114

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Tom Chiarella is the CEO and Founder of Resonance AI, an organization that identifies the building blocks of their clients’ content and tells them, simply, what worked. Tom has had a lifelong passion for technology, great product design and for building innovative businesses. Tom was also the co-founder and Chief Executive of Questra. He has since been involved with eight venture-backed startups as investor, advisor and/or board member. Before that, he led projects at companies like General Electric and Xerox.

In this episode, Tom and Aviv engage in a rich discussion on Tom’s entrepreneurial journey, artificial intelligence and lessons in leadership. Tom speaks to the incredible work he’s doing at Resonance AI and the mentors who have been critical along the way. They talk about the complex functionalities that AI is attempting and close to solving. Tom lists some of the critical insights he has gleaned as a leader, provides advice for his younger self and details the insights he values above all else.

00:48 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Tom Chiarella who shares what he enjoys the most about his work and why and the problems that Resonance AI is trying to solve
11:34 – Who are Resonance AI’s customers?
13:41 – The three ‘Power’ scores: Drawing, Holding and Staying
16:21 – Complex functionalities that AI is close to solving
21:34 – Tom speaks to the incredible work they’re doing at Resonance AI
25:41 – Tom’s entrepreneurial origin journey
31:22 – Mentors who have impacted Tom throughout his career
35:45 – The road to co-founding a company
38:38 – Key lessons Tom learned from his time at Questra
42:49 – Critical insights Tom has gleaned as a leader
50:48 – Advice Tom would give to his twenty-five year old self
52:15 – The two insights Tom values above all else
53:27 – Final words of wisdom from Tom

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf113

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Aaron Hurst is the CEO and co-founder of Imperative, a peer-coaching platform that unlocks the power of peers to support and help each other become increasingly more effective and fulfilled. Aaron is an expert on the science of purpose at work and the author of The Purpose Economy. As the founder of the Taproot Foundation, Aaron catalyzed the $15 billion pro bono service market. He has written for or been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg TV, Fast Company and was named a LinkedIn Influencer

In this episode, Aaron and Aviv engage in a dialogue on the inquiry of purpose. Aaron breaks down the different distinctions between purpose, meaning and fulfillment and shares best practices for cultivating a purpose mindset. Aviv and Aaron examine the idea that learning and thriving at work is contingent on engaging in meaningful dialogue and fostering robust relationships. Finally, Aaron speculates on the future of work and how it will change in the coming decades to give workers more autonomy and more connection opportunities.

00:51 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Aaron Hurst who shares what he enjoys the most about his work and why and the inspiration to launch the Taproot Foundation
08:50 – The insight that catalyzed Imperative
12:09 – Core principles of Purpose Inquiry and Discovery
15:08 – Purpose, meaning and fulfillment and the significance of happiness and joy
20:26 – Cultivating a purpose mindset and the religious and spiritual aspects of purpose
23:04 – The peer coaching process explained
29:12 – Imperative’s business model
31:53 – Promoting and encouraging authenticity
33:01 – Aaron speaks to how he’s been changed through the experience of launching Imperative
34:49 – Aaron’s entrepreneurial origin journey
39:51 – Aaron’s creative process
44:11 – Aaron speculates on how the world of work will change in the coming decade
46:35 – How to address gaps in purpose and connection
56:08 – Advice Aaron would give to his twenty-five-year-old self
56:58 – The two insights Aaron values above all else
57:58 – Final words of wisdom from Aaron

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf112

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Strategic planning is an oxymoronic term. While vision and strategy are back from the future inquiry, planning is the endeavor to move from today to the future. Though we need both approaches, they are not the same activity and they each require a different mindset. In many companies, strategic effort is not strategic at all. Rather, it is a financial-led, bottom-up planning exercise. In this episode, Aviv analyzes eight inquiries to evaluate your strategic innovation opportunities. Such inquiries explore a range of factors, including differentiated value, sustainability, exciting the imagination of your workforce and aligning with values and brand experience. Finally, Aviv provides actionable advice on how listeners can reflect on their strategic growth opportunities holistically to create the future of their business and unlock the future to which they aspire.

00:50 – Aviv introduces today’s topic, 8 Key Questions for Evaluating Your Strategic Innovation Opportunities
02:16 – Aviv provides best practices for engendering true strategic explorations
04:36 – Aviv lists and analyzes the eight key questions for evaluating your strategic innovation opportunities
08:45 – The Ford Taurus example
10:12 – Now it’s your turn, reflect on your strategic growth opportunities holistically to create the future of your business, apply the eight inquiry framework to discover which options are optimal and determine the priority investments that will unlock the future to which you aspire

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf111

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Adam Wray is the founder and CEO of AstrumU, a Seattle-based data science startup that translates educational experiences into economic opportunity. Adam held a variety of senior leadership and founding roles at data analytics, cybersecurity, cloud, and machine learning-focused companies. He was one of the founders and the CEO of Tier 3, a public sector cloud services provider acquired by CenturyLink, one of the largest U.S. enterprise telecommunications companies.

In this episode, Adam and Aviv dive deep, explore the power of building an exceptional culture and, specifically, insights that emerged out of Adam’s experience as CEO. Adam describes his entrepreneurial journey and what inspired him to focus on education. He then reflects on the most impactful lessons he’s learned throughout his career. Finally, Adam outlines what he values above all other ideas and insights and provides sage advice to the audience on leadership and starting a business.

00:44 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Adam Wray who shares his background in the humanities and what he enjoys the most about his work
04:10 – The problem Adam is striving to solve at AstrumU and the Four Buckets of Universal Skills
08:22 – Adam shares his perspective on how the ability to focus has been impacted by the recent technological boon
14:33 – The inspiration to get involved in education and three key trends that are reshaping the space
22:41 – Other significant trends Adam has observed in education
26:36 – Adam’s entrepreneurial origin journey
29:22 – Critical lessons Adam has learned on building highly effective teams and culture
32:18 – The seven values Adam fosters in his organization
39:30 – Adam’s experience working at Amazon
41:28 – Adam speaks to the final two values he fosters in his organization
46:06 – How Adam reinvests in himself to become a better CEO
48:55 – Adam reflects on a moment in his past where he expressed courage in leadership
54:09 – Advice Adam would give to his twenty-five-year-old self
54:52 – The two insights Adam values above all else
56:14 – Final words of wisdom from Adam

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf110

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Jon Herlocker is the Founder and CEO of Tignis, a company that provides a physics-driven software solution for managing industrial assets, processes, and operations. Jon is a technology entrepreneur, an experienced executive with a long leadership history in big data analytics and artificial intelligence. Before building his company, he was CTO of VMware’s Cloud Management, and CTO of EMC’s Cloud Services division. Jon is a former tenured professor of Computer Science at Oregon State University.

In this episode, Jon and Aviv engage in a deep conversation about entrepreneurship, the power of setting big, hairy, audacious goals and the future of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Jon speaks to his unique ability to enable others to achieve extraordinary breakthroughs and how this trait has been a critical tool for him as a leader and CEO. Finally, Jon shares the importance of being a lifelong learner and the one insight he values above all else.

00:39 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Jon Herlocker who speaks to what he enjoys the most about his work and his experience enabling others to achieve extraordinary breakthroughs
11:12 – Jon tells the story of where his fascination with giving people vision started
15:38 – Jon shares the origin story of Tignis, the initial problem he set out to solve when he launched and how Tignis has evolved since then
25:35 – Jon speculates on when we might have fully autonomous industrial plants
27:53 – Jon explains Industry 4.0
30:36 – How Jon addresses concerns that automated plants will lead to social challenges such as job loss
32:54 – Aviv and Jon discuss the Overshoot Undershoot Syndrome and Jon provides an interesting Control Systems analogy
36:50 – Jon expounds on common misconceptions that people have about machine learning and artificial intelligence
41:25 – Jon speaks to his entrepreneurial origin story
46:26 – Jon shares the top lessons he’s learned throughout his career
50:36 – Core management practices that Jon established in his company
53:29 – Aviv breaks down The Four Stages of Adult Learning
55:38 – How Jon continues to learn and evolve as a CEO and a leader
58:05 – Advice Jon would give to his twenty-five year old self
1:00:31 – The one insight Jon values above all else
1:01:40 – Final words of wisdom from Jon

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf109

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What are the insights that propel the Create New Futures methodology? This was the framing question Aviv recently asked a Silicon Valley leadership team. Today, Aviv shares and reflects on two great insights that shaped his approach to creating new futures. Aviv dives deep into organizational potential energy and expounds on the concept of currency of leadership. Finally, Aviv provides the actionable advice he shared with the leadership team he worked with. He stresses that in order to unlock the greatest creativity and inspiration, it is critical to engage people in creating and shaping their own future. And to apply the currency of leadership, you must initiate a series of inquiry-based conversations designed to mobilize actions that produce results.

00:46 – Aviv introduces today’s topic, The Physics of Creating a New Organizational Future
01:22 – Aviv reflects on a recent project he worked on for a VP of a Silicon Valley organization
03:35 – Aviv recalls the framing questions he posed during this endeavor
05:07 – Aviv defines organizational potential energy
06:53 – Aviv expounds on the concept of the currency of leadership
09:04 – Aviv asserts three game changing points about leadership
10:48 – Aviv concludes by sharing the insights he communicated to the Silicon Valley VP about unlocking creativity and inspiration and applying the currency of leadership
12:14 – Now it’s your turn, use these insights to build the potential and kinetic energy of your team and create a new organizational future

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf108

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Have you been as provocative in your future explorations as you can? Today, Aviv reflects on this question and recalls the story of a three-day virtual workshop that inspired this discussion on creating slow, fast, deep work. In this episode, Aviv expounds on the Zone of Deep Work and outlines best practices that can be applied to create slow, fast, deep work. He provides examples of how the teams he worked with throughout this workshop produced three new compelling prototypes of the future and describes why this was such a game-changer. Finally, Aviv provides advice on how to imagine and bring to life a daringly novel future.

00:50 – Aviv introduces today’s topic, Creating Slow Fast Deep Work
01:28 – Aviv speaks to the transformative and result-produced virtual events that he’s recently produced
05:01 – Aviv recalls a pivotal moment from this workshop process
07:54 – Aviv expounds on the Zone of Deep Work
08:45 – Aviv lists the three elements that enable breakthroughs
11:38 – Now it’s your turn, invite the collective creativity and genius of your team, create a safe space for deep work and ask your team to imagine a daringly novel future and challenge them to describe how they will bring that future to life

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf107

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Meditative practices have helped guide Aviv through challenging events in his life. By developing these practices, Aviv hopes that listeners can discover the profound impact of these techniques and experience the many blessings and new doors of possibilities that can open for them as a result.

In this Part Three, Aviv addresses the fourth and fifth meditative practices that have helped him navigate both his personal and professional experiences. Aviv expounds on the power of prayer, repetition of affirmations and contemplative inquiries and showcases how he’s integrated these techniques in his everyday life.

00:41 – Aviv introduces today’s topic, The Five Meditations – Part 3
02:30 – Aviv reviews the first three meditative techniques before delving into the final two of this series
05:44 – Aviv expounds on the fourth meditative technique he practices
10:32 – Aviv speaks to the fifth and final meditative technique he practices
14:57 – Aviv poses two final thoughts to stimulate listeners’ contemplation
16:03 – Now it’s your turn, discover the meditation practices that work best for you

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf106

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Last month, Aviv dove into the Window of Opportunity concept and explained that how you respond to those windows determines your capacity to lead and shape outcomes. Today, this episode brings into focus a complementary idea that has helped some of Aviv’s clients unlock the awesome potential of their opportunities. Aviv poses the reflection question, ‘What is the most difficult feat in the world,’ and provides three key elements that must be present in order to accomplish these feats. By adapting and applying this idea, you will bring an advantageous urgency to your efforts.

00:43 – Aviv introduces today’s topic, The Most Difficult Feat in the World
01:45 – Aviv asks listeners to take a moment to reflect on the question, ‘What is the most difficult feat in the world?’
04:11 – Aviv shares the answer he looks for when he poses this reflection question to his clients and others
05:07 – Aviv expounds on the importance of having the three conditions: the right ingredients, the right place and the right time
07:15 – Aviv explains that these three conditions are often out of your control and provides best practices for being prepared when the opportunity presents itself.
08:04 – Now it’s your turn, identify where you are endeavoring to bring together the right ingredients, the right place and the right time, reflect on the dedication, courage and resilience this effort needs

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf105

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Historians likely will look at 2020 as the year that initiated a multi-decade long transformation. As the effects of the global pandemic continue to be felt, many wonder when life will return to pre-pandemic ‘normal.’ However, most people recognize that there is no ‘back-to-normal’ path. Instead, there are opportunities to shape and create a new and thriving normalcy. In this episode, Aviv revisits the Window of Opportunity concept and urges listeners to consider the opportunities that are in front of them. Aviv expounds on the three components of the Opportunity Window Arc and speaks to what capabilities must be cultivated to respond in full when a window of opportunity opens.

00:39 – Aviv introduces today’s topic, The Window of Opportunity
02:17 – Aviv expounds on the definition of resilience and the Bounce Back and Bounce Forward mental models
04:40 – How Aviv discovered the Window of Opportunity insight and its game changing power
08:42 – Aviv shares how this realization shaped his approach to the development of his consulting practice
09:58 – Aviv provides best practices for listeners to reflect on their own opportunity windows
11:10 – Aviv analyzes the three components of the Opportunity Window Arc
14:15 – Now it’s your turn, identify and embrace opportunities to allow yourself to grow and build your new futures

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf104

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Consider three ‘edge of the envelope’ scenarios: A Black Swan, A Perfect Storm and A Lethal Jackpot. A Black Swan is an unpredictable event that unleashes severe consequences. A Perfect Storm occurs when a rare combination of circumstances drastically and negatively aggravates an event. What is a Lethal Jackpot? It’s a convergence pattern of several conditions and irregularities that together develop into an inescapable, devastating consequence. In this episode, Aviv opens up about this surprising discovery and how it became a game-changer that saved his life on several occasions. Aviv provides best practices for identifying these Lethal Jackpot scenarios, both in life and business, in order to actively step in to stop these patterns of irregularities and risk.

00:45 – Aviv introduces today’s topic, The Lethal Jackpot Updated, and recalls two tragic events from his time as a fighter pilot in the Air Force
06:28 – Aviv speaks to a meta-pattern he discovered and the realization he gleaned from this pattern
09:02 – Aviv provides best practices for avoiding the Lethal Jackpot by intercepting irregular factors
11:42 – Aviv applies the Lethal Jackpot insight to business and life
16:33 – Now it’s your turn, identify where a Lethal Jackpot may be emerging in your life or business, remember that most situations you have the power and responsibility to interrupt, intercept and avoid irrecoverable disasters

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf103

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Personal and organizational resilience and anti-fragile readiness have been a feature of many of Aviv’s senior leadership strategy workshops over the last decade. In this episode, Aviv outlines the five elements and capacities of resilient self-authorship. Aviv reflects on the concept of personal sovereignty as well as the reasons that organizations encourage and, in some cases, even require their members to have high levels of personal resilience. Finally, Aviv provides an evaluation tool you can utilize to reflect on your own personal resilient self-authorship.

00:57 – Aviv introduces today’s topic, Resilient Self-Authorship: A Master Meta-Skill
03:37 – Aviv speaks to the characteristics of resilient organizations
05:23 – Aviv analyzes five elements and capacities that outline resilient self-authorship
09:33 – Aviv provides an evaluation tool that listeners can use to reflect on their own resilient self-authorship
12:17 – Now it’s your turn, build your sense of resilient self-authoring by cultivating these five capacities, encourage open dialogue and make yourself a coaching source for others

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf102

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With a Ph.D. in organizational leadership, Dr. Doug Gray specializes in outcome-based leader development. As CEO of Action Learning Associates, Dr. Gray has worked with over ten thousand leaders in almost every business category and market. His latest book, Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Leadership, was written to help clients apply what works in the best companies in Silicon Valley. Dr. Gray is also a former adventure racer. In this episode, Doug and Aviv share a deep and meaningful conversation about the value of practicing Objectives and Key Results Leadership as individuals, small businesses and large corporations. They address the conundrum of why people are both aspirational and yet confused simultaneously. Finally, Dr. Gray speaks to the importance of positive psychology and always striving to be extraordinary.

00:49 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Doug Gray who defines OKR Leadership, the value OKR Leadership brings to organizations and when it is most critical to practice OKR
11:06 – Dr. Gray dives deeper into objectives and key results
13:54 – Dr. Gray discusses why OKR leadership, at its core, is a practice
19:11 – The OKR Leadership model and how OKRs differ from the small business space to larger organizations
24:01 – How to ensure OKR doesn’t become another machine-like view of humans
27:24 – Dr. Gray speaks to the concept of stretching for amazing
31:12 – Differentiating between aspirational and operational objectives
32:31 – Dr. Gray reflects on how individuals can apply OKR to their careers
34:20 – Dr. Gray speaks to his passion for positive psychology
37:38 – A personal objective Dr. Gray is currently working on
40:21 – Final words of wisdom from Dr. Gray

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf101

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In this episode, Aviv analyzes the four generally recognized paths to leadership development and proposes a fifth approach. This approach was fashioned initially during a conversation with one of Aviv’s clients when they were five months into their trusted advisory work. Aviv reflects on this collaboration and delves deep into the four leadership development approaches, from skills and situations to outcomes and qualities. It is Aviv’s sincerest hope that you can unleash your potential by integrating these four modalities to create the fifth approach to leadership development.

00:41 – Aviv introduces today’s topic, Leadership Development – The Fifth Approach
01:02 – Aviv reflects on a trusted advisory collaboration he recently took part in with his client, Eric
07:32 – The First Leadership Development Approach: Skills
09:05 – The Second Leadership Development Approach: Situations
11:07 – The Third Leadership Development Approach: Outcomes
13:13 – The Fourth Leadership Development Approach: Qualities
15:53 – Aviv proposes a Fifth Leadership Development Approach
17:19 – Aviv poses a number of questions to reflect on
19:10 – Now it’s your turn, focus on designing your leadership development path

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf100

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Kerry Wekelo is the Chief Operating Officer at Actualize Consulting, a firm that specializes in optimizing financial services. Kerry is also a coach, keynote speaker, and author of the books, Culture Infusion and Gratitude Infusion, which provide practical advice on how to build a thriving organizational culture.

In this episode, Aviv and Kerry explore the concepts of Culture Infusion and Gratitude Infusion. They delve deep into the importance of self-awareness, honesty, and empathy within organizations. Finally, Aviv and Kerry share best practices on how individuals and businesses can practice gratitude to foster personal and professional growth.

00:40 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Kerry Wekelo who speaks to what she enjoys most about the work she does at Actualize Consulting
05:56 – Kerry expounds on how she coaches Intentional Leadership and shares the Pause, Pivot Strategy she has curated
09:18 – The importance of self-awareness
13:17 – Kerry defines and elaborates on the practice of Gratitude Infusion
18:45 – Advice Kerry would give to those struggling to find ways to practice gratitude
22:35 – Why gratitude is so critical to ensure a thriving organizational culture and best practices for integrating gratitude into parenting
28:04 – Two learnings Kerry values above all others and parting words of wisdom from Kerry

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf99

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Meditation practices have guided Aviv through challenging events, where he simply was not sure how he would find the courage or strength to pull off the demanding tests he faced. By sharing these practices, Aviv invites listeners to discover the profound impact of these techniques and unlock their ability to improve every aspect of their personal, relational, and professional pursuits.

In this Part Two, Aviv addresses the third meditative practice that has helped him navigate challenging and creative experiences. This practice, known as Exterior Printing, is one that can provide you with strength, healing, resolve power, forgiveness, well-being and connection to purpose.

00:54 – Aviv continues his discussion of The Five Meditations in this episode, Part Two of this series
02:57 – Aviv speaks to the value of the third meditation practice, Exterior Printing
08:12 – Aviv details the Wow Multiplier Phenomenon
09:47 – Now it’s your turn, identify ways to help your teams create Wow experiences, develop your reflective and meditative practices to help you shape processes and create new differentiated outcomes

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf98

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Mary Alice Arthur is a Story Activist, working with stories in service of positive systemic shift, where she helps focus collective intelligence on critical issues. She creates spaces where people can find and activate the stories that will take them into a flourishing future. Mary Alice is also an internationally recognized process host who teaches the art of hosting and helps organizations build capacity for people to bring their stories to life.

In this episode, Aviv and Mary Alice share a rich discussion on the power of storytelling, the concept of the Hero’s Journey, and the value of confronting the boundaries of courage. Mary Alice shares her own story, one that includes being a lifelong intentional nomad, gathering wisdom in the form of stories, and weaving those learnings into her life and work.

00:47 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Mary Alice Arthur who shares her prolific background in story activism, the difference between a story and a narrative and what she enjoys most about her work
10:14 – Mary Alice speaks to group space awareness, the power of great storytelling and how she tells her own story
21:24 – Where Mary Alice got the idea for story activism and the role stories can play in transforming crises into opportunities
31:36 – Mary Alice analyzes The Hero’s Journey and the arts of hosting and stewarding
45:33 – Mary Alice talks about confronting the boundaries of her courage
52:46 – Two learnings Mary Alice values above all others and parting words of wisdom from Mary Alice

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf97

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The year 2020 has brought much pain, loss and uncertainty to so many individuals, entrepreneurs and businesses. Covid-19 has left an undeniable mark on the socioeconomic landscape of our society. In this episode, Aviv reflects on an epiphany he recently had in the wake of this challenging time and chronicles how he was able to overcome a major blind spot of success. He breaks down, in thoughtful detail, nine design principles that have served him well. It is Aviv’s sincerest hope that they can have the same impact on your lives.

00:45 – Aviv introduces the topic of today’s episode, My 2020 Epiphany and How to Overcome the Blind Spot of Success and speaks to the impact that Covid-19 has had on his consulting business
05:00 – Aviv expounds on how his success became a blind spot for him and the life-changing gift the Covid-19 pandemic offered him
09:38 – Aviv analyzes The Nine Design Principles
20:39 – Now it’s your turn, choose one of the nine design principles you can implement today, right now!

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf96

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Kelly Waldher is the Vice President of Marketing for G-Suite at Google. Prior to Google, he was the Executive Vice President and General Manager at Qualtrics. Prior to that, Kelly spent fourteen years at Microsoft where he was the General Manager of Office 365 and held a variety of corporate marketing roles, including the Global Product Marketing Lead for the commercial and consumer portfolio of products.

In this episode, Aviv and Kelly explore Kelly’s wealth of experience working for large software platform companies such as Microsoft and Google. Kelly analyzes and breaks down his personal three-legged stool of success: working with the right people, building a great product and making a lasting impact. Finally, Kelly reflects on the lessons he’s learned throughout his career and speculates on future technology trends.

