Podcast
Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL
Hosted by Justin McMenamy · EN
Hello and welcome to Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL, my name is Justin McMenamy, and my mission is to share both profitable and painful leadership lessons I have acquired over a twenty-year career as a misfit in corporate America.
Like everyone, I have worked with and for hundreds of leaders across my career. While some leaders are great, and many are good, the vast majority find themselves tossed into leadership and left to figure it out on their own. Grody & Unprofessional seeks to share leadership stories harvested from my own experiences and from the experiences of others through approachable and candid conversations with the aim of educating and shaping your leadership journey.
Grody & Unprofessional episodes will toggle between focused monologue on specific lessons or mindsets I have acquired from my experiences and conversations with other leaders seeking to understand their convictions and strategies for inspiring, motivating, and maybe sometimes cajoling a group into action.
Grody & Unprofessional is not a memoir, it’s not a forum to gripe or complain about the past or present. The rules are simple, I aim to convey leadership lessons through storytelling. If a given story has a hero, we will use proper names, if the story has a villain, a dolt, or if there is the potential for embarrassment, proper names will be removed. While we do NOT aim to embarrass people or organizations, we do intend to embarrass poor leadership behaviors and mindsets common to many leaders and organizations.
My experience has been that demand for talented leaders outstrips supply by at least tenfold, Grody & Unprofessional is my feeble attempt to improve supply.
I hope you will join me as we seek to uncover people, product, and organizational leadership lessons through the musings of a corporate misfit and his friends.
Like everyone, I have worked with and for hundreds of leaders across my career. While some leaders are great, and many are good, the vast majority find themselves tossed into leadership and left to figure it out on their own. Grody & Unprofessional seeks to share leadership stories harvested from my own experiences and from the experiences of others through approachable and candid conversations with the aim of educating and shaping your leadership journey.
Grody & Unprofessional episodes will toggle between focused monologue on specific lessons or mindsets I have acquired from my experiences and conversations with other leaders seeking to understand their convictions and strategies for inspiring, motivating, and maybe sometimes cajoling a group into action.
Grody & Unprofessional is not a memoir, it’s not a forum to gripe or complain about the past or present. The rules are simple, I aim to convey leadership lessons through storytelling. If a given story has a hero, we will use proper names, if the story has a villain, a dolt, or if there is the potential for embarrassment, proper names will be removed. While we do NOT aim to embarrass people or organizations, we do intend to embarrass poor leadership behaviors and mindsets common to many leaders and organizations.
My experience has been that demand for talented leaders outstrips supply by at least tenfold, Grody & Unprofessional is my feeble attempt to improve supply.
I hope you will join me as we seek to uncover people, product, and organizational leadership lessons through the musings of a corporate misfit and his friends.
31episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Insurgent Leadership w. Brad Stoller
Oct 200:59:58Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL, host Justin McMenamy & Brad Stoller explore the concepts of asymmetric warfare and the infinite games, focusing on how small organizations like Precision Planting can compete against much larger competitors. The conversation delves into the importance of selecting the right leaders with characteristics such as mission-driven mindset, independence of thought, and adaptability. They discuss how speed and agility are crucial for smaller organizations to succeed, contrasting their approach with larger entities that often rely on rigid processes and alignment.They highlight historical examples like Stonewall Jackson and David Sterling to illustrate effective strategies for insurgent organizations. Stoller emphasizes that success is measured not by traditional metrics but by the mission's impact, advocating for a customer-centric approach over merely trying to outdo competitors.
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How the Weak Win Wars w. Brad Stoller
Sep 1800:40:48Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Justin McMenamy and guest Brad Stoller delve into the history and strategic growth of Precision Planting, an innovative agricultural company from Central Illinois. Founded by a resourceful farmer in 1993, the company prioritized improving planting equipment through unique solutions, fostering a loyal customer base and rapid technological advancements. The episode highlights key influences like Simon Sinek's 'Infinite Game' and Malcolm Gladwell's 'David and Goliath' as part of their strategic thinking to combat much larger competitors. The conversation transitions to the importance of a distinct, adaptable strategy and concludes by emphasizing the need for both strategic thinking and tactical execution in maintaining market relevance.
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No Brilliant Jerks w. Caleb Schleder
Sep 400:56:13Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Justin McMenamy and guest Caleb Schleder share critical insights into team building and leadership, drawing from their extensive corporate experience. They discuss the importance of trust, psychological safety, and culture curation in building effective teams. Strategies for hiring, including prioritizing the right fit over filling positions quickly, and innovative approaches to onboarding and development programs are explored. They also cover the importance of managing team dynamics, including handling underperforming members to maintain a healthy organizational culture. The conversation offers practical advice and personal anecdotes with the aim of helping leaders at all levels improve their team-building efforts.
