In this unique episode, Bethany Ayers and Brandon Mensinga share their personal stories. This episode is simply titled: Life Lessons. Bethany and Brandon are experienced scale-up COO’s and the co-hosts of the Operations Room.
We chat about the following lessons:
1. Know where you want to go
2. Lean into the fear
3. Don’t try to be somebody else
4. Focus on the job that is in front of you
5. Know your superpower
6. Accept critical feedback for what it is
7. Leadership is about serving others
8. Find people who stretch you
9. Take opportunities when they present themselves
10. Don’t be a victim, take responsibility for your life
11. Do uncomfortable things
12. Cultivate your network
13. Be kind. Be respectful.
14. Accept the fact that people won’t like you
Summary:
• Career goals and adaptability. 0:05 (otter.ai/u/LC2tVWHsnMrGhP0-Wy...)
• Brandon and Bethany discuss their sleeping difficulties, with Bethany experiencing a bird phobia-related insomnia and Brandon going to a quiz night with his wife.
• Bethany struggles to fall asleep due to her bird phobia, while Brandon enjoys a UK-centric quiz night with his wife.
• Bethany Ayers shares her lesson learned from her career journey: know where you want to go, but be open to opportunities.
• Brandon Mensa adds to the discussion, emphasizing the importance of being clear on one's goals while remaining flexible and open to new experiences.
• Overcoming fear and ambition in business. 4:31 (otter.ai/u/LC2tVWHsnMrGhP0-Wy...)
• Brandon shares his experience of struggling to land a job during an internship programme, despite applying for 10 marketing roles and interviewing 10 times without success.
• Brandon overcame his anxiety related to telephone interviews by taking small steps, such as practicing with friends and using positive self-talk, to build his confidence and land a job as a marketing specialist.
• Brandon leaned into his fear and ambition to secure a job, despite a long commute and initial discomfort.
• Leveraging his motivation and ambition, he drove himself to fulfill the potential of the company, learning to manage his fear along the way.
• Personal growth and career development. 9:37 (otter.ai/u/LC2tVWHsnMrGhP0-Wy...)
• Bethany emphasizes the importance of embracing discomfort and being the best version of oneself, rather than trying to be someone else.
• She encourages individuals to focus on their unique strengths and skills, rather than comparing themselves to others.
• Brandon recognizes the value of his own strengths and weaknesses, and stops comparing himself to extroverts.
• Brandon takes inspiration from others' ways of working and incorporates them into his own toolkit, rather than mimicking them exactly.
• Bethany prioritizes becoming a domain expert and a practitioner in her field, focusing on the job she has and building her skills to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
• Brandon emphasizes the importance of focusing on the job and becoming a craftsperson, with opportunities for advancement and job security following suit.
• Embracing unique strengths and work ethic for career success. 17:09 (otter.ai/u/LC2tVWHsnMrGhP0-Wy...)
• Bethany struggles with imposter syndrome and feeling unimportant in a leadership role due to her lack of a specific functional expertise.
• Bethany highlights the importance of identifying and embracing one's unique strengths and specializations, rather than trying to be a jack-of-all-trades.
• Brandon agrees, emphasizing the value of focusing on a specific area of expertise and becoming a subject matter expert.
• Leadership lessons learned and the importance of serving others. 21:11 (otter.ai/u/LC2tVWHsnMrGhP0-Wy...)
• Brandon was put in a leadership role he wasn't qualified for, struggled in meetings, and was told he was "terrible" by the CEO.
• Brandon took 3-4 months to accept critical feedback, work with an external coach, and rebuild himself as a leader.
• Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of leadership being about serving others, not just personal achievement.
• A new head teacher at a primary school transforms the school's morale and engagement with their leadership, showing the power of effective leadership.
• Leadership, feedback, and personal growth. 26:17 (otter.ai/u/LC2tVWHsnMrGhP0-Wy...)
• Brandon and Bethany discuss the importance of leadership and career progression, with Brandon emphasizing the value of taking feedback and continuously improving.
• Bethany shares her experience with giving and receiving feedback, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and continuous improvement.
• Bethany has had two mentors in her career who provided ...