The Greatness Machine

Negotiating anything in life can make even the most socially robust entrepreneurs break out in cold sweats. Many of us are not born with negotiation skills but have to learn how to persuade our audience to be on our side. Learning excellent negotiation skills can take your career to the next level by negotiating a significant raise at your annual performance review. Negotiating a raise is so much easier than negotiating hostage situations like our next guest has while working with the FBI. In this episode, we talk to Chris Voss, also known as “The Master Negotiator.” Chris retired as the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI, is the CEO of the Black Swan Group, and is the author of the national bestseller Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It, which was one of Darius’s favorite books.   Drawing on his FBI experiences where the stakes are high, Chris Voss’s company, The Black Swan Group, specializes in solving business communication problems using hostage negotiation solutions. Their negotiation methodology focuses on discovering the “black swans,” small pieces of information that have a huge effect on an outcome. The biggest surprise is learning the tactics behind negotiating a business deal are very similar to negotiating with a barricaded gunman for the lives of hostages.   Don’t miss this thrilling episode! What Darius discusses with Chris Voss: How to be an effective negotiator for anything.   How information gathering can give you an edge in the negotiation game. What it takes to subtly convince someone to have it your way. What small things make the biggest impact in negotiations.   How to diffuse a situation by calling out the negative.   How emotions drive human behavior, not logic. The Black Swan Rule: Treat others not the way you want to be treated but the way they want to be treated. Common mistakes in negotiating. Why you are 31% smarter with a positive mindset. Why curiosity is a superpower.   How to make the gunman feel empathy for you! Chris talks about his book Never Split the Difference Connect with Chris: Website: https://www.blackswanltd.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophervoss/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefbinegotiator/?hl=en  Book: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/0062407805  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s holding you back? What’s stopping you from achieving the life you have always wanted? Unfortunately, many people experience regret for the things they never did. Perhaps they rejected a wonderful job offer, passed up an opportunity to expand their business, or missed the chance to travel the world.  While there are plenty of reasons for missed opportunities, choosing to live a life in a box is what stops most people from dreaming big dreams.  Today, I am flying solo to talk about how constraints and limitations affect our way of life, how we see ourselves, and how they hold us back from becoming the best version of ourselves. I will also talk about my personal journey of finding success after removing the constraints I previously put around myself.  In this episode, I will discuss the benefits of having a no-constraints mindset and how it taught me to raise the bar higher every time I reach a goal without beating myself up.  Topics include: Breaking free from constraints The one thing that stops people from reaching their full potential The effects of having a no-constraints mindset What I achieved when I started living without constraints The two things I put no constraints around And other topics… Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leadership provides a shared vision that inspires and pushes people in the right direction. A good leader is someone who communicates the policies, eliminates biases and stereotypes, builds confidence, and provides a safe work environment for the members to learn and share their ideas. A good leader understands generational differences and can engage diverse generations in the workplace. After all, great results can be achieved when individual members respect their differences in perspective and learn from each other’s ability to solve problems. Tim Elmore, who is the founder and CEO of Growing Leaders, was listed in the Top 100 Leadership Speakers in America by Inc. magazine. He has written over 35 books, including the best-selling Habitudes: Images That Form Leadership Habits and Attitudes, and is now set to launch his new book titled, A New Kind of Diversity. In this episode, Darius and Tim talk about the impact of generational differences on leadership styles. They also discuss reverse mentoring and how it helps in crossing generational divides in the workplace.  Topics include: What inspired Tim to write his first book at 24 years old What got Tim into teaching and leadership Founding Growing Leaders in 2003 Tim shared his experience working with Dr. John C. Maxwell Leadership by serving and solving problems Leadership metaphors and analogies Why core values are important in corporate culture Understanding the impact of the generational gap Definition of reverse mentoring and how it works Tim gives a sneak peek into his book A New Kind of Diversity coming out next month And other topics… Connect with Tim: Growing Leaders: https://growingleaders.com/  Website: https://www.timelmore.