Building Better Leaders: Tamara Jackson’s Blueprint for Modern Leaders

What this episode is about

The content centers on Tamara Jackson’s insights into effective leadership, emphasizing the distinction between high purpose and high performance while highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence and asking meaningful questions. Jackson reflects on her personal journey and the urgency to inspire others to pursue their true passions and leverage their opportunities for growth.

Key takeaways

• High-purpose teams perform better; emotional intelligence is their secret weapon in navigating modern complexities.
• Aging isn't scary; it's urgent. It's a call to maximize our impact now, not later.
• Impact isn't grandeur; it's the small gestures, the unseen kindness making rooms lighter.
• Time is life’s currency, more precious than money. Spend wisely before the bank closes.
• Leadership's torch must pass; today's wisdom fuels tomorrow's pioneers in a divided world.

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 5:00: impact, Beaconship, faith-driven leaders, high performing team
2. 5:00 – 10:00: character, Beaconship, being a light in a dark space, boomer generation
3. 10:00 – 15:00: Beaconship, benefits, character, corporate space
4. 20:00 – 25:00: assessment, Beacon of Excellence Scorecard, benefits, character
5. 25:00 – 30:00: assessment, donors, investors, across the country
6. 30:00 – 35:00: asking good questions, assessment, David Ruffin, Jerry Jones
7. 35:00 – 35:13: mickuntofficial.com

Notable quotes from "Building Better Leaders: Tamara Jackson’s Blueprint for Modern Leaders"

• Versus high performance. We talk a ton about emotional intelligence and how to ask really good questions. Tam Jackson, amazing leader of leaders. You're going to love this…

  about Tam Jackson · at 0:10

• Do the same. Whatever it is that you are called to do, however you are supposed to make an impact in this world, however you're supposed to lead and be a light for others, it's…

  about impact · at 2:13

• Yeah. So, you hit on a really important word that kind of encapsulates what beaconship is about, and it's about being a light. I have been a person of faith since I was a…

  about Beaconship · at 4:33

• Passing down is ending up in the right hands. So that means the next generation of leaders have to have great character.

  about character · at 6:51

• Grow fast because I started feeling this pull to step more into entrepreneurship and be able to step out of the corporate space. So I remember having these conversations with…

  about corporate space · at 7:37

• Like you, but my first job I did care about, well, what's the retirement package? What are the benefits? What my kids, Tim, they don't care about that.

  about benefits · at 10:04

• You said the word assess and then when I kicked this off, I talked about this amazing assessment that you have and that you've created. I'd love for you to break down for the…

  about assessment · at 23:34

• That their venture is really about in a way that's going to be compelling to investors and donors and then be able to translate that into a pitch deck that they can then use…

  about donors · at 28:04

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Tam Jackson — Person · 2 mentions · first at 0:16
• Tamara Jackson — Person · 2 mentions · first at 0:26
  I'm just going to be quiet and just let you hear it. Ladies and gentlemen, I present the amazing Tamara Jackson.
• Les Brown — Person · 1 mention · first at 2:45
  I love that. and you hit on something. So, one of my really good mentors, Les Brown, he says, People say time is money. It's No, it's not. Time is life because you can run out of money,.
• Robert Irvine — Person · 1 mention · first at 3:07
  Saying is so true that, putting an importance on making impact, as my good friend Robert Irvine will say, is why we're all here. should be who we are and what we're about. And…
• Katy Perry — Person · 1 mention · first at 30:47
  Yeah. So, you might be surprised by this. Katy Perry Roar. I want to bring it. I want to get I want to get that inner like I got this.
• Jerry Jones — Person · 1 mention · first at 34:27
  My team. That's the team over there. Got it. I thought it was just Jerry Jones and his Cowboys. I didn't know it was an actual team. David Ruffin and the Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Jerry Jones and.
• David Ruffin — Person · 1 mention · first at 34:33
  Cowboys. I didn't know it was an actual team. David Ruffin and the Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys. That's terrible. That's terrible. You hurt me to my.
• Tamara Jackson's goddaughter — Person · 1 mention
• Tamara Jackson's mom — Person · 1 mention

Companies & orgs

• Beaconship — Company · 5 mentions · first at 4:38
• Mick Unplugged — Company · 2 mentions · first at 0:33
  This is Mick Unplugged. Let us uncover the because that thing that drives you. That thing that fuels you. I'm ready. If you are, let's go.
• The Temptations — Company · 1 mention · first at 34:33
  Cowboys. I didn't know it was an actual team. David Ruffin and the Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys. That's terrible. That's terrible. You hurt me to my.
• The Supremes — Company · 1 mention · first at 34:35
  Was an actual team. David Ruffin and the Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys. That's terrible. That's terrible. You hurt me to my heart, Vic. You hurt me to my heart.

