Open Door Conversations: Recent Episodes
Akua Nyame-Mensah
True productivity is not about doing more. Join certified executive and leadership coach and former start-up leader Akua Nyame-Mensah each week as she and her guests share actionable insights on issues that distract all of us, but we don't always talk about publicly. Each show contains powerful information and perspectives to help you (and your team if you have one) focus your time and energy each day.
Executive and Leadership expert Akua is celebrating a remarkable milestone of producing 100 podcast episodes of The Open Door Conversation Podcast.
In this episode, Akua reflects on her journey of starting her podcast and how her vision has changed. With being 5 years in business, Akua shares the key lessons she learned professionally and personally. While taking a hiatus from social media, Akua looks forward to continuing her leadership framework and hosting People Before Strategy roundtables, providing a safe space for open conversations, which will be a great place for networking, and she will be answering questions.
This episode is a testament to five years of growth, learning, and unwavering dedication.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Akua is reflecting on the journey of starting her podcasting and how her vision has changed.
- Akua highlights the key lessons she learned both professionally and personally from producing 100 episodes and
- She talks about navigating the challenges of running an online business.
- Looking ahead about what the goal is for the next phase of her podcast and her business
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Embracing change can be difficult and uncomfortable, but when it comes to the business world, it's a necessary skill for leaders. Executive and leadership coach Akua Nyame Mensah has recently gone through the rebranding process, and in this episode, she shares the importance of evolving and staying relevant as a business leader.
If you don't think you need a brand, or you're thinking of rebranding yourself and/or your business, this episode is for you. Akua dives into the specific reasons she wanted to rebrand, including matching her current look, reflecting her image in the corporate world, and more explicitly presenting her offerings.
Learn the importance of evolving in your personal and professional life, how to stay adaptable, and why investing in expert support can be a game changer when it comes to a rebrand.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Learn the many reasons to consider a rebrand and why you might be overdue for one.
- Akua discusses personal challenges during her rebranding journey, including analysis paralysis, unrealistic timelines, and delegation hurdles. Get tips on how to overcome these and other challenges.
- Understand the benefits of rebranding, including improved brand positioning, enhanced visuals, a well-defined funnel, and alignment with marketing and content strategies.
- Akua acknowledges the pivotal role of leveraging experts in various aspects of her rebrand, from design and copywriting to strategy.
- Discover why you should consider your own rebranding opportunities, the importance of authenticity, and how to find genuine fulfillment in the process.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Links Mentioned in This Episode:
- Free leadership assessment: https://www.akuanm.com/survey
- Work with Akua: https://www.akuanm.com/work-with-me
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Executive and leadership coaching, at its core, is about creating ease for you as a high-achieving leader. It's about supporting you in leveraging your innate personality so you can learn how to prioritize and maximize your time as well as the time of your team and stakeholders.
In this episode, Akua talks about her coaching program and how one-on-one coaching can be transformational for leaders at any stage of their career. Learn how Akua helps clients become sustainably strategic, learn how to ask for help, and set boundaries so that they can build stronger teams and achieve personal and professional goals.
If you're interested in hearing real-world examples of how Akua's coaching helps intentional leaders, listen in as she shares two case studies highlighting her coaching approach and methodology.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Identify the difference between tactical and strategic leadership and how being strategic allows you to delegate so you can focus on the future.
- Akua talks about the types of leaders she supports, including leaders transitioning into new roles, emerging leaders, and first-time founders and executives.
- Learn about the three stages of leadership: thriving, buoyant, and transformative, and how leaders are constantly cycling through them as they evolve as leaders.
- Get real-world examples of the transformation 1:1 coaching provides as Akua shares case studies of leaders she's worked with, including one reluctant to have tough conversations and another who was building a new department and needed to gain more support from her team.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Links Mentioned in This Episode:
- Ep 97: Your Guide to Next-Level Leadership
- Free leadership assessment: https://www.akuanm.com/survey
- Read more case studies: https://www.akuanm.com/casestudies
- Work with Akua: https://www.akuanm.com/work-with-me
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
If you're a leader considering investing in executive coaching or advisory support, you cannot miss this episode. In it, executive and leadership coach Akua Nyame-Mensah dives into the world of coaching high-performing leaders, founders, and managers and what sets her apart from the rest.
Get a clear understanding of the benefits of coaching and why Akua might be a great fit for you and your team. You'll learn about Akua's unique approach, and she even walks you through a recent case study in which she worked with 50 fellows from diverse backgrounds who were building start-up teams.
Akua is unique in her extensive first-hand/diverse experience, from tiny start-ups to multinational companies. Her tailored solutions, commitment to your growth and success, project management approach, and direct communication style ensure clarity and progress toward your success as a leader.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Discover how Akua's ability to wear different hats adds value to clients while supporting your growth.
- Akua talks about her traditional training and certification as a coach and her impact as she's worked with instructional designers, facilitators, incredible coaches, and speakers.
- Explore the importance of tailored coaching and advising solutions to meet your unique needs and goals.
- Understand that leadership is a skill and an attitude and how coaching can help individuals evolve, make an impact, and build sustainable leadership habits and routines.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Women's Impact Alliance
-
IamRemarkable
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Executive and Leadership expert Akua is wrapping up her mini-series on expectation setting and goal setting in the workplace. In this episode, you'll also learn about the different resources that Akua has on the subject of expectation setting, including valuable blog posts and podcast episodes where you can just dip your toe or dive head first into the deep well of insights on expectation setting.
As a leader or manager, it is important to set realistic and achievable goals and to provide the resources and support that others need to meet them. Perhaps most importantly, leaders must remember to provide feedback and to continuously communicate their expectations so all team members can be on the same page.
Highlights in this episode:
- Remember, there is nothing more demotivating for team members than being given an unrealistic KPI or expectation.
- We don't have to like everything we do. Don't give in to toxic positivity. Be real about your feelings.
- When setting expectations for yourself, realize things are not always going to be perfect, and sometimes you'll need to ask for help.
- You and your team need to take breaks and vacations so they rejuvenate and come back motivated and excited to hit their goals.
- Creating time and space to provide timely feedback, and to reflect and give yourself feedback, is critical.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
- Ep 71: Learn Akua's 3-step framework
- Ep 93: The Final Step to Leadership Success: Setting Expectations
- Ep. 94: A Leader's Guide To Setting Expectations
- Ep 95: 3 Overlooked Secrets for Setting Effective Expectations
- Blog Post: We Are Never 100% Happy or Excited to Do Our Jobs
- Blog Post: The Top Six Limiting Beliefs That Sabotage Successful Delegation
- Blog Post: 4 Reasons You Won't (and Can't) Take a Vacation
- Blog Post: Let's Give Better Feedback
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Want to improve on goal-setting or expectation-setting? This episode is for conscious leaders who want to enhance their approach to goal setting and create a positive and productive environment for themselves and their team.
Expanding on her third pillar of leadership, expectation setting/goal setting, host Akua builds on themes from episode 93. She unveils the three overlooked aspects of goal setting, including the "when" or timing of the goal, who is responsible for the goal, and the definition of success.
Learn the eight themes to reflect on as a leader as well as themes to reflect on when it comes to working with others!
Highlights in this episode:
- Learn to set clear and achievable expectations that will help you and your team succeed.
- Utilize the R.A.C.I. framework to clarify roles and responsibilities so everyone knows their responsibilities. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page.
- Communicate expectations clearly and consistently. Make sure that everyone understands the expectations.
- Learn the importance of being open to feedback and adjust expectations as needed.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
- Ep 20: Check in With Your Goals
- Ep 28: #AskAkua//Goal Setting Tricks
- Ep 71: Learn Akua's 3-step framework
- Ep 93: The Final Step to Leadership Success: Setting Expectations
- Blog: Three things leaders get wrong about expectation setting
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
In this episode, Akua explores the third pillar in her three-step leadership framework: setting expectations (sometimes referred to as goals setting, OKRs, or KPIs). Akua uses her own experience as a case study to illustrate the importance of setting expectations for yourself, and she highlights the impact of expectations on personal and professional growth.
Whether you're a solopreneur, team leader, or aspiring achiever, this episode will empower you to set clear and realistic expectations for yourself, be consistent, find the right support, and ensure that your projects align with your ultimate vision.
Highlights in this episode:
- Explore the distinction between working "on" your business versus working "in" your business and the significance of time management and capacity.
- Delve into the mindset of a practical thinker and an abundant thinker and how these different perspectives shape expectation-setting and decision-making.
- Learn the art of breaking down projects into achievable tasks to avoid demotivation and burnout, and don't be afraid to invest in helping to conquer projects outside your wheelhouse.
- Discover the three often-overlooked elements of expectation setting: timing, responsibility, and defining success.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 28: #AskAkua//Goal Setting Tricks
- Ep 71: Learn Akua’s 3-step framework
- Ep 93: The Final Step to Leadership Success: Setting Expectations
- Blog: Three things leaders get wrong about expectation setting
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
This is the first in a mini-series of episodes that will be based on the final step in Akua's three-step leadership framework: setting expectations. Whether you call it expectation setting, goal setting, or utilizing frameworks like KPIs or OKRs, these episodes will transform the way you approach expectation-setting and communication.
Leaders and managers will learn the significance of expectations and their impact on leadership and how to set achievable and realistic goals for their team. Importantly, leaders will also learn the crucial step of communicating expectations to their team, which will cultivate a positive work environment and foster growth and success.
Akua also talks about how expectations help with setting boundaries, building more efficient processes, and facilitating ongoing evaluation and adaptation. Setting expectations ensures your team is equipped to succeed, and when employees know what is expected of them, they're more engaged and productive.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Highlights in this episode:
- Learn the difference between explicit expectations (specific targets) and implicit expectations (things we've come to expect, assumptions based on bias or stereotypes).
- Akua outlines four key elements to consider in relation to expectations: what you want, what you want from others, what they want, and what they want from you.
- It's hard to overstate the significance of explicitly communicating expectations to increase employee engagement, productivity, and satisfaction.
- Understand the role of expectations in establishing professional boundaries, setting goals, and fostering growth and direction.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71: Learn Akua's 3-step framework
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
This week, leadership and executive coach Akua Nyame Menasah wraps up her series of episodes dedicated to engagement, the second step in her three-step leadership framework. This is a helpful roundup and summary of six of her past episodes on engagement.
Leadership is a habit, a routine that you need to cultivate intentionally. Being self-aware is the first step, then you must decide how to engage with your team. Be inspired and learn how to gain confidence and credibility, how to tell powerful stories that inspire, and so much more when you listen in!
Enjoy the main points of each episode and then deep-dive into the episodes you need right now!
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Highlights in this episode:
- Akua gives the highlights of six episodes that help leaders practice engagement.
- Learn the importance of self-regulation in leadership.
- Discover strategies to maximize productivity, like when to have a meeting and how to make it engaging for your team.
- Learn about how Akua's relationship to networking has evolved over time and how yours can too!
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71: Learn Akua's 3-step framework
- Ep 84: Engagement Starts with Self-Regulation and Management
- Ep 85: Demystifying Executive Presence with Kelly Lynn Adams
- Ep 86: GROW Your Leadership by Asking Powerful Questions
- Ep 88: Storytelling for Engagement
- Ep 89: Network Internally First
- Ep 91: Mastering Meetings: Secrets to Engaging and Efficient Facilitation
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Ever been in a meeting that feels like a waste of time?
Of course, you have. That's because many leaders and organizations don't know how to effectively facilitate a meeting that engages team members. In this episode, you'll hear portions of a recent training Akua gave on how to be an effective moderator and facilitator.
Learn about the three basic types of meetings (and which one isn't really a "meeting") and why a well-moderated meeting actually begins well before the meeting starts. After listening, you'll be well on your way to leading the most effective, efficient, and productive meetings possible so that all your team members will feel like their time is valued and well-spent!
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Highlights in this episode:
- Find out what a good facilitator or moderator does, including making sure there's an agenda, creating psychological safety, listening, and more.
- Learn the five P's of facilitation: purpose, planning, process, participation, and pursuit.
- It takes good communication skills, active listening, and flexibility to effectively facilitate a meeting.
- Akua guides listeners through some exercises that will help your team members engage and communicate in meetings.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71 - Learn Akua's 3-step framework
- Ep 78: Being the Message & Communication
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Creating a high-performing team that is also human and inclusive is possible! Listen as Akua talks with organization transformation expert Joris Merks-Benjamin about how to balance high-performance standards with inclusivity and humanness in the workplace.
Formerly Head of Google Digital Academy, Joris became one of the highest-scoring managers of all time. After 12 years with Google, Joris has recently gone freelance and developed the Managing Without Power program. He is an award-winning author of several books, his newest being “Managing Without Power.”
In this episode, Akua and Joris talk about the importance of trust, empathy, and communication and how to create a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Learn why the best teams are based on trust and psychological safety and how leaders don’t need the power to be effective, but they need to empower their team.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Highlights in this episode:
- Joris talks about his pivot from a marketing space to learning and development and how he created his own opportunity.
- Learn about how instructional design gets adults to learn by doing, leading to actual behavioral change.
- Joris talks about how, in a large company, balancing the performance elements and human elements is the only way to get a genuinely high-performance organization.
- The two discuss inclusion and diversity, Joris being raised by a lesbian couple, and how intentionality is essential in order to measure progress and enact DEI on a large scale.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71 - Learn Akua’s 3-step framework
- Book: Think and Grow Digital: What the Net Generation Needs to Know to Survive and Thrive in Any Organization
- Book: Online Brand Identity: The Ultimate Guide to Designing Your (Digital) Branding Strategy
- Book: Intergratie Van Schizofrene Online- en Offline Marketing (Dutch)
- Book: Managing Without Power (Dutch)
Connect with Joris Merks-Benjaminsen:
Website: www.managingwithoutpower.com
LinkedIn: @Joris Merks-Benjaminsen
Twitter: @jorismerks
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Networking can elicit groans and dread from even the savviest of business leaders. If you dislike networking or feel like you’re bad at it, or if you believe you don’t NEED to do it, this episode is for you. Akua starts with why networking is important and gives four important things to work on to become better at building connections in business and in life.
Learn why reframing your thinking and becoming self-aware about your beliefs around networking can help you build more authentic relationships. Plus, Akua gives some amazing resources (linked below) where you can find additional information to up your networking game.
Remember that networking is about building connections and engaging with others, and if done well, it can better your reputation, increase visibility, and create a stronger network.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Highlights in this episode:
- Akua talks about her evolving relationship with networking and how she went from feeling uncomfortable to actually enjoying the process.
- There are three types of professional networking: operational networking, personal networking, and strategic networking.
- Learn about the four critical elements for effective networking: focusing on learning, identifying common interests, thinking broadly about what you can offer, and finding a higher purpose.
- Find out how many connections you need for peak networking - more isn’t always better!
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71 - Learn Akua’s 3-step framework
- Ep 63 - How to Become a Master Networker with Karen Jaw Madson
- Ep 43: #Ask Akua // For Reluctant Networkers
- Inc. Africa Article - How I Changed My Narrative on Networking
- Harvard Business Review: Learn to love networking
- LinkedIn Audio Event: Sponsorship and Networking for Career Growth
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Today, Akua talks about leveraging storytelling to connect and engage with your stakeholders, whether they're clients, team members, employees, or investors.
Engaging with your team is one of the most important things you can do in your role as a leader. Telling stories can be a powerful tool in your engagement toolbox, helping to inspire, build rapport and align and reach goals with your team. Learn the three basic purposes for telling a story, tips on how to incorporate stories into your daily life, and how to know where and when to tell a story.
If you're not a natural storyteller, don't use stories in the workplace, or never thought about stories as a means of engagement, you'll want to check out this episode.
Highlights in this episode:
- Learn how stories can help align your team's goals, inspire, and build instant rapport with your team.
- When deciding on a story, think about your audience, how you want them to feel, and what you want them to know.
- Keep your stories memorable and relevant.
- Using storytelling is a great way to set the tone for a meeting or a retreat, and Akua talks about how she can support you in choosing and telling an engaging story.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71: Learn Akua's 3-step framework
- Ep 78: Being the Message and Communication
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Reaching peak performance as a leader, manager, or business owner takes practice and training, much like an athlete. This week, Akua welcomes Darcy Luoma, the author of the book "Thoughtfully Fit, Your Training Plan for Life and Business," as she talks about tackling barriers and becoming mentally and emotionally fit.
Darcy is a triathlete, mother, and CEO of Darcy Luoma Coaching and Consulting. A Master Certified Coach, Darcy has worked in 48 industries, with 210 organizations and 500+ individual clients, to create high-performing people and teams.
If you're a leader or manager who feels too busy to strategize, you're stuck in a rut, or wondering what your unique contributions to the world are, this episode is a must-listen.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Darcy talks about her 20 years of political experience and how she made the leap into coaching.
- Find out how you, as a busy leader, can find time to pause to reflect on what lights you up, gives you purpose, and ignites your passion.
- Discover the 6-step framework for achieving peak performance in both your personal and professional life using the Thoughtfully Fit® method.
- Self-awareness and knowing your default mode when under pressure will help you make changes to overcome challenges.
- Darcy talks about how she is learning to structure her business to have the greatest impact and how she can get out of her own way.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Quiz: The Thoughtfully Fit Quiz
Connect with Darcy Luoma:
Instagram: @darcyluomacoaching
Website: www.darcyluoma.com
Facebook: @darcyluoma
Twitter: @Darcy Luoma
LinkedIn: @darcyluoma
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
In order to coach others, you first have to be able to coach yourself. In this episode, Akua dives deeper into the engagement pillar of her three-step leadership framework. Engaging with yourself, also called self-regulation and management, is key to being able to support others as they explore their own areas of growth and boundaries.
As a leader, you want to inspire your employees and motivate them to get their work done by making sure they are excited to come to work and problem-solve. While coaching is not always the right answer, using coaching tools and techniques can go a long way, starting with asking powerful questions.
