Inspired Wisdom Podcast

Insights and Tips for Leading Others Through Change In this episode of Inspired Wisdom, we are talking about change. Specifically, we are talking about how leaders help others navigate through change. The Covid-19 pandemic is an ongoing example of how our lives and the world at large are changing very dramatically. Very suddenly and with little warning, we have to change how we live our lives on a daily basis. At times it may feel surreal. In episodes 22, 25 and 26, Karsten Drath, Jodi Coochise, and Rob Fazio discussed resilient leadership, navigating loss and grief, growth mindset, and mental toughness as skills we can learn to build resilience and thrive in work and life. "You cannot change what you refuse to confront." John Spense   In Episode 27, we talked about navigating personal change and we provided resources to deepen self-awareness for how you respond to change. Understanding how we respond to change can help us lead ourselves and others through disruptive change more successfully.    This mini-training on Helping Others Navigate Change will be of benefit if you:  Have undergone a change in your role or your organization has made a change that impacts your team Are experiencing changes outside your control (e.g., changes in your industry, new competitors, regulations or tariffs) Need a playbook for engaging and aligning your team on co-creating opportunities  Want a roadmap to navigate your team through current and future disruptions with better results   During this 20-minute mini-training on Helping Others Navigate Change, I will take you through two models of change, distinguish change and transition, and present a tool for reflecting on how you’ve navigated through change. You’ll find downloadable handouts on Inspired Wisdom for change and transition, cultivating team resilience, tips for helping others navigate change along with the instructions for a reflection activity.     

Reflective Inquiry is an active replay where people are invited to see their own truth. Dr. Marcia Reynolds is the expert organizations call on to breathe life into their conversations and cultures using reflective inquiry. Marcia is energetic, funny and 100% committed to transformational leadership. As a child, she was described as precocious, opinionated and with some kind of social problem. When she was 19, she found herself in jail struggling with drug abuse and low self-esteem. But that changed when her cellmate unwittingly reflected what she saw - a smart, strong woman who cared about people. Her cellmate told Marcia, “when you get that in here (pointing to her heart), you can do anything out there.” And Marcia has done just that. Over the past 30 years, she has spoken and coached leaders in 38 countries and reached over 100K people worldwide in her training programs.     Reflective Inquiry provokes insight; questions just get answers. My Interview with Marcia will be of benefit if you want to: Develop others Hold conversations that activate meaningful breakthroughs Enhance your listening and / or leadership skills Create profound connections that activate change, creativity, and joy  Inspire others to step up and work on their own Project confidence and a powerful presence    Highlights of my interview with Marcia The skills of Reflection and Reflective Inquiry The power of Reflective Inquiry to help us learn and think more broadly  Coaches as Knowledge Sherpas You want to be a better leader - a demonstration of Reflective Inquiry Leading the agile workplace: Advice for leaders who want to develop their people The dominant emotions in the workplace - worldwide Cultural differences that impact leadership transformation globally  How to be present when you are feeling anxious, exhausted, overwhelmed stressed out, dissatisfied?  Marcia's mantra that keeps her focused on her larger purpose: what is it that I want to create in the bigger picture? She published 3 books, completed 2 masters' degrees in Broadcasting and Adult learning, a doctorate in Organization Psychology, and has 2 highly engaging TEDx talks. Marcia continues to research transformational leadership to help startups and established Fortune 500 firms prosper in today’s chaotic, unpredictable world.  Please visit Inspired Wisdom for Dr. Reynolds bio and additional links Her books include: Outsmart Your Brain Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment & Direction The Discomfort Zone: How Leaders Turn Difficult Conversations into Breakthroughs  For Marcia's bio and show notes, please visit Inspired Wisdom. About Inspired Wisdom Cynder Niemela, MA, MBA is an award-winning author and internationally recognized expert in executive coaching and developing global teams. As a result of growing up in the Middle East and Europe, Cynder leverages her international experience working in the Middle East as one of a few women permitted to work in Saudi Arabia. First, as a marine biologist followed by years of developing leaders and teams for Saudi-ARAMCO.  Mission: Interview 100 people from 100 countries who are working with heart and mind for positive social impact.  

