“We want to inspire a change in the social currency to be not one of status or prestige, but one around what it is that we're doing for others…we think a lot can happen from making small everyday changes or actions.” – Cory Ames, CEO of Grow Ensemble Using Business as a Force for Good   Inspiring and generous. When I think of my interactions with CEO of Grow Ensemble Cory Ames, he embodies these descriptors with passion and authenticity. He is an exemplar of his goal to make sustainable business and sustainable living the norm. Prior to Growth Ensemble, at only 22, Cory was the CEO of a digital marketing agency. Next, he began consulting on all things digital marketing and SEO with the aim of using his skills for doing good. Now, as host of The Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Podcast, he’s gleaned immeasurable wisdom from leaders in the social impact space. Such experience lends to his credibility and thoughtful dialogue. Drawing from roughly 180 interviews with these important players and his career, Cory takes us through: The distinction between social entrepreneurship versus Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and examples of brands in both domains What’s different about launching a company focused on doing good, plus helpful advice for those entering the space How he views his role as a leader, his personal philosophy and the impact he wishes to make And more to inspire you ... Social Entrepreneurship vs. CSR [08:08] “[Social entrepreneurs’] object and aim is to make some sort of meaningful impact, or some sort of meaningful change. So their business exists to ideally influence something environmental, or social…in contrast, Corporate Social Responsibility is an extension or the arm of a current business model.” Collaborate, Rather Than Compete, for the Common Good [27:49] “If you're in the space of wanting to use your business as a force for good to leave the world a better place, if someone else has a business whose objective is the same way, you're tackling the same goal; you're on the same team. So collaboration is a much more important priority than competition is in this space of sustainable business.” Leadership in a Sustainable Business [31:50] “I don't have all the answers, and I want to remain very curious and open to asking questions. That’s an expectation I want to set with anyone I work with - I'm more than okay being wrong and corrected and provided with the right information…it’s for the betterment of what we're doing, and, ultimately my betterment of understanding the world that we live in.”   For further exploration: Guest links Cory Ames https://coryames.com/ Grow Ensemble https://growensemble.com/ Grow Ensemble Newsletter https://growensemble.com/newsletter/ Grow Ensemble Podcast https://growensemble.com/podcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amescory/ To join Grow Ensemble's community for social impact, visit: https://growensemble.com/membership To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/

Rise Leaders Radio

#46: For Good + For Profit: A Social Entrepreneur‘s Imperative

“There’s 10.1 million positions open [in the post-COVID workforce], there is this great resignation, a great reconsideration: What am I doing? Do I feel attached to my company? Do I feel like I have purpose?” – Mike Sullivan, CEO of the LOOMIS Agency The 7 Elements of Great Culture The pandemic changed the landscape of the working world as we know it. Team members’ priorities have shifted into focus, and in much of the workforce, there has been a mass exodus as they search for companies that align with their purpose or values. One element that can provide stability and longevity against this backdrop of rapid change is culture. As the CEO of The LOOMIS Agency, Mike Sullivan knows this firshand. Culture is a hallmark of strength in an organization that team members overwhelmingly respond well to. The proof is in the pudding: LOOMIS retained all team members during and after the pandemic. My previous discussion with Mike Sullivan established why a strong culture matters. Now we’re delving into what it looks like with his 7 elements of a great culture, pulled from his and Michael Tuggle’s book, The Voice of the Underdog: How Challenger Brands Achieve Success through Culture. Culture Starts with Safety [05:23] “Until people feel like they are safe, and they can bring their full selves to their employment situation, they're not going to be as concerned about tapping into a purpose at work, for example, which is the second [element of culture] – what is it that I'm here to do?” Don’t forget clients also attract (or detract from) security: [17:53] “One of the things that I focus on is, again, the kind of clients that you bring into an organization. What I was trying to do when I built my culture was create stability, first and foremost. So if a situation is stable, if your work environment is stable, now you feel safer, now you feel more connected, now you feel like you belong.” Connection is Founded on Communication [07:20] “Communication is leadership … if you’ll slow it down, and let folks know, ‘I don't have all the answers. Nobody seems to have all the answers. But give me your feedback, help me set our policy.’ And inviting them into that discussion, I think is really powerful.” Creativity Changes the Game [15:56] “There is no problem that can't be solved with creativity. But all the other things need to be in place to be on top of your game from a creative standpoint. You really do need to feel like you belong, you have a sense of purpose like, ‘This is going in the right direction. I feel good about the people I work with – now I’m able to bring my full self.’ And that's when creativity catches fire.” For further exploration:   Mike Sullivan:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesullivanatloomis/ The LOOMIS Agency: https://theloomisagency.com The Voice of the Underdog: How Challenger Brands Create Distinction by thinking Culture First https://theloomisagency.com/challengerbook https://theloomisagency.com/blog/getting-company-culture-right-post-covid/ The Voice of the Underdog Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-voice-of-the-underdog/id1567247656 HOW THE PANDEMIC NOW ENDS: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/08/delta-has-changed-pandemic-endgame/619726/ To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/

