In our conversation, we cover:

- The challenges and opportunities of leading distributed teams

- Strategies for fostering trust and transparency in a remote work environment

- The importance of prioritization and decision-making in fast-paced organizations

- Cultivating self-awareness and continuous learning as a leader

- Creating a culture that celebrates successes and openly addresses challenges

Key takeaways from this episode:

1. Flexibility and clear team agreements are essential for building inclusive and effective distributed teams.

2. Trust is built through a combination of strong relationships and consistently delivering results.

3. Leaders must be willing to make tough decisions, prioritize effectively, and ensure transparency across the organization.

4. Self-awareness and a commitment to continuous learning are critical for personal growth and success as a leader.

5. Embracing a culture of transparency, celebration, and open discussion of challenges is key to leading teams in the new world of work.

During the episode, we discussed and mentioned several impactful books, which include:

1. "Team of Teams" by General Stanley McChrystal

2. "The Creative Act: A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin

3. “How the Future Works” by Brian Elliott, Sheila Subramanian, Helen Kupp
   

Where to follow Brian Elliott

- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belliott/

- Future Forum: https://futureforum.com/how-the-future-works/

Where to find Romain Jourdan:

- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjourdan/

- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rjourdan_net

- Subscribe to The Pay-It-Forward Society newsletter: https://www.tpifs.com

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• The difference between being a boss and being a leader. Leaders help everyone succeed, not just themselves.

• How you can be a leader in what you do, even if you’re not in charge. Bryan talks about leading in tech by sharing new ideas and ways of working.

• Bryan’s goal is to improve the people around him. He shows us that when one person wins, it doesn’t mean someone else loses.

• Ways to make a good impact at work even if you don’t have power or a big title. It’s about setting a good example and encouraging your teammates.

• Bryan’s own stories about leading in tech. He gives tips for others who want to make a big impact too.

Bryan shares his thoughts on how anyone at work can be a leader, showing us that it’s about what you do, not your job title.

Bryan mentioned several books during this episode including:
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- Wiring the Winning Organization by Gene Kim and Steven J. Spear
- Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug
- Accelerate: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations by Dr Nicole Forsgren, Gene Kim, Jez Humble

- What If? by Randal Munroe

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Where to follow Bryan Liles

- X: https://twitter.com/bryanl

- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanliles/

Where to find Romain Jourdan:

- LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjourdan/

- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rjourdan_net

- Subscribe to The Pay-It-Forward Society newsletter: https://www.tpifs.com

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• Leadership as a Personal Commitment: Adrian underscores the importance of leaders seeing their role as a personal vocation, far beyond the confines of a job.

• The Power of Vulnerability: He advocates for vulnerability as a strength, enabling leaders to connect authentically with their teams and foster a culture of trust.

• Designing Organizations for Impact: Adrian discusses strategies for organizational design that encourage innovation, engagement, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

• The Legacy of Leadership: The conversation also touches on the legacy leaders leave behind, emphasizing the significance of making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

This episode is a treasure trove for anyone interested in redefining leadership and organizational success through the lens of purpose and authenticity.

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Where to follow Adrian Koehler

• LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriankoehler/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrian.k/?hl=en

• Check-out Adrian’s podcast:

  • Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-naked-leadership-podcast/id1495058489

  • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/73ZuLDaxdfhCNYXlmIQy01?si=9a5b25f227f64ae1

Where to find Romain Jourdan:

• LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjourdan/

• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rjourdan_net

• Subscribe to The Pay-It-Forward Society newsletter: https://www.tpifs.com

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• The essence and impact of the W model in strategic planning: https://review.firstround.com/the-secret-to-a-great-planning-process-lessons-from-airbnb-and-eventbrite

• Techniques for effective team communication and decision-making

• The role of leadership in driving product-led growth

• Implementing cultural transformation within tech organizations

• Keys to aligning team objectives with organizational goals

This episode is packed with James' valuable experiences and actionable advice for anyone looking to sharpen their leadership skills in the tech industry.

