10 Lessons Learned

Raj Raghunathan-If you‘re so smart, why aren‘t you happy?

                   
Raj Raghunathan, author of “If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Happy?”. In this episode he tells us why "Small changes have big effects", how to "Be discerning, not judgmental" and shares the "Single most important thing to enhance your happiness". Hosted by Duff Watkins.
About Raj Raghunathan
Raj Raghunathan, author of “If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Happy?”  is currently professor of marketing at the University of Texas School of Business. Raj’s work juxtaposes theories from psychology, behavioural sciences, decision theory and marketing to document and explain interrelationships between affect and consumption behaviour,
His work has been published in top marketing and psychology journals.
He says, “I believe that I am one of the few people who can serve as a conduit between the scientific community and the masses in addressing such big issues as: what are the factors that determine life-satisfaction and happiness?”
Episode Notes
Lesson 1: Small changes have big effects. 03m 36s
Lesson 2: science and spirituality go together. 06m 12s
Lesson 3: We can’t all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love. 14m 10s
Lesson 4: Nurture trust in life. 17m 16s
Lesson 5: The big difference between mind attention and bare attention. 23m 35s
Lesson 6: You can’t be happy without a healthy lifestyle. 31m 18s
Lesson 7: Single most important thing to enhance your happiness is… 34m 35s
Lesson 8: Be discerning, not judgmental. 40m 14s
Lesson 9: The 5:1 ratio for feedback. 44m 14s
Lesson 10: Happiness is functional. 50m50s

Ori Eisen – You can do anything if you don’t care who gets the credit

                                                                 
Ori Eisen has spent the last two decades fighting online crime and he is respected for his business knowledge and leadership. In this episode, Ori tells us why you must "Begin with the end in mind", why "If there is doubt there is no doubt" and the benefit of "Sharpening the saw". Hosted by Siebe Van Der Zee.
 
About Ori Eisen
Ori Eisen has spent the last two decades fighting online crime and he is respected for his business knowledge and leadership.
Prior to founding Trusona, Ori founded 41st Parameter – the leading online fraud prevention and detection solution for financial institutions and e-commerce. 41st Parameter was acquired by Experian in 2013.
Prior to 41st Parameter, Ori served as the Worldwide Fraud Director for American Express focusing on Internet and counterfeit fraud. During his tenure, he championed the project to enhance the authorization request to include Internet specific parameters.
Prior to American Express, Ori was the Director of Fraud Prevention for VeriSign/Network Solutions. By developing new and innovative technologies, he skilfully reduced fraud losses by over 85 percent in just three months.
Ori holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Montclair State University and he holds over two dozen cybersecurity patents.
In his free time, Ori volunteers with Thorn, the digital defenders of children. He founded Ball to All, a charity that donates free soccer balls around the world to children who have never had one. He is a founding member of Security Canyon – Arizona’s Cyber Security Coalition. His website is a treasure trove of information. He resides in Scottsdale and is married with two children.
Ori has dedicated his life to fighting online crime.
Episode Notes
Lesson 1. You can do anything, if you don’t care who gets the credit 6m 41s
Lesson 2. The hardest thing to do, is to do 8m 21s
Lesson 3. Taking proper vacations is a must 10m 26s
Lesson 4. You can coach by just asking questions, you never need to raise your voice 12m 47s
Lesson 5. Thinking time is underrated and there is not enough time spent on ideation before action 15m 11s
Lesson 6. Begin with the end in mind 18m 14s
Lesson 7. Sharpen the saw - spend time to train your team to problem-solve 21m 28s
Lesson 8. If there is a doubt, there is no doubt 27m 12s
Lesson 9. Family first, always 31m 38s
Lesson 10. It’s never as bad as you think it is 38m 33s
 

Julian Zelizer – Just START! You don’t need all the answers to begin

                                                             
Julian Zelizer is a professor of political history and an author at Princeton University and the co-host of the podcast Politics & Polls. He speaks with us about how ""Life is a marathon not a sprint, why we should "Accept imperfection", and why you should "Just start". Hosted by Duff Watkins.
About Julian Zelizer
Julian Zelizer is a professor of political history and an author at Princeton University.
Julian E. Zelizer has been one of the pioneers in the revival of American political history. He is the author and editor of 19 books on American political history. His latest book Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, the Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party was published in 2020.
Zelizer is also a frequent commentator in the media. He has published over nine hundred op-eds, including his weekly column on CNN.Com. He is a regular news commentator on radio, television and in print He has received fellowships from the Brookings Institution, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, New America, and the New York Historical Society.
Julian is also the co-host of the podcast Politics & Polls
Episode Notes:
Lesson 1: Use your momentum 03m 00s.
Lesson 2: Accept imperfection 06m 10s.
Lesson 3: Just start! 09m 00s.
Lesson 4: Don’t be scared to throw things away 12m 40s.
Lesson 5: Both sides don’t always have a good point 17m14s.
Lesson 6: Life is a marathon not a sprint  26m22s.
Lesson 7: Never do early tomorrow what you can do ridiculously early today 29,40s .
Lesson 8: Nothing is free, it’s just included 34m 28s.
Lesson 9: Today is the most important day of your life 37, 53s.
Lesson 10: Prepare for unexpected opportunities 43m 16s.
 