#45: 7 Elements of a Winning Culture: Foosball isn‘t one of them

“Ultimately, I decided I just wanted to create the kind of place that people want to work on Monday morning - they want to come, there’s no Sunday night dread. And again, it doesn't mean that it's perfect. But what it does mean is that we're focused on the right things.” - Mike Sullivan, CEO of The LOOMIS Agency   A Strong Culture is a Competitive Advantage Mike Sullivan speaks with experience and authority. As CEO of the LOOMIS agency, he and his team have made it their mission to help challenger brands win more market share. And he has observed that no matter how great the branding is, if the culture stinks, the company will struggle. LOOMIS boasts half the turnover rate of other agencies. They themselves are a challenger brand that continues to crack the culture nut with multiple, year-over-year wins as a Best Place to Work. And as a result, they produce award-winning creative. But what is a challenger brand, and why is culture so important? I sit down with Mike and we discuss challenging the status quo, how culture and brand are inextricably linked, and how he and his team keep culture alive at LOOMIS. We also discuss brands that have successfully nurtured culture by including it in their purpose, values, and leadership competencies. What is a Challenger Brand? “Really challenger brands are those that are certainly challenged from a resource standpoint, but they're also oriented towards disruption. They’re oriented towards shaking up the marketplace, changing the rules, in a way that favors them… People within an organization need to think of and understand themselves as challengers.“ Clients Impact Culture, Too [11:30] “Culture is going to reflect in large part by the company that you keep. If you’ve got difficult, challenging, unreasonable clients, then that’s going to infect your culture. It’s what you tolerate.… [12:30] "What I always look for is the way they [potential clients] treat [our] people and the way they treat their people - how they interact, how they engage.” Company Culture - Build an Extended Family [15:33] “The number-one word people use to describe rich, rewarding, and supportive cultures is family…they do become sort of an extension of your family… [15:14] “And I always think about that, you know, are these the kind of people that I want to put in relationship with our [team], because I think the world of our folks…who do you want to bring into your family, so to speak?” For further exploration:   Mike Sullivan:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesullivanatloomis/ The LOOMIS Agency: https://theloomisagency.com The Voice of the Underdog: How Challenger Brands Create Distinction by thinking Culture First https://theloomisagency.com/challengerbook https://theloomisagency.com/getting-company-culture-right-post-covid To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/

#44 Want a Winning Brand? Build a Winning Culture with Mike Sullivan

  He says look forward to getting old. He says keep changing,  you just get more who you really are. - Roger S. Keyes, Hokusai Says   Podcast art:  The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai The Art is the First Iteration. We take it from there. The poet reminds us that art is a product of inspiration and interpretation. The artist initiates us with their work and then it's up to us to add our own meaning.  Hokusai rolls first by offering his art - the most well known is his beautiful woodblock series, Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji. Roger S. Keyes, an art-historian and poet picks up the dice and rolls again by offering an interpretation of Hokusai's work. What it meant to him. I must say I like the meaning he made of the great Japanese artist's paintings. How does Poetry Inspire Action? Listen as I read and notice what happens with you. Taking the poem in, I want to slow down. I want to pay more attention to my surroundings and to appreciate them. And to appreciate the individual and collective trajectory of our human and non-human lives. I want to visit a museum and wonder about a piece of art or sculpture. What is the artist saying through their work? Being impressed and then motivated to new action is a final phase of reading poetry. You can find the Guide to Reading Poetry, along with a copy of this poem. In Episode 18, I interview a colleague who reads David Whyte's Start Close In and we discuss ways to take in poetry. What's the link between Poetry and Leadership? I have opinions about how reading poetry elevates our leadership and our lives. I think it deepens our experience. If we use the poem as a practice for taking on another person's perspective like Keyes did, we can increase our empathy and ability to deal with paradox, complexity and conflict. We can read poetry to build the muscles of our imagination, which can lead to creativity and innovation - highly sought after elements of our work and lives. A Guide for Reading Poetry: https://mailchi.mp/rise-leaders.com/a-guide-for-reading-poetry Episode 18: Using Poetry to Expand Perspective https://rise-leaders.com/podcast?ppplayer=2166354b3000fc311ad1272907939efb&ppepisode=d0ab05a8823e580f4b6d08ccede05d34 Great Wave off Kanagawa, a painting from Hokusai: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa_restored.jpg To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/

