LIFT Episode 4 (Part I):

In our fourth episode, we are fortunate to learn from a highly experienced leader in the tech sector, Andrew Chrostowski, Chairman and CEO of RealWear. A former research physicist and Air Force veteran, he shares perspectives on building resilience, scaling, and what failure really means in a culture of innovation and risk-taking. Find out insightful ways to bridge science and business, manage complexity, hire the right people, and step up to do the right thing when systems break down – or when your golf swing just won’t cooperate.

Today’s guest is Andrew Chrostowski, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RealWear, and he joins us to share some of the lessons he learned through his experience with complex systems and managing teams both in the military and private sector. RealWear is the industry leader for powerful, voice-operated headset computers, their flagship product being the HMT-1, an industrial hands-free knowledge transfer platform for frontline workers. With experience in the Air Force, as a research physicist, and as a business leader, too, Andrew has an extensive understanding about the relationship between complex systems and the role of people within them. Our conversation starts with a sketch of Andrew’s career and education, where he shares different scenarios that helped him gain the perspectives on systems thinking he shares today. From there, we dive into some important takeaways about the importance of humans in increasingly automated systems, why complex problems cannot be solved with simple solutions, how to build systems that tolerate failure, how to include your team in the development of company culture, and navigating employees with different strengths to align them to a common goal. Other golden nuggets describe the importance of the presence of mind in leadership, applying the “rule of five” to building resilient systems, and how to use the “pyramid of trust” to scale an organization. Tune in for all this and a whole lot more from today’s enlightening conversation.

Like this? Hear more in Part II.

“A 70% solution today is better than a 100% solution six months from now.”  Andrew Chrostowski

“Risk management is where it all begins and ends. People don’t realize that risk is not always bad. Risk gets you reward.”   Allison J. Taylor

Allison Podcast

Leadership inspiration for professionals who appreciate life-long learning infused with sarcasm and wit. Silicon Valley consultant Allison J. Taylor curates intelligent conversations that illuminate fresh points of view across business, technology, communications and management. Time-pressed execs can get informed and inspired in under 60 minutes.