50. How to live with no regrets with Garin Hess CEO of Consensus

In the latest episode of the Practical Leadership Podcast I had the pleasure of interviewing Garin Hess, the founder and CEO of Consensus.

Garin shared some profound insights during our conversation. One of the standout moments was when he quoted, "Too many men tiptoe through life trying to make it safely to death. I do not want to do that. I am grateful, regardless of how it turned out, that I was willing to take those risks."

It's a good approach to life and leadership, a bit of risk-taking and pushing boundaries.

Garin also reflected on his early leadership experiences, saying, "I used to be very self-conscious and afraid of leadership, and yet I was constantly being put in leadership positions. I eventually learned that for me, at least, what made the most sense was to stop thinking about and trying to improve on the deficiencies and just focus on my strengths."

It's a powerful reminder for all leaders to focus on their strengths and those of your team rather than obsessing over their weaknesses.

Finally, Garin shared a thought-provoking perspective on the role of a leader. He said, "You have to be willing to be looked at as a jerk, even though you're not trying to be. You don't want to act like one. But some people will think you are just because you're asking them to do hard things they don't want to do. And that's not being a jerk. That's being a leader."

It's sometimes challenging but necessary in the role of a leader in pushing your team towards growth and success.

 

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 *Self-awareness and focusing on strengths [00:01:21]* Garin Hess discusses his journey of self-awareness and the importance of focusing on strengths rather than obsessing over deficiencies.

*Toxic deficiencies and the impact on leadership [00:03:26]* The conversation explores the concept of toxic deficiencies in leaders and how they can both hinder and contribute to success.

*The difference between being nice and being good [00:05:29]* The discussion delves into the idea that being nice is not necessarily synonymous with being a good leader, and the potential drawbacks of prioritizing likability over achieving the mission.

*The importance of joy in work [00:10:09]* Discussion on the difference between fun and joy in the workplace, and the quest for growth and challenges.

*The consequences of not letting go [00:12:09]* The speaker shares a personal experience of waiting too long to let go of an underperforming employee and the negative impact it had on the team.

*Maximizing strengths over weaknesses [00:15:03]* The importance of focusing on strengths and maximizing them, rather than trying to improve weaknesses, using the example of Michael Jordan's basketball skills.

*The importance of taking risks [00:21:03]* Garin reflects on the quote that inspired him to take risks in life and how it changed the course of his career.

*Regret minimization framework [00:21:43]* The concept of minimizing regrets by looking back from a future perspective and making choices to live our best lives.

*Imagining our death to reduce regret [00:23:14]* Garin discusses the idea of imagining our death as a way to appreciate and safeguard the things we have in life, preventing future regrets.