Akua explains a popular coaching framework that can be used to help people set goals and create a plan of action. Finally, she shares things that held her back from leveraging coaching tools and techniques, which will surely resonate with leaders, managers, and founders in all industries.
Highlights in this episode:
- Learn the types of questions that lead to effective engagement with team members or employees.
- Akua explains the GROW model, which stands for Goal, Reality, Options/opportunities, and Will.
- Learn how the GROW model can help get your team thinking and open to possibilities.
- Akua talks about the power of pauses, open-ended questions, and reflecting on what YOU need in order to set yourself up for success as you engage with team members.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71: Learn Akua’s 3-step framework
- Ep 28: #AskAkua // Goal-Setting Tricks
- Ep 84: Engagement Starts with Self-Regulation and Management
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Executive presence - all leaders want it, but not all know how to get it. Join Akua as she shares pieces of a recent conversation with Executive and Life Coach Kelly Lynn Adams. They talk about leadership, vulnerability and mindset, and how to regulate and manage your emotions to inspire confidence among your coworkers.
Conscious leaders like Kelly Lynn know that leadership starts from within. Kelly Lynn began her journey on Wall Street, climbing the corporate ladder for 18 years before starting coaching and speaking in 2009. Trauma-informed Kelly Lynn helps leaders, visionaries, founders, executives & entrepreneurs break through what is holding them back and elevate to the next level.
Kelly gives valuable perspective drawing from her experiences from both the entrepreneurial and corporate worlds on the topics of leadership, vulnerability, mindset, and how to embrace challenges as part of your personal development. Akua and Kelly Lynn also discuss the importance of developing self-awareness and resilience when dealing with difficult situations.
Highlights in this episode:
- Communication is key in building executive presence.
- The two debunk the myth that vulnerability equals weakness when it comes to leadership. And how to know WHEN to be vulnerable so that your competence and acumen aren’t questioned.
- Kelly Lynn talks about embodiment and how it pertains to executive presence. This means how you communicate with your body language and whether what you say matches what you do.
- Taking time to reflect on your wins, your why, and the value you add is important and should be built into your routine.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71: Learn Akua’s 3-step framework
Connect with Kelly Lynn Adams:
Instagram: @kellylynnadams
Website: www.KellyLynnAdams.com
LinkedIn: @kelly-lynn-adams
YouTube: @KellyLynnAdamsTV
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
This episode of the Open Door Conversations podcast focuses on the second step in Akua's three-step leadership framework: the importance of engagement. In addition to self-awareness and setting expectations, engagement is a crucial part of becoming a conscious and effective leader in the workplace.
As a business leader, founder, or executive, sometimes your biggest barrier to engaging with your team is staring at you in the mirror. Find out how your own thoughts, emotions, and existing habits could be sabotaging your efforts and some simple ways to self-regulate your way to meaningful engagement, influence, and productivity as a leader.
Highlights in this episode:
- Your ability to regulate your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations is crucial to your ability to effectively engage with others.
- Before engaging with others, you must engage with yourself.
- Learn some ways to self-regulate, including movement - a powerful way to stabilize emotions and hormones.
- Listening is an effective way to break the behavior of overthinking or overwhelm.
- Akua shares an easy breathing exercise to help calm yourself and relax in order to maintain self-control.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71: Learn Akua's 3-step framework
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
If you're interested in learning about a framework that can bring your vision, business, or startup to life, you don't want to miss this episode. It is jam-packed with actionable advice from Tomi Davie (T.D.), who was named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2021 by New African Magazine.
Harry ‘Tomi Davies (TD) is Collaborator-in-Chief (CiC)’ at TVC Labs, an entrepreneurship support organization in Lagos, Nigeria which he founded. TD is the co-founder of the Lagos Angel Network (LAN), founding President of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN), and Board Member of the Global Business Angels Network (GBAN).
His personal goal is simple to ‘Find, Fund & Follow’ African startup founders that are using technology-enabled innovation to create economic value and social impact on the continent. In December 2021, TD was named as one of the ‘100 Most Influential Africans of 2021’ by New African Magazine.
T.D.'s mission in life is to find, fund, and follow. He is an angel investor, author, public speaker, and a systems analyst turned tech strategy advisor. He is the founder and Collaborator-in-Chief of TDC Labs, an entrepreneur support organization in Lagos, Nigeria.
Akua and T.D. discuss his newest book, Investment Worthy Startup, which he wrote to help founders and investors build successful startups.
Highlights in this episode:
- T.D. explains why supporting innovative startups creates both economic value and social impact.
- Learn about the POEM framework to build a startup, which consists of Proposition, Organisation, Economics, and Milestones.
- Learn the three key differences between startups and SMEs.
- Founders - find out what angel investors are listening for when you pitch them and how to present yourself in the process.
- Realize that your team doesn't all start in the same place, even though you're all aiming for the same goal. Each member needs something different to achieve the end goal. It's your job to find an aggregate place to meet before you start your journey, so you can all go farther together.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Book: Investment Worthy Startup Book Link on Amazon
Connect with 'Tomi Davies:
Website: www.tomidavies.com
Twitter: @TomiDee
Instagram:@Tomidee
LinkedIn: @TomiDee
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Pausing and reflecting is something all leaders should prioritize. That's why Akua is using today's episode as a recap of the last several weeks as she's talked about the first step in her leadership framework: cultivating self-awareness. Learn to understand better your strengths, weaknesses, interests, and preferences so you can be the most impactful leader possible.
Founders, leaders, and managers will benefit from listening to all the episodes around self-awareness, but If you don't have time to go back, this is where you can catch up and be ready to move on to Akua's second step in her leadership framework: simplifying engagement.
Highlights in this episode:
- Your relationship with time and productivity really starts with your emotions and your feelings.
- Creating boundaries around your time ensures your stakeholders can best utilize you.
- There is a common misconception that personalities are static - which is why Akua likes to think of personalities as an Operating System that evolves over time and needs periodic updating.
- It's important that leaders communicate their way of operating (personality) to others. Here Akua refers to SOPs, also known as a "me manual".
- To be an effective leader, leverage the four pillars of influence: power, emotions, acumen, and nonverbal signs or signals.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71 - Learn Akua's 3-step framework
- Ep 75 - Rebooting Your Operating System
- Ep 76 - Time Awareness
- Ep 79 - Leadership is Influence
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
This episode is for leaders who want to have a big impact - and who doesn’t? This is the last in a series about the first of three steps in Akua’s leadership approach: cultivating self-awareness.
Despite what some might think, effective leadership is not only about performance and delivery, or what the sports world would call the “outer game .”Conscious leaders know that self-awareness and mindset, or “inner game,” are just as important and really affect every aspect of their leadership and its impact.
Today Akua looks at leadership through the lens of the “inner game approach,” an idea introduced through a book by Timothy Gallway called The Inner Game of Tennis, the Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance. She’ll talk about the methodology and how it perfectly applies to the business world and how you can use it to increase your influence and leadership impact.
Highlights in this episode:
- There are three dimensions to the inner game, awareness, alertness, and focus.
- Like sports, leadership starts on the inside; you can lose before you even set foot on the court or boardroom if you’re not in the right frame of mind.
- Business is full of paradoxes, tensions, and dualities. When you get conflicting information about leadership, remember there is no one “right way” to be.
- Find out how a leadership coach can guide you in getting your inner game into peak performance mode.
If you’ve enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua’s 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It’s the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
- Ep 71: Learn about Akua’s 3-Step Leadership Framework
- Episode 79: Leadership is Influence
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Overcome your resistance to change as Akua talks to Ghanaian CEO Alex Bram. Akua and Alex talk about the importance of being self-aware and in tune with your team and the climate around you in order to provide products needed to solve problems. They also talk about the need for authenticity and honesty in leading a company and why it's crucial to make bold changes and mini-pivots in this fast-changing world.
This episode will inspire business leaders as Alex talks about co-founding fintech company Hubtel and the pivots he has made, allowing him to bootstrap it to 25 million in just 8 years.
Alex is a co-founder of SMSGH (now Hubtel), who has successfully led Hubtel's pivot from a leading SMS messaging provider into Ghana's leading payment services provider with an expanding market share in the growing quick-commerce industry.
Highlights in this episode:
- Learn the importance of authenticity and why people should come first in your business.
- CEOs face a lot of temptations that can distract from a business's core values. Alex talks about how he stays focused.
- Be sure to focus on the services you provide rather than too much on the brand.
- Don't get so wrapped up in doing things that you think make a business that you forget WHY you started the business.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Connect with Alex Bram:
Website: www.hubtel.com
LinkedIn: @AlexBram
Instagram: @thealexbram
Twitter: @thealexbram
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Whether you work with two people or 2,000 people, influence is a key leadership skill. Some might even say influence is synonymous with leadership. In this episode, Akua helps you recognize the importance of leveraging your influence and the role of self-reflection and communication in the process.
This episode is for you if you're a first-time manager, an established leader, or just feeling invisible in your current work environment.
Listen as Akua dives into the four pillars of influence: power, emotions, acumen, and non-verbal signals/visuals. You'll learn about each and identify one pillar you may want to improve upon to take your leadership skills to the next level.
Highlights in this episode:
- Akua talks about the ways to increase your power, including being able to adapt, empathize, and be open to listening.
- Learn the difference between the power approach and the influence approach and why good leaders know when to use which.
- Strong leadership requires empathy; one way to practice is to cultivate your own self-awareness.
- To wield influence, one must be able to apply skills and knowledge effectively and in the right way, i.e., acumen.
- Realize you are always communicating, even if you're not talking.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
- Ep 71: A Remarkable 2022 and What’s Up Next
- Five Steps to Become More Confident and Assertive
- Power versus Influence
- Understand the 4 Components of Influence
- What Great Leaders Know About Influence
- Influencing Styles and How to Use Them
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Do your words match your actions? Are you “being the message?” How you communicate with others (and yourself) is key when it comes to being a conscious leader. This week Akua, an executive and leadership coach, talks about the importance of reflecting on your communication style and aligning what you say with what you value.
Akua dives into what she means by “being the message,” a popular mantra among coaches and advisors. She also explains the three main communication styles, as well as three lessons around communicating as a leader, cultivating our awareness around how to engage while keeping in mind the culture in which we find ourselves.
How we communicate or come across is often overlooked, but being self-aware about our communication style and how it is perceived allows more effective engagement and, ultimately, influences our team.
Highlights in this episode:
- Learn the importance of body language and visual cues and how they can affect others’ perceptions.
- Akua defines the three main communication styles and reveals the most effective communication style for conscious leaders.
- Discover how to overcome someone’s preconceived notions of you and your abilities based on superficial traits like accent or gender.
- A leader’s communication style can vary based on the environment and workplace (or national) culture.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
- Understanding Your Communication Style
If you’ve enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua’s 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It’s the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Today's guest, JR Kanu, is an entrepreneur, design thinking coach, and the author of "Money Brain: Career and Money Management in Your 20s and 30s." He is also the founder and CEO of REACH, working with businesses to understand their consumers and helping individuals who want clarity on their personal finances.
In this episode, host Akua Nyame-Mensah talks with JR about the evolution of his business and how self-awareness and reflection have ensured growth and continued success. He also talks about the fascinating five-step framework that makes up transaction informatics (the methodology used) for allowing you to always have your finger on the pulse of your target audience's needs.
JR Kanu holds an MBA from Stanford University, a Master's in Journalism from NYU, and a BA in Engineering from Calvin College.
Highlights in this episode:
- JR talks about why he began REACH, a company that helps others learn about their finances and where their money is going.
- Learn how working to solve the problems of your consumers can help you add new revenue streams.
- Reflecting and being introspective is crucial in building a business, as is going out and engaging with people different from you.
- Learn about the five spending personalities and how they fit into transaction informatics.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Resources mentioned in the episode:
- The 9x9 Annual Retrospective Worksheet
- Find out your spending personality
Connect with JR Kanu:
LinkedIn:@jrkanu
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Do you feel stressed, busy, and short on time? If so, it's time to get a handle on what you do and when you do it. Here, Akua expands on last week's episode, cultivating self-awareness and presenting your personality in the form of SOPs to team members. This week, Akua focuses specifically on how to be more time-aware as a conscious leader and how it can help you move from fire-fighting mode into strategic leadership.
Find out what questions to ask yourself and how to reflect on your time management to become more productive, prioritize better, and protect one of your most precious commodities - your time!
Akua walks you through the steps she uses to do a time audit, not just to find out what you do and when, but how you feel during those times. This helps prioritize different tasks depending on the time of day or even the day of the week.
Highlights in this episode:
- Knowing your own personality isn't complete unless you understand your relationship with time.
- How leaders spend their time is a true indicator of what is truly valued; because everyone is different, they will prioritize their time differently.
- Akua gives a valuable list of questions to ask yourself about your own personality and how it relates to time management and productivity.
- Learn how to create boundaries around your time in order for your team members to best utilize you.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Recourses mentioned in the episode:
- Blog post:Time is Manufactured in the Mind
- Blog post: The Best Questions to Ask to Quickly Realign With Your TOP Priorities
- Blog post: 10 Exercises You Can Do to Increase Productivity And Practice Mindfulness Every Day as a Busy Business Owner
- Blog post: 3 Steps to Prioritize Better
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Cultivating self-awareness in order to become a conscious leader is essential. In this episode, Akua guides you in reflecting on your communication style, decision-making style, and how you respond in stressful situations and how this relates to your innate personality.
She'll also discuss the concept of personality and how it is not set in stone but constantly evolving. Like an operating system, it is continually updating and can be influenced and changed.
If you're ready for a "reboot," listen in as Akua takes you through some exercises that she uses with her clients that will help you become more self-aware and communicate what you've learned to your team so that you can get the support you need efficiently and effectively while avoiding potential conflicts.
Highlights in this episode:
- Akua talks about personality and the common misconception that it is static when it is more like an operating system that evolves over time.
- Learn some of the key questions conscious leaders should ask themselves to ensure they remain influential and effective while engaging their team and making meaningful connections.
- While knowing your personality is important, it is essential that you also learn how your team members perceive you by utilizing feedback and assessments.
- Akua talks about developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for your personality - a way to give others instructions on how to utilize your strengths best.
Resources Mentioned:
- Blog: Top 5 Leadership Lessons You Need To Know
- Blog: I'm My Own Worst Enemy: 7 Free Tools to Build Self-Awareness
- Podcast Ep 25: #AskAkua: Leadership Lessons
- Podcast Ep74: Reflections for Conscious Leaders
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Taking time to reflect is essential to being a conscious leader and moving forward effectively. In this episode, your host Akua dives deeper into how founders and leaders can reflect, what specifically to consider when reflecting, and how to make the most of the people around them who can help get them to the next level.
If you're wondering how to use reflection to surround yourself with inspiration, innovation, and the best people, this episode is for you. Akua talks about diversity and inclusion, how to create an environment of psychological safety at work, and why hiring people with differing personalities, beliefs, and experiences is key.
Importantly, listeners will discover how to take their reflection sessions (or "headspace sessions") and make them actionable in the workplace.
Highlights in this episode:
- It's essential for leaders and founders to create time to reflect on how they will do things differently moving forward.
- Conscious leaders recognize their biases and build systems and processes to check themselves. They recognize that diversity challenges them and helps them grow.
- Learn the three dimensions of diversity all conscious leaders should reflect on and what to keep in mind when it comes to making the most of your team.
- Get an actionable 3-step process to make it easier to engage and share with your team and create a psychologically safe work environment.
- Akua shares her Power of Introductions philosophy and how it can help keep you from making assumptions about co-workers.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Resources Mentioned:
- Blog: DEIB in Africa: Beyond Race & LGBTQ - Context Matters
- Blog:The 4 Most Common Types of Bias in Business
- Ep 25: #AskAkua Leadership Lessons
- Ep 14: I Hate Asking For Help, You Probably Do Too
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
If you’re a leader who is constantly firefighting and feels like you’re not as effective or influential as you’d like to be, today’s episode is for you. Learn how to go from a reactive to a proactive leader by clearing more headspace so you can be a more conscious leader, able to see the big picture in your business.
Executive and Leadership coach Akua Nyame-Mensah gives you insight into her See Better Method, the key to having more headspace and the capacity to make more strategic, rather than tactical, decisions.
This episode will be especially helpful if you are a high-achiever in business, a founder, or a proactive leader in the corporate or service provider space who feels like you’ve hit a plateau and aren’t as effective as you’d like.
Highlights in this episode:
- The subconscious mind makes up more than 90% of our brain power and includes things like bodily functions and making memories.
- Why it’s important to create headspace to be a more conscious and strategic leader.
- Self-awareness is the first step in Akua’s 3-step leadership process, called the “See Better Method.”
- Cultivating our self-awareness and making more headspace is a cyclical process. As leaders, you always need to be open to reflection.
- Akua talks about the importance of building a routine around self-reflection and actively scheduling the time.
- Find out how to hold yourself accountable when it comes to reflection and being more conscious.
- To move forward and grow, you may find yourself needing to first slow down a bit, and that’s okay!
- Akua has limited spots available for 1:1 executive and leadership coaching program for proactive leaders who are ready to take their Leadership to the next level.
Resources mentioned:
- Getting on the Balcony to Get a Bird's-Eye View
If you’ve enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua’s 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It’s the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.
*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Personal finance guru, Oluwatosin "Tosin" Olaseinde talks about growing into her role as CEO, her growth as a leader and founder, and how it's okay not to have everything figured out.
Founder of financial literacy and investment platforms Money Africa and Ladda, Tosin aims to democratize access and means of wealth-building for the long term. Tosin is famous in the world of personal finance in Africa as she helps others build their knowledge about finances and build their wealth through smart investments.
In this episode, Tosin speaks with host Akua Nyame-Mensah about the lessons she's learned, how her keen self-awareness has benefitted her in business, and why liking yourself is so important.
Highlights in this episode:
- Tosin reflects on her recent accomplishments, including receiving an award from the Nigerian Stock Exchange for investor education and financial inclusion.
- Learn why acknowledging your strengths allows you to address weaknesses.
