BEYOND BARRIERS

Have you ever missed out on a career opportunity within your organization because you didn’t know about it? Or not apply for a job because you doubted your qualifications? This episode dives into the power of your network, taking courageous leaps, and how to manage failure and step into your resiliency. Meet Sharleen Gutierrez, who is a leading expert in diversity, equity and inclusion. Sharleen is a Senior Leader at Google, leading a team focused on fairness and equity in Google’s talent processes. In this episode, Sharleen shares her story on how taking courageous leaps, even when she felt she wasn’t ready, paved the way to uncover her superpower. And, how her network of peers and mentors helped open doors to opportunities that accelerated her success.   Highlights: [02:25] Sharleen’s story [05:08] Career start at Goldman Sachs [08:17] How I landed in Diversity & Inclusion [11:17] The power of your community [16:00] How to think about networking [18:48] Discovering your superpower [22:05] Advice for career minded parents [26:58] Learning from failures and setbacks   Quotes: “Shift your mindset to a place where you hold a higher value on the opportunity versus on how qualified you are for the job.” – Sharleen Gutierrez “Understand your networking style and consider how it works for you.” – Sharleen Gutierrez “Think of networking in three buckets, who will provide information about opportunities, who will provide advice and who will support as sponsors.” – Sharleen Gutierrez “Non-negotiables are very important for you to know and to serve as an anchor, as you're determining your priorities.” – Sharleen Gutierrez “Know what your priorities are, commit to them, and then let go when things are not exactly the way you want them.” – Sharleen Gutierrez “Be mindful and approach life from a place of gratitude.” – Sharleen Gutierrez “Staying in the wrong role does not benefit anyone, it actually does a disservice to everyone involved.” – Sharleen Gutierrez “When thinking of success, keep human connection and interaction top of mind because it is people who create, develop, sell, implement. Whatever your business is, people are behind it.” - Sharleen Gutierrez “In this digital age, we have to remember the human aspects of our culture. And authenticity is a key component of that.” – Sharleen Gutierrez “Each one of us has to take responsibility for our own actions because how we show up is what cultivates company culture.” – Sharleen Gutierrez   About Sharleen Gutierrez: Sharleen is a global thought leader on diversity and inclusion, talent management and culture change. She drives meaningful change towards greater fairness, equity and workplace inclusion in gender, race, LGBTQ+, ability and their intersections. She started her career at Goldman Sachs, where she spent 14 years in a variety of roles across the Human Capital Management Division. While at GS, one of her highly recognized achievements was pioneering the award-winning effort focused on women of color (before intersectionality was even a topic of conversation). Sharleen brings a global perspective on diversity, having lived and worked in Japan, and led D&I engagement initiatives in both South America and Europe. Today, she leads a team focused on fairness and equity in Google's talent processes. Her team designs systemic interventions and accountability measures that decrease gaps and increase parity. Sharleen was one of Diversity Woman Magazine’s top 50 change agents. In her spare time, she can be found exploring the world with her husband and three children. Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharleen-gutierrez-7961741 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharleen.gutierrez.3  

What if your biggest opportunity was also your biggest challenge? Would you go for it? Carina Edwards, CEO of Quil, shares why it’s so important to be guided by your true north, and how to make sound decisions about your life and career. Carina is an inspiring leader who embodies grace under fire. As CEO of Quil, a digital health company, Carina is leading her organization to revolutionize healthcare by empowering patients and their care providers to have ownership of their healthcare journeys. In this episode, Carina shares how she discovered her purpose, and what drives her to make a positive difference in people’s lives every day. Carina also provides guidance on navigating effectively through an unexpected crisis, and what it takes to lead with courage and conviction.   