Podcasts about strengthsfinder

Jay Berkowitz, Founder and CEO of Ten Golden Rules, helps law firms implement the Law Firm Success Formula to attract qualified prospects, convert more opportunities, and build five-star operations. Driven by a strong desire to win, Jay applies his competitive nature to helping clients rank higher, sign more cases, earn stronger reviews, and generate valuable referrals. In this conversation, Jay introduces The AI Visibility Optimization Framework—Collect Prospect FAQs, Publish Answers Regularly, Become an Expert on Reddit & Quora, and Blog on Customer-Generated Topics. He explains how businesses can identify real customer questions from sales calls, intake conversations, and AI-generated transcripts, then answer them through videos, blogs, FAQs, and social content. Jay also discusses optimizing websites and Google Business Profiles, responding quickly and empathetically to inquiries, and delivering five-star service that generates reviews and referrals. He shares how referrals, conference speaking, webinars, podcasts, and high-value content drive agency growth and how EOS helped him develop leaders as the company expanded. — Implement the Law Firm Success Formula with Jay Berkowitz  Good day. Steve Preda here with the Management Blueprint, and my guest today is Jay Berkowitz, the Founder and CEO of Ten Golden Rules, a two-time Inc. 5000 digital marketing agency that helps law firms generate more qualified leads and clients. Jay, welcome to the show.  Thank you so much. Great to be here, Steve.  So we already talked a little bit about it, but I was really curious about why you focus on law firms. There are so many marketing agencies out there, but I’ve never seen anyone that focused on such a narrow niche. And then I’m going to link it to my favorite question. So what is your personal Why, and how are you manifesting it in your Ten Golden Rules agency? And maybe there’s a connection to law firms as well?  Well, I’ll start with my personal Why, and my personal Why is I really like to win. And I’ve done the StrengthsFinder and different psychology tests, and I’m in the top—whatever—one or five percentile of people who are competitive. And so I was competitive in sports, but I really want to do well in business, and I want my clients to do well. Like, I really, really hate it if my client’s not right at the top of Google and if my client’s not growing in more new cases signed every month.  So that seems to be a really great fit for the business I’m in, which is helping clients with growth strategies, part of which is the marketing piece, getting new traffic to their website. Part of it is conversion, so we do a lot of work with our clients on getting a higher percentage of the folks who do show up to call, to click, to fill out a form. And then we work with their intake teams on converting those opportunities. And the final piece we work with them is really running a five-star operation—meaning that they’re getting more five-star Google reviews and getting more referrals from past clients and referral partners. So we do a lot of work in those three pieces of the business to help law firms grow, and I really want them to win because when they win, I win. Selfishly.  No, I love it. I love it. So are you like an outsourced marketing department and marketing-sales department for these law firms? How do you see yourselves? What is the role that you fulfill?  Yeah, I mean, we are a consulting agency. So first and foremost, we’re going to help them strategically figure out where to focus. And we have a fully functioning digital marketing agency, so we do websites and SEO and Local Services Ads and pay-per-click and social media and video and lots of AI. And then as a part of our consulting practice, we help with intake consulting that I mentioned before and five-star operations. And a big part of that is just finding the right partners because we’ll do high-level intake coaching and point out if they’re not answering the phone, if they’re not putting the right people on the phone, and then we’ll connect them with one of the top intake coaches in the legal industry.  If their back end is a little rough and needs some help, there’s a number of partners. Like, for example, there’s a really great software called Case Status we recommend to all of our clients. And imagine Case Status is an app. So, like, when we all order an Uber or order food, we get updates. “Hey, your driver’s been selected. Your driver will be here in 10 minutes. Your driver’s waiting outside. Do you want to have a conversation with your driver? What temperature do you want?”  And so there’s a great app called Case Status, which can manage the case in an app format that consumers are really used to. “Hey, we got your MRI booked, and here’s the location, and here’s the time. Don’t forget your MRI is tomorrow at 8:00 A.M. Here’s the location. If you can’t make the MRI, click here. Hey, we got your MRI. We forwarded it to the next surgeon,” in a case of a car accident. So using that software helps our firms get five-star Google ratings and lots more referrals, and that’s just one small piece of the pie.  So within the niche of law firms, is this even a narrower niche of injury law firms that you work with?  Yeah, it’s funny because when, as a business person, you go from working on 200 SIC codes and you pick one, “I’m only going to work with lawyers,” everybody always asks, like, “Which niche within the niche are you?” But by the nature of our business, 50% or 60% is personal injury, just because those guys are really invested in marketing. They spend a lot of time and money on it, and we’ve built a little reputation.  But we also have estate firms and family lawyers, criminal attorneys, sex abuse lawyers, securities attorneys. So I always say 50% is personal injury and 50% is everybody else who deals with consumers. Because for the most part, the B2B lawyers, they’re not going to spend a lot on marketing. But we have done some beautiful websites for them.  Very interesting. I have kind of a tangential question, but you may be able to help me answer it because I’m obviously wondering about it. I always see these billboards with the injury law firms promoting themselves, and I get if someone gets in a car accident and there’s a billboard above them, then it’s going to be an obvious thing for them to call, but it probably doesn’t happen that often. So how are these billboards so good for lawyers, or is it just a myth and they’re just wasting their money on it?  No. I think the math is pretty compelling, and the average personal injury firm will make between $10,000 and $20,000 on average on cases. Then there will be one or two or three, what they call whales, every year. So a terrible incident where, like, a FedEx truck or a commercial vehicle hits a family and there’s serious injuries or death involved, and it’s a multimillion-dollar case.  So the lawyers make a third of all the revenue that comes in on those cases, and they do a lot of work and they have a lot of expenses too. But when there’s millions of dollars at stake for just one case, these guys can afford the TV advertising, the billboard advertising, and the digital marketing that they do with us.  So it’s not just a billboard. Yeah. Billboard is just a visible one. It’s basically the general idea that they do a lot of advertising because being top of mind is important.  Yeah, for sure. And if, God forbid, someone you knew had an accident, you’d start noticing that every second ad on TV is also personal injury.  Yeah. Yeah. That’s true. That’s true. So let’s talk about frameworks because that’s what this podcast is about. Business blueprints or concepts that you have developed, you observed, something that helps you make sense or streamline the ideas that you deal with in your business. Anything that comes to mind, something that can be explained in three to five steps?  Yes. Well, I touched on it a little bit a minute ago, and we call it our Law Firm Success Formula. And the first part is attract, the second part is convert, and the third part is five-star operations. But I’ll spend a couple more minutes on it. So the attract piece is, first and foremost, you’ve got to have your website dialed in. You have to have a contemporary website. If your website’s more than five years old, it just sends a subtle, even subconscious message to folks that you’re not current, and the design times change over time.  And also, Google’s functionality is going to change, or the functionality of your website, as it’s friendly to Google, particularly your mobile website, if it’s five years old, is not going to be the current best practice. And Google’s going to come and test your mobile website, and they’re going to send negative ratings back to the algorithm, and you’re going to show up less in the searches. Equally important is your Google Business Profile. And that’s your Google Maps address. And that has to be up-to-date and optimized and constantly updated with new content and blogs and videos and information and photos from your location because I always say that you don’t own your Google Maps, you lease it from Google, but it’s a second and very powerful web presence that a firm can have.  So we do a lot of work on the websites, on the Google Maps, and there’s a whole SEO protocol around local SEO that surrounds the Google Maps listing and how you’re listed on your website and how you’re linked to by local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce and business associations and bar associations. And then the next piece is getting your message out there and optimizing for the AI. And so the AI today that’s important in my part of the business is the SEO AI, or a lot of us are calling it AEO, answer engine optimization. So a lot of the work we’re doing with our clients is answering questions on video, and those videos go on YouTube, and then we also use the video on a blog on the website.  And you can use those videos throughout the internet, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter. Very importantly, add a video to your Google Maps every week. So we generally shoot a series of at least a dozen videos with the client every quarter and have them answer questions. Because again, when you’re asking questions of Google or ChatGPT or Claude, “Who’s the best car accident attorney if I was hit in an Uber?” So we literally answer that question, and the attorney will say, “One of the things I’m getting asked all the time now is, who’s the best car accident attorney if I’m hit in an Uber? Do I need a car accident attorney?” And they’ll go on to answer that question, but literally, we put the question in the video.  The question goes on their blog, goes on their website, goes on their Facebook, their Twitter. So it’s a very effective strategy to target the AEO, or the answer engine optimization. And by the way, there’s a couple other pieces that are very important to come up in the AI. So number one is answering questions. Number two is becoming an expert, so getting written up in journals and your bar association, your Chamber of Commerce, whatever industry you’re in, getting on Wikipedias and things like that, and answering questions on Reddit and Quora, which are the answer engine websites. And then the final piece is some technical stuff you can do on your website, as simple as adding frequently asked questions. Most people only have five FAQs on their website. You should have 50 or 100 today in this world of answer engine optimization.  So the first piece in our formula is attracting traffic to the website and getting the brand right. And then the second piece is conversion. And I mentioned things like answering the phone. Super critical today that you answer the phone. And I know that sounds obvious, but Google’s actually tracking how long it takes you to answer the phone when someone clicks off a Google ad or a Google Maps listing. And if it takes more than 15 seconds and three rings, Google’s going to, again, downgrade you for future listings. And it’s not nefarious. There’s nothing negative. It’s just like when people use Google, Google wants them to have a successful experience.  Yeah.  So if they’re looking for a car accident lawyer or a shoe repair or a pizza, if you don’t answer the phone quickly, the next time, they’re going to put you down a little bit lower in the listings. So conversion is a multifaceted program that we help our clients with: answering the phone, answering the phone with empathy, answering the phone with a professional who can handle the call, not somebody who’s a busy trial attorney or a busy paralegal, and they don’t even want to take calls. So you really need a professional who’s trained to convert those opportunities.  And then we’ve also built some software to optimize any missed calls, and we even have a software when people fill out a form on the website, it immediately sends a text to the intake team so you can call them back. Because we’ve all had that experience where you fill out the form on the website, and you wait five minutes, 10 minutes, an hour, a day. Well, by then, you forgot whose form you filled out, and you filled out a couple other forms on other law firms’ websites or other marketing agencies’ or consultants’ websites, right? So very important that we have the software that immediately texts the form information to the intake team.  They can call the person right back. And then the final piece, I talked about five-star operations, and we have several programs to help our clients get more Google reviews and get more referrals from their existing clients and their referral partners. And one of the subtle things that a lot of people don’t do, and this is the easiest, most cost-effective marketing piece, is just sending out a monthly newsletter.  I mean, every business and every law firm and every marketing agency has to have a monthly newsletter. It’s very inexpensive. You can use Mailchimp or Constant Contact and send out some valuable information, some of your community activities, if you’re speaking at the Chamber of Commerce or your bar association, or I’m speaking at an industry conference. And every time I send out a newsletter, I get two or three calls. “Oh, Jay, I was meaning to call you. We want to redo our website.” Or, “Jay, would you be on my podcast?” Thank you for that, Steve. And just being top of mind increases your business opportunities, those referrals. So there’s a number of those programs that we do to help our clients get more five-star Google reviews and more high-value referrals.  That’s fantastic. You’re really very systematic about it. I mean, this is a huge framework, so I don’t know if we can promote it. It’s not going to be easy to promote all parts of it. But I really like the AEO optimization element: answering questions, becoming an expert on Wikipedia, Reddit, Quora, and the FAQs. Is there anything else there in this AEO optimization that may be important?  Well, the first part about answering questions, I can give you a couple clues there. One of the areas to get questions is to monitor the questions you take on a regular basis. And we use an AI called Fathom that records all my phone calls. And it creates a transcript, and I asked another AI, like a Claude or one of the AIs, to read all 200 most recent sales calls and transcribe all of the questions that I answered more than once. And there were several questions that I answered 20, 30 times and several that I answered two, three, four times.  It came up with 269 questions that I get asked on a regular basis on my sales calls, and now we’re systematically answering those questions on videos and blogs and content on our website because we know those are the questions that we get asked on a frequent basis by people who are interested in our products and services. So if you can find the true questions that you’re asked, I often joke that Margaret, the receptionist, you should give her a little clipboard beside her desk, and every question that comes in through the intake department, you want her to write it down and then hand that off to your marketing department and write a blog post.  Because literally, the questions that people are asking about car accidents or divorces or consulting services or marketing blueprints, those are the questions that people are asking Google, ChatGPT, and Claude. So if you proactively collect and answer the questions, that’s very powerful. And then in the expertise area, things you can do like getting in Wikipedia's, which is hard to get. You really have to be a known public figure today to get approved for a Wikipedia. But Grok has its own Grokipedia, and there’s several other pedias out there. Just making sure that you’re properly listed in all of your industry association listings and your local business associations.  When you just take a look at who’s linking to your competitors, you’re going to find a list of 200 websites that link to and list your competitors, and you can get listed in all those places, in most of those places, because there’s multiple chambers of commerce and business associations and bar associations in every region. And that’s true for every business, not just for lawyers. And then the final piece about the five-star operations, the simplest insight there is if you want lots of five-star reviews, you have to run a five-star business. You have to think of yourself like a five-star hotel.  And when you show up at The Ritz or The Four Seasons, which I’m lucky enough to do a couple times a year because I go to lawyer conferences, and those guys don’t fool around. Even as you pull up, they’re like, “Oh, welcome, Mr. Berkowitz.” I’m like, “How do they know that?” Probably because I told them what type of car I was coming in. Or they’ll ask you, “Are you staying here?” And your name is Mr. Berkowitz. And then as soon as the person hands your bags off and they take you to reception, you’re Mr. Berkowitz for the rest of your stay. They know who you are.  They recognize the staff are trained to give you that high level of service. And then when you go over to the concierge, there’s someone whose whole job is to make your visit great and get you fantastic dinner reservations and nurture your whole relationship, get you theater tickets or concert tickets. So if you think of your business as a five-star operation from the first time they call to every conversation, they should know Mr. Berkowitz. They should be able to pull up your file. They should know what the status of your business relationship is or your legal case.  And in fact, we recommend the software I talked about earlier, so they’re proactively sending you updates on your case. You don’t even have to call in. And the number one bar complaint is, “My lawyer doesn’t answer the phone and doesn’t give me updates on the status of my case.” And I think that’s true for every business. So if you’re proactively sending out updates and information to your clients, they’re proactively happy as opposed to reactively trying to chase you down.  Basically, you cannot fake being a good business. You have to be a good business. But it’s good to be reminded of what it takes to be a five-star service-oriented.  Yeah, you’re right. Yeah. Five years ago, you could fake it. Today, you can’t fake it. The Google reviews are omnipresent, and I think in 70 or 80% of businesses. I saw a data point the other day, people look at Google reviews before they work with a company.  Yeah. That is true. That is true. Well, thanks for reminding me. So what drives growth in your marketing agency business?  I think there’s three big chunks of business opportunities for us. The first one, and the best one for everybody, is always referrals. And so I do a lot of hard work to nurture my referral base. As a matter of fact, I’ve even created my own sort of networking group, if you will, of other people who call on the same types of businesses that I do. And I make sure that I reach out to them and have a quick Zoom call. I met with two of them this morning on just a half-hour Zoom call, finding out what’s up in their life, what type of referrals they’re looking for, and asking how I can give, and giving as many referrals as I get.  So building those relationships, we call it know, like, and trust in networking. And constantly building those relationships and then spending time with them at the industry conferences to really put a focus that I think I made a mistake and I ignored that up until the last four or five years. And now I spend more time at a conference on the trade show floor with the other vendors as I do trying to meet the attorneys, because if you build a relationship with a vendor who has 200 clients, you can get 200 referrals. If you build a relationship with a one-off prospect, you can get one.  Maybe he’ll refer you to someone he does business with. But really building those relationships, those referral relationships, has been fruitful for me. And then the second piece is those trade shows. And there’s an expression we use in my mastermind, which is, “Stage time is money time.” And if you can become an expert and develop a book and a presentation and get featured at your industry conference, that’s the best way to attend those conferences. And if you haven’t spoken on stage at your industry conference, I highly recommend it.  There’s about 10 benefits that you don’t even know about, that people reach out to you beforehand, even before the conference, to book you on their podcast or book a meeting with you or introduce you to someone. At the conference itself, there’s often a green room, which is a private area where you can do some business, where the other speakers are, and often the media is also in the green room. So you’ve got access to some of the most influential influencers at the conference itself. And then obviously, after you’re on stage, everyone wants to be your best friend if you do a good job, if your presentation is high value.  Yeah.  So that’s one of the best conference hacks. And then we try and do everything to optimize having a booth and having a presence at the conference or whatever we’re doing there. We often host a party or a dinner as well. And a lot of times, we do that with our vendor friends that I talked about earlier. And it really gives you a chance to stand out at the conference itself.  And then the third piece is marketing. We’ve been very fortunate and successful. We started a webinar series six years ago, and every month for six years, without fail, we’ve done a webinar. SEO for lawyers, pay-per-click for lawyers, social media for lawyers, video for lawyers, and then branching out into things like EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System. We do an annual business planning webinar. And thankfully, about two years ago, February, one of those videos took off on YouTube.  Something in the algorithm, it just loved it, and people were watching a long time on this video, and they were watching other videos after they watched this video. And I used to be so proud because I had 2,000 or 3,000 people who watched my webinars, and this one started going to 20,000, 30,000. Today, I believe it’s been viewed 95,000 times. It’s called the Top 10 Hottest Technology Tips for Attorneys, and that one seemed to pull the whole channel with it. So now, on a regular basis, we’ll get 50,000 or 60,000 views each month, and our overall channel’s up to 1,300,000 or 1,400,000 views on YouTube.  So creating high-value content has been a great sort of foundation for us, and then we’ll also market that in several different ways. We send emails: “Hey, please come to our monthly live-streaming event. We’ve got a great panel. We’re going to teach you all about the latest technologies in AI for lawyers.” And then those panel partners will promote the event as well. And then we send the emails in advance to the webinar. We post on our LinkedIn, my personal LinkedIn, company Facebook, Jay’s Facebook, Twitter, company Twitter.  And then after, “Hey, a lot of people said they missed the webinar. They couldn’t get the link to work. Here’s a replay of the webinar.” And then we take snippets from the webinar and put it in our social media. So that and a weekly podcast has been very, very powerful inbound marketing and thought leadership marketing for the firm.  Love it. That’s really cool. You’ve got some good processes, and thanks for sharing. This is interesting, the 10 technology tips. And it’s got a good title for sure, and I’m sure that it’s a good niche as well, and well done doing this. So no business is perfect, of course. What is something that you’re actively trying to figure out in your business?  Well, I’ve been spectacularly unsuccessful at hiring salespeople. And a number of my friends in my mastermind say the best day of their life is when they hire a salesperson who can sell better than them. We have a great sales process, and we have a great sales team, but I haven’t yet found the person who’s a little bit more effective in nurturing and closing the sales. So I definitely have some work to do still in building a sales team.  Yeah. I mean, you’re two times Inc. 5000, so you must be growing fast. And in fact, I saw that you doubled the number of employees in the last couple of years. How do you make sure that the leadership is growing with the number of employees? How are you growing your leaders?  Well, Steve, thank you, because that’s one of my favorite topics. And we’re big proponents of EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System, and the book Traction. And by the way, my hot tip to anyone who’s hearing this and is a business owner: don’t read the book Traction first. Read this book, Get a Grip. Because Get a Grip tells you the story of Traction, but it’s told as a story. And if you’re the founder, what EOS calls a visionary, Traction’s more like an operations manual, and that’s for your COO, your chief operating officer. So read Get a Grip, and then we got started three or four years ago self-implementing EOS.  Yeah.  And two and a half years ago, we hired an implementer and did a full-scale EOS, Entrepreneurial Operating System, integration into our business. And that was when we were around 10 or 12 people. And when you’re a small business, five, six, seven employees, all of them can report to the CEO, and we had very hands-on training. And as the business grew and we got to 10 or 12, that’s where you’re supposed to develop leadership specialties.  And obviously, 12 people can’t report to you, and you’re getting busier in sales and marketing and speaking and flying all over the place. So as we built this EOS leadership team, it’s been a real fantastic awakening for me because now there’s people who are very, very competent at what they do. They’re leading each of our departments, and I don’t have to sit in all the seats anymore. I found people who are better than me, smarter than me at what they do to lead each of those teams.  That’s pretty cool. That’s pretty cool. So if someone is running a law firm out there and listening to all that advice and they’d like to learn more, where should they go and where can they connect with you?  Well, the easiest thing is to go to tengoldenrules.com, or I’m Jay Berkowitz on most of the social media because when a new social media comes out, I always grab the name Jay Berkowitz. And probably much to the chagrin of a couple guys who are probably more important than me, Professor Jay Berkowitz and Chiropractor Jay Berkowitz. And if you guys are hearing this, I’m sorry, Dr. Jay Berkowitz, but I’ve got the Twitter and the Facebook and the LinkedIn handle.  Yeah. That’s pretty cool. Actually, I was wondering because this podcast has been running for six years, and I had the recollection that I had a Jay Berkowitz on this show four or five years ago, and I had to make sure that it wasn’t you. So it’s funny that you mentioned this. Yeah. That’s awesome. So this is pretty impressive, not just as a law firm or a law firm owner, but anyone.  I mean, these ideas that, Jay, you shared with us—how to attract people on your website, how to leverage AI and become an expert and create those FAQs and harvest them from your sales conversations, and then how you build a five-star operation so that you actually retain those clients and get them to refer and give you testimonials—that’s very, very valuable stuff. So I recommend all of you to look into implementing some of this stuff or reach out to Jay at one of the Jay Berkowitz handles or on the Ten Golden Rules website.  So, Jay, thank you for coming and sharing your ideas and experiences and frameworks, particularly frameworks. And if you enjoyed listening, then stay tuned because every week I bring a couple of amazing entrepreneurs to this show. So thanks, Jay, for coming, and thank you for listening.  You’re welcome, Steve. Thanks for having me.  Thank you. Important Links: Jay's LinkedIn Jay's website

Lately I've been focused on brief, less than 20-minute episodes that keep your attention while still offering insights and entertainment. What you've been hearing is a brief story of pivotal moment, and then a thread pulled to generate insights about it. I have two goals for you: One – to uncover your related story for you to add to your collection to practice and have ready when the opportunity presents itself. And two – to demonstrate storytelling in a practical, approachable way so you hear how I compose my words, phrases, and use tone-of-voice to add dynamics and meaning. I shared an epic story in episode 446 about a crazy adventure that happened just over 20 years ago when my husband broke his leg about 2 miles from a trailhead on a remote mountain in Montana, and I got our 2 boys, then 4 & 6, my husband, and our two dogs off the mountain and to the emergency room. I've often said that your stories don't have to be epic, they need to be meaningful. My point is that everyday moments of joy, grief, and humor, can be far more relatable than the "I almost died" or celebrity sighting stories. But there is a time and a place for an epic story, for the entertainment value, and for the long tail it generates of meaningful moments in the days, months, and years afterward. The lessons you learned, the evidence of resilience you carry, and the relationships that grew and changed as a result of that epic experience. In episode 447 I shared the story of how my friend Stephanie showed up for me in an unexpected and powerful way, and what I learned from her support about receiving and community-building. Today's story is another related one, and takes place many years later. I was on my way back from a hike with my dog and nodded a greeting to a woman walking up the trail with a variety of small and medium dogs. We smiled at each other as our dogs had a very polite "meet and greet". When I asked about her fur babies, there was a catch in her voice as she said: "These two were my mother's. She passed away two weeks ago." I couldn't see her eyes, we were both wearing sunglasses, but I could feel her grief coming in waves between us. I walked toward her, arms open, and she stepped forward so I could hug her – hard. She sobbed and I held space for her grief. When we separated, she told me about her mom's death and about her mom's life. There was humor laced in with the grief and I was there for all of it. Fully present and leaning in. What the woman didn't know (and I'll never tell her) is that I was experiencing significant grief, too. I had lost my father recently and was still struggling with that grief. We continue to run into each other once in a while, but not often, and just a few months ago I saw her with her partner and dogs on the trail. She said: "Hey there! You know… I still tell the story of how we met, and I still call you my Trail Angel." She hugged me before we went our separate ways. There was a time when it was a real challenge for me to receive – to accept help – and even harder to ask for it. But in the months following my husband's accident I learned a lot about receiving with grace and gratitude. It's taken me a lot longer to learn how to receive with the vulnerability that connects us even more deeply. What I've learned is that when we practice receiving, when we learn to take inventory about our needs and know who to ask for help, support, and encouragement, we become much better at giving, too. I was able to hold space for this stranger because I have received that gift over and over again. It was the months after my epic story of getting my family off a mountain that taught me some of my most important lessons about community. We can't build a strong, meaningful, and sustainable community if we don't allow and encourage others to contribute. And community doesn't happen by accident. We build community when we step out of our comfort zone to say hello to our neighbors, invite them for a coffee or a meal, and learn what kind of giving lights them up. We build community by receiving with grace, gratitude, and vulnerability. It's not easy for most people, especially in the years following the pandemic's social restrictions. But if we don't model community-making for our kids, friends, and neighbors, we will continue to experience loneliness, isolation, and division. I couldn't be more grateful for my community and the early lessons that helped me build it. Knowing I'm surrounded by people who care deeply about me and my family, people who have a variety of skills and abilities that serve a variety of needs – that's what gives me the ability to give when I'm also grieving. Listeners, now it's your turn: What story can you share about a time when a person showed up for you in a meaningful and maybe unexpected way? Did my story remind you of an experience when you had an opportunity to show up for someone when you were going through a rough time, too? Can you share a story of showing up for someone without it sounding like you're bragging or patting yourself on the back? Did you hear how I shared my story to include other characters, developed the story with small details, and shared how it made me feel at the end? I hope you'll collect your stories, practice them, and know when it's time to share so you can connect more deeply and to allow another person to learn from them. As always, thanks for listening to Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will. If you're curious to learn about working with me, visit my website, elkinsconsulting.com to schedule time to chat and sign up for periodic updates about my work, and connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for content about strengthsfinder, storytelling, and public speaking. About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Was verraten Persönlichkeitstests wirklich über uns?