Products & tech

• assessment — Product · 5 mentions · first at 23:38
• Beacon of Excellence Scorecard — Product · 2 mentions · first at 23:49
  Yeah. So, the beacon of excellence scorecard really ties back to the word that we talked about earlier. It's about character. It's a self assessment. You.
• pitch deck — Product · 1 mention · first at 28:11
  Way that's going to be compelling to investors and donors and then be able to translate that into a pitch deck that they can then use not only for events locally here in…
• PDF — Product · 1 mention
• Roar — Product · 1 mention

Concepts & topics

• character — Concept · 6 mentions · first at 6:55
• impact — Concept · 3 mentions · first at 2:19
• faith-driven leaders — Concept · 2 mentions · first at 4:58
  The things that I believe is critical as faith-driven leaders is not so much preaching or beating people over the head with things, but being a light in a dark space. And the reality is in today's world, there is a lot of.
• serial entrepreneur — Concept · 2 mentions · first at 7:15
  One of the things that I so appreciate my mom for is I remember as I was I'm a serial entrepreneur mix. So yeah, as you are, had multiple ventures, multiple things that I' I've been interested in over the years, even.
• corporate space — Concept · 2 mentions · first at 7:44
• benefits — Concept · 2 mentions · first at 10:08
• donors — Concept · 2 mentions · first at 28:08
• investors — Concept · 2 mentions · first at 28:08
  That their venture is really about in a way that's going to be compelling to investors and donors and then be able to translate that into a pitch deck that they can then use…
• high performing team — Concept · 1 mention · first at 0:03
  Over the past decade, even longer, we've been putting this big emphasis on having high performing team.
• high purpose versus high performance — Concept · 1 mention · first at 0:08
  So, really excited for you all to listen to this episode. We go into high purpose versus high performance. We talk a ton about emotional intelligence and how to ask really good questions. Tam Jackson, amazing leader of leaders. You're.
• leadership space — Concept · 1 mention · first at 1:07
  I've been a follower for a while. I'm in the leadership space as well. I think selfless shameless plug for Tam. She has one of the best assessments that are out there that I'm going to make sure everybody goes to.
• being a light in a dark space — Concept · 1 mention · first at 5:04
  Faith-driven leaders is not so much preaching or beating people over the head with things, but being a light in a dark space. And the reality is in today's world, there is a lot of division. There is a lot of complexity. As leaders, you are.
• nonprofit space — Concept · 1 mention · first at 5:32
  The wisdom of leaders that have been doing this. They have blazed the way, whether it's in the nonprofit space, running multi-million and billion dollar companies, or in film.
• political space — Concept · 1 mention · first at 6:07
  One over the years doesn't get passed down. And that's an urgent call because there's a lot going on in the political space, in the economic space, but also in the financial…
• economic space — Concept · 1 mention · first at 6:10
  Down. And that's an urgent call because there's a lot going on in the political space, in the economic space, but also in the financial space, which is a passion for me having worked so long in the financial space.
• financial space — Concept · 1 mention · first at 6:12
  There's a lot going on in the political space, in the economic space, but also in the financial space, which is a passion for me having worked so long in the financial space.
• boomer generation — Concept · 1 mention · first at 6:27
  That we have leaders that have been able to achieve great success. They are in that boomer generation category, if you will, and they are now faced with some critical…
• Side hustles — Concept · 1 mention · first at 7:33
  Into that entrepreneurial space. So I remember, having my corporate career, building my business, my side hustle on the side, and I wanted it to grow fast because I started…
• pension — Concept · 1 mention · first at 9:34
  Generation, and it's not a bad thing, but this new generation of employees, the 401k and the pension isn't as important as the leader being transparent and the values that a leader has. I mean nowadays prospects, applicants are researching.
• retirement package — Concept · 1 mention · first at 10:07
  One, I'm a c I'm a serial entrepreneur like you, but my first job I did care about, well, what's the retirement package? What are the benefits? What my kids, Tim, they don't care about that.
• work from home — Concept · 1 mention · first at 10:13
  Like they're Hey, I can work from home even if I'm sick. So, I don't need time off. You know what I mean? I'm there. I can work on vacation. I don't need to be in an.
• metrics — Concept · 1 mention · first at 12:10
  And so, one of the things that we encourage leaders to do at Beaconship is not just lead with the metrics, not just lead with your expertise, but what have your experiences…
• high performance and burnout — Concept · 1 mention · first at 12:56
  And you talk about high performance and burnout and I was such a leader focused on high performing teams, right? And because you can measure that. I can measure performance. I can see it. I.
• purpose-led team — Concept · 1 mention · first at 13:20
  Have. But you challenged me to say, well, what about having a high purpose-led team? What if we go from performance to high purpose?
• people over paper — Concept · 1 mention · first at 14:22
  Month over month. One of her leaders had challenged her, hey, I know that you're focused on these goals, but people over paper.
• replay — Concept · 1 mention · first at 22:58
  I love football and I think one of the benefits to football is that replay, right? To be able to go back because you can be looking at it in the moment and you could swear he…
• great wealth transfer — Concept · 1 mention · first at 24:37
  Just going around to different leadership events and conferences because I am so interested in the great wealth transfer and how these businesses and wealth is going to…
• asking good questions — Concept · 1 mention · first at 31:42
  The underrated leadership trait, asking good questions.
• board (team performance board) — Concept · 1 mention
• communication responsibility is on the communicator — Concept · 1 mention
• EQ — Concept · 1 mention
• IQ — Concept · 1 mention
• pitch — Concept · 1 mention
• receiving (being a good receiver) — Concept · 1 mention
• sales goals (units moved; month-over-month sales growth) — Concept · 1 mention
• wisdom transfer — Concept · 1 mention

