Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks

M.I.T. Technology Review dubbed Nir Eyal, "The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology" as he is the author of the bestselling book on building habit forming products (Hooked). So who better to help us understand the neuroscience of distraction. Nir's new book, "Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life" is the topic of this podcast. "In the future, there will be two kinds of people in the world: those who let their attention and lives be controlled and coerced by others and those who proudly call themselves 'indistractable." - Nir Eyal Saying this show is about distraction doesn't do it justice. This is probably just me, but distraction is so universal I think we minimize its impact in our lives. I think we hear about it all the time of late due to the onset of the smartphone. And if we don't have that problem, well, we think we have no problem. This is about your time and attention, why you lose control of it and how to get it back. It's about valuing your attention and we only have so much time left and we're not guaranteed whatever amount we think we have left. This episode is very quick listen in a sense that Nir gets right into it, I had to be very fast with my note taking. Some of the topics we cover include ... Technology and addiction On habit forming products Differences between addiction and distraction The psychology of distraction, causes etc. The psychology of email A 4-step framework for becoming indistractable The problem with to-do lists Time boxing and values On hyperbolic discounting There is a lot under these topic umbrellas and much of the episode is tactical. I took a ton of notes and have already seen the benefits of applying much of it. Fit this in, you should hear it. Nir's resources, show notes and more at larryweeks.com

This is a podcast about results, getting things done. How to move past uncertainty and define the future. In this episode I talk with J.J. Sutherland. He is the CEO of Scrum Inc and is also the co-author of Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time, written with his father, Jeff Sutherland, the co-creator of Scrum. His newest book The Scrum Fieldbook, A Master Class on Accelerating Performance, Getting Results, and Defining the Future, is the topic of this show. For those of you unfamiliar with the term Scrum, it's a framework originally used as a faster, more effective way to create software in the tech industry. The Scrum process is now being used successfully in general business practice all over the world in companies of all types, outside of pure tech. This chat is in part a discovery process as to why that is. J.J. says Scrum is the art of changing the possible or what is possible. And I think after listening to this episode, you might join him in that belief. Some great advice here on not only what Scrum really is or how it works but J.J offers some great insights on teamwork, why projects fail, how to use failure and fear as catalysts and how Scrum can be applied anywhere. Be prepared to be motivated to get stuff done after listening. Enjoy! I blog about all episodes, for more info visit larryweeks.com

"…What it takes to keep up isn't as much about coding, AI, algorithms… it's about being change oriented, it's about being forward thinking, and it's about being willing to develop skills in this new world." --Gerald Kane What allows some organizations and individuals to thrive in new world of rapid technology innovation and disruption while others fall behind or get stuck in obsolescence? Exploring these questions and more is an expert on digital disruption and my guest on the podcast, Gerald Kane, professor of Information Systems at Boston College, Carroll School of Management. After a major six-year study into how digital technologies have disrupted companies of all sizes, Kane talks with me about some of the key findings from his newly released book, "The Technology Fallacy: How People Are The Real Key To Digital Transformation." Thousands of interviews with employers and employees went into his research, revealing some interesting findings outlined in the book. If your an executive running a company or a CDO or just in charge of digital transformation, listen up. And if you're just an employee who wants to keep pace with change and stay relevant in the workplace, I would listen to this show. On the show we talk about Why adapting to technological disruptions isn't actually all about the technology - and why thinking it is could lead to failure What type of mindset makes a difference in the companies that succeed at dramatic change vs those that fail to adapt Defining will over skill The similar characteristics companies have that thrive in disruption The importance of culture and what that means really How to stay relevant in the modern workplace The age factor, why succeeding in the digital era is not about age - and what attribute IS important How to develop employees for long-term success through change and tech disruption with examples of how companies are doing that The digital maturity scorecard, what industries lead or lag Jerry was a great interview and not only generous with his findings but passionate about them. Enjoy! I write about all my shows at larryweeks.com

