Bring Your Whole Self To Work

Blaire Palmer, author of three books, including What’s Wrong with Work, host of the podcast A Brilliant Gamble, and founder of That People Thing, joins the show this week to talk about her fascinating background into the world of coaching, speaking, and writing. From a start in radio at the BBC, to owning her coaching business, Blaire helps leaders bring about significant change in their organization and life. We talk about what’s wrong with work and what we can do to make it better. She also gives some examples of great leaders and organizations that get it right, how we can better understand the evolution of our workforce, and where to begin when taking bold action.   Key Takeaways: [4:26] Blaire was always fascinated by the media, and particularly radio. She worked her way up in commercial radio to a few key positions, including the producer role on the well-known BBC show Woman’s Hour. [6:22] As we go along in our life and careers, our idea of the “dream job” changes. Blaire saw that coaching was more of

As the Chief Experience Officer and co-founder of CivicActions, Aaron is dedicated to creating and supporting a culture of excellence, compassion, and authenticity. A longtime friend of mine, Aaron and I have intersected throughout many different points of our lives and careers. In this episode, we talk about how he blended his experience in the worlds of personal growth, tech, politics, and business to create CivicActions with Henry Poole. We also discuss the differences he witnessed in going from partnering with client in the nonprofit world to government.  And, we talk about his time working in the White House with the U.S. Digital Service. Aaron sees the importance of organizational culture as a transformative agent and knows that the more we work together, the stronger we become.   Key Takeaways: [6:18] Aaron has had a deep interest in personal growth for quite some time. He is passionate about using his skills in communication to foster healthy relationships and help others realize and accomplish their

In today’s episode, the first official one with the new name of the podcast (We’re All In This Together), I reconnect with my friend and former teammate, Chris Draft. Chris played baseball with me back at Stanford when he came in as a freshman in 1995. A two-sport athlete, Chris also played football at Stanford and then went on to have an incredible, 12-year professional football career in the NFL. Today, we talk about the characteristics of great teams.  We also discuss Chris’s dedication to using his platform to educate and inspire others, as well as how he’s turned tragedy into purpose in his life.   Key Takeaways: [0:58] The name of the podcast has changed to We’re All In This Together (which is the title of the new book I’m working on).  The show will remain the same for the most part but will also include more about creating a positive team culture and why every role matters. [2:01] It wasn’t easy to come in as a freshman and play on the Stanford baseball team, but Chris did it. In 1995 we were ranked #

Sam Bennett is a creativity and productivity expert, author, and a woman who proudly won’t be under fluorescent office lights for too long. Today, we talk about her background in acting and her time at The Second City in Chicago, and how those experiences helped guide her to a profession that helps others identify and call forth their own creative genius. We also talk about the difference between creativity and artistic ability, some tips to overcome procrastination, and how we can begin to have more meaning and impact right where we are.   Key Takeaways: [4:04] Samantha explains that she decides to go by Sam on her books because men still sell more books than women. [9:08] Sam is a true theater kid at heart, and while at Second City from 1986 to 1994 she worked almost every job possible in the building in addition to being an actor and performer. [14:03] While attending college and university certainly has benefits and opportunities, it is not the only path to success. What matters, even more, is a drive to

Conflict is inevitable in relationships, with teams, at work, and in life. My guest today is an expert in compassionate leadership and conflict resolution. Nate Regier is an author, speaker, psychologist, and the CEO of a consulting company called Next Element. He shares with us how his unique upbringing shaped his view of compassion and drove him to develop a methodology to better solve conflict without casualties. He explains what the compassion cycle is and how we can resolve even the most difficult conflicts at work and at home.  And, when we do this, our teams.   Key Takeaways: [4:54] Nate’s family did missionary work in Africa, which led to him living there and attending an ambassador school that represented 35 nationalities. He knows firsthand what it is like to exist in a culture with different perspectives and languages. [7:40] Nate has had to reconcile the two driving forces inside him of being both very competitive and goal-oriented versus the ethnic setting of pacificism and peace. [13:43] Nate an

