This week a change from the planned episode and a reflection on the events across UK cities in the past week and a reflection on the consequences of feeling not heard.

What happened on the streets of UK cities may not replicate exactly in the boardrooms and offices of companies around the world but listening and enabling people to be and feel heard are critical enablers of potential.

Find out what's holding back your leadership greatness www.ianbrowne.com

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In this episode

Introduction

Writing helps make sense of swirling thoughts.
Observations on productivity and biological rhythms:
Personal example: best work done in the morning.
Challenge for leaders with busy schedules.

The Reality of Modern Workload

Overwhelming amount of data to process daily (~30GB).
Inbox management:
Personal anecdote comparing his and his son’s inbox.
Digital distractions from multiple sources.

Maximizing Morning Productivity

Importance of morning hours for creative work.
Strategies to combat distractions:
Planning the night before.
Scheduling high-intensity tasks for the morning.
Eliminating distractions completely during focused work.

The Cost of Distractions

Impact of minor distractions on productivity:
Example: toaster email notification.
Takes up to 25 minutes to regain momentum.
Suggestion: daily digital detox in the morning.

Aligning Tasks with Goals

Annual or quarterly goal setting in corporate life.
Challenges with goal setting:
People often don’t remember their goals.
Comparison to entrepreneurial goal setting.
Breaking goals into deliverables and tasks.
Importance of aligning daily tasks with goals.

Time Management and Saying No

Struggles of people pleasers:
Working on others’ priorities over personal ones.
Strategies to reclaim time:
Know your goals and tasks.
Communicate your priorities to others.
Teach others to be self-sufficient.

Conclusion

Benefits of these strategies:
More productive and aligned with goals.
Better management of time and helping others efficiently.

Link referred to in this episode https://ianbrowne.distribute.so/wwwianbrownecom-for-ian-browne-coaching

To work with me or find if my VIP programme to Unleash Your Potential is a good fit for you find me here www.ianbrowne.com

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Link to find out what's holding you back: https://subscribepage.io/2w7ob9

In the Season 7 finale of Thriving Leader, we delve into the common cognitive traps that even the most successful leaders can fall into. Reflecting on recent client conversations, we identify three major fallacies that can impede your productivity and career progress: the sunk cost fallacy, the age-norm fallacy, and the social pressure fallacy. These mental barriers can keep you stuck and prevent you from unlocking your full potential. Join us as we explore how to recognize and overcome these fallacies, helping you to release the brake on your productivity and achieve greater career success. Don’t miss this insightful episode that aims to empower you to break free from these limitations and thrive as a leader.

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Podcast Summary: Navigating the Success Trap in a VUCA World

Link to find out which are your key saboteurs, what's holding you back here: https://subscribepage.io/2w7ob9

Episode Overview:

This episode explores the evolving landscape of career success and the pitfalls of comparing ourselves to others. We discuss the concept of the success trap, the impact of imposter syndrome, and how self-sabotage undermines our potential. We'll also introduce the Positive Intelligence methodology as a tool to overcome these challenges.

Key Points:

The Rise of Skyscrapers and the Pursuit of Success:
Post-WWII, skyscrapers symbolized success, with higher floors and corner offices being the ultimate goals.
However, continuous comparison with others often leaves us feeling that success is never enough.
The VUCA Environment:
Today's job market is characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA).
Success pathways are less clear, adding to the confusion of achieving career milestones.
Even successful individuals are not immune to imposter syndrome and its detrimental effects.
The Success Trap:
The success trap involves sacrificing personal health and well-being for career advancement.
Many people take on multiple roles to enhance their marketability and credibility.
Research shows that beyond a certain income level, additional wealth does not significantly increase happiness.
Self-Sabotaging Our Way to Success:
Imposter syndrome convinces us that we don't belong, focusing on our differences rather than our strengths.
Most people try to emulate those around them, leading to exhaustion and burnout.
Only a few trust in their intrinsic value, recognizing their unique contributions.
Three Fallacies of Self-Sabotage:
Sunk Cost Fallacy: Continuing unproductive paths due to past investments.
Age Norm Fallacy: Believing achievements must be reached by certain ages.
Social Pressure Fallacy: Judging ourselves based on material wealth and societal expectations.
Redefining Success:
Success is relative and personal, and it can be found on any "floor" of life.
Overcoming self-sabotage is key to improving performance and achieving personal definitions of success.
The VUCA environment offers opportunities for success in various contexts, not just in traditional corporate settings.
Positive Intelligence Methodology:
Positive Intelligence helps individuals change their mindset to act smarter in any situation.
It involves shifting from self-sabotaging behaviors to positive, productive actions.
This methodology has been proven effective in enhancing performance and well-being.

Conclusion:

Success is not about reaching a specific floor in a skyscraper but about finding fulfillment and purpose in whatever we do. By overcoming imposter syndrome and self-sabotage, we can achieve our unique definitions of success. The Positive Intelligence methodology provides a practical framework for making these changes, helping us to remove our foot from the brake pedal and accelerate towards our goals.

Call to Action:

If you found this episode insightful, subscribe and leave a review. For more strategies on overcoming self-sabotage and achieving success in a VUCA world, visit www.ianbrowne.com and explore our coaching resources. Remember, your path to success is unique, and you have the power to define it on your own terms.

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Link to find your saboteurs https://subscribepage.io/2w7ob9

Episode Overview:In this episode, we delve into the influence of reality TV on our self-perception, particularly how it can fuel imposter syndrome and unhealthy comparisons. We'll explore the story of Jeannie and Sylvie, two tech professionals, to illustrate these concepts and discuss strategies to combat self-doubt and foster gratitude.

Key Points:

The Birth of Reality TV:
- October 14, 2007, marked the debut of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, a significant moment in television history.
- Reality TV has since become a staple, blurring the lines between scripted drama and unscripted observation.
- Despite knowing the editing tricks and curated narratives, viewers often compare themselves to these edited versions of reality, feeling inadequate.
- The Netherworld of Comparisons:
- Reality TV producers craft narratives and choose cast members to bring these stories to life.
- Despite awareness of these manipulations, viewers still struggle to distinguish between real life and edited reality, leading to unhealthy comparisons and self-doubt.
- Imposter Syndrome as a TV Producer:
- Imposter syndrome operates like a skilled TV producer, amplifying our perception of others' strengths and our own weaknesses.
- It plants seeds of doubt and self-sabotage, convincing us to back out before we get a chance to succeed.
- Jeannie and Sylvie's Story:
- Jeannie and Sylvie, two tech professionals from different backgrounds, meet at a tech conference.
- They bond over shared interests and struggles, but a seminar session changes Jeannie's perspective.
- Seeing Sylvie on stage as a confident panelist triggers Jeannie's imposter syndrome, leading her to question her own abilities and worth.
- Unbeknownst to Jeannie, Sylvie was also nervous and worried about her performance.
- The Reality of Social Media Comparisons:
- Social media platforms exacerbate imposter syndrome by showcasing others' successes while hiding their struggles.
- The curated nature of social media posts distorts reality, making users feel inadequate by comparison.
- Combating Imposter Syndrome and Fostering Gratitude:
- Replace Comparisons with Gratitude: Shift focus from comparing yourself to others to appreciating your own achievements and strengths.
- Daily Gratitude Practice: Write down one thing that went well, one way you helped someone, and one thing you learned each day.
- Positive Affirmations: Create and regularly review positive statements about your work, energy sources, and sense of belonging.
- Visualize Positive Moments: As you wind down each day, reflect on your positive statements and visualize the supportive people and moments in your life.

