The Corporate Couch: Work Stories I Only Tell My Friends jeffpelaccio

There are many great insights from my conversation with Kevin McGinnis (see his bio below). We discuss what he learned from working with Silicon Valley companies in the "boom" years (2007-2013), how to leverage AI, working with Gen Zers, how he became a successful intrapreneur, his lessons from Peter Diamandis' Singularity University, not being afraid to fail, what he learned from being an inside sales rep right after college, why culture matters (especially in a start-up), and the importance of having a lifelong learner mindset. Please enjoy my conversation with Kevin!
Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.    
 
Kevin McGinnis bio: Kevin McGinnis (linkedin.com/in/kevinmcginnis ) currently serves as the President & CEO of the Keystone Community Corporation (https://www.keystonedistrict.org/), a non-profit organization tasked with the planning, development, and operations of a thriving and diverse​ innovation community in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. When McGinnis noticed the region lacked adestination that enabled the region’s innovators, educators, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and community members to collaborate and solve our most pressing problems at scale, his strong belief in Kansas City and its institutions drove him to act. Today, McGinnis leans into his track record as a lifelong learner to focus on new areas like urban development, placemaking, and inclusive community engagement and is convening civic, corporate, and community stakeholders on both sides of the state line to bring theKeystone Innovation District vision to life.As part of the Keystone initiative, Kevin is also the founder and president of Keystone Labs, a cross-industry innovation collaborative driving corporate engagement and collaboration across the regional​ ecosystem. Keystone Labs was launched in October 2020 with 15 founding corporate members representing a diverse set of industries and is powered by the human-centered design expertise of globaldesign leader, VMLY&R. After years of championing the role of industry in creating a more vibrant innovation ecosystem, McGinnis was instrumental in the design of the studio programming, recruiting the founding members and developing the relationships to launch the inaugural pilot programs with LaunchKC and VMLY&R.

You will enjoy my conversation with  Dr. Katie Ervin on so many levels. We talk about great topics like how you can change a toxic culture focusing on two things, how to distinguish great leaders from bad leaders, leading the GenZ workforce, why career journeys are not a straight path, how to have a successful side hustle, tips on pursuing a PhD, and how she started a company without have a business degree. She has written a fantastic business book with a great title  - "You Might Be An A*****e" and is on a mission to revolutionize workplace culture. 
 
Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.    
Bio: Dr. Katie Ervin (linkedin.com/in/katieervin ) is the founder and CEO of Catalyst Development (Website). Throughout her career, she has established a reputation as a transformational leader driven by challenge, undeterred by obstacles, and committed to furthering standards of excellence. In her work, she has saved organizations millions of dollars by focusing on building a strong culture and investing in your people. Dr. Ervin believes that her work is all about the people! Her work in developing strong leaders and teams focused on critical career skill building to develop strong cultures and groworganizations.
Dr. Ervin’s area of research is workplace motivation based on self-determination theoryand the impact of an employee’s perception of their organization’s support. Her first book “You Might Be an A*****e but It Might Not Be Your Fault” was released on April 21, 2023, and was the #1 New Release Best Seller in Human Resources as well as Educational Leadership on Amazon.

Whenever a guest has a story that involves lifting a 400 lb. calf in designer jeans you know it will be a great conversation. Join the discussion with Scott Willingham (see bio below) as we talk about Level 5 leadership (and how Abraham Lincoln was one of the few presidents to reach this level), building cultures where people don't experience the weekly "Dark Sunday Nights", why he uses the Predictive Index assessment, the Platinum Rule (and why it's better than the Golden Rule), and why he believes in giving everyone an opportunity. Also, the story about lifting a 400 lb. calf and riding a horse with no experience was to impress his girlfriend's father (it worked since now he is his father-in-law).
 
Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.  





 

​Scott Willingham (linkedin.com/in/scott-willingham )  is currently the CEO and Founder of WakeEffect (Website). Before launching WakeEffect in late 2023, he
served as the CRO for bulb Digital Portfolios, an EdTech start-up company based in Lafayette, CO. bulb was recently acquired by a competitor based in the U.K. Before leading the sales function at bulb, Scott was EVP and Partner at MindWire in Scottsdale, AZ – the fastest growing Predictive Index Firm in the world from 2016 to 2020. His clients have included one of the largest Automotive OEMs in the world, the largest Diesel Commercial Truck dealer group in the U.S., and the largest veterans Home Mortgage company in America. 20+ years of Leadership in Sales, B2B Sales, Education Sales, and Organizational Development. Selling something you believe in is a noble calling. There is no greater accomplishment than hiring great talent, playingto their strengths, developing and building high-performing teams, and accomplishingextraordinary results. Winning with and through your people is what leadership is all about. Having earned an M.A. in Organization Leadership at Gonzaga University, Scott has been a disruptor in delivering results with B2B Sales into Fortune 500 companies, re-building sales training for a publicly traded company, and leading education sales efforts in school districts across 14 states.​ Before launching for-profit ventures, Scott served as the Chaplain for the University of Missouri Tiger Football team from 2001 to 2004.Scott and his wife Stephanie live in Las Cruces, NM, and have 2 kids. A son who is a junior at Colorado Christian University in Denver and a 16-year-old daughter.

