
Wayland Lum, CEO of Copperbox Leadership Advisory and former leader at Chicago Booth, Korn Ferry, and Nvidia, shares his journey from art supplies to boardrooms. From navigating the balance of fear and courage to embracing core purpose, Wayland reveals the power of leadership grounded in authenticity and impact. If you’ve ever considered stepping out of your comfort zone and betting on your own vision, this episode will leave you inspired—and maybe a little bit braver.
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Dave
To love and to cherish.
Wayland
To love and to itch. I mean cherish. Uh, sweetie.
Dave
For as long as we both shall live.
Wayland
For as long as we both shall itch. Sorry, Dave. Come on.
Dave
From this day forward.
Wayland
Look, I'm sorry. I just can't do this. Itch.
Vince
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Viz Chen
Can I have a medium iced coffee with one taste?
Vince
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Viz Chen
Hi everyone. Welcome to our show. Chief Change Officer, I'm Viz Chen, your ambitious human host. Our show is a modernist Humility for Change progressives in organizational and human transformation from around the world. Today's guest is from Austin, Texas. In the United States, Wayland Long. His career in HR has nothing short of remarkable. Back in college, he studied industrial and organizational psychology. Then after graduation, he worked at some of the biggest and most influential institutions in the world, including the highest valued company of the present day, Nvidia and a global organizational consulting firm, Koinferry. He also spent eight years in Chicago and London at Chicago Booth School of Business, helping MBA students shape their career futures. Now he's in Texas running his own leadership practice. On this show, we'll explore three areas of interest. First, his career evolution from big corporations to consulting to business school and private practice. Second, the eight principles of modern leadership he creates for his leadership clients. Third, his vision for human and AI coaching partnerships. Let's get started. Wayland, welcome to our show. Finally, I got you on the call with me.
Wayland
Yeah. That was great. Thanks for having me, Vince. I'm looking forward to our conversation.
Viz Chen
If my memory serves me right, last time we met in person it was in London. And last time I went to Texas, it was before COVID for South by Southwest. The time flies. Yet I'm happy that we've kept in contact, we've reunited at some point. And now you come to my show to share your wisdom and insights with the audience. Thank you so much. How are you doing?
Wayland
I'm doing well, Vince. Yeah. It's another balmy day in Austin, Texas, and I'm looking forward to the summer as we chatted about before. So. Yeah. And also excited to be with you and have a great conversation.
Viz Chen
Wei Lan, let's start with your history. Your career in HR has been nothing short of remarkable. Back in college, you studied industrial and organizational psychology. Then after graduation, we've worked at some of the biggest and most influential institutions in the world, including the highest value company of the present day, Nvidia, a global organizational consulting firm, Coin Ferry. You've even spent eight years in Chicago and London shaping the careers of MBA students at the top 1 business school, Chicago booth. Now you're in Tech Boost, running your own leadership practice. Can you walk us through your career evolution?
Wayland
Yeah, absolutely. Thanks, Vince. So I think early on, going back to undergrad, I knew early on that I had a desire to meld the disciplines of psychology and business. And so it was a very easy choice for me to study industrial organizational psychology. I did that at San Jose State. Go Spartans. And from that experience launched my career into hr, which got me close to talent, organizational talent, first in Silicon Valley and high tech, and then more broadly across to New York and then other parts of the country as well. And I would say against the thing that has been a prevailing theme in my career is how to work with and provide value to the best talent in the world. And so if you look at my career trajectory, it's really been a journey and a sort of quest, if you will, to find who those individuals are or those groups of people and be able to work closely with them to really help them to develop their maximum potential and become the now the folks that I have now, the leaders that they are meant to become. And by doing so, we know that the world is more positively impacted and becomes a better place.
Viz Chen
Here's what I find truly admiring and courageous of you. You've taken the leap from these large, prestigious organizations to running Your own leadership practice, Many people will shine away from that, sticking to the comfort zone, the stable paycheck and the prestige of a big corporate name and a nice business card. But you did not. What was the pivotal aha moment that led you down this path of building your own practice? Was there a specific experience that made you think, this is it, I just need to do this? And once you made that decision, how did the transition actually play out?
