“As a voice of experience, what’s something you would want to pass along to our listeners?” It’s the final question all guests are asked on the Voices of Experience podcast, which just wrapped up its third season.
A diverse group of CEOs and other senior business leaders joined hosts Lorne Fultonberg and Nick Greenhalgh to share their personal stories, career advice and perspective on their industry’s most pressing issues.
Listen to their words of wisdom below, and then prepare for Season 4 by subscribing on your favorite streaming platform!
Chris Dawson
“It’s this concept of, ‘decide it is possible, make it so.’ … Whatever that thing is, that dream, that achievement, the goal, short term, long term, at any given point’s going to feel impossible. And if you decide that it is, then it is. But if you just make the decision…that it’s possible, that’s not even in question. Just make it so.”
Terrence Cummings
“Surround yourself by people that don’t think like you, don’t look like you, don’t have the same experiences as you. And listen.”
Doug Duncan
“You can’t underestimate the payback that you’ll get from good communication skills. … The thing that has gotten us from four staff positions to 38 is our ability to influence decision makers in the company. And it requires good analysis, so you have to have a good set of facts, but you also have to be able to communicate those things very well in written and spoken communications avenues.”
Stephen Newton
“I think it’s most important to figure out how to solve complex problems in elegant ways. And if you can figure out ways to do that, in really whatever business you’re in or relationships, you can really succeed. The challenge is when people get into linear thinking and they can’t escape what has worked or what they’re used to doing that they get stuck. … If you can keep learning and keep trying new ways of solving problems, you can accelerate your career and you can go as far as you want.”
Binh Diep
“I think understanding your purpose will allow you to make the greatest impact, and will allow you to be able to get the most out of the opportunity that we have. And I would say, find that purpose, live that life with purpose, and that will allow you to create the biggest impact that I think you want to be able to make.”
Mary Beth Cote-Jenssen
“Your work life and your personal life, they’re much more intertwined than we may realize, or frankly than we may like. And success in one area really often is an enabler of success in other areas. … So being thoughtful, not just about people you have as, let’s say, mentors, but those that you have regular casual interactions with. How you show up as a whole person and see them in that way as well, engage with others in that way, that can be really transformative in ways that you might never even fathom in the moment.”
Sam Holloway
“Think about your career as a journey. Don’t think about where you want to end up at the end; think about what you want to do along the way. Because I’m in a position I never thought I would be in, and obviously I’m very fortunate and privileged to be here. I’ve done lots of different things along the way, and each one, whether I liked it or not, has added a lot of value and given me great experience. So it’s always great to have aspirations, but enjoy where you are today.”
Shane Portfolio
“If you want a strong relationship with anybody, but particularly a team, is you’ve got to be vulnerable enough to let people know about yourself and you have to listen about who they are, and you get to know somebody. When you get to know somebody, then you can start to trust somebody. If you can trust somebody, you can rely on somebody. If you can rely on somebody, you can commit to somebody that you’re going to get something done. And then if you commit to something and somebody and you actually see it happen, then there’s a true connection.”
Each month, we sit down with CEOs and other business leaders to explore topics at the intersection of business and the public good, from ethics and corporate responsibility to lessons in leadership and where industries are headed. No matter the topic, you’ll gain valuable insights and advice to use in your own career and beyond. The VOE Podcast is an extension of Voices of Experience, the signature speaker series at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business.