The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

• 643: Anthony Scaramucci - Getting Fired by President Trump, Working With a Life Coach, Playing Quarterback, Building Confidence + Charisma, Telling The Truth, & Finding Your Superpower

  Go to www.LearningLeader.com for all show notes This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world have the hustle and grit to deliver. Go to www.InsightGlobal.com/LearningLeader Anthony Scaramucci served as the White House Director of Communications for President Donald Trump from July 21 to July 31, 2017. He was at Harvard Law School with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. He’s the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge Capital. And he’s the founder and Chairman of the SALT conference.  Leadership through service: True leadership isn't about personal glory but about making others better and helping them succeed in their roles. Derek Jeter exemplified this by never caring about personal statistics, only team success. "If you're on the team, it's not about me, right? It's about you. How am I gonna make you better? Or how am I gonna make you feel good about your role? How am I gonna get you to think that I'm here to help you?" Flexibility and decision-making under pressure: Football taught Scaramucci the importance of reading situations quickly and making audibles at the line of scrimmage - skills that translate directly to business and life leadership. "You can't just say, okay, here's the game plan, right? Because that's what Mike Tyson says, right? You have the plan until you get punched in the face, or all battle plans go by the wayside with contact with the enemy." Resilience through adversity: Getting "your ass kicked" early in life builds the resilience needed for future challenges in business and politics. Early defeats teach you how to bounce back from failure. "That's called resilience, right? You gotta get over that... That's how you gotta get your ass kicked. Here I was... and I just remember feeling so puny... So how you gotta get over that." The confidence battle starts within: The first fight in life is with yourself - believing you're good enough and worthy to compete. Henry Ford's principle applies: "If you think you can or you can't, you are right." "The first fight is with yourself. Am I good enough? Am I worthy? Can I get to the game? Can I believe in myself enough so that I'm standing next to someone else who believes in themselves that I compete?" Accountability in relationships: When Scaramucci's marriage was in crisis, taking full accountability for his mistakes rather than deflecting blame was crucial to rebuilding the relationship. "I owe my wife Deirdre, a debt of gratitude for actually really loving me because I was off the rails on a few things... she's like, Hey, I'm not having this, so if you love me, get your shit together." Life coaching vs. therapy approach: Life coaching focuses on progression and future action ("What are we doing today to be better?") rather than regression into past issues. "I feel that therapy is a regression. Life coaching is a progression... forget about the past. What the hell are you gonna do? What are we doing today to make yourself a better person?" Forgiveness as liberation: Choosing to forgive both others and yourself removes the "millstone of regret" that weighs you down and prevents forward progress. "I can take that millstone of regret and leave it behind me, take it off of my neck and leave it behind me... human frailty and not judging it is not just you judging others, but also yourself." The comfortable outsider advantage: Being comfortable with your outsider status while still being able to operate in elite circles provides authentic confidence and relatability across all social levels. "I am a comfortable outsider. I'm not an insider... but I'm comfortable with it. You know, like guys like Trump or Rudy, they're uncomfortable. Outsiders... But I'm a comfortable outsider. I don't need to do that." Intellectual curiosity + neuroplasticity: Combining genuine curiosity about others with the ability to adapt and change allows you to move successfully between different social and professional circles. "Find your superpower... I think your superpower is very similar to my superpower... intellectual curiosity. And so if you can blend intellectual curiosity with neuroplasticity, meaning you can adopt and change... then you can move in various circles." Pivot for survival: Successful businesses and careers require constant reinvention. SkyBridge's conference business and pivot to Bitcoin were survival strategies that became major successes. "We were going outta business... This was an accidental survivor strategy. This was a pivot that we were making in order to stay in business. This was not some mastermind plan."

