The Soul of Leadership: Beyond Metrics and Strategy w/ James Shin

James Shin is the founder and CEO of Blue Koi Global Partners, bringing over 25 years of experience in leading rapid and sustainable growth in global markets. He has a PhD in industrial engineering from Penn State, specializing in transforming operations, supply chains, and business models. James is also the author of "The Leader's Soul," a book exploring how leaders can find deeper meaning and reconnect with their purpose.

James shares his unique perspectives on leadership, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and soulfulness in driving effective leadership. Through his insights and experiences, James presents a fresh take on what it means to be a leader in today's fast-paced world.

Throughout the discussion, James Shin touches on the significance of vision, systems, and people in leadership. He elaborates on his book, revealing the importance of the soul in leadership. Emphasizing personal growth, creativity, and curiosity, James shares personal anecdotes and reflections, showcasing how leaders can find strength through vulnerability and purpose. This episode encourages listeners to embrace a more holistic approach to leadership, focusing on personal connection and continuous improvement.

Key Takeaways:

• Authentic leadership involves aligning personal values with actions and prioritizing human connections over mere results.
• Emphasizing creativity and curiosity can lead to significant personal and professional growth for leaders.
• Small, intentional actions and reflections are vital for effective leadership, fostering better decision-making and team impact.
• Pause and reflection are essential practices that help leaders reconnect with their purpose and make clearer decisions.
• Encouraging the development of future leaders and focusing on people can lead to more profound and sustainable organizational success.

Notable Quotes:

1. "The soul is what keeps you grounded when everything else is moving fast, especially in challenging times." – James Shin
2. "It's all about people. People follow you because of who you are, not because of what you do." – James Shin
3. "Leadership is not just about big actions. It's the simple actions every day, impacting people and other things along the way." – James Shin
4. "Think about who you have around you, and then reach out, being honest, being vulnerable." – James Shin
5. "Creativity and curiosity make leadership better. They help you pay attention to new aspects and connect the dots." – James Shin

Resources:

• James Shin's Book: "The Leader's Soul" – Available on Amazon.

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Transcript

Walk The Talk

SPEAKER_02 0:02

You have to walk the talk. You have to be authentic as a leader if you're not doing any feedback.

Show Intro And Purpose

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Welcome to Leadership Moments. If this is your first time, and if you are returning, thank you for your support.

SPEAKER_02 0:26

This show is about leaders from all looks of life with leadership and not even a little of what you wouldn't expect to help you in leadership.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

We would appreciate it if you tell someone else about our podcast as we strive to support all leaders that want to just be better. Let's get on with the show.

SPEAKER_02 0:43

Welcome back to Leadership Moments.

Meet Guest James Shan

SPEAKER_02 0:45

I'm your host, Tracy Ann Palmer. And today we have a very special guest, James Shan, who is the author of The Leaders of Soul. And he's also founder and CEO of Blue McCoy Global Partners. He has 25 years of experience leading rapid and sustainable growth across global markets. He's helped organizations unlock efficiency, drive capability and scale with confidence. He holds a PhD in industrial engineering components of data. And he's built a career transforming operations and supply chains and human and business models. But what I love most about James's work is his emphasis on the soul of leadership. And his new book, The Leader's Soul, offers 52 reflections on how leaders can reconnect with purpose, with resilience and meaning in their Latin work. So James, with that, welcome to Leadership Moments Podcast. Great to have you with us today.

SPEAKER_03 2:06

Thank you for having me, Tracy. Ann. I'm honored. You've got so many great guests in the past. I enjoyed some of the episodes, you know, Sam Vanderbook, uh, Brett Angler, uh, uh Garrett, you know, Delph. So uh thank you so much for inviting me here.

SPEAKER_02 2:25

So oh no, you're you're so welcome. It's so great

Why The Soul Of Leadership

SPEAKER_02 2:28

to have you. So now your book is called The Leader Soul. It was the one that it just grabbed my attention the minute I heard it. It's such a powerful title. Why did you choose to emphasize the soul of leadership? And what does that mean for leaders today?

SPEAKER_03 2:50

So that's such an important question. Uh, for me, leadership isn't about you know getting results only. Um, I thought that way when I started my career, but it's about who you are at the inner core. So the soul is what keeps you in grounded when everything else you know moving fast, especially in a challenging times. So the the soul is you know the foundation of leadership, you know, being a leader.

SPEAKER_02 3:16

You mentioned it's who you are. How have you seen that play out in your own journey?

From Results To People

SPEAKER_03 3:22

When I started my career, I was an engineer. I was so black and white, uh, it was about you know getting results. But uh it changed in over time. Um, what I learned the most is it's all about you know people. So people follow you uh because of who you are, not because of what you do. So that's something that it changed a lot over time.

SPEAKER_02 3:47

Yeah, that no question, for sure. Now your book is structured, as I said, around these 52 reflections. Uh you know, I really love this because it suggests that leadership lessons aren't just found in boardrooms, but in everyday life.

Two Reflections That Changed Me

SPEAKER_02 4:04

So can you share with me just maybe, you know, two of those reflections in the book that have been most transformative for you personally?

