Podcast appearances and mentions of Thomas J Peters

Tim Attinger is Co-founder and President of OvationCXM, with nearly 30 years of executive management experience in financial services, financial technology and digital transformation. Prior to Co-founding OvationCXM, Tim held executive roles in digital transformation and growth with successful exits at Monitise, a global mobile money platform acquired by Fiserv and Blackhawk Network, which went public in 2013. Before this, Tim had an extensive career with Visa. He managed a $1 Billion plus global portfolio of digital businesses, led product innovation development, and was part of the executive team that took Visa Inc. public in 2008. Preceding roles including building and managing strategic growth initiatives for First Data (now Fiserv) and managing client engagements for a host of Fortune 100 companies with Windermere, a McKinsey-spinoff boutique strategy consultancy.   Questions   • Could share in your own words, even though we did read your formal bio, in terms of your background, a little bit of your journey, how you got to where you are today, in your own words, and why you do what you do? • Can you share with us a little bit about why it's so important that organizations should have customer experience as a priority for their business. What can businesses do to differentiate themselves and set themselves apart? • There's a lot of digital or digitization that's happening across different industries, and because of the digitization, and also artificial intelligence, people are losing their jobs. It is as a result of increase artificial intelligence and they're increasing efficiency, but they're also reducing the level of human input that they're utilizing What are your views on that? • What are some of the key things that we need to think about in the customer journey? • Could you share with us what's the one online resource, tool, website, or app that you absolutely can't live without in your business? • Could you also share with us maybe one or two books that have had the biggest impact on you? It could be a book that you read recently, or even one that you read a very long time ago, but it still has left an indelible mark on your life. • Could you also share with us what's one thing that's going on in your life right now that you're really excited about - either something you're working on to develop yourself or your people? • Where can listeners find you online? • Do you have a quote or saying that during times of adversity or challenge, you will tend to revert to this quote, it kind of helps to keep you on track or get you back on track if for any reason you get derailed? Do you have one of those?   Highlights  Tim's Journey When asked about his journey, Tim shared that the funny thing about it is, it wasn't as though what you just read off was something he sat out to do consciously from the outset. And it was a bit of opportunistic starting in a consultancy, then it basically offered a role with a former client to help drive strategy and then recruited from there by some friends to go to yet another company.   So, he's spent most of his time in a particular industry and a particular kind of role. But it almost feels as though that was a happenstance rather than sort of a conscious thing that he was driving, which he guess means in retrospect, his career is a fascinating thing for him to see, because it's been highly varied, and at the same time, not necessarily overtly managed, if that makes sense.   The Importance of Prioritizing Customer Experience and What Businesses Can do to Set Themselves Apart in the Financial Sector Space Me: Well, thank you so much for sharing. We're in a very unique environment globally, as it relates to customer experience. And so, I'd like for you to share with us a little bit about why it's so important that organizations should have customer experience as a priority for their business. I know most of your experience is in the financial sector, so it'd be good to hear from your perspective, especially seeing that that space is a competitive space. What can businesses do to differentiate themselves and set themselves apart?    Tim shared that he thinks part of the challenge that enterprises find themselves in today, in particularly with respect to sort of customer experience, and how that intersects with digital transformation is that a lot of organizations are looking at customer experience as a way to optimize sort of touch points or channels of communication with customers, as opposed to sort of the way that we look at it, which is thinking about holistically the customers journey with an enterprise.   So, the customer's journey with a business, which is more than just an interaction, but it's a series of engagements as the customer tries to accomplish something in their lives or in their own business.   And so, he thinks part of the challenge that businesses have seen today is that they're thinking about touchpoints as opposed to customer journeys, which creates a challenge in how you solve for delivering great customer experience. And he thinks the reason why customer experience is increasingly important is, it's a fairly simple thing, but it bears repeating with most enterprises, that all of your revenue as an enterprise comes from paying customers.   So, the most important source of growth for your business is your customer base, frankly, the lowest cost position you can possibly have in any marketplace is to have a satisfied customer base that continues to do business with you.   So, he thinks customer experience is increasingly important in the marketplace because recruiting and then retaining and growing a customer relationship is increasingly challenging in competitive spaces. And those organizations that focus on doing it right, and particularly in orchestrating great customer journeys, which we can talk about in a little more detail. But sort of orchestrating great customer journeys will have a competitive advantage relative to organizations that are looking at the sort of either optimizing touchpoints or trying to re architect their entire sort of back-end business from a technology standpoint, as opposed to focusing from the customer back into their business.   