00:01 – Intro + guest setup Rob welcomes Scot Eckley and frames Scot as a standout example of strong positioning in landscaping. 00:41 – What SEI does (and who it’s for) Scot explains SEI: a Seattle design-build company focused on helping clients unlock small, urban outdoor spaces; team size ~22 (designers/architects, PMs, builders). 01:33 – Why Scot’s positioning stands out Rob highlights Scot’s specialization: downtown/urban Seattle + a clear “lane” in marketing and services. (Website mentioned: scoteckley.com) 03:00 – The primary growth constraint Scot’s answer: the bottleneck is the owner specifically shifting from “I am the solution” to building people and systems that create solutions. 04:21 – The painful catalyst that forced change A tough period: cash tight, “robbing Peter to pay Paul,” wife hospitalized before second child’s birth, Scot borrowed money from his mom decides “I don’t want this again.” 05:10 – The start of operational maturity Scot discovers the concept of open-book management at an industry convention; a speaker/consultant tells him he isn’t ready yet needs to shore up fundamentals first. He begins long-term work with a consultant (Dan Foley). 06:15 – “Beautiful hobby” vs business Scot reframes: making beautiful work without profit is “a beautiful hobby, but it’s a painful hobby.” The business lens becomes: stay alive, make profit, build for the next day. 07:36 – The real turning point: ADHD awareness Scot shares learning his son had ADHD, then recognizing the signs in himself; he gets tested, discovers ADHD (and confirms dyslexia). 13:12 – ADHD types + what “procrastination” really is Scot outlines inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combined types. He clarifies: it’s not just procrastination often the “ignition” to start is missing until urgency kicks in. 15:15 – The buddy system (body doubling) Rob shares a “work beside someone on Zoom” strategy; Scot agrees and gives an example of a therapist “buddy” moment to complete tasks. 17:10 – ADHD isn’t just a limiter Rob asks about reframing ADHD; Scot calls it a “superpower” (fast decisions, handling chaos, lots of mental “tabs”). 18:47 – Visionary + integrator (Traction reference) Scot connects ADHD leadership style to the visionary role and the need for an integrator with follow-through. 20:10 – Scot’s AI playbook starts with one rule If you’re serious: buy the paid ChatGPT version for project folders and set instructions per project. 21:55 – Why project folders matter Scot calls them contextual rule sets: instructions + uploads + continuity so the tool “remembers” the work. 22:05 – Dictation > typing (especially with dyslexia) Scot uses the mic to brain-dump responses, then refines fast. What used to take ~45 minutes becomes ~5-10. 24:05 – Sales consult system: Zoom transcript → consistent summary He records Zoom consults, uses Read AI to transcribe, drops transcripts into a custom ChatGPT setup to: produce standardized summaries flag missing items (budget, permitting, etc.) store in a lead folder so designers/PMs can prep consistently 25:10 – SOP creation on demand Scot uses a dedicated SOP folder that asks clarifying questions and outputs either short or long SOPs. He mentions one on gluing pipe (nuances included). 26:21 – Tradeoff: writing confidence shifts Scot notices he writes less by hand now and feels slower/more blocked but creative writing is still there. 28:24 – Less friction = higher standards Example: daily build photos show issues; Scot can quickly dictate feedback and send it raising quality by removing the “I’ll deal with it later” drag. 29:46 – Extreme Ownership changes leadership Scot reads Extreme Ownership and stops playing the “victim card.” Team failures point back to leadership. He adopts a Navy SEAL-style cadence: pre-plan → execute → post-review. 31:49 – Build Team Efficiency: get the right people involved earlier He pushes PMs + build leaders into pre-construction planning so plans/budgets are approved before clients fewer surprises, better execution. 32:05 – “Leadership is seeing around corners” ChatGPT reframes Scot’s leadership goal as anticipating issues Scot adopts the phrase. 33:10 – AI helps with hard HR work Scot writes a PIP in ~90 minutes with strong framing more coaching “up” instead of defaulting to frustration and fallout. 34:39 – Best AI advice: don’t add tasks—subtract weight Scot warns against using AI to create new commitments. Use it first to reduce what you’re already doing. 36:18 – AI + project folders help ADHD continuity He can pause work without losing the thread, then restart cleanly. 37:10 – Scary (but useful) prompt: ask for blind spots Scot asks ChatGPT to identify his blind spots “without sugarcoating.” It becomes a self-awareness tool. 38:25 – 2026 focus: simplify + lead by questions Scot’s goal: stop “being the superhero,” ask questions, let leaders decide because “needing to be needed” is addictive. 39:02 – AI as a “coach of the moment” When overwhelmed, he asks ChatGPT for a pep talk + prioritization (drink water, breathe, quick walk, pick 2 tasks). 41:31 – Leadership resource recommendation Scot recommends Craig Groeschel’s leadership podcast (faith present, but broadly useful). Key lesson: courage often matters more than clarity. 43:07 – Wrap-up Rob thanks Scot; episode ends.