Wayland
Yeah, so the decision was really many years in the making. And it really started, Vince, as I coach a lot of the leaders that I work with and understand more about them, it really does start with early formative experiences. Right. Growing up, when I was thinking about career and stuff, I actually thought I was going to be an artist like my dad. He was a graphic artist. I enjoyed oil painting, using Prismacolor, drawing, et cetera. And that creativity has always stayed with me. And then when I moved into business psychology, industrial organizational psychology, that creativity and wanting to innovate really manifested itself. And now this new area of interest for me, that became my career. And so I always had that. And when I was at these larger organizations, I felt that I wasn't fully able to express that sort of creativity and maybe perhaps fully work with leaders in the way that I wanted to, which would be much deeper, more transformational, and really wanting them to make significant changes in terms of who they were and then in turn make changes in who they were as leaders. One thing that I often coach my clients on, and indeed as coaches and consultants, particularly as coaches we have and leaders, we've got to walk our talk. And so we cannot simply be coaching other leaders on what they may need to do and how they need to change. But we also need to step into our own, change ourselves, and be held accountable for that. And so I'd often coach my leaders to be bold, courageous in their decision making, to really go with their intuition, follow their heart, and really step out into the directions in which they believe they need to. They need to go. And when it came down to the fundamental question I asked myself was way, are you going to stay within a large organization, rely on the reputation of this firm, the resources, the beautiful steel and glass building that you walk into every day and with all the nice facilities and the office environment that you have privilege of having access to, or are you going to go step out and bet on yourself? And when I frame the question like that, Vince, the answer became very clear. I had to go step out and bet on myself. As I would have coached and encouraged my leaders that I work with to do. And I can say that I have not regretted a single moment. It's been absolutely amazing.
Viz Chen
I am 200% agreeable with your choice in walking the walk and talking the talk. In a world where a lot of people just talk, a lot of times they will talk very, very loud without much substance at all. Walking the walk and talking the talk becomes very precious and courageous. Unfortunately, it's also something that is silenced by the noise in the world. But that's what makes a true leader.
Wayland
I absolutely agree.
Viz Chen
You are a coach, yet I'm curious, have you ever been on the other side of the coaching relationship? What was it like being coached? And how has that experience shape your approach with your own clients today?
Wayland
Yeah, early on in my career, when I was just starting out at hr, I actually did hire a coach for myself and my coach. The reason why I hired him, and this is way back in the, gosh, early, early 2000s, I wanted to become a coach. And therefore, I thought a good way to do that would be to get mentorship and be able to learn from a really experienced executive coach. And I remember, I think one of the most important things that he taught me because he used to continuously push me and say, waylon, you can do this. You can work with these types of leaders. You can have the type of impact that you want to have with a certain level of leader. And at the time, Vince, I didn't quite believe him or I didn't feel ready. And that's probably understandable given I was much younger and didn't have the experience and the tools and I would say even the life experience that I have now. However, that experience of working with him has influenced the way that I develop others. And so I'm always pushing them to be more than what they envision themselves being at this point in time. And I do that with my team and certainly do that with the client leaders that I work with. As well. And what I found is that when you have that expectation of people, more often than not, they're able to rise to the occasion and they will become more than they have thought possible. And that's really awesome to see. I think in terms of coaching, I highly recommend that to anybody. And whatever sort of aspect of your life that you might want coaching for, I do encourage you to explore that. Of course, you need to find the right person, the right fit. But I found it for myself to be tremendously rewarding. I still work with some business coaches here and there to help me with thought partnership and just being a good counterpoint or a good thought partner as I think about growing my own business and also how I am leading others.
Viz Chen
So on your LinkedIn profile you have this statement, we develop modern leaders to face the biggest business challenges. Speaking of leaders, who are the people you typically work with? Can you paint a picture for our listeners of the kinds of leaders you coach?
Wayland
Yeah, absolutely. And that statement, talking about walking the talk, then we develop modern leaders to face their biggest challenges. That is really a derivation also of what the vision of Copperbox is, which is to prepare leaders to confront and address the greatest challenges of our time. And that is both our vision, it's also an aspirational goal that we have for our firm. And it goes beyond the realm of business and into areas such as government policy, certainly large, big problems that the world faces such as climate change and misinformation, loneliness, et cetera. And so that's our aspiration. Now how do we do that in more sort of purposeful and day to day terms is through our work with business leaders. And so one area that we are very focused on and do a lot of work in is private equity and supporting private equity operating companies and their executives. As we know, private equity moves at a very fast pace. Firms have investment theses that they need to, that they need to achieve and fulfill, and they do that through the talent that they have at their portfolio companies. A lot of our work is really helping those leaders to quickly identify the areas of their leadership that need to be. The gaps need to be quickly closed and to really partner with them closely at pace in order to do that. And when I mean at pace, I really mean on a quarter by quarter basis, which is the cadence of business in general. That's certainly the cadence of business within private equity where they're trying to achieve very specific objectives and goals quarter by quarter.