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• 642: Jim Murphy - Inner Excellence, AJ Brown, Presence, Managing Fear, Daily Goals, & Understanding Our Greatest Needs

  Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world have the hustle and grit to deliver. Go to www.InsightGlobal.com/LearningLeader Jim Murphy is a mental performance coach for some of the most accomplished professional athletes in the world. Formerly a professional baseball player, he now focuses on helping others. You may have heard of him if you were watching the Philadelphia Eagles' playoff run last season, and star wide receiver AJ Brown was reading Jim’s book Inner Excellence on the sideline between offensive series. Notes: The first 11 days of 2025, Inner Excellence (originally published 16 years ago) sold about 25 copies… What happened on January 12? AJ Brown was shown on TV reading it in between offensive series. It then sold 200,000 copies in 20 days. Fear is a concern about the future. Give the best of what you have today. Be present. Heart, will, spirit = the deepest part of you When we’re at our best, there’s no thought of self. 5 greatest needs That we have value Love and acceptance Integrity Purpose beyond self Growth Dick Vermiel’s coaching style - Coach the person first. Then the sport (or the thing you’re doing). The same is true for any leadership role. People won’t care what you think unless they know you actually care about them. 4 Daily Goals Give the best of what you have today Be present. Fear is a future thing. Be grateful Focus on what you can control Anxiety is a mind with too many thoughts and concerns. Need to face our fears. 3 Key Areas: Belief - expand what you think is possible. Freedom - play like a kid (let it rip). Focus - Be fully present Status vs amazing experiences. Love is the most powerful force in the universe. Joy comes from love. Love can come from weaknesses. Ego - Always comparing, creates a fear of screwing up Rory McIlroy – Didn’t care if he made the cut at the US Open. Played free and made a few birdies at the end of the second round and made the cut. Jim's Dedication: “My father, Donald C. Murphy. The one who greatly influenced me to think deeply about what to love and what to let go of. I love you. See you soon.” His dad worked on the Apollo 11 mission. The first lunar landing. Grade yourself on presence. 4 daily goals. Rate them 1-10. Anxiety is a sign that someone isn’t present. Jim has always struggled with being self-centered. Be non-judgmental. Share unconditional love. Ricky Scruggs - Former teammate and roommate in pro baseball. He invited me to the desert in 2003. Led me to take the risk to leave the safety of family and friends to pursue a meaningful life. What about for those people who say your stuff is "woo-woo?"  “I get paid to help people perform better. And that’s what happens when you work with me.” “My whole life, I obsessed about being a superstar, being rich and famous. What I now realize is what I’ve always wanted was to feel fully alive. I’ve realized since that what I always really wanted was to feel fully alive. That’s what Inner Excellence is about. Pursuing a full life and letting everything else be added. We’re created for relationships." Among Jim's strengths is that he listens and doesn’t judge. That’s what many people want. “I have this one client, a pro athlete. He said, ‘Jim, I smoke, I gamble, I drink. I do all these things, but I don’t think you do all those things. Do you think we can work together?’ I said, ‘If you don’t judge me for not doing those things, I won’t judge you for doing those things.’ We became great friends.” Resonance Key #3 - Love Your Opponent. “The opponent is not the enemy– they’re our partner in the dance.” – Phil Jackson

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• 641: Larry Connor - The Big 6 Leadership Attributes, Building a Values-Based Culture, Becoming a Billionaire, Working on Saturdays, Flying Into Space, Diving To The Mariana Trench, & Existing To Be The Best

