People Business w/ O'Brien McMahon: Recent Episodes
O'Brien McMahon
Every business is in some way a “people business” with success or failure often coming down to how leaders manage the people dynamics of their organization. People Business is a weekly podcast focused on what it takes to build and lead a successful, profitable business by navigating the human element.
Shawn Bushway has a PhD in economics and public policy from the Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University and has spent his career in criminology, where he has been recognized as a Distinguished Scholar for the Division of Corrections and Sentencing and a Fellow of the American Society of Criminology. He has published two books and over 100 peer-reviewed articles in journals.
Mentioned on the Show
- Learn more about the Bushway Opportunity Score: https://www.bushwayopportunityscore.com/
- Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-d-bushway-91a1494a
Timestamps
(00:00:00) — Shawn Bushway joins O'Brien McMahon on People Business.
(00:03:12) — What’s the origin story for how you got into criminology?
(00:05:41) — As a culture in the US, how have our beliefs around crime and criminals changed over time?
(00:08:49) — Do foreign countries have other sentiments about criminals?
(00:12:49) — What are the misconceptions and what is the reality around recidivism?
(00:26:47) — Which factors should you look for in recidivism?
(00:35:38) — What about white collar crime? Is there a higher risk to hiring someone to a white collar job who has committed a white collar crime?
(00:43:30) — The Bushway Opportunity Score: helping employers make solid decisions in hiring
(00:45:31) — What factors can be considered for offenders in the hiring process?
(00:49:55) — Once these people get hired, are they materially the same as every other employee, or are there differences—maybe positive or negative?
(00:56:12) — Closing thoughts and encouragements
Radhika Dutt draws on 25 years of experience across industries, continents, and sizes of organizations to write, speak, and consult on innovation and change. Her experience has taught her that goal-setting systems often produce the opposite of what they promise: short-termism, performance theater, and cultures that prioritize looking good over doing good work. In this conversation, she offers an alternative.
Mentioned on the Show
- Get Radhika’s free toolkit to help you switch to puzzle-solving in your business: https://www.radicalproduct.com/toolkit/#OHLToolkit
- Connect with Radhika Dutt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhika-dutt
- Learn more about Radhika Dutt on her website: https://rdutt.com/
Timestamps
(00:00:00) - Welcoming Radhika Dutt to People Business
(00:03:02) – What is the history of goal setting?
(00:06:15) – Is the problem OKRs or SMART goals or goal setting in general?
(00:22:02) – Why doesn’t traditional goal-setting work?
(00:24:42) – How do institutional incentives fit into your new framework?
(00:29:16) – If goal setting doesn’t work, what does?
(00:34:12) – How frequently do leaders need to review and work on this new framework?
(00:36:22) – What about goals for individuals? Does goal setting work for people’s individual goals?
(00:37:11) – How does puzzle-solving work in a service-related business?
(00:40:09) – Do traditional metrics have any role in the puzzle-solving framework?
(00:49:39) – How sustainable is using puzzle-solving over traditional goals?
(00:53:51) – Using vision statements in the process of solving puzzles in business
(00:55:08) – What are the drawbacks of using a puzzle-solving approach over traditional goal setting?
(00:57:28) – Get Radhika’s free toolkit to develop the puzzle-solving approach for your business
Neal Foard spent more than 25 years in advertising and marketing, creating award-winning campaigns for global power brands like Budweiser, Lexus, and Nokia. Most recently, Neal has gained a following on social media for his inspirational videos about the kindness of everyday people.
Mentioned on the Show
- Learn more about Neal Foard at his website: https://www.nealfoard.com/
- The "Gen Z" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiz6-pIYfaE
- Connect with Neal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neal-foard
- Neal’s storytelling course is Storyfire, find it here: https://www.storyfire.net/
Timestamps
(00:00) - Meet Neal Foard on this week's People Business
(03:16) - How did you begin telling stories on social media?
(05:07) - How did you become so good at storytelling?
(10:04) - What is your process for capturing stories?
(21:07) - How can professionals use storytelling in everyday work situations?
(32:34) - How do humor and vocabulary work in storytelling?
(48:47) - The one thing.
(56:34) - How do stories enhance business presentations?
Recognized in Crain's New York Business Notable Leaders in Real Estate and ranked the #1 Real Estate Broker in New York and New York State and #14 in the Nation for 2022, Bianca currently manages a $10B real estate portfolio for Nest Seekers International. She is the star of Selling the Hamptons on HBOMax, CEO and founder of The Masters Division and Managing Director for Nest Seekers Development Marketing, and author of Mastering Intentions: 10 Practices to Amplify Your Power and Lead with Lasting Impact.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect with Bianca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biancadalessio
- Learn more about Nest Seekers and Bianca’s role in The Masters Division: https://www.nestseekers.com/agent/bianca-dalessio/
- Read Bianca’s book Mastering Intentions: https://a.co/d/cVlGRkg
Timestamps
(00:00) – Introducing Bianca D'Alessio on People Business.
(02:04) – Why did Bianca dedicate her book to a professor and what role did he play in her story?
(06:28) – What is the book Mastering Intentions, 10 Practices to Amplify Your Power and Lead With Lasting Impact about? What do you hope people get out of the book?
(08:15) – What does it mean to “always make the ask”?
(12:44) – How can leaders get authentic feedback from teammates?
(16:34) – Hiring: what techniques do you use to find (and qualify) teammates?
(25:05) – How do you approach sales?
(32:19) – How do you handle losses (not getting the sale, setbacks, failures)?
(33:45) – What is your goal-setting process?
(37:56) "How does that translate to the team? Because I imagine you bring somebody and you're like, I want you to hit some numbers."
(41:03) – Working for sales, but not being money motivated
(45:09) – How to balance “going with the flow” and directing and capturing and enhancing drive
Micah Remley is the CEO of Robin, a leading workplace management platform revolutionizing hybrid work. He brings 20+ years of experience scaling high-growth technology companies. At Robin, Micah drives innovation in hybrid work solutions, enabling employees to seamlessly reserve office resources while fostering collaboration and productivity.
Mentioned on the Show
- Find Micah Remley of Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micah-remley-b6430740
- Learn more about Robin, the office optimization software: https://robinpowered.com/about
Timestamps
(0:00) – Welcome to People Business.
(1:58) – Meet Micah Remley. What is Robin and what is office optimization?
(07:26) – Are companies still struggling with return to work policy or has the dust settled?
(10:35) – What is the justification for requiring employees to return to the office?
(19:17) – How are companies enforcing stricter in-office attendance requirements?
(23:16) – What’s working with structuring office time versus remote work?
(26:00) – How do we build a sense of community at work?
(31:49) – What office layouts, amenities, and equipment are popular right now?
(38:09) – What data should companies use to make decisions about office space?
(46:25) – Executive presence: Why is it important for executives to be in the office?
(46:27) – What about office optimization are you sick of talking about?
Jeremy Dubow is Prosperity Partners’ Chief Executive Officer. He manages the company and is responsible for its strategic direction, growth initiatives, and talent development.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Find Jeremy Dubow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremydubow/
- Jeremy Dubow’s profile on the Prosperity Partners website: https://www.prosperityllc.com/personnel/jeremy-dubow/
- Listen to the People Business episode with John Block, CEO of Unity Partners: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/johnblock/
Timestamps
(00:00:00) – Introducing Jeremy Dubow on People Business
(00:03:13) – What is Prosperity Partners and what have you been through in the last 12-18 months?
(00:05:40) – How did you want to conduct your business that differed from the traditional “Big Four”?
(00:10:13) – Entrepreneur mindset: What’s the biggest surprise about running a business?
(00:12:22) – How do you deal with hardships and setbacks in business?
(00:17:17) – What is it really like to be in business with a private equity firm?
(00:22:57) – What is your current strategy for recruiting and attracting talent? How does your business model work with today’s professionals?
(00:28:42) – Culture and fit: what are the processes and challenges of integrating acquisitions?
(00:38:20) – How are effective teams created in these conditions?
(00:44:47) – What role does offshoring play in your strategy and how does that impact company culture?
(00:48:50) – What is the purpose of business?
Chuck Wisner has spent 30 years as a trusted advisor, coach, and teacher in communication, human dynamics, and leadership excellence. He has worked with leaders and their teams in Fortune 200 companies. He also trained in mediation and worked as a senior mediator affiliated with the Harvard Mediation Program at the Harvard Law School, and later, was associated with MIT’s Center for Organizational Learning. His book, The Art of Conscious Conversations – Transforming How We Talk, Listen, and Interact, explores how to heighten our awareness and become more conscious in our conversations.
Mentioned on the Show
- Learn more at Chuck Wisner’s website: https://www.chuckwisner.com/
- Get Chuck’s book, The Art of Conscious Conversations: https://a.co/d/hfPRSmK
- Connect with Chuck on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-wisner
- Listen to the People Business interview with Charles Feltman, author of The Thin Book of Trust: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/charlesfeltman/
Timestamps
(02:53) - What is the ‘ontology of language’?
(06:02) – The impact of worldview on the language we use. What is a ‘master story’?
(09:33) – How can we let go of worldviews or change a master story?
(13:15) – How can we contend with negative views of ourselves?
(15:54) – Opinion vs fact: What questions can we ask ourselves about the stories we tell?
(21:34) – How can we break negative patterns and form healthy, positive new patterns?
(24:47) - The four questions: how to explore our thinking during our reactions
(34:27) - Collaboration and collaborative conversations: What makes for good collaborators?
(43:18) - "Conversations are the one human universal tool that we share."
As founder of Lapin International, David Lapin advises executives worldwide on how to align business strategy with character and corporate culture with purpose. He is the author of Lead by Greatness and a practicing Rabbi. Raised in apartheid-era South Africa, David helped draft one of the world’s first formal corporate ethics codes. He now lives in Israel and travels frequently to the U.S. for client engagements.
Mentioned on the Show
- David Lapin’s company, Lapin International: https://www.lapininternational.com
- Learn more about the Lapin Leadership Fingerprint: https://lapininternational.com/lapin-leadership-fingerprint-lp/
- David’s book: Lead by Greatness – https://amzn.to/4kxb7gU
- Connect with Rabbi Lapin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlapin
- Lapin International on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/lapin-international/
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps
(00:00) – Welcome to People Business
(02:14) – What’s it like being a Rabbi and working in the business world?
(06:00) – What kind of role does a Rabbi have outside of a temple?
(10:36) – How does your expanded cultural perspective shape your work as a Rabbi?
(24:16) – What does Judaism say about business?
(28:07) – How does business build a healthy community?
(37:29) – How can we best be of service to others?
(41:38) – Purpose: Is finding our purpose a worthy pursuit or a distraction?
(51:32) – Do “better people” enjoy more success? What does it mean to be a better person?
(56:28) – What qualitative improvements can be expected when people are working ethically and aligned with purpose?
(58:08) – Final thoughts and how to contact David Lapin and Lapin International.
Kassi Kincaid is a leading expert in creative leadership. She is a speaker, trainer, and author committed to helping people leverage their creativity to lead with greater impact and innovation. As the visionary behind Book Days — an international children’s literacy initiative — Kassi has seen how creative thinking can turn small ideas into global movements. Her journey from building a grassroots literacy project to inspiring professionals across industries fuels her mission: to equip leaders and teams with practical creativity frameworks that spark innovation, increase engagement, and drive meaningful change.
Mentioned on the Show
- Kassi Kincaid’s website: https://www.kassikincaid.com/
- Learn more about Book Days: https://www.bookdays.org/
- Connect with Kassi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassi-kincaid-speaker
- The Edge of Creativity by Kassi Kincaid: https://a.co/d/hSVLMqN
- Listen to Kassi’s podcast: https://pod.link/1714322040
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps
(00:00) Welcome to People Business.
(00:19) Meet Kassi Kincaid: Creative Leadership Expert
(05:06) How do you define creativity?
(10:15) How did the Book Days initiative come about?
(14:55) Creativity in kids vs. adults.
(19:06) Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation.
(27:05) What role does rest play with creativity?
(35:24) How do we bring creativity into our workplaces?
(42:50) Is creativity something that can be learned?
(52:55) How can creativity improve our work success?
(55:05) Contacting Kassi and final thoughts on creativity.
Internal communication strategist Alejandra Ramirez is a veteran culture builder with nearly two decades of experience helping organizations align message with meaning. She founded ReadyCultures to help leaders communicate in ways their teams can hear, trust, and act on.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect with Alejandra Ramirez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malejandraramirez
- Learn more about Alejandra’s internal communications firm, Ready Cultures: https://www.readycultures.com/
- Get Alejandra’s worksheet explaining her Head, Heart, Hands approach: https://www.readycultures.com/3h-framework
- Tim Ferris’ interview with Walter O’Brien (inspiration for the show, Scorpion): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ6IcUoXpzU
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps
(00:00) Welcome to People Business.
(02:44) Meet Alejandra Ramirez of Ready Cultures.
(04:30) What is a “third culture” and what communication challenges does that bring?
(08:01) Are there best practices in internal communications?
(17:52) What do managers need to know about delivering bad news?
(20:48) How can companies uphold a communication strategy and be transparent?
(25:50) How can companies have effective communications?
(28:33) Why is social connection so important?
(29:05) Why is it important to know our ‘why’?
(29:37) The importance of “EQ” at work.
(33:30) How do leaders get coached in communications?
(36:59) What does good preparation look like?
(40:25) Who delivers the news, especially bad news?
(51:38) How can company culture be created?
(54:38) How to contact Alejandra Ramirez and Ready Cultures.
George Watts is Chairman of Top Line Talent and a nationally recognized author, behavioral scientist, and senior executive. He coaches CEOs on how to build and lead formidable C-Suite teams and is the author of several books, including Becoming Your Own Business Coach and Becoming a Strategic Leader. His passion is inspiring people to mature their natural personality strengths.
Laurie Blazek is President and CEO of Top Line Talent and is coauthor of Becoming a Strategic leader and cocreator of the online Top Line Talent leadership development program. Her passion is to help people specifically define who they are when they’re at their best.
Mentioned on the Show
- The book, Becoming a Strategic Leader: Capitalize on the Power of Your Personality: https://a.co/d/09u6VTy
- Connect with George Watts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-watts-1b8923181
- Connect with Laurie Blazek on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-blazek-4b7a592
- Learn more about TLT Coaching: https://www.tltcoaching.com/
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps
(0:00) Meet George Watts and Laurie Blazek.
(02:37) What are some of the limitations of leadership coaching?
(11:51) How do we avoid unhealthy comparisons?
(13:52) How can we understand our weaknesses and our "shadow"?
(17:26) The Big Five Personality Traits.
(28:21) How do we apply insights about our personality in our everyday lives?
(37:38) How do I bring these personality insights to my workplace?
(42:54) What are the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations?
(44:59) How does the "shadow self" derail personal growth?
(46:49) How can the "shadow" help during performance reviews?
(48:56) How can we use these personality insights in other personal areas of our lives?
(58:22) Where to learn more and get the book, Becoming a Strategic Leader
Julie Jones is a business protocol and etiquette expert, sought-after public speaker, corporate trainer, and educator. She is certified by the Protocol School of Washington.
Mentioned on the Show
- Learn more about Julie’s work on her website, Today’s Professionals: https://www.todaysprofessionals.com/
- Julie’s profile on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therealjulieajones
- Follow Julie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealjulieajones/
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps
(00:00) Introduction to Julie Jones.
(01:55) What is protocol and business etiquette?
(04:50) What's the difference between extroversion and connecting with others?
(06:34) What is involved in modern etiquette?
(11:00) Why do first impressions matter?
(19:53) What is your reaction to the idea of bringing your whole self to work?
(25:22) "Act as pretty as you look."
(28:28) Image vs. brand: what's the difference?
(35:34) How do you align your personal brand with the company brand?
(43:39) Values: show up for others; align with the company; seek what's best.
(44:41) How do we help others get what they want out of life?
(46:52) Where can people contact Julie Jones?
Dave Moore is a partner at Laner Muchin and the firm’s Employment Litigation Department Co-Chair. While Dave spends much of his time defending employers in employment litigation of all shapes and sizes, he has focused much of his 20+ years as an employer lawyer on keeping employers out of the courtroom. Dave has been recognized among Illinois Super Lawyers and Leading Lawyers in 2024 and 2025. Dave was also recognized by the National Law Journal as an Elite Trailblazer in 2022 for work with employers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect with Dave Moore on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-moore-5b2b58a
- Dave’s profile at the Laner Muchin firm: https://www.lanermuchin.com/attorneys-david-moore
- Listen to the People Business episode with Cash Nickerson: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/cashnickerson/
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps
(00:00) – Welcome to People Business
(00:17) – Introducing Dave Moore, employment attorney
(04:37) – What are the most common employment legal issues?
(08:59) – What are documentation best practices?
(15:22) – How do employers navigate Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations?
(21:11) – How do mental health ADA accommodations work?
(25:41) – What risks are associated with terminating an employee and what are best practices for termination?
(30:01) – When should a workplace contact their attorney?
(32:43) – Role-playing difficult conversations with clients?
(34:19) – Navigating remote and hybrid work policies
(38:12) – Addressing employee relocation and “secondary” jobs
(43:53) – Unionization: hearing whispers or is a campaign underway?
(52:14) – Are governmental changes impacting employment law? What trends are ahead?
(01:00:29) – Practical advice and closing thoughts
Amber Pandya loves to help people and businesses thrive. She proves this every day in her role as Senior Director of Employee Experience at G2, where she helps employees reach their PEAK.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect with Amber Pandya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberpandya
- Amber’s profile on G2: https://learn.g2.com/author/amber-pandya
- PEAK—Performance; Entrepreneurship; Authenticity; Kindness. Learn more about G2 and their PEAK culture: https://company.g2.com/about
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps
(00:00) – Welcome to People Business
(02:23) – What do you do at G2?
(03:34) – What is G2?
(08:17) – What are the key differences and similarities between working in-house versus consulting?
(12:55) – Please explain G2’s "PEAK" values?
(19:16) – What organizational factors does Amber see as blockers to employee performance, either at G2 or in other companies?
(24:34) – How easy or difficult is it to remove a process once it has been implemented at G2?
(27:54) – How does G2 balance its Kindness value with a Performance-Driven culture?
(33:03) – What does authenticity mean at G2? How do you think about bringing your "whole self" to work?
(37:00) – How does G2 personalize and maintain its culture as it scales to a larger organization?
(41:11) – What is an INPS (Inclusion Net Promoter Score), and how does G2 use it alongside other data?
(43:36) – Why is the Net Promoter Score (NPS) considered valuable?
(47:39) – Who creates the actionable steps in the Voice of the Employee report? How do they assist leaders in improving performance and experience?
(48:41) – What AI system does G2 use to synthesize employee data?
(52:09) – Mic drop: What impact can HR have on business performance?
Michael Cupps is a productivity expert who has been in technology sales and marketing for over thirty years. He learned the importance of productivity from an early age due to his upbringing on a farm in Texas, which taught him the value of hard work, prioritization, and managing time wisely. Michael applies these lessons to his work helping individuals and teams to make the most of their time and priorities. He is also the host of The Habit Architect podcast and founder of the Time Bandit. Michael’s book and mobile app, Time Bandit, is the ultimate guide for those looking to leave behind chaotic and unmanageable to-do lists and ultimately reclaim their time to live a more balanced and productive life.
Mentioned on the Show
- Learn more about Michael Cupps and his Time Bandit system, including the app, book, and his podcast. Website: https://www.timebandit.io/index
- Connect with Michael Cupps on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcupps
- Learn how to make GPT prompts work for you! Jeff Su and his video on making prompts: https://youtu.be/jC4v5AS4RIM?si=3eX0vE3_YvA_bLOs | Jodie Cook shares prompts for small business: https://www.jodiecook.com/chatgpt-prompts-for-entrepreneurs/
- Tricia Sanders on the People Business podcast: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/triciasanders/
- The Checklist Manifesto book: https://a.co/d/3W40pZB
- Addiction help at SMART Recovery: https://smartrecovery.org/
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps
(00:00) – Welcome to People Business
(02:04) – How did you become a time management expert?
(04:59) – What commonalities do you see in time management that doesn’t work?
(06:59) – The Eisenhower Matrix explained.
(12:20) – Leveraging AI for productivity.
(17:01) – What advice can you give people on establishing habits?
(25:56) – The value of accountability partnerships.
(34:49) – How the Eisenhower Matrix works in practice.
(38:15) – How can managers and staff have productive conversations about priorities?
(43:52) – How can teams adopt effective habits?
(46:26) – Breaking addictive habits.
(51:17) – Contact Michael Cupps and final thoughts on habit building.
Keren Eldad is the author of Gilded: Breaking Free from the Cage of Ambition, Perfectionism, and the Relentless Pursuit of More. She specializes in taking high achievers out of the futility of constant pursuit and into their greatest levels of success and fulfillment. Her coaching clients include Olympic athletes, politicians, Hollywood stars, supermodels, Special Forces operatives, and serial entrepreneurs. Keren is a former C-suite executive who has lived and worked in 17 countries and on four continents, and who now coaches leaders all around the globe in four languages: English, Spanish, Hebrew, and French.
Mentioned on the Show
- Keren’s website: https://kereneldad.com/home/
- Connect with Keren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keren-eldad
- Keren’s book, Gilded: Breaking Free from the Cage of Ambition, Perfectionism, and the Relentless Pursuit of More: https://a.co/d/2D8JJGe
- The Status Game by Will Storr: https://a.co/d/4MgVu2J
- 10x is Easier than 2x by Dan Sullivan: https://a.co/d/7iQ0Hiv
- Richistan by Robert Frank: https://a.co/d/745PSeZ
- Good by Jocko Willink: https://youtu.be/IdTMDpizis8?si=Etj6h7iQx2X8BVcF
- The Man in the Arena, excerpt from Teddy Roosevelt: https://youtu.be/A311CnTjfos?si=tx-9Jz5zjllcRkcg
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps
(2:40) - Meet Keren Eldad.
(2:58) - How did you come to do the work that you do today?
(9:18) - Why are overachievers reluctant to admit they’re overachievers?
(10:38) - What’s the difference between healthy and unhealthy achievement?
(16:51) - What does it mean to want to become "nobody"?
(18:47) - How do you coach people to let go of status without losing the natural achiever desires?
(26:04) - How does a person rein in their ego and stop playing the status game?
(33:01) - What is and what isn’t self-acceptance?
(38:41) - How do you help people break up with anger?
(50:35) - What do people get wrong about happiness?
(54:25) - How do we cultivate more of a service mindset?
(55:03) - True purpose: Climbing the "second mountain".
(57:33) - Final thoughts for overachievers.
Cash Nickerson is chairman of AKKA North America’s Business Unit. He was President, CFO, General Counsel, and the second largest shareholder of PDS Tech prior to its purchase by AKKA Technologies. Prior to that he served as an attorney and marketing executive for Union Pacific Railroad, a partner at Jenner & Block, and chairman and CEO of an internet company. Mr. Nickerson, author of several books including The Seven Tensions of Negotiation, is an avid writer and speaker on the workplace, jobs, and the economy. Mr. Nickerson is the founder and president of the David H. Nickerson Foundation, which supports prostate cancer research.
Mentioned on the Show
Cash's website: https://cashnickerson.com/
Connect with Cash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevencashnickerson
The Seven Tensions of Negotiations by Cash Nickerson: https://a.co/d/h0PnViR
Getting to Yes, the negotiation classic by Fisher, Ury, and Patton: https://a.co/d/1veJWUs
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield: https://a.co/d/c7ZyKUI
________________________
Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
________________________
Timestamps
(00:00) - Welcome to People Business
(1:58) - Introducing Cash
(2:18) - What is the difference between Positional and Principled negotiation?
(5:20) - What are the Seven Tensions of Negotiation?
(6:42) - Is Power the same as leverage?
(11:08) - What’s the definition of ‘negotiation’?
(12:22) - Is there a type of person who does better with negotiation? What makes a good negotiator?
(21:59) - How do we battle scarcity when negotiating?
(23:30) - Do you have tips for people to reset their expectations in negotiations?
(29:52) - How do you think about Outcome tension?
(33:33) - What does prepping a negotiation look like?
(41:23) - When is it a good idea to use leverage and when is it not?
(45:06) - The role of bluffing in negotiations.
(47:20) - Team negotiations: speed and proximity
(50:18) - Can you have a direct conversation with one person when negotiating with a team?
(53:18) - How do digital/virtual platforms impact negotiations?
(54:36) - Have the other party make the hard decision.
Jordan Burton is an executive assessor and interview trainer, working with top VC/PE investors and high-growth startups to hire the best of the best. He has trained over 3,000 executives and investors on hiring and interviewing skills, working with companies like Sequoia Capital, TH Lee, Insight Partners, Twilio, and Scale AI, and over 50 venture-backed startups. He was formerly a Partner at leadership advisory firm ghSMART, a consultant at Bain & Company, and he holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect with Jordan Burton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanwburton
- Learn more about Talgo Team Building and Training: https://www.talgo.io/
- Listen to futurist Alexandra Levit on People Business: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/alexandralevit/
________________________
- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
Timestamps
(1:44) - Welcoming Jordon
(2:17) - How does one become an expert in interviewing?
(3:27) - How should you structure different types of interviews?
(5:03) - What makes a good candidate?
(10:53) - Are there any counterintuitive aspects of the interview process?
(16:05) - How and What questions vs. Why questions
(24:34) - When it comes to hard skills, how do we create good problem-solving interviews?
(27:24) - Is there a similar way to test soft skills?
(38:50) - The importance of motivation and will.
(32:03) - How do we assess the actual skills required in real-time?
(35:14) - What are your thoughts on the statement "hire for attitude, train for skills"?
(42:12) - Tips for candidates and interview teams to get organized and prepare
(45:13) - How do we decide the best questions to be asked?
(45:07) - How does an individual prepare for an interview?
(46:19) - How do you analyze an interview?
(49:09) - How do we develop our gut instincts?
(52:32) - What is disciplined decision-making?
(55:02) - Track, with honesty, which decisions worked out.
(58:46) - Can you share a crazy interview story?
Alexandra Levit is a writer, consultant, speaker, workplace expert, and futurist. She has written ten business and workplace books and is currently a nationally syndicated columnist for the Wall Street Journal. In 2019, she was named to "The Thinkers 50 Radar" List.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandralevit
- Learn more about Alexandra and her Inspiration at Work content: https://alexandralevit.com/
- Alexandra’s books: https://alexandralevit.com/books
- Ready Player One (book): https://a.co/d/f4dPAST
________________________
- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
Timestamps
(1:48) - Welcoming Alexandra
(2:12) - How did you start doing futurist work?
(5:08) - What were you doing to self-destruct your career?
(7:08) - What were your insights from the Dale Carnegie class?
(8:15) - What is your take on the "bring-your-whole-self-to-work" movement?
(10:33) - Developing skills in forecasting and strategic foresight.
(15:08) - Did you cultivate the ability to see beyond just tomorrow?
(16:55) - How do you recommend building the skill of vigilance?
(19:29) - Balancing an optimistic view of the future with a pessimistic view of the future.
(26:52) - What trends are you seeing people pay too much attention to and why?
(30:15) - How do we effectively make sense of new technologies?
(34:20) - Are there any other trends people are paying too much attention to?
(36:30) - Which trends are not receiving enough attention?
(43:37) - How would you encourage people to think about trends for success?
(47:03) - Why are you buying property in Vermont?
(49:38) - Final thoughts: Don't be scared and see opportunities.
Ashley Elmore is the Vice President of Human Resources at Meow Wolf, an arts production company that creates immersive, multimedia experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms. In this conversation, she shares lessons learned from building and perpetuating a creative, collaborative culture.
Mentioned on the Show
- Watch Origin Story, the Meow Wolf Documentary: https://meowwolf.com/about/origin-story (film trailer on YouTube here)
- The Meow Wolf website: https://meowwolf.com/
- Ashley Elmore at Meow Wolf: https://credits.meowwolf.com/people/ashley-elmore/
Timestamps
(1:24) - Welcoming Ashley
(1:53) - What is Meow Wolf?
(4:21) - What is the culture like at Meow Wolf?
(6:03) - How do art and business meet in the organization?
(8:51) - What are Meow Wolf's values?
(10:02) - What does creative collaboration look like and how do you foster it?
(11:37) - Do you have any other examples of what "giving creation space" looks like?
(13:20) - Where did the idea for giving downtime for a week come from?
(15:54) - What is "provocative playfulness"?
(18:43) - How do you navigate the polarity of creativity and profit?
(23:03) - How does the organization approach broader social and/or political topics?
(27:53) - How does leadership communicate with employees?
(30:10) - How often are you talking about your values?
(32:12) - How and what do you celebrate?
(34:43) - Who’s driving the celebrations?
(37:59) - How do you treat and deal with failure?
(42:14) - Is there anything else about Meow Wolf that we didn’t talk about that makes it a special organization?
(43:18) - Does working in a creative organization bring out the creativity of non-creative employees?
(46:52) - What are your personal creative pursuits?
Tricia Sanders is the Founder & Lead Strategist at High Five Strategies. She and her team are the people leaders call when they need help connecting the dots between current- and goal-state. Tricia is an expert at challenging long-standing assumptions and drives creative yet pragmatic results. Prior to this work, she was COO at First Bank in St. Louis and an officer in the United States Army with tours in South Korea, Qatar, and Afghanistan.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect with Tricia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciaasanders
- High Five Strategies: https://www.highfivestrategies.com/
- Brian Emerson discussing polarities on the People Business podcast: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/brianemerson/
- Coach Rachel Hanson on People Business: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/rachelhanson/
________________________
Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
Timestamps
(1:50) - Welcoming Tricia
(2:08) - What is the work of High Five Strategies?
(10:17) - Why is setting strategy so uncomfortable?
(15:30) - How do you help clients come up with the right set of goals?
(21:20) - How do you pick one goal without letting the others slip?
(25:42) - The "Even Over" statements exercise
(31:29) - It's good to know the actual culture of a company
(36:23) - Why is clarity so important when it comes to goals as well as knowing your "why" and your "what"?
(42:03) - Why won’t you take on a client for less than an 18-month engagement?
(43:52) - Where are the biggest pitfalls in implementing strategy?
(49:41) - How do you help people become open to change?
(57:04) - Where can people reach you?
(57:42) - Do you have a personal 35 word strategy?
Ben Eubanks is a writer, speaker, and researcher living in Huntsville, Alabama. His work has been featured in numerous industry publications and his books have been cited by some of the world’s most prestigious universities as a method for instructing the next generation of HR professional. Ben spends his days as the Chief Research Officer for Lighthouse Research & Advisory, a firm that examines and delivers groundbreaking insights on the HR technology market as well as workforce trends in hiring, training, retention, and more.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beneubanks
- Talent Scarcity: How to Hire and Retain a Shrinking Workforce by Ben Eubanks: https://a.co/d/akBprGP
- Lighthouse Research Advisory: https://lhra.io/
- Listen to Loran Nordgren’s return interview on People Business: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/lorannordgren2/
________________________
- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
________________________
Timestamps
(6:10) - Why did you write Talent Scarcity?
(10:31) - Can you explain what has been happening with the birth rate in America?
(14:59) - What’s the difference between a scarcity and a shortage?
(17:56) - How are companies approaching the people/talent scarcity dilemma?
(26:04) - Where does the gig economy play into the scarcity discussion?
(33:01) - How do you see companies shifting hiring to remain competitive in the coming market?
(37:10) - What is the hidden labor market?
(48:34) - How do you see organizations embracing this as part of the culture?
(51:46) - Leading is reminding/the Forgetting Curve
(56:10) - Do you see organizations doing anything different in how they market themselves to attract qualified applicants?
(1:00:08) - Final thoughts: AI, the creativity killer?
Rachel Hanson is a Builder with Built to Lead, a band of personal and leadership coaches helping individuals and teams awaken and transform. Prior to joining BTL, Rachel spent 12 years as a Division I Women's Softball head coach at Stanford and Dartmouth.
Mentioned on the Show
- Learn more about Build to Lead: https://builttolead.com/
- Rachel’s profile on the Build to Lead site: https://builttolead.com/rachel-hanson/
- Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-hanson-48121817
- Meru (film): https://www.merufilm.com/
- Listen to Chet Scott’s interview on People Business: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/chetscott/
Timestamps(2:14) - Welcoming Rachel.
(3:01) - How do you describe Built to Lead and the work you do?
(4:43) - How did you get introduced to Built to Lead in the first place?
(5:37) - How has your coaching changed since starting?
(13:01) - How do we see clearly the stories we are telling ourselves?
(14:38) - What does discovery look like with a new client?
(16:16) - What are your favorite discovery questions?
(17:55) - What does the work in those first practices look like?
(19:44) - How can you tell if someone lacks clarity?
(23:35) - How do we change our beliefs once we’ve discovered them?
(37:23) - Is there anything else we haven’t covered on the concept of changing the stories we tell ourselves?
(46:03) - Where do you recommend people start with the writing/journaling?
(48:55) - How do you help people who won't be honest with themselves because they are scared it will mean having to make a drastic change?
(55:02) - How do you coach your clients when it comes to defining their purpose?
(59:50) - What elements of this work have most influenced your life?
(1:01:15) - What is a story that you changed about yourself?
Gretchen McMahon has had a wide and varied career as a horse show announcer, needlepoint belt maker, and sports photographer, all while raising her three boys full-time (one of whom happens to host this podcast). For our 200th episode, please welcome O'Brien's mom to the show. In this conversation, Gretchen shares how she has repeatedly adapted her work to align with her passions, building several successful businesses along the way.
Mentioned on the Show
- Gretchen McMahon Photography website: https://www.gretchenmcmahonphotography.com/
Timestamps(1:07) - Welcoming Gretchen
(1:14) - What was your first job?
(8:40) - What made you a good door-to-door salesperson?
(9:51) - What did you learn from sales?
(14:03) - Why did you not like working for people in the stores but you did like it at the horse shows?
(14:44) - What was the transition like going from doing the thing (riding) to working at the thing (announcing the show)?
(16:11) - What made you a good horse show announcer?
(18:21) - How did you decide to leave your work behind and raise a family?
(19:51) - What was your work like as you continued to build a family?
(22:34) - How did you decide to turn your needlepoint belt hobby into a business?
(33:49) - How did you transition from amateur photograph (giving photos away) to professional (selling them)?
(35:51) - How did you figure out how to price your work?
(37:02) - Why don’t you like the term "side hustle"?
(37:42) - Beyond making money, what does work mean to you?
(40:43) - What was your attitude around learning new things for business?
(45:10) - What have you learned from all the work you've done over the years?
Mag Retelewski is the driving force behind Clarteza, an innovation consultancy dedicated to amplifying growth through deep consumer understanding rooted in psychology and neuroscience. With 20 years of experience as an innovation strategist, she has advised Fortune 500 and mid-sized companies, including brands like Nestlé, Gallo, S.C. Johnson, Honest Company, Purina, and Blue Diamond Growers and many others. Her passion for understanding people fuels her work, delivering insights that inspire impactful solutions across industries and the globe. She has worked in the US, Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa.
Mentioned on the Show
- Mag Retelewski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mag-retelewski
- Clarteza – website: https://www.clarteza.com/
- Listen to Megan Lally discuss better relationships making better business: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/meganlally/
Timestamps
(1:43) - Welcoming Mag.
(2:20) - How would you describe what you do?
(3:43) - How do you define innovation?
(7:22) - How do you begin to organize around a problem?
(8:42) - Can having a hypothesis hurt you in the beginning?
(11:20) - Do you have an example of unexpected outcomes?
(16:09) - How do we ask the right questions?
(17:51) - What are the characteristics of a research good question?
(23:09) - What do you do with the research once you have it?
(29:38) - How do you prime people before brainstorming to break out of their typical patterns?
(32:14) - How do you break through limiting mindsets and corporate personas?
(38:25) - Can you talk about the importance of liking each other?
(43:07) - Does having a large team collaboration lead to better results?
(49:14) - How do we apply all this to employee experience?
(52:15) - Final thoughts.
Brad Englert is the author of Spheres of Influence: How to Create and Nurture Authentic Business Relationships, a practical guide to help emerging and established leaders develop and perfect the critical hard skill of building effective and lasting professional relationships. Brad has over 40 years of experience in the private and public sectors, including 22 years at Accenture and eight as Chief Information Officer at The University of Texas at Austin.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Brad has set up a special link, exclusive for the People Business audience: https://bradenglert.com/peoplebusiness/
- Spheres of Influence, Brad’s book: https://a.co/d/5InNcHV
- Connect with Brad Englert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradenglert
Timestamps(1:52) - Welcoming Brad.
(2:08) - Why did you write a book on relationships?
(4:38 ) - How does one begin thinking about building a network for their career?
(6:19) - How do we maximize our everyday relationships at work by being intentional?
(10:10) - How do you recommend people shift their mindset from being all about ‘me’ to caring about others' success?
(12:07 ) - How do you think about providing value to people in your network?
(14:55) - How do you encourage people to take a longer time horizon?
(26:03) - What is the coaching you had to give the most to develop this skill?
(30:11) - How do you share your values with the team and learn theirs?
(39:16) - How do you stay in touch with the external group differently than with the internal group?
(44:15) - How do you advise people to approach helpfulness authentically?
(47:43) - What is dog flooding?
(49:03) - What is power mapping?
(50:18) - Any final thoughts?
Carrie O'Neill is the owner of Possibilities Farm where she leads Equine Education Experiences for individuals and corporate teams. Carrie is a dynamic speaker and author who uses horse wisdom to help clients shift perspectives and reveal new possibilities. Her diverse leadership experiences as a healthcare regulatory attorney, hospital association executive, and consultant contribute to a uniquely effective approach for engaging teams. She is currently serving on the board of the Nokota® Horse Conservancy and previously served on the board of the Equine Experiential Education Association. She is the author of the award-winning book HorsePower Your Hospital: A Guide for Leaders to Improve the Healthcare Experience and the upcoming book HorsePower Your Team.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect w/ Carrie: www.coneillconsulting.com
- Possibilities Farm website: http://www.possibilitiesfarm.com/
- Learn more about Carrie and see pictures of Jackpot and Sweet Potato: http://www.possibilitiesfarm.com/our-team.html
- Horsepower Your Hospital (book): https://a.co/d/gTg5Z9D
Timestamps
(2:04) - Welcoming Carrie.
