HIRED! The Podcast (Ft. Trice Kabundi) | Ep. #45

From Rebels to Executives: Leadership Reimagined

In the latest episode of HIRED! The Podcast, host Travis Miller sits down with Trice Kabundi, a Managing Director of World 50 Group. With her vast experience across continents and industries, Trice offers a wealth of knowledge on leadership, hiring, and personal growth.

Cooking Up Flexibility in Hiring

Imagine hiring as a culinary adventure. Trice likens the art of hiring to her love for cooking and baking. “The beauty of hiring people for more than what is in their profile is that you’re actually hiring for the ability to be delightfully surprised,” she says. She shares an inspiring story about hiring someone not on the initial candidate list but who ended up transforming the organization. This metaphor sets the stage for a broader discussion on the need for flexibility and creativity in finding the right talent.

Breaking the Mold with Unconventional Practices

Travis and Trice challenge the traditional hiring norms. Travis suggests thinking about the “worst possible candidate” to broaden the pool of potential hires. Trice takes this further by stressing the importance of conversations over resumes. She recounts hiring someone who didn’t fit the conventional mold but brought fresh, innovative perspectives. Their discussion highlights the value of looking beyond traditional criteria to uncover true potential.

Embracing Vulnerability and Diverse Backgrounds

Leadership isn’t just about strength; it’s about vulnerability too. Trice shares her experience interviewing rapper Killer Mike just days after he won a Grammy. She recalls asking him, “Where does one put their Grammy?” This led to a deeper conversation about innovation, reinvention, and vulnerability. Trice explains, “We don’t just talk to traditional business leaders. We bring in incredible leaders from other spaces and ask, ‘How are you thinking about innovation? Renewal? Reinventing yourself? Your ecosystem?'” Killer Mike’s openness about his life and latest album, Michael, resonated deeply with her. “I had a little bit of an Oprah moment,” she jokes, reflecting on their discussion about his mother and the power of vulnerability in hip-hop and business. “Vulnerability is increasingly a requirement from leaders as the workforce evolves.”

Cultivating Growth and Learning from Failure

Nurturing talent goes beyond assigning tasks—it’s about structured development. Trice and Travis discuss the importance of providing growth opportunities within teams. They explore the inevitability and value of failure, with Trice emphasizing, “Failure builds muscles for future growth.” This segment is a reminder that resilience and reflection are key components of leadership development.

Adventures in Ethiopia and Planning for Succession

Trice shares a captivating story from her journey to Ethiopia, where she encountered an unexpected teacher in leadership—an Eritrean rebel general. When Travis asked about unique places and people who influenced her leadership strategies, particularly succession planning, Trice recounted this memorable experience. She described how the former Ethiopian ambassador introduced her to the general, leading to surprising and thought-provoking conversations. This encounter broadened her perspective, highlighting the value of embracing diverse viewpoints and forging unexpected connections in the world of leadership.

Reflecting on her time at Gray Matters Capital, Trice sees a parallel between the lessons from her Ethiopian adventure and her own leadership approach. She recalls saying, “I might be your CEO, but I don’t want to be CEO. So let’s just be very clear that this is not your plan for succession,” emphasizing the importance of clear communication and planning for future leadership. She articulates, “If a company is dependent on its leader for success, then that leader is doing a terrible job.” The principles of leadership, whether learned from a rebel general or applied in a corporate setting, remain strikingly similar: effective leaders develop people and systems that ensure the organization thrives even in their absence.

Don’t Miss Out on This Episode!

Trice Kabundi’s conversation with Travis Miller is a masterclass in flexible hiring, unconventional leadership, and personal growth. Don’t miss out on these invaluable insights from one of the industry’s most innovative leaders. Tune in to HIRED! The Podcast and join the conversation on LinkedIn. Listen now!

About Trice Kabundi

Trice Kabundi is a dynamic strategy and operations executive with a passion for unlocking human potential. As Managing Director at World 50 Group, she leads a community of Fortune 500 divisional presidents and CEOs. With a rich background spanning continents and industries, Trice has driven impactful business and social change. She recounts an intriguing encounter with an Eritrean rebel general, showcasing her openness to diverse perspectives and unexpected connections. Trice is also the author of the upcoming poetry collection Renegades of Creation and is deeply committed to her family’s agribusiness in Zambia.

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