"But every time they had different stories to tell... about how they reflect on this, how they've grown, how they've become more forgiving, things like that." Early in his career, Terry Rubin worked for The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in New York City and was sent to Oklahoma City within 24 hours of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995. His job was to find the stories, connect with the right people to interview, and manage the details of coordinating crew and journalists to interview people onsite. He found a bombed-out church near the site, its beautiful stained glass windows completely shattered, and the stories just started to flow. The relationships Terry developed deepened over time, and the crew returned to that community weeks and months later, hearing how their experience continued to shape their lives.  The stories evolved over time, incorporating more memories, hearing the experiences of others nearby, and with more perspective on how those events changed their lives forever. That's the thing about these big events we experience and hear about: There are millions of stories that come out of them. Each individual has their own perception of events, each person's life changes in small and significant ways that we can't recognize until years later. Those pivotal moments don't necessarily happen at that moment in time. They happen when we look back from a different perspective, when we notice our own courage and resilience, when we realize how our relationships with ourselves and others shifted. As Terry and I talked about his experience then, I was transported to where I was on that day and the way that event changed our communities after. I wasn't there in Oklahoma City, I don't have a direct connection to the tragedy. But I do have stories related to it, and they're relevant and meaningful. The "where were you when...?" questions can bring deep connection, as long we are open to the ripple effects of events and not comparing our experiences in a way that judges them for proximity. Listeners, now it's your turn: Did our stories remind you of your answers to the "where were you when..." question? Can you see now how those experiences shaped your current worldview?  Can you find a meaningful moment that was a direct result of each of those experiences? What do those moments offer in terms of lessons for you? Key Takeaways Pivotal Story: A last-minute assignment to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing coverage launched Terry Rubin's career, accelerating his promotion to field producer at age 29. Core Insight: The experience taught Rubin that meaningful stories are found in small, human moments (e.g., a pastor's resolve, a child's song), not just the epic events themselves. Business Application: This insight now drives Rubin's work at The Professional Communicators, where he helps clients use strategic storytelling to make abstract business concepts tangible and build stronger connections with their intended audience. As always, thanks for listening to Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will. Are you curious to learn about working with me? Visit my website to schedule time to chat and sign up for periodic updates about my work, and connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for content about Strengthsfinder, storytelling, and public speaking. After more than 430 episodes of this podcast, I was recently inspired to change the format of the show. The new format for my show aligns with what I'm learning about narrative identity (how the stories we tell about ourselves internally and externally influence our identity) and demonstrates what I've been teaching for years: Sharing a story to reveal who you are and what matters to you. My hope is that future episodes will offer more clarity about great storytelling and how to  find and explore pivotal moments to demonstrate who we are. About Terry: I am the Co-founder/co-owner of the Professional Communicators, a communication training, coaching, and consulting firm. We have been in business for 9 years, and worked with almost 200 clients and thousands of executives, mid level managers, and sales teams helping them improve their public speaking and communication skills. Prior I was a Journalist for the PBS NewsHour for 20 plus years and a high School Speech and Debate coach. My current work combines the best of those worlds as I help people tell their stories and be better communicators. Whether complicated technical information, loads of data, or wanting to be motivational and call people to action, I help people reach their communication goals. I am married to an amazing wife and have two fantastic kids who are 7 and 9. I am a huge Indiana University sports fan and love the performing arts. Visit Terry's website to learn more, and connect with him on LinkedIn to see the great content he shares on that platform. About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Kevin demonstrates ways you can adopt AI in the next 100 daysSummary of the PodcastOverviewEpisode 2 of a mini-series within The Next 100 Days Podcast where Kevin Appleby and Graham Arrowsmith discuss how AI is influencing their workPre-recording conversation touched on football transfers (Nick Pope, James Trafford) before the formal recording beganKevin identified four or five distinct areas of AI usage he wanted to coverClaude as a Personal AI Assistant (Pre-Call Preparation)Kevin's primary personal AI tool is Claude Cowork, which he connects to email, Notion, HubSpot, calendar, Dropbox, and Google DriveUse case: 10 minutes before a client call, ask Claude to summarise all recent interactions across those sources — it surfaces outstanding promises, discussion topics, and what to raiseClaude can also draft emails into Gmail drafts (not sent), giving a ~90% ready version the user can refineGraham noted concern about integrating a Synology server; Kevin noted most personal data lives in Dropbox or Google Drive and Claude can connect to bothAI Agents Running AutomaticallyKevin runs two scheduled agents without manual triggeringAgent 1 (daily): Scans calendar 30 days out and checks whether each diary entry has a corresponding task in Notion; creates missing tasks automatically, including a Notion page for notesAgent 2 (weekly): Scans upcoming 30 days for GrowCFO Show or Next 100 Days podcast recordings, researches the guest online, and appends notes (bio, website links, suggested questions) to the relevant Notion taskKevin deliberately ignores AI-suggested questions to preserve natural curiosity in conversation, but acknowledges suggested questions are useful for solo-host formatsThe same agent concept applies to client/partner meetings: an agent could automatically pull last interaction notes before any key meetingAdopt AI in Finance Operations (GrowCFO Context)GrowCFO's current quarterly theme is Intelligent Finance Operations — covering the end-to-end finance cycle from purchase orders to final accountsThree-way matching: AI can match purchase orders, goods receipt notes, and invoices automatically; if all match, the invoice is paid without human interventionFraud detection: AI spots anomalies far more effectively than manual reviewReporting: AI can generate board reports and dashboards from accounting systems; demonstrated in a GrowCFO webinar with tech partner Round Treasury using ClaudeKey value: AI removes grunt work so finance professionals can focus on what the numbers mean, not just crunching themAI's Impact on Finance JobsSignificant job displacement expected in transactional/lower-level finance roles; less so for senior finance business partners whose work is relationship-basedChallenge: AI often saves portions of multiple people's jobs rather than eliminating whole roles, making headcount reduction difficult — a pattern observed in shared services projects long before AISupply of finance professionals is falling, particularly FP&A specialists in the US; AI may initially ease recruitment pressure rather than cut headcountMost finance teams are still at the "chatting with ChatGPT" stage, not yet using agentic or Cowork-style toolsA live example of a fully agentic debt-chasing system: an AI agent that checks the debtors ledger, identifies overdue accounts, calls customers, and holds an intelligent conversation about outstanding invoicesAI Connectivity LimitationsClaude's current integration with Xero is poor — only capable of producing basic debtor reports rather than actionable overdue listsCopilot and Gemini do not support Dropbox connectivity, limiting their use in Kevin's personal setupHallucination risk is reduced when AI operates within a well-defined, high-quality data "cocoon" — the importance of a single source of truthFaster Close and Rolling Forecasts"Faster close" — producing monthly accounts quickly rather than 10–15 days after month-end — has been a finance aspiration for 20+ years and AI now makes it achievableRolling forecasts with multiple scenarios (e.g., 0%, 25%, 50% tariff scenarios) can be modelled and run instantly by AI rather than taking weeks to buildAI Governance in FinanceSegregation of duties must be replicated in AI workflows: different agents or human approvers for setting up suppliers, authorising accounts, and making paymentsA single "super AI agent" handling everything end-to-end is not yet appropriate or auditableUsing AI for Research & White PapersKevin used ChatGPT Deep Research to read ~30 published documents from major consultancies (PwC, Deloitte, EY, Accenture, BCG, Forrester, etc.) on AI in finance ops in 15–20 minutes — work that previously would have taken two graduate trainees a fortnightHe gave both ChatGPT and Claude the same prompt and found ChatGPT produced a better overall result, though Claude surfaced some content ChatGPT missed; he combined bothAI is excellent at generating and researching text but structuring the final document, choosing diagrams, and making it consumable remains a human taskVirtual Board / AI AvatarsA GrowCFO partner CFO used AI avatars of their board members to anticipate board reactions to finance reports before presentingKevin tested a "virtual advisory board" in AI, including public figures like Michael Heppell, and received useful diverse perspectivesThe deeper goal: frame board materials to open up discussion rather than trigger defensive reactionsKAIOS — Kevin's AI Operating System (Personal Project)Started from a ChatGPT conversation: "What if everything you've been taught about time management is a lie?" — leading to the insight that most productivity systems just create more tasks rather than freedomEvolved into KAIOS (Kevin's AI Operating System): a Dropbox-based knowledge structure containing Kevin's values, StrengthsFinder profile, career history, stories, and frameworks — accessible by any AI model via instructions stored within the structureA book outline, introduction, and chapter frameworks have been drafted with ChatGPT's help; the project paused in favour of building KAIOS first so the book has genuine personal stories and IP embeddedGraham suggested this could be Kevin's biggest career opportunity — analogous to how MeclabsAI has built a multi-million pound business around systematised marketing knowledgeKevin noted he prefers positioning himself as an expert using AI in finance rather than as an AI expert per se, given how fast the field movesCareer Reflection & Future DirectionBoth hosts reflected on the retirement vs. continued work question; Kevin expressed enthusiasm for staying engaged with AI developments and not wanting to reach the point where technology no longer makes senseKevin acknowledged competitors in the AI-for-finance space (e.g., Nicholas Boucher's AI Finance Club) but sees his differentiation in applying deep finance and personal IP rather than competing directlyGrowCFO Show is approaching episodeThe Next 100 Days Podcast Co-HostsGraham ArrowsmithGraham founded Finely Fettled in 2014 to provide data from The UK High Net Worth Database to marketers targeting affluent and high-net-worth customers. He's the founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, creating lead generation AI Agents & Workflows and introducing the MeclabsAI Platform. Graham is an inCruises Independent Partner, and is building up interest from people around the world in the World's Largest Travel Membership - inCruises. You can sign up and access 21,000+ cruises, hotels and tours by clicking HEREKevin ApplebyKevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He's the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on LinkedIn and at kevinappleby.com

Marcus Buckingham has spent more than 25 years studying what makes people extraordinary at work, and his newest research points to a word most businesses are too nervous to use: love.In this episode of Truth Works, host Jessica Neal sits down with the co-creator of StrengthsFinder and author of First, Break All the Rules to talk about why Net Promoter Score barely predicts anything, why not one of the world's top business schools teaches the most powerful force in business, and how even a Netflix-level performance culture can accidentally train its best people to feel afraid.Marcus traces his own fascination with talent back to a UK brewery with two thousand pubs, the unlikely origin of Gallup's decades of research into what separates great performers from everyone else. He walks through the "five feelings," control, harmony, significance, warmth of others, and growth, that decide whether a customer or an employee ever ends up loving a company, and why skipping the order backfires every time.The conversation also gets personal: what Marcus calls "red threads," the parts of a job someone loves for no explainable reason, why no one else can spot yours for you, and what happens when AI starts writing your performance review before you have said a word to it. Marcus closes with the idea he calls mover and maker, that every person is, whether they notice it or not, making an experience for someone else in every single interaction.Guest: Marcus Buckingham, researcher and author of First, Break All the Rules, Nine Lies About Work, and Love + WorkHost: Jessica NealSubscribe to Truth Works for more conversations on leadership, culture, and what actually makes people great at work.#TruthWorks #MarcusBuckingham #Leadership #Netflix #WorkCulture

"I was frustrated, exhausted, and close to tears, when I suddenly heard a lawn mower outside our bay window. Our neighbor was mowing our lawn." I didn't ask him to do it. I didn't even know he knew the stress that was happening in our house. When my husband broke his leg two miles from the trailhead in a remote part of Montana, I learned about my own resilience, resourcefulness, and grit. It was an epic adventure getting my family off a mountain, and I love to share it when the opportunity arises. But it's not the epic story that holds the most meaning for me. It's the experiences it generates days, months, and years later. I shared the story in episode 446, and this week's episode is about how our community showed up for us in our recovery from that adventure. Most of us are much better at giving than receiving, but to build and nurture a strong community we must be able to accept help with grace and gratitude. Strong relationships require an aspect of reciprocity, not constant selfless service. Listeners, now it's your turn: Did my story remind you of something from your past? Can you see now how that difficult experience helped shape you, and the meaningful moments that were a direct or indirect result of the epic story? What do those moments offer in terms of lessons for you? --- As always, thanks for listening to Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will. Are you curious to learn about working with me? Visit my website to schedule time to chat and sign up for periodic updates about my work, and connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for content about Strengthsfinder, storytelling, and public speaking. After more than 430 episodes of this podcast, I was recently inspired to change the format of the show. The new format for my show aligns with what I'm learning about narrative identity (how the stories we tell about ourselves internally and externally influence our identity) and demonstrates what I've been teaching for years: Sharing a story to reveal who you are and what matters to you. My hope is that future episodes will offer more clarity about great storytelling and how to  find and explore pivotal moments to demonstrate who we are. About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Fixing weaknesses feels productive, but doubling down on what you are already good at is usually what actually moves the needle. This episode explores the case for a strengths-based approach to work, using Gallup's CliftonStrengths assessment (formerly known as StrengthsFinder). It unpacks how the tool sorts thirty-four themes into four categories — relationship building, strategic thinking, executing, and influencing — and why the order those themes rank in for each person matters more than any individual score. Ben revisits his own results from 2002, the year he first took the assessment, and the conversation traces how understanding a low-ranked strength (in his case, analytical thinking) reframed what he actually enjoyed about a job built entirely around data and troubleshooting. The conversation then moves from individual reflection to team application. It covers an example from a leadership team where everyone's top strengths were put on cards with the names stripped out before staffing decisions were made for cross-business projects, removing unconscious bias from who got picked. It also looks at smart partnering, the practice of pairing people whose strengths cover each other's gaps, and a case where reassigning two team members to swap roles turned a frustrated manager's team around within months. For anyone who builds or leads teams, the throughline is practical: strengths data can replace guesswork in who does what, who gets picked for what, and why. **In this episode:**- [00:00] — Intro and welcome- [02:11] — Susie's background: Microsoft, StrengthsFinder accreditation, Red Book Consultancy- [05:40] — What CliftonStrengths is: Gallup's 34 themes and why rank order matters more than any score- [17:28] — Ben's 2002 results: top five and bottom five- [21:56] — Reframing a low-ranked strength: Ben's old job in technical support- [27:39] — Blind card-sorting to remove bias from staffing decisions- [29:27] — Case study: swapping two team members turns a team around- [38:07] — Smart partnering: pairing complementary strengths- [40:20] — Where to find Susie **Guest: Susie Harding**Susie runs the Red Book Consultancy. She spent seven and a half years at Microsoft, where she was chief of staff to three general managers and accredited in StrengthsFinder when Gallup first rolled it out across the UK subsidiary. Twenty years into running her own business, she works across technology, gaming, pharmaceutical, and sports organisations, helping leadership teams turn strengths data into decisions about roles, teams, and where people are genuinely likely to thrive rather than just get by. Connect with Susie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susie-harding-a9b2a74/Red Book Consultancy: https://www.theredbookconsultancy.com --- Listen to the full conversation above, and subscribe so you don't miss the next one. **Listen and subscribe:**Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eUGUEB7sApple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eMHTNE-3YouTube: https://lnkd.in/esq9jDs2Newsletter and archive: https://www.techworldhumanskills.com Connect with Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benpthoughtsElevated You: https://www.elevatedyou.live

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews Tom Rath about his book, "What's the Point?: Turning Purpose into Your Daily Superpower." Rath shares how a rare genetic condition and decades-long cancer battle shaped his focus on using each hour intentionally, prioritizing creating/initiating over passive consumption, and front-loading meaningful work and relationships early in the day. They discuss how phones and constant inputs can produce a false sense of productivity, why carving out thinking time and protecting sleep helps restore agency, and how purpose is built by planting small “seeds” throughout the day rather than finding one big calling. Rath argues purpose and happiness increase when attention shifts outward to serving others' needs, and he emphasizes expanding career exposure so people don't commit to paths after seeing only a narrow slice of options, especially amid AI-driven automation.00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched01:29 Meet Tom Rath02:28 A Life With Memento Mori05:02 Consumer Versus Creator08:04 Take Back Intentionality10:15 Initiator Blueprint14:48 Make Time to Think21:13 Questions That Shape Life24:34 Beyond Happiness to Purpose30:13 Expand Career Exposure35:15 Magic Wand Listening38:24 Closing Thanks and SubscribeHelpful Links:Tom RathTom Rath LinkedInTom Rath “What's the Point” BookTom Rath "StrengthsFinder 2.0” Book

Your stories don't define you. How you tell them will. I'm Sarah Elkins, your host and chief storymaker at Elkins Consulting. If you've been listening to my show for a while, you've probably noticed a big change in the format in recent weeks. Summertime is hard on podcasters! We lose a lot of our listeners this time of year and it can be difficult to be motivated to keep putting out quality content when we know people aren't as likely to listen. This summer I've been focused on brief, less than 20-minute episodes that keep a person's attention while still offering insights and entertainment. What you've been hearing, and will continue to hear in each episode, is a brief story of pivotal moment, and then a thread pulled to generate insights about it. I have two goals for you: One – to uncover your related story for you to add to your collection to practice and have ready when the opportunity presents itself. And two – to demonstrate storytelling in a practical, approachable way so you hear how I compose my words, phrases, and use tone-of-voice to add dynamics and meaning. You've probably heard me say: "Your stories don't have to be epic. They have to be meaningful." But there is a time and a place for an epic story. They can be life-defining, entertaining, and a great way to gather people together. And it's the days, months, and years of related stories generated from the experience that offer far deeper insights and lessons than the experience itself. In today's episode you'll hear one of my epic stories, when, 20+ years ago, my husband broke his leg about 2 miles from a trailhead in a remote wilderness area. I had to find a way to get my husband off the side of a mountain, along with our 4 and 6-year-old boys and a puppy. Over the next few weeks, I'll share some of the meaningful moments that were generated by the epic event. These are the gold of the story - the lessons learned, the deep friendships, and the self-realizations - that happen when you're truly put to the test. This is where we learn grit, resilience, and the importance of being able to receive. After you've heard my story, listeners, it'll be your turn: Were you reminded of an epic event in your life? Can you recall the related stories from that event, the meaningful moments generated by it? What lessons can you take away? Can you share those stories without sharing details of the epic event itself? As always, thanks for listening to Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will. Are you curious to learn about working with me? Visit my website to schedule time to chat and sign up for periodic updates about my work, and connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for content about strengthsfinder, storytelling, and public speaking. About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon sits down with Stephanie Carroll, Associate Vice President for Advancement at Lipscomb University. From a walkable campus two miles from downtown Nashville, Stephanie explains how a Christian university builds belonging, purpose, and a brand people still want to wear.Stephanie grew up in California with parents who encouraged Christian education. That conviction sent her to Cedarville University, into a campus fundraising job, and later to Nashville after a five-year anniversary trip planted the idea. At Lipscomb she describes a rare model: students from age two through a doctorate, plus lifelong learning into retirement. Lipscomb's Center for Vocational Discovery uses StrengthsFinder and Working Genius so students leave knowing their purpose, their calling, and how to put both to work in a workplace, a family, and life.The Lipscomb brand, Stephanie says, should feel like community, belonging, warmth, and connection. That is not a soft substitute for excellence. Students still go on to top medical schools and law schools. Sixty-five percent of alumni stay in Middle Tennessee, which turns the alumni office into a living job network. On merch, she explains that alumni wait for the new designs. She is always asking the Goodson team for new ideas because items have to be useful enough to keep and visible enough to share. Presentation matters as much as the product. A coffee mug in branded tissue and a branded bag is a different gift than a mug handed across a table.The sharpest lesson for any brand is Stephanie's view of the customer. Universities stay loyal for life, two years out, fifteen years out, a wedding, a baby, a promotion. Most businesses stop after onboarding, the one-year mark, and a holiday gift. Stephanie is already looking at AI tools that flag those moments so Lipscomb can show up. The customer relationship never ends. The brands that remember that keep earning the next conversation.Chapters:01:01: Stephanie Carroll joins Lipscomb University in Nashville. 02:07: Age two to ninety-nine: Lipscomb Academy through lifelong learning. 03:18: Country stars, Tight End U, and a campus two miles from downtown. 06:30: How a hated student fundraising job became Stephanie's career. 12:17: An intentionally Christian university built around purpose and calling. 16:46: Deep roots, good debt, and why Christian education is worth the investment. 19:34: Belonging without weakness: what the Lipscomb brand should feel like. 23:08: Why 65% of alumni stay in Middle Tennessee and how that fuels careers. 26:16: Why people still want to wear the logo, and what merch has to earn. 34:00: The customer never ends: what higher ed teaches businesses about loyalty.Resources:Stephanie Carroll LinkedIn   Lipscomb University LinkedIn   Lipscomb University

