Leverage Data and The Power of Your Team with Joe Antons – Episode 69

“The most challenging thing about analytical work is you need to not only understand how the systems work – but you need to make that analysis become useable and absorbable by an organization.”

Listen Here:

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Episode Summary

Joe Antons is the Director of Central Revenue Planning at Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Joe started at Cisco as an intern and gradually worked his way to the leadership role he holds today. Joe brings a unique combination of analytical rigor and business acumen together with a passion for helping people discover their true value within an organization.

In this episode, Aviv and Joe expound on the evolution of Silicon Valley from a metadata to a meta-analysis perspective. They dissect the three levels of consciousness in the workplace, which include the structure focus, work focus, and value focus. Among these, value focus is the most critical as it is defined by employees who see themselves through the value they contribute to the organization. Joe shares the two lessons that have been the most beneficial to his career, including leveraging the collective power of teams and understanding client and customer needs.

Essential Learning Points:

• 00:56 – Introducing today’s guest, Joe Antons
• 02:22 – Joe expounds on the evolution of Silicon Valley
• 05:22 – Differentiating between metadata and meta-analysis
• 08:56 – What Joe enjoys the most about his work
• 10:20 – The benefits of working for the same company for over twenty years
• 13:36 – Making an imprint on Cisco
• 16:54 – Defining the competency to lead a data grounded conversation
• 20:40 – Aviv defines organizational outcomes versus business outcomes
• 22:30 – Joe explains further why people often confuse inputs, organizational outcomes, and business outcomes
• 25:14 – The three levels of consciousness in the workplace
• 28:52 – Cisco’s culture
• 32:47 – Inspirations from Joe’s formative years
• 34:32 – Joe points to a specific moment of self-discovery
• 38:42 – Other influences in Joe’s professional life
• 41:01 – Leadership qualities and insights Joe has acquired throughout the years
• 44:11 – Servant leadership
• 44:31 – The balancing act of becoming a better leader
• 49:37 – Advice Joe would give his younger self
• 52:13 – Two learnings Joe values above all others
• 54:17 – Parting words of wisdom and insights from Joe
• 57:18 – Now it’s your turn, identify opportunities to exhibit servant leadership through discovery, shaping the game you play at work and building currency

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