Leaders of Self (ft. Eric Schurenberg, Editor-in-chief, Amplify Publishing Group)

Update: 2022-12-14

Description

Eric Schurenberg’s principles of a values-driven career

OPENING QUOTE:

“I think that the role of a leader in any organization is to convince the people that they have the privilege of leading, that they are part of something that is bigger than themselves. That they are part of a mission to make the world a better place.”

—Eric Schurenberg

GUEST BIO:

Eric Schurenberg is a longtime business journalist and media executive, most recently the CEO of Iconic Media Brands Inc, and Fast Company. He is now dedicated to the fight against misinformation and disinformation, and to restoring trust in professional journalism.

Eric was the founding editor of CBS Money Watch, managing editor of Money Magazine, assisting managing editor at Fortune, and Vice President at Goldman Sachs, earning record-setting accolades along the way that positioned him as a go-to guest on CNBC, CNN, the Today Show and Good Morning America.

Show Links:

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[6:24 ] - Build on Values

A revolutionary idea

When Fast Company was founded in 1995, it was built on a novel idea: that work should be a mission. That you should be driven to find your purpose in your employment. It’s dedicated to the idea that work has meaning, that it should be innovative, stimulating, and aligned with your values. Today, this is one of the most powerful ideas in business — but back then, it was a concept rarely found in any organization. A person’s job should be part mission, part employment, and part stimulation, innovation, and excitement.

[13:16 ] - Leaders of Self

What does a real leader look like?

Ask Eric what exemplifies the best leaders, and he’ll reply with one word: authenticity. To him, it represents the values that you communicate in your role, whether you’re at the top of the masthead, or the middle, or the bottom. They’re the values that you live your life by. When you execute your role in a company that way, people notice. That’s the true path to leadership. People trust you because they know you’re not going to turn out to be someone different from what they expected, and trust is an absolutely essential facilitator of success and effectiveness at work.

[16:48 ] - The 35% Rule

Balancing improvement with morale

When Eric was a new editor at Money, it was very common for editors to heavily rewrite the copy that writers submitted. But a mentor told Eric that if your change isn’t going to improve the copy the audience's experience by 35% or more, don’t make it. It’s not worth it in terms of the damage you do to the morale of people you work with. In the military, it’s said that the needed improvement before you add values to someone’s idea is 80%.

Whatever the percentage, the point is the same: correcting someone comes at a cost, and you should always be aware of what that cost is and whether it’s worth the improvement in quality.

[32:33 ] - Beware the Attention Economy

Take control of where you spend your time

We think of nationally recognized professional media companies as the ones stealing away our time and attention. But video games, sports, and anything else that competes for your attention are all culprits. You have to be aware of where they’re driving you. News and social media are often built to outrage you, disgust you, and shock you. This isn’t the path toward truth. Always be aware of what any platform or input is trying to get you to do or feel. Be a conscious consumer.

[45:43 ] - The Most Underdeveloped Skill

Eric’s advice on where to focus your self-improvement

When asked for one closing piece of advice, Eric doesn’t hesitate. “The best skill that people can develop, and the most underdeveloped (or certainly under-promoted) skill is listening.”

Listening gives us insight into information that we would have never had from the wisdom of people who have different life experiences. From a reciprocal standpoint, listening to someone dignifies them, gives them a feeling of meaning and purpose, and shows them you recognize their value. That will in turn elevate you in a way that nothing else can.

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SHOW PARTNER:

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ABOUT THE HOST:

Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.

Paul has spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.

He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEOs, MBAs, and professional athletes.

Now, as a global keynote speaker, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, and host of the Playmakers: On Purpose podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.

Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.com

ABOUT PLAYMAKERS: ON PURPOSE:

The Playmakers: On Purpose podcast is an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out of reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”.

From the Why Coach of the San Francisco 49ers to your coach, take a seat at the table with sports industry executive, #1 bestselling author, personal transformation expert, turned senior leader and advisor to PurposePoint and the Why Institute, Paul Epstein, in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast.

From formative stories pre-purpose to personal and professional transformation’s post-purpose, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to ignite impact and drive inner success, fulfillment, and purpose no matter your starting point. It’s time to meet Paul at the 50 and get ready to live and lead ON PURPOSE.

Learn more at: PlaymakersPod.com

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In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, S