Highlights: [02:21] Carina’s story [04:36] The evolution of leadership [08:24] Switching lanes and leveling up effectively [11:09] Transitioning to leadership and what it takes to be successful [14:11] What I wish I had known earlier in my career [15:56] Taking the leap with confidence [18:56] The mission of Quil Health [21:27] Leading through crisis - COVID pandemic [25:10] Post-pandemic – the birth of new innovations [28:40] How to navigate through difficult times [30:03] Daily habit to keep yourself grounded [31:58] Gravitas in remote collaboration [34:30] Advice to get future-ready   Quotes: “If you don't deliver value, and you don't deliver results, you can't drive top line growth.” – Carina Edwards “Always finish what you start and deliver results. Then be curious about the next thing that can truly deliver value and enhance your career.” – Carina Edwards “Before you can lead through crisis, you have to first ground yourself in being the most authentic version of yourself.” – Carina Edwards “Don't let the crisis pivot you from your true north.” – Carina Edwards “New innovation needs to be grounded in delivering value.” – Carina Edwards “If you don't get close to your customers and understand how they're going to be impacted, then you don't know how you're going to be able to help them.” – Carina Edwards “Always bring your authentic self to both your personal life and your professional life.” – Carina Edwards   About Carina Edwards: Carina Edwards is the CEO of Quil, the joint venture between Comcast NBCUniversal and Independence Blue Cross aimed at empowering patients and their support teams to answer “What Happens Next?” on their healthcare journeys. Quil’s digital health companion empowers users with step-by-step, personalized directions, prescribed by their doctor, from the first point of intervention through recovery delivering information where and when they need it, on their smartphone, computer, and TV. Prior to joining Quil, Carina served in executive positions at Imprivata, Nuance, Zynx Health, and Philips Healthcare. In 2016, she was appointed to the board of directors of CHIME (The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives). In 2019, she was named by Becker’s Healthcare as “Female Health IT Leaders to Know.” Carina received her MBA from Boston College and her BS in MIS & Decision Sciences from George Mason University.   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carina-edwards-aa0731/ Twitter: @cedwardski Twitter: @quilhealth Website: https://quilhealth.com/  

Welcome to the Beyond Barriers Habits & Hacks Show! Have you ever wondered what is that one thing that you can be great at? It’s what you become known for – and what differentiates you. Well that's exactly what we're going to help you with on today's show, where you'll learn how to gain clarity on your skills and competencies with powerful habits and hacks. When you have clarity on what makes you outstanding in your career, you can align what you do to exactly that competency. That way you can continue to hone it over time and become great at it.  Don’t waste time focusing on your weaknesses. Delegate or outsource those things. When you try to work on your weaknesses, you become mediocre at best. Double down on the strengths, you are naturally talented at or love doing versus trying to get better at something that is not a natural gift and You’ll become great at those things. That’s how you accelerate your success!   Highlights: [01:01] The difference between skills and competencies [02:48] Transferrable skills and competencies [03:27] Articulate your competencies, not just your skills [07:19] How to gain clarity on competencies and unique skills [09:22] Homework for the week   Quotes: “Tell a story of your competencies that translates well into your new situation, whether it’s a promotion or new role.” – Nikki Barua “Your career trajectory follows your competency development. As long as you're leveling up in competencies, you will keep rising up.” – Nikki Barua “Don't focus on the weaknesses, focus on the competencies that come naturally to you, because you will become excellent at those.” – Monica Marquez “When you work on your weaknesses, you become mediocre. But when you double down on your strengths, you become great.” – Nikki Barua   About Nikki and Monica: Nikki Barua is a digital innovator, serial entrepreneur, author & speaker. Monica Marquez is an ex-Googler, diversity expert and senior corporate leader.   Contact Nikki and Monica: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iambeyondbarriers/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondbarriersco/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambeyondbarriers/  

We’ve all experienced what it’s like to be led by leaders that are great, and some that are not so great. Do you want to master leadership skills and be the kind of leader you’d love to follow? Our guest, Executive Leadership Coach, Robin Elledge provides perspective on the importance of self-development and learning to lead yourself, before leading others. Robin leads Janus Coaching & Consulting, a firm that provides Executive Coaching and HR consulting services. Robin has held high-profile C-level roles at public corporations as well as fast growing entrepreneurial firms. Her varied experiences have given her a unique perspective on leadership, growth, and success. In this episode, Robin discusses what it takes to build high performing teams, and how to navigate through uncertain times. Robin also reveals the keys to success – emotional intelligence, insatiable curiosity, deep love of learning, willingness to take risks, and adapting to change.   