Deanna Mulligan on Leadership and the Opportunity Gap

Key Takeaways:

[:10] About today’s episode with Deanna Mulligan.
[:55] Tom welcomes Deanna Mulligan to the podcast.
[1:00] About Deanna’s life and early education in a small town in Nebraska.
[1:18] How Deanna came to work at McKinsey & Company after graduating from Stanford.
[2:29] The lessons Deanna learned and the experience she gained during her eight years at McKinsey.
[3:22] What drew Deanna to insurance.
[4:04] About the two years Deanna took off prior to launching a career in insurance.
[7:33] How Deanna came to work for Guardian.
[8:11] Did Deanna’s two-year sabbatical shape her views on family leave?
[9:44] Deanna shares her reflections as the CEO of Guardian for nearly 10 years; how she thought about her role, as well as the biggest takeaways and lessons from her time as CEO.
[12:03] What Deanna learned about talent development as CEO of Guardian.
[13:26] Where Deanna’s idea for her book, Hire Purpose: How Smart Companies Can Close the Skills Gap, came from. She also shares how she connected with Greg Shaw, her co-author.
[17:40] Tom shares his experience with Greg Shaw and Deanna touches on what the overall process of writing Hire Purpose was like.
[18:22] How companies and post-secondary can work together to close the opportunity gap, and examples of organizations that are already doing this.
[21:54] While writing Hire Purpose, did Deanna and Greg have the chance to touch on the pandemic before it was released?
[23:12] Now that we’re deep in the midst of the pandemic, are there any additional footnotes Deanna would include in Hire Purpose if she were to release it now?
[23:56] While writing, did Deanna have any changes in opinion on certain topics or areas?
[25:55] Both Deanna and Guardian are very purposeful and values-based. Would Deanna say that establishing partnerships with shared values is the way to overcome and power through any challenges?
[26:35] Deanna gives recommendations and advice for young adults and professionals thinking about a career or starting a career during the pandemic.
[28:19] Tom thanks Deanna for joining the Getting Smart Podcast and congratulates her on her success with Guardian and her new book.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Deanna Mulligan
• Guardian
• Hire Purpose: How Smart Companies Can Close the Skills Gap, by Deanna Mulligan and Greg Shaw
• Clayton Christensen
• Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft‘s Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone, by Satya Nadella and Greg Shaw
• PTech.org
• Infosys
• The Power of Place: Authentic Learning Through Place–Based Education, by Tom Vander Ark and Emily Liebtag
• Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 280: “Julia Freeland Fisher and Mahnaz Charania on Social Relationships and Networks”