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During the episode, we discussed and mentioned several impactful books, which include:

• "Empowered" by Marty Cagan

• "Hit Refresh" by Satya Nadella

• "The Culture Map" by Erin Meyer

• "Team Topologies" by Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais

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Where to follow James Colgan

• LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesacolgan

• Threads: @sfojames

• Check-out James’s newsletter! https://www.beyondthebuild.ai/?r=2qvebn&utm_campaign=subscribe-page-share-screen&utm_medium=web

Where to find Romain Jourdan:

• LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjourdan/

• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rjourdan_net

• Subscribe to The Pay-It-Forward Society newsletter: https://www.tpifs.com

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In this conversation, we addressed several topics:

• First-Time Leadership Challenges
• Overcoming Burnout
• Empathy in Leadership
• Continuous Learning
• Current Focus: Ryan gives a sneak peek into his latest projects…

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In our conversation, we mentioned several books:

• Deep Work" for productivity and reducing screen time, 
• "Essentialism" for minimalism in the workplace, 
• "The Upside of Stress" for a different perspective on stress, 
• "The Happiness Trap" for handling difficult thoughts, 
• "Crucial Conversations" for leaders seeking guidance on tough discussions, 
• and "Surrounded by Idiots" for understanding different personality types.

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Where to follow Ryan Johansen

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjohansen1/

Website: http://ryanjohansen.live

Where to find Romain Jourdan:

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjourdan/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rjourdan_net

Website: https://www.tpifs.com to subscribe to the newsletter of The Pay-It-Forward Society!

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• Great leaders show up holistically - they care about their people mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Jo aims to understand where her people are at and meet them there.
• EQ is as important as IQ. Jo strives for a balance between connecting with people (EQ) and technical expertise (IQ).
• Zoom out and zoom in intentionally. Jo talks about the need to strategically zoom out to grasp the big picture then zoom back in on critical details. Leaders can get stuck zooming in too much and lose sight of the overall goals.
• Create mechanisms to move fast enough. Speed is important but safety and quality are non-negotiable.
• Develop trust and community between leaders. Jo cultivates trust with peers who sharpen each other, not compete. She wants to complement strengths, not combat over territory.
• Hold people accountable with empathy. Regular check-ins allow Jo to understand what's really happening before acting on underperformance. The goal is learning and improvement, not punishment.

Her faith and desire to show love also shape her inclusive, compassionate leadership style.

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In our conversation, we mentioned several books:

• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
• Escape Velocity by Geoffrey Moore
• Books by Stephen Covey (such as The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People )
• Servant leadership books
• Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
• The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama

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Where to follow Jovonia Thibert:

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jovoniathibert/

Twitter/X: https://x.com/JovoniaThibert

Where to find Romain Jourdan:

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjourdan/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rjourdan_net

Website: https://www.tpifs.com

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Vincent reacted poorly when cash flow issues required layoffs. He abruptly fired staff without empathy. This destroyed employee trust and led to 50% turnover.

With coaching, Vincent rebuilt trust through weekly reconnect meetings and transparent communication. He learned to align actions with values instead of perceived business needs.
This experience taught Vincent the importance of vulnerability, authenticity and courage in leadership. He focuses on clearly conveying Carlyle's vision and improving communication as the company scales. Vincent's story offers a cautionary yet hopeful tale of losing trust rapidly through poor leadership decisions, then gradually regaining it by recommitting to transparency.
A great lesson of humility, redemption, and continous improvement.

Vincent credits Let My People Go Surfing by Patagonia's Yvon Chouinard and The Pyramid of Clarity framework for providing leadership inspiration.

Where to follow Vincent Moindrot:

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentmoindrot/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Vincent_M

Where to find Romain Jourdan:

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjourdan/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rjourdan_net

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Meg described her zig-zag career path starting in sales and working across various functions like enablement, product management, and partner marketing. A key moment was joining Riverbed as Director of Operations where she had excellent managers who saw her potential and provided opportunities to develop into a VP.

Having an executive coach helped Meg shift from being a manager focused on control to being a true leader. Her coach taught her to "step into the gap" in conversations by defining the problem and solution without taking on all the work. This helped Meg learn to think bigger about the company instead of just her own team's needs.

As an introvert, Meg gains energy from small groups and data analysis. She had to learn the confidence to make faster decisions. Meg believes leaders need both visionary extroverts and data-driven introverts to make thoughtful choices. Extroverts provide inspiration while introverts supply helpful analysis.

