Cracking the Happiness Code (ft. Greg Holmes, Former Head of Sales, ZOOM))

CRACKING THE HAPPINESS CODEWhy happiness and fulfillment are the metrics that truly matter, and how we can harness the balance between success and achievement to reach them.INSPIRING QUOTE:“An assessment of your superpowers will deliver a life of greater clarity and conviction, because you’re now going to have a deeper understanding of knowing who you are at your core, what allows you to play to your strengths, what talents and gifts you can begin or continue to build on, and what passions you can fully express and bring to the world.” — Paul EpsteinSHOW SUMMARY:The foundational principles of how to be a leader are born in our earliest experiences, even if we don’t recognize it at the time. Questions such as whether to be liked or respected, whether to choose passion or security— these are all tied to who we are at our core. In this episode of Playmakers, we’ll discover how each of us can measure our own superpowers and our own definition of success.GUEST BIO:Greg Holmes is the former head of sales for Zoom Video, one of the most astonishing success stories in tech. But Greg began his career as a schoolteacher, and the lessons he learned there (as well as those he learned when jumping headfirst into uncharted territory) helped him transform Zoom into the videoconferencing powerhouse it is today.Follow Greg Holmes on LinkedInOPENING MONOLOGUE SUMMARY:Like this episode’s guest, Greg Holmes, Paul Epstein once faced a massive fork in the road. They both chose to go all-in on respect in the beginning, only to find that people only respected their titles, ranks, roles, and authority— not as a person or leader. When they eventually went all-in on likability and relationships, they were able to absolutely transform their lives and careers for the better, not only in the short-term but with sustainable results. Guiding it all? An intrinsically motivated environment of purpose.CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[3:42]The Risks of Respect-First ThinkingYou might find respect, but you’ll miss out on a lot of other thingsWhen you go all-in on respect, you’ll get short-term authority. But you’ll miss out on long-term relationships that will transform your life and career.[14:55]Calling an AudibleAlways be ready to change the game planBe ready for the moment, but it’s not always going to be the way you charted it out. That’s when it’s time to call an audible, a football term that means changing the play based on what you see laid out on the field right before you make your move. Always be ready to adjust.[19:39]Service: The Sixth SenseDevelop a sense for when others are in needFind opportunities to lift and help others and you’ll never have a day without meaning or purpose. Develop a ‘sixth sense’ of when the people around you are going through things, seeking ways to help them. Everyone needs a hand to help them through the crazy challenges of life.[26:29]Pay It Forward (or Backward)Seek random acts of kindness and discover how your life changesPay the toll for the person behind you. They’ll never know you did it, and no one else will either, but that’s not the point. These small acts of meaning are the things that bring life purpose.[35:02]Deliver Happiness, Receive SuccessThe companies and people that stay committed to delivering happiness are the ones that rise to the topInterviewing potential employees or partners about their skills, experience, and other factors is important— but the most important question is this: Are they committed to delivering happiness to your customers or audience? Deliver happiness, and your customers will reward you with their committed loyalty for life.[48:12]Stepping Away from the GrindPerspective is a powerful resource that few people take advantage of in their careersGreg Holmes decided to step away from his massively successful career for a period, and what he found was a powerful perspective on what mattered most to him. His family, his passions, the opportunity to help others. Those are the things he’s pursuing today. Taking some time to figure out where you stand relative to your vision for your life is a powerful thing.[56:15] Day by DayWake up today, smile, then try to do it again tomorrowThe world is a mess. Facing it with a smile isn’t a matter of who or where you are, it’s a habit that you have to develop like any other. The first time you wake up and force a smile will be difficult, the second will be less difficult, and the 100th time will be second nature.[59:53] Find Your SuperpowersTake the time to recognize your talents, opportunities, and environmental advantagesStop focusing on the weakness holding you back. Focus on the superpowers that you have that are unique to you. These aren’t just internal— some of them relate to the external factors that can supercharge your momentum. Take the time to sit down, think creatively about your ‘superpowers,’ and then let them guide your path.SHOW RESOURCES:[1:11] Zoom[13:36] WebEx[7:03] Greg Holmes Profile[38:55] Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh [Book][59:04] The Power of Playing Offense by Paul Epstein [Book][59:08] Superpower Assessment downloadMAKE A PLAY:Assess your superpowers— your strengths, your talents, your relationships, your environment— and watch as you gain greater clarity and conviction. You’ll have a deeper understanding of who you are, which in turn will give you the power to Make a Play—the right play for you.Want to keep making the right plays? Subscribe to Playmakers now.Check out more episodes and content on the Playmakers website.Follow Greg Holmes:LinkedInTwitterFollow Paul Epstein:Playmakers PodcastThe Power of Playing Offense:LinkedInFacebookTwitterInstagramYoutubeSHOW SPONSOR:Audible: Interested in leveling up and lifelong learning? Then what’s better than a free audio book and 30-day free trial when you visit audible.playmakerspod.com? With over 200,000 titles to choose from, there’s no limit to what you can explore and learn on Audible.TRY AUDIBLE TODAYABOUT PLAYMAKERS: IMPACT UNLEASHED:Playmakers: Impact Unleashed is an all-access pass to the game-changers of today and the history makers of tomorrow. The show looks past the trophy cabinet and features a no-BS, inside look into the world of comeback, transformation, and impact unearthing practical tools and mindsets that we can all leverage to make a play in our own lives and careers.Take a seat at the table with leadership expert, sports industry veteran, personal transformation coach, purpose igniter, and your host Paul Epstein in this inspiring, yet immediately actionable podcast. From stories of total defeat to the thrills of unimaginable achievement to the practices of mastering the inside game, each show will share a high-energy, prescriptive blueprint to unleash impact and drive success, significance, and purpose no matter your starting point.Meet Paul at the 50 and make a play together!Learn more at PlaymakersPod.comABOUT MOTOWN PODCAST STUDIOS:In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.As a nod to the past, Motown Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Motown Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Motown PodcastStudios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits. Here’s to making (podcast) history together.Learn more at MotownPodcastStudios.comABOUT THE HOST:Paul Epstein may not be a hard charging running back on the actual football field, but his list of high-profile wins in the world of sports will have you thinking that he could be.Paul’s spent nearly 15 years as a pro sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams, a global sports agency, and the NFL league office. He’s transformed numerous NBA teams from the absolute bottom in league revenue to top-two in financial performance. He’s broken every premium revenue metric in Super Bowl history as the NFL’s sales leader. He’s opened a billion-dollar stadium, helped save the New Orleans NBA franchise, and founded the San Francisco 49ers Talent Academy.He's since installed his leadership and high-performance playbook with Fortune 500 leaders, Founders and CEO's, MBAs, and professional athletes.Now, as Founder of Purpose Labs, keynote speaker and host of the Playmakers: Impact Unleashed podcast, Paul explores how living and working with a focus on leadership, culture, and purpose can transform organizations and individuals anywhere to unleash their full potential.Learn more about Paul at PaulEpsteinSpeaks.comPre-Order Paul’s new book, The Power of Playing OffenseCREDITS:Paul Epstein: Show HostEmail: [email protected] Trombley: Executive ProducerEmail: [email protected]