00:40 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Kelly Waldher who speaks to his experience at Qualtrics, Microsoft and Google and what he enjoys most about the work he does
08:00 – Kelly breaks down his ‘three-legged stool’ and recalls the decision to transition from chemical engineering to marketing
15:00 – How Kelly developed and evolved his marketing career at Microsoft
20:58 – Kelly shares his thoughts on his unique experience as General Manager of Office 365, top lessons he gleaned in this capacity and why some great product ideas fail
28:09 – Kelly provides an example of what a great product launch looks like
32:10 – Kelly speculates on technology trends that may transform our lives and society over the next ten years
36:35 – Kelly addresses the concerns that cynics may have about these changes in technology
39:44 – Misconceptions people have about large software platform companies like Microsoft and Google
41:38 – Advice Kelly would give to his 25-year-old self and a moment in Kelly’s career where he expressed courage
44:54 – Two learnings Kelly values above all others and parting words of wisdom from Kelly

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf95

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Meditation practices have guided Aviv through challenging events, where he simply was not sure how he would find the courage or strength to pull off the demanding tests he faced. By applying these practices, Aviv hopes that listeners can become more centered, improve mental and overall health, and guide personal and professional endeavors to achieve extraordinary results.

In this episode, Aviv expounds on the first two meditation practices – Mindfulness and Interior Printing – and provides actionable advice on how to implement both into your daily lives. By following these processes Aviv argues that listeners can achieve extraordinary results and shape the futures to which they aspire.

00:48 – Aviv introduces Part One of a series entitled, The Five Meditations
04:46 – Aviv analyzes the first meditation practice, Mindfulness
08:18 – Aviv pivots to the second meditation practice, Interior Printing
12:43 – Now it’s your turn, identify and name thoughts, pictures, and feelings to become present and mindfully aware, and apply interior printing to catalyze a desired condition and experience and to shape the future to which you aspire

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf94

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Catherine Sherlock is an expert in leadership actualization, intuition, and emotional intelligence. Catherine works with leaders who see the bigger picture, where leadership is about becoming and showing up as your best self to ignite the best in others. She believes that higher mindfulness is about creating a more profound connection inside your ecosystem to unlock possibilities and empower higher levels of performance from a place of wholeness and inner peace. In this episode, Catherine and Aviv expound on the roles of energy, emotions, and inner peace play in leadership. Finally, they analyze in depth the importance of peak experiences.

00:37 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Catherine Sherlock who shares what she enjoys most about her work with leaders, and the roles that emotions, energy, and inner peace play in leadership
07:37 – Catherine expounds on some of the methodologies she employs in her work with leaders, including the importance of meditation
14:04 – Catherine differentiates between mindfulness and higher mindfulness and shares her thoughts on servant leadership
24:51 – Catherine speaks to the importance of filling up your own cup first and how she helps leaders connect to their inner wisdom and intuition
32:38 – Aviv and Catherine delve deep into the concept of peak experiences
46:14 – Aviv expounds on the bull and bear market principle
52:29 – Advice Catherine would give to her younger self
54:47 – Final words of wisdom from Catherine

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf93

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There are two fast ways to ruin a great company and run a business into the ground. The first is to let lawyers run the company. The second is to let the financial controller run the business. Aviv calls on his experience as a military pilot to identify and explain the five altitudes of business conversations.

In this episode, Aviv continues his discussion on collective intelligence by expounding on the different levels, or altitudes, of business conversations. Specifically, Aviv provides best practices for identifying situations that are prone to collective stupidity, encouraging inquiries about conversations’ altitudes and finding new and creative ways to unleash the collective intelligence of your team

00:45 – Aviv breaks down the fourth collective intelligence, focusing on the five altitudes of business conversations
04:16 – Aviv expounds on the definition and some causes of collective stupidity
06:06 – Aviv analyzes the five altitudes of business conversations
12:29 – Aviv recaps and reiterates the value of each individual altitude
14:32 – Aviv poses five critical questions that must be answered as we look to frame and choreograph the conversation flow
16:25 – Now it’s your turn, identify situations that are prone to collective stupidity, reframe opportunities by encouraging an emergent inquiry about the conversation’s altitude and find creative ways to unleash the collective intelligence of your team

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf92

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Jeff Cates is the CEO and President of Achievers, an industry-leading employee voice and recognition solution that accelerates a culture of performance. Prior to his time at Achievers, Jeff was the CEO and President of Intuit Canada, during which time the company was named a top great place to work in Canada year after year and was also recognized as a top employer for women and millennials. Jeff’s impressive background also includes roles with industry leaders Apple and Hewlett-Packard. In this episode, Jeff and Aviv expound on the democratization of employee engagement, the value of innovation and the role that passion plays in leadership. Finally, Jeff shares his insights on the importance of wanting to do good, give back and truly connect with people as a leader.

00:46 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Jeff Cates who shares what he enjoys most about his work at Achievers and the work they are doing to hear the voices of their employees
07:24 – Jeff expounds on employee engagement and the philosophy that shapes his approach
14:07 – Jeff speaks to where his passion for leadership and helping people came from
17:08 – Formative moments from Jeff’s early career with Apple and Hewlett-Packard
24:08 – Jeff reflects on the importance that innovation has played throughout his career
30:07 – Jeff details the guiding principles that are critical for building high functioning leadership teams
32:56 – A moment where Jeff showed courage as a leader
35:18 – Jeff highlights the different challenges posed from working in a large and a small organization as well as insights he has gleaned from sitting on different boards
38:40 – Where Jeff sees himself in five to seven years
39:25 – Advice Jeff would give to his younger self
42:31 – Two learnings Jeff values above all others and final words of wisdom from Jeff

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf91

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How can we map the intelligence terrain to capitalize on the different capacities and sources of intelligence? Throughout his lifetime, Aviv has endeavored to answer these questions through his work with teachers, entrepreneurs, business executives, coaches, healers, and futurists.

In this episode, Aviv continues his discussion by expounding on the idea of intelligence as a capacity and as a source. Specifically, Aviv analyzes the metabolic process of intelligence as a capacity. He then describes the manifestation of intelligence both as a stream and as an ecosystem. Finally, Aviv poses a thought experiment to the audience on how they can approach the collective intelligence inquiry wisely.

00:47 – Aviv continues to break down the critical need to facilitate the emergence of collective intelligence
04:30 – Aviv analyzes the idea of intelligence as a capacity
08:11 – Aviv pivots to the idea of intelligence as a source, specifically how an intelligence source can manifest as a stream and as an ecosystem
15:55 – Aviv reiterates the importance of facilitating the broad natural realms of collective intelligence

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf90

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Miha Matlievski is business coach focusing on helping entrepreneurs and business executives. His approach was shaped by what he describes as an epic failure that eventually led to a redemptive renewal and a new beginning. Miha’s passionate pursuit and hard work have resulted in four successful businesses and a personal net worth of fifteen million dollars by his mid-twenties. In this episode, Aviv and Miha expound on the importance of utilizing logic over emotion to develop a healthy relationship with failure to foster success. Miha analyzes the three vectors of freedom, including the freedom of time, money and self-knowledge. Finally, Miha shares his insights on maintaining a growth mindset and the inherent value of reflection.

00:41 – Aviv introduces today’s guest, Miha Matlievski who shares his unbelievable journey of entrepreneurship
12:29 – Miha opens up about what he enjoys the most about his work and defines entrepreneurial freedom
16:43 – Miha expounds on his engagement model and other strategies he utilizes to coach and help entrepreneurs
24:14 – The psychological and emotional aspect of success and failure
29:17 – Mindsets and other critical skills for successful entrepreneurs
39:35 – How Miha has shown courage as a coach
43:07 – Where Miha sees himself in seven years
43:48 – Two learnings Miha values above all others and final words of wisdom from Miha

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf89

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The importance of recognition in a workplace cannot be understated. Recognition is the most underutilized organizational currency and yet, it is one of the most cost-effective ways to boost morale, increase retention and enable interpersonal connections. In this episode, Aviv expounds on the many ways recognition can bring an organizational mindset from scarcity to abundance and from uncertainty to confidence. Finally, Aviv provides multiple low-cost tips and strategies on how organizations can make their team members feel valued and recognized.

00:47 – Aviv reflects on a recent leadership workshop where recognition became a key topic of discussion
02:38 – Aviv differentiates between recognition and reward
04:11 – Aviv expounds on the nine reasons that recognition is a vital organizational currency
06:43 – Five insights Aviv gleaned from his discussion on recognition at his client’s leadership workshop and six examples of behaviors and qualities deserving of recognition
11:06 – Aviv provides multiple low-cost options to offer recognition throughout your organization
14:16 – Aviv summarizes his final thoughts on recognition

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf88

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Roberta Matuson is a global strategist, advisor, best-selling author and the president of Matuson Consulting, where she has helped leaders in Fortune 500 companies, including Best Buy, GM, and New Balance. Known as the Talent Maximizer, Roberta in an expert in helping her clients achieve dramatic growth and market leadership through the maximization of talent.

In this episode, Aviv and Roberta expound on her work in the field of talent management and retention. They dive deep into the elements that factor into a satisfying work environment, including having a great manager, autonomy and a sense of purpose. Finally, Roberta provides her thoughts on the incoming generation of workers and best practices for employers to prune their workforce.

01:44 – Roberta reflects on her background in talent evaluation as well as what she enjoys most about her work
05:24 – Roberta speaks to the biggest lesson from her best-selling book, Suddenly in Charge
07:13 – The top three trends in talent development today
08:46 – The decision to write the book, Evergreen Talent, and key messages and takeaways about talent
11:45 – What the best companies are doing to attract and retain top-talent
14:39 – Roberta shares her thoughts on how different generations are interacting together in the workforce and best practices for improved relationships
19:19 – Elements that factor into a satisfying work environment
22:26 – Strategies for pruning the workforce and critical mistakes that prevent companies from cultivating evergreen talent
27:08 – Critical competencies and skills that new workforce entrants must master
30:02 – Two learnings Roberta values above all others
31:45 – Parting words of wisdom from Roberta

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf87

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What is collective intelligence and how do we facilitate the generation of collective intelligence with a leadership team? Over the years, Aviv has endeavored to answer these questions through his work with teachers, entrepreneurs, business executives, coaches, healers, and futurists.

In this episode, Aviv shares discoveries he has made throughout his career. He expounds on the three lenses of mapping the terrain of collectives: the content lens, the character lens, and the cause lens. Finally, Aviv offers a series of thought-provoking reflections on the inherent value of collective intelligence.

01:22 – Defining Collective Intelligence and best practices for facilitating the generation of collective intelligence with a leadership team
03:27 – A surprising discovery Aviv made early in his life
05:17 – The three lenses of mapping the terrain of collectives
10:14 – Aviv reiterates the importance of collective intelligence

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf86

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After twenty years as an actor, director, screenwriter, songwriter and record producer, Terrence McNally has refocused his work on his vision of working on creating a world that just might work. His experience and aspiration converged in his consulting and media work, as well as his role as a co-founder of a startup which offers more people more ways to contribute to achieving the UN’s sustainability development goals.

As a speaker, writer, consultant, and coach he helps foundations, public agencies and progressive businesses communicate. His work enables individuals and organizations to tell better stories and develop more compelling narratives.

In this episode, Terrence shares the passion that drives his work, what led him to these opportunities and the insights he developed by hosting his own podcast. Aviv and Terrence expound on the importance of big picture thinking, taking a long-term view of societal issues, and how each of us as individuals can play a larger role in changing the world.

02:35 – Terrence’s fierce passion for the work he does and his philosophy of learning by teaching
10:11 – How Terrence discovered his calling and vision
17:16 – The genesis behind Terrence’s phrase, ‘A world that just might work’
20:17 – Climate change and the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic
29:09 – The nature of Terrence’s collaboration with the United Nations
32:22 – The importance of storytelling and creating a compelling narrative
39:57 – How Terrence measures the success of his Free Forum podcast and recalls some of his most memorable interviews
42:41 – Three people, dead or alive, that Terrence would love to interview and what he would ask them
48:41 – Advice Terrence would give to those seeking a career in entertainment
52:44 – Two learning Terrence values above all others and parting words of wisdom

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf85

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It has become clear that the global coronavirus pandemic crisis will have a multifaceted impact on humanity. From its economic and geo-political impact to the profound social effects, coronavirus is changing our lives as individuals as well as society in general.

In this episode, Aviv breaks down the six dimensions of the coronavirus effect on our society. Aviv attempts to combine his pragmatic coaching experience with his metaphysical and spiritual inquiry to focus on the effects of this unprecedented global event as it continues to unfold. Finally, he provides tips and strategies on how we can all step into the development opportunities created by this crisis.

00:43 – Introducing today’s topic, The Multifaceted Human & Six Dimensions of the Coronavirus Event
06:33 – The six dimensions of the coronavirus effect
06:56 – The first and second dimensions
08:39 – The third dimension
09:47 – The fourth dimension
13:45 – The fifth dimension
15:24 – The sixth dimension
17:37 – Aviv reflects on the far-reaching impact that coronavirus may have on our society moving forward

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf84

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As the global coronavirus pandemic continues to develop and evolve, its impact on our world cannot be overstated. Never before has an event completely altered the way our society operates. From economic and political paradigm shifts to the emergence of social distancing, the coronavirus had certainly made its mark. In this episode, Aviv expounds on the importance of leadership during crises and why our actions must not be controlled by fear, anxiety, or despair. Aviv poses thought-provoking questions for the audience to reflect on over the next few weeks and months. He urges us to make decisions and take actions unencumbered by fear. Finally, Aviv provides specific strategies for tackling fear head on.

00:43 – Introducing today’s topic, Leadership & Tackling Fear Head On
03:03 – The three aspects of fear
06:06 – Aviv expounds on his observations about leadership and the media
13:20 – Aviv encourages listeners to avoid being led by fear, panic and despair
15:50 – What true, effective leadership looks like
17:30 – Strategies for tackling fear head on

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf83

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Questions we focused on:

How do you stay positively balanced and focused during times of crisis?
How do you survive the crisis physically, mentally and spiritually?
What is the influence and power of collective energy and how do you harness it in a positive way?

The points we covered:

Identify the four vectors of the crisis:
1. The Corona virus
2. Global stock markets implosions (a viral influence by itself)
3. Panic triggered by #1 and by #2 (a viral influence by itself)
4. All secondary and tertiary consequences and side effects, in some cases more devastating than the first three vectors.
Apply a three-fold strategy to respond effectively and triage separately each of the four vectors, not as a panic-based aggregate:
1. What must do to take care of your health and well-being?
2. What must you do to deliver on your mission-critical commitments?
3. Pivot from defense to offense - how can this situation be an opportunity to create and accelerate a desired future?
Boost your immunity:
1. Focus on what you can control: your mental focus, what you take in, and your response.
2. Attend to routines and rituals that build clarity, energy and well-being.
3. Pivot from chaos to calm, confidence and coherence of thought.
4. Cultivate a community that generates individual and collective immunity.

Here is the 6 min strategy distillation.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf82

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Diane Helbig is an international business and leadership change agent, author, award-winning speaker and podcast host. As President of Seize This Day, Diane employs a straight-forward, non-nonsense approach to help businesses and organizations operate more constructively and profitably. In this episode, Aviv and Diane expound on the importance of curiosity and active listening, approaching conflict with a desire to be helpful, and believing in your own success.

00:46 – Introducing today’s guest, Diane Helbig
01:47 – What Diane enjoys the most about her work
02:40 – Diane speaks to the most common needs of the clients she works with
05:22 – Traits of the most successful business owners
08:40 – The importance of genuine curiosity and active listening
17:58 – Strategies for building effective systems and structures
21:05 – Diane’s learning and evolution process
22:44 – Diane recalls a time she needed to apply courage to her work
27:43 – The importance of character
29:08 – Diane recalls two of the most memorable interviews she’s conducted on her podcast, Accelerate Your Business Growth
31:50 – Lessons Diane has learned from creating her podcast show
33:35 – What Diane would do differently if given the chance
35:46 – Two learning Diane values above all others
39:08 – Parting words of wisdom and insights from Diane
40:14 – Now it’s your turn, create meaningful conversations through curiosity, choose to be helpful, and become a possibility thinker

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf81

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Aviv has been fascinated with the complex nature of the learning process ever since he enlisted in the Israeli Air Force and began his training as a fighter pilot. In this episode, Aviv introduces the first episode in his Collective Intelligence series. Specifically, he focuses on the art of listening by analyzing the five listening levels and expounding on the progression that occurs as you evolve from level to level. Aviv then shifts his focus to listening in business settings and reveals an additional dimension of listening. Finally, Aviv shares personal insights into recent discoveries he has made about his own journey.

00:39 – Introducing today’s topic, Collective Intelligence #1: Listening Level 5
03:12 – Aviv reflects on Listening Levels One through Four
07:24 – Listening in business settings
10:01 – Additional dimensions of listening
13:01 – Discoveries from Aviv’s journey

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf80

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Jeff Gallinat is the Senior Vice President of Global Manufacturing Operations at Cisco Systems. In this capacity, Jeff is responsible for leading Cisco’s global manufacturing and logistics operations. He also leads the teams responsible for the design of Cisco’s global operational network, the supply chain security, and the business management of Cisco’s operational partners. Jeff has a depth of experience in global manufacturing and supply chain that is unrivalled. Prior to joining Cisco, he held the role of Vice President of Global Manufacturing at the Lenovo Group and spent twenty-three years at IBM tackling roles in manufacturing, procurement, and supply chain. Jeff is a thoughtful leader, who leads with both head and heart. He brings a unique combination of passion in helping people grow and apply a rigorous operational discipline with the focus on learning and continuous improvement.

In this episode, Aviv and Jeff expound on the global aspect of Jeff’s role, including the decision to move his family to China for a number of years in order to take on a new challenge. This is one particular aspect of Jeff’s role that he enjoys the most as he finds the diversity of minds and culture fascinating as well as the ability to integrate that diversity across functions, partners and businesses within his industry. Jeff shares his ideas on curiosity, leadership, and confronting fear in the corporate workplace. Jeff speaks to the tremendous amount of value he places on hard work and accountability. Finally, Jeff touches on his process for constructing a successful team.

00:46 – Introducing today’s guest, Jeff Gallinat
02:57 – The accomplishment Jeff is most proud of
04:56 – The moment Jeff realized the importance of accountability
07:20 – Key leadership principles that Jeff employs in his current role at Cisco
09:53 – What informs Jeff’s awareness as a leader
13:20 – The decision to take on a new role in China and how it impacted Jeff and his family
19:18 – Jeff speaks to what inspired him during his formative years, including mentors he has worked with
25:30 – How Jeff is maximizing the growth and learning opportunities as they present themselves
27:48 – Informal leaders that can make or break an organization’s success
30:22 – How Jeff constructs a successful team and brings out the best in each individual
36:51 – Jeff’s philosophy on leadership
43:23 – Lessons Jeff has learned through challenge and struggle in his early career
47:29 – The importance of confronting fear
54:26 – Advice Jeff would give his younger self
58:52 – Two learning Jeff values above all others
1:01:41 – Parting words of wisdom and insights from Jeff
1:02:47 – Now it’s your turn, lead from a place of ownership and love, listen to your intuition, and practice high-quality engagement and listening with the right people

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf79

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In this episode, Aviv describes the Supernova Syndrome, a condition wherein a person allows the external pressures of fame and notoriety to affect his or her character, resulting in an implosion. Aviv outlines two potential outcomes that can result from this unsustainable imbalance and paints a critical awareness to consider when witnessing these implosions. Finally, Aviv analyzes the service, development, and spiritual orientations that are crucial for those in power and influence to maintain a healthy equilibrium. Ultimately, the alignment of these orientations helps to balance external prominence and influence with the internal power and character for the greater good.

00:42 – Introducing today’s topic, The Spectacular Implosion of Supernovas
02:27 – Aviv poses an interesting question about two different types of fame and success
03:40 – The Circles of Power & Character
06:41 – The first possible outcome of an unsustainable imbalance between the power of external fame and that of internal character
08:24 – A critical awareness to consider about supernova implosions
09:47 – The second possible outcome of an unsustainable imbalance between the power of external fame and that of internal character
10:56 – The importance of service orientation, development orientation, and spiritual orientation
15:47 – Now it’s your turn, determine what service, development and spiritual work you must do to build your character and readiness to embrace greater power and visibility so you can avoid the supernova syndrome

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf78

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Dov Baron is the founder of Full Monty Leadership, the authentic speaker academy for leadership. With his number one podcast for Fortune 500 leaders, Dov Baron’s Leadership and Loyalty Tips for Executives, Dov has an extraordinarily broad network and reach. He is a best-selling author of several books, including his latest entitled, Fiercely Loyal: How High Performing Companies Develop and Retain Top Talent. Dov is a compassionate and revolutionary communicator and speaker who believes in purpose-driven authentic leadership.

In this episode, Aviv and Dov expound on the concepts of conscious and authentic leadership, mental and emotional hygiene, and fierce loyalty. Aviv and Dov explore the elements of enlightened leadership and the importance of leaders not only reflecting on strategies but taking action to implement these strategies. Dov shares his perspective on generational tendencies and the importance of vulnerability and intimacy as it pertains to leadership. Finally, Dov poses some thought-provoking experiments for the audience, including asking them to reflect on what they imagine will be said in their eulogy.

00:54 – Introducing today’s guest, Dov Baron
02:03 – The accomplishment Dov is most proud of
06:46 – Top trends that leaders must reflect on today
08:43 – What Dov has discovered about helping leaders in their personal growth journey
13:47 – Inquiries Dov poses to leaders to access their internal passions
19:29 – What leaders are struggling with the most currently, from Boomers to Millennials to Generation Z
26:04 – The important role that intimacy plays in leadership
30:51 – Authentic leadership and the maxims Dov utilizes in his work
38:08 – Dov defines mental and emotional hygiene
45:06 – What it means to be fiercely loyal and why it matters
47:30 – Dov’s social media presence
50:25 – Dov speaks to what motivates him and what he’s working on personally for himself currently
53:07 – Where Dov sees himself in ten years
54:17 – Two learning Dov values above all others
54:56 – Parting words of wisdom and insights from Dov

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf77

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In this very special episode of Create New Futures, Aviv reads a letter he recently wrote to his granddaughter, Talia. Inspired by the birth of his granddaughter, Aviv is committed to pass along the wisdom and experience he’s gained throughout the course of his journey. In his letter, he outlines the three most important decisions he’s and the lessons that accompanied these. First, Aviv asserts his belief that life is purposeful. Next, he speaks to the need to embrace the challenge of being the author of your own destiny. And, finally, Aviv underscores why he decided to reverse the conventionally expected sequence of his journey. Aviv believes that Talia’s generation will rise to the occasion of solving some of the world’s most pressing issues. He encourages listeners to self-reflect and to write letters to future generations as well.

