Ever Better Podcast | Inspiring Stories | Motivating | Transition With Grace | Fulfillment | Wisdom

I invite you to attend my free webinar: 10 Leadership Limiters and How to Avoid Them.  It takes place on September 16, at noon EST. Register now at www.everbetteru.com/webinar.  ++++++++++++++++++++ This is the final episode of Ever Better Today, Season Two!  I'll be back at some point in the future so stay tuned!  ++++++++++++++++++++ It’s Coach Question Friday when I ask a question that I often ask clients!  For the final episode of Ever Better Today, I’d like you to consider how you can share your ideas more widely. How can you reach more people? How can you have a greater impact?  ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ---------------------------------------------- How can you share your ideas more broadly? Set your goals. Who do you want to reach

I invite you to attend my free webinar: 10 Leadership Limiters and How to Avoid Them.  It takes place on September 16, at noon EST. Register now at www.everbetteru.com/webinar.  +++++++++++++++++++++++ As you move up the ranks from an entry-level job to senior managerial positions, you have fewer peers to confide in. You’ll need to create an evolving circle of confidantes. It may not be easy, but it’s important to achieve. And when you do, it won’t be lonely at the top.  ---------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ---------------------------------------------- It doesn't have to be lonely at the top. Here are some tips:  Find a coach. Identify someone you trust to share your challenges and success with on a confidential basis. This relationshop can cover all

I invite you to attend my free webinar: 10 Leadership Limiters and How to Avoid Them.  It takes place on September 16, at noon EST. Register now at www.everbetteru.com/webinar.  ========================================== Leadership involves articulating your vision, creating alignment within your organization and driving execution. ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ---------------------------------------------- The Work of Leaders DiSC Assessment identifies and describes your work style, and explains the benefits and opportunities for growth within the framework of vision, alignment, and execution.  Here are the three Work of Leaders elements: Vision, Alignment and Execution.  Vision is an imagined future condition for the organization or team. It

I invite you to attend my free webinar: 10 Leadership Limiters and How to Avoid Them.  It takes place on September 16, at noon EST. Register now at www.everbetteru.com/webinar.  ----------------------------------------------- Do you sometimes act as if you are not qualified for a role even though you know you are? Do you downplay your ideas and accomplishments so that others won’t feel threatened? If so, you are acting like an "intentional imposter."  ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ---------------------------------------------- Why would anyone be an intentional imposter?  Avoiding Conflict We’ve all seen examples of women who confidently speak their truth and face a firestorm of criticism because of it. Maybe you’ve witnessed this or even exp

I invite you to attend my free webinar: 10 Leadership Limiters and How to Avoid Them.  It takes place on September 16, at noon EST. Register now at www.everbetteru.com/webinar.  ----------------------------------------------- If you feel like you’re not qualified for the role you’re in and you’re going to be discovered…you may have imposter syndrome. Even if you don’t, chances are that someone you know or work with does. ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ---------------------------------------------- Imposter syndrome is the feeling that you are not qualified to be in your current role, and that you are going to be found out and humiliated. What drives feelings of Imposter Syndrome?  1. Comparison  Comparison is addiction to failure. Comparison a

How can you get better at your job? Each Friday, I share a question that I often ask my clients. Today’s question is inspired by “Born Standing Up” by Steve Martin, and “So Good They Can't Ignore You” by Cal Newport. ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ---------------------------------------------- Here’s how you can get better at your work if you are a CEO, Founder, Co-founder, or Senior Manager… Create a coaching relationship with someone you trust, who can guide and mentor you. Broaden your network and informal relationships so that you have people who you can share ideas with and brainstorm with. Ask for feedback from customers and keep in touch with your entry-level employees to ask for their input on what they're observing and what they're ex

Feeling fulfilled and passionate about our work comes from having autonomy, competence, and relatedness.  So what do those three terms mean and how can you achieve them? ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ---------------------------------------------- Cal Newport talks about Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in his book “So Good They Can't Ignore You”. SDT is actually composed of six mini-theories and one of them is Basic Psychological Needs Theory. To learn more, go to selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory Basic Psychological Needs Theory Psychological well-being and optimal functioning are a result of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy This is the feeling that you have control over your day and that your work is important and meaningful.