Places & events

• across the country — Place · 1 mention · first at 27:34
  To be focusing on helping leaders actually refine their pitch. So right now all across the country there are events held where founders have an opportunity to share their venture. They do typically a very short presentation.
• across the globe — Place · 1 mention · first at 28:16
  Translate that into a pitch deck that they can then use not only for events locally here in Charlotte but across the globe. And what's been amazing is how just giving them some…
• the south — Place · 1 mention · first at 31:03
  We both live in the south, so I call this southern food time of the year right here. What is Tam's favorite fall winter meal?

Sponsors

• mickuntofficial.com — Sponsor · 1 mention · first at 35:02
  Action. Rate and subscribe. Follow me on social and get the full experience at mickuntofficial.com.
• Beaconship (website promotion) — Sponsor · 1 mention

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 You know, over the past decade, even longer, we've been putting this big emphasis on having high performing team. So, really excited for you all to listen to this episode. We go into high purpose versus high performance. We talk a ton about emotional intelligence and how to ask really good questions. Tam Jackson, amazing leader of leaders. You're going to love this episode and I'm just going to be quiet and and just let you hear it. Ladies and gentlemen, I present the amazing Tamara Jackson. This is Mick Unplugged. Let us uncover the because that thing that drives you. That thing that fuels you. I'm ready. If you are, let's go.

0:46 Pam, how you doing today, dear me? I am doing great. Thank you so much for the introduction. It did my heart good to just hear that. So, thank you.

0:56 No, I appreciate you. I appreciate you more than you know. And you know, Tim, I I know I I I say a lot about you, but you know, I'm a huge follower of you. I've been a follower for a while. Um, you know, I'm in the leadership space as well. I think selfless shameless plug plug for Tam. She has one of the best assessments that are out there that I'm going to make sure everybody goes to uh before we end the day. But Tam, I love starting this with asking my guests like what's your because that thing that's deeper than your why, that true passion, that that true purpose that you have today, Tam, what's your because

1:35 I love that question. As I sit with that, I think for me, it's about igniting. I recognize that I've been blessed with a lot of great opportunities. Um there have been people that have opened doors for me that have poured into me over the years.

1:51 And as I hit that, you know, 50 mark uh last year, I started thinking about um the reality that there is likely less time in front of me than there is behind me.

2:07 And so I am operating with urgency in my life and I want to encourage others to do the same. Whatever it is that you are called to do, however you are supposed to make an impact in this world, however you're supposed to lead and be a light for others, it's time to do that. Now, I think Mick that we take for granted that we have time and one of the lessons that I've learned over the last few years is there are no guarantees. Now is all we have, so we have to take advantage of it.

2:41 I love that. You know, and you hit on something. So, one of my really good mentors, Les Brown, you know, he he says, "People say time is money." It's like, "No, it's not. Time is life because you can run out of money, right? Run out of life and see what happens, right?" And I think what you're saying is so true that, you know, putting an importance on making impact, as my good friend Robert Irvine will say, is why we're all here. um should be who we are and what we're about. And and I'd love for you to just kind of talk about what impact means for you.