- The importance of setting up structures in your business so it can run without you.
- You don't have to have all the answers; it's okay to learn while doing.
- Find out about Tosin's background, including her work as a senior financial analyst with CNBC Africa (Lagos) and Bloomberg TV Africa.
- Learn the economic issues Tosin believes are important for leaders and founders to keep in mind in today's financial climate.
- How does Tosin make time to share her teachings and thoughts on social media?
- Tosin talks about her company's future plans, including releasing an app to educate children about money.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to expand her network and build relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact many leaders worldwide.
Connect with Oluwatosin Olaseinde
Money Africa
Website: https://themoneyafrica.com/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tosinmoneyafrica/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/themoneyafrica
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyafrica/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/812950645554339
Ladda
Website: https://getladda.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ladda.ng/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getladda
Twitter: https://twitter.com/getladda
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
It's a new year and a new season of the Open Door Conversations podcast. In this short episode, Leadership and Executive Coach (and your host) Akua Nyame-Mensah, talks about her accomplishments over the past year and shares what you can expect from the upcoming season!
Akua will start the season by welcoming top leaders in their respective industries to talk about the first pillar of leadership, cultivating self-awareness. She'll also incorporate space for guests to celebrate their accomplishments with you. This empowering practice is important, especially for underrepresented groups, who often shy away from flexing their self-promotion muscle.
Akua talks about how she gained the confidence to promote herself through an initiative called #IamRemarkable, a group for which she is now a gold-tier facilitator.
Highlights from this episode:
- Akua "walks the talk" by celebrating some of her success throughout the past year, including supporting more than 600 business leaders worldwide!
- Akua supported 100+ International Coaching Federation members and was a finalist in the first-ever global #IAMREMARKABLE Awards.
- Learn about the three pillars of leadership, cultivating-self awareness, simplifying engagement, and setting expectations
- Discover why Akua believes self-awareness is key to successful leadership.
- Find out what to expect in the coming year on the podcast, including successful leaders who will share how they motivate themselves to engage with others and accomplish great things.
If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to expand her network and build relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact many leaders worldwide.
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Book Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
It's the last episode of 2022, and Akua is going over having a New Year, New Team. There is always the opportunity to reintroduce yourself to your team. People aren't robots, they evolve and change, and in order to keep your leadership relevant and influential, it's always a great idea to periodically reintroduce yourself. Akua calls it the "power of introductions."Akua works primarily alone when doing facilitation and coaching. But recently, she has been joining many new teams for short engagements, where they must come together quickly and not only work together but teach, coach, and facilitate dozens of important leaders. And do it immediately. So her recent experience has been a great reminder of important lessons for engaging a team.
As you end your year and make goals for the next, listen in to find out how to create a stronger, better, and more connected team.
Highlights in this episode:
- Akua talks about the 3-step process with which she supports leaders, including cultivating self-awareness, engaging and experimenting, and setting expectations for yourself and others.
- New teams need the opportunity to get to know each other. Existing teams need to re-engage and discover how the people they work with have evolved and shifted.
- You have the power to always think about who you are, where you're going, and what you need in your professional AND personal life.
- Leaders must be intentional about creating space for each team member to learn about themselves.
- Self-assessments are a great way to learn a vocabulary to talk about how a leader or team member is perceived, their preferences, etc.
- Knowing your team member's strengths and weaknesses is key, so you can cover for each other when you are working or presenting together.
- Akua talks about how to understand what success looks like and how to get there. She also encourages having a recovery plan for if/when things go off-track.
- Try to assume positive intent when working with a team - especially an ad hoc one when you don't know each other well.
- Encourage each team member to provide feedback early and often.
- Even if a team is not hierarchical, there still needs to be a clear decision-maker.
Want more tips for setting goals and making 2023 your best year yet? Check out these episodes of the Open Door Conversations Podcast:
- Ep 18: Want to Make Better Decisions? Rest More.
- Ep 20: Check In With Your Goals Now
- Ep 28: Goal-Setting Tricks
- Ep 55: How To Take a Holiday As a Founder
- Blog Post: Identifying and Overcoming Burnout
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
"I'm bootstrapping, which means that the talent I can afford right now is not as experienced as I would like." Sound familiar? In this #AskAkua episode of the Open Door Conversations podcast, Akua Nyame-Mensah gives insight on how to start a team on a limited budget and how to give your team more confidence to make decisions independently.
Bootstrapping looks different to every business, but this episode will give you a framework with which you can learn how to bring together or re-engage a team. Don't have a team? You will still get great information on discovering your business goals and how to meet them.
Getting clear on your budget is priority #1, as is realizing that what you pay and the value you receive are two different things. If you can't afford the talent you're looking for, ask yourself what problem you want to solve by hiring these people. Hire the people who are going to get you closer to hitting the goals you've set.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Learn the importance of getting clear on your budget and the problem you want to solve by hiring team members.
- Remember that there isn't a correlation between how much someone is paid and how much value they can provide.
- Hiring people with experience doesn't necessarily mean you will get the support you need.
- Realize that hiring experienced people may not save you time; they still need direction, acknowledgment, and to be engaged with.
- You don't need a clone of yourself; you need people who complement you and provide different perspectives.
- Be aware of your capacity and be realistic about what you can accomplish with your time.
- Your staff may not feel confident to make decisions because they haven't been validated or acknowledged. It's up to you to create systems and processes, so they feel comfortable.
- When a leader is constantly firefighting, usually, the first thing to be sacrificed is engaging and validating their team.
- The support you can afford can still meet your needs, but it might look different than you imagined. Think beyond the 9-5 structure. Consider hiring an expert who doesn't need direction for a task that needs doing.
- If you don't have the space to validate, teach, train, or coach an inexperienced team, don't hire one.
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Starting your own business, running a startup for someone else, or leading a team is a heavy weight to bear, and it’s easy to feel like you’re alone. But you don’t have to be. In this #AskAkua episode of the Open Door Conversations Podcast, leadership coach Akua Nyame-Mensah discusses the benefits of executive and leadership coaching, even if you’re already getting results as a leader.
She’ll help you identify if coaching is right for you. If you already know it is, you’ll learn how to convince your stakeholders that coaching is an important investment that ultimately affects their bottom line.
Remember that as a former startup leader, Akua shares her own one-sided perspective on these #AskAkua episodes, which is different from her client-driven coaching methods. These conversations are a means to provide you with the opportunity for reflection and a path to personal growth. As always, feel free to reach out to Akua in the DMs with any questions!
Highlights in this Episode:
- Akua talks about the massive difference she saw in her own leadership when she created and honored the space to engage with team members and set expectations appropriately.
- It’s important to realize coaching cannot be forced on people. They must be willing to change their behavior and believe change is possible.
- If you’re a leader who is getting results in your business, that doesn’t mean you don’t need coaching. You may not like the way you’re getting results or find your methods unsustainable.
- Learn to communicate the importance and the benefits of coaching to your stakeholders. Leadership affects the bottom line - the cost of bad leadership is high!
- There are two types of leaders that Akua supports: 1. Firefighting Badass 2. Well-connected But Over-extended Founder. Listen to find out which one you are.
- External vs. Internal coaching. Getting an external coach provides a different perspective and confidentiality.
- Realize that what got you this far as a leader will not necessarily get you where you want to go. Coaching can help you up level.
- Coaching gives leaders clarity on their blind spots and the support to do things in a way that feels good to them.
- It’s not necessary for you to find a coach that has “walked in your shoes.” - Someone outside of our sphere can actually give you another point of view.
- Find out the importance of communicating your coaching work with your team so they can help keep you accountable.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
EP 03:#AskAkua // Masking Feelings + Balance
Ep 18: Want to Make Better Decisions? Rest More
EP 14: I Hate Asking For Help, You Probably Do Too
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
In this episode, leadership coach Akua Nyame-Mensah shares the top 5 tools and apps that allow her to work more efficiently, connect with and convert clients, all while being more productive. These are tools that help her get exponential results in both business and her personal life and allow her to do more in less time.
Having recently done an audit of her revenue streams and where she spends her time inside her business, Akua recounts her experience doing the same with the tech tools she uses. The result: she managed to trim $500 worth of subscriptions for tools that weren't moving the needle in her business.
Find out which apps, programs, and tools made the cut and how they might help you level up your business. Too often, money and time are wasted on tools that don't get used or that actually distract us. When deciding where to invest in tools, ask yourself if it makes sense for the amount of time and energy you currently have.
Highlights in this episode:
- It's important to realize where your time is spent in relation to the money you're spending on software and apps.
- As someone who works online across several time zones, Akua's schedule needs to be on point. One of her top tools for business is an online time converter allowing her to align her schedule with clients more easily.
- Akua is still a huge fan of Evernote but describes why MS OneNote has been essential (and more cost-effective) for her to use in her business.
- Canva, a free design tool with the option for a paid pro account, has saved Akua tons of time and allowed her to look more professional online.
- Akua talks about how she uses GoogleDocs to keep track of all collateral for participants of her workshops and leadership programs.
- GoogleDocs allows for easy sharing and editing and has much more flexibility than PDFdocuments. It's also great for tagging people, collaborating on documents, leaving comments, or suggesting edits.
- Akua admits to the app she commonly uses for partner projects but doesn't like.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Episode 32: #askAkua - The 5 Top Productivity Tools You Need to Know.
What are the tools you can't live without in your business? Share them with Akua by emailing her at akuanm@akua.com.
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Being a leader/manager/founder in a foreign country poses a unique set of challenges, especially one where you stick out as being foreign. Founder and American expat living in Mauritius, Chris Suzdak joins Leadership Coach Akua Nyame-Mensah to talk about what it’s like to work and start a business in a foreign country. He also discusses his leadership journey and his experiences with executive coaching.
Chris has worked across the African continent for several years and is now based in Mauritius. He is a founder of a new startup, CoffeeChat, a coaching platform trusted by top companies across Africa. From interns to CEOs, CoffeeChat helps democratize access to personalized coaching sessions with peers and professionals to accelerate their growth.
In this episode, you’ll learn about Chris’s leadership journey, from learning to manage large teams to becoming a founder and now looking ahead to building his own team. Chris talks about working with multiple coaches while scaling up teams in Malawi and Zambia and how those experiences inspired him to start CoffeeChat.
Highlights in this episode:
- Chris talks about his motivation to work abroad and how he became a Country Director at a for-profit social enterprise in Malawi, One Acre Fund.
- An interest in economic development while in college led Chris to Ghana and an early career move into the international development space.
- Learn about the unique perspective Chris has as a founder working in a foreign country.
- Chris talks candidly about mistakes he made in business and how the reasons for those mistakes are blurred between being young and naive and being in a foreign culture.
- Leadership coaching had a profound effect on Chris. He and Akua talked about the benefits and the objections that some have to coaching.
- Coaching is not a punishment. Akua points out the importance of investing in coaching for good employees rather than those who aren’t performing well.
- Discover how Chris cultivated self-awareness, realizing which type of leadership role would be the best for him
- Chris explains the business he founded, CoffeeChat, a marketplace for coaching, and how it allows for exploring the different types of coaching.
- His goal is to help companies who know the value of coaching invest in a more efficient way that empowers managers to find the coach/coaching that works best for them.
Connect with Chris Suzdak:
LinkedIn: @ chrissuzdak
Website: https://www.coffeechat.co/
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Many entrepreneurs are multi-passionate individuals who always have lots of new ideas. It can be hard to focus on just one thing, like your startup, business, or project at hand. Sounds familiar?
In today's #AskAkua episode, Executive Leadership Coach Akua Nyame-Mensah answers a question she received via Twitter: How do I stop myself from seeing problems and coming up with new ideas while focusing on my startup?
This is an applicable question for any sector of business, whether you're a CEO, manager, or team leader. Learn how to recognize whether focusing on a problem serves you or if it's a symptom of overwhelm. You'll also learn the importance of managing your expectations and welcoming new ideas without letting them monopolize your attention.
Highlights from the episode:
- Most entrepreneurs struggle with seeing problems and wanting to fix them.
- Remember: perfectionism is the enemy - a symptom of overwhelm.
- Humans are naturally negative, but it is sometimes just a habit that can be broken.
- It is important to recognize when things are going well and take time to celebrate and acknowledge your wins.
- Learn some strategies for changing your negative perspective into positive thinking.
- Many times our "problems" are a matter of perspective. Try reframing and ask yourself if focusing on this problem is serving you.
- Recognize that your ability to "stop seeing problems" may not stop, but how you talk or communicate about the issue can shift.
- If you have lots of ideas but want to focus, ask yourself, "Can I have many projects in development at once?" Everyone is different.
- Feeling overwhelmed with ideas? Write them down, keep a notebook or use Evernote or OneNote for easy access later.
- Be intentional about focusing only on the things that will help you attain your goals.
- Realistic expectations are important. Be aware you may be setting your sights too high for the energy and time you have.
- Look for external influences that could be hindering your ability to build better habits. (E.g., are you getting enough rest?)
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Podcast episode 18: Want to Make Better Decisions? Rest More!
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Taking over a team that already has structures and work culture in place can be daunting. Set yourself up for success with advice from Executive Leadership Coach Akua Nyame-Mensah she will tell you the steps you need to take for a smooth transition.
This episode is relevant for any leader, especially if you are taking over a department/company, are inheriting a CEO role from a founder, or taking over another person’s online business. If you are a leader, this episode will provide you with tangible, actionable steps you can take as you assume your new role.
Listen as Akua talks about her own experiences in taking over leadership roles and her experiences coaching others through the same. Find out some of the pitfalls and how to avoid them, remembering that there is no one “right way” to lead. Here is a framework from which you can work to become more self-aware, engage meaningfully, and set realistic expectations.
Highlights in this episode:
- Akua talks about how taking over a new market within her business gave her the opportunity to discover coaching as a way to engage better with her team.
- When you take over an already-established leadership role, the first step is self-awareness.
- Recognize and accept that you’re starting something new and realize you’ll show up differently in this new space.
- Reflect on your strengths as a leader.
- Be mindful of the poor leadership habits you could slip into when you get uncomfortable, like people pleasing or not setting boundaries.
- Learn the importance of engaging with your team as a group and as individuals.
- Set time boundaries for yourself. Tell yourself you will wait to make decisions until you’ve had time to understand the needs of the team.
- LISTEN.
- Use a timeline to check progress and assess whether additional resources are needed.
- Make sure you set realistic expectations for your team.
- Learn the signs of overwhelm and how to combat it.
Note from Akua: Are you interested in having more conversations like this with other leaders? These are the kinds of conversations we will have in my new community and container. If you are an action-oriented and accomplished professional who is pivoting into service-based entrepreneurship and are ready to get out of theory and into practice, join my waitlist to cut through the noise and get to the money here: www.akuanm.com/cheatcode
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Blog Post: 3 Tips on How to Become an Effective and Impactful Leader
Blog Post: How to Stop People-Pleasing And Set Better Boundaries In Business
Blog Post: 10 Exercises You Can Do to Increase Productivity And Practice Mindfulness Every Day as a Busy Business Owner
Blog Post: My Decade in Review: Professional Lessons + Reflections
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Networking can inspire dread in a business leader, but taking time to build relationships is a necessary investment, helping fill knowledge gaps, identify opportunities, and ultimately, go farther and faster in business.
In this episode, Akua Nyame-Mensah talks to executive coach/author Karen Jaw-Madson about how networking should be included in our daily habits, how to create authentic relationships, and how to play a role in helping to connect others as well. Don't let networking fall by the wayside because you lack confidence or don't know how to follow up after an initial meeting. Networking is like a flywheel; small efforts over time create momentum and compound as our web of relationships grows.
Karen Jaw-Madson is a principal at Co.-Design of Work Experience, Editor-in-Chief of A New HR, author of "Culture Your Culture: Innovating Experiences at Work," and an instructor at Stanford University's Continuing Studies Program. She enables decision-makers to address organizational challenges that affect business performance, including leadership, company culture, talent optimization, and change management. She's also an investor and advisor to startups, lending her expertise - and vast network - to help others.
Matching needs with others' strengths.
Highlights in this episode:
- Akua and Karen talk about how their relationship is the result of networking - they would never have met if their mutual friend Kirin Kalia hadn't connected them.
- Karen offers advice for business leaders who want to do good by connecting with others.
- Learn how networking is a skill that can be developed with practice.
- Karen talks about the psychology of networking and how we are social creatures who need to make connections to survive.
- Connecting others is a great way to be an ally, creating an access point for people who may not otherwise have one.
- Karen talks about how working at many levels within organizations gives a helpful perspective to support an entire organization.
- Hear specific examples of how Karen's networking led to several book collaborations, some of which had many co-authors, which expanded her network even more.
- Love to learn? Karen talks about books she's contributing to and their fascinating topics, including writing a chapter for one book on hubris and how leaders can avoid it by being open to learning.
Mentioned in this episode:
Find a list of Karen Jaw-Madson’s books here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenjawmadson/details/publications/
A note from Akua: Enjoy this podcast content and guests? These are the kinds of conversations (and amazing humans) we will have in my new community and container. If you are an action-oriented and accomplished professional who is pivoting into service-based entrepreneurship and are ready to get out of theory and into practice, join my waitlist to cut through the noise and get to the money here: www.akuanm.com/cheatcode
Connect with Karen Jaw-Madson:
Websites: www.designofworkexperience.com and www.anewhr.com
Twitter: @karenjaw and @aNewHR
Facebook: @designofworkexperience and @ANewHR
Instagram: @co.designofworkexp and @a.new.hr
https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenjawmadson/
LinkedIn: @karenjawmadson and @company/co--/
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Get the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Work with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/work
Hire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking
Should a boss, CEO, or company leader be friends with employees? On this #AskAkua episode, Certified Executive Leadership Coach Akua Nyame-Mensah delves into her experience and perspective regarding friendships and relationships at work.
Depending on the culture in which you work, industry and sector, and even the stage of the organization's growth, relationships, and their meanings can vary. And because no leader is the same, friendships can look different from person to person. But no matter what, when it comes to being a leader, it's imperative to maintain respect, treat employees and teams equally, and have appropriate boundaries.