Change is constant. It is part of life and it’s inevitable.  We are always evolving and changing, as is the world we live in.  Because change involves an element of loss, the degree and frequency of change we experience can be stressful and strain our sense of self-worth and resiliency.  Understanding how we respond to change can help us lead ourselves and others through disruptive change more successfully. This is the purpose of our mini-training on moving through change. A common thread throughout this first set of interviews is change and transition. In episode 2, Lion Goodman talked about his near-death experience and how this external event inspired him to look at his beliefs and world view which ultimately led to him helping others shift and transform. In episodes 6,7, 8, and 23 Simon Kozlowski, Steven Huang, Katie Hill, and Taylan Yildiz discussed their personal and professional journeys which led them to make changes and shifts in mindset for more fulfilling careers and lives. In episodes 22, 25 and 26, Karsten Drath, Jodi Coochise, and Rob Fazio discussed resilient leadership, navigating loss and grief, growth mindset, and mental toughness as skills we can learn to build resilience and thrive. During this 10-minute mini-training on Navigating through Change, I will take you through two models of change, distinguish change and transition, and present a tool for reflecting on how you've navigated through change. You'll find handouts for ways of cultivating resiliency along with the instructions for the Life Mapping exercise on Inspired Wisdom.   

On Sept. 11th, 2001, Rob’s dad, Ronald Fazio, was on the 99th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center in NYC. Ron looked out the window that fateful morning and was one of the first people to see the North Tower hit. At the time, Rob was a grad student. He recalls the next few days as he, his brother and mother searched for Ron. However, they learned that while Ron had successfully exited the building to safety, he returned to hold the door open for others. Tragically, Ron Fazio was killed that day.  On 9/11 Rob lost his dad in an act of kindness. What did he learn about himself and navigating challenging times? Rob tells us how he and his family turned their dad’s tragic death into his legacy. They formed a not-for-profit agency called Hold the Door Open for Others. Their mission is to empower people to grow through loss and adversity to achieve their dreams. They teach the skills of resilience and strength to navigate loss and grief. We all experience loss of varying intensities. It’s our shared human experience. But we humans aren’t necessarily equipped to navigate loss in a healthy way. Rob gives us practical strategies for proactively responding to the wave of emotions that follow loss. Rob covered a number of practical topics for leaders and individuals: Mental Toughness Growth Mindset Executive Presence Resilience and growth skills Leaders helping people prepare for adversity and the hierarchy of loss Stay to the end, Rob talks about how we met. My Interview with Rob will be of benefit if you: Want a new approach to coaching leaders Are a leader planning a change or want a model for helping your employees find meaning and purpose in their life Want a structure for understanding what drives your people to better motivate them Want to have more control over guiding your business and your life Are doing what is expected of you and more; but, at the end of the day you are spent and feel you are on a never-ending treadmill Want to have a well-defined purpose that is greater than your “self” Bio and Links: Robert Fazio, PhD Rob’s expertise is in sport psychology global leadership and organizational success. He teaches clients how to remove barriers to function at optimal levels. His approach to advising combines original research on power, influence, conversations, and motivation. His book, Simple is the New Smart features success strategies gleaned from over a decade and a half of working with athletes, executives, and people-driven toward excellence. Rob’s advice on navigating turbulent times and politics has been featured in the NY Times and on CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and local networks. Rob has been featured on NBC News, in Forbes, NY Daily News, CEO Magazine, Philadelphia Business Journal to name a few. Links to resources mentioned and for connecting with Robert Fazio along with show notes are on Inspired Wisdom.

In 2006, Jodi and her husband, Kris, were hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Tragically, Kris lost his life in a rock slide. In a talk that is heartbreaking, courageous and inspiring, Jodi shares her hard-earned wisdom about life and her journey through grief and loss. Jodi’s personal approach to loss and grief, something that affects us all, is as relatable as it is insightful. Most powerfully, she encourages us to shift how we approach loss and grief. Jodi shows us how to navigate this experience that loss and grief are while also living a new normal. Jodi is a licensed psychologist, consultant and coach living and practicing in Boston. She coaches and conducts trainings for leaders, professionals, and clinicians on how to support those who are grieving and integrate psychological concepts into their work. For show notes, please go to Inspired Wisdom.

Gregg Levoy is the author of two books: Callings: finding and following an authentic life, and  Vital Signs: Discovering and Sustaining Your Passion for Life Published in 1997, Callings was the first book to examine the many kinds of calls we receive. It is a passionate look at our natural search for authenticity. "I don’t think of callings as singular … they are plural.  So many people wait for the great big calling and miss the smaller ones at their feet. These are the urgings and promptings and the imperatives that come from deep inside our lives that tell us that tell us at any point that tells us what it will take to stay true at true north." During my interview with Gregg, he talks about the different forms and channels we receive calls – how to recognize and respond to them to create a life that really belongs to you … and you thrive. This interview will be of benefit to you if you: Feel like you are avoiding a call Are thinking of retiring or recently retired and you are wondering how to maintain your sense of vitality Have a loved one who has lost their passion for life  “How do you create a life that really belongs to you? That isn’t a hand-me-down or knock off? That really has some power and passion to it?” About Gregg Levoy: A former adjunct professor of journalism at the University of New Mexico, he has written for the New York Times Magazine, Washington Post, Psychology Today, Fast Company, Omni and many others, as well as for corporate, and television projects. Please visit Inspired Wisdom for links and additional information on my interview with Gregg Levoy.   About Inspired Wisdom  Cynder Niemela, MA, MBA is an award-winning author and internationally recognized expert in executive coaching and developing global teams. As a result of growing up in the Middle East and Europe, Cynder leverages her international experience working in the Middle East as one of a few women permitted to work in Saudi Arabia. First, as a marine biologist followed by years of developing leaders and teams for Saudi-ARAMCO.   Mission: Interview 100 people from 100 countries who are working with heart and mind for positive social impact.  