Mary Labrie - To lead you have to learn to follow

                                                         
Mary Labrie is a writer and producer of radio, podcast and film. Mary is Director and Principal of strategy consulting firm, Clear Advantage.  She discusses why "We all respond to incentives", why "You need to ask", and that "To lead you must learn to follow". Hosted by Jeffery Wang.
About Mary Labrie
Mary Egan nee Labrie is a writer and producer of radio, podcast and film. She is producer and host of a podcast and radio show, “Women of a Certain Age,” that first aired in California in June 2020.  Mary is host and producer of ‘The Shiver Show,’ a 30-episode radio program that showcases ‘golden era’ radio plays in the genres of Horror, Crime and Science Fiction. The Shiver Show is in its fourth year in California on KPPQ-FM.  She also produced ‘How to do Improv,’ a 13-part video series for TV.
Mary is founder and director of Women of a Certain Age, a digital media company that creates  radio, podcast, video and web content for women over 50. It is the aim of Women of a Certain Age to inform, inspire and entertain women travelling beyond 50.
Mary is Director and Principal of strategy consulting firm, Clear Advantage.  Since 1999, she has consulted to blue-chip enterprise and government clients on matters of strategy, marketing and digital transformation.
She has been a university instructor in Canada (University of British Columbia), Australia (University of NSW), and the United States (University of California – Santa Barbara), teaching management, leadership and marketing. 
Mary is a certified ‘English as a Second Language’ instructor (CELTA). She set up and offered a free ESL clinic in Ventura, California for newly arrived immigrants and refugees. She is a volunteer rescuer and carer for Australian wildlife.
Mary has an honours degree in Forest Biology and a Master of Business Administration from University of British Columbia.   Mary is a Canadian and an Australian. 
Episode Notes
Lesson 1: We all respond to incentives 01m 31s
Lesson 2: Be strategic with your suppliers 05m 26s
Lesson 3: You are the brand 08m 43s
Lesson 4: Channel like a babysitter 13m 50s
Lesson 5: Don't Panic, Just think 17m 37s
Lesson 6: You need to ask 21m 51s
Lesson 7: To lead you have to learn to follow 25m 32s
Lesson 8: Embrace those who think different to you 28m 09s
Lesson 9: There's always something you can do 33m 22s
Lesson 10: Develop a side-hustle early 36m07s
 

Siebe Van Der Zee - Get Over it- Don‘t create mental barriers.

                                                                 
Siebe Van Der Zee is President of Vanderzee & Associates, Executive Search & Coaching. For 28 years, Siebe has served as Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Arizona. More importantly he is one of the hosts of 10 Lessons it Took Me 50 Years to Learn!  Siebe talks with us about why we should "Get over it", Why it's important to "warm up the engine" and why you should "Be who you are". Hosted by Robert Hossary.
About Siebe Van Der Zee
Siebe is President of Vanderzee & Associates, Executive Search & Coaching. He has served as an international management consultant for over 25 years specializing in retained executive search, performance coaching and cross cultural consulting. 
His clientele includes business leaders in large multinational corporations as well as medium sized companies covering a wide area of industries including high-tech manufacturing, consumer products and life sciences.
Siebe started his career working for global financial institutions (Citibank and ING Bank) in Europe (London, Amsterdam), Latin America (Montevideo) and the United States (New York). Since 2002, he manages a successful retained executive search firm in Scottsdale, Arizona. The firm is focused on senior level executives (incl. Board of Directors).
For 28 years, Siebe has served as Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Arizona. He holds a Master's Degree in International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management..
Episode Notes
Lesson 1: Warm up the engine before accelerating 06m 53s.
Lesson 2: Energy gets you going, integrity keeps you in place 10m 28s.
Lesson 3: Be who you are; don’t try to be a different person to impress someone 14m 05s.
Lesson 4: Don’t stay quiet if you notice something unethical 18m 53s.
Lesson 5: Get over it! Don’t create mental barriers for yourself 24m 35s.
Lesson 6: We all have blind spots 29m 34s.
Lesson 7: In business development, start at the top 34m 11s.
Lesson 8: Bad news can knock you down, resilience will pick you up 36m 27s.
Lesson 9: Don’t accept finishing in second place 40m 11s.
Lesson 10: Empathy is the key element of successful leadership 44m 13s.
  

Peter Thornhill - Fear is based on ignorance; don’t be frightened, be smart

                                                   
Peter Thornhill speaks to us about: why you “Don’t stay in jobs you don’t like”, why you should “Rent your lifestyle" and how to “Make money your slave” along with seven other lessons. Hosted by Duff Watkins.
About Peter Thornhill
Peter Thornhill’s career spans 40+ years in the Financial Services Industry.
Educated in Melbourne, he has worked for a leading Australian insurance company, in a London merchant bank as a private client investment adviser, as Director of one of UK’s largest Unit Trust Groups, before returning to Australia as a Senior Executive for managed funds. 
 
He continues to consult to Australia’s largest financial institutions and appears regularly in the media as a financial commentator because of his ‘assaults on popular wisdom.’
 
He is the author of Motivated Money a no-nonsense guide for investors (a self-published book that’s sold over 60,000 copies through his thousands of popular lectures and presentations.)  His website is www.motivatedmoney.com.au.
 
