Sense & Signal: Leading Through Sensemaking

In the digital age, data analytics has emerged as a transformative sensemaking tool, empowering organizational leaders with valuable insights to make informed decisions. However, despite its potential for driving meaningful change, data analytics is often misinterpreted, leading to flawed conclusions and misguided actions. What is a leader supposed to do? How do leaders create a data centric environment? How do leaders train data informed teams? And how can leaders making using data fun? In this episode of the Sense and Signal podcast, Jodah and Dan welcome Dr. Alexandra Mannerings to learn the common pitfalls of data analytics, highlight the factors contributing to data misinterpretation, strategize how to optimize data usage in organizations, and train teams to be more data savvy.  Alexandra Mannerings’ s company, Merakinos, provides data analytic education and support to nonprofits and businesses.   Topics include correlation vs. causation, context and bias, misinterpretation of statistical measures, lack of domain knowledge, and failure to account for change. Data analytics is a wild ride, so get on board and join on this episode of the Sense and Signal podcast.  

Socrates said you should know thyself – and this Sense and Signal podcast panel discission examines what knowing oneself looks like for leaders. Jodah and Dan delve into what it means for leaders to know themselves with favorite guests Hana Gala and Zoe Fragou, both highly regarded international leadership consultants and trainers. They explore why knowing oneself is important for leaders, using tools like psychometrics to understand oneself and others, the power of self-deception, the impact of social media on bullshitting and imposter syndrome, the influence of postmodernism on our ability to know ourselves, and Taylor Swift as a celebrity leader.    ABOUT ZOE FRAGOU Zoe’ Fragou’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fragouzoe/ Zoe Fragou’s blog post “Positive Psychology v. Toxic Positivity” blog post -  https://cto.academy/positive-psychology-vs-toxic-positivity/   ABOUT HANA GALA Hana is the Director of Coaching Programs for an international consultancy Leadership Associates based in Vienna, Austria. She is also a professor of business management at South Seattle College. Hana has been an active member of many industry associations (SHFM, NACE, HFTP), consulted with multiple Fortune 500 companies (Microsoft, Coca-Cola), and is a certified executive coach (ACC ICF) and embodiment specialist. She is currently writing a book on space, body, and soul. https://leadership.associates/hana-kabele-gala/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/hana-kabele-gala-phd-068a9a22/   MORE ABOUT JODA JENSEN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodah/   MORE ABOUT DAN TARKER https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantarker/ https://www.danieltarker.com  

Many higher education employees are transitioning to jobs outside of academia for a plethora of reasons. In this wide-ranging interview with Dr. Julie Murray-Jensen, Jodah and Dr. Dan explore what higher education leadership skills transfer to the non-profit sector? They also discuss the grief one experiences leaving an industry that has shaped your identity most of your life – especially when your exit is painful. Finally, they learn about fiscal sponsor organizations as Julie recounts her new beginning as a non-profit executive. This episode will be valuable to organizational leaders interested in transitioning to another sector, those interested in learning about transferrable leadership skills, and listeners eager to use a fiscal sponsorship organization to launch their small non-profit. ABOUT DR. JULIE MURRAY-JENSEN Dr. Julie Murray-Jensen is the Executive Director of the Foundry Non-Profit Hub. She is the former President of Blackburn College and Vice-President of Enrollment and External Affairs at Klamathn Community College. You can find more here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-murray-jensen/ TIMESTAMPS 00:37 – Transferrable skills from higher education leadership to non-profit leadership 07:00 – Discovering meaning and purpose in non-profit work 07:46 – The pathways to college leadership in higher education 10:11 – Exiting higher education 12:00 – Higher ed too large a system to be sustainable 13:12 – Fear and rumors at shrinking colleges 14:19 – Factor contributing to the shrinking higher education sector 17:51 – Sucking at deconstructing organizations 19:40 – The importance of purpose driven businesses 20:00 – The stages of grief transitioning out of higher education 22:02 – Transitions by William Bridges 23:00 – Rebuilding a new identity 25:51 – Jodah pushes his piano playing limits 27:35 – The volatility of the tech sector normalizes big career transitions 30:00 – Discovering the non-profit pathway to a new beginning 36:00 – The big hardships of Julie’s transition 40:00 – Moving from status to empathy 41:00 – What is a fiscal sponsorship organization 51:00 – The hope people should gain from Julie’s story #leadership #HigherEducation #non-profit #TransferrableSkills #transitions #grief #fiscal sponsorship #purposedrivenbusiness #fear #collegeleadership