Meg champions bringing more women into technology even though it can be lonely as a woman leader in tech. Men need to help by taking on diversity work, checking biases, and proactively mentoring women. Meg remains optimistic that even small actions by "good guys" can drive change.

Providing clarity, through constant communication on priorities, is vital to empower teams. Eliminating conflicting goals lets people align to a shared mission. Meg emphasizes the importance of hiring different thinkers and not just people like yourself. Diversity of thought leads to better ideas and solutions.

The name of the book I could not remember during the recording is Move Fast and Fix Things 

Meg recommended Quiet: The Power Of Introverts and Multipliers 

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This time, it is as if I interviewed myself. I discuss the challenges I've faced, the importance of communication and team dynamics, and highlight some of the inspiring guests who have appeared on the show. I also reveal my plans for the future, including launching a newsletter and creating a community space for listeners. This is the beginning of Season 2, I am very excited by what's coming next!

Join me as we explore leadership and learn from each other's experiences.

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Shannon emphasized the importance of challenging traditional norms and breaking barriers in order to create opportunities for oneself. She discussed her early career, where she took on roles that were unconventional for women at the time. Despite facing initial resistance, she demonstrated her passion, drive, and commitment to her community, which eventually led to breakthrough opportunities.

Mentorship and sponsorship played a crucial role in Shannon's journey. She highlighted the impact of individuals who believed in her potential and took a chance on her, even when she lacked the traditional qualifications or experience. She emphasized the need for men and women to support each other in the workplace and provide opportunities for growth and development.

Shannon also emphasized the importance of diversity in leadership. She highlighted the benefits of having diverse voices at decision-making tables, as it leads to better outcomes and a broader perspective. By fostering inclusive environments and creating high-performing teams, organizations can unlock the full potential of their workforce.

Continuous learning and personal growth were key aspects of Shannon's leadership journey. She mentioned the value of seeking out new sources of information, engaging in discussions, and challenging oneself to step out of comfort zones. Shannon acknowledged the need to find a balance between work and personal life, highlighting the importance of taking time off to recharge and engage in activities outside of work.

Throughout the conversation, Shannon's passion for equality and her commitment to empowering others shone through. Her story serves as a powerful example of perseverance, resilience, and the transformative impact of diversity and inclusion in leadership.

For those interested in having Shannon speak at events, they can visit the LeadHERboard website or email info@theleadherboard.com

As a recommended read, Shannon suggests "Everything is Figureoutable" by Marie Forleo.

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He talks about the initial introduction of half-day Fridays and later transitioning to a full day off on Fridays. Dominic mentions that client satisfaction and business retention have remained strong, while productivity rates have actually improved. He addresses the challenges of the creative industry, such as finding uninterrupted time for deep work and managing teams in different time zones. Dominic also shares insights from books he has read, including "Death by Meeting" and "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," which have influenced his leadership approach.

Throughout the conversation, Dominic's passion for creating a positive work environment and fostering a healthy work-life balance shines through. His experience in the corporate world has shaped his commitment to finding meaningful work and the importance of letting go of certain responsibilities as a leader. Dominic's openness to learning, staying curious, and embracing change have been key factors in his success as a leader.

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Throughout the discussion, Paloma emphasizes the importance of maintaining a growth mindset. She highlights the significance of setting clear goals and continuously seeking personal and professional development. Paloma's own experiences navigating challenges and overcoming obstacles serve as valuable lessons for listeners.

Additionally, Paloma discusses her coaching and training experiences, emphasizing the power of storytelling in effectively conveying messages. Her ability to connect with others through compelling narratives is a skill she encourages aspiring leaders to cultivate.

Paloma provides valuable recommendations for personal growth resources, such as Brené Brown's video "The Call to Courage" on Netflix and Frank Slootman's book "Amp It Up" which focuses on leading for hypergrowth.

This engaging conversation with Paloma Garcia serves as a powerful source of inspiration for listeners, offering practical advice, personal anecdotes, and a wealth of knowledge gained from Paloma's journey into leadership.

