Leading Through Crisis with Céline Williams

This week's guest, award-winning speechwriter, Elaine Bennett advises clients from Fortune 50 CEOs to entrepreneurs on their messaging. She also creates and delivers trainings on how to improve the writing of everything from internal communications to speeches. 

In this conversation, we dive into the power of storytelling in business. Elaine also shares a great story about what she learned by working with and observing Warren Buffett in the midst of a crisis. 

We talk about:
- Being stable in the eye of the storm
- Controlling the narrative
- Why stories are so important and what they accomplish

"Even if you talk about stories on every episode, you're probably still not talking about them enough -- they're that important. They're the only things that will separate you from someone else. If you want people to remember you and your ideas, you have to deliver them in a medium that people will take in and that medium is STORY."

Join us for a fascinating episode and, you guessed it, a bunch of great (and instructive) stories!

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To learn more about Elaine Bennett visit https://bennettink.com or find her on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook by searching "Bennett Ink". Or, on Twitter @bizspeechwriter.

We are in the middle of what has been dubbed The Great Resignation. Companies are dealing with how to attract and retain talent like never before. Individuals are doing a lot of soul-searching and reflection, in regards to their relationship with work. 

And, there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. 

The time is right to disrupt, change and grow in the area of career development to provide more possibilities for folks.

In this episode, we explore:
- the top 2 career development priorities most people have (they're not what you think)
- a whole bunch of questions to ask instead of "where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?"
- a tool Managers can use for greater success in increasing satisfaction and engagement
+ more!

Listen in and let us know what you think.

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Julie Winkle Giulioni is a champion/trainer for workplace growth and development. She was named by Inc. Magazine as a Top 100 Leadership Speaker. And, has a new book coming out in March 2022: Promotions Are So Yesterday: Redefine Career Development. Help Employees Thrive (for purchase at all major booksellers). 

To learn more about her, or to discover your own unique development priorities (via her career self-assessment tool), visit https://www.juliewinklegiulioni.com/. You can also find and follow her on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

“Perfectionism isn’t just something people choose midway through their lives. It’s something that has been with them for the majority of their lives, that’s helped them function or achieve in some way... Perfectionism, initially, gets people where they want to go or has brought them some degree of success.” 

Today I am joined by Audrey Holst, a professional coach, whose speciality is transforming perfection.

Perfectionism has its upsides but it's also exhausting and will only get you so far. 

This is an especially pertinent topic for leaders right now.

Due to COVID, we are all in a sort of ongoing crisis. We are operating at a lower capacity and with lower patience. But, in order to order to navigate change or a crisis, you need agility, to be able to think on your feet, to experiment and problem-solve--all of which are made more difficult by perfectionist behavior.

In this episode we talk about:
- how to check in with your body and build your awareness
- the difference between excellence and perfectionism
- why procrastination is often tied to perfectionism
- what makes perfectionists great
- how to reorient perfectionism and create habits that will serve you better

“The end results of excellence and perfectionism may look the same… but the impact on the individual is very different, the meaning they take from it is very different.” 

Listen in for some tips that may help you or someone you know who struggles with perfectionism and/or procrastination.

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To learn more about Audrey Holst, and to get her guide on the Perfectionist Archetypes, visit https://fortitudeandflow.com/perfectionist/. She is also on Instagram (@fortitudeandflow) and LinkedIn.

Today's guest, Tutti Taygerly is an Executive Coach and former Design Leader for companies like Facebook and Disney.

We talk about the mindset and process of design thinking, as well as how it can be helpful for leaders and companies.

We cover:
- how to recognize and name assumptions
- intention setting vs. goal setting
- dreaming big and redefining "failure"
- 50/50 goals
- slowing down to speed up

Here are a couple of great quotes from the episode...

“For all of its bad points, I love the tech industry because of the dreams. People dream big and are willing to fail in tech."

On 50/50 goals: "your aim is to hit 50% of the goals that you set. Some have to be big and hairy enough to ensure you may not meet them. If you hit 100% of them, you’re doing it wrong." 

"Goals are like a North Star. You’re going somewhere but you’re not so rigidly and forcefully attached to it that you can’t change course."

Feel free to let us know what you thought about the episode or what you learned. 

And, if you enjoyed it, make sure to subscribe (on Apple Podcasts or Spotify) and share it with a friend.

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To learn more about Tutti Taygerly, you can find her online at https://tuttitaygerly.com/. She is also on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter (just search her name). And, you can check out her book at makespacetolead.com.

2021 was another year that did not go exactly as planned. Maybe you can relate?!

In this conversation, I celebrate the wins, while still recognizing the challenges and losses. It's and/both, not either/or. Always.

Some of my biggest takeaways from this year...
1). Self-awareness really matters. 

2). There isn’t one right answer. 

3). The only constant is change. 

4). Communication is everything! 

5). There is not enough emphasis on compassion. 

6). 2021 was a year of growth and reflection for me, personally. 

8). Leading Through Crisis is now an award-winning podcast! 

9). We’ve got to celebrate the wins AND recognize the challenges and losses.

10). The most rewarding things take the most courage and vulnerability.

I also invite you to get in touch and let me know what YOU want to hear about! 

Thank you for listening this year!!! 