Dan and Jodah speak with Sense & Signal Alumnus Jesan Sorrells and ​​Kimberly J Benoit, to explore and debate the role of communication in organizations. Communication in organizations is a multifaceted process marked by various complexities. Diverse backgrounds, roles, and communication styles within the workforce can lead to misunderstandings and language barriers. Hierarchical structures may distort communication flows, affecting decision-making. Technological advancements and remote work introduce challenges related to information overload and virtual miscommunication. Additionally, organizational culture and climate significantly impact communication effectiveness, with trust and transparency being crucial. Overcoming these complexities requires promoting clarity, active listening, fostering an open communication culture, providing training, and leveraging appropriate technology. Effective communication is essential for organizational success. Join Dan, Jodah, and friends as they, not so seriously, take very seriously the issues of communication around leadership and organizations. Jesan Sorrells is the CEO and Founder of HSCT Publishing, LLC. https://www.jesansorrells.com/leadership-lessons-from-the-great-books/ ​​Kimberly J Benoit Known for The We’ve All Done It™ Framework, Kimberly is a leadership & workplace toxicity expert who coaches, consults, and speaks for organizations needing fresh strategies to keep great leaders, unite teams, and combat toxicity. Timestamps: 01:39 – Kimberly’s bad communication story 05:27 – Jargon and communication 10:02 – Being the new person at work and communication 12:40 – Non-verbal communication in the workplace 15:00 – Social Proofing 21:00 – Jesan’s really bad communication story 25:00 – The illusion that you have communicated 26:00 – Getting fired through a Tik-Tok Video 31:00 – PR communications people for leaders 36:00 – Impact of hierarchies on communication 38:00 – Dan’s terrible communication story 39:00 – Messaging clue if someone quit or got fired 43:00 – Scale of organization and communication 43:58 – Is gossip always bad? 50:53 – Silence as a communication tool – Is it a power trip? 56:48 – Over-communication 1:06:00 – Jodah’s erectile dysfunction story

Deep in the heart of a dense forest, a community of chimpanzees live together in harmony....NOT! Jodah and Dan have both recently watched Chimp Empire,the new Netflix documentary about a tribe of Chimps that live in the forests of Uganda. Although they both felt it was an amazing undertaking and cinematic, they were mostly intrigued to watch the chimpanzees encounter challenges such as limited resources and competition for mates, leading to power struggles and conflicts, as some individuals sought to dominate and control the groups. They apply Mark Van Vogt’s evolutionary leadership theory to their analysis of Chimp Empire to identify how the leadership behaviors of these tribes may be mapped to leadership behaviors in our more complex world today. Question...what can we learn from the engagements of chimps in the wild? What evolutionary lessons can we leverage? Are there parallels to us and our work environments. Do you ever get a hankering to just grab a coat rack and run around the office screaming your head off]? We recommend you not to. Watch as Dan and Jodah try to make sense of what they watched and attempt to harvest some leadership knowledge along the way. Show Summary. The hosts, Jodah and Dr. Dan, introduce the topic of the episode, which is a BBC nature series called Chimp Empire that follows the lives and conflicts of three rival chimp families in Senegal. They discuss how the series showcases different aspects of leadership, such as power, influence, strategy, culture, communication, and innovation. They compare and contrast the leadership styles of the three chimp leaders: David, the dominant alpha male of the Fongoli group; Luthor, the ambitious challenger of the Simenti group; and Jumkin, the charismatic leader of the Baobab group. They analyze how each leader uses different tactics to maintain or gain power, such as forming alliances, exploiting resources, displaying strength, or creating narratives. They also explore how each leader faces different challenges and threats, such as predators, droughts, diseases, or internal dissent. They draw parallels between the chimp dynamics and human organizations, and share some insights and lessons for leaders in complex and uncertain environments. They conclude by reflecting on their own experiences and preferences as leaders and followers, and invite the listeners to share their thoughts and feedback on the episode. https://www.netflix.com/title/81311783#leadership #management #sensemaking #chimpanzee #empire #ChimpEmpire #evolutionarypsychology #evolutionaryleadership

n this follow up to the previous episode on the philosophical aspects of the emergence of artificial intelligence, Dr. Dan and Jodah tackle practical ways leaders can use AI to move their organizations forward. They discuss using AI as a tool for decision making, predictive analytics, automation, customer insights, risk management, talent management, personalization, process optimization, resource allocation, and competitive intelligence.

Jodah and Dr. Dan discuss how the rapid emergence of “Artificial” Intelligence (#AI) with the release of #chatgpt in November, 2022 will impact organizational #leadership now and in the future. They debate what artificial intelligence is - and whether artificial is really an appropriate descriptor, discuss the impact on the workforce, consider how tools like Chat GPT can improve productivity, ponder whether AI programs should be paused, and how this technology forces us to reflect on what it means to be human - and a human of value in a seemingly indifferent universe. They also talk about how Roahl Dahl’s 1953 short story, “The Great Automatic Grammatizator” predicts Chat GPT.