Liz Fosslein and Mollie West Duffy join the show to talk about the inspiration behind their fantastic new book, No Hard Feelings, and how we understand and integrate our emotions at work. They share insights about how we can communicate successfully in today’s diverse global business environment, some practical tips to strengthen your team’s connection, and why your company may benefit from having a crying room.   Key Takeaways: [4:43] Liz and Mollie met when Liz was going on platonic friend dates as she just arrived in NYC. Liz is an information designer and illustrator, and Mollie is an organizational designer. [9:09] The more global and connected our organizations become, the more we need to understand that different cultures and locations process negative feedback and communication differently. [13:26] In their new book No Hard Feelings, Liz and Mollie have created foundational guides and resources for strengthening social awareness and relationship management. [16:44] We have five generations working tog

Claude Silver takes her title as the Chief Heart Officer of VaynerMedia quite literally. Her role at the firm started by Gary Vaynerchuk is to bridge the gap between a winning team, great work, and deep connections amongst the human beings involved. Today, she talks about how she brings authenticity into her work, the importance of empathy in company culture, and how to approach tough conversations at work and in life.   Key Takeaways: [4:40] Claude has quite a large team at VaynerMedia, made up of 900 human beings. She thinks of HR as the “heart” of a company and takes the responsibility on for leading the way to infuse self-awareness, kindness, and empathy into their everyday work. Through in-person meetings, she is able to assess cultural patterns and social nuances that are going well and those that may need a boost. [6:02] Claude is very proud to work with Gary Vaynerchuk and feels there is no one quite like him in the advertising agency business. He demonstrates the important qualities that leaders shou

Plain and simple, Keith White loves people. As the Division EVP of Loss Prevention and Global Sustainability at Gap Inc., he lives and breathes making a difference in the lives of his team. In our conversation, Keith shares some of his fascinating career journey, how the ideals of inclusion and belonging apply to teamwork, and why we can look at diversity and differences as opportunities for growth and connection. We also discuss the fundamentals of leadership, why he encourages mentorship, how he deals with challenges, and his principles for high performance   Key Takeaways: [3:44] It’s not about just managing people towards a goal or expectation, it’s about making sure they are comfortable and that they feel confident with their training. When we take care of the small fundamentals, it helps us create a platform to jump to the bigger things. [5:04] A servant-minded approach is that they can always come and ask for help or resources. [5:54] Loss prevention represented the perfect opportunity for Keith to mel

In today’s global business environment, there is a crucial need to reframe the way we think about diversity and inclusion. Eric Severson, Chief People Officer at DaVita, returns to the podcast for an impactful discussion on the concept of belonging, and why it matters so much in business today. Through his roles at DaVita, Gap Inc., and Macy’s, Eric has been a key leader throughout his career in developing innovative strategies and communities that foster belonging. Eric discusses why belonging is critical for an engaged culture, the challenge most diversity programs face, and ways to shift our mindset into connecting at an even deeper human level.   Key Takeaways: [5:07] The concept of diversity and inclusion began in the United States during the landmark legislation that arose during the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Employers shifted their focus to being compliant with the movement in inclusion to avoid charges of discrimination and lawsuits. [7:58] Belonging is such a universal need and desire that it is ment

The New Year is a great time to clean the slate, set new intentions, and get super clear on goals. Today, I will be talking about some subtle yet profound shifts we can make to focus on how we can step into this year with positive momentum. We talk about the power of positive intention, the balance between vigilance and allowance, and some questions to ask yourself as you create and experience your highest vision of your life in 2019 and beyond.   Key Takeaways: [3:10] When we set intentions and goals and focus on the positive rather than a negative, we create space for positive outcomes. [8:05] As we set our intentions and goals, we can establish trackable actions and practices to keep us on a steady path. It is a balance of staying vigilant to our goals, and relaxing to trust and allow the blessings and opportunities unfold organically in our life. [12:31] When we lose a loved one, we often are gifted with the lesson of investing in the people and experiences that really matter most, rather than spending ou

