We recently connected with Daniel Cone and have shared our conversation below.

Daniel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

This is such a complex topic, and there are so many ways success can be defined. But regardless, I think three main things are most important:

1) to have a deep passion for your work
2) a love of learning
3) an unwavering focus on your goal.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’m the Assistant Director of the World Bird Sanctuary in St. Louis, MO. I started as a volunteer when I was 13 years old and I’ve worked my way up since then. Birds and conservation have always been my passion. My first words were actually “blue jay”!

World Bird Sanctuary is one of the largest centers in North America for raptor conservation, and we truly have a global impact. We started in 1977 as a raptor rehabilitation hospital, caring for injured birds in the St. Louis Metro area. As we grew, we expanded into education and conservation.

We now treat over 630 patients annually with the goal of getting them back into the wild, we educate hundreds of thousands of school children annually, and we have conservation initiatives running all over the world. I’m most excited now about our focus on endangered vultures in Africa. The declining populations have devastating consequences for human health and the environment, and I’m so blessed to be working as part of the solution!

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Every person on a team is an individual. They have their own story, their own goals, their own feelings. I believe the best way to lead a team is by making sure each person in the team is heard, making sure they have the resources necessary for success, by setting a good example, and by focusing on the mission. The team wins when each of its members win!

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

There are so many books that have significantly impacted my thinking and philosophy. Off the top of my head, I would highlight “Good to Great” by Jim Collins, “Turn the Ship Around” by L. David Marquet, and “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek. These books have really solidified in my mind the power of individual ownership and unwavering focus on the mission.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.worldbirdsanctuary.org
• Instagram: @worldbirdsanctuary