Don’t Die in Space: Communication Lessons from Apollo 13 Jodah and Dr. Dan applied MIT #research on effective #team dynamics to the Tom Hanks movie Apollo 13. In addition to concluding that all successful teams need Tom Hanks in a #leadership position, they use. The research to identify the characteristics of a productive team dynamic - because the research says a successful team has more to do with the #communication behaviors of the group than the leadership of any one individual. An vittal episode for any #executive or mid-level #manager or #leaders looking for ways to create productive communication #behaviors on their teams. LINK TO RESEARCH The New Science of Building Great Teams by Alex “Sandy” Pentland, Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2012/04/the-new-science-of-building-great-teams TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Apollo 13 and Communication 12:00 - Research on Effective Team Communication Behaviors 41:13 - Applying Communication Research to Apollo 13 #leadershio #teams #communication #research #Apollo13 #movies #leadershipskills #teamdynamics #collectivecognition #distributedleaderships #training #improvization

What can #philosophy teach organizational #leaders? In this wide ranging discussion with philosophy professor Gwendolyn Dolske, Jodah and Dr. Dan explore #happiness and #meaning in relation to #work, what leaders can learn from the #existentialists, how #GenZ is showing up to the workplace, the impacts of #socialmedia on our #attention spans and mental health, what #ChatGPT reveals about being human, and why it’s important to develop our character to be good humans and #leaders. Perfect episode for executives and managers who want to reflect on their role helping employees in multigenerational workplaces self-actualize to find meaning and happiness in their work. ABOUT GWENDOLYN DOLSKE Dr. Gwendolyn Dolske is a philosophy professor and podcaster. She teaches Critical Thinking, Moral Theory, Ethics, Existentialism, and Philosophy of Sex and Love, She penned a small book Tips From The Professor, and I co-produce and co-host Good Is In The Details podcast. LINKS TO GWENDOLYN DOLSKE Good is in the Details Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/01sSTIkORzkvRLW3DW6lZJ?si=lgROpc0YTBeEQS8tuvu9jg Tips from the Professor by Gwendolyn Dolske https://www.amazon.com/Tips-Professor-Guide-College-Success-ebook/dp/B0095K4YV2?ref_=ast_author_mpb Gwendolyn’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwendolyn-dolske-868a1348/ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Which Philosopher Would Make the Best Leadership Coach Game 00:37 – Plato or Machiavelli 02:42 – Aristotle or Thomas Hobbes 04:04 – Rousseau or Derrida 05:07 - Nietzsche or de Beauvoir 06:07 - David Chalmers v. Sam Harris 09:05 – What can leaders learn from philosophy – Aristotle and the object of life 12:18 – Jodah asks about how to apply Aristotle’s philosophy to a practical workplace setting 14:01 – It is in the businesses interest to self-actualize employees 15:24 – What can existentialism teach us about leadership? 19:03 – Bad faith and living authentically 22:41 – Translating existential philosophy to a worker’s real-life situation 28:51 – Potential elitism of Sartre’s position when applied to workplace – Being trapped in a position preventing self-actualization 30:45 – Meaning making and happiness 34:15 – The Myth of Sisyphus and the workplace 36:27 – Failure, life is suffering, learning process 38:45 – Youth, technology, social media – and meaning making with multi-generational workplaces 39:56 – Gen Z politically and socially aware, shorter attention span, and relationship to work 43:28 0 Teaching philosophy on Tik-Tok 44:33 – Gen Z the most diverse generation and Philosophy dominated by white males 46:16 – Social media, boredom, replenishing oneself 47:21 – Sleep deprivation and mental health issues due to being constantly plugged in 48:14 – The Joy of Fart Jokes 51:01 – Dangers of checking social media first thing in the morning 52:53 – We are always on call now – increasing anxiety 54:32 – Character versus image – especially in the workplace. 01:00:00 – Charlie’s Angels, Wonder Woman, and Image 01:02:52 – Fame and likes byproduct of character development 01:04:10 – What can philosophy tell us about Chat GPT – meaning making and happiness 01:07:10 – Dating apps and sex recession 01:11:15 – What does it mean to enjoy your life? 01:16:32 – How to contact Gwendolyn #leadershipskills #philosophy #socialmedia #meaning #happiness #existentialism #technology #leadership #humanexistence #digitalworld #poweroftechnology #strongleadership #humanity #character #image #ChatGPT

Come join Jodah and Dr. Dan as they learn about the importance of #goals, #grit, and #growth in this lively and warm hearted conversation with Dr. Miriam Zylberglait Lisigurski (Dr. Z). In her new book “The 3G Cycle of Life”, she shares a model for #personalgrowth and #healing born out of the traumatic experiences she endured working in the #healthcaresystem during the Covid-19 pandemic. In this episode, they discuss the dysfunctional US #healthcare system, the responsibility of #leaders to support employees, the cyclic nature of personal growth as we age, the importance of #catalysts to initiate change, and the concept of post traumatic growth. Recommended episode for middle and #executive #leaders who want to support their #employees personal growth to create a thriving #organizationalculture. ABOUT DR. Z Dr. Miriam Zylberglait Lisigurski (Dr. Z) is a triple Board Certified Physician in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Obesity Medicine with extensive clinical and academic experience. Dr. Z is interested in the areas of well-being, burnout, mental health, and leadership development. She completed a fellowship in Leadership Education and Development (AAMC), and certification as Mental Health Ally, and training as Physician Wellness Advocate. Dr. Z has been recognized for multiple achievements, including Mentor of the Year (AMWA 2021) and American College of Physicians Young Achiever (2017). Originally from Peru, Dr. Z has two awesome sons, a caring husband, and a supportive family. Her dream is to help others achieve lives full of joy, meaning, and well-being. CONNECT WITH DR. Z AND BUY HER BOOK https://www.amazon.com/3G-Cycle-Life-Achieving-Well-Being/dp/B0BVPB6M5F/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_tophttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drzmd/https://www.f3gcycle.live TIMESTAMPS 2:33 - losing our soul while doing what we love 3:35 - Physicians, depression and burnout 6:35 - Giving up trying to get into the labor force 8:30 - Physician suicide rates are very high 10:20 - Doctors still over performing while under huge stresses 13:00 - Being a woman in med school in Peru 14: 00 - introduction of Guest 16:10 - Dan asks Miriam about where she got her resolve to succeed in an often patriarchal domain 19:50 - We discuss how taking action is important 23:00 - Life is composed of cycles 25:30 - What did Miriam write the book 30:30 - Jodah talks about luck as a catalyst 34:00 - Dan highlights the healthcare system as dysfunctional 36:00 - Leaders making workplace system more emotionally sustainable 40:00 - True story of resilience in the workplace 43:40 - we are introduced to the Post Traumatic Growth 48:20 - How can we help young people with resilience in this post covid world #leadership #culture #executives #healthcare #growth #grit #goals #leadershipskills #trauma#organizations #hospitals#doctors #leaders#systems #burnout#depression

