The KTS Success Factor™ (a Podcast for Women)

Workplace bullying isn't just uncomfortable—it's career sabotage. If you've ever felt targeted, diminished, or singled out by a colleague or boss, you're not alone. The harsh reality? There's likely at least one bully in every office, and they've honed their behavior over decades. Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-bestselling author of five books, including Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots (Sourcebooks 2008) and 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions (Sourcebooks 2005), named in the top 10 list of “Best Books for HR Interview Prep.” She is a sought-after speaker and seminar presenter and a popular media source, having made over 901 appearances in broadcast, print and online outlets. In this episode, Vicky shares her insights on workplace bullying, drawing from her extensive research and personal experiences. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing bullying behavior and offers practical strategies for women to address it effectively.   What you will learn from this episode: Understand the definition of bullying in the workplace and how it can manifest in various forms. Learn the prevalence of bullying and why it often goes unaddressed in organizations. Discover actionable strategies for women to confront bullying behavior and advocate for themselves.   “If you feel that you are being teased, called out in any way, then you are being bullied.” – Vicky Oliver   Valuable Free Resource:  For more information, visit vickyoliver.com.   Topics Covered: 00:00 - Introduction to the topic of bullying in the workplace and the ingrained nature of bullying behavior. 02:23 - Vicky Oliver discusses her book and how she became interested in the topic of bullying. 02:57 - Definition of bullying and the subjective nature of what constitutes bullying. 06:02 - Insights on why bullies often remain in power and how they can be skilled at their jobs. 09:11 - Strategies for women to address bullying behavior they are experiencing. 10:36 - Importance of documenting bullying incidents and approaching the bully directly. 14:07 - Steps to take if direct communication with the bully does not work. 19:09 - Mistakes to avoid when dealing with bullies, including emotional reactions. 20:43 - Advice for bystanders on how to support colleagues who are being bullied. 23:28 - Discussion on why bullies often get away with their behavior and the dynamics of power in the workplace. 25:44 - Final thoughts on modeling good behavior and building a positive reputation in the workplace.   Key Takeaways: On Bully Behavior Patterns: “It isn't that somebody like arrives at an office and then they start bullying people. No, it's an ingrained behavior. Maybe it's been going on for 30 years with that person.” - Vicky Oliver On Changing People: “I also feel that it's very difficult to change people. Somebody has to want to change.” - Vicky Oliver On Documentation: “There's a difference between somebody teasing you once and then a pattern of abuse. What you're trying to get in your list is showing a pattern.” - Vicky Oliver On Workplace Dynamics: “Be the go to person who solves the problems and calms the waters. And as more and more people respect you, your reputation will rise.” - Vicky Oliver On Recognizing Bully Power: “Recognize that you're up against something that's quite dangerous and that they know how to survive.” - Vicky Oliver   Ways to Connect with Vicky Oliver: Website: https://vickyoliver.com/  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-oliver-737219/    Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com

Scattered photos and digital clutter make it easy to lose precious memories. Without action, they risk being forgotten or destroyed.The longer we wait, the harder it gets, and disasters or time could erase them forever. By taking small steps and getting help, you can preserve, enjoy, and share your memories for generations. Bonnie Hillman Shay is a Certified Photo Organizer and founder of Mariposa Photo Organizing based in the Chicago area. She has been a photo organizer for 17 years. Bonnie loves helping her clients reconnect with their photographic memories and to tell their story which is part of their legacy. Clients tell Bonnie that she works magic, and they are so grateful for what she does. Bonnie's business tagline is “Curate Your Photos, Preserve Your Legacy.” In this episode, Bonnie shares a step-by-step process for organizing and digitizing photos to preserve memories. She emphasizes the benefits of professional scanning, including backup, restoration, and easy sharing. She also encourages starting now, using small steps, and seeking help to make the process enjoyable and meaningful.   What you will learn from this episode: Learn a clear, manageable process for organizing and digitizing your photos. Discover insider tips on professional scanning, restoration, and outsourcing. Avoid overwhelm and get practical strategies to tackle photo clutter without feeling stressed.   “A curated collection of photos is a gift that keeps on giving; iIt's not just a one stop deal.” - Bonnie Shay   Valuable Free Resources: Subscribe to Bonnie Shay's digital newsletter and receive the “Top 12 Ways to Curate Your Photo Collection” (6 for printed photos and 6 for digital photos). Click here: https://mariposaphotoorganizing.com/tips/ You can also schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone/Zoom chat with Bonnie Shay if you have questions. Ask here: https://mariposaphotoorganizing.com/schedule/   Topics Covered: 03:27 - What led Bonnie to start a business specializing in photo organizing 05:08 - How she never struggled with disorganized photos 05:40 - Explaining the first two steps in photo organizing process and why the need to discard some photos 07:47 - Sharing the third step in photo organizing and highlighting the benefits of scanning 09:48 - Why not scan the photos yourself and what you should do instead 11:07 - Vetting for reputable scanning service companies, check this out: https://thephotomanagers.com 12:27 - What it is like editing digital photos versus printed ones 14:09 - How to ease the overwhelm in getting started with gathering all the photos together  14:54 - Why organize your photos now rather than waiting for a later time 17:40 - Action step to help you reduce the mental overwhelm of an undefined project 18:25 - What makes photo organizing worth starting now   Key Takeaways: "You do an editing and you let go of photos to make sure that the best and the best are available to tell your story and be shareable." - Bonnie Shay “I want to tell people that all of us who are in the business, we're in this with our head, but we're mostly in here with our heart. We want people's precious photos to be kept, safe, and secure and shareable.” - Bonnie Shay “It's like an insurance policy to have your collection captured and that you had the chance to see it.” - Bonnie Shay “Don't think of it as just a to-do and that you're trying to get to the end result of having a finished collection. To me, part of the gift that you could give yourself is the journey, is going down memory lane and reconnecting with your story.” - Bonnie Shay “I know time is hard to get in our world with our busy schedules, but it's such a gift to be able to go down memory lane and reconnect and add a richness to your life that maybe you hadn't realized in a long time.” - Bonnie Shay   Ways to Connect with Bonnie Shay: Website: https://mariposaphotoorganizing.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Many professionals struggle to showcase their value, missing opportunities and career growth. Without a clear personal brand, others define your reputation for you.This lack of visibility leads to stalled promotions and overlooked achievements, especially for women.By owning your narrative and amplifying your impact, you can attract the opportunities you deserve. Dr. Carol Parker Walsh, JD, PhD, is an expert in transformative leadership and human development. She's an accomplished former attorney, senior leader, professor, and dean who has won multiple awards for her impact on people-centered leadership. As the CEO of Carol Parker Walsh Consulting Group, her firm specializes in elevating and retaining top talent through leadership development, executive coaching, and organizational renewal and partners with organizations to increase engagement and productivity.  In this episode, Carol shares the importance of actively shaping your personal brand rather than letting others define it. She shares practical steps, like gathering feedback and aligning your brand with your strengths, to ensure it reflects your value; as branding isn't a one-time effort—it's an ongoing process that evolves with your career.   What you will learn from this episode: Learn to own your value and discover how to articulate your unique contributions and ensure your accomplishments don't go unnoticed. Know how to boost your career opportunities and understand how a strong personal brand can open doors, from promotions to leadership roles. Get actionable steps to define, communicate, and elevate your professional reputation.   On brand assessment: “One of the easiest first steps you can do is, ask three to five people that you respect and value, this question: 'What three words come to mind when you think of me professionally?” - Carol Parker Walsh   Valuable Free Resource:  Download your Free guide, ‘Build Your Compelling Authority Brand Guide'. Click here: https://www.carolparkerwalsh.com/authoritybrand   Topics Covered: 02:17 - How she transitioned from a career as a labor and employment attorney to organizational consulting 03:27 - Describing her ideal client 04:17 - The challenges her clients face that she helps with and how she aids in finding solutions 05:50 - What personal branding is all about  07:25 - The importance of actively communicating your value and the many ways you can do it 10:25 - Why women must actively showcase their accomplishments 11:47 - One simple tip to assess if your perceived value aligns with how you want to be seen 13:28 - Identifying gaps in your brand perception and crafting a clear narrative around your unique value 15:25 - Explaining how this personal branding assessment can apply to a team context 16:52 - Q: How is my brand articulated and how can I continually make sure that my brand is being developed and presented in a way that is always aligned to where I'm at? A: This is an aspect of reputation management, which is so important because this is not a one or done deal. You don't position your brand and then put it out there and never touch it again, or never contribute to it. It is a living ongoing process.  18:20 - Highlighting how a well-defined personal brand serves as a versatile foundation for increasing visibility   Key Takeaways: "Definitely, communication is a key part of branding. It has to be visible, and the only way to be visible is to communicate it." - Carol Parker Walsh "If people are giving you information that's not aligned with who you think you are and what you think is showing up in the world, then you know you have some work to do. And that information will give you knowledge to know where you need to start building things up, how you need to start articulating things better, and the areas in which you want to put out there." - Carol Parker Walsh "If you've taken Strengths Finder or Enneagram or any of those type of things, if there are some words in there, phrases that really align to who you are and what you want to present in the world, you can borrow from that information to help articulate the story and articulate your brand.” - Carol Parker Walsh   Ways to Connect with Carol Parker Walsh: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkerwalsh/ Website: https://www.carolparkerwalsh.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

When hiring new employees, particularly in today's digital age, executives face the daunting challenge of ensuring they bring trustworthy and competent individuals into their organizations. The risk of hiring someone with a questionable background or misrepresented qualifications can lead to significant organizational damage, from financial loss to reputational harm. This is especially critical for female executives who may be more empathetic in their decision-making process, potentially leading them to overlook red flags. One can overcome these challenges by leveraging thorough background checks, trusting one's instincts while staying objective, and utilizing professional resources to ensure safe and effective hiring practices.  Cynthia Hetherington, MLS, MSM, CFE, CII, OSC is the Founder and CEO of Hetherington Group, a consulting, publishing, managed services, and training firm that leads in due diligence, corporate intelligence, and cyber investigations. Throughout her career, she has assisted clients on thousands of cases using online open sources and databases as well as executing boots-on-the-ground operations. She provides specialized training for investigative professionals through the OSINT Academy, and has authored many industry-leading books on conducting cyber investigations, including her latest, OSINT: The Authoritative Guide to Due Diligence: Essential Resources for Critical Business Intelligence, 3rdEdition. In this episode, Cynthia discusses the importance of conducting thorough background checks when hiring, emphasizing the need to use licensed professionals for accurate and comprehensive information. She highlights the role of intuition in the hiring process, advising executives to trust their gut feelings while also considering candidates' qualifications and histories.   What you will learn from this episode: Learn valuable advice on hiring practices, background checks, and how to protect your business and personal interests. Find out practical and actionable tips for navigating the complexities of hiring both in a corporate setting and for household help and understanding state laws. Discover specific strategies and support to help businesswomen succeed and make informed decisions in their professional and personal lives.   “You can trust your gut, but don't follow your heart.” - Cynthia Hetherington   Valuable Free Resources: Have questions? Chat with Cynthia here: The Hetherington Group   Topics Covered: 02:04 - What does this acronym OSINT stand for 02:28 - Her journey from a librarian into the intelligence space 03:02 - Importance of finding individuals who can match the pace and demands of the role rather than just being empathetic to personal circumstances 04:09 - Why choosing a candidate based on likability rather than skills led to a poor hiring decision 05:35 - The need to prioritize your instincts and thorough background checks over empathetic feelings 07:31 - What you need to know about the hiring process and valuable resources to help you find licensed firms doing background checks 11:20 - How to deal with a candidate's past questionable behavior found on social media 13:54 - Opt for practical considerations and intelligence in hiring decisions versus strictly adhering to legal requirements not aligning with real-world risks faced by businesswomen 16:05 - Advice on using professional help for accurate information and reputation management 18:41 - Navigating interstate laws when hiring 20:26 - How the laws of the company's home state are primarily operative when conducting background screenings and hiring 21:34 - Q: What's for free out there and how could we do this ourselves? A: I like to go through and review their LinkedIn profile; it's a social media profile that's open and accessible to everyone.   Key Takeaways: “If you have a sense that the individual you're talking to might present really well, but there's just something that just doesn't feel right, go with that.” - Cynthia Hetherington “At the core of what I do is, we're here to make the world a safer place. We're not going to compromise that because of whatever the statements of legislators who are not having the same issues or concerns that these business women are having.” - Cynthia Hetherington “Let's try to help each other out and empower each other to be the best executives we can by using intelligence. And not straight up jurisprudence to guide us at every turn.” - Cynthia Hetherington   Ways to Connect with Cynthia Hetherington: Website: https://hetheringtongroup.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiahetherington/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Why do many women struggle to assert their leadership and set boundaries effectively in personal and professional environments? This challenge often stems from societal expectations and ingrained biases that prioritize selflessness over self-care. By fostering self-awareness, embracing neuroplasticity, and learning to communicate boundaries confidently, one gears up for a transformative shift in mindset that empowers women to lead authentically and achieve personal and professional fulfillment. Mindy Vail has more than two decades of experience in leadership development, change management, education, and public speaking. Working with emerging leaders to veteran executives, her focus is cultivating a growth mindset and fostering resilience. Her new book, The Mind Shift Effect: Where Change Management Is Redefined and Leadership Is Defined (April 16, 2024), provides a wellspring of inspiration for leading meaningful organizational change.  In this episode, Mindy Vail shares about the importance of self-awareness and empathy in leadership, emphasizing the need to recognize and address personal biases that can hinder effective leadership. She highlights the significance of setting boundaries to prioritize well-being and the challenges women face in doing so. Additionally, she underscores the role of repetition and neuroplasticity in developing new habits and behaviors for personal growth and leadership development.   What you will learn from this episode: Learn to challenge these leadership myths that are getting in the way of developing your highest potential as a leader. Delve into practical tools and strategies for leadership development and personal growth.  Gain significant insights on the importance of setting boundaries, overcoming biases, and fostering a growth mindset, providing valuable guidance for women aiming to advance in their careers.   "If we want to learn a new language, if we want to master a musical instrument, it's that repeated practice and reinforcement that will help to solidify those new patterns in our minds and our behaviors." - Mindy Vail   Valuable Resources: Unlock Your Leadership Potential, Embrace Change, and Transform Your Organization with this book resource: The MindShift Effect: Where Change Management is Redefined and Leadership is Refined   Topics Covered: 02:00 - Sharing her career transition from education to the corporate world [of franchise] 05:54 - What education and franchise have in common 07:28 - Her motivation in writing her book, 'The MindShift Effect' and what is it all about 11:08 - The significance of acknowledging that others may see the world differently than you and encouraging for an open dialogue 13:17 - Shattering leadership myths 14:53 - Mind shift as change in both mindset and behavior 16:24 - How repetition helps solidify new patterns in our minds and behaviors 17:28 - Harnessing neuroplasticity to rewire our brains to effect change 19:56 - Reinforcing the idea that progress requires action, not just passive reading 21:36 - Understanding and addressing both conscious and unconscious biases is for effective leadership 24:06 - Q: How can I as a woman effectively set boundaries to prioritize my wellbeing, my mental health, and my career? A: When you can identify what is truly important to you, what your true core values are, you then can start identifying what your limits should be.   Key Takeaways: "How we become leaders is assuming that everyone's on board with us. And that is the worst thing we can do." - Mindy Vail "When we are able to just pause and take a step back and say, share with me your experience. Share with me your fear about this change or share with me what you're most concerned about in your career progression. That then opens the door to conversation that we just don't have enough." - Mindy Vail "We don't need all the answers all the time. And sometimes it's better to say, I don't have the answer. I want to hear from you. I want to7 work collaboratively with this team, and we can come to an answer together." - Mindy Vail "When we start becoming more self-aware of how our behaviors impact those around us then we start not only to become more authentic, but we create a more positive and empowering environment for those around us because we are admitting that we have flaws." - Mindy Vail   Ways to Connect with Mindy Vail: Website: https://www.themindshifteffect.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Are you constantly juggling responsibilities and feeling overwhelmed by the relentless demands of your career and personal life? The pressure to perform, manage teams, and meet deadlines can leave you feeling depleted, affecting your mental and physical health.  But what if there's a way to break free from it all using a technique that can be seamlessly integrated into your hectic schedule? Embrace meditation, and you'll not only enhance your performance, but also cultivate a sense of peace and resilience that will ripple through every aspect of your life. Jennifer K. Hill is an Evolutionary Leader, entrepreneur, author, speaker, Podcaster and TV host. She has hosted popular shows with Dr. Deepak Chopra, Bruce Lipton, and many other leaders from around the world on her Regarding Consciousness podcast. After exiting her first company in 2018, she recently co-founded a new company in the technology space,OptiMatch (om.app) that utilizes their proprietary algorithm and built in AI to align and enhance trust in business relationships. When she is not hosting, speaking or building companies she loves to give back and has built two schools in 3rd world countries. In this episode, Jennifer discusses the transformative power of meditation and related techniques in enhancing resilience and managing stress for busy executives.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover how meditation can help in personal transformation and mental health improving self-regulation and reducing reactivity. Learn how to go about your day with meditation to maintain mental and emotional balance. Find out how to perform muscle testing on oneself to determine intuitive answers.    "What I love about it [meditation] from a neurodiverse standpoint and an executive standpoint, is that we have this opportunity to connect to that stillness and to quiet the voice. And it helps so much from a self-regulation standpoint." - Jennifer Hill   Valuable Resources: Teach yourself to meditate with Jennifer's favorite meditation tools. Click here: https://101spiritualtools.com/   Topics Covered: 02:04 - How failures and early challenges led to her great career journey 05:38 - Never regretting life's situations only thankful for what great things came out of it 06:19 - What made her develop OptiMatch and how will it help everyone from coaches to communities 09:06 - How she found herself doing meditation, how it helped her and the number of hours it takes for her to do it 11:34 - Jennifer's detailed explanation of her daily meditation and grounding practice and its significance in maintaining mental and emotional balance 15:53 - How she perceives intuitive answers through auditory sensations and feelings in her throat 19:50 - The right best way to do the muscle testing 21:48 - Can't imagine how she would gone through the difficult events in her life without meditation 22:40 - Sharing her favorite Insight Timer meditations 26:03 - How meditation and mindfulness techniques can build resilience 28:42 - Helpful tips and resources on how you can start incorporating meditation into your hectic schedules.  31:33 - Do one need professional help to learn how to meditate? 33:58 - Q: How to cultivate compassion? A: Be compassionate with yourself and be thoughtful of not shoulding on yourself.   Key Takeaways: “And as you say these mantras, you're giving your brain something, like giving your mouth something to chew on. And the idea is, as we repeat the mantra over and over, it begins to quiet the noise and the chatter, and you allow the thoughts to kind of float past as though they're going past on clouds. And then after time, you just sink more and more deeply in. And then you find the stillness.” - Jennifer Hill “And when we learn to contain it and to go within it gives us a greater capacity to be with other people and to not be so reactionary with people.” - Jennifer Hill "When I started doing that [grounding technique], it helped me to go through a divorce of getting out of a relationship that wasn't healthy, to find my soulmate, to build the new business, to gain self-confidence." - Jennifer Hill "You essentially love and cherish yourself rather than looking externally to spouses, children, whomever, for validation." - Jennifer Hill "I suggest to people to do this [cultivating intuition] after you've meditated because you quiet all that noise and then you can be more tuned to, is it in my highest and best good to go into this business deal with someone? Is it in my highest best good to date someone? And it helps to really sharpen our awareness." - Jennifer Hill   Ways to Connect with Jennifer Hill: Website: https://om.app/ Website: https://www.heartmath.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkhill/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Healing from illnesses and diseases involves more than just addressing the physical body. The toxicity of your work environment, often overlooked, could be a trigger for the illness. That's why it's essential to acknowledge and address all aspects of life to achieve holistic healing. Focusing on just one part won't suffice; true healing happens when all areas are interconnected and work together. Sarah Dawkins is a Holistic Health and Healing Coach, Keynote Speaker, the Author of HEAL YOURSELF, a Multi-Award winning Entrepreneur and previously, she was a Registered Nurse for twenty years.  She has extensive experience in health and wellness gained from naturally self-healing a multitude of health issues and her work as a Registered Nurse.  Sarah supports clients to find and heal the root cause of their health problems, thereby improving their health and ultimately their lives.   In this episode, Sarah emphasizes the importance of recognizing that illness is not solely a physical issue. True healing involves addressing all four pillars of well-being --- physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. And what's crucial to this? The belief in our capacity to heal.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover the art of natural healing, free from the reliance on pharmaceuticals Uncover the essential four pillars that are crucial for achieving complete natural healing Understand the system behind how doctors operate within the pharmaceutical's norm   "It's about understanding that healing is holistic. We need to look at our body as a whole." - Sarah Dawkins   Valuable Free Resource: Read the book and heal yourself naturally. Click here: http://www.sarahdawkins.com/   Topics Covered: 01:45 - How her belief about pharmaceuticals and her work as a nurse got impacted with that one question 02:59 - Healing her illnesses without pharmaceuticals and for how long 05:55 - The length she took to find natural ways for healing and how she took a big leap from being a nurse to a coach 07:58 - What got her to finally write her book: Heal Yourself 10:48 - Mind-blowing stories of people healing naturally from multiple illnesses including the number one step they did first for healing success 15:04 - Four pillars in your life you need to strengthen to completely heal from your illness 18:06 - How she covers all four pillars when working with a client for their healing 19:25 - Sarah answers the question: Why don't doctors know this?   Key Takeaways: "...I realized that healing wasn't just physical, change your diet, do more exercise and hydrate. We had to look at what we thought about health and wellness and illness and heal our past." - Sarah Dawkins "If we can cover all of those four pillars, and address them all, we can heal ourselves. But we have to have that belief as well on top of covering those four pillars that we can heal." - Sarah Dawkins "If I can help them to address the point that's missing or the point in their health that needs addressing and take them to that, then they can have rapid healing." - Sarah Dawkins "If we can understand that the doctor is only putting our symptoms together and coming up with a name from what is being taught, and then identifying a pill that goes with that diagnosis, if we can understand that we can step outside of that paradigm and go, what is my body telling me?" - Sarah Dawkins   Ways to Connect with Sarah Dawkins: Website: www.sarahdawkins.com Email: sarah@sdessentialhealth.com  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahdawkins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawkinsse Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.dawkins.health Twitter: https://twitter.com/dawkins_sarah YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SarahDawkinsEssentialHealth/videos    Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Identifying and nurturing leadership potential is more critical than ever in today's diverse and dynamic workplace. Bias in the selection process can undermine efforts to build an inclusive environment, potentially perpetuating systemic inequities and hindering diverse perspectives. This issue becomes particularly pressing when selecting leaders, whose influence shapes organizational culture and performance. To address this challenge, it is essential to adopt strategies that mitigate bias and ensure fair evaluation of leadership potential.  Dr. Kimberly Janson is CEO of Janson Associates, a talent and organizational development company, and was named a Top 10 Thought Leader, Top 10 Executive Coach in 2021, and Top 10 Inspirational Leader in 2022.  Dr. Melody Rawlings is a business professor, doctoral chair, and director of the Center for the Advancement of Virtual Organizations at Northcentral University.  Their new book is: Determining Leadership Potential: Powerful Insights to Winning at the Talent Game. In this episode, Kimberly and Melody explore the keys to assessing leadership potential, focusing on methods to uncover and mitigate bias during the selection process. By leveraging objective criteria, structured assessments, and insightful questioning, organizations can better identify and promote leaders who are both competent and high-potential leaders.    What you will learn from this episode:  Identify the three challenges of determining leadership potential. Discover why assessments play a crucial role in identifying leadership potential and explore the valuable assessment resources available. Uncover the key predictors of leadership potential and learn why job performance doesn't indicate good leadership.   "This is honestly where a number of women get limited in terms of their trajectory, the problem is that performance is the most commonly used indicator of potential. It's just a mistake." - Kimberly Janson   Valuable Free Resource:  To the first five people who go on the website and complete the contact form, you get this book for FREE! Click here: Determining Leadership Potential: Powerful Insights to Winning at the Talent Game   Topics Covered: 02:04 - The approach they enacted to come up with the book, Determining Leadership Potential 04:13 - The challenges of determining leadership potential that were uncovered in the research  09:20 - Applying the 'Leadership Blueprint' framework to identify four main areas critical for determining leadership potential 10:59 - Limitations of this method: Observation of motivation 13:29 - How observation is a valid method for assessing leadership potential and a part of a multi-method assessment 17:49 - Additional assessment tools and resources in addition to observation 19:31 - Why job performance should not be the primary criterion for leadership potential 23:00 - Addressing and mitigating bias in the selection process 25:54 - Targeted questions and assessment for screening bias in candidates 28:25 - How to get a FREE book, Determining Leadership Potential 30:46 - Q: What question would we offer people to think about? A: If not you, then who is going to change it? If you think it might be you then figure out what you need to do in order to create this change.   Key Takeaways: "90 plus percent of folks in all three studies relied on observation as indicators of their criteria. But the reality is people aren't trained behaviorists." - Kimberly Janson "Someone who is really negative, or caustic, or extremely conservative, or very self-promoting; takes credit for themselves, so detail-oriented that they can't elevate to see the bigger picture. If you have those in extreme, you are limited in your leadership impact." - Kimberly Janson "You absolutely can learn capabilities that help you look for things that tell of high intelligence or no derailing personality characteristics." - Kimberly Janson "But you are most successful when you have a multi-trait, multi-method assessment process of which observation is one and then balanced with other resources to help you with that." - Kimberly Janson "Performance isn't a predictor, because what you have at this job, at this level, is different from what you need at this next level." - Kimberly Janson "One thing that was obvious was because of all these variations, it's clear why so many people are mismatched and are in leadership roles when they shouldn't be." - Melody Rawlings "If those who are selecting the leaders are not trained, or do not have the skillset to, or framework, to be assessing leadership skills, then how can they place the right people?" - Melody Rawlings   Ways to Connect with Kim Janson and Melody Rawlings: Website: https://www.determiningleadershippotential.com   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