#43 Pay Attention, Stay Curious: ”Hokusai Says”

“Look at sales in a very simple definition - that is delivering value for what someone needs. If you look at sales in that light, that’s a very noble profession. It starts with helping make sure that companies have the right people in their organization and Sales[people] who have the right knowledge, mindset, approach, cultural fit for the business, but also work with other areas of business.” - Chris Goade Aligning Sales and company culture Sales is arguably the face of the business – and foundational to an organization's success. It’s intrinsically connected to each function of the business, interfaces directly with customers, and delivers the revenue and profits necessary for growth. This is why it’s critical to develop solid sales processes and talent. Chris Goade is the co-founder of 360 Consulting and saw an untapped market to build, rebuild, and restructure sales organizations while developing its people. He discusses the importance of a sales culture and that it aligns with company culture. This happens by finding the right people, building the right processes, and nurturing cross-functional relationships. When done well, this creates a win-win relationship for the business and the customer. People, Mindset, Process  [11:09] “Work to make sure you have the right people, the right mindset, a clear understanding from everyone in the organization of what you do in sales: How do we develop leads? How do we articulate our value proposition? How do we create winning relationships?...It's a process like accounting, production, operations.” About CRMs [17:26] “If you start off with, 'do we have the right tool configured correctly? Do we have the right processes in there? And always keep an eye on what the ultimate goal is - this changes the whole belief system around what a CRM can mean for your business.” Change driven by Goals and supported with Accountability [18:54] “Get participation from everyone on the team…And now it's not just someone saying, ‘Hey, you're gonna do this,’ or ‘This is policy’… that's a whole different kind of mindset and position to come from when you start to hold people accountable… “We don’t change for the sake of change, but change to get to the goals. … [When] they have some ownership in that in that change, then it's not so scary.”   For further exploration: 360 Consulting DFW : https://www.360consultingdfw.com/ Chris Goade Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-goade-535b2831/   To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/

#42 What if Sales IS the Center of the Universe?

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”  - Viktor Frankl Unlocking our freedom from within When we think of independence, we often think of it as an external event, like Juneteenth or the Fourth of July. But freedom and independence, including personal freedom, is actually a process and practice that requires ongoing effort. Internal freedom is our ability and willingness to live into our own creative potential. It's a mindset and comes from within. To achieve internal freedom, spend time reflecting on your values, motivations and authentic desires. Double-check that the dreams you're chasing are yours and not someone else’s. We unlock greater personal power when we recognize self-limiting beliefs and behaviors that inhibit our internal freedom. The benefits are great: when we gain internal freedom, we live from a creative and empowered mindset.   What Internal Freedom looks like: [07:46]“It looks like creating visions for our own life and then taking steps toward those visions. We’re honest and clear about what we want, not what someone else wants of us, or what we feel obligated to do.” “Using discretion and intention for where we place our focus and attention…Know where you want to spend your time and attention and create boundaries and practices so that you find that sweet spot.” How we hold ourselves captive: [12:35] “Complying, staying small, and not rocking the boat. Staying quiet in meetings and agreeing.” [14:47]“Not recognizing and valuing our own worth, expertise, contribution, impact - a feeling of not belonging.” For example, “’Everyone at my company has specific expertise…I run customer support so don’t have much to contribute.’”  One way this belief impacts someone is in feeling unable to say no in an attempt to prove one’s worth. Burnout and resentment follow. For further exploration: Journal Prompts for Freedom pdf https://mailchi.mp/rise-leaders/journal-prompts-for-freedom Rise Leaders Radio Episode #13 with David Emerald: Three Vital Questions for Transformative Results and #33 with Jerry Magar: Putting Your Values Into Action (www.rise-leaders.com/podcast) CliftonStrengths assessment Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl   Books by David Emerald:  The Power of TED* The Empowerment Dynamic + Three Vital Questions:Transforming Workplace Drama   Mastering Leadership by Robert J. Anderson and William A. Adams (socialized/self-authoring, creative/reactive)   Reboot:  Leadership and the Art of Growing Up by Jerry Colonna Cassandra Speaks: When Women are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes by Elizabeth Lesser Owning Your Own Shadow by Robert A. Johnson Loving What Is by Byron Katie To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/