Highlights: [02:27] Robin’s journey [03:43] Transitioning careers [06:25] What it takes to drive rapid growth as a leader [09:38] More than one way to be a successful leader [15:26] Leading in a larger organization [17:14] Switching lanes during a recession [20:58] Building your dream team [24:36] Preparing for the future of work [27:51] The ability to navigate paradox [33:25] Being good enough versus being perfect [35:20] Focusing on the right thing at the right time [37:26] Robin’s dream mentor [41:10] Advice on asking for mentorship or sponsorship [47:51] Put your own oxygen mask on first   Quotes: “No matter how smart or how visionary an entrepreneur may be, to drive rapid growth you need a really strong team.” – Robin Elledge “Leaders today have to be orchestra masters.” – Robin Elledge “Perfection isn't a goal. It's all about a process of moving in the direction that you're headed in.” – Robin Elledge “Prioritizing and being able to pick and choose the things that really differentiate you from a brand perspective is super important.” – Robin Elledge “Don't rush hiring, it's one of the most important things you'll ever do. You have to get the right people on the bus with you.” – Robin Elledge “In today’s world, the ability to learn on the fly, is the number one skill.” – Robin Elledge “Continuous learning needs to be built as a cultural attribute for organizations.” – Robin Elledge “One of the key leadership skill sets is navigating paradox.” – Robin Elledge “All leadership development starts with self-development.” – Robin Elledge   About Robin Elledge: Robin has spent the past 30 years honing her skills as a respected business leader and results-oriented change agent. She is currently an Executive/Leadership coach and HR/OD consultant through her company, Janus Coaching + Consulting. She is also currently an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Southern California (USC) in their Masters, Human Resources program. Robin’s previous business experience includes roles as Chief Administrative Officer at an entrepreneurial firm that grew 400% during her tenure, SVP, HR at a publicly traded retailer which was a Fortune Best Places to Work organization, and Chief People Officer at a large publicly traded hospitality company during a period of complete financial restructuring, reorganization, and acquisition. During her many roles she’s developed specific expertise in Organization and Leadership Development, employee engagement, and ensuring alignment between a company’s people and business strategies. Robin has an MBA from USC and earned an SPHR and a coaching certification (ICF). She has spoken at numerous meetings and conferences and published blogs/articles and two books on team building. Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinelledge/ Website: https://www.januscoach.com/  

Do you secretly wish for things but don’t how to get them? Meet our guest, Lisa Ong, who shares the power of dreaming big and wishing out loud. Lisa Ong is widely known as a “talent gardener” and “inclusion connector”. Lisa is an executive coach, diversity strategist, and President & Founder of Wishing Out Loud LLC. Lisa was formerly Diversity and Inclusion leader at PwC where she focused on minority retention and advancement, as well as growing inclusive leaders at all levels. In this episode, Lisa talks about how to discover your strengths, build your community of mentors and peers, and create opportunities to not only shine but, also to thrive in your career.   Highlights: [01:55] Lisa’s story [07:23] Switching lanes in your career [13:07] Showing up with confidence as a woman of color [18:05] Learning from failures and setbacks [23:56] Managing competing personal and profession priorities [28:54] The value of network and community   Quotes: “Knowing my top five strengths helped me determine whether I see myself in this current role in the future” – Lisa Ong “When I started to lean on the advice from my sponsors and really lean into it, I was actually able to accelerate my career.” – Lisa Ong “If you're thinking about what wild success would look like a year from now, you're more likely to achieve it. If you think the sky is falling, guess what, it probably will fall.” – Lisa Ong “When you ask for advice, you're appealing to your sense of gratitude for their wisdom and experience. And in the end, you will end up getting their help anyway.” – Lisa Ong “Turn off that negative voice in your head. And turn it up and say you're smart enough to figure this out.” – Lisa Ong “Confidence is how you show up.” – Lisa Ong  “If you're not having failures and setbacks, you're not learning and growing.” – Lisa Ong “A no is a no, not now. Not a no, not ever. But if you don't even ask, you're never going to get a yes.” – Lisa Ong   About Lisa Ong: Lisa Ong is an executive coach, speaker, diversity strategist and consultant. Lisa specializes in diversity and inclusion, leadership development, coaching and facilitation. Prior to founding Wishing Out Loud LLC, Lisa was a national diversity director in Diversity and Inclusion at PwC. She designed strategies to retain, develop and advance diverse talent. She focused on minority retention and advancement efforts as well as growing inclusive leaders at all levels. A widely known “talent gardener” and “Inclusion connector,” Lisa helps individuals to achieve goals with an emphasis on leadership skills leading to meaningful relationships. She shares her coaching approach with her clients to discover their strengths, dream big and keep strategically “wishing out loud” to create opportunities to shine and be their best. Lisa is a seasoned executive in business with a background in audits as well as senior human capital roles. Lisa earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Science in Management degree from the University of Texas at Dallas. She is a Texas Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by The International Coach Federation. She is certified in the Leadership Circle 360 tool. She also had her SPHR through 2015.  