Viz Chen
You know, we hear the term modern leadership thrown around a lot these days. I was wondering, what does that actually mean to you? How would you define modern in the context of leadership?
Wayland
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Dave
To love and to cherish.
Wayland
To love and to itch I mean, cherish. Uh, sweetie.
Dave
For as long as we both shall live.
Wayland
For as long as we both shall itch. Sorry Dave. Come on.
Dave
From this day forward.
Wayland
Look, I'm sorry. I just can't do this. Itch.
Vince
If you have eczema, Michael, you know that itch is a four letter word. Learn about reducing that offensive eczema itch.
Dave
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Wayland
Learn more@swepe.com yes, so modern leadership is really about the many demands of a leader today that didn't exist or they didn't have those expectations put upon them. Even let's say four or five years ago. Pre Covid, but in a post Covid era, and particularly with the challenges that we face today, societal, not to mention in business. Right. Modern leadership is required. And so how I define it, and I know we'll talk in a moment, Vince, about the eight principles, but how I really define it is taking a more timeless view on leadership based on understandings of human nature, based on understandings of patterns that we've seen occur throughout history, and based on an understanding of the on the ways in which people typically react and respond to different types of stimuli in their environment. So those are just a few examples, but what we're really looking at here is understanding leaders and leadership and how to lead from a much more systemic point of view. And not simply, oh, I'm into, I'm interacting with this individual or this group, but really understanding that individual and that group within the context of a system. And more timeless principles about how individuals and groups operate.
Viz Chen
Yes, your eight principles of modern leadership. I read them all before our call today. I'm so impressed. For example, one of those is nature as Majestic Teacher, you write, nature serves as a timeless source of wisdom. Wisdom is both ancient and modern. Here's another one. Embrace lives, stages and seasons. Every person is born, lives and dies. We have seasons in life, spring, summer, fall, and winter. On this show. Unfortunately, we can't go through all of those principles in details, but could we explore those a bit? Maybe you could share some real world examples of stories that illustrate them that you use to help your clients become a modern leader, to face, to embrace, and to master the biggest challenges.
Wayland
Yeah, absolutely, Vince. So the eight principles are our perspective at Copper Box, our ethos, if you will, about how we think about modern leadership. So at the end of the day, you must help business leaders achieve their outcomes. And, and so that is first and foremost. And that being said, working with them is an opportunity to go for transformational change for the leader. And we know that when they achieve transformational change, when they become stronger leaders, not only in work, but also in different aspects of their life, there is a much more powerful cascading benefit and impact that is much more far reaching, and that's what we want to help them achieve. And so when we think about the eight principles, we have that in mind that it's not simply about business outcomes, but we are confident that when we help leaders to become more modern, to achieve transformation, inevitably that is going to have great impact on the businesses that they lead and they run. So when we think about the principles first, really, it does start with getting grounded in core purpose. And there's a lot of talk about purpose. There's a lot of talk about finding your purpose or finding your why. And in essence, it is where everything starts. Core purpose is understanding both your deeply held values, how you move in the world, what's important to you, what you'll put a stake in the ground for. It's also about the values and gifts that you bring to the world and that you want to use. We call them your superpowers. And the combination of your values and your gifts are very powerful. And when you're able to combine both of those and then channel that into your purpose, you really do become unstoppable. So I've seen that in my own life be more to have the renewed energy to really drive my business and to have the impact on leaders. But I also see them in the lives of others, both my team members and also our clients. And the last thing I'll say about grounded in core, getting grounded in core purpose, is that we talk a lot about inspiration in leadership, but really, to be inspirational, you yourself have to be inspired. And so what is it in the world that inspires you that gets you up in the morning and how you're able to bring that energy, which, by the way, other people can see very quickly whether you have it or not. But as a leader, it is important to have. And so how are you bringing that? So therefore, those that you lead can also be inspired because. Hey, Wayland, got a light and energy, a spark that's being driven deep within. And that intrigues me. And as my leader, I know that he's operating from a place of a real inspiration and real purpose, and I'm inspired by that. And secondly, Vin, it's interesting because