“Once, in the middle of working with a colleague on something, he said to me, ‘Well, do you want me to do it or not?’,” Renzi recalled. “I replied, ‘I want you to do it.’ So he said, ‘Then get out of my way. And if you don’t like it at the end, you can fire me. But I think you’ll be pleased.’”
Renzi described the exchange as a “great piece of feedback” from a member of his team who trusted Renzi enough to tell it like he saw it and to do so in the context of the moment. “I think that 1,000 short conversations beat one big, weekly conversation every day,” Renzi observed. “Leadership isn’t about telling someone to do something. It’s about giving your team a framework and a set of expectations that allow them to be who they are.”
In this case, a short and, some might say, brutally honest exchange set up a project for success.
In this episode of Corporate Competitor Podcast, Renzi discusses the techniques and philosophies that have brought him honors as a top business executive under the age of 40.
“The opportunity to compete for something that is a little bit out of reach is where I have found joy in my life,” said Renzi. We think you’ll find plenty of joy in this podcast. So lace up your high tops and get ready to run some shuttles!
You will learn:
"Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”
“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”
We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”
“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”
“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”
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