James Rhee: The Red Helicopter and the Human Element of Success - Part 1

04/09/24 • 82 min

This week, I'm privileged to share an enriching conversation with James Rhee, the transformative leader who authored "Red Helicopter: Lead Change with Kindness (Plus a Little Math)." In our latest episode of Better Place Project, we traverse the landscape of societal evolution, dissect the true measure of success, and unveil the human side of business often obscured by balance sheets. James, with his unique blend of empathy and analytical precision, provides us with a roadmap for systemic change, drawing wisdom from lessons learned from his parents, the gift of a red helicopter, and the historic turnaround of Ashley Stewart, a plus-size women's clothing chain.
The journey to a meaningful life is often laced with childhood truths and the legacies we inherit. This episode peels back the layers of Rhee's personal anecdotes, from the formidable women who've shaped his path to the discomfort with societal elitism. It's a contemplative voyage through the principles that govern a balanced life, where intuition trumps comparison, and the scalability of teaching business concepts becomes apparent. The narrative extends an invitation to listeners, especially the youth and those at life's crossroads, to find meaning in daily work and to embrace success as a deeply human endeavor.
We close with a powerful call to action: to nurture kindness in the face of adversity and to understand the complex dance of societal challenges. Rhee's father's compassionate legacy as a pediatrician and entrepreneur echoes throughout this episode, guiding our discussion on leadership, feedback, and the quiet wisdom of kind business practices. It's not just about the hard-hitting economics; it's the unquantifiable moments of life that bring us together.
So join us on this journey, be moved by the stories, and let’s commit to treating each other with kindness, fostering a world that hopefully we will leave someday, better than we found it.
To learn more about James, and to order his new book, please visit:
RedHelicopter.com
To learn more about the Cure Alzheimer's Fund, please visit:
https://curealz.org/
Follow James at:
Instagram: @IamJamesRhee

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:
Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj
To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial
Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:
Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj
To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial
Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

Previous Episode

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone and Into Your New LIfe!

In this episode, I talk about the benefits of stepping out of our comfort zones. Every time, throughout my life, when I've taken a big chance, challenged myself to do something I didn't want to do, or taken a huge leap of faith, it ended up working out wonderfully in the end. So then I thought “I wonder if there’s any research around the benefits of stepping out of one’s comfort zone? And as it turns out, there is a ton of research out there. And it’s pretty stinking fascinating.
So that’s what I talk about in this week's episode. I share with you some of my stories (and maybe a failure or two) of SOOMCZ (Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone), and share with you why, if you’re not doing it already, allowing yourself, or even forcing yourself to step outside of your comfort zone might just change your life!

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:
Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

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@SteveNorrisOfficial
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Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

Next Episode

James Rhee: The Red Helicopter and the Human Element of Success - Part 2

What if we taught the value of kindness, along with math in our schools?
What if we ran our businesses with kindness and math as our core principles?
What if we lead with kindness, in every single decision we made, and in every interaction we had with others?
As James Rhee demonstrates in his new book Red Helicopter - A Parable for our Times: Lead Change with Kindness (Plus a Little Math), leading with kindness and math may just change your perspective on your career, your relationships and your overall purpose in life.
Listen to this in depth discussion about how the gift of a Red Helicopter to a young 5 year old ended up changing the trajectory of a women’s clothing store 40+ years later, by transforming the lives of the many who were inspired to do better, to be better.
Follow James at:
@iamjamesrhee
www.RedHelicopter.com

To stay connected with Better Place Project and for updates and behind the scenes info, please follow us on social media:
Website:
https://www.betterplaceproject.org/

Instagram: @BetterPlaceProj
To follow Steve on Instagram
@SteveNorrisOfficial
Facebook: Facebook.com/BetterPlaceProjectPodcast
Twitter: @BetterPlaceProj
Email: [email protected]

Better Place Project with Steve Norris - James Rhee: The Red Helicopter and the Human Element of Success - Part 1

Transcript

Steve00:00:00.240

Coming up on Better Place Project .

James00:00:02.759

How about just also societal slash , collateral impact ? There are a lot of ways in which our society today is better than it was 50-something years ago . Right , I'm 53 , and the book sort of looks at 1971 to 2024 .

James00:00:19.361

Are we better off in other ways

James