IntHERrupt

INT 201 - Lessons Learned from the IntHERrupt Podcast

Linda Yates — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0400

I’m sad to say that the Int-HER-rupt Podcast is coming to an end. I know, I know—it’s been a good run, and I’ve learned a lot from being the host of this podcast.

In this episode, I’m going to share the biggest lessons I’ve learned from hosting Int-HER-rupt. Also, if you’d still like to hear my lovely voice, head on over to the Nourify and Beautify Podcast.

It’s a new show where I co-host with Nour Abochama, diving into the secrets behind your favorite beauty products. Learn more about it in the resource section.

Sunsetting the Int-HER-rupt Podcast

After four years and 200 episodes, you’d think I’d keep going with the podcast. Of course, I’d love to, but I’m experiencing an "IntHERruption" in my own career.
Even though we’re saying goodbye to the podcast, that doesn’t mean it won’t still be available. You can always go back and listen to the episodes whenever you like.

The Value of Interruptions

You may feel like interruptions are the worst things that can happen, but it’s better to see them as something positive.
View the interruptions in your life as opportunities for growth and learning.
Those random bad moments can also be unexpected blessings in disguise.

Life Lessons from Leading Women

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from this podcast is that you must always know how to speak up for yourself.
You are your strongest advocate. No one will take care of you better than you. Use your voice to empower yourself and become an effective leader.

Shoutout to TSE Studios

I have to thank the TSE Studios team for their wonderful help in creating and producing this podcast.
A special shoutout goes to Donald Kelly for his mentorship, and I’d like to acknowledge Shana, Nancy, and Priya for their contributions.
If you’d like to learn more about TSE Studios, click the link in the resources section.

“Sometimes, interruptions are the best blessings just around the corner. It all depends on our perspective, how we view them, and how we move forward.” - Linda Yates.

Resources

Nourify and Beautify Podcast

TSE Studios

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 200 - Balancing Authenticity and Authority

Linda Yates — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Do you ever feel like you're being overly nice to your co-workers? While this may make them see you more as a friend than a leader, it can also lead to workplace conflicts.

On the flip side, coming off too harsh can create its own set of challenges. So how do you find the right balance between authenticity and authority to guide your team to success?

In this episode, I sit down with Jaime Russ, founder of Lynnsight Solutions, to discuss her valuable leadership insights and strategies. Discover how to find the right balance and drive your team toward success.

Meet Jaime Russ

Jaime Russ comes with over 20 years of experience in the field of data analytics and system integrations.
Her expertise lies in converting complex data into actionable insights, helping businesses make informed decisions that lead to sustainable growth.
She started her professional journey in data analytics, eventually transitioning into roles like project management and Six Sigma within corporate America.
Jaime now focuses entirely on assisting small and mid-sized enterprises, applying corporate structures to augment growth and enhance efficiency.

Authenticity and Authority in Leadership

Jaime shares how leaders can act for the greater good, emphasizing that authenticity includes thorough research and honest communication.
She also discusses how leaders can build trust through authentic actions.

Empathy and Communication in Leadership

Jaime highlights the significance of empathy and compassion in professional settings, explaining how leaders can be both direct and caring.
According to Jaime, the misconception that leaders cannot be vulnerable needs to be challenged.
She emphasizes that leaders must own their mistakes and communicate clearly to foster a healthy work environment.

"Trying to really understand what you're about, but not just what you're about and what you're here for, but also how you're perceived is a huge thing." - Jaime Russ.

Resources

Jaime Russ on LinkedIn

Jaime Russ on Instagram

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 199 - Being a Strategic Leader in Today's Environment

Linda Yates — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Having a well-defined plan is essential for achieving your goals. However, in today’s complex workplace, setting realistic long-term goals can be challenging.

In this episode, I sit down with human resource expert Susan Chaplin to discuss how to develop strategic leadership skills. Tune in to gain valuable insights from her expertise!

Susan Chaplin’s Background

Susan is a seasoned HR executive with over 20 years of experience in retail, healthcare, and customer service.
Starting from her initial work with Best Buy, Susan has navigated through various roles and industries, each shaping her strategic acumen.
Her transition from retail to the healthcare sector highlights her commitment to continuous learning and growth.

Defining Strategic Leadership

Susan believes strategic leadership involves understanding your environment and team.
She advocates for thorough analysis, such as SWOT assessments, to gain a nuanced perspective of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
This analytical approach ensures that leaders are proactive and sustainable business growth.

Building a Strategic Mindset

Susan shares how new leaders can create a strategic mindset:

Learn from Mistakes: Use errors as learning opportunities.
Understand Your Team: Know what drives your team to maintain balance and productivity.
Engage in Continuous Learning: Stay updated with external factors like AI developments, economic shifts, and generational dynamics.

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence

Susan believes in bringing one's whole self to work, fostering a genuine and authentic work environment.
By recognizing and adapting to the emotional needs of the team, leaders can create a supportive and motivating atmosphere.

"And then these generational gaps where you've got what are considered boomers versus millennials, Gen Xers, truly understanding how all of those things play together and have an impact on your business." - Susan Chaplin.

Resources

Susan Chaplin on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 198 - Consequences of Not Being A Flexible Leader

Linda Yates — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

As a leader, you have the opportunity to support individuals from various backgrounds. Flexibility and understanding are key to guiding your team through their challenges.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Morgan Bell, Assistant Professor of Marketing at BYU’s Marriott School of Business, to discuss why flexibility is essential for effective leadership.

Tune in to learn how being adaptable can help you foster a supportive environment, empower your team, and enhance both personal and professional growth.

Dr. Morgan Bale’s Background

Dr. Bale is an assistant professor of marketing at BYU's Marriott School of Business with a PhD in marketing from Drexel University.
Her research specializes in causal inference techniques and Bayesian statistics, focusing on brand equity, retail, media, and customer loyalty.
A mother of two, she balances her academic career with family life and enjoys time at the beach.

Importance of Flexibility in Leadership

Dr. Bale explains how flexible leadership provides opportunities for success.
Strict and inflexible rules can often limit success, affecting individuals who balance multiple responsibilities.
She highlights how her own academic journey would have been nearly impossible without the flexible support of her advisor.

Leadership Tips on Building Flexibility

Dr. Bale shares valuable advice on how leaders can cultivate flexibility:

Meditation: She discusses how calming the mind prepares you to handle unexpected situations without being overwhelmed.
Proactive Planning: Building flexibility into your schedule allows you to accept life’s unpredictability better.
Clear Communication: Discuss your policies with your team members so they can understand your expectations.

Drawbacks on Being Too Flexible

Being too flexible can lead to inconsistencies in the application of rules and policies. This can create a perception of unfairness and favoritism among team members.
Also, too much flexibility can hinder progress by allowing deadlines to become fluid. Team members may take projects less seriously and undermine the urgency to meet commitments.
Balancing flexibility allows leaders to enforce necessary boundaries that create efficiency and effectiveness for the team.

“The flexibility in leadership allows more people to succeed. When you have strict rules and people from different backgrounds, only a select few are going to succeed.” - Dr. Morgan Bale.

Resources

Dr. Bale’s email: morgan.bale@drexel.edu

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 197 - When Your Leadership Path Pivots to Ownership

Linda Yates — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I dive deep into a conversation with Charlotte Leonard. With over 35 years of experience in healthcare, Charlotte discusses her journey from a leadership role to becoming a franchise owner. Tune in to hear her insights and lessons learned along the way.

Charlotte's Career Journey

Started as an admission assistant in a nursing home in 1986.
Rose to the position of Regional Director, overseeing multiple locations.
Transitioned to semi-retirement and new challenges as a franchise owner of a vitamin therapy spot opening in October.

Leadership Lessons

Within the episode, Charlotte shares several leadership lessons she learned from her journey. Here's two of them:

Trusting Your Team: Emphasizes the importance of trusting team members to do what they’ve been hired for. Allowing room for mistakes while providing support is key to growth and success.
Adding Value as a Leader: As a Regional Director, Charlotte focused on supporting administrators to ensure their success, which in turn reflected her own success.

Developing Self-Awareness as a Leader

She shares different ways leaders can develop self-awareness:

Listen to Feedback: Understanding what others need from you is crucial.
Have a Mentor or Board of Advisors: Regularly seek feedback on how you show up as a leader.
Continuous Learning: Constantly be a student of leadership, taking courses, reading, and self-assessing to improve.

"Change happens sometimes to you instead of you making the change." - Charlotte Leonard.

Resources

Charlotte Leonard on LinkedIn

The DRIPBar Royal Palm Beach

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 196 - How to Foster Resiliency as a Leader

Linda Yates — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Steering a company during economic downturns or simply adapting to everyday workplace challenges, resilience often makes the difference between thriving and merely surviving. This is why it is one of the most crucial traits a leader can possess.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Rosina Racioppi, President and CEO of Women Unlimited, Inc., on fostering resilience as a leader. Join us as we explore Rosina's compelling journey of leadership, her invaluable tips on building resilience, and how you can harness this vital trait to propel your career and organization to new heights.

Introduction to Rosina Racioppi

Rosina Racioppi heads Women Unlimited, Inc., where she spearheads initiatives to help organizations across various industries develop high-potential women leaders.
Her efforts have been instrumental in building a diverse and talented leadership pipeline that contributes to the growth and profitability of Fortune 1000 companies.
With a professional background in HR spanning across sectors like insurance, manufacturing, and chemicals, Rosina brings a wealth of knowledge to the discussion.

What is Resiliency?

According to Rosina, resiliency involves maintaining your footing during times of great change or upheaval.
Using COVID-19 as a reference point, she highlights how both companies and individuals demonstrated resilience through prolonged ambiguity.
Key to resilience is not letting failures stop us but rather letting them inform and strengthen us.

Tips on Building Resiliency

Rosina offers invaluable advice on fostering resiliency:

Use Failure as a Learning Tool: Reflect on what went wrong, without placing blame, to foster a culture of learning.
Reflection and Feedback: Regular reflection on projects and seeking feedback from managers and peers can build the muscle of introspection and improvement.
Building Relationships: Maintain a network of colleagues who can offer perspectives and support. These relationships can be vital in managing through challenging times.

Creating a Culture of Resilience

As a leader, instilling resilience within your team requires creating an environment where failure is used as a learning opportunity and ongoing reflection is encouraged.
Leaders should nurture a collaborative culture that values diverse ideas and supports team members in both successful and challenging times.

"You don't want to pursue a job just because you can do it. You want to pursue something because at the end of the day, you're excited about the kind of work that you do when you're using those skills." - Rosina Racioppi.

Resources

Women Unlimited

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 195 - How to Build a Team of Passionate People

Linda Yates — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0400

As a leader you want your team to be filled with go getters who are ready to accomplish all tasks by the end of the day. But you also want a team of people who enjoy their work, strive to do their best, and actually care about helping others.

In this episode I chat with the dynamic and energetic Claudine Pohl, the CEO of LemonEight. She joins us to share her incredible journey and insights on how to build a team of passionate people.

Claudine Pohl: A Journey of Resilience and Passion

Claudine Pohl, founder and CEO of LemonEight, has a compelling background that combines business acumen with a passion for tourism.
Raised in El Salvador during political turmoil, she faced significant personal challenges, including the assassination of her politician father and surviving a bomb attack meant for her mother.
Claudine immigrated to Canada at nine, where she was raised by her mother and stepfather.
Her love for tourism led her to study international business, starting her career in sales and training with companies like IBM.
In 2020, after losing her job due to the pandemic, Claudine founded LemonEight, a training center for the cruise industry.

Finding and Nurturing Passionate Team Members

Claudine shares her insights on how to attract and build a team of passionate individuals.
She emphasizes the importance of listening to potential team members and tapping into their interests and motivations.
Claudine explains how asking the right questions and providing opportunities for exploration can help leaders identify and nurture passion within their teams.

Giving Back: A Core Value

One of the standout aspects of Claudine's leadership is her commitment to giving back.
From working pro bono with organizations like the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation to leaving a financial impact in the destinations they work with, Lemonade is about more than just business.
Claudine's focus on creating personal and financial impacts in the communities they touch is a core part of her company's values.

“But through that, you realize what is important. You realize you could have all the money in the world, but it won't mean anything if you're not here." - Claudine Pohl.

Resources

Claudine Pohl on LinkedIn

Claudine Pohl on Instagram

LemonEight

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 194 - Learning Not to Micromanage

Linda Yates — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Are you a leader who multitasks at different levels within the company? Letting others do their tasks can be hard when you know how things should be done.

This is called micromanagement, and even though you might mean well, you're really doing a disservice to your employees when you take over their tasks. Listen to this episode with my guest, Dana Mullins, on how to stop micromanaging as a leader and what to do instead to help your employees grow.

Dana's Leadership Journey

Dana has always been drawn to leadership roles, starting from high school.
She found her passion in human resources and had mentors who helped her grow.
Over 25 years, Dana has grown with PenAir Credit Union from a department manager to a C-suite executive.

Defining Micromanagement

Micromanaging is the inability to let go of tasks and responsibilities delegated to others.
It often stems from a leader's comfort zone and desire to ensure things are done their way.
Micromanaging frustrates employees, stifles growth, and ultimately harms the leader's own performance.

Advice for Those Being Micromanaged

Take a step back and ask why it's happening; is it a trust issue or something you're doing?
Have an honest, direct conversation with your leader about what you can do to build trust and show your capabilities.
Correct any mistakes or shortcomings on your end to demonstrate your worthiness of trust.

Tips for Leaders to Avoid Micromanaging

Look inside yourself and identify the reasons behind your micromanaging behavior.
Get out of your comfort zone and focus on your own responsibilities at your current level.
Trust that you have the right people around you to handle the tasks you've delegated.

Staying Motivated as a Leader

Find something you're passionate about, whether it's your profession, hobbies, or volunteer work.
Create a routine around the things you enjoy and stick to it.
When life throws curveballs, allow yourself to grieve, then find a way to incorporate changes into your routine and maintain a forward focus.

“I relate this to whenever someone gets their first supervisor or their first leadership role, usually, they have come from a doer. They're comfortable with it and enjoy it, but now they've taken on different responsibilities. But because maybe that's uncomfortable, you're learning how to navigate that. You want to return to your comfort zone and keep your hand in that, even though you've now turned that over to someone else.” - Dana Mullins.

Resources

Dana Mullins on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 193 - Leading Through Gender Differences

Linda Yates — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Leaders who actively recognize and embrace gender diversity can foster innovation, enhance decision-making, and boost financial performance within their organizations. However, this factor is often overlooked in leadership positions.

In this insightful episode, I engage in a delightful conversation with Kate Suslava, an associate professor of accounting at Bucknell University, to delve into the intricate dynamics of leadership through the lens of gender differences. Tune in to discover how you can be part of the solution and help create a more equitable and prosperous future for all.

Meet Kate Suslava

Kate Suslava has a unique background that blends linguistics and accounting. Originally from Belarus, she initially studied linguistics at Minsk State Linguistic University, where she learned English, Italian, and Polish, with aspirations of becoming a translator.
After moving to the United States, she shifted her focus to accounting, earning an MBA and later a PhD from Rutgers University.
Her diverse educational and professional experiences now inform her research on executives' verbal patterns in corporate disclosures and communications with investors.

The Gender Gap in Leadership Roles

Kate highlights the stark contrast between the number of women hired at entry-level positions in accounting firms and the lack of gender parity in upper echelons of leadership.
She notes that despite the benefits of gender diversity in decision-making and company performance, women only make up around 11-12% of CFO positions and an even smaller percentage of CEO roles in publicly traded companies.

Gender Differences in Communication

One key difference Kate has observed is how men and women communicate in the workplace.
Her research shows that men speak more than women in business meetings.
She emphasizes the importance of leaders creating an inclusive environment where everyone's voice is heard, regardless of gender or communication style.

Acknowledging Biases and Promoting Inclusivity

To address gender differences, Kate suggests that leaders first acknowledge the existence of biases.
She recommends investing in training to make people aware of these biases, especially regarding hiring and promotions.
Additionally, leaders should strive to create diverse teams and consider the needs of all employees when planning team-building activities.

The Benefits of Gender Diversity

Kate emphasizes the importance of being open to the opposite gender, as diversity brings numerous benefits to the workplace.
She provides an example from her research on financial analysts: Women excel at writing clear and readable reports, while men tend to include more quantitative information.
By working together, they can produce better work products than teams consisting of only one gender.

“No matter what gender or who you are, everybody's voices should be heard. Unfortunately, in meetings, the voices that are heard are often heard by loud and aggressive people.” - Kate Suslava.

Resources

Bucknell University

Kate Suslava on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 192 - Understanding How to Reward Your Team Members

Linda Yates — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In today's rapidly evolving workplace, employees crave more than just a paycheck. They seek purpose, growth opportunities, and recognition for their unique contributions. How do you ensure that each individual's efforts are acknowledged in a way that resonates with them personally?

In this episode, I discuss this topic with Marty Bryson, an experienced HR professional and Benefits Manager at Chapters Healthcare. Learn how she creates tailored reward systems that recognize employee achievements and foster an environment of continuous learning and personal development.

Marty's Career Journey

Marty Bryson has built an extensive career as an HR practitioner with over 25 years of experience, primarily focusing on helping employees navigate their benefits.
Currently, she serves as the Benefits Manager for Chapters Health and is the President of the HR Florida State Council, continuing her mission of improving employee welfare and education opportunities.

When to Reward Employees

Many leaders wonder how often they should reward their employees.
Marty explains that recognizing small achievements can have a significant impact.
This recognition shows employees that their efforts are noticed, which can be motivating, especially during challenging times.

The Importance of Individualized Rewards

Marty highlights the significance of personalized rewards. She states emerging professionals often seek mentors and education opportunities, while seasoned employees might want bigger projects and continuous learning opportunities.
Lifelong learning is a substantial intrinsic reward that companies can offer their employees.

Types of Reward Systems

There are both tangible and intangible reward systems.
While fair pay and robust benefits are fundamental expectations, intangible rewards like thank-you notes and public recognition can be more impactful.
Marty suggests options ranging from using a dedicated module in an HR system to simple bulletin boards for kudos.

Personal Reward Stories

Marty shares a touching story about receiving handwritten notes from conference attendees and team members, recognizing her impact.
I follow with my own story of a treasured plaque from a historic hotel, emphasizing that rewards don't need to be expensive but should reflect genuine appreciation.

“Someone who is maybe more seasoned in their career journey wants bigger projects. They also want education opportunities. Most adults these days are lifelong learners, and given the opportunity to learn something new, they will grasp it. So, one of the biggest intrinsic rewards that a company or organization can give an employee these days is the opportunity to learn.” -Marty Bryson.

Resources

Marty Bryson on LinkedIn

HR Flordia State Council

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 191 - You're Burnt Out, Now What?

Linda Yates — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Don’t you just want to pull every last strand of hair out after work? If so, you may be experiencing burnout and need to listen to this week’s episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast.

I chat with my guest, Victoria Baylor, a certified leadership coach, about coping with work-related stress. Whether you are a seasoned leader or just beginning your journey, this episode is packed with insights and actionable advice on overcoming burnout and maintaining productivity.

Meet Victoria Baylor

Victoria Baylor is a seasoned professional with a rich background in leadership and development.
She is a certified leadership mindset coach, organizational development consultant, and TEDx speaker with a profound passion for unlocking the brilliance in others.
Her holistic, human-centric approach to leadership fosters mindset growth and enhances leader well-being, team effectiveness, and organizational cohesion.

Understanding Burnout and Its Impact

Victoria emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and understanding one's limits.
She highlights that high-performing individuals often overlook signs of stress and push themselves harder, which can lead to severe burnout.
Using her personal experience, Victoria elaborates on how burnout affected her confidence and decision-making abilities, and why it's crucial to pause and reflect rather than speeding up to overcome challenges.

Recognizing Burnout: Key Indicators

One of the critical aspects of managing burnout is recognizing it early.
Victoria outlines several indicators, such as a lack of motivation, diminished productivity, increased self-doubt, and changes in behavior.
She stresses the importance of leaders cultivating strong relationships with their team members to detect these signs early.

Strategies for Overcoming Burnout

Victoria provides practical recommendations for overcoming burnout, emphasizing a holistic approach.
She advises stepping back and accepting one's current state without self-judgment.
It's essential to align actions with personal values and prioritize activities that rejuvenate and recharge.
For leaders, she suggests creating an environment where team members feel safe to express their challenges and stresses.

Maintaining Motivation and Energy

Victoria shares her personal strategies for staying motivated and managing energy.
As an introvert, she finds solace in spending time alone, engaging in hobbies, and nurturing personal relationships.
She also stresses the importance of having quick recharge methods for energy management, which can be as brief as 1-3 minutes.

“Stress is not a bad thing. It is actually kind of good in the right dosage. But what happens when it becomes excessive?” - Victoria Baylor.

Resources

Victoria Baylor

Victoria Baylor on Instagram

Victoria Baylor on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 190 - Creating Inclusive, Dynamic Work Environments

Linda Yates — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 16:00:00 -0400

How can companies create inclusive and dynamic work environments? In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, I chat with Lee Caraher, a renowned expert in building dynamic work environments and author of "Millennials and Management."

Lee details the importance of adaptive leadership, effective communication, and diverse, inclusive environments in today's world. Listen to her stories and practical tips to equip yourself to drive positive change in your own organization.

Meet Lee Caraher

● Lee Caraher is a seasoned public relations and communications expert with a rich professional journey spanning over two decades.

● She started her career in public relations and steadily climbed the ranks into significant leadership roles.

● Her extensive experience culminated in the founding of Double Forte, a well-regarded public relations and marketing firm dedicated to fostering dynamic and inclusive work environments.

Maintaining Company Culture and Values

● Lee explains the importance of maintaining company values and behaviors amidst an ever-changing work environment.

● She emphasizes that a positive and inclusive culture is crucial for the long-term success of any organization.

Challenges and Strategies in Inclusivity

● Lee shares her experiences, including her efforts in creating an inclusive language guide and the challenges faced in adapting to a male-dominated culture.

● She recounts a personal story of inadvertently excluding a gay employee, which served as a humbling lesson on the impact of language. This experience sharpened her focus on fostering a truly inclusive environment.

Practical Tips for Inclusivity

● Lee provides three practical tips for individuals and leaders striving to create an inclusive environment:

○ 1. Conduct an annual blind audit to identify and address biases.

○ 2. Actively check in with employees to understand their needs and experiences.

○ 3. Implement unbiased recruiting practices to attract a diverse pool of talent.

● She also discusses the advantages of blind recruitment in improving workplace diversity and draws parallels to the unbiased selection of musicians behind a screen.

Evolving as Leaders

● Lee stresses the necessity for leaders to continuously evolve and understand their place in the world, particularly about their company and its employees.

● This evolution is crucial to avoid failure and ensure the company adapts to changing conditions without losing its core values.

“Being a dynamic company means understanding how you maintain your values and the behaviors your values dictate. You will dictate your behaviors, and that is what values are. Values are the behaviors that you will encourage and/or allow, and then how do those stay the same? So your culture is that way—positive, inclusive, whatever, but recognizing how conditions change.” - Lee Caraher.

Resources

Lee Caraher

Lee Caraher on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 189 - The Importance of a Leadership Purpose

Linda Yates — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

If you're curious about your leadership purpose, this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast is a must-listen. Join me as I delve into this topic with my guest, Victoria Hajjar, the founder of Ugli Ventures. Click play to learn more about finding your leadership purpose.

Meet Victoria Hajjar

Victoria is the founder of Ugli Ventures, which specializes in assisting startups in scaling from 6 to 7 figures.
She focuses on aiding female entrepreneurs in optimizing sales and marketing strategies, team building, and leadership development to establish sustainable and profitable 7-figure enterprises.
She enjoys taking the leadership qualities she learned from other male leaders and sharing them with women leaders to help them become successful in their journeys.
After leaving the corporate world and working with investors, she was able to experience a wider style of leadership.
One of her favorites was a leader who took on a mentorship role and shared his growth journey with the team. Noticing the leader's humility, she saw how it helped foster an excitement of growth within the organization.

Leadership Purpose: What Is It?

Victoria shares that regardless of your leadership style, the most important thing is to show up constantly in everything you do.
Remember, your team members are watching you and do what they see others do. If you’re not showing up consistently, your team won’t either.
The purpose of leadership is to ensure that everyone in the company follows through on what’s expected of them

How Does Having a Purpose Help You as a Leader?

Knowing your purpose helps you learn your leadership style. Before you can find your purpose, understand what type of leader you want to be.
Would you prefer to have a coaching leadership style? Or do you want to have a more Laissez-Faire leadership style?
Victoria shares an exercise she does with her clients to help them understand the leadership styles better and how to find the right one for them.
Understanding different leadership styles and discovering which brings you excitement allows you to find the right one that fits your personality.

Creating Your Leadership Purpose

Victoria suggests thinking about your larger "why" as a human. Consider how you want to show up in life and translate that into your work.
Do you want to be the person who teaches others? Do you want to put a smile on someone's face every day? Do you want to give tough love to others?
You can show up authentically as a leader when you connect to your deeper why and how you want to help others.

“How you show up as a leader and conduct yourself is also attached to your larger why as a human. We spend so much of our lives at work. We often want to separate how we show up at work from how we do at home. We believe we are creating this balance. However, successful leaders bring the things they have passion for and the person they want to become, and they translate that into their style.” - Victoria Hajjar.

Resources

Ugli Ventures

Victoria Hajjar on LinkedIn

INT 188 - Lessons From Hearing Loss and Their Impact On My Leadership Style

Linda Yates — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Can a disability impact your leadership abilities negatively or positively? Find out in this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast.

Host Linda Yates chats with guest Monica Dreger, a distinguished guest with a rich background in overseeing research initiatives at companies like Airbnb and as a volunteer advisor for the Bereavement Center. Monica delves into topics surrounding human decision-making, her career evolution, and hearing loss's impact on her personal and professional life.

Click play now!

Professional Journey in UX Research

Monica Dreger shares her role in user experience (UX) research, explaining her goal to understand human decision-making.
Her background in advertising and psychology has been instrumental in creating successful ad campaigns by tapping into fundamental human truths.
This interdisciplinary expertise has provided a robust framework for her subsequent industry roles.

Navigating Hearing Loss

Monica shares her journey with hearing loss that started when she was a young child.
She recounts how it affected her ability to moderate focus groups, leading her to seek professional help and eventually pivot her career.
Monica's experience underscores the importance of awareness and advocacy in managing hearing impairment.
Despite the hurdles, she views her hearing loss as a part of her identity and a source of resilience.

Importance of Kindness and Empathy

A crucial part of Monica’s philosophy is responding to incorrect answers with kindness and empathy.
She emphasizes these values as essential for effective communication and fostering a supportive environment, particularly when dealing with communication challenges arising from her hearing impairment.

Advocacy and Self-Advocacy in Business

Monica's discussion on self-advocacy sheds light on the difficulties soft-spoken individuals face in the business industry, often rewarding louder voices.
She articulates how overcoming societal expectations and advocating for oneself is essential, especially for female empowerment.
Monica frames her advocacy for herself as a way to pave the path for the younger generation, particularly young women, in the corporate world.

Leadership and Community Building

In her leadership style, Monica leads with genuine curiosity and prioritizes building a strong community among her team members.
She believes in surrounding herself with skilled and collaborative individuals, which she considers a crucial leadership lesson.

Communication Challenges and Personal Strength

Monica reflects on her communication challenges, often having to piece together sentences due to mishearing words.
This experience has reinforced the importance of empathy in communication and recognizing the personal strength required to navigate such challenges daily.

To understand decision-making, I have to listen to people, which is ironic in itself but kind of, you know, in a beautiful bow of irony. - Monica Dreger.