Episode Notes:
 
Lesson 1: You can succeed despite your education. 06m 31s
Lesson 2: Whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability and you will be noticed 09m 05s
Lesson 3: Don’t stay in jobs you don’t like. 15m 04s
Lesson 4: Financial independence is easy to attain 25m 48s
Lesson 5: Spend less than you earn and borrow less than you can afford 29m 31s
Lesson 6: Make money your slave 31m 50s
Lesson 7: Rent your lifestyle 38m 19s
Lesson 8: Choose your partner carefully 43m 15s
Lesson 9: Fear is based on ignorance; don’t be frightened, be smart 45m 26s
Lesson 10: Envy no one 50m 07s

David Chalke–Become your own disruptor

                                                                 
David Chalke is one of Australia’s leading Social Analysts. He speaks with us about R E S P E C T, why we should "Build a shed" and why it's important to "Remember your core purpose ". Hosted by Duff Watkins
About David Chalke
David is one of Australia’s leading Social Analysts. A science graduate: his early career was in Europe with trans-national organisations such as Nestle, Cadbury Schweppes & Wilkinson Sword. On coming to Australia, David held the positions of Director of Strategy Planning with McCann-Erickson and Y&R Mattingly, until founding the independent consultancy, The Strategy Planning Group, in 1990.
Today, David focuses on measuring the effects of cultural change on Australians’ attitudes and behaviours and advising on the impact of these on the formulation of effective public policy and business strategy.
David’s “Real World” view of the mood of Australians has made him a popular speaker at national & international conferences; he is a regularly quoted social commentator, and an occasional writer and broadcaster.
Episode Notes
Lesson 1: Look Upwards, sideways and downwards 3m 45s.
Lesson 2: Keep Walking 5m 56s.
Lesson 3: Keep Listening 7m 42s.
Lesson 4: Keep it plain 11m 07s.
Lesson 5: Your world is not everyone’s 21m 30s.
Lesson 6: R E S P E C T 24m 54s
Lesson 7: Don’t deceive 29m 05s.
Lesson 8: Build a shed 37m 39s.
Lesson 9: Remember your core purpose 39m 14s.
Lesson 10: Become your own disruptor 46m 09s.

Dilip Jeste - Anyone and Everyone Can Become WISER

                                 
Dr. Dilip V. Jeste  is the author of 'Wiser: the scientific roots of wisdom' and speaks to us about how "If you think you’re WISE, you aren’t" and tells us that "Anyone and everyone can become WISER" along with eight other great lessons. Hosted by Duff Watkins.
About Dr Dilip Jeste
Dr. Dilip V. Jeste is Director of The Stein Institute for Research on Ageing, and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego, and a neuropsychiatrist with particular specialism in successful aging and schizophrenia.
He is author of Wiser: the scientific roots of wisdom (and 13 other books).  His 625 published scientific papers are among most cited in the world (he’s in the top .5% of publishing researchers).  He is also a former president of the American Psychiatric Association. He was the first Asian-American elected President of the American Psychiatric Association in its 175 year history which has over 40,000 members.  He is listed in “Best Doctors in America.”
He has published a number of influential papers detailing the neural activity associated with wise behaviours and you can watch his fascinating TED talk Seeking Wisdom in Graying Matter by clicking here.
Episode Notes
Lesson 1: If you think you’re WISE, you aren’t 04m 45s.
Lesson 2: Anyone and everyone can become WISER 08m 05s.
Lesson 3: Don't give up your accent 11m 50s
Lesson 4: Spend some time with people you DISLIKE 16m00s.
Lesson 5: Controlled PESSIMISM is better than uncontrolled OPTIMISM 21m 10s.
Lesson 6: ONEliness is good, LONEliness is not 26m 06s.
Lesson 7: Finding YOUR fault is harder than finding THEIR fault 30m 41s.
Lesson 8: Too much of a VIRTUE can be BAD 36m 05s.
Lesson 9: BALANCE:  Feel sad when happy; feel happy when sad 39m 19s.
Lesson 10: Act OLD when young; act YOUNG when old 44m 00s.

Special Episode - What is Wisdom?

                                                 
In this special episode the four of us, Jeffery Wang, Siebe Van Der Zee, Dr. Duff Watkins, and Robert Hossary discuss the deep topic of wisdom. We ask the question “What is wisdom?” and try to answer that from the lessons learned from our guests and from our own experiences. We have been asking this question of ourselves since we began. So we thought that we would share this discussion with our audience. Let us know your thoughts on what you think wisdom is.
 
 
 

Niki Luijsterburg - Leaders are storytellers

                                                     
LT COL Joost ‘Niki’ Luijsterburg speaks to us this week about how the best "leaders are story tellers", how there are "only two intrinsic motivators - Love or Fear" , the true nature of "Sacrifice" and seven other great lessons. Hosted by Siebe Van Der Zee.
About Joost ‘Niki’ Luijsterburg
LT COL JOOST ‘Niki’ Luijsterburg of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) has become the first Dutch fighter pilot to achieve 4,000 flight hours on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
After serving for a year in the Dutch Navy, Luijsterburg began flight training with the RNLAF in 1989. Two years later he graduated as the top of his pilot class and earned his wings, as well as the top formation pilot award. Luijsterburg completed F-16 training with the 148th Fighter Squadron at Tucson, Arizona in 1992. He moved to Leeuwarden Air Base, joining 323 Squadron, to begin his tuition with the Fighter Weapons School. He passed ‘cum laude’ and received further awards for best overall pilot and best airto- air pilot. On becoming the first Dutch F-16 pilot to pass the 4,000 flight hours landmark at Tucson, ‘Niki’ commented, ‘It’s also just a number a number that wouldn’t be possible without all the people that work behind the scenes to make every flight hour possible.’
Niki is a Senior Strategic Leader, Teacher and Diplomat. He has over 30 years of experience across a wide range of international and joint missions, teaching, test execution and 11 combat deployments in various roles.
He is a Keynote speaker. Military and technical advisor for various large movie and TV productions.
Episode Notes
Lesson 1: There are only two intrinsic motivators in life. Love or Fear 08m 42s.
Lesson 2: Be Effective 11m 57s.
Lesson 3: The most important part of communication is the receiving (listening) part 12m 29s.
Lesson 4: Have self-confidence. Know what you can and cannot do 15m 34s.
Lesson 5: Be responsible 20m 02s.
Lesson 6: Sacrifice 24m 47s.
Lesson 7: Language, rituals, Leaders are storytellers 27m24s.
Lesson 8: Be Honest 30m 12s.
Lesson 9: Be a shit screen 33m 56s.
Lesson 10: Keep your peoples lives stable 39m 57s.