Conclusion:Reality TV and social media often distort our perception of reality, fueling imposter syndrome and unhealthy comparisons. By shifting focus to gratitude and acknowledging our own strengths and achievements, we can combat self-doubt and build a more positive self-image. Create your own "reality show" centered on gratitude and self-compassion, and remember that your unique reality is incomparable.

Call to Action:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. For more tips on overcoming imposter syndrome and fostering gratitude, visit our website and check out our resources. Remember, you are unique, and there’s no comparison to your reality.

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Podcast Summary: Balancing Strengths to Prevent Self-Sabotage in Conscientious Individuals

Links https://www.discprofiles.com/disc-styles/Find your saboteurs https://subscribepage.io/2w7ob9

Episode Overview:

In this episode, we explore how individuals with a Conscientious personality type (according to the DISC model) can harness their strengths while being wary of potential pitfalls. We'll discuss the importance of balancing these traits to avoid self-sabotage and imposter syndrome.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding the Conscientious Personality Type:
Conscientious (C) types are analytical, detail-oriented, and value accuracy.
They pride themselves on being competent and knowledgeable, often reflecting and learning as they go.
While they share the D types' desire to question information, their focus is on the soundness of solutions and ideas.
Strengths and Overplaying Them:
On good days, C types excel in their analytical and diplomatic skills, providing objective insights.
However, they can be overly critical of themselves and set unrealistic expectations.
Striving for perfection can lead to frustration, especially when others don't value the same level of detail.
Challenges Faced by Conscientious Individuals:
C types may struggle with situations where things are uncertain or not in their control.
They often fear being seen as not knowledgeable enough and hesitate to ask for help, viewing it as a weakness.
High self-imposed standards can result in excessive self-criticism, even when others don't share these expectations.
Feedback is often perceived as a critique of their competence rather than constructive input.
Strategies to Overcome Self-Sabotage:
Reframe your sense of perfection by aligning it more closely with realistic expectations.
Clarify what others expect and aim to meet these standards rather than constantly trying to exceed them.
Embrace the concept of "yet"—things you don't know are simply things you haven't learned yet.
View feedback as a tool for improvement and mistakes as part of the learning process.
Practice self-compassion and recognize that making mistakes is a sign of pushing boundaries and growth.
Combating Imposter Syndrome:
Imposter syndrome thrives on self-doubt and guilt, often exacerbated by overplayed strengths.
Self-compassion and kindness towards oneself and others can help diffuse these feelings.
Disrupt unhelpful thinking patterns to maintain productivity and performance.
Guilt is a significant barrier to progress; learning to let go of perfectionist tendencies is crucial for career advancement.

Actionable Tips:

Conduct a self-assessment using the DISC model to understand your default personality style.
Identify unproductive patterns in your behavior and challenge them constructively.
Develop a support system with trusted friends or mentors to help you navigate and balance your strengths.
Practice self-validation and recognize the value of your contributions.
Consider professional coaching if needed to further enhance your positive intelligence and unlock your full potential.

Conclusion:

Understanding and managing your strengths, particularly for those with a Conscientious personality type, can help avoid self-sabotage and achieve greater success in both personal and professional lives. Embracing a balanced approach to strengths can lead to improved productivity, performance, and overall well-being.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. For personalized coaching, visit www.ianbrowne.com and reach out. Remember, the fastest way to improve productivity and career success is to take your foot off the brake pedal and let your true potential shine!

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Podcast Summary: Leveraging Steadiness Personality Type for Career Success

Link to DISC https://www.discprofiles.com/disc-styles/Link to find your saboteurs

https://subscribepage.io/2w7ob9

Episode Overview:

In this episode, we delve into the Steadiness personality type within the DISC model, focusing on how individuals with this style can effectively utilize their strengths while being mindful of potential challenges. We'll explore the importance of understanding all DISC types to improve workplace harmony and personal productivity.

Key Takeaways:

Strengths and Their Potential Downside:
While strengths are essential for success, over-relying on them can lead to Imposter Syndrome and self-sabotage.
Self-awareness helps in recognizing when our strengths might be hindering our progress.
Understanding the Steadiness Personality Type:
Steadiness types (S types) are supportive, dependable, and bring harmony to their environments.
They excel at listening without judgment and creating stability within teams.
S types work hard to accommodate conflicting views and ensure everyone feels valued.
Challenges for Steadiness Types:
The pursuit of harmony can lead to exhaustion, especially when consensus is not possible.
S types may take too long to make decisions, worrying about potential conflicts and imperfections.
They often avoid the limelight, which can lead to others taking credit for their contributions.
Feeling responsible for maintaining peace can cause undue stress and self-doubt.
Strategies to Overcome Self-Sabotage:
Practice self-compassion and forgiveness to combat feelings of inadequacy.
Seek feedback from trusted colleagues to gain a balanced perspective on strengths and areas for improvement.
Learn to accept that not every situation will be harmonious and that it's okay to make decisions that might not please everyone.
Embrace your achievements and be willing to accept credit where it's due.
The Role of Compassion in Combating Imposter Syndrome:
Compassion towards oneself and others helps diffuse self-doubt and guilt.
Disrupting negative thinking patterns is crucial for maintaining productivity and performance.
Guilt can be a significant barrier to success; learning to let go of unproductive patterns is vital for growth.

Actionable Tips:

Conduct a self-assessment using the DISC model to understand your default personality style.
Identify unproductive patterns in your behavior and challenge them constructively.
Develop a support system with trusted friends or mentors to help you navigate and balance your strengths.
Practice self-validation and recognize the value of your contributions.
Consider professional coaching if needed to further enhance your positive intelligence and unlock your full potential.

Conclusion:

Understanding and managing our strengths, particularly for those with a Steadiness personality type, can help avoid self-sabotage and achieve greater success in both personal and professional lives. Embracing a balanced approach to strengths can lead to improved productivity, performance, and overall well-being.

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Harnessing Influence Personality Type for Career Success

Link to DISC, find your profile https://www.discprofiles.com/disc-styles/Discover your Saboteurs - ten minutes to success! https://subscribepage.io/2w7ob9

Episode Overview:

In this episode, we explore the Influence personality type within the DISC model, examining how individuals with this dominant style can leverage their strengths effectively while avoiding common pitfalls. We also discuss how all personality types can interact harmoniously in the workplace, enhancing productivity and career success.

Key Takeaways:

The Double-Edged Sword of Strengths:
While strengths can propel us forward, over-reliance on them can lead to Imposter Syndrome and self-sabotage.
Self-awareness is crucial in recognizing when our strengths are becoming a hindrance.
Understanding the Influence Personality Type:
Influence types are sociable, talkative, and excel at winning people over with their warmth and confidence.
They thrive on new experiences and bringing people together, often acting as the glue in teams.
Their optimism helps them navigate through challenges, often relying on a network of contacts for support.
Potential Pitfalls for Influence Types:
Seeking social approval can become a yardstick for success, leading to anxiety and self-doubt.
Influence types may feel vulnerable when interacting with Dominance types, fearing their own reliance on others' talents.
Over-concern with social media impressions and external validation can distract from their true goals and create exhaustion.
Strategies for Overcoming Self-Sabotage:
Internal self-validation is key. Finding a mentor can help reframe constructive feedback and build self-confidence.
Accepting that it’s impossible to please everyone all the time is crucial for reducing stress and increasing productivity.
Recognizing the value of their interpersonal skills and how they complement their competencies can enhance self-worth.
The Role of Compassion in Combating Imposter Syndrome:
Compassion towards oneself and others can diffuse feelings of self-doubt and guilt.
Disrupting unhelpful thinking patterns is essential for maintaining productivity and performance.
Guilt is counterproductive; learning to let go of patterns that no longer serve you is vital for career growth.

Actionable Tips:

Conduct a self-assessment using the DISC model to understand your default personality style.
Identify and challenge unproductive patterns in your behavior.
Seek feedback from trusted mentors or friends to gain a realistic perspective on your strengths and areas for improvement.
Practice self-compassion and positive thinking to counteract self-doubt and guilt.
Reach out for professional coaching if needed to further develop your positive intelligence and unlock your full potential.

Conclusion:

By understanding and managing our strengths, especially those aligned with the Influence personality type, we can avoid self-sabotage and achieve greater success in our personal and professional lives. The journey to productivity and fulfillment involves letting go of unhelpful patterns and embracing a balanced approach to our strengths.

If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review. For personalized coaching, visit www.ianbrowne.com me. Remember, the fastest way to improve your productivity and career success is to take your foot off the brake pedal and let your true potential shine!

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Podcast Summary: Unleashing Your True Potential by Avoiding Self-Sabotage

Key links: DISC assessment https://www.discprofiles.com/disc-styles/Key links: Saboteur assessment

https://ianbrowne.distribute.so/wwwianbrownecom-for-ian-browne-coaching

Episode Overview:In this episode, we delve into the complex relationship between our strengths and self-sabotage, exploring how our innate talents can sometimes work against us. We'll discuss how to harness our strengths effectively without letting them undermine our success, and we’ll also introduce tools like the DISC personality model to better understand and navigate our default behaviors.

Key Takeaways:

The Paradox of Strengths:
- While strengths can propel us forward, over-reliance on them can lead to feelings of Imposter Syndrome and self-sabotage.
- Self-awareness is crucial in recognizing when our strengths are becoming a hindrance.
- Understanding Self-Sabotage:
- Our brains use pattern recognition to handle everyday decisions, which can sometimes lead to unproductive habits.
- Recognizing and breaking these patterns is essential for unlocking our full potential and enhancing productivity.
- DISC Personality Model:
- The DISC model categorizes personality into Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness.
- Understanding your dominant style can help you leverage your strengths without falling into the trap of overplaying them.
- Focus on Dominance:
- Dominant individuals are often fast-paced, decisive, and driven, which can lead to significant achievements.
- However, their competitive nature and perfectionist tendencies can cause stress and unrealistic expectations.
- Strategies for Dominant types include seeking feedback, accepting vulnerability, and setting realistic goals.
- Overcoming Imposter Syndrome:
- Imposter Syndrome feeds on self-doubt and guilt, which can be mitigated through self-compassion and disrupting negative thinking patterns.
- Letting go of unhelpful patterns and embracing positive intelligence can lead to greater happiness and productivity.

Actionable Tips:

Conduct a self-assessment using the DISC model to understand your default personality style.
Identify and challenge unproductive patterns in your behavior.
Seek feedback from trusted mentors or friends to gain a realistic perspective on your strengths and areas for improvement.
Practice self-compassion and positive thinking to counteract self-doubt and guilt.
Reach out for professional coaching if needed to further develop your positive intelligence and unlock your full potential.

Conclusion:By understanding and managing our strengths, we can avoid self-sabotage and achieve greater success in our personal and professional lives. The journey to productivity and fulfillment involves letting go of unhelpful patterns and embracing a balanced approach to our strengths.

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🎙️ Podcast Synopsis: Breaking Free from the Scarcity Loop

Join us on a journey into the intricate world of human behavior, where the allure of Las Vegas casinos and the psychology behind slot machines offer profound insights into our daily struggles with Imposter Syndrome.

In this episode, we explore the Scarcity Loop, a phenomenon deeply ingrained in our pursuit of reward and perpetuated by Imposter Syndrome. Drawing parallels between the allure of Vegas and workplace dynamics, we uncover the mechanisms that keep us trapped in a cycle of self-doubt and scarcity thinking.

From the inception of video slot machines in the 1950s to the modern-day challenges faced by professionals like Zac, a seasoned programmer battling Imposter Syndrome, we dissect the intricate interplay between reward anticipation, dopamine hits, and the relentless pursuit of success.

As we unravel the lessons from Leidy Klotz's Lego experiment and Zac's harrowing journey, we confront the reality of scarcity thinking and its detrimental impact on our performance and well-being. But amidst the chaos, there's hope.

By recognizing the presence of the scarcity loop in our lives and challenging its validity with evidence-based thinking, we empower ourselves to break free from its grip and rewrite our narrative. It's time to embrace our true potential, shatter the shackles of self-doubt, and pursue our goals with unwavering confidence.

So, tune in as we navigate the complexities of the human psyche, unravel the mysteries of the Scarcity Loop, and embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Remember, you've got this. 🌟 #ScarcityLoop #ImposterSyndrome #SelfEmpowerment #ProfessionalDevelopment #Podcast

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🎙️ Unmasking Imposter Syndrome: Overcoming Self-Doubt in the Workplace

Join us on this insightful podcast episode as we unravel the complexities of Imposter Syndrome and its profound impact on our professional lives.

Work, inherently social, often hinges on the approval of others, making it fertile ground for Imposter Syndrome to thrive. But what exactly is Imposter Syndrome, and how does it manifest in our daily lives?

We begin by debunking the age-old advice of "never resting on your laurels." Stemming from ancient Greece, this phrase warns against complacency and encourages continual striving.

However, as we navigate through life, comparisons with others and the fear of being a "one-hit wonder" can fuel feelings of inadequacy and perpetual dissatisfaction.

Drawing from real-life examples, such as Mike, a talented songwriter plagued by self-doubt despite his success, we explore how Imposter Syndrome undermines our achievements and distorts our perceptions of happiness and fulfillment.

But there's hope. By acknowledging our accomplishments and reframing our self-narratives, we can stand firm on the laurels of our achievements and combat the relentless voice of Imposter Syndrome.

Through practical exercises and self-reflection, we empower ourselves to embrace our true worth and silence the inner critic.

Join us as we uncover the strategies to eradicate Imposter Syndrome, cultivate confidence, and thrive in our professional endeavors. Because you deserve to feel better every day without pretending to be someone you're not.

Tune in to Thriving Leader and embark on a journey toward self-discovery and empowerment. 🌟 #ImposterSyndrome #ProfessionalDevelopment #SelfDiscovery #Empowerment #CareerSuccess

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In a world where each of us is akin to a book constantly being written, what narratives shape our lives and decisions? Join us this week as we embark on a journey through the intricate realm of self-storying and its profound impact on our psyche.

🖌️ Ancient Storytelling: From Caves to Fables:Journey back in time to explore the origins of storytelling, from the captivating cave paintings of ancient civilizations to the timeless fables of Aesop. Discover how narratives have served as a cornerstone of human communication, imparting wisdom and shaping collective consciousness.

💡 Flawed Narratives and Impostor Syndrome:Delve into the complexities of self-storying and its intersection with Impostor Syndrome. Uncover how ingrained beliefs and flawed narratives can manifest as self-doubt and hinder personal growth, leaving us trapped in a cycle of uncertainty and fear.

🌟 Rewrite Your Story, Rewrite Your Future:Empower yourself to challenge and reshape the narratives that govern your life. Learn practical strategies to reframe your self-story, fostering a mindset of resilience and possibility. It's time to rewrite the ending of your story and embark on a journey of self-discovery and transformation.

Tune in to our podcast as we navigate the intricate labyrinth of self-storying, offering insights and inspiration to rewrite the narrative of your life. Don't miss out on this enlightening episode—your future self will thank you!

SelfDiscovery #PersonalGrowth #NarrativeIdentity #Empowerment #Podcast #Transformation #RewriteYourStory

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Podcast Summary: Unveiling the Many Flavors of Imposter Syndrome

Join us on this insightful journey as we delve into the intriguing world of Imposter Syndrome. Just like the array of flavors at your favorite gelato store, Imposter Syndrome presents itself in various forms, each with its unique characteristics and challenges.

Incorporating some of the work of Dr. Valerie Young, co-founder of the Imposter Syndrome Institute, we shed light on the distinct flavors of Imposter Syndrome, offering valuable insights to help you identify your own flavor.

The Perfectionist: Are you constantly striving for flawlessness, setting impossibly high standards for yourself? Discover how the pursuit of perfection can lead to a cycle of relentless effort and disappointment, leaving you plagued by self-doubt and anxiety.
The Natural Genius: Explore the struggles of those who are accustomed to quick successes, grappling with feelings of inadequacy when faced with challenges that require perseverance and effort.
The Expert: Dive into the world of those who equate knowledge with competence, navigating feelings of discomfort and inadequacy in new roles or unfamiliar environments.
The Soloist: Uncover the challenges faced by individuals who believe that asking for help is a sign of weakness, often struggling in silence and exacerbating problems by avoiding collaboration.
Superwoman & Superman: Delve into the mindset of those who see the world in black and white, where anything less than perfection is deemed a failure, leading to a constant battle between achievement and mediocrity.

As we unravel the complexities of Imposter Syndrome, we liken it to wearing faulty lenses, where our expectations and reality may be skewed. But fear not, for understanding your flavor of Imposter Syndrome is the first step towards reclaiming your confidence and embracing your true potential.

Tune in to our upcoming episodes as we explore practical strategies to combat Imposter Syndrome, offering valuable techniques to recalibrate your expectations and align your reality with the truth. Don't let Imposter Syndrome hold you back – it's time to rewrite your story and embrace your brilliance.

learn more www.ianbrowne.com

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Welcome back to another episode of 'Thriving Leader.' Today, we're diving into a topic that plagues many leaders – perfection paralysis. I'm Ian Browne, and we're about to unravel the complexities of Imposter Syndrome and its ties to the relentless pursuit of perfection.So, the big question we're tackling today is: Does everything have to be perfect? The short answer – no. But the journey from acknowledging this truth to living it can be quite challenging. Imposter Syndrome, a cocktail of self-worth, self-esteem, fear of failure, and perfectionism, often stands in the way of bringing our true selves and great ideas into the world. Today, we're exploring how to break free from the heavy burden of perfectionismI recently worked with individuals leading an innovative program, and despite volunteering for this adventure, they found themselves burdened by the weight of expectations and the spotlight. Imposter Syndrome's common baggage, the fear of comparison, the stomach-dropping moments when others succeed, and the paralyzing doubt of starting something uncertain – it was all too familiar.But, as we'll discover, perfectionism is a hurdle, not a necessity. We'll explore the mismatch between expectations and reality, the deep sense of inadequacy, and the counterproductive habit of looking over our shoulders instead of focusing on the race ahead.Join us as we revisit the art of learning from mistakes – a skill we all once possessed in abundance. From our first steps to riding a bike, missteps were part of the process, and we were praised for our efforts. As we grew, we were taught there's a right way and a wrong way, but adulthood calls for a blend of structured learning and the freedom to explore through doing.Remember, perfection is not the goal; progress is. Your challenge is to rethink your approach for 2024. Tune in to the voice of Imposter Syndrome, and consider the opportunities that arise when we're willing to embrace imperfection. This is 'Thriving Leader,' where we believe that overcoming perfection paralysis is key to unlocking your true leadership potential.

Subscribe to Thriving Leader blog and get it delivered to your inbox once every 14 days:

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And if you'd like to chat with me about kicking your Imposter Syndrome to the curb, you can find time with me here https://go.oncehub.com/IanBrowneCoaching

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Welcome back. So in the last episode we were looking at catalytic leaders. Leaders of people who radiate energy outwards and enthuse others with the sense of the possible. I’m sure you’ve met someone like this. I’m also sure you’ve met many leaders who felt at least at the time like the complete opposite.In this episode we explore what it's like to work with a Downward Dog leader, the one where everything revolves around him. We look at why this happens, the impact on productiity and creativity and most importantly how to contain and retrain the Downward Dog if you have him in your life.

Read the full transcript and catch other free leadership resources to become Better Every Day at www.ianbrowne.com

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In this episode we're looking at the Hippo leadership style.

Hippo stands for highest paid person's opinion. It abounds in organisations and yet because expertise and insight exists more widely, often HIPPOs can be guilty of reducing collective insight and intelligence and making everything about themselves.