(2:35) - How did you start doing Equine Education?
(3:43) - What made you want to get into this work?
(8:13) - What can we learn from how horses function in a herd?
(10:20) - What "strengths" are horses looking for in their herd mates?
(13:04) - How do horses switch responsibility for different tasks in the herd?
(22:23) - How does the herd reorganize when other horses come or go?
(28:39) - How are horses reading humans?
(39:04) - Can you share some of your stories?
(59:42) - Where can people find you and your farm?
Cheryl Fields Tyler is the founder and CEO of Blue Beyond Consulting. Cheryl’s focus for over 30 years has been building organizations where both the business and the people thrive. Blue Beyond recently released an updated study analyzing what different generations look for in their work.
Mentioned on the Show
- Blue Beyond Consulting: https://www.bluebeyondconsulting.com/
- Send Cheryl an email: cheryl@bluebeyondconsulting.com
- Cheryl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylfieldstyler
Timestamps
(1:38) - Welcoming Cheryl.
(2:25) - Can you introduce yourself and tell us your work origin story?
(3:50) - Can you talk about the research you’ve done on generations in the workplace?
(5:54) - Are you seeing enough major differences in generations or is it just nuances?
(15:33) - What are some of the things that are important to different generations?
(23:44) - Can you talk more about what employees want from a value standpoint?
(27:53) - Is it that we want a place where internally or externally it aligns with our values?
(31:52) - What do you think about some of the backlashes to DEI we are seeing at large companies?
(37:27) - What do you see as the biggest differences in generations?
(44:48) - How should leaders balance autonomy and accountability?
(47:08) - What do you say to the people down on Gen Z?
(53:54) - What do people get wrong when interpreting the data you put out?
(55:04) - Where is the best place for people to find you?
Charles Feltman has spent 25 years as an executive and leadership coach helping individuals, teams, and entire organizations become exceptional at building and maintaining strong trust. Charles is the author of The Thin Book of Trust: An Essential Primer for Building Trust at Work, now in its 3rd edition.
Mentioned on the Show
- The Thin Book of Trust (book): https://a.co/d/0kT51MI
- Charles Feltman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesfeltman
- Insight Coaching: https://insightcoaching.com/business-coaching/
- Essentialism (book): https://a.co/d/d0ZnyXx
- People Business episode on Clarity with Ann Latham: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/annlatham/
Timestamps
(1:37) - Welcoming Charles.
(2:20) - How do you define trust?
(4:09) - What are the four components of trust?
(13:37) - What is the right amount of care in the workplace?
(22:35) - What is "internal congruence"?
(27:19) - What advice do you have for younger people who want to build a sense of inner congruence?
(29:18) - Can you talk about a perceived lack of sincerity?
(33:40) - How do you help clients keep commitments in a busy world?
(35:31) - What are some strategies to say no without burning trust?
(42:07) - How do we balance a need to appear competent with the reality that we will fail?
(47:01) - How do we repair damaged trust?
(49:15) - Final thoughts on building trust.
John Block is the CEO and Co-Founder of Unity Partners, a principles-based private equity firm that partners investors and operators to build better together. John serves in multiple senior leadership roles across the firm and is responsible for helping drive Unity’s Partner & Propel investment strategy while working with the firm’s investment teams to identify strong, ambitious leaders in attractive markets. Based in Dallas, Texas, Unity’s core principles provide a key foundation for the firm to build outstanding people-based services and technology organizations.
Mentioned on the Show
- Learn more about Unity Partners: https://unitypartnerslp.com/
- Connect with John Block on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnablock
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek (book): https://a.co/d/gC05b7C
- Radical Candor by Kim Scott (book): https://a.co/d/3rGAZff
Timestamps(2:16) - Welcoming John.
(3:07) - How did Unity Partners come to be?
(7:14) - Where did Unity's operating framework come from?
(12:30) - What does it mean to "be the best at getting better"?
(14:51) - How do you push yourself to be better every day?
(17:33) - What does abundance look like in a private equity firm?
(19:42) - How are you impacting motivation and performance?
(22:01) - How do you balance the spirit of abundance with accountability?
(23:25) - How do you set a culture of accountability?
(26:10) - How do you create a psychologically safe environment?
(27:46) - How do you fight (disagree) at Unity?
(31:15) - Define the difference between group thinking and team thinking.
(33:05) - How are you evaluating the leaders of businesses?
(40:32) - What would be a red flag that would turn you off to somebody?
(43:08) - What do you mean that "being boringly consistent doesn’t mean you are boring"?
(46:10) - Where do you see private equity going as an industry?
(52:42) - What is the purpose of business?
(53:30) - Where can people find you?
Wayne Turmel has been writing about how to develop communication and leadership skills for almost 30 years. He has taught and consulted at Fortune 500 companies and startups around the world. For the last 18 years, he’s focused on the growing need to communicate effectively in remote and virtual environments.
Mentioned on the Show
- Wayne Turmel's website: https://wayneturmel.com/
- Connect with Wayne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayneturmel
- Wayne's author profile on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00J5PGNWU
- The Long Distance Leader (book): https://a.co/d/elERAKC
- Smart Brevity (book): https://a.co/d/3SN0wD2
- Writing Tools (book): https://a.co/d/aYRQAjB
- The Chicago Manual of Style (book): https://a.co/d/b1l92Xu
- On Writing by Stephen King (book): https://a.co/d/e5lEtTa
Timestamps(1:45) - Welcoming Wayne
(2:20) - How did you get involved with remote work?
(4:40) - What is happening now that is making remote work such a monumental shift?
(7:03) - What have we learned from people sitting at home asking questions about their lives?
(10:42) - Where does the responsibility lie between individuals and employers when it comes to putting healthy boundaries in place?
(32:06) - What does the process look like reshaping work more appropriately?
(37:38) - What are the skills we need to be developing to navigate the new workplace?
(43:19) - What are your favorite writing books?
(45:38) - Are there other skills you’d like to highlight?
(54:15) - What kind of performing did you do?
(55:09) - What genre do you write and where can people find your writings?
(56:32) - Anything to add before we wrap up?
Elizabeth Lotardo returns to the podcast to discuss her new book, Leading Yourself. Elizabeth is a consultant, writer, and online instructor who helps organizations drive emotional engagement. Leading Yourself has been called a "refreshingly candid playbook that helps you create a work experience worth loving, right now".
Mentioned on the Show
- Elizabeth Lotardo’s website: https://www.elizabethlotardo.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethlotardo
- Get Elizabeth’s latest book, Leading Yourself: https://a.co/d/0mJLHzO
- Performance research by Morten Hansen: https://www.mortenhansen.com/book/great-at-work/
- The Long Game by Dorie Clark (book): https://a.co/d/5FmlHzI
Timestamps(2:22) - Welcoming Elizabeth
(4:24) - What does it mean to lead yourself?
(8:09) - Do you see commonalities with Stoicism?
(9:29) - Can you talk about why it’s ok not to be passionate about what we’re doing all the time?
(11:29) - How can we define purpose for ourselves in a more productive way?
(15:14) - Please explain why most goals depend on consistency, not intensity.
(21:25) - Can you explain why success is not as gratifying as we think it will be?
(24:39) - How do we set goals and succeed but manage our energy better?
(29:13) - Can you give an example of not focusing on success only but the process along the way?
(33:04) - How can we reframe our thoughts about working with others?
(37:18) - Can you talk about how to know when a situation is repairable vs when it’s not?
(38:48) - Can you expand on ‘intent’ and how to navigate that?
(42:34) - What does "disagree and commit" mean?
(49:27) - How do you think about "team"?
(53:56) - How do we protect ourselves from all the noise coming at us?
(58:54) - How has self-leadership shown up in your world since writing the book?
(1:01:39) - Anything you’d like to close with?
Julian Posada is the founder and President of LiftUp Enterprises, a for-profit holding company that focuses on low-income individuals' economic and social outcomes. Prior he was COO of The Resurrection Project. Julian has
served on numerous non-profit boards over his career. Currently, he sits on the boards of the Chicago Public Media (WBEZ/SunTimes), BBB, Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), HOPE Chicago, Crains Forum Advisory Board, and Sprague
Foundation.
Mentioned on the Show
- LiftUp Enterprises: https://liftupchicago.org/
- Connect with Julian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/posadajulian
Timestamps
(1:48) - Welcoming Julian.
(2:29) - What is LiftUp Enterprises?
(5:41) - What made you want to approach social impact with a for-profit approach?
(6:53) - Do you get pushback from the nonprofit world?
(13:07) - What does it mean to "stabilize" a low-wage worker?
(16:07) - Can you expand on why more money doesn’t necessarily solve the problem?
(21:36) - How did you build your multi-faceted skill set for this work?
(24:49) - How do you hold the time for this kind of iteration?
(32:38) - What are some of the other principles of dignity-based management?
(38:57) - Does what you’re talking about require major financial investment?
(46:05) - How are you coming up with these ideas?
(57:28) - Can you talk about smile bonuses?
(1:03:05) - What advice would you give to leaders on how to get started with this?
Justin Holland is the CEO and Co-Founder of HealthJoy where he's revolutionizing the healthcare experience by seamlessly blending cutting-edge technology with exceptional service. A serial entrepreneur with a proven track record, Justin has founded and successfully exited multiple VC-backed technology ventures. A sought-after thought leader, he frequently shares his insights on digital health, employee benefits, AI, and the broader technology landscape. Justin holds a bachelor's degree in Engineering from MIT and is based in Miami.
Mentioned on the Show
- Visit Healthjoy's website: https://www.healthjoy.com/
- Connect with Justin Holland on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollandjustin
- Outlive By Peter Attia, MD (book): https://a.co/d/ii9cShe
Timestamps
(3:32) - What is HealthJoy and how did it start?
(8:15) - What does Healthcare Navigation look like in practice?
(10:37) - What is the customer experience?
(13:23) - What entry points get someone into the process of being navigated?
(16:31) - What is the case for Navigation? Why does it exist?
(18:55) - How much medical waste is in the system?
(21:37) - What are the best practices to get people to sign up?
(26:41) - What are best practices for ongoing communications?
(28:37) - Is there anything that your customer service department has figured out about how to keep people engaged in their health care that has surprised you?
(33:22) - What are the "Four Horsemen of Death"?
(37:02) - What do you see as the future of healthcare for individuals?
(41:04) - How do you think about the problem of people not living more healthy lives to prevent disease?
(47:27) - Final thoughts about benefits navigation.
(48:53) - Where can people find you?
Fred Rutler is a Managing Director at Creative Planning Retirement Services where he helps companies create and manage various employee retirement programs.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect with Fred Rutler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frutler
Timestamps(2:10) - Welcoming Fred.
(3:18) - What are the different vehicles companies are using for employee retirement planning?
(4:44) - What is a Non-Qualified Deferred Comp plan?
(6:00) – What’s the difference between a 401k and a profit-sharing plan?
(8:36) - Do you advise employers to do away with profit sharing completely or some match and some profit sharing?
(10:11) - Is 10% the amount an employee should be saving for retirement?
(15:24) - When would it not be appropriate to have employees in the plan?
(21:05) - What is an employer's fiduciary responsibility and what are the consequences of doing it wrong?
(23:38) - How often does it happen where somebody gets individually punished for violating their fiduciary responsibility?
(26:16) - What do the numbers 321, 338, and 316 mean?
(31:04) - What are Pooled Employer Plans (PEP Plans)?
(33:46) - What makes a good 401k investment lineup?
(37:26) - Are Target Date Funds still the recommended approach?
(43:48) - Why is 45 the age when you need to start paying particular attention to asset allocation?
(45:27) - Is AI starting to play a role in retirement planning?
(47:01) - What are the biggest financial wellness needs for employees?
(55:05) - Where do you see the future of retirement planning?
Jason Anthoine is an executive advisor focused on employee engagement, internal communications, and culture change. A frequent conference keynoter and presenter, webinar leader and podcast guest, Jason has shared his internal comms and corporate culture insights earned over his 35-year career with thousands of like-minded communication and HR leaders looking for a better way.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Learn more about Jason Anthoine: https://www.jasonanthoine.com/
- Link with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonanthoine
- Communications work with Jason: https://www.thinkaudacity.com/meet-jason
Timestamps(2:03) - Welcoming Jason
(2:40) - Can you share your origin story?
(4:46) - What was it about internal communications vs the external that connected with you?
(10:14) - What do you see as the biggest differences in reaching and communicating to a blue-collar vs white-collar workforce?
(16:36) - What are some best practices in bridging these situations?
(22:49) - How are we reaching people effectively today?
(26:06) - Who’s the one out delivering that message?
(36:03) - Why is it so important to know employees and what makes them tick?
(45:45) - What’s the best way to make targeted communication as simple as possible?
(49:39) - What are the types of categories that allow people to do this in a meaningful way?
(1:01:37) - Final Thought: take the "corporate" out of your corporate communications.
Rusty Komori is a motivational speaker, leadership consultant, and tennis professional based in Honolulu, Hawai’i. From 1994 through 2015, he was the head tennis coach at Punahou School, where his boys’ varsity teams won an unprecedented 22 consecutive state championships, a national record in all sports that still stands.
Mentioned on the Show
- Learn more about Rusty Komori: https://www.rustykomori.com/
- Rusty’s newest book, Superior: https://a.co/d/gNod2DV
- Beyond the Lines (book): https://a.co/d/esYZ37b
- Beyond the Game (book) https://a.co/d/hHuAbsL
Timestamps(2:02) - Welcoming Rusty.
(2:48) - How did you come to be a tennis coach?
(4:32) - Can you explain the dynamics of a tennis team?
(7:15) - How did you build a coaching philosophy?
(8:05) - How did you codify the experience of the leaders around you?
(10:54) - How did your philosophy change over the years?
(14:23) - How did you hold to your tenets through difficult situations?
(17:41) - How do you know when you’ve prepared enough?
(19:28) - Can you talk about "preparing until you can’t get it wrong"?
(23:57) - How do you help players navigate the pressure they put on themselves?
(28:13) - Is it compartmentalizing or accepting things that have already happened?
(36:17) - Do you meditate?
(38:40) - What does your self-talk sound like?
(47:00) - What are your best practices for having difficult conversations?
(49:35) - What is an example of feedback that isn’t attacking the person but the behavior?
(53:40) - How do we know when to take a risk?
(59:12) - Parting words.
Yosi Amram is a licensed clinical psychologist, a CEO leadership coach, and an award-winning author. With engineering degrees from MIT, an MBA from Harvard, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Sofia University, he is a pioneering researcher in the field of Spiritual Intelligence. As the author of Spiritually Intelligent Leadership: How to Inspire by Being Inspired, Yosi is committed to awakening greater spiritual intelligence in himself and the world.
Mentioned on the Show
- Spiritually Intelligent Leadership (book): https://a.co/d/b7ZONNS
- Learn more about Yosi on his website: https://yosiamram.net/
- Connect with Yosi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yosiamram/
Timestamps
(2:01) - Welcoming Yosi.
(3:09) - What is the difference between spirituality and spiritual intelligence?
(6:24) - How did you land on spiritual intelligence as a career path?
(11:15) - Can you share your manic experience and tell us how that manifests?
(17:27) - How did you find the balance and integrate it into your life?
(23:11) - Where do we start? How do we know which ones to pick?
(26:34) - If somebody is having a hard time embracing spirituality how do you help them achieve their goals?
(31:25) - How would you help align ideas to purpose and spiritual development?
(37:28) - Can you explain what inner directedness is?
(38:46) - How do we build that kind of integrity?
(43:41) - Why is community important and how do we build a healthy community?
(45:06) - What does it look like to build community?
(51:18) - What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
(52:26) - How do we practice wisdom?
(56:01) - Where can people find out more about you?
John Fisher is a constructivist psychologist. He has spent the last 25 years working in change management, personal development, and team and individual coaching. He has a unique blend of experiences across a range of sectors and companies from SMEs to Multinationals. John used his experiences counseling people to develop the "Fisher Change Curve" that has inspired thousands of people worldwide. He believes “organizations don’t change – people do!”
Mentioned on the Show
- Fisher Change Curve: https://bit.ly/3Aj34lR
Timestamps
(2:06) - Welcoming John
(2:51) - What is the Fisher Change Curve and how did it come to be?
(8:19) - Can you walk through the curve and the steps along the way?
(15:39) - What happens before change and how does the curve apply?
(31:31) - What have you found is the best way to get people through denial?
(33:24) - What are the best practices for getting people off the hump of the other kind of denial?
(39:29) - How much of this is positive and how much is overwhelming?
(48:46) - Is the hostility internal or external or both?
(52:15) If when going through a change and disillusionment sets in is this where people try to sabotage the process?
(53:23) - Is there anything regarding the change curve we missed?
(55:15) - How can we use this in our day-to-day lives?
Achyuta Adhvaryu is a Professor of Economics and the Director of the 21st Century India Center at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego. He is also the co-founder of Good Business Lab, a global nonprofit focused on rigorous research and action at the intersection of worker well-being and business interests. His research focuses on firm decision-making and productivity in emerging markets with extensive work across South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States. He holds a PhD in Economics from Yale University.
Mentioned on the Show
- Learn more about the Good Business Lab: https://goodbusinesslab.org/
- Read some of Ach’s work and research on his website: https://www.achadhvaryu.com/
- Ach on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/achyuta-adhvaryu-7a69b7136
Timestamps
(2:32) - Welcoming Ach.
(2:42) - What is your origin story of how this came to be?
(6:17) - What is the transformation you’ve seen in India?
(9:34) - What does it mean to treat your workers well?
(11:51) - Is treating people well good or good business?
(17:20) - Was there anything in your research that surprised you?
(24:28) - What were the interventions that helped reduce the turnover?
(28:19) - What do you do with the survey results?
(35:09) - What are some of the other factors that are moving the needle?
(36:15) - Why are building soft skills so important?
(49:26) - Is there anything unique to female workers?
(57:12) - What is the response from women?
(59:15) - Are businesses driving politics to become more liberal or progressive?
(46:58) - How has learning changed since the pandemic?
(51:07) - What are the best practices to make virtual learning engaging?
(56:11) - Can you talk about what a sabbatical means to you and how you would use them?
(1:03:06) - Where can people find you?
Brian Emerson is the founder of Andiron where he helps organizations and leaders harness the power of polarities. Brian also teaches about paradox in leadership and organizations at Notre Dame, the University of Maryland, and Georgetown's Institute for Transformational Leadership. He is the co-author of Navigating Polarities: Using Both/And Thinking to Lead Transformation.
Mentioned on the Show
- Learn more about Brian’s firm Andiron: https://andiron.com/
- Check out the Key Polarity Indicator to evaluate polarity indicators you may encounter in the workplace or in life: https://keypolarityindicator.com/
- Brian's book, Navigating Polarities: Using Both/And Thinking to Lead Transformation: https://www.amazon.com/Navigating-Polarities-Using-Thinking-Transformation/dp/1733382836/
- Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-emerson
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Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps
(3:17) - How does one decide to get a PhD in ‘paradox’?
(4:39) - What research were you doing to get your PhD?
(5:46) - Is there a definition of polarity you like the most?
(6:54) - Why is it so hard to find the middle ground?
(13:51) - What makes a polarity and what doesn’t?
(15:52) - Why is the abortion debate a bad example of a polarity?
(17:50) - Why is the gun rights debate a better example?
(20:09) - Does overindexing on a pole cause an equal and opposite reaction from people on the other pole?
(23:19) - How do you counteract the magnetism of the pole?
(24:50) - How do we land in a more sustainable middle ground?
(32:35) - How do we start to unwrap people from the poles they’re attached to?
(37:57) - How do you use this to navigate life?
(47:10) - How do we protect ourselves from people manipulating our poles?
(51:15) - How can people find you and engage in this type of work?
Erin Huizenga is a learning experience designer with over 20 years dedicated to empowering people and organizations to grow through human-centered learning strategies and design innovation. As founder and CEO of Desklight, Erin partners with organizations such as The Smithsonian, McGraw Hill, and Techstars to research insights, prototype ideas, and develop breakthrough learning programs.
Mentioned on the Show
- Connect with Erin Huizenga on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinhuizenga
- Learn More about Desklight: https://desklightlearning.com/
- Erin’s Book, Learning In The Wild: https://a.co/d/0eXFQ55y
- Listen to Sue Rice on People Business and her book Tiny Thunder: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/suerice/
- Humor, Seriously by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas: https://a.co/d/0e3IjXFK
- Make It Stick by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger, III, and Mark A. McDaniel: https://a.co/d/0hLcfWv1
Timestamps
(2:40) - Welcoming Erin
(3:08) - What is Desklight and how did it come to be?
(9:28) - How do you define "design"?
(11:13) - Are you solving specific learning problems or building overarching ones?
(15:28) - With so many things to learn, how do you decide where to begin?
(18:37) - What makes an employee happy and want to stay in their job?
(28:32 ) - How do you help clients decide whether to insource or outsource learning?
(32:20) - How do you help presenters be more captivating?
(34:34) - Give us 2 or 3 tips on being a more dynamic speaker.
(38:59) - Are there subjects that are better taught by someone from outside?
(41:21) - What are some of the coolest things you’ve seen people do outside the norm that had a big impact?
(46:58) - How has learning changed since the pandemic?
(51:07) - What are the best practices to make virtual learning engaging?
(56:11) - What does a sabbatical mean to you and how do you use them?
(1:03:06) - Where can people find you?
Kona Shen co-founded My90 in 2016 to help the public and police communicate using accessible, data-driven technology. Kona joined Axon in 2021 when they acquired the company. Prior to co-founding My90, Kona founded GOALS Haiti, an award-winning non-profit that uses sport as a tool to spark long-term community development. She holds a B.A. in Development Studies from Brown University and an M.A. in International Policy Studies from Stanford University.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Connect with Kona Shen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/konashen
- Learn more about My90 on the Axon website: https://www.axon.com/products/my90
- Support efforts in Haiti: https://www.goalshaiti.org/
- Listen to the People Business episode all about hardiness with Dr. Steven Stein: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/stevenstein/
Timestamps:
(2:26) - Welcoming Kona
(3:17) - What is social entrepreneurship?
(5:18) - How do you think about incentives?
(8:01 ) - What are best practices in setting up a nonprofit board with checks and balances?
(9:55) - How would you lead with more humility and weakness if you were starting over?
(14:40) - Cockroach mentality.
(16:08) - What is My90?
(24:28) - How did you overcome people’s skepticism about the project?
(34:28) - Are there any other best practices you’ve learned about surveying?
(36:23) - What types of police interactions are you NOT surveying?
(37:57) - What have you learned surveying sexual assault victims?
(42:21) - How do you see leaders in law enforcement balancing vulnerability and confidence?
(48:01) - How are police departments using this internally and externally?
(53:35) - Have you seen them use the survey to influence types of incidents that you’re not surveying?
(55:15) - What other areas do you feel this type of feedback would make a big difference?
(57:54) - What advice do you have for those who would like to reach out and ask these questions but don’t know how to?
(1:00:29) - What’s the best way for people to find you and get connected?
Laura Knights is an executive coach, speaker, and facilitator with 19+ years of experience creating personal and professional development programs that have touched leaders all over the world. Her expertise and background in business, human resources, adult education, and social work uniquely equip her to teach others how to deal with both the "head work" and "heart work" required to succeed at work and in life. Laura is the creator of the Black Woman Leading® programs and podcast, and the Founder and CEO of Knights Consulting LLC, a leadership development consultancy that provides customized training and coaching programs to organizations to create more confident leaders and high-performing teams.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Connect with Laura E. Knights on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraeknights/
- Learn more about Knights Consulting: https://knightsconsultinggroup.com/
- Visit the Black Woman Leading® website: https://blackwomanleading.com/
- Listen to the Black Woman Leading® podcast: https://www.pod.link/1561551317
- Laura referenced leadership and conflict resolution books by Amy C. Edmondson and Timothy R. Clark
- Read about the study Laura referenced about peer impact on the careers of Black women: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/publications/asymmetric-peer-effects-work-effect-white-coworkers-black-womens-careers
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
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Timestamps(2:27) - Welcoming Laura Knights.
(2:39) - What kind of work do you do?
(3:08) - Tell us about your podcast and conference work.
(4:13) - What are people learning from the Black Woman Leading conferences?
(8:01) - How much of the problem is racism vs other issues?
(13:02) - How does being a licensed therapist get applied in the work you do?
(15:49) - Do you have an example of how systems thinking applies to leadership problems?
(22:58) - Where do you draw the line between caring and coddling?
(30:17) - How are forward-thinking companies developing a pipeline of talent to continue to sustain leadership over time?
(33:33) - Is there anything they’re doing around incentivizing people?
(45:54) - Is there anything in particular we should address about moving people up through the organization and develop them?
(48:25) - How are you seeing companies able to maintain this and work through issues across global boundaries?
(51:45) - Do you have any frameworks for managing conflict?
(59:16) - How can people get in touch with you?
Danielle Krischik is the Chief Communication Officer at Knight Agency, an internal branding agency that helps companies connect to and tell their unique stories to help attract and retain talent. In this conversation, she explains how to surface your unique stories, connect them to your mission, and create an environment that speaks to people.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Connect with Daniell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellekrischik
- Learn more about the Knight Agency: https://knightagency.com/
- Stephen King's On Writing: https://a.co/d/4Bjtmea
- The Power of Moments (book): https://a.co/d/cMoB1i9
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps
(2:49) - Welcoming Danielle.
(3:20) - What is Knight Agency?
(4:10) - What is purpose and performance work?
(4:55) - What’s the main difference between internal marketing/branding vs. external marketing/branding?
(6:32) - How and where are clients using this work?
(8:23) - Can you give us examples of where your communications are used internally that drive retention?
(11:34) - What does an engagement look like with a new client?
(16:10) - What makes a good second and third-level question during discovery?
(22:12) - How do you drive attention to personal stories so everybody in the business feels connected?
(26:23) - What makes a good story?
(30:52) - Do you agree that the more elements of storytelling like metaphor and analogy we use with people the more it creates an emotional connection?
(46:00) - How do you help clients match their behaviors with the narrative?
(49:52) - How do you help people find their authentic way to express their story in the larger narrative?
(54:00) - How do companies make this work last?
(59:01) - Where can people engage with you and your work?
Dr. Steven Stein is a clinical psychologist and the founder and executive chair of Multi-Health Systems (MHS), a leading assessment and behavior analytics company. He is a former chair of the Psychology Foundation of Canada, former President of the Psychology Foundation of Canada, and has helped lead several other prominent organizations. He teaches at the Directors College of Canada.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Hardiness: Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals (Steve’s book): https://a.co/d/cLpKwyQ
- Other books by Steve Stein: https://mhs.com/dr-steven-steins-books/
- Steve Stein’s profile on the MHS website: https://mhs.com/about-our-founder/
- Learn more about Steve’s company Multi-Health Systems, Inc.: https://mhs.com/
- Bonus: O’Brien liked this episode of Armchair Expert, speaking with author (and sociopath) Patric Gagne.
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(1:51) - Welcoming Steve
(2:14) - What is ‘Hardiness’?
(3:42) - What are the differences in some of the words for mental toughness and where does ‘hardiness’ fit in?
(7:08) - Is there such a thing as good stress and bad stress?
(8:58) - Where’s the line where stress becomes trauma?
(10:53) - How much does your mindset help your physiology during stress?
(12:08) - What is the difference between positive energy and negative energy?
(13:32) - Why is avoiding stress counter-productive?
(14:42) - Why is commitment often the first place for stress?
(15:34) - What does helping people with commitment look like?
(17:05) - As an example, what are some of your commitments?
(20:10) - What do you say to people who struggle to find one particular purpose?
(25:04) - Why is hate not a good fuel for hardiness?
(28:30) - Can you talk to us about Challenge?
(31:38) - Are Challenge and Control interrelated?
(32:45) - How do you change people's perspective on Challenge?
(39:15) - Does control mean I have to figure out how to control everything in my life?
(40:59) - How have you gotten more comfortable letting things go?
(43:32) - How do you instill hardiness in other people?
(45:54) - What are signs that someone should take the ADHD assessment?
(47:30) - What was the most interesting thing you learned about psychopaths?
(48:35) - What’s the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath?
(51:14) - What goes into creating an assessment for a reality TV show cast?
(53:38) - How did you come to do the assessment work?
(54:54) - Did you assess former President Trump?
(55:45) - Where can people find you and engage in this work?
With a PhD in Behavioral Economics and a Master's in Sociology, Myriam Hadnes combines academic knowledge with practical experience in group collaboration and facilitation. She is the host of the "workshops work" podcast, where she engages in weekly conversations with global facilitation experts. She has also built NeverDoneBefore (NDB), a global online community of facilitators who share a common goal: to spark fresh trends in group collaboration. With her business workshops.work, Myriam follows the vision to create an ecosystem for facilitators, helping them to leverage the impact of their work through community, collaboration, and co-creation.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Connect with Myriam on LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/myriamhadnes/
- Listen to Myriam’s podcast: https://workshops.work/podcast/
- Workshops.work website: https://workshops.work/
- Never Done Before facilitator’s community: https://neverdonebefore.org/
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(2:47) - Welcoming Myriam.
(3:38) - What is facilitation? What’s the difference between facilitation and hosting?
(7:40) - What are some of the skills that go into navigating the group dynamic to where you want it to go?
(9:14) - Is this similar to what a coach does?
(17:25) - What are the misconceptions of facilitation?
(21:01) - What goes into creating a safe environment for facilitation?
(24:46) - Where’s the line between being relaxed and being careless?
(28:29) - What guidance do you have for those who want to facilitate and also participate?
(32:12) - Do you have examples of the leader bringing in a different facilitator?
(38:42) - How do we know as a facilitator when to orchestrate and when to be spontaneous?
(44:24) - Is there anything we missed that’s foundational to what it means to facilitate?
(48:09) - How can we have to better, deeper conversations faster?
(55:15) - Can you share one or two things from your Never Done Before community that have blown your mind?
(57:47) - Where can people find you and your work?
Paul Falcone is a bestselling author and top-rated presenter and storyteller specializing in workplace leadership development, communication, and talent management, including effective hiring, performance achievement, employee accountability, and workplace ethics. Drawing from his years of experience as head of HR for Nickelodeon, head of international HR for Paramount Pictures, and head of HR operations for NBCU’s prime time and late-night lineups, Paul knows how to entertain and train meaningful concepts for quick and easy adaptation and implementation.
Mentioned on the Show:
- 101 Tough Conversations to Have With Employees (book): https://a.co/d/beQ9Ugh
- See Paul's other books on his Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Paul-Falcone/author/B001JSBH5O
- Connect with Paul Falcone on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulfalcone1
- Paul's website: https://www.paulfalconehr.com/
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(2:24 ) - Welcoming Paul
(2:56) - Can you give us the background on your career?
(3:54) - What made you want to write books?
(6:03) - What was your process of writing and working at the same time?
(10:04) - What is it about “101 Tough Conversations” that readers resonate with
(24:10) - How can leaders develop a practice of tough conversations so that people get regular feedback?
(36:26) - What does it mean to be a good coach as a leader?
(40:25) - How do you guide someone into a new skill they’ve never done before?
(49:09)v- What is leadership offense?
(51:21) - Where can people find you if they want to get in contact?
Lori Becker is the Chief Executive Officer of the Starkloff Disability Institute (SDI). In her role, Lori oversees the organization’s efforts to advance inclusion, access, and equity for people with disabilities in all aspects of society, and especially the workforce. As a leader with a disability herself, Lori is passionate about diversity and inclusion and was named a Diverse Business Leader in 2019 by the St. Louis Business Journal.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Starkloff Disability Institute: https://starkloff.org/
- Connect with Lori Becker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loriannbecker
- Coming in June, 2024 - Designing Work for Humans: https://peoplebusinesssummit.com/
- Stella Young—I’m Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much (TED Talk): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K9Gg164Bsw
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(2:28) - Welcoming Lori.
(3:02) - What is Starkloff and how did you come to be associated with it?
(5:22) - Walk us through the history of disability law.
(14:34) - What does the range of disabilities look like?
(18:41) - How do you think about your work when it comes to this broad spectrum of disabilities?
(20:39) - What are the three levels of disability employment?
(26:30) - What are your thoughts on the language and stigma people use when talking about disabilities?
(41:59) - How can leaders mitigate employees from abusing certain accommodations?
(48:24) - What is inspiration porn?
(57:33) - Where do you recommend a new employer to get started with this?
Brad Karsh, founder of JB Training Solutions, returns for a short bonus discussion about developing training programs for companies.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Brad's First Episode: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/bradkarsh/
- JB Training Solutions: https://jbtrainingsolutions.com/
- Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradkarsh/
- Manager 3.0 by Brad Karsh (book): https://a.co/d/3QO4E48
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(1:01) Welcoming Brad back to the show
(1:59) How should a company think about a training curriculum?
(3:16) Brad explains how to use a needs analysis at a mid-sized company
(4:35) Examples of how to teach hard skills internally
(7:45) How can companies work with you?
With a career spanning leadership roles in the world's largest company, influential positions in education teaching personal branding and marketing, and a deep understanding of the professional services industry and HR, Dr. Anna Stumpf brings a unique perspective to coaching professionals and organizations through transformative growth. She joins the show to talk about how successful leaders and companies are building community and brands that connect.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Collective Energy Coaching: https://www.collectiveenergycoach.com/
- Connect with Dr. Anna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amstumpf
- Coming in June, 2024 - Designing Work for Humans: https://peoplebusinesssummit.com/
- O'Brien's Dad talked small business on People Business: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/chrismcmahon/
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Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(2:04) - Welcoming Anna
(3:12) - Who are you? What’s your background? What are you doing now?
(11:09) - Can you talk about how important emotional intelligence is to marketing?
(14:54) - Has marketing always been about community?
(21:35) - What have you seen as far as companies using marketing for recruiting?
(35:28) - How are you seeing leaders brand themselves successfully?
(41:12) - How important is it to have a personal brand?
(59:45) - Where can people find you if they want to connect?
Pinky is the Chief Financial Officer of Ideal Industries, a ~$400M manufacturing company with a global footprint. She leads several enterprise-wise transformation initiatives, enabling the company’s business model to adapt to changing market conditions and disruptive market forces. In her prior role as the CFO & COO at U.S. Soccer, Pinky led the organization through its challenges in a highly-visible media environment, including the Women's National Team Equal Pay Litigation. She was central to the company's most significant commercial, legal, operational, and financial events. In this conversation, she talks about what it means to be a strategic CFO and how she thinks about the human aspects of leading finance.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Ideal Industries: https://www.idealindustries.com/us/en.html
- View Pinky's profile at Ideal Industries: https://www.idealindustries.com/us/en/about/leadership/pinky-raina.html
- Connect with Pinky on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pinkyraina
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(1:49) - Welcome Pinky!
(2:39) - What is a CFO’s job?
(4:15) - What does "accelerating value creation" mean to you?
(5:56) - What makes a good CFO?
(8:10) - Do your peers have the same mindset you do?
(9:48) - How handicapped are you working for a public company?
(11:29) - Why do public company executives care about short-term market changes?
(13:43) - Why is there a 3-5 year turnover rate for CEOs?
(15:40) - How did you develop your mindset?
(16:47) - How do you coach the people on your team?
(22:03) - What’s your mindset and what types of things are you looking for as a CFO?
(29:42) - Are you verbalizing your plan to your team on day one?
(32:40) - Who do you use as resources to help you navigate onboarding?
(34:08) - Can you talk about how you partnered with HR in onboarding?
(36:34) - Can you tell how you came to be in HR?
(39:28) - What surprised you the most about taking on an HR role?
(40:10) - What did you learn from your HR experience?
(43:26) - How do you plan succession roles?
(48:50) - As a CFO how do you think about talent and leadership development?
(55:04) - Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share?
Mike White and Ken DeBauche are Co-Founders of Secchi, an employee relationship management tool for manufacturing, healthcare, and other shift work environments. In this conversation, they share how the lessons they learned working in these environments influence how they are now trying to make work better for both leaders and employees.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Learn more about Secchi: https://secchi.io/
- Connect with Mike White on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-white-secchi
- Connect with Ken DeBauche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-d-3b584110
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Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(2:38) - Introducing Mike and Ken and the Secchi origin story.
(8:28) - Can you talk about the "Us vs. Them" dynamics often associated with manufacturing and warehouse environments?
(11:57) - How do you see health care issues translating into a warehouse environment?(17:02) - How do you start skill building for supervisors to encourage them to adopt this new system?
(21:17) - In what format are the employees getting the recognition?
(23:42) - How do you get the supervisors to adopt recognition?
(26:30) - What other elements allow employers to influence their supervisors and front-line workers?
(30:51) - How do you reward employee points?
(38:18) - What other elements managers and supervisors are tracking with your systems?
(41:40) - What does a goal look like for these employees?
(52:36) - Where can people find out more about Secchi?
Brent Kedzierski is a sought-after keynote speaker and a leader of connected-worker ecosystems at Hexagon, an international data company working in industries from oil and gas to AI and manufacturing. He is focused on improving the human condition at work and creating a seamless collaboration between humans and machines. Brent has been involved in human performance trends in significant government and commercial industries, including the Department of Defense, executive and judicial branches of the US Government, aviation, healthcare, and nuclear industries.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Connect with Brent on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentkedzierski
- Learn more about the concept of "cobotics": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobot
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(2:05) - Welcoming Brent
(2:43) - What is your take on the state of employment these days?
(12:59) - Why should companies invest in people skills (soft skills) for their employees, especially if those skills are transferrable to other employers?
(20:17) - What are "cobotics"?
(24:37) - What recommendations do you have for business leaders today to prepare for the transformation from our current work setting to a work setting with generative AI?
(27:58) - What are the key traits from organizations that do training on new technology or business processes well?
(35:22) - What in your mind is the purpose of business?