3:21 For me, impact is about what I leave behind. So when I enter a room, am I leaving something behind? Am I making that space better than it was when I entered? And that doesn't necessarily mean that I am dominating or commanding that room. It could just be the conversation that I've had with a person next to me.

3:42 It could be a smile when a person is having a rough day. It's about leaving something behind that makes a positive difference in people's lives. And so the great news about that, Mick, is no matter where we are in our leadership journey, whether we have the titles and the accolades or not, we can all make an impact if we focus on the people that are around us. the gifts, skills, and talents that we've been given, and we look for ways to make others lives better, we all have an opportunity to make an impact.

4:18 Amazing. Amazing. And so that's a great transition of all the great work that you're doing and that Beacon Chip is doing. Talk to the viewers and listeners about the company, the purpose of the company, and what all that you do at Beacon Chip.

4:33 Yeah. So, you hit on a really important word that kind of encapsulates what beaconship is about, and it's about being a light. Um, I have been a person of faith since I was a little kid. You know, we all have those journeys where we kind of go in and out,

4:50 but thank God for redemption and uh bringing us back home, right? So, one of the things

4:56 that I believe is critical as faith-driven leaders is not so much preaching or beating people over the head with things, but being a light in a dark space. And the reality is in today's world, there is a lot of division. There is um a lot of complexity. As leaders, you are navigating things

5:20 that maybe you've never dealt with before. So, beaconship is about taking the wisdom of leaders that have been doing this. They have blazed the way, whether it's in the nonprofit space, running multi-million and billion dollar companies, or in film. What have these leaders learned that can help the next generation of leaders as they step into their leadership moment? I believe that as faith-driven leaders, we have the answers to the world's greatest problems, but there is a risk that the wisdom that has been um hard one over the years doesn't get passed down. And that's an urgent call because there's a lot going on in the political space, in the economic space, but also in the financial space, which is a passion for me having worked so long in the financial space.

6:18 Something that's happening right now is that we have leaders um that um have been able to achieve great success. They are in that boomer generation category, if you will, and they are now faced with some critical decisions. What are they going to do with the businesses that they've been able to grow? What are they going to do with the wealth that they've been able to accumulate? And in the conversations that I've been having, Mick, uh, these leaders want to make sure that whatever they are giving or passing down is ending up in the right hands. So that means the next generation of leaders have to have great character.

6:59 And that's really what beaconansship is about is how do we raise up leaders that have great character. One of the things that I so appreciate my mom for is I remember as I was I I'm a serial entrepreneur mix. So

7:16 yeah, as you are, you know, had multiple ventures, multiple things that I' I've been interested in over the years, even though um I grew up in corporate, there was always this call to, you know, step into that entrepreneurial space. So I remember, you know, having my corporate career, building my business, my side hustle on the side, and I wanted it to grow fast because I started feeling this pull to step more into entrepreneurship and be able to step out of the corporate space. So I remember having these conversations with my mom, mom, pray for my business. Help uh help me to to go to God in prayer so that this business will grow.

7:57 And she looked at me, Mick, and said, "I really want your business to be successful. I want I really want your business to grow, but what I want more than anything is for your character to grow."

8:12 One of the things that she recognized is that we can get promoted to places that we are not able to stay in because our character is not right. So I will tell you I I was a little disappointed in that moment because I wanted what I wanted but now many years later I am so thankful for her prayers. Um the way that we develop character is not always easy but it is the thing it is the X factor I believe that distinguishes great leaders um impactful leaders between them and and those that kind of start off strong but tend to fall along the wayside.

8:54 So it's about character. I love that. That's one of my pillars. So, um, character is what I like to say, it's what's seen before you walk into a room. It's what stays when you walk out of that room, right? And I think from a leadership perspective, when we talk about trust and we talk about character, those are the things that the modern employee is actually craving and and those are the things that the modern employee is looking for from their leaders. You know, Tam, I've been saying for the last 12 months now, this new generation, and and it's not a bad thing, but this new generation of employees, the 401k and the pension isn't as important as the leader being transparent and the values that a leader has. I mean nowadays prospects, applicants are researching the company and the values that you have and they're they're looking at the things that you stand for or that you don't stand for, the words that you say,

9:57 the words that you don't say. And when I was growing up, Tam, like I cared about one, I'm a c I'm a serial entrepreneur like you, but my first job I did care about, well, what's the retirement package? What are the benefits? What my kids, Tim, they don't care about that. like they're like, "Hey, I can work from home even if I'm sick. So, I don't need time off." You know what I mean? Like, I I'm there. Like, I can I can work on vacation. I don't need to be in an office anymore. How do you help leaders understand that transparency, trust, character are the things that these modern employees are valuing?