  The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world have the hustle and grit to deliver. www.InsightGlobal.com/LearningLeader Larry Connor is an entrepreneur, non-profit activist investor, and adventurist. In business, he is best known for founding The Connor Group, a real estate investment firm, and growing it from $0 to $5 billion in assets. Outside of work, Larry lives an adventurous life. Within a 12 month period Larry did something that had never been done before. He completed 3 dives to the deepest part of the ocean (the Mariana Trench) AND traveled to the International Space Station as an astronaut. In addition to that, Larry is a private pilot and was part of a Le Mans racing team that has won championships. “At The Connor Group, we don’t have, and never will have, a mission statement. We have culture. When you have the latter, the former is not necessary.” The culture is built on 5 core values, on which we don’t compromise: Do the right thing People count Live the Circle of Success Think long-term, not short-term Relentless pursuit of excellence “We exist, quite simply, to be the best.” “We don’t hire for experience. We don’t hire for knowledge. We don’t care where you went to school. We hire for personality traits. Especially in leadership roles. You have to have the big 6. You have to have all 6. They are: 1. Be able to motivate and inspire others. 2. Self-accountability and ability to hold others accountable in an honest, direct manner. 3. Organizational multi-tasking. The speed of the game is fast. 4. Cultural fit. 5. Grit. Doing the thing that others say are impossible. 6. Work orientation. If you want to come in at 8:30, take a 90-minute lunch, and leave at 4:30, The Connor Group is not for you. “People never outperform their own self-image. So aim high!” “Mediocre people don’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocre people.” “By definition, if you want to be exceptional, you have to be different. If you’re like everybody else, you’re going to end up like everybody else.” In 2008, Larry said, “We simply decided we weren’t going to participate in the global recession.” 3 P’s - People, Plan, Process People’s performances are measured through daily, weekly, and monthly IAMs (Individual Accountability Meetings). Clear expectations and clear management. When I asked him about becoming a billionaire, Larry immediately jumped to the impact he’s having on others. “There are far more important standards than money. How well have you treated your associates? Have you made them better people? How much have you done to help other people? Have you made a difference?” All of that is available to all of us regardless of us being a billionaire or not. The company headquarters are next door to a hangar that houses a working model of the “Wright B Flyer” - The Wright Brothers’ first production airplane.

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• 640: Tony Reno (Yale University Head Football Coach) - Writing a Team Creed, Leaving it Better Than You Found It, Going to Gettysburg, Leadership Retreats, & Winning Championships

  Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk ​The Arena​ gives you direct access to some of the most respected coaching minds in the world. Led by HOFer Sherri Coale, Brook Cupps, Geron Stokes, and Eli Leiker. Leaders who have built winning programs, led at the highest levels, and shaped the next generation of elite performers. The Arena is a Learning Leader Circle for Coaches only. We are opening applications now for our first cohort. If you'd like to be part of it, ​CLICK HERE to apply​. Once the cohort is full, we will be pausing applications. This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world have the hustle and grit to deliver. www.InsightGlobal.com/LearningLeader In Patient Pursuit of Greatness – In the spring of 2012, General McChrystal was teaching a leadership class at Yale. That’s when he met Tony Reno. He said about the meeting, “Not many things materially affect my trajectory. But this time was different. What was different? Coach Reno.” The goal of the program: “Leave the jersey better than you found it.”  The team creed, a pledge written by players on Team 142 (the 2014 squad), as they do at the start of every practice: “I vow to believe in the process, I am mentally and physically tough, I compete with passion and overcome any challenges. I stand tall alongside my family at all times, I challenge my brother, believe in him, hold him accountable. As I create my own path I always put team before myself, I strive for excellence on and off the field, I hold myself to a higher standard. I am a Yale football player.” Standards - Every player must recite the creed. The younger players are coached by the older players. The brick tradition - At each practice, one player presents his brick, then adds it to the others in the tunnel-- a visual reminder of the team’s solidarity. Reno instituted the tradition to build camaraderie through candid reflection. Hero, Hometown, Hardship, Highlight. Someone who has impacted you. One word for the season. His players went to bat for him. On December 28, Casey Gerald '09, a cornerback, and 63 other former players sent a letter endorsing Coach Reno's candidacy to athletic director Tom Beckett, and later to president Richard Levin and provost Peter Salovey. 12 days later, he earned the job. Gettysburg Retreat: Yale's football team takes an annual retreat to Gettysburg with McChrystal to focus on leadership, bonding, and team culture. Presidential Leadership - Lead people, but don’t do it for them. When his players host recruits, they will tell Coach Reno if their character aligns with being a Yale football player.  Coach Reno names a player of the day for each practice. The one who lives out their values and the Yale football player creed. Life/Career advice - Help you become the best version of yourself in all you do. Make you an elite leader. Maximize you as a football player. Help you find your passion.

