Bred To Be The 1% with Jim Petersen

The skills that make a great salesperson aren't always the ones that make a great leader. Jim Petersen explains how to tell the difference, and why adaptability may matter more than IQ or EQ as AI reshapes business. Godwin Ona sits down with Jim Petersen, PhD, a retired Navy Captain, submariner and Naval Academy graduate. Jim is CEO and owner of Diversified Professional Coaching and president and owner of the Professional Business Coaches Alliance. He is the author of seven books and a frequent speaker on leadership, with a doctorate in financial and retirement planning. You'll discover how Jim's years on submarines taught him that being a people person matters as much as technical skill. He shares two stories of top performers who were put in the wrong roles, and why strong leaders aren't always strong salespeople. He explains the adaptability quotient (AQ), the ability to unlearn and relearn, and the assessment tools his coaches use to help leaders find their strengths and gaps. We also get into the coaching industry itself. Jim explains why business coaching is often misunderstood, and why great coaches, like those of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, don't need to be better than the people they coach. He talks about his book Who Let the Dogs Lead, which uses nine dog breeds to show that teams do best when they combine different talents. He also shares where he sees leadership coaching going as AI changes the workforce, and how he brings in senior military officers, entrepreneurs and PhDs to teach the practical application of leadership theory. This conversation also gets personal. Jim talks about launching his company right before COVID and building it back from a lost contract. He tells the story of a friend who spent six and a half years as a POW in Vietnam, the subject of his book The Spirit to Soar. He also reflects on how the moments that stop us in our tracks end up defining us. Essential listening for business owners, executives, sales leaders, coaches, and anyone preparing to lead through change.