Jodah and Dr. Dan talk with leadership consultant Dan Edds about his book “Leveraging the Genetics of Leadership” in their ongoing investigation about how to improve organizational leadership in the 21st century. They delve into how leaders today need to become systems designers, building structures that move organizations toward successfully achieving their shared goals. Using DNA as a metaphor, Edds describes how one of the key features that needs to be infused throughout the organizations is a sense of love and care.  MORE ABOUT DAN EDDS Daniel Edds, MBA is a management consultant who helps organizations develop high-impact cultures. He is the author of two books. The most recent is titled, Leveraging the Genetics of Leadership, cracking the code of sustainable team performance. You can review his work and writing through his LinkedIn page at and personal website at www.DanielEdds.com CONTACT DAN EDDS AND READ HIS BOOK www.DanielEdds.com https://www.amazon.com/Leveraging-Genetics-Leadership-Sustainable-Performance/dp/1890427403/ref=sr_1_3?crid=F82VCIF14EEH&keywords=dan+edds+leadership&qid=1679243165&sprefix=dan+edds+leadership%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-3 MORE ABOUT JODAH JENSEN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodah/ MORE ABOUT DAN TARKER https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantarker/ OTHER WAYS TO LISTEN Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Sense-Sign... Anchor: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/sh... Substack: https://tarker.substack.com/Timestamps 00:26 – Leaders are what they repeatedly do 01:21 – Leadership Analogy Game 06:55 – Evolutionary theory and leadership 08:22 – Aristotle, Character, & Leadership 10:51 – Systems Thinking 15:33 – Measuring the Value of Leadership 20:00 – Organizations as People Developers 25:25 – Leaders as Systems Designers 31:31 – Leadership Better Understood as a System 35:26 – Systems Generating Patterns of Behavior 40:09 – Complexity, Leadership, & Bridge Building 44:49 – Complexity Necessitates Distributed Leadership 51:29 – Distributed Design 55:25 – Generational Differences and Leadership 1:01:00 – Servant Leadership #leadership #systems #systemsthinking #dna #organizationalleadership #love #leadership #leadershipskills #leadershiptraits #culture #design #designthinking #tech #educationalleadership #career #executives

Kimberly Benoit’s book “We’ve All Done It” asks a provocative and uncomfortable question. Are you a toxic #leader? In this lively conversation, Jodah and Dr. Dan investigate the all too common experience of #toxicleadership with Kimberly - even looking into the mirror to see if we are #toxic. They discuss how #toxicleaders show up in our lives in many forms, how to assess if you're bringing toxicity to your work as a #leader, and how to address toxic leadership behaviors. They also question the toxicity of world leaders such as #PeteButtigeg, #DonaldTrump, and #Jimmy Carter. Finally, Kimberly shares some advice on the challenges of #writing about #leadership. A lively and humorous episode perfect for #executives and #middlemanagers interested in improving their #leadershipskills. ABOUT KIMBERLY BENOIT Kimberly J Benoit is a leadership & workplace toxicity expert who coaches, consults, and speaks for organizations needing fresh strategies to keep great leaders, unite teams, and combat toxicity. As the bestselling author of the book, “We’ve All Done It,” and host of the podcast of the same name, Kimberly’s on a compassionate, sometimes humorous mission to help us get real about the role we each play in creating toxic workplaces, so we can become more confident leaders, teams, and organizations in the process. An award-winning leader herself, Kimberly has more than 20 years of experience across a variety of industries and companies from small nonprofits to Fortune 50s like Target. For these organizations, she’s strategically developed and guided high-profile initiatives, organizational transformations, and professional development programs. Her key credentials include two Innovation Awards from Target Corporate, PMP, Mindfulness Certification, Associate Certified Coach (ACC) from International Coach Federation, and two master’s degrees. Based in New Orleans, LA, Kimberly partners with clients globally. LINKS TO KIMBERLY BENOIT https://kimberlyjbenoit.com https://kimberlyjbenoit.com/services/coaching/ https://kimberlyjbenoit.com/services/speaking/ MORE ABOUT JODAH JENSEN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodah/ MORE ABOUT DAN TARKER https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantarker/ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Top 5 Toxic Leadership Behaviors 06:21 - Introducing Kimberly Benoit 07:11 - How dare you call me a toxic leader, Kimberly! 07:57 - All leaders can be toxic sometimes 09:16 - Jodah thinks Kimberly’s book is a mirror 13:11- Generational differences and leadership 14:22 - People quitting cultures 18:05 - A word from our sponsor - Toxic Interim Managers 19:09 - Emotional support at work 21:15 - Dan’s definition of toxic culture 22:43 - Puffing up and armoring up 24:01 - 10 count before responding 36:57 - How do you know you’re not just dealing with a toxic employee? 41:43 - Getting someone to challenge your narrative 51:23 - Swinging for the fences when you have nothing to lose 52:10 - Jodah’s decapitation story 54:31 - Celebrity leaders - Pete Buttigeg, Donald Trump and Jimmy Carter 01:08:59 - Writing about leadership 01:23:51 - How to contact Kimberly Benoit 01:25:11 - Disney is coming after us #leadership #toxicleadership #work #organizations #PeteButtigeg #DonaldTRump #JimmyCarter #writing #writiingaboutleadership #highereducation #yech #siliconvalley #mentorship #coaching #Culture #quitting #Generations #GenZ #Millenials #GenX #defensiveness #emotionalsupport #badleaders #podcast #humor

