Bridges to Leadership

New year's resolutions never really worked for me.  Over the past couple years I adapted the "resolution" idea to be more effective over the long haul.

Each year I come up with a theme to help me focus on something that I want to improve personally.  In this episode I share with you my themes for 2016, 2017, and how they helped me grow certain aspects of my life that needed some much needed help.  

Without direction of these "Year of..." themes there is no way I would have stood in front of 200 people, in my underwear, and rapped (poorly) R. Kelly's Ignition.  I even give you a taste of that dreadful but amazing day, careful it might make your ears bleed!

My hope is that this podcast will help you think about and define what you want 2018 to look like and help set goals to get you there.

Here's a couple ways of finding out more and contacting me.

email: [email protected]

Website  www.jasonmbridges.com

TEDx Talk Practicing Emotional Intelligence

Instagram @jasonmbridges

Many eons ago (okay about 10 years) I was a manager of a pizza shop where I learned many valuable lessons that continue to help me today as a leader.  I share one of my favorites about how my boss at the time handled a big mistake that I had made.  This lesson still sits with me today and has shaped my mindset on how I see a mistake...an opportunity.  

This podcast focuses on how we handle mistakes when OTHERS make them.  When you google making mistakes the majority of what you will find is how to handle your own mistakes and how its is part of the learning process...all true.  But I could find little on how, in a leadership role, we can shift our mindset to turn a mistake into progress.  

Enjoy!  And give me that feedback!

Forbes article on turning mistakes into opportunities

Here's a couple ways of finding out more and contacting me.

email: [email protected]

Website  www.jasonmbridges.com

TEDx Talk Practicing Emotional Intelligence

Instagram @jasonmbridges

After someone takes the time out of their day to speak with us, invite us into their home, or helps us in any way we usually send a thank you after the fact (right?).  But what do you write in that email or that hand written note?  This podcast talks about how to structure a thank you note so you can spend less time doing it AND make it stick.  Its the small details like this that builds relationships, so don't overlook it!

Let's stop sending the basic, generalized, "this could have been sent to anyone" thank you notes and put jusssssssst a little more thought into it.  The basic structure goes like this...

Opener

Connecter(s)

Closing

Pretty easy right?  So why don't we do it more often?  Why is it so hard for us to make a thoughtful thank you note.  The Connecting middle piece is the key!  Refer to something that happened within your shared experience, and be sincere + gracious when doing it.

If you wonder if I really am recording a podcast from a coffee shop on Nantucket, or find an urge to work with me in any way, here's a couple ways of finding out more and contacting me.

email: [email protected]

Website  www.jasonmbridges.com

TEDx Talk Practicing Emotional Intelligence

Instagram @jasonmbridges

Now that you have mastered initiating small talk after listening to our last podcast  :-)  we can now concentrate how to respond when someone initiates conversation with us!

In this podcast, I discuss different ways that I respond to small talk inquiries using examples of questions about our recent trip to Charleston and my pregnant wife.  Sounds kinda funny I know, but if you want to better connect with those around you we have to do better than a "I'm good" or "Great" or "thanks" type of response.  Yes, there are times when you aren't in the mood for small talk, no doubt about it.  When you are though, we can better engage with the initial connection to improve the conversation and further build that relationship.

Test the waters with your first response to see if they want to go further in the conversation.  If you put a creative spin on your response, it could open up the conversation for a better connection.

If you wonder if I really am recording a podcast from a coffee shop on Nantucket, or find an urge to work with me in any way, here's a couple ways of finding out more and contacting me.

email: [email protected]

Website  www.jasonmbridges.com

TEDx Talk Practicing Emotional Intelligence

Instagram @jasonmbridges

Initiating small talk isn't easy, but if you put focus on those around you and use your personality to your benefit it will improve!  

In this episode, I talk about strategies on how to start off with small talk using examples of how 2 different baristas at our coffee shop improved their interactions with customers.  Their personalities were different from one another so they chose different angles to better connect.  

The two keys to successfully initiate small talk...

1) Be specific

2) Focus on the other person

Focusing on small talk will help improve your self and social awareness, along with building better relationships.  Being interested in those around you is a good thing and key to effective leadership in any setting.

If you wonder if I really am recording a podcast from a coffee shop on Nantucket, or find an urge to work with me in any way, here's a couple ways of finding out more and contacting me.

email: [email protected]

Website  www.jasonmbridges.com

TEDx Talk Practicing Emotional Intelligence

Instagram @jasonmbridges

Words matter.

What are men supposed to do when inappropriate language about women occurs?  Obviously we should stand up and speak out against it.  But that doesn't always happen.  I discuss in this podcast a strategy for emerging male adults to combat this kind of dialogue that is degrading to women, dialogue that is too often exchanged and accepted in male environments and culture.  This is an leadership issue and a serious conversation that more men have to have.

Over the years I have worked with many male college students who don't have the tools and strategies to stand up for women in these situations.  When you break it down into 3 actions it gives a path to what we all want...to shift male culture.  I discuss a quick strategy for these situations...

1) Leave

2) Change the subject

3) Speak out

This podcast is for all men and anyone who wants to help men to no longer become what Jackson Katz calls the "bystander".  Check out his TED talk here, its well worth the 17 minutes!

This is a very complex subject and I don't presume to have all the answers.  This comes from years of working with my interns for our bike tour company, giving them tools to use when they head back into college life.

If you wonder if I really am recording a podcast from a coffee shop on Nantucket, or find an urge to work with me in any way, here's a couple ways of finding out more and contacting me.

email: [email protected]

Website  www.jasonmbridges.com

TEDx Talk Practicing Emotional Intelligence

Instagram @jasonmbridges

*music credit in body of podcast - Audiobinger

Being aware of our body language and the body language of those around us at meetings is not easy to grasp AND stay involved with the discussion.  I share a brief story of some very interesting body language I experienced at a recent meeting I had.  Also give out 4 tips on what to think about in your next meeting.

~ keep your body open (don't cross your arms)

~ sit up straight, don't slouch

~ DON'T LOOK AT YOUR PHONE!

~ try to be the best active listener you can be

If you wonder if I really am recording a podcast from a coffee shop on Nantucket, or find an urge to work with me in any way, here's a couple ways of finding out more and reaching me.

Website  www.jasonmbridges.com

TEDx Talk Practicing Emotional Intelligence

See what's up on instagram @jasonmbridges

Here's a short description that led me to start this podcast.  

Last year I did a TEDx talk at Wabash College about "Practicing Emotional Intelligence".  In this I describe the car accident that started it all, how I struggled with my new brain, and how I use EQ in a business setting via my coffee shop and bike tour company.

If you wonder if I really am recording a podcast from a coffee shop on Nantucket, wonder what its like to be a storyteller on 2 wheels, or find an urge to work with me in any way, here's a couple ways of getting ahold of me.

Email: [email protected]

Website  www.jasonmbridges.com

Or shoot me a note on instagram @jasonmbridges