Digitization and Artificial Intelligence – Reducing the Level of Human Input Me: Brilliant. So, you spoke about customer journey which I do want to talk about. But before we get onto the customer journey, what I wanted to find out also, especially seeing that this space is competitive. And there's a lot of digital or digitization that's happening across different industries, especially in the financial sector, for sure. And so, as a result of the digitization, and also artificial intelligence, people are losing their jobs. I'm here in Kingston, Jamaica, and over the weekend, I read an article in our local newspaper, stating that 100 persons in the BPO sector are going to be laid off. And I imagine that it is as a result of increased artificial intelligence and they're increasing efficiency, but they're also reducing the level of human input that they're utilizing What are your views on that?    Tim shared that it's unfortunate to hear that news, because the best kind of deployment for artificial intelligence, for machine learning, for automation, is not as a replacement for people, but as a compliment to them.   So, a large part of sort of the platform capabilities and again, just taking from context in sort of his company, OvationCXM, and how they think about it, but a large part of the deployment capability that they put in place is, is essentially helping people be better at the live interaction, and the live engagement and the direct engagement with a customer.   And he thinks about the sort of the analogy of the airline industry, when you think about sort of the check in process, if you've got a fairly straightforward, I just need my boarding pass, I don't have any bags to check, and I'm on my way to the gate, right. That's, something that absolutely, because it's always the same, it's never complicated. Automating that stuff is great, because what it does is it frees up the humans who are there to deal with the family of 5 who just had their flight cancelled, they've got a connection, the luggage is already on the way.   So, when you look at sort of AI and digitization, a lot of the initial investment has been in exactly what you're describing sort of these point solutions where I'm just going to try to automate conversations, and digitize a particular channel, but still I'm not looking at what is the overall customer experience of trying to navigate my entire enterprise? And who are the people, the people who are going to help me do that, the Sherpas who helped him sort of climb this hill that is getting himself live with a product or opening a business and having a financial institution helped him do that.   So, he thinks over the long term, the pendulum will swing back to equilibrium and organizations will realize that conversational automation is great for certain things. But having intelligence inside of systems to help deliver the right answers to the right people in the right moment in the context of what the customer is trying to accomplish and then having humans engaged with that customer is really he thinks where the industry is going to go.   Key Points to Think About in the Customer Journey Me: So, let's go back to the customer journey. So, the journey of the customer, for our listeners that I mean, I've had episodes in the past where we have guests that talk about customer journey. But because I want to get a little bit more granular, let's talk about the customer journey, let's say for example, in a financial institution, if you are, let's say, getting a product, like a credit card, for example, when you look at the journey that the customer will take from application until however long they use that card for, what are some of the key things that we need to think about in the journey? And is a journey just giving the customer the card? Because now we have new business, now we have a new loan that we've booked, or is it more so the maintenance of having that person on board.   Like in Jamaica, for example, one of my greatest pet peeves is, if you pay really well on your credit card, you automatically get an increase annually. I think a telephone call should be given to the customer to find out, “We see that you're a great customer in terms of payments, and we'd like to offer you an additional increase, is this something you'd be open to?” Versus just getting your statement and seeing that you've been given an additional X thousands of dollars on the card. But what are your views on that?   Tim shared that to back it up into sort of where his firm spends most of their time, which is in sort of business relationships. So, banks to take the analogy Yanique just had, imagine a bank helping a business owner who's opening a new business apply for a line of credit so that they can fund equipment and site improvements and setting up a payroll service so that they can sort of disperse funds to employees. And if you think about sort of journeys in 3 basic increments, they're sort of the discovery and buying journey, where he sort of figure out what it is he need, and who has it, and from whom he'd like to buy it.   And then once you finally committed to buying it from someone, what is one of the most challenging things they've seen in financial services is getting a customer from, “Hey, I'd like this solution from you, Mr. Bank, all the way through to it's working for me today and I'm finally live with it.” And in business banking, that process can be fairly complicated with multiple steps. Imagine what it's like as a small business owner applying for a lending relationship, you've got paperwork you fill out, there are forms you have to send in, there are credit checks that the bank does, there's an entire internal process of reviewing your risk and underwriting requirements that you don't even have any visibility into. And then somewhere out the other end of it, you find out whether or not you qualify.   And then on the tail end of the sort of what they call the Go Live journey, there's also the ongoing relationship, which is quite frankly, where most of the experience of a financial institution comes from, which is what's it like every single day for me to use this and solve problems? And what are some of the most important things in sort of thinking about, let's just take that Go Live journey as an example, most businesses are blind to what's happening.   I bought something from you and then it kind of disappears into a black hole, I don't hear from you for 3 or 4 weeks, except every couple of maybe twice you asked me for things completely out of the blue, I have no idea why and then. And then another couple of weeks go by and I get some kind of decision. It's sort of like one of the most opaque things that you can possibly imagine, as opposed to you think about the experience of that business owner, as a consumer when they take advantage of something like a food delivery product, or, God forbid, they just buy something from an online merchant, like an Amazon.   