Why Distributed Leadership is the FUTURE Jodah and Dan talk with Tech executive Michael Peachey about the concept of distributed leadership in both the tech and higher education sectors. What exactly is distributed leadership and how does one design their organizations to promote a flattened out structure where everyone has the opportunity to step into leadership roles? And how can theories of distributed leadership be used to strengthen EDI initiatives, remote operations, and employee engagement? Finally, what are the dangers of remote operations in the future and how do we train leaders and design organizations to function in a more distributed organizational environment? ABOUT MICHAEL PEACHEY Michael builds high-performing, low-drama, user experience and product teams with a focus on enterprise and consumer software in organizations from startups working to find their initial product-market fit to multi-billion dollar revenue public companies. I knew Michael when he was leading user experience design at TIBCO software, working with him on a global team of onsite and remote designers that he had built, starting with the first UX hire. Since then, Michael has continued to work at the intersection of product design and development in cybersecurity at Sumo Logic and ZeroWall, and in remote employee collaboration at RingCentral. Michael is a frequent contributor on the future of work and has a keen fascination with leadership at a distance, a topic which has become even more critical in a post-COVID world of hybrid work. CONTACT MICHAEL PEACHEY https://www.linkedin.com/in/peachey/ https://www.peachey.com TIMESTAMPS 3:29 - What is distributed leadership? 6:29 - Directionality and distributed leadership 7:14 - Determining when a distributed model is useful and when it is not 10:36 - Crisis management and command and control leadership 13:55 - Differences between distributed leadership and 20th century hierarchies 15:19 - What value will distributed leadership give us? 16:58 - Distributed leadership & complexity 19:03 - The power of story in leadership 20:40 - Michael’s favorite organizational leadership story 22:34 - The group mind is superior to the individual mind 24:10 - The occult and the egregore 27:24 - Distributed leadership in the tech sector 29:24 - How to convince leaders to embrace distributed leadership? And the importance of defining roles. 33:17 - distributed leadership in complex organizations like higher education institutions 36:00 Difference between micro and macro managing 39:36 - Fuzzy direction in post COVID world 43:45 - Distributed leadership in a physically distributed, remote work  environment 45:45 - Leaders need soft skills to thrive in a distributed environment 48:34- Distributed leadership and impact of efficiencies and speed 50:37 - Dan’s monologue about remote work during COVID and the future 53:13 - Importance of leading with intentionality 55:11 - Importance of workplace friendships and mentors 1:00:00 - Getting trained on soft skills 1:06:00 - What’s the future with in-person v remote work? 1:23:00 - How tp contact Michael Peachey #leadership #distributedleadership #tech #highereducation #jodahjensen #dantarker #michaelpeachey #design #intentionality #remotework #workfriends #oeganizations #complexity