Musician, New Generation Politician, Global Citizen Taylan Yildiz, Ph.D. joins us from Istanbul Turkey where he is Deputy Chairman of the Good Party. As Deputy Chair, he is responsible for communications and technology affairs.   Prior to entering into politics, Taylan was at Google in Silicon Valley for 10 years. At Google, he built novel measurement methodologies and managed a team of Ph.D. level statisticians who built these tools for Google and its advertisers.  Taylan was responsible for approving all global 3rd-party advertising research studies paid for by Google. He also led executive level meetings with top global advertisers to build custom and scalable research solutions on media planning, measurement and customer insights. Taylan discusses the following topics: Turkey. the political environment and what inspired him to leave his 10-year career at Google and return with his family to Turkey. Behavioral Economics: Are there similarities between buying an expensive handbag and voting for or supporting a politician? US Politics and relations with Turkey: Insights regarding our current political environment and Turkey’s When we in the West think about Turkey, what do you want us to know? (i.e., our similarities or differences?) Taylan Yildiz, Ph.D. Bio Taylan is the Deputy Chairman of the Good Party (İYİ Parti), where he is responsible for communications and technology affairs.  Prior to entering into politics, Taylan was at Google in Silicon Valley for 10 years. At Google, he built novel measurement methodologies and managed a team of Ph.D. level statisticians who built these tools for Google and its advertisers. Taylan was responsible for approving all global 3rd-party advertising research studies paid for by Google. He also led executive level meetings with top global advertisers to build custom and scalable research solutions on media planning, measurement and customer insights. He is the founder of the industry-leading products DFA Experiments and DFA Brand Insights which have enabled many of the Doubleclick's Fortune 500 advertisers to measure display campaign impact starting from awareness down to site visits and sales. These tools help advertisers precisely measure their return on advertising investment and get actionable insights on how to maximize this ROI. They also help to evaluate the effectiveness of new display advertising technologies such as remarketing, Doubleclick AdExchange, and YouTube Ads. Taylan also managed Google Active GRP, where he holds a patent on the methodology.  Taylan gives regular guest lectures to MBA Students at Stanford Business School. He wrote a case study at Stanford on how display advertising can be measured through experimentation, which was also taught at Chicago Booth School of Business. This case helps the new generation of companies demand the right set of effectiveness metrics from the industry. Connect with Taylan Yildiz Speaker Notes, Bio, and Links on Inspired Wisdom Taylan Yildiz website Taylan Yildiz, Musician on YouTube   About Cynder Niemela My mission with the Inspired Wisdom Podcast is to bring together successful entrepreneurs, leaders, and individuals around a global campfire to build a shared understanding of our human community. My goal is to interview people from 100 countries who are working with heart and mind for positive social impact.   

Around the world cyclist, Karsten Drath joins us from Heidelberg, Germany to discuss what he has learned about resilience training. He also shares how he builds his capacity to withstand hardships and adversity in order to create environments where people and teams thrive. At Inspired Wisdom, our mission is to interview 100 people from 100 countries who are making a social impact. Karsten is making an impact by navigating the globe by bike to raise money for the Resilience of young people.   Karsten discusses how Zis, a non-profit organization, provides scholarships for study trips to young adults between ages 16 and 20. When Karsten was a teen, he received a scholarship to work on a whaling station in Iceland and study Scientific Whaling.  20 years later, Karsten rekindled his passion for the Zis organization and combined it with his love of endurance sports. His goal is to circumnavigate the earth by bike in 10 annual 3-week rides. In the show notes, I’ve included additional details with itineraries if you’d like to meet up with Karsten or contribute to his campaign. Karsten is a leadership coach and expert on resilience with an extensive 16-year career in international consulting and leadership. Karsten has a very special passion and commitment to learning. He has navigated his career through engineering, business, an E-MBA from the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago, executive coaching and psychotherapy. Karsten has written several books and articles on the subject of coaching, resilience and leadership, including Coaching and its Roots (in German) Resilience in Corporate Leadership (in German) Resilient Leadership, and Rules of Success Karsten will talk about his two latest books titled Resilient Leadership and Rules of Success. More About Karsten Currently, Karsten is a Managing Partner at Leadership Choices, one of the leading providers of executive development in Europe. He is accredited with the International Coach Federation, Fairfax, the Center for Creative Leadership, Brussels and the World Economic Forum, Geneva. In addition, he works as adjunct faculty at the Center for Responsible Leadership of the WHU business school in Koblenz. Karsten spends his free time with his family and endurance sports like bicycling for 3 weeks at a time around the globe.   Inspired Wisdom Cynder Niemela, MA, MBA is an award-winning author and internationally recognized expert in executive coaching and developing global teams. As a result of growing up in the Middle East and Europe, Cynder leverages her international experience working in the Middle East as one of a few women permitted to work in Saudi Arabia. First, as a marine biologist followed by years of developing leaders and teams for Saudi-ARAMCO.  Mission: Interview 100 people from 100 countries who are working with heart and mind for positive social impact.  