00:47 – Introducing today’s topic, My Letter to Talia
01:13 – Aviv reads his letter to his granddaughter, Talia
03:21 – Aviv takes a moment to reflect on his own life
05:26 – The three important decisions Aviv made before his twentieth birthday
11:05 – Humanity’s opportunity and challenge
13:33 – The new operating system
16:39 – Aviv’s vision for Talia and her future
17:23 – Now it’s your turn, Aviv hopes his letter inspires other to write similar notes to their grandchildren

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf76

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Colleen Soukup is the Chief Procurement Officer and supply-chain transformation leader at General Mills. Colleen is responsible for global sourcing of all categories and, in her second role, she leads the transformation of supply chain to make it as agile and as future-ready as can be. Colleen is both a focused operational leader and a great people leader. She has a way of bringing best ideas out of her people, and creating an environment that fosters creativity and focus. Colleen is also a mother and wife and is grateful to work for an organization that has allowed her to remain a successful businessperson while balancing her personal life.

In this episode, Aviv and Colleen reflect on her role at General Mills and what she enjoys most about her work. Colleen shares how she’s leveraged opportunities to grow and evolve as a leader and, specifically, as a CPO. Colleen talks glowingly about the culture at General Mills and the company’s commitment to always doing the right thing. She describes her early inspirations and how these impacted her approach to her career. Finally, Colleen expounds on the importance of community when it comes to building a high-intensity career and raising a family.

00:52 – Introducing today’s guest, Colleen Soukup
02:43 – What Colleen enjoys most about her work
09:21 – Colleen shares some key learnings from her career journey
14:07 – How Colleen’s current role as CPO changed her as a leader
19:25 – Colleen speaks to directional clarity and her evolution as a CPO
24:23 – Other guiding principles that shaped Collen’s approach to developing her organization
29:41 – The culture at General Mills
32:13 – Colleen speaks to early inspirations from her childhood and her approach to starting her career
36:27 – A seminal moment from Colleen’s journey
40:09 – A deep-seated belief in the General Mills organization
45:40 – The Irish dog trainer story
47:05 – Advice Colleen would give her younger self and two learnings she values above all others
49:05 – Parting words of wisdom and insights from Colleen
50:43 – Now it’s your turn, identify ways to become a self-learner and grow, embody and lead change, and invest in your personal community

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf75

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In this episode, Aviv describes the shift in mindset that successful organizations are undergoing to meet their hiring needs. Aviv poses the eternal question, ‘What business are you in?’ and argues that an organization’s response to this question defines its ability to achieve its desired future. Aviv touches also on the value of culture, accountability, and organizational readiness. Finally, Aviv provides some sage advice for fostering a future-ready organization and sustaining a learning culture.

00:48 – Introducing today’s topic, The New Hiring Criterion
01:23 – Aviv proposes that changing one key hiring criterion will have a dramatic impact on whether your company thrives or merely survives
01:27 – Aviv speaks to a strategy workshop he recently led with senior development teams
02:15 – The Learning Zone
04:40 – Five Inquiries to elevate discussion
05:37 – The importance and impact of having sound hiring criterion
06:12 – How gaining clarity of organizational purpose can help in the hiring process
07:52 – Comparing the old hiring criterion to the new hiring criterion
08:17 – Why innovation is not a solo job
09:04 – Now it’s your turn, foster a future-ready organization by hiring passionate learners, build a coaching environment where people learn together, and sustain this learning culture

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf74

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Tom Lattin is the Vice President of Mass Market Platforms, Options and Software at Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. In this capacity, Tom leads the multi-billion dollar business of HPE’s ProLiant and cloud-lined servers. Specifically, his team leads product, technology, go-to-market, and supplier strategies for these categories. Tom joined HP in 1986, and he has led in many roles across almost every side of the business, from PC notebooks to HP server options. Tom is a deliberate and thoughtful leader with the capacity to resist the reactivity trap by pursuing strategic clarity and focus. Tom is also a man rooted in deep faith, which has contributed to personal and professional success throughout his life.

In this episode, Aviv and Tom reflect on false assumptions in the technology industry as well as key changes and constants that have defined the sector. Tom shares core practices that he has embraced to get the best out of his team members. These include capitalizing on diverse backgrounds, focusing on outcomes, and seeking opportunities to get outside the comfort zone. Tom opens up about his deep faith as well as his role as deacon within his community. He places a tremendous amount of value on his faith, which has helped guide him both in his professional and personal endeavors. Finally, Tom speaks to the importance of preparation, the power of reflection, and the journey to self-discovery.

01:04 – Introducing today’s guest, Tom Lattin
02:22 – What Tom enjoys the most about his work
03:59 – Strategies that help Tom discover new solutions to problems
05:38 – Elements within dialogue that enable discoveries to occur
10:09 – Tom speaks to the importance he places on historical context
12:52 – Key changes in the technology sector over the past few decades
16:08 – Key constants that remain true today about the technology sector
20:38 – Tom reflects on some false assumptions in his industry
24:17 – The most misunderstood aspects of strategy development
31:34 – Tom speaks to the key personal development, insights and learnings from his career
33:30 – What surprised Tom about the ability to tap into the collective experience of his team without having a rich set of analytics
34:05 – Fostering an environment of collaboration
36:22 – Core practices Tom has embraced to get the best out of the people he works with
40:33 – Tom’s dedication to living a life of servitude both personally and professionally
44:32 – Tom reflects on self-discovery
46:25 – How Tom’s faith impacted his personal and professional life
49:09 – The importance of execution
51:57 – Advice Tom would give his younger self
54:13 – Two learnings Tom values above all others
57:06 – Parting words of wisdom and insights from Tom
58:21 – Now it’s your turn, discover and apply the mental model and the approach that will engage you in your work, identify opportunities to frame the conversation, and understand your purpose

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf73

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In this episode, Aviv analyzes the three vectors of growth and development and showcases how they can be leveraged to identify the ‘what,’ ‘how,’ and ‘from where’ priorities. Aviv stresses the importance of building confidence, resilience, and strength within yourself in order to initiate a ruthless self-care protocol. He provides a three-step process by which this can be accomplished. These steps include maximizing your energy, starting every day well, and completing your day with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. Finally, Aviv offers best practices for mapping your growth and development vectors to increase mindfulness and become more self-directed.

00:59 – Introducing today’s topic, The Three Vectors of Growth
02:24 – The importance of mapping your growth opportunities
03:41 – Three steps to initiate the ruthless, self-care protocol
03:48 – Step One: Maximize your energy
04:23 – Step Two: Start every day well
05:13 – Step Three: Complete your day with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude
06:33 – The Three Vectors of Growth & Development
07:52 – Vector One: What you do
08:21 – Vector Two: How you navigate the journey to your desired outcomes
08:47 – Vector Three: From where you initiate and make your journey
09:58 – Aviv takes us through a mapping exercise using the three growth vectors
12:24 – Now it’s your turn, apply the three vectors of growth and development to define your ‘what,’ ‘how,’ and ‘from where’ priorities

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf72

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Matt Carcieri is one of the world’s foremost purposologist, having worked on purpose with over one hundred companies and brands. He began his career as a marketing executive at Proctor & Gamble where, for fifteen years, he pioneered purpose-driven brand building inside the world’s largest advertiser. As an in-house expert on the topic, Matt spearheaded purpose work on most of P&G’s billion-dollar brands. Today, he works as an independent consultant and associate of the Jim Stengel Group. In those roles, Matt has helped to define and activate purposeful companies across a variety of industries, from financial services and insurance to healthcare and hospitality. Matt is a unique combination of an artist, cheerful philosopher, and brand purpose doctor.

In this episode, Aviv and Matt discuss one of the most crucial, yet often overlooked facets of business and life: purpose. Having purpose is at the center of an organization’s core beliefs and values and, thus, has a direct correlation to success. Matt expounds on the Five Opportunities of Purpose, which include employee engagement, innovation, societal contribution, brand relevance and consumer attention. He uses case studies from Airbnb, The Walt Disney Company, Zappos, Apple, LEGO and Barbie to amplify the value and importance of being purpose-driven. Matt shares lessons learned from his father, a former corporate executive and two-term governor of Rhode Island, and other mentors that have shaped his journey through business and life. Finally, Matt leaves the audience with some sage advice. He encourages identifying your origin moment, being true to your convictions, and discovering your passions to unlock endless possibilities.

00:55 – Introducing today’s guest, Matt Carcieri
02:57 – What energizes Matt in his personal and professional life
04:20 – Moving from Proctor & Gamble into consulting
04:55 – What Matt enjoys the most about his work
05:24 – Matt talks about his book, Bleed a Creed
07:15 – The role and evolution of purpose within organizations
10:08 – What research says about the link between purpose and performance
11:28 – The distinction between purpose-driven and purpose-inspired
12:22 – Identifying genuine purpose
13:51 – Aviv speaks to the importance of authenticity
15:11 – The LEGO example
17:04 – The Five Opportunities of Purpose explained
17:44 – How purpose is an opportunity for employee engagement
19:46 – How purpose impacts innovation generation
21:55 – The relationship between purpose and social contribution
23:42 – The role purpose plays in brand relevance
24:47 – The Airbnb example
29:17 – How purpose is an opportunity for consumer attention
31:06 – Matt shares other discoveries he has made about organizational strategies surrounding purpose
32:51 – Tools Matt utilizes to help organizations identify their convictions, beliefs, and purpose
36:18 – Inspirations from Matt’s formative years
38:26 – Heroes and mentors that have shaped Matt’s journey
39:10 – Matt talks about his father, Donald Carcieri
41:18 – Other influences in Matt’s professional life
42:25 – Matt points to a specific moment of self-discovery
44:10 – Aviv shares his journey to find his purpose
46:52 – How Matt became The Purpose Doctor
48:43 – Matt’s professional and personally purposes
50:05 – The significance of creating memorable moments
52:33 – Advice Matt would give his younger self
53:56 – Two learnings Matt values above all others
55:19 – Parting words of wisdom and insights from Matt
56:08 – Now it’s your turn, reflect on your convictions, identify your origin moment, and discover your passions to become empowered into new horizons of possibility

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf71

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In this episode, Aviv analyzes the three major mindsets and pinpoints how they influence our leadership abilities. These include the mindsets of ‘what’s wrong,’ ‘what works,’ and ‘what matters.’ In identifying these mindsets, Aviv suggests that the second and third mindsets provide a path to multiple blessings and positive energy. They empower us to participate in shaping and creating our own future. Aviv speaks to the pivotal nature of choosing to take personal responsibility. He suggests that the most important choice we can make is to let go of the preoccupation of ‘what’s wrong’ in favor of focusing on ‘what works.’ Finally, Aviv provides seven steps we all can implement in order to abandon the first mindset and apply the second and third mindsets to enrich our lives.

00:53 – Introducing today’s topic, The Three Mindsets & Your Biggest Choice Ever
01:11 – The Hewlett-Packard Leadership Summit Story
02:34 – Aviv provides an alternative definition of ‘work’ in the context of this story
04:23 – The Surprise Inquiry Method
05:59 – How Aviv uses riddles as purposeful conversation portals
07:20 – The Three Mindsets
07:42 – The mindset of ‘What’s Wrong’
08:12 – The mindset of ‘What Works’
08:47 – The mindset of ‘What Matters’
09:34 – Standing at the leadership crossroads
10:52 – Converting from ‘what’s wrong’ to ‘what works’
11:16 – The biggest choice we each can make
11:28 – Converting from ‘what works’ to ‘what matters’
11:36 – Seven ways you can apply the second and third mindsets

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf70

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Joe Antons is the Director of Central Revenue Planning at Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Joe started at Cisco as an intern and gradually worked his way to the leadership role he holds today. Joe brings a unique combination of analytical rigor and business acumen together with a passion for helping people discover their true value within an organization.

In this episode, Aviv and Joe expound on the evolution of Silicon Valley from a metadata to a meta-analysis perspective. They dissect the three levels of consciousness in the workplace, which include the structure focus, work focus, and value focus. Among these, value focus is the most critical as it is defined by employees who see themselves through the value they contribute to the organization. Joe shares the two lessons that have been the most beneficial to his career, including leveraging the collective power of teams and understanding client and customer needs.

00:56 – Introducing today’s guest, Joe Antons
02:22 – Joe expounds on the evolution of Silicon Valley
05:22 – Differentiating between metadata and meta-analysis
08:56 – What Joe enjoys the most about his work
10:20 – The benefits of working for the same company for over twenty years
13:36 – Making an imprint on Cisco
16:54 – Defining the competency to lead a data grounded conversation
20:40 – Aviv defines organizational outcomes versus business outcomes
22:30 – Joe explains further why people often confuse inputs, organizational outcomes, and business outcomes
25:14 – The three levels of consciousness in the workplace
28:52 – Cisco’s culture
32:47 – Inspirations from Joe’s formative years
34:32 – Joe points to a specific moment of self-discovery
38:42 – Other influences in Joe’s professional life
41:01 – Leadership qualities and insights Joe has acquired throughout the years
44:11 – Servant leadership
44:31 – The balancing act of becoming a better leader
49:37 – Advice Joe would give his younger self
52:13 – Two learnings Joe values above all others
54:17 – Parting words of wisdom and insights from Joe
57:18 – Now it’s your turn, identify opportunities to exhibit servant leadership through discovery, shaping the game you play at work and building currency

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf69

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In this episode, Aviv expounds on the concept of achieving breakthrough collaboration by elevating key partnerships. Aviv reflects on the Partnering TIP, which focuses on trust, imperative and purpose. He introduces a key exercise as well as questions to reflect on while participating in this exercise. Finally, Aviv urges the audience to engage their respective teams in this partnering exercise in order to gain new perspective and actionable insight to their growth opportunities.

00:56 – Introducing today’s topic, Achieve Breakthrough Collaboration by Elevating Key Partnerships
02:12 – The Partnership T.I.P.
03:06 – The Four-Column Exercise
04:56 – Questions to reflect on in order to achieve breakthrough partnerships
06:28 – Aviv encourages you to engage your team when participating in this exercise
06:41 – Now it’s your turn, identify your top stakeholders, assess your Partnership TIP, and identify the conversations you need to have to elevate those partnerships

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf68

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Mark Bakker has had a notable and successful career as the head of America’s Supply Chain Operations at HP Inc. He manages the strategic relationships with customer channels and ensures a smooth supply chain execution. Previously, Mark was HP’s Vice-President of Supply Chain Operations in Asia Pacific and Japan, and Director of Operations in Germany covering order management, production, warehousing, distribution and logistics as well as sourcing activities for Hewlett Packard's Imaging and Printing business unit in EMEA.

In this Episode, Mark highlights his experiences as an Operational Leader. He describes his work with globally diverse teams, with different backgrounds and cultures and how these experiences shaped his leadership style. Mark weaves the story of his formative years which inspired his desire to continue improving processes and finding better solutions for customers and organizations, all of which are factors that have led to his success today. Mark encourages listeners to be customer-driven and discover how they can improve the solutions and services they manage. He reflects on the four elements of an operational leader and the importance of constantly learning.

01:01 – Introducing today’s guest, Mark Bakker
03:16 – How Mark was shaped personally and professionally by leading global teams/organization in his career
08:51 – The Dutch ethos of free debate
11:28 – Aviv’s theory about the culture of Netherlands
14:12 – Mark shares his experiences in his current role
17:20 – The challenges in serving changing and fast-growing customers
19:45 – Working with the “New Workforce”
21:22 – Mark describes the similarities and differences of his day-to-day operations and digital transformative activities
25:41 – The elements of the business case on shifting from traditional to digital architecture systems
31:55 – Mark’s learnings and inputs on running a large transformation effort
35:03 – Critical decision-making example
41:44 – Mark’s inspiration from his childhood experiences that cultivated his passion in improving processes
47:02 – How Mark worked his way into his current role
54:46 – What is a Great Operational Leader
57:57 – Mark’s advice to his 25-year old self
1:01:04 – Mark’s parting advice to the audience
1:01:59 – Now it’s your turn, discover how you can improve what you manage, reflect on the four elements of an operational leader, and constantly caring for others.

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf67

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In this episode, Aviv reflects on the paradigm shift from a structure-first to a value-first model. Aviv notes that, in the former outdated model, the flow moves from structure to work and from work to value indicating that structure defines work and the work defines value. However, in this new model, which is centered on value, the flow has been reversed and is now initiated by the opportunity to create value. Finally, Aviv poses an intriguing thought experiment and leaves the audience with some sage advice. He urges them to talk to members of their organizations in order to decipher whether their activities are based on structure or value.

00:58 – Introducing today’s topic, Value Defined Work and the New Paradigm
02:13 – Facilitating the shift from a structure first to a value first mindset
04:47 – The new value-first model
06:10 – Why startups represent a great example of value-centered work
07:29 – Aviv talks about the evolution of the work he does as a consultant
08:21 – An intriguing thought experiment
10:33 – Now it’s your turn, lead your team by focusing on outcome based activities and working backward from the desired future you’re working to create

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf66

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Bill Koenig has had a distinguished and successful career as an expert in adult learning, leadership and organizational development, and as an entrepreneur and a civic leader. Bill’s eclectic experience includes Program Director at OSR, Organization System Renewal Northwest, and Board Chair of the Whidbey Institute where he participated in the development of their leadership programs. Previously, Bill was the President and CEO of Cantametrix, and a founder and President of DiscoverMusic and of KidStar Interactive Media. Bill’s holds a PhD in mythological studies and a Masters in whole systems design. He is currently a senior advisor at The Cambridge Management Group where he brings together a big picture of deep cross-discipline insights into human systems, transformation and renewal.

In this episode, Aviv and Bill expound on the differences between leadership competency and leadership capacity. Bill speaks to the profound impact that sports had on his formative years and credits his success today to the experiences he had playing team sports throughout his life. Bill identifies leadership patterns he has witnessed in organizations and cites the Navy Seals as a model of effective shared leadership. Aviv and Bill reflect on the concept of servant leadership. Finally, Bill leaves the audience with some sound advice. He encourages the continual journey of becoming yourself and suggests doing so in the context of continual inquiry and the assimilation of new learning, new models and new opportunities.

00:58 – Introducing today’s guest, Bill Koenig
02:34 – What energizes and excites Bill
03:36 – Bill talks about the importance of sustainability
04:57 – Bill provides examples of how we can be disruptive, transformational, and engaged
07:21 – The two critical vectors that have led to the sustainability crisis
08:28 – Defining leadership competence
13:19 – Recognizing the exterior space of leadership development
17:00 – Catalysts for transformational change
20:08 – A striking pattern Bill has noticed within organizations
26:33 – How the Navy Seals embody shared leadership
29:47 – Aviv expounds on a meta-trend that has been appearing within organizations
32:36 – Bill reflects on a Graduate program he participated in
35:17 – Inspirations from Bill’s formative years
37:22 – How Bill used sports as a key component in his evolution as a person
41:59 – How these propulsions helped shape Bill’s career
43:51 – The journey to entrepreneurship within the start-up space
45:46 – Bill’s proudest accomplishment
54:13 – Transformative insights Bill has been able to internalize through his experience with organizational renewal
57:06 – Servant leadership
57:56 – Bill regales the audience with the story of a near death experience
1:03:31 – Why Bill chose to study mythology
1:07:27 – Two passions Bill values above all others
1:09:49 – Parting words of wisdom and insights from Bill
1:14:19 – Now it’s your turn, build your leadership capacity, cultivate shared awareness and consciousness about the mission at hand, and stay in-tune with your inner voice to become yourself

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf65

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In this episode, Aviv brings the focus to prioritizing your most precious assets and resources – energy, time and focus. Aviv reflects on the three realizations that occur when you apply these resources effectively and provides personal examples of how he and his clients have arrived at these realizations. Finally, Aviv illustrates how the Impact-Must-Energy (IME) Priority Setting Formula can be utilized to identify where you can make the highest impact, which priorities you must complete, and what revitalizes and renews your energy.

00:45 – Introducing today’s topic, prioritizing your assets
01:24 – Reflecting on the question, “What do you believe are your most precious assets?”
01:56 – The first objective of Aviv’s CEO advisory and coaching work
03:14 – Techniques for creating an innovative thinking space
03:43 – Identifying your personal most precious resources and currencies
04:24 – Expounding on the ETF assets: Energy, Time, and Focus
06:51 – The Impact-Must-Energy Priority Setting Formula
08:33 – Now it’s your turn, learn to apply your energy, time and focus appropriately

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf64

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Cathy Sunshine is the founder and president of the Sunshine Group, a consulting and coaching firm specializing in family business, leadership transformation, and organization design. Cathy works with leaders and organizations to break through blockages and to produce turnaround growth. Through her work, Cathy has helped hundreds of teams to improve performance and create transformational results. Her book, SYNC’d, lays out a practical guide for organizations to align modern performance with the new pace of the market in a digitally-charged world.

In this episode, Aviv and Cathy expound on powerful insights highlighted in SYNC’d. Cathy speaks to her strategy of making bold promises to customers and delivering on those promises. She identifies three critical propellants for organizational success, which include customer, structure and throughput. Aviv and Cathy reflect on the concept of ranked advantage design structure and its impact within an organization. Finally, Cathy leaves the audience with some sage advice. She proposes that organizations redesign themselves using reverse flow, a concept that suggests building a culture that frees individuals to embrace new information and practice what they do best.

00:56 – Introducing today’s guest, Cathy Sunshine
02:02 – How Cathy’s book SYNC’d has been received
03:09 – Cathy expounds on why she named her book SYNC’d
04:34 – Behavioral operations
06:40 – A powerful insight from Cathy’s book
10:07 – The value of making bold promises to customers
14:10 – How to deliver on bold promises
17:02 – Three critical propellants: Customer, Structure and Throughput
20:09 – Cathy reflects on the concept of a Ranked Advantage Design Structure
21:32 – Defining low-viscosity throughput
22:53 – How structure can impact behavior
26:07 – Identifying anchor customers
27:23 – How Uber failed to identify their anchor customers
32:10 – Cathy explains why it is vital for an organization to define who is in service to whom
34:10 – Five operational steps to create a SYNC’d organization
39:15 – How the government could benefit from Cathy’s steps for a synchronized organization
43:10 – Where listeners can find Cathy’s book, SYNC’d
44:15 – Parting words of wisdom from Cathy
45:27 – Cathy invites the audience to provide feedback on her book
47:33 – Now it’s your turn, liberate flow in order to unleash the energy potential and the genius necessary to solve complex organizational problems

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf63

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In this episode, Aviv reflects on the idea that failure oftentimes can be a great teacher. He identifies and analyzes six categories of failure. These include failure to achieve a goal, failure to apply learning, failure to be present, failure to recognize opportunities, failure to hold on to your own values and morals, and failure to forgive. Finally, he expounds on the ways in which learning from failure can catalyze change and help create new futures.