Patti Temple Rocks is the author of I’m Not Done: It’s Time to Talk About Ageism in the Workplace, which was ranked as one of the 9 books Every Professional Should Read in 2019 by INC Magazine. Kirkus Reviews said, “Rocks writes succinctly but convincingly about the proliferation of age bias and its damaging, insidious, and demoralizing effects on businesses and employees alike.” She recently released a second edition called I’m STILL Not Done because of the impact she saw the pandemic have on older workers and the way they are treated.
Mentioned on the Show:
- I’m Not Done (book): https://a.co/d/hVSVdme
- I’m Still Not Done (book): https://a.co/d/dTtNayz
- Learn more about Patti Temple Rocks on her website: https://www.pattitemplerocks.com/
- Connect with Patti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattitemplerocks/
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(2:15) - Welcoming Patti.
(2:58) - What is Ageism?
(4:06) - Has Ageism always been a problem?
(7:00) - Do you have examples of how this shows up differently for people?
(9:21) - How does Ageism show up differently for men and women?
(17:10) - Don’t people get less creative as they get older?
(22:17) - Why should employers care about ageism?
(26:26) - What do you think of the reasoning that the cost of the business requires it to replace older employees with younger ones?
(35:51) - How do we blend having difficult conversations and providing opportunities for young people?
(42:40) - What are things you see employers doing to get creative around retirement?
(46:20) - Are you not a fan of mandatory retirement?
(47:48) - Can you talk about mixing up social events?
(50:52) - Patti's final message.
Malissa Clark is an Associate Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Georgia and Director of the Healthy Work Lab. She is the author of Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business—and How to Fix It.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Never Not Working (book): https://a.co/d/3xGh9q0
- Malissa’s website: https://www.malissaclark.com/
- Connect with Malissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malissa-clark-0387991a/
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps
(2:03) - Welcoming Malissa.
(2:24) - How did you come to study workaholism?
(3:41) - How do you define workaholism?
(10:48) - How much of workaholism is about the action work versus how you feel about the work?
(13:21) - It’s normal for achievement to take a lot of sacrifice. Don't we have to be workaholics to succeed?
(15:31) - What is "introjected motivation"?
(19:43) - How can we determine the difference between interjected and intrinsic motivation?
(24:05) - What impact does workaholism have on your health and relationships?
(28:46) - How influential are our phones and technology in fostering workaholism?
(31:08) - Can you explain what "working light" is?
(32:47) - Why is working light bad?
(34:47) - How do we break the cycle of responsiveness?
(48:05) - How do we let go of the guilt of not being productive?
(49:18) - What’s an example of a mastery experience?
(54:34) - Can you dispel the myth of needing employees to be workaholics for a company to succeed?
(1:00:49) - What one or two things someone struggling with workaholism should do to start?
A serial entrepreneur who entered the United States as a refugee from Ukraine at the age of 8, Diana had launched and sold millions of dollars worth of products and services by her early thirties. Today, she is an innovation consultant, leadership development keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author whose books have been taught in over 100 universities. And her parents would like you to know that her sister is a doctor. Diana is the author of Go Big or Go Home.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Go Big or Go Home by Diana Kander: https://a.co/d/5x73IOK
- Be sure to listen to Diana’s interview with O’Brien to learn how to receive her book for free
- Diana’s website: https://dianakander.com/
- Learn more about Diana’s other books here: https://dianakander.com/books/
- Jesse Itzler and the Big A## Calendar: https://jesseitzler.com/products/calendar-2024
- Gabrielle Reece on The Joe Rogan Experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7HhQhQjC4A
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:(2:11) - Welcoming Diana.
(3:02) - How does one become an innovation consultant?
(3:44) - What is most misunderstood about innovation?
(6:51) - How do you limit your capacity so you have flex time?
(9:52) - What are examples of your "impossible tasks"?
(13:03) - What makes a person or a pitch memorable?
(15:22) - Can you talk about the level of research you do to prepare for a pitch?
(16:37) - Is that different than the old school build rapport?
(20:49) - How do you balance technical knowledge with relationship building?
(22:49) - What are tips to build trust in high-stakes situations?
(25:04) - What do you say to people who say these methods are cheesy?
(29:01) - How do you avoid starting a meeting by telling them about yourself?
(31:18) - What does it mean to take people on a journey with your pitch?
(33:23) - How important is it to have a global overarching theme?
(34:06) - How do you think about losses?
(36:03) - How do you think about surprise and how important is it?
(37:41) - Can you give examples of ways you’ve used surprise?
(39:16) - Why are 3D objects important?
(42:04) - Is it correct to say you need to be both thoughtful and vulnerable to make it a successful pitch?
(44:04) - How do you keep this fresh without burning out?
(45:28) - How do you guide people through resistance to the GO BIG OR GO HOME method?
(45:59) - What do you say to the person who thinks they’re not creative?
(48:49) - How do you apply these principles in your personal life?
(50:08) - Remember: you want to pitch something that is unique.
(53:43) - Where can people reach you?
In this special episode, O'Brien and past guest Jason Lauritsen announce a unique in-person event for People Business listeners who lead HR.
Designing Work for Humans: A People Business Summit will take place in Chicago on June 3rd and 4th, teaching HR leaders design skills they can use in their organizations to solve pressing business problems while making work better for the humans who work there.
APPLY HERE: https://peoplebusinesssummit.com/
This will be a project-based learning environment, meaning it will be immersive and hands-on, giving attendees a chance to practice what they are learning in real-time and with real-world applications.
We are partnering with Embarc, a Chicago-based nonprofit helping underserved students across 20+ schools by designing experiences that show them all the city (and the world) has to offer. Check out Embarc's mission here: https://embarcchicago.org/
If you are an HR leader who wants to be a better internal consultant to your executive team, who wants to help your organization face an uncertain future, who wants to improve the lives of your employees... this is the event for you.
Julie Dirksen is the author of the books Design For How People Learn and Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change. She is a learning strategy consultant with a focus on incorporating behavioral science into learning interventions. She’s been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and is a Learning Guild Guildmaster.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change (book): https://a.co/d/hYJTByT
- Design For How People Learn (Voices that Matter) (book): https://a.co/d/9BoCfdX
- Augmented and Virtual Reality for Behavior Change (white paper): https://www.learningguild.com/insights/237/augmented-and-virtual-reality-for-behavior-change/
- Connect with Julie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliedirksen
- Julie's website: https://usablelearning.com/
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
Timestamps:
(2:04) - Welcoming Julie
(3:58) - Do adults and kids learn differently?
(8:00) - Can you explain the title of your book ‘Talk to the Elephant’?
(18:34) - How does delayed gratification play into corporate training?
(26:53) - How do you feel about the concept of experiential learning?
(31:18) - How do you see people using augmented reality and virtual reality in the workplace?
(41:29) - Can you talk about what is extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation?
(49:49) - Can you talk about what is the difference between individual and group behavior change?
(1:03:20) - Where can people find you if they want to learn more about this?
(1:04:16) - What suggestions would you give people to start implementing instructional design?
Erin Diehl is a Business Improv Edutainer, Failfluencer, and Professional Zoombie. Through a series of unrelated dares, Erin created improve it!, a unique professional development company that pushes others to laugh, learn, play, and grow. Her new book, I See You: A Leader's Guide to Energizing Your Team Through Radical Empathy, has paired her eighteen years of leadership experience with her improv-honed sense of humor to create a mindset shift for busy, stressed-out leaders. Using laughter, positivity, and empathy, Erin will take you on a journey of self-exploration to discover a newfound sense of self-love and inner peace that translates into improved leadership performance.
Mentioned on the Show:
- I See You: A Leader's Guide to Energizing Your Team Through Radical Empathy (book): https://a.co/d/7USky6M
- Erin's website: https://www.itserindiehl.com/
- Erin's Meditation Album: https://www.itserindiehl.com/i-see-you-store/p/i-see-you-meditations-for-magnetizing-and-attracting-abundance
- Improve It!: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/
Time Codes:
(1:54) - Welcoming Erin.
(3:32) - What is this book, I See You, and why did you decide to write it?
(8:05) - What does “life is an energy management problem” mean?
(10:20) - How did you get that internal energy?
(13:15) - What does energy correction look like?
(16:26) - How did you come up with this process?
(28:29) - Can you talk about self-limiting beliefs?
(41:49) - Why is “if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life” B.S.?
(45:02) - What advice do you have for people who want to embrace Radical Empathy and feel stuck?
(59:14) - A final message for the audience.
Jon McGraw co-founded Vision Pursue (VP) after it’s principles radically shifted his mindset, performance, and overall life experience. He’s since guided and assisted in the successful application of these principles inside hundreds of corporate teams and sports franchises. He’s a sought after keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and Performance Mindset trainer. Before VP, Jon played 10 years in the NFL plus completed business management and entrepreneurship programs at Harvard Business School and Wharton Business School.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Learn more about Jon’s organization, Vision Pursue: https://visionpursue.com/
- Jon’s profile and bio: https://visionpursue.com/vp-team/jon-mcgraw/#bio-anchor
- Connect with Jon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmcgrawperformancemindset
- Jocko Willink’s podcast: https://pod.link/1070322219
- Jocko Willink – “GOOD”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdTMDpizis8
- Wim Hof breathing techniques: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/breathing-exercises
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
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Timestamps:
(2:13) - Welcoming Jon
(2:54) - How did you get into brain science and mental performance as a profession?
(4:48) - Can you talk about the different components of brain productivity and brain healing?
(6:32) - When you shift to a more conscious response what do you see in the brain from a health perspective?
(7:59) - What have you seen with your own brain scans?
(11:45) - What do you think meditation would have done for you while you were playing football?
(13:03) - What do you mean by “hard drivers especially need to use meditation techniques?”
(17:51) – Does our society have an unnatural focus on “purpose?”
(24:06) - What are your recommendations to keep the loose, playful mentality when we need to make money?
(27:30) - What does the shift from analytical to experiential brain?
(36:12) - How do you help people keep the big vision and be present in the same moment?
(38:34) - How do we attach dopamine to things it wouldn’t normally be attached to?
(43:13) - What do you do when that negative voice comes back?
(49:03) - How does your work help people stay on task and not need the dopamine rush of escape activities?
(53:27) - How do we assess the emotion we’re feeling and how do we find a healthier path for it?
(57:16) - What would you recommend as a place to start?
(1:01:02) - What is power breathing?
(1:02:57) - Where can people reach you?
Brad is the Founder and CEO of JB Training Solutions. An accomplished public speaker and executive coach, Brad has been featured on CNN, CNBC, and Dr. Phil, and has been quoted in: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, and USA Today among many others. Brad is also the author of three business books including the critically acclaimed Manager 3.0: A Millennial’s Guide to Rewriting the Rules of Management. Brad presents annually at the SHRM National Conference and was ranked #1 out of more than 200 speakers.
Mentioned on the Show:
- JB Training Solutions: https://jbtrainingsolutions.com/
- Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradkarsh/
- Manager 3.0 by Brad Karsh (book): https://a.co/d/3QO4E48
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- Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/
- Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/
- O’Brien’s new book—How You Become You—is available now: https://a.co/d/22kZ0sV
Timestamps:
(2:11) - Welcoming Brad.
(4:06) - How did you go from advertising to running a training and development company?
(7:57) - How did you hone your ability to command attention?
(11:30) - What was the process for improving your speaking ability?
(15:48) - How do you balance the best possible you with the authentic you?
(20:27) - Can you talk about different styles for different scenarios?
(24:21) - How do you think about language?
(31:15) - How have you built your ability to tell stories and connect with other people?
(33:10) - How did you become the guy who thinks in stories?
(37:45) - Do you have examples of how to bring these subjects to life?
(45:06) - Is there anything we haven’t covered?
(49:25) - Where can people find you and JB Training Solutions if they want more of this in their lives?
Shannon is the Practice Leader of Lockton's Global People Solutions team in the United States where she works with multinational companies, helping them organize and manage their global benefits programs.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Lockton People Solutions: https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/people-solutions
- Connect with Shannon Boyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-boyle-8299604
- Learn more about Shannon at Lockton: https://global.lockton.com/us/en/news-insights/shannon-boyle-named-practice-leader-of-lockton-global-people-solutions
Timestamps:
(2:14) - Welcoming Shannon.
(2:54) - How did you get into global benefits?
(4:59) - How should a leader think about rewards and benefits globally?
(7:20) - When does it make sense to bring global benefits oversight in-house and when is it better to keep it with a global PEO model?
(8:20) - Are there good global payroll companies?
(12:24) - Can you talk about the variety of benefits from country to country?
(16:01) - Where do you start when consulting with a new client?
(23:16) - Are companies looking for equality or equity when it comes to benefits across the globe?
(25:58) - What is the state of wellness or well-being programs around the world?
(31:17) - How should employers think about managing small and large populations under the same umbrella?
(34:01) - Has EAP utilization changed around the world?
(38:42) - What are best practices for avoiding cross-cultural mistakes?
(39:54) - Can you define "governance" when it comes to managing global benefits?
(42:32) - How can leaders tap into the local market while keeping decision-making centralized?
(44:35) - What types of benefits are available to Expats?
(49:16) - What is multi-national pooling?
(51:50) - How is Lockton approaching global benefits differently than competitors?
Laura Kriska is an expert on cross-cultural relations with more than thirty years of experience bridging gaps in diverse workplaces. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies on four continents, helping thousands of professionals build trust across Us vs. Them differences based on nationality, ethnicity, race, religion, age, or any factor of identity. Her WE-Building framework provides practical and actionable insights for creating a more inclusive and productive world.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Laura Kriska's book, The Business of We: https://a.co/d/bcm1SVq
- Learn more about Laura at her website: https://www.laurakriska.com/
- Connect with Laura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-kriska-0a93902a
- Marcus Buckingham (author): https://www.marcusbuckingham.com/
- Bonus! Twelve Hours' Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old (baby sleep training book): https://a.co/d/aklrwro
Timestamps:
(2:16) - Welcoming Laura
(3:15) - Why are we so afraid of those who are different than us and how do you see that showing up in the workplace?
(5:03) - Can you give us a little bit about your background that led you into this field?
(10:10) - What’s your response to the attitude of ‘let’s buck up and move on’ in relation to that kind of situation?
(16:44) - Are microaggressions real or no?
(21:45) - How can we 'reframe' some group identities we may hold?
(29:25) - How do we do this in corporate environments?
(35:19) - How do we open ourselves to embrace new and diverse situations?
(43:02) - Are there ways to do this that don’t fall into 'tokenism'?
(48:56) - How can leaders harness truly improve communication among various groups?
(50:29) - What do we really have to get at to be bridging these connections?
(55:49) - Do you have any suggestions for business leaders on how to make room for nuance and allow difference of opinion to exist?
(1:00:21) - Laura invites us all to WE-build
Kendra Brodin is the Founder and CEO of EsquireWell, a lawyer well-being and professional development company providing consulting, training, and the EsquireWell Academy, a cutting-edge online learning community, to help lawyers be happier, healthier, and more successful. Before founding her company, Kendra was Chief Attorney Development Officer at a large national law firm where she managed firm-wide lawyer training and development as well as well-being initiatives. In this episode, we talk about the performance expectations placed on attorneys and what they (or professionals in any industry) can do to be at our best in a demanding environment.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Kendra's Coaching firm Esquire Well: https://www.esquirewell.com/
- The Feeling Wheel developed by Dr. Gloria Wilcox: https://cdn.gottman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Gottman-Institute_The-Feeling-Wheel_v2.pdf
- The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigal: https://a.co/d/7DQEt4Q TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend?language=en
Timestamps
(1:44) - Welcoming Kendra
(2:01) - What do you do and how did you come to be doing that work?
(5:26) - Is it safe to say that this conversation is not just limited to corporate attorneys but to all who think about the workplace as performance?
(6:39) - What are the demands placed on attorneys?
(10:48) - What are the traits required to navigate the legal field at a high level?
(15:35) - What are good ways people can start to do this work and recognize the impact of their emotions?
(22:23) - Can we do this on our own? Are there any exercises to start to do this?
(40:01) - Is discussing these "soft" emotional matters a distraction?
(42:31) - How do you think about grit and mental toughness?
(46:53) - How do you help clients determine where they are in the spectrum and whether they need to hang in there or stop and take a break?
(50:43) - What does good recovery look like?
(1:00:08) - Is there anything you’d like to add to sum up our conversation?
Paul A. LaLonde, SHRM-CP, CCAP is a deliberate HR pro, who believes philosophy is a difference-making pursuit in business and life. Paul serves as the VP of People & Culture for CEDA of Cook County in Chicago. CEDA is one of the largest Community Action Agencies in the Country. Paul has won numerous awards including the HR Today MVP Award for his blog HR Philosopher. He is also a bestselling author of the book People Fusion: Best Practices to Build and Retain a Strong Team.
Mentioned on the Show:
- The HR Philosopher (blog): https://hrphilosopher.com/
- People Fusion (book): https://a.co/d/8nbTBkg
- The Art of Living and Finding Happiness translated by Sharon Lebell (book): https://a.co/d/e5lGvcy
- The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday (book): https://a.co/d/gKitXFF
- Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl (book): https://a.co/d/7KWlloq
- The Tao of Strategy by L. J. Bourgeois, Serge Eygenson, Kanokrat Namasondhi (book): https://a.co/d/bcvtVIl
Timestamps:(1:44) - Welcoming Paul
(2:15) - What is philosophy to you?
(6:16) - How did you come to philosophy originally?
(8:37) - What types of philosophy have you studied the most and which do you think are most relevant to business leaders today?
(14:28) - Can you explain the Philosopher Manager concept?
(16:41) - Where do people start and what are the basic principles of the Philosopher Manager?
(25:13) - What does it mean to lead yourself?
(27:28) - What does your journaling practice look like?
(28:56) - Will you take a quote or a line and break down what it means to you?
(31:05) - What does the personal reflection look like when you don’t act as you think you should have?
(40:05) - How do you use philosophy when making decisions?
(42:10) - Is there anything you’ve learned from philosophy that's helped you communicate better?
(47:11) - What changes have you made in your personal life based on these philosophies?
(55:01) - Where is the best place for the newcomer to start?
(57:14) - What is the purpose of business?
Casey Jacox is the founder of Winning The Relationship, LLC, a consulting firm providing executive sales leadership and coaching. He is also the author of a book by the same name and host of The Quarterback DadCast, a podcast that offers stories, advice, and wisdom for fathers looking to improve their leadership skills and emotional intelligence. In this episode, he shares the importance of relationships and what it means to "win the relationship, not the deal".
Mentioned on the Show:
- Win the Relationship, NOT the Deal (book): https://a.co/d/hZstgIb
- Learn more about Casey: https://www.caseyjacox.com/
- Connect with Casey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseyjacox
- Listen to O’Brien on Casey’s podcast, The Quarterback DadCast: https://pod.link/1492347381/episode/a2c5d75f419dd644efc8b88c6c220b81
- Getting Naked by Patrick Lencioni: https://a.co/d/cWa9vqs
Timestamps:(1:34) - Welcoming Casey
(2:30) - Who are you and what do you do?
(7:11) - Why is your book titled “Win the Relationship, Not the Deal”?
(12:11) - Where do we start when building relationships?
(14:20) - How do you think about rapport and what makes a good question?
(18:45) - Do you have any stories of when it doesn’t work and how you bring it back?
(23:17) - Have you always been quick on your feet?
(27:55) - What advice do you have for learning to think on your feet?
(32:57) - How long does it take to build relationships?
(37:42) - What do you say to people who feel like that’s forced?
(43:55) - How do you feel about the hustle culture?
(47:24) - How do you balance between hustling and taking care of yourself?
(50:25) - What is your process for gaining clarity?
(56:15) - Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Dan Michelson is the CEO of InCommon and author of Holy Shift! Moving Your Company Forward to the Future of Work. In addition to his work at InCommon, he is an Adjunct Professor at the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University. In this conversation, Dan talks about historical shifts that have rocked the workplace and how what we are going through now is just the next wave (one we all need to recognize and adapt to).
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Holy Shift (book): https://www.theholyshiftbook.com/
- InCommon: https://incommon.com/
- Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmichelson
Timestamps(1:51) - Welcoming Dan
(2:52) - What shift are you seeing in the workplace?
(11:13) - What did you learn from studying past pandemics?
(14:45) - What happens after a big change?
(19:48) - How do you readjust and recalibrate your view of the world quickly?
(26:07) - How do you teach others to adjust quickly?
(31:52) - Do you have a practice for reflecting on how you see the world?
(37:25) - How do we create a more human-centric approach to business?
(39:50) - How do we foster connection?
(46:07) - How can you orchestrate a struggle to bring everyone together in the workplace?
(52:06) - What percentage of the population has this agile/shift skill set?
(1:00:00) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:00:58) - Is there anything you can share to direct us to what you’re doing?
Cece Sykes, LCSW, ACSW, is a consultant and senior trainer with the Internal Family Systems Institute where she specializes in trauma and addiction and educates therapists internationally on how to apply the IFS therapy model to addictive processes. In this episode, she shares ways concerned bosses, colleagues, and friends can broach the subject of addiction to help people get the care they need.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Cece Sykes, LCSW: https://www.cecesykeslcsw.com/
- Internal Family Systems Institute: https://ifs-institute.com/
- IFS Therapy for Addiction (book): https://a.co/d/ckmh356
- Befriending Your Inner Critic with Carolyn Sellers: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/carolynsellers/
Timestamps:(2:52) - Welcoming Cece.
(4:32) - What terminology should we use instead of ‘addiction’?
(6:18) - Is addiction a disease we can cure or is it with us all the time?
(9:13) - What’s a good frame of mind to be in when you have a conversation about addiction with someone?
(11:43) - What’s the right way to approach a conversation when something is off with a person?
(23:16) - How should someone prepare for this conversation?
(24:47) - How do you do this as a therapist when you don’t have people giving you information or examples of negative behavior?
(33:40) - Is it fair to say people who are struggling with an addictive process are in some way seeking balance?
(36:28) - If someone is struggling and wants help would finding a specialist in Internal Family Systems be a good starting point?
(36:43) - How can someone evaluate themselves to know when they’re losing control?
(39:40) - What can we do to stop the cycle?
(43:50) - How does somebody work through stopping a behavior?
(47:19) - What’s the best way to help someone recognize they’re under pressure and need help?
(49:43) - Can you talk about how to strike a balance between empathy and having boundaries?
(54:42) - Is there anything else we haven’t covered that you think is important?
Pamela Meyer is a leading Agile Innovation expert who works with leaders, teams, and organizations that need to be more agile and innovative to compete in a rapidly changing world. She is the author of five books on agility, innovation, and learning, including her newest book, Staying in the Game: Leading and Learning with Agility for a Dynamic Future as well as The Agility Shift: Creating Agile and Effective Leaders, Teams and Organizations and From Workplace to Playspace: Innovating, Learning and Changing Through Dynamic Engagement.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Meyer Agile Innovations: https://pamela-meyer.com/meyer-agile-innovation/
- Staying In The Game (book): https://a.co/d/2Cg32lx
- The Agility Shift (book): https://a.co/d/3IYwA3e
- Tim Ferriss podcast with Arthur C Brooks on happiness: https://tim.blog/2023/09/11/arthur-c-brooks/
- Finite and Infinite Games: https://a.co/d/cOX4j21
- Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away by Annie Duke: https://a.co/d/9ldS2uY
- The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek: https://a.co/d/4znuPke
Timestamps:
(2:32) - Introducing Pamela and her work.
(3:38) - Why did you write “Staying In The Game” and what is it about?
(6:48) - What is a "game"? How should we think about our life in terms of games, and how do we know what game we are actually playing?
(8:22) - What are the four ‘P’s?
(10:15) - If we aren’t feeling purpose or passion in our career should we find another "game"?
(12:15) - How do you take something that's working in one area and transfer it to other areas of your life?
(15:55) - How do we balance the hard work and suffering it takes to reach a goal with happiness?
(21:47) - How do you think about deciding between "how do I embrace the struggle?" versus "it’s time to move on"?
(26:40) - How do we continue to play the game that makes us money while also loosening its grip on us so we can enjoy it?
(29:03) - What does it mean to be agile?
(29:58) - How does somebody self-assess their agility?
(31:30) - Where do we start to improve our agility?
(35:44) - Why is slowing down important to agility?
(38:06) - Can you talk about the four different kinds of reflection?
(43:40) - How do we move from self-confidence to self-awareness?
(49:42) - What is the purpose of business?
Megan Lally is the CEO at Highdive, an award-winning advertising firm working with clients like Jeep, Rocket Mortgage, State Farm, Lay's, Beam Suntory. She was recognized in AdAge’s “40 Under 40” list. In this conversation, she shares how Highdive creates better work by focusing on the relationships employees have with each other and with their clients.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- High Dive: https://highdiveus.com/
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Dysfunctions-Team-Leadership-Fable/dp/0787960756
- Brene Brown on Vulnerability (TED Talk): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o
- The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson: https://www.amazon.com/Medici-Effect-Preface-Discussion-Guide/dp/1633692949
- Frans Johansson on People Business: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/fransjohannson/
Timestamps:
(2:20) - Welcoming Megan
(2:52) - What is High Dive and how did it come to be?
(4:47) - What makes a good relationship?
(6:57) - What were the conversations like among the six people who founded High Dive at the beginning?
(9:05) - Do you have any stories about how you came up with your mission and values?
(14:04) - How do you work through disagreements?
(17:41) - What do you do when someone behaves in a way that is detrimental to the relationship?
(19:48) - Do you coach your people on how to have difficult conversations?
(27:46) - How do you balance collaboration with clients and being the experts in the room?
(38:13) - What is the process for onboarding new employees into your culture?
(43:40) - What have you learned about continuing in a hybrid environment?
(47:17) - What’s been the employees' reaction to keeping work and vacation separate?
(54:54) - What tips do you have that lead to better creative outcomes?
Meisha-ann Martin is the Senior Director, People Analytics & Research at Workhuman. She has a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and has spent almost twenty years as a researcher and practitioner on topics like recognition, wellness, inclusion and psychological safety. In this episode, we talk about employee recognition programs and adjust some of O'Brien's preconceived notions.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Connect with Meisha-ann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meisha-ann-martin
- Learn more about Workhuman: https://www.workhuman.com/
Timecodes:
(2:20) - Welcoming Meisha-ann
(3:05) - What is Workhuman?
(4:31) - Why is a company like Workhuman needed in the first place?
(6:22) - What is an employee recognition program?
(8:02) - Why are we so bad at this?
(9:10 ) - What is the power of saying ‘thank you’?
(11:03) - The things you acknowledge are the things you reinforce so if you want to see more of something complimenting people gets it done. Is it that simple?
(13:29) - Practical tips for showing gratitude
(15:07) - What do you say to nay-sayers who say it’s just about checking off boxes and going through the motions to say the culture is working?
(18:50) - How do you balance the line between showing gratitude but not expecting people to over-extend themselves?
(21:14) - What does the data look like?
(23:45) - Do you have examples of clients who have improved business outcomes and how they’ve demonstrated that?
(25:42) - How drastic are the results for this?
(27:22 ) - How do you see bias play out in this?
(34:03) - How do we think about money in tying money to these programs?
(36:41) - How do we avoid bias while still giving managers the ability to adjust compensation?
(37:48 ) - Do you see a difference between written recognition and spoken recognition?
(41:20) - What do you see in the research from people who say they don’t like public recognition?
(44:03) - Do you find feedback has more of an impact in a one-on-one or group setting?
(45:20) - What do you say to someone who thinks this is too much work?
(47:44) - Can you share some examples of how you’ve made changes with this in your personal life?
(50:41) - Anything else we haven’t covered regarding recognition?
(52:42) - What is the purpose of business?
Dr. Meghaan Lurtz is a Professor at Kansas State University where she teaches courses for the Advanced Financial Planning Certificate Program, a lecturer at Columbia University where she teaches Financial Psychology, an undergraduate adjunct professor through the University of Maryland system in their CFP program, and a writer and Senior Research Associate with Kitces.com, a financial planning blog. She is also a past president of the Financial Therapy Association.
Mentioned in the Episode:
- Kitces: https://www.kitces.com/
- Change Your Questions Change Your Life (book): https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Questions-Life-4th/dp/1523091037
- Financial Therapy Association: https://financialtherapyassociation.org/
- Find out more about Certified Financial Planners: https://www.cfp.net/
- Mind Over Money by Dr. Brad Klontz: https://www.amazon.com/Mind-over-Money-Overcoming-Disorders-ebook/dp/B002WA4O9E
- Other books by Dr. Brad Klontz: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Brad-Klontz/author/B001KHI4BO
- Brene Brown (author): https://brenebrown.com/
- Changing To Thrive (book): https://www.amazon.com/Changing-Thrive-Overcome-Threats-Happiness/dp/1616496290
- The Good Life (book): https://www.amazon.com/Good-Life-Lessons-Scientific-Happiness/dp/198216669X
Time Codes:
(2:09) - Welcoming Meghaan.
(2:29) - What is the Financial Therapy Association?
(5:05) - Where are we in the spectrum of how we think about money?
(13:14) - Why are we so bad with money?
(19:40) - Who do we call when we have psychological money questions?
(23:27) - Is there a right mindset for money?
(26:36) - How do we start to identify our own issues with money?
(38:34) - Do you have recommendations to help people with shame around money?
(45:12) - What are some tips you can offer to get on the path and stay on the path to dealing with money shame?
(53:58) - What are you sick of talking about?
(55:28) - What are you most excited to talk about?
(58:46) - What is the purpose of money?
As a clinical assistant professor in the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Gina Fong teaches Ethnographic Customer Insights. She was voted "Professor of the Year" by Kellogg's 2023 graduating class. In this conversation, we discuss how her work translates to understanding and improving the employee experience.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Gina Fong on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginafonginsight
- Ethnographic Customer Insights (course, Kellogg Northwestern): https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/directory/fong_gina.aspx
- Fong Insight on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fonginsight
Time Codes:(2:01) - Welcoming Gina.
(2:12) - What is a consumer anthropologist and what is ethnographic research?
(4:10) - Is it fair to say employee anthropology would be a way to apply some of the ethnographic skillset as well?
(5:19) - How is ethnography different than the way employees may be surveyed today?
(7:54) - What are we looking to learn versus what can’t we learn from ethnographic research?
(9:49) - Is there a best practice approach or do you cycle through both options?
(12:51) - What are the basics of how to conduct ethnographic research?
(18:53) - How do we become better observers?
(22:02) - How do we improve our ability to inquire?
(23:12) - Is it a myth to help people who are struggling to think of a couple options?
(26:15) - What are the actual steps to doing the research?
(27:42) - What would be the better research objective
(30:02) - Are there any other steps we haven’t covered yet?
(32:18) - Have you ever taken improv classes?
(40:43) - Do you share your subcultures with students?
(43:09) - What are the best ways to keep bias from this type of research?
(48:16) - What are the other final steps?
(50:28) - How do you help people go deeper when you’re asking questions of them?
(54:49) - How do you think about being in the environment changes the environment?
(56:18) - Is asking ‘why’ questions, as opposed to ‘what’ or ‘how’ something you do?
(57:11) - How can leaders in a business start to practice this?
(1:00:26) - How do we get better at giving gifts?
Jim Suprenant is the Senior Managing Partner at Guggenheim Partners. A career investment banker, Jim joins the show to discuss the ins and outs of buying and selling businesses.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Guggenheim Partners: https://www.guggenheimpartners.com/
- Go Big or Go Home (book): https://www.amazon.com/Go-Big-Home-Customer-Experience/dp/1544536364
Time Codes
(1:48) - Welcoming Jim.
(2:12) - What is an investment banker?
(6:41) - If I want to sell my business where would I go to find buyers?
(10:34) - How do I think about pricing my company?
(13:01) - What is an example of constraints an investor would put in to make it harder to turn a profit?
(14:21) - How much does the people side of a business weigh into what the price will be for that business?
(18:19) - How should sellers think about cutting as much from the business as they can and how do buyers vet to make sure the business they’re buying hasn’t just been gutted?
(22:01) - How many companies understand this before you work with them and how many default to a scarcity mindset?
(33:02) - How do you manage the human side of a transaction?
(35:10) - How do you evaluate a leadership team?
(38:21) - How can HR become stronger in these transactions?
(39:55) - How often do you see HR having a prominent seat at the table?
(42:40) - What are the best practices for making sure from that date forward you have the best odds for success?
(48:45) - What are the things that kill deals right at the end?
(51:22) - Do you see management teams when they’re closer to the finish line manage their business ‘not to lose’?
(52:59) - What are you sick of talking about?
(53:40) - What are you hoping to hear more talk about?
(56:18) - What is the purpose of business?
Linda Rossetti is a business leader, Harvard MBA, and pioneering researcher who has dedicated her career to advancing our understanding of personal and organizational transformation. She is the author of two books, Dancing with Disruption and Women & Transition. She also hosts a podcast called Destination Unknown.
Mentioned on the Show:
- Dancing With Disruption (book) https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Disruption-Approach-Navigating-Biggest/dp/1538169371
- Women in Transition (book) https://www.amazon.com/Women-Transition-Reinventing-Work-Life/dp/1137476540
- Destination Unknown (Linda’s podcast) https://pod.link/1445942178
- The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield (a must-read) https://www.amazon.com/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/1936891026
Time Codes:
(1:39) - Welcoming Linda
(2:14) - What is the difference between a disruption, a change, and a transformation?
(9:47) - Can happy events be disruptions?
(15:33) - What happens to us when we face a disruption?
(23:26) - Can you tell people how they can let go more easily?
(28:16) - How does somebody know that their voice is buried and other voices have been piled on them?
(39:07) - Reframing emotions
(51:34) - Can you talk about what choice patterns are?
Brian Smith is the Founder and Managing Partner of IA Business Advisors, a consulting and coaching company, and co-author of The I In Team book series. He joins the show to talk about influence.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- IA Business Advisors https://iabusinessadvisors.com/
- Individual Influence - Finding the I in Team (book) https://www.amazon.com/Individual-Influence-Find-Team/dp/1641467207
- Positive Influence - Be the I in Team (book) https://www.amazon.com/Positive-Influence-Be-I-Team-ebook/dp/B0BWPYWXK3
- Chet Scott - Built to Lead (former guest on PB) https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/chetscott/
- Leadership and Self Deception (book) https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Self-Deception-Getting-Out-Box/dp/1523097809
- Anatomy of Peace (book) https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Peace-Fourth-Resolving-Conflict/dp/1523001135
Time Codes
(1:59) - What is influence?
(2:51) - How did you come to be an expert in influence? What was it that interested you?
(5:55) - When did you start to get interested in this?
(6:58) - What is an individual advantage?
(8:27) - How do we identify our advantages and what do we do with them?
(11:22) - What does the exercise to go inward and deeper look like?
(20:29) - What is your journaling like?
(21:29) - What would the titles be on those composition books be?
(22:30) - What do you write in your morning and evening journals?
(24:09) - Is there a special reason you review a journal or is it just when you feel like it?
(25:00) - Has it changed your writing knowing your daughter’s going to be reading it?
(27:12) - What have you gained from journaling?
(32:22) - What advice do you have to find the balance between proving yourself and staying authentic?
(36:28) - What’s “The Anatomy of Peace” about?
(38:09) - What are the differences and similarities between advantages and privileges?
(41:57) - How do we build accountability to ourselves?
(43:29) - What does it look like in your organization?
(45:44) - What are the biggest differences your new partner has found between your method and a more conventional one?
(47:56) - What are you sick of talking about?
(48:57) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(50:21) - What is the purpose of business?
Lisa Kleiman is the principal and founder of Speaktopia, a public speaking coaching and training organization. She has held management and consulting positions at Fortune 500 companies and has served as a faculty member at Boise State University for over 15 years teaching undergraduate and graduate English and Business & Managerial Communication courses. Lisa is the author of several books, journals, and other publications including You Got This: Everything You Need to Master Authentic Public Speaking (2019) and Public Speaking Journal (2021).
Mentioned in this Episode:
- You Got This: Everything You Need to Master Authentic Public Speaking https://www.amazon.com/You-Got-This-Everything-Authentic/dp/1632992329
- Speaktopia – Connect with Lisa’s coaching and training: https://speaktopia.com/
- Listen to previous episodes of People Business with Derek Gaunt and Gary Noeser to learn what professional negotiators can teach us
Time Codes:
(2:00) - How does one become a communication coach?
(6:35) - What is passive communication? What is aggressive communication? And what is assertive communication?
(10:39) - People don't necessarily communicate one way all the time do they?
(12:18) - Can you talk about direct and indirect speaking?
(14:13) - Where do you begin when someone wants to become a more assertive speaker?
(16:31) - How do we get better self-awareness around how we are perceived by others?
(19:58) - How can you help with the fear of what seems like aggressiveness but is really assertiveness?
(23:11) - How would you suggest I handle a situation where I need to be direct and appropriate?
(26:34) - What happens if the person reacts poorly?
(31:11) - What do we do when an aggressive speaker comes to us?
(33:31) - What are things people can say when somebody is mean to them?
(35:41) - How do you deal with someone who has a passive style?
(40:04) - How do you repair a situation when someone has gone too far?
(42:02) - Do you have any exercises to help people to move into a more assertive direction?
(49:52) - Anything we didn't cover or that you'd like to share?
Mat Duerden is a Professor of Experience Design and Management in the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University. He is the co-author of the book Designing Experiences. He joins the show to talk about the elements of experience design and the framework anyone can use to enhance the experiences they plan for themselves and others.
Mentioned in the Episode:
- Designing Experiences by Mat Duerden and J. Robert Rossman: https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Experiences-Columbia-Business-Publishing/dp/0231191685
- The Power of Moments: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Moments-Certain-Experiences-Extraordinary/dp/1501147765
- Day One app for journaling: https://dayoneapp.com/
- Land of the Dead book on storytelling: https://www.amazon.com/Land-Dead-Lessons-Underworld-Storytelling/dp/1626727317
- How to Tell a Story from The Moth: https://www.amazon.com/How-Tell-Story-Essential-Storytelling/dp/059313902X
- You Are a Storyteller Podcast from Brian McDonald: https://writeinvisibleink.com/episodes/
- Think Again by Adam Grant: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Again-Power-Knowing-What/dp/1984878107
Timestamps:
(2:28) - How does one get into experience design?
(6:02) - Why is experience so important?