This week I am honored and fired up to be speaking with Patrick Lencioni.  Pat is the founder of The Table Group, author of 11 books which have sold over five million copies, and one of the world’s leading experts in team performance and organizational health.  His mega-bestselling book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, is one of the best books ever written on the subject and continues to be on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list, even 16 years after it was released.  His latest book is called The Ideal Team Player. In this interview, Pat talks about what got him interested in the subject of teamwork and leadership, gives a glimpse into writing his writing process, and shares some specific tips that allow leaders and teams to thrive.  We also talk about how to create a culture where people put the needs of the team, organization, and vision above their own, and why vulnerability is key to trust. Key Takeaways: [3:31] Pat discusses the two seminal experiences that interested him to seek a path working in l

If you’ve ever attended a play, sporting event, or concert, chances are you paid primary attention to the people on the stage or field, but not as much to all the people behind the scenes working to pull off what made the event so fantastic. Whether it’s an organization of 3 people or a group of 3,000, we thrive at work when everyone does their part. On this week’s episode, we talk about teamwork and collaboration, the distinction between our job and our role, why we must embrace the specific role we have and appreciate others if we’re going to be able to win and sustain success.   Key Takeaways: [5:36] During a recent trip to see the Broadway Show Anastasia, I couldn’t help but notice the amazing people that went into the whole production. The lead star was important, but the “support cast” of the orchestra, costumes, lighting also all helped to make this story so captivating. This is a metaphor for work — sometimes we are the star, often times we are supporting the mission. Whatever level it’s at, it’s impo

Today’s episode covers something the world can use a whole lot more of right now — kindness. The media loves to continue the narrative that the world is unsafe, full of conflict, and divided. And while there is some truth to this, as I travel around the country and the world, and interact with lots of different groups and people, I see something else.  There is lots of kindness and compassion going on around us already and sometimes it helps just to tune in and connect with it rather than getting swept up in stress and drama. On this episode, we talk about the power of kindness, why it really starts with ourselves, and how we can bring compassion to work (and life) in an authentic and useful way.   Key Takeaways: [2:30] As I work on my new book, We’re All In This Together: Creating a Team Culture of High Performance, Trust, and Inclusion (working title), the importance and power of kindness is something that rises up to me as an extremely important asset of company culture and thriving as a human. [6:10] Kind

On this special Giving Tuesday episode I have the honor of talking to Scott Harrison, founder of Charity Water.  For the past 12 years, Scott and his team have worked in 26 countries to help 8.4 million people get clean water.  The water crisis is one of the largest humanitarian issues on the planet - there are still 663 million people without access to clean water in the world.   On today’s show, Scott shares his remarkable journey from New York City nightclub promoter and addict, to founding Charity Water and transforming his life.  He talks about Charity Water’s important mission, shares personal stories about the impact of their work, and invites all of us to help by joining The Spring, a community of monthly donors worldwide supporting the live-saving work Charity Water is doing.   Key Takeaways: [4:08] Charity Water is focused passionately to end the water crisis. Based in New York City, they started 12 years ago, and seek to bring clean water to the 663 Million people currently affected by the water cr

Today’s solo episode focuses on the importance of team chemistry and culture.  Regardless of how much talent a team has, the strategy, or even the value of the specific service or product being created and offered, without a strong culture, a team can’t truly succeed.  I share some principles and examples of great culture, and ideas for what you can do to infuse your team with winning chemistry.   Key Takeaways: [1:50] Announcement! I have signed on to write my next book with the wonderful publisher, Hay House Business. The working title, subject to change, is We’re All in This Together: Creating a Team Culture of High Performance, Trust, and Inclusion. [5:05] The culture of our group is more important than the strategy or plan. [6:29] The chemistry of a team, or culture of a business, absolutely has a profound impact on the success and the results of that organization. [20:25] I share an example of how my time in baseball and sports taught me to leave it all on the field and give my best effort despite circu