"Daydreams are basic design." - Frank Lloyd Wright Kristen Anacker was a costume designer for movies and TV in Hollywood for 26 years. She has 49 movie credits to her name.  Kristen started designing costumes for her husband’s rock band; when he left she had no way of expressing her passion and livelihood. Or so she thought. Kristen will share with us her most challenging times – of leaving the security of her home in Sonoma for the ever-changing world of Hollywood and of putting herself out there every time one movie ended to make the transition from one movie to the next. She first took the Conference in 1989, and with the support of A C N, she began her career in film. She has been a Conference Coach since 1999, and she now leads the Sonoma Conference.   We all seek a network that supports us in clearing away our limiting beliefs and cheers us on as we find our voice in the world. Kristen found the support she needed to be courageous and step out onto a bigger stage in the Artist Conference Network. Kristen will share with us the origins of this national organization that is open to anyone who wants to play on the outer limits of possibility and the highest potential of their life’s work. More about Kristen Anacker Connect with Kristen on Facebook Artist Conference Network website Kristen Anacker on IMDb A few of her favorite movies Christopher Munch, Director “Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day” on Youtube Sleepy Time Gal trailer Letters from a Big Man Orgazmo: The trailer for Orgazmo on Youtube. Sketch by Kristen Anacker on ACN website Artist Conference Network (ACN)  ACN founder, Beverly Cassell, was a painter and teacher. She saw that many artists lived and learned their art in a context of critique and isolation. She envisioned a new culture for the arts, one that evoked the field of creative possibility in an atmosphere of mutual respect and camaraderie. The Purpose of the Artist Conference Network is to access mastery in the work, careers, and lives of people doing creative work. We stand for the power of a creative coaching community to catalyze great art and lives!

Karen Keller, Ph.D., is the author of the Amazon #1 Best Seller Influence: What's the Missing Piece.   Over 20 years of research and client work led to the creation of the Keller Influence Indicator® (KII®). The KII® is the ONLY tool in the world that measures an individual’s potential to be influential.   Personal Tragedy Informed Karen's Purpose Karen discusses with Cynder how personal tragedy led to her researching the topic of Influence and ultimately to her 20 years of research and the creation of the Keller Influence Indicator®. Karen will share the 7 factors that comprise one’s ability to be influential.   If you strive to reach peak performance but find the effort is taking a toll are confident in some situations but come across as less confident in others receive feedback that you aren’t consistently trustworthy or likable find your level of passion and commitment waxes and wanes like the phases of the moon want to know the relationship between executive presence and influence  then, you won't want to miss Cynder's interview with Karen. For additional informational information about the KII and how to reach Karen Keller, please go to Inspired Wisdom.

Life was Good We had high expectations for 2018 and it started off so well. Or so I thought.  A few years before, we bought a new house in the Oakland Hills. We were close to family, made new friends and were settling into our favorite activities. Mark was playing golf a couple times a week, had a close relationship with his brother, and we had a new puppy that kept him in smiles. A Sudden Change In Interests and Attitudes By mid-January, I noticed something was off. Suddenly, Mark was not enjoying the activities that brought him joy most of his life. He lost interest in golf. He didn't want to go to dinner or out with family. He came down with frequent colds and general feelings of malaise.  Slowly and Then Suddenly By our 22nd anniversary in mid-June, Mark wasn't eating and he had lost nearly twenty pounds. I was worried. He went to the doctor in early June but their treatment was not having a positive impact. Then in early July, I took Mark to the emergency room. As we sat in the ER, we made plans to take the trips we had put off for a couple of years. For the first time, we were scared. That day, Mark was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer. We couldn't believe it. Suddenly, we were faced with the inevitable truth, Mark's end date was too close. If you knew your end date, what would you do differently?  In this episode, I will share how my husband and I coped with the unwelcome news of his cancer diagnosis and very quick death.   