No matter how much we'd like it to be true, we can't think our way into changing.We have so much information, language, and so many tools to help us understand what makes us tick right at our fingertips. And who doesn't love a quiz, a personality test, a self-help book, or (ahem) a podcast that helps us make sense of ourselves and others in our personal and professional lives?Whether it's Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, your Enneagram, or your astrological chart, you probably have years' worth of exposure to various categories, frameworks, and language to call on. And yet, you still feel like a stranger to yourself in the moments that matter most.Because we can't intellectualize our way through change. We have to feel it. We have to do it.This is where trauma-informed leadership work actually lives, not in collecting more language for what's wrong with you or others, but in helping you recognize the echoes of your own story that are still running the show, and developing the skills to help you take action and choose differently.Today's guest has spent her career studying people, the soul, and how we relate to ourselves and others. But in writing her most recent book, she found she had to dig deeper into her own story and start to really live the work herself. And when she started living things differently, she realized there was no looking back.Dr. Alison Cook is a therapist, psychologist of religion, bestselling author, and host of the top-ranked The Best of You podcast. Widely recognized for her ability to bridge faith and psychology in a way that is both deeply practical and spiritually alive, Dr. Alison has spent over two decades helping people move from feeling disconnected to feeling secure, grounded, and loved. Her books, including Boundaries for Your Soul and The Best of You, have sold over 150,000 copies. She and her husband, Joe, are the parents of two adult children and call the mountains of Wyoming home.Listen to the full episode to hear: How Alison navigated the personal and professional anxieties raised as she brought her own story into her new bookWhy revisiting her adolescence was a deeply vulnerable but necessary piece of learning to notice her inner bids for connectionHow minimizing our everyday wounds impacts us individually and as a cultureWhy doing the inner work of witnessing yourself is part of getting your needs met in the outside worldWhy self-awareness and conscious choice matter when it comes to engaging our controllers and escape hatchesHow developing trust in her fundamental belovedness gives Alison the security to be accountable to the people in her lifeLearn more about Dr. Alison Cook:WebsiteThe Best of You PodcastInstagram: @dralisoncookFacebook: @dralisoncookThe Secure Soul: Finding Inner Strength and Connection When Trust Doesn't Come EasyLearn more about Rebecca:rebeccaching.comWork With RebeccaThe Unburdened Leader on SubstackSign up for the weekly Unburdened Leader EmailResources:FootlooseIrvin D. YalomDopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence, Anna Lembke MDInto the Quiet: Following Jesus in a World of Noise, John Mark ComerTaylor Swift - The Fate of OpheliaPretty in PinkChapters:(00:43) - Introduction (09:46) - Belonging to Our Story (15:53) - Anticipating the Costs (19:28) - Rage Journaling and Attachment Wounds (30:01) - Inner Work and Right Sized Needs (34:22) - Controller Parts Explained (40:22) - Recognize, Return, and Divine Love (43:58) - Leadership Without Othering (48:46) - Inner Life Shapes Leadership (51:25) - Rapid Fire Questions (55:30) - Where to Connect (56:14) - Closing Thoughts

What do you do when you've lost everything? Pivotal Moment: A 2015 wildfire destroyed his home, including the 180-page hard-copy manuscript for his latest novel, Gridless Near Seattle. He rebuilt over and over again, but after a wildfire took out his beautiful log home in the mountains of western Washington along with the 185 pages of his novel, Thomas couldn't bring himself to go back to it. That momentum-killer of loss held him for 7 years - until the right messenger showed up to remind him he's a writer, a talented one, and that he needed to sit down and get started again. He restarted the novel, changed the title to Osprey Gold, and incorporated real-life experiences like his loss of a newly planted vinyard, thanks to highly motivated bears, and the pivot to a legal cannabis growing farm. Curious? Listen to the episode, and then buy the book. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Listeners, now it's your turn: What will you get back to work on, after hearing Thomas' story of resilience and persistence? Who are the people who advocated for you, who are the people you'll listen to when you need a champion and cheerleader? --- From Thomas Lion I've lived a long, colorful life — retiring from major marijuana wholesaling at 25, followed by five fugitive years that ended in an Unsolved Mysteries capture and years incarcerated teaching GED classes. My 1998 memoir was later optioned by Lions Gate. Between Osprey Gold and the Unsolved Mysteries American Fugitive memoir arc that came before it — the long road, the phoenix rise after losing everything in the 2015 wildfires, the rebuild, and the late‑life return to the writing rodeo — I've got a story your Boomer audience will connect with deeply. It's one of those rare indie author journeys that's truly worth telling. My writing comes from lived experience and resilience, with Osprey Gold shaped by the emotional engine of a modern‑day family facing crisis and reconciliation in polarized rural western America. Check out the reviews of Tom's book, Osprey Gold: Amazon.com: Osprey Gold: 9781662970191: Lion, Thomas: Books Interview with Thomas Lion, Author of Osprey Gold - Seattle Book Review Osprey Gold » BabyBoomer.org Book review of Osprey Gold - Readers' Favorite: Book Reviews and Award Contest Remote pot farm has growing concerns over proposed county regulations | News | ncwlife.com --- About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Purpose is the greatest superpower people and organizations have in the world today. The best leaders and cultures know how to unleash their people by staying focused on the point. For Full Show notes visit: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/purpose-superpower-tom-rath/ Jason is joined by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tom Rath for an eye-opening conversation about dismantling the corporate hustle and turning purpose into a daily superpower. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In a fast-paced corporate world where employee engagement is hitting historic lows, how can leaders help their teams find true meaning? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger sits down with Tom Rath—author of massive global hits like StrengthsFinder 2.0, How Full Is Your Bucket?, and his latest book, What's the Point?. Together, they challenge the traditional narrative that purpose is a grand, elusive destination, reframing it instead as a daily practice that fuels sustainable high performance. This conversation moves beyond standard leadership platitudes to address the core mechanics of human energy and contribution. Jason and Tom explore why "follow your passion" is often flawed advice, how to leverage personal strengths outwardly to serve others, and why the 100-year-old industrial mindset of "first in, last out" is actively destroying team productivity. They also tackle the rapid integration of AI, urging leaders to shift their teams from passive responders to active builders. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and team leaders committed to shaping compelling cultures, this episode offers actionable insights on daily habit building, modeling healthy boundaries, and cultivating the connective tissue of purpose within modern organizations. Episode Notes & Timestamps: Intro: Jason welcomes listeners and sets the stage for a conversation on finding meaning and purpose in daily moments. Meet Tom Rath: An introduction to Tom's incredible background, the evolution of his work from StrengthsFinder to children's books, and how he sets his personal temperature. Applying Strengths Outwardly: Tom discusses how to use self-awareness tools not just to look inward, but to ask: "What do the people around me need?" The Myth of the Grand Purpose: Why we need to stop viewing purpose as a mythological destination and start treating it as a daily superpower built through small interactions. Why "Follow Your Passion" Falls Short: A breakdown of why passion is too self-centric and why focusing on contribution and meaning is better advice for incoming generations. Dismantling Hustle Culture: Jason and Tom challenge the "all gas, no brakes" industrial mindset, highlighting how daily habits like sleep and boundaries drive real productivity. AI and the Shift to "Builder" Mindsets: Tom shares how AI has transformed his workflow and why leaders must help their teams transition from passive responders to active creators. The Power of Congregation: Exploring the future of work and why creating connective tissue through intentional gatherings is a leader's greatest competitive advantage. Key Takeaways for Leaders: Micro-Purpose: Stop searching for a grand life mission and start asking "What's the point?" in daily meetings and tasks to build a consistent, daily superpower. Model Well-Being: If leaders preach work-life integration but send emails from the beach, the culture will default to exhaustion. True productivity requires modeling actual rest and boundaries. Embrace the Builder Mindset: Use emerging technologies like AI to offload routine responses so your team can focus on creative building and strategic contribution. Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/purpose-as-a-superpower-tom-rath/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason

Your stories don't define you. How you tell them will. Hi! I'm Sarah Elkins, your host and chief storymaker at Elkins Consulting. If you've been listening to my show for a while, you've probably noticed a big change in the format in recent weeks. Summertime is hard on podcasters! We lose a lot of our listeners this time of year and it can be difficult to be motivated to keep putting out quality content when we know people aren't as likely to listen. This summer I've been focused on brief, less than 20-minute episodes that keep a person's attention while still offering insights and entertainment. What you've been hearing, and will continue to hear in each episode, is a brief story of pivotal moment in my life, and then a thread pulled to generate insights about it. I have two goals for you, dear listeners: One – to uncover your related story for you to add to your collection to practice and have ready when the opportunity presents itself. And two – to demonstrate storytelling in a practical, approachable way so you hear how I compose my words, phrases, and use tone-of-voice to add dynamics and meaning. In today's episode you'll hear two stories from my past, and a recent story that demonstrates insights from them. We experience meaningful moments every day, things that shape who we are and how we behave into the future, but most of us don't think about life that way. I've heard people talk about how raising kids takes a village, but when it's time to offer assistance and support, they quickly turn to judgment instead. Shaking their heads and "tsk tsk"ing under their breath, as if a parent doesn't see your expression or hear your judgment. And that's not helpful. Most of us have been on the other side of the equation, accidentally cutting someone off in traffic, and then a few minutes later honking at someone who does the same thing. Or allowing our frustration to erupt in a loud voice at our kid, and years later judging a parent for the same behavior. It was my experience as a parent that helped me see things from that perspective, but it shouldn't take being in their shoes to offer compassion and assistance. Watching the drama unfold at the airport brought it all back to me, the challenges of being a parent, especially of a toddler, and the ridiculousness of the judgment I experienced. Judged if I lost track of the toddler and judged by having the wrist tether on him. Judged if I give in to the tantrum and judged for walking away from the cartful of groceries. It's hard enough being a parent, with all the self-doubt and exhaustion, do we really need to add external judgment to the equation? Offering compassion to that father was a full-circle moment for me, a pivot-point in the realization that my experiences from the past truly shaped who I am today. Listeners, now it's your turn: Did a memory come back to you when you heard my stories in the episode? Did you see yourself in one or more of the characters, and did that generate an insight or discomfort in you? Remember, discomfort can be a powerful tool for self-reflection! Is there something you'll intentionally be more aware of after listening? Something you'll try to do differently when faced with an opportunity for compassion and support instead of judgment? ----- About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

If you've been listening to my show for a while, you've probably noticed a big change in the format in recent weeks. Summertime is hard on podcasters! We lose a lot of our listeners this time of year and it can be difficult to be motivated to keep putting out quality content when we know people aren't as likely to listen. This summer I've been focused on brief, less than 20-minute episodes that keep a person's attention while still offering insights and entertainment. What you've been hearing, and will continue to hear in each episode, is a brief story of pivotal moment in my life, and then a thread pulled to generate insights about it. I have two goals for you, dear listeners: One – to uncover your related story for you to add to your collection to practice and have ready when the opportunity presents itself. And two – to demonstrate storytelling in a practical, approachable way so you hear how I compose my words, phrases, and use tone-of-voice to add dynamics and meaning. In today's episode you'll hear an early episode of my podcast, #17, recorded and posted in December of 2017 called Desperate for Connection. I'm re-sharing it, nearly 6 years later, because it's still so relevant – even more relevant now. I don't know who unearthed this old episode, but when I looked at recent analytics for my website and podcast, this one had suddenly re-emerged. So I looked at it and listened to it and had a pretty big insight. Some of us were already talking about the desperation for connection we were seeing in our communities, even before COVID-19, even before our political environment was so seriously compromised and created irreconcilable division. It feels meaningful, this recovery of an old episode right now, as if I could see where things were headed and voiced my concern years before things really devolved. After you listen, it'll be your turn: Did a memory come back to you when you heard my stories in the episode? Did you see yourself in one or more of the characters, and did that generate an insight or discomfort in you? What will you do with this insight or discomfort? I hope you'll  see yourself in one or more of the characters at different times in your life, and that you'll make active, intentional decisions to shift the dynamic of loneliness by connecting with someone with genuine care. Whether that's offering a real, loving smile to a cashier at the grocery store or coffee shop, holding the door open for the person behind you, smiling and waving to let someone into a busy intersection or highway, or offering assistance to someone struggling to carry a heavy load. About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Part of "Proverbs: How to Build a Life," Grant Clark opens the first of a two-part look at wise counsellors, asking why we need trusted voices speaking into our lives at all. The argument is simple: to build the kind of life Jesus has for us, we need other people. Next week's message turns to how to choose those voices.Grant opens with a scene from the BBC comedy "Amanda Land," in which a mother turns to ChatGPT for help talking to her teenage son, and ends the night asking the chatbot whether she is a good mother. He notes that in April 2025 OpenAI described one of its own updates as "overly supportive but disingenuous," excessively flattering and sycophantic, and rolled it back.The cultural data he cites: a 2026 Pew finding that 10 percent of American adults had used an AI chatbot for emotional support or advice; KFF finding 16 percent had sought mental health advice from AI in the previous year, rising to 28 percent among 18 to 29 year olds; and an ABC report that roughly one in five young people aged 12 to 21 in the United States have used AI chatbots for mental health support. Research from OpenAI and MIT associates heavier use with greater loneliness, emotional dependence, and reduced real world social interaction.The whole book of Proverbs is itself a conversation between a wise counsellor and someone who needs wisdom, a father speaking to his son. Not all voices carry equal weight. Proverbs presents a cast of characters, some to seek out and some to avoid:The Wise (Proverbs 1:5; 3:13-18; 9:8-9)The Simple / Naive (Proverbs 1:22; 7:7; 9:4; 14:15)The Fool (Proverbs 1:7; 12:15; 15:5; 26:1-12)The Scoffer / Mocker (Proverbs 3:34; 9:7-8; 13:1; 15:12; 22:10)The Wicked (Proverbs 4:14-19; 10:6-7, 24-32; 12:5-7)The Righteous (Proverbs 10:3, 6-7, 24-32; 11:5-8; 24:15-16)Lady Wisdom (Proverbs 1:20-33; 8:1-36; 9:1-6)The Forbidden Woman (Proverbs 2:16-19; 5:1-23; 7:1-27; 9:13-18)The Friend (Proverbs 17:17; 18:24; 27:5-6, 17)The Parent / Instructor (Proverbs 1:8-9; 2:1-22; 4:1-27; 6:20-23; 23:22-25)A wise counsellor is someone whose life we know and want to imitate, not simply someone with a confident voice who always knows the right thing to say. They fear God, they are humble and teachable, they listen carefully and speak honestly, and they want our good more than our approval.## We all have blind spots.Proverbs 12:15 and Proverbs 21:2 set the problem: the fool's way is right in his own eyes, and all a person's ways seem right to him. A wise person accounts for their own biases and preferences and goes to others for clarity. Grant tells of a friend who returned from a conference having learned that the average person has 2.8 blind spots and asked his wife to name them, and of his own weekend at the beach where everyone but him could see he was covered in a rash. The point of both stories is the same: other people saw what he could not see himself.Christians have more reason than anyone to expect to find sin and blind spots, and more reason than anyone to be secure when they hear it."The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope". - Tim KellerMany people will tell you what you want to hear. Wisdom is choosing on purpose to be told what we need to hear.Independence makes us Foolish. Community makes us Wise.## Three cultural forces that keep us from asking."I Know Best""I Know Myself""God Told Me"The first is the pull of individualism, which hears asking for help as weakness. Proverbs 18:1 answers it: one who isolates himself pursues selfish desires and rebels against all sound wisdom. The second leans on self-knowledge, the Enneagram, Myers-Briggs, DISC, StrengthsFinder, family of origin work, attachment styles, Keller's "Counterfeit Gods," all good gifts that can still tip into "I am the expert on me." The third is a privatized faith that cannot be questioned. Ephesians 3:12 is true, in him and through faith in him we can approach God with freedom and confidence, and we do hear from God ourselves. But underneath all three sits the same assumption, that I can discern God's wisdom without needing God's people.## Many and sound.Proverbs 15:22 says plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 20:18 says finalize plans with counsel and wage war with sound guidance. The words to notice are "many" and "sound." Many, because going to a single voice makes us codependent on it. Sound, because the voice should be helpful, godly, thoughtful, unbiased, honest, and pointed toward Jesus and his Word. Proverbs 13:20 adds that the one who walks with the wise becomes wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.Reflection Questions:1) What are the loudest and most influential voices in your life, at the moment?2) What content are you consuming, that could be shaping how you think about, see, and respond to the world?We do not go to many counsellors for permission or for consensus. We go for clarity. Grant recounts the decision to move his family from South Africa to San Diego, and a Zoom call in which Chris Winant heard his worry that the move might be a pandemic era overreaction and answered that the decision was not Covid caused but Covid inspired.## Give wise people permission to speak.Identify them: people who know you, who fear God, whose lives you would want to emulate, and who will tell you the truth. Invite them, because no one knows you are wrestling with something unless you say so. Give them permission to ask any question. If what they say is hard to hear, you do not have to accept it in the moment, but go away and pray and process it. Test the counsel against Scripture, in prayer, and against the character of Jesus. Then take your next step.## Start with Jesus.Through the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5 to 7, Jesus repeats "you have heard it said, but I say to you," which means following him involves unlearning as much as learning. In John 14:6 he says he is the way and the truth and the life. Matthew 7:24-27 closes it out: both builders hear the words of Jesus, both build a house, both face the same storm, and the difference is that one acts on what he heard. Jesus is not only our wise counsellor. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and he asks us to hear his words and do them.Two closing questions. Who has permission in your life to tell you something you do not want to hear? And is there a decision you are currently making alone that you should bring other people into, not for consensus or permission, but for clarity?Verses referenced:Proverbs 12:15Proverbs 21:2Proverbs 18:1Proverbs 15:22Proverbs 20:18Proverbs 13:20Ephesians 3:12Matthew 5-7John 14:6Matthew 7:24-27

Welcome to episode #1048 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). Tom Rath is one of the most influential voices in the fields of leadership, strengths, wellbeing, and human performance. A researcher and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books including How Full Is Your Bucket?, StrengthsFinder 2.0, Eat Move Sleep, and so many more, Tom's work has shaped how millions of people think about work, health, and personal development. His latest book, What's the Point? - Turning Purpose Into Your Daily Superpower, challenges one of today's most common assumptions: that purpose is something we discover once in a lifetime. Instead, Tom argues that purpose is built through everyday actions and by focusing less on ourselves and more on how we contribute to others. In this episode, he explains why the future of work demands a fundamentally different mindset as AI reshapes traditional jobs and organizations. We explore why responding to tasks is becoming less valuable than creating new ideas, why careers will likely become more entrepreneurial and project-based, and why younger generations are right to expect more meaningful work. Tom also discusses the changing relationship between employees and employers, the limits of personal branding and self-awareness, and why looking outward toward customers, colleagues, and communities ultimately creates more fulfillment than endless introspection. Throughout the conversation, he makes the case that the greatest opportunity in the age of AI is not simply becoming more productive... it's becoming more human by asking one deceptively simple question before every meeting, every project, and every day: What's the point? Enjoy the conversation... Running time: 57:18. Hello from beautiful Montreal. Listen and subscribe over at Apple Podcasts. Listen and subscribe over at Spotify. Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Thinking With Mitch Joel. Feel free to connect to me directly on LinkedIn. Check out ThinkersOne. Here is my conversation with Simon Rogers. What We Ask Google - A Surprisingly Hopeful History Of Humankind. The Data Journalism Podcast. Datablog. Google Trends. Follow Simon on X. Follow Simon on Bluesky. Follow Simon on LinkedIn. Chapters: 00:00 The Evolution of Purpose in Work 02:54 Navigating the Changing Landscape of Thought Leadership 06:00 Reevaluating Work Relationships Post-Pandemic 08:59 The Quest for Meaning in Modern Jobs 11:59 Rethinking Career Paths and Opportunities 15:00 The Impact of AI on Work and Purpose 18:00 Redefining Purpose in Everyday Interactions 21:04 The Balance Between Personal Branding and Purpose 23:58 The Future of Work and Employee Wellbeing 30:36 The Changing Office Landscape 34:18 Exposure to Diverse Careers 36:12 The Importance of Broadening Horizons 37:32 Service and Community Engagement 38:55 The Shift in Job Perception 40:25 Rethinking Work and Experience 42:47 The Rise of Entrepreneurship 45:08 Creating Value Beyond Traditional Employment 49:30 Purpose in Organizations 52:12 Looking Outward for Well-Being 54:12 Advancements in Health and Well-Being