00:58 – Introducing today’s topic, how failure can be a teacher and catalyze development and growth
01:19 – Aviv identifies six categories of failure
02:03 – Category One: Failure to achieve a goal or reach a target
03:41 – Category Two: Failure to apply learning
07:04 – Category Three: Failure to be present
07:53 – Category Four: Failure to recognize and respond to opportunities
08:42 – Category Five: Failure to hold on to your own values, morals, and sense of integrity
10:13 – Category Six: Failure to forgive
11:17 – Now it’s your turn, reflect on your failures in order to transform them into learning and growth

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf62

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Astrid Hartmann is the Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Lufthansa Global Business Services, an organization that manages the finance, HR, revenue accounting and procurement globally for all of Lufthansa Group companies. She previously held multiple senior management positions at Hewlett-Packard. During her time at Lufthansa, Astrid has driven tremendous revenue growth, infused performance and improvement culture and dramatically improved customer satisfaction. Astrid is a smart and curious executive who creates infectious energy through her ability to mobilize large-scale change and motivate her teams to exceed their objectives.

In this episode, Aviv and Astrid discuss Astrid’s journey to executive leadership positions within top performing global companies. She reflects on how she approaches challenges as well as her views on leadership. Aviv and Astrid also talk passionately about the current state of women in business and the strides that must still occur. Astrid speaks to the importance of delegating as it pertains to effective leadership. Finally, Aviv stresses the importance of surrounding yourself with the best talent, developing a shared vision for the future, and building strategic momentum.

00:57 – Introducing today’s guest, Astrid Hartmann
03:18 – Astrid talks about the recent vacation she took
06:13 – What Astrid enjoys most about her current role at Lufthansa
07:48 – Answering to the board of directors
08:35 – How Astrid approaches large challenges
12:38 – Recapping the two guiding principles Astrid utilizes
13:54 – Additional learnings Astrid has harvested throughout her journey
16:36 – Defining the ambiguous and working cross-functionally
19:45 – Astrid expands on her philosophy on change
22:03 – Refusing to compromise on quality
24:01 – What inspired Astrid growing up
26:15 – Astrid recalls the moment the Berlin Wall came down
29:53 – Travelling outside of East Berlin
31:43 – How the fall of the Berlin Wall represented a formative moment in Astrid’s life and career
35:07 – Astrid describes her journey to discover her business strengths
38:03 – Working at Hewlett-Packard
42:54 – Luck isn’t always what it appears
45:58 – Astrid delineate some formative insights about leadership she is currently developing
48:24 – Astrid shares another leadership lesson she learned from her mother
50:53 – Astrid shares her thoughts on women in leadership
54:56 – How Astrid handled herself as a woman in business
58:39 – Advice Astrid would give to her younger self
59:47 – The importance of the capacity to think for yourself and the capacity to lead others
1:01:10 – Parting words of wisdom from Astrid
1:02:33 – Now it’s your turn, surround yourself with top talent, develop a shared vision for the future, and build momentum

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf61

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In this episode, Aviv revisits the 72-Hour Rule which suggests that in order to truly learn a new practice, one must go through four stages. These stages include receiving new knowledge, understanding and validating the practice learned, applying the learning and, finally, teaching that new practice to everyone in your environment. Aviv stresses the importance of acting immediately in order to maximize the learning and development cycle. Finally, Aviv discusses the benefits of operating in the aerobic flow zone, the dangers of delay tactics and the value of shrinking the 72-hour rule to 72 minutes.

00:53 – Introducing today’s topic, revisiting the 72 Hour Rule and OKRs
01:04 – Aviv restates the four stages of the 72 Hour Rule
02:10 – The importance of teaching new learnings to others within the 72-hour
03:11 – The Objective and Key Results (OKR) methodology that Aviv utilizes
04:30 – The best time to act
05:00 – The benefit of operating inside the aerobic flow zone
05:50 – The detriment of delaying action
06:25 – The antidote to delay tactics
07:15 – Now it’s your turn, eliminate delay tactics and shrink the 72-Hour cycle

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf60

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In this very special episode, Aviv switches roles and becomes the interviewee as Bill Fox asks poignant questions on leadership, vision, and innovation. Aviv lists the seven evolutionary developmental blockages that we as a society have overcome. He talks about the importance of conversation and the impact they can ultimately have on creating new and exciting futures. Finally, Aviv urges the audience to appreciate how precious life is and challenges them to seize every opportunity life has to offer.

00:53 – Introducing today’s guest, Bill Fox
04:09 – How Bill came up with his six core interview questions
07:04 – Aviv answers Bill’s first question: How can we create work places where every voice matters, everyone thrives and finds meaning, and change and innovation happen naturally?
12:21 – The seven evolutionary developmental blockages that society has overcome
18:47 – Aviv answers Bill’s second question: What does it take to get an employee’s full attention and best performance?
20:59 – Aviv answers Bill’s third question: What do people really lack and long for at work?
25:25 – Aviv answers Bill’s fourth question: What do you think is the most important question leadership or management should be asking their employees or followers?
26:20 – Aviv answers Bill’s fifth question: What is the most important question employees should be asking back to leadership and management?
27:03 – Aviv answers Bill’s sixth question: What is the most important question we should be asking ourselves?
28:03 – What prompted Aviv to write the book, Create New Futures
30:39 – The value Aviv places on conversations
37:45 – What makes Aviv’s book different from others based on futures
39:37 – Key takeaways Aviv would like the audience to know
44:53 – Working to spread the idea of the importance of conversation
48:15 – Parting words of wisdom from Aviv

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf59

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In this episode, Aviv provides his insights on the mastery journey as we close the loop on the two-episode series on mastery. In a recent episode, entitled ‘How to Reach Mastery,’ we looked at what the best CEOs do to lead their teams along the three-legged journey to reach mastery. In this part, we further the reflection on this topic by dissecting the five fuels that power and propel individuals into their mastery journey. We discover that, individually, these fuels aren’t enough. We need to combine a multitude of these drivers in order to achieve mastery. Finally, Aviv asserts that working to build critical readiness for mastery is a fantastically rewarding and meaningful journey.

00:51 – Introducing today’s topic, Five Fuels to Power Your Mastery Journey
01:58 – Reviewing the three-legged journey to achieving mastery
03:45 – Examples of triggers that can propels us to to achieving mastery
07:02 – The two-fold realization that occurs on the development practice path
09:13 – Aviv uses the Beatles to demonstrate that the vertical ascent to mastery does not happen overnight
10:15 – What propulsions can power the development journey?
12:52 – Aviv poses questions for listeners to ask themselves and reflect on and lists the five propelling fuels to overcome the struggle of resistance in order to achieve mastery
13:24 – Number One: Pain and Fear
14:25 – Number Two: Passion and Reward
15:50 – Number Three: Serving a Cause
16:34 – Number Four: Team Spirit
17:19 – Number Five: Structure of Support
18:53 – Now it’s your turn, discover what mastery you’re building and what drives your success in overcoming resistance

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf58

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Rebecca Kehat is an entrepreneur, strategic consultant, global marketing expert, public speaker and mentor for startups. She previously held senior management positions at Google, Bank Hapoalim and Procter & Gamble. Today, she is the CEO of Unicorp, a consulting firm specializing in innovation and offering platform monetization and global marketing and advertising strategies and solutions. In 2012, she was chosen by the prestigious Israeli business magazine, The Marker, as one of forty top Israeli talents under forty.

In this episode, Aviv and Rebecca discuss her career trajectory, from serving in the Israeli Army and working at Google, to the mentorship program she participates in today. Rebecca shares how she discovered her strengths and core competencies and how the term ‘Rebecca Power’ originated. She talks about the importance of balance in life and reveals her triangle theory of balance. Rebecca leaves the audience with two key pieces of advice that have helped her tremendously throughout her career. She urges them to be aware and intentional. Finally, Aviv stresses the importance of building transferable skills, being intentional about your career, and growing and expanding a network of trustworthy people.

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf57

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In this episode, Aviv discusses the anatomy of flow and bringing focus to the aerobic zone of productivity. Aviv views himself as a conduit of service. He recalls a recent conversation he had about his secret to productivity. The realization was that there is no secret. Productivity is a product of developing readiness and building a capacity to act. This occurs best in a state of creative flow.

Aviv breaks down three broad opportunity fields. Field A involves serving creative opportunities. Field B is centered on serving close family, friends, and others that Aviv cares about. Lastly, Field C focuses on serving others who do not fall under the category of Field B. These include clients and organizations that Aviv serves.

Aviv talks about the importance of seizing opportunity, finding new capabilities and creating innovative solutions. Finally, Aviv challenges listeners to identify their opportunity fields, discover their creative aerobic zone, and remove obstacles and resistance in order to enter the flow.

00:53 – Introducing today’s topic: The Anatomy of Flow
02:13 – Why Aviv views himself as a creative unit and a conduit of service
03:37 – The journey to building greater capacity
06:18 – Aviv’s belief that living is an opportunity portal
07:35 – Aerobic productivity
08:08 – The critical role of anaerobic work
09:29 – Being in the state of flow
10:21 – Aviv’s three broad opportunity fields
11:24 – The differences between Field B and Field C
12:45 – Behavioral modalities Aviv utilizes when he is called to serve
14:43 – Seizing the opportunity in the moment
16:38 – Now it’s your turn, identify your opportunity fields, discover your aerobic zone, and enter the flow

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf56

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Suzanne Bates is the CEO of Bates, a firm founded with a mission to help leaders influence the world. Suzanne and her team assist global companies by bringing differentiated experience to leadership development and providing groundbreaking strategies to help leaders make an impact. She is a five-time best-selling author with works that include Speak Like a CEO, Motivate Like a CEO, Discover Your CEO Brand, and All the Leader You Can Be. Prior to launching her consulting firm, Suzanne led a successful career as a television journalist. Her years as an on-air personality with major market television stations put her at the center of major news stories and afforded her the opportunity to interview thousands of political leaders, CEOs, businesspeople, authors and celebrities. As an expert in business and leadership, Suzanne has grown her entrepreneurial portfolio to include consulting, writing, coaching and public speaking. She is insightful, witty, and possesses a practical approach in all of her business ventures.

In this episode, Suzanne and Aviv talk about Suzanne’s background in journalism, business, and leadership. As a journalist for twenty years prior to branching out as an entrepreneur, Suzanne identifies the key transferable skills that aided in her business success. As a leadership consultant, Suzanne shares how she works with clients to help them develop executive presence. She defines executive presence as the behaviors and qualities of leaders that engage, align, inspire and move people to act. When you engage others and provide them the opportunity and the reason to give more of themselves, you fortify them with meaning and purpose. Suzanne and Aviv also talk about the importance of maintaining focus in order to be a truly impactful leader. It is vital for leaders to know when to effectively delegate, when to delete, and when to delay. Finally, Suzanne discusses the value she places on cultivating and practicing gratitude. By celebrating and appreciating the small victories, Suzanne is better able to accomplish the bigger moments of success. These include overcoming challenge and exploring for new learnings beyond what you already know.

00:54 – Introducing today’s guest, Suzanne Bates
03:37 – Reflecting on this past year, Suzanne talks about what she is most grateful for
05:37 – How innovation stimulates learning for Suzanne and her team
08:03 – Suzanne discusses the challenges and excitement of her work
11:00 – How Suzanne’s entrepreneurial spirit has aided in her creative problem solving
13:49 – What inspired Suzanne to focus on executive presence
16:41 – The importance of engagement in leadership
18:40 – Why mobilized action is key to implementing leadership skills
20:12 – How character, substance and style impact presence
24:02 – Embracing resonance in executive presence
25:24 – Suzanne’s journalism background
28:58 – Suzanne recalls a formative moment from her journalism career
30:59 – The key transferable skills that led to Suzanne’s success in business
35:16 – The decision process that led Suzanne to leave the journalism field
36:48 – Suzanne shares the self-discovery she experienced when she decided to change careers
39:29 – Suzanne discusses writing her first book, Speak Like a CEO
44:48 – Suzanne shares tips to discover your brand as a CEO
47:57 – The power of self-awareness
50:54 – Suzanne identifies the most common challenges and issues facing her clients
54:16 – Why it is vital to embrace teamwork
55:50 – Other lessons and realizations Suzanne has learned through fostering a team
59:12 – Why Suzanne would not change a thing about her journey
1:00:40 – Two practices that Suzanne values above all others
1:01:24 – Parting words of advice from Suzanne
1:03:29 – Aviv provides steps to create your new future

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf55

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In this episode, Aviv discusses the concept of greatness and, more specifically, how to avoid eroding the potential for greatness. In order to accomplish this, Aviv poses three questions to define what greatness is, how it can be eroded and what actions can prevent that outcome. Aviv identifies the three behaviors that erode the potential for greatness and provides practical antidotes to help avoid these. Aviv also shares the three octaves that converge in order to manifest greatness: the person, the platform and the purpose. When these three factors resonate with one another and produce a steady flow, the conditions for greatness are in place. Greatness requires focus, consistency, devotion to purpose, care and forbearance. Greatness can be found in sports teams, Broadway casts, organizational and professional teams, and a myriad of other areas. In these examples, a cohesive effort brings everyone together in a sense of unity and a shared purpose that allows individuals to transcend their egos and galvanizes them towards achieving that goal. Finally, Aviv challenges leaders to unlock the potential for greatness by celebrating the diversity of talent and by facilitating organizational alignment.

00:42 – Introducing today’s topic: Stop Eroding Your Potential for Greatness
01:25 – Aviv recalls a spontaneous conversation he recently had with a client
03:57 – The three questions Aviv utilizes to approach this conundrum
04:16 – What is greatness?
05:09 – The three converging octaves: the person, the platform and the purpose
08:24 – The components that are required for greatness
09:34 – How you may erode your potential for greatness
10:17 – Lowering expectations and standards
12:04 – Enabling cross-purpose work
13:52 – Allowing ego above value
15:14 – Now it’s your turn, unlock your potential for greatness by celebrating the diversity of talent working toward a unity of purpose

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf54

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In this episode, Aviv talks with Harry Duran, founder and CEO at Fullcast, a podcasting production company that helps prospective podcasters develop and cultivate their shows. Aviv starts off the episode by discussing the three value propositions that he provides in both his book Create New Futures as well as his podcast of the same name. Aviv delves deep into the metaphysical theory of the Three Big Bangs and provides insight as to how the Internet is serving and enabling the third Big Bang. Aviv explains the four levels of conversation and the inherent differences between them. Low-level conversations lead to more conflict, strife and misunderstanding, whereas other conversations provide the appropriate framework necessary to enable broader and more enlightened consciousness. Aviv provides insights into his personal background, including two formative influences that changed the way Aviv lived life. Aviv shares the profound lesson he learned while working in leadership development. Finally, Aviv discusses the enjoyment he gets from the discovery journey that has enabled him to meet and learn from fascinating people.

03:44 – Introducing today’s episode
04:20 – The format Aviv follows for Create New Futures
06:31 – The three value propositions Aviv provides
07:38 – The personal and metaphysical reason Aviv kept the same themes within his podcast as he did in his book CNF
09:42 – Aviv discusses the metaphysical theory of the Three Big Bangs
12:53 – Answering the question, ‘What is your highest point of leverage?’
13:22 – How the Internet is serving and enabling the explosion of consciousness
15:46 – Aviv explains what the Four Levels of Conversations
16:44 – Conversation Level One
17:14 – Conversation Level Two
17:39 – Conversation Level Three
18:19 – Conversation Level Four
19:41 – The Fifth Dimension: How we define intelligence
21:18 – Aviv discusses the importance of creating frameworks
22:35 – Aviv dissects a typical consulting conversation
24:42 – Insights into Aviv’s background and roots
28:03 – How a childhood heart condition influenced Aviv in his life’s pursuits
30:10 – The spirit of defiance
32:19 – Aviv defines the karmic pattern
34:35 – The importance of the developmental journey
35:36 – A lesson Aviv learned while working in leadership development
37:10 – Aviv discusses the three-legged journey into mastery
41:20 – The many mentors who helped Aviv along his journey
43:23 – The oath that Aviv made to himself
45:12 – Aviv’s time in the Israeli Air Force
48:03 – Aviv discusses the enjoyment he gets from the discovery journey while engaging with guests on his show
49:58 – Aviv defines codifying language to achieve actionable insights
52:17 – How Aviv has evolved as a podcast host
54:35 – Aviv compares podcasting and storytelling to the evolution of movies
57:20 – What is something Aviv has changed his mind about recently
59:06 – Aviv discusses the Five Levels of Integrity
1:04:13 – The importance Aviv places on contributing your all
1:05:01 – What is the most misunderstood thing about Aviv
1:08:22 – Aviv and Harry discuss their mutual admiration for each other’s partnership
1:08:55 – Where listeners can follow Aviv
1:10:23 – Harry encourages listeners to subscribe to the Podcast Junkies newsletter
1:10:40 – Harry challenges the audience to tell one new person about this show
1:10:59 – This week’s retention hashtag

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf53

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In this episode, Aviv discusses the topics of Leadership and Quantum Entanglement. At its core, quantum entanglement states that our world and universe are interconnected and there is an immediate and undeniable connectedness between all things. Aviv provides a thought experiment to help internalize this phenomenon and visualize how it can be linked to leadership. He then describes the threefold quantum entanglement imperative for leaders. Finally, Aviv urges listeners to embrace the co-creative learning loop of a connected world and feel empowered to take action.

00:48 – Introducing today’s topic, Leadership & Quantum Entanglement
01:00 – Quantum Entanglement explained
01:27 – Aviv provides a thought experiment
03:17 – The universal truth that the world and universe are interconnected
03:44 – Expanding on this concept with galactic examples
05:30 – The connection between quantum entanglement to leadership
06:50 – Aviv suggests three observable connections about different leaders
07:26 – Aviv shares the threefold quantum entanglement imperative for leaders
08:17 – The leadership quantum entanglement insight
08:52 – How you can step up and take immediate action
09:33 – Now it’s your turn, become conscious of the entangled world around you

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf52

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Mark Levy is the founder of Levy Innovation, a position and strategy firm that helps organizations and thought leaders differentiate by using a “big sexy idea.” Mark’s field of expertise is in that of positioning, meaning he works to position individuals, brands and organizations in places where they can make their greatest impact. Mark also has extensive consulting experience, having consulted with CEOs of major brands, The History Channel, and Netflix. Beside his positioning work, Mark is a co-creator of the hit New York City show Chamber Magic, which has run for eighteen years with over 5,000 performances to half a million people.

In this episode, Aviv and Mark discuss the process of differentiation, from understanding conventional ideas to discovering the big idea that leads your work. Mark gives his definition of what constitutes a “big, sexy idea,” and describes his “27th Idea” strategy, which challenges organizations to cycle through a multitude of ideas before arriving at a solution. Aviv and Mark also highlight the importance of authenticity and congruency as it relates to shaping success. Finally, Mark discusses the importance of divergent thinking and breaking away from societal norms and standard routines in order to reach business epiphanies.

01:12 – Introducing today’s guest, Mark Levy
04:13 – Mark shares one thing he is thankful for this year
05:38 – Aviv defines what it means to find your 4.0 self
08:20 – Mark discusses his concept of “The 27th Idea”
09:45 – Mark explains what he means when he references a big sexy idea
11:26 – What is the big sexy idea of Mark’s book, Accidental Genius
13:27 – Mark provides an example of a big sexy idea that differentiates against conventional norms
16:54 – Mark talks about the concept of “internal editors”
20:30 – Mark’s strategy for getting past the obvious
22:25 – The significance of a company’s backstory
24:36 – Mark discusses the “open kitchen concept” of business
26:20 – What Mark enjoys most about his work
28:29 – Mark’s core beliefs that guide and inspire him
31:23 – Mark describes his earliest formative memory
36:02 – The concept of “all-positioning”
37:25 – How Mark’s experience selling books helped shape his success
41:23 – Mark’s consulting role on “Netflix’s Mystery Science Theater 3000”
42:03 – Mark discusses collaborating on the hit New York City show “Chamber Magic”
45:48 – The importance of divergent thinking
49:35 – Parting words of wisdom from Mark
52:14 – Aviv provides steps to create your new future

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf51

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In this episode, Aviv discusses the means by which mastery can be achieved.The journey into mastery consists of three legs: awareness of a need, development practice and elevation mastery. In order to break down this journey, Aviv encourages the you to follow along as he draws a diagram image to serve as a journey visual. Aviv shows how each leg of the journey is meticulously interconnected and can have a great impact on your critical readiness. That critical readiness is the point where elevation to mastery occurs. Aviv demonstrates that mastery is not limited to business, entertainment or sport. Mastery can encompass the full range of endeavors, including teaching, coaching, leading, gardening, cooking, listening, caring and loving. Finally, Aviv urges listeners to focus on the need that drives you to embark on the development practice and patiently work toward readiness.

01:02 – Introducing today’s topic, ‘How to Reach Mastery’
01:27 – Aviv gives an example of a senior executive charged with establishing a completely new organization
02:19 – The importance of resourceful and rapid application when creating a sustained impact
03:53 – What’s holding us back from reaching our fullest potential?
04:48 – Defining sapient sapience
05:53 – Facing the Einstein puzzle
07:21 – The three-legged journey into mastery
08:04 – Aviv details a diagram of what this journey into mastery looks like
10:17 – The first leg of the journey: Awareness of a Need
12:32 – The second leg of the journey: Development Practice
14:13 – Aviv uses the example of the Israelites wandering in the desert to show the purpose of resistance in catalyzing necessary change
16:33 – The third leg of the journey: Elevation Mastery
17:37 – Aviv recalls a story about Al Pacino to convey that elevation to mastery occurs only when one is ready
20:50 – Mastery can be achieved in many different ways
22:31 – Now it’s your turn, focus on the need that drives you

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf50

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Monique Nolk is the Vice President and Worldwide Head of Alliances at Hewlett Packard. She has extensive experience in shaping and negotiating complex deals, leading change and transformation initiatives, and connecting and influencing multiple functions and levels of an organization. In her previous role, she was the Vice President of Operations and merger and acquisition integrations at HP, where she led the integration of the $3B Aruba network acquisition.

In this episode, Monique reflects on her current role and breaks down the components of successful alliance and negotiation tactics, where working towards building mutually beneficial outcomes is of the utmost importance. Aviv and Monique discuss the nuances that must be balanced in order to achieve win-win scenarios for both parties involved. Monique shares the insights she has gained over the course of her career to a provide a detailed roadmap on how to arrive at these win-win scenarios. Her strategies include understanding the needs and objectives of those involved in the scenario, simplifying the complex, making the process personable and helping others to navigate through the scenario. Monique is a proponent of fact-based management, as it eliminates emotions that may potentially cloud judgement. Aviv and Monique also define leadership styles and philosophies that they believe are key to success. Finally, Monique offers the importance of treating people with compassion, regardless of culture, age or background.

01:04 – Introducing today’s guest, Monique Nolk
02:48 – Monique discusses what she enjoys most about her work
04:12 – Defining successful relationships
05:31 – How Monique creates win-win scenarios
08:02 – Monique describes working in a male-dominated field
10:58 – How Monique cultivated her keen observation and assessment skills
13:03 – The importance of facilitating others to articulate solutions rather than dictating solutions to them
14:31 – Monique’s early career aspirations
15:37 – Monique’s educational background
16:47 – Spending time abroad in China
18:08 – How Monique’s time in China shaped her world view and perspective
20:17 – Monique recalls how she found her sweet spot
21:54 – Cultivating a sense of humor, wit and a touch of sarcasm
23:15 – How Monique’s career evolved after relocating to Houston
25:30 – Monique shares how she embraces challenges and adversity and turns them into growth experiences
28:56 – Monique’s leadership style and philosophy
31:50 – Aviv and Monique discuss the polarizing impact of social media on society
35:54 – Monique speaks on her passion for travel
39:00 – The importance of compassion and humor
39:46 – Parting words of wisdom from Monique
40:59 – Aviv provides steps to create your new future

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf49

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In this episode, Aviv identifies three leadership imperatives and explains them in the context of an economic cycle. These leadership imperatives include strategic innovation, operational excellence, and people development. Aviv shares his observation that strategic innovation is the natural focus when big opportunities and new technologies are introduced at the beginning of an economic cycle. Conversely, in the late phases of the cycle, the focus shifts to efficient execution and operational excellence. Finally, developing people and empowering them to take great ideas and execute them is also a vital throughout the economic cycle. In summary, Aviv provides listeners with a few competencies within each of the three leadership imperatives with the hopes that evaluating proficiency in each one will lead to personal and professional development and catalyzed growth.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf48

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Glenn Mattson is the CEO of Mattson Enterprise Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales and management productivity and effectiveness. He leads a team of consultants who provide solutions to agency leaders and sales people facing the challenges of achieving extraordinary success in highly competitive and overcrowded markets. He is also a successful keynote speaker, a gifted and respected platform trainer and author. His true passion, however, is coaching which allows him to help his clients understand where they are going and how best to get there.

In this episode, Aviv and Glenn discuss the myriad of ways to achieve, measure and sustain success. They talk about the importance of embracing challenges, setbacks and failures, as they are part of life and contain tremendous lessons for personal growth. Glenn identifies three interconnected factors that influence success: attitude, behavior, and technique. Attitude drives behavior and allows techniques to be utilized. Glenn details the processes he uses to help clients absolve and rescript their negative beliefs to catalyze meaningful change. Aviv and Glenn also broach the affinity addiction and workplace issues that can arise from the need and desire to be liked. They urge listeners to combat this by building self-esteem and working hard to gain respect through leadership, contributions, and values. Finally, Glenn shares his philosophies on growth motivation and the tactics that can lead to positive change in organizations.

01:13 – Introducing Glenn Mattson
02:01 – Services that Mattson Enterprise provides
02:42 – Glenn discusses his passion for coaching
03:49 – Three pillars of success: attitude, behavior, and technique
06:12 – The affinity addiction
11:01 – The distinction between a plan and an execution
11:49 – Glenn’s ‘No Guts, No Gain’ program for success
14:34 – Growth motivation
16:08 – A setback that Glenn successfully turned into a learning experience
18:04 – How Glenn motivates his clients to break out of their unsuccessful behaviors
20:33 – Why Glenn looks at a company’s objectives, strategy, structure, staff, and skills
22:38 – What Glenn means by ‘fixing the pain’
24:22 – The advice Glenn gives to those who have their backs against the wall
26:17 – The importance of failure
26:50 – Glenn’s philosophy of ‘Pay Time’ versus ‘No Pay Time’
27:25 – Preserving high self-esteem
28:28 – Parting words of wisdom from Glenn
30:55 – Aviv provides steps to create your new future

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf47

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What problem are you trying to solve? In this episode, we hear a segment harvested from the audible of Aviv’s book, Create New Futures. Aviv uses an anecdotal example of a project manager, Tim, who is worried that his team is not motivated to embrace the company’s expanded mission. Aviv explores with Tim the possibility that he is misdiagnosing his team’s response and, if that is the case, he will have a difficult time implementing an effective intervention. Aviv frames the risks of developing a displaced analysis and the dangers that lie within this conundrum. He observes that intellectual laziness and lack of curiosity are more often the root causes of displaced analysis. Finally, Aviv discusses diagnostic thinking and poses four questions to Tim in order to help him define and implement a solution to his problem.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf46

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David Harding is an executive with over 25 years of technology leadership experience. David is the Senior Vice President and CTO of ImageWare Systems, Inc. Of his many accolades, David is credited with transforming this traditional software company into a leading cloud and software as a service provider, with services and products that are licensed and resold by some of the world’s largest corporations. He is an expert in the field of biometrics, identity management and enterprise security. In addition to his business acumen, David is also a prolific inventor, holding multiple patents with even more pending, and an avid musician.

In this episode, Aviv and David cover a variety of technology and business topics, ranging from blockchain to data breaches. David discusses his current role and breaks down the distinction between biometrics and identity management. He cautions about the ever-growing need for cyber security in our society and discusses the outdated nature of passwords. David also touches on government and private sector misuse of cyber security, even going so far as to describe the Equifax data breach as one of the most catastrophic in history. Aviv asks David about how he got his start in the software industry and what advice he would give his younger self. Finally, Aviv and David discuss the importance of passion, empathy, and learning to adapt in the workplace.

01:07 – Introducing David Harding
02:24 – David’s latest projects
03:31 – What excites David about working in cyber security
05:33 – Understanding the distinction between biometrics and identity management
07:35 – Cyber security and the ever-evolving need to adapt to cyber threats
09:28 – David discusses public and private sectors that use identity management
13:30 – David explains blockchain technology
16:42 – Why it is difficult for companies to transition into “software as a service” model
19:05 – The practical application of transactional scalability
20:26 – How music provided a source of inspiration for David
22:17 – How the skills David learned while playing in a band transferred to business success
25:48 – The importance of mutual trust and respect to business team success
26:34 – When did David know that he wanted to work in software?
29:28 – Why artificial intelligence (AI) overpromised and under delivered
32:54 – Are we on the precipice of delivering on technologies such as artificial intelligence?
34:53 – David’s innovation process looks to identify pain points to reach solutions
37:22 – David describes a seminal experience that shaped his career
42:35 – What the future holds for biometric technology
46:07 – The rapidly growing fields of behavioral analytics and machine learning
46:48 – David’s advice to his younger self
49:15 – Parting words of wisdom from David
51:00 – Aviv provides steps to create your new future

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf45

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The Law of Becoming states that you become the object of your focus. In this episode, Aviv focuses on the importance of Law of Becoming and its impact on leadership. He uses historical examples and anecdotes to stress the benefits of standing for an ideal rather than against one. Aviv also reflects on defining the focus of one’s development and the four laws that govern and impact the results. He warns against the risks of displaced self-definitions, hollow victories and repeated behavioral patterns. By choosing to invest energy towards positive ideals, causes and goals, you can continue to evolve, creating new possibilities and enabling innovative opportunities.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf44

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Colin Morgan is the founder and host of The Daily Grind Podcast. On his show, Colin interviews some of the world’s most successful business owners and entrepreneurs in order to inspire listeners to be the next great entrepreneurs. He explores with entrepreneurs their background, how they began their business, what obstacles and hardships they had to face, and what inspired them to do so.

In this episode, Aviv’s interview with Colin Morgan is featured. Colin asks Aviv about what brought and inspired him to do the work that he does. Aviv reflects on the important decisions he made earlier in his life that have brought him to where he is today. He also speaks of his experience in the Israeli Air Force and its impact on his journey, what differentiates great leaders and the importance of personal growth and self-discovery. Colin and Aviv also discuss the topics featured in Aviv’s new book, Create New Futures: How Leaders Produce Breakthroughs and Transform the World Through Conversation.

01:47 - Aviv gives a brief introduction of himself
03:13 - What was the drive that led Aviv to start Aviv Consulting
05:28 - Why learning quickly became first nature for Aviv
07:36 - What was the core driver for Create New Futures, Aviv’s new book
09:35 - What is your highest leverage as a leader
11:22 - Aviv offers some tips and techniques to help you find and create your future
17:33 - What would Aviv tell his younger self if given the chance to go back in time
18:38 - What motivates Aviv to get out of bed everyday
20:30 - Something Aviv does every day that contributes to his success
22:28 - The difference between a high performing individual and an average performing individual
23:57 - Thought of the day

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf43

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In this episode, Aviv discusses the seven principles for creating breakthrough in business and in life. He explains how leaders can experience meaningful transformations through the process of orchestrated serendipity and why it’s important to understand the motivation that propels us to do certain things. Aviv also describes what he does in his workshops to help leadership teams generate new ideas and create breakthroughs by stimulating fresh perspectives. By disrupting habitual patterns, carving a new conversation space, activating curiosity and new synaptic connections, alternating the foreground and the background, initiating zero-gravity explorations, and elevating the energy field and presence of the group, you can unleash profound breakthroughs, and discover a sense of shared purpose and inspired commitment.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf42

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Shelley Stewart is the Vice President of Sourcing and Logistics and the Chief Procurement Officer at the DuPont Company, delivering a portfolio of products and solutions in more than 90 countries. Before joining DuPont, Shelley was Senior Vice President of Operational Excellence and Chief Procurement Officer at Tyco International.

In this episode, Shelley speaks about the inspirations and role models that shaped his journey and his leadership insights. He frames the importance of learning outside of his comfort zone and how his network of peers, colleagues, and friends opened critical opportunities for him. Shelley offers that you should never let your aspirations control you. Instead, it is for you to manage your aspirations, while focusing on servant leadership, and on becoming the best you can be in whatever you do.

02:23 - Aviv’s first meeting with Shelley
03:32 - What is Shelley working on now
05:12 - How did Shelley approach the challenge of the Dow-DuPont merger
07:04 - Some of the big lessons Shelley has implemented to work effectively through conflict
10:00 – Why reframing the conversation is so important
13:35 - What inspired Shelley when he was growing up and his childhood neighborhood as a village
16:01 - Shelley’s journey to getting his first job
19:48 - Biggest lessons Shelley learned through his 19-year career working for United Technologies
21:13 - Working with the Israeli air force
22:43 - Learning outside of his comfort zone
23:53 - Transitioning from United Technologies to Tyco
26:41 - Working with a vast network of people leads to opportunities
28:29 - Giving back to the community
29:23 - What shaped Shelley’s leadership philosophy and the shift from doing to leading
35:15 - Looking for intellectual curiosity in others
37:58 - Shelley’s father mentored people and how that influence Shelley
39:41 - Coaching advice Shelley gives to people early in their career
41:58 - What provides Shelley with the greatest sense of pride
43:08 - Parting wisdom Shelley would like to share

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf41

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In this episode, Aviv Shahar discusses the distinction between the toddler learning experience and the anatomy of adult learning as well as explains the cause of breakdowns in the adult learning cycle that produce devastating loss of ROI. He also explains how you and your team can prevent the failures of collective stupidity and how collective stupidity can be detrimental to opportunities and the growth of individuals and teams. Aviv advises you to teach and coach your teams how to recognize the three points of learning failure, in order to maximize and realize their transformative potential.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf40

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David Gommé is the founder of Future Dynamics. For more than three decades David has been helping CEOs and executives get centered, develop clarity of progress, and operate at significantly higher levels and in better and more enlightened ways. David is a big picture thinker, an intuitive coach who brings game-changing insights to the human condition and to how leaders can unleash latent capabilities and translate ideas to produce sustained results.

He also produces a free insight periodical, The Fulcrum, to help emerging leaders focus on important objectives in understanding self-awareness, change, and leadership.

David has helped coach and consult senior executives, leadership teams, and entrepreneurs understand the dynamics of change as well as their own potential in order to create new futures for their business.

03:23 - The evolution of David’s work from Capable Dynamics to Future Dynamics
09:24 - David wanted to utilize his skills in a new way to help leaders understand the essence of change and its impact on organizational systems
11:44 - A reflection of a recent experience on the cycle of change
12:49 - Stress produces adverse effects on the human body which prevent productivity
15:44 - The Ten Actors Methodology and the fundamentals that shaped this approach
18:33 - The hammer and the nail analogy for habitual responses
22:08 - In each person, there is the lesser person and the greater person when reacting to stress
26:42 - The developmental potential for human beings to unleash a wider range of skills
28:17 - How David frames and shapes the journey of personal development for executives
32:15 - White noise and distraction in the 21st century
34:35 - CEOs reach out to David for help due to personal needs or help going through the journey
36:15 - The level of intimacy in coaching CEOs initially shocked David
39:50 - David’s explanation of his terminology: “developmental divergence”
46:31 - Having a different conversation can lead to a very different outcome
47:18 - Feedback as one of the triads of organizational issues
49:49 - David explains “The Missing Blue,” as mentioned in his newsletter, The Fulcrum
58:44 - How humans were meant to think—to think with feeling
1:00:49 - The Taj Mahal principle and the Law of Three Octaves
1:08:21 - David’s advice for listeners to set themselves free and become creative in new ways

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf39

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In this episode, I identify six attributes which make up the framework I use to best answer the question, “What are the measures of a life well-lived”.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf38

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Carl Gould is a business growth expert who advises organizations on how they can unleash their growth. By the time he was 40, he had already built three multi-million-dollar businesses and after attending a personal development seminar in 1990, he fell in love with the idea of helping others set and achieve goals and work/life balance. He knew right then and there that coaching and mentoring others was going to be part of his life going forward.

Carl has written seven books on business, strategy, leadership, and growth, including, The Seven Stages of Small-Business Success, which I discuss with him in detail in our conversation.

Together with a team of mentors and coaches, Carl has helped many entrepreneurs dramatically grow their businesses.

01:58 - What he’s working on that energizes and excites him
02:58 - The biggest challenges he sees for business leaders today
05:54 - When he knew that helping and coaching entrepreneurs grow their business would be the focus of his work
06:42 - Why the experience of self-development captivated him so much
08:30 - How he turned his excitement for coaching into his work of helping businesses grow
11:03 - Carl explains why a business never gets off the ground and stays arrested in the Strategic Planning stage (stage 1 of his book)
13:09 - Carl explains stage 2 of his book, the Specialty stage (when a job is born)
15:46 - Carl explains why he calls stage 3 the Synergy stage, and what the leadership requirements are as businesses evolve to this stage
19:03 - Why so many businesses fail to transition to stage 4, the Systems stage, and what must occur from stage 3 to stage 4 to build systems that enable the business
21:32 - The distinctions between stage 5 and 6, the Sustainability and Sellability stage and the transitions and significance of evolving to these stages
25:09 - What entrepreneurs must learn to be prepared for Stage 7, the Succession stage
29:07 - How he helps leaders facilitate the alchemy that helps them realize their full potential
32:30 – How did Tony Robbins and Ichak Adizes influenced Carl
34:00 - Where he thinks he’ll be in 10 years
35:01 - Carl shares his parting wisdom

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf37

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In this episode, I provide five ideas to help you reboot, energize and propel yourself to new growth.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf36

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Damion Lupo is an American Sensei and the founder of Yokido Martial Arts, a fusion of the practices of Yoga and Aikido. He is also the author of Reinvented Life and leads three global companies with one unified mission: to free a million people from financial bondage.

By bringing the principles of Yokido, which means Lethal Kindness, and the presence and generosity of the martial arts to entrepreneurship, finance and business, Damion is helping countless people find their personal freedom and confidence so money doesn’t continue to control their lives.

In this episode, you will learn how Damion got involved in the martial arts, how he teaches people to be present and grounded, how financial freedom is different from financial security as well as so much more.

01:37 - What Damion is currently working on
01:57 - Why his mission of freeing a million people from financial bondage is so important to him
02:43 - The most energizing part of his mission and work
04:10 - What the quote he has on his email signature line means to him
05:21 - His journey into his epiphany about self-responsibility
08:47 - How he got involved in the martial arts
10:11 - Damion explains becoming the martial arts
11:01 - Yokido and the process that gave birth to it
12:58 - The three guiding principles of martial arts
15:33 - Power vs Force inside and outside the arena of the martial arts
19:20 - The importance of developing somatic awareness and its role in the journey to personal mastery
20:27 - How he teaches people to be present and grounded
22:09 - How he went from a Yokido martial artist to coaching clients about personal and financial freedom
26:15 - What he’s learned about fear, overcoming fear, and finding confidence
28:42 - How he teaches and helps people face fear and find confidence
33:14 - Damion gives an example of his process of releasing someone from their fear to finding their inner confidence
35:45 - How he defines financial freedom and how’s it’s different from financial security
40:38 - The golden rule and the silver rule
42:52 - Saying “no” more than saying “yes”
44:13 - What a sense of purpose means to him and how it guides him in his work and the way he designs his life
46:43 - How asking yourself how you can be of service to more people can force you to disrupt yourself and your business
48:50 - What he’s currently working on to better himself
50:16 - Where he thinks he’ll be 10 years from now
51:01 - The advice he would give himself if he was 25 again searching to find his professional path
52:06 - Final thoughts from Damion

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf35

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In this episode, I focus on the three jobs that leaders and their team members must take up in order for a business to realize their opportunities, create a transformative future, and achieve an ambitious business strategy.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf34

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This is a replay from the Build Your Network podcast where I was interviewed by Travis Chappell. In our conversation, I discuss the two core premises of my book, Create New Futures, the keys to building my network, what high achieving executives struggle with the most, and Travis asks me a series of rapid, random questions I had fun answering.

01:40 - What I’m most excited about
03:32 - My book, Create New Futures and its two core premises
05:54 - How I find my clients
06:37 - The key to building my network
09:07 - What high achieving executives in top, large companies struggle with the most
12:14 - Whether I believe if who you know or what you know is more important and why
16:16 - I share two examples where I made connections with people and they became champions for me in my life and helped me to succeed
21:52 - How mentorships and mastermind settings have been important to me
23:18 - What I would tell someone who has never had a mentor or been involved in a mastermind
26:27 - Using one of your best assets: attention and focus
29:52 - The three professions I think would be fun to attempt
30:19 - Who I would sit with on a park bench (past or present) and speak with for an hour
31:12 - My favorite medium for consuming content
31:42 - What my typical morning routine looks like
32:19 - My go-to pump-up song
32:33 - What I’m not very good at

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf33

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In this episode, I talk about and explain the five dimensions of integrity in response to a question put forward by a female manager concerned about maintaining her integrity in the face of others perceptions of her leadership style.

As you will learn, there are five dimensions of integrity from which you can choose to respond in any given situation. These five dimensions represent increasingly higher levels of integrity and versatility. Understanding these five dimensions will allow you to personalize your communication and responses situationally.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf32

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This is a replay from Hack the Entrepreneur podcast where I was interviewed by Jon Nastor. In this conversation, Jon asks me about my clients and how I am able to attain 99% of them through referrals. I explain the three important decisions I made early on in life that led me to work and help the people I do today, saying “yes” to opportunities before having it all figured out, and I touch upon the process I went through to write my book, Create New Futures.

02:21 - The one thing I do with my clients and the practice I engage in that has been the biggest contributor to both their success and mine
07:21 - What I do to stay in touch with my previous clients
08:54 - How I am able to attain 99% of my clients from referrals
11:27 - The three important decisions I made early on in my life that led me to work with the clients and businesses I do today
17:55 - Saying “yes” to a job even without having all the answers and the “mental-bungee jump”
19:46 - The process I went through in writing my book, Create New Futures
22:25 - The three different audiences I wrote my book for
25:48 - A toddler’s way of learning compared to adult learning
27:13 - My 90/10 rule for adult learning
28:20 - The four stages of adult learning
32:45 - How I measure a life well lived

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf31

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What is the future of leadership? How must leaders embrace change? How will our leadership role models evolve or remain the same in coming decades?

As the global landscape shapeshifts, society experiences rapid changes with the confluence of technological breakthroughs, economic and cultural tremors, and tectonic geopolitical transitions. If we are to leverage the opportunities that such volatility presents, our concept of leadership and our notions of how leaders operate must be tested and updated accordingly.

In a recent Create New Futures webinar I was asked what I admire about women who are in leadership positions. In addition to sharing my response in this article, my intention is to encourage you to build your own coaching and communication versatility by using that conversation to demonstrate how I apply framing and reframing skills to provide context for my responses. This is why the article’s format is different from my usual approach. Rather than report my comprehensive reply, I offer relevant value by sharing the thought process that led me to my response.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf30

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Greg Shoemaker is the Global Head of Supply Chain Central and Direct Procurement Services at HP. He is responsible for $23M in annual spend. In this engaging interview, I speak with Greg about the responsibilities of his position and key lessons he has learned. We get insight into his decision making skills, and understand how he's been able to cope with crisis events.

In this conversation you will learn how Greg got his start and what he's doing to keep HP successful.

00:03 What does Greg enjoy the most in his role as Procurement Manager
03:35 What were the early focus areas that put his team on the path to success?
05:00 Greg shares key lessons learned while operating in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) environment
06:40 Greg comments on importance of understanding your markets well
08:15 Insight into where a decision allowed Greg to take a important position in the market.
10:00 What is Greg's philosophy when it comes to sustaining relationships?
13:20 Examples of crisis which tested Greg and his organization, and how he responded.
18:15 What enables Greg to adapt and stay agile?
19:45 A memorable negotiation story
22:00 What else goes into the right kind of risk-taking in business?
25:00 What's Greg's scariest personal adventure?
27:00 How of this was a planned journey vs. a surprise?
28:30 What advice would he give his 25-year old self?
30:10 What are the 2 most important elements Greg derived from working with Aviv?
32:00 Advice from a mentor which Greg has carried throughout life
34:30 Where will Greg be in 10 years?

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf29

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How are you debriefing the last 12 months? What learning insights will you take forward to apply and build on in the new year?

