We all have labels - some are given to us, and some, we give ourselves. Christa Couture says that how you word those labels can make all a difference. Christa is a brilliant woman with many labels: she’s queer, indigenous, disabled, a writer, a musician, a broadcaster, and a mother. In today’s show, she reveals how these labels do and do not define her and the pressures that come with them. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ Christa reads from ‘Brilliant Imperfection: Grappling with Cure’ by Eli Clare. [reading begins at 16:30] Hear us talk about: Acceptance and empowerment: “My body is good enough.” [23:04] | “I am not the broken one here; it’s the ideas that are broken.” [25:55] | Moving beyond shame. [29:27]

There’s a scene in the music mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap, where one character reveals his amp collection. One, in particular, goes up to eleven -- not the usual ten -- for when you want to take it over the top. But what if you don’t play guitar? What if the thing you took to eleven was your curiosity about how life works? Author A.J. Jacobs is someone who plays to eleven. He is famous for writing about his lifestyle experiments, has done everything from fitness to smartness to religious, and has adopted the title of ‘human guinea pig.’ Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ A.J. reads from Ecclesiastes 9:7-12. [reading begins at 10:08] Hear us further discuss: “How much of life is luck?” [14:04] | Reframing a bad break: “Embrace the suck.” [20:08] | Carpe diem. [22:37] | Dignity of work and commitment: “Do something in the world! Don’t sit back and be a passive observer.” [25:18] | Finding the courage to commit fully. [26:38] | Wisdom: distinguishing wisdom from knowledge. [29:50]

Explore how Magdy Karam, Chief Learning Officer at Microsoft Canada, transformed learning experiences by shaping a culture of continuous learning. From evading hero syndrome to fostering inclusion and leading as an introvert, dive into the key insights from 'Dare to Lead' shared in this episode.

Failure is well and good in theory ... but how do we become comfortable with it in practice? Ashley Good knows. She calls herself a ‘full-time failure,’ and is the founder and CEO of Fail Forward, a consultancy centered around helping others to fail intelligently. She and I wrestle with the million dollar question: how can we begin to embrace and overcome failure in our lives? Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ Ashley reads two pages from the book ‘The Rise: Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery’ by Sarah Lewis. [reading begins at 15:34] You’ll also hear us talk about: The transformational quality of failure. [22:24] | Different responses to failure. [26:55] | “Theoretically, it is true that we can all repair with gold, but it is not psychologically true for everyone.” [27:39] | Coping with failure. [28:09] | “Being transformed by failure requires us to acknowledge that things are hard. It is always possible to be your wisest self in your worst moments.” [34:07]

We network, and we’re LinkedIn connected … and at the same time, we’re not known, and we’re not seen. We’re followed, and we’re following on social media … and still, we’re lonely. How do we find, build and nurture actual relationships? ‘Curve Benders,’ David Nour’s latest book, underscores how significant relationships are in our lives. In this conversation, David digs into how to build the strategic relationships that help you grow in all areas of your life. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ David reads from Walter Keichel’s ‘The Lords of Strategy.’ [reading begins at 16:20]We discuss: “The only way to remain relevant is through a commitment to personal reinvention.” [23:30] | “Think less about where you can find curve benders and more about how you can become one.” [25:10] | The role of exile in change. [26:33] | Finding freedom within the constraints of expectation. [28:44] | The entrepreneurial mindset. [31:21]

If you can imagine a painter, musician or dancer, then you can probably bring to mind where they do their work. A place to explore, create and make ...but how is that relevant to those of us in the world of organizations and corporations? Today’s guest, Jennifer Paylor, calls herself an artist and it’s not only because she sings and writes. She is an engineer and the current Head of Learning & Development, Talent and Culture at Capgemini in North America. She believes that the work she does here is considered art, because she utilises her skills to create a harmonious environment, blurring the lines between Art and Science. Get book links and resources at https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/Jennifer reads from ‘Leadership and Self-Deception’ by The Arbinger Institute. [Reading begins at 9:40] You’ll also hear us talk about: Being ‘in the box.’ [13:15] | Staying present to humanity in difficult conversations. [19:35] | “People talk in symptoms. There is a need somewhere, even if they don’t articulate it.” [20:32] | Culture hacking. [21:06] | Building influence in new organisations. [23:50] | Intellectual humility. [25:47] | “Trust is the key to human growth.” [30:09]

