Holy shit, we have our first guest. We told John he was trying out as the singer of the band so we could get him here. Turns out he can't sing. But he's a helluva guy, and he's crazy smart. John Wilkes is the Senior Director of Business Excellence at Novavax. If you haven't guessed, they're in a pretty high-stakes business. So, having John join us for an episode that touches on leadership was a no-brainer. In the episode, Ben tells a super stupid story and suggests maybe it should have gotten him fired. Dave and Ron are more compassionate, which plays into the broader discussion on how leaders react when failure happens. To his credit, John takes it all in and offers sage advice to keep everyone on track. Honestly, there are some pretty ok takeaways in this one. What's the purpose of a leader; how do leaders shape safety; how can a leader influence culture; does safety start at the top? These questions and more are only partly answered in this wild ride.
Wait, can I be on the show? Good question. Talk to Ron, and make sure to bring bribery-flavored hot dogs.
Seriously though, there's no real plan, but if you have ideas, let us know.
This was an episode that included some discussion on leadership, but it won't be the only one. There's a lot to talk about, so it's probably safe to expect more on the topic.
Did we mention John Wilkes is on this episode? Give that guy a round of applause for his occasional poor decision-making. Seriously, though, check out what John has to say here and in real life. He won't steer you wrong.
Check out the next episode, and remember we're coming at you every two weeks now. Or fortnightly. Whatever you like. It's 14 days-ish.