When talking about character, it's common to oversimplify its meaning. However, extensive research reveals that it encompasses a multitude of dimensions, incorporating various behaviors within these dimensions. When evaluating a leader's character, it becomes evident that achieving an effective balance across all these dimensions is essential for leadership effectiveness.  Dr. Mary Crossan is a Distinguished University Professor and Professor of Strategic Leadership at the Ivey Business School, Western University. In 2021, she was recognized on a global list representing the top two per cent of the most cited scientists in her discipline, and in 2023, she received the life-time career achievement Academy of Management Distinguished Educator award. Her research on leader character, organizational learning and strategic renewal, and improvisation is published in over 100 articles and books. Mary Crossan is co-author of: The Character Compass (October 30, 2023).  In this episode, Mary shares how you can exercise the muscles of a leader character exercising all the different dimensions in balance with each other so you get more effective as a leader.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover the various dimensions and behaviors that comprise a leader's character to effectively achieve balance and maximize effectiveness Find out the steps to cultivate an organizational culture that truly embodies the unique character of each individual Explore an innovative app designed to enhance leadership skills and foster personal character growth   "The essence for great leadership actually lies in your character." - Mary Crossan   Valuable Free Resource: Get the app here and have a virtual character coach at your fingertips: https://virtuositycharacter.ca   Topics Covered: 01:43 - What's behind pursuing research about leader character 03:11 - Character to mean not just about one thing but a multifaceted dimension 05:42 - Learning how to develop the muscles of character  07:35 - The assessment and development sides of character found in her book including an app  11:14 - What dimension does confidence belong 13:42 - How do you keep all these behaviors associated with the 11 dimensions get to be in balance with each other 17:11 - What's in the character app:  19:06 - Organizational culture a reflection of individual character 22:05 - Two important angles of leaders' blindspots 24:10 - Mary's important insights on leader effectiveness and most importantly the need for people to have access to toolkit and resources that would reinforce such   Key Takeaways: "Picture this that if you want to rewire the culture of an organization, start with rewiring the character of the individuals within it, and then through that we begin to see some of the systems that don't really work or align well." - Mary Crossan "We miss the major point that any potential virtue would operate like a vice in excess or deficiency. But if I put it another way, if you're going to have a lot of drive, you also need a lot of humanity and temperance in the other dimensions to support it." - Mary Crossan "The work around character not only is around individual development, but it's around organizational transformation." - Mary Crossan "...the culture of an organization will be a reflection of the character of the individuals within it, particularly senior leaders." - Mary Crossan "Part of the way that we would talk about changing culture is, you know, fostering the development of character of the individuals in the organization and then addressing the systems that don't support it." - Mary Crossan   Ways to Connect with Mary Crossan: Website: leadercharacterassociates.com   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Leaders today face the significant challenge of connecting with their employees and effectively recognizing and leveraging their unique talents. This often results in disengagement and underperformance. As the millennial generation, which highly values authenticity and compassion, becomes the dominant force in the global workforce, this issue becomes even more pressing. Traditional leadership styles frequently fall short, leaving employees feeling unrecognized and disengaged. The solution lies in adopting a more compassionate, gift-centered approach to leadership. By embracing and acknowledging the unique strengths of each individual, leaders can foster a more connected, motivated, and effective team. Susan Inouye's proven track record as an executive coach in transformational change has positively impacted over 600 businesses in 40 industries. A recognized expert with millennials, she was instrumental in taking a revolutionary method called Sawubona Leadership (Zulu for “I see you”) and is being used globally because of its capacity to unite all generations through their gifts, passions and purpose. She is the bestselling author of Leadership's Perfect Storm: What Millennials Are Teaching Us about Possibilities, Passion and Purpose.  In this episode, Susan shares the importance of recognizing and leveraging individual gifts within an organization to foster a more engaged and productive workforce. She emphasizes the need for leaders to practice self-awareness and vulnerability, particularly in the context of working with millennials and Gen Z, who value authentic and compassionate leadership. She talks about the concept of "gift-centered praise," which focuses on acknowledging the underlying strengths behind employees' actions to encourage broader application of their talents.    What you will learn from this episode: Discover the necessary core shifts in leadership that will be a game changer in the workplace Find out how these three simple yet profound principles of Sawubona Leadership drive significant positive outcomes Listen to Susan's spot coaching and discover practices that develop heart intelligence and intuitive knowing to help you make decisions more effectively and avoid staying too long in unsuitable roles   "The shifts that we have to make as leaders are, and we say this in Sawubona leadership, is number one, we have to go from control to connect and receive." - Susan Inouye   Valuable Resources: Free 15-Minute Executive Coaching Session. Your Questions Answered No Strings Attached. Click here: https://ask.susaninouye.com   Topics Covered: 03:19 - Susan shares her journey in focusing on millennials in the workplace and how she adapted this approach called Sawubona Leadership 06:52 - Sawubona leadership and how it drives necessary shifts in workplace culture from transactional to human-centric 13:34 - Millennial mantras and how they are driving significant changes in leadership  14:58 - How these three profound approaches not only enhance leadership but also leads to significant business growth 17:46 - Listen to Susan demonstrate with Sarah the power of Sawubona through her laser coaching 43:32 - How effective change start 46:10 - Fostering leadership through vulnerability and recognition of individual gifts  47:50 - Q: Why do women have the edge in being the kind of leaders we need to take companies to the next level and to thrive in the 21st century? A: Millennials want compassionate leaders who see and accept them for who they are. And while men can employ it, women are more attuned to compassion.   Key Takeaways: "It's not about the practices in their life, it's the practices integrated in their life that actually gets them to do it and transform in the way they do." - Susan Inouye "My execs have found, when you see and accept someone for who they are, they see and accept you for who you are. And a different conversation unfolds. It's not one of us lecturing to each other, but one of us listening and learning from each other." - Susan Inouye "In its simplicity, the three things of Sawubona, if you connect and receive, if you see people's gifts, if you create a culture where people feel a part of something greater than themselves, so many things can happen." - Susan Inouye   Ways to Connect with Susan Inouye: Website: http://susaninouye.com/ Book: Leadership's Perfect Storm: What Millennials Are Teaching Us about Possibilities, Passion and Purpose   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Imposter syndrome can be quite gripping, affecting both personal and professional fulfillment. However, through self-awareness and intentional efforts to embrace discomfort and reframe beliefs, one can break free from its constraining grip. Coline Monsarrat is a passionate author, driven by a mission to help others thrive. She weaves captivating stories that transcend boundaries. Whether through her insightful nonfiction work or the adventure YA book series, Aria & Liam, she imparts valuable wisdom that inspires readers to overcome challenges and embrace their potential. Her new book, You Are Not an Imposter - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Unlock Your True Potential So You Can Thrive (Apicem Publishing, April 11, 2023), offers a powerful and personal exploration of this all-too-common condition. Learn more at youarenotanimposter.com In this episode, Coline shares about her experience with imposter syndrome, recounting how it led her to endure a toxic job that took a toll on her health and well-being, all for a meager income. This experience also caused her to harbor resentment and self-doubt, ultimately hindering her from realizing her full potential. However, through her journey, we gain insight into how she overcame these challenges and embarked on a healing process, complete with actionable steps that helped her establish new, empowering beliefs, ultimately transforming her into a confident and empowered woman.   What you will learn from this episode: Uncover the psychological root cause of imposter syndrome to increase self-awareness and take proactive steps Discover the cost of imposter syndrome Learn three effective strategies to conquer imposter syndrome and gain the confidence to achieve your goals   "It's going to be uncomfortable -- the journey. Don't blame yourself, have fun and embrace the change." - Coline Monsarrat   Valuable Resource: Break free from the grip of imposter syndrome and live with confidence and authenticity: Get the book here: You are not an Imposter - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome.   Topics Covered: 01:53 - What is Aria and Liam all about and what is her goal in writing this book [and the readers' age bracket] 02:55 - Quitting the corporate job that wasn't a fit for her 06:16 - Trading her health for a non-fit job 07:45 - Defining imposter syndrome and how it becomes dangerous for you 10:17 - Manifestations of self-doubt 11:43 - The price you pay for imposter syndrome 16:17 - Emotional issues that comes with imposter syndrome 18:13 - What's behind why she wants to write a book 20:08 - Psychological reasons why there's a big percentage of imposter syndrome in women 23:43 - Action steps you can do to slowly get past your imposter syndrome 27:42 - What it means to have a quality life   Key Takeaways: "My biggest advice will be: do not ruminate. It's not going to change anything. And you're just going to build resentment that is going to be very costly for your health." - Coline Monsarrat "Resentment really damage your body in a hard way." - Coline Monsarrat "Go after what you want and do not fear to ask. And stand for yourself." - Coline Monsarrat "When you have built belief [imposter syndrome] in childhood and you are an adult, those beliefs are so anchored in yourself that it takes time to erase them. It takes a lot of self-awareness and daily action." - Coline Monsarrat "I think we can always improve, but we need to learn how to receive criticism and how to be able to distinguish a good work, how you can improve it without blaming ourselves." - Coline Monsarrat "You know why the self-help industry is so lucrative? It's because a lot of people read a lot, but do not take action." - Coline Monsarrat   Ways to Connect with Coline Monsarrat: Website: https://www.youarenotanimposter.com   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the constant juggle between work and personal life? Do you find yourself struggling to maintain a sense of balance while trying to excel in your career and meet the demands of your personal commitments? Indeed, the pressure to perform both professionally and personally can often leave us feeling drained, stressed, and burnt out. We may find ourselves sacrificing our personal well-being and happiness in pursuit of career success, or vice versa. But what if there was a way to break free from this cycle and find a balance that allows you to thrive both in your career and personal life? Why not consider flexible work arrangements? Wendy Cocke, author of the best-selling books “Making Flex Work” and "Reimagine Your Work,” is the founder of Engineering Leadership Solutions where she works with high-achieving, technical professionals and organizations who think about work differently. Wendy spent over 20 years leading teams in Fortune 500 companies before opening her own company and joining the faculty at Georgia Tech. About ten years into her career, Wendy pursued a flexible work arrangement to balance all aspects of her life. This catalyzed and propelled her career as she worked her way from engineer to PMO director. With her experience and engineering mindset, she can help other people do the same. In this episode, Wendy delves into the transformative power of embracing flexibility in both work and life. Through her significant experience and practical tips, she shares her personal journey of navigating flexible work arrangements and managing her time and energy wisely. Wendy offers valuable advice on achieving greater balance and fulfillment, providing actionable insights to help revolutionize your approach to work and life.   What you will learn from this episode:  Unlock the path to simplifying and streamlining your systems and processes with this tried-and-proven method Learn ways to use your time purposefully and manage it effectively Find out how to create a flexible work setup that harmonizes your personal needs with the company's goals, all while ensuring optimal business results   "Just find the one thing that you can say yes to and give it a shot."  - Wendy Cocke   Valuable Free Resource:  Click here for access to resources to help you along your journey to flexibility: Making Flex Work by Wendy Cocke   Topics Covered: 02:41 - Describing what her job now after leaving corporate 04:37 - Starting a flexible work arrangement and being successful at it 09:15 - Lessons learned from starting flexible work time 10:30 - Doing a great job of balancing her own and the company's needs with the flexible work set up 13:01 - What inspired her to write a book 14:30 - Sharing her book's core message [EVAL-uation method] 17:18 - Helpful tips and resources to manage your time and work 20:37 - Relevant insight on when spending time in the office 23:01 - Sharing her important thoughts on 'proximity bias' 24:38 - Q: What do I do if I'm the leader? A: If you really want to embrace flexibility with your team and you don't know how, start small, just figure out something you can say yes to and try it.   Key Takeaways: "In-person time should be valued at a different level than your remote work; thinking about doing the right work at the right time." - Wendy Cocke "If you are only going to be in the office a very small portion of your time, you should be treating the office as a business trip." - Wendy Cocke "Remote employees who manage that relationship well are not a victim of proximity bias. Because as a manager you feel like you have that same close relationship, but it is very much the case that you could become out of sight, out of mind if you are not being intentional to stay top of mind." - Wendy Cocke "Your leader and your leader's leader all the way up to the CEO, for them, nothing from a business perspective has changed. They still need to deliver those business results. And so if you can partner with them to help them feel comfortable to reduce their feeling of risk, then you're going to be more successful." - Wendy Cocke   Ways to Connect with Wendy Cocke: Website: https://www.engineeringleadershipsolutions.com/making-flex-work LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-anderson-cocke Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendycocke?   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Feel like there's an invisible barrier holding you back, preventing you from reaching your full potential? Perhaps it's that nagging feeling of not being "enough" or the fear of failure that keeps you from pursuing your dreams. In a world where self-doubt and uncertainty can often overshadow our capabilities, it's easy to lose sight of our inherent worthiness. But what if the key to unlocking your true potential lies within, waiting to be embraced?  No one expected Jane Boulware, the scrappy girl from the cornfields of Iowa, who paid for college selling used carpet and her mom's prayers. She is a proud small-town girl who is unwilling to let circumstances, fear, or others define her. Jane was penniless and married at 20, earned an MBA at 24, saw the ocean at 25, commuted to South America each week at 31, brought two sons into the world by 35, was a millionaire at 37, and one of the top 10 women at Microsoft at 40. By 52, Jane had launched three billion-dollar businesses, been VP of the largest merger in the history of the US, forged global alliances, won many awards, and left a legacy of strong leaders in her wake. Join us in this episode with Jane, where we delve into the transformative power of recognizing our own worth. Through captivating stories and invaluable insights, Jane shares her journey of overcoming the "uns" – those limiting beliefs that once held her back – and embracing her inherent worthiness. From her humble beginnings in the cornfields to her remarkable career at Microsoft, Jane's journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Discover how she navigated obstacles, pursued her passions, and ultimately found success by challenging the notion of unworthiness.   What you will learn from this episode:  Uncover what's underneath the book title 'Worthy' with the 'un' crossed off Discover the essence of 'Worthy' and the profound relevance of the stories it holds Learn about the three criteria you need to ask for a job   "You are worthy as you are. Whether you got that promotion, whether you got that title, that degree, that bank statement, doesn't matter." - Jane Boulware    Valuable Free Resource:  Overcome expectations, failure, and fear and get inspired to rethink what's possible with this book resource: Worthy: From Cornfields to Corner Office of Microsoft   Topics Covered: 00:35 - What is so special about the cornfields and how it strongly relates to her upbringing 03:39 - How she ended up going to college and finally work at Microsoft  05:31 - What got her to pursue forestry and how she got a job that didn't exist from a university that didn't hire  08:47 - Sharing her incredible journey of success from Kimberly Clark to Microsoft 12:08 - What's the book all about and how she came up with 'Worthy' as the title with the 'un' striked out 13:44 - Whose stories are featured in the book 14:24 - One story of overcoming struggles highlighted in the book 16:38 - Three key questions she asked herself about any job she has 16:50 - The ultimate reason for writing a book and who this is for 19:49 - What to her is success and what's her ultimate belief 20:29 - The value of mentorship and how she pays it forward 23:45 - Articulating the core message of her book   Key Takeaways: "The book is called Worthy because it reflects the emotions and it reflects the experiences that I had, not just in terms of the successes, but the struggles that I had." - Jane Boulware  "The 'Un' is crossed off as a reflection of, folks, if we don't 'un' our own 'uns,' we'll never get to the able, the worthy, the capable, the powerful, all of those things that we actually are but don't give ourselves credit for." - Jane Boulware  "I didn't want to be the person that said no before I tried." - Jane Boulware  "I would rather have failed trying than regretted not doing it." - Jane Boulware  "I firmly believe it's important for us to change the people in the corner office and if we don't get women or people that think differently in those roles, nothing will change." - Jane Boulware  "If you believe that you don't have something to offer, so you're afraid to ask; you do. If you think you don't have the time to mentor or that it's a gift. It's not. You're getting what you give and it's very important." - Jane Boulware  "One of my favorite words is, YET. I didn't get it yet. I haven't achieved it yet. I'm going to begin again and again and again because I will get it and I will get it yet." - Jane Boulware    Ways to Connect with Jane Boulware: Website: http://janeboulware.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Do you ever find yourself feeling trapped, as if the energy in the room or your office is draining your spirit? It's like each space carries its own weight, pulling you down instead of lifting you up. Have you noticed certain objects around your home or workplace that seem to exude negative energy, casting a shadow over your mood? It's a heavy burden to bear, but there's hope in understanding the source of these feelings. Consider the art of Feng Shui—a practice that not only identifies life's blockages but also paves the way for the free flow of high-level energy, fostering an environment where success effortlessly blossoms. Patricia Lohan is the creator of Powerhouse and Author of The Happy Home: A Guide To Creating A Happy, Healthy, Wealthy Life. Patricia Lohan helps women make their home magnetic to money, luck, and blessings. She shows you what they don't teach in school, what lies between the lines, your top secret tool for success. She is a Feng Shui expert, a healer, and a passionate female entrepreneur who has shaped her dream life living in Bali with her husband. Patricia has a gift at making Feng Shui simple and easy to understand and implement. She has helped thousands of people across the globe embrace Feng Shui and create lasting changes in their homes, lives, and businesses. Patricia has seen firsthand the power of the mind, surroundings, and inner healing, clearing and aligning everything so it works holistically.  In this episode, Patricia shares a holistic approach to evaluating the nine key areas of your life. By doing so, you can create pathways for abundance and success to flourish with the help of Feng Shui. She emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with objects that evoke happy memories, serving as reminders and sources of energy to help you pursue your aims and goals.   What you will learn from this episode: Find out how to gain clarity on your goals and genuinely feel positive about achieving them Explore the nine essential aspects of life that you need to analyze and evaluate to uncover pathways for energy to thrive and flourish Discover how to craft a vision board that reflects your future aspirations through tangible items around you that serve as daily reminders of your goals and desires   "Be prepared for change and don't resist it." - Patricia Lohan   Valuable Free Resource: Take the life areas FREE quiz and get the clarity for yourself to unlock abundance and success in life: https://patricialohan.com   Topics Covered: 03:05 - An interesting thing that's going to happen especially for women as we approach a new cycle this year 06:57 - What women can do to tap into their alignment this year 08:45 - How is it possible that the fire cycle will last for 20 years and what industries will flourish in this fire cycle  13:57 - Creating a vision and getting clarity of your goals in the nine areas of your life. 17:42 - Physical environment around you that needs attention for energy to flow and keep things moving 20:26 - How to make your home a vision board for what you want to accomplish 23:21 - Action steps for 2024 to get the energy flowing 24:38 - The good and bad things about the fire element that you should be wary about   Key Takeaways: "This is going to be a time of deep transformation and change, which is very exciting. There's going to be an opportunity for fame, for expansion, for collaboration and technology is going to change even more and even more rapidly than we've been experiencing." - Patricia Lohan "With this fire element, what's really important is that the fire energy and people need to stay grounded." - Patricia Lohan "You're an influencer in your life already. You don't need to be on social media and have a million followers to be an influencer. Like showing up every day, feeling excited about life, being happy, being joyful, and actually just contributing the way that you are." - Patricia Lohan "If you're looking at those nine areas and you're seeing something that's off, that's not balanced, I would start with your home because it's the easiest thing to change." - Patricia Lohan "That's that idea of alignment, making sure that the art represents where you're going." - Patricia Lohan   Ways to Connect with Patricia Lohan: Website: https://patricialohan.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Colette Phillips is President and CEO of Colette Phillips Communications, and Founder and President of Get Konnected! and The GK Fund. She is a strategic advisor for C-level executives and corporate teams and develops public relations branding and internal/external communications strategies.  She is frequently consulted by corporations and nonprofits on how to establish healthy, inclusive working environments and engage and serve culturally diverse consumers.  Colette's work in creating a DE&I ecosystem in Boston showcases the power of collaboration, courage, and commitment. Her approach emphasizes communication, curiosity, and connections to foster inclusivity and drive positive change in organizations and communities. In this episode, Colette discusses the importance of inclusive leadership and the impact of culturally savvy anti-racist leaders.   What you will learn from this episode: Understand the importance of the $2.4 trillion buying power of culturally diverse audiences Determine the significance of commitment in driving diversity and inclusion initiatives, and the importance of taking imperfect action to make progress Learn strategies for effective communication in promoting diversity and inclusion, including being mindful of language and addressing implicit biases   “The only people who benefit from division are the people creating the division.”  - Colette Phillips   Valuable Resource: Support Colette Phillips' new book The Includers: The 7 Traits of Culturally Savvy, Anti-Racist Leaders   Topics Covered: 03:51 - Culturally diverse consumer markets 08:51 - White males' role in DE&I 14:42 - Engaging white males as allies 16:49 - Overcoming the fear of rejection 24:42 - Implicit biases and curiosity 30:26 - Paying attention to communications 32:43 - Unintentional microaggressions 40:32 -  Embracing diversity in Boston 43:41 -  Building inclusive business ecosystems   Key Takeaways:  “I want people to stop thinking of DE&I as if it's musical chairs. When the music stops, you're not in front of a chair, you're out of the game. Think of diversity, equity, and inclusion as a Thanksgiving table, an Easter table, a Rosh Hashanah table. Think of it as a table where, when you are celebrating, you add more chairs, you cook more food. For example, if you're having your Ramadan fast and breaking it with your family and friends, you add more chairs.” - Colette Phillips "85% of the new entrants into our workforce are women, people of color, and immigrants." - Colette Phillips "When people do something that they don't have to do, I believe we should basically acknowledge and recognize them because we want others to emulate them." - Colette Phillips   Ways to Connect with Colette Phillips: Website: cpcglobal.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPCGlobal  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/colette-phillips-communications/    Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com  Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd  To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

