Change is never easy. And it's constant. It's one of the things that we can rely on... even if we can't rely on what it might hold for us. That's why you're seeing the phrase "change management" so much more than ever before. You can't really lead change; you can only manage it. Or can you lead it? That's what Michael Diettrich-Chastain and I talk about during this episode of A Productive Conversation. Michael is a bestselling author, leadership coach, facilitator and professional speaker. Michael and his team are passionate about helping organizations, leaders and teams become experts on change management, communication and emotional intelligence. So he knows a thing or to about not just managing change... but leading it to where you get the best outcome possible. We talked about certainty and uncertainty and how the acronym he uses (CHANGES) can help organizations and their personnel deal with both. There's a lot more that we get into surrounding the concept of change and I believe after listening to this conversation, you might just change your mind about how change can be handled to work for you more often than not. Show Notes Connect with Michael: Website | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn Michael's Book: CHANGES The CHANGES Cards: Get a deck here Related Conversation: Episode 232 of A Productive Conversation Related Blog Post: Change for Change's Sake Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page. Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen. Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice. Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

The Productivityist Podcast: Ideas and Tools for Personal Productivity | Time Management | Goals | Habits | Working Better

Michael Diettrich-Chastain talks about CHANGES

As the author of "Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life," Luke has spent plenty of time and energy researching the power of desire. I absolutely loved getting into the book and wanted to spend some time getting into the nuts and bolts with Luke about why "wanting" has so much power... and what to do with that power. We unpacked a lot during our discussion – from impostor syndrome to needs and wants becoming one and the same (or appearing to be) to attempting to avoid choosing the wrong things to desire. I learned a lot from this conversation, making it incredibly productive. I trust you'll learn a lot, too. Show Notes Connect with Luke: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn Luke's Book: Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life Luke and I both use the Monk Manual: Get 10% off one here with the code TIMECRAFTING I also use this journaling app: Reflection Luke chatting with Ryan Holiday: The Daily Stoic Podcast Related Conversation: Episode 189 of A Productive Conversation Related Blog Post: The Priority Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page. Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen. Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice. Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Luke Burgis talks about Wanting, Journaling, and Fulfillment

Who is Thomas Anderson? Better still, who is Thomas Anderson to write a book on vulnerability? I ask this question during my conversation with him on this episode of the podcast. Do vulnerability and productivity go hand-in-hand? I think so. Setting boundaries, sharing limitations, dealing with overwhelm, are all part of them both. I know that once you're done listening to our conversation that you'll see the relationship between productivity and vulnerability. And you might just be closer to the aim of being productive rather than "doing" productive, too. Show Notes Connect with Thomas: Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn Thomas's Book: The Vulnerable Man Vulnerability + Ted Lasso: The art of vulnerability with Ted Lasso Another book I loved spawned from journaling: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey Related Conversation: Episode 146 of A Productive Conversation Related Blog Post: Why I Journal (and Why You Should Too) Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page. Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen. Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice. Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Thomas Anderson talks about Being Vulnerable

On this bonus (and sponsor-free) episode of A Productive Conversation with Mike Vardy, Mike is joined by his good friend Charlie Gilkey of Productive Flourishing to talk about Momentum, the productivity app that he and his team are developing. Mike asks him why in the world we need another productivity app, what Charlie is hoping to see happen with the Kickstarter campaign for Momentum, and much more. This audio is from a livestream that Mike had with Charlie on his YouTube channel so it'll sound different than our regular episodes. (Not bad... just different.) You can check out the Momentum app Kickstarter campaign here. Want to watch the recorded livestream? Here you go. Want to support the podcast? You can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen. Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice. Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

BONUS EPISODE: Charlie Gilkey talks about Momentum

Over the past 7+ years of hosting this podcast, I noticed something: I've never gone back into previous conversations and revisited them with you. So I decided to make that more of a thing going forward. The first episode of this podcast that I felt deserved to get pulled out from the vault was the one where noticing was the topic of conversation. Rob Walker knows a thing or two about noticing. I've gone back to his book a few times since I was first sent a copy to read for our discussion back in May 2019. Considering that I focus on the importance of both intention and attention when it comes to time management and productivity, noticing is a natural thing for me to explore further. Noticing is a habit that I need to nurture. As Rob so aptly put during our conversation: "It is not about your skill at noticing, more on the habit of noticing that sort of forces you to see differently and to see things that you weren’t looking for.” I'm getting better at noticing. I trust after you listen to this conversation – and pick up Rob's book – that you will too. Show Notes Connect with Rob: Website | Tumblr | Facebook | Twitter Rob's Book: The Art of Noticing Rob's Email Newsletter: The Art of Noticing Newsletter Another Rob Walker Thing I Think You'd Like: Workologist Related Conversation: Episode 238 of A Productive Conversation Related Blog Post: What Noticing Does Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page. Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen. Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice. Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