Floyd Ormsbee – Never let them see you sweat

                                                                 
Dr Floyd Ormsbee shares some valuable lessons with us in this episode. Why you should "never let them see you sweat". That you can "disagree but learn from each other" and why "if it were easy everyone would do it. Hosted by Robert Hossary.
About Dr Floyd Ormsbee
Dr. Floyd Ormsbee, an Assistant Professor of Consumer & Organizational Studies and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs & Operations in Clarkson University's David D. Reh School of Business, and he is also the owner of Genaffex Training and Consulting.
He is a past recipient of the Clarkson School of Business Service Award and Beta Gamma Sigma's Ralph Janero Teaching Award, was selected by graduating seniors to present a “Last Lecture” presentation and was named the 2020 recipient of the Clarkson University Distinguished Teacher Award, an award given "in recognition of the importance of superior teaching" and selected from faculty nominated for the award by Clarkson alumni.
Dr Ormsbee is an annual keynote speaker for the St. Lawrence Leadership Institute and has delivered a variety of keynote presentations and talks on generational issues in the workplace, strategic issues, cultivating professionalism in the workplace, and managing organizational change to local, regional and international associations and organizations in both the United States and Canada.
A native of Heuvelton, N.Y. (USA), Dr Ormsbee worked in the insurance industry for a number of years before returning to school for graduate work. He joined the Clarkson University admissions office in 1998 and then taught briefly at The State University of New York (SUNY) College at Potsdam and SUNY Canton before starting his Clarkson teaching career in 2002.
Dr Ormsbee earned his Ph.D. in Management from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada), his Master of Science degree in Management Systems from Clarkson, his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics from SUNY Potsdam, and 2 Associate Degrees in both Business Administration, and Banking, Insurance & Real Estate from SUNY Canton.
Episode Notes
Never let anyone tell you no 6m 32s.
Never let them see you sweat 10m 51s.
It’s not about the message. It’s about the delivery 16m 10s.
Disagree but learn from each other 19m 29s.
Tomorrow is not guaranteed 22m 29s. 
If it were easy, everyone would do it 26m 38s. 
Run your own game – not someone else’s 31m 58s. 
You have to be the one who pushes yourself 37m 19s. 
Live a real life – not a virtual one 43m 27s. 
See the world, meet the people, and always learn more 46m 57s.

Andrew Bacevich - Never feel sorry for the people in charge

                                                         
In this episode, Andrew Bacevich shares with us why "Ambition causes blindness", why you should "Never feel sorry for the people in charge" and describes the "Greatest sin of all".
About Dr Andrew J. Bacevich
Andrew Bacevich is Professor Emeritus of International Relations and History at Boston University. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, he received his PhD in American Diplomatic History from Princeton University. Before joining the faculty of Boston University, he taught at West Point and Johns Hopkins. Retired career officer in the Armor Branch of the United States Army, retiring with the rank of colonel.
Bacevich is the author of Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War (2010). His previous books include The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism (2008); The Long War: A New History of US National Security Policy since World War II (2007) (editor); The New American Militarism: How Americans Are Seduced by War (2005); and American Empire: The Realities and Consequences of U. S. Diplomacy (2002). His essays and reviews have appeared in a variety of scholarly and general interest publications including The Wilson Quarterly, The National Interest, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The Nation, and The New Republic. His op-eds have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Boston Globe, and Los Angeles Times, among other newspapers. He is also the editor of a volume entitled The Short American Century:  A Post-mortem, which was published in 2012. His newest book, Breach of Trust: How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country, was published in 2013.
In 2004, Dr. Bacevich was a Berlin Prize Fellow at the American Academy in Berlin. He has also held fellowships at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and the Council on Foreign Relations.
 
Episode Notes 
Lesson 1: The historian's duty is to REVISE history. 01m 24s.
Lesson 2: Thinking of yourself or your country as exceptional is the Big Lie that imprisons you. 08m 38s.
Lesson 3: War is Uncontrollable 17m:45s.
Lesson 4: To fear ideology is irrational. 21m 48s.
Lesson 5: Never feel sorry for the people in charge. 26m 56s.
Lesson 6: Greatest sin of all:  lack of empathy for others 30m 48s.
Lesson 7: Ambition CAUSES blindness. 33m 15s.
Lesson 8: Social media is inherently evil. 36m 37s.
Lesson 9: Money can't buy you love. 39m 39s.
Lesson 10: Want to stay married?  Take long walks together. 43m 25s.