"I'm focusing on making decisions through A.I. They're making so many choices for us, mostly in ways that allow us to be productive but the flip side is the extent to which we are fully in control of our decisions. It's not quite what it used to be. The algorithms are nudging us in different ways" - Kartik Hosanagar My guest on this episode is Kartik Hosanagar. Kartik is a professor of marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, one of the world's top 40 business professors under 40. He is a 10 time recipient of the MBA or undergraduate teaching excellence awards at the Wharton and his research has received several best paper awards. Kartik also co-founded and developed the core IP for Yodel and is involved with many other startups as either an investor or board member. Kartik's new book, A Human's Guide to Machine Intelligence: How Algorithms Are Shaping Our Lives and How We Can Stay in Control, is the topic of our discussion. This episode is a look into the brains of all of your devices, at least the software that's running them, and how those brains are learning and influencing you. You need very little technical knowledge to enjoy this episode. In fact the less you know technically the more it would behoove you to listen. Kartik does a masterful job not only explaining how algorithms work but how advances in A.I. are impacting your life - and what we can do about it personally as well as collectively. And if you're curious at all as to all the buzz about artificial intelligence, Kartik provides a short history lesson on it's origins and evolution from narrow automation to autonomous learning. There's also a great retelling of how the AlphaGo computer beat the world's best *human* Go professional. Some additional talking points in this episode ... Why algos matter and the risks associated with decisions Issues with data and data brokers Algorithmic bias On the evolution of A.I. A.I. similarities in human nature Black box problems - when we cannot know why a machine takes an action it takes The predictability-resilience paradox How to take control, the importance of agency His view of the future and how we can prepare for it And much more. Enjoy! If you like this episode, I write about all my podcasts at larryweeks.com

The abbreviation A.I. along with its phrase "artificial intelligence" for many invokes fantasies of sentient overlord robots everywhere or benevolent machine assistants or sexy operating systems. It can be difficult to separate hype from reality. Newsfeed cycles don't help either. Stories circulate with titillating headlines as to what A.I. has just done without context as to where it's failed. Regardless we should pay attention, because the ultimate goal of A.I. is to not only make machines intelligent - but as intelligent as humans. Hence my guest, Rob May. Rob is the CEO and Co-founder of Talla, a Boston-based company offering AI-Powered automation for service and support Teams. He is an angel investor in 50 A.I. companies and the Managing Director at Half Court Ventures. Rob also writes InsideAI, the world's most popular email newsletter on artificial intelligence. I wanted to have somebody like Rob on not only because of his deep expertise running his own company but his broad exposure to many different types of A.I. forward companies. Join us as we discuss these topics and more Defining and discerning A.I. and Machine Learning Hype and current reality Where is A.I. working Where and why companies fail with A.I. Perspective on the near and long term futures of A.I. How companies and people can prepare for broad adoption Where does he see most of A.I.'s value creation coming from How he evaluates companies to invest in who say they use AI and much more ... I write about my shows, visit www.larryweeks.com for more

It seems like a waste of time to introduce Seth Godin. Just search his name, "Seth" to Google is Seth Godin. He's founded several companies including Yoyodyne and Squidoo. He is the author of 18 best-selling books that have been translated into more than 35 languages. They include perennial classics like Permission Marketing, written in 1999 that elucidated the [then] new idea of delivering relevant, personalized messages that people agreed to receive. Practiced everywhere now but in 1999 it was controversial, and it birthed the dollar permission-based email marketing industry. The book most of you probably know him by is Purple Cow, his thesis about attention being the game. He's also the founder of the altMBA and The Marketing Seminar, online workshops that have transformed the work of thousands of people. In 2018, he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame. His new book, This Is Marketing, which is more or less the focus of this episode is the first, in his words, "real book from a real publisher about marketing" that he's done in more than seven years. You don't have to be in business or into marketing to benefit from this episode. It's about how to make change happen or as Seth puts it, to cause a change you'd like to see in the world. I think work and business dilemmas usually focus on the tactical, what's step #1 step #2 which is also true personally and in relationships. How can I get Jim or Jane to do x? What's the technique? Seth proposes the answer to many questions we have about work - and I'll add life in general - is really the answer to "who can you help"? Answer all the who, what, where, why questions that way; who can I help, what can I help with, where can I help - and you win, no matter what happens with the business, the campaign, the interview. Seth exceeded my high expectations. I could write 50 things I learned from our chat, but I will spare you. So here are just a few highlights of what we talk about. How to make a change How to deal with resistance and fear What marketing has to do with culture What a brand really is Why he doesn't use Facebook and how to look at Social Media in regards to marketing Where optimization lives The long tail The biggest idea in his book It's well worth your time at approximately 38 minutes. Enjoy!