John King, co-author of the NY Times #1 Best Seller "Tribal Leadership" Welcome to Part II of my interview with John King. John is an Internationally recognized as a senior teacher, coach, and program leader. John’s executive clientele have been featured on all major television networks and in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. John is on Faculty for CELA at American University in Bulgaria, the Middle East Leadership Academy (MELA) in the Gulf Region, and the Southeast Asia Leadership Academy (SEALA). He delivers The Cultural Map, Triads and Strategy, for the University of Arizona, Southwest Leadership Program (SWLP). John is Professor Emeritus at the Moscow International Leadership Academy (MILA).  In Part I, John discussed how he pivoted from professional dancer to writing and publishing TV and movie scripts. With a natural talent for leadership and training, John pivoted again to a career with Landmark Education followed by 13 years teaching at the graduate level at the University of Southern California.  Please listen to Part I for more on John's career path. In Part II, John discusses the origins of Tribal Leadership and the model. For John's bio and links to resources mentioned during this episode, please go to the Inspired Wisdom website.  

John King is the co-author of The New York Times  #1 best-selling book titled Tribal Leadership. This book changed the trajectory of thinking about Organizational Culture. The premise is simple in theory – every organization is composed of tribes – naturally occurring groups of 20-150 people. However, few organizations have a repeatable roadmap for leveraging natural groups to build thriving and resilient leaders and organizations. I first heard about John and Tribal Leadership at a conference where I heard Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos and the bestselling author of Delivering Happiness, present with John. I was a huge fan of Zappos and impressed by how Tony held John is such high esteem. John has many talents and successes … too many for one episode of Inspired Wisdom. Therefore, I have split our interview into two parts. In Part I, John will share his experiences as  A professional dancer for 13 years on TV, film, and theatre Author: John directed, wrote and sold TV shows and movies in Los Angeles Coach and Trainer: John reinvented his career and leveraged his experience as a performer by leading programs for Landmark Education During his time with Landmark, John met Dave Logan. Over the next 13 years, John co-wrote two books with Dave, The Coaching Revolution, and Tribal Leadership Taught for 13 years at USC Marshall School of Business, School of Public Policy, and Annenberg School of Communication In Part II, John will go into more detail on the Tribal Leadership model and his working internationally with global organizations. John’s full bio and show notes are on the Inspired Wisdom website.   Short Bio John is an Internationally recognized as a senior teacher, coach, and program leader. John’s executive clients have been featured on all major television networks and in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. John is on Faculty for CELA at American University in Bulgaria, the Middle East Leadership Academy (MELA) in the Gulf Region, and the Southeast Asia Leadership Academy (SEALA). He delivers The Cultural Map, Triads and Strategy, for the University of Arizona, Southwest Leadership Program (SWLP). John is Professor Emeritus at the Moscow International Leadership Academy (MILA). 

James Elfer Joins us from London, UK James is the founder and director of MoreThanNow; a behavioral change agency that uses science and creativity to transform the world of work. Their mission is to show that when we look beyond short-term profits, we can create a better workplace for everyone. It's why James and his team partner with clients who share their belief in social purpose. "We're here to push the boundaries of what that can achieve. After all," says James, "the workplace is not an island. Large organizations are deeply interconnected with our society and they reflect and influence the world outside. They can be both - a force for good and an engine for growth." James will share with us his thoughts on: Disruption in the workplace – what does it mean really? The advantages of going on a digital detox Purpose-driven organizations Self-determination theory and purposeful work The Inclusion Lab: An alternative to Unconscious Bias Training For additional notes on this interview with host, Cynder Niemela, along with links and resources mentioned, please go to InspiredWisdom.Us      

Paul is the Co-Founder and CEO of Shortlist, a recruiting technology startup transforming how talent meets opportunity in emerging markets.   Paul Breloff, CEO & Co-founder Shortlist With a law degree from Yale and experience in microfinance and impact investing, Paul has advised major corporations on access to finance issues globally. Working across India and Kenya, Paul and his co-founder have grown Shortlist to 60 full-time employees in just 2.5 years. Shortlist is on a mission to unlock professional potential and it does so by combining technology, data, and a human touch to source and screen great job-seekers for growing, purposeful companies across India and East Africa.  You will find Paul’s bio and resources mentioned during our interview at Inspired Wisdom.