Find out Akua's three-step framework for deciding how to approach workplace relationships, starting with a core leadership tool - cultivating self-awareness. She'll also discuss issues you, as a leader, should focus on to ensure productive employees who are comfortable approaching you for support.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Akua talks about the difference between being "friends" and being "friendly" in the workplace.
- Because all leaders are different, leaders need to define friendship and what that means to them and their unique situation.
- To help evaluate your relationships with employees, it can be helpful to reflect on a past relationship you had with a boss and what felt comfortable to you. Akua uses a former boss as an example.
- Being friendly as a boss means you are approachable, polite, and (appropriately) vulnerable.
- Leaders should not aim for friendship but should create an environment where people feel comfortable coming to them for support and advocating for themselves in the workplace.
- Akua talks about the importance of psychological safety and whether team members enjoy working together.
- Akua discusses her 3 step framework for evaluating friendships at work.
- A workplace should not be viewed as "family," as this can be a manipulative term. Employees are not family - they are there to hold each other responsible in an intentional and human way.
- A leader's boundaries should be clear and communicated often.
Are you interested in having more conversations like this with other leaders? These are the kinds of conversations we will have in my new community and container. If you are an action-oriented and accomplished professional who is pivoting into service-based entrepreneurship and are ready to get out of theory and into practice, join my waitlist to cut through the noise and get to the money here: www.akuanm.com/cheatcode
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
We're into the fourth quarter of 2022. Do you know where your finances are? If you're a coach or consultant, or just someone self-employed, It's important to check in annually - even quarterly - so you can assess what is working for you and, just as importantly, what isn't. That way, you can pivot your energy as necessary.
In this episode, Akua Nyame-Mensah breaks down her finances in her own quarterly review to help shed some light on how she makes money as a self-employed certified leadership coach and to share her perspective while giving you ideas of offers to add to your portfolio.
Listen in to learn how you can diversify your revenue streams and discover how to take your coaching beyond 1:1, which Akua loves, but recognizes it's not the only - or even the best - way to generate a living as a coach. You'll receive ideas on what to reflect on to make sure you're working towards your goals as a business coach and leader.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Akua describes the multiple ways she's worked for herself in four years of being self-employed, including affiliate marketing and consulting.
- Learn to differentiate between where you make your money and where you spend your time.
- Find out Akua's four basic ways of making money as a coach.
- Akua's signature offer, the Proactive Leader, is a process through which she leads her one-on-one clients. This serves as her main source of income.
- Though she was once a reluctant speaker, Akua now does a lot of public speaking and workshops around the topic of leadership, self-management, productivity, and others.
- As a coach, doing group work can be transformational, as participants see that others struggle with similar issues, and they can lean on each other for accountability.
- Partner projects are a great way to join existing projects without having to do the marketing or business development. But as a kind of subcontractor, these don't make as much money as getting clients yourself.
- Working with other coaches and learning new skills is a great upside to working on partner projects.
- Consulting is the fourth way Akua brings in revenue, and unsurprisingly, given its only 11% of her income, it's Akua's least favorite way to make money.
- Akua breaks down the percentages of each income activity and how she uses the information to make business decisions going forward.
- Financial analysis of your business is important to confirm that the assumptions you make about where your money is coming from is correct. You might be surprised!
A note from Akua: Enjoy this podcast content and guests? Do you keep track of your budget, how you're making money, and where your money goes? I'd love to know! These are the kinds of conversations we will have in my new community and container. If you are an action-oriented and accomplished professional who is pivoting into service-based entrepreneurship and are ready to get out of theory and into practice, join my waitlist to cut through the noise and get to the money here: www.akuanm.com/cheatcode
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Podcast Episode #20: Check in With Your Goals Now
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
If you've ever worked for a company or a family business and you didn't feel like it was a good fit, you'll be inspired by this episode as Sherul Mehta joins Akua to share how he leveraged his vast experience to become an entrepreneur, investor, and operator.
Knowing the value of IT in business, Sherul studied computer science and business management while at university. He went to work at Goldman Sachs, then joined his family's diamond business. Finding himself bored and unfulfilled, Sherul went into business with his cousin, where he acquired two businesses that focus on helping entrepreneurs and businesses grow. Listen in to find out how acquiring these businesses helped him build his own!
Sherul also discusses the three main pillars he believes are core in supporting entrepreneurs, gives his advice to founders and service providers, and discusses what it's like to work with family.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Sherul talks about his background and how he pivoted to entrepreneurship.
- Learn how working for the family diamond business found him unfulfilled but how he kept his new ventures in the family.
- Sherul talks about how he acquired his first business and was able to use its success as a learning tool and blueprint.
- Find out the advice Sherul gives to founders who might be looking to get acquired.
- The two discuss the three pillars needed to succeed in business: a strong tech team, a marketing team, and a design team.
- Sherul talks about his company Delesign, which offers dedicated design work at a fraction of the cost of an in-house designer.
- Discover how he leveraged Delesign to build his business, Scale Your Podcast, which helps podcasters increase engagement.
- Service providers who are starting out should know their audience and who they're creating their service for. Sherul gives real-life examples.
- Sherul talks about the difference between launching a business and running a business.
- Find out which Belgian national team Sherul plays for.
A note from Akua: Enjoy this podcast content and guests? These are the kinds of conversations (and amazing humans) we will have in my new community and container. If you are an action-oriented and accomplished professional who is pivoting into service-based entrepreneurship and are ready to get out of theory and into practice, join my waitlist to cut through the noise and get to the money here: www.akuanm.com/cheatcode
Connect with Sherul Mehta:
Website: https://mehtasherul.com/
Twitter: @mehtasherul
Delesign: Delesign.com
Scale Your Podcast: Scaleyourpodcastmarketing.com
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Investing in outside support for your team can be intimidating. If you are a business leader, founder, or manager, you might be asking yourself what kind of service provider to invest in for that support and how to get the most out of your investment.
Here you will learn why it's important to reflect on the type of help your team needs, and all about pricing and whether the cost of bringing in a professional is worth the investment.
As a certified professional coach, facilitator, and speaker, Akua Nyame-Mensah has an insider's perspective on pricing and budget to share with you. She'll also help define what success looks like as you're supporting your team or individual.
This episode is the last in a three-part #ASKAkua series in which Akua guides you through the process of finding an outside service provider to support your team or a team member.
In part one, Akua talks about how to identify if your team could benefit from a professional coach. In part two, she discusses the types of service providers and the differences between a course, workshop, and coaching.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Because each team is different, Akua shares the importance of coming up with your own metrics and approaches when you are thinking about working with a coach, trainer, or facilitator.
- Akua describes some misconceptions decision makers often have when considering external learning and development service providers.
- When working with someone outside your business, it's important to consider timelines, scope, and pricing.
- As you're engaging with the possible service provider, keep in mind who this person will be supporting. Is it you, your team, or an individual?
- Understand this potential service provider's direct experience. Are they going to deliver content, or are they facilitating, or both?
- Akua outlines the questions you need to ask about a service provider: Are they part of a larger company or a "one-man band"?
- When it comes to pricing, you want to know your budget beforehand. It saves a lot of time and energy for both sides.
- When you hire a service provider, don't ask for an hourly rate. Providers are pricing based on the result they hope to bring you, not the time. Remember, you are paying for the experience and possibly even additional accountability after the training is over.
- Akua talks about the many things involved behind the scenes when it comes to a service provider's time. It's not just that "one hour" of consulting.
- When comparing prices and coaches, remember that price is not a good indicator of their impact.
- Akua talks about overwhelm when it comes to reacting to a provider's cost and puts it all into perspective.
A note from Akua: Enjoy this podcast content and guests? These are the kinds of conversations (and amazing humans) we will have in my new community and container. If you are an action-oriented and accomplished professional who is pivoting into service-based entrepreneurship and are ready to get out of theory and into practice, join my waitlist to cut through the noise and get to the money here: www.akuanm.com/cheatcode
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Find out the three top issues that coaches and consultants face when starting their businesses and why it’s important to master them to be a successful executive and leadership coach!
If you are interested in starting or growing your own coaching or consulting practice or want to find out how to get clients consistently, you don’t want to miss this episode.
Leadership and Executive Coach Akua Nyame-Mensah comes to you from the business side of her coaching business to reveal the results of a survey of accomplished professionals who are either new coaches or considering becoming a coach.
She also invites new and aspiring coaches to become Beta members of her new coaching container. There you will find new approaches to solving the roadblocks facing coaches, receive support and accountability in achieving your goals, and gain access to experts and content that will be game-changing in growing your coaching business.
Highlights in this episode:
- Akua describes the reasoning behind her survey and who participated.
- Akua’s background is a classically trained International Coaching Federation Coach, but she acknowledges there are many ways to become a coach.
- Respondents were most concerned about how to find paying clients.
- Akua stresses that even if you are a coach “in training,” you still provide value - don’t undercharge!
- Because many coaches are heart-centered, it’s a common mistake not to think about our coaching from a business perspective, and it can be challenging to get accountability.
- Akua talks about the importance of boundaries and separating yourself from your coaching business.
- Understand why it’s important to create a repeatable process that can evolve over time when it comes to your coaching business.
- In coaching and consulting, it’s important to know where to spend time and energy. Some invest more time in training rather than attracting clients.
- Having a process and a schedule is important to make sure you get the rest you need.
- With so many coaching tools, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It’s important to surround yourself with many coaches and learn from their experiences and which tools worked for them.
- Successful executive and leadership coaches are able to focus on the problem they are trying to solve.
- Find out about Akua’s coaching container she aims to co-create with other coaches.
A note from Akua: Enjoy this podcast content and guests. These are the kinds of conversations (and amazing humans) we will have in my new community and container. If you are an action-oriented and accomplished professional who is pivoting into service-based entrepreneurship and are ready to get out of theory and into practice, join my waitlist to cut through the noise and get to the money here: www.akuanm.com/cheatcode
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Get inspired by Jokotola Edu "Joko," an entrepreneur who has pivoted careers several times and has a wealth of experiences in different countries and sectors. In this episode, Akua welcomes Joko to chat about her perspective on being able to evolve and adjust the definition of success.
Joko is the founder of Joko Edu, a stationary company using storytelling to highlight and preserve the rich culture and history of Africa. She tells the story of how she fell in love with history while going to Gustavus Adolphus College in the US. There she learned US history from many perspectives and wished she knew the same about her home country of Nigeria. Eventually, this curiosity would inspire her to create Joko Edu.
From banking to the education sector, bag design, and finally, entrepreneurship, find out how Joko has evolved her definition of success and learned how letting go is not a sign of failure.
Highlights In This Episode:
- Joko describes her background and how she came to be an entrepreneur.
- She talks about how learning history can help us avoid past mistakes.
- Joko describes her fascinating education experiences, including doing a study abroad in Europe while already abroad in the US.
- Akua and Joko talk about the educational system in Nigeria and how Joko found herself working in the public sector as a teacher in a village.
- Learn how Joko decided to shift away from bag design after her passion for it disappeared and how she felt when she let it go.
- Discover why Joko started her stationary business and how she uses storytelling to help promote Africa's history and culture.
- Joko talks about her new journal that she will launch soon, called: Inscribe, including fun, non-traditional writing prompts to help users evoke joy.
- Akua asks Joko about living in a challenging city like Lagos and reminds us that it's okay to acknowledge when we live in a challenging situation.
A note from Akua: Enjoy this podcast content and guests? These are the kinds of conversations (and amazing humans) we will have in my new community and container. If you are an action-oriented and accomplished professional who is pivoting into service-based entrepreneurship and are ready to get out of theory and into practice, join my waitlist to cut through the noise and get to the money here: www.akuanm.com/cheatcode
Contact with Jokotola Edu:
Joko’s personal IG: @jokotolaedu
Website: Jokoedu.com
Instagram: @jokoedu
Linked In: @joko-edu
Twitter: @Joko Edu
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
As a team leader, department head, or founder, it can be challenging to know where to invest in order to increase your team’s capacity. In this episode, coach and facilitator Akua Nyame-Mensah talks about the different questions you need to ask yourself in order to decide if a training, workshop, or course would be most beneficial to your employees and team members.
With so many online and in-person options, it can be hard to know where to start. Here you’ll find out important differences between training, workshop, and course, and then what questions to reflect on to make sure you are investing in the right place and the right people.
This is the second in a three-part series; the first part is about whether hiring a coach is a good investment for all employees, and the third part will be focused on ways to find the right person to deliver the appropriate support to your team.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Be sure to engage with the team, so you know what they actually need. It might not be what you think!
- Be sensitive to whether your team is open to consuming the information/training they are given and whether they have the capacity to implement and test what they learn.
- Akua outlines the difference between a workshop and training. A training is more direct, typically has a standard approach, and teaches hard skills.
- A workshop is usually a group having intensive discussion and activity that is not as prescriptive as training. It’s more of a personalized approach.
- Group coaching has similar outcomes to a workshop.
- Courses are becoming increasingly important as a tool for capacity building. A course is typically a little bit more like a training.
- A course is not the best for those with poor time management skills.
- Akua gives leaders key questions you can ask yourself to get clarity on the type of service provider you might need for your team.
- You need to know if you have the capacity to reinforce what your team learns.
- What are your teams’ learning styles? Are they open to getting support?
- How long does your team need support? Do they need one-off training or support over a longer period?
- Ask yourself if your desired result is realistic.
- There are many advantages to online vs. in-person support because you can have access to the facilitator beyond the initial engagement. A good service provider should be able to deliver in many forms of media.
- Budget can be a factor for many leaders looking for support, but don’t make it your main thing. Remember, support is an investment.
Resources Mentioned in the episode:
Ep 53: #AskAkua Episode: Listen to This if You are Thinking About Investing in a Professional Coach
A note from Akua: Enjoy this podcast content and guests? These are the kinds of conversations (and amazing humans) we will have in my new community and container. If you are an action-oriented and accomplished professional who is pivoting into service-based entrepreneurship and are ready to get out of theory and into practice, join my waitlist to cut through the noise and get to the money here: www.akuanm.com/cheatcode
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
If you’re a CEO, founder, or solopreneur who thinks it’s impossible to take time off, or you’re afraid of missing out on money or helping a client, this episode is for you. Leadership coach Akua Nyame-Mensah is back from vacation, and she’s ready to share how she prepared for her time off so that she could return feeling re-energized, rested, and not overwhelmed with a backlog of work.
Learn what Akua feels she did well in prepping for her holiday, how to make the most of your own vacation, and what to do upon return to ensure you won’t feel like you need another break to recover from your vacation!
Understanding yourself is the most important thing you do to make your business profitable and productive - this goes for taking breaks as well. Knowing what recharges your batteries and visualizing what a restful holiday means for you is the best way to start planning for some time off.
Highlights in this episode:
- Akua talks about reflecting on what a restful vacation looks like for you. For more on what this means, check out this episode Akua did on the subject of rest.
- The importance of figuring out how much you want to engage in your business while you’re on a break.
- Ask yourself what will continue running while you’re gone (like social media and newsletters) and what you’ll take a complete break from (like client meetings).
- Make it easier on yourself by easing out of work. Don’t start any new projects before you go on holiday.
- Letting your clients and support staff know you are going on leave well in advance is crucial. Some people like setting up an out-of-office reply as well.
- Be intentional about how you want to spend your time on your vacation. Akua talks about her goals from her break.
- In order to stay in vacation mode, Akua went to a place that had no internet or no tv, allowing her to unplug completely for several days.
- Traveling with people and family can be tiring, so it’s important to give yourself a buffer to rest before going back to work.
- If you don’t have time to take a holiday, you can always start with a couple of days to rest and recharge.
- After your break, don’t forget to take time to reflect on what went well and what didn’t so that you can do things even better for your next holiday!
A note from Akua: Enjoy this podcast content and guests? These are the kinds of conversations (and amazing humans) we will have in my new community and container. If you are an action-oriented and accomplished professional who is pivoting into service-based entrepreneurship and are ready to get out of theory and into practice, join my waitlist to cut through the noise and get to the money here: www.akuanm.com/cheatcode
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Kuorkor Dzani is a serial entrepreneur who has successfully started and grown several businesses while working a full-time day job. Today she joins Executive Leadership Coach Akua Nyame-Mensah to share the secrets of building capacity when you are working a 9 to five and tending a side hustle (or several!).
By day, Kuorkor works in Ghana for a local lender. But as someone who gets energy from new ideas, she has also found time to start businesses, including Twists & Locs, Indigo, Kiddie Med, and Joey the Brand. She has a passion for natural remedies and healthful living, and as founder of Ghana’s first natural hair salon, Kuorkor has changed the conversation around - and the landscape of - hair in Ghana.
Though she is very free-flowing when it comes to her personality, structure, and scheduling is the core of Kuorkor’s work life. Discover her other secrets on managing time and energy in this episode!
Highlights in This Episode:
- Kuorkor describes how the ideas for her businesses were born.
- Akua and Kuorkor talk about the rise in popularity of natural hair in Ghana.
- Kuorkor gives advice for entrepreneurs who want to start a business while working a 9 to 5, including how to hire the right people to help them.
- How to build trust when it comes to hiring others to help you in your business.
- Ways to separate yourself from your business by putting systems in place.
- How collaborating with your employees and allowing them to share ideas will boost morale and help them feel they have value to contribute.
- Learn a little about Kuorkor’s interests outside of her businesses and job.
Connect with Kuorkor Dzani:
- Instagram: @justkuorkor
- Twitter: @justkuorkor
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
- Instagram: @akua_nm
- Website: www.akuanm.com
- LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
- Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership productivity Quiz
Leaders, CEOs, and founders who have benefited from great coaching know how powerful it can be in setting and achieving goals, so it's natural to want to recreate the experience for your team. But is hiring an external, professional coach a good investment for all employees?
