086: Work Hard at Work Worth Doing

Scott Phillips is the State Forester for South Carolina's Forestry Commission. As agency head, Scott provides oversight for all functions of the agency and works with a nine-member board to set agency policy and direction. Scott first got his start in 1999 as a Forester. On today's show, Scott shares timeless wisdom about leadership and highly recommends for a young professional to attend a fire program to build key leadership skills. There is always an opportunity to lead up!   Key Takeaways: [:55] A message from Leadership Nature. [1:40] A quick intro about Scott's background. [3:20] How did Scott become interested in forestry? [9:20] What did Scott's first job look like? [14:50] Scott sees it as a blessing being able to work in forestry every day. [15:25] What was Scott's first leadership position? [19:00] You learn a lot about leadership when you're in a fire program. [22:05] If you stick with the status quo, you're going to fall behind the curve. [23:35] Scott shares what the South Carolina Forest Service is currently working on. [30:10] The Forest Service recently celebrated their 90th anniversary. [35:10] How does leadership change at this level? [40:45] As a leader, don't be so quick to speak up. It can quickly squash conversation, which can take away the power from your team. [44:55] If you really want to make an impact, you gotta be able to communicate and listen. [47:45] If your team is not performing to your expectations, then you're doing something wrong.   Mentioned in This Episode: State.sc.us/forest/ Seedling Partnership Article Harvard Business Review Podcast Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin