Crucial Talks Podcast

All of us have been through tough times, are going through tough times, or will go through tough times. In this episode, we discuss looking forward in order to move through those tough times. This includes three tools: Set goals Let things go Take control of your own future If you need to contact Mike, please visit www.crucialtalks.com

We are going through tough times. We can't avoid them. We have to go through them. In this episode we discuss four tools to be more resilient in the short-term using the acronym MIND: M - Models I - Identity N - Now D - Decision-making You can reach out to Mike at www.crucialtalks.com  

Ariel Garten talks to Mike about the fear of fear and gives tools to get out of our own way. Ariel is a psychotherapist, neuroscientist, and entrepreneur having started a tech company called Muse. In this episode, she talks about how fear can get in our way and is driven by parts of the brain that used to help keep us alive, but now may be barriers to our performance. We get two tools to use that can help us deal with fear including a technique to recognize and move past fear, and tips on meditation that are proven to work. For more about Ariel, visit www.arielgarten.com. Muse can be found on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2vOF9cr and more at their website: www.choosemuse.com To connect with Mike, please visit www.crucialtalks.com.    

Confidence is the key to having a better workplace experience. It is something you need to control and shouldn't be dependent on your boss or coworkers. We are all human, which means we will all make mistakes. We will frustrate other people, we will become frustrated ourselves. If we don't have high confidence, we can end up hating where we work or just feeling bad at the place we spend a lot of our time. The more we can control our own confidence, the better we will feel and perform. In this episode, we talk about what confidence is: appreciating our own abilities and qualities that give us a feeling of self-assurance. We also talk about how to build our confidence in two ways: Journaling and checklists. To contact Mike about coaching, speaking, or consulting visit www.crucialtalks.com

Mike interviews John Voris, the author of Discover the Power That Drives Your Personality.  John discusses "Life Themes" which gives people structure and guidance in the decisions they make. Life themes help people deal with stressors they have in life from the decisions they are making to the careers they choose or the organizations they work for. John can be reached at www.johnvoris.com. His book can be found on Amazon: https://amzn.to/315SXuJ  

There is a difference between knowledge and information. Knowledge is the key to success. Information is the facts and data we can point to objectively and transfer easily. We can see how information can be easily provided and transferred in training and meetings.  It's also what a lot of people are tired of in organizations. Knowledge is different because it comes from experience and education. It isn't just information, it goes beyond information. If we understand the concept that knowledge is information, but information is not knowledge, we can do what human beings love to do and what has made us so successful as a species: We can learn. We can understand. We can predict. If you need any help or would like to talk some more about it, please reach out to me at: www.crucialtalks.com 

J Scott is interviewed by Mike Sedam about the importance of people. The discussion revolves around how to actively listen, engage with people, and develop good solutions. J Scott gives great advice on how to prepare as a leader and engage with curiosity, not a critical mindset. Connect with J Scott at www.120vc.com or on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonscott120vc/  

Susan Ibitz talks with Mike Sedam about "human hacking." Tips about communication, both verbal and in writing are discussed. Susan's company is the Human Behavior Lab where they unlock the science behind human behavior. She is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and lectures at Loyola University Chicago. She bases her information on how people want to receive, and now how we want to give the information. That nuance is a powerful mindset shift. Susan starts with discussing the importance of knowing ourselves first. This leads to how we can use body language, facial expression, tone of voice, and other communication to be more effective in speaking with others. Susan also discusses words to use in emails so that we can be more effective using written words. You can connect with Susan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-ibitz/ Or by visiting http://www.humanbehaviorlab.com/ To connect with Mike, visit www.crucialtalks.com  

Mike King, a safety professional in the construction industry discusses safety with Mike Sedam. Not only are safety topics discussed, but the two Mikes discuss a deeper level of the importance of people and how focusing on people can have a high return on investment for any organization. www.crucialtalks.com

Happy Thanksgiving! Gratitude is powerful. People are programmed to lean toward the negative. Negative emotions cause us to think more and we process negative information more deeply than positive information. We just think deeper about the negative. We're programmed this way because, as a species, negative events had a bigger impact and urgency than positive events. Although we may be programmed to be negative, being positive and having gratitude has some significant returns. Gratitude is linked to lower stress, less sick days, higher satisfaction, and a feeling that we can accomplish goals. It is important in organizations, teams, and individuals. Thanks for listening and remember, is we want to understand behavior, we need to understand what drives people. Visit me at www.crucialtalks.com

Carolyn Guglielmo is interviewed by Mike Sedam about the concept of "techno stress." We all know the power devices have over people. Distracted driving is a big concern for many governments. Parents are worried about their kids spending too much time on devices. We can see ourselves being distracted and feeling stress because of constant connection and expectations we place on ourselves because of the devices. Carolyn talks about the concept of techno stress in addition to giving some solutions. To connect with Carolyn, visit her LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mccabe-guglielmo-ms-ryt-gsp-893b058/ or contact her via email: cgmccabe@gmail.com. To connect with Mike about the podcast, speaking, or consulting , visit: www.crucialtalks.com  

Gabriella Van Rij talks with Mike Sedam about her goal to bring more kindness into the world and how this can positively impact the workplace. To get in contact with Gabriella please visit the following: For keynotes: www.gabriella.global For more on the kindness movement: www.daretobekindmovement.com To contact Mike, please visit: www.crucialtalks.com  

Jay Allen speaks with Mike Sedam about Safety. Jay describes his journey to founding Safety FM, lessons he has learned, and the future of safety. This discussion has implications for a number of people in several industries. It's as applicable to retail sales as it is for nuclear safety. Visit jay at www.safetyfm.com To contact Mike, visit www.crucialtalks.com

Mike Sedam talks with Chris Clearfield about the book he co-authored with Andras Tilcsik, Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About it. https://amzn.to/2mG2cBT The conversation not only discusses why complex systems fail, but what we can learn from them and how we can apply that learning to systems like social media. This is a fascinating conversation with takeaways for everyone from safety professionals to CEOs. Visit https://www.rethinkrisk.net/ for more about the book and to contact Chris or Andras. Visit www.crucialtalks.com to contact Mike Sedam.

Mike Sedam interviews Dennie Laney, the Vice President of Training and Development for Moo Yah Burger. Dennie's self-proclaimed responsiblity is to be "people for people." She is a people-focused leader and trainer that understands the importance of understanding people. In this conversation, Dennie talks about how people behave, how they need to be engaged, and their need to feel both safe and valued. To connect with Dennie, please reach out to her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennielaney/ To connect with Mike for speaking or coaching opportunities, please visit: www.crucialtalks.com   

Purdeep Sangha talks with Mike Sedam about how he helps people in business. Purdeep discusses purpose, mindset, and mindfulness to create a better life. Rather than always hustling to do more, by focusing on being present, you and the people around you will be happier, which will lead to greater success. www.purdeepsangha.com   To contact Mike, visit www.crucialtalks.com  

Pauline Crawford speaks with Mike Sedam about Magical Conversations. Conversations can use diversity and inclusion to move things forward. Conversations can be had in a way that everyone feels engaged and empowered, regardless of their role in the organization. These types of conversations can be beneficial to companies, teams, and relationships. Pauline's website is: www.missmagicalconversations.com Her book can be found on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SCQILo To contact Mike, please visit: www.crucialtalks.com  

Donna Spina speaks with Mike Sedam about how business owners can stand out by focusing on what makes them special and what their customers need. Communicating and educating clientele is an important part of marketing for businesses. It can also help with internal issues that may be plaguing large organizations. Visit Donna's website at: www.coachingindeed.com You can email Donna for more information at: info@businessbuilderaccelerator.com To speak with Mike or to inquire about him speaking to your organization, please visit www.crucialtalks.com.  

Gary Salyer talks with Mike Sedam about personal and business relationships. People that feel welcomed, worthy, cherished, and empowered will have more powerful relationships. Gary uses a number of stories to help people understand what he has found beneficial to building relationships. Gary is the author of the book Safe to Love Again. It is available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732977801 Gary can also be reached at www.garysalyer.com  

Cynthia Zhai talks to Mike Sedam about how to use your voice to have influence. Our voice is such an important part of our communication. The same words can have different meanings based on our tone, inflection, and how we use our voice. By working on our voice, we can also change our mindset and our confidence. In other words, we can work on our voice first, and other benefits will follow. Cynthia talks to us about gravitas and techniques to build authority and confidence in our voice. We discuss ways to present more effectively and also how to have one-on-one conversations. Cynthia's book, Influence Through Voice, can be found on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JQ6oqI Cynthia also has some free resources available including: Website: https://www.powerfulexecutivevoice.com/ YouTube: http://youtube.com/user/cynthiazhai Video Course: www.bit.ly/voicecrashcourse    

 Mike Sedam speaks with Christian Harris a slip specialist from the UK. Christian's experience is not only in slips and falls, but also entrepreneurship and poker. This discussion goes way deeper than merely a talk about how slippery floors can lead to falls. This talk goes into the importance of story, how to change perceptions, and the need to engage with people at all level so fan organization to institute lasting change. Christian is the managing director at Slip Safety Services, www.slipsafety.co.uk. There is also a free slip safety scorecard at: https://slipsafety.co.uk/scorecard/ To connect with Mike or to have him speak at your organization, please visit www.crucialtalks.com.  

Mike Sedam interviews Daren Martin about his book, A Company of Owners. The book is available here. Mike and Daren talk about workplace experience, employee engagement, and how we can get there. This is a positive, proactive, strength-focused conversation about improving our workplaces regardless of the industry we are in. Visit Daren at: www.darenmartin.com. Visit Mike at: www.crucialtalks.com.  

Many times people need information about how work is actually getting done. Inspectors, assessors, leaders, and peers may all want to see how a person or group of people get their work done. This can lead to valuable learning and improvement. In order to ensure, our "backstage passes" are never revoked so that we get an unfiltered and open view of what is actually happening, we need two things: 1. trust and 2. accurate storytelling. If we want to observe others and get accurate information, we need to make sure we uphold the trust placed upon us and we need to make sure we tell the story of what we observe with a high level of accuracy. Visit www.crucialtalks.com to connect with Mike.

Roger Nierenberg is a Maestro who uses the art of music and orchestras to teach leadership lessons. The conversation he has with Mike Sedam covers many aspects of leadership and system-thinking using music and orchestras to explain concepts and show examples. This is a fascinating conversation about how music can be used to accelerate the leadership learning process. To learn more about The Music Paradigm and Roger's work, please visit www.musicparadigm.com.

I was extremely fortunate to present at a safety conference for a large oil refinery company. It was focused on Behavior Based Safety (BBS). My past experience with BBS (A long time ago) made me think it was focused on people as the problems and if we could fix what people were doing wrong, we could prevent incidents. It also used Heinrich's Triangle and said if we could prevent the little things, the big things wouldn't happen. This really tarnished my view of BBS. I am happy to say, my view of BBS is brighter now. Listen to see why. www.crucialtalks.com

Mike Sedam talks with Tracy Mehr-Muska about resilience based on her book, Weathering the Storm. Available from Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MZrXde. They discuss the seven P's of resilience, Tracy's use of stories from people in her own life, and how we can improve our capacity to be resilient. Tracy has used her education, experience, and examples to drive home a positive message of resilience that can help people in every facet of life. Visit Tracy at: https://mehrmuska.wordpress.com/ To contact Mike, visit www.crucialtalks.com  

Mike Sedam talks with Dr. Joelle Speed and Chief Dreaming Officer Amy Perkins. They talk about business, life, and people. Their story includes creating a network and collaborating because everyone can succeed. They also talk about how people can live the dreams they have for their lives. Their focus is on people and how strong we are together. For more about Dr. Joelle Speedhttps://www.smilegallerykidsdds.com/ For more about Amy Perkins:https://www.keystocourage.com/ To contact Mike about speaking, consulting, or the Crucial Talks Podcast, please visit: www.crucialtalks.com  

In this episode, Mike Sedam talks with Sean Romero about how to deal with uncertainty using the OODA loop. Learn about the importance of Observing, Orienting, Deciding, and Acting to get through uncertainty. Contact Sean Romero: Instagram: @faithfully_led Facebook: faithfullyled.sean Podcast: Faithfully Led Podcast on Anchor email: Sean@faithfullyled.com    

Mike Sedam talks with Jeannette Peacock of Learn2LearnNow. Jeanette talks about building the capacity to succeed through skills. Specifically, she helps children learn the skills they need to succeed in the future. Skillbuilding not only helps build capacity, but also shows us the importance of feedback to the process. Jeanette is using the same processes from her business in a non-profit to help children that would not normally have access to such training. In this episode you'll hear about capacity-building, how seeing ourselves in a new role can help us transform, and the importance of feedback loops. Visit Jeanette's business at: www.learn2learnnow.com. Visit the foundation at: www.steppingupforchildreninneed.org. Visit Mike about the podcast or speaking to your organization at: www.crucialtalks.com  

Mike Sedam interviews Ayn Cates Sullivans about how archetypes and stories help us understand the world around us. This is an interesting discussion that helps us understand ourselves, our use of prototypes, and how stories have impacted behavior and decision-making for thousands of years. This helps us understand systems-thinking and our own individual place in the world, in society, and in our organizations. More about Ayn can be found at: http://ayncatessullivan.com/ Contact Mike Sedam at: www.crucialtalks.com

Mike Sedam talks with Dr. Glenn Livingston about self-transformation. Glenn has based his work on dealing with his own food addiction and helping others. He provides lessons on self-transformation to overcome addiction to food. He explains the role of different parts of the brain in our decision-making. These lessons not only pertain to our health, but can also be used in other areas where we want to make significant changes in our lives. The role of groups and how we can crowdsource learning is also discussed as an important way to speed up our transformation. A digital copy of Glenn's book and additional information can be found at www.neverbingeagain.com. To contact Mike about speaking or consulting (resilience, decisionmaking, behavior, safety, or risk) please visit www.crucialtalks.com.

Change your filter, look at your world, and transform. Mike Sedam interviews Ani Anderson. Ani is a thought leader, speaker, and coach on the leading edge in personal development. She is also the author of Find Your Soul's Agenda: The One Word That Will Make Your Whole Life a Success. More about Ani and her book can be found at www.findyoursoulsagenda.com. Ani talks to us about developing ourselves and fulfilling our highest potential. She discusses the benefits of the healing paradigm and personal development paradigm. In other words, she helps people look ahead so they make fulfilling decisions, and also helps them find their own inner resistance. We also talk about what to do when "negatives" show up. The perspective people use in their lives is important. It is a focus on a realistic approach to life. You can also find her book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/2HbTDGK To contact Mike about the podcast or speaking opportunities, please visit www.crucialtalks.com.    

Mike Sedam talks with Todd Vande Hei about transformation, leadership, millennials, and stories. Todd is a successful CEO and entrepreneur in the health and fitness industry. As the CEO of Stark, www.starklife.us, he leads a successful team of coaches and medical professionals that provide best-in-class health and fitness services to clients.  We discuss how the stories we tell ourselves can impact our success. Todd also gives us tips on leading millennials and providing an environment where his team can not only succeed, but can also thrive with purpose. The importance of having a team of professionals that have the capacity to collaborate is also discussed. This episode is valuable for leaders, business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone who is trying to transform their life. For more about Stark, visit www.starklife.us.  Todd Vande Hei can be contacted through Stark, or on social media. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vandehei/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/testodderone/ Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=1631073262   Twitter: https://twitter.com/toddvandehei  To contact Mike Sedam about the podcast, speaking opportunities, or any other reason, please visit www.crucialtalks.com.  

Mike Sedam talks about work that gives people purpose. The journey toward excellence also has defeats and mistakes. Those defeats are opportunities. They are learning opportunities and can lead to a greater purpose and contribute to our goal of seeking excellence. This is a valuable chat about the need people have for struggle and purpose. 

Erik Clark talks with Mike Sedam about his self-transformational journey from an engineer working on submarines, to a business consultant, to an entrepreneur. This discussion is packed with valuable about self-transformation and how we can get out of our comfort zones and become something different while learning something new. Erik also talks about the lessons he has learned during his journey which has resulted in the importance of engaging people in conversations, looking at people as part of the solution, and building trust and relationships. Erik can be reached at: erik.clark@fitzbusiness.com.  Erik and his wife have also created a live event for people to build relationships and learn new things. More information about the event can be found at: www.entrepreneurcitylive.com 

Mike Sedam talks with Joan MacArthur Blair and Jeanie Cockell about their book, Building Resilience with Appreciative Inquiry: A Leadership Journey through Hope, Despair, and Forgiveness. Available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IflW8O Many times, resilience is looked at as an individual trait and sometimes people think you are either a resilient person or you are not. Joan and Jeanie have taken the power of Appreciative Inquiry and wrapped it around resilience. This allows them to explain how people and groups can become more resilient. Looking at Hope, Despair, and Forgiveness we can understand how

Mike Sedam talks to Lynda Sunshine West about her journey from the corporate world, through 49 jobs, and to her calling. She talks about how learning something new can be a major driver of behavior. She discovered that she had value to offer others through the help of a coach. She previously believed negative things about herself and it held her back. Lynda has taken these lessons to transform her career and her life to "follow her dream and passion to help other people." She taught herself to recognize and breakthrough hear fears. During her journey, she has learned to use a network of mentors to help herself grow and then to use those relationships to help others grow. For more about Lynda, visit www.livingliveinc.com or read her book: The Year of Fears available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2P2SG61  

Mike Sedam interviews Joshua Spodek about leadership. Joshua is the author of Leadership Step by Step: Become the Person Others Follow. It is available on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2WPc4WQ. Joshua has a new book called Initiative that will be released in May. Joshua discusses relationships and leadership. He does a great job of explaining the need for practice to build leadership capacity and that leadership skill cannot come just from books, but also requires skill-building that comes with practice. Joshua's book and courses provide exercise leaders can use to improve their capacity to lead.  Find out more about Joshua at www.joshuaspodek.com To contact Mike, visit www.crucialtalks.com.   

In this episode, Mike Sedam talks with Glenn Garnes about one of the biggest issues people face today: isolation. Even though we may have the technology to connect, people can still feel isolated. Communication is the key to countering isolation. Glenn also talks about how people can live their best life by becoming self-aware and taking action to reach their goals. Glenn has provided a free resource for Crucial Talks listeners at: www.tipsforsuccess.com.  Visit Glenn at: http://expertsonstage.com/ or http://sbceo.com/ To contact Mike, visit www.crucialtalks.com  

Chris Milburn talks with Mike Sedam about storytelling. Counter-terrorism and culture is discussed through the lens of storytelling to show the value and power of stories to human behavior and decision-making. There are many lessons in this episode for leaders, business owners, and others. Chris discusses his studies in counter-terrorism from the Naval Postgraduate School and how his analysis of terrorist groups proved how storytelling has been used. The hero's journey is also discussed as a way for people to perceive difficult times they may encounter. Follow Chris on Twitter at: @chrismilburnnps visit www.crucialtalks.com  

Sam Anthony Lucania talks to Mike Sedam about his journey from addiction and the importance of self-awareness, taking responsibility, and mentorship to self-transformation. Sam is open about his past addictions, time in jail, and his new goal and drive in life to help others in need. Sam also discusses his book Hands Like You're Praying, available on Amazon:https://amzn.to/2F6O8qz More about sam can be found at: www.samanthonyspeaks.com Please feel free to contact Mike Sedam at: www.crucialtalks.com.  

Mike Sedam talks with Deb Falzoi of Dignity Together about workplace bullying and workplace abuse. This is an epidemic in organizations that can have a major impact on workplace experience. As a result, people can feel marginalized and isolated. Organizations can see a lack of productivity, an increase in health-related issues, and can even open themselves up to liability. People are the most precious resource a company has, and understanding the issue of workplace bullying is the first step in improving the workplace and protecting employees. Visit Deb at www.dignitytogether.org. For more information from Mike, visit www.crucialtalks.com The Crucial Talks Podcast will also be broadcast by www.safetyfm.com from 11 to 3 pm Eastern Time.

This is a rebroadcast of Jay Allen interviewing Mike Sedam on the Safety FM Podcast. Visit www.safetyfm.com/podcast The Crucial Talks Podcast will soon be broadcast through SafetyFM and will be available on their website, app, and Amazon Alexa. Regular episodes of the Crucial Talks podcast will still be released every Sunday. I didn't want to interrupt that schedule and the great guests we have coming up that is why this episode is being released mid week. Please visit www.crucialtalks.com 

Dolores Hirschmann talks to Mike Sedam about the importance of clarity, people, and ideas. In this episode, we talk about the boundaries set within our own minds. This makes us stay within our safety zone which doesn't help people meet external success. Getting beyond those "fences" helps us excel. Big ideas can overwhelm us or seem too big to tackle, but when people commit to the idea, they can overcome internal boundaries. Nothing starts big, it starts with someone saying yes and consistently taking action. Connect with Dolores and her company, Masters in Clarity, at: http://mastersinclarity.com/  

Lawrence Henderson, the author of Bridging the Gap: Life, LOVE, and Leadership is interviewed by Mike Sedam about leadership and the value of people and relationships. The book can be found on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XlBA7a Mike and Lawrence discuss what connects people, the importance of "human" in human resources, and storytelling. They also talk about how to reframe what we see in order to establish a mindset that can help us succeed. During the episode, the concept of fear, how people are "pack animals" and the transition that happens when we think about others are all covered. Lawrence can be reached at: info@bossconsultingllc.net His website is: www.bossconsultingllc.net Please visit www.crucialtalks.com    