I found time and again, and this is very consistent across organizations, is that leaders, certainly they've got big titles, right? We work with leaders that have really big titles, really big roles, but they sometimes see leadership as a responsibility as opposed to a choice. And what I mean by that is, yeah, there are responsibilities to leadership, but leadership really starts with a choice. And so we talk about picking up the torch of leadership. And picking up the torch is a conscious choice. And there's two things to that. When you pick up the torch, you can certainly. And it's a great metaphor, you can light the way for others as a torch bearer, but at the same time, if you pick up the torch, there's. There is a bit of playing with fire, and you can get burned. So you understand that as a leader, there is going to be a certain level of personal discomfort. There's going to be sacrifice. If you're not sacrificing, then that there's an aspect of leadership. There's. That is about sacrifice. So I would argue if you're not sacrificing, then there's not full or true display of leadership on your part. Because if you didn't have to sacrifice, it'd be easy, and leadership isn't easy. And so picking up the torch, I think, is really critically important. And making that decision for every leader is this first step. And I guess the last thing I'll say about picking up the torch is leadership can be scary. I found myself fearful in different situations and just had to clench my teeth and move forward. But I think one thing, perhaps, maybe might be comforting to leaders, or at least a good reminder of what you're there for and why you're there, is that fear is a precursor to courage. So these two aspects of the human condition, they always appear in that order. You do not get courage without first experiencing fear. And so as you understand that, when you understand yourself in those kinds of situations, you understand that you're probably in the places that you need to be making the decisions that you need to be making, and that's leadership.
Viz Chen
Wow. As I was listening to you, two things really jumped out at me. First, you hit on this idea that leadership is a choice. That actually takes me back to my days at Chicago. Booth. There was this professor, Linda Ginzel, who used to drill that idea into our heads constantly. Leadership was a choice, she would say. And hearing what you talk, it's clear that idea really lines up with what you're describing. The other thing that struck me was your take on fear and courage. It reminds me of this animated movie, Inside Out. Have you seen it yourselves? They just released the sequel. The movie is all about human emotion. And there's this interesting dynamic between joy and sadness in the movie. At first they seem like totally opposites. Right. As the story unfolds, you start to see how they are actually connected. The big lesson is that you can't really appreciate joy if you've never experienced sadness. I see a similar principle in what you are saying about fear and courage. They are not as separate as we might think they are. Two sides of the same coin, each one giving meaning to the other. Does this resonate with what you're getting at?
Wayland
Yeah. So it's Vince, I love what you're sharing here. And actually I need to catch that movie myself. I've been meaning to do that because I've been hearing such great things. And when it comes to these. These sort of like these emotions that are juxtaposed or two sides of the same coin, it's a good lesson for us as leaders, generally speaking. You know, another one, as I was listening to you, that comes to mind is love, for example, love that you have for somebody else. A deep love. And with deep love can also come profound grief. Right. When losing a loved one, let's say. And so these strong emotions and the best of the emotions that you can experience in the world, such as joy, such as love, they do come with also other profound emotions that can also be at times devastating in one's life. Right. Understanding both of those things, accepting that and going seeking love out anyways, or wanting to be joyful, knowing that there'll be days when there will be profound sadness. And understanding and accepting that, I think is a bit of wisdom that we're talking about here in terms of modern leadership. Because it's really an understanding of human nature. Both the human experience for oneself, but also for others.
Viz Chen
Wayland has loved us so much to reflect on and explore. Thank you so much for joining us today. If you like what you heard, don't forget, subscribe to our show. Leave us. Top rated reviews. Check out our website and follow me on social media. I'm Vince Chen, your ambitious human host. Until next time, Take care.
Vince
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Viz Chen
Can I have a medium iced coffee?
Vince
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Wayland
To love and to itch. I mean cherish, sweetie.
Dave
For as long as we both shall live.
Wayland
For as long as we both shall itch. Sorry, Dave. Come on.
Dave
From this day forward.
Wayland
Look, I'm sorry. I just. I can't do this.
Vince
Itch if you have eczema, Michael, you know that itch is a four letter word. Learn about reducing that offensive eczema itch fast@4letteritch.com Sweetheart, what about this one?
Wayland
Um. Nah fam.
Viz Chen
That's a little sus.
