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#484: Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify — Habits, Systems and Mental Models for Top Performance

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Dec 3, 2020

Guest

Daniel Ek

Daniel Ek, founder and CEO of Spotify, shares insights from his incredible journey in audio streaming. He explores how Swedish cultural values shape creativity and leadership within his company. Ek emphasizes the importance of small changes for personal well-being and sustainable habits, alongside creative scheduling to enhance productivity. He also discusses the concept of defining roles in meetings for better engagement and introduces the idea of crafting two-year missions for goal achievement, highlighting the role of resilience in embracing growth.

01:39:24

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Episode notes

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Meeting Roles

Define your role in every meeting (approver, consulted, informed, etc.).
Design better meetings by being intentional about their purpose and roles.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Annual Reviews

Conduct annual reviews with your team, including a "mental closing" of the year.
Discuss if their current role aligns with their future aspirations for the next two years.

insights

INSIGHT

Leadership Style

Effective leadership is authentic to your personality, not imitating others.
Focus on communication, setting the bar high, and acting as a personal coach to your team.

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Curated Reading and Mindfulness Gifts

01:54 • 6min

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Cultural Reflections: The Swedish Influence

07:34 • 23min

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Transforming Habits for Sustainable Well-Being

30:07 • 5min

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The Power of Small Changes and Structured Schedules

34:47 • 5min

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Redefining Roles in Meetings

39:18 • 30min

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Two-Year Missions: Setting Goals and Embracing Growth

01:09:42 • 22min

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Season's Reflections and Mindful Connections

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Daniel Ek (@eldsjal) is the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the board of directors of Spotify, the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service with 320m users, including 144m subscribers, across 92 markets.

Please enjoy!

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