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyelmore  Twitter: https://twitter.com/timelmore  New Diversity Book: https://www.maxwellleadership.com/nkd Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you giving yourself the gift of dreaming? Or are you only grinding hard towards your goals? Many people think that dreams will take you nowhere unless you embrace the grind and take action towards achieving them. However, they allow you to see the future with optimism and to see what’s impossible become possible.  Today, I am flying solo to talk about dreams and goals and their big differences, how they affect our disposition towards success, and what it means to allow ourselves to just dream and stop beating ourselves up when things don’t turn out right. In this episode, I will discuss what Ed Mylett’s book The Power of One More made me realize about my dreams and goals. I will also talk about my motivation for starting my podcast, The Greatness Machine, and what I aspire to achieve for the show.  Topics include: The key difference between dreams and goals The realizations I got after reading The Power of One More by Ed Mylett Why I decided to start The Greatness Machine podcast Why you need to give yourself the gift of dreaming And other topics… Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unconscious leaders are expert decision-makers and have a clear vision of what they want to achieve regardless of how their decisions or behavior can affect others. They tend to focus on the external environment and are driven by their emotional responses. Conscious leaders, on the other hand, are those who lead with full awareness, authenticity, intentionality and hold themselves accountable. Rather than focusing on oneself, conscious leadership underlines the purpose of the organization as a whole. Nathanael Chawkin, founder and CEO of Palæstra Leadership, takes us back to when he learned about conscious leadership and how his parents played a vital role in introducing him to meditation and consciousness. He also talks about his work with Palæstra Leadership, where he specializes in transforming organizational culture by coaching executive dynamics.  In this episode, Darius and Nathanael discuss the impact of conscious leadership in an organization, the benefits of meditation, the differences between spirituality and religion, and it is important for a leader to have a greater purpose. Topics include: Nathanael looks back on how he started conscious leadership How Nathanael started working for the Stagen Leadership Academy What is conscious leadership, and why it is important How Nathanael started meditating at a young age Understanding spirituality and religion Why it matters to have a higher purpose as a leader The benefits of higher intelligence in humans The importance of self-knowledge  Palæstra Leadership and what it offers Nathanael talks about Awakening Leadership and their upcoming plant medicine retreat in Costa Rica And other topics… Resources mentioned: How To Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan: https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Mind-Consciousness-Transcendence/dp/1594204225  Connect with Nathanael: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanael.chawkin/?hl=en  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nchawkin/  Palæstra Leadership: https://www.thepalaestra.com/  Awakening Leadership: https://awakeningleadership.org/  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot can change in just a couple short years….your dreams may be just around the corner! These changes, whether they are good or bad, can happen in a blink of an eye. It may seem like every day is the same, but when you look back, everything is different from how it used to be, and you are different from who you used to be.  Change offers new opportunities and experiences. It keeps life exciting and ensures that bad situations don’t last. It helps you move on, stay focused, and helps shape you. After all, progress is impossible without change. Today, I am flying solo to share my realization after reading a book called The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl, where he shared behind-the-scene stories of his musical life as a singer, guitarist, songwriter, drummer, and record producer. In this episode, I will discuss why it matters to seek and embrace change. I will also reveal what motivated me to step down from my position as a CEO after building a company from zero to a nine-figure organization and what has changed since then.  Topics include: Dave Grohl’s book The Storyteller and the realization I got from it I look back at where I was three, six, nine, twelve, fifteen, eighteen, and even twenty-one years ago and how different each three-year period was from the next. Why I decided to quit my nine-figure company The inevitability of change How to thrive when dealing with change The importance of reflecting on your life and career And other topics… Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Darius and Phil discuss wide-ranging topics such as microeconomics, capital markets, consumerism, inflation, automation, population growth, US economic forecast, and much more.  Topics include: Understanding capital markets What is exponential growth, and why it matters Effects of asset inflation Phil reveals what drives him in business The impact of automation on workers, jobs, and wages The influence of American consumerism culture The difference between population slowdown and depopulation The consumption response to COVID stimulus checks How the internet and celebrity endorsement affect consuming buyer behavior Phil shares an important tip every homeowner should take And other topics… Connect with Phil: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-mancuso-89975636  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elpresidente_epm/  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is this happening to me?  