Unlocking Your Drive with Dr Doug Brackmann - The Entrepreneurland Podcast, Episode 2

Doug and Steve discuss the natural progression many leaders have to go through as they learn how to harness their “inner wolf” for good. It’s easy for us to intimidate others; we have an intense presence. But as we grow, learn, and evolve, we become more effective leaders.

Wolves are the villains of so much lore, yet are an incredibly vital part of many ecosystems. As an entrepreneur’s business grows, they have to learn how to select and mentor the people who work with them. Often this takes a few years—and a few alienated employees who may jump ship. The wolf has to learn how to be a shepherd, which isn’t a role wolves perform naturally. As Doug explains in the conversation, there’s a big difference between a shepherd standing behind a flock of sheep, driving them forward by scaring them, and a shepherd whose sheep follow him by choice.

 

Highlights from this Episode:

• Entrepreneurial drive is natural. In my conversation with Dr. Doug Brackmann, we also discuss his first book, Driven: Understanding and Harnessing the Genetic Gifts Shared by Entrepreneurs, Navy SEALs, Pro Athletes, and Maybe YOU. Many of these people have a unique genetic characteristic of having the allele (mutation) genes DRD2-A1 or DRD4- 7R, or both. Our drive is in our DNA! How you channel your energy is your choice. Left unattended or unaware, that drive can turn into negative results, but when harnessed for good, it can change the world.
• The internal drive might come from different sources. There are a lot of Drivens in places of high power; some are driven by heart or by wounds, while others are driven by greed.
• Drivens flock to different careers. Doug explains that there are exceptionally high numbers of Drivens who are high-performing athletes and Navy SEALS. There are also a high number of dictators who are Drivens. Whether it’s for the greater good or not, a lot of Drivens⁺ are on the edge of being superhuman. A Driven⁺ might be attracted to more than one outlet for their energy. 
• Don’t try to figure out what inspires people. Hire to it. Don’t try to change someone’s values. Part of surrounding yourself with the right people are finding those whose values already align with the organization and its mission.
• A leader learns to stand in someone else’s shoes. Inspirational leaders learn to put themselves in someone else’s position and to lead them from that person’s point of reference. Evolved leaders understand that what inspires them might not inspire other people.
• Learn to become a servant leader. The act of giving releases serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine for everybody involved, including the giver, the recipient, and anyone else who witnesses the deed. This means that if an employee is aligned with an organization’s mission, any progress the organization makes feels good to everyone within the system. 
• Don’t surround yourself with “yes” people. The people in an organization must feel empowered to push back against an entrepreneur who is experiencing destabilizing optimism. That not only means you have to get the right people around you but it also means you can’t be a bully. If your team is afraid to tell you no, that’s a problem that will permeate every level of the organization. Great leaders create a culture in which people aren’t afraid to voice their opinions.

 

Connect with Steve and Doug:

Steve Distante - https://stevedistante.com

Dr. Doug Brackmann - https://www.iamdriven.com