In a world where the traditional boundaries of workplace attire are evolving, the conventional norms that once dictated formality are being redefined. Navigating the balance between comfort and professionalism can be quite confusing. As remote work becomes the new normal and fashion trends weave their way into the fabric of our professional lives, the question emerges: How can we seamlessly marry the art of dressing stylishly with the unwavering commitment to maintaining a professional image? Nicole Russo founded Let's Get You in 2017 and has since styled hundreds of people, sat at NYFW, and contributed to, or has been featured in Fast Company, Bustle, TodayxTmrw, and Martha Stewart Weddings. She has been a private stylist and personal shopper for over a decade, with fashion industry detours at J.Crew, Theory, and was a senior personal shopper at NET-A-PORTER for almost 5 years, where she helped the world's most successful women dress impeccably. “We are on a mission to give people the style skills and fashion resources to see themselves and live their lives differently. We help high achievers create personalized, stylish wardrobes quickly, so they can dress confidently and have extra time for the more important stuff (like being a superb CEO or attentive parent).” In this episode, Nicole shares an insightful journey to uncover the harmonious blend of professionalism and personal style. Gain valuable ideas into curating a wardrobe that embraces the dynamic workplace environment while showcasing your authentic personal flair. Prepare to reshape your professional story and uncover the empowering connection between fashion, confidence, and integrity.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover the art of dressing stylishly while maintaining a professional look at work Learn how to curate a professional wardrobe that perfectly complements your personal style while upholding your integrity Find out how leaders can support their teams when it comes to styling themselves for work   "There are a lot of opportunities to dress more sophisticated or more modern without compromising your integrity or your professionalism." - Nicole Russo   Valuable Free Resource:  Stay in Style With These 37 Wardrobe Items That You'll Love : https://nextlevelcapsule.com   Topics Covered: 02:43 - The problem her clients have when they reach out for help: They're usually overwhelmed. 03:51 - Biggest mistake her clients make before asking for help: Waiting so long. 04:16 - What the process looks like: discovery stage and the closet editing 07:13 - Does she offer in-person or virtual services on fashion styling? 10:49 - How your body posture affects your confidence 15:25 - What the 'red sneaker effect' is all about and balancing being work-dress appropriate and being non-conventional 21:55 - The best way to dress up when working remotely and showing up virtually 23:37 - How leaders can support their teams when it comes to style preferences 25:57 - Why dressing up for success matters and is relevant   Key Takeaways: "We hold on to so much stuff that doesn't serve us in many different facets, but particularly in our closets. Our closets are not only a metaphor for our lives, there's just usually a lot of junk that is in the way." - Nicole Russo "When you do work virtually, I may not be there touching the pieces with you, but this is where the education comes into play with our approach as well, is that you learn tactics and tools to change the way that you look at editing your closet, getting dressed. So it's really simple and easy to decide, do I keep it, do I not?" - Nicole Russo "Studies found that you can convey a very positive message that conveys status, confidence, power, by going a little bit against the dress code grain." - Nicole Russo "I believe that everybody can really feel incredible every day when they look at themselves and they walk down whatever street they are going to." - Nicole Russo   Ways to Connect with Nicole Russso: Website: https://www.letsgetyou.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_letsgetyou/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

How do you embark on a transformative journey toward the life you desire, one defined by conscious choices and met with resilience and determination? The compass guiding this path is the intentional mindset—a powerful force that empowers individuals to align their thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors with their goals and values. Each decision becomes a conscious step towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life. And one that resonates with one's purpose.  Jane Frankel is a business author, lifelong educator, workforce consultant, and successful entrepreneur. Today, she serves as the managing principal of The Art of Performance, LLC and as an adjunct professor in economics at Temple University. Her new book The Intentional Mindset: Data, Decisions, and Your Destiny (Business Expert Press, August 2023). In this episode Jane delves into the four crucial components of mindset to assess one's trajectory towards achieving goals and discern if one's decisions align with desired outcomes. She highlights utilizing the 5-Why Tool as a means to comprehend one's mindset, identify areas for improvement, and take corrective steps towards alignment with one's goals.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover the four key components of mindset to assess if you're on track to achieve your goals Learn about the 5-Why Tool, a valuable resource for gaining insight into your mindset and taking corrective action when needed Find out about the concept of 'invisible capital' to effectively navigate and leverage it for the creation of sustainable goals   "It's really important to understand how you think and what you think so that you can make decisions that are aligned." - Jane Frankel   Valuable Free Resource:  Propel yourself to success with this book resource: The Intentional Mindset: Data, Decisions, and Your Destiny   Topics Covered: 01:37 - Uncovering what behavioral economics is in a nutshell 02:54 - The problem she helps her clients with: Creating internship programs with companies who needed to hire people 04:57 - What motivated her to write a book 06:13 - Explaining the four components of mindset, understanding why they are important, and what a value means 10:32 - What the process looks like in examining your mindset if it works or didn't 14:27 - Turnaround for a failed mindset and the need to have clarity about one's persona 18:40 - Career mapping based from understanding your mindset 22:05 - Ideal reader for her book, The Intentional Mindset: Data, Decisions, and Your Destiny: Anybody who wants to grow. 23:54 - What it means to be truly autonomous   Key Takeaways: "If you can make your decisions and your behaviors all aligned to your goals and your values, you're going to increase your comfort level and your peace of mind, because you're going to know that you are ultimately working towards what you want to achieve." - Jane Frankel "I really believe that we all have the ability to be independent, to understand when we need to ask for help, to be in charge, to understand what our options are, to develop the agency that will give us control of our destinies." - Jane Frankel "Being autonomous is not an independent activity. It's an independent plus dependent activity, because nobody knows everything, and you have to be aware of where you need help, what you don't know, and then go find that from another person or an institution or whatever." - Jane Frankel "Your invisible capital allows you to make some good and sustainable goals." - Jane Frankel "The key is if you're autonomous, you need to be seeking and looking for what you're going to learn as opposed to feeling bad that you've failed." - Jane Frankel   Ways to Connect with Jane Frankel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-frankel   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

In the fast-paced business world, change is not just an option, but an ever-present reality. Embracing innovative ideas is essential to propel a business forward. However, amidst this constant change, significant challenges arise. Overcoming these obstacles and introducing transformative solutions requires the implementation of effective and efficient frameworks. Lisa L. Levy is the Founder & CEO of Lcubed Consulting. She helps companies align people, processes, and technology to utilize agility as a strategic advantage and acknowledge change is a business constant. Her secret sauce to success is leveraging key elements of Project Management, Process Performance Management, Internal Controls, and Organizational Change Management to build teams with the skills and capabilities to drive strategic results. In this episode, Lisa shares about her adaptive transformation framework, which aims to empower women leaders by fostering clarity and enablement in their roles. She highlights the significance of women leaders venturing beyond their comfort zones to foster change and innovation. Additionally, she underscores the crucial role of a continuous innovation process in forging businesses forward.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover how women can gain clarity, communicate effectively, and step into empowered leadership roles that bring about their brilliance Explore an innovative four-step transformation framework to streamline your organizational processes Find out a key strategy for gathering innovative ideas to bring about the change you want to happen   "We need to swing bigger and take those leaps and step into uncertainty because that's when we grow, that's when we thrive, that's when we shine." - Lisa Levy   Valuable Free Resource: Ease the rough waters of the industry and ensure your business' longevity and profitability. Get your copy of the book, Future Proofing Cubed: https://lcubedconsulting.com/future-proofing-cubed   Topics Covered: 04:09 - Client problems she helps solve: We are helping our clients be effective and be efficient so that they don't feel stuck. 05:24 - What is this tool set called 'innovation engine' 06:24 - The biggest challenge women face: Being willing to step slightly outside of our comfort zone. 09:05 - How these four disciplines help women leaders with their challenges 11:51 - What a 'conference room prototype' is and how does it help with innovation 13:35 - How easier can entrepreneurs pool innovative ideas more than larger companies 14:57 - How to learn more: Join and watch my podcast, Disrupt and Innovate.   Key Takeaways: "If we understand the change process and build awareness and desire and train and educate and practice, and then create the change, we are moving people through that whole cycle and minimizing the friction, resistance, and everybody understands their parts." - Lisa Levy "If we are continuously ideating, prototyping, and creating our new products and services, we are driving business forward." - Lisa Levy "I'm willing to wager that a woman looking at that job description is far more qualified at whatever level of confidence she has than a man who is sitting there and applying for the same position. We hold ourselves back and we have to stop." - Lisa Levy   Ways to Connect with Lisa Levy: Website: https://lisallevy.com Podcast: https://disruptandinnovate.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisallevy-disruptandinnovate/ Book: https://lcubedconsulting.com/future-proofing-cubed   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

