Developing A Talent Strategy For Future Leaders

Rollis Fontenot III:

This is the beauty of live you know that we're in a live world today and what I love about live is people are very, people are very forgiving you know, If we could be this way, you know, in just daily life, all over just imagine, everybody was like that. That's not a big deal. You know, this is fix it.

What do you think is the beauty of leadership too and and kudos to Rollis being going rolling with the punches, as they say, and being such a cheery and positive about it. People make mistakes mistakes happen all the time but how do we communicate these mistakes or errors or technological issues, it is all about sets you apart from regular contributor to exceptional leader and since topic is about leadership, I just wanted to highlight that.

Oh, I love that so that's that's another great example of your leadership as well. And I like the fact that I'm alive. And people can call my name, so that it sometimes it gets down to the basics is that, you know, can I breathe. I woke up I'm breathing today. Wow, that's awesome. I can think I can process information, and even better yet now, while I'm talking to you. So appreciating the simple things in life, you know.

Absolutely. And those are the things that matter the most Don de.

Yeah, let's talk about talent strategies about leaders, what's one of the top two or three things right now, that leaders should be thinking about to develop future leaders, you obviously need to understand, it's not just the future leaders that the young inspiring leaders that we will take a time to be. But it's also really understanding who do you have right now currently in your organization, and having inventory and what skill sets and niches and where they are the those leaders, the strongest at because right now we have the biggest deficit in gaps in leadership and and on top of that we're having also deficit and gaps in the future lead and trades and I can quickly tell you that those leading trades are and what they what they represent. Number one is, it's not any more just going so wide, it's impossible to cover so much territory. We're looking for experts we're looking for community of leaders we're looking for niche type of leadership that you can contribute with an organization and every organization should have these types of traits. Number one, connector that is somebody who delivers a relationship partnership networks, and it has a muster while driving organizational effectiveness. Many organizations don't have a clue what organizational effectiveness should look like, Why so valuable. That's why they were being for years, ignoring it right now when everything is played in through, they're in big trouble. And someone who started organizational development and organizational effectiveness and applied numerous, numerous ways with innovative approaches and training and strategies, and as advisor to C suite I can't tell you how important it is to know who your connectors are and how many do you have an hour you're leveraging them as a part of your decision. Obviously, then we have the second one which is investor, not just in common sense because obviously dealing with the finance but it is about the pursuit of sustainability and the growth of course, the bigger issue for leaders right now it's how do we grow, how do we really come salvage what is going on with our companies but also how do we communicate vizion shareholders and their returns on investment. Are we really looking and maintaining and actually building strategically internal stakeholders right and partnerships that are needed because sometimes many times we'll look outside of organization, and we neglect the biggest value you already have your biggest asset which is your people. Okay, guys, Isabella, why do you think that is why do you think it's so often ignored because reason why the ways, organizational structure, I've seen so many layers that are necessary I'm seeing so many in opposition. That being shaved off we have a huge cost as it is, and now you eliminate a lot of positions because you want to just to survive right and when you start dwelling mode and when you don't communicate as a leader, and you don't even understand who do you already have, how do you going to leverage on their skill sets. And then when you're not in alignment when we're having competing on the budgets and finance and all crazy stuff between C suite contributors, how do you think we're going to create the harmony and effectiveness that is necessary. Those are the issues that are so pivotal, and they're always start on top so you guys no escaping them, but faster, quicker acknowledge you have a problem and you want to look for solution, we can deliver that solution but if you're ignoring and constantly trying to patch things or or or just to get one more month by, you're actually doing disservice to everybody you lead and all the fiscal responsibility we have not only financially, but towards your talent that is in the right now. Just so you know this. We have the all time low performance and engagement. Whoo, and why is that the guys that are having jobs are all time low performers and low time engagement. Having a low time engagement, not because it's worth just virtually. That is telling you how bad in bad shape we are analytics Don't lie. Yeah. The reality is, what do you now do with that information do you know Right. Right. And now, and this is where actually such a great pivot to the fourth one which is explore. Who are your explorers who are the your those engages and curious minds and creatives, and that continuous experiment in a learning that where you're allowing opportunity to fail and fail quickly and correct because you are doing something you've never done before. Do you think that people just go from the good because they're super smart coming from Ivy League universities, be able to deliver in something like that did never done before from first shots. It's ridiculous expectation. So we also need to assess our expectations. What is the our success criteria what is deliverable behind it. So when you look at all of that that is really where so much, it's falling on and on the end, who are our producers, because it's not just the producer in sense like we had sales guys who are going to go pitch and sell anything under sun and who cares if we can deliver or not, key is that we close the big deals but now, when it's still on how we deliver this and how do we deliver it something we never done and do we calculate how long it's going to take us, are we focusing on analytics, I would focus on digitalization, are we focusing on execution, where most companies again scared, really, really unchallenging position right you know why again because we miscalculated we need to recover right, we don't have enough of the team where it's gonna cost us more. It's gonna take way more time and again guys, please don't use COVID as an excuse you have insanely smart people with amazing experience that can deliver that but are you put in right people and right positions in your organizational chart. are you giving them the opportunity to thrive and be tremendously successful. And if you don't know with these types and who you already have. Guess what's going to happen. You're just going to prolong. I was going to survive. And how quickly you're going to be able to thrive and when you'll be able to dial into on the thriving dial on the completely other spectrum. Right now, I see people doing a lot of mistakes shedding off some crucial positions, trying to save the money buckling down, and that is kind of their survival mode, but they're not using any of the time, effort and energy to reconstruct and rebuild, not necessarily just the talent pool but to really look at the structure of organization and know where they're heading whether you're trying to do so that we can really dial up on that high performance high threshold of thriving, instead of just surviving.