FROM THE VAULT: Rob Walker

Perrine Farque and I had a conversation that revolved largely around her area of expertise: inclusion. That's also the title of her book, which came up quite a bit during our chat... and for good reason. You see, within its pages lies the ultimate secret for an organization's success. We get into acronyms (we're both fans of them) and Perrine explores one of them with me in greater depth. Other things we get into include a way to think of yourself than can help promote inclusivity, the ever-present problem of "impostor syndrome", and how to break through beliefs that integrating an inclusive culture into the workspace isn't as overwhelming as some make it out to be. Perrine drove the strategy at companies such as Facebook and is on a mission to make the workplace more inclusive and diverse. After listening to this conversation, I think you'll see that she is well on her way to accomplishing that mission. Show Notes Connect with Perrine: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter Perrine's Book: Inclusion: The Ultimate Secret for an Organization's Success Perrine's TEDx Talk: Inclusion is the key to success Quiz: What's Your Leadership Type? Related Conversation: Episode 234 of A Productive Conversation Related Blog Post: There's Nothing Wrong with Being a Night Owl Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page. Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen. Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice. Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Perrine Farque talks about Inclusion

Becca Ribbing knows a thing of two about, well... giving things thought. She's the author of The Clarity Journal, so clarity is something she givers a lot of attention to. The change to the way I kick off each episode was the result of me getting clear about what I wanted to achieve at the start of the show, so I wanted to talk with Becca about the importance of clarity and mindful productivity. Becca has been a coach for over a decade, helping women going back and forth with the big, seemingly endless question of what to do next. They also may not be entirely aware of what they're getting into. As she says during our discussion: "When people area ready to jump to a new level, they don't always take stock of everything that's going into it." When Becca steps in, anyone she works with can stop going around in circles and finally figure out what they truly want... and create the clarity and momentum they crave. During our discussion, Becca goes into how she came up with the concept for The Clarity Journal. She also reveals the thing that a friend told her that she absolutely needed to hear and whether or not she was someone who journaled elsewhere before she created her own journal. I hope you enjoy this conversation. It's been in the works for a while and I'm glad I can deliver it to you now. Show Notes Connect with Becca: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter Becca's Book: The Implementation Code: Unlocking The Secret To Getting It All Done Becca's FREE Download: Get Unstuck Journaling Pages Related Conversation: Episode 243 of A Productive Conversation with Mike Vardy Related Blog Post: Choosing What to Chase Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page. Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen. Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice. Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Becca Ribbing talks about Clarity, Getting Unstuck, and Journaling

Productivity makes Stacy Tuschl tick. In addition to being a Small Business Growth Coach, Stacy is a bestselling author, and founder of the Foot Traffic Formula - helping small businesses around the world get more customers in the door, more profit in their pocket and more happiness in their homes. Stacy's started a bunch of prosperous ventures – including turning a company she started in her parents' backyard at the age of 18 into a multi-million dollar enterprise that she still runs today. As I went through her new book, I found myself "dog-earing" it relentlessly. The book is titled The Implementation Code: Unlocking The Secret To Getting It All Done and when I was able to secure another conversation with Stacy – she's been on he podcast before as you'll see in the show notes – I knew we'd have plenty to discuss. Stacy and I talk about the things people don't want to do but that we all need to do. Then we discuss the importance of maintenance, as illustrated in these words from Stacy: "Without maintenance things have a way of reverting to the previous state." (And she explains what maintenance isn't about during our discussion as well.) As I went through Stacy's book, I took notice of how vulnerable she was willing to be in her writing. That comes across in the words she's written and the words she shares in this episode. I hope you enjoy this conversation... and take away some things that you can implement today. Show Notes Connect with Stacy: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube Stacy's Book: The Implementation Code: Unlocking The Secret To Getting It All Done Stacy's Podcast: The Foot Traffic Podcast Related Conversation: Episode 140 of A Productive Conversation with Mike Vardy Podcast: Mindset Hacks for Rapid Transformation with Sheri Salata Video: 5 Things That Should Be On Your To Do List Every Week Thanks to all of the sponsors of this episode. You can find all of the sponsors you heard me mention on this episode on our Podcast Sponsors page. Want to support the podcast? Beyond checking out our sponsors, you can subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Click on any of the links below to make that happen. Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher You can also click on this link to paste the podcast feed into your podcast app of choice. Thanks again for listening to A Productive Conversation. See you later.