When considering a big decision,  do you ever say, “Well, someday…” Want to know how to shift from that “someday” to “today”? Being unmessablewith starts with your goals and dreams. It is important that you find your dream source, speak your goals out loud, strip off that “someday” mindset, and act today! Josselyne Herman-Saccio has been a master coach in The Art of Being Unmessablewith for more than 30 years and has coached more than 200,000 people. She is an author, entrepreneur, former #1 po-star (yep, pop-star), founder of a nonprofit, and a wife and mother of three. She has a passion for empowering people to realize their dreams NOW vs SOMEDAY. She helps them develop themselves as unmessablewith no matter what life throws at them. In this episode, Josselynne shares her powerful secrets on how you can be the boss of your life and business and become unmessablewith!   What you will learn from this episode:  Learn how you can be unmessablewith by finding your dream source Understand the importance and power of speaking your goals out loud Find out why “someday” doesn't exist and why you should stop holding onto it   “Goal setting is very powerful, as long as you treat it like a game, not an expectation.” - Josselyne Herman-Saccio   Topics Covered: 01:57 - Josselyne shares how she got to her “someday” dream 03:01 - Josselyne walks us through what she does every day 04:07 - What is a typical big message problem that people encounter 08:04 - Josselyne talks about what is a dream source 10:00 - How do you know if you have found your dream source?  10:29 - The life-changing power of speaking dreams out loud 12:51 - Josselyne shares her thoughts on goal-setting 14:12 - Is it sufficient to do goal debriefing by yourself or with others? 14:48 - Does someday actually exist or is it just in our minds? 16:14 - Q: What does unmessablewith mean? A: What I mean by being unmessablewith is being able to create moment to moment and not get reactivated, not get hooked, not get stopped or thrown down for the count.   Key Takeaways: “Creating with your word, whether you speak it out loud, or in your head is a very powerful thing. And when you speak it out loud, it exists beyond your head. It exists in my relationship with you, or with whoever's listening to this conversation right now. Then you start to fulfill what you've created through action.” - Josselyne Herman-Saccio “It's no different with any dream or vision that you have. You first start it by creating it in language and word, speaking it, and then take the actions to fulfill what you created.” - Josselyne Herman-Saccio “You create it, you act on it, you engage with people about it, you make requests, you make promises-- it's all interacting with human beings.” - Josselyne Herman-Saccio “Goal setting is very powerful, as long as you treat it like a game, not an expectation.” - Josselyne Herman-Saccio “The powerful thing about goals is to debrief them. You debrief whether you were successful or failed.” - Josselyne Herman-Saccio “The debrief is more valuable than even the result that got produced because you get to see what's missing, what would make a difference, or what was there that got in the way.” - Josselyne Herman-Saccio “Debrief around goals even more powerful than the goals themselves.” - Josselyne Herman-Saccio    Ways to Connect with Josselyne Herman-Saccio: Website: https://www.theartofbeingunmessablewith.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/ To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

At the core of gaining power and influence lies a purpose greater than personal advancement. It is about making a meaningful impact in the workplace and beyond, with the goal of contributing to the common good and positively shaping society.  Robert L. Dilenschneider formed The Dilenschneider Group in October, 1991. Headquartered in New York, Miami, and Chicago, the Firm provides strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies and leading families and individuals around the world, with experience in fields ranging from mergers and acquisitions and crisis communications to marketing, government affairs, and international media.  Prior to forming his own firm, Robert served as president and chief executive officer of Hill and Knowlton, Inc. from 1986 to 1991, tripling that Firm's revenues to nearly $200 million and delivering more than $30 million in profit.  He was with that organization for nearly 25 years. He started in public relations in 1967 in New York, shortly after receiving an MA in journalism from The Ohio State University and a BA from the University of Notre Dame. In this episode, Robert dives into an insightful perspective as he uncovers the key elements that contribute to wielding power effectively. From mastering the art of communication to cultivating a strong network, Robert sheds light on the essential skills needed to navigate the intricate landscape of influence. Additionally, he explores the power of storytelling and leveraging social media to gain a foothold in the ever-competitive landscape.   What you will learn from this episode: Gain insights on how to bring what you do everyday to a higher level and make a difference in the world Find out the mistakes women make that you should avoid and know the three ways to truly gain power and influence and move ahead without stepping on anybody's shoes Learn how to gain power and influence, make your voice heard and drown the negativity that hounds social media   "You really need to find a way to be decent, supportive to other people. Don't be rude, don't be crude, don't knock people. Be civil with other people. You'll find it comes back many, many times over." - Robert Dilenschneider   Valuable Free Resource:  Grab a copy of Robert's book and make a difference in your personal life and workplace: https://robertldilenschneider.com/product/the-ultimate-guide-to-power-and-influence   Topics Covered: 02:57 - What got him to write the book 'Ultimate Guide to Power and Influence 03:44 - How his work in PR influences writing 'Ultimate Guide to Power and Influence' 04:54 - Words of wisdom for mid-career professionals who are in crisis in different aspects of life 05:56 - Using power and influence to advance in one's position 06:58 - Power and influence being more than just effective communication 07:32 - The best way to get far ahead in your communication skills 09:21 - Humility in failure as a key to a successful future 11:21 - Best tips for using social media for a woman in transition 12:50 - How to sell your idea and get people interested with what you put out there 13:39 - 3 Ways to avoid this huge mistakes women are making trying to have power and influence 14:50 - What he wants people to take away from his book 'Ultimate Guide to Power and Influence' 15:46 - Talking about a lecture series called 'Civility in America' and what is his involvement with it 16:48 - Robert giving answers to very important questions involving women   Key Takeaways: "If you've achieved great success and you like it, stay with it. Do more. You'll eventually be discovered. And that's a better position than yearning to get to a higher position." - Robert Dilenschneider "Find ways to build your network. Make sure that people around you know what you've done and frankly, talk about you. Don't talk to them about yourself. Have them talk to other people about you. That makes a huge, huge difference." - Robert Dilenschneider "The key to using the media is to have a story that has something you want to say. If you're in transition and want to get ahead, what benefit can you bring to the party in terms of where you want to go?" - Robert Dilenschneider "It's very easy to receive negative comments about your reputation online, it can be changed. The best way to change it, however, is by advancing your own point of view and making that point of view so powerful it eclipses what's online." - Robert Dilenschneider   Ways to connect with Robert Dilenschneider: Website: https://robertldilenschneider.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-dilenschneider-964176/ X: https://twitter.com/DGI_NYC/photo   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

What do you feel when you hear the word, negotiation? Are you scared, worried, or intimidated? Do you then avoid it when it comes your way? We are actually negotiating all the time, whether it is in professional or our personal lives. However, oftentimes, negotiation is feared because of its competitive nature– when in reality, it is far opposite from that. Viewing negotiation correctly isn't all about being competitive or “masculine,” but rather encapsulating the “feminine” skills society seems to shun. We often tell ourselves to practice these masculine skills, but now, it's time to flip the script and practice the art of feminine negotiation. Cindy Watson is the founder of Women On Purpose and the creator of the Art of Feminine Negotiation and HERsuasion programs. She is also the founder and managing partner of Watson Palmer Law and served as an attorney specializing in social justice law for 30 years. She is a TEDx and international speaker, Wall Street Journal and USA Today contributor, best-selling and award-winning author, master negotiator, and consultant known for her passion, commitment, and ability to inspire. In this episode, Cindy talks about the importance of shifting your mindset in negotiation from competitive to fearless and feminine. She also shares her two powerful models, the FEAR Model and 5 W Model that can guarantee and completely change your negotiating game for the better.   What you will learn from this episode:  Understand the importance of shifting away from the mindset that negotiating is competitive Find out if negotiating is more about skill than mindset or the other way around Learn how you can practice feminine negotiation through two promising and life-changing models   “Every time you find yourself in a place of judgment, immediately, sort of, stop, drop and reflect and start flipping the script we've been telling ourselves.” - Cindy Watson   Valuable Free Resource:  Rediscover your purpose and your passion by learning more about the power of feminine negotiation: ArtOfFeminineNegotiationBook.com   Topics Covered: 02:18 - How did Cindy get into the business of teaching about negotiation and selling 04:19 - What are the specific problems Cindy helps solve  05:47 - Cindy talks about what makes feminine negotiation different 07:58 - Is negotiating more about skill than mindset or the other way around? 09:13 - How can you learn the art of feminine negotiation 10:24 - Cindy shares her tips on how you can deal with some of the unconscious biases you may encounter 14:36 - What can you do when you know you are being talked over in the room 17:36 -  Cindy talks about what the FEAR Model is and how it can help you prepare yourself 21:17 - What is the 5 W model and why is it important 25:39 - Does practicing the 5 W Modell take a lot of time? 26:14 - What are the promising effects when you practice these models in your daily personal and work life 27:28 - Cindy shares her personal story on how she applied the art of feminine negotiation in her life.   Key Takeaways:  “Our first and most important negotiation is with ourselves - negotiating our mindset. We negotiate with ourselves every day, in a myriad of ways.” - Cindy Watson “We're not going to change, we're not going to shift and have meaningful, profound, different viewpoints on this until we start recognizing the unconscious gender bias that women still have against other women, and even women against ourselves.” - Cindy Watson “When we're able to invite people to show up as the best version of themselves, we often get those better outcomes.” - Cindy Watson “When we get more intentional, we are going to get better outcomes. Because we tend often in life to suppress stuff, hold it down, and come with a very narrow vision.” - Cindy Watson “I believe preparation is the single most important element, at least, if not, more valuable than leverage and our skill set as well. But mostly, it's that preparation piece.” - Cindy Watson   Ways to Connect with Cindy Watson: Website: https://www.womenonpurpose.ca/ Book: ArtOfFeminineNegotiationBook.com Email: cindy@womenonpurpose.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenonpurposecommunity/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/WomenOnPurpose1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenonpurposecoaching/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

We may find comfort in being experts in our fields, but what does it take to grow more and become a spanning leader? Dr. Wanda T. Wallace is a managing partner of Leadership Forum. She coaches, facilitates, and speaks on improving leadership through better conversations. She hosts the weekly radio show and podcast “Out of the Comfort Zone” and is the author of You Can't Know It All: Leading in the Age of Deep Expertise. In this episode, Wanda shares the difference between E-Leadership from S-Leadership. She also talks about how you can influence more people by adding more value to your workplace by growing into an S-Leader.   What you will learn from this episode:  Understand what are the three differences between being an E-Leader and an S-Leader Find out how can you discover your value and be confident about bringing it to the workplace Learn what the three powerful and life-changing core questions you should ask yourself are   "As an expert leader, I can do the work of anybody on my team. That means I can double-check the work. As a spanning leader, I cannot do the work of my team. I do have to trust them to do the job." - Wanda T. Wallace   Topics Covered: 01:24 - Wanda shares what she does and how she helps her clients 02:23 - What is the difference between E-Leaders and S-Leaders 04:50 - What are the differences in competency or skills between the two roles, the E-Leadership, and the S-Leaderships 06:41 - Wanda talks about what you can do to become a Spanning Leader if you are more of an Expert Leader 08:06 - What can you do to externally validate the value you intend to add to your work 10:25 - How can you be confident about the value that you are adding to your work and team 11:39 - Why is it often hard for women to transition from E-Leadership to S-Leadership 12:39 - Wanda shares the importance of learning how to delegate work instead of ditching and deserting 13:58 - How can you influence change in your workplace by persuading your senior-most leaders? 15:47 - What can companies do to ease that leadership transition for women 17:29 - What are the three powerful core questions you should ask yourself 18:27 - Q: How do you work through the nervousness, the anxiety, and the fears that are there? A: One is to start to recognize the emotion that you're feeling. Name that emotion. Write about that emotion.   Key Takeaways:  “As a Spanning Leader, I cannot do the work of my team. I do have to trust them to do the job.” - Wanda Wallace “Understanding that value is the number one thing that you've got to do.” - Wanda Wallace “If you have aspirations to step at a higher level, have a bigger impact, then you have to learn to let somebody else step into the expertise spot, and you do a bit more of the spanning spot.” - Wanda Wallace “You've got to learn to delegate. You have to learn to focus on what really matters. Where's the high-value, high-impact work that I'm going to do? I'm not going to let that flail or go off the rails.” - Wanda Wallace “Anybody can learn it. It's not a matter of being promoted past your level of competence. It's a matter of being promoted past your level of expertise, and now needing different leadership skills.” - Wanda Wallace “When you move out of your comfort zone, if you are a normal adult, you will have a sense of imposter syndrome. You're doing something you haven't yet mastered. You're going to feel very nervous about that. That nervous energy is normal. So stop feeling like there's something wrong with you. It's normal! It's a growth step.” - Wanda Wallace “Planning helps get the brain into proactive performed frontal cortex activity. Taking a deep breath, and calming down the nervous system is another way, and focusing again on how you add value lets you bring that confidence back into play.” - Wanda Wallace   Ways to Connect with Wanda T. Wallace: Email: wanda.wallace@leadership-forum.com Book: https://www.amazon.com/You-Cant-Know-All-Expertise/ Website: http://leadership-forum.com/ Website: http://wandawallace.com/ Website: http://outofthecomfortzone.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wanda-wallace-028a798/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WallaceOutoftheComfortZone/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wandatwallace/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wandawallace   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Everyone is different. Someone may work differently than you, and that's okay! Being a great leader isn't just about leading in the workplace, it's also about making a safe environment for everyone, even those who are neurodivergent and work differently than the rest. Laura Matteson is a visual translator who helps intuitive leaders take complex or mysterious ideas and organize them into understandable visuals to help them boldly take their next steps forward. She loves helping other neurodivergent humans think and communicate in their own way so they can make an impact in their world. In this episode, Laura talks about neurodivergence and how you can spot it in your workplace. She also shares some tips on what you can do to make your workplace a safe place for everyone, even those with neurodivergence so that you can maximize everyone's potential.   What you will learn from this episode:  Find out what is neurodivergence and how does it look like in the workplace Learn more about the power of communicating and speaking out in the workplace Understand what are the different changes you can adapt in your workplace that can help neurodivergent people   “Instead of saying that your neurotype is damaged and disordered, it [neuro-divergence] is saying that your neurotype is divergent from the norm, or what's expected.” - Laura Matteson   Topics Covered: 01:21 - Laura shares about her business and who she helps 02:55 - What does neurodivergence mean? 04:29 - How can a neurodivergent do time management differently? 07:24 - Laura talks about her neurodivergent clients when it comes to handling neurodivergence 09:14 - How can you recognize neurodivergence in people? 12:47 - Can observing help you see if someone is neurodivergent? 13:47 - Laura shares how can you approach and communicate with a neurodivergent as a business leader 18:33 - What are the mistakes people typically make when working with neurodivergent people? 22:37 - Laura's parting powerful tip: I use the analogy of labels on clothing. So we don't use labels to determine if clothing is worthy or good or going to be useful for the task. We use the labels to tell us how to care for that garment and how it needs to be taken care of.    Key Takeaways:  “Knowing all the different ways that you're different is the first step.” - Laura Matteson “We're just trying to do fun things all the time and take risks to get dopamine.” - Laura Matteson “Other people might judge you, but it's not their problem, because you have this different way of doing things. And so do these other people. And so you're not alone.” - Laura Matteson “Assume that they don't know how to do it if they're not doing it.” - Laura Matteson “You can be professional and start work later and still do a wonderful job. And everything just needs to be transparent with the other person.” - Laura Matteson   Ways to Connect with Laura Matteson: Website: https://www.illustrative.us/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/illustrative/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illustrative.us/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illustrative.us/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Being patient and being in denial are two different things. It's okay to be patient, but when your patience and kindness ends up getting abused by those around you, then it might be time to draw the line. Denial comes in many ways, and you first need to be aware for it to stop. Dr. Jane Greer is a Marriage and Family Therapist, psychotherapist, author, radio host, and creator of “SHRINK WRAP”, the popular commentary on what we can learn from the trials and triumphs of not only celebrity, but all relationships. Dr. Greer is recognized as a leading national expert in love and relationships through her media collaborations and professional insights. She is the author of six books, including her latest, Am I Lying To Myself? How to Overcome Denial and See the Truth. In this episode, Jane talks about what denial looks like in the workplace and how you can deal with it to overcome freeloaders and stay-stuck complainers. She also shares some of her amazing tips on how you can effectively set boundaries.    What you will learn from this episode:  Discover what denial looks in the workplace and why you need to establish boundaries Learn what  stay-stuck complainers are and what you can do if you've come across them Understand why you need to trust your gut and take action on what you see   “Coming out of denial is seeing the reality. We stay in denial in order to feel safe and secure, but it's a big price.”  - Jane Greer   Valuable Free Resource:  Find out more on how can you avoid denial and take action: https://www.drjanegreer.me/   Topics Covered: 01:29 - What does denial look like in the workplace? 02:57 - Is workplace denial more prevalent in women than men? 04:50 - How can you know if you're actually lying to yourself in the workplace? 08:15 - How do you deal with the denial of others? 11:57 - Once you've acknowledged denial, what do you do? 15:15 - What are stay-stuck complainers and how does it look in the workplace? 18:24 - Why is it important to set boundaries? 20:40 - Do the stay-stuck complainers eventually get the message? 22:35 - What is whistleblowing in the workplace? 25:04 - Dr. Greer's top tip: Trust your gut. Seeing is believing. If you're seeing it, believe it. Write it down.  27:54 - What is the ”going nowhere” relationship and what are their “watch out” signs?   Key Takeaways:  “If you're not dealing with denial and seeing things clearly, you're making a bad situation better.” - Jane Greer “People have expectations of you. And without having clarity, in terms of what your own expectations are, you attempt to meet those expectations.” - Jane Greer “You need to take care of yourself because they are not going to take care of you. It's just that simple! They'll take care of you if your needs don't interfere with their needs.” - Jane Greer “You need to figure out what it means to you to have your clarity… because then you'll be able to handle the other person's angry reaction and disappointment.” - Jane Greer “Setting the boundaries is tricky because it means you've got to be clear how much you're going to listen.” - Jane Greer   Ways to Connect with Jane Greer: Website: https://www.drjanegreer.me/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Am-Lying-Myself-Overcome-Denial/dp/153816423X/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