Mike Sedam interviews Regina McMichael, The Saftey Training Ninja. During the episode, Regina discusses how to create safety training that doesn't suck. She talks about the need to have outstanding training so that we can have a positive impact. She wrote the book, The Safety Training Ninja, to help safety professionals provide a more engaging level of training. Her book is available from Amazon: https://amzn.to/2V62UV0 Regina talks about how her journey started with a tragedy and how she learned she can have a broader impact by helping others as she provides training. She's touched the lives of tens of thousands of people through her work. Regina and Mike also talk about the danger when organizations "weaponize" safety training, the importance of understanding if training is or is not necessary following a mishap, and the need to make safety training awesome. Regina can be reached through the following sites: www.reginamcmichael.com www.thelearningfactory.me www.safetytrainingninja.com ASSP Link 20% off for members: https://store.assp.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Store/Product-Details/productId/184139336 Please visit Mike at www.crucialtalks.com  

In this episode, Mike Sedam talks to Carrie Wooten about improving the workplace experience. We've all been there. We've worked in organizations with low trust. We've worked for bosses that only understand transactional leadership that looks a lot like bullying. We've been in groups where co-workers don't trust each other, don't communicate, and don't care. In this episode, Carrie talks to us about the need for trust and communication so that we can have a better workplace experience. One that is vibrant, creative, and trusting. We cover topics such as the need for self-awareness, how to leverage differences, communication between generations, perspective, the importance of the lenses we use to view our worlds, intrinsic motivation, strength in teams, self-fulfillment, and emotions to mention just a few of the important concepts. Carrie has also written a book on self-awareness called: It Starts With Me: A Daily Practice to Mastering Self-Reflection. It is available on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2IduZZ0 You can find Carrie on most social media platforms, just search for @realcarriewooten. Feel free to contact Mike Sedam for any speaking opportunities, consulting, coaching, or just to say hello at www.crucialtalks.com  

Mike Sedam talks to Rob Howze about his great program called Campfit where he brings 50 kids together for eight weeks. Rob and his team provide these kids with a wonderful gift: the vision and capacity for success. Rob has been shot (yes, with a bullet) and has worked as a personal trainer, minister, speaker, author, etc. He has done what a lot of us do as people. We take everything we have learned, extract the good parts, and learn from them. Rob has taken his experience and continues to build a legacy that he can pass onto these kids to make the world a better place. This conversation, not only gives us insight into the Campfit program, but the importance of the "why" and the "how" using relationships, vision, and a focus on bringing value. There are powerful lessons behind the "why" of Campfit and the "how" of networking. Find out more about Rob at: www.robhowzespeaks.com and more about Campfit at www.campfit.tv. Please visit Mike Sedam at www.crucialtalks.com.      

Mike Sedam interviews Melinda Kelly about her journey with self-reflection, self-awareness and honesty. Melinda took a deep dive to find the right coach. She learned from her experience and put what she learned into her book: Finding Your Coach, Diving Deep Within. On Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FShcVp. Her experience shows us the importance of trust and honesty with yourself and with others. For more about Melinda J. Kelly, please visit: www.melindajkelly.com Please visit www.crucialtalks.com.

This Crucial Chat by Mike Sedam discusses what motivates people to keep going in the face of adversity. During the federal government shutdown, Mike was able to see some federal employees that continue to work without pay. What did he see? The employees were working toward a common goal. They stuck together in their teams. They were still looking out for the mission and the people they serve. What drives these people are the same things that drive us all: 1. People are driven by a goal bigger than themselves. 2. People are driven by having relationships. We can do more together than we can alone and we can deal with bad situations better when we feel we are part of a strong, trusting group. 3. People are driven by the esteem they get from the roles they play. Please visit www.crucialtalks.com

Mike Sedam welcomes Brian Cunningham back to the Crucial Talks Podcast. In this episode, Brian and Mike talk more theoretically about leadership and how the "Hero's Journey" can help bring people to a new level of performance. The discussion talks about transformation, employee engagement, and emotional decision-making. The discussion includes references to Gary Varynerchuk's discussion about people that may want to try something new because they are unhappy in the workplace and the importance of self-awarness. It also mentions Jill Christensen and her work in employee engagement. Please visit www.crucialtalks.com for more information or to have Mike speak at your organization.