As we witness just how fast the world is changing, it’s very natural to feel the fear and the pressure of what’s coming next.
But while the future is highly uncertain, it also holds incredible opportunities for those willing to step outside their comfort zones.
This week, I sit down with the one and only John Hagel.
With more than forty years of experience in Silicon Valley, John has advised leaders at the highest levels. He founded the global Deloitte Center for the Edge, and in today’s conversation, we unpack the profound insights from his latest book, The Journey Beyond Fear.
We explore the invisible forces dictating the way we live, work, and lead, and lay out a clear framework for how to turn fear and unprecedented pressure into your greatest advantage.
“Small moves, smartly made can set big things in motion.” — John Hagel
In This Episode, You Will Learn
- Why fear acts as a severe barrier to change and how it forces individuals and organizations to shrink their time horizons.
- How to cultivate the “passion of the explorer” to transform unexpected challenges into fuel for continuous learning.
- Why small groups are the most effective vehicle for creating entirely new knowledge in the workplace.
- The critical shift from static context based skills to timeless capabilities like curiosity, imagination, creativity, and connection.
- How rewriting the mark of a strong leader from having all the answers to asking the best questions builds deep trust.
- Plus much more…
What We Discuss:
- 0:00:00 – Episode Opener and Introduction to the Podcast
- 0:01:03 – Podcast and Guest Intro – John Hagel
- 0:02:15 – Fear as Barrier to Change
- 0:03:53 – Hiding Fear as Anger
- 0:04:36 – Shifting to Opportunity
- 0:06:17 – Pillar One: Narratives
- 0:08:59 – Pillar Two: Passion of the Explorer
- 0:12:01 – Pillar Three: Platforms
- 0:16:18 – Fear Inside Organizations
- 0:17:11 – Call Center Example
- 0:23:58 – The Progress Pulse and Squads Model
- 0:28:10 – Schooling Kills Passion
- 0:38:04 – How To Build Capabilities
- 0:41:56 – Find What Excites You
- 0:44:32 – Bold Moves
- 0:46:39 – Momentum Through Small Wins
- 0:47:45 – Values Alignment Unlocks Action
- 0:50:03 – Small Moves Big Shift
- 0:53:13 – Learning Loop
- 0:58:18 – Isolation Doom Loop
- 1:00:39 – Curiosity Across Differences
- 1:05:11 – Leadership Through Questions
- 1:10:14 – Hope Beyond Fear
- 1:14:39 – Preparedness Reduces Risk
- 1:17:53 – Rapid Fire Segment
- 1:21:59 – Ownership And Agency
- 1:25:47 – Where To Connect Next
- 1:26:58 – Final Sendoff
About John
John Hagel has spent over 40 years in Silicon Valley as a management consultant, author, speaker and entrepreneur. After retiring as a partner from Deloitte, he published a new book, The Journey Beyond Fear, and is working on creating a new Center that will offer programs based on the book.
Throughout his career, John has worked with leaders of large institutions around the world. While at Deloitte, John was the founder and chairman of the global Deloitte Center for the Edge. Before joining Deloitte, John was a Principal at McKinsey & Company, where he was a leader in their Strategy Practice and helped to open their Silicon Valley office. John has served as senior vice president of strategy at Atari, Inc., and is the founder of two Silicon Valley startups.
John is also a faculty member at Singularity University and he is on the Board of Trustees at the Santa Fe Institute, an organization that conducts leading edge research on complex adaptive systems.
In addition to his most recent book, John has published seven other books, including the best-selling business books, The Power of Pull, Net Gain, Net Worth, Out of the Box, and The Only Sustainable Edge. He is widely published and quoted in major business publications including The Economist, Fortune, Forbes, Business Week, Financial Times, and Wall Street Journal, as well as general media like the New York Times, NBC and BBC. He has won two awards from Harvard Business Review for best articles in that publication and has been recognized as an industry thought leader by a variety of publications and institutions, including the World Economic Forum and Business Week.
Show Notes
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