There has been a significant increase in remote work  since the pandemic. However, most of us fail to realize the power, accessibility, and opportunities remote work provides– for us, our colleagues or employees, and the business. Tamara Sanderson is the co-founder of Remote Works, an organizational design and consulting firm with a mission to liberate teams from the nine-to-five and teach them how to do their best work anytime, anywhere. Along with Ali Greene, Sanderson has spent a combined two decades in distributed workplaces: Greene as the former director of people operations at DuckDuckGo and Sanderson as the director of strategic partnerships and corporate development at Automattic. Throughout their joint career history, they've worked in varied environments, including big tech (Google), startups (Oyster, LivingSocial), creative agencies (IDEO, Undertone), and management consulting and private equity (Oliver Wyman, Audax Group). Their new book, Remote Works: Managing for Freedom, Flexibility, and Focus (Berrett-Koehler Publishers; February 7, 2023), is the ultimate playbook for managing remote teams. In this episode, Tamara talks with us about the benefits or advantages remote work has both for the business and the employees. She also shares her three nonnegotiables when it comes to remote work to ensure the best work with less burnout. Along with this, she also explains what are the 5 Ws and 1 H of remote work that can make remote work better for you and your employees.    What you will learn from this episode:  Discover how to maximize the remote work trend and feel more included in your work Learn what are the 5 Ws and 1 H of remote work and how can you apply it to your work or business Understand how rituals and having a transitional space are important in avoiding burnout in remote work   “Managers should be more thoughtful with how they're structuring work and what they want their team to accomplish.” - Tamara Sanderson   Valuable Free Resource:  Grab a copy of Tamara and Ali's book and change how you work in your daily life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1523003316?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_EMRAFH621S3ZGSDQBWXN   Topics Covered: 04:15 - How was the remote work setup working for Automattic before 05:25 - How was Tamara's remote work experience in DuckDuckGo 06:05 - Tamara shares how she and her co-author, Ali Greene, meet 07:03 - What made Tamara and Ali write Remote Works: Managing for Freedom, Flexibility, and Focus 08:19 - Tamara explains what is the overall advantage of the remote work trend 12:41 - Why knowing yourself more in remote work is important? 17:09 - Tamara talks about what are the three non negotiables in remote work 20:49 - Is it more possible to get burnout in remote work? 23:31 - Tamara's life-changing tips on how to avoid burnout from remote work: You don't always have to be on. Have digital wellness apps and rituals 27:28 - How can you develop confidence, trust, and autonomy in your employees in the remote work setting 31:14 - Tamara expounds on what are the 5 Ws and 1 H of remote work 32:10 - Connect with Tamara: https://www.remoteworksbook.com/   Key Takeaways:  “Managers must lead with intentionality.” - Tamara Sanderson “When remote work is done well, an employee can have so much more information on how the insides of the company are working and you can feel really connected to actually like, knowing what is going on.” - Tamara Sanderson “Now that we have the technology, it kind of breaks apart the previous paradigms. Managers have to respect employees' autonomy and allow them to act more and take more agency in the organization.” - Tamara Sanderson “There is potential for burnout if you're not clear on boundaries.” - Tamara Sanderson   Ways to Connect with Tamara Sanderson: Website: https://www.remoteworksbook.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-sanderson-943a051/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/remoteworksbook/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1523003316?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_EMRAFH621S3ZGSDQBWXN   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Failures don't automatically mean “the end.” It may just be a “restart” button for you to press and try again. Success comes in different forms and in different times. Just because you haven't achieved your dreams and gained the success you desire doesn't mean it's too late for it. Nothing is ever too late if you believe you can. Laura Cooke is a leadership development and change management consultant. Her calm and diplomatic nature creates the space for courageous conversations, vulnerability, and resilience by modeling what she works to bring out in others.  Her passion for employee engagement and leadership development led her to train with Brene Brown to become a certified Dare to Lead facilitator. She has written a new book, Leave it All on the Dance Floor: Why it is Never too Late to Follow Your Dreams. In this episode, Laura shares what led her, along with other fellow powerful women leaders, to achieve their goals without the boundaries or the limits of time. She emphasizes the importance of believing in your biggest “why” in your life.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover what the dance floor metaphor is and how it can inspire you to find your own version of courage Know why you need to understand your biggest “why” in life and what its purpose in your journey is Learn why you shouldn't stop just because of a failure   “We have two choices: lay down our sword, or keep going. I want to inspire people to keep going.” - Laura Cooke   Topics Covered: 02:23 - Laura shares about her book, Leave it all on the Dance Floor: Why it is Never too Late to Follow Your Dreams, and how it came to life 03:30 - The Dancefloor Metaphor: What is in it for you once you read the book? 04:54 - How did Laura connect with the featured women in her book? 07:04 - What surprised Laura while writing her book 07:58 - Laura shares a story that was really inspiring to her 08:54 - Who is the book for and what can YOU expect learning from the book 10:30 - Grab a copy of Laura's book: in Amazon or https://leaveitallonthedancefloor.com/ 10:36 - Where to find Laura: https://lauracookeconsulting.com/   Key Takeaways:  “Often, we have two choices: lay down our sword, or keep going. And I want to inspire people to keep going.” - Laura Cooke “Understanding that having a bigger "why" helps us move on when we have those obstacles thrown in our path.” - Laura Cooke “Look it in the eye. Actually, look it in the eye. Is it as terrible as you think it is? Is it as scary or big or insurmountable as you think it is? And when you actually look it in the eye, normally it's not” - Laura Cooke   Ways to Connect with Laura Cooke: Website: https://lauracookeconsulting.com/ Book: https://leaveitallonthedancefloor.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

It's not unusual to have doubts about your purpose in life, especially if you are a woman. However, God has a purpose for you and sees more in you than likely you do. When life gives you lemons, hold more faith and hope in God. He is preparing something better for you. You, being a woman leader, are more than what you see and think. You are a woman, ready to conceive a clear vision, and you will make a change in the world.  This is how God sees you. Natasha Oquendo is an enthusiastic transformational speaker, author, mentor, and life coach and has been in the public speaking arena for many years. She inspires persons in areas of personal development, work-life balance, self-help, entrepreneurship, and spiritual empowerment. She is the CEO of Powerful Life Institute with a Bachelor's Degree in Ministry. She pastors Flow of the Spirit International Ministries alongside her husband. Her ability to balance both her professional achievements and personal spiritual development has made her a subject matter expert regarding seeking, obtaining, and maintaining a satisfying holistic life. In this episode, Natasha shares how God sees you and the power you hold as a businesswoman leader. She also talks about how trials and tribulations are God's way of preparing you for something greater– achieving your life's purpose.   What you will learn from this episode:  Discover the purpose God has given you as a woman through the application or work of your faith Learn why is important to keep the faith and be empowered as a woman in life and in work Understand how the trials and tribulations you're enduring are God's preparation for your assignment   “When a woman comes on the scene and puts her hands to work, it has the power to reproduce, it has the power to go to the next level, it has the power to be advanced. We are multipliers— that is in us to do.” - Natasha Oquendo   Valuable Free Resource:  Grab a copy of Natasha's NEW and inspiring book, Invitation 2 Queendom: Seven Keys to Unlock Your God-given Superpower: https://www.natashaoquendo.com/invitation-2-queendom   Topics Covered: 02:21- What Natasha does professionally aside from being a pastor 03:12 - Natasha shares why she decided to write her book, Invitation 2 Queendom: Seven Keys to Unlock Your God-given Superpower 04:42 - How does God view us, women, then and now? 06:58 - Natasha explains the limitations and restrictions on what women can do while being in God's favor 08:26 - What are the God-given superpowers? 09:38 - What are the hints that God is giving you an assignment? 12:36 - Natasha explains what are the different ways you can hear God's wisdom on the trials and tribulations you're experiencing in life 14:00 - How can you be alert and know when will God entrust you with an assignment? 16:19 - Is women empowerment part of God's plan for the time of women? 18:38 - Natasha's heartfelt message for you: “I know as women we deal with a lot. We wear many hats. And sometimes we feel like we're going under the radar or being overlooked. But I just want to speak life into the women on here, the women of faith that are listening and even those who may not feel like they have faith right now. No matter what's going on in your life, I decree over your life, that you shall be empowered when you listen to this and that the Spirit of the Lord will give you clarity like never before.”   Key Takeaways:  “He gives us that power to accomplish different things while He's walking with us that we could not accomplish maybe on our own without Him.” - Natasha Oquendo “There is no limit on what you can accomplish, especially when God has given you the assignment and He gives you the grace to complete it.” - Natasha Oquendo “I don't believe that there is any limit on what we can achieve because God is with us. But I do believe that we need to respect maybe the limitations that will cause us because we are women, we're more delicate.” - Natasha Oquendo “Your assignment is not going to really be much different than what you've already been doing.” - Natasha Oquendo “There's somebody that God is raising you up, who's going to see what you're doing and see how you're navigating. And it's going to impact them. You will know them because you have been there.” - Natasha Oquendo “I declare that you will have ideas because you have a womb and therefore you can conceive, you will have a vision, and you will have ideas and plans and everything will be clear to you.” - Natasha Oquendo   Ways to Connect with Natasha Oquendo: Website: https://www.natashaoquendo.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/    

Negotiate with confidence as a woman leader!   Overcome stereotypes and internal barriers with expert tips from global negotiation and communication expert, Beth Fisher-Yoshida.   Beth Fisher-Yoshida, Ph.D., CCS is a global expert and educator in intercultural negotiation and communication. She's the program director of Columbia University's Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, a negotiation consultant for the United Nations, and the CEO of the consulting agency, Fisher Yoshida International.  Learn to advocate for yourself, build relationships, and be persistent to achieve your goals in the workplace. Tune in now and secure clients on your own terms!    What you will learn from this episode:   Learn how to break free from gender stereotypes and negotiate with confidence as a woman  Discover the value of research and preparation in negotiations and gain the confidence to negotiate like a pro  Develop the resilience to achieve your negotiation goals and learn how to persist in negotiations and get the results you deserve as a strong and empowered woman negotiator    “If we want to have larger generalizations, we have to understand that our social worlds, the ones we grew up in, shape who we are as people in the world today.”   - Beth Fisher-Yoshida    Valuable Free Resource:   Learn how to build rapport, communicate your confidence and negotiate in your own terms: https://bethfisheryoshida.com/   Topics Covered:  01:11 - What is Beth's business all about, what is her target audience, and what is the problem she solves  01:53 - Beth shares what made her write her book, New Story, New Power: A Woman's Guide to Negotiation  03:50 - Beth explains what the stories we tell ourselves that influence our negotiation are  04:34 - How are our beliefs the same as our stories?  05:28 - How does pairing influence a pattern in our brain?  07:39 - Beth tells how these different stories and messages from before until now shape our perspective on negotiation  10:47- How can you press that delete button on a story that's limiting you?  11:50 - Why are women less likely to negotiate compensation than men?  13:10 - Beth explains what is an anchor in negotiating  14:58 - Should women go first with an opening anchor or just sit back?  16:18 - 3 helpful tips on how women can claim their value and power more effectively  17:23 - The power and influence of roleplay in rehearsing and prepping for your negotiations  18:14 - Q: what do people do? How do they continue to learn? How do they continue to improve? A: I would say that, in addition to the preparation, it's really good to have a reflection process so that after you're negotiating, you sit down and you reflect on what you plan.    Key Takeaways:   “But the deeper your habit, then the more embedded the pattern, the deeper the grooves in your brain.  And so whatever it is that you've paired together is strong.” - Beth Fisher-Yoshida  “You're pairing effort and a different approach with negotiation to try to create a new, healthier, more constructive pattern.” - Beth Fisher-Yoshida “And the helpful stories, you grow them, you build on them and the stories that are not helpful, you either take your "Delete" tab and delete them or you modify them in a way to make them helpful and a strength rather than a weakness.” - Beth Fisher-Yoshida  “We don't even know unless we become more aware of what's influencing us why we do what we do.” - Beth Fisher-Yoshida “Prepare in a way that you want to understand who you are going to show up as in that negotiation because different issues, different people, different times, we bring different parts of ourselves more prominently to that.” - Beth Fisher-Yoshida    Ways to Connect with Beth Fisher-Yoshida: Website: https://bethfisheryoshida.com/  Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRV4WKF9?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_0C8FWYSK3X3VCD0AV7WA   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/   

Could your communication habits and preferences be holding you back from achieving personal growth, forming better relationships, or becoming an effective leader? Michelle Gladieux, author of Communicate with Courage: Taking Risks to Overcome the Four Hidden Challenges, and is President of Gladieux Consulting. She facilitates seminars and does executive coaching to help diverse industries, governments, non-profits, and academia on communication and leadership topics around the United States. With 18 years of collegiate teaching experience in her home state of Indiana, Michelle's expertise and insight are invaluable in helping you reach your goals and live an empowered life. In this episode, Michelle dives deep into understanding our hidden communication challenges and equips us with the tools needed to overcome them and become better leaders. She stresses the importance of striking a healthy balance between giving ourselves 'self-affirming' and 'others-affirming' feedback in order to grow and develop.   What you will learn from this episode: ● Discover the four hidden communication challenges and learn how to overcome them to become a better leader. ● Uncover the keys to success in communication and understand how to strike the right balance between 'self-affirming' and 'others affirming' feedback. ● Equip yourself with the tools to navigate the complexities of communication and grow as a leader. "It's small changes, net big results in communication." - Michelle Gladieux Valuable Free Resource: ● Get your one-page FREE downloadable form called the Feedback Challenge: https://gladieuxconsulting.com/resdl/GC_Feedback_Challenge_  Topics Covered: 02:26 - Who Michelle serves and the problem she helps them solve: 04:18 - One conversation with her mom before she died that became a big influence for writing the book 'Communicate with Courage' 05:43 - Mistakes her client makes before consulting with her: They think big communication improvements require big change. And that's not true. 07:39 - Understanding the four obstacles we face in communication 12:23 - How do you work on the communication challenge you're facing? 13:14 - Why are these communication struggles we face are said to be hidden? 14:42 - Michelle suggests another best way to work on your communication challenges 19:34 - Why you need to have a good balance of being 'self-affirmed' and 'others affirmed' when getting feedback 21:1 9 - What does it mean to show up and be a good communicator with 'full body, full mind, and full heart effort' 23:04 - What do we say to ourselves versus a friend when we mess up? 24:38 - More differences in human personality than there are in gender with regard to communication 26:31 - Michelle's Valuable Free Resource: http://www.gladieuxconsulting.com/ 27:50 - Inspiring words from Michelle Key Takeaways: "It's that internal voice, that self-talk that sometimes creates a pessimistic mindset around communication." - Michelle Gladieux "For folks who have more challenges with communication, they could be facing all four at once, the best thing to do is pick one to work on and take baby steps. Try to do something just a little different each day as a communicator." - Michelle Gladieux "We might not want to see some of these hidden challenges because it can be hard to accept the weaker parts of ourselves and really look at them and work on them. And it can be hard to get feedback." - Michelle Gladieux "We summon our courage when we feel afraid of something that's going to hurt. Only we can summon our courage, and we look for one little thing to take away from it." - Michelle Gladieux Ways to Connect with Michelle Gladieux: ● Website: https://gladieuxconsulting.com/    Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: ● Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com ● Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides ● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd ● To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com 

Steve Weinberg has spent his life selling and helping others sell better, more, and faster. He is an expert at building, guiding, and sustaining high-caliber sales teams and creating exemplary standards in account management. He has authored Above Quoted Performance to transfer his knowledge to others who want to improve their sales results. In this episode, Steve shares with us the importance of knowing the real needs of the market, gaining trust and building relationships with your target market, and using the most influential, free sales tool in the market– LinkedIn. Don't miss out on your chance to take your sales outcomes to the next level. Tune in to this episode with Steve Weinberg and gain the knowledge you need to become a top-tier sales performer. What you will learn from this episode: ● Find out how you can avoid the recipe for sales failure ● Learn why LinkedIn is a free, powerful, and influential platform for your sales needs ● Understand the importance of staying in touch with the real needs of the market “Selling is really all about providing solutions that people want to buy, and also having the buyer trust you.” - Steve Weinberg Valuable Free Resource:  ● How to achieve that above-quota sales performance that you've always wanted without the cliche “spammy” messages: www.steveweinbergsales.com Topics Covered: 02:54 - Why is it that 50% of sales professionals are not making quota? 05:27 - Steve shares what are the key things you should dive in and pay attention to more 06:17 - The Buyer-Seller Relationship: What selling is really all about 08:50 - The Art and Science of Selling: Steve talks about what is the “edge” 09:45 - How should you really be doing your sales? 12:30 - Steve tackles the differences between doing sales before, during, and after the pandemic 14:28 - How can you mitigate the changes the pandemic brought to sales? 15:40 - The Math of the Funnel: What is a funnel and what is the secret to effective funnels? 19:30 - The Secret Sauce: How to use LinkedIn as a powerful sales platform 24:13 - Q: Why should women consider sales as a career? Do you have to be an extrovert to be in sales? A: Sales can be very rewarding, both professionally and financially. And I've been employed at companies where the salesperson, where the person that had the greatest earnings in the year was a woman in sales. 25:40 - Visit Steve's website to learn more about the secrets to securing sales the new way: www.steveweinbergsales.com Key Takeaways: “The key thing that I think the sales managers and company managers need to do is to be in touch with the salespeople and their pipeline, and understand what important features or problems their buyers want to solve and work on ways to help them do that.” - Steve Weinberg “In order to have the edge and to succeed, you have to understand to make the sales methodology that your company may have chosen, follow the steps that you would ordinarily take, understand that you have to be agile, but also know that you need to be creative in order to solve problems for the buyer.” - Steve Weinberg “Sales is still mostly a sequential process. You don't walk in the door and say, "Here's what I have. Oh, by the way, let's close. Buy from me right now." - Steve Weinberg “You can determine how many unqualified prospects or suspects need to go in at the top in order to reach the goal that you want at the bottom.” - Steve Weinberg   Ways to Connect with Steve Weinberg:    Website: www.steveweinbergsales.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveweinbergsales/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.weinberg.925      Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown:    Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/   

Do you know what will make you happy, successful, and understood at work? I am passionate about serving women and helping them build clarity, confidence, and commitment to achieving their unique career goals, and I want you to be happy, and successful, and experience less stress in the process. I am the author of the best-selling Let Your Personality Be Your Career Guide, and I co-wrote (with Jack Canfield of Chicken Soup for the Soul® fame) the best-selling The Road to Success. I have also developed a completely personalized book, entitled The Book of YOU®, which helps individuals be happy, successful, and better understood in a variety of pursuits based on their unique personalities. In this episode, I'll continue a discussion on self-coaching and explain how the Know Thyself Process® can help you start living the life you have always imagined.   What you will learn from this episode: ● Learn the different types of coaching. ● Learn the power of good questions and how they can help you gain clarity on your priorities. ● Understand more about the three influential steps of Know Thyself Process® so you can create the business and life you love.       “While needs are important, there's more to creating a life we love. Needs are necessary, but seldom sufficient for long-term happiness.” - Dr. Sarah E. Brown     Valuable Free Resource:   ● How to shift your mindset and start living the life you, or your coachee, ever dreamed of: www.sarahebrown.com     Topics Covered:   00:38 - Sarah reviews the difference between coaching and self-coaching 02:08 - Support to Report: What exactly is peer coaching 03:03- Share to Spare: Sarah explains the difference between mentoring from self-coaching 04:10 - Sarah revisits what was talked about in Episode 67 06:14 - Check and Reflect: What does step two, “testing”, mean? 09:12 - What Do You Do When Life Happens?: The importance of the “Know” step through Sarah's own experience 12:01 - Clarify and Learn: Sarah talks more about step two, clarifying 13:05 - Top 3 Things to Ask: Sarah finally dives into the last step and gives 3 questions you can reflect on     Key Takeaways:   “Coaching is often referred to as "support to report" because the coach is just supporting the coachee to report what is important or needs to happen.” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown   “Take the first step at getting clarity about what you want by just sharing your interests, strengths, and needs with another caring person and dialogue with them about what it means to you.” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown   “When you share what you want with someone who has a good handle on your interest, strengths, and needs, they're going to be able to see immediately whether what you say you want is congruent with who you really are. This is important.” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown   “The outcome of any good coaching interaction is greater clarity on what the coachee wants and getting her going down the path of achieving it. Knowing what the coachee does not want is insufficient. You have to know what the coachee actually does want.” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown   “I've spent years clarifying what I want and I'm still learning, but I'm never going to make progress if I'm not in action on what I do know, or think I know.” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown     Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: ● Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ ● Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides ● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/