Let me ask you this. Do you think that a big boost or a big change is better seen. And well let's look at it from a long term standpoint, with developing leaders internally, or trying to bring those leaders coming in from other organizations, but which one do you kind of lean towards that is excellent question. Obviously, you have to look at some of Tennyson both of them you have to carry up to know what you have. It's like your household. Let's go ahead just use this example you're going to buy two grocery stores in you and Whole Foods right now and I'll you call your wife to ask what do we have in pantry, what do we have in freezer what we have in fridge. And then what kids needs and how many people and how much have X, Y and Z. It's the same concept. So you have to understand first of all what do you have at home. And then when you go into store, you have to figure it out what is the best choices and versions of similar products that you need to buy in order to maintain the quality of your lifestyle, the same thing on longevity of your organization you have to understand, have to pivot boats because if you have to replenish reserves, you have to make sure that people are not stressed out, they're not burning out, but you have a right percentage and make up the DNA of cohesiveness, not only from the team standpoint but everything you need in order to go, and that is where it's coming to really more than ever to have that lean leadership, and lean strategy, which means not going crazy and planning for five years of buying groceries. But right now, doing it with was the highest value, and high quality of the product high value of the service, and the highest value of deliverables right and and and hone in on that and really niche out so do you stand out with your competition and do is that extremely well. And then you can add more product services. On top of that, but if you're just thinking, always. And this is an interesting concept and I want to share these rows, and I'm glad you asked a question. So why do you think is that that organizations are constantly looking for external help and hiring Top Gun consulting firms, which a lot of times they just give you a generic vanilla solution and they don't give you very customized and very strong specific solutions is going to propel you forward. When I did assessments, over and over and over with C suite DNA understanding Koi is part of this decision making and who is in this circle either from board directors C suite executives or any top guns in organization, you'll be amazed how consistently, all of them are most of them are the same type of personality, their act and and behave the same. How can you solve the problem when we're looking from very limited point of view, and we don't have holistic approach, and we can agree fast and quick. We can be great buddies but in reality if we don't have diverse skill sets, yes terms of solution and perception and challenge and choices and decisions. We will not be able to do that that's why they bring experts out and they would rather pay them 10 times or 300 times more when the pain points are there when the lawsuits are there when things are going too far for too long, versus to do proactively and productively. That's why it's so important to understand. Hey, what do you have already in the house so do you know what do you need, what can we bring from the house fast rapidly up to the level that we need it and how do we work cohesively with that

 I love, I love that analogy what's in the fridge. Oh yeah, we can all understand that.

What's cooking.

You just kind of go from there you take an inventory you take stock and go from there. Also like the point you mentioned about having a different preset perception. It reminds me of the saying by Les Brown and I repeat this a lot is, it's hard to see the picture when you're in the frame. You know, if you're if you're when you're in the frame it's hard to see some of those things, just by having someone coming in from an outside perspective, really can make a world of difference in something like that.

Most definitely and and and as they said when you're in the woods and when you're in the trees, it's hard to see how far you are in and I lost and see the sights, but when we step away when we see the mountain in the distance. Also it's also hard to think, can we truly climate and can we really get there. Yeah, so it is all about the shared vision, it's all about helping more than ever again leaders cannot do this alone and we need to really differentiate two things here, not a leaders were talking about just because of titles so many people have a title and power but they're not using the leveraging things in the best possible way for the best possible outcome because they're not developed as the leaders, we need in order to lead today and tomorrow, which means already that future demand, either through connecting to invest into exploring to producing. And that is really what is setting apart everybody right now, that is going to thrive, not just survive. Absolutely. Okay, so I want to I want to shift this a little bit. I would like to go. I want to talk a little bit about your story, you know where you where you kind of got your start and before you do that, let me just do a quick little refresh of the comments here, one second here. And okay good so we got Joanne's with us. Let me ask you this, where did you get your start when it comes to you because you said you're a mature immigrant, you're first generation. Tell me about your journey getting here. How you kind of got your start to where you are now because obviously the Isabella of 2021 is different from the Isabella for who just got here, so I want to hear about this story here.