Marilyn O'Hearne on Breaking Free From Bias Marilyn O’Hearne is a master certified coach, speaker and author of Breaking Free from Bias. Coaching since ’98 and in 28 countries, Marilyn says it is impossible to not work interculturally!  Marilyn has been fascinated with culture and committed to peace since age 9. This lead to her coaching leaders from the United Nations since 2013. "Awareness of our biases is not enough." Marilyn will discuss with us her 6-step IMPACT process companies use to break free from bias and boost their bottom line. Marilyn will discuss with us her 6-step IMPACT process to break free from bias and boost the bottom line. For more about Marilyn O'Hearne and show notes, please go to Inspired Wisdom.

 Master Tapper Andrew Nemr The New York Times described Andrew Nemr as a “masterly tapper”. Today, he is considered one of the most diverse tap dance artists. An international performer, choreographer, educator and speaker, Andrew: mentored with Savion Glover and Gregory Hines has played with Grammy Award-winning musicians across multiple genres danced at the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival the Jerry Lewis Telethon Winter Olympics Arts Festival Nijinsky Awards in Monaco To name only a few of his awards. On Inspired Wisdom, I’ve added show notes, links to Andrew's bio and several videos of Andrew tapping. Tap emerged about 150 years ago. It’s an American melding of African and European percussive dance traditions.  I didn’t know this history when I was a kid watching musicals from the 40’s with Sammy Davis Jr., Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Eleanor Powell, James Cagney and Ginger Rogers. In the movies, the characters experienced personal challenges. But, their love of dance and song helped them put life into perspective. Finding solace in music and dance during troubling times is a common theme for the artists on the Voice, So You Think You Can Dance and World of Dance. Artists of all kinds inspire me to think about life from different perspectives and in a more holistic way. In business, we tend to spend a lot of our workday - heck years - in left brain activities. Meetings have agendas, we have roles and responsibilities, and processes and protocols. Like dance and music, these rules of engagement serve a purpose. Yet, many of us also have a yearning to discover our creative voice and develop it during our workday. Andrew says that “dance is not about technique, it’s about life and how dancing is a part of it.” Andrew will share with us his personal journey  of self-expression and self-discovery from taking his first dance class at 3 years old and how that inspired his life-long love and commitment to tap his experience mentoring with Gregory Hines and Savion Glover Finally, Andrew shares with us how trust, play, and fun impact his relationships and his performances with others. He also gives us advice on values, decision-making, and leading others. If you want to engage your creative side at work and play, I know you will enjoy my conversation with Master Tapper, Andrew Nemr. Please let me comments at Inspired Wisdom.   Cynder Niemela Host of the Inspired Wisdom Podcast

Executive Coach Vikki Brock on Coaching in the Middle East Vikki Brock joined Boeing in Seattle right out of college. Vikki took advantage of the many opportunities to learn and grow her career at Boeing. She was the first woman the company sent to the executive MBA program. In 1994, Vikki left her 21-year career at Boeing to launch her consulting and coaching practice.  Vikki joined the nascent coaching industry and was introduced to Thomas Leonard, founder of CoachU and the International Coach Federation (ICF). She completed her coaching certification at CoachU and was among the first cohort to earn her Master Coach Certification (MCC) from the ICF in 1998. Curious about the origins of coaching, Vikki went on to earn her Ph.D. in Coaching and Human Development. She went on to publish the most comprehensive history of coaching to date in her book the Sourcebook of Coaching History. This program is for you if you are a coach and want to hear more about the origins of coaching from a pioneer of the coaching industry If you do business in the Middle East or you manage people from Asia, Vikki will share her experience of working in Kuwait if you would like to know more about coaching and how to select a coach for your business Please check Inspired Wisdom.us for speaker notes, links and handouts for this episode with executive coach, Vikki Brock.

Sinartus Sosrodjojo, Jakarta, Indonesia Indonesia is a beautiful and vast archipelago that is the size of the US from the east to the west. Bali, New Guinea, and Java are among the more commonly traveled and familiar places in Indonesia. Here are just a few facts about Indonesia:  Jakarta is the capital with a population in 2014 of over 10 mm. In the early 21st century Indonesia was the most populous country in Southeast Asia and the fourth most populous in the world. Many don’t realize that Indonesia is also 89% Muslim. When Sinartus was in 3rd grade his parents asked him if he’d like to go to boarding school in CA. Excited by the prospect of a plane ride, Sinartus responded with an enthusiastic YES. Sinartus went on to complete high school and then college in CA before returning to Jakarta in 2000 as a photojournalist. Sinartus is currently focused on the intersection of customer engagement and employee engagement with digitalization, data analysis, and good business processes. If you want to do business in Indonesia, you have Indonesians on your team, you are looking for your next travel destination … or you like to learn about different cultures … you won’t want to miss my conversation with Sinartus. Sinartus will share with us what he learned about adjusting to life as a student in the US returning home to Indonesia and feeling like a foreigner in his own country pivoting his career as the digital world replaced print media lessons learned as an entrepreneur with everything on the line distinctions between western and eastern cultures and its impact on education, cultural norms and business what Indonesians are learning as they watch current US political arena travel tips