If you are dealing with your child's addiction to drugs or alcohol, you're not alone! Barbara Decker, the Parent Recovery Advocate, knows how difficult it can be for a mom to free herself from the “Mom Code” – the reflexive tendency to try and solve problems for her child.   Using her  model, you can create an emotionally safe space for your child and support them as they learn to navigate their own journey through addiction.   Say goodbye to mom guilt and empower yourself to help your child face addiction more independently with Barbara's Love Another Way model.   Tune in to this episode to learn how you can do just that!    What you will learn from this episode:   Discover the life-changing power of the Love Another Way model as a mom Learn how to break out of the Mom Code and take more ownership of your life Understand why you can't always be your child's problem solver, but instead be heir guide    “When we try to make a softer landing, when we try to solve those problems for our kids, they have no opportunity to learn the lessons that they need to learn to make better choices for themselves.”  - Barbara Decker    Valuable Free Resource:   Free yourself from any shame or guilt and finally reclaim your life. Start your journey here: https://go.livewellandfully.com/3-secrets-fb64-2/?v1-sbrown    Topics Covered:  02:08 - Breaking the Pattern: What is the biggest problem moms make  03:13 - Barbara shares what is her golden answer  03:53 - Breaking the Mom Code: The mistakes moms should avoid  04:33 - Love Another Way: How Barbara can help you start new  06:18 - Barbara explains another essence you need to know about the Love Another Way model  09:40 - Free yourself from any shame or guilt and finally reclaim your life. Start your journey here: https://go.livewellandfully.com/3-secrets-fb64-2/?v1-sbrown  10:53 - Q: The first part is, "What the heck, Barbara, is a mind disease?" And the second part is, "Why doesn't my son or daughter just buckle down and solve the problem? I taught them better than this! Is it just an excuse or laziness?" A:  And the answer is no, it is not an excuse or laziness. It has nothing to do with what you taught them or the kind of people they are.    Key Takeaways:   “There are things the mom can do that will encourage their child to take ownership of the problem. Only when their child takes ownership of their own problem, that there is the possibility of the child choosing to make a different choice.” - Barbara Decker  “There's no guarantee. But there's pretty much a guarantee that if they don't change, nothing will change.” - Barbara Decker  “It's important to say that there are no right or wrong choices, it's always a matter of choosing the least sucky of the terrible options available.” - Barbara Decker  “We focus on ourselves, we let go of things that we were previously owning, and we give ownership back to the person who could actually make the change.” - Barbara Decker    Barbara Decker's Free Workshop:  Website: https://go.livewellandfully.com/3-secrets-fb64-2/?v1-sbrown    Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown:  Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/ 

Feeling nervous about that presentation you are about to make over zoom or a Teams call?   Learn how to give clear, confident presentations with tips from professional actor and coach Billie Shepard.   Billie Shepard delivers a coaching experience that transforms how business people communicate. She has been a professional actor and coach for over forty years. She has produced guest-artist workshops which include Academy Award winner Alan Arkin. Billie founded Billie Shepard & Associates, leveraging her acting experience and unique training methods into the business arena; transforming corporate speakers into influential leaders.   Discover how to improve your clarity and intentions without fear and stress.     What you will learn from this episode: ● Find out how you can apply acting tips to prepare for your presentation or meeting ● Discover the importance of present moment awareness especially if there's a sudden change ● Learn the four things you should do before getting onto any video conference   “The more specific you can make your intention at work, and the more you can connect it to a strong feeling, you'll have no fear.” - Billie Shepard     Valuable Free Resource:   ● How to become more present and enhance your virtual presentation skills without stress and presentation anxiety: http://www.billieshepard.com/     Topics Covered:   02:06 - From acting to business: Billie shares how she founded her business revolving around her acting experience   05:38 - Interacting Online: Billie talks about how can you become more present over Zoom   07:07 - Present Moment Awareness: How to become present at the moment especially if there's a sudden shift or change   08:15 - The First Component: Billie gives a guide on how to do “quickie breathing”   10:06 - The Second Component: Billie shares the importance of vocal exercises, whether you're an actor or an entrepreneur   12:22 - The Third Component: What role does improvisation play in being present   16:52 - The Fourth Component: Billie explains the powerful effect of getting clear on your intention beforehand   18:16 - What can having intention look like in a business Zoom meeting?   25:12 - Billie's power tip for you: If you're on camera, and you're using slides, look for a place that really means something to you that you really either like the information, or you're excited about getting people on board or something and drop the slides, and look right into the green light of your computer. That's home.   26:21 - Fear is stupid: Billie shares why you should never be afraid of taking risks as a woman leader     Key Takeaways:   “Acting is acting. You've got to get in the present moment and be authentic at that moment.” -Billie Shepard   “One recognizes that when he or she is present, they're listening carefully to what the other person is saying. Their mind isn't thinking of what they're going to say or they'll respond.” -Billie Shepard   “The honor that one gives to a listener, and a speaker, by really hearing them is really a valuable thing for a leader to be able to do. Actually, listen and hear and digest what that speaker is saying. And then observing what that listener is doing when we're speaking as a leader.” -Billie Shepard   Ways to Connect with Billie Shepard: ● Website: http://www.billieshepard.com/ ● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billie-shepard-59b3534/ ● Book: https://www.amazon.com/Billie-Shepard-Presentation-Method-Relationships-ebook/dp/B084WZZMNM/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: ● Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ ● Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides ● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Do you struggle with the new normal that the pandemic has brought — constant Zoom calls, online webinars, and limited face-to-face interaction? The big changes brought about by the pandemic altered how we function day-to-day. And many of these add stress to our life. So how do we adapt to these sudden big changes and face the new normal? Dr. Amy Mednick is a psychiatrist working in her own private practice. She received her medical degree with Distinction in Research from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Brain & Cognitive Sciences from MIT. She specializes in the overlap between the humanities and neuroscience and leads a lecture series for psychiatric residents in training, social workers, and psychology trainees. She's been involved in both brain research and linguistic research and has authored articles in Clinical Psychiatry News. Her new book is Humanizing the Remote Experience through Leadership and Coaching: Strategies for Better Virtual Connections. In this episode, Amy dives a little bit deeper and explains the unconscious cognitive change the pandemic has brought in our day-to-day functioning and interaction whether in the workplace or in life.   What you will learn from this episode: Uncover why you feel more tired and exhausted with the sudden shift to the online world Explore different ways to overcome mental fatigue in the new normal Learn the three warning signs you need to watch for and the action you then need to take   “Do things that someone running from a tiger wouldn't do.” -Dr. Amy Mednick   Valuable Free Resource: How to humanize the new normal and make better virtual connections through promising strategies: Humanizing the Remote Experience through Leadership and Coaching: Strategies for Better Virtual Connection   Topics Covered: 01:55 - How the Pandemic Started It All: Dr. Amy shares why she and Dr. Leonard decided to write the book 04:05 - Boundaries Between Anything: What made the pandemic hard for most people? 05:25 - The Warning Trio: Dr. Amy talks about the warning signs that our needs are not getting met 06:44 - Need for Safety: Why is it so hard for you to focus especially when everything's transitioning virtual? 08:45 - Need for Understanding: Why do you end up more exhausted from WFH rather than F2F 09:49 - Need for Belonging: How can exclusion and isolation actually hurt us physically? 12:18 - Dr. Amy explains how the feeling of exclusion manifests in us 19:55 - How to Simplify the Complex: Dr. Amy shares how women leaders can address the complexity the pandemic brought in the workplace 22:29 - What can you do to help your team recharge, especially during the pandemic? 24:31 - Sending Virtual Hugs: Dr. Amy shares how can you create a sense of safety and belongingness within your workplace 25:18 - Does the remote work setting still overlooks women and their capabilities? 26:16 - Disconnecting Online, Connecting Offline: What can you do to avoid misunderstandings and disconnections in remote settings 29:55 - Take Care of Yourself First: Dr. Amy talks about the importance of self-care in lowering your team's stress levels over Zoom and the new normal 36:10 - Dr. Amy shares why psychological safety is so important   Key Takeaways: “We get used to anything. As humans, we adjust to anything. So, I think now it's a way of life. And it's getting easier.” -Dr. Amy Mednick “It's a lot of work to make sense of things. So, if you're exhausted at the end of a workday, it could be a warning sign that your brain is working excessively hard just to make sense of what is going on with others around you and that maybe there's an adjustment that you could make there.” -Dr. Amy Mednick “Mental fatigue, mental work, brain work affects your physical strength.” -Dr. Amy Mednick “Your brain does not like discrepancy. It does not like things it can't explain. So, when something doesn't match what it expected, like a laugh at a joke, it's going to work really hard to try to fix that.” -Dr. Amy Mednick “Anything extraneous that you can take away the overload is going to be really helpful.” -Dr. Amy Mednick “The remote experience is ambiguous enough. Do not add any ambiguity, make things extra, extra clear, extra explicit. Make goals explicit. Make the goals of meetings and the structure very explicit.” -Dr. Amy Mednick “Even though you're leading a team, you need to be okay. You need to be in a good place. You need to have safety and comfort. You need to be grounded so that you can connect.” -Dr. Amy Mednick “You're going to be happier and more productive if you're giving your brain a chance to stop.” -Dr. Amy Mednick   Ways to Connect with Dr. Amy Mednick: Website: https://www.dramymednick.com/ Book: Humanizing the Remote Experience through Leadership and Coaching: Strategies for Better Virtual Connections   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

It's crucial to focus not only on hiring talent with a high-driven purpose, but also in catering to the needs of your department, being open to feedback and communication, and shifting to a talent-centric organization that provides a safe workplace for you and your co-workers. Carol Schultz is the founder and CEO of Vertical Elevation. She is a talent equity and leadership advisory expert. Recognized for her proficiency in corporate leadership, she's spent three decades helping executives gain clarity in their careers, make bold leadership moves, and create cultures of performance. Schultz and her team have helped hundreds of companies– from seed-stage pre-initial public offerings to publicly traded companies– transform their organizations and create sustainable, talent-centric cultures that run at maximum efficiency. She's the host of the popular podcast, Authentically Successful, and the author of the new book, Powered By People: How Talent-Centric Organizations Master Recruitment, Retention, and Revenue (and How to Build One). In this episode, Carol shares how you can execute a talent-centric strategy for you and your business while providing an open-to-growth safe space for you and your coworkers.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover the three core principles of a talent-centric organization Learn how to switch up your job descriptions and make recruitment much easier Understand the power of being open to conversation and getting feedback within your organization and the departments   “It's about shifting how you think, and therefore how you work. You cannot shift how you think and have mindset shifts, unless and until we can start coming up with and figuring out where your blind spots are.” - Carol Schultz   Valuable Free Resource: How you can execute a talent-centric strategy and welcome growth into your business: https://verticalelevation.com/   Topics Covered: 02:07 - Building a talent-centric organization and fixing up your strategy: What Carol does best to help you and your organization 03:54 - Carol shares how to spot a talent-centric organization and how to make yours into one 05:41 - How often does misalignment happen in the workplace? 06:11 - Who Beats Who: Carol talks about why departments aren't supposed to be treated as competition in the organization 07:47 - Carol explains what are the three core principles that are at the center of a talent-centric organization 09:42 - What are the blind spots in your organization that you should be looking for? 10:53 - Doing It How It's Supposed to Be: What made Carol write her book? 12:38 - Carol shares what's the goal of her book and what she wants readers to learn from it 13:58 - Being More Than Just That: Carol examines what goes into a job description and shares how you should be writing yours 16:13 - Ditching the Post-and-Pray: Carol points out why you should stop doing the post-and-pray method and start writing some compelling job ads 17:54 - Why should you pay more attention to talent activities than any other thing? 20:18 - Carol shares how important being open to conversations really is especially in the workplace 21:09 - Q: If you're a leader, are you really actively, proactively putting your hand down for other women than helping them like men have done in time in memoriam? A: And if you are a woman who is not a leader, and you're looking toward your women leaders to say, "Hey, you know. Are you willing to help me up?" 22:04 - Learn more on how you can execute a talent-centric strategy by clicking here: https://verticalelevation.com/   Key Takeaways: “The reality is, recruiting is never your problem. What your problem is a strategy problem.” - Carol Schultz “Each individual and every single department in the company has to contribute to being a healthy sustainable company.” - Carol Schultz “So many people think their problems are something other than what they actually are.” - Carol Schultz “You need to go ahead and hunt people. That's the way to find people.” - Carol Schultz   Ways to Connect with Carol Schultz: Email: carol@verticalelevation.com Website: https://verticalelevation.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/authentically-successful/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/verticalelevationinc/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolBSchultz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AuthenticallySuccessful LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vertical-elevation/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/ To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Are you stuck with a boss that you just can't bare? Are you struggling to try to prove your worth? Learn to let go and build better bridges for you, your growth, and your business. Dr. Alan M. Patterson is an organizational development consultant, specializing in executive and leadership development. Having led hundreds of clients for over four decades, Dr. Patterson continues to ignore standard coaching methods, opting to pursue and lead clients down the path of meaningful careers that are not only successful but also rewarding. He's worked with everyone from the Federal Reserve Bank to Hewlett Packard to Major League Baseball and the United States Navy. His latest book is Burn Ladders, Build Bridges, Pursuing Work with Meaning and Purpose. In this episode, Alan Patterson shares what it means to be a ladder burner, to build better relationships, to discover new paths, and to find greater opportunities for yourself.     What you will learn from this episode:      Find out what a ladder burner is and how to become one Dive into why you don't really need to become a pro in your business to make it great Learn how to define and find meaning and purpose in yourself and in your work   “You have to define and find meaning and purpose because nobody's going to give that to you.” - Dr. Alan M. Patterson      Valuable Free Resource:     Want to find out how to become a powerful woman leader by letting go and welcoming growth? Visit ladderburners.com    01:51 - The two sides on how Alan helps women business leaders achieve their potential   02:55 - The brand-new look of success: What is the standard coaching that Alan tends to ignore   04:22 - Alan explains the backstory of what is a ladder burner   06:31 - Burning ladders, building bridges: Alan shares what are the skills you'll be needing to be a ladder burner   11:53 - The powerful trio: What are the characteristic types of positions you should be recruiting for your team   17:46 - To greater heights: What kind of work environment should you strive to be in and what kind of environment should you leave   20:07 - Pandemic hits: Alan shares what made him decide to write a book and how it all started   22:38 - What should be the responsibilities of women business leaders?   24:04 - Want to find out how to become a powerful woman leader by letting go and welcoming growth? Visit ladderburners.com     Key Takeaways:   “It's a network to talk to people and to understand what's critical and important to them, which as I said earlier, helps define what's critical and important to you. You resonate.” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown   “Every conversation is an opportunity for a relationship.” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown   “What else are we doing in our lives if we're not making those kinds of heart-to-heart connections?” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown   “Your group, your context, includes people inside and outside the organization that gives you purpose in being.” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown   “You're worth more than working for an idiot.” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown   “Don't think that you're going to join an organization and that they're going to find out a purpose and meaning for you, you have to do it.” -Dr. Sarah E. Brown   Ways to Connect with Dr. Alan M. Patterson:    Website: ladderburners.com  Book: Burn Ladders, Build Bridges, Pursuing Work with Meaning and Purpose      Ways to Connect with Dr. Sarah E. Brown:    Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/     