Lisa speaks on topics ranging from unconscious bias, bridging cultural differences, authentic leadership, building meaningful relationships, communicating with impact through storytelling and networking. Lisa serves on the board of the AICPA Council and the Texas Society of CPAs. She was past Chair of the Dallas chapter 2017-2018. She is an active Lifetime Member of Ascend, and served as an Executive Advisor to the North Texas Chapter from 2014-2019. She was named to The Dallas 500 in 2020 Directory by D CEO Magazine as “one of the most powerful business leaders in DFW” and awarded the 2019 CPA of the Year Award by the Dallas CPA Society. Dallas Business Journal also recognized her with a 2017 Minority Business Leaders Award for her leadership in business and the community. Wishing Out Loud LLC, 5760 Legacy Dr Ste B3-520, Plano, TX 75024  www.wishingoutloud.com Instagram: @wishingoutloud   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/onglisam/ Website: http://wishingoutloud.com/ Instagram: @wishingoutloud Twitter: @Lisa_M_Ong  

Do you have a network of friends or colleagues but don’t like asking them for help? Have you ever wanted to get access to influential leaders but didn’t know how? In this episode, you'll learn how to tap into the resources within your network with powerful habits and hacks. Instead of keeping your head down and doing the work, learn how to gain leverage through proximity. Career success – whether in corporate or entrepreneurial – is accelerated when you have access to the right resources and relationships. A common misperception about networks is that it’s about taking from others. That’s why so many women struggle with tapping into their networks because they don’t want to be a burden or feel awkward about asking for help. The truth is your network is built by giving –the more you give, the more your tribe grows. You receive a fraction of the value you create. So if you’re not getting the value you want, focus on the value you need to create for others. When you focus on how you can help others, rather than think about how they can help you, you are able to create value for them.   Highlights: [01:06] Power of proximity [04:34] The perspective of abundance [07:40] How to build a strong community [09:32] Homework for the week   Quotes: “If you have a gift to give, then give to as many people as you can.” – Nikki Barua “Think of your network, not as something you can take from, but rather something you give to.” – Nikki Barua “It's not about a network. It's simply a relationship and relationships are built on shared values, trust and respect.” – Nikki Barua “Make a list of 10 people within your reach that you want to get to know.” – Nikki Barua   About Nikki and Monica: Nikki Barua is a digital innovator, serial entrepreneur, author & speaker. Monica Marquez is an ex-Googler, diversity expert and senior corporate leader.   Contact Nikki and Monica: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iambeyondbarriers/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondbarriersco/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambeyondbarriers/  

Have you ever stepped into a role and questioned if you were the best person for the job? Do you carry the shame of failure and imperfection with you everywhere you go? Meet Danessa Knaupp, executive coach, thought leader and bestselling author, who shares how to embrace your struggles and gain true confidence in your journey. Danessa has coached hundreds of executives across every major industry and has developed a reputation as a candid, compassionate and courageous leadership partner. She is the author of Naked at Work: A Leader’s Guide to Fearless Authenticity and regularly addresses C-suite audiences on how to harness the power of real authenticity to drive measurable business results. In this episode, Danessa shares how you can be the strong, inspirational leader you imagine by leading authentically. She makes the case for owning your unique story and using, that real, imperfect experience to drive your personal and team performance. Danessa also provides her perspective on leadership principles for the digital age, and how to accelerate success.   