#80: Ryan Hawk — The Pursuit of Excellence & The Power of Consistency

01/19/22 • 67 min

Want clarity in life? Create your personal mission statement today! Read our most recent article at Intentional Leader that walks you through the steps to creating your personal mission statement.

Read about creating a personal mission statement here

I’m really excited to bring Ryan Hawk back on the show!

Ryan created The Learning Leader Show in 2015 as a way to follow his curiosity about leadership and excellence with great rigor. It has since been listened to by millions of people in more than 150 countries. Forbes called it, “the most dynamic leadership podcast around.” Inc Magazine said, “it’s one of the 5 podcasts to make you a smarter leader.” Apple named it an “all-time best seller” in 2020.

He’s the author of Welcome to Management: How To Grow From Top Performer To Excellent Leader. Book Authority recently named it to its 100 Best Management Audiobooks of all time (#25). Forbes called it, “the best leadership book of 2020.”

He previously worked in corporate America for 12 years. He started as an entry-level telephonic sales rep and worked his way to manager, director, and ultimately VP of sales for a multi-billion dollar company.

When he’s not recording podcasts or writing books, he tries to help leaders be more effective. Some of the ways he does that: fascinating Leadership Circles, 1:1 advising, and teaching in The Learning Leader Academy. Finally, he regularly delivers keynote speeches on leadership and performance excellence and has spoken all over America and abroad in front of thousands of people.

After a very successful first book, Ryan is out with his brand new book, The Pursuit of Excellence: The Uncommon Behaviors of the World’s Most Productive Achievers!

On this episode, we dive into:

How his father and grandfather were incredible models of servant leadership
How he stays so incredibly consistent
How he stays motivated to do hard things
What gratitude means to him
How he and his wife, Miranda, intentionally surround themselves with positive people
His experiences with writing a book and where that stacks up for him in terms of difficult pursuits
The meaning of the words “excellence” and “pursuit” to Ryan
How he intentionally pursues his wife
The importance of being action oriented
Why he loves his Leadership Circles

During my conversation with Ryan, I mention Ryan’s interview with his wife Miranda (Episode 375 of the Learning Leader Show). This is one of the most inspiring interviews out there for couples looking to create a supportive relationship. Check it out here!

Want clarity in life? Create your personal mission statement today! Read our most recent article at Intentional Leader that walks you through the steps to creating your personal mission statement.

Read about creating a personal mission statement here

I’m really excited to bring Ryan Hawk back on the show!

After a very successful first book, Ryan is out with his brand new book, The Pursuit of Excellence: The Uncommon Behaviors of the World’s Most Productive Achievers!

On this episode, we dive into:

How his father and grandfather were incredible models of servant leadership
How he stays so incredibly consistent
How he stays motivated to do hard things
What gratitude means to him
How he and his wife, Miranda, intentionally surround themselves with positive people
His experiences with writing a book and where that stacks up for him in terms of difficult pursuits
The meaning of the words “excellence” and “pursuit” to Ryan
How he intentionally pursues his wife
The importance of being action oriented
Why he loves his Leadership Circles

Previous Episode

#79: Secretary Bob McDonald — On Helping One Person at a Time and Lifelong Learning

Join us on Jan 22, 2022 at the MMoment in the Washington, DC area! Register here.

I’m really excited to welcome Secretary Bob McDonald to the Intentional Leader podcast.

We cover a lot of ground with Bob on this episode. We dig into his upbringing, overcoming a fear of swimming at West Point and how he deals with fear in general, how he thinks we should measure success as a leader, what he was laser-focused on at Proctor & Gamble, how he stays motivated during tough moments, and much more.

Bob served Procter & Gamble for 33 years with the last four as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. During his tenure as CEO of P&G Bob helped to expand the footprint of the company brands such that one billion people became new customers of a company product.

Following his career at P&G, Bob was selected by President Obama in 2014 to head the Department of Veterans Affairs. While at the helm of the VA, Bob was able to help transform the agency into one that truly delivered better care for our Military veterans.

Bob McDonald is the recipient of numerous leadership awards and Honorary Doctorate Degrees that include: Hampden Sydney College, University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, Robert Morris University, and Drexel University. In 2010, the University of Utah Alumni Association named Bob a Distinguished Graduate. The West Point Association of Graduates named McDonald for its admired Distinguished Graduate Award in 2017, recognition provided annually to “West Point graduates whose character, distinguished service and stature draw wholesome comparison to the qualities for which West Point strives.” With that distinction, Bob joins Academy graduates like Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway, Gen. William C. Westmoreland, Gen. Alexander M. Haig Jr., Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Mr. R. James Nicholson, Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, among others. In 2014, The President of the Republic of Singapore awarded Bob the Public Service Star for his work helping shape Singapore’s development as an international hub connecting global companies with Asian firms and enterprises. Lastly, Bob has received an award as Scout Leader from the Boy Scouts and Far East Council.

Bob McDonald is personally and professionally committed to values-based leadership and to improving the lives of others. He is Chairman of the Board of RallyPoint Networks, Inc.—an online community of active duty military members and Veterans—and serves on the Board of Directors of the Partnership for Public Service, Audia International, Inc., the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy, the Boulder Crest Retreat Foundation, and the McCormick Research Institute in Orlando, Florida. Bob and his wife, Diane, are the founders of The McDonald Conference for Leaders of Character at West Point—an annual gathering that brings together the brightest young minds from the best universities around the world and partners them with senior business, nongovernmental organization, and government leaders in a multi-day interactive learning experience.

In July, 2020 Bob became the April and Jay Graham Fellow of the George W. Bush Institute. In this endowed role he serves as a key member of the Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative team, advocating for post-9/11 Veterans and building awareness for the issues that affect their successful transitions to civilian life including employment, education, and health and wellbeing. In September, 2020 Bob was appointed to the Biden Transition Advisory Board, to ensure a smooth administration transition if Vice President Biden is elected.

Bob McDonald graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in the top 2 percent of the Class of 1975. He served as the Brigade Adjutant for the Corps of Cadets and was recognized by The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturing, and Commerce as the most distinguished graduate in academics, leadership, and physical education. In 1978, Bob earned his MBA from the University of Utah. An Army Veteran, Bob served with the 82nd Airborne Division. He completed Jungle, Arctic, and Desert Warfare training. And he earned the...

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81: Mayor Adrian Perkins — On Serving the Community and a Mindset for Success

Adrian Perkins is the Mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana. He was born in the Cedar Grove neighborhood of Shreveport, attending Arthur Circle, Youree Drive Middle School, and Captain Shreve High School.

In the wake of 9/11, Adrian Perkins accepted a nomination to the United States Military Academy. There, he was the captain of the track team and the first African-American graduate elected Class President in West Point's history. Perkins deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan after graduating from West Point. He achieved the rank of Captain and Company Commander in the United States Army and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service. After three tours of duty, the Tillman Foundation accepted Perkins into their Tillman Scholar Program, enabling him to attend Harvard Law School, where he was again elected Student Body President.

On April 26, 2018, he announced his candidacy for Mayor of Shreveport, and on December 29th, 2018, Adrian Perkins was installed as the 56th Mayor of Shreveport.