There are really clear steps that are communicated to you, here's where you are, here's where you're going, here's how many steps there are from here to there and step 4, we're going to ask you for something. It's as simple as saying, make it really clear to the customer, what are sort of the stops along the way on the journey that you're about to undertake with them, make them aware of where they are. And even internally in organizations that are trying to deliver to that customer, you quite often have departments that don't talk to each other. So, everybody internally is kind of like, who's got the ball? Who's got next? What am I supposed to be doing now? When does this get done?   And so, he thinks a large part of making experiences go well, it's just connecting all of those humans and systems and teams into a fabric that makes everybody aware of what everyone else is doing. Where are we in this process and communicating that in simple terms to the customer, so they know where they are.   When you think about it a large part of customer experience is just visibility. And, frankly, one of the best ways to disappoint someone is to not meet the expectations that they have. And so, a big part of having a journey go well is just setting expectation upfront, here are the 5 steps that we're going to go through, here's how long it's going to take, here's what we'll need where and when. And here's who you can talk to on this stage, right?   Me: Agreed, agreed, managing expectations and communication is so important.   Tim stated and invisibility, just simply where am I? Who's got this now? And what do they need so that I can make sure it's moving forward, because at the end of the day, the customer is just trying to accomplish something and the journey through your enterprise is just a means to an end, think about that small business owner, I'm just trying to open a business and start selling pizzas. I really don't want to be an expert in underwriting. I just want to know when it is that that process is done, what do you need from me to make it go as quickly as possible?   Me: Indeed. Because at the end of the day, they also have their customers that they're trying to get to serve, but they can't do that if you don't do your part.   Tim agreed that's exactly right. And so, one of the interesting things, you sort of brought up credit cards, one of the most important things that a financial institution can do for a small business owner, is give them a way to accept payment, right?   That sort of what they call accounts receivable, right, which is essentially managing your revenue from your own customers and making that something that's easy to do, that works every time that gets that money from your customers into your bank account on a regular basis. You can make payroll, you can buy supplies, all of that.   The role that banks play in helping small businesses survive and thrive, really is it's critical in those kinds of activities. So, if something goes bump in the night, or there's a hiccup in that process, being on top of it, and giving the customer an expectation when it's going to get solved is super important, particularly for businesses that basically need that cash flow to operate.   App, Website or Tool that Tim Absolutely Can't Live Without in His Business When asked about an online resource that he cannot live without in his business, Tim shared that what's super, super, super critical for them, they use their platform and then a combination of that, and then an online tool set called Miro, which is almost like it's a group whiteboard capability. They use that with their bank clients in the way that you do these things today, because everybody's all over the place, you get on an hour, or two Zoom call and they actually facilitate discussions with their clients on what exactly is it like from a customer's point of view to try to accomplish something inside of your bank.   What is it like from a customer's standpoint, and particularly, not just your bank, but also increasingly, I know, you've seen this, financial institutions are partnering with other companies and external providers and financial technology providers to deliver solutions to businesses. So, increasingly, it's not just, how are you doing things internally, but also, what does it like for the customer to get bounced between you and some other company they've never heard of that you happen to be sourcing a solution from.   So, that capability and the ability to map all of that out in real time with their clients and then so that they can see what that looks like today and then start working to make it better, has become a critical component of sort of how they help those banks improve their business.   Books that Have Had the Biggest Impact on Tim When asked about books that have had an impact, Tim stated that absolutely that's an easy one. In the interest of full disclosure, again, back to he didn't consciously set out in this path to be in financial services. He was originally studying to be a Literature Professor.   Me: You like to read.   Tim stated that he decided he liked it so much, he didn't want to have to do it for a living. So, after he finished his master's degree, as he was thinking about maybe do I or do I not want to go get a doctorate and become a professor. On a lark, moved out to the Bay Area in San Francisco and just backed into a job at a management consulting firm. And the founding partner of that firm encouraged him to read a book by a couple of his McKinsey colleagues called In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies by Thomas J. Peters.   And because he had almost no business education whatsoever, he eagerly dove into it. And the interesting thing about that book is that it's a fairly straightforward analysis of how have companies across a number of different industries been successful. And almost all of the stories come back to a fairly simple premise, that if you build your business from the marketplace back, you start with the customer, you start with a customer group, or a portfolio or a type of customer you want to serve, and then you design everything else about your business around being really great at meeting that need for that customer.   You think about sort of what the typical airline experience was before Southwest came on the scene, or what the typical shopping experience looked like before somebody like an Amazon came on the scene. It's like I'm going to rethink what it is a customer is trying to accomplish, what needs they're trying to fill, and then focus really intently on doing that very well, and strip away everything else that doesn't absolutely serve that need. And so, that was a real revelation for him, sort of as a newbie in the business world.   And that's continued to be a touchstone for every career stop he's had and particularly in the role that he has now, which is basically helping a host of different enterprise companies of various stripes, mainly in financial services now, but also in a number of other industries, get to that realization, focus intently on what is the experience of the customer in trying to accomplish something in their lives and how does he design what he's doing around meeting that really well. So, it's kind of come full circle for him from that sort first introduction to how good businesses operate.    What Tim is Really Excited About Now! When asked about something exciting that's going on right now, Tim shared what's really exciting for him, sort of as he's gone through his career, he's made a study of how businesses create ecosystems, sort of how networks of organizations come together around a common delivery to a customer or to a segment or to create a product, or solution and you think about the companies he's worked in Visa, Blackhawk, sort of which are network business models where you've got sort of, you build a platform, and then you have companies onto that platform and do business with each other through the capability you're delivering.   And they're finding in the business today, OvationCXM, which is their audio sort of customer experience management software platform, that they're starting to see the same kind of ecosystem dynamics that they have in sort of major enterprise banks and insurance companies and healthcare organizations. Partnered with a host of providers of services and solutions, whether that's financial technology, health tech, what have you and their customer experience management platform is becoming a way for them to collaborate and interact as an ecosystem in delivering great experiences to their customers.   And it's fascinating to see that sort of network effect begin to take off. Even something as simple as their customer experience management delivery platform in this industry, it's just fascinating to see network effects start to materialize in the software business, which is it's really exciting for him because he's spent a lot of his days helping to manage and grow network effect businesses, and they're starting to see that in theirs today. So, it's super exciting, at least for him, maybe geeky for most folks, but for him, it's fun to watch.   Me: Okay, it's like you're forming your own community.    Tim agreed yes, exactly. And that's the funny thing about it is that in the same way that communities are super important to our lives as individuals, right, and families, businesses are actually not that different, the immunities of companies that are delivering capabilities or delivering on something tend to be stronger, more resilient. And, frankly, more adaptive.   Where Can We Find Tim Online  Website – www.ovationcxm.com    Quote or Saying that During Times of Adversity Tim Uses When asked about a quote or saying that he tends to revert to, Tim shared that he does and it's from a longer poem by Rudyard Kipling and the entirety of which he doesn't remember off the top of his head, but one line in particular, which is about sort of one of the most important things you can do in times of duress is “Be the person who's keeping his head while everyone else around you is losing theirs.” And he thinks that has helped in a number of ways, in particular stressful situations, it is just to step outside of the challenge that you're currently in and realize that the only way to respond to and solve the challenges is to not let it cloud your mind. And he thinks that that quote has helped immensely in difficult times professionally.   IF ~ BY RUDYARD KIPLING (‘Brother Square-Toes'—Rewards and Fairies) If you can keep your head when all about you        Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,    If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,     But make allowance for their doubting too;    If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,     Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating,     And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:   If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;        If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;    If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster     And treat those two impostors just the same;    If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken     Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,     And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:   If you can make one heap of all your winnings     And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings     And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew     To serve your turn long after they are gone,    And so hold on when there is nothing in you     Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!'   If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,        Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,     If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute     With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,    Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,        And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!    Please connect with us on Twitter @navigatingcx and also join our Private Facebook Community – Navigating the Customer Experience and listen to our FB Lives weekly with a new guest   Links ·  In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies by Thomas J. Peters   Grab the Freebie on Our Website – TOP 10 Online Business Resources for Small Business Owners  Do you want to pivot your online customer experience and build loyalty - get a copy of “The ABC's of a Fantastic Customer Experience.” The ABC's of a Fantastic Customer Experience provides 26 easy to follow steps and techniques that helps your business to achieve success and build brand loyalty. This Guide to Limitless, Happy and Loyal Customers will help you to strengthen your service delivery, enhance your knowledge and appreciation of the customer experience and provide tips and practical strategies that you can start implementing immediately! This book will develop your customer service skills and sharpen your attention to detail when serving others. Master your customer experience and develop those knock your socks off techniques that will lead to lifetime customers. Your customers will only want to work with your business and it will be your brand differentiator. It will lead to recruiters to seek you out by providing practical examples on how to deliver a winning customer service experience!

