Playbook For Performance: Recent Episodes
Shawna Corden
Leadership Strategies for High Performing Teams. Each week we’ll tackle the mindsets, strategies and tactics that make employees excited to come to work and do a great job.
Welcome to the final day of our '7 Days of Sanity' series, aligned with election day. In this episode, Shawna reflects on the journey over the past week, emphasizing the importance of embodying the change we wish to see. After practicing values, setting boundaries, fostering commonality, engaging in deep listening, and self-care, today's focus is on leading by example.
Key Points:
1. Lead by Example: Today, we focus on modeling positive behavior. Think about what you want to embody post-election and how you can share that with others.
2. Diversity of Thought: Embrace and celebrate different perspectives as they fuel innovation and prevent groupthink.
3. Actions that Inspire: If you value education, find ways to contribute—whether through volunteering, supporting teachers, or attending PTA meetings. Live your values authentically.
4. Ripple Effect of Small Actions: Start with one behavior you want to model and practice it today. Remember Stephen Covey's advice: "Start with the end in mind." Whether it’s listening or curiosity, choose what will improve your environment, community, and relationships.
5. Final Sale Day: Today marks the last day of the sale for Shawna’s book Meet Me in the Middle. Resources to facilitate dialogues for teams and families are available to promote psychological safety and meaningful conversations.
Call to Action:
Reflect on how you can inspire and lead by living your values. Reach out to Shawna at shaunacordon.com for more support. Don’t miss the upcoming episode summarizing all seven lessons!
Connect:
Leave comments on YouTube or contact Shawna for any inquiries or feedback.
Closing:
Thank you for joining this week's series. Until next time, take good care.
👉 Link to the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/e4jCJ1W
Today’s episode in our "7 Days of Sanity" series is about self-care during stressful times. Shawna Corden emphasizes that essential self-care practices like sleep, nutrition, and brief restorative breaks often get overlooked when chaos surrounds us. Remember: you can’t pour from an empty cup.
Key Takeaway: Schedule at least 15 minutes of self-care today—whether it’s a walk, deep breathing, or a favorite activity—and treat it as a vital appointment. Even a small pause can significantly improve your resilience and clarity.
Join us for the final episode tomorrow, and don’t forget to share your self-care tips in the comments!
Shawna’s book, on sale this week, offers deeper insights and practical discussion tips to foster psychological safety and effective communication. It is available on Audible and other platforms.
👉 Link to the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/e4jCJ1W
Welcome to Day 5 of our special '7 Days of Sanity' series, where we navigate the emotional landscape of election season with practical strategies for maintaining peace and connection.
Today’s episode focuses on finding common ground to build bridges rather than walls. Building on yesterday’s lesson about deep listening, Shawna Corden discusses how to identify and emphasize shared values and interests, even in the most challenging conversations.
Highlights:
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Connect on Shared Values: Identify common interests, such as family, community, or shared experiences, to create a foundation for conversation.
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Approach with Intention: Seek to connect, not win. Express the value you place on the relationship.
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Use Collaborative Language: To foster connection, use phrases like “I agree” or “I also find this important.”
Homework for Today:Engage in one conversation where you consciously seek and build on shared values. Notice the shift this approach brings to the interaction.
Join us tomorrow for Day 6 as we continue our journey to stay grounded during this intense time. Until then, take care of yourself and those around you.
Shawna’s book, on sale this week, offers deeper insights and practical discussion tips to foster psychological safety and effective communication. It is available on Audible and other platforms.
👉 Link to the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/e4jCJ1W
This episode explores the importance of listening and seeking to understand, especially during divisive times.
Key Points:
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Listen Without Agenda: Approach conversations with curiosity, not judgment, to foster understanding.
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Psychological Safety: Everyone deserves to express their opinions without fear of retribution or humiliation.
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Find Common Ground: Even if perspectives differ, shared values may be expressed uniquely.
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Deep Listening Tips:
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Paraphrase what you hear to show understanding.
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Use silence to encourage deeper expression.
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Practice by observing conversations, even with the TV muted.
Join us tomorrow for Day 5 of this series! Explore deep listening in Shawna’s book Meet Me in the Middle, which is on sale this week and now available on Audible.
👉 Link to the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/e4jCJ1W
Today’s episode of the "7 Days of Sanity" series focuses on the importance of setting healthy boundaries, especially during stressful times like election season. Protecting your energy is essential to maintaining peace and well-being.
Key Points:
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Understanding Boundaries: Boundaries are not about excluding others but about choosing what you allow into your space, like a fence or gate.
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Practical Examples: Limit your exposure to potentially draining content (e.g., opt for movies instead of cable TV or restrict phone use).
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Scripts for Communication: Inform others of your choices without criticizing them (e.g., “I won’t watch the news until after the election to protect my sanity”).
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Protecting Your Space: Fill your personal space with activities that recharge you, such as cooking or reading.
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Try This: Set a timer for social media or news consumption and leave the environment when the time is up.
Homework: Set a new boundary today and observe how it impacts your peace. Repeat it if it works for you.
Join us tomorrow for Day 4 of this series! Explore more about boundaries in Shawna’s book Meet Me in the Middle, which is on sale this week and now available on Audible.
👉 Link to the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/e4jCJ1W
In today’s episode of Seven Days of Sanity, we explore managing emotional triggers and the power of responding thoughtfully rather than reacting impulsively. Shawna shares practical strategies to stay grounded during emotionally charged moments—especially in the lead-up to the election.
Key takeaways:
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Understand the difference between responding vs. reacting.
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Use breathing techniques and tactile objects (like keys or coins) to discharge emotional energy.
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Anticipate triggers—prepare responses to maintain your peace in challenging conversations.
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Align your responses with your personal values and the brand you want to project.
Homework: Identify your common triggers and plan how to respond next time they arise. Take deep breaths, walk away if needed, and maintain your inner calm.
Join us tomorrow for Day 3 of this series! If you'd like to dive deeper into managing emotions, check out Shawna’s book, Meet Me in the Middle, which is on sale this week and is now available on Audible.
👉 Link to the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/e4jCJ1W
In today’s episode of Seven Days of Sanity, we focus on values as the key to staying grounded amidst the chaos of the upcoming U.S. election. Drawing from tools in my book Meet Me in the Middle, we explore how values serve as your personal compass, helping you make decisions and behave in alignment with what matters most.
Tune in to discover practical ways to identify your values:
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What do you do with unexpected free time?
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How would you spend money found in an old coat?
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How do your actions align with your personal rules for behavior?
Daily Homework: List your top three values and reflect on what makes you feel alive and authentic. This exercise will help you navigate the next seven days—and beyond—with clarity and purpose.
The book Meet Me in the Middle is on sale this week and available on Audible. Join us tomorrow for the next step in this sanity-saving series!
👉 Link to the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/e4jCJ1W
In this episode, we explore the different ways people make decisions and the pros and cons of each style. Whether you make decisions quickly, seek input from others, prioritize harmony, or rely on detailed research, it’s essential to recognize your tendencies and how they affect your outcomes.
We also dive into the concept of the sunk cost fallacy—when investments of time, money, or effort keep us stuck in situations we should leave behind. Using examples from the business world, such as Jeff Bezos’s pivot from Amazon’s failed phone project to Alexa, we discuss how to let go and open up new opportunities.
Key takeaways:
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The four decision-making styles: Quick Deciders, Socializers, People Pleasers, and Evidence Weighers.
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How to avoid "analysis paralysis" by setting boundaries.
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Understanding the sunk cost fallacy and its impact on personal and professional decisions.
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Creative ways to explore new paths, like trial runs and decision criteria tools.
If you're struggling with a tough choice or want help navigating change, we’re here to support you! Tune in next time for a discussion on remote team management best practices.
Connect with Shawna:
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Website: shawnacorden.com
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https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
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Email: podcast@shawnacorden.com
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Instagram: @playbookforperformance
DON'T FORGET: If you found this episode helpful, leave a 5-star review or give us a thumbs-up on YouTube to help others find us!
In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked topic of strengths and how they can shape our personal and professional lives. We discuss the importance of recognizing and leveraging your natural abilities rather than striving for perfection. We also explore practical ways to identify your strengths using tools like Gallup's StrengthsFinder and learn how to maximize them to enhance individual and team performance.
Key takeaways:
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Understanding what constitutes a true strength and why it’s crucial to focus on what comes naturally to you.
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Tips for leaders to encourage and develop their team's strengths.
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How to delegate tasks that drain your energy and focus on those that put you in a state of flow.
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Building a personal "board of directors" to support your growth in various areas of life.
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Strategies for expanding your strengths and reducing tasks that don’t align with them.
Tune in to discover how to make strengths the majority of your "life pie" and foster a more engaged, productive, and fulfilled team or personal life.
Connect with Shawna:
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Website: shawnacorden.com
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https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
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Email: podcast@shawnacorden.com
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Instagram: @playbookforperformance
Next Episode Preview:
Remote Team Management – Tips and strategies for leading teams in a hybrid or fully remote work environment.
Want More?
Share your thoughts and feedback in the comments or reach out via www.shawnacorden.com. We'd love to hear what topics you'd like to explore next!
In this episode, we dive into the often-overlooked but crucial topic of team building. Shawna discusses the various aspects of team building, including communication, trust, problem-solving, and decision-making. She outlines the benefits of team building, such as improved collaboration, innovation, and trust within teams. Shawna also shares practical tips on how to incorporate team-building activities into your routine, the importance of psychological safety, and how to measure the effectiveness of these activities.
Key takeaways:
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Types of Team Building: Understanding different communication styles, trust-building exercises, problem-solving challenges, and decision-making activities.
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Benefits of Team Building: Enhanced team communication, collaboration, innovation, and trust.
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Implementation Tips: Start small with regular, brief activities before investing in larger events. Ensure psychological safety and consider using a facilitator to maximize the effectiveness of team-building efforts.
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Measuring Success: Look for signs of increased trust, better role understanding, and more efficient task handoffs among team members.
Connect with Shawna:
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Website: shawnacorden.com
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https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
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Email: podcast@shawnacorden.com
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Instagram: @playbookforperformance
Next Episode Preview:
Shawna will explore leveraging individual strengths within a team to create a group of all-stars rather than a homogenous unit.
Call to action:
Interested in testing our new Resilience app? Email us at podcast@shawnacorden.com with "Beta Tester" in the subject line. If you need coaching support for your team, don’t hesitate to reach out!
In this episode of the Playbook for Performance podcast, host Shawna Corden dives into the vital topic of diversity and inclusion within teams. While this subject may seem over-discussed, Shawna brings a fresh perspective, sharing why diversity isn't just a buzzword but a critical driver for innovation, creativity, and effective decision-making.
Key takeaways:
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Diversity in Teams: The importance of having diverse backgrounds and experiences in teams to foster innovative problem-solving.
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Mastermind Groups: How diversity within mastermind groups can enhance personal and professional development.
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Inclusion: Inclusion goes beyond just inviting someone to the table; it’s about ensuring they are prepared, confident, and able to contribute meaningfully.
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Practical Tips: Role-playing, forming a personal board of directors, and engaging in "immersion therapy" to broaden perspectives.
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Bias Awareness: The value of understanding personal biases and how they can impact decision-making.
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Supporting Diversity: How to prepare and support diverse candidates for success within your organization.
Connect with Shawna:
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Website: shawnacorden.com
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https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
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Email: podcast@shawnacorden.com
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Instagram: @playbookforperformance
Next Episode Preview:
Tune in next week as we explore team-building strategies that strengthen cohesion and upgrade team skills.
Special Announcement: Shawna is developing an app to improve resilience and is seeking beta testers. If you’re interested, email podcast@shawnacorden.com with "beta tester" in the subject line.
In this episode of "Playbook for Performance," Shawna Corden dives into the intricacies of performance management. Far from being a dreaded task, Shawna explains how setting clear expectations can transform this process into a seamless part of leadership.
Episode Highlights
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Understanding Performance Management:
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Setting clear expectations for your team.
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Differentiating between job descriptions and position plans.
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The Importance of Expectations:
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Aligning work with how it should be done and deadlines.
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Ensuring mutual understanding of tasks using metaphors like "paint the shed."
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Managing Time and Projects:
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Balancing workload throughout the year with pie charts and forecasting.
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Addressing busy seasons and planning for personal and professional time.
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Development Opportunities:
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Focusing on strengths over weaknesses.
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Utilizing mentoring and setting SMART goals for clarity and success.
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Tracking Progress:
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Regular check-ins and feedback.
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Keeping detailed notes on individual progress.
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Handling Underperformance:
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Assuming positive intent and offering support.
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Identifying capacity versus capability issues and providing necessary resources.
Resources:
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Contact Shawna Corden: shawna@shawnacorden.com
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Shawna’s book on conflict resolution and teamwork strategies
Next Episode Preview:
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Topic: Diversity and Inclusion
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Focus: The importance of diversity of thought in enriching teams and improving business outcomes.
Takeaway: Performance management is about setting clear expectations, fostering growth, and maintaining regular communication to ensure team success.
Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, we'll explore the intricacies of navigating change within teams.
Key Points Discussed:
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The Brain and Change: Understand why the brain equates change to pain and how developing new neural pathways can be challenging.
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Research Insights: Learn from the ICF and HCI report on building a coaching culture for change, highlighting common organizational struggles such as poor leadership, communication issues, and burnout.
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Effective Communication: Tips for over-communicating the reasons for change, the path forward, and timelines.
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Leadership Role: How leaders can articulate vision, connect individual roles to the bigger picture, and manage the change process with compassion and clarity.
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Change Intelligence: Introduction to Dr. Barbara Troutline’s Change Intelligence concept and the importance of recognizing different change styles within your team.
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Support Systems: The importance of providing moral and practical support, including additional staffing, automation, and self-care initiatives.
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Monitoring Progress: Strategies for tracking and communicating the progress of change initiatives, making necessary adjustments, and leading by example.
Additional Resources:
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Employee Resilience App: Announcing our upcoming app focused on building employee resilience. We're looking for beta testers! Email us at podcast@shawnacorden.com with "beta tester" in the subject line.
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CQ Assessment: Learn more about the Change Intelligence (CQ) assessment and how it can benefit your team.
Homework:
- Develop a Clear Communication Plan: Include strategies, key messages, and channels to keep everyone informed and engaged.
- Seek Input and Feedback: Engage your team through surveys, workshops, and team meetings.
- Provide Support Systems: Offer training, coaching, and EAP services to help your team manage change.
- Monitor Progress: Regularly track and communicate the progress of your change initiatives.