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The Elon Effect w. Billy Samoa Saleebey
Aug 2100:54:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Justin McMenamy interviews Billy Samoa Saleebey, a former Tesla and SolarCity employee, about his experiences working in Elon Musk's companies. The discussion delves into Saleebey's roles in Global Sales and Product Training, and Leadership Development. The episode explores Elon Musk's leadership style, the rigorous work culture at Tesla, and the unique onboarding and interview processes. Saleebey reflects on memorable experiences, such as factory tours and collaborative efforts, and discusses the potential future of Musk's companies post-Elon. The episode also examines the qualities of successful leadership and what aspiring leaders can learn from Musk's approach.
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The Angry Birds of Management w. Jeff Snowden
Aug 7, 202500:57:58Tap to summarizeIn this special anniversary episode of 'Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL,' host Justin McMenamy and guest Jeff Snowden discuss various types of leadership styles by humorously comparing them to different birds. They explore the traits and behaviors of each bird type and relate them to characteristics found in management and corporate environments. The episode covers a range of bird analogies—from seagulls and parrots to vultures and crows—highlighting both the positive and detrimental aspects of each leadership style. The conversation delves into how these 'angry birds' can influence organizational culture and the importance of recognizing and managing these traits effectively.
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Skunk Works VI: An Organization Set Apart
Jul 24, 202500:38:35Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL, Justin McMenemy discusses his experiences and insights on leadership, drawing parallels with Kelly Johnson's 14 Rules of Management from Skunk Works. Emphasizing the importance of organizational structure and environment, McMenemy explains how creating and maintaining distinct cultural and operational ecosystems within a company can enable both innovation and stability.He critiques corporate cultures given over to bureaucracy and lack of trust, and shares strategies for fostering a more agile and trustworthy organization. McMenemy also discusses the practical applications of Johnson's rules in modern corporate settings, particularly focusing on maintaining momentum, managing budget and staffing wisely, and retaining top technical talent without forcing them into management roles.The episode concludes with a promise of a bonus installment to explore Johnson's 15th unwritten rule of management.
Transcribe →'The Offcenter of Excellence' w. Jim Weber
Jul 10, 202500:48:00Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL, host Justin McMenamy interviews Jim Weber, an award-winning inventor, mentor and friend. They discuss Weber's extensive career, his passion for mentoring, and his innovative and humorous approaches to leadership. Weber shares stories of inspiring his team through unique team-building exercises, like crafting a Dr. Seuss-style poem and making a team quilt. The conversation also touches on serious leadership topics, such as avoiding becoming a 'bitter old engineer,' the importance of empathy and honesty, and supporting colleagues through difficult times. Weber emphasizes the value of creating a fun and inclusive work environment and concludes with a humorous recount of his memorable retirement email. The episode encapsulates both light-hearted stories and valuable insights into effective leadership.
Transcribe →Skunk Works V: The Presumption of Ease
Jun 26, 202500:39:57Tap to summarizeIn this episode, the fifth installment of the SkunkWorks mini-series which draws from Kelly Johnson's 14 Rules of Management, Justin discusses the importance of clear specifications in product development. He examines the critical 10th rule of management, emphasizing the need for precise scope and proactive communication with clients and among co-workers to avoid scope creep and inefficiencies. Justin then contrasts his experiences working within rigid corporate processes with the adaptable approach taken during his tenure at Precision Planting, illustrating the pitfalls of hierarchical decision-making, the presumption of ease and guilt of others in the organization, and the necessity of flexibility and adaptability in project management. He shares real examples of wasteful efforts due to inflexible specifications and highlights the importance of balancing structure and flexibility for organizational success.
Transcribe →Balancing Business & Values w. Brad Arnold
Jun 12, 202500:53:44Tap to summarizeIn this episode of 'Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL,' host Justin McMenamy and guest Brad Arnold discuss valuable leadership lessons they've learned across their careers. They delve into transitioning from individual contributors to leaders, navigating significant corporate changes, dealing with acquisition uncertainties, and fostering a culture of transparency and empowerment. Brad Arnold shares personal experiences, including his transition from a Dow 30 company to a family business, and the profound impact his daughter Libby has had on his perspective on leadership. The conversation emphasizes the importance of trust, candor, and caring in leadership, as well as the transformative business impact that can be seen through empowered teams.
Transcribe →Skunk Works IV: Orbiting the Giant Hairball
May 29, 202500:37:44Tap to summarizeIn this episode of 'Grody & UnPrOfEsSiOnAL', Justin McMenamy continues to explore the practical applications of Kelly Johnson’s 14 Rules of Management in addition to Gordon MacKenzie's book 'Orbiting the Giant Hairball'. The discussion delves into the balance between stability and creativity within corporate structures, contrasting startup autonomy with the rigid norms of established companies. McMenamy recounts his own experience at Precision Planting, emphasizing the importance of maintaining startup culture under larger corporate ownership. The episode also covers insights on continuous improvement, the more-data fallacy, and communications throughout the value chain. By advocating minimal duplication of inspection and encouraging engineers to directly engage with their work's real-world environments, McMenamy underscores the necessity of iterative, collaborative problem-solving within growing organizations.
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