Catch transcripts and more learning resources to help you become Better Every Day at www.ianbrowne.com

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"Vision is the ultimate source of all leadership. Optimism is vision girded for battle. Optimism can be a shape-shifting and protean force, moving like water past all obstacles, breaking a path of love, expressed in courage." James Strock

In this episode we explore the power of optimism within your leadership style. Associated with greater engagement, creativity and productivity it's a powerful force and yet as you'll learn hardly any organisations look for it in new hires or seek to cultivate it within the people they have.

Catch more learning resources and courses to help you become Better Every Day at www.ianbrowne.com

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How does it feel to be a leader when those around you may be smarter? Threatening or liberating? This is the critical inflection point in leadership. From your role as giving out directions through instruction to creating direction through listening and asking smarter questions.

In this episode we look at Power Listening and how practicing this technique can encourage people to bring their best to the room.

You can find this and more free learning resources plus access to my development programmes at www.ianbrowne.com

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It used to be that the most senior people in the organisation were the most experienced, knowledgeable and smartest.

But these days people have side-hustles, have worked in multiple organisations, are board members of not-for-profits, run their own businesses.

Surveys show workers have a range of secret skills that never get used in their workplace. This episode explores the concept of the talent magnet not from a hiring perpective but what it takes to bring out all the smarts in the room.

To access more learning resources and my development programmes to make your leadership Better Every Day go to www.ianbrowne.com

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Welcome to another season of Thriving Leader. Season 4 is all about the 4th quadrant of the Energy Leadership model and we're talking catalytic leadership - your ability to generate energy within others so you create that all important multipler effect. As the first episode this is an introduction to why cataylytic leadership is all important and indeed almost the only leadership game in town now we're living in a world where most bosses are hiring people in IQ terms at least who are smarter than them. Harnessing skills and energy is a wise thing, projecting them outwards, even wiser.

Catch more resources like this at www.theenergyleader.com and www.ianbrowne.com

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Episode 14 and last in the season on Connective Energy and it would be odd to do a whole season on how to connect without mentioning LinkedIn. I resisted this for a while because people write whole books on LinkedIn so what can I add. Well in this episode I'll focus a bit on how to use LinkedIn sincerely from the point of view of leveraging Connective Energy of others. Lots of books have focussed on selling yourself, your product, your application for a job and so forth but they are arguably predatory connections, once the objective's been achieved that's it.

Connective energy runs deeper and lasts longer and therefore a good way to round off this season. Do share your own LinkedIn tips, subscribe, share and see you soon for Season 4 all about Catalytic Energy

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Welcome to episode 13 of season 3 we're still working on developing our connective energy. In this episode I look at the top down command and control leadership style questioning how effective it is in a world where we want to grasp information, insight and connection through porous borders. By contrast I'll be looking at leading as a Neighbourhood Mayor, mastering multiple constituencies of opinion and bringing them together to leverage connective energy.

One more episode to go on LinkedIn and then we're on to season 4 Catalytic Energy

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So far in this season we’ve looked at Connective energy and the value to be gained in terms of energy from forging alliances with others. Just making the ask are you curious, are you willing to explore further will immediately bring your connections and energy you didn’t have before.

Despite your awesome connective energy skills there comes a time when things just don’t seem to gel, you’re making the ask but somehow people are not getting what you’re saying and the connection is not happening.

So in this episode we explore archetypes - advocates, evangelists, passives and detractors to figure out how to adapt your technique to make the best from all of them.

And we discuss how in business because many people feel outright rejection is a bit harsh how many people instead practice a technique called fawning - which is avoiding saying no. Since this is really common and a major source of frustration we look at how to spot fawn behaviour and how to deal with it

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When you’re seeking to leverage connective energy the number one rule is to be yourself. There are two (at least) good reasons for this.

Firstly that trying to be someone else or trying to emulate someone else’s character or behaviour is endlessly exhausting and takes and huge amount of energy that should be focussed on building the relationship not holding a constant mask.

The second is that if you’re out there genuinely seeking to develop relationships on the basis of trust then there can be no greater breach of trust than to try to pretend to be someone that you are not from the outset and you will be found out.

Why do people engage in this form of emulation? Because they think it is expected of them or because the old rules of being great at networking and forging connections told them this is so.

15% of the population are extroverts, the rest of us are on a sliding scale towards true introvert state. The rules of networking were not built for us, but with some techniques discussed in this podcast, we can rewrite the rules to network and collaborate on our own terms

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If we head back to the 70s, 80s even 90s, the art of connecting was something still done in clubs, largely men-only as best as they could get away with it, or the golf course, again at the time a male bastion. Everything behind closed doors.

Zip forwards at least thirty years and it’s true that some things have not changed but as Judy Rabinett points out; women have stepped into greater leadership roles so the art of connecting has changed and evolved. Men wrote the rules of networking and held the rule book for centuries. As female leadership has grown, networking has shifted and evolved and this episode explores old style networking and evolved networking to help you find inspiration and a style that works for you

We’re all wired to draw on our connective energy differently and exploring these changes and evolution in style may hopefully give you confidence that whilst being a member of the gentleman’s club isn’t going to be right for you, there are still positive and effective ways to connect.

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Introverts have a well-established “too much” radar which needs to balance taking on information with processing and digesting. Whereas extroverts tend to think through talking, introverts need peace to be able to really think. And therefore when it comes to stepping into one of those big hotel rooms (you know the ones with the weird carpet designs than seem reserved only for big hotels and conference centres), introverts can feel they are like Christians being thrown into a roman gladiatorial arena, filled with sabre toothed tigers and danger at every turn.

As over 50% of us are introvert or centroverts - a bit twixt and between - traditional networking techniques serve us poorly yet we still have a need to connect so this episode is all about helping the majority of us with those introvert tendencies to make the most of networking, in our own style.

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Honesty’s a tough cookie to crack in relationships. There are some who believe you should always be honest no matter what the consequence. Yet extreme honesty uninvited can wreck and ruin relationships.

Few people set out to be dishonest in their connections and yet they withhold things they’re less happy with, pull punches on feedback and through this mislead their connections into believing things that aren’t exactly true. That’s not a good recipe for success either.

When we don’t know our connections terribly well we don’t know their appetite or sensitivity to honest feedback and it’s really hard to even ask this and get an honest answer ironically as people will tend to say yes I love honesty even when they don’t really want completely open direct feedback.

So how do we wrestle with this contradiction? We need to negotiate honesty as we build our connections - connecting at a human level and that's what this episode is all about.

I'm Ian, I help introverts and quieter folk thrive in a world built by extroverts and have their own quietly successful career, filled with ambition with less of the noise. You can find full transcript, back episodes and resources you can use for free - and how to reach out if you want me to help you personally at www.ianbrowne.com

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No matter how flat you make a pancake, it’s still got two sides.

Dr Phil

Whenever we’re trying to forge a connection, it’s easy for us to go out imagining our pancake has only one side, the one we are interested in, and interested in promoting. That’ll get us so far in forging connections, but only so far.