Reflecting on the past twelve months, I am grateful for an extraordinarily special year filled with challenges and opportunities. This was our best and busiest year ever, with exciting work that afforded us a myriad of learning and development opportunities. Working with clients who trust and believe in me is a special privilege. I learn and grow through my interactions with them, and I cherish their successes, development and growth. Here are eight learning insights that I plan to apply throughout the coming year:

Champion the leverage of leaders. Since I published Create New Futures in 2016, teams I worked with around the world quickly embraced the book's game-changing idea: because the currency of leadership is conversation, a leader's highest leverage is shaping the conversation. Constantly ask yourself these questions: "What conversation are we in? Is this the most critical conversation for us, or is there a better more important conversation we need to develop?"
Catalyze a new future now. To help senior teams create new organizational and business futures, I teach them to pivot from displaced and disempowering discussions to creating effective conversations that resolve in purposeful agreements and actions. Although simple, this practice requires a profound behavioral shift. The transformative future state always begins right here, right now, in the way we connect the dots and in the conversations we create to enable the envisioned outcomes.
Produce three streams of value. To maximize your contributions and their significance for your clients, constantly strive to create an impact at three levels: ecosystem, team, and individual. This focus will empower you to deliver exponential breakthroughs because it enables you to address the related three layers of value: 1) improved business outcomes, 2) enhanced organizational and team effectiveness, and 3) happier, more successful, and healthier employees.
Discover the third alternative. Refuse to accept the first or second obvious response to challenges. During my daily run on the soft sand at the beach this morning, I developed a pain in the upper part of my right foot. After feeling the pain, I identified my response options. First, I could stop running, which would eliminate the stress on my foot. Second, I could accelerate my pace and push harder to run through the pain. Instead, I defined and chose a third alternative. I continued my gentle running without any visible change while focusing on the pain. I shifted my attention to my right foot. Becoming 100% attuned and present to the discomfort, I breathed into the pain. With a sense of curiosity, I sought to decipher the message my foot was sending me. In less than a minute the pain was gone, and I was able to complete my run.   Occasionally you may experience interactions with people in much the same way that I suffered the pain in my foot. The key is to remember that you get to choose how you respond. For example, if the other person is frustrated and harsh, you can choose to disconnect and abort the conversation (option 1) or become harder and stronger yourself to push back (option 2). Depending on the circumstances, both alternatives can be legitimate approaches. Often though, a third option is likely to be more impactful: become fully present and attuned to the behavior. Don't resist or fight the other person. Instead, become curious about the "painful" behavior. If you breathe into the difficulty, you will discover you've released the struggle. Practice concentrating fully on the purpose of the interaction and on the concerns that need to be addressed to forward that purpose.
Cultivate organizational resilience. As the environment continues to shift rapidly and uncertain, volatile changes unfold, organizations must develop and sustain a high level of resilience. Fostering high-trust networks and building flexible redundancies into the value chain enables them to avoid single critical failure points. Teams I worked with this year have focused on developing robust agility by cultivating personal and organizational resilience. They are developing the mission-critical muscles needed to thrive in a VUCA world by practicing discipline, maximizing their learn-ability, challenging assumptions, and accelerating the prototyping of solutions to address their customers' needs.
Renew your energy. Embrace situations and people that energize you and elicit the best in you. Surrender to the process of personal renewal. Release habits and arrangements that hold you back. Life is too short to allow yourself to be consumed by people who suck the energy out of you, tire you out, engender frustration and fatigue, and dull the brightness of what you can do and who you are capable of becoming. Instead, surround yourself with high-energy people who are filled with optimism, can-do power, and confidence, people who renew you and help you see and seize opportunities.
Trust your intuition and be confident. Obstacles, setbacks and challenges often are blessings in disguise. They can lead the way from a good option to a superior one. To see greater opportunities, you must disassociate yourself from and release outdated attachments. Let go of internalized narratives that no longer serve you well and/or that stunt your growth. You make these shifts by gathering your confidence and conviction, listening to what's arising in you, and trusting and acting upon your intuitive and creative process.
Orchestrate serendipity. Enabling new futures to emerge now requires that you inspire and enable breakthrough experiences that lead people to surprise themselves with their own capability and capacity to be transformational. You must orchestrate and facilitate serendipity by elevating the team's presence, initiating zero-gravity explorations and guiding convergent and purposeful movement that unleashes hidden opportunities.

Now it's your turn. Turn the key. Champion the leverage of leaders. Produce three streams of value. Discover the third alternative. Cultivate organizational resilience. Renew your energy. Trust your intuition and be confident. Orchestrate serendipity that enables new futures to emerge now.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf28

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After spending 14 years in corporate America, Geoff Bellman launched his consulting firm – 40 years ago. His consulting has focused on renewing large, mature organizations the likes of Verizon, Shell, and Boeing.

Geoff is also an author and has written such books as, The Consultant’s Calling: Bringing Who You Are to What You Do, which is how I was first introduced to him. His most recent book, Extraordinary Groups: How Extraordinary Teams Achieve Amazing Results, explores teams, families, and groups that perform beyond everyone’s expectations. In this book, Geoff seeks to find out what enables such breakthrough performance to happen. Listen in to learn more about Geoff and his insightful views on this fascinating topic.

Essential learning points:

The speed at which we work today discourages reflection.

Organizationally we’ve not been in this phase for very long. It has only been a couple of decades that we’ve been working at this speed, and we truly don’t know what the hell we are doing right now. Organizations have not found ways to adapt yet.

We know how to deluge people with data but we don’t yet know how to put it together as information that’s really useful. It is a mess as it ought to be. This is a transformative time, and we don’t know what we are transforming to.

We are used to being in control. We should be seeking answers now. And I don’t think we should know what the answers are now.

“Our thesis was that if you gather people in a gymnasium and you asked them to sort out what made teams great, they would come to agreement about certain elements regardless of the skills and or the context.”

What the six needs that people have when they join a team?

There is a healthy tension between the current state and the future possibility and between the need to be accepted as you are (current) to the need to be realizing your potential (future).

People describe great team work as magic, chemistry, we love each other, but I cannot come to a new team and say “do magic, do chemistry”, so we had to get beneath the magical expression.

How do you encourage and help a team become great? What are the behaviors and ways to help a team discover a peak experience?

What are the eight indicators of extraordinary teams?

The transformation is more about seeing than about doing; more about perspective than it is about a skill. The world looks different when you have been transformed.

Pay attention to yourself and who you are becoming.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf27

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At this time, as you reflect on all that you’ve achieved this year and on your hopes and aspirations for the future, it feels appropriate to offer my letter to Jane, that I included in the epilogue to Create New Futures.

“I feel like an impostor,” Jane told me. She was one of the brightest young professionals I had ever encountered, much wiser than her young age might lead you to think. “Sometimes I am amazed at the responsibilities and opportunities handed to me. Inside of me is a nagging fear that I may be found out, that I cannot be that good,” she added.

The other names for the impostor anxiety are the “fear of becoming an authority” or “the fear of having power.” Many people suffer from and grapple with a form of this anxiety. I, too, have experienced my share.

I skipped the academic route, and I largely skipped the corporate road. Instead, I chose to travel a different path. In my mid-forties, my father-in-law continued to ask occasionally when I would start studying at the university. “But Moshe,” I would smile, “do you realize I already have PhDs and senior executives participating in my seminars, coming to learn from me?” Like my father, his educational opportunity was stolen during World War II, when he escaped Warsaw to join the Jewish Brigade in the Russian Army to fight in support of the Allied forces. For the rest of his life, he retained his desire and love for education.

I am lucky. Both my father and mother learned early on to trust that I was following my own inner guidance. In fairness, they each struggled with their own full plates of responsibilities, leaving me largely to my own devices and convictions. A true gift indeed.

I realized Jane was asking me to afford her the same validation I had received from my parents. “How can I provide the touch of confidence and self-belief she needs?” was the question I pondered. I sat down to write the following letter to Jane.

Dear Jane,

When it comes to overcoming fear and anxiety, consider that you already have conquered the first great fear that every human must face: that of appearing in this world. Nothing can be more overwhelming than being born into this strange world. The sheer courage to emerge from the womb into the helplessness of total dependence on the adults around you (who in some cases are ill-informed and not very helpful) is powerful beyond compare.

Some will say the reality of being born is inescapable and automatic. However, I believe it represents the greatest act of courage and faith, more significant by an order of magnitude than any other we perform thereafter. The awesome realization that a soul presence and a spirit inhabit the body early in its development to fortify the birthing act, signifies for me the great light that shines through every day of my earthly living.

When I am beset with fears, I remind myself of the courage of my birth. I then recall the incredible challenges I have overcome, and the miraculous events that followed as a result. I remember the heart specialist who never looked me in the eye when he said to my father, “Your son has a condition that needs to be monitored and he should not exert himself,” which I mistakenly interpreted as a death sentence. Talk about fear… I was left physically shaking. To banish that fear I started running in earnest, winning the Israeli long distance running championship five years later. None of my competitors knew that I was not competing with them, but fighting against my own fear.

Later, as an Air Force pilot, I nearly crashed more than once and had a few flight near-misses. Those experiences made me realize that I never am alone, never without support or guidance. Even when I fall on my face, I am not without help, except in times when I allow fear to separate me from the bounty of care and guidance that is freely offered. And even then, I still am being watched over in spite of myself. We all are. There is evidence galore that so much in this universe is willing and ready to help you, to help me, to help us all. Much is invested in our success. My improbable journey and yours bear testimony to this truth.

Living is a theater. We all are here on a journey of discovery. Pretending or faking it until it is real is one of the fastest ways to syphon learning. We all were impostors on the first day of school, the first time on the soccer field or in the choir, the first time we were caught up in the act of love, and in the first solo attempt at driving. Impostor anxiety is merely the echoing hangover of these experiences.

Therefore, central to the development journey is the updating of one’s own self-view. As we grow, we all must release the old self-views that no longer serve us well.

Living is about overcoming setbacks, disappointments and challenges. It is a journey in which you make new connections, unfolding the reason and purpose why you are here on this Earth at this time, and get closer to the supreme realization and knowing that your life matters.

The vistas of possibilities that have opened up in my life extend beyond what I had imagined. More often than not, they have been a source of great surprises. The most radical moments of breakthrough always found me when I was able to gently unburden myself of my limiting beliefs. Often these beliefs centered on a view I had held dearly and could not imagine being without. Time and again, a methodology or a way of working that had seemed essential, with no apparent way to proceed without it, would then appear to be a figment of my own imagination that had initially acted as my crutches. All I had to do was lay them down and release the mental model that had enabled them in the first place.

There is very little we achieve or do on our own. I would not be where I am today without the help of many people. I never forget this fact. There has been a chain of never-ending miracle workers: the teacher who did not give up on me when I struggled, the stranger who rescued me at a point of desperate need, the friends and communities that still provide me with fortitude, the clients who trusted me. The list goes on.

I tell you this for a fact: as you wake up every day, many people—some knowingly, but many not—are conspiring to help you take the next step to carry you forward, to help you grow and evolve beyond your wildest imagination.

Always remember, there is an army of helpers fighting for you, even when you do not see them. They need you to do your part. They need you to make an effort. They need you to make your next move in order for them to show up and help. And you, too, are part of an army of helpers for others, some of whom you know, others whom you do not.

You are here for a purpose. Remember, you have an extraordinary gift. You can learn today what you did not know yesterday. Time and again I have been in situations that felt like I was drinking from a fire hose. Without exception, the learning journey is non-linear. Learning even can bend time. When the need is urgent, certain interventions can be designed to create an immediate transfer of three months’ worth of learning in just three days, or even faster.

I know all this to be true for you, too. What I say to myself, I say to you. Here is my conviction, which I propose that you adopt as a reminder to yourself:

First, there is almost nothing I cannot learn. If my life or family depended on it, I probably could act in a movie as a convincing though imperfect stand-in for George Clooney.

Second, and even more importantly, I fear no person, alive or dead, in business, academia, politics, or any other field. I am prepared to hold a conversation with anyone —a head of state, a Nobel Prize laureate, a powerful CEO or a saint—human to human, free of fear. I know that when we sit down to talk, I will find ways to create mutual value. Just as I am capable of bringing a unique perspective that enriches us both with new understanding and insight, so are you.

The only other point to remember is that we all use the toilet (except Canadians, who use the washroom). That fact, along with the knowledge that we each are unique and carry the gift of our experiences, liberates me to recognize there is no person we should be afraid to meet, or worry that somehow, we are not up to the task. I tell you that you are more than enough, that you can and will do well in any circumstance. You must believe in yourself: so much in this Universe already does believe in you, and expects and awaits your joining in that belief. I believe in you too.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf26

Create New Futures: How Leaders Produce Breakthroughs and Transform the World Through Conversation

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Ravi Venkataraman is the founder of Alive Consulting where he mentors and consults global companies on setting up their shared services operations and on developing design thinking and leadership. For more than three decades he held global leadership roles with banking and with shared services organizations.

As the former Senior Vice President and head of Global Business Services at Hewlett Packard, he led a multifunction shared services organization of 18,000 employees located in 58 countries and was responsible for the back office operations of the entire company which handled millions of transactions everyday.

In this conversation, Ravi reflects on leadership lessons, making tough decisions, overcoming fear, and on the four spiritual principles that guide him in life and in business.

“I am working on shaping the future by enabling tomorrow’s leaders.”
What gets me going everyday is the realization that where there is curiosity, the adult in the child and the child in the adult are awake, and that is how innovation happens. To activate curiosity, we need to work on how to ask the right questions.
Three things shaped my approach as a leader. The first was prayer. Prayer not only helped me become grateful but also ensured that I have everyone in my prayer. For me prayer is a communication with the deepest part of myself.
The bridge you have to cross to convert your dreams into reality is fear, and prayer helps me do that.
I said to the chemistry professor, 'The test tube got broken.’ The teacher hitting my hand said, ‘Please say I broke a test tube.’ My dad explained, ‘The teacher was trying to teach you accountability. You have to be accountable for your actions and learn to live with the consequences.’
Football and music taught me about teamwork, about relationships, and about connecting the dots in an unusual way.
How did Ravi’s dad teach him to pray? To first overcome fear and second to surrender to God. Prayer helped me handle setbacks and be grateful for whatever I have.
How a setback and losing an opportunity opened a whole new future for Ravi.
How did Ravi learn to empathize with customers?
What were the two reasons Ravi was recruited and hired to help HP build its shared services organizations?
Why did Ravi love the sales role and being with customers?
“Every time I’ve had a win it was a real high. When I had a loss, it wasn’t as bad a low.
The Four Spiritual Principles that guide Ravi through life and work:
1. Whomever you enchanter is the right one. This means they are t here to help you in your journey in life.
2. Whatever happened is the only thing that could have happened. It happened so you can learn from the experience. Life is teaching me a lesson.
3. Each moment in which something begins is the right moment. Every moment is the beginning of a new life.
4. What is over is over. Once the experience ends you were supposed to have learned from it, moved on, and evolve.
How does Ravi apply the 7-rung model in his design thinking workshops and in his mentoring work?
How did Ravi shift his organization from outputs focus to an outcomes-driven work and thereby close a $400MM gap in three months?
How did Ravi lead a large-scale transformation involving people, technology, business processes, and customer experience?
Why when you do not agree on everything at the senior leadership level you must get alignment.
I learn best by asking questions and by listening.
Why does Ravi approach organizational changes by announcing a date with destiny? How do you compress 12 months of complex reengineering work into nine weeks?
The pressure of defining success in a narrow way resulted in us preferring to be right over being kind. The Dalai Lama said, “It is better to be kind than to be right.” In business, you can be kind and make the tough decisions too.
From maximizing shareholders value to shaping a new mindset addressing all stakeholders.
What we can learn from the honey hunter about productivity found in the laws of nature, and how nature’s sustainability is more efficient.
Transforming education in rural India with the help of technology and 600 volunteers from 110 cities around the world.
“God has given me an opportunity to be of service and help to people. It is improving my spiritual stock inside me because I am gaining the learning. I am not anyone a huge favor. They have given me this opportunity to serve them. That is my learning.”

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf24

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A key role of leadership is helping people overcome challenges and achieve results. In this article/podcast, you will discover a new process to help you reframe conflicts. This approach will enable you to lead your teams beyond just meeting challenges resiliently. You will empower them to unleash personal and professional growth.

One morning at breakfast, Sara described a conflict between two people we love. Feeling their struggle and pain, she sought to find an insight that would help them reach an effective solution. She asked, “What do you think about this conflict? How would you approach the challenge that it represents?”

Pouring the green tea, I replied, “First we must recognize that most people have a natural tendency to apply a binary frame of mind. That is, when we see a problem, we react by attempting to solve it there and then. We tend to equate conflict with something bad that needs to be removed. This mistaken belief prevents our taking advantage of the opportunity inherent in most conflicts. The fact is conflicts can lead to breakthrough developments. Thus, my first suggestion is to avoid falling into the trap of reactive ‘solutioning’ by creating space for a different approach.”

Why is trying to pivot immediately from a problem to the solution often a suboptimal approach?

There are situations for which this simple binary equation doesn’t work because the solution cannot come from the problem itself. As Einstein taught us, we cannot solve a problem at the same level at which it was created.

A brief demonstration reveals the limitation of the “binary solutioning” approach. Position the palm of your hand close to your head, right in front of your eyes. You will find that the palm occupies almost your entire field of vision, leaving little room to see anything else. When you pull your hand away from your face, however, you can see your palm as well as the entire space around you. The same is true with a problem: you experience a new perspective when you step back to see a bigger picture.

We find solutions, therefore, by a) gaining a new and broader perspective, b) addressing the root causes, and c) introducing a new level of thinking that transforms the map of meaning that created the problem in the first place.

Here is the alternative thinking framework and process I proposed we use to lead a conversation that offers a path from conflict toward resolution. I placed three napkins on the table, naming them observe, elevate, and approach.

Step 1: Observe

After listening to Sara describe her understanding of the conflict under discussion, my observation is that there are six points of difference that comprise the bigger conflict. I attempt to unpack these differences, name them with greater specificity, and separate the amorphous feeling of conflict into a concrete set of data points. This first step allows me to bring a new level of clarity to the situation. It is easier to resolve a series of specific concerns and find exact remedies than it is to try to address a cloud of conflicts. In this, I step back to observe and gain a bigger perspective. I seek to validate the issues on the table rather than pivot immediately from problem to solution.

Step 2: Elevate

In step 2 of this discovery process, I look for an insight, an understanding, and an appreciation that elevates and enables a new point of view. Here is what I offered:

“Life is full of tensions and conflicts. Consider this fact: life is a theater in which intentions clash with reality. Tension arises when hopes and desires encounter opposing or incompatible hopes and desires. For example, the spiritual meets the physical, or the personal and the universal rub against each other and rarely agree. Such naturally arising tensions are present even before we bring value systems, beliefs, politics and economic conditions into the equation. These contradictions create fertile soil for conflict, especially when we consider that these realms are dynamic and evolving spheres that influence and interact with each other.”

By immersing myself in these observations, I am prodded to find the fulcrum where a new level of appreciation can be accessed, which I do by shifting from the “what” inquiry to the “why” inquiry. “Why” is a purpose inquiry. Instead of reacting to eliminate conflict immediately, I seek to understand its purpose. The game-changing insight comes with the realization that conflict has a purpose. I propose not only that the occurrence of conflict is purposeful, but that conflict has a dual purpose.

At the individual human level, conflict offers a growth opportunity. Through conflict we develop capabilities and capacities that we otherwise would not cultivate. Conflict is a central character in the developmental drama of everyone’s journey.

At the planetary and universal level, conflict is a technology that sparks innovation and breakthroughs in the evolutionary process by serving as a catalyst and trigger.

A common human response to conflict is to remove the problem, as that is believed to eliminate the source of pain and struggle. Once we recognize the purposeful opportunity conflict offers, we realize that a better approach is to use pain and struggle as fuel for learning, development, and growth.

These layers of understanding point to a key realization: how we handle conflict determines whether we grow and develop, or we freeze and arrest that development.

Our response to challenges and resistance determines whether we participate constructively in the evolutionary process they offer. This process of deliberation is part of my second napkin of “elevate,” which arises from the initial set of observations.

With these insights, I now am ready to propose an approach and offer process assistance.

Step 3: Approach

In this step, I suggest that there are two complementary approaches we can take with respect to conflict. The first approach is one of compassionate support: we offer encouragement, guidance, thinking frameworks and techniques without trying to take away the conflicts people encounter on their development journey.

In this approach, we advise, support, and offer the wisdom of experience. We do not, however, take from others a conflict they must face. Even if we could do that, why would we deprive them of the gift of the growth opportunity inherent in their struggle?

The second approach is one that acknowledges that progress, maturation and growth bring about change in the problems we need to handle. If this year we face the same kind of problems we struggled with last year and the year before, the implication is that we have made no developmental change and progress. Embracing new challenges, on the other hand, is a sign of progress, maturation and possibly new elevation.

How do we know that we are progressing on our journey? When we discover that this year we are dealing with a new set of challenges that open the door to new opportunities for us to embrace.

By refusing the knee jerk reaction of the binary equation from problem to solution, and by stepping back to observe, elevate, and formulate an approach, we are able to escape the Binary Solutioning and the Einstein paradox within it.

Fortified by the above insights and mindsets, Sara and I continued our conversation, reflecting on how this information might help address the situation faced by our loved ones.

We all must deal with conflict. Here is a radical thought: to be alive is to be in conflict. Reversing this construct would ask: If you are experiencing no conflict whatsoever, are you alive?

What about the conflicts you face in your life? What observations and insights can you develop? What approach will you take to reveal and engage the development purpose of the conflict? How will you use an existing challenge as an opportunity for growth?

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf24

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Welcome to Create New Futures. Every episode, best-selling author and host Aviv Shahar will explore ideas and insights that can awaken and inspire you to the opportunities you have to create new futures for you, your family, your teams, and for your business. Life is too short to not be engaged in fascinating conversations that open, inspire and unleash new ways of thinking and seeing possibilities and beauty in life that work.

Through Create New Futures, Aviv will be having conversations with leaders, experts and interesting people to explore ideas and reflect on practices that you can use and apply to create and shape the future. With his guests, Aviv will put a magnifying glass on strategies and frameworks that he has applied to help senior executives and their teams achieve significant breakthroughs that lead to game changing results. Ideas, strategies, breakthroughs and practices that you can apply. Through his concept of Architecture Thinking™, Aviv walks you through what is needed to lead, change, transform an organization, redesign your life to achieve new goals, serve new needs and realize new possibilities. Leaders need to consider how to bring about and enable a compound set of outcomes by integrating multiple inputs.

Together with his guests, Aviv will explore how to develop strategy, how to lead to enable teams to unleash their brilliance and what is the inside work that leaders must engage in to develop executive presence and charisma and the capacity to see both the forest and the trees. More than ever, humanity now needs people who are open and prepared to imagine, create, and sustain new futures. This is a time of great transformative and disruptive change. It demands our best imagination, courage, and creativity. Through this podcast, Aviv will inspire you to be tomorrow's agent by creating conversations that birth new possibilities for you and for the people in your life.

Listen here: http://www.avivconsulting.com/podcast-create-new-futures/

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After spending 14 years in corporate America, Geoff Bellman launched his consulting firm - 40 years ago. His consulting has focused on renewing large, mature organizations the likes of Verizon, Shell, and Boeing.