Thank you so much and it's and it's it's a great question and I really appreciate your asking and this is also reason I'm only going to share this and gave us so much of golden nuggets through that process so that others can see what is possible So guys, I grew up in former Yugoslavia, I was happy kiddo, who wanted to be professional, Olympian and love sports at a town was not much invested in specifically in young female of sports or athletes, and then too. And as a result, I converted to the educator because I wanted to make sure that every future generation in my country has the dream fulfilled and an opportunity to tap into that. And sadly, midst of all of that, a war happened Balkan War for mega Slavia collapsed and before I knew it before I could turn around, I lost everything from my identity from my home to safety to my father. Some of the other friends, family members, relatives, as well as great friends and I overnight and split second became something that is so yes to be understood, which is a refugee took me a while to understand that I was the refugee and how refugees are created, and we have two times two only ways how refugees are created, either isn't a natural disaster, so people escape and flee hurricanes and all these crazy things that we've seen in the environment. And the one that is most predominant which is about 90 some percent unfortunately is due to war conflicts genocide torture ethnic cleansing of rape victimization, as well as human trafficking and children trafficking. So I had a journey or deal I lived in five countries including six as us, but five countries after escaping my homeland, from my home on my own. And I was barely 19 years old 18 and a half 19 years old. I have to live in different cultures, different languages have to navigate different systems, I have to be super super in tuned what's going on. And when people say they can all learn the language or when people say oh I can barely go non speaking English country or and and that's where the beauty actually came all about where gave me actually inner strength, because for me was never question Can I, I was just doing it, and never had the poster. You know, for me was just like I'm know I'm surviving at the moment but I know I'm going to be thriving and interesting thing wrong is what happened while I was working in Sweden in refugee camps and I was one of the political asylum asylum on asylum actually I was one of asylees, waiting for decision as independent young woman to see if Sweden will accept me, and during the time I pick up language very quickly. I was used on so many levels and hundreds and 1000s of people from former Yugoslavia benefited because I was worse for them because not everybody could quickly think on their feet, not everybody could pick up the cultural language and nuances and to be able to advocate for themselves. So before I know it I was used in social settings and legal settings healthcare setting, and then within this international with Red Cross, and they gave me such amazing reward because I was so busy in trench giving whatever I could while I was waiting for three and a half years to figure out how are they going to send me back overnights or are they going to keep me because they had three years, over three and a half years. This is where the, where the major pain happens because I'm being considered as a young adult. I was very independent in terms of language and everything. And ironically for them. I was competition for the jobs were limited jobs at the time. While ironic whale supplies, as my refugee status in us, and they wanted to independent people they wanted people who are speaking with other town broken English, but they're eager to contribute and do something and fulfill their American dream. So it's kind of funny like in one society in one environment you consider as a threat and not necessarily as a good contributor while in the other. You know when I went I remember to Vienna to my risk everything to show up in Vienna during my interview or to prove my refugee status. And I remember Ambassador was said you know we have a interpreter here So, and in my broken English I said I don't need one. He goes, let's just keep her just in case. And he could owe me and he approved my refugee status after hearing my story that I spoke in broken English advocating for myself. And he said Isabella you're gonna do great I want you to fulfill American dream. Because you were trying, and you did everything to convey this to me I see the passion. I see the drive desire and I want you to fulfill your American dream. I will never forget that moment. That's awesome. It's like, same person. And yet, in a different environment, finding as a contributor to society.

Yeah. I love that, how many languages do you do have you learned through the journey and just informing us well we grew up with two different writing and reading styles Cyrillic and lennick, and my first foreign language was actual ready the third language so I just want to disclose that so I already had from early on that mindframe of different alphabets and then all of that. So, English is my sixth language, even though I knew I knew I knew I knew, British English and knew the English and vocabulary understanding through MTV I grew up on MTV I grew up on YouTube, I grew up on some amazing grazing music and groups and lyrics that spoke to me so I knew so much vocabulary wise, but I never really used in writing, and I never used inconsistent foremost communication and and it's just amazing to see, you know, it's like now we communicate all the time and lives. And on all these different mediums.

Okay so English, give me other ones, what are the other ones.

Okay so Croatian Serbian Bosnian. Obviously, Slovenia and German Swedish.

Wow, that's amazing. Okay, I need an applause for that one. Jonathan.

But the reality is, Paul is, as you know when you work with people from all these different language countries. And when you don't even have no like second third or fourth common language at all like when there's such a remote language, I mean dialects, how important it is as we as humans how we can connect also non verbally, I always say, if we genuinely care and if we want to connect, we can connect with anyone on this planet, okay that question, sorry I'm sorry good.

