Making Shift Happen - 180 Seconds @ a Time

As organizations navigate getting back to a post-pandemic "new normal," they're next challenge is overcoming two connected trends - the Great Resignation, and antiwork.In this special 30-minute episode, Inflection Point Leadership co-founders Kristy Braden and Brad Smith talk shift with Anjali Burton, founder of Burton Consulting to explore real-life examples that express the sentiments behind antiwork, and what leaders can do 180-seconds-at-a-time to re-engage employees in the post-pandemic world, For more information on Inflection Point Leadership, and the work we do to equip organizations, teams, and leaders at all levels to make shift happen, vision our website at http://www.iplshifthappens.com.Burton Consulting partners with individuals, teams and organizations to craft compelling places to work. Learn more at https://www.burtonconsulting.net/. 

In this special, 30-minute episode, Kristy Braden and Brad Smith, co-Founders of Inflection Point leadership, talk shift with Don Sandel, Founder of GoPositiv.  GoPositiv offers a fresh approach to employee engagement, well-being, and higher performance by leveraging the proven, science-based power of happiness, optimism, and positivity.  Don discusses the neuroscience research that demonstrates how making the shift from a negative default to a positive default can expand our brain's capabilities and directly enhance our wellbeing, engagement, productivity, and results.  We then explore how an organization can build positivity within teams, and what every individual can do to GoPositiv.For more information on Inflection Point Leadership, and the work we do to equip organizations, teams, and leaders at all levels to make shift happen, vision our website at http://www.iplshifthappens.com. For more information about GoPositiv, visit http://www.gopositiv.com, or to contact Don directly, send him an email at don@gopositiv.com

We're back for SEASON 2 !We took some time off of podcasting to let things settle a bit rather than add to the flurry of disruptions we experienced over the past 3 months, but it's time to again make shift happen, 180 seconds at a time. We start with a quadruple-length episode (just under 12 minutes total) on the topic of followership. What is followership, why is building followership even more important in today's business world, and what trends are we finding in how leaders are building followership during times of significant change.To learn more about Inflection Point Leadership, visit our website at iplshifthappens.com or contact Kristy Braden at Kristy@InflectionPointLeadership.com or Brad Smith at Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.

It's Thanksgiving week, and time for us to find reasons to give thanks even while we're still in the midst of a turbulent, challenging year.In this episode, Kristy Braden and Brad Smith, co-founders of Inflection Point Leadership, Inc. share what they are thankful for this year, and challenge us all to reflect on what we've experienced and learned that will help us make positive shift happen going forward.

We are about 2 weeks past Election Day in the U.S., and while some things remain uncertain, one thing has become clear - we are in the midst of a "shift show," and we'll likely continue to be swirling in shifts for at least the next year. In this episode, Brad Smith and Kristy Braden discuss the characteristics that differentiate leaders who are adept at "leading up" during such shifts (moving toward an upward trend of an inflection point), versus those that are known for "leading down" (turning an inflection point to negative results). We also discuss three things that you can do as a leader to get yourself and other through times of significant shifts.o learn more about equipping organizations, teams, and leaders at all levels to make shift happen, visit our website at iplshifthappens.com or contact Kristy at Kristy@InflectionPointLeadership.com or Brad at Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.

2020 is the year of the virtual meeting. What has been the impact of this new normal on team dynamics and decision-making?In this "double episode," Kristy Braden and Brad Smith of Inflection Point Leadership, Inc. discuss what organizations are doing to establish new virtual norms that enable high-performing teams to remain effective, resilient, and positioned to thrive even if/when in-person meetings again become reality.To learn more about building high-performing, resilient virtual teams, and about the other services Inflection Point Leadership provides, visit our website at iplshifthappens.com or contact Kristy at Kristy@InflectionPointLeadership.com or Brad at Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.

2020 has been a chaotic year (to say the least). We've all been scrambling to adapt to the realities of COVID-19, the heightened social anxiety in our nation, the political divisions, the increased organizational pressure to do more with less, etc. Shift is happening all around us.In this episode, Kristy Braden and Brad Smith of Inflection Point Leadership, Inc. discuss the importance of taking intentional breaks from the day-to-day work fire-fighting and issue of the moment to think through and take action on the important, strategic issues and opportunities that will truly shape longer-term success (for yourself and your company).To learn more about leading disruption and Inflection Point Leadership, visit our website at iplshifthappens.com or contact Kristy at Kristy@InflectionPointLeadership.com or Brad at Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.