Resources

Monica Dreger on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

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Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 187 - Embracing a "Casual" Speaking Style for Professional Social Media

Linda Yates — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Curious about the role of small talk in career transformation? In this episode of "Int-Her-rupt," Linda Yates engages in a conversation with Amy Buchan Siegfried, a seasoned expert with over 20 years of experience in audience engagement and the art of building confidence, connections, and collaborations.

They also explore the intricacies of social media, advocating for a communication style that is both casual and approachable. Tune in to discover how to maintain professionalism while adopting a casual speaking style on social media.

Amy's Leadership Journey

As the CEO of Last Night's Game, Amy brings a fresh perspective to casual conversations.
She serves as a corporate executive chair of Irish Angels and is an adjunct professor.
Amy has navigated diverse leadership styles throughout her career, learning to unlearn toxic behaviors while advocating for supportive and inclusive team dynamics.

Supporting and Encouraging Team Members

Amy highlights the critical role of supporting and encouraging team members, irrespective of gender.
She reflects on her encounters with female leaders who, unfortunately, operated under the "I got here, you need to hustle as hard as I did" mentality.
Contrary to this, Amy advocates for bringing people along on the career journey, emphasizing that aiding team growth only enhances individual success.

The Casual Speaking Style

Amy shares her distaste for the overly formal and often insincere tone prevalent in platforms like LinkedIn.
Amy prefers enthusiastic expressions and a personalized, conversational approach that makes content more approachable and engaging. This method enhances social media engagement by making communication relatable and human.

Content Approachability and Audience Adaptation

Amy provides practical examples to illustrate how replacing formal language with casual, enthusiastic expressions can foster relatability.
She points out that while there is a time and place for both casual and formal communication styles, infusing personality into content is always beneficial.

Consistency and Professionalism in Communication

Despite the casual approach, Amy stresses the importance of maintaining communication consistency, correct grammar, and spelling to ensure a polished presentation.
This balance between informality and professionalism is crucial for effective business branding and creating a positive professional image.

Social Media Context and Personalization

Illustrating the significance of context in social media, Amy advises that content should be crafted to stand on its own, even when taken out of context.
Linda's practical experience with "Motivation Mondays" is a prime example, where she posts casual, unprepared content, highlighting the value of authenticity and self-reflection in engaging with the audience.

"Everyone has something to offer, and so go in and be confident in that skill of being able to make a brand approachable, knowing what that looks like, knowing how to make that personable." - Amy Buchan Siegfried.

Resources

Last Night’s Game

Amy Buchan Siegfried on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 186 - Conversations Can Save Lives

Linda Yates — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Your friend recently told you that nothing is going right and there’s only one way to solve it. Could a simple conversation change their mind from ending it all?

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates has a deep, meaningful chat with special guest Nicole Ferry on mental health and resilience.

Listen to Nicole share her powerful journey from battling trauma in her career to finding healing and psychological safety. Before you click play, here’s a warning! This conversation is tough, and if sensitive topics trigger you, this episode may not be for you.

Guest Introduction: Nicole Ferry

Nicole Ferry is a distinguished veteran with a unique military and law enforcement background.
Her career spans from the Massachusetts Army National Guard and private policing for a railroad to various roles within law enforcement.
Despite a learning disability and discouragement from educators, Nicole's tenacity led her down a path filled with both proud accomplishments and profound challenges.

A Traumatic Journey

Nicole opens up about her time at a trauma treatment facility tailored for first responders, where she stayed for an extensive 142 days.
Initially, she sought treatment for the benefit of her team but soon found herself overwhelmed by worsening symptoms. This prompted her to leave work to focus on her mental health.

A Moment of Crisis and Hope

In a moment of sheer despair, Nicole shares her story of contemplating suicide.
Miraculously, her husband's sudden arrival transformed this potentially tragic scenario into a turning point.
Tune in and listen to the life-saving power of intervention and the significance of having a support system.

The Importance of Open Conversations

Nicole highlights the necessity of having open, honest conversations with trusted individuals.
She draws a parallel between difficult parenting discussions and conversations needed for mental health support and suicide prevention, stressing that such dialogues can make the difference between life and death.

Leadership and Vulnerability

Nicole encourages leaders to cultivate an environment of vulnerability and trust within their teams.
Leaders can foster psychological safety and facilitate tough but necessary conversations by working on themselves and knowing their employees personally.

In this insightful episode, Nicole Ferry's story serves as a reminder of the importance of mental health support, open conversations, and personal resilience. Whether you're a leader, a parent, or someone facing your own mental health struggles, Nicole's journey offers valuable lessons and inspiration.

“I feel alone. Even though I have a husband, kids, and all these people, I feel so utterly alone. My vision has gone dark on the outside, so physically, I feel like my world is dark.” - Nicole Ferry.

Resources

Nicole Ferry

Nicole Ferry on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 185 - Lack of Advancement Opportunities

Linda Yates — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In 2024, we still see a lack of advancement opportunities for women in the workplace. How can you overcome these obstacles and climb the corporate ladder?

Start by tuning into this episode of the “Int-HER-rupt Podcast” with your host, Linda Yates. In this episode, Linda chats with Rochelle Marie, a passionate advocate for women in leadership.

Rochelle's expertise in helping women overcome career challenges and step into leadership roles is illuminated through her compelling personal journey and professional experiences. Hear her advice on leadership advancement and actionable tips to address a lack of opportunities in male-dominated fields.

Rochelle's Leadership Journey

Rochelle shares her unique path into leadership, starting soon after university and stepping away from a burgeoning career due to organizational culture conflicts and personal priorities.
After a 12-year hiatus, she returned to corporate at an entry-level position and worked her way up, driven by determination and self-confidence.
Her story highlights the complexities of career growth and the importance of personal development in professional success.

Recognizing and Addressing Lack of Opportunities

Rochelle offers insights on how women can identify when their career growth is stifled due to organizational structure or personal barriers.
She discusses the concept of the "frozen middle," where mid-level management positions become stagnant, limiting advancement opportunities.
Women in leadership roles or aspiring to such positions often face these hidden obstacles, making it crucial to distinguish between organizational constraints and personal growth barriers.

Strategies for Career Development

Self-Assessment and Authentic Leadership: Rochelle emphasizes the importance of knowing oneself—understanding one’s values, strengths, and passions. She suggests reflective practices to connect with moments when women felt empowered and effective.
Networking and Building Relationships: Professional networking is crucial for discovering new career opportunities. Rochelle encourages personalized networking strategies that align with one's comfort levels, whether through large events or one-on-one coffee meetings.
Courage and Visibility: Rochelle advocates developing courage instead of just building confidence. Taking on visible projects, applying for new roles, and seeking mentorship opportunities can demonstrate leadership potential and open doors.

The Importance of Women in Corporate

Rochelle’s motivation stems from the need to retain women in corporate environments to ensure workplace diversity and gender equality.
Women empowerment in corporate settings ensures that product development, workplace policies, and research consider women’s perspectives, preventing a corporate culture designed predominantly for men.

Overcoming Self-Doubt and Career Frustration

Rochelle addresses common workplace challenges such as impostor syndrome and career frustration.
She highlights methods for breaking stereotypes and instilling self-confidence to navigate professional hurdles effectively.
Women can transcend career limitations and achieve authentic leadership by working on self-improvement and professional skills.

“I'm passionate about helping women stay in corporate, build their careers, step into leadership, and make a difference in our organizations so that women everywhere benefit.” - Rochelle Marie.

Resources

Her Leadership Way

Her Leadership Way Facebook

Rochelle Marie on LinkedIn

INT 184 - Navigating Workplace Politics

Linda Yates — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Have you ever found yourself tangled in the intricate web of workplace politics, unsure how to navigate and thrive? If so, you're not alone.

Many seasoned professionals occasionally struggle to manage the complex socio-dynamics within their organizations. In this episode of the “Int-HER-rupt Podcast,” host Linda Yates welcomes Vicki Bradley, a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in the retail industry.

Vicki shares her invaluable insights on navigating workplace politics, fostering workplace trust, and the importance of conscious leadership. Click play to discover how you can turn workplace challenges into opportunities for growth and leadership.

Early Career and Executive Experience in Retail

Vicki’s extensive executive experience in the retail industry spans across North America.
She has held significant roles, including President of the Bombay Furniture Company in Canada, VP of Sales and Operations for Bombay USA, Senior VP of Sales and Operations with Marks and Spencers, and VP of Sales and Operations with Holt Renfrew.
Vicki shares how these roles shaped her understanding of workplace dynamics and political dynamics in organizations.

Navigating Workplace Politics and Office Dynamics

Vicki delves into what office politics entails and confirms that political dynamics are a reality in every organization.
She shares practical advice on building trust in organizations and how executives can effectively handle workplace resistance.
Vicki also emphasizes the importance of slowing down to accelerate progress and the need for understanding and adapting to the existing corporate culture before attempting a significant organizational transformation.

Building Trust and Employee Engagement

Vicki discusses the necessity of workplace trust and its role in successful leadership.
She highlights the importance of transparency, active listening, and walking the talk to foster trust.
Vicki also explores how employee engagement is crucial for achieving organizational objectives and the need to address issues such as employee attrition and productivity.

Practical Tips for New Executives

Vicki offers practical tips for those new to an organization navigating the initial stages of their role.
She advises newcomers to ask questions in the workplace, build a support system, and understand the organizational mission and values.
By doing so, new executives can better align with their company’s culture and contribute more effectively to its goals.

“I highly recommend during the interview process that you try to get a sense of who they are and how they operate as an organization."- Vicki Bradley.

Resources

WIL Empowered

Vicki Bradley on LinkedIn

WIL Empowered Instagram

WIL Empowered Facebook

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 183 - Advocating for Yourself in the Workplace

TSE Studios — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

If you can’t advocate for yourself as a leader, how do you expect to advocate for others in the workplace? In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates chats with Abbe Large, a distinguished financial planner, about advocating for oneself and navigating the leadership journey.

In this insightful conversation, Linda and Abbe delve into key aspects such as developing essential leadership skills, empowering women, and the significance of self-reflection and authenticity in professional growth. This episode is packed with practical insights to empower you to become a successful leader. Don't miss out on this enriching conversation!

Abbe Large’s Background

Abbe Large brings a wealth of experience to the table. With a background in financial planning spanning over 30 years, she has been recognized as a Forbes top advisor for multiple years.
But her dedication doesn't stop there! Abbe is committed to fostering meaningful relationships, providing exceptional customer service, and empowering women to take control of their finances.
Her journey is a testament to her resilience and commitment to advocating for oneself in the workplace.

Overcoming Challenges and Building Client Relationships

Abbe candidly discusses workplace challenges, the impact of self-advocacy, and effective communication strategies for overcoming interruptions.
Click play to hear her valuable insights on building client relationships, emphasizing kindness, and effective communication for successful interactions.

Empowering Women and Financial Literacy

Abbe is passionate about empowering women through financial literacy.
Listen to her touching story of supporting a widow after a client's passing and why financial empowerment is essential.

Motivation and Self-Empowerment

Abbe enlightens viewers on her sources of motivation, emphasizing the significance of self-care, healthy relationships, and the drive to empower others.
Her dedication to financial literacy and empowering women reflects her commitment to self-motivation and making a positive impact.

Join host Linda Yates as she delves deep into advocating for oneself in the workplace with the remarkable Abbe Large. She shares invaluable insights on leadership, authenticity, and navigating challenges with grace and assertiveness in this enlightening episode.

Tune in and let Abbe's empowering words guide you toward self-discovery and success. Don't miss out on this enlightening episode filled with wisdom that will reshape your approach to leadership and self-advocacy.

"If you're not making mistakes, how can you grow?" - Abbe Large.

Resources

Abbe Large on LinkedIn

LenoxAdvisors

Email: alarge@lenoxadvisors.com

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 182 - Advice for New Leaders

Linda Yates — Mon, 27 May 2024 10:00:00 -0400

You have recently been promoted to a new position within the company. After years of being a part of the underdogs, it's exciting to start receiving more money and benefits.

However, the initial thrill starts to fade as the weight of your new role becomes apparent. The question then becomes, how can you ensure you make the right decisions that will drive positive changes in your new leadership position?

Tune into this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast; host Linda Yates shares some exceptional tips for new leaders stepping into higher-level positions. Whether you're newly promoted, pivoting to a new organization, or looking to refine your leadership skills, this episode covers essential aspects of leadership that will help you thrive and effectively interrupt the status quo.

Understanding Your Mindset

If you struggle with self-doubt and imposter syndrome, it's a good idea for you to start working on your confidence ASAP.
To be a successful leader within the workplace, one must combat negative thinking.
Linda shares several ways new leaders can combat imposter syndrome and grow into strong leaders. Listen to her advice in this episode.

Building and Understanding Your Team

To build trust with your new team members, take the time to understand team dynamics and develop strong interpersonal skills.
Linda recommends using personality assessments like DISC, Myers-Briggs, or Compass to view individual team member's strengths and communication styles comprehensively.
Understanding these dynamics helps in building team trust and effective communication skills.

Communicating Your Vision and Mission

You can only be an effective leader if you communicate with your team members.
Linda shares that new leaders must define and communicate their personal vision, mission, and purpose to their team members.
Understanding and sharing these elements with your team fosters deeper engagement and alignment.

Leading by Example: Servant Leadership

Leading by example means you're approachable and actively participating in your team's projects.
When you work alongside your team, you demonstrate your commitment and build stronger professional relationships.
Click play to discover how leading by example empowers your team members to present challenges and potential solutions in this episode.

Professional Development and Legacy Building

Just because you’re in a new position doesn’t mean you should stop reinventing yourself.
Leaders who focus on building themselves can encourage their team members to do the same.
Linda shares how leaders can create a positive environment to help team members develop their skills and prepare them for future leadership roles, building a lasting legacy.

Starting a new leadership role can be overwhelming and exciting at the same time. You’re helping others to strive to do their very best, and you can’t do this without the proper guidance.

Luckily, Linda is here to be a guiding light for new leaders. Tune into this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast to make a meaningful impact in your new leadership role.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the TSE Studios YouTube channel!

Resources

Linda Yates on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 181 - Overcoming Fear in Making Decisions

Linda Yates — Mon, 20 May 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Do you often find yourself second-guessing the decisions you make as a leader?

How do you overcome the fear of making a mistake for the company?

In this episode of the "Int-HER-rupt" podcast, host Linda Yates chats with Eisha Armstrong, a multifaceted leader, executive, and author. They delve into overcoming the fear associated with decision-making in leadership and entrepreneurship.

If you're a leader or aspiring to make impactful decisions without succumbing to the paralysis of fear and insecurity, this episode is custom-crafted for your aspirations. Click play to forge your path to fearless leadership!

Eisha Armstrong's Background

Eisha is the co-founder and executive chairman of Vecturis and a successful author.
She is passionate about transforming service-oriented businesses by productizing their offerings, which she explores in her best-selling books, particularly "Productize" and "Fearless."
Living in Cincinnati with her family and being a yoga teacher, she brings a unique leadership and fear management perspective.

Overcoming Fear in Decision-Making

Eisha explains how fear plays a substantial role in business decision-making, especially when significant investments and technological advancements are involved.
She elaborates on how fear often impedes corporate and personal growth by causing an overemphasis on risk aversion.

Strategies for Risk Mitigation and Fear

Eisha describes practical strategies for mitigating risk and managing fear in business settings.
She emphasizes the "test and learn" approach and creating a portfolio of bets to distribute risk effectively.
Eisha also covers the personal aspects of fear, like fear of failure, judgment, and irrelevance, underlining the importance of open conversations about these issues.

Practical Takeaways: The LEAP Framework

Eisha introduces the "LEAP" framework designed to help leaders navigate through fears:

L: Listen - Attuning to one’s intuition
E: Expect less than perfect - Embracing imperfections in outcomes
A: Ask for help - Leveraging collective strength and advice
P: Practice gratitude - Maintaining a positive focus and celebrating small wins

Real-World Applications and Examples

Bringing theory into real-world application, Eisha uses the example of a large accounting firm incorporating generative AI into their processes.
She outlines the initial resistance due to fears around job security and traditional revenue models, illustrating how leadership can pivot focus from efficiency to growth to overcome these barriers.

In this enriching episode with Eisha Armstrong, you’ll journey through the realms of leadership, overcoming fears, and embracing innovation in professional services. Whether you're a leader in your field, an entrepreneur gearing up for your next big venture, or a professional curious about pushing the boundaries of traditional services, this episode promises valuable takeaways.

Tune into this episode and empower yourself to step up, face your fears, and lead confidently and creatively in today’s dynamic business environment.

"Our brains are wired for fear because thousands of years ago, we needed that fear to keep us alive. But now it can be kind of overreactive, and we look more at the risks rather than the upsides of taking action." - Eisha Armstrong.

Resources

Digital copy of “Productize,” by Eisha Armstrong

Eisha Armstrong

Eisha Armstrong on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 180 - The Untapped Power of Community

Linda Yates — Mon, 13 May 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Sadly, there is no sense of community in today's society. If you're finding yourself lost in your professional life, this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast is a must-listen.

Host Linda Yates chats with Amy Pocsik, co-founder and CEO of the Women's Business League, to explore the vital topic of community in leadership. Tune in and hear why having a professional community is essential for success.

Ready to explore the leadership insights that could redefine your path? Press play now!

The Meaning of Community in Leadership

Amy delves into the essence of community, articulating its many forms, including peer groups, support teams, and extended networks.
She describes the community as a critical foundation supporting leaders in achieving their goals.

Empowerment Through Asking

Amy emphasizes the power of boldly communicating one's goals and needs.
She shares strategies for making specific, goal-aligned requests in networking scenarios, highlighting the power of reciprocation within one's community.

Investing Time in Your Network

Amy advises setting aside regular time to build relationships and a network.
She points out the importance of nurturing these connections long before they're needed, ensuring a supportive network when opportunities arise.

Tips for Nurturing Your Own Community

Amy offers three practical tips for building a community: start with warm connections and small steps, prepare thoughtfully for meetings, show respect for others' time, and focus on creating value for others by prioritizing their interests.

Staying Motivated and Energized

Amy shares her 1412 strategy—a system to ensure regular personal and professional highlights throughout the year to recharge and stay motivated.
She stresses the significance of maintaining high energy as a personal responsibility for every leader.

If you're a leader—or see yourself becoming one—you can't afford to miss the insights and strategies Amy shared. Tune in to witness how the synergy of ambition and community ties can redefine success in leadership. Don't leave your potential untapped—join in and let Amy Pocsik's energy and Linda Yates's probing questions energize your leadership journey!

“If you have a dream you can achieve on your own, you have to dream bigger because a dream worth pursuing will need a community. If you're going to have a big impact and pursue a mission, you will need to bring in other people along with you to help. And so I think networking can make that happen for you.” - Amy Pocsik.

Resources

Amy Pocsik on LinkedIn

Amy Pocsik on Instagram

Women Business League

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 179 - Ways Women Give Up Their Power Around Money And What To Do About It

Linda Yates — Mon, 06 May 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Are you ready to take control of your financial story and transform how you interact with money?

In this eye-opening episode of the “Int-HER-rupt podcast,” host Linda Yates chats with Tania Vasallo, a renowned money mindset expert and leadership coach, on how women can create a path to financial freedom.

Explore the pivotal moments of Tania’s life, from corporate challenges to entrepreneurial triumphs, and learn how embracing curiosity about finances and investing can rewrite the script of your own success story. You’ll uncover the secrets to cultivating a healthier relationship with money through her knowledge. Click play now!

The Importance of Financial Education

Tania Vasallo discusses the underlying patriarchal influences that significantly affect women's approach to money.
She delves into her personal awakening to the world of finances and how it transformed her life.
Tania sheds light on women's need to develop a positive and proactive relationship with money.

Investment Journeys: Stocks and Cryptocurrency

Exploring her personal experiences, Tania discusses how venturing into stock and cryptocurrency investments altered her perspective on monetary matters.
She advocates for the importance of women actively participating in the financial discourse to foster self-empowerment.

A Shift from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

Tania's transition from the corporate sector to entrepreneurship is a riveting tale of transformation.
It highlights the significance of understanding money's role as a neutral tool that can amplify one's character and the power of positive cultural shifts.

Demystifying Taboos

Tania tackles the societal taboo surrounding women discussing their finances.
She emphasizes learning about money management proactively, rather than waiting for a crisis to strike, and approaching financial decisions with a balanced emotional mindset.

Building Financial Confidence

Tania offers actionable advice on how women can build confidence in negotiating better remuneration.
She urges listeners to address limiting beliefs, embrace education about wealth generation, and surround themselves with financially positive individuals.

Tania Vasallo's powerful message is not just a call to action; it's a beacon of empowerment for women worldwide. Her candid sharing of her financial journey offers a heartfelt roadmap to financial liberation.

Tune into the shared wisdom and embark on your journey to financial empowerment. Don't forget to connect with Tania's podcast for more enriching content and grab the free guide to managing money — because when women thrive, societies flourish. Listen now, and take the first step towards a richer, more empowered you!

“Learn to love people and use money versus love money and use people.” - Tania Vasallo.

Resources

Women’s Top Money Mistakes

Tania Vasallo on LinkedIn

Tania Vasallo on Instagram

The Courage To Be Happy

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 178 - How to Balance All Your Demands Professional & Personal

Linda Yates — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Your family knows you as a supermom who gets everything done without complaining. You go to work, come home, and ensure everything is done before bedtime.

You have so much to do in a day with little time to complete. How can you balance your career and home life without going bald?

Prepare to be inspired by Casey as she shares the concept of balance from an abstract idea to a tangible reality, all while setting a remarkable example for her children and supporting a vibrant vision for her life.

Listen to this episode of the “Int-HER-rupt podcast,” host Linda Yates speaks with Casey Chesser, a mother, wife, and high-flying HR professional, on creating a healthy work and home life balance. Tune in now!

Meet Casey Chesser

Casey Chesser has almost two decades of human resources experience. As an HR business partner manager, she leads a team that supports 2000 employees.
She's not only a businesswoman but also a devoted wife and mother, whose life took a positive turn when she became a mother at 19. She considers becoming a mother as the best interruption that paved the way for her personal and professional growth.

Three Keys to Balance

Casey outlines three essential strategies to achieve balance, which she elucidates with personal anecdotes and professional wisdom:

Setting Priorities Based on Personal Values: Casey champions identifying what truly matters in your life and adjusting your expectations accordingly. She stresses the importance of being present and prioritizing your roles, whether as a parent, spouse, or professional, to maintain a healthy balance.
Finding Your Satisfaction 'Sweet Spot': Perfectionism can be a double-edged sword. Casey describes herself as a perfectionist and discusses how she navigates this trait by giving herself grace and establishing boundaries. She advises finding satisfaction in accomplishments without succumbing to the unrealistic demands of perfection.
Leveraging Support and Delegation: According to Casey, a crucial element of balance is not being afraid to ask for help. Building a reliable support system is imperative as it allows you to achieve your self-set benchmarks in both personal and professional spheres.

Casey's Motivation

Casey's striving for balance is deeply rooted in her desire to set an example for her children and her evolving vision of herself, bolstered by a strong marriage.
She and her husband have navigated life's challenges through open communication, goal setting, and the support of empathetic employers.

Turning Down Opportunities When Necessary

An advocate for aligning career moves with personal priorities, Casey reveals that she has declined job opportunities when they interfered with her commitment to her family.
This conscious decision-making has been a cornerstone of her philosophy on balance.

Personal Experiences and Learning

Casey opens up about moments of imbalance, such as overextending herself after her stepfather's passing and deciding to shut down her side business to focus more on family time.
These experiences have taught her lessons in prioritizing and the art of saying 'no' when necessary.

Casey Chesser's insights are a treasure trove for anyone striving to find balance amid life's ceaseless demands. From revealing the power of setting clear priorities to exemplifying the grace of asking for help, Casey's journey is both inspiring and instructive.

Embrace the chance to benefit from her wisdom on resilience and self-compassion, and leverage these insights to cultivate your own path to satisfaction and success. Tune in now to embark on a transformative journey towards harmonizing your aspirations with your reality.

“I set goals for where I wanted to be in my life, and I took very deliberate and intentional steps to ensure I was heading in that direction.” - Casey Chesser.

Resources

Casey Chesser on LinkedIn

If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know.

Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show.

Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 177 - Why do Women Shy away from Leadership?

Linda Yates — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Consider your organization and ask yourself, "How many women are in leadership roles?"

Many companies may have fewer than five women in senior positions. But what's the reason behind this?

Could it be that we're still navigating a male-dominated society? Or perhaps some women feel reluctant to step into these roles?

The reality behind the second query might astonish you.

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates engages in an insightful discussion with executive coach Loree Philip on the disparity of women in senior leadership positions.

Linda and Loree share inspiring anecdotes from their own journeys and offer valuable strategies for navigating the complexities of leadership in male-dominated industries.

Embark on a journey of empowerment and enlightenment in this episode!

Loree Philip's Background

Loree Philip is a former Boeing professional turned entrepreneur, executive coach, and the host of the top 5% global podcast "Daring to Leap."
She is also the founder of weSpark, a coaching and training firm dedicated to empowering women to overcome self-doubt and fears to advance in their careers.

Breaking Down the Barriers to Women's Leadership

Linda and Loree elaborate on the disparities in senior leadership positions between men and women, citing research and statistics to set the stage for their discussion.
They pinpoint the decline in the percentage of female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and discuss the need to address why women shied away from leadership roles.

Loree's Leadership Journey at Boeing

Loree shares her experience working in a heavily male-dominated setting within the engineering and defense sectors.
Her career progression and the observations on the challenges women face in leadership roles provide a powerful context for the discussion.

Why Women Shy Away from Leadership

Linda and Loree delve into the factors contributing to women self-selecting out of leadership positions.
Loree emphasizes the lack of relatable female role models, the pressure to sacrifice family time, and the internal and external barriers hindering women from thriving in leadership roles.

Advice for Women Considering Leadership Roles

Loree offers empowering advice to women who may feel uncertain about stepping into leadership positions. She underscores the significance of recognizing their qualifications and being open to stretch assignments as opportunities for growth.
Also, Loree emphasizes the significance of authentic leadership as a key trait for women leaders. She encourages women to embrace their unique leadership styles and bring authenticity to their roles.

Loree's insights offer a compelling narrative of growth and empowerment. The episode delves into women's barriers and how to navigate them with clarity, support networks, and resiliency.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to gain valuable insights and empower your own leadership journey. Tune in now to join the conversation and take your own daring leap!

“One of the things that I've noticed is that for women looking towards those roles or testing them out is that we don't have a lot of good female role models to look at these leadership positions, see ourselves in them, and see ourselves doing them successfully from an authentic way." - Loree Philip.

Resources

weSpark

Daring To Leap Podcast

Loree Philip on LinkedIn

INT 176 - How can we be happy in the moment?

Linda Yates — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0400

How does one find joy in the storm of life's uncertainties?

This intriguing question sets the stage for an insightful conversation between Linda Yates, the esteemed “Int-HER-rupt” host, and the charismatic Michelle Phillips, a renowned corporate training and coaching expert and the author of “Happiness is a Habit.”

Michelle delves into the transformative experiences that led her toward an unshakeable pursuit of happiness—even when faced with life's inevitable interruptions. Together, they unravel the compelling concept of energy transference and the role of positive psychology in shaping one’s happiness, offering listeners an empowering toolkit for cultivating a fulfilling life.

Join us in exploring the profound realizations and actionable strategies unveiled in this unmissable conversation on finding and fostering happiness during the most challenging times.

Michele Phillips’ Background

Michele Phillips is a corporate training and coaching expert, and the author of “Happiness is a Habit.”
She shares her vibrant leadership journey, emphasizing the crucial roles of energy, optimism, and positive psychology.