Stay Connected:- Next Episode: We’ll discuss performance management and how to maintain changes for lasting success.
- Feedback and Reviews: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review and send a screenshot to podcast@shawnacorden.com for a chance to receive a signed copy of Shawna’s book.
Join us next time for more insights and strategies on how to effectively lead your team through change. Until then, take good care!
In this episode of the Playbook for Performance Podcast, Shawna Corden dives into the crucial topic of enhancing team engagement. With only 21% of employees actively engaged at work, Shawna explores strategies leaders can use to boost their teams' motivation, productivity, and job satisfaction.
Key Points Discussed:
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Defining Engagement:
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Engagement is measured by productivity, profitability, and retention.
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Only 21% of employees are actively engaged, making it essential to focus on improving this metric.
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Measuring Engagement:
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Utilize Gallup's Q12 questions to assess engagement.
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Four key categories: What do I give? What do I get? Can I grow? Do I belong?
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Strategies for Enhancing Engagement:
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Create a Sense of Purpose: Connect daily tasks to the overall vision and goals of the organization.
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Recognize and Reward Efforts: Appreciate and reward employees' efforts in various ways, not just financially.
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Foster a Positive Work Environment: Encourage teamwork, assume positive intent, and provide constructive feedback privately.
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Encourage Work-Life Balance: Model healthy work-life balance practices and respect employees' time outside of work.
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Actionable Tips:
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Conduct anonymous surveys to gauge current engagement levels.
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Implement a recognition plan with a set budget and frequency.
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Schedule professional development opportunities.
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Hold feedback sessions to enhance the work environment.
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Homework:
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Leaders are encouraged to assess their teams' engagement, create recognition plans, and promote professional development.
Resources:
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Contact Shawna Corden: shawna@shawnacorden.com
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Shawna’s book on conflict resolution and teamwork strategies
Next Episode Preview: The next topic will cover navigating change within organizations and making the process less painful.
Listen to the full episode for more insights and practical tips on enhancing team engagement!
Episode Summary: In this episode, Shawna Corden explores the often misunderstood topic of conflict within teams. She explains how conflict, when managed correctly, can be a powerful tool for innovation and growth. She also highlights the difference between productive and unproductive conflict and offers practical tips and strategies for fostering healthy competition and resolving disagreements.
Key Points Discussed:
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Importance of Conflict: Conflict can be a catalyst for improvement and innovation, similar to healthy competition.
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Types of Conflict:
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Task Conflict: Disagreements about responsibilities and task completion.
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Relationship Conflict: Personal differences and triggers.
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Process Conflict: Conflicting objectives within matrixed organizations.
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Goal Conflict: Internal conflicts between personal and organizational goals.
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Healthy vs. Unhealthy Conflict: Productive conflict focuses on issues, while unproductive conflict targets individuals.
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Conflict Resolution Strategies:
- Use of RACI charts for clarity in responsibilities.
- Active listening and paraphrasing to ensure understanding.
- Encouraging team collaboration to solve problems.
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Role-playing and mediation exercises to build conflict resolution skills.
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The Role of Leaders: Leaders should facilitate conflict resolution rather than imposing solutions.
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Maintaining Harmony: Too much harmony can hinder accountability and performance. Balanced conflict can enhance team effectiveness.
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Practical Exercises: Teams can benefit from conflict resolution exercises, including reviewing past conflicts or using hypothetical case studies.
Resources:
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Contact Shawna Corden: shawna@shawnacorden.com
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Shawna’s book on conflict resolution and teamwork strategies
Next Episode Preview: Join us next time as we discuss enhancing team engagement. We'll explore what makes people feel engaged and what drives team disengagement.
Thank you for tuning in. Remember, when managed well, conflict can lead to greater team success. Until next time, take good care!
In this episode, Shawna Corden delves into the crucial topic of effective communication within teams. With multiple generations working together, understanding and implementing clear communication standards is essential. Shawna provides practical tips and strategies to help teams communicate more effectively, ensuring everyone is on the same page and working towards common goals.
Key Takeaways:
-Shared Purpose: Ensure everyone knows the mission and goals to avoid misunderstandings.
-Clarity and Conciseness: Use precise vocabulary and communicate what's necessary without overloading with background information.
-Active Listening: Engage fully in conversations, confirming and understanding what's been said to avoid misinterpretations.
-Regular Updates: Keep the team informed about decisions, action items, and trends to prevent surprises.
-Appropriate Communication Channels: Determine the best channels for different types of communication and set standards.
-Feedback: Provide constructive feedback on meetings and communication to improve effectiveness.
-Non-verbal Communication: Assume positive intent and address issues directly rather than passively.
Next Episode Preview: Join us next time as we discuss conflict resolution in teams, building on the foundation of effective communication. Shawna will share insights and strategies to manage and resolve conflicts, enhancing team harmony and productivity.
Connect with Shawna:
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Email: podcast@shawnacorden.com
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Website: www.shawnacorden.com
Don't forget to subscribe to stay updated on the latest episodes and insights from Shawna Corden!
In this episode of the Playbook for Performance podcast, host Shawna Corden explores the critical importance of building trust within teams. Trust isn't just about reliability; it significantly impacts productivity, engagement, and overall team dynamics.
Key insights include:
- Definition and elements of trust: Consistency, competence, communication, and compassion.
- Impact of trust on organizational outcomes: Higher productivity, lower stress, increased engagement.
- Practical strategies to build trust: Transparency in communication, consistent and reliable actions, fostering personal relationships, and recognizing trustworthy behavior.
Drawing from Harvard research and real-world examples, Shawna discusses how trust contributes to team cohesion, resilience, and employee satisfaction. Listeners gain actionable tips to cultivate trust within their teams, enhancing performance and fostering a positive work culture.
Tune in to discover how trust can transform your team dynamics and drive organizational success. Subscribe to the podcast for more insights on effective team coaching and leadership strategies.
Hello, and welcome back to another edition of the Playbook for Performance podcast. I'm your host, Shawna Corden. This month, we're talking all about team coaching, and specifically, today's topic is about the psychological safety of teams in team coaching.
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website:
https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
🟥 Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
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Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
Subscribe to the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
—
Follow me here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnacorden/
https://www.instagram.com/playbookforperformance/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheJerkWhisperer
Website: https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/shawnacorden
—
🟥Looking for my books on Amazon? Here they are!🟥
Coach Culture: A Playbook for Winning in Business: https://a.co/d/bXFQLQK
Meet Me In The Middle: https://a.co/d/6DshQs8
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website:
https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
🟥 Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
Subscribe to the channel here:
/ @shawnacorden
—
Follow me here:
Instagram:
/ shawnacorden
/ playbookforperformance
Facebook:
/ thejerkwhisperer
Website: https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
LinkedIn:
/ shawnacorden
—
🟥Looking for my books on Amazon? Here they are!🟥
Coach Culture: A Playbook for Winning in Business: https://a.co/d/bXFQLQK
Meet Me In The Middle: https://a.co/d/6DshQs8
In today's podcast, we are discussing how to nurture our attitude during the holiday season. We explore the challenges that arise when our plans don't go as expected and provide strategies for maintaining resilience and a positive mindset. We also examine the importance of clear communication and honest conversations with loved ones. Join us as we uncover triggers, restore balance, and create a nurturing holiday experience.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
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Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
Subscribe to the channel here: / @shawnacorden
—
Follow me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnacorden/ https://www.instagram.com/playbookfor...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheJerkWhisperer
Website: https://www.shawnacorden.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/shawnacorden
Looking for my books on Amazon? Here they are!
- Coach Culture: A Playbook for Winning in Business: https://a.co/d/bXFQLQK
- Meet Me In The Middle: https://a.co/d/6DshQs8
Leave a five-star review to get a signed copy of my book. Screenshot it and email it to podcast@shawnacorden.com
In this episode of the Playbook for Performance podcast, we discuss strategies for enjoying the holiday season. We explore different desired outcomes for the holidays and how to eliminate obstacles that prevent us from achieving them. The episode emphasizes the importance of patience, relaxation, and self-care during this busy time. Listeners are encouraged to set boundaries, delegate tasks, and prioritize activities that bring joy and meaning to their holiday experience.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
Subscribe to the channel here: / @shawnacorden
—
Follow me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnacorden/ https://www.instagram.com/playbookfor...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheJerkWhisperer
Website: https://www.shawnacorden.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/shawnacorden
Looking for my books on Amazon? Here they are!
- Coach Culture: A Playbook for Winning in Business: https://a.co/d/bXFQLQK
- Meet Me In The Middle: https://a.co/d/6DshQs8
Leave a five-star review to get a signed copy of my book. Screenshot it and email it to podcast@shawnacorden.com
In today's podcast, I discuss how the DISC Personality assessment can help leaders understand their own style and the styles of their team members. By adapting their leadership style, leaders can effectively manage their teams. I also highlight the importance of change management exercises when a new leader takes over, as well as the impact of team member styles on team culture. Throughout the video, I provide insights and tips for leaders to navigate these dynamics and ensure productivity and success.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
Subscribe to the channel here: / @shawnacorden
—
Follow me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnacorden/ https://www.instagram.com/playbookfor...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheJerkWhisperer
Website: https://www.shawnacorden.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/shawnacorden
Looking for my books on Amazon? Here they are!
- Coach Culture: A Playbook for Winning in Business: https://a.co/d/bXFQLQK
- Meet Me In The Middle: https://a.co/d/6DshQs8
Leave a five-star review to get a signed copy of my book. Screenshot it and email it to podcast@shawnacorden.com
In this video, I discuss the importance of adapting your leadership style to meet the needs of your team members, peers, partners, and even your children. I emphasize that there is no good or bad personality type and that adapting your style doesn't mean compromising authenticity. I provide examples of how adapting your style can improve retention and create a more harmonious work environment. Additionally, I address common questions about authenticity, being a chameleon, and the workload of a leader. Join me as we explore the benefits of adapting your style and learn practical strategies for effective leadership.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
Subscribe to the channel here: / @shawnacorden
—
Follow me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnacorden/ https://www.instagram.com/playbookfor...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheJerkWhisperer
Website: https://www.shawnacorden.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/shawnacorden
Looking for my books on Amazon? Here they are!
- Coach Culture: A Playbook for Winning in Business: https://a.co/d/bXFQLQK
- Meet Me In The Middle: https://a.co/d/6DshQs8
Leave a five-star review to get a signed copy of my book. Screenshot it and email it to podcast@shawnacorden.com
Welcome back, folks. So, this is our last in the personality type series. As a reminder, if you're listening to this on your podcast platform, know that we have a YouTube channel and you can watch that. So let's get started. If you're just joining us, there are four different personality types. We're trying to help you understand the types so that you can adapt your own staff whether it be as a leader or as a peer, so that you can meet in the middle. There are four main personality types. I like to assign each of them an avatar and a sound bite or a mantra that helps you remember them.
Today, we're doing a deep dive into the conscientious or the C personality type. So, as a leader, or a parent, how do you recognize if your subordinate or your child is conscientious? They can take a long time to make decisions. They tend to be reserved and will observe situations. They're very precise and tend to be more private. They don't share personal things readily and they are very systematic. So when I think of Legos, I think of the conscientious types.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
Subscribe to the channel here: / @shawnacorden
—
Follow me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnacorden/ https://www.instagram.com/playbookfor...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheJerkWhisperer
Website: https://www.shawnacorden.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/shawnacorden
Looking for my books on Amazon? Here they are!
- Coach Culture: A Playbook for Winning in Business: https://a.co/d/bXFQLQK
- Meet Me In The Middle: https://a.co/d/6DshQs8
Leave a five-star review to get a signed copy of my book. Screenshot it and email it to podcast@shawnacorden.com
Personality types are gauged by a couple of different factors, whether people are more outgoing or more reserved. Whether they're more warm and accepting or questioning and skeptical. Based on how you answer those questions, we will plot you on a four-quadrant system and each quadrant has a style name, a soundbite, a mantra, and an avatar to help you remember. When I work with teams, the more that they can remember who's who and what they prefer, the more that they naturally adapt their style to me. Meet people in the middle so that we can compromise and get work done more efficiently, pleasantly, and with better lasting results. So, let's get into the details of the steadiness style.
Their mantra is "get it right", and their avatar is Steve Jobs. The steadiness style is like peace and tranquility for everyone. They are the only ultimate team players. They are humble, patient, tactful, and are wonderful teammates. But they tend to be a little bit overly deferential. Oftentimes, what happens is they defer, and then they get resentful because they're like, how come nobody asked me what I think?
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
Subscribe to the channel here: / @shawnacorden
—
Follow me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnacorden/ https://www.instagram.com/playbookfor...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheJerkWhisperer
Website: https://www.shawnacorden.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/shawnacorden
Looking for my books on Amazon? Here they are!
- Coach Culture: A Playbook for Winning in Business: https://a.co/d/bXFQLQK
- Meet Me In The Middle: https://a.co/d/6DshQs8
Leave a five-star review to get a signed copy of my book. Screenshot it and email it to podcast@shawnacorden.com
Hey, welcome back everybody. I hope your week is going well, and I've found you in a very good place. This month’s theme is about coaching your staff according to their style, and today, we're going to do a deep dive into the “I” type or the Influence personality type. So, just a quick recap, if you haven't been with us the last couple of weeks, there are four major personality types, and I like to identify them all with a sound bite and an avatar because I think it makes it easier to remember. The avatar of this personality type Richard Branson, life is a party. How do we know the “I” style? Well, all of us disc facilitators make this joke that the “I” is lowercase “i” in the acronym DiSC because we need to tone these people down a little bit. They are very enthusiastic, outgoing, optimistic, high-spirited, and lively. So sometimes if you're a reserved person and you're around one of these colleagues, or if this is one of your children, you're kind of like not my thing. You might feel like they're unprofessional, or they can't possibly be getting work done because they are having fun, but they really are.
Every team needs an “i” in their organization. They need someone who is enthusiastic about supporting one another. They are very socially oriented and that's the glue that keeps people together.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: https://linktr.ee/shawnacorden
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
Subscribe to the channel here: / @shawnacorden
—
Follow me here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnacorden/ https://www.instagram.com/playbookfor...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheJerkWhisperer
Website: https://www.shawnacorden.com/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/shawnacorden
Looking for my books on Amazon? Here they are!
