Show Notes
Learn more about Jeffrey Pfeffer and where you can buy or listen to his books:JeffreyPfeffer.com Episode 17 – Robin Lumsden, Founder & Managing Partner, Lumsden & Partners Today, we meet Dr. Robert Lumsden, who has gone from a tennis player to the Special Forces, to law, to business, and now to owning a sports franchise. He is always paying attention to building his brand, getting out of his comfort zone, and thinking about what he can do for other people to build the relationships that will, in turn, make him successful. Topics discussed:
The principles of 7 Rules of Power he uses to build his career
The jobs Robin held before attending Stanford, beginning at age seven
What it is like to be an adversary for some of the most famous lawyers in the U.S.
Three of his most significant deals and why he didn’t get a Porsche in one of them
Why he came to GSB and what he learned there
Why his goal at GSB was to know the successful professors and business people
How he got into Condoleezza Rice and Eric Schmidt’s classes
How he used his time at Stanford to build his brand in Austria
His motive behind building a fantastic media presence
The importance of delivering considerable value to your peers
Overcoming certain cultural barriers
The varying roles of showing up authentically
Using specific times of day to your advantage
The power of getting out of your own way
Where mentors can lead you
The power of pictures
What’s next in Robin’s career
GUEST BIO Dr. Robin L. Lumsden MSx (Stanford) MA Economics (Stanford) LL.M. (Berkeley) Robin is the founder and managing partner of M&A law firm Lumsden & Partners, one of the most successful boutique law firms in Austria, founded in recent years. Robin, who is a member of the bar in Austria, New York and Washington D.C. spent more than 15 years as a corporate lawyer and advised clients such as Volkswagen on its €3.9 billion acquisition of Porsche and General Electric on its sale of its plastics division to Sabic for US $11.6 billion. Whilst conducting his studies at Stanford (MSx & MA in economics) he worked on a digital asset fund with Sebastian Schwarzenegger, invested in blockchain and crypto businesses. He sits on various boards of trusts of high-net-worth individuals. He further was an advisor to Palantir & personally to its CEO Alex Karp, GE, Google and the Schwarzenegger family. Robin is also an officer with the Austrian Special Forces (equivalent to the Navy Seals). His military experience has shaped his character and made him appreciate teamwork. Previously, as a junior Robin was a professional tennis athlete, playing inter alia at Wimbledon. Recently, Robin acquired the majority of the American Football Franchise, “Vienna Vikings” in Austria, a team that won the EuroBowl (equivalent to the Super Bowl in Europe) in 2022 against Hamburg. www.lumsden.at www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_0cwys_EMM Produced by The MunnAvenuePress.com
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In this episode of the 'Pfeffer on Power' podcast, host Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, is joined by Alex Rodriguez, CEO and Chairman of investment firm Arod Corp, and is known as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, and Matt Abrahams, of the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast to co-host this interview. Alex discusses his transition to business and teaching at Stanford. Rodriguez, who co-teaches a class on Strategic Pivoting with Professor Allison Kluger, shares insights into their teaching framework and what he’s learned through teaching. Alex also emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, resilience, and preparation in both his athletic and business endeavors. Alex also touches on handling setbacks, maintaining authenticity, and the value of humility and gratitude in personal development. Alex also shares what he’s learned about effective communication and team-building, and how it can help shape young leaders and athletes. Pfeffer on Power is produced by University FM. Episode Quotes: Finding resilience in the face of setbacks 23:07: [Jeffrey Pfeffer] So, what advice, in coming back from setbacks—which is, I think, amazing—how did you find the inner resilience to do this? 23:29: [Alex Rodriguez] This is tough. I mean, everybody handles setbacks their own separate way. I don't care who you are. I mean, I don't care how perfect you are. Name the best CEO—he or she—they've had setbacks, I guarantee it. So, again, I think this is where baseball has really helped me because baseball is the epitome of setbacks. So, I think having the resilience, the confidence, the perseverance from inside to keep trying. I mean, I remember in my darkest hour, I would send 10 emails out—one or two responded—and it was heartbreaking. And part of it was 'cause I was a pariah, and people don't wanna be around me. And Allison works really, really hard with the administration, like, you know, vouching for me. And it's something that I'll never forget. I mean, here I am, in my darkest hour, trying to fight back. And Allison, out of all people—they're probably saying, "There are 750 major league baseball players. This is the one? You got the guy that got suspended for all these years?" And she's like, "Yeah, he's actually a nice guy," and this and that. It's like, "Ah, I'm not sure if I'm buying it." But, I mean, here we are seven years later, and I couldn't be more proud of the partnership. How Alex shapes his communication style with his skills 29:38: I think my style of communication is a blend between sports and business, and a little bit of entertainment and levity. I always think about, what is the number one or two things that I'm trying to deliver, and then I'm trying to go—every good story has a good headline, has a beginning, middle, and end. And then maybe go back and repeat my headline, and if I can say more with less words, the better. What makes a great communicator 28:28: Part of being a great communicator is sticking to your circle of competence—speak with passion, but about something where you have real knowledge, where you have something to actually add. Show Links: Alex Rodriguez | LinkedIn Strategic Pivoting for your Next Chapter MattAbrahams.com Think Fast, Talk Smart Podcast
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