Energy Transference: The Power of Positive Action

Linda and Michele discuss energy transference, analyzing how our behavior can significantly affect circumstances around us.
They emphasize the significance of conscious effort in maintaining a positive energy flow, seeking new experiences, and continuously growing.

The Ephemeral Nature of Event-Driven Happiness

Research indicates that happiness derived from major life events such as promotions or personal milestones is transient, offering a boost for around three months.
Linda and Michele explore sustainability in happiness beyond these short-lived high points.

The Poker Analogy: Building Happiness Daily

Comparing happiness to a poker game, Michele discusses accumulating 'chips' of satisfaction through daily positive actions.
She also shares how these contribute to a resilient state of contentment in the long term.

Harnessing Moments of Joy for Forward Movement

Michele talks about her strategy for transforming negative circumstances by recognizing and focusing on the happiness and luck that exist even in dark times. This shift not only changes the narrative but pushes forward momentum.

Embracing What Can Be Controlled

Linda and Michele discuss the power of letting go of the uncontrollable and directing focus on what's within one's influence to find happiness.
Techniques such as the 'easy button' and the use of a clicker are highlighted as tools to acknowledge and celebrate positive moments.

Discovering the Five Levels of Happiness

Finally, the five happiness levels are discussed, with Michele sharing how happiness flourishes when contributing to someone else's joy.
She ends the episode by relaying a story that serves as a testament to the lasting influence of positive interactions.

In this episode, Linda and Michele guide you through the ebbs and flows of life's unpredictable river. Learn from Michele's strategic approach to building a life 'poker chip' at a time with positive actions and shifts in perspective.

Discover the five levels of happiness and how contributing to someone else's joy amplifies your own. Listen to the full episode, connect with Michele's enriching content, and start forging your happiness habit today. Your next moment of joy could be just one play away!

"You can't get to the bottom of a hole you're digging. So stop digging the dark hole. And put down the shovel." - Michele Phillips.

Resources

Michele Phillips on LinkedIn

Michele Phillips on Instagram

Key2unlock.com

INT 175 - How I Handled my Friend Being Interrupted

Linda Yates — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0400

You and your friend are in the middle of having a great conversation. Out of nowhere, someone asks you a million questions right when your friend is about to respond to you.

What’s the best way for you to handle this interruption?

Listen to this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast. Host Linda Yates shares her story of a situation similar to this. Through this real-life scenario, she offers valuable insights and practical tips on handling interruptions in various settings.

Tune into this episode and unlock the potential to transform difficult conversations into opportunities for growth and empowerment.

Real-Life Experience

Linda recounts an incident at a conference where she and her friend were conversing, only to be interrupted twice by a gentleman. Feeling irritated, Linda boldly confronted the interrupter, expressing her displeasure at his behavior.
Her decision to speak up stemmed from her strong awareness of the impact of interruptions, a topic she regularly engages with on the show.

Apology and Reflection

After the incident, Linda experienced conflicting emotions and decided to extend an apology to the interrupter to ensure the relationship was not adversely affected.
This segment explores the complexities of navigating social interactions, highlighting the importance of considering one's intentions, impact, and the desired outcome in such situations.

Tips for Handling Interruptions

From her extensive experience, Linda shares practical tips for effectively managing interruptions professionally and personally.
Emphasizing the significance of maintaining composure and striving for collaboration rather than combativeness, she offers guidance on using assertive communication strategies and body language to address interruptions confidently.

The Power of Assertion

Linda highlights the key strategies that individuals can employ when faced with interruptions, including making eye contact, using "I" statements, and pausing and gathering composure.
She stresses the value of using assertive language and tone while avoiding apologetic or submissive expressions.

Assertive Communication Techniques

Linda delves into specific communication techniques, such as adjusting speaking volume and utilizing authoritative vocal tones to address interruptions effectively.
She also presents a valuable perspective on the significance of replacing adversarial language patterns with more inclusive and affirming phrasing for impactful communication.

Through Linda’s real-life experience, you’ll learn practical tips for navigating interruptions in the workplace and life. Her advice will equip you with the tools to maintain composure, assert yourself effectively, and uphold collaborative communication in the face of interruptions. Tune in now and embark on a journey of growth, empowerment, and insightful conversations.

Also, subscribe to the YouTube channel and join the Facebook group page for more enriching content that brings together diverse perspectives worldwide.

"I just want to remind you, because I know this, that you have strengths waiting to uncover possibilities, to realize so that you can accomplish your goals and dreams." - Linda Yates.

Resources

Linda Yates Coaching & Consulting Facebook Group

YouTube Channel

INT 174 - Leading through a Culture Change

Linda Yates — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0400

You walk into the office, thinking everything will be smooth sailing for the day. It's Friday, and you're ready for some fun over the weekend!

During the meeting, your boss announced that a recent disrespectful incident is making the company make changes. Everyone will implement these changes today to start improving the toxic culture within the company.

Now you wonder, "How can I improve company culture as the CEO?"

Great, now your simple day is ruined! You also need to learn how to lead through culture change.

Listen to this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast to discover leadership tips on organizational culture changes. Learn how to create a positive team culture where everyone feels valued, heard, and motivated to embrace change with host Linda Yates and lovely guest Chellie Phillips.

Hit play, and let's unlock the door to nurturing a thriving, harmonious work community where everyone can spread their wings and fly.

Chellie Phillips’ Background

Originally from the South, Chellie Phillips has transitioned from a successful career in broadcast journalism to leaving a significant mark in PR and marketing.
As a corporate trainer and coach, she uses her vast experience to spearhead organizational cultural change, showcasing the profound impact of leadership evolution on company culture.

Embrace Leadership in Action - Beyond Just Titles

Phillips emphasizes that true leadership transcends titles, advocating for you to embody action-oriented leadership.
She encourages you to become a catalyst for change, positively influencing your company's culture, regardless of your position.

Shift Towards Coaching Leadership

Phillips sheds light on the transition to coaching leadership styles.
She discusses the importance of recognizing and valuing the unique contributions of your employees and engaging them in a way that drives positive change across your organization.

Manage Resistance to Change

Phillips offers essential leadership tips for facilitating smooth transitions by tackling the natural human resistance to change.
These examples include involving stakeholders in the communication process and rewarding those participating in change efforts.

Create a Positive Organizational Culture

Phillips shares the foundational elements of building a positive company culture through leadership, communication, and recognition.
She highlights the transformative effect of valuing your employees both professionally and personally.

Discover Chellie Phillips's insights on leadership and organizational culture in this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast. Her knowledge provides you with strategies for building a positive team culture that can thrive amid change.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to transform your work culture and inspire those around you! Listen to the episode and take the first step towards fostering a thriving, supportive, and engaged work environment.

“When you have that conversation, and you're getting that feedback from the people involved, they feel they're part of that change from the ground up.” - Chellie Phillips.

Resources

Chellie Phillips on LinkedIn

www.chelliephillips.com

Culture Secrets: Secrets Leaders Use to Build a V.A.L.U.E.

When In Doubt, Delete It! and Get Noticed

Get Noticed, Get Hired

INT 173 - How To Exercise Authority Without Feeling Like An Imposter

Linda Yates — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In the world of business leadership, confidence is vital to being successful. However, many women struggle to assert authority in a domain traditionally dominated by men.

How can you overcome this all-too-common challenge and battle self-doubt within the corporate landscape?

Listen to this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast. Host Linda Yates chats with Irene Sim, an Executive Leadership Coach, on different strategies to overcome imposter syndrome and the importance of fostering an environment where women leaders can thrive without reservation.

Join us as we explore the crucial steps toward empowering female CEOs to wield their authority confidently and break free from the chains of imposter syndrome.

Irene Sim’s Background

Irene Sim is an industry-accredited executive leadership coach with extensive senior organizational leadership experience.
Irene understands that deeply ingrained and often invisible systemic gender bias holds women back and makes the situation even worse when mixed with other biases like racial bias.
As a coach, she has successfully worked with countless women at all stages of their journey to overcome these societal biases, establish their own terms, and thrive as influential and authentic leaders.
Within the episode, Irene shares her robust background more and discusses how being a minority in two different countries has affected her leadership abilities.

Exercising Authority: Why Is It Foreign to Women?

Irene discusses how women get told the same stories over and over throughout their careers. “You’re not good enough to be in that position,” or “A man would never make that mistake.” These statements often cause women to self-doubt, even when the comments are not directly told to them. Society has taught women to feel this way, and it can lead some to have imposter syndrome.
Irene shares her story of how her inner critic has made her struggle with exercising authority within her leadership roles.

ABCD Process to Combating the Inner Critic

Irene shares the ABCD process to help other women combat their inner critic and start thriving in their leadership positions.

Step A: Acknowledge and accept your emotions. If you’re feeling fear, anxiety, or insecurity, take them, and don’t judge yourself for feeling this way.
Step B: Be Brief. Don’t rush to react to opportunities; instead, take the time to decide on your choices and how you will show up.
Step C: Choose your thoughts. Decide how to make a difference and focus on those thoughts and feelings.
Step D: Act accordingly. Lean in and do what you need to do to be of service. And if it means to lead to give clarity to exercise authority, do that.

Irene also discusses how important it is to practice authority and the ABCD process if you want to see positive changes within yourself.

For many women in positions of authority, the struggle against the internalized voice of imposter syndrome can seem like a relentless battle. However, the journey of empowerment and self-discovery holds the key to overcoming these challenges and mastering the art of confident leadership.

Are you ready to embrace your unique leadership style and leave imposter syndrome behind? Listen to this enlightening podcast episode, where we explore powerful strategies for women leaders to thrive.

“We women have been marinating in societal expectations and limitations. And that's where we've got that constant murmuring in our inner critic that tells us we're not good enough.” - Irene Sim.

Resources

Irene Sim on LinkedIn

INT 172 - Quieting that Voice in your Head

Linda Yates — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0400

You’re sitting in a meeting listening to your co-workers review business plans. But while you’re listening to them, the little voice in your head keeps telling you you’re not good enough.

Your inner voice is saying it so much you start going down a self-doubt spiral. How can you quiet this voice in your head and build your self-confidence back up to tackle your projects?

Listen to this week’s episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast. In this episode, host Linda Yates chats with Tiffany Houser, leadership coach & founder of Evolve, on shifting the negative talk into positives. Tune in to hear Tiffany’s insight and advice to help stop you in your tracks when the little voice becomes too much!

Tiffany Houser's Background

Tiffany is the CEO and founder of Evolve, where she helps senior leaders and founders transform their self-worth through an authentic leadership style, vision, and purpose.
She is also the creator of Self-Worth Advantage, which provides leaders and their people partners with strategies and a framework to leave the imposter's feelings behind for good.
Tiffany believes in cultivating compassionate, responsible, inclusive, and empowered leaders at all organizational levels.

Why Is It Hard To Tap Into Your Authentic Self?

For those struggling to find their authentic self, Tiffany believes it’s essential to focus on the one question or choice you’re facing. You know what you want, but fear gets in the way of making the right choice.
Sometimes, people let their fears get in the way of their options, and their hopes stay as dreams. When this happens, self-destruction suffers in different ways, such as overeating or insufficient sleep.

How Do You Determine What You Want?

Tiffany believes grace is the first step to determining what you want in your career or life.
When you have grace, it allows you to tap into your desires and push you to reach your goals. If you let fear or your ego get in the way, it puts more pressure on the choices you’re trying to make.

Three Ways To Quiet the Inner Voice

Tiffany shares three tips to help you quiet your inner voice when making difficult choices.
The first advice is to ask yourself what you are afraid of when deciding on something and can’t make a choice. Once you figure out what you’re scared of, ask yourself why. You’ll discover it hasn’t happened to you and likely won’t.
The second tip is to ask yourself if you have what you want. This will help you stop overprotecting yourself and clarify what you want.
The last piece of advice is to ask others for support. Family and friends know what you want too, because they listen to you talk. If you’re unsure about something, ask for their advice to help you decide.
Tiffany shares that this was how she overcame her negative thinking patterns and finally clarified what she wanted in her career and life.

Making decisions in life is never easy, especially when your inner voice says you can't do it. However, when you combat the negative thinking, you'll discover that you can do it and deserve the best in life.

Tune in to hear actionable tips on how to quiet the little voice in your head. Tiffany Houser shares wonderful advice to help you reach your goals and become successful.

"When you are graceful with yourself, you can tap into that thing, idea, or experience you want. But if you're caught up in the ego, you're beating yourself up or pressuring yourself into what you really want." - Tiffany Houser.

Resources

Tiffany Houser on LinkedIn

Evolve

Self-Worth Advantage

INT 171 - Understanding and Closing the Wage Gap

Linda Yates — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Are you tired of feeling undervalued in your career?

You figure since it is 2024, women would have higher salaries and more respect in the workplace. However, this is far from the truth!

How on earth can you command the respect and compensation you deserve in such a masculine world?

Join Linda Yates as she dives into a fascinating conversation with Kristen Knepper Bahbahani, an experienced career and executive coach. They discuss the pressing issue of the wage gap, Kristen's leadership journey, and strategies for closing the gender wage gap. Additionally, Kristen provides valuable tips for empowering women in the workplace and navigating the complex dynamics of corporate loyalty.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone wanting to elevate their leadership or reclaim their confidence and value. Tune in to make meaningful strides in your professional journey and earn what you deserve!

Kristen Knepper Bahbahhani’s Leadership Journey

Kristen shares her journey, from working as a legislative assistant for Senator Edward M. Kennedy to transitioning into the legal field and eventually making her way into tech and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Her experiences highlight the challenges women and marginalized communities face in corporate America, shedding light on the importance of understanding and addressing unconscious biases.

Understanding the Wage Gap

Kristen provides valuable insights into the persisting wage gap, emphasizing that it is not solely a women's issue.
She explains that resolving the wage gap requires government intervention with penalties for unequal pay.
She highlights how gender stereotypes and societal expectations contribute to undervaluing traditionally female-dominated roles and penalizing women for taking maternity leave.
Kristen also emphasizes the importance of data-driven approaches to identify and address wage disparities.

Strategies for Closing the Wage Gap

Kristen suggests practical strategies for both leaders and individuals to address the wage gap.
She encourages leaders to seek data on wage disparities within their teams, advocate for fair compensation, and eliminate arbitrary salary raise limitations.
For individuals, she advises researching salary norms, valuing personal qualities, and negotiating confidently when seeking new roles.
Furthermore, she emphasizes the significance of working toward leadership positions to pave the way for future generations.

Building Confidence and Recognizing Value

Kristen shares an exercise to help individuals recognize their value by making a list of people who appreciate them and the qualities they bring.
She emphasizes the importance of understanding how each quality adds value to a team or organization, encouraging confidence and self-advocacy in salary negotiations and career advancement.
Kristen advocates for a holistic approach to work, where individuals bring their whole selves to the workplace, leveraging emotional intelligence and soft skills.

Navigating Corporate Loyalty

The discussion delves into the evolving concept of corporate loyalty, challenging the traditional notion of long-term employment with a single company.
Kristen emphasizes the need for mutual loyalty, where organizations value their employees' contributions and institutional knowledge.
She addresses the impact of layoffs on employee well-being and the importance of thoughtful discussions that prioritize long-term investments over short-term gains.

From the significance of understanding subconscious bias to recognizing and valuing one's contribution, Kristen's expertise sheds light on practical strategies for leaders and individuals navigating the wage gap. Join host Linda Yates and Kristen Knepper Bahbahani as they engage in an eye-opening discussion, sharing success stories, valuable insights, and actionable tips.

Don't miss out on this thought-provoking episode that will transform your perspective on career progression and gender equality.

“Make people feel valued. Because if they don't feel valued, they will go somewhere else. Several studies show that people who move around or leave a job every two years, versus people who are loyal to a company, make considerably more money in the long term.” - Kristen Knepper Bahbahani.

Resources

Work Like A Girl

Kristen Knepper Bahbahani on LinkedIn

INT 170 - Standing in Your Success

Linda Yates — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 11:00:00 -0400

How do you maintain motivation and drive in the face of setbacks in your professional journey? What strategies or personal beliefs keep you focused and inspired to pursue your goals, even during challenging times?

In this episode of the "Int-HER-rupt Podcast," host Linda Yates speaks with Sharon Restrepo on the topic of "standing in your success." Sharon, a veteran real estate investor and broker with over 25 years of experience, shares her remarkable journey and the strategies she has applied to excel in the real estate industry.

From triumph to tragedy and overcoming major interruptions in her life, Sharon offers valuable insights and leadership traits essential in today's world. Get ready to be inspired by Sharon's story and empowered by her experience. This is an episode you won't want to miss!

The Journey to Leadership

Sharon discusses her transformation from an introverted individual with low-risk perspectives to a successful real estate entrepreneur and industry leader.
She shares her experience of abruptly becoming a young widow and how she decided to invest in real estate.
Despite initial challenges and doubts, Sharon's determination and fearlessness led her to thrive in the real estate industry and become influential.

Standing in Your Success

Sharon emphasizes the importance of mindset in achieving success, particularly for women.
She discusses the prevalent issue of imposter syndrome and the false beliefs that hinder women from recognizing their true value and potential.
Through her mastermind program, she focuses on cultivating confidence and empowering women to overcome these barriers, emphasizing the significance of mindset and self-talk rooted in faith.

Balancing Humility and Self-Promotion

Sharon reflects on the challenge of promoting oneself while staying humble, especially for women.
She shares insights on finding a balance, emphasizing the need to use accomplishments and experiences as credibility without compromising humility.
Sharon encourages women to embrace their achievements and expertise, recognizing that it enables them to offer valuable insights to others without succumbing to pride.

Overcoming Interruptions

Drawing from personal experiences, Sharon candidly shares how she faced interruptions in her life, including the tragic loss of her mother.
She emphasizes the vital role of support and the significance of surrounding oneself with a reliable network of individuals who provide strength, companionship, and encouragement during challenging times.
Through her experiences, Sharon highlights the importance of resilience and the positive impact of a supportive community.

Essential Leadership Traits

Sharon reflects on the primary trait leaders need today, emphasizing the significance of genuinely loving and connecting with the people they serve.
She stresses the importance of embracing and empathizing with individuals, irrespective of their backgrounds and circumstances, as an essential aspect of effective leadership in any domain.

Sharon's inspiring journey and insights exemplify empowerment and resilience, offering valuable lessons for individuals striving to overcome obstacles. This episode encapsulates the essence of perseverance, faith, and the transformative power of mindset in achieving success and influencing others positively.

Tune in to this impactful episode to gain valuable insights from Sharon Restrepo and take the first step towards unlocking your own success story!

"I think it's a false belief that so many women, I would imagine men, too, but I deal with women. But it's the false belief of that whole thing you teach so well, imposter syndrome, that they're not valuable enough. That kind of money, they don't attract, they don't deserve it. There's some major disconnect between who they're called to be and believing it." - Sharon Restrepo.

Resources

Newwinemastermind.com

Sharon Restrepo on LinkedIn

INT 169 - Shifting Your Word Choice

Linda Yates — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Have you ever felt held back by a nagging sense of fear or unworthiness?

In the vast landscape of the human mind, words form the terrain where battles are won or lost; they shape our experiences and define our reality. But what if the challenging paths of trauma and doubt could be navigated with a different set of linguistic tools?

In this episode of the "Int-HER-rupt Podcast," host Linda Yates and guest Amber Ontiveros explore the intricate relationship between linguistics and neuroscience to offer a strategic roadmap for personal and professional transformation.

Amber will guide you in reshaping your internal dialogue and embracing a growth mindset that turns obstacles into stepping stones. Tune in and unleash the leader within — because how you speak to yourself matters, and it's time your words reflect your true potential!

A Journey Through Words and Beliefs

Amber shares her gripping story of a near-death experience that revolutionized her understanding of internal narratives and biases.
As an expert in discrimination with roots in traumatic personal experiences, Amber discusses how these form the basis of negative belief systems anchored in feelings of unworthiness and fear.
She emphasizes breaking these cycles through self-work and developing empowering self-talk.

The Neuroscience of Bias and Empowerment

With her coalition-building and policy development expertise, Amber sheds light on the neuroscience behind the reticular activation system and self-serving bias.
She advocates for a growth mindset, suggesting that individuals reframe their perspective on mistakes as opportunities for learning and transcendence.

Healing from the Inside Out

Amber's approach to healing personal wounds involves mindfulness, breathwork, and self-compassion.
She suggests practices like visualization techniques and journaling to rewrite the negative scripts that play in our minds, transforming our life experiences.

Shifting Towards Positive Self-Perception

Uplifting phrases, Amber asserts, can alter one's self-perception. Suggesting empowering words like “I am worthy” and “I am enough,” she highlights the importance of positive affirmations in one’s journey toward healing and growth.

Addressing Negative Emotions and Fears

In tackling non-empowering words and fears, Amber advises confronting these negative emotions by focusing on the physical sensations they evoke rather than the thoughts themselves.
Doing so enables individuals to process and release emotional burdens.

Leadership, Bias, and Decision-Making

Amber shares her perspective on how leaders can combat biases by incorporating mindfulness and meditation into their practices, allowing for better self-regulation and improved decision-making.
She stresses the necessity of compassion, non-judgment, and lovingkindness to nurture positivity within teams.

Amber's story of resilience and her commitment to a growth mindset will guide you to a place of healing and strength. Equip yourself with the knowledge and techniques to foster a healthier mind and an enriched, purposeful life. For a deeper dive into Amber Ontiveros's empowering techniques and insights on change management and self-growth, visit her website in the resources section.

Turn the page on self-doubt and attune to the empowering narrative that awaits you in this must-listen episode of “Int-HER-rupt.” Transform your internal dialogue and embrace the power of your words to lead a more harmonious and impactful life.

"Words create your experience in your life. And so the way it works is there's this part of your brain. It's in the back of your brain. It's called the reticular activation system. So, if you believe in your mind that you are not worthy, the reticular activation system is literally like a filter." - Amber Ontiveros.

Resources

Healthefourwoundings.com

Amber Ontiveros on LinkedIn

INT 168 - Challenges of Remote Working Facing Businesses and Leaders

Linda Yates — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 11:00:00 -0400

In a world where the global pandemic has forever transformed the traditional office environment, how do we strike the right balance between productivity and flexibility? Is it still possible for businesses to foster an environment ripe for innovation?

Join Linda Yates in this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast while she explores the evolution of the workplace working with Claire Chandler, a former corporate leader turned entrepreneur. Together, they discussed the trials and triumphs of remote working in our modern-day society.

From the impact of COVID-19 on strategic planning to the quest for harmony within virtual teams, they’ll unearth the potent blend of leadership, communication, and human connection shaping the future of work.

Claire Chandler's Journey

Claire’s background is deeply rooted in corporate leadership, with over 25 years of experience.
She transitioned from her role as a vice president of human resources in a large company to entrepreneurship, founding Talent Boost. This move allowed her to focus on aligning HR and business leaders to achieve strategic outcomes, fostering more effective teamwork, and facilitating rapid business growth.
Her journey reflects a commitment to leadership development and an understanding of the dynamics between structure and the ability of leaders to inspire and guide their teams, a mission she has been dedicated to for over a decade.

Introduction to Flexible Work Structures

As Covid-19 swept across the globe, companies were abruptly pushed into rethinking their workplace strategies.
Claire discusses the pre-pandemic times when organizations grappled with the concept of flexible work arrangements and found themselves ill-prepared for the sudden necessity of remote working.
She sheds light on how businesses had to rapidly pivot and innovate during the initial lockdowns, forever altering the traditional work environment.

The Hybrid Work Environment Challenge

The transition to a hybrid work model was not without its hiccups. Some businesses fell into the trap of attempting to revert to old practices, demanding employees to return to the office full-time, a move that didn't sit well with the emerging preference for flexible work setups.
Claire discusses the challenge leaders face in creating a work environment that aligns with contemporary lifestyles, balances personal and professional demands, and propels strategic business objectives.

Purpose and Communication in Leadership

Leadership clarity and effective communication are key to navigating the new work landscape.
Linda and Claire explore the critical task of engaging employees while aligning with the business's strategic goals.
Claire believes that human connection is the cornerstone in resolving conflict, aligning goals, and celebrating triumphs within a hybrid workforce.

Nonverbal Communication in Remote Settings

Remote work has cast a spotlight on the importance of nonverbal communication.
Leaders are called upon to fine-tune their strategies to counter the shortcomings of virtual interactions. Claire uncovers the nuances of nonverbal cues often missed in remote settings and the need for active listening to overcome these challenges.

The lessons Claire shares in this episode offer invaluable insights into the shifting tides of today's professional landscape. This episode is a must-listen if you're seeking guidance on navigating the complexities of managing a remote team or finding harmony within a flexible work structure.

Don't miss this compelling narrative to help reshape your approach to work and leadership—listen to the full episode for a treasure trove of strategic insights and personal revelations.

"Just because they can come back into a physical site and be together five days a week, is it really going to make a difference, enough of a difference to your value proposition as a business and what you're trying to achieve, that you're going to ask them to do that?" - Claire Chandler.

Resources

Claire Chandler on LinkedIn

TalentBoost.net

Clairechandler.net

Growthonpurpose.com

INT 167 - How to Overcome Lack of Manager Support

Linda Yates — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Are you ready to confidently navigate the corporate world, build meaningful internal networks, and position yourself as a leader who shines?

Join us as we dive into the inspiring conversation between Linda Yates and Dr. Carol Parker Walsh on "Int-HER-rupt," where they explore the powerful dynamics of women's leadership, self-advocacy, and career transformation.

One issue that many women leaders face is overcoming the lack of support from others. But thanks to Dr. Walsh's insights and advice, you'll discover different strategies to help you overcome this challenge.

Listen to this empowering episode and harness your leadership potential to gain the career you desire and deserve.

Empowering Women to Shine

Dr. Walsh is passionate about empowering other women to realize their potential, gain confidence, and learn critical leadership skills.
Her inspiration stems from her profound impact on women's careers, validated by the powerful feedback from those she's coached.
Motivated by her desire to set a leadership example for her children, she embodies perseverance and confidence — a testament to her personal journey as a female leader and mentor.

Self-Advocacy and Organizational Navigation

Dr. Walsh recounts how she navigated a reorganization within her workplace by networking with pivotal leaders, ensuring her position stayed intact after her boss's departure.
She stresses the importance of internal networking and fostering relationships, underscoring that relying solely on one's manager for support and advocacy is insufficient.
She continues to inspire by advocating for individuals, especially women, to self-promote and acknowledge their own contributions to avoid being overshadowed.

Leading with Empathy and Inclusivity

The discussion transitions to strategies for leaders to support their teams without fear of being outshone.
Dr. Walsh advocates for celebrating team member successes, promoting a collaborative work environment, and conducting micro-conversations to pinpoint team needs.
This nurturing approach aligns with her message that women possess innate qualities like empathy and inclusive leadership, which are in high demand in the current business landscape.

Creating Your Career Path

Linda and Dr. Walsh emphasized the necessity of envisioning and proactively crafting one's ideal career trajectory. They offer guidance on effectively advocating for this vision within an organization.
Recognizing the challenges posed by toxic managers, they provide practical advice on seeking alternative opportunities within one's company, expanding networks, and preventing adverse managerial behavior from impacting performance.

Women in Leadership — The Way Forward

Dr. Walsh expressed the potential advantages organizations could reap from women in leadership positions.
She illustrates how employing women's unique leadership traits can increase revenue and enhance overall engagement, propelling the conversation toward the crucial role of women in revolutionizing today's leadership dynamics.

Developing a Strong Voice

Despite interruptions in her career, Dr. Walsh overcame these obstacles by asserting her importance and refusing to be silenced.
Her resilience is an inspiring reminder for listeners to uphold their confidence and the significance of their voice in any situation.