- Coach Culture: A Playbook for Winning in Business: https://a.co/d/bXFQLQK
- Meet Me In The Middle: https://a.co/d/6DshQs8
Leave a five-star review to get a signed copy of my book. Screenshot it and email it to podcast@shawnacorden.com
Last week, I discussed the importance of understanding different personality styles and how they can improve communication and collaboration in the workplace. I also introduced the DISC personality assessment, which divides individuals into four quadrants based on their dominant traits. For today's podcast, we will talk about coaching the dominant team member. There's a reason that the "D" personality type is called the dominant style.They're firm, strong willed, and direct. They are not easily talked out of an idea once they have set their mind into something. They are results oriented. So if you're managing a D style, whether it be your child or staff member, we need to adapt our style in a very agile way to what they need and what's appropriate in that situation. It could be difficult to manage a D style because it's a demanding personality type.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
This month’s theme is about coaching your staff according to their style. In today's podcast, I am discussing the importance of understanding different personality styles and how they can improve communication and collaboration in the workplace. I introduce the DISC personality assessment, which divides individuals into four quadrants based on their dominant traits. We can create a more inclusive and productive work environment by recognizing and adapting to different styles. I also highlight the significance of emotional intelligence and how it impacts leadership. No specific action is requested from the viewers, but the information shared can help them enhance their communication skills.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
Today, we will talk about the second essential skill for an effective leader, and that is adapting your style as a leader. This means making sure that you are addressing each and every person that you interact with in a way that they can hear the message you're trying to deliver and delivering it in a way that matches their personality essentially. What their preferences and tendencies are when it comes to receiving information, getting feedback, etc.. It is essential that we do that; otherwise, the message isn't heard.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
We are continuing the discussion about the essential skills for an effective leader. And today, we are talking about the first essential skill which is what leaders need to do when it comes to setting the vision. It is so important to know about vision because it's basically the leader's job to establish a clear expectation of where the team will go. It’s important for people to know and understand that employees want a clear plan. Clarity is essential for us to take one step after another to move forward. So as leaders, we need to say, here's the plan. And here's how I think we could get there.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
Hey everybody, welcome to another edition of the Playbook for Performance podcast. It's been a while since the last episode and we are working hard on some new changes to the website, our offers, and things like that. So today, I want to cover the essential skills of an effective leader. I've been doing some traveling lately and I've been running into people, hearing about the problems that they're experiencing with their teams, staff, etc. And so, what is it that makes an effective leader?
I think there are three things that are essential for leaders to perform well. And I talk about this quite a bit. When it comes to what's going on for leaders today and the amount of change that we face regularly.
-
The first is setting the vision and being sure to articulate what the end state looks like.
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There should also be clear expectations and agreements.
-
Lastly, ensure that once you know your employee has a value match, they're on board - Then look at capability and capacity.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
So today, in the podcast, we continue with our theme about making the leader's life easier. And today’s topic is masterminding. So, we got a little follow-up from last week when we were talking about group coaching. Masterminding is probably my favorite form of group coaching so much so that I used to have a business that exclusively focused on masterminds, and shout out to Christina. I hope you're doing well.
So, for me, masterminding is the perfect entry point to one on one coaching. It's also the perfect place to go when you've graduated from one on one coaching. Now that seems like a dichotomy. So let me break it down
So, what's the difference between teams and groups? Let's go ahead and get into it.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
In today’s podcast, we will talk about team and group coaching because we have emphasized so much executive coaching, where it's that one-on-one experience with a coach who works with you, gives you that time to think out loud, etc. Or we've been talking about the leader as a coach where they are exhibiting and practicing coaching skills with their subordinates. But it doesn't always have to be the leader. It can be someone acting in that capacity, practicing those coaching skills with teams and groups.
So, what's the difference between teams and groups? Let's go ahead and get into it.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
To continue with this month's theme about making the leaders' life easier, we're going to talk about the applications of coaching. We've talked a little bit about the coaching conversation, and how it differs from performance management, but there are many ways you can use coaching that will really help you out. And again, make your life so much easier because instead of doing all the work or being the single brain for the entire staff, you will use that ask versus tell skill set to facilitate that. So let's get into it.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
In today’s podcast, we will be discussing the difference between using a coach approach as a leader or as a parent versus performance management. I know it's kind of tricky. We got a couple of emails about it so I want to get into it. Let's start from the very beginning. When talking about a coach approach, we're talking about using this methodology where you, as a leader, instead of having to do all the work yourself, be the brain that powers ten sets of hands. You set the vision, you make it very clear to people, and then what you do is you ask. So instead of telling them how to do it, you're going to ask them how they think it can best be accomplished. You empower them and give them some ideas. You partner with them in order for them to continue to own it, to innovate, and to continue to follow through until it's complete. So, for those of you who are parents, this is the same thing that we need to do with our children.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
One of the follow-up questions that I got from the last podcast was, can you go into more detail about how I do that coaching conversation as a leader? And so what I want to do today is to give you an e- outline of what that conversation looks like and a couple of things not to do. But do recognize like the full training on this is, you know, two days. And then if you want to be a professional coach, you know, credentialed by the ICF, etc. We're talking hundreds of hours of training, but, for the purposes of today's podcast, what we're trying to help you with is this idea of I'm a leader, I am letting go of my death grip on my employees, I'm tired of being a micromanager, I'm tired of command and control, I'm tired of doing all the work. I want my employees to step up and I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt that they will step up and that I'm going to resist my urge to tell them what to do and advise them all the time. And I'm just going to embrace curiosity.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
Today, we will talk about a common frustration among my clients which is this idea of why I am working so hard. It's this idea that as a leader, you feel like you need to do everything in your power to control the results of what your organization is producing. However, there are more efficient ways to go about it. So I like to call that process command and control. It's this idea that I'm responsible for getting this to the organization, whatever it might be. It might be cutting costs, producing revenue, improving employee engagement, and improving customer satisfaction. It could be any of those categories. And in that process, you decide, okay, I own a quarter of this deliverable. Some of my peers own some of it too, and so I know what we need to do; here's my vision for what it's going to look like, how we're going to do it, and then you dictate to your people how we're going to accomplish this goal. Well, what do you think that does to your staff It doesn't motivate them because nobody likes to be told what to do. All kinds of research show that our brains shut down; the creative part of us shuts down when we are forced to do something we're told to do. And we are not naturally motivated to embellish, amplify, or add to it; we're in compliance mode, and compliance mode, unless we're internally motivated, is temporary.
I'll be speaking at:
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
This is our last in the series on business planning, and I hope you found it super helpful. As a recap, we started with the values for your company, team, and yourself. It's about how you're going to make decisions. Who is it that you're really serving, and then what is the vision? What do you want it to look like? Who are you serving? How are you serving them? All of those things are put together and then translating that vision into what we call a work breakdown structure. That’s putting work into individuals. You're going to break those into individual tasks that you can write on a post-it note and then sequence those tasks along the continuum of a year and then focus on 90 days at a time.
Today, we're going to talk about focusing on tracking those 90-day increments. If you don't track it, it will just go in a drawer, and people will ignore it. Then a year from now or whatever it is, you're going to go, well, how come we didn't get what we wanted done? How come we're still in the same place we were? Well, it's because you didn't track it. So let's get into that.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends.
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
SHRM - Las Vegas. June
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my official Youtube Channel and watch the full episode of this podcast by clicking the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
Hi folks, welcome back. Thanks for your patience with us. I know you were eagerly awaiting step five in the business planning process, but I took a little holiday over to the ranch, had some golf and some sun, and it was great. So I'm eager to get back to you and ensure you can progress on your journey with business planning.
So what we're going to do is we're going to do a quick review of the business planning process. Today, we're going to talk about taking that work breakdown structure and recap what that means down to 90-day increments. So let's get started. So why 90 days? Why not 120 days? Etc. Well, people, in general, will not be able to do that. They're not overwhelmed by 90 days. If you think about a school calendar, it's often arranged in terms that are 12 weeks long. If you think about the seasons of the year, generally 12 or 13 weeks, people can organize their thoughts around it pretty easily. It's a very reasonable time to make progress. It's a lot easier to distinguish aspirations from behaviors. So what do I mean when I say that? Well, an aspiration is really where you want to go with the process. It's your vision. It's different. You can take several behaviors that will add up to that over time. And sometimes, people will confuse that goal or that aspiration or that vision with the actual behaviors that are required to fulfill that vision.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
SHRM - Las Vegas. June
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Subscribe to my Youtube Channel to watch the full episode of this podcast
https://www.youtube.com/@shawnacorden
We're in the middle of our business planning segment and have just cast the vision to know what the most beautiful business will look like. We've figured out our values. We're figuring out who we're serving, and now, we've painted the picture. What's it going to look like? Our next step is to chunk it down and bring it to life by translating that picture into actions that we can do daily. So let's get to it.
So, a term I like to use comes from my project management and PMO background is WBS. Well, what's a WBS? A WBS stands for a work breakdown structure. It's a very fancy project management term, but it is like taking the vision and chunking it into bite-sized, manageable pieces. A true WBS is no more than eight hours of work. So you can think of that as a work day. Now that will be way too detailed for taking that vision and putting it in a three-year or one-year business plan. But depending on how robust your business is, you may not need that level of detail. So what we want to do is deconstruct that big piece and figure out what it takes to achieve it.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
-
SHRM - Las Vegas. June
-
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
This month, we're talking about the theme of business planning. And we've covered a couple of lessons already. So you can return to podcasts 84 and 85 if you missed the first few lessons. But today, we're going to talk about step three, which is casting the vision. So when we talk about casting the vision, we're saying, let's paint a picture that's so clear that all of our employees, stockholders, and supporters know where we're going. They feel really good about it and can connect the dots from what they do daily to the vision. They see how they are contributing to the vision. So let's break it down.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
-
SHRM - Las Vegas. June
-
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
We are in the middle of a segment all talking about the general basics of business planning. So if you're an entrepreneur, you might be a little bit intimidated by this. I used to do business planning for a Fortune 10 company and now subscribe to a simplified version of business planning that'll get you through most of what you do. And it really helps set a focus in terms of what needs to be done now rather than focus. So last time we talked about the importance of leaders casting a vision, which inspires people. It makes them feel connected in that they can see what they do every day in their job. It connects to the vision for the business and ultimately what we deliver to our customers, whoever they are.
So, today I'm going to talk about step two of that business planning and it's determining your focus, and you might be wondering, well, what is that about? What's the focus about? Well, Just like values, we always want to lead with values because we don't want to serve a market that we don't believe in. We don't want to produce a product that is the antithesis of our values, etc. It determines what we do and what we don't do. And sometimes what you don't do, is even more important than what you do.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
-
SHRM - Las Vegas. June
-
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
In today’s episode, we're entering into a new theme for the next ten podcasts or so. It's all going to be about business planning. Whether you're a small team within an organization, an entrepreneur, or the CEO, this set of business planning podcasts is all for you because it will take you step-by-step through how to do this. You're probably thinking, how does a coach know anything about business planning? I did business planning for a long time for a Fortune 10 company. And in addition to that, I have helped my clients who are running their own businesses with their business plans. And, of course, I do my own. So let's get started.
Step one in the process of business planning is the values informing your vision. As a leader, your job is determining the vision and project that inspire the team. And you need to form your vision based on values. So how do you do that, and why would we do those values before the vision? Well, your values really determine what you do and what you don't do. They also determine who you hire, and whomever you hire must match the values. So the conflict that we're seeing in organizations today is because of organization. Organizations have hired people with values that are contrary to the organization's or the team's values.
Don't Forget: Invite your friends
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
-
SHRM - Las Vegas. June
-
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
In today’s episode, I'm reviewing my experience on 75Hard. If you're unfamiliar with 75Hard, you'll learn more about it. It is a program that builds mental toughness. Why are we talking about mental toughness when this podcast is about building better leaders? Well, sometimes leaders have to make tough decisions. It means they must be disciplined to make those decisions and not defer to the path of least resilience. So, if you're not familiar with 75Hard, this is a program that Andy Frisella formed. Andy owns several businesses, including First Phorm and some other organizations.
Again, it is a program about creating mental toughness. Many people believe it's about building physical endurance, fitness, or something like that because there are those components, but that's not what it's about. It is a series of tasks that must be completed daily, consecutively, without fail, for 75 days straight. Hence the name 75 hard. There are also some follow-on pieces to it. So if you choose after completing 75 hard, you can go on to live hard, and more tasks are added, etc.
Who is it for?
-
Anyone who wants to build mental toughness.
-
Those who want to create discipline.
-
Those who want to have a format.
REMEMBER: "We build self-esteem by meeting commitments to ourselves."
Don't Forget: Invite your friends
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
And that's it for this week. I hope these tips are helpful to you.
I'll be speaking at:
-
SHRM - Las Vegas. June
-
ICF Converge- Orlando, August
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com for:
-
Leadership Coaching
-
Workshops - in-person/virtual
-
Consulting and Mentoring in building a coaching culture- External, Internal, and Leaders with Coaching Skills.
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Congratulations, you have really done a great service for yourself and the rest of the universe because strong, resilient people really make a big difference in our world. Today, we're going to be talking about celebrating, and you might think, well, why is this a lesson in the 20-week challenge? How does this make us more resilient? Well, there are a lot of reasons why. So let's get started.
When do I suggest this lesson, particularly when we cannot acknowledge just how far we've come?We are constantly comparing ourselves to our perfect or ideal. And if you've been following the news at all about Facebook and Instagram, et cetera, you can see that over a third of our young women are feeling depressed and have had thoughts of suicide, and I chalk it up to the fact that the algorithmsare pointing them to unhealthy examples, but also, that they are always comparing themselves to an ideal. And I would encourage people to look at an amalgam of different examples in their life. Let's create our own ideal. What are the steps that I can take to get there? What are the habits that I need to create? What's the identity I need to assume to create that? What is it about that's so appealing?
Instead of comparing ourselves to others, we can compare us to where we started from, not the ideal of other people, because as we mature, we may decide that the ideal is simply not attainable for someone of our, you know, flexibility or whatever that might be.
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
We are on week 19 of our 20-week challenge, where we are building our resilience so that we bend instead of break when we face adversity.
Today we're going be talking about perfecting your present. So what does that mean? That sounds like it's such a strange thing. Well, the present is the current moment. So living in the now, and depending on what you did yesterday, you have today's situation as it is because of the preparation or the activities that you did. I weigh what I weigh today because of things I ate yesterday and the days before, the amount of working out I did, how fit I am, et cetera. We can only do something about the moment, right? We can only act in the moment. So if we were living in yesterday and we're thinking about regret and things like that, not productive, we can't do anything about it except maybe do lessons learned or post-mortem analysis. And we can't do anything about tomorrow because we're not there yet. So what we really want to do is recognize today. What it is because of what comes before tomorrow will be what it is based on what we do today. And so we really want to think about how we can enjoy and be present at the moment and what's happening right now. So let's get started.