Do you focus on the value you're offering in your job? Or are you thinking more about “what's in it for me”? These are two very different mindsets that create vastly different outcomes. ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ----------------------------------------------- In chapter four of Cal Newport’s book entitled “So Good They Can't Ignore You”, he describes two different approaches to thinking about work - a craftsman mindset versus a passion mindset. In Steve Martin’s book, Born Standing Up, he describes his constant work to craft better performances. His passion for the work grew with his expertise and accolades. Crafters mindset & Entrepreneur mindset Crafters and entrepreneurs focus on the value they are producing for someone else. Entrep

Do you pursue your passion or get so good at something that it becomes a passion?  In the book, So Good They Can’t Ignore You, Cal Newport makes the case that single-mindedly pursuing your passion can create frustration and a chaotic career. Listen to learn more! ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ----------------------------------------------- Here’s what you can do to create a career or business that you’re passionate about without creating chaos… Figure out what you're interested in, that you can get paid for, and that you enjoy doing. Then get great at that!  Get that job or start a business that you can feel good about doing on a day-to-day basis. Get started! As you learn more and get better at what you’re doing, it may very likely become a

This episode is inspired by two books, So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport and Born Standing Up by Steve Martin.  If you’re ready to achieve wild success in anything you do, you need to become great at it.  This takes time, dedication, and a willingness to be uncomfortable.  Overnight success rarely happens. And when it does, it’s not sustainable. ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! --------------------------------------------- Here’s how Steve Martin became so good… He honed his magic and entertainment skills in a variety of “unglamorous” jobs.  He started performing for very small audiences and learned from negative feedback. He refused to give up and continued to hone his skills as a stand-up comedian. He went on tour at colleges and un

It's Coach Question Friday when I ask you to consider a coaching question. What does community mean to you? How can you help to create it? These coaching questions were inspired by the entrepreneurial community in Fargo, ND, and TEDx Fargo that I discussed in episodes 94 through 97.  #TEDxFargo ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ----------------------------------------------- What is a Community? For me, a community is a group of people that support each other and… A community does not have to be limited by geography. A community can be virtual. A community should not be stagnant. Community members should come together on a regular basis and be open to new discussions. A community welcomes new people who add energy, engage in different ways,

At TEDx Fargo, Randy Hedberg, Associate Head Coach and Quarterbacks Coach for the North Dakota State University (NDSU) football team, described the principles and cultural touchpoints that guide his team’s culture.  Between 2011 and 2022, the NDSU Bisons won nine national titles. So their culture is one to be studied!  One of Hedberg’s lessons that stood out for me was:  The daily environment of Bison football is shaped by the worst behavior the leaders are willing to tolerate. Coaches and all Bison teammates pay attention to behaviors that might drag the team down and behaviors that might elevate the team.  This is a philosophy that everyone should apply in business and in every other aspect of life.  Don’t tolerate a horrible culture.  Instead, be a catalyst for change!  #TEDxFargo ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership C

On May 25, 2020, Christopher Martin, then 18 years old, was working at a store in Minneapolis. A customer came in to buy cigarettes and Chris believed that he paid with a counterfeit $20 bill. Chris reported this to another employee who went out to talk to the customer. The police were called. Within a half hour, that customer, George Floyd, was dead and the officer who knealt on Floyd's neck, was found guilty of murder. Following this tragedy, Chris experienced profound guilt and wondered if he had done the right thing. Chris described his experiences and his motivation to rise for George Floyd in his TEDx Fargo talk in July 2022. #TEDxFargo ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! -------------------------------------------- From his TEDx Fargo talk, h