Host Chaz Wolfe welcomes John Kearns, CEO of PARTAS. In this episode, John shares his insights on social enterprise, serial entrepreneurship, and the difference between being an entrepreneur and a businessman.In addition to his insights on entrepreneurship and networking, John also shares his perspectives on aging and wisdom. He challenges the notion that people necessarily get wiser as they get older and instead argues that wisdom comes from learning and growth.He also discusses the biggest asset anyone can have in his opinion, which is confidence.So don't miss out on this inspiring episode! Tune in to hear John's thoughts on the entrepreneurial mindset, building relationships, and the value of confidence. You can connect with John on his LinkedIn profile and follow him on Twitter.Remember, real entrepreneurs thrive on face-to-face interactions and authenticity. Let's take action and make things happen!During this episode, you will learn about;[01:43] Introduction to John and his business[08:24] Serial Entrepreneurship[06:06] The difference between an entrepreneur and a businessman[15:05] Do you really get wiser as you get older?[32:38] At the end of the day, it's all about sales[34:34] False Networking[38:21] How John goes all in with business and family[42:40] The biggest asset anyone can have in Johns opinion[44:44] How to connect with John[45:44] Information on Gathering The Kings Mastermind Roundtable Mastermind Notable Quotes“Entrepreneurs are great at multitasking which is probably why they're not good business people.” - John Kearns“Old entrepreneurs never die.” - John Kearns“Learning to get outta the way gracefully and encouraging the next ones up is a key role.” - John Kearns“For real entrepreneurs, the things they're good at is actually face-to-face.” - John Kearns “At the end of the day, whether you're in business, in your personal life, in your political life, in any life that you're in, it's all about sales, which is a relationship business with people.” - John Kearns “I think there's a lot of false networking. It needs to be authentic networking.” - John Kearns“I think the biggest thing anybody can have is confidence.” - John KearnsBooks and Resources Recommended:In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies by Thomas J. Peters & Robert H. Waterman Jr.:https://www.amazon.com/Search-Excellence-Americas-Best-Run-Companies/dp/0060548789Let's Connect!John Kearns:Email: jkearns@partas.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkearns/Twitter: https://twitter.com/john_kearnsChaz Wolfe (Host): Website: www.gatheringthekings.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/chazwolfe/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gatheringthekings/LinkedIn:

Dr. Laura welcomes Lorne Rubis, thought leader and Co-Founder of Belongify.com, back to the podcast to continue their conversation on inclusion and belonging. Having previously examined the differences between inclusion and belonging, they now discuss the wider implications of remote working through the pandemic and whether or not that has detracted from fostering a culture of belonging. Lorne shares thoughts from personal experience around how connection in any context cannot be taken for granted.Dr. Laura delves into Lorne's thoughts on work-life wellness and how to maintain balance. Lorne explains how he views all aspects of life through the lens of what he calls “personal equity”. He shares that balance can be difficult but the idea of being mindful and integrating all necessary parts of culture, growth, relationships, rest, and work into a self-aware life is ultimately the goal. Lorne allows listeners a glimpse into some of his greatest achievements and challenges, and gives important insights into how people evolve and stay connected.“But generally, we want to love, we want to belong, we want to be seen. And in the best way. And if I could wish that: oh, the strides we would make!” - Lorne RubisAbout Lorne Rubis:Lorne Rubis is currently the Co-Founder of Belongify.com and has been the CEO of two privately held international companies. Lorne is a published author (‘The Character Triangle') and holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alberta and a Master of Science in Industrial and Labour Relations from the University of Oregon. He teaches courses on Culture and HR strategy at the U of Alberta EMBA program and at Harvard's School of Extension. These days, Lorne is fully immersed in the world of culture and leadership, stating his life's purpose is “all about advancing people and organizations”. Whether leading, facilitating, consulting, teaching, speaking, writing or podcasting, Lorne utilizes 40 plus years of experience in leading personal and cultural transformation to deliver actionable insights every day. He and his wife Kathleen (his high school prom date) divide their time between residences in Alberta, British Columbia, and Washington, with an everyday mission to remotely connect with their 3 adult children and four grandkids who live in the U.S. and UK. They all gather whenever they can at the Rubis family vineyard in Naramata, BC.Resources:Lorne RubisLorne Rubis on LinkedInBelongify.comLorne Rubis on Instagram“The Character Triangle” by Lorne Rubis“In Search of Excellence” by Thomas J Peters and Robert H Waterman Jr.Jim Collins“The Fifth Discipline” by Peter M SengeEckhart TolleBrené Brown Learn more about Dr. Laura on her website: https://drlaura.live For more resources, look into Dr. Laura's organizations: Work EvOHlutionSynthesis PsychologyCalgary Career CounsellingCanada Career CounsellingDr. Laura is a partner of Humance | Culture and Performance

While some CEOs might argue they can't afford to spend time coaching people Jim Smith, CEO of Elford, Inc, says what you really can't afford is not to. In this episode, Jim shares details about Elford's leadership development programs and discusses why he makes it a priority to personally mentor employees. As you listen, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the role leadership coaching plays in a business and be reminded as to why everyone should constantly push themselves to learn. Resources: The Servant by James C. Hunter In Search Of Excellence by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr. Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras The Next Level by Scott Eblin Good To Great by Jim Collins  In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters

Imagine what could be possible if we learned to listen first? Better flow, understanding and win-win solutions that transcend cultures, beliefs, and languages. Leaders can learn how to provide a safe space and trust for a challenging conversation, which allows for a more dynamic interaction among team members, empowering them to seek solutions themselves and become proactive rather than reactive.   Colin Smith, also known as The Listener, shares stories and gives practical tips as to how to listen with deep impact. He has an innate ability to listen to people deeply and hold space which enables people to open up and share their concerns, feelings, ideas, etc. His varied background, view of the world, and inquisitive and curious mind enable him to share unusual, thought-provoking, yet grounded observations and alternative approaches to business, people, systems, and change.    In this episode, Colin shows the many facets of how people are literally “dying” to be heard, and he shares how we can manifest a listen first attitude in many ways and with every opportunity we have. This approach is how we get people to also listen to us.    Listen first, listen always, all ways. All the different ways you can listen, always do that. Because we're all dying to be heard."  - Colin Smith Listen IN Notes:   00:40 - The moment he noticed the power of listening: The idea of disruptive dialogue is you sit with someone for two or three hours, you have a deeper, meaningful conversation, you ask lots of good questions. And it really gets them thinking because it's an unusual conversation.    05:36 - What made people notice he had a gift for listening: It's not about DOING listening. It's about BEING a listener. It's about how you arrive, how you show up, your presence, your intention underneath all of that.   09:52 - Sharing his deep thoughts about disruptive dialogue and how it shifts the environment into something that opens doors for interactions and flow of ideas.   14:21 - What happens when a leader gets genuinely interested in what others have to say in a meeting?   17:15 - How do you make people listen to you?   20:25 - What does it take to have that clarity of communication?   24:43 - One beautiful moment about listening that he didn't really expect    27:05 - Transforming the word 'conflict' in a different perspective that makes sense   28:48 - Creating trust and safety around difficult conversations   34:45 - What Colin wants leaders to learn about listening.   38:51 - Differentiating hearing from listening   40:51 - What he wants listeners to take away from listening versus hearing: Don't try and fix the problems. Let them come up with something that they think.   42:23 - The best thing about being the listener: “When I listen first, at the end of it, they can actually go away from a conversation thanking me for such a great time and telling other people what a great time they had. Actually, I say, all I did was listen. And that's because it is so unusual. It's seen as special.”   44:15 - What Colin discovers about himself in this conversation with Raquel: I appreciate your listening because you've enabled me to think better and come up with some new ways of expressing what I express.    46:33 - Is there a rule to follow when you listen first? Key Takeaways:   "If we all learn that idea of listening first, then we start listening without judgment, with curiosity, with interest, with equality, with ease. Then everything flows much better." - Colin Smith   "When you're listening, the most important thing is to BE a listener. And that's really different. It's about how you arrive, how you show up, your presence, your intention." - Colin Smith   "When we take the time to be interested and genuinely interested in the other, we might get a surprise." - Colin Smith   "Just because I have an answer doesn't mean it's the right answer. Let me ask you what you think first." - Colin Smith   "Sometimes I just need to be able to vocalize what I'm saying." - Colin Smith   "Do we care about someone to enable us to listen? Or could we listen fully, and as a result, we'd end up caring about them." - Colin Smith   "How much could be listened to from someone? And what we really get from the conversation is often a very different message." - Colin Smith   "There are no rules. We know if we instinctively are present with someone, we will know what to do. We'll know what to say. We'll know when to add in our bit. Because it feels right. And it will feel congruent to the person who's speaking." - Colin Smith Notes/Mentions:   10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation by Celeste Headlee: https://www.ted.com/talks/celeste_headlee_10_ways_to_have_a_better_conversation In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies by Thomas J. Peters: https://www.amazon.in/Search-Excellence-Americas-Companies-Essentials/dp/0060548789 Brenee Brown: https://brenebrown.com/ Jane Adshead-Grant: https://listeningalchemy.com/2021/02/15/the-transformativepower-of-generativelistening-with-jane-adshead-grant/ Connect with Colin Smith:   dexteritysolutions.co.uk LinkedIn Connect with Raquel Ark: www.listeningalchemy.com Mobile: + 491732340722 contact@listeningalchemy.com LinkedIn

DJ Meredith motivates you through the weekend with an extended mix of the latest Electronica from artists like Nonsens, Bassjackers, TANG and so many more! Special remixes by MorganJ & Matroda help you work towards demolishing your fitness goals! “If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade.” – Thomas J. Peters “Opportunity's favorite disguise is trouble.” – Frank Tyger “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” –Horace "Life is not a goblet to be drained; it is a measure to be filled." "Discipline is just choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” "Waiting to develop courage is just another form of procrastination. The most successful people take action while they're afraid!" - Bev James "Mistakes - call them unexpected learning experiences."