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
We are in the middle of our 20-week challenge to build resilience, and we're getting close to the tail end. In our lesson today, we're going be talking about attracting because the more we attract things naturally, the more ease and choice we have. So let's get started.
When somebody wants something different than what they've been getting, they need to understand the whole law of attraction. And if you haven't watched the movie The Secret or read the book, I think it does a really good job talking about the kind of quantum physics of it all, and how it works. What we emit into the universe returns back to us. We attract that like for like, and when they want to be more creative, what can they do to help them create that situation? A couple of things to keep in mind when we talk about attracting joy is contagious. It is a wonderful thing; frankly, we need much more of it. That's why I have been writing. I finished my book, it's published now. You can find it out on Amazon, meet Me in the Middle, it’s all about overcoming polarization because, in the midst of polarization, there isn't a whole lot of joy. So it's not promoting, it's not seduction, it is this thing where naturally, things come to you. Now, it doesn't mean that you haven't visualized, and it doesn't mean that you haven't done the work behind it to prepare for it, but you are bringing back what you put out there.
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
We continue with our 20-week challenge to build your resilience. This week’s lesson is about building a reserve.
Now, you're probably familiar with this concept of building a reserve regarding emergency preparedness. In my area of the world, I'm in the Pacific Northwest, we are bearing up for a potential overdue earthquake that goes along the fault line that we have. So, both civic organizers, as well as others, are trying to help us put together kits that will help us, whether it's extra food, water, a go bag, etc., and neighborhoods organizing around this situation about what will we do if there's an earthquake. That concept is very similar to what we will apply here, except we will do it with multiple areas of your life. I'm a mom of two gals that are almost 29 and 30; when they were in school, we would regularly get surprised by things like, oh, I need to bring two dozen cupcakes tomorrow, or I have my science project due tomorrow, and I need to put it on the presentation board. It’s like a three-sided board that, you know, can stand on a table. And that stuff would drive me crazy because they'd say it at eight o'clock at night. And so, after a while, I learned to stock up on the things I might need. So I wasn't going crazy at eight o'clock at night or punishing them by not having the materials there and saying, suffer the consequences; you didn't prepare or being resentful about it. And so I just started to stockpile things. So we stockpiled those presentation boards and glue sticks and ensured we had extra inkjet pins for our printer when they needed to print projects. I also started carrying boxed cake mix and those horrific shelf-stable frostings in case we needed those things too. And so that's just one example, but we're going be talking about several areas in your life where this could be really helpful to you to have a reserve.
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Did you know that there are three factors that really indicate the success of a change effort? If these three things are done poorly, the effort will fail. If they are done well, it will ensure the success of a project. Those three factors are:
-
Number one is leadership. Have we painted the vision? Do we understand this change and why we're going about it?
-
The second is communication. Are we giving frequent updates about the decisions that have been made, the changes, the rollout, the timeline, et cetera?
-
And the last, surprisingly, is employee resilience. If your employees are burnt out or beyond their capacity, the effort will fail. But if they are resilient and can weather change well because they have a strong foundation, the change effort will succeed.
And that is why we are pursuing this 20-week challenge. We are on week 16 of our 20-week challenge. We're almost near the end here. Today, we're gonna be talking about one that is so important. It affects homework and everything in between, that is choosing a healthy attitude. So what do we mean when we say building resilience? We're talking about being able to withstand situations, big or small car accidents, illness, a no-show appointment, a canceled air flight with some grace, and having it not upset you too much, etc. That's what we're really talking about. And that you have a good attitude about it. And this piece, choosing a healthy attitude is really essential.
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
This week, we're talking about making your work an extension of yours. This is part of our 20-week challenge to build resilience, so let's get started.
So when do I suggest this lesson? I suggest this lesson when…
-
people feel like they're a cog and a wheel.
-
their work isn't really aligning with their values, and
-
they want a bigger life.
So work can meet a lot more needs than just earning money. Your life's work utilizes your gifts, and you can take the time to discover what is your life's work.
When I was teaching this regularly in corporate, probably one of the biggest pauses my students had with this lesson was that I didn't have time to be Gandhi, and I feel wrong about that. I had to remind people that sometimes, being a provider for your family is your life's work, or caring for a special needs child is your life's work. We're not all supposed to be Gandhi. But it really is essential, and that is a gift to be able to do that. Not everyone can be a provider. Not everyone can care for a special needs child. Not everyone can deal with the hardships that they are facing. And so do recognize that is where you're supposed to be now. And it is utilizing your gifts. Don't think that it isn't. Okay.
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Today, we're talking about investing in your life. This is part of the 20-week challenge on how you can build your resilience in 2023. The goal is to make it so that you bend like a willow in strong winds versus breaking like an oak when things get tough. We are now on lesson 14, so let's get started.
When do I suggest this lesson?:
- Whenever I hear my clients talking or valuing things over experiences.
- Whenever I hear a theme of them observing rather than participating and
- When they ignore the value of time, and I think, ugh, this sounds like they're coasting.
They're taking the path of least resistance, that there's a lot more opportunity out there for them.
So what can they do to invest in themselves?
We are our most significant investment. It's not our home. It's not our car. It's not the balance in our 401k retirement plan or our stock portfolio. It's really ourselves because we are the only thing that continues with us constantly throughout the duration of our life. Cars come and go. Homes come and go. Retirement balances certainly dive up and down based on the whims of the stock market. And so we really want to invest in ourselves.
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
We're in the middle of our 20-week challenge to building your resilience so that you bend instead of break when facing adversity and tough times. And I think we've got some tough times. Well, on the way for a lot of people. Layoffs are happening in the tech sector and people are struggling a bit. We are also struggling with inflation and recession. And so we really wanna build our resilience so that we can handle all of these challenges.
Last week, we talked about being problem-free, having systems to do so, and how the solution is integrity plus boundaries plus standards. This week we're gonna be talking about reorienting around your values.
We started off with the "what", then, what is sort of the demographics, the packaging of a person. And then we got into the "who", the who are you really like? What are you made of? et cetera. How you can make all of these things work for you? Our goal is to have the who and the how match the what.
So who you are inside, and how you run your life matches what people see on the outside, and that they're not different.
When do I suggest this lesson?:
-
Feeling strectched thin.
-
Not a lot of passion around your activities.
-
Your community no longer feels like a fit.
This is WHO You are:
-
How you go about your life
-
The fingerprint that you leave on things
-
Satisfy your needs, wants, your future
Organize YOU around these values:
-
Your time
-
Your interactions
-
Your spending/savings should "scream" YOU
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
So we're in the middle of our 20-week challenge. We are at episode number 12 of 20. Today, we're talking about being a problem-free zone and just being problem free in general. We're doing this to build our resilience and part of being so strong and resilient is that when we have problems, they don't have to be this giant pothole. They're more like a slight speed bump or Hmm, was that an acorn I just ran over? It's pretty smooth sailing and we really want to build that.
So let's get into today's lesson. Now, if you're a leader, this whole 20-lesson set is available to your organization to build resilience. It's a super important part of change management. The most effective change strategies come when there are strong leadership, strong communication, and strong employee resilience, those three things. When they are weak, change efforts fail.
So if you feel like this is something that you want to do for your employees to show that you care about them, as people contact us, we are available to do this both live, virtually, and in person. Contact us at shawna@shawnacorden.com or podcast@shawnacorden.com.
When do I suggest this lesson? This lesson is really when you're sick of drama or you're sick of something being such a huge hiccup in your life, you don't want the same song or different verse, and you really need some more permanent solutions.
Key Points:
-
Problems are normal but they don't have to be something that's so upsetting.
-
The stronger our foundation is, the fewer problems we actually encounter
-
Problem free = Frees up time
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
If you've been around for a while, you know we're in the middle of our 20-week challenge. This is week 11. And this 20-week challenge is all about building your resilience. This week we're gonna be talking about preparation and protection.
But before I jump into that, I wanna let you know that my new book entitled “ Meet Me in the Middle” is already out on Amazon. This is a guide to overcoming polarization. So if you wanna know more about polarization, what happens, how to overcome it, and how to prevent it, you can find it out there on Amazon and we'll put the link below.
So onto today's topic, “preparation, and protection”, that sounds like a strange topic. What is it about? Well, when we have things that we value, we wanna make sure that we are protecting those things and we're well prepared for that because, in the field of project management, we do something called risk management.
When do I suggest this lesson?:
-
You're exhausted from not having a system.
-
Always playing catch up.
-
Feeling at risk.
Benefits:
-
Freedom
-
Peace
-
Preparation
-
Small steps forward
Tips:
- Choose one topic at a time - leverage what works well - then pivot
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Middle-Overcoming-Preventing-Polarization-ebook/dp/B0BSVPJ6CM?ref_=ast_author_dp
For the past few weeks, we've been focused on building up your resilience. This is still part of our 20-week challenge. Building up your resilience makes you flexible, where you bend instead of break when you're faced with challenges, and this is one of the top three elements that affect an organization's change success rate. So we look at the strength of the leadership, the strength of the communication, and just how resilient the employee body is. And right now there's a lot of stuff going on in the marketplace. Obviously, there are things like this recession that's going on. We're starting to see a lot of layoffs in the tech community, and we want to make sure that people can withstand that. That regardless of what's happening around them, they feel secure and safe.
And so today, we're gonna be talking about deepening the community and how that community can really serve you and be of service to them.
Key Points:
-
Your community is those around you - casually and intentionally.
-
Your mail carrier and weaving guild - your friends and associates/association.
-
This is where you CHOOSE to spend your TIME.
Choose the Experience:
-
Develop what you want
-
Similar interests and values
-
Continually upgrading
Experiment:
-
What feeds you?
-
What drains you?
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
This week, we're talking about strengthening your family. For the past couple of weeks, we've been talking about the who in coaching. It's the innards of yourself, the stuff that's timeless, that has to do with your values, your boundaries, your standards, and family is a big component of that.
Now, not everybody has grown up in a family that's really nurturing to them, but everybody has a chosen family. It may consist of some biological members, and it may consist of some friend members that are like family. And to be clear, in this lesson, we are talking about both. So let's get started.
When do I suggest this lesson?
I suggest this lesson. Whenever you're feeling disconnected, you might feel a separation. You're not spending a lot of quantity time with these folks. And quantity drives quality. I have a colleague, his name is Doug Floor. He's a very well-respected coach. And his historical research has proven that you cannot have quality time without quantity time.
Key Points:
-
Families are people, and people are not perfect,
-
They are not there to fill your needs - Get an auto SS
-
Where can you improve?
Choose the Experience:
-
Resolve your issues
-
Adjust your attitude
-
Measure the quantity to drive the quality.
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
Today specifically, we're gonna be talking about personal standards. Now, if you're just joining us for the first time, do know that on our website you can, or in the show notes, you can download the personal theme sheet that will help you set some goals around this 20-week challenge. You can do them in any order whatsoever. It may be based on what you hear as little triggers or the lessons you're gonna pursue, but recognize that each of these lessons is designed to help you build your resilience so that when stressful events happen, you bend and don't break.
So let's get started on personal standards. Last week we talked about boundaries. Boundaries are like fences, and they set the stage for what people may say or do around you.
Personal standards are what happened inside the fence. How well is your yard groomed? Are you allowing your children to haphazardly leave their bicycles, or do they need to be parked in a bike rack? That kind of thing. So think of that analogy when it comes to standards. So I suggest this lesson when I hear my clients say things like they're ready to upgrade. The old feel stale to them. They feel like they're ready to level up.
Key Points:
-
This is your chosen identity and correlating behaviors.
-
Higher standards = Better life
-
It's good to revisit your standards often
-
Match your needs
-
It's important what these standards feel like right now.
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
We've been talking about planning to build your resilience in 2023. The purpose of resilience is so that you can bend instead of break when you're under pressure, and we want to help you accumulate the tools to do that.
Today, we're going to be talking about boundaries. I love this topic because I think it's probably the one that propels people the furthest and the farthest when it comes to their mental health and well-being. So let's get into it.
So what are boundaries? Boundaries are like fences. They keep the good stuff in and the bad stuff out. You know, the trash that's blowing around, unwanted characters, et cetera. It's the definition of who we are and who we're not. A lot of times, when people have discomfort in the workplace or in family gatherings, and social settings, it's because one of their boundaries has been violated.
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
For 20 weeks, we are addressing a challenge that builds your resilience. Resilience helps us bend in a storm instead of breaking. We are all facing storms of different sorts, whether it be an illness, travel, pressures at work, or tough challenges. We want to be able to handle those with grace and confidence, so we're tackling 20 lessons that will help you build that resilience and help address change in a more productive way.
This week we're talking about getting your needs met. Well, that might sound a little prima donna, but I assure you we all have needs. It's perfectly normal to have needs. You're probably familiar with your social studies or your psychology studies in school with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. It wasn't depicted as a pyramid until much later, after he had created it. At the top of the pyramid is something called self-actualization, which means we've recognized our purpose in life and we're helping others fulfill theirs. But in between air, water, food, shelter, and some other things and self-actualization, we've actually got these personal needs. And these are the things that help us be the best version of ourselves. A lot of people resist the idea of having needs, but needs are actually central to who we are
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
Why do we want to restore our integrity, or why do we want to build our resilience?
Well, resilience helps us bend instead of break when times get tough. We want to create resilient people who can bounce back from adversity, whether it's stubbing your toe or losing your job. So the more we can work on the skills to do this, the equivalent of weight training to build your muscles. The more that we address each of these foundational issues, the better off you're going to be and the more resilient you'll become. When it comes to restoring your integrity, we are not talking about a moral compass of right and wrong. Who gets to decide that? That's a difficult thing to decide, but we are talking about staying true to you and what's important to you. So when it comes to integrity, you're either in or out. And most people have a good idea when they're going against their grain.
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment.
GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH OURSELVES
-
Retreat from obligations and examine
-
Be whole. How can I get whole?