A fun conversation with Rick Kahle! Join Rick and me as we discuss his impressive career journey from the insurance industry to the Kansas City entrepreneurial ecosystem back to insurance. Some of the great topics include: how he became a better leader by observing great leaders in action and learning how to ask great questions; how being an entrepreneur is not for the fragile or faint at heart; the importance of not confusing activity with results; investing in others; and the gift of listening.
 
Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.
 
Rick's bio: Driven by impactful outcomes and passionate about serving people, Rick Kahle (LinkedIn) serves as a trusted advisor adept at helping clients solve their most complex business challenges. Following a 27-year career in employee benefits consulting and brokerage, Rick switched gears and followed his passion for investing in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Kansas City. In 2019, he co-founded Crux-Xcelerate, which combines sales and marketing acumen to develop sales performers and leaders, drive value and accountability, and fuel sustainable revenue growth for organizations. As Senior Vice President of Alliant, Rick is leaning into his entrepreneurial experiences to help build and lead the firm’s Kansas City office.Rick is passionate about supporting the greater Kansas City community and has served in numerous leadership positions, both charitably and civically. Most notably, he continues to serve as chair of Phoenix Family, which provides support services to 6,000 residents of affordable housing communities.

In this compelling episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Rita Smith, a leading expert in the field of domestic violence. Rita shares her remarkable 16-year journey to work with the National Football League (NFL) knowing the involvement of men to make a difference was crucial to her strategy. From her early advocacy efforts to her current 10-year affiliation with the NFL, Rita recounts the challenges and triumphs she's experienced along the way. She reveals the strategies she's employed to amplify her message and effect meaningful change, including collaborations with Presidents and Congress to enact policy reforms. We delve into Rita's impactful media appearances, including The Oprah Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and many others, where she has tirelessly advocated for survivors and raised awareness about the complexities of domestic violence. 
Today's episode is brought to you by ExecHQ (Website), a C-suite fractional firm providing elite executives for your business. If you’re having challenges taking your business to the next level, want to augment your leadership team, or prepare your company for increased growth, profitability, and an eventual successful exit, ExecHQ has seasoned executives from every C-suite position, ensuring a perfect fit for your needs and industry dynamics. To learn more about ExecHQ, email Jeff Pelaccio at jeff.pelaccio@exechq.com.
 
Rita ​Smith (LinkedIn ) began working as a crisis line advocate in a shelter for battered women and their children in Colorado in 1981. She is a Senior Adviser for the National Football League on their efforts to end violence against women. Also, she serves as Vice President of External Relations for​ domesticshelters.org and Executive Director of Victim Services for eBodyGuard. Rita was the Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence for nearly 22 years. Hundreds of newspaper reporters have interviewed her and appeared on many local and national radio and television news shows, including the Washington Post, USA Today, People Magazine, NPR, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and the Oprah Winfrey Show.​ Rita has co-authored several articles and chapters for books including a manual for attorneys working with domestic violence victims in Colorado, and an article on child custody and domestic violence published in the fall of 1997 in The Judges Journal (an American Bar Association publication). She believes advocacy and social change are intricately connected and cannot be done separately.

Welcome to a Special Edition of The Corporate Couch! Today my co-host is Shawn Kinkade (linkedin.com/in/shawnkinkade) and we do a "deep dive" review of Adam Grant's great book "Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success". Shawn and I have a fun conversation as we discuss how this book can help everyone from college students to CEOs.

Introduction to "Give and Take": We delve into Adam Grant's exploration of reciprocity styles and their impact on success, based on his extensive research and personal experiences.


The Three Reciprocity Styles: Grant categorizes individuals into givers, takers, and matchers, each with distinct approaches to social interactions and success.


Success Patterns: Surprisingly, both the least and most successful individuals in various fields tend to be givers. We explore the correlation between reciprocity styles and success metrics such as productivity, sales revenue, and leadership effectiveness.


Navigating the Challenges of Giving: While giving offers numerous benefits, including increased happiness and productivity, givers face risks such as burnout and exploitation by takers. We discuss strategies to mitigate these challenges.


Key Takeaways and Practical Applications: We summarize actionable insights from Grant's research, including leveraging powerless communication, integrating self-interest with "other-interest", and implementing the five-minute rule of giving.

To receive a free 7-page "Give and Take" book summary, you can email me at jeffpelaccio@gmail.com. Enjoy the episode!