Dr. Randy Ross discusses his books, career journey, and insights on leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.

Key Takeaways

– Dr. Ross transitioned from non-profit to for-profit sectors, applying lessons on purpose and passion to corporate leadership

– His books and speaking focus on creating engaging cultures, building resilience, and inspiring remarkable performance

– Key principles include staying true to values, expressing gratitude, and creatively managing work-life imbalance

– Entrepreneurs should focus on character development and connecting others, not just networking for personal gain

Topics

Career Transition and Book Writing

– Spent first two decades in non-profit sector before moving to for-profit

– Applied lessons on tapping into purpose and passion from non-profit to corporate world

– Wrote first book “Remarkable” in 2014, followed by “Relationomics”, “Fireproof Happiness”, and “Make Life Good”

– Books codify principles on leadership, culture-building, and resilience

Axiology and Leadership Philosophy

– Focuses on axiology – study of values, value constructs, and value creation

– Applies axiological principles to business for powerful impact

– Emphasizes ethical values (what’s right), aesthetic values (what’s beautiful), and functional values (what works)

– Aims to create “movements of good” in organizational life

Entrepreneurial Advice

– Stay focused on personal mission and purpose statement during difficult times

– Be willing to pivot but discern when to persevere vs change direction

– Invest in people’s growth – view business as a “leadership development academy”

– Focus on character development, not just achieving goals

Work-Life Integration

– Strive for creative management of imbalance rather than perfect work-life balance

– Make clear priority decisions (e.g. attending child’s game vs work commitment)

– Find ways to blend work travel with family time

– Be comfortable with periods of imbalance toward work or family

Building Relationships and Gratitude

– Practice “net weaving” instead of networking – focus on connecting others

– Express genuine, personal gratitude to mentors, colleagues, family and clients

– 95% of business comes through word-of-mouth referrals – leverage existing relationships

– Choose a character trait to develop each year (e.g. gratitude for 2025)

Next Steps

– Readers can access Dr. Ross’s digital training content at drrandyross.com

– Consider reading “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl and “Fireproof Happiness” by Dr. Ross

– Develop a personal purpose/leadership legacy statement

– Choose a character trait to focus on developing this year

– Express more genuine, personal gratitude to others

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