-
Who you are at the moment
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
We're in the middle of our 20-week challenge to build your resilience. So what is resilience? Resilience means that when times get tough, you bend instead of break. And how do we build resilience? We build a strong foundation. To do that, we've got 20 weeks of tips and tricks that will help you take action, and build that resilience. This week, we're talking about simplifying your life. Right now, it's the holiday season when I'm recording this and things are really busy. We've got a lot of schedules that are quite full. There are a lot of obligations because the school year is ending. Things like that. So we have to be choosy so we don't burn out. What's burnout? Burnout is when our demands exceed our capacity. And this is a very common time for people to have burnout because they're trying to make a year-end push, whether it's work quotas, sales quotas just general additional activity. So one of the best things we can do is just simplify our life, and that means, in a drastic sense, cutting 50% of what's in there. What are 50% of the things that you could cut?
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment.
LIVE IN THE MOMENT
-
Avoid dwelling on the past
-
Avoid speculating on the future
-
Media influence
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
When we talk about resilience, we really mean that we want you to be flexible and bend like a willow does in the wind versus break like an oak. We've had some tough times making strong people. But if you feel like maybe you're not as strong as you'd like to be, this is a great way to build that. So let's get started on today's lesson, 10 daily habits. If you are a listener, you've probably heard me refer to a couple of books in the past. One is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhig. The second is Atomic Habits by James Clear. Those are both excellent books that talk about how habits work. There's a cue, there's a routine, and there's a reward. So the cue might be your alarm going off, the routine is getting outta bed, and the reward is hopefully getting excited about your day. So that's a good example of that. Now, we all have habits that we conduct each and every day. Most of our habits are what we call automatic. We've done them so many times, we really don't think about it.
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment.
CONSIDER ENRICHMENT
-
Celebratory items
-
Rituals
-
Previous successes
-
Positive change
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
Part of making work fun again has to do with building our personal resilience. As you've heard me say in our previous podcast, three things determine a successful change effort, first has to do with leadership, leading yourself and others. Second is communication, being clear and succinct with expectations. And then, finally, personal resilience. How do we build resilience? Well, we need to be well grounded and have our act together. So this is part of our 20-week challenge. We're helping people build their resilience, and it’s free to join.
This week, we're talking about clearing the past. Well, what does that mean? Well, it's this idea that sometimes we have things anchoring us, slowing us down, acting as a burden when we don't need that extra baggage. It's kinda like hauling around something that doesn't have a handle. It's kind of heavy, and not very fun to carry.
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment.
LIST THE BAGGAGE:
-
What's your goal for this week?
-
Carry it all 20 weeks?
-
Reward/Consequence
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boats.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Please find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
This month, our theme is about planning 2023 to build your resilience. So the mission is to make work fun again and work is not fun. If we're depleted and we feel like we don't have any energy, we know that success in a change effort is really dependent upon good leadership. That means leading ourselves and others. It means good communication. Are we being clear about the vision, expectations, et cetera? And the third piece is really about resilience. That's why we're tackling this 20-week challenge to help build people's resilience. It's free to join each week. There's gonna be a new video out on YouTube for you to join along. There's a theme sheet that goes along with that and that theme sheet helps you structure the goal for each week. Then what your reward is if you meet your goal, and what the consequences are if you don't meet the goal.
This week, we are discussing one of the 20 lessons in planning your 2023 to build resilience, and that is "tolerations". So what's toleration? Think about the term tolerating. It's like I am putting up with a blank. This could be friends, could be your environment, could be your income level, it could be settling.
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment.
LIST YOUR TOLERATIONS:
-
What's your goal for this week?
-
Carry it all 20 weeks?
-
Reward/Consequence
Don't Forget:
-
Rising tide lifts all boat.
-
Grow together
-
Theme sheet at our site
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Grab your PDF copy of the Theme Planning Sheet
#20weekChallenge #resilience
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xwJKoN6Wr_f8gORDvKfUpoJdccJUs8Ty/view?usp=share_link
This month's theme is about planning 2023 and here's how we got there. There are three things that really affect the success of a change effort. And since we're all going through change pretty dramatically, I thought we'd hit those. Those are leadership, communication, and employee resilience. I've talked about the first two a fair amount. I haven't talked about resilience a whole ton, but one of the things that I have done in my history to make work fun again is helping people build their personal foundation. I've put 150,000 people through this class over the many years I've been teaching it and I'm inviting all of you to join along. It's my favorite class to teach and I think there's so much we can get out of it. So let's get started. So when we come to building your resilience, we don't want it to feel like a must checklist. We really want this to be fed from your personal preferences and your tendencies. And we want to create these habits quite easily. And so the very first step that we're gonna start with is planning your theme. So the first thing we wanna do is review your 2022 so far, what do you want more of and what do you want less of?
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Today, we're going to be talking about the scary outcomes in the gist of Halloween. The scary outcomes of a polarized society. So let's get started. So what's so scary about it? Well, all humans have a need for certainty. They also have a need for novelty, but when we are in a polarized society, we are requiring that things be certain, so that reduces the tolerance for novelty, for surprises, for things that are different and things get pretty boring when everything's predictable and inevitable. Number two, we only have room for the like-minded. So our circles get smaller and smaller.
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment.
SPREAD THE WORD
-
If you're like me- and fear the effects of Polarization- spread the word and socialize the need to grow our skills of prevention!
-
What do you need to help? I'm here to speak to your organization, team, or workgroup.
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Book and lunch and learn:
shawna@shawnacorden.com
Preventing polarization really requires good listening. So what's your skill level in listening? Are you a decent listener? Are you a half-listener? What's the purpose of your listening? What are you listening for? So in the case of listening, we are really looking for people to understand more than the words that are being said.
Listen to this week's podcast on building good skills in listening.
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment.
PRACTICE LISTENING:
-
With a trusted colleague
-
Record a Zoom Call
-
Collect the transcript
-
What was the theme of the conversation in 5 words?
What was the emotion of the speaker? Where are they coming from? Where did they start? How did they end?
- And if you could sum it up in one word, what would that word be?
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
This week, we are talking about skill development to prevent polarization. One of the best things that we can do to prevent polarization is to ask really good questions and asking good questions is a skill. It's something that we need to practice and as a coach, a faculty member who teaches aspiring professional coaches, an instructor, and a coach who mentors leaders on asking good coaches and using coaching skills in their management, it's something that I work with regularly. And there are people who ask really good questions and people who do not. So let's get into it. Preventing polarization really requires asking good questions. What is the purpose of your question? Are you asking questions to collect information or are you asking questions to advance an agenda? So if you're in a meeting, whether it's a one-on-one, whether it's a group meeting, you usually have an agenda. You have an objective that you're trying to reach in the meeting.
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment.
PRACTICE QUESTIONING:
-
With a trusted colleague
-
Record a Zoom Call
-
Collect the transcript
-Review your questions- Rewrite them
-Breathe
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Today, specifically, we're going to talk about, okay, you had the polarizing conversation and you're separated, so now what, what are you gonna do about it? Well, let's analyze. It might be a good or a bad thing. Let's find out. Last week, we talked about the example of being in the midst of a polarizing conversation, trying to understand the other party and we use the example of gun control and opinions about guns. So let's continue with that example. So you're separated. You had this fallout with your friend, they're pro-gun and you're anti-gun et cetera. What do you do now? Well, the first thing that you can do is project the outcome. Now, this is a great little tool that came from Suzy Welch, and I think she even had a book by the same title called The 10, 10, 10 rule.
And here's how works. You want to basically conflate what will happen 10 hours from now, 10 months from now, and 10 years from now.
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment.
We want you to really go through this analysis to recognize that the “who of a person” is more important than the “what of a person”.
The Who is our essence- our values, boundaries, needs standards-adjusting this helps everything
The What is the packaging- your demographics- adjusting this doesn't make a huge shift...
Where will you invest?
Of course, I want you to invest in the who. Who will this require you to be?
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Today, specifically, we're going to be talking about what to do in the midst of a polarizing conversation.
So you found yourself in this conversation and you're like, oh crap, how did I get here? And what are we going to do about it? How do I either exit the stage gracefully, or if I really am invested in this person, and I want to make sure that I continue my relationship with them. What are the things that I can do while I'm here to help you out? So let's get started.
Some people find themselves caught in the middle of this polarizing conversation. So what do you do? Well, first things first, listen, without interrupting. This shows that you respect the other person and you are respecting their right to have their own opinion, even though it may differ from your own. We also want to ask questions to which we don't know the answers. This is not a debate club. You are not trying to convince them. I would bet big money, no matter how prepared you are. You never going to convince this other person. They have arrived at their beliefs over a period of time. And they have data that supports how they think. So start to get curious, and ask questions to which you do not know the answers.
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment.
Choose a non-threatening topic. Should there be mountain Dew in the break room on tap? That's probably non-threatening for 99% of us, right? Have the previous page checklist handy. Okay. If, if you're listening to the podcast, you can go out to our YouTube channel and take a screenshot. Where do you struggle in those 10 steps? Is it to ask questions that you don't know the answers to? Is it something else? And what's natural to that is the further something is from your natural tendencies, you have to be more, you have to practice, it's just like being flexible. If you can't touch your toes naturally, you know that you need to warm up, you have to practice. And it's okay to say that out loud.
It shows that you're trying, but do acknowledge that your partner is important to you to be able to have a conversation that allows you to grow, learn new things, and not be that guy that we talked about in the podcast 10 episodes ago. You don't want to be that person. Making this effort doesn't mean it's perfect. Doesn't mean that you guys are going to be happy at the end of the conversation, but hopefully, you'll shake hands. You'll bump this, whatever it is, and you're going to say, thanks for engaging with me. I felt like this made me a better person to practice this.
And that's it for this week. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
So what is polarization? Polarization is moving away from this idea of you and I don't agree on every single thing and therefore you are dead to me. We can never be friends and we are never, ever, ever getting back together. And it didn't use to be this way. Society's become more and more polarized over the years. People are getting more and more frustrated with this, but one of the consequences of this idea of polarization is that our social groups are becoming smaller and smaller and less and less diverse. Everyone in our group must think the same way we do. They must vote the same way we do. They must be of our same affluence, et cetera, et cetera. And this is really quite disturbing, especially since we keep telling everybody that the key to success is diversity, right?
Fieldwork this week:
We assigned fieldwork because coaching without action is just entertainment. And my encouragement to you is to look at your own habits, which of these 10 tips or habits are you already doing? Which ones are easy for you, and which ones are harder to choose? Try to practice this for seven days continuously. So what's the result? Do you find that you have more patients, and more understanding, or do you feel more confirmed in your belief and that you choose to separate from others who don't share that same belief? And what's the result of that? What are the consequences? What will that do for you and your community, your family, and sleeping?
I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Our themes this month are quiet quitting, polarization, and tips for our HR community. And today, specifically, we're going to be talking about 10 ways that polarization emerges. So where does it come from? How did we go from a society that's like, let's all agree to disagree and we'll still play cornhole and root for the same team and whatever it might be to this, you know, we are never, ever getting back together? And that Taylor swift theme song has been going through my head over and over again while I’m writing this book because that's what I'm hearing over and over again from people. So where did this come from? Well, in my research, this is what we see. We have biases that are unexamined. We've grown up with them. Some are good and they serve us well, but some are not so good. So we really have to examine all our biases and really inventory those things and understand where we're coming from.
Fieldwork this week:
So here's your field work this week because as we always say, coaching without action is just entertainment.
This is what makes us different from the chat with your friend. There's this action that you take in the accountability that you have with your coach.
So where are you vulnerable to polarization? What steps can you take to mitigate the risk? Who can keep you accountable? We've talked about an accountability partner several times on the podcast. It could be something that can really help support you and finally make a pact. What is it that you are committing to do with one another? And how are you going to stay curious? That is where we need to go until next time.
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My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
What is polarization? Polarization is moving away from this idea of you and I don't agree on every single thing and therefore you are dead to me. We can never be friends and we are never, ever, ever getting back together. And it didn't use to be this way. Society's become more and more polarized over the years. People are getting more and more frustrated with this, but one of the consequences of this idea of polarization is that our social groups are becoming smaller and smaller and less and less diverse. Everyone in our group must think the same way we do. They must vote the same way we do. They must be of our same affluence, et cetera, et cetera. And this is really quite disturbing, especially since we keep telling everybody that the key to success is diversity, right?
Fieldwork this week:
So here's your field work this week because as we always say, coaching without action is just entertainment.
My encouragement to you is to look at your own habits, which of these 10 tips or habits are you already doing? Which ones are easy for you, and which ones are harder to choose? Try to practice this for seven days continuously. So what's the result? Do you find that you have more patients, and more understanding, or do you feel more confirmed in your belief and that you choose to separate from others who don't share that same belief? And what's the result of that? What are the consequences? What will that do for you and your community, your family, and sleeping?
I hope you found these tips helpful.
Have a question for me? Please email me: at podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Today, we're going to talk about 10 tips or 10 steps for HR dealing with polarization in the workplace.
During my interviews in preparation for the book, I talked to leaders who talked about their employees that were polarized and how they wouldn't talk to each other. They'd actually like to be in the same meeting but sometimes things are not done properly because they choose not to communicate with each other. They don’t speak to each other directly. And the sources of this polarization had anything to do with how they felt about a political issue, how they felt about pandemic issues, personal issues, etcetera. But these things are actually performance management issues, meaning you can be fired for non-performing. And that's what we're gonna talk about today. How can we deal with these issues, how can we deal with the polarization in the workplace?
Fieldwork this week:
So here's your field work this week because we always say that coaching without action is just entertainment. We really want you to test the method.
Not every tip that's been recommended here may work with every culture. So just like when you're trying a new recipe and they say, adjust spices to taste, that's what we want you to do here. Know that communication and teamwork are performance issues and grounds for termination. That is universal empirical. It's there. I don't like to say always. I don't like to say never, but in this case, it's true and petty behavior due to polarization is not tolerated. So the more that we eliminate the sort of canceled culture in our organizations, the more pleasant the workplace is going to be. And we won't see this petty behavior.
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My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Now this month, we're talking about quiet quitting and polarization that is emerging in the workplace, and some tips for our HR partners that are dealing with these problems that are emerging in the workplace. So today we're really talking about the antidote to quiet quitting. So what's quiet quitting? Quiet quitting is when people are just showing up to the job and doing the bare minimum, they're meeting expectations, but not really engaged. And this is not a big surprise for all of you who have read my book, coach culture, a playbook for winning in business.
You know that one of the citations that I make is the idea that over 60% of people are not engaged at work. And how do we define engagement? Well, engagement is productivity, profitability, and retention. Are we able to keep our top employees? Are they productive? Are they making good decisions that make us profitable? So if 60% of people are not engaged, we already had some quiet quitters. We just didn't call it that. So it's getting more popularity and more visibility, which I'm thrilled about. This is what I like to fix.