When we incorporate different points of view, those differences can be mild alternative perspectives or radically alternate perspectives. It’s often easy for to think, I’ll accept the mild ones because these folk are really similar to me or they’re close to be converted to my point of view. It’s even easier to set to one side those you don’t really understand and dismiss them as “unconnectable” with no prospect of connective energy.

Yet sometimes these are exactly the people you need to go for in order to gain the different perspectives you need. What they bring is a different perspective. Wherever we stand we have a landscape set out in front of us. When we shift our position, we see the landscape with another perspective.

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I do not take well to the word fail. Recently someone introduced me to another way of looking at the word instead seeing FAIL as “First attempt in learning”. That works better for me. We all make mistakes. What matters is what we do with the experience.

When it comes to building connective energy people tend to make surprisingly similar steps that don’t exactly help the process. So in this podcast I thought I look at each of these even if it’s just to remind you that occasionally this is something you do and if you do less of then you’ll get and generate more connective energy.

I'm Ian and I help introverts and quieter folk thrive in a world of extroverts and develop their own quietly successful career. Find the full transcript, all back episodes to listen to our read at your leisure for free - and if you wish, how to work with me at www.ianbrowne.com

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“Let your hook be always cast, in the pool where you least expect it there will be fish”, Ovid

In this episode we look at fostering links and connections. You may think the strategy is to harvest more connections endlessly or boost up the strong ones and kick out the weaker links. But I'm going to challenge that directly. In this episode we look at all the advantages some of the weaker links in your network can bring to you in contrast and further connections.

You can find the whole transcript plus other articles and podcasts on my website www.ianbrowne.com and this is also where you can find details of my work in helping introverts develop Quietly Successful Careers. Enjoy and best wishes. Ian

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“As a leader of a growing team or company, the single most important thing you can do is ensure your success is to invest in building a culture of givers” Adam Grant, Give and Take.

Networking is one of those words that brings a sense of horror and dread for some and yet for others it appears to come easy. There is some truth in networking being easier as you get a little older, not necessarily because you have more practice but in general because the older you get the more established existing networks and knowledge you have.

In this episode we look at most folk's hang ups about networking and some of the reasons why and some hints on how to calm nerves and approach the room with curiosity in mind.

You can find the full transcript plus more articles and podcasts on my website www.ianbrowne.com it's also where you can find details how i help more introverted folk developed Quietly Successful Careers - all of the ambition, just less of the noise.

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Be someone who listens and you will be heard.

It's a simple motto and it's what we explore in this episode. Often when we try to bond with people our heads are so swamped with our own agenda we're not really in listening mode. Yet we know how fundamentally empowering and valuing it is when we ourselves are heard and listened to.

We explore the power of this form of listening and some tips on how to calm your inner toe tapping urge to break the silence, build bonds and emotional capital with people.

You can catch the whole transcript for this and other articles plus more podcasts on my website www.ianbrowne.com and it's also where you can find details of the work i do to help people develop Quietly Successful Careers - all the ambition, just less of the noise.

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Dale Carnegie said “A person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest, most important sound in any language.” Names matter. The sound of your name cuts through any background noise, we’re conditioned from birth to hear it above anything else. It makes us unique, special and said in the right tone, valued. Remember someone’s name and you’re indicating their importance to you. Get it wrong and don’t get it at all and you’re instantly in the space of indicating someone’s lack of importance.

In this episode we look at the value of names and how they can build trust in a relationship and unleash the conditions for connective energy.

You can read the transcript in full, read more articles, find more podcasts and if you like what you're hearing, how to work with me at www.ianbrowne.com and develop your own quietly successful career.

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Hey welcome back to Season 3 of the Thriving Leader. This season with 13 episodes was researched and recorded over the summer of 2022 to be released during the autumn / fall of 22.

Connective Energy is the third part of the energy leader model. Like the other quadrants it's an important one and it represents out ability to get more things done by combining our energy with the resources of others who often will give this up voluntarily. It's a real skill particularly if youve been used to having organisational power and are moving into an environment where commanding people is no longer viable.

You can read the transcript on my website www.ianbrowne.com and find more episodes, articles for free and learn about some of the ways I help people to develop quietly successful careers

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Many of us tend to think in a linear fashion or were raised on project management principles of define scope, develop, execute etc. and yet the creatives and inventors that we most admire rarely worked in that way.

The challenge with a linear process is that it is inherently reductive - the goal is to tightly define an objective and then strip back extraneous detail until something definite is delivered even if it's not really what people want or isn't useful because the need has moved on.

In this episode I explore a model from Ries in the Lean Startup. It's called the Build Measure Lean Loop, it's an iterative way of using ideas and data to continuously improve a concept and also let go when it's no longer adding value for the investment you're putting in.

Creativity is messy and I know corporate life isn't all tha tolerant of mess, it likes order, structure and certainty. But sometimes imposing that certainty as a central value means you absolutely get something, you are just likely not to get something as good as it could have been.

It has been a blast writing and recording season 2 of the Thriving Leader, please stay subscribed, I'm taking a short break to finish research and recording season 3 which will be about how to harness the power of collaboration and the energy of others into your leadership style. We often think as junior leaders that what holds us back is the number of people in our team but out there are a host of people chasing similar dreams to you. You can all run on parallel tracks or you can choose at times to jump in the same kart, pedal together and get to that goal faster.

Thank you so much for subscribing - I'd love it if you leave a review on your favourite podcast service and recommend this to others and remember if you want to work with me at a personal level, you can get in touch at www.ianbrowne.coach

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If you allow this to happen - you are the greatest barrier to your own creative talents. All to often our concerns and hang ups that we're not as good as others, that people will laugh at us, that we're not worthy, qualified or smart enough to contribute means we stay silent.

When we stay silent we not only deprive the world of the good that's in our thoughts, but because ideas spark off other ideas, we're holding back the creativity of others.

Time to get over ourselves, overcome our creative fears and get out there - that's what this episode is all about

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Often we feel intimidated by creativity - the blank sheet of paper, the pressure to come up with something new. But this is really pressure we needlessy put on ourselves. Most of the world's best inventions came from additive thinking, recognising something out there already and improving upon it. In this podcast episode I give you a couple of ways to bring additive thinking into your team, harnessing the vast range of knowledge and skills at your fingertips I bet you never even knew you had

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when we were around five years of age we were awesome questioners. If we wanted to understand something we just made the ask, why, but why and but why. And then as we move into school and start being told there are facts, unquestionable facts we acquire a sense that our role is to absorb and accept realities presented by others. And then we transition into the workplace complete with an ego to be bruised that has built its sense of pride on what it knows, not what it doesn't know. And that stops creativity dead because no-one's listening and no-one's looking for anything than what is already out there. This episode is all about remembering our inner child to channel creativity

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Beliefs are powerful things, they build through our childhood, reinforced in adulthood to the point where we can't remember why we see the world a certain way - why for example we are not creative. In this episode I'm opening up the notion that creativity can take many forms and that often people are creative in one dimension e.g. outside work but not creative inside work. This gives seven ideas for bringing more creativity into the culture of your organisation

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“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less”, General Eric Schineski. Often when faced with the task of creativity it feels better to stay as we are in the safe harbour. In reality out on the high seas are people who had the courage to set sail and they're not waiting for you. In this episode we look at the cost of a safety first principle and challenge why we see creativity as risky. And Ian adds his own thoughts on innovation in food and beverage offerings in airports and transport hubs for good measure.