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Chief Change Officer Podcast Summary
Episode: Wayland Lum: From Corporate Comfort to Purposeful Leadership
Release Date: December 6, 2024
Host: Vince Chan
In this compelling episode of Chief Change Officer, host Vince Chan engages in an insightful conversation with Wayland Lum, a seasoned professional in the realm of Human Resources and leadership coaching. Ranked among the Global Top 3% podcasts on Listen Notes and holding top positions in Careers and Business categories across multiple platforms, this episode delves deep into Wayland's transformative career journey, his principles of modern leadership, and his visionary outlook on the synergy between human and AI coaching.
Viz Chen, co-host and moderator, sets the stage by highlighting Wayland's impressive career trajectory. Wayland's foundation in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from San Jose State paved the way for his roles at industry titans like Nvidia and Koinferry, as well as his significant tenure at the Chicago Booth School of Business. His diverse experiences culminated in founding his own leadership practice in Texas, Tech Boost.
Wayland Lum [05:43]:
"Going back to undergrad, I knew early on that I had a desire to meld the disciplines of psychology and business. This has always stayed with me, driving me to help leaders make significant changes."
When asked about the courageous decision to leave the comfort of established organizations for his own venture, Wayland reflects on his intrinsic drive for creativity and transformational leadership.
Wayland Lum [07:52]:
"I had to go step out and bet on myself. As I would coach my leaders to do, it was clear that stepping out was the right path. I have not regretted a single moment. It's been absolutely amazing."
Viz commends Wayland’s commitment to walking the talk, emphasizing authenticity in leadership.
Viz Chen [10:29]:
"Walking the walk and talking the talk becomes very precious and courageous... But that's what makes a true leader."
Exploring his personal growth, Wayland shares his early experiences with coaching, which profoundly influenced his approach to mentoring others. He underscores the importance of pushing leaders beyond their perceived limits to unlock their full potential.
Wayland Lum [11:26]:
"I continuously push my team and clients to be more than they envision themselves. This expectation often leads them to surpass their own limits, which is truly rewarding."
Modern leadership, as articulated by Wayland, transcends traditional paradigms. It requires a deep understanding of human nature, systemic thinking, and the ability to navigate complex, evolving challenges.
Wayland Lum [17:20]:
"Modern leadership is about taking a more timeless view based on understandings of human nature and patterns throughout history. It’s about leading from a systemic point of view."
Wayland introduces the eight principles of modern leadership, which form the cornerstone of his coaching philosophy. While not all principles are discussed in depth during the episode, two key principles stand out:
Nature as a Majestic Teacher:
Leveraging the timeless wisdom found in nature to inform leadership practices.
Embrace Life’s Stages and Seasons:
Recognizing and adapting to the various phases of life—spring, summer, fall, and winter—to lead effectively.
Viz Chen highlights her admiration for these principles and connects Wayland’s ideas to broader concepts of emotional intelligence and resilience.
Viz Chen [25:08]:
"Your take on fear and courage reminds me of 'Inside Out'—how emotions are interconnected and how one gives meaning to the other."
Wayland agrees, expanding on the interplay between opposing emotions and their role in effective leadership.
Wayland Lum [26:53]:
"Understanding that fear is a precursor to courage helps leaders realize they are in the right places to make crucial decisions. Embracing both emotions is key to authentic leadership."
While the transcript provided does not delve deeply into this topic, the initial introduction by Viz Chen indicates that Wayland envisions a future where human and AI coaching can complement each other. This partnership aims to enhance the efficacy of leadership development by leveraging technology while maintaining the human touch essential for personal growth.
Wayland Lum’s journey from corporate roles to founding his own leadership practice exemplifies the essence of transformational change—a core theme of the Chief Change Officer podcast. His emphasis on authentic leadership, the interplay of emotions, and a systemic approach to leading modern organizations provides invaluable insights for listeners aspiring to harness change as their superpower.
As the episode concludes, Viz Chen encourages listeners to subscribe, leave reviews, and engage with the community on social media, reinforcing the podcast’s mission to unite global voices in career and life transformation.
Notable Quotes:
Wayland Lum [05:43]:
"When you're able to combine your values and your gifts and channel that into your purpose, you become unstoppable."
Wayland Lum [07:52]:
"I had to go step out and bet on myself. As I would coach my leaders to do, it was clear that stepping out was the right path."
Wayland Lum [17:20]:
"Modern leadership is required... It's about understanding leaders and leadership from a much more systemic point of view."
Wayland Lum [26:53]:
"Fear is a precursor to courage. These two aspects always appear in that order. You do not get courage without first experiencing fear."
Connect with Chief Change Officer:
This summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened to the full podcast.