This episode of “Int-HER-rupt” provides invaluable insights on handling difficult situations as a woman leader. Dr. Carol Parker Walsh's expertise and personal narratives chart a pragmatic map for women to self-advocate, self-promote, and seamlessly integrate their intrinsic leadership qualities into the ever-evolving tapestry of modern organizations.

Your journey to becoming the CEO of your career begins with this enlightening discussion. Don’t miss this opportunity to redefine your professional narrative; listen to the episode now!

“Women-led organizations tend to do better from a revenue standpoint than organizations led by men by almost 30%. That's a powerful statistic. They are better at housing, inclusive leadership, having greater insights into diversity, and having a more engaged workforce when women are at the helm. So that's telling you that there's something embedded in how we show up that's been minimized that we need to bring to the forefront. And once we could start doing that, we really can really shine as leaders.” - Dr. Carol Parker Walsh.

Resources

Carolparkerwalsh.com

Dr. Carol Parker Walsh on LinkedIn

INT 166 - Asking For More Money

Linda Yates — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 11:00:00 -0400

One unique challenge women face in the workplace is asking for more money. Some are afraid to ask because they believe they will not receive it, while others build the courage to ask and still get told no.

How can you ask your employer for a higher salary and receive a yes?

Listen to this episode of the "Int-HER-rupt" podcast to discover how women leaders can confidently ask the question. Linda Yates speaks with Linkage's CEO, Jennifer McCollum, about asking for more time, money, and opportunities.

Jennifer's insights are interwoven with personal experiences and practical advice, making this a must-listen for aspiring and established women leaders. Join us as we delve into the nuances of negotiating, relationship-building, and setting clear career goals in a male-dominated business environment.

Mastering the Art of Asking for More

Jennifer starts with a crucial piece of advice for women in the workforce: practice asking for more.
Starting with low-risk requests can condition leaders to expect these negotiations as a norm.
By sharing her own journey of making repeated asks on a male-dominated board, Jennifer illustrates how preparing with concrete data and a robust business case underpins successful outcomes.

Activating Your Network

When internal company data is scarce, Jennifer emphasizes the significance of reaching out to your network and leveraging external data to frame your negotiations.
This action fortifies your position and underscores the value of nurturing professional relationships and their power in paving the way for progress.

Flexibility and Pivot Points

Negotiations require adaptability, and Jennifer discusses the importance of being open to changing courses when an organization's values or compensation offerings do not meet one's needs.
This encompasses the broader strategy of aligning one's career trajectory with the right corporate culture and remuneration package.

Challenging Gender Biases

Linda and Jennifer recount instances where they've confronted stereotypes and biases in the workplace.
They shed light on the "double bind'' women often face and how to navigate perceptions around assertiveness and ambition in professional settings.

Negotiating Titles and Future Paths

Jennifer shares her tactical approach to negotiation when her company was acquired, highlighting the importance of having clear-cut career goals.
She also discusses how she advocated for her book, "In Her Own Voice," and laid the groundwork for her future within the newly structured company.
Linda complements this with her own experiences, reinforcing the significance of proving one's value and the power of saying "no."

Dealing with Interruptions Gracefully

Climbing the corporate ladder can be fraught with interruptions and "talk-overs," particularly for women.
Jennifer shares how she handles such situations with poise, seeing them as moments of lack of awareness rather than intentional disrespect.
Her strategy for responses restores the floor and educates on respectful communication practices.

In this insightful episode with Jennifer McCollum, you'll learn crucial steps to help navigate leadership challenges. From mastering the art of negotiation to having the courage to ask for more, Jennifer's guidance is invaluable for any woman aiming to break through barriers in the workplace.

Don't miss the full podcast for a deep dive into achieving your career goals gracefully and determinedly. Tune in to hear Linda Yates and Jennifer as they explore these empowering strategies.

“So there's a real bias against women specifically asking for money, but there's also a perceived bias. We have been conditioned to ask for only what we think would be acceptable or a watered-down version of what we can get. And it is a huge issue because it created the gender pay gap. By the time women in similar roles to men are 30 plus years into their careers, white women will have lost about $750,000, black women a little over a million, and Latin women closer to a million five. So it's a significant issue.” - Jennifer McCollum.

Resources

Jennifer McCollum on LinkedIn

“In Her Own Voice,” by Jennifer McCollum

INT 165 - Why Networking is Important as a Leader

Linda Yates — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 11:00:00 -0400

As a leader, you may believe there’s no need to network. However, you never know when you need to have the right relationship with the right person.

What if you decide to make a career change out of the blue? Who can you have in your corner to back you up and let others know you’re perfect for a job in another industry?

In this empowering session, host Linda Yates speaks with Sabine Gedeon, a transformative leader for emerging women leaders, on the importance of networking. Sabine shares the intricacies of networking, demystifies traditional networking approaches, and valuable tips for leaders.

Prepare to be inspired as these lovely leaders explore the paths to owning your voice and maximizing your impact through strategic network-building. Listen to this week’s Int-HER-rupt podcast episode to learn why leaders must network.

A Powerhouse in Leadership Development

Linda opens by celebrating Sabine's networking and personal growth achievements, setting the tone for a session filled with inspirational anecdotes and actionable advice.
Sabine's journey from corporate HR to entrepreneurial triumph showcases the indispensable role of networking in career advancement.
Recounting her recent transformative experience, Sabine sheds light on her self-assessment, releasing limiting beliefs, and redefining her aspirations. Her motivation to empower women is fueled by finding one's voice, embracing authority, and making a meaningful impact.

Navigating Networking Dynamics

Sabine brings a fresh perspective to traditional networking by reflecting on her initial approach of emulating her older white male colleagues - an act that felt insincere to her true self.
Recognizing the struggle many face in large group settings, Sabine prefers intimate one-on-one conversations at events to create genuine connections.

The Virtual Handshake: Networking on LinkedIn

Sabine highlights LinkedIn's burgeoning role in modern networking. The platform redefines connections, allowing more personalized interactions and providing the convenience leaders crave for scouting talent and marketing themselves.
She shares a story about building relationships through LinkedIn when she first moved to a new city.
Be sure to listen, as it's a powerful story to give you hope in your networking abilities.

From Mentorship to Sponsorship

Sabine boldly advises women to pivot from seeking mentors to finding sponsors. This shift underlines the significance of relationships, encouraging women to exhibit their worth and secure sponsorship opportunities.
Linda resonates with this view through her stories of how sponsors significantly influenced her career progression.

Consistency Breeds Networking Success

Sabine attributes her networking accomplishments to diligent practice, establishing consistency, and strategically expanding her network when she transitioned into entrepreneurship.
Her LinkedIn presence is not just about seeking clients but also embodies the spirit of reciprocity and giving back to the community.

Practical Strategies for Effective Networking

Sabine shares several strategies for effective networking within the episode. These strategies include:

Practicing and maintaining consistency in networking efforts.
Expanding networking reach on social media such as LinkedIn.
Focusing on one-on-one interactions at networking events.

She emphasizes the power of reciprocity in networking, suggesting that giving to others can pave the way for mutual benefits.
Additionally, she highlights the importance of mindset, recognizing the value of relationships for business success, and advises identifying people within one's network and creating a plan to build and maintain those relationships.

Networking is never easy, but it offers abundance in your career and personal goals. Sabine’s expertise allows listeners to trust their strengths to build professional relationships.

Join us for this transformational session and equip yourself with the tools to navigate your networking journey with confidence and purpose!

"Practice. We're not taught networking in school, so it does not come naturally. Also, it's one of those unwritten rules in corporate where no one sits you down during your onboarding and says, hey, you need to network. The other thing, too, is the consistency, because once you start to see the results, it makes you want to do it more." - Sabine Gedeon.

Resources

Sabine Gedeon

Sabine Gedeon on LinkedIn

Sabine Gedeon on Instagram

Freebies from Sabine Gedeon

INT 164 - Top Five Traits that Leaders Need

Linda Yates — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 11:00:00 -0400

What are the top five leadership traits you need to inspire others?

Discover those five traits in this week’s Int-HER-rupt podcast episode. Linda Yates discusses the importance of effective leadership traits with her guest, Cherolyne Fogarty.

Together, they explore the significance of servant leadership, open-mindedness, and innovation in the context of leadership. Cherolyne, with her extensive experience in real estate education and consulting, brings invaluable insights into the topic.

The Significance of Servant Leadership

Linda and Cherolyne start the conversation by delving into the concept of servant leadership.
Cherolyne emphasizes how serving others fosters trust and mutual respect, cultivating a collaborative environment. She shares how a leader's genuine concern for the well-being and goals of their team members can lead to active participation and shared success.
Furthermore, the conversation touches upon the notion that while some individuals naturally embody servant leadership, others can learn and develop the necessary characteristics through conscious effort.

The Role of Open-Mindedness in Leadership

Cherolyne reflects on her experiences with innovative leaders who embraced open-mindedness, emphasizing the willingness to take risks and explore new ideas.
She shares a compelling story about the challenges and triumphs associated with introducing online education in real estate.
Through this narrative, you can understand how open-mindedness and humility can drive organizational transformative initiatives.

Fostering Innovation in Leadership

Cherolyne shares how forward-thinking leaders at the Florida Realtors Association advocated for integrating online education.
Their perseverance and commitment to innovation not only revolutionized the education sector but also highlighted the pivotal role of leaders in driving organizational progress.
Aspiring and established leaders can create positive change through innovative thinking.

Embracing Leadership Characteristics

Cherolyne believes that her leadership journey was characterized by attentive observation and assimilation of leadership traits.
Sharing insights from her experience, she demystifies the distinction between innate leadership attributes and those that can be acquired.
Cherolyne stresses that without effective leadership, accomplishing tasks becomes a daunting challenge.
She sheds light on the necessity of specific leadership traits for making impactful changes, emphasizing that these traits are crucial for driving progress in different industries.

Inspirational Leadership and Lessons from Failures

Cherolyne reflects on inspirational leadership, sharing how an instructor, Stephen David, has inspired her with his open-mindedness, dedication, and professionalism.
Additionally, she touches upon experiences of leadership failures. Although Cherolyne refrains from sharing specific instances, she hints at the impact of decisions driven by prioritizing stakeholders and the valuable lessons from such experiences.

Achieving Balanced Leadership

Linda and Cherolyne discuss the dynamics of leading upwards, downwards, and sideways. This entails managing relationships with superiors, subordinates, and peers.
Although it's an area Cherolyne finds challenging to discuss, it raises thought-provoking questions about achieving balance in leadership responsibilities.

Motivation and Pursuit of Personal Goals

Cherolyne delves into what keeps her motivated. She shares how the satisfaction derived from making others' lives easier and aiding their businesses is a driving force.
Her passion for her work and the ability to thrive in an organized, detail-oriented environment is evident, providing insights into her commitment and satisfaction with her career.

The engaging discussion between Linda and Cherolyne serves as a treasure trove of wisdom, touching upon diverse aspects of leadership, personal growth, and resilience. Listen to this week’s Int-HER-rupt episode for valuable leadership insights and reflections. You’ll learn to navigate your leadership journey and seek meaningful pursuits amidst life's interruptions.

"When you get to that point where you're saying, how much was me and how much was the other person, and if you can at least accept any responsibility, then you know you've made some progress as a human." -Cherolyne Fogarty.

INT 163 - 3 Part Series on How to Lead in 2024 - Part 3 - Your Personality & Communication Are the Secret Sauce

Linda Yates — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Uncover the power of effective leadership communication skills in this exciting Int-HER-rupt podcast episode. Host Linda Yates presents the third and final part of a leadership series aimed at helping individuals effectively lead in the upcoming year.

Linda shares essential strategies to elevate leadership impact through understanding and adapting to different work styles. Discover how understanding different personality styles can significantly enhance your leadership skills and ability to inspire others.

Get ready to unlock the potential within yourself and your team through the art of communication and leadership.

Understanding Leadership and Personality Styles

Linda emphasizes the significance of understanding one's leadership and personality style.
She encourages listeners to determine their preferred communication methods and work styles.
Using the concept of the personality compass, Linda describes the four main personality types—north, south, east, and west.
By recognizing one's dominant style, individuals can gain valuable insights into their goals, strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and work preferences.

Adapting Communication to Different Styles

Linda delves into how different personality styles reflect their attitudes, priorities, strengths, and weaknesses. She sheds light on the importance of adapting communication based on these styles.
She discusses the significance of understanding how individuals perceive and process information and suggests tailoring communication to align with their preferences.
Additionally, she parallels the concept of "love languages," highlighting the importance of adapting communication styles to best resonate with team members.

Navigating Introvert and Extrovert Communication

Linda highlights the impact of introvert and extrovert work styles on communication.
She discusses how introverts and extroverts have contrasting communication preferences and how understanding these differences can enhance interpersonal communication within a team.
With a focus on adaptability and empathy, Linda explores strategies to communicate with introverts and extroverts effectively, thus fostering a harmonious work environment.

Effective Communication Strategies

Linda discusses practical communication strategies, including the significance of understanding one's emotional responses and using "I" statements to express personal feelings.
She emphasizes the importance of asking open-ended questions like "Is there something I'm missing?
Tell me more," to encourage open and honest communication.
Leaders can enhance team collaboration and understanding by promoting a culture of open dialogue and active listening.

The Impact of Work Styles on Communication

Linda discusses how individual work styles, influenced by life experiences and core values, can impact communication.
By acknowledging these differences, leaders can proactively adapt their communication strategies to be more inclusive and effective.
Linda shares insights on avoiding internal biases and preconceptions and encourages a mindset focused on understanding and empathy, which can lead to smoother communication and improved relationships within the team.

Understanding your team members' communication styles allows you to navigate potential conflicts more effectively and foster a harmonious work environment. Discover knowledgeable tools to help you navigate communication challenges in this week’s episode. Linda provides invaluable guidance on how individuals can enhance their leadership skills through tailored communication strategies.

“Perception is what we think about something, and then perception can seem very true for you based on your preferences. But other's perceptions can be very different.” - Linda Yates.

Resources

The Five Love Languages

INT 162 - 3 Part Series on How to Lead in 2024 - Part 2 - Creating Your Individual SWOT Analysis

Linda Yates — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 11:00:00 -0400

You know about doing a SWOT analysis professionally, but have you ever considered doing one for personal goals?

In this episode of "Int-HER-rupt," host Linda Yates delves into the second part of the three-part series on how to lead in the new year. She emphasizes the importance of creating a personal SWOT analysis as a leader and outlines the key steps to carry out this analysis effectively.

Discover why it's essential to create a personal SWOT analysis and how it help with your leadership goals in 2024.

Understanding SWOT Analysis

Linda details the significance of a SWOT analysis, which involves identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
She explains that this analysis is a crucial tool for leaders to prepare for the new year, a new project, or leading a team.

Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses

Linda encourages leaders to list their strengths and, if necessary, seek input from trusted sources.
Emphasizing the importance of being realistic and celebrating one's strengths, she also highlights the significance of acknowledging and addressing personal or team weaknesses.

Uncovering Opportunities and Addressing Threats

Linda discusses how leaders can recognize opportunities and positive conditions through planning.
She also explains that through strategic planning, one can identify and mitigate threats, which are external negative conditions.

Creating a Growth Plan

In the context of leadership, Linda stresses the need for leaders to develop a growth plan for themselves and their team members.
She highlights the value of specific goals, continuous learning, and the impact of growth on personal and organizational development.

Celebrating Milestones

Linda emphasizes the importance of celebrating milestones, sharing personal experiences of goal achievement, and the impact of celebratory experiences.
She shares how celebrating along the way keeps motivation high and contributes to overall happiness and satisfaction.

With a focus on self-awareness, strategic planning, and continuous improvement, Linda's insights offer a valuable blueprint for leaders looking to navigate and lead effectively in the coming year. She underscores how applying these strategies can enhance leadership acumen, build trust within a team, and infuse passion and energy into goal pursuit.

Subscribe to the Int-HER-rupt podcast for empowerment and leadership advice. Also, tune in for the third part of the series on how to lead in the new year!

"Threats are out of your control, but through planning, you can navigate against them or through them to reduce the impact they may have." - Linda Yates.

INT 161 - 3 Part Series on How to Lead in 2024 - Part 1 - How Planning Will Set You Up For Succcess

Linda Yates — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 11:00:00 -0400

What are your goals for the New Year? Is it to improve your finances, change careers, or start a new hobby? Maybe it’s the classical resolution of joining the gym.

Whatever your New Year’s goal is, you must take the time to plan it out. Why is this so important?

Listen to this week’s episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast to find out. Join Linda Yates in this three-part series as she shares powerful leadership strategies to supercharge your success in the new year. In this premier episode, Linda dives into the importance of planning and setting yourself up for a successful year as a leader.

Planning for Success

Linda emphasizes the crucial role of planning in one’s journey as a leader and a successful professional. Planning principles remain equally applicable, whether it's the start of a new fiscal year, a new project, or any point in one's professional journey.
She highlights the significance of purpose and encourages listeners to contemplate their purpose, plans, and aspirations for the year.

Prioritizing Self-Care

Linda stresses the importance of self-care for leaders, emphasizing prioritizing activities that rejuvenate and empower individuals.
She shares personal examples, such as scheduling monthly beach visits, to illustrate the significance of self-care in maintaining personal well-being.

Value of Vacations

Encouraging leaders to plan vacations well in advance, Linda emphasizes that personal well-being is the foundation for effective leadership.
By setting an example and prioritizing vacations, leaders can cultivate a culture of balance and rejuvenation within their teams.

Setting Personal Goals

Linda highlights the multifaceted nature of personal goals and advocates for a holistic approach that extends beyond professional targets.
She urges leaders to identify and prioritize various goals, encompassing professional, self-care, social, financial, and health aspects.

The Power of Knowledge

Linda underscores the instrumental role of books in enriching knowledge.
Encouraging leaders to read or listen to books that align with their goals, Linda emphasizes the transformative impact of continuous learning on professional and personal development.

Personal Insights and Experience

Drawing from personal experiences as a mother and a business professional, Linda discusses her family's annual goal-setting rituals and their impact on creating a purposeful and successful year.
She parallels this approach with organizational retreats, highlighting the effectiveness of planning and prioritization.

As Linda signs off, she leaves listeners with a compelling message, reminding them of their hidden strengths and the boundless possibilities awaiting realization. With the unwavering belief that nothing is impossible, Linda instills confidence and determination in her listeners as they gear up to conquer 2024 as strong, purposeful leaders.

Tune in to part two next week as Linda delves deeper into actionable strategies for leading effectively in the new year.

“What is your purpose for today? What is your purpose for your experiences? What is your purpose for the clothes that you put on? Many of you know that I work with individuals on their personal image, so it really comes down to your purpose or why.” - Linda Yates

INT 160 - A Growth Mindset of a Leader

Linda Yates — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In this energizing episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, our host Linda Yates connects with Radhika Shukla. Shukla has 21 years of experience in sales across many different industries leading high-performing teams. She doesn’t just talk the talk – she is the living embodiment of a growth mindset. Listen in for tons of great tips on how to cultivate resilience, passion, and determination!

What Is a Growth Mindset?

The belief that your abilities and skills can be developed over time.
Failure is viewed as an opportunity for self-development and growth.
All things are possible, 100% accountability, and the time for action is now!
If you believe you can’t change, you have what’s called a “fixed mindset.”

Tips for Creating a Growth Mindset

Embrace challenges with an open mind. Focus on learning all you can in new situations and don’t dwell on self-doubt.
Be open to feedback. Even brutal feedback can be a gift, as it gives you a chance to develop self-awareness.
View failure as a learning opportunity. Failure is a moment in time, and teaches resilience. It’s okay to feel your feelings, but then bounce back!
Cultivate a passion for learning. Find interesting ways to continue to improve yourself, even if it’s not “required”.
Persevere. When things are difficult, keep trying. Progress takes time and patience.

How to Help Yourself on Tough Days

Gratitude practice: Shukla journals about things she is grateful for.
Physical activity to work it out. Shukla dances and does yoga!
Give yourself space. It’s okay to not be okay.
Surround yourself with good people.
Mindfulness practice.

“Rejection means redirection… to something bigger and better.” – Radhika Shukla

Resources

Radhika Shukla on LinkedIn

Radhika Shukla on Instagram

Check out the Int-HER-rupt Website at www.intherrupt.com! You can reach out to Linda and let her know how this episode relates to you. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 159 - How do you make yourself stand out?

Linda Yates — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode of "Int-HER-rupt," host Linda Yates speaks with Susan Bigsby, a Florida-based image consultant and personal stylist, to discuss the importance of personal image in leadership. With over 30 years of experience, Susan has worked with high-profile individuals, including Florida governors and top-level professionals.

Discover insightful advice on how to stand out as a leader in this week’s episode. You’ll even hear some stylish fashion tips from Susan, so tune in now.

Susan's Journey

Susan shares her lifelong fascination with fashion and style, tracing her journey from being an expert seamstress to winning an international sewing contest.
Her passion for music and fashion ultimately led her to become a corporate image consultant for Estée Lauder executives in the early '90s, offering a unique perspective on personal image and confidence.

The Impact of Making Yourself Stand Out

Susan emphasizes the importance of presenting oneself in a polished and professional manner, particularly for women.
She stresses the significance of grooming and personal presentation, underscoring the role of appearance in leaving impactful impressions and building self-respect.

The Shift in Personal Style

Discussing contemporary trends and the post-COVID era, Susan addresses the challenges individuals face in maintaining a professional image.
With the rise of virtual platforms like Zoom, she emphasizes the need to create a well-groomed and professional appearance, highlighting the importance of first impressions in a digital world.

Tips for Standing Out

Susan offers valuable tips, including preparing dress rehearsals for important events and creating lookbooks for effortless outfit selection.
She advocates for making intentional wardrobe choices and understanding individual body types to curate impactful and authentic personal styles.

Authenticity in Personal Style

Contrary to changing someone's style, Susan emphasizes enhancing individual styles to align with their lifestyle and confidence.
She urges individuals to keep up with fashion trends, make conscious new wardrobe additions, and recognize the cultural influence in dressing.

Susan's Personal Journey

Susan opens up about personal interruptions, including overcoming alopecia, conveying a message of resilience and positivity in adapting to life-altering changes.
Her experience is a testament to the power of personal image in fostering confidence and adaptability.

Leadership Tips

Drawing from her extensive work with leaders and CEOs, Susan underscores the importance of being prepared, respecting one's peers, and doing the right thing as key leadership principles.
She emphasizes the significance of acknowledging and preparing for diversity of perspectives in leadership roles.

This episode offers a comprehensive exploration of the role of personal image in leadership, featuring practical tips and personal anecdotes from Susan Bigsby's illustrious career. Listen to gain valuable insights into enhancing personal styles and how it develops you into a confident leader.

"Being prepared and respect your audience, respect those that you're addressing." - Susan Bigsby

Resources

Susanbigsby

Susan Bigsby on Facebook

Susan Bigsby on Instagram

INT 158 - Leading by Example

Linda Yates — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In a world filled with constant disruptions, the power of example has never been more important.

In this episode of Int-Her-rupt, host Linda Yates welcomes Denise Jones to discuss the powerful impact of leading by example in personal and professional settings. The conversation delves into Denise's personal experiences, professional insights, and the valuable lessons learned from her journey.

Discover inspiring leadership skills within this insightful episode!

Denise's Journey

Denise shares her journey as a transformation expert with over 20 years of experience in the IT and software service industry.
As a working parent, Denise emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and embracing discomfort as a means of personal and professional growth.

Leading by Example - Influential Figures

Denise draws inspiration from her mother, who exemplified resilience and a can-do attitude as a single parent.
She credits her mother for instilling the values of learning, leading, and graciously seeking help when necessary.
Professionally, Denise holds Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, in high regard as a phenomenal leader whose approach to problem-solving and inclusivity has left a lasting impression.

Effective Leadership Traits

The discussion reveals the significance of curiosity, transparency, and integrity as pivotal traits necessary for effective leadership.
Denise emphasizes the value of maintaining an open mind and a transparent approach while upholding the highest standards of integrity.

The Impact of Positive Interruptions

Denise shares personal experiences of positive interruptions, such as her children's academic accomplishments and professional achievements.
She highlights the importance of balancing personal and professional milestones while maintaining a positive and proactive approach to interruptions in life and work.

The Power of Positive Leadership

Denise provides three concrete tips for positively leading by example:

Leave a place, situation, or team better than you found it.
Embrace curiosity and openly seek new ideas and perspectives.
Foster transparency and integrity as foundational values in leadership.

Navigating Challenges and Poor Leadership Traits

Denise reflects on encounters with poor leadership traits involving fear-based leadership and intimidation in the professional sphere.
She elaborates on the significance of effectively navigating through challenges, fortifying resilience, and sustaining a productive and growth-oriented approach.

Lessons from Interruptions

Denise candidly discusses her journey through a significant interruption in her career, addressing the experience of being laid off and the subsequent resilience and positivity exhibited in approaching the unexpected change.
She emphasizes the value of embracing interruptions as opportunities for personal and professional growth, ultimately shaping a new path forward.

Denise shares her valuable insights and experiences, underscoring the transformative impact of leading by example and the enduring influence of positive leadership in personal and professional realms.

Join Linda Yates and Denise Jones in this enriching conversation as they explore the profound impact of leading by example, navigating interruptions, and fostering positive leadership traits in both personal and professional spheres.

“I've always been taught, and took me a little while to learn it's not what you say. It's how you say it. And it's literally coming to the table with new, not necessarily better all the time, but with new ideas, new thoughts again, even if it's close to what they were sharing prior, which is my own little Denise isms or twist on it that stems from my experience in the industry that we're in. Like I said, I don't claim to know it all. I'm open to learning, but I will share my knowledge, my historical background, and what has and hasn't worked.” - Denise Jones.

INT 157 - Re-entering the Paid Workforce

Linda Yates — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Re-entering the paid workforce is a terrifying experience. The idea of having to prepare yourself for the job hunt makes your heart pound nonstop.

You search Indeed and LinkedIn for the perfect gig with an excellent salary and benefits. As you do your research, you feel discouraged, believing you are too inexperienced to succeed.

To help you find the courage to re-enter the workforce, listen to this week's episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast. Host, Linda Yates, speaks with career coach, Cassie Spencer, on tips to help you find the perfect job. It's time to dust off your resume and tune in to discover insightful job-hunting tips.

Cassie Spencer’s Background

Cassie is a career coach passionate about helping others find their ideal job. She has helped over 700 clients in different industries build their confidence in job hunting and gaining effective application skills.
She believes that too many women spend time working in a career that they dislike. So, she built a career out of doing it to help others find employment that they loved.
Cassie is the owner and founder of Career Coach Cassie. Check her out if you need help finding a job you love and want to spend years in.

Tips For Re-entering the Workforce

Cassie’s biggest tip for re-entering the workforce is to start with a plan. If you’re unsure of what you want when job-seeking, finding a job that fulfills you will be hard.
Her next tip is preparing documents, such as resumes and cover letters. She also discusses the importance of internal reflection and defining your job goals.
Cassie’s last tip is to be open to networking. You may be afraid to speak to people, but conversations with past employers or co-workers can lead to open doors for your next career.

Advice on Feeling Overwhelmed With Job-Seeking

Cassie continues to discuss the importance of a tailored plan focusing on your job-hunting goals. This will ensure you find employment that meets your needs.
The plan can also help you spend the amount of time you need for job-seeking. Everyone is not able to spend hours searching for employment. If you only have fifteen minutes a day for job-seeking, set that amount of time aside.
She also discusses the importance of showing an impact on your resume. This is where you show numbers or metrics of a change you made that positively impacted a previous company you worked for.

