The Remarkable Power of Asking

“You create your opportunities by asking for them”

Norman Vincent Peale said “Change your thoughts and you can change your world.” Think about a time in your life when you had an idea or an opportunity that really excited you, something that would require you to push beyond the borders of your comfort zone. Perhaps it was asking for a promotion or a raise, or maybe you wanted to ask someone out to dinner, but the very thought made you nervous or uncomfortable. Did you adhere to those boundaries, or did you choose to move beyond them, undaunted? 

Consider how decisions you’ve made to be bold and embrace the power of asking have impacted your life. Think about the connections that asking has created, and doors that have opened as a result. Looking back, do you regret taking any of those leaps? It’s important to recognize that when it comes to making big moves, we can give fear too much power to dictate our actions. But we don’t have to. 

Today’s guest comes from my very own alma mater, the University of South Florida. Robert Bishop is Dean at the USF College of Engineering in beautiful Tampa. He’s recognized as a Distinguished Teaching Professor and Researcher in Aerospace Engineering, and he's a specialist in the Application of Systems and Control Theory to modern engineering products. 

Through serving on the University of South Florida's College of Engineering advisory board alongside Dean Bishop, I’ve seen how his fearless mindset has transformed the department and inspired growth and innovation. He’s someone who understands first hand the remarkable power of asking. Robert Bishop has co-authored with astronauts, sat down with Presidents, met brilliant artists, and he’s chilled backstage with rockstars. All of this happened through the simple power of asking. 

We create a lot of complex reasons in order to justify our fears, giving ourselves permission to refrain from asking bold questions that have the potential to alter the direction of our lives. In this episode, we discover how clarity of purpose gave Robert Bishop the courage to make the big, bold asks that got him where he is today. 

Some Questions I Ask:

Who were some of your biggest influences growing up? (7:02)Has moving around so frequently made it easier for you to connect and build relationships? (8:03)What stands out for you as a defining moment that helped you chart your course and your path forward? (8:59)Was there ever any fear or self doubt when you’ve made big asks in your life? (16:20)How have you been able to recognize and capitalize on those moments when the universe seems to open a door for you? (22:51)How have you built that leadership capability in yourself, since you say it wasn’t an innate skill? (27:17)What are some of the things that you're doing to cultivate that empathetic leadership and that leadership growth mindset in your engineers at the college? (31:16)What are you most proud of? (39:36)

What You’ll Learn in this Episode:

The invisible subculture of “military brats” (5:00)Robert Bishop’s first bold ask at 17 years of age  (11:17)How another bold ask led him to consider a career in academia (14:05)How a bold move as a teenager led to a lifetime of backstage rockstar encounters (17:26)How to inspire successful people to engage with you (20:33)How he brought a “Moonwalker” into the classroom (21:00)The spontaneous conversation with President Jimmy Carter that inspired his concept of leadership (28:46)Why the Leadership Program is designed to put more value on the human element within engineering (32:39)How the very busy Robert Bishop unwinds (hint: it’s not Netflix, like the rest of us...) (46:54)

Connect with Robert Bishop:

Twitter

LinkedIn

USF

You Tube Bio

Resources Mentioned:

Book: Jimmy Carter- Always a Reckoning

Videos: VH1- Where Are They Now?

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