The Human Element in Leadership with Blair La Corte

Episode Overview: In this episode, Amy sits down with Blair, a coach to over 60 CEOs worldwide, to discuss leadership, human connection, and the power of personal and professional growth. Blair reflects on his unique career journey, the lessons learned from diverse industries, and the importance of thinking from the "human back out" rather than the "business back in." They dive into topics ranging from stress and resilience to the science of wellness and leadership as a sport.

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Key Topics Covered:

1. Blair’s Current Work:

   • Coaching over 60 CEOs from around the world.
   • Emphasizing learning as a two-way process in coaching.
   • Insights from a diverse group of leaders across 40 industries.

2. Blair’s Journey:

   • Growing up with entrepreneurial parents and learning the art of problem-solving.
   • Career transitions across eight industries, including aviation and tech.
   • Lessons in adaptability and understanding entrepreneurs.

3. Leadership Philosophy:

   • Leadership as a sport: balancing the highs and lows.
   • The importance of curiosity, vulnerability, and resilience.
   • How "sometimes you're earning, sometimes you're learning."

4. Human Connection and Biology:

   • Insights into Dunbar’s Number and tribal connections.
   • The role of stress, recovery, and the parasympathetic nervous system in growth.
   • How kindness and small acts of connection build stronger teams and communities.

5. Coaching for the Future:

   • Building antifragility: balancing stress and recovery for optimal performance.
   • The significance of authenticity and being your true self as a leader.
   • Reframing challenges and fostering cognitive dissonance to spark creativity.

6. Health and Longevity:

   • Key takeaways from Blair’s work with the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.
   • Why prevention and personalized wellness are critical for leaders.
   • Simple strategies for maintaining health: moving regularly, monitoring glucose, and personalized diets.

7. Blair’s Book Recommendations:

   • Homo Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
   • Tribal by Sebastian Junger.
   • The Age of Scientific Wellness by Nathan Price and Leroy Hood.

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Memorable Quotes:

• "Leadership is about learning and giving back—if you're not growing as a leader, you're not truly leading."
• "Think from the human back out, not the business back in."
• "Sometimes you're earning, sometimes you're learning—just avoid burning."

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