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Understanding Neurodiversity

Holly emphasizes the importance of understanding neurodiversity and how it can manifest in different ways. She encourages leaders to educate themselves on the topic from various different avenues and not just take one person's word for it. She also stresses the need to be accountable for one's biases, whether conscious or unconscious.

Lived Experience

Holly stresses the importance of listening to people's lived experience and how it can offer a more heartfelt and empathetic understanding of neurodiversity. She recommends reading books such as "Why I Jump"  and "Dirty Laundry " to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of people with autism and ADHD respectively.

Being an Inclusive Leader

Holly emphasizes the need for leaders to be more inclusive and to create a culture where everyone feels supported. She suggests that leaders ask for help and learn from people who have walked in the shoes of neurodivergent individuals. She also recommends that leaders make neurodiversity a boardroom subject and ensure that it is spoken about as a strategic movement from the top down.

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Steve's journey to becoming a liberated leader began when he took time off to reflect on his leadership style and recognize the need for change. This experience led him to develop a new approach to leadership, one that emphasizes self-awareness, personal authenticity, and emotional intelligence.

As the founder of The GamePlan Consultancy, Steve now provides executive expertise, drawing on his invaluable insights on liberated leadership. Additionally, he hosts The Liberated Leadership Interview Series, a podcast featuring inspiring leaders from diverse backgrounds.

Throughout the episode, Steve shares his perspective on creating hyper-engaged teams that deliver world-class results through liberated leadership. He emphasizes the importance of empowering teams to take ownership and fostering an environment of trust and psychological safety.

Steve believes that true leadership involves finding out what people need and getting it for them, while also recognizing that you are never the finished article. He believes that the currency of leadership is decision-making and judgment, and that this should be based on an individual's need.

From Steve's perspective, leadership is not about finding out what everybody wants and getting it for them. It's about finding out what people need and getting it for them.

Podcast The Liberated Leadership  

Steve's talk at 2018 GDC Give up control: Zen and Art of Leadership 

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The main ideas of the episode include:

1. Resilience is key to success: Sam discusses the importance of picking oneself up after failure and using those learnings to push forward.
2. Fostering creativity in others: Sam encourages leaders to restrain themselves from always putting their own ideas forward and instead encourages creativity and innovation within their team.
3. Passion is infectious: Sam emphasizes the importance of being passionate about one's work and how that can motivate a team and inspire customers.

Tune in to this episode for more insights from Sam on leadership, learning, and growth, but also getting to learn more someone trully exceptional! 

Sam recommended reading Nelson Mandella's memoirs  

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With nearly 40 years of experience building and managing companies as a CEO, Remi has spent years researching company structure and organization to improve employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and sustainability.

In this  episode, Remi discusses his path as a leader, the challenges he faced earlier in his career, and what brought him to find new ways of organization. He also dives deep into employee engagement and how to build that environment, and shares the data behind why companies with better work environments for their employees yield better retention rates and improve engagement for the benefit of customers.

Remi recommends two books, "Resonant Leadership" and "The Power of Positive Deviance".

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Throughout our conversation with Franco Banfi, we discovered the secrets behind Decathlon's success in retaining employees and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Franco also gave us insights into his own leadership style, which was influenced by inspiring leaders such as Julio Velazco - the coach of the Italian national volley-ball team - and Michel Leclercq, the founder of Decathlon. He emphasized the importance of focusing on developing the strengths of team members and hiring people who are stronger than oneself.

Join us as we explore the story of Franco Banfi and Decathlon, and gain valuable insights into leadership and creating a culture of continuous improvement.

Franco recommended the book The Partnership Economy

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Daryl has accumulated profound leadership wisdom over his 30+ year career spanning technology, sales, and global business. A core theme is that exemplary leaders focus outward, not inward. As Daryl learned in the Navy, leadership is not about the leader but about serving others.

Listening is critical for understanding people’s needs. Daryl stresses being fully present, asking thoughtful questions, and actively listening without judgement. This builds connection and helps match the support to the individual. Leaders must also be self-aware and authentic. Knowing one’s values prevents compromising them when pressured.

Daryl explains that diversity and inclusion create space for people to belong as their authentic selves. Leaders should hire for cognitive diversity and remain open to input. He provides the metaphor of a team with expertise in various sports - by teaching each other, all become more versatile.