At TEDx Fargo, I was inspired to think outside the fence by John Doan from Black Leg Ranch. #TEDxFargo ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ----------------------------------------------- In his TEDx Fargo talk, John Doan discussed how his family’s business continues to evolve. They introduced new business ventures within the ranch including:   A microbrewery Selling and shipping grass-fed beef and bison Hunting trips Events like weddings and retreats John discussed keeping the next generation engaged by thinking differently. Recognize that evolving is important for any business and beneficial to employees and owners. Acknowledge that you are ready to evolve the business by discussing ideas and preparing for change to happen over time.  Research n

I was introduced to the Fargo, ND community in 2016 when a friend recommended that I invite Greg Tehven to be on the Ever Better Podcast. You can listen to that podcast here. That conversation with Greg continued as he introduced me to many other entrepreneurs and change-makers in Fargo. In July 2022, I spent almost a week in Fargo and thoroughly enjoyed seeing friends, some of whom I had never actually met in-person, meeting with clients in real life (IRL), and participating in fun, energizing, and inspiring experiences. It takes just one person to spark change and to get others engaged and involved. If you’ve got an idea you’ve been thinking about, start talking to others and make it happen! ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! -------------------

 How will you know when…. … you happy? … you achieved your fitness goals? … you earning enough money?  … your personal relationships fulfilling? ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ----------------------------------------------- What will be different when you’ve achieved your goal? Create a measurable or observable outcome. Here are some examples. Yours may be different! How will you know when…. I’m happy? I will journal about how I feel each evening and morning. My sense of optimism will rise.  I’ve achieved my fitness goals? I’ll be able to run two miles in 16 minutes.  I’m earning enough money?  I will be living according to my budget while saving $1,000 per month for my child’s education and in my 401k.    Here’s how I will know about my fitnes

Conflict in the workplace is a part of life, but how it’s handled can mean the difference between success and failure. Productivity and conflict are not opposites. In fact, productively addressing conflict is what keeps a company functioning and thriving.    The ideas below were first published in my CEO Today article:Co-Founder Conflict: Productive or Destructive? ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ----------------------------------------------- Conflicts are inevitable. How do you stop destructive conflict from eroding your business? Here's how to create a healthy working environment for everyone involved:    Maintain and protect a regularly scheduled meeting just with your co-founder(s). Meet in person when you can, by video meeting as a secon

As we face the challenges of the future, our leaders must be ready and willing to have tough conversations. Excusing rude or inappropriate behavior doesn’t help anyone in the long run. ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ----------------------------------------------- Here are reasons why leaders make excuses for their staff. Consider if you have a tendency to do any of these yourself. The employee is someone they have a personal history with. It can be challenging to create new dynamics when two people have an established relationship and ways of communicating.   They are conflict avoidant. Confronting issues is an important part of a leader's job, but also a necessary step in learning and development Reframe challenging conversations as “leader

The most successful business owners are always planning for the next stage of their business. If you’re a business owner or a leader, consider what your organization could look like in the next 5, 10, or even 20 years. To visualize this, I recommend creating your future organizational chart. ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ----------------------------------------------- Organize, plan, and build your future. Here's how to create your future org chart. Take out a blank piece of paper. When you think big, the sky's the limit. So go ahead and write a description of what your organization might look like in the future.   Place yourself at the top of the org chart.   Create boxes for the leaders who will report to you and imagine who might repor

Meetings are a great way to communicate with large groups, but sometimes they exclude something important to share. Here's a solution borrowed from a teacher ----------------------------------------------- Welcome to Ever Better Today: the daily podcast for creating your optimal business, career, or overall life in ten minutes or less. I’m Lisa Conners Vogt, Executive and Leadership Coach and founder of Ever Better Coaching and Consulting. Let’s jump in! ----------------------------------------------- I value diversity and inclusion and strive to include as many voices as possible in meetings that I facilitate. I learned about equity sticks while working with the SEED School of Maryland’s leadership team. Equity sticks are a tool frequently used by teachers. Sidenote…Teachers are the greatest facilitators in the world! I’ll be looking for more tips from them!   Here are some of the disadvantages of having a different skin color in society I observed throughout the years: As the meeting starts, each person w