Today’s conversation is all about the nuances of personhood and leadership, and we couldn’t have a better guest than Brian Hayward, a man with no shortage of beautiful inner complexities. Brian has lived a winding life filled with pivots, learnings, and success in business, and he recently wrote The Great Chair, in which he explores the secret sauce of authentic board governance. Our conversation begins with Brian sharing his life’s story where he highlights the light and dark sides of his upbringing, problem-solving skills, and tendency to be solitary and work things out on his own. We talk about his career and what he is currently investing his time and energy in, and more than anything external, it is the inner value of finding joy in the moment that Brian emphasizes. We talk about our culture of valuing achievements, of doing rather than being, and the reality that feeling totally satisfied once an external goal has been reached is an illusion. In the last parts of our conversation, Brian dives deeper into his book, sharing his extensive experience in board meetings and the recipe for truly effective governance. For Brian, good leadership happens by attraction, and trust plays a key role in laying a foundation for this dynamic. Our society is run by the decisions made by governing bodies and when these groups are run in truly communal ways, they are far healthier. So for today’s conversation with a guest who is as funny as he is wise, be sure to tune in!

Key Points From This Episode:

An intro into Brian and the many things with which he fills his time.
The value of the ‘churn factor’ of conversation for processing information.
The importance of pondering things, especially in today’s culture of instantaneity.
The winding path of Brian’s career and how his childhood and talents informed his decisions.
Skills Brian learned about problem-solving by always having to do things himself.
Investments Brian is making and his love for working with young people and giving back.
The dark side of being solitary; being driven by fear, self-consciousness, and survival.
An inspiring quote about taking leaps of faith by Rabindranath Tagore.
The value of being rather than doing, and how this fits into progress.
Our obsession with achievements and Brian’s habit of finding joy by being present.
Brian’s studies into the dynamics of what makes great board meetings.
Leadership by attraction and the role of trust in effective leadership.
The need to be authentic and human with each other for building trust.
How betraying loved ones leaves deep scars.
Exploring the idea that ‘a problem shared is a problem cut in half.’
The lessons about community-based leadership to be found in Brian’s book.
Advice Brian would give to his 23-year-old self about worrying less.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sheer Clarity

J. Kevin McHugh

JKM Management

Sheer Clarity on Twitter

Brian Hayward on LinkedIn

The Great Chair

Rabindranath Tagore

'The Secret Sauce to Being a Board Chair'

Jordan Peterson

The Layers of Leadership with Brian Hayward