No, go for it. Okay, so my question is, would you rather be able to speak any language to communicate with any person on the earth, or would you rather the ability to communicate with any animal, which one would you choose.

Oh, that is a tough one. Um, I really think annoying to communicate with humans will help because we already have number above automatically available to us so I will be able to communicate with any animal anyway because animals know where you're coming from animals Amazing, amazing, even wild animals and I had a plenty of those encounters as well. Deer so good to sense, if somebody is coming from fear or somebody coming from anger from what tap with charge of emotion, and it's amazing to see how animals, adjust accordingly.

Okay, wait a second. Now you just said, Whoa, I got it, I gotta take this, you just quickly. You quickly grazed over that you've had multiple run ins with wild animals. Tell me about this. What was the scariest moment you had in front of a wild animal reason I'm bringing that up obviously I grew up, I'm living in here instead of Colorado Susi lived a life like wild animals, wild lions or, or you know not, I did not encounter close encounters with bears but with a major big mooses and whatnot so when you see them. It's just about again, if you have a fear how you slowly step away. If you scream if you yell, I mean, it just so many of those elements, and I had encountered that was really scary the scariest encounter was with a herd of coyotes. I Went, went with my little cutie jack Lemmon a lemon Beagle to the park to this beautiful huge national park right and I didn't realize the sun's gonna go down so fast, and then these really tall grasses and bushes were coyotes were like crude like 330 40, maybe even more. But then what I didn't know at the time and I study later and how close to danjuro was they had a guy who is always in front and outside and open, and all these guys were hiding behind, and they were just to kind of show and reappear and so I thought it's just maybe three of them, and I'm having my dog who is clueless, who is extremely sweet and who kind of stopped working and all of a sudden I realize they're after him, and they want him, and I literally had to pick him up and have in my arms and scream and from top of my lungs and run and having you know 3040 pounds of dog and trying to run and having curious, just surrounding now from both sides of the road and walling and creating this most insane sounds. It's like just a sound chills you to the core my dog was petrified and I remember having him in my arms. His heart was next to my heart. I don't know whose heart was beating faster I felt like my heart was my throat and, and I could not tell you that mile to get to to the car and get out of the park was the longest mile I ever had to go over a mile over a mile and Rolla slim Italia, I got there I was so shocked, a shoe cup of stress and everything and anxiety, and my little guy, you know like just had a little tears in his eyes, and just looked at me so helpless, that like, like he's way to say thank you but he couldn't really like he didn't know what was going on, but he was really sitting in the car. Took me at least 1520 minutes to distress, so I can drive, because, I mean, they were just creating the sounds of the terror. That was horrible.

So, I would imagine that adrenaline was kicking in for you to.

Maybe I broke up the new mile record that I didn't even know.

So if you were to guess how many coyotes you think it was.

 I honestly because I got weighed on talk to this two stage Rangers and they said that they haven't heard a police or two or 300 of those very often in the neighborhoods that are surrounding because it's such a beautiful by the lake, gorgeous homes in the gated communities, but coyotes, of course, go outside right. They often have. They go after dogs and they said you did the smartest thing by lifting him up and running because rarely Double Attack human, but I didn't know when they would and would not, and when they start surrounding me. I was just so petrified not for me as much truly but for my little boy, you know it's like I can't allowed my dog to be eaten alive here. And of course I couldn't leave him behind so.

Wow. Okay, so we've got some comments that came in, we have Alyssa Dini hi Alyssa she says, Wow, she was very impressed by that. By that story, and she says she's in Pennsylvania one hour north of Philadelphia. Okay. She said, Brian. He says he's had multiple run ins with wild animals haha so he can feel your pain on that one. Brian, tell us what kind of animals that you had a run in with I'm curious. Wow, that's an amazing story as well you know you reminded me of is that going back to you said earlier, a lot of times these leaders, they've got these things that are happening right in front of them, you're just kind of surviving, you mentioned something like that earlier in our conversation. It reminded me that when you're in front of those, those wolves those coyotes, you were thinking about the survival of yourself and your dog you weren't thinking about long term plans at that moment. Right.

No, no, I just knew that my skip cross industry from the park, and get in on the parking lots that was lit up that day probably will not follow him in that far because they were hiding in the bushes and just few of them were out and open, but the wowing and sound and then crashing grass, and as fast. I was running the grass and squeak and sounds. I mean was so dramatic Can you spot on it was that survival gets to safety because actually was not just the fear was a true danger, I was a danger, and I was a mix of the true danger many many times so I really just did my rely on my instincts right as soon as I was on of immediate danger, and I come down had some water, my dog had some water, then was a completely like this is gone, this is fine, I'm fine. And of course if I did come back to the park. It's not that I avoid it. I only did not anymore go towards Sandusky towards the early evening because I knew that's going to be a problem moving forward and I just did a smarter things, I just truly don't have no idea. It's just a learning curve right so you don't want to repeat the same thing again and put yourself in a danger. Because with no reason. 

