The Psychology of Leadership, Risk Management and Emotional Intelligence With Dr. Mira Brancu

Welcome back to Limit Up!, the podcast exploring markets, trading strategies and psychology. That last word is so important to becoming a better trader that we have a very special guest for you, Dr. Mira Brancu, joining Jeff on the podcast this week. Dr. Brancu is a clinical psychologist with experience in risk management and leadership development. She and Jeff get deep into all these topics and more. 
Lastly, this week was the TopstepTrader company StepUp Day where we give back and volunteer to our community. So no MARKet Reaction or Wise Words from Jack this week, but don’t despair, both will be back for next Friday’s episode. 
BTW, did you know that this month is TopstepTrader’s 7th birthday?? We’re going to be celebrating the only way we know how: by giving you all some amazing gifts! So join us for the celebration and stayed tuned for more info about our birthday extravaganza!
Have thoughts about this episode? Don’t forget, we want to hear from you! We’re rolling out a new call-in line for listeners of the show, so be sure to give us a call at 855-902-0331 and let us know what’s on your mind.

• [00:42] – This week
• [02:48] – Jeff Carter Interview with Dr. Mira Brancu
  • [03:27] – Mira’s experience emigrating from communist Romania to the US
  • [07:19] – Life in Romania before emigrating
  • [08:49] – Moving from New York, NY to Durham, NC
  • [11:42] – Applying clinical training to leading teams and teaching others
  • [13:18] – Improving efficiencies and performance with new processes
  • [14:31] – Great psychologists put in flexible processes to improve the workflow
  • [15:37] – Learning and developing emotional intelligence
  • [18:11] – Pushing on even after you’ve hit the ceiling
  • [24:56] – How product/market fit applies to risk management
  • [25:39] – Insights from working with women developing as leaders
  • [27:46] – Attracting diverse candidates for prestigious roles
  • [29:52] – How can women prepare themselves to excel in traditionally male-dominated fields?
  • [31:25] – How can men diffuse fears of mentoring women due to legal reasons?
  • [38:10] – Pet peeves about networking
  • [45:25] – Does balancing opportunities turn into a zero-sum game?
  • [48:24] – What keeps Mira up at night
  • [49:39] – Walking away from a project when you are failing
• [54:53] – TopStepTrader Seventh Birthday Extravaganza

Dr. Mira Brancu is a clinical psychologist, Deputy Director of a mental health research center for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University’s School of Medicine, and CEO of Brancu & Associates, a women’s leadership consulting company.
This episode of Limit Up! is hosted by Jeff Carter. Jeff is a general partner at West Loop Ventures. In April of 2007, he co-founded Hyde Park Angels and spearheaded the growth and development of one of the most active angel groups in the United States. He has consulted on the startup of several other angel groups. He is a former independent trader and member of the CME Board of Directors and was part of a small group that transformed CME from an open outcry exchange to the largest electronic exchange in the world. In 1998, CME was worth $182,134,000 in membership enterprise value.  Today it’s worth $55 Billion.
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Podcast episode production by Dante32.