It's almost the favorite time of year for leaders and individual contributors alike - annual performance evaluations! Okay, let's not feign enthusiasm for a process that most of us dread. How should organizations approach evaluating performance for a year that has been filled with so much disruptive change?In this episode, Kristy Braden and Brad Smith of Inflection Point Leadership, Inc. discuss the potential inequities of "merit-based" performance evaluations, and how for 2020 in particular, it's time to re-imagine both the intent and process of how we evaluate individual and collective success.To learn more about leading disruption and Inflection Point Leadership, visit our website at iplshifthappens.com or contact Kristy at Kristy@InflectionPointLeadership.com or Brad at Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.

We heard this phrase a few times last week, in speeches from our candidates for Vice President and President. In this episode, Kristy Braden and Brad Smith, co-founders of Inflection Point Leadership, Inc., go back to the roots of our firm and talk about what Inflection Point Leadership truly means in the social, political and business environment we find ourselves in today.To learn more about leading disruption and Inflection Point Leadership, visit our website at iplshifthappens.com or contact Kristy at Kristy@InflectionPointLeadership.com or Brad at Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.

We're seven months into 2020 - a year that's been filled with disruptive changes to every aspect of our professional and personal lives. It's a year most of us would likely prefer to forget. But we need to learn from where we've been and use these learnings to make positive shift happen going forward, or the year indeed will have been a loss.In this triple-length episode (9 minutes), Kristy Braden and Brad Smith of Inflection Point Leadership, Inc. reflect on this first seven months of this volatile year, and what we can learn and do to lead what's next.To learn more about leading disruption and Inflection Point Leadership, visit our website at iplshifthappens.com or contact Kristy at Kristy@InflectionPointLeadership.com or Brad at Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.

After a few weeks of hiatus to listen to others' perspectives, Brad Smith and Kristy Braden from Inflection Point Leadership, Inc. are back to talk about inclusion. In particular, we discuss what it means to "feel safe bringing my whole self to work" and what's our role as leaders to understand how our employees interpret this question, and how we best support an environment where everyone can thrive.We greatly appreciate your comments on our episodes. Please provide whatever feedback you have so we can make these 180 seconds as valuable as possible.For more information on Inflection Point Leadership, please go to our website: http://www/iplshifthappens.com.

In this episode, Brad Smith from Inflection Point Leadership, Inc. shares his perspectives on the sacrifices each one of us needs to make to make real, lasting shift happen (especially during these times of COVID-19 and the social strife that has again raised to the surface).We greatly appreciate your commends on our episodes. Please provide whatever feedback you have so we can make these 180 seconds as valuable as possible.For more information on Inflection Point Leadership, please go to our website: http://www/iplshifthappens.com.

In prior episodes, we discussed the first two Maxims for leading disruption with resilience: Double-Down on Purpose, Values & Culture, and Normalize Constructive Challenge.In this episode, we discuss the third Maxim: Care Courageously. Disruptive change is an experience that can be traumatic to many, and such trauma can’t just be swept under the rug. Also, it’s easy to burnout during times of disruption, especially for those who lead large virtual teams. There is a fine balance between normalizing constructive challenge, to get perspectives and ideas out in the open, and caring courageously so that each person feels valued, supported, and as productive as possible.Those effective at leading disruption:Keep track of how others are progressing through the transition, and adapt responses accordingly (they CARE, CREATE, and STICK)Practice trauma-informed leadershipDemonstrate their own vulnerability and welcome others’ vulnerabilityAre on the lookout for burnout and exhaustion, and role model self-care practicesAddress resisters and the disengaged by offering a path out (rather than waiting for them to opt-out of the way forward)For more information on Leading Disruptive Change and the Resilience Maxims, go to our website -> http://www.iplshifthappens.com, or contact us at Kristy@InflectionPointLeadership.com or Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.Also, WE NEED REVIEWS!! Please give us your feedback on any episode (or this series as a whole) on whatever platform you use to listen to our broadcasts. Thank you!