Interrogating reality before acting is another key. Identify obstacles so they can be addressed. Daryl advocates simplification, prioritization and intentionality. Leaders should be accountable through modeling desired behaviors. Overall, Daryl Hammett emphasizes that exceptional leaders uplift others. They build inclusive, authentic cultures where people feel valued, inspired and empowered to do their best work.

We talked about Disc assessment and Hermann Whole Brain assessment.

Daryl also referred to the book The CEO Paradox.

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I also really liked her mantra "If it is to be, it is up to me." I am all about Ownership, and that resonated very well with me.

Read her Book:

Lessons in Life and Leadership: Women Leaders Offer a Lifetime of Wisdom to Work and Live By

Alison also recommended this book: The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company 

You can hire Alison for getting coached. Get in touch with her on LinkedIn  or her website . 

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Kris shared with us her journey as a manager, the challenges she faced along the way, and how she became a servant leader for an international team distributed in Asia Pacific.

Kris shared a few tips on how to drive 1:1s (find your flow!) and hiring, the importance of recognizing your blind spots, the value of collaborative leadership and, finally how she found out about Women in Tech.

We talked about her TED talk on knitting and coding, a fun, highly geek, and engaging presentation that I recommend.

Kris also talked about Contempt Culture.

Intro Music: credits Dyalla

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Nicolas reveals that a degree in philosophy helped him develop a methodology that is useful when approaching problems. He also discusses his mentors and how they helped him accelerate his growth. Nicolas emphasizes the importance of spending time with a mentor to explore a problem together, which drives progress.

Nicolas also shares his strategies for learning and improving, which include reading books, listening to podcasts, and trying many things. He believes in the power of informal conversations to learn new things and meet new people. Nicolas also shares his insights on how to approach mentorship and how to challenge the way you look at things.

Throughout the episode, Nicolas emphasizes the value of exploring new ideas, taking risks, and learning from your mistakes. Nicolas's experiences and insights provide valuable lessons for anyone interested in leadership and personal growth.

You can contact Nicolas via LinkedIn; by the way, you will discover towards the end of the episode how he is leveraging the platform to learn, and grow…

00:00-Intro

01:40-Presentation

02:50-Bootstrapping

09:50-Hiring the first employee

14:00-Putting a structure in place

16:00-First line managers & career paths

20:40-Managing a distributed team in 2012

29:10-Having a vision

32:00-defining the values in an authentic way.

36:40-Having leadership principles as actionable mental models to build your company’s culture

42:40-Becoming manager of managers

46:15-Growing Individual Contributors into managers

52:10-Hiring new talents aligned to your Principles

1:01:20-Key principles of thriving teams

1:06:25-Scaling through others

1:18:20-Being a philosopher and entrepreneur

1:21:16-Mentorship

1:29:00-How do you grow?

1:40:02-Give a review and 5 stars :-)

Books we mentioned during the episode

Marc Benioff’s Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea to Billion-Dollar Company-and Revolutionized an Industry

Jeff Lawson’s Ask Your Developer: How to Harness the Power of Software Developers and Win in the 21st Century

Simon Sinek’s The Infinite Game

The Phoenix Project

The Power Of Habits

Working Backwards

Build: An Unorthodox Guide To Making Things Worth Making

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I met Amanda Spencer in a previous company, Riverbed. It was great to catch up and discuss her journey into leadership.

Throughout her career journey, Amanda has learned that if you want something, you've got to go and get it, and that the best leaders are the ones who don't sit and wait for things to happen, but go and make them happen.

We talked about

• Trainings like Crucial conversations and Crucial Accountability
• Blog post about asking what you want: https://debliu.substack.com/p/tell-people-what-you-want
• Hiring, and the importance of willing the job. How to identify people that are toxic?
• Be brave enough to fix issues and take actions
• Brene Brown’s podcast:
• Coaching and non-negotiables
• Sending a weekly email with thoughts, learnings, and motivational quotes.

Amanda recommended some books: Brene Brown’s Braving the Wilderness, How to Lead and Atomic Habits

Intro Music: credits Dyalla

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