Or Why is this happening for me?  Do you ask yourself these questions when faced with adversities? Although both are true, what you focus on will determine how well you react when push comes to shove. After all, life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. And one of the only things we can control is our attitude toward things that happen to us. We can either be happy about them or resent them.  Today I am flying solo to talk about how I managed to let go of the “worst case scenario” mindset and why I chose to direct my focus on seeing the struggles as opportunities to learn, grow, and become a better version of myself.  In this episode, I will discuss the ways that life is happening for us and not to us. I will talk about my personal struggle in the past, how I acted like I was a victim of my own life, and what made me realize I needed to give up this mindset for good. Topics include: The importance of having a good perspective on life Having a scarcity mindset and how it affects your life Managing your emotional reactions to what happens to you Shifting from victim mentality to creator mindset Cultivating gratitude during difficult times The secret to achieving greatness And other topics… Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the popularity of podcasts continues to skyrocket, the podcast advertising industry also saw tremendous growth quarter after quarter, seeing how more consumers and marketers allocate a greater portion of their advertising budget to them. While podcast ads are said to generate higher brand awareness and effectiveness, putting money into marketing and advertising won’t save a podcast that no one actually wants to listen to. Jordan Harbinger, the man behind one of the fastest-growing podcasts in the world, reveals the secret key to the success of The Jordan Harbinger Show. Jordan is an American lawyer turned social dynamics expert and entrepreneur. With an incredible 11 million monthly downloads, his show has featured some of the biggest names, including Simon Sinek, Kobe Bryant, and Dennis Rodman.  In this episode, Darius and Jordan discuss podcasting and reveal some simple and actionable strategies to grow your digital footprint without spending thousands after ad spend. They also talk about child-rearing practices in different cultures and why it is important to allow children to explore. You will also learn about Jordan’s secret in choosing his guests for his podcast show.  Topics include: How Jordan learned to speak five languages Why Jordan decided to go on a foreign exchange program in Germany in the late ‘90s The biggest cultural differences between different societies Drawbacks of a regressive mindset and excessive policing The benefits of giving teenagers the opportunity to explore and feed their curiosity The secret to growing your podcast without spending thousands of dollars in ad spend Following your passion and taking the path less trodden Jordan shares his biggest takeaway from interviewing his guests How Jordan finds the best podcast guests And other topics… Connect with Jordan: Website: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jordan-harbinger-show/id1344999619?mt=2  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanharbinger/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanharbinger  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is influence, and why do we want to have it? Influence is so much more than persuasion. The art of influence is having the ability to make an impact and affect how other people behave, think, and make decisions. Those who master the art of influence are often adept at tapping into people's emotions and motivating them to act. To put it simply, influence is the ability to get those around you to act on your ideas. Rene Rodriguez is often described as “powerful,” “thought-provoking,” and “authentic” by his clients. He has researched and applied behavioral neuroscience as a dynamic keynote speaker, leadership advisor, world-class sales expert, and renowned speaker coach. His book, Amplify Your Influence, became a Wall Street Journal bestseller, earning the second spot.  In this episode, Darius and Rene talk about overcoming rejection and embracing suffering, the power of influence and how to leverage it, and the importance of authenticity in business. Rene also discusses negative bias and why humans give more psychological weight to unpleasant news and information.  Topics include: Why Rene gave up basketball to become a salesperson at a young age The value of embracing suffering Rene shares the story behind his Wall Street Best Seller book, Amplify Your Influence Understanding the importance of influence Defining the AMPLIFII Formula and how it works The 3 P’s of AMPLIFII Formula Understanding Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle to gain maximum influence Why people are hardwired for negativity How to leverage core values in influencing others The secret keys to staying fully authentic in the digital world And other topics… Resources Mentioned: Amplify Your Influence by Rene Rodriguez: https://www.amplifiibook.com/ Connect with Rene: Website: https://www.meetrene.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seerenespeak/  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices