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AoL 017: Helping Organizations Find Their True North through Projects with Frank Forte

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As movements and organizations grow, they sometimes lose the soul of what the organization was originally based on. Or, perhaps they’ve grown with the original intent for so long that they are too chaotic for their own good.

Take academia for example. When I was a graduate instructor, the head of my department didn’t get along too well with the head of the actual building. One was in charge of courses in her department, the other was in focused on building connections with those who were outside of Purdue. As far as I could tell, what happened was that as the building and all the activities outgrew the department, the old department head wasn’t made in charge of the building as a whole. The powers that were opted to pull someone in from the outside.

One would think that for the place to be effective, that they would have set their differences aside and worked together. But they never did. (Eventually the building head left for greener pastures. Good for him!)

I’m sure places that you’ve worked at or with have had similar communication or vision issues. Unfortunately (or fortunately), outside of academia, these differences eventually will have to end. Otherwise someone will lose their job, client, or even worse, the organization might fold.

Oftentimes, outside help is needed to fix these issues.

Amongst other things, this is what this session’s guest, Frank Forte, does. He helps companies find their true north as he “speaks, mentors, coaches, and consults for individuals and companies on how to effect change through projects.”

Frank has worked with organizations of all sizes on multiple projects and has come to the realization that people are ultimately what need to helped. I like to think he does it in a way that is under the radar.

In this particular session, we discuss how companies of all sizes need to understand leadership and what makes a successful consultant and entrepreneur.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:

  • How Frank got interested in leadership and how he’s applied what he’s learned in organizations he’s worked with during his career
  • Two big keys in being a good leader
  • Why consultants should see themselves as entrepreneurs
  • The difference between Freelancing and Consulting
  • Why he believes knowing how to wield leadership is vital in being a successful entrepreneur no matter the size of the business.
  • Why it’s important to stay out of the blame game
  • What are steps to becoming a successful consultant and/or coach
  • The most important traits that an entrepreneur should have.
  • What he means when he says “he affects change through projects”
  • What he believes that companies have focused on in the past 10 years and what that means for entrepreneurs in the future.
  • …and MUCH more.

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

ITEMS and PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SHOW NOTE EXTRAS:

In this week’s show note extras, I have a couple of pieces that I think further illustrates Frank’s perspective on work.

The first is a video is a favorite of mine, featuring Simon Sinek. In it he talks about the important of starting with “Why” and talks in depth about how about how Apple does things the way they do. I’ll think you’ll quickly realize why it’s one of my favorite TED talks.

The second resource is one that is focused strictly on how important basing your life and your work from your passion truly is. I had a “wow” moment in this one as the person that Srinivas Rao is interviewing, Phillip McKernan, talks about how so many people in the world utterly refuse to follow their passion – even if they’re clear on what it is. He’s definitely a guy I’ll be paying attention to in the future.

Phillip McKernan on the Unmistakable Creative Podcast

Thanks for Listening!

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Cheers!