- Richard Bach 00:00 - Mic Break 01:37 - Weekend - Ben Ambergen & SIMONNE 03:48 - Temple - Nonsen & Rawtek 06:33 - ILL AS THIS - Crisis Era & Rawtek 09:42 - Mic Break 09:48 - Brothers (Extended Mix) - Sound Rush 13:49 - All In My Head - The Prophet & Devin Wild ft. Remi 17:13 - Sapphire (Radio Edit) - Matrick & Ben Stone 20:07 - Mic Break 20:12 - Big Orgus 2020 - Bassjackers vs. Furax 23:09 - The Phoenix Of The Night - B-Front & Adaro ft. Nikki Milou 27:20 - Flaming (Radio Edit) - Matrick & Ben Stone 30:21 - Mic Break 30:29 - Leka (Extended Mix) - Armin van Buuren x Super8 & Tab 35:34 - This Far (MorganJ Extended Remix) - Raven & Kreyn ft. Nino Lucarelli 39:13 - Dirty Dance - TANG & Unicorn 41:36 - Company - Maduk ft. Juul 45:34 - Mic Break 45:38 - One Of A Kind - Simon Skylar ft. Lukay 48:35 - Your Mistakes (MOTi Extended Edit) - Alva Gracia 51:50 - Bittersweet & Blue (A&B Extended Club Mix) - Above & Beyond ft. Richard Bedford 57:52 - Mic Break 57:57 - Drown (Matroda Remix) - Martin Garrix ft. Clinton Kane 61:48 - Superstar (Extended Mix) - Joe Stone & Four Of Diamonds 66:11 - Somebody Else (Yomi Twice Remix) - Flux Pavilion 70:42 - Mic Break 70:53 - Don’t Stop (Extended Mix) - Going Deeper ft. RITN 74:19 - Hunting Season (LEVIT∆TE Remix) - Armanni Reign 79:10 - Hold Me Close (Extended Mix) - Sam Feldt ft. Ella Henderson 83:14 - Worth It All - Tritonal x MAN CUB 85:56 - Mic Break 86:12 - Fire & Rain (Extended Mix) - Loopers ft. Iyona 90:44 - Private Show (Extended Club Re-Edit) - OFFAIAH 96:43 - Mic Break 98:02 - Rush (Extended Mix) - Jyye 101:44 - Finish

DJ Meredith motivates you through the weekend with an extended mix of the latest Electronica from artists like Nonsens, Bassjackers, TANG and so many more! Special remixes by MorganJ & Matroda help you work towards demolishing your fitness goals! “If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade.” – Thomas J. Peters “Opportunity's favorite disguise is trouble.” – Frank Tyger “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” –Horace "Life is not a goblet to be drained; it is a measure to be filled." "Discipline is just choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” "Waiting to develop courage is just another form of procrastination. The most successful people take action while they're afraid!" - Bev James "Mistakes - call them unexpected learning experiences."- Richard Bach 00:00 - Mic Break 01:37 - Weekend - Ben Ambergen & SIMONNE 03:48 - Temple - Nonsen & Rawtek 06:33 - ILL AS THIS - Crisis Era & Rawtek 09:42 - Mic Break 09:48 - Brothers (Extended Mix) - Sound Rush 13:49 - All In My Head - The Prophet & Devin Wild ft. Remi 17:13 - Sapphire (Radio Edit) - Matrick & Ben Stone 20:07 - Mic Break 20:12 - Big Orgus 2020 - Bassjackers vs. Furax 23:09 - The Phoenix Of The Night - B-Front & Adaro ft. Nikki Milou 27:20 - Flaming (Radio Edit) - Matrick & Ben Stone 30:21 - Mic Break 30:29 - Leka (Extended Mix) - Armin van Buuren x Super8 & Tab 35:34 - This Far (MorganJ Extended Remix) - Raven & Kreyn ft. Nino Lucarelli 39:13 - Dirty Dance - TANG & Unicorn 41:36 - Company - Maduk ft. Juul 45:34 - Mic Break 45:38 - One Of A Kind - Simon Skylar ft. Lukay 48:35 - Your Mistakes (MOTi Extended Edit) - Alva Gracia 51:50 - Bittersweet & Blue (A&B Extended Club Mix) - Above & Beyond ft. Richard Bedford 57:52 - Mic Break 57:57 - Drown (Matroda Remix) - Martin Garrix ft. Clinton Kane 61:48 - Superstar (Extended Mix) - Joe Stone & Four Of Diamonds 66:11 - Somebody Else (Yomi Twice Remix) - Flux Pavilion 70:42 - Mic Break 70:53 - Don’t Stop (Extended Mix) - Going Deeper ft. RITN 74:19 - Hunting Season (LEVIT∆TE Remix) - Armanni Reign 79:10 - Hold Me Close (Extended Mix) - Sam Feldt ft. Ella Henderson 83:14 - Worth It All - Tritonal x MAN CUB 85:56 - Mic Break 86:12 - Fire & Rain (Extended Mix) - Loopers ft. Iyona 90:44 - Private Show (Extended Club Re-Edit) - OFFAIAH 96:43 - Mic Break 98:02 - Rush (Extended Mix) - Jyye 101:44 - Finish

Shawn Anderson is a 7-time motivational author, international keynote speaker, and a results-producing people builder. His "go the extra mile" philosophy and ability to produce winning results have been praised by political leaders, Olympic Gold Medal and world record holders, and media outlets around the world. We talk about being the creator of your own world. Shawn teaches us how perseverance reigns supreme and how to keep your eyes on where you want to go. Golden nuggets: Life is not forever When you unite purpose with passion things grow beyond the vision Keys to success: Daily accountability Look at the vision Stay focused Actionable tip: Write down your vision (Write down I believe in me) Inspiration: "Celebrate what you want to see more of." Thomas J. Peters Resources: www.shawnanderson.com

Are you asking yourself questions like, “What should I be doing with my life and time?” If you take stock, discover your passion, focus your future efforts, and work hard, you’re sure to find a niche you’ll succeed in. Most people succeed best at the thing they have a passion for, but it takes more than passion and a vision to grow a successful company. There’s no substitute for hard work, especially in the beginning of a new venture, but if you do your homework and really prepare, you’ll be ahead of the game. As an entrepreneur, it can be difficult to step back once you’ve developed the habit of working long days to develop your business, and it’s all too easy to continue trying to do everything ourselves. If you can learn how to rely on the talents of others to help your company grow, it will help you both achieve success and a healthy work-life balance more quickly. Tune in for insights on work-life balance, putting in the hours, and pursuing your passions, with Tore Steen! In this episode, you will… Discover how to allow others to help you lead Learn how to prepare yourself for success while taking risks Understand that there’s no substitute for hard work Realize that open communication can help you and your company grow Be reminded that your passion will always shine through “The most effective leaders have a way to bring out the best in people.” – Steve Shallenberger CLICK TO TWEET SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST EPISODE RESOURCES Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best Podcast Becoming Your Best Blog Becoming Your Best iTunes 1033 Foundation of Utah Excellence by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman, Jr. tsteen@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jennifer Hill speaks with top Business & Executive Coach, Julien Adler, about how to move up the corporate ladder through a shift in perspective and the re-training one's skills. Julien offers suggestions on how to reframe one's point of view and develop leadership skills that can give job seekers access to landing upper level management positions. Julien Adler is an international executive coach and leadership trainer based in Silicon