10:32 Yeah, it's it's a great question. I think what we're seeing is this next generation of leaders wants receipts. They don't want talk. They don't want the fancy speeches. They don't want any of that. As you've said, it's about who you are inside and whether or not they are able to connect with that.

10:53 Yeah. So, at Beaconship, one of the things that we really emphasize is, and this is a hard word, but having a level of vulnerability. Mhm.

11:04 What I have found, you know, I I I don't have kids of my own, but I do have a goddaughter who is who is 16 going on 30, Mick. I I don't know how in 16 years, she's developed so much expertise and wisdom, but but you know how it is when you're a teen, right?

11:22 You think you've got it all all figured out. But one of the things that I have noticed from her is that she is more concerned with connection. Um she wants to know you know not only the great things that have happened but the tough thing. She's really good at asking me questions even in moments um of difficulty. Uh when I lost my mom a few years ago

11:50 um as I have had not all of my ventures have been successful. She's been really good at asking those thoughtful, reflective questions to get to the heart of, okay, well, what did you learn and how was that? How did that feel for you?

12:06 And so, one of the things that we encourage leaders to do at Beaconship is not just lead with the metrics, not just lead with your expertise, but what have your experiences been? What are some of the things that you've encountered along the way that have really shook you at your core? Use those examples to inspire the next generation of leaders because they need to know that they're not alone in the things that they are dealing with today. And you sharing your experiences is going to be the thing that really communicates that. Storytelling is so powerful,

12:41 you know. And Tim, speaking of challenging, I have to be vulnerable right here now because you challenged me and you don't you didn't even realize this, but again, I've been a student of TAM for a while. And you talk about high performance and burnout and I was such a leader focused on high performing teams, right? And because you can measure that. I I can measure performance. I can see it. I have data that can back up every decision, every hit, every miss that we have. But you challenged me to say, well, what about having a high purpose-led team? What if we go from performance to high purpose?

13:26 And that shook me. I would love for you to talk to the viewers and listeners about that transition of performance does matter, but purpose is probably more important. So, talk to us about that a little bit. Yeah, you know, it's it's it's um it's actually another lesson that I learned from my mom. Um you know, I remember growing up and seeing her work really really hard. She uh actually got her start in retail. And for anyone who's worked in retail, you know, it's really long hours. You are working really really hard to make to make sure that you hit your goal. And so she had actually been on a journey of learning how to not just focus on the numbers in terms of how many units were moved and how sales were growing most month over month. One of her leaders had challenged her, hey, I know that you're focused on these goals, but people over paper.

14:27 Wow. People over paper. and I heard her, you know, she shared this lesson with me, but I was still pretty young, pretty early in my working career. And it didn't come back to me until I had my first team that I was leading in a corporate space. Um, and sometimes when you step into leadership, you get teams that are really hitting it on all cylinders. I did not make I got a team that was really struggling

14:56 and despite [clears throat] my motivational talks, despite me sitting down and coaching and going over the numbers,

15:05 you know, few months in, they still weren't where they needed to be. And I remember getting to a place of frustration such that I'm ashamed to say it, but I let my frustration show on our board. We had a board in front of our team. they kind of recap their numbers from the prior day and I always updated it with the numbers but there was normally some type of you know statement of encouragement or or something to motivate the team for the day and this day I was so through with it that I just put a sad face. Now I don't know why I did that but it just reflected honestly what I was feeling inside

15:47 and then I remember feeling defeated. Yeah, because here I was, you know, trying to pour all my heart and soul into leading this team and no matter what I was doing, it wasn't working.

16:00 But here's the thing. Um, many times there can be people that may not have an official leadership title. I had someone Stephanie, I still remember this moment and I still remember her name after all these years. She was not leading a team, but she pulled me aside. Damn, what is this that you have on the board? What is up with this, you know, sad thing? And I was explaining to her what was happening. She's like, you got to erase it. You got to take it back because the team is looking to you for guidance and direction. So, if you give up, they will give up.

16:37 So, I went back. I erased the sad face that was reflective of my my feelings about our performance. And it really put me on a a journey of soulsearching. Everything I had done up until that point did not work. So now what? Then I realized the thing that I had not done was really tapped into the purpose. That conversation about what each person on the team really was about, what they really want. I hadn't really gotten to know them as individuals. I was just focused on getting the ball down the field and and getting a score.