Purpose isn't something you find once and follow forever. It's something you practice every day. Tom Rath is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of StrengthsFinder 2.0, How Full Is Your Bucket?, Eat Move Sleep, and his latest book, What's the Point?: Turning Purpose Into Your Daily Superpower. After decades studying what helps people thrive, Tom believes we've been thinking about purpose all wrong. Instead of waiting to discover some singular calling, he argues that purpose is built through the choices we make and the questions we ask every day—starting with one simple question: What's the point? In our conversation, we explore why leadership has become too self-focused instead of centered on what others need, how small daily decisions shape a meaningful life, and why the rise of AI makes human judgment, relationships, and genuine conversations more valuable than ever. If you're looking to lead with greater intention, make better decisions, and build work that truly matters, this episode offers a practical framework for turning purpose into something you live—not just something you chase. Find episode 523 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Tom Rath on The Daily Question That Changes How You Lead https://bit.ly/TLP-523 Key Moments [04:03] The leadership belief Tom has changed his mind about in six years [05:42] Why purpose isn't a grand concept, it's built into every hour [08:34] Passion vs. meaning vs. purpose, and why "follow your passion" is bad advice [11:12] Balancing self, purpose, and business reality — managing the leadership "triad" [14:46] The radiologist study: how a simple photo changed diagnostic accuracy [17:10] Why leaders are the worst role models for well-being, and what to do about it [20:51] How AI is rewriting the social contract between responding and creating [22:55] Success vs. usefulness, and what headstones actually say [24:40] The "two deaths" — Jim's take on legacy and what outlives us [28:18] The one habit leaders can't skip: modeling, not mandating [32:29] The single question Tom believes every leader should ask daily [35:41] How Tom's view on team fabric vs. self-understanding evolved since StrengthsFinder [37:20] The common thread across all of Tom's books, from bucket-filling to purpose Memorable Quotes "Purpose is really something that you build into every hour of your day." "I think being useful is a lot more important [than being successful]." "Success and achievement push you further into the hamster wheel in a lot of cases." "If the hour is your currency and the response is your hammer, you will have the first jobs to be automated and displaced." "Leaders on average are the worst role models in that regard, full stop." "The more time you spend focusing on your own happiness and how to make yourself happy, that has diminishing returns and doesn't really work out as well as most people imagine." "You don't always know that you have tomorrow. You got to do it today." "Our strengths are only relevant in the context of a relationship or a contribution to the world." "The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity." - Leo Tolstoy Explore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts! These are the books mentioned in this episode Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Tom Rath Website | tomrath.org/careersight Tom Rath LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/trath Tom Rath episode | TLP198: Life's Great Question - with Tom Rath

Your stories don't define you. How you tell them will. Hi! I'm Sarah Elkins, your host and chief storymaker at Elkins Consulting. If you've been listening to my show for a while, you've probably noticed a big change in the format in recent weeks. Summertime is hard on podcasters! We lose a lot of our listeners this time of year and it can be difficult to be motivated to keep putting out quality content when we know people aren't as likely to listen. This summer I've been focused on brief, less than 20-minute episodes that keep a person's attention while still offering insights and entertainment. What you've been hearing, and will continue to hear in each episode, is a brief story of pivotal moment in my life, and then a thread pulled to generate insights about it. I have two goals for you, dear listeners: One – to uncover your related story for you to add to your collection to practice and have ready when the opportunity presents itself. And two – to demonstrate storytelling in a practical, approachable way so you hear how I compose my words, phrases, and use tone-of-voice to add dynamics and meaning. In today's episode you'll hear about a pivotal moment that changed me, a story filled with grief and joy in the same moment. Jewish tradition emphasizes that humans are uniquely capable of holding space for seemingly contradictory emotions at the same time, grief & joy, sorrow and gratitude. That it's part of our human experience, and the reason grief can feel so heavy and liberating at the same time. Given that my family experienced a lot of grief over the course of around two years, first my father-in-law, then two close friends who had fatal accidents but were otherwise healthy, and then my father, it's not surprising that those two years had me deeply rethinking my priorities. Which is why this pivotal moment, the one I'm about to describe, came as a surprise to me. I was sitting in a church, attending a memorial service for the mother of a dear family friend. I don't have a memory of reading her obituary, though I'm sure I did. What was deeply memorable was what the majority of people said as they took turns standing and speaking about their mother, grandmother, aunt, colleague, and friend. Almost every one of them mentioned receiving birthday cards and letters every year. They spoke about what it meant to them to see the envelope with her handwriting on it, that they waited until the day of the birthday to open it, no matter how many days ahead it arrived, that they treasured seeing the perfect card she would select, the beautiful, thoughtful words she would write, the way they felt when they held the paper in their hands – seen, loved, valued. Witnessing this outpouring of similar stories made me wonder what stories my family and friends will share when I'm no longer living among them. It was a pivotal moment - a reminder - that if I want to avoid regret, I must live in alignment with how I want to be known. Listeners, now it's your turn - What stories do people tell when you're not around? What stories are you sharing about your loved ones that will continue their legacy beyond your lifetime? The stories we tell about people say everything about who we are and what matters to us, so what stories are people telling about you? Are they consistently in alignment with the legacy you want to leave behind? --- Thanks for listening to Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will. Are you curious to learn about working with me? Visit my website, elkinsconsulting.com to schedule time to chat and sign up for periodic updates about my work. --- About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

In part four of the Permission to Change series, Lesley Logan reframes changing your niche as recognizing the superpower you already have. She walks through a simple self-awareness map built on three buckets, your values, your skills, and your interests, and shows how the overlap points to work that feels aligned instead of forced. She shares how her own experience shaped the way she built OPC and Agency. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Finding your superpower and what it is that you do.Building a self-awareness map from your values, skills, and interests.How to find the sliver where your interests meet community needs.Using your values as a filter for every future yes.A Pilates analogy that proves alignment shows up through movement.Episode References/Links:StrengthsFinder - https://high5test.com/cliftonstrengths-freeLesley on Pilates Perspectives - https://beitpod.com/pilatesperspectivesSubmit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questions If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  You need to understand that you are not starting over. You're not restarting. You are refining because you have years of accumulated wisdom. You have years of achievements, years of data that you have survived every one of your bad days. Lesley Logan 0:16  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan 0:59  Welcome back to Be It, babe, but we are talking Permission to Change again this week. We're going a little deeper. This is a little more nuanced. This hopefully gives you some questions to ask yourself when it comes to finding your superpower and what it is that you do, so you don't have to start all over. Because oftentimes it's not actually that we have to start all the way over; we often just have to maybe even just redefine our title, or redefine who we're reaching out to, or who we're inviting into our lives based on having, like, "Oh, hold on, this is what actually lights me up," or "This is what people love about me." We've had some really great guests on the show who are all StrengthsFinder coaches. There was a woman we had recently in the last year who I loved so much out of Utah, and then there was a guy out of Texas that I really, really liked. When you understand what your superpowers are, it really helps you sometimes relook at what your role is. Sometimes that means you get to stay in that role, but you just have different responsibilities. And sometimes you have to totally leave, right? Or you actually just do a lateral change. Like my neighbor, he actually took a lateral promotion because he really wanted to be working on developing people's skill sets in the business versus always talking about the data. So that's really cool.Lesley Logan 2:17   The guest we had, she talked about how she found herself really wanting to be a support tool, showing people where they could grow, what their superpowers were, as opposed to doing the actual day-to-day work. For me, in the last episode, I talked about how I had created a niche that I wanted to explore out of, and the reality is, because I figured out what my superpower was in that role, it allowed me to apply it to another job. So I didn't get to stay in that job. I got to apply it to my personal, my Profitable Pilates business where I coach people. Because what I'm super, super good at is helping people achieve what their goals are, right? So I want you to have ways of kind of figuring that for yourself, because it may actually allow you to see, "Oh, maybe I'm spending too much time in the areas that are not in alignment, and this other area over here that is in alignment, if I could just spend more time there, I could actually continue on doing things and be in more alignment." Look, I love that you listen to this podcast, seeking out support and inspiration and answers, and that's awesome. And I hope you keep doing that. Also, sometimes we're too often looking outside ourselves for the right answer or the next trend or the perfect formula. I see this all the time in the Pilates industry. Everyone's chasing whatever is going to get them more views instead of talking about what they do best, because most of them don't know. We ask people all the time, "Who do you help? How do you help people? What's your superpower in that?" And they're like, "I help everybody with everything." No way, no fucking way, no way. There has got to be people you would not help. Would you help people who don't want to listen? Okay, well then you don't help everybody, right?Lesley Logan 4:05  Do you help people who don't want to do private sessions or don't want to do group sessions? No, you actually do have a niche. You do have something in there. So I really want us to, I hope that this gives you some permission to recognize that you can curate your own space by going inward and really asking yourself some deep questions that could help you see that you're a badass, right? I did an episode with Balanced Body's podcast called Pilates Perspectives. It came out in June of 2026, so this year. I hope you listen to it because we talk about how, like Joy says, I created a niche within a niche, and I was like, "Yeah." I really created what I needed because it didn't exist, or at least if it did exist, I didn't feel welcome. And I hope this episode gives you permission to curate and create what it is that you need, so that you can show up the way that you want to in full alignment. Okay?Lesley Logan 5:00  I think it's really easy, people look at what I do, and they're like, "Oh my God, she was just all-knowing. She's like I don't know, like I was dropped out of outer space and exactly what I'm doing." But I really did create it, and I created OPC based on like, I was traveling a lot, and I wanted my people to have a way to take class when I was traveling, but I also didn't want them to lose what it is that they loved about in-person classes. That's how I created OPC to be different than what's out there. I created Agency, Profitable Pilates as a space not for franchise owners of 70 studios, but for the single to one or two studios, like the homeowner, home business to single studio or two-studio business owner because they were being left out.Lesley Logan 5:47  The business advice out there is all bro-style, all about KPIs and numbers, and not at all about impact, right? So I created what is needed in the world. Those people, those studio owners need that kind of support because, yes, they can make good money impacting great people. But if they're only listening to the business coaches out there, it's based on churn. It's actually accepting the fact that people are not going to stick around. I want your people to stick around, so I actually want you to have client retention. I want you to get them the benefits that they want. So I am one of those people who sees what's out there and then makes it my own. If you remember my decoupage shoe story, I saw painted shoes and I was like, "Oh, I could do that with this thing, and then that would solve this problem over here." So I'm not an inventor, but I am definitely someone who can spiral out a good idea to help a group of people who don't feel accepted in that, who don't feel seen, right? Like in the Pilates Perspectives podcast, I talked about how I became a Pilates instructor. At the time, it was very weird to not be a dancer and be a Pilates instructor. So I just, now it's not weird at all, but back then it was so weird, and I felt embarrassed, and so I really had to. I became a teacher who clients who didn't feel like they belonged in those spaces could be with, and then that led to teachers feeling like they could be safe in my space, and that led to this. Not that there's anything wrong with the dance teachers at all, that's not what I'm saying. But, you know, we all can't make everyone feel seen. Some of us are better off at making certain people who are who we once were feel the most seen.Lesley Logan 7:30  So, how do you go inward and get into a self-awareness map, if you will, to figure out what unique things you have, so you can get alignment? Okay, so you're going to have three different little circles or groupings that you're going to do. So the first one is values. So when you go into your values—and we actually in Profit Pilates have a great course on how to figure out what your values are. You can actually buy it. It's a really fun little tool that you can do, a little strategy you can do, but your values, right? What are your values? So I want you to think of wherever in your life that you're trying to change, right? So if it's a friendship role or a family role, what are your personal life values? Or if it's a role in a job that you have or in your business, what are your business values, right? What are those values, and then when you have those down, it's going to help you really understand why you're going to say no to things. Because if things don't align with your values, it's not going to work. Now, how do you use those values to find life alignment? Well, I want you to kind of think about if you are in your values, you are actually protecting your peace, your honesty, and your nervous system, right? And your values will have probably changed from today than 10 years ago. So if you haven't done this in a while, it's probably time to update them. But when you look at those values, it's really going to be helpful to go, "Okay, so in the area of my life that I'm trying to change, in the niche that I'm wanting to realign, what about it is out of alignment of these values?" This way, you're going to understand what you should be avoiding, and then also what about it is in alignment with my values. So then you're not throwing the friendship, the job, the event, the thing, the routine out the window. You're going, "Okay, I can keep this part, but this part has to change," and then you can use your values in a way to figure out how that's going to change, right? Or you can ask questions, or you can sit and pause and percolate on it. But you can also just say, "Hey, moving forward, I'm absolutely down with these three things that I said I would do. These two things over here, I'd love to meet with you to see how we can find a new way of doing them, right? Because they're just feeling misaligned."Lesley Logan 11:18  Or maybe there is something that people are needing that would tap into your weird skills, right? Maybe you're really good at listening. Maybe you're really good at organizing. Write them down.Lesley Logan 11:29  Next bucket, I want you to write down your interests. So if it's business, if it's what you do, what are you the most interested in? I have people who are so interested when they come to get coaching from me. I'm like pelvic floor, scoliosis, neurological conditions, osteoporosis. Great, write it down and then go back through. Do you have all the skill sets you need for that? No. Okay, that's on your to-do list. Okay, how does it align with your values? All these things go together, right? What are the world's interests? Like, what are the people in the communitywhat are their interests? Because you want to know what your interests are, and then what are their interests? Because there's going to be a happy little medium, and that's where you're going to plant yourself, right? What do you naturally research or talk about, or what do you do when no one's paying attention or no one's paying you, right? Those are your interests.Lesley Logan 12:17  Okay, so when you can get these things written down, and you can look at them, and you can start to see, "Okay, this is where these overlap. This is where I'm missing some stuff. This is where this is going on. Oh, my interest is this thing over here, but their interest is this thing over here." Okay, whoa, they feel really far apart. Is there a place where those two things overlap in one sliver? It's a little sliver, right? Like if you like Italian and someone likes Mediterranean, there is a sliver of overlap in those two things, right? So, how can you put all this down and then take a moment to see? This is your self-awareness tool. This is how you're going to figure out how to continue to align yourself in things that make sense for you. This is how you're going to start to change things, because if you base things on your values, it becomes a really great filter. If you say yes or raise your hand for things that are within the skill sets that you like and overlap with your interests, oh my gosh, you're going to feel like everything is something that's enjoyable and not a heavy lift even on bad days.Lesley Logan 13:24  So you, my love, you need to understand that you are not starting over. You're not restarting, you're refining, because you have years of accumulated wisdom. You have years of achievements, years of data that you have survived every one of your bad days. And we know everything evolves, and we let other people change their minds and other people do new things. We've got to allow ourselves to pivot because we're not throwing away our past. We are taking every lesson, every communication skill, every ounce of confidence we've ever had, and we're channeling it into something that's lighter and better focused, that's in alignment.Lesley Logan 14:09   And so, I know it's hard when you're a professional overachiever, but I want you to normalize taking some action, some imperfect action, something messy, because that is how you're going to get clarity in your refinement. If you try to plan this entire pivot out, this realignment out without actually taking steps, it is not going to work out because you're not going to be getting to collect data along the way, right? Just like when we do Pilates, I don't watch someone stand still to see if they're aligned. I could, but I actually watch them move because it lets me see: is there any part of that movement they find alignment that they work with balance, or oh no, they always are imbalanced? So that's exactly why when they're standing still, right? We find alignment when we move. You will find alignment in taking action. You will find clarity, and you're refining who you are. So, full permission here granted to refine who you are, to be more aligned with what feels good to you. And I would love to hear the changes that you make, or the things you discover, the values and interests that became more clear. Just send it to thebeitpod.com/questions. You can send your wins in there as well. We'll celebrate you on Fridays. And my love, I hope you like the series. I hope it's helpful for you or a friend in your life. Please share it, and that is how this podcast grows. And until next time, Be It Till You See It .Lesley Logan 15:38  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 16:21  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your hosts Lesley Logan and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 16:25  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 16:30  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 16:37  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 16:40  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it." — Henry David ThoreauHave you ever tied your self-worth to your career success? In our fast-paced world, it's one of the most dangerous traps there is...Brooke Taylor built her career in the high-pressure hallways of Silicon Valley. Yet, despite the external validation, Brooke found herself trapped in a cycle of "manic ambition" and severe burnout. It was a profound personal crisis that forced her to dismantle her own definition of achievement. Today, Brooke is the secret weapon for elite executive women at the world's most influential organizations, including Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, and Uber. Her new book Healing the Success Wound has just been released. In this episode:• How to build a world-class career without destroying your life in the process.• Where your Success Wound comes from—and the exact process to heal it.• Why high achievers mistake success for self-worth.• How to maintain a high-performing career without turning your home life into a second job.Let's WIN THE DAY with Brooke Taylor!_

