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

“Illuminate all the pieces of your life that make you extraordinary and powerful and magical and wonderful so that you can think about your next step.” ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- Unmasking your potential is one step in seeing yourself as a masterpiece. Listen to episodes 49 and 50 to learn more. Then… Go to everbetteru.com/masterpiece to download my worksheet, You Are A Masterpiece. ----------------------------------------------- Steps on how to unmask your potential! Think about things that you are capable of doing at a higher level. Write down what those things are and then say them out loud. When you speak your ideas, they become more real and tangible, and you’re more likely to move forwa

Who does your team naturally follow? Make a point of observing this without assuming that you already know. Then consider mentoring or training that natural leader with so much more to offer. ----------------------------------------------- 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 to determine who your team follows? Observe who they listen to in a meeting. Find out who they take cues from. Check who they tend to look to when a question arises. Be aware of your personal biases that may lead you to assume that you already know who your natural leaders are. Now that you’ve identified your leader, what happens next? Consider developing that person as a leader more proactively. Find a way to involve them in higher-level meetings. Explore ways you can in

How you do one thing is how you do anything. Your actions and attitudes impact every aspect of your life as well as the people around you. What’s going well? What’s not? How can you start to make changes wherever needed? ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- Consider these questions to determine where you can level up. Do you have control of your calendar? Do meetings “appear” that you forgot you scheduled? Do you manage your time well? How would you rate your recordkeeping? Do you leave your responsibilities hanging and not communicate status or updates to others?   ----------------------------------------------- If you are great at balancing your time and obligations, and you’re communicating effecti

Learn to be aware of your negative thoughts and interrupt them to create a more positive life. --------------------------------------------------- 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 to interrupt your negative thoughts Be aware of your thoughts. The more aware you are, the more you can control your actions and your habits. Be alert to when your brain is entertaining a negative thought. Recognize that it’s temporary and a positive thought can come along next. Come up with an action plan. Be prepared. Write down what you’ll do the next time one of your recurring, negative thoughts arises. Have an accountability partner. Team up with a friend or family member to create a plan that’s mutually beneficial. Help each other be accountable for interrup

What can you do to launch yourself into the most productive, positive, optimistic day possible? Listen to this podcast for ideas. ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- ROCK your most productive day! Here are some ideas that might work for you. Set an ALARM to wake up before everyone else in your house. Use that time to journal, meditate, plan your day, or read something positive. ORGANIZE your ideas and to-do’s for the whole day. MAKE YOUR BED as soon as you get up! GET OUT of your home and kickstart your day with EXERCISE. Write “MORNING PAGES” as described in The Artist’s Way. (See below for more information.)   Here are my recommended books for this episode: “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron I rec

Are you aware that scheduling emails and Slack messages to be sent in the future can optimize your productivity and demonstrate leadership? Listen to this podcast for tips and tools. ----------------------------------------------- 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 scheduling messages demonstrates leadership   Schedule your messages to be sent during appropriate business hours for your team when they will be read. When you send messages around the clock, you’re setting an expectation that you expect your team to be available during all hours. Using productivity tools sets an example for maximizing productivity. You’ll increase your efficiency and time management and so will your team. Encouraging your team to use such tools can help everyone i

How do you want people to remember you? What legacy will you leave behind? Your legacy is created through big decisions and small ones. Every action, reaction, and decision that you make shapes your reputation and your legacy. Choose carefully. ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- Real-life experiences with individuals who are creating a positive legacy… The team at Adventist HealthCare went above and beyond to help me stay on track for me for my DEXA scan when the tech didn’t show up for work. The woman whose response when called for her appointment elevated everyone in the waiting room. Pickleball pro, John, takes extra time and care to help me and other players develop our skills. -----------------

I created this episode in honor of a special friend who recently passed away, Leslie Schindel Freeland, I have wonderful memories of our time together and I hope that this episode inspires you to deepen a friendship with someone or create a new one. ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- Some of My Wonderful Memories with Leslie… Meeting her at Bethesda United Methodist Church during a Christmas decoration party Renaissance Faire near Annapolis, Maryland with Leslie Bunco night with Leslie and friends Our dinner club A birthday surprise in a French Restaurant A bird pecking at her ring camera Wordle results Groceries when I broke my ankle and needed assistance The memories her lifelong friends shared --

You will earn respect by doing the right thing for your organization and those around you. Being liked is less important and may come later. ----------------------------------------------- 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 founders and other senior leaders fail to lead…   #9 They avoid discomfort. Sabotage their success purposely or subconsciously. Don’t cultivate the ability to manage increasingly stressful circumstances. Don’t address the feeling of imposter syndrome.   ESCAPISM: When things get tough, leaders often seek to distract themselves with drinking, drugs, gambling, shopping, eating or other excessive habits or addictions. Escapism typically doesn’t end well. If this describes you, please seek help.   #10 They are concerned with b

Everyone should be aware of how they respond when triggered and how they work best. That takes work! And it takes the assistance of a trusted circle of advisors and peers. ----------------------------------------------- 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 founders and other senior leaders fail to lead…   #7 They don’t invest in their own development. Invest in developing other team members, but not themselves. Are not aware of current leadership practices and norms. Don’t fully understand the product, customers, and financials. Don’t create or fully understand the strategy. Don’t prioritize their physical health. Don’t address their mental health.   TOUGH LOVE: When you fail to identify and regulate your emotions, your communications and inter