Coaching Sales Teams to High Performance Beverley Wright held leadership and coaching roles at IBM for over 30 years. Beverley successfully transitioned from her role as an individual contributor to climbing the leadership ladder in marketing and sales. In the late 90’s she pivoted again and gained expertise in coaching sales teams and executives.  In Part II of her interview with Cynder Niemela, host of the Inspired Wisdom podcast, she shares her role in coaching the lowest performing sales team into the highest performing team in a short period of time. Today, Beverley continues to work with leaders and helps them become more people-centered while achieving professional and personal goals.  You won’t want to miss my interview with Beverley Wright if you are a high-energy, successful salesperson and you now find yourself leading a sales team entrepreneur and want to shape your leadership brand as a team leader business owner and you want effective methods for building a high-performance team Subscribe to Inspired Wisdom on iTunes and Google Play     Inspired Wisdom Cynder Niemela, MA, MBA is an award-winning author and internationally recognized expert in executive coaching and developing global teams. An American growing up in the Middle East and Europe, Cynder leverages her international experience working in the Middle East as one of a few women permitted to work in Saudi Arabia. First, as a marine biologist followed by years of developing leaders and teams for Saudi-ARAMCO.  Mission: Interview people from 100 countries who are working with heart and mind for positive social impact.  

Beverley Wright: A Successful Business Leader, Community Advocate, and Leadership Coach  Beverley held leadership and management roles at IBM for over 30 years. Beverley started at IBM thinking she’d stay for 5 years at most. However, she had a paradigm shift and saw an opportunity to pivot from doing a job to driving her career choices. Beverley successfully transitioned from her role as an individual contributor to climbing the leadership ladder in marketing and sales. In the late 90’s she pivoted again and gained expertise in coaching sales teams and executives  Today, Beverley continues to work with leaders and helps them become more people-centered while achieving professional and personal goals.  You won’t want to miss my interview with Beverley Wright if you are a high-energy, successful salesperson and you now find yourself leading a sales team entrepreneur and want to shape your leadership brand as a team leader business owner and you want effective methods for building a high-performance team For show notes and links, please go to Inspired Wisdom.

Katie Hill, TED Fellow, Young Global Leader and Social Entrepreneur Katie Hill is a social entrepreneur, TED Fellow and  Young Global Leader with the World Economic Forum. She solves problems that impact billions of people. Katie took a year off between high school and college to live in Nepal. She began college knowing she wanted to work on issues of global poverty and economic development. After graduating from Stanford, Katie joined Acumen and lived in India for 4 years where she focused on energy, water, and agriculture investment Katie shares with us her journey from living in Nepal and India and then returning to Stanford to complete an MBA and MA in Environment & Resources. In 2013, she joined Apple in Silicon Valley. Building on her core interests and strengths in leadership, product innovation, and sustainable investing, Katie set out to convert Apple’s entire supply chain to renewable energy. Earlier this year, Katie quit a job she loved at Apple and moved to Nairobi, Africa with her husband to fulfill their shared mission of making positive social change. If you want to make a positive social impact, you don’t want to miss Katie’s inspiring story on the Inspired Wisdom Podcast.

Growing up, Steven had a vision for his future. However, he had to put his vision aside and work in a career that he did not find meaningful. Steven graduated with a B.S. in Business from Babson College in 2009. With a skill set that was still in demand during the recession, he started his career as an actuary but left after a few years in the pursuit of meaningful work. Steven shares with us how he found his way out of a job in Connecticut and into Facebook as their first HR analyst.  From Facebook, he pursued a path filled with side steps and back steps and jumps forward that ultimately landed him in a role where he gets to do meaningful work every day. At Culture Amp in San Francisco since Apr 2015, Steven is the Head of Diversity and Inclusion where he built the Culture Amp & Paradigm Inclusion Survey. He has become a champion of blending analytics, psychology, and empathy to solve 21st century’s most pressing problems. If you are a millennial frustrated with your role and looking for an inspired next step approaching your mid 30’s and you are worried you won’t find “your purpose” conflicted about how to engage millennials You won’t want to miss the show as Steven Huang shares his most important lesson. “The little lessons we take away from the obstacles in life that often lead us to our most passionate and impactful next chapter.”