On today's #AskAkua episode of the Open Door Conversations Podcast, certified executive and leadership coach Akua will answer this common question in depth so you can make the best decision when it comes to supporting your team. This is part 1 in a 3 part series that dives into Akua's perspective on coaching and what you can expect (and not expect) from working with a coach.
Akua believes everyone deserves a great coach and that anyone can benefit from coaching tools and techniques (almost immediately), but that does not mean everyone will necessarily benefit from a coach. In this episode, you'll learn why and how to pinpoint your employees' needs and support them best.
Finally, you'll get a list of helpful questions to help identify if a coach is the right fit for your employees or yourself!
Highlights from This Episode:
- There are many types and definitions of coaching; Akua defines hers based on the International Coaching Federation. She also explains what coaching is NOT.
- In order to benefit from coaching, you must be able to reflect and take action.
- Learn how Akua leverages coaching around helping you set and plan goals.
- Coachability is the ability to accept feedback and try to improve.
- Akua talks about how to recognize which employees are and are not coachable.
- Identify the best way to support your team members and why investing in outside coaching probably isn't the best choice.
- Coaching is based on relationships, so a coach that works for you may not be right for someone else.
- Why imposing coaching on someone is not productive.
- Learn what to ask when looking for the right coach for you or your team.
If you are interested in working with a certified executive and leadership coach, Akua would love to hear from you. She works with overwhelmed, entrepreneurial-minded leaders to help them increase productivity, improve performance and profitability, and, most importantly, build better relationships with their people.
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Employee retention is key to building a sustainable and scalable business. In this episode, Akua talks about what leaders, managers, and founders should look for in attrition rates and how to avoid high turnover.
During this era of “the great resignation,” employees reflect on the type of work they do and often take advantage of better or more aligned opportunities. Subsequently, it is more important than ever that leaders focus on retention and on the workers that are already in the company rather than constantly recruiting new ones.
Akua has personally experienced hiring and even firing hundreds of employees, and she is ready to share what she has learned and expose the seven true costs of losing an employee.
Highlights in this Episode:
- There are many hidden costs to losing an employee, and they are not just financial.
- “Losing” an employee also means when a worker is disengaged and not as productive as they should be.
- When you lose an employee, you also lose their institutional knowledge and processes they may have been involved in.
- Costs include the time and energy you take to hire and train a replacement.
- A new employee can take 1-2 years to reach top productivity.
- Psychological safety of current employees should be a consideration after an employee leaves or is let go. It’s important leaders address the situation.
- New people in your business mean more errors and mistakes due to inexperience.
- Leaders need to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to retention.
- Just as important as pay, workers want to feel valued.
- Employees should be aware of their impact on the bottom line, which can help motivate them.
- Onboarding and having the right processes and structures will help attract the right people to your business.
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Learn how confidence in the bedroom leads to confidence in the boardroom as Akua welcomes JingJin Liu, founder, and CEO of ZaZaZu. The two talk about the connection between sex education and female health, self-confidence, and how to overcome self-limiting beliefs.
Guest JingJin Liu is a serial entrepreneur, active Angel Investor, and Advisor to female-driven, early-stage startups. She has a corporate background, having served as the first and youngest woman to become Global Marketing Director at WABCO, managing portfolios of up to $800 million.
She started ZaZaZu in 2020 to help women navigate modern challenges both in the workplace and at home. It is the first platform of its kind in Asia. ZaZaZu aims to break taboos behind female health, sex education, and intimacy while empowering women in all aspects of their lives.
Highlights from this episode:
- JingJin talks about growing up as an outlier in Beijing and why she left for Germany at 16.
- The two talk about modern women's challenges in life and at work. Being a "good woman" often means being good for someone else (i.e., a good wife, mother, etc.)
- How building confidence from within is rooted in sexuality.
- Unlike men, women don't feel entitled to what they desire.
- How asking for what you want in the bedroom is the perfect practice for asking for a promotion or raise at work.
- When children are educated about sex, they are more confident in saying no.
- JingJin talks about how she avoids burnout as she strives to break the thousand-of-years-old taboos of talking about sex.
Contact JingJin Liu:
Website: Zazazu.vip:ZaZaZu - Empowering Women to Remove Self-Limiting Beliefs
LinkedIn: @jingjinLiu
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Akua is celebrating her 50th podcast episode! She’s sharing some words of wisdom about podcasting and what she’s learned about herself in the process, as well as the top three most popular episodes and what they offer.
It’s been about a year since Akua started releasing her weekly podcast episodes. If you’ve ever wanted to be a public speaker in any capacity or host your own podcast, Akua has some thoughts about how you can show up and be consistent.
Long-time listeners of the Open Door Conversations podcast know that even as an experienced speaker, Akua was terrified to start a podcast. She expands on why and what has changed since she started.
Akua acknowledges that she accomplished 50 episodes with help from her virtual assistant, podcast manager, all her service provider buddies, amazing interviewees, coaches, founders, and especially you, her listeners! Thank you!
Highlights From This Episode:
- Akua talks about why she started a podcast and the video episodes that preceded it.
- Podcasting has taught Akua several things about herself, but her top three include she can speak off the cuff.
- She thought she was afraid of becoming bored repeating her message, Akua has found that she is still excited to talk about her message on social media and on her podcast.
- Having a public-facing show can be intimidating because you never know who could be listening and what their reactions will be. Learn how Akua overcame that fear.
- One of Akua’s top episodes was Ep 6: #Ask Akua: Self Love and Self Trust. In this episode, Akua talked about finding “enoughness” in your business, defining success, and the #IAMREMARKABLE initiative.
- Eliminating imposter syndrome is a top subject with listeners; an interview with coach Kim Witten, Ph.D., about imposter syndrome and the “imposter phenomenon” was rated very highly. Akua also talks about how to recognize toxic environments and whether or not to adapt to one.
- Ep. 11: Time is Manufactured in the Mind is a fascinating look at time management and productivity. Find the link below and learn to shift your perspective of time from being negative or fear-based. You’ll also hear Akua introduce her leadership quiz in this episode!
Links mentioned in this episode:
Ep 01: Akua’s Story
Ep 06: #AskAkua // Self-Worth + Self-Love
Ep 11: Time is Manufactured in the Mind
Ep 21: Eliminating Imposter Syndrome and Being a New Coach with Kim Witten
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Nothing kills productivity like a toxic work environment. When employees don’t feel psychologically safe at work, leaders need to look inward to try and find answers. This episode focuses on what a toxic work environment looks like, why a horrible boss could be to blame, and how founders and leaders can cultivate self-awareness and identify what can be changed to help employees flourish in the workplace.
According to leadership coach (and a former horrible boss herself) Akua Nyame-Mensah, there are two kinds of horrible bosses: those who know they are horrible and don’t care, and those who are completely unaware that they are too blame for a bad working environment.
Listen all the way to the end for ways to tell if you are - or have - a horrible boss and three actionable steps leaders can take to impact the workplace positively and help keep employees mentally healthy, happy, and more productive. Horrible bosses can be cured!
- Highlights in this Episode:
- Akua talks about what a toxic work culture looks like, including fighting, drama, and unhappiness, which affect wellbeing and productivity.
- Realizing there is a problem is the first step, and
- A toxic work environment can include remote work, not just in-office work.
- When employees are bullied, they don’t feel safe to be themselves or show up in a meaningful way.
- Don’t wait for negative feedback to find out you’re a terrible boss. Educate yourself.
- Bad communication/passive-aggressive communication is a sign of a horrible boss.
- Excluding some employees, gossip and cliques are other red flags in the workplace.
- Deadline changes, moving the goalpost, and a lack of expectation setting will have a negative effect on employees.
- Some symptoms of a bad boss in the workplace include unmotivated employees, stifled growth, and rapid turnover.
- In order to change, leaders must first have self-awareness and reflect on how they show up and how their actions affect others.
- Akua talks about her definition of a leader - someone who ensures every team member has what they need to do meaningful work.
- Good leadership means making time to check in and getting external feedback from those who are not in an equivalent position as you.
- Good bosses set realistic goals, can ask for help (be vulnerable), are willing to engage, and invest in policies and procedures from the beginning.
- For a positive work environment, be sure to educate everyone and ensure your team is on the same page.
- Don’t be afraid to look for help - Akua would love to have a consultation call with you, and she can help provide resources or work with you, your choice.
Resources Mentioned in this episode:
Article on toxic work environment from Career Contessa
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Since it's the end of the school year in many places in the world, Akua is talking about the things she's learned since graduating 12 years ago and starting her own business as an executive and leadership coach.
If you are fresh out of school or you've been out for a while and find yourself questioning your major or career choice, this episode will help put things into perspective and guide you in the direction of your joy.
Remember, you are not what you studied in college. You are complex, multi-talented, and multi-passionate; you are not ONE thing. To find fulfillment as a leader or business owner, it's important to deeply understand yourself, your strengths, preferences, and values. Listen in for ways to leverage the things that make you happy in your career so you can stay motivated and fulfilled!
Highlights in This Episode:
- Realize you are not what you study, so don't get hung up on whether or not you're doing what you went to school for.
- Akua talks about her post-graduate studies. You might be surprised by what she studied!
- Accept that we are evolving beings, and opportunities that exist today may not have been there when we were in college.
- Gone are the days when people stayed in one career until retirement. Remember, you don't have to do one thing forever.
- Situations change, but core values are consistent.
- Akua talks about using core values to make decisions and how her three core values are manifested in her coaching style.
- Be creative about putting your multiple talents to work both inside and outside of work.
- Learn how to be more self-aware and focus on energy and what gives you life.
- Build your business so you can tap into the things you enjoy, and as you can, delegate the rest.
- Why rethinking engagement and showing up for yourself can lead to productivity and profit.
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
To find success and purpose in a career, it is important to possess both the skill AND the passion for what you do. But what if the skill you’ve invested so much time (and money) into learning leaves you unfulfilled? In this episode, Akua welcomes her virtual assistant, Dorcas Nakaye, as she shares her inspiring story about being empowered to pivot her career to pursue purpose and happiness.
After studying accounting at her university, Dorcas landed a great job. On paper, it was perfect; it suited her skills and paid well. But even after the first day, she felt uneasy. Maybe it was just the company… But after several jobs in the same sector, Dorcas realized she was deeply unfulfilled and was misaligned with her purpose.
Find out how Dorcas left the accounting world and found her passion as a virtual assistant (VA) for coaches and consultants. She also talks about the services she offers and how her work gives her clients their time back so they can spend more energy on their clients and more time with their families.
After listening, you’ll be inspired to do your own happiness check in your career or business, and you may even be surprised by how a virtual assistant can help you!
Highlights in this episode:
- Dorcas describes the warning signs that she was not aligned with her purpose and how even offers of high pay and more perks couldn’t convince her to stay in finance.
- Akua and Dorcas talk about how they met, how Akua inspired Dorcas through this podcast, and why cold emails sometimes work!
- Find out why Dorcas believes it’s important to be inspired by the clients she serves.
- Dorcas talks about some misconceptions about VAs.
- Learn the tips that have helped Dorcas be successful in her VA business
- Services that Dorcas provides including bookkeeping, marketing, and, soon, podcast management.
- Akua talks about her initial hesitancy to hire a virtual assistant as a business owner but how doing so has given her the capacity to further serve her clients without burnout.
- The two discuss the importance of trust and communication between a VA and a business owner.
- Dorcas talks about who she is outside of work and her exciting season of change as she prepares to get married and move to the US from Manchester, England.
Connect with Dorcas Nakaye:
Website: www.thevirutalaction.com
Instagram: @thevirtualaction
LinkedIn: @thevirtualaction
Email: info@thevirtualaction.com
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
This #AskAkua episode is densely packed with helpful information for aspiring business coaches. Tune in as Akua pulls back the curtain on her own coaching business to tell you what she would do differently if she had to do it all again. Find out if she would have invested as much in courses and the important metric to tell if you’re getting the most out of them. She also shares her thoughts on social media and whether having a website is necessary to get clients.
Akua also gives great advice on how to complete your 100 hours of coaching for your International Coaching Federation (ICF) credential. Finding clients is a frequently asked-about topic, and in this episode, Akua gives you five specific ways to get clients (even if you’ve never had one before).
Highlights in this episode:
- Akua suggests jumping into paying clients right away. Contrary to some beliefs, offering “free” services doesn’t often lead to paying clients and sometimes even causes anger when you start charging.
- It is important to get used to charging and setting the mindset that your coaching is worth something.
- Akua explains her rationale for creating a website and social media channels and talks about whether or not they are necessary for you to succeed as a coach.
- Coaching programs and courses are sometimes a good investment, but are they imperative?
- Are you leveraging what you’re learning to your benefit or wasting time and money on courses? Akua gives a metric to help you make that determination.
- Learn methods on how to get your 100 hours of coaching in order to qualify for the ICF credential.
- Ways to get clients: coaching trades, utilizing WhatApp groups Facebook Groups, LinkedIn, and even a ListServe.
- Don’t limit yourself to 1:1 coaching. Group coaching/workshops are the fastest way to get hours, and group participation takes some pressure off while making it fun.
Do you have a question for Akua? Submit it here: Submit your question HERE
Resources Mentioned:
Blog post: How to Complete Your 100 Hours for Your ICF Associate Coaching Credential
Blog post: How I Received My Associate Coaching Credential from the International Coaching Federation
Blog post: Investing in Myself for Others
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
No one likes to fail, especially high performers or achievers, but it happens to everyone at some point. Dealing with these feelings of failure and disappointment can either be productive or hold you back in business. In this episode, Akua teaches four helpful strategies to help leaders cope with these setbacks. They can be more resilient and confident and get back to working towards their ambitious goals, despite a few bumps in the road.
As Akua discusses, failure is a very personal thing. There isn’t one “right” way to deal with failure (though there may be some wrong ways), and people deal with disappointment and failure in their own time and process it differently. We all have things we are especially sensitive to failing at and other things that don’t feel as important. External and internal pressures can also contribute to our attitudes about failure. Akua stresses that because failure is personal, relying on personal relationships to pull us through these setbacks isn’t always sensible. Sometimes others just aren’t equipped to help because they have their own attitudes around failure. Creating time and space to process is important.
The four-step process Akua outlines here will help you process your own feelings of disappointment in a healthy way (without toxic positivity) and help you realize that these feelings are temporary and can provide opportunities for learning and self-exploration.
Highlights in this episode:
- How in business, creating distance between your service/product and your personal self is important.
- How Akua personally deals with disappointment and failure as a high achiever.
- Understand negative thoughts are normal but can easily spiral if not kept in check.
- Akua shares the four things she shares with her clients to help deal with disappointment and failure.
- Getting a new perspective from an outside party (someone who doesn’t know you well) can help you deal with disappointment.
- Keep your value and mission top of mind to help you work through temporary failures.
- Learn to get comfortable sitting with uncomfortable feelings.
- Reflect on past experiences and recognize the times when you were able to succeed, and the times you failed but were able to move forward afterward.
- Focusing on the positive and on your small wins can help bring success to the present. Other ideas: processing and accepting. Create space and time to deal with things. Protect our time and honor time to process and accept.
- Look at the data, not the drama. Use data to create attainable goals.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Blog Post:How To Improve Your Workplace Culture By Unlearning Toxic Positivity
Podcast Episode 26: Ask Akua: Self-Love + Self-Worth: Simplecast
Podcast Episode 28: Goal Setting Tricks
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Are you interested in being an angel investor or a funder? In this episode, Akua welcomes Mark Kleyner to talk about how to build a venture capital career in Africa. Funders are in high demand in this emerging market - listen to find out how you can play a direct role in birthing innovation in all tech sectors on the continent!
Mark Kleyner is a multi-time entrepreneur who actively mentors with a range of accelerators and incubators, as well as supports several companies as a consultant. He is co-founder of the Dream VC Initiative - a leading remote program helping founders, entrepreneurs, and professionals across the African continent to break into the venture capital industry as emerging investors.
With a multinational background and a multitude of international experiences, Mark has the unique perspective of experiencing economic disparities between countries firsthand. These experiences inspired him to get involved and solve problems on a larger scale - and were the impetus for starting Dream VC.
Highlights in this episode:
- Mark explains why he is passionate about empowering the private sector to take responsibility for making people's lives better.
- Learn the differences in fundraising in North America vs. Africa and why Mark focuses on helping young professionals across Africa.
- What is a venture capital firm and how does one differ from a brokerage?
- Mark discusses the challenges facing those who want to become venture capitalists, and why, by nature, the VC industry has become elitist.
- Dream VC helps young professionals upskill and break into venture capital. Learn how Dream VC is different from traditional schools, and how anyone in the world can participate.
- How Dream VC’s core focus is to make sure that each individual comes out of the program with a network of high-net individuals they can leverage to build their career.
- Recognize the challenges of VC in Africa and why very few understand how the market works.
Connect with Mark Kleyner:
Website: www.dream-vc.com
LinkedIn Mark Kleyner: @Mark Kleyner
LinkedIn DREAM VC: @Dream VC
Twitter: @ _dreamvc_ @markkleyner
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
It’s another “Ask Akua” episode on the Open Door Conversations podcast! In this episode, Akua answers two great questions about networking and gives helpful strategies for business leaders, managers, and founders to help you build your important relationships in person and online.
To be successful in business, one of the most important things to learn is relationship building. But as a reluctant networker herself, Akua knows what it’s like to have a bit of anxiety around the topic. Whether you do most of your networking online or need some tips on how not to be a wallflower at your next in-person business networking event, this episode is for you.
For example, inviting a friend or colleague to attend an in-person networking function with you is a great way to compound your reach and ease anxiety, and following up with those who engage with your online content can create useful connections and genuine relationships. Akua will go into detail about these and several other networking strategies so you can forge ahead with confidence.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Akua describes how building relationships in business was one of the key skills she had to learn when she first built her online business.
- What is the way to make the most of in-person networking events for a reluctant networker?
- When networking in person, it’s important to be intentional with your networking strategy. Who do you want to meet? What do you want to accomplish?
- How to be physically and mentally comfortable when attending a networking event.
- Why business cards are still Akua’s preferred way of giving out information at a networking function.