#41 How to Be Free

“When we’re blending, we felt in lockstep, we were in flow. Perhaps we even felt like the conversation was a nice dance. We felt open, connected with, 'gotten'…When we are able to blend, we have stronger relationships that are based on deeper trust.”   'Blend' to build stronger relationships In a society that seems to value being right and accomplishing tasks quickly, a willingness to engage in the difficult work of connecting with what others care about is a game-changing mindset. Blending is one means of accomplishing this: an authentic willingness to be open to another person’s concerns, move with them, to hear and understand their perspective. This week we’re looking at what blending is (and isn’t); how to sense it; and how to observe, reflect, and practice it. What Blending Isn't: [3:42] “When we're having an experience of not blending or not being blended with, we may say that we feel pushed into something. We might feel stiff-armed or kept at a distance. We feel like we had the rug pulled out from underneath us.” Observation Before Action [6:07] “The magic in all of this is in raising our self-awareness so that we can catch ourselves when we're blending well, and not so much.” [8:38] “Observe yourself. Notice the situations where you blend well. And when you don't, I've given you clues already to look for: when you jump in to fix, advise or shut something down, or when you move into complying and pleasing.”   Center, Calibrate and Connect  [10:57] “When you're actually in the blending conversation, connect to what you care about. Center yourself physically, release tension, calibrate your nervous system. Now connect with the other person and engage by asking questions and attempting to expand your own perspective.” For further exploration: Rise Leaders Radio Episodes focused on embodiment: #32 Speak Up Stand Up:  Chris Johnson on Becoming Fierce; #25 The Leadership Pause with Chris Johnson (www.rise-leaders.com/podcast) Pushing Hands - An embodied exercise:  Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushing_hands "Embodied Leadership: The Somatic Approach to Developing Your Leadership" – Pete Hamill https://bookshop.org/a/16835/9780749465643 "The Leadership Dojo: Build Your Foundation as an Exemplary Leader" – Richard Strozzi-Heckler https://bookshop.org/a/16835/9781583942017 To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/  

Try the 'blend' : A practice to build stronger relationships and deeper trust

“Our embodiment is our extraordinary ability to put complex actions and interactions on autopilot. So that what comes next, or how to respond, becomes second nature... I'm talking about the body as a reflection of the person who lives within it.” -Amanda Blake, Your Body is Your Brain Embodiment, Learning and Leadership Amanda Blake is the author of Your Body is Your Brain, a Ph.D. candidate in Leadership and Management, and an expert in experiential leadership learning and the art and science of embodiment. Today we explore the positive impact that embodied self-awareness has on our resilience, our effectiveness in leading, and ultimately in living a more fulfilling life. What is embodiment? [06:55] “Embodiment is a felt sense way of knowing about ourselves about others and about the world…non-judgmental attention to what our interior state is to our sensations or movements…A way of being, a way of knowing, and a way of paying attention.” A pathway to resilience [18:39] “When we start to develop our embodied self-awareness, part of what happens is we get better at noticing the red flags, and stress.” [19:57] “It's like this secret superpower where you can go, ‘I'm just going to soften my shoulders a little bit here, I'm just going to relax my jaw or feel myself sitting in my seat.’ All of a sudden, that starts to change the constellation of stress hormones in my body.” Recognizing when you carry stress in your body is the first step to overcoming and bouncing back. This can help us return to the path we need. Embodiment is personal and pragmatic [24:10] “It's very unique and individual what we might need or want to do to counteract the tendencies we might have that can be totally unconscious.” [25:55] “Prime people to think about, okay, for this meeting, this conversation, this activity, how do you need to bring yourself to it? What way of being will best serve the outcome that you're aiming for? Then how do you embody that..whatever that may be?” Do you need to open your shoulders and lean forward to better engage? Do you need to soften anywhere to relax and appear approachable? It’s up to you to determine what’s best for the situation and what to do physically to bring your best self. For more conversations on embodied leadership, try out Rise Leaders Radio episodes #25 & #32. Free download mentioned in this episode: Stress to Serenity Guide:  https://embright.org/centering-challenge/ To connect with Mandy: Website:  https://embright.org/ About Mandy: https://embright.org/mandy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-blake-892195/ Order the book through Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/16835/9780999368107