(9:07) - What’s the scope of the experience design?
(16:50) - Where does somebody start with this? What are the first steps?
(23:32) - Can you talk about what the anticipation phase of the experience is?
(27:03) - What are some good threshold moments?
(32:46) - What are the six experience gate elements?
(37:07) - Is there anything you would add to the ‘blocking’ element?
(41:36) - What are the best ways to bring people together in a group for an experience?
(50:15) - What is the reflection phase and why is it so important?
(1:02:08) - What words of wisdom do you have for someone who’s planned out this experience and things go wrong?
(1:09:34) - How can people integrate this into their daily lives?
Jim Conti is the Talent Partner at Hyde Park Venture Partners. In this role, Jim provides strategic talent support and consulting to the firm's portfolio of companies. In this conversation, we talk about how to build a people strategy in a lean, fast-paced environment and the lessons he's learned from working across a venture-backed portfolio of companies.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Hyde Park Venture Partners https://www.hydeparkvp.com/
- Jim Conti on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/contijc
- People Business episode with Mike Sarraille https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/from-the-battlefield-to-the-boardroom-w-mike-sarraille/
Time Codes:
(2:19) - Introducing Jim Conti
(2:35) - What is Hyde Park Ventures and what is your role there?
(6:01) - What does the firm look for when making an investment?
(16:44) - What are the common misconceptions leaders have that you have to help with right from the start?
(22:19) - What advice do you have for leaders who are looking to build a team? What are the ways you should be evaluating the talent?
(31:30) - How do you advise leadership teams to build trust with their people?
(35:40) - Is it good to bring our ‘whole self’ to work or not so much?
(44:16) - How do you recruit good people when you don’t have money or stability to offer?
(47:57) - What do you say to someone who says we’ve just lost out on a great candidate?
(50:04) - Is slowing down and making the workplace human-centered something HR does?
(56:11) - How are you seeing companies evolve the funnels they’re using to get different types of talent?
(59:39) - What, in your mind, is the purpose of business?
For twenty-five years, Bonnie Low-Kramen worked as the personal assistant to Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis. Now she writes, coaches, and speaks to audiences of business leaders and assistants, helping them each make the most of this powerful relationship.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Staff Matters: People-Focused Solutions for the Ultimate New Workplace: https://www.amazon.com/Staff-Matters-People-Focused-Solutions-Workplace/dp/0976326841
- Bonnie’s Be the Ultimate Assistant In-Person Workshop: https://www.bonnielowkramen.com/workshops/ultimate-assistants/btua-live/
- Connect with Bonnie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnielowkramen
Time Codes:
(2:14) - Introducing Bonnie
(3:11) - Are we talking about administrative professionals or executive assistants? Are there differences?
(5:02) - How has this type of work evolved over time?
(9:57) - How do you think of the virtual assistant in the scheme of things?
(12:35) - How do I know when it’s time to hire an assistant?
(18:26) - How do I evaluate and assistant in an interview?
(21:51) - What advice do you have for someone applying for an assistant job?
(28:04) - What do you call the person who hires the assistant?
(30:24) - What are the best practices for onboarding?
(38:24) - How often do you suggest one on ones?
(42:18) - What do you say to the people who aren’t comfortable giving up control?
(44:36) - What are the best practices for giving feedback?
(50:50) - What does development look like in this profession?
(53:58) - What advice do you have to make sure the system works when the assistant steps away?
(56:58) - What advice do you have for the single assistant?
Skye White is a Vice President at Deed, a workplace giving platform. She joins the show to talk about the different ways companies provide giving opportunities to their employees and the reasons why you may or may not want to consider doing the same.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Connect with Skye White on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skye-white-sustainability
- Learn more about Deed, the workplace giving platform: https://www.joindeed.com/
Timestamps:
(1:55) - How do you define what you do?
(3:40) - What feedback are you getting from employees about what they’re getting out of this kind of work?
(5:28) - Are you seeing employees want to make a change with the work they’re doing?
(8:23) - How many companies are offering ways to have an impact on the community?
(12:15) - How do you see organizations selecting causes to support?
(14:24) - What makes a ‘pillar’?
(16:02) - How do organizations do that while keeping from investing in things they don’t agree with?
(19:53) - Are companies that are giving or volunteering allowing it to be branded to the company name?
(22:27) - What are best practices when it comes to corporate giving of dollars?
(24:18) - What are best practices around establishing volunteer time?
(27:06) - What’s the standard as far as how many volunteer days companies are giving people?]
(30:47) - What are good starter volunteer activities?
(32:48) - What are the common pitfalls companies make when getting into this?
(35:25) - Are there any other mistakes you see companies making?
(37:44) - What are the detractors to ESG saying as to why this kind of work isn’t what a company would want?
(40:12) - How do you see companies tracking the impact of these efforts?
Sean Bacon is a Canadian Armed Forces veteran who served 12 years as a Paratrooper and as an instructor at the Canadian Forces Military Police Academy. During that time, Sean developed a system of training that psychologically and physically prepared both soldiers and police to thrive in some of the worst situations the world has to offer. His company, Dynamic Shift, leverages his experience to work with business leaders to develop and sustain mental toughness, leadership, and team development in competitive environments.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Dynamic Shift Consulting: https://dynamic-shift.com/seans-story/
Time Codes:
(1:48) - Welcoming Sean
(2:06) - What does it mean to be mentally tough?
(3:16) - Does mental toughness mean we have to be extreme?
(5:32) - Is it something we can tap into at any time or does it need to be developed?
(6:48) - What are some ways you suggest people begin to learn mental toughness?
(9:00) - How do we inspire people to want to develop it?
(10:50) - How do we find the balance between pick ourselves up and asking for help?
(14:51) - With your military background how do they create team mental toughness?
(16:54) - Is that culling out people that don’t fit or developing it with people that you have or a combination of the two?
(19:26) - How do you advise business leaders to reach the subcultures of their organizations and teach them this?
(22:00) - Do you find that people when presented with higher standards and culture want it and will turn to it?
Gustavo Serbiá is the Head of Human Resources at Hair Cuttery, a retail hair salon with 5,000+ employees across 10 states. In this episode, we talk about the challenges of leading a workforce with few promotion opportunities. Gustavo shares lessons on how they recruit, develop talent, and help people grow inside and outside the organization.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Follow Gustavo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavoserbia
- Learn more about Hair Cuttery: https://www.haircuttery.com/
- Recommended book: Sell the Feeling by Pinci/Glosserman (on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Feeling-6-Step-System-Business/dp/1600372791/ref=sr_1_1)
Time Codes:
(0:45) - Introducing Gustavo
(2:11) - Who are you? What’s your role? And where do you work?
(2:56) - What does the workforce look like?
(4:01) - Where would you rank Hair Cuttery from a wage standpoint?
(5:56) - What about the racial demographic?
(6:43) - What is the age demographic?
(7:13) - What is the entry-level like?
(8:59) - From a recruiting standpoint, how do you stand out in a retail environment?
(13:32) - What is the compensation threshold?
(21:09) - Who’s having the compensation conversation?
(24:05) - Are you developing sales skills in your people?
(27:06) - How are you encouraging stylists to think about the proactive side of bringing people in?
(32:27) - How are you teaching the proper training and principles in the development process?
(52:25) - How do you handle people who have goals that can’t be met in Hair Cuttery?
When Minette Norman and Karolin Helbig heard about psychological safety, they knew it could have a big impact on their workplaces. But they struggled to find guidance on how to put the principles of psychological safety into practice. Like all good self-starters, they decided to write the book they wished they'd had. In this episode, we dive into that book, The Psychological Safety Playbook: Lead More Powerfully by Being More Human.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Psychological Safety Playbook: Lead more powerfully by being more human: https://www.amazon.com/Psychological-Safety-Playbook-Powerfully-Being/dp/1774583097
- Karolin Helbig Consulting: https://karolinhelbig.com/
- Karolin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karolinhelbig/
- Minette Norman Consulting: https://www.minettenorman.com/
- Minette on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/minettenorman
Time Codes:(2:09) - Welcoming Karolin and Minette
(2:39) - What is psychological safety and what is it not?
(6:24) - What are the big mistakes leaders make?
(9:38) - What are the tips and tricks to foster better collaboration?
(13:21) - What does it mean to be vulnerable as a business leader?
(15:58) - Where is the line between ‘I don’t know’ and negligence?
(20:10) - How do you make the environment comfortable even if you’re rejecting ideas?
(28:06) - How do you help people through the psychological discomfort of hearing ideas they don’t like?
(34:57) - What do you do when someone fails and you have to take corrective action? How do you communicate frustration productively?
(37:21) - How do you vent frustration?
(42:52) - How do we encourage people to open and loosen up and share more bravely?
(45:06) - What adjustments have you seen leaders have to make in this environment?
(47:01) - Are these principles effective cross-culturally?
(52:07) - What’s the purpose of business?
Professional Futurist Rebecca Ryan returns to the podcast and brings with her Libby Castro, Founder and Principal at LP/w Design Studios. The two have joined forces to create the Work Better Project, a community geared towards redesigning the what, where, and how of work.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Work Better Project: https://www.linkedin.com/company/work-better-project/
- “People First: The Next Generation of Downtowns”: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/work-better-project_people-first-the-next-generation-of-downtowns-activity-7051201238704521216-ZAUD
- The Work Better Series: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/work-better-project_work-better-project-article-1-activity-7039219337701785600-reIu
- People Business podcast with Rebecca Ryan: https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/rebeccaryan/
- Next Generation Consulting: https://www.linkedin.com/company/next-generation-consulting
- LP/ws: http://lpwsstudios.com/
Time Codes:
(1:37) - Welcoming Rebecca and Libby
(1:59) - What is the Work Better Project and how did you come to work together?
(4:56) - How would you define the Work Better Project itself?
(10:07) - What signals are you paying attention to regarding work?
(15:33) - Libby, what signals are you paying attention to?
(17:45) - Have you seen mental health impacting the way we work?
(22:00) - How should we be prepared for sudden change and also how to avoid denial when change is slow?
(26:46) - Do you have a structure for how you do Think Week?
(28:29) - When faced with impending change, where do you start in the design process?
(30:26) - Do you talk about design thinking principles?
(34:03) - How do you help organizations think through the way they’re actually working?
(40:39) - How do we repurpose space? What are some alternate/radical options?
(50:10) - Do you have any good exercises for getting brain storms going?
(55:41) - What is your goal for this project?
(57:44) - What’s the purpose of work?
Dr Andy Bass is the founder and principal of BassClusker Consulting. He works with leaders of successful businesses who are acutely aware of the rapid pace of change in the world. Andy specializes in getting them ahead of the change and bringing their people with them, and he does it in a very unusual way based on finding and using their Hidden Resources – strengths they and their people already have but are overlooking.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Bass Clusker Consulting Ltd: https://bassclusker.com/
- Committed Action (book): On Amazon
- Start With What Works (book): On Amazon
- Sean Bacon (former Canadian paratrooper): Dynamic Shift website
- Jørgen Vig Knudstorp: Lego Management Profile
- Rework (book by 37 Signals): On Amazon
Time Codes:
(1:36) - Welcoming Andy Bass
(1:56) - What kind of work do you do and how did you come to be doing it?
(4:32) - How do you motivate groups of people?
(6:45) - What is the difference between motivation and commitment?
(13:12) - What was the exercise like to draw their commitment out?
(14:58) - Do you then ask people if you’re on track with what you have put in for their head bubbles?
(16:07) - Where does the communication need to come from to work?
(17:34) - How does the CEO model connect to this?
(18:32) - Can you tell us why you consider leaders as educators?
(23:31) - What would it look like to create curiosity in a business setting?
(28:17) - Does curiosity naturally flow toward exploration?
(31:06) - As a leader or leadership team is our task to guide the curiosity flow until it’s taken ownership of?
(32:30) - Are there any areas people get wrong when they start to implement this?
(35:26) - Do we join in the blame culture or do we focus on solutions?
(36:34) - How do military veterans handle situations differently?
(42:27) - Can you talk to the philosophy of what works and using what you have amidst limited resources?
(51:52) - Anything else you’d like to share?
Dr. Sunitha Chandy, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Founder of Artesian Collaborative, returns to the show to talk about ways we can recover after expending all of our energy and resilience running life's great marathons (for example, coming out of a global pandemic).
Todd Hlasney is the Director of Health Risk Solutions at Lockton where he and his team help companies build wellness programs that improve health and lower cost. In this episode, Todd shares best practices, how to make data actionable, and the ways to approach different segments of your employee base.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Lockton Health Risk Solutions
- Todd on LinkedIn
Topics:
(2:21) - Introducing Todd Hlasney
(3:28) - What is population health?
(4:25) - Are the terms wellness and wellbeing interchangeable?
(6:45) - Why would employers take responsibility for the health of their employees?
(8:17) - Where does wellness start to be impactful for a company?
(11:29) - What are the types of health risks you are looking for and what are the interventions?
(14:47) - What kind of ROI metrics, from a dollar standpoint, are you seeing and what are employers doing to get it?
(18:23) - Is your group looking at blanketing across the 23-25% and creating strategies or are you getting hyper-specific on the high-cost claims?
(24:55) - What are chronic conditions and what happens when you start to stack them?
(27:19) - Can you explain "gaps in care" and how companies can close them?
(30:31) - What does it look like in practice to get people to change their behavior?
(33:29) - Is it fair to say that executive leadership drives the culture of the whole organization?
(39:09) - Is there a way to get leadership on board with building up the company culture?
(41:13) - Have you ever seen leadership roll out programs by using it only themselves first?
(46:27) - What questions should employers be asking in order to build these programs?
(50:26) - What are you sick of talking about?
(52:19) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
Dr. Richard Safeer is the Chief Medical Director of Employee Health and Well-Being @ Johns Hopkins Medicine. He works to help leaders understand how to build cultures of health in their own organizations. He holds faculty appointments in both the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. His book, A Cure for the Common Company: A Well-Being Prescription for a Happier, Healthier, and More Resilient Workforce outlines a process companies and leaders can use to improve health across their own organizations.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- A Cure for the Common Company by Richard Safeer - https://www.amazon.com/Cure-Common-Company-Well-Being-Prescription/dp/1119899966
- Ten Minute Well Being Tips For Managers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_v8Jd-x-c4
- Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink - https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs-ebook/dp/B0739PYQSS/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=extreme+ownership&qid=1680479372&s=books&sprefix=extreme%2Cstripbooks%2C102&sr=1-1
- Breathe by James Nestor - https://www.amazon.com/Breath-New-Science-Lost-Art-ebook/dp/B0818ZZNLR/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=breath+james+nestor&qid=1680479398&s=books&sprefix=breath+jame%2Cstripbooks%2C94&sr=1-1
- Culture: It’s the Smell of the Place - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgrD7yJwxAM
Time Codes:
(1:44) - Introducing Dr. Safeer.
(3:05) - What does it mean for an individual to be healthy?
(4:19) - What does it mean for an organization to be healthy?
(5:37) - Is it an employer’s responsibility to cultivate a healthy company?
(7:02) - What do you mean by taking a cultural approach?
(8:12) - What is a subculture?
(13:17) - How does this relate to subcultures?
(14:20) - What makes a positive or a negative subculture?
(16:07) - Where does one start when trying to influence subcultures?
(18:35) - What are the types of things I should be looking for in healthy or unhealthy subcultures?
(25:31) - What is 4-7-8 breathing?
(28:15) - What role does mental health play here?
(31:27) - How important is 'connection' in relation to health and what does it look like in healthy organizations?
(34:07) - Is socialization at work driven mostly by extroverted leaders?
(37:21) - How should a leader approach changes that are needed?
(42:31) - How do we start moving culture in a healthy direction?
David Wood has spent over 20 years coaching thousands of entrepreneurs and leaders across 15 countries on how to do what matters, get there faster, and be extraordinary. He is the author of Mouse in the Room: Because the Elephant isn't Alone, a book about naming and overcoming the small voices we all have inside that keep us from connection, confidence, and self-expression. In this conversation, David shares the power of tough conversations and offers best practices to help listeners have these conversations successfully.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Mouse In The Room by David Wood - https://www.amazon.com/Mouse-Room-Because-Elephant-Alone/dp/B0B2TTD9X2
- Mouseintheroom.com - https://www.mouseintheroom.com/
- The Landmark Forum - https://www.landmarkworldwide.com/the-landmark-forum
- From Triggered to Tranquil by Susan Campbell - https://www.amazon.com/Triggered-Tranquil-Self-Compassion-Transform-Relationship/dp/1608687406/ref=asc_df_1608687406/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=509494905560&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6808894682803498374&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027256&hvtargid=pla-1277845967758&psc=1
- Get in touch: david@mouseintheroom.com
Time Codes:
(1:31) - Introducing David.
(2:38) - How did you come to make difficult conversations a focus of your work?
(13:16) - What tips do you have for someone to start a difficult conversation?
(17:35) - How do you broach a difficult subject with another person without triggering negative emotions?
(28:00) - Have you had people use the tough conversation worksheet in real conversations?
(33:32) - How do you handle it when the other person gets negative or emotional?
Sue Rice is a long-time marketing strategist, professional copywriter, and international communications expert. She is the author of Tiny Thunder: Irresistible Messaging for an Overwhelmed World. In this episode, Sue shares her method of metaphoric storytelling for grabbing attention and driving action.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Tiny Thunder by Sue Rice - https://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Thunder-Irresistible-Messaging-Overwhelmed/dp/B0BCS7DCXR
- SueRice.com - https://suerice.com/
- Sue on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/slice-international/
- Tony Lenhart on The People Business Podcast - https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/tonylenhart/
Time Codes:
(3:59) - How did you become a storyteller?
(5:24) -What role do you see stories playing in everyday life?
(6:53) - What role do you see ‘story’ playing in work?
(11:23) - How should we be thinking about storytelling?
(15:18) - What is a metaphor?
(20:08) - What makes a great metaphor?
(24:08) - How important are the visuals and how should people be thinking about the visuals when communicating?
(29:36) - Should we be thinking about whether our story could bring up negative impressions?
(36:38) - What emotions should we try to elicit with our stories?
(41:39) - How can people use an email to grab attention quickly?
(44:34) - What does it mean to join the conversation vs. interrupt it?
(52:45) - How do you transition from personal to business communication?
Juliana Stancampiano went from customer to CEO of Oxygen, a people and sales enablement consulting company. She is the author of Radical Outcomes: How to Create Extraordinary Teams that Get Tangible Results.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Juliana on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstancampiano/
- Oxygen EXP - https://www.oxygenexp.com/
- Oxygen EXP on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oxygen-exp/
- Oxygen EXP on Twitter - https://twitter.com/oxygenexp
- Hosting Dinner Parties & Building Successful Careers w/ Scott Miller - https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/scottmiller/
- Radical Outcomes by Juliana Stancampiano - https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Outcomes-Extraordinary-Tangible-Results/dp/1119524253#:~:text=Radical%20Outcomes%20is%20a%20blueprint,avoids%20randomness%20and%20organizational%20drag.
Time Codes:
(2:13) - What is Oxygen and how did you come to be the owner?
(7:40) - What did you see that tipped you off that the company was not living up to its values?
(12:43) - Is it weird that people feel shame or guilt around the idea of making money?
(15:11) - How do you weigh situations where values are competing?
(17:44) - What does the word ‘process’ mean to you?
(20:00) - Can you give an example of how your COO turned your working style into a working process?
(22:31) - Do you want to share anything else about your book?
(23:09) - What is the difference between process and architecture?
(24:58) - Where would somebody start on the architecture path?
(28:05) - Why the difference between training and learning?
(31:25) - Do your clients show their employees your architecture plans?
(32:17) - What makes your training unique and do you make it unique for each client?
(34:33) - How do you turn “e-learning” into an online "experience"?
(37:12) - How easy or hard is it to get customers to see the value in your approach?
(40:18) - How do you help people through the mental process?
(47:04) - Do you do anything for yourself or your team to foster more abundance?
(49:44) - What are you sick of talking about?
(51:11) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(54:15) - What is the purpose of business?
Andrea Butcher, CEO of HRD*, is on a mission to change the world one leader at a time. In this episode, she shares the traits that make great leaders and the ways listeners can improve their leadership abilities.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- hrdleadership.com - https://hrdleadership.com/
- Andrea Butcher on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leaderdevelopmentcoach/
- Being [at Work] Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-at-work/id1468460670
- The Power In the Pivot by Andrea Butcher - https://www.amazon.com/Power-PIVOT-Leadership-Lessons-Being/dp/1955683298
- Fort Hill Group - https://www.forthillgroup.com/
- The Four Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney - https://www.amazon.com/Disciplines-Execution-Achieving-Wildly-Important/dp/145162705X#:~:text=The%20authors%20identify%20four%20core,leverage%2C%20engagement%2C%20and%20accountability.
- Designing Experiences by J. Robert Rossman - https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Experiences-Columbia-Business-Publishing/dp/0231191685
- Essentialism by Greg McKeown - https://www.amazon.com/Essentialism-Disciplined-Pursuit-Greg-McKeown/dp/0804137404/ref=sr_1_1?crid=28F8D0EDAXFVI&keywords=Essentialism&qid=1677007523&s=books&sprefix=essentialism%2Cstripbooks%2C107&sr=1-1
- Breaking the Rules Removing the Obstacles to High Performance by Kurt Wright - https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Removing-Obstacles-Effortless-Performance/dp/0961438339
Time Codes:
- (1:48) - What is HRD*? What kind of work do you do?
- (3:06) - How do you define leadership?
- (4:07) - Why do so many people misunderstand the concept of leadership?
- (5:17) - Are leaders too ego-centric today?
- (6:44) - What kind of work goes into getting secure with yourself?
- (9:24) - What are the triggers people should be looking for to recognize a teachable moment?
- (13:56) - What’s the difference between a leadership growth program and a leadership training program?
- (18:01) - What does repetition look like in a leadership growth cycle?
- (20:38) - How many things can one person work on at a time?
- (25:04) - How do we create psychological safety with our people?
- (28:48) - Where is the line between giving people negative caveats and letting them off the hook?
- (31:52) - How do you build a growth opportunity that is both fun and challenging?
- (34:14) - What goes into a debrief?
- (36:33) - How do you facilitate discussion and energy?
- (41:04) - Do you coach people on how to do less?
- (41:30) - How do we become more present?
- (44:26) - Why does it take 7 years for obstacles to go away?
- (47:41) - What are you sick of talking about?
- (48:37) - What aren’t people talking enough about?
- (50:45) - What is the purpose of business?
Kim Mauller is the Director of Marketing & Insights on the Innovation and Foresight team at Molson Coors. In this episode, Kim discusses the process she and her team use to look into the future and develop products that meet the world’s emerging needs.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Molson Coors - https://www.molsoncoors.com
- Think Like a Futurist w/ Rebecca Ryan - https://www.peoplebusinesspodcast.com/rebeccaryan
- The STEEP Framework - https://www.widenarrow.com/blog/what-is-steep-analysis-5-factors-to-predict-the-future#:~:text=STEEP%20is%20an%20acronym%20for,and%20strengthening%20your%20strategic%20planning.
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel - https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Money-Timeless-lessons-happiness/dp/0857197681/ref=asc_df_0857197681/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=508977995883&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12089372152956787372&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027256&hvtargid=pla-947774987444&psc=1
- Morgan Housel’s Blog - https://collabfund.com/blog/authors/morgan/
Topics:
(2:12) - What is an innovation and foresight team?
(5:47) - How big is your team?
(6:39) - What teams do you plug into the most?
(9:09) - How did you come into working within foresight and future thinking?
(12:05) - How did you learn to see possibilities you might otherwise not have?
(20:37) - Are you looking at the world with a really open lens or do you get laser-focused on an audience first?
(25:14) - How much history do you read?
(30:44) - How do you get such good insights from your customer base?
(36:21) - Do you journal?
(37:24) - How do you avoid biases?
(39:20) - What are other pitfalls you see that will lead people astray in this kind of work?
(43:20) - How confident do you need to be to execute a prediction?
(47:43) - What are the trends you’re paying attention to now in the world?
(52:20) - What are you sick of talking about?
Jenny Sauer-Klein is the founder and CEO of the Scaling Intimacy School of Experience Design, which trains event leaders to weave connection into the fabric of their events strategically. She is passionate about designing transformational experiences that prioritize connection over content and regularly consults for organizations like Google, Airbnb, Dropbox, and the Haas School of Business. Jenny created Play On Purpose, a video tutorial library with over 80 of her best virtual and in-person team-building games, to support facilitators to confidently engage and connect groups and teams.
Links:
- Jenny on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennysauerklein/
- The Scaling Intimacy School of Experience Design - https://scalingintimacy.com/
- Tim Ferriss #455: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/455-rabbi-lord-jonathan-sacks-on-powerful-books-mystics/id863897795?i=1000489237045
- Designing Experiences by J. Robert Rossman - https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Experiences-Columbia-Business-Publishing/dp/0231191685
- SUNY study of platonic peer to peer relationships - https://www.geneseo.edu/sprg
- The 36 Questions That Lead to Love - https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/09/style/no-37-big-wedding-or-small.html
- Embarc Chicago - https://embarcchicago.org/
- Dr. David Kolb’s Experiential Learning - https://educationaltechnology.net/kolbs-experiential-learning-theory-learning-styles/
- Play on Purpose - https://playonpurpose.com/
- Acroyoga - https://www.acroyoga.org/
- Dramatic Arc Event - https://typoistd.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/wk1_narrative_structures.pdf
Topics:
(3:28) - What is the Scaling Intimacy School of Experience Design?
(5:03) - How did this business originate?
(12:02) - What’s the purpose behind putting a client into the story?
(13:57) - Are you essentially turning every session into a workshop?
(17:40) - Is creating an A to Z framework all you need to do to put them into the story?
(19:23) - What other elements should people pay attention to as far as creating a story?
(25:19) - What are the best ways to get folks engaged in a session?
(34:20) - Is this approach to creating human experiences relevant to any event?
(36:02) - How do you define connection?
(38:19) - What are the principles of connection?
(52:09) - How important is physical space and touch?
(1:0:17) - What advice do you have for people to foster better, deeper connections in their lives?
(1:07:50) - Do you have any final thoughts?
Mike Del Ponte is a serial entrepreneur and CEO coach who has empowered founders to rapidly scale their start-ups to over $3 billion in total valuations. In this conversation, Mike discusses the ways he helps leaders level up and improve both their businesses and their lives.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- mikedelponte.co - https://www.mikedelponte.co/
- Mike Delponte on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedelponte/
- Leisure: The Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper - https://www.amazon.com/Leisure-Basis-Culture-Josef-Pieper/dp/1586172565
- “Stutz” A Film by Jonah Hill - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKCmefQdplI
Time Codes:
(1:56) - What exactly is your job and how did you get into this line of work?
(4:56) - What was your process for changing identity from being in the priesthood to becoming an entrepreneur?
(7:34) - What is the difference between a calling and a desire?
(9:41) - When you are coaching someone, what are they paying attention to inside themselves?
(15:36) - What does the process look like when starting with a CEO?
(18:34) - Do you have an example of what that might be?
(21:13) - How do you think about the balance between telling your client the answer vs making the client come up with it?
(31:06) - Do you see a lot of new startup CEOs needing coaching or is it just a stereotype?
(32:43) - How do you get people comfortable enough to know they need help?
(36:25) - How do you help diagnose lynchpin issues in clients?
(41:02) - How do you help someone through the stages of making new habits and mindsets stick?
(53:40) - What do you think people are getting wrong?
(54:52) - What are you most excited about in your work?
(55:43) - What is the purpose of business?
(56:36) - Where can people engage with you online?
Dr. Bipin Mistry is a board-certified physician and Chief Medical Officer at Alight where he is focused on helping their companies improve the healthcare experience for their employees. In this episode, he discusses the current state of healthcare in the United States, where it's going, and how new approaches are helping people get better outcomes at a lower cost.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Dr. Bipin Mistry on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bipinmistrymd/
- The Alight Blog - https://www.alight.com/blog
- Alight - https://www.alight.com/consumer-medical
- Healthcare Navigation by Alight - https://www.alight.com/solutions/health-benefits/healthcare-navigation
Time Codes:(2:31) - What is Alight and what is your role?
(4:38) - What is the current state of the healthcare system as you see it and why do costs keep going up?
(7:23) - Where are we in making the shift from sick care to health care?
(10:10) - Can you define population health management and give an example?
(12:47) - Can you define social determinants of health and what is the tie between social determinants of health and population health?
(17:01) - How do you create a wave of smart healthcare consumers?
(20:06) - What’s next if the consumerism model isn’t driving better care?
(21:36) - How do you define ‘navigation’?
(26:54) - Is Navigation the portal through which healthcare is accessed?
(33:31) - How large of an employee group do you need for this to have an impact on the cost?
(38:24) - Is there anything we haven’t covered about Navigation?
(40:47) - When it comes to healthcare, what do you believe may be contrary to the masses?
(41:38) - What are you sick of talking about?
(42:18) - What is the first step toward taking that leap in making healthcare more affordable?
Ann Latham is the author of The Power of Clarity and founder of the consulting firm Uncommon Clarity®. Her clients represent over 40 industries and range from organizations such as Boeing, Hitachi, and Medtronic to non-profits such as the Public Broadcasting Service, the United Way, and colleges and universities. Ann’s advice has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, and Forbes.com.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Ann on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/annlathamuncommonclarity/
- AnnLatham.com - https://annlatham.com/
- Find all of Ann’s books - https://annlatham.com/books-by-ann-latham/
Time Codes:(0:15) - Introduction to Ann Lathan
(1:45) - How do you define clarity?
(3:29) - How did you become an authority on clarity?
(6:08) - What is true clarity?
(9:35) - What is a treadmill verb and what are some examples?
(10:50) - How do you avoid using words like ‘review’ as hiding spots or stalling places?
(14:24) - do you have a recommended pre-meeting process to get everyone on the same page?
(17:48) - What is the S.O.A.R. decision-making method?
(23:29) - Can you explain ‘wandering in’ and how it relates to decision-making?
(28:00) - What does the start of your day look like?
(28:57) - Is your approach based on the book “Getting Stuff Done”?
(31:48) - What does your tool look like for capturing and organizing the bigger picture?
(33:18) - How much time does it take to stay organized?
(34:50) - What are the elements that make sifting and organizing more practical?
(41:44) - What other tips do you have for reducing distractions?
(44:07) - What are you sick of talking about?
(46:26) - Would you argue that every business interaction has to be purely focused and objective?
(50:56) - How can people find you?
Adam Waytz is a psychologist and a professor of Management & Organizations at The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He uses methods from social psychology and cognitive neuroscience to study processes related to ethics, intergroup processes, and the psychological consequences of technology. In this conversation, he shares a detailed look at why people choose to stand up to bad behavior (and why they don't).
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Adamwaytz.com - https://www.adamwaytz.com/
- Adam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwaytz/
- Changing People’s Minds w/ Loran Nordgren - https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/changing-peoples-minds-w-loran-nordgren/
- Reducing Friction w/ Loran Nordgren - https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/lorannordgren2/
Time Codes:
(2:36) - How did you come to study whistleblowing in the first place?
(4:36) - How do you define ‘whistleblowing’?
(5:57) - Why don’t people report bad behavior?
(9:26) - How much backlash to whistleblowers face?
(16:09) - With all the risks, why would anyone whistleblow?
(17:31) - How do we prime people to speak up more often and how do we create organizations that respond better to these situations?
(34:24) - Is there anything people can do to improve their odds of success if they want to speak up?
(43:12) - How do leaders and organizations get better at protecting whistleblowers?
(45:42) - Is there anything we haven’t talked about that’s important when it comes to whistleblowing?
(46:40) - Have you looked at the percentage of false whistleblowing vs. honest whistleblowing?
(50:45) - What are you sick of talking about?
(51:16) - What do you think people need to be talking more about when it comes to whistleblowing?
(54:19) - How can people find out more about what you do?
Marc Giannettino is the Vice President of Service Delivery at WNDYR, an organization designing the future of work. He joins the show to discuss how he and his team are helping companies redesign the way work gets done.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Marc on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcgiannettino/
- WNDYR.com - https://wndyr.com/
- The Future of Work w/ Claire Haidar of WNDYR - https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/clairehaidar/
Time Codes:
(2:31) - Who are you? What is WNDYR?
(3:51) - What makes this moment in time so good for doing this work?
(6:02) - Why is the ‘how’ so important?
(8:22) - What do you see people wanting from work?
(9:49) - What does a lack of trust look like?
(12:03) - Where do you start with a company when they approach you for help?
(17:48) - What are the biggest pain points you see today?
(21:18) - How do you quantify work capacity?
(28:01) - How do you set up the design process?
(30:32) - How often is work so linear that it can be captured in a flow?
(33:49) - What do you say to people who would rather work with less systemization?
(43:23) - How can we factor in the employee experience so they enjoy the way work gets done?
(48:29) - How do we implement the right level of organizational discipline?
(1:00:11) - At which point do small, iterative changes become obsolete?
(1:01:44) - what surprises clients the most when they get to the end of this work?
(1:03:09) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:03:35) - Where can you be found to engage in this work?
Tim Schumm is the Founder and President of Lucas James Talent Partners, an On-Demand RPO (Recruiting Process Outsourcing) firm that is a cost-effective alternative to the traditional staffing agency model. Tim has been in recruiting for 16 years and is a frequent speaker on topics related to talent acquisition, leadership, and how the labor market affects corporate strategy. He was also a Chicago Crain’s 40 Under 40 recipient. In this conversation, Tim shares his perspective on the talent market as it stands today and where we might be going headed into 2023.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Lucas James Talent Partners - https://lucasjamestalent.com/
Tim on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/timschumm/
Think Like a Futurist w/ Rebecca Ryan - https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/rebeccaryan/
Time Codes:(2:47) - Can you walk us through 2022 from a recruiting and retention standpoint?
(6:31) - What’s the environment like today compared to the past year of burnout, quiet quitting, and hyper-wage inflation?
(10:58) - Do you see companies evolving their job descriptions with the growing lack of laborers?
(18:19) - In your experience, what percentage of employers are starting to get creative with finding talent?
(20:29) - How do you see companies successfully pitching themselves to candidates for virtual roles?
(23:14) - How do you see companies getting creative as far as going into talent pools they wouldn’t have considered before?
(24:39) - Do you see companies investing in Learning and Development?
(31:00) - Are there any other signals in the world you’re paying attention to?
(33:55) - What else is important for HR leaders to think about going into the new year?
(36:48) - What is Lucas James Talent Partners and where can people find you online?
Jeff Lovell is a coach on authentic living. He created The Great Life Project to help successful founders and executives who are good at work be great at life.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Jeff Lovell on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-lovell-coach/
- JeffLovell.Coach - https://jefflovell.coach/
- The Peace Index by Jeremie Kubicek - https://www.amazon.com/Peace-Index-Five-Part-Framework-Fulfillment/dp/1119985927
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek - https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447/ref=sr_1_1?crid=28EZZP5LFLO1C&keywords=Start+with+Why+by+Simon+Sinek&qid=1670517178&s=books&sprefix=start+with+why+by+simon+sinek%2Cstripbooks%2C79&sr=1-1
- Mike Rowe on Purpose - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1EjVLz968M
Time Codes:(2:19) - How did you get into coaching and what is the work that you do?
(5:43) - What are the issues that most people come to you with?
(7:16) - What is the role of a pastor and how does that influence the work you do now?
(9:26) - What do people get wrong about pastors?
(11:19) - How have you built the skill of having conversations with people at their most authentic level?
(13:38) - How do you know when to sit back and let things happen, and when someone needs a fire lit underneath them?
(16:53) - Where do you start with a new client?
(18:51) - Are there any
(20:02) - How do you help someone figure out what their big purpose is?
(28:52) - Should we all aspire to a life of helping others?
(34:39) - How do you coach clients through self-deception?
(42:32) - How does someone know whether they should be talking to a coach or a therapist?
(46:46) - What do you believe about people or businesses that might be contrarian?
(47:56) - What are you sick of talking about?
(51:02) - What is the purpose of life?
(51:52) - Where can people find you online?
Mike Goldman is an award-winning leadership team coach and the #1 Amazon bestselling author of two books, Breakthrough Leadership Team and Performance Breakthrough. In this conversation, Mike shares what it takes to build and lead a high-performing team.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Mike Goldman: Leadership Team Coach | Author | Speaker
- Mike Goldman’s Free Video Course
- Mike Goldman on LinkedIn
- Mike Goldman on Twitter
- Mike Goldman on Facebook
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
- The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits! by Greg Crabtree
Time Codes:
(1:27) - How do you define what makes a good team?
(3:02) - How important is the top leader?
(4:51) - What is your assessment of the top leader when you walk into an organization?
(9:27) - How do you coach clients who may not be lifelong learners?
(14:59) - How can leaders or team members ensure that individuals are held accountable?
(21:31) - What are the 6 pillars of a leadership team?
(22:53) - What does Self-Leadership look like?
(25:01) - Do you have any exercises to help people with their focus?
(28:38) - What’s the balance of finding the right people for a team?
(33:43) - Is setting and living out values part of the execution pillar?
(40:31) - How do you think about team structure?
(46:45) - Do you find that some teams need to cut down on size?
(49:31) - What advice do you have for people onboarding to a new team?
(52:05) - What is the purpose of business?
Reena Kansal is a Story Facilitator and Chief Operating Officer at Leadership StoryLab, a training company that helps business professionals connect with their audience. Have you ever sat through a boring presentation? Or worse, have you ever given one where you could tell the audience was barely staying awake? If so, Reena can help.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Leadership Story Lab
- Let the Story do the Work by Esther Choy
- Reen Kansal on LinkedIn
- Smart Brevity by Jim VandeHei
- Good Charts by Scott Berinato
- The TableTopics Game
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- Metaphor: As Simple As a Piece of Velcro
- The Secret to Clarifying Complex Ideas
Time Codes:
(1:13) - What is Leadership Story Lab and what kind of work do you do?
(2:20) - What was the catalyst that made storytelling sexy?
(3:10) - How do you define Storytelling?
(4:11) - What are the elements of Story that cause people to take action?
(5:32) - What are the misconceptions that people have about Storytelling?
(7:36) - What’s a better example you’ve seen of someone introducing themselves through a story?
(9:59) - How should people think about Story length?
(13:43) - What are the other important elements of a Story?
(15:54) - What type of language should we be using in Story?
(19:44) - Are there any other techniques to storytelling that listeners can add to their toolbox?
(24:48) - How do you coach clients on word choice?
(30:50) - How do we start practicing Storytelling?
(38:14) - What surprises people the most as they begin this work?
(39:52) - Do you see people overdoing it in the beginning?
(42:05) - Do you have any exercises to help build metaphors and analogies?
(42:57) - What are you sick of talking about?
(43:26) - What do you get most excited about in your work?
(47:17) - Where can people find and engage with you?
Kay Allison has been living alcohol-free since 1999. In that time, through her company Juicy A.F., she has helped hundreds of women face their struggles with alcohol and come out the other side living amazing lives. Alcohol dominates our social functions at work, from happy hours to holiday parties. For those who feel like they might need help curbing their drinking, no matter the reason and with no need for labels, Kay is here to help.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Kay Allison on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayallison1/
- Juicy AF - https://juicy-af.mn.co/
- 10 Ways to get in Flow rather than Fear - https://juicyaf.life/flow/
- Discipline Equals Freedom by Jocko Willink - https://www.amazon.com/Discipline-Equals-Freedom-Field-Manual/dp/1250156947
- What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain & Health | Episode 86 of Huberman Lab - https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ebY3WNejLNbK47emgjd1E?si=ukKjlgaQTc6n7M8hNLdz6g
- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield - http://bit.ly/3WWtTmD
- People Business Episode w/ Chet Scott - https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/chetscott/
- Atomic Habits by James Clear - http://bit.ly/3tsLYLG
Time Codes:
(2:57) - What is Juicy AF and how did it come to be?(4:39) - What was it for you that made you give yourself an honest assessment about your drinking?
(7:31) - Had you done any reflective work leading up to this realization that you wanted to get sober?
(12:03) - What does it mean to be an alcoholic?
(13:48) - What are the ways to approach someone you think has an issue with drinking?
(17:23) - What trends are you seeing as far as alcohol consumption goes?
(19:45) - How do you help people get rid of the excuses they give themselves to continue drinking?
(24:58) - What are the effects of alcohol on the body?
(29:38) - How does Juicy AF help people through the anxiety of wanting to quit drinking?
(34:54) - What are the ways you see companies starting to minimize alcohol in their social events?
(37:21) - How do you help clients step out of their comfort zones in social activities?
(40:37) - Are there any other hang ups for people wanting to experiment with being alcohol-free?
(47:16) - How do you coach clients to get to a place of more abundance and acceptance?
(55:55) - Where can people find you and your program?
(56:43) - Where would you direct men who are interested in this?
Michael F. Schein returns to the podcast to talk about his experience building a "secret society", a term from his book The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World’s Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers. Michael shares practical advice everyday people can use to build a network that works for them, elevating their status and increasing their odds of success.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Michael on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfrancisschein/
- Michael’s first appearance on People Business - https://peoplebusinesspodcast.com/michaelfschein/
- The Hype Handbook by Michael F. Schein - https://www.amazon.com/Hype-Handbook-Indispensable-Propagandists-Self-Promoters/dp/126047013X
- MicroFame Media - https://microfamemedia.com/
Time Codes:
(2:01) - Creating secret societies.
(8:48) - How can the average person start to gain access to powerful people?
(16:09) - Finding people who are incredibly smart, but are not the folks everyone thinks to contact.
Frans Johansson has inspired readers and audiences worldwide with his ideas on leadership and success, diversity, and innovation. He is the Founder and CEO of The Medici Group, an enterprise solutions firm that empowers organizations to leverage diversity and inclusion to build and sustain high-performing teams. Frans is also the author of two books – “The Medici Effect” and “The Click Moment” – the former of which has been translated into 21 different languages and has become the definitive book on how diversity and inclusion drive innovation. Raised in Sweden by his African-American/Cherokee mother and Swedish father, Johansson has lived all his life at the intersection.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- ViaRenaissance.io - https://www.viarenaissance.io/
- Frans on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/fransjohansson/
- Frans on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Frans_Johansson
- The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson - https://www.amazon.com/Medici-Effect-Elephants-Epidemics-Innovation/dp/1422102823/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
- The Click Moment by Frans Johansson - https://www.amazon.com/Click-Moment-Seizing-Opportunity-Unpredictable/dp/1591846838/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1666730987&sr=1-1
Topics:(2:47) - Can you reconcile your statement that success is random as well as saying the harder you work the more successful you become?
(9:32) - How should we think about randomness so that we can use it to our advantage?
(14:25) - How do you advise people to get comfortable with potentially “killing your darlings”?
(19:16) - How did you get turned on Medici?
(23:07) - How do you help others think about creating intersections for themselves?
(26:50) - How do people practice this in a way that it becomes a habit?
(35:13) - Is it better to follow things that are interesting to you, or distill down the principles of what your looking for in order to find things that may be cross-functional?
(41:49) - How do you encourage organizations to have conversations around innovation and change?
(52:31) - Where do groups get the most stuck when doing this work?
(55:44) - What is your favorite intersection story?
(57:17) - Where can people find you online?
Michele Ruiz is an entrepreneur, award-winning broadcast journalist, author, public speaker, and former Los Angeles news anchor for KNBC-TV. She is co-founder and CEO of BiasSync, a SaaS technology company that helps organizations identify and eliminate biases in the workplace.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Michele Ruiz on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheleruiz1/
- BiasSync - https://biassync.com/
- Ruiz Strategies - https://www.ruizstrategies.com/
- Black couple ‘Whitewashes’ home during Appraisal - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/12/06/black-couple-home-value-white-washing/
- Podcast Movement Issues Apology over Ben Shapiro Appearance - https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/2022/08/25/podcast-movement-apologizes-for-ben-shapiros-presence-at-its-dallas-convention/
Time Codes:
(3:00) - What is BiasSync?
(7:13) - What do you say to people who may get a bit defensive when talking about biases and stereotypes?
(17:15) - Can you speak to the concept of ingroup vs. outgroup bias?
(24:04) - Are we trying to get rid of our biases altogether or are we just trying to manage them?
(34:27) - How do you see political bias showing up in the workplace?
(39:25) - Is there a balance to a true microaggression and someone being overly sensitive?
(47:25) - What else can organizations be doing to help facilitate conversations around political biases in the workplace?
(50:48) - What are you sick of talking about when it comes to bias?
(51:15) - Is there anything you see people getting continually wrong in your world?
(52:38) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(54:05) - What is the purpose of business?
(54:41) - Do you have any final comments?
Andrew Bartlow leads Series B Consulting, through which he helps businesses articulate their people strategy, accelerate their growth, and navigate rapid change. Additionally, he founded the People Leader Accelerator, the preeminent development program for startup HR leaders. He is also the co-author of Scaling for Success: People Priorities for High-Growth Organizations. Andrew has 25 years of Human Resources and Talent Management experience at organizations across various sizes, maturity stages, and industries.
Episode Links:
- Andrew Bartlow on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartlow/
- People Leader Accelerator - https://www.peopleleaderaccelerator.com/
- Scaling for Success by Andrew Bartlow - https://amzn.to/3ez4bmH
- Series B Consulting - https://www.seriesbconsulting.com/
- Harvard Business Review: Evolution & Revolution as Organizations Grow by Larry Greiner - https://hbr.org/1998/05/evolution-and-revolution-as-organizations-grow
- Dunbar’s number - https://bit.ly/3MD8dHj
- Patrick Lencioni Books - https://www.tablegroup.com/books/
- Mathison Diversity Recruiting - https://www.mathison.io/
- Humu - https://www.humu.com/
Time Codes:(1:50) - How did you get into your line of work?
(3:21) - What are the different Organizational Structures you see and how do you advise folks on which is the best fit for them?
(8:05) - Do you have examples of problems being solved that end up creating problems further down the road?
(13:37) - Total Chaos vs. Total OKR.
(16:52) - What are some best practices from a human capital standpoint to celebrate team members who transition out of an organization?
(22:36) - What are Spans and Layers?
(26:09) - Is there a ‘max’ for Span?
(27:29) - How do you advise companies to think about The Power of 150?
(31:40) - How often do you see strong leadership teams pausing to assess the business?
(35:09) - When it comes to defining roles do you see any best practices being used?
(42:25) - What makes a good hiring process?
(44:20) - How are you seeing organizations broaden the pipeline in which they’re getting candidates?
(46:52) - “We learn best when we learn less.”
(49:00) - Where do you see the best and worst ROI from Learning and Development initiatives?
(56:09) - What is the purpose of business?
(57:41) - How can people get in contact with you?
Melina Palmer is an applied behavioral economist with a passion for helping leaders understand what behavioral economics is and how it can be applied to help the world communicate more effectively. Her award-winning podcast, Brainy Business, has downloads in over 170 countries and she teaches applied behavioral economics through the Human Behavior Lab at Texas A&M University. She has written two books, including the newly released WhatYour Employees Needs and Can't Tell You: Adapting to Change with the Science of Behavioral Economics.
Links:
- The Brainy Business: https://thebrainybusiness.com/
- The Brainy Business Podcast: https://thebrainybusiness.com/podcast/
- Melina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinapalmer/
- Thebrainybusiness.com/PeopleBusiness
- What Your Employees Need and Can’t Tell You by Melina Palmer: https://thebrainybusiness.com/free-chapters/
- A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger: https://www.amazon.com/More-Beautiful-Question-Inquiry-Breakthrough/dp/1632861054/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
- Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith: https://www.amazon.com/Abraham-Lincoln-Vampire-Seth-Grahame-Smith/dp/0446563072/ref=sr_1_1?crid=24V8P7904Q21D&keywords=Abraham+Lincoln%3A+Vampire+Hunter&qid=1664734068&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjAxIiwicXNhIjoiMC44MiIsInFzcCI6IjAuNTcifQ%3D%3D&s=books&sprefix=abraham+lincoln+vampire+hunter%2Cstripbooks%2C68&sr=1-1
- Nudge by Richard Thaler: https://www.amazon.com/Nudge-Final-Richard-H-Thaler/dp/014313700X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KKY4T34YR6KX&keywords=Nudge&qid=1664734107&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjY0IiwicXNhIjoiMi4xNyIsInFzcCI6IjIuMzMifQ%3D%3D&s=books&sprefix=nudge%2Cstripbooks%2C76&sr=1-1
- Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/0062407805
Time Codes:(2:29) - What is behavioral economics and how did you come to work in this industry?
(11:28) - How do you see companies using B.E. and where are we in the adoption curve?
(14:57) - How do you think about Design Thinking in relation to B.E.?
(19:27) - Why did you base your book on change?
(24:42)- How people respond to change and a conversation on biases.
(40:30) - What do you see as the most common mistakes employers are making when helping their teams through change?
(45:02) - Are successful companies helping their teams create better habits in some way?
(54:06) - “The Accusation Audit”
(58:30) - What are you sick of talking about?
(1:00:14) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(1:01:14) - What is the purpose of business?
What do you mean learning styles aren't real? Teri Hart is a corporate learning executive with 25+ years of experience in learning and development at top companies. She is also the author of Hardwired to Learn: Leveraging the Self-Sustaining Power of Lifelong Learning. In this conversation, Teri dispels myths about how people learn and shares practical ways individuals can learn better and companies can better educate their people.
Links:
Teri Hart on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terihart/
Hardwired to Learn by Teri Hart: https://www.amazon.com/Hardwired-Learn-Leveraging-Self-sustaining-Lifelong/dp/0578300079/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Time Codes:
(1:46) - What does it mean to be a lifelong learner?
(3:36) - What portion of the population that you see are proactive in learning?
(6:28) - What are some of the most common myths surrounding learning?
(9:29) - What do you mean that there are no learning styles?
(13:07) - How much of the sentiment that we stop learning as adults are just us not wanting to look stupid, or do something hard?
(18:45) - How do you cultivate a culture of curiosity and vulnerability?
(22:04) - How do you coach people to recognize they’ve been closed off? Is it possible to spark their intrinsic motivation?
(28:59) - What is the process for learning?
(34:56) - How would you define someone’s purpose?
(40:19) - What are some learning hacks that you’ve developed?
Kavita Ganesan is the founder of Opinosis Analytics and an AI strategist, educator, and consultant. The author of A Business Case for AI, Kavita educates and advises businesses of all sizes, from Fortune 500 to small businesses, on better ways to utilize artificial intelligence in their work.
Links:
Kavita on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kavita-ganesan/
Kavita's Website: https://kavita-ganesan.com/
Opinosis Analytics: https://www.opinosis-analytics.com/
Book: A Business Case for AI by Kavita Ganesan: https://kavita-ganesan.com/the-business-case-for-ai/
Grammarly: https://www.grammarly.com/
One Shot Learning: https://bdtechtalks.com/2020/08/12/what-is-one-shot-learning/
Turing Test: https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/Turing-test
The Good Place: The Trolley Problem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtRhrfhP5b4
Topics:
(1:50) - How do you define Artificial Intelligence?
(3:51) - What is the goal of AI?
(4:39) - Where are we today with what AI can and cannot do?
(6:32) - Where do you see businesses begin to implement AI?
(10:13) - Is it reasonable to fear that AI will automate out people’s jobs?
(12:20) - How are the best companies upskilling their employees now that they have more time for productivity?
(15:08) - What mistakes do companies make when implementing AI?
(17:04) - How do you monitor and test programs?
(18:12) - How do you advise companies on potential biases within AI code?
(21:55) - How difficult is it to implement AI into a workflow?
(25:36) - Do you see AI systems being used for external or internal use?
(26:21) - Who do you see owning AI decisions?
(27:28) - What are the costs of creating an AI system for a company?
(29:45) - How did you get into the AI space?
(32:13) - What’s being built today that we will see in the next 15 years?
(36:34) - How do you feel about machines becoming as intelligent as humans?
(38:37) - How do you see companies dealing with the ethical challenges of AI?
(42:26) - What are you sick of talking about?
(43:46) - What are you most excited about?
(44:30) - What is the purpose of business?
(45:54) - Where can people find you?
Iwo Szapar is the Co-founder and CEO of Remote-how, the world's leading marketplace with remote & hybrid work experts. Since 2017, he has advised 600+ companies (including Walmart, ING Bank, and Microsoft) to help them optimize their distributed workforce. As a remote work expert, he co-created "Remote-how Academy," - the world's first certification program for remote teams, and co-hosts the annual Remote Future Summit. Iwo wrote the book "Remote Work Is The Way - a guide to making the most of our office-optional future," and was featured in Forbes, BBC, and Business Insider.
Links:
- Iwo on LinkedIn
- Remote How Academy
- Remote Future Summit
- Remote First Institute
- Remote Work is The Way by Iwo Szapar
Time Codes:(2:34) - What’s your origin story with remote working?
(6:23) - Do you have a specific definition for Remote Work?
(9:31) - How should leaders considering remote work be thinking about culture and aspects of a business that are really built with in-person interactions?
(16:43) - Is there jealousy or animosity between employees when there are roles that absolutely require you to be in person?
(20:23) - What needs to change in a company that has previously not been remote-first?
(29:03) - Who do you see being accountable for making the shift to remote-first within a company?
(31:04) - What results are you seeing from companies who are testing out a 4-day workweek model?
(33:42) - Does better measurement mean we need better project management software?
(35:59) - What is the purpose of business?
(36:40) - Where can people get in touch with you?
In this special episode, Andy Riise returns to the podcast joined by retired Navy SEAL Jon Macaskill and retired Green Beret Jason Van Camp. Andy (Army) and Jon (Navy) are competing in a half ironman to raise awareness (and money) for Warrior Rising, a nonprofit helping veterans become entrepreneurs. The military-to-civilian transition can be tough and Warrior Rising is arming those who served with the skills they need to build a business and serve their communities.
If you enjoy this episode, I hope you will join the People Business team in donating to their efforts. Click the link to get in on the fun and support your favorite service branch: https://www.warriorrising.org/armyvnavy2022/
Time Codes:
(2:11) - Introductions: Andy & John
(6:55) - Where is the overlap between mindfulness and mental toughness?
(8:36) - Introductions: Jason Van Camp
(9:49) - What was the genesis for starting Warrior Rising?
(12:35) - What is the challenge and how did it come to be?
(19:26) - How did you reorient your life around such a massive challenge like this?
(22:14) - How do you help veterans understand the consistency required to build a business?(24:34) - How do you think about friendly competition and striking the balance between community and competitiveness?
(26:41) - What are some other specifics of the challenge and how Warrior Rising is helping veterans?
Kevin Bailey is the founder and CEO of Dreamfuel, a company that helps high-performers and their teams get the mental edge they need to exceed their goals and fuel the long game.
Time Codes:
(1:50) - What is the Dream Fuel origin story?
(5:18) - How do you define mindset?
(6:38) - What’s the difference between emotions and feelings?
(14:52) - Mindset and mental performance in corporate athletes
(19:53) - How do you monitor your vitality?
(21:40) - Where can someone get started in improving their performance?
(24:58) - What are the right and wrong ways to meditate?
(32:23) - What is visualization?
(37:59) - Where is the line between visualization and manifesting?
(40:37) - When is the best time to visualize?
(43:19) - How do you help your clients make this part of their identity?
(44:44) - What are you sick of talking about?
(45:53) - What is the purpose of business?
Billie Shepard has been a professional actor and coach for over forty years. Through Billie Shepard & Associates, she leverages her acting experience and unique training methods to transform corporate speakers into influential leaders. This includes both in-person and virtual presentation skills, both of which are crucial in today’s business environment. She presents her methods in her book The Billie Shepard Presentation Method.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Film: Zulu
- New Zealand Rugby Pregame Haka
- Tony Robbins’ Priming Routine
Time Codes:
(2:29) - What makes a good actor?
(6:22) - How do you define intention?
(11:13) - How do you coach business people to set their intentions?
(20:19) - What’s the difference between being honest and truthful?
(24:18) - How do you coach people to find the right energy for a presentation?
(28:35) - What are the simplest exercises someone can do to get their body engaged without drawing too much attention to themselves?
(36:27) - How do improv skills relate to business presentations?
(44:12) - When you think about your work, what are you sick of talking about?
(45:26) - What aren’t people paying enough attention to?
(45:57) - What is the purpose of business?
(47:58) - Where is the best place for people to find and engage with you?
Sam Jacobs is the Founder and CEO of Pavilion, the premier community and career development platform for high-growth leaders and their teams in every function. He is also the author of Kind Folks Finish First: The Considerate Path to Success in Business and Life. This episode is all about community and how to build one so that everyone in it thrives.
Mentioned in this Episode
- The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt
Time Codes:(2:42) - What is the origin story for Pavilion?
(10:02) - What makes a good dinner club?
(19:01) - Did you get any feedback from the group on what they valued the most?
(20:23) - How do you think about the value you bring as a member of a community and the value you will be getting from the community?
(27:16) - Was there an inflection point in your career that led you to operate this way?
(37:31) - What more can you share with us about your forthcoming book?
(40:07) - What are you sick of talking about?
(44:53) - What is the purpose of business?
(46:15) - Final thoughts.
Bryan Gillette is a former Silicon Valley human resource executive, founder of his own leadership consulting business, and amateur ultra-endurance athlete. He has ridden his bike across the United States and run 205 miles around Lake Tahoe. After interviewing 100 leaders on how they reach their peak and from his own experience in both roles, he wrote EPIC Performance: Lessons from 100 Executives and Endurance Athletes on Reaching Your Peak. In his speaking engagements and podcast interviews, he talks about the key aspects to push oneself and one’s team further.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Summiting Group
- About Bryan
- The Jordan Harbinger Show w/ Benjamin Hardy #703
- Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Regrets of the Dying
Time Codes:(3:04) - What is an "ultra" and why would anyone run that far?
(5:33) - What is your day job?
(6:42) - How do you coach clients to pick their goals? How do you pick your goals?
(9:02) - Do you have any exercises for thinking about values?
(15:53) - How do you help clients prioritize their goals?
(18:53) - How do you get your clients to their starting line?
(25:34) - How do you get people to stick to their stretch goals?
(33:07) - Overcoming the pull to quit when you're tired.
(41:08) - How does training for a marathon translate to business goals?
(48:22) - What are you sick of talking about?
(52:08) - What aren’t people talking enough about when it comes to performance?
(55:19) - What is the purpose of life?
Emily Tsitrian is the author of Make Me the Boss: Surviving as a Millenial Manager in the Corporate World and coach to new managers experiencing the pressures of leadership for the first time.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Emily’s Manager.Flow Podcast
- Emily on LinkedIn
- Extreme Ownership By Jocko Willink
- The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink
- Saving Private Ryan: Gripes go up, not down
- Coach Carter: What is your greatest fear?
Time Codes:(4:25) - What prompted you to write a book?
(6:35) - What are the biggest misconceptions from first-time leaders in organizations?
(9:30) - What changes do new leaders need to make as they step into these roles?
(11:24) - Do you have tips for organizing your priorities?
(14:28) - How should leaders change how they think about their place in the bigger picture of an organization?
(20:09) - Can you speak to what it means to prove yourself as a new leader?
(29:04) - How should a new leader deal with mistakes they make?
(33:29) - How should leaders react when their team makes a mistake?
(36:57) - If you don’t have formal coaches or mentors, how should leaders build mentoring into their practices?
(43:19) - Do you see younger millennials struggling with interpersonal communication?
(45:55) - Do you have any tips for improving communication skills?
(50:16) - How often do you see imposter syndrome?
(56:55) - Why would success scare someone?
(1:02:23) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:04:31) - Wrap up.
Francine Parham is a career expert focused on female leadership and the advancement of women and women of color into positions of leadership and authority in the workplace. Having spent two decades in the corporate sector advancing to the position of global vice president in two Fortune 500 companies (General Electric and Johnson & Johnson), Francine understands the importance of having the right skills (explicit and implicit) for career success. Francine’s experience being one of few Black women at her level resulted in her founding Francine Parham & Co.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
- Please Sit Over There by Francine Parham
Time Codes:
(3:09) - Francine’s origin story.
(5:15) - Does your work shore up skills gaps or opportunities gaps?
(8:14) - What are the pieces of an organization’s infrastructure that are creating boundaries for certain groups of people?
(15:38) - How should a leader be thinking in a way that allows for growing their business but also closing opportunity gaps?
(19:14) - What should people’s goals be when seeking to improve their DEI?
(24:58) - How would you guide a client to deal with blowback from groups not selected for focus on advancement?
(29:38) - What are your goals for your book?
(36:26) - How should aspiring professionals think about power in a corporate environment?
(41:51) - Do you have an example of how two companies have valued different things?
(52:32) - What is the purpose of business?
(55:18) - Wrap up.
Ryan McCrea is passionate about helping others own their career. He is currently the Head of Career Development at Atlassian, leading development and mobility programs for a growing global technology company with more than 7,000 employees. Prior to Atlassian, Ryan was Vice President and Manager of Talent Development at Commerce Bank where he built their corporate-wide professional development program from scratch.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Grit by Angela Duckworth
- The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson
- Dare to Lead Hub with Brené Brown
Time Codes:
(2:49) - How does one become a Learning & Development Leader?
(4:16) - What drew you to this aspect within HR?
(4:59) - How have you developed your knowledge base?
(6:38) - Where does a company start to develop its internal training?
(10:10) - How do you get buy-in from organizational leaders?
(12:13) - What skills have you developed to have an impact in your role?
(14:06) - What do you see as the staples of being a good marketer?
(17:28) - How do you structure learning environments?
(21:26) - What are you seeing when it comes to attention spans in employees?
(24:56) - Do you consider yourself a niche expert or a jack-of-all-trades?
(31:41) - Do you have an example of using the Agile framework for building programs?
(36:42) - What is a Scrum Master?
(37:53) - Is part of Agile breaking the entire process down into micro-steps?
(39:27) - How do you build recovery into your processes?
(41:52) - What’s the right way to roll out a Pilot?
(45:28) - How do you test and demonstrate ROI?
(48:54) - Where do you see leadership changing?
(56:53) - What is the purpose of business?
(58:13) - Where can people connect with you?
David Siegel is the CEO of Meetup, the largest platform for finding and building local communities. He has 25 years of experience as a technology and digital media executive leading organizations through innovative product development, rapid revenue growth, and digital traffic acceleration. Prior to joining Meetup, David was CEO of Investopedia and before that, President of Seeking Alpha. He is an adjunct professor at Columbia University, teaching strategic planning and entrepreneurship. He is the author of Decide & Conquer: 44 Decisions That Make or Break All Leaders and hosts the podcast Keep Connected, which is dedicated to the power of community.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- WeCrashed Series on Apple+
- Built to Lead
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
- In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters
Time Codes:
(4:02) - When did your core principles become clear to you?
(9:44) - Have you done anything since writing the book to apply your values day-to-day?
(12:35) - Writing and reflecting on your career journey to help you grow.
(14:54) - Interviewing for a leadership role.
(19:23) - How do you deal with the fear that comes with a new leadership role?
(21:56) - What is a process plan versus a business plan?
(25:42) - What are the different frameworks you use and why are they important?
(30:19) - Why was moving fast so important to you?
(37:28) - WarTime & PeaceTime CEOs.
(45:55) - How do you create luck?
(49:01) - What are some examples of decisions you’ve made that led to doors opening or doors closing?
(57:38) - How do you create a successful community?
(1:04:08) - What is the purpose of business?
For our 100th episode, we have a special guest. Chris McMahon is the owner of McMahon Ford in Norwalk, CT. He was O'Brien's first boss, his first sales leader, and has been a lifelong mentor. He's also O'Brien's father. He joins the show to talk about the lessons he's learned over his career as a salesperson, manager, and business owner.
Time Codes:(0:58) - Introducing Episode #100
(2:22) - Chris’ background and career beginnings.
(6:21) - Have car dealers always had a bad reputation?
(8:18) - What did you learn about sales in your first job with a dealership?
(16:36) - What was your experience like as a sales/general manager?
(24:35) - How did you become an owner?
(26:21) - What did you learn from your business mentors?
(30:40) - What led you to leave a great opportunity to chase a riskier one?
(34:59) - Did your mentors ever discuss their business philosophies?
(37:00) - Taking over one of the worst-performing dealerships in the state.
(38:12) - What was your experience like venturing out on your own?
(42:06) - How did you lead through tough times in the business?
(51:31) - What did you hope to teach your children by having them work at the dealership?
(1:02:03) - What is the purpose of business?
Rebecca Ryan is a noted futurist, economist, best-selling author, and entrepreneur. She is the founder of NEXT Generation Consulting through which she partners with private and public sector leaders across the country. Looking a generation ahead, she outlines strategies in urban planning, economic development, and workforce development to ensure communities are well equipped for future trends and challenges. Rebecca is a graduate of Drake University with a certificate in Strategic Foresight from the University of Houston. She is on the Executive Committee of the global Association of Professional Futurists.
Links:
- RebeccaRyan.com
- Rebecca’s Newsletter
- The Association of Professional Futurists
- Strategic Foresight at the University of Houston
- Horizon Scanning
- Think Like A Futurist by Cecily Sommers
- The Good Judgment Project
- Superforecasting by Phillip Tetlock
- Long Bets: The Arena for Accountable Predictions
- 1968 Fall edition of Whole Earth Catalog
- How Buildings Learn by Stewart Brand
- Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
- Black Swan by Nassim Taleb
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
Time Codes:(3:00) - What is a futurist, and what does your work look like?
(6:30) - Are there any other ways you try to simplify your work?
(10:38) - How do you know which weak signals to pay attention to?
(12:58) - What is your process for scanning all of this data and information in your futurist work?
(16:35) - What are the mechanics for predicting the future?
(21:35) - What does a project look like that a business might bring you in for?
(27:09) - Do you have an example of a project that you’ve done?
(29:29) - How do you sit with a group to help them shake up their point of view?
(34:35) - What are some of the common biases you see getting in the way of corporate decision-making?
(37:47) - What’s the best way for people to practice breaking their biases?
(42:32) - A real-world example from O'Brien's life.
(50:26) - How do you advise people to think about Black Swans?
(57:37) - The Strategy Paradox.
(1:01:01) - What trends are you paying attention to when it comes to human resources?
(1:04:46) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:06:04) - How can people find and engage with you online?
Randy is a coach, serial entrepreneur, angel investor, vintner, and philanthropist who lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area. He coaches CEOs around the country and was a former lead coach with Vistage, where he built and led a group of 16 CEOs. In 2013, Randy founded the philanthropic venture The Gratitude Network, a leadership development organization supporting the world’s most dynamic and innovative nonprofit leaders and organizations impacting the lives of children in the areas of Education, Health and Well-Being, and Children’s Rights.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Gratitude Network
- Entrepreneur Wines
- The Leadership Circle Profile
- StrengthFinders
- DiSC
- The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
- The Highest Goal by Michael Ray
- Embarc Chicago
- Wishcraft by Barbara Sher
- Ikigai by Hector Garcia
Time Codes:(3:30) - Randy’s backstory on becoming a coach for CEOs.
(5:07) - When you think of a CEO, what image comes to your mind?
(7:12) - What percent of CEOs would you say are self-reflective individuals?
(10:00) - What are the common challenges you see CEO’s facing today?
(13:42) - Are CEOs really bought in and committed to DE&I rather than just seeing it as a trend to keep up with?
(16:26) - Where do you start when you begin working with a CEO?
(20:16) - How do you walk someone through goal setting?
(28:04) - Do you see the people you work with naturally understanding and gravitating to your methods?
(32:39) - Could you outline your 4 C’s framework?
(37:14) - How did you set up The Gratitude Network?
(42:36) - The value of doing a Cohort group.
(48:30) - Why did you choose the word Gratitude?
(51:36) - What advice do you have for people to craft something meaningful in their lives?
(56:17) - How do you do a good job when you have a lot of jobs?
(1:00:38) - Wrap up
Dr. Amy Beacom is the Founder and CEO of the Center for Parental Leave Leadership. She and Sue Campbell, along with the rest of their team, are on a mission to improve parental leave in America by coaching companies on how best to navigate this trying time. In a time when workplaces are adapting to a more human-centered approach, they offer relevant lessons on co-authorship and servant leadership.
Links:
- The Parental Leave Playbook
- Amy@Cplleadership.com
- Sue@cplleadership.com
- FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act)
- Sparrow Leave Management Software
- Parental Leave Insurance - Parento
- Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
Time Codes:(4:26) - Why would you choose parental leave as a career path?
(9:54) - O’Brien’s interest in Parental Leave.
(15:39) - The history of Parental Leave
(19:42) - Where are we today with Parental Leave?
(27:12) - How do you advise companies on improving their PL policies?
(33:48) - If managers had really strong soft-skill training, how much would parental leave training be needed?
(38:40) - How do you help build empathy in managers?
(46:49) - What are best practices for touch points while someone is out on leave?
(51:37) - What are you sick of talking about?
(53:38) - What is the purpose of business?
(57:54) - Where can people find and engage with you?
Amanda Greenberg is the CEO and Co-Founder of Balloon, a platform that unlocks ideas, insights, and feedback by eliminating groupthink and amplifying unheard voices. Prior to founding Balloon, she served as a public health researcher in Washington, D.C., where she developed behavior change campaigns for the EPA and CDC under then-Vice President Joe Biden. Amanda is an expert in the barriers to true collaboration and how groups can get past them to make better decisions.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Amanda on Twitter
- Balloon on Twitter
- Get in touch with Amanda: Amanda@getballoon.com
Time Codes:(2:42) - Why are groups making worse decisions than they think?
(4:57) - What is the standard group decision-making process?
(7:26) - What is Balloon?
(10:10) - Can you define how you run a flight asynchronously?
(11:46) - Are these flights just for brainstorming or is there a longer use case?
(15:36) - Is there an option for anonymity in the feedback that goes to leaders?
(17:33) - What are some of the most frequent or most impactful biases you see?
(22:46) - What are your thoughts on the power of gut feeling vs. group collaboration?
(26:33) - How does the extra “question clarification” part of sessions get built into a flight?
(28:36) - How have you built out templates for starting conversations?
(32:54) - Do you have examples of what this new way of working looks like?
(35:40) - Is there a certain personality type that doesn’t do well with Balloon?
(38:29) - What have you learned about creativity from your research?
(43:46) - When do we get to come together and for what purpose as remote workers?
(48:25) - Is there anything Balloon offers to help people test out ideas or pilots?
(50:58) - What are you sick of talking about?
(52:52) - What interests you the most within your work?
(54:19) - What is the purpose of business?
(55:05) - How can people learn more about Balloon?
Andrea Petrone is an Executive Coach, Strategic Advisor, Facilitator, and Speaker. He helps CEOs and other C-Suite leaders in the mid-market to drive growth and performance by leading change, building transformational teams, and designing winning strategies.
Before launching his advisory firm, Andrea held C-suite executive roles for more than 20 yrs at the international level. He worked in six countries and three continents primarily in the Oil and Energy, Industrial, and Consulting sectors.
Andrea hosts the popular podcast "The World Class Leaders Show" where he and his guests deconstruct the success of high-performance leaders, share their stories and teach the most effective strategies to move from average to greatness. Andrea is originally Italian and he lives in London, UK.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- AndreaPetrone.com
- The World Class Leaders Show on Apple Podcasts
- People Business Podcast w/ Mike Sarraille
Time Codes:
(3:10) - What are the misconceptions about Executive Coaching?
(5:55) - What questions do you get from leaders when you first engage with them?
(8:44) - How many frameworks do you deploy in your work?
(9:58) - Could you give an example of one of your frameworks?
(15:25) - How are your clients held accountable?
(20:22) - How do you get leaders to open up to the fact that they have weaknesses?
(26:16) - Do you have any methods for easing someone’s ego?
(30:17) - Where do you start when working with teams?
(36:59) - What are some great methods for assessing teams?
(41:50) - What have you found to be best practices for creating an environment of psychological safety?
(49:07) - What do you notice are the biggest differences in how teams and leaders operate around the world?
(53:51) - What lessons have you learned in doing your podcast?
(59:11) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:00:10) - How can people engage with you online?
Liam Martin believes we have corrupted "work from home" and turned it into "living at work". He wants to correct those mistakes and help companies run remote the right way. Liam is a serial entrepreneur who runs Time Doctor and Staff.com — one of the most popular time tracking and productivity software platforms in use by top brands today. He is also a co-organizer of the world's largest remote work conference — Running Remote — and has a book out by the same name, helping business leaders put these practices in place in their organizations.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Running Remote by Liam Martin
- Running Remote on YouTube
- Radical Candor by Kim Scott
- Oculus by Meta
- The McDonaldization of Society by George Ritzer
Time Codes:(3:25) - Liam’s thesis for Remote Work.
(6:05) - Why do you believe remote work is a viable option and what are the rules for a good remote working environment?
(12:27) - Turning “working from home” into “living at work.”
(14:04) - How did you learn how to set boundaries for Remote Work?
(17:12) - Remote Work’s impact on the Great Resignation
(21:46) - What is the role of teams coming together in person?
(25:34) - What is different about management in an asynchronous organization vs. on-site?
(36:35) - The open-source aspect of asynchronous management.
(40:10) - What personality types would struggle with remote work?
(44:00) - How can we build relationships without being face to face with people?
(49:41) - How are you training your people?
(1:01:39) - Is there any struggle in the asynchronous model when a team member works with people outside the organization?
(1:10:58) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:14:14) - Where can people find and engage with you?
Laura McGee is the founder and CEO of Diversio, a people analytics company that uses artificial intelligence to help organizations become more inclusive. With offices in Toronto, New York, and London, Diversio was recognized by Fast Company as a “World Changing Idea: Data and AI” in 2021. Prior to Diversio, Laura was a consultant at McKinsey & Company with a focus on economic growth. She was named a Top 25 Women of Influence in 2017 and holds multiple Board positions, including Global Citizen, University of Waterloo, Ted Rogers School of Management, and ArcTern Ventures.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Diversio Whitepapers
- Diversio Case Studies
- The homophily effect: Homophily and Business
Time Codes:(3:15) - What brought you to DEI work?
(6:18) - What does it mean to use AI to read data?
(8:31) - Do you have an example of this algorithm being used in practice?
(10:00) - How do you filter between issues from employees that stem from home vs. those that stem from the workplace?
(13:17) - Diversio’s survey techniques and data trends.
(15:12) - How do you identify the things a client needs to do well?
(18:47) - How do you effectively implement pilot programs?
(22:31) - What does the deliverable look like that a client sees when you go through a survey?
(24:56) - What have been some of the biggest surprises you’ve seen doing this work?
(28:07) - Are most of the issues you see caused purposefully or due to ignorance?
(32:25) - What types of disabilities or mental illness are you seeing as being included the least in the workplace?
(35:11) - What recommendations are you making for employers when it comes to mental health?
(37:04) - What is neurodiversity?
(37:33) - How do you respond to someone saying that there are simply too many sub-groups to effectively affirm everyone’s differences and still effectively run a business?
(40:23) - Open source solutions for people who are motivated to start this work
(42:34) - What were the conversations like when deciding to open source your work?
(45:34) - What are the biggest hurdles you see companies facing even with all this data in hand?
(46:44) - How are companies effectively implementing your feedback and solutions?
(47:34) - Why would companies use this tool as a risk assessment?
(50:12) - What are you sick of talking about?
(52:23) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(53:11) - What do you think people are not talking enough about?
(53:46) - What is the purpose of business?
Michael F. Schein is the Head Hype Man at MicroFame Media, a company that specializes in making consultants and coaches famous in their fields. His writing has appeared in Fortune, Forbes, Inc., Psychology Today, and Huffington Post, and he is a speaker for international audiences spanning from the northeastern United States to the southeastern coast of China. His book The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World’s Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers published by McGraw Hill, appears wherever books are sold.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Michael Schein on the Grounded Content Podcast
- Basecamp
- Rework book by basecamp
- Brene Brown on Vulnerability
- Louis CK on airplane wifi
Time Codes:(3:26) - What is hype?
(5:42) - When did hype become something you wanted to dedicate your career to?
(8:59) - How should the everyday person be thinking about hype?
(12:26) - How does someone find the right audience for their message?
(15:06) - “Make war, not love.”
(20:22) - How does someone pick fights if they don't like conflict?
(23:43) - Do you have exercises for this?
(24:57) - “Create your own secret society.”
(31:27) - Re-thinking how you network.
(44:42) - What type of language resonates most with people?
(49:37) - How can people add theatricality to a business setting?
(55:28) - Michael’s take on the phrase “Under-promise & Over-deliver.”
(1:04:10) - Where can people find you?
Skot Waldron helps businesses and business leaders market and communicate with their internal customers; their employees. With 20+ years in brand development, Skot has turned his focus from external to internal as he applies the lessons of great branding to the employee experience. He has worked with large companies like Royal Caribbean, The Coca Cola Company, and JP Morgan Chase as well as small businesses and entrepreneurs in one-on-one coaching. In this conversation, Skot outlines the steps to his process and gives listeners ideas for identifying and improving their culture and brand.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- www.SkotWaldron.com
- Skot on YouTube
- Skot on Instagram
- Derek Gaunt on the People Business podcast
Time Codes:(3:27) - Skot’s origin story.
(4:58) - How do you define marketing and branding?
(6:08) - Is brand synonymous with reputation?
(9:02) - Where do you start with clients to begin creating internal branding and marketing?
(13:25) - What happens when clients get negative feedback about themselves?
(15:51) - How hard or easy is it for groups to hear negative feedback from you?
(18:20) - What do some “ah-ha” moments look like?
(20:55) - How do you define leadership communication?
(24:40) - What coaching do you give to someone who needs to be better at "pulling"?
(34:56) - What coaching do you give to someone who needs to be better at "pushing"?
(50:11) - How can people get in touch with you?
Tricia Meyer is the Founder and Managing Attorney of Meyer Law, one of the fastest-growing law firms in the United States. Meyer helps entrepreneurs and technology companies from startups to large corporations, Shark Tank contestants to companies gracing the Inc. 500. Tricia has been named on the Forbes Next 1000 list, is one of the Most Influential Female Lawyers in Chicago according to Crain’s Chicago Business, and has been recognized as a top 10 technology lawyer. As an entrepreneur, attorney, and mother to a large family Tricia has a unique perspective. In this conversation, we cover a little bit of everything, including legal pitfalls, advice for entrepreneurs, and how to blend the chaos of work and family life. Mentioned in this Episode:
- Meyer Law memberships and courses
- Meyer Law packages for startups
- Meyer Law packages for growing companies
- Request a roadmap
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
- The Optimal Amount of Hassle by Morgan Housel
- Linnea Gandhi on People Business Podcast
- The Clever Baby
Topics:(3:02) - Tricia’s background starting her own business and positioning it as a tech company.
(9:32) - How much of your time in law school is spent on contracts and the way laws work vs. negotiation and strategy?
(13:30) - How should decision-makers and business leaders approach their attorneys?
(14:52) - Where can there be great partnerships between business leaders and attorneys outside of contracts?
(17:03) - What is your approach to negotiations?
(18:28) - What’s your husband’s background in entrepreneurship and how did you both get onto this career path?
(20:48) - What were the conversations like when you decided to start your first business together?
(24:13) - What do you believe about business that is controversial?
(29:27) - Was there something about your childhood that instilled your work ethic and confidence? How do you foster that within your own team?
(34:10) - How do you think about the balance of building your businesses and raising a large family?
(39:16) - Setting boundaries and being able to say “no.”
(42:43) - How do you think about sacrifice, when it comes to work and family?
(47:17) - What are you sick of talking about?
(48:15) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(49:25) - What aren’t people talking about enough?
(50:30) - What is the purpose of business?
Michael Balchan is the Co-Creator and a Founding Partner of Heroic, a social training platform built to change the world by helping you be the best, most Heroic version of yourself. A Harvard Graduate who studied Psychology and Economics, Michael spent ten years in finance and then launched a private coaching practice working with corporate executives, elite athletes, and startup leadership teams. As President of Heroic’s sister company and personal development platform Optimize Coach, he helped launch and lead the program, which serves more than 5,500+ people from 95+ countries. Michael regularly teaches personal growth, positive psychology, peak performance, habit creation, wellness, relationships, and leadership.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Heroic
- The Heroic App
- Optimize by Heroic
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Flourish by Martin Seligman
- Targeted Thinking
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
- The Motley Fool
- Ray Dalio’s 5 step model for success
- Principles by Ray Dalio
- The Power of TED* by David Emerald
- Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
- Antifragile
- The iPhone Effect
- The Social Dilemma Documentary
Time Codes:(2:59) - What does it mean to flourish?
(6:25) - What role are you trying to play in flourishing?
(10:25) - Targeted Thinking, Morgan Housel, & John Wooden.
(20:11) - O’Brien’s wedding: Something will go wrong.
(26:07) - Stimulus & response.
(28:21) - Combating stress that drains your focus.
(38:24) - Building confidence.
(42:03) -The importance of energy management.
(51:34) - Social Media & technology addiction.
(1:01:44) - Final thoughts.
Jim Connolly is Founder & CEO of ILR, LLC (www.IndustryLeadingResults.com), an organizational behavior consulting practice. Jim’s expertise in human behavior and organizational process helps companies hire the right talent and close the gap between performance and results. He has worked with over a hundred companies and completed more than 2,700 behavioral interviews. He has honed a process that can tell you today what you’ll know about an employee six months after you hire them. He is highly skilled at completing an in-depth analysis of a person’s qualifications, strengths, and character.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- StrengthsFinder 2.0
- Now, Discover Your Strengths
- Angela Duckworth on Passion and Success
- Brene Brown & James Clear interview Part 1
- Brene Brown & James Clear interview Part 2
- Contact Jim: Jim@IndustryLeadingResults.com
Time Codes:
(3:10) - What is the difference between a Doctorate and a PhD?
(4:59) - What field are you getting your Doctorate in?
(6:07) - What are the problems are you solving for companies?
(8:07) - Are there people who are programmed to be explorers and those who are not?
(10:15) - Jim’s work in Change Management.
(13:45) - What are the best practices for behavioral interviewing?
(35:43) - How should employers be thinking about developing their people?
(39:29) - Can you build average people into high-performers?
(43:11) - How do you think about "drive" as a personality trait?
(46:54) - What’s the right way to think about training people to become high performers?
(57:39) - What is the purpose of business?
Scott Miller is a business leader, author, and podcast host as well as Senior Advisor to FranklinCovey. If that name rings a bell, it’s because their founder, Steven Covey, wrote the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Scott’s books include Management Mess to Leadership Success, Everyone Deserves a Great Manager, and Master Mentors, among others. On his podcast, On Leadership with Scott Miller, he interviews expert guests like Adam Grant, James Clear, and General Stanley McChrystal, among others on what it takes to lead.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- ScottJeffreyMiller.com
- Scott’s Books
- Scott on Facebook
- Scott on Instagram
- Scott on LinkedIn
- Scott on Twitter
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
- People Business podcast episode w/ Mike Sarraille
Time Codes:(3:35) - Scott’s famed dinner parties: The guests, the purpose, the format and the layout.
(19:02) - Scott’s Origin story working for Franklin Covey.
(22:01) - How did working for a leadership development company help you develop as a leader?
(32:49) - Having a path for yourself, your people and working to retain talent.
(38:29) - Identifying your personal values.
(43:10) - Values fluctuate very little, but the expression of those values can fluctuate greatly over time.
(45:48) - How do you think about work-life balance?
(49:28) - How do leaders help their teams set and keep boundaries?
(53:07) - Being on the best team vs. Being the best on the team.
(1:00:49) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:02:22) - Where can people learn more about you?
Kristin Zhivago is President of Zhivago Partners, a digital marketing management company. She is an expert on the customer’s buying process and has spent years as a revenue coach, teaching CEOs and entrepreneurs how to sell more by understanding what their customers want to buy and how they want to buy it. She is the author of the 5-star book, Roadmap to Revenue: How to Sell the Way Your Customers Want to Buy, named one of the top sales and marketing books by Forbes.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- Data Smog by David Shenk
Time Codes:(2:48) - What is it like to wake up alone in the middle of the ocean?
(11:40) - How does one become a Revenue Coach?
(15:01) - How have you used your method to determine your own strengths and weaknesses?
(17:45) - How does this work apply to a department selling their work internally?
(26:04) - Are there core principles that people are looking for when they buy?
(30:44) - Do you find that the desires, concerns, and questions are the same from clients who buy from one specific company?
(32:37) - What are the base characteristics needed to lump someone into a buyer group?
(33:53) - What advice do you have to get through to people who are dealing with burnout and may not want to talk to you?
(41:35) - What mistakes are you seeing people in your field make?
(42:48) - How often do you find that people can’t articulate why they do or don’t buy?
(49:03) - What are you sick of talking about?
(50:31) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(53:02) - Why is the word “love” such a hang-up?
(55:25) - What is the purpose of business?
(56:07) - Where can people find you?
Jason Lauritsen is transforming management as a keynote speaker, trainer, and author. He liberates managers from outdated and inhumane practices so they can cultivate human potential at work and improve people’s lives. Jason’s advice and teachings are informed by decades of experience as an entrepreneur, corporate executive, and employee engagement researcher. He also spent several years leading the Best Places to Work program for an HR technology company, where he gained deep insight into some of the best workplaces in the world.
Jason is the author of two books, Unlocking High Performance: How to use performance management to engage and empower employees to reach their full potential and Social Gravity: Harnessing the Natural Laws of Relationships.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- www.JasonLauritsen.com
- Cultivayo
- Brave New Work by Aaron Dignan
- Everybody Matters by Bob Chapman
- Dying for a Paycheck by Jeffrey Pfeffer
- Jen Alessandra on the People Business Podcast
Time Codes:(3:02) - How would you describe the state of work today?
(4:20) - What’s your origin story?
(6:32) - What is the “hot mess” we’ve all been living and working in?
(10:11) - Where are we going with the future of work?
(17:47) - How do we balance the “we” and the “me” aspect of work?
(27:33) - The hierarchy of employee needs.
(32:07) - Creating clarity around values.
(40:12) - How do you see companies shifting effectively (and ineffectively) right now?
(45:40) - Why should we care about any of this in the first place?
(49:33) - What is the purpose of business?
(52:52) - Where can people engage with you?
Marion Abrams is a podcasting coach & consultant with deep experience in podcasting and content creation. She co-created Spartan Race’s official podcast, Spartan Up (now boasting over 35 million views & downloads) and has worked on a range of projects from social media advisor on a gubernatorial campaign, to creating the documentary film Flood Bound, to directing TV ads for Vermont Lottery. On her podcast, Grounded Content, she explores what drives customer actions, and where the lines are between persuasion and manipulation.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Mad Motion
Time Codes:
(3:20) - Should everyone be their own content creator? When does it not make sense?
(6:29) - How did you come to be an expert on content creation?
(9:13) - Thoughts on being a jack-of-all-trades vs. having a niche.
(13:15) - What is Mad Motion?
(20:04) - How does someone determine a good resource from a bad one?
(23:16) - How did you learn to be effective in podcasting?
(28:27) - What advice do you have for someone dealing with the angst of starting to build a presence online?
(31:21) - Showing different parts of the same persona online.
(33:00) - Exercises to help people find their voice.
(36:01) - How should we think about aligning ourselves as people with the business content we put out?
(38:38) - What’s the process for finding out the best way to craft a person’s message?
(42:14) - Marion’s 5 P’s
(51:15) - Do you have any contrarian beliefs?
(53:29) - What are you most sick of talking about?
(54:18) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(54:47) - What is the purpose of business?
(55:59) - Wrap up and find out how to find Marion.
Dr. Paul Spradley is a Certified Diversity Practitioner and the current Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Dollar Bank where he supports their ongoing commitment to an inclusive culture across the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia markets. Prior to joining Dollar Bank, Paul started the Diversity and Inclusion training firm, Care Based Leadership which is now being led by his wife, Dr. Jessica Spradley.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Care Based Leadership, LLC.
- Embarc Chicago
- How Experiences Change Lives w/ Imran Khan
- Tim Ferriss w/ Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
- Affirmative Action Planning
Time Codes:(3:26) - Paul’s background and journey into DE&I
(8:13) - What were your preconceived notions about working in the inner-city?
(17:44) - Cognitive dissonance in dealing with harsh realities.
(21:15) - Does equality have to feel like a takeaway from those who've had it good?
(24:19) - The importance of word choice (ex. "white supremacy").
(29:25) - How can people of all colors come together and ultimately win?
(37:59) - Reversing the growing selfishness of society.
(48:08) - Why would a company care about DEI?
(50:31) - What is a Diversity Officer’s role?
(53:29) - Where are companies making mistakes when implementing this work?
(55:11) - What do you believe about people or business that might be contrarian?
(57:49) - What are you sick of talking about?
(1:01:44) - Is there a country out there that’s a great example of a multicultural society?
(1:03:13) - What is the purpose of business?
Jen Alessandra is the Chief People Officer at FrontDoor. Starting in 2019, she guided the company through a rapid and complete transformation into a virtual-first workforce while preserving their strong, adaptable, and action-oriented culture. She is an expert in all aspects of people strategy, including learning, DEI, engagement, and more. In this conversation, Jen explains how FrontDoor built its people strategy from the ground up (pun intended).
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Assessing Personalities w/ Erich Kurschat on The People Business Podcast
- Quote - “Small minds discuss people. Average minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.” - Elanor Roosevelt
Time Codes:(3:29) - Jen’s origin story in HR Leadership.
(4:20) - What initially drew you to Social Work?
(6:17) - What did you learn from Social Work about setting emotional boundaries?
(8:35) - What is the role of HR?
(10:34) - What are the principles you use to keep people motivated?
(12:23) - How do you scale individual attention?
(14:16) - How did you create a common language across the organization?
(17:20) - How do you structure your pulse surveys?
(20:17) - What have you learned from studying the future of the workforce?
(22:09) - Thoughts on creating a culture.
(23:22) - Creating time boundaries when piloting programs.
(24:18) - How have you managed the ongoing uncertainty of Covid-19?
(26:18) - The importance of slowing down to speed up.
(28:39) - Setting boundaries at work during the pandemic.
(30:11) - Do you have any rituals for disconnecting?
(31:51) - Integrating psychology and behavior science in HR.
(34:51) - What have you learned about communication that has surprised you?
(36:02) - How do you hold the line when it comes to accountability and performance?
(38:21) - How are you communicating OKRs? (Objectives and Key Results)
(41:19) - Balancing how much a company defines guidelines and roles.
(46:20) - What do you believe about people or business that might be contrarian?
(47:12) - Helping people receive hard feedback.
(48:44) - What are you sick of talking about?
(50:29) - What aren’t people talking about enough?
(55:26) - What is the purpose of business?
(57:16) - Wrap up and final thoughts.
Jo Marini is the CEO of Mother Superior, a venture foundry focused on bringing VC money and support to underrepresented entrepreneurs. The wheels in her head began turning during her MBA when she found out that 98% of VC investment goes to well-connected white men. Jo quickly realized that women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, individuals over 60, and disabled people barely figure in the stats. Mother Superior is setting out to share the wealth, be it through knowledge, time, skills, or money.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Inside Pixar documentary
- The Most Good You Can Do by Peter Singer
- The Human Element by Loran Nordgren
- Reducing Friction w/ Loran Nordgren on the People Business Podcast
- Changing People’s Minds w/ Loran Nordgren on the People Business Podcast
- Brave New Work by Aaron Dignan
- Reyn Skin Care
Time Codes:
(2:30) - The origin of Mother Superior.
(4:41) - What was it about your MBA program that made it non-traditional?
(8:42) - What do the people who come to Mother Superior look like?
(10:36) - The importance of making things personal.
(12:55) - What types of ideas are your clients trying to bring into the world?
(15:03) - What is a social impact venture?
(15:58) - Do you have any examples of how businesses structure themselves for social impact?
(17:48) - What is a common good agreement?
(21:13) - How should people be thinking about their impact?
(24:12) - What’s the criticism you’re facing in your work?
(25:37) - What are the big friction points you see holding people back from investing in Mother Superior?
(29:14) - Implementing true systemic change.
(33:21) - Do you have any examples of how your operating systems ripples out to create businesses that run in different ways?
(36:26) - Working within constraints.
(39:01) - Do the founders you work with come to you wanting to work within your constraints or are they just looking for a path to the market?
(39:47) - Where Mother Superior is headed in the future.
(43:07) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(44:11) - What are you sick of talking about?
(45:07) - What do you mean by “accessing the world”?
(52:15) - What is the purpose of business?
Laura Aiken is a Consultant and Coach on a mission to end Corporate Trauma. She founded Thrive Leadership to help companies build cultures of resilience and inclusion that help their people thrive. Laura is also a registered yoga teacher and leads transformational retreats around the world where she helps leaders build self-awareness, empathy, and resilience.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Kaitlyn Lyons on People Business
- Erik Korem on People Business
- Gary Noesner on People Business
- Chet Scott on People Business
Time Codes:(4:28) - Origin story for Thrive Leadership.
(7:56) - Laura’s personal burnout experience.
(10:38) - How do you define stress?
(15:59) - What’s the difference between stress and trauma?
(22:33) - Power dynamics at work & corporate trauma.
(26:49) - Understanding flow.
(32:04) - How should we be thinking about resilience?
(34:52) - Meditation and mindfulness as resilience tools.
(40:23) - What does Thrive help build resilience?
(43:15) - What’s the difference between striving and thriving?
(46:57) - How do we keep our edge while letting go of the outcome?
(55:36) - What are you sick of talking about?
(56:08) - What would you like people to know about corporate trauma and corporate burnout?
(57:53) - What does a work environment look like when people are thriving?
(59:11) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:00:28) - Where can people find you?
Danielle Crane is the Vice President of Global HR for OneStream Software. She has been committed to modernizing the human resources field since her entrance over 15 years ago. Captivated by the art of recruitment early on in her career, Danielle was immediately drawn to how it made her feel – creative, results-focused, and value-added. Since then, she has strived to recreate that feeling in all disciplines of HR, from talent acquisition to compensation and benefits to employee development and retention. Practicing HR in a variety of industries, from tech to financial services to non-profit, Danielle has partnered with leadership to build simplified, high-performing HR functions that fuel organizational growth and success.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- People Business Podcast episode with Dr. Jeff Spencer
- The Luma Institute
- IDEO U - Foundations in Design Thinking
Time Codes:
(3:35) - How did you become an HR professional?
(8:18) - When did Design Thinking enter the picture?
(10:09) - What is Design Thinking and how can you implement it at work?
(13:40) - The importance of slowing down when implementing Design Thinking.
(18:09) - What’s your process for testing?
(20:34) - The failure rate of changes implemented by teams and committees.
(26:23) - Determining the “right” goals.
(28:22) - “If you have an hour to solve a problem, you should spend half the time defining the problem.”
(30:06) - How did you go about studying Design Thinking?
(32:08) - What support or friction did you face bringing these ideas into your role as Chief People Officer?
(38:21) - Do you have other examples of how you brought the external in?
(42:59) - Where does behavior science come into this process?
(48:47) - What is the purpose of business?
Charlie Judy is the Chief People Officer at Intelligent Medical Objects (IMO). He leads a collaborative effort to manage a culture and employee experience that attracts, connects, and advances a world-class workforce. Charlie has over 26 years of experience as an HR executive with some of the world’s most prominent professional services firms, including Baker Tilly, Navigant, and Deloitte. Most recently, he disembarked from an entrepreneurial venture building a successful company around a workplace culture assessment model and analytics platform. Mentioned in this Episode:
- Intelligent Medical Objects
- WorkXO Acquisition
- QuestionPro
- Admiral William McRaven 2014 University of Texas at Austin Commencement Address
Time Codes:(2:34) - Charlie’s origin story as an HR leader.
(4:00) - Stepping off the traditional Corporate America path.
(9:15) - How do you define culture?
(11:50) - What impact does a good culture have, and what impact does a negative culture have on an organization?
(14:59) - Where do leaders start with culture to ensure a solid foundation?
(17:47) - How should executives be thinking about their role in setting and maintaining a culture?
(27:16) - How do you build the ability to have impactful conversations with your people on the ground?
(35:47) - Is there specific training or coaching to build this skill in frontline managers?
(40:23) - How do you empower people with the feeling of ownership?
(48:36) - What is the purpose of business?
(50:26) - Wrap up and final thoughts.
This special episode was previously aired on the Gut + Science Podcast in 2021. In it, host Nikki Lewallen interviews our own O'Brien McMahon on The Hierarchy of Employee Needs and his perspective on what employers can do to meet the needs of their people. In the conversation, O'Brien outlines a basic framework and gives examples of how employers can use it successfully. The Gut+Science Podcast is on a mission to improve employee engagement by inspiring and equipping leaders to help employees thrive at work. They are part of the People Forward Network, a community of thought leaders inspiring ideas and action toward meaningful work and meaningful lives.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- People Forward Network
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs
- Drive by Daniel Pink
- Books by Jocko Willink
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
- The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Time Codes:
(2:26) - The Hierarchy of Employee Needs.
(5:08) - How does it relate to employee compensation & benefits?
(7:33) - What mindset shift do leaders need to take when structuring comp and benefits?
(8:56) - Examples of companies with great foundations for their hierarchy.
(10:50) - Best practices for making powerful employee incentives.
(15:04) - Hierarchy Level 2: Leadership.
(17:56) - Mastery, Autonomy & Purpose.
(18:57) - How do great leaders ensure these needs are being met?
(20:32) - A 5 question survey for checking employee needs.
(23:39) - What is your favorite book of all time?
(25:18) - What is your favorite hobby?
(25:40) - What is your favorite vacation spot?
(26:32) - Getting in touch with O’Brien.
Loran Nordgren is the first repeat guest here on People Business. In this conversation, he talks about his book, The Human Element, and the framework he and his co-author have built for helping people reduce the friction that new ideas face when brought to life in the real world.
Loran is one-part behavioral scientist, one-part professor, and one-part practitioner. As a behavioral scientist, his research explores the psychological forces that propel and prevent the adoption of new ideas and actions. As a professor, he has twice received Kellogg’s Management Teacher of the Year award. And as a practitioner, he consults with companies and business leaders around the world.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Loran's First Interview on People Business
- Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
Time Codes:
(3:45) - What was the writing process like for The Human Element?
(6:06) - How did you find the stories for the book?
(9:48) - What is the book about?
(14:33) - What are the Four Frictions?
(21:19) - Frictions are hard to spot. How do we draw them out?
(23:05) - How do people react when you flip the script on them to draw out their frictions?
(28:21) - How do we identify our own frictions?
(34:11) - Upward mobility
(37:34) - Which of the Four Frictions do you see most present in a sales context?
(43:14) - How did you use these principles for your own book launch?
(50:02) - Influencing others & Relativity
(57:06) - How to use Repetition
(1:07:10) - The importance of patience.
(1:15:52) - How can people easily buy your book?
Chet Scott is the founder of Built to Lead, a band of coaches that believes creating sustainable high-performance teams is not only possible but also worthy of the effort. Together they awaken, challenge, and transform a few individuals, teams, and leaders. In this conversation, he explains the basic tenets of his work and shares a foundational exercise for understanding who you are and building a strong core.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- CORE Exercise Explained
- Built to Lead Blog
- The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz
- Solitary by Giora Romm
- Becoming Built to Lead by Chet Scott
Time Codes(3:47) - What does it mean to have a strong core?
(7:21) - Chet’s journey to founding Built to Lead.
(11:45) - What’s your process for self-study?
(15:01) - What do you do with a book once you're done with it?
(18:59) - What is your process for onboarding a new client?
(20:55) - Why is writing so important?
(26:51) - What’s the process for someone to build out a strong core?
(36:45) - O’Brien’s identity
(44:40) - Where’s the line between having a growth mindset and being strong in your identity?
(47:29) - Principals: I will _____
(56:39) - Passions: I love to ____
(59:54) - What advice do you have for people when they discover how they are living their life is not truly aligned with who they are?
(1:08:24) - Becoming Built to Lead
Nicole Dessain is the Founder and Chief Employee Experience Designer at Talent.Imperative Inc, an employee experience design company. During her 19-year career in human resources, Nicole discovered design thinking while collaborating on a client project. She became a student of the method and got certified by IDEO U and LUMA Institute and is now a SESP Lecturer at Northwestern University’s Masters in Learning and Organizational Change Program which explores how design thinking might be applied to innovation in organizational effectiveness. Nicole runs her own podcast, Talent Tales, where she features leaders who have pioneered design thinking in the field of Human Resources.
Time Codes(3:03) - What is Talent Imperative and what do you do?
(3:39) - What drew you to this work?
(4:20) - Design Thinking
(7:48) - What is the process for Design Thinking?
(10:35) - Assessing and redefining a problem in Design Thinking
(16:04) - Thinking of feedback as data
(18:35) - How do you foster the right kind of teamwork going into a Design Thinking project?(21:02) - How do you prime people to get on the same page?
(24:46) - The tools people in use in ideation of Design Thinking
(27:26) - “Prototyping is NOT piloting”
(33:22) - Slowing down is actually speeding up aka Change management 2.0
(34:15) - How long does it take for someone to become effective in using these skills?
(40:38) - Defining a human experience mindset
(41:57) - What have you learned about people in the last 6 years?
(43:04) - What does it mean to treat someone as an adult?
(44:55) - What are some common mistakes beginners fall victim to when they venture into Design Thinking?
(47:10) - What are the misconceptions about Design Thinking?
(48:02) - Do you have an example of a group that was apprehensive toward Design Thinking but ended up responding very well to it?
(51:52) - Improv & Storytelling
(55:28) - What are you sick of talking about?
(56:55) - What is the purpose of business?
(58:17) - How can people get in touch with you?
Claire Haidar is CEO and Founder of WNDYR and Pattyrn, two companies focused on shaping the world of work. Through AI-driven data analysis of how and where teams work, Pattyrn is transforming organizations to work in ways that were inconceivable a mere few years ago. Claire has dedicated her career to rebuilding the workplace and reshaping the future of work across the globe.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Nature Fix by Florence Williams
- Principles by Ray Dalio
- The Way of the Warrior Kid by Jocko Willink
Time Codes:(2:50) - Where does your obsession with the future of work come from?
(5:45) - What is the same about work around the world and what is different?
(8:26) - How is work different in a rail city versus a driving city?
(12:23) - How easy is it to unplug from physical work versus thought work?
(16:31) - Using data on nature and mental health when creating workspaces?
(20:27) - What is the difference between focusing on the future of work and being a Futurist?
(23:07) - Pitching WNDYR and PATTYRN.
(27:22) - Is WNDYR tech-based or human workflow-based?
(29:52) - Where do you start with new clients when thinking about the future of their work?
(36:34) - Design Thinking.
(43:45) - Defining the employee experience.
(49:06) - The #1 problem for HR Leaders today.
(57:09) - Embracing risk as an HR leader.
(58:02) - How Claire is using PATTYRN to identify leadership and management improvements.
(1:02:40) - Using data to battle burnout.
(1:06:30) - Is there a correlation between people who switch tasks less often and their productivity or happiness?
(1:09:17) - What is the purpose of business?
Dr. Erik Korem is a High-Performance pioneer that introduced sports science and athlete tracking technologies to collegiate and professional (NFL) football. He has worked with the National Football League, Power-5 NCAA programs, gold-medal Olympians, Nike, and the United States Department of Defense. Erik is an expert in sleep and stress resilience, and he is the Founder and CEO of AIM7.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- BJ Fogg on Motivation
- Erik Korem & Peter Harberl Podcast: Attention is the Currency of Performance
- SMART Goals
- Start with the End by Matt Wallaert
- The Practice of Groundedness by Brad Stulberg
Time Codes
(2:40) - Erik’s background in performance and motivation
(6:33) - Motivational, Desire, & Dopamine
(11:34) - Is there a way to create or build someone's belief in themselves?
(15:14) - Behavior Design
(16:28) - The 5 Whys
(19:08) - Starting small & learning to stick with the work
(30:24) - O’Brien losing his habits and routines after child #2
(38:14) - The Aim7 Calibration
(42:06) - How people reacted to the pandemic
(43:52) - What do people get wrong about sleep and what are easy corrections they can make?
(50:51) - More information on Aim7
(53:17) - Is this relevant to improving your work performance?
Derek Gaunt is a lecturer, author of Ego, Authority, Failure©, and trainer with 29 years of law enforcement experience, 20 of which as a team member, leader, and then commander of hostage negotiations teams in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. As a member of the Black Swan Group, he is a negotiation trainer and personal coach. Derek has trained throughout the US and around the world, instructing business organizations on how to apply hostage negotiation practices and principles to their world. His training has helped leaders and their organizations increase their performance by changing the way they think about communicating one person to another.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Ego Authority Failure by Derek Gaunt
- Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
Time Codes:
(3:14) - Derek’s background in law enforcement and hostage negotiation.
(5:58) - What were some tactics you used as a street cop to get people to comply?
(8:18) - Derek’s mindset during a confrontation and the importance of humanizing suspects.
(14:31) - How do you protect yourself emotionally from the toll these confrontations take on you?
(17:52) - What’s the mindset someone should bring into a negotiation conversation?
(22:07) - How do you define a negotiation?
(23:42) - What should someone do when triggered during a tough negotiation conversation?
(27:49) - Can you train yourself out of being emotionally triggered?
(30:00) - Labeling negative emotions.
(32:38) - The Accusation Audit.
(38:23) - Can you overdo these techniques?
(44:35) - How do you define ‘Tactical Empathy’?
(46:13) - You can't plant a negative idea in someone's head.
(53:12) - What are you sick of talking about? What are you most excited to be talking about?
(54:42) - Wrap Up
At the age of 30, Jon Morris started a digital marketing agency called Rise Interactive. When Jon sold Rise 16 years later, it was one of the largest Independent Digital Agencies in the world. Through Ramsay Innovations, Jon’s new passion is to help 1,000 businesses grow and thrive, just as Rise did.
Time Codes:(2:48) - What is Ramsay Innovations?
(3:42) - What’s the origin story for Rise Interactive?
(4:52) - Are companies looking to be taught skills or to offload work?
(11:18) - What made you think that financial people would be good for marketing roles?
(13:00) - What does it mean to be "data-driven"?
(14:22) - How do you ask the right questions?
(18:00) - Is your process Design Thinking?
(19:27) - When do you know that you’ve looked at enough data?
(22:08) - Having only 60-70% of information to make a decision.
(23:54) - How do you coach your clients to make more decisions?
(26:01) - It's business AND it's personal.
(28:32) - Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable.
(33:58) - What is the Ramsay Method?
(39:15) - What does ‘Grow Simply’ mean?
(40:38) - What are the mistakes you see leaders making when it comes to growth?
(43:51) - Defining Sales vs. Marketing
(45:29) - Thinking of your business budget as financial investing.
(47:21) - What are you sick of talking about?
(48:02) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(48:35) - What is the purpose of business?
Debra Moritz is the Head of Strategic Consulting for Cushman & Wakefield, the third-largest commercial real estate broker in the world. She oversees a team of consultants helping clients reduce cost, increase revenue, and mitigate risk. Her team has represented Fortune 1000 and mid-cap clients in business transformation, portfolio analysis, workplace solutions, M&A, and headquarters evaluation and repositioning. Debra has developed an in-depth understanding of the complex and unique challenges businesses face in ensuring that major real estate decisions are aligned with and support core business objectives. She is an expert on the physical spaces where people do their work and has insights into what the post-pandemic workspace will look like.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson
- Research shows working from home reduces productivity and creativity
Time Codes(3:36) - What is Cushman & Wakefield and what do you do at the firm?
(4:20) - Where do you begin when helping a new client rethink their office strategy?
(6:03) - What data should business leaders pay attention to?
(9:28) - People vote with their feet.
(13:16) - How important is the physical workspace to the work being done?
(24:36) - Is it too early to see what a successful post-Covid work strategy looks like?
(30:10) - How do you get people up and moving and interacting with each other?
(32:02) - Adaptable workspaces.
(36:12) - What do you say to the leader who is hesitant to change the way people work?
(38:34) - Why there won't be a shift in the square foot required per person.
(41:50) - How do you measure experience-per-square-foot?
(45:24) - Mental and Behavioral health impacts.
(47:36) - The benefits of nature.
(52:05) - What is the wildest thing you’ve seen people do with their office space?
(55:19) - How should a small to mid-sized business think about improving their office space?
(59:55) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:01:17) - How can people get in touch with you?
Jill Pollack and Beth Nyland are the founders of StoryMode, where they help business professionals spice up their communications, connect with others, and drive results. With Beth's career in corporate communication and Jill's background in creative writing, they are the perfect team to help individuals tap into their creative confidence and craft messages that inspire the audience to action.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Why Inspiring Stories Make Us React: The Neuroscience of Narrative by Dr. Paul Zak
- How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens
- Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark
Time Codes:
(3:33) - What is StoryMode?
(5:01) - What makes a good story?
(7:49) - What is it about a story that makes us connect emotionally?
(13:15) - What place does storytelling have in business?
(16:10) - What are the misconceptions from the business community around the value of story?
(19:50) - What is C.R.A.P.?
(23:00) - How do you help clients cut the C.R.A.P.?
(31:01) - How can people begin to use story?
(35:18) - What are the best ways to practice building a story into a business setting?
(39:05) - Workshopping & Peer Editing
(46:01) - How do you use stories in data-heavy presentations?
(50:57) - The importance of note-taking, first drafts, and peer feedback.
(57:41) - Do clients have to change their workflows to better understand story?
(59:25) - The power of word choice.
(1:05:59) - What are you sick of talking about when it comes to storytelling?
(1:09:16) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(1:10:56) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:15:00) - Where can people learn more?
Tony Lenhart is a partner at Sales Empowerment Group (SEG). With a degree in Selling & Sales Management, he has worked on honing the art and science of sales through direct sales, sales leadership, and entrepreneurship. He spent the first decade of his career in various sales and leadership roles and the last ten years scaling a successful sales consulting and staffing organization. Since founding SEG, Tony has worked alongside over 200 small and mid-sized organizations and 1,000+ salespeople to help build or rebuild their sales cultures. He maintains a monthly newsletter, Sales Drummer, which lays out his learnings over the years.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Margaret Heffernan: Forget the Pecking Order at Work
- 7 Habits of highly effective people by Stephen Covey
- The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
- Drive by Daniel Pink
- Dan Price on LinkedIn
- Gong Call Recording Software
Timecodes:
(2:48) - What is Sales Empowerment Group?
(4:00) - Tony’s origin story.
(4:51) - What makes a good salesperson?
(6:15) - Is there a difference in traits based on industry or type of sales?
(7:22) - How would someone know whether to hire one sales style over another in their company?
(9:15) - Do you see companies looking for the wrong traits in their salespeople?
(11:28) - What are good leaders doing to get the most out of their entire sales team?
(14:41) - Onboarding rookies vs. seasoned salespeople.
(20:32) - Why veteran salespeople struggle at new jobs.
(23:01) - When the client’s team turns over.
(24:46) - Is it the salesperson's responsibility to be organized & structured or the company’s?
(27:25) - How should companies deal with different personalities when it comes to basic organization requirements?
(29:45) - Do you see companies managing the wrong metrics?
(34:17) - Collaborative sales environments.
(39:20) - Accountability vs. Micromanagement: what is proper sales accountability?
(41:47) - What are the first things a new sales leader should do when taking over a team?
(43:40) - Where do sales leaders go wrong?
(48:47) - Why do companies change sales compensation so much?
(50:59) - What really motivates salespeople?
(56:22) - O’Brien’s origin story at Lockton.
(59:19) - What are you sick of talking about?
(59:46) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(1:00:19) - Thoughts on automated sales cadence.
(1:02:11) - What is the purpose of business?
Lynn Thomas is a tax-attorney-turned-consultant who finds innovative and novel ways to create fiercely loyal clients and employees. She is an expert in client and employee retention and helping companies thrill the people they work with. Consequently, these businesses achieve higher levels of profits, growth, and retention.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Thomas Consulting
- Extreme Humanism by Tom Peters
- Episode: Preventing Burnout w/ Kaitlyn Lyons
Time Codes(2:21) - How does a tax attorney become a client and employee retention specialist?
(9:48) - Redefining what it means to "win".
(14:11) - What are the shared principles between customer and employee retention?
(17:43) - Examples of companies delighting their employees and clients.
(24:25) - What does it mean to be a good leader?
(28:31) - What are companies getting wrong regarding employee retention?
(31:50) - Q-TIP: Quit Taking it Personally
(33:51) - How do you break down the walls when a client or customer won’t tell you the problem?
(38:59) - How did you develop the ability to ask questions?
(41:50) - Tragedy’s effect on mindset.
(46:24) - How do you coach people to change their mindset?
(50:32) - Why are people afraid to get fired from jobs they hate?
(51:54) - What are you sick of talking about?
(57:20) - What is the purpose of business?
Jim Murphy is a performance and mental skills coach to Olympic and professional athletes and business leaders around the world. He has coached some of the world’s best golfers including world champions, FedEx Cup champions, and world #1’s. His first book, Dugout Wisdom: Ten Principles of Championship Teamscame from his 38 in-person interviews of pro baseball GMs and field managers for his master's degree in Coaching Science. In this episode we talk about his second book, Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind For Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- 7 Tips for Golfers of a Certain Age
- Jim Website - https://innerexcellence.com/
- Jim's Twitter - @innerexcellence
- Jim's Facebook - @innerexcellence
- Jim's Instagram - @innerexcellencejimmurphy
Time Codes:(2:41) - Why is the statement “Sports is 90% mental and 10% physical” wrong in your eyes?
(5:24) - How do you define “heart”?
(5:57) - What’s the process when working with your clients?
(8:27) - What are the biggest fears or obstacles people you work with face?
(10:05) - Are these obstacles something every human deals with or just people who are trying to be the best version of themselves?
(12:33) - How does someone get out of self-criticism?
(14:13) - The process of rewiring someone’s inner trauma.
(19:24) - How do you become more selfless when you have selfish goals?
(21:49) - Where's the line between ‘loving your opponent’ and giving yourself an excuse to lose?
(26:42) - Do you find that people are afraid to love?
(32:14) - How do you coach people to become vulnerable?
(35:07) - Are there things average people can do on their own to identify and work through their fears?
(38:32) - How do you define courage and help people become more courageous?
(45:18) - Mental Toughness
(47:06) - How can people find you and engage with your work?
Debbie Vyskocil is the Founder and President of Optimal Edge Performance, a neuroscience-based, data-driven consulting firm that coaches clients to reach peak levels of achievement. With an electrical engineering background, a psychology degree, and extensive neuroscience training, Debbie's unique combination of scientific and emotional acumen leads her to work with some of the business world’s highest performers.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Daniel Pink’s Guide to the Perfect Nap
- Debbie's Sleep Course
- Brain Pause
- Optimal Edge Performance on Social:
Time Codes:
(2:39) - Can you pitch Optimal Edge Performance?
(3:42) - Debbie’s origin story.
(7:23) - What is the autonomic nervous system?
(8:38) - Getting the blood back in your hands.
(10:20) - What is an EEG?
(13:02) - What does the onboarding process look like for new clients?
(18:55) - What does the exercise look like to combat ‘busy brain’? What data are you looking at?
(25:20) - What happens to the brain waves when you’re in a state of mindfulness?
(31:05) - Building resilience through data.
(34:17) - What’s the upkeep on these habits? Is there a lot of ongoing practice needed?
(35:11) - Are there common issues you see with high-performers?
(37:55) - The importance of sleep.
(46:53) - How long does it take to reprogram your brain?
(51:02) - Does trauma come up in your work? How does it affect the coaching?
(52:32) - What surprised you the most about your research into mattresses and pillows?
(58:50) - Wrap Up
Dr. Clare Purvis is the Senior Director of Behavioral Science at Headspace. Bridging science and innovation, Clare is committed to developing and scaling health products that support people in living full and vital lives. Clare leads the company’s Behavioral Science team, which focuses on integrating behavioral science into company operations at scale, ensuring that Headspace inspires, guides, and supports our members in living healthier and happier lives. Links:
- Knees Over Toes Guy on Instagram
- Headspace TED Talk
- Megan Jones Bell
- Mindfulness in Sesame Street
Time Codes:
(2:59) - What is Headspace?
(4:25) - What is meditation vs. mindfulness?
(6:28) - Why is being present with a curious mind and a kind heart important?
(9:37) - How did you get to Headspace and what’s your role?
(14:01) - What’s surprised you the most from the data?
(21:00) - How does meditation affect mental health and the way one views oneself?
(25:15) - Does mindfulness help develop the prefrontal cortex in youth?
(28:27) - What insights have you gained through the pandemic?
(34:09) - How does Headspace balance keeping people on the platform without developing a social media-like addiction?
(39:02) - Is there anything about behavioral science that people can use to ‘trick’ or nudge themselves into better habits?
(48:48) - What are you most excited about in the intersection of technology and mental health?
(53:20) - BONUS: a short Headspace Meditation
Kaitlyn Lyons is the founder and CEO of Delightful Movement Coaching. She helps stressed, overworked, burned-out professionals restore energy, enthusiasm, and joy. After 10 years in Fortune 300 organizations as a strategic advisor, internal consultant, and project manager, Kaitlyn excelled at challenging, high-visibility, high-pressure projects. She also burned out. Now she helps hard-charging individuals, leaders, and teams learn professional self-care and redesign the way they work so they can sustain healthy high-performance.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Truth About Burnout by Christina Maslach
- Adam Grant article on Languishing
- The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin
- Burnout: The High Cost of Achievement by Herbert Freudenberger
- Drive by Daniel Pink
- Dying for a Paycheck by Jeffrey Pfeffer
- The Agility Shift by Pamela Meyer
Time Codes:
(3:30) - What’s a burnout coach? How does someone become a burnout coach?
(4:20) - Can you define ‘burnout’?
(5:34) - Is burnout the end-point of stress?
(6:38) - What are the symptoms of burnout?
(8:36) - Languishing.
(11:11) - What does the final stage of burnout look like?
(13:52) - The stigma of mental health issues and how people can work through them.
(19:24) - You’re totally burned out. What do you do?
(21:40) - Real, practical ways to cut back and lessen your burnout.
(30:36) - Disconnection & Recharging vs. Disconnection & Numbing.
(35:22) - The impact of being in nature.
(36:22) - How do you help guide people to disconnect?
(40:28) - How did you reframe the story you told yourself to get out of the burnout?
(42:50) - How do leaders build an environment that catches burnout before it happens and lead in a way that prevents it?
(48:03) - What’s an opinion you have about people or business that would be contrarian to the rest of the world?
(56:50) - What are you sick of talking about?
(58:58) - What is the purpose of business?
(59:40) - How can people get in touch with you?
(1:02:00) - Play and Flow
Elise Gelwicks founded her first company in college to help students secure internships through networking. After working at Kimberly-Clark and in management consulting, she founded Eleview Consulting. Eleview works with companies to give their teams the skills, tools, and resources to successfully navigate the delicate dynamics of the working world. Elise has been featured in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and ABC News for her work. She teaches several courses for LinkedIn Learning on networking and career acceleration.Mentioned in this Episode:
- Mike Rowe Video - Don’t Follow Your Passion
- The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson
- Margaret Thatcher Video - Tone of Voice Pre/Post Vocal Coach
Time Codes:(2:59) - What is Eleview Consulting and what do you do?
(3:33) - When did you notice that these skills were lacking and that you were the one to teach people effectively?
(5:57) - How Elise's parents built her communication skills.
(9:16) - Getting in your "reps".
(12:45) - Why is networking so important?
(15:10) - How do you define Networking & Value?
(19:22) - Enthusiasm and Passion outside of work.
(23:00) - The value of taking communication skills beyond the office and maintaining relationships.
(27:14) - Is tracking your conversations manipulative?
(30:04) - How do you advise people on their personal brand?
(32:13) - Do you have to guide people and help them be authentic?
(34:17) - Where do you suggest people get started on improving their ability to network?
(36:17) - What are the major skills that you see as ‘underdeveloped’ in the workplace?
(39:31) - How do people eliminate filler words in their speech?
(43:04) - What are the elements of a professional presence?
(45:14) - Tone, pitch, and energy of voice.
(50:27) - How to successfully take feedback.
(58:13) - What do you believe about people or businesses that might be contrary to the mainstream?
(1:00:38) - What is the purpose of business?
(1:02:02) - Where can people find you if they want to bring your work into their lives?
Dan Rogers never expected to go from rolling burritos to becoming the CEO of his own company. He always looks to challenge the status quo, and in doing so he helped to grow a quick-serve restaurant chain, tripled annual sales for a transportation business, and then bought and pivoted that same company to navigate tremendous growth. Point to Point has been listed for seven consecutive years on the Inc 5000.
Dan is also committed to advising companies on how to be a Sales Sidekick, cultivating value for both their clients and employees. Dan's passion is coaching individuals so that they can clarify their vision, construct a plan, overcome obstacles, and reach their goals! In the Sales Sidekick Bootcamp, he shares the strategies and tools individuals can use to achieve those goals.
Time Codes:
(2:28) - Dan’s origin story of becoming CEO for Point to Point Transportation.
(4:30) - Dan's transition into a sales role after starting as a driver with no experience.
(9:03) - The line between confidence & arrogance.
(11:11) - Do you have any examples where people might have felt uncomfortable being authentic but it ultimately was the right decision?
(15:50) - The importance of face-to-face interaction during communication & conflict.
(17:37) - If you do service and sales the right way, it will develop you.
(22:31) - How does your team balance activity with meeting review and development?
(27:07) - Dan’s unique definition of "sales".
(28:53) - Building for a customer vs. building for a client.
(32:05) - How do you define your core cause?
(38:46) - What is Sales Sidekick?
(44:12) - How does the individual salesperson develop this "sidekick" mentality while still in a traditional comp-based role?
(52:01) - How do you define "value"?
(54:33) - What are the "8 tenants" you live by?
(59:22) - What is the purpose of business?
Sam Yagan and Lindsay Verstegan worked together as the CEO and CHRO of ShopRunner from 2016 until it sold to Fedex in early 2021. These two leaders worked closely from day one, setting a purposeful people strategy that led to 300% growth during their four years together.
This conversation was recorded as part of Chicago SHRM's "HR Strategy Series". Chicago SHRM is a regional chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, a global organization dedicated to furthering the HR function and building better businesses.
Time Codes:
(2:28) - What is Shoprunner?
(4:33) - How much did you help scale the business in your 5 years as CEO?
(5:16) - What is it like to take over as the CEO? How do you set the vision and what is your mindset toward evaluating the needs of the business?
(7:40) - How did you come into the picture?
(11:13) - What were the conversations with Sam like when being honest about what you needed and did not want from your position within ShopRunner?
(15:28) - What was going through Sam’s mind as Lindsay set these boundaries?
(17:09) - Defining “People Strategy”.
(23:42) - What was the process like of making DEI a key part of decision making?
(33:04) - How Lindsay was able to add value helping Sam deliver messages to the company that struck a chord.
(34:50) -Hard conversations Lindsay and Sam had as they were building Shoprunner
(39:56) - What was the transparency like with the employees in terms of communication during the pandemic?
(43:09) - Communicating with Values.
(46:38) - Lindsay’s balance of tactical elements while also creating strategy within the HR functions.
(50:34) - How are you pushing peers to help evolve the people strategy in other areas of the business?
(55:42) - What Sam is looking for in an HR partner and what HR listeners can take away to add more value to the leadership team.
(58:29) - Are there any decisions you made that you look back on that were maybe the wrong ones but helped you make better ones going forward?
(1:00:22) - Team dysfunction.
(1:03:48) - Rules for conflict within a team.
(1:08:06) - Questions Sam starts every executive meeting with.
(1:09:44) - How do you help people make the change when they’re committed to DEI in theory but not in practice?
(1:13:13) - What happens if trust on the executive team is compromised?
(1:16:08) - Wrap Up
Imran Khan is the Founder & CEO of Embarc, a leading organization in the movement for experiential learning. He has spent the last 12 years of his career connecting students, teachers, and schools to learning beyond the classroom, first as a teacher on the south side of Chicago, then with Embarc. Embarc has been recognized by the UChicago Consortium as one of the best at designing developmental experiences in the country.
Imran is an Ashoka Fellow and advisor to the MacArthur Foundation, the Workforce Funders Alliance, the Equitable Learning & Development Project, and most recently the education transition committee of Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Today, Embarc has expanded to serve more than 2,000 students across 20 Chicago Public Schools and has increased successful postsecondary outcomes for students by 30%. It leads 12,000 experiences a year to bring people together across economic, geographic, racial and political differences.
Links:
- Inside Pixar
- Get involved with Embarc
Time Codes:
(4:02) - Could you pitch Embarc and explain the program?
(6:04) - What is Embarc's origin story?
(11:33) - How did you approach building experiences that students really needed?
(17:05) - What goes into making a lasting educational experience?
(21:56) - What tips do you have for people to facilitate conversation without dominating the conversation?
(24:08) - Do you have an example of how you’ve used this approach with your own team?
(27:30) - Individual vs. Collaborative work
(30:56) - What do you look for in the people you surround yourself with?
(32:43) - Where did you get the confidence to implement your extensive interviewing process?
(34:36) - How O’Brien became involved w/ Embarc.
(40:06) - Embarc’s Audacity and their ultimate goal.
(45:03) - How can regular people gain experiences and open up portions of the world they haven’t experienced?
(48:39) - How can people support Embarc's work?
Justin Breen is CEO of the PR firm BrEpic Communications and author of the best-selling book, Epic Business. Justin is hard-wired to seek out and create viral, thought-provoking stories that the media craves. And he finds the best stories when he networks with visionary entrepreneurs and executives who understand the value of investing in themselves and their businesses. Justin is an active member of Strategic Coach, Abundance 360, and Entrepreneurs' Organization.
Mentioned in this Episode
- 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly
- Gary Vee Video - People are unhappy because they don’t know what they really want.
- I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr.
- The Making of the Dream
- Jimmy Valvano Speech
- The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
Time Codes
(2:49) - What makes a good story?
(5:28) - What is BrEpic?
(8:11) - How do you define PR, Branding, and Marketing?
(8:57) - What should people be looking to get from PR?
(10:31) - Is there still value going through mainstream media or is all the power moving to alternative media like podcasts?
(12:43) - 1,000 True Fans
(13:34) - Niching down to find your true audience.
(15:56) - Should everyone aspire to be an entrepreneur?
(17:48) - How did you come to the realization that you are an entrepreneur?
(20:14) - What would you say to someone who is working a traditional job but feels like entrepreneurship may be the path?
(23:01) - Should those torn between risk and stability take the leap or reset their expectations?
(25:35) - Money doesn't buy happiness.
(29:41) - Did you find yourself sacrificing family for money?
(30:45) - What are the benefits you’ve seen from having you and your business profiled?
(34:33) - Are you reiterating the same message over and over across the different media appearances or spreading new information each time?
(38:20) - What is an abundant mindset?
(42:19 ) - What work has been most effective to build and maintain your mindset?
(44:48) - What are you most excited to be talking about these days?
(46:19) - What is the purpose of business?
Dr. Ari Levy is in the business of helping people live better. As the founder of Shift, he is focused on the intersections of neuroscience, immune-physiology, and allostatic load (wear-and-tear on the body). His work and research are redefining the way we think about managing and building health and personal well-being. He joins the podcast to talk about what it means to be, and how we can all be, healthy
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Epigenetics
- Matthew Walker on Sleep - Ted Talk & Book
- TB12 Method & Pliability
Time-Codes:
(2:44) - What does it mean to be healthy?
(3:32) - What is ‘Deliberate Effort’?
(5:05) - How healthy is healthy enough?
(8:37) - What is Shift and what do you do?
(9:42) - Where did the idea for the business come from?
(12:08) - What’s the initial assessment like for a patient?
(14:00) - What types of people come to see you and why?
(15:16) - What are the most common issues you’re seeing come in?
(16:55) - How does your practice help people with habit formation?
(18:21) - Do you see that folks coming in have intrinsic motivation or do they suffer from the same fear and hesitancy from the general population?
(19:27) - What role does motivation play in these types of goals?
(21:02) - What’s an example of a broken system and how do you replace that with a healthy system?
(24:03) - What is Functional Movement?
(25:35) - Pliability & Tissue Work
(27:38) - How much sleep should people aim to get?
(29:56) - Why should people care about any of this?
(31:25) - How long should people be setting aside to address all of these things?
(33:30) - The importance of mindset
(34:47) - How does Shift address the mental side of health?
(36:21) - Social Determinants of Health
(38:35) - How do you plan for yourself what you want your life to look like?
(40:14) - How have you gotten clear on what’s important to you and how you take care of your body?
(41:25) - Being ‘your’ best vs. ‘the’ best
(45:06) - What are you sick of talking about?
(46:01) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(47:23) - What is the purpose of business?
(48:04) - How do we find meaning in life?
(50:29) - Wrap Up
James Hornick is a Partner at Hirewell, where he has specialized in the recruitment of marketing and technology professionals since 2005. He created Hirewell’s Digital Experience & Marketing recruiting practice while also leading the firm’s internal strategy, marketing, and business development initiatives. James is a proponent of value-driven content and regularly shares his perspective on the Talent Acquisition and Recruiting industry.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Be. By Jessica Zweig
- The Employer Content Show
- People Business Episode with Nate Guggia
- Tasty Trade
Time Codes:
(3:04) - What is Hirewell and what do you do?
(6:24) - What was the process like to pivot your marketing approach?
(8:39) - How do you advise clients on their content strategy related to recruiting?
(11:04) - What is the state of the hiring market in the summer of 2021?
(14:17) - Have you seen any changes in recruiting compared with 18 months ago?
(19:16) - Do you see most recruiting departments training on the full spectrum of skills (i.e. project management, sales, marketing, human behavior, psychology, and interviewing)?
(21:44) - What are the most valuable skills worth investing in early on in recruiting?
(26:00) - Where are you seeing employees engaging with content today?
(27:27) - Thoughts on the explosion of the podcast industry.
(32:24) - James’ Hot Takes on the state of remote work.
(43:55) - What are the biggest mistakes job seekers are making right now?
(45:18) - How did you develop a contrarian and individualistic worldview?
(50:46) - Imposter Syndrome
(51:56) - What are you sick of talking about right now?
(53:03) - What aren’t people talking enough about?
(55:58) - What is the purpose of business?
Linnea Gandhi is a researcher, teacher, and practitioner of behavioral science in business settings. And she’s obsessed with error; studying it, fixing it, and even embracing it to enable better decisions by individuals and organizations.
Her work on error intentionally straddles academia and the real world: She teaches decision science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, studies it as part of her PhD at the Wharton School of Business, and consults on it through her company, BehavioralSight.
Linnea’s team is launching an online course called "Beyond Bias: How Noise May Be Drowning Out Your Decision Accuracy". This course is designed to complement the recently released book on the topic, called NOISE, by Daniel Kahneman and two coauthors. Linnea spent the last three supporting with research and editing behind the scenes.
For listeners interested in the course, check out https://behavioralsight.teachable.com/p/beyondbias. If you enter MCMAHON75 you will get $75 off the price tag.
Mentioned In This Episode:
- Behavioral Sight
- Daniel Kahneman
- Steven Levitt
- Richard Thaler
- Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgement By Daniel Kahneman
- Decision Hygiene
- Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
Time Codes:
(3:21) - Linnea’s origin story
(5:35) - How did you come to work with Daniel Kahneman?
(8:26) - Who is Daniel Kahneman?
(9:49) - What have you learned from working with top-tier experts?
(12:48) - The importance of Mentorship in helping you step out on your own
(17:56) - Working on the book Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgement
(20:26) - What is ‘Noise’?
(22:03) - What is the difference between Noise and Bias?
(29:30) - Bias’ effect on Risk Management
(35:47) - BUD/S training
(40:28) - Linnea’s consulting firm... Behavioral Sight
(41:25) - Building the machine vs. Running the machine
(43:16) - Where do people go to figure out how to put this in place for their own life?
(44:28) - Linnea’s course on Noise
(48:21) - What do you believe about people or business that might be contrarian?
(51:48) - What are you sick of talking about?
(53:31) - The need to explain our world gets in the way of our ability to predict it
(55:57) - What is the purpose of business?
Andy Riise is currently a Mental Skills Coach for the Cincinnati Reds. Originally from Oakdale, CA, Andy is an Eagle Scout, West Point graduate, and former Army Football player. Over his decorated 20 year military career as a Field Artillery Officer, Andy led Soldiers in a variety of overseas missions highlighted by multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and serving five years in two elite Special Forces units.
Andy is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. His research and coaching expertise is in the evidence-based best practices of Sport and Performance Psychology and various applied Behavioral Science Disciplines with an emphasis on mental toughness and stress inoculation. His teaching experience includes West Point’s Center for Enhanced Performance, the US Air Force Academy’s Department of Behavioral Science and Leadership, the US Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, and Texas A&M University. He is one the US Army’s first Master Resilience Trainers and Facilitators and helped launch the Comprehensive Fitness Program. As a consultant, his client list includes professional sports teams, corporate leaders, first responders, and healthcare practitioners. He has published several peer-reviewed articles, research papers, and the best-selling book Deliberate Discomfort: How US Special Operations Forces Overcome Fear and Dare to Win by Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable.
Timestamps:
(3:35) - How does one become a mental skills coach?
(5:54) - How much of being a top performer is inherited versus a learned skill?
(7:30) - Is "drive" innate or can you spark it in another?
(9:12) - What do you inspire "drive" in others?
(12:13) - Helping people think creatively.
(15:12) - Get big by going small.
(17:28) - How do you help a pitcher with a poor outing to prepare for their next time on the mound?
(21:58) - Working consistently brings about inspired performance.
(26:48) - Is it hard to coach someone into a trusting mindset?
(29:24) - Frameworks and finding the one that works (The 4 C Model).
(34:43) - What’s the application of the 4C Model?
(37:36) - The difference between a coach and a therapist.
(39:42) - Building Resilient Confidence.
(42:54) - Journaling, Meditation, and Mindfulness.
(45:55) - Getting comfortable being uncomfortable.
(53:32) - Advice for dealing with the fear of doing something hard.
James Madison is the Founder and CEO of On Purpose Life, where he helps professionals become more effective and inspiring leaders. His superpowers are connecting, encouraging, and maximizing professional and personal development.
James is an Army veteran who served in Germany and participated in Operation Desert Storm. After serving in the military, he spent 25 years in supply chain leadership, operations management, and customer development roles for Fortune 500 companies. Most recently, he was a managing director at a leading executive search firm before being led into executive and leadership coaching full time.
In this conversation, we dive into James' work helping individuals find their purpose and live life on purpose.
Links:
- Mike Rowe on Not Following Your Passion
- Jim Rohn: "Success is what you attract by the person you become"
- John Maxwell's 3 R’s
- Essentialism by Greg McKeown
- James' email: James@onpurpose-life.com
Time Codes:
(3:30) - How do you describe what you do?
(4:30) - Why do your clients typically come to you?
(6:01) - How do you guide someone to figuring out what it is they should be doing?
(10:31) - How does one go about discovering their purpose?
(15:32) - Should you be working 'in' your purpose all the time?
(18:25) - Does your purpose have to be tied to your work?
(19:40) - Being in purpose, on purpose.
(21:22) - What are the biggest struggles your clients need to overcome in order to live on purpose?
(23:33) - Setting boundaries and saying “no” to the things they should say no to.
(25:40) - The difference between ‘Return’ and ‘Reward’.
(27:34) - How do you say “No” to a good opportunity?
(31:13) - Being clear and having confidence.
(32:55) - James’ 4-steps of coaching: Awareness, Assessment, Approach, Action
(36:09) - How do you help people come to the realization that the destination is the journey?
(39:59) - How do you help people with their relationship with money?
(42:30) - Helping people learn to shift their mindset on money before they’ve “made their money”?
(45:10) - Money makes you more of what you are.
(46:00) - How does someone know when it’s time to take action?
(47:14) - Getting out of your own head when you’re over-thinking.
(50:14) - What are you sick of talking about?
(51:07) - What should people be talking more about?
(52:01) - What do you believe about people that may be contrary to general consensus?
(52:41) - What is the purpose of business?
(53:15) - Where can people find and engage with you?
Diane Allen was the Concertmaster (lead violinist) of the Central Oregon Symphony for 15 years, a well sought-after violin teacher for 28 years, and the author of sixteen music workbooks sold worldwide. Today, she consults and speaks with individuals and organizations on the Flow State. Diane has developed a proprietary process that enables people to be at their best anytime, anyplace, no matter how high the pressure.
- Flow State: The Psychology and Theory Behind Flow
- HeartMath Institute
- The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin
- Diane Allen TED Talk: How to Find "Flow"
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
Time Codes:
(2:44) - What is a Concertmaster?
(4:10) - How did ‘Flow’ come into your life?
(7:22) - Stick with it or recognize when to shift?
(8:44) - When did you start to pay attention to flow?
(11:48) - How were you able to harness flow to the point where you’re now teaching it?(17:49) - Interruptions are the biggest killer of the flow state.
(18:52) - The key indicators of being in the flow state.
(23:13) - Extracting your flow strategy.
(25:34) - How do you prime yourself before getting into a new task?
(28:56) - Stories from Diane about planting the flow seed into all aspects of life.
(33:02) - The scientific data behind flow & positive feedback loops.
(37:33) - What does your work look like?
(42:06) - O’Brien’s Flow strategy.
(49:24) - Final Thoughts from Diane.
Mary Herrmann is the Managing Director of the Global Executive Coaching practice of BPI Group. She leads a team of professional coaches in the U.S. and abroad, helping organizations drive change and deliver results through proven best practices in leadership and executive team development.
With a wide range of executive coaching and team assignments under her belt, Mary offers clients leading edge thinking combined with a deep understanding of HR processes and how they impact business results. She has designed individual development plans for C-level executives, and implemented executive coaching programs for large corporations. She has also worked with executive teams to help them achieve their goals and produce greater results.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- “Only When I accept myself as I am, can I change.” - Carl Rogers
- When Cultures Collide by Richard Lewis
Time Codes
(2:26) - Please pitch BPI Group and what you do.
(5:13) - How do you pick the clients you’ll work with directly?
(6:46) - What is it that clients are trying to make more effective?
(8:56) - Why are we so bad at seeing the impact we have on other people?
(12:15) - How do you structure a session that you know is going to sting the client?
(20:31) - How do you translate individual coaching to the team?
(22:48) - Examples of Conflict Norms.
(31:31) - Best practices for cross-cultural communication.
(35:32) - Do you find that Americans are better, worse, or the same at recognizing their way is just one way and not the best way?
(39:34) - Coaching the Coaches: What are the skills needed to be a good coach?
(42:50) - How do you slow down and ask a question when you clearly want to give a person advice?
(50:33) - Takeaways from the conversation.
(51:10) - What is the purpose of business?
Leah Stallone is the founder of The Career Edit LLC, a full-service career strategy firm partnering with those ready to write, or rewrite, their career story. As a life-long career junkie, Leah spent the first 15 years of her professional life in talent management helping others find their professional sparkle. As “The Career Editor", Leah shares the power of storytelling to help clients create meaningful career moments.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Authentic Vocation Worksheet (Deloitte)
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- Mike Rowe: Why you should never follow your passion
- The Mackay 66 Customer Profile
Time Codes
(2:21) - Pitching The Career Edit and Leah's work.
(3:01) - What element of storytelling do you specialize in?
(4:12) - How do you help shape someone’s resume into a story?
(6:09) - Why are people putting ‘Management’ all over their resume? Is it perceived as prestigious?
(7:33) - How do you help people decide whether they really need a new job or they just are feeling burned out?
(11:23) - What does the work look like to figure out what the issues are and what they really want to do?
(12:55) - Questions for people to journal on.
(21:22) - How do you help clients take this ‘next job’ off the pedestal and just figure out where they need to apply themselves?
(23:04) - Do you see a lot of folks turning their hobbies into careers?
(25:12) - Where do you fall on the spectrum of following your passion vs. not?
(30:24) - Learning what you don’t like instead of learning what you like.
(32:49) Role Play Scenario 1: 25-year old who doesn’t feel empowered at work because they don’t have the reps. What do they do?
(35:48) - Scenario 2: 35-year old who doesn’t feel empowered because they’re too far down the path. What do they do?
(37:51) - Networking when landing a new job.
(39:39) - What does good networking look like?
(43:51) - Networking when exploring a new field.
(52:42) - What is the purpose of a job?
(53:49) - Parting advice for someone in the job search
Bill Bloom is the founder and CEO of Bloom Financial, a financial advisory firm focused on helping individuals "Retire as You Desire". Among other clients, Bill works with business leaders and entrepreneurs to help them figure out what to do with their money and when. In this conversation, Bill shares his insight on our most common money issues, investing in ourselves and others, and how to get the help you need.
Bill's Books:
- Retire as you Desire by Bill Bloom
- Money Habits for Success by Bill Bloom
Timestamps
(2:24) - What is Bloom Financial?
(3:11) - Bill’s Origin Story.
(4:48) - What is the purpose of money and what should our goal be for money?
(6:28) - Do you think money is a corruptor?
(12:26) - The most common relationships people have with money, good and bad.
(13:38) - What behaviors do you see money scarcity creating?
(15:08) - Changing the scarcity mindset for over-spenders.
(16:14) - How many people can answer the question “what is the point of money?”
(17:39) - What are your conversations like with people who are under-spending?
(19:40) - Money Journaling.
(22:49) - What’s the balance between being frugal with money and having an obsession with non-spending?
(28:49) - Saving, Spending, and Investing for individuals.
(31:30) - What questions should individuals ask themselves when it comes to saving, spending, and investing?
(32:43) - Debt-free is the way to be.
(34:12) - Investing money in the market vs. investing money in yourself.
(37:04) - Investing in your people.
(38:34) - Where do you see business leaders getting hung up with money issues?
(40:33) - What do you say to people who have shame around money and saving?
(44:34) - Finding the right financial advisor and questions to ask potential advisors.
(48:59) - What are you sick of talking about when it comes to your work?
(50:09) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(50:36) - What’s a belief you have that is contrary to what others might expect or say?
(52:18) - How does someone know when to bring on a financial advisor?
(52:44) - What is the purpose of business?
(53:58) - Wrap up & Bill’s Books
Marcy Twete is a leader in Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability with a history of working with multinational Fortune 500 companies. She has a background both broad and deep in ESG (environmental, social, governance) factors, ethical decision-making, marketing, and communications. She is the founder and CEO of Marcy Twete Consulting where she advises corporations of all sizes, their investors, and key partners on environmental, social, and governance risks and reputation management.
In addition to leading her consulting practice, Marcy also hosts Table Stakes: The Podcast for Responsible, Sustainable Businesses & Leaders, discussing the issues of sustainability with forward-thinking leaders to forecast the future of responsible business.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- New World Same Humans Newsletter - David Mattin
- The Triple Bottom Line
- Uber Sexual Harassment Scandal
- Materiality Study
- Deep Water Horizon Scandal
- Volkswagen Emission Scandal
TimeStamps(2:21) - Defining Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility.
(4:22) - The origin story of ESR & Corporate Philanthropy.
(6:26) - The changing expectations of corporations & the ‘Glass Box Company’.
(7:35) - Why should companies care about Corporate Social Responsibility?
(13:48) - Companies pursuing abusive policies vs. choosing not to do anything about systemically abusive policies.
(15:13) - Where do companies start to build out solutions?
(19:55) - Where does the responsibility fall in mid-sized companies?
(22:39) - Do you see clients working CSR into their values? How are they making it part of the fabric of the organization?
(26:16) - How do you build a process that is always evolving and never fall into the status quo?
(28:23) - The importance of not becoming complacent.
(32:34) - Self-policing & having tough, effective conversations.
(40:17) - Black, white, & gray areas.
(43:59) - What are the biggest people issues you see companies dealing with today?
(47:29) - What is the purpose of business?
Stephanie Waite is the co-founder of ChangeNerd, an online community for change management professionals. She is also the Founder & CEO of 7 AIR, a people strategy firm that unlocks & activates the people potential within organizations through consulting, executive coaching, and designing large-scale people systems, experiences, and strategies. Stephanie serves as the President of the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP) Midwest Chapter, the largest chapter in the world.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Change Nerd Gigs
- Kotter’s Model
- Bridge’s Model
- Meyers Briggs
- MBTI
- Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
- The Power of Positive No by William Ury
Timestamps:
(2:18) - What is Change Nerd?
(4:52) - Stephanie’s Origin Story
(11:49) - What’s the smallest level of change that would necessitate change management?
(14:34) - What are the key frameworks of change management?
(21:03) - Is this just an exercise in getting your people comfortable with constant change or is it about one change at a time?
(25:09) - Eliminating the term "new normal" and selecting frameworks to implement.
(32:16) - How do you coach people to be able to make the time to start these processes?
(37:33) - The difficulty of achieving short-term steps to implement a long-term change.
(44:44) - How did you train yourself to create imagery with your language?
(53:57) - The importance of reps, feedback, and values.
(59:08) - O'Brien's experience taking a negotiating class.
(1:00:35) - Authenticity
(1:05:31) - What is the purpose of business?
Christian Espinosa is the Founder and CEO of Alpine Security, a cybersecurity firm now part of Cerberus Sential. He is an Air Force veteran, an Ironman triathlete, and a lover of heavy metal music.
Christian used to value being "the smartest guy in the room” but realized that to be his best and to win the fight against cybercriminals, he had to check his ego and build his emotional intelligence. He is now a speaker, author, and trainer in the Secure methodology, helping to make the smartest people in the room the best leaders in the field.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Smartest Person in the Room by Christian Espinosa .
- How the US Hacked the Iranian Enrichment Program
- NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming)
- Trimetrix HD assessment - https://www.ttisuccessinsights.com.au/profiling-tools/trimetrix-hd
- On Writing by Stephen King
- Bear Grylls Survival Academy
Timestamps:
(3:05) - What is Alpine Security and Cerberus Sentinel?
(5:15) - What is White-Hat hacking & Red-Teaming?
(6:25) - How did you get into the world of cyber security?
(9:39) - Can you pitch your book and why you wrote it?
(11:33) - Do you have an example of how these High IQ-Low EQ team members interacted with a client?
(13:18) - How did you address your team’s claims that the clients were “ just not getting it”
(15:10) - What was the process of changing your own story internally of not being good with people?
(17:16) - Was it as simple as flipping a mental switch or was it more difficult?
(20:24) - How do you help others become better with people?
(22:18) - How did you help your team identify if they have a growth mindset?
(23:35) - What did you see that told you the team was making progress?
(25:35) - Neuro-Linguistic Programming & EQ Training
(28:26) - What does this Neuro-plasticity training look like in practice?
(31:38) - Doing vs. Being
(33:40) - What does EQ training look like in practice?
(37:41) - Establishing Core Values
(39:27) - Were there any other elements that had an outsized impact on training yourself or your team?
(41:00) - How much of people & EQ skill needs to be screened for when building a technical team?
(44:41) - The problem with High IQ - Low EQ in Technical leaders
(47:56) - What are you most sick of talking about when it comes to this topic?
(48:41) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(50:06) - What is the purpose of business?
(50:56) - How did you become an instructor at the Bear Grylls Survival Academy?
Tracey Wik is a business leader focused on helping women who’ve broken through the glass ceiling survive out on the glass cliff. A growing body of research shows that women who achieve leadership roles often do so in times of crisis or downturn, when the chance of failure is highest. On top of that, they are often given shorter timelines and fewer resources than their male counterparts. In this conversation, Tracey explains the issue and discusses what women can do before and after taking on these leadership roles to put themselves in a better position to be successful.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Are You About to Fall Off the Glass Cliff?
- Millions of women are leaving the workforce
- My Two Weeks as a Single Parent by O'Brien McMahon
- Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
- Gender Differences in Time Spent Parenting & Domestic Responsibilities
- Men vs. Women NCAA Weightroom for 2021 March Madness
- CEO of Bumble Becoming the Youngest Female Billionaire
Timestamps:
(3:20)- Tracey’s background and how she decided to begin doing this work
(5:20) - Was there a moment where the light bulb went off for you in realizing these issues for women were going on?
(8:01) - Defining ’Systemic’ and the idea of Bias
(14:01) - Do you have any examples where you’ve been in the room where decisions were made that negatively affected women?
(18:26) - O’Brien’s experience solo-parenting during Covid
(20:21) - The counter-argument: Women aren’t as interested in these high-intensity jobs or the pool of candidates isn’t wide enough
(22:52) - Thought Experiment: Fortune 500 company hires their first female CEO. What’s your response to that?
(25:02) - Defining the Glass Cliff
(28:05) - Is there something women can do when she’s up for a leadership role to get ahead of the Glass Cliff?
(31:14) - Are men being given the benefit of the doubt when in similar situations?
(34:56) - Tracey’s thoughts on “Women will be other women’s worst critics”
(39:54) - Changing the way we think about “Good Female Leader” vs. “Good Leader”
(45:51) - Do you have any other examples of the Glass Cliff?
(48:39) - The Bumble CEO having to constantly talk about her failures
(52:27) - What are you sick of talking about?
(56:31) - Wrapping Up
Chris Schmitt and Scott Morley are West Point Grads, Army Special Forces "Green Berets", and corporate leadership coaches with Azimuth Leadership. Chris founded Azimuth after 30 years in the Army to continue his life of service and pass along the leadership lessons he'd spent a lifetime learning. Whether it's through their one-on-one and group coaching or their outdoor leadership excursion called The Traverse, Chris, Scott, and the Azimuth team are guiding their clients to show more kindness, live epically, and be stoked.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Leading Without Authority by Keith Ferrazzi
- Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven
- Admiral McRaven's Commencement Speech
- Ranger Handbook
- Project Aristotle by Google
- Followership by Barbara Kellerman
Timestamps:
(3:33) - Can you pitch the story of Azimuth to the audience?
(6:29) - How do you blend leadership consulting with the outdoors?
(10:32) - Scott’s transition out of the military.
(11:04) - What was it about Azimuth that made you want to make this your next career step.
(13:19) - What are the leadership frameworks that you learn at West Point?
(21:04) - Becoming a leader within West Point.
(22:20) - How do you suggest the average person get leadership reps in their own lives?
(30:50) - Leadership by Example
(33:07) - Living your values and guiding others to set their own values.
(35:28) - Is it important to have written values that everyone knows or should leaders just be good leaders?
(39:14) - Do you have any examples of how value shifting showed up in your time in the field?
(50:08) - The importance of coaches.
(54:57) - How do you balance accepting failure and needing great performance?
(1:00:15) - What is the purpose of business?
Gaye van den Hombergh is a Senior Partner with Partners in Leadership. She has more than 25 years of experience as a business leader, operating executive, and senior advisor in large, middle-market, start-up, and non-profit organizations. At Partners In Leadership, Gaye has led large culture transformation efforts with large and small companies. She has a deep understanding and appreciation for the inextricable link between leadership, culture, and results.
In this conversation, Gaye shares a framework for building and maintaining a purposeful culture and the impact that work can have on business profitability and performance.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Culture Results Pyramid
- Embarc Chicago
- Brene Brown - Vulnerability
- Brene Brown Quote: Vulnerability doesn’t mean not having boundaries
- Start with Why - Simon Sinek
TimeStamps:
(2:57) - Could you pitch Partners in Leadership and explain what you do?
(3:38) - How do you define culture? what would be an example of culture?
(9:42) - Shifting belief in order to shift culture.
(11:36) - Do you have a framework or exercise to use to define a culture?
(15:01) - What role does experience play in developing beliefs?
(19:20) - How do you go about finding out what people’s beliefs and experiences are in order to find actions to take to change them?
(26:12) - Recognizing when your own beliefs are holding you back
(29:27) - How do you suggest someone who’s been influencing a negative culture ask and receive genuine feedback?
(33:01) - The most important feedback is the one that brings about the most negative reaction
(37:16) - How have you trained yourself to be better at taking feedback?
(40:35) - How do you build trust?
(41:45) - How do you define vulnerability?
(43:32) - What is the difference between vulnerability and humility?
(47:54) - How are you helping your clients track or target specific results once they implement this work?
(49:57) - What are you sick of talking about?
(50:54) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
Pam Evanson is a Sales & Business Coach with Lappin180, a high-performance sales consulting firm working to disrupt conventional sales norms and affect change. Pam works with business-to-business sales professionals, helping them get out of their own way so they can truly connect and serve their prospects and customers (and, of course, generate more sales). She has an uncanny ability to connect with all personalities, is exceptionally intuitive with her observations, and is unflappable in her commitment to delivering the hard, kind truth. In this episode, Pam explains why we all hate salespeople and how sales can be done differently.
Timestamps:
(2:55) - Can you pitch Lapin180 and the work that you do?
(3:46) - Who is the best salesperson you’ve ever bought from?
(7:39) - Making a memorable experience for the customer in a sale
(9:09) - What’s the worst sales experience you’ve ever had?
(12:36) - Why do salespeople get such a bad wrap?
(14:00) - How do you define ‘Selling’?
(16:04) - How do you overcome the bias you face in a sales engagement?
(17:32) - What are the things a salesperson can do to demonstrate they’ll be okay if they don’t make the sale?
(19:30) - How do you coach salespeople to get into the right mindset and stay there?
(21:49) - Selling by Taking vs. Selling by Giving
(25:30) - Do you see a correlation between people who approach sales the right way and people who look to improve themselves in other ways, outside of work?
(27:45) - Self Awareness
(30:55) - Debriefing yourself after a sales meeting
(34:43) - What are the questions someone should ask themselves to determine if it was a good meeting?
(42:35) - The importance of process & activity on the quality of a conversation
(45:40) - How do you define and help build a process?
(48:13) - how do you reconcile the need to tell the client about you and the need to close the sale while maintaining everything we’ve discussed?
(58:16) - What is the purpose of Business?
Nate Guggia is the Co-Founder of Before You Apply, a creative studio and content platform that helps companies and their recruiting teams give candidates an insider's look at their work and culture. They work with growth-focused organizations in highly competitive markets to help companies and talent teams hire fast.
In this episode, we talk about the importance of employer branding to both attract and repel talent so that you are only getting the best people for your unique needs. Nate also helps define and make actionable the elusive "Employee Value Proposition" (EVP).
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Job Portraits
- Daniel Pink’s Autonomy, Mastery, & Purpose
- Brene Brown's TED Talk on Vulnerability
- Hubspot Informational Interview
Timestamps:
(2:27) - Can you pitch your organization and how you approach your work?
(4:53) - How much of your work is around making a company attractive to people vs. helping them ‘opt out’?
(6:41) - Getting the right people in the right door instead of pure volume of moving candidates
(10:28) - How do you define Employee Value Proposition & Employer Branding? How are they the same or different?
(15:27) - What’s the final product a client is getting from the EVP?
(18:30) - Do you have an example of what a good EVP for one of your clients is and how they used it?
(19:56) - What did the initial conversations with Mozilla look like and how did you help them define things?
(25:00) - What did Mozilla get from you and how did they use it?
(26:40) - How do you tell stories?
(28:19) - What makes a good question?
(30:42) - Authenticity at the company level
(34:40) - Content as a filter at the top of the funnel
(37:34) - Candidate FAQs
(40:16) - Where are people getting things wrong when telling their story? (content, medium, storytelling ability, etc.)
(45:48) - What are you sick of talking about?
(49:09) - What is the purpose of Business?
Julie Billingsley is the Vice President of Human Resources at ZS Associates, a global professional services and consulting firm with 10,000 employees and contractors spanning 13 countries. Julie has been with ZS for 26+ years, helping them grow double digits year-over-year while purposely building and expanding their workforce and corporate culture. She has been integral to establishing their coaching practices, which now touch every employee around the world, as well as their workforce modeling tools that keep them appropriately staffed through periods of uncertainty and growth.
Time Stamps:
(2:39) - Can you pitch ZS Associates?
(5:26) - What do your US and Global footprints look like?
(6:41) - Are your people location-based or do they move around all the time?
(9:35) - Was it a conscious decision to make sure associates were based in the same area as their clients instead of relying on heavy travel?
(10:19) - What are the biggest challenges in leading people with a model of a lot of small offices spread out?
(11:57) - What is your role as a human resources leader?
(12:50) - What does surveying the landscape of the employees look like to you?
(13:53) - The coaching side of the business
(17:47) - The line between coaching young people to act professional and expecting them to be professional
20:18) - What were you looking for as far as an ROI in bringing on these coaches?
(21:33) - What happens after they’ve had a coach for 4-5 years?
(22:51) - Where did that belief in the value of coaching come from?
(25:02) - What are the challenges to building out coaching in other countries?
(27:00) - Are all of the coaches coordinating their work globally?
(28:06) - How do you maintain a consistent culture with a global workforce?
(29:20) - How do you give credence to the cultural differences in global offices while keeping the performance standard the same?
(35:22) - Teaching people how to interact with other people & facilitating meetings
(37:22) - How the English language differentiates globally
(38:26) - Is everyone expected at a seniority level to be able to coach someone below them or are coaches selected based on abilities?
(41:11) - How have you evolved your practices to manage growth?
(45:41) - Does your agile framework allow you to expand during “hot” months?
(46:56) - How are you aggregating all of your data?
(50:27) - What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned from leading the people function of business throughout your career?
(51:09) - Is there anything you believe about business or leadership that you think is contrary to what most people are doing in the market?
(52:26) - Did you know that human resources would be something you would love to do?
(54:58) - What is the purpose of Business?
Jessica Zweig is the Founder & CEO of SimplyBe., a premier personal branding company based in Chicago.
She is an internationally award-winning entrepreneur who was named a “Personal Branding Expert” (Forbes) and a "Top Digital Marketer To Watch" (INC.) as well as a dynamic and highly sought-after speaker and presenter. Jessica has spoken on national and international stages, including those of Google, Mindvalley, and Virgin, and has facilitated sold-out workshops and masterminds around the world.
In 2018 and 2019, Jessica was honored with the Gold and Silver Stevie® Award for “Female Entrepreneur of the Year." Her work has been featured in Business Insider, MarketWatch, The Washington Post, and Thrive Global.
In February 2021, Jessica released her book, Be. - A No B.S. Guide to Increasing Your Self Worth and Net Worth by Simply Being Yourself.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The SimplyBe. Podcast
- 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelley
- The Quote About Judgement We Couldn't Remember
- “The things we dislike most in others are the characteristics we like least in ourselves.” ― Marian Keyes, Rachel's Holiday
- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
Time Codes:
(3:51) - Can you pitch Simply Be and the work you do?
(6:16) - How do you define Personal Brand?
(7:16) - what’s the difference between Personal Brand and Self Promotion?
(9:09) - Finding the purpose behind your self-promotion
(11:52) - Reframing self-promotion to add value to the world
(15:48) - How to make money
(18:54) - How do you help somebody figure out who they are and the value that they offer?
(25:46) - What’s the framework of The Hologram?
(30:25) - How do you help people draw the line between being vulnerable and what they want to keep private?
(32:33) - Being “too” authentic
(36:21) - Being an introvert in an extroverted field
(38:55) - How do you set boundaries to take the time to think?
(41:41) - What are you sick of talking about?
(42:44) - What are you most excited to be talking about?
(42:53) - What is the purpose of Business?
Amelia Forczak is the Founder of Pithy Wordsmithery, a firm that specializes in helping people write and market their books. She and her team members work with executives and entrepreneurs across a range of industries to help them build and monetize their thought leadership and grow their businesses.
Over the past 10 years, Amelia has ghostwritten 10 business books, including five bestsellers. She also spearheads clients’ marketing strategies, including website design, email marketing, social media, and graphic design. Amelia manages a Forbes column on leadership strategy where she provides ghostwriting and editing support for women business executives.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Ernest Hemingway on Writer’s Block
Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why
The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers
On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society
Joe Rogan on Happiness
Not Mentioned But Great Books on WritingWriting Tools by Roy Peter Clark On Writing by Stephen King
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Draft No. 4 by John McPhee
Dr. Jeff Spencer is a former Olympic cyclist turned personal and professional coach who makes winning big the normal. He has helped clients like Hitachi, U2, and Tiger Woods master their mindset and achieve their most aspirational goals. He’s been featured in Fortune magazine, Huffington Post, and the LA Times. With all his outward success, his greatest achievement is raising his adopted daughter.
Dr. Spencer explains how to get out of the ruts that are holding us back, how to build a champion's mindset, and how to set yourself up for success from the very beginning.
Mentioned in the Episode:
- Goal Achievement Roadmap
- How to Not Blow it Before You Win
- The Last Dance Documentary Series
- Contact Dr. Jeff Spencer
Timestamps:
(2:39) - How do you define the work that you do?
(4:37) - What are the components of ‘The Whole’ that you look at when working with a new client?
(6:17) - What are the different components to get someone from their starting point to their end-goal?
(11:09) - What are we all screwing up when it comes to clarity?
(13:36) - What is the way to overcome the voice of imminent failure within ourselves?
(16:20) - Where is the starting point for changing the story we tell ourselves, about ourselves?
(18:23) - Is there a lot of writing and journaling required in the work you do?
(21:28) - How do you know if you have the right goal?
(25:55) - Over Preparing for the practice of achieving your goal
(28:47) - Should everybody have an aspiration that is comparable to those of professional athletes, Olympians, and CEOs?
(34:20) - Making goal achievement predictable and consistent
(37:40) - Is there a point where you recommend people work with a therapist when bogged down with trauma or anxiety that would’ve led to self-sabotage?
(39:36) - For someone in a leadership position, how do they start to inspire others to do some of this work?
(42:59) - Goal setting exercise promoted by CPO of Lulu Lemon
(44:55) - Does an individual have to be obsessed and singularly focused to be elite?
(49:35) - Having the courage to act on your own goals
(51:06) - Where do you get the most pushback in your approach?
(52:51) - What is the purpose of business?
(54:00) - Where can people learn more about you and your work?
Erich Kurschat is the owner of Harmony Insights LLC, a company that helps organizations and consultants leverage the DISC personality assessment. A self-proclaimed "DISC Nerd", Erich shares in this conversation the history of assessments, the major ones currently used by employers, and how to make the most of whichever tool you choose (especially DISC).
Erich is also the founder of HRHotSeat, an inclusive mastermind community of HR professionals solving real HR problems. Erich draws from a broad range of experiences as a corporate HR professional, a public speaker, a career coach, a classical musician, and a proud introvert to inspire others toward meaningful work and productive workplace relationships.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- DISC Assessment
- Meyers Briggs
- Clifton’s Strengths
- Predictive Index
- 16pf Assessment
- The Talent War by Mike Sarraille
- Mike Sarraille Podcast Episode
Time Stamps
(2:27) - The Pitch for Harmony Insights
(3:13) - What does an engagement with you look like?
(5:01) - What’s the basic history of assessments?
(6:52) - How do you create an assessment?
(9:17) - What are the most common assessments you see and what are they trying to accomplish?
(11:08) - What are the different versions of DISC and why would you use one over the other?
(12:44) - Assessments that evolve from DISC.
(14:31) - Are different assessments being used to get different results?
(20:06) - Misconceptions in DISC in regards to recruiting and using DISC to determine likability.
(28:08) - Do you have an example of a client that’s used DISC effectively and made it their common language? What do those conversations look like?
(31:58) - Explaining the ROI for these engagements.
(34:01) - What the DISC tool is and the elements of the assessment.
(36:16) - Each Letter within DISC explained.
(39:54) - How do folks who fall on different areas of the DISC spectrum effectively communicate?
(44:58) - Leveraging your teammates to serve the greater good.
(48:50) - What are you sick of talking about?
(52:17) - What is the purpose of business?
(53:11) - What is the difference between value and the perception of value?
Niyum Gandhi is the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Population Health Officer for Mount Sinai Health System in New York. With over 40,000 employees, Mount Sinai is the largest employer in New York City's five boroughs.
In this episode, Niyum shares his perspective as the Finance leader and how that's changed from his days in the operations and clinical side of the business. He talks about how he evaluates investments, how they adjusted during the pandemic, and the healthy tension between Finance and Operations.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- The Infinite Game - Simon Sinek
- Start with Why - Simon Sinek
Timestamps:
(3:27) - Niyum’s high-level overview of Mount Sinai.
(4:37) - How did your career path get you to the CFO seat for Mount Sinai?
(9:21) - How does your experience outside of finance play a role in your approach as CFO?
(12:18) - Do you have an example of a situation where you had to lean more into your CFO voice rather than your Operations Voice?
(14:25) - How do you foster an environment where there’s psychological safety amongst an executive team so you can create the right healthy tension?
(18:31) - Was there anything done on purpose to create the relationship between the exec team or did it happen naturally?
(23:07) - When you are making a strategic decision, how are you managing margin, mission, profit, and people?
(32:54) - What is the purpose of business?
(35:07) - Discussion on Shareholder Value
(37:11) - Where is the balance between the tradeoffs of short-term value and long-term value and how do you keep a healthy ecosystem of happy employees, happy customers, and healthy margins?
(43:20) - What were the key steps in making the change to value-based health care from pay for services in such a large organization?
(50:48) - How do you keep your people energized and motivated during a big transition like that?
(55:55) - What’s the relationship been between the exec team and HR leaders during Covid?
(1:00:15) - What lessons have you learned over the last year that you will carry forward with you?
Elizabeth Lotardo is a Vice President at McLeod & More, Inc, a sales and leadership consulting firm. Her work centers around helping companies, teams, and individuals find the purpose in their work and use it to drive better business results. She is the co-author of the book, Selling with Noble Purpose: How to Drive Revenue and Do Work that Makes You Proud. She has also been featured in The Wall Street Journal and NPR and she is a popular LinkedInLearning author.
Mentioned in this Episode
- Simon Sinek: Start With Why -
- Extreme Ownership - Jocko Willink
- EY - Is your purpose lectured or lived?
- Adam Grant - The Office without a**holes
- Selling with Noble Purpose - Lisa McLeod & Elizabeth Lotardo
- Leading with Noble Purpose - Lisa McLeod
- Linchpin - Set Godin
- Drive - Daniel Pink
Dr. Colleen Hacker is a Professor of Kinesiology at Pacific Lutheran University as well as Mental Skills Coach to numerous professional and Olympic teams and athletes. She worked with the US Women's National Soccer Team in the late 1990's and early 2000's when they won multiple Olympic and World Cup gold medals. Since 2011, she's served at the Mental Skills coach for the US Women's National Hockey team, helping them achieve Silver in the Sochi Olympics and Gold in PyeongChang.
Dr. Hacker is the author of Catch Them Being Good: Everything You Need to Know to Successfully Coach Girls.She has been awarded numerous accolades and awards, including:
- Named one of “31 women who will change the way sports are played” by ESPNW
- Presidential Citation from the American Psychology Association
- Pathfinder Award from the National Association for Girls & Women in Sport
- Professor of the Year, Presidents Medal, Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award at Pacific Lutheran
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Listening with the Whole Body - https://books.google.com/books/about/Listening_with_the_Whole_Body.html?id=zuu-AAAACAAJ
- Epictetus ‘you can't learn anything you think you already know’ - https://lifehacker.com/you-cannot-learn-what-you-think-you-already-know-1796095391
- Yogi-isms (Yogi Berra) “You can observe a lot by watching” https://yogiberramuseum.org/about-yogi/yogisms/
- Don’t sweat the small stuff - Richard Carlson https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Sweat-Small-Stuff-Its/dp/0786881852
Episode Timestamps:
(2:39) - Dr. Hacker's origin story and how she got into her role as a Mental Skills Coach
(6:45) - Do you find that you still have the same curiousness and tenaciousness in cross-disciplinary areas or is it focused on the one or two passions in your life?
(9:23) - The unique approach of people who create amazing things that they are passionate about
(12:25) - Having a Beginner’s Mindset & Seeking Experts
(16:26) - Where do you start, what are you looking for, how are you evaluating individuals as a Mental Skills Coach?
(22:30) - Are there any patterns that you see as ‘easy fixes’ that people commonly fall into?
(26:12) - Can an individual build up their intrinsic motivation and mental toughness?
(32:21) - Is there a way to reclaim intrinsic motivation if it’s been stolen?
(35:38) - The importance of Joy
(42:51) - What are the things you see leaders doing that accidentally steal joy?
(50:13) - Separating the good from the great: Attention to Detail
Brian Bogert is a human behavior and performance coach, professional speaker, business strategist, and philanthropic leader. He teaches individuals how to leverage their authenticity and awareness to create the intentional life of their dreams.
In this conversation, we discuss Brian's philosophy of embracing pain to avoid suffering. He shares his personal journal (which includes having his arm severed at a young age) and offers tips and resources for people to get started on their own journey.
Links for Shownotes:
- Dr. Brene Brown: Shame is Lethal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEBjNv5M784
- Coach Carter "Our Deepest Fear" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_fDhqRk_Ro
- No Limits Prelude - https://www.nolimitsprelude.com/lead-magnet1588271294366
Timestamps:
(2:36) - What is the worst advice you hear people giving out today?
(4:17) - What is the difference between a coach and a therapist?
(6:59) - How do you define your work?
(8:37) - What do you see as the top negative feelings or emotions that are holding people back?
(10:10) - What is a shame based culture? How does it show up?
(12:32) - Unpacking the root of ‘Shame’
(17:09) - How do you get through the barriers that are either self imposed or community imposed on dealing with “success”?
(23:11) - How do you help people keep something in their conscious awareness so they can be using it in the right way in the moment?
(26:52) - Unpacking the concept of ’routine’
(30:51) - The importance of “I am..” statements
(35:22) - How do you coach people in dealing with the uncomfortable-ness of making change in their life?
(48:15) - How do you help people let go of the things they feel like they should be doing but brings them little value and no joy?
(52:14) - Where do you suggest people start with themselves, in the context of the year 2020?
(56:16) - What is the purpose of business?
Brett Walsh is the Executive Vice President of Human Resources & Organizational Development for Graycor, a privately held family of companies employing more than 1,200 construction specialists. Brett is a member of the Graycor executive leadership team and is responsible for delivering people programs in the areas of recruitment and selection, talent development, succession planning, retention, total rewards, organizational development, employment branding, and employee engagement.
In this conversation, Brett lays out how he and his leadership team transformed the Graycor culture from "command & control" to one of "servant leadership" where "it's not about who is right but what is right". He talks about the conversations that started the process, the hiccups along the way, and how they continue to evolve and build into their people.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Meyers Briggs: https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/
- DISC: https://www.123test.com/disc-personality-test/
- Predictive Index/Learning Indicator: https://www.assessment-training.com/predictive-index-learning-indicator-pi-li
Time Codes
(2:28) - Pitching GrayCore
(4:02) - What are some of the industries and verticals that you get into?
(5:33) - How do these divisions that are based on building types interact with each other?
(6:46) - How would you describe the culture of the employees at GrayCore?
(8:55) - What was the impetus for the switch away from this ‘Command & Control’ culture?
(11:23) - Is it fair to say that there really wasn’t an expert on the people side of the business and they needed to bring someone like you in to change that?
(13:42) - What does the process look like to align all of these pieces and get folks on board with basic strategies?
(16:24) - What was the forum for these discussions?
(20:10) - Do you have an example of an issue where there was disagreement between you and higher-ups?
(22:30) - What did the second conversation look like in your job interview after the initial one lead to a heated disagreement?
(26:07) - Have you always been more of a ‘listener’ than a ‘talker’?
(29:09) - Have you learned your willingness to be self-critical and desire to improve through mentors and others in your life?
(34:59) - How are you holding leaders accountable?
(35:26) - Are these conversations happening one on one or is it during a management training program?
(38:46) - Are there any programs, books or assessments used through the leadership training programs that you’ve found to be effective?
(45:02) - What is the hardest thing for folks to grasp when learning servant-leadership?
(47:33) - How are you elevating yourself/others while also giving ‘the job’ away at the same time?
(54:11) - What are you most excited about right now?
(57:38) - What is the purpose of business?
Buff Burkel is a Retired United States Air Force Colonel and inspirational/motivational speaker. On October 11, 2015, the helicopter she and eight others were flying in crashed inside a NATO compound in Afghanistan. The crash killed five of the passengers and injured four, including Buff, who was left with a severely broken neck (the same injury that paralyzed Christopher Reeve from the neck down). Bolstered by the support of her fellow survivors, her rescuers, and her family and friends, Buff made a full recovery and now travels the country sharing her story and the lessons she learned about resilience.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Blues Warrior Hockey
Dr. Ray Sylvester is an Associate Professor of Marketing & Personal Branding at Anderson University. He was a senior lecturer and leader of two music business programs at Buckinghamshire New University in Wycombe, England outside London and co-wrote the first music business program in Europe in 1996. Ray has presented across both Europe and the US on the topic of personal branding, is published through academic books in both the US and the UK, and is a Chartered Marketer. As a personal branding coach, Ray works with executives, professional athletes, and chart-topping artists/musicians.
In this episode, we talk about personal brand, personal identity, and ways to use the two to create value. Ray explains the depths one must go to truly understand themselves before they can harness their identity and create a strong brand.
Mentioned In This Episode:
- Personal Branding Article on the 4 Elements
- Mind, Self, & Society - George Herbert Mead
- The Johari Window
- JRE Podcast w/ Mike Tyson (Episode 1 & Episode 2)
- Ray's Tweet About "Value"
- The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life: Erving Goffman
- Contact Dr. Ray Sylvester
Mary Mosqueda is the Practice Leader for Lockton's Total Rewards & Compensation Practice. With over two decades of experience in compensation, human resources, and work/life programs, she is an expert at designing and implementing compensation, executive compensation, and total rewards programs for both public and private businesses. She is also a national speaker on these subjects and has her finger on the pulse of the shifting market dynamics and generational factors that drive these programs.
In this episode, Mary walks through the planning and reflective work needed before a company can build a successful compensation structure. We define a number of terms and talk about motivation, leadership, and the limits of pay on performance.
Mentioned In This Episode:
- Drive by Daniel Pink (plus this video recap)
- Conjoint Analysis
- Terms We Define:
- Base Pay
- Variable Compensation
- Merit Pay
- Salary Grade
- Pay Equity
Dr. Sunitha Chandy is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with Artesian Collaborative, LLC. She has been working with diverse people and communities since 2000 to help them tap into their resources during painful and tense situations.
Dr. Chandy specializes in developmental psychology, cross-cultural engagement, and high-risk populations. She guides teams - even those with intense conflict - to a place of shared understanding and engagement, helping her clients authentically care for themselves, their families, and communities. In this episode, Dr. Chandy shares her expertise around trauma, resilience, and leadership.
Mentioned in this Episode:
- Health Disparities Based on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
- Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
Paycor is a technology company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio providing Human Capital Management (HCM) software to small and mid-size employers. With over 2,000 employees, they help companies manage their people processes, including everything from recruiting to time & attendance to payroll to reporting.
Nathan Pierson, VP of HR, and Bill Neese, SVP of Talent Acquisition, join the show to talk about how the company has grown into a "destination employer" and thrived in a city not known for its tech community. They talk about how they built the employee brand, how they use it in the recruiting process, and how they've used the pandemic to transform their business.
Mentioned In This Episode:
- Interview Toolbox
- Grit by Angela Duckworth
- Myers Briggs
- DISC Personality Assessment
Amy Cheronis co-founded The Scratch Collective in 2020 to bring big brand and ad agency thinking and expertise to the world of startups and innovators. This fast-growing boutique works across industries to deliver specialized, on-call talent focused on helping good people win.
Prior to scratching that itch (pun intended), Amy was US Chief Integration Officer at PR firm MSL, where she led high-performing teams for clients such as Allstate, Feeding America, KitchenAid and P&G. Prior to MSL, she spent 10 years building and leading the global communications function at Leo Burnett, one of the world’s most storied and celebrated ad agencies.
In this episode, Amy shares her wisdom on branding, marketing, advertising, and PR and the way her new venture brings them all together in what they call "reputation design".
Mentioned In This Episode:
- Embarc
- "Like a Girl" Campaign
- TinyPulse Surveys
Dr. Tim Holcomb is the Chair & Director of the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship at Miami University (OH). Dr. Holcomb has more than 30 years of strategy consulting, international business, and startup experience, including work in the U.S. and more than 25 countries. He has founded eight startups, raising more than $20 million in venture funding for those companies. He has also been an advisor to over 100 startups and high growth companies over the course of his career.
In this episode, we discuss the elements that go into educating future entrepreneurs, how he and his colleague have rebuilt their department, and how companies can foster the principles of entrepreneurship within their organizations.
Mentioned In This Episode:
TechStars
Y-Combinator
RedHawk Venture Pitch Competition
Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Initiative
Accenture
Pepsico
Walkers Crisps
PitchBook
Oros Apparel
DoubleClick
MongoDB
GoHealth
CreditKarma
Uber
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Virgin Galactic
Duke Energy
Greg Tall is the Director of Learning & Development with JB Training Solutions, a training firm helping employees through the entirety of their career, from their first day on the job to leading high functioning teams.
Greg is a high-energy facilitator and trainer with over 15 years of experience in Talent Acquisition and Development, including stints with Teach For America, a Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work employer, and a private university in Chicago. He has helped innovate in the areas of employer branding, talent acquisition, employee onboarding and engagement, and learning and development.
In this conversation, we discuss Greg's work building and leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. He helps define the current landscape, shares his personal story, and gives tips for employers looking to identify and overcome detrimental bias in the workplace.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Caste: The Origins of our Discontents
Desmond Clark spent 12 years as a Tight End in the NFL, playing with the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and most notably, for eight years with the Chicago Bears, where he is second only to Mike Ditka in receptions by a tight end.
After the NFL, Desmond got into business, working as a financial advisor before founding Desmond Clark Investment Group and The Insurance People. He is the author of Principles of Winning: 5 Keys to Create a Standard of Excellenceand speaks regularly to professionals and community leaders about what it takes to win in work and life.
Also Mentioned In This Episode:
The 12 Week Year
Daniel Kahneman on How the Brain Preserves Energy
Sankar Venkatraman is Chief Evangelist at LinkedIn Talent Solutions. As part of this role, he is responsible for bringing the voice of the customer to the product development team and drive product development that helps connect talent with opportunity for LinkedIn’s members.
Sankar has a PhD in Biochemical Engineering from Rutgers University and an MBA from Cornell and is based out of LinkedIn’s Headquarters in Sunnyvale, CA office.
Miranda Nicholson is the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Formstack, a workplace productivity solution that empowers anyone to digitize what matters, automate workflows, and fix processes—all without code. With a decade of experience managing corporate HR activities, Miranda currently leads the acquisition, onboarding, and retention of current and future Formstack employees.
Even prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, Formstack had made a commitment to be a virtual company. That's different than simply having a remote work policy. In this episode, Miranda talks about how that philosophy came to be, what it looks like in practice, and how the lessons learned along the way.
Gary Noesner (pronounced "ness-ner") retired from the FBI in 2003 following a thirty-year career. Twenty-three of those years were spent as an FBI hostage negotiator, where he retired as Chief of the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Unit, Critical Incident Response Group, the first person to hold that position. In that capacity, Gary was heavily involved in numerous hostage, barricade, and suicide incidents; covering prison riots, right-wing militia standoffs, religious zealot sieges, terrorist embassy takeovers, airplane hijackings, and over 120 overseas kidnapping cases involving American citizens.
Following his career with the FBI, Gary joined Control Risks, an international risk consultancy, assisting clients in managing overseas kidnap incidents.
Gary is the author of Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator, one of two books used as the basis for the television mini-series, Waco.
Alex Perry spent two decades as a Speech Language Pathologist, working with patients to regain their ability to speak after illness or injury. She then launched her business, Practically Speaking, to help professionals improve their communication skills and connect better with their audience. She hosts the Practically Speaking Podcast and is the author of Minivan Mogul: A Crash Course in Confidence in For Women.
She’s a nationally certified Speech Language Pathologist, has a background in adult neurology and emotional intelligence and is an EQ-I 2.0 certified administrator. More importantly, Alex blends her scientific approach speaking with her love of storytelling, laughter, and humor into her work with individual clients and corporate teams.
Byron Clymer is the Chief Information Officer for Lockton Companies, responsible for driving the people, process, and technology transformation taking Lockton into the next decade. In this episode, he shares best practices for aligning technology with the people functions of a business.
Prior to Lockton, Byron ran Approach Logic, a consulting firm helping businesses navigate the complex IT landscape. With the ability to engage at all levels of the organization, Byron provided short-term problem solving and long-term strategic thinking across the hospitality, manufacturing, telecommunications, healthcare, and financial services industries.
Byron holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Nebraska and a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Nebraska Wesleyan University.
On paper, Sonny Garg and Samir Wagle had achieved the American Dream. They were corporate executives, making lots of money, with great families and nice homes. The problem was, they were both miserable. This led each man on a journey of self-discovery that changed their lives. After meeting, the two decided to partner together to help others define their own lives in more meaningful ways.
In 2015, Sonny launched the Energy division of Uptake Technologies, an enterprise software company named the #3 most promising AI company by Fortune in 2019. Prior to Uptake, Sonny was a member of the Executive Committee at Exelon Corporation, a Fortune 100 company, and served in a variety of senior executive roles including as the Chief Information Officer and the company’s first Chief Innovation Officer and the President of Exelon Power. He sits on the boards of the Invisible Institute, the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, and the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, as well as the Advisory Board of the Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship.
Samir Wagle is currently the CEO & Founder of the 11:eleven Partners, a strategic talent mapping firm focused on helping organizations build conscious cultures. Prior to 11:eleven, he spent over twenty years developing and growing brands in the retail food sector. This includes being President & CEO of The Protein Bar & Kitchen, COO of Andre Boudin Bakeries, expansion leader of Chipotle Mexican Grill in the Eastern Great Lakes region and as the Head of Operations for McDonald’s, India.
Mentioned In the Episode:
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation
Ikigai
Bobby Powers is the head of HR and Learning & Development for Gravity Payments in Seattle. Gravity became famous several years ago when founder Dan Price decided to take a 90% pay cut and raise the minimum wage at his company to $70,000 per year. That, along with several other "radical" business principles, has led to tremendous growth.
It was this unique culture that led Bobby into HR in the first place. He is now responsible for perpetuating that culture as the company continues to expand. In addition to his day job, Bobby is a prolific reader (reading over 70 books each year) and writer (he is a top writer on Medium and has a personal blog at www.BobbyPowers.net).
Books Referenced:
Crucial Conversations - Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler
Make to Stick - Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Wooden on Leadership - John Wooden & Steve Jamison
Equip: The Gravity Leadership Playbook - Bobby Powers
Start with Why - Simon Sinek
Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
How to Read a Book - Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Von Doren
Drive - Daniel Pink
Carolyn Sellers is a practicing psychotherapist with her own private practice where she works with individuals to heal and grow, resolve fears and doubts, and address old patterns and behaviors. Her specialties include, among other things, depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, issues with self-esteem as well as leadership development, workplace stress, and career transitions.
Carolyn is unique in that she’s also the former head of Human Resources for a high growth healthcare company that went from nothing to 20+ locations and over a thousand people in just three years. She is an expert in the thought and emotional patterns that hold us back as individuals and how that translates into our work as teams.
Additional Content:
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Internal Family Systems
Daniel Vallejos is the founder of 360HRE, an employee experience design studio based in Chicago, IL. His work includes 360-videos for recruitment and education as well as experiential training for Human Resources professionals. His core mission: elevate the workforce through experience.
In this episode, we talk about the future of Human Resources and how to level up to be ready when it gets here. We also talk about the power of our experiences and how to design purposeful experiences for your employees.
Daniel holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and Negotiation from Columbia University (New York) and a Bachelor’s in Spanish and International Relations from the University of Kansas. He sits on the DisruptHR Chicago Chapter Board and is a member of the Chicago-based start-up incubator 1871. You can find him and his company on Instagram, and Twitter @360HRE.
Episode References:
The Medici Effect
https://lawsofux.com/
Loran Nordgren is an Associate Professor of Management and Organizations at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. His research considers the basic psychological processes that guide how we think and act. The overarching goal of his work is to advance psychological theory and to use theory-driven insights to develop decision strategies, structured interventions, and policy recommendations that improve decision-making and well-being.
Professor Nordgren's research has been published in leading journals such as Science and has been widely discussed in prominent forums such as the New York Times, The Economist, and the Harvard Business Review. In recognition of his work, Professor Nordgren has received the Theoretical Innovation Award in experimental psychology. In this episode, he shares many of the ideas he's currently working on as part of his upcoming book on influence.
Mike Sarraille is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer, a graduate of the University of Texas McCombs Business School, and now a leadership instructor, speaker, and strategic advisor for Echelon Front as well as the CEO of Echelon Front Overwatch.
EF Overwatch specializes in the recruiting, training, and placement of U.S special operations forces veterans with companies seeking leaders with an Extreme Ownership mindset to build their ranks and dominate on their battlefields. Mike has a book coming out in the fall of 2020 titled, "The Talent War: How Special Operations & Great Organizations Win On Talent".
Mike served fifteen years as an officer in the SEAL Teams after five years in the U.S. Marine Corps as an enlisted Recon Marine and Scout-Sniper. Mike served in SEAL Team THREE, Task Unit Bruiser alongside "Extreme Ownership" authors Jocko Willink and Leif Babin where he led major combat operations that played a pivotal role in the Battle of Ramadi in 2006. Mike later assumed duties as the primary leadership instructor for all officers graduating from the SEAL training pipeline before being selected for assignment to the Joint Special Operations Command where he completed multiple combat deployments.
Mike is a recipient of the Silver Star, six Bronze Stars, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, and a Purple Heart.
Jennifer Fondrevay is the Founder of Day1 Ready, a consulting firm that advises forward-thinking business leaders, owners, and executives on how to prepare for the human capital challenges of M&A transactions. As a Fortune 500 C-Suite “survivor”
of three multi-billion-dollar acquisitions, Jennifer has been on all sides of the deal equation. She saw countless growth strategies fail due to a workforce that couldn’t pivot and adapt as quickly as leadership anticipated. That prompted her to write the book, "Now What? A Survivor’s Guide for Thriving Through Mergers & Acquisitions".
Chrisanne Christ currently serves as a Senior Partner at Centier Bank, a 125-year-old, private, family-owned bank headquartered in Merrillville, IN. She has worked at Centier for the past 24 years overseeing HR, Talent Development, Risk, Audit, Financial Intelligence, and Information Security. Chrisanne’s position allows her to work closely with Centier’s CEO and Senior Management team to help shape the bank’s strategic future. Centier has over 900 associates and 60+ branches within the state of Indiana, but with clients across the United States.
Dr. Victoria Mattingly is an organizational psychologist passionate about improving the human experience at work. She is CEO and Founder of Mattingly Solutions, an HR/management consulting firm that measures workplace inclusion and trains majority group members to create a better workplace culture where everyone can thrive. Dr. Mattingly is offering People Business listeners 25% off her new virtual course on Allyship, which you can get by contacting her through this special link.
Rusty Bland is the Senior Vice President of Engagement & Serving at KeHE. As one of their longest-tenured leaders, Rusty has led KeHE’s effort to institutionalize and perpetuate its unique culture and embed the company’s mission, vision, and values into all talent processes. As a B-Corp, KeHE is focused on doing good in the world by doing well in business (and vice versa).
Jim Sharpe joined Aventri as CEO in January 2020 and is focused on leading the global Aventri team as it executes on its vision to help the world Connect Better. Throughout his career, Jim has led high-performing teams in private equity-backed tech-enabled businesses. Prior to Aventri, Jim was Managing Director and GM of Gerson Lehrman Group’s (GLG) largest and most profitable business unit, Financial Services. In this capacity he led several hundred professionals and achieved significant expansion of the userbase while growing revenues to over $200 million.
Tommy Choi co-founded the Weinberg Choi Residential team in 2007 with his business partner Josh Weinberg. They celebrated the opening of their own Keller Williams brokerage in January of 2017. The Weinberg Choi Residential team has sold over 1,000 properties, and over $470 million dollars in sales volume. They are consistently ranked in the top 10 real estate teams in Chicago, which puts them in the Top 1% of the Chicago Association of Realtors' top producers. Tommy also served as the 135th president of the Chicago Association of Realtors and the first Korean-American president in the association's 135-year history. He also serves as an active member of the Illinois Realtors, and was the Chair of the National Association of Realtors’ YPN Advisory Board and will be the Vice President of Association Affairs for the National Association of Realtors in 2021.
Erin Diehl is the Founder and CEO of improve it!, a training and development company leveraging improvisational ("improv") techniques to improve employees’ soft skills in corporate settings. Erin has trained and performed with some of the top improv programs in Chicago, places like The Second City, i.O. Theater and The Annoyance Theatre and uses the skills she developed there to work with companies like United Airlines, PepsiCo, Groupon, Deloitte, Motorola, Walgreens, and The Obama Foundation. She is an expert at taking the techniques necessary to build a great ensemble and using them to develop skills, teamwork, and meaningful relationships in the workplace (and in life). Erin has a podcast of her own called The failed it! Podcast where she discusses how you have to fail to succeed. You can find Erin on social media at @Keepinitrealdiehl.
This episode covers both sides of downsizing, including tips for employers needing to lower their headcount and individuals who find themselves in need of a new position. Cindi Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas where she is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing outplacement consulting, job training, and executive coaching. She has successfully managed many large outplacement projects and is skilled at training others in networking techniques and interviewing. Cindi is especially passionate about helping professionals with navigating their careers. She is the creator of the Challenger List, a listing of HR job openings around the country that’s now seen by over 10,000 people each week.
Aaron Levy sees a future where work doesn’t suck – where work is both challenging and fulfilling, where your manager is your coach – where she is the person who helps unlock your full potential. Aaron founded, Raise The Bar and wrote the best-selling book Open, Honest, and Direct: A Guide to Unlocking Your Team's Potential to create this future by empowering managers with the tools, skills, and training to be better leaders of people.
Aaron is also the host of The Open Honest and Direct Podcast, the Co-Director of Startup Grind Chicago, a Thrive Global contributor, an 1871 mentor, an ICF Certified Coach, and a member of the Forbes Coaches Council.
