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Exemplifying Great Leadership with Warren Rustand

When asked about great leadership, there's probably at least one person who pops up in your mind. Countless influential people have displayed remarkable leadership skills — and possibly even defined what it means to be a great leader. However, these feats might be misleading — there is a common misconception that being a leader is something you are born with and not something you become.

In this episode, Warren Rustand, an entrepreneur and corporate leader, shares the lessons he has learned along the way on leadership. Warren has an extensive background working as a leader and with leaders. He discloses the truths about great leadership, the political environment, and the process of becoming.

Listen to the episode if you want to find out how you can achieve greatness and become the best leader you can be.

3 Reasons to Listen:

Understand the qualities of a good leader and find out how you can become one through experience and failure.
Discover how you can move towards transcendence and serve a greater purpose.
Learn the powerful lessons on great leadership that Warren has to share.

Resources

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The Leader Within Us: Mindset, Principles, and Tools for a Life By Design by Warren Rustand
The Second Mountain by David Brooks
Good to Great by Jim Collins
Connect with Warren: website | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | email
Episode Details

About Warren

Warren Rustand is an entrepreneur, corporate leader, educator, speaker, and philanthropist. He is currently the Dean of Learning for the EO Global Leadership Academy.

Early in his life, he served President Gerald Ford as his Appointments and Cabinet Secretary. After working in the public sector, Warren became CEO of ten companies and chairman of many others, both profit and nonprofit. He is also a multi-awarded leader, reaping recognitions such as The Visionary Leadership Award and The Distinguished Citizens Award, to name a few.

If you'd like to reach out to Warren, you can contact him on his website, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. You may also send an email to warren@warrenrustand.com.

Episode Highlights

[02:59] What Makes Great Leadership

Warren leads and scales organizations, mentors leading CEOs, and writes books on great leadership.
He believes that he did not become a leader because he was innately talented but because he had the opportunities to become one.
He accepted opportunities that he wasn’t qualified for and figured things out along the way. He saw these as challenges to help him learn and grow.
For Warren, the five qualities that make up great leadership are humility, listening and asking questions, effective communication, emotional intelligence, and IQ.
Listen to the full episode to hear Warren discuss these five qualities in-depth and how you can exercise these!

[10:01] Working in the White House

Warren was chosen through a nationally competitive process and was assigned to handle President Ford’s schedule.
Tune in to the full episode to hear Warren's gripping experience in President Ford's transition to the presidency. Also, learn what President Ford said to him when he turned in his resignation letter!
He thinks that President Ford is an example of humility, one of the five qualities of great leadership.
If he hadn’t worked for President Ford, Warren imagines his life would be different but still just as rich and fulfilling.
Working in the White House taught him many valuable lessons that he was able to apply long after his time there and built connections.

[21:10] On the Political Landscape

Business and politics differ on a micro level, but great leadership in both areas is similar.
Warren finds the erosion of public trust in American institutions, the absence of great leadership, and the role of media in influencing public perception to be concerning.
He believes that the distrust in American leaders is justified because current leaders only say what the people want to stay in power.
Warren believes that we have great leadership coming up. He finds hope in the youth, claiming they think differently and have the opportunity to change the world.

[31:02] What Would Warren Do If He Were President?

He would build an inclusive presidency: be honest with the American people, trust their judgment, and encourage healthy debate.
Warren emphasizes the need to reflect the different colors, shapes, sizes, and genders that make up our nation.
Politicians should not hide the truth.
In creating public policy, Warren believes that collaboration, consensus, and compromise are crucial.

[34:06] Are Leaders Born or Made?

Our genetic package is encoded with leadership instincts.
But Warren thinks that great leadership is more of an acquired skill that we develop over time.
You can grow your leadership by exposing yourself to opportunities, learning from those experiences, and applying them in other aspects of your life.

[36:21] Choosing A Life Partner

It’s critical to choose a great life partner because they influence you the most. They also provide balance.
Warren and his wife have their differences, but they share the same fundamental values.
Clarity and certainty of vision are critical.
The former gives you a clear view of where you want your life to lead, and the latter allows you to act intentionally towards that goal.

[39:37] Warren’s Leadership Principles

Treat people not for who they are but for who they are becoming because that gives them the chance to become that person.
Recognize that we all have the potential to be great.
Discard self-limiting beliefs.
Have faith in people. Remember that great leadership is about serving a higher purpose.

[39:45] “Each of us at a moment in time is who we are. Let's accept each other for who we are and then let's go from there.” - Click Here to Tweet This

[44:23] Learning From Failure

After a financial crisis struck, Warren lost tons of money in a single afternoon from a body sculpting business that he was trying to build.
Be mindful when leveraging.
Pay attention to the macro-financial and global issues that could potentially affect your business.
Our failures are humbling experiences. Be prepared to accept, rather than fight, the teaching moments in your life.
During these times, we should learn to forgive and ask for forgiveness, whether that’s from ourselves or other people.

[49:13] Warren’s Mentoring Process

Warren sees mentoring as ‘coaching in the moment.’ It is more spontaneous rather than prescriptive.
Mentoring a person involves taking them as they currently are, assessing their challenges, and guiding them towards self-awareness and discovery.
Leaders are affected by other aspects of life. So, Warren provides holistic mentorship.
By serving other people, we begin to approach transcendence.

[50:49] “There are times when the greatest challenges a CEO has is in the confines of their own home. And if they can't get that right, they're not going to be much of a leader because it affects how we lead.” - Click Here to Tweet This

[53:46] Why Did Warren Write The Leader Within Us?

At first, he didn’t think anyone would be interested in what he had to say. But upon the urging of his friends and publishers, he decided to give it a shot.
Warren’s goal was to share his ideas and experiences on great leadership.
In his book, he details the testimonies of individuals who made courageous decisions under challenging circumstances to become who they wanted to be.
Listen to the full episode to find out what Warren found easy and difficult in the process of writing and why he refuses to write a book about working for President Ford.

[59:56] Knowing Your Purpose

We all have a purpose, and it takes time and space to discover it.
Clarity of vision is crucial in deciding what our life will be about and who we will become.
Tune in to the full episode to hear about 'the second mountain' and how you can start moving towards transcendence.

[59:56] “I believe that each of us has a purpose. Our job is to discover it.” - Click Here to Tweet This

[01:03:04] The Importance of Stillness

Warren shares that almost every high-level person he met in the White House spent time quietly thinking.
Taking time to think gives way to introspection and deciding what you value.
You are important to your loved ones. The way you think, feel, and present yourself carries weight.
If you want to hear the remarkable story of Warren’s encounter with three mountain climbers, listen to the full episode!

[01:06:29] A Word To The Leaders

You have unlimited potential, but you must also practice discipline.
Greatness is a choice.
Most importantly, learn to love, learn, serve, and become.

[01:06:48] “Greatness is not a circumstance. Greatness is choice and discipline. People choose to be great, and then discipline themselves to be great. So make that choice.” - Click Here to Tweet This

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