Highlights: [02:10] Danessa’s story [05:16] How did you discover your superpower [07:46] Proudest career accomplishment [10:18] Making decisions with confidence [12:08] Overcoming your gremlins [13:12] Dealing with fears and limiting beliefs [16:41] Juggling changes in your personal life with your career [18:46] Comparison and the different versions of ourselves [20:21] Naked at Work: A Leader's Guide to Fearless Authenticity [24:00] Authenticity and Action [27:50] Showing up with fearless authenticity [35:10] Critical skills for women in the future of work [39:02] Connection in a geographically diverse workplace [41:41] Managing competing priorities [46:53] Who inspires you [50:12] Recommendation on accelerating success   Quotes: “I have been gifted with an extraordinary number of spectacular failures.” – Danessa Knaupp “I have this superpower now, that I am resilient. It' not about me, it's about what I'm willing to try or do or say.” – Danessa Knaupp “You want to bet smart but betting and losing doesn't mean you'e out of the game.” – Danessa Knaupp “I quiet my own internal interference. Those fears or doubts don't serve me. They are a distraction.” – Danessa Knaupp “Remember and believe that you are a beginner here. You haven't done this before. And you are going to be really good at it. It takes us a while to learn new things.” – Danessa Knaupp “Think about what decisions do I need to make to show up with intention in other areas of my life.” – Danessa Knaupp “There's a version of me that is confident, connected, intentional and strategic. And then there's the 10pm “me”, that’s a little bit tired and a little bit worried and not sure about anything. All of those versions of us are appropriate.” - Danessa Knaupp “I wonder how everybody in this room is different. And if we harness that, what could we do as a team?” – Danessa Knaupp “Leaders who focus and lead with authenticity have much more effective teams.” – Danessa Knaupp “Let go of thinking everyone is looking at you and just start to think about, what's the next right thing?” – Danessa Knaupp “Emotional intelligence will be the key differentiator for leaders. It is what keeps us separate from machines.” – Danessa Knaupp “The single most predictive factor of the collective intelligence of a group's ability to solve a problem was whether or not there was a woman present on the team.” – Danessa Knaupp “Be mindful of how we show up for other people. The unintentional expectations that we sometimes create, is the responsibility of our leaders.” – Danessa Knaupp   About Danessa Knaupp: Danessa is an executive coach, CEO, and keynote speaker shifting the global conversation on leadership. She has coached hundreds of executives across every major industry and has developed a reputation as a candid, compassionate and courageous leadership partner. She is the author of the leadership manual, Naked at Work: A Leader’s Guide to Fearless Authenticity and regularly addresses C-suite audiences on how to harness the power of real authenticity (not #authenticity) to drive measurable business results. Known for her unique ability to drive new levels of engagement and performance with key leaders, Danessa is a fresh, positive voice on leadership, authenticity, and executive team effectiveness. She has coached CEOs, senior leaders, boards, and C-suite teams on issues related to leadership effectiveness, succession planning, M&A integration, and conflict intervention. Her clients have included Anthem, Bain Capital, BlackRock, Capital One, Comcast, Genworth, Hilton, KPMG, Mastercard, Nordstrom and more. Danessa earned her executive coaching credentials from Georgetown University, and a BA in Psychology and Sociology from the College of William and Mary. She spent more than 20 years as an entrepreneur and a senior executive and ultimately, CEO. She is licensed by the International Coaching Federation and certified in many of the top leadership assessment tools.   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danessa-knaupp/ Websites: https://www.danessaknaupp.com/ http://www.avenue8advisors.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/danessa_knaupp Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/154450747X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_HELHEbSJP30VK  

Are you frustrated with self-doubt and tired of living small? In this episode, Saren Stiegel, shares with us how to develop strength and confidence and go from living small and fearful, to living big and free. Saren Stiegel is the People + Culture Officer for tech startup generator, ELEV^TE. Named Business Relationship Alliance's 2019 "Visionary Woman of the Year," Saren is also the best-selling author of The Glow Effect. Since its founding in 2013, the Glow Effect social enterprise has worked with over 20,000 people in 32 countries to grow their leadership impact. Saren has been featured in Real Simple, Fox News, and Entrepreneur. Saren shares her personal journey from being a divorce attorney to becoming a conscious culture advocate who helps individuals and organizations maximize their human and team potential. She presents actionable advice on how to pursue your passion and build your legacy with continuous learning and persistence.   