Building a success mindset involves developing a positive attitude and belief in one’s abilities to achieve their goals and aspirations. This involves embracing a growth mindset, setting clear and achievable targets, adopting a resilient and confident outlook, and consistently seeking to improve and learn new skills. Dr. Ruth Gotian, Chief Learning Officer (CLO) at Weill Cornell Medicine, shared valuable insights on building a successful mindset in the latest podcast with Nolan Hout, Senior Vice President at Infopro Learning.
According to Dr. Gotian, 95% of her experiences in interviewing people from different domains and capturing their successes were through networking. She believes that networking is a vital skill everyone needs to develop, regardless of their position, whether they are college students, high school students, or CEOs.
She also shared her networking story of meeting an astronaut, a Nobel Prize winner, and an Olympic champion. She emphasized the importance of networking as a crucial skill, the significance of deep focus hours, the Pomodoro technique, and the four mindsets of high performers. By surrounding oneself with a team of mentors and developing power skills, individuals can overcome challenges and succeed in their careers.
Listen to the podcast to learn more:
Question:
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started?
Expert profile:
Ruth Gotian
Ruth Gotian is a highly regarded expert in mentorship and leadership, recognized by Nature journal and Columbia University. She holds positions as Chief Learning Officer, Assistant Professor of Education in Anesthesiology, and former Assistant Dean of Mentoring at Weill Cornell Medicine. She has been nominated as a semi-finalist for Forbes 50 Over 50 list. Gotian regularly publishes in academic journals and writes for Forbes and Psychology Today on optimizing success. Her research focuses on the mindset and skills of top performers such as Nobel laureates, astronauts, and Olympic champions. Her book, The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance, was released this year.
Nolan Hout
Nolan Hout is the Senior Vice President at Infopro Learning. He has over a decade of experience in the L&D industry, helping global organizations unlock the potential of their workforce. Nolan is results-driven, investing most of his time in finding ways to identify and improve the performance of learning programs through the lens of return on investment. He is passionate about networking with people in the learning and training community. He is also an avid outdoorsman and fly fisherman, spending most of his free time on rivers across the Pacific Northwest.
An excerpt of the discussion follows:
Nolan:
Welcome to the learning and development podcast sponsored by Infopro Learning.
I’m your host, Nolan Hout, and today we’ll be joined by one of the most fascinating people I’ve had the benefit of meeting, Dr. Ruth Gotian.
As the Chief Learning Officer (CLO) of Anaesthesiology at Cornell Medicine, Dr. Ruth has earned recognition as a top mentoring and leadership development expert. Both Nature journal and Columbia University have praised her work. She is a contributor to Forbes and Psychology Today, where she shares her insights on optimizing success.
This year she published an award-winning book on developing the mindset and skill set for peak business performance called, The SuccessFactors: Developing the Mindset and Skill Set for Peak Business Performance. During today’s podcast, we will delve into the topic of success and discuss stories from the book where Dr. Ruth interviews Olympic athletes, Nobel Prize recipients, and NBA champions to uncover the secrets of their success.
We will also explore common traits organizations can adopt to achieve greater success. Additionally, we will cover various other crucial topics throughout the episode. One of the highlights is the discussion on networking by the Chief Learning Officer. For those listening, whether you are currently a CEO or aspire to become one, you will benefit from the insightful lesson shared on how to begin expanding your network. So, without further ado, let’s start the show and introduce our guest.
Hello, Dr. Ruth Gotian. Welcome to the podcast.
Ruth:
Hey, how are you? So good to be here.
Nolan:
Dr. Ruth, let’s delve into our discussion for today, with a special emphasis on your book. In many of our podcasts, we usually begin by exploring the journey of our interviewees. It is incredibly intriguing to learn about the growth and transformation of professionals in the learning and development field from their humble beginnings to where they are now.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started?
Ruth:
I hold two business degrees and have prior experience in finance and international banking. However, after completing business school, I understood that just because you excel in something doesn’t mean it brings you joy. As a result, I shifted to higher education and academic medicine, where I oversaw a joint MD and Ph.D. program. Throughout my career, I’ve had a productive obsession with success.
Why is it that some individuals possess it while others do not? And how does one acquire it? These were the questions that plagued me at the age of 43. Juggling a full-time job and family responsibilities, I decided to take on another challenge by returning to school. I earned my doctorate in adult learning and leadership, a subject I was passionate about and approached at my own pace. My studies led me to delve into the concept of success, and eventually, I progressed to becoming a Dean and Chief Learning Officer. And here I am today.