How to Know It’s Time to Re-enter the Workforce

Cassie shares that it’s based on a person’s needs and goals when it’s time to re-enter the workforce. Do you have to re-enter the workforce now, or is it a want?
Knowing why it’s time for you to re-enter the workforce will help you feel more confident during your job search.
During interviews, employers may ask why you are re-entering the workforce and why you have been out of it for so long. So, it would help to consider your wants and needs of re-entering beforehand.

In this insightful episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, guest speaker Cassie Spencer shares tips on your job search. She discusses using LinkedIn, advice on filling in employment gaps, and interviewing tips. Tune in and listen to empowering tips to help you gain confidence for re-entering the workforce.

“The number one tip is always to negotiate. That is my number one tip no matter what, even if it feels uncomfortable and that type of thing. Everyone should always be negotiating. My second tip would be to remember that you can negotiate more than or in addition to the salary. So I often work with people who that's that's the one and only thing that they're negotiating. But we are in a time and in a world in our workforce where there are so many other benefits and aspects that you can negotiate into a contract. So salary is always a good one to negotiate. But there are other things like potentially a flexible work schedule.” - Cassie Spencer.

Resources

Career Coach Cassie

Happenstance The Podcast

Cassie Spencer on Instagram

Cassie Spencer on LinkedIn

INT 156 - Trusting Your Own Voice

Linda Yates — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Listening to your inner voice is like having a guide through life's journeys. However, sometimes you don’t listen to yourself and make the wrong decisions.

How can you trust yourself to make the right choices and live a fulfilling life?

In this absorbing episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates speaks with Jane Stein, a former successful wealth manager, on trusting one’s inner voice. Jane shares her unique journey and experiences, shedding light on the importance of listening to our inner voice and making career changes.

Following Your Inner Voice

Jane began her career as a stockbroker due to her mother's insistence, but it wasn't fulfilling.
She shares her dissatisfaction with having the same business conversations over and over, prompting her to retire and move to the tranquil city of Boulder, Colorado.
Here, Jane delves into the significance of self-awareness, the need for change, and the value of variety in business.

Authentic Decision-Making: Stories from Jane Stein's Life

Jane gives an engaging account of how she considered buying a franchise but realized she'd be back to the monotony of recurring conversations, serving as an example of effective decision-making.
She emphasizes the importance of knowing oneself and aligning daily choices with our authentic selves.
Jane's stories from her personal life, including trusting her instincts when dealing with her son's autism, provide valuable lessons in following our authentic instincts.

The Art of Tuning Into Your Inner Voice

Linda and Jane explore and share practical tips to tune into one's inner voice effectively, such as acting with certainty and seeking alternative perspectives.
Jane discusses her three key factors for listening to our inner voice: periods of solitude, doing the right thing regardless of difficulty, and the feeling of knowing over logical reasoning.

The Consequences of Ignoring Our Inner Voice

Jane shares a personal anecdote about her major misstep of ignoring her instincts in the stock market, leading to missed opportunities.
Linda and Jane examine the fear and setbacks that can stop us from trusting our own inner voice, including a deeply personal account of Jane's seven-year interruption in her life by a cult.

Overcoming Interruptions and Turning Pain into Learning

This heartrending segment explores the aftermath of Jane's life-altering interruption.
Both Jane and Linda highlight the healing process and the importance of learning from negative experiences.

The conversation with Jane Stein is an inspiring testament to the power of trusting our inner voice, embracing change, and finding resilience in the face of adversity. Her journey from wealth management to "unretirement" and all the unique challenges and victories along the way are proof of how fulfilling and transformative it can be to follow your authentic path.

Don't miss this episode packed with wisdom on tuning into and trusting your own voice. Listen in and join the journey towards self-awareness and authenticity.

“It is the small minute choices we make every day, whether or not we're even aware we're making them. The trick to a successful, joyful, and satisfied life is aligning those daily choices as best you can. We're in the midst of life, running around with small children; you're just getting by. However, if you can, at the end of the day or at the beginning of the day, set an intention to align those daily choices with honesty.” - Jane Stein.

Resources

Your Franchise is Waiting

Jane Stein on LinkedIn

Jane Stein on Facebook

Jane Stein on Twitter

INT 155 - Is risk bad?

Linda Yates — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and embrace the power of risk?

In this exciting and insightful interview, Linda Yates, the host of Int-HER-rupt, sits down with Shannon Seeberan, a successful entrepreneur and leader in the medical aesthetics industry. They dive deep into the topic of risk, exploring its benefits, challenges, and how it can empower women to take control of their careers.

Shannon shares her own experiences, tips for goal setting, and the importance of collaboration and humility in leadership. This interview is a must-listen if you're looking for inspiration to overcome fear and seize opportunities.

The Power of Taking Risks

● Shannon, a women's studies major in college, shares how she learned early on that taking risks can lead to personal empowerment and growth.

● She believes pushing past fear and embracing the unknown can be rewarding and set individuals on a path to success.

Overcoming Nervousness and Building Confidence

● As Shannon ventured into advertising and media sales, she encountered vulnerability and self-doubt.

● However, she learned to overcome these feelings by recognizing her own expertise and knowledge about the products she was selling. This newfound confidence allowed her to comfortably lead and speak about what she represented.

Embracing Change and Pivoting Careers

● Later in her life, Shannon made a bold career change, transitioning into a completely unfamiliar field.

● Despite the initial perceived risks, her husband encouraged her to take on the challenge.

● She emphasizes the importance of understanding one's own capabilities and not underestimating oneself, especially as women tend to have more self-doubt.

● Shannon learned that success can be achieved by being open to learning and having a clear strategy and goals.

Risk in Leadership and Entrepreneurship

● Shannon believes that women are undervalued in various industries, so they often doubt their abilities to succeed as leaders and entrepreneurs.

● She strives to disrupt these norms by championing women in the medical aesthetic space and encouraging them to take control and recognize their value.

● Shannon also points out that the perception of risk has evolved, and with shared resources, networking, and tapping into opportunities, risks can be minimized in today's entrepreneurial landscape.

Determining Risks: Knowing When to Step Back

● While taking risks can be beneficial, Shannon acknowledges that not everyone is cut out for it.

● Some individuals may have a mindset that consistently focuses on the negatives and doubts their own capabilities. In such cases, she believes that diving into risks may not be the best option and encourages a realistic assessment of pros and cons before committing.

Lessons Learned from Interruptions

● Shannon highlights that becoming a parent has been one of the most interruptive experiences in her life.

● She emphasizes the humbling nature of parenting, realizing that one cannot fully control their children's paths and outcomes.

● It has taught her resilience, the importance of adaptability, and the recognition that no one is an expert in parenting.

Essential Tips for Risk-Taking

● Through her work with clients, Shannon shares three key tips for risk-taking:

○ Setting realistic and strategic goals: Crafting an achievable and implementable roadmap over time.

○ Building a supportive network: Surrounding oneself with people who uplift and champion individual success.

○ Resilience and accepting ups and downs: Recognizing that the journey of entrepreneurship and risk-taking is not always smooth, but staying committed to the strategy and focusing on long-term goals.

The Role of Humility in Leadership

● Shannon emphasizes the importance of humility in leadership.

● She believes that openness, listening, and acknowledging the value others bring to the table foster stronger relationships and collaborative success.

● Taking a humble approach to meetings and partnerships can increase opportunities for growth and development.

In this enlightening and empowering episode, Shannon Seeberan shares her expertise in risk-taking and leadership. She encourages women to overcome self-doubt, embrace change, and recognize the value they bring. By setting strategic goals, building supportive networks, and remaining resilient, individuals can overcome obstacles and thrive in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

“So I've heard years ago that life begins outside your comfort zone. And the analogy was given that even when we're being carried in the womb, life has not fully started. Experiences have not fully started for us until we come out of that comfort zone, of that womb.” - Linda Yates.

Resources

Shannon Seeberan’s email: shannon@cloudmedspas.com

Cloudmedspas

INT 154: Dealing with Negative Thoughts

Linda Yates — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Do you often struggle with negative thoughts? You find it hard to get outside of your own head while holding a career and being a mother.

You are supposed to be a strong leader, and others look up to you. These thoughts shouldn’t be inside of your head. But it is, and it’s okay because it’s nothing you should be ashamed of.

In this episode of Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates welcomes Ama Hooks, a talented senior-level consultant with extensive experience in strategic planning, diversity and inclusion, and cultural change management. Ama shares her journey of personal growth and transformation, particularly in dealing with negative thoughts.

Linda is fascinated by the concept that our thoughts shape our reality and is eager to explore Ama's insights and experiences. Listen to this week’s episode to help you overcome negative thinking.

Ama's Personal Journey and the Power of Reprogramming the Subconscious

Ama opens up about her five-year journey of self-reflection and reprogramming her own subconscious.
She emphasizes that our unconscious biases influence 80% to 85% of our decisions and thought patterns. Initially focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts,
Ama realized the need to confront her own negative thoughts and redefine her self-image as a mother, wife, and business owner.
She started with writing and journaling, gradually expanding her knowledge through courses, and continues to embrace this journey of self-discovery.

Negative Thoughts and Doubt

Linda asks Ama to define negative thoughts, and Ama describes them as thoughts that doubt oneself, others, or a situation.
She explains the importance of differentiating between intuition and fear-based doubts. Ama believes that negative thoughts often stem from fear and insecurities.
Drawing from her upbringing in a single-parent household, Ama reflects on her experiences with financial insecurity and how it has influenced her decision-making process. The fear of scarcity and economic instability has consistently plagued her, causing her to doubt herself and limit her possibilities.

Managing Negative Thoughts

Ama shares three strategies that have helped her manage and overcome negative thoughts. Firstly, she practices journaling and reflecting on the best and worst possible outcomes of a decision. This exercise has helped her realize that the worst-case scenarios are often unrealistic and that fear should not dictate her choices.
Secondly, Ama's faith is vital in providing her with strength and guidance in navigating negative thoughts. Her morning routine of prayer and Bible reading centers and empowers her.
Lastly, Ama mentions her study of John Kehoe's work on manifestation and the science behind it. Being data-driven, she finds it helpful to understand how the brain and quantum reality can be harnessed to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

Ama's Professional Journey in HR

As an HR professional, Ama shares her experiences in building internship programs, implementing cultural change initiatives, and promoting diversity in the workplace.
However, her decision to leave corporate America after starting a family led her to consulting.
Ama expresses her passion for helping organizations overcome negative thoughts related to biases and diversity, fostering inclusive environments that prioritize psychological safety and belonging for all individuals.

In this enlightening episode, Ama Hooks emphasizes recognizing and addressing negative thoughts that hinder personal growth and decision-making. Through her own journey of self-discovery and reprogramming her subconscious, she has found strategies such as journaling, faith, and studying the science of manifestation to be effective in managing negative thoughts. Ama's experiences and insights serve as an inspiration to listeners, encouraging them to confront their own doubts and embrace a more positive mindset.

“Know your superpower and double down on it. That would be number one. Right. So know what you're really good at. Like Shonda Rhimes says, don't be afraid to brag. Most women don't brag. Right? Like, know what it is and speak to it and put yourself in situations to showcase it and talk to it and know how to leverage it and know how you can become a resource.” -Ama Hooks

Resources

Ama Hooks on LinkedIn

Ama Hooks on Instagram

INT 153: How knowing yourself is your most valuable business asset

Linda Yates — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Are you connected with your inner self?

No.

If you do not know yourself, how do you expect to be a good leader? One of the biggest assets you can give to others is being true to yourself and knowing who you are as a person.

Why is this so important?

In this episode of the INT podcast, host Linda Yates speaks with Olivia Smith, founder of Healing House, on the importance of women leaders knowing themselves. Discover how to become a better leader by developing this skill in this week’s episode.

Olivia Smith’s Background

For twelve years, she worked in the nursing field and left after having children. After becoming a stay-at-mother, Olivia struggled with her inner self.
She enjoyed being at home with her children, but she was lost within herself.
After finding a hobby, she discovered how to make money with it and soon turned it into a six-figure business.

Self-Awareness and Personal Growth

When starting her nonprofit business, Olivia learned to recognize and acknowledge her strengths and weaknesses. This allowed her to transition the leadership position of her nonprofit to someone else.
She also shares it’s essential for leaders to recognize when they are not in their wheelhouse and to take action to remove themselves from a situation in which they don’t fit in.
Olivia further compares this skill with other experiences to help highlight the importance of self-reflection.

Leadership Styles and Communication in the Workplace

Olivia believes that understanding one's own communication style and how to adapt to others is crucial for effective leadership, leading to improved employee retention and a more productive work environment.
She recognizes that leaders often unknowingly create a toxic culture by using language that can be intimidating or frightening to their team members.
She suggests that leaders should be aware of their own personality styles and how they may impact their communication with team members. In addition, leaders should try to create a safe and trustworthy environment for everyone.

Leadership Development, Self-Awareness, and Personal Growth

Olivia provides coaching and consulting services to help individuals overcome self-doubt and impostor syndrome, which can stem from past experiences and be deeper than just work-related issues.
She works with individuals to identify the root causes of their struggles and provides a process of work over time to help them overcome these challenges.
Olivia emphasizes the importance of finding something outside of mothering to help cope with the emotional demands of staying at home and how this enabled her to work through her struggles.

In this episode of the INT podcast, you’ll hear an empowering story about Olivia Smith and how she became a better leader by developing one essential skill that most leaders lack. Tune in and discover the importance of investing in self-awareness to help you develop better leadership skills.

“Investing in knowing more about yourself is like the advice they give you on the plane when they say put your own oxygen mask on first before you can help anyone else. Know who you are first. Before you try to lead others, you'll be a better leader, you'll be a better parent, there'll be a better spouse. If you become much more clear on who you are and how you're coming across to other people, and being honest about that, and seeing that as a growth opportunity.” -Olivia Smith

Resources

www.writeanewstory.com

Olivia Smith on Facebook

Olivia Smith on Instagram

Olivia Smith on LinkedIn

INT 152: Learning from your mistakes

Linda Yates — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0400

It’s no secret that everyone makes mistakes, and of course, this includes you. Many try to hide their mistakes and pretend they never happened.

You may also feel ashamed and embarrassed that you made the mistake, and someone will judge you. However, instead of hiding your mistakes, try to learn from them.

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates speaks with Jessica McClain on how leaders can learn from their mistakes and the importance of doing it. Tune into this week’s episode to discover actionable tips on dealing with mistakes.

Jessica McClain’s Background

● McClain is the CFO for the Girl Scouts Nation Capitol and oversees the finance and business operations of the company. In addition to this, she is a certified public accountant in Virginia.

● She has an impressive background in the accounting profession and recently won AICPA and CPA awards. Also, she is known as one of the most powerful women in the accounting profession.

● Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree from Towson University and a master’s degree from George Washington University.

Learning From Mistakes

● Despite McClain's outstanding background, she is human and has made many mistakes. However, she always saw her mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.

● She follows her motto, “Great things don’t come from growth zones.” Whenever a situation or problem makes her uncomfortable, it’s an opportunity for her to learn.

● McClain also shares you should be the storyteller of your personal brand instead of someone else and the importance of understanding real networking.

Why Is Everyone Afraid of Failing?

● McClain takes a social media viewpoint on how everyone wants to show how perfect their life is. No one wants to show the ugly parts of their lives, but people need to be aware of the whole truth of their lives.

● When you know the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life, you can grow from your mistakes.

Resilient and Leadership

● McClain discusses that one of the key traits for a leader is resilience. She believes it helps create a positive work environment for the employees when a leader has this trait.

● When employees see a leader who can handle difficulties, it comforts them. They know they’re being guided by someone who can handle any situation effectively and efficiently.

● To help prove her point, she shares a story on how resilience has helped her as a leader.

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, you’ll learn that you should never be ashamed of your mistakes. It’s okay to show the world that you’re imperfect and human; you can sometimes make mistakes in your professional and personal life.

But when it happens, learn from them instead of hiding them. Subscribe to the podcast to hear Jessica McClain's advice on how leaders can learn from their mistakes.

“When you look at social media, it gives a narrative that your life or career is perfect, and everything is always great. It doesn't show the mistakes, the failures, or the setbacks that people encounter, which we all do. People must be okay with living in reality and the truth of their journeys. And the full truth, not just the good part, not just the happy part, but the good, the bad and ugly, they got to show all of it.” - Jessica McClain

Resources

Jessica McClain on LinkedIn

INT 151: How to Combat Loneliness as a Leader

Linda Yates — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Do you ever feel lonely as a leader? One consequence of being a leader in any profession is overcoming the difficulty of handling many responsibilities yourself.

In this episode of Int-HER-rupt, host Linda Yates welcomes special guest Shatanese Reese, a leadership development coach, to discuss combating loneliness as a leader. While it may seem surprising that leaders can experience feelings of loneliness, Shatanese emphasizes the importance of addressing this issue and finding ways to overcome it. She shares her journey and provides insights into why leaders may feel lonely and how they can navigate this challenge.

Shatanese’s Background

Shatanese begins by sharing her background as an HR professional with over 25 years of experience.
She describes her career progression, including talent acquisition, HR generalist, and diversity consultant roles. However, a life-altering event prompted her to reassess her calling and pursue an executive coach and facilitator career.
With her expertise in emotional intelligence and personality assessment, Shatanese provides valuable support to leaders who navigate the complexities of their roles.

The Difference Between Being Alone and Feeling Lonely

Shatanese clarifies the difference between being alone and feeling lonely.
Being alone is a choice, a deliberate act of setting oneself apart for a period of time to recalibrate. On the other hand, feeling lonely is a longing for connection and support.
Leaders often experience loneliness due to the weighty responsibilities they carry and their awareness of the organization's challenges. Finding trusted individuals with whom to share their feelings and burdens becomes difficult.
Factors such as unique identity and lack of representation can further intensify the feeling of loneliness.

Understanding the Loneliness of Leadership

Shatanese explores the reasons why leaders may feel lonely. Their level of responsibility and fear of vulnerability can hinder their ability to express their true emotions.
Leaders may feel lonely when they lack a coach, internal champion, or sponsor who can guide them and offer support.
The loneliness of leadership is not confined to personal isolation but also a lack of clarity on the path forward.
Shatanese encourages leaders to identify their specific feelings associated with loneliness to address their unique challenges.

Tips for Combatting Loneliness

To combat loneliness, Shatanese suggests several strategies for leaders.
First, she emphasizes the importance of finding a trusted confidant or mentor who can provide guidance and support. This person should be someone with whom leaders can be vulnerable and share their struggles openly.
Secondly, Shatanese highlights the value of building a network of fellow leaders who can relate to their experiences. This network can offer understanding, empathy, and a sense of camaraderie.
Lastly, she recommends participating in leadership development programs or coaching sessions that provide a safe space for leaders to discuss their experiences and gain insights from others.

In this episode of Int-HER-rupt podcast, Linda Yates and Shatanese Reese shed light on the often overlooked aspect of loneliness among leaders. Through their discussion, it becomes evident that leaders are not immune to feelings of isolation and longing for connection.

Leaders can take proactive steps to combat loneliness by acknowledging and addressing these feelings. Whether it's finding a trusted confidant, building a network of like-minded individuals, or seeking professional support, leaders can navigate the challenges of their role more effectively. Shatanese's insights and experiences provide valuable guidance for leaders seeking to overcome this common yet rarely discussed issue.

"Whenever a leader expresses this is really, truly lonely work, I often like to unpack, what does that mean for you? What is it that you're actually feeling?" - Shatanese Reese

Resources

Shatanese Reese on LinkedIn

Shatanese Reese on Facebook

Shatanese Reese on Instagram

www.shatanesereese.com

INT 150: Challenges in Communication

Linda Yates — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt Podcast, host Linda Yates and guest speaker Kristen Brabble delve into the crucial aspects of effective communication. Kristen, a talented and experienced banking industry professional, shares her struggles and valuable insights into the art of communication.

Join us as we explore the importance of clear, concise, and consistent communication, the challenges of virtual meetings, and the power of effective messaging in various scenarios.

The Personal Journey of Kristen Brabble

Kristen shares her passion in her current role within the banking sector, where they have a strategy development mindset and a drive to grow the bank and its franchise.
She is a mother of two little ones and expresses her excitement about becoming a new parent.
Additionally, she highlights her commitment to giving back to the community and the positive impact she strives to make with her organization.

The Impact of Effective Communication

Clear communication is paramount to a successful organization, and Kristen emphasizes the importance of being clear, concise, and consistent in messaging.
She stresses the need to repeat important messages throughout a conversation, avoiding fluff or unnecessary details.
Keeping messages focused and to the point ensures our audience understands and retains the information we share.

The Pitfalls of Virtual Communication

The pandemic has brought about both positive and negative impacts on technology and connecting people.
While virtual meetings have become the norm, Kristen expresses concerns about their detrimental effect on the business world.
Without in-person interaction, gauging emotions and gathering participant input becomes more challenging.
She emphasizes the significance of in-person meetings, which allow for a better understanding of body language and immediate verbal communication.

Kristen's Experience with Overcoming Communication Challenges

She shares her personal struggles with communication and the lessons she has learned along the way.
Kristen highlights the tendency for leaders and teams to make assumptions and stresses the importance of not assuming that people know the direction or plan.
Communicating directly and without sugarcoating minimizes breakdowns in communication and allows for a more direct and productive exchange.

Communication Strategies

Kristen details various strategies employed in their professional life to improve communication within the organization.
These include sending personalized, motivational handwritten notes to all employees, conducting employee stay surveys, and implementing employee conference calls.
One of the key takeaways is the need for executive management to actively listen and understand employees' perspectives, leading to more effective communication and growth.

Listen to this week’s guest speaker, Kristen, as she shares valuable insights into the world of communication. From personal struggles to professional triumphs, our speaker provides invaluable advice on navigating communication challenges in various scenarios. Tune in to Int-HER-rupt and discover the secrets to delivering impactful messages and fostering strong connections within your professional and personal life.

"I have struggled with my tone, rushing through explanations and not taking the time to properly explain ideas. But I understand that tone is crucial when delivering a message, even if the message itself is strong. It's important to be pumped up and explain things in detail to my team. Everyone should watch their tone when delivering any type of message." - Kristen Brabble.

Resources

Kristen Brabble LinkedIn

INT 149: What manners do leaders need today both remotely and in the office?

Linda Yates — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0400

During the shutdown, you may have embraced your introverted nature and enjoyed not having to go to the office daily. It was nice not having to deal with people anymore during those two years.

But have you noticed that your people skills have suffered? Did you forget how to hold conversations with others? Do you even remember why it's important to have manners?

In this episode of Int-HER-rupt Podcast, host Linda Yates speaks with Jacqueline Whitmore, an international etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach. With 25 years of experience in the field, Jacqueline shares her insights on the significance of manners and etiquette in today's workplace. From listening and embracing differences to making meaningful connections, Jacqueline provides valuable tips for leaders both remotely and in person.

The Value of Manners and Etiquette

● Jacqueline explains that manners and etiquette are not just about formalities like using the proper cutlery or having a firm handshake.

● Manners represent how we treat others, while etiquette encompasses our knowledge and mindfulness.

● These qualities go beyond technical skills and play a crucial role in helping individuals build their personal brand and character.

● Jacqueline asserts that manners and etiquette are essential for getting hired and promoted in the workplace.

Etiquette in Remote Work

● When it comes to remote work, Jacqueline emphasizes the importance of active listening.

● It is a skill that helps leaders connect with their team members, whether in person or online.

● Additionally, embracing differences and maintaining an open mind is crucial to fostering a positive work environment.

● To enhance remote connections, Jacqueline suggests interacting with others on LinkedIn by commenting on their posts, adding value to their lives, and sending articles of interest.

● She emphasizes the need to go beyond superficial engagements and focus on building meaningful relationships.

Etiquette in In-person Meetings

● In face-to-face interactions, Jacqueline reiterates the significance of active listening.

● Leaders who are great listeners outshine others and make a positive impact on their teams.

● Humility and compassion are also vital traits for successful leaders, as they signal respect and care for employees and clients.

● Jacqueline believes that true manners lie beneath the surface and go beyond simple gestures like eye contact and a firm handshake.

Jacqueline's expertise sheds light on the timeless principles of manners and etiquette in the workplace. She emphasizes that being mindful of how we treat others can significantly impact both personal and professional success.

Whether in remote or in-person interactions, active listening, embracing differences, and making meaningful connections are key to fostering positive relationships. Incorporating these principles into our daily lives can enhance our personal brand, build character, and create a harmonious work environment.

"I believe that manners and etiquette are extremely important in the workplace because they not only help you get hired, they also can help you get promoted. And you and I both know that technical skills, just technical skills, account for a very small percentage of why you get a job and keep a job. However, your life skills or soft skills will get you promoted. Those soft skills are tied to your character." -Jacqueline Whitmore

Resources

Etiquettexpert.com

Jacqueline Whitmore Facebook

Jacqueline Whitmore Instagram

Jacqueline Whitmore LinkedIn

Jacqueline Whitmore Twitter

Jacqueline Whitmore Youtube

INT 148: Effects of Inflation and the Cost of Living Crisis on Businesses

Linda Yates — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0400

As a leader and business owner, you may feel overwhelmed by inflation's effects. You have no clue how to cut costs to stay afloat due to higher living costs. This makes it harder for you to run a business effectively and ensure everyone on your team is well cared for.

In this episode of "Int-HER-rupt Podcast," host Linda Yates welcomes Dr. April Murdaugh, the CEO and founder of Woman to Woman Financial. Today, they discuss the effects of inflation and the cost of living crisis on businesses.

Dr. April Murdaugh Background

Dr. Murdaugh started as a college administrator and professor before becoming the CEO of her own firm.
She speaks about her experiences with financial struggles, which sparked her interest in the financial services industry.
Now, Dr. Murdaugh is the founder and CEO of Woman to Woman Financial, a virtual fee-based wealth management firm based in Jacksonville, Florida.
She helps women executives, business owners, medical professionals, and their families create and grow generational wealth.

Effects of Inflation on Leaders

Dr. Murdaugh explains that inflation affects the cost of living, salaries, and the ability to save for retirement.
She mentions that inflation rates have exceeded the expected 3% and have reached as high as 6% and 7%. Housing costs have also significantly increased.
Business owners face the challenge of cutting back on expenses and finding ways to cope with the rising costs, which can be stressful.

Impact of Inflation on Morale in Organizations

Linda raises a question about how these economic changes affect morale within organizations. Dr. Murdaugh believes that inflation has led to women negotiating for higher pay as they realize the impact of inflation on their finances.
People are becoming more intentional in handling their finances and cutting back on unnecessary expenses. However, the overall morale within organizations is low, with employees questioning their salaries and the ability of the company to offer competitive compensation.

Tips to Stay Focused and Positive on Business Outcomes

To overcome these challenges, Dr. Murdaugh provides three tips for leaders to stay focused and positive on business outcomes.
First, she advises not to get too caught up in monitoring the constant changes and fluctuations caused by inflation. Instead, focus on what can be done to scale the business and explore additional revenue streams.
Second, leaders should assess and minimize expenses to allocate money efficiently.
Lastly, Dr. Murdaugh emphasizes the importance of setting aside savings to prepare for lean times and combat the impact of high inflation rates.

In this insightful episode, Linda Yates and Dr. April Murdaugh shed light on the effects of inflation and the cost of living crisis on businesses. They discuss leaders' challenges, such as increased expenses, salary negotiations, and adapting to the changing economic landscape.

Listen to the powerful tips Dr. Murdaugh offers to help you stay focused, positive, and proactive in navigating these challenges from inflation.

"I see more women now negotiating for higher pay rates because they realize that inflation is really costing them money." -Dr. April Murdaugh

Resources

Woman to Woman Financial

info@womantowomanfinancial.com

INT 147: How to Get Your Team to Trust

Linda Yates — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Gaining one’s trust is a challenging thing to do, especially when you’re leading a team. Some people don’t quickly warm up to others, and it can be difficult to get them to follow through when you need them to.