I've said this before, and I love the reaction I get from people: "If you have to tell people you're an expert, you're probably not doing it right." In this week's episode of Your Stories Don't Define You you'll hear my answer to a question from when I was a guest on a podcast, and the insights I continue to gain from it years later. Scott Ferguson asked me this question on his show It's Time To Shine Today: "What's one question people should ask when interviewing professional development coaches they might want to work with?" My answer might surprise you. It surprised him, and he has asked hundreds of coaches that question! In early 2018 I walked away from my first keynote presentation feeling great, knowing I did a good job because quite a few guests at the conference wanted to talk to me afterward. I received great evaluations a few weeks after the event, and people wanted to know if my book was available for sale at the conference… (I hadn't written it yet, but that's beside the point.) It was clear to me where I could continue to improve, and when I look back at that time, I know I did well. But I also know that just a few years later I gave a keynote that was significantly better. More refined and more polished, more engaging and with "stickier" language. And now, as I prepare for a keynote I'll give soon, I feel even more accomplished as a speaker. But the thing I keep coming back to is that as good as I feel about my progress and where I am now, I know that with practice and coaching, I may see exponential improvement over the next few years. I'm not done learning and developing as a communication professional and speaker. Here we are, friends, with another episode about how we can uncover a powerful, meaningful story and insights from what could be perceived as a simple question: "What's one question people should ask when interviewing professional development coaches they might want to work with?" Your answer to a question like that says everything about who you are and what matters to you. Listeners, now it's your turn: What question would you ask if you were considering hiring a coach for your professional development? Have you been asked a question that uncovered something important about your own progress and who has influenced you? What memory came back to you as you listened to my story and the insights I gained from that single question? Now that you have this reminder about the stories you share, what's one story you might choose to share differently? The stories we share say everything about who we are. --- After more than 430 episodes of this podcast, I was recently inspired to change the format of the show. The new format for my show aligns with what I'm learning about narrative identity (how the stories we tell about ourselves internally and externally influence our identity) and demonstrates what I've been teaching for years: Sharing a story to reveal who you are and what matters to you. My hope is that future episodes will offer more clarity about great storytelling and how to  find and explore pivotal moments to demonstrate who we are. --- Thanks for listening to Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will. Are you curious to learn about working with me? Visit my website, elkinsconsulting.com to schedule time to chat and sign up for periodic updates about my work. --- About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Megan Applegate spent twenty years in hospitality before becoming a recruiter, resume writer, and career coach. In this episode she and Lesley Logan dig into why finding work feels so different right now and what still gives people an edge in their career. Megan shares grounded strategies for standing out, rebuilding confidence after a setback, and getting noticed by the right people. Whether you love your job or are ready for a change, this conversation gives you real steps to feel ready for what is next. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Why the old resume playbook may no longer get you hired.Mapping job descriptions to prove you already qualify for the role.The old colleague trick that quietly dissolves imposter syndrome.Optimizing your LinkedIn so recruiters can actually find you.What you should never say when an interview gets uncomfortable.Episode References/Links:Gecko Hospitality – https://www.geckohospitality.comMegan Applegate on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganapplegateMegan Applegate on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dreamjobaheadStrengthsFinder Test – https://high5test.com/cliftonstrengths-free/Career Blueprint Solutions - https://beitpod.com/careerblueprintsolutionEp 691 ft Clare Solly - https://beitpod.com/ep691Submit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questionsGuest Bio:Megan Applegate, Founder of Career Blueprint Solutions. After a powerhouse 20-year career in the hospitality industry, Megan did the unthinkable: she walked away from the familiar to build a recruiting and career development empire, with zero formal training and no financial safety net. Today, as the Founder of Career Blueprint Solutions, she uses that same "all-in" grit to help high-achievers navigate their own pivots. Known as the Recruiter Insider, she deconstructs the hiring process through her proprietary T.A.P. Protocol, moving professionals from "guessing" to "certainty" and helping them architect a legacy career that matches their true market value. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Megan Applegate 0:00  I think most people just don't know these days what the strategy is, and to know that there's so much that they do that's probably already at that next level in the first place.Lesley Logan 0:15  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 0:57  All right, Be It babe. We're gonna get into it, because this episode is great. This is for those of you who are like, "Oh my god, I don't love my job, but I don't want to work for myself," or, "Shit, I'm out of a job and I need help." We have the resume queen, I literally called her a doula, she is so great. I learned so much. I don't even need a resume right now, or probably hopefully ever, I love what I do, but I know many of you do. No matter what your role is in this world, there are tips for you here. I don't care if you love where you're at, you're going to want to listen to these tips or write them down. They're so, so tangible, tactile, things you can actually do and check off and feel good about yourself. So, here is Megan Applegate.Lesley Logan 1:41  All right, Be It, babe. I'm really excited. We haven't had a topic like this in a long time, and it's definitely time to be talking about this topic. And we have the best guest I could even think about, because I was doing a lot of research on this one, and I'm really excited because Megan Applegate is here, and she is... well, I'm gonna let her tell you everything that she does. So, Megan, what do you rock at?Megan Applegate 2:00  Yeah, so thank you for having me, Lesley. I'm very excited to be here, and I'm one of those people that was a 20-year veteran in the hospitality industry, and thought I loved what I did for so long until I realized that I didn't. And when that happened, I didn't really know, and next I had something fall in my lap, and now I've turned into a recruiter, a resume writer, a career coach, and entrepreneur in the last seven years. So a huge pivot, huge turn, but I love what I do now. It's completely different. It's a beast in both ways, right? Good and bad, if there is a good or a bad, I don't know that there always is, but I love what I do.Lesley Logan 2:48  Oh, Megan, I agree. Nothing's ever as good or as bad as we think it's going to be, but there's always the good and the bad. But hold on, 20 years in hospitality? I mean, I don't even know how one person lasts in hospitality. That's a long time to deal with the people.Megan Applegate 3:01  Yeah, yeah, it is.Lesley Logan 3:04  Was it like, did you have to deprogram, or did you have to remind yourself you're not in hospitality anymore? How did you, you know what I mean? It's hard to make a big shift to shift careers.Megan Applegate 3:15  Yeah, I would say yes and no, only because part of what turned into a different career involves hospitality, so it made it a little bit easier when I was approached with the opportunity to get into the first business that I own and do, and then from there it came into a second one that I own on my own now. So, with that being said, I still actually love hospitality. I still love the people, and I know it so well. But now I get to recruit in it and help people find jobs in it. So it's almost like just taking what I already knew and learning a whole new sector of it, which I think is cool.Lesley Logan 3:56  Right, right, like going to a deeper level on that. So, instead of being, I guess, B to C, where you're working with the people in the hospitality, now you're working with the people who are going to work with the people.Megan Applegate 4:08  Correct. Yeah, on the recruiting side, it's both. It's finding the clients that need us to help them with the headhunting, finding these top talented professionals, and then also being the advocate and that career agent for the candidates, and understanding both sides of what that looks like. A lot of people only know one side and they don't know both, and so it's almost like an advantage to understand how to help people navigate that knowledge that you otherwise have, right? Because.Lesley Logan 4:41  The hirer is like, "We need these people who can do these things."Megan Applegate 4:44  Yeah.Lesley Logan 4:44  And then the people are like, "How come no one's looking at my resume? How come people don't see the greatness that I have?" And really, you're kind of a mediator slash negotiator slash doula.Megan Applegate 4:59  Yeah, it's been an interesting adventure. I'm seven years in deep with this change, and it's proven to move me in all kinds of different directions, which I'm excited to get into.Lesley Logan 5:13  Yeah, I would love to get to that. Before we dive into some stuff, I do want to chat about... seven years is a long time to look back at who you were and how that was. When you were leaving hospitality and coming into this, or maybe you fell into it, were there things that you had to work on with yourself to step into this? "I'm now the entrepreneur, now I'm not working for this company, I'm working for myself." How did you help yourself change that mentality?Megan Applegate 5:42  Yeah. Well, there's all kinds of emotions. I think there's so many we could talk about, right? It's very sticky. You're excited but scared. At some point I didn't trust myself. So, there was a lot of working on understanding that you just have to keep trying new things to see what will work, and to trust your expertise and what you're learning to do, and I think that was a big lesson for me. I think, as an entrepreneur, I just had this vibe of, like, now I get to be as successful as I want to be, right? I'm going to make so much money and all these things. Because when you're working for somebody, there's a cap on you, and so when you change into that mode of "I'm so passionate about what I do and my expertise," when you don't see that happen overnight, it can be a little daunting, you know, to be like, "Wow, hey, is it me? Am I doing something wrong? Can I not trust myself? Am I not..." I mean, there's so many things, because if you've never owned a business, how do you know, right? So, I think there's a lot of that that went into setting the ground rules of understanding you just have to take every day, every day, every day, and learn and learn and learn, and you will pivot and pivot and pivot, and I still do to this day. I think, "Can I do this differently? Should I do this differently?" I think I'm on my third version of the newest business I have, just because I keep learning.Lesley Logan 7:18  Yeah, I understand that a lot. I love that you share that. When you work at a place, you get to leave at the end of the shift or the day with your salary, going, "Okay, I did the things I was supposed to do on this day," or, "I'm behind on two things, okay." But when you are working for yourself, you really have to define what "done" is and what success is, because otherwise it can feel like it's too easy to go with vibes. I've been working for myself for so long, and I still have to remind myself to not go off vibes. My husband's like... I'm like, "Oh my god, things aren't going really well right now." He's like, "Let's look at the data, because vibes... no, we're not doing vibes right now. Data is always better." Lesley Logan 8:04  Okay. So, one of the reasons why I have you on is because I do feel like right now there's a lot of uncertainty when it comes to finding work. If people have a job, they're staying whether they like it or not, which always bothers me, because we shouldn't let employers treat us badly or be in a place that's not right for us. But there's a lot of uncertainty, and then there's people who are wanting to switch careers and look into something else, and this is Be It Till You See It. I wanted to pick your brain and talk a little bit about how can people who are seeking out work highlight themselves, or what should they be thinking about? I don't know, that's 17 questions, Megan. You are the expert here. I haven't had to fill out a resume in so long.Megan Applegate 8:47  Yeah, well, neither have a lot of the clients I do work with, truthfully. Things have changed and shifted so much lately in what looking for a new job is and what that strategy is. It used to be like if you had longevity, you had great companies on your resume, and you had a few connections, then it would be super simple. And now people come to me, and they're like, "The game has changed, what do I do?" Because it is, especially with AI and all of the platforms that are involved, and all this weaving in of... you can't just rely on what you've done in the past. Right now we're in a huge employee market where it's very competitive to look for a job. People are being flooded because you make it so easy to apply to jobs these days. You just hit the easy button, right?Lesley Logan 9:47  Yeah, I just heard this ad where you can almost pay for this extra thing so you're the first person, you're on the top of the pile. You remember how you used to be able to pay to be "A" on Southwest Airlines? Like, pay to get your resume to be the top of the pile on those online things. I was like, "Oh my god, this is just like... that's only the people who have the extra money can do that."Megan Applegate 10:09  Well, honestly, and I don't even know that I believe that, really knowing what I know about how that works. And so it's all about understanding that you have to be a problem solver, and you have to realize that if you can paint the picture... it's like your resume is a sales document. We are so in tune as humans to not understand what we are actually really good at, and no one seems to understand that they need to keep track of all of these wins. You get in a job and you just get so focused on what you're doing in one lane that we're never thinking two more steps or two more years down the road to be like, "Am I documenting? Do I know what I want to do next? Am I continually networking with people? What am I doing right now that is above what every other person is doing?" If you're not constantly thinking about that and understanding that you're creating your own brand, you just get stuck in the hole, and then five years later things have changed, and you're like, "Oh my god, what am I doing?" And it's very scary. You're thinking, "Well, I have all this experience, and I meet this job description that's online, but yet no one's calling me." That's where I have realized, in my experience, there's so many nuances around getting through the ATS system, getting by the recruiter who looks at your resume for 10 seconds, finally getting to the hiring manager, and then trying to convince them in that one-third of your resume of why they should call you. There's so many different things. I wish I had a magic bullet just to say "do this one thing and you'll be fine," but unfortunately it's a strategy. It's truly a game these days.Lesley Logan 12:04  And it's so... you're like... so on the podcast every Friday, we celebrate wins. I think they're really important. Most people won't send a win in until they've completed something, and I'm like, "A win is, you know, you got up today." Sometimes that's a win. But I love that you highlight: are you documenting things that you're doing or things that you've learned? Because I have found, since I don't have to build a resume, one of the things I have to do is submit to get CECs for things that I train people on. So I have to show that I've had education from these places, or to teach this workshop, "When did I learn that thing?" And if we're not taking time for just a little document, just some running note like an achievement or a compliment you got at work, I love this, because then, with the help of AI, you can really put your wins together in a nice, concise little paragraph. You could do that, but if you're not documenting, it's really hard to remember what you did two years ago. Especially when you're not happy at your job, you're forgetting that you had a win.Megan Applegate 12:59  Yeah, and it's not just always about what you do individually. It's about looking at what you're doing as a team. And people think, "Well, I can't take credit for that," and I'm like, "Why not?" They just get very down in the weeds of what should be on a resume, and it becomes this long laundry list of things that are not relevant, and I think that that is one of the biggest things is before you can build that, you have to know where you're going. I mean, who is your audience? Who are you talking to?Lesley Logan 13:33  So then do we have to change our resume for every single application?Megan Applegate 13:38  No, no, you don't. No. And honestly, a lot of people have that in their head that they have to. There's definitely things you can tweak within the resume, just keywords in general, if that fits more specifically to one thing versus another in your industry, if it's this job versus this job. But no, you shouldn't have to change it every time. You just need to have a point of view. You need to be somebody that solves problems, and you need to know who your audience is, and you need to know where you're going. If you don't know, then again, how can you put together your narrative of what problems do I even need to set to solve?Lesley Logan 14:29  Yeah, I agree. And I love this, because this episode's coming out after my girlfriend and I chatted about exiting a job, either on your terms or not on your terms, right? And so we had a really good chat about that, and this is such an even greater follow-up because ideally you're thinking about this before it's not on your terms, right? Ideally you're doing this while you have something else, because there's a lot more confidence while you're getting paid to go look for something else. I always say it's easier to get another job while you have a job. I guess I worry about some of my people who have that fake imposter syndrome, I call it fake because they are successful, they have done amazing things, and for whatever reason, they either lost the job that they were in, or their life changed and they had to take a pause in work, and now they're coming back into it. As you said, the game has changed. It's like when people realize the dating game has changed; now the resume game has changed. Is there a pep talk to give people? How do they know where they're going? How do we get them off the ground and go, "You are good, let's pull out these wins." Are there things that they can do?Megan Applegate 15:34  Yeah, I mean, I think that just understanding... I always tell people when I work with them, I'm like, go out on the internet and find... Well, first of all, before you even do that, what excites you? Let's just dive down a little bit further into, "This is what you do, but do you love every single part of this, or do we want to focus on what you truly let go and then you just succeed with? What motivates you? What are your strengths?" Finding that is number one, especially if you're thinking about pivoting. I think there's nothing wrong, I mean, I did it, and yes, it was from a 20-year career into entrepreneurship, but I work with a lot of people that will pivot into a completely different industry. And when we work on that, we start with that: what makes you tick, what would you love to do every day, and get them excited about that. Then once you kind of understand that, you can actually go out and start to truly find those jobs, find where those jobs are, look at those job descriptions, and map what you are really good at with what it's saying. I think that will a lot of times pull people out to be like, "Oh, okay, so I do have a lot more wins and what it takes to get a job." I also say find a colleague, find an old colleague, somebody that can remind you how great you are, because, like you mentioned, the imposter syndrome, that is a huge wall that people bump into all the time. I get comments about a resume that I redo for someone, and they're like, "Megan, are you sure this is even me? I feel like an imposter here," and I'm like, "Yeah, it is you. You just don't understand that it's okay." This is the one time that it's okay to vibe on yourself. Sometimes we don't see it because we're in it all the time, we're in the weeds of our own everyday life, and therefore because we live that, we don't see ourselves as an expert because we just assume everyone has the same kind of knowledge that we do. So I always tell people, find what's important, what you love, find somebody... most people have a BFF at work of some kind, right? Even if it was a couple jobs ago, ask them for coffee, ask them just to be like, "Hey, can you help me kind of energize and re-remember all that I did that was amazing," especially if you haven't written it down.Lesley Logan 18:27  I love this, because one, everybody wants to be helpful. People just want to be helpful, right? And you're not asking them for a job, you're actually asking them, like, "Hey, can we just go over that time we did some things? I'm struggling here." People want to be your cheerleader, and you're gonna give them this opportunity. I think this is a brilliant... I remember years ago, my husband and I were trying to apply for a Global Entry card, and they wanted your last 10 years of addresses. Of course, when you're apartment living, that could be 10 addresses. I remember Brad asking one of his roommates, "Hey, do you remember our address here?" And the guy's like, "I don't know, check eBay." And it was like, oh, hold on, there's this place that's holding all these addresses that I had things shipped to. But sometimes we just have to ask someone. The thing is, they're not in it.Megan Applegate 19:10  They're not stuck in your everyday life that you just live in and assume that everyone else knows what that looks like.Lesley Logan 19:20  Yeah, yeah. Do you think the internal barrier that people get stuck on is the imposter syndrome? Is it not believing in themselves? What is on the inside of people that makes them realize or think that they're not able to do this, to put themselves out there and get a job that they deserve?Megan Applegate 19:40  I think it's partly that, but I don't think it's fully that. I think most people just don't know these days what the strategy is, and to know that there's so much that they do that's probably already at that next level in the first place. So that's why I'm always saying go find some job descriptions. If you're a senior whatever, and you want to be a director, go find what that looks like, and then find where you have correlations to it. Because I think that once you can do that, it helps kind of boost that confidence to be like, "Oh yeah, you know, I can do that," or you kind of understand where your shortcomings are and you can work on, "Okay, so I need more leadership experience," or what have you, if I want to get to where you're going. But if we just kind of stay where we're comfortable... we always talk about we're comfortable, but what does that equal?Lesley Logan 20:44  Yeah.Megan Applegate 20:45  Right? It equals stagnant in the same.Lesley Logan 20:48  Yeah, yeah.Megan Applegate 20:49  So getting uncomfortable is where we need to be..Lesley Logan 20:51  Well, also, that's so funny that you said that. I would never have thought... that's like a total 'be it till you see it.' Look at the job that you'd want to have. What are they asking that that person has, and then you can recognize where you have it and where you don't. But also, there's that statistic that women won't apply unless they're 10 out of 10, and men will apply at a 4 out of 10, or whatever it is. But I love that, because you can really see, and that will help you highlight, "Oh, hold on," it might even jog your memory of the things that you've done and really pull it up there. I think that's a brilliant strategy that I would never have thought about, because it's like, "Oh, this is a job that I've done, so this is a job that I'm ready for." But a lot of people are thinking they have to get promoted before they can go somewhere else to get the job that they want, but you might be able to step into a role at a level that you want to be at because they actually need what you've already been doing.Megan Applegate 21:46  Yeah, and that's a huge part of the recruiting side that I've learned, too. If you want to be recruited for a promotion, and not only what you're doing taking you from one job to another that's the same, you have to have the right signal, if you kind of think about it that way. From a recruiting perspective, not necessarily just a resume where you're actually sending resumes out and that kind of thing, there's so many things that we can do from promoting your own brand, and part of that, especially with LinkedIn, is who... again, we go back to that audience. Who are you trying to signal? Are you signaling to anybody? Are you even visible? Can you get recruited, and if you can, does it point to where you want to go next, or are you stuck in just the laundry list of what you've done? Is it forward-thinking to that next role, or are you just in the past?Lesley Logan 22:49  Can we go this route? Because, first of all, LinkedIn is like a thing. I work for myself.Megan Applegate 22:56  You're like, I'm not on LinkedIn, I don't know. Lesley Logan 22:58  And everyone's like, "Lesley, you've got to be on LinkedIn, because all those women there would do your Pilates classes online because they're busy and amazing." And I'm like, I don't even know how to break through on LinkedIn. But one of my girlfriends, the job that she has now, which is like a dream role, which I can't say what it is, but if I did, everyone would be like, "How did she get that job?" It's because she turned her light on on her LinkedIn. She had it pointing towards what she wanted, not what she was at, and she got it. Someone was like, "Hey, you should apply for this," and then she fucking got it. I was like, "That's how it works?" I had no idea. I would have thought a thousand people were applying for that job, you know? And they might have been.Megan Applegate 23:46  Yeah. Well, but it's true. I mean, honestly, there's so many people that have a profile on LinkedIn, and they might have a picture, and they might have the basics, and that is it. And I'm like, "Why even bother, truthfully?" It's funny that you say that, because I'm the opposite. I am very, very strong on LinkedIn because of what I do, but yet, Instagram, I'm like, "Oh my god, what am I doing?"Lesley Logan 24:15  Honestly, Megan, I really should just learn how to be on LinkedIn, because that might be the safest, quietest, non-stressful place to be.Megan Applegate 24:24  It is. I will agree with that. I do see that sometimes people, if you're a little bit controversial in what you say in advice, some people will get on there. But honestly, those are the times where it just goes, "Oh my god, all of a sudden 15,000 people just saw this because of this one jerk."Lesley Logan 24:46  That's great.Megan Applegate 24:46  I'm pretty sure Instagram could do the same thing, but yeah, LinkedIn is huge, and people don't always see that. I know it's social media, not everyone loves it, especially the older generation, which a lot of times are the people that I work with that get to the point of, "I've been in my job for so long, and I'm just struggling to even get an interview, and what's going on?" So I work a lot with that age group, and they're like, "But I don't know how to be on LinkedIn, I don't know how to be online." I'm like, honestly, you don't have to be active all the time. You just have to have a profile that signals the right thing, that's completely optimized. It uses the right keywords for that job that you want. Have a background image that says your name and your contact information, have a headline that says what you want. Just teaching people how to understand what, as a recruiter, I'm looking for, and what pops up when I'm looking. So you can just do that. You don't have to Lesley Logan 25:53  be active that much because the optimization will do the work for you, because recruiters will find you. And as long as it doesn't look like you've been distant for seven years, it's been updated, it's not as much as like, "I have to post on Instagram almost daily if I want to stay relevant." I don't think you have to do that on LinkedIn to get a good job.Megan Applegate 26:13  No, you don't, because again, there's one side that's the recruiter piece of it that just tells us who you are. Maybe even just sharing things once in a while. You don't even have to have your own feed that says a lot. If you want to become a little bit more of an executive level, I would say posting some, just so that you could be a thought leader. Specifically, your expertise will help you even more, because it just shows you have a voice, a perspective, and you're active. A lot of times when I find somebody, they might look good, but then I realize after talking to them that it's from four or five years ago, and they haven't touched it since, and it's not even updated, right? I'm just like.Lesley Logan 27:03  Yeah, because you don't want to waste your time either. Okay, so you know people are... there's a lot of worry that AI is going to take all of our jobs, and I'm sure at some point it probably will. But is that something that people have to be worried about, or is it again just figuring out what they want to be doing, and then selling themselves above, or do they have to understand how to use it? What is the working job-seeking market right now? What's the misunderstanding about that, that if they just kind of understood it better, they would be able to be hireable or have the dream job that they're still looking for? Because I do think people might be worried that their dream job is gone.Megan Applegate 27:41  Right. Yeah, I mean, that's totally valid, and I agree with you. I can't say that won't happen in some cases. I don't see that happening to an extreme where we're all gonna all of a sudden be unemployed. I think for me, and what I try and help my clients with, is understanding AI, you have to treat it as your friend. You cannot think about it as a negative, because it just is what it is, right? It's here to stay, and if we just push against it, we are just pushing ourselves further down the line of, "I can't, I won't, it's terrible." We have to look at it like, what do you need to do to maybe upskill, so that you give yourself more variety of what you can do in your lane, right? And really, you might have to think about what does that look like. I'm not a prepper personally, that's a lot for me even to think about. But in this realm, in job searching, and in the strategy, and just not even just when you're out of a job, but in general, if we look at the whole of what should we be doing in our world of career advancement, even if we have a job, we have to always be thinking about where does my path lead next. Who can I connect with? Where can I build my brand? Where can I be an expert? Where can I upskill the skills or something I want to do, so that you're always putting yourself to have an option, right? The option, or multiple options, ultimately is the goal. Because when we don't, and all of a sudden shit happens and you get laid off, and you're just like, "Oh, hell, what am I doing?" If you would have put yourself in a position to be ready for that, even if it was a year from now, for people to find you, to have your resume updated, to be present on LinkedIn, to be networking, to have an idea of where you want to go, get in front of having some of those skills, then your life will be so much easier.Megan Applegate 30:00  I love, I agree. I mean, like, it's not, you don't have to be like the prep, or like, the world is gonna fall down, but also, like, having, having, I mean, that's what I mean, just like, have an idea of where you want to go, where you want to grow, and keeping that in your mind's eye, because also you don't want to be at a job that you don't like either, like, that's just gonna suck, and suck you dry. We've been talking a lot, like, to help, like, the employee out. I do want to, like, we do have people who, like, are employers, and I will say, like, recently we had a hire for a role, and we've had the same person for so long, and they went, they're like, "I'm going on maternity leave forever," and I'm like, "That's so nice for you. Okay, great, thanks for letting me know now." But it took, I will say, it took us so long to hire someone because everyone was using AI to answer everything. We love that you can use it, but we actually would like to know what your personality is like. We hire on personality around here, because sometimes you have to do different roles, like sometimes you have to step in and fill for someone. So great, but who are you? Do you fit with the family? What are some things that employers should be doing to have their light on correctly so that they're really attracting? Because that's hard. It was frustrating how many people... Are you using AI on the call right now with me? Are you literally? You're not even answering the question, you're reading the answer.Megan Applegate 31:30  Oh my gosh, yeah, that's hard. I have a lot of clients that started utilizing video more than anything else. And again, I know I could still be reading AI somewhere in this office, right? But we are making people do a lot more video interviews so that you cannot hide behind the phone and things like that. People can see you. We've had clients that are insisting that the candidate basically record themselves for 30 seconds to a minute so that they can send in a video that is not necessarily anything to do with the job, but like, "Who are you? Do you have a personality? Would you fit in? And why would you potentially want to work for us?" And I'll be honest, the candidates are pushing back. They're like, "Wait a second." And I get it a little bit, because we don't want anyone to think that someone's hiring on appearance, right? Because that's the danger zone.Lesley Logan 32:49  Yes, correct.Megan Applegate 32:50  But at the same time, you will eventually be in person with somebody if you're good at interviewing, and you shouldn't just hire somebody over the phone like that. I do see that's where things are going, where they're almost not giving a chance, they have to be in person, they have to show their personalities in order to be vetted, to even be accepted. And getting away... it's one thing to have the technical piece of it, you got to have these platforms, you got to know this, you got to know this. But I think gone are a lot of the predictive index personality tests that you take, and it just says whether you're a great score or not, which I'm just like, man, those suck, right? Why? But anyways, I think that people are going away from that and just trying to get a little bit more personal.Lesley Logan 33:55  Yeah. I love that. For a lot of the work that we've had to hire, sometimes it's just a project-based thing, if people won't get on a camera with us, it's like, "Well, I can't hire you, because how do I know you're the one doing it? How do I know you're not outsourcing it to something else?" I don't want just random people working with me; I want to be working with the person I'm working with. And so that has been an interesting thing, how many people are like, "Oh yeah..." and it's like, "Okay, then no." So, on the job descriptions, we'll do an interview, you have to answer me on camera these things, because we don't want to waste anyone's time. I don't want to waste time with, "Oh, fill this out." And then I will say, for us, we still do a StrengthsFinder test, but after we are pretty sure we're gonna hire them. Because we actually just want to know what are your top five strengths, just so we can fit. Especially if you're my assistant, you cannot have the same strengths as me, because it's not gonna work out.Megan Applegate 34:53  Yeah, no, and I think that's a great approach. One of the companies I work with actually utilizes that when we're looking for recruiters. They're like, make us do something similar, but it's based on the recruiter approach of what makes a good recruiter, right?Lesley Logan 35:15  Yeah.Megan Applegate 35:15  So it's not a break or make; it's like, "Here's how to manage this person.Lesley Logan 35:20  Yes.Megan Applegate 35:21  Based on their personalities.Lesley Logan 35:22  Yes.Megan Applegate 35:23  Based on whether they're more extrovert, or they're more systems-driven compliance, or are they just gonna do whatever they want." So I think that there's definitely value in that, as long as it's truly not a make or break. I have a client we're working with right now where they have to take the assessment first, and that will determine whether they even get their first interview.Lesley Logan 35:47  I think that's terrible, because I'm a terrible test taker, so that would make me very nervous to get past that to get to the interview. I think I would be better after I did the interview, once I knew you don't want to know the person, anyways. Megan Applegate 36:01  Hopefully there was so much to be said, you know. We go in a million different directions, but real quick, when you get to the actual interview side of this whole strategy here, I mean, there's so much to be said about personality, how you can connect with people, how you can make yourself memorable, how you can leave impressions, and people will make decisions on that over anything else.Lesley Logan 36:27  You are 100% correct. Lesley Logan 36:28  I'm definitely someone, I had to give myself a rule of 24 hours. I have to wait 24 hours because I would just get wooed by people. I need 24 hours because the thing that bothered me about them will come to me in 24 hours. But can we real quick, for people who are interviewing, who get nervous, who have sweaty palms... we already know that if you have a confident stance you're more likely to get the job, but also, are there things people should not say in an interview?Megan Applegate 37:01  The only thing I tell people not to say is just don't bad mouth the last employer. Don't place blame, don't say, "We didn't make this because of this person." Nobody wants to hear that, even if you have horror stories and you really want somebody to truly understand and feel for you about what you've been through with your last job. It's kind of a gimme, but you can't do anything like that. Everything has to be positive. And I think sometimes, especially if it's a bad situation, the less you say the better. People are so scared to go in and be like, "But I was fired," or, "Something happened," and I'm like, let them ask you about it, don't bring it up. And then when they do, you state a fact, and then hopefully you point the direction and you move past it. You don't state the fact and then give the laundry list of why. If they want to know, they'll keep asking, and you just have to keep being truthful, honest, transparent, and not placing blame. If you did something wrong, say it, but you are the only one that's seeing that fear there. If you can just be like, "I am gonna say what it is, and then we're just gonna move on," I think that helps a little bit.Lesley Logan 38:33  Yeah, because also it's not like the people who hire you haven't experienced either losing a job or exiting a job. They're human beings too, you know what I mean? They've had people that they love that they hired that got fired, these things happen. So I think that's about not letting it be, "Oh, let me over-explain this thing."Megan Applegate 38:55  It goes back to their resume too. People get really specific about numbers and details, and I'm like, "I need metric-driven information to make it seem like you've got solutions and you're solving problems and all this stuff," which is proven to help people with resumes. But they'll be like, "I don't know about 15% or was it 30%?" and I'm like, nobody will fact-check you, I promise. Don't overthink it. No one is going to be like, "I'm going to call and I'm going to find out if this is true or not." Don't lie—I don't mean that. Don't inflate where it's like, "Really? I question that." But it's more of a psychological impression. You just have to get out of your own way sometimes around that and meet me in the middle, is all I'm saying. Don't be too much this way, and don't be too much this way. You have to be in the middle.Lesley Logan 39:58  Megan, what are you most excited about right now?Megan Applegate 40:02  I am most excited about starting to potentially think about building my own team with the career coach side. I don't think I fully mentioned this before, but the first piece of what I do with recruiting is with Gecko Hospitality. It's a national, recruiting, hospitality-specific firm, and it's a franchise model, which is how I got into it. It was a little bit easier when I first started the business for North Carolina and Missouri. And then from that, four years in, came the baby of this second business, coming into the resume writing and the career coaching and that side of, "Oh my gosh, there's so much that people don't know, I need to help them." So that piece of it, I'm starting to get to the point where I'm ready to build a little bit of a team there. So that's exciting.Lesley Logan 41:01  That's so cool. I'm like, "Oh my god, I'm not even looking for a job, and I want help with my resume from you."Megan Applegate 41:10  I'm sure you went through this too years ago, of just like, "Okay, I can't handle this anymore," and recognizing that starting a business from the ground up, there's so many things to do. You have to know what you're good at and what you're not good at, and figure how to hire people, or at least get help with those things. It took me a long time to realize that; I was just like, "I can do it all." No, you can't.Lesley Logan 41:33  And also, you have to do it all sometimes so that you can hire the right people for it. But also, in order to grow, you've got to, unless you just like it where it's at. But if you want it to be more, you want to help more people, and I actually feel like we're at a place where you're going to have more people who are going to need help with their resumes of standing out. Because with the changes and the companies that are adopting AI, people are going to need to really be thinking about what other things they can highlight that they've done, because there's a ton of stuff that AI cannot do well, you know.Megan Applegate 42:09  Absolutely. They can put a well-structured sentence together, but what information do they have to be able to do that? And then you don't sound real, and that's a problem, like you said.Lesley Logan 42:25  I was watching some ads, and I was like, "AI wrote that," because no one talks like that. No one actually goes "however," and no one says "quippy" in everything that they say. This one girl on Instagram was like, "Oh, I love what you're saying," but you are reading a script that you ran through AI with your idea, and I think I would have just liked your raw idea, because I would have been able... you know what I mean? I would feel like I was talking to a girlfriend; I feel like I'm talking to a bot. Anyways, oh my gosh, well, I'm so excited for you. We're gonna take a brief break and find out how people can work with you and get their resume helped, and their career coaching and all that stuff, and then your Be It Action Items.Megan Applegate 42:56  Awesome.Lesley Logan 42:57  Okay, Megan, where do you hang out? If we've got people who are like, "I should start talking to her now, because I don't know where things are gonna be next year," where can they work with you?Megan Applegate 43:05  LinkedIn, as we talked about, is probably the best place to find me. I've got a couple different businesses, but just find me, Megan Applegate, on LinkedIn. My Instagram handle is @dreamjobahead, and my website is careerblueprintsolutions.com so, those are the three areas.Lesley Logan 43:22  I love it. I love it. We'll link everything below, you guys. This is definitely an episode I know people are going to send to friends, because everyone has a friend who is needing this help right now. You've given some really great strategies, actually. But we love to end with a bold, executable, intrinsic, or targeted step people can take to be it till they see it. What do you have for us?Megan Applegate 43:40  I think we kind of talked about some of it, but if you want my four tips in terms of actually being ready for a job, I would say understand where you want to go, that is number one. Actually go out and figure out, "Okay, I've been in this industry, do I want to stay, and if I do, where do I want to go?" Always understand where that next promotion is. Once you figure that out, go out onto the internet, find those job descriptions, save them, find the key language, the KPIs, the keywords, whatever you want to call it, figure out what they're saying they need and the problems that they solved. Then go to LinkedIn and find two to three people on LinkedIn that have that job, look through their profile, and hopefully it's pretty complete, and figure out what they're doing. Then you have to go and update your resume and your LinkedIn profile to signal where people can find you so they'll call you for that next role.Lesley Logan 44:47  So doable. Like, actually doable, one step at a time. One step leads to the next step, you can't skip ahead, and then you're gonna turn your light on. Megan Applegate 44:56  Turn your light on, be visible. Absolutely, love that term. I'm gonna start utilizing that now.Lesley Logan 45:05  Is it Roxanne? "You don't have to turn your light on," that's the wrong song. There's another song. Brad will tell us what it is on the recap. Megan, you are a gem. I really do appreciate this, because I've had so many people come on and tell people, "Go and follow your dreams, follow your bliss," but some people, their bliss is working for companies and being in a role and doing the good work. This is the first time I've been able to really support them in actionable strategy, so I just want to say thank you for being you and being the blueprint career coach that you are. I feel so grateful. My loves, we already said it, but I'm gonna say it again: send this to a friend who needs to hear it. Leave a review for this podcast. Go check out Megan Applegate's website and her on LinkedIn, that's a great way to start your LinkedIn journey. Megan Applegate 45:54  Go find me and then copy what I did.Lesley Logan 45:56  Yeah, there you go. Sometimes that's the way to do it, right? It's already done, you can just follow along. If you have questions about this, feel free to let us know; I'll happily send them off to Megan. We'll connect you, but you guys, you don't have to sit there and wait for something to happen. You can actually start making changes before you're ready, and that is exactly what Being It Till You See It is. So, thank you so much, Megan. And until next time, everyone, Be It Till You See It.Lesley Logan 46:22  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 47:05  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 47:10  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co. Brad Crowell 47:14  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 47:21  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 47:24  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week's episode came to me as I was working on my second book. I was adding yet another citation about research around how stories affect us, and for some reason, an interaction from a few years ago came back to me. It was a post on LinkedIn that I disagreed with, shared by someone I admire and respect. He was lamenting the criticisms and concerns people were bringing up about the story of Cinderella and the messages that story sends to girls. He suggested that sometimes a story is just a story. We'll set aside the fact that this person is a Rabbi, a Jewish spiritual leader, and that his entire belief system is based on stories. But at the time I didn't have the experience or relevant research that I have access to now, so I couldn't fully make my case. I pushed back in the comments, saying that I disagreed, that we couldn't pick and choose which stories had influence and impact and which didn't. I posted: "Can you tell a 4-year-old that they are expected to learn lessons about morality and ethics in bible stories and fables you share, but to ignore any possible lessons about the world they get through the fairy tales they read and Disney films they watch?" We get signals from everything we consume. When we're reading, listening, or watching, we pick up things that resonate with us, sometimes subconsciously. And stories are especially powerful. As I mentioned in my TEDx talk, bioengineering researchers Jens Madsen and Lucas Perra at City College New York found that when we experience story together, our heartbeats can start to fluctuate in sync. And neuroscientists like Paul Zak find consistent evidence that sharing stories can release oxytocin, the brain chemical associated with feelings of care, connection, and empathy. There's research coming out of Western Washington University that stories influence our identity even before we're verbal. The stories people tell about us give signals about what they believe our personality to be! Think about the conflicts this can generate when we're teenagers starting to explore our identity: We change over time, but our parents and other influencing adults in our lives tell us it's "just a phase", causing us to either rebel or to submit. In this episode you'll hear about narrative identity, and my hope is that you'll take this reminder - again - that stories are powerful, and that if you truly desire peace, safety, and community, you'll be more intentional about the stories you make and share. Listeners, now it's your turn: What childhood story popped into your head when you heard my story about not being good at math? Do you remember what stories other people shared with you or about you related to your story? Can you put the story into greater context now? Math represents a HUGE subject area, encompassing everything from basic addition and subtraction, to algebra, geometry, and advanced calculations. Can you see that failing a math test or even a semester of math doesn't mean you're not good at math overall, but maybe that particular area of math? Can you think of an aspect of your identity that you love, and find a story to support where it came from and how it has been reinforced over time? Now that you have this reminder about the stories you share, what's one story you might choose to share differently? The stories we share say everything about who we are. Thanks for listening to Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will. Are you curious to learn about working with me? Visit my website, elkinsconsulting.com to schedule time to chat and sign up for periodic updates about my work, and connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for content about strengthsfinder, storytelling, public speaking. --- After more than 430 episodes of this podcast, I was recently inspired to change the format of the show. The new format for my show aligns with what I'm learning about narrative identity (how the stories we tell about ourselves internally and externally influence our identity) and demonstrates what I've been teaching for years: Sharing a story to reveal who you are and what matters to you. My hope is that future episodes will offer more clarity about great storytelling and how to  find and explore pivotal moments to demonstrate who we are. --- About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