Allan Parker - Agreement is always available

                                                                             
Allan Parker explains why "you hear more when you're honest", how "Words produce predictable outcomes" and eight other gems of wisdom. Hosted by Duff Watkins
About Allan Parker
Allan Parker is the Managing Director of Peak Performance Development Pty Ltd, a Sydney based consultancy company, operating both within Australia and internationally, in the areas of Negotiation, Organisational Change Facilitation, Training and Dispute Management.
His clients have included Microsoft in 11 countries, AMP, BNP Paribas in 4 countries, Macquarie Bank in 4 countries, NSW Bar Association, Deutsche Bank, 5 different Ombudsman’s Offices in Australia and New Zealand, The Royal College of Physicians, the OECD and United Nations.
He is the co-author of the best-selling book Switch on Your Brain; author of the Negotiator’s Toolkit, and is one of the co-authors of Beyond Yes – Negotiating and Networking.
Allan was a member of the Curriculum Advisory Committee to the College of Law & Business, University of Western Sydney, who were responsible for the design, development and delivery of the Masters of Dispute Resolution. In 2000 he was appointed Adjunct Professorship at the College of Law & Business, University of Western Sydney for his contribution to the field of Negotiation and Dispute. 
Allan was a member of the High Level Consultative Committee at the OECD that was responsible for the development and ratification of Global Policy for Small to Medium Enterprise (2000 to 2004 involving 85 OECD Countries). More recently Allan moderated 2 meetings at the United Nations World Investment Forum in Ghana, Africa.
Episode Notes 
Lesson 1: Everything has its place 03m 29s
Lesson 2: Practice Detachment 07m 31s
Lesson 3: You hear more by being honest 12m 59s
Lesson 4: Endings are beginnings, except when they’re not 17m 13s
Lesson 5: When to step out or when to step in 22m16s
Lesson 6: All progress is incremental 24m 51s
Lesson 7: It’s not how much you read it’s how fast 31m 05s
Lesson 8: Agreement is always available 34m 49s
Lesson 9: Words produce predictable outcomes 41m 42s
Lesson 10: Would Could Might 44m 57s

Vikas Tiku - Career highlights don‘t get on your tombstone

                                                               
Vikas Tiku explains why you should "listen more than you speak", why once you've made a decision you shouldn't second guess" and that "your career highlights will never make it to your tombstone" along with seven other great lessons. Hosted by Siebe Van Der Zee.
About Vikas Tiku
Vikas has over 30 years of experience with large, global businesses in the US, Asia Pacific, and Africa.
Vikas served as Representative Director, Head of Transformation, Chief Financial, and Strategy Officer for Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Holdings Inc. He was voted as the ‘Best CFO in Japan’ (Food & Beverage sector) by Investor Weekly publication in 2018.
Vikas started his professional career with The Pillsbury Company. He subsequently served as COO and CFO for Source Precision Medicine; a start-up medical technologies company based in Colorado. He joined The Coca-Cola Company in 2005 as M&A Lead for Asia Pacific before going on to serve as CFO Africa (2006-2008), CFO Japan (2009-2014), and CFO Asia Pacific (2015-2016).
Vikas has a Bachelor of Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering degree from Punjab University in India and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. He attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in Spring 2019
 
Episode Notes 
Lesson 1: What brought you here isn’t necessarily going to get you there. 5m 26s
Lesson 2: Be true to who you are. Be authentic 09m 09s
Lesson 3: Decide quickly when stakes are not high…Decide carefully when stakes are high 12m 28s
Lesson 4: Create possibilities and don’t close options too quickly…they have value 18m 33s
Lesson 5: Conflict by itself isn’t good or bad. Your reaction makes it so 25m 16s
Lesson 6: Listen more than you speak 30m 44s
Lesson 7: Your career highlights will never make it to your tombstone 34m 27s
Lesson 8: Once you’ve made a choice don’t second guess 38m 42s
Lesson 9: You can’t do something without actually doing it. 41m 44s
Lesson 10: Be Humble. Nobody knows everything 44m 07s

Jim Longley - Life is not fair, but don’t just ‘suck it up’

                                                                         
 
Jim Longley tells us how to use "The ten-year rule", how "Life is not fair, but don’t just ‘suck it up’" and why "A life of service is the only life worth living" plus more. Hosted by Jeffery Wang
About Jim Longley
Jim Longley is a company Director, while also doing consulting work and mentoring, following a wide-ranging career.
This included 18 years in the banking industry (Westpac and CBA), including in the US and Britain, and in Australia as Head of Government Finance. Ten years in the NSW Parliament included being Minister for Community Services, Assistant Minister for Health, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and the first Minister for Ageing, while still the youngest Minister in Cabinet! Key reforms included anti-discrimination legislation on the basis of age, and the Disability Services Act, among many others.
He was also CEO of Anglican Retirement Villages with over 3,000 residents and 1300 staff, and later became Deputy Secretary of the Department of Family and Community Services, where he was responsible for transitioning the NSW disability services system into the new National Disability Insurance Scheme involving over $3 Billion p.a., 14,000 staff, and 90,000 clients.
Jim has a Bachelor of Economics (Sydney University), Master of Economics (Macquarie University), Fellow AICD, Fellow CPA, Fellow IML. He also completed a Master of Divinity degree majoring in history, theology, and ethics, in 2020.
Jim is married with two adult children, and enjoys tennis, surfing, reading, and violin.
 
Episode Notes 
Lesson 1: Act according to you integrity, not personal gain 01m 49s.
Lesson 2: Reflection on experience is more important and valuable than mere experience 04m 43s.
Lesson 3: Every organisation has a boss, few organisations have a leader 10m.21s.
Lesson 4: Your life will be a reflection of your priorities 18m 34s.
Lesson 5: The ten-year rule 24m 29s.
Lesson 6: Pursue the big questions, and never stop 29m 14s.
Lesson 7: Life is not fair, but don’t just ‘suck it up’ 36m 38s.
Lesson 8: Don’t lie to yourself about your own strengths and weaknesses 44m 37s.
Lesson 9: Don’t be a workaholic 47m 48s.
Lesson 10: A life of service is the only life worth living 51m 57s.