If you are a founder or a senior leader in your organization, you might not realize that you choose to focus on tactics vs. strategy. And in this episode, I’ll tell you why that is a problem. ------------------------------------------------ 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! ------------------------------------------------ #6 Choose tactics over strategy. Position themselves as the subject matter expert (SME) of everything. Don’t set and communicate strategic direction. LEARNED BEHAVIOR: When you jump into tactical details, team members learn that they are not empowered to make decisions. Don’t forget to go to everbetteru.com/fail to download the full PDF of 10 Ways that Founders and Other Senior Leaders Fail to Lead. To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book

In this episode, Coach Lisa discusses the ways that founders and other senior leaders fail to lead by forgetting that they are figureheads. ------------------------------------------------ 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! ------------------------------------------------ #5 Forget they are figureheads. Don’t mindfully nurture their company culture Show up to meetings late Don’t manage their emotions Take business success or failure personally. Don’t pay attention during meetings CONSIDER: When you pay more attention to your phone than the person talking during a meeting, you are treating them with disrespect. And it doesn’t go unnoticed. So that's number 5 of the 10 ways that founders and other senior leaders fail to lead. Download the entire list at everbetteru.com/fail. To learn more about

In this episode, Coach Lisa discusses the ways that founders and other senior leaders fail to lead by forgetting that they are figureheads. ------------------------------------------------ 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! ------------------------------------------------ This is part 1 of a 5 episode series to help founders and other senior leaders develop leadership skills. If you’re an individual contributor or in any sort of leadership position, you’ll find this series helpful in better understanding your career path and the leaders you work with.    How founders and other senior leaders fail to lead… #1 They don’t create the right leadership team.  #2 They don’t delegate. #3 They are slow to fire.    #4 They don’t manage up.    Those are the first four ways that founders and other senior

Recall a situation where you could have responded in a positive way or a nasty way. Which did you choose? ----------------------------------------------- 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 to Create a Positive Experience:   Use that not-so-good situation as an opportunity to educate others. Turn the situation around and perhaps make a new friend. Be prepared. Be aware of potentially triggering situations and how you could and should respond. In cases when you try to educate and elevate those around you and it's just not working, walk away. Try again next time! ----------------------------------------------- To learn more about working with Ever Better, send me an email here or book a complimentary call with me here

Consider everything you've done in your life and how those elements contribute to the person you are today. Your life is a beautiful mosaic. How many ways can you make contributions by applying your knowledge and experience? ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- Your age is an asset! Your life isn’t like Bill Murray’s in Groundhog Day! We can’t stop time to develop new skills. Your accomplishments were created over many years and you couldn’t have achieved them without your chronological age. ----------------------------------------------- Your “age” is not an excuse to slow down unless you want it to be. Remember that aging is a state of mind and a mental perspective. Keep yourself physically active so

Could you imagine a day-to-day situation where someone is making things up, and having to remember what they said and to whom? It’s stressful and exhausting. Beyond that, lying in its entirety, no matter what the reason might be, is not OK. ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- Reasons Why People Lie It was easier to lie at that very moment. To manipulate a situation to their advantage. Because they think the lie sounded better, or more impressive, than the fact or the truth. ----------------------------------------------- As I said, just operate with integrity. Don't lie, and then you don't have to keep track of what you said to whom and when.   So are you lying, and if so why? Because it's not okay!

Who do you have on a pedestal and who might have you on a pedestal? Consider that putting that person or you being put up on a pedestal can be a bad thing. ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- When it is bad when you put someone up on a pedestal? You’re limiting your interactions with them. You're limiting your relationships with them. You’re missing out on a chance to connect with them. You’re missing out on a chance to help them. You’re missing out on a chance to get additional assistance from them.   When it is bad when someone puts you up on a pedestal? You feel that you’re in a position where you might have to be super careful about everything you say around that person. You’re making things up

Use the GOOD coaching and communication model as you develop your leaders, help family members, and work through your own challenges. ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- G stands for goals What is it that you are trying to accomplish or want to achieve? Knowing this helps you to focus and gives you clear direction.   O stands for options As an executive coach, I will literally try to ask you all options that you can think of. As your coach, I might have my own ideas. However, your ideas will always take priority over mine.   O stands for obstacles What might create stumbling blocks that slow down your progress or inhibit your ability to achieve your goals?   D stands for “do” or what are you going to d

The GROW model is a framework for more effective communications and coaching that can be used in any conversation. Practice applying it every time you have an in-depth conversation to better understand the person you speaking with and the overall situation. ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- Choose one topic for discussion and then apply the GROW Model, as defined below.   G = Goal What does the person want to achieve related to the topic?    R = Reality Ask what the person has already tried and the circumstances. This is an opportunity to understand the other person’s reality.   O = Options What options can they think of for moving forward? What are opportunities to make things happen? The best commu

Agreement and expectation create very different outcomes in the long run. How do you come to an agreement during a conversation vs operating from a place of expectation? Listen to the podcast to find out! ----------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------- Agreement Mutual understanding of what will be done and by whom, along with timeframes and any additional resources that are required. Ensure that agreement is achieved by articulating what you heard and following up in writing.   Expectation An assumption of what will be done, by whom, and by when. Expectations often lead to conflict. ----------------------------------------------- Having a clear understanding of an agreement creates unified communication and bette