Dr. Rajiv Shah

He mentioned a gentleman named Craig Fugate, a wonderful, outstanding leader who ran FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Authority. And then Obama sees me walk in and shuts down the conversation and walks over. He's like, Raj, come in, sit down. So I was a little panicked, you know, and I was like, oh my gosh.

He mentioned a gentleman named Craig Fugate, a wonderful, outstanding leader who ran FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Authority. And then Obama sees me walk in and shuts down the conversation and walks over. He's like, Raj, come in, sit down. So I was a little panicked, you know, and I was like, oh my gosh.

But then I sat down and then everyone else came in, Secretary Clinton, Napolitano, the whole team. And we just got into it. You know, we went through the scorecard and we said, here are the things that have to happen. Here's where we need the Coast Guard. Here's where we need the military. And it was a very collegial conversation, but I knew that it would take more than just me to kind of succeed.

But then I sat down and then everyone else came in, Secretary Clinton, Napolitano, the whole team. And we just got into it. You know, we went through the scorecard and we said, here are the things that have to happen. Here's where we need the Coast Guard. Here's where we need the military. And it was a very collegial conversation, but I knew that it would take more than just me to kind of succeed.

And Craig was one of the guys in the meeting. So on the way out, I like went up to Craig, put my arm around Craig and I was like, Craig, I need your help. And he's like, absolutely anything you need, I'm on it. And he and a couple of his guys came over to USAID and for the next three weeks, basically worked out of our emergency operations room side by side with me as we led that effort.

And Craig was one of the guys in the meeting. So on the way out, I like went up to Craig, put my arm around Craig and I was like, Craig, I need your help. And he's like, absolutely anything you need, I'm on it. And he and a couple of his guys came over to USAID and for the next three weeks, basically worked out of our emergency operations room side by side with me as we led that effort.

And I do think the tactic is asking for help. I think too often people find themselves in that moment and they go inside of themselves and they say, oh my gosh, how am I going to do this? My advice to your listeners, wherever you are in your journey, is open up and ask for help and be willing to take it.

And I do think the tactic is asking for help. I think too often people find themselves in that moment and they go inside of themselves and they say, oh my gosh, how am I going to do this? My advice to your listeners, wherever you are in your journey, is open up and ask for help and be willing to take it.

It ultimately makes you stronger and it serves the results you're trying to deliver more effectively.

It ultimately makes you stronger and it serves the results you're trying to deliver more effectively.

At that point, I wasn't sleeping much. So it was pretty easy to not lose sleep over it because I just wasn't sleeping.

At that point, I wasn't sleeping much. So it was pretty easy to not lose sleep over it because I just wasn't sleeping.

And, you know, the truth is, once you have that collaborative leadership style, I think people then know it. They mimic it. You get invited in more. They come to help you out more. And you get to say thank you and deliver results and learn from great leaders. I mean, I learned a ton the very first time I walked into the Pentagon.

And, you know, the truth is, once you have that collaborative leadership style, I think people then know it. They mimic it. You get invited in more. They come to help you out more. And you get to say thank you and deliver results and learn from great leaders. I mean, I learned a ton the very first time I walked into the Pentagon.

It was at the invitation of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs at the time, Admiral Mike Mullen, to deliver the chairman's briefing to thousands of troops all around the world and out of what they called the tank. And it was just the spirit of let's do this together is so important in government. It's important, I think, in the private sector and it's important in civil society.

It was at the invitation of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs at the time, Admiral Mike Mullen, to deliver the chairman's briefing to thousands of troops all around the world and out of what they called the tank. And it was just the spirit of let's do this together is so important in government. It's important, I think, in the private sector and it's important in civil society.

We do. Well, I'll say my tenure at USAID came to a close around the Ebola crisis. In fact, I was going to leave a little bit earlier and I extended my time in office in order to help lead that response. And I would just remind our collective listeners that in the summer of 2014, the mortality rate from Ebola was 75%. That compares with what everyone now knows is a mortality rate

We do. Well, I'll say my tenure at USAID came to a close around the Ebola crisis. In fact, I was going to leave a little bit earlier and I extended my time in office in order to help lead that response. And I would just remind our collective listeners that in the summer of 2014, the mortality rate from Ebola was 75%. That compares with what everyone now knows is a mortality rate

COVID well under a single percentage point. And what it meant was anyone getting it was likely going to die. And it was pervasive across three West African countries anchored in Liberia. And also at the time, the CDC had predicted there would be 1.6 million cases, including hundreds of thousands in the United States.

COVID well under a single percentage point. And what it meant was anyone getting it was likely going to die. And it was pervasive across three West African countries anchored in Liberia. And also at the time, the CDC had predicted there would be 1.6 million cases, including hundreds of thousands in the United States.