Jim and Jan watched Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, which portrayed a real-life friendship between Mr. Fred Rogers and journalist Lloyd Vogel. The leadership, moral and philosophical lessons were many, and Jim & Jan recount their favorites. Listen in to hear what Jim & Jan saw as the most important lesson in the movie for leaders – now more than ever.
Key Takeaways
[3:25] Mr. Rogers had the ability to intently listen and demonstrate true caring for the other person.
[4:25] Leadership is the ability to move people emotionally.
[5:55] Jim is not a big fan of active listening. It involves repeating answers back to people. When it comes to listening, he prefers curiosity and asking great questions.
[6:50] Mr. Rogers had a genuine curiosity and took the time to observe people.
[9:55] It’s a gift to be able to share someone’s burden just by listening to them.
[12:10] William Deresiewicz said, “Introspection means talking to yourself, and one of the best ways of talking to yourself is by talking to another person.”
[13:30] If you forgive a jerk at work, they’re just going to keep doing the same thing again. Jan shares why past guest Dr. Tom Morris believes forgiveness is the highest form or moral leadership.
[15:05] The real test of a leader’s effectiveness is when it does not come from a place of legitimate authority.
[17:25] Mr. Rogers was able to break through to the jaded reporter, Lloyd Vogel, by being incredibly giving, tenacious, and present.
[20:20] Many of the bad behaviors we see in the workplace are due to levels of insecurity.
[24:25] If you want to be great, you have to go to the next level of being really caring and understanding for others.
[28:10] Find the good in others. It’s that simple… and that hard.
[28:35] During this crisis, you might find that you do not like who you are. The good news is, you can manage your responses.
[34:00] Humans are wired to come together in crisis, or else we wouldn’t have survived this long.
[35:35] Jim and Jan are excited to hear from you! Reach out and let them know what your ideas are for future shows!
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Quotable Quotes
“One of the greatest gifts we can give is our attention.” Share on X “Good listening is curiosity.” Share on X “Through your actions, you will change that other person. You’re not going to change them by having a conversation with them.” Share on X “Forgiveness is as much for you as it is for the other person.” Share on X “Being good takes work.” Share on X “Anything mentionable is manageable.” Share on XAdditional Resources
- A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood (Movie 2019)
- Mr. Rogers
- “Solitude and Leadership,” by William Deresiewicz
- Plato’s Lemonade Stand: Stirring Change into Something Great, by Tom Morris
- “Pandemics Kill Compassion, Too,” by David Brooks, The New York Times
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These are the books mentioned in Jim and Jan’s podcasts.