Yeah, absolutely. And so once you're able to reflect on it now, then you had an opportunity. Okay, I can go back, but I'm gonna do things a little differently next time.

Exactly. And it's a great learning curve, isn't it, right, yeah, great opportunity to share with your team or others so they're not repeating that mistake and that's all what is all about, you know, coming on the other side, What did we learn and how do we share in admitting I screwed up. I really didn't have no idea and I should know better as a leader I should prepare myself as as a responsible dog owner or whatever, you know, but that but but then again when we do know better when we do more, it's our responsibility to share and educate others, isn't it.

Oh, I love it. Yeah, absolutely. And it goes back to like mentorship you're talking about helping future leaders, and what you're doing with companies to help mentor them and then perhaps how they can mentor other future leaders. So show them how to get out of the way of those coyotes the next time make sure they know that I'm caught in the same situation as you were. I love this is kind of interesting. The analogies here so I have another question for you.

Yes, please.

What's the last thing you bought I want folks in the comments to answer this too. What's the last thing you bought for under 50 bucks that you love and you use often.

Oh, under okay let's actually Blitz two things I bought this iPhone, I mean a cell phone stand. Proper camera stands that I actually use often for mine leaders that gives you hands free, but you can adjust it and make it close it's super cheap but super awesome tool. And then I also get it, and I also get a couple of books that I'm super excited to read for some of my colleagues and friends as as leaders we have to continue educating ourselves and continue reading and I think that is also something that I feel like a great book that is always on my desk that I go back go back to and constantly read and check in some chapters, I think that's tremendous as well. Well, i love that okay so if you had to pick one book that you've read before that you're going to reread. What's that one book you would reread.

Oh god. I have to say I always go back to this book and it's epic it's called to use square.

I write that one I haven't read it but I've heard of that one. Tell me about telling you, I not only through my master's program and graduate program obviously I'm working in, and leadership and whatnot. I read all the mainstream leadership books from top guns right and right now we have more than ever specific sub fabulous books on Amazon and around the leadership and all kinds of concepts, but the one that truly is so distilled it's metaphysical it's all about you and it's all about your mental, emotional and psychological aspect. It is there it's very 10 has a beautiful silver countering, it's easy to I bring that everywhere I have one that is falling apart and I ordered a brand new one that I keep at home. Seriously, I have things that I highlight, because it's such a concept in there that it's reminder that you want to go back and I keep going back because I always challenge myself around high performance around my thought process around my biases and it just has so much power and helps me always stay on leash more and more and more. In order for me to truly shop for myself in the best light and of course for everybody else, so I will randomly recommend that one.

Okay so Joanne if you can find that for us, or if someone who's watching can put that in the link in the comments please do that for the use square Do you know this by you know the beta by

price Pritchett here's us. He has a doctorate he has a phenomenal training models and everything else and a lot of a books that help an age that goes with that. He's on Amazon book is extremely inexpensive. But the beauty about that is guys, specifically for seasoned leaders, this isn't for everybody, but for seasoned leaders, the thing that they know it. Most of it. They will be amazed how much, and because I push always that forward in conversations, and it highlights certain things and people are like oh my god is a value we're spot on, because it's like counting on unforeseen forces counting on your on your future self do you build in and stretch yourself further in such a beautiful eloquent way, and affect the way that truly works that's the best part, I love it. I guess we had a couple more comments here. Alyssa said confused deer are the scariest around here if you happen to be driving. Oh that's you know what I ran into a deer once that is not good. Those. They can do some serious damage to that there was a deer I ran into one I leave in the airport. It was late at night and run a airport there's there's sometimes there's deers that are out there, and one ran across the, the, the main road I ran into it, it kept on going, but that was about two or three grand worth of damage to my car. Well, but I was okay so that was, that was the good thing and that's why I say you can fix that, but in Sweden when you hit the moose with the with the long legs and all that heavy body collapses on you You are gone. And that is the warmest because you have to really watch you're going through like unpopulated gorgeous, beautiful roads and all of a sudden you're having this huge monster. And it's like, no, you're no kidding their legs, it's nothing though just bent legs but then all the way wage of I don't know how many tons of how many pounds are there, just collapsing. That is where the, the most dangerous stuff comes up so

Alison says we scared, we have scared coyotes, but I'm amazed at hundreds at once. And she says something else you said she says a nurse knows. So I think that maybe lifting up maybe she's talking about the lifting up part or something but she's she's actually a nurse by trade so she, she knows she says why she's a nurse no so she, she could connect with something you were talking about earlier. That's awesome. Okay, that was a great I liked what you said about the camera you know there's a lot of folks who. Right now we're trying to adjust to this new like we're living in zoom and teams Microsoft Teams world now and just something as simple as a very very inexpensive stand for your phone makes a world of difference for these interviews, whether they're interviewing for that next leadership position or if you're the interviewer of a leader. And you have to use your phone, that is a wonderful so thank you for sharing that one other comment from Alyssa says, Oh, she said yes so so it's just I guess she agreed something was it about what I was thinking. She said you must pick up Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink. So that's how you heard that one.

