There’s No Such Thing as a Bad Team with Mark Dodds – Episode 5

“In order to get to the best solution, people have to challenge you.”

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Episode Summary

Mark Dodds is the Vice President of Global Solutions Sales for Dell EMC. Mark and I were sitting on the same flight together, and had such an interesting conversation that I asked if Mark would like to share some of his insights to my podcast audience. In this week’s episode, we discuss leadership, and how to bring together very smart people to create super-results. I explore with Mark his experiences in elite environments in the army, in extreme sport, and in business, and we also discuss the beliefs and behaviors of enlightened parenting.

Essential Learning Points:

• To build elite teams make the selection process meaningful. Resist expediency, wait to find the right fit. Mediocre hire is the fastest way to slow and even derail your organization. Be disciplined and uncompromising when it comes to building your team.
• Your role as a leader is to clarify, simplify, and energize. Clarifying and simplifying the complex requires focus and work. To bring super energy consistently you need to work at it and build your energy.
• Your first experience in an elite environment builds successive ripples into the rest of life.
• Discover the exhilarating challenge of going beyond what you think you can do… when you are together with people that believe there are no limits.

Key Moments

• [5:25] What inspires Mark when he faces a complex challenge?
• [10:15] Why is it that when we have smart people around a table, we very rarely are able to generate a collective wisdom?
• [12:55] It’s important to give your team a platform, and the ability to challenge senior people.
• [16:30] How many pointless meetings have you attended in your life?
• [19:55] Senior-level people are often bombarded by a variety of different tasks, and they can quickly lose sight of the bigger picture.
• [25:30] How has Mark’s Army experienced helped him in his corporate career?
• [30:10] The key is to create a culture that’s 100% supportive of one another. How many times have we worked for a company where everyone is out for themselves?
• [36:45] How did Mark transition from the Army into the work that he is in now?
• [47:10] It’s critical to jump on new opportunities, but it’s just as important to also be present while you’re in new roles.
• [47:50] How did Mark get involved with extreme sports?
• [53:40] The moment you have a leader who doesn’t believe they can achieve big, seemingly unattainable goals, you’ve got yourself a huge problem. Your company structure will begin to crumble.
• [55:00] There are no bad teams, there are, however, bad leaders.
• [59:35] As a parent, what are some of Mark’s beliefs on rising capable and healthy children?
• [1:06:50] Mark offers some final words of wisdom for those who are seeking to be better leaders.

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