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Too often in our careers, many of us get caught up in the title we want to have on our business cards next year, and the year after that. Not Richard Davis. The president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America has enjoyed some pretty lofty job titles in his day. Prior to coming to Make-A-Wish in 2019, he was executive chairman and CEO of US Bank, the fifth largest bank in the United States. Richard currently serves on boards including Mastercard, Mayo Clinic, Dow Chemical, and Wells Fargo.
But Richard, who played tennis and basketball growing up, says sports taught him that win or lose, you tend to have more fun when you are in the game. So, instead of setting a goal to play a certain position, he always did whatever he could to be a utility player, in sports and business.
“I’ve always believed that putting your hand up to do something demonstrates curiosity,” he said. “And then, if you do it well, it demonstrates competency.” As Richard made himself more valuable, the job titles also fell into place. All aspiring business leaders would do well to take to heart Davis’ mantra to “set a direction, never a goal.”
Listeners to the podcast will smile, shed a few tears, learn how to develop curiosity, and discover the three elements of a successful leadership transition.
You will learn:
- 3:00 Where patience comes from.
- 5:00 How to add value to your team.
- 12:00 How to develop a greater curiosity quotient (CQ).
- 16:00 How to balance contribution and competition in your organization.
- 17:30 His experience co-chairing the Minneapolis Super Bowl Committee.
- 21:30 His most impactful memory with a Make-A-Wish family.
- 27:30 The three elements of successful leadership transition.
Resources:
- Learn more about Make-A-Wish and the hope that wishes provide.
- Read 25 Stories of Strength and Resilience from America’s Favorite Athletes in Don’s book Wish Granted.
Bonus Resource
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