“I’m trying to find out, given my strengths, given my values, and given my goals, what’s the best leader that I can become for the people that are working with me. It’s really fun, I am having the time of my life.”

On this episode of Leadership Level Up, founder and former CEO of Ancestry.com and current Soar.com CEO Paul Allen joins Jeff and Brian to discuss his leadership journey.

Allen openly admits that early in his career he “made every mistake as a leader.” As the founder of a startup, he was thrust into a leadership role without ‘climbing the ladder of leadership.’ Characterizing his early forays into different markets as disruptive, Allen has taken a new approach in more recent ventures.

Trading his disruptive approach for servant leadership, Paul Allen says he is having the time of his life cultivating a workplace culture founded on conscious leadership and an abundant mindset. Allen believes that a servant leadership style, influenced by psychologist Don Clifton and others, and an emphasis on individuals learning their individual strengths, create conditions where no problem is too complex for human solutions.

Listen now to learn how Paul Allen specifically implements his leadership philosophy and gain insights into the ways you can apply the lessons he has learned to your own leadership style.

Meet Your Guest

Paul Allen

Paul Allen has founded and served as the CEO of many companies including Ancentry.com and currently serves as the CEO of Soar.com. He has also served as a senior advisor for Gallup. Initially focusing on internet marketing and strategy earlier in his career, Allen now thrives in the AI space. 

Allen’s current mission sets out to create AI services that assist individuals in countless ways. With the understanding that AI offers unprecedented access to large sums of human knowledge, he looks forward to helping individuals use these capabilities to reach their potential and find solutions to today’s problems.

Allen graduated from BYU in 1990 and currently lives in Kansas City.

About the Leadership LevelUp Podcast

Being a boss and a leader are very different. A boss tells you what to do and a leader partners with you in the process. Jeff, being a leader of leaders, has a vast knowledge of best practices and exercises to discover leadership traits. Brian shares stories with Jeff about the ups and downs of his leadership quest while talking to business and community leaders to discuss their personal leadership journey. Who influenced them? What do they do when they have a bad day? What gives them inspiration? Do french fries or tacos or ice cream make them feel better after a bad day? Through laughter and casual conversation, Brian and Jeff explore all aspects of good leadership.

Meet Your Host

Jeff Williamson

Brian Prairie

Show Sponsor

Pathfinder: A full-service creative & marketing agency with a mission to provide strategic storytelling to our clients. There is no greater impact in this world than a story. Storytelling is how we learn, remember, and feel. The world has used storytelling since the beginning of time to entertain, teach, inspire, and innovate. Pathfinder’s mission is to provide strategic storytelling for our clients. How? Through inventive business services and pioneering campaigns that help organizations find their own path and carry out their vision.