How do ordinary people achieve amazing results?
“Through the exploration of shared purpose that we followed intentionally, we became fond of each other.”
“I saw myself as an observer of what other people were doing.”
“The great thing was that other people asked this of me. I was so fortunate that people sought me out to do this work.”
“I was approaching 40 and I thought if I am going to try this consulting stuff I ought to try it now.”
“What I was looking for is in the subtitle of my book, The Consultant’s Calling: bringing who you are to what you do. I was looking for the opportunity of being more of myself.”
“People struggle with, and look forward to discovering who they are more deeply.”
“I enjoy the work most when the future is unknown, and we are creating a new future- we are not following a path, we are cutting a path. That’s the most exciting work, when together with a client group we are helping a new future emerge.”
“There is excitement when people feel that they’ve signed up for an important purpose, a noble purpose, a purpose that the world needs.”
“True friendship creates a space that allows for everyone to grow.”
In this work, I am called to bring my best self to it. I remind myself what could I do if I acted more in concert with our larger reasons for being.”
“When we create organizations that expect perfection, we move people to pretending.”
Your presence and perspective are as important as your skills.
“What is not just the identity that I have but what’s the identity that I want to have? What is my unique contribution to this world?”
“Integrity for me has to do with integration of purpose with method. How do we go about doing what it is we want to do? The alignment of action with higher purpose.”
“Finding and agreeing on purpose is more difficult, potentially, than many people think.”
“One of the great things about groups that work extremely well together is not just their unity around purpose, but beyond that, their pursuit of the deeper aspects of it through time.”
“If we allow people to present themselves as they really are we’ll do better.”
You become stronger and more whole when you bring who you are to the work you do.
Dare to step into open, ambiguous, and uncertain terrain where a new future can be fashioned.
Let yourself discover the creativity and energy that gets released when you work together with others to cut a new path forward.
Do the work of integrity. What purposeful alignment are you ready to create? When you do the work of integrity and purpose, you change the world in small and big ways.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf23

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Miguel Gonzalez is the Director of Global Logistics Procurement and Operations at Dupont and the future Chief Procurement Officer for one of three new companies that will be created after Dupont and Dow Chemicals finalize their merger.

He’s a global procurement and supply chain leader with broad experience and his unique skill is translating complex business needs into strategies that accelerates results in both short and long terms. Miguel has led global teams, has a good grasp of changing market conditions and vast experience when it comes to building and leading resilient and adaptive teams. I’m happy to introduce him to you and to share the experiences that led him to where he is today.

Always stay open to see the next opportunity and the next learning.
How Miguel uses books to internalize accelerated learning. Miguel reads non-fiction books and whitepapers, making notes and annotations in order to refer back to them and apply what he’s learned in the real world.
How do you convert your experience into tools in your toolbox? You start with an empty toolbox. Then, every experience you have you develop a tool, and you put this tool in your toolbox. The more experiences you have, the more versatile is your toolbox. Interacting with great leaders enables you to put great tools in your toolbox.
How do you thrive in a large enterprise? In large companies it is about understanding the strategies, getting to know the stakeholders and what is important; aligning, communicating, and building the right networks internally and externally. These are the basics.
The most important behavior enabling Miguel’s success is trusting first. Open and transparent communication at the outset as a starter location is you build a great collaboration.
“Great leaders challenge our thinking by defying the status-quo.”
“Leaders facilitate the dialogue that frees people from becoming stuck in yesterday.”
Build strategic relationships. Cultivate trust, mutual respect, and open communication.
Keep an open mind, continue learning and try to anticipate what the next big thing will be and then seize that opportunity.
There is a point in life where you’ll have to change to get to the next level.
You have to plan but you have to be ready because life will change your plans and you need to plan again.
Every relationship is a learning conversation.
Be present in the moment to offer your best. Every moment has the potential to open new doors.
Seek out new experiences. By engaging in new experiences you engender new learning.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf22

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Create New Futures does not adhere to a linear, chronological story. Thus, you can extract immediate value simply by turning to any page and reading for a few minutes. This approach was intentional, and I share my thinking here briefly because it reflects the evolution of my discovery journey. Old movies like Ben Hur and The Ten Commandments begin a storyline, follow with an intermission, and then continue the chronology of the plot timeline. Somewhere in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, however, script writers began to employ the innovation of retracing up and down the timeline.

The evolution of this medium caught my attention because it reflects the development of the human capacity to become more universal and less locally based, less time-bound and more adaptive and timeline-flexible.

It also demonstrates audiences’ growing sophistication. The public at large seems to be amenable to abandon the Newtonian cause and effect linearity and ready to embrace a more complex network appreciation. The “Digital Natives” who were born in the post-Internet age are not bound by alphabetical order. Their brains have been wired into the Internet topography, where every word and idea has become a clickable portal that furthers the search for a deeper exploration. We all are now experiencing this discovery by getting used to reading in the middle and going with the flow of our interests. For this reason, I have built this book around portals, rather than chapters.

We no longer are bound by the linear cause and effect universe. Instead, we have the freedom to entertain mind-bending ideas. The legacy view that the past defines the future has been overlaid by a “flying upside down” view that contemplates a reverse flow in which the future reframes the past. What an exciting philosophical and spiritual concept!

In my workshops, my clients experience this new-found ability when we engage in the Sacred Stories Circle. In this process, I ask people to share formative experiences that contain teachable insights. I use them to demonstrate how we can attach new meaning and significance to an earlier experience from the vantage point of our current content and appreciation. This is a simple example of how we can enable the present and future to update our past.

The point of this example of how I help clients expand their thinking is to free you to explore this book any way you choose. Just as the moments and experiences described in this book trace back and forth in time, so, too, I invite you to let your interests guide your discovery journey.

The vignettes that follow are all part of my discovery journey instigated by the propelling inquiry of this book: what creates the future? I have integrated my personal and professional experiences to provide immediacy of access, to offer a practical translation of ideas, and to demonstrate how I have applied these techniques in my work. I hope this approach will inspire you to become more purposefully present in your life than you are now.

More than ever, humanity now needs people who are open and prepared to imagine, create and sustain new futures. This is a time of great transformative change. It demands our best imagination, courage and creativity.

My task in this book is to inspire you to be tomorrow’s agent, and to create conversations that birth a new future.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf21

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Court Lorenzini, is the founder and CEO of multiple successful technology startups including DocuSign and MetaBrite. Court serves on the Boards of several early-stage companies, and is an active investor and advisor in the Seattle area.

I initially met Court on the board of Utrip, a destination discovery and planning platform startup where we both serve as advisors and board members. I have found Court to be one of the smartest people about business.

In this conversation, I explore with Court his formative experiences when at the age of 12 he participated regularly with his father in discussions with the first Band of Angels, the Silicon Valley's oldest seed funding organization. Court reflects on capturing his observations and insights in his ideas’ notebook, and on discoveries he made that shaped his journey, such as his focus on the Superpower concept, the five years cycle, his determination to build a portfolio of companies, and what he has learned from each of his startups.

“My father invented the process for growing single silicon crystal at commercial scale. He was one of the eight people credited with founding Silicon Valley.”
What was the best crash course ever for a young entrepreneur, and how did Court utilize this rare opportunity to learn from the leaders of early technology companies about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur?
What was Court's first job and how he maximized the learning opportunity: "Just being curious and willing to step out of the comfort zone to try new things...not only I was having fun, I was being rewarded.”
Entrepreneurship isn't about being a CEO. You can be entrepreneurial as a janitor if you come up with a better way to sweep a floor. You can be entrepreneurial in every role by being curious, asking probing questions and by seeking a new better way to solve a problem.
You don't go into anything with the specific hope of getting rich. You go out to solve a problem and if you are smart, you solve a problem that worth something for somebody and they will pay you for it.
“I started keeping notebooks of ideas and observations and not only did I write down what I heard from my father and from other people, I would also further it, and write how I would do it, what would I do differently, and always respectfully questioning how other people do what they do and thinking, what would I do in this situation myself.”
“By reviewing every year all my notebooks it enabled me to connect ideas and concepts, and allowed me to over time connect concepts and evolve my thinking. The more I did that the more I discovered new ways of approaching problems.”
“Towards the end of my college years I came up with the idea of the superpower. Your superpower is the thing you do better than everybody else you know. Everyone has a superpower. It something more fundamental than a skill that makes you a unique producer in the world.”
“If you discover and can articulate your personal superpower, you can then imagine roles in the world where that superpower can be applied every day. And if you can do that you are destined to enjoy a wonderful life.”
“Earlier on my superpower was an insatiable appetite to learn how things work. Over time this became the guiding light of my career, to my current superpower: selling vision. I create a world in my mind and I can then be so persuasive in how I describe it that it enables me to bring people together to make it a reality.”
“Getting outside the confines of the US and managing teams of people from nine different countries taught me how arrogant an ignorant we in the US can be, and gave me a sense of humility.”
“John Morgridge Cisco’s CEO was a great exemplar, and the best CEO I’ve met. He was an incredible blend of tough and fair, with an ability to see through the clatter and know what is the right thing to do in the moment. He is somebody I aspire to be like. Cisco’s success in those years was due to terrific leadership and terrific sales execution.”
"I try to aggressively kill every idea I come up with by finding all the reason why this idea will fail. If I can solve all these challenges it is probably a good idea to peruse."
How did DocuSign come into being? DocuSign was the idea that won't die.
What are the three stages in a life of a company and what is stage four?
“My journey has been a stage one founder journey - from napkins to product market fit.”
Your most valuable asset as an entrepreneur is your time. If you are going to be an entrepreneur the wisest way to do is to build a portfolio of efforts. In my world, I have created a portfolio of companies.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf20

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My guest for this conversation is Cathy Sunshine, founder and president of the Sunshine Group, a consulting and coaching firm specializing in family business, leadership transformation and organization design.

Guided by deep insight into organizational dynamics and throughput management, Cathy helps leaders, and organizations break through blockages, become agile and engaged, and produce turnaround growth. She helped hundreds of teams accelerate growth and improve performance.

In this conversation we explore why service structure works, how it guides an organization to solve complexity by producing an alignment that creates flow.

What is throughput management and how does it relate to organizational design?
Why is it important, when working with a company, a family and any complex system, to go in open, and free of assumptions that drive the intervention in a predetermined the direction?
How do you increase your effectiveness as a coach and become even more provocative and evocative by being free of bias and agenda?
What is the inner work that enables you to be bias-free and clear? What kind of an instrument must you be to enable the client’s optimal growth?
“If I am effective in coaching, the leader would feel more empowered, clearer, a higher sense of self, and as a result be able to contribute back to her organization in a much more effective way.”
Legacy thinking of management is no longer effective. We need a new design for business but one that is able to grow with the leader. Old management theories train us to solve smaller and smaller problems. Throughput management is about removing constraints to enable flow.
How do you teach an entire organization to solve complexity by producing an alignment that creates flow?
Service structure works because it changes entirely the problem solving method and channels the behavior inside a company to the customer. It aligns all the internal departments of a company to the external customer in an integrated way. In a service structure you are tethered to the outside not the inside.
“The reason I do this work is to see the collective sigh of relief that comes with new awareness. The moment of insight is when I know it will never be the same, I see the change on the faces of people.”
We need to challenge ourselves to look in terms of movement, to ask why we are doing what we are doing, who are we, and who are we here to serve, and instead of solving problems, focus on solving constraints to movement.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf19

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Key learnings:

“Your future and present can update your past.” Reclaim your power—the power to choose, to be self-directed, and the power to defy the mindset that says that what happened to you yesterday defines who you are today. Instead of thinking your yesterday defines your today, embrace the reframing idea: your today can redefine yesterday.
Do you let crisis define your future or do you choose to create a future that redefines your experience?
What can we learned from Aviv’s decision at age seven to create a story of meaning that pointed to all the benefits available for him after his parents separated?
What can we learn from the formative experience of Pope, John Paul The Second in an underground theater during WWII, and how this experience shaped the role of his life?
“Instead of thinking: today is the product of yesterday, think of today as the beginning of tomorrow.” This mental model proposes that what appears to be a setback can become the setup for new beginnings that lead to your next breakthrough.
How do parents foster the can-do mindset with their children? By creating a dual memory: a memory of the incidence of success and a longitudinal memory of overcoming of challenge that enabled the success.
Why and how did Aviv reframe a devastating loss in the air force?
What is the deeper meaning of integrity? And how Aviv uses a story to reinvigorate the essence of integrity?
"A complaint is the misdirected energy of an unaddressed or unmet need."
“For many of us the natural reaction to complaint is that we become defensive because we internalize and personalize the complaint. Instead, we can seek to understand and help the other person become part of the solution by converting the complaint into a concrete request that will help us address the unmet need.”
What is the process Aviv applied to help executives convert complaints to facilitate the emergence of new future possibilities?

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf18

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My guest, Sam Szteinbaum, has enjoyed an illustrious career. He was the Chief Learning Officer for Hewlett Packard and before that, Vice President and General Manager for America’s consumer products, the HP and Compaq desktop and Notebook PC products.

Since leaving HP, Sam has continued to develop and grow his pre-school business, The Wonder Years, in the Bay area which has four locations and a fifth site that is in the works. He is also on the Board of various technology companies, including, Asetek, where he serves as the Chairman and also Corsair.

In this conversation you will learn how Sam approaches business decisions, what options you have are after your corporate life ends, and how to design your future.

How to design your portfolio life for your post-corporate role
Why speaking up is a leadership principle
How Sam makes business and investment decisions
Build and develop your team members so they can be prepared when they take on a new role
Developing your listening skills can help you connect with individuals more deeply
Don’t be afraid to take risks, learn different things and get as broad of an experience as you can get
Learn how to work effectively with others
Speak up: present a point of view, do not hold back your best ideas or play it safe
Thoughtfully create alternative and additional sources of revenue
Build financial sufficiency and resilience early on in your career/life

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf17

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Faiza Hughell is the Vice President of Sales at Ring Central. With more than 20 years of inside sales experience her passion and talent lies in building, training, scaling, and motivating successful sales teams. Faiza started in the software as a service world from a very young age and has sold SAS solutions ever since that time. Faiza was part of the WebEx winning team and at Ring Central leads the small to medium business program globally. In this conversation I ask Faiza about the traits of successful sales people, women in leadership roles in Silicon Valley, and much, much more.

Full Show Notes: http://avivconsulting.com/cnf16

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Let’s talk about the first responsibility of a leader. This is Aviv with a new episode of Create New Futures. And today I am focusing on the fallacy of the Google age, and why as leaders, mentors, and parents we all must reflect on the Google fallacy and the conundrum it creates critically.

As a leader, your first responsibility is to lead yourself. You begin with how you develop your thought process, and continue with how you map your learning and your actions. You cannot afford to outsource your self-leadership or to abandon your intuition, judgment, and you cannot afford to contract out the diligent work of your own reflective inquiry and development.

My call to action here today is inviting you to practice mindfulness as a leader and as a parent, to recognize the fallacy of the Google age and to reflect on the learning and knowledge that you will encourage and promote.

Here is a question for you. How many Google searches do you perform on a regular day? Well, during one recent work day, I decided to answer my own question, so I kept count. At the end of the day, I discovered that I had conducted 24 Google searches. I love Google. How can you not love what Google enables us to do? Here is the point though I need to make. Every good development invariably creates unintended consequences. The fallacy of the Google age is one of these consequences. Before we put the laser on this challenge, let me make the broader statement.

Every age brings its technological innovation and progress. Every wave of innovation creates new possibilities and capabilities, which in turn give rise to mistaken beliefs.

For instance, the innovation of antibiotics initially catalyzed the belief that we were about to eradicate all diseases. The fantastic discovery of DNA promoted a deterministic DNA-centric mental model that postulated that people are defined by their DNA. This belief still is prevalent, even though epigeneticists subsequently showed that what gets expressed from our DNA potential is determined by the collective impact of the environment, formative experiences, and behavioral and life style choices.

Furthermore, the deterministic DNA-centric belief fails to recognize the broader significance of the psychological and spiritual dimensions of life such as their power and impact on our health, well-being and on our capacity to respond to opportunities.

When we retrace and reflect on human progress as a species, sometimes we appear to be following the allegorical story of the man next to a street light, searching for the keys he had lost. When asked if he felt he dropped the keys right there next to the street light, he replied, “I’m not sure when or where I lost my keys. Perhaps it was down the street or even on a different street. But it is easier and more convenient to search the area illuminated by the street light.”

As a species, we are a bit like that man. We develop antibiotics and think they will solve all our health issues. We discover DNA, and rush to believe we’ve unlocked the complete secret to life and all its mysteries. Clearly both discoveries represent important developments, and yet neither one of them can answer all the questions and unresolved mysteries or address all of humanity’s health problems.

These examples provide a great segue to reflecting on the Google fallacy, which I should perhaps better name the fallacy of the Google age.

To better appreciate this particular misunderstanding, let’s look at Google’s mission. Google was born back in the late 1990s, when many people believed that all of the world’s knowledge was going to be available on the web. Its founders recognized the opportunity to organize that knowledge and make it widely accessible. Google’s mission statement was and still is “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” This mission statement was coupled with the company’s vision statement: “to provide access to the world’s information in one click.” These are excellent mission and vision statements because of their clarity. Indeed this mission and vision guided Google’s business effectively to focus on its search engine service because they are concrete and clear.

More broadly, Google’s mission has been viewed and widely represented in the idea of organizing all the world’s knowledge, diluting a little the distinction we must make between information and knowledge.

This meme of organizing all the world’s knowledge was initially developed in the early 20th century by Paul Marie Otlet, a Belgian entrepreneur, considered one the fathers of information science. Otlet wrote numerous essays and two books about how to collect and organize the world's knowledge. Google was in the right place at the right time to bring this idea to life.

Today we all are the beneficiaries of Google’s service. Indeed most of the world’s information and knowledge is a click away. Where is the problem? What, then, is the Google fallacy?

The fallacy of the Google age is the belief that people are able to access every level of knowledge on any topic or question immediately.

Why is this a fallacy? What’s left out of the equation? What forms of knowledge not captured by the search engine’s algorithms are endangered by mindset propagated by Google’s search prowess?

My premise is that the mental model enabled by Google –which is that everything you want to know is just a click away - is costing people some of the defining markers of our humanness.

It allows us to get by superficially, it makes us lazy, and it facilitates the loss of reflection and concentration power. We are at risk of abandoning the joys of inner discovery, of striving to resolve unresolved mysteries. And, we are at risk of making mediocrity the new norm. When we relinquish the power of the depth of development knowledge acquired by persistent struggle and personal application, we lose some of our humanity.

Are we raising new generations of digital natives who discover Wikipedia and Google long before they experience the wonder of the outdoors, or learn to climb a tree, swim or ride a bike?

Here are five dimensions and buckets of knowledge that cannot be re-created or explained fully by Google or Wikipedia or any app. Each of these buckets must be accessed by other means and from other sources.

Bucket 1: Experiential knowledge: Can you remember your first outdoor adventure? Running in the open fields, climbing trees, hiking up a mountain to reach an alpine lake; scuba diving to discover the beauty of coral reefs. Can you recall these experiences, and the unbridled joy of engaging the elements? In this case the knowledge source is letting nature teach your body what you can and cannot do.

There is much more in the experiential knowledge category, such as discovering the versatile capabilities of your hands to dismantle and reassemble almost anything, to draw, to knit, to cook, and to fix what’s broken. Could it be that this fallacy we are bringing into focus is putting the adventurous discovery inherent in these activities at risk of disappearing or dramatically weakening? These are questions to reflect on as leaders and as parents.

Consider this: what are the chances of young people today to explore romantic love before they have been cheated out of its natural discovery by the misleading images propagated through all forms of media that are more likely than not to leave most people feeling inadequate? The contents of the experiential knowledge bucket are clearly being threatened by the intensity of this immersive exposure. I am obviously not blaming Google or the media with all the ailments of society and how superficial we have become, I am simply observing what the case is so we can choose as leaders and parents to be alert.

Bucket 2: Character learning and knowledge: My most formative character learning and knowledge at the age of 11 was acquired during the three years I got up every morning at 5 AM for my long distance running practice before school started. This regular and consistent practice taught me about determination, commitment, focus, overcoming pain, and the rewards of hard work. It enabled me to win the Israeli long distance cross country running championship at age 14.

This kind of knowledge cannot be imparted through Wikipedia or Google because it is an interior character knowledge. You have to discover and fashion this formation on the inside, and find out what commitment and determination feel like, to let the struggle steel your mind and instruct your soul.

Bucket 3: Concentrated focus and contemplative discovery: Important breakthroughs in science and in the arts were made possible by people who isolated themselves with a question and were able to mount tremendous focus and concentration on finding its answer. Are we losing this focused concentration with the never-ending noise of devices and digital alerts designed to trigger, to hack and to hook our brains with dopamine reactions?

Discovery through contemplative inquiry always has been central to the human experience. Take it away and you remove more than half of our arts. These natural capacities and processes are at risk too. Why concentrate and contemplate if you can Google search and get an answer in seconds?

Whatever happened to the defiant search for originality? The search engine premise is that all you can ever experience is a derivative and what someone else already felt, experienced and thought. Sure it’s obviously the case in 99% of the human experience, and yet we are interested in the one percent originality and genius that you can bring forward, that one percent that is not searchable on the web.

Bucket 4: Intuitive knowledge: Intuition is central to our humanness, and to our inventive and innovative breakthroughs. The sixth sense, the sense of being guided, the capacity to listen to our inner voice is at risk too. In fact it is at risk twice.

Here is why. First, when you know you can find answers to your questions readily through Google, there is a temptation to cease listening to our intuition, to abandon the courage to seek the instinctive and intuitive guidance inside.

Second, our creative innovation is diminished by extraordinarily persuasive external pressures to fit into existing categories and behavioral and thinking templates.

Socialization is a process that acts a bit like a dog in training. Though some might disagree with this analogy, if you look and compare the two situations, you will find that the protocols of dog training and the rewards for social success follow a similar principle. That realization leaves us wondering, if we are the dogs, then who is the master? The price we pay for taking these risks is the loss of creative intuition.

Bucket 5: Development knowledge: This category represents knowledge acquired and fashioned by self-application and by the development it fosters through the refinement of achieving mastery in a given area.

Think about the knowledge acquired by Missy Franklin and by Katie Ladeky in the swimming pool. Think about the knowledge found by Itzhak Perlman through the violin, by Yo-Yo Ma with his cello and by Renée Fleming with her voice.

In the process of achieving mastery in one’s craft, there are million insights into self-awareness, self-management, psychology, preparation, peak performance attunement, overcoming adversity and challenge, resilience and persistence, discordance and inner harmony. These experiences represent what we can call vertical knowledge because it lives and is accessed at different depths. I am talking about knowledge that cannot be acquired by just clicking on a mouse. It is only achieved with 10,000 hours of practice or perhaps 50,000 hours of practice.