Highlights: [02:26] Saren’s journey [07:49] Discovering your unique strength [09:13] Sales is a numbers game [12:37] Approaching fear with humility [14:19] Building partnerships [18:07] Courageous conversations [20:34] Persistency and flow [22:50] Being successful in the digital age [25:27] Focus on right thing at the right time [30:22] Key to accelerating success in the future of work [33:34] Diversity of thought   Quotes: “It's not about me getting the courage to ask. It's about reframing it in a way that we can get this done together.” – Saren Stiegel “When I walked into a room of women, I didn't see them as a network, I saw them as people who I can do cool things with.” – Saren Stiegel “The goal is to distribute power more equally to make everyone feel that they belong.” – Saren Stiegel “Your personal brand is your purpose.” – Saren Stiegel “The top of the triangle is your idea. You need to have a novel idea but supporting that novel idea, is expertise and experience.” – Saren Stiegel “Iteration and constantly willing to communicate and give feedback and be humble and, and learn, learn, learn, and increase your awareness. That's the future.” – Saren Stiegel “The openness and the willingness to consider and think about that diversity of thought in all of our business strategizing, is the infinite game.” – Saren Stiegel “If your goal is constant betterment and constant improvement and going beyond barriers, then it's okay to not know and keep going and to just know that you're consciously learning.” -Saren Stiegel   About Saren Stiegel: Saren Stiegel is the Founder of The Glow Effect, which delivers learner-centered training contents to nurture high performance. She is also an author, activist, speaker, social entrepreneur, and people and culture officer at ELEV^TE. Saren was named “Visionary Woman of the Year” by Business Relationship Alliance 2019. As an internationally recognized thought leader, Saren made herself a vehicle to empower women to rise as revolutionary female leaders. Among her expertise are leadership coaching, diversity and inclusion employee engagement and organizational consulting. She works with individuals and organizations to leverage their strengths and hone qualities that create a profound social impact.   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarenstiegel/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheGlowEffect/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGlowEffect Twitter: https://twitter.com/youaretheglow  

If you are looking for new career opportunities, then applying for a job online and hoping you get it is not an effective strategy. Regardless of your talent and experience, it’s impossible for hiring managers to spot you in a pool of thousands of candidates. That’s why relationship-based referrals account for 70% of all hires made by employers. Instead of looking for a job, focus on leveraging the power and advocacy of your community. Community is about belonging and empowerment. Having a engaged community provides access to resources and opportunities that you may not be aware of otherwise. An influential tribe is key to learning, growing, and leveling up together. Successful careers are built on continually growing networks with strong and lasting relationships. In this episode, you'll learn the 5 essential elements of community so that you can build your tribe and gain their support for your success. You’ll learn how to gain proximity to influential people and networks, how to build a peer group at the next level to help you grow, and how to seek feedback from your community.   Highlights: [00:59] Definition of community [02:18] 1 st essential element of community [03:59] 2nd essential element of community [05:23] 3rd essential element of community [06:21] 4th essential element of community [08:26] 5th essential element of community [10:05] Nikki’s favorite habit in building community [11:15] Homework for the week   Quotes: “Successful careers live and breathe because of the strong relationships and networks that individuals have.” – Monica Marquez “It's not about who you know, it's about who knows you.” – Nikki Barua “Define your Dream list, who is within your reach that you want to learn from. And then figure out how you can add value to them.” – Nikki Barua “When you have proximity to the right people, you get faster results because you are learning through their wisdom and experience.” – Nikki Barua “There's a difference between mentors and sponsors. Mentors may guide you. But sponsors are the ones that have the decision making ability to influence your career.” – Nikki Barua “Be intentional in identifying exactly you need mentorship in.” – Nikki Barua “You become the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Nikki Barua “By becoming peers with those at the next level, we start to emulate their habits and their mindset. And then success at that level becomes more accessible.” – Nikki Barua “Feedback is a gift that someone is giving to you because they care about you.” – Nikki Barua “When someone cares enough to give you feedback, value their perspective and their opinion, take action on it.” – Nikki Barua “If you want to earn the trust and respect of people, be the person that does exactly what they say they will.” – Nikki Barua   About Nikki and Monica: Nikki Barua is a digital innovator, serial entrepreneur, author & speaker. Monica Marquez is an ex-Googler, diversity expert and senior corporate leader.   Contact Nikki and Monica: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iambeyondbarriers/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondbarriersco/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambeyondbarriers/  