You won't be surprised to hear that I had another moment of inspiration on a recent hike… This time it was about seeing meaningful, pivotal moments not as the experience itself, but in how we talk about it later. In late August of 2018 my husband and I had an amazing opportunity to travel to southern France to perform with a jazz quartet at two venues. The first was in Arudy on the edge of the Pyrenees Mountains near the border with Spain. It was a sold-out community event attended by 200+ residents of the surrounding villages. Most of our audience didn't speak English or had very limited experience with it. The second performance was on the patio of a small bar in Eygalieres in Provence. We had some serious challenges over those two weeks, some obstacles we couldn't have anticipated and others we simply weren't prepared for. I had lots of meaningful moments, but most of them felt like lessons about what not to do, how to be more prepared for things, what to avoid in the future. About a week after we arrived back home in Montana I had a call scheduled with a new connection I made on LinkedIn a few weeks before our trip. At that point I had resolved not to talk about it because it felt like I could only share the obstacles. In my ears it sounded like I was just complaining about the adventure and ignoring the privilege of the experience, the honor of performing for audiences in those extraordinary places, like I was acting like a spoiled, entitled American. But the first thing my new friend asked was: "How was the trip? I was thinking about you and hoping you were enjoying yourself!" She heard the hesitation in my voice, the pain in my "it was fine" answer. And she switched gears. It was the question she asked next that was the pivot point, not necessarily my answer to it. --- Listeners, now it's your turn: What memory popped into your head when you heard my story? Have you been the person on the receiving end, asked a perfect question to shift your perspective? Have you been the person to ask a question that positively changed something for someone else? From previous episodes you may have a specific image of who I am, did today's story shift that image at all? Did it fill in some gaps for you? The stories we share say a lot about who we are. What's one story you can share differently to reframe the experience with more perspective and context? --- After more than 430 episodes of this podcast, I was recently inspired to change the format of the show. The new format for my show aligns with what I'm learning about narrative identity (how the stories we tell about ourselves internally and externally influence our identity) and demonstrates what I've been teaching for years: Sharing a story to reveal who you are and what matters to you. My hope is that future episodes will offer more clarity about great storytelling and how to  find and explore pivotal moments to demonstrate who we are. --- About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

In this not-to-miss episode of Do Good to Lead Well, I am joined by Marcus Buckingham—the world's foremost expert on human strengths and engagement—for a candid, data-rich conversation about bringing love into leadership. Drawing on his latest book, Marcus redefines love for the modern workplace: not as romance, but as an intentional design for human flourishing and extraordinary results.Our conversation begins with the deeply personal, as Marcus shares the vulnerability and lessons he learned after selling his beloved company, sparking a compelling case for why “designing love in” must be at the core of modern organizations.He also directly challenges the widespread myths that love makes organizations weak or leaders soft. Instead, tough love emerges as a vital force; sometimes the most loving thing a leader can do is share hard truths or make difficult calls. This episode dives into the real-world consequences of unloving practices like inefficient handoffs or unmanageable spans of control, offering concrete strategies for leaders to build truly vibrant, trust-filled cultures.Whether you're a CEO who wants to transform your organization a team leader wanting to create an environment where you people flourish, this episode provides an evidence-based blueprint. Discover why love is the ultimate performance driver and how you can start designing it into how you lead today.What You'll Learn- The power of love at work.- Redefining love in organizations.- From 'OK' to 'I Love It': The J-Curve of Experience.- Tough love: The role of accountability.- What are loving and unloving practices at work?- The ABCs of leading with love (Authenticity, Beliefs, Customs)Podcast Timestamps(00:02) - Introduction and Origin Story(02:17) - Vulnerability and Lessons from Selling a Business(06:00) - The Business Case for Designing Love In(11:22) - Defining Love in Organizations(17:11) - The Critical Importance of “Fives”(23:18) - Loving and Unloving Workplace Practices(32:11) - Tough Love and Accountability(36:17) - The ABCs of Leading with Love(44:02) - Rebuilding Trust and The Five Feelings of Love(51:07) - The Future of Designing Loving ExperiencesKEYWORDSPositive Leadership, Human Performance, Gallup, StrengthsFinder, Business Case for Love, Organizational Culture, Employee Engagement, Workplace Love, Trust, Team Building, Positive Experiences, Spans of Control, Loving Handoffs in Customer Service, Customer Loyalty, Authenticity, Tough Love, Human Flourishing, Loving and Unloving Practices, CEO Success

Not every meaningful moment is big and dramatic. As a matter of fact, smaller moments can be even more electrifying when we take the time to notice them. I had one of those moments last week when I performed as a backup vocalist and played my flute with the band of a friend and talented singer/songwriter at a local bar to a crowd of enthusiastic fans. We were on the patio and the crowd was much bigger for the last hour of our performance, so we pulled out our faster, more danceable tunes. My friend called the name of the last song for the night and it was one I didn't know. She counted off the song for the band to begin and I couldn't hear vocal harmonies right away, so I started improvising on my flute instead. I've been performing in bands for more than 15 years, but performing on my flute for an audience is still new to me. In 2020 when I picked it up after more than 30 years, I found sheet music and learned songs I wanted to play. But this - improvising - is new to me and I'm still tentative as I find the notes and scales to fit the keys of each song. The pivot point in this episode is my observation of myself that evening and the realization of my progress as a musician. It also applies to my journey as speaker and communication coach. I can look back and objectively say I did a good job with my keynote presentations, workshops, and coaching. I have the long-term clients and thank you notes as evidence. I can see my progress over the past 5 years, I know I'm significantly better at these things than I was before. And, even more importantly, I can imagine that in another 5 years I'll be even more competent in my work, because I know I'm not done yet. I still have so much to learn, to practice, and to grow into. ----- Listeners, now it's your turn: What memory popped into your head when you heard my story? Will you jot down a note so you can share a quiet, meaningful story with someone when the opportunity presents itself? From previous episodes you may have a specific image of who I am, did today's story shift that image at all? Did it fill in some gaps for you? The stories we share say a lot about who we are. What's one story you can share to demonstrate one of your talents? About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Christophe Bredèche est VP Produits, Data et IA chez Nexpublica. Avant cela, il a dirigé des équipes de plus de 80 personnes dans des environnements très différents : scale-up, licorne, grande entreprise.Dans cet épisode, il partage un choix que beaucoup de leaders n'osent pas faire : quitter le management hiérarchique pour un rôle d'influence et de construction produit. Non pas un recul, mais ce qu'il appelle un changement de perspective.On parle de complémentarité en équipe, de ce que chacun voit quand on lui demande de dessiner un carré, et de pourquoi les équipes qui ne prennent pas le temps de se coordonner finissent par ramer dans des directions opposées.Christophe raconte aussi comment une demi-journée investie avec six managers a suffi à fluidifier un retour post-Covid là où d'autres équipes ont lutté pendant des semaines.Un épisode sur l'écoute, la complémentarité et le courage de choisir son propre chemin.Pour les aficionados des talents, voici le Top 5 de Christophe : Individualisation, Relator, Positivity, Strategic, Futuristic.Culture Talents est un podcast proposé par Le Labo des Talents.Animation : Florence HardyRéalisation : César Defoort | Natif. ------Florence Hardy et les coachs du Labo des Talents sont certifiés par Gallup, cependant nous précisons que Le Labo des Talents n'est pas affilié ni ne représente Gallup. Les idées que nous partageons ici ne sont pas officiellement contrôlées, approuvées ou soutenues par Gallup Inc. Gallup®, CliftonStrengths® et les 34 noms de thèmes de CliftonStrengths® sont la propriété de Gallup, Inc. Pour plus d'informations, rdv sur www.gallup.com. Envie d'en savoir plus ? Au Labo on est toujours ravis d'échanger, faites-nous signe via Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/florencehardy/ou encore sur www.labodestalents.fr Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Ever fancied teaching dental students part time… but no real idea how you'd actually get in? Are you the kind of person teaching would energise — or quietly drain? Is a PGCert in dental education actually worth it, or just wishy-washy theory? And the honest question nobody asks out loud: does it pay anything? This is an Interference Cast — the non-clinical arm of the podcast — with Dr Rima Hussain, a general dentist who teaches restorative dentistry to undergraduates at King's a couple of days a week. It's a candid look at what a career in dental education actually involves: how to get in, who thrives and who burns out, what the work is really like, and the honest truth about the pay and the rewards. The bigger theme: dentistry is a career you can mould in endless directions — and for the right person, teaching is one of the most energising of them. https://youtu.be/DzmcM-SbD68 Watch IC076 on YouTube What You'll Take From This Episode The full self-assessment and the step-by-step route into a teaching role are in the Premium Notes. Here's the shape of what we cover: Are you built for the classroom? — the two-camp self-check (energised vs drained) that predicts whether teaching will recharge you or wear you down. How to actually land a role — the ‘BDJ Jobs' plus pick-up-the-phone route, and why “who you know” so often cuts through the application process. Relatability as a strength — why being closer to a student's level can beat decades of experience for an absolute beginner. Back to basics — the “monkey see, monkey do” risk from YouTube and AI, and what the tutor's real job becomes. The honest pay-and-balance picture — why you don't do it for the money, what you do get, and how teaching and practice keep each other fresh. Highlights of This Episode 00:00  Teaser 01:08  Should You Teach Dentistry? How to Know If It's for You 04:39  How a General Dentist Gets Into Dental Education 06:15  Signs You're Suited to Teaching Dentistry 08:52  Is a PGCert in Dental Education Worth It? 12:07  How to Land a Clinical Teaching Post at a Dental School 14:38  Why a Relatable Tutor Beats Decades of Experience 16:52  How Dental Students Have Changed Since COVID 19:20  Is Social Media and AI Helping or Hurting Dental Students? 21:55  Midroll 26:43  Why “Back to Basics” Beats Chasing Advanced Techniques 29:20  How to Get a Teaching (or Associate) Job: Pick Up the Phone 31:50  Why Dental Tutors Quit After Six Months 36:29  The Most Rewarding Part of Teaching Dentistry 38:46  Teaching, Practice and Pay: How to Avoid Burnout 44:39  Outro From the Guest Dr Rima Hussain is a general dentist who also teaches restorative (conservative) dentistry to undergraduates at King's College London — a route she fell into via tutoring as a teenager and has been in since 2019. Her advice for anyone curious: you're probably already teaching in some form, so try it; the worst case is you find it isn't for you.

Ever fancied teaching dental students part time… but no real idea how you'd actually get in? Are you the kind of person teaching would energise — or quietly drain? Is a PGCert in dental education actually worth it, or just wishy-washy theory? And the honest question nobody asks out loud: does it pay anything? This is an Interference Cast — the non-clinical arm of the podcast — with Dr Rima Hussain, a general dentist who teaches restorative dentistry to undergraduates at King's a couple of days a week. It's a candid look at what a career in dental education actually involves: how to get in, who thrives and who burns out, what the work is really like, and the honest truth about the pay and the rewards. The bigger theme: dentistry is a career you can mould in endless directions — and for the right person, teaching is one of the most energising of them. https://youtu.be/DzmcM-SbD68 Watch IC076 on YouTube What You'll Take From This Episode The full self-assessment and the step-by-step route into a teaching role are in the Premium Notes. Here's the shape of what we cover: Are you built for the classroom? — the two-camp self-check (energised vs drained) that predicts whether teaching will recharge you or wear you down. How to actually land a role — the ‘BDJ Jobs’ plus pick-up-the-phone route, and why “who you know” so often cuts through the application process. Relatability as a strength — why being closer to a student's level can beat decades of experience for an absolute beginner. Back to basics — the “monkey see, monkey do” risk from YouTube and AI, and what the tutor's real job becomes. The honest pay-and-balance picture — why you don't do it for the money, what you do get, and how teaching and practice keep each other fresh. Highlights of This Episode 00:00  Teaser 01:08  Should You Teach Dentistry? How to Know If It’s for You 04:39  How a General Dentist Gets Into Dental Education 06:15  Signs You’re Suited to Teaching Dentistry 08:52  Is a PGCert in Dental Education Worth It? 12:07  How to Land a Clinical Teaching Post at a Dental School 14:38  Why a Relatable Tutor Beats Decades of Experience 16:52  How Dental Students Have Changed Since COVID 19:20  Is Social Media and AI Helping or Hurting Dental Students? 21:55  Midroll 26:43  Why “Back to Basics” Beats Chasing Advanced Techniques 29:20  How to Get a Teaching (or Associate) Job: Pick Up the Phone 31:50  Why Dental Tutors Quit After Six Months 36:29  The Most Rewarding Part of Teaching Dentistry 38:46  Teaching, Practice and Pay: How to Avoid Burnout 44:39  Outro From the Guest Dr Rima Hussain is a general dentist who also teaches restorative (conservative) dentistry to undergraduates at King's College London — a route she fell into via tutoring as a teenager and has been in since 2019. Her advice for anyone curious: you're probably already teaching in some form, so try it; the worst case is you find it isn't for you.