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At school we were all told the story of Isaac Newton. He sat one day under the shade of an apple tree and at one point the apple fell on his head and he more or less instantly discovered and was able to identify that the moon isn’t falling to the earth and the earth isn’t falling into the sun and in short articulate the theory of gravity that rests with us today. Marvellously convenient, except of course it’s not true – a grain of truth with an awful lot of embellishment.

The thing is Eureka myth stops people from seeing creativity as within their gift and it belittles the value of expertise and study that's often behind the great innovators we know and love. so in this episode we're going to break apart the Eureka Myth and reconstruct something we can all get behind to bring more creativity to our organisations

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Ideation is part of but not the start of the creative process. Your job as leader is to observe, wonder and question why and what if. Organisational surveys repeatedly show most workers believe their bosses tap into less than 50% of their available skills. In this episode we look at how you as a leader can demonstrate and help others to ask the right questions in the right way, to notice difference in the world around and bring instant creativity to your organisation

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Many organisations strive to be more innovative but they miss the point that innovation stems from creativity. Without creativity in an organisation's culture set up and DNA, innovation will not only struggle to emerge but you'll miss the bigger benefits on offer. Not everything that can benefit your organisation stems from bringing the world something it has never seen before. The starting point is curiosity to notice the world around you - that's the seedcorn of creativity and from there innovation emerges.

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If you're a parent you'll probably remember being advised to let your children grow in their way but be careful of comparing them with others. Yet it was so tempting to do look over the fence and then feel regretful for doing so.

If you're leading a company it's equally easy to peer over the fence and be beguiled by innovation theatre or to find comparisons with companies that are not like you and you'll never be like them. Both send our creativity and ideas to an early grave, both stifle the air from creativity.

In this podcast episode we look at at how great ideas are all around us for the taking but we either miss them, ignore them or worse we stifle them and kill the spirit of those tentatively practicing their creative spark. The good news is every leader can turn this around and your people can be an even more valuable source of creativity energy for your company. You can catch the whole transcript on my linkedin page or at ianbrowne.coach

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Creativity is sometimes tricky and the environment around us matters. Sometimes we're in a white room of silence unable to even find the will to make a mark and sometimes things are so crazy it's hard to hear our selves think above the noise.

When we're trying to be creative often we feel like we're waiting for the thunderbolt to strike but in this episode I'm introducing you the incremental creativity through a process called scratching. It's about adding progressive stimuli and components and as you gradually and slowly add each one so the range of possibilities and potential ahead of you increases. A story of two men exploring a mountain has a narrow range of possibilities until, that is, they're joined bya bear.

It's said the Beatles Eight Days a Week song has its roots this technique, so have faith in the process of developing your creative chops.

You can find the full text over on my website www.theenergyleader.com and if you like what you hear and want to work with me to advance your leadership skills, you can reach out and we can work together

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Many of us grow to believe that some are born creative and others are not. As far back as the ancient Greeks came the notion that some people are selected for creativity and others exist solely to admire the great works. In today's episode we're up for a bit of myth busting and look at the ideal conditions that as leaders you need to create and foster if you want to see creativity at work which ultimately will lead to the innovation you desire.

Creativity lies in every one of us, and the conditions can be learned, cultivated and fostered and you don't need to sit for days under an apple tree waiting for inspiration to arrive.

You can catch the full text over on my website www.theenergyleader.com and if you want to advance your personal journey of leadership you can click a simple button there to get in touch and work with me

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Welcome to season 2 of Energy Leader where week on week I'll help you to build skills and tools within our leadership style to be more productive and have more energy to devote to your work and wider life.

It's season 2 and we're shifting gear into looking at Creative energy. Creativity has been cited by many sources as the number 1 skill required of modern day leaders and yet 5 in 10 of us say we're not creative. I happen to think that's not really true, we have learned to believe we are not creative and given the right conditions, the creative spark can be reawakened.

In episode 1 I'm exploring what do we mean by creativity and learn it's not all about boxes of crayons and art supplies but the key to solving some of our biggest business challenges.

You can find the podcast in written form over on the website www.theenergyleader.com and if you want to work specifically and faster on your leadership style, you can reach out to work with me there.

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In this episode we follow on from exploring limiting beliefs to look at the power of assumptions and interpretations. We live in a world with imperfect data, so when we're faced with a scenario and we don't know all the facts, enter onto the stage assumptions and interpretations to come to the rescue and fill in the blanks. Sometimes we're right but often of course we take unconnected events from the past and use those as examples to fill in the blanks. Sometimes this creates paralysis where we're unable to move forward and in teams it can fracture the relationship between team and leader where the leader interprets team behaviour incorrectly or the team make assumptions of the leader that aren't true. These are powerful forces that constrain creativity and progress yet like limiting beliefs they can be checked and challenged.

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In the last two episodes of season 1 of the energy leader podcast we'll look at some quick energy fixes for you the person and if you're a leader of people for your team as well. Our brains are cognitive misers. They are very good at learning patterns and then repeating behaviour when the same event occurs without asking your permission. Most of the time this is helpful because it frees us to think of other things, but sometimes, the routines and scripts the brain learns from early experiences create an unhelpful reaction yet these beliefs become semi-permanently wired within us and can be somewhat unhelpful. In this episode we explore limiting beliefs for ourselves and as leaders for our teams, how we can spot them and how challenging them can create new opportunities and more energy.

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In a previous episode we looked at the concept of the 50 minute meeting. Neuroscience shows that brains are not geared to concentrating for long periods of time and the 50 minute meeting is often enough for optimal focus. Assuming you've mastered the 50 minute meeting, that gives you ten minutes every hour. This episode explores choices for you in using your ten minutes between those that create the illusion of productivity and those that ultimately give our brains the boost they need to power us on and be at our most effective and productive selves in the next hour to come.

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In experiment after experiment scientists have proven that being productive, creative, accurate and producing consistently good results comes from harnessing good energy. Yet our workplaces and working lives are filled with energy sources that whilst giving us a quick jolt to keep us going, ultimately are not sustainable and create unwelcome side effects. In this episode I look at the work of Tony Schwartz and the concept of good energy sources and bad energy sources, why we feel drawn towards bad energy sources and the impact that has on productivity. For leaders there's a cautionary tale about over over reliance on unsustainable bad energy sources.