#39 Your Body's Role in Being and Effective + Resilient Leader

“When we connect to our own energy and life force, we're actually connecting to the big energy out there in the world…And this is the venue, the entry point into connecting with all the rest of life around us.” - Mark Mooney Connect with your body, connect with the world According to Mark Mooney, the embodied or self-actuated self includes a deep connection to all the rest of life on the planet. Achieving this requires an understanding of somatics and ecosomatics. Somatics is a body-centered approach to learning and transformation; we learn through our body to reach our potential. Ecosomatics integrates deep ecology, which acknowledges the inherent value and interconnection of all living things. Tapping into our senses and sensations lays groundwork for both. This week Mark explains how our bodies and our “ historical shaping” inform our strategies for navigating the world. He also explains how connecting with nature enhances our wellbeing - and how to connect with nature even when it’s not easily accessible. Be fully in the experience of life [15:36] “We might as well be in the experience of life as opposed to thinking of life. Joseph Campbell suggested that we're not looking for the secret of the meaning of life. He suggests that we're looking for the experience of life, which means experiencing all of our emotions fully.  Being fully aware in the moment and to the things going on around me. [Then the] experience of life just gets better.” Our shape suggests our mood [22:15] “That's an interesting part about shaping. You look at people’s shape, a ‘resigned shape’ is one of the things that people can see the most: kind of collapsed - looks like there's a weight around the neck…it’s part of the defense of ‘let's make myself smaller.’ I'll bring my energy and I'll condense my musculature. I'll actually bring my head down. Now I'm going to be smaller.” Connect to your senses to become present and alive [50:21] “Cultivate your connection to your senses. Go for a walk (and nature is probably going to give you the easiest time to do this) and spend 10 minutes strictly in one sense…so I could walk slowly and just pay attention to what I hear. What's the furthest away thing I can hear? What's the closest thing? What's high pitch, what's low and bass? And just pay attention and listen to the quality of sound.” [54:28] “It opens a world getting connected to our senses on this level, it opens a world that we're just not usually paying any attention to.” Resources mentioned in the episode: Mark Mooney: mooney23@comcast.net ecosomatic.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mooney-6116a49/ Strozzi Institute: https://strozziinstitute.com/ Richard Strozzi-Heckler, PhD: https://strozziinstitute.com/about-2/#richard-strozzi-heckler Deep Ecology + George Sessions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_ecology#:~:text=Deep%20ecology%20is%20an%20environmental,in%20accordance%20with%20such%20ideas. Arne Naess: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arne_N%C3%A6ss To subscribe to the Rise Leaders newsletter for more resources: https://mailchi.mp/426e78bc9538/subscribe To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/

#38 Ecosomatics |Connect to your body to connect to your world

"If we insist on being buttoned up, polished professionals, that gets us a certain distance in our business lives. But showing up as a human being and being willing to relate to our clients and our colleagues as human beings, not just as professionals, gets us 10 times further.” - Andrea Howe Strong connections build trust Andrea Howe kicks conventional business to the curb and transforms how people work together. Augmenting our talk with Charlie Green in episode 36, Andrea helps us take a deep dive into the foundations of trust for us to accomplish this.   Building trust can feel risky. It requires shedding protective mechanisms to reveal vulnerability and, as a result, make human connections. In the workplace this often spurs fear. After all, it can be a tough balancing act to appear competent and set professional boundaries while also taking opportunities to let our guard down and reveal ourselves. Fear also inhibits true connection because it magnifies self-orientation. We can’t truly be there for others if we allow our own fear to take hold and guide our interactions.   As you’ll discover, these 3 elements are interwoven, but when they’re examined, you can see how an awareness of them helps a novel way of working and thriving unfold. Face fear [14:37] “Human beings, professionals, struggle with fear…[sometimes] it’s a subtle, insidious force that has us suddenly doing or saying things that maybe aren't the optimal from a trust-building standpoint. But it's pervasive, and I think it's critical for us to attend to…we’ve got to shine some light on it, normalize it, practice ways to manage it and mitigate it, and therefore be able to show up not only more powerfully in a more grounded and centered way, but also more courageously.” [28:01] “So think about it, when we're in a fear-based place, even if it's subtle, the ability to really tune in to another human being is compromised.” Intimacy builds a safe haven [31:16] “In looking at the data we've collected over more than a decade now, those with the highest intimacy scores tend to also have the highest trustworthiness scores… “If there isn't safety in a relationship…if you're my client, what's the likelihood that you're going to disclose to me or even be willing to explore with me the real issues? What really needs to be attended to? What you're really concerned about are what your fears are.” Generosity: The antidote to fear [39:51] “Be willing to give stuff away. Give away ideas. Give things away. And that doesn't mean not valuing your services [or] charging appropriately for your services. But one of the best ways for people to have an experience of who you are is to get a little taste of it. So why not be willing to invest, give them a little demo…a way of getting to know you, who you are, and what you're capable of.” Resources: Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-howe-she-her-22a105/ Trusted Advisor Associates: https://trustedadvisor.com/ The Get Real Project: https://thegetrealproject.com/ (Upcoming Webinar): https://trustedadvisor.com/webinars The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook: https://trustedadvisor.com/books/the-trusted-advisor-fieldbook   To subscribe to the Rise Leaders newsletter for more resources: https://mailchi.mp/426e78bc9538/subscribe To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/

