Go Slow to Go Fast: Strategic Steps for Startup Success

Engaging Leadership

Summary:

Join host Dr. Jim as he sits down with Evan Wittenberg, Chief People Officer at Pivot Bio, to discuss navigating leadership in challenging environments. They chat about building managerial discipline, fostering learning agility, and the significance of developing internal subject matter experts. Evan shares his insights from various industries, highlighting the importance of embedding cultural values and collaborative learning. Listen in to uncover actionable strategies for strengthening leadership capabilities and fostering a growth-oriented culture in startups and beyond.

Key Takeaways:

• Develop Management Capability: Even in fast-paced startup environments, it's crucial to focus on building robust people management skills among emerging leaders.
• Internal SME Utilization: Leveraging and spotlighting internal subject matter experts can enhance collaborative learning and standardize best practices across the organization.
• Systems Thinking: Encouraging managers to adopt a systems-thinking approach can help them see beyond immediate problems and consider broader organizational impact.
• Dual Career Paths: Establishing both people-management and technical expertise tracks can help retain talent and foster growth without forcing upward mobility.
• Leadership Behavior: Effective leadership is about behaviors aligned with the company’s values and culture—managers must model and reward these behaviors within their teams.

Chapters:

00:00

Evan Wittenberg's Leadership Philosophy Shaped by Global Adventures

03:12

Building Resilience and Strategic Discipline in Leadership

05:04

Learning Agility and Leveraging Experience in Leadership Development

08:15

First Principles in Agriculture and Business Sustainability

09:15

Vetting Learning Agility in Executive Hiring

12:17

Developing Effective People Managers Through Systems Thinking

17:20

Building Collaborative Leadership and Cross-Functional Development

21:17

Developing Leadership Skills Through Intentional Actions and Behaviors

29:59

Balancing Career Paths: ICs Versus People Managers

33:07

Building a Growth Mindset Organization Through Core Human Values

34:50

Prioritizing Solvable Problems in Startups for Organizational Effectiveness

36:21

Building Leadership Depth Through Collaborative Learning

Connect with Dr. Jim: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Connect with CT: linkedin.com/in/cheetung

Connect with Evan Wittenberg: linkedin.com/in/evan-wittenberg-b47250

Music Credit: Shake it Up - Fesliyanstudios.com - David Renda

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