What do you do when you go from being the founder and CEO of your own line of successful hotels to the oldest guy at the tech startup surrounded by some of the brightest millennials in the country? Well, if you're Chip Conley, Strategic Advisor for Hospitality and Leadership at Airbnb, you set aside your ego, reinvent yourself and make the situation work for you. It's that kind of adaptation that makes it possible to find your place in this era of change, and Chip has dedicated much of his time to sharing the secret with others who are looking to find a meaningful identity in a new world. On this podcast I talk with Chip about his career, his books, philosophies about getting older and his newest project an academy for the Modern Elder. Chip Conley is a leader at the forefront of the sharing economy. At age 26 he founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality (JdV), transforming one inner-city motel into the second largest boutique hotel brand in America. Chip served as Airbnb's Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy for four years. His five books include PEAK and EMOTIONAL EQUATIONS and are inspired by the theories of transformation and meaning by famed psychologists Abraham Maslow and Viktor Frankl. In his new book, WISDOM@WORK: The Making of a Modern Elder (September 2018), Chip shares his experiences – as both mentor and unexpected intern – at Airbnb. He is the founder of Fest300 (part of Everfest). Chip is a recipient of hospitality's highest honor, the Pioneer Award, and holds a BA and MBA from Stanford University, and an honorary doctorate in psychology from Saybrook University. He serves on the boards of the Burning Man Project and the Esalen Institute, where the Conley Library bears his name. When reflecting on what it was like to go from being a seasoned CEO to a mentor at a startup tech company where every employee was at least 2 decades younger than him, Chip says that he had a ton of learning to do. No longer could he rely upon the traditional rules of business in which being "senior" or lets use the term "elder" in this context, meant you could expect reverence. In this new world of technology, relevance is much more revered than age. Lesson: If you can't offer much in terms of subject matter experience, instead of giving up on it - you figure out what you can offer. For those of us who aren't part of the millennial generation, that might be sharing what we've learned about emotional intelligence, business strategy, and all of the other things that go into a successful company beyond just the ability to write code. The key, he says, is that you've got to be ready to learn as much as you're ready to teach. That's where the Modern Elder concept came from. Chip learned that in order to stay relevant in a field where technology had made him feel irrelevant, the best thing he could do was to form mutual mentorships with his younger coworkers. So, instead of barging into a room and forcing everyone to respect his wisdom, he made a greater impact by asking thoughtful questions and offering advice in more subtle ways. Eventually, the twenty-somethings started seeking Chip out for advice and guidance. It wasn't what he envisioned going into the company, but it taught him a lot about what it meant to be an elder in the modern workplace. And that is the basis for his latest book Wisdom @ Work: The Making of a Modern Elder. It's also why Chip spends a good chunk of his time in Baja California, Mexico, where he's founded the very first ever Modern Elders Academy, where anyone from social workers to CEOs can come together to reinvent themselves as mid-lifers in the workplace. Enjoy!

"What would it be like if you were only known for the worst decision that you've made for the rest of your life?" I'm excited for you to hear this episode because I think it will challenge you as it did me. My guest is Catherine Hoke. "Cat" is a former venture capitalist who is using training in entrepreneurship to solve a very serious social problem, high recidivism rates in the US prison system. And to that end, founded two successful nonprofits; the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) and Defy Ventures. In 14 years over five thousand incarcerated people have graduated from these two programs and earning Baylor University MBA certificates and the programs have resulted in industry leading low recidivism rates of less than seven percent. Fast company named "Cat" one of the hundred most creative people in business. Forbes named her 40 women to watch over 40. She was also one of the first recipients of the MakeTechHuman Agents of Change award given to global influencers who are shaping how technology is expanding human possibility She has a new best selling book (published by Seth Godin BTW) called A Second Chance: For You, For Me, And For The Rest Of Us, about the struggles and triumphs of her journey and on her graduates journey, telling the stories of America's most unforgivable people redeeming their lives. This was an emotional interview - for me - in many levels. I was personally challenged by her vulnerability, as you will hear, she is incredibly brave. I was also humbled by her commitment to her mission as she did the interview despite very difficult circumstances. So many times I've been waylaid by something or some event and there goes the day. Not Cat. We all make stupid decision and mistakes that, on a continuum range from the benign bad to the life changing horrible. Cat will challenge you to 'step to the line,' forgive yourself and others then move forward in making a difference. ...and I challenge you to listen to what she has to say Enjoy!