- Learn how to revise your elevator pitch to be ready for your networking event.
- Akua describes how to network online without letting it take over your life.
- Ways to follow up on likes and comments without feeling spammy.
- Find out Akua’s SUPER easy tip to help you boost engagement online.
- Why you shouldn’t take the “lurkers” (those who read but don’t engage with your content) for granted.
Do you have a question for Akua? Submit it here: Submit your question HERE
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
The challenges of running a business, regardless of where you live, can create a lot of anxiety. In this episode, Akua outlines nine exercises that will help any startup founder or leader increase productivity, decrease stress, and recalibrate, especially if you experience heightened uncertainty from living in an emerging market.
Akua is very familiar with various environmental stressors (she brings you this episode while experiencing a power outage as well as trying to avoid ambient noise from the nearby airport in Accra, Ghana). This episode seeks to normalize stressors like these that are beyond our control, particularly in developing countries. Those living in this type of environment don’t always acknowledge the added stress that comes from not having things work as expected. Examples could include having your time hijacked by needing to find diesel for your generator or having the internet go out during a Zoom meeting.
It’s important to recognize the impact this constant unease can have on our leadership or business and to create routines and habits that help us adapt. In this episode are nine that you can adopt into your routine today to help your mental health and boost your productivity.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Akua describes some of the environmental stressors that can come from living in an emerging market.
- Learn how being mindful helps recognize your stress and its cause and the first step to limiting it.
- What to do before tackling any difficult task in order to keep yourself present, curb nervousness and ease stress.
- The importance of building your emotional intelligence.
- How to track your time so you can decide what to focus on, whether it makes sense to outsource or delegate, and how to use your time to the fullest.
- The Circle of Concern versus the Circle of Influence and how to spend more time in the latter.
- Distractions cause anxiety. Akua describes the biggest distractions we face and how to recognize and eliminate them before they become an issue.
- Humans are not hardwired to multitask. Learn a few ways to focus and find out the ideal amount of time you should work before taking a break.
- The time management technique of batching is a method of grouping smaller tasks that are similar and completing them all at once. Akua highlights some of these tasks and how to tackle them.
Resources Mentioned:
Blog Post: Easy first step to stay present
Blog Post: Burnout - Better Leaders are not Stressed Out (Denial About Burnout)
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
In this episode, Akua welcomes startup veteran Kirin Kalia to talk about how startups can grow their revenue faster without giving up equity. If you are a startup founder looking to create meaningful relationships with investors and enterprise clients that ensure future growth, this episode is a must-listen.
As a tech and business journalist in New York during the dot-com boom, Kirin gained a deep appreciation for the energy and drive she witnessed from startup founders as they struggled to bring products and services to market. Her experiences launching and growing online publications and working on corporate innovation programs ultimately led her to want to support even more founders. In 2021 she created Grow Through Story, in which she helps founders build the crucial skill of pitching so they always know how to tell their unique story and tailor their message to connect with others.
Kirin is honored to work with founders all over the world as they build solutions for their home markets or regions and believes, “When startups succeed, the whole world benefits.” She specifically enjoys supporting female and underrepresented entrepreneurs.
Listen to this episode to learn how, by helping her clients develop a powerful pitch, Kirin fosters conviction and confidence and, with those, the capacity to increase visibility, gain investors, and excite corporate executives.
Highlights in this episode:
- Find out what startups need to gain early on in their journey in order to grow quickly.
- Kirin describes the process she takes clients through to successfully pitch products to investors and corporates and why personal stories are so powerful.
- Learn strategies to help you inspire people to support you.
- Find out the difference between pitching to corporate and pitching to investors and the crucial piece you need to include when soliciting enterprise support.
- What champions are, why they should be a founder’s best friend, and how to find your own champion.
- Akua reinforces why soft skills, such as emotional intelligence, relationships, and negotiating, are paramount in driving revenue and growing your startup.
- Kirin talks about how startups can learn to reframe their stories to connect with anyone.
- Why founders cannot afford to waste time and why finding your tribe and getting the support you need is important.
- Discover the exact equation every founder needs in order to communicate their vision effectively.
- Akua and Kirin discuss why asking for help is so important.
Connect with Kirin Kalia:
Website: www.Gtsnow.co
Twitter: @KirinKalia
Linked: @KirinKalia
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
In this fascinating episode, you’ll learn to question the cultural codes that have been ingrained as “right,” why white supremacy is a global issue, and why it has less to do with skin color than you might think. You’ll also understand how cultural intelligence can foster more understanding and elevate the way you lead.
Cultural intelligence expert Shiva Roofeh joins Akua to talk about how she’s spent her life negotiating between cultures and how she helps people understand their own culture, what they’ve inherited from their families and societies, and the deep-rooted beliefs that affect their ability to love and lead with equity.
As an Iranian-American, Muslim-Jewish Agnostic living in Spain, Shiva encourages people to reflect on societal constructs and realize there isn’t one “right” way to be in this world.
Highlights in this episode:
- Shiva describes her experience as a third culture kid growing up as a refugee in Queens, New York.
- Shiva describes how 9/11 was a personal wake-up call to overt racism in America and why she felt more at home in the UK.
- Discover why white supremacy isn’t all about skin color and why it’s important for leaders all over the world to understand it.
- Learn how reframing expectations can help you acknowledge others in more meaningful ways.
- Why the idea of “unconditional love” is rooted in privilege, and why many US immigrant families don’t subscribe to this construct.
- Shiva describes how she has worked through white supremacy and how she works with others to break down expectations and force people to look at the “why” behind the way we live and lead.
- How the values of capitalism lead us to overwork, and how the cultural values of the West are being exported globally, leading people to believe there is only one way to do things in order to be successful.
- Learn why the idea of “unconditional love” is rooted in privilege and why many US immigrant families don’t subscribe to this construct.
- How an Out of Office Response is helping Shiva value quality over quantity.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Article by Shiva Roofeh: “Mom, Dad, We Don’t Believe In The Same Things”
Connect with Shiva Roofeh:
Website: www.shivaroofeh.com/
Instagram: @shivaroofeh
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
In this episode of the Open Door podcast, Akua welcomes guest Hawa Kombian, a global citizen who is building an amazing remote career. The two discuss working remotely while employed with a company/organization and the crucial things that need to be considered before going remote or allowing your employees to work remotely.
Whether you’re an employee looking to stay remote after shifting out of the office temporarily, or you’re a team leader considering whether remote work is sustainable long-term, this is the episode for you. Hawa dives into how she became a remote worker in her organization, the pros, and cons of working remotely, and how to decide if it’s right for you. You’ll also learn crucial, actionable steps to take in order to convince your employer that working remotely is feasible and not just tolerable but advantageous for the company’s bottom line.
Hawa is a Canadian citizen, grew up in Canada, the US, and the Middle East, spent time in Europe, and now lives in Ghana while working remotely for a company based in Sierra Leonne and Nigeria. She supports organizations to grow bigger and be stronger with a focus on people first. She supports leaders at every level to help them focus on strategy execution and bring social impact based on value, connection, and leadership to their work, the people they work with, and the communities they serve.
Highlights from this episode:
- Hawa talks about her reasons for wanting to go remote, including wanting to be near the people and communities to which she is most connected.
- Get three essential tips for pitching your case for remote work, including communicating your motivations and how working remotely will affect the bottom line of the company.
- Learn why it’s essential to create a plan for your transition into remote work, including contingencies (e.g., what you will do if you lose internet access).
- Hawa talks about how she was able to keep being engaged while working from home.
- Discover how working remotely can actually help you more efficiently support the leaders you work alongside by narrowing your focus and keeping you from distractions and other projects in the office.
- Boundaries are important when it comes to working remotely. Hawa and Akua discuss the power of saying “no” and self-awareness and how it shapes your personal boundaries.
- Often the best moments to reflect come during the most challenging times. Take the time to get to know yourself better, consider others’ feedback and your own.
- Hawa delves into working with a coach about her resistance to change. When making decisions, it’s important to ask yourself if they come from your own desire or out of fear of letting others down.
Connect with Hawa Kombian:
Twitter: @Hkombian
Instagram: @hkombian
Linked In: @bhkombian
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
If you’re an entrepreneur, it’s likely you want to make a meaningful impact; you’re passionate and willing to do whatever it takes to grow your company or organization. But what happens when your dedication to your work comes before your mental and emotional well-being? BURNOUT.
In this episode, Akua welcomes the founder of the FemGems Club, Dora Petrova, to talk about burnout and how putting yourself first is integral to the success of your business.
Dora started her podcast, FemGems, as a way to feature early-stage female founders in a male-dominated field. As the podcast grew, Dora’s realized she wanted to do even more than inspire women to start a business; she wanted to give them a framework of support to build and grow. This led to the FemGems Club, which offers effective mentoring, mastermind, and accountability systems for female entrepreneurs in every stage of their business.
With first-hand knowledge of letting entrepreneurial burnout get the better of her, Dora shares ways to make sure this won’t happen to you. Grab your headphones and learn how you can find fulfillment as you bring your business vision to life without digging an early grave in the process.
Highlights in this Episode:
- Dora dives into the challenges facing female entrepreneurs and why she wanted to start FemGems Club.
- She reveals her experiences with burnout and why she should have listened to her body, to those around her, and to her feelings when she started to feel worn down.
- Why creating the space to connect with yourself can be the antidote to burnout.
- Akua asks Dora to share her own routine and rituals for avoiding entrepreneurial burnout (hint: Taking a holiday does not cure burnout!).
- For the sake of your business, you should come first. Because without you, your business can’t run.
- Running a business shouldn’t be exhausting; it should feed your spirit and give you energy.
- Find out why a metric for success doesn’t need to be results-based; Dora’s is based on how she feels.
Connect with Dora Petrova :
FemGems Club & Podcast:
Medium Articles by Dora:
Instagram: @moreofdore
LinkedIn: @dora-petrova
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Affiong Williams, the CEO and Founder of ReelFruit is an entrepreneur and leader who knows how to get things done. In this episode, she chats with Akua about her work and how she's been able to leverage her purpose to move forward. She shares her story of how she started as an entrepreneur in Nigeria and eventually created a successful business that is now impacting farmers on a larger scale.
She also talks about the importance of social media in her work and how she uses it to connect with her audience. This is an inspiring chat with a woman who is making a difference in the world. If you're looking for some motivation on how to grow a business, this is the episode for you!
Highlight from the episode:
- Affiong Williams shares her story of how she became an entrepreneur and built a successful business in Nigeria
- Why she decided to focus on the agricultural value chain
- The challenges and opportunities of doing business in Nigeria
- How she is using her platform to empower other entrepreneurs
- What the future holds for her business and for Nigeria's agricultural industry
- The importance of purpose in business and in life
- Why social media can be a valuable tool for entrepreneurs
Connect with Affiong Williams:
LinkedIn: @Affiong Williams
Twitter: @Affiong Williams
Website: www.reelfruit.com
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Are you looking to take your LinkedIn game up a notch? LinkedIn is a powerful tool for thought leaders, and with the right tools and strategies in place, you can use it to its fullest potential.
Akua's UpLevel for Thought Leaders program is exactly what you need. This comprehensive program offers unlimited critiques, templates for every important piece of content, and step-by-step strategies to help you effectively and efficiently master LinkedIn. Plus, you'll get access to live co-working sessions, repurposing workflow workshops, and done-for-you content.
Enrollment for this life-changing program is only open until the end of the week, March 25th, so don't hesitate! Visit the link in the show notes to learn more and enroll today.
Highlights from the episode:
- How the UpLevel for Thought Leaders program can help you craft your content and show up authentically on LinkedIn and in social media
- How to use LinkedIn to attract clients, speaking opportunities, and more
- The value of an engaged executive tier program
- Different groups of people who would benefit from the program and how it can help them
- How to enroll and take advantage of the bonuses that come with the program
- Things that are overlooked in Linkedin will help get inbound opportunities, so you're not doing all the work.
- Akua discusses how one previous participant in the program went from having no presence on LinkedIn to obtaining a 300% boost in traffic to their profile.
- The signature 3-step process she teaches in the course helps to take the overwhelm out of LinkedIn and social media marketing so you can focus on your message and get it out there with confidence.
- How leveraging the "About Me" section can be one of the most powerful ways to stand out on LinkedIn.
- The importance of regular repurposing and how it can help save you time while still delivering fresh, relevant content
- What separates this course from other LinkedIn courses and programs available online
- Why you need to have an ideal decision-maker and decision-making process in mind before beginning your LinkedIn outreach
Resources Mentioned:
Want to start taking action and leverage your career journey or story that you have and show up beyond your business, office, team, or department? Join my waitlist to be part of the next cohort of my program, Uplevel for Thought Leaders, where I teach you how to leverage LinkedIn and social media to get in front of your ideal clients, speaking opportunities, and more!
The program includes templates, how-to's, live co-working sessions, repurposing workflow workshops, done-for-you content, and more! To join the waitlist and learn more about the program, go to https://www.akuanm.com/waitlist.
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
In this episode of #AskAkua, Akua covers the importance of feedback and how leaders can benefit from opening themselves up to getting and receiving it. Feedback is essential for growth but it's also one of the most challenging things to solicit and act on. Maybe you've been resisting or ignoring feedback because you don't know how to process it or feel overwhelmed by it.
Whatever the reason is, Akua will help you better understand and leverage feedback, and also provide actionable tips on what you can do to make the most of it, especially when it's difficult to hear.
So if you're ready to get feedback, stay open, and take action, then this episode is for you!
Highlights from the episode:
- Identify key moments when to give and receive feedback
- Responding constructively to criticism so that you can learn and grow
- Keep in mind the people who could potentially support you in your career journey
- Why using templates for reference letters and recommendations can be helpful
- What you can do if a person you ask feedback from says, "no?"
- How can you make sure that the time spent coaching pays off for both the client and yourself
- Why you should leverage technology to get feedback more effectively
- The internal and external factors that go into thinking about getting feedback
- How referrals can play an important role in your career development
Special Announcement: Want to start taking action and leverage your career journey or story that you have, and show up beyond your business, office, team, or department? Join my waitlist to be part of the next cohort of my program, Uplevel for Thought Leaders, where I teach you how to leverage LinkedIn.
Resources:
- Blog Post: My Year In Review Practice
- Blog Post: Check in With Your Goals Now
- YouTube: Dear Leader are you Afraid of Feedback?
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Today on the Open Door Conversations podcast, Akua is joined by Danielle Keiser, the Executive Director and Founder of Menstrual Health Hub and a partner at Madamí, a consulting agency focused on gender and female health innovation. Danielle specializes in advocating collective impact in the menstrual health world, which includes working to bring together, engage and impact the broader female health global community. Prior to starting MH Hub, Danielle helped launch and grow Menstrual Hygiene Day (28 May) with WASH United.
She's here to talk about menstrual health, the different areas it encompasses, and how we can work together to make strides in this important sector.
So whether you menstruate or not, you'll learn the different phases of the menstrual cycle, practical tips on how to effectively track it, normalizing the conversation around periods, and so much more! You don't want to miss this episode!
Highlights from the episode:
- Understanding that menstrual cycles are a compass that can guide us through life
- Why it's important for us to recognize and regard the four phases of the cycle whether you're a Leader, female or male, or you identify as female or male.
- Danielle's #1 tip in why tracking your menstrual cycle is key to understanding how your body works and what you should be doing during each phase
- How to work within the phases of your cycle so that you're in harmony rather than working against it
- The differences between masculine and feminine hormones and why it's important for us to understand them regarding the cyclical wisdom vs. the 24-hour schedule that we normally live in
- What Leaders need to do to create workplaces that incorporate wisdom surrounding the menstrual cycle and health as a whole
- Introducing menstrual policies in the workplace that allow for more flexible working hours or enable women to be working from home during those times
- Acknowledging the physical differences between men and women in bathrooms and how they use them
Connect with Danielle Keiser:
- Danielle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellekeiser/
- Website: https://mhhub.org/
- Website: https://menstrualhygieneday.org/
- Website: http://madami.co/
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
- Instagram: @akua_nm
- Website: www.akuanm.com
- LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
- Twitter: @akua_nm
- Work with Akua
- Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Storytime! Last weekend Akua had someone approach her and ask if she supported career transitions. And first and foremost – yes! She loves supporting leaders by creating a safe space to reflect on where they are and where they want to go.
In today's episode on the Open Door Conversations podcast, Akua shares her windy journey – her career transitions and what she kept in mind about why she made the decisions she did. Aku is chatting about her experience working in the corporate world. She shares her time as an entrepreneur and how she eventually found her way into coaching. Akua gets real on the fears and doubts she faced in each of these transitions and how she used them as fuel to keep going.
So if you're thinking about making a career change, or if you're just curious about what's possible, this episode is for you!
Highlights from the episode:
- How to gain insight into your current career and whether its the right fit for you
- Akua her top tips for making a career transition – including getting clear on your values and what's important to you, doing your research, and staying open to possibilities.
- The important questions you need to ask yourself include self-love and self-care check-ins to make sure you're on the right path.
- The importance of putting yourself out there and connecting with others during your journey to make new connections and find opportunities
- Keeping in mind that everyone's journey is different and there is no one right path to follow
- Why challenges can be a sign that you're on the right track (and how to work with them when they come up)
- Comparing yourself to others is unproductive – focus on your unique journey and what's important to you.
- Finding an inspiring quote or mantra to keep you going during difficult times
Special Announcement: Want to start taking action and leverage your career journey or story that you have and show up beyond your business, office, team, or department? Join the waitlist to be part of the next cohort, Akua, her program, Uplevel for Thought Leaders, where Akua teaches you how to leverage LinkedIn.
Related episodes:
- Ep 06: #Ask Akua // Self-Worth + Self-Love
- Ep 09: #Akua // 3 Steps to Prioritize Better
- Ep 23: Burnout - Better Leaders are not Stressed Out (Denial About Burnout)
- Ep 24: Quitting and Evolving Without Ego with Dzifa Ababio
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
As a leader who has so many things to do, it can be hard to get everything crossed off on your to-do list. You might get to the end of the day and wonder where did all that time go. So in today's episode, Akua shares with you her top five tools that have helped improve her productivity in business so that you can get more done in less time.
Not only will you learn about these five tips, but she'll also teach you how to apply them in your own life and business. And in her signature program, Uplevel for Thought Leaders, launching soon, she deep dives into this even more. So whether you're just starting out or you've been in business for a while, there's something for you here. Tune in for more!
Highlights from the episode:
- Akua's top 5 things that have changed her productivity and business
- Why being intentional with boundaries is important in business to increase productivity.
- How Akua doubled down on her rituals, routine and leveraged her calendar when things are about to get stressed so that she can be as productive and effective as much as possible
- Why as leaders, it's up to us to decide what we're willing to accept and place our boundaries on, and we can't expect others to respect our boundaries if we don't respect them ourselves
- Setting aside intentional time to connect and to prioritize business development activities to help business growth.
- How turning app notifications off during non-business hours have helped Akua tremendously in focusing on the task at hand without any interruptions.
- Providing different amounts of time for different conversations helps with boundaries.
- Akua's top 5 tools that have helped make a huge difference in getting things done and can help you increase your productivity as well.
- Using software or apps like Akua's favorite calendar app MixMax can help you manage your time more efficiently.
- How scheduling content in advance allows her to "show up" on various social media platforms
- Why she believes leveraging video and sending voice messages allows her to connect with her audience in less time and provide value.
- Her program, Uplevel with Thought Leaders, is a step-by-step process showing you how to show up effectively, productively, and consistently on social media without overwhelm.
Resources Mentioned:
- Bog post: The (current) Tools behind My Business
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
The topic of this Open Door Conversation is getting to know yourself better, on an intimate level, to be exact. Akua interviews Erica Daniel, an intimacy coach that has led a multi-passionate life. Erica values learning and exploring the world through cultures, food, and the people living in it. She has always supported love for all people; after a few career shifts, she is currently working as an intimacy coach, focusing on married men and single professional women.
In this episode, Akua and Erica talk about getting in touch with ourselves to maintain intimate relationships with others. They cover different types of intimate relationships people have and ways to nurture those relationships. You won’t want to miss the positive, loving, and educational discussion between Akua and Erica.
Highlights from the episode:
- How we build and grow the different relationships in our lives
- What is intimacy, and how do intimacy coaches help others
- Intimacy in personal, familial, and business relationships
- Learning when to pause, pivot, and prioritize
- Fostering relationships with others to build the life you desire
Connect with Erica M. Daniel:
- Instagram: @msluminary
- Learn more about Erica
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Do you want to learn how to apologize effectively as a Leader?
A lot of people find apologizing difficult. But it's an important skill to learn, especially if you're a leader in your company or organization. Apologizing is about much more than just saying the words, "I'm sorry." It starts with learning to look inward and see your impact on others.
In this episode of the Open Door Conversations podcast, Akua will be talking all about how to apologize as a leader. We all make mistakes, and it's important to learn how to apologize with compassion and sincerity. She'll share some tips on how to make amends and also discuss the importance of forgiveness in both personal and professional relationships.
Highlights from the episode:
- Why learning how to engage with others and your team creates incredible results for your business
- Emotional intelligence and the role it plays in creating a successful workplace
- Diving deep into why it's hard to apologize and do as a leader for yourself and your team
- Intent does not trump impact when apologizing to your team or your clients
- The differences between men and women in the apology space
- Why validating an experience is important and not minimizing how someone felt
- Creating a safe space and value of trust for your team
- The 6 core components of an effective apology to keep in mind
Resources mentioned in the episode:
- Akua's blog post about emotional intelligence
- Akua's blog post about toxic positivity
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
If you have ever said to yourself: I am not wired for social media or social, or it's too scary. I'm not sure how to show up authentically. I don't know what to post. How do I get people to buy for me? Or how can I sell on social media? Then this is the podcast episode for you!
In today's episode, Akua interviews JennaWarriner, a social media expert, about leveraging social media. Jenna shares all her favorite tips and tricks that help her clients show up on social media with ease. She walks through all the steps that are necessary for a good social media strategy and the secret on how to stay consistent.
Highlights from the episode
- Why social media is essential for your business and how to attract the right clients
- How to make the most of your time and energy with social media
- The key to developing a social media strategy that you can stick to
- How to stay consistent on social media
- Make social media posts about your audience, don't focus so much on yourself
- Make social media easy, so you stick to it
- Plan when you're going to be selling
- Masculine versus feminine marketing
- Tips on how to create content faster
Connect with Jenna Warriner
Instagram: @jennaspaige
Jenna's Program: Your Magic Marketing Machine
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
This episode of the Open Door Conversations Podcast is for leaders who are serious about conquering their goals. It's for the reluctant leaders, for the overwhelmed leaders, and for the leaders that find themselves somewhere in between. But most importantly, it's for leaders who are looking for tangible ways to be successful in 2022.
In today's episode, Akua shares how to make the most of your goal setting this year. She outlines mistakes she sees leaders make and offers a plan on how to reserve them. Sit back and listen as she shares a five-step system for leaders to keep in mind when setting motivational goals. If you find goal-setting icky, or maybe you only remember your goals last minute, what Akua will share today will transform the way you think about goal setting.
Highlights from today's episode:
- Overview about Leadership Mindset Course - how to increase your motivation in relation to your goals
- The 3 basic types of leaders
- The 5 mistakes that every leader tends to make and how to reverse that with Akua here five-step system.
- Akua here five-step system for setting goals
Resources Mentioned:
- Goal Setting Workbook
- Leadership Mindset Course
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
This episode of the Open Door Conversations Podcast is for those who are serious about growing their brand in 2022. While a lot of people may have goals of reaching new highs, without leveraging social media, it will be hard to grow. Whether you are using social media but are not consistent, or maybe you are shy and reluctant, hopefully, this episode will help inspire you to build awesome things this year.
In today’s episode, Akua shares her approach to Linkedin. She gives great tips and talks about the things she’s learned through her experiences in her own business and also what she learned by working with her clients. There are many different reasons why brands should be on LinkedIn, and Akua walks through all of them. While some may be hesitant to utilize this platform after listening to this episode, you will learn why this social media tool can help bring you major success!
Highlights from the episode:
What LinkedIn can help you with
- Find new opportunities like speaking engagements, interviews, training, and workshops.
- Stay on top of trends
- Share experiences/lessons
- Make meaningful connections
- Have honest conversations in a safe space
And it won’t….
- Take too much of your time.
- Work if you outsource all of the work
Resources mentioned
Akua’s 1:1 coaching: Leadership Coaching
Akua’s Uplevel Your LinkedIn program( 15-minute LinkedIn Checklist)
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
In this episode of the Open Door Conversation Podcast, Akua interviews Josh Haynam; CEO and founder of Interact Quiz Maker. Josh describes himself as an atypical entrepreneur, although his entrepreneurial journey started 15 years ago in high school. Upon graduating from UCLA, Josh and his friends jumped into the world of starting their own business.
Josh tells his story of building Interact, discusses team building and team relationships, and tells us about the struggles and successes that Interact has had through years of growth. Josh and his team used determination and a bit of stubbornness to continue working to reach the level Interact is at today. Join Akua and Josh to hear more about his journey and plans for the future of his company.
Highlights from the episode
- Working on relationships with your cofounders and team
- Using your teams' strengths to build company culture
- Asking for help when you need it and giving help when others need it
- Staying determined and motivated to find success in your business
- Taking rest to recharge when needed
The business world is NOT what it used to be. Join my free 5-day live leadership training and learn the leadership skills and trends you need to master in 2022—register HERE to get the workbook and access the replays
Connect with Josh Haynam:
LinkedIn: Josh Haynam
Join the community: Interact Quiz Maker: Create Your Own Quiz For Free
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
As an experienced leadership coach, Akua has plenty of experience and wisdom to share based on what she has learned and seen through coaching. Today Akua shares her top 5 resources for growing your business and leadership lessons she has learned along the way. Get ready to consider your biases, get out of your comfort zone, and value self-care. Akua will discuss this and more in today's episode.
No one is born an amazing leader; there are skills and lessons learned along the way that build incredible leaders. It's normal to feel overwhelmed if you are new to a leadership role or your role has changed or leveled up recently. Akua discusses the lessons that have been most influential to her growth as a leader. These lessons have helped her coach others to become more confident leaders that find their own success.
Highlights from the episode
- Checking in with your triggers and biases
- Learning to apologize and to forgive ourselves
- Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable and strategies to help you do so
- How to leverage your client's language
- How to create efficient proposal pages that benefit you and your client
- How to support your client so that they can see the gaps that need filling
Resources mentioned
Join the waitlist for Akua's Uplevel For Thought Leaders group coaching program! Join Here
Blog Post: Want a thriving coaching business? Forget everything you learned in your coach certification
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Hello and welcome back to the Open Door Conversations podcast. Today Akua interviews Dzifa, an entrepreneur and wellness enthusiast living in Accra, Ghana. Dzifa has a hand in many fields such as the legal domain, marketing and branding, food entrepreneurship, and starting a menswear brand. He also started a wellness company and will soon release a wellness journal.
Dzifa has let his career and interests evolve as he learns more about himself. He has organically moved to the next passion calling his name. He still has a hand in many of the entrepreneurial endeavors he began, and he is comfortable starting new projects and ventures when the time comes. Akua asks him about each step of his journey, and Dzifa shares the lessons and realizations he has had along the way.
Highlights from the episode
- Stepping out of your comfort zone to help you evolve
- Taking ownership of your time and how you spend it
- Moving to the wellness and healing space as an entrepreneur
- How to allocate time to different brands and projects
- Growing out of perfectionism
Connect with Dzifa Ababio:
Vibi n’:@vibiness
Lumiverte Menswear: @lumiverte
Yabo’s Food Truck: @yabosfood
Email: Dzifa.Ababio@gmail.com
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Today Akua dives deeper into a topic she has mentioned many times on the Open Door Conversation Podcast. This topic is a major problem among corporate companies, leaders, and entrepreneurs. Today Akua covers burnout; what is it, how we recognize it, and how we avoid it.
Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by extreme stress. When you lose the passion, excitement, and reasoning behind what you do, the effects of burnout become much more prevalent. As humans, we are not meant to work until we drop from exhaustion. We need rest, inspiration, and to set realistic goals and timelines for ourselves in our workday.
Highlights from the episode:
- What is burnout
- Difference between burnout and stress
- The effects of burnout
- Akua her 3 step process to identifying and overcoming burnout
- Using mindfulness to control burnout
- Creating a supportive environment for your team and employees
- Performing in a way that aligns with your values and lights you up
"You often feel tired not because you've done too much but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you" - Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know.
Resources mentioned:
Ep 18: Want to Make Better Decisions? Rest More
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
This episode of the Open Door Conversations Podcast is for the firefighting leader. If you feel that you have to redo your team’s work to make it better, you are always needed to solve problems as they arise, or you are overworking to avoid feeling guilty, you might be addicted to fighting fires.
In today’s episode, Akua shares what it looks like to be a firefighting leader. Before you can fix this issue, you must recognize that it is happening and that you are the main reason it happens. Once you cultivate your awareness around the issue and see the impact it has on your team and their productivity, then you can work to create a plan that keeps you from fighting fires as they pop up.
Share your answer to the case study question by sending Akua a message on social media!
Click here to connect with Akua!<<
Highlights from the episode:
- Raising your awareness to discover if you are a firefighting leader
- Using strategic planning instead of firefighting with your team
- Why firefighting leadership is not sustainable
- The myths behind hustle culture and success
- Knowing when and how to pivot if needed
Resources mentioned:
Ep 16: Meet Kenny, Serial Entrepreneur and Master Delegator
Akua’s Blog post about burnout: A Holiday Is NOT Enough
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Today’s Open Door Conversation is with Kim Witten. She has a history of working in different fields and has gained wonderful experience from diverse occupations. Each one has taught her lessons and led her closer to her current passion, coaching for individuals and small organizations on the path to finding their more true selves.
With over 20 years of human-centered design experience, a Ph.D. in Sociolinguistics, and an accredited diploma in Transformational Coaching, her unique approach addresses the root of confidence issues. Find your WAY to your WHY is her new program to help people understand who they are and where they want to go. Akua and Kim discuss the wonders of being multi-passionate, recognizing and adjusting in toxic environments, and the process of finding your path.
Highlights from the episode:
- How to confront overthinking and ruminating in negative situations
- Using curiosity and coaching to find your voice
- Looking inside yourself when your environment is toxic
- How to recognize and deal with sick systems
- Getting rid of Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs)
Resources mentioned:
- Multi-Passionate Creatives blog post
- Unf*ck Your Brain Podcast
- The Pique Podcast
- How to Spot a Sick System
- Get Rid of ANTs
Connect with Kim Witten:
Website: www.witten.kim
LinkedIn: @kimberly-witten
Email: coaching@witten.kim
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Creating goals is a wonderful habit for leaders. But are you keeping track and checking in on those goals? How often? Akua shares the simple 3 step process for checking in on your goals. Doing this regularly will help you hit the next level of success in your business.
Without goals, you won’t have a compass to navigate your personal and professional life. Reflecting on your goals is a huge part of using this compass correctly. In this episode, Akua explains the 20-minute check-in she does with her goals.
Highlights from the episode
- How often you should reflect on your goals
- Setting micro-goals and big goals
- Understanding where you need to shift or pivot
- Using your calendar in sync with your goals
- The 3 step check-in approach
- Stop
- Start
- Continue
Resources mentioned
Blog Posts:
Setting A Goal Isn't Enough
A Practical Guide to Checking in With Your Goals Using 3 Steps
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Negotiation comes naturally to some and is quite uncomfortable for others. In this Ask Akua episode, she welcomes her client, Morgan. Morgan is the founder of Geometric, a handcrafted accessories and apparel brand in Ghana.
Akua and Morgan walk through a coaching session to discuss negotiation conversations focusing on negotiations for startups and small businesses. In this real-time coaching session, you will hear Akua and Morgan get to the root of the negotiation troubles Morgan has experienced and together brainstorm ways to prepare for future negotiations. After listening to this episode, you too can feel more confident going into your next negotiation.
The audio quality of this episode is not great, but I promise you it's worth listening to.
Highlights from the episode:
- Dealing with time and revenue urgency when negotiation
- Creating a negotiation checklist to prepare ahead of time
- Developing scripts and boundaries for yourself before you begin a negotiation
- Creating expectations based on the experiences you have had
Resources from the episode:
- Ask a question for the next #AskAkua episode
Connect with Morgan’s shop:
Instagram: @geometric.gh
Website: https://www.buygeometric.com/
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Work with Akua
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
Are you living for the weekends because it is your only time to rest? Maybe you can feel yourself burning out, yet you are still pushing yourself until your next scheduled vacation. Both of these behaviors lead to an unhealthy relationship with rest.
In this episode, Akua walks you through the 7 different types of rest (yes, 7!) and examples of how you can practice them. As human beings, we should build rest into our daily schedules. By following Akua's strategies, looking inward, and possibly asking for help from others, getting the rest you need will be easier than you think.
Highlights from the episode
- How sleep and rest are different
- The 7 types of rest from Dr. Dalton-SMith
- Positive mental, physical, and spiritual effects of rest
- Akua's framework for recognizing and implementing rest into your daily schedule
Resources from the episode
- Instagram live: We Should all Speel More
- Dr. Dalton-Smith's Ted Talk about rest
- Akua's episode on Toxic Positivity
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Learn how to make the most of your current Leadership Style by taking my Quiz
In this Open Door Conversation, Akua has the joy of speaking with life transformation and mental fitness coach Amy Yip. Amy works with high-achieving women to help them recognize what they want in life and become the author of their own stories. She reminds us that if we don’t author our own story, someone else will.
Amy shares her journey from a high-level corporate job at Google to living and loving the nomadic lifestyle she has now. Akua asks Amy about what challenges she faced while deciding to leave behind the expectations of others to find the happiness she has now. Amy courageously pushed her way through the “shoulds” that prevented her from pursuing her dream life. Now she helps other women do the same.
Highlights from the episode:
- Amy’s journey from corporate NYC to world traveler
- Forgetting what you “should” do and realizing what you want to do
- Importance of mindset over circumstance
- Navigating relationships and expectations with family
- The power of feminine energy
Connect with Amy Yip and get Amy’s free 9 Rules for Remarkable Women Workbook
Website:www.amyyipcoaching.com
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Take the Productive Leadership Style Quiz
Akua interviews serial entrepreneur Kenny Schumacher. Kenny has been starting businesses since college, where he studied accounting. For him, the thrill is all in the startup and the building of the company. He has founded many businesses and successfully sold 2 of them. He thrives in handling operations and building out teams to operate the business.
It may sound crazy to many business owners, but Kenny tries to remove himself from the business he created as soon as he can. Many CEOs would say their business is their highest priority and that they can’t imagine things running without them. Akua asks Kenny to explain why he delegates so much, how he delegates effectively, and when he knows it’s time to move to the next project.
Highlights from the episode:
- Advice for founders and CEOs who need to delegate
- When to let go in the business world
- Getting started even if you make mistakes
- Finding passive income
- Separating yourself from your company
Resources from the episode:
- Ep 14: I Hate Asking For Help You Probably Do Too
- Delesign, Unlimited Graphic Design
- Appraisal Saver
Connect with Kenny Schumacher:
LinkedIn: Kenny Schumacher
Twitter: @KennySchuma
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Take the Productive Leadership Style Quiz
Welcome to this #AskAkua episode about something we all have experiences and feelings about- money. A lot of people have a mindset about money that needs some updating. It makes many people uncomfortable, but it does not have to be that way.
Our attitude towards money will often dictate the results we get from it. Get comfortable with money and how you think about it by using the process Akua shares today. By cultivating our awareness around money, we can begin thinking about what we should be compensated with.
Highlights from the episode
- Recognizing the thoughts you currently have about money
- Engaging with your feelings about money and working towards your wants
- Akua’s formula for determining the compensation you should get
- Salaries pertaining to cultures, backgrounds, and passports
- Ways to compensate people other than money
Resources from the episode:
- Ask a question for the next #AskAkua episode
- Blog Post: Recognizing and Acknowledging Your Employees
- Excel sheet for finding your salary
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership productivity Quiz
The Open Door Conversations Podcast is your weekly opportunity to accept leadership support. Accepting help can be difficult, especially when we have to ask for it. It is natural for humans to prefer doing everything themselves and avoid the guilt and fear of delegating tasks to others. Akua sheds light on why we have trouble asking for help and provides ways to get the support we need.
Leaders who feel overworked and burned out are often not delegating enough. This is completely normal and often the case with leaders who are passionate about their work. We must recognize how we feel about asking for help, learn to turn off the limiting beliefs that keep us from getting the help we need and start using our incredible teams to shed the burden of work. This process will help invigorate your work, the work of your employees and eventually raise your bottom line.
Limiting beliefs that hold us back from getting help:
- “They can’t do it as well as me.”
- “It’s easier or faster if I do it myself.”
- “My employees don’t have the same commitment to quality as I do.”
- “I need to be an expert before I ask someone else to do this.”
- “I enjoy the work so I shouldn’t delegate it.”
- “I don’t want to be a burden to my team.”
Resources Mentioned:
IG live: Top 4 Biases
Blog Post: The Top 6 Limiting Beliefs That Sabotage Successful Delegation
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Take the Productive Leadership Style Quiz
Akua is excited to share this educational and entertaining interview. In this episode of the Open Door Conversations Podcast, she brings on Eyram Tawia. He is the CEO of Leti Arts, a globally successful game developing company focused on preserving African culture in modern forms that can stand the test of time. Eyram is passionate about his work, his family, and the legacy he leaves for his children and millions more on the continent of Africa.
Today Eyram shares his origin story, about life as an entrepreneur through a pandemic, and a glimpse of what the future holds for Leti Arts. This company is not just creating a profitable video game. When Eyram realized there was an absence of African representation in the gaming world, he set out to change this. However, he went far beyond bringing in African characters and stories. He established and began to grow an entire industry of African-centered storytelling through the world of gaming.
Highlights from the episode:
- Turning your passion into profit while growing a family
- Having a mission for your business
- Using gamification to teach children about their culture, health, and more
- The unity of science and art in gaming
- The significance of storytelling
Get your copy of Eyram’s book: Uncompromising Passion: The Humble Beginnings of an African Video Game.
Connect with Eyram Tawia:
Website: http://www.letiarts.com/
Email: info@letiarts.com
Instagram: @letiarts
Facebook: LetiArts
Twitter: @letiarts
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership productivity Quiz
In today’s #AskAkua episode, Akua is answering questions that will help to improve your public speaking and our email habits. To start, she gives tips and tools that will serve both beginners and seasoned speakers with in-person and online presentations. Communicating is a critical part of building and growing a business. Practicing can turn the most nervous speakers into confident and prepared ones.
Akua also covers email prioritization. Everyone gets emails, probably too many of them, but most people don’t know how to treat their inbox. Your inbox should not be your task list. Contrary to how many feel, your email does not have to be the source of great anxiety. Akua shares ways to structure and prioritize your inbox so that you can quickly get through messages and move on to the more critical money-making work.
Highlights from the episode:
- Creating an engaging environment when speaking and presenting
- Tools that will help you improve your communication skills
- Planning for the worst at live or online speaking engagements
- Beating email overwhelm
- Mantras to remind you that email is not the most significant part of your job
Resources from the episode:
- Ask a question for the next #AskAkua episode
- The Ultimate Speaking Checklist
- The Guardian: How many work emails is too many?
- Ep 09: #AskAkua 3 Steps To Prioritize Better
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Take the Productive Leadership Style Quiz
We hear about time management all the time. Everyone tells us how important it is to manage our time; however people neglect to teach us how to manage our time effectively. Productivity is closely related to how we treat our time. There are ways we can improve our relationship with time to get the best outcomes from it.
Everyone gets the same amount of time in a day but, everyone experiences that amount of time differently. Akua explains that because time is a mental construct, everyone should be treating their time uniquely to their thoughts and feelings. She shares various ways to get clear on how to spend your time most beneficially. It is time to ask yourself how you spend your time now and how you could better spend your time going forward.
Highlights from the episode:
- Cultivating self-awareness around time
- Questions to ask yourself relating to time
- The relationship between productivity and time
- How to talk about time in a valuable way
Take Akua’s quiz about time and productivity by clicking here!
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership Productivity Quiz
Thank you for joining the Open Door Conversations Podcast for more leadership support. Today we cover building a business with a romantic partner and co-founders. If you are interested in being a founder or you work closely with another leader, this episode is for you. Akua interviews 2 company founders, Oluwasoga and Genevieve, about how they began their business, what has helped them find success, and what their goals are for the future. They give insight into what it takes to run a business with a significant other and how to scale your idea into a company.
MDaaS Global started as an idea in one of Oluwasoga's MIT courses. Since launching the company his life partner, Genevieve, and two other co-founders have joined. Their medical equipment distribution business started in Nigeria and has plans to support people throughout Africa. MDaaS Global works to fill the gaps in healthcare by increasing access to high-quality and affordable healthcare. These founders have successfully pivoted their company several times, and in this episode, they share their thoughts on what has helped them reach their goals. Oluwasoga and Genevieve give entrepreneurial advice and share their passion for the company's mission to help others.
Highlights from the episode:
- How to set boundaries
- How to embrace change in your business
- How to scale a business in a sustainable way
- How to build a team with roles that work best for you
Connect with Oluwasoga and Genevieve:
MDaaS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mdaasglobal/
MDaaS Twitter: https://twitter.com/mdaasglobal?lang=en
MDaaS Global Website: https://www.mdaas.io/
Genevieve's LinkedIn
Oluwasoga's LinkedIn
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Take the Productive Leadership Style Quiz
Thank you for joining today’s #AskAkua episode! This conversation is all about time prioritization. Akua brings 2 brand new questions from listeners and shares her perspective and advice. If you have other ideas or advice in response to these questions, please share with Akua through social media or by commenting below to continue the conversation.
In her experience, leaders have had 2 problems with time: needing to save time or needing to create time. The questions today will encourage you to revisit and possibly rethink how you prioritize your time. Where do you place relationships when you think about productivity and prioritization? Where do you start when everything seems important? How do you make prioritization a natural part of your work routine? Akua reminds us that productivity is a result of how you feel about things and explains her answers to these questions in today’s episode.
Highlights from the episode:
- Prioritizing work deadlines and personal relationships
- Analyzing the assumptions, we make in questions
- Prioritizing when you are overwhelmed
- Building the habit of prioritizing in your business
- 3 basic things to consider when approaching prioritization
- Recognizing it as a habit
- Building structures and systems to support yourself
- Practicing self-forgiveness ritual
- What comes up for Akua when she creates new habits
Like Akua, things may come up when you start building new habits in life. What comes up for you when you try something different and build new habits? Let Akua know by reaching out on Instagram direct message. She looks forward to hearing your perspective!
Resources from the episode:
Ask a question for the next #AskAkua episode
Previous episodes mentioned: EP 06: Self Worth + Self Love
Blog Post: The Best Questions to Ask to Quickly Realign With Your TOP Priorities
Blog Post: Feeling a Bit Unmotivated?
Blog Post: This ONE Practice Changed my Week
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
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Thought partner, cheerleader, sounding board, devil’s advocate. Leadership coaches wear all of these hats and many more in order to support their clients in personal and professional life. However, leadership coaching, like most everything, can get clouded by faulty ideas or misunderstandings. Akua is here to expel 5 common misconceptions about leadership coaching and give examples of these errors from her years as an executive coach.
With Akua, leadership coaching concentrates on building up a client’s self-confidence and self-trust. In this episode, she will define who will benefit from coaching, explain the benefits coaching has over other learning techniques, and give the difference between coaching and mentoring. Akua’s executive coaching is professional and personal development that is truly customized to the client. She discusses her techniques, including setting goals, defining actions, and supporting leaders through the process so they can support themselves beyond coaching.
Highlights from the episode:
- 5 Misconceptions About Leadership Coaching
- Leadership coaching is all talk and no action
- Leadership coaching is only helpful for new leaders or terrible executives
- Leadership coaching is therapy
- Leadership coaching can be replaced by books or youtube
- Leadership coaching isn’t for me because I won’t be able to change
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership productivity Quiz
Today's open-door conversation is with Seryna Myers. Seryna Myers is a Sacred Transformation Coach, Author of Sacred Anger, and Professional Speaker. Her divinely guided coaching guides recovering people pleasers to explore what they need and how they really feel (including uncomfortable emotions like anger) and what they really want so they can give themselves radical permission to claim it all.
Seryna's personal and professional commitment to exploring the shadow side of lightwork in safe and sacred spaces is what makes her coaching programs have a deep and lasting impact. Her free guide: 3 Easy Steps to Pursue Your Purpose, is available at seryna.ca/purpose.
This episode is for anyone who has felt anger, big or small. Seryna and Akua discuss how to leverage that feeling and use it as a tool to helps us learn lessons. Although anger can feel consuming, it is important to have strategies in place so that when anger presents itself, there is a process for working through it and learning from it. When we choose to skip over the processing step, our anger often comes back to visit again and again until we recognize it, sit with it, and ultimately learn from it.
Highlights from the episode:
- How to use anger as a teacher
- How to use anger to further discover your identity and purpose
- How to create a support system for yourself so you are ready to process emotion
- Different tools and practices for observing and processing your emotions
- The ultimate beginner's guide to rituals and routines for emotional well being
Connect with Seryna Myers:
Instagram: @serynamyers
YouTube: @Seryna Myers
Book - Sacred Anger - Seryna Myers - Transformation Coach + Spiritual Mentor
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership productivity Quiz
In this #AskAkua episode, Akua focuses on self-trust, self-worth, self-love, and self-advocacy. When you set high standards for yourself, it can be beneficial to remember that self-compassion is just as important to find growth and balance. Akua will answer 2 questions discussing how to show up in a sustainable way, how to define success and enoughness in your business, and how being too hard on yourself can affect your business.
Akua shares her thoughts, gives specific examples of how she shows up in her business, and shows how defining a structure with variety has helped her throughout the past year. The definition of success will look different for each leader, each business, and each individual. In addition, that definition will even change throughout the growth of your business!
Akua is here to remind you that you are remarkable, that practicing self-promotion is healthy and necessary, and that you will do your best work when you do what works best for you.
Highlights from the episode:
- What is the #IAmRemarkable workshop?
- Self check-ins on your progress
- Finding enoughness in your business
- Measuring success in your business
- Balancing high expectations with self-compassion
Quotes from Akua’s #IamRemarkable Workshop Participants:
“The session made me rediscover myself.”
“It felt good to know that I was not alone and that there are practical ways to go about changing my mindset around self-promotion.”
“It was very engaging, and I wish there was more time.”
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Process Akua uses to set up her year for success- Vision Day
- Ask a Question for the next #AskAkua Episode
- The Importance of Self-Promotion
- Register for Free to Join the next #IAmRemarkable Workshop on September 8
- How to Work Through Strong Emotions Blog Post
- How to Deal with Toxic Positivity Blog Post
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership Productivity Quiz
You may be shocked to hear that 85% of employees are not actively engaged in their work. That’s correct, 85%! Today’s episode of the Open Door Conversations Podcast will focus on how leaders can understand their employees in order to unlock the success they are looking for. One person cannot build an entire empire on their own. We must invest genuinely into those we lead if we expect them to actively help us create and build the company we desire.
If you are feeling more like a business and team firefighter and less like an effective leader, then you are in the right place. In this episode, Akua reveals her 3 step process for building necessary employee engagement. By following this process and building a relationship with your team, they will be able to prosper and avoid dreaded burnout.
Highlights from the episode:
- 3 keys to increasing employee engagement
- Self-awareness and how to find it
- Building relationships with your team
- Developing communication and expectations with your team
Resources:
- Burnout Quiz - are you on the road towards burnout? Dear 'Busy' Leader - Are You Teetering at the Edge?
- What Is Employee Engagement and How Do You Improve It? - How to Improve Employee Engagement in the Workplace
- What Self-Awareness Really Is (and How to Cultivate It) What Self-Awareness Really Is (and How to Cultivate It)
- 7 Free Tools to Cultivate Self-Awareness - I'm My Own Worst Enemy
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership Productivity Quiz
In today's episode from The Open Door Conversation Podcast, Akua gets the chance to talk with an incredible writer, healer, and entrepreneur living back home in Accra, Ghana. Araba Ofori-Acquah is committed to helping Africans, and Diasporans connect with wellness in order to find their own potential, magic, and power. Araba is currently writing a book focused on many different ways to be African and ways to use ancient African wellness. She also teaches yoga and meditation and works to promote local Black businesses in Ghana through one of your businesses called Buy Black Ghana.
During this episode, Akua and Araba talk about reconnecting with home not just physically but also in spiritual, emotional, and mental ways. Renewing your relationship with ancient African culture is not just going to visit or live in your ancestral home; there are many ways to connect and support the developing continent. Through the show, you will get a better understanding of where Araba came from, what her journey in Ghana has been so far, and her plans for the future. She will reveal major life lessons she has gained since living in Ghana and her challenges and triumphs in building a wellness business.
Highlights from the episode:
- Recognizing and checking your privilege even if you are Black
- African centered wellness
- Ways to support the development of Africa
- What to keep in mind if you want to move to Accra
Additional Resources:
Building Our Awareness Around our Perspectives, Prejudices and Privilege Cheatsheet
Connect with Araba Ofori-Acquah:
Updated Instagram: @araba.oa
Buy Black Ghana Instagram: @buyblack.gh
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership productivity Quiz
Welcome back to the Open Door Conversations Podcast! Whether you are looking for leadership info, unique perspectives on life, or to better understand yourself, you’ve come to the right place. Today, Akua is answering questions brought forward by listeners and breaking down her answers into easy-to-follow steps.
How do you approach topics that are not so positive when those around you are pushing positivity at all times? Akua gives information and guiding ideas on how to engage with yourself or with others when positivity goes too far and becomes unhelpful.
What about finding “balance” in life? Akua gives her honest opinion about how tiring it can be to achieve balance and breaks it down into attainable goals and tasks.
She addresses both questions using 3 steps for understanding yourself better:
1. Cultivate awareness around the situation.
2. Experiment and engage in different ideas and methods to change the situation.
3. Set expectations and think about moving forward.
Highlights from the episode:
- Using steps to know yourself better
- Toxic positivity
- The importance of feeling
- How to achieve “balance.”
- Focusing on integration over balance
Resources Mentioned:
- Blog Post: How To Improve Your Workplace Culture By Unlearning Toxic Positivity
- Blog Post: 5 Steps To Improve Your Emotional Intelligence
- Template: Wheel of Life
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership productivity Quiz
Welcome to the second episode from The Open Door Conversations Podcast.
This episode is all about Freedom and Destroying the Status Quo. Our guest is Ellany Lea, a success coach and business mentor who received her coaching training from the prestigious Co-Active Training Institute.
Today, Ellany Lea teaches us the true meaning of freedom. She believes that everyone deserves to have the freedom to be who they really are and discusses the key points needed to get there. Ellany also gets personal as she shares the struggles of being the child of immigrants and how she was able to break free from cultural expectations. Additionally, she talks about money mindset and how money can become an opportunity for spiritual, emotional, and mental growth.
Have a listen to this episode with Ellany Lea, and take the first step towards being who you truly want to be.
Highlights from the episode:
- 5 Elements of Freedom and Spiritual Maturation
- Mastering courage
- Surrendering gracefully
- The truth of self
- Reclaiming your innocence
- Different types of freedom
- The guilt and triggers in being an immigrant
- Her personal journey towards cultural freedom
- The effects of cultural guilt and shame in all areas of life
- Money mindset
Resources Mentioned:
- Freedom Fundamentals Program by Ellany Lea
Connect with Ellany Lea:
Website: www.ellanylea.com
Instagram: @Ellanylea
Freedom Fundamental Program
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
The Leadership productivity Quiz
Welcome to the Open Door Conversations Podcast! Akua is so excited to start this podcast that is sure to be full of open and honest conversations. Since leaving her job 3 years ago as a startup leader, Akua has worked for herself as a successful leadership coach focusing on skills that help leaders to love themselves, love their work, and love their life. The goal of this podcast is to share useful leadership information, different perspectives on life, and ways to know and love yourself even more.
Frustrated, a little lost, and burnout, Akua decided to leave her company and begin doing something she never expected. She launched her leadership consulting company and started working for herself. Although it was (and is) challenging, she has found that knowing herself and finding strength in those that supported her ultimately leads to the ability to work how she wants to. Today, Akua shares some major lessons she has learned while working virtually with clients to strengthen their leadership skills. Akua emphasizes that getting clear on your values is important and even talks about her main values.
Highlights from the episode:
- Going from working for others to launching her business
- Lessons learned from the past 3 years owning her business
- The importance of main values
- Her main values in personal and professional life
Let’s keep the conversation going; tell me about YOUR story! Use #askakua on your social media story to get a special gift.
Resources Mentioned:
Blog post: Akua her Coaching Journey
Blog Post: Akua her Decade in Review: Professional Lessons + Reflections
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Take the Productive Leadership Style Quiz
Welcome to The Open Door Podcast. In this welcome message, your host Akua shares with you what you can expect from the Open Door Conversation Podcast.
If you want to know when we will be launching the podcast, connect with Akua on Instagram or LinkedIn, so when we launch the podcast, you will be the first to know.
Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:
Instagram: @akua_nm
Website: www.akuanm.com
LinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-Mensah
Twitter: @akua_nm
Subscribe to her newsletter: www.akuanm.com/newsletter
Take the Productive Leadership Style Quiz