It was another very difficult week, filled with sadness, anger, demonstrations, destruction, words of war, and words of hope. In this episode, we offer you space to reflect on these events, the history of how we have, and haven't addressed the fundamental issues that underlie these events, and what you can do to contribute to making real shift happen.We also would like to suggest other podcasts that can provide you with different perspectives than what you may typically encounter in your personal and professional life. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-the-people/https://aapf.org/all-episodesPlease provide your comments on this episode (and on any of our prior episodes). To learn more about Inflection Point Leadership, visit our website at www.iplshifthappens.com.

In our last episode, we discussed the first of 3 Maxims for leading disruption with resilience: Double-Down on Purpose, Values & Culture.In this episode, we discuss the second Maxim: Normalize Constructive Challenge. Disruption is naturally confusing and uncomfortable, but leaders that set up an environment where constructive challenge becomes the norm have the opportunity to turn what otherwise could become chaos into ongoing competitive advantage. These leaders recognize that inclusion, curiosity, and diversity of ideas are a leader's friend, not foe. Those effective at leading disruption:Model the behaviors they need from the team:Willingness to listen and be influenceSolution-orientation to relieving the “right now” pain points“We over Me” perspectiveCreate spaces for radical candor, productive conflict & new ideasAre willing to “kill their darlings” – things they created that got the team here but that won’t move it through the disruptionIterate “safe to try” solutionsFor more information on Leading Disruptive Change and the Resilience Maxims, go to our website -> http://www.iplshifthappens.com, or contact us at Kristy@InflectionPointLeadership.com or Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.Also, WE NEED REVIEWS!! Please give us your feedback on any episode (or this series as a whole) on whatever platform you use to listen to our broadcasts. Thank you!

In our last episode, we discussed our point-of-view that Leading Disruption is the new normal. This week, Kristy and Brad share the first of three Maxims for leading disruption with resilience: Double-Down on Purpose, Values & Culture.During this pandemic (as in any disruptive change), it's easy to focus on short-term survival at the expense of staying consistent to what you actually stand for as an organization. However, a key pillar to effectively leading through disruptions is placing even more emphasis on the foundational elements of why the company exists in the first place, and the Values that are supposed to guide decisions.For more information on Leading Disruptive Change and the Resilience Maxims, go to our website -> http://www.iplshifthappens.com, or contact us at Kristy@InflectionPointLeadership.com or Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.Also, WE NEED REVIEWS!! Please give us your feedback on any episode (or this series as a whole) on whatever platform you use to listen to our broadcasts. Thank you!

We're a few months into the disruption, sadness, and anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and besides all of the facts and theories that have emerged, there's one additional fact that's emerged: It's time to say farewell to "change management."In this episode, Kristy Braden and Brad Smith outline their points-of-view on why traditional change management approaches are no longer effective in a world of continual, disruptive change. Inflection Point Leadership (IPL) has adopted a new, more proactive approach for Leading Disruption. Kristy and Brad give an overview of this approach, as well as an an offer for companies to get a free diagnosis of their team's "transition health" and practical actions for equipping the team to thrive in the midst of widespread change.For more information about IPL, or the special offer, please visit our website at: http://www.iplshifthappens.com, or contact Brad Smith at Brad@InflectionPointLeadership.com.

In this special quadruple-length episode (12 minutes), Brad Smith and Kristy Braden of Inflection Point Leadership, Inc. talk shift with Susan Finerty. Susan is founder of Finerty Consulting and the author of three books that focus on cross-functional influence and collaboration.Master the Matrix - Essentials for Getting Things Done in Complex OrganizationsCross-Functional InfluenceCross-Functional Influence PlaybookSusan discusses her observations of the behaviors surfacing during this pandemic that hopefully will be a positive residual of this crisis, and what leaders can do to ingrain these trust-building behaviors into the "new normal."To read Susan's blog series on "Hope for the Residual" go to: https://bit.ly/2yLqYGw For more information on Finerty Consulting, go to: finertyconsulting.com.For more information on Inflection Point Leadership, go to iplshifthappens.com