I have that one action I read it, I read it a few years ago, years ago. And right now, Alyssa thank you for bringing that up Extreme Ownership more than ever, because we need our ability and we need our leaders, they're not going to take excuses. And then, and I'll go into swept things under the rug anymore because even if they tried showing right So mine is well, at least step up to the plate and Extreme Ownership is definitely mantra, and things I'm also doing but a lot of organizations, it's too scary for them. Take it, because you know why because on whales and make them bare naked and the truth that you cannot hide from either you do it or not do it it's there so so Extreme Ownership it's too extreme for many.

Well you know I know right now too with a lot of the things that are going on with because of the pandemic and it's put a strain on some businesses to where they're doing these massive, you know, cutbacks on spending. And so the person doesn't want to be expendable. And so I would think that there's probably some fear that is associated with having Extreme Ownership just thinking of that title, I love the concept, but yes

it's it's by two, I believe, navy seals. Anyway, they're former military guys and very high high position and they use some doctrine, and the ways how they did to model not only that high performance but to break through fear, and my book divorce messenger from fear to greatness was for my personal story and I found a lot of parallels. They were on the missions, but because of their profession, and I was right in the middle, because I was civilian in the wrong time in the wrong place. I mean you can't escape, xodus and war and craziness in your own homeland writes and only thing you trying to do is survive, and also trying to make a decision split second, was also talking about you know how you have to have that instance like we were talking about with animals or communication right and understanding animals, and that instinct of when to pull the trigger what to do, what to do next. Just because you're in a new situation that you know it's like you don't wait and think about it. Oh, should we do this or should we do that it's an every split second, it's so crucial.

Yes, yes. And that was the next questions I asked you about your book so you you you you beat me to the punch I love it so messenger is the name of it right yes the world messenger and it behind you actually.

Yeah. Yes. Yeah, until I like that. Cover like the purple to thank you thank you, oil and majestic
 yes and what the beautiful thing is I just want to point it out is that Olympian torch right here, Olympic torch I'm sorry in a hand from Olympian with an Olympic torch, because to me again, even though it did not fulfill the dream but I always feel like every single one of us an Olympian in our own right. Hold the torch through thick and thin and sometimes we also shed the light for others to see, oh I can I think that is the image, not only of survival. I didn't focus so much on that but it's truly breaking through these fears and and and and each chapter has a little bit of a before next one starts opportunity to reflect and ask your question, and really put yourself in your own shoes and the beauty is what I did is I interviewed Olympians and coaches and also I'm in a business leaders, so I focus on men to really share their breaking points through that journey. So it is really amazing to really see the outcomes as results.

 That sounds very interesting. And we want to get into one of the comments, so this is says large companies. Oh large companies have it as required reading well they need to add world messenger to their reading to check this out. What do you think is what would you say is the main message that you want someone to receive from the book.

 And if you don't mind, this is something I've been sharing for so long and people find it most important is just just just something to sit with, sure, that is literally beginning of the book and this is what I lived through, and I was able to come through with it and be with you today. As a result of it. In the moments when it seems like you have nothing left behind by left, but to defeat. No one by your sides to cheer you up, pick you up, or give you a hand. Know that you can roll this, keep going. True virus under life mission continue on to greatness. So, but what is really gives you a chance to understand, even though you may not have support and everything you need at the moment. That is not a reason to give up and sadly we have the now. Sadly high amount of suicides among two huge preteens actually 10 1112, years old, not just to teenagers and not just executives or people in their late 50s or early 60s, people are going through so much, and they're not even tapping in their own strength and they don't even know the power of their own strength. Sadly I was challenged more than once to find the depth of that. And you don't have to go through journey. I've been through in order to find that out, but more you push yourself to be in comfortably comfortable. It's so relevant in Tommy right now I'm being given to so many also educational institution and students, and because I want them to arm themselves with the tools that they can find within themselves, and where they going to find anybody that is struggling, anybody that is in despair. And I just want to share with you some of the chapter topics so you guys can understand the first one starts with discovering your dream. So many people now push they don't even know what that is and they feel like it's the end of the world it's not gonna happen. But then it's also discovering or reconnecting with your dream, or because we had a dream when we were little kids, and now we need to either rediscover it and connect back with that. But also we need to find our Olympic spirit and metaphor what that means to us because the we don't give up and Kevin due to issues and challenges that we're dealing with. But then acknowledging also our breaking point because so many people already are at the breaking point or beyond the breaking point and when you go beyond the breaking point that's where you go in that deep dark zone, where all the craziest stuffs are happening from suicide to domestic violence to crazy behavior or to completely. You know, disconnect from the world and deep deep suffering, and then also we need to figure out now how to face the fears and how to define defeat our demons demons that we do not deal with in the past, resurface they come and get us. So if you have anything that you do not dealt with from childhood trauma through whatever scenario might be in, it's very important, and then that leads you to identify your why. And I'm so glad you asked that because now identifying your why gives you now new renown essence, and when you know that, then you have that on awaring capacity to hope, and then also how you get him back and back up on your path to freedom, which is basically getting back to your freedom patch to freedom whatever that is that holds you hostage Do you believe, to do that does that and then of course I have to integrate price pitches price pressure at the moment that I was sharing earlier believing within and assume forces, that is something that I shared, but is also essential because a lot of times just because we don't see it doesn't mean it's not in making the right path, and all of that. And honestly, right now I'm seeing some amazing leaders that are flourishing because they're having their teens dare on awaring fate. If you don't have that it is going to be. And then last to I'm almost done is pursuing your destiny and leaving your legacy. Because ultimately, we're all here destined to do something right something big something great something meaningful something impactful and that this process will help you to discover that and then puts you on the path to live that legacy. And obviously understanding that and then of course on the end is how do you inspire greatness by leading your legendary way by serving others with that. And then, obviously, what is ultimately you know that's that. That outputs, why each one of us are here.