I once attended a concert by Mstislav Rostropovich toward the end of his life. As he played the Antonín Dvořák cello concerto, I sensed a distinct feeling in the concert hall that his bow was moving effortlessly by itself. It was as though someone or something had taken over the playing, and Rostropovich was the vessel. This is not “clickable” knowledge. Such a rare form of knowledge and mastery - a pure musical communion manifesting through the cello - can be observed in pioneers and thought leaders in almost every field.

For example, there is development knowledge acquired by a passionate teacher who shows up to class every day with the thought, “Today I might inspire the student who will solve the climate or energy conundrums, or cure cancer or any other major problem, their love and dedication lead them to new and creative ways of teaching. Or consider the entrepreneur who starts a company and leads it from its inception to a thriving enterprise, needing to overcome million obstacles and to reinvent himself and herself along the way. I bet you have rare development knowledge that you fashioned in your professional journey. It extends beyond the information you carry in your head.

What then is the other facet of the Google fallacy?

The thought and the mental model that believe all forms of knowledge can be accessed instantly. We would be wise to realize that certain forms of knowledge require preparation to fashion the “vessel” to be ready to receive and contain the knowledge.

Here is a scenario for your reflection: when you go for a swim in the ocean you put on your swimming gear. When you go snowboarding or when you climb Mount Rainer, you are not likely to show up with the swimming gear. Instead, you will use a snowboard for snowboarding and you will dress well and have the technical equipment you need to summit Mount Rainer.

The same logic applies in the workplace when you inquire into the various fields of knowledge, especially non-academic fields such as leadership, sales, innovation, as well as inquiries related to parenting and relationships. Each of these conversations requires and would be tremendously enhanced by an appropriate set of tools, mental models and frameworks. Of course you can try to summit Mount Rainer with your swimming gear, but it is not certain you will come back alive.

We call ourselves the sapient species. The question is: are we indeed becoming wiser or are we dumbing-down ourselves and losing some of our humanness?

As leaders, mentors and parents, we must explore daily the question of how we can enable experiential knowledge. How do we facilitate character learning and knowledge? How do we inspire knowledge acquired through focused discovery? How do we encourage intuition and development knowledge?

That’s the work of leadership in the effort of fostering and promoting a new more enlightened and capable generations in the future.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf15

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In this conversation I have the pleasure of speaking with Ted Clark. Ted has 35 years of leadership experience across all aspects of mobile computing. He was the Senior Vice President and General Manager of HP’s Notebook PC division from 2004 to 2012. In this capacity, he was able to deliver 165 million Notebook PC’s and 125 billion dollars in revenue.

Ted has a deep understanding of what it takes to build empowered and flexible teams and win in the hyper-growth technology space. He currently consults companies focused on building a winning market position by helping leadership teams drive execution that delivers results. In this episode, Ted reflects on his leadership learning and what enabled him to achieve with his organization the remarkable success milestones they experienced.

The most difficult thing in the world is to get all the right ingredients in the right place, at the right time.
Develop a team that understands and believes in a story and you can become a winning leader.
Define where you’re going, have your objectives and strategies in place, then act and course correct along the way.
Be as much a part of your team as well as leading your team.
Don’t forget to celebrate your wins and show appreciation to your team members.
You need to have a basic knowledge of what customers want and ask yourself if your product makes sense.
Use good judgment, listen to your gut, and don’t launch a product that you feel isn’t good enough.
Don’t be afraid to take more risks.
What really matters are the people that you are leading.
Have open, trusting communication with your team. Encourage free thinking and debate.
Develop a propensity for action - fire, ready, and aim. Natural leaders are prepared to take action, good leaders take the right action.
Thoughtfully set up your people to succeed; promotion is only half the battle.
Be enthusiastic. Find enthusiasm about your work, your team, and be enthusiastic about your life.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf14

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Daniel Epstein is a marketing and innovation consultant from Toronto, Canada. He worked for Procter & Gamble for 21 years where he was awarded the Harley Procter Marketers designation in 2007; the highest designation for marketing excellence. He led P&G’s future of marketing and brand building and was responsible for the commercial leadership of some of the most iconic brands at P&G.

As he traveled the world for P&G, he developed a project named, Portraits in Faith, where he interviewed and photographed 450 people of faith in 27 different countries. In this conversation, I explore with Daniel how brain science is shaping the future of marketing, his insights about his time at P&G, and the journey he believes we are all on.

Why the most effective marketing combines rational conscious messages with nonconscious cues?
How do you increase the odds that consumers will purchase from you again?
How is the brain wired to prioritize and delegate certain tasks?
How Daniel made a course correction and found what he was meant to be doing?
You are always better off in an organization where you feel there is a good fit
Allow your special gift to come to the foreground
"There is no more important job for us as leaders than to put people in the right jobs"
The human process is not think--feel--do but rather do--feel--think
Your habits and repeated actions are more predictive of your choices than attitudes and intentions
We can heal ourselves by helping others heal.You want to heal every part of yourself, you want to retrieve all of who you are, and in so doing you won't be able but to help heal others

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf13

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In this episode we focus on what great learners and leaders do, and on how high performers create breakthroughs. Of all the practices I have been teaching to high performing leaders, the 72-Hour rule is one of the game-changer that enabled more people to accelerate results and create breakthroughs. Here are some of the key points I discuss during this 9-minute podcast:

The 72-hour rule states that if you do not take the first step toward applying a new learning and idea within the first 72 hours, the likelihood that you will implement it quickly approaches zero.

New learnings, new insights, and new knowledge carry an energetic potential for change. I call this energetic potential - the “protein value” of learning.
At the point you receive and experience a new insight, the potency for change is 100%.
As the length of time increases from the exposure to the insight, the potential for change diminishes. Here is a way to look at this mathematically:
At the incidence of learning — you have 100% potency for change
Three hours lapse – a little dissipated and you have 95%-98% potency
12 hours – the change potency diminished to 90%
24 hours - 85% potency
48 Hours - 75% potency
72 Hours - 51%-60% potency
Below 51%, the energetic potential for change is diluted to the point of ineffectuality. Which practically means that the gravitational pull of current conditions, habits, and the entrenched inertia override and cancel the change energy initiated by the learning and gravitational pull of a new and different future.
The cycle of learning is about instantiating ideas and actualizing possibilities. When it works well, it becomes a virtuous spiral of growth and development. Here is what that cycle looks like:
Stage 1 – you receive: you learn a new skill.
Stage 2 – you understand: you test the learning to validate and confirm it.
Stage 3 – you apply: you put the new skill to use within 72 hours.
Stage 4 – you teach and take ownership: you create success with the new skill, which motivates you to continue using the skill, teach it to others and learn more new skills.
The leverage is in the velocity of implementation—how fast you move from idea to development and practice.
Sharing the new information and skill with others through teaching and coaching crystallizes your own learning and enables you to achieve a new level of mastery.
An idea is only as good as its concretizing action. You need to move immediately to augment the potency of change and build the momentum of new results. The “muscle” to practice is the concretizing muscle – it’s the muscle that determines your application velocity and accelerates the movement from idea up through the spiral to implementation.

How will you activate the 72-Hour rule today? Who will you teach and share these ideas with to build the momentous and virtuous cycle of learning breakthroughs?

We are here to enable new growth, and to help create new futures.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf12

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My guest for this conversation is Rohit Tandon. Rohit is the Senior Vice President and Business Leader of GENPACT Analytics and Research Business where he drives change and influences results by helping clients harness the value of big data and analytical insights. With over 25 years of leadership experience in companies like GE, IBM, and Hewlett Packard, Rohit is able to help companies build clarity of purpose and structure in order to deliver the performance and financial results they seek.

How do you encourage curiosity in the formative years? “Early in life, I became curious to see beyond what I see, to learn to appreciate different points of view, and to find new and better solutions.”
Why should you make non-linear carrier moves to develop end-to-end capabilities? What Rohit learned in the few months in advertising is that, “the best idea in the world will die without the storytelling that brings it to life.”
What did you learn in the early development of Accenture India? Needing to become a Generalist and address strategy and execution issues is the best preparation for a General Manager role.
What is the best learning experience? “At GE I was surrounded by leaders I looked up to and wanted to emulate. This was the best development experience ever.”
“I only hire to my team people who know more than I do in at least one domain and aspect of our business.”
Change is an opportunity. A lot of energy is spent on trying to resist change. That energy is better spent in trying to understand the rationale for the change and then identifying the opportunities in the change.
Take more risks. Take more leaps of faith, don’t over analyze. Enjoy what you are doing. It’s your responsibility to create the role. Lead with your heart, gut, and brain.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf11

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My guest for this conversation is Dan Leahy. Dan is an educator with over 30 years of teaching and consulting experience with a special focus on the emergent capacities of complex adaptive systems.

Dan was the president of LEOS (Leadership Institute Of Seattle) for more than a decade and he is currently the Director of the Seattle campus of Saybrook University where he provides strategic and operational leadership for the campus.

In this conversation with Dan, we explore his calling and his journey with LEOS, why in order to change the world you must begin by changing the conversation, and that moment when a student’s eyes light up with a clarity about his or her sense of purpose.

Codify the patterns of emergent growth: find the global in the local, identify the universal inside the personal.
To change the world, change the conversation. If you are unhappy with the situation, work to reframe it.
What is solution focused therapy?
How did Dan find his calling of working with people?
“The moment when the student eyes light up with a clarity about his sense of purpose felt like connecting with the heart and soul of the work.”
“Delivering content became the opportunity to discover the learning in the moment in the room.
"If you are not willing and able to lead this organization whole heartedly, get the hell out of the way so that somebody who is can.
Leadership is finding the courage to take stance and voice your conviction.
As a leader, can I confront the issue of the heart? Am I wholehearted?
Management helps to maintain the integrity of the DNA of the system and the leadership works to connect to and engage with the larger environment, where the evolution of the system can be found.
What kind of leadership is needed now? What is audacious leadership?
Tapping into the potential to evolve is audacious.
What is fiberglass syndrome in complex systems?
Courageous collaboration requires that the individuals involved are courageous.
Generative conversations are intentional conversations.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf10

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Each of us harbors two characters within. The dedicated part of us goes above and beyond what is required, while the expedient part opts for cutting corners. Every day we get to choose which aspect of our character will show up. That choice can determine our success or failure — and even, in some cases, life or death.

One morning as Sara and I arrived at the beach, we noticed that Mikey, a long-time lifeguard, was collecting the dry seaweed along the water’s edge. He told us the seaweed would be used to shore up a sand dune at the edge of the beach that had been destroyed earlier in the season.

“Why do you do this, Mikey?” asked Sara. “Clearly this task is not part of the lifeguard job description.”

Mikey replied, “I love the beach; it gives me sustenance. I want to protect it and keep its ecosystem healthy so that others can enjoy it too. A couple of mornings each week I engage in a task that contributes to the welfare of the place that I love and that provides me with both livelihood and the love of life.”

The following morning was stormy and windy. The lifeguards had taken refuge in their tower, leaving two fishermen and me alone on the beach. After I dove into the water, I discovered that the yellow flags that define the swimming area and serve as my markers were missing.

I dashed out of the water to the lifeguard tower. “Where are the yellow flags?” I asked.

“No one is here today, so they serve no purpose,” was the dismissive reply from Parker, a new lifeguard.

As I returned to the stormy ocean to continue my swim, Parker’s comment bothered me. I could have dismissed it and moved on. However, a part of my mind is wired to capture the odd moments in life that provide learning and teachable value, then slowly make sense of them until I decipher the picture. This process is similar to the one required to develop pictures in the days when cameras had film. To extract the pictures, the film had to be treated with a chemical that gradually converted the latent images into visible ones (photographs). The process took a little time.

Did you know that we all have a part of our mind that works like the “old time” development process? In my book Create New Futures, I describe the three speeds of the mind. I call the middle speed the “pondering” mind, because it develops the “pictures” that gradually become clear as the brain connects the dots among the data that constantly flood our brains.

Your pondering mind knows your interests and helps you solve problems. In my case, my fascination and inquiry relate to the human story at the convergence of learning, discovery, innovation breakthrough, and the human spirit. Thus when I observe successes and failures (my own as well as others’), I forensically decode them to identify what enables people to produce remarkable outcomes, or what blocks them from producing breakthrough results.

Parker’s comment activated my pondering mind. What gradually came into focus was a stark contrast between Mikey’s way of being on the job versus Parker’s. We all have seen the manifestation of these opposing attitudes of dedication and expediency in corporate offices, in hotels and in restaurants. The difference between these two attitudes determines the outcomes you can achieve. Your choice even can be the decisive factor in life or death situations.

Mikey exemplified his dedication character by taking on tasks that are beyond the call of duty. Why? Because he cares. He understands deeply that his actions can shape the ecosystem. Mikey represents the people who show up each day ready to contribute by making a difference in their ecosystems.

Parker, on the other hand, demonstrated his expediency character when he chose to slide by with the minimal amount of work. He showed no respect for the protocols and rituals that are part of his job. It seems that it did not occur to Parker that putting up the yellow flags is about much more than the utilitarian value of the moment.

What caused Parker’s attitude? The absence of attentive care that inspires people to take on extra work. What does it look like when such care is present?

We see it in the rituals of our jobs. For example, a farmer walks the perimeters of the farm to find out what needs fixing. A police officer who walks the street and greets people demonstrates his presence and reassures the neighborhood. A pilot who walks around the aircraft to run his visual checklist does so not because he distrusts the ground crew, but because the ritual itself puts him in the mental frame of attention to details. And we see the care in the nurse who provides comfort to her patients.

These rituals alert people that they are connected to the great traditions of their fellow professionals. They activate the desire to perform at the highest possible standard. People like Mikey choose dedication over expediency, and continual improvement over the erosion of standards.

We all have both lifeguards in us. Every day we get to choose who, and how, we will be. Creating a new future for you and your family, for your team and your business, begins by choosing to go beyond the call of duty, to bring forward your focused presence, love, and dedication to your work and your life. After all, that’s what we are here for: to create new futures by bringing forward care, dedication and love.

Mikey or Parker: who do you choose to be today?

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My guest for this conversation is Paul Werner. Paul is a 25-year veteran of the tech industry with successful and proven leadership experience in large and mid-cap technology companies serving global customers. Currently Paul serves as the Vice President of Sales for the Western U.S. at F5 Networks — a security and application delivery company.

In this conversation, Paul shares the essential focus that enables him to produce sustained success. We explore how to create holistic balance when you are leading a competitive Career, and Paul reflects on the attributes of great salespeople, and the leadership philosophy he applies to promote the best in people.

How do you create sustained success? Carving time to rejuvenate is critical to achieving high performance. One way to rejuvenate is to focus on a singular activity that shuts out the noise.
“My development came from immersive experience with strong leaders.” Finding strong leaders as mentors can make a huge difference.
“Getting to know each member on my team, and connecting at a human level, is how I succeed.”
The clues for career development are often right in front of you. In Paul’s case the clue was: “I was doing most of the selling, and the salespeople were making most of the money, and so I realized I should try sales.”
The most successful salespeople are truly curious, are disciplined and organized. These attributes make great salespeople:
- Curiosity: inquire deeply to understand
- Discipline: show up organized consistently
- Engagement: Pull on all organizational assets
- Drive: demonstrate innate desire to be successful
If you embrace the fractal idea, where the atomic structure reflects and mirrors the galaxies around, framed in the scripture with the idea that man and woman are made in the image of God, and that As Above, So Below — then if the universe is made of three quarters of unrealized potential then you and I too are only accessing a small part of our potential.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf8

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Ann-Marie Archer is the Founder and CEO of Archer & Associates, an Executive Search, Leadership Development, and Coaching Services firm that delivers best-in-class, talented candidates for its clients, and helps individuals and organizations achieve their potential.

After 20 years in corporate America, observing and experiencing the tedious and unpredictable hiring process, and gaps in effective leadership, Ann-Marie chose to launch a firm dedicated to potent leadership development, and an authentic and holistic, right fit philosophy.

In this conversation, you will learn why questions are an important part of the discovery process, in both business and with people, why curiosity plays a critical role in candidates going through a company hiring process, and how we as people and leaders can quickly adapt to our rapidly changing world.

How both Ann-Marie and Aviv use conversations as a discovery tool to understanding the strength and weaknesses of others.
Why curiosity is critical, and whether it’s a natural talent or a developed skill.
What is the ‘not knowing’ zone, and why we need to learn to embrace it
What are the skills Ann-Marie observes with leaders that successfully navigate this rapidly changing world.
What are simple questions that get big and meaningful answers?
How good questions look towards the future and then lead back into the present?
A CV can never show you how someone thinks or shows up when under pressure, but smart questions can bring you important data on how someone will react.

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf7

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In this episode we focus on how to accelerate your transformation by significantly elevating your innovation and creativity. Learn how successful leaders achieve dramatic results while compressing months of work into just a few days. Here are some of the key points I discuss during this 9-minute podcast:

How you and your team can save six months of precious time and tons of organizational calories.
Why it is imperative for you and your team to shift from merely learning new information to internalizing, applying, and teaching it.
How miracles occur when you give people an opportunity to shape their own destiny and future.
How to avoid the catastrophic impact on your ROI, that breaking the learning cycle triggers.

By applying the insights I discuss to your life, you will achieve dramatically better results and a greater return on your strategy and innovation efforts. What are you waiting for? Accelerate your growth by putting the four stages of learning to work for you today!

FULL SHOW NOTES: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf6

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Mark Dodds is the Vice President of Global Solutions Sales for Dell EMC. Mark and I were sitting on the same flight together, and had such an interesting conversation that I asked if Mark would like to share some of his insights to my podcast audience. In this week’s episode, we discuss leadership, and how to bring together very smart people to create super-results. I explore with Mark his experiences in elite environments in the army, in extreme sport, and in business, and we also discuss the beliefs and behaviors of enlightened parenting.

Full show notes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf5

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My guest in this episode is Doug Gray, the president of Action Learning associates, executive coach and the author of Passionate Action: 5 Steps to Extraordinary Success in Life and Work. Our dialogue reflects on how coaching change and evolved into a new kind of art, and how having a suite of models to choose from is vitally important. You will learn how to apply a series of strategies to accelerate growth and unleash the power of exponential learning.

Full show notes available at http://avivconsulting.com/cnf4

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In this episode we discuss how to instigate and agitate learning to make sure your team is renewed and to prevent the organizational brain from atrophying because it is locked in “repeat” mode. You will learn why the most successful transformation efforts are designed with the 90/10 rule of adult learning in mind. Here are some of the key points I discuss during this 12-minute podcast:

To thrive requires leaders to become life-long, passionate learners propelled by insatiable curiosity. The day you stop learning is the day you begin to die.
You enable development, progress, and growth when you demonstrate leadership by facilitating learning for yourself and for your team. We become fully alive when we connect vital ideas, create meaning, apply new practices, and act on possibilities and insights.
We experience the highest impact learning by applying the 90/10 rule of adult learning. Internalizing and integrating transformative nuggets of knowledge, (the “10” in the rule) have the power to update and rearrange what we already know (the “90”).

By applying the 90/10 rule to your leadership transformation efforts, you will dramatically accelerate the development of your team and the results you hope to create.

For full show notes and a list of all links mentioned in the episode visit: http://avivconsulting.com/cnf3

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My guest for this 57-minute conversation is Libby Wagner, poet, author and sought-after speaker. To my knowledge, Libby is the only former poetry professor who is invited and welcomed warmly into boardrooms across the country. A trusted advisor for presidents, CEOs and executive directors, her work with numerous Fortune 500 companies has influenced the cultures of organizations such as The Boeing Company, Nike, Philips, and Costco. She is the author of the Amazon best seller The Influencing Option: The Art of Building a Profit Culture in Business. You can find her inspiring Ted talk Own Your Voice on YouTube. Libby’s unique approach enables executives to create dramatic, memorable impact by leading their organizations more confidently toward innovative horizons.

Essential Learning Points:

Why poetry both requires courage and how it inspires courage in leaders.
How to apply the four levels of listening within the context of building a practice of reflection.
How adopting a poet’s perspective can help you develop outcome-based thinking and communication.
Why leaders must resist the commoditization of language and ideas.
How to avoid a common problem with teams that quickly creates misunderstandings and breakdowns.

For full show notes and all links mentioned in this episode visit: http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf2

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My guest conversationalist today is Alice Latino, Co-Founder at Heavenly Caregiver Services. Alice and I met fourteen years ago when she was the Regional Director at Emeritus Assisted Living. We collaborated on several projects there for her team as well as for others at Emeritus. Serving in various capacities for that organization, including Vice President of Operations, for over seventeen years, Alice positively impacted both the quality of care delivered to residents and the profit metrics within her Division’s sixty properties and 5,000+ units.

From the time she was a very small child, Alice has demonstrated her incredible love for the elderly. She cherished her relationship with her grandparents, which truly shaped her life into one of gratitude and ignited her desire to help this population in particular. Alice nurtured this passion throughout her life, launching a career whose goal is to make a difference in the lives of seniors.

Listen in to our conversation as Alice shares insights from her vast leadership experience that sparked an exchange of ideas that you can begin to implement right away.

Essential Learning Points:

How to apply the “debrief” practice to cultivate learning environment
How a slight tweak in your schedule can make you more present in the here and now, enabling you to escape the “purgatory of anxious preoccupation of the next.”
Why Alice believes in the importance of working closely with the caregivers and what we can all learn from caregivers.

For full show notes and all links mentioned in this episode visit http://www.avivconsulting.com/cnf1

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Life is too short to not be engaged in fascinating conversations that open, inspire and unleash new ways of thinking and seeing possibilities and beauty. Through Create New Futures, Aviv will engage in conversation with leaders and experts to explore practices that you can use to create and shape the future. With his guests, Aviv will put a magnifying glass on strategies and frameworks that he has applied to help senior executives and their teams achieve significant breakthroughs that lead to game changing results. Ideas, strategies, breakthroughs and practices that you can apply.

With his innovative ideas and frameworks, Aviv walks you through what you need to lead and transform an organization, and redesign your life to achieve new goals. Together with his guests, Aviv will explore how to develop strategy, how to lead to enable teams to unleash their brilliance and what is the inside work leaders must engage in to develop executive presence and charisma.

More than ever, humanity now needs people who are open and prepared to imagine, create, and sustain new futures. This is a time of great transformative and disruptive change. It demands our best imagination, courage, and creativity. Through this podcast, Aviv will inspire you to be tomorrow's agent by creating conversations that birth new possibilities for you and for the people in your life.

All episodes: http://www.avivconsulting.com/podcast-create-new-futures/

Create New Futures | How Leaders Produce Breakthroughs and Transform the World through Conversation: Recent Episodes

Aviv Shahar