The people in your life, on your team, and within your organization need your love. Jason Barger sits down with researcher and best-selling author, Marcus Buckingham, for a chat about designing love into the human experience. For Full Show Notes Visit: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/organizational-love-marcus-buckingham/ Jason is joined by world-renowned researcher and best-selling author Marcus Buckingham for a groundbreaking conversation about the empirical business case for operationalizing love within our teams and organizations. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In an era of hyper-optimized efficiency, cost-cutting, and automated human resource networks, why are employee engagement and trust hitting historic lows? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger sits down with Marcus Buckingham, the global authority on strengths, human performance, and the co-creator of StrengthsFinder. Together, they challenge leaders to completely reframe the workplace ecosystem by introducing a metric often feared in boardrooms: love. This conversation moves past soft platitudes to deliver a rigorous, numbers-backed defense of extreme positive experiences. Marcus exposes the systematic pitfalls of the modern "loveless enterprise," where humans are reduced to financial variables like "headcount" or "FTEs." He introduces the curvilinear math of human behavior—the J-curve—proving that incremental improvements in satisfaction yield flatline results, while dramatic spikes in productivity and loyalty happen only when people encounter a top-box "Score 5" environment. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and operations managers committed to evolving their corporate culture, this episode provides a sequential tactical blueprint to reverse systemic disengagement and master the art of intentional leadership in teams. Episode Notes & Timestamps: [00:00] Intro: Jason sets the stage for a conversation on why the world's best cultures proactively design love into their daily performance systems. [00:03] Meet Marcus Buckingham: An introduction to Marcus's 25-year history as a top global researcher, best-selling author, and developer of team-leader technology. [00:06] Testing the Wiring: Marcus shares his top five CliftonStrengths and explores how a leader's unique psychometric profile sets the baseline for their thermostat. [00:07] Experiences vs. Outcomes: Shifting management focus away from top-down directive goals toward actively shaping extreme positive experiences that change human behavior. [00:09] The Loveless Enterprise: A critical analysis of corporate structures that view people through an extractive financial lens rather than as whole human beings. [00:14] The J-Curve Math of Human Performance: Deconstructing behavioral data to show why "fours are effectively ones" and why true performance gains occur only when experiences hit a score of five. [00:23] Redefining Workplace Love: What humans actually mean when they say they love a brand or a mentor: the psychological safety to remove their armor and feel fully themselves. [00:26] Proactive vs. Reactive Leadership: Unpacking why reactive "caring" functions purely like a thermometer, while a loving manager exercises proactive thermostat adjustments to fit the person. [00:35] The Scarcity of Attention: A deep evaluation of healthcare data, illustrating how excessive spans of control systematically drop employee engagement and client outcomes. [00:43] Horizontal Experiences vs. Vertical Silos: How traditional, vertical business structures fragment horizontal employee and customer journeys, creating unloving handoffs. [00:46] The AI Relational Slop Trap: A blunt warning against using generative AI to automate human relational touchpoints, such as writing employee performance reviews. [00:56] The 5 Feelings Sequential Blueprint: Marcus outlines the practical, five-part method to operationalize love inside your immediate span of control: Control, Harmony, Significance, Warmth of Others, and Growth. Key Takeaways for Leaders: The J-Curve Reality: Stop pooling mediocre scores with excellent ones. Realize that driving productive human behavior requires focusing heavily on designing "Score 5" baseline environments. Eliminate Scarcity of Attention: Audit your operational structures and management spans of control to ensure your leaders have the actual bandwidth to pay attention to the humans they guide. The Blueprint Sequence: Operationalize care inside your team right now by systematically protecting your people's autonomy (Control), workflow predictability (Harmony), and individual purpose (Significance). Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/organizational-love-marcus-buckingham/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason

"She stood up from across the aisle and walked over. Stopping in front of my seat, she said: 'I can see that you're struggling, and if you would rather I walk away, just say so. It's just that it looks like you could use a hug, and I'm a hugger.'" In today's episode I'm sharing a story about a pivotal moment in my life, an experience that shifted how I think about grief, and inspired me to be more compassionate with strangers. I almost said no, but something about her made me think if I did, she'd never offer this gift to a stranger again. It was almost as if she was the one who needed a hug. So I stood. She embraced me. And I cried. I guess I needed her hug after all. She held me for a few minutes, until my breathing evened out, and I thanked her as we parted. Listeners, now it's your turn: What memory popped into your head when you heard my story? What did you learn about the characters in the story? Did my story inspire you to do something differently? Jot down a note so you're ready to share your story when the opportunity arises! ----- After more than 430 episodes of this podcast, I was recently inspired to change the format of the show. The new format for my show aligns with what I'm learning about narrative identity (how the stories we tell about ourselves internally and externally influence our identity) and demonstrates what I've been teaching for years: Sharing a story to reveal who you are and what matters to you. My hope is that future episodes will offer more clarity about great storytelling and how to  find and explore pivotal moments to demonstrate who we are.  ----- About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Had an AHA or Insight? Share it:How Maeve Ferguson stopped fighting the inner work and built a business that Harvard professors apply to join.Maeve Ferguson builds diagnostic assessment funnels for the highest end of the thought leadership market. Harvard professors. New York Times bestselling authors. She is data-obsessed, systems-driven, and the last person you would expect to credit her business transformation to weekly identity reprogramming sessions and subliminal audios.She thought hypnosis was training someone to be a monkey on a stage.What Maeve discovered,  after years of having the right strategy and the wrong clients, is that the business is her mirror. She was not attracting the wrong people because her offer was wrong. She was attracting exactly who matched the identity she was putting out. When she changed her identity everything changed.I brought Maeve on because her story is the proof of concept for everything this show is built on. You cannot out-strategy an identity that does not match where you are trying to go. The inner work is not the soft option. It is the only thing that makes the outer work land.We also go deep into the messy middle , the void between who you were and who you are becoming. Maeve moved through her transition in a few months. I am in it right now. If you are somewhere in that space of a personal transformation, this conversation will explain a lot.Listen to the episode and find out.About Maeve FergusonMaeve Ferguson is The Authority Architect, the strategist behind the diagnostic infrastructure that transforms established thought leaders from 'respected but replaceable' to Category of One.Creator of The Client Engine™, Maeve works with 7-10 figure thought leaders, bestselling authors, and industry authorities, including Dr Arthur Brooks, Jen Kem, the Hyatts, Mike Kim and Selena Soo, building the systems that turn intellectual property into infrastructure that qualifies, converts, and scales without them in the room.With a background in Big Four accounting and private equity, Maeve brings data-driven precision to an industry drowning in tactics. Her methodology helps clients build diagnostic authority that rivals Myers-Briggs and StrengthsFinder in sophistication.She runs her consultancy from a working horse farm in Northern Ireland whilst raising two young children. Proof that brilliance with infrastructure actually works.Connect with Maeve FergusonWebsite| LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook _____________________We appreciate you, thank you for listening. Let us know in the comments what resonated in this episode, we want to hear from you. Leave a comment, like, share with one person who needs to hear the message our guest shared. Take our QUIZ and find out what your talent is worth in this market:  What's Your Talent Worth (http://WhatsYourTalentWorth.com)Follow us on Instagram:Check us out on Tik Tok: Work With Us

Driving home from a volunteer shift at the Old Salt Festival near Helmville, Montana, I listened to the last hour of the book The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. As I listened to the characters reflect on their lives to share with others via handwritten letter (and a few emails), I was reminded of the great conversation I shared on this podcast with Amy Daughters, author of Dear Dana. As I mentioned in last week's episode, I was recently inspired to change the format of this show. The new format for my show aligns with what I'm learning about narrative identity (how the stories we tell about ourselves internally and externally influence our identity) and what I'm learning about emotional intelligence through a course I'm taking. My hope is that future episodes will offer more clarity about great storytelling and how to  find and explore pivotal moments to demonstrate who we are. My future guests will be given a story prompt ahead of our call, and instead of a long, organic, multi-insight conversation, we'll dive more deeply into a single story, pulling a thread and revealing a primary insight about the experience, and leaving space for you – our listeners – to remember your own related experience and pull a thread that has the potential to guide you toward deeper self-awareness. I'll be eager to hear your thoughts about this new format, so please don't hesitate to send me a message via social media or email! In today's episode I'm sharing a story about a pivotal moment in my personal life, a long relationship that continues to influence my life and how I experience the world. Mentioned in this episode: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Amy Daughters, author of Dear Dana, speaker, humorist Old Salt Festival, Helmville Montana Listeners, now it's your turn: Did my story remind you of something that happened to you? What memory popped into your head when you heard it? What did you learn about me as a person? Did my story inspire you to pick up a pen and leave a note for someone you care about? What's your related pivotal moment? About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.  

Marcus Buckingham, researcher of high performance at work, co-creator of StrengthsFinder and StandOut, and author of Design Love In, joins me on this episode. Marcus is one of the world's leading researchers on strengths, leadership, engagement, and human performance. He is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books that have shaped how leaders think about people, performance, and potential. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, Fast Company, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and other major media outlets.

If you're a coach who knows you need to be marketing but you freeze because you don't know what to say, this video is for you. There's a little-known strategy that'll help you figure out exactly how to talk about yourself, and it starts with discovering your natural strengths.If you're new to my channel, my name is Debbie Shadid. I'm a Business Growth and Life Coach and the founder of the Business Building Boutique. For over two decades, I've helped women learn how to become coaches, get clients, grow their businesses, and create meaningful income doing work they love.When you know your strengths, you stop sounding like every other coach and you become a niche of one. That's what makes your marketing, your selling, and your signature offer so much easier to build.In this video, we'll walk through:Why most coaches freeze on social media and don't know what to say about themselvesHow the StrengthsFinder test helps you separate yourself into a niche of oneWhat your natural strengths reveal about how to market, sell, and show up with confidenceHow to spot the downside of each strength so it works for you instead of against youHow to build a signature coaching offer that reflects your unique strengthsWhy your strengths give you endless content for social media and SubstackWhen you finally know what makes you different, the marketing gets easier, the right clients start to notice, and you stop second-guessing every post. You're not competing with every other coach anymore. You're the only one who does it the way you do.Ready to get clear on your niche, your offer, and how to talk about your business? Book your free Business Blueprint Call and let's map out your next step together: https://debbieshadid.com/scheduleTake the StrengthsFinder Test:Grab a brand-new copy of the book so you get the one-time test code (you have to cut the page to access it): https://amzn.to/4ax6iBdShop Debbie's Resources for Coaches:The Profitable Coaching Niche Blueprint - Define Your Coaching Niche in a Few Hours So You Can Start Attracting the Right Clients: https://debbie-shadid-shop.fourthwall.com/en-cad/products/niche-blueprintProfessional Social Media Templates for Coaches - 160+ Done-for-You Canva Designs for Feed Posts, Carousels, Stories & Reels: https://debbie-shadid-shop.fourthwall.com/en-cad/products/social-media-templatesConnect with me, Debbie Shadid:Website: https://www.debbieshadid.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbieshadid/Listen to the Podcast:Life Coach Business Building School Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/life-coach-business-building-school-with-debbie-shadid/id1502118085Subscribe for weekly episodes on building your coaching business, finding clients, and creating the life you actually want: https://www.youtube.com/@debbieshadid?sub_confirmation=1If this video was helpful, share it with a coach who's tired of blending in. Subscribe and hit the bell so you don't miss the next episode on building your coaching business.Disclaimer: Some links above may be affiliate links. I only recommend products I personally use and love.Let's connect!Website: https://www.debbieshadid.com Instagram @debbieshadidSubscribe on YouTube#DebbieShadid #LifeCoachBusinessBuildingSchool 

The most important part of your surgery isn't plugged in, mounted, or calibrated. It's the person standing beside you. Have you ever dreaded walking into a beautiful practice with lovely patients — purely because of who you share the surgery with? What do you actually do, in the moment, when your assistant rolls their eyes at a request for rubber dam? And should you be friends with your assistant at all — or does that cross a line you'll regret? This is an Interference Cast — a non-clinical but deeply practical episode — with Dr. Sarah Braun, a dentist in Australia and a fellow Protrusive Guidance member who DM'd to suggest this very topic. No course, no book, nothing to sell: just two clinicians comparing notes (and the odd scar) on the one relationship that quietly shapes your whole working life. It sits inside this month's theme of the relationships that support your career. https://youtu.be/OyztRyPpcHM Watch IC075 on YouTube What You'll Take From This Episode The full breakdown is in the Premium Notes; here's the shape of the thinking that runs through the episode: Engagement is the whole game — the assistant relationship sets the mood of the room, the patient's experience, and whether good people stay. Speak their language — appreciation only lands if it's delivered in the form that particular person actually values. Appreciation is a verb — specific, named praise lands far harder than a vague “good job.” Let them, let me — you don't control how someone reacts in the moment; you only control your response to it. Lead the room — dentistry is a performance, and the room takes its emotional cue from whoever is leading it. Highlights of this episode: 00:00 TEASER01:13 Why This One Relationship Can Make or Break You03:49 A Non-Clinical Interference Cast: What to Expect04:47 Meet the Guest: Nine Years In, City to Country07:01 A Week in Private Practice09:15 How Much Does the Dentist–Assistant Relationship Matter?11:01 Engagement at Work: The Gallup Lens12:30 People Remember How You Made Them Feel14:21 When the Relationship Turns Toxic15:23 The Power Imbalance You Might Not See18:11 The First-Day Conversation20:52 Keeping Your Assistant Engaged22:23 Specific Praise Beats a Vague “Good Job”23:55 Midroll27:37 You Can Only Control Yourself29:34 The Eye-Roll Moment: Let Them, Let Me31:23 Off Days vs Patterns32:12 Appreciation, Gifting & Speaking Their Language35:32 Run the Relationship Like It Matters36:48 Friends With Your Assistant, or Keep Your Distance?39:08 A Best Friend at Work: The Engagement Link41:15 Advice for New Grads: Start With Time Management44:26 Teaching as a Tool: Show Your Working Out48:05 Wrap-Up & a Healthy Debate48:37 CPD Outro & the Protrusive Vault References & Further Reading: Sources and further reading from this episode: Chapman G. The Five Love Languages. Northfield Publishing, 1992. The five ways people give and receive appreciation — words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, receiving gifts, and physical touch — applied here to the dentist–assistant relationship. Robbins M, Robbins S. The Let Them Theory. Hay House, 2024. The “let them / let me” reframe for releasing what you can't control and owning your own response. Rath T. StrengthsFinder 2.0. Gallup Press, 2007. The CliftonStrengths assessment; “Learner” is one of its talent themes, referenced in the discussion of teaching as a way to engage your assistant. Gallup employee-engagement research. The Gallup Q12 engagement survey (including the validated “I have a best friend at work” item) and Gallup's State of the Global Workplace reports. Source of the workforce-engagement framing in this episode. Exact figures vary by year — see Reviewer Note. Want more? If you enjoyed this episode, check out: How to Find a Mentor in 5 Seconds Flat! – IC058.  #InterferenceCast #CareerDevelopment #Communication #BeyondDentistry Listen, Subscribe, Earn CPD: This episode is eligible for 0.75 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. This episode meets GDC Outcomes A and B AGD Subject Code: 550 Practice Management and Human Relations Aim & Learning Outcomes: Aim: To help dental practitioners understand and strengthen the working relationship between dentist and dental assistant — recognising its impact on team engagement, patient experience and personal job satisfaction, and building practical habits to improve it. Learning Outcomes — by the end of this episode, dentists will be able to: Explain how the working relationship between a dentist and a dental assistant affects team engagement, the patient experience, and clinician wellbeing. Identify practical strategies for communicating appreciation and recognition in ways suited to the individual, and for involving an assistant according to their preferences. Apply self-management and emotional-regulation approaches to leading the surgery and responding constructively to interpersonal friction.

The most important part of your surgery isn't plugged in, mounted, or calibrated. It's the person standing beside you. Have you ever dreaded walking into a beautiful practice with lovely patients — purely because of who you share the surgery with? What do you actually do, in the moment, when your assistant rolls their eyes at a request for rubber dam? And should you be friends with your assistant at all — or does that cross a line you'll regret? This is an Interference Cast — a non-clinical but deeply practical episode — with Dr. Sarah Braun, a dentist in Australia and a fellow Protrusive Guidance member who DM'd to suggest this very topic. No course, no book, nothing to sell: just two clinicians comparing notes (and the odd scar) on the one relationship that quietly shapes your whole working life. It sits inside this month's theme of the relationships that support your career. https://youtu.be/OyztRyPpcHM Watch IC075 on YouTube What You'll Take From This Episode The full breakdown is in the Premium Notes; here's the shape of the thinking that runs through the episode: Engagement is the whole game — the assistant relationship sets the mood of the room, the patient's experience, and whether good people stay. Speak their language — appreciation only lands if it's delivered in the form that particular person actually values. Appreciation is a verb — specific, named praise lands far harder than a vague “good job.” Let them, let me — you don't control how someone reacts in the moment; you only control your response to it. Lead the room — dentistry is a performance, and the room takes its emotional cue from whoever is leading it. Highlights of this episode: 00:00 TEASER01:13 Why This One Relationship Can Make or Break You03:49 A Non-Clinical Interference Cast: What to Expect04:47 Meet the Guest: Nine Years In, City to Country07:01 A Week in Private Practice09:15 How Much Does the Dentist–Assistant Relationship Matter?11:01 Engagement at Work: The Gallup Lens12:30 People Remember How You Made Them Feel14:21 When the Relationship Turns Toxic15:23 The Power Imbalance You Might Not See18:11 The First-Day Conversation20:52 Keeping Your Assistant Engaged22:23 Specific Praise Beats a Vague “Good Job”23:55 Midroll27:37 You Can Only Control Yourself29:34 The Eye-Roll Moment: Let Them, Let Me31:23 Off Days vs Patterns32:12 Appreciation, Gifting & Speaking Their Language35:32 Run the Relationship Like It Matters36:48 Friends With Your Assistant, or Keep Your Distance?39:08 A Best Friend at Work: The Engagement Link41:15 Advice for New Grads: Start With Time Management44:26 Teaching as a Tool: Show Your Working Out48:05 Wrap-Up & a Healthy Debate48:37 CPD Outro & the Protrusive Vault References & Further Reading: Sources and further reading from this episode: Chapman G. The Five Love Languages. Northfield Publishing, 1992. The five ways people give and receive appreciation — words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, receiving gifts, and physical touch — applied here to the dentist–assistant relationship. Robbins M, Robbins S. The Let Them Theory. Hay House, 2024. The “let them / let me” reframe for releasing what you can't control and owning your own response. Rath T. StrengthsFinder 2.0. Gallup Press, 2007. The CliftonStrengths assessment; “Learner” is one of its talent themes, referenced in the discussion of teaching as a way to engage your assistant. Gallup employee-engagement research. The Gallup Q12 engagement survey (including the validated “I have a best friend at work” item) and Gallup's State of the Global Workplace reports. Source of the workforce-engagement framing in this episode. Exact figures vary by year — see Reviewer Note. Want more? If you enjoyed this episode, check out: How to Find a Mentor in 5 Seconds Flat! – IC058.  #InterferenceCast #CareerDevelopment #Communication #BeyondDentistry Listen, Subscribe, Earn CPD: This episode is eligible for 0.75 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. This episode meets GDC Outcomes A and B AGD Subject Code: 550 Practice Management and Human Relations Aim & Learning Outcomes: Aim: To help dental practitioners understand and strengthen the working relationship between dentist and dental assistant — recognising its impact on team engagement, patient experience and personal job satisfaction, and building practical habits to improve it. Learning Outcomes — by the end of this episode, dentists will be able to: Explain how the working relationship between a dentist and a dental assistant affects team engagement, the patient experience, and clinician wellbeing. Identify practical strategies for communicating appreciation and recognition in ways suited to the individual, and for involving an assistant according to their preferences. Apply self-management and emotional-regulation approaches to leading the surgery and responding constructively to interpersonal friction.

In a moment of inspiration on one of my hikes, I realized that after more than 430 episodes, this show is overdue for a format change. For the book I'm writing, a companion to my recently published TEDx talk, I'm exploring research around narrative identity, which is the way the stories we share influence who we are, and self-awareness as defined by present-day psychologists. The new format for my show aligns with what I'm learning, and my hope is that future episodes will offer additional insights for the book, my guests, and our listeners. In today's episode I'm sharing a story about a pivotal moment in my business, a situation that had me questioning everything about the direction I had taken, the investments I made in time, energy, and money, and what transpired to get me through that experience to land on the other side with confirmation and a bit more confidence. "... I had less than 4 weeks to cram in 50+ one-hour, one-to-one sessions. It was like being immersed in a foreign language, bringing me to a level of understanding and insight with this tool that I'm not sure I could have achieved so quickly in any other circumstance. It was amazing and exhausting." Listeners, now it's your turn: Did my story remind you of something that happened to you? What memory popped into your head when you heard it? What did you learn about me as a person? Did you learn what I do without hearing it directly? I can say "I'm a gallup-certified StrengthsFinder coach", but that's not meaningful and doesn't give you useful information about what that might mean for you or for a friend you might refer to me, right? What's a pivotal story in your career? Thanks for listening to Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will. Are you curious to learn about working with me? Visit my website, elkinsconsulting.com to schedule time to chat and sign up for periodic updates about my work, and connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook for content about strengthsfinder, storytelling, public speaking. About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public s peaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

"Someone said to me recently, 'You're so lucky that you get to work at home and do this stuff.' And I said, 'Luck has nothing to do with it. I consciously created my life. I love it because it's mine. I made it.'" In this episode, podcast host Sarah Elkins and ghostwriter and publisher Lana McAra discuss Lana's unique approach to publishing and her deep understanding of what it takes to be an effective ghost writer for fiction and nonfiction books. Lana grew up in an Amish community in Pennsylvania, but wasn't raised in an Amish household. Growing up on the edge of that tightknit community fostered her ability to provide a detached, professional listening style, allowing Lana to draw out client vulnerability without personal entanglement. Her approach to ghost writing and guiding authors in her publishing business is "co-creation". She's a guide, someone who listens to ideas and gently engages the writer or co-creator with questions that shift the conversation, pulling a thread that the co-creator might not have even noticed was unraveling - in a beautiful, thoughtful way. Highlights: "Slow Down and Listen" is her Guiding Principle: A personal realization that "life is lived in between" the big events drives Lana's practice of slowing down to be fully present, which she sees as the key to connection. Lana's active listening—reflecting back her nearly 80 year old client's ideas simplified his complex philosophical ideas into simpler terms—and made him feel truly understood. The client's demeanor transformed into a "sweet collaboration." Client Quote: "There aren't many people that I can talk to about this... except for you." Lana homeschooled seven children for 25 years. Method: Used hands-on projects (e.g., decoupage placemats from Christmas cards) to create a relaxed environment. Result: These activities fostered natural conversation and connection, replacing bickering with "magical" moments. Quotes: "Life is lived in between. Life is lived in the moments in between the big events. It's those moments when life is really, really happening." "If I sit quietly with them [ghostwriting clients] for a few minutes, I can ... tune in to where they're coming from through this active listening that I've learned to do over the years. Then I can hear them at that deeper level, [I hear] what's going on behind the words." "I have a publishing company that is a traditional publisher but we do it a different way, ... the author keeps all their rights. They keep creative control and still get the wide distribution and support that you would expect from a traditional publisher." --- Listeners, now it's your turn: What did you get from this conversation? Maybe you're going to go look for the Object Diaries podcast hosted byLisa Weiss. Maybe you're going to pick out your object that becomes the focal point of a story. Will you realize that you have a great story in you and you just need a little help to craft it? I'd love to hear your thoughts after you listen to this episode send me a message go to elkinsconsulting.com or send me a message on LinkedIn or Instagram. About Lana: Lana McAra is an award-winning, international bestselling author and ghostwriter of more than 50 books with over one million copies sold. Founder of Vendela Publishing, she works with writers who want to build long-term careers and reach readers beyond the algorithm. Lana has spent more than two decades teaching fiction writing and speaking to writers about the business of publishing. Learn more by visiting her links - https://www.lanamcara.com/ https://vendelapublishing.com/ https://substack.com/@inthewriterschair About Sarah: Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Pastor Courtney on the Enneagram, Myers-Briggs, Strengths Finder, and why personality tests can be helpful tools for loving our neighbors and ourselves

What if the real value of achievement isn't what it proves about us, but how it contributes to others? In this episode, I sit down with bestselling author, researcher, and publisher Tom Rath. Tom is known for books like How Full Is Your Bucket?, StrengthsFinder 2.0, Strengths-Based Leadership, and Eat, Move, Sleep. His work has shaped how millions of people think about strengths, well-being, purpose, and the way we spend our days.We talk about the difference between purpose and passion, why strengths only matter when they are used in service of others, how to think about career fit, and why retirement may not be the goal we've been taught it is. We also explore the role of AI in the future of work, and how it might free us to spend more time on the creative, relational, and meaningful parts of our lives.This episode is for anyone who wants to keep striving, but in a way that feels more grounded, sustainable, and connected to what really matters.Top 5 TakeawaysAchievement feels different when it is connected to contributionPurpose is not the same as passionStrengths need directionWell-being and performance are connectedAI may change how we work, but it can also create opportunityLINKS- Learn more about Tom- Read Tom's new book Life's Great Question: Discover How You Contribute To The World- Finding Meaningful Work with Tamara Myles and Wes Adams- Meaning and Mattering at Work with Andrew Soren--------------The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co. 