And, if you have enjoyed the podcast, the biggest compliment you can give is to share it with someone else who may enjoy it as well.

See you in 2022!
Céline

Why lead from your heart, particularly at work? And, what's the big deal about authentic leadership anyway? Does it really matter that much?

We answer these questions (and more!) in this episode of Leading Through Crisis with people and culture changemaker, Mike Horne.

Mike is the author of Integrity by Design: Living and Working Authentically, as well as the host of the Authentic Change podcast.

He reminds us that authenticity is important because when our words and actions don't match people don't trust us. And, "if I don't trust you, I won't think you have integrity. And, if you don't have integrity, I surely won't trust you. It's a vacuous cycle."

Without trust, it's very difficult to get things done in an organization. 

That, and people who are authentic (who have alignment in their thoughts, words and actions) are more congruent. Congruent people are more consistently happy. And, employees want to work for happy people.

According to Gallup, "70% of an employee's engagement is within managerial control." So, how do we use that to our advantage, instill loyalty and contentment, as well as protect our companies against "the big quit" or "great resignation" of 2021?

Listen in to find out.

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To learn more about Mike Horne, you can find him online at https://mike-horne.com/. Or, on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikehorne1/), Instagram or Twitter (@mikehorneauthor).

"Leading through crisis means being willing to pivot and being human, at the end of the day." - Marie Incontrera

The willingness to change and do things differently is imperative in running a successful and sustainable business. We do leaders a disservice by teaching them that there is one right way to do things or any kind of one-size-fits-all solution.

The more we (as leaders) micro-manage, confine or deny, the more we limit people kicking butt on our behalf. That is what we get into in today's conversation with, digital marketing consultant, Marie Incontrera.

Her key takeaways from the pandemic are:
1). We need to be okay with hearing the feedback that we think we explained something and we actually didn’t (in a way that was easily understood). 
2). We need to be okay with people coming to us and telling us they’re having a problem. 

We have to create a space where people are safe to come to us--even if they don't have a solution for what they're dealing with.

And, "we’re not out of the woods yet. It’s not too late (to implement some of these helpful changes). We might as well use the opportunity to change now.” 

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To learn more about Marie Incontrera, you can find her online at https://www.incontrera.com/. Or, by searching "Marie Incontrera" on all social platforms.

Although comprising roughly half of the workforce, women hold less than 10% of the top leadership positions. That's a problem.

The question is: what are we gonna do about it?

Having more women on Boards and in C-suites is not only the right thing to do, it's also the right move from a business perspective.

Find out why as I speak to Paul Harrietha & Holly Catalfamo, co-authors of the book, "The Invisible Rules: What's Really Holding Women Back in Business--and How to Fix It." It's a compelling book based on extensive research and one-on-one interviews with 50 senior female leaders from across Canada.

We get into:
- What would happen if we looked at (and treated) gender equality from a business perspective rather than a social one.
- How what they are proposing is actually the opposite of affirmative action.
- Why do we need to re-think systems, HR practices, and talent management to remove systemic biases.
- The 4 Key Biases women face at work and how to manage around them.
- The difference between mentorship and sponsorship.
- What values-based leadership actually is and why it makes decision-making fundamentally easier.
- And, why we all win when women are more equally represented at the top.

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To learn more about Paul Harrietha & Holly Catalfamo, you can find them online at capsleadership.ca/.

Also, make sure to pick up a copy of their book "The Invisible Rules: What's Really Holding Women Back in Business--and How to Fix It," where they dive more deeply into everything we talked about today. (Available at most booksellers, including Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Invisible-Rules-Really-Holding-Business-ebook/dp/B08YFLJW96) 
 

In this episode, (Feng Shui Expert, Healer, and Coach) Patricia Lohan talks to us about a practice that is misunderstood and underutilized, especially at work: the art of feng shui.

More and more huge companies and corporations (like Whole Foods) have begun to utilize this practice--understanding that feng shui supports the flow of more money, more opportunities, and more growth. It also makes their space more harmonious, not just for their clients but also for their employees. And, they are reaping the rewards.

Patricia has a gift for making feng shui simple and easy to understand and implement.

Listen in and give Patricia's "Fresh Eyes" challenge a try. Simple, little shifts really can make a huge difference! 

If the energy in your space is not supportive, it creates and compounds any other issues you may have.


"The whole idea of feng shui is that things feel better... you feel better, things happen more fluidly. You go into a sense of flow and your space supports you with that." 

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To learn more about Patricia Lohan you can find her online at patricialohan.com. Or, join her in her free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/powerhousefengshui/.

Many companies are currently struggling with attracting, onboarding, and retaining talent. But, there are so many things you can do to encourage people to stay, as opposed to letting them leave for the competition.

Listen in as we discuss:
- Why there is a talent crisis, as well as what to do about it
- "Leaving the key under the mat" or facilitating an "elegant exit" when people go
- Company culture baselines
- How managers impact employee wellness
- How to help people to grow where they are
- And, perhaps most importantly, the value of RECOGNIZE, VERBALIZE, MOBILIZE for leaders.

Implementing some of these strategies can be an absolute game-changer for yourself, your business, and your people!

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To learn more about Bev Kaye you can find her online at bevkaye.com. As well as on LinkedIn (bevkaye) and Twitter (BeverlyLKaye).