Beyond Networking with Brian Miller

When you ask for feedback, you reinforce any existing power dynamic. When you ask for advice, you eliminate the power dynamic completely. People feel more comfortable giving advice, and you'll receive it better.

Blog version: https://brianmillerspeaks.com/stop-asking-for-feedback/ 

Video version: https://youtu.be/VkqVdbCeThg

Empathy isn't all that it's cracked up to be. It leads to burnout and irrational decisions. Plus, it's nearly impossible to teach. But instead you can learn perspective-taking, a skill that leads to understanding, connection, and yes, even empathy.

Watch the video version instead: https://youtu.be/DQZKlzlczOQ

Read the blog version instead: https://brianmillerspeaks.com/perspective-taking-vs-empathy-2/

Free resource - "Stop Cringing, Start Connection: 7 Ways to Talk to Anyone Without Looking Like an Idiot" - https://SoftSkillsAreHard.com

In 2019 I had the privilege and honor of chatting with legend Seth Godin for an hour. We spoke about marketing, work-life balance, and human connection. But when I asked him for a story of a chance encounter with lasting impact, the story he told me was absolutely insane. And exclusive - it's the first and only time he's ever told it in public. 

Listen to the full episode: https://www.beyondnetworkingpodcast.com/where-you-are-and-what-you-do-with-seth-godin/

Connection is not about agreement, but understanding- by being grateful, being humble, setting the tone, and seeking common ground.

Read the blog or watch the video instead: https://brianmillerspeaks.com/how-to-respectfully-disagree-respectfully/

From the vault, serial social entrepreneur Getrude Matshe teaches us the African philosophy of Ubuntu. Getrude was my guest back in Season 2 when the show was still called One New Person.

Listen to or watch her entire episode here: https://beyondnetworkingpodcast.com/the-magic-of-ubuntu-with-getrude-matshe/

Life is sometimes unbearably difficult and unreasonably cruel. Let’s all give each other a break. Here's a lesson I learned from my grandmother.

Read or watch instead of listening: https://brianmillerspeaks.com/i-havent-bought-a-sponge-in-15-years/

People aren’t going to do what you consider respectful, or fair. They’re going to do what they believe serves the audience, which is not you.

Read or watch instead of listening: https://brianmillerspeaks.com/youre-not-special-an-open-letter-to-artists/

Being an artist is hard. People aren’t going to do what you consider respectful, or fair. They’re going to do what they believe serves the audience, which is not you. How do you stand out as an artist? What can you do if people don't respect your work?

The War of Art: https://amzn.to/2UuWQKq 

2 More Tools:

• Article: https://brianmillerspeaks.com/how-to-be-seen-as-a-professional/
• Video: https://youtu.be/FzmHm6Q19YY

Now that we have 18 months of practice in virtual experiences, let’s not have our excitement get away from us. “In-person” is finally an option again, but it’s only one option. Ask yourself these 3 questions before planning or attending your next in-person event, or going back to the office.

Read instead: https://brianmillerspeaks.com/the-pivot-back-to-in-person-events/

Watch instead: 

Kelly Leonard spent most of the 90s and 2000s as an executive producer at the world famous Second City improv theater in Chicago. He is personally responsible for hiring Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, and Steve Carell. 

He also wrote the book Yes, And…, a book on creativity and collaboration in the workplace, based on lessons from improv comedy and Second City.

In this conversation, Kelly talks us through Second City’s Pivot into virtual improv performances during the 2020 pandemic. We learn about the difference between improv and spontaneity, how to gain agency over our emotions, a brilliant exercise you can do to achieve clarity and mental calmness in difficult times, why he describes COVID as a period of “sway,”  and of course, he teaches us the “yes, and…” principle.

This was a blast, and a perfect way to close out an absolutely wild year of Pivot stories.

Connect with Kelly:

• Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/klsecondcity/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-leonard-he-him-his-b8495047/
• Podcast: https://www.secondcityworks.com/podcast

Watch instead of listen: https://beyondnetworkingpodcast.com/kelly-leonard/

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