17:16 And when I took the time to actually sit down with each individual and not just look in the at the numbers, but get to know them, what their motivations were, what their goals were. Then we started to connect on a level and they could receive the coaching and feedback and we could work together to help them to grow and our numbers started to improve. And then for some of those people, um, what we realized through those discussions is this role wasn't a good fit. And so my responsibility as a leader wasn't to continue to push them and beat them over the head about the numbers that they weren't hitting, but to help them to find the role that was a better fit.

17:57 Yeah. And so when we lean into purpose, when we lean into relationships, that is so key to purpose, then what we find is that people feel seen,

18:08 they feel valued, and when they see feel seen and valued, they will perform for you at levels that you would never be able to get them to perform by just looking at numbers.

18:20 And I think that's something that's not talked about enough. Amen to that. Amen to that. And and this is something we agree on, Tim. Not we don't disagree on anything, but I know this is something you talk about. This is something that I talk about, and I think it's important for leaders to understand this. So, we're going to have some good dialogue here. T EQ, emotional intelligence, is far more important than IQ. Um, from a leadership perspective, I say this, your IQ and your skill set probably got you the job. your EQ is gonna keep it and get you promoted and take it to where you want to go. And I think for every leader, for every entrepreneur, understanding that the most important skill set that you need to be developing is your emotional intelligence because that's literally what you were just summizing right there, Tim. Getting to know your team listening having that self-regulation. It used to

19:21 be cool when we were growing up, Tam, to and we heard it all the time. You wear your emotions on your sleeve. Well, can't do that anymore. Can't do that anymore. Emotions might scare people. Uh the emotions that you're wearing on your sleeve, if you're like me, I found out the hard way, you're going to lose 20% of your team physically. Like I lost 20% of my team because I was that full of emotion, wear it on my sleeve, drive, drive, drive leader. And I realized really quickly that's not the way to lead. Tam, talk to us about how important continuing to develop emotional intelligence is for leaders today.

19:59 It is critically important because no person is the same. I think that's one of the critical things that we need to recognize is that when we're meeting someone, when we're leading someone, when we're building relationships with people, they are bringing so much with them to that relationship. All of the experiences that they've had, the heartbreaks both in business and in their personal lives. And all of these experiences have shaped their outlook on life. So one of the things that I find really interesting is two people can be in the same conversation and they will hear what is said completely different.

20:48 It happens in personal relationships. It happens in professional relationships. You're thinking, "Well, I just said XYZ." And they're like, "Well, it feel I felt like you were attacking me."

21:00 Like, what? Attacking you? That that totally wasn't on my radar. That wasn't my intent. And so being able to read a room, being able to understand how your communication style or your lack of communication might be impacting other people, and then having the fortitude to adjust and to recognize that, you know, one of the things that I've learned is as the communicator, the responsibility is on me.

21:30 And I didn't know that initially. Initially, I thought, well, hey, this is what I intended, so it's it's something wrong on their end if they didn't get it the way that I intended for it to be received. But what I've learned is, wait, that didn't land the way I hoped it would. Maybe I need to think about how I'm communicating. Where could I have been more clear? Where could I have been more empathetic? Maybe I should have started with some questions about how they were instead of jumping into the thing that I wanted to talk about that day. Right.

22:02 Yeah. And and those are things that you learn when you practice reflection. So that's one of the things that I would uh kind of underline for our viewing and listening audience today. I think for me being able to become more emotionally intelligent requires being willing to step back from interactions and reflect and grade yourself. How did that go?

22:27 Yes. And if it went well, then great. What are some of the things that I think went well based on how they responded to what I shared? Um, and then if it didn't go well, okay, where did it seem to get off the rails and how could I maybe do that differently next time? I think being able to, you know, I I was I'm thinking about sports right now for some reason. Uh, I love football and I think one of the the benefits uh to to football is that replay, right? To be able to go back because you can be looking at it in the moment and you could swear he caught the ball. He caught the ball. But when you do the replay and you do it in slow-mo, you're like, "Wait a minute, he dropped that." Right. Right. And I think as leaders, we have to create our own version of replay so that we can take a closer look of the at the interactions that we're having and be able to assess how can I be better so that I can build

23:26 better relationships and I can create that emotional connection with those that I

23:31 Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. And you know, you said the word assess and then when I kicked this off, I talked about this amazing assessment that that you have and that you've created. I'd love for you to break down for the viewers and listeners what this assessment is, what does it score, and why is it important.