What does the 2007 -2008 financial crisis, the Fukushima nuclear accident, Three Mile Island, and Deepwater Horizon all have in common? The small things. Or rather, lots of tightly coupled small things that are overlooked, ignored or covered up. Accidents waiting to happen. In Deep Survival, Lawrence Gonzalez, writes about the fact that accidents don't just happen, they are assembled carefully, piece by piece. And if just one single piece is missing, the accident simply doesn't happen. Risk is unavoidable but accidents aren't. Our world is filled with countless near-misses and close calls, and the truth is, most of the time we never even know how close we came to this or that accident or disaster. This is even truer at the organizational/institutional levels, where risk and complexity combine with organizational culture to increase both the likelihood and the impact of catastrophic failure. My guest on this podcast is Chris Clearfield. Chris brings a novel approach to the study of the challenges posed by risk and complexity. He's a science geek and reformed derivatives trader, but more recently he's the founder of System Logic, an independent research and consulting firm dedicated to understanding risk and its interaction with organizational factors. He's also the co-author, with András Tilcsik, of Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail, and What We Can do About it, which is the topic of our show today. This isn't a conversation just about system failures and why they happen; it's also about what we can do about those failures, about how we can better prepare for, and even prevent many such accidents and failures from happening. "The same kind of culture and decision making that led to the financial crisis also led to BP" - Chris Clearfield Complex systems generate risk (and fail) in ways that are fundamentally different from the kinds of risks and failures our species evolved to deal with over millions of years, and that the new risk landscape we face requires a new approach to risk management, and really, an entirely new organizational culture. Chris was very insightful during the conversation, as he discussed the emergent properties of many system-wide failures. Many of these disasters were emergent in those systems in the same way as the 2009 financial crisis was "of the system and not an anomaly." "What would have to be in place for something really bad to happen?" Checklists and Pre-mortems After talking with Chris, I find myself thinking much more in terms of checklists and "pre-mortems" and the like. It's like we spend most of our lives driving along a twisty mountain highway at night, totally clueless about just how close to the edge of the 500-foot cliff we really came around that last turn. I'm reflecting more and more on what would have to be in place for something bad to go wrong, say driving your car or in managing online bank accounts. What would have to be in place for something really bad to happen and then kind of going back and mentally reverse-engineering and mitigating those things, those pieces, one by one. I hope you find my conversation with Chris as interesting as I did. Some of the other subjects we discuss include: Why systems fail and how some of these companies handled or weathered different crises much better than others; Tight coupling—where connections come together in a way that's very hard to stop The most prevalent cognitive biases associated with meltdowns Black Swan events—and how to find the feathers that predict such events Pre-established criteria in decision making The value of dissent Power cues—including a fascinating example Chris gives of a study they did with physicians' around body language with patients; The S.P.I.E.S Tool, that goes hand in hand with the Annie Duke episode if you're curious and want to listen to that regarding Thinking in Bets. In other words, we talked about a ton of really interesting and useful subjects, and hopefully, I've "salted" this intro enough to make you thirsty for the whole episode.

This episode is about where you spend the majority of your life - your work: why you do it, how you do it, changing where you do it and how companies should measure it. On this podcast I talk with Fred Kaufman. Fred is the former vice president of executive development at Linkedin and current leadership advisor at Google. He is also the author of seven books including conscious business, authentic communication, and for our discussion, his findings in his latest book, the Meaning Revolution. Fred addresses both sides of the issues facing employees and employers and describes how to create not only a productive work environment but a meaningful one. 70% of American workers say they're stuck in a job in which they are completely disengaged and 30 percent of that group actively hate their jobs. Fred says there is a better way... "Autonomy I put fairly low in the hierarchy. For me, the most important one is to have a purpose that you're really behind, that makes you proud, that you feel is a noble thing to pursue." Talking with Fred felt like a meeting with a spiritual advisor that I climbed a mountaintop to see. But make no mistake, this is a business discussion but it "felt" different. What he said resonated with me. Fred gave me perspective expanding ideas and challenged my cynicism. I think you'll find that it will change how you look at work and your long-term career goals. On this show we discuss... How to really use LinkedIn Building identity capital The motivation problem in the workplace Why employees are disengaged Incentives and unintended consequences The economic value of workplace happiness How to size up a company's a true culture - very helpful if you're in the job market as we usually we get blinded by the financials or benefits What it means to work for a mission And more... If you're interested in creating a more meaningful work experience, listen up.