Culture and Leadership Connections Podcast

Mark Minukas – Finding Acceptance

July 21, 2022 Marie Gervais Season 5 Episode 14
Culture and Leadership Connections Podcast
Mark Minukas – Finding Acceptance
Show Notes

Bio for Mark Minukas

Mark is the Managing Partner at Co-Creation, helping organizations transform their business performance. He is also the co-author of the book Unfear.

Episode highlight

Mark Minukas grew up believing that he needed to win to be accepted in the world. Listen in on how he grew from wanting to defeat everyone else to wanting to take them along on the ride to success.

Links

Email: adrian@legendarypodcasts.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-minukas-9333011/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC19UQMpix-zL5ZQOSoVVAaQ 

Website: https://cocreationpartners.com/

Quotes

“I think it is important that people discover for themselves what choices they are willing to make.” 

“It can be such an empowering thing to say: ‘I don’t know’.” 

Takeaways

Childhood Incidents

In his Connecticut junior high school, Mark did not make it into the baseball team and became hyper-competitive to counter his fear of rejection. 

Influential Groups 

From his father, Mark learned that the world is full of possibilities if you work hard. He also learned that a man should not share emotions. His mother’s family also taught him to take a more light-hearted approach to life. 

In the United States Navy he was taught to care about those he worked with, and what enables teams to thrive and achieve their goals. After leaving the USN, his work at McKinsey & Company led him to believe any problem can be solved.

Temperament and Personality Influences

Over time Mark realized his win-lose paradigm had inadvertently strained relationships with people. In contrast, he now works to integrate his point of view with other people by having healthier, more creative exchanges. 

Cultural Epiphanies

Mark experienced culture shock when he began his military career, particularly when he was posted to the Middle East and was introduced to new customs and languages. 

Advice to an Employer 

Marks is at his best when his point of view is heard with interest, even if it is not agreed with. He values open communication and candor so others can share their ideas.

More Great Insights! 

Mark wrote Unfear with his business partner, which describes the performance of organizations from the inside out, beginning with individual mindsets which influence how they show up and work in teams, which further influences how organizations perform. Mark believes that the key to seeing fear as a cue for learning, growth, and transformation rests in the concept that “fear is neither a good thing nor a bad thing.”

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