The Dark Triad Survival Guide - How to Battle Machiavellians, Narcissists, and Psychopaths in the Workplace #Machiavellians, #Narcissists, and #Psychopaths are running around our organizations causing all kinds of mayhem. And some are rising to top #leadership positions because of their diabolical #personality traits. What can we do to survive? Join Jodah and Dan with a lively panel discussion with Leadership Consultant Zoe Fragou and Innovation Designer Brad Topliff to develop your #Dark Triad Survival Kit. Learn how to identify #narcissists, #Machiavellians, and #psychopaths in your organizations, why they behave in the destructive ways they do, and what you can do to protect yourself against someone who has one - or all of these - #Dark Triad #personality traits. MORE ABOUT ZOE FRAGOU Zoe Fragou - Organizational Psychologist || PhD candidate || Leadership Developer || Team-Building Expert || Awarded Business Coach https://www.linkedin.com/in/fragouzoe/ MORE ABOUT BRAD TOPLIFF Brad, like Liam Neeson, has a very particular set of skills, skills he has acquired over a very long career. He is an organizational Swiss Army Knife. He has a new blog at workquilibrium.com where he will share his thoughts on how organizations and employees can learn to love (or at least like) each other. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradtopliff/ MORE ABOUT JODAH JENSEN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodah/ MORE ABOUT DAN TARKER https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantarker/ TIMESTAMPS 00:01 - The Pop Culture Dark Triad Trivia Game 05:38 - Defining narcissism, machiavellianism, and psychopathy 08:48 - How to identify a narcissist, machiavellian, or psychopath in your organization 09:12 - Is Donald Trump dark triad? 09:31 - Tps of companies narcissists, machiavellians, or psychopaths can be successful in 12:06 - Factor analysis and the dark triad 21:24 - Don Draper and organizations putting up with dark triad leaders 23:45 - Negative effects of dark triad leaders on a company 27:29 - Is Elon Musk a psychopath? 32:46 - Do you need to have dark triad traits to be as successful as Steve Jobs? 39:04 - Does our society romanticize dark triads traits too much in the media? 47:47 - Nature v. Nurture and dark triad 50:48 - Dark triad leaders don’t want to change 53:10 - How to protect yourself from a dark triad leader? 55:21 - Gender roles and the dark triad 57:13 - Traits of the dark triad you’ll see in an organization 57:59 - The dark triad in higher education 01:02:00 - Top 10 psychopath jobs 01:04:43 - What can you do about narcissists, machiavellians, or psychopaths at work pt 2 01:05:13 - Transparency and accountability as tools to battle narcissists, machiavellians, or psychopaths 01:07:36 - Confirm people’s perceptions about the behaviors of narcissists, machiavellians, or psychopaths at work 01:14:29 - How to contact Zoe Fragou and Brad Topliff

Spiritual Entrepreneurship with UGG Founder Brian Smith Jodah and Dan discuss spirituality, entrepreneurship, and leadership with UGG founder Brian Smith. They unpack his book The Birth of a Brand to explore how Brian persisted despite multiple setbacks to turn the UGG brand into one of the most recognized companies in the world. Brian shares insights about what makes a strong brand, the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur, the life cycle of a new business, the importance of standing up to toxic people in the workplace, and why it's important to trust your goosebumps. BUY BRIAN SMITH’S BOOK THE BIRTH OF A BRAND https://www.amazon.com/The-Birth-of-Brand-Brian-Smith-audiobook/dp/B07JDD9HNT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2J0YQ7OTHSP51&keywords=birth+of+a+brand&qid=1676221266&sprefix=birth+of+a+brand%2Caps%2C235&sr=8-1 CONTACT BRIAN SMITH Briansmithspeaker.com TIMESTAMPS 00:53 - Brian’s favorite entrepreneur albums 01:29 – Brian on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon 02:52 – Brian on Pink Floyd’s The Wall 04:09 – Brain is preparing a speech on spirituality and entrepreneurship 05:41 – The roots of Brian’s spirituality 06:31 – Brian almost dies in a fire 08:12 – Brian on the importance of listening to your goosebumps 09:50 – Brian on importance of spirituality and making personal connections in business and in the family 12:21 – Brian on how failure doesn’t exist until you give up 14:38 – How your greatest disappointments can become your greatest blessings 15:52 – Importance of persistence in Brian’s story 16:24 – What kept Brian going despite so many challenges founding the Ugg brand 16:48 – Australian’s born with sheep skin knowledge 17:54 – Brian converts a resistant buyer making them try on an Ugg without their socks on 19:07 – Brian felt an obligation get Ugg boots on people’s feet 19:52 – Is an entrepreneur a problem solver? 19:58 - What is an entrepreneur? 20:13 – We all have a calling 21:25 – The entrepreneur takes the unpredictable route 22:06 – You can’t give birth to adults 23:42 – Finding the customer’s objection 24:35 – Nike starting out at the same time as Ugg 27:13 – What is a brand? 29:34 – Importance of authenticity in branding 31:56 – Influencer as marketer 32:18 – Rush Limbaugh as Ugg brand spokesperson 36:50 – Ugg & Nordstroms 40:05 - Capitalization 43:43 – Importance of Inventory financing 46:14 – What did Brian learn about leadership? 49:00 – Business like a growing child 53:59 – Letting go of the details as you advance in your ranks 57:04 – What should entrepreneurs be thinking about today? 58:25 – Importance of having something to build on 59:27 – Things entrepreneurs should do to keep going 01:02:58 – Toxic people in the workplace 01:08:11 – Standing up to toxic people 01:09:52 – Selling Ugg company 01:13:18 – Brian’s life after Ugg 01:16:07 – Contacting Brian Smith #leadership #entrepreneurship #Ugg #spirituality #business

DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES - Blockchain, Bitcoin, and Decentralized Finance In this panel discussion, Jodah and Dan talk with returning guest Mr. Key and new guest Jörgen Ringman about how blockchain, bitcoin, and decentralized finance will impact organizational leadership in the coming years. ABOUT MR. KEY Mr. KEY (Karnika E. Yashwant) is an impact entrepreneur building and supporting the next billion dollar start-ups. Co-founder of Forward Protocol (Wordpress of web3), and founder of KEY Difference Media (largest and oldest blockchain marketing agency and incubator), he has been in the blockchain space since 2013. He continues to hold many strategic positions, and is a sought after speaker and advisor in the crypto sphere. He is based in Dubai. https://linktr.ee/KarnikaYashwant https://linkedin.com/in/mrkey KEY Overview: https://docsend.com/view/a9jbfi8sdttgkypn Other Websites: Keydifferencemedia.com Utopian.capital Forwardprotocol.io ABOUT JORGEN RINGMAN Jörgen Ringman is impact entrepreneur, philanthropist, conscious leader. Founder of Water150 by Longhouse Foundation(connecting blockchain with real world assets by tokenizing 1000 of the best spring water wells in the world) and earlier founder of Memira Eye surgery chain in northern Europe. https://water150.io/ MORE ABOUT JODAH JENSEN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodah/ MORE ABOUT DAN TARKER https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantarker/ https://www.danieltarker.com

Jodah and Dan discuss the latest leadership headlines over a couple glasses of wine,. Elon has recently closed the Seattle office and asked people to work from home.  This is an almost 180 from a previous stance, where he was adamant to have his employees come back to the office. Why has he made this switch? Are their economic pressures making leaders rethink the concept of remote work?  What are the impacts to work and our communities of everyone begins to work at home more ?  These are things we discuss in the first part of the show. In the second part we acknowledge that times are a' changing, but has leadership kept up.  What will it take for modern leadership and organizations to succeed in what seems like a rapidly changing environment. The world can often seem like a rudderless ship, without a captain.  Whether true or not, what kinds of approaches and methods are at our disposal to thrive in the chaos. Timecodes 0:00 - Intro 0:53 - This was not the planned episode 3:00 - Dan rants about the quality of business articles 6:50 - Elon Musk closes Seattle office and asks for people to work from home 9:40 - Main reason why he closing Seattle office 10:10 - Recession reality check by Dan 10:50 - Companies are reacting to possible recession 11:15 - Is Tech sector is a canary in coal mine for economy? 13:15 - Traditional leaders, Non-traditional leaders, and working from home 19:30 - Working from home helps with employee retention 20:20 - Jodah thinks collaboration takes a hit when working from home 26:00 - Are going to design and plan for the changes to society from remote work 29:05 - Leveraging the are of sense making and improvisation 30:00 - Definition of Pivoting and Sense Making 31:30 - Leaders adapting in modern times 35:00 - Train leaders to understand when they are in periods of uncertainty 37:15 - Fragility of organizational communication 38:50 - Diverse opinions and thoughts 39:55 - Barrier to improvisation and change 43:40 - Rapid prioritization

The Terror of Chat GPT: In Conversation with Jack Wang Dan discovered Chat GPT one day while doom scrolling through You Tube. The messenger – Jack Wang, an Associate Professor of Microbiology at University of Queensland. A videographer and YouTuber, Jack was using his channel to explore how Chat GPT might one day displace him as a teacher and to investigate whether this new AI bot could be used as an office assistant. Now, Jack is joining Dan and Jodah to talk about what he has discovered about Chat GPT and what he fears most about Open AI’s latest release. ABOUT JACK WANG Associate Professor Jack Wang completed a dual degree in Science and Information Technology in 2006 and his doctoral studies studied the interface between molecular bioscience and microbiology. Jack’s educational research revolves around measuring the impact of integrating technology in large science classes with >1000 students a semester. In 2020 he was named the Australian University Teacher of the Year. JACK WANG’S LINKS My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/biolabcollective My website: https://jackwang.com.au My free weekly newsletter: https://crossoverconnections.substack.com/ SENSE & SIGNAL WEBSITE https://senseandsignal.com/?fbclid=IwAR0YDRcO7wAzpuQhblOdIIAhUdXfQCoc-3WYVswMdNBWto7d67XS-brm6Y8 ABOUT THE SENSE & SIGNAL PODCAST Join the Sense and Signal podcast to discover the secrets to effective leadership in complex organizations. We believe learning about modern day leadership and what it takes to shepherd organizations through todays quagmire should not only be interesting, but also irreverent and entertaining. Our goal is to support and educate current and aspiring leaders at all levels and from all sectors to adapt to an increasingly complex organizational environment. Here we will talk about: • Leadership • Sense Making and Problem solving tools • Data Analytics • Organizational Culture • Communication through storytelling • Innovation • Team Dynamics • Current Trends around organizational leadership Call to Action Subscribe to this channel to get immediate insights and solutions to the burning problems facing as an organizational leader and citizen.  Also, click here to watch our introduction video. Just because we are laughing does not mean we are not taking things seriousl MORE ABOUT JODAH JENSEN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodah/ MORE ABOUT DAN TARKER https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantarker/ https://www.danieltarker.com #chatGPT #leadership #Highereducation #teaching #Microsoft #ElonMusk #terror #existentialcrisis #OpenAI #chatbots