Jeremy Richman - Buy now or…

                                                                       
 
Jeremy Richman shares why "People don’t have to like you to respect you", why you should "Let a good cause find you and embrace it" and "What you say may not be what they hear" among his 10 Lessons. Hosted by Robert Hossary
About Jeremy Richman
For more than 20 years Jeremy has been helping clients to go to market with powerful messages, branding and communication that move buyers to select them over their competitors. His sweet spot are businesses with complex products and services, such as B2B, professional services and financial services.
However, Jeremy’s personal passion is animal welfare. For many years he volunteered his, and his team's, resources to help Voiceless with their branding and communications. In 2019 Jeremy joined the board of Greyhound Rescue (voluntary role), where he is director of new projects. www.greyhoundrescue.com.au 
Episode Notes
Lesson 1: Moments of truth 05m 08s.
Lesson 2: Value people by what they contribute, not by what they take 11m 27s.
Lesson 3: Buy now or… 15m 44s.
Lesson 4: Let a good cause find you and embrace it 18m 20s.
Lesson 5: People don’t have to like you to respect you 25m 39s.
Lesson 6: Engage on topics you are told to avoid 30m 06s.
Lesson 7: What you say may not be what they hear 34m 45s.
Lesson 8: Be clear on where you fit in your client’s lives 39m 00s.
Lesson 9: Writing is hard work – it should be the last thing you do 43m14s.
Lesson 10: Your best clients leave you alone 49m08s.
 

Steven Zylstra - Mistake, rinse, don’t repeat

                                   
 
This week Steven Zylstra reminds us "Yes, Dad really was right", why there's "No need to go it alone" and 8 other lessons he has learned over 50 Years. Hosted by Siebe Van Der Zee.
About Steven Zylstra
Steven Zylstra has been the president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council since 2007. He came into his position after serving as president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, Catalyst Connection, the Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center, and the Doyle Center for Manufacturing Technology. He has served in leadership roles on councils across the country since the 1980s.
Episode notes
Lesson 1: Yes, Dad really was right. 05m 12s.
Lesson 2: Know the man in the mirror 06m 39s.
Lesson 3: Mistake, rinse, don’t repeat 08m 53s.
Lesson 4: Risky business is more than a movie 10m 58s.
Lesson 5: Believe me when I say…….13m 19s.
Lesson 6: No need to go it alone 15m 54s.
Lesson 7: There’s something about the company that you keep 19m 10s.
Lesson 8: Thank you goes a long, long way 21m 11s.
Lesson 9: Chart a course for your adventure 23m 35s.
Lesson 10: Don’t make it your little secret 25m 18s.

Matt Doherty - The Six Knows of Leadership

                           
Matt Doherty explains the "Six Knows of Leadership", how "Forgiveness is how to free yourself" and why you should "Recruit Your Personal Board of Directors" among his 10Lessons. Hosted by Duff Watkins
 
About Matt Doherty
Matt Doherty played and coached basketball at the University of North Carolina.  He started on the 1982 National Championship team with NBA greats Michael Jordan & James Worthy.  The program was led by legendary coach Dean Smith.  Matt went on to coach college basketball.  He was the head coach at Notre Dame before taking over the UNC program.  He led the Tar Heels to the 2001 regular season ACC Championship while being named AP National Coach of the Year.  Matt is now a consultant while broadcasting games for the ACC Network.
Since his time at UNC, Coach Doherty worked as the head coach at FAU and SMU in addition to working at ESPN, the Indiana Pacers and the Atlantic 10 Conference.
“Not everyone is a born leader,” says Doherty. “But EVERYONE can become a better leader.” Whether coaching a sport, running a company, or leading your family there are skills that can be developed to put you and your organization in a position for success.
Visit CoachMattDoherty.com
 
Lesson 1: Emotional Intelligence beats emotional ignorance every time 07m 13s.
Lesson 2: Befriend Change 11m 15s.
Lesson 3: The Six Knows of Leadership 17m 50s.
Lesson 4: How to Hire 23m 53s.
Lesson 5: How to Fire 26m 35s.
Lesson 6: Strengthen your Core Values 31m 51s.
Lesson 7: It's not a Mission without a Statement37m 38s.
Lesson 8: Forgiveness is how you Free yourself 41m 02s.
Lesson 9: E+R=O 43m 47s.
Lesson 10: Recruit Your Personal Board of Directors 50m 08s.

Andrew Tyndale - Play the Long Game

                     
Andrew Tyndale speaks with Jeffery Wang this week. Explaining his lessons of why you should "Find your tribe", the power of "Filling you heart with gratitude" and the benefit of "Playing the long game".
About Andrew Tyndale
Andrew has spent more than 35 years of investment banking and funds management, initially in the commercial space and, for the last decade, in the social sector.
In his ongoing work, Andrew originates Impact Investing opportunities for wholesale capital, in sectors like affordable and disability housing, to generate a healthy risk-weighted financial return as well as a social or environmental benefit.
He also advises major foundations and governments on using investment capital to adress the world’s wicked problems. In 2014, Andrew was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, and has held numerous commercial and not-for-profit board roles.
Together with his wife, Philippa, Andrew has been extensively involved in international development work, including microfinance with Opportunity International Australia (www.opportunity.org.au), maternal health & education with Pader Girls Academy (www.ccfpader.org) and digital literacy and numeracy through Library For All (www.libraryforall.org) now part of Save The Children.
Episode notes.
You can’t go somewhere where you haven’t imagined 02:53.
Play the long game 08:25.
The wise man builds his house on a rock, not sand 12:19.
Find your tribe 18:14.
You have the power of life and death on your tongue 25.03.
You grant the most authority to your own words – your self-talk becomes your reality 33:22.
Fill your heart with gratitude 37:35.
Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies 40:38.
Undirected passion won’t lead to purpose 44:40.
This too shall pass 50:26.