As a leader, you need everyone on your team to open up and trust you. But how can you do this?

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates speaks with Heather Dominick, the owner of Highly Sensitive Entrepreneur. Listen to her advice to discover techniques to get your team to trust you as a leader.

Who Is Heather Dominick?

She is the founder and leader of Highly Sensitive Entrepreneur.
Heather also created Business Miracles, a 21-day course to help highly sensitive people run successful businesses.
In addition to her business, she holds a Master's degree and worked as a public high school drama teacher for eight years.

What Is a Highly Sensitive Person?

Numerous research studies show that some people are more sensitive nervous system to the environment than others.
According to research, 20% of people are born with a nervous system that takes more stimulation.
Many highly sensitive people tend to do better from being self-employed.

Building Trust With Students

Creating trust among students can be challenging for a teacher; one wrong move can easily break the trust.
Heather learned the coaching in education (CIE) technique while studying at New York University.
Instead of teaching as a teacher, she taught as a coach and found this technique was highly influential in gaining students' trust.

Three Tips for Leaders Building Trust

Honor the individuals in the room: Heather created systems focused on each member's strength.
Don't expect everyone to be like you: Everyone is different, and you want to draw their differences out. Also, you don't want your team members to be like you.
Establish the same expectations for your team members as you do for them: Share tips one and two with your team so they can understand that everyone is bringing something to the table.

Breaking the Wrong Mindset

For those who believe no one will ever trust them, Heather discusses the importance of creating a collaborative culture to help break this mindset.
When it is established from the hiring process, it’s easier to get team members to trust each other and the leader.
As the leader, you must set the tone to make your team members follow. If you want them to trust you, you must also trust them.
Lastly, you must have empathy as a leader and put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

Do you need help with getting your team members to trust you? Then listen to this week’s episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast to learn actionable tips on getting your team to trust.

“Trust is the bonding element that allows a group of people or any connection between even two people to really be able to be on the same page. And from that place, there's a greater sense of ease for creating, for producing, for being of service, and just being able to get from an A to Z when it comes to any type of goal or project you're looking to bring across the line.” - Heather Dominick

Resources

Business Miracles

Heather Dominick Instagram

INT 146: Recruiting New Talent

Linda Yates — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 10:00:00 -0400

In this episode of "Int-HER-rupt," host Linda Yates welcomes Jennifer Smith, an expert in talent recruitment and leadership. Jennifer shares her journey and experiences in the field of human resources, discussing her transition from working in operations to her successful career as a recruiter. She also provides valuable insights into defining one's goals and finding the right fit in the hiring process.

Jennifer Smith's Professional Journey

After college, Jennifer found herself working in an unbelievable position. She never saw herself working in a potato factory, but it was her first leadership position.
Despite it not being her dream job, she enjoyed the position. It helped her develop the essential leadership skills she has today.
During her 15 years working with Frito Lay, she spent 15 years in HR. Within this role, she gained experience in running a business and leading a team.
She worked for a biotech company within the talent management department. While working in this role, she found that many college students struggled with finding their ideal job.
Now, Jennifer runs Flourish Careers company. She helps others find the ideal career for them.

What Led to Her Success?

Jennifer shares that her success comes from defining what she wants within her roles.
She also discusses why recruiting managers need to start with a foundation when looking for an employee to fill a specific role.
A company or an employee may not check each box of your wants, but they may have the key requirements you’re looking for.

How to Find the Right Candidate?

Jennifer shares how companies can find the ideal candidate for a position. First, managers should look beyond the resume. Does the candidate have transferable skills or experiences? Can you start an internship program to help you find the ideal candidate?
For job seekers, Jennifer discusses the importance of networking within the organization you want to work for. It will help you bypass the over-saturated online system of job seeking.
Once you figure out your ideal candidate, go where they like to hang out. For example, Are there specific online communities where you can find talent?

Advice on Employee Engagement

To help deepen engagement with new talent, Jennifer discusses the importance of optimizing your onboarding process. Have someone mentor new hires for the first 60 to 90 days.
Provide feedback that encourages celebrations and mistakes during the onboarding process. You don’t want to just point out the bad, but you want to point out the wins too.
Develop a learning program to allow employees to gain new skills. The world is changing, and you want your employees to stay up-to-date on new tec

"The first thing I think about with that question is just knowing what you want. So really defining what you want in the role that you're looking for is first and foremost." - Jennifer Smith.

Jennifer shares her inspiring journey from operations to HR to becoming a successful recruiter. Through her experiences, she demonstrates the value of defining goals, embracing learning opportunities, and finding the right fit in the hiring process.

Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own career aspirations and gain valuable insights into navigating the ever-changing job market. To hear more about Jennifer's journey and gain further insights into talent recruitment and personal growth, tune into the full episode of "Int-HER-rupt" with Linda Yates.

Resources

Flourish Careers

Flourish Careers LinkedIn

Flourish Careers Instagram

Flourish Careers Podcast

INT 145: Myths of Leadership

Linda Yates — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 10:00:00 -0400

You'll hear many myths far from the truth as a leader. For example, most believe CEOs get to sip mimosas all day while other employees do the hard work.

Of course, you know this isn’t true. But what are the other myths leaders have to deal with?

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates explores leadership myths with guest speaker Teresa Rand. Discover what these myths are and how leaders can combat the untruths of their position.

Who Is Teresa Rand?

Teresa has 30 years of experience working with the YMCA and worked her way up to becoming the CEO of the organization.
After leaving her CEO position, she started her own consulting company.
She helps others improve their work-life balance, how to maneuver through life changes, and develop good leadership skills.
Teresa is also a certified yoga and disc instructor.

Leadership Myths

Leaders never make mistakes: Everyone makes mistakes, and there will be times you make them. However, it’s best to admit your wrongs before someone else does. This way, you can correct them and move on without looking like the bad guy.
Leaders never need help: Just because you’re the leader doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help. You don’t know everything, and it’s okay to admit this. Always remember, it doesn’t have to be lonely at the time.
Leaders are responsible for other's careers: It’s common for employees to think they are not in a certain position because the boss doesn’t want them there. However, it’s not technically the CEO’s responsibility to place employees in their desired position.
Leaders need an MBA: The letters behind your name aren’t as important as you may think it is. Teresa discovered she was wasting her time going to school for an MBA. She found out that her experience and qualities helped her more in receiving her leadership position.

How Can Leaders Combat These Myths?

Always use your voice no matter what position you’re in. Even if you’re at the very bottom of the organization, it’s important for you to allow yourself to be seen and heard.
Teresa received advice from a former colleague to always arrive early to meetings and conferences. It's another way for your voice to be heard.
Lastly, learn how to communicate with others effectively. This includes listening to people’s needs and discussing issues without becoming defensive.

Teresa's insights challenge the myths surrounding leadership. She highlights the power of vulnerability, the importance of seeking support, and the need for personal accountability in career advancement. Whether you're a CEO or an entry-level employee, these lessons are applicable to all leaders at every stage of their journey.

Don't miss out on this empowering episode as Linda Yates and Teresa Rand debunk the myths of leadership and provide invaluable advice for personal and professional growth.

"We don't have to do it alone. Ultimately, we have to make the call if we're in a leadership position. But to take advice and get advice and surround yourself with what I've always called my personal board of directors, people that are not necessarily in my industry, but people that I admire and respect." - Teresa Rand

Resources

www.teresarandconsulting.com

INT 144: Combatting Stress in Your Leadership Role

Linda Yates — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Being a leader often comes with a ton of stress. There’s so much pressure for you to do your very best, and many people come to you for guidance. One wrong decision will cost you, the people under your leadership, and the company.

With all of this pressure and stress, how can you combat it all?

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates speaks with Nicole Trick Steinbach on dealing with stress. Listen to these insightful tips on how to handle stress as a leader.

Nicole’s Successful Journey in Escaping Poverty

Nicole grew up in a single-mother household and experienced poverty during her childhood. She became the first in her family to attend college. Her educational background and drive helped her escape the poverty she faced during her youth.
After spending 20 years in tech and becoming a global senior Director, she now runs a business where she teaches other women about bravery in leadership roles.
However, she did face challenges while climbing the ladder. One of these challenges is overcoming imposter syndrome. What helped her was accepting hard feedback and allowing herself to move away from things that no longer served her.

Shifting Bravery to Accountability

To help you move out of a hard place, get serious about what you want. For example, do you want a life of financial freedom?
Don’t be afraid of hard work. Everyone wants the easy way out, but some steps may require you to put in more time and effort.
Remember, accountability has nothing to do with control. Instead, it’s taking responsibility for your perspective, impression, experience, and action.

Biggest Stressors for Leaders Today

Following someone else's ghost: Following a past leader's actions is okay, but remember to be yourself. Nicole provides details on how you can be yourself as a leader and not follow someone's ghost
Having a team that's just like you: It's essential to have team members who will push back on you and are nothing like you. You need others with different experiences, races, ages, and religions to gather different ideas.
Forgetting about their careers: Continue to build your career while you help others. While building your team and helping them become successful, you may fail to focus on your career. Find growth in your career, and don't put it on pause.

Dealing With Stress in Your Work

Define your goals: Take the time to determine what you want out of your career. Set deadlines to help you reach your goals and celebrate success.
Rest your body to bring creativity: In today's society, we're too focused on the hustle and tend to forget how important it is to rest our bodies. There's a reason why certain people are more successful than others, and it's because they take the time to sleep to bring creativity.
Nicole lives by sun, social, and sleep to help her manage stress. Be sure to get vitamin D, connect with others, and rest when your body is tired.
Her last tip is never to stay somewhere when you're not thriving. Yes, you need the paycheck, but if you know a company is not right for you, move on to help you afford stress and burn.

“When you're building cortisol and dumping dopamine throughout it, you have all kinds of issues, such as cardiovascular and relationship issues. That's when people start drinking too much, smoking too much, partying too much, whatever it is, and not sleeping enough, like cortisol is there. It's such an important part. Dopamine is there. It's such an important part. But you know, what else was really important? Equilibrium!” - Nicole Trick Steinbach

Nicole Trick Steinbach shares terrific tips on combatting stress as a leader. As always, your host, Linda Yates, has guest speakers who share powerful advice on helping you become a better leader. Subscribe to the Int-HER-rupt podcast for more leadership tips!

Resources

Celebrate Brave with Nicole Trick Steinbach's podcast

www.tricksteinbach.com

Nicole Trick Steinbach LinkedIn

Nicole Trick Steinbach Instagram

INT 143: How to regain trust when it's lost

TSE Studios — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Are you struggling to trust others?

There are times in life when someone hurts you and makes it difficult for you to trust them again. Broken trust is hard to repair when emotions are high, including in co-worker relationships.

Returning to episode 113 of Int-HER-rupt, host Linda Yates revisits her conversation with Cheryl Nye. They discuss the importance of trust and how to respond when it is broken - whether in the workplace or in life.

Cheryl’s Background

After dabbling as an entrepreneur, Cheryl found her niche in corporate America. She is a data consultant who has worked with the same company for 17 years.
As a Toastmasters Club Sensor Toast member, she gained confidence in communication and leadership. This experience created the foundation for the work she does today.

The Importance of Trust

Nye calls trust the “foundation of all relationships” - whether at home or in the workplace.
Without trust, communication falls apart. If someone doesn’t trust their team leader to respect them, they won’t come forward if something goes wrong. Similarly, if a leader can’t trust their team members to follow through on projects, the work will fall on a few individuals or the leader themselves.
Once trust is lost, it can be hard to regain it, regardless of whether the person losing it is in a leadership position or not.

How to Recover From Broken Trust

Communication: If you have lost trust in someone in the workplace, communicate this with them as clearly and compassionately as possible. As Nye says in the episode, “Speak with love.” Understand your problem, and be upfront about it without condescension or negativity.
Accountability: If you have broken someone’s trust, take responsibility. Take the time to listen and understand how the other person is feeling. Apologize and plan how to improve - then follow through on that plan.
Nye and our host Linda Yates greatly emphasize leading with the heart. When time is taken to truly listen, understand, and change, trust can be rebuilt, even when it takes a long time.

Learning to Trust YOURSELF Again

If you’ve been the one to make a mistake or mess up, it can be hard to believe in yourself and can cause more stress than is helpful.
Nye’s advice is to use the “5 Why’s” to assess the root cause of the problem. She gives the following example: If you’re chronically late to work, ask yourself why you’re late. If it’s because the meeting wasn’t on your calendar, ask why it wasn’t on the calendar. Why? Maybe the calendar is not set up in a way that is easy to use. Knowing this, you can seek out a new calendar to try. Once you reach the root cause, you can turn it into action.
Practice trusting your instincts. Listen to your gut - it is often right. Ask yourself how you feel about a stressful situation, and really listen to yourself.
Finally, take a step back. Zoom out. Listen to others as well, and see how they’re responding to you. Self-reflection is a huge part of self-improvement, and Nye attributes this skill to help her grow and develop her interpersonal communication skills to where they are today.

Trust in the workplace helps create a strong bond among the team. Without healthy communication and the knowledge that fellow teammates will follow through, a team will always suffer and lose its ability to work cohesively. If that trust is broken, accountability and active listening can create a safe environment to rebuild trust.

“Trust is the foundation of any relationship you may have. If you don’t have trust in your relationship, then you don’t have anything” - Cheryl Nye

Resource

Toastmaster

INT 142: Being Comfortable in your Leadership Style

Linda Yates — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0400

When you watched someone else take charge, did you ever wish you had their leadership skills?

Maybe you questioned yourself why you can't be a more assertive leader like them or why you can't get your team to work together like they did.

Don't feel bad if you ever had these thoughts, as everyone has unique leadership styles. However, only some people are comfortable displaying their leadership style to others.

Today's episode of Int-HER-rupt is a rerun of episode 109. Our host Linda revisits her discussion with Jordan LaSalle to help you become comfortable with your leadership style.

Meet Your Team Member Instead of Forcing Them to Come to You

Jordan has a background in teaching, and one vital thing she kept in mind throughout her career is: Meet the student instead of forcing the student to meet her.
People learn and work differently, so if you want to teach or lead effectively, you must go to whoever you’re in charge of.
Emotional intelligence is vital to this. Be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of your team and play to their strengths. Optimize things for your team so you can effectively work.

Take the Time to Build Authentic Relationships

After she worked in teaching, Jordan transitioned to being the vice president of education at her school. Just like she had done with her students, she focused on building genuine connections with the people under her.

Jordan did an exercise where she had everyone she worked with create a user manual. The manual asked a few questions:

What brings out the best in me.
What brings out the worst in me.
How to work most effectively with me.

Team exercises build a relationship between you and your workers. It also gives you an idea of effectively leading and working with them.

Understand Every Team Member's Role

Understand your role in the team, as well as the role of everyone else.
Jordan got her position while the pandemic was just beginning. She and her team members were all worried about the future and the board's direction.
Remember, the job of your teammates is not to bear your weight. As a leader, you are supposed to be your team's pillar and source of strength.
Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t rely on them. But focus on supporting your team instead of having your team support you.

Recognize Other People’s Expertise

Yes, you may be the leader of a group or business, but you’re not omnipotent.
In Jordan’s career, she works with a board of experts and meets with them frequently. Although she is in a higher position than the other board members, she also recognizes and respects their insight.
Jordan isn’t directly involved in everything, so listening to the other board members and considering their insights helps her run things smoothly.

Don’t Be Afraid of Vulnerability

There’s a common misconception that leaders must always be strong and never show weakness or vulnerabilities. The problem with this is that it shows you’re not genuine.
Nobody is perfect. There is no perfect leader or team member. Instead of constantly chasing after perfection, chase after progress. Don’t be afraid to show your vulnerabilities!
One tool Jordan uses is language cues. Saying things like “I’m going out on a limb” shows you’re not completely certain about what you’ll say, but it also makes you more human and genuine.

The Three Golden Nuggets of Leadership

Surround yourself with people who challenge and inspire you.
Embrace who you truly are.
Be able to find humor in yourself and in situations.

Are you ready for more leadership advice? If so, then be sure to subscribe to the IntHERrupt podcast for more women's leadership skills.

Resources

Jordan LaSalle LinkedIN

Linda Yates/INT 141: Legacy As A Leader

Linda Yates — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Do you want to leave a legacy?

Of course, you do! But how can you get others to remember you when you leave a company? Your host Linda Yates is here to tell you how to leave a legacy as a leader in today’s episode of the In-HER-rupt podcast.

Why Should You Want to Leave a Legacy?

Leaving a legacy is more than going to work and doing your job. It’s the ever-lasting impact you leave on employees and others around you.

You gain knowledge and skills throughout life from mentors, parents, bosses, and friends. What you learn from them can help others develop strong leadership skills.

Your legacy involves your positive impact on others and how you encouraged them to do their best.

How Do You Leave a Legacy?

Develop a clear vision of your mission and vision of every aspect of your life. This includes your employee, parent, friend, and mentor roles.

Lead by example on the qualities and traits you want others to see. If you want others to be motivated, be inspired to be motivated in everything you do.

Strive to empower and develop others by investing in their growth and development. For example, you can create employee opportunities to enhance their skills and talents.

Always have multiple lines of communication for your employees. Share your vision of a leader with your team, lay out goals, and create strategies to help them stay consistent in their work.

You should also engage in active listening. Positively provide feedback on how someone can do better.

Don’t forget to celebrate when a team member reaches their goals! This will encourage them to keep trying to do their best.

Cultivate strong relationships with your team and stakeholders. Let them know that they’re doing a great job.

Encourage your team to “think outside the box” when taking risks.

How Can You Make an Impact Now?

Think about your choices and actions and how they will impact others for years. Be sure to focus on the long-term impact of others and not the short-term impact.

Know that you can create a positive impact despite your negative circumstances.

Seek out collaboration and diversity. Everyone’s experience is different, and you can use this to change the workplace environment.

Journal everything that you do at work. This will help you share your current experiences and future insight to help others become strong leaders.

Network and give back to the community by engaging in activities that brings positive change to others.

Be active in succession planning to help those who take on your role become strong and efficient leaders.

“Remember, leaving a legacy as a leader is not about seeking personal recognition but rather about positive in-flow. It requires dedication, consistency, and a commitment to the well-being of the people and the organizations you lead.” -Linda Yates

Let’s Connect!

Do you know an impactful leader and would like them to be guest speakers on the show? Are there any topics you would like for the host to discuss?

Connect with Linda Yates on social media or send an email to share your thoughts on leadership within the workplace.

INT 140 - Speaking up for yourself with moxie and heart

Linda Yates — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Discover your true leadership potential with Moxie! In today’s episode, host Linda Yates speaks with Kristen Harcourt on the importance of leading with moxie and heart. Find out why these attributes are essential to being a successful leader.

What is Moxie?

Kristen has 15 years of experience as a culture leader and has empowered executives to help them become successful. She found that many leaders struggle with negative self-talk, sensations, and conditions.
These traits often hold them back from being proficient at people management and creating a positive workplace. Moxie is helping others find the fire within themselves to bring out their passions and true authentic self to the world.

How can being moxie turn into having a negative label

You may present the wrong aura when stepping into your Moxie if you're not careful. Others may put a specific label on you if you show too much Moxie within the workplace.
For example, men are seen as confident and strong when assertive. Yet, if women show too much assertiveness within the workplace, others would label her as aggressive.
It's a fine line between the two; people will quickly lean into the "bad" label if they think you're doing too much. However, remember that when people label you negatively, it's more about them and less about you!

How do you know if you’re showing up as Moxie?

Everyone has it within themselves. However, you must know how to create your version of Moxie. Give yourself time to play around until you find what works for you.
Practice before others and experiment to help you develop your version of Moxie. Receive feedback from people you trust to know if you’re being overly aggressive or not looking comfortable enough while speaking.
Remember that you’re always evolving, and your Moxie from 5 years ago won’t look the same as your today version of Moxie!

Other ways to develop Moxie

Have a community to help you along the way throughout your journey. You can overcome your challenges without letting fear hold you back by being around women struggling with the same problems.
Also, start limiting your negative self-talk and beliefs. How can someone else believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself?
For extreme introverts, consider using storytelling to help you connect with others on a deeper level. Storytelling is a great way to let others know who you are and understand your reasoning behind everything.

How can Moxie get in the way of heart leadership?

Moxie sounds great when you’re trying to build self-confidence, but too much of it may cost you. Kristen tells us how to keep this from happening and why the heart connection is essential for leadership.

“To be Moxie embodies competence, assertiveness, ownership, accountability, authenticity, and compassion. It's really having all of that together.” - Kristen Harcourt

Resources

Alexia Vernon: Step Into Your Moxie

Kristinharcourt.com

LinkedIn and Instagram

INT 139 - The Communication Conundrum: Why Businesses Falter and How to Boost Communication

Linda Yates — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Foster trust within your team through clear communication! In this episode of Int-HER-rupt, our host Linda Yates meets with Jen Colton, Chief of Staff and Chief Communications Officer of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. Jen’s experience in marketing and PR and love of storytelling has helped her lead with openness and courage and build teams who would follow her into battle.

Jen’s Journey

She graduated from university into difficult economic times, so rather than jump head-first into the job market, she continued her education.
While she worked on getting her Master’s, she started working for WIRED Magazine in a marketing role.
She brought her love of storytelling and knowledge of emerging tech into her own PR firm!

What Makes Communication Challenging?

You have to think deeply about context – where your audience is coming from and how they’re going to receive your message.
You also need to ask yourself what your intent is and be really clear internally about what you want people to understand about your message.
If you’re not sure whether you’re coming across, ask! Jen’s example is, “How did that land with you?”

3 Questions to Ask Yourself to Develop Communication Skills

What does your audience need to know?
What does your audience need to feel? – Jen says this is the most important thing!
What does that look like to you? – Ask your audience to reflect your talking points back to you.

“Getting [communication] right is hard. Part of what is hard is that you have to think about context and intent. The way I think of that is, context is ‘who am I communicating with?’ … ‘who is it that needs to hear and understand the message and what is their worldview?’ … And then, I think it’s really about looking at yourself in the mirror and saying, ‘what is my intent?’ and then ensuring that your intent in whatever it is you’re communicating is pure and transparent. And that’s not always easy to do.” – Jen Colton

Resources

For more tips, check out As We Speak: How to Make Your Point and Have it Stick by Peter Meyes and Shann Nix

Connect with Jen Colton on LinkedIn!

INT 138: How Training Programs Can Be The Launch of Innovation

Linda Yates — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

If there’s something new you’ve been wanting to learn, this is your sign to go for it! In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, our host Linda Yates meets with Dr. Susan Mangiero to discuss learning-led leadership. To be a great leader, you have to be passionate about learning from the people around you and sharing your knowledge. Enjoy this inspiring interview!

Susan’s Journey

Susan’s career began in banking, and though she carried many job titles over the years, her entrepreneurial spirit was what guided her.
She left banking to pursue her Ph.D. in Finance. She began teaching and eventually was awarded tenure after finishing her dissertation.
While she loved teaching, she returned to the industry in litigation support. She specializes in investment fiduciary best practices.

Learning-Led Leadership

Susan managed a team that helped her create a knowledge-sharing platform. She worked with many experts in different fields and learned from each of them.
Good leaders are forthcoming about not knowing everything and learning from others – their focus is on solving problems, not their own ego.
Leaders have a responsibility to try to understand when team members aren’t on the same page and find ways to communicate more clearly.

3 Tips for Implementing Learning-Led Leadership

Be transparent. It’s important to be vulnerable and acknowledge that you are not perfect and still learning as well.
Be supportive of other people’s learning. Reward their dedication as they expand their skillset, and give them time to master their new skills without expecting them to be fully capable right off the bat.
Be the change you want to see. Lead by example. Show that you are always learning and expanding your skills.

“I think a good leader is somebody who is very upfront about saying, ‘I don’t know everything and I want to listen to what you have to say. I want to learn from you, just as I hope you all learn from me.’ It’s very focused on solving problems and not having an ego that prevents that from happening.” – Susan Mangiero

Resources

Connect with Susan on LinkedIn!

INT 137: How We Developed A Successful Culture

Linda Yates — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

If you’ve ever experienced a toxic workplace culture, you know how soul-crushing it can be! Successful cultures take leadership and work. In this episode of Int-HER-rupt, our host Linda Yates has a great conversation with Ashlee Jankovich and Tiffany Klusacek, two real estate agents with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Tennessee’s Elite. They share insights into how they are intentionally creating a culture of accountability and achievement on their team.

How Ashlee and Tiffany Define Workplace Culture

It is the work environment that agents come to every day, both physically and interpersonally. The “culture” is the feeling of building relationships with co-workers.
The other aspect of culture Tiffany and Ashlee identify is the company’s image. A lot of emphasis is also placed on how consumers view their team.

How The Culture Has Developed

Accountability is an important step – they meet with other teammates to make sure milestones are being met.
Communication has also played a role. Sending out group texts to set up times when they can work together is helpful (and also helps with accountability).
They are also increasingly practicing goal-setting and creating action plans based on those goals.

3 Tips for Creating a Successful Culture

Quality over quantity! Hire the right people, not just anyone who can fill the spot.
Think about what’s best for the team. When you hire new people on, choose someone that will mesh well with the group.
Set up clear expectations. As leaders, it’s important to set your team up for success with accountability, goal-setting, and leading by example.

“[Culture] is the work environment that we’re bringing agents to every day, and when I say, ‘bringing them to,’ I don’t necessarily mean a physical place. It’s a collaboration of what they’re doing to pour in and out of a group… I also feel like culture plays, even moreso, especially in our industry, on how the public and our consumer perceives our message.” – Tiffany Klusacek

Resources

Check out Ashlee and Tiffany’s podcast, Realestatable, for raw, real, relevant content for today’s real estate agents.

INT 136: Perseverance - Sticking to a Work Assignment When it’s Hard

Linda Yates — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Everyone has days when they look at big projects and want to give up. When those moments arise, we need a plan to help us get back on track for success. In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, our host Linda Yates speaks with her longtime friend, Beverly Cordner. They discuss the meaning of perseverance, tips for pressing on through difficulty, and the times when we must let go.

What is Perseverance?

Definition: commitment to completing a goal despite any delay or difficulty in achieving success.
In the past, Cordner was asked to manage a project that brought many people and ideas together – it ended up taking 6 years!

3 Tips for Persevering Despite Challenges

When projects become too big and unwieldy, split the project into manageable pieces. Define success by completing each step.
Make sure you have the right people on the project. Find forward-thinking people AND people who play devil’s advocate!
Make sure communication on the project is happening between different people or groups.

When Should You Let Go/Pivot?

You may have to put the project on hold because you’re waiting on resources or direction.
You may have to stop the project entirely. This may be because the project is ended by someone else or you realize you’re unable to continue.

“One of the ways in which we overcome interruptions is we limit interruptions to a certain time frame. We let interrupters know that we only have a certain time in which we can be truly interrupted on the project and there will be other times when we can talk more on the things that [they] want to talk about.” – Beverly Cordner

INT 135: What Leaders Should Know About Cyber Security

Linda Yates — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Whether you’re a leader at a small startup or a CEO in an enterprise, a working knowledge of cyber security can protect your organization’s money and reputation. In this episode of Int-HER-Rupt, our host Linda Yates meets with Deepa Kuppuswamy, Director of Security at ManageEngine (Zoho Corp.). She shares tips for staying educated and maintaining a security-conscious culture in your business.

What is Cyber Security?

Businesses of all sizes are undergoing a digital transformation. Our world increasingly revolves around digital data.
Cyber security is the protection of data from unauthorized access or criminal exploitation.
Part of understanding cyber security is understanding the ramifications of data breaches. Regulatory fines and negative PR are typical consequences.