#37 Intimacy, Self-Orientation & Fear | A Deep Dive Into Trust

“The goal of most sales books and training programs is to get more sales. The goal of trust-based selling is to help the customer…The paradox is that if you abandon attachment to the sale as the goal and instead do the sale as a fortunate byproduct, you'll actually do better.” - Charles H. Green The trust equation How do we measure trust? In sales and marketing, the fundamentals of interpersonal trust haven’t changed despite the digitization of the past 20 years. The mediums may change, but ultimately, it’s about people connecting with other people. While that sounds simple, in practice it can be complicated. That’s why Founder of Trusted Advisor Associates Charlie Green has distilled the elements of trust into one equation. Charlie delves into how building trust is a boon to interpersonal and even organizational success. In our conversation, he explains and gives examples of each element of trust, the trends he sees in his work with business leaders, and how showing up for relationships authentically better serves others in the end. Myths of trust: [15:56] “ [that] trust takes a long time to build and a moment to destroy. Time is not the issue. Courage is the issue. It's the ability to react appropriately to the other person in the moment.” Trust helps you serve better: [18:07] “The problem is never what the client said it was in the first meeting. And that's not the fault of the client, they're trying to do their best job of defining what the problem is and have all their own unconscious biases…but the magic that happens between seller and buyer, if it's done right, results in a higher-level, more complex, more accurate shared problem definition. And that's a very valuable part of the consultative relationship, coming to a shared definition of what really is the problem. Position yourself to earn trust: [27:45] “We've all had conversations with people who are checked out, and you can feel, 'they're not paying attention to me', 'they don't care what my answer is to this'…and we don't trust those people. On the other hand, if somebody does us the grace, the dignity, the honor, the respect of actually paying attention, we’re drawn to those people. And we reciprocate and listen to what they have to say. It's a matter of respect, in a way.” Resources mentioned in this Episode: https://trustedadvisor.com/ videos, articles, etc. The Trusted Advisor 20th Anniversary Edition https://trustedadvisor.com/books   https://www.edelman.com/trust/2020-trust-barometer www.rise-leaders.com/podcast Episode 17: The Trust Equation https://rise-leaders.com/trust-equation-guide-2/ Trust Equation Guide https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleshgreen/ To subscribe to the Rise Leaders newsletter for more resources: https://mailchi.mp/426e78bc9538/subscribe To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/

#36: A Way of Being for Sustainable Sales Success: Focus on Trust, Courage, Intimacy

“Think of virtual distance as an unconscious sense of social and emotional detachment that starts to grow. As we use more and more computer-mediated communications, it shows up as changes in our behavior because we don't feel as close to people, but we may not realize that it's happening to us.” - Dr. Karen Lojeski Perhaps you can relate to the scenario where we’re answering emails and get stuck in the “mind fog.” You might be distracted by other tasks that await you, or you’re wondering whether you’ve interpreted the sender’s email tone correctly. Over time situations as these reveal that there’s so much lost in virtual interaction, a lack of focus and context that’s valuable in building trust. This fog between people that results from our increasingly virtual world is what Dr. Karen Lojeski calls virtual distance. It’s the loss of context around interactions that we naturally get from being in the same physical environment, helping us understand what someone means and how they feel. Ultimately it distills human connection, which is critical to our wellbeing as a species. Karen’s computer science background led her to seek out quantifiable data around this phenomenon and how awareness of it can promote a human-first approach in the workplace. The Impact of Virtual Distance is Measurable “What we know through the math is high virtual distance is the statistical equivalent of not only low trust, but distrust… But when you manage virtual distance and bring it down, which we can predictably do with specific techniques and prescriptions, trust turns into good trust, and it also builds, and you can get very strong trust.” “We measure 10 outcomes – things like job satisfaction, employee engagement, etc., and innovation and revenue increases or decreases. So we do measure very tangible outcomes. And when virtual distance is high, it usually has a negative relationship. So if it's high, then you get lower trust and distrust, lower job satisfaction, lower employee engagement.” The Importance of Human Connection “The bottom line is, the worst thing you can do to a human being is put them into an isolated situation. It's just, it's before food before water, we need each other. And then if we're with someone else, it's easier for us to find food by water, and to be okay and to feel okay.” Business Success Requires an Open Heart “We've just developed bad habits and forgot that it's not just the number on a balance sheet that counts, it really is the people… The first thing you have to address is the fact that it's really there, that people are really in need of leadership and some help on a human level. And the best way to control your future business trajectory is to open up your heart.” Lean In: A Need for Connection 'We are all sharing this context. So that's one thing leaders need to understand is to lean into the crisis, and talk about it and discuss it and make room for that discussion in business so that people can share whatever it is they can over online means.' 'People right now are psychologically retreating from other people, because we have to stay safe and healthy. But that habit is going to take a while to break... leaders, we should be planning for it. We should be thinking through this and saying, we're actually going to have to help people come out of their shell, and feel more comfortable being exposed to other people, again, as long as it's scientifically safe and healthy to do that. But we may actually see new types of training, ... we're adapting to stay alive and to stay safe. But we're sort of maladaptive to human social contact.' Resources in this episode: https://virtualdistance.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkarenlojeskivirtualdistance/ https://bookshop.org/a/16835/9781119608592* *By purchasing through Bookshop you'll support local, independent bookstores. Rise Leaders is an affiliate and may benefit from your purchase. To subscribe to the Rise Leaders newsletter for more resources: https://mailchi.mp/426e78bc9538/subscribe To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/ 