23:49 Yeah. So, the beacon of excellence scorecard really ties back to the word that we talked about earlier. It's about character. It's a self assessment. You are taking it as a leader on behalf of your organization to assess how are you doing in the key areas that those that are looking to come alongside and invest, donate or support in some way, what are some of the things that they are looking?

24:20 How are you doing in each of those areas? Being able to assess, am I on the right track or do I need to make some adjustments? And this scorecard was created because I spent um about a year just going around to different leadership events and conferences because I am so interested in the great wealth transfer and how these businesses and wealth is going to transition hands over the next few decades. I started really paying attention to what those that have a desire to pass down things were really looking for. And what I realized is that there was a disconnect.

24:59 Those that were looking to invest or donate had a scorecard that they were using, but the scorecard was often invisible to those that really wanted to to qualify, if you will, for these opportunities. So the goal with the beacon of excellence scorecard is to pull together all the things that I heard time and time again in such a way that you now know here is what I am being graded against. And now that I have taken the assessment, it is absolutely free for you to take. Now you know, okay, here are the things that I need to keep doing. Here are the things that I need to start doing. And these things, oh my gosh, I need to get help with these. Because the reality is I am not doing well in these areas not because I don't have desire but because maybe I don't have the right team member or maybe I don't have the right mentor.

25:52 So this scorecard is designed to illuminate the path uh for the next generation of leaders to figure out what steps they need to take to position themselves for the opportunities that they are seeking. So I definitely encourage you would love to have you take the scorecard and see where you stand. All right. So, where can we go take this assessment Tam?

26:14 Absolutely. I'd love for you to visit our website. We are at beaconship.co.com. beaconship.co. You will see right there on the homepage a link to take the scorecard. And what's beautiful about it is you don't just see the results on a screen. You are going to get a PDF where all of your results are summarized and you will have that action plan not only for yourself but so that you can share it with those that you lead so that now you can paint a v a picture of the vision of what you want to accomplish in the coming months and years.

26:47 And I think that's so critical um again selfless promotion for TAM. I think it's so critical as leaders that you understand one who you are, two, how you lead. What are the the fundamental principles that you have? Where can you get better? What are your blind spots? And so I'm so proud of you and what you've done with the scorecard um with what you do from a teaching coaching um helping people become better leaders, getting the best versions of themselves. um you know what are some of the the new cool initiatives that you have going on?

27:24 What is TAM working on now? Yeah, so right now I am really excited to be focusing on helping leaders actually refine their pitch. So right now all across the country there are events held where uh founders have an opportunity to share their venture. They do typically a very short presentation. we're talking somewhere between four and five minutes and they've got to capture the heart of their venture and their ask in that short time frame. So, it's been really fun to actually work with a group of leaders here in Charlotte. uh take the journey with them over several sessions, help them to refine what it is that their venture is really about in a way that's going to be compelling to investors and donors and then be able to translate that into a pitch deck that they can then use not only for events locally here in Charlotte but across the globe. And what's been amazing is how just giving them some guidance and

28:24 direction. Just helping them to understand the scorecard that they've been eval they're being evaluated with against has helped them to be able to get more clear and to not only capture it well in writing and they're pitched at, but in how they present it. And one of the things that I will share, Mick, that I I want to underscore for for the audience is get comfortable with your ask. Whether you're looking for investors or donors, one of the things that I see being the area where people really struggle is getting comfortable asking for money or asking for connections or asking for help. And I think that points to a challenge that we can often have as leaders. Sometimes we are really great at leading and pouring into others. But what I'm learning, I'm really focused on teaching others is we also have to be good receivers.

29:20 And being able to ask is a part is a part of that. It's the first step to being able to receive.

29:28 Amen. Amen to that. Tim, I could talk to you all day. Um I I think we just scratched the surface on some conversation, so I'm about to bring you back for part two if you're open to that.

29:38 Absolutely. Let's do it. All right. So before I get you out of here though, I got to go with my rapid fire. My quick five rapid fire questions.

29:46 Okay. All right. You ready? Ready. All right. So you just talked about football.

29:51 Yes. Who's your football team? You're gonna hate me. The Dallas Cowboys. I said football team.

29:58 What? Excuse me. So you So are you professional football team? See, Nick, that's dirty. That's just dirty. That's cold. See, you took it to a next level. I was ready for the hate, but I wasn't ready for the uh Wait a minute. I need a professional team. Really? Is that Is that how we're going today?