Fieldwork this week:
So fieldwork for this week is to review your culture. What do you give? What do you get? Do you belong? And can you grow? Have this discussion with your team? What small changes in habits and behaviors can shift the culture to one that's more engaged.
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All of you have probably been reading articles and the backlash that has to do with people quiet quitting the workplace. The concept behind this is the idea that if I just meet expectations, do everything that's expected of me, and no more and have firm boundaries, in that case, I'll be able to stick through my job, coast through, collect my paycheck, but have enough time and energy and motivation to pursue what's important to me in my personal life. Well, that can make things pretty tough for the workplace. It can show people that they're not engaged and this isn't a surprise because we know from Gallup's research that I published in my book CoachCulture, that this whole idea of engagement is tough. Over 60% of employees are unengaged, and define engagement as productivity, profitability, and retention. And retention being, are you sticking in the job? Are you staying? So where does this come from? Why do people feel the need to do this? Well, it's polarization. So polarization survives on black-and-white thinking.
Fieldwork this week:
So the fieldwork for this week is to examine your black-and-white thinking.
When are you using "ALWAYS" and "NEVER" in your thinking?.
Ask yourself, is this true?.
Can you identify examples that are shadesof gray?.
Acknowledge the gray and name it (to claim it!).
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My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
This week, we are talking about stop making others miserable, suck it up! So our mission is to make work fun again and this month we discussed how we internally make things more fun by finding joy and being a little less cranky. So one of the things that we really try to emphasize in coaching is agency. We are thinking that you are in control of your situation and everything around you. And so in this case, we want to talk about attitude and choosing a proper attitude. So happiness is a choice. We talked about this last week as well, this idea from Bronny’s research that if we can make ourselves happy, this is something that people have said over and over again, I wish I would have allowed myself to be happy. So one of the things that go along with that is if we're going to do something, do it with love. Don't grouse about it, complain about it, et cetera. Either choose to do it, and do it with love, or just don't do it. Don't torture others. You are in control of your attitude. And so we need to choose a healthy attitude.
Fieldwork this week:
Know Thyself
Gather with those you TRUST.
Discuss the Triggers at the highest level.
Caution: Don't go down the rabbit hole!.
Inventory the triggers.
Anticipate.
Have a plan of action.
Get help from your trusted colleague.
When it happens - excuse yourself and adjust your attitude!
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My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
This is podcast 50, we're at the 50 marker. Amazing. So we started this off last year and we've been releasing weekly. We've got lots of topics out there and we would love to hear from you about what your favorites are.
And today our idea is really to pick your poison. And that is what is your happiness at work strategy? So we're trying to position you to be an agent of your own happiness because happiness really is a choice. And if we look at the work of people like Bronnie Ware and others, when they have interviewed people on their death bed, one of the things that they have said is “I wish I would have allowed myself to be happy”. They recognize that happiness was a choice, and so we can choose to be happy at work as well. So let's think most about what is affecting your happiness. Is it the sandwich tasks? Is it people or something else?
Fieldwork this week:
We like to say each week that coaching without action is just entertainment and as tempting as it might be to just stream the next podcast in this series, we want you to take the time to draft these things that will reform your work and your attitude in the workplace. I encourage you to think about what are 20 things you could do at work that would feed you. Start with 20, and narrow it down to 10. See if you can practice those 10 consistently for a week. If something doesn't take, don't beat yourself up about it.
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My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
This month's theme is about finding joy and being a little less cranky.
So today’s topic is what you are doing all day, all day long. What is it that's bringing you joy? What's bringing you this crankiness? What is it that really can help you with whatever it is that you need to do to not be a jerk at work and that you can figure out what's really fun for you in terms of what you're doing all day? So when I work with folks when it comes to their tasks and things like that, and what's really working for them, cause a lot of times people are thinking about leaving the workforce, I'd like to have people create a pie chart. If you break down that whole pie chart, do the pieces of the pie feed you? They contain growth, challenge, and fun people. Do you get to use your strengths? So these are really important questions to ask yourself because if they don't, we want to expand the pieces of pie that do feed you and we want to diminish or eliminate the piece of the pie that don't.
Fieldwork this week:
So your fieldwork is to remodel your “PIE”, and that means beginning negotiations if necessary.
Don’t try to do the major remodel, work on 1% a day. If you can do that 1% a day, you're really going to be successful because think about it in a year, that's 365%.
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We're on podcast 48. We are so close to the 50-meter mark here. So this month we are talking about Finding joy and Being a little less cranky.
And this week specifically, we're going to be talking about, do not be that guy at work. This applies to gals too, But it is this whole idea of sometimes people just don't behave, they get resentful and it can be a lot of different things that are causing that. And so all of us need clarity. We need to understand where we're going and what's our part.
Fieldwork this week:
So what we want to do right now is not be that guy at work. Figure out what's causing our symptoms. Think about the leaders you've had in the past or a coach or a pastor or a parent, what did they do well, and how did they do it? Can you let your leader know that approach works for you? Hey, leaders are humans too, and they are not mind readers and they need help. So please tell them, give them a cheat sheet, help your leader grow, and let them know what ingredients are important for you.
Mentions on today's podcast
The Five Love Languages
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Today, specifically, we're going to talk about the shared principles in coaching culture and preventing polarization. You may or may not know, that I literally wrote the book on a coaching culture. You can find my book available on Amazon, as well as the audible version. It talks about what coaching is, why it works, how to do it and how to implement it. And I regularly speak to organizations about coaching skills for leaders and how managers can have more of a coach approach with their folks. So more and more, I've been investigating these principles in building my second book with a working title of reunited. There's a little bit of history behind that, but I think the real bang for the buck has to do with preventing polarization rather than the investment in reuniting, because a lot of people don't find it worth the effort, so let's get into it.
So all of these principles are part of a coaching culture. The willingness to question one's beliefs. I talked about the research in the last podcast on this about it doesn't matter about the mastery of the coach, or the level of the individual being coached, it all comes down to are they willing to question their beliefs?
Fieldwork this week:
Create that awareness in you. Ask yourself,
Where are you prone to polarization?
And if you've already become polarized with someone else, you separated, there's quite a distance.
Where do you wish to reunite?
You may not want to invest efforts and acquaintances, but you may want to in key relationships. And so far, my research tells me those are family members.
Mentioned today:
International Coaching Federation (ICF)
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Today specifically, we're going to talk about preventing polarization. As I’ve mentioned in my podcast a couple of weeks ago, there are several organizations that have done some very quality research in this area about how we have arrived at the state that we're in.
We've seen things come across from politics, #MeToo, BLM, and the police situation, all kinds of stuff. And this week we're seeing a polarization in the Roe V Wade decision and all of that to say what has happened is people are really digging in on these issues that are important to them. But one of the commonalities in all this polarity is that they have made the issue more important than the person or the people. And except in very close relationships, based on my interviews, people are not really willing to do the work to overcome that polarization or to reunite with people that they've separated from unless there's a long history of demonstrated value in relationships.
Fieldwork this week:
Exercise that gift of self-control.
Get in the practice of asking, not telling, and be open to exploration. What are the views or standpoints that they have that really are quite valid?
Take a break when you needed to.
So even if you feel like you're on a roll, stick to the plan breaks, everybody needs a break, don't tough it out.
And then think about the process when you're done with this discussion, whatever it might be, what can you be proud of?
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This month we're discussing the parallels between a coaching culture and preventing polarization. And today, I want to talk about reuniting and the willingness of people to invest.
So this whole idea that people have about reuniting is this challenge they have with investing their time, their effort maybe their money in something. That's not a sure thing because others are not always predictable. And we might put our heart on our sleeve and say, I was wrong. I chose my feelings about this issue or concern over my feelings for you and we might be met with so, and that's very difficult for people. And so we really want to make sure that we want to feel safe, right? And, but sharing those feelings, being vulnerable is what builds trust. And if we can overcome that hurdle by revealing our feelings and, and building that trust, the likelihood of us being able to reunite with those we're separated from is probably pretty good.
Fieldwork this week:
Is there anyone you wish to reunite with? Is it a family member, a close family member?
Maybe it's a colleague that you did work with in the past, but you lost touch during the pandemic and would like to reunite? What kind of outcome would you choose if you had a magic wand in order to make that happen?
The second question I really want to ask goes back to that Gay Hendricks question. What percentage of solving the relationship would you be willing to take on? And if you're like, Hey, you know, if it was convenient, twenty-five percent, then I'd say, Hmm, maybe, maybe not right now. Then wait till your willingness, your bandwidth is a little bit better.
And then finally, what is one thing that you could ask of them that would improve your relationship going forward?
And it might be to not post things. They haven't personally researched. It could be anything, but what would be one thing that you could ask of them and have them do the same for you.
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This month, we're going to be talking about conclusions from the research on polarization and what we learned between these qualitative interviews and the survey.
So loads of organizations are devoted to hosting discussions based on polarization and overcoming polarization. There are groups that are devoted to politics, getting conservatives and liberals together to talk about what they have in common, how to host meaningful, respectful discussions, and avoiding attacks. There are organizations that are hosting a discussion in academia, making sure that people are being confronted with opposite ideas because that's when learning takes place and how to overcome these feelings that people are having about being injured or offended, et cetera that is disrupting true learning. And there are other organizations and I assure you that they are doing a better job with their research than I have. And so I'm delighted to be able to lean on them and some of the conclusions that they have come to as well.
Fieldwork this week:
I would love to know how do you find yourself aligning with the research during the great reflection?
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This month’s theme is all about restoring your integrity and today we're gonna be talking about "Shedding Ego Identities". So what does that mean? What's an ego identity. So in coaching, when we talk about ego, we're talking about that sort of demographic, the outside of you, the things that people can see and surmise about you based on your appearance, your age, your gender, your race perhaps what you worship of your position, your affluence, et cetera. Sometimes we can get caught up in the rat race and we let our ego determine our joy versus the other way around.
So we want to get into that a little bit today. So we want to start off with this idea and practice of what is your identity, how do you think of yourself? What are the labels that you put on yourself? What are the limits that you put on yourself based on those things?
Fieldwork this week:
Craft your new identity, shed your old ego, and be sure to name both sides of it.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Jack Canfield, author of "The Success Principles"
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Today we're going to be talking about reuniting, forgotten parts of yourself to make yourself whole. Now you're probably wondering how does this make work fun again? How does it build better leaders? Well, all of this comes down to our integrity. When we think about pieces of ourselves that are out of integrity, we're thinking about things splintering off and it takes a lot more energy for something to travel through space. If it's flaking off, the paint's peeling off the side, as you're going creates a lot more resistance. You don't travel as quickly. And so today we're going to talk about how to reunite those parts, kind of re-laminate parts that are splintering, put a coat of shellac on it, and then we'll be good to go for maximum speed.
Fieldwork this week:
Think about things you did as a child, as a teenager, and as a young adult. What were the things that really just gave you the best time that you came home and you were like, oh, that was so great, I can't wait to do that again. What are some things that you could possibly bring back now? It may not be the same version of it.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
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Laura Berman Fortgang
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This month we are talking about restoring your integrity and specifically today, we're going to talk about boundaries, standards, and preferences.
We discussed this a little bit last month when we were talking about spring cleaning your life, and creating some of these things, but we want to go into more detail about what this will do for you and what this does for your integrity.
Boundaries are our force field that keeps the bad stuff out and good stuff in.
Standards are how you choose to behave yourself. What is important to you in how you conduct yourself? And so those same things that I just mentioned as boundaries, those could be your standards.
How do we honor preferences?
So one of the techniques that we can use to honor this is something that we're borrowing from the great writer, Julia Cameron who wrote the book, the artist's way. One of the activities that she highly recommends is something that she calls an artist date, where once a week, you make a date with yourself, not for others. This is not a time to be deferential or compromise anything else. This is truly something that feeds you and feeds you only with no other influence.
Fieldwork this week:
Think about your purpose, front, and center. How you can honor it, choose that artist's date. That's going to help you honor that practice by eliminating it from your vocabulary.
What are you about, what actions and words do you have totally in alignment. And how can you rephrase how you talk about yourself so that you are of integrity.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
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Julia Cameron, author, of "The Artist's Way"
Biblical Phrase: The truth shall set you free
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For this month's theme, we're going to be talking about integrity. Do you feel yourself splintering? So the solution here to this idea of splintering is to try integrity, to reunite those parts and become whole.
So what is integrity and what are we talking about when we say integrity?
Well, first of all, it's not a moral compass. The idea of integrity is that something is intact, that it's strong. It really supports you. And that when things are not in integrity, you may feel them splintering off or shaving.
Fieldwork this week:
So look at the pieces of your life that feel like they're splinters and how they're probably not in alignment with your values and your beliefs.
And if we can get those back on track, either shed those pieces or reconcile or reunite those pieces, then we're going to be in a lot better shape.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
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So onto today's topic, we're talking about standards. Standards are companions to boundaries and the fact that boundaries are what people may say or do or behave around you, your standards are your rules about how you would behave for yourself. So this is your code of conduct. Megan Kelly wrote a book entitled " Setting For More", based on this reflection that she had watched a Dr. Phil show. She was watching an episode where he encouraged someone to raise their standards.
And he said the only thing that's different between you and those that you envy is that you have settled for less. So the only thing different between you and those that you envy is that you have settled for less.
In her book, “Settling for More”, she wanted to make sure that she was upgrading her standards and expectations of what she would tolerate in her life, but also how she was going to operate as a person.
Fieldwork this week:
Write down your personal standard statements, suggesting who you are, how you operate, and in summary, what your standards are.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
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Megan Kelly, author of "Settling For More"
Dr. Phil
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This month, we are talking about spring cleaning your work relationships, and today we're going to be talking about boundaries. What are boundaries? Boundaries are like fences. They keep the good things in and the bad things out. I find that there are two main issues that show up when encountering boundaries with my clients. The first is that people know that there is a line, but they're really uncomfortable forcing that line. The second is they're not so sure what's bothering them, that they're upset about an interaction, or they feel confused about the interaction, but they are not quite sure really what happened until processing it much later. Knowing your boundaries helps you recognize what you want to keep and leave out of the system.
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This week, we're talking about this idea of spring cleaning your relationships, and part two of this is “to get clear about what you want”. Think about all of the things that you do in your life, either your work, your home, et cetera, and set it all in one place. So you could see it all, you'd touch it. And you'd say, what brings me joy? What I really want to encourage people to do this week is to think about what they want more of and in contrast what they want less of.