Do you avoid anything related to marketing and selling? Are you scared of talking sales to the point that it ends up affecting your business? Sales is often a term feared by business leaders. How do I close a deal? How can I sound less annoying when pitching my product? These are probably some of the things you think about when you try to sell your offerings. However, selling shouldn't be as difficult and scary as many make it to be. You can learn to sell from your own comfort zone! Stacey Hall has coached thousands of entrepreneurs on how to attract sales, satisfaction, and success. She is a bestselling author, a TEDx presenter, and a leading social media marketing expert. She is the founder of Success with Stacey Hall and of the groundbreaking social media marketing training program, Go for YES, which has helped thousands of people attract more sales, customers, and employee satisfaction and success. Her new book is Selling from Your Comfort Zone: The Power of Alignment Marketing. In this episode, Stacey gives you a piece of her sales process and how you can sell tons from within your comfort zone. She also gives her insights on how you can turn conversations into sales with her amazing and promising tips!   What you will learn from this episode: Find out how you can sell tons just within your very own comfort zone Dive into what the new ABCs of marketing is all about and how can you turn conversations into sales Understand the role and importance of engaging with people and turning strangers into friends in the world of sales   “Our comfort zone is the place where we feel skillful, confident, and empowered. That confidence allows us to not be brash, to not be pushy, to not be spammy.” - Stacey Hall   Valuable Free Resource: Want to find out more on how you can turn conversations into potential long-time sales? Click here: https://www.staceyannhall.com/courses   Topics Covered: 01:51- #1 problem female business leaders face when it comes to their business: They don't know how to sell their message and business to their audience 03:15: Stacey shares how she shifted people's perspective on hating sales to loving it 05:26 - Can you achieve sales just by being in your comfort zone? 10:35 - The rubber band effect: How are people similar to rubber bands when it comes to sales talk 12:27 - The new ABCs of marketing: Stacey explains what the Alignment Marketing Formula is 16:29 - Stacey narrates an example of the power of engaging and turning strangers into friends 19:15 - Want to find out more on how you can turn conversations into potential long-time sales? Click here: https://www.staceyannhall.com/courses 20:17 Q: And what I'm going to say, Sarah, let's pretend you are one of those people. I would say, have you ever made a friend in your life? A: Okay, so see, I'm actually going to ask you the question. So, when you made the friend, where did you meet- just think of any friends you made, where did you meet them?   Key Takeaways: “You get to the point where you can make a suggestion. And a friend is free to take that suggestion or not.” -Stacey Hall “The essence is we begin with ourselves. And if that seems selfish, oh, well, I start by thinking about what are my core values. How do I want people to treat me? How do I want to treat other people? What do I feel passionate about and comfortable about in my life? What do I enjoy in my life?” -Stacey Hall “When we know that we are passionate about something, that we're good at it, that we can talk about it, belief becomes automatic, because we believe in ourselves.” -Stacey Hall   Ways to Connect with Stacey Hall: Website: https://www.staceyannhall.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Selling-Your-Comfort-Zone-Alignment/dp/1523001623   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Before leading others, it's very crucial to first get a hold of yourself and be the leader of your life! Maya Roffler's corporate career began at 22 when she was promoted to the corporate office of a major men's fashion retailer. She had put herself through college working in retail stores. That promotion had a big impact on her life. She had exposure to C-Suite Executives and her first supervisor was a powerhouse female mentor. She built a trade show and event program, a training program, and then became a spokesperson as well. In this episode, Maya offers an in-depth story as to how she started her intrapreneur journey to becoming an entrepreneur. With this and a little mix of her own amazing insights and tips and tricks, you'll get to discover more about what makes you a leader and how you can hone those skills to become that amazing girl boss you were always meant to be!   What you will learn from this episode: Find out why you should start being present on the things that ACTUALLY matter in your business Learn more on how determination and consistency will always beat talent, even in a male-dominated workplace, no matter what Understand the importance of embracing being a leader first before leading others   “Women need to understand how to embrace being a leader before they ever step into any of these (leadership) roles.” - Maya Roffler   Valuable Free Resource: How to become the powerhouse female boss you are destined to be in a male-dominated workplace: https://mayaroffler.com/   Topics Covered: 02:08 - The powerhouse female mentor that started it all: Maya starts off with how the impact of her mentor started her journey 04:17 - Maya gives a glimpse of what it was like learning from her powerhouse female mentor in a male-dominated place 06:39 - Giving glory: Maya shares how her mentor called out her strengths and passions 08:01- How was Maya counseled by a powerhouse female mentor in a male-dominated arena? 09:30 - Maya takes a step into the past and shares how did she become an entrepreneur 13:48 - Intra vs. Entre: What does it mean to become an intrapreneur? 14:58 - Was the pandemic really Maya's biggest challenge? Maya talks about what are the different challenges she faced as an entrepreneur 18:01 - How does Maya categorize what job she needs to outsource and what things can she do on her own? 20:17 - Which came first– the brand or the podcast? 22:05 - Mayapinion: Maya shares how she started her podcast and built it to how it is now 23:42 - What does it mean to embrace being a leader before stepping into the role? 25:56 - Q: Where do I think leadership is going? What do I think the future of leadership is? A: And you'll hear me talk about this on my podcast quite a bit. And I say that I think the future of leadership is female. And sometimes people are like, "What does that mean? Does that mean, Maya?" 27:46 - Find out more on how to become the powerhouse female boss you are destined to be! Click here: https://mayaroffler.com/   Key Takeaways: “Your life sometimes feels a little empty when you're just checking boxes.” -Maya Roffler “Know when you're scaling, and it's time to hire someone.” -Maya Roffler “You should do it all in the beginning because you want to know everything” -Maya Roffler “If you don't understand what's coming in and what's going out, I'm scared for you. You should always know what's going on.” -Maya Roffler “The more you know yourself, and the more you understand yourself, the more aligned you're going to be when you go into the workforce, the more aligned you're going to be with whatever company you choose to work for, whatever company you create for yourself.” -Maya Roffler “Having empathy is a strength.” -Maya Roffler   Ways to Connect with Maya Roffler: Website: https://mayaroffler.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayaroffler/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayaroffler/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayapinionpodcast/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Do you feel like there's this specific timeline that you need to follow in life? Have you felt pressured into trying to succeed as much as you can in life at an early age? And if it's too late, do you feel like a failure? Society makes us feel like there's a specific timeline we should be following in life, however, as hard as it is to believe, there's none. There's no such thing as being too early or too late in life– everything is at your own pace. Sylvia O'Connor overcame poverty to be the first in her family to graduate from college. As the master of it is never too late to pursue your dreams, she married for the first time at 55 and then pursued her dream of becoming her own boss. She has a Master's Degree in Administration and now makes her living as a motivational speaker helping others to fearlessly move on to their next chapters. In this episode, Sylvia shares with us how she overcame her poverty mindset and still pursued her dreams despite all odds.   What you will learn from this episode: Find out how Sylvia shifted her perspective and overcame the poverty mindset Understand why it is never too late to fulfill your dreams and goals in life Learn how you can become your own boss despite all odds   “Never give up on your dreams. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't achieve anything. Do not let society define you or determine your path.” - Sylvia O'Connor   Valuable Free Resource: How to overcome your fear of being too late in life and become your own boss: https://sylvia-oconnor.com/   Topics Covered: 01:25 - How did overcoming poverty look like for Sylvia? 02:49 - What did Sylvia do to overcome the poverty mindset: I had to later overcome a poverty mindset that, "Okay, you're never going to have more than enough." 03:39 - Sylvia shares how she met her husband at a later time in her life 05:32 - What started Sylvia to become her own boss: I always dreamed of being my own boss. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do. But over 10 years ago, I became a whistleblower. 06:31 - The biggest obstacles Sylvia faced: Overcoming fear– the fear of being homeless because of debt 07:39 - Sylvia's inspiring tip on achieving your dreams: I would say it's never too late to achieve your dreams. Never give up on your dreams. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't achieve anything.   Key Takeaways: “We do not know how we'll be rewarded in life. But I believe, if we strive to do the right thing, you never know how we will be rewarded.” -Sylvia O'Connor “You'll never know when the right job, the right spouse, or the right opportunity may present itself. You must be ready to receive it.” -Sylvia O'Connor “Failure is a part of life. We cannot bypass it. You just can learn from it and move on.” -Sylvia O'Connor   Ways to Connect with Sylvia O'Connor: Website: sylvia-oconnor.com   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Do you want to know how to gain clarity on what you REALLY want in your career and in your life? I am passionate about serving women and helping them build clarity, confidence, and commitment to achieving their unique career goals, and I want you to be happy, and successful, and experience less stress in the process. I am the author of the best-selling Let Your Personality Be Your Career Guide, and I co-wrote (with Jack Canfield of Chicken Soup for the Soul® fame) the best-selling The Road to Success. I have also developed a completely personalized book, entitled The Book of YOU®, which helps individuals be happy, successful, and better understood in a variety of pursuits based on their unique personalities. In this episode, I'll explain the Know Thyself Process® and how it can help you find clarity what is important to you in your career with just 3 steps!   What you will learn from this episode: Discover what the Know Thyself Process® is and how can you practice it Learn more about the importance of voicing your thoughts to another Learn the three powerful components that will help you get clarity   “We do not really get clear about what is important to us until we voice this to another human being who knows and cares about us.” - Dr. Sarah E. Brown   Valuable Free Resource: How to get clear about your interests, strengths, and needs in order to understand and gain clarity on what you really want: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Be sure to check out the full interview accessible through this link: https://www.sarahebrown.com/post/sarahebrown   Topics Covered: 02:50 - Sarah shares how she started her journey in helping women leaders find their calling 06:13 - What is the Know Thyself process and how can you start your self-discovery journey? 07:08 - The first component: Thoroughly assess yourself 08:50 - The second component: Innating your strengths 09:30 - The third component: Learn your motivational needs 11:36 - Grab a cup of coffee and check out Sarah's website: Sarahebrown.com 12:20 - Sarah describes how Abraham Lincoln used the power of voicing 13:35 - Why you should start incorporating the Know Thyself Process: You can get clear about what is unique about you, and explore what you want by just talking it out with someone who knows and cares about you.   Key Takeaways: “We just need to know what is true for us and what minimizes our own stress.” - Dr. Sarah E. Brown “There's something very powerful about saying these things, these kinds of things, out loud to another human being.” - Dr. Sarah E. Brown “You're not acting on any of this, you are just thinking about it out loud and testing it with another human being.” - Dr. Sarah E. Brown “You can just focus on these three things that are unique to you-- your interests, your strengths, and your needs. You will, then, know what gifts you have to serve the world. You can take a start at translating these into goals that are unique to you. You can even make those small changes to be happier, more successful, and experience less stress in the job you're in right now.” - Dr. Sarah E. Brown   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Are you starting your path toward becoming a more inclusive leader? Have you had difficulty discovering your purpose in promoting changes in the workplace and in society? The reality is, workplace inequities have an impact on our society as a whole. As a leader, one must understand the importance of their part in the process of change and how their journey could help create a new structure for a more inclusive future. Jennifer Brown is an award-winning entrepreneur, dynamic speaker, and diversity and inclusion expert. She is the Founder and CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting, a strategic leadership and diversity consulting firm that coaches business leaders worldwide on critical issues of talent and workplace strategy. Brown is a passionate advocate for social equality who helps businesses foster healthier, more productive workplace cultures. In this episode, Jennifer shares with us how the second edition of her book, “How to be an Inclusive Leader”, will provide new insights and stories that spark learning when it comes to creating a culture of inclusivity in the workplace.   What you will learn from this episode: Know what prompted Jennifer to write the second edition of her book, “How to be an Inclusive Leader” Discover Jennifer's pivotal points in re-evaluating the four stages of the Inclusive Leader Continuum Find out how to look at the Inclusive Leader Assessment results as an opportunity to self-reflect, craft bridges, thrive, and move forward together   “I tell people, don't expect to be perfect; we cannot be and we can never be. Imperfection is just a way of being; I wouldn't even say it's a goal. It should be an expectation...” - Jennifer Brown   Valuable Free Resource: How to determine which stage do you fall on the Inclusive Leader Continuum to help you with your personal leadership development: https://dei1.jbconlinelearning.com/self-assessment/   Topics Covered: 02:23 - Jennifer describes how the pandemic exposed workplace inequities and allowed questions on transparency and accountability on employers towards real change and commitment 12:33 – Jennifer's book's second edition, “How to be an Inclusive Leader”, as a second bite at the apple 17:47 – The stages of Inclusive Leadership Continuum which people keep developing, evolving, and taking steps forward towards inclusivity 23:48 - How Jennifer educated herself to understand how things hit people in certain environments 27:21 - How to use the Inclusive Leader Assessment to make an impact and create a culture of belonging in order for us to thrive 32:40 – The question that wasn't asked: “Who is it for?”   Key Takeaways: “It is as much a mindset shift and a heart set shift as it is developing a new competency. It's a way of being; it's a way of paying attention to the world.” -Jennifer Brown “Everybody's in a different place, so what's so important is understanding where we are, understanding where others are, and then crafting the bridges between us so that we can move forward together.” -Jennifer Brown   Ways to Connect with Jennifer Brown: Website: https://jenniferbrownconsulting.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenniferbrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferbrownconsulting/ To speak with her: https://jenniferbrownspeaks.com/contact-us   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Do you have an exit strategy? Do you know how to sell your business successfully? It's important that you prepare an exit plan for yourself, your business, and your future. Chris Vanderzyden is an author, speaker, and leading educator on exit planning and mergers and acquisitions. She is a founding partner of Legacy Partners, LLP, an exit planning and M&A advisory firm dedicated to creating and executing exit strategies for privately held mergers and acquisitions. She is also an expert contributor for media outlets, a guest lecturer for Harvard University's Entrepreneurship and Innovation class, and the bestselling author of 7 Steps to Entrepreneurial Victory. She has recently released her newest book, Master Your Exit Plan: Sell Your Business, Preserve Your Legacy. In this episode, Chris tells us the importance of having an exit plan in place for now or the future and what the risks are of not being prepared for it.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover the importance of planning an exit strategy for your business and financial future Learn what are the six exit strategies you can choose from and how to apply them in your business Find out what are the risks of not being prepared with an exit plan   “In order to decide what exit strategy is right for you, you have to understand all of the things that are important to you.” - Chris Vanderzyden   Valuable Free Resource: How to exit your business without the stress and without sacrificing your future financial freedom: https://legacypartnersllp.com/   Topics Covered: 01:35 - Where it all started: Chris shares how she got interested in exit planning and how it all started 02:41 - Chris talks about what exactly is a master exit plan 03:38 - What are the risks of not having an exit plan for your business 05:03 - Chris shares what are the six exit strategies and how can you decide which one is for you 08:31 - Selling a Business Isn't Like Real Estate: What are the seven steps into selling a business 10:48 - Chris shares what are the services they offer in the Legacy Partners LLP   Key Takeaways: “Without having all of those parts of themselves aligned, the chances of not being successful exiting their business are pretty sky high. So, it requires a comprehensive view of the business owner in order to do it successfully.” -Chris Vanderzyden “You have to have a comprehensive financial plan done in which you are projecting, "After I exit my business, this is what I want my life to look like. And this is what the financial responsibility will be with that. And so, if I sell my business, will I be able to fulfill those business personal, and financial goals?" -Chris Vanderzyden “We looked at a couple of different exit options, and then came up with the right one that would have fulfilled their goals, both financially and with the business and personal.” -Chris Vanderzyden “One buyer is no buyer.” -Chris Vanderzyden “The purpose is to engage with multiple buyers because that's the way you're going to fulfill your goals to a higher level.” -Chris Vanderzyden “It's a little more intense than selling a business, but it's well worth doing it correctly.” -Chris Vanderzyden “It's very important to recognize that you do need somebody that is going to be on your side of the fence. There's nothing worse for a business owner, “Do they have a transaction, they wander off?” -Chris Vanderzyden “When deciding how you want to exit that business, you also have to understand the value of the company. Integrate that value into your personal financial plan.” -Chris Vanderzyden   Ways to Connect with Chris Vanderzyden: Website: https://legacypartnersllp.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/ To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com  