Simon Kozlowski is unapologetically obsessed with unlocking legacy In Episode 6 of the Inspired Wisdom Podcast, Simon Kozlowski from the sunny East Coast of South Africa shares his roller-coaster ride from a corporate role to successful entrepreneur. Between early 2013 and late 2016, Simon built a vibrant business in a competitive industry only to have the business killed in a messy legal battle. He then joined another small business with huge aspirations, and found himself unemployed less than a year later and having to start from the beginning all over again. His journey led to the Creative Spark that inspired his current work - helping people and businesses reinvent themselves.  Our stories tell us who we are. Redefine your stories; it takes an independent thinker to separate yourself from other people’s stories and expectations of you. Simon's work with executives in pitching and presenting has enabled them to significantly grow revenue, transform organizational culture and convert resistors into raving fans. His sales coaching has enabled clients to increase sales an average of 30% within 3 months Highlights From the Show Our stories tell us who we are. Redefine your stories if you don’t like where you are. It takes an independent thinker to separate yourself from other people’s stories and expectations of you.   In his work with sales leaders, communication is the single biggest differentiator. [22:40]

Charlotte Guilmenot, co-producer of the Inspired Wisdom podcast shares her journey and vision for the podcast. Shas more than 30 years of experience in organizational effectiveness and employee engagement, as well as extensive experience in learning and development, and designing leadership programs for both large and small organizations.

Over the past 20 years, Trisha Parsad held Leadership positions in Coaching and Leadership Development at  Southern California Edison, Bank of America, and Price Waterhouse Coopers. Due to her outstanding performance, in 2015, she was nominated for the Edison International Chairman’s Award. While at the height of her career, Trisha left her corporate role in 2016 to start her own independent practice. If you are a leader in transition to a new company, new role, or to entrepreneurship and you struggle with: Making a living under uncertainty Priority management Networking and Business Development Using your time well and making consistent progress Finding a Mentor Feeling relevant and the self-confidence that comes from doing meaningful work Then, you've come to the right place!  

To be an authority in your field, a leader, Tracy Goodwin says you must be an impactful storyteller; you must affect us. How you speak is what will make that happen.  If any of these challenges sound familiar, you won't want to miss this episode with Internationally known voice expert, Tracy Goodwin: You find you are not respected when you speak or you feel like you’re being pushed around You don’t feel or sound confident People cut you off when you talk You have a hard time asking for what you want Colleagues don't see you as the expert you truly are Your voice falls flat or changes tone especially when you are nervous You aren't getting the results you want in your personal life and/or career Tracy Goodwin, owner of Captivate the Room, started speaking and winning awards at the age of 12.  She later went on to become a professional actor and directed plays all over the world all while running from her purpose of being a voice coach.  Tracy has a BFA in Directing and two Masters.  Over the last 25 plus years, Tracy has coached hundreds of people around the globe how to step into their voice power, sound more confident, heal their voice story, free their voice and make a big impact with their message.  Tracy’s approach to the psychology of the voice is unique in that gets to the core of the voice story and changes the bad voice habits that story laid in, changing them for good.  People all over the world seek her out for her expertise because she unravels the voice story and frees the barriers that keep her client’s from connecting and captivating their audience.  Resources shared during this episode: Tracy talking about her upcoming documentary, You Took My Voice Tracy's website and podcast, Captivate the Room

During the process of becoming you, you took on other people’s beliefs, values, and ways of behaving.  You came to some conclusions about yourself, other people, and the world. These conclusions have consequences in how we think, act and form relationships. And, no matter who you are or what you want to accomplish, it seems as though something is preventing you from moving forward toward meeting your goals and living a fulling life.  If you want to live a more fulfilling and extraordinary life AND you experience any of the following, then you don't want to miss my interview with Lion. Low-self-esteem, negative self-talk Feeling stuck in your work and/or personal life Lack of motivation Difficulties in personal and work relationships Weight and health problems Inability to bounce back quickly from challenges or failure Bad habits you can't seem to break Comparing and judging oneself and others Uncomfortable feelings, sensations, & emotions Lion explains how negative and limiting beliefs can result in any of these symptoms and conditions. More importantly, he discusses how to clear out old beliefs that are holding you back. Link: Lion Goodman's free webinar, Clear Your Beliefs, is on April 5, 5 pm PT      

Cynder Niemela, Co-Producer, and Host of the Inspired Wisdom Podcast shares her journey from corporate executive to Podcast Host. In this episode, Cynder shares her story of overcoming polio, growing up in Saudi Arabia and returning as a marine biologist for Saudi Aramco. After completing an MBA, Cynder was recruited by an insurance company in Hartford, CT to be their first female executive. This began her 25 years as a corporate executive and climbing the corporate ladder. In 2016, after 25 years of working for global organizations, Cynder left her corporate leadership role to embark on a creative journey. Life is full of creating beautiful things, travel, being in nature, and meeting new people. If you are an aspiring leader or transitioning into an expanded role, or you are in transition out of a corporate job into your own business then you've come to the right place!