Love it. That's good. Very good. So, while you were while you were doing that Alyssa wrote a kind of a comment, she said yes they were in the worst battle in Iraq had friendly fire He said it was his fault, even though it was unknown he took the fall as a leader almost done with the book, and was 100% honest and they came out the most decorated unit thus far. Oh, interesting. Okay, talking about the book. Yes Extreme Ownership yes yes it's created also interesting controversy and all of that. Yes.

Interesting. So I want to ask you this, and I want, I want our audience. Someone who brave an audience is gonna guess I'm gonna try and guess to give me two lies and a truth about yourself. I'm gonna try and guess which one to share. man Okay, one, one, okay.

Just give me all three there I'm gonna try and get some audiences I'll try and guess

I speak six languages. Okay. I met the Dalai Lama. And I'm married to the prince.

Wow. Okay married to the prince. Huh. This is this is kind of interesting here. Can I ask any questions about that.

Sure.

Prince of what country or what what rulership what what government.

It's maybe imaginary maybe in the fairy tales,

I don't know. Okay. All right. Okay so better Prince speaks six languages. What was the middle one.

And I believe I mentioned. Jesus I forgot already. That's horrible. With mixing What did I say,

okay, Joanne helped me out what was her second one. Very tough.

Oh I met the Dalai Lama,

I met him okay yes sorry. All right, so Ned Cohen his Dalai Lama, yeah. Okay, so in the comments which one do you think she's, she's, she's a either a very very good actor. Actress, because of the way she played that off, you know, which one do you think is the truth, she gave us two lies and of truth. One is she's married to a prince. She speaks six languages. And the other one is that she's met the Dalai Lama Which one do you think is the truth. Therefore the other two would be lies. Okay, I'm gonna guess. Now this was early in our Congress, two truths and one lies I believe this is what you want it right.

Because you want these are two of them true.

Okay, so I'm just maybe giving you a little bit hence there you have what you have.

Okay, so only get the hit you're gonna give us which is there's two of them true or two of them allies, which one is.

Ah, two of them are true actually so I'm giving you more than, 30% 35%, or 30% to succeed. Okay. Two of them are true. One of them is false. Okay, so let's look guys let's guess which one is the false one. I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say the met the Dalai Lama and guess what Dr Rosina. She says yes she's she thinks met Dalai Lama, she thinks that that's the lie she thinks the others are true. So she believes that you speak six languages and that you're married to Prince. She thinks that yes yes that's what she says that's it I think I'm gonna agree with you. I'm gonna agree with Dr z I'm gonna go with what she says let me see if anybody else commented on this. So glad you came in. Okay, Alyssa says lie is she met Dalai Lama, and Joanne says truth speaks six languages are married to the prince. Alyssa also says Jocko had the number one business podcast now it goes into large corporations and hospitals, observe and fix what he sees are the issues okay got it. Well this is a big time Jacko fan. Awesome. Okay. All right. So, suspense is killing us which one is it Which one is always said this course already during this interview that I do speak six languages because you were asking what those are. So that is definitely the truth. Okay, I am actually single and not married, and I'm still waiting for my friends so it's a kind of like a joke right.

While so you met the Dalai Lama.