Have you been questioning your purpose or worth especially when it comes to your role or career in life? Do you feel like it's a constant struggle and battle? Are you looking for ways how to grow and discover your purpose? Finding out and understanding your purpose isn't like an instant pack of noodles where you instantly get the outcome – it's an ongoing lifelong process. There would be some chores that might come along with it, but there would also be moments of joy worth cheering. It is a journey so don't expect the right answer instantly. So, are you ready to know more and understand your journey of finding your purpose in the role you love? LeAnne Andersen is the Chair of Human Resources (HR) People Services for Mayo Clinic. She is a strategic HR leader, trusted advisor, and vital participant in business planning and executing best practices. She is responsible for the oversight, evolution, and administration of Mayo Clinic's People Services, including Payroll and Timekeeping Services, HR Service Center (HR Connect), HR Advisory, Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Talent Acquisition, Credentialing, Global Mobility, and Compliance. In this episode, LeAnne shares the important value of experience and opportunities in getting a clearer understanding of what your purpose is. She also talks about the different strengths and learnings that you can apply in your journeys such as the importance of asking questions and the amazing power of curiosity.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover the importance of looking for ways and taking opportunities can help you get a clearer vision of your purpose Learn more on how you can accept the chores and enjoy the cheers of your career Understand why you should shift your perspective from wanting to have the right answer instantly to being curious about finding the right answer   “Getting and knowing your purpose is an ongoing process.” - LeAnne Andersen   Topics Covered: 02:40 - LeAnne shares what her role is in her work: I help take care of the people that take care of others that are in their most critical need and help and change the world when we think about science and healthcare 03:49 - Getting a clearer understanding of her purpose as time goes by: One of the main reasons why LeAnne loves her role in 05:07 - One of the aspects that LeAnne doesn't like about her job is the cheers and chores that come with it 06:51 - The differences and similarities of LeAnne's role now to before that has helped contribute to her growth and discovery of her purpose: Let's start with the similarities. So, the first thing is, when I look back at my career, there is absolutely an element of similarity in some of the aspects. And it's that word "transformation". I really find and look for ways and opportunities to take something that's good and make it even better. 10:47 - Has the different work environment and diverse culture from the different roles LeAnne has played greatly contributed to her getting a clear meaning of her purpose and her work ethic? 14:28 - LeAnne's strengths and interests that drove her to transform: My, probably, strength, first is curiosity. I tend to be interested in how things work. And for me that's played strongly in transformation, played strongly in my role, how does that process work? How does it play out? 18:36 - One of the challenges and obstacles LeAnne faced in achieving her career goals is balancing her work, life, and family and processing things both personally and professionally 20:52 - LeAnne's advice for her 30-year-old self and for young professionals: You know, I'll probably look at myself, Sarah, smile, you know, say, "You know, you're going to be okay. And just relax and have fun." I think we early on get so wound up in feeling like we need to have the answers. And I think it probably plays through all the comments I had. It's about finding them. Enjoy the journey.   Key Takeaways: “You find every day, every interaction, whether it's personally or professionally, I have a chance to play forward and live that purpose.” -LeAnne Andersen “I really find and look for ways and opportunities to take something that's good and make it even better. And in doing that you have the opportunity to change the business.” -LeAnne Andersen “What you do has to be relevant in the context of what's happening around you.” -LeAnne Andersen “I'm more curious about finding the right answer than feeling that I have to have the right answer.” -LeAnne Andersen “Give up some of the feelings of it has to be so masterfully figured out and refined. It is just kind of what it is. You tweak it if you don't like it. You can adjust it a little bit.” -LeAnne Andersen   Ways to Connect with LeAnne Andersen: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanneandersen/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Do you often find yourself exhausted before you even get the chance to do some self-care? Are you ready to find out how you can prioritize yourself while still being of service to others? Self-care isn't really about the glitz and glamour in the midst of your busy lifestyle. The myth of getting your hair done or putting on nail polish won't really help you get back into your body. It's more about reconnecting and reprioritizing yourself. So, what should you really be doing to take good care of yourself physically and mentally? Christine Gautreaux, MSW, holds a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Social Work and is a professional speaker, coach, author, and entrepreneur. She is the co-author of Stillpoint: A Caregivers Playbook and the co-host of the Women Connected in Wisdom Podcast. Christine believes in the power of body wisdom and somatic play to help heal trauma. She works with women from all walks of life to maintain balance and do self-care during these intense times in which we find ourselves living. In this episode, Christine shares what self-care is really all about, and it's not what you've always thought! She also discusses the actual skills involved in self-care and how you can practice them.   What you will learn from this episode: Identify what self-care is and is not Learn how you can reprioritize yourself and put yourself back up on the top of your to-do list Find out ways you can take care of yourself while taking care of others   “Self-care means tuning into ourselves and learning how to read our own body language.” - Christine Gautreaux   Valuable Free Resource: How to start your proper self-care journey and reprioritize yourself: https://christinegautreaux.com/   Topics Covered: 05:33 - Challenge is reprioritizing their health and wellness which hinders them from finding ease and time for themselves 06:29 - Not prioritizing themselves and putting everybody else's needs ahead of their own needs: the common mistake business women leaders make when trying to do self-care 07:20 - One free and actionable tip you can do to assess yourself and practice self-care: The very first thing I tell myself and I tell everybody else is to take a deep breath and get back in your body. And you'll say, "Christine, I'm breathing" and you may not be. Like you may be breathing fast or holding your breath because that often happens in stress. So, the first thing I would say is to take a deep breath consciously, let your belly relax, let that breath go all the way down to your belly, and then let it out 08:40 - One valuable free resource to help you be reminded to take a minute to take care of yourself and breathe: christinegautreaux.com 09:46 - Q: Are there actual skills involved with self-care? A: The answer to that is yes! We've identified five skills of self-care in the book, Stillpoint that we stand by, and we live by. I'm going to name them for your audience.   Key Takeaways: “Take a deep breath, and get back in your body.” - Christine Gautreaux “Find something that is not work, and that is not beholden to somebody else, where you can be with yourself and get in tune with your body.” - Christine Gautreaux “Self-care is also not, and this is a big one for our female leaders, putting ourselves through frequent reoccurring cycles of overwork, followed by crashing to recover this rhythm of full speed ahead, followed by total collapse is damaging to all dimensions of ourselves-- the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.” - Christine Gautreaux “Self-care is tuning in. It's recognizing earlier and earlier, the subtle physical signs of potential difficulties.” - Christine Gautreaux   Ways to Connect with Christine Gautreaux: Website: https://www.christinegautreaux.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/women-connected-in-wisdom-podcast/id1556786980 Event: https://linktr.ee/christinegautreauxmsw   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Success doesn't have a specific shape, size, or form. We all have our own definition of success, but oftentimes, we get swayed by what we see on social media. It can unconsciously influence us. So how can you avoid this hazard, and really commit to the life you've always envisioned for yourself? Paola Knecht is a certified leadership, transformational, and self-development coach. She is the founder of My Mindpower Coaching & Consulting and author of the new book, The Success Mindset: Take Back the Leadership of your Mind. In this episode, Paola talks about what success is and how we can shift our definition of success to something that we are passionate about instead of what we see from others.   What you will learn from this episode: Find out how you can define your own success story instead of letting others define it Learn powerful questions you can reflect on that can help you know more about what you really want Understand the importance of having a vision in defining your own success   “To really reach something you want, it is not enough to just recognize you're good at something, you have to work at it.” - Paola Knecht   Valuable Free Resource: How to set straight your vision and take back your life in order to write the success story you've always wanted to achieve: https://paolaknecht.lpages.co/the-success-mindset/   Topics Covered: 01:45 - To discover the meaning of your life, and your vision and something that goes beyond the race of accumulating things: Paola's definition of what success really is 02:40 - Discovering the meaning of life and avoid losing the essence of yourself by looking inward instead of outward 03:44 - Paola explains why and how social media and other's lifestyle contributes greatly to our own definition and understanding of success 06:49 - What are the things you love about yourself, your life and what do you love doing: Questions you can reflect on to define a vision of your life 08:13 - Not believing that you can make it: The biggest obstacle that gets in our way when making our goals a reality 09:26 - Paola shares the eighth pillar from her book and why talent alone won't get you far, hard work will 11:11 - Take a break and some time offline: What you can do to start your journey to self-discovery and make your vision a reality 12:32 - Connect with Paola and see what she has to offer: my-mindpower.com 13:13 - One valuable free resource to help you on the road to self-discovery and take back the leadership of your mind: https://paolaknecht.lpages.co/the-success-mindset/ 14:06 - A sprinkle of love and great advice from Paola and her book: You can and have the power to define your success story. And to not let other people tell you what these should look like. You can write your own story and find transcendence in doing it.   Takeaways: “Success, when I come back to the essence of it, it's really to discover the meaning of your life, to discover your vision, something that goes beyond the race of accumulating things, or following a path that you did not consciously choose for yourself.” - Paola Knecht “You have to look inward, instead of outward. We are distracted.” - Paola Knecht “I believe, over time-- all these have a root cause. And I believe one of those is that we spend way too much time comparing ourselves to other lives and not paying enough attention to ourselves first.” - Paola Knecht “It all starts with really going back to the basics and asking yourself, "What do I really love about my life, about me?” - Paola Knecht “If I have an awareness about the things I love doing, and they are meaningful for me, then how can I connect that passion with some activity that I enjoy? Or how can I connect that to bring service to others?” - Paola Knecht “We all have talents and bizarre gifts that come inherited and they are wonderful. And it's also great when we discover them and they can really bring us great surprises.” - Paola Knecht “It's really about not underrating the value of hard work because that's what really brings you far.” - Paola Knecht “To take the conscious decision to basically lockout, to take some time offline, and really take more time to discover who you really are, and what you're after.” - Paola Knecht “If we really want to know ourselves better, we also have to invest time to know ourselves better.” - Paola Knecht “You have the power to take back your own life. And for this is really to make the conscious decision to go on that journey of self-discovery. You can and have the power to define your success story. And do not let other people tell you what these should look like. You can write your own story and find transcendence in doing it.” - Paola Knecht   Ways to Connect with Paola Knecht: Website: https://www.my-mindpower.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Are you feeling stuck in your career or personal development? There are different ways to develop skills, adapt to an environment and grow into someone better. Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-best-selling author of five books, including 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions, named in the top 10 list of “Best Books for HR Interview Prep,” 301 Smart Answers to Tough Business Etiquette Questions, and Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers and Other Office Idiots. She's a sought-after speaker and seminar presenter and a popular media source, having made over 901 appearances in broadcast, print, and online outlets. For more information, visit vickyoliver.com. In this episode, Vicky talks about the hybrid nature of gig work and what you need in order to thrive in the gig economy.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover how you can prepare physically, mentally, and financially before securing a gig Understand why skills and adaptability are important factors that can help you secure multiple promising gigs Find out the importance of having a good mentor and being with a good network   “Test it out. And then if you love it, take on another gig. Do baby steps with this.” - Vicky Oliver   Valuable Free Resource: How you can develop your skills, keep up with technology and find the right gig work with the help of a good network and the power of advanced technology: LinkedIn   Topics Covered: 02:08 - Challenge is finding a good mentor or a good network to surround yourself with and help you with your skills development 02:46 - Making the jump in their career without really being prepared for it: the common mistake business women leaders make when trying to take the next step to grow their career solo 04:45 - One free and actionable tip you can do when trying to prepare yourself for that awesome and fulfilling gig you've always wanted: I believe the most important thing is to keep all of your skills sharp, and particularly up to date. And that means learning. Learning new skills as you go along. So often, it's easy, especially if you're working full-time someplace and you've been there for a couple of years. It's so easy to not learn something new, you know. 07:15 - One valuable free resource to help you look for the right gig and grow your skills: LinkedIn 08:25 - Q: I might have asked myself about time management because when I really think about it and peel away the onion, the problem with being somebody that's always learning and absorbing new information is that it's going to interfere with your time management. A:  Let's say you get a new update, right? You know, you're there, you're on email, and you get a new update, right? You don't want to update because it's going to take time away from you.   Key Takeaways: “The most important thing is to keep all of your skills sharp, and particularly up to date. And that means learning. Learning new skills as you go along.” - Vicky Oliver “If you're a gig worker, and you're doing part-time jobs, and you're going from place-to-place freelancing, you really have to stay up on that technology. You have to be able to adapt and learn. And if you don't know it, know that you are able to figure it out as you go along.” - Vicky Oliver “That's just a reality that we have to sort of recognize the technology, we must build the skills. And it is time-consuming to do it. And I would say you have to do it when you have the opportunity to do it.” - Vicky Oliver “It takes a little bit of an adjustment, and you have to agree with it and it needs to agree with you. So don't do anything rash.” - Vicky Oliver   Ways to Connect with Vicky Oliver: Website: https://vickyoliver.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Don't overthink your future by asking “what if” questions. Grow and plan with like-minded people. Liza Rogers has been passionately involved in what is now being called "the cohousing movement" for 25 years. On her journey, she discovered everything about financing, joint ventures, and buying real estate. Liza has a wealth of information and wisdom about real estate sectors both inside and outside Canadian borders. In this episode, Liza talks about how you can overcome that glass ceiling and start growing and planning with like-minded people. She also shares her tips and insights on how you can maximize your potential and secure your future by investing in the best passive income– real estate!   What you will learn from this episode: Find out why investing in real estate is something you need to consider for your future Understand the importance of being with like-minded people and dropping toxic relationships Learn how to stop worrying and cramming and instead start living the life you've wanted through the right investment   “The glass ceiling becomes an open skylight when you own the building.” - Liza Rogers   Valuable Free Resource: How to budget your money to make it grow abundantly to help equip you for a better future: You Need a Budget and Mint   Topics Covered: 02:23 - Challenge is struggling to keep their place which affects their future plans and hitting the glass ceiling 04:44 - Not setting up for the future and being afraid of success: the common mistakes business women leaders make when trying to achieve scalability and success in their workplace 06:32 - One free and actionable tip you can do to help you prepare yourself for future success and grow with like-minded people: So, the number one thing that I tell women is to join a network. Join a network of like-minded women and like-minded leaders who are doing what you are doing, or what you want to be doing. That's the number one thing that I tell people to do first off, and that comes with a couple of things to beef that up. And that is to join it, but also engage with it. 08:41 - One valuable resource to help you stop worrying and start planning the future you've always wanted: Check out some of these budget tools: You Need a Budget and Mint 10:17 - Q: What past statistics do women need to know to help them better prepare for their futures? A: So, there are a couple of key statistics that are often shocking. Number one is the average age of a widow in Canada and the US is 56 and 57 years old. So, when you hear that you think, "Oh, my goodness, you know, becoming a widow at 56 or 57!" First of all, there's the shock of that statistic as a, you know, an average number. And then second, how is that going to impact me?   Key Takeaways: “We really have to start, you know, delegating more as a number one thing. Stop thinking that we can do it all and get some things off of your plate.” - Liza Rogers “And mentors, coaches, people who have either done it or are doing it or are the smarter person in the room than you are, those are the women who are going to be able to help you lead you to where you want to go. And having a plan for where you want to go is part of that really important process.” - Liza Rogers “It's going back to getting those coaches, not doing everything yourself, and understanding what your future looks like, so you can actually plan for it. You can delegate to where you need to delegate to you so that you can have that success or be prepared for those.” - Liza Rogers “We call them failures, generally, but sometimes they're just learning opportunities or your tuition.” - Liza Rogers “Join it, but also engage with it.” - Liza Rogers “Contribute in some way. Offer up your knowledge. Be vulnerable with what you're struggling with. Listen to what the people in the group have to offer, and actually, take it in and engage with it.  - Liza Rogers “If you're going to want to change your life- you know, changing your life, or changing your job or changing where you are in your career, it's not a solo sport. And it's not something that you can just do passively, you have to take action.” - Liza Rogers “If you have an opportunity to join something where you have an opportunity to be lifted and lift women up, do it!” - Liza Rogers   Ways to Connect with Liza Rogers: Website: https://wren.club/ Book: https://wren.club/book/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Learn how to make a compelling presentation that will keep your audience hooked. Patricia Fripp is hired by companies to help them drive more business by perfecting their sales conversations and presentation. In this episode, Patricia talks about how presentations play a key role in your work– whether it's about building credibility for your team and audience or effectively persuading potential clients. Patricia shares powerful ways you can improve your presentation so that you can speak and persuade with confidence and impact whenever and wherever you are!   What you will learn from this episode: Discover why PowerPoint plays an additional persuasion effect on your team and clients Learn what are the five ways how you can make a powerful, effective, and compelling presentation that will keep your audience hooked Understand how you can sell the topic and the result at the same time through the power of presentations   “Specificity builds credibility.” - Patricia Fripp   Valuable Free Resource: How to build credibility through amazing, audience-centered presentations in order to make effective growth and impact: https://fripp.com/handouts/   Topics Covered: 01:40 - Challenge is finding new options for building a new way of business for the future while being comfortable, productive, and competitive 02:33 - Not realizing the brilliance of presentations and public speaking: the common mistake business women leaders make when trying to present an effective presentation in their workplace 03:28 - One free and actionable tip you can do to make perfect conversations, compelling sales talk, and effective presentations: Very simply, who is the audience? And if you were to consider that you are going to connect to an audience, if your subject is of interest to them. And you might think well, "How do I do that?" By speaking as an audience advocate! You look at your message from the point of view of the audience. 04:28 - One valuable free resource to help you improve your presentation and present with an impact that will keep your audience hooked: https://fripp.com/handouts/ 05:13 - Q: What are the five ways everybody at any level can improve their presentations? A: And they would be-- one, open your presentation with impact. And of course, close on a high. The first 30 seconds and the last 30 seconds of any presentation have a great impact. The purpose of the opening of your presentation is to arouse interest in the subject.   Key Takeaways: “Open and close with impact, have a simple structure, tell good stories, focus on the audience, and add specific language.” - Patricia Fripp “Although you might be brilliant, have a great grasp of your content, that doesn't mean you can put it together into a powerful and persuasive presentation. Plus, it takes a lot longer than most people realize to create a masterpiece that looks as if you're just delivering it spontaneously.” - Patricia Fripp “By speaking as an audience advocate! You look at your message from the point of view of the audience. To say our new strategy will be great for shareholders has no interest to employees unless they are shareholders.” - Patricia Fripp “Every presentation is built around a premise, a big idea, a central theme.” - Patricia Fripp “Sometimes you sell the topic, sometimes you sell the result.” - Patricia Fripp “Because although we use words to communicate, our audience sees what we say in our stories. They can often see themselves in the stories you tell, and find specificity builds credibility.” - Patricia Fripp   Ways to Connect with Patricia Fripp: Website: https://fripp.com/handouts/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Continuing our discussion on women speaking out, listen to what Liz Kislik has to say about this. Liz Kislik is Harvard Business Review and Forbes contributor and TEDx speaker. She offers surprising insights and successful techniques for leadership, mastering collaboration, conflict, talent development, and customer loyalty. Her combination of practical experience, true stories, and current research will inspire listeners to start making a difference right away. In this episode, Liz dives deeper and talks about what are some of the most common reasons why women are afraid to speak up generally or in a meeting. She also shares how to overcome these fears and doubts and speak up with confidence and passion anywhere at any time.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover how keeping quiet won't help avoid problems nor keep you or your people safe Understand what makes women scared of speaking up and how to overcome those fears Learn more on why it's better to be loud and proud than quiet   “I think there's this assumption that quieter is better for authorities. And when we're raised that way, or believe that, when that's the lived experience, it can be very, very challenging to break out of it, and it takes a lot of deep self-work.” - Liz Kislik   Valuable Free Resource: How to speak with confidence and passion by getting over that limiting belief brought by your fears: https://lizkislik.com/resolve-conflict/   Topics Covered: 01:32 - Challenge is a suppressed fear of speaking up and a lack of practice with how to speak up 02:43 - Believing that keeping your head down and being quiet will keep you safe and away from problems: the common mistake business women leaders make when trying to speak up in a meeting or generally 03:24 - One free and actionable tip you can do to address your fear and speak with confidence and passion: To treat either the fear of speaking up or the situation you're facing like any other business problem. Who are the stakeholders? What are the advantages to be gained? What are the potential risks? And then go into the discussion, thinking about everybody involved as if they were your best customer? 04:14 - One valuable free resource to help you deal with the interpersonal aspects of the conflict: https://lizkislik.com/resolve-conflict/ 04:38 - Q: Why are women afraid of speaking up? What gets in their way? What shuts them down? And how can we deal with that? A: And I think a lot of it goes back, actually, at least in the US, to the school system and to the family when we are young. And the idea of being a good girl who is attentive, who answers when asked, and who doesn't necessarily leap out of her chair or act out a little bit the way boys are often allowed to.   Key Takeaways: “I think the challenge is a suppressed fear of speaking up and a lack of practice with how to speak up so that they feel they won't suffer for it afterward.” - Liz Kislik “Projects and initiatives don't move ahead as quickly as they could because women are afraid to raise crucial issues for fear of ruffling feathers.” - Liz Kislik “And deciding that it is okay to live in this kind of haze of discomfort, as opposed to actually dealing with what's going on and trying to get those problems handled.”  - Liz Kislik “To treat either the fear of speaking up or the situation you're facing like any other business problem. Who are the stakeholders? What are the advantages to be gained? What are the potential risks?” - Liz Kislik “When you're looking in that way at how can you serve everyone's interests, often you can find a path through the situation that actually takes care of people and sometimes uncovers the roots of the problem that you really need to address.” - Liz Kislik   Ways to Connect with Liz Kislik: Website: https://lizkislik.com/ Book: https://lizkislik.com/resolve-conflict/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

How many times have you been in a meeting and thought something but did not have the guts to say it?   Judy Hoberman is President of Judy Hoberman and Associates, a company focused on empowering professional women. She is an award-winning, international speaker, best-selling author, trainer, and leading authority on women in leadership. In this episode, Judy talks about why speaking up about your thoughts and of value will always be worth hearing by all. She also shares how note taking is crucial at any time and anywhere in order to grasp the valuable information and, later on, speak value.   What you will learn from this episode: Discover how you can speak of value instead of just speaking for your sake Understand the importance of taking notes wherever and whenever and the power it can give you Learn more about how you can go over your limiting beliefs and speak up despite the fears   “I do believe that one of the challenges that women do face is asking for help because they feel it's weak, and I think it's a sign of strength.” - Judy Hoberman   Valuable Free Resource: How to gain back that confidence and overcome that fear so that you can speak more of value to everyone: Email the word “leadership” to judy@sellinginaskirt.com   Topics Covered: 01:42 - Challenge is feeling that we don't know enough or someone might challenge what we say which cultivates the fear of speaking up or saying something 02:54 - Giving up easily or not speaking up at all and staying in the same exact position: the common mistake business women leaders make when trying to speak their thoughts 03:53 - One free and actionable tip you can do to help you get that confidence and knowledge to speak more of value and less of yourself: But what I always do is, I take copious notes. Wherever I go, whatever I'm doing, whoever I'm meeting, I always ask permission if I could take notes because sometimes people don't like you too. But when you're in a meeting, you know, have something to write with. 05:07 - One valuable resource to help you find it out if you have what it takes to speak to give: Email the word “leadership” to judy@sellinginaskirt.com to get a copy of her white paper, “Do You Have What It Takes?” 05:45 - Q: What do you still want to accomplish? A:  I still want to accomplish the fact that my mission has always been to help one woman a day. And I want to be able to dominate more of that market space where women are actually reaching out and not being afraid to raise their hand and say, "You know, I need some help."   Key Takeaways: “Put some mind games together and challenge myself to share valuable information not just to hear myself speak.” - Judy Hoberman “What I always do is take copious notes. Wherever I go, whatever I'm doing, whoever I'm meeting, I always ask permission if I could take notes because sometimes people don't like you too. But when you're in a meeting, you know, have something to write with… It always works because you have something that- you're competing with yourself, basically.”  - Judy Hoberman “Because a lot of times, we don't feel that we know enough, or that we're going to say something that maybe we just can't back up the information, or maybe someone's going to challenge us, or we just are not comfortable.”  - Judy Hoberman   Ways to Connect with Judy Hoberman: Email: judy@sellinginaskirt.com Website: https://www.sellinginaskirt.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

It's typical thinking to believe that the more you do things, the faster you'll get to your end goal, but what happens if you end up losing yourself in the process? What happens if you feel exhausted and stuck in a loop? Taking the time to reflect and see where you are at in life or in your day is so much better than constantly being in a rush trying to get things done. It is important to take a deep breath, reflect and change your perspective on the hustle and bustle mentality. So, are you ready to change your perspective and give yourself a new chance to fly high? Karl Staib is the founder of the Dig to Fly Methodology and a podcaster. In this episode, Karl talks about the importance of changing your perspective on hustling and, instead, taking the time to reflect on your actions or progress daily. He also shares his tips and top three questions to reflect on that can help give you a boost on how you can make progress without stressing yourself out.   What you will learn from this episode: Learn the importance of perspective and how you can build that powerful habit that can change your life Understand why your emotions and thoughts are far more important than those numbers Find out about the power and importance of everyday reflection   “Because life is about 99% perspective, if you can find the right perspective, you can find a way to focus on the things that are important to you.” - Karl Staib   Valuable Free Resource: How to dig deeper and fly farther without the stress of breaking and pushing yourself too far: https://digtofly.com/   Topics Covered: 01:14 - Challenge is not having enough time to slow down to reflect on what's working which greatly affects motivation and productivity 01:36 - One of the symptoms that limits you and makes you feel unworthy is your mindset 02:40 - Association worth with productivity and action: the common mistake that can make a powerful negative impact on your career 03:40 - One free and actionable tip you can do to change those negative thoughts to impactful actions and progress: What I put together is a process called, "the Dig to Fly" method. But what I realized is you need to start off with baby steps. So, I put a simple process routine together at the end of each day. What I want people to do is break their day. But before they do, they have to ask themselves two questions. And the questions are very simple. What are three things I did well today? What could I do better? And how could I do better? 05:51 - One valuable free resource to help you dig faster and fly farther in your career: Digtofly.com 07:24 - Q: How can you build these habits and these routines to help you process your thoughts and emotions? A: Because life's about emotions. At the end of the day, it's how we feel. It's not how many things we check off our to-do list. It's not how many promotions we've gotten in the past five years. It's not any of those things!   Key Takeaways: “80% of our results come from 20% of our effort. So, if we are focusing on the right things, we are going to have great results. And that so-key is slowing down, looking at what's going on at the end of each day, and then how to process it. So, you can make the next day even more productive and easier for you. So, you're not so stressed.” - Karl Staib “You need to start off with baby steps.” - Karl Staib “If you beat yourself up all the time, you let your inner bully out, you're going to give yourself a bad rating.” - Karl Staib “Because when you look at it, when you have to put a number on it, you can't sway yourself. You have to be honest. And you got to look at the data.” - Karl Staib   Ways to Connect with Karl Staib: Website: https://digtofly.com/   Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/