SPEAKER_03 4:13

Yeah, so I love that question. So um, you know, 52 reflections. Uh so everyone is you know different. Um, so it's like in a library, so you can pick one uh based on the situation you're facing, you know, now. However, uh the one I would have picked uh is the it's called the the great greatest in a gift. It's about my daughter. Uh we we got our inner daughter in uh our you know later in our lives, so she's you know precious, but um having her taught me a lot along the way, uh, you know, being patient, um, and also she spells you know love T-I-M-E. Uh so um I think that again that made me a better person. Uh she made me a you know better leader along the way as well. So uh that's the one I would have picked uh as the top choice. Second one is you know tough, um, but if I pick one, I would have picked the one called uh the power of you know small actions. It's about you know boys throwing starfish uh into the ocean. So you know, small actions, you know, collectively, you know, as a leader, you gotta do that. Leadership is not just about you know big actions, right? So it's a small actions every day, uh impacting the people and impacting other things along the way. So I would have picked those in the two.

SPEAKER_02 5:42

Yeah, that's that's excellent. And then um what reflection do you personally return to when you want to reset as a leader?

SPEAKER_03 5:53

Uh that's a great question. Um I think it depends. So if it is a complete uh you know reset, and I would go with uh uh start with you know purpose. So trying to think about you know why again, and then uh I think that resets, you know, what I what I have to do uh you know from then on. But if we if if it is a small reset, you know, twig, I would go with uh the discipline of you know continuous improvement. So I try to compare where I am to where where I want to be, and then uh make you know small steps to you know get there. So again, depending on the you know situation,

Resetting With Purpose And Kaizen

SPEAKER_03 6:33

I would have pick one of those two.

SPEAKER_02 6:34

Yeah, that's really that's really good. That's excellent. Now you write about growth that often comes from setbacks and mistakes and vulnerability. And by the way, I believe that. I really believe that. You know, that's a real uh tough truth for many leaders, though. Can you share a time when uh you know failure or vulnerability uh made you ultimately made you stronger?

SPEAKER_03 7:05

So um there are quite a few along the way, uh, but um I'll pick one uh probably a long time uh ago. That's when I had a major leadership role. Um we were in a very challenging situation from the profit perspective. So uh a lot of pushes coming from the top. We had you know daily meetings at 7 a.m. Um, but uh in the end, um I included my uh people into that you know situation, meaning so uh I was honest uh with my team. Hey, this is a situation, it's very challenging. So we worked together, uh, brainstormed and being honest and being vulnerable. Uh eventually we found some creative solutions uh to get through the inner situation from my team's inner perspective. So um you shouldn't carry the situation alone. Um, you gotta work within others. Um so that's the one big thing I learned. It's all about the people in the end.

SPEAKER_02 8:13

Yeah, for sure. Now, in the in the book, I

Failure, Vulnerability, And Team Truth

SPEAKER_02 8:17

I really love this. You know, we talk about sort of this power of pause, this power of reflection. You emphasize the importance of pausing, of reflection, of intentionality. Yet many leaders are moving so fast that they can barely catch their breath every day. Right. What practices do you recommend for leaders to sort of slow down, reconnect with that inner compass?

SPEAKER_03 8:49

We have to be intentional about the you know building in small pause uh pauses uh along the way. We have to be intentional. So one thing I do is disconnecting from all electronic devices, um, you know, small pauses, you know, daily, but also at the end of the day, and I completely off uh cell phones and you know, obviously like iPhones and you know laptops uh before I go to bed. Um so that will help you reflect on a lot of things. But also I try to walk uh without cell phone, and actually walking is a really good uh you know method to think about different things as you walk. You will think about a lot of things and uh that will give you time to pause and think about what you gotta do, you know, for example. But also uh do whatever you like. You know, me cooking is one, uh, you know, drawing is another one. When I'm stressed out, I draw, you know, pencil drawing. So it really helps. Um, so it will reset your perspective and uh you know make things you know better. Without that, it's it can be you know worse and worse.

SPEAKER_02 10:01

So yeah, it's interesting you mentioned that because I I know one of the things that I had noticed was you know you have these personal passions, right? Uh cooking and music. Uh you do the drawing, you do the photography. And I was thinking to myself, well, you know, those are all actually very creative. Right?

SPEAKER_00 10:22

Right. Right.

SPEAKER_02 10:22

You're

The Power Of Pause And Reflection

SPEAKER_02 10:23

an industrial engineer. Okay, you are a very engineer. And these are all very creative things. That fascinated me because you're sort of a dress reliever at that escape is sort of going and doing creative things. And I had a question for you around that. Do you think that creativity is sort of a missing piece in many of the leadership toolkits today?

SPEAKER_03 10:51

I I think so. Um, so the creativity and and uh along with uh curiosity, I think makes uh leadership you know better. The reason is you know, uh when you when I cook, uh when I take pictures, uh when I draw, you pay attention to something you don't normally pay attention to, and then you connect the dots. So that practice actually in real life in leadership in a role, you do the same thing. You pay attention to you know people, and um, you can pay attention to other things and connect the dots. So creativity, and then also you gotta be uh curious, uh curious, right? So curiosity helps as well. So combination of those two will help uh leadership as well.