In this special "double-episode" Kristy Braden and Brad Smith discuss the phases of personal transition that are under the surface of any change, and what leaders can do to help themselves and others navigate through these phases in the context of the current pandemic.COVID-19 has caused a major disruption to all of our professional and personal lives. Without knowing how long these conditions will last, or what a "new normal" might look like, leaders can't provide the level of clarity that employees seek during a change. What leaders CAN do, is recognize the three phases of transition that everyone goes through in reaction to change, and take some simple actions to address the issues and opportunities that typically arise within the Ending, Neutral Zone, and New Beginning.Brad and Kristy review these transition phase (as first described by William Bridges in his book, Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change), what these stages look like in the context of the current pandemic, and tools Inflection Point Leadership has crafted to help leaders make shift happen within each phase.To request the Navigating Transitions tool, email Brad@inflectionpointleadership.com.To learn more about how IPL can help organizations, teams, and leaders at all levels lead what's next, visit our website at iplshifthappens.com.

It's been another chaotic week. COVID-19 has caused dramatic shifts to our personal and professional lives, making it difficult to think beyond getting through the day.But it's in the midst of such an inflection point that it becomes even more important to devote some time each day to thinking about what's next. In this episode, Brad Smith offers some tips for how you can both navigate today's shifts AND lead what's next by devoting 3 minutes every 3 hours of your work day to "what's next thinking."For more information about Inflection Point Leadership, and how we help organizations, teams, and leaders at all levels make shift happen, please visit our website at iplshifthappens.com.

Our world has dramatically changed over the past few weeks. At the time of this recording, 20% of the US population is under "shelter in place" orders. Companies are scrambling to figure out how to keep serving their customers, and, in many cases, just how to survive.In this episode, Kristy Braden and Brad Smith discuss this inflection point in our history, and what companies and leaders at all levels are doing to lead what's next in the midst of uncertainty.For more information on making shift happen during times of volatility, or to check out any of our other podcast episodes, please visit the Inflection Point Leadership website at iplshifthappens.com.

In this special "double-episode" Brad Smith welcomes Tom Knowlton, Corporate Practice Leader at TCC Group. TCC collaborates with foundations, nonprofits, and companies to solve complex social problems. Tom and his team work with companies to strengthen and achieve their corporate citizenship goals and to maximize the actual social impact of their efforts.Tom discusses the trends of Corporate Social Responsibility, and what leaders can do to start making shift happen in their efforts to make a lasting difference to society.To learn more about Tom's perspectives and services, feel free to contact him at knowlton@tccgrp.com. For more information about Inflection Point Leadership and what you can do to further equip yourself and your organization to lead what's next, visit our website: iplshifthappens.com.

This week, we're starting our "Talking Shift With..." series of discussions with specialists in their field who are helping companies, teams, and/or executives lead what's next. In this episode, Kristy and Brad chat with Cindy Geier, founder of CLG Coaching & Consulting. Cindy is a success coach, seasoned facilitator and trainer, and former colleague of both Kristy Braden and Brad Smith at Takeda Pharmaceuticals.Continuing on our last few episodes devoted to Values, Cindy offers a Value that she holds dear and that has become even more important in these volatile times: GRATITUDE.Cindy describes her own habits to include Gratitude in her daily life, and tips for leaders on how to bring more gratitude to the workplace.For more information about Cindy and her firm, visit CindyGeier.com. As always, for more information about Inflection Point Leadership, including resources to help you make shift happen, visit iplshifthappens.com.

Does your team get mired down in trying to make the "perfect" decision?Is your organization losing pace with shifts in the business landscape because it's taking to long to get products / solutions to market?In our 20th episode, Kristy Braden and Brad Smith, co-founders of Inflection Point Leadership, reflect on how the evolution of this podcast reflects a concept that we've used to help organizations and teams bring more agility and speed to decision-making and design processes: "Safe to Try" and "Safe to Try, If."For more information on Core Values, and on the content for any of our podcast episodes, please visit the Inflection Point Leadership website at iplshifthappens.com.

In this episode, Brad Smith, co-founder of Inflection Point Leadership continues the discussion of the Core Values, focusing on Innovation, including:How companies define "innovation" in the context of what they expect from all employees.The value of emphasizing innovation as an organizational guiding principleHow Blockbuster Video and Netflix both emphasized innovation when they simultaneously hit a major inflection point, but their paths forward couldn't have been more different.A twist to innovation that truly differentiates the ability to lead what's next: "Applied Curiosity"What you can do to unleash curiosity for yourself and your organization.For more information on Core Values, and on the content for any of our podcast episodes, please visit the Inflection Point Leadership website at iplshifthappens.com.

