Jumpmaster Profile
David’s journey can be described as “slacker to CEO.” David grew up New York City amidst gifted students and exceptional athletes. Frustrated with the academic competition, David invested his time playing basketball and focusing on the dynamics of winning teams.
HAVE YOU IN THE PAST HAD OR DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE A PROCESS THAT HELPS GUIDE YOUR DECISION MAKING? SPECIFICALLY, DO YOU OR HAVE YOU USED A PROCESS TO DEFINE CLEAR, REALISTIC AND ACTIONABLE GOALS AND TRACK YOUR ABILITY TO ACHIEVE THEM? YES/NO
IF YES, PLEASE EXPLAIN:
Yes, I have been thinking about process, systems and mastery since I read Peter Senge’s Fifth Discipline 20 years ago. Six years ago I recognized I was following virtually the same process for all my big decisions – and following it more closely for those decisions that led to my biggest successes. I have been writing about my process as JumpByDesign for the last year. I firmly believe that professional and personal achievement and effective leadership are connected to process, planning, personal mastery and the elements that create better collaboration and stronger teams – rapport/trust, open communication and the ability to advance the interests of others.
CAN YOU IDENTIFY WHEN YOU FIRST HAD CAREER GOALS THAT WERE CLEAR AND ACTIONABLE AND WITH REALISTIC OBJECTIVES?
COMPLETE THIS SENTENCE: I’ve used process / practices to accomplish just about everything I have achieved. Prior to thinking systemically about how to help myself and recognizing the significance of helping others satisfy their goals, I didn’t achieve much of anything. My team uses the framework to help set goals, track achievement, celebrate success and improve.
WHICH 3 PERSONAL VALUES/QUALITIES HAVE YOU RELIED ON MOST MAKE YOUR FIRST BIG CAREER JUMP?
- CLARITY
- FOCUS
- DISCIPLINE, PLANNING
- VISION
- PURPOSE
- GRIT / RESILIENCE / TENACITY
BRIEFLY EXPLAIN:
Admitting that I had not achieved was my first big step forward – it was my clarity moment. I thought I was on track and doing great, and I wasn’t. I didn’t have a good process to check my own reality. Once I did, I was able to bring focus to my vision and turn where I wanted to go into reality. Clarity and process brought momentum to my efforts.
CAN YOU DEFINE A TIME/POINT WHEN SENSE OF PURPOSE BECAME A PART OF YOUR GOALS AND PLAN?
After my initial successes – in sales and recruiting, I found deeper motivation around helping others (get jobs and advance their careers). I think I was lucky to find this and it was a bit ironic. I knew what it felt like to need help getting a job and not getting it. Reality was, I hadn’t known how to ask for help – exactly what to ask – for because I lacked that vision. Without that clarity, people can’t help you. It was me not them…
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES YOUR APPROACH TO HELPING OTHERS COACH AND SUPPORT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THEIR PEERS?
- I HAVE A DISCIPLINED AND THOROUGH APPROACH TO ENSURING PEER COACHING BY LEADERS
- NATURAL LEADERS WILL RISE- IDENTIFYING AND RETAINING THEM IS ESSENTIAL
- I FOCUS ON HIGH LEVEL MESSAGING TO PROVIDE BETTER ENGAGEMENT AND MOTIVATION
When I lead teams, I see the greatest benefits from building peer leadership into the culture. My ability to help a large group of people is limited, but if I can help those I can touch become better coaches and they passed on the trait as a core to our culture, then I believe the organization is much stronger. As an adviser, I tend to focus on high level messaging and choose to work on execution with leaders who are committed to a leadership plan.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS DO YOU USE MOST OFTEN TO BROADEN YOUR OWN INSIGHTS AND CHALLENGE YOUR MENTAL MODELS?
- ASKING QUESTIONS OF OTHERS AND RECEIVING CANDID FEEDBACK
- READING LEADERSHIP BOOKS AND ARTICLES
- ENGAGING IN FORUM STYLE DISCUSSION WITH MY PEERS
- NONE OF THE ABOVE / DESCRIBE
All of the above. I am always reading. I am able to follow lots people and content of interest by using Feedly. I also read HBR each month and the Keen Thinker newsletter from CEO Read. I enjoy sharing things that make me think more about why I believe the things I do and that are successful at challenging my existing assumptions and beliefs.
DO YOU CITE FAILURES OR SETBACKS AS A PART OF YOUR LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR TEAMS? YES / NO
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH TO SHARING STORIES OF YOUR FAILURES:
- I OPENLY DISCUSS MY FAILURES WITH MY TEAM
- I FOCUS ON DISCUSSION OF SUCCESS AND CITE THE FAILURES WHEN IT SUITS MY NEEDS
- I RARELY DISCUSS MY FAILURES
Openly and frequently - We all make mistakes – the more I share them, the more I hope others won’t repeat mine… I think of my ride as "Slacker to CEO" with many stumbles along the way.
WHICH OF THE BELOW BEST DESCRIBES WHY YOU THINK YOU FAILED OR HAVE SETBACKS:
- LACK OF CLARITY/SELF-AWARENESS
- LACK OF FOCUS
- LACK OF DISCIPLINE/PLAN
- LACK OF VISION OR SKILLS
- LACK OF PURPOSE
At different times all of the above. They are the concepts I think about and hope to refine every day.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES HOW YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS REGARDING BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST 10 YEARS:
- NOT AT ALL
- VERY LITTLE
- A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT
In the last 10 years – very little (surprisingly). I refine my thoughts all the time but have been following the same disciplines for the last years. In the 10 year period before that (from the time I was 30-40), they evolved and changed substantially. It was all new to me then.
DO YOU HAVE A METHOD OR PROCESS TO CHALLENGE YOUR OWN ASSUMPTIONS AND DETERMINE YOUR FLAWS AND NEEDS? I DON’T / I DO
I do.
IF YES – DOES IT REGULARLY HELP GUIDE YOUR LEARNING?
- SOMEWHAT TRUE
- VERY TRUE
- NOT TRUE
- VERY TRUE
DO YOU HAVE OR HAVE YOU EVER HAD A SAFE/PRIVATE ENVIRONMENT (FORUM OR COACH) WHERE YOU CAN EXPRESS YOUR EMOTIONAL WEAKNESSES AND GET SUPPORT TO BETTER ASSESS AND IMPROVE THEM? YES / NO
Yes.
IF YES, HOW EFFECTIVE IS YOUR FORUM AT REDUCING ANY ANXIETIES YOU MAY HAVE RELATED TO EMERGING PROBLEMS OR SUDDEN OPPORTUNITIES?
Leadership and peer forums have been an invaluable way for me to grow and resolve issues I have had.
WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE BIG DECISIONS THAT LED TO YOUR HABITUAL SUCCESSES, YOU ARE YOU ABLE TO IDENTIFY, EXPLAIN OR DESCRIBE A THOUGHT PROCESS THAT YOU USE TO ASSESS, INFLUENCE AND EXPEDITE YOUR DECISION MAKING?