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• 639: Katie Gatti Tassin (Money with Katie) - Building A Media Business, The Morning Brew Acquisition, Knowing Your Retirement Number, & Living Up To High Expectations

  The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire 1 person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world have the hustle and grit to deliver.  www.InsightGlobal.com/LearningLeader Katie Gatti Tassin is the author of the "Money with Katie" newsletter and podcast, both acquired by Morning Brew in 2022. Katie provides fresh personal finance advice with a unique outlook, coupled with deep, self-taught knowledge.  Before founding Money with Katie in 2020, she worked professionally in marketing and user experience design for Southwest Airlines, Dell Technologies, and Meta. She’s the author of Rich Girl Nation: Taking Charge of Our Financial Futures. Notes: If you’re not curious about it, you’re not going to give it your all. But if you are, you can become relentless. Chase your curiosity and obsessions with great rigor. That passion and love for whatever the thing is can lead to big opportunities in your life. Do you want 100% of a grape or 25% of a watermelon? Advice Katie got when she was considering accepting the offer to be acquired by Morning Brew. The importance of having a coach. Katie talked about the life-changing impact her coach, Elizabeth, has had on her. Ambitious, motivated people who have high standards need help, too. In fact, maybe as much as anyone. It’s worth it to invest in yourself and find a person to talk with 1 on 1. Parents - High expectations, straight A's or bust. Driven, hard to turn it off. The Morning Brew acquisition - Money with Katie. Worked at Meta and did Money with Katie at the same time. Left for the acquisition. Austin Rief (CEO) DM'd her on Twitter and made an offer during their first 30-minute conversation. Big lesson - Your IP is everything. Book Dedication - “To the anonymous guy who 'works in finance' that used to relentlessly comment on my nascent website in 2018, urging me to quit writing about money and 'keep it to myself. I hope you’re well." Acknowledgments - “Mom, for all those quiet days spent sitting on the floor of the Lents branch library or wandering the stacks at Barnes & Noble. Dad, for spending your time after work at the kitchen table with me every time my homework involved numbers, and for being my number one fan.” How much money do you need to be financially free? Katie breaks down the 4% rule, why it works, and how it can be personalized and optimized for each person’s retirement needs. High Standards Can Be a Double-Edged Sword – "I am an incredibly driven person because of the people who raised me... But I also have a really hard time with turning it off. I can become very narrow-minded and obsessive about the things that I'm doing." Turn Critics Into Fuel – Katie dedicated her book to an anonymous finance professional who told her to "quit writing about money" and "keep it to herself." Sometimes the best fuel comes from those who doubt you. Money Transparency in Families Creates Advantages – Katie's parents openly discussed finances, including sharing their income. "I never really thought of it as something that was taboo... made it a lot easier for me now as an adult." The Power of Life Coaching for Entrepreneurs – After initial skepticism, Katie found a life coach who told her, "You are way too in your head. You are way too concerned with the minutia. You don't even know where you wanna go yet." Intellectual Property is Everything in Negotiations – "Your intellectual property is the most valuable thing that you are negotiating over... The primary value of the thing that I'm spending 60 hours a week working on needs to be accruing to me." The 25x Rule for Financial Freedom – Based on the 4% withdrawal rule: "Once you have accumulated 25 times your annual spending... You should theoretically be able to use 4% of that amount every year, withdraw it, and live on it." Marriage Changes Everything Financially – "Marriage is the most legally significant thing you will do in your life other than die, and you don't get so much as a leaflet about how your rights have just changed." Prenups Aren't About Distrust – They're about legal protection, especially for anyone who might leave the workforce. "If you spend decades out of the workforce... You need to ensure that if your partnership ends someday... You will have a certain amount of income." Desire Drives Excellence – "If you're not curious about it, you are not going to give it your all... There is such a difference in outcomes. If I am really into something that I'm working on, it's gonna be second to none."

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