How do you respond to uncertainty caused by crisis? Do you feel paralyzed by fear and anxiety? Are you walking on eggshells but trying to hold it all together? Meet Sheila Darcey who is an artist, innovator and founder of SketchPoetic. Sheila’s experience as a facilitator and coach, and her work with Fortune 500 companies has informed her understanding of what drives transformative growth in individuals and teams. Three years ago, in her quest for a self-care practice as a way of coping with stress and anxiety, Sheila made a personal commitment to sketch every single day. This daily practice became a catalyst for her transformation and led to Sketchpoetic – a movement for those feeling burdened by the desire for change but blocked by fear and doubt. If you feel an evolution stirring within and are looking for transformation, stay tuned and learn how Sheila uses creative expression as a tool for self-reflection, self-care, and healing. Sheila is on a mission to share the Sketchpoetic practice with the world and to help others find their own way.   Highlights: [03:54] Sheila’s journey [08:58] Transformative process of sketching [13:28] Dealing with stress and anxiety [17:11] How grief changes us [20:48] Fear of the unknown [23:24] Creative expression is a powerful tool [26:42] Curiosity about our emotions [29:36] It’s never too late to play [31:15] Bring your creative self into existence [34:48] Guilt of being a working mom [39:24] Struggle with perfectionism [44:15] How the pandemic will change humanity [52:02] Daily self-care practice   Quotes: “Anxiety is the emotion that you are not releasing or expressing.” – Sheila Darcey “Every emotion is there to guide you. It is very uncomfortable, but do not categorize it as good or bad because it's the outcome that will eventually lead you to growth, to transformation, to learning, to healing, to insight.” – Sheila Darcey “We aren't just experiencing isolation today. It's actually making us remember the times we've actually felt this before.” – Sheila Darcey “Creative expression is such a powerful tool. You are tapping into your imagination and focusing it in a positive way.” – Sheila Darcey “When you are in fear, your imagination is used for the negative, and your body experiences the worst-case scenario.” – Sheila Darcey “The power of curiosity is that it kills the inner critic, curiosity kills the judgment. If you go in with curiosity, there's no space for judgment and criticism.” – Sheila Darcey “The challenge with being a perfectionist is that you're programming yourself to have all the answers all the time.” – Sheila Darcey “Being a parent is the act of constantly forgiving yourself. What your children will remember is the effort, the love, and the care that you put in.” – Sheila Darcey “Perfectionism comes from us trying to control something that is uncontrollable.” – Sheila Darcey “On the other side of the crisis, there will be innovation, creativity, experimentation.” – Sheila Darcey   About Sheila Darcey: Sheila has 20+ years as a facilitator, coach, and consultant in the technology and digital agency space. Her work with Fortune 500 companies informs her understanding of what drives transformative growth in individuals and teams. She earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree with a minor in Art History from the University of Memphis and certification Social Emotional Arts (SEA) from UCLA. The SEA certificate empowers educators, community arts professionals, mental health practitioners, and anyone interested in maximizing social-emotional benefits of arts experiences, and minimizing self-judgment and anxiety that can impede learning and growth. “The beauty of SketchPoetic is in the process of creation itself. I want people to connect with the process as much as the outcome - to create without planning, without analyzing, without fear, and without expectations... because it’s liberating. It’s about being in a safe place to quiet the mind and spark the child-like curiosity we sometimes lose in our busy lives.” What started as a personal commitment to sketch daily, soon became a catalyst for my own transformation. It also led to my greater purpose of elevating art as a tool for self-reflection, self-care, and healing. Through art, I was able to sketch and paint my way through complex emotions and process both my conscious and unconscious thoughts. The benefits of this practice became evident in my mental and emotional well- being. It also became a therapeutic tool in helping process anxiety and trauma. It has become my mission to share this practice with the world and to help others find their own way.   Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sketchpoetic/ Website: http://www.sheiladarcey.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheiladarcey/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sketchpoetic Twitter: https://twitter.com/sheiladarcey