Today’s podcast guest is Robert Shelton. A recently retired executive from Microsoft. He is so much more than “the dude from the coffee shop”, despite initially meeting him this way.

He reveals a ton of life lessons and useful information on how to treat people while moving through corporate America. How to “do” what he didn’t “do”.

We discuss:

-Feeling safer in the hood sometimes than in his exclusive gated world now

-Learning how not to judge people by appearance

-Everyone has it within them the ability to succeed

-Obtaining whatever success looks like for you, regardless of what you look like

-Putting on the suit of an extrovert when going to work

-Fixing computers at a young age, excelling at programming classes at age 15

-Graduating college in his 40’s, when he didn’t need to get a degree, setting example for others and his son

-Being dedicated to education outside of the education system

-Reprogramming his mind to get out of the hood, while reprogramming computers

-Leaving bodies on the side of the road on the way up the corporate ladder, while now helping others and mentoring people to succeed

-Removing the shield of Darth Vader and exposing himself – leaving the dark side of focus and selfishness to give back and be kind

-No longer needing to carry the sword out of fear (of being exposed, of being fired, of being passed over)

-Having his wife protect him after removing his armor and being his vulnerable self at home, before retirement when he still “had to fight”

-Learning lessons from your success

Robert Shelton is a retired senior technology executive with over 20 years of experience at Microsoft. During his tenure, he served as the Senior Technical Director and Chief Technical Officer for the National Intelligence Business Unit. His expertise lies in IT Executive Management, cloud computing, enterprise software sales, and the applied uses of artificial intelligence.

However, this professional bio only scratches the surface of who Robert truly is. Growing up in an economically disadvantaged area, he faced challenges that shaped his journey. Through hard work and connections with incredible people, he managed to break free from those circumstances. Robert’s passion for technology ultimately led him to fulfill his childhood dream of working at Microsoft. The twists and turns along the way provided the necessary background for him to achieve his life goals. He learned that it’s the challenges and “negative experiences” that offer valuable training, but only if you learn from them. The greatest gifts often come from persevering through adversity.

Robert’s favorite quote, attributed to Zig Ziglar, encapsulates his philosophy: ‘You can get what you want out of life if you will just help enough other people get what they want.’

Today's guest is Jean-François Lappas, the founder of a company called Wabya (which stands for "We Are Because You Are").

He left a six-figure corporate job amid a pandemic and burnout to find his true purpose. After a journey of self-discovery fueled by self-help books, self-awareness, and self-compassion, JF now lives in harmony with their core values.

He founded a business that embodies his identity and mission, dedicated to helping individuals from all walks of life uncover and realize their purpose, increasingly through the platform-wabya.

The name represents the reliance that we have on each other. We can't exist without others, and others can't exist without us.

His company now helps people through individualized coaching for self-realization. More about JF and his organization can be found here: we are because you are (wabya.com)

I was so careful to get his title correct. He didn't mind.

I wanted to share how important his role was. It wasn't his focus.

I wanted to celebrate his accomplishments. He turned toward his team.

One of the most humble individuals I've ever met, yet one of the most empathetically aware leaders I've interviewed.

Today's guest: Joe Youssef, Executive Vice President, Commercial North America for Amadeus’ Hospitality Division. This podcast episode was recorded live at HITEC 2024 from the Charlotte Convention Center in between educational sessions and my keynote presentation. Joe took the time to share with our listeners valuable skills that he has learned during his career, and how others might be able to implement them.

My greatest learnings:

-Why "will" can often be more important than "skill" when finding the right talent

-How the "Jetsons" cartoon influenced his views about technology as a young child

-Growing up in Egypt and feeling the need to always prove himself

-Sharing essential values with his children

-Never forgetting the sacrifices of his parents

-Offering similar sacrifices for others; its not about him as a leader, it is always about HIS TEAM

He has more than two decades of executive experience in travel technology, distribution, strategy, and marketing.
Prior to his current role in Hospitality, Joe served as EVP of BI and Data Solutions as well as the global leader of Strategy, Marketing, and Corporate Development for Hospitality in Amadeus. Leading both the organic and inorganic growth strategies as well as the marketing strategy for Amadeus Hospitality globally.

Having joined Amadeus in 2006, Joe was previously Madrid-based Global Director for Operations and Business Development for the Hospitality division. He has also served as Regional Director - Marketing & Operations, and Markets Director for Middle East and North Africa. As Head of the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) Program, Joe, and his team elevated Amadeus into a regional leadership position in Middle East and Africa region.

Prior to Amadeus, Joe worked for several global blue-chip companies, including American Express Travel, as Director of Operations & Business Travel, SHOWTIME networks and Kanoo Travel.
Joe holds a BA in Business Administration with a major in Marketing from the University of Cairo. He completed executive management post graduate studies at Canfield University in the UK and speaks both English and Arabic fluently.

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-youssef-joe/

More about Amadeus here:

https://amadeus.com/en

This EPISODE SPONSORED BY:

Merch Madness Group

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