SPEAKER_02 11:38

So if there's a leader that's listening right now and sort of feels stuck, right? Because I think many leaders uh go through these moments of feeling I know where I'm going, I'm on the right path, and then they have sort of these little setbacks and they get stuck. Maybe they feel like their career's not moving in the right direction, uh, or maybe they're questioning whether they're even in the right career. Maybe the team is stagnant, uh, maybe you know the operations has got really messy or they've just lost

Creativity And Curiosity In Leadership

SPEAKER_02 12:12

sort of sight of the purpose. What's the first step uh you would tell them to sort of reconnect with their leadership soul?

SPEAKER_03 12:21

I would start within a purpose. So what's your purpose? You know, what's your why? And um it can be in a personal thing, it can be business, but everything when you get stuck, I would start within a purpose and why. So uh it's kind of a ignition switch. So once you think about it, and then uh you will uh you'll be clear on uh you know what to do. So I would always go back to the purpose and why. Uh so that's kind of a I guess solution, you know, for me.

SPEAKER_02 12:54

Yeah, yeah, no, for sure. And if you could put one reflection from your book into the hands of every CEO, which one would it be and why?

SPEAKER_03 13:08

I would go with uh the one uh leading beyond yourself. Um I talk about the uh developing future leaders and you know people. So um, you know, being a CEO, so you are you're the you know one actually uh taking care of the whole organization. So it is not about you know one quarter, it is not about you know two quarters. It's a long-run game in a sense. So it comes down to you know future generation and future leaders. So you gotta think about how to develop those inner people, and then the rest will come together, in my view. And so, and also you know, my daughter and her generation, um if everything goes as it is, it's gonna be you know tough, right? So I hope that you know her generation is all about

When Leaders Feel Stuck

SPEAKER_03 13:58

you know human. So leadership is is about the human element. So um I would go with you know that chapter, you know.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

Yeah. And you know, James, I I I think about this book that you've written. I mean, clearly it's something that was very important to you, right? Uh what made you write the book?

SPEAKER_03 14:19

So um, and I came from you know South Korea, and uh it was in a big change. Um, and then I went through you know challenging times as a leader. Um, and I thought that it wasn't about me. And I like to have uh you know opportunity to share what I went through within a young generation, young people. So that's you know one purpose. Um I wrote in a book. And um, and the second thing is um, you know, as I mentioned it before, the biggest thing I learned was you know about people. So, and if you look at you know 52 uh you know reflections, there's always you know people element. So I like to send that you know messages to other people as well. So when you get stuck or when you are you know challenged, um think about who you got around you and then reach out reach out to them, uh being honest, you know, being vulnerable. So those are the reasons that I wrote the book.

SPEAKER_02 15:21

So excellent. Yeah, that's really good. And what's your leadership legacy legacy? I mean, what what impact do you most want to leave behind?

SPEAKER_03 15:32

So I I thought about you know quite a bit along the way. Um,

Leading Beyond Yourself

SPEAKER_03 15:36

you know, 100 years and 200 years you know from now, nobody will remember me. But uh I want to be remembered uh uh that um I was you know someone not necessarily uh helped in organizations in a grow, but I helped you know people in a grow. So uh people who uh you know came across my path, they got influenced by me. Uh they encouraged to you know lead in the people. So I want to be remembered uh by the fact that I focused on you know people, I helped inner people.

SPEAKER_02 16:15

So yeah. And if you could leave one piece of advice for our audience, what what would that be?

SPEAKER_03 16:22

Think about you know people around you um and uh reach out to them, but also be curious. Uh so those are the two things, actually, it's not one, it's two, but I that's what I would say.

SPEAKER_02 16:35

That's fantastic, thank you, James. So, James, uh really love the book. I've personally read it. Uh, thank you so much for sending it to me. Uh, so it's been a great read. Uh thank you for reminding us all today that leadership is not only about growth, but it's about grounding. It's about people, it's about the team. It's not just about strategy, but it is about our soul.

Why I Wrote The Book

SPEAKER_03 17:06

Yeah, thank you very much, Inat Tracy, and uh, and then thank you for the inner thoughtful inner questions. Um, I really enjoyed the time. Uh, hopefully, you know, audience uh you know enjoyed the session with us. So thank you.

SPEAKER_02 17:21

Excellent, yeah. And we'll send uh all the information about James so you can reach out to him uh and certainly uh take a look at the book on Amazon. We'll give you the link. So this has been Leadership Moments. I'm Tracy Ann Palmer. Until next time, keep leading with courage, with clarity, and with heart. Or as James Hinn would say, at all. If you enjoyed the show, please go to LeadershipMoments Podcast.com to subscribe to the podcast or on your favorite playout as well as follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

You can also tell us the message on what you like or don't like, or what else you want us to have on the shelf.

SPEAKER_02 18:04

So this is the castle or something.