#35 Solving the Virtual Distance Crisis: It's All About Connection

“We have virtual real estate that makes you look and feel and act and behave as if you were in a real office. So it's not virtual reality, it's reality…the way my brain reacts and creates by changing the environment I’m in…my persona changes [while being] connected to colleagues around the world.” - Toni Portmann Using Technology to Reduce Isolation and Build Trust The corporate landscape in a global and post-COVID-19 world has presented many questions. One of the most important has been: How can we replicate company culture when almost no one is co-located? Though being able to work from home during a pandemic has helped boost productivity and open the talent pool beyond traditionally tight geographical lines, the issues of building culture has seen a less obvious solution. Toni Portmann addresses this in the ingenuity that is Walkabout Workplace, a virtual reality platform encouraging positive work cultures based on human connections and place-making. It transports mind and body into the workplace through virtual real estate, simulating real-life – running into people in the hallway and having off-the-cuff banter, joining different rooms to chime in to conversations, and connecting to people in ways other than the constant Zoom meeting that reigns today. In a world that’s moving away from commutes and increasingly going green, Toni explains how Walkabout Workplace addresses known challenges and offers additional benefits to the workplace and even to our communities. [] “we’re not feeling connected to the world of work, or the world of community or the world of colleagues. In Walkabout, you can literally walk down the hall and drop in and have that five-minute conversation, get a question answered, say hi, have a cup of coffee, and literally feel like you're building a team.” [18:40] "It brings us to a place ... I can log on in the morning and I and I see my colleagues... And, and who's like having stand ups...There are these times when people have either brainstorming meetings, or they're having stand ups. And that's one of the things that we're missing out on right now... unless you're invited to that conversation via a calendar, you don't even know what's going on. But from what I can tell... what I what I think will happen with Walkabout is that I can see where people are gathered. And I can just ask to join and that's part of the spontaneity of it... or someone that's in a brainstorming meeting might say, I think LeeAnn has the answer to this, let's see if we can pull her in here real quick. And they can just pull me in and release me instead of having to invite me to a meeting for 30 minutes to two hours or however that that's going to be. So for me, those are some of my favorite attributes is that it really does give a way for that spontaneity to happen." [19:15] “It's also wicked secure. …we’ve got to be really careful of privacy of protection. We do unbelievable encryption inside the video. We also emit unbelievable encryption inside the chat channels, so that when we're having this conversation, we're encrypting within the video channel itself.” [30:08] “Talent acquisition will change dramatically with this new accessibility…I'm no longer relegated to what my zip code is, what school I went to, or what transit I can get on. So now I can be a candidate for hire, or I can be a productive contributing employee.” Connect to Toni Portmann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toni-portmann-53b454/ Walkabout Workplace https://walkaboutworkplace.com/ The Power of Virtual Distance: https://bookshop.org/a/16835/9781119608592 Hooked on Code: https://hookedoncode.com/about To subscribe to the Rise Leaders newsletter for more resources: https://mailchi.mp/426e78bc9538/subscribe To discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit: https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/