Eddie Grobler - What’s Your Decency Quotient

                                 
This week Duff speaks with Eddie Grobler. Eddie shares how "the answer is in your hands", why you shouldn't "Jerk the knee or shoot the mouth" and why "Your mindset matters...a lot" along with seven other great lessons.
About Eddie Grobler
In July 2019, Eddie established Commerce 2040. The main objective is to use Commerce 2040 as a “platform” for engagement with different stakeholders in the payments value chain with the key focus on payment flows in a dynamic and changing environment. He is currently involved is a number of explorative engagements with stakeholders – mainly start-up organisations and entities who are interested in entering the Australasian market.
Eddie Grobler was the Executive Vice President: Australasia Division from 2008 and in August 2016, he was appointed as Executive Vice President: Realtime Payments. Based in London, he was responsible for the development and execution of Mastercard’s real time payments strategy. Part of this strategy was to acquire a UK real time payments company. Eddie was part of the due diligence team. After the successful acquisition of Vocalink he took responsibility for the integration of the company into Mastercard. This project was successfully completed in November 2018 after which he returned back to Australia. Eddie retired, after 20 years, from Mastercard on 31 December 2018.
Prior to 2008 Eddie was Based in Johannesburg, as the Senior Vice President: Sub-Sahara Division Eddie was responsible for all the Mastercard Africa business operations, in particular, the development of the Mastercard franchise in Africa, sub-Sahara. He was instrumental in the opening of the Mastercard offices in Nigeria, Kenya and Morocco.
Eddie holds two Master's Degrees: one in Business Leadership the other in Psychology.
Episode notes.
Lesson 1: The answer is in your hands 5m 58s.
Lesson 2: Culture matters and always will 8m 58s
Lesson 3: Writing in the snow 12m 08s.
Lesson 4: What’s your decency quotient 14m 35s
Lesson 5: Your mindset matters a lot 18m 03s.
Lesson 6: Far or fast…you choose 22m 58s.
Lesson 7: Make recognition your job 25m 00s.
Lesson 8: Reverse Mentoring 30m 42s
Lesson 9: Your career is not a one-day match. 36m 07s
Lesson 10: Don’t jerk the knee or shoot the mouth 38m 58s.

Diana White - Be prepared to walk away

       
This week Siebe Van Der Zee speaks with Diana White. Diana has a wealth of experience and eagerly shares her 10 lessons with Siebe. Dianna tells us why we should "never let work politics...influence out work ethics", why we should " Be prepared to walk away..." and that "everyone has something to learn and to teach".
About Diana White
Diana White has over 30 years in sales and retail experience, leading stores with revenues of over 10 million and a staff of 200. Consumer psychology, marketing, operations, and leadership are just a few of her skillsets. Diana’s career experience encompasses both the east and west coasts, starting with the management of several retail locations in NYC. Diana moved her family to Arizona in 2002. She has spent her years in Arizona working across the state, learning more about consumer buying patterns, and honing her sales skills. Seeing a need for startup and operations assistance within the local business community, Diana established D.E.W. Business Solutions, LLC, in 2014 to provide consulting to small businesses.
In 2017, Diana began working with a technology incubator in Northern Arizona. Diana held the title of Director of the Coconino County Small Business Development Center under the incubator and worked to develop programming for entrepreneurs. Along with developing curriculum content and facilitating small business workshops through Moonshot at NACET, in 2019, Diana was appointed as CEO of Chandler Innovations, a technology incubator funded by the City of Chandler, Arizona.
Diana obtained a Bachelor of Science in Small Business Administration from Northern Arizona University, holds a green belt in Lean Six Sigma, and is a certified Agile Scrum Master. She is committed to helping businesses and non-profits as well as the community at large. Diana has served on many boards, including the Boys and Girls Club and Habitat for Humanity. She is presently the Vice-Chair for Marketing Mission. This non-profit organization provides quality, professional marketing services to small non-profits. Diana also serves on the advisory board for Lancaster Leadership, a woman-owned and operated leadership academy. She currently splits her time between her residences in Gilbert and Flagstaff, Arizona, where she continues to lead Chandler Innovations and assist small businesses through her consulting firm.
 
Episode notes
Lesson 1: Be kind to everyone, you never know if they might be a potential customer…and there’s that Karma thing. 06m 03s.
Lesson 2: Never work harder than the person that works for you to keep THEIR job. 08m 47s.
Lesson 3: Don’t let work politics or bad influences dictate your work ethics. 10m 00s.
Lesson 4: If you’ve done your homework, listened attentively and you’re truly excited about something, don’t let others tell you not to try 14m 31s.
Lesson 5: Listen for comprehension and empathy 17m 11s.
Lesson 6: Base your ask on the value of the work not how you feel about your self-worth 21m 26s.
Lesson 7: Be prepared to walk away and be prepared that no one will try to stop you 23m 16s.
Lesson 8: for many positions great people skills and a willingness to learn are the real treasures to look for when hiring 29m 32s.
Lesson 9: Find someone who can show you how they were able to do what you wish to do 32m 25s.
Lesson 10: Everyone has something to learn. Everyone has something to teach 37m 07s.

John Collee - Find Somebody Who’s Done it Before

                         
Academy Award-nominee writer John Collee spends time with Duff Watkins to discuss valuable lessons that he has learned. John will reveal "The reason we have 2 sexes", why "It's not an education without language and music" and why you need to "Find someone who's done it before". 
 