“Living is easy with eyes closedMisunderstanding all you seeIt’s getting hard to be someone but it all works out It doesn’t matter much to me” How do lyrics from “Strawberry Fields Forever” become a doorway to a conversation about conflict and creativity? Ian Leslie, bestselling author, thought leader in human behaviour, and Beatles nerd digs into the art of productive conflict, ridiculous standards, and the magic of Sir George Martin. Get book links and resources at https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/Ian reads from the book ‘Revolution in the Head’ by Ian MacDonald. [Reading begins at 8:13]Listen to this episode to learn:“Demanding the impossible.” [18:07] | Understanding productive conflict. [20:11] | “Conflict is essential to creativity and innovation.” [22:20] | Staying present in heated moments. [23:46] | The link between conflict and curiosity. [26:46] | Managing egos during disagreements. [30:09]

“Human resources” <= This phrase drives me NUTS! It’s a term so common that we’ve grown deaf to the mechanistic coldness of it. How will we ever build organizations that are people-centric and allow for human flourishing … if we consider people just resources? Leadership strategist Dan Pontefract is on the frontlines with me in the quest to shape corporate cultures as human-centered. Dan joins me today to talk about how caring helps organizations flourish, when and where you need to manage, and why every interaction counts. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/  Dan reads from 21 Letters on Life and Its Challenges by Charles Handy. [reading begins at 6:05]Furthermore, we discuss: “To me, the organization is a family” [11:03] | Challenges associated with adopting a human-centered way of thinking [14:13] | “You’re only as good as your last interaction with someone.” [21:02] | Being willing to embrace empathy in the workplace [22:02] | Organizational evolution [28:57] | “Once you change yourself, you can help to change others.” [33:55]

What is it to make a brave choice? Where do you find the courage to not only choose, but to then commit, to a decision and be content with it. This episode’s guest is Shannon Minifie, who’s made one very brave decision: to be the successor as CEO of Box of Crayons, the learning and development company founded by me. Shannon’s one of my favorite people in the world, and in this conversation, we talk not only about making tough decisions but also about how she works to create an organizational culture where taking the easy way out is never encouraged. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/  Shannon reads from David Foster Wallace’s essay “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again.” [reading begins at 4:27]        You’ll hear Shannon and Michael further discuss: Temporal finitude: how being aware of death affects our living. [10:47] | “Part of being an adult is making decisions which foreclose other options.” [15:55] | Being radically candid. [16:39] | How to become comfortable with making brave choices. [24:54] | “You can create a more beautiful thing by setting boundaries within which it has to be created.” [29:25] | Rejecting comfort and ease: “Create cultures in which people can feel less alienated from their labor.” [32:08]

One of the most troubling trends among people who work for and in social change is the sense that you should not only do difficult (but rewarding!) work, but you should do it for scraps. It’s a mindset held by people in and outside of the movement, and it’s one of the reasons that it’s so hard to be a force for change. Today’s guest, Nell Edgington, wants to put an abundance mindset at the heart of social change. It’s time to embrace not just the change we want in the world, but also, the people who help shepherd it into the world. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/  Nell reads pages from Tara Mohr’s book, ‘Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak up, Create, and Lead.’ [reading begins at 3:36]Michael and Nell explore:How to be a change agent [7:33] | Fixing the social change sector [13:49] | How abundance works [15:46] | Welcome to the ‘transition team’ [19:37] | Three key takeaways from Nell’s book [26:13]