#34 A Platform for Placemaking at Work: More Than A Cool Piece of Tech

“What values can do both for individuals and organizations is provide a sense of stability, a sense of continuity, and to provide something to cling to that is timeless and changeless in a world where everything seems to be changing.” - Jerry Magar It’s the beginning of a new year, and you’re likely setting goals and taking inventory in many areas of your life. As you navigate a new year full of new potentially challenging decisions, your values can act as your compass, providing a north star. There are many benefits to animating your values in daily life. Keeping them top of mind helps align your actions with your values. This sense of living authentically results in an inner peace - and walking your talk will resonate with others. In other words, your consistency and authenticity breeds trust with others. Jerry shares exercises that help others identify their values as well as how to live them through actions each day. To Your Own Values Be True[13:03] “About the typical approach that’s used … what happens sometimes with circling [from a list of values] is that we end up circling things that look alluring or look like we should circle them. And then we end up lugging this value around, ultimately judging ourselves for not living up to it or not activating in a way that we thought was appropriate.” Rather than choosing values from a list, reveal them from your own lived experiences. Look Through the Lens of Your Values[24:53] “I still use this practice. On a weekly basis, I sit down, and I look at the week ahead. And I think about, not just the intellectual organization of what's going on, but I look at it through the lens of my values. And I asked the question, how, how are you going to activate these values next week?” Pledge to find opportunities to incorporate your values in your life and work. Let them guide you day-to-day. Use Your Values as Fuel[39:52] “It goes back to that idea of a value only matters if it is turned into action at T minus zero, the moment of impact, right? That if that doesn't turn into behavior, or turn into a decision or turn into action, it's meaningless…I see people speak to their faith. I am in no way suggesting that that shouldn't be a value. The problem is when we leave it at faith. Well, what does that really mean? And what does that look like when you're applying that value?” Values have the potential to shape our actions and create meaningful impact. Resources mentioned in this episode:https://www.billgeorge.org/true-north/https://www.amazon.com/Discover-Your-True-North-Fieldbook/dp/111910355X Connect with Jerry Magar:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrymagar/https://jerrymagar.com/

#33 Putting Your Values Into Action | Jerry Magar

“You need to be able to take a stand. Extend your voice. Be pointedly focused on what you offer and the vision that you have, in order to impact the people that you say you want to impact.” - Dr. Chris JohnsonConfidence and the mind-body connectionDr. Chris Johnson has joined me again this week to discuss a foundational piece in the leadership puzzle. Bringing our full value to any endeavor begins with being able to take a stand for ourselves. When we demonstrate our conviction in this way, it, in turn, lends to others’ conviction in our authority and ability. We previously discussed the importance of owning your value in episode 21. Being able to confidently convey it is the next step - and the way we carry ourselves is intrinsically tied to this ability. Chris draws from her existing knowledge of embodied leadership and her Aikido martial arts practice to create a commanding presence and center herself. She shares her insights on how to practice growing your presence and self-awareness to ultimately project your inner strength and achieve your goals. The tangible impact [1:30] “The challenge about speaking up shows up in multiple ways…The most common are not sharing good ideas or opinions during meetings, not being able to promote themselves and their team. In avoiding conflict, staying silent or small leads to being undervalued and overlooked, and ultimately, to a lack of fulfillment, and possibly frustration.” [32:44] “I'd get pulled in to take on leadership roles, and yet never fully owned them. And that was because I didn't know if I knew enough, I didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings. I didn't want anybody else to feel bad if I happen to do something really well. And all of that was a story that I told myself, and then it took residence in my body. I was very narrow, and small, my energy was very constrained.” The importance of practice [23:00] ] “We can either close in and hunker down…Or we can choose to learn a very simple skill and practice of centering. And by that we mean centering in the body, relaxed…and then centering in something bigger than us, even if we don't know what that is. And lastly, centering in an action that we can then take. And once we can learn that simple practice (because you have to practice it). Pretty soon that practice starts to reshape us…“What matters is that we’re intentional. It’s based on what we care about, and that we’re consistently in deliberate practice.”  [29:00] “I like to say it's tolerating the discomfort at the edges because it's at the edges that literally, our neurobiology gets rewired. Hang out there in the discomfort for at least a little bit longer. Every time we do it, we're growing new pathways that allow us to expand our capacity.”Speaking about our accomplishments or sharing our thoughts in a meeting may bring physical sensations. We have to practice tolerating this discomfort though it feels unnatural. With time we grow accustomed to it. Resources mentioned in this episode:The Power of Pause in the Mindful Leader magazine:https://www.mindfulleader.org/blog/44061-the-power-of-a-pauseEpisode 21: Owning Your Value | Key Elements for Authenticity and Personal Power:https://rise-leaders.com/owning-your-value/A Guide to Owning Your ValueDownload GuideTo connect to Dr. Chris Johnson please follow:https://www.linkedin.com/in/drchrisljohnson/https://q4-consulting.com/Dr. Chris on Resilience:  https://q4-consulting.com/resilience/ To subscribe to the Rise Leaders newsletter for more resources: https://mailchi.mp/426e78bc9538/subscribeTo discuss executive coaching, leadership development program design, and workshop facilitation, please visit:https://rise-leaders.com/contact-info/ 

Speak Up, Stand Up | Dr. Chris Johnson on Becoming Fierce

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