How can leaders design work experiences that people don't just tolerate but truly love? Kevin talks with Marcus Buckingham about why love may be the most powerful force in business and why leaders need to take it seriously to create lasting behavior change. Marcus explains that leaders are experience makers, and the best outcomes come when employees and customers have "five" experiences, not merely good or acceptable ones. He introduces the five feelings that help create love at work: control, harmony, significance, warmth of others, and growth, showing how each helps people feel more fully themselves and more connected to the experience. Kevin and Marcus also discuss why many well-intentioned leadership efforts feel hollow when they skip the foundational feelings, how organizations can design love into everyday interactions, and why AI should support (not replace) the human elements that create trust, empathy, and connection. Marcus' Story: Marcus Buckingham is the author of Design Love in: How to Unleash the Most Powerful Force in Business. For over twenty-five years, he has been the world's leading researcher on strengths, engagement, and human performance. He began his career at Gallup and was the co-creator, with Donald O. Clifton, of StrengthsFinder. He is also the New York Times–bestselling author or coauthor of many books, including First, Break All the Rules; Now, Discover Your Strengths; StandOut 2.0; Nine Lies about Work; and Love + Work. He has two of Harvard Business Review's most circulated, industry-changing cover articles and has been the subject of in-depth profiles in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, Fortune, Fast Company, TODAY, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. https://www.youtube.com/c/MarcusBuckinghamTV Looking to Develop Stronger Leaders? Want help developing the leaders in your organization? Reach out to explore how the Kevin Eikenberry Group can support your team at info@kevineikenberry.com.  Book Recommendations First Break All the Rules — Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman Now Discover Your Strengths — Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton StandOut 2.0 — Marcus Buckingham Nine Lies About Work — Marcus Buckingham & Ashley Goodall Love + Work — Marcus Buckingham Design Love In — Marcus Buckingham An Intimate History of Humanity — Theodore Zeldin Sapiens — Yuval Noah Harari Guns Germs and Steel — Jared Diamond Like this? Solving the Culture Puzzle with Mario Moussa and Derek Newberry The Power of Embracing Life's Difficult Journeys with Payam Zamani Love as a Change Strategy with Mohammad Anwar

What if one of the most powerful drivers of performance, engagement, and loyalty at work isn't strategy, technology, or mindset—but love? In this episode of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer sits down with Marcus Buckingham, one of the world's leading researchers on strengths, engagement, and human performance, to discuss insights from his latest book, Design Love In: How to Unleash the Most Powerful Force in Business. Marcus shares why organizations are facing a growing trust and engagement crisis, what leaders often get wrong when trying to motivate employees, and why creating positive experiences may be one of the most overlooked leadership responsibilities today. Tune in to learn: • Why love belongs in the leadership conversation • How positive experiences impact engagement, performance, and retention • The difference between managing people and helping them flourish • How organizations can create workplaces people genuinely love Whether you're leading a team, building a culture, or looking to elevate your impact as a leader, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what drives sustainable success. ABOUT MARCUS BUCKINGHAM: For over twenty-five years, Marcus Buckingham has been the world's leading researcher on strengths, engagement, and human performance. He began his career at Gallup and was the cocreator, with Donald O. Clifton, of StrengthsFinder. He is the New York Times–bestselling author or coauthor of many books, including First, Break All the Rules; Now, Discover Your Strengths; StandOut 2.0; Nine Lies about Work; and Love + Work. He has two of Harvard Business Review's most circulated, industry-changing cover articles and has been the subject of in-depth profiles in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, Fortune, Fast Company, TODAY, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Connect with Marcus:   Order his book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1647829917?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TF6RMHSXMAGSAXKZ6EF3&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TF6RMHSXMAGSAXKZ6EF3&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TF6RMHSXMAGSAXKZ6EF3&bestFormat=true    Website: https://www.buckinghaminstitute.com/    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-buckingham/  About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness and performance expert, keynote speaker and TEDx speaker supporting organizations and individuals on their journeys for more happiness and success. She is the award-winning author of Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony, and Peak Performance Wherever You Work (John Murray Business November 19, 2024). With Kristel's healthcare background, she provides data driven actionable strategies to leverage happiness and high-power habits to drive growth mindsets, peak performance, profitability, well-being and a culture of excellence. Kristel's keynotes provide insights to "Live Greatly" while promoting leadership development and team building. Kristel is the creator and host of her global top self-improvement podcast, Live Greatly. She is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur, and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes. As an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant having practiced clinically in Integrative Psychiatry, Kristel has a unique perspective into attaining a mindset for more happiness and success. Kristel has presented to groups from the American Gas Association, Bank of America, bp, Commercial Metals Company, General Mills, Northwestern University, Santander Bank and many more. Kristel's work has been featured in Forbes and she has had multiple TV appearances including NBC News Daily, ABC News Live, FOX Weather, ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago and more. Kristel lives in the Chicago, IL area and she can be booked for speaking engagements worldwide. To Book Kristel as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co  Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co  LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Click HERE to check out Kristel's corporate wellness and leadership blog Click HERE to check out Kristel's Travel and Wellness Blog Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions.  Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations.  They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.  Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests.  Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content.  Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.  

433 Taking Steps To Take Better Care Of Yourself   In today's episode, Sarah Elkins discusses the importance of taking your time to enjoy the world, to enjoy being you, to take time to make sure You, Dear Listener, are healthy in mind, body, emotion, and spirit.    Highlights Encouraging healthy self reflection to lessen loneliness and division.  Acknowledging when you need help or a break is key to not only your own wellbeing but to the wellbeing of those you care for. Stop and smell the flowers. Life isn't a race. Take your time and enjoy the world you have helped to cultivate and get the gift of living in.  How our labels change as time moves, but so long as we know the shape of our souls we will be okay.    Quotes "This is what hustle looks like. Losing track of 'why' I'm doing something. Focusing too much on doing something without stopping to ensure that what I'm doing fits my values, my needs, and how I want to live my life daily."   "What makes things interesting and joyful to me, is knowing that a single label can't define me. I'm complicated, and so are you." "Will you take time right now or very soon to define success for yourself, without attaching money or income to that definition."   Mentioned in this episode   Bob Burg's episode The Go Giver Kevin Strauss LinkedIn Uchi App   Dear Listeners it is now your turn, Will you take time right now or very soon to define success for yourself, without attaching money or income to that definition. What is one thing you'll do today, tomorrow, and the next day to reach toward that definition of success, and the labels you choose for yourself, and demonstrate through your work. And how will you feed your own needs, your physical, emotional, and spiritual health so that you have the energy and enthusiasm and capacity to live your definition of success?   And, as always, thank you for listening.    About Sarah Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Most of us reach our 40s and discover something unsettling: the ambitions we've been chasing weren't entirely ours. They came from parents, from culture, from the two or three careers we happened to see up close. Tom Rath calls this looking through a pinhole, and he thinks it explains more midlife restlessness than most of us are willing to admit.Tom is one of the most widely-read researchers on how careers shape health and wellbeing. His books, including the instant number one New York Times bestseller How Full Is Your Bucket? and StrengthsFinder 2.0, have sold more than 10 million copies. His latest book is What's the Point?: Turning Purpose into Your Daily Superpower.In this conversation, you'll explore:Why only 50 jobs represent half the entire labor market, and what that means for the choices you made at 18The difference between a ladder and a garden as frameworks for a life and why one of them is making you miserableWhat headstones actually say (and never say) about what we thought matteredThe legacy question that most people answer wrong and what Tom's grandfather's final hours taught him about the purest form of givingWhy purpose is less about finding your calling and more about something entirely differentThere's a particular kind of grief that comes from realizing your striving belonged to someone else. This conversation is for anyone in midlife who's starting to ask whether the ladder they've been climbing was theirs to begin with.You can find Tom at: Website | Instagram | Episode TranscriptNext week, we're sharing our conversation with Bela Gandhi to talk about why midlife is actually the moment most people become more ready for a real relationship — and what's quietly getting in the way. Be sure to follow Good Life Project wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss any upcoming episodes!Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeff Dudan's free digital copy of his book What does it actually take to build a culture that scales - one that doesn't collapse the moment you add a new layer of management or hire your 25th employee? In this episode, Jeff Dudan sits down with Chris Dyer, bestselling author and CEO culture expert, to unpack the seven pillars of high-performance culture that work for startups and Fortune 100 companies alike. Chris shares why most founders accidentally destroy their culture by day 50, why your meetings are a direct mirror of your company's values, how to use a "cockroach meeting" to solve problems in 15 minutes or less, and the counterintuitive hiring rule he used to drive real innovation inside a 4,500-person organization. They also dig into the critical difference between mistakes and errors, why public recognition can backfire on introverts, and how the Gallup StrengthsFinder data revealed that his company was hiring the same person over and over - killing innovation from the inside out. Whether you're building your first team or scaling a franchise, this conversation gives you the frameworks, language, and tools to build a culture that attracts the right people, retains them, and makes them extraordinary. Topics covered: company culture, startup culture, employee recognition, meeting frameworks, hiring strategy, innovation, psychological safety, franchise ownership, leadership development, StrengthsFinder, remote teams, cultural uniqueness, tribal language, mistakes vs errors.  Guest: Chris Dyer  Guest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisDyer  Guest Website: https://chrisdyer.com/  Guest Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisdyer7/    #CompanyCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #StartupGrowth #EmployeeEngagement #FranchiseBusiness #TeamBuilding #HiringStrategy #CultureCode #RemoteWork #BusinessLeadership #ChrisDyer #JeffDudan #WorkplaceCulture Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Going back ten years to 2016, Sarah and Catherine Gilmore (@GilmoreGuide) dive into the annual Bookish Time Capsule episode and revisit the book world from that year. They cover big bookish highlights — from the buzziest books of the year to the award winners — along with what was happening in the wider world at the time. They also look back at their own reading from 2016, including their favorite releases, and share a quick round-up of listener-submitted favorites. This episode is overflowing with great backlist titles to add to your TBR!   This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights The big news that was going on outside the book world Book stories and trends that dominated 2016 The 2016 books that have had staying power Big books and award winners for the year Reading in the blog years before the Rock Your Reading Tracker Sarah's and Catherine's personal 2016 reading stats Listener-submitted favorites from 2016 2016 Bookish Time Capsule [1:45] The World Beyond Books Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (2018)| Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:09]  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:59]  My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [5:11] Ferrante's true identity has never been confirmed, despite multiple attempts by journalists and various theories pointing to different people. Book Industry Sales and Trends Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:02] The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:10] Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:21] A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:36] Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:40]  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:45]  All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:57]  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:12]  Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:16]  StrengthsFinder 2.0 from Gallup (2007) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:20]  When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:30] The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:33] After You by Jojo Moyes (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:49] The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:52] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:59] Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter (2016)| Amazon | Bookshop.org  [12:36] Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow (2004) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [12:49] Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:04]  Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:05] The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (English Translation, 2015) | Amazon| Bookshop.org  [13:32] My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman (English Translation, 2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:39] In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:51]  Big Books of 2016 It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [15:47] A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, 2) by Sarah J. Maas (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [16:28]   Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [17:25] Pines (Wayward Pines, 1) by Blake Crouch (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:57] Recursion by Blake Crouch (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [18:17] A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[18:34] Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [18:58] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:29] James by Percival Everett (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [20:42] Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [20:51]  Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:10] When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:28] Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [22:46] Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [23:19] Award Winners of 2016 The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:54] The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:06] Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [24:35] The Sellout by Paul Beatty (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [24:51] Let Me Die In His Footsteps by Lori Roy (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:50] Before the Fall by Noah Hawley (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [25:56] All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [26:05] Catherine's Top Books Forty Rooms by Olga Grushin (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [27:46]  A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[28:11] The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [28:35]  The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin (June 2, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [29:03]  Before the Wind by Jim Lynch (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [29:57] Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [30:57] Miss Jane by Brad Watson (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:48]   Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:57] Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [32:08]  Adnan's Story by Rabia Chaudry (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [32:40]  Sarah's Top Books Commonwealth by Ann Patchett (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:45] Shelter by Jung Yun (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:58]   All the World Can Hold by Jung Yun (2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [40:06]  The Mothers by Brit Bennett (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [40:16]  My Name Is Lucy Barton (Amgash, 1) by Elizabeth Strout (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [40:22] Oh William! (Amgash, 3) by Elizabeth Strout (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:38] Tell Me Everything (Amgash, 5) by Elizabeth Strout (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [40:47]   Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:05]  Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:30] Tender by Belinda McKeon (US Release, 2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:44] The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:03]  When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[42:05] The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:31]  Listeners' Top Books A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[44:14] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:19] A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, 2) by Sarah J. Maas (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:35]   Commonwealth by Ann Patchett (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:47] Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [45:01]  Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:24] Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:30] Beartown by Fredrik Backman (English Translation, 2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [45:32] Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [46:40]  The Unseen World by Liz Moore (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [46:45] Long Bright River by Liz Moore (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [46:58] The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [47:00] The Mothers by Brit Bennett (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:16] 

Read my new book, "The Price of Becoming." www.LearningLeader.com/Becoming The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk My Guest: Marcus Buckingham is a Cambridge graduate. He spent nearly 20 years at the Gallup Organization, where he co-created the StrengthsFinder assessment. He is a New York Times bestselling author of influential books, including First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths. Currently, he leads the People + Performance research at the ADP Research Institute. Key Learnings When you start a business, it's all about love. Seven out of 10 businesses fail, so when you start a business as an entrepreneur, you love what you do, you love your clients, and you surround yourself with people who can love it as much as you do. You all have this passionate delusion that what you're doing is really important and it's gonna work.  Marcus sold his company in 2017 and calls it the biggest mistake of his career. His company was broken down into silos, and the conversation became about maximization, compliance, and efficiency.  "Love is born savoring, it lives in intelligence, but it dies from neglect. Love dies from forgetting."  (Pablo Neruda) When you stop talking about love, you destroy it. Before you sell or scale, ask: Will this lead to more customers falling in love with your company and more employees saying they love working there? If the answer isn't obvious yes, then don't do it. Great companies protect the founder's flame. Walt Disney, Truett Cathy and Chick-fil-A, Apple's passion for design, Southwest Airlines, and Herb Kelleher. When companies lose their connection to the founding passion, they become the machine. The machine doesn't have a soul, and people can all feel it. Love is the most powerful force in business. If you want to drive productive human behavior, repeat visits, advocacy, loyalty, collaboration, high performance, the precursor to that is love.  But we don't say the word. Marcus was with 30 C-suite executives, and they spent two hours talking about data. They couldn't even say the word, love. They came to say it about customers, but never about their own employees. The job of a leader is to change human behavior. You're not paid to hit a goal. You're paid to change behavior so that you hit various goals. You've got two choices: directive (which works temporarily) or designing experiences. If you want sustainable behavior change, experiences drive behaviors, which drive outcomes.  The best leaders are skilled experience makers. That email you just sent? It's an experience. That meeting? It's an experience. Onboarding? It's an experience. Every touchpoint is picking up what you're putting down. Culture is just a series of experiences.  Either you are getting people to say "I love that," or you've failed to change their behavior. "If you are faking your beliefs, I can smell it, and I don't want to follow it." Authenticity is manifested in your beliefs, and they better be coherent with who you authentically are. Your customs are the living manifestation.  The things you customarily do have got to flow from your authenticity and your beliefs. The best leaders have their ABCs line up beautifully - they are authentically who they are, you know exactly what they believe, and their customs bring those authentic beliefs to life. The biggest driver of engagement is your local team leader, not the culture of the company. The culture is like the river, but there's a lot of different eddies. You join a company, but the sun, the moon, and the stars of your work is that local leader. The most important decision you make is who you make the leader of that team. A, B, C: Authenticity, Beliefs, Customs. We reach for authenticity in our leaders. We don't want perfection; we want authenticity because that leads to prediction. If you are authentically you, then I can predict you. I'm not expecting you to be perfect. I want you to be predictable. The definition of love to Marcus: Love is an experience that helps me feel more fully myself over time. Which is flourishing. Most of us go through life balled up like an armadillo, surrounded by armor plating. But inside of us, we want to take what's inside and express it. Love is a forward-facing emotion. We're anticipating goodness, and we have to take the armor off one plate at a time.  A question for all leaders:  What are the things I could practically do to get people on my team to feel like they are safe enough to express their best self on this team? The five sequential feelings of love: Control: "What's this world you've invited me into, and how does it work? " Harmony: "You have to tell people that you know what they're feeling." Significance: "Do you know my story?" Warmth of Others: "Who's with me? How can they help?" Growth: "How will this experience make me more capable?" If a leader understands the five feelings, they have a blueprint to get your team where you want them to go.  Marcus's Audi story: he loved his Audi, then at the end of the lease, he got a robocall. "You are at the end of your lease. You have not turned in the car. You have one week remaining, or you will be charged $500." He wasn't planning to turn it in. He was planning to get another one. Next week, same robocall. He leaned out. It was jarring because he was excited, and Audi was pissed off. They lost him for five years. Audi didn't take harmony seriously. They don't design for experiences; they design for processes. The person at the dealership is in a different silo than the person writing the script for the robocall. No one creates a holistic experience map. We don't design for experiences; we design for processes. Go to a hospital. It's one handoff after another. The person who's supposed to hold the narrative together is you, the patient. The whole thing has been designed for efficiency, not for a holistic experience. Undesigned experiences lead to unpredictable outcomes. Disney builds a berm around the whole park so you can't see out. You can't see the Red Roof Inn next door. Universal Studios doesn't do that. Six Flags doesn't do that. Why? Because Disney is trying to create a holistic experience. These companies think holistically about a human having an experience. The best leaders, when you ask "How do you motivate people?" always say "It depends." It depends on the person. At some point, the experience has got to be individualized. Don't start there. That's why this is sequential. Start with control, then harmony, then significance. Tell them you understand their story and what will change because of that story. The hospitalist movement in hospitals produced the best patient outcomes. They give each patient a guide all the way through the handoff process. Their entire job is to explain you to all the other healthcare professionals and to explain all the other healthcare professionals to you. As a result, you feel held. If you love anyone, you don't imagine they're ever finished. Love is a forward-facing emotion. Growth is the fifth feeling, not the first. We get this wrong when we think about designing love. We build it backwards. We start with growth and warmth. No. What's happening is feeling by feeling, we're taking off one plate of armor. If you haven't taken off the first four, you can't hit them with growth. The simplest thing leaders could do: check in with each of your people for 15 minutes, one by one, every week. Ask them:  How'd you feel about last week?  What are you working on this week?  How can I help?  Do that 52 times a year with each person individually, and you'll hit control, harmony, and over time significance. Marcus is creating an app with an AI design partner. He doesn't want his kids to grow into a world accepting loveless schools, loveless hospitals, loveless workplaces. The app will have a slider: loving/unloving. Let's call it what it is. It's love or not love. It's not okay to live in a loveless world, and we should call out unloving when we see it. Reflection Questions What would happen if you asked yourself before every major decision: "How does this help our customers love us more? How does this help our employees love working here more?" Are you designing experiences or just optimizing processes? What's one touchpoint in your customer or employee journey that feels mechanical and could be redesigned to feel more human? Which of the five feelings (control, harmony, significance, warmth of others, growth) are you strongest at creating for your team? Which one are you weakest at, and what's one thing you could do this week to improve it? Time stamps 00:00 Marcus Buckingham Intro 02:21 The Biggest Mistake: Selling My Company  05:55 Can You Scale Without Losing Love?  07:59 Protecting the Founder's Flame  12:03 Why CEOs Can't Say the Word "Love"  15:42 Your Job: Change Human Behavior  17:55 Experiences Drive Behaviors Drive Outcomes  21:42 Love Is Five Sequential Feelings  25:40 Jesse Cole and Josh D'Amaro: Real Love in Action  29:50 How Do You Prove ROI?  31:32 The Local Leader Drives Everything  32:09 The Scatterplot: Same Company, Different Experiences  33:43 ABCs: Authenticity, Beliefs, Customs  35:41 What Love Actually Means: Flourishing  38:28 The Five Feelings Blueprint  39:00 Feeling #1: Control (What World Am I In?)  40:28 Feeling #2: Harmony (Do You Know What I'm Feeling?)  43:43 We Design for Processes, Not Experiences  47:34 Feelings #3, #4, #5: Significance, Warmth, Growth  53:04 The Simplest Practice for All Leaders: Weekly 15-Minute Check-Ins  57:37 EOPCMore Learning #467: Marcus Buckingham - How Love and Work Must Be Forever Linked #305: Marcus Buckingham & Ashley Goodall - A Leader's Guide to the Real World #676: Jesse Cole - Built for the Fans (Obsession & Excellence)