Fieldwork this week: Think about what deserves to stay in my life. What do I want more of? What is it that I'm going to move out of my brain, my workspace, you name it so I can create space for more of the things that I really want? This is spring cleaning. And so we're going to create spaces where our environment is something that feeds us each and every day.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Jack Canfield
Marshall Goldsmith
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So this week, in particular, I want to talk about making space by clearing out the toxins, particularly in work relationships, but this could be home too. We want to make sure that the relationships that we have are valuable, that they're nurturing, and supportive. So how do we decide what deserves our space and our effort? How do we decide who's a toxic person and why we need them out? The best way to do this is to go back to your values.
Fieldwork this week: Think about what deserves to stay in my life. What do I want more of? What is it that I'm going to move out of my brain, my workspace, you name it so I can create space for more of the things that I really want? This is spring cleaning. And so we're going to create spaces where our environment is something that feeds us each and every day.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
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Conflict develops slowly, usually, someone in a group would test the atmosphere about a certain topic with a light comment expecting to see what the reaction of the audience is. Then, if the response of the group is receptive and even encouraged by one or more people, the subject can tend to escalate until it becomes a confrontation that separates people, following opposing ideas like right and wrong or good and bad. Most of the issues that we can be upset about are not moral compass issues but can involve our sense of integrity.
Fieldwork this week: Next time you are in a discussion create some space for questioning your own set of beliefs and challenge your comfort around allies.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheet, Byron Katie
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What is the price we pay for not holding the space for dialogue? What is the cost of not stopping to try to understand another’s point of view? We pay with our once “significant connections”, we sacrifice friends who become acquaintances.
I am passionate and curious about this topic, how did we get from “agree to disagree “ to the intolerance we usually hold for anyone with differing points of view? In order to get closer to a better understanding of this social phenomenon, I have been working on a book and this week, we are launching the first pass at the research and it consists of a survey asking about what caused people the most regret in the past 2 years in regards to politics, matters related to the pandemic, and among their closest loved ones. We are expecting you to join this survey too!
Fieldwork this week: Be curious! Seek to understand before being understood. Negotiating is an option! Get creative to find a middle ground and keep your meaningful relationships as a result.
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In today’s episode, I am diving deep into fight stories and how people engage and end up escalating. Fights find their ground when people start reacting from their egos in a defensive way, this way, the conflict turns out to be more about the image that we have of ourselves rather than being related to a particular topic. Our egos don’t allow us to be vulnerable or open to others’ points of view.
Are you tired of entering into useless fights, losing important connections, and feeling terrible about yourself as a result? Try to visualize yourself as a continuous and limitless learner who is searching to grow and is willing to question his/her beliefs.
Fieldwork this week: Next time you foresee yourself engaging in a fight try to apply Susie Welch’s Rule of 10-10-10.
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My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
People are not able to hold to polarizing ideas in their minds at the same time, leading to generalizations. The truth is that people can make bad decisions, and we can still be friends, what we need to do is to UNDERSTAND each other.
Most people have lost a special relationship due to having opposing ideas on a certain matter, and that is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about this topic and actually writing a book about it!
Values could be expressed in different ways and you would be surprised how many people struggle to find what their values really are. One way of searching for your values is by paying attention to where you spend your money, and another way can be to find the opposite of what drives you crazy, what is creating the polarity is people experiencing other people who think differently than they do… but wait… this polarity is not necessarily an indicator of a value. Listen to this episode to learn how to keep friendships over unpaired opinions.
Fieldwork this week: Keep an inventory of all the areas where you censor yourself and notice if this is influenced by your audience. Why do you feel how you feel? We want to hear your experience, we are in the process of creating a website for you to take a brief survey (anonymous if you wish) about what are the things that are creating polarity and separation from those formerly near to you.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
There is a lot of damage that can come with conflict, part of it is the loss of control, the escalation, the narratives we tell ourselves about what the other might be thinking, and mainly that we become separated from the other conflictive party. How can we respect our differences and remain friends with someone who believes differently than we do? My suggestion is: Have fun and be playful. Playing is a way to stay a little bit separated in order to avoid being triggered. Listen to today’s episode for very useful examples of how to use play in difficult situations. Remember: Curiosity is the opposite of judgment, the more you stay curious and playful the less likely it is that you will get into a fallout of conflict. Fieldwork this week: Autonomy. Choose your mindset before entering a challenging conversation. Play the game of your choice, and chose to have fun in an area of anticipated conflict.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
SuperBetter: The Power of Living Playfully. Jane McGonigal
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Here are the tools you need to create the right mindset to approach and resolve conflict. The first step is to suspend judgment; curiosity is the ultimate coaching tool, simply ask more questions. The second tool is to have the intention of creating peace as your main objective; if your goal is to convert, accuse or convince others, they will react defensively. The third piece is to approach with calm (ground yourself if you feel agitated or emotional). Lastly, and most importantly, is to take 100% responsibility for the situation, meaning that you should become accountable for creating the event as well as for the resulting outcome, show that you are in control of your response.
Fieldwork this week: Keep this in mind: E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome). Choose a recent event (ideally one that didn’t go so well) and think of your response, consider other responses you could have used by practicing the four tools given today, and prioritizing the fact that you are 100% responsible for the outcome and, by responding differently, you can alter the outcome.
Quotes:
“Curiosity is the ultimate coaching tool, suspend your judgment and ask more questions.”
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
There are different kinds of conflicts: expressed conflict, unexpressed but anticipated conflict, and thirdly, unexpressed but resentful conflict. We long for clarity and settlement, we are wired for connection; that is why conflict puts us in a state of anxiety and disruption. The first thing we need to do in order to resolve conflicts is to do an Internal Inventory by asking ourselves: What is this conflict really about? Step two is to identify what is the real desire and the third step is to realize what this real desire produces for you, which generally leads to three answers: freedom, uplifted status, and that I’m being acknowledged, heard, appreciated, and understood. As a fourth step is needed to evaluate if the conflict is resolved, will it indeed create the desired effect?
There is a second part of this practice, which is what we do with others. Start by expressing your desires in the form of a request instead of a demand. First, express the conflict as you perceive it, secondly, the desired end state, and thirdly, express the suggested method that you have to resolve it. Ask the other party to share the conflict, desired end state, and possible solution as he or she sees it. After this exchange, it is easier to determine where the conflict is and consequently to be able to reach an agreement.
Fieldwork this week: Follow the four-step model above! Choose an area of open conflict or unexpressed but anticipated conflict and walk yourself through the internal preparation to prepare for the dialogue.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
An ideal state is when we are at our best, using our gifts and talents and being surrounded by a community that brings out the best in us, the best performing teams know this and encourage people to be at their ideal state consequently fostering psychological safety.
There are several ways to promote people reaching their Ideal state:
- Share challenges especially when the team reacts with empathy and compassion.
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Authentic expression.
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Diversity.
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Choose the right crowd.
Fieldwork this week: “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken”, express yourself authentically, consider the amount of censorship you apply to yourself, what would it take for you to be able to express what you are censoring? Turn your complaints into polite requests and make sure you express why they are important.
Mentioned in this episode:
Gallup's Q12
Gallup's Strengthsfinder
6 Types of People Who Do Not Deserve to Hear Your Story, Interview with Brene Brown
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Where does all the conflict come from? Nowadays people tend to believe that if you are not with me then you are against me, our communities are increasingly divided by conflict. Once we were used to “agree to disagree”, we would seek to understand and wouldn’t force our opinions on others.
Sharpening your listening skills can help you identify generalizations, deletions, and distortions that are not fact-based forms of using language, usually resulting from becoming more emotional and less rational.
Conflict can be good, there is no point in rushing to resolve or avoid it, create a platform to express challenges or grievances, this can spark a dialogue that encourages a better outcome than the original one desired.
Fieldwork this week: Think of your conflict as a ladder, place at the top of the ladder the fundamental conflict, take a step down and see what is below that? Keep repeating until you get to the point where you are both at the same level. How can you create a situation where both can win? Examine the conflict for the shared foundation and figure out where the blocks truly exist.
Quotes:
“Our opinions and ideas are not facts.”
“Often our adversaries in conflict share the same values as us but the expression of those values can be different.”
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Coaching is an investment that should be reserved for the very best at your organization in the beginning. Once you have your leaders on board you can begin with the areas you most want to leverage. The target of Coaching is fulfilling potential, every top performer should engineer his days and time in the most strategic and important areas (not the urgent).
These are the main features of a good Coaching Program: -A Coaching Program allows for new pathways and identities to be created, challenges assumptions that have been treated as facts, and provides partnering for results. - The solutions are solely the client’s, poor coaching slips into giving advice. - Each Coaching Program should have a center of excellence, in order to keep the standards of the program high. - Coaching needs continuity, it shouldn’t be a temporary endeavor based on the leader’s passion. - Tracking a coaching program is crucial to know its impact.
Fieldwork for this week: Begin with the end in mind for your Coaching Program. Ask yourself: What is that your Coaching Program wants to achieve? Consider the most important piece of your organization, are they capable of more? Could they be more strategic? Could they achieve more? Consider coaching as a tool to achieve that improvement.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Why consider coaching? Coaching is an investment and a tool to solve problems, it can help you accomplish your goals faster with long-lasting results and more permanently. Coaching surpasses the “what” and takes us deeply to the “why” we do what we do, coaching works on identities, values, behaviors, and habits.
The Bottoms Up approach starts from the lower levels of an organization, its greatest benefit is that the people who really want it can apply it immediately to their everyday work. Another method is the Tops Down which is much faster once executives experience coaching and recognize the benefits for lower levels employees. A third approach is directed to a Targeted Segment of the population who might be struggling and finally, the fourth area is the Center of Excellence Approach, an area that keeps the standards, policies, and methodologies of the coaching program and shares these practices across many areas of an organization. All four approaches are successfully proven methods for beginning your coaching program.
Fieldwork this week: In order to be able to identify the real problem you need to make sure you are asking the right questions. Practice these questions: What is the real issue here? If I solve this, how long will this solution last? What would be the permanent fix to this challenge? Who do I have to be to adhere to this permanent fix? What would I have to believe for this to be true?
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Bridge’s Transition Model
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Coaching can take place in many forms, but there are three main forms:
- External: External coaches are not employed by the company they are providing coaching for. In this case, the executives are usually receiving the coaching. The focus is often on modifying behaviors and habits. This coaching can last from 1 to 2 years. Advantages: Coaches have a wider perspective from companies in related and unrelated fields, these coaches are not influenced by the company’s politics, they also have the distance to ask fundamental questions without making assumptions. Disadvantages: Not knowing the history of the culture of the organization from the inside.
- Internal: People employed by the company they coach for. Many organizations take proven leaders with emotional intelligence and a passion for people and send them to become professionally trained coaches. They often focus on the levels of director and below ensuring there is not a conflict of interests in the topics executives are raising. Advantage: Already knowing the culture in the organization and being respected by their peers.
- Leaders with coaching skills: Leaders who have some professional coach training and use their skills as part of their role vs conducting formal coaching engagement. Advantages: The benefits of coaching are reflected in everyday interactions. Disadvantage: Leaders have to have experience coaching themselves to really get it and avoid leaning towards “advising”. The formal aspect of coaching is missing.
Fieldwork this week: The Coaching Agreement is much like a contract where the coach and the client agree to a topic, the desired outcome, and the coach asks questions based on what the client has offered that help them arrive at that outcome. The client determines what the agenda will be. Try to have an agreement for each meeting you have this week.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Coach Culture: A Playbook for Winning in Business, Shawna Corden
Quotes:
“Coaching is a champion problem-solver, it accelerates change with action aligned with purpose.”
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
What is coaching? Coaching is a way to bring out the best in others whether it is performance, career, or sports coaching, the focus is to develop someone’s strengths to perform at their best. A Coaching Culture is when coaching is part of everyone’s role, where everyone tries to be kind, honest, and the best version of themselves. Organizations are constructed with policies, habits, and behaviors that look and feel like coaching. These habits are about being curious (the opposite of judgment), assuming positive intent and realizing when the intent did not match the impact, growing, asking good questions, creating, designing, measuring, adjusting, and building relationships (not transactions).
The experience of the Coaching Culture improves leadership, clarity, communication, and decision making, it builds employees' resilience and engagement.
Fieldwork this week: Take the Coaching Assessment for Leaders to evaluate the presence of a coaching culture in elements of the areas of leadership, engagement, retention, and fundamentals.
Mentioned in this episode:
Listen to What is the Coach Approach?
Retreats that Work
The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us, Daniel H. Pink
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
What is the best version of ourselves? It is the one that is energized, sincere, and egoless, that version that is quite content with everyone being themselves, recognizes the gifts of others, and is happy to share its own talents. This version of ourselves is also ready to try new things and believes in the fact that jealousy has no place because there is enough for all. To achieve this you need to know yourself, your personal mission, passions, and respect what is unique about you.
Fieldwork this week: If you want to be the best version of yourself, book a DISC workshop, virtual and in-person versions are available.
Learn more about the DISC Assessment
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
How do we discover gifts and strengths? Most of the time, they are related to our values, and in other cases, it is simply something we excel at without much effort and enjoying the process. While searching for your own gifts you can ask yourself: * What are the consistent things that people tell me I am good at? * What are you naturally good at?
These answers will help you reveal your essence and help you focus on the activities you perform better and amplify them to the highest potential in your personal performance.
Fieldwork this week: Visit Gallup’s website and take the StrengthsFinder Assessment. Draw a pie chart with the major activities you perform in your role, how satisfying is each slice of the pie for you? Can you overlay your strengths and gifts with the pie? Create a plan to move to a more satisfying pie!
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Check out The Do’s and Dont’s of A Grief Anniversary on Ken Druck’s Website.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
What is Flow? Is that magical state where you are so engrossed in what you are doing, that the time flies! What is the relationship between flow and engagement? We are at the best of our productivity when we are flowing, not only because we are highly focused but we are also enjoying ourselves.
You are in a state of flow when you are present and in the moment, you are clear about the purpose of your actions, you lack self-consciousness, have a sense of personal control, time flies, and what you are doing is intrinsically rewarding. Coaching can influence each and every one of these factors that make flowing possible. Listen to today’s episode to find how leaders can foster a team environment that encourages flow.
Fieldwork this week: Eliminating obstacles: The practice of removing obstacles that prevent work from being completed. Employees should be able to ask for what they need and gets in the way of flow. Create good habits that feed you and make work a joy!