About John Collee
John Gerald Collee (born 1955) studied Medicine in Edinburgh, Scotland, and subsequently worked as a doctor in the UK, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and the Solomon Islands.
From 1991-96 he wrote a popular weekly medical column for The Observer Newspaper, UK.
Since moving to Sydney in 1998 John has written or co-written a number of feature films including the Oscar nominated “Master and Commander” and the Oscar winning “Happy Feet.” More recent work includes "Creation" - about the home life of Charles Darwin - "Walking with Dinosaurs" and "Wolf Totem".   
John is also a novelist and published Author. His novels include “Kingsley's Touch”, “A Paper Mask” - both medical thrillers - also “The Rig”, inspired by his work as a doctor for a Canadian drilling company in Madagascar.
John is married to his wife Deborah, a newspaper journalist, and they have three grown-up children.
​He is also the creative director of Hopscotch Features (producers of Russell Crowe's "The Water Diviner" etc), also co-founder and board member of the climate action group 350.Org, Australia.
 
Episode notes
Lesson 1: It’s not an education without music and language 05m 30s.
Lesson 2: The reason we have 2 sexes 12m 02s.
Lesson 3: How to succeed before you start University 16m 01s.
Lesson 4: Find somebody who’s done it before 23m40s.
Lesson 5: Locate your limits 25m58s.
Lesson 6: Humans achieve communally 29m 31s.
Lesson 7: Output equals input 33m 45s.
Lesson 8: The hard conversations are the important conversations 37m 23s.
Lesson 9: Choose your children wisely 40m 58s.
Lesson 10: It’s not analytical or intuitive …it’s both 45m 01s.

Ten Lessons - Recap EP 13 - 16

                 
In this episode the four of us, Dr. Duff Watkins, Siebe Vanderzee, Jeffery Wang, and Robert Hossary review episodes that featured Alan Haselden, Bill Guy, Guillaume Lucci and Jacob Butler. We share with you, our audience, the lessons that resonated most with us. 

Jacob Butler - Don’t Wait for Change

                               
This week Siebe brings you 10 Lessons from Jacob Butler. Jacob shares lessons that his culture has taught him. Lessons like why you should "Invest in lasting impact" and why you "Don't wait for change" in your life. 
About Jacob Butler
Jacob Butler is Onk Akimel O'Odham.  He is the community gardens coordinator for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. He has worked for his community in the cultural resources office for the past 15 years, previously worked as the cultural resource specialist and was the primary contact for the section 106 government-to-government consultation for the tribe, the release states.
Jacob has worked with many indigenous communities across the country during his time as the community garden coordinator. Jacob is also a board member for the non-profit Native Seeds Search.
Episode Notes
Lesson 1: Know Your Worth 10m 09s.
Lesson 2: Stand behind your principles unless they conflict with a greater value 16m 18s.
Lesson 3: Engage the world 18m 15s.
Lesson 4: Invest in lasting impact 22m 33s.
Lesson 5: Address issues with solutions not complaints 27m 05s.
Lesson 6: Don’t wait for change 29m 08s.
Lesson 7: Address conflict analytically to find common ground 34m11s.
Lesson 8: Don’t let fear limit what you can do 38m 53s.
Lesson 9: Follow through but know when to ask for help. 43m 06s.
Lesson 10: The greatest change I can affect is my own 47m 04s.

Guillaume Lucci - Leave the money…take the opportunity

                   
Duff Watkins interviews Guillaume Lucci this week to discover 10 more lessons to share with you. Guillaume tells us "why we should "Get ready to fail", why "Perfect is a poor target" and why you should "Leave the money…take the opportunity".
About Guillaume Lucci
Guillaume is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Prime Metroline Power Holdings (PMPH) and Prime Metroline Infrastructure Holdings (PMIH), the Infrastructure and Energy arm of the Razon Group. PMPH and PMIH are developers and long-term operators in their respective markets: Power (generation and distribution), Water (bulk water supply, WWTP).
A career focused on infrastructure development with numerous awarded projects, Guillaume brings executive management, heavy civil and industrial project development experience across five continents with a primary focus on emerging markets. Recent projects have been located in Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, Argentina, The Philippines, and Australia, among others.
Prior to his current position, Guillaume served as Vice President and Head of Global Engineering for International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI, PSE:ICT), with global responsibility for all infrastructure and equipment projects and Capital Expenditures across 20 countries and over 30 terminals worldwide. Prior to joining ICTSI, Guillaume held several leadership roles in the Americas for Halcrow/CH2M HILL. Prior to joining Halcrow, Guillaume served as Principal VP and Director of River Consulting’s Maritime Division, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE:KMI). As an adjunct faculty, he has taught numerous civil/structural and port engineering courses, as well as engineering economics courses at the undergraduate and graduate level.
Episode Notes
Lesson 1: Never put your reputation and financial interest ahead of your employer’s reputation and financial interests 4m 23s.
Lesson 2: Leave the money…take the opportunity 06m 14s.
Lesson 3: Get ready to fail 08m 04s.
Lesson 4: You lead by listening 09m 23s.
Lesson 5: Promote yourself at work 10m 43s.
Lesson 6: It’s not about social media it’s about social skills 12m 57s.
Lesson 7: You only have your knowledge and your reputation, and you can only lose one of them 15m 46s.
Lesson 8: Perfect is a poor target 18m 16s.
Lesson 9: If it’s earned it’s sustainable 21m14s.
Lesson 10: It’s a lonely road 22m 46s.