Valley. He is highly sought after for his unique approach to propelling his clients to success through a combination of organizational development, communication, business skills training and behavioral modification. An entrepreneur himself since he resold candy for a profit at summer camp, Julien provides his clients with real-world business support learned from his being an owner/operator of several organizations, including a painting company, to a software firm, an IT company to an Angel Investment firm. Julien also draws on several modalities — including psychology, conversational hypnosis and Neuro Linguistic Programming — to help reframe mental and emotional behavior patterns to put his client’s in alignment with their success. He is also a Master Hypnotherapist. Julien has worked with executives from everything from startup entrepreneurs to top professionals from Fortune 100 companies including: Adobe, the American Red Cross, Apple, Google, Intel, Mashable, Logitech, Microsoft, NASA, Netflix, Seagate and many more. How to Win Friends & Influence People, by Dale Carnegie In Search of Excellence, by Thomas J. Peters & Robert H. Waterman Built To Last, by Jim Collins & Jerry I. Porras The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, By Stephen R. Covey The Essential Drucker, by Peter F. Drucker Good To Great, by Jim Collins First, Break All The Rules, by Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton, Ph.D. Business Model Generation by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur Blue Ocean Strategy, by W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne The Enemies of Trust, by Robert M. Galford & Anne Semibold Drapeau Impro, by Keith Johnstone What Got You Here Won't Get You There, by Marshall Goldsmith Change Your Questions, Change Your Life, by Marilee Adams The Leadership Pipeline, by Ram Charan & Stephen Drotter Made to Stick, by Chip & Dan Heath The Fifth Discipline, by Peter Senge Drive, by Daniel Pink

Jennifer Hill speaks with top Business & Executive Coach, Julien Adler, about how to move up the corporate ladder through a shift in perspective and the re-training one's skills. Julien offers suggestions on how to reframe one's point of view and develop leadership skills that can give job seekers access to landing upper level management positions. Julien Adler is an international executive coach and leadership trainer based in Silicon Valley. He is highly sought after for his unique approach to propelling his clients to success through a combination of organizational development, communication, business skills training and behavioral modification. An entrepreneur himself since he resold candy for a profit at summer camp, Julien provides his clients with real-world business support learned from his being an owner/operator of several organizations, including a painting company, to a software firm, an IT company to an Angel Investment firm. Julien also draws on several modalities — including psychology, conversational hypnosis and Neuro Linguistic Programming — to help reframe mental and emotional behavior patterns to put his client’s in alignment with their success. He is also a Master Hypnotherapist. Julien has worked with executives from everything from startup entrepreneurs to top professionals from Fortune 100 companies including: Adobe, the American Red Cross, Apple, Google, Intel, Mashable, Logitech, Microsoft, NASA, Netflix, Seagate and many more. How to Win Friends & Influence People, by Dale Carnegie In Search of Excellence, by Thomas J. Peters & Robert H. Waterman Built To Last, by Jim Collins & Jerry I. Porras The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, By Stephen R. Covey The Essential Drucker, by Peter F. Drucker Good To Great, by Jim Collins First, Break All The Rules, by Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton, Ph.D. Business Model Generation by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur Blue Ocean Strategy, by W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne The Enemies of Trust, by Robert M. Galford & Anne Semibold Drapeau Impro, by Keith Johnstone What Got You Here Won't Get You There, by Marshall Goldsmith Change Your Questions, Change Your Life, by Marilee Adams The Leadership Pipeline, by Ram Charan & Stephen Drotter Made to Stick, by Chip & Dan Heath The Fifth Discipline, by Peter Senge Drive, by Daniel Pink

(http://giftbizunwrapped.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Claudia-Thumbnail.jpg) In 1993 Claudia Johnson founded her unique gift company, EXCLAMATIONS! Gifts with a two hundred dollar unemployment check and a dream. Her business has evolved into a thriving, full service, gift and gift basket company, offering an entire host of innovative and custom gift baskets, specialty items, and themed gift solutions for all occasions. In 2001 she purchased her 5,000 square foot building which features an inspiring showroom, gourmet pantry, offices, production facilities, shipping department and a photography studio. Having been honored with many distinctions in the gift industry, Claudia’s accomplishments include: Guest Gift Designer for Nordstrom; in-house Gift Basket Instructor at JC Penny’s corporate center in Plano, TX; and voted First Place winner for “San Diego’s Best Gift Shop”. She has been featured in international trade magazines, on television, and has been a guest speaker at national level trade shows and conventions. Claudia’s take on her success? “It’s achieved one client and one gift at a time.” Motivational Quote  (http://giftbizunwrapped.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Claudia-Candle.jpg)   Business InspirationClaudia walked into a florist shop that was going out of business. She saw a beautiful burgundy and gold basket and a dream was born. [4:21] A Candle Flickering MomentThe realization that the she could not build a business on solely the sales of her friends and family. She needed to focus on corporate business and success was up to her. [8:19] Success TraitShe loves people and her company revolves around that interaction that comes so naturally to her. [17:10] Productivity/Lifestyle ToolCurrently the native Notes app on her iphone and ipad but she’s looking into switching to Evernote. Valuable Book In Search of Excellence (http://amzn.to/1GjghEN) by Thomas J. Peters Contact Links Website (http://www.exclamationsgifts.com) Did you found value in this podcast, make sure to subscribe and leave a review in (http://www.giftbizunwrapped.com/googlepodcasts) . That helps us spread the word to more makers just like you. Thanks! Sue