In this episode, Kristy Braden continues the discussion of the Values, focusing on Happiness. Why would an organization have Happiness as one of its Core Values? How does an organization define "Happiness" as a Value?What are some examples that you can can bring more happiness into the workplace?For more information on Core Values, and on the content for any of our podcast episodes, please visit the Inflection Point Leadership website at iplshifthappens.com.

In this episode, Brad Smith continues the discussion of the value of Values from the perspective of events that shaped the past week: The untimely deaths of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others, all with shared values, and the impeachment hearings which seemed to have lacked several values.Brad then talks through another of the Core Values of an organization that's trying to weave its Values into the DNA of its workforce: Trust.

In this and the next few episodes, Kristy and Brad will discuss the one thing that is intended to stay constant in the midst of volatility and rapid change: Core Values.Organizations (and individuals) use Core Values to articulate the foundational beliefs and behaviors that are to guide decisions, actions, and behaviors. Often, however, such Core Values are merely a poster on the wall. Brad and Kristy talk through the Core Values of one organization that's trying to go from the wall to the heart. This episode delves into the value of Radical Candor.

2020 will be a year of volatility, and no one truly knows what our business, political, and social environment will look like 2-3 year from now. Yet organization and team still need to craft strategic plans in order to set and move toward a longer-term vision.In this episode, Kristy and Brad discuss the What and How of strategic planning within an age of volatility. For more information on IPL's "What's Next Strategic Planning Workshop" approach, visit our website - iplshifthappens.com.

In this first episode of the decade, Brad and Kristy give their predictions for 2020, and offer a few tips on what you can do to lead what's next in the context of these predicted business conditions.

In a continuation from the prior week's episode, Brad and Kristy discuss how leaders can use "influence jujitsu" to gain support and action from those that are key to making shift happen. Kristy provides examples for three types of influence jujitsu:Gaining a common understanding of what you're solving for in the change.Doing your homework to understand another individual's underlying motivators and goals.Showing empathy and seeking to truly understand alternative perspectives.Practice you jujitsu today!

Has the art of influence disappeared? Many of today's "debates" seem more like boxing matches, where each person tries to "win" by brute force. Even the concept of what is a "fact" has become more diluted. It can be exhausting to try to influence someone else to take an action you deem critical.In this and the following episode, Kristy and Brad discuss influence, and a more productive way to be an influential leader of what's next - Influence Jujitsu.Kristy outlines a model from noted author and one of our affiliate colleagues, Susan Finerty of Finerty Consulting, that describes this art of Influence Jujitsu.

We as a country are at an inflection point, where what's next is in doubt and the actions and decisions of our leaders will shape our next phase of either growth and prosperity, or decline and recession.In this episode, we discuss a current reality (selective exposure) that challenges the conditions needed to successfully navigate large-scale shifts - unity, trust, connection, and commitment. We then outline the leadership characteristics that differentiate UP leaders versus DOWN leaders, and what you as a leader can do to effective build unity, trust, connection, and commitment within your organization.

In this episode, Kristy and Brad discuss why many organizational leaders are not adept at leading change, and how to avoid the "marathon effect." We can't think of an organization today that is not going through large-scale change, and virtually all of these organizations also say that they have big gaps in leader ability to actually lead such changes forward effectively.Kristy goes more in-depth into why this predicament has occurred, and gives practical advice for leaders on what they can do differently to develop their own change-agility and help others thrive in the midst of change.For more information on Inflection Point Leadership, and the services we provide, visit our website: iplshifthappens.com.

In this episode, Kristy and Brad describe the "Accountability Quandary." No organization can succeed unless it has built the conditions needed to gain and sustain trust from stakeholders (customers, investors, and employees) that you'll deliver on your commitments. We call this factor Confidence. A key component to building such confidence is Accountability.Virtually all companies talk about accountability, but the reality often doesn't match the aspiration. More often than not, accountability is muddled, rewards are misapplied, consequences are watered down or never occur, and people don’t see the direct connection between results and recognition. In matrixed organizations, accountability can become a quandary.Kristy shares an example of how one organization addressed their accountability issue, and Brad offers some quick tips for how to make accountability happen.For more information on Inflection Point Leadership, and the services we provide, visit our website: iplshifthappens.com.