Mentioned in this episode:
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Engagement is defined as productivity, profitability, and retention, it is a key component of every successful company. In today’s episode, I share how to measure engagement using Gallup’s tool called the Q12 and explain the three aspects that truly keep employees motivated: purpose, mastery, and autonomy. Engagement is what makes us pay attention and give our intention to time and effort, it’s what drives us to get smarter, learn more, take risks, grow and endure discomfort through challenges. Remember that caring about employee engagement is the way to increase productivity.
Fieldwork this week: I encourage you to take a look at Daniel’s Pink TED Talk on Drive, reflect and put some of the learned skills into action.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Survey
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel H. Pink
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
There are two overarching themes involved in every productive conversation, one is partnership (a conversation cannot be one-sided) and the other is being (you need to be present in the moment of the conversation). The intention of a conversation needs to be identified as well as the topic and the expected outcome. Decisions are led by a commitment, that points that we are ready for accountability.
Fieldwork this week: Begin with the end in mind. The third of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen Covey). Dream out the ideal of your work environment, once you have the full picture, engage all the images, sounds, and smells, break it down! Include values, operating procedures in place, characteristics of the staff, and what is the environment made up of. Repeat this process for all the areas in your life.
Mentioned in today’s show:
Hard Goals: The Secret to Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, Mark Murphy
The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People's Lives Better, Too), Gretchen Rubin
Goal Setting Tips to Create an Extraordinary Life, Jack Canfield
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
How does the coach-approach conversation work? It works in the prefrontal cortex (the executive brain that amplifies our success rate). When using the coach-approach we remove ourselves from “me”, and we start building “we”. A leader must tell staff not just the “what” but also the “how” and the “why”, and in this way, they will be encouraged to grow their strengths, learn new things, and become invested in a product that they are responsible for. The coach-approach communication promotes autonomy, develops mastery, and integrates the purpose of the project. When coach-approach conversations happen there are discussions about potential obstacles, there is an anticipation of the performance under the current conditions and in this manner, trust is built as a safety net for failure.
Fieldwork this week: Transparency: Being direct with your intentions to ensure your conversations are having the right impact.
Shout Out to the Pennsylvania Chick-fil-A for the company’s overall mission of taking care of the people who work in this restaurant!
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
The role of a leader can be difficult, filled with the great responsibility of being the first among equals, having all the answers, and always knowing what to do next, but this approach leaves the leader lacking the opportunity of being curious, vulnerable, and leaving space for others to take the initiative. As a result, the levels of burnout in leadership are increasingly high. The Coach Approach encourages leaders to be in charge of the vision and what the team is going to do, but without telling them how to do the work, they are responsible for leveraging their skills and their daily network, coming up with innovation. The number one benefit from the Coach Approach is more team engagement! Listen to this episode to hear more about how the Coach Approach can ease a leader’s life.
Fieldwork this week: Messaging is a form of truth-telling and may hold people accountable to their values, and it can also be about the anticipated future state, holding the vision for the outcome that all the hard work the client is doing may produce. First, consider the current business plan and how are things progressing, and ask yourself: What is the message that your team could hear that would redirect to success?
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Coaching is defined as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential, the process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity, and leadership”. Listen to this episode to learn more about the extent and characteristics of the role of a coach, what coaches don’t do, and what the aspects are that define a successful coaching experience.
Fieldwork this week: The GROW model is the easiest way to understand the coaching conversation. We start with the Goal (What is it? Why do we want it?), then, Reality (What is today’s reality? Where are we starting from?), after, come the Options (What are the ways that we can reach that goal? Explore the variations), and lastly, what is the Way forward you have chosen?
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Even for self-aware leaders, there are unknown areas, blind spots, and sometimes leaders don’t have a team to warn them about those risks. One of the primary roles of a coach is to act as a “blindspot alert” partnering with leaders, planning towards the achievement of goals, and looking for potential obstacles. Exploring and naming our biases (and therefore our blindspots) brings awareness to the potential dangers we are exposed to and that we are not addressing, but when we name them, we claim them and we can address them.
Fieldwork this week: Openly discuss biases to determine blindspots. Create an agenda item in your next staff call, talk about your favorite things to do at work, and about the team’s best features, does your organization have a bias of positivity, consensus, and harmony? A company with this bias can miss on competition, critical thinking, and risk management. Action Tips: Inventory your own and your team’s biases, think about how you can bring that alternative perspective into play, create a safe space where you can honor the team’s culture while introducing some of the missing elements.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
A self-aware leader faces many challenges, especially executive leadership. One of the benefits of working with an executive coach is a partner, one that does not judge and is aligned with the leader’s goals. A coach is a safe place for a leader, even though coaches keep leaders accountable to their goals, can challenge them, and even be provocative if found necessary. We all need someone to help us be the person we can be!
Fieldwork this week: The Accountability Question List is made by a group of questions that when answered affirmatively reflect that daily life is lived in alignment in the short and long term, embodying the values of the responder. Write your own 10 to 20 question list, that when answered affirmatively show that you are on track.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Tweetables
“Coaches don’t have their own agendas, they sign up to help their clients achieve theirs.”
“We all need someone to help us be the person we can be.”
The analogy of “seeing a hole or going into it” is a great way of assessing the difference between compassion and empathy. Being compassionate is about observing, acknowledging, and sharing someone’s feelings without “getting in the hole with them” since one of you needs to be outside in order to be of actual help. Susan explains in this episode how to achieve compassionate relationships fostering curiosity and learning to avoid judgment.
Fieldwork this week: Evaluate which sharing feelings you are engaging in when others present challenges. First: Are you staying “out of the hole”? Make sure you are not standing in a place of pity but rather in a compassionate one. Second: Are you judging them for getting “in the hole”? If so, you are in a place of pity, it is time to start getting curious. Third: Are you finding yourself worrying? You might be practicing empathy or sympathy then: try to share feelings but be the one who will help them exit “from the hole”. Seek to be an assistant, be curious, listen, and make them safe.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results, Judith E. Glassier
Tweetables
“Curiosity is the opposite of judgment.”
“Letting people think out loud creates clarity.”
“A Self Aware leader knows the impact of his/her actions on others and seeks to understand what his/her staff is going through.”
“Burnout: When demands are exceeding capacity.”
Etiquette is about creating a safe space, by illustrating the norms that people can expect. Not knowing is what causes people to be uncomfortable, and COVID had changed all the rules we knew about what was and wasn’t appropriate at the workplace. How can we create a safe space under the COVID climate? Shawna shares in this episode strategies to put in action in these new circumstances and foster a safe environment back in the office.
Fieldwork this week: The “straw dog” or the “straw man” is a framework for people to generate ideas, where all ideas are heard, and they build upon one another; this technique is a great starting place! The purpose of this practice is to generate a rich dialogue with the best possible result.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Tweetable:
“COVID Etiquette is intended to make people comfortable and know what to expect.”
Whether you are at home or at work awareness is the key aspect of connection. There are two common scenarios in the HR field. First, the “nice” HR manager who overly cares for the employee, neglecting the goals and outcomes, delivering poor and weak results as a consequence of favoring the employee too much. In the end, this parenting style is not effective, the manager’s leaders will have to intervene and all employees will suffer the repercussions as a result of not meeting their numbers. The second scenario is about the HR manager that does not build a foundational relationship, micromanages, and employees tend to avoid working for him/her because the results delivered in the project came as a personal cost. How can we turn these two managers into self-aware leaders? Seek for a third unbiased partner who has an industry perspective and is able to really embrace the client by helping him identify their intentions and work on how they display them every day.
Fieldwork this week: Mirroring consists of reflecting back what was heard or said, processing those words into actions, checking if the intent matches the impact, and sharing that back to the speaker. The mirroring technique also invites the participants to share how they feel about the message and how that will influence their results.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Tweetables:
“A Leader must know how to be supportive of performance and the person.” - Shawna Corden
“It is so much more than just the words we say.” - Shawna Corden
Halloween is around the corner and, in preparation, I decided to share with you ten things that scary managers can do such as: — Not communicating the vision, — Treating people just as resources, — Failing to demonstrate trust, — Criticizing in public, — Overly fostering independence, — Not helping their staff prioritize, — Taking credit for your work, — Alienating their staff, — Neglecting to build connections with their subordinates, and lastly — Surprising people while evaluating them.
Fieldwork this week: Keep in mind the three pillars of successful teams which deliver great results are: Leadership, communication, and employee resilience. Here are some suggestions for you to improve in each of these areas: List three things that will improve your leadership, like emphasizing transparency, and promoting creativity and collaboration. Enhance communication among your team by highlighting the gifts, talents, and experiences of the humans around you! And lastly, build your foundation for resilience. What are you doing to take good care of yourself? (pray, meditate, proper nutrition, get enough sleep).
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Tweetables
“Psychological safety is built by people sharing their challenges and is the number one factor in creating high-performance teams.”
“A manager's job is to catch and distribute the work.”
Today I sleuth it up, Nancy Drew style, to uncover the top factors that make a workplace enjoyable. Turns out, it’s more about environment and relationship than the work itself. Pinging off the Gallup Q12, I walk through four key questions that every employee asks. The way you answer those questions makes the difference between celebrating your job or loathing it.
Some say curiosity kills cats, but actually, it’s paramount when promoting excitement and growth. Want to move the tone of your team from stale to stimulated? Introduce a few open-ended, forward-thinking questions that validate their ideas and facilitate innovation.
Link to Best 100 Places to Work
Link to Gallup’s Q12 Employment Engagement Strategy
Fieldwork this week: Spend five minutes discussing the best thing about your workplace. What do you want more of, less of, etc? What would make it more fun?
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
What makes you tick? What drives you? In this episode, I unpack the importance of answering these questions. Without purpose, work is drudgery. But with purpose, I explain how even less desirable roles, and responsibility-laden seasons of life, can still be enjoyable and rewarding.
I also leverage insights from the well-known study on the 5 love languages, explaining how to empower yourself and others. Lastly, it’s time for employee reviews to become more about encouragement than critique—let me show you how!
Fieldwork this week: Identify your why—what drives you to do what you do. Honor that calling. Invest in it. Make it as enjoyable and rewarding as possible. Figure out your central crew, the most important people in your life, and determine how to encourage them using their preferred love language.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Books I mention in this episode:
Your Money Your Life
Voluntary Simplicity
The 5 Love Languages
The 5 Languages of Appreciation In the Workplace
Good leaders execute on time, but several common pitfalls threaten every leader’s ability to do so. In this episode, I explore those pitfalls, riffing on Rob Denker’s excellent article on the subject.
Additionally, I unpack what it means to “paint the shed,” and why this simple idea can help leaders delegate with excellence. Ultimately, the leader who delegates well is the leader who executes well.
Fieldwork this week: Invite others into your strategy development by laying out the process for an upcoming goal or project. Have delegates brainstorm the “how” for this project, in other words, have them describe the painted shed. How does including them in the development process impact efficiency and unity?
Here’s the Rob Denker article I reference.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Tweetables:
“It’s important that the executive’s preconceived notion doesn’t crowd out the innovation if the result matches the need.” - Shawna Corden
It may not be most people’s first choice for a nickname, but truthfully, I love being “The Jerk Whisperer” and I’ll share why. In my experience, the bluff and bravado of many executives reveals a fear of showing weakness. Top leaders don’t show chinks in their armor, right? Wrong! I’ll explain why owning your Achilles heel will increase retention and boost your confidence simultaneously.
Strong leaders aren’t flawless, so stop pretending to be. Humility, not hiding, will transform your Achilles heel into a tool of efficiency and relatability.
Fieldwork this week: Ask those closest to you (an admin or spouse): What’s my achilles heel? How do I rationalize or defend it at the expense of those around me? Take a deep breath, listen closely to their answers, then come up with tangible steps to own and improve your weak areas.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Tweetables:
“Every brilliant leader has an achilles heel.” - Shawna Corden
Today I explain why alignment—sharing a common goal or vision— is crucial to the success of any team. Alignment brings clarity, helping people connect their daily work to the overarching vision.
Experiencing conflict on your team? Many times this stems from unmet expectations, misunderstanding, or unspoken reservations. I explain how to identify what’s blocking alignment, how to dialogue (not debate) with your team, and how to preemptively prepare for these conversations before they happen.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Tweetables:
“Alignment comes from clarity. It’s when people can connect the dots from what they’re doing on a daily basis and how it contributes to vision.” - Shawna Corden
Chief Learning Officer Magazine identified self-awareness as the #1 most important capability for emerging leaders. So in this episode, I explain a tool developed by Marshall Goldsmith called “feedforward.” Unlike feedback, which leaves people feeling helpless to amend past blunders, feedforward helps develop a person for future success.
I describe how feedforward improves relationships within a team, paints a clearer picture of a leader’s expectations, and increases overall efficiency in the workplace.
Fieldwork this week: Identify the most important people in your professional and personal life, and ask them: What is one thing I can do to improve my relationship with you? Seek to implement a tangible change based on their responses.
Have a question for me? Email me: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Tweetables:
“Self-awareness is all about intention vs. impact.” — Shawna Corden
This episode is all about vision—how to identify and present it. When it comes to articulating a clear vision, it’s all about the what, where, and why. I explain why daydreaming is a key component of establishing your vision, quote a little Mark Twain, and point out the power of imagination sessions.
Stumped on your vision? Articulate what you don’t want. This helps you crystalize your goals. Dealing with naysayers? Find out how to turn the biggest skeptic on your team into your greatest asset!
Fieldwork for the week: Give yourself a reasonable goal in the near future. Imagine all the possibilities and desires for that event. Then apply the prospective hindsight (or pre-mortem) technique by identifying all the risks and addressing them.
Have a question? Send me an email: podcast@shawnacorden.com
My mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on my website: shawnacorden.com
Here’s a link to Scaling Up Excellence, the book I mention.
Tweetables:
“Big visions that require great effort are the ones that draw us forward.” - Shawna Corden
In this episode, I unpack the importance of psychological safety in the workplace. Psychological safety means colleagues believe they’re safe to speak up without being punished or humiliated. Creating this healthy work environment starts with leaders who share their own challenges, model vulnerability, and listen well. I end with an exercise to try this week 一 a simple first step toward building a team that’s healthier and happier!
Have a question for Shawna? Email her: podcast@shawnacorden.com
Her mission is to make work fun again by building better leaders. Find out more on her website: shawnacorden.com and follow her on social media: @shawnacorden.
Leadership Strategies for High Performing Teams. Each week we’ll tackle the mindsets, strategies and tactics that make employees excited to come to work and do a great job.