In this episode of The B2B Leadership Podcast, best-selling author and leadership coach Nils Vinje introduces Secureworks Former VP of Customer Success, Kirk Hornbaker.
Podcast Highlights:
0:49 - Kirk's background - Kirk briefly outlines his background, including a company transition from managed services to a SaaS-based offering, then breaks down his first leadership role.
3:44 - Preparing for leadership - What things should you be focusing on first in the initial stages of a leadership role?
5:04 - Managing people with more experience than you - The same steps that prepare you for leadership can also help with more unique situations once you've landed a leadership role.
6:22 - Building off of successes - The stepping stone from the beginning of leadership to beyond can be traced back to a necessary set of soft skills that will work in any leadership role you take on.
8:27 - A meaningful promotion - Kirk explains a promotion from VP to SVP, now being responsible for 350+ people.
12:18 - Building a relationship with someone you don't align with - Some of the best relationships can start rocky, but a couple of recommended rules of the road can make this process simpler.
15:09 - Learning the art of social connection - Learning how others interpret your words, behaviors, and actions helps you calibrate your behaviors going forward.
20:19 - What to look for when interviewing leaders - Kirk considers his approach to be on the 'new school' side of things and getting the right fit up-front.
23:10 - What advice would you give your past self? - It starts with slowing down and observing, then implementing a few weekly disciplines.
Connect with Kirk Hornbaker at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-hornbaker/
Learn more about your own leadership style at: https://www.30dayleadership.com/
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