In this episode, Kristy and Brad describe a common problem for companies that started with a "Guild Model" but now need to operate more like a cohesive company. A Guild Model is a loose connection of talented individuals brought together to use their specific skill sets to fill a market need or opportunity. For example, many professional services firms start with this model, where individual “stars” work under the same umbrella but are essentially operating independently. The issue comes later in the company's lifecycle, when growth is stunted because the connections among these independent entities are weak, limiting the ability to drive scale and consistent outcomes.Kristy and Brad highlight a few examples of how companies have "unguilded" for growth, and what you need to consider at this critical inflection point.For more information on Inflection Point Leadership, and the services we provide, visit our website: iplshifthappens.com.

In this Halloween episode, Brad describes the tricks and treats of Human Resources, and the functions role in leading what's next for their organization. HR's treat is that it has a prominent role in equipping a company to make shifts needed to achieve strategic objectives. The trick is that most HR functions are not fully equipped to be the catalyst for change.Brad highlights three characteristic that differentiate HR teams that are great at leading what's next versus those being left behind: Versatile, Influential, and Engaged.To read IPL's Whitepaper entitled, "Shift Happens - Equipping HR to Lead What's Next," visit our website: iplshifthappens.com.

In Episode 6, Kristy and Brad take the podcast on the road to their favorite coffee joint to talk about building Capability to lead what's next. Many organizations spend a significant amount of money on leadership development programs, yet most still perceive they don't have a strong bench of leaders ready to lead what's next.Kristy and Brad discuss one of the root causes of this disconnect (how competency models typically are created), and how three organizations shifted their leadership development focus to directly address the shifts in their business.

In Episode 5, Kristy and Brad talk about Capacity. We're all tired, with more work than time to do it. How can organizations optimize their capacity in a way that enables everyone to lead what's next?Kristy and Brad will give examples of how to use data, governance, and courage to effectively and continually prioritize work to get the right things accomplished by the right people at the right time.

In Episode 4, Kristy and Brad talk about Clarity. How clear is your company's value proposition, vision of longer-term success, and what's needed to get there? Could your Executive Team win the "telephone game?" How do you get the message across that the messages aren't getting across?Organizations, teams, and individuals that effectively lead what's next start by articulating a clear and compelling story that rallies those who must make it happen. Kristy and Brad share examples, stories, and tips that you can use to help enhance clarity within your organization.

In Episode 3, Kristy and Brad introduce the 3 tangible "How" factors that differentiate companies who are leading what's next versus those who are letting what's next lead THEM. Brad also provides the following thought-provoking questions to ask yourself to assess the extent to which your company is achieving "what's next" outcomes.Connection - "To what degree do we work together seamlessly to deliver the right solutions and services at the right time?"Confidence - "To what degree do we fulfill our commitments and deliver differentiated value to customers, investors and employees?"Change-Agility - "To what degree do we purposefully disrupt the status quo and address issues and opportunities with agility?"

In Episode 2, Kristy and Brad introduce the 3 tangible "What" factors that differentiate companies who are leading what's next versus those who are letting what's next lead THEM. Kristy also provides the following thought-provoking questions to ask yourself to assess the extent to which your company is achieving "what's next" outcomes.Clarity - "To what degree do we have a clear, compelling Value Proposition and unified roadmap for how we’ll achieve and sustain success."Capacity - "What degree do we continually optimize our work, resources, and investments to address priority business needs?" Capability - "To what degree are we developing a cadre of high-performing, ready to lead talent at each level?" Before the 180 seconds is over, Brad gives a sneak peak at the 3 intangible "How" factors that will be the focus of next week's episode: Connection, Confidence, and Change-Agility.

Shifts happens, but why are most organizations ill-equipped to lead what's next? In our inaugural episode, Brad Smith from Inflection Point Leadership introduces the podcast theme and sets the foundation for this weekly series.