Yes, I had a chance to meet him at a event that I actually also was asked to speak not in the same time not in same room, and he was up for, I think, three or four days back in 2001 2000 to a University of Denver through piece gem Foundation, but University of Denver organize amazing event for youth from all over the world to come in and to learn how to truly actually have a how to, how to demonstrate the piece and how to be future generation of leaders, and I was asked through branch of the University of Denver to speak and walk them through how it was for me to actually be the refugee or become the refugee and then share the parts of the story, and walk them through that process so it was, was, was it this amazing opportunity that was over three or four days and, yeah, and it was amazing to see the holy holiness. His Holiness in Flash, I would have never guessed that about you.

Actually, if you read my book which you will and I will send you a copy. I was actually always fascinated because I was doing so much humanitarian work and fascinated with his work, and I was approved to actually go and do a documentary and I was planning to do that. And in 2009 on the end of the 2000, I'm sorry. Beginning of 2009 end of 2008. I was planning to go first to Sudan to open first nonprofit hospital and then to go to India to Dharamsala. And what happened is I received the most devastating call to my mom is in hospital and my mom was diagnosed with brain tumor. And then all of those things I put on hold, and I and I never went back and I never did all of this because completely new life new chaos new things, shifted and new priorities, and I also learned that actually by not going to Sudan at that time saved my life. So it was just interesting to see how certain events come and disrupt intentions, and as results change the course of our our destiny and our direction, but Dalai Lama has definitely always been and always will be close to my heart and his teaching, because one of the reasons I mentioned it is right now for everyone who said something, even though I work with so many people and I always felt like I couldn't I cannot understand how can I not relate with others. Even that beginning of 2001 I believed it was 2000 to 2000 to that event he said something very pivotal, how much people are missing to be empathetic compassionate and kind. And I thought that every single one of us is born like that, and I was already had installed. All three aspects of it and how much more compassion, we need and kindness, so that I feel like everybody kind and everybody can be can but they chose not to. That was my explanation. But then, I'm more I really dig up deeply his share was deep and profound because one thing he said that a lot of environments specifically he was referenced in United States. Don't nurture that dawn distill decks and new generations from from parenting to education to workforce. So now, is ironic that we're now calling upon the leaders to be kind and compassionate and empathetic, isn't that crazy to see the full circle.

Mm hmm. Absolutely. So, let me ask you this. Last question, if there were any historical figure that you could meet today. Who would you want to meet. Just one. And guys if you watch the comments you guys answer that to a historic figure out why, why, why, or that doesn't matter yeah in any, any, any historical figure who will you consider whoever. Okay,

I will just answer this way done guy escapes me I would love to have a leadership roundtable with Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa.

Oh, look at you see your innovative he just came out with four of them.

I'm sorry.

A lot of great conversations to have, so that's give me a nice little. That's a nice little variation of my question maybe next time I'll ask if you're gonna do a roundtable, who would you, who would you have in your roundtable dr z says I'm totally impressed meeting the Dalai Lama so she was very impressed, and so was Joanne, and yeah they're all saying like, wow, in the in the comments so that's amazing. Okay. Well, great. Well this this time but I cannot believe we're already at the end of the hour it's been great. What's the best way for folks to to continue the conversation with you get in touch with you. Is it through LinkedIn is your website what, how should they connect with you guys, you can do it three different ways, absolutely through LinkedIn obviously is available on break and a lot of people get my spelling wrong it's Isabella with z and one L and Isabella Limburg calm, but if y'all stay curious and want to learn more about the book just just type the world messenger the world messenger calm and you will be able to land on my also my page and be able to interact as well so any means that works for you from LinkedIn to the websites, and I really really love to hear your feedback as well and ways I can contribute and support so that's great. Yeah, thank you everyone for coming today you guys were great today. Thank you for sharing your time we do have you tagged in this post, and be sure you can interact with it later Isabella so you can see but we have you tagged in here, so they can connect with you one on one, feel free to go to her website learn more about her book, thank you for being on today I look forward to being on your show a couple of days from now.

 Yes, and it's so funny how this perfectly come up and I'm super excited to talk about some really awesome things as well and you'll be phenomenal posts so I wanted just to say deep gratitude for this time and opportunity Rollis, thank you thank you for you. I want to thank Brian and Alyssa, and Rosina and Joanne, all your active commenting today we appreciate you and all those of us who watch the replay, feel free, put in your comments I will be reading them later if you have any questions or comments, let us know what resonated with you today what what what point really stuck home with you that you're going to use, whether it's for inspiration or application whatever in the future. Thank you very much for tuning in. And we'll see you tomorrow we have live with Noel at 11am. central time and then of course Thursday we have our Thursday Roundtable. It's with the Harris center. Looking forward to that one with him, we're talking about mental health and population health, and then later on that evening, I'll be with Isabella on her show. Anyway, thanks. Have a great day. Let's say bye everyone.

Bye Bye. Take care. Thank you guys