To view the model described in this podcast pop over to www.theenergyleader.com to see it illustrated.

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The world is awash with productivity literature imploring us to find ways we can cut down on the unnecessary activities in our work life, squeeze every ounce out of every second of every day and essentially wanting us to behave a little like machines.

We’re not machines. Even if we were we recognise that the most precious machines in our lives tend not to function without being given regular care and attention. Eventually they too break.

It’s easy and tempting sometimes for us to go without proper sleep, to eat poorly, to skip exercise all to meet a critical project deadline. We promise that we’ll somehow make it up to ourselves but this is rarely true even if it was actually possible.

In today’s article / podcast we’re looking at the concept of micro-breaks, rather than working ourselves to the point of burnout and then trying to restore engine health, how we can built vital ten minutes micro-breaks into our day and really see and use them as a means to improve productivity.

We're geared to see downtime as wasteful, but as you'll hear in this podcast, research backs up the power of the microbreak in our workplace performance. To read more this in blog format head over to www.theenergyleader.com where you can also reach me directly.

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When Covid struck, like millions around the world I switched to a life of working from home. I’d already been working from home a fair bit but for many it was a rapid adjustment which forced big changes on personal energy levels. On the upside – no commute and few regrets there. But it also meant a big change in making personal contact and connections and a lot more screen time.

You’d think that removing our commute time would mean we’d feel more energised and refreshed from getting back all that time, yet evidence shows people are feeling the fatigue of screen time.

As leaders our teams and our organisations depend on us maintaining strong energy levels throughout the day. As the working day ends, those we hold dear, including ourselves rely on there being sufficient energy left over from work to be great parents, friends, partners and to look after ourselves.

Video conferencing tools - and of course when I mention Zoom there are lots of others out there, have saved us a commute but using them is having an impact on consuming brain power and ultimately that means productivity - and it's all happening under our noses without realising it. Time to take control.

In this week’s article we’re looking at why are we still feeling zoomed out at the end of the day and what simple steps can we take to improve our energy levels.

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When was the last time you made a decision? You may not realise it but you’re making decisions all the time. There are the “fully aware big ones” that you may agonise over or talk through with people before picking a path. But almost every hour we’re awake there are micro-decisions and most of the time we’re not even aware we’re making them. Yet the consequences of these micro-decisions are what affects our energy. If you find yourself feeling a little exhausted part way through the working day, it’s quite likely this is down to the micro-decisions you’ve been making.

The miracle power of micro-decisions can have a decisive impact on your productivity and energy levels throughout the day. Let's look at how in this week's podcast

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Did you know 25% of those who make a new year resolution will have given up by the time the first week of January is out? Or that the average person makes the same resolution ten times in a row without success. We're told it's all about will-power but it turns out will-power is an extremely unreliable partner when it comes to making things happen. Listen up in this episode where we look at an experiment with chocolate cookies and radishes as the clue to helping us understand how we can make change happen for ourselves.

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Most of us recognise there's a world of difference between running a 5k parkrun and running a marathon. We're also likely to accept there's a different recovery time and if we don't build in that time to recover, there's likely to be stress and load on our ligaments and eventually an injury that will stop us running altogether. It's a reminder that as humans we are not machines and when we overload, we will wear down until something breaks. Just like our ligaments, the brain is not a machine that goes on forever. Yet how we organise our day can force the brain to do a series of gentle jogs or back-to-back marathons. In this episode we look at how we can organise our day to build better brain stamina.

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At school most of us at some point will have been told to be more focussed and be less distracted. So why is it that we find distractions so difficult to control? These days we are surrounded by distractions and we welcome them into our lives often through technology we buy. Sometimes those distractions can seriously knock us off course and use a lot of our energy to recover, sometime distractions are a necessary condition of creativity where extreme focus allows us to miss the things that matter. In this episode of the Energy Leader podcast we look at what neuroscience has to say about the downsides and upsides of distractions and how we can make them work for us.

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Have you ever noticed how some days you finish up feeling lethargic and it's been one challenge after another and dread the next morning repeating it all again, yet other days you're filled with enthusiasm and energy and can't wait for tomorrow to come? Our lives are filled with things that zap our energy yet around us are also things that make us go zip. Having our own sense of energy equation is all about controlling the balance so we avoid burnout. The template I refer to in this podcast you can find on this post in my linked in feed. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/zip-zap-energy-equation-ian-browne-coaching/?trackingId=tw2c%2F0N2bFR9vbwEpPWt2w%3D%3D

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Look at the bookshelf for productivity books and there are thousands, each imploring us to make every moment count, to drive more action into the available time. Often the drive to productivity tries to emulate being a machine rather than a human being with a pulse. Often as we strive for greater productivity we seek to eliminate "unnecessary downtime" which often also then translates into skipping physical exercise, diet, family time, relationships and other things that are important to our existence, less important to others.

In this short episode I'll introduce you to the Energy Leadership Model - since we can't invent time or add more hours into the day, attempting to "manage time" will only get us so far. Instead, the energy leadership model offers us an opportunity to master energy, something we can absolutely create more of, actually infinite supply if we so choose.

I'd love it if you'd subscribe to the show, add your thoughts on how you master energy and check out www.theenergyleader.com for a transcript of the podcast and for this episode, the Energy Leadership Model itself.

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Welcome to the Energy Leader podcast the place where we master our energy levels and beat burnout. One of the things we’ve become used to is toughing things out when life gets hectic at work. Working hard can be deeply motivating and satisfying but overworking can be dangerous. In this episode I’ll be taking a look at how over-work creeps up on us and leads us towards burnout and then one simple truth that everyone needs to recognise. Welcome to episode 2 which is all about how we pay the price of overwork.

If you'd like to check out the report I refer to in this podcast, here is the link https://www.npr.org/2021/05/17/997462169/thousands-of-people-are-dying-from-working-long-hours-a-new-who-study-finds?t=1636359144733

I’d love it if you’d subscribe to the show, add some comments and let's learn together. Check out more resources at www.theenergyleader.com.

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From the moment we wake to the time we eventually fall asleep we face a daunting list of things that need to be done. From the first electronic chimes of the alarm telling us to get up to the first blue flickering of our phones we face a torrent of information, messages, notifications, emails all demanding our attention and our energy. Our minds start to swirl in a soup of decisions, things we need to remember to do, the things we never got to yesterday but should have and finally when we collapse exhausted at the end of the day we are left thinking and feeling:

I didn’t get anything like as much done as I’d hoped
I lived today mostly focussed on what others want from me and not what I needed
Tomorrow I will likely live this all again

In this first episode of the Energy Leader Podcast we take a look at the prevalence of burnout and the price that we're paying when it happens. I'll invite you to join me on a journey to mastering your personal energy levels, beating burnout and becoming an Energy Leader both for yourself and for others that are important in your life. You can find a written transcript of the podcast and lots of other helpful resources at www.theenergyleader.com

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