Leaders need to get out of their heads. That’s the central message of this interview with acclaimed science writer and author of the Extended Mind Annie Murphy Paul. In this though provoking episode, Annie informs Jodah and Dan about the importance of feelings to thinking, how our bodies are important to our thinking process, how the physical spaces we work in impact our cognition, and how groups of people can effectively think better together. A fascinating episode perfect for executives and managers looking for new leadership tools and frameworks that involve the body, re-think physical workspaces, and build better teams able to engage in effective collective cognition.    ABOUT ANNIE MURPHY PAUL Annie Murphy Paul is an acclaimed science writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Scientific American, and The Best American Science Writing, among many other publications. She is the author of Origins, The Cult of Personality, and now The Extended Mind. Senior writer at the Hidden Brain Podcast on NPR.   Annie Murphy Paul’s Contact: https://anniemurphypaul.com   TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Jodah is late for the podcast because je’s taking a walk 01:32 – Why feelings are so important to thinking (Hint - Descartes was wrong) 04:30 – Expanding our understanding of thinking beyond the isolated brain 07:16 – Physical activity and thinking – movement a gesture augmenting or thinking 09:00 – Should leaders be taking more walks with their teams? 10:00 – The restorative power of nature 12:00 – Why you shouldn’t feel guilty for talking walks to stimulate thinking 13:00 – Negative impacts of mid-20th Century Cognitive Revolution – Brain is like a computer metaphor 15:00 – What is the source of consciousness and is consciousness too limiting a factor to our concept of mind? 18:00 – David Chalmers, Any Clarke, the extended mind, artificial intelligence, and human loppiness 19:20 – AI is another tool to help human thinking 20:00 – Non-conscious processing 22:05 – Stanislavski, arts, gesture, kinesthetic response, memory and thinking 34:30 – Social Introception – attuning your body to others 26:00 – What chimps can teach us about ourselves and leadership – especially non-verbal communication 28:57 – Workspaces and Zoom 30:00 – The loss of apprenticeship by osmosis due to remote work 31:00 – How do we balance the cognitive needs of workers – nature, remote work, om-person collaboration, urban congestion as companies like Amazon return to the offices 35:30 – Fatal flaw of the open office 37:30 – Effective open space team environments that use the physical space 41:35 – Transactive memory systems to find information 43:02 – Impact of cognitive offloading 46:00 – Cognitive apprenticeships, ChatBots, and Tutoring 48:00 – AI, decision making, empathy, and ruthlessness  51:50 – How to use cognitive apprenticeship to train staff 54:00 – Asymmetrical deals and meditation 57:22 – How to contact Annie Murphy Paul #Leadership, #ExtendedMind #Cognition, #Bodies, #workspaces, #Thinking, #Mind, ##AI, #CHatGPT, #Consciousness, #CognitiveOffloading,  #Physicality, #Relationships, #CollectiveThinking, #Groupiness, #Cognitive Apprenticeships, #ArtificialIntelligence    

Why Another Freaking Leadership Podcast? Jodah and Dr. Dan reflect on the first sixth months of the Sense & Signal podcast. They discuss why they started a new leadership podcast, what makes this show different from other leadership podcasts, and how they plan to develop the show going forward. They also reflect some of the themes that emerged after interviewing their first round of guests and about leadership. Plus, there is an informal review of the Netflix movie White Noise. Good episode for current and aspiring leaders at all levels of an organization. MORE ABOUT JODAH JENSEN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodah/ MORE ABOUT DAN TARKER https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantarker/ https://www.danieltarker.com TIMESTAMPS 00:53:00 – Review of White Noise 05:33:08 – Development o the Sense & Signal podcast 07:20:26 – Why the hell have another leadership podcast? 13:41:16 – Who is Jodah Jensen? 14:37:25 – Jodah and Dan in San Franciosco 15:58:11 – Who is Dan Tarker? 23:21:11 – Challenges of starting a podcast 26:29:09 – Why does the world need Sense & Signal in particular? 36:35:07 – Importance of the guests 40:24:12 – Theme of storytelling and leadership 42:21:21 – Theme of leadership in postindustrial, sensemaking organizations 44:05:21 – Theme of empathy in the organization 46:43:19 – theme of leadership and disruptive technologies like blockchain and bitcoin 51:37:20 – Theme of data analytics 53:40:09 – Theme of mental frameworks ABOUT THE SENSE & SIGNAL PODCAST Join the the Sense and Signal podcast to discover  the secrets to effective leadership in complex organizations. We believe learning about modern day leadership and what it takes to shepherd organizations through todays quagmire should not only be interesting, but also irreverent and entertaining. Our goal is to support and educate current and aspiring leaders at all levels and from all sectors to adapt to an increasingly complex organizational environment. Here we will talk about: • Leadership • Sense Making and Problem solving tools • Data Analytics • Organizational Culture • Communication through storytelling • Innovation • Team Dynamics • Current Trends around organizational leadership Call to Action Subscribe to this channel to get immediate insights and solutions to the burning problems facing as an organizational leader and citizen.  Also, click here to watch our introduction video. Just because we are laughing does not mean we are not taking things seriously. #leadership #sensemaking #podcast