Scott Shute means business when it comes to bringing your whole self to work. As the Head of Mindfulness and Compassion Programs at LinkedIn, Scott develops and delivers programs that assist in the well-being of leaders, teams, employees, and customers. On the podcast today, he shares his story of growing up as a small town kid from Kansas, with a dual capability in both engineering and the arts. Scott details his own personal experience with meditation and mindfulness practices, and how he has now made a full-time career of normalizing it and advocating for it at LinkedIn and in the larger tech and business world. We talk about compassion as a leadership quality, why it’s so important at work specifically, and how LinkedIn is leading the movement.  Scott is committed to changing work from the inside out. Key Takeaways: [10:20] Scott grew up in Kansas, and was raised to have confidence in his many abilities, both in the arts and business. This exploration of dual interests now supports him today when developi

In a world where we are constantly posting our achievements, our successes, and the highlight reel of our vacations on social media, it’s understandable that we would feel jealous from time to time. On this week’s episode, we talk about jealousy and the impact it has on our relationships, our work and even our own feeling of worthiness. We talk about how to deal with the energy of jealousy when it shows up, and even when a little jealousy might be good for us. If you ever find yourself challenged by jealousy in your life it's important to remember it's rarely the feeling that holds us back, it's what we do with it that matters most. Key Takeaways: [4:34] We all have different situations that trigger jealousy. For some, it’s about money, fame, or public success while for others, it’s the jealousy over someone else’s love or relationships. [8:32] Feeling jealousy is part of the human experience. It’s what we do with the feeling that matters. The four steps to move through jealousy are: Recognize. Acknowledge F

One of the most important things we can do in our work and our life is to trust the process.  This is about trusting ourselves, others, and the overall journey, even when things seem difficult or confusing. Patience and trust are essential in business, family, and just about every other aspect of life, but they can be tough to practice, especially when things don’t seem to be going the way we want them to go. Today, we talk about specific ways we can trust the process more effectively and the mindset shift that goes along with accepting (and maybe even welcoming) uncertainty.   Key Takeaways: [2:47] The four different aspects of trust that are important to remember: trusting ourselves, others, the group, and life. [6:05] When we step into a new realm of growth, some of our most limiting patterns and beliefs will show up as a protection mechanism. It’s the ego’s way of thinking we are protecting ourselves from the unknown. Instead of accepting the growth mindset, we go into a ‘fixed’ mindset. [8:56] Being in t

For as much as we love to lend our support and help others, many of us find it awkward or uncomfortable to ask for help ourselves. Today, we talk about the top reasons people don’t seek support and ways to shift the mindset on what it actually means about us when we’re willing to reach out to others. When we ask people for their time, feedback, or support in a gracious way, it creates a win-win for everyone. Asking for help is a way to practice vulnerability, which is a necessary aspect of bringing our whole selves to work and to life.   Key Takeaways: [5:09] There are a few different reasons we have trouble asking for help. We are afraid to be judged or come across as weak, we don’t want to burden people or annoy them, or we are afraid of rejection. Also, we are hesitant to ask for help because often times… we think (know) we can do better. [9:35] When we keep our world small and enclosed in only our perspective, it limits how big and vast our experience can grow and expand to. [11:26] Asking for help is a g

One of my personal challenges, especially in recent weeks (and years), has been exploring how to advocate for things I find important, without creating more division and separation. Learning how to effectively navigate situations that may be different than our vision of the way things should be, without a sense of self-righteousness, is a tricky yet essential aspect of being a good leader.   In groups, teams, and organizations of all types and sizes, it’s common to see divisiveness.  It’s important to speak up about this, now more than ever. In today’s episode, we delve into ways we can navigate this so that we create more connection, curiosity and positive change.   Key Takeaways: [8:42] When we apply the sports mentality of radically cheering for our team no matter what, and apply it into politics, it often leads to an irrational “us vs. them” spirit that blocks us from making real change. [12:27] The working title for my next book is “We are In This Together.” In it, I plan to share the conditions for high