Nolan:
What are your thoughts on pursuing a doctorate? What did success mean to you at that time? You focus a lot on success; was it just the title that attracted you? Or was it the knowledge that you wanted to gain? Can you explain what motivated you to attain a doctorate?
Ruth:
I was relieved that my doctorate wasn’t just for the title, as pursuing a degree at that stage in life, with all its responsibilities, is incredibly challenging and isolating. It wouldn’t have been enough to sustain me if I had been motivated only by external factors, such as people’s opinions. I needed more than just reading 100 pages a week per class to keep going. I was pursuing a joint MD Ph.D. program with a mere 3.5% acceptance rate, which was more difficult to get into than Stanford.
Eight years of hard work and sacrifices went into completing this program, where only the best of the best was accepted. However, despite their extensive training and sacrifices, many of these physician-scientists were leaving their careers, which was referred to as the “leaky pipeline.” Despite 20 years of discussions, conferences, and articles on the topic, solutions still needed to be found.
I noticed that those who did stay were producing exceptional work and were 400% more productive than an average employee. I became fascinated with understanding what it takes to be one of the best and studied the most successful physician-scientists, including Nobel Prize winners. I also interviewed Olympic champions, NBA champions, astronauts, and senior political officials and found that success had the same four components which could be learned.
With my doctorate in adult learning and leadership, I reverse-engineered the path to success and started teaching others. I wrote a book and am now sharing my insights with others.
Nolan:
I am always intrigued by the individuals you interview, especially given that some of them are well-known names, such as Steve Kerr. How do you make these connections and reach out to them? Do you have to go through intermediaries, or is there a direct way to approach them and ask for their time?
Ruth:
Networking is an essential skill, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a student, a CEO or anyone in between. You must try to network daily, as cold calls are often ineffective and lead to many rejections. By putting yourself in situations where you interact with people who are different from you and interesting, you will be amazed at the types of people you meet. For instance, I once attended a dinner where one of the families had a fiancé who competed in the Rio Olympics. At another conference, I met an astronaut who was on a panel.
When meeting someone, the key is to build a relationship based on trust and mutual understanding. Offer value and keep giving without expecting anything in return. When making a request, it will be easier as the person knows, likes and trusts you. Once I started interviewing people, they would recommend me to others, leading to even more opportunities. For example, I was introduced to Steve Kerr through two-time NBA champion Zaza Pachulia, and we now consider each other good friends.
Dr. Ruth and Nolan’s discussion about success was insightful and enlightening. They discussed the concept of the leaky pipeline, which refers to losing talented individuals in a particular field due to a lack of opportunities or support. This is an important issue in many fields, and Dr. Ruth shared her experiences interviewing people from different domains and capturing their success stories.
One key takeaway from their discussion was the importance of networking. Dr. Ruth stressed that networking is a skill that everyone needs to develop, regardless of their profession or education level. Networking is crucial in building relationships and making connections, and it’s not just about cold calls. It’s about connecting with people, sharing your story, and discovering what others have to offer.
Dr. Ruth also talked about her award-winning book, The Success Factor. In this book, she explores the key factors contributing to success. She also discussed the Four mindsets that high achievers possess and how they surround themselves with a team of mentors, not just one, peak performance hours, deep focus hours, and the Pomodoro technique.
Throughout the episode, she addressed several more questions, including:
- What inspired you to write a book as impactful as The Success Factors: Developing the Mindset and Skill Set for Peak Business Performance, given your busy schedule?
- Can you give us a brief overview of the book for those who haven’t read it and are considering doing so? What can readers expect to find in the book, and what benefits can they gain from reading it?
- How do you incorporate the principles you’ve learned from the author’s book into your work environment? How do you transform informal learning into a formal process within the workplace?
- Do you offer consulting services for other companies to implement what you have discussed, or is it only for use within your business?
- Out of all the people you interviewed, I find the commonalities most intriguing. However, did anyone’s statement surprise you in a way that made you think, “Wow, I never would have expected them to say that or feel that way”? Can you share one that caught you off guard?
- Can you share what the future holds for you regarding writing? Are there any new books in the works or interesting topics you’re researching that we can expect from you?