Stacy Tuschl talks about The Implementation Code

Find out how to move from survival to thriving with your business with economist-turned-entrepreneur John Meese. John is on a personal mission to eradicate generational poverty by helping entrepreneurs create thriving businesses which is why he wrote ‘Survive and Thrive: How to Build a Profitable Business in Any Economy (Including This One)’. John is CEO of Cowork.Inc, Co-founder of Notable, and host of the Thrive School podcast. It was great having John back on the show to discuss his latest book. We discussed how to embrace problems, strategies of growing a business, being around like-minded people, and the power of coworking spaces.   Talking Points His process of writing the book  The profit-first mindset The theme of service throughout his research The five ways of growing a business Having the right people around you John’s coworking space Moving from the survival to the thriving state of your business Quote "As an entrepreneur, the world is counting on you to solve problems." Helpful Links Episode 336: Visibility Bias with John Meese Episode 239: Free to Focus with Michael Hyatt Episode 289: The Vision Driven Leader with Michael Hyatt Episode 388: Mike Michalowicz talks about Getting Different How WeWork Became WeBroke – John Meese Get Your ThriveScore SurviveAndThriveBook.com John Meese’s LinkedIn Thrive School with John Meese Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.

John Meese talks about Profit, Growth and Thriving

As co-founder of the altMBA, Wes Kao helped create the modern cohort-based education movement with Seth Godin.  Wes has led over 150 launches for Fortune 500 brands and startups, and is recognized as a leading expert in B2C marketing. Now she’s taking the category she helped create to the next level with her new startup Maven, the world’s first digital platform for cohort-based courses. I learned heaps from this conversation as Wes unpacked all things cohort-based learning. Tune in to find out more about creating an engaging course, how the best courses evolve, growing your community, and the power of beta-testing.   Talking Points The rising trend of learning cohorts Some common mistakes made by first-time course creators Why it’s never too late to start a cohort-based learning course The impact of people working from home How to make the most out of online learning Repurposing evergreen content into cohort-based course Quote "The less tools you have, the less things will break." Helpful Links AltMBA Episode 343: Consistency Over Authenticity with Seth Godin Wes Kao’s website Wes Kao’s Twitter Maven’s Twitter Maven Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.

Wes Kao talks about Maven, Cohort-based Learning and Seth Godin

Dr. Michael Breus, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and both a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a Fellow of The American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He is one of only 168 psychologists in the world to have passed the Sleep Medical Speciality board without going to Medical School. Dr. Michael Breus was recently named the Top Sleep Specialist in California by Reader’s Digest, and one of the 10 most influential people in sleep.  Michael is also ‘The Power of When’, ‘The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep’ and ‘GOOD NIGHT: The Sleep Doctor’s 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health’. In this episode, we explore his most recent book, co-authored with Stacey Griffith, ‘Energize!: Go from Dragging Ass to Kicking It in 30 Days’. Tune in also to learn more about energy management techniques, knowing your body type, morning stretches, his unbelievably simple sleep program – and being a wolf. Talking Points How your body type and type of exercise affects your sleep Learn how to manage your energy levels Being a ‘fast wolf’ The correlation between melatonin production and age Learning from how animals wake up Emotional energizers and vampires Identifying your definition of energy Quote "I focus more on energy management, not time." Helpful Links The Power of When with Dr Michael Breus EnergizeMyself.com TheSleepDoctor.com ChronoQuiz.com Dr Michael Breus’ TikTok Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.

Dr. Michael Breus talks about Energy Management, Movement and Sleep

Brain.fm creates music that sounds different – and affects your brain differently – than any other music. Their science-first approach helps steer you into a desired mental state. How Dan joined the company is an interesting story, which you’ll find out in this interview. Fast forward to today, he is now the CEO.  It was fascinating to learn about how music affects our mental state and productivity. Join us as we discuss the scientific effects of function music, how Brain.fm works, finding your ‘power song’, and what he’s learnt from practising martial arts.  Talking Points How what you listen to has an impact on your productivity Their science-first approach to functional music How Brain.fm compliments other productivity ‘hacks’ Active working and planning The difference between binaural beats and Brain.fm Power songs Quote "The better tools you have, the better you can dive into a task." Helpful Links David Bennett Piano Brain.fm/Productivityist Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.