3 Cyber Security Tips for Leaders

Know your enemy. Cyber-criminal organizations are no longer just trying to steal data to sell for financial gain.
Create a security-conscious culture. Teach people about cyber security and set up processes so they know what to do if something suspicious happens.
Fail fast. Assume your company will be attacked. Have knowledgeable people take a look at your organization to find any weak points.

Staying Educated

Never let a crisis go to waste. Learn from the mistakes of others and don’t make the same errors.
If your organization does get breached, take the necessary steps to make sure it won’t happen again.
Tabletop exercises can simulate data breaches. In a controlled environment, you can test your team and your processes to see whether they’re prepared to handle a breach.

“Whenever we talk about security, it’s a combination of people, process, and technology. Leaders should look at cultivating a ‘security-conscious culture’ in their organizations. Train people so they are aware of what to do, and if they find an anomaly, they report it.” – Deepa Kuppuswamy

INT 134: Leading with your Heart vs. your Head

Linda Yates — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Whether you’re building trust with your team or leading in times of crisis, your logical mind and your intuitive heart should work together. In today’s episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, our host Linda Yates meets with Teresa Vozza to talk about how to incorporate heart-centered centered elements, such as deep listening and empathy, into your leadership style.

Vozza’s Background

She was a leader in HR and corporate spaces and always had a deep interest in neuroscience.
During the pandemic, she was inspired to examine what she wanted to do. She took coaching from being her side hustle to a full-time passion!
Her expertise is in uniting heart-centered leadership and head-centered leadership, finding the connection between logic/reason and intuition/empathy.

What is Heart-Centered Leadership?

Focus is placed outside of the self. Heart-centered leaders examine the needs of others, the project, stakeholders, etc.
Integrity is prioritized. Leaders always tell the truth, and in situations when they can not divulge certain information, they try to explain why.
Heart-centered leaders seek to understand and ask questions rather than rush to judgment.

3 Tips for Exploring Heart-Centered Leadership

You can’t change what you don’t know, so take the time to develop self-awareness and ask trusted colleagues for honest, direct feedback.
Repetition breeds mastery. Practice behaviors that can help you embody the heart-centered behaviors you learn. Try it in a low-stakes environment.
Notice your own feelings, and ask colleagues, mentors, and team members what changes they notice in you.

“Throughout my own leadership career, I wish I had known the difference between leading from my head vs. leading from my heart as a manager, as a director, at all levels of the organization. I would have been a much happier woman and a much better leader if I understood how to merge both head and heart vs. be so focused on having the head-knowledge.” – Teresa Vozza

Resources

Follow Teresa Vozza on LinkedIn!

http://teresavozza.com

HeartMath

The Huberman Lab podcast

INT 133: Importance of stepping up your technical skills in order to lead

Linda Yates — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0400

The abundance of new tech out there can be overwhelming. It’s only natural for leaders to feel pressured to keep up, and with new products and services coming out all the time, it can get exhausting! In this episode of Int-HER-Rupt, your host Linda Yates meets with Julie Alig, the “Data Diva”. She shares the journey of how she went from being a voracious reader to a tech-savvy leader and offers tips to help inspire you to stay curious.

Becoming the Data Diva

Growing up, Alig was a voracious reader who enjoyed reading in multiple languages. She wasn’t a “math person” until she started graduate school.
She trusted her instincts and moved off the academic track into the administrative side of higher education, using her skills in forecasting and market research to support students.
Her passion is working directly with clients and helping them use data to find solutions to problems.

How Do Tech Skills Move Your Career Forward?

Whether it’s your first career or your third, when you think about what job you want, you have to think about what kind of technology you’ll be using.
If you struggle with the kinds of tech available in your industry, you might be at a disadvantage. Learn what is useful and what is commonly used and work on upping your game in those.

Stepping Up Your Tech Skills to Show Leadership Skills

It shows a willingness to try new things and models learning at all stages of your career.
It also models a willingness to fail, think critically in new situations, and bounce back – and shows others it’s okay!
Technology is always changing and we need to work on keeping up. We might need to take breaks from learning new tech but try to come back rejuvenated.

“Our economy, our world today is built on technology more and more… If you don’t have those technical skills, at least some level of them, you don’t need to be an expert… But there’s a certain level of expertise that you do need to have, a facility with those, to be able to really function. If you want to thrive, if you want to build your business, grow your business, get past that next plateau – you need to be using technology in some way.” – Julie Alig

Resources

Connect with Julie Alig on LinkedIn

Visit Julie’s Website: JLA Analytics: Turning Data Into Action (http://www.jlaanalytics.com/)

INT 132: How to lead a delicate conversation

Linda Yates — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0400

If you’ve ever been in a difficult conversation that wasn’t well-managed, you know how unpleasant it can be. Getting it right takes skill, and luckily, today’s guest has tips that can help you prepare! In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, your host Linda Yates sits down with Ann McKitrick to discuss how to set up delicate conversations so that your goals can be met without sacrificing relationships.

Background

She has always loved kids. She really enjoys helping people (especially parents) understand children.
When people have a deeper understanding of communication with kids, they are able to be a little bit kinder with each other.

3 Tips for Leading a Delicate Conversation

Observe and understand who you’re talking to. You’ll be able to communicate better if you know where they’re coming from.
Identify the problem in a clear way. Then, invite them to respond and truly listen. Think through how you are being affected and potential solutions beforehand and share them.
Keep it concise. Make your problem statement and describe the effect in 60 seconds or less, then move on to listening and building solutions.

How Do You Have Delicate Conversations With Kids?

Make sure your approach is age-appropriate.
Approach the conversation at a time of day when your kids are well-fed, not too tired, and not stressed about school or activities.
Simplify things so that they understand fully. Don’t expect them to be little adults!

“The power of the pause is critically important in many areas, especially at work – to not respond immediately to things, but to take a pause and think about what’s been said and all of the different angles. There’s a myriad of interpretations of just about anything. To always go to the negative or always go to the critical side of things is certainly not helpful.” – Ann McKitrick

Resources

Ann McKitrick on LinkedIn

INT 131: Handling responsibilities outside of the job

Linda Yates — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0400

When work gears up in intensity, it’s important to get perspective. We all have responsibilities outside our jobs and it’s okay to take a step back when needed. In this episode of Int-HER-rupt, your host Linda Yates meets with Stacy Hess to discuss navigating our challenges outside of work. Listen in to hear how you can prioritize your loved ones AND yourself!

Responsibilities Outside of Work

Hess’s family has become a priority for her. Helping and spending time with aging parents is a common responsibility that comes to many of us.
Creating space to care for children, grandchildren, and pets can also be challenging but rewarding.

3 Tips for Balancing Our Out-of-Work Responsibilities

Pause. Find moments in your day when you can take a breath. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the things we have to do.
Prioritize. Be selective about what things you let derail your workday.
Give yourself grace. Nobody is perfect. Be kind to yourself, and remember you’re doing the best you can!

Taking Care of Yourself

Try visual cues! Set up reminders for yourself to prioritize your own wellness.
Daily practices. Find something that feels right to you - reading, journaling, meditation - and make space to do it every day.
Schedule time every workday to take a wellness break. Make it non-negotiable!

“If your environment is taking away from you who you know you are and it’s that out of alignment with what you need in your life, you really have to think about maybe it’s time to make a change. And I know that’s hard, but we have to put ourselves first.” – Stacy Hess

Resources

Stacy Hess on LinkedIn

INT 130: A Growth Mindset as a Leader

Linda Yates — Mon, 29 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400

What Is a Growth Mindset?

The belief that your abilities and skills can be developed over time.
Failure is viewed as an opportunity for self-development and growth.
All things are possible, 100% accountability, and the time for action is now!
If you believe you can’t change, you have what’s called a “fixed mindset.”

Tips for Creating a Growth Mindset

Embrace challenges with an open mind. Focus on learning all you can in new situations and don’t dwell on self-doubt.
Be open to feedback. Even brutal feedback can be a gift, as it gives you a chance to develop self-awareness.
View failure as a learning opportunity. Failure is a moment in time, and teaches resilience. It’s okay to feel your feelings, but then bounce back!
Cultivate a passion for learning. Find interesting ways to continue to improve yourself, even if it’s not “required”.
Persevere. When things are difficult, keep trying. Progress takes time and patience.

How to Help Yourself on Tough Days

Gratitude practice: Shukla journals about things she is grateful for.
Physical activity to work it out. Shukla dances and does yoga!
Give yourself space. It’s okay to not be okay.
Surround yourself with good people.
Mindfulness practice.

“Rejection means redirection… to something bigger and better.” – Radhika Shukla

Resources

Radhika Shukla on LinkedIn

Radhika Shukla on Instagram

INT 129: When you lose a job - How to Pivot

Linda Yates — Mon, 22 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates has a conversation with Sabine Gedeon, the founder of She Leads Network and host of the podcast She Leads Now. Gedeon’s career journey and her years of experience helping others grow and develop have taught her what it takes to break through mental limits, find confidence, and orient your life around becoming who you want to be.

If You’ve Just Been Let Go

“This is not your company.” Remember that you don’t own the organization. You own your career and you get to strategize about it.
Choose your next role based on goals you have, not just matching your skillset and finding something “good enough”.
When you orient yourself around your goals, you no longer need the organization to be a part of your identity. The organization gets the gift of you.

How to Turn Things Around

Create a Brag Book. Think about your various accomplishments over the years. As you’re remembering the projects you’ve worked on and the impacts you have had, you transition yourself out of a victim mentality and into knowing who you are and what gifts you have to offer.
Look at your Brag Book and look for the running themes. Are there items or motivations that seem to be recurring? Identify the passions and goals that show up for you and go into the market looking for jobs that bring your skills together with your goals.

When Should You Pivot?

If you hear a little voice inside telling you it’s time to go, it’s time to go. A role might check a lot of boxes for you, but that doesn’t make it right.
When you hold onto your role even after it is not serving you, you run the risk of losing touch with parts of yourself.
Gedeon asks herself “Who am I?” at pivotal moments to assess whether the person she wants to be has the space to flourish in her life.

“The things that helped me push past the fear and tap into my ‘well of courage’ is I had to ask myself the question, ‘Who am I?’ I’ve had to ask this question many times in many different situations, and I challenge clients to do it as well. When you can sit back and you can really assess and ask yourself that question, and be honest and vulnerable with yourself, it forces you to say: ‘If this is who I am, let me look at my external. Let me look at the work that I’m doing, the relationships, the activity. Do they reflect back to me who it is I believe that I am at this stage in my life?’” – Sabine Gedeon

Resources

Sabine Gedeon on LinkedIn

SabineGedeon.com

https://sheleadsnetwork.com

INT 128: What to do when you experience decision fatigue as a leader

Linda Yates — Mon, 15 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Feeling exhausted or burned out? You might be suffering from decision fatigue. In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, your host Linda Yates sheds some light on this topic so that we can recognize our decision fatigue and make adjustments to the aspects of our lives that caused it. This leaves us happier, healthier, and more free to achieve our goals!

What Is Decision Fatigue?

Feeling drained after having to make too many decisions, diverting your mental resources away from creativity and innovation
Some common symptoms: procrastination, impulsivity, avoidance, indecisiveness

How to Avoid Decision Fatigue

Streamline your choices by creating lists/writing them down
Set yourself up for success by preparing things in advance
Cut things out, trimming activities that drain you out of your schedule
Delegate any workplace decisions you can, which shows your team how much you trust them
Make big decisions in the morning when you’re fresh and have lots of energy
Once you’ve made your decision, don’t second-guess yourself
Work positive habits into your daily routine

If Your Staff Ask You to Make a Decision, Ask Yourself…

Does this decision need to be made by me?
Does it need to be decided right now?
If I don’t need to make this decision, who should?

“These three words are really helpful in decision fatigue, especially as a leader: delete, delay, delegate.” – Linda Yates

INT 127: How to Empower your Emerging Leaders

Linda Yates — Mon, 08 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Whether you’re a senior member of your business looking for ways to offer support or an emerging leader yourself, you’ve probably recognized the importance of empowerment in leadership. In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, your host Linda Yates and guest Susan Owen Lauwers discuss some do’s and don’ts to help you on your journey to becoming a stronger, more balanced leader.

Recognizing an Emerging Leader

Lauwers got to know her own leadership style. She is beginning to identify personality traits that have helped her as a leader and can sometimes recognize them in others.
The people who have the most skills and knowledge are not necessarily the best managers – it comes down to interpersonal skills or natural qualities.

Why Nurture Emerging Leaders?

It’s a business investment: if your leaders succeed, your business succeeds.
Paying it forward is a life strategy. If you are a leader, someone has probably mentored you along the way, and supporting others helps you bring it full circle.

3 Tips for Empowering Leaders

Seek to understand. When offering support, showing that you hear and understand can help you motivate others and problem-solve.
It’s okay to not have all the answers. Even if you’re in a position of leadership, you aren’t going to always know everything. Part of good leadership is identifying your strengths and getting support for your weaknesses.
Be willing to grow. It’s great to support others but be willing to look at yourself and continue on an internal journey of reflection and growth.

“It’s a balancing act. You want to give folks an opportunity to challenge themselves and try new things, but you also don’t want to give folks too much too fast so that they feel like they’re drowning or they’re out of their league… Take a step back, let go of some things, give some things away, but stay nearby.” – Susan Owen Lauwers

Resources

Susan Owen Lauwers on LinkedIn

Millenia3.com

@millenia3 on Twitter and Instagram

INT 126: Get ahead of Burnout!

Linda Yates — Mon, 01 May 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Do you experience “chronic, unmanaged stress”? Then you might be suffering from burnout. In this episode of the Int-HER-Rupt podcast, your host Linda Yates and Ebony Joyce (the Career Clarity Coach) talk about how to recognize burnout, how to heal when you’re past the point of exhaustion, and even how to prevent burnout from occurring in the first place!

Signs You May Be Burned Out

Your productivity is decreasing
You feel stressed when you think about going in to work
You’re disconnecting from other people at work

3 Tips for Getting Ahead of Burnout

Set boundaries. Know what burns YOU out – for Ebony, decision fatigue is a big challenge. Meal prepping and wardrobe downsizing have limited the decisions she has to make while she’s at home recharging.
Learn to say “no.” This can be challenging if you’re used to putting others before yourself, but if you develop a strong sense of self, it will get easier!
Manage your time. Prioritize what you need to do and set aside time to relax when everything is done.

How to Heal Your Burnout

Exercise, unplugging from your phone/computer, spending time in nature, and spending time with loved ones can all heal burnout.
Get to the source of why the burnout is happening and figure out what kind of support you need. This may mean speaking to leadership at your work, and if they are not willing to work with you, it may be time to start looking for a new job.

“We live in a culture where being overworked and burned out has been glorified, to some extent. You don’t get a gold medal because you worked hard and overextended yourself.” – Ebony Joyce

Resources

Ebony Joyce on LinkedIn

Next Level Career Services

INT 125: How to mitigate your weaknesses

Linda Yates — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Strengths and weaknesses aren’t just the subjects of job interview questions! Each one of us has a wide range of things to offer the world, but we tend to want to hide or downplay our weaknesses and only display our strengths. In this episode of Int-HER-rupt, your host Linda Yates and guest Esther Powers get into a beautifully vulnerable conversation about how to overcome difficult moments, recognize who you really are, and cultivate true strength.

Why Should We Embrace Our Weaknesses?

When you overcome denial, you have the opportunity to learn about who you are and “sharpen your sword” in those areas where you struggle.
Accepting yourself and giving yourself grace teaches you how to give grace to others.
Learning vulnerability and humility is the source of true strength.

3 Tips on Not Being Overcome By Weakness

Stay grounded in reality. Are you weak, or did you experience a moment of weakness? Don’t let a difficult time become your whole reality.
Find something to believe in. You can find strength and integrity in having faith – whether it’s faith in a higher power or faith in yourself and your vision.
Fake it till you make it. If you’re feeling insecure in a work situation, try to go along for the ride. You are where you’re supposed to be, and if you don’t have all the tools, you’ll pick them up along the way.

Resources

Esther Powers on LinkedIn

epowers@zizzl.com

INT 124: How Training programs can be the launch of innovation

Linda Yates — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 13:49:16 -0400

Do you get excited about on-the-job training? If so, you’re not alone! Learning new things can help you revolutionize the way you work, improving your performance at your job and in life. So why do so many people feel that the training they receive is boring, ineffective, or unhelpful? To answer this question, we are joined by Mirah Young. Young learned first-hand that effective training makes or breaks the learning process. Listen in to discover how she recognizes a great training program when she sees it!

Mirah’s Background

Graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a degree in Mass Media Communication
During college, she was an apprentice in grant administration, and found joy in learning new things and helping others understand those things

Why is Training So Important?

Your employees are your best asset, and training shows them how invested their leadership is in them.
Continuously supporting education and learning “keeps the knife sharp” and keeps you up to date with the constantly changing world.
Even for team members who are familiar with their job, training can offer them new ways of doing things, which can lead to better efficiency and performance.
Really great training can be invigorating and exciting for employees, as long as the training is highly engaging.

What to Look For In a Training Program

Know who the trainer is. Find out their qualifications, skills, and whether they gel with your company culture.
Identify the key takeaways you want from the training and find out how the trainer approaches those topics.
Look into the methods used in the training you’re interested in to determine whether they’re going to be immersive, engaging, and well thought out.

“Innovation is, in a sense, transformation… Innovation is job enhancement in performance.” – Mirah Young

Resources

Mirah Young on LinkedIn

INT 123: Poise in Leadership

Linda Yates — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Whether you’re experiencing a major crisis or things just aren’t going your way, how you react to those situations is what defines you. Everyone wants to learn to show grace and poise under pressure, but we all know it’s not easy! In this episode, your host Linda Yates brings her expertise as an image coach to offer tips on how you can exude more poise as a leader.

3 Tips for Feeling More Poised in a Challenging Moment

Take a deep breath. Often, when we’re stressed, we stop breathing deeply and normally. Taking a deep breath is like hitting a reset button.
Smile. This can change how others perceive you, but also how you perceive the current moment.
Get curious. Start asking yourself - what situation have I found myself in? What are my emotions about it? How can I move forward?

Cultivating Inner Strength as a Leader

Respect yourself, first and foremost. As Linda says, “You are the CEO of your life!” Respect your own time and set boundaries with others in a calm, diplomatic way to ensure you have the respect you deserve - because you DO deserve it!
Show respect to those around you. It’s okay to be direct, but you must also show that you have the strength to control how you treat others. Ask yourself - is this how you would want to be treated?
Define success for that moment. If you’re struggling to find a way through a crisis, take the time to stop and ask yourself what a successful resolution to this situation would be.

INT 122: Overcoming the feeling of intimidation

Linda Yates — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 14:45:24 -0400

If you’ve ever felt intimidated, felt like you were “less-than”, had impostor syndrome, or asked yourself, “Who am I to say this?” … this conversation is for you. In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, your host Linda Yates and guest Kelly Snider have an engaging, compassionate discussion about intimidation and how we can approach it from multiple angles. Listen in to hear how you can find your strength, whether you’re facing big expectations, tough leaders, or challenging situations.

How Can You Overcome Feeling Intimidated?

Be curious. When we become curious about people or situations we don’t understand yet, we find connection points that break down insecurities.
Find commonalities. Once you’ve asked some questions, build on whatever common ground you discover.
Honor Someone Else’s Experience. If you don’t know as much as someone else, allow them to share their experience, and try to learn from it.

How Can Leaders Avoid Coming Off As Intimidating?

If you’re a high achiever or an expert in your field, let people know you don’t think you’re perfect and that you make mistakes
It’s okay to have high expectations, just take a lighthearted approach as well
Some leaders use intimidation if they themselves are insecure, so they have to do their own internal work and can choose to open up. If you work with them, you may just have to accept that it’s not about you

“When we share our stories, we realize we’re not alone, we help other people know that there’s a path for getting through their difficulties in life, and we find community.” – Kelly Snider

Resources

Your Story Your Strength by Kelly Snider

Kelly Snider’s Website

Kelly Snider on LinkedIn

Kelly’s Podcast: Epic Exchanges

Epic Exchanges on Instagram

INT 121: Gender Access Discrimination in the Workforce

Linda Yates — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Tech companies recruit men and women into their workforce equally. So why do we still see relatively few women in positions of leadership? Trends seemed to be heading in a more equal direction until the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. That’s where the work of Kelley O’Keeffe seeks to change everything. In this episode, our host Linda Yates has a conversation with O’Keeffe about her work as an advocate for women’s empowerment.

O’Keeffe’s Background

Starting at a very young age, O’Keeffe was a very ambitious student. After finishing her MBA, she began working with many companies, from Fortune 100 to smaller startups
At the beginning of the pandemic, she was balancing a challenging work schedule and starting her family
O’Keeffe made the leap into being self-employed to serve as an advocate for women’s economic empowerment

3 Tips: How to Become a Successful Woman in Leadership

Dealing with Microaggressions: Don’t allow yourself to be derailed when dealing with microaggressions. If you can’t find a way to ignore them, it’s okay to move laterally to step away from working with people who have a pattern of this kind of behavior.
Find your Mega Champion: More than a mentor - find someone you report to and build a strong relationship with them. This should be someone who is familiar with how hard you work and how much effort you’re willing to put in. They will be your ally and keep your name in the running for leadership decisions.
Get Recognized: Put yourself in a situation where your skillset can really shine. Look for places in your company where you’ll stand out.

“Think of those insecure thoughts as thought-trash, and just put them in the trash, and keep going. We’re wasting too much time.” – Kelley O’Keeffe

Resources

Kelley O’Keeffe on LinkedIn

McKinsey “Women in the Workplace 2022” Report

Empowered Engagement LLC - Kelley O’Keeffe’s website

INT 120: Being Willing to Take Risks and the Payoff

Linda Yates — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 10:00:00 -0400

When it’s time to take a leap of faith, what holds you back? Think of how much more you could accomplish if you weren’t afraid to leave your comfort zone. In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, your host Linda Yates sits down with Marianne Lentini, a private investigator with over 25 years of experience investigating white-collar crimes, and the CEO of Evidence PI. Lentini has taken big, calculated risks, and those bold moves have brought her to where she is today.

Lentini’s Background

Went to school to be a lawyer and began working in that field
When the opportunity to try being a private investigator arose, she decided to take the risk from a safe, stable field into one that is more dangerous
Later, she also took another risk and started a company (Evidence PI)

How Do You Decide Whether to Take a Big Risk?

Go with your gut. Use your intuition to guide you – when you have a feeling like, “I should definitely do that,” trust your instincts
If the risk you take has repercussions that could cause harm to someone else, avoid those risks
Think about what the impacts on you will be if things don’t go well, and take precautions to reduce negative outcomes

3 Tips for Safety from a PI

Don’t put yourself in situations you can’t get yourself out of.
Stay aware of your surroundings – don’t stare at your phone, know where exits are.
Don’t let yourself get too paranoid.

“So much of it is knowing not just what you know, but knowing what you don’t know and just finding those people to fill those roles. You CAN run a business. You CAN take on the world… You just have to find the right people and they will lift you up and make you successful.” – Marianne Lentini

Resources

https://www.evidencepi.com

INT 119: Ways for Building an Inclusive Workplace

TSE Studios — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 10:54:08 -0400

Working with a team that makes you feel heard, seen, and valued is one of the best feelings in the world. On the other hand, having your ideas squashed and feeling afraid to make mistakes can make the workday feel like it never ends. On this episode of the Int-HER-rupt Podcast, our host Linda Yates has a conversation with Paige Garrido, the Assistant Director of Executive Education at FAU’s College of Business and leader of the FAU Women in Executive Leadership Program. Garrido works with mid- to senior-level professionals, helping them to enter the C-suite. Even successful people experience feeling silenced, or like they don’t belong. Listen in to hear about why an inclusive workplace generates more success, and get some tips on improving your company culture.

Why Should Workplaces Be Inclusive?

Garrido refers to Dr. Rob Bogosian’s idea of “The Culture of Voice”: when employees feel like they belong and can speak up. Bogosian
Open, engaged employees feel safe to bring up concerns, and have more creative ideas
Teamwork boosts engagement and innovation
Employees don’t want to work hard for people who aren’t inclusive, even though they may seem to due to fear of reprimand

Tips for Creating an Inclusive Workplace

Start with you. Leaders who want to create an inclusive workplace need to start by doing some self-reflection and evaluating their strengths and challenges. Listening and connecting with others are huge responsibilities and they start with vulnerability.
The stories we tell ourselves dictate our success. If you don’t see yourself in a good light, you can exclude yourself because you’re cutting yourself down. Be aware of any negative self-talk.
If there are things you need, ask. Come up with a strategic plan or a list of things you need to help yourself be more successful, and try to ask for what you need.

“We always look at inclusion from the company’s perspective – “How do we make people feel more included?’ But I would say, it’s the message that we’re telling ourselves about our roles in our organizations.” - Paige Garrido

INT 118: Making a choice in your career path (Managerial vs. Technical)

Linda Yates — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt Podcast, your host Linda Yates meets with Shawna Williams. Williams had an unconventional journey, but ended up finding herself at a crossroads that many people inevitably face; should she take on a managerial role? We hope you enjoy Williams’s positive spirit and direct approach as she takes us through how she made her decision and how she knows it was right for her.

What to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Career Path

Continue doing what you’re doing until you’re ready to take on the hard work that goes into making a big shift. Regardless of what you choose, you have to have the desire and bandwidth to put more on your plate.
Some aspects of what you choose might not be natural to you - you might need to do some self-study or professional development.
Look at the whole picture of the company you’re looking to work with. Figure out how you fit in - you might need to make some adjustments to your plan, or find a new place to work.

The Pros and Cons of a Managerial vs. a Technical Path

Management pro: You get to work in a support role for a lot of different people. If helping others gives you a sense of accomplishment, management might be right for you.
Management con: Balancing the needs of a lot of people can get pretty complicated. There are a lot of moving parts to any team, and you should be committed to understanding all of them.
Technical pro: Regardless of where you work, your job will be fairly similar. Once you learn how to do it, you can relocate and change companies fairly easily.
Technical con: At some point, you will plateau. Once you learn everything you can about your job, you can either decide to stay there, or you have to make a big shift to change your career path.

Do These 3 Things Before You Make the Leap

Consider your personal life. Will this change impact your family life or how often you get to see friends? Make a choice that fits into the lifestyle you want to have.
Do you buy into the company vision? If you don’t feel aligned with your company’s values, it will be a lot harder to put in all the extra work it takes to make a big shift.
Be ready to listen. Reach out to others who have more experience than you, and ask questions and really listen to their perspectives.

“Don’t let any change in your day be a speed bump in your map. That speed bump might be an opportunity for something you’d never dreamed of that has such a positive impact on your life. You just never know who’s going to walk into your office and change your life for the good.” - Shawna Williams

Resources

“Getting Things Done” by David Allen on Amazon

Shawna Williams on Linkedin

You can reach out to Linda and let her know how this episode relates to you. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 117: The Glass Ceiling - How To Help Break down Such Barriers

Linda Yates — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, host Linda Yates and her guest Misha Ford are here to inspire, and light a fire! Ford describes how she went from working a regular corporate job to becoming the founder and CEO of 3TG Staffing Solutions. Hers is a journey of determination, ambition, and fearlessness. Listen in as she offers tips on overcoming the “glass ceilings” we all face, both in the workplace and inside ourselves.

Misha Ford’s Background

Ford worked a corporate job and, in 2010, started 3TG as a Virtual Assistant company doing back-office work for big companies
Working two jobs meant not having enough time for her family, so she had to make a change - she left her corporate job in 2017

To Break Glass Ceilings, Overcome Fear

Know who you are. You have to do internal work to progress. This means digging deep to understand what motivates you, what you care about, and what your fears are.
Surround yourself with supporters. Break the glass ceiling by avoiding the “sticky floor” - people who would hold you down by telling you you aren’t good enough. Find mentors and coaches who believe in you.
Only YOU can hold you back. Understand that you are the person who will slow you down the most, and actively choose not to do that. Find an internal sense of encouragement.

