Special Guest - Dr. Lem Usita (Ep. 73)

Episode 73: Special Guest - Dr. Lem Usita

 

Summary:

In this episode of the Rising Tide Leadership Podcast, host Mo interviews Dr. Lem Usita, an entrepreneur and leadership expert. They discuss Dr. Lem's leadership experience and how he defines leadership. They also explore the obstacles he has faced in his leadership roles and how he overcame them. Dr. Lem shares his early influences and the catalyst for his intentional leadership development. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship and surrounding oneself with a supportive team. The episode concludes with Dr. Lem's recommended reading list and his final thoughts on leadership.

 

Takeaways:

• Leadership is not easy and comes with challenges and obstacles that must be faced and overcome.
• Surrounding oneself with a supportive team and mentors is crucial for personal and professional growth.
• Leadership development requires self-reflection and a willingness to address weaknesses and areas for improvement.
• Reading books on leadership and learning from other leaders can provide valuable insights and strategies for effective leadership.

Facing Obstacles:

• Every leadership role has its dark side.
• Organizational culture. 
  • Sometimes you jump into a role and there were other people in that role before you
  • Others tell you how to do things
  • Lack of resources
  • Inherit problems

• It’s a cop out to blame the organization for the obstacles. As the leader, it's my responsibility to lead the organization no matter what situation they're in. 
• I need to know what my weaknesses are and I need to shore up my weaknesses in order to lead this organization. 
• The responsibility is on the leader.

 

“If I am not leading well or if I don't lead these folks well, it impacts their family, it impacts their kids. And it might even impact the generation.”

• When you start thinking and reading and researching and studying leadership, then you're able to:
  • Change your behavior
  • Change your practices
  • Change your habits 

• Every leader can teach you those two things:
  • Things that you want to do
  • Things you don't want to do

• Surround yourself with people:
  • Mentors
  • Those who walk alongside you 
  • Business resources
    • CPA, Attorney, etc 

 

Lem’s Final Thoughts: 

Lead out of who you are. You lead out of your personality, you lead out of your history, you lead out of your family sculpture, family of origin stuff, you lead out of your trauma and pain, you lead out of your weaknesses, and you lead out of your strengths. And if you're not doing the work of getting to know yourself, you're not growing your effectiveness as a leader, you just aren't. And so it takes courage and humility to do this work—to become better because it's facing yourself and making some huge changes and that takes courage and humility to lead yourself so that you can lead and be effective as a leader. 

 

Amazon Book Link:

Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior, Daivd Hawkins. - https://a.co/d/03N27ma 

 

Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More than They Expect, Will Guidara - https://a.co/d/eyo9HqM 

 

Blue Ocean Strategy, Expanded Edition: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Mak e the Competition Irrelevant, Roger Wayne, W. Chan Kim, Renee Mauborgne - https://a.co/d/hYOjpmg

48 Laws of Power, Robert Greene - https://a.co/d/eP3VELJ 

 

Special Thanks To:

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