Dan Clark talks about Brain.fm, Functional Music and Mental States

Ron Friedman is an award-winning social psychologist who specializes in human motivation. He is a frequent contributor to HBR, CNN, Fast Company, and Psychology Today, as well as the author of multiple books including ‘Decoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success’. Find out how athletes, artists and entrepreneurs succeed so you can create your own breakthrough formula. Ron is on the show to discuss keeping score of success, how to creatively copy, finding your meaningful metrics – and Macklemore’s ‘Ten Thousand Hours’. Talking Points How to reverse engineer greatness The stigma of copying The curse of creativity and the confusion with originality The Scoreboard Principle Setting desirable and undesirable metrics Why reverse engineering extends to all areas of society Quote "Make an established idea different." Helpful Links ‘Decoding Greatness’ by Ron Friedman ‘Four Thousand Weeks’ by Oliver Burkeman  Cal Newport – ‘Take Control of Your Time’ DecodingGreatnessBook.com Ignite80.com Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.

Ron Friedman talks about Reverse Engineering Success

Juliet Funt is a renowned keynote speaker and tough-love advisor to the Fortune 500 who is regularly featured in top global media outlets, including Forbes and Fast Company. She is a white-space warrior as the founder and CEO of The Juliet Funt Group, helping business leaders and organizations to unleash their full potential by unburdening talent from busywork. Juliet has earned one of the highest ratings in the largest speaking event in the world, and she has worked with brands such as Spotify, National Geographic, Vans, Costco, Pepsi, Nike, Wells Fargo and ESPN. Juliet shares some key insights from her book ‘A Minute to Think: Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, and Do Your Best Work’. We also discuss finding your spark, making time for mental space, why we fill time, the humane element of productivity – and increasing the sales of salmon tips.  Talking Points Performative busyness The curse of insatiability How to not confuse activity with productivity What is white space? Time sketching Taking one minute to think Establishing your non-negotiable white spaces Quote "Interlace space throughout the day." Helpful Links ‘A Minute To Think’ by Juliet Funt ‘Four Thousand Weeks’ by Oliver Burkeman ‘Indistractable’ by Nir Eyal ‘The Reinvention of Work’ by Matthew Fox Episode 360: A World Without Email with Cal Newport Episode 229: Exploring Digital Minimalism with Cal Newport Episode 93: Deep Work with Cal Newport Episode 238: How to Keep Going with Austin Kleon Why Is My Life So Hard? (Ep. 280) - Freakonomics The Busyness Test JulietFunt.com Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.

Juliet Funt talks about a Minute to Think

Personal finance expert, speaker, and business leader, Jesse Mecham is the Founder of You Need A Budget (or YNAB if you are very busy and important). He is also a podcast host and best-selling author of ‘You Need A Budget’. He is deeply passionate about teaching individuals, families, and business owners to help them gain total control of their money. Jesse first developed the YNAB method and original spreadsheet as a broke, newly married college student who really needed a budget. Now, YNAB has a growing team living and working all around the world, and has built a thriving remote culture that earned recognition as Fortune’s #1 best small company to work for. Jesse shares YNAB’s Four Rules, and how we can all master money management. I’m such a huge fan of the tool, so I also explore with Jesse the power of simple tools, building a community, being clear with your expenses, and Alexa requests. Talking Points Launching YouNeedABudget.com as a spreadsheet business How to start budgeting your finances Embracing your true expenses Identifying what is urgent Setting intention versus attention The parallels between time and money management Budgeting with your partner How YNAB works Quote "Consider the future within the constraint of current resources." Helpful Links ‘You Need a Budget’ by Jesse Mecham ‘Four Thousand Weeks’ by Oliver Burkeman YNAB Episode 388: Mike Michalowicz talks about Getting Different jesse@ynab.com  Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.

Jesse Mecham talks about YNAB, Money Management and Future You

Hosted by productivity strategist Mike Vardy, The Productivityist Podcast is a weekly show that discusses tips, tools, tactics, and tricks that are designed to help you take your productivity, time management, goals, to do lists, habits, and workflow to new heights - both at work and at home. If you're looking to focus your efforts on getting the right things done and start living the good life, then this weekly conversational podcast – crafted in the tradition of Slate's Working, Back to Work, and HBR IdeaCast – is for you.

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The Productivityist Podcast: Ideas and Tools for Personal Pr...

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