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you ’ re hungry , you work harder . So , to get out of autopilot , leaders have to set bigger goals to keep themselves and others engaged at a high level .

Pulse : Most leaders would say their careers have been spent pursuing success . Every year — both in your keynote presentations and through your earlier book , the USA Today bestseller Chasing Failure : How Falling Short Sets You Up for Success — you advise 200,000 people to chase failure . How does that work ? RL : Chasing failure is not chasing foolishness . It ’ s just realizing that failure has so much to offer us that we ’ re missing because we ’ ve been told to steer away from it . Every single day , I ’ m trying something new , writing something new , posting something new … that could be a hit or not . But I ’ ve learned more from what didn ’ t work than I did from what did work . I ’ m getting better every day because I ’ m willing to fail at things most people are afraid to try .

Pulse : You help leaders with leadership — that seems pretty straightforward . But your popular podcast , Followership with Ryan Leak , approaches a leader ’ s role from a different perspective . Tell us about why “ followership ” is also part of your plan . RL : In our executive coaching practice , I discovered our leaders had the most trouble following their leader , more than leading their teams . I began teaching leaders about leadership languages to help them understand what their CEO values the most so they could follow well . And then I thought : I bet a lot of people are trying to follow their leader better but need some cues on how to do that .

Pulse : Have you ever chased failure too hard ? How did you turn the situation around ? RL : All the time . I ’ m always trying new things that sometimes bomb ! I ’ ve just got a high failure tolerance for all of it . It doesn ’ t always turn around , but I always learn from it . n

BOOKS l Leveling Up : 12 Questions to Elevate Your Personal and Professional Development If you ’ re not leading yourself , why would anyone else want to follow you ? Ryan Leak speaks to thousands of leaders every year with the message that , in order to realize your potential , you need to fully understand yourself . l Chasing Failure : How Falling Short Sets You Up for Success Ryan Leak shares the science behind why people are afraid to fail , mixing in real-life stories and adding practical steps to help us intentionally chase failure in order to embrace the opportunities that come with it . Everyone fails in life — but if you ’ re willing to learn , improve and grow because of your failures , you are already on the road to success .

How Ryan LEVELS UP in His Life l Favorite spa treatment ? Massage ! I get one every two weeks ! l Best way to level up your relaxation on special occasions ? A longer massage ! l Something fun you ’ ll do while you ’ re in Phoenix for the ISPA Conference ? My wife and I always go to La Hacienda restaurant at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort . It ’ s so good . My wife won ’ t let me go without her ! l Best self-care tip ? I watch carpet cleaning videos . I know it ’ s weird , but it ’ s so good for my brain . l Most inspiring person ? Andy Stanley . l Lifelong dream you ’ re pursuing ? Owning multiple homes . l Brilliant tip for travel to a business convention ? Book multiple flights in both directions if you don ’ t want to get stuck somewhere . l Two things that will be in your suitcase when you head to Phoenix ? A massage gun and shower tablets ! l Hardest self-leadership goal in your own life ? Eating healthy . Who wants to go to a steakhouse to order a salad ?

Communicator , author and pastor Andy Stanley

IMAGE COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS

16 PULSE n NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023