30:19 Sorry. I just I I don't want the listeners and viewers to be confused when I said professional football and you said Cowboys. I had to clarify that. Like

30:27 terrible. Terrible. All right. So So you talked about helping people with their pitch when you've got to get amped up and ready for a pitch for a conference. to go on stage. What's the song that you're going to in your head or that you're going to listen to?

30:45 Yeah. So, you might be surprised by this. Katy Perry Roar. I want to bring it. I want to get I want to get that inner like I got this.

30:53 Uh and that is a song that always does it for me 100%. Okay. All right. It's time for a homecooked meal. The weather's starting to change a little bit.

31:03 We we both live in the south, so I call this southern food time of the year right here. What is Tam's favorite fall winter meal?

31:14 Oh, pot roast. I love pot roast with some little potatoes on the side. It I don't know. It just warms my heart and when it when it just falls apart when you take it out of the crock pot. That's like my favorite. I love it.

31:28 I'm I'm right there with you. Give me a good roast and some mac and cheese and I'm I'm good for three days. I'm good for three days. What do you think is the most underrated leadership trait?

31:42 The underrated leadership trait, asking good questions. I remember having a leader um that I knew, Mick, had no idea really what my job was,

31:55 but he always asked me amazing questions. He didn't understand the details of anything, but every time I got into a meeting with him, I'm like, man, I got to do some homework. I got to go dig some stuff up. So, he was leading me not from a place of expertise, but by asking questions. And I think as leaders, as we get better at asking the right questions, we'll start getting better answers. And it will also help grow those that we lead because just like I was caught off guard and those that are following us are going to realize, hey, wait a minute, maybe I don't know this as well as I thought I did.

32:31 I love it. I love it. All right, last one. We're writing the story of Tam Jackson.

32:37 What's the one word that's going to define your legacy? Resilience. My life has certainly been filled with ups and downs. Um, but I think one of the things that God has blessed me with is the ability to recognize that this moment is not forever. So even in those tough times, I'm not going to always be here. And being able to recognize that and build a plan to move forward no matter what life throws at you, I think is what I hope defines me when all is said and done.

33:13 I love it. I love it. Tam, you're amazing. Honored to have you on today. Where do you want people to find and follow you?

33:22 Yeah, I would love for people to connect with me on LinkedIn. Uh, that's the platform that I'm really embracing right now. So, go ahead and find me. Tamara Jackson is my full government name on LinkedIn. Uh give me a follow, connect there. I'm also sharing a lot about what I'm learning as a leadership as a as a leader on LinkedIn. So I'd love for you to be a part of the conversation. Um yeah, so please connect there. I look forward to hearing from all of you.

33:50 All right. I'll make sure that we have those links available to her main website where the assessment lives, the scorecard lives, and then also to her LinkedIn profile. Do me a favor, give her a follow, tell her that you you heard us here on this show. We both will appreciate that. Tam, again, I just can't thank you enough for one, being the human being that you are, and two, just for taking time out of your busy schedule to teach us today. Thank you.

34:14 Yeah, it's been so fun. It's been a great time. Even though you talked about my team. Um, I I forgive you, Mick.

34:21 I talked about your what? My team. That's the team over there. Got it. I thought it was just Jerry Jones and his Cowboys. I I didn't know it was an actual team. You know, you know, David Ruffin and the Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Jerry Jones and the

34:38 Cowboys. That's terrible. That's terrible. You hurt me to my heart, Vic. You hurt me to my heart.

34:44 There you go. All right, Tam. And for all the viewers and listeners, remember your because is your superpower. Go unleash it. You've been plugged into Mick Unplugged. Don't just listen, take action. Rate and subscribe. Follow me on social and get the full experience at mickuntofficial.com. Keep building, keep leading, and most importantly, keep dominating.

Questions about this episode

What is "Building Better Leaders: Tamara Jackson’s Blueprint for Modern Leaders" about?

The content centers on Tamara Jackson’s insights into effective leadership, emphasizing the distinction between high purpose and high performance while highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence and asking meaningful questions. Jackson reflects on her personal journey and the urgency to inspire others to pursue their true passions and leverage their opportunities for growth.

What is mentioned in this Mick Unplugged Podcast episode?

59 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including character, Beaconship, assessment, impact, Tam Jackson, Tamara Jackson. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Building Better Leaders: Tamara Jackson’s Blueprint for Modern Leaders"?

The episode runs 35 min; the transcript is about 5,984 words in 80 timestamped sections.

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