If You’re Stuck In a Job, Ask These Questions to Get You Moving Again

You’re replaceable to the job, is the job replaceable to you?
Are you staying out of loyalty? What are you actually loyal to (family, prosperity, stability, etc.)?
Are you worried you won’t find a better job? (Spoiler alert: you will!)
Why are you still there? What are they giving you to stay?

“Everybody’s not nice. Everybody’s not going to be nice to you. But you are NOT going to be scared, and they WILL respect you.” - Misha Ford

INT 116: Stop Hiding Who You Are as a Leader and in Life

Linda Yates — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In this week’s episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, Linda Yates brings you an amazing, moving conversation with Ruth Rathblott. Rathblott is a best-selling author, a TEDx and expert keynote speaker, and an award-winning leader in the nonprofit sector. Together, they delve into what it is like to hide the differences that make you who you are, and how to escape a cycle of perfectionism and shame in your personal and professional life.

Ruth Rathblott’s Background

Ruth was born with a limb difference, and wanting to fit in caused her to hide
Hiding became a pattern in her life, but it was exhausting and lonely
As a leader in business, a pattern of hiding and perfectionism caused her team to reflect that – her staff felt like they had to be perfect, and didn’t always feel comfortable enough to be themselves

3 Tips for Coming Out of Hiding

Understand the part of yourself that feels “different.” Ask yourself questions: what part of yourself are you trying to hide? What are the social and cultural ideas about it? How are they impacting you?
Find a place to share your difference. This can be a friend, partner, therapist, or even a journal - start to create space in your life for the part of yourself you’re hiding.
Connect with other people. Once you start sharing, you may find a community that you relate can relate to, and who share some of your experiences and challenges. A community can offer you support, and you can also become a role model for others.

Unhiding in Leadership

Vulnerability starts with leadership - if leaders are willing to share some things about themselves, they model this behavior for others
Empathy in the workplace can create a better, more informed work environment
This is different from “spilling”, or oversharing - unhiding is sharing when you are in need of support

“It starts with leadership. Leaders need to be the ones that model vulnerability. They need to be the ones that come with an understanding of their own differences and where they have felt different, that they need to share some parts of themselves that are vulnerable that they think may, in some ways, make them look weak, but it actually makes them look strong.” - Ruth Rathblott

Resources

Simple Abundance by Sarah Branbreathnach

Ruth Rathblott on LinkedIn

Ruth Rathblott on TEDx

Singlehandedly book

Ruthrathblott.com

INT 115: Where to Find Female Role Models

Linda Yates — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 11:00:00 -0400

This week, the Int-HER-rupt podcast brings you a conversation between our host Linda Yates and women’s leadership expert Helen Appleby. They discuss some of the issues that face women in business, and how to find a role model or mentor who can guide you along your personal journey. Appleby has worked in six different countries, led a billion-dollar company, and is now an executive coach, author, and podcaster, sharing her journey with women all over the world.. Take a listen, and check our resources to connect with her - she just might be the role model you’re looking for.

Appleby’s Background

She has worked for and been in leadership roles in several major businesses, including GlaxoSmithKline, where she led the $1 billion Respiratory Health business in Consumer Healthcare.
She was performing well and attending courses to improve her skills, and began to notice that the challenges that women face in the industry are often different from the ones men face.
Her book, The Unwritten Rules of Women’s Leadership, helps women to navigate their careers and meet their own definitions for success. She also now has a podcast, which continues the discussion.
She is now an Executive Coach and Womens’ Leadership Trainer, helping women step into their power.

Superhero, Role Model, or Mentor?

A role model is someone who can be quite distant from you, but who has achieved some of the same goals you have. You can learn from them by reading their work, listening to interviews, etc.
A mentor is someone who is two steps ahead of you in your goals. Ideally, you can speak to them personally and ask them questions. This is someone you learn from, who is helping you grow.
Yates and Appleby differentiate this from a superhero - this is someone who is so far ahead of you, the goals seem unattainable. It’s not helpful if the person you look up to is on a pedestal - role models and mentors should be relatable.

How do you find a role model or mentor?

Get clear about what you want in your career. Choose 3 ways you want to grow and develop.
Figure out who is two steps ahead of you on the journey. Find people who have done what you want to do, and try reaching out to them and asking them questions. Whether it’s a goal or a skill - find someone who has been there, and reach out to see if they’d be willing to meet with you.
It doesn’t need to be someone who has accomplished it all. Sometimes people who are much further along the journey can have a tough time mentoring because they forget what it’s like to be in your position. Talk to someone who can relate to you.

Quote: “On our own, we can figure stuff out… but if you do it by yourself, you can tend to stumble through. Having mentors, which are a bit closer than role models, can be a career accelerator.” - Helen Appleby

Check out the episode, where Yates and Appleby go into more depth about why role models are so important, what to do if your role model disappoints you, and what to do if you get interrupted!

Helen’s book, The Unwritten Rules of Women’s Leadership, is available on Amazon. Check out her podcast of the same name and so much more at her website, HelenApplebyCoaching.com. You can also reach out to her on LinkedIn. You can reach out to Linda and let her know how this episode relates to you. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 114: Staying Motivated after a Setback

Linda Yates — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In this week’s episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, our host Linda Yates spent some time in a conversation with Monique Jenkins. Jenkins is an HR leader who has worked for the state of Georgia for a decade. Her infectious energy and leadership skills come through in this podcast as she discusses how she has recovered from various setbacks over her life and career, and what gave her the strength to stay motivated to achieve her goals.

Background

Jenkins enlisted in the army at 18 and planned to stay for four years, but ended up coming back to Mississippi and attending university. Leaving the army was an early setback that she overcame
She holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Mississippi University for Women (the first public school for women!)
In 2009, Jenkins moved to Georgia and began working for the state supporting HR professionals

How Jenkins Recovered After a Major Professional Setback

After planning a major event, due to a hurricane, the conference had to be stopped. The entire team that had planned it had to quickly change focus, pivoting to ensuring the safety of all of the guests, and recovering from the loss of a fundraising opportunity
Jenkins had a strong team. They were all involved in decision-making, developing plans, and changing those plans.
After the event, Jenkins took some time to process and recover and encouraged her staff to do so as needed.
She also thought back through all the decisions that were made, and gave credit to her and her team for doing the best they could given the information they had at the time.

3 Tips for Motivating a Team After a Setback

Acknowledge their concerns. Then help them see the big picture, and have perspective on the larger goals you are all looking to achieve.
It’s okay to be vulnerable. Demonstrate to your team that it’s okay to take a step back and recover if that’s what they need to do. Create a safe environment where it’s “okay to not be okay.”
Remember that we are all human. Things are not always going to go our way - as Jenkins says in the episode, “the path is not always straight.” If the leader can remember that, they can remind the team of it as well.

Jenkins acknowledges that it’s not always easy to see the bigger picture right after a setback happens. She encourages people to process and feel the emotions of disappointment and sadness that may come with crises, large and small. But once those emotions have been processed, staying focused on the goal and carrying on is the next, and most important, step.

If you connected with this message and you’d like to reach out to Monique Jenkins, you can find her on LinkedIn. You can also reach out to Linda and let her know how this episode relates to the challenged you’ve faced. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 113: How to Regain Trust When it's Lost

Linda Yates — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Int-HER-rupt, our host Linda Yates has a conversation with Cheryl Nye. They discuss the importance of trust and how to respond when trust is broken - whether in the workplace or in life.

Cheryl’s Background:

After dabbling in being an entrepreneur, Cheryl found her niche in corporate America. She is a data consultant and has been working with the same company for 17 years.
As a member of the Toastmasters Club Sensor Toast, she gained confidence in communication and leadership. This experience created the foundation for the work she does today.

The Importance of Trust

Nye calls trust the “foundation of all relationships” - whether at home or in the workplace.
Without trust, communication falls apart. If someone doesn’t trust their team leader to respect them, they won’t come forward if something is going wrong. Similarly, if a leader can’t trust members of their team to follow through on projects, the work will fall on a few individuals or on the leader themselves.
Once trust is lost, it can be hard to regain it, regardless of whether the person losing it is in a leadership position or not.

How to Recover From Broken Trust

Communication: If you have lost trust in someone in the workplace, communicate this with them as clearly and compassionately as possible. As Nye says in the episode, “Speak with love.” Understand the problem you’re having, and be up front about it without condescension or negativity.
Accountability: If you have broken someone’s trust, take responsibility. Take the time to listen and understand how the other person is feeling. Apologize and make a plan for how to improve - then follow through on that plan.
Nye and our host Linda Yates both place a lot of importance on leading with the heart. When time is taken to truly listen, understand and change, trust can be rebuilt, even when it takes a long time.

Learning to Trust YOURSELF Again

If you’ve been the one to make a mistake or mess up, it can be hard to believe in yourself and can cause more stress than is actually helpful.
Nye’s advice is to use the “5 Why’s” to assess the root cause of the problem. She gives the following example: If you’re chronically late to work, ask yourself why you’re late. If it’s because the meeting wasn’t in your calendar, ask why it wasn’t in the calendar. Why? Maybe the calendar is not set up in a way that is easy to use. Knowing this, you can seek out a new calendar to try. Once you reach the root cause, you can turn it into action.
Practice trusting your instincts. Listen to your gut - it is often right. Ask yourself how you feel about a stressful situation, and really listen to yourself.
Finally, take a step back. Zoom out. Listen to others as well, and see how they’re responding to you. Self-reflection is a huge part of self-improvement, and Nye attributes this skill to helping her grow and develop her interpersonal communication skills to where they are today.

Trust in the workplace is what helps create the bonds that makes a team strong. Without healthy communication and the knowledge that fellow teammates will follow through, a team will always suffer and lose their ability to work cohesively. If that trust is broken, accountability and actively listening can create a safe environment where trust can be rebuilt.

INT 112: Leadership Lessons from Men

Linda Yates — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In today’s episode of the IntHERrupt podcast, our host Linda Yates meets with Vidette Pires to discuss leadership lessons women can learn from men.

What Women Can Learn From Men

Men are good at supporting each other and promoting one another. Women can learn from this.
Men are better at managing their insecurities. Women can also learn from this.
A lot of networking events are catered more toward men and drive away women. Women can AVOID setting up networking events like this.
There aren’t many mentors for women to look up to. Again, women can fill this role and help mentor one another.
Occasionally, men will take credit for work women have done. Women can combat this to get the credit they, or other men in some instances, deserve.

Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 111: Combatting Ageism in the Workplace

Linda Yates — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In today’s episode of the IntHERrupt podcast, our host Linda Yates meets with LaTrelle Porter to discuss ageism in the workplace, and how to effectively combat it.

Porter’s Background

Porter was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia and has a LONG background in education. She has several degrees, ranging from bachelor’s degrees in management and HR, to her PhD in management.
She currently works for the local government in Savannah. Porter owns a bakery business and also is involved in several different organizations.
You can read more about her here: https://www.savannahga.gov/directory.aspx?EID=161

Ageism in the Workplace

Porter defines ageism as discrimination usually, but not always, against older people in the workplace. Sometimes it’s subtle and other times it’s blatant. Specifically, Porter finds that people over 40 are the targets of ageism, and expects ageism to grow in the next few years.
The first step to combating ageism is: Understanding different perspectives and biases. Everyone carries biases, whether we realize it or not. Understanding these biases is the first step in overcoming them. Everyone brings something to the table, regardless of their age.
The second step is: Genuine conversation. Talk to others and TRULY listen to them. Learn their differences so you can better understand their point of view. This will help you avoid discriminating against them.
Older people can learn the ins and outs of technology and social media from younger generations and coworkers.
Younger people, meanwhile, can learn things like institutional knowledge and processes from older coworkers.

Leading Multigenerational Teams

When you’re leading a team made up of multiple age groups, there are some KEY points that Porter suggests.
Understand your leadership style and the leadership style of your team. Everyone has a different leadership style. Understanding how your team members follow is KEY in actually being able to lead them.
Be genuine. Understand your team members and offer them ALL the same opportunities. Don’t view your team members as that, team members. Instead, view and understand them as individuals.

Ageism is a HUGE potential detriment in the workplace. Understanding it is the first step in combating it. Take these tips and use them to prevent ageism in your team. That way, you’ll ENSURE you’re all working at maximum efficiency.

INT 110: Values and their Importance to Leadership

Linda Yates — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 04:30:58 -0400

In today’s episode of IntHERrupt, our host Linda Yates goes over values and their importance for leaders as the new year begins.

What are your values?

All a value refers to are things that are IMPORTANT to you. It could be your health, your family, or your career. Anything that holds significance to you and carries a lot of weight is one of your values. The first step in utilizing them as a leader is identifying them.
Identify between 3 and 5 of your values and WRITE THEM DOWN. Now that they’re written down, think, are there ANY of them that you could live without? If there are, then that’s not a high value.
After that, rank your values. Which one is the MOST important to you? How about the LEAST important?

Why are values important?

Your values determine what goals you reach, and how you reach them. If your values do NOT align with your goals, then you won’t hit that goals! Your goals and values HAVE to align for you to reach the outcome you’re wanting.
Values also help teams work together and make decisions together. If you’re faced with a difficult situation or dilemma, you can ALWAYS fall back on your values to help you move forwards.
As a leader, values help you lead your team as well. With a strong, good, set of core values in place your team either WILL or WILL NOT align with those values. For the team members that don’t align with your values, you can either help them realign or find a new team member who does align.

Changing values

Your CORE VALUES are designed to help you reach your goals. If your values don’t help you reach those goals, then you CAN change them.
A tip that Linda learned was to have a personal mission statement. Having a personal mission statement helps to create unity between you and your team members. Everyone knows WHAT the goal is and can together WORK towards that goal.

Identify your values and utilize them. Values are CRITICAL for leaders to not only help themselves, but their ENTIRE TEAM work together towards their goals.

INT 109: Being Comfortable in your Leadership Style

Linda Yates — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In today’s episode of IntHERrupt, our host Linda talks with Jordan LaSalle on how you can be comfortable with your particular leadership style.

Meet your team member instead of forcing them to come to you

Jordan has a background with teaching, and one VITAL thing she kept in mind throughout her career is: Meet the STUDENT instead of forcing the student to meet her. People learn and work differently, so if you want to effectively teach, or lead, you have to go to whoever you’re in charge of.
Emotional intelligence is key to this. Be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of your team, or in Jordan’s case students, and play to their strengths. Optimize things FOR your team so you can effectively work.

Be authentic and build a genuine relationship with the people you’re leading

After she worked in teaching, Jordan transitioned to being the vice president of education at her school. Just like she had done with her students, she focused on being GENUINE with the people under her.
Jordan did an exercise where she had everyone she worked with create a “user manual.”. The manual asked a few questions: What brings out the best in me, what brings out the worst in me, and here’s how to work most effectively with me. Not only does this build a relationship between you and your workers, but it also gives you an idea of HOW to effectively lead and work with them.

Understand your role in the team, as well as the role of everyone else

Jordan got her position while the pandemic was just beginning. Her, along with her team members, were all worried about the future and what direction the team would be heading in.
You have to remember: The job of your teammates is not to bear your weight. You, as a leader, are supposed to be a pillar and source of STRENGTH for your team. Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t rely on them. But focus on supporting your TEAM instead of having your team support you.

Recognize other people’s expertise

You may be the leader of a group or business, yes, but you’re not omnipotent.
In Jordan’s career, she works with a board of experts and meets with them frequently. Although she is in a HIGHER position than the other board members, she also recognizes and respects their insight. Jordan isn’t directly involved in EVERYTHING, so listening to the other board members and taking their insights into account helps her run things smoothly.

Don’t be afraid of vulnerability

There’s a common, and unfortunate, misconception that leaders have to ALWAYS be strong and NEVER show weakness or vulnerabilities. The issue with this, again, is not being genuine.
Nobody is perfect. There is no perfect leader or team member. Instead of CONSTANTLY chasing after perfection, chase after progress. Don’t be afraid to show your vulnerabilities! One tool Jordan uses are language cues. Saying things like “I’m going out on a limb” shows you’re not completely certain about what you’re going to say, but also makes you more human and genuine.

The final three points

Surround yourself with people who challenge and inspire you.
Embrace who you truly are.
Be able to find humor in yourself and in situations.

Take all of these considerations in mind to become a better leader, and connect more with your team.

INT 108: How To Communicate Effectively - When Faced With Challenging Expectations

Linda Yates — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 11:00:00 -0400

In today’s episode of IntHERrupt, Linda talks with Karen Laos and discusses how you can keep communication effective and efficient, even when faced with difficulties.

Remain confident

Confidence is key, not only in communication but in life in general. During Karen’s long career, she realized that she was able to ALWAYS communicate effectively when she had confidence.
Karen, always felt confident with her communication when she felt she was offering something valuable. Find whatever helps you remain confident, and keep it in mind while communicating.

Don’t be afraid to question authority

The idea of NEVER questioning authority is drilled into most of us from a very early age. Any authority figure who gives us a task or order is to be obeyed at all costs.
However, blindly trusting and following authority isn’t always the right solution. Trust your boss, yes, but also trust your gut. If something feels off before you communicate, talk to your boss. Explain what you think could be improved. Remember: It’s NEVER too late to change course or adjust plans.

Plan and prepare beforehand

The common saying is failing to plan is planning to fail. This is ESPECIALLY true in communication.
Karen roleplays with her clients frequently and ALWAYS has a plan to fall back on. Without a plan, more often than not, we become stuck and unable to communicate. When we have a plan to fall back on, however, we know how to continue.
One tool that Karen is specifically a fan of is pausing. If you find yourself rambling or losing focus, then pause. Follow it up by saying my point is. This lets the audience know that you ACTUALLY have a point and helps to refocus yourself.

Ask the right questions in advance

Even with the best planning and the highest confidence in the world, if you go into a situation without an understanding of what you’re aiming to achieve, you won’t effectively communicate.
Ask your boss or authority figure questions! If there’s something you’re unsure of DON’T be afraid to ask for clarification. With clear and concise information, you’ll be better prepared and more likely to communicate well.

Understand what makes communication effective

If you don’t already have a grasp of WHAT effective communication is, then how could you possibly hope to actually utilize it?
To Karen, effective communication is communication that allows all parties involved to clearly understand whatever is being communicated. A LOT of factors go into this, ranging from things like tone and body language to understanding and purpose, as well as what we’ve already covered. Having an understanding of all of these will ENSURE you can communicate effectively.
Be obsessively curious. This is another CRITICAL tool that Karen uses in her communication. You’re trying to talk TO a person, not AT a person. Ask questions, take time to listen to the other person’s response, genuinely engage with them, and show interest.

All of these tips and lessons will help you to become a FAR more potent and EFFECTIVE communicator. Master them and you can master the art of effective communication, even when faced with difficulties!

INT 107: How to Create Different Personalities

Linda Yates — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 11:00:00 -0400

In your work and life dealing with different personalities can be a challenge. How you are able to relate and deepen the relationship will be a leadership trait that will always serve you. In today’s episode of IntHERrupt, Linda is joined by Amie Migirova owner and lead stylist of Emma Justine Color & Extension Lounge discussing to relate and communicate with a variety of personalities.

Building rapport

Starting out can be difficult.
Being an introverted can be overcome in building rapport.
Ask questions.
Quiet appointments are trending in salons right now to reduce stress.
Variety of ways to build rapport with different personalites.
Sometimes you have to dig deeper and step out of your comfort zone.

Tips on relating to others

Keeping the conversation “light” when the conversation is stalled.
Staying positive when someone is negative.
Bring your best table to the interaction.
Get the other person to talk about themselves.

Leading a team

Get training to develop your and your team’s communication skills.
Strive to grow constantly.
Asking yourself how you can serve your team.
Lead by example.
Balance between being the leader and friend.
Look for a peer group in your industry or common role.
Caring for your team.

“A negative person doesn’t always love negative people.” – Amie Migirova

For more content and information from Amie, connect with her on LinkedIn or visit her company website at https://emmajustinesalon.com. Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 106: How to Realize your Potential

Linda Yates — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 11:00:00 -0400

It can be easy to forget the potential you have. Self-doubt, adversity, and outside opinions can all take a toll. In today’s episode of IntHerrupt, Linda is joined by Ashley Winston, international speaker, author and business advisor to explore how to realize your potential.

Life happens

Often, we are headed one direction then we feel called to pivot.
Don’t buy into other people’s perspective of you – follow your heart.
Pursuing God opened the doors for Ashley to realize her true potential and calling.

Overcoming doubts

Root of doubt is fear.
Be cautious of the stories you are telling yourself.
Whatever you feed will lead.
Faith is rooted in love.

Changing your story

We have a tendency to relive what happened in our childhood if we don’t take steps to acknowledge and heal.
You can decide to empower yourself.
Removing the mask, you put on to the world will allow you to be authentic and reach your potential.
Create an environment for yourself that is conducive to growth.
Make sure you have the right people in your tribe that you can trust.

“Fear holds us back from realizing our potential” – Ashley Winston

For more content and information from Ashley, connect with her on LinkedIn or visit her company website at www.TheAshleyWinston.com. Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 105: How To Deal With A Micro-Manager

Linda Yates — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 13:58:42 -0400

On today’s episode of IntHERrupt, Linda speaks with author, speaker, and consultant, Rita Ernst. They discuss the best ways to deal with micromanagers, how to deal with your own micromanager tendencies and positive leadership traits.

What is a micromanager?

Management on a continuum. A micromanager dictates and controls at an obsessive level.
3 things that you need to feel fulfilled in the workplace are mastery, autonomy, and belonging. Micromanagers take away your autonomy and challenge your competence.
You can better deal with a micromanager by understanding their psychological driver, asking them for what you need, and being persistently patient.

How do you deal with your own micromanager tendencies?

Be vulnerable with yourself and find your own psychological driver.
Give your team permission to name when you are falling into micromanager tendencies.
Ask for more of what you need from your team.

Best leadership traits

Rita believes that the best leadership traits are listening, questioning/curiosity, and empathy.

Has Rita ever been interrupted?

Rita was interrupted when she took time off of work to stay at home and take care of her daughter. It was difficult for her to take time away from her career.
When Rita is being interrupted she remembers her core values and what is personally important to her.

Episode Resources

If you want to hear more from Rita check out her website.

Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Youtube, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 104: Showing Gratitude as a Leader

Linda Yates — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 11:00:00 -0400

On today’s episode of IntHERrupt our host, Linda Yates talks about showing gratitude as a leader. She recounts experiences from her childhood, career, and personal life when others have shown her gratitude. Linda also gives you her three “P’s” of gratitude.

Personal, Present, and Positive

As you are showing gratitude, make it personal by using an individual's name. Try to show gratitude for things that are presently happening and always keep it positive. Remember that light breeds light! We can cancel out the negativity and harshness around us by showing gratitude.

Linda challenges you to write down what you are grateful for when you are having discouraging moments in your life. There is power in putting something in writing.

Lastly, Linda wants to thank you, the listener!

Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Youtube, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 103: How Best To Balance Your Time As A Leader in a Volunteer Organization

Linda Yates — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 11:00:00 -0400

On today’s episode of IntHERrupt, our host, Linda Yates, talks with marketing expert, Cynthia Beckles, about how to balance your time as a leader in a volunteer organization.

Why is volunteering important?

Cynthia has found volunteering as a healthy outlet away from her job to find fulfillment and make a real difference.
She has learned how to inspire a shared vision and treat everyone involved with respect.

How can you motivate volunteers that aren’t measuring up?

Take the time to meet with them, without singling them out, and find out if their current position isn’t a good fit. Move them to a different position that will help them to find their ‘why’.
Cynthia still remembers the advice of a mentor from 21 years ago, a good mentor can motivate someone to stay and grow.

How do you manage your job, life, and volunteer work?

Cynthia finds common ground within the different aspects of her life and is able to compartmentalize them.
Have a plan and do an evaluation afterward.

What does Cynthia wish she’d known?

Make sure that everyone knows what is going on and make sure that people realize this is not their job, it's a volunteer effort.
The minute volunteering feels like a job, that’s when you start losing people. Acknowledge your volunteers and give them special recognition.
Make sure the volunteers are getting what they need.

Has Cynthia been interrupted?

The pandemic interrupted Cynthia’s life and forced her to learn more about digital marketing.
Cynthia views interruptions as an opportunity to learn new skills and make new connections.

Do you have stories to tell? Connect with Linda to share them. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Youtube, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

INT 102: The Value of Finding Meaningful Work (Even if You Don't Get Paid For It)

Linda Yates — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Sometimes, we get stuck in a cycle where we burn out quickly. In this episode, Jenessa Fillipi talks about the value of finding meaningful work even if you don’t get paid.

Getting to know Jenessa Fillipi

Jenessa Fillipi has been a mother of four and an elementary counselor for the last 15 years. Aside from that, Jenessa is the executive director of Down Home Nonprofit in Fargo, North Dakota.
Jennesa and her husband have very different talents. Her husband is a very skilled handyman. He has his own business and he can take about anything apart and put it back together.
Despite the different careers, both Jenessa and her husband love connecting with people. Over the years, they’ve talked about how they can utilize his gift in handiwork and construction and her love for design and transforming a space into something that people could love.
Three years ago, Jenessa felt the stir to do something else. She felt that there was still something missing in her life. Along with her husband, they dug deeper and asked for the input of their kids on what makes a house a home. They realized then that they could use their talents for bigger purposes. There are thousands of men, women, and children in the Fargo community that are sleeping on the floor. This was how Down Home came to life.

The Work-Life Harmony

Jenessa figured that for her to feel harmonized, she needed to draw close to one who is greater than herself.
In both her life and her work, she gives 110% of her effort. She learned to take deep breaths and she learned to let go of other tasks to focus her mind on the things that she wanted and needed to be good at.
As an elementary school counselor, she doesn't have to grade papers. There is still paperwork but that doesn't include grading the children’s work.
In Renata Bower’s book, Free to B., Jenessa’s biggest take is that we all have unique gifts and talents that we’re good at.
It’s important to recognize the things you’re good at instead of focusing on the things that you’re not good at.
Another lesson that Jennesa learned is that mistakes have their purpose, too. It’s critical that you give yourself grace when you make mistakes, especially when you’re not getting paid or you’re not paid well. You can’t lose your way because that would keep you from moving forward.
Make sure that you provide time for yourself. Sometimes, when we’re too passionate about something, we get caught up and it affects other relationships.
Take the time to invest in the people around you: your family, spouse, and children.

Challenges today

Jenessa is now looking at a transition this year. It’s difficult to let go of a career she has invested in for the last 15 years and focus her time on Down Home.
To overcome the challenge, she’s putting more effort into helping fill the gap within the community. They invite more people into the Down Home family and maximize their resources to help more needy people.
Jenessa’s mother has been a huge help to them and to Down Home. There have been several people behind the scene who are helping Jenessa in creating Down Home.
Life is full of interruptions but when these things happen, she makes sure that she puts up a plan as best as she can.
She’s also trying to prioritize the interruptions, whether it’s the kids when she’s trying to do something or talking to people over video calls.

“The Value of Finding Meaningful Work (Even if You Don’t Get Paid for it)” episode resources

Check out and follow Jenessa Fillipi on LinkedIn.

Do you have more stories to tell? Talk to Linda Yates here. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by the TSE Studios including The Sales Evangelist and more.

This episode is sponsored by The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and smash their quotas. Int-HER-rupt Podcast is produced by the team at TSE Studios,

If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the Int-HER-rupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single interview. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. You can also leave comments, suggestions, and ratings for every episode you listen to. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.